「U~h, I understand. Reiji-kun.」


  Shirone finally agreed, albeit reluctantly, after Reiji persuaded her.

  Thus, we landed on the ground.

  There was a country right ahead from where we’d landed.

  If I’m not wrong, the name of that country should be the Sendea kingdom.

  It had made a name for itself after around a hundred years ago, the young king of the kingdom suddenly abandoned his throne, wife, and son to elope with an elf.

  Apparently, the two of them had eloped towards the Hardy Forest to the south of the kingdom.

  Though no one knows what really happened to the two of them after that, I assume that the young king must already be dead by now.

  But thanks to that incident, the elves had become the mortal enemies of this kingdom ever since. But, that had nothing to do with us.

  「Nao-san, are there any signs of anyone observing us?」


  I asked Nao after we descended to the ground.

  「No, nothing so far. Even if there is someone, they won’t be able to hide from me. Well, it seems that they aren’t following us all the way through the sky…」


  Nao shook her head.

  It seems we were being observed by something.

  Nao spoke time and time again that she felt an unpleasant presence.

  One of our goals for this trip was to catch the one who was observing us. But, it couldn’t be helped since the one who followed us didn’t follow after us as we were traveling from the air.

  「Nao-chan, is the one who was following us not Ruby-chan?」


  Ruby was the fire rat who observed us before he was caught by Nao. That rat seems to have returned to Nargol to follow Shirone’s childhood friend after that.

  「No, Rino-chan. I’d know immediately if it’s Ruby… The one who was observing us isn’t Ruby… the way this fella has been observing us sent a chill running down down my spine.」


  「Since that fella isn’t following after us, is it observing Sahoko and co’s side right now?」


  Shirone asked while tilting her head.

  「Shirone-san, even if that’s the case, their side has Kaya. Even if something happens, we can return with transfer magic immediately.」


  There was no contact from them right now.

  「If that fella dares to do something to Sahoko, I’m gonna turn that guy into the rust of my sword no matter who he is.」


  Reiji flashed his usual daring smile.

  Well, it was a good thing that he looked so eager.

  We’re the ones who would be troubled if he stayed dispirited after all.

  Nevertheless, the unpleasant person who’s been observing us… I wonder what kind of fella it is.

  We might be able to meet that fella in the middle of this journey.

  I had such premonition.

  ◆Silver Witch; Kuna

  Kuna found herself standing inside a shiny garden.

  White flowers were blooming in the garden and blue little birds were chirping around the garden.

  This place wasn’t Nargol.

  This is in my dream. I’m sure of that.

  Kuna was currently in Elios’ heavenly palace.

  Kuna, who was in Nargol, suddenly entered into this very place in Elios. Normally speaking, that was impossible.

  That’s why it could only happen in the dream.

  Kuna was walking around the garden when just then, an open space appeared ahead.

  A table and chair had already been prepared in that place.

  Someone was already waiting for me in that place.

  「I’ve been waiting for you, my clone.」


  The person who waiting for me called Kuna as her “clone”.

  She seemed to call herself as the “real” one.

  「What business do you have with me, Rena?」


  I glared at the real one before me, the origin that became the base of my appearance.

  Goddess Rena.

  Yes, Kuna was something akin to Rena’s clone.

  Maybe because of that, Kuna and Rena had formed some sort of mental connection.

  That was also the reason why we were able to meet here like this in a dream.

  「I called you here to lodge a formal protest, my clone. I’m really jealous that he’s ALL OVER YOU!!」


  Though Rena seemed to be really enraged, I honestly didn’t care about what she felt.

  「It can’t be helped. You’re so far away in Elios after all. Thus, it’s only natural that he LOVES KUNA who’s staying by HIS SIDE!」


  「BUT IT’S TOO MUCH EVEN FOR ME!! I MEAN, WHAT THE HECK WITH THAT MAID UNIFORM AND NURSE UNIFORM PLAY!!」


  What she was referring to as the maid and nurse uniforms were the native clothes from Kuroki’s homeworld.

  Kuroki had Kuna wear those clothes from his hometown every once in a while.

  「It’s not a problem. Kuroki is happier when Kuna wears those clothes.」


  「I also don’t mind since he’s really delighted by it, but… since he goes really wild when you wear those, my body has become…」


  Rena was heaving a sigh as she spoke.

  She was blushing.

  Maybe she was recalling the extremely passionate night between Kuroki and Kuna that she saw in her dream.

  「What are you talking about? It’s much better than seeing Mona’s side, right?」


  「I know that, but still…」


  Rena no longer saw Mona’s dream after Kuroki created Kuna.

  And since both of us love the same man, her mind chooses Kuna over Mona.

  「Since you’re okay with it, Kuna will leave if you have nothing else to tell Kuna.」


  「Wait. This time, please tell Kuroki to visit my place. It’s okay even if he simply just visits Totona’s library. I mean, I feel that I’m starting to lack Kuroki’s essence lately…」


  She looked really frail when she spoke.

  It seems she really had a hard time with not being able to meet Kuroki.

  「That’s difficult. Your house is located right in the centre of Elios, far away from Totona’s library.」


  Totona’s library was located at the outskirts of Elios. This was the main reason why Kuroki, the most fearsome Dark Knight, could enter Totona’s library in secret.

  In contrast, Rena’s house was located right at the centre of Elios. Kuroki would definitely stand out if he came to visit her house.

  In the first place, this woman couldn’t even abandon her status and chose to hide her relationship with Kuroki instead. That’s why, asking Kuroki to visit her house was literally asking for a trouble, right?

  「U~h. What should I do now? Things will be easier if I go to the introvert’s place, but she really hates me…」


  Rena was really at her wit’s end.

  The introvert here was referring to the Goddess of Knowledge and Books; Totona.

  Rena came to call her an introvert since Totona always secluded herself, from reading books in her library.

  Kuroki came to visit Totona’s library every once in a while whenever he had to do some prior investigation.

  I hate that introverted woman since she was always ogling Kuroki like a cat in heat.

  Rena was on bad terms with Totona. Thus, she was quite reluctant to visit Totona’s library.

  But, I guess we’re running out of time.

  「Anything else to say? Kuna is going to leave if you have nothing else to say.」


  Kuna stood up from her chair.

  「W-WAIT A MINUTE!!」


  「Anything else?」


  Kuna turned around toward Rena.

  「I don’t care about the clothes that you wear, but please stop using that cat-tail. Even I had a hard time seeing it in my dream you know.」


  Rena’s face was dead serious when she said that. It seems this was the main reason for her calling me here today.