Vol-09 Ch 3 – Sage’s Legacy

Part 1

"W-wow… so this is the spaceship…"

After the trip into the forest, we went back to my house on Earth and finished all the preparations.

The spaceship was still floating above my house, waiting for us, but Merl-san had operated the terminal on her left arm so that others would not be able to recognize it.

(Now then, let's get on board.)

When Merl-san operated the terminal on her left arm again, a circle of light, different from a magic circle, appeared at our feet, and before we knew it, we had all been transferred to the inside of the spaceship.

(Since it was originally designed for a small number of people, it could barely fit this number of people aboard, but… I'm glad everyone managed to get on.)

As Merl-san said, there were 12 of us, including me, so it felt quite cramped. However, it was fortunate that Night and the others were small and did not take up that much space.

Inside the spaceship, there were a lot of holographic touch panels and machines that I didn't know how to operate, just like the spaceships in famous science fiction movies.

I wanted to look around, but I didn't want to push any buttons and get into trouble, so I didn't dare touch anything.

"Rill! It's amazing, isn't it?"

"Ruri! It's amazing!"

"Hey, don't touch anything inappropriate."

""Yes.""

The twins seemed to be even more curious than I was and were unafraid to try and touch the machines around them, but Odis-san got angry at them.

…..

"Ouma-san, please don't touch anything either, okay?"

"What do you think I am?"

When I told Ouma-san that because I was anxious, he shouted in annoyance.

However, Night and the others have an indescribable expression on their faces.

"Woof…"

"Fugo."

"Pi."

"W-what do you want to say? Hmm!?"

"…Woof"

Night shook his head tiredly at Ouma-san's reaction. I can't speak for others much, but Ouma-san had a record back in the storage room. As a result of that, Merl-san came to us and gave us a chance to learn more about Sage-san…

(…Energy replenishment has been completed. Everyone, please take your seats.)

While we were exchanging various information, Merl-san, who was nonchalantly going about the preparations, told us to sit down in an empty seat.

The seat was pure white and futuristic in design, but the moment we sat down, something that looked like jelly enveloped us!

"W-what in the world is this?"

We were completely enveloped by the jelly-like stuff, including our heads. We were panicked by the situation, but we didn't feel like we couldn't breathe, and it actually gave us a very comfortable feeling.

Then Merl-san, also wrapped in jelly-like stuff, explained the situation.

(We will now travel into outer space, and there will be a strong shock. However, by being wrapped in this protective gel, the shock will be completely mitigated, and at the same time, your body will absorb this gel so that you can function in space without any problems. To put it simply, it will modify your body to be able to move outside the spaceship without any special equipment.)

"In space? Does that mean I don't need a spacesuit as we know it on Earth?"

(Yes, that's right. I understand that, unlike me, you may have aversions and fears about your body suddenly being transformed, but I can assure you that you will be absolutely safe.)

Everyone looked a little uneasy, just like me, but Merl-san said it with a serious expression on her face, so we finally decided to believe her.

And then──.

(Then… departure…!)

"───!"

Merl-san's spaceship floated up into the sky without us receiving any shock and then launched itself into space at an astonishing speed!

There was a window in the spaceship near where I was sitting, so I looked out and saw that it was climbing higher and higher into the sky, leaving the city and even the clouds behind as it finally entered space.

"A-amazing…"

(So this is what space looks like…)

"It's hard to believe… that we can really come to space."

Iris-san and the others, who came from a world where they didn't know much about the existence of space itself, were impressed by the scenery of space.

Even though I live on Earth and have some knowledge of it, it is still an unknown world, so I understood how they felt.

As I continued to watch the situation outside for a while, Merl-san nodded to me.

(…It looks like we've successfully left the Earth. We will now begin preparations for warp. If we use the warp function, we'll be able to spend some time without sitting in a chair, so please wait a little longer.)

"Um, what do you mean by warp?"

(Let's see… There is a very large distance between where we are now and the planet Amel. So if we were to travel normally by this ship, it would probably take us several hundred years to get there.)

"Several hundred years?"

When we were all stunned by the outrageous number of years, Merl-san hurriedly continued.

(In order to prevent that from happening, there is a warp function. The principle is that by developing a subspace that is outside of normal space-time and moving through that space, we can easily traverse great distances. So, I would like to begin using that function now.)

When we were all relieved by her words, Merl-san operated the touch panel that was provided on the chair. Then, there was a sudden change outside the window.

To my surprise, something like a line of light gradually clung around the spaceship we were currently on.

(Then… warp, activate.)

As soon as Merl-san said that, the scene outside the window suddenly changed, and a strange space with a strange color scheme spread out, just like when my house on Earth was isolated in subspace during the previous attack by the Dragonias.

(…Transfer to warp space, successful.)

When Merl-san, who was operating the terminal, said that while exhaling a breath, the jelly-like stuff that was enveloping us was smoothly sucked into the chair.

(There is no problem for you to spend time freely for a while. Just don't touch the machines in the surroundings.)

Merl-san took the initiative to stand up from her chair, and we began to move with trepidation.

"Whoaaa… that made me strangely nervous."

"Agreed. It was a strange experience. Question. Since we were covered in that squishy stuff earlier, you said we could act outside the spaceship. Can we do that now?"

(Not while we're in warp space at this very moment, but when we're in normal space, you should have no problem venturing outside the ship.)

"That would be very helpful. When the enemy attacks, we can use interception magic from inside this ship, but it will still be difficult to target them without going outside."

(For those of us who fight in close quarters combat, being able to move around in a new environment without any problems is great.)

When Master Usagi said that, Merl-san added a little apologetically as if she remembered.

(I'm sorry… It's true that activities in space are no problem, but that only means that the body adapts to weightlessness and vacuum space, and moving through space requires footholds and other propulsion.)

(I can take care of that on my own.)

In other words, to move freely in space, you need something like a ground or another power like jet propulsion.

Well, I guess I can do something with wind magic or something.

As each of us was relaxing on the ship, I asked Merl-san about something that had been on my mind.

"By the way, I hadn't heard any details about your hometown, but what kind of place is it?"

(Yeah… As I told you the other day, we Amelians are adversaries to the Dragonias. The Dragonias are one of the most powerful species in the entire universe, but we also pride ourselves for being the best in the universe in terms of scientific power.)

"T-the best in the universe…"

All the technology Merl-san had shown me so far were indeed so amazing that I could honestly agree with her when she said that.

In addition to being able to easily erase a person's memories and information, according to our talk, they never die of disease and have a ridiculously long lifespan.

When I was thinking about Merl-san's past, Merl-san's expression became a little cloudy.

(…Therefore. The Dragonias have been trying to force us into servitude or to rob us of our technology since long ago to gain access to our scientific power. Our ancestors created an anti-celestial annihilation weapon to counter them, but as a result, it only intensified the attacks by the Dragonias… That's what I think.)

"Why is that?"

(Because we have created a weapon that can easily destroy a planet, and the Dragonias feel threatened by it, so they attack us even more. Of course, if it weren't for the anti-celestial annihilation weapons and other weapons packed with Amel technology, the Dragonias would have already invaded and taken everything from us…)

I guess they didn't expect the weapons they created to repel the Dragonias would end up intensifying the battle…

(Anyway, with the blueprints of the anti-celestial annihilation weapon that I have obtained, and with your help, I hope to end all battles. So please… lend me your strength.)

Merl-san bowed to us once again, and everyone nodded vigorously, including me.

She smiled at us and turned her attention to the terminal.

(Thank you for your help… I think it's time to release the warp. There's a possibility of another impact, so please take a seat in your chairs.)

(Hmm? Are we arriving at Amel yet?)

(No, no matter how long a distance we can travel instantly through the warp, we can't travel a distance that would normally take hundreds of years in a single pass. Warp requires an enormous amount of energy, and more importantly, the ship won't last…)

I wonder if it's like the phenomenon of a computer getting hot when it's on for a long time? When I think of it that way, it becomes all the more ordinary.

With Amel's technologies, there must be some sort of cooling function, but it might not be that simple when it came to warp, which was an unimaginably advanced function.

I followed Merl-san's instructions and took my seat again, only to have my body enveloped in the jelly-like stuff again.

(Then, I will deactivate it.)

As Merl-san operated the terminal on her left arm, the color of the mysterious space outside the window gradually faded, turning into countless lines of light that eventually returned to normal space.

As each of us observed our changed surroundings, the jelly-like stuff that had enveloped us was absorbed by the chair.

(…Warp release has been successful. We will normally navigate for about an hour from here and then warp again──.)

At that moment, our spaceship suddenly shook violently.

"W-what is it?"

(No way…?)

Merl-san hurriedly operated the terminal on the spaceship.

As we were getting up from our chairs and ready to move at any time, Master Usagi muttered with a grim expression.

(…It seems we're under attack.)

"Under attack? That's…"

"It's probably the Dragonias who are the enemy this time."

(Too bad! I'm aware of all of your movements! I'll spare your life if you surrender meekly and hand over the blueprint for the anti-celestial annihilation weapon. But if you refuse… you will be trashed here in space!)

As if to affirm Iris-san's words, a transmission from what appeared to be a Dragonia alien came from the ship that had probably attacked us.

But we have no intention of surrendering to them.

(I'm not going to surrender!)

(Then you'll die here!)

Part 2

(I'm not going to surrender!)

(Then you can die here!)

As soon as Merl-san said that, the Dragonias attacked at once. In the midst of this, Merl-san shouted while operating her terminal.

(I apologize, everyone! It seems that the Dragonias calculated the warp release point and ambushed us…! I've deployed the shields, but brace for impact just in case!)

Merl-san operated a holographic touch panel that appeared and disappeared again at great speed. Then, it seemed that a shield had enveloped the spaceship, and a blue film covered the outside of the window.

As we continued to look out the window, we saw several Dragonia spaceships approaching.

"Oh, so that's the Dragonia spaceship. huh…?"

"They look like the dragons of our world, don't they?"

"Yes, they look like dragons."

I was surprised to see how calm Odis-san, Ruri, and Rill were, even though we were under attack.

"Y-you're so calm, aren't you…?"

"Well, it won't change the situation that we're being attacked even if I make a fuss here. But the number of enemies is less than I expected…"

As Odis-san said, although we were ambushed, there were only about five Dragonia spaceships in the area that we could confirm. Could it be that the main force was somewhere else…?

However, the fact remained that we were only one ship.

"Merl-san, what kind of weapons does this ship have…?"

(Although there is one installed, it is impossible to deal with that number of ships… and the enemy ships are designed for space combat, while this ship is designed for transportation, so it will be very difficult to fight a full-scale battle…)

"No way…"

In other words, if we don't escape from this bunch of spaceships, we're going to be shot down right here.

As I was thinking about what to do, the Dragonia spaceship fired an energy cannon at us, indicating that there was no time for us to think about it!

(I'll avoid it!)

"Whoa!"

While the spaceship was moving so fast that it almost flipped me over, everyone except me remained calm and composed. T-they're amazing…

Then, Master Usagi, who watched the enemy attack, asked Merl-san, who was frantically operating the spaceship.

(Hey, Merl. Our bodies can adapt to outer space thanks to that protective fluid you just gave us, is that correct?)

(Y-yes!)

(If that's the case, we'll go outside the ship and fight them off.)

"Eehh?"

I was surprised by the unexpected words… but it's true that even if we're on the spaceship, we could only escape, so it's better for us to intercept them directly… huh? We're dealing with spaceships, you know?

Right, I was also dealing with a spaceship when we were attacked by Drade, but this is in space. The situation was different from that time.

"Right… that seems to be the only way, but it's also dangerous to go outside in this situation."

As Iris-san said, the spaceship we were on was exposed to a storm of bombardments, and the ship was not flying in a stable state, probably because of the many complicated evasive maneuvers.

If we jumped out of the spaceship in such a state, we would be blown away.

As I was thinking about this, Odis-san nodded his head.

"Fumu… then I'll take care of their attack for a while."

"Eh?"

"As expected of Master! You'll do it, won't you?"

"As expected of Master! You'll do it!"

"Idiot. You two help me too!"

""Tsk.""

Ruri and Rill nodded reluctantly and immediately moved next to Odis-san, holding out their weapons.

""Then!""

As magic circles emerged from the palms of their hands, the two circles overlapped and became one.

And then──.

""[Magic Barrier]!""

The moment they chanted that, the bombardment from the Dragonia aliens was intercepted by the magic circle that suddenly appeared, preventing them from hitting the shield that surrounded our spaceship.

"Whoa! It's more powerful than I thought, isn't it?"

"Yes! It's more powerful than I thought!"

However, the attack of the Dragonia aliens seemed to be powerful, and the two with their arms over their heads were grimacing.

"I see… Ruri and Rill's [Magic Barrier] is also quite tough… Then… [Magic Bullet]."

As Odis-san waved his finger lightly, a mass of light appeared outside the window.

It's a pure mass of magic power without any attributes. The size of the mass itself was about the size of a basketball, but just by looking at it, it was clear that it contained a terrific amount of magic power.

And there was more than one mass of magic power.

"Hmm."

Every time Odis-san waved his finger, the mass of magic power increased in number, and before long, there were dozens of these masses floating around the spaceship.

In the midst of this, the Dragonias continued their bombardment without resting their attack.

"Go!"

At that moment, Odis-san said briefly, and the mass of magic power floating around the spaceship started to shoot down the bombardment from the Dragonias' spaceship with precision!

While everyone was amazed at how delicate the control was and how powerful it was, Odis-san turned to us.

"Now is the time to get out. I've managed to neutralize them for now, but I don't know how long that will last."

"Hmm. That's enough. Let's go, Yuuya."

"Y-yes!"

"Woof!"

"Pii!"

Then it seemed that Night and Ciel would follow us, so the two of them, me, Yuti, Iris-san, and Master Usagi, immediately went outside the spaceship.

Ouma-san was asleep in the ship, completely unfazed by the situation, and Akatsuki, not exactly suited for fighting, was quietly staying in the spaceship.

When I went outside, I was a little puzzled by the strange sensation that was different from being on Earth, although this would be natural.

Thanks to that protective fluid, we were able to move around in space without any problems, but what would space be like without it? Would it be cold? Hot? And was there no wind in the vacuum?

Yuti and the others were all looking down at their bodies.

"Strange. There's nothing unusual about it, but it's very uncomfortable."

"Right…. a strange feeling that's hard to describe as comfortable."

(Well, it's fine as long as we can move.)

"Woof."

"Pii."

Night and Ciel were adjusting their fur and feathers and checking their bodies.

In the meantime, Odis-san, Ruri, and Rill are using magic from inside the ship to deal with the attack of the Dragonia aliens.

Then, suddenly, a voice sounded in our minds.

"Each of you seems to be doing fine. I'm also curious about what space is like, but… you should finish this as soon as possible. As I said before, don't expect us to be able to handle it forever."

"Odis-san?"

The voice was that of Odis-san, which surprised us all.

We were surprised to hear that he could speak directly to the mind like Ouma-san did…

"Is that magic too?"

"Yes, it is. I can see what's going on outside with the equipment in the spaceship and my magic to some extent. So don't worry about stray bullets, just fight."

"Ara, you're so well prepared."

(Okay, then… let's go.)

"Yes!"

With Master Usagi's signal, everyone took off at once using the spaceship as the foothold.

The first step was to use the spaceship as a foothold, so we were able to proceed without any problems, but the speed was still not good.

So, I quickly added some wind magic to propel me forward.

"Whoa!"

It's not the same as a [Magic Armor], but it's very fast.

I wonder if this can be crossed with the lightning attribute of the [Magic Armor]? I'm not sure if I can control it if I try it suddenly, but I think it's worth a try. It might be a good idea to practice it after we settle things down.

While I was thinking about this, Iris-san, Master Usagi, and Night also used their own methods to get to the Dragonia spaceship.

Iris-san is running through space, using the earth attribute magic to create footholds, while Night and Master Usagi use wind magic on their feet to create a foothold in space and move forward at great speed.

Ciel didn't seem to be using any particular magic, but he was just flapping his wings and going very fast as usual. I wonder how…?

When we almost reached the Dragonia spaceships, the enemy seemed to have noticed us, and several energy cannons were pointed at us.

"Mm. I'm sorry, but we're too busy defending the spaceship. You'll have to take care of any attacks coming your way."

"Prediction. No problem. I'll shoot them down for you."

And then, Yuti, who was the only one left standing on Merl-san's spaceship, took up her bow and fired an arrow against the bombardment that was being fired at us.

"[Meteor Shower]."

It was a terrifying series of powerful single-arrow shots called [Death Comet], which were used when the Dragonia aliens had attacked before.

The arrows released at a furious pace were sure to pierce through the Dragonia aliens' bombardment and damage the spaceship itself.

(Hmph… As expected of a disciple of the "Bow Saint." Iris and I won't lose either, but… Yuuya, you should do your best too. If you show a disappointing performance, I'll give you even more severe training than before.)

"I-I'll do my best…!"

I was happy to see Yuti's growth, but as a result, I had to work hard too.

In the meantime, when we finally reached the Dragonia spaceship, Iris-san made the first move.

"[Fallen Sky]!"

The slash that was released from below, as if cutting up, accurately slashed through the part of the Dragonia spaceship that looked like an exhaust port on a car.

(Hmph… that's good. Then me too… [Piercing Leg]!"

In the same way, Master Usagi also dexterously used magic to create a foothold and instantly approached the spaceship, and then kicked through the ship's hull, creating a huge hole.

It was the first time I had seen the two of them perform such a feat, but they were all so powerful that they could easily destroy a ship several dozen meters in length.

"Grrrr… Gaaaaa!"

Night rushed in while deploying his [Magic Armor] and pierced the ship's hull with his body!

I don't know why… but I feel like Night is more energetic or stronger than usual… Is it only my imagination?

"Piiiiiiiiii!"

With the usual blue flames on his body, Ciel flew right on top of the Dragonian spaceship and plummeted straight down, piercing its hull.

As everyone destroyed the Dragonia spaceships one by one, I also took out my [World Strike] from the item box to deal with the spaceship in front of me.

It is possible to destroy the spaceship with Sage-san's weapons, such as the [Omni-Sword] and [Absolute Spear], but I chose to use the [World Strike] in order to deal with it without fail.

Besides, since I was dealing with a big target like a spaceship, the [World Strike] would be a good choice.

"Haaaaaahhh!"

While holding the [World Strike] in my hand, I accelerated at once and swung the [World Strike] as if I were pushing up from right under the spaceship.

(Shit…! If this continues… contact headquarters immediately──.)

At that moment, the spaceship created a shield just like the one on Merl-san's spaceship for a split second, but the [World Strike] easily shattered it all and left it in pieces.

Iris-san and Master Usagi widened their eyes as they witnessed the power of the [World Strike] for the first time.

"T-that's what you were using when you were fighting me before, but it's such a terrible thing!"

(That spaceship was destroyed like a piece of wood… I guess it's one of the Sage's weapons, but that's outrageous…)

So, in the end, I relied on the performance of my weapon, but you'd have to forgive me for that…

When I was feeling that way, I heard Odis-san's voice in my mind again.

"I saw something outrageous… but that's okay. I'd like to hear more about it, but Merl-dono tells you all to come back here right now. We're going to move out from here."

"I understand!"

As per Odis-san's words, we immediately returned to Merl-san's spaceship, and Merl-san took control of the spaceship and immediately left the area.

Part 3

(…There's no sign of spaceships in the vicinity. I think it's safe to say we've escaped.)

"Haah… that's good to hear."

I was relieved hearing Merl-san's words, and was finally able to relax my shoulders.

"But why were we ambushed, anyway?"

(As I said before, they calculated the distance we traveled by warp from our path. Immediately after the warp is deactivated, the spaceship has no choice but to be in a vulnerable situation…)

It's true, as Merl-san said, we were sitting in our seats when the warp was deactivated, and more importantly, the ambushers could just aim at us and attack.

(However, since there are several possible locations for us to release the warp besides the place where we were ambushed, the Dragonias must have been waiting in several units. Fortunately, thanks to that, the number of spaceships waiting in ambush was small…)

It seemed that as a result of a combination of various luck, we were able to get through this safely.

I didn't expect to be attacked at that moment, but it was still a great experience to be able to battle in space.

I don't know what will happen next time we fight the Dragonias, but I think I will be able to move better.

As I was thinking about this, I suddenly had a strange feeling.

"H-hmm? W-what is it?"

"Yuuya-kun? What's wrong?"

Iris-san, who noticed my strange reaction, called out to me.

However, I don't know what to say… I feel strangely shivery.

"Um… I can't really describe it, but I feel like something is calling me."

"Something?"

"──It's the Sage's sign."

"Ouma-san?"

Then Ouma-san, who had been sleeping at his own pace despite everything that had happened, only woke up at this point.

More importantly, what is Sage-san's sign?

When all of us were surprised by Ouma-san's words, he continued on, yawning unconcernedly.

"Fuwah… what? Didn't we go to the cave where the Sage rests before we came to space? It's just that I felt the same vibe as when I was there."

"Could it be… the sign of Sage-san's legacy…?"

It's true that at that time, it was written that the location of the legacy sealed on a certain planet in the universe can be found by approaching… but is it really in this vicinity?

Then Ouma-san turned his gaze to Merl-san.

"Little girl. Proceed in that direction."

"Hey… Ouma-san!?"

"What is it? Don't you ever wonder what the sage's legacy is?"

"No, I'm curious about that, but I'm also curious about Merl-san's homeland…"

I said that, but Merl-san shook her head.

(It's okay, Yuuya-san. Although we were able to avoid the attack by the Dragonias, they will probably come after us soon. So, there is a risk that our current route we are taking to my homeland will be easily predicted. Therefore, I'd like to change course to shift the time and distract the pursuers.)

"I-I see…"

If Merl-san is willing to accept it, I am honestly interested in Sage-san's legacy.

The weapons and magic circuit alone are outrageous, but what in the world did he hide in space?

(By the way, we're close to the sage's sign, aren't we?)

"You're right…"

"It's not that far away. At the rate we're going, we should arrive soon."

(I understand. Then please guide me there.)

Following Merl-san's words, Ouma-san and I worked together to lead the way in the direction of Sage-san's sign.

Eventually, a planet came into view.

Then I noticed that Merl-san, who had been operating the spaceship until now, had a grim expression on her face.

"Um, what's wrong? Could it be that there is a Dragonia alien spaceship…?"

(No, that's not what I mean. Is it a malfunction of the… map? It seems that the planet we're heading to is not shown on this map, which was created using Amel's technology…)

"Hah… but, space is such a big place, it's not surprising that there are places like this, isn't it?"

It was not surprising that there were places that are unknown in the vastness of space.

However, Merl-san shook her head.

(As Yuuya-san said, it's nearly impossible to investigate the entire universe, but this area is one of the most thoroughly investigated places in the universe. That's probably why the Dragonia were able to guess our movements. But I can't believe that such an unknown planet exists not far from this point…)

Even from Merl-san's perspective, the planet that appeared in front of us seemed to be a mysterious existence.

And then Ouma-san, who was listening to the conversation, answered.

"Hmph. That's just natural, I suppose. The Sage's magic has been cast all around here. He probably wanted to make sure that only Yuuya, who is qualified to inherit his legacy, or someone like me, who can sense the sign of the Sage, would be able to reach the place."

"A-amazing… to think that he could deploy magic on this scale…!"

While everyone was amazed by Ouma-san's words, Odis-san was particularly moved by them and raised his voice. He must be interested in that kind of amazing magic because he was a magician.

Anyway, the planet that appeared in front of us was a desolate land of only soil, just like the moon I had seen in the video.

I couldn't see any water, green trees, or even any signs of life, but I could see a strange structure standing there.

The fact that I could see it even from a distance meant that it was huge.

That's──.

"Is that a… temple?"

It was a magnificent building surrounded by large pillars, just like the Parthenon that I had seen in videos and pictures.

＊＊＊

While Yuuya and the others were traveling through space, Lexia and the others were returning to the Regal Kingdom in the different world.

Lexia and the others, who had just returned, were told that Orghis wanted to talk to them and were taken to a private room.

"You've come back. How are you doing? Are you enjoying the country a bit?"

"Yes. I think it's a nice, lively country."

After the attacks by Quarro and Avis, the entire country could have been in a state of fear, but the people of Regal knew their role and were concentrating on reconstruction activities.

Lexia and the others were surprised to see the resilient side of the people of Regal.

When Orghis heard these words, he nodded in satisfaction.

"Yes. I love this country, too. The people are truly wonderful."

"By the way, Orghis-sama? I heard you wanted to talk to me…"

"Umu…"

With Lexia's urging, Orghis nodded gravely and told her about the council that had been decided while Lexia and the others were away.

"Actually… I have decided to hold the [King's Council]."

"Eh?"

"[King's Council]?"

Lexia was surprised by Orghis's words, but the words were unfamiliar to Luna and Mai, so they looked at each other and tilted their heads.

"Orghis-sama, could it be that… you are going to announce the fact that you have summoned a saint to the Kings all over the world? But if you do that, there will be Kings who will condemn you for it…"

"I'm prepared for that."

Already determined, Orghis nodded without hesitation.

"If I open this council, I will be scorned upon by many of the Kings. But I can't keep it a secret anymore."

"…I see that you have already made up your mind. So, did you call me here to report that?"

"No, that's part of it, but I would like Lexia-dono and the others to be present at the meeting too."

"Us too?"

Lexia was surprised by the request from Orghis, but Orghis continued without concern.

"Yes. Of course, we are going to talk about Evil at this meeting, but it will be hard for people to believe my words alone. Besides… we'll also be discussing about Yuuya-dono."

"Yuuya-sama?"

"He's not a Holy, but he's a special person who can resist the Evil… Lexia-dono may want to hide his existence from the outside world, but I think it should be announced to the Kings."

Orghis looked straight at Lexia and told her this.

Lexia also looked back at Orghis, but… Lexia did not realize that she had forgotten to tell Orghis about something.

Of course, Lexia knew that the Evil had been destroyed, but soon afterward, she went to the Earth and witnessed a shocking event that made her forget about the Evil, and she forgot to inform Orghis that the Evil had been destroyed.

On top of that, when Orghis told her that she should tell the Kings about the greatness of Yuuya, Lexia's enthusiasm was triggered.

As a result, Lexia's reaction was different from what Orghis had imagined.

"Right! Let's make the other Kings understand how amazing Yuuya-sama is!"

"Huh?"

Orghis looked uncomfortable at Lexia's reaction.

Lexia then tilted her head curiously.

"Ara? What's wrong?"

"N-no, um… is that okay? For the Alceria Kingdom, he is like a final secret weapon, isn't he? Maybe he will be recruited by other countries…"

"Yes… if we publicize Yuuya-sama, there will be people who will approach him for his power. But more than that, I think everyone should understand that Yuuya-sama is amazing!"

"S-sigh…"

"And besides, Yuuya-sama and I are engaged! I don't have to worry about him being taken away!"

"You're not engaged to him."

"What, Luna! Is it not good? Is it selfish of me to say so?"

"You're too selfish."

Luna was taken aback by Lexia's words. Mai also smiled bitterly at this side of Lexia.

It was supposed to be a serious consultation for Orghis, but in the end, it was decided that Lexia and the others would participate in the council in a rather sloppy manner.

＊＊＊

Inside the Dragonia mothership, a Dragonia alien was running in a hurry.

When the Dragonia alien reached the room where Draco III was waiting, he hurriedly knocked on the door.

(Your Majesty! I have something to report to you immediately…!)

(Come in.)

After receiving permission, the Draconia alien entered the room and immediately knelt down.

(What do you want?)

(Y-yes! The third unit has received orders from Your Majesty to capture the Amelians and their collaborators, but we've lost contact with one of the platoons…)

(…What? What's going on?)

The Draconian alien was about to be crushed by the enormous pressure emanating from Draco III, but he continued desperately.

(I-it seems that all of them were wiped out in an engagement with the Amel aliens in question. We had received a report that they were going into battle, but communication from that point forward was cut off…)

(We got hit in return, huh.)

Draco III let out a heavy sigh, and the Dragonia who reported it stiffened.

Draco III took no notice of the situation and opened his mouth.

(Good work. Go back now.)

(Y-yes!)

The Draconia bowed again and left the room.

Draco III was left alone, sitting deep in his chair.

(…I guess I've underestimated them. Even though Drade is out, the third unit can't handle it… And this is in a space battle? I had thought that the special environment of the subspace was a major factor in the Drade's defeat, but it seems that this was not the case. The Amelian collaborators must have excellent individual combat skills. That's why they are so much better than my troops at fighting in space…)

After pondering for a while, Draco III eventually came to a decision.

(A change of plans. Although we could not take the blueprints from the Amelian, we should destroy the planet Amel itself before the blueprint reaches them. It may take a little bit of our strength, but with our current power, we will definitely be able to destroy the planet Amel…)

Unbeknownst to Yuuya and the others, Draco III had finally begun to make his move.

Part 4

After somehow escaping the attack by the Dragonias, we came across a strange temple-like building on a planet. The temple stood alone on the planet, but it's unusual size bothered me more than its appearance.

"Is this really a… human temple?"

As Iris-san noted, the size of the temple didn't look like it was built for humans.

From a distance, I could see that there was only one entrance. There was no door; just a gaping hole that led into the structure.

However, the size of the entrance was strange. It was so huge that even the huge spaceship of the Dragonias that we had just fought could easily fit through it, not to mention Merl-san's spaceship that we were currently on.

In order to explore the planet first, Merl-san lightly operated the panel, and the spaceship landed quietly.

We arrived safely on the planet, but the closer we got to the temple, the more I realized how huge it was. When I stood at the entrance and looked up, I couldn't even see the top of the entrance from directly below.

"T-this is really built by Sage-san, isn't it?"

I was overwhelmed by its size. No matter how I looked at it, I couldn't imagine that it was built for humans…

Even from the alien Merl-san's perspective, the building in front of us seemed strange, and her eyes widened.

(This is the first time I've seen such a strange structure… Was it built for some giant race?)

Yes, as Merl-san said, the size would be more convincing if we were told that it was built for gods or giants.

However, as if to deny our idea, Ouma-san, who landed on the planet with us, shook his head.

"No. This is exactly what the Sage created and what Yuuya should inherit."

"E-even if you say I should inherit it… what was the purpose of building such a large temple?"

"I don't know what he's thinking. Let's just go."

"Wait!"

As Ouma-san walked into the temple without hesitation, we hurriedly followed after him.

Once inside the temple, the walls were covered with a strange, slippery material that looked like marble.

Meanwhile, Odis-san touched the wall and tried to channel some magic power, but he quickly shook his head.

"Fumu… I have no idea what it is. I've never seen anything like this in our world either. But given that this wall is impervious to magic, I'm guessing that this material is used to protect something from magical attacks."

As I was listening to the results of Odis-san's brief analysis, I suddenly heard a tremendous sound. I hurriedly turned my attention towards it and saw Master Usagi kicking at the wall.

"Master Usagi!"

(Mm? Oh, I'm sorry. I've never seen this material before. I was curious about its durability, but I didn't expect it to be… unbreakable.)

"Even if you were curious, would you normally kick it?"

(Don't be so angry. It didn't break, so it's fine, right?)

"That's not the point though!"

Isn't everyone really acting too freely? Or am I just too nervous?

Then, like Odis-san, Merl-san also touched the wall and seemed to be operating her device to check something.

(…This is an unknown material that hasn't been registered in our database. I did a contact analysis, and as Odis-san said, this material is quite resistant to magic power. In addition, as for its strength… Was it called the [Black Hardwood Tree] that grew in the [Great Devil's Nest]? It seems to be even harder than that.)

"It's more than that tree?"

[Black Hardwood Tree] is an extraordinary plant that can not be damaged by Master Usagi's skills or Sage-san's weapon, but this material is harder than that…

I hadn't even gotten to Sage-san's legacy yet, but even here at the entrance, I was already preoccupied with other things.

I couldn't see the ceiling because it's too high so I didn't know what kind of light source was used, but the building was brightly lit… The more I searched, the more strange things I discovered.

"Look at that."

"!?"

As we walked down the corridor for a while, a huge door suddenly appeared in front of us.

It was a door as big as the entrance, with a sci-fi design on the surface.

There were glowing lines running all over the door, rather than otherworldly feel, it gave it a futuristic look.

Or rather…

"W-what's with this door all of a sudden? If it's this big, I think it's strange that we couldn't see it all the way from the entrance…"

Yes, with a door this big, it should be possible to see it from a distance. But at the time we were walking down the corridor so far, we hadn't recognized this door.

Then, Ouma-san considered the reason.

"Perhaps he's setting it up so that if we're lucky enough to slip through the magic that's been cast around here, and someone other than Yuuya or myself enters the temple, they won't be able to get to this door. He must have constructed the magic so that the door would appear only when someone who is qualified to inherit the legacy, such as Yuuya here, visits. If anyone other than Yuuya enters this building, they will continue to go deeper without ever reaching the door."

"Whoa…"

It's indeed Sage-san's legacy, so it's not surprising that he's strict about it. However, it would be a tragedy for those who came here by mistake…

Anyway, it seems that the reason this huge door appeared was because of my presence.

"So, how do I open this door?"

"Just like that time, you can touch it with your hand, and it will do fine."

I nodded at Ouma-san's words and touched the door.

Then──.

"!?"

The moment I touched it, the door slowly began to open, and an intense light flooded out from inside. The light filled my surroundings, and it was so dazzled that I had to cover my face with my arm.

But then I saw a vision of something huge behind the door… falling towards me.

And then ── a voice rang out in my head.

"──You've come…"

"!?"

It was a man's voice, and it sounded very calm.

When I was confused by the sudden situation, the voice continued.

"You seem to be confused, but don't worry. I won't make it worse. As you may have noticed, I am what you called the Sage. My name is Zenovis, but… is more commonly known by my alias as the Sage. Good to see you, my successor."

"!?"

What a surprise, the voice belonged to that Sage-san!

It was so sudden that it made me even more confused, but Sage-san continued.

"Well, there's not much time left. What I want to tell you this time is about this thing I left here. In fact, a long time ago, I landed on a different world called Earth. There, I met a man named Yuunosuke and was able to experience the culture of the planet Earth. It was there that I came into contact with an exciting and unknown concept."

It could even excite Sage-san… What the heck was that?

"So, I did my own research and succeeded in creating something close to that concept… but I was too excited. Argena told me that it was too much for her to manage, so I hid it far away on this planet."

Sage-san? That lighthearted Argena-san… In other words, you have created something that couldn't be left in the different world?

I can't tell how many times I've been surprised by Sage-san's outrageous stories, and I'm sure many more outrageous events will be found in the future.

"In the end, I only used it a few times before I sealed it up on this planet… Still, I'm delighted by it. Well, go ahead and use it."

Sage-san said he was satisfied with it; it must be really outrageous, right…?

As my face tightened up involuntarily, Sage-san's voice gradually faded.

"Now, my successor, who has arrived at this place… enjoy yourself to the fullest. What was mine is now yours──"

As Sage-san's voice faded away, not only me but everyone present endured the intense light, and eventually, the light gradually subsided.

"…Eh?"

As my eyes adjusted to the original brightness, I looked beyond the open door and saw that nothing existed there.

"E-empty?"

"That's ridiculous…"

Ouma-san also walked through the door in disbelief.

We hurriedly followed him into the door, but there was still nothing.

It was just a huge space.

"There is nothing here, is there?"

"There's nothing here."

"…The material of the walls of the room itself is no different from the corridor we've been walking through. Either way, it's an unfamiliar material…"

(It's a bit of a letdown, considering how ostentatious the staging was.)

I still can't believe it, just like Master Usagi said.

"Woof…"

"Buhi."

"Pi?"

Night and the others were also looking around the room, but they couldn't find anything in the end.

Then Ouma-san tilted his head.

"It's strange… Before we opened the door, I could strongly sense the presence of the Sage from the inside of the room, and then all of a sudden that presence disappeared… What the hell is going on?"

As everyone was puzzled by this situation, Iris-san looked at me with a sudden realization.

"Ara? Yuuya-kun, have you ever worn a bracelet like that?"

"Eh?"

I also looked at where Iris-san was looking, and surprisingly, I saw an unfamiliar bracelet on my arm!

"W-what the heck is this?"

I don't remember wearing it at all, so I hurriedly tried to take it off, but…

"Fuh… Nnggh!? Nnngghhhh!"

No matter how hard I pull, it won't come off my arm! No way!

I immediately activated my [Identification] skill and found that it was…

[Contract Bracelet] :: A contract bracelet.

What is the meaning of this skill!

What do you mean the item's name and description are the same! What does the contract say in the first place?

As I was confused by the questions that were coming out of my mouth at an alarming rate, Ouma-san approached the bracelet.

"…I see. The Sage's presence I had felt in this room was from that bracelet…"

"U-um… I mean, what is this?"

"Perhaps the bracelet is the legacy of the Sage. What do you think? Do you know how to use it?"

"Not at all."

"Well, that's just the way he is. He must have set it up so that you'll know how to use it at some point."

"I hope so…"

I tried to use my skills to look into it, but nothing came up, and I also tried to channel my magic power, but it didn't work.

However, if Ouma-san is right and this item is Sage-san's relic, then we have no more business in this place.

When we left the room, the door that had just reappeared just disappeared again like smoke.

"…It really is a strange building. The Sage's magic is unfathomable…"

Odis-san said while observing the door disappearing. Even from the perspective of a magic specialist, Sage-san's magic was still outstanding.

"…Umu. Other than the bracelet in Yuuya's hand, there is no other sign of the Sage in this place."

"Yes… I'm not particularly attracted to anything anymore either."

Whenever I came to this place, I felt as if I was being called by something, but after I got the bracelet, I didn't have that feeling anymore, so I could assume that our business here was over.

"Merl-san, it's been a little long, but we're good to go here. Let's go."

(I understand. From here, we can warp all the way to the area around Amel, so let's leave right away.)

After nodding to Merl-san's words, we left the planet.