A few days after the incident in the Black Forest (Schwarzwald).
　Odette, Iris and I were on our way to the library of the kingdom.
　Our purpose, of course, was to find out the current location of Fira Village.

　Two hundred years have already passed since my death in my previous life.
　Because of the Eight-Oh! War, the shape of the country and the location of the village have changed.
Even the ancestors of the Grail Trading Company left the village right after my death in my previous life and started business. Even Rodería has lost track of the exact location of her village.

　I asked her if she knew where the village was, just in case she didn't, but....


'The lore says this.

'My Lord is the village of Fira. After Mylord is gone, we should not be concerned about land or where we live.
　We can only prepare for the rebirth of My Lords.

　And...


　The bat brought back the message "I'm sorry.
　At first I just said, "Sorry. I just replied, "I made a mistake in educating your ancestors".

　........I have a feeling it's not my fault, though.





　So we went to the library.
　Once we arrived, we asked the librarian to pull out a current map and an old map.

　As we waited in the private reading room, the librarian brought out a round-up map for us.
　He spread them out on the desk.

　The latest map was a few years old.
　The one on the old map was drawn at the time of the end of the 'War of the Eight Kings', so it was about 150 years ago.

With this, it should be perfect.

　Odette said as she looked at the two maps.

'Both Yuki and Iris have memories of their previous lives, don't they?　If that's the case, wouldn't we be able to locate that village right away...?
"...........
Why are you looking sideways? Both of you.
In my previous life, I barely left the village for 150 years.
'My Lord is still good. I haven't even stepped out.

　Me and Iris looked at each other.
　Iris........Alice was just a child at the time.
　That's why she never went outside of the "Feela Village".

　As for me, I wandered around for fifty years, and after settling in the village of Fira, I hardly went out for 150 years. I was holed up in an old castle and was the 'village guardian'.
　I'm not really sure I remember much from those days.

''........Well, it was 200 years ago. There must have been some circumstances that the people of today cannot understand.
...Odette is a nice person.
Oh, don't flatter me, honey. So what can you remember?
Well yes.

　I close my eyes and try to conjure up memories of my past life.
　It was 350 years ago when I was wandering around.
　I don't want to remember those days, but when I force myself to recall them...

'When I went south, I saw an ocean. An inland sea.
The Inland Sea, surrounded by land?
Yeah. I crossed it and reached the town to the north. Then I went up the mountain and ended up in 'Fira Village' at the far end of it. And the 'Sanctuary Church' guys came from the west. That's where the capital of the country was, and there was a branch of the 'Sanctuary Church'.
You remember it well, do you?
'I'm not sure, though, because I remember it from 350 years ago. Also, there was a river at the foot of the town. There was a source near the village of Fira. That's what I'm looking for...
'It's around here. Yuki-sama.

　Iris's finger pointed to a point on the map.

　On the old map, a small kingdom. It's in the mountains to the northeast of it.
　To the south is the Inland Sea, with a river running nearby.

　The shape of the inlet of the inland sea is close to the terrain I saw from the sky at the time.
　There doesn't seem to be any other place that corresponds to it, so it's probably best to actually go here and check it out.

"It's so easy to find...

　As expected of a library managed by the "Magic Guild".
　The maps and materials are first class.
　If I had searched for it myself, I would not have been able to locate the village 200 years ago. Thank God for that.

"So where does the current map show us?
That's north of King's Landing. This is ... well ...
However, the border with the neighboring country is so close that it's dangerous to go there with a carriage. We'll have to hide our identities and go there in secret.

　I looked at the map that Iris was pointing at.
　There was no mention of 'Fira Village' on the latest map, but I could tell where it was by looking at the terrain.
　However, I could tell where it was by looking at the terrain.

　Iris was right, it was a five-day ride north from here.
　I'm sure Iris is right, it's a five-day ride north from here, five days' ride from the harbor facing the inland sea and heading up into the mountains, and that's the site of "Feara Village".

　I don't know if the old castle I was in still exists or not.
　I'm not sure if the old castle I was in still exists or not, but at or near that location, there should be the "Lord" that Lyle and the others absconded with. The "Lord of Nosferatu", which was named after me in the past, should be there.
　Well, that's just a guess.
　The only way to find out for sure is to actually go there. I was planning to return home at least once anyway.

''But after two hundred years, towns and villages can change, can't they?

How many towns and villages have been lost because of the "War of the Eight Kings"?
　On the map, the shape of the country has also changed.
　The place where the royal capital of the country to which the former Fira Village belonged was located is now a small town.

　And to the north, a new country seems to have sprung up.
　The country that borders the kingdom we're in - a military state called the Empire.

　It's not that we're at war with the kingdom now, but this area is near the border anyway.
　It would be difficult for a member of the royal family to make a carriage with an open mind.

''In that case.......we'll have to ask Iris to stay home.
I don't know.

　Alice's shoulders slumped disappointedly.

''Well I would have liked to see the site of Fira Village.
Excuse me. 'Forgive me, Iris. If you were to go, you would have to take your men in the royal carriage. But that would cause a lot of trouble. But we can't be away from the capital for five days in secret and ten days round trip, can we?
'It's too far to summon them. Even if we could, you'd have to come home with me. She'll be gone for at least five days. If the princess is missing for five days, that's a problem indeed.
Ugh.
Let it go this time. I will tell Iris about what I found over there. You okay with that?
You have my word.
Have I ever broken a promise to you?
'You haven't made me a good wife yet. I said I would keep an eye on Alice until she grew up, but she died before I could. You said you wouldn't make me, you said you wouldn't do anything to make her cry.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry!

　I patted Iris' head.
　Iris was still puffing out her cheeks, but...

...but I understand. I'll persevere this time.
Well, I won't be leaving anytime soon either.

　There's going to be an orientation for the 'Magic Guild' soon.
　The one that had been postponed due to the Dorothea incident is finally going to resume.

　Me, Iris and Odette will be participating in it.
　At that time, we'll be entering the giant dungeon Elysian, so we'll have to put the holy sword back while we're at it.
　The other day, I summoned it without permission. I still have that one with me.

　If I don't get it back in time, I'll let it go.
　Right now, the Magic Guild is in an uproar over the giant Yorroi phantom that emits mysterious rays of light.
　Another one of the 'Ancient Artifacts' turned out to be an unfathomable thing, so they wouldn't be surprised if the Holy Sword disappeared of its own accord.
　In any case, the Holy Sword Lean Kaal had been sealed all along.

''I'll leave as soon as my orientation is over. In the meantime, has Iris ever needed a guardian knight?
Not for a while.
There's an early summer festival in a month, but Iris won't be out in the open until then.
All right. As a reward for catching Dorothea, I'm applying for a 20-day vacation. I'm going to use that to go to the former site of 'Fela Village'.
'I wish. I'd like to apply for a leave of absence too.

　Iris blurted out, letting the legs of her dress dangle.

'In my case, I may get a vacation, but I'm not free to go out and about.
It would have been a lot easier if I'd been rewarded with a knighthood.
Brother Cain also said it was wrong. The golden course was to advance the Glossarias three stages at once, and Yuki and I got married. And then we went on our honeymoon to the site of the former Feela village, which was the golden course.
It's complicated. Aristocracy rules.
''........Listening to you all, it seems as if the title (sakai) is just a tool......''

　Odette held her forehead in disgust.

'Really, you don't care about status or anything else, do you? You people,'
Iris is doing her job as a princess. I'm aware of that.
Hey. You sound like Alice. Iris.
''Hmph. It's a strategy to have My Lord call me 'Alice'... I'm a maiden~
It's you.
The reason why Alice died as a maiden in her previous life is because of My Lord. In this life, I'll have you take responsibility for it. I promise.
Don't say that kind of thing out loud...
Mmmm.
I know exactly what you're going to say. In this life, I'll keep my word. That's all you need to know, Alice.
Heh-heh-heh.
I'm beginning to feel embarrassed to hear this... should I go home?
No, no, I need you to stay.
'They're sire through time, in a sense, father and son. But they're secretly engaged. It's a complicated relationship. You two are...

　I'm not so sure.
　As for me, as long as Iris is Alice's incarnation, I'll protect her. I'll be there for her.
　That's it.
　That's all. I think it's a very simple relationship.

I'm sure Odette will get a nice reward from His Highness the Prince of Cain, right?　What did you decide to get?
The right to explore Elysian, that is.

　Odette declared, her heart pounding.

'You got it when Yuki defeated Alec-Keels, didn't you?　This is the right to get to the same level as a 'C-class mage'. If you make it to the third level, you will be able to become a C-class mage, both in name and in reality.
So you're a mid-level magician in one fell swoop.
'I'm so grateful to Yuki. Without you, it would have taken much longer.
It's like Odette to say 'it took a long time' instead of 'I can't'.
Of course. I never underestimate my abilities. Except when it comes to people like you, who are not up to snuff.
''If it were Odette, I'm sure she wouldn't make a mistake in using the 'King's Horse (Lord)'.
''........I agree. I think Odette would be able to properly use the power of the 'Ancient Artifacts' for the benefit of others.

　Me and Iris are close to each other, whispering to each other.

Then it would be nice if we could help Odette get ahead.
'I agree, My Lord!　Because if Odette stands at the head of the 'Magic Guild', she can contact us if we go missing.
All right. I'll figure out a plan later.
Let me know when you decide, okay?


I can hear you!　Don't plan something outrageous together!


　I was pissed off.

　
　Odette knew about Iris's constitution and tried to stay by my side.
　On top of that, when it came time for the 'guard knight selection test', he even offered me the position of 'guard knight'.

　He is loyal, has a strong sense of justice, and is also skilled in the art of magic.
　If this is the kind of person who stands at the top of the Magic Guild, those who are a little bit unhuman like me and Iris can live in peace.

　So, I (and Iris) have been trying to explain this to Odette.



　Boh.



"...........

　Odette's face turned red and she fell silent.
　After staring at me for a while and remaining silent, Odette said a few words.

''Well I think I've figured out why the villagers still love you after 200 years...''

　After that, we left the private reading room and called the librarian.



　After that, we left the private reading room and called the librarian.
　We handed back the map and left the library with the three of us lined up.

　Odette still had a red face.
　Iris quickly returned to her princess face and climbed into the carriage parked in front of the library.
　It was an official outing today, with permission.
　As it was, she took the royal carriage back to the western detached palace.

''Are we going home too?''
Yeah, of course.

　Odette and I walk side by side towards the aristocratic district.
　The sun is already nearly gone and the area is already turning red.
　Both Odette and I are wearing the robe of The Magic Guild. The setting sun was too glaring, so I pulled my hood down deep into my eyes. When I look to the side, I see that Odette is doing the same.

''........you know, Yuki.
What's going on. Odette.
I am.....truly glad to have met you. Even if you weren't Iris's 'My Lord' or a reincarnated guardian god, I'm sure we would have been friends.
Thank you. Odette.
'You may disappear from the world of men one day, but you will still be friends. Just don't forget that.
Yeah. I'll never forget it.

　I was kind of embarrassed, so I lowered my hood to my eyes and said.

'I don't know how long I'll have, but I'll be telling stories about my friend 'Odette-Sley' until the day I cease to exist.
That's too heavy for you.

　We talked and laughed about such trivial things.
　We returned to the dormitory next to each other.



"Yuki-sama. We have a letter from the Magic Guild.
'Dinner is ready. Ready for you, sir.



　When I returned to my quarters, Martha and Remy greeted me.

　Remy takes my hand and pulls me toward the dining room.
　Chiding her in a whisper, Martha holds out a cylindrical piece of parchment to me.


　The parchment was sealed with the emblem of The Magic Guild.
　It's an information about the trainee orientation that will be held in a few days.


　The trainees will move through the first level of 'Elysian' in pairs.
　The course is free, and the one who reaches the goal line the fastest will receive an award for excellence.

　As expected, Iris and I were in the same group (a pair).
　It seems that Odette will be paired with a countess I don't know.

　The giant dungeon "Elysian" is where the ghost of the "Sanctuary Church" was located. It doesn't feel too good.
　Iris and I can use 'Mystel Blood' and 'Quasi-Magic Blood' respectively, so we should be fine even if there's some trouble. I'm planning to bring Dick along with me this time.

''........Just in case we need to make some preparations.

　That's what I was thinking about as I headed to the diner with Martha and Remy.