Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou

Chapter 332

A horse cart was running along the forest while vibrating and making rattling sound that didn’t sound gentle to one’s butt.

It moved in the way that hid itself from the bright moonlight.

Although, there were several knights and mages riding horse around that horse cart, so it wasn’t really hidden.

It was running along the forest was only for peace of mind.

From its running speed that was too fast to be called stealthy, it could be clearly seen that the group was wishing to reach their destination as fast as possible.

The inside of the horse cart that was hurrying through the road like that was filled with really awkward silence.

(This feels absurdly awkward desuu~)

It was oppressive……well, not really, but the silence that was containing delicate tension that was observing how the other party would act was silently giving damage to Shia’s rabbit heart.

If she had to say, yes, it was like that.

She was feeling like a transfer student in her first day.

Who should she talk to? In the first place should she be the one who started the talk? Or rather, if you guys are going to glance like that then it’s fine if you call out to me you know? Look, there must be at least one person in the mood maker role right, there is right? It’s fine even if you call out to me cheerfully you know! C’mon!

That was how she felt. The mental state of meaninglessly checking one’s own belonging to ignore the awkwardness, such feeling!

The cause was obvious.

The battle VS celestial race just now.

And then, the overwhelming physical power.

‘Get close and punch! That is exactly the ultimate skill!’ The battle that seemed like to claim like that with its simplicity and clear cut intend without concealing anything, it seemed to carve something unforgettable in their mind.

Their eyes that were looking at Shia when she lightly landed on the ground were similarly filled with awe, as though they were witnessing the descend of genuine goddess――or rather a fighting god.

It was to the degree that everyone starting from the king Eric simultaneously kneeled without delay.

It went without saying that Shia got flustered by that. She hastily said 「Please don’t knee~l! You there, please don’t worship mee!」 and made everyone stood up. It even made she herself to be the one who suggested to go to the kingdom by saying ‘Anyway first let’s go to somewhere where we can calm down’.

Also, the royal capital was in a different place from that old ruin where the literature of hero summoning was discovered.

Shia reflected of such thing while peeking out from the coach’s window. The wind was making her rabbit ears flapping while she was praying to the moon.

(Hajime-sa~n, Yue-sa~n! It’s fine if you come to pick me up right at this moment you knoww~)

Reach! This feeling!

「Shia-sama……you’re beautiful……」

It seemed that her prayer reached. To the maid-san in front of her. The rabbit heart’s range appeared to be relatively short.

It was different from the content of her prayer, but finally the silence was broken.

Shia smiled sweetly while turning her gaze to the maid-san――Dahlia.

For some reason she looked intoxicated. It seemed that she was fascinated by Shia who was looking sorrowful while the moonlight was illuminating her from the window.

「Err, thank you very much? But, Dahlia-san is also beautiful you know?」

「No, no way……that praise is too much for me. Compared to Shia-sama who is strong and beautiful like the goddess of the moon, the likes of me is a mere pebble on the roadside!」

Dahlia-san clenched both of her small fists and spoke insistently with rough nasal breathing「Funsu-」. “Raising both hands and clenching fists” seemed to be the peculiarity of this person.

「Pebble on the roadside you say……you don’t need to abase yourself like that. Or perhaps, someone as beautiful as Dahlia-san is the standard of this world?」

Shia wasn’t giving flattery or anything, even from the perspective of Shia who was used to seeing transcendentally beautiful women and girls, Dahlia was a beauty whose humility just now only sounded like sarcasm.

Although, thinking carefully his majesty Eric and Louise and others too, the male camp was also a complete line up of handsome men. Shia tilted her head wondering if it was this kind of world or perhaps country.

Louis who was sitting beside Shia sighed in relieve. He must have been searching for a talk starter. He looked relieved and joined the talk.

「Not at all, Shia-sama. Dahlia is a beauty who is even praised as beauty princess in our country.」

「Beauty princess? Is she a princess?」

Then, what’s with the maid uniform? Shia’s head was tilting in confusion even more.

By the way, the way Louis called Shia changed because after that battle both of them made their self-introduction once more.

For Shia, being called a hero vividly reminded him of a certain someone, and it was a title that would produce black history to call oneself like that. And so she asked them to be spared from that. As the result they compromised by calling her Shia-sama.

「She isn’t a direct descendant of the royal family. Though she is a duke’s daughter, so she has the blood of royalty in her.」

The one who answered in the place of Louis was his majesty Eric who was making a sullen expression for some reason. He was sitting diagonally ahead of Shia and he had been crossing his arms all this time.

His atmosphere made her wondered whether he was in a bad mood but, the source of the glances was this guy. It was transparent that he was immensely curious about Shia.

Louis smiled wryly while continuing.

「Honestly speaking, we never thought that a lovely woman like Shia-sama would appear from the ceremony of hero summoning. Even in the literature it was mentioned that all the heroes who were summoned in the past were male. That’s why……」

「Aa~, in other words, a honey trap?」

The words of denial came from duke’s daughter maid Dahlia.

「It’s not trap or the like. I’m resolved to offer both my body and heart to the hero.」

「I won’t deny that there is the calculation of increasing the hero’s favorable impression toward our country.」

The words that Louis said with a wry smile were certainly really blunt.

However, from their story, it seemed that Eric, Louis, and then Dahlia. Also, Greg and Phil, these five had the so called childhood friend relationship. It seemed everyone was treasuring Dahlia.

Although it was by the person’s own will, to offer such woman to a hero whose personality wasn’t even certain seemed to be a terribly bitter choice for them.

Even so, there was no one with greater aptitude than Dahlia to keep the hero company.

「Ahaha……it feels like that is too blunt but, I’ll interpret it as the sincerity of Louis-san and everyone. But, why wear maid uniform? It’s too strange for someone who is praised by the people as beauty princess to dress like that though……」

「? Isn’t maid uniform the battle outfit and also the greatest dress for woman?」

「……」

‘This gentle faced glasses, is his head alright……?’ Shia thought with her eyes spontaneously turning reproachful.

With a bewildered face Louis said,

「The hero-sama in the past introduced this outfit. The hero said that this is the most prominent outfit in the other world……」

「I’m sorry for our world’s idiot herooo-」

‘A Japanese. That hero was absolutely a Japanese! Furthermore that person must be an Akiba warrior desuu!’

Thought Shia while she apologized reflexively. The bastard hero acted as he pleased because this was another world and made his own preference as tradition. That damn hero……

The inside of the coach turned uproarious at Shia’s sudden apology. The people outside the coach seemed to hear the voice too. Various words like「What happened!?」 or「Crap-, has his majesty angered Shia-sama!? He will turn into mince meat!」 could be hear from them.

「Ju, just what’s with you!」

His majesty Eric told the outside that it was nothing while complaining to Shia. It was a problem that she found it difficult to say anything about……or rather, explaining about the unique people that was shouldering unique karma even in earth――the Japanese was extremely difficult, so Shia only laughed to divert the question.

※Warning! This is the personal opinion of Shia who is another worlder!

「Ahaha……it’s nothing. More importantly, how long it will be till we reach the kingdom?」

「Ri, right. I believe we will arrive around dawn.」

It was dangerous to march throughout the night. However, they couldn’t stay for long in that place after the attack by the celestial race. There was a need to return to their country and hardened their defense even if they had to act a bit recklessly.

Shia frowned slightly and opened her mouth.

「In that case, my pick up might come faster than we can arrive there.」

The expression of his majesty Eric turned grave. Dahlia turned an entreating gaze toward Shia, while Louis showed a sad expression that was mixed with perplexity.

「Shia-sama. What could you mean by someone picking you up? If it’s alright with you, please kindly let us know.」

Crossing over worlds wasn’t something that could be done casually. It was an act that twisted the principle of the world.

For Louis who was the kingdom’s greatest and strongest caster who was called as genius with no one to contest it, it took him nearly ten years since he accidentally discovered the lost literature of hero summoning and reconstructed it. In the literature, there wasn’t any mention at all that the ceremony of returning back the summoned person had ever been held.

「Err, well, how should I say it, if it’s my family then they can normally cross over worlds.」

Shia’s instinct told her that Louis and everyone were relatively good people. Although, she didn’t really know them well, furthermore when the other party was at the scale of a country, Shia’s mouth wasn’t so loose that she would lightly prattle about her family. She naturally spoke ambiguously.

Louis’s glasses glinted.

「By that, do you mean it’s the person who elbowed and electrified Shia-sama in the past?」

「Tha, that’s right……」

「In other words, that person is someone so powerful that he could do such thing to someone at your level?」

「Well, yes……」

*Gulp*, the sound of swallowing saliva resounded. It might be Eric, or Dahlia, or perhaps the other two.

A tense atmosphere was flowing, as though they were imagining a monster that a fighting god like Shia was helpless against.

Actually, even that monster recently would spoke shudderingly「This bugged rabbit!」 seeing his prided bullet (normal bullet though) got normally dodged or plucked from midair but……

Shia guessed what Louis wanted to say and replied first.

「But, I think it will be difficult to beg for help from him you know?」

「……That is, as expected it’s because of the same reason like Shia-sama?」

No, simply because he would feel it was troublesome. He was a person who was absurdly dry toward other people.

Such words weren’t said by Shia-chan who read the mood. She was different from Hajime! Really different!

Shia smiled vaguely to dodge the question. Then Louis pondered with a difficult expression.

「Shit-. This is why I opposed something like hero summoning-」

His majesty Eric cursed with a choked voice. Dahlia paid attention to Shia’s expression while she immediately said「Your majesty-」 to stop him, but surely he was accumulating a considerable amount of stress. The young king who was standing at the front of the path of salvation of the world that was heading to ruin discharged his words as though to spit out that heavy pressure.

「This is our, mankind’s karma. We who are living in the present should be the one to shoulder our ancestor’s sin-. We shouldn’t rely on someone from another world from the very beginning-」

「Your majesty……. But, this is the conclusion from discussing it many times――」

「I know-. I know but still-, Louis! Me agreeing to it is my weakness-. In the first place it’s nearly impossible to obtain salvation with only our strength. I understand that, that was why I also clung to it-. I harbored hope-」

That was why, he harbored even stronger hope after witnessing that much power, but because of that……

「I know that this is just an unjustified resentment! Even so let me say this, Shia Hauria-. You are――cruel-」

「……」

Certainly, it was a terribly unjustified resentment. Shia was only getting kidnapped. She was simply brushing away the sparks of disaster coming down on her. There wasn’t the slightest reason for her to be criticized. Rather, it was Eric and others who were very cruel for asking her to risk her life for the sake of strangers.

He understood. Surely, most likely, as the only one who opposed the hero summoning, he was the one who understood it better than anyone.

However, the face of his retainers that flashed at the back of his mind, the face of his retainers who were waiting back home while believing that they surely would return together with the herohope……

And above all else, the face of his kingdom’s people who he should protect……

The dam of the young king’s words was destroyed.

His majesty Eric covered his face with both hands and hung his head down. That appearance was like an old man who was completely tired of life.

It was thoughtless words toward the hero who they personally summoned. However, both Louis and Dahlia also stiffened as though they had lost their words. That expressed their feeling more eloquently than any words.

They had failed in the hero summoning.

They were unable to obtain hope. Those realizations.

「……Why is it me who got summoned I wonder.」

‘If it’s hero, there is someone else who possessed that title, and yet’, Shia thought with an expression that looked like she just got stuffed full with bitter things.

At the same time, for some reason she recalled back.

About her family who sacrificed their life for her.

Escaping from the sea of trees, chased by the empire, hunted in the great canyon……

Everything of that, was for Shia’s sake.

Family, would never abandon family.

Because they were the rabbitman race, who were the weakest among the beastman race, and because of that they were tied together with the strongest bond.

That was why, until the very end, because she understood that they wouldn’t abandon her, Shia ran.

Toward the sign of hope that was showed to her by her power. The power to peek at the future.

Believing that the future could be changed, she paid no mind to her appearance and acted with literal “desperation”.

Right now, seeing the king who was hanging down his head, she suddenly thought.

If, at that time, Hajime and Yue deserted her, would she also hold unjustified resentment? And then, would she lament and crumble down like this?

She didn’t even want to imagine it. However, it was a most terrifying “what if”.

*Gloom……*,  her rabbit ears naturally drooped down.

Perhaps that was why. When she noticed, her words resounded within the oppressive atmosphere.

「Come to think of it, what was that about spirit art or spirit element?」

「What?」

「Hah?」

「Eh?」

Question marks in three different shapes floated in the air. Everyone was taken aback by the question that wasn’t reading the atmosphere.

Shia added more questions without paying that any attention.

「Like the flying method of that celestial being-san, or divine spirit? something, various things were mysterious.」

「No, I think the way you punch is far more mysterious though?」

‘That wasn’t power output that can be displayed by slim girl, or the whole mankind even……’, that tsukkomi of the heart of his majesty Eric felt like it could be heart. Louis and Dahlia also nodded deeply.

‘Let’s not mind that!’, Shia made a gesture like she was putting a box to the side while speaking with a wry smile.

「I said it before this, “If it’s not that dangerous then~”.」

In this world the celestial race was the messenger of god. And then, looking at how the king of a country Eric was interacting with a man who wasn’t even the king of the celestial race as though the other party was his equal or even higher in status, it could be determined that in this world the celestial race was a superior race that was placed in really powerful position.

However,

「Those celestial people, they were ordinarily weak.」

「We, weak……certainly, Shia-sama was overwhelming but……」

Louis showed a twitching expression.

When Shia asked 「Those people, how strong they are among the celestial people?」, Louis thought for a bit before answering 「They must be around the middle. The elites would be several times stronger than them」.

Shia nodded with ‘I see’ and said.

「As I thought they are weak. At present I’m not feeling any danger. Of course, there must be those that even more above the elites but……」

「But?」

「For now, even if they become ten times faster I don’t think they will reach the speed of sound.」

「Yes?」

「They also don’t have anything like constant deployment of attack that will deal lethal wound just from touching.」

「Shia-sama? What are you talking ab――」

「They also don’t have martial arts that is installed directly from god.」

「……」

「They also don’t have the physical strength to split the earth with one attack.」

「……」

「Also, it doesn’t look like they will crawl out infinitely like cockroach!」

「Shia-sama. I think that’s not a living thing anymore.」

Louis-san, correct answer.

It wasn’t a living thing. Naturally. After all that was exactly the “god’s apostle”.

The complexion of Louis and everyone recovered a bit hearing Shia’s remark. ‘Could it be……’, such thinking was welling up.

「Shia-sama, could you perhaps――」

「Please don’t misunderstand. I won’t ignore my family who come to pick me up and run around for the sake of this world with just me alone.」

「……」

‘But’, she continued. Her gaze was directed toward his majesty Eric. The gentle aura that could be vaguely seen in those eyes made his majesty Eric held his breath reflexively.

「If I’m fighting together with my family, of course I will also do my best. In order for that to happen, I will at least help to persuade them.」

Just like what Yue did for her in the past.

「That’s why, please teach me about this world. If there is something rare here that would make anyone unable to say troublesome, surely my family too will lend their help for everyone.」

Actually, if Shia asked then Hajime surely, no absolutely wouldn’t refuse. Far from that, he would instantly read Shia’s feeling and said 「Say what you want」 with a gentle expression to her, no doubt about that.

Even if it was about a world unrelated to them. Even if there was unknown danger existing.

There was no need to talk about merit or demerit. That was what family was.

However, she didn’t want that. Not just Shia. Yue too, Kaori too, Tio too, Shizuku too, everyone else too, they absolutely didn’t want to think “We are family, so Hajime will do anything if I ask him”.

They wouldn’t speak it out loud but, if Hajime heard it then surely he would say 「It’s fine even if you all act more spoiled though……」 with a wry smile.

The demon king was really sweet to his family. It was sweetness to dripping and melting degree.

To be Hajime’s wife, heart that was strong in various senses was necessary.

Shia thought of her beloved person while forming her words.

「And then, if my family lend their help」

Eric and everyone stared back in fascination at Shia’s eyes that were sparkling with pride and confidence.

‘Ehhem!’ The rabbit ears curced up while Shia declared.

「There won’t be anything to fear anymore! Whether it’s fate, or an impossibility, everything will get solved all at once!」

Eric, Louis, and also Dahlia, they all were captured by an intense feeling that couldn’t be expressed in words and couldn’t say anything.

They thought that they had to say something here, but it was as though their throat was stuffed with something and words couldn’t come out. In exchange, their blood boiled as though there was strength that lost its destination inside them rampaging to search for outlet.

*Thump thump*, their heated blood flow could be heard inside their ears. Their brain felt dizzy from the heat as though their head was boiled up. They couldn’t take off their eyes from the rabbit eared girl as though their gaze was sewed on her.

Even so, perhaps the obstinacy as the king, or perhaps simply because as a man he was unable to endure getting one-upped continuously by a girl.

His majesty Eric’s hand reached out toward Shia’s hand that she placed on her lap as though he was getting pulled while,

「Shia, you――」

「Please stop calling me without honorific.」

「Ah, yes……」

Shia-chan! She absolutely wouldn’t yield what couldn’t be yielded!

The inside of the coach that almost got completely enveloped by a bizarre heat instantly chilled down due to Shia’s smiling rejection.

By the way, for his majesty Eric it was his first experience replying 「Ah, yes……」 like this toward a woman.

「A, ahh, Shia-sama. His majesty is near your age……just calling you with your name is……」

Perhaps unable to watch his majesty Eric whose expression was dumbfounded as though he just got hit with an unexpected slap, Dahlia timidly speak considerately but,

「Rather, it’s because he is an opposite sex who is almost the same age with me. I won’t mind if it’s an elderly or a small kid though.」

It seemed she somehow felt unpleasant to have man the same age with her other than Hajime calling her name directly. Of course, if it was with someone who was close with her to a certain degree――for example, if it was with the classmates at the present time then it would be okay even if they called her name……

Although, at that time the demon king punch would come flying from Hajime so no one called her by her name without any honorific.

Anyway, it appeared she wanted to be spared from a man who she only had just met to call her like that. Add ‘-san’ or call her with her family name……such wordless demand was keenly conveyed to everyone.

Shia’s guard was solid.

*Cough-*, Louis cleared his throat to change the atmosphere. He glanced at the king who was still dumbfounded and opened his mouth toward Shia.

「Ee~, then, Shia-sama. While presumptuous, please allow me to explain the situation.」

「Yes, Louis-san. I will properly open my rabbit ears, so best regards.」

*Whoosh-!!* The rabbit ears turned toward Louis. Louis’s cheeks loosened.

For some reason his gaze was really warm since when Shia declared that she would abandon them at the place where she was summoned. It appeared that he liked Shia’s straightforwardness.

According to the explanation of such Louis.

It seemed that an energy called spirit element existed in the nature of this world.

Spirit element was the energy source for every kind of tool. It became the cornerstone of mankind’s development. Especially the technology to generate phenomenon using spirit element――the spirit art was a primary factor of mankind’s development.

Other than being a technique to cause pseudo natural phenomenon, spirit art was also a technique to reinforce the body and healing.

(It’s not really different from magic isn’t it……. But, my magic power doesn’t react at all, is it a different energy?)

She had no analysis ability like Hajime, so Shia thought like that with her instinct.

Louis confirmed that Shia seemed to comprehend and continued explaining.

「The development of technology and tool, and then the expansion of living area by means of reclamation……that was how mankind developed. By using spirit element and spirit art, the development progressed with accelerated speed.」

However, spirit element was finite resource that was produced by nature. Human themselves also produced it to a certain degree inside their body, but it was miniscule compared to nature.

And then, spirit element wasn’t a resource that was granted to only mankind.

「There is an existence called spirit.」

「Spirit……is it?」

「Yes. The will that is born from natural object or natural phenomenon is called like that.」

Shia vaguely recalled a certain belief of Japan that she heard from Hajime while thinking.

(If I remember right……gods are residing in everything. That’s why, let’s treasure everything, something like that. The eight million gods was it again?) (TN: A belief in Japan that there is many god for everything, around 8 million of them. Ask google-sensei for more detail)

It was said that spirit had tens of thousands of varieties that was proportional to be considering existing in all creations. The representatives of spirit could be found in the nearby phenomenon――like spirit of wind, fire, water, earth, or so many others.

In general the shape of spirits was like a ball of light, what they were saying was also mostly unclear. However, there was also existences among them who was able to communicate their will clearly, and many of such spirits were able to take the form of small person. Of course, there were also spirits in the shape of insect or animal.

And then, those spirits,

「They make the spirit element as their energy source.」

「E~rr, in short, the meal of the those spirit-san is spirit element?」

「Ahaha……exactly. And then, that’s exactly the cause of the emergency for mankind.」

Shia interpretation made Louis showed a warm expression that seemed to want to say ‘How really cute’, even so his expression immediately turned pained and he continued.

「Fundamentally, spirits obtained vitality by having meal of spirit element that is produced from the nature like from earth, plants, and so on. And then, spirits are able to put the nature in order.」

「But, mankind developed……using spirit element, consuming the nature, is that it?」

「It’s just as you say.」

Human dug out the resources underground in order to make tools.

They fell forests and cleared the land in order to widen the living space.

Because of that a great amount of spirit element was consumed.

Trashes that were hard to be disposed were piling up.

Pollution filled the water.

Wounds that couldn’t be healed were engraved into the land and rivers.

Technology advancement accompanied the development, the convenience of living became better, safety level increased, and the population explosively multiplied.

And then, the resources got consumed with accelerating speed further and nature was polluted.

In the end of all that,

「When population increase, the sense of values of the people also become diverse. When country is developed, even greater greed is born. As the result, what happen next is……」

Historically, it occurred within a certain cycle.

「War is it?」

「Yes, Shia-sama. We were in a war just twenty years ago.」

This world, or rather this continent other than the oldest country Balted Kingdom which was a human country ruled by his majesty Eric, there was also the country of beastmen called Tinted Beast Kingdom and the country of demon race called Rated Demon Kingdom.

「Hm? Demon king? Demon race?」

Shia tilted her head. Because words that also existed in Tortus suddenly came out.

The one who answered her with disgusted expression was his majesty Eric who was staying quiet and left the explanation to Louis while resuming stealing glances at Shia.

「Those guys started to call themselves like that since the war twenty years ago. They claimed that things like spirit’s protection, the protection of natural environment, and faith to the spirits are worthless. They even change the name of spirit element and spirit art into demonic element and demonic art with the reason of ridding themselves from such sense of values.」

「There is no need to hesitate to use spirit and spirit art because in the end it’s resource that mankind discovered and it’s technology that mankind built up, that’s the claim of the demon race’s side. They called it the doctrine of technology’s supremacy, that even the problem of spirit element and resource drying up, everything can be solved using technology. Who cares about spirit or whatever, rather they are unnecessary! That’s what those guys are insisting.」

「That’s really……」

Shia made an expression of being unable to say anything.

Louis continued.

「Because it’s that kind of country, their sense of values make the matter between their country and other country including our country to become greatly problematic. The country that react the most sensitively is the country of the celestial people, the Honted Celestial Kingdom.」

「The country of those celestial-san is a country that hold faith to all the spirit-san and divine spirit-san isn’t it?」

「Yes, exactly. Their sense of values is completely incompatible with the demon kingdom.」

「And war occurred because of that?」

‘Yes’, Louise nodded.

The people in the demon kingdom were unique race that produced spirit element within themselves in a different scale compared to the human race and beastman race. Those people established and developed their own country.

Exactly because of that their sense of values was different from others.

And then, although their population was the fewest among all countries, they could use powerful spirit art because of that. The demon king was selected based on their ability, the demon king of this generation also possessed outrageous power.

「And then, the celestial race is also special. They don’t use spirit art. Even without using such thing, they are able to directly ask the spirits to cause every kind of phenomenon.」

Spirits that were able to clearly communicate their will were really few. However, the celestial race was able to communicate even with spirits that didn’t have distinctive will.

Inevitable their power was vast. It was natural, after all the nature was their ally.

「The war continue for long, many countries are swallowed by the flow and participated in the war, and then they were eliminated.」

In the end, what left were only the four countries that were mentioned just now.

「War accelerate technology development. With a speed to a terrifying at that.」

It seemed the demon kingdom not only rivaled the celestial race, far from that they even developed weapons one after another that could obliterate even the divine spirit who intervened in order to protect the nature. Of course, the amount of spirit element consumed by those weapons was also tremendous in proportion to the effect and power.

「Now that you mention it, what kind of existence divine spirit it? Hearing the title made me think of them like the higher class of the spirit-san.」

「My apologies. My explanation was lacking. However, Shia-sama. It’s just as you discerned. Your perception of them is mostly correct.」

‘However’, Louis continued.

「Shia-sama. Please imagine a natural disaster.」

「Natural disaster……like typhoon, earthquake, or cold wave……those kind of things?」

「That’s right. Divine spirits are those things taking human form.」

「Offu」

Shia unconsciously made a strange voice. That wasn’t in the level of higher class of spirit anymore. ‘Oh my god, ain’t that the fury of nature itself’, her expression was like that.

By the way, those divine spirits in general had the appearance that was almost the same like human and possessed high intellect. Even throughout the history, only several of them had their existences confirmed, the foundation of nature――wind and fire and water and earth and the like, it was thought that the divine spirits ruled over each of those aspects.

And then, the demon kingdom seemed to manage to repel a manifested divine spirit although only barely. They used a lot of weapons that consumed great amount of spirit element, and the demon king himself consumed the spirit element of the nature like it grew on tree.

「Although, it was really just barely. Even they who believe that the development of technology will turn all impossibilities into possible got frightened real good as expected……」

The development of technology still couldn’t catch up in order to defeat a divine spirit. Although, if they succeeded to repel a divine spirit, they would surely able to defeat it too. Right now it was necessary for them to buy time.

They who made that judgment was,

「They accepted to negotiate with us.」

「Aa~, I see. Was it the salvation plan to return the spirit element to the star tree something and ask for forgiveness?」

In respond to Shia’s words, it was his majesty Eric again who cut in with a sternly handsome expression.

「Those guys are really a race that know no shame. Right now they are acting ingratiatingly and even accept having the spirit element inside their body getting collected, but at the bottom of their heart their ambition must be still blazing fiercely……something has to be done about them as soon as possible.」

‘Even if the demon race had to be destroyed……’, such words were explicitly conveyed.

Also, with the demon kingdom responding to the negotiation, naturally it was necessary to increase the feasibility of the salvation plan.

That was,

「That’s where the hero comes in then.」

「The star tree……the north of the continent. It’s the gigantic tree located at a solitary island across the sea that is called the “land of the beginning”. It’s an existence that is said to be the first one to produce the spirit element, it’s also said to be the very will of this world. Also, it is called as the mother of all divine spirits and spirits.」

According to a manifested divine spirit, the drastic consumption of spirit element and nature destruction was weakening the star tree remarkably.

At this rate the star tree would perish and the balance of the natural world would also greatly crumble, the divine spirit said.

Therefore, there was already no more time for delay, the star tree, and then the divine spirits decided to destroy the mankind.

But, at that time Shia’s rabbit ears suddenly twitched in reaction to something.

With a really natural movement, she aimed Vire Drucken in bombardment mode to outside the window.

A beat later.

A burst slug bullet flew along with an explosive sound. The horses neighed and the royal guard captain Greg who was riding right nearby along with the other guards were shocked.

At the same time, the head of a beast that was like a frenzied boar rushing out from the forest got blown up.

There was something that looked like a dull yellow gem buried on its head, but it also got blown away and reflected the moonlight sparklingly.

「Ah, sorry. I interrupted you. The animal-san came attacking full of killing intent so I unconsciously」

「Ah, pardon us for making you bother with that.」

Louis-san said thanks even while getting a little bit of cold sweat.

From the window Greg’s masculine face silently peeked inside.

「……Shia-sama. My deepest apologies.」

「No no, it’s like a conditioned reflex for me. I should be the one apologizing for taking away your job.」

「……No. That was magnificent.」

After staring fixedly at Shia, Greg’s lips loosened slightly and he nodded. He immediately took distance from the coach and gave instruction.

「That’s surprising……Greg-sama just smiled.」

Dahlia went 「My!」 with her hands pressed on her cheeks while saying such thing.

「Eh? It’s something shocking? He is human so I think it’s normal to smile though.」

Even a certain vampire princess who was believed to have default expressionless face toward other people was actually a really happy-go-lucky in the inside. She wouldn’t laugh loudly or anything, but her expression was quite abundant in front of relatives.

However, Greg-san’s expressionless level seemed to far surpass the vampire princess.

Dahlia said.

「The probability of meeting divine spirit is still higher than him smiling.」

「Just how expressionless he is!?」

The sound of clearing throat 「Cough」 could be heard from outside the coach. It might be a warning from Greg-san to not say needless thing.

Dahlia leaned closer to whisper into Shia’s ear and said 「Greg-sama’s ear is really good, so surely he could hear Shia-sama’s words just now」. She added that perhaps his attitude was softening because Shia became a little bit cooperative.

‘I see’, Shia nodded in acceptance.

Louis smiled wryly while returned the talk on its track.

「It’s a nice timing, Shia-sama. About the beast just now, that wasn’t a mere animal. It was a special beast that is called spirit beast. It can use the power of spirit.」

That spirit beast was exactly their prime reason to summon Shia.

「The star tree is rejecting us. The path to the north is lived by great number of spirit beast. Currently they will mercilessly attack anyone heading to the north.」

「Naturally, the spirits beasts will get stronger the closer we are to the north isn’t it? Also, it feels like the celestial-san and even the divine spirit-san will naturally come out too.」

「Exactly.」

In other words, their reason for summoning hero was for cutting open the path.

It was in order to return spirit stone, gem that could store spirit element back to the star tree. And then it was for the sake of obtaining the last chance to beg for mercy toward human.

Because with just themselves they wouldn’t be able to overcome the fierce attack of the great number of spirit beasts and the divine spirits.

「……That’s why, Shia. We are asking――」

「Your way of calling.」

「Shia, dono-. Can we ask for your cooperation?」

Shia wiggled her rabbit ears uneasily at the question of his majesty Eric that was filled with expectation and anxiety.

「I cannot give any guarantee.」

「Tsu……」

His majesty Eric gritted his teeth at Shia’s blunt words.

「But――」

Shia was going to continue, however, her rabbit ears reacted once more and her words stopped.

「? What’s the matter, Shia-sama?」

「No, just thinking that the weather is a bit bad……」

There was a low sound that resembled earth tremor. There was also the existence of spirit beast, so Shia strengthened her rabbit ear’s hearing, even so it was a small sound that she could only catch slightly.

Right after that,

「Eric!」

「Phil, what’s the matter?」

Outside the window at Eric’s side, the one who appeared upside down was the frivolous looking green haired young man――Phil Espion.

In the military he was the captain of the scouting force, at the same time he was also the captain of the royalty’s direct intelligence corps. This time too he went ahead of te path to confirm whether there was any danger, and it seemed there really was something.

He leaped to above the horse coach and peeked inside from the window upside down. That was just how hurried he was.

「I can see flash of lightning from afar. It’s not something natural looking from the interval of the flash. It looked like it’s flowing toward the direction of the capital.」

「-!?」

His majesty Eric immediately pushed Phil aside and took his head out from the window. When he looked up to the sky, although there were some clouds, the sky was really clear as far as the eye could see. The light of the moon was beautiful.

Tonight the wind directly blew from the front. Even though there was thundercloud in eyesight range that was generating flash of lightning fiercely, no sign whatsoever could be seen from the air and also the night sky.

And then, what clinched it was……

「I used spirit communicator but to contact my subordinate at the relay point but……no one is replying.」

Spirit communicator――it was a long range communication device using spirit element. It seemed to be using the vibration of spirit element. It was a convenient tool, but actually five kilometer was the limit of its range. And so when communicating in super long range, personnel to relay the verbal message was necessary.

Phil’s subordinates were standing by to serve as relay by hiding in the village or hideout along the road until the capital, but it seemed that all of them fell off the grid.

「Shia! Can you ride a horse!?」

‘The way you call’, Shia tried to warn, but she read the atmosphere and answered 「I can」 for the time being, while thinking that later she would beat the way he should call her into his body.

「Abandon the horse coach! Everyone, we are returning to the capital in full speed!」

His majesty Eric loudly commanded from the window. Obeying him, the horse coach was immediately stopped. Louis and Dahlia too swiftly got down from the coach.

When Shia got down, the horses were immediately released from the coach and the driver got on one of them. The knights rode on the other horses, and the conspicuously splendid horses they were riding until now were handed to Eric and others. It seemed those horses were only temporarily rode by the followers, but originally they were the horses of his majesty Eric and others.

Shia wished to ask various things about the circumstance, but she closed her mouth when his majesty Eric reached out his hand toward her with a serious face.

He looked really tense.

「Ride in front of me, Shia!」

「Even the patience of saint will eventually run out you know?」

Shia looked reproachfully at his majesty Eric who was casually calling her without honorific while quickly dodging his hand that was trying to pick her up.

And then, her treasure warehouse lit up.

「Tha, that’s?」

Not only his majesty Eric, everyone also opened their eyes wide.

「It’s my partner desuu!」

After saying that, Shia cut short the explanation and straddled her partner.

Yes, Shia’s partner that was handed over to her from Hajime, the cause of her game of tag with polices late at night in the city.

The magic powered motorcycle – Schutaif!

※Good child must not imitate it. Let’s adhere to the traffic rule!

「Come on, what are you doing standing in a daze like that! It’s some kind of bad situation right? We are departing!」

「Ah, yes……」

His majesty Eric pulled back his hand that was wandering in a lost in the air and cleared his throat once.

He pulled himself together and gave the order.

One hour of riding after that.

The horses seemed to be strengthened by spirit art, so they displayed a good speed. Their endurance seemed to be strengthened to so they didn’t show any sign of fatigue.

Like that several black smokes rising to the sky came into view.

What came into their sight the closer they got was a village that was turned into ash. There was no house that retained its original shape, there were several craters on the ground, and the fields were ravaged.

And then, there was offensive smell from among the burnt smell piercing the nose……

Shia knew.

This smell.

In the past, when they were pursued by the empire, this smell accompanied their scorning laughter.

Yes, the smell of her burnt family――

The smell of burnt people.

「……Louis! Leave behind several people who can use healing art! Search for survivor!」

「By your will!」

His majesty Eric bit his lip. Louis accepted that royal edict and sent hand sign to his subordinate.

They didn’t slow down the speed of their horses and passed through the destroyed village.

The black cloud seemed to be heading straight to the royal capital as expected. There was no sign of them catching up.

That stimulated the anxiety of his majesty Eric and his subordinates even further. It made them felt vexation that made them want to scratch off their chest.

「……Eric-san. Is this what got mentioned in our talk before?」

「That’s right. That is truly the divine punishment.」

His majesty Eric said that as though to spit out. Shia drove Schutaif in parallel with him while pondering for a bit.

Before long, her gaze became distant……a beat later.

「Should I go ahead?」

「What?」

His majesty Eric looked down beside him hearing those words that were filled with unexpected strong will.

The straightforward eyes of Shia who was looking up from the position that was lower than the horseback caused his majesty Eric to unconsciously gulp.

It felt like his heart jumped inside, but he ignored it and asked.

「……Is it okay?」

Shia made an expression that looked troubled, as though she had bitten something bitter, it was an expression that was hard to describe.

「I have said that I’ll at least help persuading my family. As expected , I won’t be able to sleep well if everyone get turned into ash before that.」

She was unable to be as decisive as Hajime, and she was unable to discard herself to the degree of a certain hero.

She would face what came later, later. Now she would run with all her strength for the sake of the future that she wouldn’t regret.

That was Shia.

If she didn’t know anything about the circumstance, she could also pretend to not know.

However, she had heard the circumstance and felt sympathy.

If she said something like 「As I thought this look bad so I’ll run away」 here……

――It’s a promise after all

The wound in heart. Important memory. Shia’s pride.

His majesty Eric surely couldn’t read those feelings, but he seemed to comprehend something and nodded.

And then,

「Pursue the thunder cloud. That way is the capital. ……Please, Shia.」

「Your way of calling.」

「Ah, yes. ……Shia, dono」

His majesty Eric felt quiet scared at Shia whose face became blank for a moment.

Leaving behind him who was making twitching face, Shia step fully on the accelerator.

She advanced in a speed that left behind even the wind.

Shia explosively advanced using the automatic ground flattening function using transmutation magic and the deployment of barrier path that made it also possible to run in midair.

Midway, she found several villages that were similarly turned into ash.

She couldn’t pick up the groan of even a single survivor even when she focused her rabbit ears.

She wondered just how many people had died.

After advancing while thinking of such thing, her rabbit ears finally heard a clear thunder. She leaped to the sky and accelerated further.

Before long, she could see at the other side of a large hill. There……

「……This is terrible.」

It was a large capital blazing in flame, with agonized cries echoing loudly.

The outside and inside the city walls were blazing up. Lightning was attacking unceasingly. A beat after the thunder there would be explosive sound ringing out, each time a building would be blown away.

The solemn and huge building at the center――most likely that was the palace. That place was covered by a shining dome that defended against the lightning.

However, each time it was struck by lightning that fell like intense rain, the dome would greatly bend and flicker, its scale was reduced little by little. It was only a problem of time before the dome got destroyed.

Instantly.

A clear vision crossed Shia’s mind. The vision of her dying from lightning that pierced herself like spear.

「――!!」

She instantly leaped back. At the same time, the left behind Schutaif was pierced by the lightning spear.

Schutaif was blown away while scattering away broken pieces at the same time with a thunderous roar.

「Aa!! My Schutaif-taaann!? Even though it’s a new one that I asked Hajime-san to upgrade from zerooo!!」

Putting aside the danger that almost killed her, there was almost nothing that could beat having one’s new vehicle getting damaged in dealing mental damage.

‘How could you!’ Shia thought while turning her gaze ahead, there,

『So you come, child of another world.』

There was a good looking man that was emitting sparks. He was shining gold like a lightning that was taking human form, a man with terrific body build. His upper body was naked, while his lower body was wearing something loose that looked like hakama. His voice was like heavy bass sound but there was no discomfort from hearing it, however, it felt like the voice resounded directly inside the brain.

Shia went 「Uhee」 at the pressure she felt and her face grimaced.

There was no doubt. He was equal or superior compared to god’s apostle.

『Forgive me』

Although, he was far more humane compared to god’s apostle. It looked like he also had abundant emotion.

Even now his face looked really sad.

And then, he threw a gigantic lighting spear while still looking sad.

「Wawawah!?」

She could see the vision of death once more.

She survived without problem by finishing dodging an instant before the lightning spear was thrown. But, instantly she could see her death by a hand strike that pierced her chest from behind.

「It’s a bargain sale of future sight desuu!?」

Shia forcefully twisted her body and dodged.

At the corner of her sight, she could see the sparking good looking man appeared all of a sudden.

That good looking man vanished with light *pashi* sound.

At the same time she got a vision of death. An extra large thunder strike from right above.

Dodge.

Vision of death.

Evade.

Vision of death.

Evade.

「――–!!」

The verge of death after so long. There wasn’t even any time to breath. Things like counterattack was out of question.

She merely focused all her strength in slipping through the descending scythe of death god. She relied only on the notification of the future sight and continued to dodge the lightning fast death!

Seen from the side, it might look like a girl was dancing in the middle of wild lightning.

After making the dry sound *pasha*, the good looking man appeared at slight distance away.

『Oh child of another world. Please stop struggling.』

「Fuu fuu. I cannot agree to that――divine spirit-san.」

He was truly a divine spirit. The avatar of lightning. No, perhaps he was the very lightning cloud that covered this capital.

Shia caught her breath while trying to say something.

「Please listen to me.」

『I wish to at least grant you a tranquil death.』

「No, before that you see, perhaps repairing this world is――」

『Oh child of another world. Oh pitiful child. Please forgive my powerlessness that is unable to return to where you should belong.』

「Hello? Are you listening? You know, soon someone will come to pick me――」

『Now, close your eyes. Feel peace. I won’t let you feel pain.』

No good. The talk didn’t go through at all.

In a different meaning from the celestial race.

Shia realized. He was undoubtedly within the category of “god”.

He felt sadness. He even felt pity. He even respected the weight of life and watched over the quarreling people even while feeling pain in his heart.

However, his decision was absolute.

There was no ground there for man’s will to intervene.

He was truly, the personification of unreasonableness.

The decision of god, was absolute.

「Haha……I’ve really done it. I made a really stupid choice even for me.」

Hajime was really spoiling her so he would not blame her, even so it felt like Yue would scold her.

She easily made her conclusion just because the first enemy wasn’t any problem, and completely underestimated the enemy’s mightiness……

Because, look.

The vision of death was flooding her head so much like this.

That was why,

『Oh child of another world. Oh child of man. This is for the world. Perish.』

「Hah! I refuse.」

Shia grinned widely and fearlessly, and swung Vire Drucken.

A sound that tore through the air burst out before it was tapping lightly on her shoulder.

「If there is no choice but to fight then I can only fight. I will acquire the right to live without fail.」

As a matter of fact, the power of god was unreasonable.

The decision of god was unreasonably absolute.

Especially……

「I don’t give any damn whether you are divine spirit or whatever. This little me here, is a wife of a godslayer you know?」

As long as that “absolute” wasn’t beaten to death by even more unreasonableness.

*DON-*, magic power that shook the atmosphere pierced to the sky. It was a beautiful torrent with faint bluish white color.

The divine spirit’s expression changed slightly for the first time toward the fighting spirit the rabbit eared girl threw at him from the front.

Facing that divine spirit, Shia’s rabbit ears stood up straight,

「I’ll rabbit you up! Desuu!!」(TN: Honestly, I don’t really know how to translate this sentence. In the raw the words are ‘うっさうさにしてやんよ！ ですぅ！’. It’s read ‘Ussa usa ni shiteyanyou! Desuu!’ The word usa is taken from usagi (rabbit). Ussa usa is a slang word in Japan without clear meaning, only that it’s related to rabbit. From the implication it might mean I’ll rough you up or I’ll mess you up, but I don’t know how to include the rabbit implication in the translation like that. Tell me if you have any better idea)

She howled powerfully as though to blow away the lightning cloud.

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.