Chapter 277: The Knights’ Talk, and That Matter

Now, next…

“I was able to talk with you, so that is already enough. Besides, I was shown the match with the war god’s temple head too.”

Looking at Marion, the Anirofe temple head in Lübeck city, she responded in a calm voice wearing a smile.

“Then I was able to see a precious thing too. That Walter admitting defeat.”

“Shut up.”

Then to the joking-like words directed at Walter, Walter lightly glared at Marion and cursed.

But after that Walter raised his voice and laughed too.

Both, if they were convinced that was fine.

Looking at Rosina, Sheena, and Birga, all three nodded back with smiles.

Then the last.

Looking behind, Adalbert and the three were looking at me with stern faces.

“Next is your turn.”

When I called out Adalbert nodded, and came this way with the expression as is.

At the same time Muriel stood in front of me so as not to block the line of sight.

“Move.”

Adalbert who came in front of Muriel said to Muriel quietly, but with pressure included.

“I will not withdraw. I am the opponent.”

Muriel glared back at the glaring Adalbert, and put a hand on the handle of the bastard sword hanging at her waist.

They glared at each other for a little while as is, but Adalbert softened his expression fu.

“Acting like a woman. That much time has passed. No, I just want to talk. Not to quarrel.”

No malice was felt from Adalbert talking in a natural posture.

Just, whether Albert who clicked his tongue in the middle of Adalbert’s talk, or Wieland who whistled, was unknown.

Well, dealing was possible, probably.

When I lightly tapped Muriel’s shoulder, Muriel looked at me, bowed her head, and stepped back behind me while still being wary of Adalbert and them.

Adalbert made a stern face again and looked at me.

“I was shown the previous fight. I understood that you have wonderful skill. There, I want to hire you, but how about it?”

Hire?

What did that mean?

It was different from the content I had expected.

I turned and looked at Muriel’s face.

But Muriel too made an apologetic face and shook her head sideways.

That is, the same unexpected as me.

“What does that mean?”

Facing forward again, I asked Adalbert.

“As I talked earlier, we were former knights of the Prussia Kingdom. The Prussia Kingdom fell into the hands of Demon Lord Belial about two years ago.”

“Na…”

I was surprised at Adalbert’s words, and unintentionally looked at Muriel.

But Muriel did not change even her expression let alone complexion, and was looking at Adalbert and them while showing wariness.

Looking around, not a single person was surprised.

No, looking at Tiria and Cathy putting both hands to their mouths, they seemed not to have known.

“You did not know?”

Adalbert asked unexpectedly.

“Ah.”

“I see… Well, because it is an event of a distant country.”

I frowned at the slightly thorny way of saying.

“No, sorry… Because it is our homeland.”

But immediately Adalbert apologized.

Indeed, Adalbert’s feelings were understandable.

Compared to Albert who seemed about to cut in at any moment he had far more self-control.

At most, Wieland while fiddling with hair was carrying through not involving himself.

Well, the talk became visible.

“So, you will start a war to take back the kingdom.”

“Yes. So I want you to lend strength.”

I see, contacting Muriel was also because gathering fighting power.

Somehow there was a sense of deja vu.

It would be good if it did not become a repeat of Giacomo.

But why did they know Muriel was here?

Even though not much time had passed since we came to this Lübeck.

If the place that was the Prussia Kingdom was distant, all the more.

“Is Muriel’s matter fine?”

For now let me ask in order.

“Muriel’s matter? What?”

Adalbert tilted his head, and directed his face at Albert behind.

“Muriel should be freed from being a Dule!!”

The asked Albert, not answering but as if advising, pressed close to Adalbert.

“Hmm, do you want to be freed?”

“No, I want to remain a Dule as is.”

When Adalbert asked Muriel, Muriel answered immediately.

“So, can you do it?”

Then he asked Albert again.

“…”

But Albert dropped his gaze and did not answer.

To free Muriel, in the current situation only killing me.

Seeing the previous fight with Walter, he probably understood he could not do that.

“That is why, I want you not to mind that matter.”

Adalbert returned the talk and answered me.

“That means, it is not that you came here to meet Muriel?”

“Ah, coincidence.”

Adalbert answered my question concisely, but at that way of answering I felt some discomfort somewhere.

Moreover, Wieland who had been nonchalant directed sharp eyes at Adalbert for an instant.

…Somehow suspicious.

“So how is it?”

Adalbert sought an answer.

“Muriel.”

“It is something unrelated to me. Please do as Master pleases.”

When I asked what Muriel wanted to do, this answer came back.

“Muriel! You…”

Whether he heard Muriel’s answer, Albert growled low and intimidated Muriel.

“No family, no royalty to serve. I already have no relation to anything.”

But Muriel who was not scared at all said plainly.

“Hoo. Then if royalty survived, what would you do?”

Adalbert asked Muriel wearing a thin smile.

Muriel’s eyes opened wide.

But…

“Now the one I serve is Master. No one else.”

That was an instant, and she answered Adalbert without a little hesitation.

“You! What!”

“Already fine. So how is it?”

Adalbert who gave up drawing the desired answer from Muriel turned to me and asked the third time.

“…When do you depart?”

“Right, at least within ten days.”

I see, he wanted to avoid the war happening in this city.

That meant no option of being hired by Adalbert.

I had a mountain of debts to Freit, so I wanted to participate in the Demon Lord army battle.

“Then I refuse. Because I must participate in this city’s battle.”

Adalbert made a stern face.

Then he looked at Walter and Marion.

“Fu, after all no good. When I saw the two’s figures I had a premonition.”

That meant, from the beginning he was trying to pull me in?

He was not thinking of freeing Muriel from being a Dule.

No, Albert seemed to have been thinking it, but communication of intentions had not been done on the other side, maybe?

“Anyway, if that is the case let us withdraw obediently here. Just seeing Muriel’s energetic figure is good.”

Adalbert said that, then smiled at Muriel.

Albert was grinding his teeth regretfully, but.

Muriel lowered the hand she had put on the sword handle, then bowed her head a little.

Adalbert who saw that and nodded turned to me and bowed deeply.

“It may be late, but please take care of Muriel.”

“Of course.”

As if natural, I answered Adalbert.

Adalbert exchanged a handshake with me, then left the arena taking Albert and Wieland.

With this all the business was finished.

The end was a little anticlimactic.

“Now, then shall we return.”

Whether relieved, or worrying that even though prepared to the point of full equipment there was no turn, I called out to Muriel who exhaled a deep sigh.

I looked around and confirmed the Dules.

Birga was talking with Walter, Rosina and Sheena with Marion, and the other Dules were gathered at the edge of the arena.

The A-Dules seemed to be talking something, but the others were looking this way while silent.

“Right, then let us gather.”

When Muriel called assembly, all the Dules gathered in front of me.

“Oh, the command is taken.”

Marion walked this way with Walter while admiring.

“Hoo, that you praise. Hiroyuki, it is something to be proud of.”

Walter was exaggeratedly surprised at Marion’s words, then spoke to me while laughing.

“Unfair. I praise too.”

“What, I am only saying it is rare for the Anirofe temple head to praise about Dules.”

At the two’s exchange I wore a wry smile, then together with Walter and Marion called out to the Dules and left the arena behind.

…

Two days after meeting Walter and Marion, Adalbert and them at the arena, I took breakfast with Freit at the mansion for the first time in a while.

“Finally I can take a breath.”

Freit who seemed to have returned to the mansion late last night still woke early enough to take breakfast together with us.

Dark circles under the eyes, it was clear the work had been intense.

He exhaled a deep sigh as if the soul was about to come out of the mouth, smiled wryly, and spoke to me sitting at the right side of the dining table.

“Is the war preparation done?”