Campione! - Volume Ex - Chapter 4.4

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「To think, that it will become this kind of journey.」

Godou muttered vacantly.

He was nonchalantly gazing at the marine blue color of Mediterranean Sea while feeling the sea breeze.

He was sprawling on a deck chair. He took lodging in a high class hotel at the beach. Right now he was lazing around at an exclusive beach for the hotel’s quest.

This place was a resort area that was famous even in Greece, Santorini Island──.

Beside Godou, the four girls were also similarly relaxing.

「Hey Godou. Want to go swimming soon? Though the swimsuit of 19th century is unfashionable, so it might be unsatisfying for you even though we finally came to sea. But for that, the charm of Erica Blandelli can cover for it as you can see.」

「Of course it’s not just Erica, I will also come along.」

A while ago the two of them changed into swimsuits.

As usual, Erica’s swimsuit was crimson while Liliana was blue.

Although this was the 19th century. Although at the modern era there was variegated type like bikini or tankini, in this era the situation was different. The top wear was a sleeveless flannel shirt where the front was tightened using buttons. The bottom wear was a loose pants that reached the knee.

It was combined with a green frilly hat that looked similar to a shower cap.

Of course it was swimsuit so the fabric was thin. However, it was certain that it wasn’t an object that exposed skin. With the moral and ethics of Europe in this era, that kind of appearance with high exposure rate wasn’t permitted to appear in public.

But, as expected it would be a sight for the sore eyes for ladies with attractive faces and figures to stand in the beach while being lightly dressed.

If Erica was a camellia with wide petals, then Liliana might be a slender lily.

「……So, how is it? Kusanagi Godou?」

「What do you mean how?」

「When speaking in the style of 21st century, between me and Erica, which one of us is more stylish.」

「No comment……aa, no. I’ll just say that both of you looks really good.」

「My. Even Godou has become really capable to evade danger safely.」

「That’s because I’ve been trained by you girls.」

The two princes shrine maidens were also relaxing on deck chair.

Yuri was wearing a light pink 『dress』, while Ena was wearing a yellow one. It wasn’t a dress type swimsuit but a 『dress that was used for clothes』 with a lot of fabric that would make one wonder if it was a dressing gown. This too was a swimsuit of the 19th century Europe.

Even while it was an outfit that was too old fashioned, the smiling Yuri was lovely like a sakura petal.

「I’m feeling calmer with this kind of swimsuit. I’m a bit weak against swimsuits with little fabric……」

「Ena is fine with either I guess. Ah, but, it might also be good to not wear anything and swim. This beach is reserved only for your majesty and us anyway.」

Ena said with the brightness that was like a summer’s sunflower. Yuri remonstrated her in panic.

「E, Ena-san. Saying such thing with a loud voice like that is……」

「Of course at that time Ena will also ask Yuri to accompany me.」

「Geez-」

The two princess shrine maidens conversed in relaxation intimately.

Godou recalled the particulars of this one week and immersed himself in deep emotion.

「I never thought that we will come to this kind of place in a journey to search for Aisha-san. ……I can’t really calm down though, to have wild merrymaking like this using easy money earned in that way.」

「It’s fine. Everything is won over using Kusanagi Godou’s resourcefulness♪」

Erica winked mischievously toward the grumbling Godou.

.

A week ago when they arrived at London in year 1857.

The men of Victoria dynasty’s Britain were being crazy about a certain gambling. Its nickname was the Sport of Kings. It was horse racing.

Horse racing was the taste of aristocrats. Its reach spread until the men of middle class and low class and it became a national gamble that represented Britain.

Even at the outskirt of London, historical race track like Ascot and Epsom existed.

That day──.

After acting independently inside London for a while, Erica returned bringing ready cash. Most likely she procured it using illegal method and magic.

And then she pushed the bundle of pound note of unknown origin to Godou,

『Now Godou! Whether it’s to build a living foundation in this era or to search for Madam Aisha, we need war funds. It’s your turn!』

『My turn? What are you telling me to do?』

『Of course, it’s too win big using “that talent” of yours.』

Thus Godou’s party embarked to the race track at London’s outskirts.

The wildly excited men got bloodshot eyes. They tightly gripped their betting ticket and stared hard at the race of the racehorses passionately. The place resembled the colosseum.

『However, even if you tell me to win big……』

『You our king are also a phenomenal gambler. If there is a horse that catch your eyes, then surely it will become the winner.』

『Liliana too, don’t speak unreasonably.』

『Hey. Which horse does Yuri think will be it? Tell Ena.』

『Who knows……? I don’t know anything about racehorse so I don’t particularly──ah. That horse over there is a bit curious. It’s only vaguely though.』

『Your majesty! Ena recommend that horse’s betting ticket! That gray one!』

『This time it’s Ena who is saying strange thing……hm? That guy over there, he got really nice eyes there. It feels like there is this aura from him.』

With that kind of way, they bought betting ticket for each race for the whole day. The result.

In less than a day, an absurd amount of pound notes and gold coins became Kusanagi Godou’s possession. If this was in 21st century Japan, it was an amount that couldn’t be obtained without winning a lottery’s grand prize.

Erica also obtained a certain information.

The location of the mansion where India born maid girl Aisha was working at. And then, the girl said that she would go to Santorini Island in Greece and departed──.

It was this kind of situation that caused Godou and others to be at a beach resort right now.

.

The evening sun was setting beside the horizon.

Godou was leisurely walking while showering in the sunlight with color that looked similar with crimson flame. He was alone with Erica at the sandy beach of Santorini Island.

It was a strategy meeting that doubled as strolling in the cool of the evening. Godou grumbled.

「It’s nice and all to pursue in a hurry but……as expected it doesn’t look like we have any hope of being able to meet with Aisha-san.」

「Of course it is. After all we are only five people.」

Erica spoke with a know-it-all airs while walking right beside Godou.

「Even if we split and ask around, we obtain zero result. Though if there are crime prevention cameras all over the island and we have the photo of Madam Aisha, we might have a slight chance.」

There was no way such thing existed at Greece in the middle of 19th century.

Godou smiled wryly and shrugged.

「If only there’re a lot of people who cooperate with us at least.」

「So it’s something like that. The power of organization is indispensable for doing something like searching for someone.」

「If this is the Europe of our world, we’ll be able to borrow the strength of Erica’s uncle or Alice-san. Over here it feels like there is nobody who seems to be magician or witch.」

「I……wonder about that.」

Erica who excelled more than anyone in regard to worldly wisdom spoke.

「This world is certainly falsely similar with our earth. But, magicians and their association definitely exist. The indication and trace of that──actually I discovered several of them.」

「As expected from Erica.」

「Hey Godou. This is my suggestion but, do you want to try destroying a close city somewhere using something like the Boar? Surely the magicians in hiding will rush out like that.」

「I retract my previous statement. As I thought you’re someone like a demon.」

The two of them were watching the sunset of Santorini Island together while making light talk.

The blazing setting sun was dyeing the beach and sea crimson. Such scenery was strangely nostalgic. They felt an indescribable healing from that.

……No. Godou suddenly thought.

「It’s not the scenery that is nostalgic. It feels nostalgic to do something like this with Erica.」

「Of course it is.」

Erica spoke in exasperation.

「You flew around everywhere in these several years──doing something like relaxing for more than a week at my or other girl’s places was something you never done. We could only be together for one or two day at best, after that you would hurriedly go to a parallel world somewhere.」

「……Now that you mention it, that’s right.」

「Doing this is really nostalgic. The last time might be during the time you were a high school student in Tokyo.」

「Was I neglecting to visit that much!?」

「You have really become something like a workaholic, Godou. This is a good chance, you should travel this era with the feeling of honeymoon with us for a while. Relax and have fun. Be carefree and enjoy it. Eat a lot, make love with us.」

The young lady with crimson as her trademark was smiling inside the setting sun.

That smile was really like Erica, a smile that was filled with the composure of queen. That gorgeousness and consideration were lovely. Godou put his hand around her waist and pulled her close to him.

He kissed her with the passionate kiss between lovers.

He spent plenty of time to join their lips and tongue deeply.

「Hey……. Do you want to search for a place inside the city where we can be alone……?」

Erica’s whisper coiled around his ear.

She was also aroused. The heat of her breath and the trembling of her body were conveyed to him.

「What a bad girl. You’re going to keep it a secret from everyone?」

「That way will keep any quarrel from happening and make it easier for Godou too right? Now, give up and become Erica Blandelli’s accomplice, Don Juan-dono──」

When he was listening to Erica’s sweet whisper with his ear.

Suddenly the thundering sound of lightning roared.

*DOoooOOOOOOONNNNNNN—-!*

The evening sky was filled with dark clouds with amazing speed. But the lightning strike only happened once. What fell further wasn’t just lightning──

「Even though this should be my first time seeing it, there is a lot of déjà vu here.」

「That’s because we have thoroughly witnessed the spectacle with similar workmanship but different style. It can’t be helped. Let’s postpone the romantic time for later and face the absurd reality.」

The resort area of Santorini Island.

Even at the modern era there was almost no high-rise building here, so of course there was none in the 19th century.

That was why──it could be seen clearly even from the beach. A monster sized male deer descended along with the lightning strike in the rustic town area and destroyed any houses it could reach around it.

It was a gigantic male deer with body length around thirty meters.

It performed headbutts and tackles with that size, mowing down the single story houses. Pulverizing them.

It had really magnificent antlers on its head. The pointed tips cut apart every kind of building material with sharpness and power that couldn’t be rivaled by any kind of heavy machinery──.

.

Godou came to the urban area along with Erica.

The gigantic deer was rampaging every which way. Many residences were running around trying to escape. There must also be people getting squashed under the destroyed houses. Fires were rising here and there.

「That monster, it need to be taken care of in a hurry……」

「It’s truly your field of expertise──oh? Look there, Godou!」

The gigantic deer was being unruly at where Erica pointed.

But currently it wasn’t the houses in the city that were receiving the anger of the gigantic beast. It was seven or eight people. Their appearance varied. There was gentleman who was wearing a well-tailored suit, but there was also a large man wearing dirty shirt who seemed like a longshoreman. There was even a lady a wearing dress.

They were holding weapons like saber, musket, short staff, hand axe, and so on.

With those weapons──they were facing the gigantic deer while giving off the grief and terror of someone directly facing death from their whole body.

But, the gigantic deer didn’t even pay any mind to the tiny hindrances──

*Zun-. Zun-.* It made a heavy footstep and shook the ground while advancing forward without stopping.

In respond, the gentleman armed with saber charged.

His expression was desperate. He was making his weapon’s blade to shine bright with reinforcement magic. But, the giant deer’s front leg wasn’t even scratched at the slightest.

It was truly a courageous but doomed resistance.

The deer didn’t even notice that it was stabbed with a sword and continued to advance with heavy footsteps.

There, the lady’s musket spouted fire.

It wasn’t an allegory. The gun muzzle was spewing flame like a flame thrower.

Magical flame. However, for the giant deer it wasn’t even as hot as a match fire. It didn’t pay any attention at all.

Godou carelessly stepped forward into that upheaval.

He was sprightly like he was just going into the living room of his lodging place. The unruly giant deer tried to step on Godou who was approaching carelessly with its front leg.

In this case, of course the supernatural strength of Bull could be used──

「Let’s see.」

Godou unhurriedly lifted up his right hand and caught the sole of the deer’s foot.

Without pause he swung his right arm as though performing an overhead throw. Like doing the short put in track-and-field events, the giant deer was thrown toward the sea.

The giant body that was most likely weighing several hundred tons with size of more than thirty meters was thrown.

*Goron, goron!* The giant body was rolling around on the beach of Santorini Island.

「「「「!?」」」」

The people who were facing the deer were──staring at Godou in unison.

They were undoubtedly magicians. Thinking that he had to explain the situation, Godou immediately took care of the hindrance.

「The bearer of sharp tusks……anyway just beat it up.」

It wasn’t an obstacle that required him to fire up himself.

What he summoned with half-hearted words of power were naturally the fifth avatar Boar.

The dark clouds covering the whole sky was blocking the evening sun. The sea surface was eerily black. Flying out from there was also a black giant beast──.

The divine beast Boar used the momentum of its entrance and collided on the giant deer from its head.

HIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNN-!?

The scream of the deer was high-pitched. It sounded pathetic.

From here everything went following Godou’s pace. The twenty meter size of the Boar was two size smaller than the giant deer.

However without even minding the difference in size, the Boar charged at the prey.

The Boar stabbed the deer’s stomach with its mouth’s tusks, bit at its neck, and tore its flesh. Blood splashed in the air, and the smell of blood also drifted. It was really a gruesome sight.

Godou frowned.

「That guy, he is getting carried away.」

「I, is that your underling……? It’s as though that’s a divine beast from the myth──」

The magicians were gathering beside Godou when he noticed.

They were displaying awe toward “transcendental being” in their face and voice while speaking respectfully. He had no intention to scare them. Godou was about to reply to them cordially──

「Yes. That is indeed a divine beast that my lord and husband employed. Watch the gallant figure of the beast that is mentioned in the myth of ancient Persia!」

Erica interrupted him. She was pointing at the Boar with an exaggerated hand movement.

「Now that it has come to this there is no reason to hide. Listen, right now the one in front of you is a devil king who murdered god and usurped their sacred authority. An existence that is falsely similar with magician. The monarch who ought to rule everything involved with sorcery, the king among kings.」

「Go, godslayer……?」

Erica’s promotional line was too bombastic, however the magicians were receiving a deep impression.

The man with the appearance of a sailor who was seemingly injured from the battle just now from how he was soaked in blood along with some others were piously kneeling as though they were encountering Christ himself. They were moved to tears.

The eyes of Erica who was setting up this scene was clearly saying this.

『If we don’t have any subordinate or cooperator, then we just need to create them. Isn’t that right, Godou!』

Like that.