kscans

Chapter 56 - An Encounter

An hour later, Lunaria arrived.

He found it strange that the top of the Demon Country, the Demon Lord, could come without an escort, but the Demon Lord was strong to begin with, so an escort was probably unnecessary. Besides, her purpose this time was to repair Arondight. She couldn't bring anyone with her, so Hayato figured she was traveling incognito.

"Lunaria-san. I've repaired it as promised."

Hayato handed Arondight to Lunaria, who was clad in bright red armor.

Though her face was hidden, Lunaria seemed pleased as she accepted the sword with great care. After sheathing the sword at her waist, she removed her helm.

Lunaria had silver hair and red eyes, and looked to be around twenty years old. When she shook her head from side to side, her hair, which had been tied up, came loose and fell to about her back. Then, in a small voice, she said, "Thank you," and bowed her head to Hayato.

"You're welcome. Now, regarding the matter of your payment—"

"Esha! I heard someone in red armor came here! So you were hiding her—Lunaria!"

At that exquisite timing, the Hero, Ivan, arrived. The timing was so perfect that there was no room for excuses.

Hayato thought, 'Please don't go on a rampage here,' but at that moment, Lunaria suddenly fled, entered the area behind the counter, and hid behind Esha. He wondered if it was okay for the Demon Lord to act like that, but it would be best if she just ran away. He didn't mind if the Hero and the Demon Lord fought, but he would be in trouble if they rampaged inside the base.

"Esha! Take Lunaria-san and escape to the dining hall! From the dining hall to the outside!"

Hayato gave instructions to Esha. This base had two entrances. One on the shop side and one on the dining hall side.

Since Ivan had entered from the shop side entrance, it was impossible to escape from there. So, they should escape from the dining hall side entrance.

Esha nodded and fled to the dining hall with Lunaria.

"Like I'd let you escape!"

Ivan said this and tried to move toward the dining hall.

Hayato clung to Ivan's torso from behind to buy even a little time. Besides, he would be in trouble if a fight broke out in the dining hall.

"Wait! Don't go on a rampage in this base!"

"Don't worry, even if I do, it'll just be for a little bit! I'll apologize later!"

He didn't know what there was to be relieved about, but Ivan grinned and peeled Hayato off his torso. It was probably the effect of STR. Hayato's STR couldn't defy Ivan's STR. He was easily peeled off, and Hayato fell to the floor on his behind.

Ivan tried to chase Esha and the others into the dining hall but stopped. He then used the Magic Lock spell on the door to the dining hall.

This was a spell that locked a door with a magic key, preventing it from being opened. It could be opened with the Magic Unlock spell, but if you couldn't use magic, you couldn't open it even if you had the Lockpicking Skill.

Hayato didn't know why Ivan had done that, but he understood when Ivan hurried out the shop side entrance.

(Is he planning to trap Esha and the Demon Lord in the base!?)

No matter how realistic Another Frontier Online was, there were things that couldn't be done due to the game's specifications. You couldn't exit through a window. In other words, if all the entrance doors were closed, you couldn't escape outside.

The fact that he used the Magic Lock spell meant there was a high possibility that he knew Esha and Lunaria couldn't use the Magic Unlock spell to undo it. He probably didn't know the structure of the base, but Hayato had just told them to escape from the dining hall side. He must have judged it would be faster to wait for them there.

Hayato stood up, went outside, and moved to the east side of the base where the dining hall entrance was.

There, he saw Esha and the others, who were trying to get out, being attacked by Ivan and retreating back inside. Then Ivan went inside and closed the door.

Hayato had a bad feeling and approached the door.

As expected, the door couldn't be opened due to the Magic Lock spell. In other words, Esha and Lunaria were trapped in the base.

(This is bad. It's not that Esha is in danger, but if the Hero and the Demon Lord go on a rampage, the base will be in big trouble. If only it was a place where they could go wild—the third floor.)

The third floor of the base was a Multi-purpose Hall, but it was also a place where the members of Kokuryu used to train their weapon skills. Hayato thought it would be fine if they rampaged a little there, and sent Esha a voice chat.

"Esha! Lead them to the third floor! It's okay for them to go wild there! But please try not to let them go too wild!"

"It will be difficult, but I'll try. If possible, please call Ash-sama and Ren-sama. We'll need them to hold Ivan down."

"Got it! I'll call them right away!"

Hayato sent a voice chat to Ash.

"Ash, can you hear me!?"

"Hayato? Don't suddenly send a voice chat at full volume. You'll give me a shock, you know?"

"Sorry, get to the base, quick! The Hero and the Demon Lord ran into each other! Esha is trapped inside the base with them right now, so I need your help! Also, bring Ren-chan with you!"

"What! Got it! I'm on my way!"

He didn't know where Ash and the others were at the moment, but Hayato was relieved by his words that he would come right away. He didn't know Ivan's strength, but even if he was the Hero, he probably wasn't strong enough to overwhelm Ash.

Besides, Hayato just wanted them to rampage outside. He felt bad for Lunaria, but he didn't care what happened after he got the two of them outside. The base had a lot of furniture he was particular about. It was just a matter of rebuilding it, but he wanted to avoid it being broken for a stupid reason.

As Hayato was thinking that, he felt someone's presence behind him. When he turned around, Ash and Ren were standing there. Hayato guessed they had teleported using a Ring of Teleportation.

"Hayato! Are you okay!?"

"Hayato-san!"

There were no more reliable reinforcements than this, Hayato thought and smiled.

Hayato immediately explained the situation to Ash and the others. He explained that Esha and Lunaria were trapped in the base, and that they were probably confronting each other on the third floor of the base.

"Then I'll stop the Hero. Ren, you undo the Magic Lock."

"Okay!"

"Hayato, you come with me. While I'm stopping the Hero, I want you to get Esha and the Demon Lord out of the base."

"Got it."

Ren opened the door to the dining hall with the Magic Unlock spell. Hayato and Ash immediately went inside.

The furniture in the dining hall was scattered. It didn't seem to be broken, but it was out of place or knocked over. Hayato wanted to sigh, but he knew this was no time for that and went up the stairs with Ash and the others.

The second floor had the rooms where the members of Kokuryu used to live, but now they were empty. Hayato's room, the storage, and the cultivation room were also there, but there was no sign of anyone on this floor. Thinking that Esha had successfully led Ivan to the third floor, they rushed up the stairs further.

On the third floor, Esha was standing in front of Lunaria protectively, confronting Ivan. He wanted to retort that the Demon Lord should be the one doing the confronting, but he held it back.

Ivan didn't seem to have noticed Hayato and the others and was talking to Esha.

"Esha! Let me fight Lunaria! I have something to say to Lunaria after I beat her!"

"Lunaria-sama can't stand that wild side of yours. Please try to appeal to her in a more gentlemanly manner. Besides, why do you need to win?"

"Huh? Because it's more manly that way, right? —It doesn't hurt, but don't shoot me with the Beelzebub! My HP will go down!"

"I think you should study a woman's heart a little more. You're basically a stalker, aren't you?"

Just as Esha said that, Ash readied the sword on his back.