Friae's point of view.

　--The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that a month has passed since my knight left.

　My knight (Makoto), who was always by my side, is gone.
　He departed a thousand years ago.

　This is the Ruins of the Land of the Moon (Raphiloig).
　No, it's a former ruin.

''Friae-sama!　We're about to finish the church!
'My saint!　The roads and waterways have widened so far!
Master Freyae!　Thank you for your rounds, but you needn't be afraid of me!
Saints, you look beautiful today...
　One after another, I am approached and I wave my hand with an unaccustomed smile.
　More than a dozen knights in my guard follow me to my side.
　I'm not used to this life........

　A month ago, there was nothing here.
　It was just the royal capital that was destroyed a thousand years ago and the weeds and trees that grew as they pleased.
　But now.........

''It's a big deal, in just one month, the roads have been built, many buildings have been built, and it's a magnificent city.
　I heard a voice from behind me and I turned around quickly.

'Princess Sophia, my lady. You've come. I am grateful to the Water Country (Roses). For providing human resources to the magician race who have no skills...
　I hurriedly bowed my head and thanked him on behalf of the new moon country (Raphiloig).

'Saint Huriae, you said no need for such formal greetings.
Yes, but ... I really appreciate it.
　I smiled at Princess Sophia, who smiled, and I returned it with a wry smile.

　A lot of demon tribes have come together to re-establish the Land of the Moon (Raphiloig).
　It takes money to rebuild a country.
　The money is supported by the Land of Commerce (Cameron).

　Then there are the human resources.
　Many of them can't even read, so there is no one who can lead them.
　So, we asked for help from the Water Kingdom (Roses) to provide guidance.
　Princess Sophia herself will gather people to come to the Moon Country.
　I can't thank her enough.

But is it really necessary for us to be so carefree in building our town.... The Great Demon King just came back...
　I stared in the direction of the north, where the Demon Continent was located.

''The Goddess of Destiny (Ila) said that now is not the time to attack, so it can't be helped.''
'I wonder if that goddess' prediction is really reliable...'
　Because of the events of the past, I don't trust the goddess of fate.

'You shouldn't do that, Friae. It's that goddess who is sending huge amounts of money to the Moon Country (Rafiroig).
　Princess Sophia hurriedly holds my mouth.
　That's right, most of the funds for the reestablishment of the Moon Country are generated at the will of the Goddess of Destiny, who rules the country of commerce - the country of commerce.
　However, this is a nuisance fee for past projects.
　They deserve to be paid.

''Truth be told, if we could get the Land of the Sun (Highland) to help us out, we'd have a city sooner.
No.
　I immediately denied it.
　Princess Sophia sighed.

''Yes, the people of the Moon Country have bad feelings towards the Sun Country. I'm sure it won't go well.... Noel-sama has offered to help, but........''
I don't need the help of the Sun Nation or that woman.
　I've said it outright.
　It's completely unnecessary.
　I will never borrow the power of the Sun Nation or the Goddess Church that has been oppressing the demon race.

''Furiae you and Noel-sama are the 'saints' of this generation, right?　We could get to know each other a little better...
I'm not interested!
''Huh........I see. Well, it's not something I can complain about. By the way, is that because of what happened to 'Brave Man of Light' after all?
....
　I felt my eyebrows twitch at Princess Sophia's words.
　When I looked into the other person's eyes, they were looking at me as if they were asking me to look at them.

''Princess Sophia I'll tell you one thing. When the land of the moon is restored, the one I want next to me is 'my knight'. Not anyone else.
　I felt my cheeks heat up a bit as I said it.
　Princess Sophia was looking at me with an icy smile as I said those words with courage.

''Oh, just like Lucy and Aya told me. You've become much more honest, Friae.
Yeah, that's right. Bad?
No, it's not that bad. But...
　Princess Sophia said with a snap.

The brave Makoto is the fiancée of the Princess of the Water Country. I will not give up the seat next to him, will you?
　He smiled gracefully and I choked on my words, "Uggh," he said.

''By the way, I brought a teacher from the Water Country with me today. As I recall, the children of the Demon Race aren't getting a satisfactory education.
'Yeah, yeah. I'll show you where the kids are...
　I led Princess Sophia and her knights-in-arms through the streets.

　On the way, I glanced at Princess Sophia's profile.
　A look of confidence on her face.

(I wonder if this is what a rightful wife can afford.......)

　I don't think I can compete with it very well.
　I sighed in my mind.



　◇



　Princess Sophia and I talked about some of our future plans and discussed the personnel we need.
　She said she will arrange it right away.
　I really can't get my head around it.

''How about taking a day off for a day...?''
　I said, but
No, I have other business to attend to. You can sleep on the airship, if you want.
　And he returned to the watery land (Roses) in the airship owned by the royal family.

　The way he aloofly handled his hard work, he was covered with my knight who was training without sleeping.
　d*mn, something about the two of them suits me so well, it makes me angry.

　The time is evening.

　It's dim because the sun will be setting soon.
　It's a dangerous time of night because the demons become more active.
　That's why there are shifts of guards.
　Shall I say a few words of thanks to them?
　Just as I was thinking that, the people in the city started buzzing.

''Oi!　The hero and witch-sama are back!
Really? What did you get up to this time?
That was awesome. I've never seen anything like that before.
What?　What?
Let's go!
　People started running out of the city.
　I, too, headed in the same direction.
　There was a crowd of people outside the city.

"What's this...?
　Lying outside the city was the corpse of a huge dragon.
　Dragons are not uncommon in the land of the moon because there are many demons there, but their size is not unusual.
　Isn't it a bigger dragon than our city?
　Hey, was this one anywhere near the city?

''It's an old dragon!
''Just by selling this guy's materials, the seventh generation can live off of it...?
'No, how can you take these things down?'
Without those two, there's no way I'd ever be able to...

　In front of the old dragon's corpse, there is a familiar red-haired elf and a girl dressed like a town girl standing in front of it.

''Oi, Huli!　I'm back!
I'm tired. I need a bath, baby.
　Lucy and Aya were waving at me.
　I ran over to them in a hurry.

'Hey!　What's this?　Didn't you just get rid of a bunch of demons near the city?
　Lucy-san and Aya-san bought the role of killing the demons near the city.
　I'll take down the demons around here a few days ago!　He should have said.

'Hmm, I was taking down a bunch of demons and some guy was telling those guys what to do.
So I took out the guy I'm telling him to take out in turn, and then this big dragon came out at the end, Fu-chan.
Oh, I brought it back because he's the biggest one, but I also killed all the other demons in his territory, so can you save the materials for later?
　At their words, the people of the Land of the Moon nodded in agreement.

''Well, how many other demons were there...?
　One of the city's folk asked timidly.
'About a thousand of them, Aya?'
You could have stayed for a little while, couldn't you?　Roo-chan.

"..........
　The people of the land of the moon are in raptures.
　Including me.

'Alright, I'm going to drink today!
But first, a bath!　Fu-chan, let's go together!
Yeah, yeah...
　I followed them as Aya pulled me along.

　Normally, there are no people who treat me, a saint, casually.
　But even if these two are comfortable with me, no one will say anything.
　Or rather, I can't say it.

　Even if all the demon race here were to unite, they would still be no match for Lucy-san and Aya-san.

　A fierce person who annihilated many demons who were lounging in the ruins of the Ruins of the Desolate Moon Kingdom Capital with 'two'.
　A red-haired witch and a petite, brave girl.
　There is no one in this city who does not know the names of Lucy and Aya.



　◇



Puh-lease, I'm coming back to life!
　Miss Lucy sat down on a chair and drank the ale in one go.　
　She's become more dynamic lately, hasn't she?
　You could say she's gotten tougher.
　It seems that Aya-san is the same way.

Lu-chan is really cool these days. The other day, a girl told me how she felt about me.
'What?　Really?!
　I was surprised.

'Oh, you mean when you rescued that kid who was being attacked by a pack of gryphons?　I don't want you to fall in love with me like that.
Well.....
　He's kind of like my knight, Makoto.

You can't do that, Lu-chan. Don't you dare make eyes at any other girl.
'Silly me, I wouldn't flirt with any girl but Aya, would I?
Roo-chan, you're so cool!　Hold me!
I won't let you sleep in tonight!
　Aya-san is hugging and flirting with Lucy-san.
　These two have always been so close and I'm jealous of them..........

　Seeing the expression on my face, he said, ""Hmm?" They turned to me.

'Houri, how are you?'
Fu-chan, I wish you could go on this adventure with me.
　The two faces that cared for me were always the same.
　When my knight (Makoto) was there.
　I missed them and felt sad.

'I'm fine. I'm just a little busy.
　I smiled thinly.
　I'm not lying.
　The time I get to talk to these two casually is a time of relief where I don't have to worry about anything.
　Talking with them makes me feel better.

　We enjoyed dinner and chatting.

'Oh yes, we're thinking of going on a little expedition,'
What, the expedition?
　Suddenly Lucy-san said something like that.

''For some reason, the old dragon that we defeated today was the head of the demons around here. That's why there are no more strong demons around. It's not good for training, so Lucy is going to find a strong demon.
Yeah, yeah...
　I felt a pang of depression at Aya's words.
　An expedition would mean that the two of us would be out of the land of the moon.
　I'm sure they'll be away from here for at least a month.

　........I'll miss you.
　No, I'm not going to whine about it.
　I'm a representative of the Moon Country.　
　I'll do it on my own.

I'm going to go to the 'Great Maze' where we went with Makoto in the past. Aya knows a lot about it, and she can show me around.
I mean, I was born in the Great Maze, Lu-chan.
Well you're going to the Great Maze.
　Their words made me feel more and more heavy.
　The Great Maze is a dungeon in the Land of Water (Roses).

　It is on the opposite side of the country of the sun from the country of the moon.
　It's not a distance you can easily go and return to.

Therefore, I'll be leaving the country of the moon for three days from tomorrow.
　Lucy said, without a care in the world.

'What?　Three days?
　Did you just say three days?
　Not three months?

'Yeah, I'll travel in a spatial transfer (teleportation), spend two nights in the Great Labyrinth, and come back. Repeat.
Lu-chan's space transfer (teleportation) is very convenient. You can go anywhere in an instant.
..........
　It was.

　Lucy is now one of the continent's foremost users of spatial transfer (teleportation).
　Moreover, my knight (Makoto) says she is the owner of 'bottomless magic power (mana)'.

It's a good idea to have a good time with your friends.
''Yeah, because it would be bad if a powerful demon or a bunch of people from the Demon Continent invaded this city, right?''
Call me when you have a problem!　They'll be flying at you!
　Lucy with a face that says "of course" and Aya with a smile on her face.

　How reassuring.
　My anxiety and loneliness are all gone.



　.........my knight (Makoto).



　Because your friends are here, I'll be fine.
　I'll be able to rebuild the Raphiloid Kingdom.
　I'll be waiting for you in the new land of the moon.

So please don't forget to come back.

　The words were unspoken and engraved on my heart.