"Do you know Rey?"
The Captain looked surprised at Rose's words.
"Oh, you weren't Rey? Sorry, you look so much like him. I thought you were Rey."
"No, it's not surprising. I'm Rey's twin brother."
He spoke directly to Rose.
"My name is Rose. I'm a medic for the Revolutionary Army. May I come in?"
Rose asked Raul and the Captain for permission to enter.
"Come in."
Raul replied.
"Do you know the Captain's brother?"
Raul motioned for Rose to sit next to him as she entered the room.
"Yes, I do. Rey was my patient."
Rose sat next to Raul and stared at the Captain's face. Being Rey's twin, it was no surprise that they looked so similar.
"I'm Ray."
The Captain sat in his chair.
"So, my brother was your patient?"
Ray called out, gazing at Rose with interest.
"Yes. Morg shot Rey while he was at work and fell into the sea. My brother and I were playing in the ocean when we found him. We administered first aid, and he was safely rescued."
"You saved my brother's life? Thank you, Doctor."
"No. I was doing what was expected."
"But... if my brother was at work, you couldn't have known that..."
"I was on vacation with my family at the time. It was a coincidence."
"Is that so? But... those islands around there..."
Those islands belong to Prince Jatayu. Ray caught on immediately—his tone changed, suddenly formal.
"I'm currently a medic for the Revolutionary Army, and I came here to ask for your help in this capacity."
"I understand."
Ray nodded. Raul, not understanding the situation, stared at Rose.
"What can I do for you?"
Ray asked politely.
"I want you to take the former slaves we've rescued at this port to Dwipa. Of course, I'll pay for the expenses. I want them to be taken to Dwipa in their own comfortable state, so they can be protected and live there."
"I don't have the authority to do that. I'm not sure how to explain this to the immigration bureau when we arrive at the port."
"I'll write a letter for you."
"...Okay."
"Can I borrow some paper and a pen?"
"Here you go."
Ray handed over some high-quality paper, a pen, and an envelope from his desk. Rose took the paper, went to another desk, and wrote a letter. She addressed it to Prince Jatayu. In the letter, she requested the protection and salvation of enslaved people and explained that she was searching for Miraiya. After writing, she signed it, put it in an envelope, and sealed it with magic.
"Here it is. Could you give it to this person? I'm sure he'll do something about it."
"..."
Ray fell silent as she read the name on the envelope.
"Understood. I'll accept your request."
Ray's tone became increasingly polite.
"Thank you. I'll pay their fare. I don't know how long it will take to get from here to Dwipa, but I think this will be enough..."
Rose handed Ray the bag containing the gems and gold nuggets she had brought. Ray checked the contents and closed the bag with trembling hands.
"There are too many."
"I'd like you to use them for some expenses. I'm short on gold coins right now, so this has become a bit of a barter, but... please accept it."
"But..."
Ray's face showed a reluctant look.
"Captain Ray, please take it. Food and drink cost a lot."
Raul said, and Ray thought for a moment.
"I understand. Then, we'll set sail tomorrow after breakfast. I'll contact you as soon as we're ready."
"Thank you."
Raul thanks him happily. Ray stood up and answered politely. Rose and the others stood up and bowed, and Ray bowed deeply in return. Leaving the captain's quarters, Rose and Raul returned to the harbor.
"Who was that letter addressed to?"
Raul asked Rose, who was resting on a bench by the harbor.
"My friend."
"Am I someone that shouldn't know?"
Raul leaned his back against a nearby tree and stared at Rose. He looked jealous.
"Prince Jatayu."
"The Prince of Dwipa?"
"Prince Jatayu, the Second Prince of the Dwipa Kingdom. I met him through the Wing Dragon Temple."
"I see."
"My magic teacher is friends with the Prince, so I asked him through that connection to write the letter."
"I see."
"I know I shouldn't have done this, but I had no choice in the matter of helping them."
"That's true."
Raul's voice softened.
"Let's go back."
"Yes."
Raul extended his hand. Rose took his hand, stood up, and went to tell everyone the good news.
The next day.
The slaves that Raul and his men had freed the day before ate breakfast before heading off to the ship. The children who had become friends with Rose burst into tears at the farewell. The women from the town of Elge also shed tears and embraced Rose.
The small children found in the town's slave market were never able to see their parents. Even after freeing the slaves who were living in the town's homes, no one came forward to claim them as parents. Because the children were of a different race, if they remained in the country, they would only become food for animals, so Raul asked the people on the ship to look after them. He also gave each freed slave a bag of jewels and added a few pearls to anyone who would take in the orphaned children. The former slaves, having unexpectedly obtained precious jewels, boarded the ship with joyful looks on their faces. Rose hopes they can put their nightmare behind them and start anew in their lives. Raul also gave a bag of gems to any slaves in the country who wished to emigrate to Dwipa. Because there were so many slaves, the number of gems he gave them wasn't large, but it would be enough to buy a house or a shop, Lopez said. Lopez decided to distribute all the gems and stuffed them into the bag.
"Is that everyone?"
Raul asked Tobia. Tobia checked his list.
"Yes... I see... hmm... everyone, Captain."
Tobia double-checked the list. No more slaves were leaving the country on that ship. Captain Ray confirmed this by looking at Rose and the others on the quay from the vessel. When Raul gave the signal, Captain Ray gave the order to set sail. The sailors prepared to set sail and raised the anchor. The ship slowly moved away from the quay and began to move.
"Captain Ray! I'm counting on you!"
Rose shouted, waving her hands. Ray waved back from the boat. The women and children waved frantically. Rose saw them off until the vessel shrank, wanting them to be happy, before returning to Raul and the others.
"We're going to do a bit of shopping and then leave."
"Okay."
"If Rose wants to shop, you can take Ali with you. Don't walk alone."
"Okay."
Raul touched Rose's face with his hand.
"Captain! We're ready!"
Tobia shouted, and Raul turned around.
"Okay, okay. I'm on my way."
Raul looked at Rose again and smiled.
"I heard the fried fish in this town is delicious. You should go and try it."
"Okay."
"Go ahead."
"I'm off."
Raul called Ali and instructed him to go shopping with Rose. Ali came over to Rose with a look of refreshment on his face and nodded. Raul headed toward where Tobia and the others were waiting.
"Raul looks busy."
Rose slung her bag over her shoulder and walked with Ali toward the market.
"The trial is coming up."
"Trial?"
"Apparently, the town's ruler is on trial."
"..."
"It'll probably end up being the death penalty."
"Yes."
Based on previous patterns, most of the sentences were executed by Raul and his men. For their inhumane acts, the rulers of towns that offered the slave trade were executed by Raul and his men. Raul and his men killed everyone closely connected to the false king, including slave traders.
Rose left Raul and his men, walking with Ali through the restored market. They bought clothes and underwear, as well as sweets and candy, along with herbs and medicine. Rose and Ali bought fried fish from a food stall and ate it.
"Ali, is there anything else you need?"
Rose asked, munching on the fried fish she'd bought from the food stall. This fried fish was seasoned differently from the one at Parala, but it was delicious. It tasted like fish and chips, Rose thought.
"Nothing special. I've got everything."
"(Munch) Okay. (Munch) Ali, have some, too."
"This is before lunch."
"Just think of it as an appetizer."
"Haha... I get it. That's a pretty heavy appetizer. Well, let's eat."
After finishing her meal, she returned to Raoul and the others for lunch, where she found a large crowd gathered. Rose packed her belongings into the carriage and headed toward the gathering. There, she saw the executed slave trader lying on the ground.
Raul and Torihite take the town's rulers to court and question their crimes. The mayor flatly denies any responsibility for the slave auction house and other issues. He insists that he was following orders from the central government. He makes it clear that the king bears all responsibility. While he's certainly right, Raul says that one of the reasons the slave trade flourished in the town was that the slave trade facilities were so well-equipped. The town's administrators mostly follow the King's orders, reducing those who don't meet the country's standards to slave status and auctioning them off. The money earned from the auctions is used to build facilities for the slave trade further. They also import women of other races cheaply from overseas through pirates and kidnappers and sell them at high prices. Raul says that this system itself is inhumane. However, the town's administrators insist that they were simply following orders. Torihite burst out laughing upon hearing this argument.
"When the King changes, the laws change. It seems the Third Prince has belittled the New King and proclaimed himself the new King..."
Torihite stared at them with sharp eyes.
"The false king is, after all, a false king, a false ruler. If you use your head, you can see that the laws made by the false king are also false laws..."
Torihite spoke coldly. Torihite, who always treated Rose with courtesy and kindness, was clearly selective in his interactions with others. The mayor and his officials tried to say something, but they bowed their heads to avoid Torihite's sharp gaze.
"I understand that you reluctantly obeyed because you were afraid of the false king, but if you had just gotten by with a certain amount of effort, I wouldn't have been so critical of you... But the fact that you've completed the project so well means that you agree with his policies."
Torihite spoke politely, but his words were very harsh.
"That's..."
One of them tried to argue.
"And you know... your mansions and assets are impressive. The number of slaves... well, according to the records, it's incredible. Even though slavery was a national policy... have you ever thought about how many people your work caused suffering?"
Torihite read out the records in front of Raul. He listed the assets and number of slaves of each town official, and compared their basic salaries with the actual assets. Even without the exact numbers, he could roughly calculate that they were probably receiving bribes.
"Under His Majesty the Great King, the slave trade was prohibited by law. His Majesty the New King agreed and continued to explicitly forbid the degrading of others simply because of their race, in fact, even selling them. Therefore, as the Prime Minister appointed by His Majesty the New King, I completely reject the policies decided by the false king. Therefore, you have not only caused suffering to the people, but have also caused great inconvenience to foreign nationals and committed inhumane acts—you all will be sentenced to death."
Torihite handed down the sentence in an icy voice. Rose realized that with the chaos preventing a proper trial, the law prevailed.
Torihite's decision led to the executions being swift. Their property was confiscated and distributed to the former slaves who had been enslaved. The remaining funds were used to support the Revolutionary Army, and Lopez was responsible for managing them. With over 500 people, food and other expenses are enormous, so Lopez, who handles accounting and management, as well as the kitchen staff, is struggling to manage the cost.
The trial ended quickly. Raul and his men had lunch, then destroyed the town hall and key military buildings. Explosions echoed for a while. Meanwhile, Rose gave medical care to regular people and those left behind. Since medical costs were high, only middle-class or wealthier people came for treatment. The poorer ones gave up.
"Are you here?"
Rose heard Raul's voice from behind her. Rose was on a roof, gazing out at the ocean.
"Welcome back."
"I'm back."
Raul sat next to her, casually gazing out at the sea.
"Is something wrong?"
Raul called out.
"I'm tired, so I'm going to take a break."
"Here?"
"Yeah. I thought it would be nice to gaze out at the empty ocean."
"I see."
Raul stared out at the sea in silence.
"We're leaving tomorrow."
Raul told her his plans.
"Okay."
"We plan to go south and enter Danetta."
"Danetta?"
"Yes, we plan to meet up with the Princess there."
"I understand."
Raul put his hands behind Rose’s back.
"Did you watch the trial during the day?"
"Yes."
"If possible, please refrain from watching it from now on."
"Yes."
"Lord Torihite was very concerned and said that he felt like he was exposing the current state of this country once again."
"Because I'm a foreigner?"
"That's part of it."
"Umh."
Rose nodded, looking out at the night sea.
"Because you're a Shrine Maiden."
"Because I’m a Shrine Maiden, huh?"
"He wanted to protect your feelings."
"I've seen more ugly scenes of people than you ever thought."
"That's sad."
"I've seen so much betrayal and murder for the sake of power, it makes me sad."
"Hearing that makes me wonder what kind of environment you've lived in."
Raul stroked Rose's hair.
"I can't answer that right now... not yet."
"I want to know the real you."
"Right now... I haven't sorted out my feelings yet."
"Does that mean you can't trust me?"
"No, it's not."
Rose sighed.
"If you knew the real me, you would leave me."
"Why do you think that?"
"Because that's how things have been in my life up until now."
"Have you really suffered that much?"
"Yes. There have been times when I've even hated myself."
"I won't leave you."
"It's better not to make that promise."
"What do you mean?"
"What are you carrying?"
Rose leaned against Raul's shoulder.
"I carry the burden of this country, its people, the First Prince, His Majesty the New King...and you, and Fire Dragon."
Raul answered without hesitation.
"...Hmm."
"What are you carrying?"
"I... I don't know what I'm carrying anymore."
"Aren't you carrying the weight of your country?"
"I don't know... I love my people. However, I’m unsure if anyone truly loves me. And, I don't feel like I belong anywhere. So, I really don't know what I'm carrying."
Hearing this, Raul pondered for a moment.
"Rose, stay here with me... Let's live together in this country."
"I would if I could... but I don't know if I can."
"Why?"
"Because my existence is the source of disaster."
Hundreds of millions of years ago, a conflict broke out over her, and even the Dark Dragon was killed. Suzukinoyama was also attacked by Morg, suffering great damage. Many important people were hurt, and many died. Even her baby was aborted, and at times, Rose began to hate herself.
"That's not true."
"It's true."
"I don't think so."
"That's because you don't know my nickname."
"Nickname?"
"I've always been told I was a femme fatale."
"Who told you that?"
"It's the rumors of people who fear me."
"Most of the rumors are false."
"False?"
Raul hugged Rose tightly.
"Because of you, we have hope for tomorrow."
"Tomorrow..."
"I believe our tomorrow is one we walk together with you."
"I..."
"Because of you, the suffering people can dream of a brighter tomorrow. Those who have fallen into despair...those in the darkness are now seeing a ray of hope shining down from heaven...This small hand you held out is doing a great job."
"Raul..."
"I love you."
"I..."
She couldn't continue. Somewhere in her heart, she was still thinking about Efergan. She still loved him. But Rose knew that continuing to think of Efergan, now out of her reach, would only make her more miserable. Yanagi, Efergan, and Rocco were all gone from her side. Carrying the people of Suzukinoyama on his shoulders, Efergan could not defy the oracle from the Dragon God. Even the Demon God Dalgodas could not allow her into the village.
"My hands are stained with blood."
"Mine, too."
"More than you... I destroyed the enemies and countries countless times..."
Not just single enemy units, but entire countries and continents. Even without Rose's direct intervention, the Dragons thought of Rose and destroyed the countries that opposed her.
"But even so, your hands are beautiful."
"..."
Raul placed his hand in Rose's. His hand was large and warm.
"I want this war to end quickly."
"Yes."
"Let's go on a trip somewhere once the war is over."
"I'd like you to show me the good parts of this country."
"An open-air bath would be nice."
"It would also be fun to bathe with deer again."
A smile appeared on Rose's face.
"I can grant that request tomorrow."
"Is there a place like that nearby?"
"Yes."
"Really?"
"Yes. It's true."
"I want to go."
"That would be great."
"Yay♪"
Raul smiled.
"You seem a little more energetic."
"Yes."
"That's good."
Raul squeezed Rose's shoulders and pulled her closer to him.
"Now, let's have dinner. Everyone's waiting."
"Yes."
Raul stood up, took Rose's hand, and led her down from the roof.
After a delicious dinner, Rose went to the beach as promised and spent some time with the Sea Dragon. When she told him that they might not be able to see each other for a while after tomorrow, he looked sad.
"When I'm near the sea again, I'll call your name."
Rose called out to the Sea Dragon, sad to say goodbye, but he just stared at her without saying a word.
"I love you so much."
"Me, too."
Rose sang a Song of Love, and the Sea Dragon smiled happily.
"It's worrying to know that we won't be able to see each other for a while."
"Don't worry. I'll wake up the Fire Dragon if necessary."
"You can forget about that sleepy Dragon. Just call my name, and I'll come to you, whether on land or in the mountains."
"You can't do that. You're the God who rules the sea, so you have to be in the sea."
"What a selfish girl."
"I'm just like you, aren't I?"
"I'm so happy you said that. You're just like me."
Rose has wondered if that was really okay, but the way Dragons think is different from humans.
"I'll give you another pearl."
"No, it's still fine... I still have a few left."
"If you only have a few, you should take more."
"Hmm, thank you."
"When you come to the sea, you can call my name again."
"Yes."
"My dear Rose."
"My dear Roa."
The Sea Dragon disappeared in a flash of blue light, and another box of the same size appeared at Raul's feet, waiting on the shore. Rose checked the contents, and sure enough, it was filled with a large number of pearls. There were also blue gems inside, and they were gorgeous.
"Raul, I'll take these."
"All of those pearls are yours."
"I want you to buy horses and prepare the Revolutionary Army. Weapons, armor, shoes, food, medicine, tents, cloth, blankets, and so on. Please use this."
"There are still many things given to me by Lord Fire Dragon."
"Then, when those become insufficient, please use this."
"Rose..."
"I want your dream to come true. I want a peaceful country where the people are filled with smiles."
"I understand. I'll keep these. I'll use them when I've run out of everything else."
"Yes."
Without another word, Raul returned to the inn with Rose. That night, he made sure Rose got an early night's sleep in preparation for their departure the next day.
"Rose, wake up."
Rose woke up to the sound of Raul's voice.
"Huh? What's wrong?"
Rose sat down, rubbing her eyes.
"It's a night attack. Prepare for battle."