''An ambassador from the demon territory is a strange thing to say.

　The day after the entrance ceremony.
　I was visiting the headmaster's office on the top floor of the main building.

　In front of a small old dwarf woman, I say to her, "The demons are enemies of the Empire and we have no formal relations with them.

The demons are enemies of the Empire and we have no formal diplomatic relations with them. The demons are enemies of the empire and there is no formal diplomatic relations with them, while there is a de facto truce between them and the Empire. Moreover, they are not a single country, but rather are divided into several tribes, even several tribes of several races. During the time of the Demon King, they had formed a coalition army, but they had never become a nation....... What exactly kind of representatives of them would visit for what purpose? And not in the imperial capitals or the cities along the borders, but in Rhodonea and other places.
Don't ask the obvious questions.

　The headmaster replies with a bitter look on his face.

''Such a thing is a construct, of course. The daughter of a brave man, to be taken away.
Yeah, I'm sure you do.
''But it's true that the demon race was visiting this city. Of course, they weren't emissaries or anything like that.
''Yes........They must have come to avenge the brave men anyway, just like two years ago. It's pathetic that they too have died and are still being used in human conspiracies.
Is that you?

　I reply with a weak smile.

"Come on. I don't know what you're talking about.
Well that's okay. I don't care about that kind of thing right now.

　The headmaster says in a gruff tone of voice.

''It's just as you see it. Marquis Greville took advantage of the court's knowledge of the demon tribe's attack and their deaths and concocted a suitable reason to kidnap that girl. Even though you understand that much........what are you doing here? You have come to blame me for the fact that I was robbed of my students?
No.

　I tell him with my eyes down.

"I just want to know. I just want to know why Amu was taken.
....
"It seems to me that the Marquess of Greville has some unreasonable motive for wanting to get rid of a brave man. I don't understand. Why would a nobleman who is in charge of state administration dare to crush the vessel that makes him a hero of the country and abandon his superiority over the demon race?
It's not... no.

　The headmaster was about to say something and immediately stopped speaking.

'I'm not a military expert. I don't want to say anything uncertain. The only thing I can tell you is that the Empire is not a monolithic entity.
....
'Lamprog, you, too, if you were a nobleman, would understand. There are various factions among the aristocrats at the court, parliament, academia, the city and the Chamber of Commerce. Among them, of course, there are factions created by school graduates. Do you understand, Lamprog. The fact that the academy is holding the brave it means that their faction will have a powerful violence in its hands.
....
"And there are people who aren't happy about that.

　After a short silence, I open my mouth.

Would you really think it would be worth it to betray your country, your people, and kill a little girl for that?
It's not. No, it's not, Lamplogue.

　The headmaster says admonishingly.

'They are never driven by simple desires. Few of them are like that. Politics is complicated. In their own way, they work behind the scenes for their clan, their people, their empire. Last night's outrage yes. Perhaps.
Yes, yes. I understand, sir. And so have some of the political conflicts I've seen in my time.

　It's just...
　It has nothing to do with me or Ammu's situation.

"Of Lamprog. Don't think about it too often.

　As I turn on my heel, the headmaster stops me.

I'm in the process of approaching the court from all over the place. No matter what their intentions were, there is no way they would have let such an outrageous act go by. Perhaps they didn't even have the courage to make the necessary arrangements. We can wait for the good news. I'm sure that she will be...
What do you mean, "rarely"? Sir.

　The headmaster is silent, and I continue to ask him with a faint smile.

You don't think I'm going to go out and get Amu back by myself?
"Lamprog. You're the....
There's no way I can do that. As you said, I'll wait for the good news quietly. .........by the way.

　I went on to ask, "How long does that work take?

How long would that work take? Can we get him out of there before he is tortured out of his mind or his food is poisoned and he dies suspiciously?
....
'Excuse me for asking a nasty question. I know that you are committed to Amu. I appreciate and support you for that. Good luck with that, doctor. Bye.

　I turned on my heel again and started to walk.
　I didn't hear the words that stopped me this time.


****


　The sun was setting.
　The sky, which had been purplish, had already taken on a dark blue hue.

"Every ruler wants to find the reason for his privilege in something other than power.

　The square of the school, which is no longer popular.
　In a world where the dusk is falling, I stare at the sky and mutter to myself, "The righteous lineage, or the sublime law, or faith, or the approval of the people.

The legitimate lineage, the sublime law, or faith, or the approval of the people because they are of the king's family, because the law says so, because God said so, because they are approved by everyone they have the privilege. And. It's okay to lay taxes, set rules, and take away someone's liberty, they insist. I am amazed at how you can think of such a convenient thing...Or maybe it is because you believe there is something more precious than power that people can live together without conflict.... But you know what, Yuki? They tend to forget,

　A floating human figure is released from invisibility and appears before your eyes.

"Such a thing is nothing more than an illusion...

　I open the door.

I realize that everything can be taken away from me by a greater power.
A dragon's 蛟蛟

　From the distortion of space, a long body with blue-green scales grows up from the distortion of space.

　The dragon rises into the night sky and begins to flail about, trying to shake off the clinging shikigami.

　I put the curse power in my voice and say, "Look, dragon!

"Look, dragon, look at me. Look at me.

　The dragon continues to rampage.

Am I not good enough to be your master now? Dragon!

　Then the dragon suddenly slowed down and turned his head to me.
　The dragon looks at me with blue eyes as if the lake had been turned into a jade and slowly lowers its massive body in front of me.

　When it neared the surface of the earth, the sand and leaves on the stone pavement emerged from the divine power it wore.
　I muttered to myself, clicking my tongue.

It's a very troublesome demon.

　Still, it would be easy enough to destroy one city in this country.

"Mr. Seika.

　Over his head, Yuki says.

I am afraid to tell you this. "I am afraid to say that if you still believe that your life in this world is to be lived with cunning and cunning, then I think that you should give up trying to save the girl this time around.
Well let's ask her why, in case you were wondering. Why, Yuki.
'Seika-sama in this lifetime must have been determined to live a life of hiding his power so that he would not be involved in political strife again. The brave man is merely an umbrella for that purpose. It would be the end of the world if he spared his umbrella and exposed himself to the wind and rain.
What are you talking about, Yuki?

　I say quietly, "You know, your umbrella is irreplaceable.

"Your umbrella is irreplaceable," I say quietly. There is no substitute for a brave man. You can't do that here. How can we keep the wind and rain from blowing in our faces and clearing the clouds?
.........

　Yuki chokes on her words for a moment.

'Seika, my lady do you understand?　The people you are trying to help, Mr. Seika, are the very people who run this country.　You said it yourself!　If we show them our power and get their eyes on us we could end up in this world the same way we did in our last life...
What about it?

　I say to Yuki, who is speechless, "I told you before, this is a time to take it easy.

I've told you before, this is the time to take it easy. There's no way to accomplish what I'm about to do except to save the brave man. There's no way to accomplish what I'm about to do other than to save him and eliminate the one who has seen the power in his eyes.
And yet our enemy is the heart of this mighty country. They never thought it would be so easy.
How much more difficult it is for me to get things done by force.
That's not...
'Look, Yuki there are many countries in this world just like in the previous life. What...

　I tell him.

I say, "Well, I guess I won't have to destroy one of them to make up for it.
Seika-sama...

　Yuki says bitterly.

'Bravery is not an end, it's just a means to an end...?　The Seika, to be happy in this life.
I'm aware of that, of course.
So.....

　A squeezing, small voice sound.

'Then why ... why are you so angry ...'

　Yuki says to me, who remains silent.

"Don't you think we should reconsider this?
I'm going to have to do something about it.

　I lowered my voice and asked, "Are you still going to argue with me, Yuki?

"Are you still going to tell me what to do, Yuki?
No.

　Yuki replied in a surprisingly clear tone of voice.

''If that's what Seika-sama has decided to do then I have nothing more to say to Yuki.
Keep your head down. You'll get blown up.

　I stepped on the shikigami in the air and landed on the dragon's head.
　The corner of the mouth hangs up slightly as he mutters to himself.

Now, my fellow politicians of the other world, let's see how good you are. Will you be able to defeat the strongest of them all?

　I tell the dragon.

Head west. Dragon.

　The power of the dragon's divine sense increases.
　The head carrying me turned to the starry western sky.

　The massive body undulates.
　The wind swept back.

　I'm not going to be the only one who can do it.