Chapter 887 – The Second Rebellion

000

At first glance, ‘he’ is an ordinary citizen of the Tofu country walking down the street.

It appeared to be nothing more or less, an omnipresent figure, and sat there quietly, moving without much notice.

He looked more like middle-aged man than a young man, holding a cane in one hand, draping himself on a small bench placed on the street for rest, and keeping his gaze fixed on one direction.

At the end is the Temple of Asteris.

It is a sacred place where shamans and priests hold ceremonies every day to spread the divine tree’s protection throughout the country.

Therefore, now that the Five Elements Festival is almost over, looking at the temple means simply feeling a little worried about the future of the Eastern Kingdom, or constantly worrying about the sacred tree not yet blooming.

It must have been seen as an expression of worry that anyone could express.

When one of the government soldiers who are guiding the residents walking out of the underground shelter to return to their homes spots him, he carefully approaches the man and talks to him.

“Sorry. Since the safety of the city has not yet been fully secured… We ask for your cooperation in returning home.”

The government military also seemed to understand his feelings regarding his actions of looking at the temple.

As this side is in a position where they have to follow the measures and orders given from above, there was a sense that they were speaking with care in their choice of words.

The man who heard his words nodded his head.

“I was planning on going back anyway. My legs felt weak, so I rested for a bit.”

When he said that and tapped his cane, the government officer let out an exclamation of ‘Ah’ and slightly lowered his head as if he was being rude.

＂If you are very uncomfortable, would you like me to help you home? ＂

Also, I don’t know if it’s an apology for speaking without notice – or if he’s just kind to begin with.

When he spoke in that way as if he wanted to show his apology, the man shook his head.

“It’s okay, so please help someone else. Because my house isn’t that far from here.”

“… All right. However, if you are really having a hard time, please ask another government officer nearby to go back. It may still be dangerous outside.”

After saying that, the government officer leaves the man in his place and slowly walks away.

The man also watched the back of the official for a little while, then let out a deep sigh and turned his gaze back towards the temple-

Soon, he brought the hand with the ring close to his mouth and muttered as if he was talking to himself.

＂After confirming that the target has entered the temple, I will cut off communication for a time in order to continue following him like this- ＂

Before he could finish his words, he had no choice but to take a breath.

This is because a person with dark blue hair who was confusing whether she was a woman or a man approached the bench she was sitting on and sat down next to her.

There are many other benches, why?

Sensing something was wrong, the man tried to get up to continue his mission.

Of course, it didn’t come true.

“Where are you going in such a hurry?”

Do. A woman holding a man’s wrist.

The man then responded by looking at the woman holding his wrist with a slightly unpleasant look.

“Aren’t the government forces telling you to go back home? Of course, I want to go home.”

“Hey, that’s awesome. It will take over a week for you to return home from now on.”

When the woman answered that way, the man remained silent for a moment.

No matter where you go from Asteris to the East, it doesn’t take a week.

The period she was talking about was clearly a statement with the ‘kingdom’ in mind.

That would mean that he already knows his identity.

From the looks of it, she was an unarmed woman.

I don’t know if it’s the government military or a member of some other organization, but if it’s just one person, I’m sure they can shake him off.

“I’ll tell you in advance, but I don’t think it would be good for you to think that I came alone.”

＂…＂

However, when she speaks as if she had read the man’s next actions, the man pauses for a moment and sighs.

Above all, because of the strength of her hands with which she held herself, it seemed as if she could not shake her off.

“Why did you know? I would have been perfectly dressed up and acting as a person from an eastern country.”

＂Perfect?＂

At her words, Aaron tilts his head and smiles as if he is a little puzzled.

“You may think so, but the slightest sense of discomfort is everywhere. What. More than anything else, the biggest demerit factor was that I was too wary of my surroundings.”

＂…＂

The man had no answer to her words.

“In Asteris, there are only two types of people who are so wary of the government forces. The first is a criminal, and the second is a human being whose true identity must not be discovered. And you’re probably the latter. Even though he was from the kingdom, he pretended to be from the eastern country and was following Cleon’s footsteps-“

She puts her thoughts into words and conveys them to him one by one, as if she were removing his veils one by one.

“Aha. Are you a member of the famous intelligence knights of the kingdom?”

“… Hmm, how do you feel? It would be your role to find out.”

The man didn’t deny it, but he didn’t say anything either and put down the cane he was holding in his hand on his bench.

This is because she and her colleagues thought that the fact that it contained a blade had already been discovered.

“What. There are bound to be spies in any era. Okay then, let’s get it carried out. If I committed suicide for no reason, it would cause a crack in the ‘friendship’ between countries, so please don’t even think about it.”

As the woman said that, she took out a rope from somewhere and tied the man’s wrists.

“Ah. For reference. Why did you follow Cleon?”

“It was just an order from above. Watch him and report his actions.”

＂Since when?＂

＂…＂

A man who does not answer the following questions.

Perhaps then – they may have been watching him for quite a long time.

“What. Since Cleon is sensitive to the malice directed at him, the fact that he did not notice your presence means that you yourself did not have many feelings for Cleon.”

As if it were expected that he wouldn’t answer, she casually raised the man who was the kingdom she had restrained.

Then, a number of her government troops came towards her.

“Thank you for your effort. Aaron Gong.”

“No. Thank you for your cooperation. Please take this person to the palace prison. I will go and report to the princess. I guess… Furthermore, I think we need a three-way meeting with him, including the people at the kingdom’s garrison.”

The government soldiers nod their heads at Aaron’s command, and the man who is tied up walks after them.

Aaron watched the back and was lost in thought for a moment.

＇Is it safe to say that the kingdom is still thinking about dealing with Lord Cleon? … It’s not that far, but if you’re not thinking of doing something, you probably won’t be doing surveillance.’

According to a reliable source, almost all problems with the kingdom’s military that visited as a delegation were resolved.

Even within the mission, are there people who have a different line from Selena, who came as the head of the mission?

“You have a lot of pretty annoying enemies. Lord Cleon.”

Aaron thought about this and that, but she felt frustrated that she couldn’t come up with a proper answer, so she moved on.

As he said, it was to report to Riomes about the capture of the kingdom’s spy.

001

Leaving the matter of following him to Aaron, Cleon breaks away from Attis as if running away and heads straight to the temple.

The people standing guard at the temple didn’t say anything, as if they were used to Cleon’s coming in and out, and just lowered their heads and opened the entrance.

Tokoyo may have taken measures in advance so that Cleon could visit in case there was a problem with the temple or ritual.

And when you pass through the barrier at the entrance, which can now be passed alone, and go inside, you can see priests and shamans visibly moving around.

Cleon himself would have been a little embarrassed if people who had walked so slowly that he had previously thought them to be a bit leisurely were moving at the same time in a way that made his eyes dizzy.

＂What the hell is this…＂

Even if I wanted to catch someone and hear the situation, it seemed difficult to catch people who were so busy.

I glanced around to see if there was a ‘Nagi’ somewhere, but it didn’t seem like there was anyone who knew that well.

Remembering that someone would need the help of a shrine maiden to get to the main shrine where Kuon and Tokoyo were, Cleon stood there quietly, thinking for a moment.

At that time.

＂Hey~ Ong.＂

The sound of a cat crying beneath your feet.

That familiar, brazen cry belonged to Bahamut.

“… Bahamut? That means-“

＂Mr. Cleon?＂

Cleon, feeling a little embarrassed by the random en counter that he didn’t know how many times today, turned his head towards the direction from which the voice came.

As expected, Herti was standing there.

Since she was standing closer to the entrance than she was, she knew that he too had entered her temple right after he had entered.

“You’re awake. I heard that you successfully blocked the fortress, but you were injured and lost your mind.”

Herty, who said that and came towards her, carefully stretched out her hand and touched Cleon’s shoulder and arm, as if to confirm that his body was there.

When his soft hands touched various parts of his body, Cleon blushed a little, but Herti was soon smiling mischievously and talking to him.

＂… Luckily, it looks like it’s not just the soul that escaped and is wandering around.”

＂…＂

Not knowing whether she was joking or not, Cleon shuts her mouth for a moment and then clears his throat and asks her back.

“I came to check on Kuon and Tokoyo’s condition. The ritual is in progress… But it seems like the spirit vein has not been purified yet.”

“I see. Actually, I would say it was me too… My heart strangely couldn’t stop pounding while the Five Elements Festival was in progress. I tried not to show it, but I thought the only time was now that things had calmed down a bit, so I came to check on the two of you to see how your consciousness was going.”

Cleon was unable to respond to her words for a moment.

In Herti’s case, she thought that the power of Gaius within her might be reacting.

＂It’s been a while since something that made me nervous happened, so I think my heart was shocked. Hehe. If Quartz had been there, I would have asked him to examine me.”

However, she probably never dreamed that it might be a reaction of the dragon’s power within her.

She probably thought that she was just not feeling well or that her heart was pounding due to tension.

She was a little worried about that, but she was relieved that she didn’t have any doubts about her own ideals.

Just-

“But… I think this is the first time the inside of the temple has been this loud. It looks like everyone else is busy too…”

“I want to catch someone and ask about the situation, but if everyone is so out of their wits…”

What does not change is that neither Cleon nor Herti can go to the main temple on their own.

At that time.

＂Hey-ong.＂

And Bahamut’s cries were heard once again.

Even in such a cluttered place, the cries were coming straight towards us.

＂Bahamut?＂

Before I knew it, Bahamut, who was a little far away, was standing underneath the huge arch-shaped gateway that Nagi always passed when guiding Cleon to the main temple, looking in this direction.

As if he was telling me to follow him.

Cleon looked at Bahamut and looked back at Herti for a moment.

Bahamut, like Herti, is also a vessel-like being that contains part of Gaius’ power.

That’s why it’s not strange even if it has powers that are slightly different from those of ordinary cats.

“… Let’s go. Herty.”

“Yes? But…”

Before Cleon can say, “I can’t go to the main temple without the help of the shaman,” Cleon grabs Herti’s hand and walks to where Bahamut is.

Then Bahamut entered the inside of the gate, waving his tail and making a bell sound.

When Cleon also passes through the gate, the barrier leading to the main hall activates and leads the two into the mysterious forest.

When we enter this forest, which we have passed through several times with Nagi, we are certain that Bahamut is trying to guide us to the main hall.

＂… Cleon, are you okay?＂

“Ah. I think it’s okay for the guide to not be a shaman or a priest.”

Cleon answers, taking Herti’s hand and leading her.

If you miss here, Bahamut will not forgive you.

At the same time, Herti blushed a little as she felt the feel of Cleon’s hand tightly holding hers.