＜Infinite Dendrogram＞

□ About Ultimia

The days after the war were time for Ultimia to hunt herself down.

He served in the affairs of the kingdom as a replacement for his late father and also immersed himself in a harsh workout as [Holy Sword Princess]. Often when there was some trouble, he hid his identity and stood on the scene of a dangerous incident himself.

Maybe it was redemption.

Even though he was stopped by his father, he did not go to battlefield with the strongest power in the kingdom Tian, and lost many of his loved ones, his people, as they were.

She couldn't forgive herself for that.

I dreamed many times that if my father had chosen to go out on his own volition even if he had stopped me, I would not have ended up like that.

So next time I wanted to get ahead of everyone and this time I wanted to protect everything.

I want to protect my country, my people, and my precious family.

Like the first king Azrite, the ancestor of the Alter royal family.

She therefore named Azrite when she moved in concealment of her identity.

One of your own names, and the name of the one you wish to be.

About a month ago now, there was one incident in Gideon.

That's Franklin's game.

Gideon, whose sister was staying, was ravaged by Franklin, who took her father's life.

Coincidentally, it happened while she was able to lie down.

Seeing the tragedy of the incident that Franklin relayed to King's Capital, knowing that her sister had been captured, she was sick and about to rush to Gideon.

To save my sister, to the crisis that struck the country again. Now it's up to me to take the lead and fulfill my responsibilities.

But that doesn't come true because of the disease. She tried to make her way to Gideon, but it was in the hospital bed. She can't shake off her subordinate restraint and is seized.

Desperate, she cried again and again.

"Why can't I always be there?"

"Why am I just looking away at losing someone I care about?"

"I..."

If Gideon were doomed and her sister's life compromised...... her despair would have lasted a lifetime.

But he that crusheth the despair appeared.

That's one master.

He was challenging a monster that was far more powerful than himself and, above all, made to defeat himself.

He still fought a struggle that was hurting and worn out, but there was no hope from the side.

And he won.

Let the despair that was supposed to strike Gideon's city disappear in the battle that betrayed him.

She can still remember how he put his right hand up.

It was from that moment that distrust and trust in her began to balance.

And it was also in her heart that the presence of one < master > began to be engraved...

◇ ◇ ◇

□ [Brilliant Cavalry] Ray Sterling

After the whale exploded, all the battles in Calcellatan ended.

When it was over, only me and Tom survived, and the few who were hitting evacuation.

Tian has also suffered damage not only to knights but also to civilians by the demons of [General Demon].

It was a tragic and extreme incident, but I didn't get anything.

Perhaps all the forces involved in this case had lost something.

Is that why my mind is closer to saying "over" instead of "won" too?

Speaking of strong and gainful......

"That's about it"

Ten palm-sized box-shaped item boxes are arranged in front of me.

This was all in the mountains where those whales blew up... in powder that could not be white or silver deposited in large quantities there.

I checked and found that this item box has as much capacity and load as the bag type I normally use.

I also checked the contents, but every item box was full of that powder.

I also checked the powder for something, but the window only shows it as [metal particles].

… seriously consider obtaining the Appraisal Eye?

"For one thing, why don't we ask Kumanisan, Marie, and Beasley about this powder?"

"Right."

Those three people who know something, they'll know something.

... Think about it, I don't know much about Dendro myself, but I know a lot of people.

"Ray."

And, thinking about it, Azrite came here.

After we met again after the battle, we were broken up once when we said we were going to the Countess of Calcellatan.

"How'd it go over there?

"Well, there's nothing wrong with Tom Cat except that he can't see him."

"No Mr. Tom?

I don't even think Tom's going to be a death penalty, but what's the matter?

Something urgent, and you logged out?

"And then the Countess and the innkeepers we stayed in will be fine. I think Lefty remembered something with this commotion, but that's about it."

"Oh well."

Then you can rest assured.

"Yes..., what about Dr. Mario?

"... I didn't see you either. The disturbance is over, and the Empire has lost what it was looking for, so it seems to have dispersed."

Dr. Mario......, I also wanted to say thank you for covering me in the fight against the whales, and although I wanted to see you again......

Is that when I see you again sometime?

"By the way, Azrite, are you okay with leaving your mask off?

Azrite is not wearing that mask right now.

With her beautiful face exposed, she walks through the city and talks to me.

Is it because of that, the gaze of the people on the road is gathering in Azrite?

"... you know, Ray. I've been meaning to tell you something."

"What were you going to say?

Speaking of which, I was about to say something when whales and helical crabs showed up.

Is that what it is?

"Ray, listen. My real name is..."

Azrite looked at me with a serious look and said this as if she had made up her mind.

"... Ultimia Azrite Alter. That's my name."

To her confession, I...

"Really? Your first name was Ultimia."

I replied.

"... that's all?

"No, Azrite was a middle name," he said.

But does having a middle name mean that you are quite a nobleman? Looks like the blood of the Count Calcellatan family is in there, too.

No, wait.

That my family name is Alter...,.

"Are you related to the royal family?

…………

Azrite looks at this one with an unspeakable look.

I can't tell if you're surprised or angry or frightened, one of them.

"... Whew, Ray. Wasn't Ultimia the first princess's name?

"Oh. You're wearing a name."

"No, not wearing it or anything, isn't this Ultimia the First Princess Ultimia?

Hahaha, nemesis. What are you talking about?

"There's no way a princess of a country would wear such a suspicious mask. Yeah, the rest of us don't have masks anyway, the masks.... That, Azrite? I don't know what to do with a sword."

Shortly afterwards, Azrite wields a sword like a pale blunt weapon... slapping me as hard as she wants.

"Heb."

"Notice! Where did all the good sense of exploration and battle go? How nervous do you think I was to reveal who I am...!

That's how I got busted by an azurite with an expression I don't know if I'm crying or laughing.

I can't solve it.

"It's me! I'm the first princess! In the mask! In [Holy Sword Princess]! It's Ultimia! I'm sorry! With a suspicious mask! I've told you so many times, but I don't want you to say it in fashion!?"

Azrite is angry with Punska, as something builds up.

But, well, I found out Azrite really seemed like the first princess.

"Bad, I said too much about the mask"

"It's true, already!

"But can I ask you one thing?

"... what could it be?

I ask her one question, as if, "I wonder what the mask will say again."

It's...,

"What am I supposed to call Azrite?

It was just a simple question.

"Huh?"

"Because she's the first princess. I knew I should call you a princess, just like Elizabeth? Or, Your Highness?

"... huhuhu"

She was a little surprised and laughed ridiculously.

"Al...... no, Azrite would be good. If it's not a public place, there's no need for honor."

"Are you sure?

"Yeah, you should call me that."

"Oh well. Then again...... I need to ask Azrite something"

"... what is that?

Give her a strange look, I'll give her my right hand.

And ask.

"Azrite. I tell you... can I help you?

"Ah..."

On the first night, I said this to her.

'It would be helpful if < master > would accept me if I said "I want to cooperate",.

Repeat that again.

To her, the first princess of the kingdom, from me, the Master... again.

So I guess this is more like asking for an answer that night than a question.

…………

I'll give her a choice and wait.

"............... then"

She meditates her eyes just a little and starts to think of something and say the words.

"The battle against the weapons that came out of. I defeated the enemy on earth, and you defeated the enemy in the sky."

"Oh."

"But I'm sure I couldn't defeat an empty enemy, and you couldn't defeat an enemy on earth"

"Right."

"... there are things you can't protect, even if you're in the lead by yourself (me) alone. Although."

She smiled,

"If you and... are going to stand shoulder to shoulder with your buddies (< master >), there's something you can protect"

That said, she's also offering me her right hand.

"This way, please. Ray."

"Oh, I'll see you in the future. Azrite."

That's how we shook hands again.

◇ ◇ ◇

□ a week later

A week after the incident of Carcellatan, an announcement from First Princess Ultimia was made all over the kingdom.

It is a widespread demand for the cooperation of the Master in the war against the approaching Empire.

Until then, questions were raised about the kingdom's policy, but it was accepted by Tian and also by the Master.

Concrete measures will be forthcoming, but that was a budding hope for the Kingdom.

◇

And...... there is not one hope of waiting for a bud.

◇ ◇ ◇

□ A few days later

"Ah."

In front of the plant console, one man is groaning.

He is one of the masters who has been requested to investigate the site.

But no one else ordered the request.

That's not without the hopeful. Rather, there were many things I would have liked to receive because they were highly paid.

However, when the conditions become a high level of technician or mechanic lineage, there are no human resources in the Kingdom.

Almost none of them are in Tian, but only a few have moved from the Empire.

And the man currently working in front of the console is one of those few.

Under all circumstances, he received nomination arrangements in the empire, and one < master > who had fled to the kingdom.

The name is Blue Screen.

"Damn, I'm doing Dendro, but I'm working in real life. I don't know..."

He's pounding on the console complaining about bumps.

But whilst complaining well, the job is certain, and Tian's scholars will be able to use the ancient system one after another.

"Oh, is that some kind of patrol security program? Electric Sheep's Dream (Gremlin)

He uses his own Embrio in combination to partially blunt the functioning of the system, while searching for the data of the.

"Hey, are you doing this? I brought you rice."

At that time, there is a man who speaks to the Blue Screen from the entrance to the plant.

The man is a dam dam, the owner of the clan to which Blue Screen belongs.

It should be noted that until a few days ago their clan was a large PK clan < Sol Crisis >, which the clan broke down in the air in an incident in the village of Torne.

Now the clan name is < Rising Sun > again, and "Let's be second class first" is put back from scratch in the motto to work on a small scale.

This highly-paid survey quest is the first step.

"... but isn't this like a change of purpose from PK clan?

"Right now, we're gone, and Vermin is gone, so it's a fine clan with two constituents. I can't choose Shinogi, and I appreciate this kind of large capital income."

"So is that," Blue Screen convinces, carrying the dam dam plug into his mouth.

"By the way, has the city changed anything?

"No, especially not. It's all about building repairs and searches. I've been doing a lot of quests to find things to lose, too. Oh, no, I found a small engine in this stash room."

Mary, the Embrio of Dam Dam, specializes in tracking abilities, and at the same time in finding lost objects and people. It wasn't used in the Torne Village case, but that's the main one.

"Engine hey... what did it say its name was?

"The" Appraisal Eye "doesn't seem to be enough. It only said [Power Furnace], so I have a survey team from the kingdom stationed in the city to assess it. Oh! Yes, yes! There's a fancy but awesome orchestra in the city square that my grandfather conducts. I've been playing a bunch of Enselberg songs, and that's what I'm good at."

"Oh, you loved that composer."

"That's right. I'm not giving you a new score lately.... Yeah, but maybe you're old enough to retire."

While public speaking with the dam dam, Blue Screen said he was operating the console.

"... hmm?

I hit a piece of data.

It is design data for entering into the production line of this plant, and the monitor lists the drawings of some machine and the lettering '[Crystal ■ ■]'.

"Is the data broken? I don't know what to do with this gremlin... there's more to it."

That wasn't the only data Bruce Screen found.

There were also drawings of other machines in the same folder, and that one had no missing data.

The drawing - which clearly shows that it is a machine horse (...) - said 'Mass produced brilliant jade horse/second model'.

◇

It's a gift from the past.

With the dwindling hope... the undistorted hope waited for a quiet budding day.

To be continued