Chapter 70

Under the moonlight that illuminated the capital city of Kyō in the country of Yamata,

In the private room of the palace, Miko and the Demon King were seated on the tatami mats.

In front of them stood Gōbu, the goblin mage.

However, Gōbu was wearing an iron armor that completely covered him from head to toe.

Only the face part was made of transparent glass.

The Demon King frowned and looked at Gōbu with a puzzled expression.

"Is this the armor that can block the Holy Wave...?"

"Yes, it's a prototype, but theoretically, it should be able to block it. I've named it Ultimate Defense No. 1."

Miko answered without a smile, her cool gaze and elegant black hair swaying.

The Demon King's one eyebrow twitched at the name, but he said nothing.

Instead, he examined the armor thoroughly before speaking.

"Gōbu, try to move."

"H-hai, Your Majesty... It's... heavy..."

With a clank... clank... Gōbu moved extremely slowly.

Since the joints couldn't bend, he walked with his limbs stretched out like sticks.

The Demon King laughed derisively.

"Hah! You can't move properly! At the very least, the joints should be able to bend, or you won't even be able to wield a weapon!"

"I told you, it's a prototype. If there are gaps, the Holy Wave will seep in."

"How about the weight? It seems heavier than a regular armor?"

"I've made it as thin as possible. Moreover, it has a double-layered structure inside and out. The inner hollow part is densely filled with new spell seals made of primal light."

Miko answered with a mysterious smile on her beautiful lips.

The Demon King covered his mouth and pondered.

"Inner hollow and spell seals... Indeed, if the joints were made of cloth, they would lose their meaning..."

Suddenly, Gōbu, who was clanking along, started to struggle.

"Huh? What's wrong, Gōbu!?"

"I... can't... breathe..."

Gōbu tried to remove his helmet but couldn't because his hands were stick-like. His face turned pale through the glass.

"Gōbu!"

The Demon King rushed over and removed the helmet.

Gōbu collapsed on the floor, panting heavily.

Miko shrugged her delicate shoulders and made a sorrowful expression.

"Oh, I see. I forgot about breathing. Sacrifices are inevitable in experiments."

"You...!"

The Demon King clenched his jagged teeth and glared at Miko.

Miko, unashamed, averted her gaze and fanned herself with a seductive smile.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

The Demon King's eyes widened, and he fell silent, muttering a spell and touching Gōbu, who was sprawled out. Instantly, both of them looked like ordinary humans.

Miko sent a sharp glance at the door.

"Do not open the door. A guest has arrived. ...What is it?"

A voice came from the other side of the door.

"Thieves have broken in and stolen Miko-sama's treasure."

Despite the news of the stolen treasure, Miko remained unperturbed.

She prompted the speaker with a composed voice.

"Really... thieves... What exactly was stolen?"

"It seems... the storage was ransacked but left untouched... Miko-sama's research room had a glowing orb that was taken."

Until then, Miko had maintained a calm smile, but her face suddenly tensed as she frantically searched her kimono sleeves and pockets.

Her beautiful face twisted with anxiety, yet even this expression was picture-perfect.

"Damn! I was so engrossed in the experiment...! —Retrieve it immediately! Right now!"

"Should we use the legendary Three Shinobi?"

"Use the maximum force available to retrieve it!"

"As you wish."

The presence outside the door disappeared.

Miko's face contorted with distress.

The Demon King returned to his original form and said,

"The glowing orb... is it the Light Gem?"

"Yes... I usually carry it, but today I used it to generate new spell seals and forgot to take it back..."

Miko scratched her head vigorously with her slender fingers, her black hair falling over her porcelain-like cheeks, which she ignored, continuing to scratch in frustration.

The Demon King looked at Miko seriously.

"I'm sorry for the trouble. ...If they aren't caught by nightfall, I'll send my subordinates. Since it's an island nation, using sea and air creatures will prevent them from escaping."

"Yes, please do... It's a miraculous item passed down by the Dragon Clan... However, I believe the legendary Three Shinobi will certainly retrieve it..."

Miko's lamenting figure was as fragile and beautiful as if it might break at any moment.

---

"One day until Miko-sama reaches the banks of the Sanzu River"

◇ ◇ ◇

Edgar, having returned to Yamata, delivered Princess Nobara to the Mikawari's residence in the capital city of Kyō.

He explained the situation and managed to secure the princess's protection.

However, it was decided that Miko-sama would need to be informed and make the final judgment.

Reviving the dead was a significant matter in the Yamata Kingdom under Miko's rule, beyond the Mikawari's authority.

Edgar left the residence, entrusting the princess's care to them.

Later, Edgar sneaked into Miko's castle under the cover of dusk.

He eliminated his presence and activated the thief skill [Treasure Detection].

His target was one thing:

—The Light Gem.

He searched the storage but found nothing.

Next, he entered the castle and used the detection skill again.

A reaction appeared on the upper floor of the castle.

"Sure enough, it's here—Water Escape Technique."

Edgar activated the technique while also using the thief skill [Stealth] to completely eliminate his presence.

In this country, such measures were necessary to deceive the guards.

He climbed the wooden stairs and sometimes scaled the outer walls to reach the upper floor.

He entered a larger room.

Unlike the ornate castle, this was a stark workshop.

On the workbench were heating lamps, glass flasks, mortars, and filtration equipment.

In the corner were an anvil, hammer, and high-temperature furnace, indicating a blacksmith's setup.

Nearby, the glowing orb was casually placed.

Edgar cautiously approached, carefully observing the surroundings.

He picked up the orb and examined it.

"Seriously... why is it just lying around like this...? But, I'm grateful."

As he put it in his pocket, the outside suddenly became noisy.

He went to the window and looked down at the back of the castle, where it seemed the break-in had been discovered.

People were approaching the workshop.

Edgar looked up and gazed into the distance, where the moon faintly illuminated the city of Kyō spread across the plateau.

He formed a seal with both hands and focused on a point in the distance.

"It's a risk—Wind Escape Technique."

Edgar's figure was enveloped in a whirlwind and disappeared.

At the same time, guards and blacksmiths in work clothes, along with mages, burst into the room.

They searched for the stolen item, but the blacksmith noticed the missing orb near the furnace and turned pale.

"The glowing sphere, Miko-sama's orb, is gone!"

The people hurriedly left the workshop.

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→ 71. Legendary Three Shinobi vs. Edgar's Resolve