There's No Rule Against a Loser Trying Again

I had planned to buy accessories and clothing featuring Alsarm's latest designs to sell in the Royal Capital and Kassad, but purchasing all those bills of exchange depleted my funds.

I went a bit overboard with my purchases, but on paper my assets have actually increased, so there's no financial problem.

Still, buying any more would leave me without cash on hand again, so I'll stop here.

Before heading to the portal, I browsed a street vendor selling reasonably priced silver accessories.

These would be presents for Azu and the others.

I wanted to show my appreciation in this way too.

"How about this one? I'd recommend it."

"This level of craftsmanship at this price? You can't be making any profit…"

"It's fine. This is my hobby."

The shopkeeper was concealing herself in a robe, but I could tell from her voice she was a woman.

A faint scent of rose perfume wafted from her.

She had crafted silver into flower shapes and made them into brooches and rings.

Impressive skill.

And the prices were low enough that even a child could afford them with some effort.

I thought it might be fake silver, but that wasn't the case.

I was confident enough in my ability to tell the difference.

"Hey mister, if you buy everything, I'll throw in a little extra. I just stopped by here and want to sell out before I move on."

"I see."

There weren't many accessories laid out at the stall.

The prices were within what I could afford.

I could give them as souvenirs to Princess Tianis and Lady Anatia. Maybe Kanon too.

Kanon might not like it, though…

"I'll take everything then."

"Thank you kindly～"

I handed over the money and received the accessories.

Then the shopkeeper leaned in close and whispered in my ear.

"May the blessings of Apostle Ent be with you, hehe."

"Wha— you're…"

When she pulled back her robe, there stood the form of Ent, Oscar's Apostle from the Constellation tower.

I had thought she disappeared along with the Constellation tower, but apparently not.

"What are you doing here…"

Azu and I had suffered terribly at the hands of this Apostle.

When I tried to back away warily, she grabbed my wrist.

"You don't have to hate me that much. I won't do anything to you anymore. I just stopped by here for a bit. In fact, I'm on your side, you know?"

"On our side? That's hard to believe."

"Even though my master Oscar and the Creator King are old allies? You can trust the Creator King but not me?"

"Well…"

I had a feeling things would get troublesome if I shook my head here.

Apostle Ent had put us through a lot, but she also treated us afterward, so maybe she wasn't such a bad Apostle.

"Alright. And you did sell me these silver accessories at a good price, so I'll stop being suspicious."

"Good. I like honest humans."

"Please let go of me already."

Azu, who had been following along, couldn't hold back any longer and forcibly pulled Ent away.

"You're so strong— oh right, this girl is an Apostle too now. That final strike was magnificent. With that, you might actually be able to hold your own against the Sun God's Apostles."

"I should have finished you off properly back then."

"Don't worry, I won't take him from you."

Ent covered herself with her robe again and tucked the bag of silver coins I'd given her into her cleavage.

"I just came to check on things since it would be troublesome if this city fell to the Church of the Sun God. Seems there's nothing to worry about for now."

"Duke Baroba will win."

"No, if they make a serious move, he'll lose. They're not opponents that humans can defeat."

… I couldn't imagine Duke Baroba, who had obtained the crown, losing.

But she didn't seem to be joking either.

Was there something more to the Church of the Sun God than what I'd seen so far?

"When the time is right, I'll properly help out. It's not like there's no chance of winning."

Ent said that and vanished.

"What was that about? She said what she wanted to say and then just disappeared."

"Yeah… part of it was probably just teasing, but…"

I felt like I was being swept up in something much larger than myself.

There was no point in overthinking it, so I headed back to the carriage where everyone was waiting.

The silver accessories were well-received, but when I mentioned I'd bought them from Apostle Ent, everyone's expressions turned complicated. They didn't have good impressions of her.

Only Elza, who was smiling wryly, seemed to have expected Ent to come down from the tower.

Perhaps because Elza had kept trying to meet this Oscar person even after Yohane and the others had passed out.

"That person has a rough temperament, but as long as the Sun God exists, I think she'll remain on our side. She didn't do anything to you, did she?"

"That's true, but… I still haven't forgotten what happened in that rose garden, so it's hard."

I gazed at the rose-shaped ring.

The silver reflected the sunlight, shining beautifully.

 

＊　＊　＊

 

After leaving Alsarm, Ent stopped by a forest where the Ash King and Kiyo sat waiting.

The monsters in the forest cowered before them, hiding quietly.

"Ent. Was there any need to stop by the city?"

"Unlike you two who've become monstrous beings, I don't need to hide myself. And I hate boredom. I can't stand it unless I play in human cities."

"You are still as dissolute as ever, despite being an Apostle."

"Hehe, my beauty is to blame. I can't help but attract men. Though that man didn't fall for it. How rude."

"You mean the man traveling with that girl?"

The Ash King stood up.

His massive frame made him look like an adult compared to a child when standing next to Ent.

"I thought that girl showed promise, but to think she would inherit the Apostle. When we meet somewhere someday, I shall test how much she has mastered my sword."

"If you test her, a human would be blown to smithereens."

Kiyo laughed with a cackle.

"Would she though? I think she'd give a good showing. After all, she inherited Apostle Justitia."

"We have finished destroying the minor temples across the land. Unable to obtain sacrifices, the Church of the Sun God is now using their own believers as kindling. We cannot delay much longer."

"We must not intervene yet. Those ones are cunning. We must discern what tricks they're hiding as much as possible first."

"It'll be too late if all the humans are wiped out. That would render us meaningless. Isn't that right? The reason a king who could not give up even after his defeat, and a man who crumbled to bone unable to protect what he wanted to protect, still persist as monstrous beings like this…"

"Indeed. Next time we will win. The Church of the Sun God must be purged from this world."

"I care not for such matters. I simply must pay back the Sun God's Apostles a little, or I won't be able to rest in peace even after death."

"Once a fire starts burning, it won't be easily extinguished. However the conflict between the humans and the Sun God turns out, our turn will come soon."