Brilliant sunlight poured down. Above, a vivid blue sky spread overhead. From the deck of the full-rigged ship, the water sparkled under the midday sun, and far out on the horizon, towering white clouds peeked into view. Waves crashed against the hull, and the air smelled of brine.

"Ahh, this is great. Now this feels like a real voyage!"

Leaning out over the deck railing, Ren gazed down at the distant water below.

Spray shot up from beneath.

Sleek, streamlined creatures leapt from under the surface — two, then three.

"Oh, dolphins."

"The waters around here sure are peaceful. We haven't run into a single Roaming Beast yet, have we?"

Elise squinted against the intense sun, shielding her eyes.

She was sitting even farther out than Ren — past the railing, perched right on the ship's edge.

"Come over here, Ren. You can see the dolphins way closer from this spot."

"That's dangerous, you know. You'll fall into the ocean."

"I'm fiiine. The sea's this calm, and the ship's so big there's barely any rocking."

The brown-skinned young girl sat on the ship's edge, happily kicking her legs.

"It's been so long since I've been on a ship this big! It's a little slow, but the ride's smooth and the view's amazing, so that's nice. Hey Ren, I want a ship like this too."

"...I mean, if someone's giving one away for free, I wouldn't say no either."

Turning from the railing to look back, Ren took in the full view of their ship.

A full-rigged ship built for ocean voyages.

The sturdy iron plates layered across the hull were presumably designed to withstand combat with large sea creatures. The plates had been treated with anti-rust coating, then painted over with white decorative lacquer, giving the entire vessel a beautiful finish.

A full-rigged ship that gleamed pearl-white under the sun.

Each of its sails was individually adorned with vivid, colorful paintings.

Despite being outfitted for party combat, its exterior rivaled a luxury cruise liner — a work of art. It was a one-of-a-kind full-rigged ship, custom-built on commission from the Sacred Vessel of Canaan Pilgrimage.

"World-class party, all right. And this isn't even city property — it's privately owned by a single party. That's incredible..."

"It is. You should aim to be someone who can own a wonderful ship like this yourself, Ren."

Her golden hair streaming in the sea breeze.

Fear strolled across the deck at an elegant pace, parasol in hand.

"I just spoke with the captain. The voyage is going smoothly. He says we should be able to see the Olvia Continent very soon."

"Already!? We only set out the day before yesterday, and we're arriving this fast?"

"An ordinary sailing ship wouldn't even be halfway there. The weather has been kind, and above all, the 'wind' has been on our side."

Fear looked up at the sails billowing full with wind.

Beyond them —

Sylph, the primordial spirit of wind, was darting playfully through the air. Answering Elies's request, she had been sending wind to propel the full-rigged ship with tremendous force.

"Can't spirit users do the same thing with their spirit tools?"

"They can. But the genuine article's wind is something else entirely."

The Archangel smiled beneath her parasol.

"Elise, listen in on this too — just to make sure we're all clear. This time, we'll be infiltrating The Hegemon City Elmekia by posing as members of the Sacred Vessel of Canaan Pilgrimage."

"Roger. And once we're through the port checkpoint, we're free to do our own thing, right?"

"That's right. The Sacred Vessel of Canaan Pilgrimage has their own business to attend to on their end. Namely, their missionary work for the Spirit Faith."

That was the stated purpose of this expedition to the Hegemon City.

The Spirit Faith had followers all over the world. The Hegemon City Elmekia was no exception. A visit from the holy maiden Elies to those distant followers — that was the official story behind this voyage.

"So basically, the Sacred Vessel of Canaan Pilgrimage is tagging along as Elies's escort and support staff."

"Exactly. That said, we have to actually carry out that cover story convincingly, or we won't fool the Hegemon City. We can't just storm the castle the moment we arrive."

"...Elmekia Dusk's headquarters."

Ren nodded at Fear's explanation and gripped the railing.

A faint tremor in his fingertips. Despite the vast open sea surrounding them, he couldn't shake the feeling of being watched — as if he were already under surveillance.

"When I was at Holy Fiora Journey Academy, the guys in my class — the student knights — they all said the same thing. That their dream was to join Elmekia Dusk. The most prestigious and hardest to enter, where the highest-ranked knights gather. A party of glory."

One could spend a career as a member of the world's greatest party and live a knightly life of glory.

Or one could leave and form a new party of one's own.

Even after departing Elmekia Dusk, the credential of having belonged to that party proved one's strength to the entire world. Recruitment offers from other parties would pour in daily, and training academies would extend invitations to serve as top-tier instructors.

"Proud, disciplined, devoted to self-improvement. The ideal image of knighthood, they called it."

"That is the public face of Elmekia Dusk."

The golden-haired angel leaned back against the railing.

"Of course, it isn't entirely a lie. Having been enrolled at Holy Fiora Journey Academy myself, I have some understanding of human parties. There's no doubt they're first-rate swordsmen. However, Elmekia Dusk seems to have a hidden side that we've yet to uncover."

"Like that light monster, and Anti-Angel Armaments — that whole category of O-PARTS?"

"Finding out is exactly why we're going."

The Archangel turned with an elegant sweep.

Holding down her skirt as it fluttered in the breeze, the golden-haired girl let out a soft laugh.

"But let's not forget the joy of travel itself. Elmekia, the world's greatest city — I'm looking forward to it. After all, I hear fine drinks from every corner of the world gather there."

"That's your priority!?"

"Travel is a wonderful thing. Unfortunately, though..."

Fear tilted her parasol slightly.

Her gaze fell on the door leading from the deck to the ship's cabins.

"Seasickness is one thing you just can't do much about."

"...Re......n......"

The door creaked open weakly.

From behind it emerged a silver-haired girl, her face drained of all color.

"Kyelse? I thought you were sleeping!"

".................."

Kyelse staggered across the deck like a walking corpse.

Then.

The moment she reached Ren, she collapsed against him, spent.

"...I'm going to throw up."

"H-hey!? Hold on — don't cling to me if you're about to puke!"

"Uugh... Why... why does this have to happen to me..."

The dragon girl bit her lip, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes.

The normally fierce and headstrong Kyelse rarely let any weakness show — which, combined with her lovely features and slender frame, made the sight all the more...

...Same as always — she gets ridiculously clingy and cute when she's seasick.

...But she looks so miserable, I can't exactly say that.

Right. When they had set out the day before yesterday, the biggest challenge hadn't been the voyage itself — it had been getting the ship-hating Kyelse onto the vessel in the first place.

"I told you... I said I didn't want to take a ship..."

"Yeah, I know. You put up one hell of a fight the day before yesterday."

First, that morning, Kyelse had broken free of Fear and Elise's binding spell and escaped.

It had taken three hours to find her hiding in the closet of the guest room.

Then another five hours to convince her to come out.

If not for that delay, the ship would have reached the Olvia Continent long ago.

"Uugh..."

"Want to go sit in the shade? The breeze might help you feel better."

"...Okay..."

Holding Kyelse's hand as she clung to him, Ren walked toward the far end of the deck.

They made their way to the mast where the sail cast its shadow, and Ren sat down together with Kyelse.

"I used to think you got seasick because the boat was small. But even a ship this big doesn't help?"

Kyelse was, at her core, an enormous dragon.

Even in her current girl's form, the sensation of being rocked on the ocean in a boat felt profoundly wrong to her dragon nature. Ren had heard during their trip to Heaven that her seasickness was essentially a rejection response.

"There's hardly any rocking at all compared to that little boat from before."

"It's a matter of scale, you see. To a dragon, that little boat and this full-rigged ship aren't all that different."

Fear answered with a wry smile.

And then —

"Hey, hey! Ren! Fear! Kyelse! I can see the Olvia Continent!"

Elise, perched at the bow, pointed forward and let out a cheer.

In that direction —

Even from where Ren sat, he could make out the shadow of a landmass peeking over the horizon.

"It still doesn't feel real, but we're almost there. Once we dock, no more seasickness. That's good news, right, Kyelse?"

"Heh... heheh... heheheh... So the time has finally come..."

The dragon girl's bloodless face twisted into an ominous grin.

"The people who subjected me to this humiliation are on that continent... Fine. All this pent-up frustration — I'll unleash every last bit of it!"

"Scary!? Calm down — we're not going there for an all-out war!"

"...We're not?"

Kyelse's face fell with visible disappointment.

"...What about my frustration?"

"Your face still looks awful, so just sit still."

Soothing the Kyelse leaning against the mast, Ren rose to his feet.

The Olvia Continent. The city where Elmekia Dusk lay in wait was already right before them.

"So then, I wonder what kind of traps are waiting for us."

"Humans do come up with some fun tricks, so I'm a little excited too."

With Fear standing there elegantly under her parasol and Elise leaping back from the bow onto the deck, the two stood before him—and behind them—

"I don't care what it is."

Kyelse's murmur was feeble, but her eyes burned with unmistakable resolve.

"Whatever stands in our way, I'll cut it all down. That's all there is to it."

That was their declaration of war.

Against the military city believed to harbor O-PARTS of unknown origin and that mysterious light monster — a city defended by the world's largest and strongest party, Elmekia Dusk, composed of the highest-ranking knights in the world.

The Hegemon City Elmekia.

A party of just four was about to challenge the world's greatest city, shrouded in mystery.

This was the beginning.

The Olvia Continent.

It was the largest landmass among the world's five great continents.

Unexplored frontiers existed at both the northern and southern tips of the continent, and it was well known that top-tier parties from around the world gathered there, all aiming to conquer those uncharted reaches.

"Hmm, hmm. So the city that flourished along the eastern coast is The Hegemon City Elmekia."

The docks.

While the crew of the pure-white full-rigged ship lowered the anchor, the one holding a colorful tourist pamphlet was Elise.

"This is just the harbor district. Apparently the capital's territory starts past the city wall up ahead."

"...It's already way beyond what I imagined."

Ren looked up at the wall Elise was pointing to and murmured, half dumbfounded.

A colossal city wall encircling the world's largest metropolis. Student District Mystie, where Ren had lived, also had a city wall for keeping Roaming Beasts out, but it was a simple iron fence at best.

This, however, was something else entirely.

"Everything about this place is just overwhelming..."

A city wall that gleamed with light. Sturdy stone slabs were stacked into a solid foundation, and high-level barrier enchantments must have been woven across every inch of its surface.

Ren couldn't even begin to guess what kind of effects those barriers had.

...This isn't just some wall for keeping Roaming Beasts out.

...It's like they built it expecting attacks from angels, demons, and dragons.

This was The Hegemon City Elmekia.

Even before setting foot inside its territory, the city had already given them a taste of its power.

"But Elies, you don't seem all that surprised?"

"I've been here before. There was a time I traveled through all five continents in order, spreading the spirit faith."

A girl adorned in golden vestments.

Close behind her stood her three highest-ranking officers, led by her attendant Healer, Nebirim. Among them were also the Fulltype Thyrus and his student, the Aria Premier.

The Sacred Vessel of Canaan Pilgrimage, led by the holy maiden Elies — counting the spirit faith priests, the ship's crew, and other attendants, the group numbered close to a hundred.

"Let's go. Keep up from behind. Looking around too much will draw attention, so walk with your chest out."

"...Understood."

They headed straight up the slope from the docks. The iron-barred gate was already open, and the Sacred Vessel of Canaan Pilgrimage passed through.

Then—

A thunderous wave of applause and cheers poured out from beyond the towering wall.

"Huh, what's with the applause?"

"The spirit faith has deep roots in every corner of the world. It simply means there are a fair number of believers even within the capital."

Fear gazed at the Sacred Vessel of Canaan Pilgrimage walking ahead of them.

Past the gate, the view that opened up before them was—

"Oh my, what a lovely atmosphere."

A city fragrant with flowers.

Marble-patterned tiles were laid underfoot, and rows of houses with triangular roofs decorated with colorful roof tiles lined the streets.

Market stalls filled the plazas, and beside them, tourists applauded street performers.

The sheer number of people on the streets could rival the Holy Land Canaan, but each road was wide, and plazas and parks were scattered everywhere, so there was none of the suffocating congestion they'd experienced in the Holy Land.

Orderly and beautiful, yet brimming with human energy. That was the city district of The Hegemon City Elmekia.

And now—

Passersby were stopping in their tracks, cheering for Elies in her golden vestments.

Not just the believers among the general public, but tourists and armed party members visiting the capital. Even the plaza's street performers abandoned their acts to rush over.

"Whoa. That's incredible... Is Elies seriously this popular?"

"Indeed. With popularity like this, it makes perfect sense that the Hegemon City extended a welcome to the Sacred Vessel of Canaan Pilgrimage. Elmekia Dusk won't be able to move openly against the Sacred Vessel either, you know."

"So that's why they're nowhere to be seen."

If the words of the Heretic Knight Casadine — who'd said "I'll be waiting in the capital" before they left Heaven — were to be believed, it wouldn't have been strange for the capital's forces to have anticipated their arrival and set up a watch.

Ren had been scanning the area himself, but there wasn't a single knight in black armor anywhere.

That, in turn, was what he found unsettling.

"Elmekia Dusk mostly guards that place over there, apparently."

"Over there?"

"See the castle at the top of the slope? That one."

Elise kept comparing the tourist pamphlet with the scenery in front of her.

What she was looking up at was a solemn, imposing ancient castle.

"Ancient Castle Istalsil. It's where the capital's royal family lives, apparently. It's split into a main castle and a secondary castle, and Elmekia Dusk's base is in the secondary one. So they almost never come down into the city streets. Instead, the ones patrolling the city are special task knights who haven't been promoted to Elmekia Dusk yet."

"...I don't like this."

Kyelse, walking just behind them, murmured that quietly.

"Ren, they're watching us. They've been following behind us."

"Huh?"

"Don't turn around. I've already memorized their scent, so we can check their faces later."

The dragon girl pressed close to his back and whispered.

— Special task knights.

An elite force of seven hundred and twenty who handled the capital's defense.

Though they were collectively called knights, Ren had heard that the unit was balanced with Arias, Enchanters, Spirits, and other roles that made up a standard party.

...And the top seventy-two among them are Elmekia Dusk.

...So in the city streets, the hundreds of lower-ranked ones are the ones watching us.

Sweat slowly seeped into his clenched hands.

No matter how glamorous the city appeared on the surface, underneath it all, Elmekia Dusk's intelligence network was woven through the streets like a spider's web.

"And that over there is what they call the triumphal gate, I think. Looks like it's got some interesting tricks to it."

The castle walls surrounding Ancient Castle Istalsil.

They had a similar feel to the city wall they'd just passed through, but Elise was staring at them with a bold grin.

"That triumphal gate — the fortress wall that keeps intruders out of the castle. The pamphlet lists it as a tourist attraction, but it's definitely not that cute."

"You can tell?"

"Oh, absolutely. That thing isn't built for Roaming Beast defense. It was designed from the start to fight angels, demons, and dragons. They've layered an insane amount of enchantments on it."

Elise stared up at the triumphal gate.

And then, Fear placed a hand on the former Demon King's head.

"Save the fun for when it matters. I told Ren the same thing on the ship — enjoying the sightseeing is important too, you know."

"Well... yeah, I guess."

"It's also an important move for rattling them."

Fear returned the residents' applause with a gentle smile.

"There's no doubt that Elmekia Dusk is the world's premier knight order, and a party that has conquered hidden frontiers all over the world. And the Hegemon City uses their party's prestige to maintain control over the city streets."

"So?"

"If they lay a hand on us — Party 'Knight of Reincarnation' — right here and now, it's Elmekia Dusk who'll get burned, not us. If they try to seize a party that's simply visiting the Hegemon City, the city residents are going to find that very suspicious, wouldn't you say?"

"...I see."

From Elmekia Dusk's perspective, they'd want to frame it as self-defense.

If they could claim they were apprehending the Party "Knight of Reincarnation" for causing trouble in the capital, then neither the civilians nor the other parties would bat an eye.

In fact, they'd just be adding one more achievement to their record of protecting the capital.

"As long as we don't make the first move, all they can do is keep watching us."

"Precisely. So as long as we don't provoke them, we're free to explore the city at our leisure. Let's enjoy the sightseeing for now. It'll keep them on edge too."

Right in the heart of the city.

A luxury auberge facing a large fountain plaza. It was a four-story lodging, and the second through fourth floors had been reserved entirely for the Sacred Vessel of Canaan Pilgrimage — and for Ren's group.

"Now then, once we drop off our things, it's time for sightseeing."

"Sounds great, sounds great! I want to see everything! I hope they've got rare stuff."

"...You two have absolutely no sense of urgency. What's so fun about sightseeing in a human city?"

The Archangel and the former Demon King made their preparations with gusto.

Watching her companions, Kyelse let out a massive sigh.

"Huh, Kyelse? You still have leftover seasickness?"

"That's not it. I'm just not used to places with this many humans. I can't understand Fear and Elise's desire to enjoy sightseeing either... At least if the goal were reconnaissance, that would make more sense to me."

The dragon girl grabbed his hand tightly.

"That is the goal, technically."

"Exactly. Ren, don't listen to Fear and Elise. We came here for reconnaissance, remember? Don't let your guard down."

One hour later.

"Delicious! Ren, this thing called cotton candy is delicious!"

There was Kyelse, eyes sparkling at the candy she'd bought from a street stall.

Clinging desperately to his arm as he tried to move on.

"Ren, one more! Just one more!"

"That's your ninth one, you know?"

"This sweetness and texture I've never experienced before. Ahh... sightseeing really is wonderful."

"You were saying the exact opposite earlier!?"

"B-but... the confections here are just so good."

Kyelse's cheeks flushed faintly.

But even as she showed that hint of embarrassment, her eyes were already fixed on a line of people further ahead.

"Ren, there's a line at that cake shop. Which means—"

"Which means?"

"It must be a famous place. Let's line up too!"

The dragon girl dashed off, eyes sparkling. She seemed to be putting her dragon sense of smell to full use, sniffing out every confection shop in the capital with remarkable precision.

"Ahh, this is so much fun. My world confection tour has truly reached its climax."

"The whole reason we came here has completely changed!?"

"Calm down, Ren."

Holding a fresh cotton candy in each hand—

"Our mission right now is to observe this capital, correct? In that case, walking around the city streets and broadening our knowledge like this is perfectly logical."

"I mean, sure, but... something doesn't sit right..."

"Oh. There's another good smell from over there."

The dragon princess whipped around.

"Let's go, Ren! Don't fall behind!"

"Ah, wait, Kyelse! I should really go check on Elise and Fear—"

But it was already too late.

Watching Kyelse's back disappear into the next plaza in a flash, Ren heaved a deep sigh.

"...And she's gone. Well, Kyelse can handle herself."

Since splitting from Elise and Fear at the auberge, he'd been stuck with Kyelse the entire time and hadn't regrouped with the other two once.

Surveying the capital.

Which buildings were where in the city streets, where the special task knights were concentrated, whether there were any suspicious facilities under heavy guard.

But the city was far too vast for the four of them to investigate together.

So they'd split up — Kyelse taking the eastern side of the city, Elise the center, and Fear the west — covering all three areas simultaneously.

"Alright, next up I'll find Elise. She's the closest. She said she'd focus on the area around the inn, but the question is where she actually ended up..."

Heading in the opposite direction from where Kyelse had run off, Ren started walking back along the street toward the auberge.

He looked up at the darkening sky as he made his way to the city center.

He scanned the area in front of the auberge, but there was no sign of Elise.

"Ugh, this is why I said we should at least decide on a meeting spot. Both Fear and Elise just said 'I'll be at whatever shop you'd expect me at' — what kind of answer is that... Okay, if I'm thinking about where Elise would go, it's gotta be a jewelry shop, right?"

Elise's hobby of admiring gemstones apparently went all the way back to her days as Demon King. The catalyst for the ancient summoning arts that she'd handed Ren was amber infused with the power she'd sealed away during her reign.

"Jewelry shop, jewelry shop..."

A high-end jewelry store, its entrance and walls made entirely of glass.

Even peering in from outside, the only customers appeared to be a noblewoman dressed in obviously upper-class attire and her attendants.

"Not this one, then. Another jewelry shop?"

He carefully scanned the shop signs as he walked, ducking into every jewelry store he spotted to search for Elise, sometimes asking the staff.

"And I still can't find a single trace of her!?"

With an exhausted groan, Ren collapsed onto a bench beside the main avenue.

She was nowhere.

Even when he asked the jewelry shop employees, he couldn't get a single lead on whether she'd visited at all.

"Did Elise get lost or something..."

"I'm right here, though."

"Whoa!?"

His voice cracked as the person in question popped up out of nowhere.

"Where were you?"

"Just checking out shops, and I got a balloon at the plaza! Look, it's amazing. They twist these long, skinny balloons like this and make them into dog shapes!"

The little girl held up the balloon animals with both hands, practically vibrating with excitement.

"That's balloon art."

"Yeah, yeah! I've always loved those."

It was one of the street performances held in the plazas, but Ren never imagined that Elise — a former Demon King — would be in the crowd with human children, enthralled by balloon art.

"I wanna take that performer back to my place in the Underworld. Think he'd come?"

"Uh... I think that would scare him. But seriously, which shops did you visit? I looked everywhere and couldn't find you."

"Ehehe, where do you think?"

Elise flashed a mischievous grin.

"I was checking all the jewelry shops."

"Ooh, good guess! But nope. Come on, there's something else, right? The shop I'd go to first in Elmekia."

"Don't tell me you went for sweets, like Kyelse?"

"Close! But still wrong. Over there — that shop!"

Elise shook her head, looking more and more delighted.

Faced with the former Demon King's expectant, upward gaze, Ren shrugged in surrender.

"Alright, what's the answer?"

"The answer is: a craft shop! I've been looking for a doll for cursework, you see."

"How is that even close!? What do you mean 'a doll for cursework'? There's no way I'd guess that!"

It was a collection fitting for a demon, in a way, but expecting him to figure that out with zero hints was absurd.

"Look, look! The way the limbs are barely hanging on, the perfect amount of mustiness — this is a genuine antique curse doll. What a find. You drip one drop of your target's blood onto the straw doll, pray for three days and three nights, and then just snap the doll in half after the ritual, and... Oh, but maybe it's more fun if the results are a surprise? Fine, fine — I'll give you one as a special gift, so try it out!"

"No thanks! If I took something like that, I'd be the one getting cursed!"

"But it's so cute?"

"...I really don't think 'cute' is the word for that."

Elise happily showed off the cursed straw dolls stuffed into her backpack.

"Are you heading back to the auberge yet, Elise?"

"No way! I've got tons more to see. Next stop: jewelry shops, for real this time!"

"Hey, Elise!?"

"It's fiiine. I'll be back by dinner!"

The former Demon King skipped off down the sidewalk.

"Man... Kyelse and Elise both — I get that the idea was to enjoy sightseeing while doing recon, but aren't they enjoying it a little too wholeheartedly?"

He wondered whether they were actually getting any observation of the capital done at all.

"No, it's fine. The last one is Fear. She may seem like she's messing around, but she's serious at her core. She's definitely been checking out the suspicious spots around the city!"

He nodded repeatedly, reassuring himself.

Clenching his fist, Ren set off down the avenue in long strides toward the south.

"I'm counting on you, Fear...!"

Spica — a public bar.

A drinking establishment already nearly full by evening, packed with tourists, party members, and sailors.

And there at the counter, squeezed in among the burly sailors—

"Ahaha, more drinks, I need more driiiinks!"

"............"

Ren stared at the thoroughly cheerful Archangel, then let out a stunned sigh.

"Well hellooo? Isn't that Ren? What brings you heeere?"

"...Just... a lot of things. Reality is cruel, and it just hit me hard."

The golden-haired girl beckoned him over with a wave.

Around her, several sailors were slumped over the counter, fast asleep — most likely victims who'd challenged Fear to a drinking contest and been taken down one by one.

"Bartender, one nicely chilled beer for this boy. A glass won't do, so bring out a whole barrel, if you would."

"Whoa, whoa, I'm underage. And a barrel? How much is that!?"

"...Not enough?"

"It's the opposite!"

He waved off the bartender who'd come to confirm the order.

"Ugh... Fear, I was counting on you being the one person who'd actually take the city survey seriously."

"It'sh fiiiine. I'm even perkier after a few drinks, you know."

"You're already slurring!"

"Ahaha. Ren, you're so cute. You're worried about me, aren't youuu?"

Fear leaned in close, looking up at him.

Her softly glowing golden hair, her faintly flushed cheeks and glossy lips. And despite having drunk this much, there wasn't the slightest scent of alcohol on her.

If anything, she gave off a sweet fragrance unlike any perfume—

"Oh my... seeing Ren is making my body all warm."

Without warning, the Archangel reached for the buttons on her blouse.

"Maybe I should take my clothes off."

"Don't you dare——!?"

Fear had already undone the third button when Ren scrambled to stop her.

"...Ren?"

"Calm down, Fear! Getting done in by alcohol isn't like you at all! Weren't you supposed to be super good at holding your drink?"

"It's fine. I'm perfectly calm. I understand what you're saying, Ren."

The golden-haired girl answered with an elegant smile.

"You do!?"

"Yes. In other words, taking my clothes off should happen not here, but somewhere private, just the two of us, nice and slow... Oh my, Ren, how unexpectedly bold of you."

"You don't understand at all!?"

This was hopeless. And somehow, things were heading in a more dangerous direction with him here than they would if she were alone.

"Come on, Fear, we need to head back. Elies and the others are probably already at the inn. We were supposed to meet up tonight and share intel, remember?"

"Hmm... I haven't had nearly enough to drink."

"Okay but what about meeting up with Elies?"

"Don't worry. I believe you can handle it just fine on your own, Ren."

She declared that with absolute confidence.

Then she slumped onto the counter, cheek propped on her hand, and didn't move.

...Yeah, there's no moving her.

...Fear's going to be out of commission for the night.

"Kyelse and Elise should be back at the inn by now, at least. We were supposed to have everyone together to plan tomorrow with Elies, but... guess we'll have to do it without Fear."

Shoulders slumped, Ren left the bar behind.

The fourth floor of the auberge.

In the parlor of the floor reserved by the Sacred Vessel of Canaan Pilgrimage—

"I'm not saying don't go sightseeing."

"...Yeah."

"I know your companions are the Three Princesses of the End War, and I have some understanding of how strong they are. I get that even if one of them walked the capital alone, they wouldn't be captured easily. That much makes sense."

"...Yeah."

"But don't you think proper coordination as a party is still important?"

"...You're absolutely right."

There stood Elies, arms folded and straight-backed, with Ren sitting formally on the floor before her.

Elies had gone past exasperation to a wry smile.

Ren, for his part, could only nod at her words.

"Dragon Princess Kyelse?"

"...Binging on sweets."

"Former Demon King Elise?"

"...Buying up creepy curse dolls."

"What about Archangel Fear? That angel doesn't exactly look well-behaved."

"...Passed out drunk at a bar."

"Who am I even supposed to trust anymore?"

All three were still in progress, by the way. None of them had returned to the inn yet, so Ren had asked Elies's subordinates to go fetch them.

"Well, I suppose I could take it as a sign of how confident they are — and that's reassuring in its own way."

The holy maiden let out a deep breath, arms still folded.

"But your companions are being way too careless, don't you think? Don't forget — this is the heart of enemy territory."

"I'll be more careful..."

Standing in for the Three Princesses who were absent, Ren bowed his head deeply.

Morning sunlight streamed in through the curtains.

From the slightly open window came the chirping of small birds perched in the trees outside.

Feeling the calm, crisp breeze—

"Ren, wake up. It's morning."

"...Mm."

A voice coming from close enough to feel their breath.

"Elise and Fear already went down to the dining hall on the first floor. We should go too."

"Yeah, got i——Kyelse!?"

"What? Why the ridiculous shriek?"

A silver-haired girl, wrapped up in the same thin blanket as him.

Face to face, at that. Pressed so close together that even the slightest movement would have let their bangs brush against each other.

"...When did you—?"

"You saw me come back properly in the middle of the night. One of Elies's subordinates even came to pick me up."

"Th-that's not what I mean."

This luxury auberge had the second through fourth floors reserved for them. Each of them had their own room, and Ren was sure he'd gone to bed alone last night.

"...Did you sneak in during the night?"

"It's a dragon's instinct. I told you I sleep better with someone else around."

"What about the lock?"

"It was broken."

"That wasn't broken, you brok... no, never mind. Forget it."

"I slept well, thanks to you."

Kyelse stood up in her white lace negligee.

She squinted against the sunlight through the window and started lifting the hem of her negligee, then caught herself and whirled around.

"I-I'm changing!"

"...Yeah, yeah. I'll head down to the first floor then."

Prompted by the faintly blushing girl, Ren made his way down the inn's staircase.

From the second floor to the dining hall on the first.

"Ah, Ren's up! Over here, over here!"

Elise had staked out a spot in the corner of the dining hall, which held close to a hundred seats.

Fear was sitting right next to her.

"You're so slow, Ren. Elies already ate with her people and left ages ago."

"Really? No wonder the dining hall seems so empty."

The dining hall was filled with the aroma of freshly baked bread.

Seated at the tables were a handful of parties, a group that looked like tourists, and a few families with children — Ren's group included.

"Hey, Fear-senpai. You were drinking all day yesterday too — are you sure it's okay to keep going?"

"Of course. For me, alcohol is like drinking water is for humans."

The Archangel had a wine glass in hand.

"But you seemed pretty hammered yesterday..."

"Did I?"

Fear smiled with amusement.

Still smiling, the angelic girl leaned forward across the table.

"You see that couple sitting three rows behind me, on the right from my perspective?"

"...Y-yeah. They look like a newlywed couple on their honeymoon."

"Those two are Elmekia Dusk surveillance."

"—Huh?"

"Shh. If you turn around that obviously, they'll catch on."

The Archangel settled back into her chair as if nothing had happened.

"While I was at the bar, they did a good job blending in with the other customers, but they only ordered one drink the entire time. And they kept sneaking glances at my every move."

"Fear-senpai, you were faking being drunk the whole time...?"

"If you wanted to drink me under the table, you'd need to bring me every drop of alcohol on this Earth."

Fear closed one eye, wine glass in hand.

"How did things go on your end, Elise?"

"Hmm. Nothing to report on my side."

Elise was buttering a slice of freshly baked bread.

"The city center doesn't seem to have any Elmekia Dusk facilities. I ran all over the place, but I didn't sense even a trace of any suspicious spellwork. ...What about you, Kyelse?"

"The sweets were satisfying, but it was lacking in excitement."

Kyelse, now changed, came over and sat down in the seat next to Ren.

"I went to all that trouble — walking around with my guard completely down, even going out of my way to wander into back alleys where no one could see. And those people just watched from a distance without trying a single thing. Honestly, they could have ambushed me or launched a sneak attack to their hearts' content."

"Right? That would've been way faster."

The Dragon Princess and the former Demon King nodded in agreement.

Next to them, Fear pressed her glossy lips to her glass and nodded with an amused look.

"And that's the situation, Ren."

"...What the hell. So all my worrying was for nothing..."

The three of them hadn't just been goofing around after all.

Fear had identified the surveillance operatives dispatched by Elmekia Dusk.

Elise had investigated the urban area for any suspicious facilities.

Kyelse had even gone so far as to use herself as bait, planning to take down anyone who attacked her.

And they'd kept at it until well into the night.

"...I'm kinda sorry. I might have done you guys wrong."

An indescribable sheepishness washed over him, and Ren scratched the back of his head.

"You three were out there working hard until the middle of the night, and I was the only one who went back early."

"Nah. We were just having fun on the side, right?"

"I got to enjoy plenty of delicious wine, after all."

"And I got to sample all the local sweets. That was satisfying enough."

Kyelse was spreading generous amounts of jam on her bread.

"What's the plan for today?"

"Well. Shall the four of us move together today?"

Fear answered without a moment's hesitation.

"We've mostly covered splitting up and canvassing the city yesterday. So let's change it up today and see the city as a group of four. If we change our pattern from yesterday, Elmekia Dusk might change their response too."

"That's fine, but—"

Kyelse, mid-bite into her bread, looked up as if she had something to say.

"If we pass a sweets shop along the way, we're stopping. That's non-negotiable."

"Oh, then I want to go to the jewelry stores again today!"

"And for dinner, we'll toast at a pub, won't we? Ren, is there anywhere you'd like to stop by?"

"...Nah, I'll tag along to wherever you three want to go."

Ren answered with his chin propped on one hand, then bit into the hard-baked bread on his plate.

"But we're sticking together today. I appreciated you all doing your own thing, but trying to track down all three of you yesterday was a nightmare."

The Hegemon City Elmekia — southern side of the city.

A cool, refreshing breeze swept through the sky above.

Beneath it, the streets of the Hegemon City were already buzzing with the energy of its crowds.

"Whoa. It's this packed even in the morning."

The foot traffic never let up. The plazas scattered throughout the city were already filling with tourists drawn to the food stalls and street performers.

Beyond them, several parties huddled together with serious expressions, deep in heated exchanges of intel.

"Hey, hey, Ren — wouldn't you be interested in that shop?"

"A weapons workshop? Yeah, I'd actually love to see that."

A large facility with a chimney belching white smoke.

Elmekia's bustling streets full of tourists and parties were similar to the Holy Land Canaan in that respect, but the weapons workshops here boasted a liveliness the Holy Land never had.

"I'd love to see some black crystal goods. Think they sell them?"

Black crystal — a mineral found only on the Olvia Continent. And aside from the mines near the Hegemon City, there were virtually no other confirmed deposits, making it an exceptionally rare stone.

"Black crystal?"

"You know, the material Elmekia Dusk's black uniforms are made from. Workshops like this should be processing it into weapons."

Ren pointed at the workshop's signboard for Kyelse, who had tilted her head.

"Black crystal is supposed to be really good at retaining spell power compared to other minerals. I think they taught us at Holy Fiora Journey Academy that it's well-suited as a material for spirit implements too."

Defensive spells and barrier spells adhered to it easily.

On the other hand, working it required exquisitely precise craftsmanship — that was the defining trait of black crystal.

"Hmm. So that's why party members are lining up outside the shop like that."

"Must mean it's that powerful."

Even a palm-sized Dagger carried a jaw-dropping price tag.

But the fact that dozens of party members were flocking to the weapons workshop from early morning for exactly that purpose spoke volumes about just how formidable a material black crystal was.

...Even a single black crystal Dagger is nearly impossible to get your hands on.

...And Elmekia Dusk has custom-made battle uniforms for every single member.

The gulf between them as organizations.

A roster so deep no other party could hope to match it, combined with funding and equipment that overwhelmed all competition. That reality hit him whether he liked it or not.

"..."

"Ren, you don't need to be so tense. You needn't worry about the surveillance."

Fear walked beside him with a wry smile.

"They wouldn't attack us in broad daylight. The ones tailing us right now are just surveillance specialists. They aren't even special-ops knights tasked with defending the Hegemon City."

"...I know that, in my head at least."

The surveillance tailing them.

From the moment they'd stepped outside the auberge, the watchers had been keeping a constant distance — sometimes an elderly person, sometimes a young couple — frequently swapping out the tail while maintaining the same gap.

But Ren had only noticed them after Fear pointed out the intelligence operatives.

...The Hegemon City's intelligence operatives.

...They don't just have special-ops knights for defense — they've got covert agents like this too.

And what worried Ren the most:

Despite all their surveying of the Hegemon City, they hadn't spotted a single member of Elmekia Dusk.

"It's unsettling that they haven't shown themselves."

"They're waiting inside that castle. That's what it must mean."

Fear glanced back over her shoulder.

Her gaze rose to the north side of the city. Past the gentle incline of a long uphill road, to what lay beyond.

— Ancient Castle Istalsil.

The impregnable fortress guarded by Elmekia Dusk. Without breaching the stronghold known as the Triumphal Gate, one wasn't even permitted to enter the castle's interior.

"Well, there's no rush... oh?"

Fear stopped mid-sentence, her eyes widening with rare surprise.

She halted in place, staring ahead—

"Ren, that looks interesting over there."

"That plaza? Yeah, it's quite the crowd, but—"

The spot Fear indicated had a complete absence of foot traffic in the surrounding streets.

Everyone had funneled into the plaza.

They were packed in shoulder to shoulder, and still couldn't all fit — people spilled out beyond the plaza's edges. Some watched from second-story windows of nearby houses, others had climbed the surrounding trees for a view.

And it didn't stop there. People kept streaming past the standing group, pouring toward the plaza in an endless flow.

"What is this? There was nothing this lively here yesterday."

"...Ah, could it be!"

Ren responded to Kyelse's murmur and took off running toward the crowd.

He strained to see from the back of the throng toward the center of the plaza.

"I knew it — it's Elies."

An elaborate altar had been set up in the plaza.

Standing at the very top was a girl dressed in golden vestments.

"A spiritual faith sermon, perhaps? But it's more impressive than I expected."

"Yeah. I didn't think this many people would show up either."

Saint Elies stood upon the altar, reciting from a hefty black-bound tome in a singsong voice.

That must have been the scripture of the spiritual faith. Nearly half the people gathered in the plaza clutched similar books as though they were precious treasures.

Among the crowd were armed individuals who looked like party members and girls in robes who appeared to be Arias.

"...I know this is old news at this point, but Elies really is amazing."

Half in a daze.

Ren let out a breath of admiration at the sight of hundreds of devotees filling the plaza.

The holy maiden hailed as the savior of the spiritual faith—

"The priests of the Grand Cathedral spent their days in constant worry over when the faith would wither away."

"The one who became their savior was Saint Elies. Having freely summoned and conversed with spirits since childhood, many of the faithful came to revere her as the holy maiden of the modern era."

In the Main Spirit Palace of the Holy Land Canaan.

Healer Nebirim's account of Elies's accomplishments had been no exaggeration. It drove home the magnitude of the title of holy maiden all over again.

"She really is the symbol of the spirit faith. She certainly draws a crowd."

"Yeah. I'm impressed."

"...But what I mean might be a little different from what you're thinking, Ren."

Fear gave his shoulder a light tap and leaned in close.

"Look at the far side of the plaza."

"—Elmekia Dusk!?"

In the narrow alley between two houses.

Blending into the dim shadows as if they were part of the darkness itself — a knight clad in jet-black battle garb.

The world's largest party, which until now had been keeping itself hidden and silent, had been surveilling Saint Elies and the senior officers around her.

...Their surveillance target is the Sacred Vessel of Canaan Pilgrimage.

...And none of the civilians have noticed, because everyone's captivated by Elies.

"They're most likely a lower-ranked unit, but the fact that Elmekia Dusk has come to conduct reconnaissance in person is quite interesting."

The surveillance on Ren's group so far had been intelligence operatives disguised as ordinary citizens. They probably had some combat training, but their real expertise lay in tailing and observation.

Elmekia Dusk was different. The Hegemon City's pride and joy, this party was a collective of knights who had each mastered the art of combat. There was no way they were here merely to shadow and observe.

If that was the case—

"They're keeping the Sacred Vessel of Canaan Pilgrimage in check...?"

"Yes. This means the Hegemon City side also knows that the holy maiden's visit isn't mere missionary work. It's proof they know Canaan suspects the light monster that attacked the Holy Land was their doing."

They had likely stationed lower-ranked units on standby, ready to respond the moment Elies or the Sacred Vessel of Canaan Pilgrimage made a move.

"Doesn't look like the ones hiding in that alley are the only ones, either."

Kyelse licked the cotton candy she'd bought along the way.

"Those special-ops knights — Elmekia Dusk's lot have been gradually gathering in this plaza. They're comrades of the ones who were tailing us."

"Huh. How can you tell, Kyelse?"

"Don't underestimate a dragon's nose."

The dragon girl puffed out her chest with a look that said she was glad he'd asked.

"I memorized the scent of every human who tailed me yesterday. But there's quite a lot of them. There are already enough blended into the crowd as ordinary people to surround this entire plaza."

"I see. It would be nice if we could turn that to our advantage."

Fear folded her arms, gazing up at the sky as though mulling something over.

"The plazas scattered across The Hegemon City Elmekia. The masses gathering to see the holy maiden, and Elmekia Dusk monitoring them. And if we're going to breach the Triumphal Gate and storm the enemy's stronghold... yes. I think a plan is coming together."

"What's up, Fear-senpai? Sitting there nodding all cryptically by yourself."

"We've learned enough about how the Hegemon City is structured. It would be rude to keep our hosts waiting any longer, so let's go pay them a visit."

Fear closed one eye with a playful expression.

She spun on her heel, turning her back to the plaza, and the golden-haired Archangel strode briskly toward the auberge.

"Our opponents are the world's largest party — Elmekia Dusk. Every member of the organization based in Ancient Castle Istalsil, along with the special-ops knights serving under them, is a top-class swordsman. Against them, our Knight of Reincarnation has just four people. What matters most is timing. The moment to strike is—"

"Tomorrow at dawn, I should think."

Istalsil Outer Keep.

Through the cold, taut air, the raspy voice of an old man echoed and reverberated.

Rank Four, 『Mad Blade』 Naphress.

Meanwhile—

"I've received reports from surveillance that Party 'Knight of Reincarnation' has been scouting the city over the past two days. By now, they should have realized there's nothing of interest in the urban area. Which means they'll attempt to infiltrate the castle... is that it?"

Standing before the old man who leaned on his cane was a middle-aged knight bearing a bastard sword.

He had close-cropped copper-red hair and cold gray eyes. The skin exposed beneath his battle garb had been bronzed by years of training under the scorching sun, darkened to a brown that seemed to merge with his black armor.

Rank Three, Heretic Knight Casadine.

"Their target is almost certainly the discovery of the Eidos production facility, correct?"

"Indeed. From the Hegemon City's perspective, Party "Knight of Reincarnation" is trespassing. Given that this Ancient Castle is our stronghold, the terrain advantage is ours. They'll know that the longer the battle drags on, the worse their position becomes."

"And the defense of the Triumphal Gate?"

"Same as always. The security was designed from the start to withstand retaliation from the three great higher beings — angels, demons, and dragons. Besides, this is an excellent opportunity to gather valuable combat intelligence."

Naphress tapped the floor with his metal cane.

"As they well know, the only entrance to the Ancient Castle is the Triumphal Gate."

An impregnable fortress.

At a glance, it appeared to be a stone-built citadel, but its true nature was an absolute defensive installation guarded by ANCIENTS — spell-based mechanisms.

Furthermore, ballista crews were permanently stationed inside the fortress walls.

Anyone who tried to clear the walls without passing through the Triumphal Gate's doors would be shot down on sight. Naturally, every bolt was inscribed with anti-angel and anti-dragon Markings.

"Even if they commanded angels or led a flight of Wyverns, an aerial assault would be impossible."

"...All thanks to the Epitaph of the Three Sages, then."

Heretic Knight Casadine's voice was a tightly controlled murmur.

"But the Knight of Reincarnation should understand all that. When they attacked Heaven, that Brave Hero's reincarnation identified my equipment as Anti-Angel Armaments at a single glance. Most likely drawing on information from Archangel Fear."

"Quite. Both sides possess the strength and cunning to go for the other's throat."

The old man wore a sinister grin.

"It comes down to a battle of wits. What will tip the scales in the end is—"

"A clash of wills. A contest of sheer stubbornness."

The auberge, second floor.

The golden-haired Archangel sat on the edge of the bed in Ren's room and stated this as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yesterday we split up, and today we surveyed the city as a group of four. But we found no trace of any research facility for Anti-Angel Armaments, nor any place where a light monster might be hiding. Isn't that right, Elise?"

"Yep. Nothing pinged on my spirit sense at all. The only place left is the inside of that castle — Istalsil."

The former Demon King was sprawled out on the bed.

"So we're storming the castle, right?"

"Yes. But all four of us infiltrating together is risky. We have no idea what traps might be waiting inside. Setting aside the Anti-Angel Armaments, we still know almost nothing about the full scope of Elmekia Dusk. That's why we'll use the plan I mentioned earlier. Ren, you're clear on it?"

"...We split into two groups and infiltrate the Ancient Castle at staggered intervals, right?"

Ren nodded toward Fear and crouched down on the spot.

He sat on the carpeted floor with one knee raised.

"By the way, senpai — have you told Elies about this?"

"I've shared the broad strokes. It sounds like the Sacred Vessel of Canaan Pilgrimage plans to operate independently as well, but we've agreed that we'll essentially be acting separately."

"Got it. I think that's the right call too."

Their position and Elies's were fundamentally different.

From the perspective of ordinary people who didn't know any better, it was Party "Knight of Reincarnation" that was playing the villain by storming Elmekia's Ancient Castle. If Elies got involved in that, it would put her reputation as the holy maiden at risk.

"I wish we'd been able to find something in the city..."

Fear crossed her legs on the edge of the bed.

"Right now, we still don't have any definitive proof that the light monster that attacked the Holy Land was an assassin from The Hegemon City Elmekia. Without enough evidence to prove Elmekia Dusk's conspiracy, the moment we break into that castle, we become trespassers. In the Hegemon City's eyes, and in the eyes of every city in the world."

"...It's a gamble. If we can find proof that the light monster that attacked me and Elies was acting on Elmekia Dusk's orders, we win. We can hold the Hegemon City accountable for violating the safety of the Holy Land."

"Yes. But if we can't find that proof, we lose. Party 'Knight of Reincarnation' will be wanted across the world as the infamous criminals who attacked The Hegemon City Elmekia."

Even as she said it, Fear gave a calm smile and a wink.

"But don't worry. Even if you become a wanted man on Earth, I'll extend a special invitation to bring you to Heaven. You could live there free from any human pursuit."

"...Thanks, senpai. But I don't need that kind of safety net just yet."

"Oh? What do you mean?"

"I said it was a gamble a second ago, but honestly — I have no intention of letting this fail. So it'll be fine."

The Archangel tilted her head in surprise.

Secretly amused by Fear's rare startled expression, Ren slowly looked up at the ceiling.

"Even if the four of us got wanted by the whole world, we could probably run away anywhere we wanted to. There are plenty of places where no one would find us. But..."

"But?"

"This party is the Brave Hero Eleline's precious legacy, right?"

The Three Princesses who had fought alongside the Brave Hero three hundred years ago. Three centuries later, in the present day, they had reunited to find the Encore he had left behind. That was this party.

"I don't want to tarnish it. What we're doing is right — I believe that. And I don't want to stain this party's name over something like this. If we stumbled here, I couldn't face the Brave Hero. I want to protect this party. Especially because of that."

"—"

"—"

The Archangel and the former Demon King stared at him, so stunned they forgot to blink.

While they sat speechless—

"Well said."

Gentle fingertips touched his shoulder. Ren turned to find a familiar silver-haired girl standing there with a soft, tender smile.

"That's what's good about you. It's different from that man — from Eleline's overwhelming presence. Ren, that sensibility is something you should cherish."

"Y-you think...?"

"Mm. Anyway, leave tomorrow to me. I'll back you up so you can break through that Triumphal Gate or whatever it's called. Get inside the castle ahead of me."

The Dragon Princess made this declaration with absolute confidence.

"By the way, you can forget about this childish former Demon King being any help."

"Like you're one to talk, Kyelse. Leave it to me, Ren — this kind of mischief is a Demon King's specialty."

The former Demon King sat up in bed.

And then.

"...That was a slip of the tongue. How embarrassing."

Fear twirled a lock of her radiant golden hair around one finger.

A sheepish, flustered smile crossed her face.

"Ren, you're absolutely right. We never needed a contingency plan for failure. We can't afford to fail. We can't afford to stumble here."

"But tomorrow, we're the bad guys, right?"

"Indeed. So let's raise some hell like proper villains. To put a stop to Elmekia Dusk's schemes once and for all."

The golden-haired girl shook her head with an endearing little gesture.

Surrounded by the Dragon Princess, the former Demon King, the Archangel — the strongest princesses representing the Three Worlds.

"We can't afford to lose..."

Ren quietly clenched both fists.