Shia was pointing at «Elisen» with sparkling eyes and said to Hajime. Moving his gaze, indeed a big town floating above the sea had come into his view.
Hajime moved the submarine towards the place with a lot of protruding piers. After leering at the Sea-dweller tribe, human tourists and merchants who became pop-eyed after seeing Hajime riding on an unknown vessel, the party moored at a vacant spot.
The people of the Sea-dweller tribe came before the party, witnessed the tens of unconscious people of Sea-dweller tribe on the submarine’s carrier, and raised a commotion. However, Hajime thought it would be okay because he had explained the situation to the young man, so for the time being, he and the young man unloaded the fainted people onto the pier.
After they did that, fully-armed people of Sea-dweller tribe and human soldiers had already crowded in. The young man took a step forward to explain the situation and began to talk like a big shot. Hajime had wanted to quickly return to Ancadi and meet Kaori’s group so when he watched the young man, he became irritated and said inwardly, “Just decide who will travel with us already!”
Hajime wanted this to end peacefully, but it indeed couldn’t be that smooth. Pushing aside the young man who was confused, the soldiers rushed to the party. Hajime’s party were surrounded without a place to escape on the small pier.
“Be obedient. Let us restrain you until we can clarify the truth.”
“Oi, oi, didn’t you hear the story?”
“Of course. And it is better if we are the one who go to confirm it. There’s no need for you to go.”
Words without any chance of refusal. Hajime became even more irritated, but he controlled himself because here was Myuu’s hometown.
“Listen here. Our companions are waiting for us there. But, even though we want to immediately head to Ancadi, didn’t we come all the way here to return those who mistakenly attacked us?”
“Regardless if it was a misunderstanding or not… even if the kidnapped child is indeed in Ancadi, you’re suspicious because you wandered around Elisen’s territory on an unidentified vessel. There’s no saying you won’t run away on our way to Ancadi, right?”
“What’s with this situation this time? If we want to run away, we can just annihilate these people and escape right after that.”
“There’s also that point. But, it didn’t change that you entered our jurisdiction without permission. Furthermore, you attacked the vigilante corps that discovered you, there’s no way we can release you that easily.”
“It was them who didn’t listen to us and attacked due to their agitation. Even so, you think we would obediently let you restrain us? … just cut it out already.”
Hajime’s eyes narrowed dangerously. The man who seemed to be the leader of the soldiers before him was frowning from the heavy aura overflowing from Hajime.
On the leader’s chest was the badge with Herrlicht Kingdom’s crest, surmising that he was the commander of the regiment sent under pretext of the Kingdom’s protection. Among the Sea-dweller tribe, there were people who might be from the vigilante corps, and they didn’t back away even though they were taken aback by Hajime’s aura.
For Hajime, this place was Myuu’s hometown and he didn’t want any problem in Elisen since he thought it was likely to become the party’s base because they would surely take time to search «Meljeene Bottom Sea Ruin», whose location was unknown. It was the truth that Myuu was in Ancadi, and he understood the suspicion could be solved. However, Hajime’s hostility to the injustice in this world could be called a conditioned reflex. As such, he wouldn’t easily accept this.
It was a truly explosive situation.
Within the raised tension, Hajime thought that he must not rampaging in Myuu’s hometown, and by the time he wanted to concede,
“Nn? Just now…”
With her rabbit-ears moving about, Shia began to look around the sky. Hajime didn’t look away from the commander and asked, “What is it?” However, before Shia could answer him, Hajime also felt a small presence and voice.
“—!”
“Ah? What?”
“—pa— !”
“Oy, it can’t be!?”
“—Papaa~!”
Hajime hurriedly looked up and somehow a small shadow was falling from the empty sky!
With arms spread, the shadow that was free falling full of smile was…
“Myuu-!?”