The five men who took the barrier box fit nicely inside.

  On the other side, the leader, who had been left behind, swung his sword around as he yelled at Luke and Gille to run into the barrier. The other five remaining men also swung their swords around frantically to protect Luke and Gill.

  I sat down and crossed my legs.

  “Albans! You! How can you remain so calm?!”


  “You say that, but you won’t let me go on the other side of the barrier, now will you?”


  “But-!”


  I ignored the noisy Graces and watched Luke. He was calm. He took a box that was larger than his palm from his jacket and turned the key. *WHIRR* the Hollows flew back. The Hunters looked at the scene as if they couldn’t believe their eyes.

  “This is the latest model barrier box. It’s half the size of the previous ones and creates the same barrier.”


  “You-!”


  “Luke won’t lose. Of course.”


  He put the barrier onto the table, stood and drew out his Rhodolite sword. Gill, who was next to him, did the same.

  “That can’t be! Don’t tell me they’re going to fight!?” At the same time Graces had muttered that Luke walked up to the edge of the barrier and slashed the Hollow which looked like a human. He calmly watched as it became a magic stone and fell. Next was Gill. One person stayed within the barrier as they took turns to calmly slash at the Hollows.

  They didn’t learn sword skills at school for show. Until this summer holiday, they had been training to attack Hollows.

  Seeing that, the party inside of the barrier also started to slash at the Hollows. Before long, the Hollows began disappearing from our sights.

  Luke picked up the barrier box and moved the barrier. Everyone started picking up the magic stones. After they’d finished, they walked towards Kingdom’s barrier as if they were following Luke, who held onto the barrier box. Then the Hollows near Kingdom’s barrier flew back, and they made it safely back inside.

  Luke stood in front of me and looked completely different from before he’d left the barrier. He was full of confidence, and so was Gill.

  “Otou-sama, I get it. I get it now.”


  “Did you seize it?”


  “Yes!”


  “Good!”


  I stood up and spread my arms out. Luke jumped into my arms. His body was shaking a little, but I don’t know if he was terrified or excited.

  “Outside, Otou-sama,” I understood what he was saying with just that one word. It was the same feeling I felt even while watching from within the barrier.

  “I also felt it. It felt like a presence that shook from the outside. You have to open up your senses to seize it. That is the key to manipulating magic.”


  “Yes.”


  I hugged Luke, and when I let him go, I hugged Gill.

  “You did a great protecting Luke.”


  “I didn’t do anything. And-,” Gill smiled broadly while looking slightly embarrassed and took a barrier box out from his pocket.

  “I have this.”


  Graces looked up at the sky. It was a barrier box.

  “So you’re saying everything would have worked out?”


  “I learnt that I can’t protect anything if I’m not prepared.”


  The Hunters looked at them in amazement.

  “What the heck? You learnt something that took hunters years to learn in just one go? Is this who the Four Marquises are? Is this the power of Kingdom?”


  “You don’t have to be amazed. Take that barrier box and bring your crew back. I think having the barrier box for a night is more than enough for them.”


  “Are you going to forgive them? They didn’t just expose your son to danger, but us too,” the Hunter said, and I shrugged.

  “My request was for you to take my son and his friend with you, even if it’s dangerous. I didn’t demand that you lose your lives over this task. Hunters have their own rules, so you guys deal with it yourself. But, the reward will only to go to the hunters here. You can go gather the magic stones. It’ll probably be useful. The agreement with those guys ends today. The barrier box is only for your party.”


  “We’re just glad we didn’t die, but okay,” the Leader spat towards the other party outside of the barrier. He took the barrier box from Luke and went to get the younger party.

  “Now then, let’s rest for the rest of the day.”


  “No, wait. Wait!”


  “What?”


  It was the merchant.

  “I’ve never seen a small barrier box like the ones Luke-sama and Gill-sama are carrying.”


  “Of course you wouldn’t. This is new.”


  “Business would become much easier at Frontier with that. Could you possibly give it to me?”


  “Hmm,” I thought.

  “I can give you the one we have right now. But, even if it’s small, the price would still be the same as a normal barrier box, and you would also need the same magic stone. I don’t think it’ll benefit you.”


  “The advantage is that I could hold it secretly like Luke-sama did before! And you don’t know much about trade if you’re selling it for the same price as the other barrier boxes!” The merchant said as if he was screaming.

  “I don’t expect to sell a lot. But you shouldn’t be reluctant to be flexible when it’s a trade you can’t refuse. That’s a freebie as thanks for this. Now, let me rest.”


  The guards will be splitting into two groups tomorrow so that they could guard me and then Luke and Gill respectively.

  “Graces.”


  “Yes?”


  I feel like Graces is becoming more and more rude towards me.

  “You go with Luke.”


  “No, I’ll stay with you.”


  “Please. I want to leave my son to you.”


  “You-!”


  Graces covered his face with his hands.

  “Is it too bright?”


  “No!”


  “I’ll make the adjustments.”


  “Thanks.”