Five days have passed since that day the White Battleship destroyed the barrier of the Underworld. These past few days have been incredibly hectic, with the entire country, no, the entire continent, plunged into a period of intense busyness.
The barrier of the gods was destroyed, and the Underworld in its entirety appeared on the surface. To the oblivious public, it was the discovery of a new continent. This alone would have been a world-shaking event, but on top of that, colossal airships of an unprecedented scale began flying through the sky. While they flew at altitudes far above where normal aircraft could reach, it was impossible for something so massive to remain unseen. Furthermore, a tremendous incident had occurred in the Western Continent. The capital of the Lizea Empire, the greatest nation, had fallen overnight.
“Since the appearance of the Northern Continent, formerly the Underworld, on the surface, the world’s situation has drastically changed. Forces under the Grellverelka Empire, led by King Gustav, are working to stabilize various regions of the Northern Continent, while in the Eastern Continent, the leaders of the Four Great Nations are at the forefront of control. However, in the Western Continent, where the greatest power, the Lizea Empire, is in disarray, conflicts have become more frequent than ever before. The fallout has even reached neutral and allied nations, creating a situation reminiscent of the Great War Era that once plagued the Eastern Continent. It would be best for us, the Four Great Nations, to act as mediators, but with the presence of angels being dropped from the Ark, we currently cannot spare the effort to assist other continents…”
“We, the Grellverelka, will lend a hand. …I wish I could say that, but our situation is much the same. Moreover, we are in this form. No matter how much we spread information about the Evil Gods, it’s unlikely to be readily accepted.”
Now, five days later, we had returned to the Eastern Continent to devise countermeasures. Today, I found myself in the central district of Trisen Main Castle, within a crucial facility that Sera had once infiltrated. Here, we used crystals to communicate with various countries and confirm the situation. It appears to be the same type of crystal that Lady Tsubaki and the Beast King used during my Ascension Ceremony. Currently, the adult Shutra and my father-in-law are engaged in communication.
“We can only address that by taking time. Reforming consciousness requires perseverance… Well then, if anything else arises.”
“Indeed. Princess of Trisen, do not overexert yourself.”
“I appreciate your concern.”
“Father-in-law, please don’t overwork yourself either? If you collapse now, your subordinate Victor will be in agony.”
“Silence, you foolish son! I will not do anything that would make Serabel sad, even without you telling me! More importantly, when will you come here next? No, even just Sera would be fine?”
“It’s barely been a week since we parted… Huh? The crystal’s magic is running out? I’m sorry, Father-in-law, it seems our time is up. Take care~”
“You insolent child! We’re not finished talking yet—”
The line connecting Trisen and the Grellverelka Demon Lord’s Castle was abruptly cut. Unfortunately, the crystal’s magic had depleted, and my father-in-law’s voice was cut off. Truly, it cut off at the most opportune moment. How strange.
“Kelvin, I think it’s a bit cruel to be so stubborn, don’t you think?”
Shutra’s words, accompanied by a slightly amused expression, drew a warning from me. When she looks at me like that, I can’t help but feel remorse.
“No, I can only maintain this distance with that demon… She always tries to get me to come back home if there’s the slightest opening. Besides, isn’t that also a bit mean of you, Shutra? I’ve gotten used to being called ‘Older Brother,’ and it feels so awkward when you speak to me formally.”
“Um… it’s just that I feel a bit embarrassed in this form…”
Now, regarding Shutra’s memories, which I had been curious about, it turned out she had indeed regained them. She had been gradually recalling them, and upon meeting Tristan with the Heart of the Evil God the other day, her memories were completely restored. However, this had also led to an unexpected complication, though I’m not sure if it can be called a detriment, due to her Unique Skill, ‘Perfect Memory.’
“Yes! I can say it properly in this form, Kelvin Older Brother!”
“…Yes. Though, having said that, I’m also a bit perplexed about how I should interact with you now.”
Shutra had indeed regained her memories and returned to her original state as a brilliant and flawless princess. To be precise, her edges had softened slightly, giving her a gentler impression, but her memories were back. However, this did not mean that the Shutra who had spent time with us had disappeared.
Shutra’s perfect memory had preserved the personality of the young Shutra who had lived in the mansion and traveled with us, without erasing it. Now, her personality leaned towards her altered form, resulting in a state where the adult and child were intertwined. These two personalities shared memories, and both were undeniably Shutra. Even in her adult form, she would occasionally call me “Older Brother,” and while I would quickly correct her, her face would turn bright red. Ah, isn’t it enough if she’s cute? I decided not to think too deeply about it. At least Gerard had unofficially recognized the adult Shutra as his granddaughter, and she interacted without issue with Rion and Ryuka. Having evolved into a sage, her appearance would change no further. Yes, the difference between the child and adult is at most about ten years. It’s not that big of a difference.
“Kelvin Older Brother. Did you just have a dismissive thought? Did you just brush it off?”
“I am thinking seriously, and I am not brushing it off. What are you talking about, Shutra? Hahaha…”
Conversely, it was a cause for concern that Shutra’s younger personality had also become disturbingly sharp in her thinking.
“Oh, I’m here to crash the party! …Why have you become small again, Shutra?”
“Ah, Azgrad Older Brother.”
Oops, the King of Trisen has arrived. They say even a monkey looks good in fine clothes, and Azgrad, who used to be a war enthusiast, now exudes a certain degree of dignity. It’s likely due in large part to his attire.
“I’m in this mood right now! My work processing speed hasn’t changed, so there’s no problem, right?”
“Even if it’s not a problem for you, everyone around you slows down. Dan, in particular, starts groaning and holding his temples. And the women and children start screaming, too.”
“Isn’t that the same for the adult Shutra? She’s more like the object of admiration for the soldiers there. If you look at morale alone, it seems to be sky-high.”
“…That’s the sad nature of men, isn’t it?”
We, seemingly out of nowhere, found ourselves discussing our sisters. It might not be long before Azgrad joins the “Younger Sister Alliance” with me and Kilt, my comrade from Gaun.
“Older Brother and Big Brother, stop talking nonsense! Oh, and speaking of which, have the scouts returned?”
“Ah, it seems things are as usual outside.”
According to the reports from the scouts dispatched by Azgrad, monsters resembling angels had appeared in various locations within the country. They were not angels, but monsters in the guise of angels. Since that day, the White Battleship carrying Kuromel had been appearing in the skies over various parts of the world, and each time, it would scatter these monsters.
Basically, if you don’t approach them, they are harmless. If left alone, they stand still like stone statues. However, once you get within a certain distance, they become rampaging, as if their previous silence were a lie. While their strength varies from individual to individual, even the weakest among them are ranked below S-Rank Monsters. It’s one thing if they appear in an uninhabited mountain, but it’s a tragedy if they are dropped in the middle of a village. Since the regular soldiers of each country cannot handle them, members of my party, such as Silvia and Pritia, who possess considerable skill, are dispatched to various locations to hunt them down.
“Hmm, it seems the Northern and Eastern Continents have a particularly high tendency for angel-type monsters, don’t they? According to the reports from Ren and Ran of Farnis, it’s not so much the case in the Western Continent…”
“…Oh, Kelvin. Why don’t you go back to Pars for a bit? Fretting won’t solve anything. Shutra has been working nonstop every day, hasn’t she? You two should go back to Pars together and rest. It’s just a short trip using the Transfer Gate, right?”
“W-Wait a minute, Azgrad Older Brother?”
“Are you sure it’s alright? Aren’t there still angel-like creatures around?”
“You and that Dahak fellow who were dispatched to Trisen ended up clearing out quite a few of them. For a period like this, Dan and I can manage. …You know, you’re acting as usual, but something feels off. Trisen hasn’t fallen so far that we’d need to overwork someone on the verge of exhaustion. Now, scram, go home!”
Half-forcibly, Shutra and I were sent back to our mansion in Pars.
I’ll be sharing this on my Twitter, which I’ve finally started.
