Chapter 346: Another hero
Neia seemed too shocked, so I called Maia just in case (I had her take the documents to the Ace Knight Corps office in Celesta, since it was faster to split up) and had her look for any trace of that mystery man, but with zero success.
“There’s no way to even look for a smell or a voice……although I might have managed it if I’d met him in person”
“……Well, if it’s impossible, it’s no use. It would be hard for a dragon to work as expected with Rennesto”
Rennesto boasts one of the most miscellaneous things on the continent. Some people use magic here and there and special products with a strong scent are on sale. It is no wonder that there is no way to search for the characteristics of the place after hearing about it from other people. The only information we could provide was the impression of a voice that said a few words.
“…………”
“Neia”
“…………”
“Neia. Neia!”
“……Ha, e, eemm……what is it?”
“You look pale. ……You should rest in the mansion, okay? We can rest here for a day or so and still make it back in time for Dianne and the others to get home”
“……N, No……that, let’s go to the castle. Meet with Buster-sama and the Queen……”
“…………”
Her words sounded like gibberish. She doesn’t look very okay, but she doesn’t look like a resting mental state when she says she’s forced to rest. Was it such a shocking opponent? ……It can’t be helped. I don’t think it’s true, but if he was the 「Enemy」 for Neia, it would be very dangerous to leave her alone. Should I take her with me for the time being, just in case? ……If Neia is attacked, it may be a little difficult to counter the opponent with such an arm with the lineup of Tetes, Naris and Maia. If possible, it would have been reassuring to have Dianne or Laila, who are as strong or stronger than Neia herself, or even the shrewd 100-man commander Becker.
“……I understand. Lets go, Neia. ……Maia, follow me. Keep an eye out for any strange signs”
“Yes”
I motioned to Maia, who gave the two red arms a chin-chewing motion, then took Neia’s hand and started to move.
“U, Umm……why are you holding my hand?”
“Because you have that look on your face”
“……That kind of face”
Neia touches her own face with her free hand. The look on her own face is dangerously tense……well, it’s impossible to understand the person who is confused.
“I can’t speak aloud until I can protect you, but I can do it if I can make you realize that you´re not alone”
“……That”
“So calm down a little. Whoever it is, I’m on your side”
“…………”
Instead of……pulling on her hat, Neia shook the brim from side to side to correct its position and took a small, deep breath.
“……Yes. Thank you, very much”
It seems that she managed to recover her mental condition a little. ……But Tetes giggles when she hears it from the side and Naris puts her finger on her forehead and sighs as if she is surprised.
“……What is it
“Nothing. As expected, master, don’t vomit a lot of killing lines”
“K, Killing line?”
……The line up to that point……I, I didn’t say that?
“To be clear, it was like a great scam, 10-man captain Smithson”
“Scam!?”
“Do you know how hard it is to pull an upset girl to your side and say, 『I’m on your side, no matter what you’re up against?』! You should be aware of that!”
Naris says, pointing her finger at me and Neia. ……W, Well, if you say so, it may not sound like that. But it’s not so much about our relationship through the flash sword or our stance towards Kalwin……as it is in a less sexy way. Yes. As long as you can’t disassemble it, it sounds like that.
“I think master might be a popular person. It’s just that until recently he didn’t have any prey close at hand”
“Uwaa. But if you say, 『Take advantage of the other person’s weaknesses by all means and get rid of the angry stubbornness』, you might be convinced normally”
“You guys! I don’t remember doing anything like that!”
It’s true that my eroticism may be persistent, but I don’t remember using it in conjunction with taking advantage of weakness. I’m not talking about the girls, I’m talking about the tactics I use when I’m dealing with a strong opponent. I’m not trying to be a coward, I’m just trying to be creative because otherwise I wouldn’t be able to beat the average drunk around here.
“……Umm, Smithson-san……shall I take my hands off you?”
“Don’t get poisoned, Neia! You know I don’t have such blatant intentions!”
“No, no, Neia-san, you can’t be careless, because it’s true that this devil guy has 20 female slaves, right?”
And don’t speak ill of me when you mixed yourself up in it so often, Naris. ……Maia comes up behind me and pats my exhausted head.
“Andy-sama is popular not because of those weird little tricks, but because he’s always so cool”
“……Thank you, Maia”
But that’s probably not quite right either.
—————————————-
I’m meeting with Sir Buster in one of the reception rooms at Rennesto Castle. Or rather, me & two Red Arms who are surprised and salute when even Queen Flare casually shows up with us.
“Please make it easier. Tetes and Naris, don’t be so shy in your private life. We are not strangers, are we?”
“Cough. ……Your Majesty. It’s hard to say……this is the place to receive the official request from Dianne-dono……it’s not private”
“Oh. And then, Alex, you’re not wearing your everyday clothes. What happened to the official clothes I gave you the other day?”
“Ah, those cumbersome clothes are good for nothing more than a big ceremony. Alex is a military man”
“Yes. He’s a great warrior and the pride of Renfangas, the Marquis of Renfangas”
……Emm, can’t you make out after we’re done? Sir Buster, who noticed our gaze, made a slight loud noise and held the document over his eyes.
“……Hmmm. I understand. This is a small price to pay for the entire construction of the fort we are going to take over later. I’ll have them get it for you. Tell her to give me three days to make the arrangements”
“I understand”
Tetes responded to Sir Buster’s reply. I’m the messenger, so don’t answer me first, Tetes.
“I’ll let her know. Then, three days later, I’ll see you again”
I try to leave before we get into trouble and also before we are rude to the Queen.
“Neia, are you not inconvenienced over there?”
Before that, Sir Buster calls out to Neia. Neia seemed a little dazed and Sir Buster gave her a dubious look.
“What’s the matter, Neia? You look a little pale”
“……Y, Yees……? Ah, no, what?”
“This is where I asked if there was anything”
“……N, No”
“……You have something on your mind, hero. Or do you not trust me?”
Unlike me, Sir Buster’s statement was not likely to be misunderstood and I envied him. Neia hesitated for a while. But when she looked at me sideways and thought……I was nodding my head and she opened her mouth.
“……I still don’t know if I should……speak up because it’s hard to believe, but Smithson-san, Tetes-san and Naris-san all saw it too, so……”
“?”
“……I saw Thunder Rider, Rainer Exeliza, in town today”
“……Thunder Rider? Who……no, no way”
Sir Buster also made a stiff face.
“I didn’t think that should be the case……I wanted to think. I don’t think it was an illusion, because there were three other people other than me who saw it and heard him call me the same thing, Flash Rider. Call out and then……disappear right away”
“……Well, that’s certainly troubling”
Sir Buster makes a bitter face.
“I still don’t……know what that means to me……”
Neia desperately pleads with Sir Buster. Sir Buster holds Neia’s head down by the hat.
“……You can’t turn away, Hero Neia. ……That’s what it means”
“I, I don’t believe it”
Everyone in the room stared in amazement, not understanding the meaning of the conversation. Sir Buster senses the air and sighs. He pointed to Tetes.
“It’s a problem, Tetes. ……Thunder Rider Rainer Exeliza. Use this name as an analogy for the person’s position”
“Eh? Emm……Neia-san is Flash Rider, so……e, emm, one of 『5 Heroes』?”
“Then guess what that means to be here in Rennesto”
“E, Emm……?”
“Neia believed her impoverished homeland to be the world’s only human habitat. But on the other hand, another hero is here in this Rennesto. No, Neia even understood that he was huddled in this Renfangas and called out to her. What does this mean?”
“……Perhaps……the Kalwin Kingdom is, this world over here……”
“I know it. And it can move. And at the very least, it’s not letting its people know about it”
“……!!”
Tetes shuddered.
“I mean. ……This Kalwin country may be more twisted than you think. ……It’s not very likely, but it’s not going to be a simple matter”