The Founder's Festival was also a major festival that has become a popular day for people to celebrate the beginning of the year, even if they don't believe in elective religion.
　In the Holy Land, the whole country celebrates it every year. There is no doubt that it is a joyous day for the eager faithful to celebrate the beginning of a new year by making a pilgrimage to the holy land and visiting the divine city.

　The Holy Land is also putting a lot of effort into this festival.
　The Pope, the Sacred Knights and other Holy Knights, as well as the Sacred Knights, are all in the Divine City, and the national event is a frenzy.

　The influence of this was certainly felt in Clarice. Fortunately, one of the Seven Saints, Saint Ludwald, is in Clarice.
　That's why people are so excited about the fever, and they never stop believing in their own happiness.

　That day was supposed to be the happiest day in the world.

　But no one in the world will ever forget what happened on this day.

　The nightmare day that heralded the return of the old days was now about to begin.







◇






Unnieu, hi!　Let's play Mimi!

Yes, Master Nero--so what can I do for you?

Hmmm, yeah, I'm gonna play the Brave Backgammon.
　Nero, who is unfolding a bizarre board game, talks to me happily.

''Yes, I won't lose~''

　There was one more person in the room of the Hylia Trading Company where Duran and the others lived.
　The dog-beast man with soft, droopy ears was apparently a new maid that Lesia had brought in from nowhere.

　Her name is Mimi.
　Her age is about fifteen sixteen, and she's probably the older sister of Nero and Claudia.
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're going to do with it.

Mimi, where is the third volume of the Tale of the Kingdom?

Oh, yes, just a moment. I'll be right with you.

Mimi, come on, come on.

Mimi, make it quick.

Yes, yes, right away.

　Even though she was an apprentice, Mimi was still struggling well against these two.
　Duran's burden has been greatly reduced in the past few days. It's a far cry from some maid who gets stressed out just by being there.
　I think we should just fire her and have her here.

"Huh?　Master Nero, your tail is a little furry, isn't it?
　As soon as she said that, Mimi approached Nero and crawled her tongue on his tail.

''Fenyah!''
　Nero let out an indescribable exclamation.

'Please hold still, and we'll get you cleaned up in no time.
　Saying that, Mimi grabbed hold of Nero's tail and began to lick it painstakingly.

''Ha, hah, rhyame!　There, uncle, swoon, swoon.
　Nero wriggled and twisted, his ears and tail twitching.

''Oh, and a little bit of the ears too--beastmen are hard to do, they can't groom themselves very well on their own.

All right, all right, all right, nyah!

　Nero's fur was glossy.
　Before he could play, the breathless Nero was easily sunk before he could play.

...
　Nero was all quiet now, which seemed to allow Duran to take his time.

'Mm, well done.'

Hey. Uh, uh, yeah.
　Mimi, who doesn't even know why she was praised, only replies back anyway.
　Duran puts his hand on the girl's head and strokes it.
　As I expected, the drooping dog ears are soft and pleasant to the touch.

''Ah, um........''

I know this is a lot to take in, but keep up the good work.

'Ugh, well I'll do my best for Master Duran!
　The girl's voice is somewhat feverish as she looks up at me, saying that.

''Uncle!''

Sir Knight!

　For some reason, Duran, who had to be denounced by the two men, was silent and closed his eyes as if to escape.
　The calm afternoon passed slowly and the sun was slowly setting.

　And now that night has fallen, Duran prepares himself alone.
　He couldn't take his usual large sword with him. His clothing is simple and black with a concealing effect. He hides all of his face except for his eyes, and has weapons and magic tools hidden all over his body.

''--Fu.''

　I switch my consciousness, which I've spent the last few days in peace. The exhalation faded into darkness, and his eyes slowly narrowed and sharpened as his consciousness sharpened.
　It was time to go to work.

'Let's go.'
　I was going to leave on my own.

Uncle!

Sir Knight!
　Sure enough, they were called off.
　The two girls were standing in front of Duran.
　They were apparently waiting for Duran to come out of the door.

'What's up?'

Safe...

I hope you come home.
　I don't need to be told.
　The kidnapping of a high-level dignitary, for example, wouldn't even count as a shura compared to the time I had to deal with that monster.

"Oh, you'll be quiet.

It's gonna come back to you, I swear it!

Yeah, you listen to Mimi and make sure that all of Minalia's agents are protected.

　Nero and the others shook his hand as if they were reluctant to leave, but they couldn't stay like this forever.
　Shaking off their hands and popping his head once, Duran turned away and walked out into the night alone.

''Is it all right now, sir?''
　Lesia, dressed in her maid's uniform, greets Duran.

'I'm just going to give you the night off, no problem.

I don't mean to sound like a himeshama, but you've grown quite round. The demon who moved from war to war is now like a father struggling to raise his children.

"Well don't waste your time talking about it.

　The speed at which the two of them are driving is far greater than that of ordinary people.
　In fact, although a good number of people have been mobilized for this plan itself, only two people are responsible for its execution. It is an undeniable fact that it is easier for the elite few to move for the people involved.
　The speed of the demon race, Lesia, is easily matched by Duran.

''Well, it's fine, sir. Your arms seem to be rising rather than falling off.

Of course, if you take it from me, you won't have anything left.
　Two shadows were closing in on the Cologne Cathedral, and the next thing he knew, Duran had managed to get close enough to the side to face the outer wall.

'Shall I give you a hand?'

　Lesia spread her bat-like wings and crossed the wall by flying away.
　From a quick glance, I guess it's somewhere around four meters.

''I don't want it.''

　To prevent the magic power from leaking out as much as possible, Duran concocts a power with just the inside of his body.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this as well.

It's as human as ever, sir.

I don't like to hear that from a guy who quit his job as a human being.

　He doesn't stop to talk lightly.

'Quite a few people, huh?'

Tomorrow is the Founder's Day. The security is divided across the country, and we don't have enough hands to do everything. Besides, we have a few of our own men on board, so it's only natural that they'll be able to easily break in.

That's a lot of monkeys.

That's the way security works in this country. However, there are still a few skilled guards in this country. They are under the direct control of the Seven Saints.

Can you avoid a fight?
　Despite the words, a fierce smile appeared on Duran's mouth.

''It's finally Honcho, isn't it? I'm expecting you, Duranshama.







◇






　As soon as Duran and his men began to move, another battle was about to be waged.
　There was only one army approaching.
　But with only one, their strength was ridiculously in the tens or hundreds of thousands.
　The strongest knight is one corner.
　Illumina, the Black Knight, smiles fiercely in the skies of the assassination state of Solaras.

''So this is Solace?''

　Illumina floats in the sky as a matter of course.
　She wore a black magical feathered robe and flew through the air carrying a sword.
　Solaras was a messy creation even at first glance. Not only is it intricate, but you can feel the strange magical power planted in various places.

And where is the master?　It's usually a castle.

　As soon as he says that, he draws his sword.
　As it is, it flashes into the atmosphere with something as a target.

　A moment after the sword is swung out, an unbelievable sight is seen.
　The top of the castle had slipped away.
　With a sound like a rumbling of the earth, a huge severed stone cave crumbles, sending up a cloud of dust. A moment before the structure, which was originally a castle, turned its fangs mercilessly and was about to pour down to crush the people - a bloody red pillar rose into the sky.

'Kakkake.'

　Amidst the roar, the one thing that rang out stronger than anything else was a light laugh.
　The red pillar, instead of supporting the pouring earth, quickly swallowed up the wreckage of the building, as if the castle had never existed in the first place.

It's quite a fancy greeting - it's been a long time since I've been this unthinking.

　Pushing aside all the confused people's angry shouts and echoing screams, there was only one girl's voice that echoed.

''-- Haha I didn't expect you to come out like this.

　Ilmina directs the magic power clothed in her sword to the girl floating in the sky.
　In fact, it was my intention to drive not only the castle but also the capital city itself to the point where it was half destroyed, but I didn't expect the demons of the seven kingdoms that had been shut-in for years to come out so easily.

It's not so much about hiding as it is about hiding.

Are you begging for your life?
　He says so with his mouth, but even Illumina doesn't really mean it.
　In fact, if you don't keep a little bit of strength in your mouth, you'll feel an overwhelming pressure that will make you lose the will to even fight.

　This is what you call a real demon race.
　This is the reason why Illumina was created. Seeing this, a smile appears on your lips without you even realizing it.

It's a good thing that you're not the only one. It's fun to do a little bit of research on the city.

Ha, you're gonna regret that choice in hell!

　The dark-colored slashes that were swept through three times in a single breath, along with the spirit of the cleaver. Each one of them is even mightier than the one that cut the castle in two.

Avoid?　Avoid it, and I'll say goodbye to your country, okay?

　In addition, as long as the chief of this demon tribe has come out, he must have a conscious desire to protect this place.
　There is no place of escape.
　An attack that ruthlessly and mercilessly forces you to choose between the two. It is that moment when a blow sufficient to reliably kill the prey collides.
　For a moment, just a moment, something shook Irmina's consciousness.

''Nah--''

　In the next moment, the scene I saw was truly extraordinary.
　The red moon in the sky.
　An endless wilderness.
　For some reason, the two people who should have been in the sky above the city were standing in a place where they didn't know where they were.

''What, mass-produced products don't know about area-based skills?

　Minalia waved her claws in the air as many times as she had swordshots.
　The three red slashes and black sword flashes collided, and a tremendous explosion sound spread around the area.

''Hey, you........how much do you know?

Let him talk and see if he wants to.

　Then the girl showed a brutal smile on her mouth.