And then three days later. Cecilia's figure was in the woods beside Argharam.

On her left, a more flooded river flows, and on her right, a high cliff rises.The road was wide enough for carriages to pass through, but it was not paved, it was muddy, and there were puddles everywhere.

"I'm sorry, everyone helped me so far..."

Elsa was the first to bow her head.'Ladies and gentlemen' are the five people behind her, Cecilia, Leanne, Huey, Jade, Oscar, and Dante.

Cecilia shook her head at Elsa's sad face.

"There's nothing I can do about this."Besides, we're the ones who offered to help, so don't worry about it! "

"I'm really sorry. I know we're in a position to refuse an offer of help, but we're stuck here..."

Elsa dropped her gaze as she said so.

It started yesterday evening.

That day, Elsa and the nuns from the temple were preparing for the next day's Nesans Market.

The Nesans Market is the largest bazaar in the country from the beginning of December until the beginning of January.Even those who don't usually participate in business will open shops and sell handmade products at the house.In addition, there are merchants who come to earn money from the neighboring town, and it is a lively event in a different sense from the sacrifice.

That's why Elsa and the others have been opening Nesans Market every year to solicit donations and secure operating funds.However, since it is a bazaar that lasts for about a month, it is naturally necessary to refill the product once every few days.

And yesterday was a day of replenishment on some days.However, the carriage from the temple will not arrive for a long time.Naturally, the product does not arrive.

I was worried about what happened, and after a while, I was contacted that the carriage had gotten stuck in the mud and couldn't move.It also seems that the carriage broke down at that time, and I can't drive anymore.

"Fortunately, the carriage got stuck not so far from Argharam, so we decided to go get it directly..."

It was possible to get there by wagon, but the unpaved mountain road still had to be transported by hand, so it seemed that they were in trouble.

Even so, all the people from the temple, including Elsa, were women.Moreover, the number of people is as small as five.You can't carry heavy things, and you can't carry large amounts.The man who had operated the carriage was a man, but he had the current condition that the carriage was broken.

When I was in such a difficult situation, Cecilia, who happened to be away from school, was at the Sigogne Relief Institute.

By the way, Huey helped Nesans Market, Jade had a meeting with Leanne about her next publication, Oscar was visiting the salvage academy, and Dante somehow talked about Oscar.

"It's been raining lately."It's a little tight in a carriage like this, isn't it? "

It was Jade who looked up at the sky while saying that.

Though it has not yet come down, the sky is covered with thick clouds, and the rain is about to spill out.

Elsa bowed her head, wondering if she still had enough to apologize for.

"I'm really sorry, Your Highness!" Moreover, I need you to lend me your troops..... "

"Don't worry about that."If they just follow me, my body will be dull..... "

Elsa bowed her head deeply again to Oscar, who said she was going somewhere else.

Looking at his back like that, Cecilia remembered what Grace had said three days earlier.

Cecilia, let's ask your Highness for help.Tell him everything.As I reckon, that's the only way. '

"I don't care if you say that..."

Unexpectedly, the word leaks.

Leanne said it before, but to be honest, Cecilia doesn't think Oscar is going to hurt herself anymore.It would be the same if Cecil were to find out that he was Cecilia.You may feel bad, you may be hated, but that's why you won't be doing anything, and I believe that.

(But for now, I guess...)

I wonder what it would be like to say that the person I thought was a boyfriend was actually a woman and her fiancée...On top of that, he has been selected as a "candidate for Amako".It's a pinch. Please help me!'Isn't that too convenient?

(If I were in the same position, it would make me absolutely uncomfortable...)

That's why I don't think it was him who turned down my friend's request.That's why I didn't want to trample on his feelings.

Cecilia dropped her shoulder as she walked.

Honestly, I don't know what to do anymore.

Leanne peers into the room to see if she's worried about her.

“What's the matter? Are you not feeling well?"

"It's not like that."I had a little conversation with Grace..... "

What about Grace? Has there been any progress on the [Sword of Selection]?

"Progress or retreat..."

I have a subtle feeling about what to say.

Although the situation seems to have seen a breakthrough, it is more and more blocked in spirit.

In response to Cecilia's ambiguity, Leanne halved her eyes, saying, "Which is it?"

"Ah! Speaking of which, I just heard a strange story from the nuns!"

A strange story?

"Somehow, a few months ago, there was a rumor in the temple that there would be a ghost of a nun!"It looks like there are a lot of people who have seen it..... "

I wonder what that would do.Cecilia twists her neck.

I don't know what to say, but it's a common story in an old building.In fact, there are rumors of ghosts in the old campus of Wruehel College.

"What's wrong with that?"

"Actually, that ghost seemed to have disappeared from the day we couldn't find the [Sword of Selection]!"

Not knowing where she was going, Cecilia vaguely struck out "hehe..."

Leanne folded her arms together as she let out a voice that could only be heard by Cecilia.

"When I heard that story, I thought about it a little bit!"I wonder if that ghost was Prince Janice. "

"Ehhh!?"

"I was dressed as a woman and I was looking for the [Sword of Selection] night after night!"

It's like, "You're the culprit! 'Just then, Leanne pointed her finger at Cecilia's nose.

Cecilia was stunned at first, but after a few seconds she came home and slowly removed her fingers.

Isn't that just impossible?

Why?

"I mean, Prince Janice has a pretty face, but she's tall and her body is pretty solid."If you're wearing a woman's clothes, you'll know in one shot. "

"Well, who's the brunette guard?"I've never seen anyone like that before, have I? "

"I wonder if we're together." I feel like I was shorter than Prince Janice, but it wasn't that low.... "

When she heard the words, Leanne said, “That's right...” and slightly unfortunately put her fingertips towards Cecilia.

"Is that so? In the first place, do you want outsiders in the temple?"Even when we were invited in, we were checked a lot... "It's not a place where outsiders can come in and out again and again and again and again and again..... "

It's a different story if you're forced to break through, but it's a difficult place if you're not.

As expected, it was the temple where Miko lived.The security system is adequate.

But Leanne put her hand on her waist and revealed her anger.

"So, how did Prince Janice get in in the first place!"So you're disguising yourself as someone else? "

"Huh? That's..."

Sure enough, how did they get in?It was true that only the Reincarnated knew what a sword was, but I didn't know how to dive inside the temple in the first place.

Could it be that--

That's when Cecilia crushed it.

"Cecil!! Up...!"

A sharp voice came from her back, as if she were slapping her cheek. It belongs to Jade.

Raising his face to the voice, he could see a large rock full of eyes.When I realized that it had rolled off the cliff, my body was already reflectively avoiding the rocks.A rock passes by, making an unbelievable noise.The rock immediately rolled down the cliff and fell into the river next to it.

And the rocks, big and small, keep rolling down.

"Damn it! The ground was loose in the rain!"

"Everybody watch out!"

Cecilia immediately unfolds her treasure to protect the humans from the rocks.

In the dome, which was like clear glass, the little stone was shattered and the big rock was bounced.

But...

Kaaaaah!

Elsa-san!

Elsa, who was walking at the head, was left behind.Countless rocks hit Elsa as she crouched down in fear.

"Leanne, this!"

Cecilia pressed her treasure against Lean.And her "Hey! Without listening to the restraint, he jumped out of the dome and rushed to Elsa.

"Are you all right!?"

"Ah, ahh..."

Cecilia grabbed Elsa's hand, which trembled with fear.And, "It's okay if you put it in there!"When I tried to run to the dome...

Huh?

This time, my vision shifted downward.

Cecil! Mr. Elsa!

Leanne's screaming voice shifted their feet.

I ran toward the river.

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"--Oh!"

Cecilia grabbed Elsa's arm and threw her to the dome.

Dante sees her body.

And Cecilia shouted loudly that she could not beat the sound of the ground.

"Leanne! Please!"

"Hey, Ceci!"

Leanne's words never reached the end of Cecilia's life.

It was because my consciousness had been cut off before that.

..◆◇◆

I didn't have time to feel helpless.

The moment I saw her drifting away with the brown sand, my body ran ahead of my thoughts and emotions.

Dante, please!

Oscar!

"Don't stop! I'll hate you!"

Oscar reflexively waved off Dante's extended hand.

You don't have to stop, you have to stop yourself.

Because your body, your head, is not yours alone, it belongs to this country.

I was born to be one of the gears that drives the country.

That's why Oscar shouldn't put himself at risk on his own terms, nor move without emotion.Reason should take precedence over everything else, and choices must always be made in the best way.

I know that.I know that.

The best thing to do here is to wait for them to settle down and then start searching for Cecilia after each one is safe.

But Oscar had no choice.I couldn't give him a choice.

Because I can imagine what would happen if I left her without any treasure.

Oscar rushed out and threw himself into the river like he was chasing Cecilia.