Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou

Tortus Travel Journal 55 The Confession of a Certain Princess

Author’s note: Can you believe it? Next month, is going to be new year already……

At the last day of the Tortus trip, when the sun was rising to the summit. Hajime and co could be found at the great desert Gruen. Fernir was flying through the copper colored world.

「This is amazing. It’s like a different world……」

「Oo? Nagumo Shuu! Koichi-kun! Look over there! Is that……a giant worm?」

「What an outrageous swarm. The way they’re moving is like a giant wall.」

Shuu and others were pressing their face on the bridge’s window while making ruckus like children.

Coincidentally they encountered a swarm of giant carnivorous worm monster──Sand Worm that was currently moving together. Sumire and Kaoruko and the others also went 「Eh? Where where!?」 and rushed toward the window at the opposite side of the bridge.

Hajime steered Fernir to fly in parallel diagonally above the Sand Worms that must be numbering more than a hundred. Shizuku and Aiko who had never even come to this desert also started cheering seeing the major movement of the great swarm of giant monsters that could only be called as a stunning view.

Myuu usually would be the first one running to take a look, but right now she was staring at the swarm traveling from a step away. Liliana noticed her and tilted her head in puzzlement.

「N-noo~, Myuu is fine right over here nano. More importantly, what about Lily-oneechan? Have you come to desert before nano?」

It felt like she was trying to avoid the topic. It made Liliana looked even more puzzled, even so she smiled cheerfully and nodded.

「Yes, I have. It was only once but several years ago, I was invited to the coming of age ceremony of his highness Bize. Crossing the desert is always accompanied with danger but……the townscape of the dukedom capital and the glittering oasis are sights that I can still remember even now.」

As expected, this was her first time seeing a rare sight like the mass migration of Sand Worms though, Liliana said with a wry smile.

Normally, the average person would have to resolve themselves for death when they witnessed such sight. It wasn’t normal being able to leisurely observe this phenomenon from a safe place like this.

「Come to think of it, Hellina-san mentioned it this morning, that we’re being invited by Lanzwi-san for lunch aren’t we? Do we have enough time for tha desut?」

「Perhaps we hath stayed for too long at Fuhren? If we go to visit the great labyrinth first, it feels like it wouldst be past the afternoon when we finished.」

「No, Duke Zengen is already aware of our circumstance, so there is no need to hurry. In the end it will be fine as long as we go visit there. After all the message that he sent to us simply mentioned that he will welcome our visit.」

Actually, Hajime and co were visiting the neutral commercial city Fuhren during the morning.

To be honest, they had no plan to visit Fuhren at first. Partly it was because that place was the greatest sight-seeing area in this world. So to speak it was like a super huge theme park. If they wanted to enjoy themselves in such place, ordinarily they would have to spend several days there.

If they would only be able to take a half-hearted look at that place, they thought they would rather go there at the next time, together with the people who couldn’t come along with the trip this time so they would be able to really had fun with all their might at that time.

After all even Hajime and the others hadn’t been able to sightsee that much at that place. At that time Hajime and others should be able to enjoy the city as a fresh experience too.

And most of all, that place was……

A place where Myuu got locked up, showed around as a spectacle, and almost got sold as slave. That place was also a traumatizing place for Myuu. That was why, they judged that there was no need to force themselves to cram that place into their schedule that was already packed but……

It was none other than Myuu who put a stop to that.

「Myuu is sorry for changing the shcedule, papa. But Myuu want everyone to watch when Papa and Shia-oneechan and others rescued Myuu no matter what nano.」

「You don’t need to apologize. It was quite a rushed sightseeing but we were able to have some fun……rather, I should be the one apologizing. I underestimated you a little. It’s actually just me who is bothered about it huh.」

「……Nn. Myuu is a strong girl. Perhaps, we are being a bit too overprotective?」

「Fufu, we might be. At the very least we should ask Myuu-chan herself first about it before making the decision.」

It seemed they didn’t need to be concerned about Myuu at all. Far from being traumatized, she wasn’t even bothered about it in the first place.

Actually it was a very difficult thing to strongly carve the fun memory and happy memory inside the heart more than the unpleasant memory while being able to firmly facing forward. But apparently was able to do such thing naturally. Perhaps it was just as expected from her. She was certainly a strong girl.

「Allow me to thank you once more, Hajime-san. And also Shia-san and everyone else too.」

Remia bowed her head deeply.

They didn’t see until the public safety station got attacked after Myuu was entrusted to there and the auction venue. There were several reasons for that, but as expected it was mainly because it would be too depressing to go around watching a lot of people dying right from the morning even if those people were from a criminal organization.

It was the same with the grand “firework” at the end. As expected they also couldn’t project the past replay that showed the sight of the whole large city burning red or lightning dragon falling down from the sky.

And so, the scenes that Remia and others actually saw were the scenes of Myuu’s encounter with Hajime & Shia, and then with Yue and others.

But, even just those scenes were enough. They conveyed enough of the dangerous and rigorous situation her daughter had fallen into. Remia became tearful and Sumire, Kaoruko, and the others nestled close to her to console her.

「If it’s thanks than we already received more than enough. ……Rather, it makes me feel a bit bad. It was Shia who took initiative to save Myuu. Without Shia, I……might pretend not to see the life going down the drain underground.」

「Hajime-san……」

「Papa……」

Hajime showed a bitter smile to Remia and Myuu. He glanced at Shia and sighed.

「And then, if I didn’t meet with Myuu, I might chose a path where I abandoned a lot more things.」

At the very least, they wouldn’t stop at the branch guild at the inn town Horuad. Consequently they wouldn’t meet Kousuke and received his request for rescue.

If Kaori didn’t accompany their group, they also wouldn’t save Bize at the desert. And then they might ignore the situation at Ankaji.

The path that they walked after that would surely change too.

Perhaps, that path would even become one where Hajime lost everything.

Everything was just a “what if” story that was useless to think about. However, for some reason Hajime could only imagine Bad End at the end of it. Through that, he could only think that it was his meetings with the girls that led him to a better future.

That was why, he spoke earnestly in gratitude from the bottom of his heart.

「I was really glad……that I could meet everyone.」

The figure of Hajime sitting deeply on the sofa while folding his arms were stealing the eyes of Yue and others.

It seemed that the one who got immersed into sentiment the most from looking back at the encounter with Myuu was none other than Hajime himself.

Myuu couldn’t hold back herself and jumped at Hajime with a shout.

Hajime caught Myuu who clung on him while patting her head with a terribly kind expression. It made Yue and others couldn’t hold themselves back too and they all rushed him.

「……Nn!? Remia is below me!?」

「You got ahead of Yue-san? You can’t be underestimated desu!」

「Ufufu-」

「Uu, Tio-san, is heavy……」

「Lily, thou hath guts.」

「Wait, you girls. I’m buried-, burie──」

Before they realized it, even Shizuku and Aiko had returned from watching the scenery outside and after hesitating a little, they also dived on top of Yue and others. Hajime’s figure became covered up completely.

「Wait wait. Why is the mood here turning melancholic while we’re sightseeing normally over here.」

「This isn’t the time to watch giant earthworms huh.」

Shuu and Sumire also came back. It seemed the Sand Worm swarm had dived underground. Tomoichi and others also returned from behind them with warm expression. It seemed that they were able to hear the conversation itself.

「Even so, the scene of Myuu-chan and Hajime-kun’s first meeting……somehow, it was really wonderful how it felt like a fated meeting.」

「It was from how those two stared at each other fixedly wasn’t it?」

「Children ascertain whether someone is safe or not by staring fixedly at them. Hajime-kun must have understood that too and didn’t avert his gaze because of that but……yes, certainly I also felt something more than that in that meeting.」

Kaoruko, Akiko, and Kirino pulled away their respective daughter from the pile while speaking to each other about their impression.

「Myu! For some reason, Myuu felt it when looking into Papa’s eyes nano. Ah, it’s this person. Everything will be alright if Myuu is with this person.」

「……I totally get ittt」

「I super get ittt」

When Myuu said that while still hugging Hajime, Yue and Kaori also agreed fiercely with her. For some reason their tone sounded gaudy and broke the melancholic atmosphere, so everyone ignored them.

「But, papa’s eyes were also sharp that Myuu got a bit scared……」

「Uh, m-my bad……I didn’t have any chance at all to come into contact with small children……so I didn’t know the right way to act.」

「But but, while papa went out to buy various things after that, Shia-oneechan treated Myuu really kindly. The way she looked at Myuu or how her hand caress were just like mama. She also told Myuu a lot of things about papa, that was why Myuu was able to feel safe right away nano!」

「Ehehe, I was like mama? Hehehe」

「Yep! Umm, Shia-oneechan, please let Myuu say it again. Thank you for going after Myuu right away nano. Thank you for treating Myuu so kindly nano! Myuu felt reaaally safe thanks to Shia-oneechan staying together with Myuu nano!」

「Kuu-fuuuuuuu, your-, welcome-──desuuu」

Myuu separated from papa and hugged Shia next with a smile that looked like a flower in full bloom. It seemed that it contained a tremendous destructive power.

Shia-oneechan was instantly sunk.

Her knees folded as though they had lost strength and she hugged Myuu back strongly with one hand even while her other hand was desperately pinching her nose. Surely it was in order to stop red juice of joy from spurting out. Her rabbit ears and rabbit tail were also wagging so fiercely that they left behind afterimages.

Everyone understood her feeling and their gazes became lukewarm while returning to the sofas. Then Hajime corrected the plane’s course back to Great Volcano Gruen.

「Putting that aside, Goshujin-sama. How about forgiving Will boy and the others──」

「Don’t talk about that Tio.」

Tio who was warmly watching Shia who looked like she had no intention of letting go Myuu at all and Myuu who looked somewhat unable to breath from being buried into her breasts suddenly recalled something and spoke up, but Hajime interrupted her sharply to cut off the topic.

He looked unusually sullen. It was a complete reversal from just now. He looked to be in a terribly bad mood.

「My, Hajime. You’re still feeling bothered about that thing? It’s fine isn’t it! As a parent I’m feeling really proud that my son has a statue made of him!」

「It even became a magnificent stone monument……Tou-san is moved to tears here.」

「Yeah of course you are. You rolled around on the floor laughing so hard seeing me about to snap from shame that your tears came out!」

That really happened.

Even though it was still early in the morning, one of the reasons why they were unable to look at past replay at various places was this.

The adventurer guild, the public order bureau, and the House of Count Cudeta that was in charge of being the negotiation pipeline with the kingdom had taken an active role to turn the former site of criminal organization Freidhof’s hideout that Hajime and co crushed in the past to become a splendid tourist attraction at the present.

The site where that majesty the demon king saved children.

The place where he gave a wounded girl from the seaman race his love and protection without any regard that she was from a different race.

That place became that kind of tourist attraction.

Seeing that made even the goddess of good harvest and victory Aiko-sama to grin broadly.

「Hajime-kun! It was really wonderful you know! The statue of Hajime-kun carrying Myuu-chan in your arm while looking up to the sky even felt divine! Yes, it was far more compared to the status of the like of me at the capital!」

「……I get it. I get it already that you’re happy that you have a comrade. So stop speaking about it in detail……」

It was a statue of an eyepatched youth looking up to the west sky while a merman girl was sitting on one arm of his.

The statue symbolized the new sense of value in this world that had agreed to aim for coexistence between the different races. That figure that seemed to be resolved to send back the girl to her homeland at the west sea seemed to make the people who saw it to feel the youth’s “nobility and kindness to protect just a single girl despite possessing the power to kill even god”. Apparently the statue became greatly popular as the symbol of how a person ought to be.

And it didn’t stop there.

Kirino and Akiko spoke with a cheerful smile.

「My, isn’t that statue seriously wonderful? I’m not joking. It seems the play about the tale of the meeting between the demon king and his beloved daughter is also very well-received.」

「They did well with the actor selection. I think they look very similar with the actual people.」

The two of them then intentionally took out a pamphlet. On it was the picture of a white haired handsome man with an eyepatch carrying a merman girl on one arm while making a cool pose. The two were surrounded by explosion, flame, and tough looking middle-aged men.

The moment Hajime saw it,

「NNAAAAAAAAAAAH!!?」

「Papaaa!?」

「……Nnn!? Get a hold of yourself Hajimeee!!」

Hajime pressed his hands on his face while falling off the sofa. Then he bounced about on the floor like a fish on land. His parents were also rolling around on the floor while holding their stomach beside him.

「Hey hey, Remia-san. How do you feel? Your daughter and husband have a statue of them made, what’s more their meeting is even made into a play that get played everyday with the tickets always sold out.」

「Err……ufufu, it’s embarrassing but, it makes me happy you know?」

Kaoruko asked the question teasingly, however, as expected from Remia-san. She was only blushing a little while looking normally happy. Rather she even looked proud.

Yue crossed her arms and pouted her lips sullenly.

「……Even though I could identify the one who wrote that scenario if only we had time. Why did Hajime get married with Remia after he arrived at the western sea? I don’t accept it. Even though she was only doing my my ufufu!」

「My my, Yue-san. In play there is this thing called “length” you know?」

「Kuh, certainly……Okaa-sama also mentioned before how “it can’t be helped that there are some scenes that got cut when a story is turned into film”, but still!」

「Now now, Yue. It’s fine isn’t it!」

「That’s right that’s right. Hajime-san had also married me, Kaori-san, and Tio-san in the setting of the ending at Erisen, so there’s no problem.」

「Umu. After all the main theme in the end art the meeting between Goshujin-sama and Myuu. So it didst not matter even if the writer made it that I am already Goshujin-sama’s wife too at that time! I think it’s a good script!」

「……There! I also don’t like it there! Kuh, just because everyone get good treatment……」

Shizuku and Aiko were watching with a pained look. They actually didn’t accompany the group during the travel, so it couldn’t be helped that they didn’t get included.

By the way, they actually didn’t have time to watch the play, even so they were able to grasp the content to some degree because there was the novel version. Naturally each one of them buy one.

And then they skimmed the book and it was just as Yue and others said. There were some alteration to the story, but the scriptwriter must have investigated what happened very thoroughly. At the end of the book the writer had also properly added some notes about what actually happened very accurately.

「Even so, it was really astonishing……. For this child who played as Myuu, to be actually a child who was captured together with her at that time……」

The merman girl who was in the pamphlet. Her emerald green hair and the characteristic ears of the seaman race must be from a wig and prop.

The promotional photos of the main casts were put on the back of the pamphlet. The description of the child playing as Myuu there astonishingly mentioned that she was one of the children who Hajime and co rescued from the slave trade site.

「No wonder the situation and the conversation during the confinement, or the scene when I came to save them felt realistic.」

Hajime stood up with a sullen face. He had somehow overcome his embarrassment……no, he was slightly shining. Apparently Aiko had nonchalantly casted “Soul Repose” on him.

「By the way, it seems that the boy who Hajime-san exchanged words with when he came to save the children are now working as apprentice in the adventurer guild you know?」

「Hah? What do you mean Lily?」

Hajime suddenly recalled the children who were kept underground of the auction venue. If he remembered correctly, when Hajime asked the children whether they knew about Myuu, there was a boy who answered him.

The boy himself must be scared, and in addition Myuu was a demihuman, and yet the boy looked frustrated that “he was unable to cheer her up even though she was terrified”.

「”If you’re frustrated then become stronger. There’s no other way than that. The next something happen, you do something yourself”──the scene of that majesty the demon king saying that to a boy also appeared in the novel you know?」

「No, I had only taken a quick look at it. In the first place, did I really say something like──」

「……Nn, you did. You certainly did say it. That boy then said next time I’ll do it. At that time, his eyes were really sparkling while looking at Hajime.」

You remember it right? Are you shy? Yue pointed out with a teasing expression that seemed to say that. it seemed that she was right on the money. Hajime coughed and hid his embarrassment.

「Don’t tell me that kid then……」

「Yes. He idolized Hajime-san and said that next time it will be him who help someone else, that he will become a man who can help someone else like Hajime-san. It seemed that he said that and kept coming to the guild for days to directly consult with them.」

Of course, even though being an adventurer was a liberal profession, there was still an age limitation. It was impossible for the guild to recognize a kid who hadn’t even reached ten years old yet as adventurer.

But, there the factor of “a kid who was saved by his majesty the demon king” became useful in various senses.

「No matter in what kind of form, those who are connected to his majesty the demon king are gathering attention. Like attention from the historians who are investigating what happened, or people with job like information broker.」

「Aa~, so the guild couldn’t just turning away the kid carelessly, not when it had to do with the future of a boy who got appearance in play and novel……it’s something like that huh.」

「Indeed. Apparently even the persuasion of his family didn’t have any effect, so the branch chief Iruwa also considered various things like the political merit of giving him patronage, and he decided to put him nearby as a guild staff apprentice.」

「I see.」

「Myuu doesn’t really remember but……for the children at that time to appear in play, or working hard because of wanting to be like papa……ufufu, somehow it makes Myuu happy nano!」

Myuu’s soft smile made the whole place brighter and warmer. Everyone nodded with a warm expression in agreement.

But, there was just one person whose expression was strangely thoughtful since some time ago.

「Eh? Shizuku-chan? What’s wrong? You’re making a complicated face like that.」

「Ah, no……I guess, I’m sorry that I might break the mood but……」

Hajime and others were puzzled by Shizuku’s behavior. Shizuku frowned while speaking with a groan.

「Say, Lily.」

「Yes? What’s the matter Shizuku?」

「There’s something that I want to ask a little……you’re, really well-informed about this aren’t you? You even know in detail about a branch guild in the neutral city hiring an apprentice.」

「? What are you saying, Shizuku? I’m a princess you know? It’s only natural that I at least know that much.」

Liliana showed a confused expression.

Certainly it was understandable why she looked confused. It was a topic in the level that wouldn’t come up in a discussion between a country and a guild, even so it was still possible enough to be something that came up a little in the middle of an idle talk.

Everyone was dubious about what Shizuku wanted to say, Meanwhile Shizuku’s eyes narrowed even more and she asked even more question with a gaze that was observing Liliana’s eyes closely.

「Right, of course. But, if you’re that knowledgeable about Fuhren then naturally, you should have known about the play and the light novel too beforehand shouldn’t you? You won’t say that you don’t know about what is popular in Fuhren right now because you are swamped with work won’t you?」

「……Yes, of course!」

「Then, why didn’t you tell us about them beforehand? You should have known how embarrassed Hajime would become from them.」

「It’s the same like with Shizuku. You won’t need to feel embarrassment if you don’t know about it. Right? In the first place going there wasn’t included in our itinerary, so I thought there would be nothing better if we can finish this trip without knowing about them.」

「Is it just my imagination that it sounds like you didn’t want us to know about them?」

「……What is it that you want to say?」

Oh? It feels like the atmosphere is becoming disquieting……? While Hajime and the girls and the parents were also paying attention to the conversation, Shizuku paused for a second before cutting into the heart of the matter.

「The tale of demon king father-daughter and the tale of masked pink are a bit different in circumstance. I think it’s not a topic that can be just ignored just because of individual embarrassment.」

「Err……circumstance?」

「The world in general doesn’t know that masked pink is me. She is a hero with unknown identity.」

「……That’s?」

「Hey, this is just my thinking but…………having someone making up stories about the godslaying demon king and his relatives as they pleased, do you think it’s something that can be forgiven?」

The expressions of Hajime and others were gradually changing after they listened till that far. Certainly it was just as Shizuku said.

For example, the goods that were modeled after Hajime and others, or some places getting turned into tourist attraction, perhaps those were still fine.

But, it was a different story when it came to play or light novel. It was even more so when it entered the realm of fiction.

Originally, doing something like using actually existing royal family from an actual country in a story that had actually happened but dramatized, thinking normally it would be an act of outrageous disrespect.

Then, that should be even more the case for “the godslaying demon king and his relatives” who had saved the world and respected by all countries.

The historians were in the middle of working hard to convey the “truth” to the later generations. Creating something like creative work that made that truth to become vague without even asking the people involved was something that crossed the permissible line as expected. It didn’t matter even if those works had notes about the truth added at the end.

Shuuzou rubbed his chin while nodding in understanding. He summarized what his granddaughter wished to say.

「Fumu. Shizuku, in other words you want to say this aren’t you? The masked pink’s tale isn’t disrespectful at all even if people create fiction about her as they pleased because her identity is unknown. But, creative work that used Hajime-kun as topic, furthermore one that is used to earn money is impossible to do without permission from someone of authority. And, seeing that these things aren’t actually being cracked down on, that means there’s no doubt that this someone of authority has given their permission.」

「Yes, that’s right Ojii-chan.」

「Let me once more confirm it……in Tortus, a person of authority who can possibly give permission that it’s alright to use Hajime-kun and his relatives as theme for creative work……is someone like that exist?」

「There’s none. With only one exception that is.」

Everyone’s gaze slowly moved.

Toward Liliana.

「Three’s one here. A person who represent the king’s authority, and also a relative of that demon king.」

Liliana was smiling. She was standing calmly without showing any wavering, as though to proclaim that she hadn’t done anything to feel guilty about.

But, in front of the people here, even this poker faced princess who possessed 108 smiling masks were still in disadvantage.

Hajime’s eyes were gradually getting colder. Shizuku whose eyes were getting even more bloodshot bit by bit was approaching her soundlessly.

「Say, Lily. The way the tale of masked pink and the play and light novel of demon king father-daughter got circulated feel somewhat similar isn’t it?」

「Is that so? Fuhren is the biggest commercial city, so various products keep appearing there everyday……」

「Actually, it was just as a precaution you see? I asked her highness Tracy to let me read a bit of the tale of masked pink but, to me it looked like the writing style and the expressions used in it are exactly the same with the tale of the demon king father-daughter you know.」

「My, now that you mention it that might be the case! What an amazing find that is, Shizuku! With this we might be able to get a step closer to find out this unknown author!」

Liliana clasped her hands together while saying that enthusiastically. Seen from the side, she looked like she wasn’t harboring any guilty conscience at the slightest.

Even so, the parents were smiling wryly, Yue and the others were looking exasperated, while Hajime seemed to be half-convinced already with how his face looked like a yakuza right now.

Shizuku put her hands on Liliana’s shoulders with a tight grasp while her eyes were still bloodshot. Hajime was peering at her from behind Shizuku with eyes that had lost all light.

A trickle of cold sweat, dripped down from Liliana’s forehead……

「Everyone, how about we calm down a little? Being paranoid is no good. Doubt always make people’s heart narrower, which in turn create needless conflict. Now, take a deep breath. Maintain a serene feeling so you can accept and forgive every──」

「Hey, tell me please. Tell me that I’m wrong, Lily, hey. Are you saying that there’s someone else? Do you have an idea of someone else who can give permission for these?」

「T-that is……ahh, that’s right! I don’t want to even consider it but……it might be mother! No, that’s right! Simon-san is also suspicious! He’s often travelling to various countries. While he is there, it won’t be strange if he write that kind of thing and then spread it around!」

T-this princess, she sold out her own mother and the pope! Shudder travelled through the expressions of the parents and the girls!

「This is truly an alarming problem! I have to return to the palace at once! There I will investigate mother and Simon-san!」

Liliana said that and took out a gate key that exclusively connected to the palace from her personal treasure warehouse.

She squatted down with a sharp movement and slipped out from Shizuku’s restrain with a plop. And then she smoothly put the key into the space behind her──

「There ain’t no way we’ll let you go.」

「AH, my keyyy!」

The key was casually snatched out from Liliana’s hand. She hopped up and down with an anxious face in order to take back the key.

「And? You won’t be able to get out of this anyway so fess up already.」

「I-I don’t really understand what could you possibly talk about……」

Cold sweat was trickling down like waterfall from Liliana. Even her poker face was already torn down.

「So you’re going to play dumb till the end?」

「E-even if you tell me that……I’m innocent.」

「I see.」

Hajime was looking down coldly on Liliana who wouldn’t meet his eyes no matter what. Then right after that, he took out something that looked like a pendulum from his treasure warehouse.

「U-umm. Hajime-san? What’s that?」

「An interrogation artifact to turn a person into a mere villager──the prototype. I still haven’t decided the name or even the actual effect of it, so the target might blab out all their secrets, even those that don’t get asked. From the state secrets until even the embarrassing mistake of youth──」

「I did it.」

Everyone thought. This girl, she looks like she’s keeping a ton of secrets huh……

Furthermore, she reacted quicker when the part about embarrassing mistake got mentioned rather than the state secret part, so surely, no, there must be a lot because she was the self-professed romantic fiction master. The parents were showering Liliana with lukewarm gazes for some reason.

Liliana who had dug her own grave in a sense blushed red and,

「Uuuu, I’m not at fault! I’m not at fault! It’s the fault of the war! Ample national budget – Banzai! I am a princess! A woman who will sell even her family’s shame if it’s for the sake of her homeland’s revival!」

「T-this girl-, she got defiant.」

「Lily, you’re really…」

Liliana seemed to have given in to despair and confessed everything without any reservation. But with how Hajime and Shizuku were looking at her with horribly cold eyes, she finally seemed to resign herself and became crestfallen.

「Money……I wanted money……」

She covered her face with her hands and collapsed. Even though she was the princess of a country, what a deplorable state she was in.

Sumire and Shuu muttered 「This is like, a criminal’s confession……furthermore it’s exactly like in the films」「She must have watched drama or something before」 with an expression that couldn’t find any other word to say. Tomoichi and others were also looking really conflicted.

「Myuu-chan, you must never become like that Onee-chan okay? Promise Shia-oneechan desu.」

「Y-yes nano……」

The exchange between Shia and Myuu becme an additional blow. Liliana twitched and trembled from that, then Hajime asked her with an exasperated face.

「Is the kingdom’s financial situation really in such a dire strait?」

「? The more money there is the better it is, isn’t it?」

「She’s completely guilty.」

「B-but Shizuku-chan. She’s putting even her personal takings into the national budget, so in a sense it can be said that she’s throwing in her private funds for the country’s reconstruction……」

「She’s still guilty in that case.」

The self-professed romantic fiction master was apparently in possession of literary talent that allowed her to write adventure drama and script in a flash even while she was actually swamped with work, furthermore her works were able to give rise to a great boom.

And the money that she earned on her own at great pains were all put into the country’s treasury without any hesitation at all. It simply wasn’t healthy in various senses. Everyone there wished that she could have the sense for philanthropic work at the very least.

Well, in any case.

「Hajime, what should we do with this princess I wonder?」

「Aa, Shizuku. Actually I have here with me an excellent item that can show various dreams……」

「Eh? Eh, wait, both of you? Why do take out something like a wooden coffin……ah, stop! Don’t hold me from behind! What are you two planning to do with me!? Nooo, I don’t want to sleep anymoreeeeeee!!!」

It went without saying that Liliana ended up inside the wooden coffin again which followed behind the group during their field trip in the great volcano, floating up and down just like in Dragon *uest.

Like that, in the end Liliana’s trip meet its end while she was in such state……

When she opened her eyes, Hajime and co had already gone home to Japan.

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「How can you show me that kind of dreammmmmmmm!!!?」

Liliana jumped awake while screaming.

Then she saw the thin barrier surrounding her to protect her from sand, Hajime and others smiling wryly around her, and the giant tornado surrounding the great volcano Gruen at the front. With that she understood what going on and that was the first thing that she screamed.

「It served as a good punishment right?」

「We were really embarrassed you know? Even if you want to do that, please at least discuss it first with us beforehand.」

「Uu, that’s……yesss. I’m sorry……」

Hajime and Shizuku flicked her forehead once each. With that Liliana reflected on herself as expected and apologized.

It seemed that Shizuku became mollified with that and helped Liliana came out from the wooden coffin. Hajime too, he immediately stored the coffin back into his treasure warehouse to show that he had no intention to force her to sleep anymore.

「Kuh, what a terrifying artifact that is……」

「Surely the only person who will look at this wooden coffin with that kind of terror in their eyes is just you whether in the past or in the future.」

It was no wonder. A shriek like 「I don’t want to sleep anymoreeeeee」 wasn’t something that anyone would ever hear usually. Would she be alright after Hajime and co went home? Everyone couldn’t help but feel worried instead.

Yue collected herself together and stepped forward to fulfill the role as guide.

「……Putting that aside, what do you think Okaa-sama, Otou-sama? That is the tornado of Gruen that has continually surround the volcano without ever stopping at all.」

「Yeah, it’s really stunning Yue-chan. It feels like I’m seeing the flying castle Lap*ta in real life.」

「Rather than a tornado, that’s more like a giant wall of rotating sand. The sides cannot be seen at all.」

Everyone else seemed to be completely agreeing with Sumire and Shuu’s impression.

This was also the first time that Kaori, Shizuku, Aiko, Remia, and Myuu seeing this. They were speechless seeing this phenomenon that was too large in scale.

Tomoichi spoke with a deep feeling in his voice.

「Actually we have never visited a desert before, even at earth, but……how should I say it, it’s a good sight. It’s like a sea. The terrain undulated from the wind, and change in shape moment by moment……watching it never get tiring.」

「You’re right dear. ……Besides, it feels like your heart is getting cleansed exactly because it’s a world where there is nothing.」

Kaoruko also agreed, then Akiko and the members of Yaegashi family also spoke up one after another in admiration of how great the scenery was.

Everyone had already given artifact to maintain the suitable temperature around their body. The sand also couldn’t enter the barrier. Seeing the world of reddish copper color that continued to stretch until the horizon from within the comfortable space was certainly fantastical.

But, there was also a child who didn’t think like that at all.

「Don’t underestimate the desert, nano.」

「「「「「「Eh?」」」」」」

That voice sounded like it was resounding from the bottom of earth. Even though it should be an adorable voice that they were really familiar with!

The gazes of Tomoichi and others, no, even Hajime and others snapped toward where that voice came from. There they found Myuu staring at empty space with nihilistic eyes that had lost any light.

Her usual bright and cheerful atmosphere was like a lie after seeing her current ghost-like stare. While everyone was looking dumbfounded, Myuu muttered with a whispering voice. Most likely she was doing it unconsciously.

「At noon this place is really really hot even when you’re within a carriage, your throat feel really dry, while your skin become dry and rough……and yet it’s really cold at night……Myuu huddled together with the other kidnapped children but……one child, and then one more child became cold……」

「「「「「MYUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!」」」」」

Hajime and co rushed all at once. Remia mama broke down crying!

It seemed that Myuu’s landmine was located here. They realized it now. Rather than the time when she was being confined underground a large city, it was her time crossing the desert that was the most hellish for her.

No wonder she also wouldn’t get near the window when everyone was watching the Sand Worms’ great migration.

Normally she would be alright, but seeing desert getting lavished with praise right in front of her, or to be more accurate her hearing “statements that were looking down on desert” caused the dark Myuu to pop out.

Aiko’s 「SoulRepose-SoulRepose-SoulRepose-」 was echoing. Myuu who was being hugged tightly by Hajime and co flashed bright.

「Hah!? What did Myuu just do……」

It seemed that she had regained her sanity. Everyone felt relieved that Myuu apparently didn’t remember what she had just muttered, at the same time it felt like they had learned the depth of the darkness inside her. They felt really conflicted.

「It’s nothing! It’s nothing at all Myuu.」

「You must be a bit tired. Come on Myuu, mama will carry you.」

「Eh? Ee? Myuu isn’t tired or anything……」

「……It’s fine Myuu! Have your Mama carry you!」

「You don’t need to say anything desu! Myuu-chan!」

「Let yourself be pampered okay? You can act more pampered!」

Everyone was spoiling her rotten. A lot of “?” floated above Myuu’s head, but nobody could be bothered about that.

Tomoichi and others were also speaking vehemently with flustered look.

「Hajime-kun! Enough with the desert already! Show us around inside the volcano already!」

「Really, I can’t believe how we just waste time in the desert like this!」

「It’s enough seeing something like this just once! Let’s move on!」

「That’s true! I was thinking of charging through the tornado with car so everyone can have fun looking at the inside……」

「No need for that Hajime-kun! Now, to the great dungeon asap!」

「Shuuzou-san, roger that.」

Eh? Eh? Myuu was still confused like that. Hajime sent her a glance before taking out the Crystal Key immediately and created a “gate” that connected to the summit of the volcano.

Then everyone rushed at full speed into there without even looking back at all, leaving Myuu’s confusion behind.

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AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.

Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.

For the time being, let me announce my apology to everyone about my intent to finish this story within this year that I mentioned at the beginning.

In my planning, I would use the November and early December to create the plot for the last arc and stocked the chapters, then at the last third of month I’ll post a rush of updates for everyone to enjoy and then The End! It should be like that but, I’m sorry! That doesn’t seem possible now!

When I was I the middle of stocking up chapters I noticed a fatal inconsistency, I forgot to put in the groundwork……and the more I adjusted it the more the plot became shakier……at the end I judged that a remake from the foundation is necessary. (This is the reason I couldn’t update last week. My heart broke……)

And so, I’ll remake the plot from the ground up slowly so the last arc will be for next year.

I’m really sorry to everyone who have been looking forward to it but, please give me a bit more time.

Best regards!

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※Material introduction

– I’m not at fault! I’m not at fault!

=>Tales of Abyss. The one at fault is Vahn-sensei! (TN: Man, how nostalgic. My favorite Tales game. It has been a long time since I played any of the Tales series)

– Myuu’s trauma

=>From Nichijou. But there was no denying that it was really harsh. For a child of sea to be dragged across desert is nothing short of hellish.

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