Sendai Yuusha wa Inkyou Shitai

The Empress’s Appointment-less Visit

In the town of Galarie where every day had become a revelry in preparation for the main competition of the Magic Clad Martial Arts Demonstration, only a certain part of it had its hustle and bustle fall silent, and there was a group that had monopolized the people’s gazes.

It was a bizarre scene.

Following a young boy that seemed to be a guide, there was a woman wear a cap low over her eyes and wrapped in a light blue coat. A 180 cm tall statured, top half-naked, redheaded man.

And then──、

「……」

A mysterious man wearing a black overcoat with flames embroidered on it and hiding his face with the hood.

The residents living in this town knew that the guiding young boy was Marco the pickpocketer.

Then, just what was that strange combination trio that were following behind that Marco.

The woman was still fine. No, even the tall statured man was still fine. He was only naked from the waist up.

Then just what in the world was the black clothed man. Despite hiding his face, that man was clad in a conspicuous overcoat that seemed to madly scream 「I am here」.

「……It’s still, it’s still fine at battle time……But, this is totally not clothing meant to be worn in everyday life.」

The black clothed man that received all of the public’s gazes, that said person, as if it were all biting into him, made a small moan.

The black clothed man was of course Yashiro Yuu.

「It cannot be helped. According to your story, it would be bad for you to meet with the present day Heroes right now. Besides, did you not say that you had suddenly met them on the roadside? As long as you wear that overcoat, there won’t be a problem even if we suddenly encounter them.」

The woman wearing the light blue coat, Sylvia took a half step back and whispered to the moaning Yuu. That mouth of hers was twitching as if she were holding back her laughter.

「No, first of all, why do I have to come along with you?」

「You have some free time anyhow, right? ……There is also something I wish to show you. ……Come along without complaining.」

Considering things a little, Sylvia said that. Though it was only for a brief moment, Yuu didn’t overlook Sylvia’s brooding expression.

「Something you want to show me, huh.」

Sensing that it wasn’t that she simply wanted him to go and greet them, Yuu made a small nod.

It would have been fine for him to ask about what it was, but estimating that there was a reason why Sylvia didn’t explain what it was right here and now, Yuu breathed a small sigh and just walked following after Sylvia.

「Still, to think that Yuu was that 『Darkness Executioner』. I didn’t see it personally, but you knocked down a Duke class, right? Hey, hey, how did ya beat ‘em?」

「…..Even if you ask how. If you borrow the power of the 『Witch of Time』 then」

「What!? So you also have a relationship with that 『Witch of Time』 Norn! Kuhahaha, you really are interestin’, aren’t cha, Yuu!」

Three years before, the『Witch of Time』 Norn taught Yuu, who had just become the Hero and was only swinging his sword with the power he had obtained, how to use fighting techniques and the method of saving power. Just as many know, Norn, who is able to manipulate time, has maintained a neutral position without coming under any country for a certain reason.

Naturally, the reason is because 『Time Magic』 is an unfair technique.

Things like knowing the future and interfering with the past, 『Time Magic』which can freely manipulate the concept known as time is a magic that anyone would want.

Just by acquiring Norn, this continent’s power balance would be toppled over. Because she is self-aware of that, Norn goes around to each nation, and after staying temporarily, she goes to the next country again. She does that kind of ridiculous thing.

It’s understandable that Iibsal was surprised. Borrowing the power of 『Time Magic』……If it’s just requesting something of Norn, it seemed like it would be a simple matter, but the fact that Norn “lent” her power was probably seen as something heavy. If it was known that she had lent her power to someone, a guy that would cause an uproar would appear without fail. Unless it was someone worthy enough for her to spend the effort to deal with such people, she most likely wouldn’t lend her power to them.

Well, the one that Yuu had cast Time Magic on him was Lililuri though.

Yuu fired off a fist so as to push at Iibsal who, maybe because he thought something was funny, was holding his sides and laughing, but that was easily avoided.

「You jerk, don’t go dodging my fist that I fired from your blind spot so easily.」

「Heh, I’ve got no reason to take a fist with no killing intent.」

Yuu had let out a sigh at the laughing Iibsal, but noticing a gaze, when he turned to it,

「……」

For some reason, Sylvia was looking at Yuu with a stern expression.

「……S, Sylvia-san?」

「What is it?」

「Could it be that you’re mad?」

「I am not mad.」

She was mad. He did not know why or for what reason. But Yuu understood. That Sylvia was in a bad mood.

「……Yuu, you and Iibsal get along quite well, don’t you.」

「Heh? ……Well, we do have a relationship where we seriously exchanged blows once.」

By exchanging blows once, one gets to know about the opponent. That was one of the things that Yuu came to learn after coming to this world.

「……I see.」

Looking like she had something caught between her molars, Sylvia seemed to want to say something. ……Should he look into it? No, now that the conversation had been cut off, shouldn’t he ask about it? Yuu was pondering that, but Marco’s voice interrupted him.

「Look, this is the Central District, Princess!」

「Umu. ……Hou, it really is flourishing.」

What had come into Yuu’s group’s sight was a huge plaza with a mansion that had a size big enough to make them look up. At the place called the Central Plaza, there were shops and street performers that were making the tourists enjoy themselves.

Just as its name implies, being at the center of the town, it was surrounded by waterways and streets in every direction.

「Wait, this thing doesn’t have a gentle appearance of a mansion. Isn’t that already a castle?」

Yuu was astonished by the mansion that had an appearance that should be called a fortress.

「Actually, it probably is a castle. We are talking about that Zeke Oisast after all.」

「Oisast?」

Yuu tilted his head at the unfamiliar name.

「Come to think of it, his birthplace wasn’t on this continent. Yuu, do you know about the 『Ten Year War』?」

「If it’s just that much……If I remember correctly, wasn’t it that thing where a dispute caused by a country called 『Rishulia』 had become big enough to get the world involved? Since the time of its outbreak to the country’s disappearance was exactly ten years, it’s called the 『Ten Year War』.」

He mobilized the knowledge that was driven into his head when he came to this other world three years ago and remembered it. Sylvia, who had instructed Yuu in his history studies at that time, gave him a passing mark and made a small nod.

「That’s right. And so, Zeke Oisast is a hero that participated in the 『Ten Year War』. He’s the guy referred to as the 『Mercenary King』. It seems that he was skilled in war.」

「Accurately speaking, it was the mercenary corps that Zeke Oisast was leading that was the miracle maker though.」

「Come to think of it, didn’t you guys fight each other at the time of the 『Ten Year War』?」

「Because it was before I was born, my father, did. I’ve listened about it from him ever since I was little, about the mercenary corps’ powerfulness and his grudge against Zeke Oisast.」

Sylvia laughed, making a bitter smile.

「Now then, we’ve come to the Central District but……What do we do after this?」

When Yuu asked that, Sylvia slowly took off her cap.

「People at the level of Hero would be with their own country. They wouldn’t be restrained, but they would probably have an observer or two keeping an eye on them.」

And then, making loud, clicking footsteps, Sylvia started walking towards the mansion.

That way of walking, was strong.

「Hold up, wait……You, you couldn’t be!」

「It’s exactly what you are thinking. Besides, I’m sure that I’ve said it already. That though I was invited by Zeke Oisast, I was shut inside a small mansion for two days.」

With a grin, Sylvia smiled. In Yuu’s mind, he shouted 「Don’t grin like thatー!」.

「Mansion guards over there.」

Having walked up to the front of the mansion, Sylvia called out to the two mansion guards that were in front of the large door and holding spears.

「My name is Sylvia Loto Sheriotto Leezelion. Send my word to Zeke Oisast immediately.」

Putting her uselessly abundant charisma into full throttle, Sylvia continued on without minding the mansion guards that had jumped to attention.

「That 『Since you weren’t coming over to me, I came over to you.』. Report that to him.」

Was this one of those so called「Ehehe, I came by!」 messages? No, that’s not it, this isn’t something as bittersweet as that. That is how Yuu started to escape from reality after seeing the Imperial Princess-sama strike an appointment-less visit.