It was the time when perhaps the first crow of the c.o.c.k would begin crowing very soon that Valeria’s party came back to Klutoreto’s tabard inn.

On that way back, Valeria and Dimitar tried to ask the person concerned, Sigibert, about that girl, but this His Excellency’s memory was vague as expected—to put it bluntly, it was of no use whatsoever.

Although he was called out to by the members who had come out to the vast garden and was waving his hand in a carefree manner, saying things like 「Yaa yaa, thank you for your hard work, gentlemen!」, if Sigibert wasn’t a man who was called “His Excellency”, he might have lost his life about this time.

「Y, Your Excellency~y! Your Eminence~!」

Perhaps they heard the news that these four people had returned safely, Malena and Arushanbor came rushing out from the inside of the lodging house. Following that, Karin, Petra and Bettina also came along. It seemed that the fire at the stable had already been extinguished, and in the night air where the drizzle continued to fall, they hardly sensed that burnt smell anymore.

「Oh, Puyol-geika! It appears that I’ve caused you to worry. However, if it’s about me, then there’s no need to worry; indeed, your worry is unnecessary, unnecessary!」

「It, it’s not that at all!」

Malena who had come running to the front of Sigibert, who was covered all over with mud and trying to look good, pa.s.sed a letter which she had been holding—upon a little hesitation—to Clotilde for some reason. Maa, it was an understandable decision somehow.

「…What is it? Did something happen again?」

「Seems like it」

Karin came along and whispered in a low voice to Valeria who had received Dimitar’s help and dismounted from the horse.

「…A short time ago, an express messenger from Aurillac arrived」

「The one who will come along at such a period of time is at least a messenger who will inform us of a state of emergency. …It doesn’t seem to be good news」

「—Everyone」

Clotilde whose complexion had changed came along towards Valeria’s party that was sitting on the edge of the water fountain in front of the entrance.

「…A new problem has arisen again. We must return to Aurillac immediately after this」

「What do you mean?」

「There might be… an outbreak of war」

「Is it

perhaps with… Yururogu?」

「Hai. —Though their total number is unknown, it’s said that Yururogu’s rebel army has appeared at a place that is 100 leagues (482.8 km) north of Aurillac…」

「Their large army appeared at such a place all of a sudden?」

「Iya… they had probably used warships」

Dimitar, who had put his hand on his knee and stood up, turned his neck with a “guruu” and sighed.

「—I’ve heard that the navy of Haiderota which faces the northern sea is quite a thing. If so, Yururogu might also be something similar. If their warships go up a big river, won’t they be able to send in a large army to the inland considerably?」

「That’s most likely so. …As the sea had been rough because of the stormy weather these last few days, the discovery might have been late due to that」

「Requisition horses from the residents here!」

Clotilde turned around at that voice.

「—Carry only the necessary minimum luggage, work around-the-clock, prepare spare horses and return to the capital! The departure is one hour later! All members, start your preparations!」

Having Malena prepare a change of clothes, Sigibert was issuing instructions to Arushanbor and the others on this and that. It was extremely imperious that, lamenting the blunder of himself who was successfully kidnapped in his own way, he might be thinking of wanting to make up for it somehow.

「…For this reason, we can no longer accompany you to the capital」

「Even if we’re told so, we’ll be troubled, you see. …I’ve explained to you about that kid, right?」

「…I’m sorry, what’s this talk about a kid?」

While Clotilde and Dimitar were having a conversational exchange, Karin asked Valeria quietly.

「Ah… un. There was a strange child」

Her mood became dark when she recalled the matter at that time, but it was impossible not to explain. Valeria briefly talked to Karin and the others and told them about the formidable girl whom she and Dimitar had encountered.

「Ehhh!? T, then, doesn’t this mean that, that magic warrior girl, might, still be hiding in this vicinity!」

Bettina slightly walked pigeon-toed and started stamping.

「…What if you go pee while you’ve the chance?」

「I, I can’t go to the toilet by myself immediately after hearing a story like that!」

「—Oi」

What kind of discussion did he have with Clotilde; Dimitar then spoke to Valeria’s party. Clotilde

Clotilde had already returned to her original duty and was briskly giving instructions to her subordinates.

「What will you do? She said that she doesn’t mind us coming together with them though」

「“Together” you say…, but they intend to return to the capital at full speed, right!?」

「It seems that they’ll provide three horses and a carriage」

Even if they prepared a carriage, it was probably impossible to follow the warhorses’ full speed, and even the other attendants whom Valeria’s party was accompanied by must all be left behind here.

「She said to follow them knowing that it’s impossible, or to remain here and wait for the welcome from Amaddo after they leave about 10 guards behind—choose the one that we like」

「Though she said “choose”~, in reality, doesn’t she think that it’s a bother if they’re followed by us? I can hear that as an act of ostensible kindness done in one’s own interest~」

「That is so, isn’t it; it’s because a large-scale battle might occur near the capital by some chance. If an accident happens to the state guests from Amaddo at such a place, even if they repel Yururogu’s army, Haiderota’s reputation will fall」

「That’s true… if it’s to the extent that they’ve to take such a risk, it might be better to be called “a little impolite” and get us to return to Amaddo as it is. At the least, if it’s Diaghilev-geika who is at the scene, she should have concluded so」

「…But we even thought of going through hardships to rescue Sigibert-kakka, and yet they said “please return to your country quickly” because of a state of emergency; it feels like our efforts have come to naught somehow」

When Valeria inadvertently complained so, Dimitar suddenly looked back at Clotilde and,

「Your Eminence! Our conversation just now, concerning the matter of the horses and the carriage, we’ll gratefully receive them」

「Hey—what are you deciding at your own discretion!?」

「It’s a very waste of time to be worrying about this and that」

Perhaps the burn was itchy because it was just healed, Dimitar spoke while rubbing his arm.

「It’s for Amaddo’s national interest that we’ve purposely trod on thin ice. That being the case, our actions hereafter should also think about the national interest as the top priority. …Of course, there’s the alternative of having both Her

both Her Eminences return to our country safely for the sake of national interest as well, but in that case too, I don’t intend to sluggishly stay in contact with Amaddo here. If we board the carriage and leave at dawn, we can cross the national border by dusk」

“To go north or to go south, you must decide that”; Dimitar thrust this at Valeria and Karin.

「Gacha Pink will go prepare for leaving here, and Gla.s.ses will go explain the situation to the maids. —Meanwhile, I’ll do your emergency treatment」

「Eh? Me?」

「If I connect some lines, they might be usable to a certain extent. It’s better than doing nothing」

「Ah…」

Valeria stood in a line with Dimitar, sat on the edge of the water fountain and held out her right arm.

「…I’m sorry that you’re in the middle of your medical treatment, can you give me just a moment?」

When Valeria was grimacing and enduring the pain, Karin sat beside her.

「This time, it’s like I haven’t done anything, isn’t it?」

「…So?」

「It’ll be strange if I say that returning as things are is unpleasant…, but if I were to state the official stance, I think that contributing to the resolution of the alliance’s internal dispute is an important job of Amaddo」

「I see… that’s a plausible reason」

「Besides, that child whom you said that you saw… she was holding it, right?」

「Un」

To say the truth, Valeria was also worrying about that the most.

What that girl was holding was unmistakably a magic motion sword. Where in the world did that come out from—did Yururogu have the technology to develop that on its own, or was it the same as Hokon and Dante, that it was provided by someone? The monopoly of magic engineering (Furigana: Tekunorogia Marefika); if that couldn’t be done, then to Amaddo that tried to always be in the forefront, it was a problem that they couldn’t overlook.

Dimitar, who had been drawing and adding magic crests on Valeria’s right arm, raised his lips at the Dominas’ conversation and nodded.

「…Ma, that might be appropriate. Honestly speaking, that girl’s knife falling into Haiderota’s hands isn’t amusing, and whether Haiderota has such a technology or not, it’s better if we can investigate such a matter too」

It seemed that their answer had come out.

When Valeria was grimacing at the painat the pain that was similar to her skin being torn and trembling lightly, Karin quietly whispered into her ear.

「…Come to think of it, I noticed this a little while ago though」

「Eh? Noticed what?」

「You’ve come to call Richternach-kyou “Dimitar”」

「—」

Valeria opened her eyes wide and stared at Karin’s face, and then hurriedly looked at Dimitar. Fortunately, was Karin’s whisper just now inaudible, or was he only concentrating on his work; as he held Valeria’s right arm, Dimitar was carefully sliding his finger on that white skin, and there was no indication of him meddling in their conversation.

Valeria lowered her voice, grasped Karin’s hand and shook it.

「Hey! Don’t say irresponsible things! If they’re heard by this person, it’ll turn into a strange thing again, right!?」

「…I’m sorry, did you perhaps not notice this yourself?」

「Eh?」

「Like I said, the matter of you calling him “Dimitar”. —I see, you’ve been unconsciously calling him so」

Narrowing her eyes and staring at Valeria, Karin nodded quietly. That face, which was mixed with a faint smile that seemed to want to say “I’ve understood everything”, was somehow very odious.

「It’s… it’s that! I, I’m simply avoiding troubles only!」

「What’s troublesome?」

「T, that’s because—when Lucius-sama is present, everyone will be confused if I call him “Richternach-kyou”…」

「I’m sorry, even though Lucius-sama has returned to Roma, you’ve been calling him “Dimitar, Dimitar”, haven’t you?」

「S, such a thing—」

「Oi」

Dimitar interrupted the words of the fl.u.s.tered Valeria.

「—You understand whose magic crests I’m restoring, right? If you’re going to speak in a jumble and struggle, it’s fine even if I forcibly do this after tying you like the last time, you know?」

「U—」

At the very moment when she was given a glare with a “girori”, Valeria shut her mouth.

Valeria herself certainly didn’t notice that she had been calling Dimitar “Dimitar” before she became aware of it either. Perhaps Dimitar making the face like he was a little surprised might be due to that way of calling.

However, suddenly returning to the way of calling him “Richternach-kyou” like until now just because it was pointed out by Karin like this, she might, on the contrary, be teased by Karin saying that she was too conscious of it.

Thus, Valeria pretended that she was enduring the pain, closed her eyes and shut out the noises from the outside world.

End of Chapter 6