Chapter 237
Arifureta After II Nation on Ship Avenst
AN: I'm sorry, it's late again. Furthermore the story doesn't advance.
This is bad, I'm genuinely becoming unable to make it in time at 6 P.M Saturday……
I wonder if I should change it to Sunday……
The early morning when the eastern sky was starting to be tinged white. Perhaps also because of the high altitude, the air was piercingly cold. The blowing wind made the receiver to feel slight pain.
It depended on the person whether to feel it as refreshing or torture. Although, even if it was someone who felt it refreshing, they still shouldn't wish to stay inside such coldness for long.
In such environment, there were two silhouettes leisurely staying there for thirty minutes already.
On the deck of the airship Rozeria, there were Tio and Hajime relaxing with a steamy cup beside them.
The minerals that Hajime obtained in this world were lined up in front of him. He took them into his hand and stared at them passionately, toyed with them……it seemed that he was displaying his transmutation master nature without reservation. Beside him was Tio, she was exposing a gentle expression as though her usual perversion was just a lie while staring at Hajime's hand and face.
「E, excuse me~. Is it, a good time?」
A timid voice called at them. When Hajime and TIo turned their gaze, there they saw a beautiful girl with semi-long silver hair――Roze. Kuwaibel was firmly held inside her arms.
「Aa, what's the matter, queen-san. The queer queen-san who was loitering around there since around ten minutes ago.」
「Please at least greet if you actually noticed already!」
The truth was Roze-chan had arrived on the deck since around ten minutes ago. She witnessed a gentle atmosphere around the two that was hard to interrupt as a third person. And then, what crossed in the back of her mind was this and that from last night. As the result, she didn't know how should she call out at them and so she made an appeal「I'm nearby just by chance. Come on, notice me already! Greet out to me from your side!」.
「Roze-dono's blatant "notice me appeal" art cute, that we acted mean against our better judgment. Forgive us?」
「Uh. That, no, I was in the wrong because I didn't immediately call out……」
Roze who felt like running away even more from getting apologized honestly like that had her face blushed slightly in shyness from hearing Tio's remark that she was "cute", her mouth moved in mumbles.
「And, what do you want? Queen-san whose act is painful to look at.」
「That thing last night was Hajime-sama's fault! Does Hajime-sama hate me!?」
Last night, the punishment from demon king-sama was waiting for Roze-chan's party who was peeking at the scene where Hajime and Tio were exchanging love.
――Demon King-style Harassment 108 "From Today You Too Are Hauria"
A harassment by using artifact that reproduced a pseudo "Divine Statement" by applying and enchanting soul magic. The result was "the target's act became chuuni for a period of time".
It went without saying that when they saw the act of Roze and Crow siblings that suddenly turned painful to look at, the eyes of the other crews turned into dot. They even called the ship doctor thinking that the everyday hardships might finally turn them strange. Even after the effect ran out, they didn't even have the willpower to complain to Hajime and the three harmoniously sat on the corner of the room while grasping their knees to endure their black history.
Bovid who sensed demon king-sama's anger a touch faster and escaped alone watched such trio and laughed loudly while rolling on the floor. Him acting like that made it felt like there was a retort 'is it fine to roll around laughing at your lord's foolishness like that, captain of the air battle squad's first squad' that could be heard.
「Good grief, we cannot progress like this right? Stop making merry and say your business.」
「-. Ho, hold it down me. I am the queen of the proud dragon kingdom. It's fine. Take a deep breath. Suu, haa……」
With blood vein pulsing on her forehead, including the wretchedness of the punishment last night, Roze renewed her determination 'I won't mistake someone like this as the legendary dragon knight-sama for the second time!' and then she told the two that the breakfast preparation had finished.
「Queen-san herself expressly come here just to tell us that? Even though you can just leave that to your subordinate.」
「No, that's because when I heard that the two of you were on the deck even since when the sun hadn't risen that I'm curious about what are you doing.」
It seemed that it was something like that. Hajime shrugged and his hand beckoned at Roze whose body shrunk from cold. Roze whose gaze wandered around feeling a bit perplexed approached Hajime's side excitedly.
「Ah. The wind is……」
「Tio is covering the surrounding with wind barrier. A wind that contain heat. Feels really pleasant right?」
「Ye, yes. ……Whether it's Hajime-sama's tool, or Tio-sama's magic, they are really something that is outside our common sense. About the talk of another world, I think it finally feel real for me after a night passed.」
「Well, even if I told you of another world it's not something that can be accepted right away.」
Roze glanced at Hajime who kept making crimson sparks at the ore in his hand even while they were talking. It was a vibrant crimson light. The ore changed shape right away. It was completely a mysterious power that human of this world didn't have. The supernatural weapon created by that hand easily routed a gigantic battleship.
But, Roze knew that Hajime's power wasn't just making supernatural weapon. She didn't hear about the detailed story, she also didn't think of forcefully asking, but she saw that right after Hajime showed his appearance, he tore to pieces the hook of an approaching sky battlecraft unarmed. That was something different with the power to create thing that she was looking at right now.
Honestly, she couldn't see his bottom. She thought it was terrifying. And now when she knew that this person wasn't the noble dragon knight from fairy-tale who was the personification of justice, she felt it even more.
However, for them the descendant of dragon kingdom who were heading toward a slow ruin, the existence of Hajime and Tio was like a gift from heaven.
Also this timing when the last monarch dragon Kuwaibel had been born, she couldn't help but feel that there was destiny at work.
「Oh, finally.」
「We hath waited long. I hath great anticipation because of that.」
「? Excuse me, both of you what are……」
Hajime threw his gaze to the eastern sky while one of his hands was carrying an ore. Tio also focused her gaze while leaning close to Hajime. Roze who didn't understand what the two of them were doing tilted her head with question mark floating above her head.
「What you ask, it's that. We are here because we want to see that.」
Hajime said that and pointed, at the thing that was showing out its face right now――the sun.
The sunlight swept away the blackness of night and dyed the world silver. The shadow of the sea of clouds darkened, and the illuminated place started to shine in sparkles like jewel.
The sunrise seen from the deck of an airship that was continuously flying above the sea of clouds.
That was exactly the reason why Hajime and Tio got out on the deck since early morning. For the sake of settling it firmly inside their memory, the superb view of another world they went astray into through a strange phenomenon.
「……It's not bad. Yeah, it looks really great.」
「This art a harsh world, but the strength of the light that wipe out the black of night art the same no matter what the world. Yes, it's wonderful. It's a beautiful world.」
「……」
Roze was dumbfounded.
The words "beautiful world" that came out from Tio's mouth echoed many times inside her head. When she thought about it, when was the last time she watched the sunlight like this? She thought that this sight entered her sight every day.
However, she didn't think anything about that view. She was merely desperate to survive and to accomplish her duty, she didn't even look at the sky despite living in the sky. She noticed that although at this late hour.
The world was getting brighter moment by moment.
「……Yes, it's beautiful. Really beautiful.」
Words of agreement. However, in contrast with those words, Roze's expression was vaguely dark.
「The food is delicious even with how simple it is. Ah, give me another of this.」
「You, you are really not holding back huh.」
On the breakfast table, there were Hajime and Tio, and then Roze, Kuwaibel, Crow siblings, Bovid, and then a male crew that seemed to shoulder the role as a waiter. Usually they didn't have anything like a waiter, even the queen Roze and also the imperial guards leaders Crow siblings would do everything by themselves.
This time it was a special situation where they were welcoming guest that were Hajime and Tio.
Hajime's remark of "another" despite saying that the food was simple while also understanding the reason why the food was simple caused the waiter's cheeks to twitch a bit, even so he obediently obeyed. Bovid retorted with an amazed expression. His attitude to the two of them was the most casual among the crews of this ship.
「Yeah. I'll stop if I'm told to stop, but as long as no one say that, it's my principle to receive the hospitality I'm given with my all.」
「Hahah, I get that. I was also taught by my father to receive the good will I'm given without reservation. You had even saved our life, so eat as much as you want. Though even after I say that, the one who create and prepare the food is actually not me! Ahahahah」
'Really, don't say anything you……' The gaze of the Crow siblings that was wordlessly appealing so was piercing Bovid. However, Bovid didn't pay that any attention. Right now, rather than the serious Crow siblings, it was more important to make Hajime and Tio felt welcome. He had finished saying thanks last night from getting his life saved, but as expected it was best to show the thanks with action. That was Bovid's cherished opinion.
It seemed that they was used to Bovid's unserious attitude, so Olga sighed while turning her gaze at her master. Olga couldn't stop frowning at Roze's state that was clad in a vaguely dark atmosphere since she went to call Hajime and Tio on the deck.
「……Roze-sama. Did something happen?」
Leaving a glance at Bovid who was talking cheerfully with Hajime, Olga talked at Roze with a quiet whisper.
Roze who looked taken aback and returned to her senses then shook her head and showed a smile to avoid the question.
「We still, haven't heard the decision of Hajime-sama and Tio-sama……so it looks like my unease came out in my face.」
「Is that, so.」
Orga looked like she couldn't accept the explanation and she sent a glance of doubt, thinking that as expected the two of them had done something to her master……her body twitched.
Because Tio's hand stopped moving at the meal and she was staring fixedly at Roze and Olga.
When Tio's eyes met Olga's, she showed a smile that looked trouble, but also looked somehow gentle. Olga twitched even more from that expression.
Hajime and Tio who finally finished their meal after asking another helping twice then enjoyed the after meal black tea made in another world. Choosing the timing, Roze then asked with determination.
「……Hajime-sama. Regarding the answer for my wish last night, can I ask you to please tell us your answer?」
Defeat the divine country together and revive the dragon kingdom Avenst. And then, after putting in order a complete force, subjugate the evil dragon Helmut.
That was their cooperation request. Thinking from the aspect of their battle strength, they wished for Hajime and Tio to become the leading part in the battlefield. Especially in the part to defeat the divine country where Kuwaibel was still powerless, almost all of that part would rely completely on Hajime like that.
Last night, when Hajime and Tio got out on the deck, they thought that perhaps the two of them would then disappear without telling anyone and so they spontaneously ran after them.
But, seeing the two of them were still staying here like this, then surely the two would grant their wish……
Although they were thinking so, but they couldn't help but gulp their saliva from nervousness.
Inside the room where complete silent had descended, Hajime slowly put the cup of tea he drank on the table,
「We are going to slaughter Helmut, but we don't give a damn about that divine country something. You guys work hard yourself about that.」
「Wait, I don't understand what you are saying.」
They almost trembled in happiness when they heard that the two would kill the evil dragon, but they suddenly went cold hearing the sentence's latter half. Roze asked back with a half smile looking as though she was running from reality.
「I told you, I cannot be bothered about your country's revival, but as for Helmut, we are thinking perhaps we will go kill that guy a bit, purely for our own convenience.」
「……Wait, I don't understand what you are sa――」
「Aa?」
「Understand. Evil dragon subjugation banzai. Sayonara the future of dragon kingdom's revival. That's what you are saying right. I understand.」
Roze who tried to do her best added with escaping reality, but she returned to reality due to Hajime's voice and expression that looked like yakuza. She couldn't stop her eyes from getting teary. Replacing Roze who fell silent, the Crow siblings stood up so fast their chair fell down while raising voice of protest and persuasion.
「Why!? If you two have that much power, then it shouldn't be that difficult to defeat the divine country! This is our dearest wish-. Please, I beg you two to rethink it-. Please-」
「Right now, even in this time the people of the dragon kingdom are suffering in hardship! The dragons are also in the same situation! Didn't the two of you repel the mother ship of the divine country yesterday and saved the dragons-? Here please show your righteousness one more time!」
Olga and Jean's words resounded loudly. However, the expression of Hajime who received those words showed not a single ripple.
「This is not really something you need to raise your voice that much right? If Helmut is defeated, the world will clear up. When that happen, then you can build your country anywhere on the vast land down there. Something like the land that might be polluted, or the battle against the divine country of that, those things are matters that are not related at all to us resident of another world. We don't happen to have any duty or responsibility to become your substitute in war.」
The sound argument that was returned to them caused the Crow siblings to be at loss for words. However, the power that Hajime and Tio showed wasn't something that worthless that they could give up that easily. The two weren't that farsighted that they could just say「Oh, is that so」in acceptance, even though there was the possibility to defeat the hateful divine country right in front of their eyes like this.
That was why, they raised their voices asking how the two of them could abandon the suffering humans and dragons even after they knew the situation and also getting begged on like this.
「Hajime-sama. Please we beg you to lend us your strength. At the very least, even if it's just a cooperation to make it so Kuwaibel can reach the underground of the palace, can you please help us with that?」
Roze's pleaded fervently. Hajime retorted back without any particular change in his expression.
「What kind of compensation you can give me?」
「Eh? Co, compensation?」
The Crow siblings were going to make a ruckus once more, 'even though this concern the future of the dragon kingdom's people' like that, but Roze stopped them with her gaze. And then, she thought of what she could present, and the result, with determination she――
「I, I'll offer myse――」
「No need.」
「Hauh!?」
She was unable to say it until the end. Even though she was going to offer herself with a determination of the lifetime, yet it was cut down and discarded instantly. Roze whispered a line「E, even though, I am a queen」that might make a certain princess-sama somewhere to go「Comrade♪ Comrade♪」while jumping for joy.
「Or rather, you are really going to say that in front of Tio huh. The nerve you have there is really quite something.」
「Eh, ah. My, my apology, Tio-sama! I am not intending to insult Tio-sama by any means……」
「It's fine, it's fine, I understand.」
If she knew that actually Hajime also had multiple wives other than her, just what would this queen-sama of another world think? Tio averted her gaze with a vague expression.
Roze sank into silence with a difficult expression and her gaze wandered around furiously while her head was working desperately.
Hajime opened his mouth with a sigh to finish the talk soon.
「Certainly, I have great power, and I can brag that just destroying a country won't take much effort. But, it's because of that that I won't use my power because of other people's will. My power is only mine, and it has to be wielded constantly by my will. Save me, help me, those wishes aren't something exclusive that only you have. The world is overflowing with that kind of wishes, as many as the stars in the sky. I don't have even the littlest bit of intention to spend my life and my important people's life until it run dry from responding and rush about everywhere to that kind of wishes just "because I can".」
That was why, even if it was everything for the people in question, Roze's wish that was nothing but a common wish for Hajime wasn't something that he would undertake that simply as long as it didn't even have any merit for him that could make him overturned his decision.
「And, you guys who are wishing for me to slaughter several thousand people and overthrow a country in your place, what kind of compensation you can pay me that can make me overturn my will that is flatly refusing to do that kind of thing and make me decide to wield my power?」
「……」
Roze couldn't say anything at all this time for sure. Olga, Jean, and Bovid were also the same.
Hajime stood up from his seat. Roze twitched and trembled.
「As expected, I'm not that shameless that I can keep remaining here after refusing your dearest wish like that. I and Tio will go to visit Helmut after this. I'll only promise that I will clear up the dark cloud from this world. I don't know how you queen-san and others will live in the new world where the black rain vanish and the sunlight shine on the land but……at the very least, I'll pray for your success. It'll be great if your dearest wish can come true.」
「ah, wa, wait-. Please wait-」
Hajime said that and prompted Tio with his gaze to walk out from the door. Roze threw herself at such Hajime. Of course, she wasn't attacking him but stopping him from leaving. She clung on Hajime's arm and desperately formed her words.
「Sa, say, err, tha, that's right! Even though you say you will subjugate Helmut, but you don't know where his location is right? We will show you the way! That's why, please don't leave-. Putting aside the matter of the divine country's subjugation, we still haven't be able to return our debt of you saving us!」
「If it's Helmut's location, we can do something about it ourselves. About the debt, the delicious meal and empty bed are enough for that.」
Hajime quickly shook off Roze's clinging arms, but Roze circled around him and took position in front of the door with both her hands spread out. Hajime's eyes narrowed quietly, but even while sweating coldly, Roze didn't show any sign of moving at all.
「Pl, please, come to Avenst by any means!」
「You are trying to take us away?」
「That's not it! I'm not thinking that such thing is possible! ……If it's in Avenst, then we will be able to show our gratitude a bit more properly. Even the cooking there is incomparable with the food in Rozeria, also in Avenst's airspace there are also island with lake and island that grow rare fruit! After that, after that there are also a lot of dragons living there-. It's only a few, but we are living in coexistence. Among us there are also people that can ride dragon, the sight of human and dragon flying together is really beautiful……after that……the people of Avenst are all good natured, ah, there is also craftsman that specialized in handling ore! Surely you will be interested. Besides, err, that……」
She was already desperate. Even while getting incoherent, Roze was trying to make her invitation to mother ship Avenst into reality by speaking out things that might attract Hajime's interest one after another. It was also just a bit painful seeing her like that.
Roze spread out her hands with all her might to not let anyone pass while narrating the charm of her country that didn't even have any territory with teary eyes. It seemed that she was thinking if she invited Hajime to Avenst, then there would still some possibility left they could move his emotion and receive his cooperation.
There, Crow siblings and Bovid also joined. They kept speaking on and on so that they wouldn't lose their connection with Hajime somehow. Kuwaibel was raising s small cry while approaching Tio's leg.
Staring at those brave figures of the queen and her group desperately clinging to their hope, Hajime's expression suddenly turned gentle. Roze and others got taken aback, then their eyes shined with hope thinking that perhaps Hajime would hear to what they were saying.
Hajime was making an expression that seemed to say 'can't be helped huuh', yet it also looked really gentle, while――his hand was reaching toward Donner.
(Wait wait wait wait-, wait a second, Goshujin-sama! As expected, there art no way thou wouldst shoot them to death here correct?)
(Tio. You, what do you think I am. Of course I won't open up any hole in them. I have properly changed the bullet with non lethal rubber bullet. I'm just going to give them a bit painful forehead poke.)
(……I, is that so? No, even so I think that art still too much though.)
Roze and others were puzzled seeing Tio who suddenly held down Hajime's right hand and began to whisper from point blank range. Surely they didn't imagine even in their dream that if Tio was late just by a step, they would get *dopan-*-ed.
Tio glanced at them who were actually in a pinch and whispered to Hajime with her body glued on him.
(Goshujin-sama, this art a rare chance, how about accepting the invitation?)
(What, you are interested?)
(Yes, I'm interested in the point where human and dragon art coexisting. Besides……)
(Besides?)
Tio looked down shyly. Hajime's eyes blinked at the unexpected gesture.
(Helmut's subjugation wouldst not take that much time correct? As expected, after closing the books of one history of this world, we wouldst not be in the mood of continuing to adventure aimlessly again. Helmut's subjugation wouldst be the end of this adventure.)
(Well, I guess.)
(Yes. After subjugating Helmut, we wouldst return to earth. That's why……)
(You are saying, you want to continue this adventure of just the two of us a bit more? Well, certainly an adventure of just two day and a night sound questionable.)
(Ye, yes. So just a bit more……is it no good?)
This was Tio whose vocation was protector, so honestly Hajime didn't know if that was all of her true feelings. Perhaps she more or less had sympathy toward the dragon species of this world and Roze and others.
But, Tio's selfishness where he usually needed to ask her before she finally said it out, now she said it by her own initiative. Hajime's answer was decided already.
「Aa, then, perhaps I should take a look, just for a bit, at this country of queen-san and others.」
「Ah, that means……」
「Yeah. I'll accept your invitation. However, that's all there is to it until the end. Understand that this doesn't mean I'll agree to cooperate with you.」
「I, I understand!」
They somehow held on to the hope. Of course, they also understood that at this rate it would be only an empty hope. Even so, they couldn't help but felt relieve and happiness.
Seeing Roze and others, the four of them rejoicing with each other, and Tio who was linking her arms with his in a good mood, Hajime smiled wryly.
Approximately a day after that.
Deep inside cloud mountain range area where giant cloud mountains were stretching out, the nation on board a ship Avenst finally showed up.
AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.
Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.
I plan to end Tio arc in about two more chapters.
The next update will be at 6 P.M Saturday if possible.