A dimensional journey starting from the Dragon Clan

right.

On the other hand, a whole day has passed.

But yesterday - no, not just yesterday. I have been in a state of chaos since I met the swordsman, but it was all like a lie. It made me nervous, but my situation has always been stable.

The swordsman said, 'I want to fight right now, but because a lot of magic power has been consumed, Ayaka's recovery comes first.' He spent the whole day protecting the mansion thoroughly.

I'm afraid the swordsman himself will need time to recover from the injuries sustained by the golden heroic spirit.

Ayaka, who had heard from Sigma in advance that battles between mages mostly took place at night, kept vigil all night long, but no one came to attack until the morning.

Ayaka fell asleep after the sun rose, but when she thought of her sleeping until evening, she felt more tired than she thought.

——You should be happy to be alive...

With this thought, Ayaka began to think about her future.

Since I officially became a Master, I don't know if it's a psychological effect, but I feel that the magical connection between myself and the swordsman has increased.

Organs deep in the body that are different from the heart beat from time to time, and there seems to be a slight shaking feeling, but that is probably not a swordsman, but an assassin unfolding a noble phantom or something like that.

——In other words... the girl who claims to be the assassin is still alive...

He clearly said that she was someone who might kill him, but at this moment, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief because the other party was still alive.

It’s really confusing. Ayaka smiled to herself.

Despite all the differences, there is now an unquestionable alliance.

Although they had not been together for a long time, she no longer thought that the girl assassin was a two-faced person.

--So to say……

He remembered what happened when he reunited with the assassin in the forest where Enkidu lived.

——The swordsman is a ‘terrible being’, that’s what he said...

Taking this as an opportunity, the swordsman's words from a day ago came to mind.

——'Not to mention my seat, I'm not in heaven anyway. ’

——'My soul should be burned in purgatory until the end of mankind. ’

This is extremely confusing language.

Although Ayaka didn't quite understand the difference between purgatory and hell, she knew that it was a harsh place where one would be punished in some way.

At least judging from the swordsman's tone, it wouldn't be a pleasant place.

——But the swordsman seems to think that it is natural for him to go there...

——I still know nothing about swordsmen in history...

Thinking of this, Ayaka realized that as a master, it was not good to know nothing about her servants.

There are literally mountains of books in this house.

Just find a Western history book or encyclopedia. Ayaka stood up and looked around the room.

Her movements suddenly stopped.

In front of her sight, that thing stood.

A small figure wearing a red turban.

"ah……"

I couldn't help but take a breath of cold air.

Although there have been several things similar to precursors, the appearance in this house without an elevator means that this 'phenomenon', whether it is an hallucination or a supernatural curse, has developed further.

But amazingly, I didn't feel the same fear I had before.

It's scary, and I want to escape - I don't know if it's because I became the swordsman's master, or because of her whispers in that building, but now I no longer feel the fear that is enough to make me feel uneasy. .

--'……come on. ’

In the building next to the swordsman at that time, I did hear this shadow say such words.

Although I'm confused as to why I have that hallucination... I'm not even sure if it's this shadow that speaks such words.

No, maybe...could this also be an auditory hallucination produced by my own brain?

Wasn't it because he was forced into desperation and allowed the hallucination to say the right words?

If this is the case, I am really shameless.

——I am not qualified to be said like this...

--because I……

──…….

──……?

"Huh?"

His head sank.

Trying to think back on the past moments is like being covered in a fog, and it becomes impossible to organize my thoughts.

This kind of thing didn't happen before.

——What's wrong, I...is this also the effect of becoming a Master?

--no.

——Must remember.

——Is there something... important...

The more I think about my state, the thicker the fog becomes in my head.

Until now, the old memories of the girl wearing the red hat were just because I was 'too scared' and didn't want to recall them.

But now, if I want to face it again like this, my brain is not very flexible.

It was as if the body itself refused to recall that memory.

——This is also... the woman named Philia was affected by magic?

Thinking of the beautiful woman who cursed her for coming to this city, Ayaka broke into a cold sweat.

If I continue like this, I can't even think. I'm worried that I will lose the memory of a few seconds ago, or even lose myself——

"Are you okay? Ayaka?"

"!"

Hearing the swordsman's voice, his whole body returned to reality.

"Well, no problem..."

"I cared about it before... If you have any problems, just tell me. No, this situation itself is the biggest problem now..."

To the swordsman who said this, Ayaka wanted to reply, 'It doesn't matter, it's all an old habit'——

"It's okay, just like usual..."

"Is it really okay?"

"..."

"As usual...if you always have such troubles, it's even more worrying. Maybe it's really not something you should get involved in. But as long as it can help Ayaka, even just a little bit, I think it's a good idea as a The duty of a servant.”

"Swordsman..."

"I'm not just for you. Although it is a bit selfish, this is internal affairs for the sake of winning the war. I did a lot for internal affairs during my lifetime... mainly causing a lot of trouble to my brother. Because of this, I don't want to Repeat the same mistakes in your second life.”

Seeing his unprecedented seriousness, Ayaka couldn't help but blink.

--Yeah?

——Because I have become a Master...it is no longer my problem alone.

——If there is no relationship, there is no way to solve it, really.

Ayaka hesitated and expressed her troubles.

"...Maybe you will say that I am too sensitive."

"I can't promise... I won't take your problem lightly. Maybe I will say something like that! I'm sorry! It's all my problem!"

"Are you too honest?"

"But please wait a moment. Think about it the other way around! Since it is determined to be a trivial matter, I am confident that I can help Ayaka a little! I think there is nothing to lose by discussing it, right?"

Facing the swordsman who puffed out his chest, Ayaka thought for a while——

"Really, I really envy you for being so positive."

After a wry smile, Ayaka finally revealed her inner world.

"Actually...I sometimes have hallucinations, and I've been trying to escape from them."

"Ah, it does feel like that."

"However, that thing that should appear occasionally is now always in front of me, the girl wearing the red hat..."

A few minutes later.

After explaining the situation in general, the swordsman rubbed his chin and said "hmm".

"I don't doubt what you said, but please tell me what's right. Can you still see that girl's hallucination now?"

"...Yeah. I thought it would disappear as soon as I said it, but it didn't happen that way."

Ayaka glanced towards the corner of the room.

At this time, she saw a girl wearing a red hat standing there with her head lowered.

Sure enough, after arriving in this city, the presence of that illusion gradually increased.

This was a sign that his brain was about to collapse, so he carefully observed the swordsman's reaction.

Then the swordsman asked Ayaka seriously.

"Where?"

"Well... over there, in front of the bookshelf on the far left."

"Is it around here?"

The swordsman moved to where Ayaka indicated and gently stroked her hand.

His hand overlapped with that of the girl wearing the red hat, but they walked past him as a matter of course. The expressions of the swordsman and the girl did not change.

"Now, you have your hand through that kid's head."

"Is this the head? He is so short, he is really a child..."

"Oh, yes."

"...Excuse me ***, did you... sense anything...?"

The swordsman spoke in a low voice that Ayaka could not hear.

I'm afraid they are what he calls 'companions'.

"I see, that's it, thank you."

The swordsman thanked Kong Kong and stood facing Ayaka.

"I heard from my companions who are good at magic. There seems to be no sign of mystery or residual longing here."

"That is to say...there is something wrong with my mind, so I have hallucinations?"

"It's possible, but not necessarily. It's not the place where I'm standing, but it's possible that your heart has encountered some kind of magic or curse, or is possessed by a spiritual being."

"Ghost...well, swordsmen are just like ghosts..."

If some magicians heard what he said, they might be loudly lectured, ‘Don’t confuse residual thoughts with realm recording tapes! ’, Ayaka smiled to herself and cast her gaze towards the ceiling.

"The result is that you have to either perform the exorcism or see a psychiatrist..." the swordsman concluded.

——...Exterminate demons?

--Is this okay?

——The kid in the red hat...what did he do?

——Obviously it’s just me who is afraid. Obviously I just feel guilty.

——Because that child...

——Ah...I can’t remember.

Ayaka felt that fog filled her head again. She gave up the idea of ​​tracing back her memories and joked to herself.

"Whether it's a hallucination or a ghost, just talk to her..."

If the swordsman is around, can he muster up the courage to approach the girl?

Thinking of this, Ayaka looked away and found that the swordsman was doing something strange.

"What are you doing...Swordsman?"

He used magic to float several colorful water globes around, decorating the place where the girl in the red hood that Ayaka pointed out was dreamy and poppy.

The light submerged in the water turned into seven-color light and illuminated the surroundings. The swordsman played cheerful music on an ancient string instrument he took out from nowhere.

That was the theme song of the movie the swordsman watched in the live house a few days ago.

Although she had only heard it once, she was even moved for a moment when she saw the swordsman arranged the theme song into a string style and played it very skillfully.

However, when I thought that this was an unrelated situation, the emotion immediately disappeared.

The room suddenly turned into a cheerful music PV, and Ayaka asked blankly.

"……What are you doing?"

So, with a hearty smile, the swordsman played the music seriously and nodded vigorously.

"That's right, if Ayaka is afraid of the little red scarf girl that only you can see, I want to decorate the girl's surroundings like this to make her interesting, cute, and friendly, and make Ayaka feel better, like this It can solve many problems!”

Facing the confident swordsman, Ayaka spoke in surprise.

"I'm glad you could do something for me...but can I say a few words?"

"Of course! I can probably guess what you will say, but I still carry out my own ideas!"

"Are you stupid?! No, I'm very grateful to you, but I'm sorry! You really just do whatever comes to your mind!? Stop playing tricks!"

——That’s right, it’s true.

——I saw a lot of amazing things in the past few days, and I even forgot about this...

——The swordsman is the kind of guy who stands on the roof of a police car and speaks in front of people on the street...

"Hahaha, I, Richard, as a member of the Plantagenet Dynasty...and also known as the Lion-Hearted King, am fearless!"

"Please be more thoughtful! I'm begging you!"

After speaking loudly, Ayaka held her head tiredly——

Unconsciously, she found that the fog in her mind had completely dissipated.

"..."

At some point, the girl in the red hat disappeared. ‘You didn’t disappear because you were shy, right? ’ Although I had such doubts in my heart, I finally felt relieved.

——No, I can’t rest assured.

——The next time you see it... face it well.

——It would be very uncomfortable if I were alone...

Ayaka turned to the swordsman.

I don't know why, but I smiled naturally.

"What's wrong? Is that kid in the red hat dancing to my music?"

“If only that were the case”

Facing the swordsman who came closer, Ayaka smiled bitterly and poked the opponent's chest with her fist.

"Well, um... thank you. I cheered up."

"Really? That would be great."

Looking at the swordsman with a confident face and a child-like smile, Ayaka strengthened her determination.

——Fight.

Facing the fierce melee that was about to unfold in the future, Ayaka thought quietly.

Although I don't know how to be a Master, I just want to go forward with my weird partner and personally accompany him until the end.

It was precisely because she didn't know that she committed herself to a short rest.

Because she didn't know, she even felt a little happy.

Because she didn't know that this city would disappear from the world in two days.

Because she didn't know that she had forgotten some secrets hidden in herself.

At this moment, Ayaka——

Smiling more humanly than any of the men who fought in Snowfield's Holy Grail War. ()