第３０７堀：国を守護する者 (Part1)
**Chapter 307: The Protectors of the Kingdom**
**Side: Milly**
Well, this is truly a headache.
Yuki-san has begun the selection process for our members. In the meantime, we are busy making various preparations. Since we are going to dive straight into the heart of enemy territory, there is a mountain of tasks to complete—establishing escape routes, setting up communication methods, and so on. Well, we’ve divided the roles, so that part isn't much of a problem, but...
"Um... Milly-san. Are you feeling unwell?"
The one offering me a glass of water with those words is Teles-chan, the poster girl of the Hausen Dining.
Yes, I’ve returned to the royal capital of August to gather more information. This time, Kirika is operating separately to collect intel.
Oh, wait, I shouldn't have let my guard down. It seems I was wearing a face that made people worry.
"Ah, I'm fine. I'm not feeling sick."
"Is that so? Then, is something troubling you?"
"Well, you know, it looks like there’s going to be a war, doesn't it?"
"Yes. Even now, the soldiers are running around in such a hurry..."
Teles-chan glances toward the gate entrance as she says this.
There, a massive number of soldiers are bustling in and out, back and forth.
As it turns out, the announcement that the Holy Kingdom of Hiera had attacked came shortly after Yuki-san and the others went out for reconnaissance. Princess Inis seems to be quite capable; she increased patrols, and there haven't been any notable disturbances in the city.
However, seeing the soldiers moving about and transporting supplies like this must be making everyone restless. Everyone keeps tracking the soldiers' movements with their eyes.
"Because of this, my sightseeing trip with my husband is likely to be delayed."
"Ah, is that what it is?"
It seems fate really doesn't want me to have a honeymoon in the royal capital of August. Good grief, why do enemies and predecessors have to show up at a time like this? I wish it had just ended with a simple reconnaissance mission!!
No, I knew it wouldn't go that smoothly since they had guns and such, but still... my plan to just pin him down and "take a nibble" is ruined!!
"Wait, is that okay!? If you haven't met up with your husband yet, he's still traveling outside, right!?"
"Ah, that’s fine. We’re heading in opposite directions."
"I see. But are you sure? They say public order is worsening because of this incident."
"No need to worry about that. My husband is strong. Even if ten bandits surrounded him, he could handle them however he pleased."
"Whoa. That’s amazing."
He really can handle them however he pleases. He’d probably make them all perform breakdancing or something.
"Oh, what’s this? You’re taking it easy, Milly."
"Ah, Moment-san. And... big sister, too!?"
As Teles-chan and I were talking, Moment approached us, fully armed. Standing beside him was Laraina, Teles’s older sister and one of the kingdom’s magic sword users. This is my first time meeting her face-to-face, but...
"You know, I’m just waiting for my husband here. I can’t exactly go outside. And as for you two, are you here to earn some pocket money?"
"Pocket money? Milly, haven't you seen the pay for this job? It’s extraordinary, you know?"
Recruitment and hiring of mercenaries, assuming an invasion by the Holy Kingdom of Hiera, have already begun, and the pay is more than double the usual rate. Well, it’s good money for mercenaries. It doesn't matter to me, though.
"It’s fine. I’m already earning enough, and fighting an opponent that someone like Laraina-san struggled to defend against is basically a death sentence, isn't it?"
"Huh? What do you mean by that?"
"Eh? Big sister?"
The official report is that the invasion by the Holy Kingdom of Hiera was successfully repelled. The exploits of the Dragon Knight, Amanda, have been kept under wraps, and the official story is that Laraina held them back with her magic sword.
"You. What do you know?"
Laraina doesn't deny or confirm my words; she just fixes me with a sharp, piercing gaze.
Hmm. This is fine for now.
The reason I’m saying these things is because Yuki-san instructed me to meet Laraina when she came to greet us and to gauge her strength. Since we’ll be traveling together as envoys, it’s only natural to assess her capabilities. However, Yuki-san and the others decided it would be better not to cross swords with her directly, as there’s a Dungeon Master on the enemy side and we don't know where their surveillance might be. So, I’m acting alone to provoke her and make the assessment.
"Oh, come on, at least try to deny it. You were on the defensive against an enemy that was smaller in number than you, right? It’s a disgrace to the name of a magic sword user. Moment, if you value your life, you should quit this deployment. Sorry to say this to you, Teles-chan, but if you hang around with such a hack, you’re going to die."
"Stop it, Milly-san!! Don't say such terrible things to my sister!! It’s a lie, right? Big sister didn't have a hard time, did she?"
Teles-chan, trying to protect her sister and hoping for a denial, speaks up against me for insulting her.
"......Teles, Moment-dono, I want you to keep this between us. It concerns our morale."
"Eh, big sister, really...?"
"Was it true that you were on the defensive, just as Milly said?"
"Yes. The enemy attacked us with new types of weapons. But we have already devised countermeasures. So, there is no need to worry."
Hmm, hmm. She can handle things calmly. She has enough resistance to provocation that there shouldn't be any issues with her acting as an envoy.
"I will ask you one more time. Who are you? ...If you continue to speak of this, I will have you arrested for threatening public order."
Well then, let’s see her actual skill next.
"I have no obligation to answer. And as for the story, it’s obvious you’re just embarrassed to have your incompetence exposed. If you truly want to protect the safety of the citizens, you should be honest."
Just kidding. I think Princess Inis's decision to seal the information is correct, as it could lead to a decline in public order. But if I say this...
"I see. That is unfortunate. I will have to arrest you by force right here."
"Do you think you can?"
I don't even stand up from my chair as I look at Laraina. She seems to be testing me as well; of the two swords at her waist, she doesn't reach for the magic sword, but instead reaches for the ordinary one...
"Big sister, no!!"
"Hmph."
At the signal of Teles-chan’s cry, she swings the sword at me, still inside its scabbard.
"Yup, yup. It doesn't look like you’re relying solely on the power of the magic sword. That’s a good sword stroke."
However, since it’s not a threat to me in the slightest, I easily catch the sword with my hand and stop it.
"What!?"
"Eh!?"
"!?!"
Moment and Teles cry out in surprise, but Laraina immediately lets go of the sword and leaps backward.
Her split-second judgment is fine, too. If she had tried to pull the sword out of my grip, I would have just pulled her in and knocked her down. She correctly judged the situation of being caught.
Since she’s overwhelmingly outmatched in speed and power, I could pull off a stunt like this even while sitting in a chair.
The fact that she couldn't gauge my strength is a deduction, but that can't be helped. If she had been able to gauge it, she would have been paralyzed by the opponent's strength when we went as envoys. I already knew that, since she showed no reaction when she was with Yuki-san and the others.
"Why didn't you attack?"
"Why, you ask? You swung a weapon at me, so I just stopped it."
"......I see. Then let us talk here."
With that, Laraina sits in the chair opposite me.
"Weren't you going to arrest me?"
"It is impossible for me to capture you. I knew from Teles's reaction that you weren't a villain, but I didn't think you were *this* capable."
"Is that so? You wouldn't know if you drew that magic sword, would you?"
"I would like to think so. But I do not want to destroy my father's shop. Milly-dono, was it? Please tell me again why you know that information. You didn't seem to mention it until I arrived, so were you asked by someone to test me?"
She’s sharper than I thought.
Yes, she’s more like Mist or Agil than Marly or Olive.
Wouldn't she be fine as an envoy?
"Hey, why are you just sitting there talking normally!?"
"Y-yeah!! Big sister, Milly-san, what on earth is going on!?"
The two spectators are confused, unable to keep up with the situation.
"No, it was just a little play."
"That's right."
"A 'play'..."
"That's a lie. Big sister was swinging that sword for real."