Volume 2, Chapter 3: The Great Nation of Konchue
We could only see the horizon no matter how long we looked.
Since then, we boarded a ship and headed towards the great nation of Konchue in the East.
Two patrol boats were guarding a large passenger ship.
As expected, Lieutenant Kunito was vomiting towards the sea from the deck.
Since it couldn't be helped, Lieutenant Murasaki was taking care of me, but he was also taking care of Lieutenant Kunito.
He really is an unreliable person. I don't understand why he's a lieutenant.
Although Lieutenant Yoshiaki wasn't vomiting, he seemed to be feeling unwell.
Princess Miyabi changed her hair back to black and was looking at the sea with Aoi.
Even though Aoi stopped cosplaying, her facial features are still the same as Rei Ayanami.
I can't understand how such a child could be born from that prime minister, not in terms of personality, but in terms of appearance.
Both Aoi and Princess Miyabi are wearing simple dresses suitable for traveling.
Apparently, the two of them aren't prone to seasickness and are enjoying the sea breeze.
Two huge men were following Princess Miyabi and Aoi.
They were the two that Duke Ijuin sent as bodyguards.
Both of them were twins, and they were almost two meters tall with faces and builds like Niō guardians.
They were from the Murakami family, Hirohata and Hirohori.
Both of them were lieutenants.
They were sons of the famous Murakami family, and despite their youth, they were said to be masters.
When I think about it, what's up with Lieutenant Kunito?
Well, I'm a colonel too, though.
"When are we going to arrive in Konchue? I'm running out of things to vomit," Lieutenant Kunito said with a pale face.
"We've only arrived about halfway there," Princess Miyabi replied.
"What?!" Lieutenant Kunito had a gloomy expression.
Well, it can't be helped that it's slow since it's a sailboat.
At that moment, four ships came towards us from the horizon.
They were approaching us at a high speed.
It seemed like they were pulling the ships by attaching ropes to the horn-like parts of a giant fish.
Those four ships were coming towards us as if they were guiding something.
That something was swimming and creating waves.
It seemed like a sea serpent that was almost a hundred meters long.
"What's that?"
Colonel Yoshiaki pointed at the sea serpent.
The captain came out and looked pale.
"That's a sea serpent. Damn it, it's the Dushua organization, known as the sea serpent users of Haidao and feared by many."
"Haidao?" I asked.
"Pirates," Princess Miyabi informed me.
"They lure sea serpents from their nests and attack merchant ships. After the sea serpents eat the crew, they steal the cargo!"
The captain grimaced.
"What are we going to do now?" Colonel Yoshiaki asked the captain.
"There's nothing we can do. Even if there are four pirate ships and two patrol boats to defeat the sea serpents, it's impossible," the captain said, hitting the ship's edge.
"They're dirty scoundrels for using monsters," I said, and everyone looked at me.
"What? You're saying that?" Princess Miyabi looked astonished.
"Well, it was an accident."
"It was an accident?" Lieutenant Kunihito said, giving me a sarcastic look, despite vomiting earlier.
"It's a sad accident," I said with a distant look, and everyone shook their heads in disbelief.
"Well, anyway, we can handle the sea serpents," I said, and Princess Miyabi glanced at my Gouten sword at my waist.
"Captain, please concentrate on dealing with the pirate ships. We will help," Colonel Yoshiaki drew his sword.
"Finally, it's our turn," the Murakami brothers said happily, unsheathing their swords.
They seem to be using thick long swords that match their height.
"They're using the Zanbatou sword for cutting horses," I was surprised.
It's a sword not used by knights but for cutting horses while on horseback.
"You know a lot," Lieutenant Hirohito, the older twin, said, happily.
It requires considerable strength to wield a Zanbatou sword, so he must be a highly skilled swordsman to handle it so lightly.
As expected from Duke Izumiin, who is said to be skilled.
"Well, I leave it to you. I'm counting on you," Princess Miyabi smiled at me after looking at the sea serpent.
"Ready?" I drew my Gouten sword.
And then, I took a stance facing forward.
The sword started to shine with flames.
The captain looked surprised to see my Gouten sword.
"Charge!!"
When I swung, an explosion occurred in the middle of the four pirate ships lined up in front of the sea serpent, and all the pirate ships sank.
The sea serpent was swimming as it was, a few hundred meters behind the point of the explosion.
"...Huh?"
Everyone looked at me in amazement.
"W-What, where were you shooting?"
Princess Miyabi was anxious.
"Well, you see, isn't that good enough?"
I pointed to the sinking pirate ships.
The sea serpent was feasting on the pirates who had fallen into the sea from the pirate ships.
"Eh?"
Everyone was looking at me with a surprised expression.
"Look, there seem to be more than a hundred pirates in total, so if that sea serpent eats half of them, it will be full, right?"
"Huh! That's what you meant?"
Princess Miyabi was surprised.
"Normally, you wouldn't think of doing something like that, would you?"
Lieutenant Kunihito looked at me sarcastically.
He was a guy who was annoying with his sarcasm, even though he was a lieutenant who would just vomit and do nothing.
"I see, this way, we can settle it in one blow."
While sheathing his Zanbato, Lieutenant Hirohata laughed.
"I understand why Duke Izumi is looking up to you. You are truly amazing."
Lieutenant Hironori nodded in admiration.
It feels like the first time I've been praised since coming to this world. And even the Duke Ijuuin seems to have high regard for me. It's a happy feeling. I feel like crying.
"Wait, is this the right way?"
Major Kunihito looked at the sea serpents with horror as the pirates were devoured one after another.
The sea serpent looked delighted, dancing as it ate.
"Um..."
Both Colonel Yoshiaki and Princess Miyabi had uncertain expressions.
"Help me!"
A pirate treading water in the sea cried out.
"Um, should we help?"
"What do you think? There's also the sea serpent, so it's a life-risking decision," Colonel Yoshiaki asked me.
When I looked out at the sea, there were several sea serpents swimming about 30 meters away from the one that was over 100 meters long. Since sea snakes lay eggs, it's unlikely they are a parent and child, but the smaller sea serpents raised their heads from the surface of the water and looked at me with watery eyes.
"It looks like they're hungry."
Aoi held up her green emblem in her right hand.
"What? You can understand what they're saying?" I asked Aoi.
"My skill is special, so I can have simple conversations and contact with monsters and animals through telepathy," she replied.
There seem to be various skills in this world. They don't seem to be fond of snakes or anything, but their watery eyes were cute.
"Well, if they're hungry, there's nothing we can do, right?"
I decided to ignore the voice of the pirate asking for help.