About ten days had passed since they had completed their survey of the island, and Aldis and Rona were heading to the small island again.
　The difference from the last time is that they are using a boat as a means of transportation and there will be a companion.

'Aldis-san. There really is no danger, is there?　You're right, the forces we are bringing with us are the minimum number. Even though they are all elite soldiers of successive battles, they can't very well take on demons, can they?

　A nervous-looking civil servant with glasses reminds Ardis.

'Don't worry. As long as you don't try to get at us, you'll be fine.

　The question and answer has been repeated many times since we left the capital.

　Aldis and his men are now on a small sailing boat heading to an island in the south of the capital.
　They are accompanied by about ten sailors from the king's army.

　But they're not coming with us for the battle.
　Basically, they are accompanying us as men to move the ship.

　In addition, there is even a civilian officer on board who is unlikely to be able to fight in a battle for all intents and purposes.
　It's clear that this is not a group that was intended for combat.

''If you're so afraid of demons, you shouldn't have followed me.

　The man standing beside the civil servant speaks in a light tone.

　He was a head taller than Aldis.
　The well-developed muscles were even more pronounced alongside the slender civil servant.
　It's a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about ....... You don't think I'm going to like it?

　Upon hearing that statement, the civilian officer turned his zito eyes to the man.
　The man called the captain blinks his eyes and looks at the civilian officer's face as if he had just heard something unexpected.

'No?　I thought I was following you to see another rare demon.

'That's out of the question!　I'm not a captain, and I'm not going to come here to watch the world go by!

　The civilian officer raised his voice.

'Then why did Kyle follow you?

'You say that!　The captain is throwing a pile of approval documents at me, and my work is getting in the way of the squad's paperwork.

　The civilian officer called Kyle floated a vein in his temple.

　The captain pretended to think deliberately and asked just what it was all about.

'What does that have to do with this?　That's not a reason for Kyle to come along, is it?

　Kyle sighs heavily, wrinkling his brow.

'...... haha. It can't be helped since the captain has gone through the formalities and accepted this mission. It's not a mission to defeat, this time it's simply a report confirmation, so it won't take much time. But my role is after the confirmation of the demon.

What do you mean?

It's my duty to make sure the captain doesn't disappear for good, even with a noose around his neck.

　Ardis is forced to watch their exchange from the edge.
　He seems to be the captain of this group. I'm sure you'll find that he has a very free-spirited personality for someone who has reached a considerable position.

You're not going to be able to get away with it. ......

'If it was a dog, he'd be back in a couple of days, so it's still good ....... I've been strictly ordered by my second-in-command to keep an eye on him, so.

Does that make me sound like a problematic person?

'You don't think he's aware of this?　You don't really mean that, do you?　Do you know what the captain is told behind his back by the guys in the rest of the squad?　They call me "The Eternal Child" or "The Twenty-Nine Year Old"?　At this rate, you'll definitely be called a 'thirty-year-old' next year, right?　Is that okay with you?

'Kyle, a man has to wait until he's past his thirtieth year before he's ready. I'd rather be proud to be called a thirty-year-old--

'No way!　In the first place, why does a man who is supposed to be the battalion commander go out of his way for a mission like this, a survey team?　You could have left this stuff to one of your platoon leaders!

No, I'm still afraid of that part, what can I say?

Oh, that's enough. I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this. I'd like to remind you that I will never allow you to take a 'voluntary leave of absence' or any other joke on the way out.

That's good. It's a sign of the times of peace that soldiers can slack off and play around, you know?

You'll have to work for your salary before you can say that. If you try to run away, we will have our 'Three Powerful Demon Defeaters' seize you. If you don't want to get hurt, please be quiet.

What's that?　Mercenaries are just to show you the way, right?　I'm sure he wouldn't give a d*mn about any hassle that wasn't requested.

By the way, the job we asked him to do this time is to guide you to the island and escort us, but that escort has a clause that says 'until we bring you all back to the capital'. The battalion commander in particular will be given priority and priority to be escorted, so don't worry.

　So that's what it was about. And Ardis recalled the content of the request.

　It's a very good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
　Since the emphasis was on the protection of the person in charge, I thought he or she was an officer from a noble family, but it seems that I was mistaken in my perception.

　The important thing is probably to "secure" rather than to escort.
　I've been told that one of the requests is to take this 29 year old child, who would disappear if left unattended, to the king's capital so that he does not escape.

　In front of Aldis, the two are still exchanging joking words.
　The conversation between the king's officers and their caretakers, who are not showing any hint of dignity, had a delicate expression on their faces when Rona, who is at their feet, sneaks up to speak to Ardis.

''Hey, hey, Aldis. Are you sure this is the right thing to do?

It's not a cure-all, but for now, we have to make sure Lupus is safe.

　Protecting the life of the Lupus was not a matter of twisting something by force.

　The first thing that had to be considered was how to report to the country.
　If you report the presence of a dangerous demon, they will naturally ask you to defeat it.
　On the other hand, if you report that there is no danger, other people will come close to this island.

　The surrounding sea is a valuable fishing ground for hunters, and since the island was inaccessible due to the Four Feathers, mercenaries and explorers might come ashore to look for undiscovered ruins and relics.

　The one who would have trouble coming into contact with anyone who approached the island was Lupus.
　He is a cowardly man, and if he is not careful, he will be hunted by the humans, and if he fights back, there is a good chance that they will send a strike force to destroy him.

　The best thing to do is to not interfere with each other.

That island?

Yeah, yeah.

　The captain asks the question while pointing to the objective islet, and Aldis answers shortly.

'Is it safe to get this close?'

No problem. If we don't attack them, they won't attack us.

　Kyle speaks of his concerns, but he also kicks them off.

(Well, I hope Lupus works as planned: ......)

　With a touch of anxiety, Ardis turned his attention to the small island where Lupus would be waiting.

　The goal is to keep humans away from the island. In addition, it's important to let people know that the Lupus on the island is not dangerous enough for humans to eliminate.
　Therefore, to the country, 'We found a large beast that is far more powerful than the four blades. However, it has a mild-mannered personality and is not dangerous if we don't touch it.

　As long as we don't get close to it, it won't be a problem. So there is no need to defeat it.
　But it is dangerous to mess with them. That's why I want you to give them a notice to stay away from the island.
　Ardis informed the civilian in charge.

　Of course, the top brass must have thought that a report from a mercenary is not enough to make a decision.
　It was decided to dispatch a team of investigators from the national army to confirm whether Ardis's report was correct.
　Naturally, Ardis was also called upon to act as a guide.

　Up to this point, it was well within the scope of expectation.
　It's a very good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

　So, Ardis ordered Lupus to put on a show.

"Hey!　Look at that!

What was that?

'A wolf!　It's huge!

　One by one, the sailors who had been alerted to the surrounding area shouted out, causing a commotion.
　As I followed their gaze, I saw a huge black beast standing gallantly on the shore of the small island. It's a lupus.

　It may be shaking with a buzz inside, but at least you can't tell that from its appearance.
　Deciding that it looks fine, Aldis sneaks an earful to Rona.

'Rona. Where's the one I asked you to get?

Perfect. I've got a live one waiting over there.

Okay, let's start the process.

Hey.

　With Rona's reply, someone was approaching with a splash from across the horizon to the right of the island.

'It's Percival!　Now there's Percival over there!

What?

　The sailors were buoyed by the threats that kept coming up.

'How did you find that thing?

'Hehehe. You can give me a compliment. It was a lot of work to bring you here so you wouldn't get hurt.

　Despite the confusion on the boat, Aldis and Rona are exchanging words leisurely.

　The thing coming towards us is a monster called "Percival".
　It has an aquatic mammal-like upper body with eight mollusk-like legs and a mouth with sharp fangs to prey on its aquatic prey.

　Its ecology is not well understood, but it appears in both brackish and fresh water, and it is only seen above water, suggesting that its life is probably based on land.

　For Percival, who flies at very low altitudes to graze above the water, the humans on board are easy prey.
　Sailors with half-skilled skills were no match for them, and among sailors, they were the first demons they didn't want to encounter during their voyage.

　If it were only strength alone, it would be one rank lower than the "grinder" that Ardis defeated in Tria.
　But because they are forced to fight in the restricted state of being on a ship, their strength and the difficulty of fighting for ordinary mercenaries and sailors is comparable to that of the grinders.

　Naturally, for a survey team of a mere ten or so people, it was like a grim reaper that had absolutely no chance of winning.

''Investigation aborted!　Pull back!　Evasive maneuvers, hurry up!

　The captain gave immediate orders, changing the previously laid-back tone of the situation.
　As if played, the sailors began to run to their posts themselves.

''I'm not sure if we'll be able to get to ...... in time.

　With his gaze fixed on Percival, who was approaching at high speed on the water, the captain murmured to no one.

　It was then.

'Captain!　The demons of the island!

　The civilian Kyle pointed in the direction of Kojima and shouted.
　The captain turned around, followed by the captain, and turned his eyes away.

''Huh!''

　The captain's confusion was no surprise.
　Because the black beast that had been standing on the island's shore until then - Lupus - had jumped out and was running on the surface of the water at a tremendous speed.

　Lupus didn't even look at Aldis and the others on board, and plunged straight into Percival, who was heading this way.

'What do you mean by that?'

　With an expression tinted with doubt, the captain follows Lupus with his gaze.

　Eventually, the paths of Percival and Lupus collided, and the moment the two sides crossed.
　A splash of fresh blood was raised over the sea with a force far more intense than a splash of waves.

　What can be seen from the boat is the screaming percivalves and the fearsome strength of the beast that probably reaped its life in an instant.
　The sailors gasped as they saw the huge wolf that had begun to devour its prey at sea and store it in its stomach.

　The demon Percival is a sailor's nightmare, and if you are unlucky enough to encounter it at sea, the chance of survival is less than 10 percent.
　The ship was silent at the sight of Lupus, who had killed that Percival under a single blow and preyed on it.

'Hee!　They'll be back, too!

　Eventually, Lupus, who had flattened Percival, would take a slow step toward the islet.
　Its path would probably graze the boat Aldis and the others were riding on.

'What a blah blah blah blah!　We need to get out of here, now!

He won't be a threat. They won't attack us.

　The captain reprimands the sailors, to which Ardis replies flatly, "What guarantee do you have?

What guarantee do you have?

It doesn't consider people as its prey. If we don't make a move, it will pass by. That's what happened last time I was here.

......

''In case that thing comes at you, I'll take it down. It may be stronger than Four Feathers, but it still has a good chance of winning, so don't worry.

　There's no way that Lupus would attack us in the first place.
　I'm sure that at this moment, Lupus is still acting like Aldis's scenario while desperately suppressing his desire to escape.

I'll believe the words of the 'Three Great Strong Demon Defeaters'. But when that demon attacks us, even if it's different from the original request, you'll have to help us in the fight.

Yeah. I don't mind.

　After a moment of shooting into Aldis' eyes, the captain instructs the sailors to stand by.

'Good!　Don't you dare make any attacks from us!　There it is!　Put the nocked arrows back in the quiver!

　The hungry captain gave the sailors a stern order.

　Both the sailors and the civilian officer, Kyle, were pale as you can see.
　The captain himself may have some concerns, but he seems to have enough courage to keep them from appearing on his face.

(I see. Can he deceive himself in a good way? As expected of a young man who has risen to the rank of battalion commander.

　Recalling what Cesare, the informant, had told him, Aldis raised one of his assessments of the captain in front of him.

　Soon, a lupus walking on the surface of the water leisurely approached the ship.

''Hii......''

　One of the sailors let out a voice of fear.
　He must have reacted to that voice. The face of Lupus turned to me.

　The distance between us is about ten meters.
　It's a distance that can be jumped upon in an instant, considering the size of the lupus, which is seven meters long.

　There was an icy air on board.

　The time that must have felt very long to the sailors came to an abrupt end.
　Lupus removed his gaze from us as if disinterested and walked slowly towards the small island as it was.

''Ta, thank God. ......

　Along with those voices, the sound of loud breathing could be heard from all over the place.

　Looking away from the back of Lupus, who was moving away from the ship, Aldis smiled in his mind, "Good job.

　It's a great way to show the investigative team sent by the state how strong Lupus is, and on top of that, let them know that he's not a being who attacks humans unnecessarily.
　In order to do so, he went out of his way to show them the appearance of Lupus, and made Lupus prey on suitable prey that he had prepared in advance.
　In other words, the whole series of events was a perfectly executed race orchestrated by Ardis and Rona.
　If the strength of the Lupus and its indifference to humans were known, they would at least not come to the conclusion to defeat it immediately.



　After that, Aldis and the others, who were on their way home, arrived at the royal capital the next day.
　After receiving the reward for the accomplishment of their request and learning of the country's decision via Cesare three days later, Aldis was satisfied with the outcome.

'So?　Did it work out in the end?

　Rona asks me questions while munching on the sweets she bought at the stall.
　Since it's an inn room, Rona didn't have to worry about the surroundings, so she didn't have to suppress her voice to make conversation.

It's a good thing. It seems that the country has decided not to interfere in the matter of Lupus, just as I had hoped. They will notify the fishermen, mercenaries and explorers that they will not prohibit them from approaching the island, but they will not land on it, and they will never touch the giant black wolf if they encounter it.

　That should keep Lupus safe for a while.

'But is that all you need to do?　I don't think everyone is going to abide by it, no matter how much the government notifies them.

'There will be people who will ignore the notice and try to hunt the Lupus or land on the island eventually. I don't expect it to work forever either. I don't expect it to work forever, but as long as it buys us time to find a place for the Lupus to live, that's all that matters.

　The fear of the Four Feathers was still fresh in people's minds.
　If they found out that an entity even more powerful than the Four Feathers had taken up residence there, few people would be willing to go to such a place to fight, and of course, the army, which wanted to avoid the attrition of its forces, would not move to defeat it.
　Of course, the army, which wants to avoid the attrition of its forces, would not move to defeat it.

Hmm, that's good to know. ...... Do you have any idea where Lupus could live?

'Well, we'll have to look for that now. There won't be many mercenaries or explorers in the Caucasian forest, so we can find a suitable spot and take Lupus with us.

　Ardis puts her hand on her chin and thinks about it, while Aldis speaks her thoughts.

'Oh, that's nice. I got paid after all, but I was just thinking about being out of control. Is there anyone strong in the Caucasus Forest?

What do you think?　Was there anyone more powerful than Percival at ......?　I'm sure there are a lot of them: ......

'If there are too many of them, so be it. All right, let's go wild!

............ in moderation.

　Remembering that in the past, his actions had led to the appearance of a grinder in the grasslands, Aldis nodded to his partner with a complicated expression.