Nidome no Yuusha - Chapter 125

Gligar Empire, within the castle towering over the imperial capital Galigar.

If the royal castle of Aurelia Kingdom was a castle made of stones that were brimming with history, then this castle was a fortress of fire and steel that had technology itself sealed within its walls.

「Hmm, at the moment, the Theocracy should be focused on conquering 『The Coffin of the Undying One』 with you in the lead or so I have heard, I guess my hearing is not as good as it used to be.」

Before I was a man who despite being about to enter his forties was overflowing with such vitality that he could overwhelm others with his gaze alone.

Ruling over the Empire boasting powerful military, Iron-blooded emperor, Grodia Gligar.

With the body that was toughness itself that would not allow one to suspect his real age and the air of the ruler that he had about him even with his natural attitude, he had enough not to shame his title of Emperor.

「Lord Lunaris gives me numerous oracles. God works in mysterious ways. I simply obey his words.」

「Well, it does not matter, I welcome you to the Empire. Saintess Meteria.」

「The pleasure is all mine, I am grateful for this warm reception. Emperor Grodia.」

（This man hasn’t changed even one bit.）

He starts exchange from words with hardly hidden mockery while maintaining a welcoming smile.

I am not too fond of his ways of provoking people to see their reaction.

「Let us hear what is the aim of your visit, Saintess.」

「Seeds of chaos are being spread into the world. According to the covenant, were great divine protection of Lord Lunaris to be obscured, surely those known as demons will come to these lands. Time is nigh, divine protection shall not return to this continent unless we protect the lands from those threatening them and strike down true Demon Lord who is the source of all conceivable evils. This is the moment when humankind must unite against the threat.」

「Indeed, it is true that demons are passing Great Barrier more frequently. I see. I don’t know where they are coming from, but it appears that every country on the verge of the continent is in the same situation. Obscuring divine protection is one old euphemism, but it is true that the day when the Great Barrier will fall is not so far. 」

Emperor Grodia deeply nodded with his cheek resting upon his right hand.

「So you are saying that all countries should enter into the grand alliance as it is written in documents?」

「Exactly so. It is not possible to resist demons with the power of a single state. No matter how much military power one has it would not be enough. Thus in order to create grounds for alliance creation, I was allowed the privilege of this visit. Around now, emissaries equal to me are visiting Kingdom and Beast Country as well. 」

「I grasped the situation. You can work out small detail with my bureaucrats.」

「Your discern is greatly appreciated. 」

「Your departure is tomorrow, isn’t it? Feel free to spend this evening leisurely and ease your fatigue. 」

「Thank you for your consideration.」

Thus, the audience was over.

☆

「「「Esteemed Saintess, welcome back!」」」

When I went to the room that was given to me, I found servants dressed in a habit and thin veil, waiting on standby.

The somewhat intoxicated eyes of those girls can most likely be explained by conditioning for loyalty to me that they underwent during thoughtful training they had to undertake.

「Was the letter safely delivered to that person?」

「Yes, without a problem.」

「Is that so, in that case, we can relax for now.」

There are no signs of that princess leaving the Kingdom, during this time she must be yet to join royal service and should be free, therefore there is no mistake that she will be interested in my proposal.

I put my hand on the servant’s cheek and manipulate faint magic power.

「You are very helpful to me. Lord Lunaris also blesses your good conducts.」

「Ah, Aaaah, Saintess…」

「Lord Lunaris also expects us to lead the world to its proper state. Please, along with me, continue dedicating yourself to achieve an original form of the story. 」

「Yes, Yes!!!」

Intoxication changed into ecstasy and she is now giving off an impression of a devout follower of Lord Lunaris.

In the perfect world, I will definitely make those girls that devoting themselves for my and mister Kaito’s future without a single complaint happy.

Mister Kaito often said so as well『Happiness must be shared with everyone』.

「Then I will go into the baths. And you girls refrain from entering there like you always do.」

「「「Yes, understood.」」」

Leaving that I went for baths for guests of honor that were assigned to me with a single kit bag in my hands.

Compared to Kingdom’s baths that were just huge, baths here, in style of that Emperor that disliked anything unnecessary, were smaller and also lacked in furnishing, having the only bare minimum to them.

Which can be called a good thing for a follower of Lord Lunaris who favors asceticism.

And what is even more important, if they are too spacious, the feeling of being surrounded by『Mister Kaito』also becomes weaker.

「Box・Full Open」

Reacting to my words from the kit bag started overflowing various dolls of mister Kaito.

A number of mister Kaito’s that I made putting love in every stitch.

Smiling mister Kaito, angry mister Kaito, sulking mister Kaito, blushing mister Kaito.

「Ah, no matter what kind of bath is it, being surrounded by those many Kaitos makes it heaven.」

Surrounded in pure bliss, I gradually submerge into the water of just right temperature and experience a wave of sweet ache.

Mister Kaito is looking at me.

Mister Kaito is looking at me only.

「Heh heh heh, I am getting embarrassed. Aah, someday, with real mister Kaito…♪」

Pulling closer a life-sized doll of mister Kaito, I hug it from behind and stick my face into the nape of its neck.

『Meteria, I love you.』

「Aah, Aah, mister Kaito…」

Closing my eyes I overlap mister Kaito from my imagination with this doll.

The place I have touched feels hot, unable to stop myself, I ran the tip of my tongue over it, licking it from the back of the neck to a cheek.

「Mm, …Mnmah, Mmm.」

After giving him a tight hug, I turn mister Kaito so he would face me and get on top of him.

『Meteria, I love you so much.』

「Me too, mister Kaito, I adore you dearly. More than anymore, more than anything… Mmh, Mmm.」

I make a quick kiss on those lips.

「Nffuaa, amuh, mnu.」

Another one, and another one, and another one, and another one.

「Soon, the real you will be within my reach as well. Then we will definitely do something even more amazing… Ufufufu.」

Carefully, carefully. carefully, carefully.

「Let’s make it over together, mister Kaito… Ufufu, Ufufufufufu!!」

After erasing all nuisances from this world, let’s walk the true way of the hero this time…

Let us redo it together… Mister Kaito?

☆

The darkness of Imperial Capital is deep.

In the capital that celebrated meritocracy, strong set the rules.

But for underground that was a rule for the longest time regardless of the country.

Deception, surprise attacks, betrayal, use of traps and hostages.

No matter what you do, only those that survived can attain something.

Regardless of what kind of cowardly tactic was used, one who got the kill is justice.

That’s why I became an assassin, because I thought that this job is the purest one in this world.

Making killing my life, by enjoying it I wanted to make killing into what outlined everything about my way of life.

Adventurers, knights, mercenaries, all of them are bound by something and therefore not completely pure.

Killing for a living is not fun. If you are not living for killing it is not life.

And while I was spending my life in that way, people started calling me the『Assassination King』.

I could not care less about nicknames, but I liked this one since it sounded like it gave affirmation to my way of life.

「Hey, Gordes-san. Taking a stroll today as well?」

「Aye aye, it’s a good weather today.」

「I did not say a word about that, are you getting even more senile?」

「For one big copper coin? Then I will take it.」

「I never said that, and its almost the same as cost price.」

「I am going on a date with Yunmei.」

「Is not Yunmei the name of the dog from this neighborhood?!」

「Ho, ho, ho.」

On my way from work, with a single coin, I got fresh juicy fruit for a dirt cheap price.

「Uuhm, that a really good sweetness…Ho?」

Thus finishing work I return to my publicly known house, but it looks like someone have been there.

「Good grief, burglars perhaps?」

（If it so, then I know whom I am going to kill next.）

「Hmm? What, someone left a letter?」

On top of the simplistic table was an ordinary writing paper.

「…Hmm, to think that request would come directly here. Envoy of the Saintess… Now that is suspicious, really suspicious… Saintess… I would like to assassinate her someday.」

Hii hii hii, leaks out a laugh.

I would like to sink my blade into that soft fair skin that I have once seen from afar.

While thinking that, I broke the seal and read the letter.

「The city of Sorcery, Carbonheim…? In the west, huh. Cold weather is bad for my old bones.」

Well, well, well, I wonder what it would be like to kill a hero.