Comotoria Kingdom capital, Krades .

    With the two of us, Melissa and I came to the palace .

    I’m in my usual appearance, with the two Demon Swords Eleanor and Hikari in my waist, and Melissa was in her Solon Church formal dress, she is wearing the saint’s vestment .

    Guided by a lady of the court, we went to the audience hall .

    「It somehow feels gloomy」

    I silently said .

    The structure itself is as expected as the palace of a kingdom, it was quite splendid . The way its built and its wideness, the decorations are also of a high quality, they all seem to be expensive .

    But, gloominess that overwhelms that were floating around .

    「It’s very different from the last time I came here」

    Melissa was also confused .

    「Also, it’s not only the structure, the people too」

    I said, and Melissa nodded .

    Even the lady of the court that is guiding us, also the guards that were standing here and there .

    For some reason, they all seem gloomy .

    「Let’s be careful」

    「Yes」

    We said with a soft voice, and nodded at each other .

    Guided by the lady of the court, we arrived at the audience hall .

    We waited there for a while, and from the side of the throne, one old man appeared .

    Wearing the king’s clothes and a crown, it was a wrinkly old man .

    『Looks as if a zombie』

    『It’s scary……』

    The mother and daughter Demon Swords’ voice could be heard in my head . Eleanor had a heavy tone, and Hikari, just like she said, feels frightened .

    The old man that appeared was the person who had the most gloomiest face in the palace in the ones we met .

    He’s not only gloomy, but life couldn’t be felt from him at all . As if a dead person, he had paper-like complexion .

    「Forgiven by the heavens, we are very extremely delighted」

    「Ohh, ohh . It has been a while, Melissa-sama」

    「It is an honor, Your Majesty the King」

    The king and Melissa, the two talked with formal greetings .

    Melissa’s usual rough way of speaking, with her saint-mode, she looks extremely holy .

    On the other hand, the king was speaking with a highly tone, he seems to be dying anytime .

    「Well, well, who is it there」

    「I am Yuuki Kakeru」

    「Yuuki Kakeru……well, what an unusual name」

    「He is the one introduced by Althea-sama」

    There was a woman’s voice, and she appeared from the side .

    A glamorous bewitching woman . The woman had the face with the most life within the people we met in the palace .

    But, her eyes were cold . When our eyes met, her eyes was so cold that I almost trembled .

    「Uu」

    Melissa moaned a little on the side .

    「Ohh, Aerine」

    「Your Majesty」

    The woman called Aerine stood at the king’s side, and held his hand .

    An old man who was already over 70, and a beauty on her late twenties .

    The two looked like they had “that” kind of relationship .

    「And so, Aerine . The Sage-sama you say?」

    「Oh what is it, Your Majesty . Did not Althea-sama’s letter come from a while ago . Saying, he wanted one man to have a baron’s title」

    「Ohh, that is right, that letter came . I left it to you」

    「Yes」

    「That means」

    The old man looked at me .

    「You are Baron Yuuki」

    「……yes」

    I nodded . I got confused with the king that was as if he just heard about it right now .

    「If Sage-sama says so, it should be one who is qualified . Continue to word hard for our kingdom」

    「……yes」

    「Your Majesty . According to rumors, Baron Yuuki is a matchless warrior」

    「Ohh, is that so」

    「On the other hand, there are ones who say that they are only rumors」

    「Oh . Which one is the truth?」

    「Since he had come here, for once, what about we test him . Rather than rumors, it would be better to test him」

    「How will we test him」

    「Is there anyone . Bring Grodo here」

    Aerine called guards, and ordered them .

    After a while, one man was taken here .

    「What……is that」

    Melissa held her breath . She couldn’t be blamed .

    The man that was obviously not human .

    Having height of more than two meters, he was wearing restraint clothes .

    He was letting out ominous breath from his mouthーーmost of all, he didn’t have eyes .

    Rather than a human, he is a monster without doubt . It was a man like that .

    「That is?」

    「A death prisoner . He is an evil prisoner who had killed more than a hundred with his bare hands . It is true that he is evil, but his strength is also true, most of all, a man that does not have problem to die . He is best for testing the Baron’s strength」

    「Ohh, I see」

    The king getting convinced .

    No, wait a minute, don’t get convinced with that, are your eyes full of holes .

    「Baron Yuuki, you agree with that right」

    Aerine looked at me .

    I understood .

    This woman is using this, to try and kill me .

    At the same time, I was sure .

    That eyeball has something to do with Aerine .

    「……yeah, there’s no problem」

    A fight cannot be avoided .

    「Kakeru, is it really okay?」

    Melissa was worried about me .

    I smiled at her .

    「Alright . Anyone, give a weapon to Grodo」

    When Aerine ordered that, this time, a weapon was brought in .

    It was a nata-like weapon, its length was long .

    It was a huge and heavy nata that five guards could barely carry .

    That was put in front of Grodo, and one of them removed the restraints .

    「Boy, pick up that weapon」

    Aerine ordered……where did the death prisoner thing go .

    Grodo picked up that nata, he easily brought it up with one hand .

    「Ohh, how strong」

    「Kakeru……!」

    The king getting impressed, and Melissa getting worried .

    Towards Aerine, I asked .

    「That thing, he’s a murderer and a death prisoner right」

    「Yes, that is right」

    「I see」

    Then, there’s no problem .

    I drew the Demon Sword, and looked towards Grodo .

    The man who only look like a monster however I looked at it, it was sending hostility out .

    I don’t hate that .

    Inside the palace that is gloomy including the king, this thing that releases “heat”, I don’t hate it that much .

    I don’t, but .

    「If you’re hold a grudge, hold it to your master」

    I drew the two Demon Swords, and made a stance .

    「Guoooooooo」

    Nata that is swung from above .

    I stopped it with Hikari, and broke it with Eleanor .

    With the two Demon Swords, Grodo was cut in a cross .

    「Ohh」

    「Kakeru!」

    The king that was simply impressed, and Melissa who got relieved .

    「……」

    And, gritting her teeth, Aerine who had the face frustrated to death .

    The mastermind, it looks like it was this woman after all .

    So, I need to remove this woman then .