The next town is Midriver, a large city called the commercial capital.
　But instead of going to Midriver, I decided to go to a nearby village.
　The purpose of the mission is to eradicate the paganism. I thought that they might have invaded the small village rather than the big city.
　The only way to reach the village is from Midriver, not from South Lorient. Therefore, the only way out of South Lorient was to cut through the forest.

It's not a road anymore. What's the point of going this way?" Seretia whined.

　Even though I'm leading the way and have chosen an easy route, it's still a bit of a hike for an untrained princess.
　If it were just me, I could get there in a day, but I've already been walking for three whole days.

You're not lost in the woods, are you?

Celestia told you that there is a village in this direction.

　You can find a lot more information about the area at the welcoming ceremony hosted by the chief, but I haven't heard any more details than that.

But I didn't get any further information. ......

　It's true that there should be signs of human habitation by now, but I can't feel it at all. In addition, the number of demons is clearly decreasing, and the signs of life itself seem to be less than when we first entered the forest ----.

　I spread my left hand out to the side and strongly told her to stop.

　She obeyed obediently and began to lean against a nearby tree, relieved to be able to rest.
　But I'm not so sure.
　I stopped her because I sensed her approaching me, not because I wanted to rest.

I said, "I think you have a visitor coming. I told her, "Don't move from there," but she didn't seem to want to move even if I didn't tell her to, so she sat down on a tree root and responded with a wave of her hand.

　A few moments later, the bushes in front of me shook hurriedly, and a man came running out.
　He wore armor and looked like an adventurer, but with blood all over his body, he looked like a man in need of help as he rushed toward me. Still, I have no intention of rescuing him.
　I twisted up the arm of the man who was coming towards me for help and pinned him to the ground behind me.

You're one of them, aren't you?" he shouted.

What do you mean?　What do you mean? I said, and decided to find out if he was the one who had approached me unawares.

　The man's blood really seemed to be coming from his wounds, and the stain was still spreading. Most of the wounds were shallow, but the one on his back was still quite deep, too deep to be sustained by an actor. The sword he carries at his waist is not a cheap one, but if you look closely, you can see the emblem of the Kingdom of Cassandra engraved on it.

"It's not a demon, I was attacked by the Rain Kingdoms. They're hunting all the top adventurers around here.

I heard there's a settlement around here, but with your wounds, you might as well go there," I said. It's in ruins.

"That wasn't done by the Rain Kingdom, was it?

　The man shook his head and said, "We've been commissioned to hunt that demon, the dragon of Argis.

　The Argyz Dragon, a kind of dragon that lives in the Argyz Mountains in the neighboring country, is rarely seen in the Kingdom of Carlitz, and if it is seen, the Kingdom's army will immediately mobilize. When I was alive, we didn't have to rely on adventurers for such things.

You guys better get out of here. If they come for you, ----" The man's face froze as he looked up, and the temperature drained from his face.

"If they catch up, what do you think they'll do?　How did you manage to evade my attack?

　The man looks at the young woman, who stands there, unconcerned about her bloodstained armor, smiling suspiciously down at him.

There are two new faces," she said, looking at me and Celestia. That unbalanced set ...... you're also adventurers in the crown system," she said happily.

　If you're a Crown adventurer, you can have your life threatened. There are people who want to kill you, of course. Some ask for an assassin, others send for a skilled one from their own country.
　The man in front of me, from the Kingdom of Rain, had a crest clearly engraved on his armor, and his face was very similar to the one I remembered.

"A member of the Rain Kingdom's royal family?

　The face resembled that of Barius Raunay, Prince of Raine, whom I had met once when I was a prince.
　It seems that eyes that like gloomy and lecherous things are inherited.

What makes you think that?

"Because your face is exactly like the Barius Raunay I know.

　The woman's mouth opened in a seductive manner and her hand reached for the sword at her slender waist.

I'm curious to know what a lowly person like you knows about my father," she said with a pompous gesture, "but unfortunately, I have to keep my mouth shut.

　At the same time, three men appeared behind the woman through the grass, all of them with blood on their armor.
　One of them was holding a raw head in his hand and laughing, and I could only assume that he was enjoying the killing.

　I looked at Seretia resting behind me, and at the man still lying on the ground. Then I heard a giggle from the woman.

You don't have to worry about the back. I'll take care of it after you.

"---- Well, let me ask you a question.

What is it?　I'd appreciate it if you'd hurry up," she replied, gazing at the still-drying red blood on her sword.

"What gods do you worship?

　The woman looked at the faces of the men behind her and smiled in unison, "Is that what you want to know before you die?　Of course it's Edina," she replied, mocking me.

"Well, that's a relief. I'll go easy on you once I know you had nothing to do with the order.

"Go easy?　That's a funny thing to say. I'm a top-notch magician and swordsman.

　Before the woman could finish speaking, I instantly closed the gap between us, thrust my sword deep into her dove tail and pulled it out at once, kicking her backwards.
　The woman rolled violently on the ground like a doll and stopped looking up at the sky. However, blood spurted from her chest like a fountain, and she said something incomprehensible, as if she didn't understand the reality, and unconsciously started to hold her chest to stop the blood. But it was such a pointless act that she soon stopped moving.

I'm sorry, but I can't afford to go easy on you with two people behind me.

　She instantly chopped off the heads of the men who were stuck with their mouths open and returned to their original positions without getting any blood on them.


　Behind me, Celestia and a man on the verge of passing out were staring at me with the same open mouth.