Mina

So, what are we going to do now?

　After rescuing a pirate who had fallen into the sea, I managed to make it through the storm to the east coast.
　However, the ship we had come on is nowhere to be found, as it seems to have been swept away considerably.

I'm not sure if I can find the boat we came on.　It's not like we were originally aiming for the port either.

　The pirate I rescued, oddly perturbed, suggests a course of action for the future.

I agree. Well, let's aim for a port city near here.

　First of all, I used my flying magic to go up in the sky and check the surrounding geography.
　When I looked around, I saw the huge mountain as usual.
　And then I noticed the road that runs near the coast.

I can see the road over there. Let's go.

　I landed on the ground and indicated to the pirates the direction we were going to head in.

''No, flying magic is really an amazing thing. But if that's the case, why don't we just fly without going all the way through this place?

You can't fly, can you?

　I could have done that on my own.

'Then I'll hold on to Miss... oh, no, it's nothing.

　I silenced the pirate who was about to say something stupid with a look and we made our way through the woods towards the road.

'For now, let's just pretend that we're travelers who were thrown off a ship in a storm and you were a sailor on that ship, but now you're my escort.

Why do you have to go through all that trouble again?

　He's forgotten who he is, don't you think?

You're a pirate.

Oops, that's right.

　The pirate ducked his head to say, "I'm sorry," as if he remembered what he was told.

It's time to get on the street... what?

　That's when it happened. I heard a gin, gin, gin, from the street, and it sounded like something metal was crashing.

".........

　We looked at each other and gently peered through the trees at the street.
　Then we saw someone fighting across the street, wielding a sword.

'It looks like someone is fighting,'

　It was a pair of young men and several men fighting.
　It seems that it's the duo who are outnumbered, with the older man protecting the younger boy.
　Is the boy a bit younger than me and Jairo and the others?

Let's just wait and see. If it doesn't look good, stay out of it.

Yeah.

　I know it sounds thin-skinned, but this pirate doesn't have any weapons due to being thrown out to sea in the middle of a storm, so I'm the only one who can fight him.
　It's just a daredevil to get involved in the mess in this situation.

'Don't kill the little bastard!　But I don't care if I lose a limb as long as I live!

Get away from me, you dirty bastard!

　It looks like the person who's attacking the crowd is going after the boy.
　Maybe he's a kidnapper for ransom, or maybe they're using him as a hostage?

Hmm, that's obviously a problem.

　There's definitely some nasty people back there.

Yeah. Do you want to hide in plain sight?

I know.

　That said, it's a subtle aftertaste to abandon someone in this situation where they're about to be kidnapped.
　But it's also true that I don't want to get involved.

In a situation like this, I'm sure Gyro would go to help without even thinking about it.
I wonder if Norbu will try to help too.
Megris will leave him alone if he can't make any money.
What about me what will I do?

'Young!　I'll buy you some time here!　You must flee!

Speak up, you fool!　I can't run away without you!

　While I was troubled by these thoughts, the two men began to ask and answer questions about not running away.

'Don't talk about being spoiled!　The people of Amatsumine Kingdom rest on your shoulders!

d*mn!

　The boy chokes on his words as the escort man reprimands him.

'Come on, go ahead!

I'm sorry!

　A determined boy starts running in the direction of our hiding place.

'He's coming this way,'

Here she comes.

　If he continues to walk past us, the attackers will probably follow, so we can go in the other direction safely.
　In that case, we'd have to abandon these two men, but...

Don't miss!　Aim for the legs!

　And that's when the assailant fired his bow at the boy.

'No!　Young!

d*mn!

　A boy flies sideways and ducks an arrow....

"CAAAAGH!

Wow!

　What a coincidence. The boy ducked and jumped into the bushes where we were hiding.
　Of course, we were crouched down and hiding, but there was no way we could avoid him, and the boy pushed us down.

'Don't rush into me again!

I'm sorry.

Oh, no, you don't have time for that, Miss Mitchell!

What?　What...?

　I looked and saw the guards and the attackers looking at us to see what was going on.

''Oh.....

　Oh, my God, I got caught!
　This is a pretty ugly situation!

And get rid of the witnesses!

　The assailants, who understood the situation, held their arrows towards us again.

''Yaba.''

　Oh, I'm totally caught up in this.
　It's disgusting.

"I don't like it!　Run, you people!

　The boy tells me to run away while he covers me.

'Heh, you're worried about us in this situation,'

　You're such a goody-goody to worry about other people when you're in danger.
　It's just like a bunch of good-natured people.
　

Why do you look so happy about it, Miss?

It's disgusting.

　I ignore the pirate's tsking and hold up my wand.

'Good. I got involved anyway. It's just another fate, isn't it?'

Hey, Miss, run, run...

　The pirates look flustered and cringing, but there's no way they're going to run away in this situation.

Do it!

　All at once, arrows were shot at us.
　But I didn't panic and told the boys.

"Let me give you a little help.

　Just unleash the magic that had already been built up.

''Flame burst!''

　A curtain of fire appeared in front of us, intercepting the arrows released and attacking the assailants who released them directly.

''Guwahhh!''

　The assailants, engulfed in flames, screamed and rolled around.

''Wha, what powerful magic!?''

　The boy, who is still covering me, rolls his eyes and shouts in surprise.
　Phew, that feels kinda good.

Huh!　Withdraw!　Retreat!

　The surviving assailants start to flee in a panic.

'Oh, the pursuers have escaped...'

That's all right, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave.

　I complain to the boy, who is staring at his pursuers, who have escaped in a daze, to get out of the way.

'What?　Oh, I'm sorry!

　When the boy finally remembers what's going on, he stands up and steps back in a hurry.
　His face is reddening, I wonder if he can be a little smug about it?

"Phew.

'Young!　Are you safe!

　As soon as I stand up, the man guarding me comes running up.

"Mm, nothing to worry about.

"Once again, thank you, daughter of a foreign country. My name is Yukino....and you can call me Yuki. And this is Haruomi.

"Thank you for helping our young man.

　The boy named Kouki thanks him, and the guard called Haruomi bows deeply.
　However, it looks like he's still on guard.

　Hmm, by the way, this boy clearly smells like a fake name when he reiterates his own name.
　But as far as I'm concerned, it's better to let it go as far as it goes.

Miss, is it possible that this boy is a pseudonym?

I didn't say anything!

　He silenced the pirate who was about to get into trouble with an elbow shot.

'What's up?'

It's nothing. I'm just tired.

　I dusted the dirt from my clothes and greeted Kouki again.

'Nice to meet you, I'm Mina,'

I'm a gobbler, you know.

　Oh, so that's what this pirate's name is.

"Mina and Goven. I'd like to thank you again. I'd like to invite you to my house and give you a welcome party, but unfortunately, that's not possible with my current situation.

　You've obviously been chased.

'Don't worry about it.

''Not so fast. As a warrior from Tianfeng, we cannot afford to lose our courtesy to our benefactors.

　Hmm, from the looks of it, he's a child of the Knights of the Round Table, isn't he?

'You have your own reasons for not thanking me, don't you?　Then why don't we just pretend we didn't see each other and break up?

　Yeah, I've helped you, but I'd rather not get any deeper than that.
　Otherwise you'd end up like Lex and Gyro.

"That's why I'd like to ask you guys for an escort.

An escort?

　What is this guy saying all of a sudden?
　You don't have any money, do you?

Waka, what are you doing?

　As expected, Haruomi stopped Kouki.

''Haruomi, you have seen the strength of these people, haven't you?　If we are attacked by pursuers again by ourselves, we can't help them. If that is the case, wouldn't it be better to have your uncle provide an escort to the territory he controls?

It's...

　Hey, hey, don't get me started there.

No, no, please don't ignore our situation. We have to go to the port city to meet up with our friends, so we don't have time to be your escorts.

　When I explained our situation and refused, Kouki grinned for some reason.

"Ho, that's convenient. I've been thinking of asking you guys to protect me as far as the port city of Omitsu.

'What?　Really?

　I'm a little surprised at the coincidence that we're all headed to the same place.

Well, if you can get there, you can ask for help from your uncle, who rules the town. It also means that I can pay you back.

You need your uncle to come through for you.

　Now what to do.
　Obviously it's troublesome, and I'd like to leave quickly without getting involved, but it's troublesome that the destination is the same.

　And since the lord of the town we're heading to is my uncle, if I say no to him, it would mean that I'm refusing a request from a nobleman, right?
　I don't want to bring displeasure to the local nobility, but if he's related to a nobleman, there's a possibility that his enemies are also noblemen.
　Either way, it's a tricky one.

"Missus, Missus...

What?

　As I was troubled, Gobun called out to me in a whisper, "Let's just take it.

We're going to the same destination anyway, so you never know when you might see your friends. We're going to the same destination anyway, and we may see our friends at any time. If that's the case, it's better to take into account the fact that you're going to stay for a long period of time, and sell your debt to this little boy.

　Hmm, at first glance you seem to be dazzled by the gratuity, no, I'm actually dazzled, but I'm not saying anything wrong.
　I'm obviously involved in a nasty situation, but if there's a nobleman on our side, it's definitely to our advantage, isn't it?

''Well I understand. So we can just escort them to that port city?

Oh, you'll take it!

　I don't want to take on any more trouble in this foreign country, and that's without everyone else in this situation.
　Still, we need money, and is it true that it's better to have someone on your side who knows the land?

''It's good to see you from now on, Yuki.

　I hold out my hand while daring to call Kouki out.
　The other party seems to be a nobleman, but in this situation, if you talk to him in a poorly spoken respectful manner, it's like telling your pursuers that their prey is here.

Huh?　Ummm!　Take care of me, Mina!

　Then, what makes you happy, Kouki took my hand with a strangely cheerful look on his face.

''Come on!　Let's go to the port city of Omitsu!

Okay.