When we heard from the priest that Yukinojo-san had been attacked, we hurried back to the village.

　We met unexpected people at a mansion in the back of the village.



Liliela!　And Mr. Megli and Mr. Norbu!



　Yes, it was Liliela and the others who had been separated by the storm!



"Long time no see, Mr. Lex. I saw a boat floating outside of town and thought it might be you, but it turns out it was Lex."



"Hi."



"Long time no see, Mr. Lex, Ms. Mina!"



　Liliela, Megli, Norbu and the others greeted us calmly.

　Apparently, they saw the former pirate ship I had converted and thought I might be here.

　I knew I was right to use that ship as a landmark!

　Now all that's left is you, Gyro!



"Cue!"



　While I was being moved by the nostalgia, Mohammed tapped Mr. Norbu's leg.



"Ah, yes. It's been a while. Mr. Mohamofu!"



"Cue!"



　Mr. Norbu greets him and Mohamofu nods in satisfaction.

　Ha-ha-ha, you were angry because you felt left out, weren't you?



It's been a long time.



"Mina is looking well."



　Seeing each other again after a long time brings a smile to everyone's face.



"But why are you all here?"



　Even if you've been chasing ex-pirate ships, you're still in the middle of nowhere.

　I think the first place everyone who made it safely ashore from the storm would go would be to a town or village by the sea.



"Oh, I was just about to tell you about that. "Oh, I was just about to tell you about that... to these people.



　Liliela pointed at Yukinojo and the stranger who was nodding his head.



"Well, who are you?



　I tilt my head and ask him, and he says, "Oh!



"Well, I haven't said hello to you guys yet.



　He stood up and introduced himself.



I am the emperor of this country. I am the emperor of this country. I'm grateful for all the help you've given me.



"Uncle, you are the emperor of this land?



　This is the emperor?　He entrusts his government to a general and performs rituals to protect the country?



"Wow, he doesn't look that great at all."



"He's just a dirty old man in a workshop.



"Hey, Megli, you can't tell the truth!"



"No, it's worse that way, isn't it?"



　I wasn't the only one who was surprised, and everyone else couldn't help but express their thoughts on seeing the emperor.



"Ha-ha-ha, no way!　I ain't no emperor, either, you know!"



　Fortunately, the emperor seemed to be a friendly person and laughed at our rude remarks and forgave us.



"Haha ...... sorry."



"Don't worry about it. But we don't have time for idle chit-chat. Let's tell each other what we know.



"Ah, yes."



　After another round of greetings, we sit down and begin to greet each other.

　For some reason Yukinojo remained in a daze, so the emperor introduced him as the general's son instead.



　We then explained to each other what had happened during the time we had been apart.

　I explained that Mina had saved Yukinojo and that the first retainer had betrayed him and Yukinojo had come to this village to undergo a ceremony to assume his name as the next Shogun.



"So, I was killing the monsters that were rampaging near this village, and that's how I met Mohamofu again.



"Cu, cu, cu!"



　Mohammed nodded excitedly in agreement.

　He must have missed us.

　That's okay, I won't miss you anymore.

　I pick him up and pat him on the head to tell him it's okay now.



"Cuuuuuuuuuuh!"



　Then Mohamofu opens his eyes wide and shakes his body ......

　Choro choro choro~!



"Ah."



　Fluffy peed her pants with a flaccid look on her face.

　It seems that he was very nervous to live alone in the forest.




　We'll have to keep close skin-to-skin contact for a while.



　Then the emperor told us what had happened while we were away from the village.



"So we found out that Haruomi was working with a demon."



"What!"



　Yukinojo's shoulders trembled when he was told that Haruomi was in league with a demon.

　I see, that's what happened when I thought I couldn't see Haruomi-san.



"But I'm at a loss. But I'm so surprised that you allowed the demons to enter even though the place was warded to prevent them from getting in. And they even took the key to the magic item."



　The emperor scratched his head roughly, saying he was pathetic.

　He seems to be very disappointed that his precious key was taken away from him.



Then we're next.



　To change the subject, Lilieira and the others began to talk about what had happened so far.



"Me and Megli and I were looking for people in this country, doing things like merchant escorts and bounty hunters, and on the way we saved a nobleman from being attacked by bandits."



"A nobleman?"



Yes, he called himself the country's first patriarch.



　Huh?　I'm pretty sure that the first elder is ......



"Are you the handiwork of Yamazakura Koji?



　Then Yukinojo, who had been stunned by the word "chief retainer," came back to life.

　Yes, yes, that was his name, wasn't it?

　I believe he is the one who killed the Shogun and is after Yukinojo.

　I'm surprised that Liliela and the others were in contact with such a person.



"You want my life too!"



　Yukinojo-san jumps back and draws his sword, holding it with a devilish expression on his face.



"Calm down! We saved your life.



It's probably just a trap to catch me off guard!"



　Liliera-san says she is not an enemy, but Yukinojo-san, who has been attacked by his pursuers for so long, can't seem to believe her.

　We know that Liliela and the others would never do such a thing, but we are still curious as to the reason why they have joined the side of the first patriarch.



"Calm down Yukinojo! If they wanted to kill you they would have teamed up with those demons and attacked us.



"Well, that's ......"



　Yukinojo-san was excited like that, but when the emperor rebuked him, he slightly lowered his tip.



"I'm sorry, miss. Will you tell me the rest of the story?



"Thank God we have someone cool to talk to."



　At the emperor's urging, Lilieira begins to tell the rest of the story.



"You said that you were being targeted, but according to Mr. Yamazakurakoji, the first retainer, it seems to be a misunderstanding.



"Misunderstanding?　You attacked me?



　Yukinojo-san again shows his anger at being told that it is a misunderstanding after being attacked for so long, but Mina rebukes him.



Yukinojo is angry again, but Mina rebukes him, "Calm down. You should hear the whole story before you make a decision.



"Mmm, mmm. ...... okay."



"Okay, I'll continue. As I said before, Mr. Yamazakurakoji was being attacked by bandits when we passed by. But they were assassins disguised as bandits.



"Assassins?"



"Yes. I've been a shadow warrior, and I know the difference between a real bandit and an assassin disguised as a bandit."



　Megli-san, based on his own experience, assures us that the bandits were in fact assassins.



"Wait a minute!　Yamazakura Koji was attacked by assassins!　What does that mean?　He was the one who attacked me!



"Mr. Yamazakura Koji wanted to thank us for saving his life and invited us to his house. He offered us a job. He asked us to guard the next general of this country, a man named Yoren Yukinojo.



"My bodyguard?



　Yukinojo-san panics when he hears that the person he thought was his enemy has been attacked by assassins, and that they have asked him to protect them.

　Even we, outsiders, are confused, so Yukinojo-san, the one who is involved in the commotion, is even more puzzled.



"That old man said so. The bandits who attacked the Shogun want the key to take over as Shogun of this country. Only the Shogun and the Emperor know what it is. If you're running without your chief retainer, it's likely that the bandit is someone you trust more than you do. And they said that they were going to divide you and Oji-san, and take the key from you at the moment of the Shogun's succession."



　Megli-san tells Yukinojo-san that the real culprits targeting Yukinojo-san are his relatives.

　And Yukinojojo is the only one who has survived so far.

　That means Haruomi.



"Don't tell me that Haruomi was responsible for the assassins who attacked me?



　Yukinojo shouted in disbelief, or rather, he didn't want to believe it.

　But if Haruomi was working with the demon, it must be true.



"Mr. Yamazakurakoji said that he wanted to go and help them, but the assassins were too strong and they were too busy protecting themselves. He said he sent some of his best guards, but they were all attacked before they could join him."



"So he asked us to escort you after we easily defeated the assassins."



"So we came to this village and you were being attacked by a demon.






　With that, Lilieira and her colleagues finished their explanation.



"I see, that's great that you came at the right time.



　Mina sighed lightly at the fact that we were able to meet up with them just in time.

　Haruomi must have been waiting for an opportunity to get away from Yukinojo.

　He attacked Yukinojo-san at the moment we left the village to kill the demons.



"I think the reason the demon was able to enter the village was that Haruomi-san guided it with some magic item.



　Maybe that's the right answer.

　No matter how strong the wards are, there is no way to break them once inside.

　If Lilieira and the others had not arrived in time, we would have been in real trouble.



By the way, what about Nolbu?



　After the conversation was over, Mina asked why Mr. Norbu came here.



"Oh, yes. I arrived at a town by the sea, so I decided to leave the rescued pirates to the town guards and search for the others. I was moving along the road gathering information and saving the wounded and the sick."



　Well, that's very typical of Norbu, a monk. Gathering information while helping people is a good way of doing it.



"As I continued to heal people in this way, my name became well known, and the feudal lord who governed this clan asked me to heal his daughter.



"""Your daughter's treatment?"""



　Then, for some reason, Mina and the others tilted their heads in unison.



"What?　Uh, yes. Yes, but..."



　For some reason, the women are gathering around and whispering, but what's going on?



"Daughter, huh?"



It kind of reminds me of someone.



"Well, where is that idiot wandering around?"



"Well, um, so as a reward for saving the feudal lord's daughter, I was asked to help him find you all, and he asked me to heal the many wounded in this village that he governs due to attacks by a pack of demons."



　Ah, you mean the demons we defeated.

　Thanks to that demon, we were able to meet up with Mohammed, and maybe that pack of demons brought us luck.



That's why you came to this village.



That's what I mean.



I never expected people to gather so conveniently.



One of them hasn't joined us yet.



　Oh, by the way, Mr. Gyro hasn't joined us yet.

　I wonder where he is now.



　Gyros.



Well, then, princess.



　After defeating a demon that was after the princess of a certain castle, I was on my way out of the castle to meet up with my brothers.

　But the princess hugged me on my back and begged me not to go.



"Wait, Gyro-sama!　Please will you remain in this castle?　The lone hero of this country, Gyro-sama, who single-handedly vanquished that dreadful monster. I want you to be my vassal, no, I want you to live with me!"



　I gently pat the princess on the head and tell her in as gentle a tone as possible.



"I'm sorry. I have friends. I can't stay here."



　And now that I have information that will lead me to my brothers, I can't just sit back and relax.

　If we don't get there soon, we might end up somewhere else.



Oh, no. ......



"Don't worry. No bad guys are going to attack you anymore. If anyone does, I'll beat the hell out of him again!



Will you protect me again?



"Yes, I'll take care of it!"



　After patting her on the head, the princess finally seemed convinced and gently removed her hand.



"I'm sure I can't monopolize you. I am sorry to keep you, Mr. Gyro.



"Well then, Naohime-san!"



"Ugh. ...... take care, Gyro-sama. ......"



　I left the castle and proceeded through the castle town to the next town.



Mr. Gyros!



I'm Gyros, the Hexenbiest Killer!



"It's Gyro, the one who single-handedly turned back a thousand demons!"



　As I walked through the town, people I knew called out to me from everywhere.

　The people I had saved during my stay in this town came out to see me.

　I mean, a thousand is a bit much.



"Where are you going with all that stuff, Mr. Gyros?"



　a woman at a teahouse I knew asked me, rolling her eyes at me as I walked with my luggage on my back.



"Oh, I've already defeated the d*mn demon that's after the princess, I'd better get back on the road!



"Oh, no!　Don't go, Mr. Gyro!"






"Yes, why don't you live here!"



"Everyone in this town was saved by you. No one cares if you're an alien!



　When they hear I'm going back on the road, they keep me around.

　Heh, it's not a bad feeling either.

　But I still have a lot of work to do.

　I have to join up with my friends, complete the requests, become an S-rank adventurer, and catch up with my brother!



"Sorry!　I've got some work to do!　See you all!



""""Gyro-sama~! """"



　Everyone is seeing me off with tears in their eyes.

　I can't believe people in this town are so tearful.

　It's making me sad, too.



"...... How can you save so many girls in just a few days, this boy?"



　Somehow the pirate who had become his henchman let out a sigh as he said that.



"I mean, don't do it, kid."



　◆



"Now I feel like that idiot doesn't need to come back."



"What?　What is it, all of a sudden?"



　Suddenly Mina said something strange and startled me.

　Is she too worried about Mr. Gyro?