episode_0148

000

Amelia’s room. A mass of dark magic spreads subtly, dyeing the pure white room purple. The source is, of course, Amelia, holding hands with Cleon.

After somehow succeeding in transferring her dominion imprint to Amelia by using Rubera’s enchanted sword ability, which had been replenished with magic, Cleon was adjusting her body with the imprint.

“Ugh…”

Perhaps it feels strange to her that the dark magic, a power usually wielded by those she opposes, is crawling over her own body. Amelia makes such sounds from her mouth little by little, but Cleon and Rubera do not say anything and silently do what they have to do.

The place where the imprint was engraved on Amelia is right below the wound. Gradually, the magic emanating from there heals the wound on her body.

But-

“First. The external wound seems to be taken care of with this… The pain or the scars that will appear afterward will be gone. But, the seed inside… Even with the power of the imprint, I can’t completely pull it out.”

Cleon opened his mouth after treating the wound to some extent. The size of the crystal that had grown in her body had noticeably decreased. But it was not completely gone. It was also visually apparent that the imprint below the wound and the wound were gradually connecting, influencing each other.

The reason why he could not pull out the seed with the power of the imprint was simple. The wound was part of Amelia’s body, so it could be healed by adjusting her body with the dominion imprint, but the seed was not completely fused with the body, and it was an external substance outside of Cleon’s control.

Furthermore, if he tried to access and tamper with the magic nerves, a considerably complex formula would resist, so he treated the wound, covered it with the power of the imprint to prevent it from growing further or running wild.

“It’s okay. If it’s weakened this much, I can suppress it enough with my holy magic.”

But Amelia bowed her head gratefully and placed her hand on the black crystal on the wounded area. Previously, just bringing her hand to this place would cause tremendous pain, but now she felt nothing.

“If the fighting calms down to some extent. It would be good to have surgery to remove it completely.”

“Perhaps, if we get rid of the demon who planted this. The seed might disappear too.”

At Rubera’s words, Cleon nodded. And stood up. He left the house thinking of going for a morning jog, but he spent quite a long time outside, so it was completely between morning and noon.

“Anyway. Is this the end of what we have to do now? I think I have to go home for now.”

“I will watch Amelia’s condition a little more. And from today, I would like you to participate in the night patrol as well.”

Rubera said that and took out a small notebook from her bag and handed it to Cleon.

“…This is?”

“Essential things to keep in mind as a companion of the Saint Princess. Please be aware of it.”

Inside, there were many rules written in detail. Precautions for actions to prevent Amelia’s identity from being revealed. Detailed manuals on how to answer questions from witnesses, etc.

On the first page, there was a title [With this, you are also a companion of the Saint Princess!] along with illustrations of quite cute animals’ faces.

“… Did you make this?”

“… Yes. Is there something you are, dissatisfied with?”

Cleon was surprised once by the details of the contents. But he was a little impressed looking at the picture on the cover, her handwriting, and the sentence structure written considering the reader.

“That’s unexpected.”

“… How rude.”

“No. Sorry. You’re right. Iona would like it.”

At Cleon’s words, Rubera closed her mouth for a moment. Then, she looked at her notebook that she had given to Cleon and tried to say something.

“… …”

She stopped for a moment with her mouth open. Her gaze moved rapidly from side to side, as if something was running fast in her head. As if the words she was about to say were stuck near her throat. Her mouth opened and closed two or three times.

“Let’s talk about this next time.”

“Well… whatever.”

Cleon also noticed that Rubera was trying to say something difficult to say, so he didn’t try to force her. In that way, silence flowed between the two again. Barisada looked at the two of them alternately for a while, then sighed and packed her bags.

“─The dominion imprint that was in my hand.”

Eventually, Rubera spoke first. Cleon’s dominion imprint, which had been engraved on the back of her hand, had now been transferred from Rubera to Amelia. Naturally, the imprint engraved on her body was gone.

With this, the magic channel between Cleon and Rubera disappeared. The order from the Woodnocker family, which was one of the reasons for engraving the imprint on her, also disappeared. There was no need to engrave the dominion imprint on her again.

“When. Will you engrave it again?”

However, Rubera, with a slightly blushed face, only looked up at Cleon, who was taller than her, and hesitated to speak. At the unexpected appearance, Cleon felt his heart beating fast, but quickly calmed his chest.

“Wh, what is it… that annoying expression! Your lips are turned up…!”

“S, sorry… But I didn’t think Rubera would say that.”

At those words, Rubera clenched her fist tightly and said to Cleon as if hammering a nail.

“Huh? Don’t get me wrong. I just need the imprint because it’s possible to use telepathy in an emergency, and I can get treatment from you even if something happens to my body.”

“Okay, okay. It’s not needed right now anyway. When I have time.”

“Tch… That relaxed attitude… It’s really annoying…!”

Amelia was quietly watching the two of them. Rubera’s attitude towards Cleon was very different from her attitude towards herself. She must have felt that.

Is this a relationship between men and women? Or is it a friendship regardless of gender? She, who was still young, could not come up with an answer for herself.

However, Rubera’s slightly excited appearance, which she did not show when she was with herself, was.

To Amelia, who couldn’t interact with many people, it was another form of connection, and she couldn’t help but feel a little envious.

001

When you pass through the dark tunnel, sunlight pours out from the sky again. Strangely, why does it feel more dazzling to be in Amelia’s room, which is closer to pure white compared to the outside? Is Amelia’s existence the cause? Or was it made with such a structure on purpose? What is important is that even in the royal capital, where such a bright sun has risen again, there are still many problems to be solved. It is necessary to worry about where to start and whether something will explode if you touch it wrong. But first, it was time to act.

Cleon, who had left the Exile Tower after parting with Rubera for a while, looked down at the replica of the Feathered Ring in his hand.

`Don’t go alone. No matter how strong you are, I am against entering their lair alone.`

Rubera said. Then, one would think that Rubera should come with him, but it was necessary to watch the progress of Amelia’s wound, so they acted separately first. After deciding to meet again at the Shapeshifter’s bar at night, Cleon concentrates his mind through the imprint. Among the streams of magic power divided into several branches, he reaches out to the passage that shines with the most brilliant golden color-

[What’s up~ Cleon~]

The Golden Holy Sword. He reached Caliburn.

[Caliburn. I need your strength. Come here.]

[I was helping Sasha with Kuon’s lunch with her right now~? Does it have to be now~?]

Cleon pauses for a moment. Then, only humming sounds returned from the other side.

[Hey, can’t you do it somehow?]

[…Hehe. I can’t help it~]

As soon as he heard her answer, she suddenly opened the space and flew from the other side into Cleon’s waist.

Of course, it was the appearance of a sword in its scabbard.

[Then. Shall we go~]

She always speaks in a relaxed tone. Although she has this personality, she boasts high output among the holy swords, so Cleon sighs but relies on her power.

Cleon holds up the Feathered Ring again and checks the direction the ring is pointing. As expected, if he moves along the guidance of the ring pointing towards the back alley, he will be able to find Eustace.

-By the way.

“Ah, Cleon! I was on my way to your house because I heard that Cleon had arrived in the royal capital. Hmm? Are you going to work now? You look like you just went out for a morning jog and wandered off somewhere… Aha. Rubera and… Hmm. Eustace…?! I see! Then I should help you! Lead the way!”

When passing through the downtown area of the royal capital, which is in the middle of the route, he meets Iona. Iona is one of the few friends Rubera confides in… So she had told her about the situation to some extent.

[Iona is looking here as if she wants to be a companion.]

For some reason, Cleon, who seems to see such a phrase above her head, accepts her company to ensure safety even a little bit.

Even though she is a demi-holy sword, there are two swordsmen in the party. The balance of the party is….

“Oh? It’s Cleon. I was on my way to meet Cleon… Miss Iona is with you too. You’re going to exterminate demons and rescue the kidnapped person? What, if that’s the case, I have to help. No matter what anyone says, I’m a hero.”

And. Aruru meets him again while walking down the street. She is clearly dressed for battle and even has Arondight materialized.

[Aruru is looking here as if she wants to be a companion.]

[So. Another hero has been added to the party~]

Cleon, who was listening to Calibur’s carefree narration, quietly grabbed the shoulders of the two and asked. How do they know he’s here? And he needed an answer to why Aruru was armed.

“…You two. Did you hear it from someone?”

“I, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Th, that’s right.”

The two of them clearly seemed to know something. He could have used the dominion imprint to understand the situation of the two, but Lyla must have told them anyway. She is the only one who can use telepathy even without an imprint. Thinking so, Cleon sends telepathy to Lyla with a sigh.

[Thank you.]

[You! If you’re going out in the morning, tell me you’re going out! You suddenly disappeared and Kuon and Sasha were so worried-]

Cleon forcibly closes the channel.

Hmm. Let’s keep the thank you in our hearts.

And after looking at the two people following him for a while, he sighs and smiles bitterly.

“Let’s go. Demon extermination during lunch time.”

002

“…Hey. Cleon? No matter how open-minded Cleon is to us. And we are willing to do what Cleon wants.”

“Still, coming to a place like this is… a bit…”

[… … ♪]

Feeling the three people’s quiet rejection, Cleon quietly closed his eyes and nodded.

The moment they entered the back alley, the amount of bright sunlight in the daytime decreased as if it were a lie, creating dark shadows as if an invisible translucent barrier was spread over it. It was probably made by demons or Astarothites who worship demons. Upon entering this invisible barrier, one could feel in real time that the resistance to dark magic in the body was gradually decreasing. It wouldn’t be a problem for Cleon, who originally has a strong affinity for dark magic. One is a hero and the other is a demi-holy sword, so there would be no problem as they are skilled at protecting their bodies.

He realizes once again that an ordinary person entering a place like this is like slowly walking into the stomach of a huge demon. This place was closer to darkness and closer to hell than the back alleys in Elesia seemed like child’s play. And. Cleon thought that this situation was like hell and quietly opened his eyes. The place they arrived at following the guidance of the Feathered Ring was one of the many brothels in the back alley.

[Kamala Trail]

There was a huge, fancy, dark sign with the name on it, and a pink-haired female mannequin was displayed on the street. Compared to the dirty streets around it, it could be seen that the area around this brothel was cleaned, with no sweeping or mopping left undone.

And, this name Kamala Bass. He had seen it somewhere. Right. The name of this brothel was prominently displayed on the flyer that the woman who bumped into Cleon yesterday had handed him.

“Let’s clear up a misunderstanding. Eustace is here.”

“…Eustace… You mean that Eustace Woodnocker, right?”

Cleon nods at Aruru’s words.

“Do you know him?”

“I wouldn’t say I know him. I know his name and face. I had to attend the nobles’ social gatherings for the New Year’s and Succession Day anniversaries… I remember that he didn’t leave a good impression. He flirted with the maids in our house, as well as with me.”

That’s what he would have done in the past. Cleon and Iona nod in agreement.

“I see… Eustace. He ended up going to brothels as well….”

“… … Well, I guess it’s natural to think that way.”

“Haha… Eustace has grown up due to the incidents related to the Absolute Barrier Tree, but it seems inevitable that more people remember him for his past impression.”

Cleon and Iona could only respond to Aruru’s words with bitter smiles at Aruru’s seemingly mistaken words.

“…But. This time, that growth has become poisonous. It seems like he acted out of responsibility, but the problem is that it was a more dangerous place than he thought.”

Iona also nods at Cleon’s words.

Anyway. The three who decided to go inside and check the situation opened the door of the store and went inside. They could see that the store, which was a slightly different type than they had thought, was operating from the daytime with a considerable number of customers. The interior of the store was based on pink and black, and was surrounded by stimulating lights from the ceiling to the walls. But the materials used were quite luxurious, so it was definitely not a store that should be buried in the back alley.

Looking at the staff wearing black clothes made of highly exposed tights and headbands with rabbit ears carrying drinks and food, Iona blushed slightly.

“It’s less than the Department of Sacred Studies….”

“Yeah…”

But that was all Aruru and Cleon’s reaction as they said that and nodded. It was okay for Cleon, who had watched the students of the Department of Sacred Studies, who moved half-naked and naked during classes as a matter of course, almost every day for about a month and a half. And for Aruru, who was the top student, it was necessary to understand the classes of other departments, so she had a certain immunity to them.

“Yo, you two must have lost your senses….”

Iona said that and fanned her face. However, Cleon couldn’t help but be embarrassed by the fact that the place they thought was a brothel from the outside had the same structure as a cafe and restaurant when they went inside. As he hesitated a little, one of the employees who was working near the entrance walked over. She, like the other employees, was wearing highly exposed clothes. But judging from the fact that she was wearing a white coat-like outerwear and a hat with a brim on her head, it could be seen that she was a slightly higher-ranking woman than the surrounding employees.

In addition, the moment she got close, he felt a strong aura of dark magic.

`A succubus… She’s wearing a coat and hat to disguise herself as a human.`

A coat to hide her tail and wings and a hat to hide her horns. Cleon thought so and made eye contact with her as she approached. She smiled and bowed.

“Welcome! To the best adult cafe in the back alley of the royal capital! This week is Bunny Girl Week~ Is this your first time visiting the store?”

“… …”

Yeah. Where should I start?

Just as Cleon was about to choose his words, Aruru spoke first.

“That’s right. It’s our first time. It’s cute. Those clothes.”

“Thank you~! Are you three a group? I’ll show you to your seats~”

She smiled as if she was in a good mood at Aruru’s light praise and led the group to the seats where the tables were prepared. Iona and Cleon glanced at Aruru for a moment. Aruru smiled silently and gave a thumbs up. Then, when they went to the seats following the employee, the seats were separated by walls, and it could be seen that there were curtains between the aisle and the seats.

“First. Please order one item per person! Then, our staff will bring the food or drinks you ordered. That staff member will be your exclusive staff member for this visit, so you can do anything you want. Of course~ if you want to do something deeper, we’ll take you to the second floor! There is an additional charge!”

`They’re properly running a brothel too.`

As Cleon thought so and looked at the menu, he let out a sigh of relief as he saw that it was made up of more common sense menus than he had thought. Of course, he had no intention of putting the food that came out in his mouth.

“Wow, dessert made with eggs from Mount Helis…!”

Before she knew it, Iona raised her voice, and Aruru and Cleon’s eyes turned to her at the same time. Cleon, who remembered that Iona was interested in various desserts, wanted to tell her to order one too, but he thought that rescuing Eustace was the priority.

“Then, I’ll have the heart bubble tea for couples here. Ah. And a whipped cream cake….”

“Aruru…?”

“Is three straws okay?”

“Yes.”

Cleon, who was watching Aruru ordering things in a daze for a moment, knew that she wouldn’t order something like this just because she wanted to eat it without any thought. She must be trying to pretend to be an ordinary customer. Cleon thought so and ordered a simple meal for himself, and Iona also asked for the dessert she had mentioned.

“I’m looking forward to it~.”

“… …”

[Can I eat something too~?]

“… …”

Cleon quietly waited for the food to come out while listening to the voices of the two, who seemed to be natural. Soon, when he heard a woman’s voice like `Uh, uh…` from outside the curtain, the curtain slowly opened. There, a woman with a rabbit-motif costume like the other staff members stood with her face flushed red. She was holding a tray with the items the group had ordered, with her eyes tightly closed as if trying to endure the shame.

She was an ordinary beauty with long, wavy brown hair and fairly well-groomed features.

She had silver piercings on her ears. With a slightly awkward movement, she gently opened her eyes to move the food on the tray to the table.

And-

“C, Cleon…”

As Cleon turned his face to her at the sound of her calling his name.

Green eyes. Were looking straight at him, no, shaking.

Cleon, Iona, knew those eyes.

“Eu-”