Sekai no Owari no Encore:Volume 2 Record.1
Record.1ː Where Will the New Party Go
1
The town of blazing cliff, Jio.
The Great Volcano of Galia had gas steam out from its crane even at this point. And the town located just beneath it. The town would be surrounded in intense heat even in winter which made it feel like the middle of summer due to the steam and the terrestrial heat from the volcano.
At the large auditorium located at the centre of the said town.
“I’m so bored……”
It was Kyelse who was sitting on the chair in the guestroom while she put on a bored expression and had candy inside her mouth.
——She was a girl with sacred atmosphere.
Her emerald eyes which had a deeper colour than the ocean and her silver hair which had a shine of a pearl.
Not only she had those fascinating features, but even her appearance was adorable like a fairy which would appear in folktales.
Even though she was wearing clothing of an adventurer, the only word you could use to describe her transparent-like white skin and slender body would be charming.
She might have a charming appearance of a fairy from folktales. However, her true identity wasn’t a human but a Dragon.
To top it off, she was a Princess of the “Heavenly Silver Dragons” which was known to be the oldest Dragon species. Not only were they feared by the other Dragon species, They were the strongest superior beings which were not only feared by their fellow Dragon species but feared even from all the living creatures of the Earth, the Goddess of the Heaven, and by the all of the historical Demon Kings of the Underworld.
……But, even though she was supposed to be a legendary Dragon as such.
……Right now she was on her chair and repeatedly saying that she was “bored” as she sighed in front of me.
“Ren, do something funny for me.”
“Funny as in?”
“Like singing or dancing. Humans are supposed to be good at doing them.”
“……Not possible since I have bad ears for music.”
The one who gave such answer was a boy with light brown hair.
Ren E Maxwell.
His messy hair which was simply cut and his deep blue-eyes.
Even though he had a moderately well-structured face, there were still childish features on it.
Though his height was average among his peers, he would considered small among other student knights whom he would be competing against as someone who is aiming to become a MASTERKnight which is full of solidly built men.
“How about you take a walk inside the town together with Fear-senpai and Elise?”
“I don’t like people that I don’t even know taking a peek at me.”
The Dragon Princess said that with an unpleasant face.
The Heaven, the Underworld, and the Earth——. Dragons were considered the absolute king of the Earth among the three worlds, but they were famous for being very cautious despise their overwhelming strength.
“Instead I can only wonder how Elise and Fear can confront the humans so naturally. To begin with, if others find out that the Archangel and the previous Demon King were acting this way, then it would affect the reputation of the Heaven and the Underworld…… And just imagine if we go out right now. It’s obvious that we will be surrounded by the humans in no time and it would cause a stir.”
“……Well, we had just fought Achendia.”
One of the Five Great Disasters who was once the subordinate of Elise who was a former Demon King and also the candidate of being the Demon King herself appeared at Earth to rebel against the current Demon King.
That was none other than the “Demon General of Blaze”, Achendia.
The location where the Great Demon such as her showed up was none other than the Great Volcano of Galia which was located just front of this town. It was okay till the part where Ren and the party defeated her and fended her off to the Underworld.
The problem started after that.
It started two days ago. In other words the day right after defeating Achendia.
The unknown party which was Ren and the girls defeated one of the Five Great Disasters ahead of the well experienced and famous parties. The news obviously spread among the residents of the town of the blazing cliff but also to the parties that gathered to this town in order to defeat Achendia as well as the world where Ren and the girls had their name draw attention.
“I also went outside just earlier. Since I couldn’t barely move due to my wounds and fatigue. I wanted to move my body since I was feeling well today.”
“Now that you mention it that was a quick return. How was it?”
“I had myself surrounded by lots of people the moment I stepped foot outside. They asked for a handshake and autograph. ……And what they all asked after that was “Are you related to Elline?”. Obviously I would run away.”
“Give it up. That is your fate.”
Kyelse took out her second candy stick.
“You resemble him so much that even I mistook you for him.”
“Do I really……?”
Ren sighed while in astonishment and stared at the side of his face which was reflected by the window.
His appearance. He was neither a handsome that everyone would look at or was he a giant who would pressure people around him just by walking. Ren knew that very well.
But if you were asked to give one description of him——
The Sword Emperor Elline. Only his appearance resembled the legendary swordsman.
The strongest swordsman in history to be the only one to be give the title of “Brave Hero”.
Obviously against the humans but even against the superior beings that rules the three world—— The Dragon of the Earth, the Angels of the Heaven, and the Demons of the Underworld. He was unbeaten against all of those and battled them hundreds of times. Even after that, he ended the Great War which was endangering the whole world to meet its end.
That was three-hundred years ago.
Now there were statutes and portraits of him made around the world where people honoured his achievements.
Ren who had an exact resemblance to such Brave Hero had just defeated one of the Five Great Disasters who was placed in the highest rank among Demons. There was no way other parties wouldn’t pay attention to him.
In other words people would think——
Is he the reincarnation of the Brave Hero?
“Well, it’s fine. I was already used to people calling me the Fake Brave Hero anyway……”
For Ren himself, he could only feel complicated at this situation.
Fake Brave Hero.
Though he was compared to Elline at all the opportunity there was due to his appearance, the reality was cruel.
His potential at swordsmanship which could not be compared to the Brave Hero in the past. He was called the “Fake Brave Hero” at the Holy Fiora Journey Academy at which he was enrolled at where both his classmates and the instructors were astonished with him.
“Don’t let Fake Brave Hero thing get to you. I am the one training you. You will be able to take down the current Demon King of the Underworld and the Goddess of the Heaven in no time.”
“I reckon that is already beyond the capabilities of what a human can do……”
Kyelse who had a very serious look.
Ren could only shrug his shoulder with a bitter smile at her who was acting as such.
“By the way, about Fear-senpai and Elise, aren’t they a bit late?”
“Hmm. They certainly are. Even though they said they were just going to go and get the reward for defeating Achendia.”
“I guess there are some procedures they need to go through. ……Oh, speak of the devil.”
The auditorium’s passage which was divided by the door.
They could hear the sound of a small skipping noise from the very end.
“I’m back!”
The door opened and the one who entered the room was a dark-skinned girl.
She would appear to be exactly around ten-years old. What stood out was her twin-tail hair which could look as either black or brown depending on the light shining on it and her reddish-brown eyes filled with curiosity.
“Oh my, that was amazing! It seemed like the news of us fending of Achendia has been going around so everyone came for either a handshake or an autograph.”
“Did you respond to them?”
“Yup. Humans are indeed amusing. Back when I was doing a Demon King in the Underworld, they would just break down in fear at seeing me. Now they are welcoming me.”
The former Demon King Elise.
She was none other than the master of the Underworld which is the world underneath.
She resigned her post after losing her body in the battle from three-hundred years ago. But she succeeded in reincarnating her body exactly ten-years ago. She revived with her memories and a fraction of her powers.
“Elise, where is Fear-senpai? I thought she was with you.”
“Sorry to keep you all waiting.”
The door opened once again and the one who entered was a beautiful blonde girl.
Fear Nesphilia——. She had gentle eyes and kind smile. Even the white clothing she was wearing spoke of her sweet and noble atmosphere.
Just like Kyelse and Elise, she was also not human.
She was the highest ranked Angel that served the Goddess of Heaven directly. She was the strongest Archangel whose strength was said to surpass that of the Goddess in terms of battle.
——The Dragon Princess Kyelse who governed the whole Dragon-species.
——The former Demon King Elise who was the previous master of the Underworld.
——The Archangel Fear who stood at the very top of the Angels that ruled the Heaven.
All three of them were the legendary Three Great Princesses that was led by the Brave Hero Elline.
……And they are standing in front of me.
……This is a gathering of the legends which even I can’t believe what I am seeing.
He was taunted as being the Fake Brave Hero at the Holy Fiora Journey Academy. But they called out to him who was being avoided by his peers and also gave invited him to go on the journey to find the Encore with them.
“Ren? Something wrong?”
“Ah, no. It’s nothing. I was just thinking for a bit.”
Ren replied to Kyelse who was staring into him by waving his hand gently.
“By the way, Fear-senpai. How is the procedure going?”
“It is all done. They will be rewarding us for defeating Achendia. By the way……”
“Ren, are you interested in hot spring?”
“Hot spring? Hot spring as in those hot water which is coming out from the ground?”
“Yes. This town is located in just front of the volcano. So there are several locations where the water underneath has been heated by the heat of the magma and the hot springs are also the tourist attractions of this town. Hot springs have the effect to heal wounds to the degree that there is terminology such as ‘hot spring cure’. From what I was told, they said we could book the whole hot spring to ourselves if we are going.”
“Hmm, are you perhaps very knowledgably about hot springs, Fear-senpai?”
“There are no girls who does not like bathing. That would be the same for both the humans and the Angels.”
Fear already had a small bag with her changes when she was saying that.
“Kyelse, apparently they sell an excellent sweet known as hot-spring manjuu. They are popular with its moderate taste of sweet and they sell out every day so quickly.”
“……Hmm. I cannot ignore that.”
Kyelse stood up immediately.
“Let’s go, Ren. This is a good occasion. There is something I need to tell you. If we can rent the whole place then I can simply tell it to you as we bath in the hot spring.”
“Hold on Kyelse. I am curious to what you want to tell me, but what do you mean by bathing in the hot spring……”
“What is it?”
“I mean it’s a hot spring. Even if we are going to talk, you know……I am a guy. Guys and girls will be bathing in separate hot spring so——”
“You do not need to worry.”
The blonde Angel winked with a naughty smile.
“The hot spring I booked was obviously the mixed-bath one.”
“……Mixed bath?”
“Yes. So the boy and girls who aren’t wearing anything will be inside the hot spring comfortably and gracefully……”
“Wait!? Huh, a mixed bath!? You are kidding right, Fear-senpai?”
“Fufu, I am looking forward to it.”
Fear grabbed Ren by his arm and started walking without his consent.
“Let’s get going. The front of the auditorium will be full with people wanting to meet us, so let’s leave quietly from the rear exit.”
“What I’m concerned is regarding the mixed bath——”
“You need to experience everything new.”
“That’s not the problem, hey!?”
Ren had his arm locked by Fear and had himself dragged through the passage.
