VOL.18

<< Chapter of the Song of Heroes >> 

Full declaration of liberation of the Demon King's territory. The news was delivered to people throughout the continent of Landia by a joint statement from the Maritime Alliance and the Great Tiger Empire of Khan. The contents of the declaration is a combined response from the Kingdom of Friedonia and the Empire of the Great Tiger, the general contents are as follows.

1. The Allied Forces of the Great Tiger Empire and the Friedonia Kingdom, who entered the Demon King's territory, encountered an existence called Demon Tribe in the innermost part. Although there was a skirmish, they were able to meet with the Maou Divaloid, the supposed leader of the demons, and a ceasefire was reached.

2. As a result of the exchange of information between the parties, it turned out that the demons are another type of human being called Cedians who have crossed the northern sea. They call the humans living on the continent of Landia, Landians. The battle with the demons was a war between mankind.

3. It turns out that the Cedians were also refugees who had fled to the continent of Landia due to monster damage. Here the monsters are a threat in the sense that they have the same goals, the Allies worked with Maou to successfully seal the "Gate to the Otherworld", the first point from which the monsters have spread.

4. With the closing of the Otherworld Gate, the waves of demons that occurred once every ten years will no longer occur. The monsters still exist in various places, but it will not be long before they will be eliminated because they will be subdued in cooperation with the Cedians.

5. Harga, the northernmost city where the Cedians are located, will be under the joint control of the Great Tiger Empire and the Marine Alliance, and will be under the patronage of each.

...... And so it was.

From the Great Tiger Empire's side, the fact that "the otherworldly gate was blocked by Souma and Maou" was hidden, they would rather appeal that they were also active. On the other hand, from the perspective of the Friedonia Kingdom, being celebrated by the people as a hero for liberating the Demon King's territory might over stimulate the Great Tiger Empire and the Orthodox State of Lunaria, and if this fact became public, there would be a risk that Souma's birth authority and the authority granted to his lineage would be disputed. He wanted to avoid that.

It was a statement that reflected such bilateral speculation that people all over the continent were delighted. When they heard that the demon king's territory for which they had been suffering for so many years had disappeared and the demons (although they were actually Cedians) had ceased fire, they thought that peace had finally come. And those driven out of the north would have expected to be able to return to their hometowns.

...... However, anyone who thought, even a little, would be anxious.

Now that the Demon King's greatest threat was gone, the continent still remained divided between the Great Tiger Khan Empire faction and its allies and the Marine Alliance faction. Now that there are no common enemies, can these two great powers form a friendship? Either one can take hegemony, I think they will clash sooner or later.

Rather, the people of the Great Tiger Empire would wish so. Fuuga, who has always been undefeated (although there were many hard-fought victories), may succeed in establishing the feat of unifying the continent that no one has yet achieved. The maritime alliance is powerful, but only if the Kingdom of Friedonia, the Republic of Turgis, the Kingdom of the Nine Dragon Islands and the Kingdom of Euphoria are combined, the size of each country would pale in comparison to the Great Tiger Empire.

At the end of the Seven Warring States, when the six nations were devoured by Qin, did you not hope that Qin, who became a powerful nation, could conclude the war and unify the seven nations? In the turbulent times at the end of the Muromachi period, wouldn't you wish that Nobunaga unified Japan at the time, Hideyoshi when Nobunaga fell in the middle, or Ieyasu after Hideyoshi's death? Wouldn't it be even more desirable for people, who are fascinated by the myth of Fuuga's eternal victory, to defeat the maritime alliance and achieve continental unification?

People expect heroes to appear. Some become heroes in a way that meets that expectation. But people have more expectations of those heroes. The hero picks up that expectation and leaps forward. But if a hero cannot live up to people's expectations, people give up on that hero. Heroes are not limited to just being people so they have no choice but to keep moving forward fiercely. That is the fate of the hero.

The people of the Great Tiger Empire wanted an all-out confrontation between the hero Fuuga Khan and Souma E. Friedonia, the leader of the Sea Alliance. And what the people of the Great Tiger Empire thought was transmitted to the people of the Sea Alliance, and the joy of the liberation of the Demon King's territory disappeared in the atmosphere of the inevitable battle.

◇◇◇◇

In such a world atmosphere, when I returned to Parnam Castle I immediately summoned the top minds of our country. Gathered together were Liscia, Hakuya, the Chancellor of Black, who came from the Kingdom of Euphoria while I was away, Ichiha, Hakuya's successor, Julius, the White Strategist, Excel, the Adjutant General of the Defense Forces, Ludwin, the chief of staff, and Kaede, a trusted member of Ludwin's staff.

To these members I also told them how together with Maou I closed the gate of the other world, in short, I also explained the hard history of this world and the authority granted to my archaic lineage (the old humans). All the people gathered who heard the story and were holding their heads or seemed to be biting a worm.

"It's not just Souma, it's going to be worn by children as well..."

What Liscia said hurts me. I had the same feeling. This is because the work of the people of the land of the future will be done by children who do not know the land.

"... The ability to talk to Maou there and open the door to the northern hemisphere, and the ability to create new dungeons as test tubes and other high risk features have ceased. I don't think I need my kin right away.... "

"But your blood will be important when you ship to the northern hemisphere in the future."

Julius said with his arms crossed.

"I would have asked you to have one of Roroa's children adopted if the Kingdom of Lastania were alive, because I want an heir in case something goes wrong."

"That's right. From the point of view of prince consort of Queen Euphoria, the Kingdom of Euphoria also wants a child of Her Majesty and Mary-dono to be adopted."

Even Hakuya is saying such a thing. I understand your feelings, but I would like you to forgive me.

"Well, the northern hemisphere issue will be an issue for the future, we must first prepare for the southern problem."

"Fuuga Khan will undoubtedly attack... that's what you mean."

Kaede said nervously, so I nodded.

"Oh. It is Fuuga's will, or the will of the people who support Fuuga, or both. They will ask for answers to the emerging questions. The answer to the question can Fuuga unify the continent?".

"It's true. The only country that can oppose that country is the Marine Alliance."

Excel said while hiding her mouth with a fan.

"That country gains the support of the people by continuing to expand. If it stops walking just because the Demon King's territory was liberated, they will be dissatisfied inside. If that happens, civil war will occur easily and it will be difficult to maintain the country sooner or later. By the time Fuuga Khan reaches the end of his life at the latest, his great power will be divided".

"The reality is that your country has no choice but to fight."

Ludwin said with a sigh. Well, you also have talented domestic officials like Lumiere, so if they work diligently, they can make the country last longer. However, if you have a personality that asks for 100 or 0 like Fuuga, you won't be able to choose that option.

"Fuuga wants to test her abilities and her destiny. He is an ambitious person whose first priority is to ask the world how far he can go. So he never stops. He will surely declare war on the Marine Alliance and when that happens, the first target will be this Friedonia Kingdom, which he considers the most threatening."

Because of my words, everyone had a stern look. No optimism or dissenting opinions. It meant that everyone recognized that Fuuga was a man and was aware of it as such.

"Fuuga will never stop. Even if we could get rid of him several times, he would get up and attack again, without giving up, because people demand it. The people of this era demand it from him. That is the quality of this guy, Fuuga Khan. The heroes of this era are protected by the same era. That's why we have to change the era itself to stop him.

Leading an era in which people did not seek Fuuga's existence. That was the only way to defeat him. I said, looking around.

"I think I reached Harga, the city of Maou, and found a way. Listen carefully to what I am going to say from this moment on."

And I explained to those who were there the way to win Fuuga that I discovered in Hazal. They all sometimes bowed their heads in the middle of the story, but if I explained it correctly each time, they were convinced that it will be so.

"I see. so that's how it is?"

Excel smiled with a face that did not seem to be satisfied.

"I heard in Harga that it's not some sort of tactic or strategy ... But it's certainly different. Fu, fu, if this could be done, the people of the Great Tiger Empire couldn't handle it."

"It is certainly an effective method. Hopefully both Fuuga and Hashim will have a hard time."

Julius agreed, but immediately turned his head and said, "But."

"Doesn't it take a long time to accomplish this?"

"... Ah. It will probably take another six months."

"Fuuga will not be able to move until he finalizes the national public opinion, but he will attack as soon as he is ready. He will not wait for us to be ready."

"Oh, then you need to get as much time as you can."

When I said that, Ichiha, who was listening to the story, raised his hand in fear. The people around me are brilliant members of this company (Kaisenyamasen), so I think he is nervous as the youngest. When I said "Ichiha," Ichiha took a step forward as if he had made up his mind.

"That ... so we think we have to take a delaying tactic. If we are attacked, we have to make sure we don't take it to the decisive battle so easily. If we try to prevent it at the border, it will be a decisive battle, so sometimes it is necessary not to be, sometimes to prevent, I wonder if it will be necessary to sneak and retreat back."

This was also a painful way to fight. But otherwise, you couldn't buy time against Fuuga's army. It seems that you are growing as Hakuya's successor, since you can present such unpleasant and realistic opinions. I nodded.

"Yes. That's why I want everyone gathered here to devise tactics and strategies based on that policy. Gathered here are the scholars of this country. I expect you to devise strategies that exceed my expectations."

When I said that, everyone nodded at the same time. Then Hakuya raised his hand.

"If that's the case, there are possibly two people I'd like to join Operations HQ."

"Hmm? I don't mind, but who do you want to call?"

When I asked him, Hakuya smiled.

"He is also a person known to His Majesty."

◇◇◇◇

---A few days later. In the new city of Veneti Nova.

"That's why you should address Parnam immediately."

In the office of the mansion of the lord of this city, Weist Gallow, there was a person who received a farewell directly from Weist. The person passed by without knowing why he was suddenly called, and King Souma had just given him an order to report to the castle.

"Hah... Yes!!! why so suddenly!!!?"

The person was suspicious of his ears for a moment and made a muffled voice, but was soon surprised. Weist handed the invitation letter to that person and tapped him on the shoulder.

"His Majesty and the Chancellor in Black want your power - isn't it an honor? Then please do your best as a representative of our city. Mr. Urup."

"........."

Even the King of Amidonia, Gaius, was fooled by Weist while he had a big smile on his face, the summoned elder, Mr. Urup, standing before him, simply stood with his mouth open.

Episode 1 "After the legendary old man"

When building the new city of Veneti Nova, Mr. Urup, who talked about the "Legend of the Sea God" related to the land and reported on the concern about the damage caused by a tsunami. He then moved to Veneti Nova, where his plans were modified and where construction began taking into account his advice, and in addition to being a fisherman which was his main business, he told the people of this area about legends and actions needed when a tsunami came, as a nationally recognized storyteller in this area.

After several years, Urup felt the limit of his physical strength due to the hard work of fishing, and he left the work of the boat to his children and grandchildren and began to concentrate on the work of a storyteller. Urup was telling a legend to the children in a facility to keep the children during the day, which was built with reference to a children's school in Parnam castle, but one day he suddenly thought.

(There must be legends in various places that appeal to various natural disasters. Not only tsunamis, but also landslides, landslides will occur in mountains and valleys, and even in the plains, if there is a river nearby, there is danger of flooding. If there is a forest nearby, there may be damage from beasts. There may be legends in various places that appeal to these dangers, but are there tellers of such legends).

Souma understood and emphasized the value of the legend that Urup knew from the memories of disasters in the world. But conversely, Urup did not understand the value of the legend he knew until he met Souma. Perhaps this legend would disappear so soon after Urup died. Y ... how many lives would be lost if the day of disaster came without knowledge of this legend.

(I am horrified at the thought of it. And ... the legend left by my ancestors will disappear without being heard ... decided!)

Here, Urup woke up. As an elder, I can die at any time. Then for the rest of my life I will be a storyteller to collect and organize those legends. When I was determined, Urup's actions were swift. And I immediately wrote a letter to convey my thoughts to Souma (I learned to read and write letters at the educational center after retiring as a fisherman).

"Dear Sir, His Majesty the King. I couldn't beat the years and couldn't go out to sea anymore, but in the end I decided I wanted to do another job."

Later, when Soma read this letter, which began with that sentence, he laughed out loud.

"Old Urup, does he want to become a folklorist? He's getting older and wants to become more popular."

Souma, who wiped away tears of laughter while Liscia and her colleagues were dismayed, wrote a reply to allow it on the spot and promised to pay for the investigation. Not only that, he prepared a certificate, "because your investigative actions were approved by the King, please cooperate", and as it would be dangerous for an old man to travel alone, he entrusted it to Yuno and Dis. Attaching adventurers as escort.

Urup's chart at this time was later donated to the royal capital's museum and became one of its exhibits ... but that is another story.

"Hey, Urup's grandfather. It's a letter from the King."

"My child! Show her to me quickly!"

Upon receiving a response from Yuno and his group, Urup immediately prepared for the trip, and said he was a bit disguised by his family members who were concerned about the effect of the cold water on the elderly ...

So where do you go first? Grandpa!"

When Yuno asked him, Urup said while stroking his beard under his nose.

"I am afraid of water-related disasters. First by the sea. Then by the river. After that, I go for a walk in the mountains. After collecting the legends of each place, I have to return to Veneti Nova from time to time to put them together."

"... It's going to take a ridiculous amount of time."

"Of course, I'm going to gamble the rest of my life."

That said, Urup walked triumphantly. Escorting is basically carried out on the road from village to village, and when it was convenient for Yuno and his group, and when it was not convenient for Yuno and his group, it was done by a reliable adventurer sent by the adventurer's guild at the request of the country. Even if some people were suspicious of what Urup was doing investigating the legends of his land in various places, they would change their attitude and cooperate in the investigation when he showed the certificate autographed by the king, granted by Souma.

The people who were observing the situation created funny and amusing rumors, so that later a play called "Urup Omanyuuki", featuring the old man from the myths, would be made. By the way, accompanying members such as Suke-san and Kaku-san were based on, fixating on, Yuno and his group (although in reality, Yuno and his group were not always accompanying him...).

Now back to the main story. Urup then traveled around the country, researching ancient myths and tales used as lessons in all regions → returning to Venetinova to compile → travels again to research → returns and compiles ... and so on. The compiled content is sent to the national government as a report, Souma and Hakuya were satisfied with their work.

One day after doing this work for several years. When he was returning to Veneti Nova for the compilation, Mr. Weist Gallow called him and told him that Souma had ordered him to report to Parnam Castle. The next day, a flying dragon gondola arrived to pick him up, and in the meantime, Urup was lost in thought.

(I ... did I do something rude? Does Your Majesty or the Chancellor have any complaints about my report?)

Although it is a gondola owned by the royal family, quite long, but Urup was getting smaller and smaller in the corner. The gondola kept moving as he wondered this over and over again to himself, and when he realized it, he landed in the courtyard of Parnam castle.

"Mr. Urup. Welcome, you may leave."

When Urup got off the gondola, the head maid of the castle, Serina, greeted him politely. Despite having a connection to King Souma, Urup was only a citizen from her point of view. And yet, treated as if he were a nobleman or a minister, Urup was puzzled and could not say anything.

Serina pointed to his right side with the palm of her right hand to guide him.

"Please come in, it's this way."

Urup followed Serina, who began to walk where she was pointed out. Souma and company had become accustomed to the castle in recent years, but even the sight of the royal castle corridor seemed prestigious to Urup, which made him feel uncomfortable. Then, after walking, they led him to a room.

"Please wait in this room for a while."

Serina said so and bowed her head, leaving Urup behind. Besides the furniture, the room had only two big red fluffy sofas. Apparently it was a waiting room.

"Well, can I sit down..."

Urup, an ordinary citizen, I hesitate to even sit on the couch. I was in conflict for quite a while.

"Please wait in this room for a while. His Majesty will also arrive shortly."

From the other side of the door, I heard another person's voice with a formal language similar to Serina's. When the door opened, I looked at the red-haired dragonoid maid ... Carla. Then, a large shadow entered the room from the open door. It was a bearded man who looked no better than Urup in the royal castle.

(What's wrong with this guy? He looks like a thief).

"Hmm? Was the old man also called by the king?"

Urup's eyes met the burly man as he opened his mouth.

"It's, it's true. You're Urup de Veneti Nova."

"A, that's right, and who the hell are you?"

Urup thus replied to the big man, who would easily break his old body if he were to attack him in that room, so that at least he would not lose his temper. Seeing the appearance of such a ferocious creature, the big man who seemed to think he was scared scratched his head with a bitter smile.

"I am Gonzales, the captain of the mountain rescue team. Suddenly, the king called me today ... You too old man?"

"Um, that's right."

Realizing that he was not a dangerous guy, Urup also stopped being alert.

"I heard the story of the mountain rescue team when I toured the villages near the mountains. It was founded by His Majesty to search for and rescue people lost in the mountains. Many of the members are bandits who have reformed, and it seems that people trust you a lot since you are familiar with the mountains and go everywhere to help them."

"Hehe... if you put it to me like that I can't help but feel embarrassed."

Gonzales wasn't so bad looking. If he laughed more, he would be a little more attractive. However, his face was as charming as a grizzly bear's face when alert.

"By the way, don't you know why they called us old man, have you heard anything?"

"No, I haven't heard any of the details yet..."

It was then at that moment when the two were talking about it. When suddenly the door opened and Souma and Hakuya walked in.

"Urup-jisan and Gonzales. So you're both here already. Sorry, for calling you so suddenly."

Souma said in a light tone, Hakuya also bowed and said, "Thank you for your hard work."

"Your, Your Majesty!" "King.... Oops, sorry."

Suddenly, when the king and the chancellor entered the room, Urup hastily prostrated himself and Gonzales unaccustomed to this situation knelt down as best he could. Souma, put on a bitter smile at the spectacle of these two people.

"No, you don't have to be afraid, so stand up, both of you."

With this he made them stand up. And with faces they didn't understand, Souma said to the two with a smile.

"Thank you for coming, both of you. Urup-jisan. And Gonzales. There's something I really want you to help me with."

Urup and Gonzales looked at each other at Souma's words.

Episode 2 "Chicken Naruto Theft"

It was into a certain room that Urup and Gonzales were led. In the middle of the room, which was in semi-darkness because there were no windows, was placed something large like a doden. Looking at it, there was this huge scale diorama of the Kingdom of Friedonia, taking up most of the space in the room. Both Urup and Gonzales were impressed when they saw the location of each city and the height of each of the mountains.

Both Urup who researched the folklore of various regions of the country and Gonzales who had traversed all the mountains and carried out various rescue activities, understood the accuracy of this diorama at a glance. Yes even detailed maps are classified as secret because of their high degree of elaboration, for this scale model should not even be appropriate to be seen by normal people like us.

"Wh-, what is this..."

"As you can see, it's a scale model of this country."

Urup's question was answered by Hakuya, the Chancellor in black who was in the room. In which, looking more closely, General Excel of the Defense Force and the White Strategist, Julius, were also in the room. This was the second operations room of Parnam Castle. Where, not long ago, was the place where the strategy for the support of the Great Chaos Empire was devised. Gonzales, who came to, said in a cold sweat.

"Why ... Are they showing us this? Isn't this something we shouldn't see?"

"Fu fu ~, you're right. If you try to tell anyone, then we will deal with you secretly."

Excel laughed as she hid her mouth with her fan. Excel was smiling, but it was a situation the other two could not laugh at. The cold sweat wouldn't stop. Why were they called and what would happen to them in the future? Then ...

"Excel. Don't scare them."

Souma reprimanded Excel, Excel stuck out her tongue. In a gesture that her granddaughter, Juna, does when she occasionally plays with her. Souma dropped her shoulders and said, "I'm serious!". Then Souma clapped her hands, with a resounding pan, to regain her composure.

"Well, I called them today, because Hakuya wants to borrow their wisdom."

"That's right."

Then Hakuya stepped forward in front of them.

"You two have your own specialized knowledge. Gonzales knows all about the mountains of this country, and Urup collects the traditions of water disasters and while doing so, he has acquired the knowledge of someone who can be called an expert in water flow control. I would like to borrow the expertise of the two of you for the good of this nation."

That said, Hakuya explained to them the situation this country now finds itself in. The threat of the Demon King's territory has disappeared, and the only force that can counter the Great Tiger Khan's Empire is the Sea Alliance. And now that the north is stable, Fuuga will invade this country in the not too distant future. Most people in this country are relieved that the threat of the Demon King's territory has disappeared and a peaceful era has finally arrived, so the story Hakuya told them was overwhelming.

"Co-, that's the way it is, isn't it?"

"That's a big problem ... but, still, I don't understand why they called us..."

Hakuya put his hand on the scale model with a slight smile put on the two confused people.

"Think of Fuuga's army as a flow of water. It gains momentum when it goes from high to low, and vice versa. If it divides, the momentum will weaken, and if it joins, the momentum will increase. The same is true for both water and people. A place where water flows easily is also a place where people can easily pass through."

Hakuya said that and looked at Urup.

"In your report, Urup-dono points out areas where there is fear of damage even in areas where there is no folklore, isn't that right? From the folklore collected so far, he has gained an intuitive understanding of places where water can easily accumulate. If we think of Fuuga's attacking army as a flow of water, don't you know what kind of movements it will make in this scale model? "

"That's......"

Urup froze, but in his head he was simulating how the water would flow in this scale model. What would it do if the water flowed from the northern border? Yes it will separate at that mountain and gather in that basin. If it followed that bottleneck, it would come to a dead end, but if it followed this path, it would reach the royal capital without any problems.

"... No, no."

While pretending in this way, Urup shook his head.

"It's true that you can see the movement in this scale model. But no. The real mountain path is not such a simple thing. Are there some paths that can't be expressed with any scale model?"

Hakuya nodded at Gonzales' words.

"Yes, that's why I called them together with Urup-dono."

"Is-, is that so?"

Gonzales pointed his finger at himself. Hakuya nodded with a kokuri (nodding his head in a not too pronounced motion).

"Yes. As captain of the mountain rescue team, Gonzales is familiar with the mountains of this country. His knowledge is perhaps even comparable to that of the people who live there."

"Hmm ... well, I'm sure I'm the one who climbs the most mountains in this country."

Gonzales scratched his head. Hakuya nodded and continued talking.

"Gonzales is familiar with the hidden paths and trails used by the animals in the mountains that Urup-dono pointed out. If that knowledge fills in the blanks on the scale model, Urup-dono will advance more accurately and be able to figure out the exact route of advance."

"I see. Why the two of us were called."

Julius said he was impressed as he stood with his arms crossed.

"For Fuuga to attack this country, it is absolutely necessary to prepare a large army. This country has a more substantial life than in the Great Tiger Empire, and thanks to the dissemination of information and regularly transmitted to the public through broadcasting, it is not easy to make any propaganda as in the empire. And since there is no choice but to lead a large army and march in a direct way, the way to move that large army is limited."

"And if you can narrow down the march route, it will be easier to take action."

Excel said, as she closed her fan.

"As Ichiha said the other day, we should adopt a deferred tactic. After all, it's a time saver. The place where the water accumulates is a place where a large army can be deployed. It is difficult to protect it, so it is inevitable to abandon it. On the contrary, the place where water is separated is an easy place to protect. Therefore, you have to keep pressure on the key points so that Fuuga's army cannot deploy "

"Yes. And at the same time, if they use their knowledge, their army can be prevented from heading down unknown paths."

Hakuya agreed with the idea. Urup and Gonzales were still confused, but the brains seemed convinced. Then Souma, who was listening, opened his mouth.

"I understand Hakuya's idea. Urup, Gonzales."

"Yes, yes of course!" "What do you need?"

"I want to borrow your expertise for the good of this country. That's the case."

With that said, Souma bowed to the two. With their heads bowed by the king, the two quickly responded. They could not hesitate, let alone refuse, to do this.

"Your-, your head please lift it up, your Majesty! If they can do anything useful these old bones, please tell me whatever it is I should do!"

"That's not right, Your Majesty! There are also the benefits of having been brought up in the bandit business. If you say that knowledge is useful, I'll be happy to cooperate!"

"... Thank you, both of you."

With the cooperation of the two, Souma raised his head and said with a smile. Thus, the Second Operations Room of the Friedonia Kingdom, with the addition of Urup and Gonzales, prepared for the impending invasion of the Great Tiger Empire.

"Chancellor, there is a path on this mountain. Horses can't get through, but if you walk, you can cross the mountain and go around the back."

"Hmm. It looks like you can deploy some soldiers in preparation and use them for a surprise attack on the logistic units."

"This basin is land that has been farmed, but the west side has a slope that goes uphill to the south. If you think about water, even if a lot of water accumulates, the momentum will decrease. Rather, the accumulated water should flow across the flat land on the east side."

"I see. So, it's a place where the pace is disturbed - Julius?"

"That's right, Duke Excel. I thought it would be inevitable to abandon this point if I could not protect it, but, on the contrary, it would be better to defend it firmly and slow down the march."

"Fu fu, that's right. I think it's easier to attack if the eastern troops stand out."

The mountain rescue team and the folklore storyteller joined the operational meeting of the chancellor, the military strategist and the general of the Defense Forces to exchange views on an equal footing. Such discussions were exchanged day and night to improve the accuracy of pre-planned tactics. The result is a mix of human resources who seem to be fond of strategy at first glance. Fuuga's fear, the situation that "the big turtle (Souma) has countless snakes in its tail. The snakes attack the enemy with their own will regardless of the will of the turtle," this situation would describe exactly that.

◇◇◇◇

While such a scene was taking place, in another place another scene was taking place. The place was the "Ginger Vocational School" ... No, the scale had already expanded and the number of buildings had increased as well, so the name was changed to "Ginger University". Many young women were gathering at that time in the auditorium built there. And everybody was wearing something like a white robe.

Then, a woman who stood in front of all those women raised her voice.

"Come on, everybody. Are you ready?"

"" Yes, Santa Maria ""

Mary laughed a little embarrassed by the women's response.

"I tell you that I am no longer a saint, and that all of you are excandidates for being a saint, aren't you?"

They were members of the "Lunaria Girl Chorus" made up of former candidates for sainthood who had been exiled from the Lunarian Orthodox Empire.