[Aifa]
The soldiers, who move while surrounding the children did not leave and stayed in the barrack.
Perhaps, two or three members of my family must be living in this barrack. There are 12 barracks in the Imperial Capital. I believe that I have a family of around 30 people living in those barracks.
And I have four family members in the two nearby medium-sized cities. There is a strong person who is recognized as a warrior in our family, so he is managed away from the Imperial Capital so that we cannot revolt.
Even including me who lived in the castle, I was unable to oppose at all because I was separated while my other family are being held hostage.
When I told that to Taiki-dono, he suggested to check the positions of everyone first and help them out simultaneously as soon as possible.
It was a plan that I had also thought of, but I don't know the situation in the distant city and it is also a plan that I abandoned thinking that it is even more impossible with the current scattered situation of my family inside the Imperial Capital.
However, Taiki-dono said that it is possible if we move quickly because we will be able to coordinate even in remote areas. In other words, we must finish everything before it enters the Emperor's ear.
It seems impossible, but if it is Taiki-dono, perhaps...
"... However, it's still difficult to get accurate information about where they are. Even though it is the main point of the strategy..."
I move to the next location while grinding my teeth at my own uselessness. I can only investigate one or two barracks in a day, but it can't be helped because I have to be careful so I won't be exposed. And, there are also some people who are in a place other than the barracks and can't figure out their whereabouts.
Still, there are me and two magicians of Imperial Country of Fleida here in the Imperial Capital, so we will be able to finish searching somehow in 10 days at the earliest.
I may be able to meet up with the whole family again soon.
I quietly hid myself in the back alley while suppressing my impatient heart.
While I'm advancing through the dim alley with no humans in sight, a wooden box suddenly approach me without noise on the ground.
I reflexively put myself on guard, but I realized it because its movement is so unnatural. This must be the work of Taiki-dono.
It's not like a child or animal is moving in the box and it is moving like gliding smoothly on the ground.
Perhaps, the content is...
While I'm making my prediction, the wooden box gently rose to the surface as if it could see through my thoughts.
The wooden box floating in front of me rotates vertically on the spot and expose its contents.
As I expected, it was Taiki-dono's small golem that appeared from inside of the wooden box. The golem, which has a strange shape, begins to emit light after half rotating on the spot.
It was Taiki-dono's face that appeared.
Somethings like translucent square board emerge and on that surface is Taiki-dono with the castle's gate as the background.
"Th, this is..."
While I am at a loss for words, Taiki-dono, who appeared on the board, took out some written paper. I brought my face near the paper which Taiki-dono greatly expanded and see what is written on it.
"... Do I want to change my area with Ditzen?"
I knitted my brow and hummed at the written request.
My guess is that all my family is living in an environment where soldiers are always on their side. First of all, I wanted to look for them there one by one, but if Taiki-dono, who knows everyone's movements, says that he wants to make a change suddenly, there must be a reason.
Thinking that, I nodded greatly.
[Mea]
I spoke while glaring at the soldiers who shouted loudly.
"Do it!"
When I gave that instruction, the golem, that was standing in front of me, began to walk with big steps.
The soldiers are standing side by side with swords and spears, trying to surround the golem.
"Golems are dull! Aim one by one with the magic tool! Start with its right foot!"
"Yes!"
When the soldier standing in the center spoke, the other soldiers quickly took action. They stood in all directions around the golem with movements which were not useless even from my view and hold a small knife which they drew from their waists.
It's an extremely short and thin knife. It must be a magic tool.
The soldiers with knives didn't wait for the words of the soldier who seemed to be the leader and threw knives one after another towards the golem's right foot.
"Avoid it!"
Seeing the knives which were clad in flames and thunder, I panicked and screamed, but the knives were already about to hit the golem.
Immediately afterwards, flames and thunder explodes with roaring sounds around the golem. The flame that raised black smoke was blazing and the buzzing light was bursting in the surroundings.
Feeling its sound and shock with my skin, I can't help but go pale.
"Ta, Taiki-sama's golem is...!"
My mother's voice came from behind. It's a scream which even resembles a shriek, something I couldn't imagine from my usual mother.
"It, it 's alright... It's Taiki-sama's golem, so…"
When I said that as if persuading myself, the two soldiers, who were the closest at us, pointed the tip of their swords at us as if to ridicule me.
"Now the golem's mobility will be even more dull, but the magical tools are also not cheap, so make the magicians get rid of it quickly."
When he said that, the two soldiers look at me and my mother's faces, and went towards us bit by bit.
Why did this happen?
Getting found by one of the soldiers, I hurriedly tried to escape with two elves. However, the objective elves were separated by five soldiers.
Rather than helping out the elves, they are now in crisis.
While I'm looking in a daze at the tip of the sword which pointed at us, my mother stood in front of me.
The receding back of my mother, who glared at the two soldiers, sets up her knife.
"Mo, mother..."
I don't know what to say. Although I acted as I pleased thinking that I can do it and even ignored my mother's voice on purpose, my mother is still standing in front of me without complaining.
My mother, who stands in order to protect me, shouted without looking at me.
"I will buy time, so run away. Taiki-sama will definitely do something soon."
Being told that by mother, I hurriedly pulled out the knife that had been hanging on my waist and set it up.
"Me, me too...!"
"No! If both of us die, who will help the elves? If I gain time, at least you will survive. Don't worry about me, so run away quickly."
I gasped at her words. It's because I felt the preparedness to die on mother's voice. Unlike myself, who had been entrusted the task from Taiki-sama and rejoiced, my mother has come to this city with that much preparedness and feeling.
"What are you doing, Mea! Leave quickly!"
When I lifted my head at my mother's voice, the soldier was already standing in front of my mother and was swinging his sword.
"Mo, mother!"
Reflexively, my body moved.
Kicking the ground and jumping out, I run to face the soldier's sword in front of my mother.
I swing the knife in my hand to repel the soldier's sword.
The moment when I thought that the light went out of my eyes.
No, a big wall appeared in front of my eyes. It was a misshapen metal box and it was the part of a humanoid feet. It is Taiki-sama's golem that has been reshaped by assembling something like a metal box.
The golem's feet have become slightly deformed, but the other parts were completely unscathed.
As soon as the golem covered my sight, I soon heard the sound of two soldiers being sent flying.
A muffled voice of a man can be heard and two soldiers rolling on the ground are shown at the edge of my sight.
"... Did, did it save us?"
When I muttered that, I felt a sign that my mother stood next to me.
While I'm afraid and could not even look at her face, my mother breathed out a sigh and spoke.
"... Hey, what are you doing? If you have reflected, do your very best next time. What is the thing that we must absolutely accomplish?"
Hearing that, I can't help but sniff. I wiped off my tears using my wrist, tuck my chin and nod.
"To, to help the elves...!"
I answered that and lifted my head.
"Golem! Attack the soldiers!"
I started to run as I issued an order.
The elves were taken to the central part of the city. I must find them no matter what it takes. While listening to the sound of soldiers being blown away behind, I ran throughout the city.