Chapter 8: Reconnaissance Operation

Next day after the conference, Firana and the girls were called to Hironobu's room.

「Just what on bread is his business?」

Fairy asks Youko that's walking on her side.

「Let's see…Yesterday it seems that Ozawa-kun talked to only Margrit-san after the conference so it might be related to that」

「Hee, so there's such thing」

Fairy nodded at her.

「Whenever Master calls for me, I'll rush to him instantly. There's no need to doubt!」

Ayaka intervened graciously when she heard the two people talking.

「Ah~ Yes yes. Right」

Fairy warded it off.

Meanwhile, the group arrived at Hironobu's room.

「Hironobu-sama, we're here」

Firana opened the door and entered inside and saw two people there.

One is the master of the room, Hironobu and the other is Margrit.

「Thanks, it seems that all are here」

Urged by him, everyone sat down on a chair.

Hironobu who confirmed it started to talk.

「I'm gathering you today because I have decided to perform an operation」

「Operation? It is different from the demon subjugation we're doing right?」

「That's right. I also intend to participate in this operation」

Hearing his words, Firana was shaken.

It's because Hironobu never went to actual combat.

If he gets an injury, it'll be impossible for him to strengthen status.

That's a huge demerit.

He uses his status to become beyond an ordinary knight but he never fought with a weapon.

Why so sudden? Those were their doubts.

「I'd like you to listen to the content of the operation for the time being. Margrit-san will explain」

Firana nodded when Hironobu said that.

Confirming it, Margrit stepped forward.

「As introduced, I'm Margrit. Let's clarify the purpose at the start, the operation this time is to scout the demon king castle」

They started to be shaken again.

Speaking of the demon lord's castle, it's literally the stronghold of the demon king army and where the the demon king stays.

「The exact location is uncertain until now but recently my partrol army had detected a place」

「Eh, isn't it bad if it's discovered?」

She shook her head from Fairy's question.

「No, the guard around the demon king's castle is severe. The only best they can do is to confirm it's shadow」

「Then, we're going to collect the detailed information?」

「That's right. This is an operation given permission by his majesty and I'm also going」

Then, Margrit took out a map and opened it.

「The demon king's castle is one week away from here. There are only few number of elites who can approach」

Afterwards, Margrit continued to explain.

After it ended, Hironobu stood up and spoke.

「I'm going because the King had requested me. It seems that the alliance would be stronger if Margrit-san and I would work together」

If the master of the most active force in the kingdom and the general of an allied country could accomplish an important duty, the union would become even more solid.

(Well, even I hope for that too)

Hironobu felt that his tension had come off his life during these past year but he was hit by the enthusiasm of Margrit and his fighting spirit began to revive.

Thus he accepted the discussion from the king and he decided to change his attitude and get on it.

「Well, if it's okay for Ozawa then it's fine for me~」

「Me too, I'll follow what Master had decided」

「If there's danger then we'll protect you!」

「I'm worried about putting Ozawa-kun in front but with this members…」

The girls who heard the story had differrent consents on the strategy.

「Then let's prepare and begin right away. Time is limited after all」

Margrit concluded the talk.

Hironobu and the girls quickly prepared the equipment and left for the scouting duty that day.

◆　　　　　◆

One week later, they slipped through the enemies vigilance and approached the demon king's castle.

They've quickly dealt with demons they come contact with so enemies haven't noticed their infiltration.

Then a big castle interrupts them after coming pass through the forest.

「…That's the demon king's castle?」

「Probably, it's lining up with the information of the scouting party」

Margrit on Hironobu's side confirmed his mutter.

「The demon army found the scouting party around here and ran away. Further attention is necessary」

Hironobu nodded.

After that, they approached the castle hidden in the shadows.

Though there are few times that they were found by the lookout along the way, they managed to advance somehow.

「That's it, we can get the bird's-eye view of the demon king's castle from that hill」

Margrit pointed on a slightly elevated hill.

「Then, let's go」

When Hironobu and the girls climbed up the hill, they were certainly able to see the region of the demon king's castle.

「I'll record the arrangement of facilities I'll leave the guard to you」

Saying that, Firana and the others spread out to defend Hironobu.

When he saw that, he took out a paper from his bag.

「! Master, dangerous!」

However, a magic arrow came flying somewhere at that moment.

Ayaka who noticed it repelled the magic with the sword at her hand.

「Enemy!? Where did they shoot it?」

Fairy also took out her weapon due to the sudden attack.

「Here, Human」

「That's dark satan!?」

Ayaka raise a voice of surprise when she saw the figure.

It's a traumatic existence for her.

「…Are you Dark Satan?」

Hironobu who recovered from the surprise attack glared at dark satan.

He heard about him but coming to see the one who murdered his childhood friend in front of him, he wasn't able to calm down.

「Calm down. It's lucky that he's alone, we can surround and beat him quickly」

Margrit pats down Hironobu's shoulders and settled down his feelings.

「Fumu, I intend to kill you with the first blow but…It seems that I have to withdraw if it comes to this」

Dark satan realized Hironobu fixing his posture, he then chanted some magic.,

Then, his body rose gently from the ground.

「That's right, I'll tell you something good as a souvenir」

He pointed at Hironobu then said.

「There's a demon connected among you」

「What!?」

Hironobu and the girls had their consciousness in disorder for a moment and Dark Satan flew away.

「Please take care, he did that to confuse us! We should run after him!」

Ayaka denied it first.

「Yeah, right. We should kill that guy and learn the truth」

When Hironobu declared, the party moved to chase him quickly.

All members have high status so they can run fast and chased after the flying dark Satan.

「I wonder if there's some credibility in the words of that demon?」

Youko who's running on his Hironobu's side asked.

「I don't want to believe it but there's a limited number of people knowing this reconnaissance. We should be cautious」

He doesn't want to believe it but he can't deny the possibility.

(The one who I can trust the most is Ayaka, the slave can't do things that's disadvantageous for the master)

It's also Ayaka who prevented the attack of Dark Satan.

The one who made fool of him before is the human he can now trust the most…

Hironobu smiled wryly.