Part 2
Karan, the sound of the bell echoed within the bathhouse. The noisy female group also quietened down, enjoying the peaceful and quiet moment. Kuro Usagi stretching her back and usamimi, spoke in delight.
“Such a relaxing moment. As if the recent busy work was all a dream.”
“That’s right. It only means that this hot spring is just that good, isn’t it the best when everyone enjoys it together?”
“......”
「Wooden bucket Knight」 ignored Asuka’s question. She seemed to still be angry.
While everyone smiled bitterly, Alma coughed once, gathering everyone’s attention.
“Although there is an outsider, it is fate to be able to get together naked like this. So, why don’t we talk about the current condition of 「No Name」?”
“Current condition?”
“What do you mean?”
Yō and Kuro Usagi tilted their heads. Faceless seemed to be listening.
Alma raised three fingers, and asked.
“First, 「No Name」 is currently in a leaderless state. The businesses that were halted due to it was plenty. The most important matter, regarding the new Communities entering the alliance was shelved aside right?”
“YES. For Demon King, with 「Ouroboros」 as the objective, the talk about the major alliance.”
Kuro Usagi stretched her usamimi.
“We have 「No Name」 as the alliance leader, with 「Six Scars」, 「Perseus」, 「Will o’ Wisp」 as the center of the alliance. The undecided includes 「Salamandra」, 「Great Sage who Devastates Seas」, 「Laplace Demons」 and 「Draco Greif」.”
“...That’s impressive. All the 「Floor Master」s have gathered.”
“No, not really. North guardian 「Onihime」 Alliance already replied indicating that they would not be joining this major alliance. It was an organization formed by the lower four digit Communities, there was some special… complicated circumstances.”
‘Is that so?’- the others responded. Since they were forming a major alliance against Demon Lords, they truly hoped that all the 「Floor Master」s could join, but it couldn’t be helped if there were reasons for not joining.
“Then we planned to invite 「Great Sage who Leaves Heaven in Disarray」, Shuten Dōji」, 「Kerykeion」 —— and that Great Demon King, 「Queen Halloween」.”
“Hah?”
At that moment, 「Wooden bucket Knight」(Faceless) let out an out of tune voice.
Kuro Usagi straightened her usamimi and nodded slightly.
“Shiroyasha-sama is no longer around now. The power of a three digit 「Floor Master」 is still needed to maintain Lower Floor order, hence this matter was brought into consideration… Then wouldn’t it be a good idea to contact the Queen who exerted herself immediately in this battle, hence reaching this conclusion.”
Towards Kuro Usagi’s words, Alma nodded in agreement.
“That’s right. 「Avalon」 which was once the South’s 「Floor Master」 was originally the direct knight group under Queen. Even if we can’t directly borrow Queen’s power, is sending the organization directly under her still possible?”
“...So that’s it. Is that’s what you want to talk with me?”
Faceless was very shocked, and sighed with understanding at the same time. She belonged to the third seat of 「Queen’s Knights」 directly under 「Queen Halloween」.
If Queen was willing to send out personnel able to take up the 「Floor Master」 role, the first candidate was unquestionably her.
Yō nodded lightly while eating hot spring eggs she sneaked in.
“That’s how it is huh. We are familiar with Faceless, it will be easy to cooperate.”
“YES! And her strength is guaranteed! Since she is the third seat of 「Queen’s Knights」, then she would be the third strongest in the Celtic Pantheon. It’s already more than enough to be the 「Floor Master」!”
Kuro Usagi beamed her eyes, filled with expectation.
But Faceless sighed a little, shook her head.
“So that’s it. I understand the situation. Having your expectations made me happy… but unfortunately, I have two things to announce.”
“Eh?”
“First. The reason I am the third seat is not because of my own power. There are four who are better than me in sword proficiency and two better than me in spear proficiency. My original seat should be at best number nine. Despite so, I still obtained the third seat… This was because of the Gift I possess.”
“Gift? Do you mean, the whip sword and the battle bow?”
Asuka tilted her head and asked.
But Faceless shook her head in denial.
“No, not that Gift. The materials came from the Elf village, but they’re essentially simple weapons. I am talking about a different Gift from those… That’s right. What I have, is a similar ranked Gift with Kasukabe-san’s 「Genome Tree」, or even above it.”
“...Wha.”
Faceless’ confession caused everyone to suck in a cold breath.
Possessing a Gift similarly ranked with the highest known rank 「Genome Tree」 was definitely shocking, but the truly shocking part was not this.
Asuka and the others had witnessed her in battle many times before.
Her battle power could let her face a thousand enemies alone. Her refined swordsmanship could even compete against Izayoi who was physically stronger than her.
But if what she said was true, then they must change their evaluation.
In the battle against giants, Giant Dragon, and Aži Dakāha, this rare 「Queen’s Knight」...up till now, had never once used that Gift, that’s how things turned out.
“Wait a minute. Possessing a Gift of that degree, why do you need to hide it until now? If you showed your truth strength, you might had been able to shift the tide of battle against the Giant Dragon, or Aži Dakāha towards an advantageous direction.”
Asuka’s eyes shone with sharpness, and bashed her verbally.
Huge casualties resulted from the two battles, it was literally a death struggle. Since she possessed that kind of Gift, it might had been possible to reduce unnecessary sacrifices.
“...I don’t plan to justify my lack of action regarding the battle against the Giant Dragon. It was my decision not to use the Gift. But the battle against Aži Dakāha is different. If Sakamaki Izayoi had not defeated Aži Dakāha ,then ——”
She paused a moment. Faceless carefully chose her words, but eventually asserted.
“—— In the worst situation. I would have defeated Aži Dakāha.”
“...!?”
“But things not developing to that conclusion was really great. Once I draw that sword, it would reveal my birth, and even if I did, the chances of winning still wouldn’t be high. I am very respectful towards the sheer courage he had shown.”
“S-so this is the reason. But since you had this much strength, you are giving others even more expectations to be a 「Floor Master」!”
Kuro Usagi leaned her body forward. She not only had not given up, but instead showed even more interest. Faceless still shook her head, now feeling apologetic for building new expectations.
“That is impossible. I have already received the directive of Queen. Regardless if the alliance is successful, I probably won’t be assigned as the 「Floor Master」.”
A directive from Queen. Considering she was the knight under the direct command, it must be prioritized before any order.
Kuro Usagi hung her usamimi down and sighed.
“Like that… Then I can’t force you. My usamimi heard that 「Queen’s Knights」 were all twisted people, so I was hoping more normal people like Faceless-sama to take up the role…”
“I agree on this. I also received some guidance from them, but those people really lacked the sensibility of normal people…. It’s just my suggestion, if the one sent is a spear wielding maid, I advise you all to escape immediately. Because she will forcefully train you all until you master it.”
「Wooden bucket Knight」(Faceless) suddenly looked afar.
She probably remembered some bad memories.
After confirming her speech has stopped, Alma raised her hand and spoke.
“I understand the matter regarding the Queen. But even if we receive her reply, there is no one who can handle it in 「No Name」 now. We must also consider with the leader missing, it would affect Queen’s mood… Kuro Usagi-dono. Do you understand my meaning?”
Alma used a roundabout way to explain.
Sensing the other party wanting to get into the main topic, Kuro Usagi straightened her usamimi.
“...We can’t just wait for Jin-bochan to return. Is this what you mean?”
“Ei. Since we are building such a huge alliance, we cannot let the others be the temporary leader. We must choose a new leader.”
Alma’s harsh words caused everyone to fall into silence. They originally held some hope for a hostage trade. But if they do not receive any messages from 「Ouroboros」, they could not make any move. Being a temporary leader of the major alliance was simple, but returning the position to Jin once he return would be impossible.
“I heard that Jin-dono stayed in 「Ouroboros」 by his own will. There must be something that only he can accomplish. If that is so, then 「No Name」 should respect his will.”
“...YES. At least, Jin-bochan would not wish for the Community to be stagnant like now. And also...”
Kuro Usagi shook her usamimi and looked at Yō.
“—— Jin-bochan, had decided to resign from the leader position since long ago.”
“Eh?”
“‘If something happens to me, then please pass the leader’s role to the rightful Community successor’. Before the giants appeared in 「Kouen City」, Jin-bochan once had said so.”
Community’s rightful inheritor.
Upon hearing these words, everyone directed their attention towards Kasukabe Yō.
Yō accidentally swallowed the whole hot spring egg from the sudden attention.
“Eh… eh, eh!? Liar, wait a moment! By ‘rightful successor’, do you mean me!?”
Yō panicked from suddenly becoming the center of the topic. She originally thought that it had nothing to do with her, so she just listened idly at the side. She hadn't even expected that it would involve her this way.
Towards Kuro Usagi’s suggestion, Alma pondered carefully and nodded.
“So that’s it, this is indeed a good idea. Letting the previous leader’s daughter to inherit 「No Name」, then we could use the just cause of inviting the old 「 」[2] alliance to create this major alliance. Granting an audience with Queen might also become much easier.”
She was the daughter of the former leader who was once called the strongest man of 「No Name」- Kasukabe Kōmei. Kuro Usagi and the others did not know Kōmei’s surname, so they did not notice when she was summoned. But if they knew, her treatment would had been different. At this point it was the same for Izayoi and Asuka.
Jin probably thought, compared to the descendent of the treasurer, she would be more suitable to inherit 「No Name」.
But the person involved could not take it.
Yō waved her hands and nervously rejected.
“Wait...wait a minute, this won’t work! I can’t be something like a leader!”
“Is it really true? Yō-san’s ability grew rapidly, and you are also quick witted. Most importantly, you thought about your comrades. Kuro Usagi personally feels that you are suitable.”
“Bu-But.”
“Also! Jin-bochan must have also considered the possibility of getting into a situation like now, hence he left those words behind?”
Kuro Usagi stretched her usamimi and recommended.
They actually didn’t know, Jin and Pest secretly made a promise. Passing the leader position of 「No Name」 to the rightful inheritor. Then after retrieving the name and flag, they would go out on a journey, realizing Pest’s wish, he was probably planning like that.
But Yō, who knew nothing about such things, looked at Asuka for help.
“And, and also, if you want to choose a new leader, there are also other candidates! Izayoi and Asuka will definitely do better than me.”
“Ara, I don’t think so at all. Actually Izayoi-san had also mentioned in the morning. ‘Whether I can win or not is unknown’.”
Hoeh!? Kasukabe Yō let out a strange sound.
Although she told Ayesha like that, she thought that the difference between their abilities was still big. She never thought that Izayoi would rate her so highly.
“Iz-Izayoi did? Really?”
“Ei. Regardless if it’s true or false, I don’t feel that Kasukabe-san would be far behind Izayoi-san. Personally speaking, I also hope that one of you becomes the new leader.”
“But...but, then I recommend Asuka! She is more mature than me, also a hard worker, also thinking for her comrades, although a little too mischievous, she is graceful and has proper etiquette!”
“No, Kasukabe-dono. Very sorry, master cannot take on the leader position. —— Master. It’s about time to talk about the main topic.”
That deliberate tone gathered everyone’s attention.
Asuka closed her eyes, and stood up from the bathtub with force.
“Everyone. Please listen to me calmly.”
“...? Un.”
“Yes. What is it about?”
Yō and Kuro Usagi tilted their heads and asked. It was rare to see her speak to everyone in that manner. She was pretty active, but not the type to raise suggestions.
The steam thinned a little, Asuka raised her head and looked at the clouds at dusk, then declared with a strong-willed tone.
“I, Kudō Asuka —— After this 「Adamantine Forge」, Plan to separate from 「No Name」.”
[1] In dire state - Japanese pronunciation of hostage and dire state are close.
[2] 「 」 - The name of the old alliance is blanked out because it cannot be revealed at this time.
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