"Daddy! It's morning! It's time to get up!" A young child's voice rang out through the
second floor of a certain house in Erisen. The sun had crested over the horizon, and
was making its way up the sky. Looking out the window, one could tell the weather
would be great.
"Haaah…" Hajime rolled over in his bed. The young child, who was of course Myu, ran
over to him to wake him up.
She jumped up onto his bed and landed squarely on his stomach. The full weight of
her body pressed down against him.
She may have been a little girl of only four years, but people were heavy. She still
weighed around 16 kilograms. If something that heavy slammed into a normal
person's stomach, they'd normally groan in pain. Hajime, though, barely felt it. Still, he
wasn't too happy about being forced awake.
"Daddy, get up. It's morning. The sun's out."
"Hey Myu. Good morning. I'm up, so you can stop slapping me now?"
Myu had been happily slapping Hajime's cheek to wake him up. He raised himself to a
sitting position and lifted Myu off him. Her long emerald hair spilled out behind her.
He smiled as he looked up at her. They really did resemble father and daughter.
"Mmm… Hajime? Myu?" A tired voice called out to Myu. Hajime pulled back the sheets
to reveal Yue, sleeping curled up in a ball next to him
Despite the fact that she'd just woken up, her hair wasn't messy at all. It glimmered in
the sun, and her eyes shone like rubies. She blinked a few times. Like Hajime, Yue was
naked. Her long hair fell over her shoulders, covering portions of her porcelain-white
skin.
"Why are you and Yue-oneechan always naked, Daddy?" Specifically, Myu meant why
they were always naked when she came to wake them up in the mornings. Hajime and
Yue hadn't become nudists since returning from Melusine's labyrinth.
"You don't have any pajamas?" Myu asked innocently. She looked at Hajime with pity,
and he exchanged glances with Yue. There was no way they could give this pure girl
an answer that would corrupt her mind. After agonizing over it for a few seconds, Yue
came to his rescue. She gave a very respectable, mature answer.
"Myu, you'll understand when you're older."
"I will?"
"Yeah, you will."
With that, they dodged a bullet. Yue would let Remia teach her daughter about sex.
However, Myu wasn't completely convinced. She tilted her head and, after a few
seconds of thought, turned around and asked another damning question.
"Do you know because you're big over here, Daddy? But I don't have one of those…
Does that mean I'll never understand?" Myu started poking at Hajime's morning wood.
Hajime hurriedly pulled her off.
"Myu, don't touch that. Listen up. You're a girl, so it's normal not to have one. Don't
worry about it. In ten years, no in twenty years you'll… Actually, just never worry
about it." Hajime started spouting some very dumb things with a very serious face.
Myu had no idea what Hajime was trying to say, but she nodded all the same. Satisfied,
Hajime began combing her hair with his fingers. Myu forgot all about what she'd been
wondering before and leaned into Hajime.
Yue watched the proceedings with an amused look on her face. His surprisingly
insatiable libido combined with his overprotectiveness for Myu made for an
interesting mixture.
Hajime averted his gaze. The three of them sat there in the morning sun for a while
longer until Kaori and Remia showed up, wondering why Hajime still hadn't come
down.
Six days had passed since they'd ridden Tio back to Erisen after clearing the Sunken
Ruins of Melusine. They'd been staying at Remia's house, and since their return they'd
been the talk of the town.
The party had spent the past six days mastering the new magic they'd acquired and
repairing and improving their equipment. Though, with the great food and warm
weather, they spent more time vacationing than preparing really.
Still, six days was a long time to spend even if they'd been both training and
vacationing. The reason was of, course, Myu.
Hajime wouldn't be taking Myu with him on his travels any longer. There was no way
he'd able to take a four-year-old girl into a labyrinth located on the other edge of the
world.
Worse, the two other labyrinths were in even more dangerous locations. One of them
was located in demon territory, in the Frost Caverns of the Schnee Snow Fields. The
other was on the Divine Mountain, of all places. Both would require them to dive right
into the heart of the enemy. It was impossible to leave Myu somewhere safe while he
challenged those labyrinths.
Myu herself seemed to have realized that too. Every time someone tried to bring up
the topic, she'd start acting extremely spoiled and make it difficult for anyone to
mention it. They dragged out their training more than they needed to just to have an
excuse to stay longer.
"Still, we really need to get moving soon… Haaah, I'm going to have to tell Myu. You
think she'll cry? Actually, she'll definitely cry… Man, this sucks." Hajime sat on the pier
and sighed to himself. He was out transmuting more equipment for their upcoming
trials. When he'd first left the abyss he couldn't have cared less about anyone in this
world, yet now he was depressed over parting with a single girl. He wasn't sure how
to feel about that.
"This is all your fault, Sensei…" Though his words sounded harsh, there was a gentle
smile on his face. It had been Aiko's guidance that had led to such a shift in Hajime's
thinking. He was no longer willing to sacrifice anything and everything for the sake of
his goal.
As he watched Yue, Shea, Kaori, Tio, and Myu frolic around in the water, he realized he
was glad Aiko had lectured him. Had he simply abandoned Myu in Fuhren, or decided
to ignore Ankaji's plight, or just left Myu with Remia the moment they'd found her,
chances were his comrades wouldn't have been smiling as happily as they were now.
It was true that leaving those people he'd saved to their plight wouldn't necessarily
have caused Yue and the others to be depressed.
But still, he was certain they wouldn't be nearly as happy.
He didn't have any proof, but he was sure of it.
All because he'd taken Aiko's words to heart. He'd avoided going down what she'd said
was a lonely path.
"Guess she was right." Hajime smiled ruefully to himself. He watched as Myu skillfully
evaded Yue and the others in a strange game of tag. Despite the fact that they were all
overpowered beyond measure and were working together to try and catch Myu, her
swimming abilities kept her ahead.
I never thought saying goodbye would be so hard… Hajime couldn't lie to himself. He
sighed for the umpteenth time that day. The moment he brought up the fact that he'd
be leaving, he knew he would end up marring her smiling face with tears.
As if sensing his worries, Remia swam up to Hajime. She stopped in front of his legs,
which were dangling in the water. Seawater dripped off her emerald-green hair. She'd
tied it back in a single braid, and was wearing a light-green bikini. When they'd first
met her she'd looked haggard, but thanks to the restoration magic they'd found in
Melusine's labyrinth she was as lively as ever. It was hard to imagine she was old
enough to be someone's mother.
Hajime could see why every bachelor in town wanted to be her new husband, and had
even started a fan club for her and Myu. Her beauty rivaled that of Tio's, and she looked
absolutely stunning in her bikini. Furthermore, because she was in the water, she was
eye-level with his crotch. Hajime, who'd been worrying himself sick over Myu, was
taken completely by surprise.
Remia placed a hand on Hajime's knee and looked up at him. Her expression was one
of gentle concern.
"Thank you, Hajime-san."
"Where'd that come from? I didn't really do anything deserving of thanks, I don't
think." He looked quizzically down at Remia.
"Ufufu, don't be silly, you're worrying so much for my daughter's sake. As her mother,
it'd be wrong of me not to thank you."
"That's… Guess I can't hide anything from you. And here I was trying not to be obvious
about it."
"My, you do realize everyone's noticed, right? Yue-san and the others look like they
don't want to leave either… I'm so glad Myu was able to meet such wonderful people."
Remia turned to watch a topless Shea chasing after Myu, who'd stolen the top of her
swimsuit as a joke. Then, she turned back to Hajime and spoke in a more serious tone.
"Hajime-san. You've done more than enough. Everyone has, really. So please don't look
so worried. Go on to finish what you have to do."
"Remia…"
"She's grown up so much since she met all of you. Even though all I did was spoil her
while she was here, she's learned to care about other people. Myu knows too. She
knows you'll have to go. Of course she's still young and doesn't really want you to leave,
but… even then she's never once asked you directly not to leave. She knows she can't
keep you here forever, so…"
"I see. Man, I'm pretty pathetic if I'm letting a little girl worry about me. Alright. I'll tell
her tonight. We'll leave tomorrow."
Remia's right. Myu doesn't want us to go, but she also doesn't want to say that because
she doesn't want to make it harder for us. After having realized the depth of her resolve,
Hajime steeled his own.
Remia smiled at him again.
"In that case, I'll make a feast for you all tonight. It'll be your farewell party."
"Sounds good… I'll be looking forward to it."
"Ufufu, glad to hear it, dear."
"Seriously, could you stop calling…" Before Hajime could finish, a frigid wind passed
over the two of them, and a voice colder than death interrupted him.
"Remia, you better not."
"Remia-san, when did you… I can't let my guard down around you."
"Hmm, from this angle, it almost looks as if she's servicing master. Exhibitionism…
Wonderful!"
"Hey, Myu-chan? Could you give me my swimsuit back? People are starting to stare…"
Yue glared angrily at Remia. She absolutely wouldn't allow her to marry Hajime. This
scene had played out numerous times over the past week. Everyone ignored Tio.
Likewise, they all ignored the nearly naked crying bunny girl as well.
Remia's smile didn't waver in the slightest, despite Yue's bloodcurling glare. It was
impossible to tell what she was thinking when she smiled like that, which was the
reason Hajime was still unsure if she was serious about marrying him or just playing
around.
Maybe that's just how widows tease people… Hajime's attention was diverted when he
saw Yue in her swimsuit. He'd seen it quite a few times already over the past few days,
but it never failed to captivate him.
Her swimsuit was a black bikini. It was the kind that had to be tied around the front,
so it was pretty provocative. The black contrasted nicely with Yue's pale skin. She'd
also bound her hair into pigtails for once, making her look even younger than usual.
The disparity between her young appearance and her mature swimsuit made her look
extremely alluring.
Yue was in the middle of a fierce staring contest with Remia when she noticed Hajime's
gaze. She smiled seductively and turned to face him.
Unwilling to let herself be outdone, Kaori came up to Hajime from the opposite side
and took his arm. She blushed at her own boldness and pressed his arm into her white
bikini. Then, she looked up at him, imploring him to pay attention to her too.
At the same time, Shea came up to Hajime from behind and pressed her massive
knockers against him. Myu still had the top half of her swimsuit, so doing that was also
a good way to hide her exposed breasts from view. Of course, having them pressed
directly against his back only made things harder for Hajime.
Tio too, was dressed in a rather erotic swimsuit. But in her case, the effect was ruined
by her disgusting panting. Hajime threw a piece of metal at her to knock her out of it.
He might have thrown it a little too hard, as it literally knocked Tio out and left her
floating like a drowned corpse in the sea.
Myu, too, jumped out of the water, eager to join in the fun. She landed between Remia
and Hajime, then threw herself into his arms. She raised Shea's bikini up high, as if
showing off her spoils of war, and placed it atop Hajime's head. It seemed this was her
gift to him.
"M-Myu-chan!? Why are you… Wait!? Don't tell me Hajime-san asked you to? J-Jeez! If
you wanted my swimsuit, Hajime-san, you should have just asked… I wouldn't have
minded."
"Hajime, take mine too."
"M-Mine too! If that's what you're into, Hajime-kun… Ah, but it'd be too embarrassing
to strip here, so come to my room later, okay?"
"Oh my, I suppose that means you want mine as well… Would you prefer the top, the
bottom, or perhaps… both?"
Hajime Nagumo sat there, a bikini on his head, surrounded by girls pressing their
swimsuits against him.
Water from Shea's swimsuit dripped down his cheek. Despite all the excitement, his
expression was as wooden as a board. This situation was beyond surreal.
The male onlookers were all crying tears of blood. From that day onward, rumors
began to spread across Erisen. "Watch out for that white-haired eyepatch kid. He's got
a swimsuit fetish. He's a pervert who ran around town with a girl's swimsuit on his
head."
That evening, Hajime finally told Myu that he'd be leaving. She gripped the hem of her
dress tight, and tried her best not to cry. After a protracted silence, she finally said
something.
"I won't ever see you again?"
"...…" Hajime didn't know what to say. His goal was to return home to Japan. He still
wasn't sure how exactly he was going to do that, or even when he'd be able to.
Miledi Reisen had told him he needed to clear all the labyrinths if he wanted to see his
wish granted. It was possible he'd be forcibly transported back the moment he beat
the seventh one. He doubted he'd be returning to Erisen before his journey was
complete, so it was certainly possible this would be the last time she'd ever see him.
The last thing he wanted to do was lie to her.
"You'll always be my daddy, right?" Before Hajime could come up with a reply, she
followed up with another question. He gripped her shoulders and looked her squarely
in the eyes.
"If that's what you want." Myu held back her tears and squeezed out a smile. Yue and
the others were taken aback. Myu's smile looked strikingly similar to Hajime's when
he was backed into a corner and up against a powerful foe. The two really were coming
to resemble each other.
"Then when I get older, I'll come find you, Daddy."
"Find me? Myu, I'm going to be going somewhere really far away, so…"
"But if you can go there, I can too. Because… I'm your daughter."
If Hajime could do something, she could too. Myu was certain of it. If her daddy
wouldn't be able to come back to her, then she'd just have to go find him.
Of course, there was no way Myu could understand Hajime was planning on traveling
across dimensions to get back to his own world. Plus, it was unlikely that she'd be able
to conquer the labyrinths on her own and chase after him to his world.
Despite her determination, it would be nearly impossible to actually follow Hajime to
where he planned to go.
Still, no one dared ridicule her resolve. No one dared to tell her it was impossible and
that she should give up. They knew they shouldn't. No, they couldn't. Hajime finally
understood what Remia had meant when she'd said Myu had grown. Though they'd
only spent a short time together, Myu had learned a lot from Hajime and the others.
And now, they were going to leave her. Can I really just leave her like this? No, I can't. I
definitely can't.
Hajime made his decision. He bound himself to yet another oath.
"Myu, wait for me."
"Daddy?" Myu tilted her head quizzically. She'd sensed the slight shift in Hajime's
demeanor, but she didn't know what it meant. There was no longer any hesitation in
Hajime's gaze, only the steadfast resolve he usually showed. The same steadfast
resolve Myu had learned to emulate.
"Once everything's settled, I promise to come back to you. We'll all come back to see
you again."
"Really?"
"Yeah, really. Have I ever broken a promise?"
Myu shook her head. Hajime ruffled her hair.
"When I come back, I'll show you my home. You'll get to see where I was born. I bet
you'll be surprised. My hometown's a pretty different place."
"I want to see the place where you were born, Daddy!"
"Looking forward to it?"
"Yep!" Myu jumped up happily. Hajime's gaze softened as he looked down at her. Now
that she knew she'd be able to see him again, there was no reason to be sad. Still
beaming, she leaped into Hajime's arms. Hajime lifted her up and hugged her.
"Don't do anything dangerous. Be a good girl and wait with Mommy, okay? You're
going to be good and help Mommy around the house, right?"
"I will!"
Hajime smiled at their exchange and silently apologized to Remia with his eyes. Sorry
for deciding all that on my own.
Remia shook her head, met Hajime's gaze, then nodded. It's fine, don't worry about it.
If anything, Remia was thankful to Hajime.
Myu noticed Hajime and Remia exchanging silent glances, and suddenly thought of
something. She tugged on Hajime's sleeve to grab his attention.
"Daddy. Is Mommy going to come too?"
"Uh, well that depends… Remia?"
"What is it, dear? You weren't thinking of leaving only me behind, now were you?"
"Err, not exactly, but… my homeland's literally in a different world. You sure you wanna
come?"
"Come now. How could I stay behind when my husband and daughter are going?
Ufufu." Remia sidled up to Hajime. For a moment, she really looked like his wife.
Kaori and the others hurriedly stepped in, unwilling to let Remia get ahead of them.
The solemn atmosphere from earlier was nowhere to be found. Kaori and Remia
glared daggers at each other, while Yue quietly walked up to Hajime.
"Are you really going to take them?"
"Are you against it?"
Yue shook her head and gazed gently into Hajime's eyes.
"If that's what you've decided, then I don't mind."
"I see."
"But what if we get transported right away?" She'd been considering the same thing
Hajime had. There was no guarantee the magic that would return them to their own
world would be something they could activate at will. It was certainly possible Hajime
wouldn't be able to fulfill his promise. If that really did happen, it would scar Myu
forever.
However, Hajime just shrugged and smiled. Once he made his decision, there was no
turning back. Yue had known his answer before she'd even asked. She smiled back,
noting the determination in Hajime's gaze.
"I'll figure something out. One way or another, we'll come back to see Myu, then show
her Japan too. If the spell takes us back without any time to prepare, then we'll just
have to find a way to come back here again. I'll hop between worlds as many times as
it takes. That's all there is to it."
"Yeah… That's all there is to it."
The two shared a knowing smile. Yue was glad Hajime had found something else he
treasured enough to swear to protect. Hajime, too, was glad he'd begun to change into
someone kinder. And like that, the two were once again lost in their own world, flirting
without a care for their surroundings.
Kaori and the others stopped fighting with each other to glare pointedly at Hajime and
Yue. While the others hesitated to step in though, Myu had no such inhibitions.
She brazenly stepped in between the two of them and begged Hajime for another hug.
Even if he'd promised to come back, she still wouldn't see him for some time. She was
going to make the most of her last night with him.
Myu and Remia saw Hajime and the others off the next morning.
A day and a half passed since Myu and Remia saw Hajime's group off at Erisen. They'd
been traveling through the rust-red desert the entire time.
Brise roared across the dunes, heading toward Ankaji. Their eventual goal was still
Haltina, but Kaori had wanted to try to see if her newly-acquired restoration magic
could repair the damage done to Ankaji's oasis.
As its name suggested, restoration magic restored things to their original state. Even
if healing magic hadn't been able to purify the toxins in the water, restoration magic
could bring it back to its original, pure state. Or at least, that was what Kaori hoped.
As Ankaji was more or less on the way, Hajime saw no problem with stopping there
for a bit. Besides, they hadn't had a chance to try Ankaji's famous cuisine last time
they'd been there either.
Before long, the city's main gate came into view. Unlike last time, it was quite lively.
There was a long line of caravans waiting to be admitted into the city. It looked like a
proper center of trade.
"That sure is a lot of wagons."
"Yeah… This might take a while."
"That's all food and water they're carrying in, isn't it?"
Kaori was correct. The wagons contained all of the emergency supplies Ankaji had
asked Heiligh for. They'd only just arrived. It seemed Lanzwi had also bought the food
stores of every other passing merchant. At least, every passing merchant who hadn't
asked for an exorbitant price.
As their immediate water supply had been compromised, Lanzwi knew he'd needed
to stockpile large amounts of non-perishable goods. Not only did they not have water
to drink, but they also didn't have enough to grow crops. He'd buy whatever food the
royal treasury could afford.
Hajime drove Brise past the line of merchants shuffling uncomfortably in the sand and
headed for the main gate. He had no intention of waiting out here for hours.
The merchants gazed in awe as a giant black box sped past them. A few of them
screamed in surprise, worried a strange new monster had come to attack them. The
guards all brandished their weapons, wary at this unknown object speeding its way to
the gate.
A senior watchman walked out of the guardhouse to see what the commotion was, and
instantly recognized Brise for what it was. He remonstrated his guards and ordered
them to lower their weapons. Then, he sent off a messenger to the palace.
Hajime and the others stopped in front of the gate and stepped out of his truck. They
were heedless of the stares around them. Like always, the men were first stunned by
the girls' beauty, then amazed when Hajime made Brise seemingly vanish into thin air.
"I thought I recognized your strange vehicle! I see you've returned to us, Warriors of
Ehit." The senior guardsman breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Kaori. Hajime
guessed he'd seen Brise once before when he'd brought Bize in, or perhaps when he'd
left for the volcano.
He'd assumed it was Kaori, the "Warrior of Ehit," that used it to travel around. That
was more or less correct, so Hajime saw no need to correct the man. It made sense
that Kaori was the most well-known figure among their party.
"We have. The truth is, I've discovered magic that might help me purify the oasis, so I
came back to try again. I'd like to speak with your duke about it if possible…"
"Can you really purify the oasis!?"
"I-I think so. I'd need to test it to be sure, but…"
"I should have expected as much from one of Ehit's warriors. Sorry for holding you up.
I've already sent a runner to the duke. It'd be best to wait here, so you don't pass each
other by. Once he hears you've returned, I'm sure he'll head straight over."
The soldier looked at them all with great respect. I guess it makes sense, since we saved
his city, Hajime thought to himself. They were being treated like VIPs. Hajime ignored
the merchants' curious stares and let the guard lead them into the guardhouse's
waiting room.
Fifteen minutes later, Lanzwi burst into the guardhouse, panting heavily. He really had
come running. Hajime once again realized just how much this city respected them.
"It… Well, I can't rightly say it's been a long time. Regardless, I'm glad to see that you're
doing well, Hajime-dono. We were beginning to grow worried when you didn't return.
You and your companions are the saviors of my realm. It would have been quite a
shame had you died without letting me thank you properly."
"I'm just a passing adventurer who happened to be here at the right time. And, as you
can see, I'm doing perfectly fine. Thanks for your concern, though. At any rate, it's good
to see your emergency supplies made it in time."
"Indeed. Thanks to the food being brought in now and the reservoirs Yue-dono made
for us, we should be able to last for a while. With this, we'll manage to avoid starving
to death at least." Lanzwi smiled tiredly. He'd been working nonstop these past few
days to ensure his people had enough food. His exhaustion was clear, but so too were
the results of his efforts.
"Duke, how does the oasis look?"
"Warrior of Ehit… I mean, Kaori-dono. The oasis remains unchanged. We've managed
to pump in more fresh water from underground and clear away some of the polluted
water… but have otherwise made no progress. It will take at least half a year to remove
all of the polluted water and replace it with clean water. And it will likely take an entire
year, or perhaps even two, to get the toxins out of the soil." Gloom settled over Lanzwi's
expression. Kaori then explained that she might be able to purify it herself.
His face lit up like the sun. He grabbed at Kaori's clothes and yelled "Really!?" with
unbelievable zeal. She hesitantly backed away from him and nodded. Lanzwi cleared
his throat and collected himself, realizing he'd acted improperly. Then, he implored
Kaori to see if she could purify the oasis right away.
As that was what she'd been planning on doing in the first place, Kaori agreed and the
party headed to the oasis.
Like before, the oasis was completely deserted. Normally, it was one of Ankaji's most
popular destinations, but right now there was no one there. Lanzwi frowned forlornly
as he looked at the empty oasis.
Kaori stepped up to the shore and began casting. Though they'd all inherited the
ability to use restoration magic, Hajime and Shea had possessed no aptitude for it as
usual. In Shea's case, at least, she could sort of use it. She'd been able to internalize the
magic to increase her natural regeneration abilities. On top of that, if she concentrated,
she could increase her mana and stamina regeneration for some time. She'd turned
into something completely superhuman at this point. Her body strengthening abilities
had grown, and she'd become much more skilled at manipulating her gravity. Now,
with the addition of automatic high-speed regeneration, she was basically a one bunny
army.
Kaori had possessed the highest affinity for restoration magic, followed by Tio, and
then Yue. Yue was so used to her own self-regeneration skill that she rarely used
healing magic. For that reason, her affinity for it was much lower. She was able to heal
herself without thinking, so actually having to actively cast recovery spells was hard
for her.
On the other hand, Kaori's job was Priest. Restoration and recovery magic were
strongly linked, so her affinity for it had been the highest. She could use it more
efficiently, and at greater range than either Yue or Tio. Though she unfortunately still
needed magic circles and an incantation to cast, so Yue's version was still more useful
in combat.
Kaori began her incantation. It was a long one. When she'd first started practicing in
Erisen, it had taken her seven minutes to complete one spell. Now, she could finish it
in three. The fact that she'd cut the cast time down by more than half in just one week
proved she was plenty overpowered herself. Sadly, Yue's strength was beyond even
that. It stung Kaori a little, but she'd already resolved not to wallow in her inferiority
any longer.
An air of tranquil majesty descended upon the oasis as Kaori's magic set in. Lanzwi
and his attendants gulped. They felt as if they were witnessing some holy rite that
must not be disturbed. They watched with nervous excitement as Kaori finished her
chant.
"Tetragrammaton." Eyes still closed, Kaori thrust her pure white staff over the water.
A second later, the tip began to glow with lavender light. The orb of light traveled down
her staff, across the surface of the water, and fell into the center of the oasis. The entire
oasis began to glow with a faint purple light. Motes of light floated up from the water
and vanished into the air. It looked as if the all the world's evil had been purified and
sent up to heaven.
Everyone watched with rapt attention, so captivated that they even forgot to breathe.
Finally, the spell ended, and the light faded away. Silence stretched on for some time
after the last motes of light vanished into the air.
Hajime, who was supporting a spent Kaori, eventually nodded to Lanzwi. Lanzwi
snapped back to reality and ordered his attendants to test the water. They hurriedly
cast their appraisal spells. Once they were done, they turned to Lanzwi with looks of
disbelief. After a brief pause, they announced the results.
"The poison's gone."
"Are you sure?"
The man spoke again, this time with more certainty.
"The oasis is clean! It's back to normal! It's been purified!"
They all cried out in joy. All of his attendants dropped what they were holding and
hugged each other. Lanzwi took in a deep breath, looked up at the heavens, and closed
his eyes.
"All that's left is to purify the soil now. Duke, have you already thrown away the
poisoned crops?"
"No, we've only gathered them all in one place. There wasn't enough time or people to
dispose of them. Don't tell me… you plan on purifying those too?"
"If Yue and Tio are willing to help, I think we can do it. What do you two think?"
"Hmm, not a problem."
"Very well. It would indeed be a pity to see the food you worked so hard to grow go to
waste. Allow us to help."
Lanzwi bowed deeply to all of them. Not only had they purified his oasis, but they were
going to save his soil and his crops as well. Even if it wasn't a duke's place to bow his
head to others, this was the only way he could think of to show the depth of his
gratitude. That was how much he loved his city and its people.
Hajime and the others graciously accepted his thanks and began to walk toward the
agricultural district.
Just then, Hajime suddenly stopped and turned around. He cast about with Farsight,
and spotted a group of people swaggering toward them. It looked like they wanted a
fight. They were dressed in different uniforms than that of Ankaji's soldiers. From
what Hajime could tell, they were the templar knights who protected this city's
church.
They surrounded Hajime and his companions, forming a half-circle around them. A
middle-aged man dressed in ostentatious white robes stepped out from between their
ranks.
Sensing the hostility in the knights' gaze, Lanzwi quickly interposed himself between
Hajime and the knights.
"Lord Zengen… please step aside. Those people are dangerous."
"What is the meaning of this, Bishop Forbin? And what do you mean, they're
dangerous? These good people have saved my dukedom twice over now. They're
heroes. I will not allow anyone to speak ill of them."
Bishop Forbin scoffed at Lanzwi's words.
"Hmph, heroes? Watch your tongue, Duke. The Holy Church has declared them
heretics. Defend them at your own peril."
"Heretics… you say? Preposterous, I've heard no such thing!" Lanzwi sucked in a sharp
breath. Like most other people, he was a devout follower of Ehit. He knew what it
meant to be branded a heretic, which was precisely why he couldn't believe that the
saviors of his city were among their ranks.
"Of course you haven't. The decision was made just this morning. To think the heretics
would choose to return now… Hehehe, such perfect timing, wouldn't you say? It's as if
Ehit himself delivered them into my arms. Clearly this is a sign. He wants me to be the
one to purge these nonbelievers. If I bring the pope their heads, I'm sure to be
promoted…" His last words were spoken so softly that Lanzwi didn't catch them. Still,
it seemed that Hajime being a heretic was a fact. Lanzwi turned to his saviors.
However, Hajime didn't seem the least bit surprised. He shrugged his shoulders, as if
he'd expected this all along. He met Lanzwi's gaze and silently asked with his eyes,
"What will you do?"
Lanzwi furrowed his brow, but before he could say anything, Forbin continued with a
sneer.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some heretics to purge. I've heard you're quite
powerful, but I wonder how you'll fare against one hundred templar knights? Now
then, Duke Zengen, kindly get out of my way. Surely you won't do anything as foolish
as stand against the Holy Church, will you?"
Lanzwi closed his eyes. Based on Hajime's personality, and his strange powers, Lanzwi
could easily guess why the Holy Church had branded him a heretic. They couldn't
afford to let someone as strong as him live, unless he was under their control.
However, when he thought of how powerful Hajime and his comrades were, Lanzwi
thought it suicide to stand against them. The humans would be wiped out fighting
Hajime long before the demons could even get to them. Had the pope grown mad? This
whole declaration reeked of political maneuvering of some sort.
Regardless of the reason though, Hajime was Ankaji's savior. He and his comrades had
healed his people, given them water, destroyed the monster lurking in the oasis, and
now had come back to purify their land.
Only a few seconds ago, he'd been racking his brains trying to think of how he'd thank
them. Lanzwi opened his eyes and smiled at Forbin. This was a good opportunity to
make his allegiances clear. He looked sharply into the eyes of the bishop, who'd begun
to get annoyed that Lanzwi was ignoring him, and solemnly shook his head.
"I refuse."
"What did you just say?" Forbin was so surprised his eyes nearly bulged out of their
sockets.
It amused Lanzwi how certain the bishop had been that no one would dare refuse the
authority of the Holy Church. He repeated himself, his words backed by an unshakable
will.
"I said, I refuse. These adventurers saved my people. I won't let anyone raise a hand
against them, not even the Holy Church."
"Y-Y-Y-Y-You godless bastard! Have you lost your mind!? Do you understand what it
means to oppose the Holy Church!? You'll be branded a heretic too, you know!?"
Forbin's surprise had transformed into rage. The templar knights all looked at each
other in confusion.
"Bishop Forbin. Do the archbishops and the pope really not know what these
adventurers have done for us? Without them, the oasis' poison would have destroyed
this city. And from what I've heard, they saved the town of Ur and even rescued the
hero's party. How could such great people be branded heretics? I cannot imagine the
Holy Church's decision is a sane one. I, Lanzwi Feuward Zengen, implore the Holy
Church to reconsider their decision. Perhaps the news that they have saved this city
will convince the clergy."
"S-Silence! Our decision is final! This is the will of Ehit! Disobey him at your own peril!
Duke, if you insist on protecting these heretics, then I will brand you, no all of Ankaji,
heretics as well! Are you sure you want to do this!?" There was a glint of madness in
Forbin's eyes. It was hard to imagine he was really a man of god. Lanzwi watched him
coldly. Hajime walked up to him and asked a question with a worried expression on
his face,
"Hey, are you sure about this? You'll make an enemy out of Heiligh and the Holy Church
if you do this. Shouldn't you do what's best for your people?"
Instead of answering, Lanzwi looked down at his attendants. Hajime followed his gaze.
They looked up at the two of them, closed their eyes, and, after a brief moment of
consideration, made their decision. Their eyes glimmered with resolve.
"We won't go down that easy!"
Seeing their reaction, Forbin reddened with anger and screeched a final warning.
"Are you sure about this!? You'll die here, you stubborn fools! And not just you, but
your people, too! I'll turn this city into a sea of blood. I shall rain Ehit's divine wrath
down on you wretched heretics!"
"None of my subjects are so craven that they'd turn their back on the heroes who saved
them. You claim you'll bring down divine wrath? The god I believe in would reward
such loyalty. Perhaps it is your faith that is heretical, sir bishop."
Forbin was so furious that he stopped yelling and a cold finality settled over his face.
He raised a hand, ordering his knights to attack.
Before they could charge though, something whistled through the air and clanged
against one of the templar knights' helmets. The knight looked down and saw a pebble.
It hadn't so much as dented his armor, so he tilted his head on confusion. Before he
could ponder on what it meant, more stones rained down upon the knights. They
clanged loudly against the men's gleaming breastplates.
They looked up and saw the people of Ankaji had surrounded them. It seemed they
hurried over when the light flowed from the oasis. They'd arrived in time to see the
entire exchange between Forbin and Lanzwi. Not only had Kaori healed their sick and
tended to them, but Hajime and the others had braved the volcano's depths to bring
back enough stillstone. Moreover, their beloved lord had sided with Hajime and the
others. Plus, the bishop looked clearly deranged, so they made their allegiances clear,
and began hurling stones at the knights.
"Desist, citizens of Ankaji! These people have been branded heretics and enemies of
god! Ehit himself wishes for their deaths!" Forbin desperately tried to convince the
people. He thought they hadn't heard the declaration claiming Hajime was a heretic,
and hoped that informing them would be enough to calm their wrath.
The people did indeed stop and exchange confused glances with one another.
Lanzwi turned and addressed his people.
"My beloved citizens of Ankaji. Listen to me! These adventurers just now purified our
oasis! It is thanks to them that the symbol of our great city is clean once more! They
even promised to purify our soil and our crops! It is because of them that Ankaji is
here today, and it is because of them that our great city will be restored to its former
splendor! However, it is not for me to tell you what to do. Let your hearts decide
whether our city's saviors deserve our scorn, or our protection. I, at least, choose to
stand with them!" Forbin sneered. He was certain the people wouldn't trust Lanzwi's
word over the Holy Church's. However, his expression froze a second later.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! For the citizens had resumed
throwing stones.
"Wh-What…" Forbin was at a loss for words. The citizens pressed forward, hurling
insults along with stones.
"Fuck you! They saved our lives, we won't let you kill them!"
"The Holy Church didn't do a damn thing to save us, but now you want to kill the
people who did!? You're no holy man!"
"They're no heretics! You're the real heretic!"
"This has to be some kind of mistake!"
"Protect Kaori-sama!"
"Defend our lord!"
"Kaori-sama, I give my life for you!"
"Dear adventurers, run now, while you still have the chance!"
"Hey, someone get Bize. Tell him to bring Kaori-sama's honor guard!"
It seemed even the citizens were taking Hajime and the others' side. They too hadn't
forgotten who'd saved their lives. Their gratitude toward their saviors outweighed
even their piety. No, that wasn't quite true. Rather, the nature of their faith had
changed. They simply couldn't believe their god, the ultimate object of their worship,
would want to harm his own warrior, or the people that traveled with her.
In other words, their faith in god remained unshaken, but their faith in Forbin had all
but dissolved. Though I wonder if anyone really trusted a bishop like that to begin with…
The crowd of citizens continued to grow as word spread. Their individual strength
was weak, but they already far outnumbered the knights. Forbin and his templars
winced at the people's ferocity and took a step back.
"Bishop, this is the will of Ankaji. Will you please ask the Holy Church to reconsider
their decision?"
"Tch… Don't think you can get away with this!" Forbin ground his teeth in frustration.
He shot one last hateful look at Hajime before turning on his heel and stalking away.
The templar knights hurriedly followed after him. Forbin disappeared inside the
church, looking for something to vent his frustrations on.
"Are you sure? I know it's a bit late to be asking this now, but you could have just not
taken sides." Hajime looked at Lanzwi, a troubled expression on his face. Kaori and the
others were worried as well. None of them wanted Ankaji to be destroyed because of
them.
Contrary to Hajime's expectations though, Lanzwi's reply was unconcerned.
"I said it before, didn't I? This is Ankaji's will. Every man, woman, and child living
within these walls owes you their life. That's a debt they won't soon forget. If I'd let
the bishop kill you… I guarantee the people would have killed me next. The last thing
I want happening here is a coup d'etat.
"We could have taken guys like those easily…" Hajime scratched his cheek awkwardly
and Lanzwi smiled knowingly.
"I suppose so, which means you five are even scarier than the Holy Church. It's true
that you're our heroes, but I also really didn't want to make you guys my enemy. You
guys use magic I've never even heard of, can slaughter monsters that would trample
over my entire army, and you even conquered a labyrinth in the span of a few days. I
can tell you care nothing for the authority of the Holy Church, and I'm sure a hundred
knights would be nothing to you. I've already heard how you demolished a monster
army tens of thousands strong, and saved the hero party from enemies who'd nearly
killed them. You truly are a frightening bunch. I imagine this is the most important
decision I have made in the many years since I inherited the position of duke from my
father."
Hajime wouldn't have blamed Lanzwi even if he had given them up to the bishop. Still,
after weighing the two options, Lanzwi had chosen to side with him instead. Even if it
had been for the sake of his country, he'd chosen to rebel against the Holy Church. That
certainly was an important decision.
Hajime smiled awkwardly. He'd been expecting this confrontation for ages, but he
hadn't expected that other people would resolve it pretty much without him.
I guess this is a result of not choosing a lonely path, too. Aiko-sensei really did have a
point, Hajime thought to himself as he watched Kaori and the others converse happily
with the citizens.
Three days after the showdown with the bishop.
Kaori, Yue, and Tio had finished purifying the soil and crops. The whole party was
gathered atop a small hill overlooking the now-sparkling oasis.
Now that it had returned to its original grandeur, the oasis was filled with smiling
people. People lay sprawled along the water's edge, and children played in the water.
Men fished along the pier, and lovers sailed across the water in tiny rowboats. There
were all sorts of people visiting the oasis, but they all had one thing in common. Smiles.
Hajime and the others were leaving Ankaji today. Originally, the plan had been to
purify the city, try some of their specialty food and buy the fruits they were known for,
and leave. In the end though, at the insistence the Lanzwi and the people of Ankaji,
they'd ended up staying two extra days in the city.
The people were so grateful that if Hajime had not told Lanzwi to keep his departure
a secret, they would have actually come out to hold a farewell parade for him. He told
only the duke and his family of his departure, and the party had stopped for one last
look at the famed oasis.
"Hey, you guys are gonna stand out if you stay dressed like that, so hurry up and put
something on." Hajime turned to face the gate as he said that.
"Oh? Already tired of seeing so much skin?"
"Huh, is that really true, Hajime-kun?"
"Look at Master's eyes, Yue, Kaori. He has not had his fill just yet, but he doesn't want
us to stand out."
"Yeah, I guess I can't wear something like this to the front gate~" Shea twirled around,
showing off her belly dancer's outfit. She was wearing a choli top and harem pants.
With how provocative the outfit was, it was a given that it'd attract attention.
It was apparently traditional in Ankaji, though. Lanzwi had gifted it to the girls, and
the first time they'd worn them Hajime could hardly keep his eyes off them. Outfits
like these hit all of his buttons. For the first time, he'd been captivated not just by Yue,
but by Shea and Tio and Kaori too.
It really was the first time that had happened ever. Having finally tasted success, the
other girls wore the dress for an entire day. Naturally, Yue kept it on as well, and
successfully seduced him multiple times.
In the end, they'd worn the dresses during their entire stay. One of Hajime's fetishes
had finally been revealed. He was both happy and a little troubled by the fact that
they'd continued wearing them for so long, but he really needed them to change by
the time they reached the gate.
Two days after they left Ankaji.
On the road, they encountered a band of brigands attacking a merchant convoy near
Horaud. There, they reunited with someone they hadn't expected to see…