289 TAS
No.
Yamada-kun is not here.
More aggressive than expected.
I'm shocked—
What occurred was that Yamada-kun and his group arrived at the elven village ahead of us, the Demon Army.
I don’t understand—something’s off.
The kingdom where Yamada-kun was located was on a separate continent from the elven settlement, after all.
Even moving takes considerable time, yet Yamada-kun is now internationally wanted for treason in connection with the coup d'état that occurred in the kingdom.
The idea that someone would make an immediate decision—“Let’s go to the elven village!”—in a situation where they should be frozen in place, is beyond belief.
Too much decisiveness, isn't it?
You know, black—stop it, you.
What do you think you're doing, restricting Yamada-kun's movements?
It would be best if the situation where Yamada-kun, the hero, were to defeat the Demon King did not occur.
What, “Yes, I’ll join in!”—all fired up, helping with the攻略 like that.
That bastard definitely did it on purpose, guiding Yamada-kun.
Next time I see him, I’ll beat him senseless.
Still, one must admit—impressive.
Yamada-kun’s divine protection is extraordinary.
Logically, it shouldn’t have been possible.
With time already scarce, and constant interference, there was no way Yamada-kun’s group could reach the elven village.
Yet they arrived before us.
Only by taking the shortest, optimal route could that happen.
Not just their abilities—but luck upon luck, stacked upon luck.
That’s what Yamada-kun’s divine protection must be.
Time was genuinely insufficient.
Without teleportation, it would have taken at least ten days to reach the elven village.
The arrival of our Demon Army and the Imperial Army led by Natsume-kun at the Elven village will coincide—approximately ten to fifteen days from now, or slightly later.
It’s not impossible to arrive on time if moving at maximum speed.
That is, assuming movement occurs at the absolute minimum possible speed.
Delaying departure by even one day is unacceptable. Exceeding the scheduled duration during travel is also unacceptable.
A situation where mistakes are not permitted—like a chess problem with no room for error.
Whether Yamada-kun understood the dire situation he was in is unclear.
Moreover.
If one must cross from continent to continent, there is always a place that must be traversed.
You know it—this world's largest labyrinth, the Elro Great Labyrinth, where I was born and raised.
Its scale, befitting a labyrinth connecting continent to continent, defies comparison with mere maze-like structures.
The difficulty level is self-evident, given that they must clear the vast labyrinth in the shortest possible time.
Had they chosen not to pass through the Elro Great Labyrinth, the matter would have been resolved sooner.
The teleportation arrays across all nations have already been sealed via the Pope.
The country where Yamada-kun’s half-sister resides maintains an especially rigorous security perimeter.
Should Yamada-kun’s party attempt to enter that nation, they would be extinguished like summer insects caught in flames.
Thus, selecting the Elro Great Labyrinth as their first option—this one understands the situation.
Moreover, the guide they chose is excellent.
They’ve brought along a familiar-looking gentleman—somehow, he feels like someone they’ve seen before. This man is exceptional.
What makes him exceptional is his route selection.
He naturally chooses the shortest, optimal, and safest path, then advances directly along it.
Even with Yamada-kun’s divine favor modifier, such a route could not have been achieved without an exceptionally skilled guide.
Memorizing the intricate pathways of the vast Elro Maze with precision—no small feat.
Thanks to Uncle’s accurate guidance, Yamada-kun and the others passed through the Elro Maze without so much as a minor struggle.
Considering how much effort it took me to escape the Elro Maze, yes—thinking further on it is unwise.
Best not to dwell.
Contemplating too deeply triggers latent murderous intent.
There was one instance when a subterranean dragon emerged and a full battle ensued—but that was clearly orchestrated by the black faction.
The timing was too convenient. A dragon of moderate difficulty appearing just as Yamada-kun’s party could handle it—no other explanation fits.
They must have been trying to level up the party slightly.
Still, what truly surprised me was the appearance of the Bebies afterward.
They said something cryptic, unnerved Yamada-kun and the others, but what exactly were they trying to accomplish?
I cannot comprehend the reasoning behind my children.
Immediately after making contact with Yamada-kun, they approached with an overwhelming aura of "Praise me, praise me," pressing close.
Ah, yes.
How could I possibly scold them like that?
Yamada-kun’s group had smoothly overcome every challenge except for the encounter with the Bebies.
With Yamada-kun’s abilities, the shortest possible route was achievable.
They arrived at the elven village without incident.
It’s absurd.
The Empire, through Natsume-kun, and the Divine Word Church, through the Pope, had both set traps to stop them—yet Yamada-kun’s group bypassed every one.
Being so thoroughly ignored, we can only laugh.
Dahahaha!
Ah, yeah.
I know the best thing would be for me to give orders to them while monitoring them—but what can I do? It's me, after all!
You can't just suddenly start giving orders to strangers, can you?
Besides, their chain of command isn't even under me. It's under Yumemura-kun or the Pope.
If I just waltz in and start giving orders, they'll just say, "Who the hell are you?"
No excuses.
The point is, you shouldn't speak to someone you don't know.
Feels a bit off, but it's not wrong.
Still, though.
After all the effort I put into escaping the Elro Great Labyrinth, it's frustrating to see it conquered so easily.
Hmph!
They're only saying they've conquered it because Yamada-kun's group passed through the upper levels!
I, on the other hand, cleared the middle and lower sections too!
The upper level seems to have fallen.
Yet he is the weakest even among the Elerro Great Labyrinth's tiers.
A disgrace to the Elerro Great Labyrinth, easily overcome.
That is the kind of person he is!
If he boasts, he should at least have cleared the middle tier.
……Futile.
There’s nothing.
Yeah, there’s nothing…
Hah.
Well, we’ve arrived. Can’t be helped now.
I’ll maneuver to avoid contact with the Demon King as much as possible.
Honestly, Yamada-kun and the others are dangerous in that they might trigger unforeseen events, but as pure combat assets, they’re negligible.
Even Natsume-kun would serve as a distraction if pushed into the fight.
The one I face directly is, above all, only one.
Potimas Haifenas.
For the first time since becoming divine, I may have to fight seriously.