It was only this morning that the group arrived at the "Old Court of Eternal Ice". The journey from the city of Akiba to this court is uneventful and uneventful. It was about two hours away, and even closer than the Shinjuk Imperial Garden.

　There were a total of ten people in the delegation, including Shiroe.
　They had been carefully selected because they didn't want to crowd the place with too many people, so the members had been carefully coordinated.

　The representative of the Roundtable, Krusty the Mad Titan, was the one who had to attend.
　The League of Free Cities Eastal seems to have an aristocratic culture. The reception of the Roundtable's self-governing committee system is unclear, but if they are to talk to the aristocrats on an equal footing, the Roundtable will have no choice but to send their own representatives.

　The next thing that came to mind was Dispatch Group No. 2.
　Since Krusty was also the representative of the largest combat guild, D.D.D., the producer's guild should choose a deputy to represent them.
　The candidates were Michitaka, the powerful general manager of the Maritime Organization, and Roderick of the Roderick Trading Company. Roderick of Roderick's Trading Company, or Karashin, the leader of the Eighth Shopping District, but it would be a pushover.
　After some wrangling, the one chosen was Michitaka of the Maritime Organization.
　The relationship between the three producers' guilds was not a bad one. Each has its own characteristics and supports the city of Akiba. For the producers, however, this is a time when the city is boiling over with new discoveries. Leaving the city must be a reluctance to leave it. It's against this background that the representatives have been pushed around.

　Michitaka and others tried to escape, saying, "It's more fun to follow the news of inventions now," but they couldn't complain when they lost in a game of rock-paper-scissors, which was an 11-game match. He tried to force Karashin to do everything, but it looks like he failed at that as well.
　It was Michitaka, the most caring person in the world. Eventually, he showed off his biggest vessel and said, "Shucks, man. I'll leave it to you." It was a brilliant move. However, afterwards, he said, "If something happens, I'll fly home in a couple of hours. It's a secret for the participants of the roundtable to say, "If something happens, I'll fly home in two hours.

　To balance the two, I think we should select another person who is capable of analyzing the information and practical aspects of the business world as No. 3. When the intentions of the Roundtable had been decided upon, Shiroe was the one who caught everyone's eye.
　Of course, each of the eleven council members of the Roundtable was in charge of a guild representing Akiba's city. It's not like they're going to fall behind in information gathering and analysis, but "Are they from your side?　I'd like to have a specialist in this field.

　The "Summer Training Camp" that took place around the same time was also interesting to me personally.

　In the name of training new players, the Minori and Touya twins were participating from the Record Horizon, and we couldn't afford to neglect gathering information in the rural areas around Tokyo. I've been doing some research over the past two months, but it seems that I haven't had enough contact with the Daichijin.

　Shiroe didn't want to take either event lightly, and was troubled by it, but Michitaka enthusiastically said, "No, you should come too. I can't allow you to leave the city alone." So he had no choice but to agree to be a member of the team as a deputy to the court.

　Shiroe was requested by the Round Table to join the delegation as the third person in line. Akatsuki had promised from the beginning that "I will take care of my lord's safety," so he was automatically chosen to accompany Shiroe. He joined the delegation in the position of an attendant.

　On the other hand, Naotsugu and Nyanta were assigned to accompany me to the summer camp. Both Naotsugu and Nyanta are good at taking care of their juniors, and both have a lot of experience in combat after they've been turned into other worlds. They can be relied upon for practical combat training and to deal with any problems that may arise.

　One of Shiroe's miscalculations is that when Akatsuki decided to participate, it was decided that Henrietta would join the delegation from the as an observer.

　Accompanying Henrietta was a form of "Shiroe's Squire".
　That's fine, but for Akatsuki, who is treated as "Shiroe's squire" as well, Henrietta, who will be in the same waiting room with him, was in a state of frenzy.

(-- Clearly, she's aiming for Akatsuki.)

　As a Siloe, you have to put a vertical line on your forehead.
　It's not that I don't like Henrietta. She's beautiful, she's intelligent, and she's dependable. If anything, she's a woman who can't help but be favored. However, she seems to have a somewhat out-of-the-ordinary passion, which is just a cause for concern.

　I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one. I'm sure you won't be convinced if I tell you that's not the case.

　After going through the selection process, the delegates who will be dispatched to the Free City Alliance Eastal Lords Meeting have been selected. The representative of the delegation is the Chairman of the Round Table, Krusty. His first vice-envoy was Michitaka of the Organization of Oceanography. The second vice-envoy is Shiroe, from the Horizon of Records. In addition, there were a total of ten people, including those who would be accompanying him in the form of secretaries and assistants.

(How should I put it.... It's uncomfortable)

　Shiroe, who had kept a low profile in the corner of the Great Hall while remembering the selection process, is alone.

　Even though the number of people in the hall is gradually increasing, Akatsuki is flattened to hide behind Shiroe's back, and Henrietta is smiling lustily and leaning into Shiroe.

''Shiroe, you're a class act. ''You're a real piece of work, aren't you?''
　Krusty tells Michitaka that, but it's a misunderstanding.
　Shiroe is not at ease, he is at a loss.

'Well, to be a hero like this guy. ''Phew. Even on a big stage like this, it's enough to surround two women.......ah. I'm sure you can do it in spite of yourself. You know?
'Rude. Such a ball is just fodder for conspiracy. They're nothing more than the grass clippings of the pitch-black Siloe.
　Even if he gets revenge later on for Michitaka, who knows and laughs at him, Henrietta's misdirected buying spree hurts Shiroe.

　That's also why.

　It seems that since the fuss over the establishment of the Round Table, it has been decided inside Henrietta that Shiroe is the "incomparable black brains behind the conspiracy".
　If that's all there is to it, I could lodge a complaint, but in addition to that, I can't say anything back because she expresses her immense trust in her blackness.

　I don't know why, but in Henrietta, black = highly regarded (?). It seems that this is what it is all about. Shiroe is suffering from the inability to deny the praise she is receiving.

"You are very welcome to visit us this time.

　Nevertheless, Shiroe was about to open her mouth to say at least a few words back to Henrietta. An unmistakable nobleman wearing a white and silver cloak with a fur-trimmed cloak comes over to greet the group.

(Ugh, wow........ (It's real!)

　Just as Shiroe thought, for all intents and purposes, he was a "real" aristocratic man of mature age. He had a short, trimmed beard and a keen gaze underneath his silver hair. The muscles around his hands were muscular due to his age, but he seemed to have enjoyed martial arts when he was young.
　He wears a dark blue top and bottom with dark brown trim that doesn't look too heavy, since it's for summer, and a belt with a number of medals and ornaments, and high boots of black polished leather.

'Nice to meet you, thank you for inviting me. I'm Krusty, the head of the Roundtable, the autonomous body for the city of Akiba.

(Krusty, you've got some real guts. You sound like a nobleman.

　Krusty answers smoothly. The expression on his face doesn't look too put off.
　Michitaka then greets you. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to say that I'm not going to be able to do anything about it. In the sense of being brazen, they are two of the most brazen people in the "Round Table". It's the right choice, Shiroe thought.

My name is Shiroe. My name is Shiroe, and I look forward to working with you in the future.

　Despite these thoughts, Shiroe, too, greeted them briefly. His simple demeanor seems to have nothing to do with the tension in the eyes of the sidelines, and Shiroe is unaware of the fact that he's not the "brazen two" but the "brazen three".

(Detailed self-introductions can wait. I'd like to know who they are.)

My name is Sergiad Corwin. It is my pleasure to announce that I am the head of the Free Cities Alliance of Eastar.
　I don't know if he sensed Shiroe's feelings, but the mature nobleman calls himself that. Speaking of Sergiad-Cowen, he was the first lord in the letter sent to the .

(Is this the man?) The most powerful man in the East.

　The city of Akiba is the largest player town in the Japanese server. However, that does not mean it is the largest town on the Japanese server.

　The largest city on the Japanese server is the capital of Maihama, which is centered around Ashime Castle (Castle Cinderella).

　In this alternate world, the city of Tokyo no longer functions as a single city.

　This is because the population of the Japanese server is now probably only about one-hundredth of the original world's population of 100 million or so.
　People have built small settlements here and there, or sheltered areas surrounded by walls, and live in them. It was the same in the area around the former Tokyo. This area, like the city of Akiba and this court, has a legacy of advanced scientific and magical civilization, and several cities that make use of it. But there are no longer too few humans to manage and control all of old Tokyo.
　The human race of goodness has fallen from the leading role in this world to the extent that it cannot maintain such a lifeline.

　As such, the former metropolitan area has been divided into several small cities with the ability to defend themselves, the most massive of which is the capital of Maihama.

(Followed by us, the city of Akiba. The city of Sibuya, also a player town. Ikebukuro is still big with its "Tower of Sunshine". In the real world, the place that corresponds to Shinjuku was completely destroyed by the behemoth outbreak... The rest is a bit further away, Yokohama and Asakusa.... (or so it seems)

　That was the outline of the environment in which humans currently lived in the Kanto region.

　The mature lord in front of him was the ruler of the capital of Maihama, the largest city in that Kanto area. Unlike Akiba, Maihama's capital is not a so-called "player town" because it doesn't have a cathedral. However, aside from that, the city is well-equipped with commercial facilities and a wide variety of quests. If you were an intermediate player during the Elder Tail era, you must have visited this place at least once.

　The city is impressive with its elevated walkways and hanging gardens made of delicate steelwork, and its symbol, Ashime Castle (Castle Cinderella), is said to be the most beautiful chalk palace on the Japanese server.

　In front of me, Krusty was immediately engaged in a conversation.
　He told me that the Round Table is a committee of the local government, made up of 11 representatives of the residents. He said that he was the chairman of the roundtable. He told me briefly that he was happy to be invited to the meeting and that he was going to be there.

Hmm..... Hmm...... I get it. So, you're saying that these guilds are like noblemen without any land, and that they are autonomous by discussing with each other.　It's a smaller version of the Free Cities of Eastar, where the lords meet to decide on a course of action.

That's right.
　Krusty nodded at Sergiad-Cowen's words.

'But then, hmmm...'
　Sergiad ponders as he receives a drink from the elven woman who appears as a waiter in the hall.

''Even though you are a representative, does it cause unnecessary friction to confer the rank of nobility on one of them?
I think so. If I may, I'd like to decline to discuss the matter with you.
Hmm. Well, that's the way it goes for us, too.

So the Round Table itself has a quasi-noble position.

(I'm not much older than I am, I guess. That doesn't seem to be a problem at all.

　Shiroe looked at the three of them as they spoke from a step back.
　Krusty, of course, and Michitaka probably wouldn't even be thirty years old in the real world, but they were crossing over without retreating against the nobles of this world. I don't feel uneasy watching from the side, and if the two of them fail to negotiate, they won't succeed even if Shiroe interferes a bit.

''It looks like you're attracting a lot of attention after all.

　It was Henrietta who sneaked an earful to Shiroe. Looking up, the Great Hall was already crowded with attendees. According to my prior research, there are 24 cities and territories participating in the Alliance of Free Cities Eastal.
　Each one has one representative, two staff members, and four or five people to accompany them. If they were bringing their children and grandchildren for the unveiling, the total number of people must be several hundred. Even looking around, it looks like more than a hundred people are crammed into this huge hall.

　This huge hall, decorated for dancing and dyed scarlet and gold, didn't seem at all cramped for that many people, but Shiroe could sense that groups of people chatting near the walls and all over the hall were glancing at us.

(Still, the fact that they didn't call out to me....... Is it a matter of being reserved with Old Sergiad?　Or is there some kind of secret agreement already in place? (Otherwise, is there some bizarre rumor going around that we can't even imagine?

　Shiroe thinks about it.
　Perhaps just as Shiroe and the rest of the Round Table did not have a complete picture of the Free Cities Alliance Eastar, the Free Cities Alliance Eastar did not have a complete picture of the Round Table.

　This invitation is a good example.
　Either way, neither side has been able to fully assess whether it's okay to give a certain amount of orders from above and have them become part of their organization, or whether they will be dealt with harshly if they are not treated with the utmost care and courtesy.
　We want information about the other person, but the conversations we have to have to get that information are careful to avoid being fried.
　Inevitably, the exchange takes a lot of time.

(Sounds like a pretty tough negotiation to me.)

　Shiroe squeezes her eyes tightly shut and presses her brows together. Krusty and Michitaka are currently doing their best to hit the main part of the negotiations. If that's the case, it's Shiroe's role to find a breakthrough in that gap, but at this stage, we don't have any good ideas.

　Of course, I have obtained all the information about the Free City Alliance Eastal that I can get my hands on in advance, but it's only knowledge that I've researched from the city's bars and texts. It's not like the raw information of a nobleman's social circles is going to leak out directly to the public.
　The music suddenly stops as Shiroe is worried about this.

　As the murmur recedes like a tide, the wall of people near the arch of the main hall cracks open to reveal a shining group of people from that direction. The three girls and their partners appeared amidst the buzz of goodwill and anticipation.




　◆




She's my granddaughter. Her name is Reynecia and she turned 15 this year.
　The Duke of Sergiad narrows his eyes.
　Then his aristocratic dignity seems to soften and his expression becomes loving.

You will not be familiar with this, but it is our custom. The ladies who have reached the proper age are to make their debut at the ball. The ten-day conference that begins tomorrow is not only a forum for coordinating the affairs of the Free Cities of Eastar, it is also a forum for us to exchange ideas.
　We noblemen will use our lives and our usual reserves of military and financial power to defend our lands, but that is not enough in this harsh world. There is no guarantee that we will always be well prepared.
　But friends and relatives can sometimes be more helpful than swords, gold, and walls in defending ourselves and our own fiefdoms.
　After getting them to open up somewhat, Sergiad explained the significance of their social circle to Krusty and Michitaka.

'It's a bond, isn't it?' Krusty asks.

I understand. We form a group called a guild and support each other. They're like a family. We have to be able to say that this is the mission of the Round Table. That's the mission of the Round Table.
　Michitaka took over his words.

　'It's a beautiful thing, but beautiful is appropriate in this place.

That's right.
　Sergiad, too, smiled back, as if his words were my own.

　The two of them and Sergiad followed with their gazes as they spoke, and the three daughters were just now advancing out into the center of the hall. Is it the knight of the realm who supports their hands like a broken object? All of them are quite a good-looking man.

''You are all beautiful, sir.''
　Michitaka described it as such.
　It was a typical merchant's compliment, but it would have been easier for Michitaka to save himself the trouble of telling a lie. For once, there was no need for flattery.

　The one who stepped out of the center was a beautiful girl who looked somewhat slimmer than her fifteen years of age, but had a fragile impression of a slender neck.

'In the center is my granddaughter, Reinesia. The one with the fresh green hair on the right is Appletta, daughter of the Marquis of Leicester of Ouru. The passionate redheaded girl is the granddaughter of Sugana, lord of the free city of Iwafune. All of them will be making their social debut this year.

(I see..... All three of you are quite beautiful girls. So this is how we're going to make our 'unveiling' and debut in the social scene.)

　The music begins to play as we watch.

　Under those circumstances, this would have been the first time they had danced in public like this, but all three of them had steps that didn't feel like it. However, their expressions were still stiff.

　The slow round dance piece was deepened by the addition of woodwind instruments to the strings. Shiroe felt that the music sounded familiar. It was the opening song he had heard every time he launched a game back in the days when he was an Elder Tail.

　Only ten people in this great hall, Shiroe and the rest of the party, could share that sense of surprise and nostalgia. Shiroe and the others who looked at each other as if they had been played, were immediately filled with a wry smile as well.

　The moment their gazes became entangled, they shared a sense of despair that they had truly come to another world and had no hope of returning. But that didn't mean they were in a position to be distraught, and it was too much of a responsibility to be distraught.

　Eventually, the series of phrases came to an end and the princesses gave a dainty thanksgiving bow, folding their knees gracefully.

Now for the second song. And now for the second song, and I suggest you all go and dance.

What?
　Michitaka asked the old Sergiad with a dumb look on his face.

'Didn't I tell you earlier?　This ball is a social gathering that precedes a meeting. Look around you. The people are curious about you.
　The only reason I am speaking on behalf of the Adventurer is because people are unaware and wary of how to deal with the Adventurer. This is why we can't trust each other, let alone exchange information, can we?
　The old lord representing the Alliance of Free Cities Eastar said this, a mischievous smile on his dignified profile.

''Everyone wants to see our guest dance. What do you think, the dark-haired young lady over there?
　Akatsuki, who was abruptly talked to, jumped up in a small way as if he had been struck by an electric current, and fled into Shiroe's shadow hurriedly.

I am my lord's ninja. I am my lord's ninja, and the ninja is my shadow and my guard. It's outrageous to expose yourself in public like this.
　Michitaka, who was subsequently hit by the gaze, shook his head from side to side with a somewhat drawn-out expression on his face. ''No, no, no, I'm an inchoate law. No way!'' And...
　Even though production is a specialty, that's indeed the physical ability of an 〈Adventurer〉. It was funny that he was shaking his head at a speed that caused an afterimage to appear.

　I'm sure Krusty would be the one to push it out of the way here, Shiroe thinks with a chuckle.

　Krusty has a fearsome sub-occupation and title, such as the Mad Titan, but he appears to be an intelligent and durable man.
　He's the kind of handsome, athletic, elite, handsome glasses you'd expect to find on an American football team. If we were to talk about his position, he would be a quarterback, and a commander who can break through the middle of the field. He is a quarterback, and a commander in chief who can break through the middle of the field.
　It's a good look for a tuxedo because of his physique, and he's accompanied by a woman from the same guild, just for good measure.

"This is Shiroe's place.
　But before Shiroe, who was about to call out to him, the Krusty himself gravely opened his mouth. You will find that you will be able to get the most out of this.

I want to have a little chat with Sir Sergiad here and now. If it's you, Siloe, er, yes. --"This ball is the 'mowing ground', isn't it?　I hope you can use some of your superb skills for the benefit of the Roundtable.

Oh, Krusty. You know what I'm talking about!　(Shit, d*mn it.)
　Shiroe could feel his blood boiling.

　It's not impossible to stand up to a high-level monster or argue at a big conference, but Shiroe is a general strategist type of person who carefully prepares a plan, or in other words, builds a battle line with a winning strategy.
　If this was a crisis that was announced 10 days ago, he would have found a way to get out of it, no matter how difficult it was, but when he was suddenly thrown out of the picture, his eyes were blackened.

　But Krusty, the head of the Roundtable, has asked you to represent him because he has a conversation with Duke Celgiad, the leader of the Free Cities Alliance Eastal. It's hard for Shiroe to argue with that.
　I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one. Of course, he was thinking about the future, but since he didn't have a clue about it, he had no choice but to accept the job out of a sense of guilt if he was assigned to it.

(Sigh..... I guess I'll just have to go humiliate myself this time...)

　Shiroe almost shrugged off the pissing ball, but when she felt the gaze, she suddenly looked up and met Henrietta's lustrous smile.

''Shiroe-sama. Dropping your shoulders is not a good look for you.''
You said so. It's the only thing that matters.
　More than half desperate, Siloe sighs, but Henrietta waves her upraised index finger from side to side like a female teacher.

'Your lordships must not show their lack of confidence. That is even if you are empty-hearted. If you're a guild master, even more so, right?　Marie is silly, dumb, cerebral, and, to put it another way, big-breasted - I know that part very well.
　Those words would be spot on. Marielle's smile should have encouraged the guild members in a situation where that smile would have been impossible. Shiroe reflects on this.
　It's good to have your wits about you, but you also understand that it's your weakness to dwell on the hardships and the unseen future.

I understand. You are right.
Well done. Now...... I'll give good Siloe-sama a piece of magic.
What?
　With a graceful turn of her toes, Henrietta stepped forward in front of Shiroe and held out her silk-gloved hand in front of her.

'Akatsuki-chan?　Please watch closely.
　When Shiroe took her fingertips as if pressurized, Henrietta, who twined her arms with a natural movement, advanced out to the center of the hall together with Shiroe.

(Wha......... (Henrietta-san!)

　This is too much, from a Siloe perspective. If there was a mission that required dancing, it would be in the approximate right half of the hall or near the south exit. There should be plenty of places to finish a song with a moderate amount of people and without being conspicuous. The center of the hall, for example, is the space (space) where the guest of honor at the banquet should be, and where someone who is an expert dancer should dance.

'Shiroe-sama. Smile and stretch your chest.
....

　I can feel myself swallowing raw. It is true that I was nervous at the launch meeting of the Roundtable, and I have experienced heart-pounding moments in penalty shootouts and large scale battles before that, but this is a unique kind of fear.
　I can't shake the delusion that a square full of participants are observing me, giggling and commenting on me in a whisper.

Good. I'm going to keep my hands on my hips in that position. No, a little higher.
I have to confess, I don't know how to dance at all.

Oh, dear. I'm embarrassed to have you tell me you're going to confess your love for me with this attitude.
　Henrietta looked up at Siloe and smiled.

　It's a good idea to take off the usual career-woman style rimless glasses, probably to match the party dress, to make the eyes look bigger than you think, and when you smile at me like that, it makes me feel uncomfortable as Shiroe.

''Not that. Don't fool me, please.
Master Shiroe?　You know what I do for a living, don't you?
It's the accountant...

　With her gaze downcast, Henrietta is still staring at the area around Shiroe's chest, whispering in her ear. It's a thin, thin, almost too small a song, like the chirping of a small bird, so small that you might miss it.
　Henrietta anticipates and timed the waltz song she must have heard for the first time, anticipating it ahead of time.

'Come on, let's go. Lady Shiroe.'

　The music filled the hall like a burst of carbonated bubbles from a bottle of champagne. This is the start of the third song. Henrietta steps towards Shiroe as her fingertips lightly press against the graceful, classical melody.
　Siloe supports her waist as she supports Henrietta with her chest heaving. Henrietta mumbles something to herself and guides Shiroe as she spins and twirls, petals dancing.

(That's right. Henrietta-san is-- (Bard).

　The Bard.
　This is one of the 12 Elder Tale professions.
　While assassins and swashbucklers have tried their hand at dealing high damage, the bard has chosen to be a supportive role, as opposed to the assassin and swashbuckler, who both use their own methods to deal high damage.

　A support position is a general term for a position that allows a player to gain an advantage in battle by increasing the strength of his fellow players and reducing the strength of the enemy.
　The bard's speciality is the manipulation of music. As its name suggests, the Bard has a number of music-related abilities, and the Bard masters a number of long-lasting feats. In the world of the Elder Tail, where most of the skills are only effective for an instant to ten seconds, the Bard is unique in that she possesses a large number of minute or permanent skills.

　It's a good thing that Henrietta has never participated in a battle, but it's in large-scale battles where you have to endure the pressure for a much longer period of time than in normal combat that your skills are most valuable.
　They may not be as skilled as assassins and swordsmen, but they are trained in hand-to-hand combat, and are particularly adept with light weapons such as swords and bows.
　Attacks with these weapons do not use MP, so in long battles, he combines MP-efficient weapon attacks with MP-efficient long duration techniques. Their energy cost performance is excellent, and they can maintain their fighting ability for a long period of time.
　On the other hand, because they are expected to be in combat for such a long period of time, their instantaneous force is extremely low in all areas, such as attacking, recovering and covering up. It's also a job that requires deep insight and anticipation of the outcome of the situation, which makes it difficult to get into.

　That Henrietta settles into Shiroe's arms in the middle of the Great Hall and spins and spins and turns.

　Without forcing Shiroe to step, Henrietta moves aggressively on her own. Eventually Shiroe gets used to the movement.

　To begin with, the bodies in the other world are dozens of times more powerful than in the real world. Even though Shiroe is a sorcerer-type occupation, his agility and physical strength are superhumanly high compared to the real world's internet-addled "real bodies".

　When Henrietta began to grasp the image she wanted to move, though vaguely, Henrietta made her play a small eighth note on her chest.

''Do you get the gist of it?　Master Shiroe.
Hmm. Mostly.
　Henrietta whispered in a whisper, but didn't stop to let her play the little eighth note.

　C is orange.
　D is yellow.
　E is yellow-green and F is a brilliant azure.
　The sound of G is literally the color of the sky, and A is a wonderful purple.
　And B is a red color, somewhere between raspberry and sunset.

　I had no idea how they were showing it to Shiroe, or how they were able to carry on a conversation, but the colorful notes that spilled out of Henrietta's chest were like little fairies drifting around them and melting into the air.
　It may be a visual effect of the bard's special skill, but it may require extraordinary taste to make it match the music this well.　Or is it possible for anyone with the musical skills of the Bard to do so?

(That's it, in essence.

　It wasn't something he was great at, but it was a game genre that Shiroe had some experience with, in his original world. There were games in the real world that involved dancing on large enclosure foot panels mixed in with drumming and scratching.
　The tempo of the music is slow and far more leisurely steps in comparison. Shiroe sharpened her concentration and linked the melody coming from her ears with the seven colored notes that drifted across Henrietta's lips.

'That's right. Light step. Light forward. ........half-turn.
''Roger...... Master.
　When I respond with a giggle and a small smile, I can see Henrietta's expression change to resentful after being taken aback for a moment. But for some reason, even that is irresistibly fun.

　Oh, it's been a long time since I've enjoyed listening to music, Shiroe reminds herself, and it's been a long time since my body started moving.
　Web TV, web radio, MP3s, there used to be an overabundance of music. There was so much of it, and it was free, that she had forgotten how special it was.

　Music is special.
　It's something that doesn't exist in nature and was created by humans.
　It's the kind of experience that, like cooking, you don't realize its richness until it's lost. I am grateful to the beautiful bard who kept the melody playing in my heart while we had completely forgotten about it.

When you return, stand up straight. We are being watched by many people.　If I don't show you my light, feathery steps. --Shiroe-sama is the pitch black chief of staff.
　However, Henrietta, who was the one who interpreted the smile, gave a snide remark in the manner of a female teacher.

　Shiroe concentrates on straightening her back. Caring for Henrietta in her arms, she raises her left hand and leads her fingertips so as not to interfere with her movements.
　It's certainly giving her some leeway. I can see the inside of the Great Hall, which had been only a background at all before. The dancers flutter around me like flowers. Chamber musicians breathed together as if intoxicated by the music.

　And the countless eyes that stare at the two of us. Their whispered conversations - even their nasty whispers that they couldn't possibly be considered mere countrymen - were now clearly audible.

'Now, one more song. I'm going to silence every last word around here, okay?
Yes, ma'am. --My lady.

　Shiroe and the others held hands once more as the song changed.




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"Raglander's Company?

　Touya raised his voice. Isn't that name like a dungeon? When he asked such a question, Naotsugu replied, "It's not like a dungeon, it's a dungeon. Don't be a jerk," he replied.

　The wisteria-colored sky has turned completely indigo, and the ground of the abandoned schoolhouse where the group has decided to sleep is lit up red by a number of bonfires.

　Tonight is a barbecue party to celebrate their arrival at this base camp.

　All the participants, around 60 people from what I've heard, are gathered in the school grounds, enjoying a noisy meal.

　The season is August.
　The earth is hot with the heat from the daytime sun. However, the night breeze which was not damp and crispy felt good on my skin, and although I sweated, I didn't feel uncomfortable so much.

　The food was of course excellent.
　Nyanta's food is always delicious, but eating it like this with a large group of people has an air of indescribable quality. Touya has always had an affinity for this kind of food. It's a good thing that the food is always delicious, but it's hard to say whether it's good for a large group of people.

　That older sister, Minori, was busy handing out drinks, when Touya beckoned her to come over and say, "What's wrong? He asked.

'Hey, Minori. I heard we're going to the dungeon.　Did you know that?
'What?　A dungeon?!
　Minori is equally surprised.

　Of course, it was a three-week summer training camp. Naturally, he had expected to have combat training. However, they didn't expect to go to a dungeon all of a sudden.

"Me too? Naotsugu nodded at those words.
''Well, I know it's a bit of a burden for Minori. But rather than fighting with Touya in separate spots, it's safer to be in the same squad, right?

Of course you do.
　Touya nodded without a second thought. Touya and Minori are twins.
　It's a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you're looking for when you're in the market for a new product, but it's not a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for. It's not that I'm not aware of the fact that I'm a man and my sister is a woman, but I have a strong feeling that I'm a man and my sister is a woman.

　It's a good idea to be able to have a good time with them. Touya thinks so.

''That's true,''
　Apparently my sister has the same idea. I nodded my head honestly.

"Well, it's fine for Minori-chan to be in the coastal group, but getting used to the dungeon is a valuable experience for later on.
　A large portion of grilled horse mackerel on a square platter is heaped on top of it, and then the Nyanta group leader speaks to me.

What do you mean by the Coastal Group?
　Captain Nyanta answered Minori's question with a careful explanation.

　Apparently, even though they were new players, their abilities were quite varied.
　It was decided to use this abandoned school building as a base camp, but it seems that the policy of this summer camp is to divide the players into groups of different levels and provide a variety of curriculums.

　The very low level players - those under 20 - will be fighting wildlife around the school and giant crabs on the beach. This will be accompanied by more pull and recovery jobs, so it's fairly safe and will give you experience in order.
　However, the target is a single target, and we won't be forming a party. If you decide to work with a party in the first place, what specialties do you have and what can you do with your main profession?　If you don't know what aspect of the game you're good at, you can't work together. That's why at this stage of the game, we have to train individually.

　Adventurers at 20th to 35th level will train in teams. There are two types of battles: outdoor and indoor. The outdoor battle is said to be held at a nearby place called "Caminas Water".
　On the other hand, indoor training will take place in a dungeon called 'Raglander's Company' which Touya heard about earlier. This dungeon is about half a day's drive from here in the mountainous area of the peninsula. This is the hardest training you'll have to do in this dungeon.

　It's a special training for the few players who are level 36 and above. This school building is the centerpiece of the training camp, where you will receive instruction from high-level players on the nuts and bolts of combat. In this camp, each player was supposed to aim for the 40th level.

　Touya's combat level is 29, and since he was made to be the vanguard of the hunting party at Hamelin, he's becoming more and more proficient at it.
　According to Nyanta, the enemies in the underground ruins of the "Company of Raglander" have a range of levels, and Touya's 29th combat level is the center of the dungeon that adventurers from 20th to 35th levels are challenged in. Tough and hard battles will be waiting for you.
　The thought of that makes Touya's heart swell with fighting spirit.

　Meanwhile, her older sister Minori's adventurer level was 21. Her sub-profession, Seamstress, at 32, was overwhelmingly superior to Touya's, but it was useless in battle. Minori is sure to have a very difficult time at this level. I have to protect her, Touya thinks.

'Well, I'll explain that part right before. The balance between level 29 and 21 is not that bad. The difference between them can be made up by the cooperation of the two twins.

　Nyanta squeezed some kabos into a salted horse mackerel and ate it with a smile on his face. He poured the sake from the jar into a bowl and drank it down with a look of satisfaction, as if he had already been released from cooking.

It's a good idea to have a dungeon. Don't get burned.
　Touya couldn't stop the excitement rising from the bottom of his heart.

　Even though he had hunted outside the city during his time in Hamelin, he had never entered a dungeon, due to the balance of distance and ability to get there and back.

　In Elder Tail, dungeons are not only literal dungeons, but also "enclosed structures where monster combat takes place" including ruins, castles, fortresses, towers, temples and caves.

　Many dungeons are zones of old century ruins, the legacy of a magical civilization, or just simple natural caves. These ruins are robust and in high demand as a base for living in the wilderness, as their zoned nature makes them easy to identify routes of entry and provides many security advantages.

　In this case, the "demand" is from the monster's side of the equation.
　Many dungeons will be populated by monsters, regardless of the intentions of their creators or abandoners. The bent and intelligent sub-human races such as orcs, goblins, and ratmen will settle in as fortified strongholds, and monsters belonging to demonic beasts such as the Owl Bear and Chimera will simply seek these zones as roosts, just as bears do with their caves.
　Highly intelligent monsters like dragons and some higher undead have also been known to seek out difficult dungeon zones as a place to hide their wealth.

　Although Touya has yet to make his dungeon debut, he has already spent two months in the Log Horizon. Naotsugu and Nyanta, who he had become friends with during his time in the guild house, told him about various battles and scenes in Elder Tail, and he had built up a basic knowledge of dungeons.

(Naotsugu also said that fighting in dungeons is far more difficult than fighting in the field!

　Touya is on fire.

　Naotsugu is currently Touya's teacher.
　Shiroe is Touya's benefactor and teacher, but his skills as a weapon attacker and vanguard are not as good as Naotsugu's. Of course, he still has enough knowledge, so he could teach Touya what to do.
　However, in the current Record Horizon, there's Naotsugu, an excellent warrior position. Naotsugu has knowledge comparable to Shiroe's, and more experience than Touya could ever imagine for a warrior.
　He is now under Naotsugu's tutelage, at Shiroe's urging.

　Touya liked Naotsugu just as much as Shiroe did. He's a nice guy with a friendly personality that belies the age gap between them, but he's also a very reliable and nice guy. A man has to be that tough, Touya thinks.

　It's a good thing that you have a strong sense of challenge in battle, having been taught by Naotsugu.

--I'm not going to be able to get out of the dungeon and become a full-fledged adventurer. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't aware of this.

All right, Minori!　Let's do it!　It's 'Raglander's Company' from tomorrow!
d*mn it. d*mn it, Touya. That's enough. I will definitely become a full-fledged member of the team!
　Minori looks at Touya with a dignified expression on her face, as if she's ready to go.
　The two greet each other with the familiar fist-bones together.

　The flames of a crackling bonfire exploded in the night schoolhouse in Zantorif, seemingly celebrating the determination and resolve of the new players as they head into the training that will begin tomorrow.