「Oーi, we’re down already 」


  I called out to the pale-faced Eric who closed his eyes as soon as we’re on the ground.

  「……really?　It feels like it’s faster that I thought, are you sure?」


  「……I’m sure」


  Currently, we’re on a rooftop of a building in the northwest near the theater.

  How did we go down, you say, I used teleport instead of going down using Shield.

  I was trying to go down using Shield like before, but then Eric began to get scared so I used it.

  I was desperately trying to run away from those wicked groups that I didn't have any time to worry about using it, when we were climbing up.

  And certainly, it is quite scary when you can properly see the view from above as you go down rather than climbing up.

  Even though Eleonora-neesan was also feeling fine when she climbed up, as soon as she became aware of the ground below, she broke down.

  So,

  I manage to trick Eric since he closes his eyes, and uses the gap when the girl in the castle who looks this way turns her gaze away from us.

  「We’re on the ground! No, it’s atop a building to be exact. 」


  Eric stepped on the ground a few times, and then breathed a sigh of relief.

  「So patheticー」


  「Shut up!　To begin with, you don’t have to climb up to such a high place right!」


  「No, it will be annoying if we were seen by the people on the ground, and the scenery is better the higher we go, right.」


  「………I don’t care about that thing. By the way is this place around the northwest part?」


  Maybe he remembered his scared appearance when he was in the sky, Eric looked around and changed the subject.

  「It’s closer to go down at the northwest of the theater, don’t you think」


  Looking at the roof of the building and the surroundings in the northwest from the above, we were able to leap down using teleport instantly.

  It’s also fine to teleport to the narrow path near the main street, but to be safe, I teleported us to the roof of a big building.

  Should I say I didn’t overdo it since I use teleport while bringing Eric with me this time? I’m not that confident if I can safely teleport the two of us on such a narrow road at the same time.

  And I don’t want to hit someone or something and get hurt, so it’s better to just teleport to a place that has a wide roof.

  And as expected, as long as I’m in contact with them, it appears that it is possible to teleport with more than one person. And it seems the consumption of magic power increases in proportion to the number of people.

  In other words, it has the same principle so far, but maybe if Eric were an adult, the magic power consumption would increase a little more, I guess.

  With the exception of doing it by myself, this is a valuable experience since I rarely have the opportunity to use it with others.

  「Then, let’s go down shall we」


  「Are you okay? If you’re scared you can hold my hand and we can go down together okay?」


  「I’m fine!　I can do it by myself!」


  Eric was trying to go down to the roof of another building shorter than this one, but then he was angry when I tried to hold his hand.

  He snorted and went down the building.

  Even though he was clinging to me some time ago.

  「Quickly come down here」


  「Yeah yeah, I know」


  「Let’s go quickly」, Eric urged me to hurry up and descent as well.

  ◆


  「……so this is the royal capital’s theater… It’s fairly big isn’t it」


  Looking up at the big, brick-colored, and dome-shaped building in front of me, I let out a voice of wonder.

  The people in the surrounding, like nobles or the townspeople were rushing for this theater.

  The white, clean staircase at the entrance, and the many windows on the dome making the place look gorgeous. However, I think there’s no need to place a picture of an ossan in the middle.

  He looks like someone who has a strong desire to be the center of attention. Could it be that he’s the founder of this theater?

  Well in any case, I knew at a glance that it cost more money than expected, guess I can expect more about the play hereafter.

  「It require money to enter, huhー」


  「Well,that’s because it is a theater managed by a noble. And it’s also famous.」


  When I heard that, now I understand why this theater looks excessively gorgeous.

  So basically, that picture of an ossan is the noble managing the place, huh.

  We entered inside, bought tickets at the reception desk for nobles, and then we sat down at the designated seat.

  Naturally, the inside is round in shape, there are seats at the first floor, second floor, and the third floor, all of which are colored in red.

  The only place not red in color were the stairs and the aisles. Maybe the stage is now being prepared, the thick red drop curtain is still closed.

  I’m sure that the worker, actor, and actresses are now busy running around behind that curtain.

  The noble’s seat that we’re currently at is the front seat on the second floor. Ordinary people were mostly on the first floor, but it seems that people can go to the second floor by paying more money. The people around us who look a bit more neat than most people are probably merchants.

  But apparently, it is impossible for commoners to go up to the third floor no matter how much money they have. So there's a difference in social status, huh.

  As for me, I don’t think that kind of height matters. The service might be nice, but you need five gold coins to go to the third floor.

  Truly an excessive price.

  Meanwhile, Eric is complaining about how he spent most of his allowance to buy today’s meals and the ticket to the second floor.

  I’m fine since the sales of Reversi are good, so I have more than enough in terms of allowance. I think I already earn enough money in a lifetime with just this alone.

  As we waited, we watched as the townspeople and families were taking their seats one after another.

  In the blink of an eye, the seats in the theater are completely filled with people and become lively.

  『Papa!　The Dragon Slayer’s play will begin now!』


  『Aah, that’s right. The actor-san is cool, but the real Nord-sama look even more cool you know!』


  『Really!?　Then, I’ll be that person’s bride!』


  『………hahaha, you’re going to marry a powerful man in the futureー』


  I heard the innocent voice of a girl, and the hoarse voice of a father.

  Since Elna-kaasan is the only wife of Nord-tousan, please give it up girl. It’s a path of carnage if you step in between them.

  Other nobles have more than one wife or mistress, but my father doesn’t look like he had another.

  We have Sylvio-niisan as the successor of the house. As for me, I want a younger brother to do errands for me, or a cute little sister.

  「My father is popular, eh」


  「Cause it’s rare for someone to defeat a dragon.」


  「Just how did he defeat it?」


  「I know about it since I’ve seen the play, but if you watch it, you can tell how. 」


  「That’s right, isn’t it」


  While we were having such idle talk, a male host appeared in front of the stage’s curtain.

  The man started by greeting us, then when he stepped back to the edge and gradually, the light went out and the curtain rose.

  At last, the Dragon Slayer play begins.

  With the curtain gone, the stage was illuminated by lights as the actors and actresses came out.

  There was a young man with blonde hair and blue eyes.

  Dressed in a blue-colored adventurer garb, and carrying a sword on his waist.

  Is that the actor who plays as Nord-tousan…?

  He’s certainly an ikemen, but he looks a bit unreliable.

  Even so, the female audience looks happy as they raised their voices *kyakya*.

  Since I’ve seen the real one and Sylvio-niisan, I can only see him as nothing more than a fake one.

  「No, well, that’s because your father’s face is too good looking, so that handsome young man is already good enough right?」


  Maybe Eric guessed that when he saw me making a doubtful face, he said to me in a whisper.

  「U, un. I know.」


  Still, the real Nord-tousan is definitely much cooler.

  That fake guy looks as if he will be defeated instantly if he were to train with Eleonora-neesan.

  『――once upon a time, there was a young adventurer named Nord.』


  The pleasing voice of a woman resounded inside the theater as it narrated the story.

  Maybe they use a magic tool as an amplifier, or they use wind magic to disseminate the voice. The voice could be heard clearly, even to where I was.

  When we heard the narration, Nord-tousan――uh, no, the fake guy slowly walked down the street while raising his clear voice.

  It’s an awfully dramatic way of walking, but it’s inevitable since a play.

  Looking at that proud expression of his, I almost succumb to the impulse of slapping him as hard as I could, but I’m a patient guy.

  While hearing about the fake guy’s background, it seems that this fake guy is in the middle of his journey from the royal capital as he leaves the village.

  「That’s right!　Let’s sing a song on such a fine day.」


  The fake guy is walking normally, but then, he suddenly said that after his introduction.

  Then, cheerful music started playing, and the fake guy began singing alone as he walked around the stage.

  Besides, this guy doesn’t look like he is heading toward the royal capital.

  But, as expected from a pro actor. He has a pleasant voice as he sings.

  The fake guy turns elegantly, moving around the entire stage while taking impressive steps.

  The clear singing voice along with the dance, as if he was playing with small birds were making a lot of female audience fascinated.

  You can hear people letting out sighs from various places as people were watching with rapt attention.

  Before long, the song was over, and the fake guy started walking while saying his lines casually.

  And then, a tense sound played as three goblins jumped out from their hiding place in the grass at the side of the stage.

  「Goblins, huh!」


  The fake guy shouted as he unsheathed his sword.

  Of course that’s not a real goblin who showed up, those are men whose whole body painted green body paint. Those men are stooping and wearing dirty leather armor on their body, they also have a club in their hands.

  「Giii! Giiiii!」


  The characteristic strange voice and their bandy legs truly make them look like goblins.

  It reminds me of my goblin encounter with Rumba. Most likely, the actors have observed and done their research on goblins in reality.

  The goblins are doing a meaningless action of jumping around, moving their hands as they face and moving toward the fake guy.

  The peaceful scene was destroyed by the suddenly appearing goblins as they stage were wrapped up in tension.

  「……you sang in such a careless manner so of course those goblins came your way」


  「Even if you thought so, don’t say it」


  It seems that it came out involuntarily, Eric retorted in a whisper.

  In the meanwhile, tense music was playing and the fake guy and the goblins were measuring the distance between them.

  Normally, goblins wouldn’t care about something like distance and there are a lot of them who would just rush straight in, but this is a play.

  It was made to make it look more interesting for the audience. It’s not something that should be presented just like in real life.

  「Giii!」


  The one who moved first was still the goblin. Making a strange noise, the goblin attacked the fake guy.

  Fake guy avoided the wildly swinging club of the goblin with a lot of room to spare, and just like that he struck the goblin’s stomach smoothly.

  「Gyaauuuu!」


  The goblin screamed in pain and fell down. Naturally, he didn’t really hit it.

  Maybe they also practice martial arts to make the movement look more realistic, the fake guy moves beautifully.

  「Haa!」


  Along with the fake guy’s short exhalation, the attacking goblin was cut down.

  After defeating the last goblin, the fake guy sheathed his sword with an exaggerated movement.

  「Phew, I’m in excellent shape today. But strangely, there're frequent monster appearances these days. I have a bad feeling about this.」


  Saying that, soon the fake guy walked down the street and disappeared from the stage. While on the stage, the three goblins were lying around the floor without the slightest movement.

  At times like this, I think it’s inevitable that people would look at the goblins actors to make sure whether they can’t move or not.

  ◆


  And then the scene changed, the fake guy arrived at the royal capital.

  While he raised his voice of admiration toward the place that is bustling with people, he entered the Adventurer’s Guild.

  Inside the large and open interior, there are a lot of adventurers sitting together and making noises at the bar.

  Everyone was holding a tankard in hand, shouting loudly , and eating their meals. There are some of them who were doing arm wrestling, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the people around them.

  A few female adventurers were mixed among them, they are a sight for sore eyes. Even though they are few compared to their male counterparts, female adventurers do exist. I guess it’s going to be an advertisement, that not all adventurers were men.

  「……so this is the royal capital’s Adventurer’s Guild」


  Looking at the noisy place, the fake guy muttered, looking as if he was groaning.

  「You, never seen yer face ‘round here?」


  One of the nearest adventurers who was also making a racket at the entrance approaches the fake guy.

  With an unpleasant smile on his face, the adventurer doesn’t look like he welcomes the fake guy. His face is red, maybe because of the ale he drank.

  「Perhaps, it’s a template?」


  「Te, templete?」


  Maybe there is no such word here, Eric’s intonation is strange as he tilted his neck.

  Why did you emphasize on the 「tem」. But then maybe he lost interest since I kept silent, so Eric turned his gaze towards the stage again.

  This time Eric said while being irritated, 「Doesn’t this guy always say something strange like this…」


  When I have the chance, I’m going to take Eric hiking to the sky.

  「Nevertheless, he’s a really slender guy. Do you think he’s a woman?」


  The adventurer said that in scorn, trying to pick a fight with the fake guy, and the other men laughed as if they agreed to that.

  The fake guy tries to go past the adventurer by going around him quickly. Maybe he thought that there would be no end if he started dealing with this kind of person.

  「Why are you ignoring me!」


  But, it seems that he just struck the man’s nerve, the man threw a punch toward the fake guy as he tried to go past him.

  Yet, the fake guy slightly shifted his body to avoid it, then as if to get back at him, the fake guy stuck out his leg to trip him and make him fall.

  Ahaha, this is a move that Nord-tousan often used when we trained. When I make a large swing with my wooden sword, my legs will immediately be caught. Was it a coincidence?

  「Hahaha, that Bors, knocked down by a rookie. So shameful!」


  An adventurer teasing voice sounded, and the voices of derision moved from the fake guy to the guy who was down.

  「That guy, doesn’t look like his appearance suggest.」


  「Maybe Bors fell down because he drank too much?　Uhahaha!」


  The man’s face turned red from humiliation from being knocked down by a rookie, and being laughed at by a lot of people.

  When he saw that, the fake guy sighed, and the man struck at the fake guy again.

  「This bastard!」


  The fake guy safely evade it

  Instead of stopping the sudden fight happening, the surrounding adventurers were trying to stir them up by cheering on them.

  There are even voices of people betting on who will win this fight.

  When I look at that, I got the feeling that I’ve seen that kind of scene before somewhere

  「Hey, can you get out of the way?」


  Just when the angry man was about to fight with the fake guy near the entrance, a female voice could be heard coming from the entrance.

  The voice spread throughout the place like the sound of a bell, stopping the movement of everyone inside the guild.

  Suddenly, a girl with chestnut-colored hair squeezed herself between the two men. Or rather, she was just trying to enter the guild from outside.

  Certainly, the fake guy and the man who were standing still near the entrance were to blame. But even if it’s their fault, it appears that this girl doesn’t really care about the air of tension between them.

  Her glossy chestnut-colored hair was reaching her lower back. With resolute eyes the same color as her hair, and attractive looks. She has a womanly figure, and it might be that she’s a mage, as she wears a robe with a long cane in her hand.

  Let me see, who is this girl who appears suddenly?

  While I was thinking about it, I understood who she is owing to the male adventurer remark.

  「………oi, it’s Elna.」


  The moment I heard that remark, I almost screamed out loud.