一二三が結婚相手を探しているらしいという噂は、アリッサや文官奴隷たちの懸命の努力にもかかわらず、オーソングランデ国内を駆け巡り、ヴィシーやホーラントにまで伝わった。
街々をめぐる商人たちや国内を移動する兵士たちが話す噂は、ほどなくイメラリアの耳にも入る。
「......あの一二三様が、誰かと結婚を?」
「単なる噂でではありますが、優秀な文官たちがついていますから、トオノ伯爵家の維持のために進言した可能性は否定できませんな」
アドルの言葉に納得はしたものの、一二三が誰か女性を隣に立たせて、しかも結婚の誓いを述べている姿が想像できない。
眉を顰めて黙ってしまったイメラリアを見て、アドルは慌てた様子を見せた。
「ま、まさか女王陛下、トオノ伯の事を......」
「へっ?」
言われて初めてイメージを浮かべた、一二三の隣に立つ自分。
イメラリアは首を大きく振って否定した。
「何を言っているのですか。女王として、選ぶべき人の条件は心得ているつもりです。それに、一二三様はわたくしの仇でもあるのですよ?」
否定しながらも、頬を染めているイメラリアに、アドルは不安を隠せない。
「そ、そんな話よりも、今は国政の話でしょう」
「はい。そのトオノ伯の領地から取り入れる政策に関してですが、税制を取り入れるのは王都や直轄地の規模を考えると、中々難しいものがあります。遠隔地で試験的に導入し、職員が慣れてからにするべきでしょう。ですが......」
手元の書類をめくり、挟んでいた一枚の紙をイメラリアへ手渡す。
「これはフォカロル領から書き写してきました“戸籍”の写しです」
「すごいですね。居住地や家族、同居していない縁者や簡単な出生地、出身地まで調べているのですか」
「付属資料として、勤務内容なども調査して記載しているようです」
書類をじっと見つめながら、例として無作為に抜き出されたものであろう記載内容を見ていく。
「税制の改革もこういった領民の情報の蓄積があってこそ、というわけですな。これらの情報を元に、婚姻や出生、死亡などを管理しているようです」
今、フォカロルはこの世界のどこよりも人口推移や予算編成が正確に行える地域となっている。これらの住民情報は、仕事の斡旋や在籍確認によるスラム化の防止や犯罪の追跡・予防などにも役立てられている、とアドルは続ける。
そこまでの説明を聞いて、イメラリアは書類を返しながら、肩を落とした。
「政治的な意味では、一二三様は充分英雄的な働きをされたというわけですね。お父様もわたくしも、出会い方さえ間違わなければ一二三様のお力を充分に国のために活かしていただく事ができたかもしれませんね」
イメラリアの表情には、寂しさが浮かぶ。
確かに、出会いから問題だらけではあった。思い描いていたのは、正義感にあふれ、強く素敵な勇者様との出会いであり、年頃の少女らしい色鮮やかな恋愛への憧れもあった。
「陛下は困難を乗り越え、オーソングランデを立派に守られています。少なくとも、私はそう思います。様々な危機があり、失われた物も多くありますが、結果として国は存続し、国土は増え、今も発展を続けています」
アドルの言葉は嘘ではない。
事実を使って励ましてくれるのが、イメラリアには嬉しかった。
「ありがとう。さあ、気を取り直して話を進めましょう。戸籍作成の試験導入地を決めましょう」
改めて、頑張ろう、とイメラリアは思った。いつか、「あの時は大変だった」と笑える日が来るまで。
☺☻☺
全身傷だらけで、バールゼフォンは血の海に沈んでいた。
辛うじて意識を取り戻したとき、全身が痛くて身体がバラバラになったかと思ったが、ぼんやりと戻ってきた視界に映る身体は、何とか五体満足なままである。
「生きていた......か」
周囲に広がる血は、バールゼフォンと魔物の物が混ざっている。大きな図体を横倒しにして息絶えている魔物からは、既に出血は止まっており、バールゼフォンは粘つく水たまりから這い出そうとしたが、体がうまく動かない。
「あの女......あの武器は、ヴァイヤーが近衛騎士の連中に渡していた手裏剣とか言う物と同じだったな」
首は何とか動く。ぐるりと見回すと、木の根に突き刺さる薄い金属が見えた。
「ち......結局は一二三とかいう、あの男の関係者か。どこまで行っても祟ってくれるな」
無我夢中で戦って、何とか魔物の喉に剣を突き立て、前足を振り回されて叩き潰されたところまでは覚えている。
踏み潰される前に魔物が力尽き、辛うじて助かったのだろう。剣は魔物に刺さったまま、目の前で血濡れになって赤く染まっている。
「......うん?」
横倒しになっている魔物の胸部、剣が刺さった場所のすぐ近くに、不自然な膨らみを見つけた。
何気なく手を触れると、毛皮の下に何か硬いものが埋め込まれているのがわかる。そのまま感触を確かめているうちに、縫い合わされた跡も見つけた。
残った力を奮って剣を抜き、縫い目を切り裂いて手を突っ込む。
引きずり出した物は、明らかな人工物だった。
何かの管が伸び、体内へと続いているあたり、寄生しているようにも見える。
「あの女の仕業か? もしかして......」
見たことも無い巨体を持つ虎の魔物だと思ったが、冷静に見れば、もう少し牙が短い、似たような魔物は見たことがある。騎士隊の訓練中に遭遇した虎の魔物だったが、あの時はもっと小さくて弱かった。
もし、あの時と同じ魔物がこの道具で強化された結果が、この巨体を持つ獰猛な魔物だとしたら?
そして、それが人間にも使えるとしたら?
「......このまま、ここで倒れていても死ぬばかり、か」
仰向けに転がり、どんよりと曇った空を見上げる。
ここで死ぬくらいなら、化物になってでも復讐を遂げるべきではないか。
「騎士じゃなくなった挙句、人間ですらなくなるかもしれないとは。笑い話にもならんな」
独り言で自分を鼓舞し、残った力を振り絞って身体を起こしたバールゼフォンは、魔物につながる管を一本ずつ丁寧に抜き始めた。
バールゼフォンを打ち捨てて森を後にしたオリガは、補給のために立ち寄った小さな街で、一二三の結婚に関する噂に触れた。
「その話、もっと詳しく教えてもらえませんか?」
丁寧な口調で銀貨を押し付けてくるオリガの目は、力が入りすぎて血走っている。目深にかぶったフードの下から見える翠の瞳は、心なしか鈍く光っているようにすら見える。
銀貨の型がつくほど手のひらに押し付けられた商店の親爺は、涙目で許しを乞うた。
「や、やめてくれ。おれも仕入れの時に行商から聞いただけなんだよ」
「では、その行商はどこへいったのですか」
教えたら行商が酷い目に遭いそうな気がしたが、親爺はあっさりと行商がいつも利用している宿の事を吐いた。
「情報、感謝します」
銀貨一枚で仕事仲間を売ってしまった、と嘆いている親爺を放って、オリガは足早に宿へと突入した。
金を握らせて行商に吐き出させた話から、オリガはフォカロルに一二三が戻り、本格的に領地運営に乗り出した事実を知った。
どうやら、その際に領地存続のために誰かと結婚するのではないかという話が、他ならぬフォカロルからの噂として流れているらしい。
「一二三様が......」
ついてきている兵士たちに、魔法具の残量を確認する。
100以上あった魔法具は、オリガたちの熱心な活動により、ホーラントからオーソングランデ全域にかけて強そうな素体へと移植を続けた結果、残りは5つとなっていた。
「......これからフォカロルへ戻りながらでも、充分消化できる残量ですね......」
やや願望に引きずられた感のある予測を立て、そのまま突入した宿で一泊してからフォカロルへと向かう事を決めたオリガに、兵士たちもようやく帰れると喜んだ。
「フォカロルまでは強行軍です。街道近くを中心に速度重視で進みますから、今日はゆっくりと休むように」
「了解いたしました」
オリガたちが同じ宿に泊まると知った行商は、慌てて宿を払って次の目的地へと逃げるように出ていった。
そんなことは気にも留めないオリガたちフォカロル特務部隊は、翌朝早く、陽が昇ると共に街を後にする。
いくつかの街を経由しつつ、熊やワニのような元から戦闘力が高い魔物を選び、魔法と武器で弱らせては拘束し、魔法具を埋め込んで解き放つという、幾度となく繰り返した作業を行う。
魔法具が全て無くなってからは、台車を使って街道をひた走る。
「もうすぐ、一二三様に会える......」
オリガの脳裏には、一二三との思い出が多少美化されて駆け巡っていた。
与えられた任務を、それなりに問題はあったものの隠蔽しつつ、しっかりとこなしたという自負はある。きっと褒めてくれるだろうという期待もある。だが、それ以上を求めても良いのかと思うと、はっきり言って自信は無い。
一度は断られた想いだが、それでもオリガが一二三に一番近い場所にいる女性なのは事実であり、その場所は誰にも譲るつもりはない。
「一二三様、オリガはもうすぐ、貴方の元へと帰ります。長い長い別行動に、私は耐えてきました。ですから......」
風に流された言葉には、想い以上の何かが込められていた。
アリッサは、軍務長官などという大層な肩書きを持ってはいるものの、基本的に書類仕事はミュカレに任せきりで、大概は現場に出ている。
兵士たちが訓練をしたり、何かの作業をしているのに積極的に参加して時に兵たちを労う姿は、兵士たちのみならず、それを見かける領民たちにとっても微笑ましいものと受け取られていた。
ふわふわとした赤いショートヘアを揺らしながら、小柄なアリッサが商店通りを歩いていると、りんごのような果物をくれる商店主や、ほの甘い焼きたてのパンを味見させてくれるパン屋など、彼女が行く先々は和やかでほのぼのとした雰囲気が生まれる。
果物を齧りながら辿り着いたのは、街への入口だった。
街の出入りは兵の検査を受ける決まりとなっている。他領であれば貴族や豪商は免除されたりする慣習がまかり通っているが、フォカロルでは一切許されない。
身分に関係なく到着順に並ぶ必要があり、徹底したマニュアル主義で運営されているが、他の街に比べて格段に平民に対する兵の対応が柔らかく、出入りする商人たちには好評だった。
アリッサの姿を見つけた兵士が、嬉しそうに敬礼をする。
「長官、お疲れ様です!」
「お疲れ様。どんな感じ?」
「今日は街へ入ろうとする人が少ないですね。そろそろ移民も落ち着いてきたようです」
街へ入る際に確認する氏名や身分、目的が記録された書類を受け取り、アリッサはパラパラとめくった。
字が書けない兵士は多いが、フォカロルの領兵の識字率は100%だ。まず文字の読み書きができないと軍へ入れない。これも、一二三が決めたことだった。
正直、フォカロルへ来た時点ではアリッサも読めはするが書くのはかなり怪しいという状態だったが、ミュカレがつきっきりで教えたおかげもあり、かなり綺麗な字が書けるようになっていた。
サラサラと確認済みを示すサインを書き込み、アリッサは書類を戻した。
「問題があったらすぐに領主館に報告を......」
目の前にいる兵士の向こう側、遠く伸びている街道を、何かが異常な速度で近づいてくるのがアリッサの目に映った。
「何か来る! 魔物かもしれないから、全員戦闘準備! 誰か一二三さんを呼んできて!」
指示を受けて駆け出した兵士は、門にいる全員に指令を伝え、街道に向かって横並びになった。一人の若い兵士が、領主館へ向かって走っていった。
アリッサは、その兵士たちの前に立ち、脇差を抜く。
「......あれ? あれ台車だよね」
この場で一番視力の良いアリッサは、土煙を上げて迫りくる何かが、よく知っている乗り物であることに気づいた。
乗っているのは誰だろう、と脇差を納めて目を凝らすと、見覚えのある薄い青色の髪が風に翻っているのが見えた。
ぞわっ、とアリッサの背中を緊張が走った。慌てて振り向き、その場に居た兵士に向かって叫ぶ。
「すぐに一二三さんに連絡して、領主館で待っているように連絡! ここで鉢合わせなんかしたら大変なことになるから!」
血相を変えたアリッサの様子に、兵士はこれまでにないほどの反応速度で走り出した。
そうこうしているうちに、オリガを乗せた台車は門の前へとたどり着き、大きな音を立てて止まった。
「久しぶりね、アリッサ」
「お帰りなさい、オリガさん」
「それじゃ、通してもらうわね」
台車を降りて足早に進もうとするオリガに、アリッサは飛びついて腰にしがみついた。
「ちょ、ちょっと待って!」
「離しなさい。私は今から人生をかけた勝負をするのです」
「その勝負をする前に、やることがあると思う!」
アリッサを引きずって歩いていたオリガだったが、その言葉に足を止めた。
「やること? まさか、一二三様を取り合う勝負をしようとでも言うのかしら?」
閉じた鉄扇を握り締めたオリガに睨みつけられても、アリッサは怯まない。本当に怒っているオリガは、言葉より先に手が出ることを知っているのだ。
「違う違う! 一二三さんのところに行く前に、勝負のための準備が必要でしょ? 今のオリガさん、髪がボサボサで顔に砂埃が付いてるし、服も......」
言われて初めて思い出したのか、土に汚れたローブを見下ろしたオリガは、自分の失敗に気づいて勢い良く頭を下げた。
「ご、ごめんなさい! 教えてくれてありがとう!」
「いいよ、僕も女子だから、オリガさんの気持ち、わからなくもないし」
何とか一二三が領主館へ戻る時間が稼げた、とアリッサは心の中でグッと拳を握った。
「私がうまく一二三様のお嫁さんになれたら、貴方の事も一二三様に薦めておくわ。それじゃ、一二三様に見られる前に、部屋に戻らなくちゃ」
「うん。慌てないでゆっくり行ってね。一二三さんは、自分の執務室にいるはずだから」
色々とありがとう、とオリガは上機嫌で歩いて行った。
後に残された、オリガと共に帰還した兵士たちは、疲れが出たのか街の中に入ってすぐの場所で座り込んでいる。
「え~っと......。とにかくお疲れ様。しばらくはお休みしていいから、ゆっくり休んでね」
「あ、ありがとうございます」
何か救われた気がした兵士たちは、涙を流してアリッサに感謝の言葉を並べていく。
治安維持って大変だ、とアリッサは大きな溜息をついた。
The gossip, that Hifumi is apparently looking for a marriage partner, spread within Orsongrande and was even circulated in Horant and Vichy, despite Alyssa's and the civil official slave's eager efforts.
The rumours, recounted by soldiers moving within the country and merchants going around the streets, has even reached Imeraria's ears before long.
"... Someone will marry that Hifumi-sama?" (Imeraria)
"It's a mere rumour, but since he has excellent civil officials at his side, I can't deny the possibility of them proposing it for the sake of preserving the Earl Tohno household." (Adol)
Although she agreed with Adol's remark, she isn't able to imagine some woman standing next to Hifumi and even less exchanging the vows of marriage with him.
Looking at Imeraria, who ended up silent while knitting her brows, Adol displayed a state of panic.
"N-No way, Your Excellency the Queen, about Earl Tohno..." (Adol)
"Huh?" (Imeraria)
Only after she started talking about it, the image of herself standing next to Hifumi appeared in front of her eyes.
Imeraria shook here head vigorously in denial.
"What are you saying? As queen I believe to know the requirements of the person I choose. Also, isn't Hifumi-sama my enemy?" (Imeraria)
Adol can't conceal his concerns in regards to Imeraria, who is blushing albeit denying it.
"R-Rather than such talk, I think we are to speak about the national politics now." (Imeraria)
"Yes. However, regarding the policies introduced by the territory of that Earl Tohno, if you consider the scale of the capital and its surrounding areas for adopting the tax system, it will become something very troublesome. We probably should start with the staff getting used to it by experimentally introducing it in a distant province. However..." (Adol)
Flipping through the documents nearby, he hands over a piece of paper, that was inserted in-between, to Imeraria.
"This is a copy of the "family register" which had been transcribed from the territory of Fokalore." (Adol)
"It's amazing. They have investigated as far as birthplace*, their home-town*, relatives, who don't live with them, the family members and their address?" (Imeraria)
"As you can see by the attached materials, they have investigated things like the work details and recorded them." (Adol)
While staring intently at the documents, she examines the record contents of one, she likely selected at random, as example.
"The reformation of the tax system also profits from this sort of accumulated information about the residents. That's how it is. On grounds of these information, they have apparently been managing things such as marriages, births and deaths." (Adol)
"Currently Fokalore has become the area with a more accurate budget compilation and population transition than anywhere else in the world. These data of the residents is even useful for stuff like the tracking and prevention of crimes and the prevention of slums being created by mediating work and confirming the enrolment," Adol continues.
Listening to his explanation this far, Imeraria dropped her shoulders while putting back the documents.
"In a political meaning, you are saying that Hifumi-sama has gained plenty of heroic achievements. If only father and me didn't make a mistake in the way of meeting with him, it might have been possible to make adequate use of Hifumi-sama's power for the sake of the country." (Imeraria)
Loneliness overshadows the expression of Imeraria.
Certainly, since our first meeting, there were only problems. In my imagination I yearned for a maiden-like bright love by meeting with a powerful, great brave-sama*, who is over overflowing with justice
"Overcoming the difficulties, Your Majesty has splendidly protected Orsongrande. There have been various dangers and many precious things were lost as well, however as result the country continues to exists, the realm has expanded and even now its growth is continuing." (Adol)
Adol's words are no lie.
Encouraging her by using facts, made Imeraria happy.
"Thank you. Well, then let's pull ourselves together and proceed with the talks. Let's decide on a place, where we will introduce the family register as trial for making a draft." (Imeraria)
Someday there will even come a day, where I can laugh at it while saying [It was really difficult at that time] 
.
Being riddled with wounds all over, Balzephon sank in a pool of blood.
At the time he barely regained his consciousness, he wondered whether his body, which was hurting everywhere, was in pieces, however his body, which is reflected in his faint, returned field of vision, is somehow in perfect, good health.
"Survived... huh?" (Balzephon)
The blood, spread in the surroundings, is a mix of the monster's and Balzephon's. As the bleeding of the monster, which has died with its huge frame having toppled sideways, has already stopped, Balzephon tried to crawl out of the sticky puddle, but his body isn't moving properly.
"That woman... that weapon was the same thing called shuriken or something, which Vaiya gave the Royal Knight Order." (Balzephon)
Somehow he shifts his neck. Once he surveys his surroundings, he saw a thin metal stuck in the roots of a tree.
"Tsk... in the end she is someone affiliated with that man called Hifumi or something, huh? Don't haunt me wherever I go." (Balzephon)
Fighting the deliriousness, he is remembering up to the point of being smashed by the swung forepaw and having somehow stabbed his sword in the throat of the monster.
Using up all his strength before being crushed underfoot the monster, he probably just managed to survive. The sword in front of him, being stuck in the monster as is, has been stained red by being drenched in blood.
"... Eh?" (Balzephon)
In the chest of the fallen monster he discovered an unnatural bulge right next to the place the sword was stuck.
Once he casually touched it with his hand, he knew that something hard was buried underneath the fur. As he was checking it by feeling around, he also found traces of stitched together sewing.
Mustering his remaining strength, he draws the sword, cuts the seams and thrusts his hand into the opened hole.
The dragged-out item was clearly man-made.
Tubes are growing out of it and continue into the body's interior. It appears to be parasitic.
"It's that woman's doing, eh? Probably..." (Balzephon)
He believed it was a tiger possessing a large build he hadn't seen until now, but once he looked a bit closer, he found that it was similar to a monster with a bit shorter fangs. Although it was a tiger he encountered during the training of the knight order, it was a lot smaller and weaker at that time.
If the same tiger was under the effect of enhancement with the magic tool then, would it have been a ferocious monster possessing this large build?
And what would happen if it was used on humans as well?
"... As it is, even if I collapse here, I will simply die, huh?" (Balzephon)
Turning over so that he faces upwards, he raises his eyes towards the dull and cloudy sky.
Rather than dying here, shouldn't I achieve my revenge even if I have to become a monster?
"I lost my knighthood and in the end I might even cease to be a human. That isn't even a funny story." (Balzephon)
Encouraging himself with his monologue, Balzephon, sitting up his body by straining himself with the last ounce of energy he possessed, began to carefully extract each pipe connected to the monster.
Origa, who left behind the forest where they abandoned Balzephon, came in contact with the rumour related to Hifumi's marriage in a small town, where they stopped for resupplying.
"Would you tell me more details about this story?" (Origa)
The eyes of Origa, who passed a silver coin in a polite tone, are filled with strength and have become far too bloodshot. The green pupils, looking from underneath the hood, which she wore low over her eyes, can be seen as somehow shining in a dim light.
The shop's old man, having the silver coin pressed into his palm with a strength that its shape embedded itself there, begged with nothing but teary eyes,
"P-Please stop. I also only heard it from a peddler at the time of stocking up."
"Where did that peddler go then?" (Origa)
He had a feeling that the peddler, who told him about it, would go through a bitter experience, but the old man easily spit out the regularly used inn of the peddler.
"I thank you for the information." (Origa)
, the old man was grieving after being released. Origa rushed to the inn at a quick pace.
From the story, spit out by the peddler after passing some money, Origa became aware of the facts that Hifumi had returned to Fokalore and started the territorial administration in full scale.
Somehow or other it's a talk about whether he won't marry someone in order to continue the territory on that occasion, but it seems to be spreading as rumour from nowhere else but Fokalore.
"Hifumi-sama is..." (Origa)
She tells the soldiers, who are following her, to check the remaining amount of magic tools.
As a result of continuing to implant them into powerful prime fields* all throughout the area from Horant to Orsongrande with a zealous effort, Origa's group managed to quickly lower the amount of over 100 magic tools, they had at the beginning, down to 5 remaining.
"... Even during our return to Fokalore, this remaining number can be easily dealt with..." (Origa)
Giving a prediction, which has a feeling of being strongly influenced by her desire, Origa decided to head towards Fokalore after staying one night in the inn she had rushed into. The soldiers were also happy that they would be able to return at long last.
"It will be a forced march until Fokalore. As we will advance close to the highway putting the core of our attention on our speed, take care to sleep restfully tonight." (Origa)
"Roger."
The peddler, aware of Origa's group staying in the same inn, paid the inn's fee in a hurry and left in order to escape towards his next destination.
The Fokalore special unit, Origa's group, pays no heed to such matters, rises early next morning and leaves the city behind alongside the rising sun.
While passing through several cities, they select monsters, which have a high fighting strength as their bases are bears and alligators, restrain them by weakening them with magic and weapons, embed the magic tool and release them. They perform this work many times over.
After all the magic tools have been used up, they run along the highway at full speed using a platform wagon.
"Very soon I will meet with Hifumi..." (Origa)
In Origa's mind somewhat beautified memories of Hifumi were swirling about.
While the concealment caused some troubles, she is conceited about properly finishing her assigned mission. She also expects to be praised most likely. However, beyond that, at the thought of appealing for more, she has no confidence that she will be able to voice it out.
For a moment she considers to be rejected, even so it's also a fact that Origa is the woman closest to Hifumi. She doesn't plan to yield this spot to anyone else.magic
"Hifumi-sama, Origa will very soon return to your side. I continued to act separately from you for a long, long time. Therefore..." (Origa)
The words scattered into the wind were packed with desires leading somewhere beyond.
Although she is holding an exaggerated title called Military Director, Alyssa has been generally active at the actual site while leaving the majority of paperwork to Miyukare.
Her figure of training the soldiers and rewarding them for actively taking part while performing some tasks, without becoming a soldier herself, was received well even by the the fief's population noticing that.
While shaking her red, short hair lightly, the small-built Alyssa is walking on the shopping street, eating a fruit similar to an apple and tasting the slightly sweet, freshly baked bread from a bakery. She produces a gentle and heart-warming mood wherever she goes.
While chewing on the fruit she arrived at last at the entrance of the city.
It's a rule for those entering and leaving the city to be inspected by soldiers. Although it is an established custom to exempt nobles and wealthy merchants from another fief, Fokalore doesn't permit that at all.
It is necessary to line up in order upon arrival without social status playing any role. It has been thoroughly followed according to the rules of the manual, but if you compare it with other cities, the soldiers' treatment of remarkable commoners is soft. It was very popular with merchants, that are coming and going.
The soldier, spotting Alyssa's figure, salutes delightfully.
"Director, thanks for your work!"
"Thank you. What's your impression?" (Alyssa)
"Today the number of people trying to enter the city is small. It seems like the immigration drive is gradually calming down as well."
Wanting to confirm the names and social positions of those having entered the city this time, Alyssa takes the documents, which recorded their objectives, and flipped through the pages.
There are many soldiers, who can't write characters, but the literacy rate of Fokalore's soldiers is 100%. In the first place, they won't be allowed to enter the army unless they are able to read and write characters. This was also something decided by Hifumi.
Honestly, at the time she arrived at Fokalore, Alyssa was in a state of being able to read but her writing was quite disastrous. But thanks to Miyukare teaching her with constant attendance, she reached the point of being able to write quite the beautiful characters.
Finishing the check smoothly and signing it to show that, Alyssa returned the documents.
"If there is a problem, report it at once to the Lord's mansion..." (Alyssa)
Past the soldier, opposite her, Alyssa saw something approaching at an abnormal speed on the highway stretching into the far distance.
"Something's coming! Since it might be a monster, everyone get ready for battle! Someone go calling Hifumi-san!" (Alyssa)
The soldier, who dashed away after receiving the order, conveyed the instructions to everyone at the gate and they lined up facing towards the highway. A single, young soldier hurried towards the Lord's mansion.
Alyssa, standing in front of those soldiers, draws her short sword.
"... Eh? That's a platform wagon, right?" (Alyssa)
Alyssa, who has the best eyesight in this place, noticed the something, approaching while raising a cloud of dust, to be a well-known vehicle.
, sheathing her short sword, she strained her eyes and saw light blue hair fluttering in the wind, of which she had some recollection.
Tension travelled through Alyssa's back with a shiver. Turning around in a hurry, she yells at the soldiers at this place,
"Contact Hifumi-san right away to wait in the Lord's mansion for further messages! If they encounter each other in this place, it will turn into a disaster!" (Alyssa)
Due to Alyssa's face's colour changing, the soldiers began to run with a speed never seen before.
Meanwhile the platform wagon ridden by Origa arrived in front of the gate and stopped with a loud sound.
"Long time no see, Alyssa." (Origa)
"Welcome home, Origa-san." (Alyssa)
"Well then, I want you to let me through now." (Origa)
Alyssa jumped and clung to the waist of Origa, who got off the platform wagon and tried to go ahead at a quick pace.
"W-Wait a moment!" (Alyssa)
"Get away. From now on I will have a match* betting my life." (Origa)
"Before you have that match, I think there's something you have to do!" (Alyssa)
Origa, who was dragging along Alyssa as she walked, stopped her feet at those words.
"Something to do? Certainly you don't want to tell me to have a match competing over Hifumi-sama, do you?" (Origa)
Alyssa doesn't falter even as she is glared at by Origa, who is grasping the closed iron-ribbed fan tightly. The truly angry Origa is known for letting violence, instead of words, speak.
"No, no, it's something else! Before you go to Hifumi-san's place, isn't it necessary to prepare for the sake of your battle? The current Origa has her hair unkempt and ruffled and her face covered in dust. Even your clothes..." (Alyssa)
Origa, looking down on her robe covered in dirt, vigorously apologized noticing her own mistake.
"E-Excuse me! Thank you for telling me!" (Origa)
"It's fine. I'm a woman as well. It's not like I don't understand Origa-san's feelings either." (Alyssa)
, Alyssa clenched her fist imposingly within her mind.
"If I successfully become Hifumi-sama's bride, I will recommend your case to Hifumi as well. Well then, before appearing in front of Hifumi, I will go back to my room." (Origa)
"Yea. Don't be in a hurry and take it easy. Hifumi-san should be in his own office." (Alyssa)
"Many thanks", Origa went away in good humour.
The soldiers, who returned together with Origa and were left behind afterwards, are sitting down in some place right after entering into the city feeling worn-out.
"U~~mm... Anyway, good work. Since you will have holidays for a while, rest up slowly, okay?" (Alyssa)
"T-Thank you very much."
The soldiers, who felt like having been rescued from something, shed tears and line up words of gratitude towards Alyssa.
Maintaining the public order is difficult
Summoned Slaughterer
呼び出された殺戮者
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/summoned-slaughterer/
Action Adventure Fantasy Martial Arts Mature Psychological Romance Shounen
Adapted to Manga Aristocracy Arrogant Characters Average-looking Protagonist Beastkin Beautiful Female Lead Betrayal Calm Protagonist Clever Protagonist Cunning Protagonist Dark Demi-Humans Demons Determined Protagonist Different Social Status Dwarfs Elemental Magic Elves Enemies Become Allies Enemies Become Lovers Evil Protagonist Fantasy Creatures Fantasy World Fearless Protagonist God-human Relationship Gods Kingdom Building Kingdoms Knights Love Interest Falls in Love First Magic Beasts Magical Space Male Protagonist Marriage Monsters Nobles Obsessive Love Overpowered Protagonist Politics Power Struggle Protagonist Strong from the Start R-15 Royalty Ruthless Protagonist Samurai Schemes And Conspiracies S*aves Strong Love Interests Strong to Stronger Summoning Magic Sword And Magic Sword Wielder Transported to Another World Underestimated Protagonist Unique Weapon User Unique Weapons Wars Yandere
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4399ci/
井戸正善／ido