<h4><b>The King, Heads For The Ind</b></h4>


    Is Sakura all right!?


    I heard she crossed the ocean on a bear. Did she escape in time?


    Shinobu, at least send me a regr report!


    But perhaps the situation is such that it’s not possible.


    On a ship above the raging sea, I looked at the ind of Reenes.


    I could see the bear and Kagali fighting with the fire-d Orochi. But now the forest was burning with the Orochi’s mes, so the bear and Kagali were obscured, partly because of the smoke. When the ship moved near the ind as we tried to check the Orochi, the ship rocked.


    “What happened!” (King)


    “It’s the wind from the ind!” (Captain)


    I clutched the telescope in one hand on the rocking ship and looked through it.


    There was a figure of a new serpent head next to the fire-d Orochi in the telescope. The new Orochi’s head was d in what looked like the raging wind.


    “The Wind Orochi?” (King)


    After the Fire Orochi, now the Wind Orochi!?


    Even the seal of the Wind Orochi has been broken? It’s only a matter of time before the seals on the other heads are also broken. If all of theme back to life, it will be the end.


    “Are the mages not ready yet!” (King)


    They’re hurrying, but the ship with the mages on board was not embarking yet.


    No wonder. The monsters appeared on the maind as well, and I sent those mages to defeat them. There’s no easy way to bring them back.


    Looking through the telescope, I can sometimes see the figures of the bear and Kagali, although they were obscured by the burning mes and smoke.


    I am relieved that they were safe, but I couldn’t do anything while Bear Missy and Kagali were fighting just the two of them. I am a powerless person. A king, only in name.


    “Get the ship closer.” (King)


    “We can’t go any further. The waves are so fierce that we can’t move the boat the way we want.” (Captain)


    The ship was rocking intensely.


    Damn it, what the hell’s going on.


    It’s not just the wind. It felt like something was moving around in the ocean.


    “Bring the ship closer as much as you can.” (King)


    The ship was moved to a location where the ind of Reenes could be seen, but the ship kept rocking and the telescope in my hand was shaking. The ind was on fire, there was a lot of smoke and the bear and Kagali were no longer visible.


    An unpleasant imagination popped into my head, but I quickly erased it.


    There’s no way that Kagali will be easily defeated. Besides, the Bear Missy was the beacon of hope that Sakura found, and she’s strong enough to easily beat Jubei.


    So, it’s all right.


    The boat rocked violently, I lost my bnce, so I clung to the pirs.


    “Your Majesty!” (Captain)


    “I’m fine!” (King)


    I waited for the ship to settle down and looked through the telescope once more.


    Where’s the Fire Orochi!?


    What happened?


    I looked through the telescope to search for it.


    What’s that!?


    A huge fox was flying around the Wind Orochi.


    Was that Kagali, perhaps!?


    Kagali used to be a fox monster. I knew that Kagali can transform into a fox. I was relieved that I had confirmed the presence of Kagali, but I cannot see the bear.


    Kagali, now a fox, flew over the head of the Wind Orochi. Kagali moved so fast that I couldn’t chase her with the telescope. Moreover, the ship was rocking, so I cannot see Kagali’s fight.


    Furthermore, a strong gust-like wind was blowing from the ind from time to time.


    Is this how far the battle between the Wind Orochi and Kagali hase?


    “Go around the ind, move to a ce less affected by the wind!” (King)


    The ship moved to a location where the wind from the ind was weaker.


    When I checked the ind through my telescope, the Wind Orochi and Kagali disappeared.


    What happened? Did Kagali defeat it?


    Or were they fighting on the ground?


    The Fire Orochi was also not visible for a while now. I felt frustrated that I couldn’tnd on the ind.


    At that moment, a loud noise came from the ind. It sounds like something big hitting the ground. I immediately realized it was a huge rock.


    One of therge rocks flew into the sea.


    It fell a bit far from the ship and made a big ssh.


    It’s the Rock Orochi.


    I don’t understand the situation. The Fire Orochi disappeared, and so did the Wind Orochi. But the Rock Orochi appeared to rece them. I don’t know what’s going on anymore.


    “Your Majesty! It’s dangerous. We’re moving away from the ind!” (Captain)


    If a rock like that hit the ship directly, the ship would sink. But that doesn’t mean we can just leave.


    “Maintain the current distance. If the Orochi doesn’te out to sea, it won’t reach this far.” (King)


    I don’t know that. It’s all just talk.


    The rocks might fly further. Who knows what we have never seen or experienced. But we can’t move away from the ind more than this.


    Then, after a while, the sound stopped. Parts of the ind were still burning, and smoke continued to rise. I don’t know what’s going on.


    Since then, the FireOrochi and the Wind Orochi have disappeared from sight. The Rock Orochi that appeared earlier also disappeared.


    What the hell is going on?


    Just as I was thinking that the Rock Orochi had vanished, I saw a water-d Orochi head. In the end, all the heads of the Orochi came back to life.


    The water spat out by the Water Orochi extinguished the fire that lit up the forest. The force of that water was that strong, though.


    An attack like that would have been too much.


    No, should any of Orochi’s attacksnd on the popce, it will cause a massive death toll.


    You’ll burn if you get caught by the mes that the Fire Orochi breathed.


    You’ll get diced if you get caught by the wind that the Wind Orochi produced.


    You’ll be crushed if you get caught by the rock spewed out by the Rock Orochi.


    You’ll be sted and drowned if you get exposed to the water spewed out by the Water Orochi.


    I haven’t seen Kagali even once since I saw her fighting the Wind Orochi.


    I can only imagine unpleasant things now.


    Sakura, my sister’s forgotten keepsake. Shinobu, who adores Sakura. Kagali, who protected the country for a long time. And Bear Missy, who had nothing to do with this country but got herself involved.


    Bear Missy. As Sakura says, if you are the beacon of hope, please do something.


    A short timeter, the sound faded from the ind, and the Water Orochi disappeared.


    What happened?


    I searched for the Water Orochi with my telescope, but I could not find it.


    Why can’t I see the Orochi?


    Time passes by without understanding the situation.


    Did they defeat it, by any chance?


    Such an unlikely thought.


    I looked through the telescope to search for it.


    Kagali, Sakura, Shinobu, Bear Missy, just show yourself for a moment.


    Such wishes crumbled. Fourrge Orochi heads grew simultaneously.


    “It’s the Orochi!” (Crew)


    The lookout shouted.


    The Orochi has wholly revived.


    In other words, Kagali and Bear Missy lost.


    I hope they’re alive, at least.


    I gripped the telescope tightly.


    “Your Majesty, please give the order to evacuate. If the Orochi attacks this ship, we will not be able to escape. If we flee to the maind and they’ll chase us, we will be inviting the Orochi into the country. Please give the order to evacuate before it notices us.” (Captain)


    I can understand what he’s saying. If this ship gets spotted, we will not be able to return to our country.


    The idea of sacrificing this ship to lure it ines to mind, but that’s not possible. They won’t let me die here.


    “I understand. Let’s move away from the ind.” (King)


    I gave the evacuation order.


    Please be safe.


    The ship returned to the docks. Not a single ship was out to sea. This was so as not to attract the Orochi to the country.


    Even if we wanted to go save Kagali and the others, we could notunch a ship. Even if we save them, the country would be in danger if the Orochi chased the ship.


    The women we had gathered to fight were useless.


    The only thing left to do was to gather the mages and, at their expense, attract the Orochi and keep it away from the country.


    As we were discussing future measures, a messenger soldier came to us.


    “The team seeded in defeating the monsters that emerged from the forest. The rest of the monsters returned to the forest as if to escape.” (Messenger)


    “I see.” (King)


    When the magese back, all I have to do is order the mages and the sailors on the ship to “die for their country”.


    I already told them a few days ago, but still, I am notfortable giving orders to my men to die. However, I’m d I didn’t have to let my child give such an order.


    A bird flew over my head as I waited for the mages toe and get the ship ready.


    Isn’t that Shinobu’s bird?


    Shinobu, she’s alive?


    I stretched out my arm.


    Then quickly, I stopped it.


    The bird flew over my head in circles and stopped at my hand.


    I put my finger on the tube’s lid attached to the bird’s neck.


    I quickly opened it.


    The lid opened, and a small roll of paper came out of the tube.


    I hurriedly unfolded the curled-up paper as if in a panic.


    “............ Ha~a?” (King)


    I let out a weird voice.


    People around me react to my voice.


    “Your Majesty, what is the matter?” (Minister)


    “We’re heading to the ship once again. We’re sailing.” (King)


    “That’s–” (Minister)


    “It should be fine” (King)


    I gave my instructions and looked over the paper again.


    ‘The subjugation of the Orochi isplete. Kagali-san and Yuna have an important message for His Majesty regarding the defeat of the Orochi, so pleasee to the pier on the ind of Reenes. If you don’te, I’ll be in trouble!’


    She said they defeated the Orochi?


    That Orochi?


    Is that true?


    I don’t doubt it, but I just couldn’t believe it.


    But that’s what I’m going to find on the ind of Reenes.


    I’ll have my soldiers stand by and give them instructions not tounch the ship when the mages arrive, and I’ll embark on the ship.


    But what do they want to talk about?


    If they want to talk, can’t they do it in the castle.


    Still, what the hell is thatst sentence?


    I don’t really understand what Shinobu meant by her being in trouble.


    The sea was calm as if the rough seas of earlier were a lie. The ship quickly arrived at the pier on the ind of Reenes. The Orochi was nowhere to be seen. Instead, something strange was built.


    Is that a bear?


    “What is that?”


    “I don’t know.”


    There’s a strange bear-shaped object near the pier.


    I don’t recall seeing anything like that. If there was something like that before, I’d notice it.


    In front of that bear is a familiar figure.


    “Is that Shinobu?” (Minister)


    “You guys stay on the ship. I’m going alone.” (King)


    “But for a man...” (Minister)


    “It’s probably fine now, I think.” (King)


    I get off the ship alone, and Shinobu rushes over to me.


    “Your Majesty, we’ve been waiting for you.” (Shinobu)


    “Are Sakura and Kagali safe?” (King)


    “They’re both safe.” (Shinobu)


    I felt relieved to hear that.


    The one thing I was worried about was resolved.


    “So is it true that you guys defeated the Orochi?” (King)


    “We’ll exin it all in the house.” (Shinobu)


    “Wait, that’s a house?” (King)


    “It’s Yuna’s house. Please follow me.” (Shinobu)


    I walked after Shinobu and moved to the bear. Shinobu opened the door and walked into the bear-shaped house. I followed Shinobu and entered the bear.


    <b>=====</b>


    <b>Author’s Note:</b>


    Sorry for the dy.


    The next episode will be posted as usual, unless there is bookwork to be done.


    And that’s how the King entered the bear house.


    They will have a discussion next time.


    Postscript.


    <b>※ </b>Kuma, theicalized 8th episode, will be up next Wednesday. Our apologies.


    <b>=====</b>