Ugh....
'There you are!　Temma!

　When I came to my senses, Grandpa's face appeared in front of me and he started touching every part of me.

'Tickle me, Grandpa!
That's it!　From what I can see and feel, there are no serious injuries.

　After checking on my injuries, Grandpa helped me up from my sleeping position as if he were caring for me and sat me down on the bed. I thought I could do that much without help, but due to the effects of the battle with Rich, I couldn't put as much effort into it as I would have liked.

'Speaking of which, Rich!

　I remembered the part where Rich's torso was shattered, but I hadn't actually seen it shattered up close, so I thought that maybe it was a mimicry to make me think it was dead.

'Hmm. Jeanne told me that she had seen Rich's body, but as far as I could tell, he was dead. At the very least, I don't think that the wreckage will ever come to life. It's just that....

　I was worried that my grandfather had stammered on, so I waited for him to continue.

I didn't find the Demon Core.

　The fact that we couldn't find the nucleus of evil means that there's a chance that Rich is still alive.

It's more than likely that Rich's magical core was unable to withstand the magic of Tenma and shattered like his bones. The magic of the Temma...what's that called?

You mean "Takemikazuchi"?

That's right. That's right. The Takemikazuchi is just as unstandard as the Tempest and Earthquake. It's so powerful that it could be called a man-made natural disaster. It's not surprising that a blow like that could crush the entire nucleus of evil.

　The instantaneous power of Takemikazuchi is much higher than the other two, so it's not surprising that the magic nucleus disappears without a trace. However, I am sure that I am somewhat unconvinced.

There is no way to know for sure, so it's not something to think about. We have no way to know for sure, so it's best to rest ourselves for now.

　With that, Grandpa left the carriage. It was then that I looked around, but I seemed to be the only one left in the carriage.

''It's lazy...''

　After my grandpa was gone, I suddenly felt sluggish and collapsed into bed and lay down.

(Then again, was that Rich really dead?)

　It's true that I succeeded in hitting the most powerful magic available at that time in a near-perfect manner, but I was still concerned that I couldn't find the magic core. That's probably one of the reasons why I fought Rich for the first time and also because Rich was many times stronger than I had imagined.

(There's a lot to think about, but I guess I'll have to get my body back on track like Grandpa said...)

　If Rich was alive, as I feared, and he came to take revenge in his current state, I was worried that Grandpa would be the only one who could counter him with magic. It's not that Grandpa and everyone else is lacking in power, but I'm afraid that Rich's magic (trap) that set up everyone except Jeanne is unknown.

(It's hard to say that all I can do right now is rest.)

　It was the first time I had ever been worried about when I would be attacked, but I couldn't count myself as a force to be reckoned with. My body was tired despite the agony of such anguish, so I was asleep before I knew it.


''Whew!''

　Suddenly, a strange scream echoed in the carriage, and I woke up when I heard it. I moved my face to look for the owner of the voice, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Aura, who was on her buttocks.
　That Aura is now on her buttocks and her eyes meet mine and she is frozen in place. Next to Aura, Jeanne was looking up at the heavens.

''Ehhhhh.......are you okay?''
'Aura would you rather be in your head?'

　The two of them must have come to check on me. As proof, Jeanne had a tub of water and a towel in her hand... I'm really glad it wasn't Aura who was holding it.

'How long has it been since then?'
'Well it's been roughly three to four hours since the fight with Rich ended?
'That's how long it's been?　It looks like it's a lot brighter out there?

　Light was coming into the carriage through a gap in the curtains, and from the brightness of the light, I thought the sun was rising, but I guess I was wrong. Jeanne said that they had increased the number of bonfires so that they could spot the enemy faster than the risk of being discovered by them. And the fort has already been moved because of the danger of the possibility that Rich is setting a trap.

'According to Master Merlin, this is a place more than ten kilometers away from that fort.

　The guards have all joined in, and furthermore, they've sent out most of the golems they've left in Slarin's care to keep the surroundings alert. They said they came to check on me between breaks. And they said that Aura had messed up.

'So, did something funny happen?'

'No. Occasionally a wolf or something will come close, but the golem will just run away when it gets close, and so far we haven't had any major problems.

　They all seem to be exhausted because they're more uptight than usual, but they're all more enthusiastic than usual. Among other things, Grandpa is said to have been very depressed while I was asleep, saying that he didn't notice Rich even though he was called 'the wise man', but after I regained consciousness, he's become more and more afraid of the way he's riding his spunk. I heard that Grandpa is now actively joining the golems in being vigilant about the area. However, he seems to be so overzealous that his eyes are bleary, and he's been mistaken for a demon three times. By the way, the people who mistook him for a demon were Leon, Chris and Amur. He said he didn't attack his grandfather, but he said it was as powerful as that.

The sun will be coming up in a few hours, so we'll stay here to defend ourselves until then, and after it gets light, we'll proceed to the next town at once.

　The next destination is 'Russell City', the closest city to Kukri Village. There should still be people there who know my grandfather well and are familiar with the incident that happened in Kukri village. So they are going to report Rich's presence and battle in Russell City, and the possibility that he is still alive. I was originally going to stop by Russell City, so I'm just a few days ahead of schedule.

I think I can do the minimum amount of work, so if anything comes up, let me know.
Yeah, I get it.

　Jeanne said and placed the towel and tub in front of me. She said she understood, but it was in a lightly mocking way, so she probably wouldn't let me know until the last minute if anything was wrong.
'Aura,'
Yes?
　I called Aura while Jeanne was away and gave her a top-secret order (........) to call her if there was anything wrong.
　Aura was puzzled by the order, but I made her obey it in a slightly threatening way, saying things like 'Who is Aura's master?' and 'If you can't obey the order, you'll have to consult Aina'. Most of all, I don't think it's possible that he was in that much danger and didn't realize it, but it's an insurance policy for not being in perfect condition.

'What did you tell him?'
'Huh?　No, I mean....

I asked Aura to calm Grandpa down.

　Jeanne was suspicious of Aura's behavior, so when I used the excuse I had been thinking of, Jeanne immediately assured me that she couldn't do it. But when I told her that if she did something stupid like she always does, she might get disgusted and go back to normal, this time she looked serious and thoughtful.

'I didn't do that, though!

　Aura was in denial, but Jeanne glanced at Aura and then sighed. I'm sorry, but it's a form of exploiting everyone's image of Aura. Well, 'as usual' is an exaggeration, but it's true that she often does stupid things and screw ups and gets angry at Aina, and even if she doesn't, I have the impression that Aura often does stupid things.

''Well, I wouldn't have a hard time if Aura's screw ups were enough to make Merlin-sama go back to normal.......Aura, do you want to try it?''
Do you want to try it?　And there's no way you can screw up!

"Jeanne, Aura what are you doing?
Skipping out?

　As I watched them ramble on, Chris noticed the commotion and quietly opened the door and grabbed them by the neck. Behind them stood Amour, who also had a disgruntled expression on his face.

''No, um ... Aura's a bit ...''
I'm innocent!

　Jeanne sold Aura, but it didn't seem to work for Chris, and she looks more painful than before as her grip on her neck has increased.

'Jeanne it's always the case that Aura does it.
'Amur is right. It's your role, your partner, to follow up on Aura's screw-ups. What's the point of making a fuss about it together?

　Chris and Amour said, and with a look of dismay, led them out.

'Ah!'

　But then, only Amur came back.
　For a moment, he said, 'What's your prank?' I suspected that there was a good reason for this, but since Amour has grown as a woman since joining up with Leni, there must be a good reason for this.

'Temma, this,'

　Amur pulled out of his bag what looked like a black stick.



　A closer look at the stick revealed that it was Kogarasumaru, the one who had pierced Rich before using the 'Takemikazuchi'.

''Hmm. I retrieved it.

　He and Rich had been hit by a direct hit from the Takemikazuchi, soot and other stains on their swords. In addition, the impact of the Takemikazuchi had caused the hilt and the sword to disappear. To be honest, it's a wonder that the sword blade remains intact.

''Thank you........Amur?''

　As he reached out to take Kogarasmaru, Amur pulled him back just before he did.

'Temma, do you promise to put Kogarasumaru in the bag right away?'

What?

'I have a feeling that since it's Temma, he'll start taking care of Kogasumaru, saying he's free. That would delay my recovery.

　If Amur was right, and I had received Kogarasumaru without being told what to do, I would have definitely started grooming him first.
　Wouldn't Amur's concern about such a thing demand something from me, even for a moment?　I was ashamed of myself for suspecting it.

'Thanks for your concern, Amur. But as it is, Amur is right, I'm worried about Kogarasmaru, so can you leave him with Grandpa or Slarin?

Okay. I think it's better that way.

　When Amur heard my words, he nodded and tucked Kogarasuma into his bag.

'Also, tell them to take a proper break and then hand these out to everyone. I'm sure Jeanne or Aura has the tea, so just tell them and they'll get it for you.

　Having said that, I gave Amur a piece of candy that I always keep in my bag. Taking a break while eating something sweet would calm my grandpa down somewhat.

''I'm in charge!　...Can I have one first?

　I nodded, and Amour threw one cookie into his mouth, then walked out with the candy.
　A little while after Amour left, I heard a bright voice from outside, so I guess it was somewhat of a change of pace.


'Ah!　Temma, I'm up.
How are you doing?

　The next time I woke up, Amour, who was next to the bed, was the first to notice me, followed by Chris, who asked me how I was doing. He seemed to be moving quite fast, as the carriage was shaking and bouncing a lot from time to time.

'He's not feeling all right, but he seems to be getting much better.

　I checked my body by rolling my shoulders and other things, and although I felt sluggish and weary, I felt more comfortable than before I went to bed.



　Chris is probably just as concerned about the fact that he was useless as Grandpa was.

'That Rich looks like a substandard demon, and we're all safe, so we don't have to worry about it.

　I was about to call out to Chris and get out of bed when he grabbed me by the shoulders. Mr. Chris was about to put me on the bed, but when he realized that I needed to go to the bathroom, he hurriedly moved his hand away. But

Watch out!

　Let's go to the bathroom!　And just as I stood up and took a step forward, the carriage bounced at the right moment and I lost my balance. The moment I lost my balance, Chris-san and Amour supported me by holding my sides.

'Temma-kun, you're not ready at that rate I'll give you a shoulder to lean on.

　With that, Chris helped me to go to the bathroom, lending me his shoulder. On the other side, Amour did the same.
　I tried my best to resist, saying it was embarrassing, but in my current state, I couldn't resist them, and the door to the bathroom (unit bath) was getting closer and closer. There was no way he was going to stay with her while she did her business, but being cared for by a young woman at his age was a lot of things that were hard.

I'll change, Amour, I'll change. I feel sorry for Temma.

　Cain, who had been asleep due to the commotion when he resisted, woke up and decided to stay with me instead of the two of us. It's still a care-like thing, but just changing that person from the opposite s*x to the same s*x calmed me down a lot.

'Cain, please!'
Okay, okay, I'm on it.

　I clearly named Cain, so Chris-san and Amur handed over their caregiving duties and went back to their original seats. I couldn't see Amur's face at that time, but Chris-san looked somewhat disappointed.

'Temma your chastity crisis is over.

　As soon as Cain closed the bathroom door, he said something like that in a whisper. I was thinking the same thing, but I also wanted there to be at least half a chance that it was because I was genuinely worried, so I could only return a bitter smile to Cain.

'While you're at it, you should wipe yourself down.

　Cain had prepared a tub of hot water and a hand towel for me after I finished using the bathroom. As I was told, I sat down on a chair by the tub and wiped myself down.

Temma, I'm afraid the entire Kukri village will be sealed off as a danger zone. Of course, if the investigation is completed and it is determined that there is no danger, then it will be lifted, but since the full extent of the 'Grand Old Man's Forest' is still unknown, we don't know when it will be lifted.

　We started talking about such things. I say maybe, but I'm sure this is something we've talked about with Albert and the next frontier count, Leon, so it's up to the frontier count to decide, but as it stands, it can be seen as a decision.

And about Rich, I think a gag order will be imposed. There is a demon that cornered the martial arts competition winner Temma to the very edge, and we can't spread the word on a general level that his life and death are unknown or that there is a possibility that there are other similar demons as well.

　The detailed information would only be shared with the king, the upper echelons of the military, and a few of the higher nobles, and to the lower nobles and officials, it would be edited into information that would be convenient for the country and passed on.

''Please, Temma, don't let the information be passed around blindly, either.

　Although the way he says it is using the word 'please', it is safe to assume that it is practically a nobleman's order.

I'm going to follow the decision of the king and the frontier lord.

　There are some things I don't agree with, but I don't want to confuse the frontier county territory by blowing it up poorly. When I agreed, Cain's mood softened.

''I'll tell Rion what Temma thinks from my end. He seemed to be having a lot of trouble figuring out how to ask Tenma for help.

　Rion wondered how he should cut me off, and then he decided to postpone the conversation, and now he's playing the role of grandpa.

Amur and the others told Merlin-sama and Jeanne that it was up to Tenma, and Chris-senpai said it was up to His Majesty, so the stress on Rion must have been very great. But now that Tenma is convinced, the majority of them will be on our side, so maybe this will make it a little easier for Rion.

　Cain talks about Rion in a joking way as usual, but I guess he was worried about her because she was still his best friend.
　Spending time like that.

Cain, Temma, how much longer?　I need to use the bathroom too.

　Albert called out to me as he knocked on the door.

'Sorry, I was just wiping myself off in the meantime. I was wiping myself off while I was at it, so it took me a while.

　I quickly dressed and went outside to find Albert waiting for me at the door.

'I'm sorry to have rushed you,'

　I handed over the bath unit to Albert and returned to bed, supported by Cain, and Jeanne and the others were up too.

'Temma, do you want some porridge?'

　Jeanne was about to prepare some porridge, but I had no appetite, so I just asked for water and sat down on the bed.


''Yes, water........are you okay?''

Well, you know...

　As soon as I sit down on the bed, Slarin and his friends come rushing in. Slarin reaches out with his tentacles and rubs my shoulders and back like he's massaging me, while Shiroumar and Solomon rest their chins on one of my thighs. Even though they are smaller with the collar, they are still quite cramped when they are both at the same time, but they don't seem to be willing to give up on each other, so they force themselves on.

'All three of them were worried about Temma, you know. So, what about Gol and Jill?

As usual, I'm holed up in my bag and working inside. Probably doesn't know about Rich or that I've been down.

　This is not because they are heartless, I think they just don't really notice it. It's a very good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for when you go out of the bag, and even if you do, it's mostly inside the house. It is impossible for such two animals to go out to the camp, so I can't help but think about them.

I'm happy that the two of them are working hard at their jobs, though.

　It was Cain who came into the conversation with Jeanne. The reason I'm happy is because the more yarn that is made, the more likely it is to go to Cain. The more yarn that is made by the two of them, the more they can pull, and the more yarn I didn't use, the more I sometimes share with someone close to me. And Cain says it's almost his turn to get his own. By the way, I don't know what order they are waiting for. But since Maria-sama is involved in the management of the order, no one has complained about how long they have to wait, and there has been no trouble.

'Not the high quality of the two animals standard, but the lesser yarns are generally super high quality, so let's do that one, shall we?

　The high quality of the two fish standard is at the national treasure (but not surprisingly) level, medium quality is generally rated as super high quality, and low quality is rated as high quality. And below high quality yarns are produced in larger quantities than high quality, and there's enough inventory to give to Cain. However.

'I won't. I want high quality yarn anyway, and if I get another yarn here, I might get skipped a turn.

　That was the case. Certainly, that's a possibility. Even if the two yarns were of medium quality, they would likely fetch quite a bit of money if they were put on the market, and Maria-sama would at least say that even if they were of medium quality, a yarn is a yarn, and skip Cain's turn.

'Sure, that's a safe bet.

　As he and Cain laughed at each other, he felt the carriage slow down.

'Oi. Russell City is in sight.

　Hearing Leon's voice, I opened the window and looked out and saw a familiar city up ahead.
　It had been almost six years since I had been to Russell City since I came to the rescue during the Dragon Zombies, so it had been almost six years since I'd been there. However, this was the first time he had visited in a proper procedure, as he had jumped straight into the guild last time and returned immediately after submitting his request.

''Well, if I don't get some of my physical condition back, it's unlikely I'll be able to do anything about it.

　I decided to spend the night at the inn for the time being.