Part 10

"Public safety is getting worse, isn't it," said Akatsuki.

"Yea," said Akio.

"It's not like there's a lot to be gained by player-killing," said Shiro.

"Yea, seriously, we're all on the same boat right now, so why don't these guys find other things to occupy their free time with," said Naotsugu.

"Like what," said Akatsuki.

"Well, I know what I would...ahhh," said Naotsugu, getting kneed in the face by Akatsuki.

"My lord, I knew this ridiculous pervert in the face," said Akatsuki.

"Ask before you do, and let me finish my sentence," said naotsugu.

"I didn't want you to say something that would get you in trouble," said Akatsuki.

"In trouble with who," said Naotsugu.

"Me," said a voice behind Naotsugu that sent shivers down his spine.

"Akio, hey, we're all friends here; no need to get violent," said Naotsugu, scared.

Naotsugu got punched in the head by Akio for what he almost said earlier.

"I don't like your perverse habits, so you better work on fixing them," said Akio sternly.

"Yes, sir," said Naotsugu, shivering at what Akio could do to him if he didn't.

"Good, and Akatsuki did a good job of hitting him before he got out of hand," said Akio.

"It is my pleasure," said Akatsuki.

"Other things to do that might be it there really is nothing there are no goals it's not much, but there is food to be had, and place stay you can make money for that by defeating low-level monsters I guess," Shiro pauses to continue, "and death isn't even permanent,"

"So basically, you're saying you can survive in this world without really doing anything," said Naotsugu.

"Pretty much, but it's not my idea of living versus staying alive," said Shiro.

"So they have resorted to killing other players because there is nothing else to do," said Akatsuki.

"I guess so," said Shiro.

"They are bored; there aren't any jobs here, so yea," said Akio.

"Okay, so that want to get their rocks off by hurting other people that are stupid," said Naotsugu.

"Yea, it's pretty lame," said Shiro.

"And Messes up," said Akio.

" My lord Shiro ," said Akatsuki.

"Anyway, I'm not sure if things are getting worse so far," said Shiro.

"You know how the saying goes, things will get worse before they get any better," said Akio.

"Who told you that," asked Naotsugu.

"My surrogate grandfather," said Akio.

"Well, it will only worsen because people still think this is just a game without any real consequences. If this is a different world, then maybe our sense of public order is an illusion," said Shiro.

"My lord," said Akatsuki.

A beeping sound went off coming from Shiro. It was a call.

"Yes,"

"Huh?"

.In the crescent moon guildhall.

"You're going to szyskii, no," said Shiro.

"On the day of the apocalypse, one of our members was going to szyskii no," said Henrietta.

"Transport gates are still down," said naotsugu.

"Fairy rings are one of the only other ways to get there if you have them," said Akatsuki.

"Not me," said naotsugu.

"Right, but without the online help or someone who memorized the timetables, you could get transported into the middle of who knows where," said Henrietta.

"Okay, then, why not try the return spell call to home doesn't let you return to one of the last known great cities you have visited? Oh crap," said Naotsugu forcing himself not to facepalm.

"Hm, and the last great city she visited was Szyskii, no," said Henrietta.

"Like I said, oh crap," said Naotsugu.

"I have a fairy ring, and I know the time's tables, but I'm not confident I could get you guys there safely," said Akio.

"So that leaves walking and horseback irl there are 850 km between Tokyo and Sapporo the elder tales world is half scaled it would be 425 km and naturally they are going to run into packs of monsters out there," said Shiro, "So why are you sending help now,"

"Huh, oh um," mumbled Marielle.

"We've been planning to send a resume team for a while now," said Henrietta.

"Marielle," said Shiro.

"Ah, don't look at me that way. Your eyes are like daggers, and you, a girl, don't like a guy who stares at her like that," said Marielle poking her fingers together nervously, "here's the thing, nasty people, I mean, nasty people attacked one of our friends. Luckily someone jumped in and saved her,"

"And now he's protecting her," said Henrietta.

"We're getting ready to take the most powerful people to Szyskii to bring her back, so I was thinking that maybe you could watch over the guild as well as the rest of our guild," said Marielle.

"Can you do this for us," pleaded Henrietta.

"We're begging you," begged Marielle with that pleading look in her eyes.

'I doubt they can get szyskii no any faster than 21 days more than a month, probably two for the round trip. Even if they take crescent moons most powerful players, it's dicey, and on top of that, that game only allows a maximum party size of six, and even the best six don't have a good healer among them. No, it's not enough. Their party still won't make I,t so what do they d? We're strong enough. We should go, but we shouldn't be sticking our noses in some guild's business. I'm the first place that wouldn't want that, and I wouldn't blame them...,' Shiro was shoved out of his thoughts by Naotsugu, Akio and Akatsuki.

"Say it, Shiro, well,o," said naotsugu.

"You were about to say something," said Akatsuki.

"Yea, Shiro, what were you going to say? Come on, you're practically radiating what you want to say now; spit it out," said Akio.

"Humph," Shiro pauses for dramatic effect and slowly stands up, "We'll bring her back. We have the best chance to get her,"

Marielle and Henrietta stare in shock at this and sincerely appreciate that they would do this for them.

Soon they were heading off.

" Shiro, Akio,, Naotsugu, Akatsuki," said Henrietta.

"Bring her back to us," said Marielle, waving to them goodbye for now.

"Don't worry, Marielle; you can count on us. We'll see this thing through if we don't know the meaning of failure," replied Akatsuki.

Just like in the game, they could use items to summon horses.

"Hun... Hey, where do you think these horses come from anyway," said Naotsugu.

"This is cool; we already know how to ride them, too," said Shiro.

"I like that I already know how to ride a horse, but it doesn't hurt my ass any less," said Naotsugu, stretching out his muscles.

"You deserve it," said Akatsuki.

"You smell," said Naotsugu.

"That's a very nice map you have there, m'lord," said Akatsuki.

"Huh, I wanted my sub-class to be a scribe. When I signed up, I made a copy of the maps that I saw at the city archives," said Shiro, pretty happy with himself.

"Interesting, very well done," complemented Akatsuki.

"Okay, so we're the heck are we now," asked Naotsugu.

"Working on it," said Shiro.

"We're here," Said Akio, pointing at the map.

"Thanks, Akio, but how did you know where we are ?" asked Shiro.

"I read some of the books at the library, and I have a photographic memory," said Akio.

Then they stopped for lunch.

"Man, I wish you could magic up a way to make this food not taste like turkey," said Naotsugu, depressed.

Shiro sighed

"Hey, if someone you know is crying, your help. That's why we're doing this right. I mean, you can't run around and be a total fartknocker," said Naotsugu.

"I agree," said Shiro.

This is our answer; this is what we can do.

"Or are we too cool for that," said Naotsugu.

"Hehe, no," said Shiro

But I would put it right up there with the coolness level of an old debauchery tea party if there is such a thing as a coolness level.

"Alright," said Naotsugu.

Akatsuki was about to blow her horse whistle.

"Hang on," said Shiro.

Shiro, Naotsugu and Akio pulled out bird-like whistles.

"What are those, my lord," asked Akatsuki with curiosity.

Everyone except Akatsuki blew the whistles. Then the sound of an eagle came after it.

"Huh, those are griffins," said Akatsuki, surprised.

"Yes, of course, they are," said Shiro.

"Seriously, we weren't going that far north to Szyskii, no on horseback, you know," said Naotsugu, smirking.

"But there are monsters," said Akatsuki.

"Give me five beaky," said Naotsugu.

"Naotsugu can't believe you truly named such a noble beast beaky," said Akio, petting his griffin.

"Well, my naming skills can't be any worse than yours," said Naotsugu.

"My griffin's name is Kage. If you must know, it means shadow, a very fitting name for such a beautiful beast," said Akio.

" Quite," said Akatsuki.

Naotsugu's jaw slacked in shock. He was better at naming than him.

"Wait, those are our mountains," said Akatsuki.

"Yes, they are, miss Akatsuki," said Shiro feeding his griffin some meat.

"Just Akatsuki,"

"Okay, Akatsuki, ride behind me, okay," said Shiro.

"Alright, ah, easy boy," said Akatsuki.

"Just approach slowly and unarmed and then carefully get on," said Akio.

"I've heard of those summoning flutes before; you know those who won the hades breath raid mission on the fields of death. Did you play that one," asked Akatsuki?

"Oh yea, a while back," said Shiro.

"Wait till you see the stupid faces on the people when they see these," said Naotsugu.

"Come on, Akatsuki," said Shiro hurriedly.

Akatsuki slowly approaches the griffin and grabs hold of her Lord's hand.

"Ready to get going," asked Shiro.

"Yes, no problem, my lord, I can do this," said Akatsuki.

"Suki, you gotta relax. Don't be so tense,"

"Yes, Master Akio,"

"Okay, everyone, hang on tight," said Shiro.

"Easy, easy you big goof was!" Said Naotsugu as his griffin took off into the air, "whoa ho, come on, losers,"

"Geez, come on, Akatsuki, Akio, let's get moving," said Shiro.

"That idiot," said Akio.

"It's a great view," said Shiro, "Are you okay,"

"Yea," said Akatsuki, "m'lord, this is amazing. I've never done anything like this before,"

"This is great, right," shouted Naotsugu over the wind.

"It's awesome," said Akatsuki in excitement, "the sky and all the clouds there are so beautiful."

"Yea," said Akio in wonder.