"Why are you coming after me? As I recall, you were after me too, weren't you? Why?"
"It's ......."
At Linos's straight gaze, Chario momentarily took his eyes off of him. But he quickly returned his gaze.
"I was interested in a man named Linos, King of Agartha.
"Interested in me?"
"Yes. Not long ago I learned that the elves who had stubbornly refused to come down the mountain for hundreds of years had done so. I heard it was the work of a man named Linos. And he was a man of the human race. Men are the race that the elves hate the most. The mankind moved the elves. So I was curious to know what kind of man he was.
"If you were so interested, why didn't you just come and see me?"
"I was thinking that if he was a good man, a skilled man, I would take him and put him under my care. But I had a hard time getting into the city of Agartha. But I had a hard time getting into the city of Agartha, and things didn't work out the way I wanted them to.
"...... Is that why you set up the war between Warlov and Burial?"
"No, that's my brother in the middle."
"...... A good number of soldiers died in that war, you know? f*ck you, your brother."
"The middle brother wanted to eat Linos, King of Agartha. The middle brother believed that if he ate a skilled man, his own skills would improve.
After saying this, Chario slowly turned his gaze to the corner of the dining room. There he saw Tsune still lying on his back with his eyes closed.
"......After all, Shario, I should never have let you leave the island."
"......"
Tune's low, regretful voice rang out loud and clear. Linos sighs loudly and slowly turns his attention to Tsune.
"After all, this black dragon Royce is after me in the end, isn't he?"
"Perhaps, yes."
"Are you here to eat me, too?"
"No."
What?
I'm just here to get my sister Shario back.
"Come to get it back? What kind of a person who came to get me back is going to eat Rico, Soleil ...... and my precious family!"
"I was told that the Dragon King had captured Chario. And even a spirit that seemed to be the ...... Lord Shenlong had appeared. I thought Shario was being treated badly. So I knew I had to get him back as soon as possible. She is ...... my only sister. I had no idea that Lois would be thinking about something like this.
"Yeah!"
Linos does not even try to hide his annoyance and walks over to Tsune with a big step. Then he froze in that position with his eyes wide open. Everyone there watched him with bated breath.
How much time had passed? When Linos finally closed his eyes, he turned on his heel and slowly walked back to Mei and the others.
"Wake up! The warding is lifted. You can sit in the chair."
"Master ......"
"Don't worry, Mei. I've assessed it and that black dragon had no intention of attacking us. He just wanted to get this Chariot back. But still, the black dragon named Royce ....... He's really rotten."
Linos takes a deep breath and slowly sits down in his chair. Following his example, Tsune slowly got up and sat down in the chair in front of him.
"It would be inconvenient without both hands, wouldn't it? There you go."
Linos turns his palm toward Tsune. Immediately afterwards, his body glows green. Upon closer inspection, he sees that his hands, which were previously missing, have been restored. Tsune looks at his hands without changing his expression.
"It's beautiful!" he said.
"Don't be flattered. First, let's check it out. Answer my question. Your other brothers: ....... Where are your brothers?
I don't know, that's the thing.
What?
"No matter how hard I try to find them with my presence detector, I cannot locate my two brothers. Perhaps they are in the space that Lois has created.
"They probably don't ...... know that Shario is safe or my situation."
When he had said that much, Tsune straightened up his posture and turned a serious face toward Linos.
"I will protect Shario and his daughter from now on."
"What?"
"It's at least atonement for my sins. With me by their side, Royce won't be able to touch them."
"My brother's ability to detect presence and magic far surpasses mine. The moment your brother inside leaves the space, he will probably be caught by your presence detection. Besides,...... if it is one-on-one, you will not be defeated by the older brother inside. You can rest assured.
"This mismanagement is entirely my fault. ....... Normally, I should be the one to take Lois down, but unless he leaves the space, it will be difficult. Hence ......."
"So you're the one defending Alyria ......?"
Linos smiles as he says this.
"Alyria is ...... my daughter, I'll protect her."
"......"
"But in this situation, it is better to have at least one ally. Fortunately, this black dragon seems trustworthy.
After saying this, Linos quickly turns his attention to May.
"Mei, you're going to work on the sword with Sidhi and the others, aren't you? Take Alyria and head for the Dwarven Principality."
I'm here!
Suddenly, Alyria's voice rings out. She steps forward and squeezes out a few words, her body trembling.
"I'm waiting here for you and Mommy. And ......."
And what's that?
Dad, you're going to be alone. Your mother and sister are gone. ....... So, that's why I have to be there for him. ......
"No, Aelyria."
May slowly breaks her knees and hugs Allyria over her back. Allyria began to cry aloud, as if she had lost her patience.
"Your father has an important job to do," she said. So let's go with your mother to Sidi's place. Okay?"
May hugged Allyria and gently patted her head. Then she turns her eyes to Linos in that position.
"I am sorry, Master. Alyria will be taken with me to the Dwarven principality. I beg your pardon, but what follows will be at ....... Master? Master ......"
I saw that Linos was interrupting May's words with his right hand.
"Wait. Wait a minute, wait a minute. I'm crying ...... tears, I can't talk. ......"
◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
In the end, Alyria was forced to remain at her residence in the capital. This was partly due to Tsune's recommendation.
"It is better not to take the girl to the place where Royce is making the space-slaying sword. If she is attacked, she will lose the sword in the worst case. Royce will be waiting for the moment she is alone. It is better for her father or the Dragon King to be with her now.
Shario agrees with these words. Linos decided to leave Allyria in the house, but of course he did not forget to put a strong ward on her.
Just before May left for the Dwarven Principality with a minimal amount of luggage, she called Allyria to her side again and hugged her. And for a while, she silently stared at Allyria.
"Yeah. ......"
As if Alyria's small voice was a signal for her to leave, May stood up quickly, bowed to Linos and the others, and left the house.
As soon as May left, the house seemed to be deserted. The dining room, which was usually filled with the sound of children's voices and the smiles of their wives, was enveloped in silence. The atmosphere was bizarre. Alyria felt it too, and she silently took her father's hand in her own.
"It's all right. Mom and Mommy are alive. I will bring them back, I promise. And Alyria, your father will protect her, I promise. We just have to make sure everyone comes back soon."
Linos mutters as if to himself. Alyria nodded slowly, her hand tightening in his grip. .......