――The time was just before the arrival of the winged beings.

“Ugh~ I failed again… I’m really useless…”

A boy walks down the street, shaking his head with loose, pink curly hair.

With short trousers that reveal his white legs, he is the boy who just came out of the largest mansion in the city—Schult. With a downcast expression, Schult sighs as he opens and closes his slender, soft hands, which lack any strength.

The young Schult has already determined his lifelong master, just one person.

Born in a poor village, Schult was supposed to starve to death on the roadside after being reduced in number due to heavy taxation that year. Just as hunger and thirst made him gnaw at mud, nearly becoming his last meal, he was saved by the gleaming sun passing by.

It was that way of life, burning up the entire world, that rescued him, and that’s how Schult exists now.

That’s why Schult genuinely wants to dedicate all he has and all he will have to his immensely grateful master.

Yet—,

“I feel so useless, not being able to help at all…”

With a deep sigh—, that sigh was exhaled more weakly than those of average people due to his lung capacity issue, and Schult was painfully troubled by his own inadequacy.

Recently, he had struggled to fulfill an important duty assigned to him by his master but ended up failing.

Even though it was just a simple task of filling the hot bath, he spilled water everywhere and mishandled the magical ore needed to heat it, creating chaos.

Furthermore, he had caused inconvenience to Priscilla’s servant, the not-so-well-footed Rem, who had only recently started serving Priscilla, to the point that now he was utterly fed up with his own pitifulness.

“Lady Priscilla and Sir Al both said it’s fine not to rush, but…”

The kind Priscilla and the broad-minded Al’s comforting words were delightful.

But Schult dislikes being unable to repay their kindness. In that regard, Heinkel, who interacts with Schult from a different perspective, seems to understand him.

Heinkel was also the one who taught Schult a different way of sword training when Al’s method didn’t suit him. Thanks to that, Schult feels that his muscles have become slightly firmer than before.

“If I practice a single swing for one day and take ten days off like Sir Al’s way, it’s not for me. The daily routine of practicing with Heinkel suits me better. I don’t want to disappoint Sir Al, so I can’t say this to him, but…”

In any case, such signs of growth made Schult a little cocky.

And then, the heavens did not overlook Schult’s complacency and pride. That led to the major disaster in that bathhouse, Schult was reflecting a lot on that.

By now, as he refills the bathwater, Rem must be helping his master—Priscilla, in the bath. Schult sincerely thinks that Rem can do anything and deserves respect.

“It’s like Lady Yae… I wonder how she’s doing…?”

Suddenly, the memory of a cheerful and lively maid named Yae Tenzen, who had previously worked under Priscilla, resurfaced in Schult’s mind.

Yae was in charge of attending to Priscilla and always had fun chatting with Al, being very kind to Schult, which made him really fond of her.

However, one day, she seemed to have faced a family tragedy and abruptly quit her job at the mansion to return to the countryside. Schult felt very lonely, having had no chance to say goodbye. From the last story Al said when he saw her off, she apparently said hello to Schult.

Perhaps Rem might take Yae’s place serving Priscilla.

If kind and hardworking Rem were to do that, Schult would be very pleased too. Since she gets along well with Priscilla, Rem must also be having a great time.

Above all—,

“If I’m with Lady Priscilla, then everyone will be filled with happiness.”

His very own real-life experience conveys to Schult the significance of Priscilla’s presence.

Rem, too, seems to be at an age filled with worries and is often lost in thought. Such a gloomy face, burdened with worries, would surely be brightly lit by the sun that is Priscilla.

“Ah, Schu-kita”

“Hmm! Yes, indeed!”

With those thoughts in his heart, Schult raised and lowered his head, halting his steps. The reason was that he recognized the voice he had heard and saw someone pointing at him in front of him.

Right in front of Schult, walking through the street with one excited-looking young girl pointing at him was a girl with black hair dyed pink at the tips. She was accompanied by a young man, and noticing the mutual awareness between Schult and the girl, he cheerfully exclaimed, “Hey there!”

“Aren’t you the butler? I see that princess isn’t with you.”

“Lady Priscilla is relaxing at the mansion, Sir Flopp. Were you perhaps out on a stroll with Lady Utakata?”

“Wow, it’s rare to be called ‘Uu-sama’. How interesting!”

With a gentle smile and a wave, the young man—Flopp nodded at Schult’s question. The girl standing next to him, Utakata, also brought her hand to her cheek, looking deep in thought about the way Schult referred to her.

Flopp and Utakata were people Schult met for the first time since arriving in Gwararu. From what he heard, Flopp was a traveling merchant who traveled from town to town, while Utakata was a warrior from the group known as the “People of Shudrak.”

Both of them were impressive individuals who had their own solid standing in the world.

“Oh? You look a bit downcast, butler-kun. I can’t help but think you seem troubled.”

“Eh!? You can tell!?”

“Oh yeah! It’s quite easy! After all, most people have troubles! Even my little sister, who seems to have no worries at all, has some!”

“Midi doesn’t seem to have any troubles.”

“Yes, she does! It’s surprising!”

With his hands on his hips, Flopp burst into hearty laughter. Watching Flopp’s bright demeanor, Schult felt himself brighten a little too.

Flopp is just like Priscilla; he brightens up the surroundings. Surely, many colorful flowers would bloom around Flopp.

“He’s like the prince of a flower garden!”

“Haha, I’m not that grand of a prince! I’m just a basic merchant! But hey, butler-kun, what’s troubling you? Want to talk about it?”

“Is that alright? Weren’t you out for a stroll…?”

Schult felt embarrassed as Flopp leaned from his waist, asking about his troubles. A glance towards Utakata, who was supposed to be out for a walk with Flopp, revealed she was narrowing her round eyes but didn’t seem displeased as she shook her head.

“I’m bored. It’s no fun to play with Flopp, so I’ll listen to Schu’s troubles.”

“Is that so? Ah, don’t think of it as just to pass the time. Any trouble is a serious matter for the one troubled. So, I’ll properly listen.”

With that, Flopp patted his not-so-muscular chest and led Schult and Utakata to the edge of the road, towards a flowerbed’s edge.

There, the three of them perched their bottoms on the ledge and started talking while basking in the breeze.

Schult’s worry was, as mentioned earlier, the problem of being useless.

He wanted to become a better version of himself for Priscilla, but—

“I just can’t seem to get it right. How did you become the wonderful person you are, Sir Flopp and Lady Utakata?”

“Oh, I see. How did I become the person I am now? That’s quite philosophical!”

“Philosophical… is that so…?”

In response to Flopp’s smiling answer, Schult braced himself, feeling the unease of not having a clue about that philosophy.

If he couldn’t understand that philosophy, he wouldn’t be able to arrive at an answer concerning his troubles. If that’s the case, he was ready to study that philosophy.

“Uu became Uu because Ma gave birth to Uu.”

“Ma, is it? What does that mean…?”

“She’s Uu’s mother! Ma was friendly with Ta. But she stabbed herself and died.”

“Is that so…?”

Wagging her feet, Utakata recounted the story of her mother’s demise.

Though she seemed unconcerned about it, Schult was astonished by the unexpected content he heard. Flopp, who was on the opposite side of her, gently patted Utakata’s head.

“Ah, I see. It must have been tough for your mother, Miss Utakata.”

“It was tougher for Ta. Uu was raised by Mi and everyone, so I’m completely fine. I’m growing up like this.”

“Yes, indeed, you certainly have grown very well, Miss Utakata. Surely, your mother must be pleased about that.”

“—? It’s true that Ma is dead, so she wouldn’t be pleased. Flopp, you’re saying strange things.”

While being patted by Flopp, Utakata wore a puzzled expression. However, it seemed like she didn’t mind being patted, as she didn’t stop Flopp’s hand.

In response to Utakata’s reaction, Flopp narrowed his blue eyes quietly, saying—

“Now, Miss Utakata’s answer was very good. Actually, if we were to talk about how I became who I am now, I would give a similar answer.”

“A similar answer…? So, Sir Flopp, you were raised similarly to Miss Utakata by the People of Shudrak?”

“If that’s true, I’d be very happy to have a lot of family! But aside from my sister Midium, all my family members have already passed away. That’s quite sad and lonely.”

“Is that so…?”

In the first half, he spoke in his usual tone, but in the latter half, Flopp’s voice dipped slightly. Bowing his head to his answer, Schult felt his own pathetic self surface again.

He had unwittingly asked something very insensitive to both Utakata and Flopp.

If Schult were asked about his own family, which had discarded him, he wouldn’t have a pleasant answer to return either.

He should have thought more about various aspects before asking.

“You don’t need to blame yourself that much, butler-kun. You can learn from now on. Actually, that connects back to my earlier answer.”

“Earlier… to the thing about having the same answer as Miss Utakata?”

“Exactly. Sharing the same answer, I, too, was influenced by the people around me to become who I am now.”

Spreading his arms wide, Flopp smiled as if to show off who he is now.

That cheerful smile and reassuring tone are crucial elements of Flopp’s character and likely stemmed from the influence of others.

“A long time ago, my sister and I lived in a horrible environment. It was a facility that gathered and raised orphans. There wasn’t much food, we didn’t earn any money for working, and the adults there would hit the kids at the drop of a hat. It was a terrible place.”

“Tha-that’s a horrible place! What could children possibly do in such a place?!”

“If it were Uu, I would burn it down.”

“If I could, I would burn it down!”

“Haha, that might have been an option, but it never came to that.”

In response to Flopp’s harsh past and Utakata’s suggestion to set fire to it, Schult shared in agreement. However, Flopp laughed, having already passed through that past.

How exactly did he get past his past—

“Well, it was thanks to other people. We had benefactors who helped us. They’re the family members of my sister and me who have already passed away.”

“…You were saved by them? That’s really good.”

“Do you understand, butler-kun?”

“I do understand… I too have been saved by Lady Priscilla.”

Gently placing his hand on his chest, Schult felt the fact that it was no longer a body of only bones and skin with his fingertips. That’s the proof of what Priscilla has given him until today.

The sturdier, stronger, and healthier he becomes, the more he can prove that that day’s actions of Priscilla were not a mistake. He also wouldn’t cause her any regret.

In response to the brilliance in Schult’s red eyes, Flopp chuckled softly, saying—

“Overall, I’ve felt something similar too. That’s why I’m striving to work hard to achieve my own big goals. The path ahead is quite steep, but I want to keep at it without giving up.”

“Please don’t give up! Ah! But I’d like you to be a bit more specific. What exactly is it you’re working hard at, Sir Flopp?”

“Um, let’s see. I’ve thought about it a lot… So let me tell you about my sister instead of me. My sister, who is very tall and strong.”

“Ohhh!”

Flopp raised his arm high as if to emphasize the size of the sister in question.

While Schult had heard about Flopp’s sister before, he had never met her directly. When he first arrived in Gwararu with Heinkel to join Priscilla, Flopp’s sister had already departed for another location.

That said—

“Midii is tall and strong. I’m quite impressed.”

“Above all, her voice is loud, and she’s not intimidated at all. Of course, being strong makes me just as proud as her brother! She was working hard to get stronger.”

“To get stronger… is that so? I admire that!”

Surely, that meant she was positive, never losing her motivation and striving forward.

Thinking that continuing diligently without rot might be the key to improvement, Schult was about to accept this when Flopp shrugged and said—

“You might think so, right? But it’s kind of the opposite reason why Midium became strong.”

“U-opposite reason? What do you mean?”

“Yeah, it’s simple. —When adults hit me, Midium would gently stroke my wounds.”

His eyes softened as Flopp reminisced about the past.

The gentle narration coupled with the strong contrast of what he was saying puzzled Schult.

He couldn’t connect the dots that being petted while having wounds from being hit by an adult could be a catalyst for getting stronger.

“Having been hit is pitiful. But what were you doing, Sir Flopp, while your sister was tenderly caressing your wounds?”

“Me? I was laughing. I was happy for Midium’s feelings, and if I wasn’t smiling, Midium, who had shielded me, would worry.”

“―――”

“That’s why when I was unable to shield her and was first hit by an adult, Midium was genuinely shocked. When she stroked my wound, it hurt. It didn’t heal or take the pain away. Sadly, that’s just how it is.”

Shaking his head slowly, Flopp answered regretfully.

Listening to Flopp’s response, even Schult, who wasn’t quick on the uptake, finally understood his true intention.

Now he also grasped how Midium had been able to aspire to be stronger without giving up.

“Because it hurt, Midium thought that to avoid it, she could only get stronger. Is that what she thought?”

“Well, that’s pretty much it! My dear sister, although simple, it’s a good answer. Thanks to that, Midium became strong, and our journey as siblings was made safer!”

As Flopp dramatically laughed, Schult noticed something about him seemed slightly different.

He not only looked cheerful but also proud. It was clear that Flopp was genuinely proud of his sister from the bottom of his heart. Schult couldn’t help but feel envious.

“I want to be strong just like Sir Flopp’s sister…”

“Hearing that would surely make Midium happy. No, she might even blush. Having someone look up to her like that, I’m sure she finds it quite enjoyable.”

As Schult tightly clenched his small fists, Flopp gave him a smile of encouragement.

While watching the interaction between the two, Utakata looked at Schult, asking—

“If you want to get strong, shall we practice together? Archery practice.”

“Archery, you say? But I also want to practice swordsmanship… No, I will do it! I will do both! Doing so will make me twice as strong!”

“If you can accomplish both, that’s exactly right! Wise choice!”

With his determination fired up, Schult raised both hands toward the sky alongside Flopp. With their promise of training together, Utakata also puffed her small nose out of pride.

Showing the bow she was carrying on her back to Schult, she declared—

“Uu is also working hard just like Schu! To become a master like Ta!”

“I want to meet that Ta too. Lady Utakata, why do you want to become a master of archery?”

“Because Ma said so. Travelers are to be killed by Uu using arrows.”

“Oh, I see… Huh!?”

With a more radical answer than he had expected, Schult’s understanding momentarily lagged.

He heard it as just “to kill travelers”, but what could that possibly mean?

Should he ask for more details? Just after reflecting on the previous discussion, Schult hesitated.

——Just then, while he was deep in thought, the time to question was taken from him.

“――Butler-kun! Miss Utakata!”

“――!?”

“Uuh?”

Suddenly, Flopp’s expression changed, and a sharp voice called out to Schult and Utakata. The sudden rise caused Schult’s shoulder to jump, and Flopp gripped his shoulder tightly.

Then, pulling Schult and Utakata closer, Flopp shouted.

“The sky looks dangerous! We should hurry and run away!”

△▼△▼△▼△

——When that swarm was spotted in the sky, Heinkel was at City Hall.

Present there were the actual commanders of the stationed military forces in the castle city.

Originally dispatched to the city, during the conquest of the castle city, two generals—Ziqru Osman, who had joined Abel, or more precisely, Priscilla, and their subordinates.

In addition, though fewer in number than the imperial troops, the formidable hunting tribe “People of Shudrak”, led by their acting chief Mizelda, who was not to be underestimated.

When Heinkel visited the hall, these two had already been face-to-face, discussing the future.

There had been talk of prophetic signs from Priscilla, and while Heinkel didn’t believe she had the ability to foresee the future, he knew better than to underestimate the foresight possessed by those extraordinary beings.

Not limited to Priscilla, those who bore special powers or destiny view the world from a different height than ordinary people.

The difference in height corresponds to the view they behold. They can see farther and perceive things invisible to the average person, and ordinary—no, inferior people can never understand that.

That’s something Heinkel had painfully learned throughout his forty-plus years of life.

Thus, he didn’t shoot down Priscilla’s words just because he could not understand them; that was the very reason he made his way to City Hall.

And then——,

“———”

Looking out the window, the first one to notice something was off was Mizelda, who snorted and appeared to sense danger.

Having lost one leg during the battle of conquering the castle city, the former chief of Shudrak now attached a stick to her knee to use as a prosthetic to walk.

As she turned around, the same sound of her supporting stick tapping followed.

With Mizelda’s strong gaze and striking beauty, when her profile tightened, Heinkel and Ziqru, who were there with her, instantly understood something was wrong and looked in the same direction.

They saw a swarm of black dots rushing down from the sky, and Ziqru muttered.

“——A swarm of flying dragons.”

“——Ziqru! Alert the troops! I will mobilize Shudrak!”

Immediately realizing the danger of the situation, Mizelda pushed Ziqru away, kicking the floor hard and leaping out from the rooftop of the hall.

However, having lost her leg recently, she opted not to jump straight out of the window but rather hurriedly took the stairs down.

Caught up in her momentum, Ziqru, confused, quickly snapped to alertness.

“Ring the bells! Enemy attack! They’re coming from the sky!”

He shouted, kicking the back of his aide, signaling that a crisis was about to hit the castle city.

After taking note of the reactions, Heinkel rested his hand on his sword’s hilt, and then he clicked his tongue loudly, echoing a sound as sharp as the tolling bells in the air.

“Heinkel! What about Lady Priscilla…?”

“If it’s Lady Priscilla, she’s in the mansion. I sensed something might happen. She should start moving soon.”

In response to Ziqru turning around, Heinkel gazed at the shadow of the enemy in the sky.

In just a few moments, it became evidently ominous, growing in size rapidly as it hurtled toward the city. There was no time to waste.

“What about our attacking enemy? Any guess?”

“——That number of flying dragons is abnormal. The manpower that could deploy that many dragon riders is likely only from the imperial capital… Given that, there’s only one possibility.”

“That possibility is…?”

Heinkel’s tone grew rough as Ziqru’s roundabout way of speaking was wasting time.

After a brief pause, Ziqru finally answered.

“The ‘Dragon General’ Madelin Eshault… She commands flying dragons. In other words—”

“Damn it, the ‘Nine Divine Generals’…!”

With the name he recognized being brought up, Heinkel began to scratch his head in frustration.

While he wasn’t particularly knowledgeable about the imperial army’s internal affairs, Heinkel was the vice-captain of the royal guard of the Lugnica Kingdom. As such, he was well-informed about foreign matters, more than the average citizen.

He had heard about the supreme fighting force of the empire, the “Nine Divine Generals,” and was aware of their names and reputations.

All of them are supposedly unparalleled warriors of unmatched power, and only the top powers of the kingdom, such as General Marcos of the royal guard, can match up against them.

Of course, there was also the kingdom’s strongest “Sword Saint,” but——,

“There are rumors about a terrifying individual who can go toe-to-toe with Reinhardt…”

He had heard that the strongest swordsman of the Volakia Empire was comparable in strength to Reinhardt.

Naturally, it is expected that there would be disparities in the strength of the “Nine Divine Generals,” but the mere prospect of such a monster approaching while bearing that title was nothing short of a nightmare for Heinkel.

Originally, Heinkel had no intention of coming to the empire.

Priscilla had whimsically decided to head to Volakia, and he had been dragged along without a choice. He had no interest in the very survival of this castle city.

However——,

“I can’t let Lady Priscilla’s mood sour… If she becomes a queen and I get kicked out, that would mean nothing.”

Its unpredictable and capricious nature is what makes Priscilla so hard to understand.

Whatever winds may blow, she was keeping Heinkel close for now, but if he doesn’t prove himself useful, he may find himself cast away.

That cannot happen. After all, Priscilla is the only one holding the threads which Heinkel is clinging onto for dear life.

“There’s no time for chit-chat. We’re driving the swarm of flying dragons away. Ziqru, you’ll give the overall commands here!”

“That’s the plan, but what will you do, Heinkel?”

“——I’ll do as I please.”

Unlike Ziqru and Mizelda, Heinkel had no troops or companions to command.

Even if he had any, his title of vice-captain of the royal guard meant nothing of importance. He learned the basics of battle tactics long ago, and in the first place, no one would listen to Heinkel’s orders.

So there was only one thing Heinkel was capable of from the start.

“———”

Immediately after reaching that conclusion, Heinkel dashed over to the balcony of the City Hall without even hearing Ziqru’s response, jumping down toward the city below.

He let the tips of his toes land on a high building’s rooftop, kicking off and running away, leaping toward the next building. The whole time, he kept leaping while feeling the wind, heading toward the fortress surrounding the city.

Towards the western sky, where the swarm of flying dragons was coming from, he jumped upon the towering castle and caught his breath

The alert bells warning of an enemy attack rang out across the city, and the chaos of confused citizens filled the streets, mixed with the furious shouts of the soldiers trying to quell the panic and get everyone to evacuate.

“……Ah, damn it.”

The smell of the air had noticeably changed, and the taste of saliva on his tongue turned bitter.

As the atmosphere of blood and steel from the battlefield approached, Heinkel found himself hearing a high-pitched ringing in his ears.

Moreover, along with Heinkel, imperial soldiers were gathering at the western fortress as well.

If Ziqru’s predictions were correct, one of the “Nine Divine Generals” was coming. What resolution would they face in confronting an opponent of such standing?

Despite being under the same banner, did they not feel any uneasiness? Or was it enough that they could fight? Was dying in battle enough for them to be satisfied?

“Damn it, damn it, damn it, all of you bastards…”

Surging from deep within his chest, a viscous, pitch-black heat flowed throughout his entire body.

Starting from his heart, coursing through his internal organs and lower abdomen, penetrating the tips of his fingers and toes, Heinkel bit down on his teeth tight enough to creak.

His hand slowly moved toward the sword hanging from his waist—its name was “Astrea.” He tightened his grip on the hilt.

And then——,

“—Everyone drop dead, you bastards!”

Letting out a roar as if to expel his unbearable anger, Heinkel’s sword flashed, an arc of blood spraying forth as he cleaved through the thick neck of a diving flying dragon.

△▼△▼△▼△

The pealing of warning bells and the shrieks of frightened citizens created a chaotic symphony, transforming the castle city of Gwararu into a battlefield ruled by hellish cries.

From the western sky surged a horde of flying dragons, numbering in the hundreds, shattering the once-peaceful hearts of the residents, who had found some assurance behind the stone walls guarded by the fortress.

The formidable destructive power of the magical stone cannons could not withstand the flying dragons; if these absolute walls held any weakness, it was the existence of threats that could soar over even these mighty walls.

Beings capable of traversing those walls or ruling the skies.

Truly, this day, the castle city faced its toughest foe.

“—This is really not good.”

Avoiding the screams echoing through the main square, Flopp furrowed his brows while peeking out from an alleyway.

After spotting the flying dragons in the far sky, a few minutes went by, and the situation began to worsen, causing the castle city to forget the brief moment of calm and once again transform into a battleground like ten days prior.

However, the change this time was far worse than it had been ten days ago.

After all——,

“Master-kun was trying to minimize damage as much as possible… But it seems our current enemy has no intention of being so considerate.”

Subaru, who had boldly assumed the guise of a woman to aim for a “bloodless surrender” of the city.

Though that goal was left unfulfilled due to unexpected intruders, if only Subaru’s plans had been put into practice instead of anyone else’s, the amount of bloodshed would have been significantly greater.

Flopp thought that the fact that the emotions of the citizens of the castle city and the stationed imperial soldiers hadn’t plummeted was in part due to Subaru’s efforts that had succeeded in minimizing their panic.

However, it seemed the current enemy lacked any such gentlemanly mindset.

“Eep!”

A thunderous roar echoed, and a shockwave rattled the ground along with it as Flopp’s companion, Schult, screamed.

Which was no surprise; the assailants wielding flying dragons were ruthlessly intense and effective.

“All they’re doing is having the flying dragons carry rocks and dropping them from high up.”

It was a straightforward and quite primitive attack.

But even a rock the size of a human head would cause serious injury if it struck someone, and the only boulders being dropped recently were massive ones, measuring one or two times larger.

They were powerful enough to smash stone structures and leave big craters in the streets. Naturally, if a person were to be hit by such a rock, there would indeed be catastrophic consequences.

Flopp and the others hurriedly squeezed into an alley, yet no guarantees existed that it was a safe zone.

If there was to be a safe zone, it would either be subterranean or heading towards the strong among them.

“We’re in the large building in the center.”

“Lady Priscilla is in the mansion…”

“Yeah, that’s right. Both of you are very clever, and I agree! The problem is that our current location is almost in the middle of both!”

Mizelda and Ziqru, those reliable defenders of the city.

Although they were mere individuals, Priscilla’s power didn’t pale in comparison to even the “Nine Divine Generals.”

Which way to rush toward raised a dilemma for Flopp.

In the interim——,

“Someone help me… Uwaaaaaa!!”

Right before Flopp and the others in the alley, someone weaving through the street screamed and disappeared.——No, they hadn’t vanished; a shadow flying at incredible speed snatched the man’s body and carried him off into the air.

Apparently, the attacking flying dragons had assigned roles among themselves, separating into units that dropped massive boulders and those that launched direct assaults.

There might even be other flying dragons with different roles.

“Th-that person just now…”

“I want to help, but it’s impossible! We also can’t just run recklessly into the street. Should we get caught by the flying dragons’ claws or fangs, the three of us would be flown off together!”

“Uu has her bow! With this, I can bring down a flying dragon!”

While still in her arms, Utakata boasted fiercely as she showed off her bow and arrow. Had it been Holley, Kuna, or adult Shudrak, Flopp would have thought about that.

However, having once trained alongside Utakata, Flopp knew that her capabilities weren’t suited for this war.

“——It’s about children getting the tastiest food. I understand.”

Tightly closing his eyes, Flopp thought of the benefactor who had saved him and his sister from the depths of despair.

After all, that benefactor, brusque and rough in demeanor, consistently insisted on that principle without ever wavering. That’s why Flopp also wanted to be a “grown-up” who wasn’t marked by shame.

There was no way they could just sit there hiding. Whether heading toward the city hall or the mansion, some sort of strategy was essential.

To ensure the safety of Schult and Utakata——.

“——Both of you, I need you to listen. From now on, I’m going to—”

Drawing a small breath, Flopp had intended to convey the plan to both of them.

The moment the two children looked at Flopp, however, something happened.

“Ooohhhhhh!!”

“——!”

With a blood-curdling scream, something enormous fell onto the street from the sky. The sound it made as it was slammed down mingled with the screams and yells, landing with a heavy thud—a flying dragon, covered in dark blood.

When it spread its wings, measuring around three to four meters, it flapped them in a desperate attempt to escape from the impact of its fall.

Then——,

“Don’t you dare run! You scum, don’t you dare escape!”

A shadow had followed the fallen dragon and rolled onto the ground with great force. There, the intruder leaped onto the back of the writhing dragon, stabbing it with a sword, piercing its heart from behind.

A shriek erupted from the flying dragon, stretched long, as it bled tears of blood, collapsing on the ground.

Having observed the dragon’s last breath, the person remarked——,

“Damn, these bastards…”

Heaving heavily, the man with red hair descended from the dead dragon’s back. Upon seeing him, Schult in Flopp’s arms exclaimed, “Ah!”

“Sir Heinkel! Are you alright?”

“Eh?”

Called out by Schult’s high-pitched voice, the red-haired man turned around with a disgruntled expression. Instantly, Schult’s throat seized, catching on the sight of the man completely drenched in red.

As he widened his eyes, Schult escaped Flopp’s hold and rushed over to the man. Meanwhile, the man wiped his blood-soaked face on his sleeve, stating—

“What’s up, it’s you, shrimp.”

“Y-You’re covered in blood! Are you seriously injured!?”

“Injured? Ah, this blood is just from killing an enemy. If I got injured at all, it would just be a scratch.”

“R-really? Are you really alright…?”

Schult’s eyes widened as he touched the bloodied man’s body, confirming if he was truly unharmed, regardless of getting his own hands and clothes stained.

In response, the man sighed down at him.

Observing the exchange between the two, Flopp let out a breath of relief at the decision he almost made moments earlier.

“Don’t worry, Butler-kun; it seems he genuinely isn’t hurt. It looks like he can hold his own.”

“Who the hell are you? You’re the one killing the dragon?”

“Unfamiliar and a little surprising, but that’s right! But really, I was just running away, taking the little ones with me. I’m glad you showed up.”

When Flopp smiled at that, the bloodied man—Heinkel averted his gaze.

It wasn’t because he was shy; he had an expression of displeasure. In fact, he even clicked his tongue. However, he had indeed played a role in taking down the dragon and provided comfort to Schult.

Schult noticed that Heinkel was also another retainer serving Priscilla. He had presumed he could fight simply by carrying a sword, but it turned out he was even more capable than expected.

The overwhelming quantity of blood staining his body couldn’t simply be the result of killing a single dragon. It was evidence of having bathed in the blood of multiple dragons.

“I was on my way to see Lady Priscilla! What about you, Sir Heinkel?”

“Going to Lady Priscilla? …You’re safer with her, that’s for sure. But—”

“Right now, very few places in the city can be considered safe. If it’s just flying dragons, the best strategies should be buildings with basements or spots where spices are stored.”

“Spices…?”

Flopp interjected into Schult and Heinkel’s conversation, and Utakata tilted her head in question, noticing that both were giving Flopp puzzling gazes.

If they were unfamiliar with the ecology of flying dragons, they might not connect the dots.

“Flying dragons have exceptionally strong olfactory senses. They can sniff out blood from a considerable distance. Conversely, they’re poor at dealing with intense scents. That’s why, if we sprinkle pepper all over ourselves, we might evade capture.”

“…You’re quite knowledgeable.”

“Believe it or not, I’ve traveled around as a merchant! Plus, I happen to have a knowledgeable friend who’s well acquainted with flying dragons. He might’ve been the most knowledgeable person of them all!”

Nonetheless, the stories he’d heard from that individual mostly painted the positive side of flying dragons, so he hadn’t anticipated facing them as a threat.

At the very least, if the knowledge he had accumulated were true, it wouldn’t be impossible to concoct a strategy of covering themselves in spices to evade the flying dragons.

While the fact that they could unite with Flopp, who was capable of fighting, was a stroke of luck for Schult and the two children, it couldn’t be fully relied on regarding the battle surrounding the castle city.

“It’s not a good idea to have the red-haired guy as our escort.”

Flopp observed that Heinkel could confront the flying dragons single-handedly, making him a valuable asset amidst the countless threats surrounding the city.

Regardless of how the battle might turn out from this point onward, he would inevitably influence the overall stance of the fight. Keeping him alongside three non-combatants would be unacceptable.

For that reason——,

“We should aim for the underground while evading the flying dragons’ sight and scent. Red-haired guy, would you accompany us to the nearest eatery or warehouse? There, we can create a distraction… or rather, a scent distraction myself. Afterward, we should be able to manage by ourselves.”

“Wait, what?!”

Schult looked startled upon hearing Flopp’s suggestion, which seemed to completely disregard any option of separating from them.

Nonetheless, instead of being surprised, Utakata nodded in agreement.

“Uu feels the same. Schu will protect Uu. Don’t worry.”

“Lady Utakata, you…?”

In response to Utakata’s enthusiastic agreement, Schult trailed off as he furrowed his brows. After a few seconds, he lifted his determined face and turned to Heinkel.

“I understand. I’ll do my best alongside Flopp and the others. So, please be careful, Sir Heinkel…”

“——Don’t get carried away. Why should I have to follow your orders?”

“Eh!?”

However, Heinkel dismissed Schult’s resolve, grimacing as he said so.

While wiping the blood off his sword with his cloak, he gestured broadly.

“I’ll tell you now; I have no obligation to this city. If I fail to protect this shrimp, it would likely upset Lady Priscilla’s mood. I won’t accept that.”

“W-wait wait wait, red-haired guy! Just wait! Are you saying that keeping that princess in a good mood is more important than protecting the city? That’s…”

“—That’s right.”

“——”

Heinkel’s clear-cut statement left Flopp momentarily speechless, caught off guard by his boldness.

Staring at Flopp, Heinkel’s blood-smeared face had his bright blue eyes shimmering.

“I’ve got something far more important than this city or even any one life. It’s not this little shrimp. There’s something I need to ask of Lady Priscilla, whom I adore. For that, I wouldn’t care how many had to die.”

“Red-haired guy…”

“Both you and I aren’t remarkable people. Know your place; there are limits to what we can do. Don’t try to reach for something beyond those limits. You’ll only be leaving yourself open to misfortune.”

“———”

“No one can become a sword.”

With that harsh dismissal, Heinkel’s hand reached for Schult’s shoulder.

The little boy’s small, slender shoulder was grasped in Heinkel’s firm hand as his youthful eyes filled with tears.

That glimmering expression wasn’t fear but rather a kind of pity.

“Heinkel-sama, you seem to be suffering.”

——No, it wasn’t fear; it was something to be termed compassion.

Receiving that earnest gaze from the young boy made Heinkel’s expression tense slightly. However, it did not sway his resolved heart.

“I’m taking this shrimp to Lady Priscilla. If you two want to follow, feel free. Just don’t get the wrong idea thinking I’ll be guarding you.”

Saying that, Heinkel, still holding Schult, turned his back to Flopp and Utakata. With that, he stepped onto the street, making his way toward the mansion where Priscilla resided.

Flopp hesitated over whether to follow his advice, unsure, when——,

“——So, it’s you who has been killing the dragons.”

In that very instant, with that single statement, a shadow came crashing down from the sky, landing violently on the ground.

“———”

A thick cloud of dust kicked up as the unexpected intruder opened a gaping hole in the ground before them.

The shadow stood before Heinkel, blocking the street, crossing its stubby arms.

——At first, the delay in comprehension of what that silhouette was overtook them.

It was quite because the events that had just transpired and the impression received from that small figure had overlapped too greatly.

With a small frame and a charming expression, pristine white skin that bore no wounds, the figure was dressed in delicate azure. They resembled Schult and Utakata and didn’t seem like they could have just descended with such a thunderous impact.

But what had happened was all that mattered, and no one could deny that reality.

The being that stood there narrowed its golden eyes, gazing down at Flopp and the other three in the street, nodding.

And then——,

“Let the blood you’ve spilled flow until it’s all gone; that will be your penance, foolish ones.”