In front of the gates of Vaucouleurs fortress.
Sitting on a roadside stone, Ritsuka hugged their knees, panting heavily.
Although their goal was to reach the nearest town, Vaucouleurs wasn't close to their landing site. Mash and Hinako were fine—both had superhuman physical conditioning. Walking several kilometers was no problem at all.
But Ritsuka was different. A few kilometers of walking had already left their legs aching.
[You really need training, Fujimaru. When you return, I'll add physical conditioning to your daily schedule.]
Naoki's voice, completely unaffected, came through their wristband.
Ritsuka raised a hand in resignation. "I was just trained by Sensei Merry for a week. Besides, the ground here is all rocky…"
[Then, when you return, I'll create a mountain range in the training room for you. So you can get used to marching in various terrains.]
"..."
Exhausted both mentally and physically, Ritsuka no longer had the energy to protest against their Chief. Besides, even if they did, they knew their Chief would just go ahead and schedule everything anyway.
They could only grit their teeth and accept it. Who else but the last human Master of Chaldea?
"By the way, Chief, aren't you coming?" Ritsuka changed the subject. "Didn't you say you'd follow soon? Why are you still drinking tea in the control room?"
[Hah? I said I'd arrive at full speed when you're in a major crisis. Right now, you're not in any crisis at all, so why should I go? I'd rather drink tea in the control room—by the way, I'm actually drinking cola. Tea is boring.]
They had to walk over an hour, while their Chief was sipping cola in an air-conditioned Chaldea.
Ritsuka began regretting asking their Chief. Wasn't this just asking for trouble?
[Of course, besides that reason, I'm not going there for your sake too.]
"Huh?"
[Putting aside Senior Hinako, you and Mash are true newcomers in every sense. You need to be trained to improve your abilities. The first Singularity has the smallest fluctuation, and the combat intensity will definitely be the lowest. It's the perfect place to train you.]
[In a situation like this, if I joined you from the beginning, it'd be like me—a max-level player—going to a beginner's village to bully wild animals. It wouldn't train you at all.]
(So that's why the Chief is now casually drinking cola in the control room.)
Ritsuka understood, but hearing the sound of a straw sipping on the other end, they still felt a little envious. They wanted to drink cola and relax too after walking so far!
Meanwhile, Hinako, hearing Naoki's words, wore a look of disdain—unlike Mash, who nodded in agreement. "In short, he's just lazy. Lazy and unwilling to work, yet talks so high and mighty."
[This is called training new players, Senior Hinako. Besides, you're already there. If I went too, it'd be overkill, right?]
"Tch."
Perhaps because Naoki said something that sounded reasonable, Hinako scoffed and said nothing more.
At that moment—
"Sorry, travelers from Chaldea. You've been kept waiting."
A soldier with a spear ran out from the town toward the three of them. He was the same soldier who had gone earlier to report Ritsuka and the others' situation to Aoko.
"We've received permission to enter from Her Grace the Guardian. Sorry to keep you waiting so long here. Please follow me. Her Grace the Guardian wishes to meet you in person."
"Her Grace the Guardian?"
Hearing the title the soldier used, Ritsuka and the others looked confused. When they met earlier, the soldier had only said he'd report—no mention of anyone called the Guardian.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
In Chaldea, Naoki reflexively thought of the bronze giant dropping tree roots, but the Guardian mentioned by the soldier was clearly not that giant. Besides, "Her Grace the Guardian" sounded like someone with common sense.
(And… there shouldn't be someone like that in the first Singularity, right? Could an anomaly have occurred without my knowledge?)
If so, the situation in the first Singularity might not be exactly as Naoki knew it. Unexpected events might occur. Considering Solomon himself had appeared in Fuyuki, anything happening in the first Singularity was entirely possible.
(I hope it's not a situation Senior Hinako can't handle.)
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Vaucouleurs was called a fortress, but its interior wasn't large. Added to that, due to the Wyvern attack a few days ago, the town's condition was poor. Damaged buildings and people in tattered clothes were everywhere. The overall atmosphere was bleak and lifeless.
This was a common sight during war. Originally, France and England had been fiercely fighting. After great difficulty, a ceasefire agreement was signed, and the townspeople thought they could live in peace for a while. But within two or three days, the Witch Jeanne returned with a swarm of Wyverns for revenge.
The fragile peace they had just glimpsed was shattered in an instant—and destroyed by their own hero, Jeanne. It was only natural the townspeople still looked dazed. So even though Ritsuka and their companions wore strange clothing, the townspeople had little interest in them.
Guided by the soldier, Ritsuka and the others passed through the main street of the fortress until they reached a house near the center.
Compared to the other houses, this one looked the most intact.
"Here they are, the three travelers. Her Grace the Guardian is inside."
Stopping at the door, the soldier turned and said this.
"I'll escort you this far. I must return to the gate for duty. My apologies."
"Yes, thank you for escorting us." Mash bowed deeply and politely to the soldier. Only after watching him leave did she turn to look at the house where Her Grace the Guardian resided.
"What kind of person is Her Grace the Guardian?"
"Judging from the soldier's description, the reason this place hasn't been destroyed by Wyverns is thanks to this Guardian… So she can't be a bad person, right?" Ritsuka said. "Anyway, let's go in. Seems she wants to meet us too."
Hinako and Mash nodded. Just as the three of them pushed open the door and entered—
"You made me wait so long! Why are you so slow! Naoki!"
[Pffft——————!]
Hearing that very familiar voice, Naoki in the control room instantly sprayed cola all over Roman.
[Aoko?!]