Intermission: A Risk of a Party Breakup
“Lucy and Sasa are on...bad terms?”
I couldn’t understand what he was saying. The two of them were always together—were they actually mad at each other?
No, no, no. No way.
“I-Impossible!” Furiae exclaimed. “After all, they both have accepted countless requests to exterminate monsters from Laphroaig! They’ve always been together, and they pretty much breathe together!”
I nodded. “Yeah, I’m thinking much the same thing. They’ve been together the whole time since I got back, and they haven’t acted like they’re at odds or anything.”
Despite that, the prince sadly shook his head.
“The Crimson Fangs are Roses’s top adventurers, despite being women. There are a lot of people who look up to them, and the majority don’t doubt their friendship.”
“Right!” exclaimed Furiae. “Honestly, when the four of us adventured together, they were almost too friendly. I felt kinda shut out...”
“Huh? You did?” I asked. I was sure the three of them had been on really good terms.
“I mean, they’re always all over each other. They were together even while they slept.”
“Oh, now that you mention it...”
Describing them as being angry with one another when they were like that... It had to be some kind of misunderstanding.
Still, the prince’s expression remained sorrowful. “Makoto, Queen Furiae... I just want to ask you if you’ve ever seen the two of them alone together?”
Furiae and I exchanged glances.
“Alone together?” I asked.
“Of course we haven’t.”
After all, if we were there to see them, they wouldn’t be alone together, would they?
“The adventurer’s guild in Roses has often made requests of them. Lucy’s rare acumen with Teleport allows her to go anywhere in an instant, and Aya is the only adventurer in Roses of her rank. The guild prioritizes them when there are calamity-level monsters. The two of them accept the quests without argument.”
All of that made sense. Just the other day, they’d dashed off for an urgent request from Roses.
“It is the same in Laphroaig,” Furiae added. “They accept any request we give them. They always travel together as well, and they never seem on bad terms.”
The prince slowly continued. “This is a report from the guild in the capital, but...the two of them didn’t say a single word to each other while they were in the waiting room.”
“Wha?” Furiae and I asked in unison, gaping.
It was a really bad look for a beauty like her, but it wasn’t like I could talk—I was just as surprised.
“That...can’t...”
“I-It’s got to be a coincidence, right? People have those days.”
Our voices were shaking.
“Unfortunately, royal spies and skilled Stealth users have confirmed it. For at least the past dozen visits, neither of them has spoken a word to each other while in the waiting room,” Prince Leonardo said.
Hang on, they sent in spies to check? If that was true, it definitely lent credence to what he was saying.
Lucy and Sasa weren’t talking when they were on their own? Really, though? They didn’t seem to be at odds when we were together.
Actually...now that I thought about it, there were entertainers in our old world who were all smiles in front of the camera, but they didn’t say a word to each other in the dressing rooms.
On top of that...hadn’t the girls gotten into a fight after defeating the monster from that urgent request the other day? When they returned, they were all beaten up.
So...were they really so unpleasant around each other? Lucy and Sasa—the Crimson Fangs—were veteran adventurers now. They were constantly the subject of attention from other adventurers. I could definitely see them acting friendly in public, even if they weren’t actually that way in private.
But...I really didn’t want that to be true. If it was, the party could be facing a breakup.
No... I really wanted there to be some mistake.
“Th-That can’t be true...” Furiae stammered. “Those two... No, I can’t believe it!”
It looked like she felt the same way I did.
“The Crimson Fangs have helped Roses a lot. Normally, I wouldn’t want to talk about it, but...you are about to challenge Astaroth. We can’t leave things in an ambiguous state...”
Prince Leonardo’s expression was pained. He’d likely agonized over whether to tell me or not.
“Got it. I understand the situation.”
“But there has to be some misunderstanding!” Furiae argued.
“Then...let’s go and check on them right now,” suggested the prince.
Furiae and I nodded quietly, and then all three of us crept toward my guest room.
Along the way, several of the guards called out to the queen of Laphroaig and the Prince of Roses. They would say something like, “Um...Your Majesty, Your Highness. I hadn’t heard you would be visiting...”
“It’s fine. Let us pass, yeah?☆” Furiae would say back with a wink—aka Charm—and they’d just wave us on by. Her magic was just as impressive as ever.
Isn’t this...kind of a security risk?
“That skill of yours sure is convenient,” I said to her. Being able to settle things peacefully was great.
Prince Leonardo nodded vigorously. “It’s incredible, Your Majesty.”
Our words prompted her to put a hand on her chin and consider things. A light bulb seemed to go off in her mind, and she stepped right up to me. “So...my knight, what do you feel now?” She asked, her eyes shining gold as she gently stroked my cheek.
It...tickled.
“It tickles,” I told her directly.
“Oh, I see.” Her expression soured as her eyes darkened again. “How boring. My Charm has gotten much stronger, and yet it still has absolutely no effect on you.”
“It’s not like you need it to, right?”
“Hmph.”
While we were talking, we arrived in front of the room. Sasa and Lucy were inside. I’d normally never do it, but this time, I used Stealth before easing the door slightly open.
I was sure I’d hear them talking, but...there wasn’t a sound coming from inside.
Huh?
I heard Furiae gulp next to me. Slowly, we looked into the room.
Maybe they were sleeping? No, they were both up.
Sasa was getting her things ready for tomorrow—well, actually, she was getting my things together.
I appreciated it. I’d need to thank her later.
As for Lucy, she was polishing the staff she used in combat. The best adventurers didn’t shirk their maintenance, and I was sure Lucy was no exception. I sometimes wanted to polish Noah’s dagger, but the magic on it meant that it stayed gleaming without me doing a thing.
Silence stretched on as the three of us watched the room.
Neither of them said a word. Sasa was flitting around picking up one thing or another. Lucy was polishing her staff, occasionally casting a small flame and then adjusting the staff.
Usually, this kind of scene would include some kind of conversation. The two of them were oddly silent though. It was almost like they were ignoring each other.
“What do you both think?” the prince asked us.
“You were right,” I had to admit.
Furiae made a noise in the back of her throat as she muttered something.
“Princess?” I asked.
“I can’t stand it!”
She slammed the door open and strode into the room. Prince Leonardo and I followed behind.
“Oh? Welcome back, Makoto...” Lucy’s eyes went wide. “And Fuuri and Prince Leonardo?”
“That’s a rare combo,” Sasa remarked.
They were both smiling, but that made the whole situation seem even weirder.
Why were the two of you not saying a word a minute ago?
“Lucy, Aya! How long has this been going on?!” Furiae demanded.
“Huh? What are you talking about, Fuuri?”
“What’s up, Fuu?”
The two of them looked blankly back at her.
“You don’t need to act! We know you’re not getting along!” Furiae exclaimed.
Lucy and Sasa just looked at one another with confusion.
“Aya and I aren’t?”
“What do you mean, not getting along?”
Furiae glared at them. “Don’t play dumb! Why are you even acting it out in front of me?! Weren’t we friends?!”
But despite her questioning, Lucy and Sasa didn’t change how they were acting.
“Prince Leonardo,” I prompted.
“Of course, I’ll explain.”
Furiae wasn’t calm, so he was the best one to rely on here. He set everything out clearly. Lucy’s and Sasa’s faces gradually got more serious.
“There you have it, Lucy, Sasa. So what’s actually going on?”
“Why?! I’ve wanted a relationship like yours all this time!” Furiae cried out. So she had liked how the two of them behaved together. Realizing that their rapport was fake had made her lose her cool.
“Wait, wait, wait! You’re misunderstanding,” Lucy sputtered.
“That’s right!” said Sasa. “We’ve always been great together!”
“But just now...” Prince Leonardo started.
“Not talking at all is weird,” I added.
Lucy didn’t panic, though—she just scratched her cheek. “I didn’t think it’d be such a big deal. We weren’t talking because of these.”
She showed us her bracelet—it matched Sasa’s.
“What are they?” I asked.
“They’re magic items Fujiwara sold us. They have Telepathy Magic cast on them.”
“If we wear them, we don’t need to actually talk out loud.”
“Okay...but why are you wearing them?” I asked. I understood the logic behind the explanation, but not why they’d have them.
“Well, we adventure together, right? When we’re fighting strong monsters, being stuck yelling is really inconvenient.”
“Plus, Lu’s magic is too much and she can’t hear me.”
“So we went to Fujiwara for advice and he sold us these.”
“We started out wearing them only when we were fighting, but taking them off and putting them back on was a pain, so we just left them on...”
Huh. So when it was just the two of them, they used the bracelets to talk. “What were you talking about earlier, by the way?” I asked. I needed to know because the whole bracelet explanation could just be something they’d come up with in advance.
The two of them gazed silently at each other. Was there a problem?
“W-We’re not saying.”
“It’s a secret☆”
They looked away.
“Something’s weird...” I muttered. Why wouldn’t they tell us? “I guess they really are hiding an argument... The party may end up breaking up...”
They must have heard that because their expressions changed instantly.
“We can’t break up!” Lucy exclaimed. “We’ll tell you!”
“Urk... We were talking...” Sasa trailed off.
I gulped, waiting for them to carry on.
“About how to make a move on you, Makoto.”
“Lu and I were thinking about forcing things to go further.”
Prince Leonardo, Furiae, and I were struck speechless. The tension fled from my body.
What the hell kind of conversation is that?
Prince Leonardo looked awkward.
“So...the two of you really aren’t arguing?” Furiae asked hesitantly.
“Of course not,” Lucy replied. “We’re besties!”
“I love Lu!”
“Right, Aya!”
“Yup, Lu!”
The two of them laughed and clapped each other on the shoulders. They were more excited than usual.
The rest of us exchanged glances.
Everything now made sense. Still, their reaction felt kinda overblown—were they really being sincere? My doubt must’ve shown on my face.
“You’re stiiill not convinced?” Lucy asked.
Sasa shrugged. “Then we’ll have to show you.”
“Aya? What do you—?”
“Take that!”
Sasa cheered as she tackled Lucy onto the bed. Then, as she was pinning Lucy down...
“Kyah! Aya, what was that— Mph?!”
“Mwah!♡”
Sasa kissed her.
“Jeez, Aya. That was too forceful.” Lucy offered a complaint that sounded rather amused before she hugged Sasa back and returned the kiss.
The kiss between the two of them gradually deepened.
Furiae, the prince, and I were struck dumb.
Whoa, what are you two doing...?
Suddenly, I noticed a wine bottle rolling near the bed—they must have kept drinking after the party finished. So their excitement is because they’re drunk.
“Luuu, you’re such a perv.”
“And you’re so cute, Aya...”
The two of them kept flirting while entwined in each other’s arms.
Maybe they’re lovers? At least we know now that they aren’t fighting.
“See, Princess, they’re still friendly. Isn’t that a relief?”
“This is...friendship?” Furiae asked, her expression conflicted in a completely different way than earlier.
“Awa wa wa... But...they’re both girls...” The prince’s face was bright red. This was probably a bit too extreme for a kid.
Don’t you think you’re too calm? I heard Noah ask.
They’d acted like they were into each other for a while, but apparently, adventuring together had leveled up their relationship.
“Hey, Makotooo, what’re you looking at?” Lucy asked.
“C’mere, Takatsukiiii.”
“It’s all your fault we’re like this.”
“You made us wait too long.”
This was my fault?! Well...it had to be. I’d left the two of them behind while I’d been saving the past, so I was definitely in the wrong.
Lucy’s and Sasa’s gazes were heated.
They’re calling for you, Makoto. You need to prove you’re a man, Noah said.
I can’t do that. Just think about how bad it’ll be for the prince’s upbringing if things carry on in front of him.
“Let’s just put them to sleep for now—Curse of Slumber.” Furiae forcefully knocked them out. That really is a convenient spell.
Lucy and Sasa—still in each other’s arms—breathed softly in their sleep.
The three of us left awake all shifted awkwardly.
“Sorry, I misunderstood...” the prince apologized.
Eh, it was fine. Everyone made mistakes. “Nah, it made sense that you were worried about their friendship,” I told him.
“I’m glad we know why...” Furiae agreed.
“Okay.” The prince looked up, his face still cherry red. “Then, if you’ll excuse me.”
He quickly took off, and now, only Furiae and I were left awake.
She sighed. “Well, that was pointless panic. I’m going back to my own lodging. My knight...take care on the demon continent.”
“Yeah. Thanks, Princess. Shall I walk you back?”
“My guard is waiting, so I’ll be fine...” She shifted as if to leave, but then stopped like she wanted to say something. “Um...”
“What’s up?”
“Well, it doesn’t really have anything to do with you, but...”
“It’s fine, go ahead.”
“Naya has been in my dreams a lot recently.”
“Huh?”
Naya—that was the goddess who ruled over darkness and curses in this world.
“What has she said? Anything to do with Iblis?”
“No. Nothing useful at all. She just keeps smirking like something’s funny. Then she laughs and says something like ‘You people are all hilarious!’ She’s a completely useless goddess!”
Well, Naya had left Furiae on her own for years, so maybe the princess’s complaints were inevitable.
“Why tell me?” I asked.
“No reason. But you can talk to the goddesses, right?”
“Yeah...” I looked up at the ceiling. “Noah? What do you think?”
It’s unusual. Naya hasn’t shown any interest in this world for millennia.
Is there some reason she may be acting that way?
Nothing I can think of stuck down here. Ask Eir at some point.
Does Eir get along with her?
Naya doesn’t get along with any goddesses. She doesn’t even deal with her faith on your planet.
Right...
“Noah doesn’t know anything,” I told Furiae.
“I didn’t expect much. Goodbye, then.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
She left, her long hair swaying behind her. Naya hadn’t interfered with the mortal realm at all, and yet now she was showing up in Furiae’s dreams. I was a bit worried, but thinking about it wasn’t going to help me.
Maybe I’ll go see Momo. I should, at least before I leave Highland.
While I was considering that, I checked over my things to make sure I wasn’t forgetting anything.
◇
“Morning,” I said.
“My head hurts...” Lucy grumbled.
“What happened last night?” Sasa asked.
Well, neither of them seemed to be in good shape. They’d had waaay too much to drink.
Before I’d woken them up, someone from the Soleil Knights had given me a brief explanation of the (revised) Third Northern Front Plan. It pretty much just told me to greet the people at the bases on the front lines when I got there. I was just thinking that this seemed like way too little for me to do, but then, I looked at the document being sent out.
There were around twelve things written on it.
Situation I — Should Makoto Takatsuki’s Elemental Magic Spiral Out of Control.
Situation II — Should Makoto Takatsuki Summon Dia.
Situation III — Should Makoto Takatsuki Use the Right Hand of the Elemental.
Situation IV — ...
And so on.
The plans themselves had probably been drawn up by Momo. There were things in there that only someone who’d been near me would know.
I’ll do my best not to cause her trouble, I promised myself.
“Let’s go!” Lucy cheered. She lifted her staff.
“If you would, Lucy.”
“Go on, Lu!”
Sasa and I both grabbed one of Lucy’s hands.
“Let’s go! Teleport!☆”
My vision went pure white. The scenery blurred several times.
Green countryside.
Gloomy forests.
Barren plains.
Mountain ranges stretching into the distance.
I asked later and found out that successive teleportations like this were apparently pretty difficult. Most mages would be out of mana if they tried one.
Lucy looked completely fine as she cast Teleport time after time.
“We’re here,” she said eventually.
The next thing we saw was a huge fortress right in front of us.
“So, this is...?” I began.
“The farthest front against the demon lords’ armies—Fort Blackbarrel,” Sasa told me. So the two of them must have come here several times.
It looked like whoever had built the fortress had used magic to turn the natural mountain range into a fortress. There were several unrefined-looking iron pillars protruding from the craggy surface. The walls also looked like they’d been made using magic—they were thick stone.
I couldn’t see anyone at a glance, but there were probably slits cut in the rock because I could feel sharp gazes raining down.
Someone was watching us.
There was an ominous feeling in the air that had been completely absent from the peaceful capital.
This was how a battlefield felt.
The three of us were on the front lines of the war.
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