There is something wrong with this country.
　Ever since she was a child, Haruka has felt this way.

　The environment that surrounds the Land of Harmony is so harsh that the country is essentially unsustainable.
　So it's fine for everyone to be desperate to live. But everyone feels proud of the sacrifices made in the process.
　It's not just the fact that it's a good idea to be a warrior, it's also the fact that it's a good idea for a warrior to go to the battlefield. You talk about your military achievements that you don't want to hear about, and you deceive death as if it were something wonderful.

　What is a warrior without fighting?
　What is a warrior without shedding blood?

　Harka laughs coldly.
　If you say that, then what is a warrior family without defending the people?
　I'm sure your ancestors must have thought so.

　Everyone rightly choked on the civil servant who saved more lives than wielded a sword on the battlefield.
　There is nothing stranger than a person who can't count the number of lives he has saved coming to power.

　This country that wielded meaningless theories about history and tradition and prided itself on the sacrifices it had incurred, looked crazy in Haruka's eyes.　

''Hmm, well, it can't be helped~. Princess miko, hey--yeah, I'll do it--

　Haruka, who was born into a warrior family and was blessed with more magical talent than most people, was recommended from within and without to become a princess maiden.
　Everyone talked about it as if it was natural, as if it was an honor, as if it was something to be proud of.

　-- but I didn't really want to do it.

　Who would want to run for a role that could be sacrificed willingly and protect a faceless people?
　If I don't do it, someone else will do it for me.
　I wanted to say that and run away.

　But such someone is inferior to Haruka.
　If someone like that were to get hurt instead, they would probably end up getting hurt badly too.
　That's why, out of spite, Haruka became a princess maiden.

　Something is wrong with the Wa no Kuni.
　Even if it is to activate the divine prayer formula, they worship a girl who has not even reached ten, gather faith, and install her as an authority figure.　
　The adults who willingly force such a girl to do hard work.
　The girl who is proud of it and the people who have faith in her.
　Haruka has always wondered if the legacy left behind by the heroes has now become a tool of a distorted system of governance.

(I'm always halfway there........)

　I am by nature a cowardly, self-defeating, weak, quick to run away.

　No fighting is better than no fighting.
　It's better not to fight.
　It's better not to fight.

　It is better to sip tea than to shed blood.

　Why can't people understand such an obvious thing?
　It's as if Harka doesn't understand it.

　A crazy country and a crazy people.
　Still, this is Harka's home.
　Because even if you don't like the country, even if you don't like the people, you can't hate them, even those closest to you.
　Reluctantly, Haruka climbs.

　Because no one, no one is going to help her.

　Haruka just dragged her maiden's clothes and climbed onto the stage.

　　






◇






　The first time I saw the person - or, to be more precise, felt the magical power he emitted, I had the illusion that day and night were reversed head on.
　A wave of magical power so dense, dark, and yet warm that it seemed to cover the land of harmony.
　It appeared without warning, and Haruka even wondered if it was a harbinger of a natural disaster.

　Even Erin-sama couldn't have been this much bullshit.
　Even the monsters of the three worlds weren't bullshit to this extent.

(-- This is the real thing...............

　A different dimension, something.
　Something that she couldn't even guess, something that she couldn't even guess.
　Unbridled awe and irrepressible anticipation made Haruka's entire body tremble.
　Haruka couldn't help but feel the second coming of an ancient legend.

(If this - if this was truly the second coming of a hero, then she must be on her side, no matter what means are used.)

　Yes, by any means necessary--


"Hmmm....

　The slight steam left in the changing room entered my blurred vision.
　A shadow crept into my vague consciousness.
　Even with my dim vision, I knew at a glance who the person right beside me was.
　I was forced to understand.

'You're up.'

　A clear tone enters my ears.
　Such a voice invited me to raise my body and there she was.

　Her black hair, as beautiful and clear as a fantasy, was wet. A small face wrapped by jet-black hair that grew deeper and deeper with moisture. Its form was so complete that the goddess would be jealous.
　Only one small towel hides her pure white skin.
　Once you see her appearance in your eyes, you are already fascinated - regardless of your intentions. The impurities disappear from your vision, and you simply feel like you're going to be sucked in.

"...............Good morning, Nacht-chan--

　His face, his body, left a faint glow of fire. A pleasant sense of exhaustion lingered in the depths of his body.
　Her body, which had been rubbed by Nacht, was lighter than ever, and the throbbing pain that had become an everyday occurrence didn't come over her.
　That alone made me feel a little better, though frustrated.

'How are you feeling?'

...Thanks to you, it's been a lot of work in a lot of places, and now...

　Haruka's cheeks were stained with shame, but she hit him with as much sarcasm as she could muster.
　Harka was attacked continuously by Nacht until he passed out, and Harka was exposed to all sorts of ugly things. Normally, she acts like a great authority figure. If the people around me find out about such an abomination, I'm prepared to shut myself away in a shrine for the rest of my life.
　I didn't think it would be so violent that I would lose consciousness, even though I was rusty from my body.

　The wind from the blower entered the changing room.
　The wind swayed her hair and brought a pleasant coolness to her burning body.
　Halka slowly stood up and threw on her kimono sleeve to hide her exposed, ugly naked body.

'Are you sorry?'

　Nacht says teasingly.
　Harka turns over a bit.

I'll always be sorry.

　He said.
　Haruka adjusted herself and slowly looked around and saw the absence of the girl who should have been next to Nacht.

''Oh~, where's Aisha-chan~?''

　As usual, Haruka says with a smile.

'If it's Aisha, she's out there rehydrating. I guess I've learned that getting pissed off with you will only make you tired.

Yeah, I was just teasing you.

　Harka's lips twitched in disapproval, but he quickly softened his attitude.
　On the contrary, she smiled somewhat happily and casually tried to close the distance between her and Nacht.

''But~, then~, it's just the two of you, Hero-sama--''

　Haruka deliberately forced her way into Nahat as if to show off her own limbs through her disrobed kimono.
　It's not that Nahat's gaze does not contain a disgusting feeling of lust for Haruka's body, but he should not harbor an aversion to being pressed by her.
　On the contrary, it seems to me that she feels some comfort. Especially when he presses his chest against it, he responds well.

　Looking at the squire, there is no doubt that Nacht's preference is for pretty women. If that is the case, it would be possible for Haruka to have some coloration. Although she's not proud of it, Haruka takes pride in the fact that she has an extremely well-rounded and adorable appearance, as long as she hides her ugly scars.

(-- and she's got more breasts than Aisha-chan.)

　I think excessive skin-to-skin contact with Nacht is counterproductive.
　That's why, at that time when I tried to close the distance naturally and casually--

Huh?

　I couldn't help but gasp at the sudden feeling of floating.
　Before I knew it, I was grabbed by the hand and before I knew it, Haruka was laid down.
　That too, in the form of her head on Nacht's lap.

The actuality of the situation...?

　A gentle touch is transmitted to Haruka's confused head.

''Huh, um.........eiyuu-sama.......?

　The warmth of his hands felt good.
　For Haruka, who is usually afraid to even touch each other, the warmth of human skin, which she hadn't felt in a long time, was impossibly comfortable.

''-- Does this make it a little easier to talk to you?''

What--!

　I gulped.
　The breath I swallowed stopped the words from coming out frivolously.

''It's not fair..........''

　Her gentle warmth brings out her weak self.
　The strong self that is pretending to be the best it can be in front of everyone, but in front of her, it is easily stripped away.

.....

　Bury your face in Nacht's lap.
　Harka can't do this, he thinks.

'I'm unreasonable, you know. Besides, I think it's bad that someone somewhere isn't being honest.'

　I don't want you to see my broken face, I don't want you to hear my trembling voice.
　But I'm sure Nacht can see through Haruka's pathetically downcast mind.
　So I can't do it anymore.
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're going to do with it.

''-- and she's got more breasts than Aisha-chan.

　I'm helplessly attracted to this person because I am helplessly attracted to this person at the point where I think about such things, and I'm rivaling her beloved.　

(I'm always--middle of the road..............

　You can't say you don't like it and be unhappy with it.
　He can't be heartless, telling himself it's his mission.
　You can't say you hate it, but you can't run away, and you can't even speak your mind now, trying to deceive her.

　The princess maiden's mission - the great festival scheduled to take place in Kusatsu - is nothing short of disturbing.
　A brilliant but mentally unstable orphaned princess priestess, Hyuki, and a rival priestess, Yozora, who has a rivalry with Hyuki. Konoha is extremely capable of supporting holly in the absence of the head of the family, but she has been overprotective of Yozora since the incident that occurred twelve years ago.
　It was probably her strong will not to let her lose her immediate family again, even welcoming Hyuki into the holly to replace her in the role of the Great Festival.
　But such discord is generally prone to create trouble.　

　That's why Haruka immediately advised her to go to Kusatsu when she encountered Nacht, hoping to get her involved, even if she couldn't use her powers.
　Ostensibly, he planned to make maximum appearances so that it would be a trip, and he planned to ask for Nahat's help.
　What kind of face should he put on such a face and say his wish?

　To Harka, Nacht was a hope that seemed to have fallen to him.
　It is also an oversized hope that can never be missed.
　Such a Nacht tells Haruka, with whom Nacht really has only a trivial relationship, to tell him what he wants.
　He sees through Haruka's own making and so on, and then tells her to say her wish.

　Nahat probably doesn't realize how great a joy that would have been for Haruka.

　His heart was filled with guilt.
　Still, my selfish self still expected it. It's impossible for me to tell you not to get your hopes up.
　Surely Nacht has the power to make Haruka's wishes come true. He must have the unreasonable power to laugh away the problems that Haruka spent her life trying to solve.
　But--

(-I can't say.........)

　I'm afraid.
　Because if Nacht refused Haruka's wishes, I wouldn't even know what to do with myself if I was so weak.
　Because I'm afraid that if I'm too affectionate to ask for too much, I'll be so pathetic that I'll snap so easily.

　My body, which had been on fire, has turned cold before I knew it, and my shoulders tremble involuntarily.
　Closer and closer.
　Closer and closer.
　There's no way I can ask for more and more, until we're in a deeper relationship.
　I'm such a greedy, half-hearted coward.

''-- You're surprisingly modest.

What?

　Nacht's voice, which arrived unexpectedly, interrupted Haruka's thoughts.

'This, I'm telling you, I'm going to do you a favor!　Why don't you feel like you've won the lottery and get even more greedy?

　Nacht, who definitely wouldn't know the word "reserve", says an unfamiliar word as if he were putting himself on the shelf.

　When I looked up, I saw my eyes meet with Nacht's, whose eyes were shining with confidence.
　Those eyes, shining deep within the golden circle, were telling me.

　That there was no need to worry.

　He told me to open my mouth to do what I think I should do.

　At best, he said, try to prepare an answer that would amuse me.

　Watching Nacht, I naturally stopped shaking and my thoughts became clearer.
　I felt silly, wondering what I had been worrying about.



　Even though Nacht must surely grant Haruka's wishes with a single hand. Such an unreasonable existence is exactly what I admired and dreamed of as a hero.

　It's probably safe to confront your true feelings with this person.
　Haruka thought about it as best as she could, and returned the most lustful answer to Nahat, the one that could betray Nahat's expectations.　

''-- Well then.........well then.......make Haruka-chan -- oh, a bride. Please!

　My face turns red with shame.

　I'm so embarrassed, I feel like I'm dying.

　She simply reveals her true feelings that she has been made aware of.

　Haruka tells me with a face that is filled with tears that it is so painful, embarrassing and requires courage to do just that.

''Ugh...!　

　Nacht stuttered unusually, and Haruka did her best to twist her mouth into a smile.
　And soon.

"...Nah, I'm just kidding, of course...

　He said.

　Harka slowly raised his body that had been resting on Nacht's lap and straightened his posture.
　While sitting upright, he slowly bows his head and begs Nacht.
　With all the best of my heart.
　With all the sincerity he could muster.
　Haruka longed to be a hero in the days to come.

Help me -- help me!

　Hanging her head down, Haruka says as if she was serving God.

'Please help this country, the princess miko, the twisted system, and everyone else afterwards, all of it.

　The words I've locked away in the depths of my heart.
　I'm sure you'll be able to pick it all up, all of it, I'm sure.
　So please help me.

　Once there was a man who visited the Land of Harmony.
　He rescued one threatened country from ruin for the sole reason that he missed and liked it.

　If the situation on the continent hadn't been so unstable at the time, the Land of Harmony would surely have been a much more peaceful country.
　If there might have been - I'm sure you can show me the rest of the story.
　Harka bowed his head graciously.

　Slowly, slowly, time passed.
　As if to break the painful silence, Nacht opens his mouth.

'I, Harka--I like happy endings.

　Nacht continued before Haruka, who was doing her best to make sense of the words.

'I've always liked and loved the out-of-the-box, unrealistic, happy endings in stories where everyone is happy, a mass of opportunism that doesn't exist but is pursued because it doesn't exist.

　As soon as he said that, Haruka was drawn to Nacht.
　Without even giving her room to resist, she was forced to press something into her mouth.
　Nacht laughed in amusement as she painfully gulped down the flowing liquid.

'Therefore!　I will not accept any ending other than a happy ending to the future I'm walking with Aisha!

　Light gathered on Harka's body.

'Oh no........why the wounds........'

'I couldn't do you any favors after all the big words I spouted - here's my apology for that.

　Before Halka's understanding could catch up with him, thudding, violent footsteps were approaching.
　With great vigor, the door to the bathhouse was thrown open.

"Stay tuned!

　A familiar child rushed at Nacht.
　Nacht took such a shtetl effortlessly.

Now that we've got the actors in place-- well, Haruka-- let's get to the happy ending.

　He said this with confidence.