---

The Empire was bustling with everyone, be they commoners or nobles, busy cleaning up the aftermath. Yet, oddly enough, no one had a storm cloud over their heads.

Why? Because they were all feeling high spirits, united in their joy of having defeated a catastrophe, instead of feeling dispirited.

Rumor has it that a festival will be held once all the repairs are finished. But that’s not my concern. After all, I have to leave the Empire for a while.

By the way, we’re investigating the culprit(s) who invaded the Empire using the Leviathan, but no one knows anything except for Lucia. Honestly, who could possibly know? It just dropped from the sky out of nowhere.

This time, unlike last time, there was no need to report the hunt to the Adventurer’s Guild. After all, no one is unaware that the Leviathan has been slain.

And now, we find ourselves mounted on a cart. It had been a long time since I rode in one. I wasn’t too keen on it, but since the destination was unknown coordinates, teleportation was impossible, so we had no choice.

Besides, among us, only Luna knew the location.

“Are you really sure you know where it is?”

“I’ve told you several times already…”

“I just wanted to double-check.”

“If I don’t know, then who would…”

“It’s been so long since we left, maybe you’ve forgotten?”

“Surely no one forgets the place they were born and raised…”

That’s right. The place we were currently headed to was the Beastman Kingdom. The last S-Rank Monster was near the Beastman Kingdom, so we decided to rest for a few days before hopping back on the cart.

Since no one among us knew the precise location of the Beastman Kingdom except Luna, we had to rely on her completely.

“By the way, do you remember what I asked you last time?”

“Oh, you wanted to stop by your hometown?”

“…Yes.”

After deciding that my destination was the Beastman Kingdom, Luna had hinted that she wanted to visit her hometown.

I replied that it wouldn’t be a problem since we were passing by anyway, but I suppose she wanted to make sure.

Well, ordinarily, my personality would say it’s a waste of time, but I knew Luna was an orphan and her village had been completely destroyed by invaders.

What could we possibly do in a desolate village? Just reminisce and maybe make a grave or something. It was obvious we wouldn’t stay long, so I said it was fine.

The distance from the Empire to the Beastman Kingdom is, naturally, far. We took a teleport to Alvheim and a teleportation stone to Marquina, so I didn’t realize how much distance there was when traveling from nation to nation.

Experiencing cart life this time made me keenly aware of the importance of teleportation.

Over the span of a month, we passed through several villages along the way, and in spots without villages, we camped out a few times, enduring quite an uncomfortable lifestyle.

“Wait a minute. I’ll get off here,” Luna suddenly said, halting the cart in the middle of an ordinary-looking forest.

“Why?”

“My village is nearby.”

“But why not go to the village and get off?”

“Basically, all beastmen dislike humans. Even if no one is around, if we run into someone unlucky enough to spot us, the beastman could get dragged into it.”

The beastmen’s disdain for humans. I hadn’t heard of that beforehand, but judging by the circumstances leading to Luna joining me, I could infer what kind of relationship it might entail.

Somewhere we don’t know, beastmen might still be sold as slaves, just as Luna was.

With no choice, we decided to turn the cart around, and as we got off a bit away from Luna’s hometown, she led the way.

“Ugh… the last part is always the most bothersome.”

When we caught the Balarain, and even when we caught the Leviathan, we hadn’t faced any disturbances until now.

But this time, the whole Beastman Kingdom is like an enemy. They will intervene and obstruct every little thing we do.

“I’ll try to mediate as much as I can.”

“If it gets annoying, let’s just kill them.”

“…”

If mediation always worked, then there wouldn’t be words like war and fighting. It’s clear there would be some ignorant fools who don’t know their place and act out.

Why should I have to bend to their whims? If I just kill them, they can’t interfere or obstruct anything, and I can instill fear in them while I’m at it. Three birds with one stone.

“Just to clarify, if you side with the beastmen, you’ll die too, right?”

“…I won’t have that thought. I’ve seen you kill the same humans without mercy, Luke.”

Well, it’s been over a year since Luna traveled with me; would she really still not know me? If it comes to a situation where mediation seems futile, Luna would probably give up and mourn their deaths first.

Following Luna’s lead, we pushed aside bushes, walking through trees until we arrived at an open space.

“…It’s just as it was.”

Luna’s voice seemed filled with memories as she took a step forward.

It sounded like someone returning to their hometown after decades, but if she were to look at the scene before her now, she’d likely find it very surreal.

“This is Luna’s hometown…”

“Wow… It’s just like my mansion that you burned down, Luke.”

We all looked around. Everyone had an inkling of why Luna had started traveling with me, but they probably didn’t know the exact details.

The scene before us told a story without the need for words.

All that existed here were ruins. It looked like a village that wouldn’t have been large in the first place, now burnt down with only collapsed buildings and walls remaining.

Luna walked through the wreckage as if she was familiar with it. As she walked along a path that had been burned to nothingness, she suddenly came to a halt.

She bent down and picked up something from the ground. It was a rusted longsword covered in dust.

“What’s with that old sword?”

“…It was my father’s sword.”

“It looks rustic but has an air of elegance.”

My social skills really are amazing. Luna decided to keep the rusty longsword she had picked up. Next, she entered a building. Since there was nothing else to do, we followed her inside.

Given the situation, this was probably where Luna had lived. Standing in the middle of the burned-down structure, Luna remained still, eyes closed and head bowed.

Watching her like that for what seemed like ages, I started to look around.

“What are you doing, Luke…?”

“Just checking if there’s anything worth taking.”

Maybe her father hid some emergency money from her mother or amassed some property for retirement.

“…”

“Hey, don’t look at me like that. The living need to survive.”

What we used is Luna’s, and thus what’s mine is hers, right? Luna doesn’t seem to be thinking about taking anything, so I thought I’d help by taking the initiative. Instead of looking at me with those judgmental eyes, you should help me out.

After looting for a while, obviously, I found nothing. What could possibly be left in a burned-out house?

Sighing, I saw Luna leaving the building. She began to erect a grave where the ground was less charred.

It looked like she intended to make a grave, but since there weren’t any corpses, nothing went inside.

Simply completing the grave with a basic headstone and placing the longsword she had picked up earlier next to it.

“…It’s done now.”

Luna brushed her hands and said, rising from the grave. That was her farewell to her hometown.

“Well, let’s go now.”

“Yes.”

Having left Luna’s hometown, we continued on our way towards the Beastman Kingdom. I heard Luna’s village was far from the Beastman Kingdom, which meant we had quite a bit of walking ahead of us.

After a while, we finally reached the Beastman Kingdom. In the distance, the kingdom’s walls came into view. There were beastman soldiers standing in front of the walls, and they were not wearing any armor besides their weapons.

Rather, they were dressed in sleeveless furry vests that highlighted their muscular frames. Approaching those soldiers, we decided to start a dialogue like civilized beings.

It was a bit bothersome, but we couldn’t just stroll in without saying anything.

But just as we approached the wall, the beastman soldiers who caught sight of us moved in unison, surrounding us while brandishing their spears.

“Human! How dare you come here!”

This was why Luna insisted on mediating. As she stepped forward, trying to say something to the soldiers.

“Wait! Let me explain…”

“Shut up! You’re one of them! Hanging around with humans makes you a traitor! How dare you walk with humans!”

But it was no use. Not even another beastman was spared. I glanced at Luna with a knowing look.

“Hey, you said you’d mediate.”

“…”

Seeing her own species looking foolish, it seemed Luna had lost her words. No wonder. I often look at humans and call them stupid.

After all, mediation is only for those willing to talk. I had anticipated this outcome since the moment Luna proposed mediation.

“You’d best not expect to survive now that you’re here! If you resist, I will make your death painful!”

What nonsense, do they think I wouldn’t torture them until the end after capturing them?

The beastman soldiers pointed their spears towards us.

Sigh. Here we go again. I always try to have a conversation, but the problem is that the other parties seem utterly disinterested in dialogue. Hence, it’s perceived that I’m always out there killing.

“Let’s just kill them.”

Luna replied with a tone devoid of inflection.

“Well, that’s the most satisfying answer I’ve heard so far.”

Crack, I loosened my hands and stepped forward.

“Since we are going to meet the Beast King, it’s only polite to take a gift, right?”

 

---