2.01



　When it comes to a group of more than a hundred people, we cannot travel lightly.
　Also, the purpose of this trip was to "show the movement itself to many people. For this reason, the schedule of the goodwill delegation seemed to be arranged so that they would have to sacrifice speed for the sake of speed, but they would stay overnight in the main towns along the route.
　On the fifth day from the city of Akiva, the journey was moving extremely slowly and gently.
　Again, it was still high in the day when the whole process was halted and settled. There would still be plenty of five hours before nightfall.
　Touya and Rundelhaus picked up their baggage and other things in anticipation of the training from Soujiro that would continue from the second day of the trip.

　The town of Southern, which they visited again, was a fishing village with a tropical serenity, and although it was relatively large in the vicinity, it still did not have facilities on a scale that would allow the entire delegation to stay there. The main members, mainly Yserus and his bodyguard, are lodged in lodgings, while the rest are camped out.

　When the younger group was traveling with a small group, Touya and the others were nameless adventurers. Compared to the earthlings, they were more capable of fighting and resolving local problems, and since they were selling their products, they were welcomed, of course, but this is what the townspeople showed the travelers.
　This trip was an imposing one, as the League of Free Cities of Eastar and the Round Table, a legitimate public institution, allowed the delegates to represent them.
　Until the Ancient Court of Eternal Ice, the density of welcoming was tremendous as the Eastern nobles saw us off and welcomed us back. It is possible that they wanted to make face-to-face contact with the next generation of candidate lords of Ysersus, who also belongs to the Alliance of Free Cities, but Shiroe believes that most of it was just for the glory of being a nobleman.
　As you proceed westward from there, the welcome of the aristocrats is almost non-existent, but that doesn't mean that they despise the group, but rather that the land beyond Yokohama is neither the Free Cities Alliance Eastal nor the Holy Imperial Westland, a free border region where there are no aristocratic aristocrats, so to speak. Apparently.
　Instead, there were more and more lively greetings from the local authorities. The mayor, the headman, the head of the village, and the fishmonger would be waiting in front of the inn, and they would say a few words of welcome to Prince Isserus and the others. It was fun to find out that the face we recognized from the tavern the last time Toya and the others visited was actually a landowner from the surrounding area, and there was no end to the discoveries we made, even though we had visited the place once.
　Surprisingly, it was Isaac who was most used to this kind of welcome. He accepted a large fish brought by a gruff, bowing local fisherman, who patted him on the shoulder and gave him a big (albeit very brusque) speech of thanks. He promised to serve the fine snapper to Iserus for his meal.
　The people of the town were overjoyed by the cheers. Rundelhaus said that saved their faces. A fishing village with a beautiful sea, a town that has a reputation among the surrounding communities that if you want fine, delicious fish, go to Southern. To such a town, a famous young nobleman traveled from the east. Regardless of the opportunity to do business, or future profits, if they don't eat it, there is no story to tell. Otherwise, he would be an embarrassment to the entire area.

　Although there was such a fuss in front of the inn, it wasn't like they were invited to a nobleman's mansion for a dinner party or an evening party. It's a good idea to have a good time with your friends and family.
　It's early summer. As long as it doesn't rain, the two "adventurer" boys need only a sleeping bag and no tent. On the journey so far, they had pitched a tarp next to the carriage they were travelling with and slept under it. There was no need to make any preparations for camping.
　There is no need to make any preparations for camping, because it's not a full-scale camp in the woods. It's a very different kind of place to spend your time, even if you can't take a bath, you can get boiling water and a hot meal from a restaurant.

　That's why Soujiro and I have been training with him.
We're getting better. It's okay.
　Soujiro, full of smiles, swung the battling sword in his hand like a twig, and Touya was blown away in an amusing manner. ''Touya!'' Rundelhaus, who shouted, was also a beat behind and rolled over to rumble next to that Touya.
'Not yet!'
　Touya leaps up and uses the Floating Boat Crossing, a course that hides the Rundel House from view. Leaning forward as far as he can and licking the ground, he compresses the distance in the manner of a samurai.
　But Soujiro is also a samurai. He knows that Touya's hands are shallow, and a point appears in his path as if it were lightly placed there. He dared to play that cold glow with his shoulder armor and raised his taiji.
''Not bad.''
　Despite this, Touya's attack was easily prevented by the sword that should have popped off at the tip of his shoulder earlier. The clear and beautiful sound of steel echoes lingered on. Soujiro's swordsmanship was masterful, and his sword, sharp as a razor blade, even felt as thick as a citadel to the attacking Touya. Wherever he slashes, Touya's sword fights are simply shot down.
　It seems that the attack on Rundel House, where Touya had taken visibility concealment (blind), was also being read. If it's Touya's white army attack, it's still something of a joke to casually cut through fireballs and blizzards to dissipate them.
　Of course there is a difference in levels, but then, anyone with more than ninety levels can do that, "What are you talking about, it's outrageous! I'm not sure if it's just that kind of thing, but I think it's just technology.
　I'm sure this is a variant of the Murakumonotachi, but even the same samurai, Touya, doesn't understand the meaning of this strength.
"What? I'm sure you'll be able to find out what's going on in the world," said a startled Rundelhaus, but he still persisted and this time countered with his thunderbolt magic, but although he wasn't cut off, this time he was taken advantage of by the length of his chanting time and was destroyed.
　Watching it, Touya was blown away before then and fell on his back without the strength to even stand up.

''Brother Soujiro, you're tsukier. You're too much of a teacher.''
'Ha, that's a foul!　I saw you cut off the attribute attack, Elements.
"Ha-ha-ha-ha.
　Soujiro was smiling cheerfully in front of the two of them, who were exhausted from their physical strength and were slumped. The confidence that you thought you had improved after the large scale battle (raid) at the guild hall is also flattened.

　A strong wind, characteristic of the area along the coastline, shook the treetops.
　It was a refreshing evening breeze that blew away the salt air of the sea.
　The three of them took a break in silence for a while, gazing out beyond the shore as it rushed past them.
　Touya managed to regain his composure and raised his upper body and sat cross-legged in the sandy plaza. There wasn't enough time to fight again yet.
　The physical strength of the Adventurer is inexhaustible, and if they wanted to, they could traverse the Nakasendo for a day, but that is only an increase compared to the age of Earth. Even though the adventurers are strong, fighting monsters and peers of the same rank will wear them out in their own way. And it was only natural that they would become exhausted if they were trained by the higher-ranked Soujiro.

　The profile of Soujiro gazing at the sea was the same as usual, but Touya spoke up about something he had been wondering about.
'Why are you going west, Soujiro brother?'
　Souji, who had tilted his head cutely at Touya's words, muffled and wrinkled his brow, then smiled and replied, "I have someone to go say hello to.
　Touya was troubled.
　She had a feeling that it wasn't a greeting by any stretch of the imagination.
　Perhaps noticing Touya's confusion, Soujiro's smile deepened.
''I'm not very smart, so I thought it would be better if I could just get in and get it over with.
　Oh, you're going to riot.
　Touya thought that with those words.
　Soujiro was like that in his teaching, in other words, his words and actions were somehow off. He's not very good at explaining things. In one body, there was a split between the gentle and friendly Soujiro, the fierce and caustic Soujiro, the amused and cute Soujiro, and the cruel and self-conscious Soujiro, who was good as long as he was good enough. The serene expression we see is a surface, which looks like the rubber of a balloon.
　It would be very rude to comment on an older man like that, so I won't reveal it, but I think that Soujiro is, in a way, a troubled child. But perhaps even more than that, he is the guild master of the West Wind Brigade because he is kind, loyal and trustworthy, and Shiroe told me to look to him.
　It's hard to see how such a Sawzillow is willing to head west to do something and use his power. It could be a big deal.
　It's not something you can interfere with, and it's not something that Toya, who is a liability in terms of ability, can say anything about, but hearing that made a buzz inside my chest.
I'm not going to be able to get it right.
　The genius-skinned young man who is learning to fight following Naotsugu didn't seem to understand what Touya was saying. He was smiling, but answered "Yes" in a voice that sounded as if his mind was somewhere else.

'If it's a greeting, it's the same as mine, Mr. Soujiro!
　Rundelhaus, who seemed to have caught his breath, said so, brushing his bangs away.
　Rundelhaus' requirements were also a greeting.
　Rather, Touya had come to accompany it.
　--You'll be able to see the powers of the 〈Holy Empire Westland〉 and receive the last days of the Cord family and an alternate knighthood decoration.
　That was the purpose of the Rundell House, and as a layman, Touya thought it would be quite a challenge. If it was only a matter of not being knighted, there would be no problem (and probably Rundelhaus wasn't too particular about that either), but it seemed to Touya that the possibility of getting into trouble was not low.
　So it was a chaperone. As a friend, it was only natural.
　The buzz in my chest grew stronger.
　Compared to the two of them, Touya had no major reason to accompany him on this trip. Of course, there are small reasons, in fact, the comparisons are probably more stacked up than the two of them. But that's exactly why my heart was bothering me.
　There was an unresolved problem within Touya. It's not clear right now, but maybe that's the reason why Touya is here.

　Suddenly I remembered Minori.
　Perhaps, Touya thinks, he doesn't want to lose to Minori.
　Minori, his proud partner (Futago), bet, fought, and gained. People may call it a defeat, but that's not true from Touya's point of view. Minori fought better than anyone else and showed his worth.
　Minori is dazzling even in Touya's eyes.
　She's my big sister, I'm proud of her.
　But since they are twins, they still don't want to lose. I don't want to watch Minori's back as she moves forward on her own.
　She loves Minori, but she doesn't want to be with Minori at this moment. The role of comforting Minori should be given to the girls and Touya should find his own fight.
　The sound of zany, zany waves seeped into the dusk.
　The three of them were chewing on the purpose of their respective journeys.
　At the very least, Touya was looking at what he had and what he didn't have.
　Maybe this journey is a test. He didn't know what to do, but Touya shuddered at that feeling. And he wished to the lowly half-moon that he would have the strength to overcome it.



2.02



　The Horizon of Records is currently a guild of eleven members, and the Crescent Moon Alliance is a guild of forty members. The size of the guild house is naturally reflected in the size of the guild house, but the size of the kitchen is a big difference.
　The adventurers are usually very well fed, but the Crescent Moon League, with its large number of young people, is the most prominent of them all, and it requires a large cooking space, as well as a large pantry. In this other world, there are magic tools called housing items, which are used to make houses permanent. The most famous of these items are the Magic Bag-like Chests, Stagnation Chests and Refrigeration Chests, which are similar in size to Earth's refrigerators and can hold several times as much food.
　After putting away the prepared food in such a magical box, Isuzu turned around and gave the hand sign that it was OK. Serara, who had a spirited brow, smiled slyly, and Minori, who had put on her apron, seemed relieved.
'I guess that's it.'
You made a lot of food.
Is this always the case with the Crescent Alliance?
　Yeah, well. Celara replied while taking off her apron.
''We have a lot of people and a lot of hungry people, you know. We're on the battlefield in the morning, so we wanted to make you feel as comfortable as possible....
　Isuzu, Celara, and Minori were making a pre-made and preserved side dish.
　Menu-wise, they were kinpira, boiled beans, onsen egg, and furikake. As long as these dishes were prepared, they could be served in the morning. Even Isuzu and the others, who are not professional "cooks", can prepare them (if they have the right anchoko), and that's what they were working on today.
Let's take a break!　We have Daifuku.
　With a smiling face, Celara takes out a teapot and teacup from the work table in the galley with a familiar gesture. This is her home turf.
''Can I get a lot of them?''
It's a heap, but...
　Hesitantly, Isuzu and Minori's bags are stuffed with a lot of prepared food from the - not just for today, but a lot of it. Serara packed them in a bit forcefully.
''And you helped me!
Yeah, but...
　Today's joint cooking session was a voluntary activity for the three girls to ease the burden of the guild's cooks.
　As far as cooking goes, it wasn't too complicated.
　If you have a "new wife's apron," which is becoming more and more common these days, it is a menu that even a novice cook (Isuzu) can make (or rather, that is why it was chosen). With Serara as the teacher, Isuzu and Minori as the students. I'm proud of the amount of work I did in making this dish.
　We peeled 4 kilograms of carrots, and 8 kilograms of burdock root. The burdock root weighed eight kilograms.
　I've had five kilograms of rice before, but I didn't think the burdock would be so bulky. It was no small task, but it was a complete defeat quest. When we saw the ingredients waiting to be prepped, Minori and I decided that we might not be able to return home today.
　And then the dazzling sight of Serara as she worked on the preparations!
　He is more than twice as quick as Isuzu, but he even had time to chat calmly, showing the complete difference in rank.
　The adventurer's physical abilities are effective in this kind of situation as well, and although his knife work is not that much faster, the fact that he doesn't have arm fatigue and sluggishness makes the work go more smoothly.

　Cooking is all about preparation," Serara said, and her words soaked into the air. Isuzu is really right.
I understand almost everything about cooking from today!
　Isuzu declared emphatically to Serara, who was smiling softly in the steam of the tea, as her confidence grew.
''Is that so?''
'Mmmm!　You know, cut them up into little pieces, heat them up, season them, and you're done!
　Kinpira gobo. Boiled beans. Seasoning. Looking back at the dishes I made today, it's clear. Dishes such as curry and stew, which Isuzu can make, also fit this category. If you chop it up as a precaution, heat it up, and pour some seasoning over it, it becomes delicious.
''........Isuzu-chan.
　Isuzu scratched her head at the two of them looking at her with a troubled half smile.
　Apparently, that's not all.
''Uh, no. Basic!　Basic!
　He waved his hand in the air and cheated. Apparently the essence of cooking was still too early for the average high school girl.
'I look tired.'
　To tell the truth, I wasn't really tired, but the pictorial power of the quantity of material was pushing me, so Isuzu threw her hands out onto the table and propped herself up.
'I've never made such a kinpira before,'
Twelve kilograms?　Twelve is outrageous. It's like a basin and you can make condiments out of it.
Ball.
And the measuring cup!
　He silenced Serara and Minori's puffy-cheeked point, and then the three of them laughed.
　It was a peaceful afternoon.

　Isuzu glanced sideways from the tabletop at Minori, who was holding a teacup between her hands.
　He seemed calmer than she had expected.
　During the first few days after that late night outing, I was worried that he might suddenly clam up, but he seems to be gradually returning to his daily routine.
　It wasn't that we hadn't discussed this with her, but Isuzu had spent the days since then with Serara and surrounded by Minori. There were times when Nyanta would bring me something sweet to eat, Tetra would come over to check on me, and Lelia and Ritka would curl up around me, but basically it was the three of us.
　It's a good thing that you're not a member of a group of girls, because we're often called the "younger group" and spend most of our time with the five of us, and that was the first time in a long time that we were a group of girls. It's as if the after-school period on earth has returned.

Muu.
　Minori puffed out her cheeks at Isuzu and protested, "Isn't there something kind on your face? I thought it was fine if you have a kind face, but Isuzu pecked her on the cheek and said, "Minori is so cute! I could only say that.
　Minori has become really cute.
　Of course she was cute before, but in the past half a month she's become cute, and oddly enough, she's become more girly. Ever since the incident when she escaped from Hameln, Minori was a wise and courageous girl well beyond her age, and Isuzu thought that Minori was amazing, but now Minori is a genuine cute girl in addition to that, I think. Isuzu, who was a professional high school girl (in the sense that there's no other way to look at it, by all accounts), vouched for her, so there's no doubt about it.

'Already.'
　The swollen Minori sulked for a while, but then spoke to Isuzu with a slightly troubled look on her face.
'Are you going to Kansai, Isuzu-san, are you glad you didn't have to go?
Why?
　Isuzu asks a question back. I got the impression that the story has jumped off the page.
''No......... I was wondering if I shouldn't be with Rundelhaus-san.''
Oh. Oh, yeah. Never!　And it's not like I'm with the doggies all the time!
　Isuzu answered clearly. But I could feel my cheeks burning. It's a good idea to have a good time with your friends and family. The expression on his face seems to be one of serious doubt.
''This time, it's more like stretching your wings, or rather, it's a maiden's vacation like that.
Yeah.
　However, I'm not sure if it's because I'm aware of the red tide or if I'm just giving a clumsy excuse. It's embarrassing because it's like wrestling alone, but it can't be helped. I was irresponsibly cheering for Minori's love interest.
'I'd rather be with Minori.
　He buries his face on the table with a wayward attitude that can hardly be described as indulgent pursuit.
'Isuzu-chan is like a tomato these days,'
　The chuckling Serara is a tough sell.
　It's a two-front operation. No reinforcements. Captain Isuzu is in trouble, but the doggie team members are not coming to help. No, in this case, if the doggie troopers rushed to the rescue, there was a high possibility of more damage.

　Isuzu saw a piece of Minori's thoughts in that battle.
　If that was the case, then Minori and Serara might have also seen that of Isuzu. Such a possibility made her hot cheeks heat up more and more.
　Of course, Isuzu's was modest in quantity and sparkle compared to Minori's, but rather, it was just a little bit, and it must have been a bit of a blip, so the likelihood that Minori noticed it was not high. To begin with, Minori was the large scale battle (raid) commander (leader) at that time and everyone was paying attention to her, but Isuzu's attention was much different as a backup for the magic attack team.
　In that situation, everyone was so busy taking care of themselves that there was no time to spare...I think. That's why the two of them are unaware of Isuzu's thoughts.
　It's very unlikely that they are even aware of it, but I can't confirm it.
　Did you see the piece of Rundelhaus coming out of my chest?　What a question to ask would be like confessing to something that's not being noticed right now, and there's no way I could ask such a self-conscious, sweeping admission of fact in the first place. I feel sick to my stomach just thinking about it.

'Me and my doggie don't really matter, but more importantly, is it okay that Serara isn't with Team Leader Nyanta?　I've been with you all day lately.
　Anyway, Isuzu counterattacked in an attempt to divert the point of view.
I can't do anything about it from the start, or rather, I'm already in an endurance battle...
That one. Huh?
　Normally this blow would have made Serara turn bright red and wobble, it would have been a change of offense and defense, but for some reason Serara waved her hand with a small smile, as if she was troubled, but not really so troubled, her cheeks were dyed but with a small smile of kindness.
''I know it won't be that easy, and I know I'd be rejected if it became that easy, so I'd like to persevere and win...I'd like to take care of Minori and Isuzu-chan,''
　Isuzu was poked in the chest by Serara, who smiled shyly and said, "You're not connecting to the story, are you?
　As a popular high school girl, I can't help but compare myself to the two of them, but somehow Minori and Serara seem very admirable. In the meantime, my freckled chicken bones and lack of courage, kindness and care are snobbish and useless, like tinwork.
　It lacks the seriousness, devotion and love that is present in their love.
　I feel inferior to my ugly self, and I'm jealous of the really good-looking Rundelhaus, but I'm still attracted to him, and I'm unnecessarily heartbroken and afraid I'm going to fail.
　I'm very, very afraid.
　I'm afraid of disappointing him, I'm sad, and I want to cry.
　In short, I'm a coward.
　In the first place, the other side is an idiot dog, but he is a golden, bushy prince, so he can't be the same as Isuzu. So it's useless to think about these things.
　I tried to give up vigorously, but the point at which I was about to give up was a point of self-loathing and self-loathing, and I felt depressed.
　In conclusion, I want to roll over.
　Isuzu wants to flounder and flail around already. She has no idea how it happened, and she's filled with resentment.
　That's half the reason why I stayed. I don't want to leave Minori alone, of course, but if I stayed with Rundelhaus, my motives would become too intense and I'd die.
'Isuzu-chan,'
"Mmm-hmm.
　Serara and Isuzu seemed to be stroking the back of Isuzu's head as she buried her face between the two arms of the table. Isuzu, covered in a sense of defeat, couldn't lift her face and flinched.
　The two companions were forever gentle and comforting to Isuzu.
　There was still more afternoon left in the spacious kitchen than they could use up.