Published at 17th of August 2019 8:52 am

Volume 15, Chapter 2: Beetles and Sun Rangers

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

Part 1

Saturday, July 3

When Koutarou had invited Yurika to join them for some beetle hunting, she immediately declined. She didn't like exercising and she hated exhausting herself. Yet on the day they left, Yurika was in the group for some reason. With her lack of stamina, she was already out of breath shortly after they started climbing up the mountain path, and she was muttering complaints as she lazily walked in the back of the line.

“W-Why do, I have to, go as well?”

“You're already severely lacking in training, and ever since you started studying you rarely go outside. If you don't move your body every now and then you'll lose your mind, you know.”

“I'd rather, finish reading, my manga, than train.”

“Quit complaining and follow me.”

“O-Okay!”

Yurika had been unable to hide her dissatisfaction, but the words Koutarou had nonchalantly spoken erased it completely.

Shut up and follow me.... I will follow you, Satomi-san... forever... ehehehehe♪

Those words weren't meant in the way Yurika imagined, but they were words she wanted to hear so she completely cheered up.

“Oh Satomi-san, despite what you say, you can't bear being without me, geez♪”

Yurika put her hands on her cheek and began fidgeting. However, Koutarou left her behind as he continued walking. Yurika wasn't the only one he was worried about.

“You too, Clan. You're about as untrained as Yurika and you keep locking yourself up in your laboratory. You're not allowed to fly today.”

Koutarou was equally worried about Clan's health as he was for Yurika's.

Like Yurika, Clan tended to only do what she wanted. While she had been showing consideration towards others as of late, she was lacking in consideration for herself. That's why Koutarou felt that it was his job to pay attention to her.

“I-I know.”

Like Yurika, Clan was also out of breath. The clothes that were easy to move in and the insect catching net she was carrying looked quite nice on her. But even then she was still a sheltered princess; she was out of stamina before they even reached their intended destination.

“In return, once you can't walk anymore, I'll carry you like before. Go ahead and use up your stamina.”

“Once again you tease like that!”

Hearing Koutarou's words, Clan felt like she was being made fun of. However, Koutarou was serious.

“I'm not teasing you. I was the one who invited you, I'll take responsibility.”

“... Y-You better mean it...”

Clan imagined herself being carried like in the past and blushed. But because she was exhausted and out of breath, Koutarou didn't notice.

“When you put it like that, I feel a little sorry.”

That was when Harumi who was walking in front of Koutarou and the other two slowed down and walked next to them, joining their conversation.

“It's okay for you, Sakuraba-senpai.”

“But I'm the only one who has it so easy... I feel sorry.”

Harumi had an apologetic look on her face. She was actually wearing a special device and was using its power to climb the mountain. It's effects were amazing, as she effortlessly climbed up the mountain without using any stamina. That's why she felt bad for Clan despite she herself having it so easy.

“Being born with a weak constitution is different from being untrained. Using a device to make life easier doesn't count.”

“H-He's right... you should conserve your strength, and only use your own power when doing something you really want to do.”

But Koutarou and Clan thought that was for the best. If it wasn't for that device, Harumi wouldn't be able to join today's beetle hunting.

“Thank you very much. Then I'll do just that.”

Moved by their words, tears formed in Harumi's eyes as she bowed deeply. That was when Clan who still wasn't used to being thanked opened her mouth in order to hide her embarrassment.

“S-So how does the PAF feel?!”

PAF, or Power Assist Field, was the name of the device Harumi was using. This device was a new invention Clan had created for Harumi.

The PAF was based on the personal barriers that Clan and Theia used for self-defense. More specifically, it covered Harumi's body with a weaker barrier, and as she moved, it altered its shape in real time to assist with her movement. As a result, Harumi was several times stronger than normal and was able to move so lightly, it was as if she had sprouted wings. Thanks to the barrier's support, she barely used any stamina.

To put it simply, it was like a recreation of the power assist in Koutarou's armor, only it made use of a barrier instead. Of course, since it was replicated using a barrier, its capabilities were far inferior to Koutarou's armor. The output was weaker and the real time transformation of the barrier was slow because of the complicated program it required. However, the PAF had a feature that clearly distinguished it from Koutarou's armor.

The main body of the PAF, the modified barrier generation device, was so small it could be attached to Harumi's belt. Because of that, it could always be used, unlike Koutarou's armor. It could also be easily operated through an on and off switch. On top of that, with its weak output, it could be used for an entire day without any fear of running out of energy. Its most outstanding feature was that regardless of whether the PAF was being used or not, there was no change in Harumi's appearance. In order for the barrier not to stand out, it had been altered to be made transparent. Thanks to that, it could be used in everyday life.

The PAF had been created using ordinary technology, but its use was anything but ordinary. The technology blended in perfectly with everyday life.

“It's wonderful. My body is light, and I don't feel tired at all. Even my strength, look!”

“Woah?!”

Harumi casually hugged Koutarou and easily lifted his body up.

“I can barely feel Satomi-kun's weight. It's amazing.”

“... I'm embarrassed.”

“Eh?”

Harumi had been acting innocently, but Koutarou's words were enough to cause her eyes to shoot wide open.

“Uhm... this is...”

It was now that Harumi realized that she was hugging Koutarou, and her face gradually turned red.

“I-I-I'm sorry! I was so happy it just kind of happened!”

“No... I don't really mind...”

Harumi hurriedly let go of Koutarou and looked down on the ground with embarrassment. Harumi's feelings towards Koutarou had taken form, but she was still not good with direct expressions of her emotions.

“I'm glad there, aren't any problems. If there's something bothering you, let me know, right away. There's always, room for improvement.”

Clan showed a slight smile as she gave Harumi a helping hand. Clan had already regained enough calm to do so, but she was still out of breath as always.

“Okay, thank you very much.”

Harumi regained her smile. Seeing that, Koutarou felt relieved. He felt like he was bullying Harumi when she had been acting so bashful. That's why to leave Harumi be for a moment, he turned to look at Clan again.

“What was the device that Sakuraba-senpai is using called again?”

“PAF.”

“I see, about that PAF. You should put some proper research into it and sell it in Forthorthe.”

“Sell it?”

Clan opened her eyes wide. She had never had the idea of selling one of her inventions before. She would research what she wanted and use it as she pleased, she would also beat others to the punch. That was how Clan used to operate. That's why she was puzzled by Koutarou's words.

“Yeah, that way you can help not only people with weak bodies like Sakuraba-senpai, but the elderly and handicapped as well.”

“I can, help others...”

Since Clan had always been alone, she couldn't properly imagine helping many others. This was another way in which she was sheltered.

“That's right. You'd greatly contribute to society. Just like your grandmother did.”

“Bertorion...”

But by the time Koutarou mentioned her grandmother, Clan had made up her mind.

A decade or so ago when Clan's grandmother had died, she had arranged it so that her entire inheritance was given to charities. Feeling like she could do something similar, Clan of course started wanting to put more research into PAF.

“That's a wonderful idea! I will help as a test subject, Clan-san!”

As Clan made up her mind, Harumi, who had recovered from her embarrassment, offered her assistance. Having had a weak constitution since she was a child, Harumi could imagine just how many people would be helped if PAF could be put to practical use. She also believed that it would be even better if many people worked together, rather than relying on Clan alone.

“Harumi... thank you. I'll be counting on you...”

With Harumi offering her help, Clan was greatly moved. As a supporter, Harumi didn't have that much influence. Based on Clan's status, Harumi's assistance might be miniscule, but even then, that was enough for Clan. She felt reassured just knowing that Harumi would help.

“However, you don't have much common sense when it comes to money, so don't sell it at too high a price.”

“I already know that!”

“As long as you don't, you're sure to get a ton of support. You'd be one step closer to empress.”

“Eh...?”

Clan's eyes opened wide. She couldn't believe what Koutarou had just said. That's why she asked him in a fluster.

“Bertorion, you don't mind if I become empress instead of Theiamillis-san?!”

Koutarou was Theia's vassal. That's why he should be wishing for Theia to become empress.

Yet, he didn't sound like he did, which Clan couldn't believe.

“The life of the people should be given priority right? That's why the most suitable person should become empress. Compared to that, it doesn't matter who I serve.”

That was only natural to Koutarou. While it was true that he had become Theia's vassal, he had no intention of confusing that with Theia's quality as an empress. If Theia became the empress, yet she lacked the necessary qualities, the people would be unhappy. What was important was the people's happiness, not who was empress.

“The future will decide if you or Theia is the most suited to be empress.”

“... As expected of the Blue Knight, you're strict.”

Clan sighed and smiled wryly.

Koutarou would correct mistakes and show the right way, even if it was his lord that erred; that was his loyalty. Not accepting mistakes and always showing the righteous path. The embodiment of Alaia's ideals. He was a vassal far tougher than your average enemy.

“The Blue Knight's got nothing to do with it.”

“I wonder how many knights there are in this age that could declare that...”

Clan was amazed by Koutarou's unhesitant knightly behavior, but she was secretly very pleased.

Bertorion wishes for me to be a worthy princess...

The most worthy one between Theia and Clan should become empress. But looking at it from a different perspective, it meant that Koutarou wanted Clan to become a worthy princess fit to become empress.

Part 2

Many people were positive towards Harumi using PAF, but there was one who showed a discouraged expression.

“... Unfair, Harumi always gets the fun stuff. Hey, hey, glasses make me something like that too!”

That person was Sanae. She didn't have any complaints about Harumi using the PAF, but it looked fun and she wanted to try too. So with her eyes sparkling she sidled up to Clan.

“S-Sanae, you don't need it.”

While Clan was being pressured by Sanae, she managed to shake her head.

“What does it matter? Don't be so stingy and make one for me too.”

“But you can do it yourself right?”

“Eh? What do you mean?”

“You could just do the same with your spiritual powers. You cover your body with spiritual energy and use your powers to move it.”

“Ah, I see! Glasses, you're smart! I'll give it a try!”

After being taught how the PAF worked, Sanae smiled and held her hands together.

“Transformation!! Kabutonga!!”

Sanae struck a heroic transformation pose. To her, the PAF was just a tool to transform into a hero.

“Amazing, Sanae-chan is glowing!”

“This is the power of a maiden!”

Sanae proudly puffed up her chest. A faint glow, similar to a firefly was emitting from her body. It was the gathered spiritual energy.

“Sanae, hold back your powers a little more so you don't glow. You're standing out like a sore thumb.”

“Ah, right. Like this?”

“Yes, that looks good.”

As Sanae restricted her spiritual energy, the glow faded away. However, the spiritual energy was still enveloping her body.

“Ei!”

“Kyaa Kyaa Kyaa?!”

Sanae hugged the nearby Yurika and lifted her up. While she was a girl and light, she was still weighing close to 50 kilos when adding in her clothes and accessories. Yet Sanae easily lifted Yurika up, something unthinkable considering Sanae's physique.

“Satomi-kun, did you, see that?”

“Y-Yeah... Sanae, you...”

Seeing Sanae like that, Shizuka and Koutarou were at a loss for words. They hadn't been surprised about Sanae being able to lift Yurika, but rather by the spiritual energy she had emitted just before.

Normally, people couldn't see spiritual energy. Just like you can't see ghosts, only those with talent like Koutarou or Shizuka could see it. So if normal people like Yurika and Clan could see it, it meant that so much spiritual energy had gathered that part of it had been converted into light. In other words, the spiritual energy that Sanae had focused in that moment bent the very laws of physics.

Since Koutarou and Shizuka could see spiritual energy, they could see Sanae control it with their very eyes. That was what had surprised them.

“Ow?!”

“Ah, sorry, Yurika. I didn't think there would be branches above.”

“Please look before you lift me up!!”

“Does it hurt?”

“It hurts!!”

Sanae had accomplished something astounding, yet she was completely unaware of the fact and casually chatted away with Yurika.

“So this is what it means to misuse your power...”

“That's not what it means!”

“Kabutonga Sanae's sudden betrayal.”

“You were just being careless!!”

Looking at Sanae and Yurika partially in surprise, partially in amazement, Koutarou caught a glimpse of something flash in the corner of his eye.

“That's...”

As he turned to look that way, he saw Kiriha standing there. She was staring at a card in her hand. It was the card that had flashed.

Part 3

Noticing that Kiriha was looking at her card, Koutarou approached her.

“You're still carrying that thing around?”

“This is my― ,no, this is Kii's treasure after all.”

A lot of people were focused on Sanae and Yurika. Nobody was looking at Koutarou and Kiriha. That's why Kiriha responded with her personality from ten years ago, though more accurately it was now eleven years ago.

“Then keep it tucked away somewhere safe.”

“Are you embarrassed?”

“... Yeah.”

With a slight blush, Koutarou nodded. In response, Kiriha cheerfully smiled.

“Because when I'm looking at this card, it's like I'm saying I'm in love with Onii-chan after all.”

Koutarou felt precisely the way Kiriha had said.

He had been told that the silvery card was one of Kiriha's precious mementos from long ago, he had even heard the detailed circumstances around it. But it wasn't until this year that he learned that it was actually he himself who had given that card to Kiriha during his travels to the past.

As a result, he was well aware what kind of emotions Kiriha was feeling as she stared at the card. That's why the pubescent boy part of Koutarou couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

“If you get it then put it away.”

“Okay. I'm a good woman, so I won't do anything that would trouble Onii-chan.”

While Kiriha happily looked at the troubled Koutarou's expression, she pushed the card in her hand back into her pocket. She then turned the gaze she had when staring at the card to Koutarou.

“H-Hey...”

“Fufufu...”

Kiriha no longer needed to pour her emotions into that card since the person they were directed towards was right in front of her. Kiriha didn't hesitate to redirect those feelings right at him. That gaze full of love and trust troubled Koutarou even more than before.

What should I do with her... well, I guess I should call the end results good...

Koutarou had brought Kiriha with him on this beetle hunt because she hadn't been able to get any rest lately as problems in the underground was taking all of her time. He wanted her to forget about all those problems for today and just take it easy.

“By the way, we walked in the forest just the two of us ten years ago as well.”

“That's true. But we're looking for beetles today, not stars.”

“I'm sure we'll find lots of them. We found the star too after all.”

“I hope so...”

Kiriha smiled like she did ten years ago, and held hands with Koutarou like she had back then. Koutarou was embarrassed by that, but when he thought of it as a compensation for her smile, he quietly held her hand back.

Part 4

From his experience as a kid, Koutarou knew where lots of beetles could be found. It was a secret place that the local children had inherited from the older children. It seemed like they were working hard at breeding this year as well, and within just a few minutes of arriving they had already caught their first beetle.

“Looks like they really are around here.”

Koutarou was holding the newly caught beetle and happily looked around the area. The forest was lit up by the bright summer sun and gave off a very green impression. The wind passed by the trees, rustling their branches, giving off the distinct smell of a forest. The forest that Koutarou had grown so accustomed to during his youth welcomed him in this year as well.

“Alright, now to the next one.”

Koutarou sprang into action looking for his next catch. But after taking two, three steps he realized he should probably put away the beetle he just captured.

“Here, Satomi-kun.”

As if waiting for this moment to come, the insect cage that Koutarou called Henrietta appeared before him.

“Oh?”

“You need this right?”

Maki was the one who had presented the cage to Koutarou. She had opened the cage and was waiting for Koutarou to put the beetle inside.

“Thank you, Aika-san.”

“You're welcome.”

After Koutarou put the beetle inside, Maki swiftly closed the lid, and after hanging the cage off her shoulders, she reached into her pocket.

“Aika-san, the insect―”

“Here.”

As Koutarou was about to enter the thick of the forest, he wanted the insect repellent. However, before he could finish what he was saying, Maki had already pulled the spray bottle out of her pocket. It was as if she knew what he was going to ask for from the very beginning.

“... Aika-san, you get what I want to do, don't you.”

Koutarou felt admiration for Maki as he accepted the spray from her. In the past, Maki had anticipated what Koutarou would do and stayed a step ahead of him. But now, the contract between them had been annulled, and there was no longer a mental connection created by magic between them. Normally, things wouldn't develop like they did before.

“I've started to know again recently. I wonder why?”

Maki didn't have a clear understanding of the reason, she simply knew what Koutarou was going to do. It was as if the contract had been recreated.

But I'm kind of happy about this...

There were two reasons as to why Maki had been able to anticipate Koutarou's actions again.

The first was because they were very compatible with one another to begin with. Maki was capable of loving Koutarou even without the contract. That was just how compatible they were.

What had thrown that compatibility out of whack was the unease that Maki had. Who was she, and was she really allowed to be here? Questions like that blinded Maki and made her unable to anticipate Koutarou's actions. And that unease having been resolved was the second reason.

What removed her unease was the recent establishment of the Satomi band of knights. This provided Maki with a clear sense of who she was and allowed her to accept this as the place she belonged. As a result, she had returned to her normal self and was able to anticipate Koutarou's actions once again.

This is probably what it's like with your destined person...

However, Maki hadn't noticed that. She was simply wondering why so many happy things were happening.

“It's probably because I'm so simple.”

“Please don't ruin my dream. I prefer a more romantic reason.”

“But I don't understand romance.”

Koutarou smiled wryly and dropped his shoulders.

“You really don't understand?”

Maki giggled and quietly looked up at Koutarou. Seeing those eyes, Koutarou's hand moved by reflex.

“I don't. I don't get it at all.”

As Koutarou said that, he placed his hand on top of Maki's head and gently patted her.

“You really do get it, geez...”

Koutarou claimed he didn't understand, but this was exactly what Maki wished for. Maki felt happy as she felt that their hearts were properly reaching one another. She was so happy that she felt like her mind and body would melt from the warmth emitting from Koutarou's hand on her head.

Part 5

In total, there were eight people joining the beetle hunt. They were Koutarou, Sanae, Kiriha, Yurika, Harumi, Clan, Maki and Shizuka. The two that weren't present, Theia and Ruth, were out by the station. They supposedly had some important business to attend to.

A total of 24 beetles had been caught, which meant three beetles per person. Three hours had elapsed since they started, from morning to noon, and it was quite the haul. Of course not everyone had caught the same amount; the most a single person had caught was seven, whilst the least was zero. The group was currently in the middle of showing off their results.

“I-I couldn't even catch a single one...”

“Ho ho ho, there is no need to feel so down, Yurika. I will give you my Kabutonga #2.”

“That's not what I meant, that's not... auu...”

Yurika hadn't caught a single beetle. If she had used magic, she could have caught as many as she wanted, but the result from attempting to capture beetles with her own strength was a big fat zero.

Sanae, who was consoling Yurika, had caught five. She had caught the most among the girls. Since she was able to detect the unique auras of beetles, she could find beetle after beetle. If she had caught every single one she had found, she would have caught the most by far.

“Harumi, how did the controls feel when catching the bugs?”

“It was a little difficult. Because of the barrier, it was like my fingers had gotten thicker.”

“Hmm... In order to perform any delicate work, the barrier might need to vary in thickness.”

“Ah, that would help. I think it would be very helpful when doing stuff like housework.”

Harumi and Clan had caught one and two beetles respectively. But they were more interested in performing an experiment with PAF than capturing beetles. As a result, more of the time was spent performing adjustments and discussing. Combined, they had caught three beetles between them, so the result wasn't all that bad. Together with their experiment you could say it was a big success.

“Kasagi-san, I'm amazed you can pluck flying beetles out of the air.”

“I can manage as long as they're not female.”

“Why not female?”

“Without the horn, don't you think they look like cockroaches? Especially when they're flying.”

“Ahaha, I can kind of understand.”

Using her physical strength, Shizuka could catch beetles where the other girls couldn't. The most impressive catch she had made was by jumping and catching a flying beetle mid-air, that feat was applauded by everyone. She had caught four in total.

Meanwhile, Maki had caught two. She had always been supporting Koutarou, more precisely she had two beetles in the cage. Considering that she was helping out Koutarou all the time, it wasn't a poor result.

“To think you'd catch seven, as expected from my Onii-chan.”

“Kii, how many did you get?”

“Three. I really can't catch them like you can.”

“Catching three using that method is very well done.”

“Is it that great?”

“Yeah. It is.”

“Ehehehe.”

Koutarou had caught seven, the most amongst everyone in the group. Combined with Maki it was nine, so on average they lost to Sanae. On top of that, Sanae was letting the others know where beetles were, so Koutarou felt like Sanae was the true victor.

Finally, Kiriha had caught three beetles. This was the average of everyone's haul, so it was neither good nor bad. Using her sharp observation skills, she captured all the beetles that the others had let escape.

“Alright, this one looks good.”

“What are you going to do with that beetle?”

“This one is the largest, so I figured I'll give it to Clan.”

“You're giving it to Onee-chan? Why?”

“She wants to show Earth's beetles to the kids on the spaceship. In that case, the bigger the better.”

“Hmm, that's wonderful. Then I'll contribute this female beetle, it's the biggest one after all.”

“That sounds good, I'm sure Clan and the kids will love it.”

“Yeah.”

Smiling and nodding at each other, Koutarou and Kiriha approached Clan.

In the end, Koutarou and the others released most of the beetles. They only needed some beetles for Clan to show the children and some for Koutarou to keep. In total, they kept four beetles, two pairs of a male and a female. After taking a picture of the rest, the remaining 20 were set free for the local children that would be visiting the forest.

“... If we sold them we'd at least get some money...”

Yurika shed tears as she stared at the beetles flying away. To her, the beetles looked like 500 yen coins flying into the forest.

“Nijino Yurika, are you really that poor?”

“There's so many mangas I want... Ahh... the money is flying away...”

“How pitiable, to think this is one of Rainbow Heart's arc wizards...”

Maki, who was by Yurika's side, was troubled. Her rival's pathetic appearance hurt her sense of values as a magical girl. Yurika's predecessor, Nana, was someone who Maki could respect as an enemy.

“Yurika-chan, in that case, why don't you join Satomi-kun's band of knights?”

Shizuka thought of Koutarou as Yurika's legal guardian. With Yurika's personality, there wasn't anyone else who could handle her. And to Koutarou, having a troublesome younger sister would be a big plus. That's why she felt it was necessary for both parties.

“That's right. You'll get a salary and you can use that to buy manga.”

Yurika had her salary as a magical girl deducted to pay for repairs on a building she had destroyed in the past, which Sanae had no sympathies for. But Sanae didn't want to see her friend skimping on food to buy manga, only to eventually starve to death. She believed that Koutarou would do something and pushed for Yurika to join the band of knights. She had no consideration for the quality or dignity of the band of knights dropping.

“... But, but, if I rely anymore on Satomi-san, he won't be able to think of me as a proper girl...”

“It's okay, Koutarou never thought of you as a proper girl from the start.”

“That's not okay at all!!”

Yurika and the others were talking about something completely unrelated to beetles. Koutarou was looking at them from a distance, but he suddenly remembered there was something he wanted to hear about.

“Clan, do you have a moment?”

“What is it?”

Koutarou called out to Clan. She was currently looking into the cage containing the large beetles, smiling as she imagined what kind of reactions the children on the spaceship would show, but when Koutarou spoke her name she looked up right away.

“Is it something serious?”

“Yeah.”

As they looked at each other, their expressions turned serious. One could tell the importance of what was about to be discussed from that. As a result, Kiriha and Harumi who were with them wondered what was going on and looked at each other.

“... I want you to tell me about Theia's father.”

“Theiamillis-san's...”

In that moment, Clan’s expression turned stiff. Koutarou was talking about something far more serious than she had expected.

“Elle said he died in an accident, but was it really an accident?”

A while back, Elfaria had told Koutarou that Theia's father had died in an accident. Back then, Koutarou had simply assumed that was the case, but when he thought back on it, he felt like that wasn't all there was to it.

Elfaria was proclaiming disarmament, and her fiancé had died before their wedding. Considering her situation 20 years ago and the timing of the 'accident', Koutarou couldn't shake this bad feeling he was having.

If he asked Elfaria directly, she would probably laugh it off saying that he was overthinking it. That's why he wanted to ask Clan, someone who belonged to a different political faction.

Fortunately, neither Theia nor Ruth were near. The only ones next to them were the tight-lipped Kiriha and Harumi. This was the perfect timing to ask Clan about the details.

Harumi who had listened in opened her eyes wide. Because she was so kind, just learning that Theia had lost her father was enough for her to feel pain.

“...”

“Kurano-san...”

With Harumi like that, Kiriha wordlessly put her hand on Harumi's shoulder. Feeling that, Harumi collected herself. Koutarou wanting Harumi and Kiriha to listen probably meant something important. That's why she couldn't remain shaken up, she had to properly understand.

“In regards to that, I don't have all the information. My guesses will be mixed in, would you be okay with that?”

Clan spoke with a serious expression. It was an expression she rarely showed recently, the expression of a princess facing something serious.

“Yeah, please tell me. It's important.”

Koutarou was the same. He didn't have the expression of a high school student, but of the Blue Knight. It was something that was necessary now.

“... From the information the Schweiger family has, the military were very active before and after the accident.”

In the past, Theia and Elfaria were Clan's rivals. That's why she had a lot of information about them. Amongst that information was also information about Elfaria's fiance.

“Back then, Elfaria-san's proclamation of disarmament was starting to achieve some results just as she ascended the throne. The public opinion was on her side, and she was about to take the disarmament to the next step. Elfaria-san would marry a big shot from the financial world that kept away from the military to make her position clear. At the same time, she was trying to establish a stronger influence in the financial world.”

“So two people that were for the disarmament would marry and amplify each other's influence...”

“At the very least, that's what we believe. In order to stop the military from going out of control, going that far was necessary. Elfaria never had the time to find her own happiness...”

“Just like empress Alaia...”

“Yes...”

Clan looked down sadly. Since they were both women, she understood how Elfaria felt about marriage. Clan in particular knew who Elfaria truly felt for, so she was painfully aware of how she felt.

“However, that should have been inconvenient for the military.”

There, Kiriha entered the conversation. She urged the conversation forward as Koutarou and Clan stopped as Alaia was brought up. Since this was something they didn't want Yurika and the others to hear, they needed to hurry along. That's why Clan continued right away.

“Yes. That's why they tried intervening using all kinds of methods. They would bribe her fiancé's subordinates, expose scandals regarding those related... regardless of whether or not they were true. The media seemed to enjoy writing their articles.”

“Ridiculous... that's not how the Forthorthe's imperial army should act...”

Koutarou grinded his teeth. He was unusually angry. He had a hard time accepting that the imperial army that he had fought alongside with 2,000 years had distorted into something like this.

“... That must be why empress Elfaria was proclaiming disarmament. To return the military to the military you remember, Satomi-kun...”

Harumi instinctively shed tears. She had inherited Alaia's memories, so she couldn't treat this as someone else's problem. Her tears wouldn't stop as she thought of how Elfaria and Alaia felt.

“And that was when the traffic accident in question happened.”

“Which means... Clan, that accident was...”

“... The Schweiger family sees it as a plot by the military.”

Clan's Schweiger family was different from Theia and Elfaria's Mastir family, and they had different channels for information. Analyzing the information they had gotten through their channels, the Schweiger family reached a conclusion. Elfaria's fiancé's death was an assassination orchestrated by the military and disguised as a traffic accident.

At the time, Elfaria's disarmament was seeing some success, and the populous thought highly of their empress. If the military let Elfaria run free any longer, they would be limited even further and connections with various industries would be cut. To the military who had absorbed part of the industrial world and were developing on their own, this was unacceptable. So they used all kinds of methods to get in Elfaria's way, but even then they couldn't stop her. Regardless of how much they obstructed her, Elfaria didn't stop her attempts to return the military to its original state.

Unable to stop Elfaria, the military finally took to using strong measures, which was the assassination of Elfaria's fiancé. If they couldn't stop Elfaria directly, they would destroy her weaker link. Their prime target was her fiancé. He was a civilian and he had a naïve outlook on his physical and political safety. On top of that, they could stop the two great powers of the disarmament factions from uniting. He was an easy and effective target for the military.

“While there is not enough information to confirm this, the Schweiger family has operated on the assumption that it's the truth ever since the incident.”

“And considering that you haven't come into conflict yet, that assumption is not wrong.”

Kiriha continued where Clan left off, and Clan nodded in response.

“That's right, Kii. There's no real evidence, only circumstantial ones. But the circumstantial evidence built up for all these years quite obviously point towards an assassination.”

“Assassination...”

Harumi struggled to find words. In the play and in Alaia's memories, similar scenes had repeatedly happened near her. It caused Harumi great grief and a silent anger as to why something so unjust could be allowed.

“That's all I needed to hear about the accident. Next, why did Elle give birth to Theia through artificial insemination?”

Koutarou was equally angry. A fierce rage burned in his eyes and he felt a duty to keep the military from doing as they pleased. The Blue Knight resting within Koutarou was about to awaken.

“This is just a guess, but... I believe it was a counter against an assassination. And in fact, ever since then there were no more incidents that are believed to be assassination attempts. She also maintained her connection with the financial world.”

The Schweiger family figured there were two primary reasons as to why Elfaria gave birth to Theia.

The first reason was an expression of will to show that assassinations are useless. With fertilized eggs being preserved, even repeated assassinations would have no use. There was also no point in targeting related parties, the only one to target was Elfaria herself. And even if they did target Elfaria, the Mastir family wouldn't die out. The Schweiger family believed one of the reasons Theia was born was to let the military know that fact. Whether it had an effect or not remained unclear, but ever since then there had been no more incidents that were believed to be attempted assassinations.

The second reason was to strengthen the connection to the disarmament faction in the financial world. Originally that was supposed to have been done through marriage, but the fiancê was killed in an accident. But if Elfaria gave birth to a child with her fiancé's genes, it would work as a strong appeal to the disarmament faction. And with Theia's birth, both sides worked together more than ever and stood against the military.

This also had a secondary, unexpected effect. The fact that Elfaria had stayed in chastity after losing her fiancé and gave birth to Theia through artificial insemination was very positively seen by the citizens. As a result, the public opinion sided with Elfaria even further. Her already high approval rate skyrocketed.

Because of the complex elements intertwined, Elfaria's momentum increased despite the military's plans. In that kind of situation, the military couldn't go against Elfaria's words, nor could the media. Because of this result, the military would need to lay low for a long time before they could take action again.

“Elle couldn't hold back the military even after doing all of that...”

Elfaria had to make use of marriage as a political tool, and she hadn't given birth to Theia out of love.

She knew that what she was doing wasn't right. The girl Koutarou had met in the past hadn't been that foolish. But Forthorthe's military had grown so powerful that she had no choice but to go that far. Elfaria who continued to fight never had a choice.

“Then after almost two decades, the heat around the military had cooled down enough that they were able to take action again. The military is probably this active because they had been waiting all this time.”

“She only managed to buy a couple of years...”

“Elfaria-san should have traversed quite the dangerous path up until now. So dangerous her own marriage didn't even matter.”

Clan looked down once more. A year ago she had felt nothing for this truth, yet now she was taken aback by a heavy sorrow. The current Clan knew how painful a journey that must have been, and how much she had to sacrifice to get here.

“... So she had to do this to keep the country from turning rotten, huh...”

“In the end, she is the same as Alaia-san. She had no choice but to continue fighting, without any concern for her own happiness.”

“... And that has continued for 20 years, huh...”

The problems around Theia and Elfaria were deeply rooted. On top of that, they were currently chased away from their country, living on the outskirts of space. It was only a matter of time before the military framed them for some crime.

I have to protect them... Theia... Elle... and Forthorthe...

But Koutarou had no intention of backing away. Despite the many hardships ahead, he was planning on forcing through it all.

He wanted to see the girls live their lives happily.

That was why Koutarou was standing here. The reason why he had parted ways with Alaia and returned to the present age.

Part 6

Koutarou and the others left the mountain during the day. While summer had just started, it still got hot during the afternoon. Calling it a day before it becomes too much was an iron rule when it came to fun beetle hunting.

“Sanae, it's hot.”

“It's not hot.”

“Then, it's heavy.”

“It's not heavy.”

“Get off. You don't have to do that after we've been beetle hunting, right?”

“That's why our love is being tested. If you really don't like it then try putting me down.”

“Guess it can't be helped...”

Koutarou was climbing down the mountain while carrying one of the girls. The original plan was to have Clan get a piggyback, but for some reason, Sanae got on his back like it was the natural thing to do. She didn't seem to mind the heat and clung onto his back. Koutarou didn't have any intention of forcibly putting her down either, so he let her do as she pleased.

“... I am a little envious of that honesty...”

Harumi was mumbling to herself as she looked at Koutarou and Sanae from behind. She wasn't good at showing her feelings to others, that's why she felt a little envious of Sanae. That was when Kiriha who was nearby replied to Harumi's mumbling.

“Sanae has done that ever since they met, it's sort of her privilege. It's nothing we can imitate.”

“I heard that she did that ever since she was a ghost.”

“Indeed. However, Sanae isn't the only one with such a privilege, right?”

Kiriha smiled as she said. Kiriha's privilege was a single card. The bonds and feelings reflected in that card showed Kiriha and Koutarou's strong bond.

“Privilege...”

“Sakuraba-senpai's case would be the knitting society, right?”

That was where Yurika joined in. She had on a cheerful smile and gently poked Harumi with her shoulder. She knew that the knitting society was a special place to Harumi where she could be alone with Koutarou.

“N-Nijino-san!”

“There's no need to be embarrassed. Everyone already knows.”

“But in that case, Yurika-chan is at the top.”

“Huh? I am?”

Yurika blinked in confusion as Shizuka pointed that out. After giggling a little, Shizuka told her why.

“Whenever Satomi-kun is about to start something, he always invites Yurika-chan first.”

“And I always suffer for it! It's not a privilege at all!”

“It's a luxury, Nijino Yurika.”

“Even Maki-chan! You're wrong! A privilege is something warmer and kinder! Painful stuff is not a privilege!”

“I understand how you feel, Yurika.”

Koutarou and the others were descending from the mountain in a harmonious atmosphere. It was just another summer day. However, Koutarou and the others knew how valuable that was, and they prayed that days like this would come forever.

However, there were those who were trying to destroy that peace. The first ones to notice it were the two haniwas that served Kiriha.

“Ho! Ho Ho-! This is bad Ho-!”

“Ane-san, sorry for intruding on your fun Ho!”

Karama and Korama had been using camouflage to keep themselves hidden up until now, but as they sensed someone approaching, they appeared in front of Koutarou and the others. If what approached them were normal people they wouldn't have said anything, but sadly, the people were not normal.

“We have detected something on our spiritual energy sensor Ho! The reaction is weak, it is most likely a sensor that they are using Ho!”

“The distance is 200 meters ahead! It seems they are climbing up the mountain path Ho!”

The approaching people was using spiritual energy technology. In other words, they were People of the Earth, or those related to them. They weren't normal, and a quick reaction was necessary.

“Karama, Korama, class II stealth mode. Depending on the situation, we might use sleep mode.”

“Got it!”

“Understood Ho-!”

Kiriha swiftly gave Karama and Korama the order to conceal themselves. At this point, Kiriha suspected that it was likely that the ones approaching were hostile. The reason for that is because Kiriha had forbidden her subordinates that had come to the surface with her from using spiritual energy technology. Because of that, since the ones closing in were using spiritual energy technology, there was a high chance of the ones approaching being from the radical faction.

“Nee-san, this is strange Ho! Their spiritual energy is too unstable. Even if it's a sensor, the resolution would be too weak Ho!”

“I remember this spiritual pattern Ho-! With a 90% probability, it's that fun group of five we've met before Ho!”

“What...”

However, Kiriha's expectations had been betrayed. The ones approaching were neither ally nor foes.

They were from a third faction.

Part 7

Koutarou and the others had been on edge since Karama and Korama's warning, but once the five in question appeared, that tension easily dissolved. While they weren't close, they were people that they had met before.

“What, it's just them...”

“Satomi-kun?”

“What? Do you know them?”

The only ones who hadn't were Maki and Clan. They hadn't seen them before so they looked at the group of five with confused expressions.

“We met them when we were helping out at a hero show a while back.”

“Ah, I've heard Kii mention that before.”

“Then they're actors?”

“Probably.”

As Koutarou was explaining the circumstances to the two, the group if five noticed Koutarou and the others.

“Ah, Kenichi-niichan, aren't those people...”

“They are!! What an unusual place to meet again...”

“No way?! Isn't that Baron-sama and the others?! Damn, if I knew about this, I'd put some more makeup on!!”

“There it is, Megumi's sickness is acting up again.”

“Megu-chan, you're beautiful the way you are.”

Noticing Koutarou and the others, the group of five ran up to them. Their expressions were friendly as if they were meeting with old friends. Koutarou and the others were the same and approached them with short steps.

“Long time no see, everyone!”

The healthy looking young man in the front was Kenichi, the leader of the five.

“Thank you very much for your guidance last year!”

Following him was the shortest of the five, a young boy by the name of Kotarou. He was younger than Kenichi, but the smartest of the group. His hobby was games.

“Ba~ron-samaaa~! You are as manly as always!”

Behind them was the only girl of the group, Megumi, smiling. She easily fell in love with others.

“Megu-chan, you're drooling! Baron-san will hate you if you're like that!”

The giant chasing after Megumi with a handkerchief was Daisaku. He was a man who ate a lot, but he was surprisingly quite sensitive and often covered for the others when they might go out of control. In other words, the leader in name was Kenichi, while the actual leader was Daisaku.

“Don't get too excited, you guys. They'll take you for country bumpkins.”

The man sending cold glances at the other four was Hayato. He liked to act cool, but things often didn’t go as planned thanks to his showy personality. By the way, he was from a village in the mountains, and was the biggest country bumpkin of the five.

These five were always together as they formed a five-man team. The team's name was the Sun Squad, Sun Rangers. They were heroes who had their start two years ago.

“They're still the same... hmm?”

Koutarou was feeling nostalgic as he saw the Sun Rangers acting the same as last year, but he felt like something was off as he looked at them running.

What's with this sensation?

Koutarou gave the five another look. As he did, he soon found out what was so off. Their appearance as they ran was a lot steadier than it had been last year.

“Impressive.”

“It looks like they've trained quite a bit since then. It's like they're completely different people.”

Shizuka had noticed the same thing and was also impressed. That was just how big the Sun Rangers' change had been. There was a stability in their running form and an appropriate position for their center of gravity which were supported by well-trained muscles. They were clearly different from last year. It was proof of their hard training.

And it's not just their movements, they’re not showing any openings. They're also paying attention to their allies. Their teamwork has improved considerably. Did they do a lot of training for actual combat?

Koutarou's intuition told him that they had put up with a lot of unprecedented training for action actors. They seemingly improved their capabilities as soldiers, even though that wasn't something an actor needed. As a result, just the sight of them running was enough to persuade others that they were heroes. Koutarou was surprised by their ambition.

“Long time no see you guys. It looks like you've trained yourself quite a bit.”

“You can tell?!”

Koutarou honestly mentioned that he was impressed, which caused Kenichi's eyes to sparkle with excitement.

“Yeah, you look completely different. You've gotten quite a bit stronger.”

“It's an honor! We tried our hardest to get even one step closer to you!”

“But still, Kenichi-niichan, Baron-san really is exceptional. I can tell now that we're standing here face to face.”

“Of course! Don't lump Baron-sama in with other men! We wouldn't be a match for Baron-sama just from training a little! Ahh~, I want to hurry up and get beaten to a pulp by Baron-sama!!”

“... Daisaku, it seems like Megumi's sickness is worse than usual today, what's going on?”

“This is from before. Ever since the day we went to Baron-san's play, her symptoms have gotten worse.”

The Sun Rangers were unable to hide their excitement from meeting Koutarou in such an unexpected place. But Koutarou wasn't sure what was going on.

“... So, Sun Rangers, what are you doing here? Is it work? Or are you training?”

Troubled, Koutarou asked Kenichi for their circumstances. As he did, the Sun Rangers excitement died down a little as Kenichi answered for the group.

“Well, I can't go into details, but we are looking for something in this area.”

The Sun Rangers was a secret organization created by the government to combat invaders. They had come here today on a mission. Their mission was to find the invaders' base. However, they couldn't reveal that to civilians like Koutarou and the others.

“I see. You sure have it hard.”

However, Koutarou didn't think much of it. He figured they were only looking for a place to record for their hero show. Being obliged to keep secrets because of a contract was common sense for work.

They're searching the area with a spiritual energy sensor... Could the radical faction be planning something on the surface? Or... though I don't want to believe it, could they already have a base here?

Only Kiriha's expression changed after hearing what the Sun Rangers said. Only she had noticed who the Sun Rangers really were. But unless something major happened, Kiriha wouldn't make contact with them. If possible, she didn't want them to find out about her.

“... Karama, maintain stealth mode and follow them. I want to know their objective.”

“... Understood Ho-”

Kiriha ordered one of her haniwas to follow the Sun Rangers. The chances were high that their movements were related to the underground people. She couldn't leave them alone. In contrast to Kiriha's complex emotions, Koutarou and the Sun Rangers were care freely chatting away.

“B-By the way, why is Baron-sama here?!”

“Megu-chan, calm down a little.”

“But, but! We finally meet again!”

“We're here for this.”

“Beetles?”

“Yeah. We want to show Japanese beetles to the children from Clan's country, Clan is that girl in glasses over there.”

“That's wonderful. You've caught some big beetles too.”

“Yeah, amazing isn't it?”

“Yes.”

Hearing that Koutarou was out capturing beetles for children from a foreign country, Kenichi's expression brightened up. The battle between the Sun Rangers and invaders could be called a battle against foreign countries. In that regard, one could say that Koutarou was improving their relations with a foreign country and preemptively stopping battles. In other words, they shared the same goal, but Koutarou was one step ahead. That's why Kenichi thought it was wonderful.

We should strive to be like this as well... for that end, we have to give it our all now!

In order for them to become like Koutarou, they had to complete their own mission. Determination burnt fiercely in Kenichi's eyes.

“Niichan, it's about time we...”

“You're right. Everyone, we're returning to work.”

“Eeeeh?! I finally reunited with Baron-sama, but it's going to end without me being beaten up to a pulp?!”

“Let's bear with it, Megu-chan. If you abandon work, Baron-san will hate you.”

“We don't have much time. We can't just sit here celebrating our reunion.”

It wasn't just Kenichi who had renewed his determination. The other four... the other three shared that feeling.

“That's right. Can I ask you one last thing, Baron-san?”

“What is it, Red Shine?”

“Did you see any strange place, thing, or person over where you were capturing beetles? I don't mind even if it's something minor.”

“I... didn't really see anything that stood out. How about you guys?”

Koutarou didn't have any recollection of anything strange, and when he checked with the girls, all seven shook their heads.

“No one else has either, huh. Sorry, Red Shine, we're of no help.”

“No, that's not true.”

Kenichi didn't get the information he wanted, but he didn't seem discouraged. The Sun Rangers hadn't just trained their bodies, but also their minds.

“I appreciate your cooperation. I am also glad we could meet again.”

“Me too.”

“Then we must be going!”

Kenichi and his four allies saluted in an orderly fashion and left. They looked completely different from before; they looked like actual heroes.

“Hey, Koutarou.”

Sanae climbed up Koutarou's back and muttered.

“Those guys are strange as always, but... I'm sure a lot of things happened to them too.”

“Yeah, probably.”

Just like Koutarou and the others had grown, so too had the Sun Rangers, and visibly so. The backs of the group of five were dignified and powerful.

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