Chapter 9

When she realized the light bulb had burned out, it was after she had opened the door to take a bath and pressed the switch. She was already undressed. She didn't feel like searching for a spare in the nude, and thought the streetlights and the lights from the neighboring houses would be enough, so she stepped into the bathroom.

Suddenly, she noticed a small light spilling from the corner of the shower area.

It was a gentle light, like a collection of fireflies' glow.

The light was stuck to a silver helmet that had fallen from a man named Azayu's head.

The moment she saw the helmet, the memories of last night came flooding back, and Senna felt an urge to scream for no reason.

She has a friend who loses her memory when she gets drunk.

She would go wild, complain, try to undress, and become a kissy person, but the next day she wouldn't remember anything. She apparently doesn't even get a hangover, and the day after drinking, she always feels bright and cheerful.

Senna envied that friend deeply now.

She dislikes the pain and nausea of a hangover, but more than that, she hates the fact that the memories of last night are so vivid.

Shizuko's exasperated face, Azayu's troubled expression, and the round-faced chef. How did they think of her, drunk and disheveled? They must have thought she was an incredibly slovenly woman. No, it's not true, Senna wanted to shout out loud.

The only consolation might be that she would never see these people again.

She wanted to see the children in the tower being rescued, but she also thought she shouldn't get too involved. A one-time encounter. That's all, she told herself.

Still... she never imagined she had exhibitionist tendencies.

Because it was the bathroom, she had no choice but to be naked, but she never dreamed she would expose herself voluntarily.

She decided never to drink to excess again, in the bathroom or anywhere else. She took a shower to wash away her shame and made a firm resolution.

After washing her head and body, and before getting into the bathtub, she noticed the helmet was still emitting light.

Senna picked up the helmet.

The light overflowed.

Like fireflies in a small box suddenly flying into the sky, the bathroom was enveloped in light.

It was a momentary thing. The light quickly weakened, and only a faint glow remained.

Senna looked at what she held in her hand, dumbfounded.

"What is this..."

No one answered her murmur.

The silver helmet was heavy. A flat, palm-sized stone was attached to the part that would be on her forehead. The surface of the stone was rough.

The stone was pulsing softly.

"Light... Get?"

It might not be very stable, but it seemed to be a sufficient replacement for the burned-out light bulb.

Senna placed the helmet on the edge of the bathtub and got in.

She stretched out her legs in the warm water and crossed her arms above her head.

The warm water gently relaxed her body.

Just as Senna sighed, a low male voice came from outside the window. It might have been a shout. Senna lowered her head.

Wasn't it a bit too fast?

After the shouting stopped, a metallic sound was heard, slightly lower than the sound of a spoon hitting a pot.

She wanted to enjoy the bath leisurely today. She decided to check without opening the window, but the shouting and the metallic sound were getting closer.

Senna picked up the helmet and put it on. It was loose, but she did it for safety.

She opened the window gently. A white object flashed, and then a shock ran through her head.

A dull sound echoed, and light burst forth.

Recoiling, she covered her eyes from the brightness.

As the light began to converge, she saw two men outside the window.

One was dressed entirely in black, with a black cloth covering his face except for his eyes.

The other was wearing a light blue outfit. Light blue long sleeves, loose long pants, and a cloth wrapped around his waist with what looked like a sheath. He also had a cloth wrapped around his head, but his face was visible. His brown skin reminded her of someone.

The man in black, who was near the window, raised his arm toward Senna.

Seeing the curved dagger in his hand, Senna screamed.

The man in black flinched slightly at the scream.

Senna threw the helmet at the man in black.

Just before it hit, the man in black knocked the helmet away with the hilt of his sword.

Then, the light overflowed again.

Squinting from the brightness, Senna saw the man in light blue approaching the man in black from behind. A heavy sound, like a sandbag being hit with a bat, was heard, and the man in black raised his chin, convulsed, and fell.

The man in light blue looked at Senna.

An indescribable tension arose between Senna and the man.

"Good evening."

"...Ah."

"Um, is the man in black... dead?"

If he nodded, she would close the window immediately.

But the man shook his head.

"No. He's just unconscious. He's a valuable witness, so I'll deal with him later."

The man bent down, picked up the dagger that had fallen from the black-clothed man's hand, and inserted a sheath into the man's chest. He then pulled out the sheath, inserted the sword into the cloth wrapped around his waist, and turned to Senna.

His sky-blue eyes stared at Senna intently.

A square jaw and a sturdy build. For the man, pinning Senna down would be as easy as turning a baby's hand.

Senna felt suffocated and reached for the window.

"Well, I'll be going then."

The man grabbed the window she was about to close.

"Wait."

Senna inwardly let out a pitiful "eek."

"Forgot something."

While holding the window, the man kicked something at his feet.

The helmet flew through the air with sand.

He caught it with the hand not holding the window and handed it to Senna.

"The moonstone is broken. I'm sorry for damaging something valuable."

"Moonstone?"

Senna tilted her head.

The man frowned.

"The stone embedded here. It emits light when vibrated."

His expression said, "You're the owner, so why don't you know?"

"Oh, so that's why it glowed."

Senna glanced at the man's face.

He gave an intimidating impression, but he might not be a bad person.

"If you want, I'll give it to you. I think it's probably for you."

Water became an earring, the earring became a flint, the flint became an ice plant, the ice plant became a Keroron sword, the Keroron sword became Trangoon's blood, Trangoon's blood became a ball, the ball became a key, and the key became a glowing helmet.

Now that it had come this far, it was somewhat clear. Even if she didn't want to understand, she understood.

The items she obtained would be useful for the next person to appear.

She didn't know what kind of karma it was, but she seemed to be a bridge between the people who appeared outside the bathroom and the world. She wished it would stop.

The man spun the helmet on his finger.

"I once heard from my king that a goddess appears in the desert."

"Huh?"

The people outside the window had been called by various names, but this time it was a goddess. A significant promotion from a witch.

"Since it was at a drinking party, I thought I was being teased... Is it you?"

"No, you can't ask me. By the way, who is the king? Setsuken?"

The man raised an eyebrow.

"No, the king of York Zai, the great King Tenug, who inherited the blood of the founder, King York Zai, and was saved by a beautiful goddess while wandering in the desert."

The man tilted his head slightly. Senna didn't miss his whispered, "It's a bit different from the story I heard..."

"Sorry. I'm not beautiful."

The man averted his eyes, sensing Senna's anger. "No, that's not the point. The king said the goddess was like the goddess of fertility, Coyok."

The man glanced at Senna as if to confirm something, then lowered his gaze again.

"Goddess Coyok is also the goddess of the earth and is said to have a voluptuous waist because she literally sits on her unfaithful husband, the god Karan. That's why the statues of Coyok I know are all sensual... No, I'm not saying your body is unbalanced. Coyok is also the goddess of many children, and your slim waist... That's just my opinion..."

The man's voice grew smaller as he dug his own grave.

"If you try to defend yourself any further, I'll pour water on your head."

"...Sorry."

The man bowed his head.

"But, I understand who your king is. The man with the ear ornament with a blue stone, right?"

Upon closer inspection, the light blue clothes the man wore were similar to the man with the ear ornament. His brown skin was also similar. There was only one person who came to mind as someone who had been wandering in the desert.

Theo Kay, the prime minister of York Zai, had been desperately searching for this person. He must have been important to both the man and York Zai, but he was the king.

"Right. So, you are the goddess who saved the king's life?"

Senna smiled ambiguously. She had saved him, but she wasn't a goddess. However, explaining it would be troublesome.

"Is the king doing well?"

The man nodded and lowered his eyes. Senna was surprised.

"Is something wrong with the king?"

"The king was invited by Queen Tomeyu and left for I-Waburo two days ago."

Senna gasped. I-Waburo was Prince Hinoki's country.

The man looked up. His eyes were fierce, as if he was suppressing intense anger.

"Last night, a secret envoy came. This visit is a trap. The path shown by the queen is infested with terrifying insects. The envoy offered a map showing the location of the nest in exchange for the rescue of his country's prince."

Senna clung to the window frame.

"Wait a minute! Did King Huuron accept the envoy's map? He left two days ago, right? Could it be that you were on your way to report?"

If so, they shouldn't be leisurely chatting.

"Indeed, I was on my way to report to the king."

"Was, not is! You need to hurry."

Senna felt an urge to snatch the helmet from the man's hand and hit him on the head.

"Don't worry, others are on their way."

"Huh?"

"There isn't just one person to deliver the message. Five people skilled in handling rubas are each heading to I-Waburo with a map like this."

The man took a folded paper from his pocket.

Senna instinctively held out her hand, and he placed it in her palm.

The paper was thicker and rougher than the one in the tower. When she unfolded it, various symbols she couldn't understand were written. A line like a snake's body twisting between the symbols was drawn. This snake probably indicated the safe route.

"Lord Theo Kay was concerned about the queen's assassins after discovering the secret envoy, and it turned out to be accurate."

The man kicked the black-clothed man at his feet.

"My ruba was incapacitated by the poison arrows these men released. I will wait here for the reinforcements to arrive."

"Huh? These men?"

Senna looked up from the map.

She glanced behind the man.

There was no wind. In the clear air, several sand dunes illuminated by the blue moonlight were layered. In this almost dreamlike scene, black spots like ink drops were visible.

The largest black spot in the foreground was a long-necked horse-like, humpless camel-like animal.

Behind it, the black spots scattered on the ground were dressed in the same black clothes as the man lying at the man's feet.

Senna pointed to the man's back with a trembling finger.

"Um, are the people lying behind you... dead?"

"Yes."

The man turned and nodded.

The light blue cloth hanging from his head fluttered with the movement.

"Then, I'll be going now! It might get cold, but good luck."

Senna forcefully closed the window.