――On the tough, hard soil, the man lies spread-eagled and motionless.

「――――」

　He was neither dead nor sleeping.

　He simply shut his eyes, carefully steadying his erratic breathing while quietly organizing his thoughts.

　Assembling, assembling, assembling――,

「Hey, you alive?」

「――Yeah, I’m alive.」

　When a voice called from directly above, he opened his eyelids to see the familiar face of a man.

　Even viewed upside down, the rough impression did not fade; it was a rare talent, indeed. Nevertheless, that had no correlation to the matter at hand.

「Where are those guys?」

「They broke through us and dashed away after taking you down. As for you… you ought to do something about it. It’s painful just watching.」

「That? … Ah, this.」

　Scratching his head, he sat up and looked at his side where the other had pointed. To his dismay, a thick arrow was embedded deep in his flank.

　The arrow sank into his left side, and if it had been just a little higher, it could have pierced his heart.

　It was a close call, having narrowly saved his life, but he felt little sentimentality about it—both from the visual aspect and the fact that his flesh had been pierced.

「Actually, it doesn’t hurt as much as it looks. Might be a bit tricky to move for a while, though…」

「You fool. Who said I was worried about you? I’m the one in pain just watching you. Pull that thing out already.」

「You sure are rude to a wounded guy. … Okay.」

　With a grimace from the other, he reluctantly grasped the embedded arrow. The tricky part about arrow wounds was that you needed to pull it out before the flesh tightened.

　Fortunately, since it hadn’t been embedded for long, he was able to yank it out with a firm pull.

　The flowing blood was hastily stopped with a torn piece of cloth stuffed into the wound.

「So, the arrow situation is as you ordered. What’s the plan now?」

「If it’s a deep wound, you’d want to retreat and rest. I’ll crush a few of these losers who ran away. Teach them they’re the prey…」

「That’s a dumb move, Jamal.」

「What?」

　He gestured to the man who had just outlined the future course—Jamal—to stop.

　While he understood the desire to pursue and retaliate against those who had humiliated him, acting impulsively could lead to painful consequences on their side.

「Think about it. Why did they come straight into Gwararu? Considering what they did, it’s only natural we’re here.」

「…Unless they’re just idiots who didn’t think it through.」

「――They intentionally came in. They’ve even hidden ambushers outside the city, you know.」

　Jamal glanced at the arrow that had just been pulled out and let out a small gulp.

　Given his reputation as a formidable warrior, Jamal understood the high power and precision of the arrow that had struck him.

　Naturally, he must have reached the same conclusion as him.

「If that’s the case, their aim is…!」

「To lure us imperial soldiers who have entered Gwararu and hunt us down. If we were to chase them with all our forces, it could work, but a small group pursuing them would be playing right into their hands. —So who’s the real prey here?」

「――――」

　With clenched teeth filled with frustration, Jamal glared in the direction the enemy had fled.

　Though he was clearly consumed with rage inside, that emotion resonated deeply with him— but he wasn’t about to say it out loud. Rather than anger, admiration swelled within him instead.

　Utilizing himself blatantly as bait, they had effectively drawn out foolish enemies through relaxation.

　Undoubtedly a formidable foe, a child of war.

「…I really messed up not killing them after all.」

　While gazing in the same direction as Jamal, he murmured with deep reflection.

　Then, as if to compose himself, he took a breath and said,

「Well, I’m sure there will be a chance for revenge. —They’ll come again, for sure.」

「Next time, I won’t hold back.」

　In agreement, Jamal silently nodded as he suppressed his raging anger.

　For now, they would recognize this battle as a loss. With that in mind—

「Jamal.」

「Yeah…? What’s with that hand?」

　Jamal raised an eyebrow at him as he extended both his arms while still sitting on the ground.

　With a puzzled tilt of his head, he replied, “You should know just by looking,” then added,

「Piggyback.」

「Die on your own!」

　What a disappointing reply from a supposed friend, he shrugged.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　△▼△▼△▼△

　He stomped firmly on the hard ground and strode forward, cutting through the wind with large strides.

　As he approached his destination, the eagerness to leap from the ox cart grew increasingly unmanageable, and at the very moment he was near, his body burst forth with vigor.

　Though he thought he could hear voices around him trying to stop him, they were drowned out.

　Shaking those off, he made a straight line for the building at his goal. He burst into the large timber-framed structure at the center of the settlement, where several pairs of eyes turned toward him.

　Then—

「――You’re back. That was sooner than I expected.」

　The voice was that of a pompous man in a demon mask.

　Without saying a word to that too-casual attitude, he forged ahead. He charged forward, tugging the demon mask off the man without mercy.

　With hardly any resistance, the mask came off to reveal the man’s striking features.

　Grabbing the impudent man by the chest, he lifted him up and was about to smash his fist into his face when—

「Wait, Subaru!」

　Just before he could throw the punch, his right arm was caught from behind with force.

　A tall figure dyed with the tips of his hair red was none other than Mizelda, the chief of the village. Just as he was about to voice his dissent regarding the interruption, Mizelda spoke first, saying,

「No face. Other than that allowed.」

「Huh—!!」

　Receiving Mizelda’s unwavering reply, he delivered his fist into the man’s extended torso a moment later.

　Perhaps preparing for the possibility of being punched in the face, the man let out a grunt and stumbled back. While it offered some temporary relief, it did not resolve all the pent-up frustrations—

「Don’t think this settles things, you bastard…!」

「—Hmph, a greedy man indeed.」

　The man who picked up the demon mask that had fallen beside him, and wore it again while refusing to stop jabbering—Abel.

　Exhausted from landing that one punch, Subaru exhaled heavily, for having rushed back through more than three days of travel just for this hit.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　△▼△▼△▼△

「Look, little sister! This is supposedly the famed village of the “People of Shudrak”! Just as rumored, it lies deep within a hidden region! What a discovery!」

「Wow! Amazing, big bro! Look, look! Everyone’s got abs just like me, all ripped! Bro, ripped!」

「Totally ripped!」

　The carefree remarks of the sibling duo echoed throughout the settlement with no regard for their surroundings.

　This was Flopp and Medium O’Connell, who were casually welcomed into the village of the “People of Shudrak”.

　In the center of the plaza, the siblings stood atop an ox cart, surrounded by the curious Shudrak people. It seemed that their audacious personalities stirred up quite the attention while displaying absolutely no sign of fear, wariness, or anxiety.

　In reality, they were surrounded by a tribe with very little information known about them, and it would be the normal and warranted reaction to sense the threat to one’s life.

「Bringing back such noisy individuals, huh? Are those essential for your journey? If so, then you and I have very different values.」

「I won’t deny there’s a difference in our perspectives. You and I see very different things. But come on, your attitude is simply too much.」

「Oh?」

　Subaru and Abel sat facing each other on the floor of the assembly hall, replicating the same scenario that transpired a few days ago.

　Though Abel had just received a punishment in the form of Subaru’s punch to his gut, there was no sign of remorse in his behavior whatsoever. He certainly didn’t expect an apology either.

　However, he couldn’t ignore what had been said regarding Flopp and the others.

　Because—

「Mr. Abel, those folks over there were involved in the chaos we got caught in. They were kind to us when we were stuck before the city. …That’s the only reason.」

「――――」

　It was Rem who explained Subaru’s reason for growing anger.

　Unlike before, there were no dismissing of the assembly hall, and the other faces were present for the discussion.

　Sitting beside Subaru was Rem, back straight in seiza, along with Kuna and Holly who also accompanied them. On Abel’s side were Mizelda and her sister Talitta also present.

　By the way, as for Lui, she was being taken care of by Utakata, who was of similar age. By now, she was probably among Flopp and the others, surrounded by the Shudrak people at the ox cart in the square.

　At any rate—

「Thanks to both of you, we were able to return safely. In return, Flopp and the others have become the target of the city soldiers…」

「That’s mistaken; let me correct you. The ones targeting us and the others outside are not the city soldiers. It’s the emperor’s soldiers. Those who serve this country have turned into your enemies.」

「――――」

　Abel’s cold words pierced through the demon mask and into Subaru and Rem.

　Hearing his dry tone, Rem helplessly lowered her pale blue gaze. Indeed, that was a hard-to-refute reality that Subaru understood well.

　But understanding that and having emotions come to terms with it were two different matters altogether.

「The mistake of having the imperial troops glaring at our camp is mine. The act of hostility was also the consequence of my own actions.」

「True. It’s a burden you’ve carried since before you came into contact with the “People of Shudrak”.」

「I can’t make excuses regarding that burden. There’s no denying that I made enemies—therefore, it should have only been me who paid the price for that debt.」

　While most of the blame lay with Subaru, the issue here was Abel’s stance.

　He must have known all along about the potential dangers of Subaru and the others entering Gwararu. He should have realized the possibility of running into surviving imperial soldiers and being attacked.

　And so—

「That’s why I had Kuna and Holly wait outside the city. If we were chased and had to flee from the city, they would cover for us.」

「For real, it was a close call! Without me and Kuna, Subaru’s head would’ve been cleaved in two by now!」

　While plopping down in a relaxed pose, Holly said cheerfully, munching on a round dumpling. In contrast, Kuna’s face looked awkward beside her, clearly not grasping the atmosphere.

　Of course, Subaru was grateful for the assistance from Holly and the others. Without their help, the risk of being cleaved in the head would have become a painful reality.

「With Kuna keeping watch and Holly’s arms saving us… A combination of long-distance shooting skills from the both of them.」

「…I hadn’t heard the situation had reached that level.」

　Kuna’s words lacked energy, indicating her guilt towards Subaru and the others.

　However, the guilt Kuna bore could be seen as unwarranted. Before entering Gwararu, her parting words had offered Subaru a significant hint.

　Without that advice, he probably wouldn’t have been able to acquire the assistance Holly mentioned.

　However—

「That line of reasoning only applies to Kuna and Holly. —I have no intention of being kind to you, who seemed to perfectly foresee that this was going to happen.」

　That was why the first thing he did upon returning was throw a punch at Abel.

　If Abel had shown any sign of remorse after that hit, things would’ve been different. However, as expected, Abel neither showed remorse nor concern.

　With his haughty perspective unchanging, he toed the line in a way that toyed with Subaru’s frustration.

　Even now, Abel’s sharp gaze beyond the demon mask remained completely unclouded.

　It almost seemed as if he would say, “What’s it to me?”

「Hey, quit being all silent and say something!」

「――What’s it to me?」

「…You’re really saying that.」

　With the irritating imaginings coming true, Subaru clenched his jaw tightly, glaring up at Abel.

　However, Abel coldly brushed off Subaru’s angry gaze.

「You made a furious return, and all you can spout are worthless gripes? I had warned you from the start. —This path wouldn’t be easy.」

「Guh…!」

「Know the price for leaping at fleeting comfort without thinking. The nearest town to a burnt camp is most often the destination for the defeated. It’s only common sense.」

「Then… then you could’ve just said so from the beginning!」

　Every one of Abel’s words stabbed at Subaru’s inadequacies.

　But Subaru understood his faults and acknowledged them. He realized that the misfortune resulting from his inadequate thoughts and actions had exploded forth.

　However, Abel had seen the danger yet did nothing to avert it. That was nothing short of a self-serving act— if he’s out of touch with friend and foe, it’s practically the same as laying a trap.

「You knew it from the beginning. The potential for us to run into surviving imperial soldiers in Gwararu, the chance of having to escape the city in a frenzy, and just in the chaos, Rem would…」

「――――」

「Anyway! You knew all of it. And yet, you kept mum!」

　Fueled by his emotions, words that shouldn’t have flown out almost slipped from his mouth. He quickly subdued them and, avoiding Rem’s gaze, focused his anger solely on Abel.

　As Subaru’s fury flared, Abel merely gazed at him with a calm— no, a chilling indifference.

　With that penetrating stare, one might wonder just how far this man could see into the world.

　And yet, knowing that, what is the purpose of him toying around with Subaru and the others?

「Answer me, you bastard! Why are you messing with us…」

「I’ve merely cut out the unnecessary hassle.」

「Unnecessary hassle…?」

　Hearing Subaru almost snap back, Abel nonchalantly responded with an exasperated tone that almost resembled a sigh.

　As Subaru blinked in confusion at that answer, Abel slowly reached down to stroke the floor of the assembly hall, scooping dried soil into his palm.

「Men like you place more weight on what you’ve seen with your own foolish eyes than the wise counsel of a sage. The harshness of the raindrops falling is more eloquent than my words.」

「――――」

「Thanks to which, you must have felt it keenly. —You have no escape.」

　As he spoke, soil trickled down from Abel’s palm.

　Just that simple gesture gave Subaru the illusion that he was being starkly confronted with the fact that he was completely backed into a corner.

　To stand before the emperor of the Holy Volakia Empire meant that manipulating others with articulate words was child’s play.

　Before a shrewd emperor, Subaru’s pleas were akin to the wails of a monkey in a cage.

　And as it stood, Subaru could only bury his head in despair.

「…In the end, what do you want?」

「As I’ve already conveyed, my goal is to reclaim what was taken from me. For that, the empire as it stands is my enemy. That goes for you as well.」

「—. You want me to cooperate with you?」

「For now, I explained that I have no reason to harm you.」

　As Subaru buried his head in thought, Abel’s words seeped in like poison.

　The elusive nature of Abel’s rhetoric was laced with shrewdness, wrapping Subaru in a fog while possibly testing him as well.

　Once again, Abel had encouraged Subaru to think for himself, to choose for himself.

　Here, Abel was challenging Subaru to step onto his level for discourse, when currently, he had yet to even ascend to the same debate ground.

　And, the emperor wouldn’t be so gentle as to wait for Subaru to obediently step into the ring.

「…It’s all in your hands, huh? I don’t like it one bit.」

「――Unfortunately, I can only manipulate a select few. It’s precisely because I couldn’t subdue the others that I am now sitting on this dirt.」

「――――」

　Under Subaru’s spat, Abel’s reply sounded almost like self-derision.

　Though his expression was unseen, there was no change in the tone of his voice. Yet there was an air of self-derision in it. It was rare—no, it was the first time Subaru had heard Abel mock himself.

　And that was undoubtedly a testament to the reality he faced.

　He had allowed betrayal from his own subjects, now a deposed emperor without a crown.

　This current situation of sitting on the soil of the “People of Shudrak” in a deep forest was no mere trifling matter for him and stood as irrefutable evidence of a major blunder.

「――――」

　As he stared straight at Abel, Subaru quietly contemplated.

　Regarding his own future course, as well as the direction of their group, he pondered the true intentions of Abel. He refused to fall victim to the same misfortunes once more due to being swept up in his plans.

　In reality, what was Abel truly thinking?

　Subaru certainly didn’t think that Abel would go to such lengths just to draw him into his faction. He likely saw no inherent value in Subaru.

　Yet, if Abel wished to have Subaru near him for some reason, it would likely be due to a fascination with other external elements—

「――Hey there! These folks are really amusing and open-hearted! I’m impressed!」

「Whoa what!?」

　Just then, as Subaru was deep in serious thought.

　Flopp appeared, slipping at the entrance of the assembly hall, projecting his unmistakably clear voice. As he surveyed the faces of everyone assembled, he remarked,

「I apologize for the late introduction! It seems you all are the representatives of this village! Oh my! We have the spitting images of Miss Kuna and Miss Holly right here!」

「It’s me!」

「It’s me!」

「Is that so!? How rude of me!」

　With a quick swipe of his long bangs, Flopp entered the crowd of the assembly hall, and with a charming smile, he offered a deep bow.

「Allow me to introduce myself again, I am Flopp O’Connell! Alongside my sister Medium and Botekurifu, I have my trade business. Due to various reasons, it seems I found myself journeying alongside this noble man and his lady and niece on their rare adventure. I look forward to getting along with you all!」

「You seem to know how to show gratitude… but not really.」

　After receiving Flopp’s energetic greeting, Talitta donned a pained expression on her face. She then glanced sideways at Mizelda.

「Sister, what shall we do? Should we command this outsider to step back…」

「Hmm… No, he’s a good-looking guy. Let’s keep him here.」

「Sister…」

　Arms crossed, Mizelda judged Flopp based on instinct.

　Her logic was straightforward and simple, but as Talitta sought to support Mizelda as the village chief, it must have made for a headache. Of course, if that were the sole criterion for Mizelda’s judgment, Subaru wouldn’t be staying in the village much longer, and he suspected there must be more to it.

「Right, Mizelda, I want to confirm one thing. Flopp is technically my guest; I brought him along on my own discretion. But about making him partake in the ‘Ritual of Blood’…」

「Ritual of Blood? Perhaps, is that your village’s traditional welcoming ceremony? I would love to experience it!」

「It’s a traditional ceremony, but it’s quite rough for a welcome.」

　Though Flopp was enthusiastic about experiencing the ritual, he likely would hesitate if faced with the possibility of being forced to battle beasts. Although he might also maintain his attitude, that was the fear—regardless, he didn’t want to put him through that.

「—I knew from the moment we were separated by that wall that this guy was loud.」

　And Abel, the cold-hearted emperor clad in a demon mask, did not welcome Flopp’s attitude.

　With Flopp’s warm personality under the sun, the cold blood running through Abel’s veins formed a stark contrast. At the very least, Abel showed no sign of liking Flopp, leaving Subaru’s blood to run cold.

「What a rare mask you have… Might you be the village chief? I read somewhere that those adorned in unique garments hold special positions!」

　The encounter of these two was sparked by Flopp pointing out Abel’s extravagant attire.

　It wasn’t unreasonable for Flopp to deduce that from his distinctive demon mask, but it was challenging to classify Abel as one of the Shudrak people, given that the rest of him was drastically different culture-wise than the other Shudrak. Upon closer inspection, his outfit was simply mismatched.

「Your way of thinking is not bad, but you lack caution and consideration. You mentioned earlier you were a merchant…」

「Ah, that’s right! My sister Botekurifu pulls the ox cart, and we carry merchandise across the empire, selling goods… We are nomadic siblings wandering with the wind!」

　Hand on his chest, Flopp sang his reply.

　Outside the building, a voice rang out from the plaza, exclaiming, “As expected of big bro!”

　Even with a wall between them, the sibling bond was undeniable.

　However, this touching relationship failed to warm Abel’s cold heart.

　As he heard Flopp’s answer, Abel snorted lightly with a “Hmph,” and said,

「—Natsuki Subaru, you mentioned you picked them up in the city.」

「Don’t treat people like objects. If we’re being precise, it’s more accurate to say we were picked up by Flopp.」

「What matters is the essence. I have no time to be caught up in trivialities. But I’ll commend you for returning. That was a worthy act.」

「That certainly doesn’t feel like praise… What are you scheming?」

　To be honest, Subaru believed Flopp and Abel had terrible compatibility.

　For this reason, he intended to have Flopp wait in the plaza, and would introduce him when the moment was right. However, Abel’s reaction was beyond Subaru’s expectations.

　But more to the point, Abel’s interest in Flopp didn’t stem from his humanity. Surely, it wasn’t from merely noticing Medium’s loudness either. In that case, the answer was clear.

「Merchant, how familiar are you with Gwararu?」

「That’s a good question, Chief! I’d like to think I’m quite well-acquainted with Gwararu as I’m local spice! It’s clear that if I wander too far, I’d be risking my life! During trade, I’ve got to familiarize myself with the lands I often traverse!」

「It sounds like cautiousness and cowardice are two sides of the same coin, doesn’t it?」

　Kuna sighed in disbelief at Flopp’s confidently optimistic response.

　Yet, after hearing Flopp’s answer, Abel fell silent behind the demon mask. —No, Subaru’s ears picked up a sound other than silence.

　It was the faint sound of Abel’s throat making a tight swallow.

「Fortuitous. A serendipity, Natsuki Subaru. —If you’re a merchant familiar with the city, you must have an inkling of a couple of escape routes.」

「Hey, wait, Abel. Escape routes? What are you talking about?」

「Do you really need to lean on others for answers? It seems you haven’t grasped the implications behind my repeated inquiries. I won’t waste my words on such ignorance.」

「――――」

　Though the tone was terribly exasperating, he had no retort against Abel’s words.

　Given the current situation, it was a tight spot for Natsuki Subaru, who was completely isolated. Therefore, though it might be infuriating, he had to think it over.

　—No, he didn’t have to; he roughly grasped Abel’s intent already.

　Just recalling Abel’s previous inquiry to Flopp made it crystal clear.

「Abel, you’re not planning…」

「Even a dim-witted brain should produce an answer if used. Yes, you’re precisely correct.」

　Recognizing the trembling lips and the tension in Subaru’s face, Abel coldly conveyed his chilling intentions through the mask.

　He then announced for the sake of everyone present, including those aside from Subaru,

「—We will conquer Castle City Gwararu. That city is essential as our next stronghold.」