Clearly defeated, and so it could be said, Duran had experienced two battles.
　The first was just recently.
　I'm not sure I'm going to be the only one who can do that. It's a very one-sided defeat, so one-sided that if you ask me if it was even a fight in the first place, I'll nod my head slightly. There is no doubt that that guy is a monster that stands out from all the other monsters Duran has encountered.
　It was a nightmarish event that robbed Duran of the reason to fight that he needed most. I don't want to meet him again if possible, I can't help but think so.

　And one more thing.
　Duran's first defeat in his life, his opponent is right in front of him.
　A shadow ruler who lives in the Seven Kingdoms.
　The patriarch of an assassination family.
　The only remaining true ancestor (Elder Vampire) of the old demon bloodline and the only true ancestor (Elder Vampire) left in this world - Minaria Raisis Bludia - may have been Duran's first wall.
　It was because of the defeat of the young man that Duran had been a mercenary under her.

''--The beginning of things can be traced back more than two thousand years from now?

　A solemn voice that seemed to pierce the air of the place resounded heavily.
　Even Duran, Nero, and Claudia, even the Beast Kings and the other kings of the Seven Kingdoms, could somehow understand that even Duran, who didn't know the details of the situation, would only be a small cog in the wheel.
　Electionism and the Demon Race.
　It's easy to see that we are standing in the middle of a war that should have ended, and that we are standing in the middle of an extension of that war.

　That's why it was necessary to ask as a prerequisite for receiving the request.
　In order to step into a full-fledged war situation, we needed to step into the foreign body of Minalia, which we had not been able to enter deeply before.

'Within the framework of humanity, it was humans, as we know, who won the battle between the strongest demon race and the weakest - a total war that involved everything in the world to rewrite the order and peace that had barely been maintained.

　Minalia spun the words in a matter-of-fact manner.

'The demon nation that once ruled the eastern part of the continent in the past era was split up and retreated to the southern tip of the continent to escape the sweep of the Holy Land.

''Isn't the hill of sorrow the only place in the south now where all the demons have been wiped out except you?
　Minalia shook her head at Duran's words.

"The former king of the demon tribe - Master Range used a certain power at the moment of his death. That power split the existing continent in two, creating a raging sea and a stormy border in between.

I want the Riku...

You cracked it?

　Can a man do such a thing?
　If it was possible, then it would be an act of God, not man.

''The survivors of the demon race that the Electionists are said to have eradicated were able to escape to the other side of the severed continent.

　He finally understood why the demon and ancient demon clans had disappeared as if they had never existed in this continent where Duran and the others lived.

''You didn't run away?''

I had a job to do - that's why I stayed and built my country.
　Minalia speaks of its great deeds in a matter-of-fact manner.
　The former demon nation that borders the Holy Land has taken two responses. Either they would be reverent or they would resist, one of two things. The northern realm, which was the first to revere, changed its name to a kingdom and grew to be a great power under the protection of the Holy State.
　On the other hand, in the south, there was resistance after resistance, and in the west, many countries were in turmoil, and in the east, the small countries that had been resisting were able to deepen their trade with the kingdoms and allow the election of theocracy, and the country we call Estor today was established.

　In the midst of a violent conflict, only the assassin state of Solace was an anomaly. It is a joke that has never collapsed since its founding, and goes further than the siege of the elective theocracy. A powerful nation that can win by fighting religion and information warfare head on. On the other side, there is the shadow of the ancient demon race called Minaria.

''Well then, Princess-sama is a survivor of the ancient demon race... come to think of it, every time I see her, she says it looks delicious... what a place! You can't just leave me here!　Sir Knight!
　Duran muttered, looking away from a pale Claudia.

'It's the safest place in the Seven Kingdoms, don't worry about it.

I'll care!

Rest assured, my boy. The protection of Princess Claudia von Uzhelm by the trading nation of Sidonis is my reward for my son, and I will not touch him.

That's right, it's the maid's prerogative to receive the Princess's love.

Unless, of course, you wish to see me, in which case, why not?

　Nero and Claudia hid behind Duran's back as if to escape Minalia's gaze, which glowed in red.
　It's a very good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

It's a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what's going on. The first is to keep an eye on the situation on the continent, and the second is to keep an eye on the situation in the time to come. And the other is to create a base of defiance for the time to come.

You mean my commission and Sidonis's coup d'état?

It's not a good sign that the richest country in the seven kingdoms has become an electocracy.

I think I understand the gist of it--but I do have one question.
　As the pieces that had been dislodged fit tightly together and felt like they were coming together, Duran uttered an uncomfortable feeling.　　

'Why is this guy in this place?'

Huh?

　Duran placed his hand on Nero's head, which made his ears twitch as they popped up, and he uttered that.
　In the first place, this place is not a place for unrelated people to enter.
　A mere girl can't be in a place where only the kings and royalty of the seven kingdoms, the outstanding warrior force of Duran, and his immediate family members like Lesia are allowed to step in.

The girl is the boy's guide, nothing more, nothing less - he has a soft spot for women and children.

May. And even if it was, there's more to it than that, right?
　Unintentionally, the hand that was placed on Nero's head is strengthened.

"Unyaah, uncle, be gentle.........more gentle........!　　　

Kakari, the girl is the granddaughter of the Blood Fang. Well, you'll have to hear it from her.

'Hah!　Fu, mmmmmm....
　Duran, who had put even more strength into Minalia's words, slowly let go of the hand he had placed on it as if he had remembered.




　For some reason, Nero was breathing hard and slowly falling apart.






◇





　The sun had gone down, and the light from the magic stones was pouring down on the garden that looked down from the window, creating a deep glow.
　In one of the rooms of the rented castle, Nero and Duran were sitting across from each other. Beside Nero, Claudia, who stubbornly refused to leave his side, saying things like, "I won't leave you again," was sitting beside him.

　In contrast to Claudia, who has a happy smile on her face, I get the impression that Nero is shrinking somewhat awkwardly.
　Duran, for now, slowly turned his eyes to Claudia.

''.........well, what, I'm sorry.''

　It was an awkward, clumsy word.
　But Duran didn't need clever phrases or fanciful sounding words. He could only utter an apology for the fact that Duran had forced him to do so.

''.........I was lonely.......I was sad, I guess......''

　Claudia reaches out her hand.
　A fragile hand is gently placed on Duran's arm, as if chasing a precious treasure.

　At the time of Sydonis' coup, Claudia was only a child of about five years old.
　A young girl was deprived of everything in one night. Her father, her brothers, her home, her place, her royal status, her servants who took care of her, her daily life, her knight who was dedicated to her sword--everything she had was taken away from her inexcusably.
　And originally, even his life was to be taken from him.

I'm not going to be able to get rid of it. If the man who cut me down can be trusted with it...

　Even if it's on a whim, actions come with responsibility.
　Duran ran away from that responsibility.

'The Princess was kind. Lesia always cared for me. But ... but ... still, the knight-sama was my only support, I thought that the knight-sama was the only one who would be my knight ... so ... I was so ... so ... so lonely ...

　He rescued the princess and carried her to safety.
　What a grating excuse.
　If the reality of the reality that he had cut out and misrepresented only the convenient facts, confronted in front of him, he found himself unable to do anything other than be speechless.

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

　She loses everything and runs away from the girl who has found the adult who was supposed to support her and leaves her alone in a strange land.
　He only rescued her for a time and then drove her off again. I can't even begin to imagine how deeply despairing that must have been.

　In the end, it's just complacency. It was as if Claudia had been forced to become more obsessed with Duran than she needed to be because of the whimsy caused by a temporary emotion.
　It was as if the only reality that was in front of her was the reality that had distorted the girl's mind so severely.
　However, Claudia shook her head as if to deny Duran's inner thoughts.

''I was happy, that much will not change. The fact that the knight-sama saved me, and that I am alive now - because I was able to meet the knight-sama like this again.''
　Then Claudia laughed.
　It's a smile like a large flower blooming.

''--I see.''

　A short, but certainly joyful murmur carried through the room, and

'Mmmm!　Don't you two make out!

　Nero's frustration at being so quiet had reached its limit.

'Very well!　I haven't seen you for seven years and sixty-eight days, six hours and forty-five minutes. The child should go to sleep in peace, sir.

'Shut up, shut up!　You're a big enough dick!

'I'm thirteen years old!　We can even make babies!


　Unlike usual, I have the feeling that Nero is somewhat reserved and fussy. I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this in the future. Perhaps he feels guilty about Minalia's words and his actions.

"Are you going to do it?

I'll do it!

　The two stupid kids glaring at each other made Duran want to sigh.
　But right now, there was a more suitable action to take.

''Ahh........ouch.......''

　He lightly pokes them both in the head.

'They're both kids, go to bed today.

Mmm.

I could have meant it differently but no, no, it's not anything...

　He took one look at the two disgruntled men, and then got up with a toboggan and laid them both down on the oversized bunk.
　Before he could turn off the light in the room, Duran turned to Nero.

'Never mind,'

What, Uncle...?

'It's not your fault, at least it's the adults who used you and the old wolf who abandoned you that's worse than you, so don't worry about it.



　Despite the high girl's voice, the words sounded heavy.

'Hey, Uncle.'

He's not an uncle, he's a brother.

Hey, big brother.

What?

Can I spoil you?

That's all I'm going to say.

I just need a little pat on the head.

Huh, just a little bit.
　Then Duran moved his hand.

It's not fair. You have to pet me too!

　Claudia said and held out her sprawled head.
　In the end, Duran had to keep moving both hands until they fell asleep.