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Chapter 99: The Streetscape

Dianeia guided our group to the shopping district’s main street.
Sakura and Hesty glanced at the storefronts and seemed to be having a good time.

I was really enjoying myself watching them but,

「There are really a lot of people huh…….」

Even though it was late at night, there were a lot of people here…after all it was a festival.
Although it wasn’t to the degree that you couldn’t walk without bumping into someone, it was cramped. However, for some reason there was an air pocket around our group so we didn’t feel the press of the crowd.
However, that didn’t change the fact that there were a lot of people.

「Even though it’s like this…there are still much fewer people than during the day. It was much more crowded.」
「I see…——ok then let’s stay inside during the day…」
「Ha, you made your decision fast Daichi-dono. Well, I guess…leaving this main street aside, the area around the castle won’t be crowded so you can loiter around there I think.」

I don’t like loitering around in crowds, so I’m grateful for that at least. I’m grateful for the care she’s showing…

「Hyahha~ isn’t that Boss?」

I heard a voice call out from behind me.
I turned to look and saw a head reflecting the light of a streetlamp.

「Ash huh? It’s been a while.」
「Osu! It’s been a while Boss!」

The Shining Heads were assembled behind Ash.
There were about the same number of them as the time they came to raid my house.
They greeted me one after another and bowed their heads.

「What are you doing here?」
「We’re patrolling the festival. We were hired by the Princess over there.」
「Umu, with this kind of festival there are a lot of altercations. The knights alone would not be able to handle it. We made up the numbers by using accomplished adventurers.」

Those Shining Heads seem to be a part of that.
Well, with this many people there are bound to be a few disagreements. This should be expected when you gather so many people together.
As I thought that…

「Hey! You just stepped on my foot didn’t you!?」
「Haa!? Don’t go spouting bull!」

On a connected street it sounded like two men were in a scuffle.
They were both muscular with one holding a sword and the other a staff. Just by looking at them you could tell they were adventurers.
Speak of the devil and he appears…there were people causing trouble right here, and when I looked over at them…

「Hyahha, you guys are making trouble?」

Ash called out and slowly approached them.
His voice was calm but his eyes were sharp.

「Haa!? Who are y——you’re the Shining Heads’ leader!?」
「Hyahha~ I’m Ash the leader of Shining Head. I’m patrolling around here…but you guys wouldn’t possibly be causing a problem…right?」

Ash asked calmly and the two men vigorously nodded and threw their arms around the other’s shoulders.

「「No! We aren’t causing any problems!」」
「Hyahha~ I see. Then that’s good. Enjoy the festival, ok?」

and so the two that had been fighting, disappeared into the crowd while still holding each other’s shoulders.
After seeing that, the people in the surrounding all erupted into whispered conversations.

「Amazing, that’s what you’d expect from such a monstrous party with over 90% completion rate…just by looking and talking they’re that overwhelming.」
「Yeah, I heard they changed their base of operations to Prussia…but it was actually true…」

Wow…these Shining Head guys actually seem quite famous. I don’t come to town often so this is the first time that I’ve seen their fame…

「Ash…you guys are really popular huh?」
「Hyahha~ we’re just so so…….we’re not even close to you Boss.」
「Eh? I’m not famous or popular though?」

I just stayed in the forest and lived peacefully.

「Hyahha~…….Boss is the Hero that protected the town from dragons. If they knew what you looked like then I think they’d swamp you. I think we should split up pretty soon you know? Right now me and the Princess are with you so you’re standing out quite a bit.」
「Oh, I see. Dianeia is a princess after all.」

If you saw the princess walking around of course it’d stand out.

「Yep, if there was a single person who knew what you looked like it’d spread like the plague.」

Hmm, with the Hesty and Ramiyuros matters there were quite a few people who knew my face.
That being the case, just standing around here wouldn’t be good for me.

「Ok then, let’s go to the next place. Dianeia I’ll leave it to you.」
「O-ok, roger.」
「Well then, we’re off. Do your best~」
「Hyahha~ let’s get a drink together soon.」

And so we began to walk to the next location.
*********************************
A few seconds after Daichi left.
Ash’s body was covered in sweat.

A cold sweat ran down his face as he breathed roughly.

「Haa……huuu…….」
「L-Leader are you ok?」
「W-well….when you stand near that man, you can really feel the difference in power.」

Ash looked at the place where Daichi had walked away.
His path was completely empty of people and it stayed that way for a while.

「Really amazing……when I sent out my own magic power he didn’t even react…in fact his overwhelmed my own completely.」

When he had gone to stop the fight, he emitted his magic power.
His opponents were only amateur adventurers, but an even more powerful magic was suddenly focused on them. It suddenly and completely engulfed them.
It was so ludicrously powerful that it wasn’t even funny.

「But that’s why we admire him.」

Ash laughed. Then he called out to the Shining Heads members.

「Hyahha~ fire yourselves up boys! We’re gonna keep going—!」
「Ou!!」