Editor: Jestersurge
Let"s rewind time a little bit.
We crossed from Earth to another world, Tess. Although we made some stops along the way, we finally returned to the long-forgotten Atla after a year and a half of long travel.
No, in fact, it has been two years since that [Demon Lord] incident……..Well, I have been fighting with Sloth for half a year in that subs.p.a.ce too, so it has been two years in fact.
"It"s been such a long time……. And now I"m already 13 years old."
“….Where am I, by the way?”
It was nice to be able to open a portal to another dimension and finally get back to Atla, but when I got out, it was only a vast forest as far as the eye could see.
“I"m sure it"s Atla!”
f.a.n.n.y, the maid who has been acting the role of a boatman up to this point, upon hearing my mutterings cheerfully raises her hand and says the right thing. ……..That was helpful.
“Based on the type of plant life and the position of the sun, I would say we are probably in a forest around the southwest corner of Taterudo.”
“………Is that so?”
The butler Noa who just finished inspecting around and examining the area reported with a finger on his gla.s.ses.
The Knight Nia and the Maid Tina, both the muscle-brain duo were playing with Gea.s.s and Onzada as if they didn"t think they could be of use at all. You guys are really that free huh?
“Let"s just move on for now.”
“You are right.”
The most free of all, Rinne, is in his black cat mode because he is still not used to his human form yet. He comfily sleeps around on my shoulder while sometimes rubbing himself to me and purring contentedly. "………You cat-haired b.a.s.t.a.r.d. What am I going to do……. It feels like I"m the only person with common sense here."
“Anyway…. Nia and Tina, can you help me find a way to get to the nearest village?”
“Yes!”
They both nodded in happiness when I asked them to work because I had let them go out to "play".
"……..You guys are that bored huh…"
“Are those two going to be alright I wonder?”
"………Are they really going to be alright?" Rinne"s words made me call back the two of them who were about to spring out running joyfully.
“Be careful when you meet someone. And you can"t fly, you can"t pick up a fallen murderer"s soul and eat them.”
“………Yes”
"Why do they look so disappointed."
"Well those children are still kids…… kids huh? Well anyway, you cannot help but worry about those two devils." While I was still lost in my thoughts, a set of tables and tea sets came out and was arranged neatly.
I was drinking the green tea Noa had brewed for me when Tina had returned in less than five minutes.
“Master. There is a village nearby.”
“Oh, dear”
“It is on fire”
“What?!”
"What is that?! I don"t understand the situation. What"s going on?" I thought while looking at Tina. Then I turned around slowly and there she was, dragging two bloodied soldiers with her, her face smeared dreadfully with blood. Nia was there with a good smile, wagging her imaginary tail waiting for a compliment.
“So you people are from the Southern Army?”
“…………..Yes.”
It seems that Nia "accidentally" did it because the soldier was suddenly showing hostility. But because they were wearing the armor of the Saint Country Taterudo"s army, I still healed them just to the point where they could speak easily. They then aptly surrendered themselves to us.
They say that the South revolted being led by the Duke of Bellrose, the guardian of the south, and his knights.
“What is the reason for the South"s rebellion?”
“We- We are being treated unfairly just because we did not join in the Demon King"s War.”
“Yes, yes, yes.”
I was thinking what n.o.ble reason do they actually have for this uprising, but turns out there wasn"t much of a reason.
“You are not lying, are you…..?”
When I exude just a little [Intimidation] and with Nia and Tina putting their hands on the soldiers" shoulders, their faces turn pale in an instant.
“It- it"s the truth…..”
“……..In the first place, if we had known that the princess would return, we wouldn"t have rebelled. But because the princess who twisted the demon with one hand did not return for more than a year, we thought……”
"Hey, hey, who are you talking about?"
Even though Atla"s information network is still underdeveloped compared to Tess, it seems like there is still a lot of rumour that reaches even here.
“By the way,……. is it fine to leave the village burning?”
“………Oh!”
Rinne"s murmur reminded me of something important.
“Tina, take us to the village! f.a.n.n.y, go ahead with Onzada! Noa, you will take care of these soldiers! Nia and Gea.s.s, the two of you come with me!”
“Ha!” everyone answered at the same time.
At my command, my followers immediately start to act.
I"m terrible at flying so we all started running at once. f.a.n.n.y who was holding Onzada immediately phased silently into s.p.a.ce.
"…….–I have seen them going wild on the battlefield every now and then and I know saying this only now is a bit too late, but I really hope we don"t make any more strange rumors."
After a few minutes of running, we could see smoke rising through the gaps of the trees. As a matter of fact, the fire itself doesn"t matter……. Well, I am sure it is a big deal for the people involved, but really, the real problem is the group who set the fire – the rebel soldiers.
The fire itself was probably just a warning. "If you don"t do what I say, the villagers will be the next victims" or something along those lines.
"As expected, I can"t revive those who have lost their lives. And it"s a bit awkward to eat those souls too……."
As I entered the village from the woods.
“Eh…..?”
There was a figure of Onzada, standing at the top of the pile of stunned soldiers, with his arms crossed in a proud manners.