Catch your breath.
East, huh?
Hey, have you ever seen an adventurer?
I heard a rumor
that an adventurer younger than me skipped right over this mountain, humming a tune.
If I could be like that...
Don't bother.
What can they do?
Can they live as one with the land?
Adventurers create nothing.
They simply fight and shed blood.
What's wrong?
That looks bad.
We have to tell the village.
Here you go!
The Big Bath Akihabara Town Baths
Oh, my...
Next time, we should all come together.
An Invitation from Eastal
An Invitation from Eastal.
Go!
Head-splitter!
I did it!
Huh?
I can't move!
I'm in trouble!
Purification Barrier!
Death
Assassinate!
Aura Saber!
I'm sorry, I...
Samurai have a long cool down.
And sometimes, after casting a spell, they can't move afterward.
Did you forget?
I knew it in my head, but I just...
Shiro asked us to look after you guys,
so we'll be cracking down on ya!
Thank you, teacher!
Thank you!
Good!
First, Tohya, as men, we can talk about p—
"P"?
Nothing.
Don't worry about it.
Uh...
I said we'd crack down on you...
But we can't teach you much about shrine priest techniques.
That's okay.
He told me everything I need to know.
Shiroe Memo
Shiroe?
Chief?
Were you up all night again?
No, I slept a little.
It's a nice day.
You should go out for a change of pace.
Akihabara is changing so quickly.
Steam Engine-Equipped Vessel Ocypete
Under Construction!?
I'd love to, but I have more things I need to look into.
You mean a way to get home?
That, too...
But if we're to live in this world, even if only for a while,
we'll need knowledge and information.
What is this?
If a cook prepares food himself,
or a crafter creates something himself,
they can make things that didn't exist in the world of Elder Tale.
So you're trying to see if you can use your scribing skill for anything?
I was able to draw up a simple contract.
I wonder if I could use it for other things...
Henrietta?
Shiroe!
I can't handle this anymore!
Save me!
Huh?
I want to go! I want to go!
I want to eat! I want to eat!
She called all of you, too?
Yup!
Yeah.
What's going on?
Well, you see...
It's summer.
Summer has come to this world!
And summer is all about the beach.
Snow cones, watermelon, ramen, and curry rice at the beach, right?
I want to go! I want to go!
I want to eat! I want to eat!
Stop this!
The Crescent Moon Alliance is one of the Round Table's eleven guilds.
And you're its guild master!
Akihabara still has a lot of problems.
We can't leave it right now, can we?
I've worked really hard!
I'm still working really hard!
Can't I have
some fun once in a while?
Come down, Marie!
It appears the lady is the one who needs a change of pace.
That's dangerous!
The beach, huh?
What's this?
A new quest?
"Round Table-Sponsored Training Camp for New Players"?
A summer training camp for new players under level 40?
It's here!
This is the stage that's been set for me!
At last, it's time for everyone to learn
the magnificent name of Rundel Haus Code!
This is a great idea!
It's the perfect excuse for a vacation.
The beach! Training camp!
Marie!
The Round Table was talking about training new players.
Two birds with one stone.
For Dark Shiroe, coming up with a plan like this is no big deal.
Dark Shiroe?
He's a good Dark Shiroe!
And you, as well, Naotsugu!
"As well"?
Will you be going, Serara?
Yes.
Um...
What about you?
I shall attend as one of the trainers.
She's so obvious.
Meow?
Shiroe and all his friends will be there.
Yeah.
We'll have to do our best.
Part of me always blamed myself...
For not being able to do anything for Tohya.
I thought I couldn't do anything.
But that's over.
I must make Shiroe think he did the right thing
when he saved me.
Nothing's biting today.
What's going on?
So this is where the training camp will be held, my lord?
The town of Choushi, in the Zantleaf region.
Karashin has already gone and looked at the area,
and has spoken to the People of the Land there.
That's my boy.
Shouryuu, of our guild,
and Rezarick, from the Black Swords, will be participating as trainers.
That's fine, but...
Now all I need is sunscreen!
It's too early for that.
The camp is next month, Marie...
I have a summer dress for you, Akatsuki!
No!
Everyone's getting overexcited.
Come on, try it on!
No!
Did you find sunscreen?
No, there are weird people outside town.
What's going on?
Was there an event like this?
Not that I remember.
That's it.
Hmm...
I think I've seen him somewhere before.
What?
What's happening?
They're all People of the Land.
Which means...
So are they.
I am a messenger of Sergiatte Cowen,
High Lord of Eastal's League of Freedom Cities.
I request an audience with the Round Table's leader.
In Elder Tale, Japan is called Yamato.
It's divided into five major territories.
The League of Freedom Cities of Eastal is an alliance of lords that rule Eastern Japan.
Eastal has now made contact with the Round Table.
They've asked for our participation in a meeting of the lords next month,
and have invited us to a dance.
Did you anticipate this, as well?
The People of the Land should be well aware of the Round Table.
I expected them to make a move.
They said they were prepared to grant titles of nobility...
It's a difficult question.
As is whether to participate in the conference.
What do you mean?
If we participate, we can make connections among the People of the Land.
We may be able to learn things we don't yet know about the world.
And the demerits?
There's a chance we may get caught up in their politics.
If we don't participate, that possibility goes away, but...
We lose a chance to gain valuable information.
That's the trade-off.
Is there a chance of war with them?
Unlikely.
Generally speaking, they are far weaker than we adventurers are.
Then what do you have in mind, Shiroe?
I can smell the salt air.
It's so different from Akihabara.
Look, Minori!
It seems this area is primarily fields.
Yeah!
Those look good!
Don't take them without asking, Tohya.
How vulgar.
That's the problem with commoners.
What'd you say?!
Tohya!
You're as lively as ever.
Isuzu!
In the real world, you'd never think of holding a training camp within a game.
Is she one of the People of the Land that live around here?
Seriously?
Isn't this a school?
This is where we'll be staying!
Tonight, we'll have a barbecue in the field!
I wish Shiroe could've come.
Yeah.
He has an important conference with the People of the Land.
He has to attend.
I wonder if the training camp is going well.
Hey, I'm leaving my steam engine to be here.
Stay focused, strategist.
Understood.
I see...
Then we should attend the meeting to gather information.
So they're going to give us titles of nobility?
As though they're better than we are.
They're only non-player characters.
They aren't mere NPCs.
I thought we understood that.
Sorry.
It's just habit.
Then, we're all in agreement about attending the conference of lords?
So who's going?
That day overlaps with the training camp.
I'm in charge of that training camp, so...
I suppose Crusty would be first.
He's the Round Table's representative.
Yeah.
Which means someone from the crafting guilds should also go...
We're working on the Ocypete...
And I have many other projects.
I'm just getting to the good part.
At times like these...
There's only one thing to do.
Rock, paper...
And so...
Michitaka will be happy to go.
Then it's decided!
No, I'd like to have one more.
Someone skilled in bureaucracy and information analysis.
Stare...
Yeah, I thought so.
So that's what happened?
If you'd wanted, you could have gone to the training camp.
A ninja must follow her master.
Really?
And why is Henrietta here?
I told you that I'm participating as an observer.
And what's sticking out of your magic bag?
Just some fabric...
It most definitely isn't Akatsuki's summer dress!
She followed me to get to Akatsuki.
A pretty girl on each arm?
I'm jealous...
It isn't like that.
So, what kind of information are you after?
Everything we don't know.
But especially information about the People of the Land.
What do you mean?
When Elder Tale was a game,
the People of the Land were set to be far less powerful than adventurers.
There were exceptions, such as the Precursors and the Royal Guard,
but generally, their levels and combat abilities
never rose above a certain limit.
If adventurers die, we revive at the Cathedral,
but the People of the Land die for good.
But since the Apocalypse, the People of the Land have changed.
Sorry to drag you along with me.
Not at all...
For one thing, they aren't simple non-player characters anymore.
But for another, you used to receive requests from them,
known as quests, and then items for completing them.
The magic bag is one of them.
It's supposed to be the reward for one of the basic quests everyone does.
If the People of the Land's change means no one can do that quest anymore...
New players who don't have a magic bag yet never will.
The effect will be bigger than we imagined.
Did you tell Marie about this?
I did.
Information?
Yeah, Shiro asked me.
He said to "talk to the People of the Land and learn as much as you can."
That's why you spoke to the village elder?
That wasn't the only reason.
It's simple courtesy.
Oh...
Shiroe asked you to...
Then we have to do our best!
You're such a good girl.
Wh-Why?
I feel like patting you on the head.
I-It hurts!
We've finished our greetings, so let's go!
Huh?
Ah, it's cold!
Nothing beats the beach!
Tohya!
That's something only a warrior could do...
Huh?
You come, too!
Everyone, have you stretched enough?
If you underestimate the sea, bad things can happen.
I bet you just can't swim, can you?
What?
Very well.
My beautiful swimming has been compared to a leaping dolphin!
Beho—
What?!
Here you go.
Thanks.
That's cold!
By the way, um, the information...
Later, later.
It's summer! Swimsuits!
I'm so happy!
Look at that.
S-Sir... It's so fantastic.
About two hours from the city of Akihabara,
where southern Tokyo would be in the real world,
where Hamarikyuu Park would sit, is the Palace of Eternal Ice.
The Palace of Eternal Ice Japan Server League of Freedom Cities, Eastal/ Bay Area No Monsters No PVP Skill Use Permitted Entry Restrictions/ None Events/ None Currently
A palace with foundations of magical ice, created by a dead race of ancient Alvs.
This is pretty...
...nerve-wracking.
Just think of everyone around as monsters, and you can relax.
I think that's only you, my lord.
My lord...
Do I look... w-weird?
You don't look weird!
You look cute! Beautiful!
Like some kind of fluffy strawberry something!
I want to order you for takeout!
No, I will order you.
She stated that like a fact...
She definitely followed Akatsuki here.
D-Do I really?
I feel so weird.
It's hard to conceal my weapons.
Where were you keeping that thing?
My lord...
Hey...
You look pretty calm yourself, Shiroe.
A hero of his caliber
has no problem escorting two ladies to a big ball like this.
How rude.
A fancy ball like this is nothing for Dark Kuroe.
Dark Kuroe?
Thank you for coming.
I am Sergiatte Cowen.
I am the coordinator for the League of Freedom Cities.
Wow...
It's a real nobleman.
Hello.
Thank you for your invitation.
I am Crusty, the representative for Akihabara's Round Table Conference.
He has guts...
Crusty looks like a nobleman himself.
I am Shiroe.
It's nice to meet you.
Sergiatte Cowen,
lord of the largest eastern city, the capital city of Maihama.
The most powerful person in Eastal, League of Freedom Cities.
I see.
So these guilds are like nobility without lands of their own,
and the powerful guilds rule the city through discussion and debate?
So it resembles the way we run Eastal, but on a smaller scale.
That's correct.
But that means bestowing a noble title upon only one of you
would cause needless friction.
As expected, we're attracting a lot of attention.
But no one's talking to us.
Out of respect for Sergiatte?
No...
My guess would be that, just as we lack information about People of the Land,
they also lack information regarding us.
So they're wary.
They want information about us,
but they must be very careful that the conversation
doesn't reveal too much about them.
This'll be tough.
So that's a princess?
That's my granddaughter in the center.
She is quite beautiful.
What is her name?
Lenessia.
And tomorrow, for party training, we'll be going to a dungeon.
A dungeon!
It's called the Forest of Lagranda.
All right!
I can't wait.
However, it will only be you guys.
Only us?
Shiroe...
Shiroe Memo The basics of combat!!
A bountiful banquet is also
a place of politics, where opposing groups collide.
The nobles try to gain control of the adventurers.
And Shiroe and the Round Table are forced to negotiate.
Meanwhile, Minori, Tohya, and their companions face a harsh reality.
The Forest of Lagranda
Next time: The Forest of Lagranda.
Always look thirty seconds ahead.