Chapter 396 – To the March (Redacted)

000

The place where Cleon and Sasha made their way through the crowds was near the monastery where the victims of Astarothe were gathered.

It is a place where people’s eyes do not gather, but at the same time, it is a place where a barrier to resist intruders spreads even within the royal capital.

In a way, it is also one of the safest places in this capital from the threat of assassins.

The distance to the royal castle is not that far, so it must be the best place to take a break.

After arriving without hesitation, Sasha’s story in the barrier darkened Cleon’s face.

“…Even if I deal with my colleagues, not me, 500,000?”

“Yes… The assassin Mr. Cleon finished, like that…”

Cleon listens to the story and thinks for a moment.

Apparently, dealing with several assassins while moving to the room that was guided at dawn may have ignited the clients’ anxiety.

It was, however, the realm of speculation.

[Lyla.]

[I know. I’m sending telepathy to other people now too, so don’t fret. Cleon. Because we are strong enough.]

Cleon seemed to be relieved by Layla’s words of hers, and spoke to Sasha after sweeping his chest of hers.

“Sasha. Join Quon. For now, I think it would be better if one person gathered in the same place.”

“What about Cleon?”

“If I don’t go to the royal castle soon. The march will begin.”

At Cleon’s words her, Sasha cautiously nodded her head.

After patting Sasha’s worried shoulder, Cleon turns her around and heads for the castle.

‘As expected, when this job is over… Take the three of us elsewhere-‘

While he thought so, he tried to turn the alley toward the royal castle the next moment.

“Oh, Cleon! I was looking for you!”

He checks the other person’s face as he removes the voice calling his name of her and his body of her that could have been bumped into.

Her blonde hair and blue eyes gleamed in a coat over a dress.

“…Merka.”

The kingdom’s guard dog, the Marquis of Merca Alcadias, a special investigator.

“Somehow, it seems like we’ve been seeing each other for the first time in a few days.”

“Ah. That’s right.”

It was a reunion that seemed a little longer to Cleon than Merca, but she talks while putting her hand on Cleon’s waist.

With her face close to her, in a quiet voice.

“…I heard from Aruru that they’re being targeted by assassins?”

“As expected, the Special Investigator… The information is fast.”

“Whoa… That sad sound…”

When Merca, who clings close enough to be burdensome, tries to bring her lips her to her cheek her-

“Um, hmm…”

A cough echoed from behind her.

When Cleon looks behind her by bending her head to get out of sight obscured by Merca.

There, I saw Aruru wearing a costume that I hadn’t seen before, like a combination of a fancy dress and armor.

“…Aruru?”

She too, as the daughter of the Tromeia family, had to participate in the march, so she should have been chained to the royal palace by now.

Why are you in a place like this?

“I was worried about Cleon, so I told her mother her and left. To bring Cleon safely to the royal castle’s marching ranks.”

“…Was it something like that. I’m sorry, on purpose.”

When Cleon said that, Aruru, unlike usual, stood up a stiff bit and nervous.

Unable to calm her hand, she clasps her own her, then removes her her, then turns it behind her back her, giving the impression of being restless.

“…?”

Cleon has doubts about her actions her, but Merca looks at Aruru and Cleon alternately-

Merca quietly spoke into Cleon’s ear her in a voice that only he could hear.

“…Is this the first time I’ve seen it?”

“I see. It looks like a dress, and it looks like armor.”

It feels like a mixture of a formal dress like Amelia in the form of Saint Princess and armor for actual combat.

Besides, the appearance of her wearing Arondaite, which usually transforms into an earring and accompanies her her, on her waist her.

Somewhere, it looks like a knight.

“And do you have any other impressions?”

“… A different impression…?”

Cleon pondered for a while at Merca’s words Her, then, alas. And talk like you know.

“I think it’s very beautiful.”

“Wow!?”

At Cleon’s words her, Aruru’s face her flushed red, and Merca nodded her head with her arms crossed as if hearing her satisfactory answer her.

“That’s right~ That outfit is an armor called the ‘Hero’s Greet’.”

Merca speaks loudly as if she knows.

“Hero’s armor…?”

“It feels like it’s made of a rare material, and it’s the exclusive equipment of that hero. It’s a combination of a dress and armor, so it can be used at various ceremonies, and it’s an excellent item that’s good enough for actual combat. “

“Hmm.”

Cleon looked at Aruru from above at Merca’s explanation.

Certainly, it had the same beauty as an expensive dress, but I could feel the designer’s conviction that never rejected practicality.

There was a bit of exposure, but considering Aruru’s skill and Arondite’s defensive power, that part might have been taken into consideration.

“Aruru came out of her ceremony hall to show this dress to Cleon as soon as possible.”

“That, stop talking nonsense without foundation, Merca!

Aruru raises her voice at Merca’s words, then she clears her throat once again to regain her composure and tries to talk to Cleon, but she is interrupted by Merca once again.

“Really, it’s embarrassing. Cleon. When it comes to the warrior’s formal armor, as the number of accidents in which warriors are attacked while wearing suits or dresses during ceremonies became more frequent, it is said that the armor made to prevent such situations started The design gradually changed, but it is a costume that protects the hero so that he can always have a heart on the battlefield.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes. And- the warrior’s wedding glove is said to be worn by warriors at weddings as well~”

“Merka!”

Cleon nods her head as if he understands her words her.

Come to think of it, I remember Lecia wearing a similar outfit before.

It was a different, beautiful outfit from the full body armor she usually wore during battle.

‘Come to think of it, is that… In Elesia? I think Luti is keeping it.’

Thinking about that, Aruru carefully talks to Cleon.

“Cleon, if you don’t like it, tell me… I, too, want to hear Cleon’s opinion of her.”

“…As I said before. I think it’s beautiful. It suits you very well. Aruru.”

“…Yeah… And, thank you…”

Somewhere, Cleon himself felt the illusion that her face was heating up at Aruru’s attitude of her, which was fully developed with shyness.

Merka, who looked at the scene for a while, talks about how she couldn’t stand it being too sweet, although she created the atmosphere herself.

“Now, now! Now let’s talk about work. Isn’t it enough to brag about clothes and praise?”

“…Even though Merca was instigating it…”

“Quiet!”

At Merca’s reluctance, Aruru let out a sigh and spoke to Cleon.

“Cleon. I heard about the assassins. …As for the assassins hiding in the capital, it will be difficult to find them until they reveal themselves.”

“Well. At least they won’t show up in a place where the three of them are gathered. If it’s not a waste of their lives.”

At Merca’s words, Cleon recalls something he had forgotten for a while and tells the two that there is a bounty on their friends’ necks as well.

“…That’s strange.”

Then, when Merca heard Cleon’s words, she pondered and opened her mouth.

“What? …It’s a cowardly method, but if you can’t defeat Cleon head-on, it’s not strange to aim for that comrade.”

Merca nodded her head as if agreeing with Aruru’s words, but what they were talking about was a little different.

“Strategically speaking. But do you know? Assassinations issued by the Assassin’s House require a judgment as to whether or not the existence is a threat to the peace of the kingdom. Their values ​​may be different from ours, but they For me, at least Cleon and Princess Amelia are like that.”

Aruru frowned at her words her a little, but knowing that her policy her was related to her father her, Aruru could n’t say anything and waited for Merca’s next words her.

“However, what about Cleon’s companions? If they are on the same level as Cleon and pose a threat to the peace of the kingdom. A bounty of 3,000,000 should be placed on them, too. Rani, if I were an assassin, I’ d leave cursing at how ignorant my client is.”

“…Exactly.”

There was a point in what she said.

Among Cleon’s companions, the one with the highest reputation is Lyla Flamewatch.

There were few wizards who did not know her name as the head mage of the academy, and that notoriety spread throughout the continent through the academy.

Formerly known for her filthiness of character her, more recently with her work her at the academy and her reputation her with Cleon.

It was also a famous story that her skills were improving day by day.

It is a strange story that she is only given her 500,000 in remuneration.

“Besides, the expression ‘colleague’ of Cleon is ambiguous. Generally speaking, Cleon’s co-workers naturally include us, right?”

“Of course.”

Cleon nods at Merca’s words her.

“However, they are colleagues in a broad sense. They have acted for the same purpose, and they have a close relationship… But, in a narrow sense, Cleon’s colleagues are the three people who have been acting together since Elessia.” Wouldn’t it be called ‘Former Warriors Party’?”

“…”

For Cleon, if he were to be friends, it would be Iona, Ruba, and Perdia, whom he met in Ellesia. Academy Beatrix. And Aruru in front of my eyes.

When it comes to the royal capital, there are Grays, and Merca is one of them.

But, Lila, Quon, and Sasha.

These three, compared to other colleagues, have been together for a long time, and they are complicated in many ways.

Thinking back to the creaky past, the current relationship was like a miracle.

Cleon sees them as close to family, not just colleagues.

“It’s quite a risky act to target not only us nobles, but also others. The person who made the request can’t be unaware of this fact. So, I judged like this.”

Merca finishes thinking in her head and talks to Cleon and Aruru.

“The request of 500,000 for each of Cleon’s colleagues is a request for Sasha, Quon, and Layla. Of course, I don’t mean it. The ones who receive this request are low-level assassins who are at the level of throwaway.”

Merka spreads her fingers one by one as she speaks slowly.

“But that doesn’t mean you’re completely bluffing. ‘You guys, it’ll be fine now, but if you stand out a little more…’ It’s a request that I opened for this purpose. And it was issued privately, not Adamant. Even in the Kingdom. An assassination request that did not go through the unauthorized assassin’s house.”

“What the hell, who…?”

“Well. It must be an arbitrary act by a force so great that it can proudly accomplish such a thing… But the purpose is clear. Cleon, to warn you.”

Cleon quietly nods at Merca’s words her.

“I’m saying, ‘If you get involved in the politics of the capital any more than this, not only your life, but also the lives of other comrades will be in danger.’

“…”

Cleon closes one eye at Merca’s words and organizes the thoughts in his head.

Assuming Merca is right, what the other side wants is not just Cleon’s neck his, but the neck of all of his comrades his, including himself.

“If it becomes a problem… Who the hell, with what kind of grudge, is aiming for the lives of Cleon and the three of them?”

“──There are too many things to guess.”

When Cleon spoke with a bitter smile, Merca also made a face as if she had swallowed a slightly bitter pill.

However, Aruru stays quiet for a while and then opens her mouth to speak.

“Uncle Setos.”

At her words her, Merca also narrowed her eyes and looked at Aruru.

“Indeed.”

“Yes. … If it’s the Tromeia family, even if you don’t go through the assassin’s house, you can open a request to the assassins independently. … My father hates such a thing, so he’s never used the family’s power like that. I haven’t had any.”

“Besides, Lord Setos has good reason to hold grudge against the entire warrior party, including Cleon.”

Cleon nodded and opened his mouth.

“Are you trying to avenge Alvein?”

“I guess that’s how it is. Seriously… Why does n’t he realize that his downfall was his own fault?”

When Merca nodded at Cleon’s words, Aruru spoke to Cleon.

“…What should I do? I have to protect the three of them.”

“There’s no problem with that.”

At Aruru’s words her, Merca spread her index finger and showed her her V.

Then, Cleon suddenly feels a crowd appearing around him and then moving away.

“With one of my orders, I can deploy troops under the Inspector’s command around Cleon’s quarters. If Sasha and Quon are inside, there’s no problem keeping them out. …Well, it’s a neat abuse of power.”

“…Are you okay?”

When Cleon asks Merca, Merca smiles and she replies.

“Are you asking me now? It’s okay, since you can just write a letter of speech… Then, think about it. How can protecting people from the threat of an innocent assassination be a problem?”

Upon her Merca’s reply her, Cleon had no choice but to bow her head to her her to thank her.

“…Now! Then, let’s go to the capital. If it’s too late, we won’t be able to escort the march.”

“…Okay.”

Aruru and Cleon move their feet to Merca’s words and advance to the royal castle.

Aruru approaches Cleon as if she is thinking of something.

Soon, she hesitantly lowered her hand and caressed her own breast.

‘…We have to stop the little father. …To protect Cleon, that’s the only way.’

And, she made up her own resolve.

Her own holy sword her must be used for the peace of her kingdom her.

And if the beings who disturb that peace are relatives…

Arundite would not forgive even an opponent with the same blood.

Warrior armor.

It was an armor made to reflect on the fact that in the past, when a hero got involved in nobles’ political affairs and was invited to a ceremony, he was attacked and killed by assassins.

It is said that a warrior wearing a warrior’s formal armor expresses his will to resist any threat based on his reflection of his.

The fact that Aruru put on this armor today was not simply because she participated in the ceremony.

To protect Cleon even at the cost of this body.

And, to those who were aiming for Cleon, including nobles and royalty, it was to express their will to her.

Ahead of the road the three people were walking on, there was a long line of wagons prepared to depart from the royal castle.

“Aruru is in the front. I don’t participate in the march… But Cleon must be Amelia-sama’s carriage, right?”

At Merca’s words, Cleon quietly nodded his head.

“Okay. …Then, Aruru. See you again.”

“—Yes.”

And, once again. The moment we are about to fall, promising a brief farewell and reunion-

Aruru, with her words her this time, reached out and grabbed Cleon’s wrist her.

Soon, she pulled him over and landed on Cleon’s lips her.

“…!”

“…Whoa…”

For a while, the faces of two people who were attached and then separated.

Merca sees it and frowns her eyes, but Aruru looks at Cleon while wiping her lips with her index finger.

Among Aruru’s eyes I’ve seen lately, with the most powerful eyes.

“…Today, I am Cleon’s warrior. I will protect Cleon and wield my sword for him.”

“… Trustworthy.”

Cleon, too, wipes the touch left on his lips her with his thumb her, and the two of them turn together.

[Cleon.]

And, the more I walked towards the carriage with Amelia, the more I felt the living around me.

“It’s fortunate that there seems to be a lot of guys quietly waiting for their turn.”

Cleon let out a sigh like that.

“…Let’s go. Galatea. This is going to be a very long day.”

[As always]

In response to Galatea’s sighing complaint, Cleon raised the corner of his mouth her.