Arifureta Chapter 451

Tortus Travel Journal 55   The Confession of a Certain Princess

Author’s note: Can you believe it? Next month, is going to be new year already……

At the last day of the Tortus trip, when the sun was rising to the  summit. Hajime and co could be found at the great desert Gruen. Fernir  was flying through the copper colored world.

「This is amazing. It’s like a different world……」

「Oo? Nagumo Shuu! Koichi-kun! Look over there! Is that……a giant worm?」

「What an outrageous swarm. The way they’re moving is like a giant wall.」

Shuu and others were pressing their face on the bridge’s window while making ruckus like children.

Coincidentally they encountered a swarm of giant carnivorous worm  monster──Sand Worm that was currently moving together. Sumire and  Kaoruko and the others also went 「Eh? Where where!?」 and rushed toward  the window at the opposite side of the bridge.

Hajime steered Fernir to fly in parallel diagonally above the Sand  Worms that must be numbering more than a hundred. Shizuku and Aiko who  had never even come to this desert also started cheering seeing the  major movement of the great swarm of giant monsters that could only be  called as a stunning view.

「Oh? Myuu-chan, you aren’t going to watch it from the window too?」

Myuu usually would be the first one running to take a look, but right  now she was staring at the swarm traveling from a step away. Liliana  noticed her and tilted her head in puzzlement.

「N-noo~, Myuu is fine right over here nano. More importantly, what about Lily-oneechan? Have you come to desert before nano?」

It felt like she was trying to avoid the topic. It made Liliana  looked even more puzzled, even so she smiled cheerfully and nodded.

「Yes, I have. It was only once but several years ago, I was invited  to the coming of age ceremony of his highness Bize. Crossing the desert  is always accompanied with danger but……the townscape of the dukedom  capital and the glittering oasis are sights that I can still remember  even now.」

As expected, this was her first time seeing a rare sight like the  mass migration of Sand Worms though, Liliana said with a wry smile.

Normally, the average person would have to resolve themselves for  death when they witnessed such sight. It wasn’t normal being able to  leisurely observe this phenomenon from a safe place like this.

「Come to think of it, Hellina-san mentioned it this morning, that  we’re being invited by Lanzwi-san for lunch aren’t we? Do we have enough  time for tha desut?」

「Perhaps we hath stayed for too long at Fuhren? If we go to visit the  great labyrinth first, it feels like it wouldst be past the afternoon  when we finished.」

「No, Duke Zengen is already aware of our circumstance, so there is no  need to hurry. In the end it will be fine as long as we go visit there.  After all the message that he sent to us simply mentioned that he will  welcome our visit.」

Actually, Hajime and co were visiting the neutral commercial city Fuhren during the morning.

To be honest, they had no plan to visit Fuhren at first. Partly it  was because that place was the greatest sight-seeing area in this world.  So to speak it was like a super huge theme park. If they wanted to  enjoy themselves in such place, ordinarily they would have to spend  several days there.

If they would only be able to take a half-hearted look at that place,  they thought they would rather go there at the next time, together with  the people who couldn’t come along with the trip this time so they  would be able to really had fun with all their might at that time.

After all even Hajime and the others hadn’t been able to sightsee  that much at that place. At that time Hajime and others should be able  to enjoy the city as a fresh experience too.

And most of all, that place was……

A place where Myuu got locked up, showed around as a spectacle, and  almost got sold as slave. That place was also a traumatizing place for  Myuu. That was why, they judged that there was no need to force  themselves to cram that place into their schedule that was already  packed but……

It was none other than Myuu who put a stop to that.

「Myuu is sorry for changing the shcedule, papa. But Myuu want  everyone to watch when Papa and Shia-oneechan and others rescued Myuu no  matter what nano.」

「You don’t need to apologize. It was quite a rushed sightseeing but  we were able to have some fun……rather, I should be the one apologizing. I  underestimated you a little. It’s actually just me who is bothered  about it huh.」

「……Nn. Myuu is a strong girl. Perhaps, we are being a bit too overprotective?」

「Fufu, we might be. At the very least we should ask Myuu-chan herself first about it before making the decision.」

It seemed they didn’t need to be concerned about Myuu at all. Far  from being traumatized, she wasn’t even bothered about it in the first  place.

Actually it was a very difficult thing to strongly carve the fun  memory and happy memory inside the heart more than the unpleasant memory  while being able to firmly facing forward. But apparently was able to  do such thing naturally. Perhaps it was just as expected from her. She  was certainly a strong girl.

「Allow me to thank you once more, Hajime-san. And also Shia-san and everyone else too.」

Remia bowed her head deeply.

They didn’t see until the public safety station got attacked after  Myuu was entrusted to there and the auction venue. There were several  reasons for that, but as expected it was mainly because it would be too  depressing to go around watching a lot of people dying right from the  morning even if those people were from a criminal organization.

It was the same with the grand “firework” at the end. As expected  they also couldn’t project the past replay that showed the sight of the  whole large city burning red or lightning dragon falling down from the  sky.

And so, the scenes that Remia and others actually saw were the scenes  of Myuu’s encounter with Hajime & Shia, and then with Yue and  others.

But, even just those scenes were enough. They conveyed enough of the  dangerous and rigorous situation her daughter had fallen into. Remia  became tearful and Sumire, Kaoruko, and the others nestled close to her  to console her.

「If it’s thanks than we already received more than enough. ……Rather,  it makes me feel a bit bad. It was Shia who took initiative to save  Myuu. Without Shia, I……might pretend not to see the life going down the  drain underground.」

「Hajime-san……」

「Papa……」

Hajime showed a bitter smile to Remia and Myuu. He glanced at Shia and sighed.

「And then, if I didn’t meet with Myuu, I might chose a path where I abandoned a lot more things.」

At the very least, they wouldn’t stop at the branch guild at the inn  town Horuad. Consequently they wouldn’t meet Kousuke and received his  request for rescue.

If Kaori didn’t accompany their group, they also wouldn’t save Bize  at the desert. And then they might ignore the situation at Ankaji.

The path that they walked after that would surely change too.

Perhaps, that path would even become one where Hajime lost everything.

Everything was just a “what if” story that was useless to think  about. However, for some reason Hajime could only imagine Bad End at the  end of it. Through that, he could only think that it was his meetings  with the girls that led him to a better future.

That was why, he spoke earnestly in gratitude from the bottom of his heart.

「I was really glad……that I could meet everyone.」

The figure of Hajime sitting deeply on the sofa while folding his arms were stealing the eyes of Yue and others.

It seemed that the one who got immersed into sentiment the most from  looking back at the encounter with Myuu was none other than Hajime  himself.

Myuu couldn’t hold back herself and jumped at Hajime with a shout.

Hajime caught Myuu who clung on him while patting her head with a  terribly kind expression. It made Yue and others couldn’t hold  themselves back too and they all rushed him.

「……Nn!? Remia is below me!?」

「You got ahead of Yue-san? You can’t be underestimated desu!」

「Ufufu-」

「Uu, Tio-san, is heavy……」

「Lily, thou hath guts.」

「Wait, you girls. I’m buried-, burie──」

Before they realized it, even Shizuku and Aiko had returned from  watching the scenery outside and after hesitating a little, they also  dived on top of Yue and others. Hajime’s figure became covered up  completely.

「Wait wait. Why is the mood here turning melancholic while we’re sightseeing normally over here.」

「This isn’t the time to watch giant earthworms huh.」

Shuu and Sumire also came back. It seemed the Sand Worm swarm had  dived underground. Tomoichi and others also returned from behind them  with warm expression. It seemed that they were able to hear the  conversation itself.

「Even so, the scene of Myuu-chan and Hajime-kun’s first  meeting……somehow, it was really wonderful how it felt like a fated  meeting.」

「It was from how those two stared at each other fixedly wasn’t it?」

「Children ascertain whether someone is safe or not by staring fixedly  at them. Hajime-kun must have understood that too and didn’t avert his  gaze because of that but……yes, certainly I also felt something more than  that in that meeting.」

Kaoruko, Akiko, and Kirino pulled away their respective daughter from  the pile while speaking to each other about their impression.

「Myu! For some reason, Myuu felt it when looking into Papa’s eyes  nano. Ah, it’s this person. Everything will be alright if Myuu is with  this person.」

「……I totally get ittt」

「I super get ittt」

When Myuu said that while still hugging Hajime, Yue and Kaori also  agreed fiercely with her. For some reason their tone sounded gaudy and  broke the melancholic atmosphere, so everyone ignored them.

「But, papa’s eyes were also sharp that Myuu got a bit scared……」

「Uh, m-my bad……I didn’t have any chance at all to come into contact with small children……so I didn’t know the right way to act.」

「But but, while papa went out to buy various things after that,  Shia-oneechan treated Myuu really kindly. The way she looked at Myuu or  how her hand caress were just like mama. She also told Myuu a lot of  things about papa, that was why Myuu was able to feel safe right away  nano!」

「Ehehe, I was like mama? Hehehe」

「Yep! Umm, Shia-oneechan, please let Myuu say it again. Thank you for  going after Myuu right away nano. Thank you for treating Myuu so kindly  nano! Myuu felt reaaally safe thanks to Shia-oneechan staying together  with Myuu nano!」

「Kuu-fuuuuuuu, your-, welcome-──desuuu」

Myuu separated from papa and hugged Shia next with a smile that  looked like a flower in full bloom. It seemed that it contained a  tremendous destructive power.

Shia-oneechan was instantly sunk.

Her knees folded as though they had lost strength and she hugged Myuu  back strongly with one hand even while her other hand was desperately  pinching her nose. Surely it was in order to stop red juice of joy from  spurting out. Her rabbit ears and rabbit tail were also wagging so  fiercely that they left behind afterimages.

Everyone understood her feeling and their gazes became lukewarm while  returning to the sofas. Then Hajime corrected the plane’s course back  to Great Volcano Gruen.

「Putting that aside, Goshujin-sama. How about forgiving Will boy and the others──」

「Don’t talk about that Tio.」

Tio who was warmly watching Shia who looked like she had no intention  of letting go Myuu at all and Myuu who looked somewhat unable to breath  from being buried into her breasts suddenly recalled something and  spoke up, but Hajime interrupted her sharply to cut off the topic.

He looked unusually sullen. It was a complete reversal from just now. He looked to be in a terribly bad mood.

「My, Hajime. You’re still feeling bothered about that thing? It’s  fine isn’t it! As a parent I’m feeling really proud that my son has a  statue made of him!」

「It even became a magnificent stone monument……Tou-san is moved to tears here.」

「Yeah of course you are. You rolled around on the floor laughing so  hard seeing me about to snap from shame that your tears came out!」

That really happened.

Even though it was still early in the morning, one of the reasons why  they were unable to look at past replay at various places was this.

The adventurer guild, the public order bureau, and the House of Count  Cudeta that was in charge of being the negotiation pipeline with the  kingdom had taken an active role to turn the former site of criminal  organization Freidhof’s hideout that Hajime and co crushed in the past  to become a splendid tourist attraction at the present.

The site where that majesty the demon king saved children.

The place where he gave a wounded girl from the seaman race his love  and protection without any regard that she was from a different race.

That place became that kind of tourist attraction.

Seeing that made even the goddess of good harvest and victory Aiko-sama to grin broadly.

「Hajime-kun! It was really wonderful you know! The statue of  Hajime-kun carrying Myuu-chan in your arm while looking up to the sky  even felt divine! Yes, it was far more compared to the status of the  like of me at the capital!」

「……I get it. I get it already that you’re happy that you have a comrade. So stop speaking about it in detail……」

It was a statue of an eyepatched youth looking up to the west sky while a merman girl was sitting on one arm of his.

The statue symbolized the new sense of value in this world that had  agreed to aim for coexistence between the different races. That figure  that seemed to be resolved to send back the girl to her homeland at the  west sea seemed to make the people who saw it to feel the youth’s  “nobility and kindness to protect just a single girl despite possessing  the power to kill even god”. Apparently the statue became greatly  popular as the symbol of how a person ought to be.

And it didn’t stop there.

Kirino and Akiko spoke with a cheerful smile.

「My, isn’t that statue seriously wonderful? I’m not joking. It seems  the play about the tale of the meeting between the demon king and his  beloved daughter is also very well-received.」

「They did well with the actor selection. I think they look very similar with the actual people.」

The two of them then intentionally took out a pamphlet. On it was the  picture of a white haired handsome man with an eyepatch carrying a  merman girl on one arm while making a cool pose. The two were surrounded  by explosion, flame, and tough looking middle-aged men.

The moment Hajime saw it,

「NNAAAAAAAAAAAH!!?」

「Papaaa!?」

「……Nnn!? Get a hold of yourself Hajimeee!!」

Hajime pressed his hands on his face while falling off the sofa. Then  he bounced about on the floor like a fish on land. His parents were  also rolling around on the floor while holding their stomach beside him.

「Hey hey, Remia-san. How do you feel? Your daughter and husband have a  statue of them made, what’s more their meeting is even made into a play  that get played everyday with the tickets always sold out.」

「Err……ufufu, it’s embarrassing but, it makes me happy you know?」

Kaoruko asked the question teasingly, however, as expected from  Remia-san. She was only blushing a little while looking normally happy.  Rather she even looked proud.

Yue crossed her arms and pouted her lips sullenly.

「……Even though I could identify the one who wrote that scenario if  only we had time. Why did Hajime get married with Remia after he arrived  at the western sea? I don’t accept it. Even though she was only doing  my my ufufu!」

「My my, Yue-san. In play there is this thing called “length” you know?」

「Kuh, certainly……Okaa-sama also mentioned before how “it can’t be  helped that there are some scenes that got cut when a story is turned  into film”, but still!」

「Now now, Yue. It’s fine isn’t it!」

「That’s right that’s right. Hajime-san had also married me,  Kaori-san, and Tio-san in the setting of the ending at Erisen, so  there’s no problem.」

「Umu. After all the main theme in the end art the meeting between  Goshujin-sama and Myuu. So it didst not matter even if the writer made  it that I am already Goshujin-sama’s wife too at that time! I think it’s  a good script!」

「……There! I also don’t like it there! Kuh, just because everyone get good treatment……」

Shizuku and Aiko were watching with a pained look. They actually  didn’t accompany the group during the travel, so it couldn’t be helped  that they didn’t get included.

By the way, they actually didn’t have time to watch the play, even so  they were able to grasp the content to some degree because there was  the novel version. Naturally each one of them buy one.

And then they skimmed the book and it was just as Yue and others  said. There were some alteration to the story, but the scriptwriter must  have investigated what happened very thoroughly. At the end of the book  the writer had also properly added some notes about what actually  happened very accurately.

「Even so, it was really astonishing……. For this child who played as  Myuu, to be actually a child who was captured together with her at that  time……」

The merman girl who was in the pamphlet. Her emerald green hair and  the characteristic ears of the seaman race must be from a wig and prop.

The promotional photos of the main casts were put on the back of the  pamphlet. The description of the child playing as Myuu there  astonishingly mentioned that she was one of the children who Hajime and  co rescued from the slave trade site.

「No wonder the situation and the conversation during the confinement, or the scene when I came to save them felt realistic.」

Hajime stood up with a sullen face. He had somehow overcome his  embarrassment……no, he was slightly shining. Apparently Aiko had  nonchalantly casted “Soul Repose” on him.

「By the way, it seems that the boy who Hajime-san exchanged words  with when he came to save the children are now working as apprentice in  the adventurer guild you know?」

「Hah? What do you mean Lily?」

Hajime suddenly recalled the children who were kept underground of  the auction venue. If he remembered correctly, when Hajime asked the  children whether they knew about Myuu, there was a boy who answered him.

The boy himself must be scared, and in addition Myuu was a demihuman,  and yet the boy looked frustrated that “he was unable to cheer her up  even though she was terrified”.

「”If you’re frustrated then become stronger. There’s no other way  than that. The next something happen, you do something yourself”──the  scene of that majesty the demon king saying that to a boy also appeared  in the novel you know?」

「No, I had only taken a quick look at it. In the first place, did I really say something like──」

「……Nn, you did. You certainly did say it. That boy then said next  time I’ll do it. At that time, his eyes were really sparkling while  looking at Hajime.」

You remember it right? Are you shy? Yue pointed out with a  teasing expression that seemed to say that. it seemed that she was right  on the money. Hajime coughed and hid his embarrassment.

「Don’t tell me that kid then……」

「Yes. He idolized Hajime-san and said that next time it will be him  who help someone else, that he will become a man who can help someone  else like Hajime-san. It seemed that he said that and kept coming to the  guild for days to directly consult with them.」

Of course, even though being an adventurer was a liberal profession,  there was still an age limitation. It was impossible for the guild to  recognize a kid who hadn’t even reached ten years old yet as adventurer.

But, there the factor of “a kid who was saved by his majesty the demon king” became useful in various senses.

「No matter in what kind of form, those who are connected to his  majesty the demon king are gathering attention. Like attention from the  historians who are investigating what happened, or people with job like  information broker.」

「Aa~, so the guild couldn’t just turning away the kid carelessly, not  when it had to do with the future of a boy who got appearance in play  and novel……it’s something like that huh.」

「Indeed. Apparently even the persuasion of his family didn’t have any  effect, so the branch chief Iruwa also considered various things like  the political merit of giving him patronage, and he decided to put him  nearby as a guild staff apprentice.」

「I see.」

「Myuu doesn’t really remember but……for the children at that time to  appear in play, or working hard because of wanting to be like  papa……ufufu, somehow it makes Myuu happy nano!」

Myuu’s soft smile made the whole place brighter and warmer. Everyone nodded with a warm expression in agreement.

But, there was just one person whose expression was strangely thoughtful since some time ago.

「Eh? Shizuku-chan? What’s wrong? You’re making a complicated face like that.」

「Ah, no……I guess, I’m sorry that I might break the mood but……」

Hajime and others were puzzled by Shizuku’s behavior. Shizuku frowned while speaking with a groan.

「Say, Lily.」

「Yes? What’s the matter Shizuku?」

「There’s something that I want to ask a little……you’re, really  well-informed about this aren’t you? You even know in detail about a  branch guild in the neutral city hiring an apprentice.」

「? What are you saying, Shizuku? I’m a princess you know? It’s only natural that I at least know that much.」

Liliana showed a confused expression.

Certainly it was understandable why she looked confused. It was a  topic in the level that wouldn’t come up in a discussion between a  country and a guild, even so it was still possible enough to be  something that came up a little in the middle of an idle talk.

Everyone was dubious about what Shizuku wanted to say, Meanwhile  Shizuku’s eyes narrowed even more and she asked even more question with a  gaze that was observing Liliana’s eyes closely.

「Right, of course. But, if you’re that knowledgeable about Fuhren  then naturally, you should have known about the play and the light novel  too beforehand shouldn’t you? You won’t say that you don’t know about  what is popular in Fuhren right now because you are swamped with work  won’t you?」

「……Yes, of course!」

「Then, why didn’t you tell us about them beforehand? You should have known how embarrassed Hajime would become from them.」

「It’s the same like with Shizuku. You won’t need to feel  embarrassment if you don’t know about it. Right? In the first place  going there wasn’t included in our itinerary, so I thought there would  be nothing better if we can finish this trip without knowing about  them.」

「Is it just my imagination that it sounds like you didn’t want us to know about them?」

「……What is it that you want to say?」

Oh? It feels like the atmosphere is becoming disquieting……?  While Hajime and the girls and the parents were also paying attention to  the conversation, Shizuku paused for a second before cutting into the  heart of the matter.

「The tale of demon king father-daughter and the tale of masked pink  are a bit different in circumstance. I think it’s not a topic that can  be just ignored just because of individual embarrassment.」

「Err……circumstance?」

「The world in general doesn’t know that masked pink is me. She is a hero with unknown identity.」

「……That’s?」

「Hey, this is just my thinking but…………having someone making up  stories about the godslaying demon king and his relatives as they  pleased, do you think it’s something that can be forgiven?」

The expressions of Hajime and others were gradually changing after  they listened till that far. Certainly it was just as Shizuku said.

For example, the goods that were modeled after Hajime and others, or  some places getting turned into tourist attraction, perhaps those were  still fine.

But, it was a different story when it came to play or light novel. It was even more so when it entered the realm of fiction.

Originally, doing something like using actually existing royal family  from an actual country in a story that had actually happened but  dramatized, thinking normally it would be an act of outrageous  disrespect.

Then, that should be even more the case for “the godslaying demon  king and his relatives” who had saved the world and respected by all  countries.

The historians were in the middle of working hard to convey the  “truth” to the later generations. Creating something like creative work  that made that truth to become vague without even asking the people  involved was something that crossed the permissible line as expected. It  didn’t matter even if those works had notes about the truth added at  the end.

Shuuzou rubbed his chin while nodding in understanding. He summarized what his granddaughter wished to say.

「Fumu. Shizuku, in other words you want to say this aren’t you? The  masked pink’s tale isn’t disrespectful at all even if people create  fiction about her as they pleased because her identity is unknown. But,  creative work that used Hajime-kun as topic, furthermore one that is  used to earn money is impossible to do without permission from someone  of authority. And, seeing that these things aren’t actually being  cracked down on, that means there’s no doubt that this someone of  authority has given their permission.」

「Yes, that’s right Ojii-chan.」

「Let me once more confirm it……in Tortus, a person of authority who  can possibly give permission that it’s alright to use Hajime-kun and his  relatives as theme for creative work……is someone like that exist?」

「There’s none. With only one exception that is.」

Everyone’s gaze slowly moved.

Toward Liliana.

「Three’s one here. A person who represent the king’s authority, and also a relative of that demon king.」

Liliana was smiling. She was standing calmly without showing any  wavering, as though to proclaim that she hadn’t done anything to feel  guilty about.

But, in front of the people here, even this princess who possessed 108 smiling masks were still in disadvantage.

Hajime’s eyes were gradually getting colder. Shizuku whose eyes were  getting even more bloodshot bit by bit was approaching her soundlessly.

「Say, Lily. The way the tale of masked pink and the play and light  novel of demon king father-daughter got circulated feel somewhat similar  isn’t it?」

「Is that so? Fuhren is the biggest commercial city, so various products keep appearing there everyday……」

「Actually, it was just as a precaution you see? I asked her highness  Tracy to let me read a bit of the tale of masked pink but, to me it  looked like the writing style and the expressions used in it are exactly  the same with the tale of the demon king father-daughter you know.」

「My, now that you mention it that might be the case! What an amazing  find that is, Shizuku! With this we might be able to get a step closer  to find out this unknown author!」

Liliana clasped her hands together while saying that  enthusiastically. Seen from the side, she looked like she wasn’t  harboring any guilty conscience at the slightest.

Even so, the parents were smiling wryly, Yue and the others were  looking exasperated, while Hajime seemed to be half-convinced already  with how his face looked like a yakuza right now.

Shizuku put her hands on Liliana’s shoulders with a tight grasp while  her eyes were still bloodshot. Hajime was peering at her from behind  Shizuku with eyes that had lost all light.

A trickle of cold sweat, dripped down from Liliana’s forehead……

「Everyone, how about we calm down a little? Being paranoid is no  good. Doubt always make people’s heart narrower, which in turn create  needless conflict. Now, take a deep breath. Maintain a serene feeling so  you can accept and forgive every──」

「Hey, tell me please. Tell me that I’m wrong, Lily, hey. Are you  saying that there’s someone else? Do you have an idea of someone else  who can give permission for these?」

「T-that is……ahh, that’s right! I don’t want to even consider it  but……it might be mother! No, that’s right! Simon-san is also suspicious!  He’s often travelling to various countries. While he is there, it won’t  be strange if he write that kind of thing and then spread it around!」

T-this princess, she sold out her own mother and the pope! Shudder travelled through the expressions of the parents and the girls!

「This is truly an alarming problem! I have to return to the palace at once! There I will investigate mother and Simon-san!」

Liliana said that and took out a gate key that exclusively connected to the palace from her personal treasure warehouse.

She squatted down with a sharp movement and slipped out from  Shizuku’s restrain with a plop. And then she smoothly put the key into  the space behind her──

「There ain’t no way we’ll let you go.」

「AH, my keyyy!」

The key was casually snatched out from Liliana’s hand. She hopped up  and down with an anxious face in order to take back the key.

「And? You won’t be able to get out of this anyway so fess up already.」

「I-I don’t really understand what could you possibly talk about……」

Cold sweat was trickling down like waterfall from Liliana. Even her poker face was already torn down.

「So you’re going to play dumb till the end?」

「E-even if you tell me that……I’m innocent.」

「I see.」

Hajime was looking down coldly on Liliana who wouldn’t meet his eyes  no matter what. Then right after that, he took out something that looked  like a pendulum from his treasure warehouse.

「U-umm. Hajime-san? What’s that?」

「An interrogation artifact to turn a person into a mere villager──the  prototype. I still haven’t decided the name or even the actual effect  of it, so the target might blab out all their secrets, even those that  don’t get asked. From the state secrets until even the embarrassing  mistake of youth──」

「I did it.」

Everyone thought. This girl, she looks like she’s keeping a ton of secrets huh……

Furthermore, she reacted quicker when the part about embarrassing  mistake got mentioned rather than the state secret part, so surely, no,  there must be a lot because she was the self-professed romantic fiction  master. The parents were showering Liliana with lukewarm gazes for some  reason.

Liliana who had dug her own grave in a sense blushed red and,

「Uuuu, I’m not at fault! I’m not at fault! It’s the fault of the war!  Ample national budget – Banzai! I am a princess! A woman who will sell  even her family’s shame if it’s for the sake of her homeland’s revival!」

「T-this girl-, she got defiant.」

「Lily, you’re really…」

Liliana seemed to have given in to despair and confessed everything  without any reservation. But with how Hajime and Shizuku were looking at  her with horribly cold eyes, she finally seemed to resign herself and  became crestfallen.

「Money……I wanted money……」

She covered her face with her hands and collapsed. Even though she  was the princess of a country, what a deplorable state she was in.

Sumire and Shuu muttered 「This is like, a criminal’s  confession……furthermore it’s exactly like in the films」「She must have  watched drama or something before」 with an expression that couldn’t find  any other word to say. Tomoichi and others were also looking really  conflicted.

「Myuu-chan, you must never become like that Onee-chan okay? Promise Shia-oneechan desu.」

「Y-yes nano……」

The exchange between Shia and Myuu becme an additional blow. Liliana  twitched and trembled from that, then Hajime asked her with an  exasperated face.

「Is the kingdom’s financial situation really in such a dire strait?」

「? The more money there is the better it is, isn’t it?」

「She’s completely guilty.」

「B-but Shizuku-chan. She’s putting even her personal takings into the  national budget, so in a sense it can be said that she’s throwing in  her private funds for the country’s reconstruction……」

「She’s still guilty in that case.」

The self-professed romantic fiction master was apparently in  possession of literary talent that allowed her to write adventure drama  and script in a flash even while she was actually swamped with work,  furthermore her works were able to give rise to a great boom.

And the money that she earned on her own at great pains were all put  into the country’s treasury without any hesitation at all. It simply  wasn’t healthy in various senses. Everyone there wished that she could  have the sense for philanthropic work at the very least.

Well, in any case.

「Hajime, what should we do with this princess I wonder?」

「Aa, Shizuku. Actually I have here with me an excellent item that can show various dreams……」

「Eh? Eh, wait, both of you? Why do take out something like a wooden  coffin……ah, stop! Don’t hold me from behind! What are you two planning  to do with me!? Nooo, I don’t want to sleep anymoreeeeeee!!!」

It went without saying that Liliana ended up inside the wooden coffin  again which followed behind the group during their field trip in the  great volcano, floating up and down just like in Dragon *uest.

Like that, in the end Liliana’s trip meet its end while she was in such state……

When she opened her eyes, Hajime and co had already gone home to Japan.

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「How can you show me that kind of dreammmmmmmm!!!?」

Liliana jumped awake while screaming.

Then she saw the thin barrier surrounding her to protect her from  sand, Hajime and others smiling wryly around her, and the giant tornado  surrounding the great volcano Gruen at the front. With that she  understood what going on and that was the first thing that she screamed.

「It served as a good punishment right?」

「We were really embarrassed you know? Even if you want to do that, please at least discuss it first with us beforehand.」

「Uu, that’s……yesss. I’m sorry……」

Hajime and Shizuku flicked her forehead once each. With that Liliana reflected on herself as expected and apologized.

It seemed that Shizuku became mollified with that and helped Liliana  came out from the wooden coffin. Hajime too, he immediately stored the  coffin back into his treasure warehouse to show that he had no intention  to force her to sleep anymore.

「Kuh, what a terrifying artifact that is……」

「Surely the only person who will look at this wooden coffin with that  kind of terror in their eyes is just you whether in the past or in the  future.」

It was no wonder. A shriek like 「I don’t want to sleep anymoreeeeee」  wasn’t something that anyone would ever hear usually. Would she be  alright after Hajime and co went home? Everyone couldn’t help but feel  worried instead.

Yue collected herself together and stepped forward to fulfill the role as guide.

「……Putting that aside, what do you think Okaa-sama, Otou-sama? That  is the tornado of Gruen that has continually surround the volcano  without ever stopping at all.」

「Yeah, it’s really stunning Yue-chan. It feels like I’m seeing the flying castle Lap*ta in real life.」

「Rather than a tornado, that’s more like a giant wall of rotating sand. The sides cannot be seen at all.」

Everyone else seemed to be completely agreeing with Sumire and Shuu’s impression.

This was also the first time that Kaori, Shizuku, Aiko, Remia, and  Myuu seeing this. They were speechless seeing this phenomenon that was  too large in scale.

Tomoichi spoke with a deep feeling in his voice.

「Actually we have never visited a desert before, even at earth,  but……how should I say it, it’s a good sight. It’s like a sea. The  terrain undulated from the wind, and change in shape moment by  moment……watching it never get tiring.」

「You’re right dear. ……Besides, it feels like your heart is getting  cleansed exactly because it’s a world where there is nothing.」

Kaoruko also agreed, then Akiko and the members of Yaegashi family  also spoke up one after another in admiration of how great the scenery  was.

Everyone had already given artifact to maintain the suitable  temperature around their body. The sand also couldn’t enter the barrier.  Seeing the world of reddish copper color that continued to stretch  until the horizon from within the comfortable space was certainly  fantastical.

But, there was also a child who didn’t think like that at all.

「Don’t underestimate the desert, nano.」

「「「「「「Eh?」」」」」」

That voice sounded like it was resounding from the bottom of earth.  Even though it should be an adorable voice that they were really  familiar with!

The gazes of Tomoichi and others, no, even Hajime and others snapped  toward where that voice came from. There they found Myuu staring at  empty space with nihilistic eyes that had lost any light.

Her usual bright and cheerful atmosphere was like a lie after seeing  her current ghost-like stare. While everyone was looking dumbfounded,  Myuu muttered with a whispering voice. Most likely she was doing it  unconsciously.

「At noon this place is really really hot even when you’re within a  carriage, your throat feel really dry, while your skin become dry and  rough……and yet it’s really cold at night……Myuu huddled together with the  other kidnapped children but……one child, and then one more child became  cold……」

「「「「「MYUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!」」」」」

Hajime and co rushed all at once. Remia mama broke down crying!

It seemed that Myuu’s landmine was located here. They realized it  now. Rather than the time when she was being confined underground a  large city, it was her time crossing the desert that was the most  hellish for her.

No wonder she also wouldn’t get near the window when everyone was watching the Sand Worms’ great migration.

Normally she would be alright, but seeing desert getting lavished  with praise right in front of her, or to be more accurate her hearing  “statements that were looking down on desert” caused the dark Myuu to  pop out.

Aiko’s 「SoulRepose-SoulRepose-SoulRepose-」 was echoing. Myuu who was being hugged tightly by Hajime and co flashed bright.

「Hah!? What did Myuu just do……」

It seemed that she had regained her sanity. Everyone felt relieved  that Myuu apparently didn’t remember what she had just muttered, at the  same time it felt like they had learned the depth of the darkness inside  her. They felt really conflicted.

「It’s nothing! It’s nothing at all Myuu.」

「You must be a bit tired. Come on Myuu, mama will carry you.」

「Eh? Ee? Myuu isn’t tired or anything……」

「……It’s fine Myuu! Have your Mama carry you!」

「You don’t need to say anything desu! Myuu-chan!」

「Let yourself be pampered okay? You can act more pampered!」

Everyone was spoiling her rotten. A lot of “?” floated above Myuu’s head, but nobody could be bothered about that.

Tomoichi and others were also speaking vehemently with flustered look.

「Hajime-kun! Enough with the desert already! Show us around inside the volcano already!」

「Really, I can’t believe how we just waste time in the desert like this!」

「It’s enough seeing something like this just once! Let’s move on!」

「That’s true! I was thinking of charging through the tornado with car so everyone can have fun looking at the inside……」

「No need for that Hajime-kun! Now, to the great dungeon asap!」

「Shuuzou-san, roger that.」

Eh? Eh? Myuu was still confused like that. Hajime sent her a  glance before taking out the Crystal Key immediately and created a  “gate” that connected to the summit of the volcano.

Then everyone rushed at full speed into there without even looking back at all, leaving Myuu’s confusion behind.

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AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.

Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.

For the time being, let me announce my apology to everyone about my  intent to finish this story within this year that I mentioned at the  beginning.

In my planning, I would use the November and early December to create  the plot for the last arc and stocked the chapters, then at the last  third of month I’ll post a rush of updates for everyone to enjoy and  then The End! It should be like that but, I’m sorry! That doesn’t seem  possible now!

When I was I the middle of stocking up chapters I noticed a fatal  inconsistency, I forgot to put in the groundwork……and the more I  adjusted it the more the plot became shakier……at the end I judged that a  remake from the foundation is necessary. (This is the reason I couldn’t  update last week. My heart broke……)

And so, I’ll remake the plot from the ground up slowly so the last arc will be for next year.

I’m really sorry to everyone who have been looking forward to it but, please give me a bit more time.

Best regards!

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※Material introduction

– I’m not at fault! I’m not at fault!

=>Tales of Abyss. The one at fault is Vahn-sensei! (TN: Man, how  nostalgic. My favorite Tales game. It has been a long time since I  played any of the Tales series)

– Myuu’s trauma

=>From Nichijou. But there was no denying that it was really  harsh. For a child of sea to be dragged across desert is nothing short  of hellish.

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