[.....What’s with that, do you have his back on this?]
[What childish things are you saying. I’m simply talking about people in general? Besides, I’m sure you haven’t forgotten it, somehow or another Nagumo-kun has saved numerous people including us. It was the same for the town of Ulu as well, Kaori also said that he saved the Ankaji dukedom too. It seems he also wiped out the hidden organization that took part in human trafficking at Fuyuren and he also rescued Myu who was a Umininzoku child and returned her to her mother too. …...As for us, I don’t think we’ve done much to save the people from this world?]
[That’s……]
[Surely for himself…..he’d only act for those who are important to him such as Yue and them…….fufu, thinking about that, eventually he might “Take the opportunity” to send god flying away?]
[What’s with that, that pitiful god….]
While thinking of such silly things, Shizuku laughed as she thought that it was possible in the future if it was Hajime. Kouki had a complicated expression but, he didn’t have the strength to deny Shizuku’s words so he tsukkomied and stopped at that. For a while, a time of silence passed by. Shizuku guessed that Kouki was thinking while carrying conflicted feelings within himself again and decided to not say anything.
Then, at that time, Feruniru which had flown in a straight course and fixed speed suddenly went off course. Kouki and Shizuku were wondering what happened since if they just flew straight they’d reach the Empire.
[.....Did something happen?]
[For the time being, shall we go back inside]
The two nodded in consent and quickly returned into the ship.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Shizuku and Kouki entered the bridge, everyone had already gathered around the crystal like object at the center.
[What happened?]
[Ah, Shizuku-chan. Un, for some reason people are being chased by the Empire’s soldiers]
Kaori answered Shizuku who asked. What Kaori pointed towards in cubic crystal was, several Usagininzoku’s running through a valley, behind them were approaching empire soldiers who were playing a real game of tag with them.
This crystal was created with the “Distant Viewing Stone” and “Distance Transmitting Stone” through Creation magic, it was possible to project the image of the distant surroundings with the crystal installed in the bridge, in simple terms, it was a telescope which was capable of projecting an image.
When Shizuku looked at the crystal display, certainly, there were 2 Usagininzoku women between a narrow valley without any flowing water, they seemed to be worrying as they ran away from the Empire soldiers who were approaching behind them. Behind the approaching Empire soldiers were several large transportation carriages, rather than chasing them from the beginning, did they escape instead? Or were they trying to catch the Usagininzoku’s that they found by chance?
It appears that Hajime and them saw the situation and slowed down Feruniru. Normally he’d just ignore it but, because it was Shia’s race he decided to be concerned about it.
[Isn’t this bad! If we don’t immediately help them!]
Kouki shouted out as expected. It seemed like he’d jump out at any moment even though they were in the sky.
However, Hajime didn’t answer the rushing Kouki, he drew his eyebrows closer to the crystal display and looked at it suspiciously.
[Oi, Nagumo! Surely you’re not intending to abandon those girls are you!? If you won’t be helping then I’ll go! Hurry and let me down!]
[Shia, these guys are…..]
[Eh? …...Ar~e? These 2 are…..]
Hajime ignored the raging Kouki and called out to Shia. Shia also seems to have noticed now that they zoomed in on the image.
[Why are you two so laid back! Their the same race as Shia-san right! Do you think nothing of it!]
[I’m sorry, you’re a bit noisy so could you quiet down for a bit? …..Hajime-san, there’s no doubt about it. It’s Rana-san and Mina-san]
[As expected huh. …...Because of their sudden change in condition I had a hard time remembering. …...These guys movements and expressions…..fumu]
Kouki’s opinion was completely cut off by Shia and he instinctively became quiet. By the way, the reason why Kouki was addressing Shia with “San” was due to the results of her introducing herself by her first name with a refreshing smile, but Shia had said to just call her by her first name without adding honorifics with a smile.
In the meantime, the two Usagininzoku women stopped moving their legs as they fell onto the ground. Their current position was at a slightly more open valley.
When he saw that, Kouki regained his senses and decided that he’d leave the bridge and go to the front deck. Though there’s still quite some distance between them, for the time being he was intending to shoot magic to attract the Empire soldiers attention.
[Ma~a, wait. Amanogawa. It’s fine]
[Wha, what are you saying! Those feeble women seem like they’d be attacked at any moment!]
~Ki~ Kouki glared at Hajime in frustration, However, Hajime was smiling from ear to ear and muttered like something was interesting as he looked at the crystal display.
[Feeble? No way. Those guys are…..the “Hauria” you know?]
What are you saying? immediately after Kouki’s doubtful expression, [Ah!], someone’s astonished voice sounded out. When Kouki looked towards the crystal display to see what happened, what was there was…...a mountain of corpses consisting of Empire soldiers who were beheaded or pierced accurately through the head by an arrow.
[.......Eh?]
Not just Kouki but everyone who didn’t know of the Hauria tribe became dot eyed. In the meantime, feeling suspicious that the forces which left the transportation wagons weren’t returning after they went to chase the Usagininzoku, they decided to send out several scouts.
And, when those scouts found the mountain of their comrades corpses, they called out to the two Usagininzoku women who were at the center leaning on one another and shaking as they approached in a threatening voice.
They may have usually been much more careful of their actions after suddenly finding a mountain of their comrades corpses but, before them were the pet slaves who had absolutely no fighting power. They approached while upset but had no caution. They got closer.
The moment when one of the scouts was about to grab one of the Usagininzoku woman by her Usamimis, an arrow shot out from somewhere and pierced through the scout behind him in the head. When the scout noticed the sound of the man collapsing on the the ground and convulsing, he looked back.
In front of him, the Usagininzoku woman who should have been trembling in fear got up without a sound, at some point she was already wielding a short sword in her hand and the scout in front of her was easily beheaded.
And the other Usagininzoku woman also immediately kept a low posture as she crawled on the ground towards the beheaded man who was falling sideways and easily reaped the head of the last scout who was stunned towards the sudden situation.