"Your Imperial Majesty, please take a look at the footage here!!"
The Imperial Court Mage-san made exaggerated gestures as he showed the state of the barrier magic that seals the Great Demonic Beast.
…The area grew noisy…not from the Emperor, but the nobles and military officers.
"This is not good… The Magic Seal Pillars have been completely destroyed… The barrier magic can't be maintained like this."
"This is bad… At this rate, the barrier will be destroyed in a chain."
"This is different from what was reported! What are the mages doing?!"
"Make them take responsibility for this!"
"This is not the time to be saying that…"
I hear the agitated voices and angry shouts from the people in the hall.
"…So, how long will the barrier last?"
The Emperor furrowed his brows and rested his chin on a hand without seeming too flustered.
"The limit is most likely…10 days."
The opinion of the Imperial Court Mage-san was the same as Eri.
By the way, this is apparently the result after all Imperial Court Mages calculated it.
When the Emperor heard this, he stood up straight and said in a loud voice.
"From here on, countermeasures for the Great Demonic Beast will be of utmost priority. All other matters are to be suspended at once!"
"As you command, Your Imperial Majesty."
The Prime Minister responded to the order of the Emperor and everyone lowered their heads.
But there's also those that are flustered.
"M-My apologies for speaking out here, but I would like to confirm something. Are we also going to be suspending the 3rd millennium celebration of the founding that's coming in 7 days…? There's already many great figures planned to visit… The Destiny Oracle Oriannu-sama will be coming from Caldia…"
"Postpone it. I will write an apology letter to everyone." (Catherine)
The Prime Minister said straight.
"We will be having a strategy meeting to discuss the way to seal the Great Demonic Beast! Tacticians, the related princes and nobles, and the knight captains of the respective divisions are to gather in the grand conference room!" (Catherine)
"""""""""Yes!"""""""""
The ones who raised their voices loudly were the generals of the imperial army.
The knight captains also follow suit.
The hall began to get noisy in an instant.
My job here is over.
Just when I was thinking about withdrawing here…
"Wait."
Everyone went silent at the voice of the Emperor.
At the moment when the Emperor was speaking…
"Eugene Santafield."
"…Y-Yes!" (Eugene)
My name was called and I hurriedly answered.
"Well done. I shall grant you the title of baron. As for the additional rewards, the Prime Minister will be contacting you."
"Eh?" (Eugene)
Surprise came out before voicing out my gratitude.
"Oh? Is that settled?" (Catherine)
The Prime Minister by the Emperor's side showed surprise too.
I felt like looking at my Pops at the opposite side of the Prime Minister, and…he was yawning.
…Can you please show a bit more interest in the promotion of your son?
The Emperor stood up in silence and left the hall.
The Prime Minister chased after him.
"Imperial Sword-sama, please come to the grand conference room!"
"Got it." (Jubei)
It seems like Pops will be heading off to the strategy meeting.
He most likely won't be coming back today.
Everyone was beginning to move to the conference room with a tense atmosphere.
"Eugy."
Someone called me.
I don't even need to turn around. It is my childhood friend Airi.
"What is it, Imperial Princess?" (Eugene)
I place a hand on my chest and bow.
"That's why! Why are you acting as if I am a stranger…? Fine. Hey, can you please participate in the meeting too?" (Airi)
"I… Me?" (Eugene)
I don't have the qualifications to participate as a commoner—is as far as I thought and then noticed.
I was given peerage by the Emperor just now.
It was just a verbal statement, but the words of the Emperor are absolute.
Baron is the lowest one, but since I am still considered a noble, I can participate.
"Airi, what do you think you are doing?" (Berthold)
General Berthold by her side asked this while holding back his anger.
"You saw it too, didn't you, Berthold? The opinion of Eugy will be of value as someone who saw the seal of the Great Demonic Beast from up-close." (Airi)
"No need! The footage from the recording magic still remains. We can make countermeasures by watching that." (Berthold)
"Yeah, but…hey, Eugy, I want you to come." (Airi)
"…That's…" (Eugene)
What should I do?
I am making Sumire wait at home and it is something that's not within schedule.
It doesn't feel right.
That said, this is an 'order' from the princess.
I can't just reject it…
"Eugene, are you going to be participating in the war council?"
"Oji-sama." (Airi)
"Imperial Sword-sama!" (Berthold)
The one who intruded in our conversation was Pops.
"I am making Sumire wait, so I am thinking of going back home." (Eugene)
"Right. Even if away, the miasma from the Great Demonic Beast saps the stamina of the people around. You should go check the state of Sumire-chan." (Jubei)
Pops agreed with me.
"I see… So you won't participate." (Airi)
My childhood friend left, dejected.
"..."
General Ber-something by her side glared at me.
Why?
You didn't want me to participate.
Oh well.
I was about to leave at once when…
"Eugene-kun, thank you very much! Thanks to you, we managed to get an accurate grasp of the situation with the seal! We were on the verge of being too late!!"
The one who ran here to thank me was the Mage-san that came together with me to investigate the barrier magic.
"Don't worry about it. I am glad I was of help." (Eugene)
"And…this is a request from me too, but can you please participate in the strategy meeting for the resealing of Haagenti, Eugene-kun? Of course, it doesn't have to be today! The strategy meetings will most likely continue for consecutive days until the day of the implementation. You can just participate when you can, so please!"
The Mage-san lowered his head deeply at me.
This is…difficult to refuse in a different meaning from before.
"Understood. Please call me when there's something that I could help with. I will participate." (Eugene)
Is what I simply responded with.
"Thank you very much! Then, Eugene-san, Imperial Sword-sama, I will be taking my leave now!"
The Mage-san left with hurried steps.
He will most likely be buried with a lot of work to the point he won't have time to sleep as an Imperial Court Mage.
"Then, I guess I will attend the meeting too~. I don't have one bit of knowledge about magic, so I won't be able to understand what they say though…" (Jubei)
Pops stretched widely, turned around, and after walking a few steps…
"Hey, Eugene." (Jubei)
Pops looked back.
"What, Pops?" (Eugene)
"You have come back to the Empire, so how about going out to eat with Airi-chan at least once?" (Jubei)
"Eh?" (Eugene)
I let out a dumbfounded voice despite myself.
"Airi-chan seemed like she wanted to talk with you, right?" (Jubei)
"That's…true, but…" (Eugene)
I of course noticed.
I noticed and deliberately avoided her.
"Fix things up with her already. There are times when you would want to meet someone but can't after all." (Jubei)
"…Got it." (Eugene)
Pops said only that and left with light steps.
Pops must be referring to mother there.
My mother died soon after giving birth to me.
It will soon be the anniversary of her death.
Visiting her grave together with Pops was a yearly tradition of ours.
But Pops is definitely going to be swamped with work together with the Imperial Army for the countermeasures of the Great Demonic Beast.
Will he have time to visit her grave?
(I will have no choice but to go alone if Pops doesn't manage to get time, huh.) (Eugene)
I was thinking that as I was on my way back.
◇◇
"I see. Then, your dad won't be coming back for a while, Eugene-kun?" (Sumire)
Sumire, Hana-san, and I ended up having dinner with just the 3 of us that day.
"Most likely. Also, sorry, I might end up getting called for the strategy meeting to seal the Great Demonic Beast." (Eugene)
"Yeah, I get it! Do your best at work!" (Sumire)
"Sorry about that, Sumire." (Eugene)
"It is okay, no worries☆." (Sumire)
I haven't guided Sumire to the capital at all in the end, but she nodded without worrying about it.
"More importantly, Eugene-chan! You became a baron! Congratulations!" (Hana)
Hana-san celebrated with a big smile.
"Eugene-kun, so you have become a noble~." (Sumire)
"Even if you call me a baron… I don't have land or subordinates, so it is the same as always. If I had to mention any changes, it would be that I can enter stores that commoners can't, and would be given special service. But that in turn makes the costs higher, so that's impossible for me though." (Eugene)
In the end, there won't be that much of a change.
"I see. But nobles really do give the image of being important." (Sumire)
"That's not true. Also, if we are talking about social standings here, Sara is far higher than me, you know? She is the top candidate for Holy Maiden in Caldia. If we were to go for an equivalent in the Empire, it would be around a marquis. It is what comes between royalty and dukes." (Eugene)
"Now that you mention it, Sara-chan was indeed an influential person… By the way, is she arriving soon?" (Sumire)
"She hasn't contacted me yet. Have you heard anything, Hana-san?" (Eugene)
"No, there haven't been any calls from a school friend of yours, Eugene-chan." (Hana)
"When is she coming~." (Sumire)
"The student council president is busy before the school festival after all." (Eugene)
I wanted to call her at a time that's more accessible, but the anniversary of my mother's death is around this time, so I can't do anything about it.
If she can make it this time around, I will invite her at a different time.
After dinner, I trained with my sword for a while at the dojo.
Sumire is training her magic control.
Pops didn't come back even when it was night.
"Goodnight, Sumire." (Eugene)
"Yeah, goodnight, Eugene-kun." (Sumire)
I gave my goodnight to Sumire who is sleeping in the guest room, and lay down in my own room.
What surfaced in my mind was about the Great Demonic Beast whose barrier is on the verge of breaking.
And also about my childhood friend.
(Even if you tell me to talk to her now…) (Eugene)
If it had been in the past, we would have been able to talk endlessly.
Airi was talking the whole time about how to become the Emperor, and I would talk about how I can become the Imperial Sword just like Pops.
But my dream died with the Selection Exam.
My current objective is to reach Floor 500 in the Zenith Tower, and bring Sumire back to her world.
I don't know what I should talk to my childhood friend, who is most likely aiming to become the Emperor even now, about… I couldn't think up anything, and by the time I noticed, I fell asleep.
◇◇
"Eugene, why are you making such dead-fish eyes?"
I had a dream.
A memory of the time when I just enrolled in the academy.
A conversation of when I was in the 2nd Floor of the Zenith Tower, exploring together with Sara as a duo.
I might have ended up having that dream because I was thinking the whole time about the past.
Sara was in the Normal Department and in the same class as me.
I was a swordsman who specialized in barrier magic, and Sara was a Sister who specialized more on the sword than healing magic; a peculiar exploration party.
"Calling me a dead fish is pretty cruel." (Eugene)
I said this as I looked at my own face in the river nearby, and there was a man with muddy eyes reflected in it.
That's certainly a dead fish.
It has been 1 month since I arrived at the Lykeion Magic Academy as if escaping from my childhood friend.
I still haven't recovered.
"A Horned Rabbit showed up!" (Sara)
I catch sight of the small monster charging towards me with the warning of Sara.
I didn't avoid it and grabbed the horn with my hand.
"Thanks, Eugene! Take this!" (Sara)
Sara then finished the Horned Rabbit without a moment's delay.
A clean hit that didn't allow a scream.
"You are skilled." (Eugene)
"The Sisters of Caldia must not eat livestock. The only thing they can eat are the monsters who bring harm to people. Moreover, only the game that you have hunted yourself. Don't you think that's unreasonable? Thanks to that, I ended up getting used to hunting." (Sara)
"That's…rough." (Eugene)
"That said, there's rumors that if you become a Holy Maiden, you will be called to have dinner almost every day and will be feasting to your heart's content. That's why I will definitely become a Holy Maiden!" (Sara)
Sara is apparently one of the candidates to become one of the rulers of Caldia from the 8 Holy Maidens.
"I imagined a Holy Maiden candidate to be more meek." (Eugene)
When I said this, Sara smiled suggestively.
"That's right. A Sister must not speak without permission. Your walking posture, your sitting posture, and even your sleeping posture must be exactly as written in the scriptures. Eugene, you should come to the Holy Nation one more time. All the pilgrims there will be speaking to you with the exact same expression. Even the way they make their smiles has been set." (Sara)
"The pilgrims of the Holy Nation are scary." (Eugene)
Their discipline sounds harsher than that of the imperial army.
"Yeah, that's why I can take it easy since there's no eyes from them in the Magic Academy." (Sara)
Sara stretches her body with a refreshing 'hnn'.
I was jealous of Sara there.
"Come on! I don't know what happened at your homeland, but you can forget about your worries if you move your body!" (Sara)
She smacked my shoulder, making a loud *pang!* sound.
I didn't talk much about myself when we were a party.
I was grateful that Sara didn't ask me anything.
"Yeah…thanks." (Eugene)
I was cheered up quite a lot by Sara in my first year.
It has been a while since I remembered that.
Now she is a Paladin in the Legendary Hero Department.
She is one of the students that's gathering the most attention in the Lykeion Magic Academy.
They seek absolute flawlessness in her conduct.
It may be the correct thing as a Holy Maiden candidate, but it must be suffocating for Sara.
(Maybe she can act aloof temporarily like in the past if she were to come to the Empire…?) (Eugene)
I thought of this absentmindedly and woke up.
The sunlight was coming in from the opening of the curtain.
I overslept today.
It seems like my stamina had been sapped away too from getting too close to the Great Demonic Beast.
I was flustered by the scenery that was reflected in my drowsy eyes.
(Hm? ...Sara?) (Eugene)
The beautiful sleeping face of Sara was right in front of my eyes.
Her long hair was flowing right by my eyes.
Am I still dreaming?
But this is my own room no matter how I see it.
Also, the scenery is pretty clear for a dream.
The sound of footsteps approaching rang.
And then, after the sound of someone knocking on the door…
"Good morning, Eugene-kun. It is rare for you to overslee—eh?"
Sumire froze after opening the door -seeing me and Sara in the same bed.
"W-W-W-W-W-W-W-Wa…Why…? Eugene-kun!!!!" (Sumire)
"P-Please wait! I also have no idea what's going in!" (Eugene)
The mana of Sumire was rising with incredible speed.
It feels as if it would explode the next instant.
"Fuwaah… Hm? Even though I came here to wake Eugene up, I ended up sleeping together with him☆." (Sara)
Sara woke up.
Now that I look closely, she is still in her traveling clothes.
So she arrived at my house just now.
And then, Hana-san must have told her to wake me up.
"Sara-chan, you traitor! You thieving cat!" (Sumire)
"Isn't it fine if it is just a bit?! You also tried to sneak into his bed at night!" (Sara)
"I didn't! You said it was prohibited to steal the march!" (Sumire)
"Eh? You really didn't do anything?" (Sara)
"…You didn't believe me?" (Sumire)
"Nope." (Sara)
""...""
Sumire is glaring at Sara.
It can't be helped.
Sara, you are a Holy Maiden candidate, so at least believe in people.
No, is it exactly because she is a Holy Maiden candidate that she can't?
The rumors that the 8 Holy Maidens of Caldia are all a bunch of conniving foxes proliferated in the imperial army.
"Sara, thanks for coming here from so far." (Eugene)
I got in between the two.
"Sorry it took so long, Eugene. So, where is your esteemed father?! I have to get his permission for Eugene to be wedded in the Holy Nation." (Sara)
"Calm down, Sara. Pops will be busy for a while with work, so he can't come back." (Eugene)
"Eeh, really?" (Sara)
"Sara-chan, how about you come outside with me for a bit?" (Sumire)
"Isn't your hand burning, Sumire-chan?! Can you not touch me with that?! Hot!" (Sara)
It got noisy in one go.
◇◇
2 days after that.
I guided Sumire and Sara around the capital.
I thought I would be called to a meeting related to the resealing of the Great Demonic Beast, but there were no calls from the imperial army.
Well, the barrier magic I specialize in is short range.
I can't use large scale barrier magic like that of the Great Demonic Beast and have no experience in it.
I have already told that to the Imperial Court Mage-san.
(I might not get called at this rate…) (Eugene)
I was in part relieved by this, but because I thought I might be able to assist in the crisis of my country, I am a bit sad about it.
The morning of the 3rd day.
Pops returned home looking somewhat tired.
He has changed his clothes.
It seems like he was attending the meetings of the army the whole time.
"Good work, Pops. Are you going to be at home today?" (Eugene)
I asked him this question because I thought I had to introduce him to Sara.
But the answer was something unexpected.
"Eugene, we are heading off to visit the grave of your mother." (Jubei)