Country Selected Recommendation

「A country selected recommendation, is it.」

「That is exactly right, your Majesty. There are eight participants from the arenas in various places, and then four participants each from the arena here in Galarie and the country selected recommendations, and like that, the Magic Clad Martial Arts Demonstration takes place with a total of 16 participants. However, this time, because of some certain trouble, this country selected recommendation has only filled three spots……『Darkness Executioner』, if he were to participate as Leezelion’s country selected recommendation, that would also be filled. And then, if the warrior with many mysteries that was adorned with filling space in the history books together with the Hero at one point were to make an appearance, the spectators would be extremely delighted.」

Sylvia noticed a suspicious light lurking in the eyes of that gentle smile, but she only breathed a small sigh.

「That is a pleasant negotiation for me as well……Or it would be, but unfortunately, I do not have that authority, Lord Oisast.」

「Well then, the talk about the Hero troupe is……」

「Umu. I am sorry to say, but it seems we can only make it as if it never happened. After all……『Darkness Executioner』, something like the right to command this man, is something that I do not happen to have.」

「Your Majesty, is unable to command him? ……So he is not one of you Majesty’s subordinates, nor an attendant?」

「Hahaha, Lord, you say things that are quite off the mark.」

Sylvia made a strained laugh sounding amazed.

「Did you not hear Iibsal’s words? ……He, is my friend. Not my subordinate. ……And even before that, there probably isn’t a country that has him as a subordinate. Executioner, you probably have something you received from the 『Witch of Time』, could I have you take that out?」

「Do you mean this?」

There are two things that I received from the 『Witch of Time』, from Baba-chan. The silver feathered Kulkel, Silber, and then the black Guild card.

Since Silber isn’t here right now, that wouldn’t become anything that would be a show of proof. Then what remained was the Guild card. When he saw the Guild card that I took out, Zeke Oisast’s smile froze up.

「Look, as you can see. This person, the 『Darkness Executioner』 is a cooperative worker of the 『Witch of Time』. Even I wouldn’t want to cause a problem between me and the 『Witch of Time』. ……Lord, you are the same as well, correct?」

In response to Sylvia’s question, Oisast silently nodded.

「Therefore, he cannot be forced to fight. ……However, and this is a however, Lord Oisast.」

Sylvia made a giggle, and crossed her legs with a voluptuousness that didn’t match her age.

「He and I have a “personal” association. ……If the Lord so desires, “I” can try making an earnest request.」

While having a style that was truly worthy of being a king drifting about her, Sylvia made a proposition to Oisast.

This wasn’t written on any documents. However, a second borrowing and lending was arranged right here between two fellow leaders of nations.

◇

「Sorry, Yuu.」

At the time we left Zeke Oisast’s mansion, Sylvia made an apology towards me. With a face that looked terribly apologetic.

「Don’t worry about it, Sylvia.」

Talking about the result, I was now going to participate in the Magic Clad Martial Arts Demonstration as the mysterious warrior 『Darkness Executioner』.

Zeke Oisast. In order to create a debt for this town of Galarie’s Feudal Lord towards a major power, she assented to my participation in the tournament.

「Yuu――、」

「It’s fine, whatever. If it’s a favor for you, this is nothing.」

Of course, I don’t want to stand out. It’d bring about various troubles after all. However, I couldn’t turn my back to the point of refusing the request of Sylvia who was a companion that I had always traveled together with in my journey in this world three years ago.

Well, I was thinking that I would like to enjoy it as being on the watching side, if possible.

「B, but still! ……The 『Darkness Executioner』 received a recommendation from Leezelion. In short, that has the same meaning as it being known that the 『Darkness Executioner』 has a connection with Leezelion!」

「From the start, I was treated as your friend, they’d be suspicious of there being some kind of connection.」

「……」

Sylvia had fallen silent, but that facial expression didn’t look like she could assent to that. Certainly, I had no desire to participate. But, just as I said earlier, it being troublesome wasn’t enough of a reason to refuse Sylvia’s request.

「Besides, you were in enough of a hurry that you were swaying on whether to accept this negotiation or not, right?」

Something she wanted to show me. Most likely, it wasn’t Zeke Oisast, but something related to Kaito and the others.

「……Yeah. I, need to meet with the present day Heroes, and confirm something as soon as possible.」

「Then it couldn’t be helped. Let’s see, if you prepare an inn for me for tonight, then that’ll make us even.」

Remembering that I still haven’t gotten an inn, I proposed that. When I did, Sylvia’s face, which had a stiff expression, crumbled into a smile.

「You……Fufu, you really are an optimistic fellow.」

「Hehe, pretty much.」

「Yes, really……」

Sylvia’s face was dyed red. The distance between us naturally became smaller and――。

「Let me tell ya somethin’, Yuu. The thin’ that I hate the most is bein’ ignored, got it?」

We were interrupted by Iibsal who cut into the space between us.

「Ii, Iibsal!?」

「Y, ……YOU JERK, AT LEAST READ THE MOOD.」

「Ohー, scary, scary. Feels like you’ll curse me to death.」

Making my face as red as an apple and jumping at him, Iibsal looked at my and Sylvia’s reactions and smiled with a grin.

When I thought I’d throw a punch at Iibsal who had spoiled everything even though it had gotten into a good atmosphere, just when I raised my fist, that fist was suddenly stopped.

「Whoa there, I’ll be leavin’ the fun for later.」

My fist was stopped by how Iibsal had changed the atmosphere around him entirely.

「No matter what the circumstances were, you are now participatin’. ……This time’s Magic Clad Martial Arts Demonstration, sorry but I’m goin’ to go all out, got it?」

If Zeke Oisast was a hawk, Iibsal was a ferocious carnivore. In addition to that, it wasn’t the impression of a hyena that searches for tainted meat, but that of a lion worthy of being king.

「……I see, in that case, we can’t go punching each other right now.」

「That’s right.」

When I said that, Iibsal smiled and separated from me.

「Today was fun, Yuu. ……I look forward to the Magic Clad Martial Arts Demonstration that starts the day after tomorrow.」

「Ah? What’s with that all of a sudden──」

Iibsal abruptly said words of farewell.

I was surprised because of how it was all too sudden, but what followed was something that was even more surprising.

*Za za za* (Marching). The audible sound of military shoes in a fixed interval.

Armor and spears, tens of knights that were clad in such armaments had come marching towards the plaza that was in front of this Feudal Lord’s mansion.

「Wh, what’s going on?」

「A pattern of a double-headed dragon and a spear that goes through its body, Valanshel, huh.」

Different from me who was surprised by that, Sylvia calmly observed the knights. Certainly, looking closely, the emblem of a two headed dragon and a spear that was the symbol of Valanshel was applied to their shields and armor.

「Soldiers? Whose are they?」

「That’s the Empire, its Empire Valanshel!」

「What is Valanshel doing in a place like this……」

Seeing the appearance of the knights that were marching with an imposing atmosphere, the vicinity became astir.

Different from that environment, Iibsal started walking. And then, towards those Valanshel knights that were still marching even now, he raised his voice.

「Good work, picking me up.」

Iibsal’s voice suppressed the noise of the crowds, and resounded in the plaza.

Seeming to respond to that, the Knights stopped their march, and aligned themselves in front of Iibsal.

And then――,

「Fumu, it would seem that mine has come as well.」

「By “mine”, you mean……!」

*Za za za* (Marching)

The sound of many footsteps and the clanking of shaking armor echoed in the plaza that had fallen silent.

When I turned towards the direction that Sylvia was facing, what reflected in my eyes was the design of a pair of wings and a sword.

「That’s……Leezelion!?」

With a man clad in blue armor at the lead, the Knights of Leezelion came marching.

「Thank you for your labor, in picking me up.」

When Sylvia spoke words of thanks to the Knights that came to pick her up, the surrounding crowd’s and my confusion reached its climax.

That wasn’t unreasonable. After all, the troops of two countries that had the rank of being major powers, were right now, for some reason, gathered in this plaza.