◆ Chapter 3.04　




　Ains' declaration spread to many places. It wasn't just in the streets of Akiba, but it spread faster and more widely than most people expected.
　Maihama is not only the largest Daichijin city in Eastern Yamato, it is also the closest Daichijin city to Akiba. It is in many ways the city that is most influenced by Akiba.
　At the Castle of Hime, Castle Cinderella, decorated with white marble and blue and silver tiles, one of the symbols of Maihama, and the Fluorite Tower and Tower of Florite, two of its 29 spires, three men were discussing the circumstances of the incident with the three of them.
　Isaac from the Black Sword Knights.
　Karashin of the Eighth Shopping Arcade.
　And the lord of this castle, Sergiad-Ainald-Cowen. He is the Duke of Maihama.
　However, the two men engaged in a serious discussion on the low sofa set were the aged Duke of Sergiad and Karasin, who looked more serious than usual, while Isaac, without looking inside the room, sat on the window sill with one leg dangling.

'I asked you to give me Princess Reinesia,'
That's right.
It's terrible that you gave it to the Saigu family first.
　Karasin blurted out to Sergiad with a resentful expression.
　It's not that I hold that much of a grudge, but it's because I decided that it's more profitable to say the complaints that can be made. It is the wisdom of sales that if you have a sense of guilt, it will make future negotiations easier.
　However, my opponent is Lord Maiama, the leader of the Eastar. I'm sure that they had no idea what I was thinking, so I let it slide.
I did not mean to disrespect you, merchant. As I said that night, if your granddaughter agrees with you, you might as well do so.
That means...
I told the messenger of the Saigu family that. "If Reinesia agrees, we are willing to perform the marriage ceremony.
What?
　Sergiad returned it to Karashin with a look of composure and a nod, as if he knew everything. For Karashin's part, there was no way to return it on the spur of the moment.
--You can live with whichever one you think is better for you. The dukes of Maihama have no problem with either side.
　That's what Lord Sergiad says. It was an unexpected statement of abdication of responsibility.
　The old man, in short, has decided to leave his relationship with Karashin, and by extension, the Eighth Shopping District, and the Round Table, and with the Saigu family, and by extension, the Holy Imperial Westlands, to Princess Reinesia, and to the Duke of Celgius. It was. No, it was more of a toss-up than a delegation.
'Wait a minute!'
So you lied about the engagement being arranged?
　Despite Karasin's panic, Isaac interrupted his words with a lazy, disinterested tone of voice.
'If you're saying that the other side is prepared, then isn't it true as the other side?
'Wait a minute. So you're lying about getting public permission, then?
　Karashin felt a bad feeling swell up in his gut at the conversation.
'No,' he says. It's not a lie, is it?　I suppose it's a kind of permission not to object if he says it's good for him.
　Hey good.
　A grand plunge explodes in my heart.
　In other words, the Saigu family has been set up by this old duke. And that's exactly the same situation with Karashin.
　Karashin had taken the words, "It's fine if Reinesia nods," as a response to the rhetorical process. Although we see it as a common affair between relatives that respects their granddaughter's will, the Duke of Maihama, the head of the blood family and the lord of the Free City Alliance Eastal, approved it. That decision is absolute, and it's fine to proceed with this story with permission - that's how I interpreted it.
　Karashin, who had become familiar with the aristocratic culture after setting up a huge commercial organization called the Eighth Shopping Street in the Maihama territory, naturally misunderstood the situation. He didn't know who the Saigu family's emissary was, but he would have misunderstood it in exactly the same way.
　He didn't even suspect that Princess Reinesia's consent was meant to be taken quite literally. And I never imagined that they would come to establish both balances on that one point.

''Is that aristocratic?
I guess that's a no-brainer.
That's my man. He's got a lot of guts.
　Sergiad laughed at Isaac's assessment as he let Karasin's slumped shoulders slide.
You're right, you don't. "No, not as a nobleman and as a family. Perhaps I have cut off your daughter, treating her like an abandoned child. But the Adventurer's way is to find your own mate, isn't it?
We didn't do anything for you, did we, princess?
　Isaac returns the bite of the unpeeled pear with a crunch.
'But that's...'
　Karasin stammered.
　Princess Reinesia to Akiva, it was Karashin who started to say that.
　There were certainly a number of speculations there.... The biggest one was probably that as he learned more about Reinesia's popularity and personality, he realized her commercial value. Her diplomatic skills and commercial value, even on the scale of Akiba as a whole, were quite large. She was a key factor in Akiba's ability to establish stable relations with the lords of northeastern Yamato in particular.
　She is serious and sincere, though not particularly gifted. Of course, her aristocratic upbringing makes her shy and reclusive, but aside from that and her apparent fragility and laziness, Karashin judges that Princess Reinesia's basic character itself lies in her sincerity. This sincerity is expressed in the speech she gave at the formation of the Akiva Expeditionary Force, which at times erupts with a caustic, noble brilliance like lava. It is in the interest of both the Eighth Shopping District and the Round Table to have her in a stable position as a diplomat in Akiba, and it is in the interest of the Eighth Shopping District and the Round Table to have her in a stable position as a diplomat. Karashin had planned it with Shiroe and reached out to Lord Maihama.
　But at the same time, he was convinced that the proposal would be in the best interest of the Cowen family as well.
　The Corwen family basically had a good relationship, but that was not Koretai-like for the nobles. The battle for succession is tough everywhere, and there are very few instances of a smooth transition. It's not uncommon for it to be a bloody concept. Karashin had learned that from his dealings with the nobles, and he knew that it lurked here in Maihama as well.
　The current head of the Corwin family is the old man in front of me, Sergiad.
　He is a highly respected and wise lord, but he is too old and will have to give up his position within ten years.
　The next generation will be his daughter-in-law, Fennel. He is an honest man and has served mainly in domestic affairs. There are not many opponents in the realm, but his support is not strong either. In Maihama, where the Corwens are popular, Saraliyah, daughter of Celgiad and mother of Reinesia, is more popular. Saraliyah, known as the Pearl of Eastar, now supports Feynell in the background.
　The knightly and noble families of Maihama are quiet, but if you ask why, it's because they know that in the next generation, the generation of Sergiad's grandchildren, there will be a direct lineage of Maihama bloodline lords. In other words, Ycelus. Fennel is indeed a lord, but his position is that of Saraliyah's son-in-law and father of Yserus. If that's the case, I don't think there's a problem with the capable Fennel. That's why Sergiad accepted him, Karasin believes.
　However, that's where Reynesia caused the problem.
　Unlike Reinesia's sister, Liselthea, who distanced herself from the succession race by marrying early, she stayed with the duke's family. Moreover, her glorious silver hair and good looks, inherited from her mother, Saraliya, have attracted the residents of the Maihama territory.
　From the perspective of the citizens, the fact that a beautiful princess is a member of the family that rules over them may be a source of pride and cheer, but from the perspective of the noble civil servants who control the Corwin family and Maihama, it's a delicate one. The family and factions that were united in retaining Yserus are gradually being shaken up. Moreover, Princess Reinesia's charisma beyond the realm of Maihama, and the fact that she had crossed paths with the Adventurers in an attempt to save the Alliance of Free Cities of Eastar, would make it impossible for them to laugh at their fears.
　Reinesia was a dud for the Corwin family.

I thought the idea of taking her to Akiva would be mutually beneficial.
It's the same with the Saigu family.
　Lord Sergiad showed a slight expression of anguish at his words, but it was the fourth person who opened the door and entered this parlor in direct response to Karasin's statement.
　Saraliyah-Tzreuerte-Cowen.
　Exactly one of the characters that Karasin had identified in his brain earlier. She was Raynesia's mother. She was supposed to be thirty-six years old, but she didn't give off that vibe, she was a woman of girlish beauty. Dressed in a pale, sparkling milky-white dress, as her two names suggest, the Pearl of Eastar, she walked over to the sofa set and sat down next to Sergiad with an elegant bow.
''-- If you say it's to avoid the friction that arises from the succession problem of the Corwin family, isn't it the same whether the bride is given to Akiva or the Saigu family?
That may be true, though.
　It's a good idea to follow aristocratic etiquette, and to stand up and say hello, but when he saw Isaac and Sergiad, who didn't seem to care about such things, he gave up.
If Reinesia marries into the Saimiya family, then the friction with the will be calmed down a little. There may be some animosity growing among the lords of the Ystal, but that can be mitigated depending on how you do it.
....
　Saraliyah, who doesn't seem the least bit put off by Karasin's deliberately strong gaze, continues in a cool tone.
'As for the disadvantages of leaving Akiva, Isaac-sama over there will be able to stand in guardianship of Iserus. Of course, it won't be the same as before, but I think it will continue if there is a new connection.
　Isaac sniffed when his name was called.
　It doesn't sound pleasant, but it doesn't sound like he's going to bite it right in the face.
But it may leave a lump between you and the Eighth Shopping Street, don't you think?
　Karasin cut him off with a sullen expression.
　This noblewoman, with whom he had never had any contact before, had only heard stories from here and there. In the rumors of the city's taverns, she was only a princess of legendary beauty, but in the aristocratic society of the Maihama Palace, she was the de facto leader of it. The head of the family, Sergiad, is the strong leader of diplomacy and military affairs, while the next head of the family, Fener, is devoted to domestic affairs, especially water control and agricultural affairs. Mrs. Saraliyah, who supports these two men from the background, is in charge of intelligence and counter-intelligence for the territory of Maihama.
　It's not an easy task, but it's not someone you can let your guard down.

''Yes, I'm very, very sorry.
What?
　But so Karasin, who had challenged her with such a strong will, was easily deflected from her spirit. Saraliyah bowed deeply, with the candor of a noblewoman. An apology was an admission of fault to the other party and was of great significance in an aristocratic society. Karashin was also struck by the emptiness.
　Karashin, whose uncomfortableness only grew like a debt due to the deep peeking cleavage of her pure white breasts and a side that refused to lift a single inch, was unable to offer a witty exchange, and eventually could only break, "Please lift your head.
　Could it be that the actors are different, or is it that they are different? Lord Sergiad is a difficult opponent, but this lady Saraliyah is even more so. I learned a lot of lessons against Marielle: "Aren't I susceptible to beautiful women? Kalashin was deeply depressed, unable to make use of any of his reflections.

''I'm not making excuses, Master Karasin. Please listen to me.''
Yeah.
　When Karasin replied distractedly, Saraliyah corrected her posture and began to appeal to him in a reformed manner.
The lords of the Alliance of Free Cities Eastal, the lords' meeting where the lords gather. The lords meeting where all eyes are gathered. It's not just a matter of time before you'll be able to get your hands on some of these things.
Oh, Mr. Krusty.
　Karashin nodded.
　Although he wasn't there, Shiroe had told him how it happened shortly afterwards, and it was Karashin himself who had appropriated the Silver Armor of the Goddess of War, the Valkyrie Mail, for the dawn fiasco that followed. Michitaka had told me what kind of dares she had made to jump out of the meeting.
　I remember drinking and laughing about what kind of romance movie she was making.
The way he did it was both heroic and noble, taking his daughter's hand and saying, 'My sword is my princess's. I hear that he whispered, 'My sword is my princess's, and in the name of my guardian knight, I will grant her wish.' Then, without showing the slightest fear, he jumped into the darkness where his daughter pointed, and with a crimson axe that slaughtered the dragon, he buried a thousand demons in a single breath.
　I've been listening to the film, and it's strange because when it's spoken by the beautiful mother of the princess, it sounds more like a heroic poem about Homer than a movie. Karashin, who gives the strong impression of a late-night rally with a bunch of "adventurers" getting into a bad mood, asked, "Isn't it a bit much?　It," he blurted out.
　But whether she missed it or not, Saraliyah paused there for a beat and then stepped forward on her knees.
　The reception table in the center of the room is not really that close, but Kalashin's spirit pushes him to step back.
''Since you are the Knight-sama who dredged up my daughter, don't you think it's fine for you to come and greet me at least once?　Lady Karasin.
What's that?
　What's that?
"My daughter is now 16. ''My daughter is now sixteen, she must find a mate or she will be accused of misconduct. Do you think that in front of all the other rich and powerful lords, there is a knight who would welcome my daughter who has disappeared into the night, even if it is only by invitation of a knight?　Lady Karasin.
　In other words, does this story occur because Princess Reinesia is late going?　No, no, no, no, no, no, she's only in high school or so, Karasin restrained himself by tsking.
　I'm not familiar with the average age of the Daichijin for marriage, but I wonder if she might be the right age?　I thought to myself. Come to think of it, the ladies surrounding the Taro in the Eighth Shopping Street also had a glittering carnivore's look in their eyes.
　Is that what you're talking about?
　Is that what you're saying?
　What the hell did you get yourself into?
　There are no words to answer Karasin, who should be completely unaccountable. Somehow, he was even in a state of mild confusion.
　So why, Karashin wondered, should he feel so guilty? It's frankly unreasonable. But I'm not in the mood to talk back. It's dangerous to cheat and run away, Karashin's coping skills tell him.

'Just one word: I'll take care of it. Is it such a great desire to hear you say that?　Lady Karasin.
Yeah, I mean. Hey, Isaac.
　Karashin has reached the end of his rope with Saraliya's sorrowful words. It's not easy to bear, so he unleashes a full-bodied pass to his partner, Isaac.
(Please bounce back with your own airheaded gory power, really!
It's your glasses. Get to the point.
It's useless.
　It was a wall pass and the ball was immediately returned to him.
　He was forced to dribble through.
'Aha!'
　I don't know what else to say.
As such, it was difficult for me to refuse the Saigu family's offer, and that is why we are having this conversation. I apologize to Lady Karashin for what I have done.
It's...
I mean, that's the worst thing about those runaway glasses, isn't it? Go ahead and break them.
　Isaac said matter-of-factly to a stammering Karasin.
　I feel like I'm being cheated somehow. This Saraliyah is even more sharp than I imagined, and I can sense that she is taking advantage of our guilt. But it is also true that there is no card to defend against that. I'm sure you'll be able to see that this is between a man and a woman, and that it's a wild thing for an outsider to interfere.
　Krusty is wrong.
　Deeply agreeing, Kalashin threw his shoulders back in a heap and threw out.
(I can't help it anymore!)



◆ Chapter3.05　



　The sky was a deep, translucent dark blue, and pure white clouds rushed across the infinitely clear, purplish blue sky. The wind blew through the velvety grasslands covered with fresh grass.
　The scent of greenery was intense and the earth seemed to be inviting the group to continue their journey. The weather was clear and sunny on the grassland.

　The grass was clear and the sky was clear, and Huadiao, perhaps afraid of its height, had been clinging to the horse's neck for some time now, trembling. Krusty, who was looking down at the ridiculous figure, spoke to him without showing any signs of helping him at all.
'Are you not good with horses?'
'This is a first. It's scary and shaky.
What's a wolf to do?
The wolf should be plush and warm, and if it grabs a hold of fur, it will be safe. Gumon is a good choice.
　Krusty's eyes relaxed as he muttered, "I see," he said.
　But the guru has done his job, you know. After muttering that, Krusty gave his bag a pat and then straightened his back.
　Riding is a posture and rhythm. It's not a good idea to fearfully cling to a dervish like a flower marten. When I learned it as a child, I just thought it was a pretentious hobby that had no reason to exist, but in Seldesia it is a perfectly practical skill.

　Krusty and his companions are all dressed in travel gear.
　However, they are all "adventurers" and their luggage is not large. Even a large tent for ten men can be packed in a magic bag, which will lose its weight and size. Although each of them wears a bag with an elaborate design, each of them is supposed to contain several months' worth of food, lodging gear and a change of clothes.

'Sorry to bother you,'
No. We had a purpose in mind.
　The leopard-headed warrior Juhuang replied to the man in the green bodysuit.
　Kanami, Coppelia, Leonardo, and Elias, along with Chunluu and Juhuang, the two "wolf cavalrymen" of Juhuang. Crusty, dressed in his street clothes, and Hualdaiao, clinging to his horse's neck.
　The group of eight people cross the Sea of Grass. It has been five hours since they left the City of Grass. Having acquired the Riding Wolf in the Wolfsbane Mountain, Kanami and the rest of the party would be leaving Krusty and the others today, after crossing the grasslands.
Where are we going now?
I'm going to go for Thang Long, at least.
Hanoi?
　Crusty murmurs the name of the economic city of Vietnam in the Earth world as Leonardo converses with the guild master of the Rakuraku Wolf Cavalry.
　That was the immediate destination for Kanami and his group.
It's not like it's going to be difficult because Kanami is here, but it's definitely not going to be possible.　Hey, Elias.
　Leonardo turned the map around and slumped his shoulders.
　According to the numbers, they should be able to reach it by proceeding roughly one thousand five hundred kilometers due south, but aside from the wilderness and mountainous terrain along the way, he doesn't feel like he can get there in an honest way just from the fact that Kanami is there. I feel sorry for him, and that's probably true, Krusty thinks.
'It can't be helped. Giving up is also crucial.'
　Elias, the hero, who wore a white coat and looked composed, replied.
　Although the two sides have reconciled, Krusty seems to be feeling awkward, and the conversation between him and Krusty is awkward.
But whether it's the Great City, the City of Swans, or the City of Sheep, it's the scene of a guild war. If you stop by, you will surely be stopped.
　The one who made the capture in a thoughtful voice was a female chivalrous person called Chunluw. According to her, she had travelled with Kanami and his party from the vicinity of Kazakhstan to Mongolia. Although she was sad to say goodbye to us, she had a refreshing demeanor that didn't make the people around her feel it. I guess it's not that he's so unsympathetic. I saw him give the girl called Coppelia a number of medicines, including pills and water pills, to the girl called Coppelia.
''You can't afford to be bothered with a bunch of events!
No trouble!
　The dark-haired woman with one arm held up in the air with a bottomless gaiety is Kanami.
　She is a charismatic woman who once led a large scale raiding group, the Debauchery Tea Party, in chopping up the rankings of the Yamato servers. In reality, he's a humanoid typhoon.
No more trouble.
　It's an unusual group, with Leonardo shrugging his shoulders with exaggerated body language. But as long as Kanami is leading them, it's a miracle they're only doing this much.
　It's Krusty, who I learned about during the half months we spent together in the City of the Steppes.

　Since the incident when they went to the ruins of Wolfsbane Mountain and fought with the Lotus Immortal Woman, the group had traveled to the City of the Grasslands to relieve their fatigue and replenish their various supplies, but during that half month, many things had also happened.
She disciplines a man who is planning to have his wedding on the same day as three other women.
A traveling entertainer who lives in a haunted house kills the ghosts.
She catches a bunch of mushroom monsters running through the meadow.
A werewolf race and a huge feast that erupts into a wolf race for sale.
　The staff of D.D.D. must have loved to celebrate, but Kanami's was out of character. Nevertheless, according to Leonardo, "I was able to have a good time resting this time," so you can only guess what his usual travels are like.
　And during that period, the thing that bothered the group, including Krusty, the most was Kanami's whim, and that whim had a significant impact on the girls' travel plans.
Coppelia believes that the route is most in line with the Master's will, so it's not worth worrying about,
Coppélia is so straightforward.
　Krusty has similar sentiments, though not as much as Leonardo who nods.
''Still, she was the one who prioritized going to Yamato, right?
　He shrugged his shoulders, because in a way it was good riddance.
"Guild wars, traversing the sacred realm, fighting against the Divine Comedy... Well, I don't know about the others, but guild wars are now inevitable. The Wandering Wolf Riders will not be able to run anymore. It will take some more time to prepare, but until we organize our men, led by our XO, and organize an army to attack Yandu,
　Kanami was clearly lost in Zhu Huan's grave words.
　After the recent incident, Zhu Huan realized that the guild war was no longer a matter of the other side of the world, and he finally made the decision to shoot out. But in that case, he would aim at the coastline, the center of the Chinese server.
　Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Tianjin. Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Tianjin, the major cities in those areas are the player towns and the site of the guild wars. Since Chu-Huan decided to lead the Lelewolf Cavalry into the battle, the skilled Healing Priest Chunsui also left Kanami and his group to return to his guild.
　The dispute was over whether or not Kanami and the others would participate in the battle. Rather than arguing with each other, it was more likely that Kanami roared at them. It seemed that he was having a hard time wrapping his head around it, even though Zhu Huan hadn't invited him to join the fight.
　According to him, it seems incredibly interesting. He said, "I think it's incredibly interesting," and said, "I'm sorry about Chu-Huan.
　I'm sorry to hear that, and I'm sorry for Chu-Hwan. He was clearly upset, even though he was supposed to be a leopard head whose expression was difficult to understand. Even though they'd only known each other for a short time, he'd seen how much trouble Kanami could cause.
　After all, he had the guild house away from the guild house broken down once and rebuilt twice during his two-week stay.

'You were able to contact the guild, weren't you, Kura-kun?
Yeah. Telepathic communication.
　Krusty nodded.
　I'm sure that once they find out that I'm on the next server, there are steps they can take. It was only the day before yesterday that a summoner belonging to the D.D.D. had communicated with me via enhanced telepathy. It seems that the flying summoned creature had crossed straight across the ocean and crossed the border of the server by means of a "replacement transfer" (castling).
　Of course, it only slightly invaded our side and did not come to Krusty's side, but if they entered the same server, they would be able to contact him. However, the telephonic function is still very limited. It was limited to exchanging a small amount of textual information like a telegram.
''We haven't been able to exchange much information, but I think we've at least been able to reassure them, haven't we?
Really?
Yes, of course. All of the remaining members of the team over there are very capable.
　Well, there are a lot of members who aren't quite as good, but they'll still have fun doing it. Explaining that they shouldn't be in too much trouble without him, Krusty felt an unexplained chill and fumbled at his temples.
'Mmmmmm,'
You are releasing the level cap towards Yamato, right?
Yeah, but...
Hurry or Shiroe will get you through the quest.
'Yes, yes. And that's exactly the problem...
　Kanami stutters unusually and groans in a hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm pose of abdominal pain.
'You're probably having a hard time with the nonsense anyway,'
'Not really. The guild wars and visits to the sacred sites sound interesting. It would be a total loss not to participate in the event.
　I don't know what's championing it, but Krusty, having given up on understanding, easily accepted it and flushed it out with a "I see". I guess it's no use trying to figure out what it means," he said, "I'm in charge of that one.
'I'm in charge of that one, you know.
　Prey, Krusty paraphrased, trying to say, "Prey.
　Although it is a free other world, a minimum of modesty is necessary.
You can't return to Yamato unless you have a chance encounter with the West King Mother and have the curse lifted. If that's the case, then I'm the one who should accompany the Wandering Wolf Trooper to the Sacred Boundary to help in the guild war. The Immortal World is connected to the moon. If I do, they'll probably mess with me anyway.
　Krusty smiled as he followed the pleasure coming from deep within him.
'I think it's kind of sloppy, don't you?
What's so funny, Kanami?
All we're going to do is go to Yamato, and Kula and the others are going to have a double feature with a guild war and an all-out assassination attempt.　Doesn't that sound a little bit Niciassa?　You're so clever.
I have no idea.
　Kanami was cut to the quick by Leonardo, "No one understands, though! He cried out to Coppelia, "I'm sorry," he cried. She was always a noisy woman.

'But Master. But master," she said, "if you are stranded in Daedong or Yen Dong, your arrival at the Yamato may be delayed for up to a year. Based on the information we have, the fastest way to reach the Yamato is through Thang Long.
　After the girl's persuasion, Kanami seemed to have regained some energy.
　She could be heard moaning that she should hurry up and go to Yamato and come back right away, or that maybe KR could send her back... but Krusty decided to put on a bare face. According to the interminable message that arrived, Akiva seems to be in the midst of a current that can be called turbulent. It seems that the attacks of the calamity are not confined to Wolf Kunshan. Under such circumstances, it's not clear whether Kanami's situation will be as convenient as she would like.
"But....
　Krusty hugged the teary-eyed Hua Diao's back neck and gave her a place in front of her own stomach. She held the little maidservant who was trying to look up behind her as she looked around and muttered.
'It's just starting to get interesting too. It's a good thing that we have the right to corner them until they pay us back, no matter what they say.
　Defeat all the enemies and make them lift the curse they don't like.
　It was a new quest for Krusty.
　Whether it was Kanami or Shiroe, Krusty had no intention of giving it up.