Bruder's quiet voice crawls down the street. He weaves his way between the facing Belfain private soldiers and the mercenaries.

"Isn't that terrible, Brother Torga? It's not like you can just walk up to two of your sisters and turn them away, huh?

　It was a low, too-heavy voice that seemed to be crawling out of the cracks in the earth. Bruder's eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed. But his cheeks were crumpled, as if he were strangely happy and refreshed.

　There were two people who reacted loudly to the voice. One was Vestalynne, who blinked her eyelashes at Bruder. The other was Tolga, a private captain on horseback, looking down at Bruder.

　Vestalynu's eyes only flicker as if she is wondering what the big deal is. But not Torga. After a moment's hesitation, Torga's serious expression turned pale and began to distort, as if she had seen a demon living in the depths of the earth. He looked as if he had heard unbelievable words, as if he had seen a dead man walking out of the grave.

It's impossible. How is this possible? ...... Even if the heavens and the earth were turned upside down, this would still be possible!

　On the horse, Torga's stance momentarily collapsed. The words that finally came out of his throat were not an acceptance of the situation, but a denial of everything. It was a refusal to accept what was happening in front of her as impossible.

　But denial does not make reality disappear.

It's often said that the joy of life is that the impossible is possible. It's been a long time since the day you ...... hounded me and my mother like we were innocent.

　His voice was threatening, but also frightening and trembling. The words that came out of his mouth were unmistakably reminiscent of that day. Bruder's eyes wavered and his spine rippled violently. I remember. I remember. I remember that this man, this person in front of me, was the first retainer of the one who had once kicked my family to the curb. And Bruder remembers well that this is a man who once laughed with his family as well as with his master.

　And he remembers deeply, deeply the taste of bitterness that was given to him.

"...... I see. So he is the one who gave you the wound that started it all, Master Vestalinu.

　After a few moments of agitation, Tolga let out a cold breath and said, as if he knew everything. The hand that grasps the reins is firm. The eyes that stared at Vestalinu wavered, as if hoping that she would deny her words.

　But most hope exists to be denied and crushed, doesn't it?

　Vestalinu's voice echoed through the streets, as if to break the gaze that was fixed on him.

"Yes, Torga. It seems our paths have crossed. Let me say it again. Stand back. I will never walk backwards again.

　That was all.

　Vestalynn's eyes trembled as well as Bruder's, as if she was holding back some emotion. But Vestalynne knew that this was not the place to expose her ugly emotions. There is only one person who deserves to have it beaten into a pulp and spat out with abuse. Yes, only one.

　Once again, there was a void in the streets. Tolga choked on Vestalinu's words, unable to speak. It's not that I'm troubled, it's just that I can't get my thoughts to work. Without being able to face the reality in front of his eyes, without being able to face the traces of his fearful sins of the past, the thoughts of a man named Torga are frozen in place.

　Tolga is a man with a straightforward nature. That is to say, he can only see things as they happen. With this character, she has served her master obediently until now. For more than ten years, I have been living with that thought. The path that I have carved in my brain is a rut of thoughts that should now be taken for granted. Yes, just straight ahead.

　Tolga's brain, now that he has made all his thoughts stay, has left them to their own devices. Just think straight.

　Vestalinu no longer hid his hostility to his lord. The lord's life would be at stake if he went through with this. And that, in turn, would lead to the collapse of his position and his fortune. I have a wife I love, a child I adore, a family I cherish. I can't give that up. That's the only reason I've been alive.

　No matter how shameful it is, no matter how much he turns away from his own actions, it's all he can do. Prompted by her own thoughts, Tolga says.

"Master Vestalinu has been distracted!　She has foolishly taken the falsehoods of mercenaries as her own will and is trying to contradict her lord Mordor!　Seize him!

　I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not.


　I'm not a fan.


　It is not uncommon for swords and swords, spears and shields to be exchanged in Belle Fain. It's a mercenary city. Many of the mercenaries are roughnecks, outcasts, and those who have no qualms about violence. Even with the authority of Vestalines to enforce security, there will always be leaks when most of the inhabitants are mercenaries. While the sun brings its majesty to the horizon, and even when the moon brings the night, Belfain is a land where the music of sword fights never stops.

　But even in the mercenary city of Belle Fain, this music may not be so familiar.

　I can hear the sound of sword fights. I see iron drawing lines and sparks. The yells of the soldiers hit the sky as a strange voice. The streets of the mercenary city of Belle Fain were filled with battlefield music.



　If you look at it, it's a fistfight between the lord's private army and a bunch of mercenaries. Normally, this kind of battle would not be possible. Normally, such a battle would not be possible because the mercenaries would be scattered immediately and the battlefield would collapse. Privateers are an organization, mercenaries are just a pack. Moreover, the mercenaries do not intend to fight on the Belle Fain Road. A fight that may or may not pay off. Only the most covetous would step into such a battle and wield a weapon.

　Hence, the reason why they still stay in the battlefield and wield their weapons. It must be because of the sight of Vestalinu, the Iron Princess. Vestalinu said, if you follow yourself as the Iron Princess, leave. If you follow yourself, do as you please.

　And those who did are the mercenaries who are still here. As I suspected, only the curious remain on a battlefield like this.

　Many of them had heard Bruder's story, but were not struck by it. They are mercenaries, after all. Mercenaries are in the business of robbing, and what they heard in the tavern was just one part of it. Those with the power took everything they could. That's all I'm saying. Yes, it's natural.

　But whether you like it or not, that's another story. It's ridiculous. It's contradictory to no end. You approve of robbery, you make it your profession, and yet you don't like it when people have their precious things taken from them.

　But still, I don't like it. I don't like the idea that the steel princess we adore, the mercenary princess, had something taken from her.

　If that's the case, it's not a bad idea to return the favor to the Steel Princess for saving our lives. Tomorrow, she may have forgotten that favor. That's the kind of freedom they believe in. With the wind of freedom blowing in their faces, they stomp the battlefield with their lives.

　In the middle of the battlefield music roaring. Out of the corner of one mercenary's eye, it stopped.

　A silver figure shimmering in the air. Its vivid color seemed to reflect the sunlight as it was. For a moment, the mercenary's eyes caught a glimpse of it glittering on the battlefield, sprinting as if to catch some prey.