Around the time Aldis was raiding the base of the organization. Minerva was trying to fall asleep at the residence of the Dukes of Nilesteria, a corner of the royal city where the residences of the nobles gathered.
"Hey, Rona. It's cold there, let's sleep here."
"Wafu"
Minerva beckons Rona from a bed with a canopy, but the beast of color doesn't move, only with a whispering reply.
Rona was deposited in Minerva by Aldis, but still looks like a ferocious carnivore. The duke's servants were not afraid to approach them, and the duke's daughter, Minerva, was to take care of itself.
Of course Minerva is no different in that regard. For her, Rona is not a scary beast, but a companion to her master, a stuffed toy that is comfortable to hold. She arranged meals and snacks on her own, and squeezed her hands through the shining fur, taking care of her.
At night, Minerva has been sleeping and eating together for several days, including taking Rona into her bedroom. Minerva wanted to sleep while enjoying Rona's fluffy and soft fur in the bed, but the golden beast never tried to get on her invitation. Every night, he curls just beside his bed, turning his face to the entrance and windows like a knight protecting Minerva. That reminded her of a raid several days ago.
A group of masks that suddenly appeared during training with Aldis. Apparently, the assailants who targeted Minerva were repelled by Aldis, but the danger was not completely eliminated. The father, Duke Niles Terrier, is talking about his daughter in this matter, leaving Minerva with unspeakable anxiety.
Mosquito net "outside of the parties .... Although it's always the case, it doesn't feel good."
"Wow?"
When Minerva sighs unexpectedly, Rona turns a worried face.
"Nothing, Rona"
The reason why you wouldn't normally say a word is probably because of the role of Rona.
Of course, the opponent is a silent beast. Bitches No matter how smart a beast, Rona understands the human language, there is no way she can give the answer to be heard of her aristocratic daughter.
It is also a fact that feelings of calm can be calmed by just talking about anxiety. Minerva on that day was more vocal than usual, partly because there were listeners rather than solitaries.
"It's a relief because Captain Greysta is on guard, and I'm nervous that there's no way for Captain Greysta to stand."
A large number of escorts were killed and wounded in the recent assault, and the dukes were on duty, with many escorts escorting the Duchess to go out for the evening. Filling out vacancies is not so easy, and the duke's mansion has temporarily reduced the number of escorts. To fill the pit, a military battalion Moore Greysta, who had personal contacts with the Duke, led several men to escort the Duke's mansion.
Obviously a public-private confusion, the duke has enough power to push it through. Of course, it was only in the light of the security of my child, and there was no reason to object to Minerva himself, whose love was directed.
"Well, if we think it's escort training, we have a benefit. There is a lot of borrowing from the Duke, and the lady doesn't have to worry. '
He was sorry to Moore who had to do extra work during busy public affairs, but said himself with a frivolous smile.
It seems that Moore's subordinates who enter the escort are talking about getting extra vacation. It was virtually as if you were escorting the Ducal House on public affairs. In addition, the key money from the duke was paid separately, so in fact the number of applicants was more than expected. That's why the Dukes' House now has about ten active military personnel serving as temporary escorts in addition to the Duchess escort. The number was sufficient.
Of course, that's not to say if there are many people. Defenders are always forced to be passive, and initiative is always on the assailant.
Minerva sinks into the bed and silence comes into the room.
One minute or enough? In a consciousness that was not as clear as a short sleep, a short or long time passed, and Minnava's consciousness was about to sink in a warm bed. .
Minerva's consciousness that has sensed that sign is brought back to reality.
"... What happened, Rona?"
Relying on the faint starlight coming from outside the window, Minerva sought Rona's appearance.
Rona's ears move.
At that moment, a scream rang out of the silence.
"What is it?"
Next, the noise that reaches Minerva's ears. Heavy footsteps ran through the mansion, and screams of swords were heard from downstairs.
"Attack! There are many!"
"Don't be fooled by the perturbations! Harden the stairs!
"Hey, even the servants ...!"
Where did the silence go before, the duke's mansion was now shrouded in the sound and sound of the battlefield.
"Shu, attack ...?"
Minerva rushed to Rona and hugged herself, and immediately recalled a sword from her closet. A few days ago, this short sword was given by Aldis as a defense.
Unless you're sorry to be scared of the assailants, even though you've gotten a start from a rare mercenary, it's a pity. I wanted to be strong because, above all, I wanted to make a little sacrifice in these situations.
"Smash it!"
"Guu!"
The hustle was already approaching. The sound of striking the sword across the door, the sound of cutting the meat, and the sound of blood splashing reach Minerva's ears.
"I'm ... and I'm ..."
Minerva pulled his sword and set his hand on the door. Slowly turn the doorknob, feeling dependable on Rona who is snuggling up to your feet.
"Uh ..."
As soon as you open the door slightly, the smell of fresh blood is immediately drifting. Minerva squints for a moment in the corridor lights coming into the room, and cannot accept the sight that jumped into the next moment, and utters words.
"Oh……"
A corridor you should be familiar with. There is a shadow of a person who should not be able to do it.
One, two, three ... The floors and walls that they would have dyed at this time were painted in mottled vermilion.
"Young lady! You shouldn't come out because it's dangerous!"
A voice was heard as if to scold.
"Oh ... Greysta, Battalion ..."
After confirming the voice, Minerva called her name with a crying face.
"I'm a raider. There are a lot of them, but it's not a skill.
"Oh, me too ..."
Minerva reshuffles the short sword with his shaking hands.
"Don't tell me stupid. If you let the escort target fight with a sword, the escort will stand out. With such a shaking hand, no one can cut you."
"……understood"
Minerva hid her face down. His eyes are getting wet because he can understand that Moore's words are correct in his head, while grinning his hands, which are just shivering and restless.
"Let's go back to the room."
Moore speaks gently. Indeed, it would be impossible to reach out to the daughter of the night dressed daughter with blood glue. I urged me to return to the room with my hand touching or not touching.
The sound you hear is getting smaller, and it seems like the noise has just begun to subside.
"……Yes"
Heels nodding, Minerva returns to return to his room.
At that time, Rona, who had been quietly standing at Minerva's feet, instantly jumped out.
"What? Rona?"
"Wow!"
At the same time as Rona's threat, the window glass broke and two figures jumped into the room. Glance At the bedside, the man hits his dagger at Minerva without showing any hesitation.
"Go down!"
Eaves With that said, Moore goes forward like Minerva.
At the same time, Rona slipped past her side and peeled her fangs at the assailant. The move may have exceeded the expectations of the assailants. Shortly after reaction, one of the assailants was bitten by Rona in his throat and died without help.
The other assailant turns his blade at Minerva, aside from fellow fellows, and Moore is naturally standing there. Moore is a strong man who has succeeded in becoming a military battalion alone. Hands-on, no matter who the assailant is, there will be no one-on-one heading behind. After slashing about three goats, he surrendered the assailant without danger.
"I guess these guys were my favorite. Anyway, it was fine when I was present ...
Moore turns his eyes on Rona, who has cleared the assailant.
"As expected, a friend of" The Thousand Swordsman. It's not just a beast. "
"Wow"
Rona screams as if she said it was natural. The sound of the battle was sucked into the silence of the dark night, and no sign of it was felt.
"Now, apparently, the assailants want to stop with this, and they have to turn to the wounded."
"Wow, am I?"
"The lady is quiet here .... No, the window is broken, so why should I move to another place? There seems to be some reliable escorts. -What happened? "
Moore suddenly notices Rona's incident. Rona, who was calm to a sudden assailant, was struggling around her head calmly.
"What happened, Rona?
Minerva was wondering about Rona's appearance like Moore, but suddenly noticed a sense of incongruity around him.
"what's this?"
"What happened?"
No one is here to answer Minerva's questions. At the same time, Moore, who could not understand what it was, could not perceive the incident itself.
The heavy air that wraps around the whole body upsets Minerva's senses. Minerva grabbed a short sword in one hand and hugged Rona's body with one hand as he gradually lost his sense of reality. He finally exhausted himself, desperately trying to stop the consciousness of fading away.