Around the time the neighborhood got dark and it became evening, a large number of customers were gathered in Be Io’s Guild and bar.

Normally, it was mostly used by people related to peddling, but today, which was the day of the preliminary round of the Magic Clad Martial Arts Demonstration, most of the customers were the participants and the ones that were watching.

With those kinds of people gathered, what they talked about was of course about the Magic Clad Martial Arts Demonstration where fierce fighting had just unfolded.

Wouldn’t the overall victory go to either the Heliott group’s young master, Kuon Heliott, the male patriot that led the salvation of the Kingdom of Sazeland, 『The Middle-Aged Knight』 Falhart Enhans, or the priest that prefers getting physical that wanders around various countries, 『The Fist Priest』 Ulgan? is what people had thought. But a boy that defeated two of the previously mentioned people had appeared.

However, that boy had abstained from the scene that would determine the victor.

Though it was the Magic Clad Martial Arts Demonstration that would determine the continent’s strongest, surely no one expected that they would be shown an upheaval of this magnitude in the preliminaries.

In the end, it was enough to raise suspicions that it was fixed game for the one that obtained the overall victory, Kuon Heliott.

There was little information on the boy that abstained from the victory that was right before his eyes,

?Black hair

?Picked up weapons on the battlefield and fought

?Defeated Falhart and Ulgan

Such things were common knowledge, but there was a certain person that said this.

That 「He wielded a sword with movements like that of a demon」.

Another certain person said this.

That 「He was a Berserker that gleefully fought as he was bathed in spurts of blood」.

Gossip was something that occasionally showed some exaggeration. One could say that a person’s tension is raised once they learn of that gossip and because it is talked about with that tension, it can’t be helped that the tension of the details also gets raised.

Not knowing that the boy of the maelstrom of rumors was face down at a table in the same bar, the night of the rumor-loving men continues today as well.

◇

「……I want to die.」

「……Same over here on the right.」

Gathering at the Guild and bar for the sake of an appointment, “we” were face down at a corner table.

As for the reason why I was face down, it was because the two of us had let victory escape as well as let the chance to meet with Vodan-shi escape and I was self-reproaching myself for letting my tension go too high and going wild without thinking about the consequences.

What do you mean by demon, I didn’t shower in the spurts of blood from any victims, dammit.

「Uuu, I’m terribly sorry.」

And, Bernadette, who was face down just like me, was depressed about how she had only become a burden.

Actually, Bernadette, being a severely hopeless swimmer, was saved by me as she was about to drown.

Because I jumped into the ocean water in order to save her, naturally, I was also disqualified. That’s why she was depressed, thinking that it was her fault.

「Sorry to keep you waiting. How did it go?」

The one that appeared with a stride was Kuushe the Centaur. During the time that we (at first it was just Bernadette) were in the tournament, she was gathering information in town.

「Unfortunately, we were eliminated. What about you?」

「……It would seem that kidnapping were occurring even within this town.」

Making a small sigh from hearing that we lost, Kuushe lined up two chairs and sat.

「Even in this town? That’s pretty odd……」

「That’s why, I had gotten my hopes up thinking that could certainly get Vodan-shi’s cooperation for this case if we were allowed a meeting with him, but……」

「I’m ashamed.」

「I am ashamed.」

When Bernadette and I apologized at the same time, Kuushe made a small sigh once again.

「Ugigi……It can’t be helped, we can only do our final measure, of breaking through the front……」

As I was hesitating about crossing the line that I should never cross, I heard the surroundings getting noisy.

「Oi, those two……」

「Well if it isn’t Falhart Enhans and Ulgan! Why are you in a place like this……」

Fearing that something might happen, customers moved their seats and the crowd of people in the bar divided like the sea did for Moses, and from there, two men appeared before my eyes.

「Ya, we meet again, Yashiro-kun.」

「You seem to be troubled over something. If you are fine with us, we could give some counsel, you know?」

「Falhart, ……-san and Priest-ossan!?」

The two men with bandages wrapped around them in various places on their bodies were the two people I fought against.

◇

「I see, abduction, is it……That is inexcusable. ……That matter, could you allow me to cooperate as well?」

「Same here. If you are fine with this Ulgan, I shall lend you a hand.」

When I talked about most of the kidnapping story, the two that were sitting down offered to cooperate with a speed that seemed like it was a snap decision.

「I’m grateful that you’re willing to cooperate but, ……Is it really alright for the two of you to undertake this so simply?」

When I asked that, Falhart and Ulgan nodded.

「To begin with, I was dispatched to this town to become its new priest. The previous priest was a man whose age was past 70. I am still inexperienced, but I intend to contribute to the town’s peace with all of my ability.」

Finished saying his passionate slogan, Ulgan drank the cold water that was poured into a cup on the table in one gulp. That was mine.

「Though I am aged, I am a knight. Those that walk the path of a knight do not just see fiends then turn a blind eye to them.」

Although he was smiling, he probably felt rage at the act of kidnapping. I noticed that Falhart tried to hide his right hand underneath the table, and the moment he did, his fist tightly clenched.

「That really helps.」

「So, what should we do?」

「Ah~, ……Actually, that’s where we’ve come to our wit’s end. Do either of you have any connections that lead to Vodan-shi?」

「To Vodan-shi, is it. Unfortunately, maybe it’s because I’ve lived wielding my sword my whole life, I have so few of those you could probably say that I none at all. ……No, if I were to rely on the princess……I can’t, I can’t. When that person gets involved, things get worse……」

Maybe because he had someone that came to mind, Falhart started muttering with a face that looked like he was being urged to make a choice between two extremes.

「I also don’t have any personal connections, but I am a new person that has been entrusted to this town’s church, and I was thinking that I should greet him at least once.」

「Ohh! Then if we were to go along with you at the time of your greetings then……」

I had gotten delighted at Ulgan’s words, but seeing Ulgan make a difficult looking face, I somehow noticed what he wanted to say.

「Were you refused as well?」

「That’s right.」

When Bernadette, who had similarly noticed, asked, Ulgan nodded.

「Most likely, something probably happened to Vodan-shi. That atmosphere that makes your skin feel like it’s being pricked seems to be coming from some high amount of wariness.」

I see. It’s not that he’s busy like they said he was, but he was most likely injured or something. And in addition, it was by someone.

I don’t really know how things go in a dispute between groups, but they are probably on the lookout for assassins from the other group right now.

「Yeah. They sustained an assassination from the superiors of the kidnappers that you guys are searching for. To their fortune, the assassination was a failure. Vodan-shi had gotten off with some minor injuries, but because of that, the members of the group are now frenzied.」

Ah~, as I thought. Still, if that’s the case, it won’t be easy to meet with Vodan-shi now.

「By the way, Vodan-shi’s son, Kuon Heliott, seems to be wishing for a rematch with you, Yuu.」

「Eh? By Vodan-san’s……you mean that fox-ears?」

「Yeah. It would seem that he was unsatisfied that he didn’t fight with you. Don’t you think that this is a godsend? If you at least have a match with him, you might be able to meet with Vodan-shi.」

「I see……」

With there being so many things I want to forget, my tension was in the middle of dropping, but if that’s what I need to do to meet with Vodan-shi, I’ve got nothing lose. ……Rather.

「Jean! Don’t just suddenly participate in the conversation without any preface!」

That just makes it difficult for the readers!

*DAN*. Hitting the table, I glared at Jean, who just nonchalantly sat down into a chair.

「Oh, that was rude of me. My name is Jean Jack Eustace. I am pleased to make your acquaintance from hereafter.」

But, not looking like he was aware of the atmosphere, *Bororon*, Jean named himself while playing his guitar. ……As usual, he’s going on at his own pace.

「In, in that case, I’ll fight! This time, I won’t show an unsightly appearance!」

*Gata*. The one that made a sound and stood up was Bernadette.

Having lost to fox-ears, she’s probably driven by the thought that she created this situation and her thoughts of self-reproach. Well, it’s not like I don’t understand Bernadette’s feelings but……

「No, you can’t.」

「っ, I absolutely won’t lose this next time!」

「Ah~, no, you got it wrong. It’s not like I don’t believe in you or anything like that Bernadette. ……It’s just, I’m bothered by the reason why he is so attached to me.」

That’s right, that fox-ears wanted to fight with me. I don’t know what the reason for it is, but it’s enough for him to wish for a rematch.

「……I, understand.」

Bernadette, who was depressed going by how she looked, sat down in her seat and cast her eyes down.

「It would seem that it’s been decided. Well then, the agenda it noon of tomorrow. Let us meet again at the Heliott estate!」

The moment he said that, Jean waved his mantle with a *Basah* as he stood up, placed the cost of my milk that he had drank at some point I didn’t know, and left.

Just when I thought he had suddenly appeared, he suddenly disappears. That guy is just like the wind. ……Wait,

「You didn’t leave enough money~!」

He only left enough money for a single up of water!

I shouted towards Jean who I could already no longer see.