Chapter 1 - Campiones in Ancient GaulPart 1"In other words, reopening Aisha-neesan"s corridor would be very difficult.As always, she"s so adept at causing trouble for others..."Thus sighed Saint Raffaello.The female knight stared at the pile of English doc.u.ments in her hand. Thishad just been delivered from the England"s Witenagemot in Greenwichusing the magic of [Mailing].Recorded in these doc.u.ments were the terrifying authorities of MadameAisha."I have a feeling that depending on the phase of the moon, the "corridor"could be opened using the spells of witches like me and fairy doctors.However, doing so would still require gathering dozens of experts for it towork."Clicking her tongue with a worried expression, Liliana stared up into thenight sky.The midwinter night sky was virtually cloudless for miles. The crescentmoon"s brilliance was clear and dazzling.This was the night when Kusanagi G.o.dou, Erica Blandelli, Seishuuin Enaand Salvatore Doni had gone missing, sucked into "Madame Aisha"scorridor.""In that case, full preparations would require a substantial amount of time."The beautiful face of the j.a.panese Hime-Miko, Mariya Yuri, was shroudedby a layer of gloomy worry.They were currently in the garden of an ancient castle hotel, located in theCasentino area of Italy"s region of Tuscany. This was where the battleagainst the deinonychus divine beast had taken place during the daytime.Liliana nodded at her companion"s words and sighed."The chances of success are definitely not high. I find it doubtful that highlysuitable solutions are actually available."They were sitting on wooden chairs at the front of the hotel garden,surrounding a round table.Everyone was holding a copy of the doc.u.ments sent from theWitenagemot. Upon hearing that one of Madame Aisha"s authorities was toblame for the incident, Liliana had proceeded to contact Greenwich."Considering the Witenagemot, they should possess unpublicizedinformation regarding Madame Aisha, so I tried to make a request... Lookslike I made the right decision."Liliana murmured while casting her gaze upon the doc.u.ments.Capable of opening portals to alternate realms was [Beyond the TimelessHorizon]. Bringing either healing or death was [Live or Die]. The authorityof charisma, [Charm and Curse]. Furthermore, there were the authorities of[Grand Luck], [Jabberwock Slayer]...Just the terrifying authorities known to the Witenagemot already numberedthis many."By the way, I can"t believe that those stubborn fellows would actuallyprovide their precious investigation report. Isn"t this cla.s.sified so only thosegeezers, the first-cla.s.s members, are authorized?""This is all thanks to our close relationship with the former spokespersonover on that side."Saint Raffaello remarked, quite impressed. After answering, Liliana noticedsomething.Sitting next to her, Yuri was also reading the same doc.u.ments, but forsome reason, she seemed quite agitated.Was there something to be concerned about? Yuri was looking up fromtime to time and checking out their surroundings."What is the matter, Mariya Yuri? Is there anything concerning?""Oh, not at all. I simply keep getting a strange feeling after reading thesedoc.u.ments."Yuri answered after getting startled by Liliana"s question."Somehow, I keep getting the feeling that these doc.u.ments would serve asan impetus for some kind of unexpected event. However, the reasons arecompletely unclear."The Hime-Miko was renowned for her exceptionally potent spirit visionpowers. Whenever she said "felt something," Liliana knew very well that itmust not be overlooked. Did something happen? The moment Lilianabraced herself, she instantly understood the reason.Voices were heard. Two people had apparently arrived at the garden."Hey Paolo. Why am I getting the feeling that you don"t seem happy at allabout our reunion? I hope I"m just imagining things. Or am I actuallycorrect?""Of course not. There"s nothing of that sort, Princess."It was the voice of a slightly displeased n.o.blewoman. A beautiful voice,filled with masculinity, answered her respectfully."Encountering you again... Your knight, Paolo Blandelli, feels nothing bututmost joy. Nevertheless, the following thought does occur to me onoccasion."While speaking eloquently as befitted his ident.i.ty as Erica"s uncle, theknight of knights also brought up his opinion with some displeasure."Hoping for a n.o.ble princess to show greater prudence and restraint in heractions, I am quite positive this does not overstep a knight"s bounds.""Well, aren"t you describing me like a mischievous little child? You"re reallyquite something, Paolo.""Then I shall be blunt, Princess. This sort of matter should not require yourpersonal presence, should it?""Now that would be an absurd a.s.sertion when clearly there is such aperilous crisis here. Personally, I cannot stand back and observe whileremaining uninvolved whenever acquaintances are plunged intoworld-level crises. Verily, apathy is the world"s greatest vice. I now feelcompelled to revise my opinion of you.""Unnecessary curiosity can also be said to be one of the root causes ofturmoil disrupting the world.""Paolo, I can"t believe you"re still so stubbornly rigid as always.""Please allow me to take that as a compliment, Princess Alice."Making their arrival was the princess with the beautiful platinum-blondehair along with the knight who seemed as strongly built as the statue ofDavid.Princess Alice was dressed in a light-gray fur coat with black skinny pantsand a pair of boots whereas Paolo Blandelli was in a dark gray suit.However, he was holding his jacket in his left hand while his tie was slightlyloosened at the collar.As soon as the voices were heard, the arriving visitors" high stature wasalready readily apparent.Let alone Liliana, even Yuri immediately stood up from her chair to bowand greet the new arrivals."It"s been a while, Yuri and Liliana. When Liliana made a request of theWitenagemot, I was really taken by surprise. Furthermore, to think it wouldconcern Madame Aisha!"Alice"s voice was quite cheerful and filled with a n.o.blewoman"s elegance.Liliana instantly realized her oversight. When contacting the Witenagemot,she should have expected Alice to make an inevitable appearance."Currently, with three Campiones on a journey in the past, any alterationsmade to history would be no joking matter. One could call this quite aserious situation."Alice was murmuring while making a face like a "n.o.ble and intelligentprincess who truly worried about the crisis of the world"s fate."That said, this situation alone should not const.i.tute enough reason forPrincess Alice to rush over personally to the frontlines. Coming out towitness the commotion in spite of that could be taken as a glimpse into theprincess" true personality."I have heard stories before, but your morbid curiosity turns out to be justas rumored."Saint Raffaello murmured as though surprised.Such words were permitted only because of her past ill.u.s.triousaccomplishments, fighting alongside the oldest Campiones, sometimeseven fighting in opposition to them.Princess Alice smiled in response to the heroic lady"s remark."I have also heard much about the great name of Saint Raffaello. Therumors you just mentioned could very well be traced to the fabrications of acertain knight over there. Despite appearances, I actually do havesufficient cause to come forth."In possession of a great many virtues and troublesome aspects, theprincess turned her gaze towards Liliana and Yuri."You reported that Kusanagi-sama"s time period could be seen?""Y-Yes. One could say so."Yuri replied frantically to the princess" question."However, we are able to do no more than observing the situation on theother side of the corridor... Even details such as the time period or thelocation are completely unclear.""I believe it is an era even earlier than the Middle Ages."Liliana interjected as well. Back then, Kusanagi G.o.dou was fighting at aplace resembling a castle. It was most likely a facility built usingconstruction techniques dating back to before the Middle Ages."Princess, I intend to hurry over to G.o.dou-san and the others" side nomatter what it would take."Yuri tensed and showed a stern expression while pleading to the princess."Should you know how Madame Aisha"s corridor could be opened, pleasekindly provide your instruction. I implore you — ""Hmm... Indeed, there have been cases when third parties opened hercorridors through forceful measures."The j.a.panese Hime-Miko bowed her head deeply. In response, Alicemade a troubled expression."Even if you could reach the past in this manner, it"s pointless unless youcan travel to the desired point in time. Just for argument"s sake, supposethe corridor"s other end is connected to London in 1000 CE. However,which month of that year you arrive would be completely dependent onluck...""Is that how it works!?""Also, traveling back and forth in time recklessly like this and makingrepeated changes to history in that era... Corrections for all that wouldseem to be rather difficult. In my opinion, it would be best not to try.""Changes to history... and corrections?"Hearing Liliana"s question, the princess chuckled and smiled."In actual fact, a certain esteemed individual, one who is quiteknowledgeable in these issues, apparently wants to meet you two."Hearing this sudden announcement, Liliana and Yuri both could not hidetheir troubled expressions.The princess" next words proceeded to make them disregard everythingelse."All sorts of difficulties are probably present in the place where this personis waiting. Since you intend to rescue Kusanagi-sama and the others,perhaps it might serve as the prime shortcut."Liliana instantly made her decision. Together with Yuri, she nodded.Judging from the fact that even the cautious Hime-Miko from j.a.pan wasable to decide so effortlessly without hesitation, one could tell how firmlycommitted she was to setting forth on the journey.Part 2Roughly 410 CE or so, that would be the early part of the fifth century,would it not?Kusanagi G.o.dou was currently stranded in this approximate time period.The location was the province of Gaul within the Western Roman Empire"sterritory, on the eastern most edge."Now that I think about it, we really did arrive in a faraway place, on atotally different level..." Muttering poignantly, he was looking out towards agrand and majestic river.G.o.dou was standing by the Rhine"s sh.o.r.e.Across the 200m wide river, the eastern barbaric lands of Germania layfurther beyond. This was within the sphere of influence of the fierceequestrian tribe, the Huns.On the other side of the great river, vast pastures stretched far and widewith lush forests up ahead in the distance."In the twenty-first century, this area should be near the Franco-Germanborder..."G.o.dou and his entourage were currently staying at the city of AugustaRaurica.According to Erica, this place belonged to twenty-first century Switzerland,in the vicinity of the city named Basel. Advancing north along the Rhine,one would reach the famous city of Strasbourg on the Franco-Germanborder. Then continuing north, there was Cologne... No wait.These were all names of modern European cities.G.o.dou had heard that during the fifth century, Strasbourg was calledArgentoratum while Cologne was known as Aggripina. These were allRoman names that sounded like tongue twisters."So you"re here, G.o.dou!""We"re looking for you, Your Majesty!"His two companions had arrived from the castle.Erica and Seishuuin Ena. Both of them were riding horses and dressed inthis time period"s clothing.They were wearing tunics on top, a simple type of clothing similar tot-shirts. On the bottom, they had slender pants with cloth wrapped aroundtheir waist like miniskirts, a display of women"s fashion."Yo."G.o.dou waved his hand in response to Erica and Ena"s calls.Located roughly two kilometers away from the city of Augusta Raurica wasa Roman army"s fort.Currently, G.o.dou was at the midpoint between the two locations. Like thegirls, he had traveled by riding a horse, which was currently grazing by theriver beside him. Living in ancient Gaul, horse riding could be used to getaround various places by himself."What happened? Is that Uldin guy here again?"The deadly duel against the Hun G.o.dslayer had taken place four daysearlier.Furthermore, after the intense battle ended with a ceasefire, they hadreceived a certain report. Allegedly, Salvatore Doni had united the Frankishtribes" warriors and conquered Aggripina."Or is there more news on that guy Doni?""Mmmhmm... It"s related to that as well.""This matter must be resolved. That was what Madame Aisha said,apparently."Ena murmured while Erica shrugged.G.o.dou sighed as he turned his gaze towards the two girls who wereapproaching on horseback.Madame Aisha seemed quite motivated. G.o.dou felt sorry for her but couldnot stop himself from imagining dark and ominous futures."Looks like we must ask her what she wants to do. Is she at the castle?""No. She went back roughly an hour ago.""Those soldier guys pulled out a carriage and escorted her home."G.o.dou answered "I see" and nodded while approaching his favorite horse.Compared to English thoroughbreds in modern times, ancient horses weregenerally smaller in build. Putting his hand on the horse"s neck, G.o.doumounted the saddle in one swift motion.Even though he found it unfamiliar in the beginning, G.o.dou had nowgradually grown accustomed to the movement."So, let"s head over to the church to have a look first."Had it been the twenty-first century, they could have contacted each otherby cellphone.However, this was not possible in ancient Gaul. Having decided to payMadame Aisha a visit at the church in the city that served as her residence,G.o.dou instantly brought his horse to a trot.Erica and Ena also followed on horseback. Judging from the speed, theywere traveling at roughly seven or eight kilometers per hour.Even horses would rapidly tire out if they had to gallop continuously forlong periods of time. In actual fact, bicycles would be even moreconvenient and faster as a mode of transportation in comparison.To begin with, the ancient world was blessed with many products ofcivilization.The road being trodden by G.o.dou and his companion"s horses would be aperfect example. With a surface paved with gravel, it was quite awell-maintained road.Like the blood vessels of a circulatory system, Roman roads formed anetwork within the Empire.In addition, Augusta Raurica was a typical colonial city in the Empire, fullyequipped with facilities such as aqueducts, public baths and arenas.Thousands of residences lined up along city streets provided animpressive view, a far cry from a description of "undeveloped land."Riding their horses, G.o.dou and his companions advanced slowly alongthis type of urban road."...Hmm?"G.o.dou felt a strange sensation. Not only could he feel himself being gazedat, but these stares also came from quite a number of people.Checking out his surroundings from atop his horse, G.o.dou could see thecitizens of Raurica hustling and bustling about.Of course, compared to urban centers in the twenty-first century, thevolume of people would only reach the level of "a crowded shopping street"or so. But that said, there were still about a hundred people around him.Without exception, they were all staring at Kusanagi G.o.dou. Rather thancuriosity, these people"s eyes seemed more like they were filled with "aweor even fear."While feeling strange, G.o.dou continued to spur his horse forward.Unlike modern streets for cars, this main road allowed horses, horse-drawncarriages, cattle, humans and more to coexist and move along at aleisurely pace. In spite of that, the people silently halted in their footsteps,turning their fearful eyes towards Kusanagi G.o.dou while waiting quietly forthe twenty-first century j.a.panese to pa.s.s through.There were no obstacles in his way.Leading Erica and Ena, G.o.dou advanced casually along the main road."...What on earth is going on?""Well, it"s because Your Majesty already fought that intense battle withUldin-san as your opponent.""Everyone knows all about it already. They know very well that a greatwarrior, rivaling Devil King Uldin in power, is present in this city andbecoming their ruler would only be a matter of time.""Ruler!?"Riding on horseback, G.o.dou was greatly shocked by the conversation thatErica and Ena were carrying out behind him."I have absolutely no intention of becoming someone like that!""The most powerful soldiers would ama.s.s influence and seize the state.That is what the present era"s Roman Empire is about. Of course, thereare exceptions, but those people were probably put to death by emperorswho were suspicious.""Literally a world full of turmoil, that"s what it feels like."Erica sounded exhausted while Ena nodded repeatedly to agree.G.o.dou was quite displeased to hear about this disturbing subject ofhistory. But thanks to these troublesome rumors, their horses were able tomove with greater efficiency. As j.a.panese, G.o.dou and Ena looked quitesimilar to the oriental Huns and stood out considerably in the Caucasiancity of Raurica.Soon after, they arrived before a Christian church.In this era, Christianity had already pa.s.sed its "frozen period" when it wassuppressed as a heretical religion and had become the Roman Empire"sstate religion. Hence, churches could also be found in colonial cities ofprovinces such as Gaul.After tying their horses outside the church, the trio entered the chapel."h.e.l.lo, Kusanagi-san. I see that Erica-san and Ena-san are together withyou as well. Perfect timing."Greeting them with affectionate smiles was a young and beautiful maiden.She possessed l.u.s.trous black hair and delicate skin with an olivecomplexion. Her attire consisted of a white one-piece dress from the localtime period. Furthermore, wrapped around her waist was a strip of whitecloth meant to be draped over one"s shoulder.Looking only seventeen-years-old, this girl was precisely Madame Aisha.Despite appearances, she was the female Campione who had livedthrough eons since the nineteenth century."Had I known you were coming, I would have prepared lunch beforehandto welcome you all.""You"re far too kind. Oh by the way, Aisha-san."Speaking of which, it was already lunch time. Noticing this, G.o.dou posed aquestion.His sworn elder sister, one of the Campiones from the old generation, HerEmininence Luo Hao was an expert in cooking. Perhaps Madame Aishaalso happened to possess the same level of superb skill?"Do you like to cook?""Hoho, I guess I can cook a bit after all. But sometimes, the food gets burntbecause the fire was too hot, or I forget to cut up the vegetables, but I cana.s.sure you it"s perfectly edible. I"m also quite confident in my ability tohandle cooking for many guests. Please allow me to treat you all to a mealshould an opportunity arise in the future^ 1 "Basically, her cooking skills were not "bad." Anyone could cook lots of foodsimply by preparing more ingredients. G.o.dou refrained from making thesekinds of comments while cautiously stopping his nodding.He was already used to the abundance of Madame Aisha"s questionableaspects."Hi Aisha-san. This is just something heard from the guys in the army."The one striking up conversation in a familiar tone of voice was Ena, ofcourse. Perhaps she was quite compatible with the forthright MadameAisha? This att.i.tude was as though they were friends already."Something about you wanting to meet the king who conquered the city inthe north, is that really true? I must resolve this matter personally — Yousaid something like that?"Reportedly, Ena had heard these rumors from the soldiers in the Romanarmy stationed in this city.The soldiers" expressions and words clearly expressed their worship andpraise for Madame Aisha as they chatted with one another in greatexcitement. Aisha"s charisma authority had probably made them hercaptives."Oh yes. I definitely did say that.""Madame. This may offend you but please allow me to speak... It is mybelief that this undertaking might prove to be quite difficult."In response to the Madame"s simple admission, Erica spoke respectfully.Erica insisted on maintaining an absolute boundary between herself andDevil King Campiones, one that she would never cross no matter howmuch of a "good person" the other party was. Well, acting less inhibitedtowards G.o.dou was fine, on the other hand..."Sir Salvatore is a powerful individual who regards combat as his onlyraison d"etre. Furthermore, he is currently the [King] with the Franks underhis command."Salvatore Doni had conquered the city of Colonia Aggripina.This was the bad news received four days earlier. In this land of ancientGaul, Doni had made himself the great chieftain ruling over one faction ofthe Germanic tribes, the Franks. However, what kind of thoughts drove himto suddenly conquer one of the Roman Empire"s colonial cities?Doni was currently at Colonia Aggripina, surrounded by Franks who hadgathered to worship him."Regarding this fact, I have already resolved myself sufficiently. No matterwhat, this is a job that must be done."Madame Aisha responded decisively to Erica"s pet.i.tion.Tensing her face to produce a commanding expression, she clenched herfists and declared:"Like him, I am also a Campione who came from the future. I cannot sit idlyby and allow Doni-san"s high-handed behavior to continue unchecked!"At this moment, Erica and Ena both directed gentle gazes towardsMadame Aisha.The same thought was probably occurring to G.o.dou as well. In response toMadame Aisha"s righteous indignation, they were all thinking "why on earthis she throwing herself into the line of fire?"G.o.dou could not help but ask:"About the issue of disrupting the past, aren"t you in the same boat as him,Aisha-san?""U-Umm... Well, I do confess that I am aware of the validity of thatviewpoint..."The Madame suddenly began to act fl.u.s.tered, shocking G.o.dou."You"re actually aware of it yourself!?""Well, after all, it"s still... So, it"s a very important point.""Please elaborate.""Well, you see, I"m already used to traveling in the past. Although therewere times when I almost changed history inadvertently, but in the end,everything still turned out fine. Apart from helping people, I try my best notto do anything that interferes with history!""By the time an exception happens, it would already be too late to fix...""That won"t happen. This world is more harmonious than you can imagine,Kusanagi-san. Furthermore, a maiden"s heart that respects love and peaceis always the strongest weapon at all times."In response to Madame Aisha"s opportunistic views, G.o.dou concurredindifferently."Is that so?""Yes. I have already faced those kinds of situations many times.""In other words, you"ve actually changed history many times...""W-What are you saying? Putting that aside for now, I do think that thecurrent situation is not too good, Kusanagi-san, what with extraneousent.i.ties like you or me intruding in this past era for example, or willfulindividuals like Doni-san coming here."Understanding what Madame Aisha meant, G.o.dou nodded.The one who told him about history"s corrective force was Madame Aishaherself. However, she was also secretly admitting that this force had itslimits, was she not? Hence, she intended to personally stop Doni"satrocities before the corrective force reached its limit —Thinking about things this way, the reasoning did seem correct indeed. Asa test, G.o.dou asked:"But how do you plan on stopping that idiot Doni?""Honest sincerity. I will speak with him with my true and sincere feelings.Please leave it to me, hoho."G.o.dou silently stared at Madame Aisha while she chuckled and smiled.Right now, before his eyes was probably the smiling face of someone whofirmly believed in humanity"s love and benevolence. Furthermore,considering how inexplicably enthusiastic she was right now, it was verywell possible she could plow through the current crisis throughextraordinary virtues alone.But this time, the opponent was an absolute idiot of the super heavyweightcla.s.s.Originally, G.o.dou was supposed to head over to the scene himself. Inaddition, he was going to hold the idiot down by the neck and loudly scoldhim "Get a grip of yourself and behave, no matter how much of an idiot youare, you idiot!"But there were reasons why he could not set off immediately."Could you delay your departure briefly for now? Because I need to payUldin a visit to talk about this city here."After the duel four days ago, Uldin had gone back to the forest where hisstronghold was located.With that, the dispute over the city of Augusta Raurica had been put asidetemporarily. If that man were to attack while G.o.dou was absent — That wasnot entirely impossible.A truce or a rematch? The previous battle had ended ambiguously withoutresolution.G.o.dou wanted to settle these matters before confronting Doni."Once things are settled over here, we"ll head over to that whateverColonia city together.""Well, if you say so, Kusanagi-san..."Madame Aisha accepted his suggestion for now, but..."However, I do believe we could also act separately... For example, I shallhandle Doni-san while you take care of Uldin-san, Kusanagi-san..."Seeing her murmur such dangerous words, G.o.dou secretly motioned withhis eyes. Beside him, Erica and Ena understood immediately and noddedlightly in response.Ultimately, what they worried about was Madame Aisha running out ofcontrol.The Madame must be watched at all times. Erica and Ena probablyreached the same conclusion. On the other hand, completely unaware ofsuch thoughts in G.o.dou"s mind, the problematic woman suddenly changedthe topic."Oh right, by the way, speaking of Doni-san, there"s something quiteinteresting.""Something related to that idiot?""Yes. Recently, a prophesy has started circulating — the appearance of ahero wielding a sword of light, someone who will defeat a certain DevilKing Salvatore of the north."Prophesy. G.o.dou was dumbstruck by this unexpected term.In response, Madame Aisha smiled mischievously and continued tosupplement her explanation."These rumors started circulating in town recently over the past few days.Although it"s unclear who started it, the rumor has suddenly spreadeverywhere all at once. Have you heard of it?""This is my first time.""It can"t be helped. Ever since the battle ended four days ago, we wereeither cooped up in the castle or running all the place to handle theaftermath. However, this rumor really is quite interesting."After G.o.dou commented, Erica chuckled and smiled beside him."Descriptions about the mysterious warrior leading the Franks would justbe hearsay, but calling Sir Salvatore a Devil King is surprisingly accurate.Looks like rumors should not be overlooked.""Oh, come to think of it, Ena also heard other rumors just now."Although Ena was feared in town as the "dangerous female warrior of theHuns," thanks to her straightforward personality, she was still able toconverse amiably with soldiers in the Roman army.This was apparently news she obtained from them. G.o.dou asked:"What is it?:"The terrible insect, Kusanagi G.o.dou, hanging around Aisha-san shouldjust die already from divine retribution. He deserves to die. Also, somethingabout an older brother.""...You really heard that from those people in the army?""Yes. Your Majesty is on such good terms with Aisha-san that manypeople are quite jealous apparently."Ena smiled wryly while reporting.This made perfect sense. Due to the charisma authority, the soldiers in thearmy were virtually worshiping Madame Aisha like an idol.Nevertheless, G.o.dou still felt perplexed."But what"s with the final part? Older brother?""Oh, I think it"s something I said recently that got spread around."Seeing G.o.dou ask Ena, Madame Aisha interjected."When asked about my relationship with Kusanagi-san, I answered "He"ssomething like an older brother to me."""...Uh. Please don"t make statements that sound like a female idol"sattempts to hide scandals about fellow celebrities."Despite not being exactly up to date on celebrity gossip, G.o.dou waspositive that no celebrity had ever succeeded in dispelling scandals bydescribing someone as like an older brother.The question could probably be dodged using superior methods. Sayingthat, G.o.dou sighed and raised another question."No matter how you look at it, isn"t it impossible for me to be older thanAisha-san — ""Nothing of that sort! So long as I don"t reveal anything, I"m frequentlymistaken for a teenager. I"ll have you know that even my skin is perfectlysmooth and tender!""This isn"t about age in appearance. Rather, I"m talking about mental andactual age.""B-Besides, didn"t you fight for my sake earlier? If that can"t be describedas an older brother"s love for a sister, what else would you call it!?""No, it looked that way just by coincidence..."The two Campiones, one new and one old, began to quarrel inside thisearly Christian church. In light of their t.i.tles as G.o.dslaying Devil Kings, itwas quite a harmonious scene to behold.Nevertheless, G.o.dou thoroughly knew from the depths of his heart thatthese peaceful times were not going to persist indefinitely.Part 3Reportedly, marching from Augusta Raurica (modern-day northernSwitzerland) to Colonia Aggripina (midwestern Germany) would takeRoman infantry twenty days.Spending roughly six hours a day on marching, the rest of the time wasspent on setting up camp and resting.For armed infantry regiments, this was apparently the highest levelpossible."However, traveling by wheeled transport — an automobile rather than ahorse-drawn carriage — would only take half a day or so.""Using that to judge the distance, it"s roughly four to five hundredkilometers?"Erica and G.o.dou chatted while their bodies rocked on horseback.A great river was flowing not too far from the road where they were movingalong. The Rhine.Since Augusta Raurica and Colonia Aggripina were both Roman colonialcities that were built on the Rhine"s sh.o.r.es, one could naturally travel fromthe former to the latter by following the river downstream.However, G.o.dou and Erica"s horses were traveling towards a destinationthat was upstream instead.After visiting Madame Aisha"s church the day before, they had immediatelyset off. Camping overnight once, they had resumed their horsebackjourney early this morning. The current time was roughly noon or so."Even this kind of traveling, I seem to be gradually getting used to it...""Is that so? I find it slightly boring without encountering any towns andvillages along the way.""Hey you, in the past, didn"t you once say "Since we"re going travelinganyway, we might as well go to a mansion on remote island that takes aday to reach" or something like that?""That"s because it"s the kind of place where locked room mysteries seemlikely to happen. Positively thrilling, wouldn"t you agree?"Then again, even without riding horses, Erica and Ena were still able to runat extraordinary speeds.A method of running that was said to combine magic with martial arts.However, it was also supposed to drain stamina rapidly and was henceunsuitable for journeys spanning multiple days. Life in ancient Gaulfrequently required them to depend on horses.In any case, the two of them made their way along the road on horseback.This road was laid down along the Rhine, pa.s.sing through what werebasically vast open plains. Forests were commonplace, but the terrainlacked variation.Riding ancient horses, G.o.dou and Erica advanced steadily.Approximately half a month had pa.s.sed since they first arrived in ancientGaul. During this time, getting familiar with horses through frequentcontact, G.o.dou finally managed to reach a level considered "capable ofhorseback riding."(Of course, difficult techniques, such as rushing straight down a steepslope, were still beyond him.)Rather than having innate talent for riding horses, it would be better to saythat he simply grew used to things.Fortunately, G.o.dou possessed stamina and an incomparably st.u.r.dy bodythat made all this possible. Thanks to that, he never experienced thesuffering that novice riders frequently went through, such as achingbottoms and backs or abrasive wounds on the knees or under the thighs."We should settle things here as quickly as possible and get back toSeishuuin"s side. That idiot Doni must be taken care of as soon aspossible..."G.o.dou muttered.Ena was a.s.signed the task of monitoring "a certain person requiringspecial attention.""Hey G.o.dou, impulsive behavior such as taking this opportunity to steal amarch would be unladylike, wouldn"t it? But then again, I believe that thereare times when we must prepare ourselves to fall into path of evil as acouple, don"t you agree?""I have absolutely no intention of that, so listen to me and continuetraveling obediently..."The slightly familiar forest was already entering into view.This was their third visit to Uldin"s forest where his dragons inhabited.After entering the forest, Erica used divination magic to determine whichdirection to take. Walking in the direction indicated by the dangling pocketwatch, they encountered Deinonychuses — nimble, bipedal, carnivorousdinosaur-type divine beasts — several times along the way.Not long after that, they arrived at the site of a former Roman armyencampment by the riverside, now serving as Uldin"s fortress."Yo comrade. I never expected us to meet again so soon."G.o.dou"s arrival had apparently been reported already.The Hun G.o.dslayer smiled cheerfully and waited at the fortress" entrance."Anyway, let"s have a welcoming feast first. Take your time and enjoy.""I"m just here to talk this time. Spare me the feast, let"s start now."G.o.dou answered the G.o.dslayer who resembled him in appearance.Uldin laughed heartily and strode towards a mansion that was once theRoman army"s headquarters. G.o.dou and Erica spurred their horses andfollowed after him.Ten minutes later, G.o.dou and Uldin were facing each other in a hall insidethe headquarters.On G.o.dou"s side was Erica while Uldin had his two wives, Ruska andClotilde."My purpose here today is...""Hold on, Kusanagi G.o.dou. May I interrupt slightly?"As soon as G.o.dou spoke, Ruska immediately interrupted. Like Uldin, shewas also descended from the Hunnic tribes of the orient. A beauty withsoft, sleek, black hair at shoulder length."Recently... I keep getting this unpleasant feeling for some reason.""Okay."Was she unused to making long-winded speeches? Ruska"s explanationwas slightly ambiguous.G.o.dou answered simply then braced himself. Ruska possessed excellentspirit vision and was a witch of this era. This could not possibly be a simplechat — G.o.dou concluded.Unfortunately, G.o.dou"s premonition was right on target."Probably... No, the reason surely stems from you. Kusanagi G.o.dou, thatwoman dressed in white, as well as Salvatore — The G.o.dslayers who camefrom far away on the other side.""What"s bad about these few"s presence?"Uldin interjected with interest. Ruska nodded slightly."Very bad... How should I put this? The feeling is too many. And too early."G.o.dou exchanged a glance with Erica beside him.He understood what Ruska said by too many. Including Uldin, there werealready four Campiones gathered in this region. Definitely too many.However —"What does "too early" mean, Ruska?"This question came from Clotilde. The tall, female warrior was a user ofancient runic magic.Due to being indoors, she had taken off the feather-decorated helmet shenormally wore all the time. As a result, her head of beautiful blonde hairwas open to view."Sorry, I"m unable to explain clearly... It"s just a feeling that theseconditions were originally not supposed to be fulfilled until decades later.Somehow, that"s what I keep feeling."Whenever an outstanding spirit vision user "kept feeling" something, it wasnot a matter to be ignored.G.o.dou and his companions knew this very well. He could not help but lookat the Italian girl beside him, only to see her in deep thought."Too many Campiones... Originally supposed to be decades later...""I keep getting this feeling. If things were allowed to progress as they are,the situation would become quite bad. For example, something that wasnot supposed to happen will occur, that"s the kind of feeling."Without ignoring Erica"s murmurs just now, Ruska ended the conversationwith an ominous oracle.As expected, the matter of Doni must be resolved as quickly as possible sothat everyone could return to the modern age together. G.o.dou nodded tohimself on this point and bowed his head deeply."Thank you very much, Ruska-san. I will take your words in consideration.""No need to thank me. After all, this will probably be a calamity that willbefall us as well.""Us as well?"Hearing his wife"s words, Uldin laughed with joy."In that case, then the two of us, comrades that we are, should ally toengage the enemy. An alliance forged between us two could very well bean invincible army.""If only that were true..."Uldin had apparently not given up on Kusanagi G.o.dou.Why don"t you be king in my place? Recalling this invitation, G.o.douretorted "stop deciding on an alliance without my consent."Next to G.o.dou, Erica stopped pondering and immediately looked up."If that"s the case, King Uldin, I was wondering whether you"ve beenactively working towards making that alliance a reality and if you intend tobuild a new relationship with Kusanagi G.o.dou?"Faced with Erica"s eloquent words, Uldin muttered."New relationship?""You proposed previously to have Kusanagi G.o.dou join you under yourbanner. However, judging from the fact the two of you fought to a draw inthe battle a few days ago, it is readily apparent that both of you possessequal power as G.o.dslayers. In that case, why not establish an alliance ofequals to become kings ruling the land of Gaul together — Does that soundagreeable to you?"Nothing less expected from Erica. She began to converse eloquently in acontinuous flow.By having Uldin agree to a truce before they headed over to Doni, the cityof Augusta Raurica and its surroundings could be a.s.sured. This was thepurpose behind the current visit.One of G.o.dou"s reasons for choosing Erica over Ena to accompany himwas for the sake of these negotiations.Meanwhile, Uldin laughed generously after hearing Erica"s proposal."I see. After all, there"s that Salvatore someone rousing the Frankishwarriors in the north as well as the unknown calamity Ruska mentioned.Oh well, even without gaining a king as my proxy, consolidating friendshipbetween comrades is still to my advantage.""Exactly as you say.""However, forming an alliance requires a.s.surance."Uldin was right. Verbal agreements were quite fragile and easily revoked.The risk factor was that while G.o.dou and his friends were setting off forColonia Agrippina, his ally Uldin would take the opportunity to attackAugusta Raurica.This was also what Erica worried about."Letting Ena-san or me serve a hostage by Uldin"s side while having Ruskaor Clotilde placed by G.o.dou"s side in exchange — This would be the mostlikely compromise."Erica"s earlier prediction proved to be correct.Uldin raised the same issue but turned his gaze towards G.o.dou instead ofErica."How about this, comrade? Let me ask a question first.""What?""Do you have a daughter?""H-How is that even possible!?"As soon as he answered, G.o.dou realized something.In the ancient world, it was nothing surprising to have children even at theage of a first year high schooler at sixteen. But why would Uldin askedsuch a question?Without noticing the doubts G.o.dou harbored, the Hun G.o.dslayer continuedspeaking aloofly."Then what about sisters?""I do have a younger sister. But why are you asking about this?""Hey comrade, you"re pretty slow here. So that I can take her as a wife or aconcubine, of course.""Wife!?"Greatly stunned, G.o.dou realized. In other words, a political marriage. Theman, who had just proposed to wed the fourteen-year-old KusanagiShizuka, laughed with his face filled with joy."If your sister is the kind of woman I like, beautiful and strong-willed, that"llbe the best. But our alliance of comrades is more important than that.Regarding this, much that needs to be discussed — "Cough cough. Uldin was interrupted by coughing in the middle of hissentence, but it was not his own.Instead, it was Clotilde standing behind him. Normally, she always kept aserious demeanor with little variation in expression. However, surfacing onher wise and beautiful face was a rarely seen smile like a blooming flower.Be that as it may, her eyes were not smiling. In this manner, Uldin"s blondewife spoke up:"Uldin-sama"s joke has gone slightly too far. Please allow me to answerinstead as his wife. Kusanagi-sama, Lady Erica, please step this way.""Yes. Uldin, could you come over here and we"ll have a brief word?""What are you two talking about? This has already reached the point ofimpertinence — "Seeing Clotilde head towards the great hall"s exit, Ruska coldly declared toher womanizing husband. The man in question regretfully expressed hisdissatisfaction.Ruska walked over to the depths of the hall and took down a spear fromthe wall.Uldin stopped talking at the sight of that. Seizing this opportunity, Clotildeimmediately said:"Well then, Kusanagi-sama, please follow me outside.""Oh, okay..."What sort of conversation and quarrel was going to take place nextbetween the husband and wife?Despite feeling quite curious, in the end, G.o.dou still decided to follow theancient blonde beauty and leave obediently.Leaving the great hall with Erica together in a panic, G.o.dou arrived at thecourtyard. While walking through a colonnade, Clotilde spoke up:"Worry not. After all, we owe you a favor, Kusanagi-sama. Just leave thematter of the alliance to me. It looks like there will continue to be manyopportunities when punishment must be administered to our husband.""O-Okay.""Ruska-sama and I both cherish how fate has brought us to cross pathswith you, Kusanagi-sama.""That"s wonderful, Clotilde. In that case, please do not hesitate to askshould you have any need for Kusanagi G.o.dou"s power in the future."Erica replied in a n.o.blewoman"s tone of voice to the woman walking infront."Just contact me or Ena-san and we"ll provide the best a.s.sistance we canoffer.""Much appreciated, Lady Erica. Well then, please feel free to let us know ifUldin"s power is needed as well. We are all women in similar situations, soplease allow me to offer the most of my meager a.s.sistance.""Thank you, hoho. Let"s continue to be friends.""Of course. In my view, encountering you has brought me unexpectedfortune."The problem of a.s.surance for the alliance was easily resolved by feelingsof solidarity between the ladies.Oh well, considering that guy Uldin"s personality, ignoring his wives" wrathto attack "Kusanagi G.o.dou"s capital" was probably highly unlikely.Nevertheless, G.o.dou still felt quite complicated.As much as he would like to object loudly to being described as the sametype of person as Uldin, who loved women to a pathological degree,G.o.dou"s instincts warned him that voicing his opinion would surely drawvehement accusations from the female faction, hence he kept silentthroughout."The discussion concluded much faster than expected, how wonderful.""I guess..."G.o.dou and Erica were riding on horseback again. The pair had justdeparted from Uldin"s fortress and pa.s.sed through the forest where theDeinonychus divine beasts lurked.Their next move was to return to the main road and start on the returnjourney.The sun was still high up in the sky. Probably around noon. Thinking theyshould get back to Augusta Raurica as quickly as possible, G.o.dou decidedto hurry while it was still daylight at a sustainable rate without causing thehorses to collapse from exhaustion. Next, they had to keep a close eye onMadame Aisha"s movements while heading north where Doni was located.Just as he was about to propose hurrying up on their way, G.o.dou noticedsomething.Sitting on the chestnut horse, Erica was making a pondering expression."What"s the matter?""Just now, Ruska mentioned about the occurrence of something notsupposed to happen, right?""That thing, yeah. What does it mean?""A simple interpretation would probably be the changing of the originalhistory... Basically something like that."Erica allowed her favorite horse to trot slowly while she murmured."If "too many" refers to the Campiones, then what about "too soon"? Could itbe that another three Campiones are not supposed to come into existenceuntil decades later if history is correct?""Three of our kind will be born in this era, here in Gaul?""Yes."Faced with Erica"s unusual speculation, G.o.dou could not help but shakehis head."That"s not very likely, right?""But G.o.dou, I have mentioned it before, right? In the same way that winehas good vintage years, there are periods when a rare number ofCampiones are born."G.o.dou recalled that seemed to be something she had said before thedecisive battle against Verethragna on the island of Sardinia.While G.o.dou was reminiscing, Erica continued:"Even if you consider the twenty-first century where we came from, thereare already seven kings gathered, right?""Now that you mention it, that"s indeed the case... Speaking of that Uldinguy, he also mentioned seeing other peers — G.o.dslayers like him.""Although the exact number is unclear, multiple Campiones should exist inthe current time period."Nodding in acknowledgement, G.o.dou was struck by further questions."But what kind of calamity is triggered when there are too manyCampiones?""Who knows. Well, the mere existence of five or six G.o.dslaying Devil Kingsis already enough to make a total mess of the world."Just as the casual conversation turned towards a slightly depressingsubject...G.o.dou was startled by a sudden feeling of weight in his right arm. This wasthe arm where the divine sword Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi was kept.Was Susanoo"s former favorite sword trying to say something?"What"s the matter, did something happen?""The miko sends a message..."After G.o.dou asked, he heard an exhausted "voice" answering from hisright arm.Although Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi was a self-aware divine sword, itwas completely indifferent to everything apart from battle. One of the fewexceptions was the "Hi me- Miko of the Sword," Seishuuin Ena.She was formerly in possession of Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi. Evennow, the divine sword still protected her.Precisely due to this relationship, Ena would often wield Ama noMurak.u.mo no Tsurugi on G.o.dou"s behalf. Even separated by greatdistances, she could still communicate with the divine sword"sconsciousnss —"Is there an emergency!?"The target under surveillance escaped... The transmitted thoughts reportthis matter..."Hearing the divine sword report reluctantly, G.o.dou was greatly surprised.This was the second reason for leaving Ena behind at Augusta Raurica.Even separated by physical distance, she was still able to contact G.o.douby relying on Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi.However, the target under surveillance — Madame Aisha — had escaped,unbelievably.Seishuuin Ena possessed sharp instincts and exceptional agility. So longas she pursued in earnest, Ena was supposed to be able to capture evenwild beasts escaping in the mountains.How on earth did Madame Aisha escape from Ena"s surveillance?While G.o.dou felt baffled, Erica sighed beside him."Looks like we underestimated Madame Aisha too much. What on earth isgoing to happen next?"Occupying the lands of the north were Salvatore Doni and the Frankishtribes. Madame Aisha had already set off towards that place with a headstart on Kusanagi G.o.dou.A mad feast was staged on the Rhine basin, a gathering of modern andancient Campiones.Apparently, the main event was finally coming to an official start.