A voice suddenly reverberated around me as I tried to get information out of the mouth of a man who was pointing at me.
　Looking towards the voice, Ray saw a man in silver armor.
　She is in her twenties, and of those around her who watched Ray and his captain communicate, she is so handsome that a woman can't help but breathe with admiration.
　But Ray just glances silently at those people.
　for given the fact that he had spoken to me at the most timely time, there was no denying that the man in front of him might have been a companion of a man who was thrust to the ground and faced death.

"What about you?"
"He is responsible for the safety of the land, for the time being. It's Claudis Noble, vice-principal of the Unicorn Knights."
"...huh,"

　Ray muttered in spite of his position as vice-principal of the Knights, but above all, he had a surname. In other words, the man in front of you is a nobleman aristocrat.
　But soon Ray continues to speak.

"And what is the vice-principal of the Unicorn Knights about now?"
"Of course it is to catch those who have been here illegally."

　The captain, who is still facing Ray's death size, opens his mouth unconsciously to Claudis's words.

"Hey, Claudis! You know my backing!"
"Yes, of course," It's true that Mr. Dune has not been able to interfere. However, the person who touched it was bad. I don't know who really is behind Dune, but it's too much if he impersonates someone whom the Empire invites."

　Listening to the words, Ray somehow understands their relationship.
　He may also be vaguely aware that, as Claudis said, the captain... was not the second prince behind Dune, as he said earlier.

"...well, that's why." I'm sorry, but could you leave this to me?"
"You want me to turn you down?"
"Yes. Wouldn't it be a good idea for you to take up your time here? It looks like you're in a hurry ahead of course.

　Ray twists his eyebrows under the hood of his dragon robe at Claudis's penetrating remark.

"That's true, but wouldn't it be all too soon if we could get rid of him here?"
"I hope you will stop it if you can... for I have a lot of questions to ask him."
"... well,"

　muttered Ray, and looked at himself and Claudis hatingly.
　There is no particular problem with handing it over to Claudis here, but Ray wants to find out the back of the matter.
　Normally, they hand over the throne as if it had nothing to do with it, but this time it may be a matter of concern for the right to succeed to the throne.
　And as Ray is now employed by Vihela and Theoreum...the Third Prince's faction, it would not be a bad thing to keep that information in mind.
　With that in mind, I opened my mouth to reject Claudis' offer.

"All right, I'll leave him there,"

　I heard a voice like that from behind Ray.
　Looking back, Ray saw Min holding a cane.
　With his usual clear face, he turns to Ray and opens his eyes.

"I understand what Ray is thinking, but it doesn't taste good to be at odds with the people of the Westian Empire now."
"But..."
"Mr. Dusker has instructed me.

　Ray tried to insist, but he had no choice but to back down after being named Dusker.
　let out a sigh without concealing one's disapproval

"All right,"
"Well, that's a relief,"

　Even Min's desire to get information here is no different from Ray's. But when asked if he could antagonize the person in front of him, the answer was no.
　He nods to Ray, and turns his eyes to Claudis again.

"Then I'll hand him over here." But if something similar happens on the way from here to the imperial capital, I don't think we can settle it peacefully then."
"...yes, I will understand,"

　There are some injured people, but considering that there are no dead people, it seems that Min has done things peacefully.
　It may be reasonable, however, to think of Ray's unrelenting nature toward his opponents.
　Perhaps he didn't understand Min's feelings, but Claudis nods with a firm expression and opens her mouth with her eyes turned backward.

"Catch him," Don't be as violent as possible. However, if you try to run away, you leave it to your own judgment."

　The approaching knight nods a little and signals the thirty or so knights behind him.
　As soon as they see it, they all fall and seize Dune and his men.
　It was obvious from his performance that he was used to catching his opponent.

"Thank you for your cooperation."

　Claudis makes a small bow to Ray and Min, who are watching the scene.
　Despite the gesture of only bowing, the gesture was sophisticated and the young woman in the crowd around was cheering.
　Some of them were middle-aged women, but their feelings for beauty are probably the same regardless of age.
　Not long ago, Ray couldn't speak out about Dune's actions, but thought it was cash... but he was convinced that he was like the prince of a white horse who came to help him when he was attacked by a villain.

"Oh, good. It's got to be the same."
"Yes, these are not the only people in the Westian Empire. There are many people who have good personalities."
"I hope so,"

　Viehera and Theoreum passed Ray's mind when he said so.
　Of course, the latter should not be described as having a good character, but as having a good personality.

"Well, excuse me," The Imperial capital is just around the corner, and we'll be in time for the competition."

　Claudis, who says so with a small smile, leaves.
　After seeing him off, Ray caresses Seto on the neck, thinking he's a tough opponent.

"Glu".

　That alone must have sensed Ray's intentions. As if nothing had happened again, Seto headed backwards, where Dusker and his party were waiting.
　Behind these lays a row of cabs had finally begun to move and the road was moving smoothly.





"I'll speak to Mr. Dusker about the matter. Never mind Ray. Well, if I wanted to hear the details, I would call Ray."

　Little thanks to Min, who tells him so near Dusker's carriage, Ray approaches his bodyguard knights.
　A knight, who noticed Ray approaching, opened his eyes slightly.
　I felt an air of displeasure.
　But it was only the sharpness of the knight who noticed it, and the others were not so sharp.
　Therefore, he calls out to Ray as if nothing had happened.

"Hey, Ray. What was it after all? It took a long time."
"...no, just a little bit." The knights of the Vestian Empire seemed to have blocked the way without permission and robbed passersby of their money."
"Huh? If you do such a selfish thing, you'll lose your head. No, not figuratively, but physically."Ray shrugs his shoulders and opens his mouth to the dumbfounded Knight.

"Well, I suppose you had a plan to do something about it."
"Do you copy the thief so confidently?"
"Is a knight imitating a thief?" It makes me laugh a lot, but I'm afraid I still had some chance of winning. or I wouldn't do anything like this."

　It's not just a Dusker party. There are many other people invited to the competition by neighboring countries, which leads to the imperial capital.
　Ray himself didn't know, but among those stranded here in this traffic jam are naturally envoys from other countries, and above all, there are naturally guests from other countries, even though they've made money and moved on.
　A small country around the empire would be fine. Since they are treated virtually like subordinates, it is not so difficult to dispute them later if they have a certain amount of power within the Empire of Westia.
　However, some of the invited countries, if not as much as the Empire of Bestia, should not be underestimated.
　Most importantly, he tried to steal money, magic items and sets from Dusker, a nobleman of the Millennium who defeated the Vestian Empire in the Spring War, and Ray, who was treated as his bodyguard.
　It should have been fatal in many ways, no matter how you look at it.

"Well, I don't know what it's like in this country, but I don't think you can feel corruption in a larger country."

　He muttered like a stranger, but he seemed to forget that the kingdom of Mileana was counted as one of the great powers.
　Although it may not be real since Gilm, which is a remote area, is based.

"More importantly, it seems to have begun to move." Let's say we're going on.

　I turned my eyes forward to the words of the knight, where I saw at last the other cabs that had stopped before the Dusker party were beginning to move.
　But the others around the Dusker party would rather leave the Gryphon set than rush. There must be a lot of people who feel that way.
　Some were whipping the horse pulling the carriage to get away as soon as possible.
　Moreover, some are staring hatefully at Ray and Sett.
　Those who learned that Ray was crimson in the previous incident, and someone close to him was killed in the war.
　But Ray shrugs off the murderous and hateful stare as if he had already gotten used to it.
　I have no problem with that gaze, but it was more troubling not to see through it, given the possibility that the fingers of a group called the Bell of Souls were staring at it.

(I'm sure I've done something about it. I don't think there's anything else in the end about that one case alone. if that is the case, their hands could be caught in the eye of the eye.)

　I thought so, but I couldn't do anything at the moment, so I had no choice but to leave it as it was.

"Hey, Ray. Here we go."

　When Ray thinks like that, he suddenly calls out to me like that.
　I turned my eyes to him, and he saw that Dusker's carriage had already moved forward, and that the knight who had spoken to him had moved forward.

"Oh, sorry. Set, please."
"Gruly!"

　Seth, chanting at Ray's call, begins to move as if she were chasing a carriage.
　Even with Ray on board, he could not have caught up with the horse-drawn carriage at that level, and he easily stood next to the knight.

"What's the matter with you?"
"Well, just a little," It looks like this, and there are many things to think about."
"I suppose... You seem to be the main character in this case."
"That's true, but... near the bell of repose of the soul."
"Oh, that's it,"
"I'm quiet now, but I'm sure I'll start to move again when I get to the imperial capital."

　Previous attacks were limited to paralysis of pain and increased physical strength.
　Even so, if you think about the difficulty of the attack to some extent, you will not be able to avoid causing a lot of damage to your surroundings if that number of people attacks you.
　Is it Ray's confidence or overconfidence in himself, where he thinks it's troublesome to destroy but to damage others?

"That kind of enemy is certainly troublesome." Especially when you think about the possibility that ordinary people around that area might suddenly attack you..."

　Knighting can't afford to keep an eye on everyone around you all day.
　Considering this, it is possible to say that the bell of repose of souls is attacking in the sense that it will undermine the spirit.

"The least salvation would be to have Elk on guard, like Mr. Dusker. It is because there is an axe of the god of thunder that can be absolutely reassured that I can have some leeway in this way."

　a knight muttering as he walked along the street and looked at the surrounding scene.
　Due to the change of seasons, the number of unnamed and unknown flowers growing on the side of the road is decreasing compared to summer, and I felt somewhat sad.
　But when Ray sees the scene, he is surprised in the sense that there is such a sentimentality about the knight.
　In this way we continued our journey, guarding against enemy attacks... just a few days. Eventually a huge imperial capital appeared before the Dusker party.