The True Identity Of The Shadow And Sun Mask Girls 1
“Everybody, listen. We will leave this Shupreel Continent and head towards Fezelist Continent. So that we do not have to fight anymore, from now on, we will all live in the Kingdom where this Egil-han serves as the King”
Next morning.
Setsuna told everyone who lives in this Lake Metropolis about the migration.
Living a new life in a new continent.
So that they don’t have to fight anymore.
However, even though she’s throwing such alluring words at them, the residents of this Lake Metropolis were making anxious expressions.
“Setsuna-sama, we are in the position where we are being protected by the Devil God Nine-Tails’ power that is inherited by your clan; if you leave, we cannot subsist here……however, it is troubling even if you tell us that so suddenly”
“We spend our lives constantly fighting and moving simply for the sake of living. I do not want to make the children live such a difficult life. However, for us, this is where we were born and raised. I cannot agree to abandon it and live in another continent easily”
If one person voices their discontent, then the voices of discontent will come pouring out from those around all at once. On the other hand, the mood of this place will probably change if even one person favours it, but no such person is showing up.
Setsuna and I, who are standing on a platform, are overlooking everybody, and Setsuna is stumped.
However, there stood the individual who governs everybody. She raises her sunken head and tells everybody.
“I understand that my ancestors, that we, had lived here for numerous years. I also understand the fact that this continent is our hometown……however, there is no future here. Fights over fights over fights; yesterday too, how many people died? How many times have we witnessed our friends, comrades, and family die like this!?”
“That is……”
“I do not want anybody to die anymore. In that case, do you not think that it is better to live in a place that is even slightly safe!?”
In an instant, this place fell silent.
Leader’s Calibre. I’m sure Setsuna is blessed with something like that. I don’t know whether I’m capable of saying this much to those who follow me under the same circumstances and position.
What I can say is, I can see that everybody is wavering considerably.
“If my power ran out midway, what is everybody going to do? How are you going to fight, against those of the other territories that are on this continent? I already decided; I will leave this place”
“……that is. Why, does Setsuna-sama want to head to a different continent so badly? For you as well, this place is your hometown, the location where your parents rest, right?”
“Yeah……”
Setsuna looked and smiled sweetly at me, who stood diagonally behind her.
“I, want to be with the man I love……”
“The man, you love……?”
Everyone looks at me.
It’s quite incredible; being looked at by nearly 1○○○ people.
“However, that person is the person who came to this continent just the other day, right? And yet you say you love himーーare you by any chance, threatened or something……?”
“It does not take days and years to fall for somebody. For me, it is important how much the other party cares about me, how he looks at me as a human, and whether he will shoulder for me half of this cross that nobody has tried to shoulder. I have fallen in love. So I want to be with Egil-han”
In response to Setsuna’s words, the residents sink into silence again.
And then, Setsuna makes a slightly forced smile.
“Besides, everybody is precious to me. I, do not want to lose anyone anymore, so I want to move forward on a safe path with everybody”
Perhaps she’s embarrassed, Setsuna blushes slightly.
And then in the quiet space, waves of laughter came pouring out.
“After passionately talking about love in front of everybody, please do not feel embarrassed about protecting everybody”
“That is right, it is much more embarrassing to talk about love”
“Wha, even though I am not really, talking about love or anything……”
Stared fixedly by Setsuna, I turned away.
Immediately after, I heard a sad voice going, ‘He, help me’, but I left her to her devices for a bit.
I’m also embarrassed; being talked about truthfully in front of everybody.
And then somehow or another, it seems the conversation concluded.
“In this Lake Metropolis, Setsuna-sama is indispensable. So we will follow”
Following the words of one person, the voices of approval steadily become louder.
“Looks like it went well one way or another”
“Aah. All that’s left is……”
All that’s left is to do something about the two people who are probably affiliated to the Dark Guild.
For that, I need a little bit of time, not people.
“Fiー, you know the whereabouts of the two people, right?”
“I’ve sent Elizabeth to keep watch, so it’s fine”
“Is that so. In that case, I’ll head over right away. What are the two of you going to do?”
In response to that question, Fi immediately answered, ‘I’ll follow’.
“We’ll depart this continent immediately after we return. Is Setsuna going to help out on the preparations for everybody to leave this place?”
Setsuna couldn’t make up her mind.
So I told her that to give her an out, but she slightly thought about it and shook her head.
“I’ll also follow. I’ll tell everybody to prepare to migrate the continent so it’ll be fine, and besides……I am worried about Egil-han”
“Is that so, thanks. Alright then, let’s depart immediately. Before the other side makes their moves”
If all of us go, there will likely be casualties. Besides, the possibility of being discovered is also lower if it’s a small number of people.
With that in mind, we headed over with just the three of us.
♦
Unlike Lake Metropolis, the Country of Demise is a place with a firm foundation. A kingdom-like castle stands towering in the middle, and lots of houses are lining up around it.
It’s quite spacious, and it’s being surrounded by a high wall that prevents trespassing.
“The two of them are inside that castle. What are we going to do?”
The three of us are checking out the Country of Demise from a forest that’s a little ways away.
What Fiー pointed at, was a noticeably large castle even within the Country of Demise.
But to trespass, it looks like there’s no other way than to proceed from the gate-like place.
“There’s no other choice than to break through from the front huh……”
“That is dangerous. Each and every one of those of the Country of Demise is well-trained and highly capable. I don’t think they will let you enter easily”
“Is that so. But the other viable place is……Fiー, is there anywhere that looks enterable?”
She made Elizabeth go ahead first, and Elizabeth is still inside now, which probably means she managed to trespass.
If that’s the case, isn’t there a hidden passage, was what I thought, but Fiー shook her head.
“I searched but didn’t find any. I think there probably isn’t”
“Is that so, then as I thoughtーー”
“But, there’s a time when those gatekeepers leave there”
“Really?”
Fiー nods and points at the gate’s entrance that’s visible even from here.
“A bell rings every hour; those two gatekeepers, they substitute with other gatekeepers after the bell rings. As for that substitution, they head to a rest area that’s a little ways away to substitute, so for just that moment, there’s nobody”
“Their defences are rather soft huh. Normally, don’t the next gatekeepers come to substitute?”
“They probably think that nobody can attack them in the short time of the substitution. Or rather, the Country of Demise is formidable so attacking it doesn’t cross the minds of the other places”
“I see. It’s their arrogance as the strong huh”
But that’s a great help to us. It looks like we can trespass without being noticed if we target there.
“After we trespass, can I bring Elizabeth back?”
“Ah, no problem. Do you know the route to that Royal Castle-like place?”
“It’s fine, it’s extremely simple”
“I got it. ……looks like it’s about time”
The echoes of the bell that announces the time are audible even from this distanced location.
And then after the two gatekeepers made sure that there’s nobody around, they turned around and headed inside.
“Setsuna, can you run?”
“I am fine”
“Alright, then we’re going”
We ran.
Nobody inspects us even when we pass through the gate.
So we straight run towards the towering castle.
What I felt while running, is that this Country of Demise has no sense of danger at all; as for my impression, it’s『A kingdom without a sense of danger that’s easy to capture』.
Nobody who looks at us, and few are armed. There are even people who are drinking alcohol during the day with flushed faces.
It makes me doubt whether this is the most influential territory on this continent; they shouldn’t be that much of a threat other than when they’re attacking.
“If they’re living so leisurely, then we should’ve attacked them as well”
Setsuna muttered.
“Is this the first time you enter this place?”
“It’s not just the Lake Metropolis, the other territories probably didn’t enter before as well. Being attacked continuously; our heads are filled with defending, so we were not conscious of something like going on the attack……I did not think that the inside is this carefree”
If they’re attacked, there’s no way they’ll realise that this place is in such a situation huh.
ーーI can’t say that it’s psychological warfare, but it feels like the other territories are in fear, not knowing when they’ll be attacked by the Country of Demise, always on their toes, and can’t quite rest. In contrast to that, this place attacks when it comes time to attack and rests when it comes time to rest; they’re able to live properly, so they aren’t exhausted.
There’s more to it than meets the eyes; I guess that’s how it feels.
“However, such a lifestyle ends today as well”
We arrived at the Royal Castle.
“Indeed. Everybody, the chances for them to fight ought to reduce as well”
“I’m sorry that there’s also the possibility that I can’t make it 0 though”
I told everybody at the Lake Metropolis again.
That the conflicts will be lesser than this place, but even so, we don’t know what’s there. By any chance, monsters might attack us, and we’ll protect those we can protect with all our strength, but there’ll also be a considerable number of people whom we can’t protect, that’s why I told everybody, that there’s the possibility that the number of battles won’t be 0.
“That is something everybody understands and accepts. So you don’t have to worry about it”
“Yeah”
“Besides, everybody isn’t that cowardly. So when it comes the time to fight, everybody should be helpful to Egil-han and the others”
“That’ll be a great help”
I smile at Setsuna.
After everything is over; and everything ends here.
I exhale and step forward.
“Alright then, let’s go, shall we”
