Several days have passed since Mimamori intervened and the negotiations reached a temporary conclusion.
Today marks the final day of our talks.
The subsequent discussions proceeded so smoothly that it made me wonder what all the previous meetings had been for.
Even the fine details stipulated in the documents were settled without much fuss, and we managed to decide, in broad strokes, on the commencement date for the Mega Float plan.
However, instead…
“This undertaking was quite taxing, wasn’t it? If possible, I would have preferred the next meeting to be a little less stressful on the heart.”
“Indeed. This matter has been an unprecedented experience for me. Truly, I’ve realized anew that one must continue learning, no matter their age.”
Since that day, Kase has not appeared at the negotiation table, reportedly due to poor health.
We have no way of knowing if this is the truth.
Given how smoothly the negotiations were progressing, we didn’t pry.
Therefore, Akebono and Joseph have been leading the discussions thus far.
Perhaps as a result of their efforts, the initially tense relationship has shifted dramatically, and they now appear to be getting along well.
Even now, they seem to be conversing amicably, having reached a temporary lull in the talks.
Is this a case of friendship blossoming from shared hardship?
They certainly seem to have a much closer rapport now compared to the beginning.
Or perhaps such communication skills are essential for diplomacy?
The reduced number of guards around them is likely because they are providing security for Kase.
From the perspective of someone who constantly drank Energy Drinks at my previous company, I found myself empathizing with them, thinking how arduous their guard duty must be.
This conference must have been a real ordeal.
After all, our counterparts are a group that embodies the very essence of the bizarre.
It must have been a week of constant anxiety for the guards.
“So? What was your assessment of the outcome?”
Rather than worrying about others, it’s more prudent to confirm the results you’ve achieved.
“It was passable, but I can’t say it was a fully satisfactory outcome.”
“That’s harsh.”
“It’s better than being caught off guard by being too lenient.”
“You have a point.”
When I asked Evia, who was confirming the contents of a document nearby, for her assessment of the meeting results, she didn’t seem satisfied.
“This matter has paved the way for securing and recognizing the status of Dungeon Testers not only within Japan but also in America. We’ve accomplished the minimum required work, but it’s only just begun. We can’t let our guard down.”
She flipped through the papers, reconfirming the points agreed upon during the negotiations. Her expression, at first glance, seemed impassive.
That expression seemed to convey that the results were neither good nor bad.
“A stepping stone.”
“…Is there something that concerns you?”
Hearing her words, I too began to have some thoughts.
This is why my words were clipped, bringing her paper-turning to a halt.
She looked at me not with a stern gaze, but with the kind yet strict look she shows in private.
“No, it’s not that anything about this meeting itself bothers me. It’s just that, as this matter progresses, Evia’s world will gain recognition globally. And with that, various influences will surely arise. I wonder what will happen to this world as a result.”
“…If cultural exchange progresses, humans will readily absorb technology. Regardless of whether it’s good or bad. Transformation will occur as a result.”
“Ah, I understand.”
This meeting is crucial for connecting Evia’s world with Earth.
I believed it was necessary, and so I actively cooperated this time.
However, Mimamori’s actions, the stance of the Japanese government, and Evia’s words…
Having witnessed and heard each of their perspectives, I can’t help but ponder, even at this late stage, what kind of influence Evia’s world will have on Earth going forward.
“However, it might be a naive thought, but I do wish that this opportunity will bring about positive changes in this world.”
“…Wishing is not evil. Remaining idle after wishing is evil.”
Magic may appear to be omnipotent.
It allows individuals to achieve what they couldn’t on their own.
It is a powerful force brimming with potential.
Having witnessed the dangers that come with wielding such power after encountering a new world, I am also aware of its risks.
And the thought of its influence rippling through Japan, and indeed the world, fills me with apprehension.
However.
“That’s right. If we don’t do it, who will?”
There is still time before that power spreads throughout Japan and the world.
But we don’t have the luxury of leisurely waiting.
Then, it is better that I, who am becoming a bridge, cut off any negative trends.
“Exactly… But before that, when we get back, we should consider preparing a report on this matter and figuring out how to convince those stubborn old men. For us, that will be the real battle.”
“So, it’s merely a skirmish. I truly understand the meaning of what Evia said earlier, from the bottom of my heart. Indeed, fighting openly would have been somewhat easier.”
“It’s a bit late for that. You may be assigned such negotiations again in the future, you know?”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Evia stopped checking the documents and met my gaze.
This is not the end.
It is, in fact, the beginning.
“Well, make sure you remember it. Your life will undoubtedly extend beyond the scope of a normal human’s.”
Seemingly satisfied with my attitude, Evia began to pack away the documents.
“That sounds like it will be a very long life.”
As Evia said, I will be living an incomparably long life from now on.
It won’t all be enjoyable.
There will be many hardships.
But somehow, seeing Suella, Himik, Memoria, and Evia, I feel that I can live through such a life.
“Ah, look forward to it. After all, you’ve encountered a turning point that changed the world. Even long-lived races rarely get to witness such an event.”
As she spoke, Evia’s eyes softened kindly.
“And be prepared. The road ahead is fraught with turbulence. But don’t worry. I can guarantee it won’t be boring.”
She offered me words of encouragement, laced with a hint of warning.
“That sounds like it will be quite rewarding.”
It’s precisely because of words like these that I can accept them with a smile.
Bring on the hardships.
After all, I’m a former Black Warrior.
I can endure any amount of hardship.
“Then your first rewarding task is this: at tonight’s banquet, I expect you to engage in a bit of a probing exchange.”
“Whoa, weren’t I supposed to be the bodyguard?”
I feel as though I have just taken the first step on a long journey.
At this moment, when worlds have connected.
Something has certainly changed, I thought.
But at that time, I didn’t know.
The world doesn’t just change in one place.
Just as a coin has a heads side, it also has a tails side.
It wasn’t just us who were changing at that very moment.
***
Another Side
The world is indeed in flux.
Just as not every day is clear skies, sometimes rain falls, winds rage, and thunder rumbles.
Human affairs follow suit, with transformations occurring moment by moment.
Yes, like the opening of a cage door, allowing the bird within to fly free.
“Haa, Miss, are you really going through with this?”
“Yes, what are you saying now? Dazzlo.”
Anri Hanjiwal, the Third Princess of the Hanjiwal Empire, admonished the mage Dazzlo, a man who was clearly suffering from exhaustion and had dark circles under his eyes, with an elegant smile.
“I have my father’s permission. That’s why I was allowed out of the inner palace, wasn’t it?”
“Even so, being constantly monitored and on the move is mentally draining. Can’t something be done about it?”
“The clandestine unit employed by my father is certainly capable, aren’t they? Rather, given where we are headed, having this level of escort will be more reassuring.”
Though it might be a taboo phrase in this world without daylight, Dazzlo thought of Anri, with her ephemeral yet beautiful smile, as being akin to the moon.
This was a sentiment he could express, having lived in what is called the Demon World and seen its inhabitants firsthand.
However, even with her beautiful smile, Dazzlo inwardly sighed, unable to fully endorse the upcoming endeavor.
He thought to himself that even with the Prime Minister’s permission, her mother country’s… As he looked outside, the carriage swayed, reflecting the overcast sky.
Peeking outside by gently opening the curtain, he could see knights escorting them on horseback.
For a group that included a kingdom’s princess, the number of guards was clearly insufficient.
If they were attacked, their lives could be in danger due to the lack of protection.
While each individual guard was undoubtedly skilled, their numbers were undeniably low considering their destination.
“Princess, we are almost there.”
Ignoring Dazzlo’s concerns, one of the knights in the driver’s seat announced their arrival at their destination.
Once that happened, there was no turning back.
Just do what you will, Dazzlo resigned himself and let out a large sigh.
“Understood. Are the other parties in position?”
“Yes. According to the report from the knights sent to scout, both countries have arrived.”
“I see, that is good news.”
And then, Dazzlo felt the familiar tightening in his stomach intensify.
“Ugh, both countries? I expected one, but for the other to also respond…”
“That simply means the information I provided was vitally important.”
Anri’s smile was beautiful, but Dazzlo couldn’t admire it frankly, considering the hidden intentions behind it.
Dazzlo worried, his receding hairline threatening to worsen, and his gaze drifted to the silent figure in the black armor next to the young lady he served, who remained the last source of his anxiety.
“Dazzlo, you don’t trust Thor that much?”
“It’s not that I don’t trust him, but rather, I believe you shouldn’t trust him, old man.”
A being clad in armor crafted by renowned dwarves of the empire.
At his waist hung a sword also made by the same dwarves.
A figure who exuded an aura of otherness even among the guards.
He had already made a name for himself within the castle as Anri’s knight.
Knowing his true identity and the process of his recruitment, Dazzlo had opposed taking him along this time.
“It’s alright.”
Mainly, he worried that this impetuous princess might do something nefarious with this knight.
Ignoring his concerns, Anri, without losing her smile, gently stroked the motionless armor with her pale finger.
“He is my knight. A sword that cuts down any obstacle. I am sure he will be reliable even after this.”
“Well, if that’s what you say, Princess, then it’s fine with me, but you do understand what to do if things get serious, right?”
“Yes, I know about you. You’ll probably run away with your tail between your legs, won’t you?”
“You know me very well.”
Her cheerful expression suddenly shifted to displeasure at Dazzlo’s words.
Dazzlo was loyal to Anri.
Therefore, he spoke words of counsel disguised as jokes.
The statement about running away if things got serious was also his way of saying that if it came to it, he would grab her hand and flee with the princess.
Anri, certain he wouldn’t abandon her to escape alone, found these words from her retainer tiresome.
Since Dazzlo became Anri’s tutor, he had always played the role of the brake.
Therefore, he indirectly warned Anri, who was as excited as a child with a new toy, not to use the full capabilities of the armored figure.
Knowing that she understood his words, he spoke humorously, as if to ease his concerns.
“We’ve known each other for a long time.”
“Indeed. From such a small and cute princess, you’ve become so magnificent. Perhaps my role as your guardian is finally over?”
“Oh, I am still a young girl who knows little of the world. Even now, you see, I am meeting unknown gentlemen and feel so lost without someone there to comfort me.”
“My, that’s strange. I didn’t know that even an A-class adventurer who could slay a dragon’s head would be afraid of anything. Therefore, I’d like to return now and focus on my studies. Is that alright?”
“What a peculiar request, Dazzlo. Denied.”
The princess and her attendant’s exchange was swift and sharp.
From the attendant’s perspective, he couldn’t help but lament how this princess had grown so headstrong. He wondered if it was due to the bloodline of the King and Prime Minister.
The princess casually rejected Dazzlo’s plea and felt the carriage slowing. She gently pulled back the curtain and saw tents outside.
“We’ve arrived.”
“Yes, we have.”
The master and subordinate’s words carried different connotations.
One welcomed it, the other resisted.
“Now, Dazzlo.”
However, the attendant acted quickly, keeping watch around the carriage, opening the door, and gently taking her hand to assist the princess as she disembarked.
“Everyone is waiting.”
And then, the princess looked up.
At the tents bearing the flags of the Theocratic Nation Tris and the Eclair Kingdom.
Today’s quote:
The same day never comes twice.
This chapter concludes here.
A new chapter begins with the next installment.
Thank you for your continued feedback and for pointing out any typos.
If you found this enjoyable, please leave a review, rating, or bookmark.
*The first volume of the novel has been published by Hayakawa Bunko JA.
It was released on October 18, 2018.
The e-book version was released on October 31 of the same year.
The second volume was released on December 19.
The third volume was released on February 20, 2019.
The content has been revised and expanded from the original serialization on “Shōsetsuka ni Narō,” with additional unpublished interlude chapters included.
Please consider purchasing the new releases!
Thank you for your continued support of this work.
