"Eh?! Claude-kun is?"
"You are going to be participating in the 2nd party?"
When I returned to the room, we encountered Sumire and Sara who came back from their shopping.
"So it seems. He said he would make a request to the staff officer to change the party." (Eugene)
I shared with them what I heard from Claude.
The expedition of the 2nd party is planned to be dispatched 7 days later.
The school of black mermaids is not in a fixed location, but moving mainly in the Black Sea, so it would be better to not take long, however, it will still be several days until the next operation.
"Will Claude-kun be okay?" (Sumire)
"He is a dragon knight, so he can escape into the sky if things get dangerous. That's why, he wouldn't die as long as nothing big happens…" (Eugene)
I want to believe that's the case.
"But…" (Sumire)
"Going out of his way to move to a party with low combat power…" (Sara)
Sumire and Sara look uneasy.
They are probably anxious for their respective friends: Leona and Teresia.
"The 2nd party of the Great Demonic Beast subjugation, huh…" (Eugene)
I talked to myself.
After the 1st party was wiped out, the number of volunteers for the 2nd party dropped sharply.
(Makes sense…) (Eugene)
Of course they would have a change of heart when they are going to be taking a mission that has a chance of dying that's close to 100%.
Claude has volunteered for that.
Does he have other comrades?
He is the Hero Candidate of the Dragon Country.
I doubt he will be doing this alone.
In the first place, will they accept him changing parties?
"Hey, Eugy-kun." (Sumire)
"Eugene, how about I guess what you are thinking?" (Sara)
I was thinking of something, and Sumire and Sara peeked at my face.
"What's the matter, Sumire, Sara?" (Eugene)
"Eugy-kun, you want to go to the 2nd party with Claude-kun, don't you?" (Sumire)
"It is written on your face." (Sara)
"With Claude…huh." (Eugene)
I noticed after being told.
I thought about it when Claude was heading to the staff officers.
"Don't, Eugy-kun. It is dangerous." (Sumire)
"You have already obtained an S grade and fought the Darkness Bird in the Holy Union." (Sara)
"Well, I would just be a hindrance even if I were to go." (Eugene)
The Great Demonic Beast this time around will be inside water.
I would need a magic tool that allows me to fight inside water or water magic.
If I don't, I will definitely die the moment I am dragged inside the water.
I wouldn't be of help as a swordsman.
A voice rang in my head at that moment.
(You don't need to go out of your way to step into the field of the enemy. You can fly, Eugene.) (Eri)
It has been a while since Eri has given me advice.
"No, I am not good with flying magic… I see, I can use wings if I borrow Sara's mana." (Eugene)
(That's right. By the way, the wings of an angel are unaffected by the location. They don't only fly in the air, but can also fly inside the water and even space.) (Eri)
"...Really? Then…it would be possible." (Eugene)
(You should learn more about your abilities, Eugene.) (Eri)
"Thanks, Eri." (Eugene)
I thanked the Demon Lord in a whisper.
As expected of the wings of an angel that are the limbs of the Goddesses and observe all creation.
It is a power that goes beyond my imagination.
"Eugy-kun, who are you talking with all giddy~?" (Sumire)
"To think you would have a conversation with a Demon Lord in the face of a Holy Maiden Successor." (Sara)
The two were glaring at me with narrowed eyes near me by the time I noticed.
They heard my whisper.
"…I wasn't all giddy." (Eugene)
"Rea~lly~? You seemed to be having fun~." (Sumire)
"Pay more attention to us. You are not putting a hand on us at all." (Sara)
"Eugy-kun doesn't feed the fishes he caught~." (Sumire)
"What a bad man." (Sara)
"Wait…didn't we do it in the Flying Ship the whole time since morni—?" (Eugene)
They couldn't let me finish.
They pushed me onto the bed.
The two of them stole my lips just like that.
"Eugy-kun…♡." (Sumire)
"Eugene…♡." (Sara)
Sumire and Sara's eyes turned into those of predators.
(Haah~.) (Eri)
I hear the sigh of the Demon Lord.
...I am scared of returning to the academy.
That's when—*knock! knock!*
Someone knocked on the door.
"Oi, Eugene, you were not in our room. Are you here?"
The voice of Claude.
"Claude, you got back." (Eugene)
I responded, and Sumire and Sara made faces as if they returned to their senses.
"I-It was too soon, huh, Sara-chan." (Sumire)
"R-Right, Sumire-chan." (Sara)
Looks like Sumire and Sara have calmed down.
"Claude, I am opening the door." (Eugene)
I unlock the door.
"Heya there, Eugene...… Was I interrupting something? Maybe I should have come later." (Claude)
Looks like Claude realized something when he looked at the faces of me, Sumire, and Sara in order.
"W-What are you talking about, Claude-kun?!" (Sumire)
"T-That's right, Claude. You are misunderstanding." (Sara)
Sumire and Sara were trying to play it off with red faces, but couldn't.
"I am sorry, but please leave it for later. Let's call our classmates and have a meal together." (Claude)
"Got it. So, was it settled that you will be switching to the 2nd party?" (Eugene)
Claude's face turned into a vague one when I asked this.
"I will…tell you when we are eating. I have reserved a place. Over here." (Claude)
"Sumire, Sara, let's go." (Eugene)
"Y-Yeah." (Sara)
"Wait for a bit~." (Sumire)
I followed Claude with Sumire and Sara.
◇◇
We arrived at a small bar with around 10 seats for customers.
Looks like he has reserved this place.
"Here, everyone. I have brought Eugene and the others." (Claude)
Claude raised his hand and the people who were sitting already faced this way.
"Eugene Santafield, nice to see you have come."
The big man that was smiling boldly was a lion beastkin and has inherited the blood of the Fist Saint, Soran Stormbreaker.
He must have already been drinking, his face is a bit red.
"To think you wouldn't have enough with just making achievements in the Holy Union. The swordsmen of the Empire are greedy."
The androgynous handsome man who was looking at me with cold eyes is a candidate to be the Bow Hero of the next generation, Leonhardt Arcfeather.
"I was worried since I heard the subjugation raid had been wiped out." (Eugene)
"You are a passionate man for someone that has cold eyes. I like you. Let's compete on who can kill the most black mermaids in the 3rd party!" (Soran)
Soran challenged me.
…Do I give the impression of being a cold guy?
"That sounds interesting. I accept." (Eugene)
Of course, I have no reason to refuse.
"Listen here, Soran, this is not a playground." (Leonhardt)
It seems Leonhardt-kun is not a fan of such things.
"Yaho~, Sara! You came~☆."
The child-faced girl waving her hand to Sara with a smile was the elf sage apprentice, Felicia Brightspark.
"Felicia, you are also taking part in this subjugation." (Sara)
"Orders of the patriarch. It is a pain though. You are also pretty much in the same position, right, Sara?" (Felicia)
"The Holy Maidens are not ordering me, but…there's similar pressure to that, I guess." (Sara)
"Must be tough being a Holy Maiden Successor~." (Felicia)
"You are also going to be succeeding the patriarch though." (Sara)
"You could say that~." (Sara)
Sara and Felicia were having a conversation of their own.
Seems like they get along in their similar positions.
"Heya, Sumire-kun. This is the first time we have spoken."
"Y-Yes. Uhm, Alice-san…right?" (Sumire)
The one who spoke to Sumire is from the Empire, Alice Silvermoon.
A female student with long silver hair and blue eyes that has an intelligent appearance.
A peculiar genius that dropped out from military school and enrolled in the Lykeion Magic Academy because 'she wants to research magic more'…or so I have heard.
Looks like she also came to the Blue Waters Federation.
"I have wanted to get along with you for a while now. An otherworlder and an Ifrit. I would like to take my time checking that body of yours…" (Alice)
"Hiih!" (Sumire)
Sumire must have felt threatened, she hugged her own body and backed away.
"Oi, Alice, Sumire-chan is Eugene's girlfriend. Don't put a hand on her." (Claude)
"What, Claude-kun? Isn't it fine to just get along with her? Isn't that right, Eugene-kun?" (Alice)
Alice Silvermoon placed a hand on my shoulder and bent her body while letting out a sweet voice.
"Well, if it is just getting along…" (Eugene)
"By the way, Alice bats both ways." (Claude)
Claude whispered this to me.
""Eh?!""
Sumire and I looked at her in shock.
"Hm? You didn't know? That's right~☆ I love both men and women~." (Alice)
Looks like it is true and she isn't hiding it.
"Fufufu, Sumire-chan~, your scared face is also cute~☆. I love it." (Alice)
Eugy-kun, Eugy-kun, save me!" (Sumire)
"Listen here, Alice-san. Sumire is scared here. Keep it at—" (Eugene)
"Hmm, actually, I have been interested in you too, Eugene-kun. A special constitution that only lets you use white mana. The only mage that's allowed to enter the 7th Seal Prison. How about spending the whole night in my room with me and Sumire-kun until morning…?" (Alice)
""Hah?""
Sumire and Sara's eyes turned dangerous in an instant.
The sound of a hand grabbing the Holy Sword and red mana was swirling around the place.
"Hawawawa."
Alice hurriedly let go of my shoulder.
"Come on, leave the talking to that much and sit down. We are going to be subjugating the same Great Demonic Beast, so let's deepen our relationship." (Claude)
We took our seats with Claude leading.
I had a cold ale.
Sumire and Sara ordered cocktails.
It seems like we will be having a course meal; the dishes were being brought one after the other.
There is a lot of seafood, just like what I would expect from an island.
There's a lot of dishes that I wouldn't see often in the Lykeion Magic Academy that's inland.
(Dressing on the vegetables and…raw fish?) (Eugene)
Is this a salad?
I tried it out and it wasn't bad, but a fish that hasn't been heated up feels weird.
I looked at my side and Sara was making the same confused face while looking at the dishes.
As for Sumire…
"Eugy-kun, this carpaccio is tasty… Hm? Are you not eating?" (Sumire)
She was gobbling it up.
My household was fine with raw eggs, so I guess their cuisine is just different from mine.
After that, I liked the big shrimps, dishes that grilled the shell aromatically, and the fish and potato dish that's fried with oil and lathered in sauce.
I enjoyed the meal for a while as I chatted with my classmates.
There was a lot of talk about the Great Demonic Beast from the Holy Union.
I explained my experience in the Mountain of Death.
"I am impressed you survived." (Leonhardt)
Leonhardt was baffled.
"I actually wanted to research the Darkness Bird, but that sounded difficult from what I heard." (Alice)
Alice Silvermoon said this pensive with a 'fumu'.
"I am not good against curse magic. It is hard to understand." (Soran)
Soran said this, displeased.
Something must have happened in the long past.
That said, Claude has not been talking much for a while now.
"Hey, Claude." (Eugene)
What's the matter? -is what I wanted to say, but…
"There's something I want to tell everyone." (Claude)
Claude stood up and said this.
Their gazes gathered.
"I volunteered to participate in the 2nd party that will be departing in 7 days." (Claude)
When Claude said this, everyone aside from me, Sumire, and Sara were surprised.
"I honestly think it will be difficult to bring about results in the 2nd party judging from how the 1st party has been wiped out. But someone must go in order to succeed in the operation. I have asked the support of the Dragon Country, but they rejected the participation of the Dragon Knight Order in the 2nd party. That's why I alone will be participating in the 2nd party from the Dragon Country… But if you are going to lend me your strength…" (Claude)
"I will go together with you…to the 2nd party." (Eugene)
It sounded like it was going to get long-winded, so I told him my decision beforehand.
"…Is that okay, Eugene?" (Claude)
"No regrets." (Eugene)
"That's a great help." (Claude)
Claude and I did a short exchange.
"Eugy-kun…" (Sumire)
"Geez, Eugene." (Sara)
"...S-Sorry for deciding on my own. But he planned on going alone." (Eugene)
"I am not against it. I will be helping out too anyways." (Sumire)
"Sumire-chan and I were certain you would be going." (Sara)
"Right, Sara-chan?" (Sumire)
"Thanks, Sumire, Sara." (Eugene)
I am glad Sumire and Sara understand fast.
"What. Can't be helped. The great me will go too." (Soran)
"I can't let the Empire swordsman steal the glory, huh…" (Leonhardt)
"Soran, Leonhardt…" (Claude)
Claude made a surprised expression.
Looks like the Fist Saint Candidate and the Hero Candidate are going to be participating in the 2nd party.
"I would be fine with being a support on the backlines of the 2nd party, I guess. That would be the case for you too, right, Sara? There's no way you would be going on the vanguard, right?" (Felicia)
The elf Felicia said this.
"Yeah, I should be able to participate with that." (Sara)
Sara probably won't be able to participate as a decoy.
"Then there's me, huh. It would be troubling to count me as battle power compared to the others, but I can at least give advice for the operation. I was the top of the tacticians in the military school after all." (Alice)
Alice Silvermoon answered carefreely.
"Everyone… Thanks." (Claude)
Claude's voice was trembling slightly.
This is how it was decided that all the classmates in the Legendary Hero Department that came to help out the Blue Waters Federation will be participating in the 2nd party