08



　Akiba Guild Hall. It was the tallest building in Akiba. It may not be comparable to the skyscrapers of the earth world, but in a world where every skyscraper has been abandoned, it's rare to find a building that exceeds ten floors in the first place.
　The wind was blowing across the sky of Akiba in Eastal, where there was little to block the sky. The center of the building, like a stone monument made of chalk, is the Akiba Guild Hall, which catches the wind. It is the headquarters of the Round Table.
　In the convention hall, overlooking a stone statue of an ancient princess, Akiba's leading guild masters were all present. The eleven people participating in the 〈Roundtable〉 had been called "Decliment" before they knew it. It meant that there was one person missing there, not twelve.
　The Black Swordsman, Isaac the Black Swordsman, the leader of the Black Sword Order.
　The West Wind Brigade's holy swordsman, Soujiro.
　Michitaka, the powerful general manager of the Organization of Oceanography.
　Roderick, the Fairy Medicine Master of the Roderick Trading Company.
　Karashin, a merchant from the Eighth Shopping District.
　Marielle of the Crescent Moon Alliance.
　Akaneya, the master mechanic of the Radio Market.
　Shiroe, the evil plotter of the Horizon of Records.
　And Ains from the Honisty.
　Krusty, the guildmaster of the D.D.D. and head of the Round Table, is missing, and Woodstock of Grandeur is not here as he is on a supply run for the expeditionary forces.
　With three seats missing, the Roundtable is an even more incomplete place for Ains to feel.

''It's nothing short of superimposed that Lord Shiroe's plan has worked.
'Well, I'm really grateful. Now we don't have to dry up. The Roundtable's finances were broke on the books, you know. It's like we were keeping it on loans from a major guild.
　Akaneya's grave words are countered by Karashin in a light tone of voice. But the content is a heavy one.
'But you can relieve yourself with this, right?
We've already liberated the zones around Akiba. I feel that they are going to purchase the zones and destroy the rights to the zones toward the Northeast. The number of banned zones will continue to increase. It's a scary thing to be able to purchase a zone in the future.
　Since the beginning of autumn last year, the most serious problem at the Roundtable was the one that had to be solved. In other words, the financial pressures caused by the cost of maintaining the Zone were being resolved by the Shiroe of the Horizon of Record. Because of this, there was a slight sense of relief at the conference.
　The total cost of maintenance was several million gold coins per month. The budget of the 〈Roundtable〉 was being squeezed at a lukewarm pace to describe it as a squeeze. The biggest burden was the fact that the entire street space in Akiba had been purchased as a zone.
'Sorry,'
I'm not blaming you, Mr. Shiroe. Well, not all of them have good intentions like Shiroe-san.
　But "not buying the zone" was not an option.
　Despite his apologies, Shiroe did in fact purchase the Akiba Guild Hall, putting him in control of the life and death of more than 10,000 Akiba "adventurers". It is a well-known story that this was the catalyst for the establishment of the Round Table. And there are a number of such important facilities. The Great Temple, the Central Business Complex, and the entire Akiba area would bring the same degree of coercive power to the buyers.
　These zones were purchased early in the years following the formation of the Round Table. They were forced to purchase these zones simply out of impatience and vague fear, without any clear idea of who they were intended for. The purchased area continued to spread out to the surrounding area. Ains doesn't think that these were mistakes. We believe that they were necessary. As proof of this, Honesty contributed a reasonable amount of funds to the project. And that feeling was shared by all the other guilds belonging to the Roundtable.
　But those burdens were weighing heavily on Akiva, and it was clear that they were taking away its freedom. It was only because the Adventurers had so many assets and were able to bear the burden that the problem never surfaced.
　Shiroe of the Horizons of Record solved the problem with the rough-and-tumble process of selling and banning zones that had been purchased. In this way, the land (the zone) was turned over to the Yamato server itself. I also drew a sum of money from the Sacrifice Clan to cover the initial costs. Not many of the adventurers in Akiba know about this, but those in the upper echelons of the guilds participating in the Round Table would know about it.
　Of course, Ains was also impressed and grateful for the plan.
　However, because it was solved, the next problem also came up.

''If you have more time to spare in your finances, I would like you to proceed with the discussion of the matter I've been proposing for some time.
　Ains raised his voice as he stood up to ride out to the huge round table.
'A case, is that it?'
　Michitaka, who has an expression on his face that looks like he's bitten down on a bitter worm, glances at Roderick with a sideways glance. Roderick averts his gaze, and Karasin also has a somewhat gasping look on his face. Isaac, as usual, crosses his arms and looks unhappy, and there is no one to interrupt him with words.
"Let's see..... What was the proposal again?
　Soujirou, who doesn't read the air, smiles and asks Shiroe.
''It's a proposal on disclosure and redistribution of information submitted by Ains-san.
　Ains nodded one nod to Shiroe's outline and continued onward.
　There was no guildmaster here who shared Ains' impatience.
　That filled Ains' chest with dark emotions. The people sitting here were the 'main masters of the prominent guilds representing Akiva'. It might be inevitable that they would not be able to sense this problem correctly. But that doesn't mean we can't tell them that we can't leave it at that.
'There is currently a rapidly growing disparity in this Akiba city. Those who can develop new technologies and hunt in the field are increasing their wealth, while those who don't are losing the minimum amount of money they make on a daily basis. The gap in their wealth is growing rapidly.
　They all listened to Ains' words.
'This is a problem. We have to do something about it. Oral transmissions are also a problem.'
'What!　Why do you have a problem with oral traditions!
　To Souji's questioning voice, Michitaka replied, "It's written in the proposal. Yes, Michitaka and all of the guild masters gathered here are sincere. It is impossible to put doubt in their minds. They don't even hesitate to listen to Ains' opinion.
'Oral traditions and new product development are causing the economic disparity that is the problem at hand. Large guilds are taking advantage of their size to expand their businesses, and therefore their income. They must be corrected. There are currently about forty different oral traditions reported on the Round Table. These information should be made widely available to the public. Also the recipes of production systems.
Hey, hey, hey. Wait a minute. The recipe isn't for the Elder Tail, it's for how to create the item after the catastrophe.
Yes,
There's no way in hell I'm letting that guy get away with it!　Creating an item after a catastrophe is a trial-and-error process!　Every single piece of ramen and every single piece of soap is the result of a craftsman's hard work and unique ideas.
''So is the oral tradition. In the first place, what would happen to something like that just because it was made public?
　Ains accepted Michitaka and Soujiro's rebuttal with a stiff expression on his face. I expected it, but I guess I was in too much of a hurry. It's difficult to publish recipes and oral traditions. However, if possible, that would still allow for a soft landing, Ains thought.
　But if that's not possible, then they should consider other methods.
If that's not possible, then we should consider reallocating assets.
Redistribution, I suppose...
　Shiroe also considers something with a stern expression.
''That's right. Adventurers who have more than 80,000 gold in the guild hall's bank will have to forfeit the surplus at the roundtable meeting.
"Confiscated?　That's going to be a big deal!
And then, in addition, the amount of forfeited property will be distributed according to the value of the adventurers, with priority given to those with the least amount of assets.
Hey.
　It was Isaac who waited for the meeting.
He said, "If you've been listening to me for a while, you're talking to yourself, aren't you?　Ains.
Is that right?
Whether it's money or oral traditions or how to make a meal, it's something that each of us worked hard to get. If you take that away, there will be a big fuss. You don't understand that, do you?
'But now there are people who are lethargic and holding their knees!　If we don't save them, what's the point of having a roundtable?
'We're taking steps. We're safe in the city, and the perimeter PK is gone!　We can hunt and do business as we please.
You say that because you're the one who can hold it.
'Maybe so, but then, Ains. Let me ask you, those sitting around, if I give you the recipe and the money, will you start moving with a hundred times the energy?　You can't guarantee that.
　Ains looked into Isaac's eyes and saw the despair in his rejection.
　In the end, the problem is a sense of crisis.
　Ains' sense of crisis is not shared by the 〈Round Table〉. That's why Ains' words can't reach them. No matter what he said, it was useless. That's because the premise is not being conveyed.

　There was a time when Akiba was afraid.
　Needless to say, it was brought about by a "catastrophe. At the heart of it was the unknown catastrophe that brought us into this horrible world, but a large part of it was the adventurers themselves, which could not be ignored.
　In this devastated world with no laws, the only people who can hurt you are you - the Adventurers. Whether or not they actually hurt each other was not the point. The mere fact that this possibility existed must have been unbearable for the adventurers, who were earthlings living in modern society.
　This is the reason why Shiroe, a young man of the Onion Conspiracy, was able to set up the Round Table. In other words, the majority of the adventurers in Akiba were afraid of each other. That is why they unconsciously sought stability. It was this fear that led to the creation of the Round Table.
　The subsequent takeover of the Zone was no different. The fear that someone, somewhere, might plunder the right to exist drove the Roundtable to buy up the zones around Akiba. This fear, even if unconscious, was shared by the Roundtable. That is why the policy was passed, and why it has been implemented, even if it is a burden.

But we cannot let this problem go unchecked.
I understand that.
Releasing the recipe for the development of a new product will only motivate the engineers.
Is it really that difficult to make money on a daily basis?
The divide, the divide, the divide, but we're all adventurers now, aren't we?
　Ains bit his lip in the suddenly noisy conference room.
　Ains wasn't talking about the present. He is talking about something that belongs to the future. Do the other guild masters really not understand?
　Driven by fear, the Roundtable had acquired many zones. The money came mainly from the major guilds. Since the adventurers with great wealth had banded together to give money, it was an unintentional transfer of wealth from the wealthy to the public. Even without targeting them, these wealthy adventurers were donating money to the city of Akiba.
　It is worth noting that the gap between the haves and have-nots widened even under these circumstances. What would have happened if the assets of the large high-level guilds (adventurers) that were used to buy the zone were used for their own benefit?　The horror of it all made Ains dizzy.

　This world is too open and unstable if you ask me, Ains.
　You are a level 90. That's great!
　So you're level 32. You're a small fry.
　You're a small fry. That's a label you have to carry around your neck for 24 hours. It's one thing to have a disparity and quite another to have it thrust upon you at all times.
　It's not just about the level. It's not just about level, it's about equipment, it's about the skills of your sub, it's about the results of your business and the results of your hunts. The problem is that you're constantly confronted with it and there's no way to escape it.

　It's the same with the population. As far as Ains knows, there are only about 10,000 adventurers in Akiba's city. This is a terribly small number.
　Half of them were at the ninety level on the day of the catastrophe, and the adventurers below that level were evenly distributed. Then there would be about 400 adventurers between the 30th and 35th levels, for example. This means that a party of six men going out to hunt at the 30th to 35th level would have only 68 adventurers. Of course, the majority of them would belong to a major guild. If that was the case, it would mean that if a thirty level youngster tried to find a mate in the city, there would only be thirty or so groups that had a chance of joining.
　This is just a desk calculation.
　In reality, even those groups that are the places of employment may have, for example, a limit of six people, and the pace of the hunt may not match up well. It's not unusual for me, who wants to join a group, and the party that is looking for a mate to disagree on the main occupation they are looking for.
　In today's Akiba, it is extremely difficult for an "adventurer" to find a new place to live once he or she has been separated from his or her companions, community, or guild; in MMO terms, there is a world of difference between having a companion and not having one. So what should the adventurer do once he or she is out of the loop?
　Even if they hunt solo, they can still eat every day. --What relief could such comfort bring to their cracked hearts?
　The Roundtable just doesn't realize it, but Akiva has that much darkness sprouting up inside of it. The inability to share that sense of urgency caused Ains to experience an impatience that darkened his eyes.

'I understand the suggestion itself,'
　The young man who spun his words with calm eyes - Shiroe told him this. Although not in a loud voice, the participants of the Roundtable looked at Shiroe with a startled expression. In the 10 months of activities at the Roundtable, the words of this young man of the devil's plot have come to carry a certain weight with the participants.
　As for Ains, one of the key people who needed to be persuaded to share Akiba's problems was this Shiroe. If Shiroe agreed, it would not be impossible to solve this problem in one fell swoop.
　Ains' heart was filled with hope.
''Certainly some measures are necessary. However, the budget for the Roundtable is limited. We don't receive huge amounts of funding from the nobles like Minami does, and we can't afford to touch the sacrificial gold. --Let's take this issue back to our respective guilds and consider what steps we can take.
Mr. Shiroe, it could be too late for that...
　Ains exclaimed.
　Shiroe would be able to get additional loans from the sacrifice.
　He must be able to persuade the Unknowing Combat Guild to join him.
　However, Ains' wish was curbed by the palm of Shiroe's raised hand.
''Ains-san. I understand how you feel, but it's impossible to go any further. The Roundtable is a fragile organization. If a decision of this magnitude is voted on in this room alone, both the Roundtable and Akiba will be destroyed.
　Siloe's words slowly came to Ains' understanding.
　That's right. A forceful decision would destroy this fragile Akiva city.
　But it could be broken over time.
　In the bitter helplessness of not being able to convince him, Ains was alone in his depression.



　　◆09



It's done!
It's beautiful.
It's amazing. I've never seen anything like it.
　On the second floor of the Guild House at the Horizon of Records, a sweet aroma filled the kitchen. In the center of the room were Nyanta, the guild's cook, and Serara, a girl from the Crescent Moon Alliance, who has been frequenting the guild house for a while now.
　She hadn't been asked to do this by anyone, but she has been helping Nyanta with her cooking skills. Nyanta has become accustomed to seeing her following behind him with her shopping cart.
Snap peas are sweet and delicious this time of year. "Snap peas are sweet and tasty this time of year, they look like emeralds because they've been soaked in cold water.
It's sparkling!
How do you like the new potatoes?
It's all boiled and primed now.
　Under the influence of the changes after the catastrophe, even those who are not sub-professional cooks have no problem with simple preparations. This seems to be cumulative with the skills provided by the New Wife's Apron, and Celara's recipes are increasing daily. Serara seems to be very happy about it. Nyanta smiled at that.
'Oh?　You've gotten a lot more efficient.
Nyanta-san taught me how to do it.
　At Nyanta's words, Serara's chest heaved with pride.
　A large amount of vegetables that had been prepped in front of them. Tonight's menu would be going with a large plate of Chinese food. What Chinese food requires is quick heating, which requires careful prep work. There are many gourmets in Nyantas' guild, the Horizon of Records, who are in charge of the kitchen. Naotsugu and Touya, as well as Rundelhaus and Minori, are not the least bit picky eaters, and when the mood strikes them, the other members are also good eaters. It's not easy to cook, but it's certainly a unique and exhilarating feeling to cook a lot of food.
　Thinking it would take some time to get the steam from the vegetables, Nyanta took off his apron and pulled out a pot from the cupboard.
'Then shall we have tea?
Okay.

　We didn't bother going back to the parlor.
　The large table in the large kitchen was for peeling vegetables and kneading pasta, but of course it could also be used to make a cup of tea and take a break. They often take a break from cooking and housework, and of course, they also have the opportunity to sample some of the food here.
　Nyanta added a spoonful of orange jam from Dancasteria and dissolved it in his tea. The aroma of tea and the fresh scent of citrus spread through the kitchen.
Does it taste good?
Yes. It's warm.
　Serara replies in a voice that almost melts. The vulnerable expression on her face, reminiscent of a cat on the edge, makes me smile.
''Today is a slow day, nyah.
'Yes. I finished the prep work early, and there's still time before dinner.
On days like this, I want to take a nap.
"Mmm-hmm.
　The look of relief on Serara's face made Nyota feel a buzzing in the back of his mind. The warmer this kitchen was, the more unfulfilling pain it brought back.
　I wasn't distraught, but it was as desolate as the waves crashing on the ground.
　There was a young man who cried out that he was not invited to this world. He had been brought here uninvited, so he declared that he would do what he wanted with the world. He said, "So what?" as he dismissed the plan that had claimed the lives of so many of the Earthlings.
　There is indeed such a cry in this world.
　Thus, beyond the steam of Serara's smiling face and Nyanta's orange-flavored tea, there are indeed young people suffering from the inability to accept this world.
　Nyanta couldn't do anything there.
　Nothing, not his cooking, not his sword skills, not his accumulated experience, could reach them. Having gone through a variety of experiences, Nyanta could understand. The difference between himself and Rondark was insignificant.
　Rondark could have been Nyanta, and Nyanta could have been Rondark.
　The difference between us is insignificant. Where were you that day, that moment in time, that day of the catastrophe?　Who was with him?　Who have you been spending time with?　Were there any important words that stuck with you?　That's the extent of the differences.
　Those differences don't come from hard work or talent. It's an opportunity, an encounter. In other words, it was just a coincidence. That was clear to Nyanta.
　Any of the Nyantas who have fallen into this other world can become Rondaq, and it is impossible to save them. And they can't be saved.

'Serara-chi seems to be having fun, nyah.
It's fun.
　A bouncy voice. The reply that came back to bounce back, so Nyanta had to delay for a moment to return the words.
'I see.'
How is Nyanta-san doing these days?
　She must have been sensitive to the pause. Serara wraps her hands around the cup and looks up at Nyanta. Her slightly furrowed brow is an expression of concern. Nyanta felt a twinge of self-mockery. He shouldn't have to tell a girl like Serara about her unreasonable pain and suffering.
'I'm fine, nyah.'
　This time the reply was smooth and palatable. As it should be. Just like usual. Nyanta's performance (role-playing) was supported by the many emotional fluctuations he had experienced and the life he had lived for a certain amount of time.
'I see.'
....
　Relieved, Serara smiled. The carefree smile, the wavering emotions, and the blue anxiety were all things that Nyanta had done in her past world. They are evidence of immaturity, but they are also a symbol of possibility and the hope that we can be anywhere we want to be.
　The health of Serara was so important to Nyantas that they wanted to pray for her.
Do you think it's a good thing that you came to this world, Serara?
　Nyanta spilled the question he hadn't meant to ask.
　It was a question that he had asked himself many times, and each time it lost its meaning. Nyanta could give his own answer, of course, but it was a meaningless question for him to answer.
'Huh?　Ah. Yes.
　I thought I might ponder such a question a little more, but Serara answered immediately.
'Is that so?'
'Yes. That's because I didn't get to see my mom and dad, and I had a lot of trouble, and a lot of hard times, and a lot of good things happened, but there were also a lot of good things, and, you know,
?
You know, what you want to be and what you want to be.
Do you have one?
　Serara nodded shakily at Nyanta's question with a shaky little nod of her own.
　What she wanted to be. A hope for the future. A guide to life. That's what it is, indeed, Serara murmured.
　Nyanta let out a loud, tea-warmed exhalation.
　A faintly warm heat lit up inside him, different from the one he'd had in front of Rondark. Susukino. Choshi. And Saphir. She must have seen a lot of cruelty in this world. And yet, she told me that there is a form of what she wants to be.
'I'm sure Serara can make any dream come true...'
　'Be this way,' Nyanta muttered, wishing.
''Hahaha...................''
　And as I watched, Serara's behavior became suspicious. Her hands wandered in the air for no reason, her expression went back and forth between laughing and crying, and her lips changed shape without words.
'What's wrong?'
But my dream is so far away. No, I mean, like, give up on it.　It's not like that, you know?　But when I see Isuzu and Minori, I feel like I'm not good enough, or that I'm not good enough.
....
　Nyanta waited for Serara's words.
　Sometimes saying them out loud, telling the other person can bring a confused thought together. It was an answer that was unique to her, one that she couldn't get from another human giving her advice.
　One deep breath. Drinking down the tea, licking a spoonful of orange jam, and taking another deep breath.
　And then Serara looks up again at Nyanta's eyes timidly.
"Well, maybe. I think I need to become a proper Serara. Before I can make my dreams come true. I'm not going to be able to say that I'm a good person. And I want to be a proper cellar.
　Nyanta knew that Serara was looking at her younger group mates with a rushed expression. Minori, Touya, Isuzu, and Rundelhaus. All of the children that Serara was working with had made remarkable progress.
　Minori has followed Shiroe's lead and has surpassed even the adults in tactical and administrative skills.
　Touya continues to call out to the Knights of the Odyssey, whose strength, age, and strength are all greater than his own, to live in this world.
　And Isuzu, who found her own song on the battlefield and continued to play the melody in a hoarse voice.
　Rundelhaus, who was a man of the earth, but longed for a way to protect people and became an adventurer.
　The sight of her friends blossoming like two steps up a flight of stairs may have made her feel that she is not quite human enough to be an adventurer. Nyanta felt such impatience and creaking in her chest from Serara. From Nyanta's point of view as an adult, it was a juvenile concern. Her future was endless. It's just a little stepping stone, not much to worry about.
　However, Serara's goal is to "become the right person". And now, her words have touched Nyanta's soul.
　Young people are born again.
　The infant born into this world under unreasonable compulsion becomes a young man and decides to be born again of his own volition. It is a contract with the world we live in now and a bond that connects the past and the future.
　Once, Nyanta told Rondark so. It was as a wish and a prayer. It was an ideal of a living thing that he wished was so, but he also thought it was difficult to achieve.
　But Serara began to walk towards the light without anyone telling her what to do. No, she was already walking. This sensitive and gentle girl is getting a little closer to her "true self" every day.
　The young man is being reborn into himself.
　That's what I wish for.
　Serara can't possibly understand the emotion and redemption that Nyanta is feeling right now. It would still take more than twenty years for her to understand it. But she had saved Nyanta now. She had saved Nyantas.
　Nyanta's lips fished up at the edges of his lips at the thought of not being able to speak. It would be a blessing if it was in the form of a smile. Nyanta's gratitude would surely not be conveyed to Serara, but that didn't matter. This little lady deserves the greatest of respect.
'Miss Serara,'
Haha.
　That's why Nyanta chose her words with determination.
　To congratulate her, and the girls, on their second birth.
I'm supporting you, Serara. I'm cheering for you, Serara-san. I'll be cheering for you all the way.



　　10




　The Guildhouse of the Horizon of Record is located on a back street off Akiba's central street. It was slightly off-center, but that was why the view from the terrace was open to the central Akiba district.
　The view during the day wasn't bad, but Shiroe liked the view from dusk to night.
　In this other world, night was dark. Shiroe had learned that on his journey to Chousi and Susukino. The word "nature-rich Seldesia" was directly related to the narrowness of the civilized world. There are no big cities or well-maintained streets like the Earth world. It is a world where darkness rules at night.
　But that is precisely why the light brought by human activity seems irreplaceable. In the vibrant streets of Akiba, flames and magical lights are lit from dusk to night.
　Of course, this is a sparseness that cannot be compared to the nighttime of Tokyo. A building over there is lit up in orange, an inn in here is lit up in orange, and in the center of the city there are a number of "firefly lights". That's about it. But even with that level of detail, it's an exceptionally dazzling metropolis in this other world.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work.
　I know what Ains says, I imagined this would happen. But even so, I think. I think what he says is idealistic, but even so, it can't be done. If we were to go through with it as it is, the clash of opinions for and against would be irreversible. The Roundtable is an autonomous body, but it is not a government.
(Is that an escape, too?)
　There is no reason why it must be a self-governing organization. Akiva can declare itself to be a governing body by declaring an appropriate territory. At least in the common sense of this world, it has more than enough self-defense capacity to engage in warfare and more than enough economic capacity to run its territory. If it is said that Akiva lacks the ability to govern in those two respects, then it would be pointed out that no matter which territory or nobleman is in the Alliance of Free Cities Eastal, they are not capable of running a governing organization.
　The reason why Akiva's guild masters, including Shiroe, didn't make the the governing body was simply because they thought, "We can't be the government," "That seems like too much responsibility," or "It's a bit too much to branch out that far.
　But that's the extent of their reluctance to embark on the task of governing, which is an emotional and presumptuous decision. To the modern Japanese, Shiroe and his colleagues, these are natural feelings. The Roundtable is an autonomous organization that was established with the cooperation of Akiba residents, and Shiroe believes that there is a certain amount of resistance to being reborn as a powerful "government" with the power to do so.
　Wouldn't Ains' prospects be unacceptable?　I think that's why Akiva's will is real. That's the mood of most Akiva "adventurers," and even the guild masters of the Roundtable can't be influenced by their superiors and subordinates to do as they please.
　Even though he was able to borrow the sacrificial gold, it was still for the return of Yamato's zone. It would be a bad move in many ways to divert those funds to bring some kind of change to Akiva. I don't think it makes any sense, and Shiroe has a fear of what could happen if something unforeseen were to happen. Even Shiroe is in awe of the fact that he has negotiated so much. That's why I spread the security over three cards.
　But maybe that was also a self-deception to avoid responsibility. Shiroe couldn't dismiss such suspicions.
　It was a never-ending worry and the usual repentance.
　He worried that if he took action, he would be smug, and if he avoided action, he would be lost in the sidelines. It was difficult to have the great realization that no matter what I did or didn't do, it was all for the best. I've been known to dwell on it, but that's just the way Shiroe usually is. You can't blame them.

　|You're going to be able to find out if you're going to be able to get a good deal more than you think. This is, of course, partly dictatorial and partly an act of imposing the will of the people on the same adventurers. However, it is an undeniable fact that this single guild system of power has enabled efficient autonomy and has given stability to Western Yamato and to the adventurers' lives.
　Intix, Kazuhiko, the former guild master of the Howling, Nacalnado, and the previously unknown Zeldus, all of whom were instrumental in establishing this system, are to be commended for their skill.
　Who are the less fortunate adventurers today?　When he asks such a question, Shiroe can't find the right words to condemn Plant hwyaden, even though he has a strong relationship with the Holy Empire of Westland in the west.
　--In fact, he can't say no to the Holy Empire of Westarande in the west, where the Holy Empire of Westarande is more centralized than the Free Cities Alliance of Eastar. Compared to the Free Cities Alliance of Westarande, the Holy Empire of Westarande is a more centralized system of government. Centralization allows for a more active budget allocation and therefore allows for more money to be spent on the Adventurers. In this way, they can introduce technology from the Adventurers and promote a policy of wealth and power. Not so with the Free Cities Alliance Eastar, which is a council of many lords with no apparent hierarchy.
(I suppose that means they're preparing for war with such technology.)
　Shiroe sighed as she remembered the report from Squad Leader Nyanta.
　A steel train. Suspicious summoned creatures. The dark activities of the Daichijin.
　As long as Shiroe and the other adventurers continued to operate in this world, technological proliferation was inevitable, no matter the speed. And it's not just the Plant hwyaden that are spreading the technology. Akiva's Adventurers are spreading a variety of technology to the Yamato. There is no such thing as peaceful technology that does not lead to war. Even technologies that improve the lives of the Chichijinshi have the potential to fuel the ambitions of lords who have become richer for it. In extreme cases, even agricultural and medical technologies can become a catalyst for warfare.
　Ains points out the problem of Akiba's disparity and human devastation.
　Military tension between the Daichijinshi straddling the east and west of Yamato.
　Shiroe felt sick to his stomach.
　And that wasn't all.
　Shiroe pulled out a few folded pieces of letterhead from a bag next to her waist. In the warm orange light inside the guild hall that leaked out of the window behind her, she could see the meticulous-looking writing. Even the fact that the handwriting resembled his own made Shiroe let out a wry smile.

''It's too cold to be in a place like this, you're going to get a stomach ache, aren't you?　My lord.
When did this happen?
　Shiloe raised her gaze and greeted Akatsuki, who came down from the upper terrace upside down. The Akatsuki, who was staring at you with a sour look on her face, pressed the blanket she was holding behind her back to Shiroe.
　The gesture was endearing, and Shiroe chuckled.
　Shiroe drapes the blanket over her shoulders like a cloak, and Akatsuki asks, "So what's the trouble? He asked.
'My lord wrinkles here when he's in trouble. You'll be your grandfather's forehead.
Is that right?
That's right.
　As a Shiroe, I'm not aware of it, but after being pointed out to me a few times, I wondered if that might be the case? I was beginning to think that he was in trouble that often. I feel miserable and disappointed to think that he's in trouble for growling so often. I'm in my 20s and I wonder what I'm doing here.

You're not going to be able to find out what's going on. 'Oh, you're here, White.'
"We have a reaction on the idle radar!　Like a nighttime encounter!　I heard Love progressing. That means it's my turn!
　While he hesitated to answer what Akatsuki's question was, the next visitor arrived. It's Naotsugu, Shiroe's best friend. The young man with a jovial expression came out on the wooden deck, accompanied by the noisy tiger he's been carrying like a piece of equipment lately (...), and began a curt exchange.
'Hey, you're on!
'Oh. Dumping of performance fees?　I don't know, worldwide. No, you're bargaining for me, an intergalactic idol.
You're on your own. Call it radar or something.
Oh, that's right. Are you playing some kind of trick, Mr. Shiroe? I'm very interested.
That's right, White. Are we on a mission?
　Shiroe has tried to speak to him several times, but he can't find the space.
　If it was just Naotsugu, they could interact more easily, but they're sealed off by the smear of an idol with an overwhelming amount of lung power. Of course, Akatsuki doesn't help in these scenes. He just sits upright near Shiroe with an expression on his face that can't tell if he's being genuine or grumpy.
''Don't we need a cute, attractive, capable, idol?　Oh. I said it in question by mistake. It's necessary!
Well I wouldn't go that far. I think you need a guardian, don't you?

　It was a smile that didn't seem to care about Shiroe's depression at all.
　But that smile was infinitely more than enough to save Shiroe from looking up. He realized that he was about to make the same mistake again.
'I'd love to hear that story, too.
　As if in anticipation, Shiroe decides when Nyanta appears with a tray of hot lemonade pots and mugs on top. There is a letter in hand that has been troubling Shiroe.
　Before making any decision, no matter what he decides to do or what he's unsure of, Shiroe has friends to go to first. Not to mention, Shiroe's guild (his place) now has Minori, Touya, Isuzu and even a young man named Rundelhaus.
　For their sake, Shiroe and the others will have to talk to them after the painful scenes they have seen in Saphir's city.
''Loghola, it's a senior meeting, isn't it?''
　In front of his best friend, who gave him a thumbs up, Shiroe held out a letterhead and envelope to his friends.
'There's something I need to tell you all,'
　Gathered on the terrace at dusk, Shiroe and the others begin to consider the letter of a traveler who has come from far away.