How about we go see Sierra once?

With the national championship game over and time available, I suggested that we go to Rashausen for once.
But aside from Sufilia, Toa and Nem had a delicate reaction.

'I ... want to go see them, but I don't know how to do it. Sierra said she'll be back. But even now that the national championship match is over, she hasn't come back after all.......

'Nem ... if your master wants you to go ... you must go with him.

You're a strong-willed woman. I'm sure she didn't make up her mind to accompany you on the trip. But apart from my family I don't know if I should wait for Sierra or if I should ignore her words of 'coming back' and go to see her. ...

Hilda's death was sudden and unexpected.
But it was predictable.
It's not that Hilda was, or that someone else's death was, in itself, predictable.
But no one could have predicted their own family's death.
Unless there was a sign, there was no way you could live with the sudden death of your own family, even if you had some kind of fear.
Of course, the Empire's raid was predictable, even if it was earlier than planned.

'I think I should ... see Sierra once.

This wasn't Sierra's mistake.
It was mine. I knew it was.
But in the end, I believed Reinhardt when he said it was going to be okay.
And I didn't.
I should have thought about it more I should have talked more with Reinhardt about what would happen if Sierra, one of the White King's knights, left the country now.
He should have made a decision on that basis.
But Reinhardt should have known.

'What was right in the end I don't know what was right I don't know that either. I also thought that if I had refused to accompany Sierra at that time, maybe this wouldn't have happened. That's why I think I should go. Go.........talk to them anyway, and then you can regret it. If you're going to regret it anyway........

The Toa was torn until the last minute, but in the end we opted to go see him.
We knew we should invite Patrick to join us, but since we hadn't spoken to him since then, we decided to go on our own this time.


The four of us came here, via the dungeon, to Radshausen.





　We transitioned near the main gate and entered the nostalgic Radshausen, looking up at the gates of the royal capital.
But as we passed through the gate, we were suddenly caught in a strange situation.

'What!'

-- suddenly, a siren sounded.

Confused, Toa said, involuntarily.
I don't understand.

But then an announcement was made immediately afterwards, announcing the cause.

-- "'Emergency!　Someone who looks like the Empire has appeared in front of the main gate. The White King's troops should immediately assemble in front of the main gate!''

What? ........The Empire?

And the White King's Army?　I've never heard of it before.

Toa and Nem are wary of the area.
Sufilia's face is twitching.

'What is it?　I don't feel any magic, but... an evacuation drill?

I checked the area with my eyes and magic power, but I couldn't see anyone like that.
Nor can I see an army of imperial knights or anything else.

''After all that happened, they must be training frequently. Isn't that a good intention?

Training?

Then Toa, and then Nem and Sufilia, too, calmed down at my words.
And it was right after they were reassured as they patted their chests.

--'Surround them!'

An army of white armor suddenly appeared.

''........What?''

poised.

Hey, hey, hey, hey!

We were surrounded in the blink of an eye, spear pointing at us, and we had nowhere to run.
What the hell is going on?

"This is too much training, isn't it?

Is the situation that tense?
I mean, we had nothing to do with it.
Why are we being used as training tools without permission?

Then the guards around them opened the way.
And then five of them appeared there, dressed in white armor and white coats.
In the front, a familiar face could be seen.

--Reinhardt.

Then Reinhardt drew his sword.

''White King's troops, stand back!　The White King's Knights will take care of the rest!

As if to match their voices, the other four also took up their weapons.

'We haven't seen each other in a long time.......but aren't we learning too much?

But Reinhardt was.

"Be quiet, take off your mask and show yourself!　Redeemer!

What's going on here?
Reinhardt threatened me and pointed his sword point at me.

Hmm? ...The Red One?

Oh ... come to think of it, I was wearing a mask.
I hadn't noticed this one as I always wore it and also because it didn't feel like I was wearing it.

Then one of the five white people slowly stepped forward, as if noticing something.

''To.........?　And even Nem....

Then one of them mumbled something like that and took off the silver and white helmet he was wearing.

'What? .....

And I notice.

Then, gradually, the vigilance and hostility in Reinhardt's face dissolves.

'Sierra!'

Yes, there was Sierra.
And when Toa noticed Sierra, he immediately ran over and jumped on her.

"Hey! ...Hey Toa!　Why are you here?!

I'm starting to get worried when Sierra doesn't come home anytime soon!

Toa had tears in her eyes.
He was that worried...

Sierra, on the other hand, is surprised and stunned.
The two embraced each other and confirmed their reunion.

''So that means........who is this red demon? .....

Sierra rudely referred to me as a 'demon', with a question mark on her face.

'Oni?　Oh, no. This red one is Nito?

That's what Toa said.
What is a "red one" anyway........

Is this ... Masamune?

'Sierra I'm not Masamune. It's Nito.

I changed my mask to a piercing in my left ear.

'-- Masamune is dead,'

Sierra had a question mark on her face at my words.
But of course.
It's a good thing that Sierra didn't come to the dungeon.

Then, as I exposed my face, the others who were around began to notice.
And they all lowered their weapons.

'Masa...no, Nito. Why are you dressed like that?　Isn't that a little too confusing?

It was Reinhardt who said that.
Those who were around him said, 'That's the hero Nito? And that's what he's talking about with his mouth.
The one peeking out from behind Reinhardt's back is, I believe, a raid or something like that?
He still looks as bad as ever, but it seems to be getting worse and worse.
Is that what they say about war changing people?
If it looks like this even before it starts, I wonder what the show will be like...

Good to see you, Reinhardt.　New equipment, you know. A lot of circumstances, you know?

"Circumstances?

Yeah. Well that's all well and good but by the way, you know why I'm here, don't you?

Is this about Sierra?

'Oh, and there's the matter of Miss Hilda.

When I mentioned the name, Sierra showed a complicated expression mixed with sadness.
But I also feel some strong other emotions from it.

This is.............

Sierra, you are....

Revenge....Sierra?

When I asked that question, Sierra didn't change her expression and looked straight into my eyes.

''........shouldn't I?''

'I can sense their emotions now. So I know what you're thinking. Sierra that's not the same as taking out an enemy, is it?　Revenge. Do you realize that?

Yes ... revenge.

That's the very thing you denied me before. And yet?　Where's your 'justice'?

This is ... my justice.

Sierra answered without a pause.
There wasn't even a hint of hesitation there.

''I see.''

It's not for me to say.
But would Ms. Hilda have wanted that?
Hilda said.
"Sierra doesn't know the world so I told her she should leave this country and travel the world," she said.

Then Toa said.

Sierra?　I know how you feel. But do you think Miss Hilda would want that?

You wouldn't want that, but that's not the problem.
The fact that Sierra doesn't have a problem with it is the problem.
So I don't think there's anything more I can say to Sierra.

'Reinhardt....'

What... what?

This ... is your fault, you know?

It's my fault, too.
I could have prevented this if I had the power to do so.

Yeah I know.

Reinhardt said with an apologetic, bitter expression and turned away from me.

'You? ...Do you really know what you're doing?

Hmm?　What the...?

Nito, you're just the one who was asked to do it. The onus for this is on me to make the decision.

Ahhhhh.

The first time I saw him...

What is it? How do you expect him to be able to...

--Doubt.

Now I just had a vague question.
An unanswered question.

'Hmm? ...What's going on?

Is it my imagination?

No nothing.

I guess the abyss hasn't adjusted to it yet.
That means this power isn't perfect either.

''This country is weak. Not next time.　You know that, right?

Yeah, but we're not going to call off the war either.

As I recall, the country is divided into two camps, one for and one against the war.

'I'm not going to interfere in the affairs of the country,'

I dare not say anything now.
We can't start yet anyway.

We'll talk about it another time. Anyway, Sierra?

Yes, I--

"I want to go to Miss Hilda's grave.

When I said that, there was the Sierra from before.

Just the 'right' thing to do and not possessed by something as silly as revenge.......the Sierra of those days.

''........I understand.''

People are ... changing.

Sierra too.

"More than that, Nito?

As I was about to leave, Reinhardt called out to me.

'This country is on high alert right now,' he said, 'so don't dress too confusingly. Don't dress too confusingly.

'On high alert? ....Oh!　Is that how you trained?

I see, so they are always on alert.
But still, it's an unusually elaborate drill.

"Training?

Then Reinhardt put a question mark on my words.

'Yeah, and isn't that too much effort?　Do you people really need to be in on the training?　I don't think so, though~

Are they practicing how to get from dispatch to the scene?

'What are you talking about?　This isn't a drill, okay?

"Huh?

I looked around and saw the expressions on each of their faces.
There were a number of tired soldiers there after the tension was released.

----.

I see........

Oh that's how it works.

Apparently, we've been mistaken for the Empire.
Mainly because of me.

'Hahaha!　What was a mistake?　I mean, there's no way we're an empire!　Aside from me, though, take a closer look, okay?　Two dainty princesses and an adorable little girl. Wha?　For all intents and purposes, it's pretty obvious that this isn't the Empire.

You!　You're a f*cking idiot! ... "Don't do it, Raid!

Reinhardt restrains an angry Raid with his hand.

'Nito, you have no idea what you're talking about. Strong people aren't always what they seem. Just like you were, right?

Me? ...What do you mean by that?

But Reinhardt smiled lightly and gave the soldiers around him the order to withdraw.
Then, without saying a word, he left Sierra behind.

''What the hell, that guy?　Are you busy?

What the hell is wrong with the war that's not going on?

I kind of looked at the town.
Come to think of it, was it my imagination?
The atmosphere of the town seems darker than before.
And now that I think about it, the White King Knight, who was supposed to be rarely seen, was so easy to see....

Perhaps something has changed.
While we were at the academy.

We walked through the unchanging, nostalgic city center, looking at the stagnant city in the air.




â




　Toa and Nem were crying next to him.
Sufilia had an awkward look on her face next to them.
If it was Sufilia before, she would have let it pass with a fake smile.
Just being able to care for her was a growth for Sufilia.

When I saw Hilda's grave, there was just a sadness in me.
And I could see her laughing face.
The more I try to erase the sadness, the more I try to be nothing, the more sadness I get.
All the memories that were supposed to be happy turn to tears.......that's death.......
But I didn't show it on my face, I remembered what Hilda had said.

-- "Take care of Sierra."

At the time, I didn't think about it, I just said yes, optimistically.
But what about the current situation?
Sierra is no longer looking at The Journey.
She only sees the Empire that killed her sister.
I haven't been able to keep my promise to Miss Hilda in any way.

"It's all the Empire it's the Empire's fault. But you know what, Sierra?　Killing an empire will only give birth to another one. That's probably how this world is made.

Then let's eradicate them all.

Sierra....

I couldn't help but be surprised by that statement.
I wasn't the only one.
Both Toa and Nem Nem opened their eyes and looked at Sierra in front of me with suspicion.

--Is this Sierra?

That's the doubt in my eyes.

Do you think Miss Hilda would want that?

'Do not speak of my sister lightly!　I was born and I've never been!　It was with your sister all along!　And yet ... your sister ...

This is not the Sierra I used to know.
The sadness is increasing the anger.

'Well I didn't know Hilda very well. But I know how she feels. Hilda-san wanted you to be happy. In order to do that, she said, you have to travel the world, touch things, and expand your own world.....................and she said that. Do you understand?　He just wanted you to be happy. I didn't ask for enemy vengeance...

I told you before... didn't I?

Then Sierra begins to speak with a powerful yet subdued expression on her face.

"-'This is the path I believed in'?"

Yeah I said it.

With those words, I knew what Sierra meant.

'I criticized you one way or the other back then. Because I didn't understand. What you were angry about and what you wanted... but 'nit', I understand now."

When Sierra called me 'Nito', I felt like I could see the distance between us and Sierra.


'This is my happiness! I can't be happy unless I get this "justice" right.

It's not just me, we're all the same.
Especially in a world like this.

''I should have destroyed the empire first........''

But it's too late. I realized too late.

'What? --

Then Sierra turned to me, then her eyes widened and she stiffened as if she was frightened.

'Nito?' ...........it's.......

I immediately fell on my face.
My eyes were probably getting red.

"My bad...

What's... what's that eye...?

It's nothing. Don't worry about it.

Destroying the empire now would not change Sierra's mind.

But it was then.
My vibrations detected someone.
Just in time.
I couldn't help but smile thinly.

"What is it, Nito?

Toa asked me with a worried look.

"No it seems that a 'gift' has been delivered to the Empire."

A gift?　What exactly is the Empire ... what exactly are you talking about?

Sierra asked at my words.

'Not long ago, a bunch of Imperials showed up in Heilkwaite?

Then Sierra's eyes widened.

'That can't be right!'

When the Empire found out they couldn't kill me, they decided to go after the Toa.

Sierra looked even more astonished.

'If I had been even a little later, Toa would be dead. That was even a possibility.

I'm sorry I didn't know that was going to happen...

It wasn't your fault. But I couldn't keep my mouth shut either, so I remembered something and had one of the assassins deliver The Gift.

I sense it now.

'I could skip half of them, but this time I'll skip them all.

Flying? .........well, I don't know what you meant earlier.......

Well, I'll tell you all about it later. In the meantime, you'll take care of my body, okay?

Nito? .....

Toa looks at me worriedly.

'It's okay. I'll be back in a minute.

Soon? ....going somewhere alone again?

No, I'm here.

Then Toa's expression changed from concern to pure doubt.

"I'm just going to have a little chat with the 'big man' of the Empire, then!"

I'm sure they're all chimpy, but I'll explain that later.

''--[Living Spirit Possession [Hounds Possession]!

I chant the magic.

Then my consciousness leaves my body.