Chapter 16 : Under the Sun and the Starry Sky

~Pov of I don't know who maybe violet? maybe krielov? maybe god? maybe Morgan freeman!

After receiving an emergency contact from Gear Hawk Fortress, an emergency party consisting of several god corps units was dispatched. By the time we arrived at the fort, the night was about to end. In the morning mist, the scene in which we saw was as if it was a ruin, the interior of Gear Hawk Fortress was being exposed, wreckage could be found all around, graves markers stood planted throughout the whole site. And in the vicinity was one of the god corps carriage's horse which was wandering around aimlessly.

Seeing that the friendly reinforcement have arrived, Yuusuke and his party who survived the onslaught began to walk out of the fortress unharmed. They began to describe the series of events that happened and handed the 2 survivors to the water arts professional unit. Before we started cleaning up the wreckage, they led us to underground basement of the fortress where the remains were located.

Debris of cobblestone was scattered all over the site. When Yuusuke used his customization ability, the debris was considered as part of a group item, thus allowing him to stack them up nicely in the corner of the site. Multiple craters were left behind in the premises, and an object that seemly belonged to the Wind Troupe was found within one of them.

The three people who were crushed inside the fortress were being dug up as well,  with their bodies also restored by using the customization ability. As one would expect, the bodies weren’t in a very well off state, but they could be sufficiently restored to their former condition. And they will be sent back to Blue Garden on a later date.

10 dead bodies of the Wind Troupe were discovered by Yuusuke's party, but as they continued to search the vicinity behind the fort another 5 bodies was found, tallying up to a total of 15 bodies.

Similar to how Floncanc's palace god corps function, the Blue Garden elite troops normally do missions in a platoon of 20 people. But in reality, the whole wind troupe have been wiped out.

The bodies that had been stacked up in the basement were too difficult for them to move, thus they were being subjected to cremation. A part of the Gear Hawk Fortress was made into a memorial to mourn these victims.

Thus, the fortress was being extended a little bit. A state funeral for the victims will be carried out onsite, transportation carriages are being dispatch from the palace to the bereaved families and relatives to mourn for their love one.

------

4 days after the incident ~~

<< The Armed Group from Blue Garden which attacked Gear Hawk Fortress was wiped out by the Darkness God Corps with an Iron Fist >>

It seems that this topic became the headlines of Sanc Adiet, as a promulgation that was distributed by the palace. << The chief constructor of the observation tower wiped out the entire Blue Garden elite force just by himself! >> This hot topic became a daily exaggerated rumor.

Due to the incident that happened this time, King Esvobus made Yuusuke assume the title of Hero, as he had shown great achievements and feats of valor. He had succeeded in diluting the impression of Floncanc being weak that was being made after the massacre of the fortress. Calling him a hero was to suppress the information of the damage being done, as it was a devised plan using a merit of battle to divert the people's resentment from escalating into a full scale war.

An official announcement from Blue Garden was given, "Our country has not given any form of command to raid a fortress, it was the arbitrary actions of the Wind Troupe," using this as an excuse, the government of Blue Garden denied all involvement with respect to the fort attack. Thus recognizing that an elite group of Blue Garden had gone wild.

"Damn Annoying!"

Within the room of the Central HQ facility under the city of Paula, amongst the Blue Garden leaders, "The Supreme leader, Izapnar" was cursing and swearing.

Due to this incident, the countries that were related to it had begun making the necessary arrangements, from its own citizens, its militia units, to the documents and notifications in which their elite group have completed. It seems that the other countries are slandering, "Your country couldn't even manage and satisfy your own troops," the government of Blue Garden have no choice to use this to cover up for it's appearance sake.

The question of the effectiveness of the activity and wiping out of the wind troupe was being raised within the parliament. As Blue Garden has only a few fire art users, their strongest hand was the elites of the wind arts.

It was due to their presence, which allowed provocations, that they had all the anti-Fonclanc know-hows, thus it was a painful lost. Although the wind troupe is still operating, but 1/5 of the attack force had been lost in Gear Hawk Fortress.

Just in a few mere decades, this new and rising country, Blue Garden, have been rapidly developing. Although it is their national policy to have equality among everyone, their neighboring countries do not share the same ideals.

Without sufficient war potentials, to start a war with Fonclanc might cause the countries of Nosusentesu and Gazetta to attack from behind, thus they cannot afford to pull out the wind troupes who were currently being deployed there. From now on, it will be too dangerous to start a war with Fonclanc.

The Supreme leader Izapnar had no choice but to take up King Esvobus’s policies.

-------

While the leaders of Blue Garden were rotting in the oval office, Zeshald was guiding the trainees in the Divine arts leadership training facility of Paula. And he was thinking about the recent rumor that was spread around the country,"Hero of Gear Hawk".

It's been 2 month since Yuusuke had been summoned into this world, and 16 days since Zeshald crossed over to Blue Garden and he became employed as a palace knight. And on his first mission he had wipe out the wind troupe which attacked the fortress, thus achieving a large accomplishment that awarded him the honored title of Hero.

”To promote Yuusuke as a hero, it seems that he was within Esvobus expectations...."

This is all happening too rapidly, a chill was sent down Zeshald's spine as he remembered a vision about the "evil god" getting a foothold as it became the center of power. Although, it was him who encouraged Yuusuke with his insights and to learn more about this world.

In the documents and literatures, it described the awakening of the "evil god", it is said that it is possible to control the urge of destroying this world. But everything is just a speculation an unimaginable speculation.

"But if, things were to return as it was, it might have a negative impact."

-- Understanding how well the things of this world works. It would be better if I just destroy it-- a emotionless black eyes Yuusuke flashed before his eyes.

Zeshald sighed as he tried to shake off this scary imagination. Thanks to his current environment, his thinking had become increasingly negative lately. He started to laugh at himself. How will Yuusuke change this world in the future, I must keep a close watch on him.

"Erm, Instructor, Sir.... am I useless?"(Water girl apprentice)

"Huh? Oh no no, I was just lost in my thoughts."(Zeshald)

His young water arts student was showing an anxious expression as he let out a sigh. Zeshald followed up with,"It's nothing, I am sorry" and stated that there was no problem with her water arts. Relieved by hearing what he said about her water arts skill, she smiled. She was a cadet aspiring to join the "Water Troupe".

"Nevertheless, as long as you push your powers to the limits, you will have no problem becoming a member of the water arts corps within the milita"(Zeshald)

"Thank you. But, no matter what I absolutely would like to be attached to the Water Troupe.... to become of use to my sister."

Although her sister is currently a member of the elite team, they were both civilian employees of the militia under Blue Garden. Even though they differ in position and affiliation, there were hardly any conflict between them. Her sister is a member of an elite troupe and is currently on a mission where she could not return home very so often.

"After this mission, she will be able to take a vacation."

"Well, other than the elite group "Earth Troupe", everyone else is busy."(Zeshald)

She will be able to meet her sister within the same base even if they belong to different units, thus she was waiting patiently for her sister to return home for her vacation.

"Well, if that's the case do your best as for your sister under my supervision. By the way, which unit does your sister belongs to?"(Zeshald)

"Wind Troupe"

After hearing what Instructor officer Zeshald said, her face immediately became pale.

------

Sanc Adiet~~

It was a fine afternoon, on the upper floors of Volance palace. Violet was smacking her lips after eating her favorite choice of seasoned customized rara fruits. She then recommend some fruit alcohol to Yuusuke who was sitting on opposite side.

"Nope, I'm fine."(Yuusuke)

"What's this? Do you know that you're gonna make the title of hero weep by not drinking?"(Violet)

Violet was very happy to treat Yuusuke like a hero, but he himself is currently in a complex state of mind. After feeling the harsh reality which had happened in the fortress Yuusuke could feel the difference in temperament from Violet who hasn't been much in touch to reality.

"Heroes ..... the only few who survived, barely escaping while countless others had died."(Yuusuke)

"ooh, this is the first time you showed that kind of modestly of an important person."(Violet)

In contrast of Violet getting merrier by the minute, Yuusuke's feeling had steadily faded away. Yuusuke felt vexed as it was difficult to look at Violet who is currently in a joyful state. 'I guess that's how the position of what a princess is like to it's people.'

'Well, there isn't a need for me to know.'(Yuusuke thoughts)

As an entourage, Kreilov have always been telling Violet as a "Royal Princess" she should not to mingle with the so called lower class and there wasn't a need for her to know the extremities between the citizens and soldiers.

Knowing well about the people under her who are the working, an ideal ruler would understand how the mechanics of this world works. But that doesn't mean that she will ascend to the throne and become the future king, currently she is to stay as a " healthy princess with royal lineage" to welcome the next king as much as possible.

That same Violet who is currently planned for the future is right here. If everyone’s roles have been decided from the start, Violet's role would be the "Royal Princess". Thus I myself should just fulfill my role.

Coming up to this conclusion, Yuusuke, who knows his role, begins to pour his power into the rara fruit which he was currently holding in his hand.

"What kind of taste would you make next, will it be as spicy?"(Violet)

"Yuusuke......?"(Violet)

Violet who was sensitive to her surrounding felt a change in atmosphere around Yuusuke and gaze at him quizzically. Her red eyes were motionlessly staring into his black eyes. "What's up?" Yuusuke tilted his head and smiled.

"Noooo! Stop that!"(Violet)

All of the sudden, Violet jumped up and started screaming, Yuusuke who was holding the rara fruit threw it upwards reflexively

"Wha-What's is it....?"(Yuusuke)

"Stop it with those eyes! I was just looking at your eyes! Until you did......"(Violet)

Violet's face turned red and she got exasperated while tears started to form around her eyes. Yuusuke was standing in daze as he saw the twin tail girl turned around and run away while her red dress retreated into the distance.

Yuusuke looked back to the sound of small birds and the lifting of the chair, standing in the corner of the room was Kreilov who had a difficult expression while clenching his fist on his chest and staring him. After awhile Krielov calmed down as he exhaled his breath.

"At first, I wanted to punch you right in the face, but because I think I do not have the qualifications to do so, I stopped."(Krielov)

"....."(Yuusuke)

"I have no idea what the fuck you saw in the fortress, most likely it is unimaginable. But ...... to mock those who don't know is just pure arrogance."(Krielov)

"That wasn't my intention....."(Yuusuke)

Not being able to complete his sentence, Yuusuke begin asking himself. By experiencing various kind of cognizance, and it is still an ongoing process, he certainly became a little irritated by Violet who seems to be going on at her usual pace.

"You're very honest....."(Krielov)

Krielov begin speaking about "the story that will only be heard here", Violet has always wanted to hear different kind of stories of people from many different sources. Taken aback by the thoughtless remark, "a princess who knows nothing", she wanted to revolt about it, but doesn't know how to.

"In my position, the princess doesn't need to know what happened on site. But --"(Krielov)

In terms of his personal feelings of a dedicating guard and educator, he caught glimpses of her intelligence on the insights of the government policy from the sheltered princess, and if it was possible he would like to show her the vast world. As Krielov confessed.

As Yuusuke admonished his own feelings. The voice of Zeshald resounded in his mind to broaden his insights. The previous idea of each and everyone have their own roles to fulfill, he didn't abandon this thought, but perhaps there are certain roles for people that only they could do.

But that is his own individual answer that he had grasped and derived on, respectively there will be a time when he will have to chose his own road.

'To receive something handed down by someone, doesn't mean that it is all determined from the beginning.'

Right now, Yuusuke wasn't strong enough, 'To defy the destiny that was given' to him.

------

Yuusuke who was searching for Violet went to the carriage porch, where he came across a familiar face.

"Hi, whatsupp captain? Why are you here?"(Fonke)

"Fonke, have you seen Violet?"(Yuusuke)

"The princess? She seem to have sneaked out awhile ago."(Fonke)

"The city it is....."(Yuusuke)

Yuusuke requested Fonke to take him along to the city as he was heading out on the carriage. As he roughly knows the place to find her.

Using "Gear Hawk Hero"'s underling and a member of the party which accompanied him to the fortress which is a hot topic amongst the people, Fonke used this as a reason to become popular in the tavern that he frequently visits in the city.

On the other hand, Vermeer, Shaheed and Aisha couldn't walk around calmly, thus they did not head down to the commoner's district very often.

"Are you heading out to pick up the princess?"(Fonke)

"Yea, something like that."(Yuusuke)

Violet appeared to have boarded the carriage alone, and the surrounding soldiers/knights became her temporary guards immediately as she sneaked out of the palace. While the rest that were left behind were discussing whether there might be a commotion at the commoner district again.

She finally arrived at her destination after passing 2 district gates. The observation tower in the gate of the commoner district. As the evening time approaches, the various stalls that lined up on the main streets begin keeping and tidying up their shops.

Since they approved the special stalls around the vicinity of the observation towers, the lucky merchants of these stalls seem to hold out until the very last minutes before the sunsets.

"Well than Capt, I will be going to patrol near the tavern."(Fonke)

"Drink in moderation."(Yuusuke)

After dropping Yuusuke off, Fonke who was off-duty went to "patrol" in the tavern. If it was Aisha, he would have been scolded immediately for his attitude for being too frank to the captain of the royal knights, Yuusuke. But in this case, Yuusuke would also be scolded for his ,"awareness as a captain".

"Let's see now..."(Yuusuke)

As Yuusuke sent off Fonke, he looked up towards the observation tower. A red dress that stands out was there. After confirming the fluttering scarf, Yuusuke headed towards the observation tower.

"Hey, isnt that...... Gear Hawk Fortress hero?"*(bystander 1)

"He’s wearing the royal knights uniform, is it the real person?"(bystander 2)

"No way,  Why would he be in this kind of place?"(bystander 1)

"Maybe he is here to check on the condition of the tower which he built....?"(bystander 2)

The people who were lining up around the observation tower waiting for their turn to ascend saw the appearance of Yuusuke and began spreading rumors. Not long ago the princess who sneaked out began climbing the tower, people were whispering about why she didn't have a attendant with her. After noticing Yuusuke, the gatekeeper immediately came over and greeted him.

"Thank you for your good work, the princess went to climb the tower earlier, but...."(Gatekeeper)

"Oh, I am here to pick her up."(Yuusuke)

When Violet ascended the tower, the people were allowed in, thus a collection of people waiting began to stack up below it, and after hearing that he was here to pick her up, the gatekeeper celebrated by breaking up into an expression of relief. As I thought, it had caused a little bit of a problem.

Yuusuke stood in front of the entrance to the observation tower and began to ponder as he looked up slightly. As it was the first time he would be climbing up the tower, due to the fact that previously he had just instantly built the tower, remembering the time when he was descending it, he felt breathless.

Currently, Yuusuke is equipped with his specially buffed pants, jacket and cloak, these items were the darkness god corps’ clothing that were given to him. He enhanced them with physical resistance, divine art resistance, combustion resistance, freezing resistance and abnormal condition resistance. He also thought of giving some other items an increase in physical strength and movement assist bonus, making sure that he did not overlook any item that will seem convenient.

"Those rings, do you have 4 of them?"(Yuusuke)

"Eh? Y-Yes  it's a total of 16 green crystals!"(Merchant)

"Hey, I am in a hurry keep the change"(Yuusuke)

"Th-Thank you so much"(Merchant)

He bought the 4 rings at a cheap price of 3 blue crystals, thus he begin enhancing them with stamina recovery and movement speed assist. As the value of the item was cheap the enhancement values isn't very high, there wasn't a problem as it will be only use for climbing up and down the stairs. Yuusuke equipped 2 of the rings onto his fingers and obtained the enhancement effect, thus beginning his one shot climb to the top from the entrance of the observation tower. By the way, the other 2 rings were for Violet to equip when they descend the tower.

Normally when one walks up to the 50 flight of stairs they would be breathless and their knee would have given up, although he was getting breathless he was still taking it easy. By dropping his pace a little he could recover some stamina, using this cycle technique it allows him to continue to climbing.

And throughout the climb, he did not even take a single break and arrived at the top floor. The sky was dyed halved in sunset colors, while the stars began to rise on the horizon in the opposite direction.   

"You really, really like high places"(Yuusuke)

"......"(Violet)

After catching his breath Yuusuke looked towards the young girl who was resting her chin on the edge of the observation tower and calling out to her. Her red dress was waving while her scarf and her twin tail hair was fluttering in the wind. As Violet was standing there without turning her head back, Yuusuke when over to call her while slightly nudging her shoulders.

"Look over here."(Yuusuke)

"Don't touch me so friendly, you rude person."(Violet)

The hands that were placed on her shoulders were being twisted and swept away by Violet, on the contrary her harsh words doesn't seem to have any effect at all. Yuusuke grabbed both of her shoulders and turned her around to face him, Violet's face was still hanging down looking at the ground.

"Raise your head."(Yuusuke)

"Don't want to."(Violet)

"Come on look up."(Yuusuke)

Now he placed both his hands across her cheeks to raise her head. With tears in her red eyes, she protested by glaring at the "Rude person", and immediately diverted her angry eyes away.

"Look at my eyes"(Yuusuke)

"..............." (Violet)

Timidly Violet glance into Yuusuke's eyes, as the 'distance' that she previously saw was no longer there she begin to feel relieved.

"I am so sorry for what happened just now"(Yuusuke)

"ye....."(Violet)

Violet had a blank look as Yuusuke apologized. Yuusuke explained that it was his misjudgment, while he was deep in his own thought at palace. As he wasn't straight in his mind, he just gave Violet a simple answer.

"If you really tend on become a great princess, a noble person, I think that Violet should know more about the common people."(Yuusuke)

"Really, do Yuusuke really think so?"(Violet)

Violet's eyes begin to shine as she got affirmation from Yuusuke. Everyone around her said and believe in "those who are nobles, doesn't need to know about the low born", while Zeshald and Yuusuke answered differently to her in smiling face, "go and experience the different things of this world."

"In the past, my dad use to tell me those words"(Violet)

"I see.....well, great people will always have their circumstances."(Yuusuke)

Even if one is to know such circumstances, it always lead to the understanding of others, and to polish one's self as Yuusuke preaches.

"Even I myself, don't understand those who think that they are self-important, the things that happened around the world and even myself."(Yuusuke)

"As such, I am the same as you."(Violet)

'Well if it is like this, why don't we go explore the world and deepen our knowledge', as they nodded at each other. Since Violet isn't able to move freely around away from the palace, Yuusuke will go explore the world to see and hear a variety of things from different places in her stead, only to return to tell her stories about his adventures.

Violet gave this special mission to the darkness god corp as it was under her direct command, thus Yuusuke became the only knight whose activities would be done outside of the palace.

"By the way, Yuusuke"(Violet)

"Ng?"(Yuusuke)

"Do you yourself know what you are doing right now?"(Violet)

".....er?"(Yuusuke)

As said as Yuusuke return to reality, he begin to realize that he was currently holding Violet in her cheeks with both his hands while tears were slowly flowing down, they were both standing under the starry sky atop of the observatory deck. The presences of the soldiers that were hiding behind the doorway while sneaking a peek could be felt.

"As I thought isn't it a lover's date?"

"There must be too much disturbance in the palace"

"But there wasn't any announcement for another fiance candidate right?"

"At any rate he is the hero"

Yuusuke released his hand immediately away from Violet, in order to stop any unexpected rumors he told the soldiers there that he was performing a ritual for a first of it's kind special mission.

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