Chapter 172

We decided to leave the verifications for later and climb upstairs for the time being .

Erika looks like she’s fatigued…

[I’m thirsty . ]

—-and wanted to return .

So, I suggested that I stay behind to verify its effect but…

[You’re only allowed on this floor if you’re accompanied by Erika . ]

She rejected that idea .

Well, I don’t have any reason to be stubborn here .

Silently, I went back upstairs with Erika .

I just went straight towards the terrace of this house .

It’s a space that protrudes outward from a hole in this huge tree .

There’s even handrails placed upon this place, so you could say that it looks like a terrace already .

Placing Pigimaru on my shoulders, I leaned against the railing .

[Hmm? They’re still doing that?]

A bit far from here, I could see Seras and Eve clashing swords against each other .

As for Liz…… She seems to be asleep .

She looks like she’s exhausted as she’s leaning against Slei, who’s lying prone on the ground .

[…………………… . . ]

Even from here, I could see that she looks quite peaceful as she sleeps .

Then, Erika arrived with two silver cups in hand .

[Speaking of which Touka, how’s your injury?]

[Yeah, it’s getting better now . I think that after a few more days, I will be able to fight without this injury hindering me in my battles . ]

Erika follows my gaze .

[It looks like Eve and Liz are also getting used to this place . ]

[That’s a good thing, especially in Liz’s case . The nervousness and fear that she had before we arrived in this place have considerably eased up . ]

Liz had been trying to bravely hide those emotions of her .

However, I knew that she was trying to hide it .

[She’s a really good girl . ]

[Yeah . ]

Leaning her back to the railings, Erika sighed .

[—–Alright . ]

[Hmm?]

[Erika would take the responsibility of taking care of that girl . ]

[Thanks . ]

All Liz wants is to live quietly in peace .

She’s not supposed to be on this journey for revenge .

I took the silver cup that Erika held out towards me .

[So, since you asked about the state of my injury…… You’re probably here to know when we’re going to leave, right?]

Looking amazed, Erika shrugs her shoulders .

[You’re still annoyingly sharp . ……Well, you’re right . ]

Erika stared at my reflection on the surface of her silver cup .

“Say…” She said as she traced the surface of the cup with her finger .

[If Erika doesn’t give you the information on the Forbidden Curses…… Then what do you plan to do next, Touka?]

[If that happens—–]

It’s already been decided long ago .

[All I have to do is find a way other than the Forbidden Curses and crush that joke of a goddess . ]

[……………………… . . ]

▽

Two days have passed since then .

My injuries are much better now .

Seras treatment towards them must have worked too .

It also healed faster than I had expected .

Well, it might have been better if it healed slowly so that I could accomplish my original objective for going towards this place though .

At the dinner table that night, our meal proceeded with an atmosphere that looks like we’ve been familiar with our life here .

And then, after about 80% of the food on the table had been consumed…

[I got this information from my familiar……]

As if she’s talking to herself, Erika abruptly said .

[A little while ago, I heard that the Great Demon Emperor’s army had started a full-fledged march towards the south . ]

The Great Demon Emperor huh .

It seems that some stuff had happened while I was here in the Demon Zone .

[I heard that this war is going to be a much tougher battle compared to the previous ones . It looks like the Holy Alliance’s side is also considerably prepared to face against them . The Heroes from Another World summoned by Alion were immediately incorporated to each of their armies . ]

The Heroes from Another World .

The Takao Sisters and Kashima Kobato……

The only recent information I have is about those three people Eve has encountered .

Even that information is just something I heard of .

I didn’t meet them face to face .

[It seems that Bakuos, who had been troubled by the loss of the Five Dragon Warriors, has sent in an army led by a new group of generals they named as the “Three Dragon Warriors” . Having lost the main fighting force of the Black Dragon Knights, I think Bakuos would like to show Vysis their usefulness in this war, wouldn’t they? That also means that this war is an opportunity for each country to rack up achievements . ]

[……Is that so, Bakuos did that huh…]

Bakuos is the country that invaded the country that Seras was living in .

It’s natural that she would have some thoughts towards them .

[Also…… It seems that there are some countries that were using this war to formally reinstate themselves into the Holy Alliance . ]

Wiping her mouth with a cloth, Erika said .

[I’ve heard that an army led by Cattleya Stramius, the First Princess of the Holy Kingdom of Neia, will be participating in this war . ]

Her back straightening upon hearing that, Seras gently places down her spoon .

There was a smile on her lips .

[It seems that lady also won’t just simply let things fall down that easily……]

Peek

Erika glanced towards Seras .

[Moreover…… Depending on their achievements in this war, I heard that they might be able to take her country back from Bakuos . ]

Folding her arms, Eve growls .

[Her country……? No matter how weaker Bakuos may be after they lost the Five Dragon Warriors, are they really just going to give that country back to her?]

[That f*cking goddess would probably make them do that . ]

As I pointed that out, Erika propped her chin on her hand .

[……Correct . It’s so typical of Vysis to make such a promise to Princess Cattleya . I’ve even heard that if they do better than Bakuos in this war, she’ll have all of Bakuos’ forces pulled out of the Holy Kingdom of Neia’s territory…… And then, she’ll allow Neia to formally join the Holy Alliance again . ]

[Formally rejoining this Holy Alliance could also mean that—-]

[Yes, that means that she’s recognizing their independence from the Bakuos Empire . Moreover, it will be all under the authorization of the Goddess Vysis . ]

“Fumu” Eve appears to be convinced .

[If it’s the Goddess’s decree, then Bakuos couldn’t disobey huh . ]

[I also heard that in this war, Bakuos has sent a large number of troops to the east, south and west . ]

[………………]

That f*cking asshole of a goddess, she really got one heck of a way of doing things .

“She’ll grant them their independence, depending on their achievements . ”

At first glance, this may seem like a warm-hearted promise .

However, this had actually stirred up both of those countries .

She placed the condition of “having more achievements than Bakuos” to Neia .

After they heard what she said, Bakuos would send out their men out of desperation .

Since the loss of the Five Dragon Warriors, they have lost their presence as the country with the strongest army .

Bakuos will also want to make their presence known in this war .

However, if they are inferior compared to the country that they had just occupied, Neia in this war…

All their imperial prestige would fall down in the drain .

Naturally, there’s no escaping the complete loss of their presence in the future .

Meanwhile, it would also be quite difficult for Neia .

They’re competing against Bakuos who also came in this war to make a serious achievement .

They would need to desperately fight to make lots of accomplishments .

And no matter how things would turn out, it would still be favorable for the goddess .

It’s because the two countries who got their asses kicked would be fighting with a “high morale” .

……That’s what that f*cking goddess might be thinking .

[However Erika, how did you acquire such intelligence even though you’re here in the Demon Zone?]

Eve curiously said .

[It seems like that information is now spreading all over the continent though? They’re especially circulating around the Holy Kingdom of Neia, it’s like there’s no one who doesn’t know about this . It seems like Princess Cattleya herself was taking the initiative in spreading out this information…… Well, I guess she intends to use this as a deterrent to prevent Vysis from breaking her promise . ]

For the people, the effect of “the goddess’s promise” is really great .

Therefore, the more this information spreads, the better it is for their country’s morale .

[The Bakuos soldiers were apparently being high-handed in Neia’s territory, so I’m sure that the citizens of Neia would want to drive them out themselves if they could . ]

Creak

Eve deeply leaned her back on the back of her chair .

[Fumu…… However, it would also be difficult to have more achievements than Bakuos Empire in that war . ]

[——No, I don’t think that’s the case . ]

Seras, who had been silently listening, interjected .

[If the princess herself has made the decision to join the war, there must have been a reason . I think that the princess thinks that they have a chance in achieving more than Bakuos . Besides, she wouldn’t have made such a promise widely known if her odds were close to none . ]

Seras’ words sound convincing .

Erika was about to reach for the whiskey bottle but she stopped .

[……Seras used to be the leader of the Holy Knights, right? Therefore, I thought of making you hear this information but, umm…… Am I perhaps being insensitive when I mentioned that?]

Seras slightly smiles .

[No, that’s not the case at all . I’m supposed to be dead already after all…… And my priority right now is to use all of my strength in achieving the objective of my king, Touka-dono . I’ve also said my goodbye with the Princess . Besides—–]

Placing her hand on her chest, the smile on Seras’ face deepens .

[I believe that the Princess and Neia’s Holy Knights will definitely be able to bring Neia back from Bakuos’ hands . ]

Erika gently brushes her fingers on the surface of the silver cup in her hand .

[The Former Leader of the Holy Knights, Seras Ashrain, unbeknown to everyone, destroyed the main force of the Black Dragon Knights and their leader, the “Humanity’s Strongest”…… I guess you’ve already done your work huh . ]

Seras wryly smiles .

[It was Touka-dono who destroyed them . I didn’t do anything . However, you may be right—- As someone who actually confronted Civit Gartland, right now……]

Squeeze

Seras clenches the hand that she held out in front of her chest .

[I can’t help but feel relieved…… That the “Humanity’s Strongest” won’t appear and obstruct the path of the Princess from now on . . ]

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