Inside the royal carriage on the way to Dames Aldan.
Schneizel, who had been in the other room just a few minutes ago, was also there and the living room was full of people.

Three days have passed since then, and the sky has cleared up from the heavy rain that should have continued to fall, and there is a blue sky with at least one cloud in it.

Nem looked out the window of the car to pass the time.
Masamune was reading a book he had "borrowed" from Heilkuyet, entitled "The Foolishness and Deceitfulness of Death and Life".

As the book's name suggests, it describes the magic of death and life.
The book describes the magic of death and life.
It is "magic to give or get life".

And Masamune believes that the key to saving Toa is hidden in this "magic to live".
And he's quickly found one.
This is something he had seen once before, when he found this book.
Since Masamune got this book, he had been trying to read it whenever he had time.
But he didn't seem to understand it at all.

One thing he did manage to understand. But it seems to be only logical.
Although he understood superficially, at the end of the day, he didn't know if the healer Masamune could use it.
So what would Masamune do?
But they still don't have an answer, apparently.

'Hey Nito, what's that you're reading?'

Then Toa looked at the book that Masamune held, with great interest.

'This one?　A book of offensive magic that even healers can use....

Masamune replied as if he was letting off steam.

''Did you have one?''

Well.

When he said that, Toa agreed with a "hmmm" and seemed to have lost interest.
Masamune had told Toa that he was looking for such magic, but he hadn't told him anything about the process that followed.
But this book is not 'a book of attack magic that even healers can use,'

'Healers?　Did you just call me a healer?

Then Schneizel, who was sitting on the sofa across from me, was surprised.

'Yes, but you don't know?　I'm a healer.

Then Schneizel was unreservedly taken aback by the words.
And then, as if reformed and apologetic....

I've heard of it, but there are many people who misrepresent their profession. I thought you were one of them, but...

--I said.

Apparently, Schneizel thought Nito was lying to her.
I'm sure you're not the only one.

I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but it's a good idea.

Well, there's not much to miss.

'Not much?　So does that mean you can miss it?

"Suspicion is being cast on Nito.

It was Masamune who lied like that, partly because he didn't know who was watching him during the Inquisition.
But in response to Schneizel's question, he seemed to have decided that he didn't need to do so anymore.
Leaving the school seemed to have let his guard down.

''That was a lie,''

Then, in response to Masamune's answer, Schneizel--

...I see.

I agreed.

'Then let me tell you without reservation, you'd better take that mask off, don't you?

...why?

That mask is the symbol for you. "That mask is the symbol for you, and no one will ever be able to tell it's you. And if you don't want to get yourself into trouble, you'd better refrain from wearing that mask in the future. If the whole curse thing is a falsehood, then it's probably best to take it off, at least in Dames Aldan.

"I didn't want to get myself in trouble, so I hid my face.
And I took a false name.
But nowadays, the name "Nito" attracts more trouble than the name "Nito".
But Nito has not been told by Schneizel what is essential.
Mainly, what do you mean by "trouble"?

That's... why?

Masamune asks again, though he has some idea of what to expect.

'Is there going to be a commotion?'

"That much?" Masamune is surprised in his mind.
Maybe it's because he's been at school for a while, but he doesn't seem to be able to understand what's going on outside.
He doesn't realize that this mask is that big of a thing.
Then, for a moment, I remembered an article from the demonic news agency that said "it's going boom".
Then I understood his advice.
The name "Nito" is probably well known in Dahms-Ardan, too.

Then Masamune decided to expose his true face, as advised by Schneizel.
The mask became a particle of light that, when gathered in his left ear, became a golden ring earring.

''That should do it, right?''

There was the old "Masamune" there.
But it wasn't unusual for Toa and the others.
It was because they always took off their masks in the dormitory.

''..........''

Hmm?

Then what happened?
Schneizel's eyes widened and she was blatantly surprised.

''This ... child?''

Schneizel's first words were dumb.

'What?'

A child is a rude king.
But that's the only way I could think of Nito's true face.
It's not surprising to see it that way, but Masamune himself does not have a baby face.

"Huh........hahahahahahahahaha!

Suddenly, Schneizel began to laugh vigorously.

'What?'

And with a smile on his face.

'No, I'm sorry. I had no idea that the hero Nito was really a boy who was still a little boy!

It's none of your business. If you're going to call me a kid, then why don't you at least let that kid be a trusted adult?　The king--

You think you're cute, but you're right. As a king, I'll keep that in mind.

Would you be better off as a king?
A commoner disrespected the king.

He is a strange king, after all.
That's why they call Schneizel a "freak".
He is somewhat different from other kings.

Then, Masamune looked at Schneizel for a moment like Rathhausen's Arnold.

''You look like Arnold, don't you?

Arnold?　Is that ... King Rashausen?

What, you know what?　How do you know?

There are many names for Arnold, for example.
But Schneizel recognized him at once as the king of Radshausen.

"It is common knowledge that you are a hero in that country. How could I not know that you were a hero in that country?

Well that's true too.

And that's when the two of them were talking about such unimportant things.
Suddenly, the carriage stopped.

''Hmm?　What is it?

They must have arrived.

"For Dames Aldan?　Are we there yet?

'Not so. It's going to take us a few more days to get to Dahms Ardan. This is Ragnarok."

"Lago?

Schneizel replied as a matter of course.

'What, you don't know?　This is a town that is used as a resting place by all kinds of people. It's not very safe, but it's a convenient place for horses and humans to rest.

Hmmm... that's convenient.

You say "convenient," but looking out the window, it's not a particularly unusual town.
In other words, it's a good location.
There was no town or country on the road to here after leaving the academy.
There was only one town around here, and if you missed Raghu, there was no place to stop for the time being.

'You mean there's only about here, right?'

That's what this all boils down to.

Then the carriage door opened, and Masamune and the others stepped out once.





o





　A stop for the drifters, "Raghu".
There are many people who have drifted here for various reasons.

Entering the town, Masamune and his friends look for a restaurant to take in the sights while the horses regain their "strength".
In addition to Masamune's group, Francesca and Dolly are there.
Schneizel is waiting in the carriage, saying, "As the king, I cannot enter a town like this easily.
It will be a while before we leave, so do as you please.
"Then let me do as I please," said Masamune as he casually left the carriage.

Even though it was a stop for drifters, it was a relatively quiet town.
It's busy, but it doesn't seem to be in disrepair.

As I walked along the streets, I saw all sorts of things going on.
And it's not just humans that are in this town.
There are beastmen, too, and dwarves.
And while some of the ground is paved and tiled, most of it is sand or gravel.
Thus, this was a relatively poor town.

By the way, Masamune doesn't wear a mask now.
Somehow, Masamune felt uncomfortable with the idea of walking around with a bare face.
Masamune decided to quit "Nito" completely anyway, so he set his level to 10 using his unique skill, "Impey", which he got from Kyogoku.
It is unlikely that anyone would recognize Masamune as a Nito.
This is because Masamune is now the "weakest healer" in the game.
A level 10 healer is nothing more than a weakest healer.

At one point, a dwarf could be seen running a blacksmith shop.
Masamune and the others chose that shop without any particular hesitation.

Not all dwarves build castles in the pit and live a rich life.
Just because they are dwarves doesn't necessarily mean they run a blacksmith shop.
Some of them even run taverns.

--Some of them even run taverns - The Grotto King's Spring Wine.

This tavern, for example, is just like that.

Then Masamune and his friends went into the tavern to fill their stomachs lightly.

Once inside, the place was already crowded with people.
And various faces could be seen.
Some are drinking with other humans, some are drinking with humans and beastmen.
Some were drinking with other dwarves.

Masamune and the others took their seats at random and asked for their sake and food at random.
Then they took a sip of the sake that was brought to them and settled down to eat their steaks.

'Is it going to be a scoop that I'm going to be a great mage?

Earlier.
Francesca was asking about Masamune's feelings about becoming a 'great mage'.
In the first place, that was Francesca's purpose, to hear a live voice from Nito himself.
Masamune is asking about that now.

'It will be!　That hero, Nito, is going to be a great mage!　It's bound to happen, isn't it!

''Hmm.......But is there any specific advantage to being a great mage?''

'Well ... honor?　Is it?

Honor....

"Honor is enough for 'heroes'," Masamune said, fed up in his mind.

''Well, it's not a thing that you can't be bothered to receive, so it's fine, right?

'Nito, where will you go after Dames Aldan?　Are we going to the Devil's Land after all?

When I went to Sue, Toa visited me.
He was supposed to go to the Devil's Land, but Schneizel suggested he change his destination to Dahms Ardant.
But what will they do after that?

Well, we will, won't we?　You don't like it?

No, I'm not saying that.

The Toa seemed to be showing more than a little reluctance to return to the demon kingdom, if only for some reason.
Masamune sensed this as well, and he didn't ask in depth as Toa didn't want to talk about it.
These days, Masamune has been hesitant to step into Toa's mind ever since that one incident.
But he needs to know at some point, and Masamune himself wants to know.
But the timing is crucial, and that's why it's called "going to the demon country".

Then, Sufilia and Nem Nemours glanced towards Masamune with anxious eyes.
And Masamune followed up as if he realized the meaning of it.

''.........We don't intend to get rid of the three of you anymore, so don't worry, okay?　I'm not going to do that out of the blue, and even if I were to break up the party, the three of us will ultimately choose. So you can rest easy.

Then Nem smiled for a moment and chewed on the meat.
As if to hide his expression.
That must have been too good to be true.
If Masamune abandoned him, Nem had only one place to go, Razhuisen.

''I will stay by your side forever.

He's still the same old Sufilia.
Whether he is loyal to Masamune or just favors him, Masamune himself doesn't really know.

There were many things going on, and Masamune was trying to figure out what was best for the three of them.
One of them was to 'break up the party'.
But they were just four people who came together in a flow, and they didn't even apply for a party in the adventurer's guild in the first place.

Then Masamune and the others drank and ate meat.
The tavern's speciality, 'The Rock King's Spring Wine', had a different aroma than the liquor Masamune had drunk before, and it matched this unfamiliar meat.
Masamune was satisfied with the taste.

Just then, he overheard an interesting conversation from the seat next to him.
As Masamune sipped his drink, he listened in vaguely.

'Seriously?　Was that country ever going to be like that?'

The men seemed to be talking about some country.

"Yeah, I don't know why, but they seem to have disappeared overnight.

What do you mean it's gone?　You mean people have disappeared?

"No, no, no. The whole country is gone. Not just the people, but the whole place was cleared out, like it was never there at all.

'Is that normal?　Maybe you're in the wrong place, too.

'At first I thought so too, okay?　But that's not what I hear.

"...for real?

Yeah. So no more Cattleya.

....

I picked up a rumor and got drunk.
The people who were seated next to each other seemed to be having a lot of fun.
Masamune and others seemed to be somewhat interested in this story.

What's a cattleya?

Toa asked, in a small voice.
Then Francesca seemed to know.

'It's a small country that has only recently changed its king. That country has been doing bad things for a long time. It made no alliances with any country, allowed slavery, and professed it in a big way.

A slave....?

Toa had a bad feeling about this.

'Yes, that alone tells you what kind of country we're in, doesn't it?　It was mainly the beastly tribe that was collected into slavery.

Then at his words, Nem stopped the fork he had stuck into the meat.
Masamune gently stroked Nem's head.
Then Nem slowly reassured him and ate the meat again, quietly.

'We didn't form an alliance, but apparently we were in touch with the darkness. I hear that slaves were brought in daily without interruption.

Apparently, that one will be published in the demonic newsletter.

At that time, the master of the tavern appeared with some kind of steak and liquor that I hadn't asked for.

''May I have a word with you, sir?''

--Dwarves.

The cheerful dwarf master smiled with a charming smile and spoke to Masamune and the others as he looked up at them.

''Hmm?''

This is the dwarf.
This shop is mainly run by dwarves.
And they have not only dwarves, but beastmen as well.

"Have one of these for me and one of these for you.

Then the master puts the plate with the steak on it on the table.
There was the sound of meat cooking and steam coming from it.
Then he also put down the whiskey bottle he was holding on the left.

'.....................Are you sure?

Masamune looked at the dwarf's face and asked him that.

''Yes, come on with the service!''

The dwarf replied with a smile, and then left for the counter.
He didn't forget to leave a few whiskey glasses on the table.
Perfect service, from everything.
There's even one for Nem.

Masamune took his word for it, first putting his hand on the whisky and pouring it into the glass to taste it.

''........Yeah. It's delicious~''

It's good. That's one word.
Since arriving in this world, Masamune has learned to drink.
The smell of honey and barrels coming out of his nose is pleasant.
The first time he had a drink was when he wandered into the first dungeon.
Fear of the dark and mental fatigue from anxiety.
Then anger and revenge.
Is it because of the gap between my moral compass and my emotions in my actions?
Masamune has been troubled by it every day.
For such Masamune, sake has become something he cannot let go of.
One sip of it and what awaits him afterwards is a moment of liberation.
Only then could he justify his fluffy heart and his forgotten vengeance.

'Nito?'

Then Toa had a question mark on his face.

'Hmm?　What is it?

No, no, no, no, no.　I didn't ask you to do that, did I?

Toa had doubts about the sudden service.
He shouldn't have asked for it, but he was suddenly told it was service, and he was given not only a steak, but also a bottle of whiskey. That too by the bottle.
I felt a little uneasy and uncomfortable, thinking that even if it was a service, it might be excessive.

'Don't worry, the poison doesn't work on alcohol. After all, alcohol destroys the poison in your body, right?

A complete theory.

'And you said it was a service.　Then we'll be spoiled. It doesn't happen that way.

What's the service?

'I think you try to serve first-time visitors, don't you?　I don't know, but....

And Masamune doesn't hesitate to pour the whiskey down the drain while answering such questions in a reasonable manner.
When the liquor goes around too much, you can just use magic to put it back in.

Toa had an unconvinced look on his face at that answer.
It's not just Toa, Francesca and Dolly also have that look on their faces.
I know that this is a town of drifters, so it's not that safe.
But the Nito in front of me is pouring liquor down the drain, looking unconcerned.
He looks exactly the same, and he's also working on his meat.
So is it really just a service?

Nito?　You don't want to talk about something that doesn't make too much sense, do you?

Dolly advises Masamune as he pours whisky down his throat.

'It's okay, see?'

Masamune then takes another drink and shows that he's fine.

'Nem, you want some of this steak?'

Yes, sir!

It may be rude to the owner, but the poisoning was done by Masamune.
However, it's a delicate matter whether poison is effective on Masamune.

''Hahaha!　Nem is such a foodie!

Nem bites into the additional steak with a smile on his face.
Is it because he's a beast that he eats this much?

I wish I was a beastman, because then I'd be able to eat as much meat as Nem did.

Everyone looked at Masamune, who was muttering such things, with a strange expression.

''Really, people are so boring...''

Nito?

...hmm?

Then, as if late, Masamune regretted the words he had just let slip.
He unconsciously spilled them unintentionally.

'Never mind, it's nothing...'

Masamune answered without seeming particularly flustered.
Then he included the whiskey, interrupting Toa's question.





o.





　After finishing their meal, the group walked out of the restaurant and looked at the view of the town once more.
But there was nothing to see.
They didn't seem to notice, but underneath the sign, there was the name "Gudhuka".
I guessed it was the name of the master who had just served us meat and drink.

"That was a generous dwarf, wasn't it?

It was Toa who was saying something, but at the end of the day, he was mixing with Francesca and drinking whiskey.

Apparently, Sufilia doesn't like whiskey very much. Apparently, wine is her favorite drink.
Dolly didn't drink because she didn't want to get her "camera shaky".
That's the height of professionalism.
There is a big difference between her and Francesca.
Francesca, however, did not have a camera.

Let's get back to the carriage, shall we?

Masamune enthused.

'Yes.'

Everyone seemed to think the same way as Masamune.
There is not much to see in this town, and it is desolate.
It's a town where there's nothing to do except eat.

''Huh?''

At that moment, I heard something that sounded like a "cheer" coming from the direction of the town.
But it was probably not a good thing.
Each of us thought so.

'This is the Clocktower Square, isn't it?

Then Francesca answered, as if she were familiar with the town.

'Francesca, let's go!

Dolly looks like she's having some fun.
I guess it gets my blood pumping as a reporter.

'Well let's do that!

Is it the nature of journalists?
Francesca and Dolly were getting something hot.

'Nito, should we go too?'

What?

So is it because he's been drinking?
Toa seems to be on board as well.
But Masamune looks troublesome.

''Well it doesn't matter.

But since Toa seemed to want to go, Masamune couldn't say no to that.
Would it be the future Masamune to be the butt of a woman?
But that's how much Masamune thinks of Toa.
I wouldn't listen to him if I didn't have any feelings for him.

Schneizel would probably forgive me.
If only to make a little detour.

Then Masamune and the others ran towards the Clock Tower Square, where the voices were echoing.





o.





　The Clock Tower of Gulu.
It is the symbol of this town.

Everyone who comes to this town first comes to the front of this clock tower and looks up at it.
Wherever you go in this town, you will see this clock tower, and everyone will be here before you know it.
For some reason, this clock tower attracts people. That's what it is.

I guess that's why....

--eventually, these things happen.

"Let's fly!

"Get off your ass and jump!

"Come on, quit messing around!

"Don't climb up there if you don't want to!

"Coward!

The slut!

A crowd has gathered around the clock tower.
Rather, they are onlookers.
The square had become a gathering place for onlookers.

And everyone must have come to see this.

-- A lone female figure can be seen on top of the clock tower.

It was a woman in a dirty, thin, white dress, with a slender view.

The woman seemed to be shaking.
Judging from the situation, she had probably climbed up there with the intention of jumping to her death.
But her legs slumped from fear, and she couldn't go back because of the onlookers.
If he went back, he didn't know what they would say or do to him.
They would at least throw stones at him.
The crowd was about to do something about it at any moment.

'Nit........that.'

Toa points with an anxious expression.
Beyond that, I see the woman.

''It's probably suicide....''

You don't need to have experienced jumping to understand that.
But Masamune, who had "suicide experience," could see it clearly.
Masamune had committed suicide before, and succeeded in doing so.
That's why Masamune is the man he is today.

'It's not a very good hobby, is it?

Even Francesca, as expected, doesn't seem to write about this stuff.
His expression twisted, and a clear sense of disgust could be seen from it.

''It's not a hobby, it's just an onlooker. Isn't this how it's supposed to be anyway?''

Everyone is amused because it's something else. That's all.
Masamune was cold.

"This is what life is like," Masamune thinks so.
Your own life is precious, but someone else's is nothing more than a "number.
Whether the number increases or decreases by one, the person who cares about this is an oddball.
It means nothing.
If it bothers you, you can add the amount of money that's left over later.
That's all life is.
These people's lives are.....
The eyes of Masamune looking at the situation were very cold.

But that was just Masamune's thoughts.
But that is something that is sort of proven by the crowd that gathered here.

''Hey!　Come on, get the hell out of here!

"See, I'm not stopping yet," Masamune sneered in his mind.
Who it was directed at, I don't know.
Or maybe it was directed at the "innocent ones" who are familiar with the morality.
Masamune, a "fastidious man," could clearly see the "lies" of such people.
And he despised "hypocrites," which is a word that has been used to describe them.

"Compared to those guys, at least those of us here are better," said Masamune again, silently and sarcastically.

'They're snobs. That's what happens when you can't kill them yourself. Even though life is only interesting when you kill it...

Then Sufilia gave her opinion.
'Killing them is the only way to be interesting.......another novel opinion, Masamune grinned.

''So, do you want to kill these guys?''

Masamune asks the question.

No, it's no fun to kill such a thing. Besides, I'm not in the mood for that now.

It was a joke.

Sufiria replied, emphasizing the "thing" part.
The old Sufirians used to look at people as if they were objects, and they were never more aware of it than they are now.
And she had never been more aware of this than she was now.
But at least I've learned to see people as people.
That's why he dared to say "things" to the crowd.

But are onlookers just a bunch of bored people?
It's full of activity, "You haven't jumped off yet? And for some reason, it's murderous.
Masamune's eyes were dying more and more at the sight of it.

At that time, the voice of the onlookers suddenly stopped.
Too unnaturally, it suddenly stopped with a snap.

''That was........''

Then Francesca blurted out the words.
In the direction of Francesca's gaze, someone had appeared.

''It's Ankh-sama........''

Then one of the onlookers said so, as if he were leaking.
And his eyes were mesmerized by the figure of that one.

''It's Ankh-sama!''

"'Amadeus!

"'God of life!

"'Long live Amadeus!

Suddenly, the gaze of the onlookers shifted from the woman in the clock tower to that one, and the curses turned to cheers.
The crowd became even livelier, and no one could stop them any longer.

'Ankh........Amadeus.......'

At that moment, Francesca lets the words slip out.

The one who appears there is dressed in a pure white cloak that hides his feet.
On the face, a mask that looks like a combination of a beast and a human skull can be seen.
Two twisted horns flow from the forehead of the mask to the back of his head.
And the broad shoulders that appear to widen in the stark white armor that can be seen through the gaps in the cloak.
The armor is carved with a pattern that looks like a snake's path through it.
But the cloak seems to be double-layered, its true identity completely hidden and hard to see clearly.
And no matter how you look at it from any angle, it is all white.

"The veins of the Jisha, the bloodline...

Francesca muttered, transfixed.