Chapter 218: Despite finally getting along, ending like this is regrettable

Following Uraka’s instructions, the crew who participated in battle began chasing Guadalbaroja running raising dust.

During battle too Guadalbaroja continued moving, so had gone several hundred meters ahead.

(That earlier guy, better not someone known...)

The bandit with a recollection voice who put words in mouth as if knowing self floated in his head. The bandit’s words might not have been uttered in the meaning of knowing self, and humans with similar voices exist as many as want in this world.

The earlier bandit possibility of being a partner he knows, one from the same school who transferred to other world together from Japan. But only possibility, not confirmed.

"Kazu, don’t let down!"

Marisa running nearby loudly cautioned him. That he was running while immersing in thoughts, Marisa noticed from expression.

"Ah, yes!"

He hurriedly returned words to Marisa.

"Bandits too, but near jet flower! If letting down, blown away!"

Marisa running nearby being near shouting voice loud was so as not to have voice drowned by the roar generated by jet flowers.

(Well, even thinking, no way to know, so thinking only waste maybe...)

Without noticing, he and them had caught up to Guadalbaroja. The surrounding air flow was in a quite disordered state due to jet flower influence.

That was why if running letting down, feet taken by air flow, or as Marisa said, blown away possible.

(Arriving at Virgo, if margin... search class guys, and if doing bandits, stop.)

For him, the greatest purpose of going to Virgo was saving Iron Maiden’s lives. Just, the purpose of going to Virgo seemed to increase by one for him... though at least as a side of helping Iron Maiden.

Uraka to Clio... Marisa and them successively jumped and jumped onto Guadalbaroja’s deck. Due to jet flower jet, air flow quite intense, but crew used to it, so no failing to jump on.

After first getting off Guadalbaroja and performing ground battle, jumping onto Guadalbaroja he had failed several times. But already experienced many times, so he also used to it.

He safely jumped onto Guadalbaroja, moved on the container, and sat on the deck chair. Together with Clio and Marisa, he returned to monitoring duty.

Soon, a white tower similar to a lighthouse became visible ahead.

"Virgo’s route marker..."

Deeply moved, he muttered. Finally about to arrive at the destination area.

"Soon saying goodbye with Kazu too."

Marisa inherited Clio’s lonely-sounding words.

"Despite finally getting along, ending like this is regrettable."

"Ah, me... planned to ride Guadalbaroja on return too, so on return too can meet or rather, take care."

Hearing his words, Clio and Marisa floated surprised expressions.

"In the period I planned to return to Aquila, Guadalbaroja stops by Virgo and seems to pass Aquila too, so on return too became to be given a ride."

He added.

"Tent and such used in Virgo also became to borrow, so need to return too."

In labyrinth cities during Reverse Festa, adventurers gathered not only from the Northern Continent but from other continents. Naturally, arriving at Virgo around now just before start, hotels and inns all full.

That was why at the campsite the guild owned prepared for adventurers temporarily staying in Virgo, he ended up camping. Just, he brought camping equipment degree of sleeping bag in backpack, but did not bring tent.

There, Uraka became to lend the tent set. Borrowing Magic Trinkets too, but regarding Magic Trinkets somehow felt better not to talk, so he did not talk.

"I see, then... can meet again."

Following happy Marisa, Clio also opened mouth with a smile.

"Then, continuation of earlier talk though..."

"Earlier talk?"

"Talk of whether if we invited Kazu would have kept company."

(Come to think, before bandits appeared, talking such.)

Hearing Clio’s talk, he recalled the conversation before bandits appeared.

"So, how is it?"

One of us... Marisa asked him with back turned.

"If invited by Clio or Marisa, would have happily kept company."

Hearing his reply, Clio and Marisa loosened expressions.

"Then, when Kazu returns from Virgo to Aquila, try inviting?"

"Me too."

At Clio’s question, Marisa also joined.

"Not joke, if serious would be happy though."

Embarrassedly, he muttered.

"If invited seriously, would keep company?"

At Marisa’s question, he answered.

"That is, of course... happily."

"Then, inviting so... keep company! Promise!"

"Me too!"

This time Clio’s side joined Marisa’s words.

(Serious maybe? If so, happy though.)

After muttering in heart, he opened mouth.

"Looking forward to the two’s invitations, do best in Virgo for a while."

"By all means, don’t do reckless."

Marisa inherited Clio’s advice.

"No matter how thinking, the criminal guys who used Hell Gate seem quite dangerous."

"Understood, won’t do reckless."

While thanking the two’s advice, right after returning words, a voice resounded from the voice tube.

"Soon entering Virgo port! All hands, prepare for port entry!"

Through the voice tube, Uraka continued words.

"Then... soon Kazu better end monitoring duty and prepare for disembarking!"

(Finally, arriving at destination...)

While feeling deeply moved, he stood up.

"Then, Clio and Marisa, taken care variously."

Since after this maybe no chance to thank before disembarking, he bowed to Clio and Marisa.

"Then, see you again!"

Following Clio, Marisa also returned words to him.

"See you! Do your best!"

"Will do best!"

Saying so, turning back to the two, he began walking. Toward the room he was borrowing, to take the already packed luggage in hand.

"Like a big station in Tokyo or such..."

On the observation deck of Guadalbaroja temporarily stopped while floating, he who saw Virgo port muttered such impressions. At Virgo port, numerous piers for terrestrial ships lined.

Such Virgo port scenery seemed to him like a large station with platforms of various lines lined. Unlike small-scale autonomous cities, in the case of large-scale cities, often fixed piers not floating piers.

In large cities, since number of port piers many, work of evacuating floating piers inside walls at monster attacks and such took time. There, cases of adopting fixed piers made of material as sturdy or more as walls and with magic defense means applied, no need to evacuate many.

At the port of Virgo one of the large cities in the Northern Continent, about twenty fixed type piers. Since piers of various heights, could correspond to terrestrial ships of various sizes without height adjustment.

Not only the port with piers lined, but about twenty anchorages for terrestrial ships long-term berthing also existed. As befitting one of the large cities in the Northern Continent, the degree of equipment completeness for terrestrial ships dimensions different from Aquila.

Incidentally, in the case of large city Virgo, port not only Virgo port on the south side of the walls. Small ports multiple others also existed.

Like trains stopped at station platforms, various sizes and types of terrestrial ships entered port at the piers. Many of them cargo ships, and performing container loading and unloading work.

Used for work not gantry cranes but golems like robots moving with magic. Soon, at Guadalbaroja entering Virgo port too, similar work performed.

Already on Guadalbaroja’s deck too, several golems like humanoid robots people could board began moving. Since deck personnel such as Clio and Marisa already began preparing container work.

Beyond Virgo port, giant walls visible. Similar to Aquila’s but far giant city, so to his eyes long to the degree not knowing how far continued.

"Like the Great Wall of China... never seen though, the Great Wall of China."

While looking at Virgo’s walls long to the degree end not visible, he leaked impressions. Not only long, actually height also about fifty percent higher than Aquila’s walls, but length too amazing, he could not notice.

On the other side of the walls, buildings higher than walls also quite a number built. Since number of adventurers many, in labyrinth cities with high interception ability against monsters, height regulations of buildings loose, so high buildings many.

"Guadalba Trading Company merchant ship Guadalbaroja... permission for port entry to the seventeenth pier."

From the loudspeaker installed at Virgo port’s pier, a female voice announcement flowed.

"Raise port entry signal flag, observe prescribed speed, and promptly enter port."

Then, from the voice tube Uraka’s voice began resounding.

"Raise port entry signal flag!"

The signal flag raised on the observation deck’s pole and such automatically switched from red flag to yellow flag marked with blue cross which was port entry signal flag. Signal flags operable at the bridge.

"Sound warning horn!"

After Uraka’s instructions flowed again from the voice tube, Guadalbaroja sounded the warning horn.