Shiniki No Campiones Volume 4 Chapter 1

Chapter 1 - To Beyond the North Wind 1

Darkness was spreading without end.

Jet black s.p.a.ce. However, countless dots of light were scattered within the darkness. They were like the radiance of stars coloring the s.p.a.ce.

But──the sun G.o.d Apollo talked about the true ident.i.ty of the lights.

「Princess. Every single one of those is gate to a sanctuary.」

「Oh my……」

Ca.s.sandra was astonished.

Both of them were sitting on a carriage side by side.

However the carriage wasn't pulled by horse but by two swans. The pure white sacred birds that were also Apollo's divine messenger were elegantly flapping hteir wing and advanced through the air.

……When Ca.s.sandra noticed, she was already being placed on the swan carriage.

And then, there wasn't the figure of G.o.ddess Athena anywhere.

「Apollo-sama. Where did the princess G.o.ddess of s.h.i.+ning eyes go to?」

「Fufu. You will understand sooner or later.」

The golden haired sun G.o.d dodged the question with the smile of a ruffian that was already looking familiar on his face before pointing straight toward the direction the carriage was heading to.

Scraggy ma.s.s of rock was floating in the jet black sky.

……It was similar with what would be called an asteroid in the s.p.a.ce of earth.

「More importantly right now I have to finish a minor business at there. I'll have you help out again!」

「Ye, yes.」

The captured Ca.s.sandra wasn't being treated roughly.

Apollo was extremely large-hearted as well as overflowing with tolerant in his interaction with her.

But, he didn't show any sign of releasing Ca.s.sandra. He requested her to help with his search of his so called "birthplace". Ca.s.sandra also couldn't possible harm the mood of the sun G.o.d and she followed what she was told.

After a while, the carriage of swans landed down on the land.

As expected, the asteroid's ground only had rock.

Ca.s.sandra walked together with Apollo on top of it while opening her eyes wide.

「My. There is a shrine!」

「A guard is settling down here since who know when.」

The sun G.o.d was heading toward a shrine made from stone.

Several stone pillars that were engraved with carving were lined up, supporting a magnificent stone roof. There was also similar shrine at Ca.s.sandra's birthplace, Troia.

And then, there was a stone stair at the entrance──.

A black haired young man was sitting there. He seemed to be at his early twenty.

There was no divine atmosphere that could be felt from him at all. Was he a human?

Even though the confused Casandra and the brazen Apollo were approaching, the young man didn't lift his face.

He was holding something that seemed to be a small stone slab with both hands and peered into it.

「My?」

Ca.s.sandra noticed. It wasn't a stone slab.

「That is the thing called smartphone isn't it?」

「……It's amazing that you know what this is even though it doesn't look like you're from modern birth.」

The black haired young man finally lifted his face.

He was handsome. Of course he wasn't a match against the sun G.o.d beside her, but he had a look that was worthy to be called a handsome man. But there was obstinacy dwelling in his gaze and expression that he wasn't even trying to hide.

The young man turned a sharp gaze toward Ca.s.sandra's beautiful face.

「You came from a mythological world somewhere aren't you?」

「Yes. I am Ca.s.sandra of Troia.」

「Oh, a famous person huh. The cursed prophet. Even I know you.」

「Is that so?」

「Well yeah. ……Well, there is no signal or Wi-Fi here, but the smartphone is working. Thanks to that I can hear music or play game, it's useful to kill time. It'll be scary when my stockpile of battery and charger is gone though.」

He smoothly spoke of terminologies that could only be heard at earth.

The young man was obviously the same human like Rokuhara Ren or Toba Riona.

「Young man, I ask you one thing.」

Apollo spoke.

「There is no mistake that this place is a singular point of diverse worlds isn't it?」

「That's right. This is a special territory in order to observe the countless existing mythological worlds and the s.p.a.ce distortions that are the gate to them. We call this place the 《observatory》.」

「I believe that previously there was someone else taking residence here though?」

「You mean the previous custodian. That guy was made to take day off.」

The black haired young man smirked.

His smirk was really impudent and filled with hidden meaning.

「Well, he was reluctant to go to a vacation, so he got his a.s.s kicked for a bit──not that, he was given a little bit of push on the back, but at the end he gladly handed over his role. For the time being, I'm the person in charge of this observatory.」

「Oo. So you have confidence in your skill.」

「Please don't joke. You are a G.o.d or hero from somewhere right? I'm not so stupid to boast about my skill in front of someone like you.」

The young man must be sensing the divine atmosphere of the sun G.o.d Apollo.

Even though he didn't even introduce himself as G.o.d, the young man said something like this. However, he didn't show any sign of flinching in front of the radiant G.o.d. He also didn't do any flattery. He also didn't look scared.

Apollo smiled at the really courageous young man.

「I understand. Then let me ask you newcomer. Which one is the gate to the sanctuary that we are seeking──I wish you to teach us by all means.」

Apollo looked up.

Countless dots of light were blinking like stars decorating the night sky. Just some time ago the sun G.o.d himself said that all of those were gates of sanctuary.

On the other hand, the black haired young man frowned,

「That att.i.tude of trying to conclude with 『I'll leave it up to you』 like that, I don't really like it.」

「Hou?」

「Speak in a more concrete way. What kind of world do you want to go to?」

「Certainly. Then Princess Ca.s.sandra, tell him. The world that you saw in your vision──my birthplace Hyperbore, what kind of place it was.」

「Ye, yes-」

Ca.s.sandra was fl.u.s.tered when the talk was suddenly turned toward her.

The young man who had been sitting down all this time suddenly stood up and said 「Wait for a bit」 before entering into the shrine. They waited for a while like that──

He returned bringing a long wooden coffer on his right shoulder.

Surprisingly, it was a large long coffer that was as tall as the young man.

It was created from wooden material that looked really thick and heavy. Even if the inside was empty, it should be really heavy. And yet,

The young man who was shouldering it was walking with light steps.

He walked straight toward Ca.s.sandra without any stagger in his steps. On top of that he placed down the long coffer with a smooth movement. Using one hand casually!

*Zus.h.i.+n*. It was a really heavy sounding sound.

He was an owner of absurd physical strength──no, that wasn't it.

Even though she looked like this Ca.s.sandra was well versed in martial arts too. She somehow sensed it.

Wasn't this stunt possible exactly because he had trained, trained, trained till the extreme his legs and loins with training that went off the rails and obtained an unshakable physique like a large tree no matter when and where?

Could it be──Ca.s.sandra thought.

Even if the man with largest body in Troia tackled with all his strength,

The black haired young man would stop it calmly without even getting moved for an inch wouldn't he──.

「Look at this thing, princess.」

「Oh my. It's some kind of scroll isn't it?」

Inside the long coffer that the young man opened, there were a lot of thin paper scrolls inside.

There wasn't any paper like this in her birthplace Troia. However, she had seen and touched this kind of paper a lot at Rokuhara Ren's world.

Ca.s.sandra nodded. The black haired young man said to her.

「My master──in other words my boss possess unimpeded bodily functionone of the six supernormal Buddhist powers as well as artistic taste. She peered into thousands and tens of thousands of s.p.a.ce distortions one after another and checked each and every one of them what kind of world they're connected to. At that time she would draw the scenery she saw into these scrolls.」

「There is a person who accomplished such grand feat!?」

「Nn, well, she is someone possessing both wisdom and courage, an outrageous genius of everything. She would pain ink painting with touch of realism in a flash relying only on her memory.」

Those should be words that were extolling the『king』 he was serving.

However, the young man spoke it with a fed-up expression instead.

Because the Troia princess thought that it was strange, she noticed. Come to think of it, this young man wouldn't meet Ca.s.sandra's eyes even once.

In that case, she peered into the young man's face──he averted his gaze.

「Excuse me. Have I done something that offended your feeling?」

「No, not at all. Don't mind me. I just don't like any『woman』. More importantly, quickly search for scenery that you have recollection of.」

「Ye, yes.」

Ca.s.sandra reached out into the long coffer while in bewilderment.

When she untied the scroll that was tied with string, a scenery that was drawn with only black ink appeared before her eyes. The scene was vividly described with delicate brush stroke.

A picture of desolate desert. A picture of humid jungle.

A picture of island with stone statues modeled after human head lined up. A picture of horses and wolves running through endless plain. Picture. Picture. Picture. Picture. Picture──

The young man was taking out long coffers filled with picture scrolls one after another.

Ca.s.sandra found "it" inside the third long coffer.

「There is no mistake……this is the one!」

The ocean spread out, with islands of various sizes scattered about sporadically──.

She yelled while staring at that scroll. Right after that, roaring sound and vibration『GOGOGOGOGOGO-!』 came from under her feet.

And then, the countless light dots blinking above──were rapidly approaching.

The sun G.o.d Apollo muttered with an impressed tone.

「Hou. So we're approaching the sanctuary's gate along with this shrine too.」

「Yeah. It's the work of my master. If you find the s.p.a.ce distortion you're looking for, this stopping place that looks like an asteroid will fly until there automatically. Convenient right?」

「It seems that your teacher is a grand sorcerer that rival even the G.o.ds.」

「Well yeah. There'll be nothing to be complained about if she also has proper personality though.」

For some reason the young man sighed at Apollo's praise toward his master.

In any case, a cl.u.s.ter of light was sparkling above Ca.s.sandra and others when they noticed. It was something that they had seen multiple times until now.

Countless lights converged on it and emitted sparkling like a nebula.

The phenomenon called as s.p.a.ce distortion by Rokuhara Ren and others. The gate to a sanctuary. An entrance connected to other world──.

「They've gone.」

The black haired young man murmured.

The golden haired handsome young man and silver haired beautiful princess who unexpectedly came here had departed several minutes ago.

「This time a G.o.d or hero from somewhere went to "that world".」

He was alone once more in the『observatory of s.p.a.ce distortions』.

He shrugged in that extremely isolated territory and commented seriously.

「It's just like what honorable uncle said, that place is really special. Even my master specifically made me to stand guard here!」

2

Kansai Airport──.

It was in a lounge of an airline company.

「Hey Julio.」

Rokuhara Ren spoke to the leader of Campiones a.s.sociation sitting beside him.

「We really have to return to Valencia no matter what? Rather than that I want to go save Ca.s.sandra.」

An easily carried away person who was always easygoing. It would be fine to call that as Rokuhara Ren's trait.

However right now he was looking really dissatisfied. He even expressed a very little amount of irritation while talking to Julio Blandelli.

「We've to quickly search Apollo-san who vanished to somewhere.」

「I understand your feeling but calm down. We don't know where is that Apollo at, so first thing first we should return to our headquarter and prioritize gathering information.」

In contrast Julio was calm like usual.

But Ren showed an expression of discontent even toward the advice of his reliable friend.

「You're right but, right now I want to do things like in the old detective drama. It doesn't feel like I'll be able to stay still for many hours inside airplane to Europe!」

「Old detective drama? Was it j.a.pan's drama?」

「Yep. To search for the criminal, the detective will generally run through the city. Then, while running the investigation will progress by itself and the truth of the incident is coming near.」

「The theme song will be playing while the detective is running isn't it.」

Riona nodded. Of course she remembered the drama of howling to the sun.

And then, she was utterly impressed. Even her goshujin-sama that possessed all three of jovial, energy, and carefree att.i.tudes also had times when he would be irritated.

Even he who would only show easygoing att.i.tude all the time could be like this!

Rokuhara Ren right now was similar to a sulking child. Riona spoke to soothe him down.

「I'm also worried about Princess Ca.s.sandra. But, let's return to the headquarter for now while the airplane can be used. Even this airport was closed until yesterday before it's finally resuming activity now.」

「Yes. Natural disasters are occurring frequently all over the world.」

Julio also added.

「It's really unsure how long the airplanes and s.h.i.+ps will be usable. Abnormal weather, earthquake, tsunami, typhoon──Ren, the "end of the world" that we saw isn't that far from now.」

「……Got it.」

Ren finally let the tension left his shoulders in resignation.

「For now I'll stay quiet on the airplane's seat.」

「You do that. The Inst.i.tution of Divinities has considerately prepared the first cla.s.s seat. The level of comfort should be good.」

「Roger. I'll clear up this pent-up feelings completely sooner or later.」

Rokuhara Ren muttered smoothly.

It was a casual tone that even sounded indifferent.

But the eyes of the G.o.dslayer that was staring to empty air were containing the light of firm determination. Perhaps he──was looking at the shadow of the arch-enemy who he was vowing to find someday.

(Rokuharsan, he is angry?)

Riona tried to secretly imagine.

How would her goshujin-sama behaved when he met the sun G.o.d Apollo once more? But she still had never seen him enraged. It was difficult to imagine.

On the other hand, there was also a n.o.ble who elegantly smiled.

「Ha, ha, ha, ha. Calm down a bit, G.o.dslayer.」

Shoutoku Tais.h.i.+ aka Uyamado no Ouji's──ghost.

The slim and androgynous handsome man had aesthetical appearance.

As an imperial family member of the ancient j.a.pan, he was clad in a robe of orange color for the crown prince. Even if the fact that he was a ghost was omitted, he gave a strong atmosphere of otherworldliness.

「This Apollo kidnapped the silver haired princess due to some kind of expectation. He won't do anything cruel to her.」

「We don't know that.」

Ren retorted to the graceful Umayado no Ouji.

「Even if he doesn't take her life, he might make her go through something horrible.」

「But, Apollo said『I'll guarantee her safety』 when he kidnapped the princess. In that case, that was his oath as G.o.d. O heard that he is a divine spirit of the highest cla.s.s. An act that lightly break the oath he personally made──is impossible.」

「Why?」

「It might lead to him personally dirtying the n.o.bility, the loftiness of his soul that is making him a G.o.d. If he commit such foolishness, his root as sacred G.o.d at the end will──waver.」

「You mean it will be an ident.i.ty crisis for him.」

'I see', Riona comprehended. Umayado no Ouji spoke further.

「Umu. The strength of a G.o.d who appears on the surface world is decided by『how unwavering the self that he possess is』. How far his determination is to carry out his desire──even if he has to destroy all mankind of remake the heaven and earth to achieve it. Know that it's directly related to a G.o.d's strength.」

「I see……」

Rokuhara Ren finally spoke with a refreshed face.

「I get it. For now I'll believe on the crown prince's word.」

「Saying for now is unneeded. Understand it that the wise saying of I who am filled with imperial virtue is equal to the teaching of the great Buddha.」

「Excuse me……」

Umayado no Ouji made a "smug look" with a handsome look that was similar with the image of Maitreya Bodhisattva.

There was a girl who timidly spoke to the legendary imperial prince of the ancient j.a.pan.

「I understand that the world is in danger and Ca.s.sandrsan is in a pinch but……why am I going to Europe too?」

Toba Fumika, the little sister of Toba Riona.

She was sitting on the seat inside the lounge nervously. She was the reincarnation of Tamayori Hime who possessed the disposition as spirit medium. She was a possessor of spiritual power that originated from the lineage of Kamo clan like Riona.

The spirit of Umayado no Ouji told the timid looking Fumika straightly.

「Of course, you're coming as my helper. Strive hard as Tamayori no Hime.」

「But but! En no Gyoujsama has returned back to the realm of the dead a long time ago. He said『It's tiring to stay in the world of the living』. It'll be dangerous if your highness doesn't quickly return!」

「My status as spirit is higher than the ascetic. I can still stay on the surface world.」

Umayado no Ouji hid his mouth with his sleeve while speaking gracefully.

「If the danger of destruction doesn't only approach j.a.pan but the whole world, it's also the duty of the imperial family to offer the hand of salvation to the populace. I shall pitch in and help.」

「But! Didn't your highness say it before this!?」

The Europe voyage that was done under emergency situation.

It seemed the cowardly Fumika feared that and became desperate in her insistence.

「Your highness is a spirit with really deep spiritual tie to j.a.pan, so if you leave this country, perhaps you will become unable to come out to the『front』! Won't it be meaningless to go the──」

「Ha, ha, ha, ha. It's alright.」

Umayado no Ouji laughed with his usual gracefulness and eluded the question.

「Even so if I enter your body, I might be able to give advice at least. Well, if even that is impossible then I'll just enjoy the pleasure jaunt.」

「E, even though we're going to Europe not for sightseeing-」

「You see, actually I've been wanting to tour the foreign countries since the time when I was alive. It's truly delightful that finally my dearest wish will come true.」

「Uuuu-. As I thought that's your true motive……」

Fumika's shoulders dropped. Umayado no Ouji paid her no attention.

Riona listened to the exchange of the two while muttering.

「The prince is of unknown quant.i.ty as a battle strength, but his existence is rea.s.suring. Let's have Fumika act as his helper for a while.」

「We can also put some expectation on Fumika's spirit medium technique.」

Julio prioritized utility rather than emotion and he also nodded.

Setting aside the agitation of one girl, the flight time was approaching near.

「It looks like the plane has departed just as scheduled.」

「So Ren-san and others has gone.」

At the outskirt of Kyoto, Aras.h.i.+yama.

Within a j.a.panese room that lied deep inside the headquarter of Inst.i.tution of Divinities, Seishuuin Maki was facing Takatsukasa Hinako who had become the "leader" both on name and reality.

Hinako-sama who was dressed in kimono like usual spoke with worry.

「It'll be great if they can return safely……」

「In my──in Seishuuin house there is this saying, 『The enemy of G.o.dslayer is G.o.d or fellow G.o.dslayer. Danger to the world is lying in wait no matter where they go』.」

「Aa」

Hinako-sama was reminded of something by the words of the daughter of Seishuuin House.

「Your house has a.s.sociated with Blandelli House of Campiones a.s.sociation since a long time ago wasn't it? Since the time when the founder of that a.s.sociation was still alive.」

「My ancestor studied abroad to Europe. It seemed that he became close with the G.o.dslayer then……」

Seishuuin Maki spoke of the old tale that she learned by hearsay.

「It seems my ancestor was allowed to have audience with the previous generation devil king.」

「My」

「By the way reports came from all branches of Inst.i.tution of Divinities. Every spiritual sight user of cla.s.s 4 above are seeing the omen of『national crisis that will arrive soon』……」

「Soon──will it be in one year, or perhaps half a year……」

「It will be great if it's not in half a month or one month though……」

「Now that you mention it, the shaking this morning was also quite serious……」

Hinako-sama who was past middle-aged and Maki who was in her twenty.

The two women with distant age sighed together and worried about the way the world was heading.

3

Thus, Ren and others returned by flight that took more than twenty hours.

They arrived at Valencia Airport. Although its presence was a bit lacking as an airport inside Spain, they could go immediately to the center of Valencia City where their stronghold was located.

A car of Campiones a.s.sociation came to pick them up.

Right after the car drove toward the city, Julio sitting on the front pa.s.senger seat looked at his wrist.w.a.tch.

「It's still slightly before 2 P.M. Let's go to the headquarter right away.」

「Uuu-. Even though I'm finally at Spain, it's regretful that this is only like snapshot travel of variety show……」

Fumika was dejected at the second row seat inside the large car that could be filled with eight people.

In contrast, her big sister who was sitting beside her Riona told her smoothly.

「By the way, I had sightsee around a lot last time I was here.」

「O, Onee-chan you meanie-. You don't need to boast at this kind of time.」

「After we save earth from the danger of destruction, I'll let Fumika to also have vacation as you please. Work hard in a.s.sisting Umayado no Ouji.」

「But his highness, he isn't saying anything since the plane took off flying.」

The n.o.ble ghost right now was『inside』 the Tamayori Hime, Toba Fumika.

Just like at the fight with Susanoo, by fusing with Fumika who possessed real body, he was able to maintain a stable state──in theory.

Riona pondered.

「As expected it's difficult for him to come to the surface when he is outside j.a.pan.」

「I feel that he at least hasn't vanished though.」

Also, behind the Toba sisters, Rokuhara Ren was sitting on the third row seat.

He monopolized the seating there by himself and stared outside the window unusually quiet. It didn't look like he was in a daze from feeling languid and sleepy because of jet lag.

Riona secretly observed her goshujin-sama through the rearview mirror.

He also didn't talk much inside the plane. His atmosphere was similar to an athlete who was gradually focusing more in preparation toward the coming big match.

(His mood is clearly different from usual……)

Riona thought. The usual Rokuhara Ren would be "like a prince" all the time. Even her handsome face would be neutralized by his easygoing and shallow att.i.tude. For better or worse it was easy to get close to him.

However, his current atmosphere──

(He is more than fitting enough for the prince role isn't it……)

Would it be a good thing or a bad thing at the end?

While Riona harbored both expectation and anxiety and felt bewildered,

「Which reminds me」

Julio who left the driving to his subordinate and sat on the front pa.s.senger seat spoke.

「There is a sentence that is pa.s.sed down within our Campiones a.s.sociation. 『One day the manifestation of gate connected to mythological world will become frequent, and unprecedented danger will attack the world──perhaps. Never let your guard down』, it said.」

「Hmph. Then, the situation has become just like that warning now.」

Ren replied from the seat at the back.

His voice and expression wasn't light like usual.

His voice sounded around thrity percent more sweet and beautiful than usual──. Her little sister beside her seemed to think the same thing and whispered into her ear.

(Rokuharsan, he has a voice that make me want to have him say various things. Actually)

(Please don't hand me a list of strange speech. I don't want to be witness of a scene with that person as savage seme or seducing uke.) (TN: Seme is the dominant partner of h.o.m.os.e.xual relations.h.i.+p while uke is the submissive one)

(W, wait Onee-chan-. Even I won't suddenly ask something like that!)

(Sooner or later you surely will-)

The G.o.dslayer of this generation ignored the conversation of the sisters and conversed with the commander-in-chief.

「The saying can be traced back to the dawn of the a.s.sociation. The G.o.dslayer who was our founder, Caesar Blandelli and his aides seemed to leave behind those words.」

「Even though it will be fast if we can directly ask the people in the past all sorts of things.」

Ren commented to the present boss who talked about the history of the organization.

「That founder person, how many years ago he lived?」

「The era of my ancestor Caesar was the 19th century. It's more than 150 years ago. But Ren, actually you can talk with a higher-up of Campiones a.s.sociation of that time.」

「Eh, how!?」

「That person is far more knowledgeable than me in regard to the G.o.ds and G.o.dslayer. There'll be no harm in trying to ask that person regarding the world that the sun G.o.d Apollo mentioned he is heading to.」

Julio said to the driver「Change of destination」.

「Hou. Hyperborea you say.」

The female knight spoke with dignified voice that was filled with springiness.

Even her nodding gesture was solemn and overflowing with dignity. They were told that she was an existence who had protected the successive generations of Blandelli House's head including Julio until now.

「Queen, please teach us if you know something.」

「Long──in a very long time ago, I heard that name from somewhere. I don't know the detail. That's the only thing that I can say. Forgive me, o descendant of my master.」

The protector spirit who answered Julio had an alias of White Queen.

She was a beauty dressed like man. She was wearing a chainmail, a helmet, and then a white mantel. A long sword was hanging on her waist. She was fully equipped.

Honey colored blonde hair was kept under her helmet.

Her face, voice, and also bearing, everything displayed her as a dignified and beautiful female knight.

「This person is Julio's protector spirit?」

「I am not quite human. Once I was a G.o.d. Because of reasons, I became Caesar Blandelli's knight and right now I'm protecting his descendant.」

The White Queen replied to Ren's words.

「This is the first time I show myself in front of you, Rokuhara Ren.」

「The lightning attack that Julio sometimes fired down was by using Onee-san's power was it? I was also saved thanks to that.」

Ren said his grat.i.tude.

They were in a small chapel at the outskirt of Valencia City.

There was a big mansion and several detached buildings within the same ground. This was a chapel with colorful stained gla.s.ses decorating it, but there was almost nothing else inside.

The only exception was the Doomsday Clock──.

A round mechanical clock with diameter around three meters placed on a pedestal. It was showing that the time was 23:50.

When its hands pointed at twelve o'clock, it was said that the end of the world would come…….

Ren had also seen the watch several times. However, he didn't know that there was a female knight protector spirit in that safekeeping place.

「It's rea.s.suring to have Onee-san as ally but, there is no clue to search for Apollo huh.」

Ren lamented, then he glanced at his best friend.

「Does Julio know anything?」

「There is this kind of legend. Right after Apollo was born, he was ordered by his father Zeus to head to the holy land Delphi. But the son ignored it and headed to a region called Hyperborea. It's said that Apollo stayed at that land for one year.」

「He was suddenly ordered right after he was born?」

「Yeah. The reason isn't mentioned. At that『country located beyond the north wind』 that was hard to be called as civilized, Apollo laid down the law, and bestowed order to the people. That's the reason it's said that Hyperborea was that G.o.d's birthplace.」

「Law……law huh. That story is a bit unlike Apollo-san.」

That was Ren's frank impression. However Julio didn't agree.

「No. From time immemorial, Apollo who possessed moderation and reasoning power in abundance was considered as『the idealized image of young man』. I think it's not unreasonable that he has an aspect of『law's creator』. Well, in Greek mythology he is only the G.o.d of archery, the G.o.d of music, the G.o.d of medicine, the G.o.d of prophecy, and the G.o.d of stock-farming, he has no disposition as G.o.d of law.」

Julio spoke in continuation. Ren grumbled.

「That's a lot of t.i.tle.」

「That's how popular he is as a G.o.d who possess ancient history.」

「Hm?」

Riona tilted her head at the side while the men were having a talk.

「Come to think of it, where did Fumika go?」

「Why is my heart beating his fast……?」

Fumika muttered while wandering.

They didn't even stop by at the metropolis Barcelona that had an airport and came straight to Valencia. But they didn't head to the center of the province that was famous for its orange and paella and instead came to the outskirt that only had vast farm like j.a.pan's countryside.

She was on the ground of a mansion located in a hard to reach place without any neighbor.

Her big sister and Rokuhara Ren were inside a small chapel at the corner. However, Fumika was driven by a strange premonition in her chest and went alone.

She was heading to the largest building on this ground.

It was a two-storied mansion. She went until the entrance and her hand moved toward the heavy and thick wooden door.

「……This is, no good.」

Fumika pulled her hand back.

Even like this she was the spirit medium of the highest cla.s.s, Tamayori Hime. She was also reasonably trained by her big sister Riona's education. Fumika's spiritual sense quickly sensed it.

「The door is sealed with a transcendentally strong protection technique, absolutely. If I try to open it, a dangerous divine punishment at the level of Tutankhamun's curse will come down on me.」

As expected from an important place of Europe's veteran a.s.sociation Campiones.

They had no intention to allow any illegal intrusion. Fumika easily gave up.

「Eh!?」

Some words suddenly floated in her mind.

『Seken koke, yuibutsu zes.h.i.+n』

The world after all was something transient, the only truth was Buddha──.

Those should be the words that Shoutoku Tais.h.i.+ aka Umayado no Ouji liked. And then, spell words were automatically slipping out from Fumika's mouth.

「The precept of non killing must not be violated!」

In short 『Thy shall not kill』.

Fumika gasped. There was no doubt. Umayado no Ouji who was residing in her body──the wise man that was rarely seen even in the history of j.a.pan was bestowing her a divine protection!

And then, she reached toward the door in front of her──.

*DOOOOOOON! DOOOOOOON! DOOOOOOON!*

Thunder roared three times.

「FUEEEEEEH!?」

Fumika covered her head with both her hands thinking that she was struck by the lightning of divine punishment.

However, it seemed there was some kind of Buddha's divine protection on her. She was completely unharmed. Fumika hurriedly opened the door and entered the mansion.

*Giiiiiii──*

The door made a sound and opened without any trouble.

「E, excuse me……」

She entered inside timidly.

Now then, where should she go to inside here──The instant she pondered that.

「So, someone is calling?」

…………re.

…………ver here.

…………Over here──.

Over here, over here. She felt a voice calling her like that. It wasn't through hearing, the voice was calling to Fumika's spiritual ability.

Someone lurking inside this mansion seemed to notice Toba Fumika's intrusion.

「Uwa. I absolutely don't want to go──fu, fueeeeh!?」

Her legs automatically moved toward the direction of the calling voice.

「Your highness, you're awful! Even though I want to leave right away!」

The one controlling Fumika's body was of course Umayado no Ouji.

As expected from the legendary sacred prince. Even outside j.a.pan, he was able to do something like taking over Tamayori Hime when it counted.

「I, if something frightening is waiting there, what am I going to do-!?」

Her feet didn't stop walking even when she complained. She walked until the deepest room at the second floor.

*Click*. When she opened the door, it was a bedroom.

There was a queen sized bed with canopy attached. Numerous tasteful furniture. Also, there was a brown skinned maiden lying down on the bed.

「Eh?」

The sleeping maiden was wearing a white pajama.

She was black haired. She also had lovely and adorable face.

Her age was most likely at her later teenage. Her slender limbs were really glamorous. The like of her slender big sister Riona couldn't possibly be a match against her in the point of volume.

And then, beside the bed of the sleeping maiden──

Another girl materialized with a pop and grinned.

(Welcome, please come in. It has been a long time since a guest came.)

「Fueeeeeh!?」

Fumika bent back in shock.

The girl who suddenly appeared beside the bed looked exactly the same like the sleeping maiden. However, this one's body was faintly transparent.

Ghost──no. Fumika discerned with Tamayori Hime's instinct.

This was a living spirit. The soul of the maiden sleeping on the bed slipped out of her body and materialized.

4

(You're a bit strange aren't you?)

The living spirit of the sleeping maiden sniffed with her nose even though she was a spirit.

She was trying to sniff the body odor of the bewildered Fumika.

(Presence and atmosphere that are attracting an existence like me……. I a.s.sume that you are undoubtedly a really excellent spirit medium-. Looks like you can call the spirit of your ancestor from that world with 100% success rate and make the spirit to possess yourself!)

「Yo, you understand that?」

(Yes─. It has been a long time since I became this kind of existence. I'm a great veteran!)

Fumika responded to the cheerfulness of the grinning maiden with a stiff forced smile.

The girl's rhythm was too casual. Almost all the ghosts that she came into contact with until now as Tamayori Hime had negative temperament. So to speak they were the 『asocial type』.

This maiden, and then Umayado no Ouji, recently she encountered nothing but irregular existences…….

Fumika suddenly recalled something and asked.

「Could it be, you're a really famous person?」

(M, me, famous? No no, I'm not anyone who you will know.)

「But Onee-san, your status as ghost and your presence are really strong. You don't even lose against the ghost of super famous people who I recently got acquainted with……. I'm wondering if Onee-san could be the soul of someone who leaves their name behind in history.」

(I think I'm not connected to that you know─)

「Then, it's simply that Onee-san's soul is amazingly powerful.」

(It's embarra.s.sing to get praised like that. Ah, but, you. You don't know about my ident.i.ty aren't you……)

The maiden smiled shyly but then she suddenly started to fidget restlessly.

(In that case, I might want to ask you for a bit of help……)

「A help? What do I have to do?」

(Actually, I have the curse of sleeping princess applied on me. I've been doing nothing but sleeping for a long time. But although my physical body is like this because of the curse, my heart itself is alright.)

「Normally the heart will also sleep of the body sleep……?」

(It's a matter of spirit and guts there! Thanks to that I even learned a special technique to go "outside" like this as living spirit. But, a barrier is erected in this mansion you see……)

「Barrier? Something that forbid spirit from coming and entering?」

(Exactly that! And, I want to consult you──)

The maiden grinned with a smile that was like the sun.

(If you don't mind can you undo the barrier? I haven't breathed the air outside for more than a hundred years. I wish you to bring me to the world of free──)

「Impossible.」

(Instant answer!? Please consider it a bit more!)

「My ability other than as spirit medium is relatively lacking in training so……I'm sorry.」

Fumika apologized while secretly thinking.

Unexpectedly, if she requested Shoutoku Tais.h.i.+ residing inside her body, it might be possible that he would destroy the barrier for her. However.

No matter what she had this suspicion. Toward the maiden in front of her who was too cheerful.

She didn't seem like a bad person. However, perhaps she got the curse of sleeping princess applied on her exactly because there was some kind of dangerous factor in her and she was imprisoned inside a mansion that was protected with a barrier……?

As Tamayori Hime, she frequently caught the eyes of evil spirit or revengeful ghost.

Because of that her wariness was cultivated. But the maiden's living spirit didn't even get disheartened by Fumika's rejection and doggedly begged her.

(In that case, the second request, fire-. Can I ask you to kiss the lips of the sleeping me?)

「……heh?」

(Lifting the curse with the prince's kiss. That's the standard. I wanted to try it once you knoow! On this occasion, I won't mind about thing like gender. Please do it with chuu-!)

「I, I, it's alright if it's BL but, I don't have any interest with yuri!」

Perhaps because Fumika replied with high tension.

The heart of Tamayori Hime──the shrine maiden that could become the receptacle of spirit Toba Fumika, and the soul of the excessively cheerful sleeping princess were starting to align.

If they exchanged words and the distance of their heart was closed, naturally their souls would also resonate.

And then, what Fumika sensed first was 『the other party's tremendousness』.

This living spirit of sleeping princess actually had high spiritual status that was equal or even surpa.s.sing Umayado no Ouji──she wondered if the maiden might be a type of ara mitamawild spirit.

Savage spirit of deceased person. Wicked G.o.d who summoned calamity. Anyway, ara mitama was that kind of monster.

On the other hand, the living spirit of maiden with brown skin and wearing white night-clothes was staring fixedly at Fumika. She muttered with a subdued tone.

(Hyperborea……beyond the north wind……)

「Eh? Onee-san, how do you know about that word!?」

Fumika was surprised. The maiden's living spirit grinned.

(I peeked slightly into your heart. You and your friends are searching for the home town where sun G.o.d Apollo was born aren't you?)

Fumika was speechless.

A resonation between two souls occurred. But she got her heart read by the other party one-sidedly. Fumika couldn't see inside the maiden's heart at all.

In other words, there was a despairing 『difference of strength』 between she and her──.

If it became a contest of strength, she would lose instantly. No doubt about it. The maiden's living spirit talked to the scared Fumika with a sweet grin.

(If you like, I'll give you an advice you know─)

「Advice?」

(Even though I look like this, I've traveled various worlds and eras. I'm really knowledgeable. I also know quite a lot about Apollo. I even have experience traveling until the hometown 『beyond the north wind』 where he was born──)

「Even Hyperborea……」

(Where did the 『pa.s.sage』 to that world open in the past again?)

The maiden pondered. Fumika was drawn in by her words even while she was on her guard.

Right after that, the living spirit of the maiden already moved when she noticed. She was right before her eyes. She hugged Fumika who was Tamayori Hime.

Of course, a ghost without physical body couldn't possibly touch Fumika.

She intended to possess her body. Fumika had experienced the same thing multiple times. She was possessed by the spirit she resonated with Toba Fumika's body was completely taken over.

Resonating with a spirit was a double-edged sword. It would become an impetus to instinctually understand the opponent, but it could also become an invitation to enter into her body like this──.

「Furube! Yurayura to furube!」

Fumika chanted the words of power and heightened her magic power as much as possible.

It was in order to reject the "intrusion" of the maiden. But with how despairing the difference in spiritual power between them, there was no way she could win that.

(I'll borrow your body a bit!)

The living spirit maiden was br.i.m.m.i.n.g with motivation to take this chance.

(I'm really sorry but, you can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs-. If I'm able to release my sleeping body, I'll pay you back for this─!)

「You said for a bit but, how long will it be-!?」

(If it goes quickly then it will be 2 or 3 days……but if it drag on then it might be 4 or 5 years?)

「Fueeeeh!?」

When Fumika almost fell into despair, a scolding voice entered her ears──was what she felt.

『There is survival within the fatal situation! Understand that this adversity is exactly a good opportunity!』

It was the beautiful voice of Umayado no Ouji.

And then, the spiritual body of the living spirit maiden that should have instantly entered into Tamayori Hime was unable to do just that for some reason. She stayed hugging Fumika's body in surprise.

(Oh!? You also have a protector spirit with you!?)

「G.o.d of swiftly galloping wind, I beg you to intermediate──. Akitsu mirror, Hetsu mirror, Yakka sword, longevity stone, moving stone, death returning stone, path returning stone, shawl of snake, shawl of bee, shawl of various articles……combining the ten varieties of treasure one two three four five six seven eight nine ten furube yurayura to furube──」

Fumika desperately chanted using that chance.

It was the words of power that heightened her power as the shrine maiden of soul medium. In order to peer into the other party's heart using the resonation of their souls as foothold.

──A certain name floated in her heart.

Right after that. Within her consciousness that was going hazy, she heard the voice of her big sister.

「Rinpyou tousha, kaijin rezzaizen! O spirit that attempt wickedness, withdraw back!」

The living spirit of the maiden who was clinging on her body vanished. Fumika lost consciousness after seeing that.

「Tais.h.i.+-sama brought Fumikchan until here──in other words, it's that kind of thing?」

Ren asked.

It was the room where Toba Fumika confronted a mysterious living spirit. A brown skinned maiden was lying on a queen sized bed while fast asleep.

Although Fumika had awakened just now, she was still in a daze.

Beside her, her big sister Riona spoke.

「I believe so. He is the holy man of Toyoto MimiBountiful Wise Ear who learn the future before it happen after all. He must have used foresight or spiritual sight to learn that there is an important clue here and lead us here.」

Fumika spoke the name of a certain place right after she recovered her consciousness.

She mentioned that there might be an entrance to the mythological world Hyperborea there. The middle school girl who achieved this extraordinary achievement seemed to be tired, because she was only staring to empty air with an absentminded look.

Julio spoke in satisfaction.

「It's the right decision to bring her here. She proved her usefulness right away.」

「But Julio. The girl sleeping over there……who is she?」

「I also don't know.」

Julio shook his head toward Ren's question.

「I was told that she is a witch who call calamity, an existence that mustn't be awakened no matter what. The queen also only told me that 『Not knowing will be better for all of you』. But──regarding this sleeping princess, the founder Caesar also said this.」

「What?」

「When one day a danger to the world arrive and it become a situation where there is no going back, it might be alright to try waking her up when you have nothing more to lose, he said……」

「What does that mean?」

Riona tilted her head. Julio shrugged.

「A calamity that has its trigger pulled by a trickster turning into something that can turn the situation for the better is a rare case that can also possibly happen. It's a development that can also be found sometimes in myths. When the situation is a checkmate that cannot possibly become any worse, using her as explosive to overturn everything──. I arbitrarily think that's the meaning of those words.」

「It's that, like the spell in Dragon Quest. What was it again?」

「You mean Parupunte. It's also great that Fumika is safe from this.」

Ren and Riona nodded to each other.

Ahead of their gaze, Fumika was still in a daze. Ren recalled the place name that she mentioned just now.

「And, where is Ararat Mountain located?」

「Along the border of Turkey and Armenia. It's famous as the place where the Noah's ark was discovered.」

Ren strongly nodded after Riona taught him.

The travel for revenge against sun G.o.d Apollo could finally be started.