The plaza with the view over the ocean is illuminated by sunlight.
Next to the stage on which the dance contest was held, the mayor's son Jean spoke to Minya.
When that guy who looked like a pig addressed her, he was munching on baked sweets that looked like cookies. He doesn't seem to know about manners.

I observe him closely with "Clairvoyance" from the auditorium and listen to them with "Attentive Ears".
Jean says in a tenacious tone.
"You, your dance, wonderful, wonderful! I thought you were the best , really really, gufufu"
Cookie crumbs are flying from his mouth while the speaks.
"Is that so...and?"
Minya's expression didn't change, but she still took a step backwards.

"So, as a special prize, there's something I want to give to you. Give to you."
"Why...are you saying it twice?"
"Gufu, gufufu, I'm so excited, so irresistible! So I'll give you a special prize. Special prize. But, it's not here. It's at home."
"At home?"
"Don't worry, don't worry, because I'm the mayor's son! I have lots of money and beautiful things, haahaa..."
Jean drools while breathing in roughly.
--What's with this guy, he's just too disgusting.


Minya glanced at me. Her tail is tilting downward as if being alerted.
However, I nodded.
Although I felt bad making her a decoy, it was definitely a chance to take a hold on his weakness.
--I'll definitely protect you, it's OK.

My feelings seemed to have been transmitted and Minya returned with a small nod.
"Understood. I'll go"
"I, I'm glad, the carriage is in the back. Come, come!"
Jean stands in front and starts walking.
Minya follows with gentle and small footsteps a little bit behind him.


An alley with few people.
Jean pushes his giant body into a carriage whose windows are covered with black curtains. He's dull like a pig.
He stretches out his hands, which are flabby like water-soaked mittens.
"Now, come on! Get on, Get on!"

Minya puts her hands on the handles of the kitchen knives and pulled them out by about 1 cm. The white blades are shining.
"...don't touch me"
"So...sorry! You're shy aren't you? So cute, so cute!"
"..."
Minya got into the carriage.
She sat in the seat furthest away from Jean while being on guard like a cat.

And then, even though the coachman didn't have a whip, the Boo Horses naturally advanced forward, pulling the carriage.
--Hmm? Isn't this strange?


I went out of the plaza first to head towards the mayor's mansion but stopped and took a look at the coachman.
[Magical Doll] - Slaughters at the master's command, apparatus made with magic.
[Magical Puppet] - Only obeys the master's command, manipulated being.
The Boo Horses were also strange.
They seemed to move with the intent of being unnoticed.

Moreover, the carriage did not head to the town mayor's house.
Just in case, I took a look at Jean as well, but he was an ordinary human being.
Even if she's attacked, Minya can now repel any attacks with a surplus.
Besides, as I am also coming along, I can be reassured of her safety.


...--No, negligence is forbidden. I already failed many times with this.
I have to do everything I can.
I mumble a spell in my mouth, so it won't be noticed by the people who walk down the road.
"-- 'Water Blade Grant'--'Wind Blade Grant'"
I injected the power of wind and water in each of the two kitchen knives.

Minya's body shivered for a moment by the sudden power. She touches the kitchen knives from above the sheaths.
Then she caresses them with her fingertips.
Her black tail sways joyfully.
He seems to have noticed my power. As expected of my Miko.

Of course, negligence is still a taboo.
I slowly chased the carriage so that I wouldn't be noticed.


The midday sunlight pours directly from above.
The port town's stone paving is shining white, while bluish black shadows are falling down.
In the back street, The wheels of the carriage carrying Minya and the mayor's son Jean are rattling while it drives.
I used "Clairvoyance" and "Attentive Ears" and followed them.

The white pig was desperately trying to chat.
"Say, say! You, are a beastfolk? Then that dance is also something from your race, no? No?"
"...Wrong"
"Then, where did you learn it, hm?"
"Just by thinking of Keika-oniichan... the dance just comes naturally"
"A, Amazing, is it, is it! Show it to me at home! at home!"

Minya's pointy ears are reacting excessively and are rapidly moving .
"So...why, are you saying it twice?"
The white pig licked his thick lips with his tongue like a slug while having blood-running eyes.
"It's, It's so exciting! Your dance was so wonderful, wonderful!"
"Is that so..."
While being on guard, Minya tightly grasped the handles of the kitchen knives with her small hands.


The carriage headed east, beyond the outer wall of the town.
They are on a highway, wide enough for carriages to pass by one another. The carriage moves up and down while rattling.
Just beyond the gate of the town is the way down to the cove.
My shirt acting as a signboard with "Hero Keika Beach" written on it fluttered in the wind.

I slowly follow the carriage so I won't be noticed.
Because it doesn't speed up, there's no need to hurry. I don't even sweat.
--When.
Suddenly a shock ran through my head.
"Keika! Something's strange"
While I sense some dizziness from the full strength telepathy, I immediately look at the cove.


The cove with the white beach was somewhat strange.
The blue water is strangely quiet and there are no waves.
Almost all people went onto the beach, and Ieturia and the other Naga where swimming in the sea while they violently stabbed at the sea surface with their harpoons.
Several people who seemed to have escaped too late are spasming in the water.

However, I couldn't see the demon.
--"Truth Sight".

--------
[Status]
Name: Emperor Jellyfish
Attribute: "Water"

Attack strength: 50
Defense strength: 0
Vitality: 8000
Auto recovery: 7950

[Skills]
Predation: Devours living beings captured with the tentacles and melts them.
Paralyzing Lightning Attack: Shocks everything that touches the tentacles with electricity.

[Passive Skills]
Transparency: The body can't be seen.
Infinite Tentacles: Unleashes countless tentacles for capturing. Multistage range attack.
Water barrier: Distributes water. Invalidates water attacks.
Life detection: Heads to places with many living beings.
--------

I see. It's a bad match for Ieturia.
It's invisible above being immune to water.
The recovery amount is hilarious as well.

Moreover, it's huge.
It's about half the size of the cove.
The Naga are desperately swinging and stabbing with their harpoons, but they only cause low ratio damage.
There is no choice but to defeat it with one blow.

But it's just a jellyfish without any intelligence.
It only moves by instinct.


I steal a glance at the highway. The carriage is moving slowly.
--Ieturia and the swimming guests are in a bind.
At this speed, it should be OK to quickly defeat it and come back.

When I made this decision, I cast "Gale Legs" and ran down to the cove with the speed of the wind.


I shouted after I descended to the beach.
"Everyone, step back further! Up to the forest!"
Celica throws her blonde hair around and rushes over to me.
"Keika-sama, some of the town people are---!"
"I know!--Lapisia, pull back to the beach!"
"Yup!"
Lapisia turned to the beach in her white school swimsuit.

After I make sure that she is in place, I rush forward.
I step on the huge jellyfish that covers the cove.
I drew my sword and brushed at the tentacles.


Why I am not attacking?
Because the people are in the way.
When attacking normally, the power is too strong and I might get them involved.

"Ieturia, help is right here! Cut down the tentacles that are holding the captured people!"
"Kei, Keika-sama, roger! --Haa!"
She swings her harpoon and a person is rising to the water surface.


Then I arrived at the entrance to the ocean.
I turned around and stretched out a hand.
"--'Gale Palm'!"
With a *Goooo!*, a strong wind is released from my hand.

The wind blew and hit the floating person. Then he was blown to the sandy beach.
Lapisia caught him with both hands.
She caught him like a baseball outfielder.


I shout.
"Good job, Lapisia--'Gale Palm'!"
With a *doon!*, wind blows, and another person is blown off towards the beach.
"Ah, that's bad."
The direction was slightly off, but Lapisia caught the flying person with a speed and precision like Ichirou.

I breathed in relief and then blew the people one after another to the beach.
Lapisia runs around the sandy beach left and right and receives them.
Her speed and accuracy aren't far away from a catcher in the outfield.
Moreover, the people aren't balls.
That skill wouldn't have been possible without the strength of a mother earth god.

That's what I think.
Yesterday, when we spent several hours cleaning up this cove, I let her catch the defeated demons that were to be gutted on the sandy beach.
It might have become a good practice.
--Who would've know that it would become useful.


I continued to sent them flying one after another.
Ieturia brought out the last person.
Lapisia shouts loudly from the shore.
"After. Alone! After. Alone!"
--Can't you say it so that I understand what you mean?

I release a "Gale Palm" from my hand.
The person was sent flying, and Lapisia caught him.

Without having any time to rest, I shout at Ieturia.
"Get out of the ocean!"
"Alright!"
Ieturia and her companion went up the shore while swinging their harpoons and interrupting the tentacles.


I prepare my sword--no, I should refrain from using strong magic under the public gaze.
Let's defeat it with some weak magic like a hero.

"Pure wind that obeys me, become a shining blade, pierce the violent swirling sky! --'Wind Edge Tornado'"
Under the echoing sound like rumbling ground, the air began to spin clockwise with a *gogogogo*.

It began to gather around the center of the jellyfish, becoming a tornado of a single thick pillar.
Like a vacuum cleaner, it sucks up the water and also the jellyfish.
The transparent body breaks apart, glittering brightly in the daylight.

I confirmed that it was sucked up with "Truth Sight", brought it to the open ocean and canceled the tornado.

The transparent fragments are falling into the ocean.
Fishes gathered and rippled the water surface to eat.


I sheathed my sword.
……Ah.
Now I can't return to the land.
Shall I swim?

Just when I was about to put my hands at my belt, Ieturia was coming along.
"Keika-sama, I'm really sorry. I couldn't do the job of protecting the cove."
"Well, this was an unfavorable situation. That aside, please take me to the land"
"Get on my back"
Ieturia heaved her white back out of the water.
I jumped an her back and was standing on my feet.
She swam at the sea level so it felt like I was gliding on the water, and we headed to the shore.


Celica and Lapisia came running as we arrived at the sandy beach.
Celica was checking her red bikini with her hands while being relieved.
"You're as amazing as always, Keika-sama. You brought him down with a single blow. Moreover, the way how you rescued the people was precise and bold. It was just astonishing."
"It was simple. --Lapisia, You did a great job. Thank you."
"Yeeeah! I got praised!"
Lapisia was smiling happily while I was stroking her head.

The town people are gathering in the surroundings.
However, I still have something to do.
"Celica, Lapisia. Also Ieturia. I'll add some counter-measures later, but for now, please treat the people and prioritize the safety of the cove."
"Yes, Keika-sama!"
"I'll work hard!"

Ieturia frowned and made a sad face while speaking up.
"I am sorry to have caused you trouble, I will pay more attention from now on."
"Everyone makes mistakes, it will be OK in the future."
Ieturia nodded with a meek face.
"As expected of you, Keika-sama. I'll do my best"

"Well then, I'll go!"
I saw the girls off and started running.
"That's the Hero-sama for you" "I already thought I'd ge a goner, thank you!"
Words of praises from the town people reached my back.
Every time I received a voice, I felt strength in my body.
It seems that they have come to believe in me from the bottom of their hearts.
I raised my hand and answered their support.


Then I left the beach and looked at the highway with "Clairvoyance".
However, I couldn't find the carriage.
Hmm?
While I thought that, I looked around the surroundings.
I saw the street until far ahead.
But, I couldn't see the carriage.
There aren't any buildings to hide as well.

--Damn it!
I lost sight of them while fighting!
I thought that it was okay because I tailed them!
What shall I do if I lose her like this!!


--well, I have still this.

I took the big silver "Proof of Hero"-medal out.
Oh?
It's glowing. Someone seemed to have leveled up.
Well, that's for later.

I tamper with it and let it display the location of the party members.
A translucent screen appeared in front of me.
My position blinks blue, members are shown with red dots.

The red dots are numbered.
Number one and two are close by. Celica and Lapisia.
Three was a little separated. This is Minya.
I found out that they were numbered in the order I added the members.


--Minya seems to be east-southeast.
It looks like the highway comes out at the coastline.
This should ascertain that the mayor's son was involved with the demons of the sea.
With this, I can do as much as I want as a hero.

I shrunk the screen to the upper right of my field of view.
When I returned to the highway, I invoked "Gale Legs" and ran towards Minya with the speed of wind.