Prologue: Proposal

After the death of the great man Fuuga Haan, many expected the world to fall into chaos.

However, Souma, King of Friedonia and leader of the Maritime Alliance, swiftly eliminated Krahe—the traitor responsible for Fuuga’s death—and then took command at the ensuing summit of world leaders. By dividing the Great Tiger Empire into three separate nations and skillfully balancing the interests of each, he managed to minimize the resulting turmoil.

In time, every country—except for the self-governing domain of the dragons in the Star Dragon Mountain Range and the Nothung Dragon Knight Kingdom—joined the newly formed Union of the Southern Continent, an evolution of the Southern Maritime Alliance. These nations would gather at the Southern Continent Union Conference, hosted in the neutral Nothung Dragon Knight Kingdom, to discuss international concerns and prevent the outbreak of large-scale disasters like war or famine. (The Dragon Knight Kingdom, acting as a neutral party, chaired the conference and received a special invitation to participate.)

Maria had once called for the world to unite under her ideals. Fuuga had tried to unite it through sheer will and martial strength. But ironically, the world ultimately came together—albeit loosely—under the Union of the Southern Continent, guided by Souma, the very man who had crushed Fuuga’s ambitions.

Later generations would describe it like this: Maria laid the groundwork, Fuuga built the castle, and Souma lived in it with his family.

The reason that sounded like Souma took all of the good parts was probably the spite felt by those who’d supported Maria and Fuuga.

Still, since Souma’s family included Maria herself, as well as Fuuga’s younger sister Yuriga, there was some magnanimity in the sentiment too.

While the northern hemisphere would go on to carve an exciting history full of adventure, the southern hemisphere entered a long period of peace and stability—one that would endure for centuries to come.

This loosely bound world came to be referred to, with a mix of sarcasm and envy, as Souma’s Empire. Even without an imperial crown or throne, the people had begun to see him as an emperor in all but name.

◇ ◇ ◇

I’m Carla Vargas, a maid working in Parnam Castle.

As head maid, it’s my job to oversee the other maids and manage the daily affairs of the castle’s staff. I inherited the position from the former head maid, Madam Serina, after her retirement, and I’ve been training junior maids alongside my regular duties for several years now. Before long, I’ll have spent more time in this role than I did serving in the air force.

When I was first appointed head maid, some of the other maids looked up to the heavens and pumped their fists in triumph... Yeah. Fellow victims of that sadist, no doubt.

Even after retiring, Serina continues to go to the castle for tea parties with Her Majesty Liscia, and never misses a chance to gleefully watch us squirm as we’re made to wear some truly humiliating outfits. She might have stepped down, but she clearly hasn’t mellowed out. She’s getting on in years, after all—not being a long-lived dragonewt like me—so I wish she’d slow down a little and take it easy.

That thought crossed my mind one afternoon as I was gathering up the sheets from where they’d been drying, when...

““Lady Carlaaa!””

Two energetic voices rang out, followed by the patter of feet. I turned just in time to see two identical young maids racing towards me.

“The east tower stair cleaning team is finished!”

“The west tower stair cleaning team is finished!”

The pair, who looked to be in their early teens, came to a stop and saluted in unison. Not just their faces, but their voices, tone, and gestures were all completely identical. It was hard to believe they weren’t twins.

Smiling, I reached out and placed a hand on each of their heads. “Well done, Marin, Maron.”

These two were Marin Panacotta and Maron Panacotta, daughters of Sir Poncho, the minister of agriculture and forestry. They were working in the castle as maids to receive etiquette training. Marin was Madam Serina’s daughter, while Maron was the daughter of Madam Komain.

They both had the same adorable, round faces, but Maron had inherited her mother’s darker skin tone, which made it easy to tell them apart.

When the other maids had heard that Madam Serina’s daughter would be joining the castle staff, they had braced themselves, anxious to see what kind of sadist she might have been. But once the truth came out, Marin proved to be just as earnest and hardworking as her sister Maron. The two quickly won over their coworkers’ hearts.

Everyone assumed their good manners were thanks to the other Panacotta wife, Madam Komain, whose reputation—despite few having actually met her—rose dramatically in their eyes.

I thought back on that as I told the girls, “Well then, you two. Tell the cleaning teams to move on to their next tasks.”

““Yes, ma’am!””

They saluted in unison, then ran off to carry out their orders.

Strictly speaking, that was poor etiquette for a maid, but they were still apprentices. And in truth, watching them dart around the castle brought a smile to everyone’s faces, so I let it slide without comment.

Once I finished folding the sheets, I headed inside.

They dry fast in weather like this... That idle thought crossed my mind as I walked down a corridor bathed in the warm glow of the afternoon sun.

“Carla.”

The sudden voice made me turn. Standing there was my liege.

“Your Majesty? What is it?” I replied. He should be at work at this hour. What is he doing here?

As I puzzled over it, His Majesty scratched his head awkwardly, clearly struggling to find the right words. He seemed unable to meet my eyes, his gaze wandering everywhere but my face.

“Um... Well... You know...”

“Hmm? Did you have business with me?”

At that, a look of resolve crossed his face. Then...

“Um... Carla!”

“Y-Yes?”

He suddenly dropped to one knee before me.

The ruler of a nation was kneeling before a maid carrying in the laundry. If anyone had been around to witness it, they’d have been utterly baffled. I, myself, was flabbergasted—but it didn’t take long for me to snap back to my senses.

I asked him what he was doing and urged him to stand, but instead, His Majesty pulled a small box from his pocket and offered it to me. The lid snapped open.

“Huh?!”

Inside was a ring.

A kneeling man, presenting a ring to a woman.

Even someone as ignorant of romance as I was...understood what that meant.

His Majesty pressed on, his voice firm and sincere. “Please, marry me!”

“...”

I was speechless. The suddenness of it left me frozen. But he continued, desperation creeping into his tone.

“My fiancée Sharan said she could accept it—‘If it’s Lady Carla,’ she told me! And even Kazuha said, ‘I’ve known you were head over heels for Big Sis Carla since we were kids, but if you ever start neglecting Sharan because of it, I’ll clobber you!’ So I (sort of) have her permission too! By my own name, I swear... I swear I’ll make you happy! So please, I’m begging you—be my queen!”

“K-King Cian...”

On that day, I received an honor far greater than I ever deserved: a proposal from King Cian—my best friend Liscia’s son.

(To be continued in the epilogue...)

Chapter 1: Souma’s Secret Child?

—Excerpted from an issue of Weekly Parnam Sports

It has been several years since Lord Souma, the key figure in the founding of the Union of the Southern Continent, abdicated the throne in favor of his son, making Lord Cian the second King of Friedonia.

Today, more and more children grow up without ever having known war, and peace and order reign so completely across the southern continent that even international vacations have become commonplace.

But in these uneventful times, curious rumors have begun to circulate in Lagoon City, the capital of Duchess Excel Walter’s domain. And what kind of rumors, you ask?

Shocking News! Former King Souma Suspected of Having a Secret Child?!

Lord Souma, known for welcoming queens of many races and walks of life, has fathered numerous children. Jealous men have dubbed him the Lecherous King or even the Emperor of the Night, but until now, no accusations of infidelity have ever surfaced.

Even after he stepped down from the throne, his queens have remained active, and his children—including King Cian—have grown up strong and successful. The public believed the royal household to be stable, its marital relations harmonious.

But now, whispers say that Lord Souma has a secret child—one not born of any of his queens—and that this child may be living in Lagoon City.

If true, such a revelation could sow discord between Lord Souma and his wives, with no small impact on national politics.

Determined to uncover the truth behind this unlikely claim, this reporter traveled directly to the heart of the rumor: Lagoon City.

◇ ◇ ◇

On this day, I, an anonymous reporter from ParSpo (short for Weekly Parnam Sports), went undercover in Lagoon City and immediately began asking questions.

“The former king’s secret child? What are you talkin’ ab— Oh! Maybe you mean her.”

It seemed the proprietress of the inn where I was staying knew something. Suppressing my excitement at such a promising lead, I pressed her for more details.

“Nowa-chan, right? Her hair’s black, just like the former king’s. Though...the shape of her face isn’t all that similar.”

Incredible. I already had a name. The alleged secret child was a girl named Nowa.

I asked the proprietress to tell me more, and here’s what she said:

“She’s a good girl. There’s a kind of dignity about her that makes her feel a little hard to approach, but... Well, I threw my back out bringing in some new stock we’d just bought. I was stuck on the side of the road, unable to move, and Nowa-chan found me. She picked me up—along with all the goods—and carried me home.”

She’d carried both a grown woman and heavy cargo? It seemed this girl possessed monstrous strength. The former king, Lord Souma, had always been known more for his intellect than physical prowess—a pen rather than a sword kind of man. There were few, if any, records of him fighting on the battlefield directly.

This reporter clearly remembers that it was Souma’s cunning, not brute strength, that brought down Fuuga Haan.

It was hard to imagine that Lord Souma’s secret child would possess such monstrous strength.

I knew I needed to gather more information. After thanking the proprietress, I headed out into the town to ask the locals about the girl known as Nowa.

“Nowa-chan? She’s got a distinctive look, so you’ll recognize her right away,” said a market stall staff member.

“She’s a good, polite girl. And beautiful too,” said the owner of a flower shop.

And two women chatting by the well commented...

“She was wearing a uniform. From the naval officers’ academy, I think?”

“Yeah, that’s right. She’s probably around fifteen.”

It seemed that this girl, Nowa, was well-known here in Lagoon City—to the point where I could ask random passersby, and they would immediately say, “Oh, you mean that girl, right?”

But whenever I followed up with, “Is she the former king’s secret child?” they would stare at me blankly before awkward looks crept across their faces.

“Oh... Those rumors... Right.”

“Well, it’s no surprise a story like that would catch on.”

“Ah ha ha... I feel sorry for Nowa-chan.”

Their replies were all vague, evasive—even suspicious. It felt as if they were all in on some secret.

A girl suspected of being the former king’s illegitimate child...and a town full of people who clearly knew something, yet refused to say it outright.

There was no doubt in my mind now: This city was hiding something.

Emboldened by that certainty, I pressed on with my investigation.

Before long, I encountered a girl who claimed to be Nowa’s classmate at the naval officers’ academy.

“Nowa-chan? We’re friends,” she said with a cheerful smile.

She seemed friendly and easy to talk to—soft-spoken and sociable. Sensing an opportunity, I invited her to sit with me on a bench in a seaside park, where I began my interview.

As she nibbled at some ice cream she’d bought from a nearby stall, she chatted casually.

“She’s a beauty, isn’t she? And such a good, earnest girl. Even though she’s the former king’s daughter, she never acts stuck up. If anything, she’s kind of...like a commoner? I mean, she always eats in the cafeteria.”

It seemed to be something of an open secret that this girl, Nowa, was the former king’s daughter.

But there was something odd about how her classmate spoke about it. Referring to such a serious and potentially scandalous background so casually—as if it were completely normal—felt off, especially coming from someone who claimed to be a close friend.

Curious, this reporter asked, “Does she stand out at school?”

The girl nodded.

“Well, yeah, she does. Because of her background, and how she looks. She’s not just beautiful; she’s got distinctive traits you don’t forget.”

Distinctive traits? What could those be?

“She’s got little antlers on her head, and a reptilian tail that sticks out from under her skirt.”

Antlers and a tail... Weren’t those characteristics typical of the sea serpent race?

Excel Walter, the former commander in chief of the National Defense Force, was a member of that race. And these features matched perfectly. This reporter had a hunch about what that might imply...but it was still too early to draw any conclusions.

I asked again if Nowa stood out at school.

“Well, yeah... When she first enrolled, everyone kept a respectful distance from her. But Nowa-chan’s a really good girl. Oh, and she’s real strong. When one of the senior students tried to throw his weight around with the younger kids, she sent him flying. Ever since then, she’s kind of been the leader of our year. Not that she wants to be treated like someone special though.”

Oh? Maybe that had something to do with being the former king’s secret child. Had she faced hardships because of it?

“I feel like she’s become more womanly since we moved up a grade,” the girl continued. “But funny enough, she’s more popular with girls than with boys. The younger girls look up to her and call her ‘Big Sister.’”

Hmm? Based on everything I’d heard so far, I would’ve expected her to be a hit with the boys too.

When I voiced my confusion, the girl laughed awkwardly.

“I’d say the issue is her guardian. The boys all know who she lives with, and that makes her feel kind of...off-limits. Like, if they try anything, they’ll be ruined. Nowa-chan even complains about it, like ‘I want to be more popular with the boys, not just the girls!’”

Guardian...? Could she have been referring to Lord Souma?

“Nah, that’s not it... Nowa-chan lives in the house of Duchess Walter. The boys all assume she must be just as experienced in love as the duchess. I mean, they’re both sea serpents, after all.”

So Nowa lived with Duchess Excel Walter. The moment I heard that, my suspicions solidified into certainty.

A suspected secret child of Lord Souma—one with features of the sea serpent race—living under the same roof as the most prominent sea serpent in the kingdom? The connection was too strong to ignore.

There could be no doubt: Nowa was the secret love child of Lord Souma and Duchess Walter.

Though Excel Walter is the grandmother of Juna Doma, Lord Souma’s first secondary queen, she looks no older than a woman in her twenties. If the two of them had made a...misstep one night, it wouldn’t be unthinkable for a child to have resulted from it.

However, at this point, it was all still speculation.

If I published anything now, it would be dismissed as tabloid fantasy—just my own wild delusions. I needed proof. I had to go to the source.

To uncover the truth, I submitted a formal request to interview Duchess Excel Walter herself.

I half expected to be turned away at the gates—or worse, silenced before I got close—but to my surprise, I was granted permission with ease. A direct interview was scheduled without delay.

I couldn’t help but wonder: Was this a trap? A setup to lure me in and quietly make me disappear?

Still, if I backed down now, I’d disgrace myself as a reporter.

Steeling my nerves, I went to the interview.

I was led to a reception room, where a stunning woman in an elaborate, gaudy dress awaited me.

This was none other than the former commander in chief of the National Defense Force—Duchess Excel Walter.

What follows is the transcript of our interview.

Reporter: Thank you for taking the time to meet with me for this interview.

Duchess Walter: My, what a darling little reporter. Are you new on the job, perhaps?

Reporter: Y-Yes, I am. I’ve just started. I-If I say anything inappropriate, please forgive me.

Duchess Walter: Hee hee. There’s no need to be so tense. You can ask me anything you like today.

Reporter: Th-Thank you. *clears throat* In that case, could you tell me about your recent activities? You returned to Lagoon City after passing command of the National Defense Force to Sir Ludwin, correct?

Duchess Walter: Yes. Lord Arcs has grown into a dependable leader, and the younger ones, like Ms. Kaede Magna, continue to mature. Looking at the continent’s current stability, it seemed to me that holding on to such a troublesome...no, important position as commander in chief would not be healthy for the organization.

Reporter: Did you just say troublesome?

Duchess Walter: Oh my, whatever are you talking about? *smiles*

Reporter: N-Nothing... Then, what have you been doing here in Lagoon City?

Duchess Walter: I spent some time instructing the National Naval Defense Force’s fleet, but I leave most of that to my son-in-law, Castor, these days. Now, I take it easy—managing Lagoon City and mentoring the next generation.

Reporter: You mean people like Lord Arcs and Lord Vargas?

Duchess Walter: Hee hee... That’s right. The sea serpent race originally came as a drifting people from the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago. To protect this haven, I hope to raise someone who can serve my liege as I have, across generations. To put it simply, I’m preparing a successor who can inherit all my knowledge and experience.

[Note: Members of the sea serpent race, like Duchess Walter, are rare compared to those of other races. Nearly all of them are said to live in Lagoon City.]

Reporter: That’s...an incredible goal. But wouldn’t it be impossible to pass on all the experience you’ve gained in your long life to a short-lived human or beastman?

Duchess Walter: Indeed. Which is why the girl I have in mind is also a sea serpent, like me. I believe she will live even longer than I have, and continue supporting this country.

Reporter: Huh?! [Here it is! The sea serpent girl! This must be her!]

Duchess Walter: Is something the matter?

Reporter: N-No, not at all. Is this sea serpent girl a relative of yours?

Duchess Walter: Yes, I suppose you could say that. We are family.

Reporter: Is she...your daughter?

Duchess Walter: Hee hee. Who can say? I do adore her as if she were.

Reporter: You’re going to give a vague answer like that?

Duchess Walter: Sometimes, precisely because you’re family, you can’t quite tell how the other person truly feels about you, can you? Do you fully understand your own parents? And do they completely understand you?

Reporter: Allow me to rephrase, then. I heard in town that the sea serpent girl in question has black hair identical to our former king’s. Is that true?

Duchess Walter: It’s true that the girl has lovely, jet-black hair. She must have inherited it from her parents.

Reporter: Let’s cut to the chase. Is she the daughter of the former king?

Duchess Walter: Yes, she is.

Reporter: Huh?! You’re admitting it that easily?

Duchess Walter: Yes. That girl, Nowa...is without a doubt Sir Souma’s child.

Reporter: Is she a secret child, like some of the rumors suggest?

Duchess Walter: Oh my. What kinds of rumors have been going around?

Reporter: Well...these are just rumors, mind you. I’m not spreading them—I only heard them, okay? The rumors say that the former king has a secret child, and that you, Duchess Walter, might be the mother.

Duchess Walter: Oh, dear...

Reporter: The former king has always been quite fond of Lady Juna, your granddaughter. And since you look so much alike—and are still so youthful yourself—if the two of you had...um...a moment of indiscretion one night, that could’ve resulted in a child. That’s what people are saying. After hearing those rumors, I came to town to investigate and learned about the sea serpent girl, Nowa, whom you’ve been raising with great care. So...

Duchess Walter: I see. You’re suggesting that Nowa might be my child with Sir Souma? Considering that we sea serpents are long-lived and our appearances don’t change much over time...and that you don’t know exactly when the girl was born...your theory is understandable.

Reporter: Y-Yes...

Duchess Walter: Hee hee. It’s true that, as their elder, I’ve offered advice to Souma, Juna, and the others on one of their royal duties—producing an heir. If those lessons extended beyond the theoretical and into practical application... Well, it’s possible that a child might have been conceived. Hee hee hee.

Reporter: ... [Uh, what? Why does she sound so amused?]

Duchess Walter: Do the gentlemen of the world imagine that Juna and I (censored) Sir Souma together, thoroughly enjoying ourselves (censored)? Or perhaps that we gather with the other queens for (censored)? My, what utter debauchery. Hee hee. Is that where the rumors of Souma being a “lecherous king” come from? Well, if people think things like that are going on, then as a woman, I must still have my charm.

[Note: This comment included some indecent language which the editorial department has chosen to censor for publication. Thank you for your understanding.]

Reporter: ...

Duchess Walter: Hee hee. Moments like these make a long life so very entertaining. Perhaps I should start dropping hints that the girl really is my daughter...

*Bang! The door flies open, as if kicked in.*

???: Auntie Excel! What are you saying?!

Reporter: Wh-What? Who—

Duchess Walter: Oh, Nowa. Welcome home.

Reporter: Huh?! Nowa?! This is the Nowa from the rumors?

Nowa (?): Don’t you “Welcome home” me! You send me off with an “urgent” letter for Uncle Castor, and it turns out to be completely blank?! Then I rush back, only to find you giving an interview about me! And now you’re saying I’m your child with Dad?!

Duchess Walter: Oh, my. So you heard all that?

Nowa (?): The conversation was so wild I stood there stunned for a while! Ugh! Why are these ridiculous rumors even spreading?!

Reporter: ... [So this is Nowa? She has black hair like Lord Souma’s...and small antlers and a lizard-like tail—distinguishing features of a sea serpent. But instead of resembling Duchess Walter, she looks more like...]

Reporter: Um... Could I ask your full name?

Nowa (?): Huh? Me? I’m Rinoa Delal Souma.

◇ ◇ ◇

This was the moment I realized I’d made a mistake.

The girl called Nowa wasn’t the former king’s daughter with Duchess Excel—she was Princess Rinoa, his daughter with Second Secondary Queen Naden Delal Souma.

If you’ll allow me a brief excuse: I was aware of Princess Rinoa, of course. But the former king’s children who made public appearances were generally Prince—now King—Cian and Princess Kazuha. I hadn’t kept up with how Princess Rinoa looked in recent years.

The fact that everyone referred to her as “Nowa” only added to my confusion.

When I asked more questions, I learned that “Delal” in Lady Naden Delal Souma’s name wasn’t a family name, but part of her given name. That meant Princess Rinoa’s full given name was also “Rinoa Delal.”

Because of that, people often called her Noa or Noir for short. But those names had been hard for her younger siblings to pronounce, and so “Nowa” became a pet name within the family. Her friends picked it up, and eventually, so did the residents of Lagoon City.

The devilish Duchess Walter, of course, had been thoroughly amused by the rumors. When asked about them, she never told outright lies, but she also never gave a straight answer—just enough to lead others into drawing their own false conclusions.

It seemed I’d been dancing to her tune as well.

Still, I took it in stride. I chalked it up as just another experience, one more stepping stone in my growth as a reporter.

I’ll be putting today behind me and turning my focus to the next story: Next week, I’ll be investigating the unidentified mysterious creature known as the Pargon, rumored to dwell beneath the capital, Parnam.

But for today, I plan to feast on Lagoon City’s famous seafood and build up my strength for the days ahead.

—Weekly Parnam Sports Reporter, Bunbun

◇ ◇ ◇

“So, that’s a thing that happened a little while ago, Mom.”

“Honestly, what is that person thinking?”

A sea serpent girl stood in front of a broadcast jewel.

This beautiful young woman with long, straight, luscious hair that differed from her mother’s, smaller antlers, and a reptilian tail covered in the same glossy scales was Rinoa Delal Souma, the daughter of Souma and Naden.

Souma had preserved Delal from Naden’s name while giving her a name that, when shortened, resembled Noir, the word for “black” in a language from his old world.

To the public, she was known as Princess Rinoa. But among close friends and family, she was affectionately called Nowa. The person she was currently speaking with over the broadcast was her mother, Naden.

“It sounds like they’ll at least write the truth in the article though.”

“They’d better! If they publish anything that fuels the rumors, I’ll ask Souma to shut their whole operation down.”

Nowa smiled wryly at how angry her mother was.

Naden hadn’t appeared to have aged at all since giving birth to Nowa. When the two stood side by side, Naden often looked like the younger of the pair. Watching her try to play the motherly role in front of Nowa made her seem like a young girl pretending to be an adult—something the entire family found heartwarming. Everyone except Naden, that is.

Nowa peered at her mother through the broadcast.

“Hmm? Is something on your mind?” Naden asked.

“I was starting to think Auntie Excel really might be my mother.”

“Don’t be silly! You and I are like two peas in a pod.”

“But I’m taller than you, Mom.”

“Frustrating as it is, you take after your father when it comes to how fast you grow.”

“Besides, in this family, no one can really keep track of who belongs to whom. You’ve got a ton of siblings yourself... From Dad’s perspective, I’m what—child number how many again?”

“Uh... Yeah. Sorry about that!” Naden let out a sigh. “But have no worries. I’m definitely the one who gave birth to you.”

“Mom...”

“I remember how relieved Souma and I were when you were born a sea serpent. If a dragon had been in that egg, who knows when it would have hatched, maybe not even in our lifetimes. I was so happy to hold you in my arms for the first time... It brought me to tears.”

“Hee hee, you’re kind of embarrassing me.”

Nowa’s shy smile earned her a gentle, motherly one from Naden.

“We’ll all be back in the capital for the end of the year, so you’d better come too. I know we talk like this all the time through a screen, but I want to hug you for real. And I’m sure Souma feels the same way.”

Hearing this, Nowa pumped her fist and replied with her mother’s signature phrase, “Roger that!”

Chapter 2: The “Gorilla” Opens for Business +α1

A few years had passed since the leaders of each nation began gathering annually at the Balm Summit. Previous summits had mainly focused on topics like adjusting tariffs, reconstructing the northern nations devastated during the chaos of Fuuga’s reign and Krahe’s uprising, and sharing information about the northern hemisphere.

This time, however, they had convened to discuss a single, major project.

The participants included myself and Liscia from the Kingdom of Friedonia; Kuu and Leporina from the Republic of Turgis; Jeanne and Hakuya from the Euphoria Kingdom; Shabon and Kishun from the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Kingdom; Garula and Elulu from the unified Spirit Kingdom of Garlan; Shuukin and Lumiere representing the Great Tiger Kingdom of Haan on behalf of the young King Suiga; Tia and Julius from the restored Kingdom of Lastania; and Lombard and Yomi from the similarly restored Kingdom of Remus.

Presiding over the meeting was the initiator of the project—though I’d technically proposed it—Queen Sill of the Nothung Dragon Knight Kingdom.

Once we’d all introduced ourselves, Madam Sill began to speak.

“Today, with the famed rulers of the world gathered here, the Nothung Dragon Knight Kingdom would like to make a single proposal. As you were informed in advance, it concerns the creation of a permanent organization for dragon knight parcel delivery and the establishment of secured airways.”

“Ookya? So it’s part of that shipping business you mentioned?” Kuu asked, curious.

“Yes,” Sill replied with a nod. “With international conflict now a thing of the past, and the southern world more or less at peace, clinging to our identity as dragon knights alone puts our kingdom’s future at risk... Personally, I wouldn’t mind following the example of the Lunarian Orthodox Curia—preserving our authority over dragon knights while allowing our land to be absorbed into a nation like Lastania.”

“That would be nothing but trouble for us,” Julius said with a frown. “Having a powerhouse like the dragon knights dumped on us? No thanks.” Beside him, Tia nodded vigorously.

If the Nothung Dragon Knight Kingdom were to be absorbed into Lastania, the latter would instantly become the most powerful military force in the world. That would mean shouldering more responsibility and treading even more carefully in diplomatic relations, so... Yeah, that’d be clearly more of a burden than a benefit. Besides...

“We still need the Dragon Knight Kingdom to act as our intermediary with the Star Dragon Mountain Range, like you always have,” I added. “Without that, we’re going to run into problems.”

The dragons led by Madam Tiamat generally only interacted with the outside world through the Dragon Knight Kingdom acting as an intermediary. But honestly, if Madam Tiamat—a transcendental being from this world’s perspective, and the one responsible for overseeing the southern hemisphere—were to actively involve herself in the affairs of mankind, that alone would be problematic. Even so, we needed the Dragon Knight Kingdom to continue existing, if only so we’d have a way to contact her should something happen.

When I pointed this out, Madam Sill nodded with a wry smile.

“I’m aware. That’s precisely why I plan to double down on our delivery service to keep the kingdom running in times of peace. The shipping organization and secured airways are part of that effort. At present, we transport people and goods at the request of various nations. But to eliminate the need for those individual requests, I’d like to establish regular flight routes for cargo and passenger transport. Bring up the map, please.”

At her command, a map of the southern world appeared in the center of the chamber. This was made possible by the power of the AI, Mao.

With Haalga now under Friedonian administration, Mao didn’t attend the summit as a representative of the Seadians, but she constantly monitored the proceedings as an AI. If asked, she would lend her support even to those who weren’t ancient humans like myself. In that sense, she was something of an observer for the Union of the Southern Continent.

The map she displayed had a circular outline drawn along the Star Dragon Mountain Range’s borders with neighboring countries.

“We’re considering establishing airways that follow the border between the Star Dragon Mountain Range and the surrounding nations,” Sill explained. “We would like to request permission from all of you to allow our dragons to fly along these routes.”

Though the dragons controlled by the knights were capable of carrying massive cargo loads, comparable to heavy transport aircraft, they also possessed the destructive power to reduce an entire town to ashes, like strategic bombers. Because of that, the current delivery service only operated by direct request from each country, with flights restricted to designated airways.

This system existed both to ease international concerns and to avoid complications from foreign cargo passing over sovereign territory... For example, if a dragon accidentally dropped something and it damaged someone’s house, questions of liability and compensation could escalate into a full-blown diplomatic incident. These restrictions helped preemptively address such issues.

The proposal on the table now aimed to streamline the process by limiting flights to a fixed route. The loop line encircling the Star Dragon Mountain Range would facilitate increased movement of people and goods between nations. For the Dragon Knight Kingdom, it would give their knights a way to earn a living during peacetime. For the other countries, it meant easier importing and exporting, especially once they’d built out transport infrastructure that connected to the new airways.

If everyone could just overlook the destructive power of the dragons I mentioned earlier, it really did seem like a promising proposal.

At that point, Lumiere of the Great Tiger Kingdom of Haan raised her hand.

“I believe this is an incredibly meritorious proposal. Our nation would have no objections to airways running along our border with the Star Dragon Mountain Range... However,” she said, turning her eyes towards me. “I can understand how this benefits the Dragon Knight Kingdom, but...it’s hard to imagine such an idea coming from a nation that was so insular until just a few years ago. I suspect it was proposed by someone else. What do you say to that?”

Her gaze didn’t waver. It was clear she had someone specific in mind, and just as clearly, that someone was me.

“What will you do, Souma?” Liscia whispered. “She’s onto you.”

Even though this was a summit of national leaders, by now, we all knew each other well.

We had fought side by side—or against one another—so we had a decent idea of how everyone thought.

“Well, it’s not really something we need to hide,” I whispered back, feeling a bit like a sore loser, then raised my hand to speak. “As Madam Lumiere guessed, I was the one who proposed the establishment of the airways. However, since the Dragon Knight Kingdom would be the primary user, I made sure the plan was structured to benefit them.”

“Then let us hear your reasoning.” Lumiere looked directly at me as she spoke. There was no hostility in her expression, only a desire to understand. “Lady Yuriga and Lord Suiga have left the Great Tiger Kingdom in our care. I do find this proposal attractive, but I can’t allow it to proceed lightly without knowing the intention behind it.”

“A perfectly reasonable stance. Allow me to explain.” I rose from my seat and pointed to the map displayed in the center of the chamber. “This may take some time, so let me drop the formal tone for now... Okay, here’s the simple version. We just want more lively exchange between people across the world. That’s really all it boils down to.”

“Exchange?” she echoed.

“Right. Everyone being able to get products from other countries. Everyone being able to ship out what they produce. Easier opportunities to study abroad. Casual trips to other nations for fun. That’s the kind of world I want to create.” I looked around the room, then added, “Because I believe that kind of world will help delay the return of war to the world of the south.”

The looks on everyone’s faces changed at the word “war.” They probably hadn’t expected a discussion about the Dragon Knight Kingdom’s delivery service to veer in that direction. But I wasn’t joking.

“Our generation—and the one before—witnessed the rise of the Demon Lord’s Domain and knows what war is truly like. Many countries suffered under the waves of refugees driven by monster attacks. I hate to bring this up with the Great Tiger Kingdom and the Kingdom of Remus present, but Fuuga’s expansionism left a trail of blood. And once his ambitions collapsed, Krahe and others shed even more.”

I worried that might ruffle a few feathers, but Lumiere, Shuukin, and the royal couple from Remus listened silently. It seemed they were willing to accept the facts as they were. So I continued.

“Beyond the mainland, the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Kingdom was attacked by the great kaiju Ooyamizuchi, and the Spirit Kingdom suffered from the once-unknown illness, Magic Bug Disease. It was our generation that learned some threats are too great for any one nation to face alone. And we are also the generation that is tired of war. Unless something erupts spontaneously in the world of the north, I believe there will be no major conflict in the south, at least not in my time.”

The others nodded in agreement.

We’d fought together, opposed each other, and debated fiercely. But if there was one thing we all shared, it was a deep weariness of war.

“But for the next generation, and the one after that, this feeling will fade. Sooner or later, those who long for conflict will rise again. It’s a sad truth, but humankind has fought ever since the day we first formed groups. In the world I came from, history was an endless cycle of war and peace.”

Although, in the end, technology advanced so far that even conflict lost its meaning, and mankind shut itself away... But there was no point in saying that now, so I kept it to myself.

“Still, if we want to delay the next war, even if we can’t prevent it entirely, then increasing the exchange of people and goods is one of the few real options we have. It may sound simplistic, but the more people have to lose from a war, the harder it becomes to start one. It’s those who shut themselves off from the world, who live in rigid systems of values and self-made mythologies, that most often grow hostile to outsiders.”

“That’s...not easy to hear,” Lumiere finally said.

Well, for the people in the north, forced to endure harsh conditions, Fuuga’s grand vision had seemed like their only hope. They had marched to war without hesitation, staining their hands with blood. It could be said their path had been shaped by a lack of options and a narrow, inflexible worldview.

“That’s exactly why we want to actively promote the flow of people and goods. Ideally, someday, people will swim at the beaches of the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago in the summer, ski in the Republic of Turgis in the winter, enjoy the aromatic cuisine of the Spirit Kingdom, and stroll through the historic capital of the Euphoria Kingdom. I want to build a world where travel between all our countries is that easy and natural. And once the northern countries have been rebuilt, we’ll add them to the list of destinations too. I mean, if you’re off fighting a war, there’s no time for vacationing, right?”

Realizing I’d digressed a bit, I cleared my throat.

“Well, anyway, that’s what I had in mind when Madam Sill came to me asking for advice on expanding her business. That’s what I proposed to her. If you’re asking about our nation’s intentions in all this, that’s more or less it. So, are you satisfied?”

“Yes. I understand quite well.” Lumiere nodded, so it seemed she was satisfied with my answer.

Kuu, however, raised his hand. “Whoa, whoa, hold on just a moment! We don’t share a border with the Star Dragon Mountain Range! We’ve only just started getting the people in our previously insular country interested in the outside world. There’s no way we’re going to let you leave us out of something that sounds this cool!”

“I agree with Kuu. Our country cannot overlook this either,” Shabon said, following his lead. “The dragons of the Dragon Knights cannot cross the sea without carriers, correct? In that case, we would like regularly scheduled flights to our nation as well. If I recall correctly, transporting large volumes of goods by sea is still preferable to by land—but even so, there’s a considerable difference in delivery speed. With air routes, we could ship goods we previously couldn’t, due to concerns about freshness. And we could also receive frequent news from the continent.”

“When you put it that way, our nation would like to request flights too,” Garula said. He’d been listening to Shabon speak with all the dignity of a queen, and now hesitantly raised his hand as well. “We’ve only just opened up our country, so they won’t be easy to implement right away, but more and more of our young people are interested in the world beyond our borders. I’ll work to persuade those still clinging to the old ways, so please add air routes to our country as well.”

“Yes! If the dragons will carry me, it’ll be much easier to visit Lord Shuukin!”

“L-Lady Elulu...”

Elulu, seated beside Garula, was the only one to give an entirely personal reason.

She was so earnest it made it hard for Shuukin to reject the affection she was showing him. But this really wasn’t the time for it, and the poor man looked awkward as he struggled with how to respond... Things had gotten pretty interesting over there too, hadn’t they?

“Anyway, regarding the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Kingdom...we’ve been considering establishing an air route that runs along our border with the Kingdom of Lastania. Isn’t that right, Madam Tia, Julius?”

I passed the conversation over to the two of them, and they both nodded.

“Yes,” Tia said with an earnest nod. “That’s what I’ve been told.”

“I thought it was a joke when you first brought it up,” Julius added, a hint of exasperation in his voice. “Borders tend to follow natural barriers like mountains or rivers. The areas that don’t are often vital transit points between nations—places where soldiers are stationed, and where skirmishes can break out at a moment’s notice. If Nothung’s dragon knights are flying overhead and something goes wrong, even by accident, the question of who’s at fault could quickly sour diplomatic relations. I didn’t think it was a realistic proposal.”

“But that’s exactly why I thought it could work as a deterrent,” I replied, picking up where Julius left off. “If we were to use our own wyverns for air routes along the border, I’m sure it would cause issues. But dragon knights belong to a third party. If relations between us and Lastania were to deteriorate, neither of us would want those knights flying along the border. Which would mean shipments would get cut off.”

“So, in order to keep the flights going, both countries would have to maintain good relations, right?”

I nodded in agreement with Julius.

“Exactly. I think things will be fine while we’re still in charge, but we don’t know what the future holds. If we build a system where continued air shipments depend on getting along, maybe it’ll make starting a war less appealing. And if it doesn’t work out, the dragon knights can just shut it all down themselves. So there’s no real harm in trying.”

“True... That’s why I’m in favor of accepting it.”

Julius gave a nod of his own. Then I turned to Shabon.

“How about extending that route to connect with the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Kingdom? Of course, as I just said, this would mean maintaining good relations with both us and the Kingdom of Lastania, since the route could easily be cut off otherwise. Are you still on board with that?”

“Yes,” Shabon replied with calm confidence. “For our part, we fully intend to maintain good relations with both countries. Sharan will be marrying into the Kingdom of Friedonia, and many of our coastal cities are connected to the Kingdom of Lastania. I’m certain our ties will only deepen from here.”

From a maritime perspective, the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago sat at the center—flanked by us, the Kingdom of Lastania, the Euphoria Kingdom, and even the Spirit Kingdom. They exported goods crafted with advanced techniques and were rapidly developing into a key relay hub at sea. Maintaining peace across the region was clearly in their best interest.

“Gotcha. Then let’s revise the plan to include the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Kingdom too.”

“Hee hee. Thank you.”

With that settled, Lumiere, who’d been silently observing, turned to Jeanne.

“Jeanne, since they’re establishing an airway in the east, how about we create one along our western border as well?” she said. “If we extend it to the Spirit Kingdom, I think it would encourage more ‘lively exchange’ between our three nations.”

Jeanne blinked at the suggestion.

“That sounds fine to me, but...haven’t we had several clashes with the Great Tiger Kingdom? The animosity still runs deep. You may be okay with it, Lumi, but can you really convince your people to support this?”

“As far as that’s concerned, we’ll have to swallow our pride and humbly ask for forgiveness. But, Jeanne...if you’re willing to accept, I’ll personally take responsibility for persuading the Great Tiger Kingdom’s side. With the rest of the world strengthening their ties, isolating ourselves out of stubborn pride would only leave us behind. I won’t allow the Great Tiger Kingdom—entrusted to me by Lady Yuriga, and which I will someday pass on to Lord Suiga—to fall into decline.”

“Lumi...”

Hearing Lumiere take on such a heavy burden, Jeanne instinctively began searching for the right words to say.

But Lumiere offered her a soft smile, as if to say there was no need to worry.

“Besides, Jeanne, just think about it. There’ll be an airway connecting Friedonia and Lastania to the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago in the east. And if we establish a western route through our lands and the Euphoria Kingdom to the Spirit Kingdom...imagine one more route, linking the Spirit Kingdom to the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago...”

“Ah! That would create an airway that circles the entire world!”

“Right? Isn’t that exciting?”

“Yeah... Ah! Um... Who can say?” Jeanne began to get excited but quickly regained her composure and turned to Hakuya.

She knew she wasn’t the kind of ruler who could instinctively arrive at the right answer, like her sister Maria. That was why she always looked to the logical and reliable Hakuya for confirmation.

Hakuya offered her a gentle smile. “I believe it would be fine.”

“It would?! Then let’s go ahead with it, Lumi!” Jeanne said, sounding delighted.

Dang, Hakuya was never that soft when he worked for me. Well, she was his wife, after all, so go figure, I guessed.

Princess Elulu, who’d been listening in, clapped her hands in excitement. “Let’s do it, Father! Now our country will have airmail too!”

“I know, Elulu, so settle down,” Garula said with a wry smile.

“Hee hee, now I can visit Sir Shuukin whenever I want!”

“Ahh, ah ha ha...”

Shuukin and Garula exchanged awkward smiles in response to the energetic princess.

“Whoa, whoa, are we the only ones being left out?!” Kuu suddenly interjected. “I want the dragon knights to come to my place too!”

“But dragons can’t fly through the cold air currents over the Republic, remember?” I reminded him.

“Then just have them fly to the Zem Region. I’ll build roads connecting us to there.”

“In that case, how about extending an airway south from the circuit around the Star Dragon Mountain Range? We could take it along the former border between us and the Lunarian Orthodox Papal State, and then trace our border with Zem. Though, that would also mean running it along our borders with both the Euphoria Kingdom and the Kingdom of Lastania.”

“Sure! Sounds great, bro!”

And just like that, the airways of the Dragon Knight Kingdom were settled.

In the near future, air routes would circle the continent with the Star Dragon Mountain Range at the center—and someday, perhaps, they would even stretch across the entire southern hemisphere.

In time, I hoped to establish airways along the borders of the other nations as well. However, connecting to Haalga would take more time, since it served as a gateway to the northern hemisphere. For quarantine reasons, we had to prevent the spread of mysterious illnesses like Magic Bug Disease, whether brought back from the north or carried up into it.

But that was something we could all figure out together later.

“Come to think of it,” I said, “we’re still calling it ‘the airmail service provided by the dragon knights of the Nothung Dragon Knight Kingdom.’ That’s kind of a mouthful, huh? Have you come up with a proper name for it yet?”

When I asked Madam Sill, she crossed her arms and groaned in thought.

“Well...the airway goes around the world in a ring shape, though it’s a bit warped. How about...Dragon Ring Airline?”

“Dragon Ring Airline... That might work.”

The airline code would be DRA. It could be read phonetically, had a nice dragon-y sound to it, and seemed pretty solid. Or so I thought...

“Isn’t it still a bit long?” Liscia asked. “Something shorter would be easier to say.”

“Hmm...” Madam Sill got a thoughtful look. “Then how about we take the first syllables and shorten it to Driaila?”

“Sounds a lot like ‘drill,’” Kuu chimed in, clapping his hands. “Why not use the ‘gon’ from ‘dragon’ instead of ‘dra’? Keep it snappy, like three syllables. So...”

Wait. I’ve got a bad feeling about this. And I was right.

“Gorilla! How about Gorilla Airways?” Kuu suggested proudly.

Wait, hold on! I knew it! A ridiculous name like that is no good! Or so I thought...until I saw Madam Sill considering it with a straight face.

“Gorilla... Gorilla, you say...”

“No, um, that’s kind of...”

“Yes. I quite like the ring of it. Gorilla.”

“Wait, seriously?! You’re okay with that?!”

Oh, right. There aren’t any gorillas in this world. At the monster symposium, I’d almost called an ogre a gorilla before correcting myself to shoujou. That meant no one here had a mental image of a giant primate when they heard the word gorilla. That’s why no one thought it was a strange name for an airline. Except me.

So, technically, it wasn’t an issue. It wasn’t...or shouldn’t have been a problem. Hrmm...

“What have you been groaning about over there?” Liscia asked, giving me a cold look as I sat clutching my head while everyone else warmly congratulated Madam Sill on finding such a “good” name. Well... What’s done is done. In a world moving towards globalization, it wouldn’t do for me to rain on everyone’s parade.

I’d just have to keep it to myself that, from now on, every time I used the dragon knight delivery service... I’d probably be picturing a gorilla.

—And so, Gorilla Airways opened for business.

After the summit concluded, the busy leaders all returned to their respective countries, but our group from the Kingdom of Friedonia had received a personal invitation from Madam Sill.

It was me, Liscia, Naden, and our guards Halbert and Ruby. The five of us were escorted to a reception room by Madam Sill herself after the meeting.

“I’m sorry. I need to go get changed, so please wait here,” she said before leaving the room with her partner, Pai. We took our seats on the sofas and drank the tea prepared by the castle’s maids as we waited.

“I wonder what she wants to talk about,” Liscia said between sips of tea. “Is it something about Gorilla Airways?”

“Bwugh!”

Hearing that name out of nowhere, I choked and spat out my tea.

Naden, sitting across from Liscia, flinched slightly, then shot me a reproachful look as if to say, What was that about, all of a sudden?

Coughing, I managed to say, “Ahh, sorry. I don’t think it’s that. If there were any adjustments to be made to the airways, we’d have handled that at the summit with all the leaders present.”

“Yeah, that’s true,” Liscia agreed.

“I mean, just look at who’s here,” Naden said, pointing to herself, me, Hal, and Ruby in order. “She specifically asked for Halbert and Ruby too, right? If both of the Kingdom’s dragon knights are here, then it’s probably something to do with the Star Dragon Mountain Range.”

“Huh? But I’m not a dragon knight.”

“If Souma’s staying, it’d be rude to send you home without him, Liscia.”

“Oh, fair enough.”

As Liscia and Naden chatted, I noticed Hal and Ruby having a separate conversation. Their tone was relaxed, but something about it felt...off.

“These cookies are tasty. I almost want to bring some back for Bill,” Hal said as he munched away.

“If I ask Pai, maybe he’ll wrap some up for us. I’ll give it a try,” Ruby replied.

“I bet Kaede and Velza would prefer the tea though...”

“No problem. I’ll ask for some of that too.”

It all sounded normal enough... And yet, something about their exchange struck me as strange.

As I was turning it over in my mind, Madam Sill returned.

“Hey guys, sorry for the wait.”

“““Huh?!”””

Everyone’s eyes widened when we saw how Madam Sill was dressed.

She was no longer wearing the suit of armor she’d had on at the summit—a fitting choice for the queen of a nation of knights. She’d changed into something more akin to chemise, the kind that could easily be mistaken for a nightgown.

That alone would have been surprising, but paired with Madam Sill’s boyish features, and the fact that we’d only ever seen her clad in armor, none of us had expected to see her in such a feminine outfit.

Madam Sill chuckled, clearly anticipating our reaction.

“Pardon the outfit. My usual clothes are getting a bit tight around the belly.”

“Belly?”

“Wait, does that mean...”

Liscia seemed to catch on first. Madam Sill nodded.

“Yes. I’m pregnant. The father is my partner, Pai.”

“L-Lady Sill...” The otokonoko-looking Pai blushed shyly.

Now that she mentions it, her belly is sticking out just a bit. Seriously...?

Until now, with Madam Sill in her knightly armor and Pai’s delicate appearance, they had looked like a gender-swapped version of a princess and her knight. But now, with Sill in a soft dress beside her bashful partner, the image was flipped. It felt more like an older man dating a younger man.

“You’re thinking something weird again, aren’t you?” Liscia said, giving me a cold look.

“Not at all,” I replied flatly, quickly turning away.

Madam Sill took a seat on the sofa across from us with Pai and smiled gently.

“I wanted to tell you about the pregnancy—that’s why I had Pai’s friends stay behind. He said he wanted to share the news personally with Madam Naden and Madam Ruby.”

“Oh, so that’s why we’re here.”

It wasn’t so much that the Kingdom’s dragon knights had been summoned...but that Naden and Ruby had.

Hal and I were just tagging along, and Liscia had known Pai since their meeting in the Star Dragon Mountain Range.

At that moment, Hal, who’d been listening with a blank expression, finally came to his senses.

“Um... They say that a child born to a dragon and a human can be a human, a dragonewt, or a dragon, right? But what happens when the birthing parent is human, like you, Madam Sill? I’ve heard that when the parent is a dragon, the baby’s born as an egg too.”

“That’s all correct,” Madam Sill replied, resting a hand on her belly. “As a human, I wouldn’t be able to give birth to a dragon egg. It would be far too large for me. So this child will almost certainly be born a human or a dragonewt. But really, as long as the baby is healthy, its race is but a minor detail.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Hal said with a nod.

Given that the House of Magna had nothing but nonhuman brides, he must have related to that sentiment quite well.

I did too, which was why I offered a suggestion.

“Congratulations. If you’d like, I can arrange for an obstetrician from the Kingdom to look after you.”

“Ohh, I’d really appreciate that,” Madam Sill said. “If a doctor from the Kingdom, especially one trained in its more advanced medical science, were willing to come here, I’d feel far more at ease about the delivery. Please do.”

“Consider it done.”

Although we’d reformed the Kingdom’s medical system under Hilde and Brad, there were still people who clung to tradition, insisting on midwives instead of obstetricians. Madam Sill, however, had no such hesitation.

For someone in the Dragon Knight Kingdom, a nation known for its adherence to tradition, she was remarkably progressive.

Well...she probably wouldn’t have okayed a name like Gorilla Airways so easily if she weren’t.

While we spoke, Naden, Ruby, and Pai were having a conversation of their own.

“To think you’re going to be a dad, Pai... I still can’t believe it,” said Naden.

“I feel the same,” Ruby said. “Awkward as it is to admit, you were always the most feminine of the three of us.”

“You two were always strong-willed and constantly at each other’s throats,” Pai said with a wry smile. “Try putting yourself in my shoes, always having to step in and break things up.”

“Uh, yeah... Sorry,” Naden said sheepishly.

“I-It wasn’t fair of us to do that to you,” Ruby added, looking a little guilty.

“You two have mellowed out a lot since getting married. Is that thanks to your husbands?” Pai teased.

“Listen to you talk...” Naden shot back. “You and Madam Sill must’ve been getting pretty intimate yourselves, huh?”

“Naden, isn’t that a bit crude?” Ruby chided her, frowning.

“Hmph. I want to say congratulations, but I’m kind of frustrated that you beat me to it. I want a baby with my husband too... I bet Ruby feels the same, right?”

Ruby suddenly fell quiet, her gaze shifting awkwardly away from the other two. The moment I saw that reaction, I realized what had been bothering me.

“Oh...the tea. Ruby didn’t drink it earlier, did she?”

Normally, Ruby would have sat and eaten with Hal, but this time she’d just been sitting there, not touching her tea or the cookies. That was the strange feeling I’d had while watching them.

Liscia brought a hand to her mouth, thinking for a moment.

“Now that you mention it... Dr. Hilde told me not to drink too much black tea when I was pregnant. Though she did say a little was okay.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Naden asked, eyes narrowing.

Liscia didn’t dance around it.

“Pregnancy.”

“Huh?!”

Naden whipped her head towards Ruby, who turned away shyly and scratched her cheek. She didn’t say anything, but there was a quiet confidence about her. Meanwhile, Naden looked like someone had just added a comic-book speech bubble with “Grrrgnash” over her head.

“You stole a march on me too?!”

“You make it sound like some kind of villainous scheme!” Ruby protested. “I was just doing my best... After seeing Kaede play with little Bill, it’s only natural I’d want a child of my own.”

“Well, I want one too!”

“Then you and your husband need to try harder!”

This was starting to get uncomfortable to listen to. I scratched my head, at a loss for how to respond, only to catch Liscia giving me a cold side-eye.

“You heard them, Souma.”

“Uh, yeah, but listen... You can say that all you want, there’s not much I can do on my own...”

“Then let’s talk to Tomoe about giving Naden and Aisha a few more turns. Aisha wants a baby too, remember? Souma...you’ll just have to do your best.”

“‘Do my best,’ she says...”

“Let’s send a messenger to House Panacotta and ask for their secret recipe. Serina and Komain managed Poncho’s diet and worked him hard every night, and it paid off.”

“Yeah, and Poncho ended up skin and bones for a while because of it, y’know!”

If it got to that point, it’d definitely interfere with my work. I could only hope they’d go easy on me... But when the queens all joined forces on something, I didn’t get a vote anymore.

Madam Sill chuckled as I held my head in both hands.

“What a delightful country you people have.”

Chapter 3: The Royal Couple of Remus’s Stay in the (Former) Capital of the Principality

This took place shortly after the reorganization of the nations of Landia...

“You want to discuss something? With us?”

That day, Liscia and I had received a request for an audience from Lombard Remus and Yomi Remus, the newly crowned king and queen of the restored Kingdom of Remus, and we met with them in a reception room at Parnam Castle. It’d been only days since the summit that decided how the continent would be reorganized, yet the two of them had already taken the trouble to come see us.

As I wondered what subject they might spring on us, Sir Lombard opened with “There is a matter we wish to discuss with you.”

Now, meeting my gaze, he nodded and continued, “Yes. I wish to swallow my pride and borrow your wisdom.”

“My wisdom...? You’re making an awfully big deal out of this. What do you want to know?”

“How, as a king, should one rule over their subjects?”

I gave him a blank look at that. “You were born royalty, weren’t you? Haven’t you been a king longer than I have?”

“Perhaps,” he admitted, “but the Kingdom of Remus was only one of many countries in the Union of Eastern Nations. Our territory has now expanded more than twentyfold, putting us on par with the other nations that took part in the summit... Although, with the turmoil still yet to subside, we are a nation of great territory and little substance.”

Lombard delivered that self-deprecating remark with a wan smile.

The three nations in the north—the Great Tiger Kingdom of Haan, the Kingdom of Remus, and the Kingdom of Lastania—had all been formed from the breakup of the Great Tiger Empire of Haan and were still in the midst of reconstruction.

After the collapse of Fuuga’s ambitions, rebellions had broken out across the region, and Krahe’s coup had only accelerated the chaos. Much of the land lay in ruins. This was territory once known as the Demon Lord’s Domain, already devastated by constant monster attacks, so it was only natural it was in such poor shape.

Once Krahe was put down, the factions that’d supported him had their domains either confiscated or destroyed outright. The fence-sitters from that time had been forced to bow to the new states and demonstrate their loyalty.

The first of the three northern nations to stabilize was the Kingdom of Lastania. They were the one backed by our...that is, by the Kingdom of Friedonia. The world regarded us as the leaders of the postwar order. In private, they even nicknamed the Union of the Southern Continent—which had brought stability—the “Gran Friedonia Empire,” and called me, the one who’d toppled Fuuga’s ambitions and proposed the Union’s creation, “Emperor Friedonia.”

Y’know, between that and “Great King,” I’d sure picked up some pompous-sounding unofficial titles.

Because my brother-in-law, Julius Lastania, was its king, Lastania had received active support from us, which sped up its recovery.

The Great Tiger Kingdom of Haan, though greatly reduced in size, was the successor state to the Great Tiger Empire, so peace returned there quickly. They’d received aid from the Euphoria Kingdom and engaged in frequent trade with the Spirit Kingdom of Garlan.

That left the Kingdom of Remus, which was struggling the most to recover. Of all the survivors from the Great Tiger Empire, Sir Lombard was the only one suited to lead a nation, but many of the knights and nobles who’d submitted to him after the war looked down on him for having gained his crown largely as a windfall. His old friends in the Great Tiger Kingdom of Haan were helping with the recovery, but as aid recipients themselves, they couldn’t give him much of a boost. In all likelihood, at the next summit, the entire Union would have to lend its strength towards Remus’s reconstruction.

That said, waiting for outside help wouldn’t get them far. Sir Lombard was here because he wanted to see what he could accomplish on his own.

“So, what’s your precise question?” I asked.

“How to rule people with differing positions and differing cultures,” Sir Lombard replied. “When you were King of Elfrieden, you annexed your hostile neighbor, the Principality of Amidonia, and ruled over its people without major turmoil, creating a single nation—the Kingdom of Friedonia. Furthermore, as someone summoned from another world, this country was foreign to you at first, and its people were not your own. I hear there were even rumors that you had usurped the throne.”

He’d done his homework. I could tell from the way he spoke that he was sharp. In the Great Tiger Empire’s camp—a place full of highly talented but difficult-to-control individuals—Sir Lombard had earned a reputation as a reliable commander. He wasn’t flashy, but he was steady and principled.

He must have been as indispensable as rice, like Niwa Nagahide had been to the House of Oda.

“Yeah, there were. I even remember a certain someone storming into the governmental affairs office after jumping to the conclusion that I’d usurped the throne... Pfft.”

I shot a glance at Liscia, earning a silent jab in the ribs.

It actually hurt. I gave her a reproachful look, but she only turned her head away with a huff.

Sir Lombard continued speaking calmly, as though he hadn’t just witnessed that exchange.

“I would love for you to tell me, Sir Souma. I’m sure you’re aware, but although my kingdom was once part of the Great Tiger Empire, it was originally a region made up of many nations. As such, our people have a wide variety of cultures and values. We’re working on nation-building alongside recovery, but any new ideas we introduce will likely clash with long-held traditions.”

He wasn’t wrong... Sir Lombard looked me straight in the eye.

“If we force change, discontent will build. But if we do nothing, the other countries will leave us behind. That’s why I’m hoping you can teach me how to earn the people’s support while introducing new elements into our culture. Please.” He bowed his head.

“Ah!” Yomi quickly followed suit. “Yes, please help us.”

Having the sovereign of another nation bow to me was a little overwhelming... If he was willing to humble himself that much, I had to give him my best—though it’s not like I intended to turn him down anyway.

The problem was it wasn’t so simple. Some of my policies had been widely accepted, others less so, and a few had produced results I never anticipated. Teaching a “formula” for that was easier said than done.

As I sat there groaning and racking my brain, Liscia tugged on my sleeve. “Souma, you’re making this harder than it has to be. Isn’t there already someone out there bragging that he learned how to rule from you? You must have something to teach.”

“Someone who learned from me? Who?”

“Y’know, the head of the Republic of Turgis.”

“Oh, you mean Kuu.”

Now that she mentioned it, Kuu—who looked up to me as his “bro”—had stayed in our country for a time to observe my rule. Not that I’d been actively teaching him; he’d simply watched, learned, and gone home with his own conclusions.

Liscia pressed her fingers to her temples, trying to recall something.

“I was talking to Kuu once, and he said that the way to win the hearts and minds of people in a newly acquired region was to present them with something new—something that would make them feel a moment of vulnerability. He claimed he’d learned that from you.”

“I don’t remember teaching him that...but I kind of get what he means.”

“What does it mean?” Sir Lombard asked with interest.

I crossed my arms as I replied, “When you’re dealing with people bound by tradition, culture, or long-established values, it’s not easy to get them to accept a new proposal. They think, ‘We’ve always done it this way, so why change?’”

“Yes, exactly... And that’s precisely the problem we’re facing now.”

“In that case, before proposing anything, you should first show them brand-new possibilities. For example, I introduced the rhinosaurus train to improve the flow of goods, and used broadcast jewels for all kinds of programs when they’d only ever been used for the king’s speeches. You don’t just say, ‘I want to create this.’ You create it, show them how amazing it is, and get them interested. Once they embrace the innovation, tradition and culture will naturally adjust to meet it halfway.”

To give an example from my old world: when the pen was introduced to Japan from overseas, people began using it, but brushes weren’t totally eliminated. They still existed, along with the traditional styles of writing, and we even developed a hybrid—the fudepen, or brush pen. That’s what it means for tradition and innovation to find a compromise.

“I think that’s what Kuu was getting at. If you’re worried that the Kingdom of Remus will be left behind by the tide of the new era, then start by showing your people what that new era offers. Build a distribution network and strengthen trade with your neighbors so your people come into contact with developments from other nations. Or show them through broadcast programs, like the ones we produce. The first step is getting them interested in something new.”

“New things, you say?” Sir Lombard mused. As he did, an idea struck me.

“This is a good opportunity. Why not visit the city in my country that’s the most obsessed with new things? I can’t guide you myself since I’m tied up with official duties, but I’ll arrange protection and a guide so you and Madam Yomi can take your time.”

“My word! I couldn’t have asked for a kinder offer.” Sir Lombard’s face lit up, while Liscia frowned in puzzlement.

“Which city are you talking about? Parnam’s pretty fond of new things too.”

“No, there’s a city even more avant-garde than this.”

“Avan...what?”

“Avant-garde. It’s a word from my old world that means something like ‘innovative.’ It comes from the term for the advance guard of an army, but came to refer to art ahead of its time.”

“Art... Oh, you mean there.”

It seemed Liscia had caught on. Madam Yomi tilted her head.

“Um, which city exactly?”

“It’s Van, in the Amidonia Region. The former capital of the Principality of Amidonia,” I explained, then smirked. “It’s the most avant-garde city in the country.”

◇ ◇ ◇

The city of Van, in the Kingdom of Friedonia’s Amidonia region.

When it was the capital of the Principality of Amidonia, Van had a decidedly militaristic character. However, after the Elfrieden Kingdom—under King Souma—captured the city, they encouraged the arts as part of their occupation policy. Freed from its old militarism, Van was reborn as a city of the arts.

Even after Elfrieden and Amidonia were unified into the Kingdom of Friedonia, the trend continued. Residents began painting their roofs in vivid colors, and artists from all disciplines visited to work here. A nature preserve was also established in the nearby mountains to protect the shoujou that harvested the beguiling lily—the key ingredient in lily root dumplings. The result was a city, and surrounding area, with a certain lively chaos.

Van’s development as a hub of the arts influenced neighboring towns and villages, and soon the whole region became known as the A-Van-Garde Region—a name coined by Souma himself.

At the wyvern landing area by Van’s gates, Lombard and Yomi disembarked from the royal gondola they had borrowed from Souma.

“Yomi, let me take your hand.”

“Thank you, Lord Lom.”

As Lombard helped Yomi down, a figure even taller than him approached. The newcomer stopped in front of them, straightened, and gave a sharp salute.

“You are the king and queen of the Kingdom of Remus, I presume. I am Margarita Wonder, entrusted by His Majesty with your security. Thank you for coming.”

It was none other than Margarita—the former Amidonian general turned singer. (“Singer” here meant a musical performer who didn’t present themselves as an idol like the lorelei did.) Souma had chosen her for the task because she bridged both martial and cultural worlds, and because she was a native of the former Principality of Amidonia.

“We’ll be in your care, Madam Margarita.”

“Please take good care of us.”

Lombard and Yomi each extended their hands, and Margarita shook them in turn. Lombard glanced around.

“Sir Souma mentioned he’d assign us both a guard and a guide. I assume you’re the guard, so where’s the guide?”

Margarita’s expression stiffened for just a moment. “Ah... Yes, there is a guide, but...” she began awkwardly. “He’s also the lord of the city, so... Well...”

“Hmm? Did he have some urgent business to attend to?”

“No... It’s just that, since we’re welcoming guests, he wanted to...work on the presentation.”

“‘Presentation?’”

Lombard and Yomi exchanged puzzled looks, until...

“Hahhh, ha ha ha!!!”

A sudden booming laugh echoed across the area. They turned towards the sound—up on top of the city wall, where a man was striking an exaggerated, dynamic pose.

“You must be the royal couple from the Kingdom of Remus! Welcome to my domain of Van! As its lord, I extend to you my most passionate greeting! Gooo!!!”

With that, the man hurled himself from the wall.

Lombard was awestruck by what looked like a sudden suicide, while Yomi covered her mouth in shock. Margarita, however, only looked like she was trying to restrain her anger.

The man spun twice in midair before landing in a crouch, right fist driven into the ground—the classic hero’s landing.

“...”

Unfortunately, the impact seemed to have been too much for his knees. He stayed frozen in that pose for an uncomfortably long moment, sweat beading on his forehead. At last, he gritted his teeth, straightened up, and gave them a bright smile with a thumbs-up.

“Welcome! To my Van!”

Kaboom! A fiery explosion erupted behind him, releasing clouds of white smoke.

It’d all taken only seconds, but Lombard and Yomi already looked as if their souls had left their bodies. Margarita, meanwhile, strode towards the man and punched him square in the cheek.

“Some ‘welcome’ this is!”

Smack!

“Gwagh!!!”

He went flying into the wall, leaving a crater that spoke volumes about the strength of the blow.

Just as Lombard and Yomi began to worry he might actually be dead, the man bounced back to his feet.

“Ow, ow, ow... You never hold back, Madam Margarita.”

“You’re having too much fun with this. Even using an illusion to make it look like you were buried in the wall.”

The man winced, clearly in pain but otherwise full of energy. As they spoke, the fire, smoke, and even the dent in the wall vanished as if they had never been. Lombard and Yomi exchanged uncertain glances.

Margarita seized the man by the ear, dragged him forward, and forced him into a bow beside her.

“I’m terribly sorry! Everything you just saw was an illusion. None of it was real.”

“Ow, ow, ow! M-My ear! Madam Margarita, this pain is very much real!”

“Shut up! You’re embarrassing us in front of royalty.”

“No, His Majesty told me to surprise our guests, so I was just doing my best to—”

“Enough with the excuses! Greet them already!”

“F-Fine! I’ll do it!”

Finally released from Margarita’s grip on his ear, the man theatrically cleared his throat before bowing to Lombard and Yomi.

“Ahh... Welcome to Van. I am Ivan Juniro, lord of the city and surrounding lands. His Majesty has ordered me to show the two of you around.”

“So you can do it if you try.” Margarita pressed a hand to her forehead and sighed.

At that moment, Yomi tugged on Lombard’s sleeve.

“Lord Lom... Isn’t this the gentleman who appears in Charge! Silvan?”

“Silvan... Oh, that hero program. Now that you mention it, before he transformed, they called him ‘Big Brother Ivan.’ I see. So that’s you, then?”

During their stay in Parnam, they’d often visited the fountain plaza to watch public broadcasts. The programming was diverse, ranging from singing competitions to hero shows and comedies. They had started out simply wanting to learn about the broadcast industry—one of the Kingdom of Friedonia’s signature policies—but before long, they were watching purely for fun.

Hearing the question, Ivan grinned.

“If you know Silvan, that makes this easier. My family, the House of Juniro, is known for producing illusions like the one you just saw. At His Majesty’s request, we’ve put those skills into supporting the broadcast industry. Because Van still has its historic streets and a thriving community of artists, I was given the city and surrounding area to use as a filming set.”

He puffed out his chest with pride.

It was true. Van’s concentration of artists made it easy to prepare backdrops and other stage props. And with the steady growth of the industry due to “a certain reason,” production had been split between cities: news and variety shows in the capital, Parnam, and dramas, educational programs, and hero shows in Van.

Ivan snapped his fingers.

“Well, rather than jabber on about it here, it’d be easier to show you the set itself. They should be shooting nearby right now.”

With that, he led Lombard, Yomi, and Margarita through the streets.

As they walked, the bright, colorful roofs caught their attention. Some were painted in such toxic-looking shades that one might expect to find poisonous mushrooms of the same color, but the townsfolk didn’t seem to mind in the slightest.

“Those are some rather...unique houses,” Lombard said, choosing his words carefully so as not to offend the local lord.

Ivan, clearly used to such comments, threw back his head and laughed.

“Many of the residents here are artists. They’re free to paint their houses however they please. Not all of Van looks like this though. There are protected districts the country maintains in their original states for filming.”

“So the old streets were deliberately preserved?”

“Yes. His Majesty’s idea. According to him, ‘They’ll have historical value one day, but even now they’re useful for shooting period dramas.’”

Souma had likely been thinking of places like Himeji Castle or Uzumasa, which were also used as filming locations. As a former military city, Van and many of its surrounding towns and villages still had streets in the old style, making them perfect backdrops for chivalric romances.

Hearing this, Lombard crossed his arms thoughtfully. “We could learn from his philosophy of using things to their fullest potential.”

“I wonder what we have in our own country,” Yomi mused.

“I suppose we have a lot of untouched dungeons. I’ve always thought of them as nuisances, but...if we took a page from Sir Souma’s book, perhaps we could turn them into some sort of national project.”

“Hee hee, you’re right.”

As the two of them continued walking and talking...

“Hold on!”

Suddenly, a woman’s voice rang out. Yomi flinched at the sudden noise, but Ivan waved it off with a casual gesture.

“Oh, don’t mind that. I told you, didn’t I? They’re filming nearby.”

He pointed towards two women in frilly, lorelei-style outfits—though theirs were fitted for mobility, clearly designed for intense action scenes.

Facing them was a walrus beastman dressed in a thorn-covered punk rocker outfit.

One of the women, a feline beastman, pointed accusingly at him. “Phantom Thief Todoashikan! Up to no good again, I see! We’ll punish you!”

Her partner, a human woman, nodded firmly.

“Yes! For love, we fight. Let’s go, Pure Honey!”

“Right, Pure Bunny!”

They struck a dramatic pose.

“The soldiers of love—Honey Bunny—have arrived!!!”

Pure Honey, the feline beastman in a yellow costume, kept her finger trained on the walrus as she declared, “Phantom Thief Todoashikan! How dare you turn all the crepes at the children’s favorite crepe shop into fried squid! I mean, sure, I love fried squid, but I’ve had enough of your nonsense!”

Pure Bunny, dressed in a white costume, shifted into a fighting stance.

“Sweet foods enrich the heart. Heaven may forgive your crimes, but we won’t! We’ll fight for as long as children have dreams. Until our last drop of blood has dried!”

“How cheeky! Get them, Demonbeast Gesogeson!”

Todoashikan’s unnecessarily handsome baritone boomed as a massive bipedal squid—clearly someone in a costume—lurched into view from behind him.

“Geeesogeson!”

Shouting its own name, the squid swung two tentacles like whips. (The other six merely swayed awkwardly in time with the actor’s movements.)

Honey and Bunny dodged, then slammed their palms into Gesogeson’s torso in perfect unison.

““Hahhhh!””

“Geso?!”

The sharp impact sent Gesogeson reeling backwards, stumbling into Todoashikan. The two toppled over in a heap.

“Wha?! G-Get off me, Gesogeson!”

“Ge... Gesogeso...”

Gesogeson struggled to rise, but his mostly immobile tentacles tangled around Todoashikan, pinning them both down.

The panic looked so genuine that it was hard to tell whether this was a blooper or a deliberate bit of slapstick, but Honey and Bunny weren’t about to waste the chance.

“U-Um... Th-This is our chance, Honey!”

“I know, Bunny! Ready? One, two...!”

““Pure Heart Stick!!!””

They each drew a short rod adorned with ribbons and heart motifs, pointing their rods at the fallen villains.

““Honey Bunny—Pure Heart Finale!!!””

With their unified shout, a shower of glowing hearts burst from their sticks, swirling around Todoashikan and Gesogeson.

“Grr! Retreat!”

Todoashikan scrambled free and fled the scene. Gesogeson, however, was left flailing in the storm of hearts, crying “Gesogesooon!” before vanishing completely.

When the last heart faded, only a fried squid on a plate remained. Apparently, it had been transformed into a monster...at least according to the show’s plot. (The fried squid, incidentally, was eaten by the crew once filming wrapped.)

With peace restored, Honey and Bunny high-fived triumphantly.

“Cut!” came a voice from off to the side. The shoot was officially over. Staff members hurried in to congratulate the two heroines, and even Todoashikan, who’d dramatically “fled” moments earlier, was among them, looking completely relaxed.

Lombard and Yomi could only stare. The strange yet charming scene had unfolded so abruptly that they’d stopped thinking altogether—and before they knew it, they’d watched the entire performance from start to finish.

Snapping back to his senses, Lombard looked at Ivan.

“Um, Sir Ivan, what in the world was that just now?”

“As you saw, they were filming a broadcast program—a new heroine show for girls called They Are Honey Bunny: Pure MAX!!!”

“You mean it’s specifically aimed at young girls?”

“Yes. The program I star in, Charge! Silvan, was well received, but its content was aimed at boys. That led to requests for a cute heroine series targeted at girls. His Majesty approved the idea, and put this project together.”

In this world of magic, differences in physical stature didn’t necessarily translate to differences in combat ability, so the military included many women. Liscia and Aisha were prime examples. Because women had long served in defense of the state, the gender gap here was far smaller than in Souma’s original world. (It was one reason many of the most influential houses in the Kingdom of Friedonia were run by women.)

So when a hero program for boys became popular, it was only natural for calls to arise for a heroine program for girls. And once Queen Roroa’s enthusiasm for selling merchandise got involved, there was no stopping it from going into production.

Thus, the first heroine program, They Are Honey Bunny: Pure MAX!!!, was born.

After hearing this explanation, Lombard nodded.

“I-I see. There are plenty of women out there who can fight. My own wife, Yomi, is one of them. So of course boys aren’t the only ones who can aspire to be heroes.”

“Yeah. If there’s a battle, I’ll protect you, Lord Lom.”

Yomi, an accomplished mage, held up her very real and not merely ornamental magic wand.

Lombard was a capable fighter, but if Yomi started slinging spells at him from a distance, he’d be hard-pressed to win. He gave a wry smile and nodded.

Margarita, watching the exchange, laughed.

“Ah ha ha! That’s the spirit. Even in the Amidonian military, which was full of sweaty guys, I bet Madam Yomi could’ve risen through the ranks and had men serving under her.”

“I’m not into sweaty guys... I prefer softer men, like Lord Lom.”

“Hee hee! She really does love you, doesn’t she?”

“Yes.” Lombard nodded. “She’s a far better wife than I’ve ever deserved.”

The four people enjoying this peaceful conversation had, just a few years earlier, stood on opposite sides of a massive war that decided the fate of the world. The flow of time was a strange thing.

At this point, Ivan interjected. “What would you like to do? Shooting looks finished, so why don’t we go talk to the performers for a bit?”

“Ohh!” Lombard exclaimed. “I couldn’t have asked for more. I’d very much like that.”

“Got it. In that case... Siena, Nanna, can we have a moment?”

When Ivan called out, Honey and Bunny turned towards him.

“Oh, Big Brother.”

“Hey, if it isn’t Ivan. What’s up?”

The two hurried over, and Ivan introduced them to Lombard and Yomi.

“This is my little sister, Siena, and this is Nanna, who also works as a singer.”

“I am Siena Juniro.”

“I’m Nanna Kamizuki—no, Nanna Juniro. Nice to meet you!”

Siena gave a graceful bow, while Nanna’s greeting was casual, like she was chatting with an old friend. Nanna hailed from a wandering tribe that had eventually settled in a fishing village, and the rough edge to her speech hadn’t faded. Siena had played Pure Bunny earlier, while Nanna was Pure Honey.

Yomi blinked at Nanna.

“I understand why his sister Siena shares the Juniro name, but...you’re part of the House of Juniro too?”

“Ahh... Yeah. She’s my wife,” Ivan explained, looking a little embarrassed.

“And Ivan’s my husband!” Nanna added with a wide grin.

The two had first met when Nanna was singing the main theme for Charge! Silvan. Her voice was so powerful she’d even been invited to boost morale (and magical power) during the kaiju hunt in the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago—making her a perfect fit for a hero show.

When the heroine program Honey Bunny went into production, the lively Nanna—who’d sung the theme song for a hero show—was tapped to play one half of the lead duo alongside Siena, who, like Ivan, needed no special effects thanks to her own illusion magic.

Because Ivan was involved in the production of Honey Bunny, he naturally ended up spending more time with Nanna.

Back then, voices around him had been growing louder, urging that it was high time he settle down and produce an heir for the House of Juniro. Nanna volunteered for the position. She’d apparently heard from Siena, her close friend, that Ivan was having a hard time. And so...

“I like Ivan, and Siena, and Mr. Moltov too. If you’ll feed me lots of chicken, I don’t mind being your wife!”

...she said, as if it were no big deal.

According to her, she liked fish but had grown tired of eating it constantly, and so preferred chicken even more.

Ivan had always seen Nanna as something like a little sister, but when she made her offer, he made up his mind. Later, he even opened a large chicken farm in her name. Instead of an engagement ring, she received an engagement farm.

When Nanna married Ivan, she transitioned from a lorelei to a singer, and now she’d added a career as an actress playing a transforming heroine.

At that moment, Phantom Thief Todoashikan walked up behind them, wiping sweat from his brow.

“Huff... Huff... Hey there, Sir Ivan. I thought you were going to be showing some guests around today?” he asked in his smooth baritone voice.

“Yeah, Morse,” Ivan replied with a nod. “These are our guests.”

“Ohh, so they are. Hello, I am Morse Butchy.”

“Huh? Oh...! Uh, hi. I am Lombard Remus.”

Lombard was momentarily taken aback as Phantom Thief Todoashikan—or rather Morse Butchy of the walrus race—extended his hand. He quickly regained his composure and shook it.

“Um... You were playing the, uh, monster earlier, weren’t you, Sir Morse?”

“Yes. I am primarily a singer by trade, but my voice has a dignified tone to it, so I was chosen to play the role of an enemy commander in the new transforming heroine show. My appearance has been received as more comical than scary. They said that if I’m fighting girls, a slightly silly looking enemy works better.”

“I-Is that right...?”

The walrus-faced Morse stroked his whiskers with a jovial smile.

It was true; he did seem quite affable when smiling like this.

This country is a box of surprises...

Lombard and Yomi were endlessly shocked by the inscrutable, incomprehensible nature of the Kingdom.

That night, Lombard and Yomi were warmly welcomed by the House of Juniro.

“My old man...my father is away at the moment, so I’ll be entertaining our guests myself. But, well, I’m not used to doing this, so forgive me if I do anything to offend. I hope you’ll enjoy your night in Van Castle,” Ivan said, raising his glass at dinner.

Ivan, Siena, Nanna, Lombard, and Yomi were seated at the table, each with a plate of food and an alcoholic drink before them. The meal was chicken sauté à la Van, served with lily root dumplings.

Lombard raised his own glass in reply. “Rest assured, you’ve done more than enough to make us feel welcome since we arrived.”

He spoke sincerely. The Princely House of Amidonia had once ruled from Van Castle, but it now served as the seat of government for the Juniro Domain and as a point of interest for travelers.

Having once been the center of power for a militaristic nation, the castle was far too large for a single noble family to live in comfortably. For that reason, the House of Juniro usually resided in their residence within the castle town. Tonight, however, they had chosen to dine and stay in the castle itself, as it was a special occasion with honored guests.

“Those ships were fascinating. This city has had no shortage of surprises for us.”

“You said it. That sight really caught me off guard.”

Lombard and Yomi exchanged wry smiles.

Not long after entering the castle, in the grand hall just beyond the gates, they had received a baptism by fire in just how avant-garde this city could be.

In that vast space—large enough that, in another era, it might have hosted a battle tournament—stood a number of glittering ships with eccentric designs on display. One bore a dragon motif, another a flying horse. Each ship seemed to compete with the others in flamboyance, as if vying for the title of most ostentatious.

When Lombard had asked about them, Ivan explained, “They’re called fairy ships, and they’re used during memorial ceremonies.”

This was a custom imported from Souma’s world to honor those lost in the war between the Kingdom of Elfrieden and the Principality of Amidonia. On the day of the ceremony, the ornate ships were set afloat down the river in memory of the dead—though the event had gradually evolved into a wild river party. (Souma had originally envisioned something simple, like lantern floating, but Roroa’s misunderstanding had never been cleared up properly.)

In keeping with the city’s modern avant-garde tastes, the fairy ships had grown more elaborate and extravagant with each passing year. It was almost a shame they were used only once before being discarded.

“That being the case, we decided to store them somewhere so they could be reused year after year. And since we had to put them somewhere anyway, why not display them and give the city another attraction? Once we thought of that, Van Castle was the only place big enough, and that’s how they ended up here,” Ivan explained.

In terms of Souma’s world, it was like putting the portable shrines and floats from festivals on permanent display to draw in tourists. Part of Van Castle had practically become a ship museum, attracting visitors from far and wide to see the fairy ships.

“This castle itself is a symbol of the old Principality of Amidonia, so there were some who suggested it should be torn down now that we’re at peace. But His Majesty said, ‘The locals would object, and it would be a shame to destroy something of such historical value. Besides, we can use it when filming programs...’ So it was left standing,” Ivan added with some amusement between sips of his drink. “Thanks to that, we can display the ships, which our family is really grateful for.”

“Aha. Use what you have, however you can... Sir Souma’s philosophy applies across the board here, I see.”

Souma never hesitated to change what no longer fit the times. But on the other hand, he made use of everything he could—people, cities, and things. Lombard could sense Souma’s policy at work throughout the city.

At that point, Nanna, gnawing on a chicken leg, suddenly groaned.

“This is all kinda complicated. If you keep talking, the food’s gonna get cold. This meat’s from the poultry farm Ivan gave me, you know?”

“U-Um, Big Sister Nanna. Maybe try reading the room...” Siena said nervously.

Nanna was being her usual innocent self, leaving Siena flustered. Lombard and Yomi exchanged amused looks before chuckling.

“Hee hee, you’re certainly right,” Lombard said. “It’d be rude to let such a fine meal go cold.”

“This chicken really is delicious,” Yomi agreed.

Nanna beamed at the praise. “Of course! It’s engagement chicken from the poultry farm Ivan gave me when we agreed to get married!”

““Engagement chicken?”” Lombard and Yomi echoed.

“Ah, well, you see...” Ivan began to explain the story of his engagement to Nanna.

The peaceful dinner conversation carried on from there.

At some point, however, Lombard raised a question. “Come to think of it, you mentioned your father is away. Where has he gone?”

“Oh, the old man... My father Moltov is out filming in a nearby village.”

Lombard cocked his head at this answer.

“Filming? But weren’t you just shooting in Van earlier? If he’s filming somewhere else, does that mean the Juniro Domain has been entrusted with two precious broadcast jewels?” he asked, recalling the large jewel he’d seen at the Honey Bunny shoot.

“Oh, no,” Ivan waved a hand. “Dad’s shooting with a mini-jewel.”

“Um...by mini-jewel, do you mean the one Sir Souma announced?” Yomi asked. “He said it would allow programs to be filmed without relying on jewels taken from the dungeons.”

“Yes,” Ivan replied with a nod. “It’s a new tool made from curse ore.”

◇ ◇ ◇

The story now turns back to an earlier moment in time...

In the governmental affairs office at Parnam Castle, Souma and Liscia were listening to a report from Mao on the Seadian city of Haalga—the gateway to the northern hemisphere—and on the adventurers who had gone there ahead of the rest.

Mao sat across from Souma, her image projected by the magatama jewel resting on his kamidana altar.

It was a routine report, with little having changed since the last one. The world of the north remained largely unknown, and all she could say was that the investigation was ongoing.

Just as it became clear that only a bit of idle chatter remained before wrapping up, Liscia suddenly asked, “Come to think of it, Madam Mao, you’re able to project yourself without using a simple receiver, aren’t you? The simple receivers project images onto water, but what are you projecting onto?”

“Hey... I never thought of that,” Souma admitted. “I just assumed she could project it in midair.”

He’d grown up seeing that sort of thing in sci-fi, so unlike Liscia, the thought had never even crossed his mind.

Mao smiled softly and explained, “It’s much the same. The nanomachines use their power to project the image using moisture in the air, dust, even the nanomachines themselves. In this world, it’s the work of what you call magicium.”

“Hmm. So if you make full use of magicium, you can project an image even without a simple receiver?”

“Yes, that’s correct. But it would be difficult for anyone short of a being like Tiamat or myself to fully harness the universal matter known as magicium. As things stand, mankind can only record video using the advanced universal machines you call dungeon cores.”

“Huh? So dungeon cores are like a high-grade form of magicium?” Souma asked, picking up on what Mao had said.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“In that case, does magicium have recording capabilities too?”

“It does,” Mao confirmed with surprising ease. Souma blinked.

“Seriously? Then we never needed to haul around those giant jewels for broadcasts?”

“Only if you can properly wield magicium, or if you have someone who can record using their own abilities. You do have people like that among your subordinates, don’t you?”

“Huh? Who?”

“The House of Juniro. They call their abilities illusion magic, but in reality, they’re projecting explosions and sounds that don’t exist, aren’t they?”

“Ivan and his family, huh?!”

Souma had been misled by them calling it “illusion magic,” but in truth, their abilities could also be understood as projecting special effects into midair.

In short, jewels might no longer be necessary for broadcasting, and Souma already had the key to making it happen. He let out a sigh.

“That was a blind spot... Ah, so is there a way to record video without a jewel then?”

“If I limit my answer to methods feasible for people in this world...perhaps with curse ore.”

“Curse ore?”

“Yes. You already know it is a mass of nanomachines, magicium, that has completed its function and gone dormant. In other words, it is a lump of universal matter. If dungeon cores can be used to record video, curse ore should be usable in much the same way.”

““...””

Souma and Liscia stared at Mao, mouths hanging open.

“Souma... I feel like she just casually dropped something that could shake the very foundations of this world.”

“Yeah. No doubt about it,” Souma replied with a nod. “I already came up with a few ways to misuse it.”

“Such as?”

“Sending curse ore that’s been turned into a recording device to other countries...for spying.”

“You came up with something that underhanded?!”

“It’s only natural to imagine what you wouldn’t want the other side doing to you,” Souma said, pressing a hand to his forehead with a sigh. “Before I can get excited about making video cameras, I’m more worried about how they’ll be abused.”

“What do you want to do? Keep it secret?”

“No. Someone else is bound to figure it out eventually. If it gets misused then, and we’re slow to respond, the damage could be even worse. It might be better to announce it publicly so each country can take countermeasures. Of course, I wouldn’t mind if it also just led to more cameras being made.”

If they prepared themselves for potential misuse, they could probably prevent it. For example, any gifts sent from other countries to the castle could be checked for curse ore along with the usual inspections for hazardous materials.

Later, Souma brought the matter up at a summit with the other heads of state. The representatives were surprised, but by disclosing the information openly, the Kingdom of Friedonia showed that it had no intention of monopolizing or abusing the technology. The possibility of broadcasting without large jewels appealed to other nations as well, and so they agreed to adopt it while taking appropriate precautions.

With their understanding secured, Souma requested that Genia the overscientist develop a miniature broadcast jewel—or mini-jewel—that made use of curse ore.

And from there, the production of broadcast programs in the Kingdom increased rapidly.

◇ ◇ ◇

“Let me take you to the place where my father will be filming tomorrow.”

When Ivan made that proposal over dinner, Lombard and Yomi eagerly accepted. Now, the two of them were riding with him in the House of Juniro’s carriage to a small village just outside Van, where Moltov was at work. The destination wasn’t far.

They arrived at what seemed an ordinary farming village...but it felt a little more old-fashioned than most. Brick windmills dotted the fields, the roads were unpaved, and a meter-high wall of piled stone circled the settlement, though it was questionable whether the wall served any defensive purpose at all.

These days, most of the Kingdom’s roads were paved, and even the countryside saw enough travelers that a place this rustic was rare. For Souma, it might have been comparable to the red brick warehouses of Yokohama, or the preserved historic districts of Takehara or Kurashiki—quiet nostalgia frozen in time.

“Is he really filming in this village?” Lombard asked as Yomi, who’d been first to step down, helped him out of the carriage.

Ivan nodded, glancing up at the brilliant sun overhead.

“It’s around noon, so they should be in the middle of the broadcast. We’ve managed to increase production of the mini-jewels, but the recording feature is still being researched.”

The mini-jewels had made it possible to shoot multiple programs, but unlike the original broadcast jewels, they lacked recording and playback functions. Even with the originals, recording had only recently been unlocked, so it wasn’t something easily replicated yet.

This village feels nostalgic...but not exactly charming, Lombard thought as he looked around. To his eyes, it held little appeal.

And yet, the people of Friedonia had found value in such places, and were putting that value to use.

Remus, still in the midst of rebuilding, had plenty of ruins. Perhaps, Lombard mused, preserving some of them might also be worthwhile.

That was when it happened...

“Eeeeeek!!!”

A desperate cry rang out from the center of the village.

“Nooo! Somebody help!”

“Huh?! What’s happening?!”

“Lord Lom!”

Lombard instinctively reached for the sword at his hip, moving to shield Yomi. He was about to charge towards the source of the scream when Ivan and Margarita rushed in front of them, blocking their path.

“P-Please, wait! I told you! They’re in the middle of a shoot right now!”

“Please, settle down.”

Ivan looked desperate as he tried to hold them back.

Seeing this, Lombard exhaled slowly and released his grip on the sword’s hilt. A shoot... So the scream we heard was part of the act?

With the tension diffused, the group continued into the village.

They came upon a crowd gathered in front of a farmer’s house. Behind the spectators stood a broadcast crew operating a mini-jewel, and beyond them was the scene being filmed: a girl in an old-fashioned dirndl, styled to resemble a farmer’s daughter, struggling as a group of rough-looking men tried to drag her away.

“Dad! Dad!!!”

“Oh, please! If nothing else, spare my daughter!”

The girl fought desperately, while her father clutched at the men’s legs, begging them to release her.

The thugs only sneered.

“Little lady, if you’re gonna resent anyone, resent your old man for failing to pay back what he owes.”

“B-But the interest was changed after I signed the contract... It’s too high... P-Please, just give me a little more time!”

“Shut your mouth! You’re the one who put your stamp on the deal!”

The men kicked the father away and then trampled over him.

Just then, a well-dressed middle-aged man, clearly the ringleader, stepped forward. He seized the girl, clamped a hand over her mouth, and pulled her against him.

“Don’t you worry. I’ll make sure your little girl’s real well taken care of at my place.”

“Nooo!”

The girl screamed as the men leered at her with depraved grins. If Lombard hadn’t been told it was an act, he would have cut them down on the spot.

And then—

Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh.

“Gwugh?!”

A fan hurtled through the air and struck the ringleader’s arm. With a grunt of pain, he released the girl, who stumbled free.

“Who did that?!” he roared.

At that moment, a carriage rolled up, its horses’ hooves clattering against the ground. It came to a stop directly before the gang, clearly staged for dramatic effect. Two coachmen—one wearing a tiger mask, the other a wolf—stepped down and helped a lady disembark. Her hair gleamed in the light, her features were strikingly beautiful, and her age was impossible to guess.

“Wh-What?! Who are you?!” the ringleader demanded, slightly unsettled.

The lady drew a second fan, identical to the one she had thrown, and slapped it lightly against her palm like a whip meant to tame wild beasts.

“One, where light does not shine. Two, for the sake of those who hide their tears. Three, I will render justice brilliantly! With the hammer of the Queen in the Shadows!”

Her clear, melodious voice rang out as she leveled her fan at the ringleader.

“Not only have you burdened this honest farmer with an unjust debt, you would also dare to lay hands on his daughter. Such barbarism is beneath even wild beasts. I cannot allow it to stand.”

“What’re you on about?! You may be dressed fancy, but what can one rich woman do? Bah, no matter! Cut her down!”

As he gave the order, the lady smiled.

“I am not alone.”

“What?!”

“Kagetora. Kagerou. Teach them a lesson, if you please.”

““Yes’m!””

The masked coachmen cast aside their uniforms, revealing themselves to be ninjas. In a flash they sprang into the fray, cutting through the villains with lethal precision.

Meanwhile, the lady called out to the rotund man still hiding in the carriage.

“Pancho, take the girl somewhere safe.”

“Y-Yes! Right away, ma’am!”

At once, “paunchy Pancho” waddled out of the carriage, hustled the girl away from the fighting, and reunited her with her father.

“Father!”

“Oh, I’m so glad you’re safe!”

The two embraced tightly while Kagetora and Kagerou continued their assault. Their skill was overwhelming, leaving the thugs at a clear disadvantage. A few men tried to break through by rushing the lady herself, but she produced a staff from seemingly nowhere and laid them out one by one.

Realizing the tide had turned, the ringleader began inching backwards. But...

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!

“Gubragh?!”

A fan struck the back of his head, dropping him to the ground in a cloud of dust.

With that, the lady clapped her hands lightly.

“Kagetora, Kagerou, I think that’s enough.”

The masked men immediately pulled back and raised their voices.

“Everyone, be silent!”

“Back! Back, I say!”

They struck down any lingering resistance, restoring order. Then, once the chaos had quieted enough for ordinary speech, Kagerou vaulted into the coachman’s seat with a cry of “Hi-yah!” He maneuvered the carriage so that everyone could see its far side where the crest of the Royal House of Elfrieden was emblazoned.

“Th-That crest...!”

The ringleader’s face paled as the truth dawned on him. Please, let it be a mistake, his expression silently pleaded. But Kagetora’s booming words crushed that last hope.

“Who do you take this lady for?! You stand before the former Queen of Elfrieden, Elisha Elfrieden!”

From an unseen location, a grand pipe organ blared as a radiant halo of light formed behind the lady...Elisha. (Almost certainly the handiwork of the House of Juniro’s magic.)

As panic spread among the villains, Kagerou leapt down from the carriage and shouted, “People! You stand before the former queen! Bow down at once!”

“““Y-Yes, sir!”””

The ringleader, his men, the farmer, and his daughter all dropped to their knees, pressing their foreheads to the dirt. Of course they did. Even after all these years, defying Elisha, a direct descendant of the royal line, was nothing short of treason.

This was the climax. What judgment would she render now?

““...””

Meanwhile, Lombard and Yomi could only exchange yet another bewildered look as they struggled to process the absurd spectacle unfolding before them.

◇ ◇ ◇

“A new broadcast program, huh...”

The story turns back to an earlier scene in Parnam Castle. Ivan’s father, Moltov Juniro, had come to visit shortly after I discovered how to make mini-jewels from curse ore, just as Mao had instructed me. These jewels would allow us to increase the number of broadcast programs, but we faced a shortage of both ideas and staff to produce them.

“The mini-jewel has no recording function,” Moltov explained. “We’ll have to stick with live shows, as we’ve done before. That limits what we can put on air. We’re managing short dramas for now, but if the number of programs increases, we won’t have enough theater companies or staff to produce something new every time.”

When he finished, Roroa, who was attending the meeting as a sponsor, nodded.

“Well, I’m thinkin’ a program like Silvan would be the easiest to mass-produce. The formula’s more or less set.”

She was right. Hero shows like Silvan followed a familiar template. By swapping out the scenario or enemies, you could create something new without much difficulty. Because the format was established, there was no need to worry about continuity. Each episode could be enjoyed on its own. That was crucial for live broadcasts.

After all, there were no home televisions or video recorders yet; people had to gather in fountain plazas to watch. If viewers couldn’t understand an episode without knowing what had happened before, they’d quickly lose interest. On the other hand, rebroadcasting the same episode for a week straight would bore the audience. That was why hero shows, with their flexible formula, were so popular. You could miss one without issue. There was even a project underway to launch a heroine show aimed at girls.

Listening to them, I thought back to the kinds of programs that existed in my old world. I remembered shows that often re-aired out of order without any problem...

“If we want something like an episodic hero show, with a set format so that each installment stands alone, then period dramas or police shows fit the bill.”

I recalled the kinds of programs I’d seen back then—a period drama in which a retired nobleman brandished his inro, a buddy-cop drama pairing a veteran with a hothead, and even one about a forensic scientist teamed with a female researcher.

They’d aired in the afternoons or evenings, sometimes from different seasons and out of order, but because the format was so well established, no one had minded.

“Oh, but mystery shows that rely on tricks aren’t so easy to whip up on short notice. In that case, I guess a period drama’s the more realistic option. You know, something about rewarding the good and punishing the wicked.”

“Darlin’, what’s that supposed to mean?”

I pulled out a pen and began jotting notes as I explained.

“Uh, to give you the short version... Someone important from the past, like a king...goes around incognito and delivers justice to those who make the common folk suffer. That sort of thing.”

“Hmm? If he’s the king, wouldn’t usin’ his authority be easier? And if villains are runnin’ wild in the castle town, isn’t that the king’s fault in the first place?”

“Uh... When you put it like that, I kind of have to agree...”

Roroa’s blunt logic left me momentarily speechless.

“A-Anyway, the idea is that by going incognito, he notices crimes he’d miss if he just stayed in the castle. And rather than gathering testimony and evidence to build a case, catching the criminals in the act and punishing them on the spot is faster, I guess?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Oh, and there’s also the appeal of discovering that someone who seemed unremarkable because they were hiding their identity is actually amazing. With a hero show like Silvan, the bigger the gap between the hero’s normal self and transformed self, the cooler the transformation feels, right?”

“Ooh, now that explanation makes sense.”

Roroa seemed to get it now.

Though, technically, the forerunners to early hero shows like Gekkou Kamen had been period dramas such as Kaiketsu Kurozukin and Kurama Tengu. Half hero show, half period piece. I was kind of introducing the concept backwards here.

Moltov, who had been listening silently, slapped his knee.

“A period drama! Excellent! We have older buildings on the outskirts of Van we can use as sets. And without the need for elaborate villains like in a hero show, we can just swap out the actors each time. If we simply choose an important figure as the lead, we can start production right away.”

“Hmm... Can’t Darlin’ do it? We often go into town incognito, don’t we?”

Moltov looked about ready to agree, so I hastily cut them off.

“No, no, no! If you put the actual king in a show like this, it’ll look like propaganda from some tin-pot dictatorship! Besides, I’m not some fighter who can beat up baddies. If we broadcast scenes of me doing that, people will get all sorts of weird misconceptions.”

“Hmm, and I was thinkin’ it’d be a good idea.”

Roroa smirked at me... Darn her.

“Well then, why don’t we make you the protagonist? We could call it Adventures of the Little Tanuki Queen or something.”

“Nah, we can’t go broadcastin’ a drama with a current queen as the star.”

“That’s the opposite of what you were saying a moment ago!”

Apparently, she didn’t like it when she was the one being put on the spot. For the same reasons, though they had the martial ability, Liscia and Aisha were out of the question too.

Who else was there? Ludwin, the commander in chief of the National Defense Force, and Excel, who had once held that position? Ludwin was still in active service, so he was off the table. As for Excel...she’d probably get too into the role, which worried me.

“Hmm. Then what about the former king?” Moltov suggested, making me tilt my head.

“My father-in-law? True, he’s a retired king, so he fits the ‘important person’ criteria... But I’m not sure the people really think of him as a fighter.”

“I suppose not... Oh! Then what about the former queen? I hear that in her youth she looked a lot like Her Highness Liscia, and was quite the... Ahem. Let’s just say she was quite active.”

...Did he just stop short of calling her a tomboy? Elisha, huh? Now that I thought about it, Liscia had inherited her tomboyishness from her mother. Since that was the case, then maybe my bewitching mother-in-law could actually pull off action scenes.

Roroa cackled at the idea.

“Now this is gettin’ interestin’. Sure, we’ll probably just end up borrowin’ her name and havin’ an actress play the role, but wouldn’t it be worth askin’ Lady Elisha herself?”

“Don’t say that so casually. Who knows what Liscia would say if she heard...”

“Oh, we’ll keep it a secret from Big Sis Cia, of course. If we tell her first, she’ll definitely object. But I can’t wait to see her face when the show airs and she realizes who it’s based on.”

“I’m just gonna say you put me up to it...”

“Ha ha ha. Let her yell at both of us, Darlin’.”

And so, after some more deliberation, the period drama starring Elisha, titled The Queen in the Shadows, went into production.

The story was loosely based on what I remembered of period dramas. I’d watched them with my grandfather, so I had some knowledge to draw upon.

But as the project moved forward, something unbelievable happened... It was decided that Elisha herself would play the lead role, at least for the first season. That was because when I went to her to request permission to use her name...

“That sounds entertaining. I’d love to appear in it, son-in-law.”

“Wha?!”

...she’d only agreed on the condition that she be allowed to appear in the show herself.

That was why, even though characters like Kagetora, Kagerou, and Paunchy Pancho were based on real people but portrayed by actors, Elisha alone appeared as herself.

When Liscia eventually found out, Roroa and I got an earful... But that’s a story for another time.

◇ ◇ ◇

“Lord Daiaku Kan. Deceiving farmers into accepting loans, then tormenting them with extortionate interest is unconscionable. You had best prepare yourself! My son-in-law, Souma, will deal with you harshly for this.”

“Ha... Ha ha...”

Now that she’d revealed her mark, any attempt to resist would be treason against the state—a grave crime that would condemn not only the guilty but their families as well. Even the ringleader, wicked as he was, could do nothing in the face of that symbol.

Scowling, the villains bowed their heads. Once the ringleader and his men were taken away, Elisha turned and smiled gently at the farmer and his daughter.

“It’s all right now, little one.”

“Lady Elisha! Thank you! Thank you!”

She placed a comforting hand on their shoulders as they showered her with gratitude. Then, saying, “Kagetora, Kagerou, let’s be on our way,” she stepped into her carriage. Pancho leapt onto the back as it set off, waving cheerfully to the father and daughter as they faded into the distance.

“Where there is light, there is also shadow. And in that shadow, evil writhes, and people who are lost to it. Elisha continues her journey, righting wrongs and drying tears in those places where the king’s authority does not reach. With both reverence and fear, the people call her...the Queen in the Shadows.”

The program closed on that narration, accompanied by a heavy, dramatic score.

“And cut! Good work, everyone!”

The director’s shout snapped Lombard and Yomi back to their senses. They’d been watching intently, and with no small amount of bewilderment. Suppressing the urge to dismiss what they had just seen, they strained to extract some useful insight from it. If they couldn’t, then there had been no point in coming here to study the Kingdom at all.

Ivan, meanwhile, called out to the evil ringleader who’d just returned.

“Hey, old man. I brought some guests for you.”

“Hmm? Ivan? Are those guests the royal couple from the Kingdom of Remus?”

The evil lord Daiaku Kan...better known as Ivan’s father, Moltov, strode forward.

It seemed he was destined to play villains not only in hero shows, but in period dramas as well. Standing before the royal couple, Moltov placed a hand over his chest and bowed politely.

“You must be the royal couple from Remus. I am Ivan’s father, Moltov.”

“Thank you for the kind greeting. I am Lombard Remus.”

Lombard extended a hand, and Moltov clasped it firmly. Just moments ago he had looked every bit the scheming villain, yet now he seemed nothing more than a genial old man.

“Well? Has my fool of a son been showing you around properly?”

“Yes. We’ve seen a great deal, and it’s been quite educational.”

Lombard glanced around at the bustling crew as they packed up the set. Siena, Nanna, and Yomi were chatting cheerfully with the staff, while Ivan and Margarita stood nervously at attention as the former queen addressed them. Because this kingdom drew people from so many walks of life, the workers ranged from commoners to former royalty and spanned every race. Yet the atmosphere was warm and easy, as if they were all simply neighbors.

The sight brought a smile to Lombard’s lips. “Being amorphous... That’s this country’s strength.”

Moltov raised a brow. “Oh? And what do you mean by that?”

“Not insisting that things must take only one form. Not clinging to a single shape. You use whatever can be used, and let anyone contribute if they have the will. Instead of trying to perfect things from the start, you let them take shape—even if warped or crooked—and refine them as you go. It’s the opposite posture from Fuuga’s Great Tiger Empire, or Madam Maria’s Gran Chaos Empire, where everyone strives towards a single ideal. My... It’s delightful to see.”

Moltov stared at Lombard’s easy smile, momentarily at a loss for words.

“Would that my own country could be the same. That’s the feeling it’s left me with.”

◇ ◇ ◇

After returning to their kingdom, Lombard and Yomi refused to be bound by preconceived notions, seeking talent from far and wide. They also took full advantage of their proximity to Mao City and the gate to the northern hemisphere.

In the desert region of northern Remus, foreign aid was used to develop cities that housed training facilities for adventurers heading north and depots where they could stock up on supplies. These settlements became a steady source of foreign income for the kingdom.

With those funds, and drawing on the expertise of Ginger University, they established Remus University—an institution dedicated to studying objects brought back from the northern hemisphere. By embracing new discoveries and adopting technology with flexibility, it soon grew into one of the top five centers of learning in the world.

The policies Lombard and Yomi laid down would be carried forward by their children, guiding the Kingdom of Remus along a path towards becoming a leading nation, standing equal to any other.

Interlude: Yuriga’s Souvenir

“I’m home, Souma.”

It was about a year after the continent’s reorganization. I was in the governmental affairs office, buried in paperwork as usual, when Yuriga walked in. Even though autumn was well underway, she was noticeably more tanned than she’d been just a week ago when I last saw her.

“Hey. Welcome home,” I said, glancing up from my desk.

“Dada!” The infant in her arms, about a year old, reached out towards me.

He had Yuriga’s same deep-blue hair, and a face full of angelic innocence. On his back sprouted a pair of tiny wings, the defining trait of the celestial race to which Yuriga belonged. But at his age, they looked less like wings and more like little dumplings stuck to his back. Since his wings were still covered only in down, they could be tucked neatly under his clothes. That was why the baby clothes I’d made for him had small wing-pouches sewn into the back.

I walked over, taking the boy from Yuriga into my arms.

“Dada! Squee!”

His little legs kicked happily. Kicking me like this was a sign he was in a good mood.

“Oh, good. Looks like he hasn’t forgotten my face.”

“We were only gone a week, you know,” Yuriga said, sounding exasperated. “You’re blowing things out of proportion.”

“Nah,” I said, shaking my head. “At this age, kids don’t always remember their fathers’ faces. Back when the other kids were this little, if I so much as got a haircut, they’d stare at me like, Who is this guy? and then burst into tears. That was a real gut punch. They never did that with Liscia and the others.”

“Oh? So it did bother you, huh?”

“That’s why I was worried he might’ve forgotten me. Especially since this kid’s...”

I cut myself off, realizing I shouldn’t say it aloud, even if he was too young to understand. Yuriga noticed, but only smiled and let it pass.

“Come here, Suiga.”

“Mama!”

Yuriga took Suiga back into her arms.

The two of us were raising the orphaned child of Yuriga’s brother, Fuuga Haan, and Ichiha’s elder sister, Mutsumi, as if he were our own. Everyone in the castle knew his parentage, and he was destined to sit on the throne of the Great Tiger Kingdom someday. So while he was more like an adopted son in name, for me...he was Fuuga’s last request. I only hoped he would grow up just as healthy as any of our other children.

In our family, we never cared much about which queen had given birth to which child anyway. The kids all called the queens “Mama So-and-so,” and whoever was free at the time would look after them. One day, Suiga would learn the truth of his origins, and it might weigh on him. But when that day came, our whole family would be there to support him.

“Oh, right.” Yuriga shifted Suiga onto one arm, then reached into the plain cloth bag slung over her shoulder and pulled something out. “This is a souvenir from you-know-who. A toy for Suiga.”

“Another one of these...”

She handed me the item. It was a wyvern statue, carved from some hard material. About the size of a kokeshi doll, but much heavier than it looked. The craftsmanship was surprisingly fine; it was less like a wooden bear carving, more like a die-cast figure of a kaiju.

“So? What’s this one made of?”

“The femur of a northern hemisphere wyvern.”

“He carved a wyvern statue out of a wyvern’s bone?! Come on, don’t give something like that to a kid!”

“That’s what we told him... Not that he ever listens.”

Man, that guy really was a character. I could just picture the person at his side giving him a wry smile as he handed this to Yuriga. I appreciate the sentiment, sure...but at least choose something suitable for a kid.

“Next time you meet him in Mao City, tell him to at least round off the horns. And make it out of something lighter. If we let Suiga play with something this pointy, he’ll hurt himself, y’know.”

“Uh, sure. I’ll at least try to tell him that.”

This was clearly a toy for kids eight and up, maybe older. Even with Janpla (plastic models based on Mobile Dragoon Jangar), they stuck a flag on the forehead antenna so it wouldn’t stab anyone.

“Please, just tell him to send cloth and cotton dolls like a normal person.”

“Hmm... Those might actually be harder to come by over there. Besides, you’re better at making dolls, Souma, so maybe he’s making sculptures to compete with you.”

“Okay, sure, I’m no sculptor...but still.”

I let out an exasperated sigh, and Yuriga chuckled.

“Anyway, I should get going. Oh, and since it wouldn’t be good if Suiga got hurt, you hang on to that sculpture here.”

“Again?! Every time you go to Mao City, I end up with another one!”

A shelf by the simple bed in the corner of my office was already lined with the monster sculptures Yuriga had brought back from her trips with Suiga. The corner was starting to look like something out of a kaiju movie fanatic’s den. Every time a new maid noticed it, she gave me a look that said, Wait, the king’s into this? It was getting hard to take.

“You’re the one who brought it back, Yuriga. Keep it in your room.”

“Ew, no. It’s creepy.”

“Hey...”

“Please, darling,” Yuriga said in a singsong voice, adding a wink.

Normally she was sharp-tongued, but at times like this she’d play the cute wife. I always had a hard time refusing when she acted like that. Still...where did she pick this up? From the other wives, maybe?

“Well, anyway, I’ll see you tonight. Later, Souma.”

Yuriga waved. Suiga waved too, chirping, “Buh-buh.”

I think he meant bye-bye.

After watching them leave, I looked down at the wyvern sculpture still in my hands.

If “you-know-who” keeps sending me these souvenirs, I’d better set up a place to store them sooner rather than later. Then, once Suiga’s old enough, I can just ship the whole collection off to the Great Tiger Kingdom.

With another sigh, I placed the wyvern sculpture on the shelf beside the others.

Chapter 4: Happy Wedding Planner

Welcome, and thank you for choosing Evans Happy Wedding (hereafter EHW).

Yes, I’ve heard. You came here with an introduction from Lord Ichiha, correct? I understand you’re looking to hire us to provide a wedding venue and staff. Congratulations.

I’m truly delighted to help the two of you celebrate such a milestone in your lives. I promise to plan your event with the utmost care.

Ah, where are my manners? I am the operator of EHW, Lucy Evans. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.

Huh? This isn’t what you expected? You heard I’m a casual girl who talks in merchant slang, and it’s throwing you off that I’m handling you so formally?

That li’l weasel... He didn’t have to go blabbin’ about me like that... Ahem! Pardon me.

While it’s true that’s how I normally speak, I do try to maintain a professional demeanor when discussing business. After all, we’re planning the biggest day of your lives—your wedding. Presentation matters.

Oh? You’d actually prefer I just act like myself? Since I’m a friend of Ichiha’s, you’d feel more comfortable if I spoke to you the way I usually do?

Hmm... Well, if that’s what ya want, good customer, then that’s what you’ll get.

Ahem. In that case, I’ll just talk normal-like from here on out.

So, since ya came to us, I’m guessin’ ya want us to handle the whole wedding, right?

Mm-hmm... A ceremony abroad, huh?

But since ya’ve got connections with Ichiha, wouldn’t it be simpler to ask him?

Ahh, I getcha. He said he can handle the permissions, but for the actual ceremony and reception outside the country, ya’d be better off comin’ to us here at EHW. Makes sense.

Well, good choice! We’re backed by Lady Roroa herself, after all.

That means paperwork in any country’ll be a cinch for us. Just tell us where, and we’ll do everything we can to give ya the weddin’ of your dreams!

◇ ◇ ◇

It was around the time the continent had been reorganized, the world had finally stabilized, and people were beginning to look towards the new era ahead.

Tomoe and Yuriga’s school friend, Lucy Evans—now vice president of the Evans Company, one of the five largest businesses in the royal capital—had been invited to the castle to visit Souma’s third primary queen, Roroa.

“Lucy, I’ve got a new business I want you to get in on.”

The two of them were seated across from each other in Roroa’s private quarters. That Lucy, a mere commoner, even if she was the daughter of an influential merchant family, was allowed into a queen’s room spoke volumes about how much Roroa trusted her.

“A new business, you say?”

Lucy had arrived with her heart full of glee at the honor of being summoned by the woman she idolized, but now she blinked in confusion.

“I do say,” Roroa replied with a nod. “The world’s enterin’ a period of stability. The bloodthirsty types are packin’ their bags and headin’ north, so there won’t be any major wars down here in the south for a while. ’Course, that’s partly ’cause Darlin’ and me are keepin’ watch to make sure it stays that way.”

“Uh-huh... But what does that have to do with this new business?”

“In an unstable world, people spent money ’cause they had to. Not just on the supplies they needed, but ’cause they never knew what might happen tomorrow. That made ’em live for the moment, instead of savin’ up for a future they weren’t sure they’d ever see.”

In short, they’d lived hand-to-mouth.

With no telling which place might turn into a battlefield or whether monsters would strike, even those who managed to save might not live long enough to enjoy what they had. And so, in an unstable world, people chose to use their money to live each day to the fullest.

“Conversely,” Roroa continued, “once the world stabilizes, people’ll start savin’ instead. They’ve lived through the hard times, so they’ll be scared of goin’ back to ’em, and want to be ready just in case.”

“I see what you’re sayin’... Maybe not all of it, but I get the gist.”

“Yep. But here’s the rub. If everyone’s savin’, the economy grinds to a halt. That’s why, as the world settles down, we’ve gotta make it easier for folks with money to keep spendin’ it. And the way to do that is simple—we give ’em more ‘fun’ things.”

As she spoke, Roroa poured fresh tea into Lucy’s empty cup.

“Thank you kindly,” Lucy said, taking a sip.

Roroa grinned and poured herself a cup from another teapot. “People want good food. They want to see new sights and chase new trends. That’s the kinda luxury I’m talkin’ about. We’ll make ’em want to spend on those things, and keep temptin’ ’em with more and more.”

“It’s true. Our company’s been puttin’ out all sorts of new sweets to tempt people’s loosened purse strings now that the chaos of the war’s behind us. If we can get folks to stop bein’ stingy and feel confident buyin’ good things, then craftspeople can make those good things with confidence, and we merchants can sell ’em too.”

As the daughter of merchants, and nearly as sharp a businesswoman as Roroa herself, Lucy grasped the point immediately. Roroa gave a satisfied nod.

“Ya got it. That’s how economies and technology move forward. But it’s scary to think what happens if it goes the other way—if people start holdin’ back on spendin’. Even if craftspeople make fine goods, their motivation’ll die if no one’s buyin’, and without the inventory on the shelves, merchants like us lose our spark too.”

After saying this, Roroa set her cup down on its saucer and fixed Lucy with a serious look.

“To stop that from happenin’, Darlin’ and I have been workin’ to create more ‘fun’ things, and pullin’ in the rulers of other countries to help. That’s why we expanded the variety of broadcast programs, and why we’re pourin’ so much effort into tourism now.”

“Tourism...?” Lucy blinked.

Vacations weren’t common in this world. The upper classes had their villas and sometimes took trips to escape the summer heat, but most people were too busy struggling with daily life to even think about vacations. The biggest obstacle was travel itself, which was too costly for ordinary folk. Even with the kingdom’s rhinosaurus transportation network, there was only so far someone could go on a mere three days off work. Because of that, Lucy couldn’t imagine the industry booming anytime soon. But Roroa just grinned at the doubtful look on her face.

“What’re you smilin’ for? You got some kinda scheme in mind?”

“Yep. Nothin’ finalized yet, but...” Roroa covered her mouth with her hand and dropped her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “You’ll keep this a secret between us, won’t you?”

“Let’s hear it,” Lucy said, leaning in. The scene looked like an evil magistrate and a villainous merchant plotting together.

“In the near future, the Nothung Dragon Knight Kingdom’s gonna propose regular flights between all the countries at the summit. It’s a revolutionary plan that’ll allow movin’ people and cargo in bulk, all at once.”

“Wow! That’s gonna be a huge deal.”

Roroa explained how the Nothung Dragon Knight Kingdom was expanding its shipping business and preparing to launch the Dragon Ring Airline—also known as Gorilla Airways. Lucy was impressed at first, but as the explanation went on, suspicion slowly crept into her eyes.

“You said this was bein’ headed by the Nothung Dragon Knight Kingdom, but it’s really our king who came up with it, isn’t it?”

“Mwee hee hee. You’re not wrong.”

Roroa laughed gleefully as Lucy pieced together the truth behind the scenes. Perhaps tired of maintaining the conspiratorial posture of whispering in each other’s ears, Roroa finally said, “That’s enough,” and had Lucy sit properly again.

“Anyway, I’m thinkin’ of launchin’ a tourism business alongside the airline. Once flights are available, even international tourism’ll be possible for ordinary folks.”

“I take it you’re plannin’ on ropin’ the other countries into this too?”

“Sure am. I want travelers spendin’ their coin here, and the other countries’ll feel the same way. If our interests align, we can cooperate. Granted, at first it’ll mostly be the upper classes who can afford international vacations.”

“Yeah, that makes sense.”

The thought of riding with a dragon knight was appealing, but Lucy knew it would be costly at the beginning. Nobles, knights, and wealthy merchants would start the trend. Once international travel became fashionable, demand would rise, the number of flights would increase, and prices would drop—eventually opening the skies to the general public.

“So,” Roroa said, clapping her hands, “that brings us back to where we started. To sell the idea of international travel to the upper classes, I’m plannin’ a certain business. I was hopin’ I could count on you to run it.”

“Now we’re gettin’ to the heart of matters. What’s the business?”

“In short, wedding planning.”

“Wedding...what now?”

Lucy blinked, baffled; she’d never heard of such a thing.

“Lemme explain real quick,” Roroa said. “You listen to what the bride and groom want, design a ceremony around it, and then handle the event itself. That’s the business.”

“Isn’t that usually the church’s job?”

“All the religious parts, yeah. But arrangin’ things with the church and priest, invitin’ the guests, preparin’ the reception—that all falls on the family bein’ married into, right?”

“I...guess you’re right,” Lucy agreed, and Roroa nodded in satisfaction.

“For the upper classes, weddings’re way more important than most people realize. Political marriages happen all the time, and the ceremony’s where both houses show off the bond they’re forming.”

“Oh, that’s right. You had a political marriage yourself, didn’t you, Lady Roroa?”

“Oh, shove off. We’re as lovey-dovey as can be now, so it’s fine.”

“Ah ha ha. That’s so sweet.”

“Ahem. Anyway, wedding ceremonies are all about givin’ families a stage to show off as much as possible. And we’re plannin’ to add an option for international ceremonies,” Roroa said, her lips curling into a mischievous smile. “Of course, the real reason we’re sendin’ our upper classes abroad for their weddings is so we can attract nobles from other countries to come here for theirs. Our kingdom’s got a long history. We’ve got plenty of old castles that’ll look downright majestic if we dress ’em up right. And since the Lunarian Orthodox Papal State’s basically inside our borders now, we can probably get ol’ Souji to let us use the main church for ceremonies too.”

“I see... So it’s not just business, but it has political weight too. And the potential for future growth,” Lucy said, sipping her tea. “But if it’s so important...why not do it yourself, Lady Roroa? With the Silver Deer Company you’re secretly the boss of?”

“Oh, I’d love to, but...well, I’ve got another bun in the oven, y’know?” Roroa patted her swollen belly with both hands. She was pregnant with her second child.

Lucy’s tea had been poured from a different pot because black tea wasn’t good for expectant mothers; Roroa was drinking bean tea instead. Incidentally, when they’d learned she was pregnant, Souma and Roroa had realized she must have conceived around the time of the decisive battle with the Great Tiger Empire.

“Musta been back then, huh? The instinct to leave descendants when your life’s in danger sure is strong, huh?”

“Uh, yeah.”

Both of them had blushed bright red, recalling the night they’d spent together in the uncertainty before the showdown. But that was a digression.

Roroa clasped her hands in front of her face, pleadingly.

“I wanna focus on the baby for now, and once that’s over, it’ll be too late to get things started. We’ve already got a number of couples lookin’ ready to tie the knot, so I was hopin’ you could handle it. You can move freely and make the best of the opportunity.”

“I-I see...”

Roroa winked at her. “You’re not the type to be satisfied just runnin’ your family’s parlor, are ya? You’ll have the full support of the royal family, so why not give it a shot?”

With that much encouragement from Roroa, whom she deeply respected, Lucy couldn’t possibly refuse.

◇ ◇ ◇

Now then, you two. If you’re looking to hold the ceremony abroad, we currently recommend the Island Bridal Plan.

It includes a seaside wedding on the beaches of the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Kingdom, performed in the traditional style of that land. A friend of mine had her ceremony there just the other day, and it was absolutely lovely.

◇ ◇ ◇

One day, at the fruit parlor run by Lucy’s family, the Evans Company, Tomoe and Ichiha were seated across from each other by the window.

Tomoe had a parfait and tea in front of her, while Ichiha had only a cup of Garlan Spirit Kingdom coffee. He was slumped over the table, clutching his head.

“Urgh... My head’s killing me...”

“Are you okay, Ichiha?” Tomoe asked, her voice full of concern. Ichiha looked up at her with a wan smile.

“Oh... Sure. I mean...it’s rough, but I’ll recover with time...”

“Really now. You didn’t have to drink so much just because we were celebrating.”

“I have no defense for my actions...”

The cause of Ichiha’s suffering was nothing more dramatic than a hangover.

Yesterday, he had formally succeeded Hakuya as prime minister of Friedonia. Hakuya needed to focus on his duties as royal consort to Queen Jeanne of the Euphoria Kingdom, and had finally been able to pass the torch to Ichiha, as he’d long hoped to.

That night, Ichiha had celebrated with the usual circle of Tomoe, Yuriga, Velza, and Lucy—along with Souma and his queens, plus the former head of the Monster Research Society (now married into a noble house) and other MonSoc friends.

As the guest of honor—or rather, yesterday’s guest of honor—he had been pressed to drink far more than was wise. Once it had been clear he was in no condition to continue, Tomoe had stepped in with a fierce smile to shield him from further “hospitality.” Even so, he had drunk more than enough, and today he was paying the price.

At least he’d had the foresight to arrange the day off in advance. Tomoe had the day off too, so they had gone to the castle town together. If only Ichiha had been in better shape, he might have actually enjoyed their date.

Tomoe sighed as she watched him suffer.

“I should’ve stopped them sooner... Yuriga and Lu were getting carried away with the drinks. But really, you should have refused.”

“Urgh... B-But I couldn’t spurn their kindness like that.”

“I know it’s important to get along with people, but if you ruin your health in the process, what’s the point...? Oops, now I’m starting to sound like Big Sister.”

“Ah ha ha ha...”

Tomoe’s “Big Sister” was Liscia, who often lectured Souma in the same way. Souma knew her words came from concern, so he endured her sermonizing without complaint. If the nagging came from someone who loved him, and with his best interests at heart, he would listen, no matter how grating it was to hear.

Ah, so this must be how His Majesty feels... Ichiha thought.

“Oh, that’s right. Speaking of Big Sister, I just remembered something.” Tomoe clapped her hands together. “There’s something important I need to ask you.”

“Something important?”

Ichiha sipped his coffee, curious. Tomoe nodded.

“Yep. Hey, Ichiha.”

“Uh, yes?”

“Do you want me to become Tomoe Chima? Or would you rather become Ichiha Chima Elfrieden?”

“Bwugh...!”

Ichiha choked on his coffee, sputtering at the bombshell of a question.

Tomoe’s eyes widened. “A-Are you okay?”

Once he stopped coughing, Ichiha managed, “Y-You’re just dropping that on me, out of nowhere?!”

“Huh? We’re already engaged. It’s a foregone conclusion we’ll be married, isn’t it?”

“Well, yeah, of course, but still...”

“You’re officially prime minister now, so Big Brother was saying it’s about time we tie the knot. I’ve been thinking this is something we ought to decide.”

Unlike the flustered Ichiha, Tomoe remained perfectly calm as she spoke.

“I came to this country as a refugee, and the matter of my family name was always left vague because of my delicate position. Big Brother had Lord Albert and Lady Elisha adopt me so I could stay at the castle, since I was able to communicate with the Seadians. But because my real mom also worked at the castle, I was rarely called Tomoe Elfrieden.”

“I see...”

“But if I’m going to marry you, I can’t keep it vague forever, right?”

Tomoe sighed, propping her elbow on the table and resting her cheek against her palm. The pose carried a hint of allure, proof of both her maturity and Juna’s lessons in how to act like a lady.

“Roroa’s been asking us to hold a wedding ceremony too, hasn’t she? You know, to promote her push for more foreign weddings. I think we should make a decision.”

“Y-Yes, you’re right,” Ichiha said with a nod.

The wedding-planning business Roroa was promoting, with Lucy at the center, needed model couples to showcase foreign-style ceremonies. Since Ichiha and Tomoe were expected to marry soon, they had been approached alongside another couple. Naturally, neither of them objected, but it was inevitable that the prospect of starting their own household would make them a little tense. If anything, Tomoe seemed almost too calm. She already considered their marriage a certainty, and was now casually talking about what her name would be afterwards.

“Um...” Ichiha raised his hand for some reason. “You’re sure you don’t want to go with Inui? That wasn’t on the list of options.”

“Hmm? Rou’s already the heir to the House of Inui, and my new dad, Inugami, took our family name since no one knows his real one, so that’ll be fine. What about you, Ichiha? Don’t you want to inherit the House of Chima?”

“That’s...something we’ve talked about...”

The House of Chima had only four remaining lineal descendants: Ichiha, Yomi, Sami, and Nike.

Of them, Yomi had married into the Royal House of Remus and was no longer a Chima. Sami was also a woman, and would likely take her husband’s name when she married. Since the Chima name carried painful memories for her, it would be best for her to let it go. That left only Ichiha and Nike. But despite being the older brother, Nike had sent Ichiha a letter, asking him to be the one to inherit the main house.

The House of Chima had risen to prominence through their cleverness and scheming, and Nike believed Ichiha was the only one who could carry on that legacy. Though Nike was sharper than, say, Nata, he was still a warrior at heart. That was why he wanted Ichiha—who’d built a reputation as an authority in monsterology—to inherit the family name.

As for Ichiha, he had no objection. He had never gotten along well with his family, except for his elder sister Mutsumi. Even so, both his father Mathew and his elder brother Hashim had died with pride in the family name. And it had been Mutsumi’s family too—the kind and loving sister who’d always cherished him. Letting the name vanish would not have felt right.

That was why Ichiha steeled himself and looked at Tomoe. “I want to carry the family name on.”

“Okay then.” Tomoe nodded without hesitation. “In that case, I’ll become Tomoe Chima for you.”

“You’re okay with it?”

“Sure. It’s not like joining the House of Chima will break the bonds I have with Big Brother and Big Sister. And I can still see everyone from the House of Inui at the castle. Honestly, since you and I will be the only Chimas in the Kingdom for a while, it’ll still feel like the House of Inui is our home anyway. So there’s no reason for me to be picky about my last name.”

“Well... I suppose not.”

The two of them chuckled.

“Besides,” Tomoe teased, “I like what people say about you: ‘With the eight children of the House of Chima, they saved the best for last.’”

“D-Don’t bring that up...”

Once, Ichiha had been dismissed as the incapable runt of the family. But beginning with the Monsterology Symposium, he had started to overturn that reputation, and his appointment as prime minister had cemented the idea that he truly was the best of the House of Chima.

Even so, his timid nature made him uneasy with such high praise, as though it weighed on him. Tomoe’s lips curled into a mischievous smile when she noticed his embarrassment.

“But,” Ichiha said quickly, “they’ve actually added a little more to that saying.”

“Huh? They have?”

“Yes. It goes like this.” Ichiha grinned at her puzzled expression. “‘With the eight children of the House of Chima, they saved the best for last...and yet his partner is better still.’”

“...”

What it meant was clear—while the people held Ichiha in high esteem, they thought even more highly of the Wise Wolf Princess, Tomoe, who’d first recognized his worth. And because they made such a charming pair, the people already called her his “partner” even before their marriage.

““...””

Tomoe flushed red at the words, while Ichiha, despite being the one to have said them, turned an even deeper shade. Speechless and blushing, they could only sit in silence. It seemed that, in the game of love, today had ended in a tie.

◇ ◇ ◇

Some time had passed since then, and now it was the pair’s wedding day...

“Hey, Souma? I don’t know how to put this, but...they’re almost too perfect a couple.” Liscia sighed.

“Yeah. I think you’re right,” I agreed with a nod.

We were watching Tomoe and Ichiha in their wedding attire. Rather than the Western-style dress and tuxedo common in the Kingdom of Friedonia, they wore traditional Japanese garments: Tomoe a white kimono called a shiromuku with a headdress known as a tsunokakushi, and Ichiha a family-crested haori coat with hakama pants.

“Thank you, Big Brother, Big Sister.”

“Th-Thank you.”

Tomoe beamed, while Ichiha stood stiffly, his shoulders tense.

Incidentally, these were outfits reserved for people of high status to wear at their weddings in the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Kingdom. I’d always thought their culture blended elements of Tang China and Edo-period Japan, and seeing this confirmed it, at least where weddings were concerned.

Liscia’s eyes lingered on Tomoe’s kimono. “You two wear this kind of clothing regularly. No wonder it suits you so well.”

“To be fair, Tomoe’s outfits when she was younger were just ones I made to suit my taste,” I said.

When I’d first met her, she was dressed no differently than the other refugees, in a tattered old tunic. After she was adopted as Liscia’s sister, I made her a number of Japanese-style outfits. Having grown used to them, she later continued ordering similarly designed clothes from The Silver Deer as she got older. As for Ichiha, he came from a country where Asian-style clothing had always been the norm, so the haori and hakama fit him perfectly. Hakuya and Excel also regularly wore garments with an Asian flair. In hindsight, it was probably proof that fashions from my world had managed to withstand the test of time.

As I was thinking that...

“My, you two look wonderful.”

“Yes, truly the most ravishing couple in all the islands.”

Shabon and Kishun had come to greet them. Trailing behind was Prince Sharon, pulling Princess Sharan gently by the hand. The young princess followed timidly, half hiding in her parents’ shadows.

Tomoe’s face lit up when she spotted Shabon.

“Ms. Shabon! Thank you so much for lending us these beautiful outfits!”

“Hee hee! I am so glad you like them. That kimono has been passed down through the Nine-Headed Dragon Royal House, and I wore it myself at my own wedding.”

“Huh?! Was it really okay for me to borrow something so important?!” Tomoe gasped, eyes wide with shock.

Yeah, I was floored too. I mean, I was grateful she’d lent it to us, but wasn’t this basically a national treasure?

Despite our dumbstruck reactions, Shabon only smiled warmly.

“It is no matter. Women of the royal family wear that outfit but once in their lives. The next time it will be needed is on Sharan’s wedding day. If it were just to be stored away until then, surely it is better to use it now to help promote weddings in our country.” Her tone was light, almost carefree.

She wasn’t wrong. As part of the wedding-planning business Roroa was building with Lucy, today’s ceremony was being broadcast not only in our kingdom and the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago, but also in places like the Republic of Turgis and the Euphoria Kingdom, where companies wanted to get in on the action. If the young, unwed women watching this broadcast began to long for the Nine-Headed Dragon style of wedding dress and ceremony, it would mean real national benefit for their kingdom. Shabon just kept proving herself stronger and more reliable as a ruler.

“Big Sister Tomoe...you’re so pretty,” Princess Sharan whispered, eyes sparkling.

Tomoe, delighted but a little shy, spread her arms to let the girl see her kimono better.

“You’ll wear this someday, Lady Sharan. I’m only borrowing it.”

“I’ll get to wear it too?”

“Yes. Someday for sure.”

Tomoe was so little when I first met her, and now she’s acting like a big sister to a girl about the same age she was back then... I could feel my eyes starting to water.

“Tomoe’s grown up so much,” I murmured.

“Inugami was just saying the same thing earlier,” Liscia remarked, having overheard me. Her tone carried a hint of exasperation.

Tomoe’s family had already seen her in her wedding outfit before we did. Inugami, dressed formally from the neck down but still wearing his wolf mask, had been so overwhelmed with emotion that he’d cried until the mask was soaked through. Her mother, Tomoko, had only smiled gently as she comforted her somewhat troublesome husband.

Yeah... Remembering Inugami bawling like that helped me keep myself together. Knowing someone else had completely lost control of their emotions made it much easier to calm mine.

“Still though... Tomoe Chima, huh?” I said. “I guess they’ll be moving out of the castle.”

“I’d feel sorry for them, trying to live in the castle as newlyweds,” Liscia replied. “Though since Tomoe’s our chamberlain, and Ichiha’s the prime minister, they’ll still be coming in every day. Honestly, I doubt much will change. It sounds like Inugami and Tomoko will be managing the domain granted to House Chima.”

“Rou’s getting bigger too. I wonder if Bel will end up being raised at the domain.”

Rou was Tomoe’s younger brother, while Bel was the little girl born to Inugami and Tomoko. Rou was about middle-school age now, training under Inugami and even attending the Officers’ Academy. Bel, meanwhile, was like a miniature Tomoe. Her name apparently came from her father, but...there was no way to get Bel out of Inugami. Funny how that worked.

As I was mulling that over, Lucy, the master of ceremonies, came into the room.

“C’mon, c’mon, you two. It’s about time to get this show on the road. You’re keepin’ everyone waitin’.”

““Right,”” we both answered in unison.

When we moved on to the next location, my family, Tomoe’s family, and all their school friends were already there waiting.

Because Ichiha’s family, Yomi, Sami, and Nike, were all VIPs in other nations, they had been unable to attend due to security concerns and scheduling conflicts. Still, they had sent gifts from their respective countries, along with heartfelt messages over the broadcast.

Everyone was ooh-ing and aah-ing over the couple in their wedding best.

“You’ve really become beautiful, Tomoe,” said her adoptive mother, Elisha.

“Ho ho ho, she has indeed,” her adoptive father, Albert, agreed. “So this is what it feels like to give your daughter away as a bride.”

“Um, excuse me?” Liscia interjected, sounding a little offended. “Your other daughter—the one who’s already married—is standing right here, you know?”

The former royal couple chuckled.

“In your case, your husband married into the family. You’re still living in the castle too, so it didn’t feel like we were giving you away.”

“Hee hee, whereas with Tomoe, we can’t help but see it as a royal marriage. But since she’s our adopted daughter, we can send her off without those considerations.”

“I don’t know that I like this...” Liscia muttered, shooting her parents a cold look. But they only laughed it off.

Meanwhile, Tomoe and Ichiha were surrounded by their usual gang of Yuriga, Lucy, and Velza.

“Much as it frustrates me to admit it, that outfit looks good on you,” Yuriga said.

“Hee hee, thanks, Yuriga.”

“What’s this now? Yurie actually gave Tomie a straight up compliment? Is the sky about to fall? Wait, no, that’s bad! If it rains, it’ll ruin the setup! Yurie, quick—go back to bein’ prickly!”

“What are you even saying?!”

Yuriga promptly pinched Lucy’s cheeks.

It was the same playful back-and-forth they’d had since childhood, and I couldn’t help but smile. Ichiha and Velza were smiling at their antics too.

“Oh, that’s right,” Ichiha said, clapping his hands as if he’d just remembered something.

He glanced over at Carla, one of the castle maids helping with the ceremony, and called out to her.

“Carla, could you bring the thing I talked to you about earlier?”

“Oh, yes. Certainly.”

Carla hurried off, returning a moment later with a bouquet in her hands.

A bouquet...of white flowers? But those aren’t normally used in Japanese-style wedding ceremonies... As I puzzled over it, Tomoe accepted the bouquet from Carla and turned, offering it to Velza.

“I want you to have this.”

“Huh? Me?” Velza blinked, caught off guard.

Tomoe smiled warmly at her bewildered friend.

“Yep. Since we’re holding the ceremony Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago-style, there won’t be a bouquet toss today. But when we attended Kuu’s wedding, Taru and Leporina gave us a bouquet, saying it was for the future bride. You’re going to be marrying Hal soon, right? That’s why I want to give this one to you.”

“Tomoe...” Velza’s eyes brimmed with tears as she clutched the flowers to her chest. “Thank you. This makes me so happy!”

“Hey, that’s the bride’s line! You’re not the one gettin’ married today, Velie!” Lucy quipped, punctuating it with a playful smack to Velza’s head.

“Ah ha ha... You’ve got a point,” Ichiha added with a rueful smile.

Tomoe was wearing the same wry smile as Ichiha when Yuriga asked, “Are you okay with her saying that? You’re supposed to be the center of attention today.”

“I like how Vel’s a bit of an airhead sometimes.”

“But won’t people get confused and think Velza’s the one marrying Ichiha...?”

“Ichiha’s my groom, okay?” Tomoe declared with a dazzling, yet oddly intimidating, smile.

“Whoa, don’t get all scary on me! That dark aura’s terrifying!”

Tomoe’s really grown up...in more ways than one, I thought, gazing at her with a far-off look in my eyes.

After that bit of their usual banter, Tomoe and Ichiha’s wedding proceeded without issue.

Among the Kingdom’s upper class who watched the broadcast, interest grew in holding weddings abroad, sparking a brief boom in Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago-style ceremonies. (Though, since traveling there was difficult, most couples simply held similar-style ceremonies at home.) That trend, however, would be completely overshadowed once Velza’s wedding came around.

◇ ◇ ◇

So, that’s what a Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago-style ceremony is like. What do you think?

You can choose between a pure white kimono or a colored one for the bride, either of which would look lovely on you. And since your husband is much more well-built than Ichiha, the haori will suit him even better, don’t you agree?

Mm-hmm... Not into anythin’ that extravagant? You’d prefer somethin’ simpler?

I see. So the bride would rather wear a weddin’ dress, then.

In that case, let me suggest this plan: the “Let’s Have Our Weddin’ in a Historic Temple in the Republic of Turgis” Plan. My friend actually got married this way just recently, you see...

◇ ◇ ◇

The Sapeur Temple was built in a style reminiscent of the Parthenon from Souma’s old world, and was one of the oldest surviving buildings, predating even the Republic’s founding. It was here that Kuu had been formally installed as head of the Republic, and also where he’d held his wedding with Taru and Leporina.

Today, another couple would be wed beneath its ancient columns.

“Halbert and Young Miss Velza. Congratulations on your marriage.”

“Congrats.”

“Congratulations!”

The head of the Republic, Kuu Taisei, and his wives Taru and Leporina offered their blessings to Halbert Magna, clad in a white tuxedo, and Velza, who would be his wife from this day forward. Velza wore a wedding dress, the pure white fabric contrasting with her dark skin beautifully and making her striking features stand out all the more.

Halbert scratched his cheek awkwardly. “Uh, yeah. Thanks, Kuu. I didn’t expect a foreign head of state to be celebrating with us.”

“Ookyakya! Don’t sweat it. We’ve known each other for ages.”

Despite coming from different countries and standing on very different social levels, Halbert and Kuu had fought side by side against the mutated ogres in the Republic and the demon wave in the Union of Eastern Nations. To each other, they were battle buddies. It had been Kuu’s idea to hold Halbert and Velza’s wedding at the Sapeur Temple.

“The Sapeur Temple’s the most famous historical site in our country. If we wanna appeal to more tourists, we’ve gotta show the world we’ve got more than just skiing, hot springs, and seafood.”

“That’s your motive? So our wedding’s just a publicity stunt?”

“I’d say it’s fifty-fifty. Half for my country, half because I wanted to celebrate with a friend. It’s two birds with one stone.”

“Heh heh, well, I’m happy about it,” Velza said. “We’re lucky to be able to celebrate in such a place.”

Seeing her smile, Halbert thought, Well, whatever.

Like Tomoe and Ichiha’s wedding before it, today’s ceremony would also be broadcast across the nations of the former Maritime Alliance. After all, if the hero who had defeated Fuuga Haan—Hal the Red Oni (in truth, he’d only cut off Fuuga’s wing, but the story had been exaggerated)—was getting married, there was bound to be plenty of interest, especially among viewers in the Kingdom of Friedonia. Kuu was simply taking advantage of that attention to advertise his country. For that reason, the expenses were being split evenly between the Kingdom and the Republic.

At this point, Halbert’s first wife, Kaede, and his second wife, Ruby, approached. Both were dressed elegantly for the ceremony.

But because Ruby didn’t handle the cold well, she wore a heavier dress to compensate.

“I see you two are ready. You look lovely, you know?”

“My, my, Velza. What an adorable bride you make.”

“Lady Kaede, Lady Ruby, thank you!”

The three wives gathered together, happily chatting while all but ignoring their husband.

Kaede and Ruby had accepted Velza as the third wife even before Halbert himself had. That was, in large part, thanks to Velza’s tireless efforts.

By the time I realized what was happening, it was like the moat had been filled in, the castle walls had crumbled, and the gate left wide open with a welcome sign out front... That was how Halbert felt as he watched the three women together.

At first, he had only ever thought of Velza as a cute little sister. He’d taken her feelings lightly, assuming it was only natural she would look up to him after he’d saved her life, and had never imagined their relationship would become anything more.

Velza, however, had been maneuvering to become his wife from the very beginning. Even before he married Kaede and Ruby, she was already petitioning them to let her be the third wife, and she worked hard to meet the condition Kaede had set of graduating from the Academy first. Velza had gone there with that goal in mind: to eventually support the House of Magna as Halbert’s personal secretary. She cared for Halbert and Kaede’s son Bill, treated her future father-in-law Glaive with due respect, and even laid groundwork with Kaede’s family, the House of Foxia. At the same time, she made use of her own father, Sur, to build ties between the House of Magna and the God-Protected Forest.

Before she won Halbert’s heart, she’d already won over everyone around him.

By the time Halbert noticed, Kaede, Ruby, and even his parents were telling him, “Just marry her already.” Once he learned just how much effort Velza had poured into it, though her persistence left him tongue-tied, he found her devotion endearing and raised the white flag immediately.

As Halbert reflected on all this, the master of ceremonies, Lucy, came to call them.

“Velie, Halbert. Please get ready.”

“R-Right.”

“Okay, Lucy.”

The wedding was attended by those connected to the Houses of Magna and Foxia, the dark elves of the God-Protected Forest, as well as Tomoe and her school friends. Souma had wanted to attend too, but fitting a trip to the Republic into his schedule, and handling all the security concerns it would entail, was too much for the sake of a single retainer, even one who was also a friend. In the end, he had reluctantly given up on it. Still, since the ceremony was being broadcast, plenty of people were watching from afar.

Kuu snickered and gave Halbert a big thumbs-up. “Ookyakya! Bet you’re lookin’ forward to after the ceremony. In addition to the inn for the guests, I’ve booked an entire hot springs inn just for you and Young Miss Velza. You two can enjoy your first night to the fullest.”

“Man! Is this really the time to bring that up?!”

Halbert whipped his head towards Kaede and Ruby. Both wore wide, plastered-on smiles.

“Well, it’d be uncouth of us to tell you what to do on your wedding night. It is what it is, you know?”

“Make sure you guide her properly, you lady-killer.”

“...”

The aura seeping out from behind their smiles made Halbert break into a cold sweat. Velza, meanwhile...

“I-I know I’m inexperienced, but I’ll be in your care.”

In an instant, she had imagined—fantasized, really—all that was to come, and covered her cheeks with her hands as she gave Halbert an expectant look.

Halbert simply gazed up at the heavens, unable to say a word.

After that, the ceremony itself was carried out with all the dignity the occasion demanded. On this day, Velza at last became Halbert’s wife, as she had long dreamed, with the blessings of Tomoe, Ichiha, Yuriga, Lucy, and so many others.

Then, when the ceremony ended...

“I’d like you to have this, Lucy.”

“Huh? Me?”

Velza held out the bouquet she’d prepared and offered it to Lucy.

“I’d like to do for you what Tomoe and Ichiha did for me. May you find your happiness too.”

“Ah, ah ha ha... Thank you kindly.”

Lucy laughed bashfully as she accepted the flowers.

◇ ◇ ◇

Now we return to the present...

“And so, that’s what it’s like in the Republic. I feel like I may have told you more than you needed to know, but...what do you say?”

Lucy was speaking to the pair planning their wedding.

But the two only exchanged awkward smiles, neither showing much enthusiasm. Picking up on this, Lucy quickly considered which plan to suggest next.

“Hmm... If the Republic and the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Kingdom are out, then that leaves the ‘Let’s Have Our Weddin’ in a Historic Church in the Euphoria Kingdom and Walk Through the Arch of Triumph Together’ Plan...”

“U-Um...” the bride-to-be hesitantly interrupted.

“Yes? What is it?”

“Excuse me. We’ve already settled on the country where we want to hold our ceremony...”

“Huh? You have? How rude of me. So then, where would you like to hold it?”

“The Kingdom of Lastania.”

Lucy blinked, taken aback.

“The Kingdom of Lastania? I know they’ve done a lot to restore the place, but...I don’t think it has anywhere suitable for holding a wedding. I hate to say it, but we don’t have any official plans there...”

“Oh, we don’t need a special plan. It’s just...that country is where my father-in-law, Hein, lies at rest.”

As she said this, the bride-to-be, Sami Chima, smiled softly.

Perhaps out of consideration, the groom beside her, Gunther Lyle, placed an arm gently around her shoulders.

“Now that I’m going to marry Sir Gunther, I’d like my father down in the underworld to see me in my wedding dress. But since both Sir Gunther and I now belong to the Euphoria Kingdom, holding the ceremony abroad makes it difficult to secure a venue, staff, catering, and so on. That’s why we spoke to Ichiha, and he said that with your connections in so many countries, you’d be the best person to ask.”

“I-I see... So that’s what this is about. I completely jumped to the wrong conclusion. Sorry for prattlin’ on before hearing you out.”

Lucy bowed her head apologetically, but Sami shook hers.

“No, I’m not good at talking, so it was hard to bring it up. And Sir Gunther is a man of few words too.”

Perhaps out of embarrassment, Gunther pressed his lips into a firm line. His intimidating face contrasted with his innocent nature—like a big dog trying to act serious.

Lucy cleared her throat. “Well, that’s a relief to hear... All righty then! I’ll do everythin’ I can so your old man in the underworld can see you in your weddin’ dress and rest easy!”

She thumped her chest with one hand as she made her vow.

Once Sami and Gunther had left, the day’s work was done.

Lucy was finishing up the last of her paperwork when there came a knock at the office door and a young man stepped inside.

“I see you’ve been working hard, boss. I brought you some tea.”

“Thank you kindly. But work’s over for the day, so you can talk to me normally.”

“Oh, yeah? In that case...what were the customers like today?”

“They had a complicated request, but nothin’ we can’t handle. Gotta give the bride the fabulous weddin’ she deserves.”

The man setting down the tea was Lucy’s right-hand man at EHW, and also...

“Of course... But are you really fine with this?”

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

“You come up with all these wonderful plans, but for us you’re keeping the ceremony so plain.”

...the man who was going to be her life partner.

He had once worked for Lucy’s family business, the Evans Company. But his knack for business and earnest nature had won Lucy’s trust, and she’d poached him for EHW. Running a new venture side by side, they’d faced struggles together, and in time, their bond had deepened until marriage felt like the natural next step.

“You’ve got connections with the royal family. We could’ve had a grand, extravagant ceremony, couldn’t we? Although...saying that almost sounds like I’m asking if you’re sure about marrying a commoner like me.”

Lucy let out her trademark cackle.

“What’re you sayin’? I’m gonna have my ideal ceremony with my ideal hubby. Lots of my friends are upper-class and have dramatic stories, but me? I want an ordinary partner, an ordinary weddin’, and an ordinary happy family life. ’Course, since royalty’ll be attendin’, it won’t be completely ordinary.”

“I-Is that how it works?” He tilted his head, clearly baffled by how women thought.

Lucy chuckled, finding that very honesty one of the things she loved about him.

Then, stroking the engagement ring he’d given her, she darted over to him, wearing an expression that mimicked the Little Tanuki Princess she so admired, and threw her arms around him.

“Let’s find our happiness together, little by little, Darlin’.”

Chapter 5: Merula Returns to Her Home Country

Merula Merlin rode on the back of a jugjug—a timid creature resembling a cross between an ostrich and an ornithomimus—as she made her way along a barely paved road through the jungle of the Spirit Kingdom of Garlan’s Mother Island. The dense rainforest canopy pressed in on all sides, the trees obstructing her view.

Jugjugs, which lived only on the islands of the Spirit Kingdom, were useless for military purposes due to their skittish nature. But for the high elves, they served as everyday transportation (something like a granny bike for humans).

When Merula finally emerged from the jungle into a more open area, a village came into sight. Here, dwellings were built either into the hollows of massive trees or high among their thick branches. This was what a typical settlement in the Spirit Kingdom of Garlan looked like.

Over a century has passed, and nothing’s changed...for better or worse, Merula thought as she gazed at her hometown, in which she had not set foot for a very, very long time.

Back when the kingdom had been closed to outsiders, Merula’s decision to flee had branded her a heretic, and she had been barred from returning. But now the country was charting a new course under King Garula and Princess Elulu. As a key figure linking Garlan to the Kingdom of Friedonia, Merula was finally allowed to come home.

Today, she had been invited by King Garula himself to visit her birthplace for the first time in ages—though “ages” was an understatement given just how many years had passed. Because the nation had been isolated for so long, little had changed in the village.

Oh, but there’s a fountain plaza now.

At the settlement’s center stood a fountain plaza used to display jewel broadcasts. The Spirit Kingdom produced no broadcasts of its own, so it must have been built to view those from abroad. Even this small addition revealed how the high elves’ interest in the outside world had begun to shift.

Even this ossified country will eventually change.

The long-lived high elves were patient people. Compared to those of humans or beastmen, their lives stretched so far that they felt no urgency to change rapidly. Still, once they opened themselves to outside influence, change, even if gradual, was inevitable.

As Merula reflected on this...

“You must be Lady Merula,” a voice called from above.

Merula looked up to see three female high elf soldiers perched in the branches, bows strapped to their backs. Since none of them had their weapons drawn—and all three were women—Merula guessed they had been sent by King Garula to welcome her.

“By order of King Garula, we’ve come to escort you,” one of them said, confirming her suspicion. “We will lead the way. Please follow us.”

The speaker sprang lightly from branch to branch, taking the lead. Merula urged her jugjug to follow, realizing they weren’t heading towards the village but into the mountains beyond it.

Before long, the narrow path brought them to a clearing halfway up the mountainside. There, at the roots of an ancient tree that looked to be thousands of years old, stood a shrine no taller than a person. King Garula was waiting before it.

He stood with his gaze fixed on the shrine, lost in thought, and didn’t notice Merula’s approach until she dismounted and stepped closer. At last, he turned.

“Merula Merlin, huh? Good of you to come,” Garula said, his tone calm.

Merula smiled faintly. “Thank you for your invitation, King Garula.”

“There’s no need to stand on ceremony. You are neither my vassal nor a citizen of this nation anymore.”

“Oh, is that so? Then I’ll just talk normally.” Switching quickly to a casual tone, Merula’s eyes drifted to the shrine. “Could this shrine be...?”

“Yeah,” Garula replied. “It’s Gerula’s grave.”

Gerula Garlan. That had been the name of Garula’s younger brother. Once a general of the Spirit Kingdom, he had succumbed to a mysterious illness known as the Magic Bug Disease—an unknown condition at the time—and passed away.

However, Gerula’s disease-ridden body had been entrusted to the Kingdom of Friedonia’s medical team as a research subject, and their studies had greatly aided in discovering treatment methods. In that sense, his death had not been in vain. And now, he rested beneath this shrine.

“Isn’t it a bit small for a royal grave?” Merula asked.

Garula chuckled. “He was never one for grand displays. I felt he’d appreciate it more if I let him rest here quietly, where he can look out over the village.”

“Hmm... Well, sure, why not, I guess? This is a nice sunny spot,” Merula replied, stretching with a groan.

Then Garula turned towards her and lowered his head.

Merula’s eyes widened. “Wh-What? What’s that for, all of a sudden?”

“I called you here to thank you. You were there for Gerula in his final moments, weren’t you?”

“I didn’t really ‘watch over’ him... I just talked with him a little near the end.”

“Even so. To be able to speak, even briefly, with one of his own kind in such a distant land must have been a comfort. It eases my own heart too...knowing he wasn’t entirely alone at the end.”

“I’ll accept the sentiment. You’re welcome.”

Garula, she realized, simply wanted to do what he felt was right. And for Gerula’s sake, Merula decided to let him.

Clearing her throat to break the solemn mood, she asked, “So, Princess Elulu isn’t coming? She’s back on the Mother Island now, isn’t she?”

Garula shook his head with a wry smile. “No, Elulu is in the Great Tiger Kingdom visiting Sir Shuukin. She says she wants to act as a bridge between this country and the continent, and to learn more about it firsthand... But honestly, I think she just wants to be with Sir Shuukin.”

“She’s all set to marry him, huh? Are you really okay with that, as her father?”

“I have my concerns, but if it’s what she wants... I don’t mind.”

“My, how understanding of you. You’re really going to let her? Even if she does marry Sir Shuukin, the celestials don’t live any longer than humans. He’ll be gone in just a few decades.”

“There’s nothing to be done about that. Such is the fate of the long-lived races.” Garula glanced towards the shrine before continuing. “But even we, for all our longevity, can have our lives cut short by war or disease. In that regard, we’re no different from the short-lived. That’s why I believe the best way to enjoy a long life is to spend each day with the ones we most want to be with in that moment.”

“Yeah... I sort of get that.”

The image of Excel Walter flickered through Merula’s mind. Excel, with her long lifespan, had met and parted with countless people, yet she always found joy in entangling herself with those around her at any given time. Though, to be fair, her antics were more than a handful for the people she toyed with.

Garula turned to Merula. “Don’t you have anyone in this era by whose side you want to stay?”

“Well, it’s not like I don’t have anyone.”

Her thoughts immediately went to Souji and Mary. They were deeply involved in religion, something almost antithetical to a scientist like her, but their constant banter was something she cherished. Being with them was probably what made her happiest right now.

“Anyway, you’ve given me your thanks. I’ll be heading back now.”

Garula’s eyes widened. “But you only just arrived. It’s been so long since you last came home. I thought you’d want to stay for a while...”

“I was planning to, but talking with you has made me feel homesick.”

Homesick. Though she had been born on this island, her true home now was the house she shared with Souji and Mary.

Even without knowing the details, Garula nodded and said softly, “If you ever tire of life on the continent, you can return. You’ll always be welcome here.”

“Sure. I’ll think about it in a century or so.”

And with that, Merula set off without looking back.

Chapter 6: How the Formerly Cold-Blooded Prince Rebuilt the Kingdom

“We’ve come home,” Tia murmured.

“Yeah, we have,” Julius agreed with a nod, standing beside her.

The couple were in Lasta, the capital of the Old Kingdom of Lastania. By the standards of the Kingdom of Friedonia, it was too small to be called a capital. At best, it could have passed for a regional city. Still, this was Princess Tia’s hometown. Until recently it had been under the occupation of the Great Tiger Kingdom, but now it stood free once more as part of the Reborn Kingdom of Lastania.

When the occupation began, Julius had accepted the futility of resistance and sought refuge in Friedonia early on. He and Tia had departed with about forty others (including some who weren’t from Lasta) and urged those remaining to submit to Great Tiger rule. Fortunately, Fuuga and Hashim had neither destroyed the city nor carried out massacres, and the chaos following Fuuga’s downfall had never reached this border settlement. As a result, Lasta looked almost the same as it had when they left.

Looking out over the city, Julius said quietly, “But sadly, we can’t stay for long. I’m sorry, but this city is too remote to serve as our capital.”

“I understand. From now on, you must be a king who rules over many people, Lord Julius,” Tia replied.

Following the reorganization of the continent, Julius had been granted a third of the former Great Tiger Empire’s land in order to restore the Kingdom of Lastania. Later historians would disagree on terminology—some calling it the New Kingdom of Lastania and others simply the Kingdom of Lastania, referring to the former state as the Old Kingdom to distinguish the two. (For the sake of convenience, we will call it the Reborn Kingdom of Lastania.)

But the old capital of Lasta was too remote and underdeveloped to serve as the heart of the new realm. Establishing it as the capital would have required massive investment, so Julius had resolved to designate another city instead.

The first candidate had been Haan Great Tiger Castle, Fuuga’s former seat of government. However, the castle had been demolished during the recent turmoil, and the city itself was devastated by rebel looting. Rebuilding it would have required enormous effort, and beyond that, the place was still deeply colored by the legacy of the former regime.

That being the case, they had settled on somewhere else...

“From here on, Wedan Castle will be the center of this country.”

“Yeah.” Julius nodded. “I’ve gotten permission from Sir Ichiha.”

The site chosen as the new capital was Wedan Castle, once the residence of the House of Chima. Flanked by larger factions, the Chima family had long relied on their diplomatic skill, aligning with powerful neighbors to preserve their domain. As a result, their territory stood at a strategic crossroads. With Ichiha, the new head of House Chima, having granted his approval, Julius had resolved to develop Wedan into the capital and rule the Reborn Kingdom of Lastania from there.

That being the case, the reason they were in the old capital, Lasta, was...

“Julius... No, Your Majesty. The return of the refugees is complete.”

Julius nodded at Jirukoma’s report. They had come here to oversee the return of those who had fled to Friedonia with him—people who had stood by the royal family in their hour of crisis. Julius was determined to see they were properly rewarded. Still, most of those refugees had chosen to remain in his direct service.

“Thank you, General Jirukoma.”

“General... Hrmm, I still can’t get used to that title.” Jirukoma scratched his cheek awkwardly.

Appointed commander of the Reborn Kingdom of Lastania’s military, Jirukoma had originally insisted his wife Lauren was the better choice as she’d long served the royal family. But with so many children to raise, Lauren had entrusted the role to him instead. Jirukoma swore he would hand the position back the moment she finished raising the children. But since Lauren kept giving birth to new ones, that day seemed nowhere in sight. Thus, he had become something of the “big daddy” of the Reborn Kingdom of Lastania.

At this rate, perhaps one day the pair might even be worshipped as gods of fertility and safe childbirth.

“You’d best get used to it quickly,” Julius told Jirukoma. “I’ve already gotten used to being called ‘Your Majesty.’”

“You used to be a sovereign prince, but I was just a refugee. I still can’t believe I’ve ended up commanding a country’s military.”

“Then find me someone more capable than you. I’ll gladly demote you if you do.”

“Ha ha ha. Now you’re making me want to cling to my post.”

Despite their new positions, the easy banter between the two showed their relationship hadn’t changed. Tia listened with a smile.

“Tia, Your Majesty,” a voice called.

She turned to see her parents, the former king and queen, approaching with contented smiles. The old king took Julius’s hand in a firm shake.

“You’ve done so much for us. Back when we were here, and even when we were in Friedonia. And it’s thanks to you that we’ve been able to return.”

“Father...” Julius said softly.

“I have no doubt now that I can entrust both the country and Tia to you. So, as per our original plans, my wife and I will be staying here.”

“What?! Why, Father, Mother?” Tia gasped.

The former royals only smiled.

“The new kingdom should be led by the young,” her father said. “We’ll stay here in familiar surroundings so we don’t get in the way.”

“Don’t worry, Tia,” her mother added, patting her head. “This isn’t farewell. We’ll visit you often at the castle.”

Julius had urged them many times to come live in Wedan, but the two were firm in their decision. In the end, he had to respect their wishes.

“The royal manor is intact,” Julius told them. “It’s been refurnished, including with the furniture Fuuga sent us during our time in Friedonia. I’ve hired guards and servants as well. Though the people had to submit to Fuuga, they’ve always loved the Royal House of Lastania. You should be able to live here much as you did before.”

“You have our thanks, King Julius... Our beloved son-in-law.”

“Please, come visit us in Wedan whenever you like. Tia and Tius would love that.”

“Yes, of course we will.”

And so Julius, Tia, and Jirukoma returned to Wedan Castle. The former royal couple remained behind in Lasta, standing hand in hand as they watched the wyvern gondola carrying their daughter’s family until it vanished into the distance.

“So, sire, where do you plan to begin?” Jirukoma asked Julius during the gondola ride back.

With the country freshly reborn as the Kingdom of Lastania, he wanted to know what their first steps would be once they returned to Wedan Castle. Tia also looked at Julius with great curiosity.

“Well,” Julius said, stroking his chin in thought. “First, we need to give the people the impression that the Kingdom of Lastania is truly being rebuilt. After that...we should follow Souma’s example and begin recruiting personnel.”

“Will...anyone come?” Tia tilted her head in a gesture so cute and endearing that Julius couldn’t help but smile.

“Oh, I don’t think it will be a problem. In fact, I’ve already accepted a few rather surprising applicants.”

“Surprising...applicants?” Tia echoed.

Julius grinned. “Yes. They’re a little troublesome, but definitely interesting.”

◇ ◇ ◇

The story turns back to a short time after the reorganization of the continent...

“We have a large number of applicants...? Are you certain?” Julius could hardly believe his ears when he heard Jirukoma’s report.

It was at this time that Julius, Jirukoma, and their companions were pouring all their efforts into establishing the Reborn Kingdom of Lastania as a functioning state.

Because they lacked both manpower and supplies, Julius was using every connection he had to support the reconstruction effort. Roroa had arranged for provisions from the Kingdom of Friedonia, and these were being transported by air courtesy of the Nothung Dragon Knight Kingdom. By comparison, the neighboring Kingdom of Remus was struggling to rebuild due to its weaker ties with other nations, making it fair to say that the Reborn Kingdom of Lastania was recovering relatively quickly. Even so, they faced a critical shortage of personnel.

The Old Kingdom of Lastania’s vassals, along with Julius’s personal retainers, were nowhere near numerous enough to manage a nation the size of the Reborn Kingdom of Lastania, which now encompassed the northeastern part of the continent. You might have expected them to launch a massive recruitment drive, as Souma had in his first year, but in their case, that was far easier said than done. The kingdom did have open positions in abundance and a smattering of talented individuals, but most of those people had belonged to other countries before Fuuga’s unification. Many resented the fact that only the Kingdom of Lastania had been restored.

As a former minor state, Lastania was looked down on by those who had lived in greater powers, and they were less than enthusiastic about serving under such a “tiny” kingdom. That dissatisfaction wasn’t strong enough to spark rebellion—few had the energy for that after so much turmoil—but it still meant they were unwilling to commit themselves to Lastania’s cause. It wasn’t an immediate threat, but it was a constant source of frustration for Julius and his advisers.

And yet, suddenly, dozens of individuals had stepped forward, volunteering their service.

Jirukoma confirmed the report with a nod.

“Yeah, I’m sure...” He caught himself and straightened his tone. “Without a doubt, sire. They even come with letters of recommendation.”

“Letters of recommendation? From whom?” Julius asked, brows raised.

“You’ll be surprised when you hear. It was actually...”

The name Jirukoma gave made Julius blink in disbelief.

“Why would he...?”

“What shall we do? Will you meet with them?”

“Let me think...”

After a brief pause, Julius nodded.

“I’ll meet them. I want to confirm their intentions with my own eyes.”

“As you would have it. I will accompany you for your protection.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

The two of them made their way to the audience chamber, where they waited for their unexpected guests to arrive.

Not long after, an older man with graying hair and a distinctive beard was shown into the chamber. He looked thin, but his posture was straight, and there was a quiet strength in the way he carried himself. His plain gray clothes resembled those of a servant, yet he had the air of an elderly gentleman of refinement. His eyes, though outwardly peaceful, held a piercing sharpness—as if this seemingly affable old man were measuring and scrutinizing them. The feeling put Julius immediately on guard.

This presence... It reminds me of Sebastian. He’s a crafty one, without a doubt. Julius’s familiarity with Sebastian Silverdeer, Roroa’s right-hand man and the wily owner of The Silver Deer, only heightened his unease. And that unease was compounded by the name behind this man’s recommendation.

The old man advanced a respectful distance, then dropped to one knee and bowed his head.

“Raise your head. Kagashi...was it? I hear you wish to offer me your services.”

“Yes,” the gentleman replied as he raised his head. “I hope that the Kingdom of Lastania will take in my clan.”

“Hmm... But is it true that the letters of recommendation came from the man whose name they bear?”

“Indeed. They were written by our former master, Lord Hashim.”

The name was none other than Hashim Chima—the man who had worked in the shadows as the brain behind Fuuga’s Great Tiger Empire.

But Hashim was no longer among the living.

In other words, Kagashi had come before Julius bearing the recommendation of a dead man. That was the reason Julius’s guard was so high.

“Hashim died in the recent chaos, did he not? Then how could he have recommended you?”

“It is tradition for the head of the House of Chima to choose a successor to inherit the house and retain followers like ourselves in the event of his death. Because theirs is a bloodline steeped in treachery, they must always be prepared for every eventuality. Lord Hashim entrusted us with these letters while he was still among the living.”

“What do you mean by...followers like yourselves?”

“We are a clan that has served the House of Chima for generations, acting as spies in their service. We are known as the White Snakes.”

Julius’s eyes widened. These were Hashim’s personal spies. And yet, for some reason, they were offering to serve him, a man with no blood ties to the Chima family. On top of that, it was supposedly at the command of the late Hashim himself. Julius couldn’t make sense of it.

“The White Snakes... I’ve heard of you. Back in Friedonia, Sir Kagetora of the Black Cats mentioned your name. You crossed blades with them before the great war, didn’t you?”

“It is true,” Kagashi admitted calmly. “The Black Cats were formidable opponents. They lacked finesse in gathering information, but their skill at preventing leaks through sheer martial prowess surpassed ours. We were forced to avoid direct conflict with them, which hindered our intelligence-gathering inside Friedonia.”

“So why come to me?”

“Lord Hashim told us, ‘When I am gone, serve under Ichiha or Julius,’” Kagashi said matter-of-factly.

“I can see why he would choose Sir Ichiha...but why me?”

“Lord Hashim foresaw that, with the breakup of the Great Tiger Empire, these lands would fall under the influence of the Kingdom of Friedonia. He predicted that the former Union of Eastern Nations would be entrusted to you, Lord Julius. He said you are a man capable of governing such a difficult region, and that you hold ties here through your marriage into the Royal House of Lastania.”

Julius fell silent. The logic wasn’t hard to follow. Had he been in Hashim’s place, he might have reached the same conclusion about the shape of the world after the Empire’s collapse.

“Then why not go to Sir Ichiha?”

“Because Sir Ichiha is now prime minister of Friedonia. That nation already has the Black Cats to serve as its intelligence operatives. Even if we offered our services there, we would have little value.”

“Which leaves me then, huh...” Julius muttered.

“Indeed.”

They had clearly come to Lastania knowing of its shortage of personnel. It was a shrewd move. And since he was, in fact, short of capable hands, Julius could only be impressed.

“This world is moving towards stability. The need for infiltration and covert operations abroad will only decline over time. In fact, such actions may merely arouse suspicion. Do you still wish to offer your services knowing that?”

“Because the era demanded it, we once committed dark deeds to ensure our house’s survival—just as our masters in the House of Chima did,” Kagashi said evenly. “But even in peacetime, the need to gather intelligence does not vanish. We will adapt, as we always have. If you wish us to step out of the shadows and live in the light, then that is what we will do.”

“I see...”

They were more flexible than Julius had imagined, prepared to mold themselves to the times. And in truth, Julius would welcome a network of eyes and ears to keep him informed of discontent stirring in every corner of the kingdom. Quashing unrest early was one of the fastest ways to stabilize a nation. That was why he would be glad to take in Hashim’s White Snakes. But something still nagged at him.

“I hindered Fuuga and Hashim’s ambitions alongside Souma, you realize? Can you truly swear loyalty to me after that?”

“That is no matter. Ensuring the survival of our family is our way, just as it is the way of the House of Chima. Lord Hashim slew his own father to preserve the house and its name. Lord Mathew accepted that path, entrusted us to him at the end, and left behind a few last words and a list of people Lord Hashim should employ.”

“...”

“That list is now in our hands. It was left with us should anything befall him. The House of Chima itself will continue under Sir Ichiha. But it was Lord Hashim’s hope, and it is ours, that you will carry on the house’s tradition of clever stratagems by taking us in. We, the White Snakes, are the embodiment of that tradition. Please, put us to use.”

With that, Kagashi bowed his head deeply.

Despite his supplicant posture, there was a boldness in the way he carried himself; a presence born of a lifetime spent walking in shadow.

Jirukoma found himself overwhelmed, but quickly gathered his wits and turned his gaze towards Julius.

“What will you do, sire?”

“Let’s take them in,” Julius said after some thought. “We’re shorthanded anyway.”

He rose to his feet and motioned for Kagashi to do the same.

“Our country will welcome your clan. Serve your new nation with all your strength.”

“Ohhh, thank you.”

“From now on, the White Snakes will be my eyes and ears. But you, Kagashi—I want you to step into the open.”

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

“I’m telling you to serve me publicly as my vassal. I’ll make you my direct retainer, so learn to live in the sun, not just in the shadows.”

“I see...”

The White Snakes were, in essence, a clan of spies: useful to a ruler, but if left to operate solely in the dark, they risked warping into something dangerous, a breeding ground for devious schemes. By bringing their leader into the light as a formal retainer, Julius was laying the foundation for others to follow. It was the same approach Souma had taken by treating Kagetora and his comrades as trusted retainers.

Kagashi smiled and bowed his head. “We are deeply grateful for your consideration.”

◇ ◇ ◇

Returning to the present... The day had arrived for the ceremony celebrating the restoration of the Kingdom of Lastania.

The city of Wedan, along with its castle, had been adorned in splendor befitting a new capital. During the ceremony, King Julius and Queen Tia were broadcast live across the continent through a jewel. The festivities were grand and flamboyant, rivaling even the lavish wedding that had once been held for Souma in the Kingdom of Friedonia. What surprised people most, however, were the congratulatory gifts sent from the other nations.

King Souma of Friedonia, Julius’s brother-in-law, sent vast supplies arranged with Roroa, and even announced a package of financial aid for Lastania’s restoration during the broadcast.

The head of the Republic of Turgis, Kuu, sent a giant statue of Julius and Tia, along with his wishes for the kingdom’s reconstruction and for lasting friendship. Queen Shabon of the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Union gifted Tia treasures from her islands like pearls, coral, and other specialties. Their ally, the Nothung Dragon Knight Kingdom, contributed a dazzling aerial display, with dragon knights soaring in formation over Wedan and performing acrobatics to symbolize the strength of their ties.

These gifts were broadcast across the continent, once again displaying the Kingdom of Lastania’s connections under Julius’s rule. It was a message to those who scoffed at the resurrection of such a small nation—this was a kingdom backed by powerful friends.

Before Julius and Tia during the ceremony stood Jirukoma, Kagashi, and many other talented personnel who had drifted free amid the upheavals of the continent. The sight of so many capable retainers gathered at their side made the people of Lastania recognize that their kingdom was truly reborn. Just as Julius had hoped, the ceremony left the impression that the Kingdom of Lastania had been fully restored.

“It was incredible,” Tia would later remark, patting her son Tius gently on the head. “I’ve never had so many people celebrate me before.”

Julius smiled and whispered to the boy, “I’m going to borrow your mother for a moment,” before drawing Tia close and slipping his arms around her waist.

“Huh? Lord Julius?” she asked, startled.

“It’s all because I met you, Tia. That was the happiest event of my life.”

And with that, Julius pressed a tender kiss to her forehead.

Chapter 7: Lively Days in the Euphoria Kingdom

It had been some time since the reorganization of the continent. In Castle Valois, the capital of the Euphoria Kingdom, Queen Jeanne sat with her royal consort and prime minister, Hakuya, in the audience chamber, receiving guests.

Today’s meeting was with representatives of the Great Tiger Kingdom of Haan—a familiar occurrence by now. The visitors were Magistrate Lumiere and General Shuukin.

“I’ve seen you often at summits, but this is my first time paying my respects like this!”

The passionate voice belonged to a youth standing beside Lumiere. He clasped his hands together, bowed to Jeanne, and spoke with fervor.

“My name is Kasen Shuri. I serve as lieutenant general under Sir Shuukin in the Great Tiger Kingdom’s forces, and also as assistant to Magistrate Lumiere. It is an honor to make your acquaintance, Lady Jeanne!”

This was Kasen, known as the Crossbow of the Tiger for his exploits under Fuuga’s banner. His baby face and energetic manner gave the impression of an affable young man, while his evident respect for Shuukin and Lumiere reflected his sincerity.

Watching him stand so confidently at Lumiere’s side and speak so boldly...

Jeanne was at a loss for words. Since the guest had gone out of his way to introduce himself, etiquette demanded that she respond, but instead a strange silence lingered. Just moments ago, she’d been greeting Lumiere as usual. But after Kasen’s introduction, she looked from him to Lumiere, then back again. Her head lowered, and she began to tremble visibly.

“Is something the matter, Your Majesty?” Hakuya asked, frowning.

Jeanne lifted her face.

“Now...”

“Now?”

“Now you’ve gone and done it, Lumi!”

Her sudden outburst made Lumiere’s eyes widen.

“What’s this all of a sudden, Jeanne?!” Lumiere shot back in her usual tone, unable to help herself.

Jeanne rose from the throne, strode over to Lumiere, and pointed straight at the bewildered Kasen.

“You’re making this clearly diligent, purehearted young boy wait on you?!”

“Huh? You mean Sir Kasen?”

“Yes, I do! He’s younger, earnest, and a purehearted pretty boy who respects you. Do you not remember what you said back in officer school?”

“What I said in... Ah!”

Lumiere paused, her face going blank as a memory surfaced. A moment later, her cheeks flushed so red it was as if you could hear a poof sound effect go off. She whipped her head towards Jeanne.

“Jeanne! You remember that?!”

“How could I forget?! That was one of the fun conversations from the days when I could speak frankly with a friend, with nothing holding me back. I remember every last word!”

“Well, forget it! I mean, I didn’t want to remember it myself!”

Back then, Jeanne and Lumiere had both supported the reign of Empress Maria, though they would later become enemies over their conflicting ideologies. Long before that, however—back in officer school, before an injury pushed Lumiere onto the bureaucratic track—they had been the closest of friends.

Both were strikingly talented and beautiful, which had naturally drawn the admiration of many boys. But as the younger sister of Empress Maria, Jeanne had been seen as unapproachable, so the young men had never dared pursue her. Lumiere, on the other hand, had been viewed as the “more realistic” option, and thus had frequently found herself the target of romantic advances.

The older boys from prestigious families had been the most persistent, but it had been obvious they were interested less in her than in her reputation as a “beautiful and talented woman.” To them, she was a prize to elevate their own standing, not someone to be cherished for who she was.

That shallow treatment had left Lumiere with a deep distaste for older men.

After fending off the advances of yet another upperclassman, Lumiere slumped into a chair on the café terrace where she and Jeanne were having lunch, venting her frustrations.

“Ugh! Why are they all so full of themselves? My family is every bit as good as theirs, and they’re nowhere near as capable as I am. How can they think they’re better just because they’re a little older?”

“You’re in quite a mood again today, Lumi,” Jeanne sighed. “Was this one really that bad?”

“The worst. I politely declined, but he wouldn’t back off, and when I got blunt, he looked at me like I’d slapped him. Just how arrogant can you get? Ugh, I hope I never grow into someone like that.”

“He couldn’t have been more than a year or two older than you...” Jeanne said, half exasperated.

Stretching out across the table, Lumiere grumbled, “If he’s strutting around just because he’s older, then he’s already addled enough by old age. Men like that are the worst. An older guy would never suit me.”

“Oh, come on. You’ll start rumors that you’re into younger men,” Jeanne teased.

“I wouldn’t mind. Not like younger boys are interested in me anyway, so it’d just be baseless gossip.”

As a gifted and ambitious young woman, Lumiere was often pursued by older boys eager to ride her coattails to prestige. But that same strength made her intimidating to her juniors, and few dared approach her romantically. With visible irritation, she stabbed at the fried fish on her plate.

“Maybe I ought to start fancying younger men for real.”

“Whoa now...”

“If there were a pretty boy...someone younger, earnest, and who loved me with a pure heart...I’d be glad to have him as a partner. And if possible, he should be a strong warrior, not some bureaucrat.”

“Lumi,” Jeanne sighed, “I’m officially worried you’ll wait too long and end up never getting married.”

That was the memory from their school days—one Jeanne had never forgotten and which Lumiere had just been reminded of.

Now, as Queen Jeanne pointed straight at Kasen, she declared, “He’s younger, he’s earnest, he’s a purehearted pretty boy, and he’s even a lieutenant general! Look at you, Lumi! You’ve practically gone and caught yourself a dream partner!”

“Urgh... I won’t deny Sir Kasen fits the criteria! But is this really the time to bring it up?!”

“Sorry! But think about it! My friend, who once parted ways with me over our differing ideals, is now struggling to shoulder the nation for Fuuga’s heir. I was worried you’d be crushed by the pressure! Then I see you with the perfect partner, getting along so wonderfully—it makes me feel both relieved and foolish for worrying! My feelings are this jumbled mess of wanting to congratulate you, yet not being ready to accept it!”

“You don’t even know how Sir Kasen feels about me!” Lumiere snapped.

“U-Um...” Kasen stammered, eyes wide. “I hold you in the highest esteem, Madam Lumiere,” he said, bashful and red-faced.

““...””

Jeanne fixed Lumiere with a stare. With a soft poof, Lumiere flushed an even deeper shade of red. It was an expression Jeanne had never once seen from her back in their school days. A swell of emotion rose inside her, and she couldn’t help but smile with the serene satisfaction of someone who had achieved enlightenment.

“Congratulations. You have my blessing, Lumi.”

“Stop it with that enlightened smile! You went and landed yourself a reliable older husband too!”

“Don’t try to change the subject just because you’re embarrassed!”

“You think I’ll let myself be the only one embarrassed? If we’re dragging things out into the open, then I’ll tell Sir Hakuya exactly how much you used to swoon over older men!”

“Cut it out!”

At this point, they were no longer former colleagues, nor former enemies. They had completely forgotten they were supposed to be conducting diplomacy between the Kingdom of Euphoria and the Great Tiger Kingdom, and were instead bickering like schoolgirls. That in itself could have been seen as a heartening sign, given their complicated history, but considering this was supposed to have been a venue for bilateral negotiations, the atmosphere was far too relaxed. Which was why...

““Ahem.””

““Huh?!””

Hakuya and Shuukin loudly cleared their throats to put an end to the fight.

As silence settled over the chamber, Hakuya spoke first. “I must say, this talk of Her Majesty’s fondness for older men is most fascinating. I do hope you will indulge me with the details later...”

“Hold on, Sir Hakuya!” Jeanne protested.

“In order to make time for that conversation, let us first resume the meeting,” Hakuya continued smoothly, as if he hadn’t heard her.

Shuukin gave a sharp nod. “Yes. I shall send Madam Lumiere and Sir Kasen to you later, as a set. So let us return to negotiations.”

“Hold on, Sir Shuukin!”

“What do you mean, a set?!”

Both Lumiere and Kasen objected at once, but were promptly ignored.

Thus the negotiations resumed, with three of the five participants wearing looks of clear dissatisfaction.

◇ ◇ ◇

Around the time the lively bilateral meeting began, Elulu, who’d come to the Euphoria Kingdom with Shuukin and the others, was exploring Castle Valois with Jeanne’s permission, since she had grown bored of waiting for the talks to conclude.

Naturally, as she was a princess of the Spirit Kingdom of Garlan and a visiting general of the Great Tiger Kingdom, it would have been disastrous if anything happened to her. To that end, Hakuya had assigned guards to watch her from a distance, both to protect her and to keep an eye on her movements.

Earlier, Elulu had made a request to Jeanne: “I want to see your library that’s famous for being the best in the world!”

Her request had been granted, and a maid led her there.

They soon arrived at the Great Library of Valois, situated within the castle grounds.

The building, standing beside the flower gardens, looked grand enough to serve as the palace of a mid-sized nation. And in a sense, it once had. In earlier times, this residence had been used as a secondary dwelling for members of the House of Euphoria. Long ago, emperors had housed their mistresses here, but the estate had since been fully renovated into a library.

The writings of Castle Valois had once been stored in the Grand Archives, but the bibliophile Hakuya—serving as both royal consort and prime minister—had championed the establishment of this library together with his fellow booklover Sami, now head librarian. Its majestic exterior testified to the immense pride the kingdom took in this achievement.

They gather knowledge in books, and then pack those books into such an impressive building...huh? The Spirit Kingdom would never even think of doing such a thing.

Though the printing press had existed prior to Souma’s summoning, books had been prohibitively expensive for commoners, and literacy rates had been low. (This had improved considerably in the Kingdom of Friedonia after Souma’s arrival.) As such, the people did not have a culture of reading, nor had it been established as a form of entertainment.

That was why, for Elulu, the first thing that came to mind when she thought of books was their role as a “store of knowledge.”

People wrote books in the hope of passing their knowledge to others, and to future generations. Those who wished to learn from them would, in turn, read them. That was the nature of books. This desire to preserve knowledge was especially strong among the short-lived races, like humans and beastmen, who lived at most eighty years. Unlike elves or dragonewts, they could not rely on centuries of personal memory, so they poured their efforts into passing knowledge and feelings down to the next generation.

The long-lived races, on the other hand, felt less urgency to do so. For example, if a human wanted to learn about events from a century ago, they would have no choice but to turn to records. But a member of a long-lived race could simply ask one of their kin who’d lived through it. They could hear tales from a thousand years past with the same reliability as stories you might hear from your grandmother.

In Souma’s homeland, the Kojiki was said to have been compiled by Hieda no Are as a record of how the country (supposedly?) came to be. But in a nation of long-lived races, there were countless “Hieda no Are” figures still alive, carrying their memories directly. In such an environment, where history could be obtained from the very mouths of those who had lived it, the need to preserve knowledge in books was much weaker. This was the same in Elulu’s homeland—the high elf nation, the Spirit Kingdom of Garlan.

At last, Elulu stepped into the Great Library.

Even just a single step past the entrance left her overwhelmed. Shelves laden with books stretched out before her. The musty scent of paper and ink hung in the air, so different from the freshness outside that it felt as though she had wandered into another world. It was a forest of books—or perhaps a sea, or even a labyrinth.

This...is incredible.

Though Elulu had lived far longer than she appeared, she had never once seen a space filled with so many books. Nowhere in the Spirit Kingdom could boast even a tenth—no, perhaps not even a hundredth—of what was gathered here.

Bookshelves everywhere. I can see more on the upper floor, just beyond the stairs. Bookshelves upon bookshelves... This entire place is brimming with the desire of the short-lived races to leave their knowledge behind.

Elulu wasn’t in the habit of reading, but the sight before her was overwhelming, and in its own way, thrilling. When people were immersed in a world they didn’t know, it was exhilarating. It felt like wandering into Wonderland, or stepping into another world. This library had that same strange, exciting charm.

As Elulu stood there staring, the maid guiding her spoke up. “Lady Elulu, Her Majesty has said you may peruse anything outside the archive of forbidden books. Is there a genre you are interested in?”

“Huh?! Oh, well... I’m already satisfied just seeing how it looks, so there’s nothing I really want to read. But... Ah, I know!” Elulu clapped her hands as an idea came to her. “If this is a library, there must be a librarian, right? I’d love to meet them.”

“You mean Lady Sami? Just a moment.”

The maid bowed, stepped aside to speak with a passing librarian, then returned after a short while.

“Apologies for the wait. She is currently in the history section. Allow me to guide you there.”

“Huh?” Elulu tilted her head. “The head librarian isn’t in her office?”

“Yes,” the maid confirmed with a nod. “I’m told Lady Sami is taking some time off.”

“Huh? Then shouldn’t she be away from the library?”

“No, Lady Sami is a true lover of books. She spends her days off here reading.”

“Wow... She’s really into it, huh?”

They began walking. The doors had been removed from the rooms, so they could see inside as they passed. But wherever they went, it was nothing but row upon row of bookshelves, so there wasn’t much variety to look at.

At last, Elulu was led into one of those rooms, and...

“Farther right, Sir Gunther. No, too far. Okay, stop.”

“Here? About right?”

“Yes, that’s perfect.”

A large, gruff-looking man was standing with a young woman perched on his shoulders.

“Yoink... There we go.”

The woman placed her left hand on the man’s head for balance and stretched out her right to pluck a book from the high shelf. It seemed she had been trying to reach it herself, and the big man, Gunther, was helping her by letting her ride on his shoulders.

As Elulu stood there, still taken aback, the pair carried on their conversation without noticing her arrival.

“Thank you, Sir Gunther.”

“Think nothing of it.”

“Hee hee... But I think I could have managed with a ladder.”

“No, that would have been too dangerous at that height. If this oversized body of mine, which my colleagues always said was excessive, can be of use to you, Madam Sami, then you are welcome to call on me anytime.”

“Th-Thank you... In that case, could I trouble you to fetch a book from over there too?”

“I’m on it.”

With that, the large man strode towards another shelf, still carrying Sami on his shoulders. Elulu and the maid exchanged a glance.

“Wh-What do you make of that? It’s like watching two people fall in love for the first time.”

“The gentleman is General Gunther Lyle. He’s well-known for being stern and taciturn... But look at how he treats Madam Sami.”

“Could it be they’re in a special relationship?”

“Now that you mention it, my coworkers were gossiping the other day that they’d gotten engaged.”

“Love in the workplace! How romantic. I’m jealous... I’d like Lord Shuukin to carry me on his shoulders.”

“It’s the sort of thing women dream of... Ahem. Would you like to speak with Lady Sami?”

“No, no, I couldn’t possibly interrupt them. If anything, I’d rather keep watching, but I should leave before I become a bother.”

“You’re right.”

The maid nodded in agreement. Elulu chuckled.

“So, is there someplace we could sit and relax to talk?”

“You want to talk with me?” the maid asked, surprised.

Elulu nodded. “Yes. If your coworkers have shared any other love stories, I’d like to hear them.”

“Well, let me think... I’m sure I know a few.”

Elulu and the maid exchanged a look, then clasped hands firmly.

They were worlds apart in station—one a foreign princess, the other a servant—but having witnessed the tender scene between Sami and Gunther, they had found common ground as girls who delighted in gossiping about romance. Together, they headed for the castle’s visitor cafeteria, where they nibbled sandwiches and indulged in girl talk.

◇ ◇ ◇

The scene now shifts to the conference room in Castle Valois... Jeanne, Hakuya, Shuukin, Lumiere, and Kasen had moved there from the audience chamber and were now deep in negotiations.

Naturally, the room bustled with activity. Bureaucrats from each nation recorded the proceedings and relayed orders to their aides, while maids hurried about serving tea and snacks. Yet Jeanne and the others, absorbed in their talks, hardly noticed the commotion around them.

“Now then, there are veins of curse ore in the Great Tiger Kingdom, right, Lumi?”

“Yes. Based on our survey, we may not have as many as the Kingdom of Friedonia, but we did uncover a fairly large deposit. To make use of it domestically, we’re sending engineers to study in Friedonia... But for now, we’re simply relieved to have it as a valuable export.”

“Good. That means we can move forward on a tripartite trade agreement with you and the Spirit Kingdom.”

The five were negotiating commerce between the Euphoria Kingdom, the Great Tiger Kingdom of Haan, and the Spirit Kingdom of Garlan.

The vast Great Tiger Empire had been dismantled in the continent’s reorganization, while the Maritime Alliance had been absorbed into the broader Union of the Southern Continent. Though that placed the southern hemisphere’s nations into a loose union, it did not change the fact that ties with immediate neighbors remained vital. This was especially true for the Euphoria and Great Tiger Kingdoms. The two had once fought intensely, and though Jeanne and Lumiere sought reconciliation, lingering resentment still smoldered among their peoples. To ease those tensions, they aimed to deepen connections through trade. But the Great Tiger Kingdom, still in reconstruction, had struggled to identify any clear export goods.

That was when Hakuya had proposed searching for curse ore.

Though curse ore now formed the backbone of next-generation energy storage devices, its value had only recently been discovered by the House of Maxwell-Arcs. For centuries, it had been dismissed as a nuisance that disrupted mining. Who knew how much had been discarded across the continent, its worth unrecognized?

The reason the former Elfrieden Kingdom, now part of Friedonia, still possessed rich deposits was that its land, being mostly flat and poor in mineral resources, had left much of its curse ore untouched. By the same reasoning, Hakuya suspected the Great Tiger Kingdom, with its vast deserts, and the former Demon Lord’s Domain, abandoned by mankind for over a decade, might also hide large reserves.

His speculation proved correct.

“We can provide grain and building materials for reconstruction,” Jeanne continued. “In exchange, the Great Tiger Kingdom will supply us with curse ore. The Spirit Kingdom has spices and coffee as trade goods. If we manage these exchanges effectively, we can link the economies across the western side of the continent.”

“That’s right,” Lumiere agreed with a nod. “When goods move, people do too. That will create more opportunities for cultural exchange.”

“By the way,” Hakuya interjected, “what about the remaining monsters and dungeons in the Great Tiger Kingdom?”

“We are proceeding with extermination,” Shuukin replied. “Many adventurers have come to train in our land before venturing north, and with the help of the Seadians, we’ve cleared out the monsters near populated areas. But in the remote deserts, it’s difficult to confirm whether they’ve been eradicated.”

“It’s always hard to prove something doesn’t exist, after all,” Hakuya noted.

“Exactly.” Shuukin sighed. “If we could be certain the monsters were gone, we could begin developing the desert...”

If safety could be guaranteed, they could either plant trees to reclaim the desert or leave it untouched and draw tourists to its unusual landscapes. But for now, neither path was viable. Shuukin returned to the point at hand.

“We have also confirmed the existence of several dungeons. Because the land lay untouched for over a decade, we expect there are many more still undiscovered.”

“That’s...both a problem and a blessing.”

“Yes. The jewels are valuable, and dungeons draw adventurers, along with the merchants who cater to them. Perhaps we should market ourselves as the one country in the south still full of adventure...”

“That’s turning being undeveloped into an advantage! I knew you were smart, Sir Shuukin!”

Everyone smiled at Kasen’s candid reaction. Shuukin felt awkward; a plan born of desperation was being praised far too highly.

Lumiere loudly cleared her throat. “Well, we’ll do everything we can. So when Lord Suiga eventually succeeds us, he’ll inherit a country worth having.”

“Lumi...” Jeanne’s expression clouded.

“Sir Suiga is still just a child,” she said. “Isn’t it too soon to assume he’ll inherit the throne for certain? I imagine there are still those in the Great Tiger Kingdom bound by the phantom of the great Fuuga.”

“...”

“Is it right to make Suiga bear that burden? Will Madam Yuriga truly consent to her nephew being forced to shoulder her brother’s sins? Wouldn’t it cause less confusion if you or Sir Shuukin were to rule instead?”

Jeanne’s concern cast a heavy silence over the room. Eventually, Lumiere nodded.

“I know all of that, Jeanne. If Lord Suiga refuses, we won’t force him. Preserving the late Lord Fuuga’s phantom matters less than protecting the son he and Lady Mutsumi left behind. Isn’t that right, Sir Shuukin?”

Shuukin nodded firmly. “Of course. I’m sure Fuuga himself would say, ‘My dream was mine alone to chase. Suiga, live the way you want.’”

The words fit Fuuga’s character so well that everyone present believed he might truly have said them.

Lumiere nodded again. “If Lord Suiga chooses not to inherit, that’s fine with me,” she said, her voice soft with nostalgia. “But I want him to have the option to inherit the country his parents left him, if he wishes. Only then can he make a free choice, once he learns how Lord Fuuga and Lady Mutsumi lived.”

Her words carried both longing and lament for those now gone.

“I see...” Jeanne murmured. She could press no further. She could sense that, whatever Suiga ultimately decided, Lumiere and Shuukin would support him wholeheartedly.

◇ ◇ ◇

After that, they settled the remaining points of negotiation, bringing the talks to a close.

Ordinarily, the Euphoria Kingdom would have hosted a banquet for their guests from the Great Tiger Kingdom, but since relations were still delicate, they chose to postpone it. Jeanne didn’t want Lumiere and Shuukin to endure an uncomfortable evening.

In its place, the groups split by gender. Hakuya, Shuukin, and Kasen gathered in Hakuya’s room to share drinks, while Jeanne, Lumiere, and Elulu enjoyed a tea party in the gazebo of the flower garden. Naturally, both groups were accompanied by guards and attendants.

“It’s such a pretty garden. I’ve never seen anything like it in the Spirit Kingdom.” Elulu’s eyes sparkled as she admired the blossoms.

“You don’t have gardens there?” Jeanne asked, tilting her head.

“That’s right. Partly because we don’t build stone castles or large structures, but also because, in the Spirit Kingdom, we believe flowers belong in the wild. The idea of enclosing them in a garden feels unnatural to most of us... That’s why this is my first time seeing a garden with so many flowers.”

“Oh, I see... I should have been more considerate,” Jeanne said apologetically, but Elulu quickly shook her head.

“No, no, not at all! It’s just a difference in perspective between countries. Back when I lived in the Spirit Kingdom, I thought our way of thinking was the only natural one. But once I left and saw the wider world, I realized how narrow my view had been. Wildflowers are beautiful in their natural state, but these flowers, cultivated over generations to please the eye, are just as lovely. What people value and find beautiful varies from person to person, and from nation to nation.”

““Th-That makes a lot of sense...”” Jeanne and Lumiere said together, equally impressed.

For all her tomboyish curiosity, Elulu’s words carried the grace of a princess.

Then, as the three of them were chatting...

“Oh my, you sound like you’re having such a fun conversation.”

“““Huh?!”””

The trio turned towards the sudden voice. There stood Jeanne’s elder sister, Maria, smiling warmly with her daughter Stella in her arms.

While they were still caught off guard, Maria pulled up a chair and said, “I think I’ll join you.” She gently shifted her daughter so the little girl faced Jeanne. Stella was an adorable child, a miniature version of Maria.

“Look, Stella. It’s Auntie Jeanne.”

“Daa? Anjan?”

The toddler tilted her head in confusion.

“Urgh... Auntie...”

Jeanne stiffened, clearly rattled. She was still in her twenties, newly married and basking in that, so being called auntie struck her like a bolt. It would have been one thing if Stella had come up with it herself, but her sister introducing her that way was another matter entirely.

“Sister, don’t you think it’s cruel to suddenly call me ‘auntie’ like that?”

“Hee hee. But that’s what you are, isn’t it?”

“You know exactly what you’re doing, and that makes it worse!”

“Hee hee. If you want revenge, why not bring little Sei over?”

“He’s napping! And besides, you’d never let me get away with calling you auntie, would you?!”

“Hee hee hee hee.”

“See?! You’re not even denying it!”

Maria only smiled serenely, letting Jeanne’s flustered complaints roll off her.

For the record, little Sei was Jeanne and Hakuya’s firstborn child. His full name was Sein Euphoria. He had a darling face that took after Jeanne, with Hakuya’s black hair. Since Sein’s birth, Maria had made a habit of dropping by to play. She would lean over his crib, singing, “Big Sis Maria is heeere” while Jeanne gave her a cold look.

After watching the two sisters spar, Elulu leaned towards Lumiere and whispered, “Th-That’s Madam Maria, the former empress, isn’t it? She’s more frank and open than I expected.”

But Lumiere didn’t answer.

Finding that odd, Elulu turned and saw the pained expression on Lumiere’s face as she watched Maria. She looked as if she might burst into tears at any moment, yet still forced herself not to look away.

Maria noticed and offered her a gentle smile.

“It’s been too long, Lumiere.”

“Huh?! Oh... Yes. Good to see you too, Lady Maria.” Lumiere’s voice sounded tight, as though she had to force the words out.

“Have you been well?” Maria asked softly. “You haven’t fallen ill? Are you eating properly? You always had a tendency to overwork yourself, so I worry.”

“Um, uh...”

“Sister, you’re starting to sound like one of those nattering town ladies,” Jeanne interjected, stepping in when she could no longer watch Lumiere struggle under the barrage of questions.

Maria puffed out her cheeks.

“Well, I have been worried all this time. This girl is even harder on herself and on others than you are, Jeanne. She was always awkward with people, stubborn, not very good at navigating social situations. Without you there to understand her, I worried how she was getting along.”

Because Jeanne and Lumiere had been best friends, Maria had often interacted with Lumiere using her private persona, and she had come to know her personality well. In truth, Maria had treated her more like a sister than she had Trill—her actual sister, who was always shut away in the laboratory doing research.

“I... I have no right to your concern,” Lumiere said at last, as if steeling herself. “I pledged allegiance to the Great Tiger Empire alongside Krahe and played a part in the collapse of the Gran Chaos Empire. I betrayed my close friend Jeanne...and you, who had always been so kind to me. So...I don’t deserve it.”

“L-Lumiere...” Elulu muttered, unsure how to respond. Maria silently shook her head.

“If you claim responsibility for the collapse of the country, then I was the leading actress,” Maria said calmly. “The Gran Chaos Empire had grown too large, burdened with the feelings of too many people. It was no longer possible to rule in a way that pleased everyone. By then, only the unending charisma of a saint or a hero could have held it together.”

“Sister...” Jeanne’s expression changed to worry, but Maria continued.

“I grew tired of being upheld as the Empire’s saint and felt smothered beneath everyone’s expectations. I wanted to reduce the country to a size that could actually be managed. With Sir Souma of Friedonia as a reliable ally, and with Fuuga Haan’s rise in the Great Tiger Empire, I no longer needed to shoulder the world’s fate alone. That only made my desire to step back stronger. Even then, I knew there would be those who would abandon me.”

“You’re saying you anticipated our betrayal?” Lumiere asked quietly.

“No,” Maria said, shaking her head. “I never knew who it would be. It wouldn’t have been strange if Jeanne or even Sir Gunther had left me out of kindness, saying they wanted to ‘set me free from the burden of being empress.’ I didn’t know who...but I was certain many people would leave me.”

“...”

“Unlike Krahe, you didn’t retreat into delusions. You’ve continued to take responsibility for your choice. That’s why I can affirm it.”

When Maria smiled at her, Lumiere suddenly understood.

Though Maria spoke of people leaving, she had never once called it betrayal. That meant Maria did not see her as a traitor. Maria did not blame her at all.

The pain lingering in Lumiere’s heart came not from Maria’s judgment, but from her own self-loathing.

If Maria had blamed Lumiere, she could have begged for forgiveness. But with Maria instead affirming her choice, Lumiere was left to bear the weight in her chest alone. She would have to come to terms with herself.

It all depends on what I do from here, huh...

How her decision was judged would be determined by what she achieved from now on. If she wanted to stand tall, she had to keep moving forward. As Lumiere gathered her resolve, Maria, having passed Stella into Jeanne’s arms, leaned closer and gently cupped Lumiere’s cheeks in her palms.

“Hey now. Don’t make such a scary face.”

“W-Wud awe yew dewing?!”

Maria ignored Lumiere’s muffled protests and kneaded her cheeks with a teasing smile.

“Thinking ‘I have to try my hardest’ is a trap, you know? It narrows your vision, pushes you too far, and eventually leaves you stuck. Worst of all, it blinds you to the people around you who care. We’ve already seen a perfect example of that, haven’t we?”

“...”

“If you stay calm and look around, you’ll notice the eyes watching over you, the hands reaching out to help. Even if no one is close by, there will still be people thinking of you from afar. Jeanne and I are among them. As long as you remember that, you’ll never be alone.”

“Lady Maria...”

Lumiere placed her hands over Maria’s and closed her eyes. Images and voices came to her—Fuuga and Mutsumi walking ahead, seen from behind; Shuukin and her comrades who had built up the Great Tiger Kingdom with her; Jeanne and Maria, who still thought of her even after parting ways; and...

“Madam Lumiere!”

...the unwavering eyes and bright smile of the young colleague who admired her so deeply.

It’s true... I’ve never been alone at all.

Opening her eyes, Lumiere gave Maria a small, genuine smile.

“Thank you, Lady Maria. I think I can keep on trying...together with everyone else, of course.”

“Hee hee. That’s good to hear.”

Maria smiled warmly at her. Then, all of a sudden...

“By the way, just now, you had the softest, warmest look on your face, didn’t you?”

Her smile turned mischievous, and Lumiere’s eyes flew wide.

“Huh? Did I?”

“You diiid. Now, just who were you thinking of to make your face so gentle, I wonder?”

“Well, it wasn’t really anyone... I don’t think...”

“Sister. It seems Lumi’s finally found the man of her dreams.”

“Jeanne?!”

Lumiere nearly jumped out of her seat as Jeanne casually exposed her secret. At once, Maria’s eyes sparkled with intrigue.

“My, my, my! Now that’s something I have to hear more about!”

“N-No... Um... J-Jeanne! You should’ve kept your mouth shut!”

“Stella. You’d make me so happy if you called me Big Sister Jeanne.”

“Awoo? Bisisjan?”

“Hey! Quit ignoring me!”

Jeanne simply played with her niece Stella, brushing off Lumiere’s flustered protests. Not long ago, the conversation had been heavy and heartfelt, but now the gazebo echoed with laughter and lively chatter, like a cheerful tea party.

Amid the commotion, Elulu felt just a little left out.

Well, whatever. Lumiere looks like she’s finally blowing off some steam. Maybe that’s what coming home does for you. I wonder... Should I go back to the Spirit Kingdom sometime too? Of course, I’d bring Lord Shuukin with me... Nom!

With that thought, she bit into a piece of cake and smiled in bliss.

Chapter 8: And on the Eighth Day

King Souma E. Friedonia had seven beautiful queens.

This was a fact known not only to the people of Friedonia, but to nearly everyone across the continent. As the Kingdom of Friedonia had played a central role in forming the Union of the Southern Continent, its prestige ensured that tales of Souma and his family spread far and wide.

Having taken queens of differing races and backgrounds, Souma was—at least in the eyes of many men—living the dream. Naturally, it stirred both envy and spite. From that, rumors occasionally arose that King Souma was little more than a lustful philanderer.

From Souma’s perspective, however, each marriage had come about through unique circumstances, often born of duty or necessity. If anything, he likely bristled at the notion. Yet to chase down rumors born not of hostility or rebellion, but of drunken jealousy, would have been a waste of effort. And so the king and his people simply let them be.

Thus, some years after the continent’s reorganization, when peace was firmly secured, this song began to echo in taverns:

King Souma, in Parnam Castle, has seven wives.

A different one for every night.

On the first day, he goes to Lady Liscia, that bold and clever mother of the nation.

On the second day, he goes to Lady Aisha, that peerless warrior maiden.

On the third day, he goes to Lady Juna, that country’s top lorelei.

On the fourth day, he goes to Lady Roroa, that adorable, cheerful lady of wit.

On the fifth day, he goes to Lady Naden, the dragon girl who tells the weather.

On the sixth day, he goes to Lady Maria, the noble and kind angel.

On the seventh day, he goes to Lady Yuriga, that innocent ball-kicking girl.

But who does he visit on the eighth day? Who is left then?

It was a song sung by drunkards.

Up through the seventh day, the song was little more than a counting song for Souma’s queens, but then it asked who was left for the eighth day.

The implication, of course, was that while Souma had seven wives publicly acknowledged, there might, in fact, be an eighth. The reasoning behind this was simple: This world’s week had eight days.

To put it in terms of Souma’s old world, it was like having a week that went Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday...and then a “second” Sunday. (The actual names of the days were unique to this world.) Government offices generally worked through Saturday, with the two Sundays as days off. So, with eight days in a week, and Souma being cast as a supposed sex fiend, the drunks reasoned he must spend one night with each queen. That left one day unaccounted for, which led them to joking speculation that there was someone else.

The mystery of this eighth queen only fueled their amusement. She became their Nessie, their Bigfoot, their Tokugawa treasure—an enduring subject for half-serious arguments over drinks. The very fact that people could enjoy such trivial debates was, in a way, proof of how peaceful the world had become.

Incidentally, the most popular candidate for the role was none other than Excel Walter. The famed former commander in chief of the National Defense Force, and grandmother of Souma’s first secondary queen, Juna. Excel was a member of the long-lived sea serpent race. Her beauty was unchanging, and she had a reputation for having married several times over her long life. Naturally, this led to whispers that she might be involved with Souma as well.

Because of her familial tie to Juna, such a relationship could never be made public, so rumor cast her in the role of mistress. When a reporter from ParSpo (short for Weekly Parnam Sports) asked her about it, she only smiled and said, “Am I His Majesty’s mistress? Hee hee, I’ll leave that to your imagination.”

The coy answer only fanned the flames. Later, when Souma fathered a sea serpent child with his second secondary queen, Naden, rumors flared again. Some whispered that the child was secretly Excel’s instead.

◇ ◇ ◇

At Excel’s manor in Lagoon City...

“Grandmother, please stop implying that you might be His Majesty’s mistress.”

It was the very day Excel had given her interview with ParSpo. Once the interviewer had left, Juna stepped out of the shadows where she had been watching and voiced her displeasure.

Excel hid her mouth behind her fan and gave a cheerful chuckle. “Oh, my. Juna, the reason I didn’t deny it outright was for your and His Majesty’s sakes, you realize?”

“Come again?”

“The people see me as a woman of many loves.”

“Because you are.”

“They think I’m inscrutable, a free spirit, a hedonist.”

“Which is also true.”

“They imagine it wouldn’t be strange if I took a liking to my granddaughter’s husband and laid hands on him for myself. That offends me a little, you know? I’ve never touched the husbands of my children or grandchildren. I’ve only ever shared a bed with the men I married.”

“...”

As Excel touched a hand to her chest and sighed, Juna’s face twisted into an awkward expression. She didn’t know what sort of look she should be wearing while listening to her grandmother talk about her history with men. It was a rare break in composure for Juna, who almost always wore a serene smile. Excel, unconcerned, carried on.

“If people believe I’m the so-called eighth queen, it prevents other, more dangerous rumors. Things may be peaceful now, but who knows if someone won’t try to exploit that opening in the future? By drawing their curiosity to myself, I’m shielding you from it.”

“I’m sure that’s one way of looking at it...”

Juna accepted part of Excel’s argument. But then she leaned forward slightly.

“So, how do you really feel?”

“All of your reactions when I pretend to be His Majesty’s secret mistress are just so funny.”

“Grandmother!”

Excel remained unabashed even as Juna scolded her. Despite her smile, Juna radiated an intensity that conjured the image of an intimidating statue looming behind her, arms crossed. Excel realized she might have teased her granddaughter a little too much.

“Now, now. Settle down. It’s true I’m acting as a shield for you, isn’t it?”

“...”

“And besides, isn’t it better for everyone if I draw the attention?”

Excel watched Juna closely as she spoke. Juna stayed silent for a moment, then let out a weary sigh. Apparently, Excel had a point. Excel sighed in relief.

“When it comes to His Majesty, you’re always so terrifying. You’re over thirty already, you know. Isn’t it about time you calmed down?”

“I’m still better than you, who hasn’t settled down even after living more than five hundred years.”

The grandmother and granddaughter stared each other down as they argued.

◇ ◇ ◇

Enough of that digression. If Excel was considered the leading candidate for the mysterious eighth queen, then her chief competitor was rumored to be one of the castle maids. There was historical precedent for kings and lords to take favorite maids as secondary partners. The rumors suggested this maid remained unacknowledged because she served one of the queens directly, and publicly elevating her might have angered them.

Incidentally, two famous maids—Serina, wife of Poncho Panacotta, and Carla, daughter of Castor and current captain of the Hiryuu—were excluded from the speculation. Serina was easily dismissed, as she was already married to one of Souma’s retainers. Carla, however, seemed a likelier target; as a former royal slave and a member of the House of Vargas, she had the right pedigree for rumors. Yet, given her family’s ties, it would have been far simpler to acknowledge her openly as a secondary queen rather than keep her a secret. Since that hadn’t happened, most agreed it wasn’t her either.

Thus, with Excel as the primary candidate and an unnamed maid as her rival, the third and most persistent rumor was that there was no eighth queen at all. The reason being that no matter how lecherous Souma was rumored to be, surely even he couldn’t manage to spend every night with a different queen.

Despite Souma having seven queens, there were no factional conflicts within the royal harem. Each queen energetically took the lead in her area of expertise. There were no whispers of cold relations either. The king and his queens, as well as the queens among themselves, all got along quite well.

Since it was unlikely that anyone was being left out of the nightly rotation, most assumed Souma spent seven nights a week with his queens. Thus, the “no eighth queen” faction insisted that on the rare remaining night, he simply rested. This theory was considered more plausible than the maid hypothesis, and many believed that if Excel wasn’t the eighth queen, this explanation was the truth. Still...it wasn’t all that exciting, and so it failed to capture much popular support.

As mentioned from the start, these were drunken ramblings. No one wanted a boring, sober answer.

Beyond the three main theories, wilder ones abounded—more a reflection of the speaker’s personal fetishes than reality. There was the claim that Souma had tried to make Tomoe, raised as everyone’s little sister, into the eighth queen, only for Ichiha to steal her away; the suggestion of a forbidden romance with the former queen, Elisha, who still appeared youthful despite being human; even whispers of homosexual affairs with Hakuya, Castor, or Ludwin. And so on, and so forth...

By that point, it was less gossip and more an airing of private fantasies, hardly worth listening to. The people who spouted such theories were usually well past tipsy, and drank themselves unconscious before reaching any conclusion.

Who was the eighth queen, really? Did she exist at all?

It would be some time yet before the world learned the answer.

◇ ◇ ◇

“Fwahhh...”

One crisp autumn morning, Naden the black ryuu glided lazily through the clouds. The warmth of the sun and the gentle breeze were so pleasant that I let out a big yawn as I rode on her back.

“What, Souma? Didn’t get enough sleep?” Naden asked telepathically.

“Uhh... Yeah. My schedule’s been brutal lately. With the summit coming up, there’s a ceremony for the new carrier, and a charity event hosted by Maria and Juna with Roroa cosponsoring. I’ve been wrestling with mountains of paperwork and only managed to finish in the middle of last night.”

“Well... Good work on that.”

“Yeah. It really wore me down this time...”

I hadn’t been this busy in ages. Lately, I felt exhaustion piling up faster than it used to. I was over thirty now, and I no longer had the stamina of my late teens and early twenties to power through endless desk work. The next generation was coming along nicely though, so I hoped I’d be able to pass the crown down to Cian before too long.

Maybe I’ll abdicate in another five years or so, I thought with a sigh, when...

“W-Well, you can relax at that girl’s house today. You can probably take it easier there than at the castle, right?”

Naden deliberately made her telepathic voice sound cheerful for my sake. The castle was both my home and my workplace, which made it hard to separate duty from private life. Even on days off, bureaucrats would come knocking if something urgent came up.

“I’m sure glad to have a home away from home.”

“I can hear it in your voice... But isn’t that how weird rumors about you get started?”

“Huh? You mean the eighth wife stuff?”

“It’s just dirty speculation, and they’ll never get close to the truth, but doesn’t it bother you?”

“If that’s all the rumors amount to, let them talk. They gossip because they don’t have enough stimulation, and that lack of excitement is proof the country’s at peace. Besides...it’s not like I can completely deny the rumors. Better to leave it at that than make half-hearted excuses that spark even wilder stories.”

“Hmm... Well, if you’re fine with it, then okay.”

As we talked, we reached the skies above our destination, a town just beyond Parnam Castle’s walls. Though it had no fortifications of its own, it sat along the highway, so all the major trade guilds kept branches there, and the place was reasonably bustling. On a hill overlooking the town stood a single house.

Naden quietly landed in the woods near the house. Because her black ryuu form stood out too much, the royal family had claimed this forest and built a hidden landing site so we could come and go unnoticed.

For that same reason, the Black Cats were stationed in the town at all times. They kept people out of these woods, which were now considered forbidden ground.

“Okay, I’ll be back tomorrow morning to pick you up,” Naden said after setting me down and shifting into her human form.

“Got it. Thanks, Naden.”

“Well, at least try to get some rest today. Bye.”

With that, she changed back into her ryuu form and soared into the sky. I waved until she was out of sight, then turned towards the nearby house. As I approached, I circled around to the back door, because I knew that was where she’d be. Sure enough, just as I expected, the lady of the house was humming as she strung laundry between two trees.

“La, la, la...”

Wearing an apron, she cheerfully hung up children’s clothes. Beside her, a round little figure passed her the laundry.

“Heyyy!” I called out as I approached.

“Hmm? Oh, welcome home,” she said with a smile.

At that, the roly-poly figure dashed over to me. It stood barely two heads tall, with its head wrapped in white silk and a basket strapped to its back. It wasn’t carrying its usual weapon, the naginata.

Did that round body belong to Dora*mon? Or maybe President Ar*a? No, it was Little Musashibo.

I placed a hand on Little Musashibo’s head and reclaimed the consciousness I’d implanted there with Living Poltergeists. It wouldn’t have been a problem to leave it, but when my main body was nearby, having two versions of myself in the same place got confusing.

As soon as I did, she pointed at Little Musashibo, now just a lifeless kigurumi.

“Mister Musashibo was telling me you were busy with work. Did it go all right?”

“I sure was, let me tell you... I just barely managed to get through it. It was exhausting, though...” I said, recalling the mountain of tasks I’d only just finished yesterday.

“Well, good on you for sticking it out. Once I’m done with the laundry, I’ll have to reward you for all that hard work.”

She snickered as she said it. She hadn’t changed one bit from the easygoing girl I’d first met.

I walked over, picked up the laundry basket Little Musashibo had been holding, and said, “I’ll help, Juno.”

“Oh! Thanks, Souma.”

And so, Juno and I hung the laundry together.

◇ ◇ ◇

It had all started a few years earlier, around the time Juno’s party disbanded. Backed by Souma and other high-ranking figures in Friedonia, they’d ventured into the northern lands before other adventurers, carved out their share of exploits, and after a few years, had grown accustomed to life up there.

“Dece and I are thinking it’s about time we retire, settle down, and start a family,” Julia the mage said one day.

They were in a corner of the Adventurers’ Guild dining hall, sharing a meal with the whole party, when she dropped the news.

Dece, the party’s fighter and leader, was sitting beside her. Julia’s words made the others—Juno the thief, Febral the priest, and Augus the brawler—exchange glances.

Oh, it’s already that time, huh?

They were surprisingly calm about it.

The life of an adventurer had its thrills, with dungeon dives and treasure hunts. But most of the time, especially in peaceful eras, they were little more than jacks-of-all-trades, picking up odd jobs to help townsfolk. Exploring the northern frontier was a new addition, sure, but at its core, the work was still hard manual labor.

The average retirement age for male adventurers was before forty, while for women it was just under thirty. The difference came from many women choosing to leave the dangerous profession in order to marry, have children, and start families. This mindset was mostly limited to short-lived races like humans and beastmen. Long-lived races, such as elves, often continued adventuring well past one hundred. Even so, among shorter-lived races there were always some women who chose to keep adventuring rather than settle down.

Julia, however, was not one of them. She and Dece were well-known to be deeply in love, and marriage had long been on the horizon. So Juno and the others had assumed Julia’s thirtieth birthday would mark the point of their retirement.

Augus turned to Dece.

“You’re retiring too? I get Julia hanging it up. She’s turning thirt— Gwagh!!!”

Before he could finish, Augus toppled out of his chair, clutching his shin and writhing. Someone had kicked him under the table. It was obvious who.

Febral cleared his throat and tried to shift the mood. “We understand you’ll both be retiring after the wedding. But couldn’t you keep adventuring even after that, Dece? I imagine you’ll want to return to Landia, where it’s easier to raise children, but surely there’s work there too.”

“Y-Yeah. That’s what I was trying to say,” Augus added hastily, still rubbing his leg.

“Yeah.” Dece nodded. “We thought about it, but...well, you know how it is.”

“How what is?” Augus asked.

“We’ve made plenty of money since coming north, haven’t we?”

““...””

Juno and Febral understood exactly what Dece meant. By facing the unknown monsters of the northern continent, they had gathered rare materials. Since these resources were unheard of in the world of the south, they fetched incredibly high prices. In the past, adventurers had had to accept they wouldn’t make much unless they were truly exceptional. But with the northern frontier opened, adventuring had become a strike-it-rich occupation, full of frontier spirit. And Dece’s party had gotten there first (thanks to Juno’s connections with Souma), which meant they had earned a fortune.

“Well, we do have a lot of money put away.”

“Enough to start a new life and still have some left over.”

Though Juno and Febral said this, Augus only blinked in confusion.

“Huh? You people have been saving money?”

“Well, yeah. If we’d gone out partying every time we got paid and swapped out our equipment as often as you do, we wouldn’t have managed it,” Juno replied, her exasperation slipping through.

Because adventuring was full of daily danger, some, like Augus, chose to live entirely for the moment, never putting anything aside.

“Well, anyway,” Dece said, “once Julia and I are married, we’re planning to return to the Kingdom of Friedonia and live a peaceful life there. I haven’t lost the spirit of adventure, but I want to protect Julia and our future children.”

“Dece...”

“So, with that said, what do the three of you plan to do once we’re gone? Will you keep adventuring?”

When Dece finished, Juno, Febral, and Augus exchanged glances.

Febral was the first to answer.

“In that case, I think I’ll return to Friedonia as well. After learning about the monsters of the north, I’ve been thinking I’d like to contribute to the field of monsterology at the Royal Academy.”

Next came Augus.

“I’m gonna keep adventuring. I want to see how far I can go in this world. Maybe I’ll join another party, or even start one myself. That could be fun.”

Febral had academic aspirations, while Augus intended to keep chasing the adventurer’s path. That all but confirmed the party would disband. And with that realization, the other four turned their eyes to Juno.

“What about you, Juno?” Dece asked. “What do you want to do?”

“M-Me?” Juno blinked rapidly.

She was in her late twenties, soon to be thirty. Old enough to keep adventuring a while longer, yet perhaps the breakup of the party was the perfect time to reconsider her future. Did she want to go on adventuring? Get married? Have children? Or do something else entirely?

“Urgh... It’s a lot to think about all at once...”

So many possibilities ran through Juno’s mind that she felt overwhelmed.

“Hee hee,” Julia giggled. “If you’re that torn over it, why not ask someone for advice?”

“Advice? From someone other than you three?”

“Isn’t there someone else you trust just as much?”

At Julia’s words, a roly-poly silhouette came to Juno’s mind, along with the warm, reassuring face of the man it belonged to. He, and those around him, would surely listen to her worries and take them seriously.

Maybe I’ll go to them. It’s been a while since our last “tea party.”

With that, Juno made up her mind.

◇ ◇ ◇

“And so, yeah, that’s how it all happened.”

One night, out on the castle balcony, Juno told me about her party’s disbandment. Of course, I already knew most of it from the messenger kui that had arrived shortly before she did. That was why we’d been able to have a tea party waiting for her. Liscia and Aisha were there as well.

After hearing Juno out, Liscia set her cup down and spoke with a soft smile. “I see how it is. You want to celebrate for them, but at the same time, it leaves you feeling lonely.”

“After all, you’re being separated from the people you worked with for so long,” Aisha agreed. “No one can blame you for feeling that way.”

Juno nodded, a wry smile on her face.

“Well, yeah. They were like family to me. I’m happy for them, but also sad... And I can’t imagine working with anyone else.”

“Family... That reminds me, do you have parents, Juno?” Liscia asked.

Juno shook her head. “They’ve both passed away. That’s why I was able to take up adventuring with a light heart.”

Leaning back in her chair, she lifted her gaze to the night sky, her expression troubled.

“I don’t plan to keep adventuring without them, but I don’t have a home to return to or a family trade to inherit. I can’t think of anything new I want to learn, or a path like Febral’s to follow, so I’m at a loss.”

She sounded like a student unsure which subject to major in—only her uncertainty was about a life, not a course.

“You and your party helped us during the war,” I said. “I can probably help you find work. If you want, I can even offer you a position at the castle.”

Juno groaned and considered the offer with a frown.

“Working in the castle feels too stiff for me. Besides, the guild hires retired adventurers all the time for reception work, paperwork, things like that. They always want people who’ve been in the field. So I’m fine as far as employment goes too.”

“Hmm. So what is it that you’re unsure about?” I asked.

“Um, well...you see...” Juno avoided my eyes, searching for words. “When I heard Julia and Dece talking about married life, it made me think... You know, about getting married, starting a family, and having kids. But I’d need a partner first, and the person I trust most is...”

She shot me a meaningful look.

“Huh? Me?” I blurted.

“...Mister Musashibo. The one you control.”

“Oh!”

That made sense. Juno and I had adventured together through Little Musashibo, and I knew she trusted the kigurumi deeply. Little Musashibo “spoke” using placards, but for some reason Juno seemed to understand what I meant even without them.

“You have a doll fetish, Juno?” I teased half-heartedly. What’s the right term for this? Pygmalion complex? There were people like that, after all.

She waved her hands away, embarrassed. “No, no! It’s not that. It’s the sense of humanity I feel from Mister Musashibo. Like you’re always there inside him. Even when I’m talking to you, it feels like I’m talking to Mister Musashibo.”

“U-Uh-huh...?”

Was this like how people referred to the voice actor of an anime character, or the actor who played the pre-transformation form of a tokusatsu hero, as the person inside X? Recognizing them more as the character than the individual? Kind of like how we thought of Ivan Juniro and Silvan as one and the same. Or Kagetora and Geo—no, in that case, they really were two different people. Right.

Munch, munch.

“So, His Majesty is the object of your affection, Madam Juno?” Aisha asked, pausing between bites of her snacks. She hadn’t followed the conversation closely, but apparently she’d caught enough.

“Why not become a queen?” Liscia suggested. “We’ve known you a long time. You’d be more than welcome, you know?”

“Wait, why are you so eager to suggest that?!” I exclaimed.

“Because, with how peaceful it is, a trashy rag like ParSpo will publish speculation about who your ‘eighth queen’ might be. It doesn’t come up as much these days, but some women or their parents might take it seriously and try to approach you. I think we’d have less trouble if we filled that slot with someone I already trust.”

“That’s your reasoning?!”

“We promised each queen gets one day of the week with you. If your entire week is already spoken for, then we can easily dismiss any rumors about secret mistresses or hidden children.”

“Well, yeah, because I wouldn’t have time to make any!”

Tomoe already managed my schedule with the queens’ health in mind, so there was no room for that sort of thing. Of course, the public didn’t know that, so they were free to fantasize as much as they wanted.

Juno smiled wryly at our exchange. “Well, I wouldn’t say no to marrying Souma. I’m sure he’d let me keep doing what I like after marriage. But like I said before, castle life doesn’t suit me. And being a queen is so not my style.”

Wait... You’d actually be fine with marrying me? The women around me are all so cut-and-dried about these things...

Among common folk, marriage was often less about the individuals and more about the families involved. From a woman’s perspective, being able to continue the same free lifestyle she enjoyed before marriage was considered quite attractive.

As I was mulling it over, Liscia, sipping her tea with a calm expression, suddenly said, “Then it’s simple. Just marry him without becoming a queen.”

She said it so casually that both Juno and I tilted our heads in confusion.

“Come again? Are you serious about that?”

“Huh? That’s actually allowed?”

We were doubtful, but Liscia explained coolly, “This isn’t nice to say, but in peacetime, queens don’t really have any duties. They’re expected to produce heirs, but...we already have Cian and Kazuha, so no one’s going to pressure us on that point. Otherwise, a queen’s role is mostly ceremonial—appearing with the king at festivals and formal events. Historically, they also held salons and fought among themselves, but all of our queens get along well.”

“R-Right...” Juno replied, looking dazed.

Liscia was simplifying things a little. In truth, the lack of factional strife was because each queen had her own specialty to focus on rather than wasting energy on power struggles. It also helped that Liscia, as first primary queen, managed the rest of the queens (and me too, frankly) with skill and fairness. And we all respected her for it.

No, seriously. I could never say a word against Liscia. Yes. (Why do I suddenly sound like Poncho?)

Liscia smiled gently at Juno.

“My work assisting Souma, and Aisha’s role as his bodyguard, are things we choose to do, not obligations. Juna, Roroa, Naden, Maria, and Yuriga are all pursuing what suits them too. So even if you married Souma, you wouldn’t be expected to act ‘queenly.’ I don’t see any problem with you living in town.”

“Really...?”

“Yes. Well, Souma’s bloodline is valuable, so I expect we’d assign bodyguards to any children you have, just to watch over them from the shadows.”

As she said this, Liscia turned her gaze on me. I didn’t know how to describe it, but it left me feeling uncomfortably exposed.

“The blood of old humanity is more important than that of the House of Elfrieden.”

“We want as many bloodlines that can make use of overscience as possible.”

“Every country wants your blood, and they’re already asking to adopt children descended from it.”

“The more children you have, the better. Isn’t that nice for you, Souma?”

That was what her look seemed to be saying, without her ever saying it aloud.

While I sat there feeling uncomfortable, Juno just blinked.

“Is it really okay? I can live in town and not be a queen?”

“Yes. But are you okay with that, Juno? We’ll make sure you never struggle financially, but if you stayed in the castle, you could live a life of complete ease, with maids catering to your every need.”

“No, no, that’s so not my style! I don’t like people fussing over me more than necessary. I’d much rather live a relaxed life in town. So if you’re saying I’d be allowed to do that, then I’ll seriously consider marrying Souma.”

“Yes. I have no issue with it.”

Juno and Liscia exchanged smiles. Aisha, for some reason, was nodding along in satisfaction too.

Apparently I wasn’t going to be consulted... Every time another queen was added, the women worked it out among themselves and left me with almost no say in the matter. Still, Liscia and the others always took my needs into account and supported me in running the country, so I couldn’t exactly complain.

Juno was a trustworthy colleague—a war buddy, even. I didn’t dislike her, so I had no objections to her joining us as a bride, but... Y’know...

“Are you the type who wants a big wedding, Juno?”

“Nah, I’m not into big, flashy events. But if it’s just a small ceremony where I can invite my old party members, I’d be fine with that.”

“That sounds nice. I do hope you’ll let us attend as well,” said Aisha.

“Hee hee, I agree, Aisha. Let’s rent out a church in the countryside. We’ll be very particular about the dress, the decorations, and of course the cooking,” Liscia added.

“Huh? You can actually do that?” Juno asked.

“We have the connections,” Liscia replied. “We can make Father Souji officiate.”

“H-Hey. Isn’t he the current head of Lunarian Orthodoxy...?”

“Hmm... If we’re assigning guards, too small a venue will make it difficult to protect,” Aisha pointed out.

“Then why don’t we just build a new one?” Liscia suggested sweetly. “With Souma’s pocket money.”

As the three women chatted happily...

“...”

Slurp.

I sat there, sipping my tea and feeling completely left out.

After more discussion, it was decided Juno would marry me. However, we wouldn’t publicly announce her as a queen. Only those closest to us would be told, and they’d be strictly forbidden from speaking of it.

After the wedding, Juno continued working as a guild receptionist and living in town. At her house, there was always a Little Musashibo animated by my consciousness, handling her chores whenever she was busy.

As for me, the main body, I came by once a week to see her.

A commuting husband? I felt like some noble from the Heian Period. (Although instead of arriving in an oxcart, I showed up riding the back of a black ryuu.)

◇ ◇ ◇

Time now shifts back to the present...

“Come to think of it, Febral’s getting married soon. He sent me an invitation,” Juno said casually as we did the laundry together.

“Oh, wow. Who’d have thought,” I murmured, feeling a little sentimental.

“I know, right? Surprised me too,” Juno replied with a cackle and a nod.

Febral was about my age. After leaving adventuring behind, he shifted to monsterology, becoming a research student at the Royal Academy. (If Tomoe and her friends’ program was like high school and university, then being a research student was the equivalent of graduate school.) Drawing on his adventuring experience and the fieldwork skills he’d honed, he’d distinguished himself in ways most monsterologists couldn’t.

Most in his field lacked combat ability, relying only on reports and carcasses. Febral, however, had faced monsters firsthand, and even fought new varieties in the world of the north. His experience made him a living treasure trove of knowledge, so much so that, though he entered the Academy as a student, he quickly found himself teaching others.

Because he was so absorbed in his research, I had assumed he had no interest in marriage. When I said as much, Juno snickered.

“Get this. He even managed to land himself a nobleman’s daughter. He’s marrying into money.”

“A nobleman’s daughter, huh... Is she younger than him?”

“Yeah. I hear she was one of the research students.”

“He laid hands on his own student?!”

Febral had always been the glue that held his party together, a true man of character. I could hardly believe he’d crossed that line. But before I could finish being appalled, Juno waved her hand dismissively.

“Oh, no, no. It’s more like she laid hands on him. Apparently the girl was pretty aggressive with her advances.”

“The young lady’s a man-eater?!”

“She made her intentions clear back when she was still a student, even inviting him to her family home to introduce him to her parents. I hear Febral told Dece that while he appreciated the girl’s affection, she was still just a student, so he didn’t know what to do about it.”

“Well... All I can say is he has my condolences.”

The women in this country were adept at laying the groundwork and cutting off every avenue of escape as they guided things towards their desired outcomes. Some of my own wives had been like that, and I’d seen signs of it in my retainers’ marriages as well. Was it simply part of the national character?

“Wait, but she’s from a noble house, isn’t she? Didn’t her parents object when she introduced a commoner...and her teacher, at that...as a potential husband?”

“They’re apparently quite accepting of that sort of thing. He said she was from the House of *******.”

“Oh, that house. Yeah, they wouldn’t have any complaints.”

I was quite familiar with the house she mentioned. The chairman of the Monsterology Research Society back when Ichiha was at the Academy had married into that same family. Her name was...Sara, I think? A young lady from that house had set her eyes on the chairman and pursued him relentlessly—the same thing that had happened with Febral.

There were plenty of ambitious people in that house. But their ambition wasn’t treasonous; rather, it was focused on preserving the family and expanding it when opportunities arose. That kind of ambition did no harm to the country, so I held them in high regard. The family welcomed exceptional individuals without hesitation, which was why Febral had caught their attention.

“But y’know, I never would’ve imagined Febral becoming a noble,” Juno said with a merry chuckle.

“You could be royalty if you wanted, Juno.”

“I’ve told you, that’s just not my style. I like things the way they are now.”

“Well, it does give me a reason to get out of both home and workplace.”

In the castle, my retainers and servants were always watching, blurring the line between work and private life. Even now I had bodyguards nearby, so I wasn’t completely free, but being here in this homely, domestic space was an oasis for my heart.

As we talked, we finished hanging the laundry to dry. I picked up the basket, and we went back into the house together. On the way, Juno said, “Oh, speaking of marriage, it was so much fun seeing everyone’s reactions when we told them about ours.”

“You’re talking about that day, huh? It caused a huge uproar.”

Now that Juno mentioned it, the memory of that day came back to me...

◇ ◇ ◇

Some time after that first midnight tea party in ages, Juno called Dece, Julia, Augus, and Febral to the same tavern attached to the Adventurers’ Guild where Dece and Julia had once announced their marriage. She had probably made up her mind about what to do after the party disbanded. That was what her companions expected, but as soon as they arrived, they sensed something was off. The tavern was usually bustling even during the day, yet now it was strangely quiet.

Puzzled, they stepped inside. Juno was sitting at a large table...and next to her sat a roly-poly figure.

“Hmm? Ain’t that Mister Musashibo?” Augus asked.

“Did Juno call you here too, Sir Musashibo?” said Febral.

Little Musashibo raised a placard from his basket that read “Hello.”

It was the same communication method as that Saotome-style Anything-Goes Martial Arts panda used. He was as eccentric as ever, but Dece and the others were long used to it and let it pass without comment.

“You’re all here,” Juno said. “Um... Well, have a seat.”

The four did as suggested and took their places at the table.

“So, what did you want to talk to us about?” Dece asked.

“Juno, have you decided what you’re doing after the party disbands?” Julia added.

Juno cleared her throat loudly. “Yeah. Well, something like that.”

“Oh yeah...? So, what did you decide?” Dece pressed.

“There’s something I’d like to tell you all before that,” Juno said, rising from her seat.

Then she placed her hand on Little Musashibo’s head.

“Ahh... Ahem. Thank you all for gathering here today. The truth is...”

“Wh-What? Why are you suddenly being so weirdly formal?”

“Shut up, Augus. Just put a sock in it and listen,” Juno snapped before continuing. “Um, I, Juno Minazuki, will be marrying this man here. I called you all today to let you know.”

“...”

Musashibo rose to his feet and bowed silently beside her. As for the others...

““““...””””

They were stunned into silence. A marriage announcement out of nowhere. And the groom was a kigurumi suit. Dece, Augus, and Febral couldn’t pick their jaws up off the floor. The first to recover was the lackadaisical Julia, who managed only a surprised, delighted “Oh my.”

They had all seen Juno struggling to decide what to do with herself after the party broke up, and they’d agreed to support her no matter what path she chose. But to suddenly be introduced to her future husband, who turned out to be a man they knew only through a mascot costume, was more than they had bargained for.

“No, hold on,” Dece blurted. “There’s a man inside that kigurumi?!”

“Hmm?” Juno tilted her head. “Of course there is. And if I’m getting married, I’d prefer it be to a man.”

“No, no, no! Then...you know who’s inside the suit?!”

“Oh, right. You guys don’t know who he really is, huh?”

“No!”

“Nah!”

“I don’t know.”

“I’m not aware...”

The four of them leaned in eagerly as Juno, a little overwhelmed by their intensity, shrank back.

Come to think of it, although the castle had sent several requests to Juno’s party, they’d always arrived through Little Musashibo. It had never occurred to the others that Little Musashibo himself was the client. Only Juno, who attended the tea parties, had known the truth.

“I-Is that right?” Juno said, scratching her cheek awkwardly. Little Musashibo patted her on the back and shook his head in dismay. And then...

“I never thought you wouldn’t even know my gender.”

““““Huh?!””””

The sudden male voice had come unmistakably from Little Musashibo.

He straightened up, and then his dome-shaped head popped open like the lid of a rice cooker. Out stepped a man who looked to be just shy of thirty. He had plain black hair and nothing remarkable about his appearance, yet everyone instantly recognized him.

Juno puffed up her cheeks and nudged him lightly with her elbow. “I never had the chance to tell them. The castle’s requests were usually confidential.”

“Well, I understand that. But think how I must feel, having to reveal myself like this.”

“Hmph!”

Juno turned her head away with a pout. The man smiled wryly at her reaction, then turned to Dece and extended his hand.

“I’m sorry that this is how I ended up revealing my identity. It’s nice to meet you...though I suppose this isn’t really the first time. There was the awards ceremony in the castle after the Amidonian War... No, I guess I was in the kigurumi then. Oh, and the time we were attacked by ruffians at the refugee camp—you should have seen my face then. Still, this is the first time we’ve spoken directly.”

“Huh? Uh... Whuh?”

Dece was still reeling, but he automatically reached out and shook the offered hand. The man introduced himself.

“I am Souma E. Friedonia, the person inside Little Musashibo. I also happen to be a king.”

“Huh... What?! King Souma?!” Dece yelped, his voice cracking as the reality finally hit him.

As Souma scratched his cheek in embarrassment, Juno snickered beside him like a mischievous child who had just pulled off a prank.

“So? Hmm? How did you two get to know each other?”

I’d barely revealed myself, and Julia was already pressing forward, eager for details.

“How did we meet? You were all there the first time we met exploring the sewers under the capital.”

“That was Little Musashibo, right? When did you learn his real identity?”

“Um... Huh? When was it again?” Juno asked, glancing at me. I had to dig through my memories.

“There were a lot of close calls. Like I mentioned, I was inside Little Musashibo during the awards ceremony, and you would’ve seen my face at the refugee camp. Also... Oh, you met me with Kuu in the Republic, when we fought the zombie ogres.”

“Ahh! That was you too, Souma?!”

“Why are you surprised, Juno?” Julia asked in an exasperated tone.

Looking back, there had been plenty of events that tied us together.

“I revealed my identity to her after we returned from the Republic. About a year before the coronation, right?”

“Sounds about right, I guess? I spotted Little Musashibo in the capital when I had some time on my hands, so I tailed him out of curiosity, and we ended up inside the castle.”

“Huh?! You snuck into the castle?!” Dece’s eyes nearly popped out.

And of course, that reaction made sense. It was the equivalent of breaking into the prime minister’s residence in my old world. By this world’s standards, she could have been cut down on the spot if discovered. It was very much a crime.

Juno hurriedly shook her head. “I didn’t go inside because I wanted to! By the time I realized he had ties to the castle, Souma’s scary bodyguards had already surrounded me. And when I tried to run, they practically dragged me straight to him.”

“If we’d let you roam free, there was a good chance someone would have cut you down as a suspicious intruder. Taking you in was for your own safety. After that, we started holding what we called late-night tea parties, and little by little I told her about the castle,” I explained with a sigh.

“Hmm?” Julia tilted her head with a mischievous smile. “You’re so bold, Juno. Sneaking off to see the king for secret midnight trysts.”

“You’re making it sound bad! Most of the time the other queens were there too!”

“His queens approved of it? If you planned things that carefully, it’s almost more off-putting.”

“Why?!”

Juno’s cheeks burned red as Julia teased her. I figured butting in would only make things worse, so I stayed quiet and watched with a wry smile.

“I get it now,” Dece said with a satisfied nod. “That explains how Juno got us all those government jobs, like advertising the Ghost Festival, and acting as the advance party in the new world. Those came from you, Little Musashibo...no, I mean, Your Majesty.”

“Yeah. After she learned who I was, I had Juno handle the job requests. Oh, and feel free to call me Souma, or Mister Musashibo, or whatever you like.”

“Oh, yeah? Souma it is, then. But tell me, are you planning to bring Juno to the castle as one of your queens? Honestly, I can’t imagine her fitting in with castle life...”

Julia, Febral, and Augus all nodded in agreement.

“What do you mean by that?!” Juno protested. But it was clear they spoke out of concern as her companions, not out of fear she’d get caught up in palace intrigue. They were worried she wouldn’t be able to live true to herself.

Everyone knew Juno’s free-spirited nature was part of her charm. Life within the strict walls of the castle might smother that, and I understood their concern.

“Have no worry on that account. By Juno’s own request, I won’t make her a queen even after we marry. She’ll live in the castle town, and I’ll visit her regularly. I’ll see to it her daily life isn’t disrupted, and I’ll respect her wish to keep working at the Adventurers’ Guild.”

“Ohh, you’ve actually thought this through,” Dece said.

“I should add, Liscia and my other queens fully support the arrangement. In fact, it was mostly decided between them and Juno. I had little say in the matter.”

“Wait, why are you, the husband, being left out?!”

“Dece...” I rested a hand on his shoulder, probably with a rather benevolent look on my face. “Since you’re about to be married, let me give you a word of advice from someone who already is.”

“Wh-What is it?”

“When wives and their community stand united, a husband doesn’t stand a chance.”

“Huh...”

“We live in a society of good wives and wise mothers. They love their families and go out of their way to make their husbands look good in public. But their bonds with one another are strong. If you take your wife for granted and neglect her, the other wives will tear into you without mercy. That’s the end of you as a man.”

My words, born of experience, made Dece gulp. “I-Is that really...how it works?”

“Yeah. Think of it this way—if I neglected Juno, Liscia and the others would pillory me, and the children would look down on me too. They’re all active in different fields, so even being ignored by them could throw our internal affairs into chaos.”

“That’s a national crisis! Is this really how things go for the king they call a sex fiend?!”

“Well, our family’s a bit of a special case, but plenty of other families I know are much the same. Like the man they call the Red Oni, who never dares defy his childhood friend, or the fellow who remarried—or, well, can I even call it remarriage? The black tiger mask guy who married into the family of a widow.”

“So... You’re saying it could be the same with Julia?”

Dece glanced nervously at his bride-to-be. Julia simply smiled back at him. She was a gentle, easygoing beauty, but...something about that smile gave me Juna vibes.

“I think she’s got the potential...”

“Seriously?”

“But it’s true they do love their husbands deeply. If you accept that, respect it, and let her roll you around in the palm of her hand, you can build a happy household. I guarantee it.”

“R-Right. So that’s how it is...huh?”

I gave him a firm slap on the back, and Dece nodded, though a bit stiffly.

In the Kingdom, as long as a man cared for his wife, she would care for him. He’d be fine as long as he never forgot that. Still, the unwed Febral and Augus looked a little put off by hearing it, so I cleared my throat and changed the subject.

“Anyway, we’ve adventured together before—even if it was just me controlling a kigurumi suit—so if any of you ever need something, just say the word. I can’t act too openly, but I can at least line up jobs for you.”

“Oh! In that case, I do have a request...” Febral said, raising his hand hesitantly.

“Hmm? What is it?”

“Your Majesty... Sir Souma...you have Sir Ichiha, the leading authority on monsterology, as one of your vassals, don’t you?”

“Ichiha? He’s my little sister’s spouse, so he’s family now. But why do you ask?”

“Please! Please let me meet him! And if possible, allow me to become his disciple!”

“R-Right...” Now it was my turn to recoil at someone’s intensity.

Come to think of it, Juno had mentioned that Febral had been deeply moved by Ichiha and Hakuya’s illustrated encyclopedia of monsters, and revered Ichiha like a god. Clearly, that passion hadn’t cooled.

“A-All right. I’ll arrange a meeting for you later.”

“Thank you!”

While I was still overwhelmed by Febral’s intensity, Julia sidled up beside Juno, who was watching with an exasperated expression, and whispered in her ear. “Hee hee. You really landed yourself a good husband.”

“Julia?! W-Well, yeah...”

“I wish you happiness, Juno.”

“Y-Yeah. Thanks, Julia.”

Later, when Juno told me about their little exchange, I couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed.

◇ ◇ ◇

Turning back to the present...

I walked beside Juno, my wife of many years, carrying a laundry basket as I reminisced about those days. Hearing that Febral, who once seemed so put off by the idea of marriage, was finally settling down made me realize how quickly time had passed.

“By the way, Souma. Do you remember?”

Juno’s voice brought me back to my senses.

“Hmm? Remember what?”

“On the day I first learned who you really were, I said something to you on the castle balcony.”

The balcony? Which thing does she mean? As I puzzled over it, Juno chuckled.

“I told you, didn’t I? ‘If you ever get tired of life in the castle, tell me. I’ll take you on an adventure.’”

“Ohh. Yeah, you did say that.”

“Don’t you think our life now is sort of keeping that promise? I give you a place to rest when you’re worn out from the castle. Well...maybe it’s not exactly an adventure,” Juno said bashfully. The sight was so cute I shifted the basket under one arm and pulled her into a hug with the other.

“That’s true. But you should remember I said something too. ‘If you want to settle down somewhere, tell me,’ and, ‘I can set you up with work.’”

“Heh heh. Well, you could say I settled down here. You did set me up with work...and gave me something even more important.”

Just then, the side door of the house swung open.

“Ah, daddy!”

A three-year-old boy with green hair came rushing over.

I set down the laundry basket and scooped him up. “I’m home, Luka.”

This boy’s name was Luka Minazuki. My son with Juno. He had my brown eyes, but his green hair and rambunctious energy came straight from his mother. At that moment, he was waving his arms around wildly before tilting his head.

“You’re home? But you’re always here, Daddy.”

“Ahh... I guess I am.”

In Luka’s mind, I was always inside the Little Musashibo who did chores around the house, and sometimes I just stepped out of the costume. When he was younger, he’d actually thought Little Musashibo was his real father, and whenever I showed up once a week, he’d cry because a “stranger” had appeared in his home. After much desperate persuasion, he’d finally settled on the idea that both I and Little Musashibo were “Daddy.” A more thorough explanation would have to wait until he was older.

“Okay, Luka. What do you want for lunch? I’ll make anything.”

“Slurpy slurps!”

“Udon, huh. All right, udon it is.”

Luka loved udon, and he asked for it whenever he got the chance. I even made sure to keep the ingredients with me. As I picked him up and played with him, Juno suddenly called out my name. I turned to her, wondering what she wanted, and...

Mmf. Her lips pressed against mine.

“You’re kissing!” Luka announced, clapping his hands. He saw everything, which made it all the more embarrassing. Juno pulled back, a faint blush on her cheeks as she let out a playful snicker.

“Don’t just pay attention to Luka. Pay attention to me too, darling.”

Hearing her call me that brought a smile to my face.

Chapter 9: Masked Couple

One summer day, several years after the continent’s reorganization...

“Why, if it isn’t Lord Albert and Lady Elisha. Thank you for gracing us with your presence.”

“Ho ho ho. It has been some time, Sir Gatsby.”

“Thank you for your hospitality.”

The minister of finance, Gatsby C. (Colbert) Carmine, greeted the former king Albert and his wife Elisha upon their arrival in the city of Randel, which the House of Carmine had reclaimed. Colbert was spending his paid leave—one of the new systems introduced after the world’s stabilization—enjoying the hot summer season in his hometown.

During his stay, he’d received a message from Albert saying, “We’d like to visit,” and hurried to welcome them in person.

“I must apologize,” Colbert said with an embarrassed smile. “My wife is still getting the children dressed...”

Just then, a commotion echoed from upstairs.

“Hey! Corne, Pansy! Don’t run around naked!”

““Squee! Squee!””

“We’re going to Grandpa’s house, remember? We’ll leave you behind!”

““Gwandpa?! We’ll get changed!””

The voices belonged to the current head of the House of Carmine, Mio, and her two children with Colbert, Corne and Pansy. The children had inherited their mother’s adorable cat ears, along with her lively, tomboyish temperament, and often ran wild through the manor, leaving their parents at their wits’ end.

Colbert flushed with embarrassment at having his guests witness the household chaos and bowed repeatedly.

Elisha chuckled softly. “Liscia was just like that when she was young too.”

Albert merely smiled and pretended not to have heard. “Ahem... It’s no trouble at all. We’re the ones imposing on you so suddenly. Please don’t concern yourself.”

“Oh, no...”

Seeing the former king bow his head to him sent Colbert into a panic.

Albert straightened and smiled. “Your mother-in-law, the former Lady Carmine, was the wife of my irreplaceable friend, Georg. When I heard she had remarried, I felt I should come to pay my respects. After all, much like Georg, I’ve caused her my share of trouble as well. Wouldn’t you agree, Elisha?”

“Yes,” Elisha said, smiling gently. “I wanted to see her too. The lady hasn’t held a ceremony to celebrate her marriage, so I hoped to congratulate her in person. That’s why we’ve imposed on you today.”

Though already a grandmother, Elisha remained strikingly beautiful—an elegant woman with a serene charm that made even this simple visit feel dignified. Colbert could only bow his head, humbled by the royal couple’s grace and thoughtfulness.

Albert clapped him on the shoulder, still smiling. “And so, we were hoping to see her. Is the lady at home?”

“Yes, she’s in the other residence. It’s a short distance from here. We can have a carriage prepared, and...”

“No need,” Albert said. “We came by carriage ourselves.”

Randel Castle was no longer a noble residence but a public facility, serving as a government office, a wyvern landing site, and a storage depot. Castles were hardly comfortable for daily living in peacetime, so most lords of castle towns, including the Carmines, had moved into nearby manors.

Albert and Elisha had flown to Randel by wyvern gondola, then transferred to a carriage for the short ride to Colbert’s estate. After a brief exchange of farewells, they departed once more, this time bound for the Carmine family’s second home, arriving less than five minutes later.

They stopped at the gate to announce their arrival, and a butler promptly came out to greet them.

“Lord Albert, Lady Elisha. What an honor to have you visit. Please, come this way.”

He led them through the grand foyer, where a large man appeared before them.

Though dressed now in formal noble attire, the black sword tiger mask he wore made him unmistakable—the captain of the Kingdom’s intelligence unit, the Black Cats. The mask looked perfectly natural when paired with his usual armor, but with a tailored jacket and cravat, it gave him an oddly incongruous air.

Albert and Elisha both bowed politely.

“Why, if it isn’t the former king and queen. Thank you for coming to visit.”

“It’s been so long. Um... Ah, Sir Kagetora, was it?”

Kagetora tilted his head. “Why the long pause...?”

Albert chuckled. “Just my old age showing. I couldn’t quite remember which name you’re using these days.”

“I am Kagetora... I have no other name.”

“Ah, right. Well, we haven’t had the chance to say it properly, but congratulations on your marriage to the former Lady Carmine.”

“Congratulations,” Elisha added warmly.

Kagetora awkwardly scratched his cheek through his mask. “Thank you, ma’am. It is an honor to receive your blessings.”

Albert smiled wryly. “You’re far too formal. I’m retired now, and so are you. Treat me like Georg did, would you? You remember the night before Liscia’s wedding, when we stayed up drinking until dawn?”

“Heh... I’ll do my best,” Kagetora said with a faint laugh, earning a broad grin from Albert.

In the past, Kagetora would never have agreed. He would have insisted it wasn’t appropriate to treat a former king as a friend. Protocol demanded deference to authority, and any lapse might have been exploited by those with ill intent. But that era was long gone. Under Souma’s rule, the kingdom was stable, its people content, and its borders peaceful. Who Albert chose to call a friend was no one’s concern anymore, and that was something to be grateful for.

Elisha stepped forward and asked, “Where is the lady of the house? I was hoping to pay my respects.”

“I believe she’ll be here shortly,” Kagetora replied. “She’s just finishing her preparations.”

And just as he said that...

“Lord Albert, Lady Elisha. How good of you to come visit.”

...a quiet voice spoke.

They looked up to see a noblewoman resting one hand on the railing as she descended gracefully from the upper balcony. She wore the elegant attire typical of nobility, and on her head and back swayed a pair of cat ears and a tail, clear signs of her feline beastman heritage.

This, without a doubt, was Lady Carmine—the widow of Georg Carmine, mother of Mio, and now the wife of Kagetora. Or so Albert and Elisha thought, until they saw her face.

“Hmm?”

“Oh, my.”

Their eyes widened, not in recognition, but in surprise. Because they couldn’t actually see her face. Incredibly, the lady was wearing a mask. It wasn’t a full-face mask like her husband’s, but a half mask that covered only her eyes, much like the Phantom of the Opera, or the Red Comet. Studded with tiny jewels, it sparkled elegantly under the light, looking more suited to a masquerade ball than a household visit.

As Albert and Elisha stood momentarily speechless, the lady reached Kagetora’s side. She chuckled softly, like a mischievous girl delighted by her own prank.

“Hee hee. I hope you’ll forgive my appearance. In this household, we have a rule about wearing masks indoors.”

“There’s no such rule,” Kagetora muttered. “You’re just doing it because you feel like it.”

It seemed her mask was entirely her own decision. Kagetora had nothing to do with it, and if anything, he looked mildly put out by it. But the lady only smiled brighter.

“Well, you see, even after remarrying, my husband insists on wearing his mask inside the house. I thought it would look rather lonely if he were the only one, so I decided to match him.”

“I never asked you to do that...”

“Won’t Corne and Pansy find it strange if only you wear one?”

Kagetora fell silent at the mention of his grandchildren. He had no counter for that. It was clear who had the upper hand here.

Watching the exchange, Albert couldn’t help but think of his late friend.

Come to think of it, Georg was always at his wife’s mercy too. Despite his ferocity on the battlefield, he turned timid when it came to love. He even asked me to write his love letters for him. I suppose it’s only fitting that Sir Kagetora has ended up in the same position.

Smiling faintly at the thought, Albert found his eyes meeting Kagetora’s.

“What is it?” Kagetora asked warily.

“Ho ho ho. I was just remembering someone rather like you,” Albert said with a chuckle. “He had a stern face, yet cared deeply for his wife, and she always kept a firm hand on his reins.”

“...”

Kagetora looked mildly annoyed at Albert’s teasing grin, though the faint curve of his lips beneath the mask betrayed a hint of amusement.

“I see... But tell me, are you not the same?”

“Wh-What are you implying all of a sudden?” Albert asked, startled by the quick retort.

Kagetora’s tone remained calm, but the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. “It’s just that your wife is smiling behind you.”

“Elisha?!”

Albert turned, and froze. Elisha stood there, smiling sweetly yet radiating quiet authority.

“Darling. It isn’t nice to tease a newlywed couple. Let’s not, shall we?”

“Y-Yes, ma’am!”

Albert straightened up instinctively, almost like a soldier being scolded by his commander. Clearly, in both households, the wives were the ones holding the reins.

Afterwards, the group moved to the salon, where cheerful conversation filled the room, until two small voices chimed in.

“We’re hewe, Gwandpa!”

“Gwandma, we’re hewe!”

Corne and Pansy came toddling in, led by Mio and Colbert. The twins climbed confidently into Kagetora’s and his wife’s laps, perching there as if those seats belonged to them by right, bringing a smile to everyone’s faces. Though the couple’s habit of wearing masks made them seem eccentric, there was no mistaking it: beneath those masks was the image of a happy, loving family.

Chapter 10: Souma Goes to Yumuen

It happened sometime after the continent’s reorganization, once the world had finally settled down...

That day, I had summoned someone to the governmental affairs office in Parnam Castle. Liscia and I were waiting when a knock came at the door.

“Pardon me. You called for me, Your Majesty?”

“Yeah, I’ve been waiting. Thanks for coming, Colbert.”

“Thank you for your time, Sir Colbert,” Liscia added.

Before us stood the minister of finance, Gatsby C. Carmine. For some reason, he glanced about the room as if searching for something, or someone.

“Hmm? Is something wrong?” I asked.

“I was just wondering... Lady Roroa isn’t here, is she?”

“Roroa? Why?”

“Oh, no particular reason. It’s just that whenever you summon me here, it usually has something to do with one of her sudden ideas. Like when she wants to hold some grand event and expects me to ‘find the budget somewhere,’ or when she asks me to manage the loreleis’ performance schedules. I thought today might be another one of those times.”

“...”

He said all of that with such a straight face that I couldn’t even muster a retort. I glanced towards Liscia.

“Soumaaa?”

Her smile was...intense.

Ah. That smile means I’m looking at a minimum of thirty minutes of lecturing later. I’d have to make sure my coconspirator (well, the main culprit, really) Roroa, didn’t get away unscathed either. It wouldn’t be fair if only I got scolded.

Clearing my throat to change the subject, I said, “Ahem. Anyway, the reason I called you here today is that I plan to visit the Carmine Domain soon. I’d appreciate it if you could let Mio know ahead of time. It’d be rather inconsiderate of me to just show up unannounced.”

Colbert had married Mio Carmine, the current head of House Carmine. That was why I’d asked Colbert to pass a message to Mio, who was likely in Randel at the moment.

He blinked at me in confusion.

“You’re coming to our domain...? Um, is this an inspection?” he asked nervously.

It seemed he was worried that the royal family might have taken issue with something the Carmine Domain had done, hence my personal visit. Of course, those fears were unfounded.

“That’s not it,” I assured him. “I said I wanted to visit the Carmine Domain, but what I actually mean is a place within the domain, one that isn’t ruled by House Carmine.”

“You mean... Ah! Yumuen?” That was when Colbert caught on.

Yumuen, the capital of the former Lunarian Orthodox Papal State. It was home to the Grand Cathedral, the central seat of Lunarian Orthodoxy. Now that the Papal State had been dissolved, the city remained the sole holding of the faith, forming a small independent territory known as the Lunarian Orthodox Papal Domain.

Incidentally, the eastern half of what had once been Papal territory was now part of the restored House of Carmine’s domain, following its incorporation into the Kingdom of Friedonia after Souji dismantled the Papal State. During the war with the Great Tiger Empire, Mio had repelled the armies that invaded from the Papal State, then turned her forces around to fight in the final battle outside Parnam.

With Mio’s valor and her husband’s administrative skill, the Carmine family had proven ideal for overseeing the Lunaria Region and easing its assimilation into the Kingdom. As a result, Randel remained their capital while their holdings expanded northward, surrounding the Lunarian Orthodox Papal Domain.

“There’s no getting to Yumuen without passing through the Carmine Domain, right?” I asked.

“Well, yes,” Colbert admitted. “The surrounding territory is all ours.”

Much like the Vatican in Italy, the Lunarian Orthodox Papal Domain functioned as a city-state within Friedonia. Though most residents were clergy or their families, the city couldn’t sustain itself on its own. That was why Souji had permitted free movement in and out of the area except around the church facilities, and encouraged merchants and pilgrims to visit freely.

Public safety in Yumuen was maintained by troops from Friedonia’s National Defense Force. Since the Vatican was guarded by Swiss mercenaries, maybe some mercenaries from Mercenary State Zem or dragon knights from the Nothung Dragon Knight Kingdom would have been more appropriate, but Zem was no more, and Nothung’s dragon knights worshipped Mother Dragon, so they made a poor match for Lunarian Orthodoxy. That’s why we’d sent our guardsmen to maintain peace.

That being the case, though the city was nominally independent, the Lunarian Orthodox Papal Domain was strongly tied to the Kingdom of Friedonia, and in the minds of many, Yumuen was just another city in the Carmine Domain. That was why I was notifying Colbert of House Carmine before visiting the city.

“I see,” Colbert responded with a nod. “Will you be traveling overland? If so, I will need to arrange an escort...”

“No, I plan on flying directly to Yumuen by wyvern gondola. You just need to be aware we’ll be passing through your airspace that day.”

“Will you not drop by Randel?”

“Randel and Yumuen are at opposite ends of the domain. Besides, Mio’s on maternity leave, right? I don’t want to cause any more trouble for her than I need to.”

Mio was currently pregnant with Colbert’s child, and taking maternity leave in Randel as a result of that.

The pregnancy had been discovered right after she was assigned the Lunaria Region as part of her domain, and the double dose of good news had sent those tied to the former general of the army, Georg Carmine, into fits of glee. In preparation for the coming child, Colbert had redoubled his efforts in national government and managing his new domain.

I’d talked to Roroa about giving him time off, though.

“Thank you for being so considerate,” said Colbert, bowing his head. “By the way, sire, may I ask why it is you’re going to Yumuen?”

Colbert looked like he was trying to gauge my response, wary of some top secret goings-on of which he was unaware.

Even now that the world was at peace, the state intervening in religion the wrong way could still be the spark to set off unrest. His concern was not unreasonable. I smiled knowingly as I nodded.

“The main goal is to hold meetings with Souji and Mary. I was thinking it was about time I asked how things are going inside the faith since the change to the Lunarian Orthodox Papal Domain and to discuss how we’re going to handle things as we move forward. Also, I can’t help but be concerned about Anne, who was Fuuga’s saint.”

“I see. But couldn’t you just invite Sir Souji here?” Colbert asked.

“I could, but there’s a reason I need to go in person.”

His suggestion was sensible. If my only goal was an update on the faith’s affairs, summoning Souji would have sufficed. My trip, however, wasn’t merely procedural.

I let out a small sigh. “Souji told me they found the Lunalith beneath the main church.”

“The Lunalith...? You mean the monument that receives oracles from Lunaria, goddess of the moon? That actually exists?” Colbert’s eyes widened in disbelief.

We’d already known it existed. Merula had caught sight of it, and Mary, a former saint, had confirmed it was real. But to hear it straight from Souji, and now to have Colbert react like a child hearing there really was a Santa Claus, reminded me how strange our world’s relics could seem. Relics of overscience and arcane artifacts littered this world; their existence was improbable, but not impossible.

“They uncovered it recently,” I continued. “It’d been sealed away after Fuuga got hold of it. If the Lunalith issues another oracle and someone acts on it, it could plunge this newly peaceful world back into chaos. I don’t want to be manipulated by some prophecy. I need to see the Lunalith myself...to judge whether we should leave it be or destroy it.”

Silence fell between us. That was reason enough for the journey—I had to go to Yumuen.

◇ ◇ ◇

She dreamed she was walking a dark path...

It was so dark she could not see her own feet or tell what the ground felt like beneath her. The trail alternated between slick mud and jagged rock; some stretches were treacherous and slow. Still, she walked on.

Far ahead, a single beam of light pierced the darkness, and she moved towards it as if pulled. The light was distant and narrow, but it was the only thing that made sense in that blackness, so she kept going.

Despite her will to move forward, her feet advanced painfully slowly. Even so, the light ahead kept her from losing her way. Step by step, she pressed on—never stopping, never giving up. But then she noticed...the light was fading. What had once been bright and sure now wavered, thinning like mist. It looked as if it might vanish at any moment.

Wait... Don’t disappear...

She reached out desperately, forcing her legs to move faster, to close the distance before the light was gone. Yet no matter how hard she tried, her body refused to obey. She wanted to run, but her legs would not move. The light grew dimmer...and dimmer...until at last, it vanished.

No...

Darkness swallowed her whole. She was alone, unable to tell up from down, forward from back. Was there a sky above her, or just a low, oppressive ceiling? Only the unpleasant pressure beneath her feet told her the ground still existed. Before, she had been able to walk. Now she couldn’t even tell which way to go. She simply stood there, frozen.

Then, slowly, her eyes began to adjust. Shapes took form in the dark. The world that the light had once hidden began to reveal itself, faintly, grimly.

Huh...?

She looked down. The ground was littered with fragments of all shapes and sizes. Between them oozed something thick and dark red. These were what had made the path uneven and soft beneath her feet. And now, she understood what they were.

No... I don’t like this...

She pressed her trembling hands to her face. The fragments covering the ground were bones.

Ribs... Splintered skulls... She realized at once that they were human bones. And the thick, glistening sludge between them was rotted flesh, fused with congealed blood. The moment she understood, the stench hit her—the sickly stench of death.

No...! No, no, no...!

She’d been walking all this time on a road paved with bones and flesh, heading towards that distant light. Without seeing where she stepped, without wanting to know, she had moved forward blindly. And now that she finally saw the truth, it was far too late.

“Huh?!”

Skeletal hands rose up from the ground beneath her feet, clutching her ankles. More of them sprouted up around her like twisted roots, grasping at her legs, her clothes, anything they could reach.

“No... Let go... Please...”

The grip was merciless. The bony fingers dug into her skin. Then, something pale floated up through the viscous red sludge. A white, round sphere—a human eye.

“Eek?!”

She gulped. And then more of them surfaced, one after another, until the ground was covered in them...dozens, hundreds, all staring at her.

“Don’t look at me... Not like that... Stop...”

She tried to avert her gaze, to twist away, but her legs were pinned in place. Still, the eyes stared—unblinking and wordless. Were they angry that she had walked over them? Mocking her helplessness? Or simply watching in silence, empty of thought or mercy?

Whatever they were, their gaze pierced her like needles, filling her chest with panic. Even when she squeezed her eyes shut, even when she covered her ears, their silent stare burrowed into her mind.

“Ahhhhhhhhh!!!”

At last, unable to endure it any longer, she screamed.

◇ ◇ ◇

“Ahhhhhhhhh!!!”

“Huh?! Anne!”

Anne’s scream jolted Mary awake. They were in Mary’s private quarters inside the main church of Yumuen, deep within the Lunarian Orthodox Papal Domain.

“Nooo! I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

“Anne, pull yourself together! It’s all right! You’re safe!”

Mary held the trembling girl tight as Anne sobbed and apologized to people who weren’t there.

After the death of Fuuga Haan, the man she’d served, the political strife within the Lunarian Orthodox Papal State broke Anne completely. During Fuuga’s life, his faction had ruled the church with absolute authority, persecuting all who opposed him as heretics. Anne, known as the Saint of the Tiger, had stood at the head of his supporters. Though she herself had served Fuuga faithfully and sincerely, others in his faction had used her name and authority to justify their purges. Anne had accepted that burden as part of her duty as a saint.

But when Fuuga fell to a rebellion led by his own vassals, everything changed. The anti-Fuuga faction rose to power and took revenge on those who had once condemned them. Anne was captured and thrown into a tower; her allies were burned at the stake—the same cruel fate they had once inflicted on their enemies. Deprived of food and left in isolation, Anne could only watch through the bars of her cell as the flames consumed her followers, their dying screams searing themselves into her memory. For a girl not yet twenty, it was more than enough to shatter her heart.

She remained imprisoned until Souji and Mary arrived to restore order within the Orthodox State. Mary herself freed Anne from the tower, but the trauma had left deep scars. Since then, Anne had suffered from the same recurring nightmare. She would walk through darkness towards a faint light, only for it to fade, leaving her surrounded by bones. The dead would rise, seize her, and stare with countless accusing eyes.

Fearing for her well-being, Mary began sleeping beside her. Whenever Anne awoke in panic, Mary would be there to hold her and soothe her trembling heart.

“The eyes... The eyes are watching me! Those eyes—the eyes of the dead! They’re watching!”

“Calm down, Anne. It was only a dream. There are no eyes here, no one blaming you.”

“No! No, that’s not true! I—I sent them to their deaths... They’ll never forgive me! Big Sister... I don’t deserve to live... They must be wishing for me to burn in hell... Ohh...”

“Don’t let delusions take hold of you,” Mary said gently. “No one will use you anymore. No one will torment you again.”

“Big Sister...”

Anne had come to call Mary that—Big Sister. It was her way of escaping the pain, of clinging to something warm and safe. Mary understood and allowed it, knowing how fragile the girl’s heart had become.

Mary stroked Anne’s back as she wept. Eventually, Anne’s sobs quieted, and she drifted back into uneasy sleep as Mary watched her with eyes full of pity.

The next day, Mary reported to the grand bishop’s office to tell Souji what had happened the night before.

“The scars in Anne’s heart show no sign of healing,” she said quietly. “We keep people watching over her at all times, myself included, but...if she were ever left alone, there’s no telling when she might harm herself. At worst, she could try to end her own life.”

“Time heals all wounds... But I suppose we can’t afford to take that chance,” Souji murmured, letting out a sigh. His face showed clear signs of exhaustion.

The Lunarian Orthodox Church was in the midst of sweeping reforms. Years of political infighting, inquisitions, and bloodshed had left the institution in complete disarray. With the head of the Kingdom Orthodoxy—known for its tolerance—now serving as the new pontiff, order had begun to return, but the embers of discord still smoldered beneath the surface.

Any spark could set off another conflict.

Their careful protection of Anne served not only as an act of compassion but also as a symbol of the church’s new path towards tolerance. There was too much at stake, and too little margin for error. Even Souji, once notorious for his indolence, had been forced to take his duties seriously—a clear sign of how precarious things remained.

“When you get down to it, it’s all because of filthy adults cornering a young girl like that,” Souji said, resting his cheek in his palm with a long sigh. “They gather up orphans and outcasts, teach them to please the powerful, then dress them up as ‘saints’ to use as pawns. It’s disgusting. You and the others managed to escape, but that Anne girl...she was buried in it up to her neck.”

“I can’t treat Anne’s suffering like someone else’s problem,” Mary said, her voice pained. “The only reason I escaped was luck. The only difference between us is that I had a chance...and she didn’t.”

Souji rose from his chair and walked over to her. He placed a gentle hand on her head.

“Luck and circumstance do matter,” he said softly, “but the real difference is courage—the courage to take that first step when the chance appears.”

“Your Holiness...”

“You and the other saint candidates had that courage. You chose to change your fate. Anne had the same chance once, didn’t she? When you reached out your hand, she chose not to take it.”

“That’s...true, but still— Hey! What are you doing?!”

Mary scowled as Souji ruffled her hair with the same hand. He snickered, amused by her reaction.

“It’s all well and good to worry about Anne, but if you let it eat at you, you’ll wear yourself out. Her troubles aren’t yours to shoulder alone. We’ll be calling King Souma soon to examine the Lunalith anyway. He knows all sorts of people—maybe he can offer advice, or put us in touch with someone who can truly help.”

“Ah! That’s right! The Kingdom of Friedonia has so many skilled doctors. Maybe one of them could treat Anne,” Mary said, her eyes lighting up.

It was only a faint hope, but a hope nonetheless, and it softened her expression. Souji, seeming pleased to see her spirits lift, finally released her head from his hand.

“Let’s send a messenger kui to King Souma right away. Here’s hoping he brings a good solution with him as a gift.”

“Hee hee... Yes, let’s,” Mary replied with a small nod, her heart feeling just a little lighter.

◇ ◇ ◇

“This could be...somewhat bad,” I muttered a few days after informing Colbert about the upcoming trip to Yumuen.

I was in my office, reading a letter from Mary. It described the current state of Fuuga’s saint, Anne. After enduring the repeated purges that had torn through the Orthodox Papal State, her heart had finally broken. She now suffered constant nightmares and emotional collapse. I probably looked as if I’d bitten into something unpleasant.

“Souma? Is something wrong?” Liscia asked, eyeing me with concern.

I handed her the letter. As she read, her brow furrowed, and a conflicted expression formed on her face. When she finished, she let out a quiet sigh.

“Anne did bring some of this on herself by refusing to acknowledge how she was being used as a saint,” Liscia said. “But even so...I can’t just abandon her to suffer for it. Not after everything she went through.”

“Yeah. In the end, she was a poor puppet, manipulated by those around her.”

It had been her own choice to become that puppet. According to Mary, she had offered Anne the hand of salvation before Anne was made into a saint. Anne had chosen not to take it. That choice had led her to her present misery, but she couldn’t have known the consequences then. Judging her now by the outcome alone felt unfair; hindsight made it too easy to condemn.

“Mary’s supporting her, but she says Anne’s condition isn’t improving,” I said.

“Maladies of the heart don’t heal easily, huh?”

“Yeah. And seeing someone crushed under the weight of their role hits a little close to home...”

“True. It’d be nice if we could help her somehow. Any ideas?”

I folded my arms and thought for a moment. “Maybe I could bring Brad with us when we go to Yumuen.”

“A doctor? Why not Hilde?”

“Brad’s the one researching psychiatric care with the priests in the Kingdom’s diplomatic corps. He’s been helping them while also watching their child, since Hilde’s too busy training the younger physicians.”

Using the connections we had from Souji’s time as archbishop of the Kingdom’s Orthodox Church, we’d consulted men of the cloth—people accustomed to hearing confessions and counseling troubled souls—and begun the first research into psychiatric care in this world. Brad was the medical professional involved in that project.

Because Brad suffered from an overactive case of Middle-School Delusions syndrome...or rather, because he wasn’t very good at communicating with others, he had left most of the junior physician training to Hilde. That gave him comparatively more free time, which allowed him to participate in the psychiatric research while also caring for their daughter, Ludia.

I had doubted whether that blunt man could function as a psychiatrist, but mysteriously enough, there hadn’t been any complaints.

“Other than that... Oh, I know. We should bring Tomoe too,” I said.

“Tomoe? Why her?” Liscia asked.

“I have an idea. Not that I’m sure it’ll work,” I replied, smirking at her puzzled expression. “I’ll also take Aisha along as a bodyguard, but Naden’s busy flying around for Maria’s philanthropic work. Hey, why don’t you come too, Liscia?”

“Huh? Me? I can?” she asked, blinking in surprise. “I figured since you’re leaving the country, I’d be staying behind to hold down the fort.”

“That’s how it’s been before. But the world’s stable now, and Cian and Kazuha have grown a lot. Even if something happens and neither of us can get back quickly, your parents and Excel are here. The kingdom won’t just fall apart. Juna, Roroa, and Yuriga can handle anything that comes up while we’re away.”

Until now, Liscia had always been the one who would keep the country together if something happened to me, so whenever I traveled abroad, she stayed behind to manage things at home. But that era was over. In this time of relative peace, my absence wouldn’t shake the kingdom. It felt like the right moment to finally take Liscia with me; she had been stuck at home long enough.

“Well...” Liscia hesitated, then nodded. “That could be nice. All right. I’ll go.”

“Good. I’ll start contacting the necessary people then.”

And so, it was decided—I would travel to Yumuen with Liscia, Aisha, Tomoe, and Brad. When I told Brad, he replied, “I don’t mind examining Anne, but let me bring Ludia with me.”

Was Hilde that busy? Well, bringing an extra child along wasn’t a problem. I saw no reason to refuse.

And so, on the day we were to depart for Yumuen, Liscia, Aisha, Tomoe, and I met Brad, Hilde, and Ludia in front of the wyvern gondola that would take us there. Hilde would not be accompanying us, but she had come to see her husband and daughter off.

Ludia peeked out from behind her mother, watching us warily.

“Go on, Ludia,” Hilde encouraged her. “Say hello to everyone.”

“Eek?! H-Hello, Your Majesty,” Ludia said as she stepped forward and bowed her head.

She was a cute little girl with white hair, inherited from Brad, and a small third eye, a racial trait from her mother. I recalled that she had been born shortly before Cian and Kazuha, making her the same age as my children. I had met her once during the Magic Bug Disease outbreak, but she had grown a lot since then.

“What a cute little lady,” Aisha said.

“She really is,” Tomoe agreed. “If you told me she was a fairy, I would believe it.”

Overwhelmed by the praise, Ludia quickly retreated behind her parents again. She was clearly shy. Given how blunt and sharp-tongued both Hilde and Brad were, it was hard to believe their daughter had the timid charm of a small woodland animal.

“I can see she is your child, but she doesn’t act much like either of you,” I remarked.

Hilde shook her head.

“No, her personality is similar to Brad’s.”

“It is?”

“It is only a matter of becoming an introvert from shyness, or giving up on relationships and pretending to be a lone wolf. I only hope Ludia does not grow up to be as cringeworthy as Brad can be.”

“Hey, I can hear you,” Brad protested, staring pointedly. “Try not to say things like that in front of Ludia.”

“In that case, answer me this. What will you do if, when she grows up, Ludia declares, ‘I’d rather heal a scrawny mutt than a fattened pig.’ And what if she starts saying, ‘I have no intention of being a dog of the powerful’?”

Brad fell silent.

The thought of his own daughter repeating the edgy lines he had once been famous for had struck a nerve. As a parent myself, I understood the feeling. No one wanted their children to inherit their flaws and embarrassing habits. Any parent would feel the same, even if, more often than not, our children ended up taking after us in those exact ways.

Brad let out a defeated groan.

“Let’s raise her so she doesn’t end up like that.”

“Heh. So you do understand,” Hilde said, chuckling with amusement. Despite their constant bickering, the two of them actually got along quite well.

I gave a amused smile and turned to Hilde. “Are you sure it is all right for us to take Ludia with us? If you are busy, she could stay at the castle.”

“I have no objections. In fact, I think you would have problems if you did not take her.”

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

“You’ll understand once you get there. Look after my husband and daughter, Your Majesty.”

“Y-Yeah, sure,” I said, nodding despite not understanding her meaning in the slightest.

With that, we boarded the gondola and took off into the sky as Hilde waved us goodbye. Liscia and Aisha sat beside me, while Brad, Tomoe, and Ludia sat across from us.

Ludia stared fixedly at something.

“...”

Her gaze was locked onto Tomoe’s fluffy wolf tail, carefully kept to the side so she wouldn’t sit on it.

“Hee hee. You can touch it if you want,” Tomoe offered.

“I can?”

“Yes, but gently, please.”

“Yayyy!”

Ludia began happily fluffing Tomoe’s tail. It was such a heartwarming sight, watching two cute girls playing together like that. I was honestly considering carrying a small recording jewel around just to capture moments like this.

Still, a genius doctor like Brad and his adorable daughter traveling with us was not something I had expected.

“Hey, Ludia.”

“Y-Yes? What is it?” she asked, tensing up as she turned to face me.

I clasped my hands together in front of me. “Just once, could you squish your cheeks between your palms and say ‘acchon**rike’ for me?”

She blinked in confusion. “???”

Brad glared at me. “What exactly are you trying to make my daughter do?”

Oh, come on. Who would not want to see a real live P**ko just once? Before I could defend myself, Liscia elbowed me sharply in the ribs. Ouch...

After a short wyvern gondola ride, we arrived at the main church in Yumuen and were immediately shown to Souji and Mary. In the archbishop’s office, I shook hands with Souji, who was properly dressed in his ceremonial robes like he was supposed to be. The only trace of his former reputation as the “Commandment-Breaking Bishop” was the stubble still on his chin.

“Sorry to make you come all this way, Your Majesty,” he said.

“Think nothing of it. I’d been meaning to visit for some time anyway,” I replied.

As we spoke, Mary stepped forward.

“Allow me to express my gratitude as well...for helping us think of Anne,” she said with a deep bow.

“Oh, sure. I can’t promise we’ll be able to save her, but I intend to do what I can. Fuuga asked me to look after things once he was gone. If Anne’s heart was broken because she followed the path he carved...I wouldn’t feel right abandoning her now.”

“Even so, I am grateful, Lord Souma,” Mary said, tears welling in her eyes.

She was clearly anguished over Anne’s condition. It seemed best to address this before dealing with the Lunalith. I turned to Brad.

“You heard that, Brad. Can you examine Anne for us?”

“Very well. Where is the patient now?” he asked calmly.

“In her room, waiting for you,” Mary said.

Brad nodded and rose from his seat. “I’ll see her immediately. Show me the way... Come, Ludia.”

“Okay, Father.”

“Wait, you’re bringing Ludia?” I asked, startled as he took his daughter’s hand.

Brad gave me a puzzled look, as though it were obvious. “Hilde told you, did she not? I will be needing Ludia for this examination.”

◇ ◇ ◇

Chairs had been set up in Anne’s room, and she now sat across from Brad in silence. The room was stark and impersonal, furnished only with the bare necessities. Sunlight poured in through the wide windows, though iron bars sealed them from the outside. We were outside the room, looking into it.

“It’s clean, but those bars make it feel like a prison cell,” Liscia murmured.

“You’re right,” Mary said, eyes lowering. “I chose a bright room so she wouldn’t be afraid, but with windows this large...we worried she might act on an impulse to jump. So we installed the bars.”

“I’m sorry,” Liscia said quickly. “I should’ve been more careful with my words.”

So they had to guard against suicide too. I remembered what Mary had written: “Anne is still haunted by nightmares. I stay with her at night, but during the day she can’t be under constant watch.”

She needs help... I hope Brad can reach her, I thought, watching them.

“Now, then...Anne, was it?” Brad asked.

“Ah!” Anne shuddered at the sound of his voice.

It was the first time she’d met him, and Brad, with his perpetually stern expression, must have looked intimidating. But to recoil just from being addressed...her nerves were already shredded. Honestly, Brad seemed like the worst possible choice for a psychiatrist. Weren’t they supposed to speak gently, with soft smiles and reassuring warmth? A man like Brad—with his blunt demeanor and sour face—felt like the exact opposite.

As I was wondering how this would go, Brad sighed.

“As expected. Ludia, take it from here.”

“Of course, Father.”

With small, quiet steps, Ludia walked past the dumbfounded Anne and came to stand beside Brad.

Brad lifted Ludia into his arms and settled her on his lap.

Huh? What was this? Were they about to combine like a giant robot? Was it time for Pilder On? Whatever was happening, Ludia looked adorable perched there.

“Hello, Miss,” she said.

“H-Hello,” Anne replied, bowing her head slightly.

“My name is Ludia. Mom calls me Ludy.”

“Ludy...?”

“Yes. That’s me. Who are you, miss?”

“I’m called Anne.”

“So you’re Miss Anne. It’s nice to meet you.”

“N-Nice to meet you too.”

Whoa... The conversation was actually flowing. How? A moment ago Anne had been trembling in front of Brad, and Ludia was supposed to be shy around strangers. Yet here she was, smiling sweetly and speaking with ease.

“What in the world...” I muttered.

“It’s probably because she’s sitting on Dr. Brad’s lap, Big Brother,” Tomoe whispered beside me. “Being on her father’s lap makes Ludia feel safe. It gives her confidence because she knows he’ll protect her. Meanwhile, Anne is so focused on how cute Ludia is that she’s stopped paying attention to Dr. Brad. Even if she notices him, she now just sees a doting father.”

“I-I guess that makes sense.”

So this was why Hilde had insisted Ludia come along. She must have known Brad couldn’t handle this alone.

I see. So this is Brad’s method as a psychiatrist. Since he was bad at communicating, he’d handed the training of young doctors to Hilde. That freed him to spend more time at home caring for Ludia. When he began researching psychiatric care, he must have brought Ludia along from the start, using her presence to put patients at ease.

So when he practices psychiatry, he and Ludia are a two-person team.

It was strangely satisfying—like watching scattered hints in a story finally click together.

With Ludia there, the rest of the examination proceeded smoothly. Once it concluded, we returned to Souji’s office to hear Brad’s diagnosis.

“The greatest obstacle to her recovery is her extremely low sense of self-worth,” Brad said, glancing over his notes. “She believes she isn’t worthy of forgiveness. In other words, the person seeking salvation is rejecting it herself.”

“Oh no... Why?” Mary’s voice trembled with sadness. She swayed as if she might collapse, and Souji gently supported her.

Brad gave her a sympathetic look before continuing.

“I went through her history. I can’t bring myself to blame her for ending up like this. She was an orphan with nothing, and becoming a saint was the only way to have a place to belong. But with that title came crushing responsibility and pressure—pressure she tried to pretend didn’t exist.”

“...”

“In the end, she lost her position as a saint and realized that the path she had walked was stained with blood. To be blunt, compared to the suffering she has endured, she has received almost nothing in return. There hasn’t been nearly enough good fortune in her life to balance out the bad.”

“She hasn’t had enough rewards or good luck?” I asked. “But wasn’t she praised as Fuuga Haan’s saint when he still ruled? Wasn’t that a kind of glory?”

Brad only shook his head.

“No matter how it looked from the outside, it meant nothing if she herself never felt fortunate. For her, being a saint was simply a duty—an obligation. She never indulged in luxuries and focused only on fulfilling her role. She began as an orphan with nothing, so once she was finally given a place to belong, she became desperate not to lose it.”

“I think I understand...” Mary whispered through tears. “The saint candidates were all girls who had nothing. We were raised as tools to win the favor of people in positions of authority. I know, because I was one of them.”

“Mary...” Souji murmured.

“Sir Brad, is there anything we can do for Anne?” Mary asked, lifting her head.

“It will take time,” Brad said gravely. “But first...you need to thoroughly pamper her.”

“Pamper...her?” Mary echoed.

“Yes. She has almost no experience being loved for her own sake—not out of duty or because of position. That kind of unconditional affection is what will begin to heal her.”

Souji raised a hand. “If I may. Mary’s already doing that, isn’t she? They sleep together every night, and Anne calls her Big Sister. She’s devoted to supporting her.”

“You’re not wrong. But she may not be prepared enough for what it truly requires,” Brad replied.

“Prepared?” Souji frowned.

“Yes. Isn’t some part of Mary thinking, ‘I can’t just spoil her forever. This isn’t a real solution’? And at the same time, isn’t some part of Anne thinking, ‘I can’t rely on Big Sister forever’? If one side hesitates to give love, and the other hesitates to accept it, the effect is limited.”

He wanted her to spoil Anne even more? Was that what he was saying?

“You’re telling her to pamper Anne even more?” I asked. Brad nodded.

“You can worry about whether you’ve overdone it after she’s better. If she wants you to sleep beside her, do it wholeheartedly. If she wants to call Miss Mary her big sister, then make Anne her little sister for real.”

“Make Anne Mary’s little sister? How would we even do that?”

“Adoption is common among the upper class,” Brad replied. “If you call yourself a king, surely you can find a family willing to adopt the two of them, if only in name.”

“Oh, that’s what you mean,” I said. That much was certainly possible. If I made the request, few noble houses would refuse. But it would be best to choose someone Mary already had ties to. Which meant...

“I know. A good candidate would be House Butchy, the family of Morris, the conductor of the Lunaria Girls’ Choir. They’re walrus beastmen, but that’s no reason they couldn’t adopt two human girls.”

“Sir Morris? The kind gentleman with the rich baritone voice?” Mary asked. She clearly thought well of him. If they wished it, I could certainly speak to him once I returned to the Kingdom, but that would take time.

For now, it was better to start with something immediate—something we already had prepared.

“There’s one more approach I had in mind to help Anne,” I said.

“And what is that?” Mary asked.

“You’ll see soon enough. That’s why I brought Tomoe with us.”

“Huh? M-Me?” Tomoe blinked in surprise, pointing at herself. But I was certain this would be the key to opening Anne’s heart.

I called it “Operation Tomoe the Caring Wolf.”

This might seem like a sudden topic to bring up, but we kept quite a few dogs and cats as pets in Parnam Castle. Originally, they’d been brought in to help control the mice, but their numbers had grown considerably since Tomoe first came to live with us.

At first, I thought it was like with the rhinosauruses and wyverns... That Tomoe’s power had somehow improved their environment and encouraged them to breed more. Yeah, no, that wasn’t it.

The real reason was that whenever Tomoe went into the castle town, she sometimes came back carrying a stray cat. Our beloved little sister Tomoe could speak with animals, and she’d been an incredible help to the Kingdom of Friedonia—both in our development projects and in negotiations with the Seadians. But her gift didn’t come with an on-off switch, so there were times she had to hear things she would rather not.

Technically, if Tomoe wasn’t actively trying to listen, she would only catch voices with exceptionally strong wills behind them...but that meant the cries of those in pain or distress always reached her. That was why Tomoe avoided farms that shipped their animals off for slaughter, and shops that dealt in live animals or fish. If she ever went to a restaurant that served live seafood (though I doubted any existed in our country), she’d probably faint.

Because of the way her hearing worked, she always caught the voices of abandoned puppies and kittens—left behind by their owners, torn from their parents, crying out from the roadside. The animals in this world were hardier than those in my old one. They had ways of surviving. Though I called them dogs and cats, they were a little different here. Some had horns on their heads, some had gemlike stones embedded in their foreheads (like the three-eyed race’s third eye) and some had wings or extra tails. They were quick, and they knew how to fight. A grown dog or cat might have been able to make it in the wild...but just as easily, they could lose to some other dangerous beast and die.

As for the puppies and kittens who couldn’t yet fend for themselves, they had only two options: be taken in by someone...or waste away until death found them. No wonder their cries for help were so desperate. And when Tomoe heard those voices, she was too kind to ignore them.

She’d bring them back to Parnam Castle, and...

“Um... Big Brother...”

...she’d look up at me with those pleading eyes.

Could you have looked into those eyes and told her to “put it back where you found it”?

Even Liscia, who could be plenty strict when she needed to be, always went quiet when faced with Tomoe’s dewy gaze and would end up leaving the decision to me. There really wasn’t much of a choice. Under the condition that every animal had to be spayed or neutered to keep their numbers under control, we started taking in the abandoned dogs and cats at the castle.

Later, we even set up an office to care for them and help find new owners, along with laws to regulate pet ownership. But even after all that, Tomoe still kept bringing home puppies and kittens.

Now, back to the present...

“Arf, arf!”

“Woof, woof!”

“Meowwwww.”

“...”

Two puppies were darting around the room while two kittens lounged nearby, pretending they couldn’t care less.

“Umm...what am I supposed to make of this situation?” Anne asked, looking utterly lost.

Tomoe had brought these little ones home to Parnam Castle not long ago. This was Anne’s room, but with Mary’s permission, I’d let them loose inside.

“B-Big Sister...” Anne turned a troubled look towards Mary, who stood in the doorway.

Mary awkwardly looked away. Anne’s expression was so stunned I could practically hear a sound effect playing in my head. Mary had said she’d leave everything to us, so she was keeping quiet.

The puppies stopped chasing each other and padded over to Anne, resting their front paws on her knees as she sat in a W-position on the floor. Their tails wagged furiously as if to say, Play with me!

“Um... Uh...” Anne stammered, not sure what to do.

She reached out a hesitant hand, but the puppies pulled back before she could touch them.

“These little guys want you to pet them,” Tomoe explained gently.

“Th-They do?”

“Yes. They’re just curious because they’ve never met you before.”

This calm, confident Tomoe wasn’t the one we usually knew. Wearing a day care worker’s apron she’d borrowed from her mother, Tomoko, she had become Tomoe (Day Care Worker Version).

She’d learned the soft mannerisms of an easygoing adult woman from Juna, and now, wrapped in her mother’s apron, she radiated such warmth and patience that even Anne—who was always afraid of how others saw her—could relax and talk with her naturally.

Tomoe began introducing her “kids” to Anne.

“This white boy here is Little Shiroji. And this girl with the light peach fur is Little Momomi. I recommend petting them on the head, under the chin, and on their backs.”

“Little Shiroji and Little Momomi... N-Nice to meet you.”

Anne greeted the two puppies, patting their heads and scratching gently under their chins. Both responded with goofy grins, tails wagging happily. Then, apparently satisfied, they trotted off to resume chasing each other around the room. What free-spirited little things. Anne looked a bit disappointed to see them go.

Next came the cats.

“The calico who’s lazing around is Mikemaru, and the black cat with the cool look on her face is Little Kuroe,” Tomoe said.

“Little Kuroe and Mikemaru... You don’t call him Little Mikemaru?”

“Ahh... He’s got such a big attitude it didn’t feel right calling him that. But he’s cute in his own way.”

“I-I see...”

I watched their exchange from the doorway.

“You named them, didn’t you, Souma?” Liscia said with a teasing grin. “They’re all a little too on the nose. You just took color words from your world and added a bit to make them sound like names.”

“Hey, don’t blame me. Tomoe keeps bringing home so many dogs and cats that I’ve run out of ideas. But she still asks me to give them ‘good names,’ so now I just take their color and tack on something extra.”

Liscia sighed. “We’ve got more than I can count on my fingers and toes. There are so many that the castle gardeners have a whole department just for pet management. I wish you’d show a little more restraint, but...”

“It’s easy to say that, but could you really turn down Tomoe when she’s holding a puppy or kitten and giving you that apologetic look?”

“Not a chance,” Liscia admitted immediately.

“I know, right?” I nodded in agreement. We would always be her doting Big Brother and Big Sister.

Would Ichiha be all right once they married? They’d probably live in the castle town, but I could already imagine their house overflowing with animals. I’ll have to give Ichiha a subtle warning about that...

As I was thinking that, Tomoe picked up Mikemaru, who had been stretching lazily, and set him down in Anne’s lap. Even after being moved, Mikemaru continued to doze without a care in the world.

“He’s super fluffy. Go on, give him a pat.”

“O-Okay.”

Anne gently touched Mikemaru’s belly. Just watching, I could almost feel the softness through her hands.

“You’re right... So fluffy... Hee hee!”

For a fleeting moment, Anne smiled. Mary gasped when she saw it.

“Anne’s...smiling.”

She covered her mouth, tears welling in her eyes. Seeing Anne tormented by nightmares had pained her deeply, so that peaceful expression now felt like a miracle.

Then Kuroe, who’d been watching Mikemaru enjoy all the attention, padded over and hopped onto Anne’s lap as well.

“Huh? Little Kuroe?”

“Hee hee. She likes to play it cool, but she’s actually pretty clingy,” Tomoe said. “She saw you doting on Mikemaru and got jealous.”

“Oh... So that’s why...”

Anne petted Kuroe on the back, and the black cat’s eyes fluttered shut in quiet contentment. Seeing Anne smile again at the two kittens, Mary couldn’t hold back her tears.

“Thank goodness... She... She can still smile...”

“Hah hah hah. Apparently,” Souji said, patting Mary’s head to comfort her. “Those are some impressive little critters, thawing out her frozen heart like that.”

I nodded. “Weapons are a danger to hardened hearts...or so a certain child soldier once said. But furry friends have the power to soften them. Pets are partners who’ll always stay by our side. And since these little ones were abandoned once before, they know what it’s like to be lonely. I brought them here thinking they might understand Anne...and it looks like I was right.”

We watched the lovely girl play with the animals a while longer.

“You should end your sentences with ‘meow’ when you talk to them. Meow,” Tomoe said, miming kitty paws with her hands.

Anne hesitantly copied Tomoe. “Meow, meow...”

“That’s good. Talk to the cats like that.”

“Nice to meet you, meow. How are you doing, meow? Um, are they actually understanding any of this?”

“Without the power of magic? Obviously not.”

“Whaa...”

Tomoe laughed softly as Anne gave her a reproachful look.

“But they can tell you’re talking to them. They’ll respond to that, so keep going.”

“O-Okay... Ah! Little Kuroe reacted!”

The black cat stood, stretched, and hopped off Anne’s lap. She crossed the room, leapt up onto the dresser, and curled into a tight ball.

That was a cat for you—capricious as ever. Anne looked a bit lonely, but Tomoe smiled reassuringly.

“It’s fine. Like I said, Little Kuroe likes to act cool, but she’s actually clingy. This is her pretending not to care. Now that you’re looking a little more cheerful, she’s giving you space because she knows you’ll be all right. But...give it a little time, and she’ll start feeling lonely again and come back to you.”

“I’m...more cheerful...” Anne murmured, almost surprised at herself.

It was true. Her face was softer now than when she’d first entered the room, and a touch of color had returned to her cheeks. Such was the power of fluffiness.

This might have been the first time in Anne’s life that she’d experienced such quiet peace—surrounded by soft fur, gentle warmth, and the simple affection of animals. She was being healed from every direction.

Great was the power of fluffiness. (It bears repeating because it’s that important.)

“I don’t know what to say. The scene brings a smile to my face, sire,” Aisha said.

She was right. The sight of a pretty girl playing with fluffy animals had a painterly beauty to it. Even I could feel the soothing effect.

“If we’d broadcast this scene to the world, maybe peace would’ve come sooner,” I joked.

“I doubt it, but...I can see why you’d think that,” Liscia said, letting out a small laugh.

The warm air in the room was enough to melt even her usual sharp tone.

Anne looked like she’d be all right now, so I left her in the care of Tomoe, Brad, and Ludia, and quietly stepped out with Liscia, Aisha, and Mary—on our way to accomplish our other goal here in Yumuen.

Mary and Souji led the way as we descended the dark stairwell into the basement of the main church, our path dimly lit by the lanterns Aisha and Mary carried. Stone walls and floors stretched endlessly around us, the air cool and heavy. The deeper we went, the more it felt like we were wandering through a labyrinth.

“It’s kinda like the aqueducts under Parnam,” I murmured.

“Really?” Liscia tilted her head. “I’ve only read about them in reports.”

“Yeah,” I said with a nod. “I explored them with Juno and her party once, using Little Musashibo. Before we filled them in and converted them into sewers, they were just as mazelike as this place. If I remember right, you said they were used as an escape route for the royal family?”

“Right. But no one knows how long they’ve been there. The story goes that they already existed when the kingdom was founded in Parnam. And considering the city-sized magic circle we used to summon you, that circle and the summoning chamber must’ve already been in place when the first hero king was called.”

“Well, okay. The old mankind definitely had a hand in their construction.”

As Liscia and I talked, Souji glanced back over his shoulder.

“I’d wager this place is the same. From what I’ve heard, that ‘old mankind’ you mention is probably what the Lunarians spoke of in the old scriptures—the ones said to have come down from the moon. If they built Yumuen, and they also built Parnam, then it makes sense both cities would share similar structures.”

“Though we can never tell the believers that...” Mary sighed.

She was right. If word spread that I carried the blood of the old mankind—the very people the Lunarian Orthodoxy revered as divine beings—it could lead to unwanted worship or even deification. That was why only our trusted collaborators within the church, Souji and Mary, were privy to such information.

Mary lifted her lantern, casting light across the stone walls. “I’ve heard these underground passages were built to let priests and believers escape if the church were ever attacked... Though some parts were also used for inquisitions, or to imprison political opponents.”

“S-Stop it, you’re sending a chill down my spine,” I said, shuddering.

“Y-Yeah! Don’t tell scary stories here!” Liscia and Aisha each grabbed onto one of my arms.

“Huh? You two aren’t good with this kind of thing? Aisha, you’ve fought zombie ogres. And Liscia, didn’t you enjoy the Ghost Festival just fine?”

“I-I’m fine as long as I can see them,” Liscia said firmly. “Zombies, skeletons, whatever...I can handle that. But curses and lingering resentment? That’s another story. The way Mary just described this place makes it feel full of regretful spirits.”

“Lady Liscia is right!” Aisha agreed, clinging tighter.

“I-I see,” I muttered, realizing I was surrounded on both sides by trembling warriors.

Maybe because they were so used to fighting monsters, curses actually frightened them more. For Liscia and Aisha, a place steeped in history and tragedy—something like the Tower of London—was far more terrifying than any haunted house with ghosts popping out of corners.

They’d probably be more unnerved by old-style ghost tales, like the curse of Masakado, than by being physically attacked by a slit-mouthed woman or a deranged murderer hiding under the bed. (Though, given their strength, either of them could take down such a murderer without breaking a sweat.) Their sensitivity to this sort of thing was the opposite of that of modern people. Maybe it was closer to those in ancient times who built shrines and temples to appease the spirits of those they had slain, hoping to prevent their vengeful return.

When we finally reached the bottom of the stairs, the surroundings suddenly changed. The rough stone walls and floors gave way to smooth, seamless surfaces that glowed faintly from wires running through them.

Liscia and I exchanged a look of recognition.

“Genia’s dungeon laboratory...” I murmured.

“It’s a bit different, but it gives off the same vibe,” Liscia agreed.

The walls were like something straight out of a spaceship and were nearly identical to those in the ancient ruin that Genia had turned into her lab.

Souji rapped his knuckles against one of the walls. It rang with a sharp, metallic sound.

“This’s what the underground passages are like,” he said. “No one knows what they’re made of, so people used to say the gods built them...but yeah, I’m betting it was old mankind too.”

He glanced around before continuing.

“The Lunalith used to be on a slightly higher level than this, but Fuuga Haan had it moved down here. From what I heard from young Miss Anne, he was afraid you might be able to decipher it and use it to your advantage.”

“...”

“It’s this way. Follow me.”

Souji led us farther in until we reached a small, room-like chamber. Amid a heap of wooden beams and stone blocks that looked completely out of place stood a black, board-shaped object emitting a faint, pale light.

It resembled an ancient monolith—something you’d expect to see in an old sci-fi film or a Monster R**cher game—cracked and crumbling around the edges.

Souji gestured towards it. “Fuuga had the Lunalith brought in here and sealed off with stone and lumber. The walls around it are all made of that same metallike stuff, so it wasn’t so much about hiding it as it was about making it harder to reach. Maybe he heard the story about how Merula once snuck in and caught a glimpse of it.”

“Makes sense,” I said. “If he’d left it where it was, I could’ve sent the Black Cats to infiltrate and copy down what they saw on it. Not that I was planning to though.”

We stood before the Lunalith in that cluttered chamber. As we watched, text began to shimmer faintly across its surface.

This text...

Characters continued to appear on the surface one after another. My eyes widened in surprise, captivated by the sight of scripts both familiar and foreign.

“Hold on, Souma. Are you okay?” Liscia asked, concerned by how I’d frozen up.

“Oh, sure,” I said, snapping back to my senses. “I’m fine. Just fine.” I nodded to reassure her.

“So, are you able to read it?”

“No, not perfectly.”

“Huh?! Aren’t you supposed to be able to?”

“Oh, I can read it. I just can’t fully understand it,” I said, pointing to the tablet. “There are four languages here, and none of them are mine. This might be hard to picture since there’s only one common tongue on this continent, but... Well, it’s like the Seadian language is for you.”

“So...like how I can’t understand it without you or Tomoe?”

Liscia nodded as she caught on. Four different languages were carved into the Lunalith. I could identify English and Chinese with certainty. One of the others was probably Spanish—I noticed an El in there, like the title of that famous South American song, “El Cóndor Pasa.” The last one...I had no idea. The script looked like it could be Indian or Arabic, but wait... Spanish had been the third most spoken language after English and Chinese, mostly in South America. By that logic, the other one might be an Indian script, since India had the next largest population.

There might have been more, but the surface was cracked beneath where the Spanish text was snapped off, leaving only those four visible.

Scratching my head, I pointed at the lines written in the Latin alphabet. “Out of all of them, this one, the English, is what I can probably make the most sense of, but, y’know...I was never that good at it. I studied hard for my entrance exams, but I haven’t used it in a decade. My vocabulary and grammar are both rusty.”

“So you can’t decipher it then?”

“No. This language, Chinese, should let me get the gist of it. It’s not my language, but both use Chinese characters. It’s an ideographic script, so if I take my time and cross-reference it with the English, I think I can work out a decent translation.”

“Ideo... Uh... Yeah, I didn’t get any of that,” Aisha groaned, clutching her head.

Though she was the nation’s strongest warrior, this sort of academic stuff wasn’t her forte.

“I don’t really get it either,” Liscia admitted.

The common language here used a phonetic alphabet, so the concept of ideograms didn’t exist for them.

I explained briefly, “They’re like pictures that became letters,” before turning to Souji. “If I ask it questions, will it answer?”

“Yeah. If a priest places his hand on the Lunalith and offers a sacred prayer, the goddess of the moon will grant her wisdom...or so the legend says. I couldn’t tell you if it’s true.”

“Your Holiness, that’s not something an archbishop ought to say...” Mary sighed, facepalming.

Even as the head of the church, Souji was as irreverent as ever. He’d be lost without Mary to keep him in line...though I could imagine just how much grief he caused her.

“You’re not thinking ‘you’re one to talk,’ are you?” Liscia said, giving me a sharp look. I wished she’d stop reading my thoughts like it was second nature.

I cleared my throat and tried to move on. “Anyway, mind if I give it a try? Granted, I don’t know the prayer.”

“Sure. We’re the only ones here,” Souji said. “Do as you please.”

“Got it. In that case...” I placed my hand on the tablet and asked the question that mattered most.

“What is the Lunalith? Explain as simply as possible.”

In response to my question, text appeared immediately.

[Record the past and predict the future]

[記錄過去、預測未來]

Ohh, that was easy enough to understand.

“Apparently, it ‘records the past and predicts the future,’” I translated for the others.

“So our priests weren’t exactly using it wrong then,” Souji said, crossing his arms.

It had supposedly predicted Fuuga’s rise and our contact with the Seadians, after all.

“How accurate are those predictions, by the way?” I asked.

[75%] appeared in response.

Hmm... That was kind of iffy. Being wrong one out of four times felt like a lot. In Po**mon terms, that was a bit worse than the chance of getting hit by a one-hit KO attack, but when it landed, it landed hard.

When I explained that, Liscia tilted her head. “Now that you know, will you use it?”

“Well... I don’t want to live at the mercy of a future that might never come true. Maybe I’ll treat it like a horoscope and put about that much faith in it.”

“This seems like an awful lot of security for something like that...”

Yeah, she wasn’t wrong. An imperfect vision of the future sounded like the perfect setup for disaster. If it predicted something dark, I might make it worse just by trying to stop it... It felt too easy to end up like the dark lord from a certain interstellar war.

Honestly, not knowing the future seemed healthier for the mind. So...

“I think I’ll only use it to learn about the past.”

“The past...? Is there something you want to know?” Aisha asked.

I nodded. “Well, I’m curious about my old world...which would count as the past from this world’s perspective.”

One thought that crossed my mind was finally learning how those long-running manga had ended—the great treasure that was all in one piece, or the boss of that black-clad organization. But no... Just hearing the answers wouldn’t be fun. Without the journey, the payoff meant nothing.

As for something I did want to know... Ah.

“Do you think I could ask something a little personal?”

“Hmm? What do you want to know?” Liscia asked.

“I was wondering what happened to my old house...and to Grandpa’s grave.”

Placing my hand on the Lunalith, I spoke clearly. “Show me what became of my home and my grandfather’s grave after I was summoned to this world.”

Text appeared in response to my question.

It wasn’t something that could be answered in a few words, so the passage was long. Translating it accurately would have been difficult, so I focused on the parts I could recognize. Which gave me...

“I see ‘Tatsuya,’ ‘Yoshiaki,’ and...‘Yashiro’ too. Those were the names of my friends back in my old world. And there’s ‘Iikanji,’ that’s the temple where my family grave was. Grandpa and Grandma were buried there too... I see the words ‘perpetual memorial.’ ‘Iikanji Tatsuaki’... I think I had a classmate by that name.”

By piecing together the kanji I understood and filling in the gaps as best I could, I gathered that after I disappeared, my family temple had handled the matter of our house. Two of my old classmates had gone to Iikanji Tatsuaki and arranged for our family grave to be cared for in perpetuity. They’d apparently believed I’d been “spirited away.” Maybe a part of the house had vanished along with me.

Oh... I see. Those two took care of the grave for me.

Before I realized it, tears were running down my cheeks. That faint thread of connection to my past stirred up feelings I couldn’t even name.

I had no regrets about being summoned to this world—it was here that I’d found my family. But I’d had ties in my old world too, and to know those bonds had still existed, even after I was gone... I couldn’t stop the tears.

“Souma.”

“Sire.”

Liscia and Aisha wrapped their arms around me from both sides. Their warmth broke what little composure I had left. I clenched my teeth, shut my eyes tight, and covered them with one hand as the tears came harder. Neither said a word; they just stayed with me, quietly lending their strength.

After a while, I finally calmed down. My eyes were red, but my heart felt light.

I turned to Souji and Mary and offered a small smile. “Thank you. I’m really glad I came here today.”

“Sure,” Souji said. “I’ve got no idea what just happened, but if it helped you find closure, then I guess I’ve done my part as archbishop.”

“You helped us with Anne,” Mary added gently. “Please come back anytime.”

Their smiles eased something inside me. Then I turned back to the Lunalith and rested my hand on it again.

“Oh, right. One last question.”

I asked it about something I’d been wondering for a long time. Something simple, but heavy. The monolith’s reply appeared in four languages:

[No good]

[不好]

[No es bueno]

[अच्छा नहीं]

So...apparently not. Which meant it wasn’t the north I needed to look towards, but up.

That presented a complicated problem, but one that didn’t need to be solved immediately. It was something to think about, something to work towards, perhaps after I retired from being king.

And what was it I’d asked?

“Is it okay to leave the Earth as it is?”

Epilogue: Parnam Castle Is Always Lively

Time passed, and we return now to the scene of my proposal to Carla...

“By my own name, I swear... I swear to make you happy! So please, I’m begging you—be my queen!”

I, Cian Friedonia, King of the Kingdom of Friedonia, stood before Carla as I made my heartfelt plea. She was dressed in her usual maid uniform, but even so, she looked lovely.

Carla Vargas, the woman I’d admired since I was a child. Because she was a dragonewt, she had barely changed in all those years. She was as beautiful as ever.

It might sound odd, but I grew up surrounded by beauty. My mothers, my little sisters...and in some cases even my grandmothers were stunning. My eyes had long been spoiled. Yet even so, Carla was in no way lesser than any of them. Perhaps I was biased by affection, but to me, she was incomparable.

In our younger days, she had cared for us like a gentle mother would, then watched over me and Father’s other children like a kind elder sister. And, of course, when I’d reached puberty, that warmth and strength naturally became something I fell in love with. The noble daughters who’d flirted with me back in my days at the Royal Academy couldn’t hold a candle to her. Only my fiancée, Sharan, could compare. Though our engagement had been arranged by our parents, Sharan was a kind and understanding girl. When she learned of my feelings for Carla, she even offered me advice on how to express them.

I cared deeply for Sharan too, and if I ever failed to treat her with the respect she deserved, I knew Kazuha, who liked her even more than I did, would storm into the governmental affairs office and set me straight with her fists.

“S-Sire...” Carla’s face flushed red at my proposal, her eyes darting nervously as she fumbled for words. “U-Um... I once rebelled against the former king...”

“That sin was long ago erased by your loyal service. You were even welcomed back into the House of Vargas.”

“I have a rather large scar on my chest, you know...”

“One you earned defending my father. I know about it, and it doesn’t bother me.”

“And besides...there’s quite an age gap between us.”

“If we’re going to worry about that, then Father couldn’t have married Momma Aisha or Momma Naden. I’ve finally grown enough that it looks natural for me to stand by your side. So please, Carla. Would you consider becoming my bride?”

I extended my hand towards her. Carla blinked, her tail twitching faintly as she looked at it.

“Y-You’re being...rather forward about this. Your father was so timid that even with Liscia and the others openly welcoming him, he still hesitated to lay a hand on any of them, you know?”

“Oh, I know. That’s exactly why my mothers told me not to follow his example—to be proactive when pursuing the woman I love. They told me to take after Uncle Julius and Uncle Hakuya.”

“Liscia! What have you been teaching your son?!”

I smiled faintly. “Would you please accept my feelings for you?”

Carla wavered, mumbling incoherently, her expression torn between joy and panic. She reached for my hand...then pulled back... Then tried again, only to stop herself once more.

After a long internal struggle, she finally blurted out, “Um...! Let...!”

“Let...?”

“Let me think about it!”

With that, she spun on her heel and ran off at full speed.

It was such an uncharacteristic display from the ever-composed head maid who constantly scolded her apprentices, Marin and Maron, for running in the castle halls that I could hardly believe my eyes.

I stood frozen where she had left me, staring down the corridor she had fled through in utter disbelief...

“My, my... Looks like you got rejected.”

“You have my condolences, Big Brother.”

“Well, cheer up, would ya, Brother?”

Three voices called out to me with a mix of amusement, sympathy, and exasperation. When I turned around, I found myself under the combined stares of three familiar faces.

“You were spying on us? Kazuha, Enju, Leon.”

They were my siblings (half-siblings technically, but no one in our family ever bothered with that distinction). Apparently, the three of them had been peeping on what was supposed to have been my once-in-a-lifetime proposal.

Kazuha was even holding a small, winged girl who looked about three or four years old. The child tilted her head, looking up at her blankly.

“Aww, Big Bwother. Wejected?”

“That’s right, Sayu. Poor Cian just got rejected.”

“I did not! Don’t lie to Sayu like that!”

Sayu, also known as Sayuri Haan Souma, was a celestial girl born to Dad and Momma Yuriga. Her mother had been a mage soccer athlete who got pregnant with my father’s child just as she was shifting from a power-based playstyle to a more technical one. Even after giving birth, Momma Yuriga continued to play while raising Sayu and her adopted son Suiga as siblings.

I crossed my arms and told my siblings firmly, “She hasn’t rejected me yet. Momma Liscia said, ‘Carla’s weak when pushed, so keep on pushing.’”

“Hee hee... Well, even when you were little, you were always bragging, ‘I’m gonna mawwy Cawla!’ so give it your best shot. But if you make my adorable Sharan cry, I’ll make you pay for it.”

Kazuha said this with a grin, then started shadowboxing with Sayu still in her arms. My little sister was always looking for a fight...

“Kazuha, maybe worry about yourself instead of me. Big Brother Ichiha and Big Sister Tomoe have been complaining that you’ve gone so long without settling on a fiancé the offers have stopped coming.”

“Nuh-uh, I can’t hear youuuuu!” Kazuha said, sticking her fingers in her ears.

“Can’t hewwww youuuuu!” Sayu mimicked, giggling as she copied Kazuha’s pose.

Leon chuckled. “Sayu’s such a little angel, ain’t she?”

“Yes. She is very cute,” Enju agreed.

They were both so charmed by her that everyone seemed to forget my proposal had been left unresolved. But honestly, I couldn’t blame them...Sayu really was adorable.

Still, I’ll just have to wait patiently for Carla’s answer. Momma Liscia told me “Carla’s a stubborn one, so you’ll have to be in for the long haul. You can’t rush things,” and I intend to follow it.

◇ ◇ ◇

After fleeing from Cian, Carla ran straight into the castle gardens.

The gardens—once tended by former king Albert, who had been a mediocre ruler but an exceptional gardener—were filled with winding paths, tall hedges, and scattered sculptures that made it easy to hide. Slipping into the shadow of a hedge, Carla caught her breath and pulled a small spherical object from her pocket.

“Liscia... Please answer...” she whispered into the palm-sized jewel.

It was a “mini-mini jewel,” a compact communication device. Originally, these were miniaturized versions of the simplified broadcast jewels used for public transmissions. Since the reorganization of the continent had brought an era of peace, technological progress had shifted towards improving daily life. Two of the greatest advances had been the creation of continent-spanning transportation networks and the miniaturization and mass production of broadcast jewels.

The latter had been developed by the House of Maxwell-Arcs with funding from King Souma. They revolutionized not only broadcast production but also communication, functioning much like video phones and greatly accelerating information exchange among the continent’s elites.

Though still expensive, mini-mini jewels had begun to spread among nobles, knights, and merchants. As a member of the reinstated House of Vargas, Carla possessed one as well. However, unlike a cell phone, the jewel couldn’t call just anyone. It could only connect to people whose devices had been directly registered. There were no ringtones, no call alerts; it was essentially a magical transceiver.

“Liscia! Liscia, can you hear me?!” Carla called into the jewel, her voice rising in desperation.

Nothing.

“Urgh... No answer, huh?”

The mini-mini jewels could transmit across any distance without the need for towers or relays, but their flaw was simple—if the other party wasn’t carrying their jewel, the call went unanswered. It seemed Liscia couldn’t hear her right now.

“Hmm? Is that Lady Carla?”

Carla turned towards the unexpected voice and froze.

Standing there were Sharan, the princess of the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago; Flora, daughter of Sebastian, the proprietor of The Silver Deer; and a third girl, the youngest of the three, barely twenty, who stared at Carla with wide, curious eyes.

Carla hastily straightened, standing at attention.

“Lady Sharan, Lady Flora, Lady Misora! P-Pardon me!”

“Is somethin’ the matter with ya, Carla?”

The girl called Misora tilted her head. She was Souma and Roroa’s second daughter, born after the war—a miniature version of her mother, cute and charming, though her half-lidded eyes always gave her a sleepy, absent-minded air. According to Souma, she took after his grandmother.

“Oh, ya’ve been playin’ hide-and-seek, indeed. I wish ya’d let me play with ya too, indeed.”

“Um, Misora,” Flora said with a sigh. “Tacking ‘indeed’ onto your merchant slang doesn’t make it sound polite, you realize?”

“Hmm? Don’t it, indeed, Big Sister Flora?”

Misora replied dreamily, seemingly unbothered, leaving Flora helpless in the face of her sister’s airheaded logic.

“By the way, what brings the three of you here?” Carla asked.

“Flora is visiting today, so we decided to have a tea party together,” Sharan replied with her usual composed smile.

Carla nodded, but Sharan suddenly stepped closer, her tone turning brisk.

“But more importantly, why are you here, Lady Carla? Lord Cian was practically glowing today, saying, ‘I’m gonna propose to Carla!’”

“Ah?! Well...”

“I see. So you were startled and ran away.”

As Carla stammered for words, Sharan let out a weary sigh, as if the entire situation had played out exactly as she had expected.

“Lord Cian finally mustered the courage to confess, and yet you responded by fleeing... If the two of you don’t settle this properly, it will make things rather complicated for me and my own relationship with him.”

“Um, do you truly understand, Lady Sharan? About...Lord Cian, I mean.”

“You mean his love for you, Lady Carla? Of course I do. I’ve known Lord Cian and Lady Kazuha since childhood, and I’ve seen the ‘Carla Love-Love Beams’ shooting from his eyes often enough.”

“L-Love-Love Beams...?” Carla repeated weakly.

Even after the continent’s reorganization—when the Maritime Alliance had grown into the Union of the Southern Continent—the Kingdom of Friedonia, the Republic of Turgis, and the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago maintained strong, friendly relations.

The leading families of each nation often visited one another for diplomatic and personal gatherings, turning what began as official exchanges into something closer to extended family trips. Souma himself finally enjoyed the peace he’d longed for—swimming in the Archipelago’s waters during summer and skiing in Turgis before relaxing in its hot springs each winter.

Queen Shabon of the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago frequently visited Friedonia as well, both to allow her daughter Sharan and her betrothed Cian to meet, and to negotiate persistently for shipbuilding technology, including the designs of the famed island carriers.

Thanks to these frequent visits, Cian, Sharan, and their peers had grown up together, sharing countless days of play and laughter. That was why Sharan had noticed Cian’s feelings for Carla long before anyone else.

“Lord Cian treats me like a little sister, no different from Lady Kazuha, yet he has always looked at you as a woman he admires. It made me jealous, and I had to work quite hard to make him see me as a woman.”

“Lady Sharan...”

“You don’t hate Lord Cian, do you, Lady Carla?”

“N-No, of course not.”

“In that case, why are you being so indecisive about this?”

Confronted so directly, Carla finally gave in and confessed. “I’ve always...seen him as a younger brother. He’s grown so much now, and is the master I serve, but there are still parts of him that feel like a little brother to me.”

“My, what’s the harm in having a fiancé who feels like a little brother?” Flora said with a chuckle. “It’s endearing, really, watching a younger boy try so hard to act mature for you.”

“Well, you would say that, Flora...” Sharan sighed.

“You’re talkin’ about Big Brother Leon, indeed,” Misora said, giggling.

Flora blushed lightly but didn’t deny it. She was Leon’s older fiancée. Roroa’s son had little interest in politics but a natural talent for business, just like his mother. It had already been decided that, in time, he would leave the royal family to help run Roroa’s company alongside Flora.

Though many years had passed since the unification of the Elfrieden Kingdom and the Principality of Amidonia into the Kingdom of Friedonia, the memory of their former division lingered. There was always a risk that keeping Leon in the royal family, while still carrying the Amidonia name, might give agitators an excuse to stir up old resentment. Because of that, Leon and Flora had been raised together from childhood, their relationship mirroring that of Carla and Cian—an older girl and the younger boy who grew to love her.

Ignoring Flora, who’d begun proudly listing Leon’s good qualities to an increasingly dazed Misora, Sharan turned back to Carla.

“So long as things proceed in the right order, I see no problem,” she said calmly. “I bear responsibility for maintaining good relations between this kingdom and the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago, so I cannot compromise on my position as the first primary queen. Even if you are accepted as a primary queen yourself, you must conduct yourself in a way that reflects well on me in public. If you can do that, then I will not oppose your becoming a queen, Lady Carla.”

“Lady Sharan...”

In that moment, Carla saw the image of her friend Liscia reflected in Sharan’s face; the same quiet strength, the same resolve to shoulder the weight of a nation while standing beside the man she loved. This must have been how Liscia looked when she stood at Souma’s side, supporting him. Surely even now, long after he had abdicated the throne...

“The rest is up to your heart, Lady Carla,” Sharan said softly. “If you truly wish to reject Lord Cian, I will not stop you. But if you have even the faintest feelings for him, and are holding yourself back out of concern for his position or status, then...”

“Th-Then what?”

“Then I will keep persuading you until you change your mind. Even if it means following you around while you work as a maid.”

“Urgh... That’s a terrible way to go about it.”

Carla let out a defeated sigh.

◇ ◇ ◇

After Carla fled from his confession, Cian returned to the governmental affairs office to deal with paperwork. He felt utterly deflated, but the work on his desk wasn’t going to finish itself.

His pen scratched mechanically against the paper as he sighed.

“Hahh...”

“Not very cheery in here, is it?” came a teasing voice beside him.

Cian glanced up to see a young man with glasses smiling wryly at him.

“Well, yeah,” he muttered. “I’m being forced to work right after the woman I proposed to ran off on me. Of course I’m feeling down, Big Brother Ichiha.”

The man was Ichiha Chima, the kingdom’s prime minister. Once known for his boyish looks, Ichiha was now in his late twenties, his features sharpened into a calm, confident maturity that gave him an effortless charm. Despite being married, he still drew attention from the court ladies and castle maids—though once word spread that anyone who flirted too boldly might end up bitten by a certain white wolf, the advances stopped rather abruptly.

Cian calling him “Big Brother” wasn’t mere courtesy. He had long referred to Ichiha’s wife, Tomoe, as “Big Sister,” a title she had insisted on despite technically being his aunt. The habit had simply stuck.

“She’s your first love, right?” Ichiha said as he neatly stacked the documents he had just signed. “You’ll have to be patient with her.”

Cian groaned. “Those sound like the words of a man who married his first love.”

“Well, maybe I got lucky,” Ichiha admitted with a modest smile. “But look at His Majesty and Lady Liscia. They fell in love after getting betrothed. Everyone’s paths are different. You’ll find your pace too.”

“Yeah, I know that... I really do, but still...!” Cian slumped forward, pressing his cheek to the desk. “I just want to be able to flirt with Carla!”

Ichiha chuckled. “So that’s how you really feel.”

“Like you do with Big Sister Tomoe!” Cian shot back.

“D-Do we really flirt that much?” Ichiha asked, scratching his cheek awkwardly.

He might have tried to deny it, but their affection for each other was an open secret in the castle. Both were extraordinarily competent in their duties—he as prime minister, she as chamberlain—so no one could complain. Yet they exchanged lingering glances when their eyes met, brushed hands when working together, and when lunchtime came, one would inevitably appear in the other’s office to fetch them. They would then eat together, wrapped in such a thick aura of mutual adoration that no one else dared to join them.

Cian could only sigh again, imagining his role models with envy.

“Because we’ve been together so long, Carla already sees me as family,” he said, rubbing his temples. “So before anything else, I need her to see me as a man.”

“I see. Hence why you started with a proposal.”

“Exactly. If she kept seeing me as her little brother, any date I asked her on would just feel like a walk in the park, and anything romantic I said would only make me look like a boy trying too hard to act grown up. Even if it was a drastic move, I needed to shatter that image.”

“I think it’s good that you’re being so proactive,” came a calm, teasing voice as someone new joined the conversation.

It was Ichiha’s wife, Tomoe, the chamberlain. She’d appeared quietly at some point, holding a stack of documents.

“Big Brother wasn’t from the House of Elfrieden,” she said matter-of-factly. “So when he ascended to the throne, marrying Big Sister was the only way to secure legitimacy for his rule. Only his children with her carry the blood of the Elfrieden royal line. But you, Your Majesty, already bear Elfrieden blood. That means you can have as many children as you like, with whomever you choose. I’m very glad to see you so enthusiastically pursuing romance... It will help replenish our dwindling stock of royals.”

She placed a document from the finance department on Cian’s desk, smiling as he frowned at the sight of new paperwork.

“And Big Brother’s blood is just as vital,” she added with a mischievous grin. “We need the lineage of old mankind to handle overscience artifacts and beings like Miss Mao. So we really do need you producing heirs. I’ll look forward to scheduling your nighttime activities.”

“Big Sister... Even if it doesn’t involve you, that’s no way to put it,” Cian muttered, face reddening.

“It may not be time yet for Miss Carla, but I do wish you’d move things along with Miss Sharan.”

“Sharan’s trying to be considerate of my feelings. Which is all the more reason I want to settle things with Carla first...so I can move forward with Sharan properly.”

Because Sharan knew about his lingering feelings for Carla, she’d chosen to wait until he could resolve them. If Carla saw the two of them growing closer, she would probably step back—though that would leave Cian burdened with regret.

Sharan had learned much from her mother, Shabon, about the duty of being the mother of the nation, and from her mother-in-law-to-be, Queen Liscia, about the pride and dignity required of a first primary queen. Even if more women entered Cian’s life, Sharan would accept them openly and fairly, confident in her position.

That was why she had given Cian the push he’d needed...and encouraged Carla to face her own heart.

Ichiha and Tomoe exchanged knowing smiles, both remembering just how steady and strong-willed Sharan could be.

“You know, I don’t think Cian or Lady Carla will ever be a match for Miss Sharan,” Ichiha said thoughtfully.

“And that’s for the good of the country,” Tomoe replied. “Big Sister proved that having a strong, admirable first primary queen brings stability to both the nation and the royal family. I’d like to follow her example.”

“I-I think you’re fine the way you are,” Ichiha said quickly when he noticed Tomoe clench her fist with renewed determination.

The small exchange said much about the balance of power in their household, though to anyone watching, even moments like this looked like flirting.

Cian let out a weary sigh. “Even though I’m the king now, nothing seems to go my way. I think I finally understand why my dad abdicated the moment I turned fifteen.”

After the reorganization of the continent, Souma had worked tirelessly to advance the world’s development, but he had swiftly handed over the throne when Cian came of age and then retired from Parnam Castle.

“The world’s stable now, and you have talented retainers,” Souma had said. “The military’s under the control of the royal family and Excel, so you’ll have no trouble there. As long as you listen to Ichiha and Tomoe’s advice, you should be able to rule without issue. But if I stay on the throne, people might try to burden me with titles like hero, great man, or saint, the way they did to Fuuga and Maria. I’m leaving the rest to you, and retiring from being king.”

That had been on the day of Cian and Kazuha’s fifteenth birthday. During the banquet held in their honor, Souma had made his sudden declaration before the family and all the gathered retainers. For Cian, it had been a complete shock, but Liscia, the other queens, and key officials had already been informed, so they received the news calmly. What was meant to be a birthday celebration had turned into a double event: Cian’s ascension to the throne, and a tribute to Souma’s years of service.

Not long after the coronation, Souma had quietly left Parnam Castle and moved into a mansion in the nobles’ quarter of the capital. Liscia and the other queens had joined him there, using the mansion as a base to pursue their own interests while supporting him.

Even in retirement, Liscia continued to serve as his secretary, as though nothing had changed. Cian often thought that his mother would have followed Souma anywhere, even into hell itself. Aisha still stood by Souma as his bodyguard, though lately she’d begun to pester him for a child of her own, much to his dismay. Juna remained active in the world of music as a legendary lorelei. Her son, Kaito, had inherited her artistry and striking, androgynous beauty, debuting as an orpheus under her careful guidance. Roroa had officially handed her business empire to Leon and Flora, yet she continued to manage it from behind the scenes while raising her daughter, Misora. Naden worked as a weather forecaster, and still ferried Souma through the skies on her back whenever he needed to travel.

The family had all gone their separate ways in pursuit of their own paths, and Naden’s cooperation was essential in helping each of Souma’s wives spend time with him in turn. Her daughter, Rinoa, had inherited the longevity of the sea serpent race and was being educated by Excel so she could one day serve as a lasting protector of the kingdom. Maria continued to dedicate herself to charitable work while supporting Stella, who’d been adopted by her younger sister Jeanne and Jeanne’s husband, Hakuya. (The Euphoria Kingdom faced an even more severe shortage of royals than Friedonia did.)

Yuriga was raising Suiga, Fuuga’s son, along with her own daughter, Sayuri, all while maintaining her career as a professional mage soccer player. Rumors had begun circulating that Shuukin and Lumiere were preparing to make Suiga king of the Great Tiger Kingdom of Haan, and the thought of parting with him filled her with quiet sorrow.

As for the last of Souma’s wives...she was a state secret, so best not to delve into that here.

After abdicating the throne, Souma himself had devoted his life to scholarship, taking up a post as a special professor at the Royal Academy to study and preserve the knowledge of old mankind. His research focused on recording and passing down as much of his old world’s history, culture, and customs as possible.

With assistance from Mao, the leader of the Seadians, whose database contained a selection of digitized books from Earth, Souma began translating them. Though they represented only a fraction of Earth’s vast history, the first work he chose to translate was Machiavelli’s The Prince. It was a text he remembered clearly and had drawn from during his own reign, so he decided to preserve it for Cian and the rulers who would follow.

Souma added his own commentary and examples from his years as king, publishing it under the title The Prince (with Annotations by Souma). In addressing the book’s harsher passages—those once condemned by the church as demonic—he provided his own measured interpretations, producing a work that, while slightly biased, earned attention as “a former king’s guide to governance.” It became an unexpected bestseller across the continent.

Afterwards, Souma turned his focus to translating songs, manga, and other works of entertainment where mistranslations carried less risk, and he began teaching translation studies to his students. Whenever news reached him of a relic of old mankind discovered in a dungeon or somewhere in the northern lands, he would fly there at once to study it and assess whether it posed any danger. Thus began Souma’s second life, one of research and rediscovery.

“Isn’t Big Brother off in the northern hemisphere right now?” Tomoe asked.

Cian nodded. “Yeah. With Momma Maria and Momma Yuriga...and maybe Momma Juna too? Some of the family stayed behind, but Momma Liscia and Momma Aisha went with him. We’re expecting a report from them later today.”

“Everyone’s still so full of vigor,” Ichiha said with a touch of envy. “They seem even more energetic than when they lived in the castle.”

Cian gave a resigned shrug. “They’ve got it good. I want to retire early too.”

“Oh my,” Tomoe said with a teasing grin. “Then you’d better start making babies soon. Once the next generation grows up, you can hand things over to them, you know? Maybe I should go check on Lady Sharan’s health.”

Cian fell completely silent.

◇ ◇ ◇

Meanwhile, around that same time...

“Carla? It’s not often you contact me first. Did something happen?”

“Liscia! Thank goodness! I finally got through to you!”

After calling out to the mini-mini jewel over and over, Carla had at last managed to reach Liscia. The small projection that appeared before her wasn’t wearing Liscia’s usual red uniform; instead, she was dressed in a simple jacket and knee-length pants—an outfit that made her look a bit like a scout...or maybe a certain Super Hi**shi-kun.

Much like her mother, who was still captivatingly beautiful even with age, Liscia, though in her mid-thirties, looked barely older than twenty. Perhaps somewhere far back in the royal bloodline there had been someone of a long-lived race, but in this world of many races, it wasn’t all that unusual for some people to age slowly.

Liscia tilted her head, looking at Carla’s flustered face with mild curiosity. “What’s wrong? You look completely panicked.”

“Where do I even start...? Your son, His Majesty Cian, just proposed to me!”

“Oh, he finally did it, huh? I thought he’d get around to that not long after taking the throne.”

In contrast to Carla’s frantic tone, Liscia’s reaction was calm, almost indifferent.

Carla’s eyes went wide. “Wh-What kind of reaction is that?! Your son just proposed to your friend, you know?!”

“It’s hardly unusual in a country as diverse as ours,” Liscia said, matter-of-factly. “When people of different races age and mature at different rates, these kinds of relationships happen all the time. So long as you’re not blood relatives, it wouldn’t even be strange if one of my great-grandchildren married your mother.”

“I’d really rather not picture that!”

“Besides, hasn’t Cian always had a soft spot for you? I still remember how he started calling you by name before he even learned mine.”

“You’ve been holding a grudge over that for more than a decade?!”

When they’d been babies, Cian and his twin sister Kazuha had called Liscia “Maa” for “Mama,” but they’d started calling the dragonewt maid “Cala” before that. Liscia laughed lightly at the memory.

“Even back then, he was always saying, ‘When I grow up, I’m gonna marry Carla.’”

“He was, yes... But you can’t take something like that seriously. That’s just childish talk.”

“Oh, I always thought he meant it. He is my son, after all.”

“Ah...!”

And in that moment, Carla understood.

Back in her school days, Liscia had been so striking in both lineage and beauty that she had been often confessed to, yet she had rejected every suitor with such cold precision that people had called her the “Golden Ice Palace.” But once she met Souma and saw the potential in him, she had loved him wholeheartedly, through every hardship. Even after Souma took other queens, Liscia had remained steadfast, holding them all together as his first primary queen.

Given how deeply her mother Elisha had loved King Albert, it seemed that when someone from the Elfrieden royal house fell in love, they did so with complete devotion. If Carla had truly understood that, she would never have dismissed Cian’s childhood words as mere nonsense.

Liscia smiled wryly and crossed her arms. “Still, I think it’s a good thing that boy got so attached to you.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“You know how our family is... When one of us decides to do something, the rest will bend over backwards to support it. But none of the children ever wanted to inherit the throne. In the end, things went more or less as planned, and Cian, who showed the most aptitude for it, became king. But he wasn’t exactly thrilled about it.”

“Well, yeah...”

Carla could understand why Cian wouldn’t have been eager. After all, he was succeeding none other than Emperor Souma of the Gran Friedonia Empire—a title Souma himself never used, one spoken with equal parts reverence and mockery.

Souma often said he lacked the charisma of a Maria or a Fuuga, but his accomplishments far outshone those of most rulers in history. He had rebuilt the decaying Elfrieden Kingdom, annexed its old enemy Amidonia to form the Kingdom of Friedonia, resolved the Demon Lord conflict, crushed the ambitions of Fuuga’s bid for world conquest, reorganized the continent’s balance of power, and even opened a path to the new world in the north.

Of course, he hadn’t achieved all of that alone, nor had Friedonia done so without allies. Still, it had all happened during his reign. To later generations who idolized Fuuga, Souma would be painted as a villain who had stood in the way of a “great man.” But to those who lived in his time, he was nothing short of a brilliant ruler.

Cian was now expected to live up to that legacy, even while Souma, still in his mid-thirties, was nowhere near the age when rulers usually considered stepping down. If Souma had reigned until his fifties or sixties and continued to guide the nation behind the scenes, no one would have objected. But he refused to cling to power that long. Even so, Cian must have wished his father had stayed king just a little longer.

“Souma told him this,” Liscia said with a sigh. “‘If you’re going to marry Carla, you’d better be king when you do.’”

“...Come again?”

“‘She might have been freed from her sentence, but marrying someone who once rebelled against the crown won’t be easy. People will talk. There’ll be criticism. You can’t just leave the royal family to escape it, and if you hold a position lower than your detractors, you won’t be able to protect her. So instead, become king and use your power to silence them.’ That’s what Souma told Cian to convince him. It was what finally got Cian in the right frame of mind for the throne.”

“Former Master, don’t go cajoling your son like that!”

“Souma has held his own in talks with rulers from every nation on the continent,” Liscia said dryly. “Of course Cian doesn’t have the experience to avoid getting talked into something by him.”

Souma was a master of the double-edged phrase—statements that weren’t lies but led people precisely where he wanted them. He’d outmaneuvered countless rulers that way. There was no chance Cian could’ve won an argument against him.

Liscia smiled warmly at Carla. “There’s no need to overthink this, is there? It’s not like you dislike Cian, right, Carla?”

“You think I could say I did in front of his mother, the former queen?!”

“Be honest. I promise I won’t blame you even if you did.”

“W-Well... I don’t dislike him. I’ve been watching over him since he was born.”

“Of course you don’t. You wouldn’t have run off if you did.”

Liscia knew Carla’s personality well. If she had truly disliked Cian, she would’ve said so to his face, ending things right then and there. Cian would have been heartbroken, yes, but it would’ve been over. If he’d tried to press the matter, Liscia and the others would have quickly stepped in.

But Carla hadn’t rejected him; she had run away.

There were so many reasons she could have given to turn him down. She could have said he felt more like a nephew or a younger brother, or that becoming queen was too heavy a burden, or that she preferred to remain single. But she hadn’t chosen any of those excuses. She had fled instead, unable to decide. That meant she cared for him enough that she couldn’t bring herself to end things so easily.

“You don’t know whether you love him as family or as a man,” Liscia said gently. “And you ran because you didn’t know what to do... Is that about right?”

“How could you tell?”

“We’re best friends. And you helped raise my children.”

“That’s...pretty convincing.”

“You do want to get married someday, don’t you? Even if Cian wishes to spend his whole life with you, as someone of a long-lived race, you’ll meet many more people over time. Why not marry him and see what it’s like?”

“Becoming queen just to ‘see what it’s like’ is ridiculous... And it would be rude to His Majesty to accept with such frivolity.”

“See? You’re thinking about Cian first and foremost.”

Liscia chuckled softly, and Carla, realizing her slip, turned away.

With a gentle smile, Liscia continued, “If you make your choice after coming to terms with your own feelings, I’ll support you no matter what, even if Cian doesn’t like the answer.”

“Liscia...”

“So first, Carla, you need to face Cian and talk to him directly.”

“Yeah...” Carla nodded, her expression thoughtful.

Perhaps she had called Liscia not so much for advice as for a little push, and Liscia had given her exactly that.

After ending the call, Carla clapped her hands together to steel her resolve, then rose and headed towards the governmental affairs office, where Cian was likely to be.

She knocked, waited for permission, and entered. “Excuse me,” she said.

Inside were Cian, Prime Minister Ichiha, and Chamberlain Tomoe.

“Huh?! Carla?!” Cian exclaimed, startled by her sudden appearance.

Ichiha and Tomoe exchanged a look, instantly grasping the situation.

“Sire, we should be going.”

“See you tomorrow.”

With practiced speed, they slipped out, leaving behind an atmosphere that clearly said, We’ll leave you two alone. (Never mind that Carla was older than either of them.)

As the door closed, silence settled between them. Then, summoning her courage, Carla spoke.

“Your Majesty!”

“Y-Yes!”

“In regard to your earlier proposal...”

And with that, she gave him her answer.

No one else heard what she said, but the Chima couple, who lingered just long enough outside the office, took the silence that followed as all the answer they needed. When the door didn’t open again for quite some time, they exchanged knowing smiles.

◇ ◇ ◇

That night...

“So, that’s how it went. I got engaged to Carla.”

Inside the Jewel Voice Chamber of the castle, Cian stood before the broadcast jewel that had been there since long ago, reporting to the figure projected on a simple receiver.

“I’ll be accepting her as my second primary queen. I trust you have no objections, Dad?”

“Nah. You’re king now, Cian. I trust you to make your own decisions.”

The man in the projection—Souma E. Friedonia, former king of the Kingdom of Friedonia—smiled and nodded. Now that he was in his late thirties, though Souma’s physique hadn’t changed much, his appearance had grown more relaxed. His hair was longer, a shadow of stubble lined his chin, and there was a comfortable ease about him that had only come after he’d set down the burdens of rule.

Seeing him like that, Cian sighed. “Hold on, Dad. You’re wearing that over there too?”

“Hmm? This? Well, I’ve gotten used to it.”

Souma raised his arms, showing off the sleeves of his white lab coat. Ever since retiring, he’d adopted a uniform of a shirt, pants, and that long white coat. He claimed it symbolized his new life as an ordinary researcher rather than a king...but in truth, that wasn’t the real reason.

Souma’s idea of a “cool guy” came from a certain romantic comedy featuring an archaeologist who wore a white coat and practiced Jeet Kune Do. So, in short, he was cosplaying. He kept that part to himself, of course.

Incidentally, the fictional archaeologist’s cigarette had been iconic, but since Souma despised smoking, he’d gone so far as to work with Roroa to develop chocolate cigarettes, just so he’d have something to hold in his mouth. (Liscia, naturally, had only sighed in exasperation.) The coat was no longer pristine. It was dusty and faintly yellowed.

“Isn’t that getting a bit dirty?” Cian asked.

“Well, I do wear it for fieldwork.”

“Exploring the new world in a white coat seems reckless.”

“I’ve got Liscia and Aisha guarding me, so it’s fine.”

“If Momma Liscia and Momma Aisha are there... Yeah, I guess it would be.”

Indeed, Souma was now in the world of the northern hemisphere. That explained why, earlier that afternoon, Liscia had been dressed like an explorer when Carla contacted her.

Those with adventurous spirits had all taken off for that new world, where vast unexplored dungeons spewed out monsters. Together with the Seadians, who sought to return to their homeland, they had built forward bases, expanded their operations, and established supply lines between them. In the process, they often unearthed relics of old mankind from the depths of these dungeons. And whenever that happened, Souma, the scholar of the old world, would join the investigations himself.

Liscia and Aisha accompanied Souma as his bodyguards during his expeditions.

“What’s it like in the world of the north now?” Cian asked.

“It’s a wild world,” Souma replied. “Ever since I disabled Mao’s ability to create new dungeons, there’s no longer an endless supply of them, but...over the long years, an ecosystem has taken root that’s hostile to mankind.”

“During a recent meeting of the Union of the Southern Continent, there’s been talk about forming a joint army and stationing it in the north.”

“Hrmm... I’m not fond of that idea. It’s difficult enough maintaining contact between this side and that one. If you create too powerful a force there, it might eventually claim authority in the name of the old world and become uncontrollable. We don’t need an organization like the Ti*ans showing up.”

“Hmm? The what?”

“Let’s just say...a hard-line military faction. Basically, I think the affairs of this world should be handled by its own people. The south should focus on trade and cooperation, not governance.”

“So you’re saying we should proceed carefully. I’ll take that into account.”

At some point, their talk had drifted from family matters to politics. Cian didn’t mind; it felt natural now. As he’d grown older, he’d found discussing statecraft with his father easier than casual small talk.

After a while, Cian exhaled quietly. “Do you think I can be a proper king?”

Souma raised an eyebrow. “Why bring that up all of a sudden?”

“Now that Carla’s agreed to marry me, and Sharan has always been by my side as my future queen...when I think about the people I have to protect, it makes me uneasy.”

Souma listened silently.

“It’s not like the country is facing a mountain of problems like when you inherited it,” Cian continued. “The world’s stable now. The nations are on good terms, and we’re all developing together. I understand I won’t face the same kind of chaos you did, but still...the title of ‘king’ feels heavy.”

There might not be sudden crises anymore, but the king would still bear responsibility for every misstep. And if he faltered, Carla and Sharan would be dragged into that burden as well. The thought weighed on Cian’s heart.

Souma waited for him to finish before speaking softly. “I get it. Feeling uncertain is part of being a good king. The moment you stop worrying is the moment you stop caring about the people whose lives depend on your choices.”

“...”

“I can’t tell you not to worry...but don’t let that worry consume you either. The people you feel responsible for aren’t just a weight on your shoulders—they have wills of their own, and they’ll do their best to support you. Carla, Sharan, your siblings, your parents...they’ll all help you. You’re not alone.”

“You’ll be there too, Dad?” Cian asked.

Souma smiled and nodded. “Of course. That’s why, out of all the books I could have chosen from Earth, I left you a copy of The Prince. Have you read it?”

“I have, but...I’m not sure I understood everything.”

“That’s fine. I meant it as something for you to turn to when you face hardship.”

Souma’s expression softened with paternal warmth. “Cian, do you know which part of The Prince helped me most when I was king?”

“Huh? I’d really like to know!”

“It’s from ‘Chapter 22: Concerning the Secretaries of Princes.’ Machiavelli wrote, ‘There are three classes of intellect: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others have comprehended; and a third which neither comprehends by itself nor by the showing of others. The first is most excellent, the second is good, and the third is useless.’”

“I see...”

Cian had long worried that he’d taken the throne too soon. To prepare himself, he’d carefully read The Prince (with Annotations by Souma), the copy his father had left behind. So he understood immediately the passage Souma was quoting.

“‘When a king considers matters, a great ruler is one who can resolve everything alone, but if he cannot, it is also the mark of a great ruler to heed the counsel of excellent retainers and reach a solution that way. In turn, if a ruler cannot solve things himself and refuses to listen to his wise retainers, then he can only be called useless...’ Was that it?”

“Exactly,” Souma said. “Listen to your wise retainers, and turn away those who flatter you with sweet lies. If a king can manage that much, then even a mediocre man can start to look like a brilliant ruler. Take me for example. I didn’t have Fuuga’s presence or Maria’s charisma, but because I had excellent retainers like Hakuya the Black-Robed Prime Minister, Julius the White Strategist, Hal the Red Oni, and Tomoe the Wise Wolf Princess by my side, people think I was a great ruler.”

“No, you... Nah, you’re right.”

For a moment, he had been about to say that people didn’t think it—his father truly was a great ruler—but he stopped himself. He knew Souma would only deny it.

Souma had never rated himself highly as king. Having lived alongside extraordinary figures like Maria and Fuuga, he had convinced himself he was only ever average, just good enough to pass. Yet the truth was clear to everyone but him—his family, his retainers, and even the people of other nations all regarded him as one of the finest rulers of his age. If a king had excellent retainers, the people would see him as a great ruler... Easy words to say, but only Souma knew how difficult they were to live by.

“You make it sound simple,” Cian sighed. “but it’s actually pretty hard. Our retainers are so capable that they’ll tell me what I need to hear, even when it’s painful. I keep being reminded of how powerless I am.”

Souma chuckled lightly. “Most kings take pride in their royal blood. I never had that.”

“Well...neither do I. I wasn’t exactly eager to become king in the first place.”

“Then you already have what it takes to be a good king, Cian. I can say that with confidence, because we’re family.”

Cian smiled faintly. “I feel like there’s some bias there, but...thanks, Dad.”

The tension in his face eased, and Souma could see that his son would be all right.

◇ ◇ ◇

[King Souma E. Elfrieden of the Kingdom of Friedonia]

Formerly known as Souma Kazuya.

After abdicating the throne, he continued his work as a scholar of ancient mankind, contributing greatly to the advancement of civilization. Having renounced his royal title and lived as a commoner, little is known about the details of his final years. It is said, however, that he pursued his research until old age and eventually passed away peacefully—drifting into eternal rest surrounded by his many wives, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

However...though unverified, there are persistent rumors that after living a full life, he discovered technology in the northern world that allowed him to rejuvenate himself as a high human and journeyed into space in search of his original home world. Just as there were tales claiming his rival, Fuuga Haan, survived his era, legends of rulers living on are hardly rare. Did Souma ever reach the world he once came from? If anyone knows the truth, it would surely be Mother Dragon, whose wisdom transcends the limits of mankind.

—Excerpted from How Souma Rebuilt the Kingdom by Tuttle Tortoise

◇ ◇ ◇

“By the way, Dad, are you coming home for New Year’s?”

Now that the Souma family had scattered in different directions, they only gathered together twice a year: once for the summer Memorial Festival and again for New Year’s Day. Though their numbers had grown large enough to make reunions difficult, their bonds remained close, and Cian wanted the family’s cornerstone, Souma, to join them for the holidays.

Scratching his cheek awkwardly, the projection of Souma replied, “Yeah, about that. I won’t be waiting for New Year’s to come back.”

“Huh? Did something happen?”

“Well, uh...we just found out Aisha’s pregnant.”

“Come again...?”

For a moment, Cian couldn’t process what he’d heard. He stood frozen until Souma added, “It means you’re going to have another little brother or sister next year.”

“Huh... Whaaaaaa?!”

Cian’s voice echoed through the chamber. The maids, Marin and Maron, who happened to be passing by, stopped in alarm.

““His Majesty is screaming?! Is it an emergency?!””

Word spread quickly, and before long, the rumor had grown into “His Majesty was attacked by an assassin!” Carla and Sharan burst into a panic, while Kazuha charged through the corridors, rapier in hand, yelling, “Where is the brigand?!” The castle fell into chaos until Ichiha and Tomoe, realizing what had actually happened, managed to calm everyone down.

When peace finally returned, Cian explained Aisha’s pregnancy, and the castle erupted into an even bigger uproar.

Parnam Castle was lively as ever that day.

Afterword

It was long. Farewell to this truly long battle!

Okay, sorry for suddenly dropping that famous line from the last episode of the old Kinnikuman. Thank you for buying the final volume of How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom. This is Dojyomaru, currently overjoyed about the new Kinnikuman anime and burning with Kinnikuman fever for the who-knows-how-manieth time.

With this volume, Realist Hero finally concludes its run of just over ten years. The story wrapped up a bit earlier on Pixiv, and while I felt a huge sense of relief, I also found myself spacing out and building model kits.

First, let me talk about the structure of this final volume. I intentionally played with the timeline a bit. “Why?” you might ask. Because I wanted to move the story of Naden’s daughter, Nowa, towards the front.

During the Pixiv serialization and from feedback on the print edition, I received a lot of comments asking about Aisha’s and Naden’s children—just about as many as those asking for a partner for Carla. I’d always planned for Carla’s partner and Aisha’s baby to be the final emotional highlights of the series, so I saved them for the end. But if I’d told Ruby’s childbirth story in chronological order, before showing whether Naden could have a child, it would’ve felt unfair to Naden.

The story with Nowa is actually the latest chronologically in this volume, but I didn’t want readers to feel uneasy about Naden until the end. So I brought it forward to Chapter 1, so that when readers later reached Ruby’s story, they could think, “It’s okay. Naden will have her child too.” And if Naden was fine, they could safely assume Aisha would be as well.

Since the larger story already wrapped up back in volume 19, all that remained was to resolve the lingering issue of Saint Anne and the Orthodox Papal State, and to depict what became of the various characters and new nations afterwards.

Like I said at the start...it really was long.

I spent nearly a decade aspiring to become a writer, entering contests and failing over and over, until I finally began this web serialization as “practice.” That practice project somehow turned into Realist Hero, and I’ve been writing it ever since.

It was supposed to be just a practice project, so I started by following the usual template. But I soon realized, “If I keep going like this, it’ll get lost among the countless similar works, and I’ll never finish it.” To set it apart, I drew inspiration from Machiavelli, had Souma rely on his companions instead of growing superhuman himself, and gave defeated enemies chances to return instead of discarding them as villains of the week.

The only named character who truly exited early was Gaius VIII, but even he continued to influence events long after his death, with his name popping up here and there.

By giving every opponent a reason for their actions, I created situations where a total victory for Souma wasn’t necessarily the best outcome. Come to think of it, in a story that ran twenty volumes, Souma never actually had a “clean” victory. (Even in the Amidonia War, his closest thing to a win, Roroa flipped the outcome on its head.) There were times when he won by default, came out ahead through compromise, or simply removed a dangerous beast(?) from the board, I suppose.

You must be an awfully unique individual to have stuck with such a strange, pragmatic story all the way to the end. Really, thank you so much.

Now, before wrapping up, I want to express my deepest thanks to everyone involved in bringing this series to life, and to all of you readers who supported it along the way. Ueda-sensei’s manga adaptation is still ongoing, so please continue to support him just as warmly.

Oh, and by the way, there’s also a short story collection being released. It’s a compilation of all the extra stories written over the years, resulting in a massive volume of over five hundred pages. I hope you’ll check that out too.

Goodbye for now, and I hope we’ll meet again somewhere down the road.

This has been Dojyomaru.