61 – Blooming even in a crisis (3)
Ael and Lamia completed their business safely even without Ainer.
Since the restaurant opened, the menu has been fixed on pork belly for a while, so the business has become somewhat familiar.
Ael finished washing dishes and cleaning up after himself and looked out the window.
Today was an unusually dark night with no moon.
I hope the owner is well.
How did you eat dinner?
You must have eaten that tasteless fish porridge from the security guard.
After looking around the kitchen counter, Ael decided that he would soon have to make a late-night snack for Aner.
Lamia saw Ael’s gaze and noticed it.
“I’m tired. Are you okay?”
“You’re probably more tired than me. Lamia, go up and sleep. Thank you for your hard work.”
“No. I’ll help too. If we do it together, it will be over quickly.”
“Heh, thank you.”
So, Ael and Lamia took out all the leftover ingredients from the business and started packing lunch boxes.
The weather in Daham was mild and somewhat hot, so everything spoiled quickly and was likely to be thrown away anyway.
After a while, with Lamia’s help, Ael created two lunch bags that Einer and the crew could easily eat.
“I’ll carry this by myself. It’s really okay.”
Ael strongly declined Lamia’s offer to accompany him.
“It’s late and someone has to guard the house.”
“Okay. Then, be careful.”
Ael bravely left the house and went down the hill, carrying his lunch bag in both hands.
The middle of the night was much cooler than the day, so Ael was able to feel completely comfortable.
According to the master, one of the warring fleets will leave tomorrow.
Then the master will be able to return home soon.
Since you worked hard, I should make you a lot of delicious food.
Ael, even humming his song, came down the hill and crossed the unlit market.
Although it was a bust, there were quite a few merchants living in their shops, so the market wasn’t that dark even though it was deep at night.
Ael walked fluttering while listening to the lights and laughter coming from the illegally expanded wooden building.
At that time, someone ran out of the narrow alley and collided with Ael.
“Hey!”
Ael lost his lunch bag and hit his butt.
The person who collided with Ael fell a little further than him and dropped the bag he was holding in his arms.
The bag that fell to the ground burst open and the scrolls inside poured out.
“I’m sorry! Are you okay!?”
Ael waddled up and apologized.
However, the other party did not listen to Ael’s apology and hurriedly picked up the scrolls scattered on the floor.
“I’ll help you!”
“Don’t touch me!”
The man screamed fiercely and used his whole body to block the scrolls that had fallen to the floor.
“Step back!”
“I’m sorry…”
As Ael hesitated and retreated, the man quickly stuffed the scrolls into his bag and ran over there.
You must have been really angry.
But I was the one who came and bumped into him first….
Ael, who was picking up his lunch bag, found something at his feet.
It was one of the scrolls that spilled out of the man’s bag earlier.
It seemed like something with a complicated pattern engraved on it was very important.
I guess I should pick it up and bring it to you.
Ael bent down and picked up her scroll.
But as it happened, the tips of Ael’s shoes were stepping on the edge of the scroll, so when Ael pulled the scroll up, it tore in half.
“Ugh! What should I do eee!!”
Ael was sucked into a portal that opened at an angle on the floor.
* * * * *
Einer and his crew were watching Berabche’s huge warships floating in the calm sea.
Yawning, chatting, etc.
“Chief. What happened to the succubus?”
“There was slime hiding under the bed.”
“Ha, it was nothing.”
“That’s right.”
It’s so boring that no time passes.
I’m tired of looking at battleships brightly lit in preparation for Elion’s invasion.
How can I stay up all night in this condition?
I’d rather just climb a mountain like I did when I was a goblin, but I’m so bored to death that I’m just sitting there in one place.
Ael and Lamia are probably sleeping after finishing their business by now.
Ael, that guy, he shouldn’t be doing anything weird in my room again.
But there is one thing I’m really curious about.
If it wasn’t Cantavera, Boxteratu, or a succubus, what on earth was Ael’s voice at that time?
The world’s most vulgar remarks, such as saying I love you or something like that.
It definitely didn’t come from Ael’s mouth, right?
Was it really Cantavera?
But wasn’t Cantavera a guy who only sang songs?
I don’t know.
Because I’m bored, all kinds of random thoughts come to mind.
Einer rummaged through the lunch bag left under the shade.
I ate up everything that Ael brought during the day until dinner time.
I wish I could kill time by eating something.
As soon as my thoughts reached that point, a lunch bag fell from the sky.
And then Ael fell.
“Ael!”
Aenor threw himself forward with animal-like reflexes and caught Ael.
“Ugh!”
“Huh, master!”
Einor, who was lying on the ground while being crushed by Ael, discovered something strange in the sky.
It was an oval-shaped whirlpool of mixed blue and white colors.
Does that look like a portal?
Could it have been opened by Ael?
The portal that was spinning quickly quickly shrank and disappeared completely.
“Captain! Huh? Ael?”
The team members who came running after hearing the loud noise opened their eyes wide when they saw the lunch bag and Ael lying on the floor.
“What is this? What’s going on?”
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“Oh, hello! I brought you a late-night snack!”
Ael, who was sitting on Aner’s chest with her buttocks, rubbed her head and lowered her head.
“Midnight snack? Suddenly? In the sky?”
“Eh, so… I don’t even know what happened.”
Aner slapped Ael’s plump buttocks.
“Please come out first.”
“Oh my! I’m sorry!”
Ael hurriedly got up and grabbed Eine’s arm.
Aner stood up shaking off her cloak and looked up at the sky once again.
However, only the starry Milky Way was spread out in the sky, and there was no portal in sight.
“Did you open the portal?”
“Huh? A portal? Was that a portal?”
Ael tilted his head and looked up at the sky along with Einer.
“Something strange happened earlier.”
Ael told Einer what he had just experienced at the market.
Hearing those words, Einer looked at Ryan.
“This is a portal scroll.”
After hearing Ryan’s answer, Einer pondered what this meant.
“Hey… What is that…?”
As Einer’s face became serious, Ael looked around and asked.
“Huh? Demons don’t know scrolls?”
Ael shook her head in response to Kira’s question.
“I just cook in the kitchen.”
“Ah. A scroll is a tool that allows even people who don’t know how to use magic to use magic.”
“Is there such a thing?”
“The wizard draws a pattern on a piece of paper that can cast a specific spell. If you tear it, you can activate the magic engraved on it.”
“So what I tore was a portal scroll?”
“That’s right.”
“But the problem is.”
Marco opened his mouth.
“The exit coordinates of that dimension door are here.”
“Why is that a problem?”
“The portal scroll is designed to unconditionally specify the exit coordinates. No matter where you tear it, you must be able to move to that location.”
Ael tilted his head after hearing those words.
“Then it’s really strange. It’s not a place that’s hard for people to go to, so why did they come to this ordinary dockside?”
“That’s why it’s a problem.”
Ryan, who was crossing his arms, asked.
“Was there a lot of scrolling?”
“Eh… I think there were twenty at best.”
“What is that person’s impression?”
“I don’t know. They ran away so fast…”
“Captain. This is really strange, isn’t it?”
Toby scratched his head.
“I don’t know where the other scrolls lead, but the fact that I have dozens of portal scrolls is enough to make me suspicious.”
“That’s right.”
Ainer looked around at the other group members gathered and asked.
“Two people who are confident in running.”
Einor gave an order when someone raised their hand.
“Report what you just heard to headquarters and receive further orders. It looks like there will be intervention from outside related to Elion. And you should immediately go to Pier 10 and relay the same to the side guarding against the Elion fleet. “
As the two members ran in their respective directions, Einer looked back at the remaining members.
“It looks like there will be an attack whose form cannot be guessed through the portal. It would be better if that weren’t the case, but given the circumstances, the possibility is high.”
Tense appeared on the faces of the crew.
“I will meet the admiral. In case of an emergency, each group should take charge of one battleship and prepare to board.”
“Yes, Captain!”
“And Toby. You have that, right?”
“Here it is.”
Toby took out a short cylindrical pipe from his belt.
“If a situation arises, activate immediately.”
“I understand.”
After completing the instructions, Einor smiled at Ael.
“Thank you for the lunch box, but I don’t think that’s the situation right now. You should go home for now.”
“Yes, master.”
After patting Ael on the shoulder, Einor walked to the flagship of her fleet.
“Let’s see the Admiral!”
When the plank leading to the battleship came down, Einor crossed it and went up to the deck.
“Are you okay, master?”
As Ael looked at her with concern, Kira giggled.
“Don’t worry, Ael. Nothing will happen.”
As soon as the words were finished, a portal was created in the sky above the flagship.
At the same time, multiple portals opened simultaneously on top of other battleships.
“Huh?! Up there!”
“Ugh! Captain! Avoid!”
Fired firebombs rained down from the portal onto the battleships.