Valeria who was told by Dimitar to make a hole in the floor, before questioning the real meaning of it, circulated magic power into both arms and excited her magic crestsHieratika.

「Royal Prince-denka! Stand behind us!」

The young man who was called Cyril pulled his right glove out and quickly moved to a position to protect Euchemard. At that time, Lampito had already put a foot onto the round table.

「—Fu!」

A moment faster than Lampito could jump, Dimitar kicked the round table including the girl up. The front kick which was strengthened by magic caused the huge table to dance in midair. There, Dimitar struck his sword which he had grasped tightly with both hands against it.

「Do it! Penetrate the floor!」

While pulverising the round table with a blow that was clad in the blade of the wind, Dimitar spoke to Valeria behind him.

「U, un!」

Valeria pushed both hands against the floor and made her magic power explode through both arms.

「Gacha Pink, protect His Highness!」

「Ha—iiii!?」

Valeria’s magic made a large hole in the floor, and the collapse of it started in one breath from there.

「Ototototo…」

Bettina placed Isaac onto her head and held the enormous umbrella which she had detached from the back of her waist overhead. Since this could repel the building materials even if some of them fell here, it might be just right for protecting the Crown Prince.

「Y, Your Highness! Please hold on tight to me!」

「Yes, I’ll be relying on you」

「You’ll be here」

「Uhia!?」

Valeria, who was suddenly held up by Dimitar in his arms and then carried on his shoulder facing the back, instinctively raised a strange scream.

「—If there’s any fellow who come chasing us from behind, inflict a blow and drive him away to the extent where you won’t get out of breath」

「U, understood!」

Dimitar, who had carried Valeria on his shoulder, followed after Bettina whose footing had collapsed of its own accord because of her own weight and then fallen down. Lucius who had jumped down first seemed to be mowing down the enemies downstairs for the following Valeria’s party.

To be carried on his back, and to be carried on his shoulder by Dimitar; feeling that this sort of things were becoming her usual places somehow, Valeria was unsatisfied with it a little, but this wasn’t the time to be saying such trifles in a grumbling manner. They had to cut open this place where the defence was the heaviest in the enemy’s base with only five people and escape.

Lucius would run at the front, Bettina at the centre would protect the Crown Prince, and Dimitar and Valeria would act as the rearguard—whether everyone could return alive all together or not depended on how many pursuers Valeria could repel.

—Scolding herself so, Valeria strained her eyes.

「They’re coming!」

Lampito came chasing Valeria’s party, who had rushed out from the commerce and industry meeting hall accompanied by a thunderous roar and a cloud of dust, closely. Cyril and the soldiers, who held spears and were considerably lagging behind, could be seen running out directly behind her.

Of course, Lucius and Dimitar were running with “Double SpeedFlash” here, and Bettina was also keeping up with it; hence, if someone was hot on their heels, it’d only be Lampito and Cyril who were using the same magic and moving at high speed.

「Lucius-kun!」

Isaac who was lying face down on Bettina’s smooth helmet shouted.

「It doesn’t seem that we’ve the time to retrieve our horses! Let’s escape like this! Light the signal fire!」

「Acknowledged」

Lucius, who had been mowing down Yurugoru’s soldiers who stood in his path with one sword without even using magic, removed his left glove and pointed at the night sky.

「Eh?」

From Lucius’s fingertips, three flame arrows of red, blue, red were shot up consecutively towards the sky.

「W, what’s that…?」

「Don’t look away!」

「Fugusu!?」

Valeria, who was suddenly exposed to an acceleration from the side and was pressed in her flank, leaked a queer groan again.

「d.a.m.n…!」

Dimitar kicked the stone pavement, leapt onto the wall of a private house and moved further onto the roof from there. A huge red fireball spreading out on the stone pavement was reflected in the corner of Valeria’s field of vision that was turning round and round.

「…!」

It was most likely the magic that Lampito had made to explode. If Dimitar’s reaction was slow, both of them might have been completely showered in that flame.

Valeria focused her mind, stared at Lampito and waved her right hand once.

「Ya!」

Before the eyes of Lampito who had tried to shorten the distance with Bettina in one breath, Valeria threw a spear of cold air at her. Although it didn’t seem that it’d hit that agile girl, by freezing the ground of the vicinity, it looked like it was possible to stop Lampito’s feet to some extent.

「U!?」

「Lampito!」

「Ah!?」

The young commissioned officer, who had come from behind, lightly picked up Lampito whose feet had slipped with a “tsururi”, placed her onto his shoulder and moved onto the roof of the private house.

「Chi…」

Dimitar who had noticed that clicked his tongue, seemingly annoyed.

「It’ll be an open s.p.a.ce soon. We might be caught up there at this rate. You’ll go first and blow the castle gate away with Gacha Pink’s umbrella」

「Eh? “Go first”, you say…」

「Gacha Pink!」

As soon as he said so, Dimitar casually threw Valeria.

「Hyoah—!?」

「I’ll buy time! You do well there!」

「Di, Dimitar!?」

Dimitar, who had pa.s.sed Valeria to Bettina, turned around sc.r.a.ping off the roof tiles with a “gari gari” and faced Lampito’s party.

「Valerisama!」

Valeria, who had created a whirlwind at her feet and clung onto Bettina’s left shoulder somehow, quickly looked around the vicinity.

In the un.o.bstructed open s.p.a.ce, soldiers were closing in like surging waves from every direction. No matter how strong Lucius was or how much horsepower Bettina had, it might be difficult to rout them all and force their way across.

「Valerisama, Dimi-san is—」

「He’ll be all right!」

「But—」

「He’ll be all right!」

Since Dimitar said that he’d buy time by himself, he’d accomplish it. Speaking of worrying about Dimitar who was about to remain alone, she was indeed worried, but if she neglected what she ought to do with that as the reason, he might grind his fist against the crown of her head again afterwards.

Therefore, Valeria decided not to worry about Dimitar for a while.

「Lucius-sama, please jump up!」

「Ha…?」

「It’s fine, so jump! Bettina too!」

「Understood!」

At Valeria’s signal, Lucius and Bettina jumped simultaneously.

「Uha…!」

Perhaps he saw the enemy soldiers who were crowding below with his own eyes, Isaac raised a voice of admiration with a bitter smile mixed in.

「Bettina, point the umbrella downwards!」

「Please call it “Choruruka”!」

Bettina, who had expressed her dissatisfaction at Valeria not able to remember the name that she had given, pointed the steel umbrella directly underneath. At the same time, Valeria poured huge amount of magical power into it through the handle.

「U…ooa!?」

「Buah—」

「Waaaaa!」

A local storm which had suddenly arose a.s.sailed the soldiers who were swarming into the open s.p.a.ce. Together with indecorous screams, the soldiers were blown away like tree leaves.

「Lucius-sama, Bettina! Now!」

Lucius and Bettina who landed in the centre of the open s.p.a.ce, which had opened wide, starting running towards the castle gate. Although it was a broad main street from the open s.p.a.ce to the castle gate, now that this town was occupied by Yururogu’s army, the ones coming out onto the street were soldiers only, so in that sense, it was very easy to do things.

「Since I don’t have to worry about involving unrelated people…!」

Propping her body against Bettina, Valeria raised both hands overhead. Carrying a flame in her right hand and a strong wind in her left hand, she stared at the soldiers who came surging out with a “wara wara (bustling)”.

However, without even making them actually explode, the soldiers, just by looking at Valeria, hurriedly dropped their weapons and jumped into the private houses around there.

「…Eh?」

「Ahaha. It seems that the blow just now was quite devastating」

Holding his hat down, Isaac laughed in a carefree manner.

「—Ma, isn’t it fine? With this, there’s no obstacle anymore」

「That is so… but if we don’t procure horses somewhere—」

To keep running at high speed borrowing the power of magic also had a limit. Even if it was Lucius, he probably couldn’t run for one hour at a speed similar to riding a horse. Unless they obtained horses somewhere, they couldn’t shake off their pursuers.

However, perhaps Isaac had some idea; he was very calm.

「That’s all right as well. …For the time being, let’s leave the town」

The gate which they easily pa.s.sed through when they had come here was now tightly shut. As one would expect, soldiers—even though they were completely preparing to flee—were pointing their spears at them and standing ready in front of it. Furthermore, soldiers who were equipped with bows and arrows were also lining up in a row on the castle gate.

Splendidly knocking down the arrows which were shot immediately with his sword, Lucius jumped backwards.

「Your Highness and Lucius-sama, stand behind us!」

「Understood」

「Bettina, stand firm with the umbrella at the ready!」

「Understood!」

Bettina pointed Choruruka forwards, opened her feet and stood ready. Although a great number of arrows came flying like rain from above the gate, not a single one penetrated the steel umbrella.

Valeria, who had sat on Bettina’s shoulder, placed her hands onto the handle of the umbrella after confirming that Lucius and Isaac had gone round behind her.

「Ha!」

The first shot was “WhirlwindCyclone”. Mowing down most of the arrows that came flying, the soldiers in front of the gate and moreover the archers on the gate with that, Valeria excited her own magic crests and shot “Fire BulletBlast” in succession. The magic of Valeria, who was probably more superior than any magic warriorMarefikos of Yururogu’s army, easily blew away the gate that was made up of strong wood and steel.

「Bettina, carry His Highness on the shoulder and charge!」

「Understood!」

Valeria created a wind, ran in midair and went out the castle gate one foot earlier.

The sun had already descended completely, and where the boundary line of the sky and earth was couldn’t be ascertained. If they went one step outside the town where people lived after sunset, that place was a world of darkness where night ruled like it was natural, and she didn’t know which way they should escape at all.

「Valerijou, this way!」

「Lucius-sama!?」

「Please head for that small light!」

When Valeria turned her eyes to the direction that Lucius had told her, a very small light could certainly be seen flickering. Was it a torch or a lantern; anyway, it must be an artificial light. However, there wasn’t anything like a village besides Luberuteiyu around here, and there also shouldn’t be any civilians wandering around the vicinity after Yururogu gained total control of it.

In any case, she could only believe Lucius’s words now. Repeatedly making big jumps with a “chon, chon”, Valeria headed for that light together with Lucius and Bettina.

「……」

However, Valeria hadn’t move much before she stopped.

「—Valerijou?」

Letting Bettina go ahead, Lucius came back immediately.

「What’s the matter? Saa, quickly!」

「But Dimitar still hasn’t…」

「As for that, he’ll be all right. You said so as well, right?」

Patting Valeria’s shoulder, Lucius spoke.

「If he said that he’ll do this, he’ll definitely do so. He won’t say things that he can’t do」

「That is so, but—」

Although he said that he’d buy time, he didn’t say that he’d definitely catch up with them. Valeria was bothered by that.

Moreover, the ones whom Dimitar was facing to buy time was the combination of Lampito who had no hesitation whatsoever in injuring people and Cyril who could use magic. Even if it was Dimitar, she couldn’t a.s.sert that he wouldn’t be defeated.

「It’s all right」

Lucius spoke once more.

「—Since I told him to treat the matter of being your guard as the top priority, Dii will definitely abide by it. He’ll catch up with us immediately」

「—」

Valeria didn’t feel relieved at those words of Lucius. Holding a hazy feeling which couldn’t be expressed at all in her chest, Valeria was led by the hand by Lucius and was about to start running again.

At that moment, a dazzling flash spread out.

It was a light that clearly occurred outside the town. When she strained her eyes, she could see someone in front of that deep crimson radiance running towards them.

「Dimitar…?」

Although the light which had greatly expanded upwards faded immediately, she somehow knew that that figure was Dimitar. He was probably being chased by Lampito’s party. The flashes which sometimes flew in the darkness must be due to the magic that Dimitar and Lampito’s party shot.

「I have to help him—!」

「That’s unnecessary, Valerijou」

「Eh?」

Lucius raised his sword towards the sky.

「—Lindegokyou! I’ll leave it to you!」

「Understood!」

A voice responding to Lucius’s call could be heard from extremely close by.

Immediately after that, innumerable flame arrows were simultaneously shot in the direction of Luberuteiyu from behind Valeria.

Exactly when did they arrive; when the startled Valeria looked back, every person of the Seal Chivalric OrderTanpries Aigies who had put on black mantles were standing in a line.

「W, why…?」

「Actually, though I left half of the Chivalric Order together with Karin-jou, I had the other half follow right behind us, you see. —And then, I had them slip into the darkness and stand by here. …Hora, didn’t I get Lucius-kun to light the signal fire just now?」

Isaac who seemed proud in some respects answered Valeria’s question. The Crown Prince was already straddling a horse.

「Did you know that… it’ll become like this?」

「Rather than knowing, maa, I only imagined the worst case scenario though. If I had marched in leading the Chivalric Order from the beginning, they’d, on the contrary, be cautious of us and we might not even get to negotiate; on the other hand, if I had marched in with a small number of people and was attacked, getting away might be difficult too」

「Your Highness, I’ll go meet Dimitar」

Lucius who had straddled a horse took one unburdened horse and started running.

「Eh? “M, meet Dimitar”… by himself!?」

「It’s all right. They aren’t idiots as well. They probably understood that there are troops in ambush because of the shooting just now; don’t you think that they won’t chase Dii-kun too far and easily receive an ambush? …Nevertheless, if they’re stupid opponents who will still persistently chase Dii-kun, we can join forces and deal with them here」

With that, Valeria finally understood that the volley of flame arrows just now was to intimidate the enemy. Certainly, if they considered the fact that the magic warriors who had worn black mantles would make a surprise attack on them in the darkness of the night where even the light of the town didn’t reach, even soldiers with long military service might hesitate.

「Valerisama~! This way, please~」

When she looked, Bettina was waving her hand on the coachman’s seat of a carriage that had put up a lantern.

「…If you had imagined up to this point and made preparations for it, if you could tell me a few words about it beforehand—」

「After all, that’d be uninteresting, right?」

At those words that was indeed typical of Isaac, Valeria could only show a wry smile. Whatever the dispatching method was, it was a fact that they had escaped from that predicament thanks to Isaac.

「—Ah!」

When Valeria sat down on the carriage’s seat and was completely exhausted, Bettina raised a lively voice.

「Dimi-san has come back!」

「…!」

Dimitar, who had galloped his horse side-by-side with Lucius and come back, was grasping the reins with his left hand and hanging his right hand down limply. His shirt which was rolled up to his elbow was dyed in deep red probably because his upper arm was deeply and greatly cut open. When she looked carefully, there were also many small wounds on his cheeks and chest.

「Lucius-kun, the pursuers?」

「They’ve returned to the town」

「All right; then, we’ll also run away before they increase their number and come back」

「Understood. —Dii, you’ll get on the carriage. Valerijou, might I ask that you give medical treatment to him?」

「Ah, hai」

「……」

Dimitar, who had dismounted the horse and boarded the carriage, spoke less words than usual.

Bettina struck and sounded the reins, and the carriage started running with a “goto goto”. Inside the carriage that was shaking with a “goton goton”, Valeria held her hands up over the wound on Dimitar’s right arm and asked in a low voice.

「—This, was it done by that child?」

「There’s that too」

「“That too”?」

「There’s also that young man. …Maa, he’s probably older than me, but he can use the sword considerably」

「Is he that strong?」

「Rather than strong… he’s troublesome」

「What’s troublesome?」

Dimitar, who had been absentmindedly looking up at the ceiling until then, suddenly stared at Valeria and spoke.

「…That man, he was using a sword similar to what we had found in Dante’s villa」