Chapter 128: Long Time No See?
While calming my breathing, I looked around once more to confirm whether there was anything moving.
Even surveying the distance I could not confirm anything, and I let out a sigh for the who-knows-how-many-th time.
Roy standing beside me with a longsword in one hand was also looking around.
But perhaps unable to confirm anything moving, he breathed a large breath as if relieved.
"Raide!"
"Instructor, are you safe!?"
"You survived, huh?"
"If something happened to the Instructor, I wouldn’t be able to face the proprietress..."
"Yeah..."
Foria and the others who had headed to the city gate first ran up with the gate soldiers with worried expressions.
Roy and I were tired, but we smiled and firmly nodded.
In front of the city gate visible in the distance the soldiers could be seen dispersing, perhaps for confirmation.
Looking at the figures of everyone approaching, I breathed a large breath from the bottom of my heart that it was good.
I even remember about 15 faces.
From the look there are injured ones, but it seems there are no dead.
A miracle, truly a miracle.
Serving as the rear guard of a stampede and having not even one casualty can only be called a miracle.
I looked over everyone’s faces and smiled, happy that they had survived for me.
"I’m glad you’re safe!"
"...This kind of place of Raide’s is unfair."
"It’s a bit late for that, isn’t it?"
"That’s right!"
"Your Instructor or whatever is interesting!"
"I understand the feeling of the gate soldiers laughing..."
I ended up laughing looking at everyone’s figures that had become muddy from the rain and Blue Slime liquid.
Everyone looked at me blankly; I pointed at my own clothing so that it would be conveyed to everyone.
Then everyone looked at their own muddy figures and laughed the same as me.
When I directed my eyes to the side, Roy was looking at my face with a tired face.
Finding it strange, I tilted my head and asked.
"What’s wrong, Roy?"
"No... it’s nothing, Instructor."
Roy smiled troubledly at my words and shook his head.
Nn? What really is it? Did he get injured somewhere?
Concerned about Roy’s state, when I asked if he was injured, I was laughed at enjoyably with "That’s not it."
We began walking toward the city gate with everyone through the highway that was soggy from the rain and Blue Slime liquid.
Just looking at everyone’s smiling faces makes me think it was good that I came even at the risk of danger.
Of course Foria and Roy, and being able to protect the adventurers and gate soldiers was good.
Approaching the city gate, when I saw the figures of several people standing in front of the city gate I twitched my face.
I almost stopped my walking feet unintentionally, but somehow advanced my feet.
While looking in front of the city gate, I murmured so that Roy walking beside me could hear.
"I have a worse premonition than the stampede..."
"...Me too. I really don’t want to approach..."
Felica, who had probably been commanding the knights, was standing with arms crossed in a imposing stance.
While floating a scary smile that could be understood even from a distance.
When I tried to make the advancing feet slow, my back was pushed by someone and my feet were forcibly advanced.
Even when checking behind there was no one, and Roy was also confused as if the same.
From between me and Roy, from behind, Sharle’s angry voice could be heard.
"Now, please move your feet."
"...Sharle?"
"Eh, who is it...?"
"...One of the people angry at our actions."
"...I’m already scared, though?"
Strongly pushing the backs of me and Roy, Sharle did not hide the angry atmosphere.
Moreover, because she sometimes laughs with that atmosphere it is even scarier.
By being pushed on the back we overtook everyone walking in front and were made to walk at the lead.
As Felica’s figure approached, a scary atmosphere could also be felt from the front.
When I strained my eyes carefully, from behind Felica’s waist Lea was peeking her face and waving one hand while laughing enjoyably.
Aaaaaaah, this is bad, scarier than the atmosphere I once felt from Erika!
But it is certain that I made them worry, and escaping is probably impossible because of Sharle.
Everyone behind was making strange gestures at us advancing at the lead.
But perhaps spotting the figure of Felica standing in front of the city gate, giggles could be heard from behind.
Pushed on the back and coming in front of Felica, Roy and I awkwardly voiced.
"A~, I’m home, Felica..."
"I’ve returned, Onee-san..."
"Welcome back, both of you."
Silence continued for a while; with a troubled expression I rubbed the back of my neck with one hand.
Lea was peeking her face from behind Felica and looking at our figures while grinning.
The others passed us, leaned their backs against the castle wall, rested their bodies, and looked at us.
To Felica who still had a scary smile while placing her large breasts on her crossed arms, I breathed and voiced.
"I’m sorry for making you worry."
"...Certainly both I and Raide had to participate. But, a solo charge is not something to be praised. ...You understand, right?"
"Yeah..."
"Please, consult from next time. I understand that time was precious, and thanks to that Princess Arelia was safe. Therefore from me, I won’t say any more."
"I’m sorry, I rushed too much."
"It’s fine. I’m truly glad you’re safe."
After giving a light lecture, Felica erased the scary atmosphere for me.
Certainly I may have hurried too much, and thinking now there might have been ways.
I was trying to stay calm, but I think I was a little not calm.
From next time I will have to search for words that convince those around.
Lea appeared from behind Felica, fluttered her black dress, and approached.
Then she strongly slapped my stomach with a beshi, grinned, looked up, and spoke.
"Our punishment is forgiven with this."
"...I’m sorry."
"Ahahahaha, Raide really is interesting!"
At my words Lea laughed enjoyably, and I ended up smiling wryly.
Concerned about the unresponsive Roy I turned my face to the side; Roy was frozen looking behind Felica.
Tilting my head and chasing the destination of the gaze with my eyes, at the entrance of the city gate were Roy’s lovers floating scary smiles like Felica’s.
Lucy was crossing her arms like Felica, and Sealin and Runen were making expressions as if about to cry.
Felica placed one hand on Roy’s shoulder, pointed behind with the other hand, and spoke to Roy with a nice smile.
"Roy, from me that’s all... but they are waiting, you know?"
"...Instructor."
"I’m sorry, but this is one thing I can’t help with."
Roy made a distant look, twitched his mouth, and approached Lucy and the others with heavy steps.
I smiled wryly at Roy’s state, then turned around and surveyed the plain.
Looking at Lea’s figure, I thought she had probably done something.
Seeing that Blue Slime liquid had fallen quite close, I truly thought it was dangerous and patted my chest in relief.
Felica who surveyed the plain together beside me told me the damage with a serious expression.
The dead are 25 people; the injured are many but nothing life-threatening.
Considering that in the original story the dead exceeded 100, the damage was probably kept low.
Princess Arelia, Hirbyde, and the royal guards seem to be heading to the royal castle.
"Lord Raide!"
At the voice called from behind I twitched and vigorously turned my face, astonished.
Felica beside me was the same, staring blankly.
Fluttering a noble white dress and golden hair reaching the waist, swaying large breasts and approaching at a light trot from the city gate was Princess Arelia.
Immediately Felica and I turned our whole bodies toward Princess Arelia, placed one knee on the ground, and knelt.
Then in a small voice that would reach only Felica I asked.
"...Felica?"
"No, I had received a report that way..."
"Truly... a tomboy."
"...Nn?"
While lowering my face and looking at the ground I end up smiling wryly.
At the figure that has not changed at all from the time I saved her, I almost end up laughing.
Because the figures of the royal guards hurriedly chasing from behind Princess Arelia float in my eyes.
I understood that she had come right in front from the atmosphere and the faintly visible hem of the dress.
Princess Arelia calmed her breathing and then spoke to Felica and me in a bright, beautiful voice.
"Both of you, please raise your faces."
""Yes.""
"Please do not be so formal. Lady Felica, the rapid command was splendid."
"Thank you very much."
"Lord Raide, long time no see?"
"...With all due respect, I believe this is the first time we have met."
At my words Princess Arelia opened her eyes wide and narrowed her eyes as if looking at something interesting.
Elegantly bending the fingers of one hand and placing them against her mouth, she giggled and glanced behind.
When I inwardly looked behind Princess Arelia with suspicion, I lowered my face and let out a small sigh.
I understand it is rude, but please forgive me.
In the first place, Princess Arelia is probably doing it on purpose from her expression as well.
Walking from behind Princess Arelia was the figure of Second Princess Letia Libertonia fluttering a pink noble dress.
Like her older sister shining golden hair grown to the waist, breasts smaller than melons, and a slender body.
Because both have slender bodies, the breasts end up looking even larger.
With a calm outward atmosphere it is not usually understood, but Princess Letia is also a tomboy like her older sister.
At that time, the one who pulled her from inside the carriage was probably Princess Letia.
Princess Letia who came beside Princess Arelia spoke enjoyably in a calm, beautiful voice.
"This is the second time we have been saved, isn’t it, Lord Raide?"
"I... the ones our unit saved were sisters living nearby."
"Fufufu, if it is the territory of the Kingdom of Libertonia, is it not an exaggeration to call it a garden?"
"Please stop the jests..."
To me who raised my face Princess Letia smiled enjoyably and said that, but I denied it with a serious expression.
Spare me...
Because I am teased like this, even though I had finished the report on the mountain quickly.
Suddenly the two raised their faces, looked behind Felica and me, and began laughing as if finding it interesting.
While looking at the two with a suspicious expression, Princess Arelia gave instructions to clear the people to the royal guards who had chased.
Then from behind Sharle spoke toward the two princesses.
"Lord Raide needs punishment."
"To anger Sharle this much, fufu."
"Fufufu, Onee-sama, that’s wrong. Being loved this much is amazing, kufu."
A kufu laugh is bad if a princess does it.
Or rather, Felica’s half-lidded eyes from the side are hard.
Recently I feel like I am being given half-lidded eyes by my lovers; is it my imagination...
Whether the two can see Sharle’s figure, after laughing for a while and calming they spoke to Felica and me.
"Right now there is also fatigue and postwar processing. We will wait at the royal castle on a later day."
"Onee-sama, that is a little weak. Raide, Felica, come to the royal castle in five days; I order it in the name of Princess Letia."
""Yes!""
Perhaps satisfied with the reactions of Felica and me, Princess Arelia and Princess Letia smiled and nodded.
Then surrounded as if protected by the royal guards, they entered into the royal capital.
With the two gone the fatigue suddenly came out, and I let out a big sigh.
To the extent of using Princess Letia’s name to forcibly make us come to the royal castle is too tomboyish.
When I stood up and stretched my waist, my shoulder was grasped rather strongly; surprised I looked to the side.
Felica was floating a scary smile again, tilting her head and looking at me.
Lea also, from where she had been hiding, was peeking her face from behind Felica and laughing enjoyably.
"Ra...i...de... I would like an explanation to 『us』, but?"
"Aha, ahahahaha! Being with Raide is never boring and fun, nhahaha!"
I think I was making a slightly distant look like Erika.
Breathing a small breath tiredly, I nodded to Felica and Lea.