No. I didn't mean to push you like that.
Get in line, get in line!
Yes, I've got the document right here. Yes, sure.
　Brilliant voices come and go.
　The voices were beautiful young girls of strange age.
　Due to the nature of Elder Tail as a game, the characters you deal with, as well as those who pass through the city, are all pretty or beautiful. For men, adjectives such as austere, good-looking, and cute are attached to the game.

　I'm sure that if a certain number of women gathered together, especially if they were adventurers, they would all be considered good-looking, but even so, this glamour was more than a little excessive.
　I'm not going to be able to get the best out of it.

　It wasn't the first time he had seen these girls working hard for Soujirou. It's a common saying that women become more beautiful when they fall in love, and it's true. Shiroe interprets this to mean that their cheeks become uptight, their eyes moisten, and their expressions become softer and more attractive.

　However, Soujirou's cronies - the SS, according to him and the others - had the appearance of flying heart marks from their entire bodies on top of that. That aura was also in his voice, containing a sweetness like honey.

(This, more than I expected.)
　With a Buddha's face, Shiroe looks around the hall.
　Here and there in the Great Hall, girls wearing blue armbands were handling the procession and, in some cases, witnessing and giving advice to the 'earthmen' merchants and 'adventurers' in their negotiations.
　Their actions were smooth and deft, showing hundreds of hours of training and skill.

　Of course, he couldn't have spent that much time on it.
　It was all due to the power of the Soujirou SS that Shiroe had rounded up with his mouth. It was hard to imagine from outside observation, but these women were a highly organized group.
　Moreover, with their telepathic communication network, the number of people is increasing rapidly.

　As far as Shiroe knows, the West Wind Brigade, the combat guild in which Soujirou works as guild master, should currently have a total of more than 30 members, but by all accounts, there are more than 50 girls participating in this operation.

"Siloe Counselor.
　I'm not going to be the only one who can do that.
　I'm not sure when it happened, but it seems that Shiroe's status was changed to "chief of staff". It's because Soujirou had ordered her to "follow the instructions of Shiroe's senior staff in the field.

Five new recruits have arrived. We are ready to go out in platoon formation.
　The crisp report is smooth and skillful.
　Even in a large guild, this is not the case with a fluffy member.

''Ah.''
　Shiroe searches for words.
　Even though it was a strategy he had drawn up himself, he knows exactly how complicated and subtle his expression is at the moment.

'What about Soujiro?'
Ha. Master Saw is currently patrolling the hall for the day. They're being flanked by the 4th Platoon, sir.
　Shiroe looked at the window and measured the time. 'It's probably time to move on, we should take the next step.

''Then call Soujiro. After returning to the headquarters, you'll be joined by 5th Platoon for a 45-minute patrol of the hall, followed by 4th Platoon and 5th Platoon. The 4th Platoon will take over the 5th Platoon's current duties, which include guarding the headquarters and assisting the receptionist. ...Then a new platoon will be formed with three new arrivals each. These will be assigned to patrol duty in the city.
Yes, sir. Wow, wow, wow.
?
　Shiroe nodded her head at the girl, who suddenly turned bright red.
The fifth platoon is going out on patrol with Master Saw, following the instructions of Chief of Staff Shiroe.
　At that recitation, the several SS who were glancing at us - that is, the girls of the 5th Platoon, who were glancing at us, raised an unconcealed yellow voice.

　''We're with Saw-sama! It's a good thing that you have a good idea of what you're looking for. It's a good idea to have a heart shape, as well as the eyes are beyond moist.

　Their perceptions are generally not wrong.
　

　With a platoon of three to four men, Soujiro is slowly patrolling this exhibition and sale hall filled with autumn and winter items. We've instructed him not to rush, and he's already been instructed to buy up to 20 gold coins for each person. All the money can be put on the "Round Table".

　When I came up with the idea on my own, Shiroe thought, "This was a great idea! At the same time, there was an inspiration to say, "Hey, how is this going to work? But the result, as it's functioning in the hall now, is showing effects beyond imagination.

　Shiroe doesn't know much about it either, but it is said that SS Soujiro boasts an iron unity (the girl I was talking to earlier boasted about it). For what it's worth, they seem to have a pyramidal chain of command from the Saw-sama's side (the chief manager) to the new recruits (the newbie staff).
　That chain of command is used to organically organize the troops, and now they are taking care of all the problems in this hall.

　Even if Shojiro and the others are slowly parading around, the other six platoons are patrolling the hall to prevent any trouble from occurring.
　If a nasty argument is about to break out, Shiroe has instructed them to either telegraph to themselves, or threaten the merchants to continue talking in the presence of the Round Table.
　At first, I was concerned that the merchants or secret agents of the Daichijinshi might cause a disturbance, but the Daichijinshi have their own way of dealing with attractive girls, and the trouble was almost completely eradicated.

　The girls' motivation is amazing.
　The girls' motivation is amazing, and their eyes are literally changing colors as they continue their disciplined and unflappable patrol. And at the same time, they are sincere, meek and perfect in dealing with the venue.
　If you participate in this volunteer program, you might be able to get to know Soujiro better. What a great idea! The girls were so diligent in their patrols that it's almost impossible to say when Soujiro would appear in front of them. The girls were always on patrol with a different platoon, and it was always a good thing that they had a different work ethic. This was a great motivator for them to work hard.

　Of course, Shiroe's biorhythm is still in a state of infinite decline compared to the adrenaline-fueled girls, not to mention their motivation.

　It's not that I'm jealous of Soujiro or want to build a harem, but being shown such a clear difference makes me think of the term "disparate society".
　Indeed, Soujiro is a good-looking young man. He is gentle and kind, a gentleman, and undoubtedly dependable in battle. On top of that, he's so careless and clumsy that it makes him want to protect you...I can understand the logic.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find out what's so attractive about Sojirou, as Nazuna and the poet carefully explained to me when I was at the Prodigal's Tea Party.

　But still, I'm not sure.
　I'm not sure if these factors alone are enough to make you so popular.
　It is so popular that I suspect it is some kind of fraud or otherwise witchcraft. It's not that I'm jealous, but the only thing that exists is annoyance. It's a wonder, Shiroe thinks.

"How do you do, Chief of Staff, it's nice to meet you, I just arrived, you know, the 16th? Yes, the 16th Platoon, sir.
　Seeing the soaring girl taking an upright and immovable position in front of her, Shiroe reaffirms the wonder she had felt earlier.

(Why would a girl like this get produced?　Love is really a mystery, isn't it? A person who has it is, after all, a kind of genius. (Though it's almost a dangerous thing)
　He reminds me of Shojiro.
　He's a bit thin in the line, yet he's a beautiful boy who loves to fight. There's no shortage of people to make friends with. That's all well and good, but I wonder if it's different from a woman's point of view.

I understand. The 9th through 18th platoons are now going out for citywide security.
Citywide security?　It's the Shinsengumi, isn't it?
　For some reason, he nodded appropriately as Shiroe to the girl who seemed happy to be excited and happy. Shiroe understands that in order to deal with a woman with this flirtation, you have to not waste your time tsking and not go against her.

''Eh, ah. My lord.
　Akatsuki raises his voice. Akatsuki takes turns looking at Shiroe and the Crescent Moon Alliance's booth. The look of awkwardness on his face is probably due to the clothes he is wearing.

"What's the matter?
You're going to get that?　What about your stage commitments?
　Akatsuki's words reminded Shiroe of that.
　Part of the promise he made to Henrietta was to stage a promotional event. Shiroe may be a prop man or an extra, but Akatsuki is probably counting on him. This modern-world style costume, which would have been made for Henrietta, is supposed to be for the stage.

　However, this is a situation where the city of Akiba is currently under attack.
　To say that it is not that important is an understatement.

''My lord has made a promise...?
Yeah, that's true.

(Nope. ........not necessarily?)
　Shiroe thinks about it while pushing up his glasses.

　If the objective of the "enemy" is to saturate the processing capacity of the "Roundtable" and to discredit it, perhaps even to split it up, then the Balance Festival should be carried out as scheduled as much as possible. That's what Shiroe had been thinking, but he revised his thinking somewhat.

(There is no way for an outsider to understand the "plan" in the first place. (There's no way to know what the "plan" is, and there's no problem with a little ad-libbing as long as it looks like you've succeeded.

　Thinking that way gives Shiroe much more freedom.
　I stuff my breath and move the thinking pieces in my brain's timetable. My turn, the other players' turn. Strictly demarcating the information in hand and the unconfirmed information, he fills the board one by one.
　Of course, there are many aspects of the game that Shiroe, who is not a god, cannot see. However, every move that Shiroe made revealed an unexpected amount of information. The enemy's arrogance revealed its own coarseness, just like the enemy's arrogance revealed its own coarseness.
　If you add such additional information, the invisible board will become clearer.

　The efforts of each resident. The honesty of the residents. Against the backdrop of the festival atmosphere, the speculations of various forces are stirring around Akiba's streets.
　For Shiroe, who believes that there are plenty of players in the world who are just as good as he is, this is a form of self-examination. There are many situations in which he is unable to cope.
　In fact, right now, he couldn't handle the enemy's move on his own, so he borrowed Soujiro's "ability".

　And again.
　It reminds me of the voice of my little companion who contacted me from the Producer's Guild Liaison Association. She had left Minori there because she wanted to, but Shiroe felt her thin fingertips on the board.
　Shiroe has a vision of a still modest, dimly lit but firmly willed bill cut in the position where Shiroe had to play.
　It's Shiroe who has contacted Krusty and Isaac to have every single incident involving violence in the city of Akiva put down. In addition to that, he is moving every remaining piece that can be moved.
　However, Minori is beginning to exert a major influence on them. Karashin's processing speed has increased, and I can clearly feel the speed at which he's handling the trouble.

　It was covering fire for the patrolmen led by Isaac and the others, and the small margin thus created was forcibly pried open by the force of the Soujiro SS.

(If that's the case.)

　I think the shape of the situation is pushing back more than we thought.
　Although it is not yet visible, the image of the situation being settled is beginning to emerge. Now, Shiroe should be able to make a 'strong move'.

　Shiroe thinks about the 'freedom' that Akatsuki's words reminded him of. Not only would she not destroy the timetable of the Balance Festival, but she would also take an unplanned action to 'liven up the Balance Festival'. A move like that.
　This is because the enemy's approach, overloading and spreading falsehoods, is ultimately aimed at undermining the unity of Akiba's town, and the most effective counterattack is to maximize the satisfaction of the participants by boosting the scale festival.

''--My lord?''
　When Shiroe looked up at Akatsuki's worried voice, she smiled back. It's what Henrietta calls a 'belly laugh' smile.

'Ah. Akatsuki?　Get Henrietta to get me a costume. Call the guilds in the area and tell them to do something about the whole outfit. The nosebleed one.
What?
9th to 18th Platoon!
What?
　Shiroe stood up at the reply that came back quickly and told him with a scowling expression.

''I'm going out to patrol the entire city!　I would like to take care of you. After today's mission is over, I'll be serving a delicious meal at your expense, so I want you to show her how cute she is.



　You're not going to be able to do that.



　Raynesia paled at Lord Lundstad's words.
　Understand, not. Not yet reaching understanding.
　Raynesia sensed a burning sense of danger in Lord Lundstad's words.

'Now, shall we have you ready as soon as possible?　The "Princess
Eh. Ah.......... No..........
　Reinesia turns around to ask for help. Out of the corner of her eye, Elissa scuttles the maids under her command, checking the copies of the documents she received from Lord Lundstad's men.

'Princess,'
How are you doing?
The document is real. ...It's hard to imagine anything other than an oversight on our part.

　A mistake.
　The processing leaked.
　Reinesia's brain didn't react immediately when she heard the words. And slowly, the blunder seeped into her consciousness. It had the feel of a freezing cold liquid.

　I'm sure that Lord Lundestad had approached Reinesia about renting a warehouse in advance of his transport to Akiba. The same document was sent to Maihama, who approved the offer.

　I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but I'm sure it's a good idea. I'm not sure what to make of it.
　Of course, we don't know what actually happened. It's a good idea to be able to have a good time with them.

　But there was no time to question it now.
　Lord Lundstad also has a reply from the Reinesia side. The only thing that can be said for this is that Reinesia is at fault.

　It's a good idea to have a good time with them. The daughter of the Corwin family, who had decided to stay in Akiba, and Lord Lundstad, a shipping nobleman from the west, were not of the same rank as individuals. Also, given the tense relationship between East and West, there is no choice but to play down here.

　Reynesia is a woman.
　In accordance with the customs of the 〈Daichijin〉 aristocracy, they have not been educated for politics, but still, if you are in a social circle, that's all you'll hear.

''Hmph. What is the matter with you, sir?　Don't tell me you're not ready for this.　I mean, we applied that far in advance.
I mean...
　It is easy to apologize.
　However, being unfamiliar with these types of negotiations, Reinesia couldn't decide if it was a good time to bow out or not. She didn't lazily think that she should have learned more if this was the way it was going to go, but she still thought that she could have done something about it.
　She should of course have done something to the extent of having a few good civilian officers from Maihama turned in and kept close by. Of course, he chose a valet within the range of what his grandfather would allow him to do, but it was still not enough.

'Is that the manner of Corwin?　Or was it 'adventurers' - the eyebrows were raised by the fact that you created a partnership with the city of Akiba?
　Reinesia looked down at the impatient voice.
　I have a lot of things to say, but I don't know which of them are right or dangerous.
　We need to apologize and make sure that this is handled in an amicable manner, including assurances of the cargo. We'll discuss the details later, but for now, can't we at least defer the problem to after the banquet?　Raynesia thinks of this with her numb mind.

'Good evening!'
　Raynesia's gaze fell on the plush carpet and froze as she froze in place, only to find someone standing in front of her as the color suddenly shaded her. Her back, reflected in her bullet-raised eyes, was wrapped in an unfamiliar outfit.
　A figure clad in a long, hooded vest over a shirt made of a soft-looking fabric that the Daichijin didn't recognize. The young man was Shiroe, the one who had pushed Reinesia off a cliff from which she had been unable to turn back on the day of her fateful speech to Zantorif.

'Shiroe.......sir?'
Which one is this?
Excuse me. My name is Shiroe, and I lead one of the eleven guilds of the Round Table, the Horizons of Record.
Shiroe..... You don't have a family name, do you?　Huh.
Yes. Yes, I'm an adventurer.
　Right in front of Reinesia, the young man in street clothes remained aloof in the face of the great nobleman of the west. Stuck for words, Reinesia still took a half-step forward. With an adventurer who doesn't know the etiquette and customs of the earthlings, it's impossible to know what kind of trouble she'll bring to the table. She was determined to become Akiva's shield to prevent that from happening.

　But there was a hand to gently but unapologetically restrain Reinesia's shoulder. The large, muscular, masculine hand was Krusty's. Krusty stopped Reinesia from behind, and without dropping his gaze, he called out to her as she looked up over his shoulder.

'Don't worry about it,'
　The expression on his face is difficult to read because of his glasses, but he has a very thin smile on his mouth.

'Welcome to Akiva. Lord Lundstad. I've heard of the success of the spirit ship, which uses spirits as its power engine, and of your prowess in shipping.
　Lundstad's eyes widen a little at the smiling Shiroe's words. But the sarcastic tone of his mouth remains unchanged as he says, "That's very nice of you. This was an attitude that, judging from the civility of the earthlings, came close to being a mockery.
　Obviously, this attitude, combined with the fact that Shiroe claimed to be a member of the Roundtable, and even the Akiva Roundtable, made Reinesia's cheeks burn with irritation.
　Siloe doesn't seem to be bothered by it at all. In the first place, she may not know anything about the civility of the Daichijin.

So, what's going on?　Elissa?　Where?
'Yes, Mr. Shiroe. .... this is the story.
　But such irritation was watered down by Shiroe's words.
　With a pouting expression, Reinesia had to watch her own maidservant show Shiroe the letter she had just written. She didn't know the two of them knew each other. It's a good thing that you're able to get a good idea of what you're looking for.

''Ah, hmm. That's pretty much it.
　Without even bothering to telepathize, Shiroe approached the large man in the hall. The guild master of the Oceanic Organization, Michitaka, a blacksmith with a physique like a bear, approached the voice. Michitaka approached and greeted them all. When Shiroe interrupts the greeting, he suddenly breaks off his business with Michitaka.

It's a clumsy mistake. It's not a clumsy or shoddy or unrefined...Michitaka. I heard that Princess Reinesia poked her head off and there was a problem.
Oh, dear. Good grief. Good grief.

　This young man, Reinesia thought, seemed to have an unusually impetuous or pragmatic character, rather than a lack of courtesy. This was true from the first impression, but Reinesia was not fond of this young man Shiroe.
　Krusty was not very good at it, either, but Krusty's dislike stemmed from the fact that he didn't know what he was thinking.
　My impression of this young man Shiroe was that he would do whatever he decided to do, no matter how reckless he was. And he doesn't even listen to our words" kind of bitterness.
　Krusty is genuinely incomprehensible and scary, but he feels sneaky when he is in the presence of this young man named Siloe. It's similar to the fear that Raynesia feels for her grandfather.

'What the hell are you?　I'm asking questions about Miss Reinesia's blunders there.
　At Lord Lundstad's words, Shiroe lifted the corner of her lips and explained the situation in a way that Michitaka could understand.
'This big man here is Mititaka, Lord of the Oceanic Organization, one of the 11 guilds that make up the Roundtable. --Lord Lundestad has been bringing our cargo by sea and needs a warehouse. I received a written request from Miss Reinesia for a storeroom, but I guess she forgot or lost it. Anyway, it's a situation where they failed to do so.

　Sir Lundstad nodded at Siloe's words with a sullen look on his face.
''That's right. This shipment includes foodstuffs and valuable spices. If left in the hot, damp hold, they are bound to spoil in a few days.
　It's a good thing that you're not going to be able to find out what's going on.
　It's a very good idea to have a good idea of what you're talking about, but there's no point in asking that question now.

I'm sure you've got a great deal in mind.
I will go myself. "I will go myself." "I will use the most elegant ship in my house of commerce as a means of transportation, Siloe," he said.
　Shiroe's attitude must have made him feel better. The middle-aged aristocrat, who smelled of makeup, let out a throaty animalistic laugh.

''Is it the new spirit ship Aegil, which just entered service last month? I've only heard of it through rumors, but I've heard it's a beautiful ship that reminds me of a swan.
'How. Such a rumor is already in Akiba?　In no way. All of the ship's cargo is to be lost through no fault of Miss Lainesia's. A terrible betrayal, wouldn't you say, gentlemen of the Adventurers?
That's a shame, isn't it?

(Why are you following Lord Lundstad's words so closely, Shiroe-san? Do you think that because you're an adventurer, you don't care about the Earthlings?　Things are now related to the dignity of Akiba's streets.

Well. I came here because I had something to do with Princess Reinesia. Akatsuki, Henrietta.
"Huh?
　I was so distracted by Shiroe that I didn't notice, but it didn't take long for me to see a competent-looking woman with glasses and a small dark-haired girl who had suffered badly during a speech sometime ago.

I hear the princess will help make this festival a success. Take care of the dressing.
Huh?　Heh?
　Unsure of the situation, Raynesia looks to her right at Elissa.
　Elissa shakes her head from side to side and lets out a small sigh. She gives up on her unreliable friend and looks back over her left shoulder at Krusty, who just shrugs.

　In the meantime, a serious dark-haired girl and a smiling, bespectacled woman caught Reinesia. With an air of politeness but not presence or absence, they reach for Reinesia's clothes, despite the fact that they are in public.

'Huh. What?　Huh?　You can't get dressed in a place like this but I've got something important to discuss with Lord Lundestad. It's very important for the protection of the city of Akiba. Lord Krusty!　Say something, you are not my knight!
'-- Wasn't that only during the Council of Lords?
"So transposable is a knight's vow!　You're going to make this Raynesia think you've said it in jest~!
　More than half panic-stricken, Reinesia cried out to Krusty. She could see that the white bespectacled knight was secretly smiling a black smile, but Krusty was the only person she could ask for help from at this moment.

''Then extend the contract,''
Dear God, what are you going to do about it? I'll get dressed!　I'll get it right, but for now, just explain to Lord Lundstead.

Shiroe. ...uh... It's a sign from my princess.
　The commotion between a smiling Henrietta and a genuine Akatsuki, who held Princess Reynecia's arms from both sides, had somehow become the center of attention in the hall. In the crowd of people surrounding them all, Krusty urged Shiroe to 'continue'.

''Understood, Krusty-san. .............................We are ready.
Lord Lundestad. I have heard of you. But the letter has already been sent to Akiva, the Round Table.
　Krusty, his expression hidden behind his glasses, made his remarks succinctly, in a voice that was never loud, but with a peculiar timing that left an incomparable impression on those present.
　Lundstad, struck with a false sense of humor, revealed a momentary loss of expression, but immediately regained his composure and raised his voice loudly.

''Nah. The Roundtable has been contacted!　That's not possible. This is a warehouse. It's not something you can just prepare for. You don't understand. I didn't come in a carriage.　You didn't hear me.
The new Aegir, right?　I think it has a payload of 500 tons. It's equipped with an ice compartment, a truly elite ship.
That's right, Adventurer. Where can you find a warehouse that can hold this amount of supplies, and where can you find white goods that can be kept at a controlled temperature?　It's a ridiculous pipe dream to be ready so soon.
　Lundstad's arrogance is the picture of arrogance. The repeated irritating tongue lashing is a sign of his hubris.

　Reinesia felt a chill of horror.
　Not because of Lundstad's arrogance, but because of Lundstad's arrogance.
　Not because of Lundstad's arrogance, but because of Lundstad's fearlessness. As an Earthling, Lundstad is too used to others following him. That kind of arrogance is common among the lords of Eastar, but that kind of dignity has no place in an adventurer's life. It is not unlikely that Lundstad will be cut down if he is provocative to this extent.
　Nobles are powerful in the land-based society, but their bodies are not immortal. In the hands of an adventurer, they can be incinerated in less than a tenth of a second.
　Not that I have any sympathy for Lundstad, but that would be the start of a war. The Adventurers could lead their own destruction with their righteous fury...

(Oh, no! Why do I have to worry about this white pig?

What?　A call has been made to the Round Table. If you say so, so be it. But I heard that the storeroom you adventurers rent out is full of travellers' goods. And this is what you've been doing despite being informed?
I'm sorry, but I'm afraid it's all about the Reinesia.
　Lundstad's insistent comments about the adventurers and the Round Table are enough to make Raynecia scream and scream.

Mr. Michitaka. Here's the letter.
　However, the place froze at a single letter that Shiroe had magically taken out. I'm not going to be able to say for sure, but it looks exactly like the copy that Lundstad had just wielded.
　I can't say for sure, but the communication that hadn't been in Reinesia's possession had been delivered to the "Round Table" in Akiba.

　I'm not going to be able to say for sure, but I'm going to say that I'm not going to be able to say for sure, but I'm going to be able to say for sure that I'm not going to be able to say for sure, but I'm going to be able to say for sure that I'm not going to be able to say for sure.

"........do you want me to arrange for a cart to carry the luggage as well?
　Overlaid on that affirmation, which seemed like a cheap assurance, Michitaka gave a thick, manly smile and shrugged his shoulders.

No way...
Yeah, it's just a warehouse. We're talking about 500 tons.　It's not a lot. The Maritime Organization's private warehouses have several times the floor space of the Round Table's public warehouses. Maybe they thought they were already suffering from flat tires from all the traveling merchants.　--Or did you think that the Adventurers wouldn't help the Earthmen (princesses)?
Huh.
　Reinesia clenched her fists at Michitaka's words.
　Will the Adventurer be able to save her from her mistake? Michitaka is a hard-boned man who, at the meeting of the Old Court of Eternal Ice, had proudly proclaimed his adventurer's pride in front of a host of earthly nobles. You'll be able to find out what's going on in the world.

(No, not to me...)

　You'll be able to get a look at the young man who is holding your shoulder. You can't see the expression on his face unless you look up due to the distance, and even if you did, it wouldn't be obvious at the moment.
　I know that this unidentified demon, who seems to be both resentful and smiling, asked Michitaka to help me out.

"Krusty-sama...
'I didn't expect the security to be too perfect. --It would have prevented the physical trouble, but you didn't realize it until later.
　Krusty's murmurings were too much for Reinesia to grasp.

''........Master Krusty?　That I am....
Your shield no, you're a princess.
　Reinesia reluctantly says a few words of thanks to Krusty, who doesn't lower his gaze. The indebtedness he 'owes' to this young man will only increase. Her conscience and pride scream with a throbbing heat as her debt snowballed.
　However, in response to his words of gratitude, Krusty only replied with an unintelligible, "If it's a thank you, it's probably Shiroe-kun.

　On the other hand, it was Lundstad who had a grim expression on his face.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work. I'm not going to be able to get any more than that. The great nobleman of Westlande, in a furious rage, leaves the hall with a word of resignation, as if to smack him down, and leaves the hall.

　Reynecia felt the strength slipping out of both legs. Lundstad was leaving. His pride may have been hurt, but his life would remain intact anyway. His spine seemed to be bubbling with relief at the unexpected result.

'Good, this one's taken care of. Take care of the rest.
I understand, Master Shiroe.
Yes, my lord. My lord.
　As if to exploit that mental gap, Reinesia was dragged away on the sly. It was only after she was stripped down to her underwear that Reinesia noticed that her knight, who was supposed to have extended her contract, gave a small wave of his hand and looked away.



　◆



　The Reinesia dinner party was collapsing.
　It was collapsing, but it was still going strong.

　The front doors of the official residence of Maihama, used for the embassy, were thrown wide open and all the invited guests flooded into the central square of Akiva, mingling at the same time with those who were enjoying the evening festivities in the central square. The feasts that had been prepared were brought out one after another into the square and served.

　Of course, that couldn't be enough for the overflow of people in the square, and all the restaurants facing the square had their kitchens in full swing. The Roundtable will hold all the proceeds from this evening's sales, as secretly announced by Shilohé, and all kinds of food and drink are being served to the people as if they were out of stock.
　As a result, the average level of food and variety is lower than Reinesia intended. It's not really a standing dinner party, but more like a festival, or perhaps a flower viewing event.

　But many of the adventurers didn't seem to care about it at all.

　When I saw Leinecia led by Krusty to the square, a stirred up among the Adventurers. Since her speech, Princess Reinesia has been seen at the Round Table and other gatherings, but this was the first time she'd shown up in person at the square.

　I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this as well.
　Her appearance was primitive, and she was a beautiful young girl who looked exactly like a dream.

　What took me by surprise was the way she was dressed.
　It's not just a matter of how much time you have left on your hands. She was wearing a short bolero-style jean jacket over a young grass-colored shirt that looked like an autumnal shirt. The long skirt was ladylike, but in a casual fashion. Her long silver hair, braided with black ribbons, swayed behind her back.
　No one in Akiba could have expected that Reinesia, who had only ever shown off her gothic dress, a sign of her status as an aristocrat of the Earth People, would show up in this kind of attire.
　The square was filled with a thunderous buzz.

　Led by a mortified Krusty, Reinesia proceeded to the south side of the square and sat down on a large hastily built sofa bench there.
　The large sofa bench was another item from the woodwork menu, and the simple shia was ready in less than fifteen minutes after Siloe made the request.

　The sun is no longer shining and the square is lit by many torches, but the Spirit of Light, summoned by a witty Summoner, fills Reinesia's surroundings with twice as much light as any other.

　 "The Black Swordsman Isaac sheaths his trademark sword, and for security reasons, the princess cannot move from her couch here, but she wants to share the festive night in this square, and anyone, anywhere, who wishes to, is welcome to say hello to her here in the arena! When I told the adventurers that they could do this, their buzz grew even louder.

　However, they are still Japanese.
　They seemed to be enjoying the festivities, but were reluctant to join the group of stylish people that Reinesia had invited from Maihama as they began to play an old yakimoku (serenade) from the Yamato region.

　It was Michitaka, after all, who approached them first, with the first word of warning.
　He took the ten or so members of the guild, who were the master of the guild, to visit the Shiar, which was made of plush couches and screens and umbrellas that surrounded them. The other guilds seem to have started to move as well, seeing him exchange friendly greetings with a relieved-looking Reinesia.
　Many of the "adventurers" offered to say hello, and Elissa's subordinates began to move as if they were in a hurry.

　Looking down on it from the dilapidated aerial walkway overlooking the square, Shiroe poured a glass of fruit juice tea from a small jar at hand. It seemed that the attack on Akiva had been defeated. The starting point of the attack was probably the Westlande nobleman Lundstad, who had retreated at the Reinesia dinner party, after all.

(Well, with that short-circuit, it's hard to call him the mastermind, though.

　However, we can't let our guard down that this is the end of the attack.
　In fact, the alert phase of the festival remains raised. Isaac and Krusty's two-strong security force, led by Isaac and Krusty, are still cracking down on disputes that might turn violent, mainly in and out of Akiba's streets.
　There is also a women's unit led by Soujiro. The women's unit, led by Soujiro, continues to patrol the streets, focusing mainly on commercial disputes and love affairs.

　Shiroe, who has been appointed as the chief of staff, receives intermittent telepathic messages of regular contact and requests for instructions on how to resolve the case.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make the most out of your time with the help of a few of these guys.
　But Shiroe himself wasn't too worried about that this time.
　The attack on the speed of processing and the credibility of the "Roundtable" is a kind of disturbance attack in any case. Disturbance is a tactic that is effective because it is a surprise attack or because it is unknown to the opponent, and now that the Roundtable has taken measures to deal with it, it is unlikely to have much of an effect.
　Of course, there are worse scenarios, but there is no point in asking about them now. Sometimes you can't play all the moves you want, you have to fight passively. Getting through the festive period with caution is probably the best option available at the moment.

(Not to pry, though I'm sure they'll pounce on you.)

　The movement in the hall continues under Shiroe's watchful eye.
　The food and drink and the crowd around Princess Reinesia remains the same, but there is new music and a new crowd of people. A row of SS Soujiro lined both sides of the cobblestone path leading from the Guild Hall, with the center of the hall wide and empty.

　The one walking to the front of that space was Marielle.
　Her wavy green hair and an innocent smile that seemed to shine through. Her large breasts swaying attractively, wrapped in a cleanly designed jacket and bouncing as she walks.
　She may be disqualified as a fashion model, but it seemed to me that she came to the end of the aisle that served as a stage and waved in all directions.

(Miss Mari, totally. It really doesn't make a dent, does it?

　Shiroe felt like her head hurt or encouraged by the gesture. The next to appear was Henrietta, and then Akatsuki.
　Henrietta, who usually wears girlish clothes, and Akatsuki, who is dressed as a black-clad ninja. However, that's not the purpose of the day. They are wearing a casual tunic with a slight ethnic flavor, recommended by the Crescent Moon Alliance, and a wraparound skirt. They are like two sisters in different arrangements of clothing.

　--They are not to say that they look like "older" sisters because of their height. Shiroe looks at Henrietta, who in her excitement picks up Akatsuki and does a spectacular turn while rubbing her cheek, and decides with a small smile.
　The two of them, almost unaware of the audience's gaze (and perhaps fortunately for Akatsuki in that sense), were jostling each other, but at Marielle's urging, they got off the stage and proceeded toward the square.
　He shook off the stunned surroundings and approached Reinesia as he did, and pulled her arm to make her stand up. It was a typical Marielle attitude that was not afraid of people.
　Marielle and the others took Reinesia out into the square and began to spin around.

　This show would have a much larger audience than if it were held in a hall. The light from the Firebird and Thunder Phoenix resting on the roof of the Guildhall building illuminated the profile of the people, and the repeated applause was like a tidal wave of applause.

　It's a good idea to have a beautiful girl in your life. I'm sure you'll be able to find a lot more than a few of the fashions you'd normally see on the streets of Earth, but with an apologetic smile, you'll look better than ever.

'Siloe, Mr.'
Good job, Minori.
　Shiroe lifted her gaze from the square below her at the voice that was called to her in a reserved manner. From the guild hall, Minori walked down the aerial walkway, a proud, happy, but still reserved and tail-wagging, complex expression on her face.

　Shiroe didn't know what this little fellow was thinking, but he knew what role he played in the commotion of the day.
　He was beside Karashin and took care of the affairs of the Head Quarter, which was responsible for handling the entire disturbance. It's a heavy responsibility, equal to the work of a full raid recovery team.

'Sit down,'
Yeah, but...
　Minori hesitates, and Shiroe shows her the wooden bench she was sitting on next to. Minori is somewhat intimidated, and Shiroe polishes another glass from her bag and pours out a cup of fruit tea identical to her own.

I mean...
Thank you. So, good job.
Ha-ha-ha.
　Shiroe laughs a bit, amused by Minori's voice flipping over and her spine straightening out. Does Minori understand?　The value of the work he has served.
　Holding the glass in both hands, Minori takes a small sip in a frightened gulp, and from beneath their feet, out of sight, a bustling festival lit by a multitude of torches, bug light lamps and summoned magical creatures.
　At least a fraction of that buzz was protected by Minori's hands.

　Small hands, Shiroe thinks.
　The strength of an adventurer's muscles is completely out of proportion to their appearance.
　But that's not what I meant by that, this little hand of a junior high school girl had determination. It was a determination to defend her position to the death.
　When I heard from Minori that she was helping out at the Producer's Guild Liaison Association, I felt a sense of surprise, and at the same time, a sense of clarity. Being in the guild with Minori, I felt an energy inside this little girl that couldn't be suppressed.
　That burst of energy was the same for her twin brother, but while Touya had been the first to choose the path of artisanal body arts, Minori seemed to be unsure of her choice. However, the directionless will within Minori could not stay that way forever.

　In this battle, Minori had achieved more than Shiroe had hoped for in that place he had chosen for himself. Minori and Shiroe didn't try to force themselves to join up with Minori at the Producer's Guild Liaison Association. I knew that if I called on them, they would help me with command assistance and miscellaneous tasks, and to be honest, I was attracted to them, but I sensed in Minori's voice that it would be a waste of time.

(He's much more solid than I am...)
　Shiroe inwardly sighs in self-mockery. When she thinks back to when she was in middle school, she just wants to cover her eyes.
　The past is there, where you can't find the strength to open up to the outside world like Minori has, even if you look for it. I remind myself that I was a typical overly self-conscious "painful junior high school student". Shiroe is a typical junior high school student who thinks it's cool to be different from others, not realizing that the "different" part of her is actually the same as the others.
　Just remembering this makes me feel embarrassed.

"Um, Shiroe-san....
What?
'Aren't you going to say hello?　I mean, isn't Log Horizon the only guild that didn't go to the Round Table to say hello?
　Shiroe shrugs vaguely.

'We met face to face a while ago.
　The words were in the air for a long time, but were soon drowned out by the cheers booming from beneath their feet. Did some guild announce some novel costume?　After quite a long time, Minori added a new question to Shiroe, who had been listening closely to the reports brought to her by telepathic communication and sometimes giving short replies.

'You did it on purpose ... didn't you?'
Yes.
''I'm ... sorry. Shiroe-san.
　Minori lowered her head in shame.

'It's nothing to apologize for,'
But I..... I tried to meddle and take Shiroe-san out for a dinner party. When I thought about it, there's no need for that, but there's no way Shiroe-san of the 11th Guild couldn't get an invitation. In other words, that means - you were planning to be hated by Princess Reinesia from the beginning, right?
　It was no longer a question, but a confirmation.

(Really, she's an intelligent girl.)
　It's not such a hard maneuver to spot, though. There are many other people at the Roundtable who are aware of it. Also, it is a strategy that would not work if there are no friends who can see through it to some extent.

''Krusty-san is a better friend of the princess than I am. It's more convenient to have someone who is liked and someone who is not liked to move the conversation along. It's better for the future.
....
The princess's position is in jeopardy. Her good looks, straightforward temperament, and unsparing sincerity have earned her the sympathy of everyone, but it won't last forever. Also, although the princess likes Akiba city now, I don't know how long it will last.
　The relationship between the landlords and the adventurers has improved greatly, of course. But in Akiba, it's still not stable. Someone should probably play the role of tormenting the princess to garner sympathy votes. It's convenient - both for the inside and the outside world.

　Of course, that was a strategy that was based on the assumption that Krusty would follow up on the princess' feelings. You can't blame Krusty for that, although he had a sullen expression on his face when he saw that. That's what it's called. I'm not going to be able to get out of it.
　Besides, the only thing Krusty doesn't like, as Shiroe sees it, is being played along with his schemes. Krusty himself, if left alone, Shiroe sees that he'll eventually help that princess.

(Maybe she doesn't like being seen through like this, though.)

　Besides--.
　Shiroe stared at the limit of his thought vision as his thoughts began to flow. In a vague prediction of the future that can only be peeked at almost intuitively, Shiroe can recognize the value of holding this position.

　The city of Akiva needs Krusty.
　Even for Krusty, he needs that princess - I think.

''Shiroe-san.......is that okay with you?
Why?
　A part of my consciousness, which had been alerting me to my surroundings in parallel with my own thoughts, picks up Minori's words and inserts them into my thoughts. Minori has a troubled, pained, sad expression on her face.

''Because...''
　Minori stagnates on the words. I waited for the explanation to continue, but there were no words to follow.

'Ah, yes. As for the disadvantages suffered by the Record Horizon? I'm thinking that at some point, I'll ask Team Leader Nyanta to take you to meet and greet Princess Reinesia individually, for example. I'm thinking of a dinner party. Of course, Minori will be there too, so it would be good to dress up in your best clothes. The sky-blue outfit you wore the other day was really cute.
　Minori's anguish deepened at Shiroe's words.
　Shiroe scratched his head, wondering if he had mishandled the reply. Apparently the words didn't please him, or there was a mistake in direction.

(To begin with, predictions should be based on a longer-term view and disclosure of information, and predicting the near future at such a short distance is difficult because it's like divination...)

It's hard on Shiroe-san himself, isn't it?
....
　Shiroe devotes his thinking resources to Minori's words. If you ask me, it may appear to Minori that way. I should have considered the possibility of that impression in my external observations.

'Oh, no, that's not true. This is the kind of role I'm supposed to play.
....
　It's still hard for Minori to accept.
　It's just a necessary arrangement and appropriate role in the plan.
　Minori's lips are pulled back in a tight line and she is really serious. The large, tearful eyes, reddened and tense cheeks, and raised eyebrows, as if angered, express the intention not to step back.

''I'm grateful that Minori helped me with the Producer's Guild Liaison Committee this time. Minori has done something more valuable than having ten more people in charge of practical work in the field. Minori was great.
　Minori's eyes flutter at Shiroe's words.

'Just like that. Minori. ........If what needs to be done is right in front of you, and you can do it, and it's desired, then it's okay to make it work. It's okay to get it off your chest. If I can connect to something by doing that, then it's okay...I think. I mean, I'm not sure I'm qualified to say this, but...
　Minori gives him a troubled look.

　It's not surprising. I'm not sure if you know what you're talking about. I'm sure you're not the only one. I'm sure you're not the only one who's been running around because of the hassle of getting involved in the guild, so this is not something you're qualified to talk about.
　This is what Michitaka, Krusty and others who have been leading their guilds for a long time should have said.

　It's not until I created my own guild that I understood a few things. Even if you become strong by yourself, you're still a ghost. The strength I've gained in this way is the strength of the void that goes nowhere. It is only a power as a ghost, unable to feel the touch of the outside world, unable to make it feel.
　Of course, strength gained by just one person is still strength, but Shiroe thought that in order to use that strength, you need friends, and in order to make use of those friends, you need society. It's still vague at the moment, but the 'record horizon' is an important place for Shiroe.

I'm going to work as hard as you do, Minori.
　Minori nodded with a troubled, angry, and wistful look on her face. As for Shiroe, she could only reflect on it. After all, Minori is a junior high school student, and she could only respond to Minori's efforts and questions with an impersonal and vague answer.
　Moreover, I feel like I was even encouraged and scolded.

(-- or was that too much to ask?)

　This little girl is today's Medal of Honor winner. I'm glad to hear that she's a member of the Horizon of Records. I was tickled that I had taught her a few things. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work for you, but it's not an unpleasant feeling.

　Shiroe gave a wry smile and nodded again.
'I'm fine in this position. This is my place. ........So I'll do my best here, as much as Minori does.''