'What!　Ya, somewhat burglar!
I thought it was irritating and noisy.
So you've got them all?
Yes.

　I nodded to Yifa and her friends as they came back, after explaining to them what was going on.
　I nodded to them as I explained to the Yifa and their friends who were turning back.

　The carriage of Yifa and her friends had been running far ahead of them, and when they noticed the attack, they immediately ran away with their horses.
　The attackers must have missed the Yifa and the others, who were obviously riding in those rental carriages, because they thought they were irrelevant.
　Although I had been watching the whole process at the shikigami, I didn't think they had noticed it.

　Right now, my group and I were in the process of stopping the carriage and treating the injured people.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make the most of your time with us. But it seems that no one is injured too seriously to be healed. I'm not sure I need to leave.

　I'm not going to be able to get any more than a few hours of sleep.
　I'm sure Fiona and the others are discussing what to do with him.

　Yifa said while turning her eyes to the burglar's gang with horror.

''Oh, that was a close one...!　I'm glad I didn't come here.
'What?　Come on. If you were here, I'd give you a beating. Isn't that right, Mabel?
I don't want any trouble.
You guys are so fluent.

　It was pretty tense over here.
　Well, maybe these kids can kick the shit out of a thief. A burglar by nature.

And yet.........it's not uncommon to be attacked when there's an army escorting you.......
Hmmm... yeah.
I wonder what we're going to do about them. Do we drag them all to the imperial capital?
You want me to walk?　It's going to be a slow start to the new school year.
No I think I'm okay.

　They could all pack the carriage if they wanted to.
　That's because the carriage they were using to disguise Fiona was empty, and they had quite a bit of room to spare in their luggage.
　But that's another problem, though.

'Lord Seika,'

　That's when I was approached from behind.
　I turn around and see an older man standing there. Loren, Glei's second-in-command, stood up straight and said to me, "Your Highness Fiona would like to see you.

"Her Royal Highness Fiona would like to see you," he says.


****


Dear Seika. Thank you for your time.

　Fiona said as she sat in a chair in a simple tent erected by the military.
　There was no sign of Glei or any military personnel. There was no sign of Glai or anyone else from the army, only a handmaid.
　I glanced around and said, "Those two scary handmaidens are not in the tent.

"I don't think those two scary handmaids are here," I said.
'Oh, I knew it was my holy knight?　I've sent her to treat the soldiers now. My sister is a user of the light attribute.
I see.

　After saying this, I sat down on the chair that the maid of honor pulled out for me.
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what to expect when you go to the beach.

Thank you, Seika-sama. You have saved my life.......for catching the assassin to me.
Oh, I was right.

　That's what I thought.

Did you notice?
Everyone notices. An ordinary burglar would never attack a carriage escorted by a platoon of troops with equipment so well prepared for a crossbow.
''Uh-huh. They're pretty lax in their disguise when it comes to being spotted at a glance.
I suppose there are parts of it that I couldn't help, though.

　I go on to ask, "Did you take them alive for the purpose of pursuing your political opponents?

"Did you take them alive to pursue your political opponents?
Yes. But we have to start by figuring out who sent it to you.
Do you have any idea how to do that?
Well I don't know what's there.
His Highness has been through a lot.
But it's all right. Seika-sama caught so many of them. This is not a normal thing to do. If we bring them all back alive to the imperial capital, I'm sure everyone will be astonished. My political opponents will no longer be able to think unwisely. Mm-hmm.

　I ask Fiona, who smiles at me in a relaxed manner, "Are you going to take them all to the imperial capital after all?

''Are you still going to take them all back to the imperial capital?
Yes, of course. I will take it home with me for a very special occasion. It's a gift from Seika-sama. Mm-hmm.
''........Your Highness must have been able to see this scene. That's why I had him prepare an extra carriage up here.
'If we let them walk, some of them might die, and most importantly, we'll be late arriving. If we don't get there in time for the school's new term, Amu and the others will be in trouble.
'I appreciate your concern but I don't think you should bring them all in. With the exception of the first head and a few others, we should leave them tied up here and abandon them.
Oh, my. Why?
'What if they are released from their restraints and revolt? This one is outnumbered, but it's not an irreversible difference. If we're not good, we could be wiped out. We could cut the tendons in our limbs, but........
'Uh-huh, there's no need for that. They should be quiet they would be more certain to wait for an opportunity to escape than to make a move themselves.
A chance to escape...?
Or the next attack, as they say.

　I cock an eyebrow at him.

"You mean there's a detachment of...?　Wouldn't that make it more dangerous?　With the possibility of another attack, having a threat within as well...
No there won't be another attack. There will be no more mercenaries on the other side.
'How can you be sure? Future vision shouldn't be such a useful force. The future can change.
'No, Lady Seika. There is a stormy current to fate that cannot be overruled by the fluttering of a butterfly's wings. This is their destiny.

　Fiona said, staring off into the distance.

'That future is not coming.