We all left the hospital room together for the first time in a long time. I found out later that the place we were staying was a hospital room located inside the royal palace. No wonder it was so luxurious. The view from the window was also wonderful.

And so, we walked down the luxurious royal corridor on our way to enjoy the festival.

"Wow, it's a festival! A festival! Devil, I'm so excited!"

Linda was in a state of extreme excitement, jumping up and down like a dog going out for a walk after a long time.

"Just stay still. Getting all excited like a fool."

Shushruta, who was chiding her, also had a more excited expression than usual.

"Where should we go first? Ah, how about we go eat that chicken skewer from last time?"

Sir Ashley kept smacking her lips and asking for my opinion.

"I'll take care of these two, so Sir Max, you take care of those two."

"Understood."

Sir Walpole and Sir Max were walking a little behind, whispering to each other. We had decided that only one person would follow us to enjoy the festival, as it would be bad in many ways if a whole group of Black Knights followed us around, and that person was Sir Max.

Sir Max was one of the two who had brought victory in the decisive battle, along with Sir Smith, among the Black Prince's Black Knights. So it was no exaggeration to say that he was the second strongest among the Black Knights. He seemed to have fully recovered from the injuries he had sustained in the decisive battle and was in perfect condition.

I called out to Sir Max.

"Sir Max."

"You called?"

Sir Max looked at me.

"Don't focus too much on your mission, just think of it as taking a short break and enjoy yourself too. Isn't it a festival? You should enjoy a festival."

Sir Max let out a small laugh.

"Understood. But I cannot neglect my mission."

"In the first place, they are not people who need your protection, so you can relax a little."

"I'll keep that in mind."

I gave a slight smile and then looked forward again. There were two figures walking ahead, bickering. From what I overheard, it seemed Sir Max was in charge of those two, but I don't think guarding them would be the problem.

As we were walking... an unexpected person was waiting at the palace entrance leading outside.

"Oh my, what a coincidence?"

Sir Rutie, dressed in casual clothes, was looking this way with wide eyes.

Sir Ashley's face, which had been excitedly expressing her opinion about how about some roasted potatoes after the chicken skewers, instantly hardened.

"Are you perhaps on your way to enjoy the festival? I was just about to go too. This is quite a coincidence."

The way she smiled with her eyes was just like a fox.

"Since this is fate, shall we go together?"

Sir Ashley, with a hardened expression, strode over and said in a cold tone.

"Sir Rutie. What are you doing here?"

Rutie replied with a nonchalant face.

"Didn't I just say? I was also on my way out to enjoy the festival and just happened to..."

"What do you mean, coincidence? You're not even interested in festivals."

"Oh my, what are you talking about? Who loves festivals more than I do?"

"...."

Sir Ashley glared at Sir Rutie with fierce eyes, and Rutie just smiled brightly and did not avoid her gaze.

Crackle—

It felt like sparks were flying between the two.

Rutie passed by Ashley and came over to me.

"It's fate that we met like this. Won't you come with us? Everything is twice as fun when you do it together."

I could see Ashley shaking her head vigorously from behind, but I ignored her, pretending not to see.

I replied with a smile similar to the one Rutie was wearing.

"If this is fate, we must accept it. Don't you think?"

"Of course."

Ashley looked at me with a face as if she had been betrayed, but I ignored her, pretending not to see.

Rutie looked around us and said.

"By the way. Were you planning on going out like this?"

"Is there a problem?"

Rutie snapped her fan shut and said, tapping it from side to side.

"Mmm! No, no! It seems Ashuban is not properly aware of the seriousness of the situation. If you go out like this, you'll be isolated by the crowd before you can even enjoy the festival."

"Then?"

"You have to disguise yourselves."

Before I could say anything, Rutie grabbed Ashley's wrist and dragged her away.

"Here, I prepared for this, so follow me."

"L-let go of me!"

I let out a small laugh and followed them.

***

A little later, we were walking down the crowded street, each of us in a simple disguise. In our hands, we each held a chicken skewer.

Unlike last time, there were no crazy nobles tormenting people by driving their carriages through crowded places. It seemed they had all been dealt with by the Black Prince.

Seeing people walking down the street, talking and laughing without a care, made me feel good too.

"Wow, wow! What's that?"

"Where are you going! Didn't I tell you not to wander around!"

The rampaging Linda and Shushruta, who was going to stop her. And Sir Max, who was panting as he followed behind them. It seemed Sir Max would not be given any time to rest.

"Nom, nom, nom."

"Ashley, you like this kind of thing? Should your big sister buy you another one?"

"...Don't talk to me."

Sir Ashley, who was on her third chicken skewer, and Sir Rutie, who was holding a chicken skewer and trying her best to talk to her. And behind them, Sir Walpole, who was whistling and leisurely looking around the street.

Come to think of it, they were Rutie of the Swift Sword and Ashley of the Golden Flash. They were not people who needed separate protection. In the first place, it seemed Walpole had followed along more as a guide than for protection.

"...."

I stopped for a moment and took in the scene. A lively street bustling with people. The guys enjoying the street in their own way. It looked like a single painting. A painting that would be complete if only I were to step out of it.

Suddenly, Walpole looked back.

"Lord Ashuban. Aren't you coming?"

I smiled and waved my hand.

"Don't mind me. I want to take my time looking around."

"Understood."

I pulled my hat down low and walked around, looking here and there... then I stopped and watched them grow distant. They were doing just fine without me.

I let out a small laugh and turned around to walk.

And so, I walked down the unfamiliar street... and entered a relatively quiet street. Perhaps the heat of the festival hadn't reached this far, as there weren't many people.

I found a building with a sign that said "Mercenary Guild" and went inside. It was a good thing I had looked it up beforehand.

Creeak...

When I opened the door and went inside, the interior was empty, as if everyone had gone out to play. Since it was the branch in the capital, the building was large, which made it look even more deserted. It wasn't that strange, as mercenaries were the type to play when others worked, and play when others played, and only hurriedly take on requests when they were really out of time.

I passed the empty tables and approached the reception desk, and a man who had been dozing off looked at me with drowsy eyes. He must have drunk a lot the night before, as the smell of alcohol was strong as I got closer. Likewise, the reception desk was empty except for this man.

"Ah... are you a customer?"

"You could say that."

The man yawned loudly, scratched his messy hair, and said nonchalantly.

"What can I do for you? If you're here to make a request, as you can see, there's no one to take it. If you're here to accept a request, there are no suitable requests, so you might as well come back next time..."

In other words, he meant don't bother me and get lost. But that was none of my business.

I took out the mercenary tag I had received in Akenaten from my pocket and slammed it on the reception desk.

"Whoa."

The startled man looked at me with wide eyes.

I grinned and said.

"Are you awake now?"

"...A little."

"I'm not here for a request."

"Then what are you here for?"

"I'm planning on going abroad soon. That, what's it called. I heard there's a way to get a mercenary tag for that country in advance."

"What?"

It seems I don't have a talent for explaining things well. I scratched my head and explained vaguely.

"So... what was it, if you do something, you can get a mercenary tag right away without a separate test when you go to a foreign country? Am I wrong? Was it that you get it issued here in advance?"

"Ah, that..."

The man, who seemed to have finally understood, sighed heavily.

"Where are you planning on going?"

"I don't know that either."

"You don't know?"

"Undecided. How can a mere human, swept away by the storms of life, see through the future that is not even an inch visible?"

"What the..."

The man looked at me as if I were a madman.

"So, you don't know which country you're going to, but you want to get that country's mercenary tag right away, is that it?"

I pointed at the man with my finger and affirmed.

"That's it. Now we're talking."

"What a madman..."

The man sighed heavily.

"Can't you just decide on a country to go to now? Otherwise, it will be very troublesome."

"Unfortunately, I can't do that."

"Do you have to do it now?"

"I have to do it now."

"...Please wait a moment."

The man examined the silver-rank mercenary tag I had handed him, then frowned and prepared some documents, handing them to me.

"Here, here, and here. Fill them out."

"Alright. The most exciting part of a trip is always before you leave. Can you hear my pounding heart?"

"...I've seen all sorts of madmen. Just be quiet and fill out the documents. I have a lot of work to do too."

"Roger."

The man grumbled and scribbled on various documents, and I also sat in a chair and silently filled out the documents.

The Heavenly Demon asked.

[Why are you doing this? You said you were going straight back to Maia. Don't you have the mercenary tag you originally had?]

"I do."

[Then?]

"You never know."

The man at the reception desk, who was fumbling with his work, looked at me.

"What?"

"Not you."

"...."

The man grumbled that a madman had come and stamped the paper, then scribbled something on it. I liked that he did his work even while grumbling. He reminded me of Boris. The guy who would curse and swear but still do his work meticulously. It seems mercenary guild employees are all similar wherever you go.

Back to the question. Of course, as the Heavenly Demon said, if I were to go straight back to Maia, what I was doing now would be completely useless. But you never know what will happen in life. I realized that for sure through this incident.

How could I have known that I would fall off a cliff and embark on an unexpected journey?

Also, I heard from my sister... that teleportation magic is a very complex and difficult magic that requires a high degree of precision and meticulousness. I heard that all magic related to space-time is like that. Therefore, no matter how elaborate the magic circle, the success rate is never 100%. Of course, magic technology has developed to the point where the possibility of getting stuck in another dimension or a strange place and going to the underworld can be adjusted to be close to zero... but minor positional errors can certainly occur. Though not with a high probability.

So, there is a possibility that I might end up in a different country instead of Maia, so it's better to prepare in advance in many ways. A man who trips on the same stone twice. That is not me. A man who reflects on his past mistakes and errors and finds things to fix to improve day by day. That is me.

"Do you understand?"

"...Are you done filling it out?"

"Here."

"Please wait a moment. The procedure is complicated."

After filling out all the documents, I crossed my arms and watched the man do his work. Slowly. Grumbling. As I watched him quietly, I thought I could help him.

I lowered my voice and took off my hat.

"Hey."

The man looked at me, grumbling.

"What now? I told you to be quiet and wait. This isn't something that can be rushed..."

The man stopped talking and stared at me with wide eyes.

I grinned and said.

"Do you recognize me?"

The man stammered badly.

"Th-th-the Red-Eyed Devil?"

I pointed at him with my finger.

"Correct."

"Heeik!"

The man, as if it were a sharp dagger, freaked out and raised both his hands.

"I'm not very patient, you see. Could you hurry it up a bit? Whoops. I almost drew my sword without realizing it."

"J-just a moment, please. It'll be done in a moment. In a moment."

"Hurry up. I'm not used to waiting."

As I was waiting, bored, I took out the sword I was temporarily wearing and examined the blade here and there, and the man moved his hands at a completely different speed than before. The paper fluttered and flew, and the hand holding the quill pen slid over it. It was a sight like a dance.

Come to think of it, it was strange. When you watch outstanding swordsmen swing their swords, it looks like a dance, and it was the same with paperwork. In the end, does everything become similar when you get used to it and reach the pinnacle? If you think about it that way, do all paths eventually lead to one?

What is that one, and where does it ultimately lead? Where did we come from, and where are we going? I haven't reached the pinnacle yet, so that question and answer felt distant. If I reach the end, will I be able to know the value of life that Tina talked about?

As I was lost in thought, caressing the body of the sword... time flew by quickly.

A little later, the man, with a pale complexion, handed me a piece of paper.

"H-here you go."

"Hmm."

I took the paper and examined it. The four corners were engraved with an antique pattern like a picture frame, and at the very top, it was written in large letters, "Mercenary Rank Certificate - Silver Rank." Even though I had been a mercenary for a long time, it was the first time I had seen such a document. There was something like this?

Below that, small letters were lined up like ants, and to finish it off, there was a seal with a complex pattern.

"Is this all I need to submit?"

"Yes, yes. If you submit this to the guild in any foreign country, you will be able to receive a mercenary tag that can be used in that country right away."

"Oho. How convenient."

"But please note that if the country is not a member of the alliance, they may not accept it."

"What? Then was it all for nothing?"

The man, sweating profusely, explained.

"You don't have to worry about that. The only such countries are those adjacent to the Demon Realm in the west."

"Aha. Why don't those guys join the mercenary alliance that provides such a convenient service?"

"Haha... I don't know about that either..."

I rolled up the certificate and put it in my pocket, then asked.

"So. How much is it?"

"10 silver... it is."

"10 silver? Is it usually this expensive?"

"Yes. As you can see, the procedure for making it is very complicated. Usually, you have to wait about a week to receive it."

"It seemed to be done quickly."

"Haha... wouldn't anyone do it quickly if a sword was pointed at them?"

"...."

"Haha... ha..."

The man kept sweating and glancing at me. I stared at him blankly, then fumbled in my pocket. I think I knew why I hadn't known about this all this time.

"Let's see... one, two, three, four... huh? I'm 3 silver short."

"I-I see."

"Can't I get a discount?"

"That... would be difficult."

"Damn..."

I scratched my head and then shouted towards the back.

"Hey, give me 3 silver."

At that, something shiny flew over in an instant. I caught it and then held it out to the man.

"Here, 10 silver. We're good, right?"

The man looked back and forth between me and the place where the coin had suddenly flown from with a dazed face, then nodded.

"Ah, yes. I've received 10 silver. Is there anything else you need?"

"No. The tables seem to be empty. Is it okay if I sit down and talk for a bit?"

"Of course. Feel free to use them."

"Thanks. This is a tip."

"...Th-thank you."

I handed him an additional 3 copper and then turned around. In the spacious first-floor area where there had been no one just a moment ago, someone was sitting and waiting for me.

I pulled out a chair and sat down, looking at the person opposite me.

"You seem to have something to say."

Cat-like eyes. The distinct black and white pupils in them met mine.

(End of Chapter)