I am at a loss for words, Goz Sima!


　The one who slammed his fist on the tatami mat was Gilmore Berch, one of the four lords who support the Gokens in the aspect of "literature".

　He is the head of the Berch family, which has been thriving on Onigashima in recent years, and as a Librarian, he is in charge of the personnel and finances of the swords family. He was also the foster father of Klimt, who was prostrating behind Goz.

　But Gilmore's eyes were on Goz only, not on Klimt, who was prostrate behind him, not even giving him a glance.

　Gilmore continued.


Gilmore continued: "This is a public forum, so let's deal with my daughter, Crya, for the moment. But what kind of a man, the bannerman of the blue forest, a priest, is defeated by a man from outside the island and returns home!　Moreover, it's outrageous that he would play games with you to make up for his blunder!

It's been done.


　At Gilmore's angry voice, Goz calmly returned the words.


I have no excuse for running away in defeat. But I have no excuse for being a slave to your house and playing tricks on you.

Shut up. Five years ago, an incompetent person who was forced to leave the island because he couldn't pass the test, won a victory against three blue-linen banners at the same time, and now he single-handedly defeated an illusory species?　What is this if not bullshit!

It's not nonsense, that it is.


　In response, Goz was unassuming in his words and attitude. But in truth, he was not as calm on the inside as he appeared on the outside.

　After being defeated by the sky in the Canary Kingdom, he spared no time for medical treatment to report back to the head of the family as soon as possible, and ran back by day through the night. That's how I'm looking at this place. To tell the truth, he wanted to sleep on a grandstand right now.

　However, he clenched his teeth and pretended to be calm, thinking that he couldn't show his disgraceful appearance to someone who was pretending to be the Prime Minister and trying to cut down the swordsman.

　It's not that Goz's thoughts were not conveyed, but Gilmore's eyes took on a glittering light.


Goz Sima, I suspect that you intend to disown the incompetent by means of deception. Then he will return to his position as a son and he will return to the position of a legitimate son, and I myself, as his second-in-command, will exercise my authority as his vassal. If that is the case, I can understand the delusion that you are talking about.


　Hearing this, Goz, as expected, raised his eyebrows and countered.


He said, "Wait, Master. It's called slander. It's a slander," he said, "and if you send the inexperienced Sora-dono home, all is lost if you hold a test ritual. If we hold a test ritual, everything will be for naught.

"Well, no sane person in his right mind would have the temerity to make such a gesture. But are you in your right mind now?　A man who couldn't fight a single match against the Dragon Fang Soldiers has become strong enough to defeat you, the third-ranked fighter of the first banner, and two blue-ringed batsmen in just five years. Moreover, Onion says that this was after showing an empty armor. Not only that, you also defeated the king of illusions, the dragon seed. It's hard to believe that this is sane.


　If you want, let's put it to a popular vote right here, Gilmore grumbled.

　Right now, there are four lords in this room, including the head of the family, Mikenshikibu, Shito, Shisora, Shiko, and Shima, as well as eight flag-bearers and eight vice-commanders who smoke the eight banners of the Qinglin family, all of whom are present.

　Gilmour suggested that the quintessential members of the swordsmen's literary and martial arts family should be asked if Goz Sima was sane or not. To the extent that he could confidently suggest such a thing, Goz's report was both unbelievable and difficult to accept.

　For Gilmore, it was an opportunity to take the magistrate's position away from Goz and push his own family into the vacant seat. The Berch family already occupied two of the four lords, Shito and Shiko. If they could even occupy the position of Shiba, the power of the Belch family on Onigashima would be immovable. Naturally, the tongue that would bring Goz down would be quickened.

　While Goz and Gilmore traded words, those around them stood idly by, taking no part in the exchange.

　It is not uncommon for people to resent Gilmore's greed for power and his control of the family's affairs by borrowing from the head of the family, but they are hesitant to take on the shoulders of Goz for his ridiculous report - that's what was written on the faces of those gathered here.

　Naturally, the eyes of the troupe turned to the head of the troupe, Miken Shikibu, who was sitting in the upper seat.

　Only the lord, if not the four lords of the same rank, could win the conflict between the shishu and the shiba.

　Perhaps he sensed that kind of gaze from his vassals, or perhaps he originally intended to let the two men say all they wanted to say before retreating from the conversation, the swordsman of the day quietly opened his mouth.


''--Goz, I ask you one question.


　As soon as Shikibu opened his mouth, Goz and Gilmore all straightened up and hung their heads in place.


'Ha, whatever.'

The battle at the Canary, did you really mean it?


　I was of course serious about fighting - Goz hesitated to answer that.

　After taking a breath, Goz opened his mouth as he pictured that battle in his mind.


I have already fought to bring Lord Sora into the presence of the palace. I can't say that I fought against Sora-dono as much as I fought against the demons of the gate.


　I didn't want to take my life. I couldn't even see him as an enemy in my mind's eye.

　He was the one who had been taking care of me since I was a baby. There's no way they could turn on you with serious hostility, serious intent to kill you.

　--You will be able to find a lot more than just a few of them.


'And I will tell you on that. I have fought Sora-dono in earnest and lost, Mikado-sama.

I see.


　At Goz's response, Shikibu gave one nod and quickly closed his eyes.

　Sora had made a demand of the Mikenke - a demand that the Mikenke not touch the sparrow in the future at all. He must be pondering the response, Goz thought.

　Goz cautiously waited for his lord to give him an answer.

　Goz had no idea what kind of answer the Shikibu would give him. Since things involved the demon, he wouldn't just (good) give in to Sora's demands. But if he wants to get rid of the sparrows, he will have to fight Sora.

　If you want to defeat the current Sora, you'll have to allocate a significant amount of forces from the island. For the Gokens who continue to face the threat of the demon gate, this is a situation that they want to avoid as much as possible. Even if they defeated Sora, the results of the battle they could gain would be even more so when it was just one demon girl.

　There is no need to hunt demons (sparrows) to jeopardize the defenses of the demon island - Goz hoped that Shikibu would come to that conclusion.

　His reunion with Sora in the Canary Kingdom had left nothing but misfortune in its wake, but if he gave it time, he might be able to tell a different story. That's what I was thinking. Even if the sparrow was possessed by a demon god, he was confident that he would be able to deal with it in the current sky.

　However, Goz had one concern. This is because there is a way to minimize the extraction of forces to defeat the skies.

　In other words, defeating the sky alone (solo).

　The current Gokens have at least three users who are capable of doing so.

　Goz glanced at the front. In his field of vision was the head of the family, Miken Shikibu, and the two swordsmen sitting on either side of him to protect him.

　The one on the right has fair skin and long black hair that could be mistaken for a woman.

　The one on the left has dark brown skin and dull, iron-colored hair.

　Both of them were exceptional swordsmen with contrasting appearances. Even in this gathering of the eight blue-ringed elites, this description was not wavered in the slightest.

　It is said that had he not been born in the same era as the rare divine genius known as Mikenshikibu, both of them would have been able to reach the title of swordsman.

　The two men under his direction, the feudal lord Shikibu and the two who are under his command are known as the Twin Peaks. With these three men, they could take on the sky alone. That's exactly what they did, they ran to the Canary Kingdom with all their might, and it wouldn't take them more than three days to defeat Sora and return to Onigashima.

　That was the source of Goz's anxiety.

　However, it is unlikely that the head of the family, Shikibu, would leave Onigashima, and the two twin peers have duties as the first flag general and vice-admiral, so it is hard to imagine that they would leave the island for the sake of a single demon girl.

　However, only Shikibu knows how he views the growth of his disowned son (Sora) and how he feels about his son's demands, which can be seen as irreverent.

　Goz, Gilmore, and the rest of the vassals waited with baited breath for Shikibu's instructions.

　But there was only one person who didn't wait for the head of the household to tell them to move. It was Klimt, who was standing behind Goz.

　Apart from my lord, the only people who had the right to speak here were the four lords, the flag generals of the Eight Banners of the Blue Forest, and the vice-admiral. The rest of the people were allowed to observe, but they were not allowed to express their own opinions.

　Even the heir of the family is not an exception to this, and from the last minute, Miken Laguna is gritting his teeth as tightly as he can, holding back his words with a tight grip on his hakama.

　In such a meeting, Klimt raised his voice to the head of the family with a desperate expression.