Manowa

Irisa, the pretty highlight girl of Sorae village"s only inn, Tinoa, saw it just after noon.

Irisa was an innocent girl who had just turned 17, but in this area, that was an age where she had to seriously think about getting married. However, since Irisa was the only daughter of the inn, inheriting the inn was a decided matter.

In that case, she had to find a husband who could be entrusted with the inn, but there were no good prospects so far. The young men in this village either had already decided future spouses or were planning to go to the city to find one. Granny Mirua said she would find a qualified person for her from the city, but it seemed she hadn"t found anyone yet.

Actually, Granny Mirua had a grandson named Carl who was relatively close to Irisa"s age, but he had left the village four years ago to become an adventurer. That boy was like a good older brother to Irisa, and Irisa thought that if she were going to get married, Carl would be good, so she regretted that she didn"t either detain him or go with him.

Carl was very similar to a man who once left the village and made a name for himself with his battle prowess, so perhaps he would similarly become famous and never return to the village... Irisa sometimes looked up at the sky and sighed while thinking such a thing. It was likely that one of the reasons Irisa was so hung up on Carl was that he resembled her father.

Irisa"s father was a taciturn but reliable man. Also, Carl"s father Jiran resembled Irisa"s father as if they were siblings, and their relationship was close like it as well. Although it was too late, Irisa thought she should have gotten engaged to Carl. A promise like that between parents was very effective in rural villages like this one.

「Ah, jeez, it"s already been four years.」

There had been no contact in the last year, but she had heard from his previous letter that he was becoming reasonably famous in Minshiana. Surely he had also found a good partner as well.

As she did her usual wood-chopping ch.o.r.e, Irisa"s thoughts were spinning on and on over love matters like that (as suitable to a girl her age) when she heard noises coming from the direction of the village"s entrance.

「Is something going on?」

So thinking, Irisa used a towel to wipe away some of her sweat before she walked towards the noise. On the way, she heard scared villager voices and wondered if it might be a monster attack, but since she didn"t see anyone running away, she calmed down.

(Was leaving the axe behind bad?)

Irisa slightly regretted not bringing the fire splitting tool with her, but if it became a battle, she would be a burden. She remembered her father instructing her that she should immediately run away without doing anything unnecessary. She decided to go and see the situation for the time being.

Then Irisa went to the entrance of the village, where there was a strange scene.

First of all, there was a considerably larger than normal horse that was entirely covered with jet black armor. There were huge serrated horns jutting out of its chest that appeared to be used for killing and wounding. It had tremendous impact.

In addition, the horse was pulling a huge black carriage. The carriage was entirely covered with black iron plates, and giant wheels protruded from the sides. It was a battle specialized carriage, the likes of which probably couldn"t usually be found even in a city.

Further surprising Irisa was the man in the coachman"s seat. Irisa remembered that man"s face.

(Father?)

He resembled her father. He was much more slender and youthful compared to Irisa"s father, but his face looked just like her father"s.

Also, there was a giant cat-like monster on top of the carriage. But it seemed to be sleeping, sprawled face up on its back. Since it seemed to be a monster, Irisa thought it was probably a summoned beast or tamed monster. It meowed in its sleep, and she thought its appearance was cute.

(Even though it"s so huge, I kind of want to touch it...)

When Irisa was thinking that while looking at the cat, she heard a voice from behind.

「There was another one?... Another child of that man.」

When she noticed, Irisa"s father was behind her.

「Father?」

It seemed her father, Raio, also noticed his daughter when she spoke.

「What, Irisa? You shouldn"t have finished chopping wood yet. Playing hooky, are you?」

Irisa drew her head in at her father"s reproaching voice. But since she didn"t understand the situation in front of her, being curious couldn"t be helped.

「But, that?」

「Young master Lyle is also there behind it. They"re probably related to the Barnes family.」

「Aah!?」

When Irisa heard her father"s words and looked behind the carriage, the son and heir of the Barnes family, whom she had seen before, was there. The eldest son of the Barnes family, which was the head military family in Hyvern: Lyle Barnes.

He had come to the village several times before, and she had happened to see him then. At those times, she had also heard the shrill voices from the village girls due to his city-like refined features and movements, which the village boys lacked.

Irisa"s eyes were also captivated by Lyle, who was more grown-up than before, but the young man with him had even more well-proportioned features and a calm adult atmosphere, and Irisa could feel her heart jump.

Though most of the surrounding gazes were directed at the chalk white stone horse and crystal horse over the young men riding them.

「Such amazing things are ridden in the city.」

「Oh, bro, you came?」

Mirua"s son, Jiran, was standing next to Irisa"s father. Raio and Jiran mutually called each other bro. Probably because they were from the same village. Their features were very similar, just like real brothers.

「Oi, that man...」

And Jiran looked at the man in the coachman"s seat with a surprised expression.

「Ah, he"s younger than us. Probably our... right?」

Irisa couldn"t hear part of her father"s words, but she could understand that the two apparently knew the man in the coachman"s seat that resembled her father.

「He"s with young master Lyle, so there"s probably special circ.u.mstances.」

Raio nodded after Jiran"s words.

「Dad, do you know him?」

After Irisa"s words, Raio made a slightly troubled expression and replied「Probably.」

「In any case, since they came to the village, they"ll likely stay at our place. Go tell your mother to make preparations.」

「Yeah. Understood.」

Irisa so replied to her father"s words before turning back toward the inn. And when she told her mother about what happened at the village entrance and about preparing, she saw the horse from just now stop ahead of the inn.

Then Irisa"s father, Raio, and a group of eight people wearing white cloaks entered.

When Irisa looked outside, the carriage was gone, and the fully armored black horse was heading to the simple stables behind the inn with the large black armored servant and the small white armored servant. Irisa tilted her head and wondered where the carriage disappeared to, but first of all, she guided the customers.

And when Irisa said「Welcome,」the first one to reply「Please treat me well」was the girl who was by all appearances a child. Despite that, it seemed she was the leader. But Irisa wasn"t foolish enough to say anything about a customer"s circ.u.mstances, and she guided them to the separated rooms for men and women.

Seeing that Lyle and Emily also obeyed her, after she finished guiding them, Irisa asked her father if that child was a really important n.o.ble or something, but Raio replied「Apparently, they"re a well known adventurer party called the『White Party』.」Irisa had also heard that name before, from a peddler group that came to the village half a month ago.

(If I remember correctly, that"s the name of the party that accompanied Minshiana Kingdom"s Prince-sama on his dragon subjugation, isn"t it?)

And Irisa remembered the story from the peddler group.

Since they accompanied a prince, having members with high positions in Hyvern like Lyle and Emily in their party was also natural, and she was further convinced that that child was someone of high station, so she asked her father about it once again, but Raio only carefully cautioned her「I don"t know, but don"t get too close.」

At that point in time, Raio"s perception was considerably different from Irisa"s.

Raio didn"t sense the characteristic proper manners that n.o.bility were trained in from that girl, and he had seen her cancel the summoning of the carriage and monster cat. Her ears weren"t long, so she probably wasn"t an elf, but it seemed like her real age didn"t match her appearance.

(Maybe she"s a Humanized dragon? No, she couldn"t be, right?)

Was the near-miss speculation that crossed Raio"s head something characteristic to residents of Hyvern due to living alongside dragons? Although Raio thought (no, as expected, that would be...) and immediately cast aside the too extraordinary thought himself, which was probably natural.

Raio was more bothered by the man in his mid 30"s who called himself Jinrai. If Raio"s guess was correct, he was the same as himself. He therefore didn"t know why he gave the same name as that man or why he was with Lyle and Emily, but there were surely complicated circ.u.mstances.

Though neither Raio nor Jiran had any complaints about their current lives. It might be best not to touch on it so I don"t cause a disturbance... while thinking that, Raio headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner for a large customers for the first time in a long time.

Name: Yuihama Kazane

Occupation: Summoning Fighter

t.i.tle: Ogre Killer, Dragon Slayer, High Beast Summoner, Rea King

Equipment: Staff 『White Blaze』, Two Handed Sword『Black Fang』, Draghorn Tonfa x2, Dragonscale Breastplate, Drake Gauntlets, Silver Sheep Clothes, Sylphyn Skirt, Plasma Pants, Dragon Eating Ogre King"s Greaves, Indestructible Cloak, Mysterious Pouch, Crimson Saint Coffin, Heroic Spirit Summoning Ring, Circlet of Wisdom, Aim Bracelet, Magic Acc.u.mulator, White Magic Acc.u.mulator, Rainbow Necklace, Rainbow Dragon Ring

Level : 33

Health: 135

Magic Power: 260+420

Strength: 57+20

Agility: 52+14

Endurance: 33

Wisdom : 65

Dexterity : 41

Spell : 『Fly』『Torch』『Fire』『Heal』『Firestorm』『Healer Ray』『High Heal』『Golden Dusk「Dragon Exclusive」』『Mirror Shield』

Skill : 『Kick Devil』『Warrior"s Memory: Lv2』『Night Vision』『Crushing Blow』『Dog"s Sense of Smell: Lv2』『Golem Maker: Lv3』『Rush』『Fire Principle: Third Chapter』『Healing Principle: Fourth Chapter』『Air Jump: Lv2』『Killing Leg: Lv3』『Fear Voice』『Invisible』『Tiger Eye』『Wall Walking』『Intuition』『Cheat Death』『Nimble』『Charge』『Material Shield: Lv2』『Information Link: Lv2』『Optical Camouflage』『Dash』『Bloodsucking Blade』『Dragonization: Lv2「Dragon」』『Regenerate』『Soul Breaking Blade』『Stealthy Hand Placement』『Thunder Chariot: Lv2』『St.u.r.dier Teeth: Lv2「Dragon」』『Crystallization: Lv2「Dragon」』『Fabricated Coercion』『Stone Minotaur: Lv2』『Mega Beam: Lv2』『s.p.a.ce Expansion』『Pseudo-Silver Creation』『Poison Claw』『Fireball「Dragon」』『Cuticle「Dragon」』『Arms Creation: Black Flame』『Ingredient Connoisseur』『Dragon Pheromone「Dragon」』

Kazane:「Jinrai-san... orz」

Yumika:「???」