I can see the stars and Skoll very well in this position. She is also raising her head to the Wina and she is smiling happily. Well, this night in wilderness is beautiful, even though there is a calamity in front of us, but The Maker still gracing us with the beauty of His creation. Maybe, He wishes to erase our fears and doubts by showing this fantastic scenery. Well, I am truly grateful to you, My Creator, even though your purpose isn't that, but at least… You are showing us a small piece of miracle to ease our mind.
"Haru-san…?" She called my name gently.
"Yes?" I looked at her as well as her, now our eyes met.
"Haru-san, please do not let your [Alignment] clouds your judgement…"
I was taken aback after she said that, but I hide it by showing a calm expression. I smiled at her and thanked her for her kind words. Now, she is smiling happily at me, but what is the uneasiness that I felt? She is right in front of me, yet I felt her slipping away from my reach. Why do I feel that this will be our last moment together? Why am I keep thinking like this when I saw her or my comrades? Why can't I get rid of this feeling from my chest?
"H-Haru-san?! Eh, w-wait…! Mmpppphh!"
I kissed her deeply and held her tight in my arms. She kept resisting but I hugged her more tightly until she gave in and accepted me wholeheartedly.
"H-Haru-san! Do not suddenly—"
I looked at her passionately like a wolf looking at its prey. She blushed and turned her head left and right a few times. I grabbed her chin to force her to look at me. Then, I kissed her again deeply down to her neck and bit it a little. Few hickeys appear on her neck after I bit it.
"H-H-Ha-Haru-san…! W-we can't—!"
"Can't I?" I bit her neck up to her right ear. I also licked it a little.
"Nngghh…ngghhh!" She clawed my back few times, but now she grabbed my coat tightly. Now, after being cornered so much, she can't resist anymore.
"How lewd your voice, Ayumi-san" I chuckled a little before tease her again.
"Ngghhh…no…please…don't…ngghh…say that…Haru-san—mmpphhh!" Now, I smooched her.
"This is my "thanks" because you have erased my doubts and fears. Sstt…just accept it." Thus, I licked her neck.
"N-no—!" Ayumi tried to resist again but she failed.
"Resisting like that only make you cuter, Ayumi-san…" I licked down to her chest and cupped her left chest, though…it still covered by her cloth.
"Ngghh…H-Haru-san…this is not the appropriate place and time…!"
"So, if you are in my bedroom, then you want to continue this?" I teased her again by licking her ear and I used my knee and pushed it to her crotch.
"Nggh—y-yes…I-I mean n-no! H-Haru-san, w-we still haven't…nghhh…! Married yet…ngghh! Please stop this! O-otherwise, w-we..nghh…—will violate our race's…rules!" I keep teasing her ears and neck.
"You said that you will do anything for me even though it breaks [The Laws] created by Gods…" Before she replies, I smooched her mouth for long time. After that, I gave her a little time to breathe.
"I-I don't mean in this way!"
I placed my forehead above her forehead, "So, you are lying to me…"
"N-no, I didn't mean to—ugh!" She blushed away and looking at me with panic expression. Oh my, you are too cute, I'm sorry I can't help myself.
I pulled her body by hugging her and placed her on my lap. Now, she is sitting on my thighs. I pushed her head to my face and I smooched her again. Maybe, this would be the last.
"Name…" I buried my face on her chest and spoke in low voice.
"Eh?" She looked at me.
"Say my name…" After I said that, she thought something deeply and closed her eyes.
"H-Haru…" Her cheek turns bright red after saying that and she glanced away.
Looking at her I can't help but kissed her again, but when I finished, I realized there were many pairs of eyes from the cliff edge as well as from behind the boulders. When our eyes met, they suddenly jolted and disappeared from my sight. I also heard someone fell onto ground and made a loud sound and painful screaming voice similar to Toval's voice.
"H-Haru-chan…y-you have grown up…"
"STUPID! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
"..................…" I saw "that" face appeared from below of the cliff and I heard Robert's voice.
I quickly carried Ayumi, held her in my arms and walked to the cliff. Of course, she is surprised by that, but when I reached the edge of cliff, nobody is there.
(…How fast)
I jumped down from the cliff and I landed safely in front of the entrance. I put Ayumi down and wrap her with my coat before I carry her again.
I walked and I met several party members in the hallway. They avoided me by turning their body or head into different direction. I walked until I reached the Crafting Room where Zikiya, Yavia and their team members are surprised when they saw me passing by and quickly glanced away.
The people on laboratory, Dwarves in Smithing Room and The Mages in Sewing Room also did the same thing when they saw me. Finally, I reached the dining room and there are a lots people but they also pretended not to see me, including Rania and Robert.
"Shogun Kaka…Welcome back…" Claire greeted me with a little blushed expression. Behind her are Julio, Hel, Ridell and Jordan who pretend not to notice.
"What with that look?"
I asked them with straight expression but nobody replied it. Now, Claire is looking at Ayumi whose face already red like a tomato. I quickly put her down and now she feels restless. However, before I say something, someone ran to me and hugged my leg tightly.
"Sniff, sniff…Haru-chaaannn…Otou-chan is really proud of you…you have grown up….sniff, sniff…"
A man with child-like appearance and cut face hugs my leg tightly. He cries to me until his snot sticking over my pants. I suddenly pulled him off from my pants.
"What are YOU doing here?" I glared at him.
"Hehe…Are you surprised Haru-chan? Otou-chan was told by Claire-chan that you were here, so I rushed here to see my beloved sons here. Otou-chan is amazing am I not? But when I arrived here, Robert-chan and Rania-chan told me that you went lovey dovey with Ayumi-chan…so I can't help but get curious…hehe…" He smiled happily to me but I can't help to looked at him with disgust.
"Uu…Haru-chan is so meeaanniee…" He pretends as if he wants to cry. Sorry, I won't fall to that trick again.
"Claire, please escort Ayumi to her room." Claire nodded and escorted her back to her room.
"Soo…aside from my party members watched and recorded their leader and his fiancée went intimate secretly, what business do you have with me, O-T-O-U-S-A-M-A?" The people around me jolted, especially Robert and Rania. Then, I look at my father menacingly with serious expression.
Father told me that Queen Anne invited the adventurer parties that participated in this mission to join hand with the United Forces and fight together with them. Of course, I am not shocked after hearing that but father told me that Queen Anne wants to minimalize the number of victims as well as protecting the adventurers. She said we are valuable assets for the kingdom and she doesn't want to lose us.
(Heeh…"valuable assets" or "valuable pawns" I wonder, My Dear Queen?) I smirked for a while.
"Umm…Haru-chan, why are you smirking?" Father's words surprised me.
"Someone is waiting for you at the meeting room. Come on!" He pulled me by my shirt.
"Who is it, father?"
"Just see it yourself." After that, I rushed to the meeting room.
On the front of door, I heard familiar voices from inside. It seems they were talking about army formation and supply roads. Strangely, I can't hear Vetto and Mikazuchi's voice from there. However, when I tried to open the door, Mikazuchi and Vetto passed by. I stopped them and asked them, but they said they moved to Robert's room because, "The Important Guests Have Come" and left me in the dark. Then, I knocked the door and someone asked me to enter with cold voice. Well, I knew this voice…
"So, you have come." A man with glasses and neat appearance greeted me.
"Prime Minister Andrew, Lichtiash afternoon…" I greeted him with stern voice.
"Lichtiash afternoon for you too, Ishizaki-dono. Now, come here."
I walked in with my father, Julio, Hel, Ridell, Jordan and Robert. Shortly after that, Claire, Mikazuchi and Ayumi came in hurry. I walked to the center of the room and around me, there are other party leaders as well as their vice captains. There are also Imperial Generals, Brigadier Generals, Commanders and Claire's father as well.
There is a woman sitting next to the Prime Minister, the woman with cold gaze and expression. She is The Ruler of Northlandia Kingdom as well as my parents' best friend and greatest ally. I promptly kneeled down and placed my hand on my left chest.
"Ishizaki Haruhisa von Alexandria has arrived. I'm ready for your order, Your Majesty. Beforehand, please allow me to greet you, Your Majesty." Then, she nodded.
"Grevertin Micaer, Maey Lichtiashver el Liiycckaer An Cadhe MacQueenus Reffas Keinrubel an Vishdeemiar." (Greeting My Lord, May Light Dragon Gods Bless You with Bottomless Knowledge and Wisdom, My Queen)
"Del Illvetriater Ohntheria Estadracal." ("May The Maker and Dragon Gods Return Your Kind Prayer to You") She replied with cold tone. After that, she asked me to raise my head and the meeting begins.
The meeting starts by explaining the geography of the battlefield and the zones that can be used for resting place. Prime Minister Andrew told to us that there are thirty zones on the plains that can be used as resting places, from three hills on the southwest, two caves on east, a small mountain on the northwest, four abandoned forts on the east and many others. However, the distance between the battlefield and resting spots are too far to be traveled repeatedly.
Moreover, the resting spots located on the places that are difficult to reach and the location between one resting spot and another are separated by a great distance. We can't use our horses to go there and we must go on foot. Truly, this will be an exhausting battle.
We had a small break after a half of heverra discussion. Tamara and Queen's combat maids came and brought warm tea and snacks for us. The other guests are talking to each other, as am I. I sit on the left side of the table near Queen Anne and Prime Minister while my father and the military officers sit on the right side.
Wow, I'm honestly impressed with your tactic My Queen, you told them to block the one and only exit of this room. If something happens, they can quickly block the exit and threaten us. The Prime Minister and my father who sit between The Queen and me is also an act to protect The Queen. If I refused her command, The Prime Minister can quickly use my father as a hostage to threaten us.
(Truly, I'm impressed with your wit, My Queen…)
When I'm thinking that, I saw Robert is grinning a little. I bet he understand the meaning of this sitting position.
"Mr. Ishizaki, I hope my appearance here isn't intruding your private time with Miss Mikazaki here."
"Oh no, you aren't disrupting anything Your Majesty. I think I must feel honored because you had witnessed it before or perhaps, we should do that until the end for a greater pleasure?" I smiled at her happily.
The Queen stared at me with straight face but The Prime Minister isn't. He stared me with a bit of anger shown in his face. Guild Master and other party leaders looked at me with disbelieve as well as Claire, Jordan, Julio, Hel, Ridell, Vetto and Mikazuchi. Meanwhile, father turned his head to Queen Anne and me in panic. Ayumi buried her face under her hands and Robert giggled but he hid it.
Of course, I realized she was there because I saw a shining crown with a pair of eyes from below the edge of cliff. I'm still wondering what were you doing there, My Queen?
After that, The Prime Minister continued the meeting and explained about Virizia Plain and Mountains to us with the uncomfortable atmosphere that lingers around us. I know the people still feel restless after what happened before but Robert and I are calmly enjoying our tea and snacks. The Queen herself isn't bothered by that and continue reading the papers in front of her.
(Wait, why is my base used for this meeting?! Isn't Zack's base have larger meeting room compared to this meeting room?) I glanced at Zack and he gave me a thumb up. Oh, I fucking knew it….
Leaving that aside, I took a book that describes Virizia Plain geographic. Virizia Plain or Meadow is a vast lowland that divided into eight until twenty parts that located on Virizia Mountains. The Virizia Plain itself stretched from south to southwest part of Xiantian Land, or more exactly at this place located outside of [Xiantian Great Wall], near [The Land of Four Demon Gods].
The plain itself used as important trading routes between Dwarven Kingdom that located on the southwest of Elven Kingdoms and Elven Kingdoms that located east from Mediterannia Mountains to Xiantian Land and Yamato Island that located on far northwest of Elven Kingdoms.
The Dwarves and Elven chose this plain as their main trading route because it cost less money rather than sea routes and it's relatively safe because it always protected by Demi-Humans and Sylph Elves. This place also used as [International Army Exhibition Competition] or [International Army Friendly Competition] every Summer Season and Winter Season between Kingdoms as well as famous recreation spot.
According to the reports that written here, the canyons and highlands located on the northern area and that place was where "they" first spotted. Although, the plain itself is flat and perfect as a battleground, but the mountains aren't. The mountains have difficult tracks and deadly topography that can't be taken lightly. Moreover, the wind is strong and there is almost no safe place to hide.
I often heard many mid-rank adventurer parties from Human Kingdoms often found dead there. It said, they died because they fell from cliff or stepped on the wrong place. Sometimes, a big boulder rolled over from top or horde of Wyvern or Orc appeared from blind spots. I also heard the stories about female adventurers became "victims" of Goblins, Orcs or Trolls…even Demons and Evaillas are also often spotted roaming there.
"Guild Master, did a large-scale war between Adventurers and Goblins happened on Virizia Plain before?"
"Not a large-scale war, but it was just a "Goblin Skirmish", I think…? The report here wrote that there were 300 Goblins and 240 "meat shields", if you know what I mean."
"I believe you didn't kill the "meat shields", didn't you Guild Master?" Robert asked with calm yet dangerous tone. Guild Master and I who understood what he meant can only sweat a little.
"No, just put some nasty spells or [Steel Lance]-type spells to eradicate them, and that's it."