Time had passed since the fierce battle between demons and humans, and the city began to regain its peacefulness before the war.
Even before dawn, Izayoi and Yuka were preparing to depart from Telmus towards the royal capital.
A lot had happened up to this day.
As Lilith had said, Yuka’s rank skyrocketed, garnering even more attention and making it difficult for her to move freely. It seemed like the authorities were plotting to keep Yuka, the hero of Telmus, in the city. The Adventurer’s Guild and some nobles were trying to court her, and lately, there was quite a fuss around Yuka.
Citizens of the city thanked her and called her a hero every time they passed by, and she was constantly chased by fans like Lilith and flattered by various people. Yuka reached her limit in such a situation the other day.
After all, for Yuka, who was just an ordinary citizen, being treated like a hero was something she couldn't bear. Therefore, she suggested to Izayoi that they should leave the city as soon as possible.
Izayoi, expecting that she might get worn out soon, didn’t object.
They decided to depart when the citizens were asleep, to avoid causing a commotion and potentially being stopped.
Only a very select few, whom they could trust, were informed about their departure from the city. This included adventurers like Lilith, with whom they had deep interactions, a tight-lipped guild staff member they were personally close to, and Genova, the branch manager of the Daniel Trading Company.
Everyone was sorry to see Yuka go but no one tried to stop her. They all seemed to somehow sense that Yuka had a firm purpose and, therefore, they unanimously encouraged her, sending her off.
There was a moment when Yuka, unexpectedly tearing up during the farewell, felt relief that she could now leave the city without any lingering attachments.
"I’ve grown quite attached to this city, haven’t I...” Yuka murmured sentimentally, gazing at the Telmus cityscape behind her.
Having stayed in this city for over a month and considering the turbulent days and events they experienced with the people they met during that time, Yuka's feelings were far from exaggerated.
"I wonder if we'll be able to come back?"
"I don’t know..."
Izayoi, standing next to Yuka, answered ambiguously.
As for Izayoi's personal feelings, he hoped that once everything was over, Yuka would say goodbye to this world and return to her original world, before she became completely engulfed in this violent one.
However, unable to say this to Yuka, his answer remained vague. But Yuka didn’t pay much attention to it, simply responding, "I see," and turning her back to Telmus.
"Alright, let’s go."
"Yes, let's."
As if to cut off any lingering attachments to Telmus, the two turned their backs to the city and headed towards the gate.
At this time, the city gates were firmly closed. Their plan to get outside was a feat of strength where Yuka would carry Izayoi over the defensive wall.
It was certainly something Izayoi could do, and they could hide their appearances with illusion magic. Since there was no record of their coming and going in the frontier city, they wouldn't be noticed. It was, in a way, the best method, but it felt somewhat unplanned.
Indeed, it was unplanned, as they decided to depart the day after making the decision.
The two walked through the silent streets of Telmus and eventually arrived in front of the gate.
There was no gatekeeper inside the city. They were on alert outside. Therefore, the two stood boldly in front of the closed gate without hiding themselves.
"Are you ready?"
Yuka's question was about to be answered with a nod when Izayoi halted his motion due to a presence rushing towards them from behind.
"Yuka-kun...!"
"Eh, Lilith...?"
Yuka raised her voice in confusion at the unexpected character appearing.
Lilith surely didn’t come to stop them at this late hour. After all, she was one of the people who had sent them off without any worries the day before.
So, why exactly?
Lilith, who had run up to them slightly out of breath, glanced at Izayoi and then faced Yuka squarely.
"Yuka-kun, I know it's terrible timing with your departure, but could you please grant me a favor?"
"It depends on what it is..."
Yuka was puzzled by the sudden request, but she couldn't easily refuse something asked by none other than Lilith.
As Yuka slightly braced herself for whatever request might come, Lilith drew her knight sword.
"Eh..."
Yuka tensed up in a different way, but Izayoi, standing next to her, didn’t seem to be on alert at all. That was because he trusted Lilith and didn’t feel any hostility from her.
Lilith, having raised her knight sword towards the heavens, knelt down before Yuka in a smooth motion.
"I, Lilith Crest, as a knight, would like to dedicate this sword to you. To protect you, to fight alongside you, I would like to regard you as my lord. Will you accept my wish?"
Even as Lilith declared herself not as the usual noble adventurer but as a knight, Yuka was unable to hide her confusion.
A request from her precious comrade, Lilith. To regard Yuka as her lord as a knight. After a brief hesitation, Yuka nodded in acceptance of Lilith's plea.
"If you're sure about me."
Lilith slowly lifted her face.
She switched her grip on the knight sword, pointing the blade to the ground, and offered it to Yuka.
"From this moment on, my sword is dedicated only to you."
With a solemn final word, the oath ceremony was concluded.
▼
"I’ll follow you two once Telmus has settled down," Lilith said with a refreshing smile.
"I really want to go with you two right now, but if both Yuka-kun and I are gone, it’ll be a problem if something happens."
"I'm so sorry. It feels like I’m pushing everything onto you," Yuka apologized, lowering the corners of her eyes apolo Indeed, in this situation, Yuka disappearing, despite being seen as a hero, would deliver a significant shock to Telmus. Even if it's temporary, the citizens would become anxious, and the authorities would be desperately searching for Yuka.
Although it's problematic that a single individual has such immense influence, it's shortly after the war, so it can't be helped.
Lilith shook her head as if to say not to worry.
"I understand Yuka's feelings well, and since the two of you have a purpose, it can't be helped that you can't stay here. It's uncouth to try to forcefully stop that, you know," she said.
"Thank you so much, Lilith..."
Yuka's eyes moistened slightly, on the verge of crying again.
Lilith responded with a gentle smile, taking care to reassure Yuka, then shifted her gaze to Izayoi beside her.
"I've tried to show my resolve in my own way, but what do you think?"
At Lilith’s abrupt question, Izayoi realized that this was her answer to that night in the tavern.
No matter what happened, she would stand by Yuka. In response to Izayoi's request, Lilith gave an answer in the clearest form possible.
Having sworn as a knight, it is unthinkable for Lilith to betray Yuka. Izayoi might not understand knighthood, but he could comprehend that there was an extraordinary resolve there.
Lilith will be Yuka’s knight, no matter what happens. Even knowing that Yuka is a hero, even if cataclysmic events transpire, Lilith will probably be on Yuka's side.
Knowing just that was enough. Izayoi returned a faint smile to Lilith.
"It's about time to go, Yuka."
Looking at the eastern sky, which was subtly turning into a deep blue, Izayoi spoke to Yuka, who was still sniffling.
"I know. Lilith, this is where we part ways," Yuka said, her eyes leaving traces of tears but with a bright smile on her face.
Lilith nodded with a warm smile, then approached Yuka as if remembering something.
"You forgot something."
Whispering, Lilith gently placed a kiss on Yuka’s cheek.
"Heh...?"
Caught completely off guard by Lilith’s actions, Yuka let out a goofy sound and froze. Next to her, Izayoi grasped his temple as if to endure a headache.
"Izayoi, I won’t give up," Lilith said.
Leaving a meaningful smile for Izayoi, Lilith briskly turned and walked away.
Yuka, who had stood there dumbfounded for a moment, touched her kissed cheek, then began to squirm, her ears turning red.
With a soundless scream, Yuka writhed, and, out of the corner of his eye, Izayoi glared half-liddedly at Lilith's receding back.
"This is no joke at all..." he muttered, powerless.
Izayoi, hoisting the still-wriggling Yuka, vanished using illusion magic.
Afterwards, the two successfully escaped from Telmus.
Telmus became uproarious due to Yuka’s disappearance, but thanks to the actions of the lord, the adventurers’ guild, and Lilith, the chaos was quelled quickly.
Thus, after spending just over a month in Telmus, the journey of Izayoi and Yuka's party toward the royal capital began.