It's been a few days since the day we decided to take Mize out.

Somehow, we made it out of King's Landing.

　I muttered quietly as I sat down on the back of the wagon.
　There were only two people in the back of the wagon, me and Mize. The walls of King's Landing, visible through the gap in the top, are slowly receding with the sound of horses' footsteps.

I think we can relax a little now.

　Mize, sitting across from me, smiles.
　It's true that the last few days have been busy. It took a lot of mental effort to get through King's Landing without being watched by the Bureau. Acting while anticipating their movements is a skill I've been able to accomplish after years of working as a soldier for the Agency.

　However, the Bureau's surveillance network will calm down somewhat once we get past King's Landing.
　From here on, it's a race against time. We have to get out of there before they can predict where we're going and act on it.

"Sir, are you sure you want to go to the port city?

　The guardian asks from behind the hood.

"Yes. It's a bit far, but please.

"Yes, it's a bit far, but please." "I've been paid for it, so I'm sure it will be fine.

　I am relieved to hear his words.
　This man was a merchant I had found just outside the walls of King's Landing. It was easy to find a carriage in the capital, so I had to secure my transportation outside. ...... It seems that I hit the jackpot. It looks like we're going to get to our destination without getting ripped off.

"Mise ......, let me check one last time, are you sure you don't want to go back to Arcadia?

"......Yes.

　The man sitting in front of me gave a small nod.

I'm not sure if you've heard of it, but I'm sure you've heard of it. My mother is the kind of person who would sell me to my father for money. I have no love for either of them. ...... There is no place for me in that country.

　Mize has a mysterious power called the Path of Wisdom.
　Until now, the power has been in a semi-awake state, and part of the ability has been manifested in the form of deja vu, but recently, the power seems to have gradually stabilized. With the Path of Wisdom, Mize is solidifying her thoughts about her parents and the Kingdom of Arcadia.

If there's one thing I regret, it's not being able to say goodbye to ...... Elysia-san and Gran-san.

　Mize said, looking slightly depressed.

"Don't worry. Before I left, I sent them a letter stating the situation.

　I left a letter in the mailboxes of the boys' dormitory and the girls' dormitory.
　The letters should be in their hands by now.

"Then you have nothing left to worry about,

　Mize says.
　I'm sure she didn't mean it. It's just something she says to convince herself.

　--We may never see Elysia or Gran again.

　I was prepared for that when we left King's Landing.
　I, who defied the authorities, and Mize, whose life was threatened by the king of his own father, have no place in that country.

　Still, we have to move on.
　To live. --To win our freedom.

The plan is to use the ship after we reach the port, right?

That's the plan. The quickest way to get out of the Bureau is to defect overseas.

　It's impossible to keep your location a secret from the Monarchy's Defense Intelligence Agency.
　Then the only way is to put yourself in an environment where even if they know where you are, they can't touch you.
　So I decided to head to a port town east of the royal capital, but...

...... You beat me to it.

　I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not, but it's a good idea.

"Mr. Toate. This looks like the newspaper that was handed out two days ago.

　Mize comes back to me, disguised in a cloak he bought from a merchant.
　She had said she was going to take a quick stroll around the city, but what she had gotten was a discarded newspaper.

"Thugs may have smuggled in," she said. ...... That's why security is tighter than usual.

　The stowaway thing is most likely a lie. 　
　The truth is they're on high alert to keep me and the mise-en-scene out of the country.

"No. Now that they've got the ship, we'll have to look elsewhere.

　Checkpoints are tighter than usual. There's no way we can fake this.

But the only other place is .......

"Let's head for the Republic of .......

　"Let's head to the Republic of ," I say, taking in the sights of the harbor.

"We're heading to the Carnaven Republic, west of the Kingdom of Terraria. On the way, we'll be close to the border with Arcadia, but we can't turn our backs on that.

"...... I see. Even if we take a detour from the south, it will be difficult for the two of us to cross the mountain range.

　The port cities in the east had already been seized. The port city in the east had already been seized, and with this deftness, the northern part must have been seized as well.
　The Kingdom of Sacred Arcadia is located northwest of the Kingdom of Terraria. The Carnaven Republic is directly west. The further west we go, the closer we get to the Kingdom of Arcadia, but this is unavoidable since we cannot use the sea route. Even if we were to go around from the south, there is a long mountain range in the south of the Kingdom of Terraria.



　The person who helped us on the way had some work to do in the port city, so we had to split up. He said we can help him again after all the work is done, but we can't stay long if the security is this tight. We should leave as soon as possible. We should leave as soon as possible. ...... There's a risk that he'll tell the guards about us.

　We should start moving immediately.
　Just before I was about to tell Mize that...

"......, we're surrounded.

　I stopped and turned my attention to sight and hearing.
　There was no doubt that there were assassins lurking in the vicinity. It's different from the Fang of the Red Dragon I've defeated so far in the way it masks its presence. It must be someone from the Bureau.

"Mize, I'm sorry, but--

　Go hide somewhere. I was about to say that, but stopped myself.
　I forgot, as is my habit. I don't have to hide things from her anymore.

"...... I need you to stay here for a while.

Yes, sir.

　As if sensing the situation, Mize nodded, looking at my face with firm eyes.
　I felt a strong trust. I feel a sense of duty to respond to that.

"Come out.

　As soon as I said this, several assassins appeared from the shadows of the trees.
　They are clad in pitch-black cloaks with a miniaturization function. It's exactly the same as the one I have. I mean, they're in a similar position to me, but that doesn't matter anymore. I've already got my priorities straight.

　Protect Mize.
　At least, if I abandon her, I won't find the life I want.

We're only here for the girl.

　One of the assassins spoke to me, as if he wanted to start negotiations.

If you give us the girl, we won't touch you. But you will be punished when you return to your country. ......

　It was nothing. It was just an invitation to surrender.
　I couldn't help but laugh at the fact that he mentioned it at this time.

Is the bureau still planning to use me at this point?

What?

Go home and tell your superiors. All I'm asking for is the safety of the mise-en-scene. If you can't accept that, there's ---- no room for reconciliation.

　The assassin's stance and mine were almost simultaneous.
　I guess they didn't expect us to surrender so easily. Advising hostile subordinates to surrender is something that a desk clerk who has never been in the field would think. It is always the end soldiers who fight in the field who are caught off guard.

　I used to be one of those soldiers.
　I know exactly what they were thinking and how they were going to react.

"What?

　Since it would be troublesome if I missed them, I would first take out the farthest assassin with the Magic Bullet.
　If they had planned to recommend surrender from the beginning, they would have shown themselves when the siege was complete. But they didn't, which means there's still a hole in the siege.

　Their backs are not taken.
　We'll keep an eye out for where the enemy is hiding.

"Watch out!　You're dealing with an ex-agency ace--

　In the blink of an eye, she closes the distance with her "tough body" and defeats the man who was trying to warn her.

"Why don't you worry about yourself more than others?

　The man who received the palm strike to the stomach collapsed to his knees.
　He then immediately set his sights on the other two who were standing nearby.

"Hey, keep your distance!

"Let's take a stance--!

　He fired a magic bullet at each of the two retreating assassins.
　The two assassins were too late to respond and tried to counterattack now. I ducked the attack and slashed them with the Materialization blade.

　There were six assassins. Five of them are dead.
　The other one I let live, but he's unconscious. I'm going to have him act as a messenger to let the Bureau know we're not going to negotiate.

We don't want any trouble if they come after us. Let's get out of here as soon as possible.

　When she turned to Mize, she had a strange look on her face.

...... So that's what you really mean, Twite.

　It was only after she said it that I realized it.
　You can find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing. I shouldn't have let her see such a bloody scene so easily.

I'm sorry. I shouldn't have shown this to anyone.

No, it's okay.

　"No, it's okay," said Mize, without looking away from the fallen corpse.

What have you sacrificed so that you could live free? I owe it to myself to find out.



...... I see.

　At times like this, I think Mize is a really strong person.
　However, you have to watch ...... carefully so that you are not crushed by his strength.