Zero Magic World.
At the valley base where the 'World Gate' was located.
Louise, Hiraga Saito, Tiffania, Tabitha, Kirche, Illococoo, and Siesta were all gathered together.
At this moment, they were all staring in shock at a blond man.
Hodolew Ray Marceau.
The familiar Tiffania had summoned with her magic.
An adult male elf from another world.
"Mr. Hodolew, you're saying these armies invading Saito's homeland are from your world?" Louise asked, covering her mouth in disbelief.
"Yes. The emblem on this banner is unmistakably that of the Empire!"
Hodolew looked visibly shaken. His fists clenched tight, and his long, pointed ears quivered slightly.
His deep blue eyes were fixed intently on the virtual screen projected into the air by the image-transmitting Den-Den Mushi.
A purple background, a red dragon occupying the center, a golden cross above it, with four slanted golden dragon wings spread across the design.
It was the same imperial banner that had ruled over the continent of Falmart for more than six centuries!
There was no mistake—this was the same Empire that had once overthrown the rule of the elves.
Hodolew was not stirred by loyalty to the Empire, but by the sudden glimmer of hope of one day returning home.
Though the hope was faint, he still prayed that some of his kin had survived the dragon's inferno.
Especially the daughter he had hidden away inside a well.
"Then could you tell us about your world? And why this Empire would want to invade Saito's homeland—and slaughter so many people without warning?"
Louise's voice was soft but probing.
"Indeed. Normally, at the very least, there should be room for both sides to negotiate. To launch a massacre without any communication—it doesn't seem like something a normal nation would do."
As a top student, Tabitha clearly understood the weight of such matters.
"There is a reason for it," Hodolew sighed deeply. "It mainly has to do with the peculiar nature of our world."
The others quieted down, all wearing expressions of anticipation, ready to listen.
"Among us elves, there is a myth, an ancient legend."
"In the very beginning, aside from the gods, there were no intelligent beings, no civilizations in the world."
"And so, every few centuries, the gods would open a 'Gate' on Alnus Hill, drawing in creatures from other worlds to push forward the development of civilization."
"But because so much time has passed, even we elves only remember fragments—that dragons, those terrifying beings, appeared through the 'Gate' roughly two millennia ago."
"They began with wholesale slaughter, destroying the flourishing kingdoms of the dwarves, beastmen, halflings, goblins, and others, and then rose as the supreme rulers."
"One thousand years ago, the gods once again opened the 'Gate.' Our elven ancestors came to the continent of Falmart, defeated the evil dragon kingdom, and rose as the new rulers."
As Hodolew spoke, a trace of pride appeared on his face.
"Later, the 'Gate' opened several more times, bringing in the Aquarians, the Centaurs, the Night Elves, the Medusas, the Winged People, the Warrior Bunnies, and other intelligent races."
"But none of them were a match for us elves. Yet our ancestors did not slaughter them. Instead, they granted them lands suited for their people and chose to live together in peace."
Hodolew's words suddenly faltered, and his expression darkened.
This made Hiraga Saito, Louise, Siesta, and the others exchange uneasy glances.
"Then, over six hundred years ago—less than two centuries before I was born—a god once more opened a new 'Gate' on Alnus Hill. This time, what came through… were humans, who would later become the Empire."
"The nations of their original world were immensely powerful. Their equipment, their discipline, their mastery of magic—all of it surpassed what the Elven Kingdom possessed at that time."
"And so, our High Elves were slaughtered in vast numbers. The survivors could only flee into the Forest of Koan, surrendering the dominion of the continent entirely to the Empire."
Hodolew shook his head again and again, sighing heavily.
"I see…"
At that moment, Hiraga Saito—the only one among them with even a high school education—finally pieced it together.
"You realized something, Saito?"
Louise, Tabitha, Siesta, Tiffania, and the other girls turned their eyes toward him.
"I think I understand why the Empire launched a direct assault on the people of Ginza."
Saito spoke thoughtfully: "It must be because of history. They assumed that, just as before, a new 'Gate' would bring invaders—a force that could threaten the Empire's rule."
"So the Empire immediately mobilized tens of thousands of troops to strike first, pushing the flames of war onto the newcomers' side—that is, our world. To put it plainly, they saw us as enemies from the very beginning. Negotiation was never even an option."
Hodolew nodded heavily, his expression steeped in loathing for the Empire.
"Exactly. That has always been the Empire's creed. They revere domination above all. Anything that might threaten their rule is destroyed without hesitation."
"For countless years, the number of foreign races slaughtered beneath the Empire's blades cannot even be tallied. Those who survived were enslaved, trampled upon without mercy."
Tabitha, holding her long staff, spoke up: "So, what you want now is to return to your own world?"
Hodolew immediately nodded in affirmation.
"Yes. I want to go back—to find my daughter, Tuka Luna Marceau. Not possibly alive—she is alive!"
Everyone's eyes turned toward Tiffania, for she was his current master.
"Mr. Saito, Miss Louise," Tiffania said softly, her voice filled with kindness as always, "I fully support Mr. Hodolew. If possible, I would like to join you in searching for Miss Tuka."
"Will the World Government even agree to that?"
Kirche brushed aside her long red hair.
"Louise definitely won't be allowed to go, which means Saito can't either."
Louise and Hiraga Saito exchanged glances, each seeing the same unease mirrored in the other's eyes.
Tiffania had long since become one of their dearest companions. How could they simply watch her step into another world and risk everything?
"I am willing to trade every piece of intelligence I know about the Empire in exchange for the World Government sending me back to the continent of Falmart!"
Hodolew's voice was firm and resolute. Then, his gaze softened as it fell upon his "master," Tiffania.
In these past days, he had already come to see this young half-elf girl as a second daughter.
"As for you, Tiffania—thank you for your kindness. But with the gods able to close the 'Gate' at any moment, I do not wish for you to follow me. Surely, you would not want to be forever separated from your companions either, would you?"
...
Hodolew's request was passed through layer after layer of officials.
It smoothly reached the Other Worlds Strategic Committee, at its branch on the Canberra Continent of the Titan World.
The branch minister treated it with great importance.
He immediately dispatched a seven-man team to the Zero Magic World, where they met Hodolew at the "World Gate" base.
Both sides exchanged information in a meeting room that had been deliberately cleared out, talking for roughly an hour.
During this time, Louise, Saito, Tiffania, and the others—who were not allowed to attend—could only wait anxiously outside.
From time to time, they glanced at the two CP1 agents guarding the door.
The cold, ruthless aura radiating from them sent chills through the air.
[Bang!]
Suddenly, the meeting room door was flung open.
Five men and women in suits, carrying briefcases, stepped out.
With the two CP1 agents escorting them, they strode away without sparing Louise, Tabitha, or the others so much as a glance.
"Mr. Hodolew!"
The group rushed into the room, only to find him slumped in his chair, his head buried deeply in his arms.
"Did they agree?"
Louise, unable to hold back, was the first to ask.
"I told them everything I know. But they said once the World Government conquers the Falmart Continent, I'll naturally be able to return home. By then, if Tuka is still alive, they'll provide some help in searching for her."
Kirche spoke softly: "What they said isn't wrong. The World Government hasn't even conquered Saito's homeworld yet, and the 'Ginza Gate' is still under Japan's control."
"In this situation, it really is difficult to send you in. Not to mention, their main focus will surely remain on the war."
Her reasoning was calm and logical.
However, Hodolew clutched his head and cried out in anguish: "I know that too! But whenever I think of Tuka's uncertain fate, it feels like my heart is burning in flames!"
"Objectively speaking," Tabitha said as she held her long staff, "if Miss Tuka truly survived by hiding in the well, then once the dragon left, she should have already escaped from the Forest of Koan. At this point, even if you return home, most likely you won't find her."
Everyone understood the implication in her words, and the room instantly fell silent.
Until Tiffania stepped forward, gently taking Hodolew's hands. She asked softly, "But you still wish to return home as soon as possible, don't you?"
Hodolew raised his head, sorrow written in his eyes. "Yes. Whether Tuka has met with disaster or not, I want to know the truth as soon as possible. But now…"
"Alright!"
Tiffania nodded firmly.
Her eyes then turned toward Louise, filled with earnest plea and expectation.
"Miss Louise, Mr. Saito… is there any way?"
Just like before—no matter what happened—Louise and Saito always managed to find a solution.
This made her develop a certain dependence on the two of them.
"Louise."
Saito could only turn to look at the girl he loved.
After all, she was the Void Mage.
"Mm… so what you're saying is that we need to send Mr. Hodolew back to his own world, right?"
Louise waved her short wand with a smile. "Then I'll just open another 'World Gate.'"
"Since it was able to send Saito back, it should be able to send Mr. Hodolew back too."
"And besides, we could go take a look together—anyway, we can come back whenever we want!"
Everyone was stunned for a moment, then realization struck.
That's right!
If Louise's Void Magic could send Saito home, of course it could send Hodolew home as well.
Tears of excitement flickered in Hodolew's eyes.
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