“I will trust your judgment.”

“Understood.”

After exchanging those few words, my father returned, and I asked him, “Was that all right? Admitting fault so easily?”

“There was no hostility towards the Kingdom in that young man’s eyes,” Father said, letting out a little laugh. “He was simply thinking of those who had been hurt. Even under my gaze, his eyes remained unswerving. He had the will to look me in the eye. That is proof he had nothing to hide.”

Father crossed his arms and watched as Julius and Colbert walked away side-by-side.

“The crown prince is a calculating ruler, able to handle things with pragmatism, while the bureaucrat is unafraid to make his opinion known, even to military men. Amidonia has produced some promising youths, too. It seems... we can’t afford to let our guards down.”

It was then that I burned the image of those men who my father had viewed with deference into my eyes.

“Mio, I hear you’ve had trouble concentrating on your lessons on how to manage a domain.” On the way back, Father called out to me.

“Urkh... I’ll admit, it’s not my best subject...”

“Sigh... You’re not a bad warrior, though.”

Though I was pleased he recognized me as a warrior, that sigh made me feel like I was being called out for my shortcomings—it was awfully conflicting.

“It’s difficult to be the lord of a large domain when all your skills are of the martial variety. My own father was always telling me that.”

“Grandfather said that to you?”

“Yes. There was a time when my skills were purely martial, too. I leaned on my wife for support, and over a long period of time I got used to it, but... it seems my blood runs thick in your veins.”

“...I’m sorry.”

Mother was a woman of great wisdom, and because Father was away from home so often as part of his duties, she was effectively the one who handled the administrative side of things. I was often told I looked like my mother when she was young, but I apparently inherited none of her inclination toward domestic affairs.

“I-If we have to, let’s bring in a husband who is good at handling internal administration!” I said.

“...Yes, I suspect that’s how it’s going to go.” Father gazed up to the sky. “I pray it will be a bureaucrat with spine, like that young man.”

Hearing the tone of resignation in my father’s voice, I couldn’t say anything. And, as Sir Beowulf listened to our exchange, a smile broke out on his face as he suppressed a laugh.

◇ ◇ ◇

However, the day when I would inherit the Carmine Duchy never came. Three years had passed since then.

“I’m going now, Mother,” I said, with two longswords strapped to my back and a full-face helmet held under my arm.

Mother gave me a slightly troubled look. Putting one hand on her cheek, she sighed, “Mio... There’s no need for you to endanger yourself over him, you know? I’m sure he wouldn’t want you to, either.”

“...Maybe not. But I don’t want to leave it like this.” I put a hand on my mother’s shoulder as her lion tail drooped. “No matter how things ended up, I believe that Father fought with determination. That’s why I want to know the truth. If I find out that he truly wanted to defeat the current king, then...”

“Mio, your father didn’t want us getting caught up in it...”

“I know that. But I’ve already made up my mind,” I replied to her, as I looked into her eyes.

With another sigh, she said, “Once you set your mind on something, you won’t bend. That stubbornness must have come from your father.”

“Of course. I am his daughter, after all.”

“I see...” Mother lowered her head. “...In that case, do what you want.”

She looked at me again, now with a gleaming strength in her eyes.

“I’ll accept whatever result that determination of yours brings. If you say that willfulness is because of his blood, then that is my own determination. As his wife, and as your mother.”

“Mother...”

I felt something hot rising in my chest, and the tears nearly began to flow. I put on my helmet to shield my face before turning my back towards her.

“I swear I will emerge victorious. Then I will have my wish granted.”

“...Please, just don’t take on more than you can handle, Mio.”

With those words from my mother, I left the house.

“There’s no doubt about it. That was Duke Carmine’s daughter, Madam Mio,” Owen said with a pained look.

After we had each been shown to our rooms, I had gathered my key companions in the room allotted to me and my queens.

“Yes, it most definitely was Sir Carmine’s daughter. I have met her on multiple occasions,” Colbert agreed, so that more or less confirmed it.

Mio, the daughter of Georg the traitor. If he assigned her to be our guide, it was a near certainty that Gimbal knew who she was. It was clear Mio was plotting something by taking part in this tournament. But what was Gimbal’s angle, putting us in contact with her like this? Were their plans the same?

“What do you think? Colbert?” I asked Colbert, the intellectual of the group.

Colbert brought a finger to his mouth as he pondered. “Though I’ve met her in the past, we weren’t friends, so I couldn’t tell you what Madam Mio is thinking. But... if Sir Gimbal were plotting something, you would have expected him to show some reaction when you and Madam Mio met.”

“Reaction? Like a scheming look, or something?”

“Or a forced smile, maybe. But I didn’t see either. It’s entirely possible that Madam Mio’s intentions are just as inscrutable to Sir Gimbal.” Colbert crossed his arms and groaned. “Even if she is the daughter of Duke Carmine, Madam Mio is still originally from the Kingdom. To Sir Gimbal’s eyes, she must appear as a suspicious individual who still has ties to us. It seems Madam Mio has been winning her way through the tournament, so perhaps he arranged for the two of you to meet so that he could gauge your reaction?”

“He was checking if we’re secretly connected to Mio?” I said with a sigh. “If that’s what it was... his fears are unfounded.”

Had he been scrutinizing our motives, the same way we were scrutinizing his?

“Yes, completely.” Colbert nodded. “But it does prove that Sir Gimbal doesn’t have a full grasp of what Mio’s intentions are, either.”

“...So it all comes down to what Mio’s thinking, huh?”

If she won the tournament, she would be granted a wish. But what was she participating for? What exactly was the wish she’d want granted?

“Hrm... If she’s got a grudge against Souma, maybe she wants ‘Souma’s head’?” Naden said that so casually that I felt a chill on my neck.

“I-Is that a wish Zem can grant?”

“I doubt she could ask for it directly. However, if she asked for ‘the throne of Zem,’ and defeated Sir Gimbal to become the Queen of Zem, she could start a war with us any time she wanted to. Naturally, based on the relative size of Zem, they would have a hard time winning a war against us alone.” That was Colbert’s sober analysis.

Well, our country was coordinating with the Empire and the Republic, so even if she roped the Lunarian Orthodox Papal State into attacking us with her, we could still beat them back. But if she didn’t attack directly, and instead fomented unrest inside the country, lending mercenaries to the dissidents and encouraging terrorist attacks, that would be a pain.

“So if someone with a grudge against the Kingdom got a hold of the Zemish throne, they’d have all sorts of ways to harass us, huh?” I thought aloud.

“Does Madam Mio even resent you to begin with, sire?” Aisha asked. “She had a bit of determination in her eyes when she looked at you earlier, but nothing like the dark emotions you would expect from someone looking at her father’s killer.”

“Now that you mention it... you’ve got a point.”

If there was any hostility or murderous intent, a warrior like Aisha wouldn’t have missed it. Mio’s expression then—her eyes, specifically—were full of resolve. I felt no anger or hatred. When I met Julius in Van after the war with the Principality of Amidonia, his disgust for me was palpable. Even if he kept a level head, those sorts of emotions weren’t something you could fully suppress.

“That makes it even harder to figure out, then. What exactly does Mio want?”

“Madam Mio, like Duke Carmine, has a one-track mind...” Owen said with a pained expression. “You could take that to mean she’s stubborn and obstinate like him. Once she sets her mind on something, she will do whatever it takes to stay the course. Even if it’s a path of carnage, and she may fall along the way...”

“...This father and daughter are a couple of pains in the neck,” I said, scratching the back of my head and trying to find some resolve. “I guess all that’s left is to talk to her directly, huh? She’s our guide, after all.”

“You’re going to have her join us,” Naden asked, and I nodded.

The “one-track mind” that Owen mentioned and the lack of “dark emotions” that Aisha detected led me to believe that she wasn’t going to kill me the moment she saw an opening.

“Whatever Mio’s wish is, she’ll win the tournament first, and then openly try to have it granted. That’s why I want to try to talk with her as much as I can before then.”

“Is that not... dangerous?”

“Don’t worry, Aisha. I’ll keep you and Naden with me at all times as a means of protection and escape, of course. If Mio tries to harm me, will you stop her for me?”

“Leave it to me.” Aisha thumped her chest with one hand. “I can see that Madam Mio is quite a capable warrior, but I won a tournament of my own back in the Kingdom. I won’t let her lay a finger on you!”

“Well, if it gets dicey, I’ll grab you in my mouth and run away into the sky.” Naden put her hands on her hips and puffed up her chest. My wives were so reliable.

Colbert opened his mouth, a pensive look on his face. “Should I... look into it a little?”

“You, Colbert?”

“Because I’m from the former Principality of Amidonia, she may be less wary of me than she would someone from the Kingdom. It would be easier for her to air her complaints to someone who was also part of a hostile faction.”

I saw what he was saying. Maybe she would let a complaint slip.

“I’m grateful, but don’t push yourself too hard,” I said. “If anything were to happen to you, there’d be no one left to keep Roroa under control, you know?”

“...I could say the same thing to you, sire.”

Seeing the wry smile on Colbert’s face, everyone nodded in agreement. Huh? Is that how they all see me? It felt kind of awkward, so I cleared my throat loudly and moved along.

“Anyway, don’t any of you get careless.”

“““Yes, sir!”””

When he saw the state Mio was in, Colbert’s face froze. Since she was in her room, Mio had taken off her armor, and was wearing a thin tank top. The thin fabric couldn’t hide her figure the way her armor could, and her breasts were asserting themselves.

While averting his eyes from her appearance, Colbert said, “I-I’m sorry to bother you when you were relaxing. I am the Kingdom’s Minister of Finance, Colbert. I came hoping we could talk a little.”

“By all means.” With that, Mio invited Colbert into her room, seemingly unconcerned.

“Huh? It’s all right?”

“You came to talk, didn’t you?”

“Ah, right... Pardon me.”

Even as he felt a little flustered, Colbert went into Mio’s room. Being temporary quarters, the room was simple, with a bed and not much more. There were no real furnishings, just a mannequin that Mio could put her armor on, and her two swords leaned up against the wall.

Mio offered Colbert a chair, and sat down on the bed facing him. “Did Sir Souma ask you to look into me?”

“Ah! Yes. There is that, but...” Unable to look Mio in the eye, Colbert’s gaze wandered as he spoke. “I wanted to relive some old memories, so I’d like to talk, even if it’s just a short while.”

“Old memories? ...Come to think of it, you do look familiar.” Mio stared hard at Colbert’s face. “You’re not from the Army, right? You look more like a bureaucrat.”

“Yes. I was originally involved with the finances in the Principality of Amidonia. When Duke Carmine was still alive, I met you along with Julius sometimes when we were mediating, after clashes. Though I don’t think we ever spoke more than a few words to each other.”

“Oh! From back then?!” Mio clapped her hands.

“You remember?”

“Yes. Father always praised you two. He said, ‘There are some good youths in Amidonia, too.’ Oh, yeah... There’s no difference between Elfrieden and Amidonia now, huh?”

Maybe because she’d learned he was an acquaintance, Mio was acting a lot more casual now.

Colbert nodded. “It’s technically a united kingdom, but yes, we’ve become a single country.”

“So that’s why you’re serving King Souma, huh? What about Sir Julius?”

“A lot happened, but he’s in the north now, and doing quite well. He married the princess of a kingdom he was staying with, and is working hard on behalf of his family.”

“Sir Julius is? The guy that had such cold eyes? I can’t even imagine.”

The conversation popped like they were a couple of old friends. Colbert knew that even if he tried to dig into matters, Mio wouldn’t tell him her intentions, so he worked to understand what she was like while making idle banter.

When he spoke to her like this, he could only see her as a normal girl. Her expression changed at the smallest of things, and she would chuckle when he told a funny story. He felt no hostility, no wariness, and she didn’t seem worried about anything.

In fact, she was so natural, she didn’t seem bothered by how provocative the outfit she was wearing right now was, and her chest swayed every time she reacted to something. There were many times Colbert looked away in embarrassment.

“You keep looking away? Why is that?”

After a while of prodding, she got suspicious, so Colbert gave up and told her, “Could you, um... put something over yourself?”

“Hm? I don’t need to. It’s not like I’m naked.” Mio gave him a blank look. Because she had spent so much time in the Army training with burly men, she didn’t have much in the way of feminine shyness, apparently. “I’m proud that I don’t have a lot of excess meat on me, too.”

“Well, yes... You don’t, but...”

“This is the body my Mother and Father gave me. What do I have to be ashamed of?”

Mio was so bold, Colbert started to feel effeminate for having let it bother him. He did his best to carry on without staring at her chest.

“Speaking of your father, you don’t look much like him, huh? Duke Carmine was terrifying to stand in front of, but you’re... um... beautiful.”

“Ahaha, thanks. They always tell me I get my looks from Mother. With the complaint, ‘If you would have taken after her internally too, you’d have grown to be a proper lady.’”

“That’s not true...”

“I can recognize it myself. I got my stubbornness from my father.” Mio let out a self-effacing laugh. “But even though you said he was terrifying, you didn’t hesitate to tell my father your opinion, did you? I was impressed.”

“Well... Duke Carmine didn’t kick people for voicing their opinion.”

“Huh? Did someone kick you?”

“Well, yes. Lord Gaius, and quite frequently...”

When he was working in the Principality of Amidonia, any time he tried to admonish Gaius VIII, the man had gotten angry and kicked him. If he’d been able to write him off as someone who didn’t listen, like Roroa had, he would have been fine. But, because he was unfortunate to have a serious personality, he clashed with all of the military officers but Julius.

“The militarists hated me because I spoke too much for such a weakling.”

“Hee hee, look’s like you’ve got a difficult personality, too.” Mio gave a small smile, but eventually put on a serious expression. “Hey, Sir Colbert.”

“Yes?”

“Do you know anything about the series of events that led my father to raise a rebellion?”

“I—” Colbert couldn’t come up with an immediate answer when faced with that serious look of hers. He wasn’t sure how to respond, but her sincerity made him think he needed to give her a response nonetheless. “...I only started serving the Kingdom after they annexed Amidonia, so I haven’t been told anything about Duke Carmine’s rebellion, since it happened before then.”

The fact was, Colbert didn’t have any information on the rebellion that wasn’t public knowledge. The people who did know the situation were tight-lipped. It was likely only Souma and his wives, and a very small number of their closest retainers who knew.

“...Oh, yeah?” Mio’s shoulder slumped in disappointment, having sensed no lie in his words.

As he looked at her, Colbert spoke up, “Madam Mio, you...”

“Please, don’t ask, Sir Colbert.” But Mio gently rebuffed him. “I’m sure nobody wants what I’m wishing for. Deep down, Mother probably wanted to stop me, and Father... if he were here, he’d get angry, and tell me to mind my own business.”

Mio looked at the longswords leaning against the wall.

“But this is still the only path I can take.”

“Madam Mio...”

Sensing her determination, Colbert could say no more.

When she landed and tried to recover, Kagetora came after her with a followup attack. As Mio blocked the downward swing of his odachi with her two longswords, Kagetora told her, “You depend too much on your inborn strength. Because of your excessive confidence, you’re too soft when it comes to judging your effective distance. You need to let the tension out of your shoulders more, and focus on eliminating unnecessary movements.”

“Y-Yes, sir! ...Huh?”

Mio put distance between herself and Kagetora, as if she’d been launched away from him. In an attempt to hide her confusion and surprise, she used the back of her hand to wipe the sweat that dripped from her chin. Yes, sir...? What was I thinking just now? She couldn’t believe herself, meekly accepting Kagetora’s advice in the middle of a battle. Mio was shaken up, but Kagetora simply held his odachi in a fighting stance, unmoving. He was just staring... Watching...

Wha?! No way... As she peered into the eyes beneath his mask, Mio felt something like a premonition. His stature, his presence, the way he carried himself, and the techniques he unleashed... She remembered all of them. The premonition confused Mio horribly, and she couldn’t even take up a proper stance with her longswords.

“What’s wrong? Are you finished already?” Kagetora quietly said. “You’re going to let it end? Was this all that your technique, your resolve, could manage?”

“......!”

His words snapped Mio back to reality. She kicked off the ground and quickly closed the gap between her and Kagetora. He tried to swing his odachi down at Mio who charged in... but he stopped halfway. Mio had made no effort to defend her exposed head.

Thump! In the next instant, Mio socked Kagetora in the face. The impact made him back away this time. With her face downturned, and her arm still outstretched, Mio told the stumbling Kagetora, “Don’t just say whatever you want...”

As she raised her face, there was a burning anger in her eyes.

“As if I’d let it end with just this. I’m sure Mother accepted it, but I haven’t. This anger, this sadness, this indignation... I’ll make you take all of it. You and no other!”

“...Very well.”

That punch must have cut the inside of his mouth. Kagetora spat the blood out, and then readied his odachi once more.

“A dialogue between warriors needs no words. Show me the extent of your resolve.”

“Of course. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

The battle between Mio and Kagetora raged on.

◇ ◇ ◇

From the stands, we were watching their battle. At some point in the middle, there was an obvious change in the way the two of them fought. In the beginning, they gave measured blows, trying to see how their opponent reacted. But now each fought as if they wished and gave it their all.

Mio, in particular, seemed to have let her emotions explode. She went at him hard, relying on brute force, and Kagetora accepted every one of her strikes. It probably... meant exactly what I assumed it did.

“Sire... Was this really all right?” Aisha asked in a whisper. “I think it’s a gamble whether or not Madam Mio will be satisfied with this...”

“Well, yeah,” I whispered in response. “I bet Hakuya will have a few choice words for me later, but... I don’t think it’s a bad bet. Didn’t you say it yourself, Aisha? ‘More is said through combat,’ right?”

“Yes... I did say that.” Aisha thumped one hand on her chest, a look of concern still showing on her face.

“Because this involves another country, it may seem like a big deal. But if we can just satisfy Mio, we can handle the rest however we please. In order to make her accept the result, we don’t need any little tricks. Perhaps because they learned under the same teacher, she and Liscia both have very straightforward personalities.”

I watched Mio fight. She seemed angry, but I could see another emotion there, too.

“If we go at her with sincerity, she should accept it.”

“...I see.” Aisha nodded as she watched the two of them fighting down below. “They both certainly seem to be enjoying themselves.”

“If I’m being honest, when they talk with their swords like this, I can’t follow what they’re saying, though...”

“Would you like to talk with me through combat, sire?”

“If I got injured, it would impact my duties, so please, no... Oh!”

It had been awhile now since they started fighting. If they played around any longer, people would start to find it suspicious.

I gave Kagetora the sign. He silently glanced towards me and nodded.

◇ ◇ ◇

Shing! Clang! One of Mio’s longswords swung up, knocking Kagetora’s odachi from his hands and sending it clattering to the ground. Without delay, the other was at Kagetora’s throat.

“...I yield.”

Kagetora slowly spread his arms. The match was decided, and the Colosseum was rocked with applause. Mio was the victor, yet she seemed more surprised than anyone.

“Why did you let me win?”

“...The master’s orders.” Kagetora quickly answered, having decided that there was no lying his way out of it. Souma had demanded he “look for an opportunity to lose.”

Mio looked up at Souma in the stands, and whispered, “King Souma had no intention of preventing my wish?”

“...There will be a new investigation into the true intentions of your father, Georg Carmine, I’m sure. The results of which will no doubt reach you.”

“Huh?! But I already...”

“Even so. Now that it’s come to this, my master must make sure everything ends properly. You had best prepare yourself. From here on... I am sure you will be expected to do a suitable amount of work.” With that, Kagetora picked up his odachi and turned his back on Mio as he said, “It must be difficult for you, having had such a stubborn and foolish father. I suspect the late Georg feels sorry for what he did to you and your mother.”

“Wha—?! Even so—” Mio shouted after Kagetora as he departed. “Even so, he is my pride! No matter what path he chose to walk!”

“.........”

“Will we meet again... Sir Kagetora?”

Remaining unturned, he replied, “...If there comes a day when the two of you return to the Kingdom, I am sure we will meet somewhere.”

Kagetora jumped into the stands and disappeared into the crowd.

“Mph... Mph...”

Mio was left alone in the arena, hanging her head as she cried. The people watching apparently thought they were tears of joy, but those in the front row said they were like the tears of a lost child when reunited with her parents.

◇ ◇ ◇

Meanwhile, having vanished into the crowd, Kagetora was meeting with a woman in a mostly-deserted hallway. The woman in question had a feline tail, and though her age showed a little, her profile, and her eyes closely resembled Mio’s.

Kagetora stopped right beside her, and faced forward. “...You came?”

“I wanted to see my daughter’s efforts through to the end,” the cat-eared woman said without turning.

Kagetora took a deep breath. “Couldn’t you have... stopped her?”

“Never. My husband was a man of conviction. If his daughter was going to act on her convictions, I would not stop her. Because that is my conviction.”

“...I see.” Kagetora smiled a little beneath the stern face of his mask. “Living in a family like that must be quite difficult for you.”

“Like you wouldn’t believe. But we’re family. I may have given up, but I still love them.”

“...You’ve been an incredible mother, and an impeccable wife to a couple of unsophisticated fools.” With that, Kagetora placed a hand on the woman’s shoulder. “Now then, my lady, please, take care of yourself.”

“Yes. I know you’re a complete and total stranger, but nonetheless, please take care of yourself, too. I’ll be looking forward to the day when we coincidentally meet again.”

Without turning back, the two walked off in opposite directions.

◇ ◇ ◇

“Mio, that was splendid,” I called out to her as the massive crowd in the Colosseum looked on. She was in the arena, taking a knee, and bowing her head. “Raise your head. You are the victor.”

“...Y-Yes, sir.” She raised her face, but, as might have been expected, she seemed really intimidated. Her face was a mix of awkwardness and confusion.

The audience were so excited they didn’t seem to notice it, but that clearly was not the face of the victor. Well, I’m sure she has a lot on her mind about this. I decided not to worry about her as I carried on talking.

“As promised, when I return to my country, I will carry out a new investigation into the motivations of Georg Carmine. To that end, I would like to invite you to come, as well. Would that be acceptable?”

“Y-Yes, sir! I don’t mind!” Mio immediately accepted. That was settled then.

Next... I guess I needed to do something to appeal to the people of Zem, too.

“Obviously, you have already cut all familial ties with Georg, so no matter what the result of the investigation, I guarantee you here and now that I will not seek your life, or to harm you in any other way! Let every person here be my witness!”

The Colosseum roared with applause. All spoils go to the victor. It’s only natural they be praised. If I were to do something to harm the victor, the people of this country would not be happy about it. I made clear that wouldn’t happen, while also making it a fait accompli that we would be taking Mio home with us.

As the winner of the Great Martial Arts Tournament, Mio was a card that Zem wouldn’t want to let go of. However, in the face of this impassioned crowd, Gimbal would probably not be able to get in the way of her returning home.

I returned to my seat and looked at Gimbal. “You heard how things turned out. Is there any issue with me taking the winner of the tournament home with me?”

“...The people seem satisfied with that, so I have no objection.” Gimbal shrugged with a wry smile. “There is no cup or throne associated with this tournament. In a way, you could say that the throne I am sitting on might be, but I haven’t faced a challenger in many years now.”

Gimbal rubbed the armrests of his throne.

“What needs to be prioritized, over anything else, is the national belief that, ‘Those who are strong will have their wish granted.’ That’s why, no matter what, I want to make Mio’s wish come true now.”

“Leave that to me. I won’t mistreat her.”

“That should be fine, then. Well, if someone from your country were to win, and then continue to stay in the country, it might lead to undue speculation down the line. If you want to collect her, that’s convenient for me... or so I’ll choose to tell myself.”

“Thank you, Sir Gimbal.”

It looked like Gimbal hadn’t had any clue what Mio was up to, either. Judging by her words and actions, she didn’t harbor a grudge against the Kingdom, so if he kept someone like her close at hand, he would always have to be wary she might be a spy. If you thought about the trouble that involved, he might have been relieved to have a nuisance taken off his hands.

“The House of Carmine is taken care of now, right?” Naden asked, and I nodded.

“Yeah. The House of Carmine is.”

Having been able to handle the Mio situation first, I slapped my cheeks in order to refocus myself. Now... tomorrow’s going to be where things get serious. There was one other reason I had accepted Gimbal’s invitation.

Though I had been unsure if it was okay to leave Mio alone, the matter that was coming up tomorrow was an issue that directly impacted the future of our country. I’m sure that she’ll be coming soon enough, so I need to keep on top of my game, I thought as the crowd’s cheers continued.

◇ ◇ ◇

Another reason I’d accepted Gimbal’s invitation was that he proposed a meeting between myself and Empress Maria of the Gran Chaos Empire from within Zem’s borders. His goal in inviting me to the Great Martial Arts Tournament was likely to show off the strength of his mercenaries, and either convince us to reenter the mercenary contract with them, or, failing that, to secure a treaty of mutual non-aggression. Between encountering Mio personally and this chance to meet the Empress, Gimbal drove a hard bargain.

That said, we had amicable relations with the Empire, but our alliance was fundamentally a secret one. The trade brought about by the medical pact between the Kingdom, the Empire, and the Republic of Turgis must have been visible even to those outside the three countries. Only members of the highest echelons of our two nations knew that we were in constant communication using the Jewel Voice Broadcast, though. If information leaked and third parties discovered we had such a close relationship with either the Empire or the Republic, there was the risk they would become wary of us. For example, if Fuuga learned about it, that would cause quite a stir.

Upon hearing the news of an apparent joint relationship between the Empire and our kingdom, he may be desperate enough to build a power base that outstripped our own; enriching his country’s resources, and strengthening their military were also not outside the realm of possibility. He would likely pursue his ambitions with greater intensity, and even less heed for the consequences of his actions.

Because we had kept things secret to prevent that, neither of us had been able to head to the other person’s country for talks. However, since this was proposed by a third-party, we were keen to take advantage of the opportunity. Because Zem was sandwiched between our two countries, it was probable that they made the offer in order to gauge the risk of being caught in a conflict between us. They likely wanted to bring Maria and me together so that they could use the atmosphere of the meeting as an indicator of whether our countries were on amicable terms or not.

I was willingly going along with this narrative, however. With everything in mind, by agreeing to come to Zem, I would knock down three birds with one stone. And, as for Gimbal, my assurance that we won’t be hostile towards them—assuming they are truly neutral—probably has satisfied his end goal, for the most part. He truly was more than just a capable warrior, but also a crafty king.

I found a familiar face in the group of people behind Maria who had come out to greet us. I extended my hand to her next. “It’s been too long, Madam Jeanne.”

“It has. You seem well, King Souma.”

This was Maria’s little sister and general, Jeanne.

Jeanne shook my hand, then turned to Hakuya. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you, too, Sir Hakuya. It’s a pleasure.”

“The pleasure is all mine. I am glad to see that you seem well, Madam Jeanne.”

“We see each other’s faces during our regular scheduled talks, but this feels kind of strange.”

“Heh, it does, doesn’t it?”

Jeanne was grinning broadly, and even Hakuya’s stony face had a hint of a smile on it.

Those two were getting along as well as ever. I’d heard that, as they were both run ragged at the whims of their respective rulers, they had formed something they called the “Association of the Victims of Slothful Masters.” Their membership, by the way, may have expanded now to include Colbert, who was run ragged by Roroa, and Leporina, who had the same experience with Kuu.

Maria clapped her hands. “Oh, right, Sir Souma. In addition to Jeanne, I’ve brought some capable commanders from our country to provide security at this conference. Let me introduce them to you. Gunther, Krahe. Please, come this way.”

““Yes, ma’am!””

Two men in impressive suits of armor stepped forward. The one in yellow armor was your stereotypical macho man. His stern face was built similarly to Owen or Herman, and had a crew cut and a goatee. He looked to be in his thirties or forties, but was definitely the type who appeared older than their actual age.

He pursed his lips, crossing his arms behind his back like a military man would, tilting his head so that his goatee stuck out, and making no attempt to make eye contact.

The other man wore blue armor, and gave off the opposite impression. He was a slim but strong man, like Julius. This guy was around thirty, maybe. He had long hair, and was wearing a little makeup, so he had a face reminiscent of a member in a visual-kei rock band.

The long-haired man looked at me with a broad grin. It wasn’t unpleasant, but I’d never felt someone’s eyes cling to me quite like this, and it made me shiver a bit.

Indicating to each of them with the palms of her hands, Maria continued, “Let me introduce them. The big one is Gunther Lyle, and the slim one is Krahe Laval. These two, as well as Jeanne, have managed the Empire’s military for me, since that’s not something I’m not good at.”

“...I’m Gunther,” the big man said suddenly. He felt a little intimidating, but I didn’t detect any hostility there. He was likely quiet by nature. Looking at the way Maria’s expression hadn’t changed a bit, this was apparently just how he always was. Krahe, on the other hand...

“Well, well, it is an honor to meet you, King Souma. My name is Krahe Laval. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I don’t mind if you want to call me ‘Lavie.’ Oh, you won’t? How rude of me to suggest it. But I truly am pleased to make your acquaintance. Yes. I never lie.”

Even if he was using up Gunther’s share of talking time, too, the man was too garrulous. He approached with a friendly smile, grasped my hand with both of his own, and shook it vigorously.

Shocked by his forwardness, I looked to Maria and the others, struggling to figure out how I should respond. Maria gave me a slightly troubled smile while Jeanne pressed her palm against her forehead.

“Not again...” she mumbled.

This was apparently business as usual here, too.

“Erm... You have some unique personnel in the Empire too, I see,” I said, giving a strained smile.

Maria responded with a business smile of her own. “They are both loyal and reliable commanders.”

That probably meant they were capable, so their personality was second priority. Our country had some of those, too. (Like the super sadistic head maid Serina, or Genia the Overscientist.)

Krahe went on babbling, “Still, to think I would be present when the Saint of the East and the Hero of the West meet. I am beyond delighted. This will be another page in the book of legends. Once the two of you crush the Demon Lord’s Domain, hand in hand, this day will be spoken of forever. Ohh, you’re marvelous, Your Imperial Majesty. Truly, you are a saint.”

The look of ecstasy on Krahe’s face made it seem like he might burst into poetry or song. He came off as a bit of a freak which began to weird me out.

“Lady Maria, you are a heavenly vision of beauty descended to—Ow!”

“You talk too much, fool!” Jeanne dropped a fist on top of his head to shut him up.

Grabbing his head, she forced him to bow. “Ow! Madam Jeanne, that hurts! I said that hurts...!”

“I’m sorry, please ignore Sir Krahe. He’s a highly impressionable individual, and with the way he worships my sister as a saint, he’s like a young maiden with her head full of dreams.”

“...The Empire has some really interesting people,” I joked.

“It’s a big country, after all.” Maria chuckled. “Of course there are all kinds. The Kingdom is the same way, right?”

She was looking at my queens and retainers behind me. Yeah... She has a point.

“Ahh, let me introduce them, Madam Maria,” I said, walking over to them. “These are my wives, Aisha and Naden.”

“Nice to meet you. I am Aisha Udgard Elfrieden.”

“Naden Delal Souma.”

These two hadn’t sat in on our Jewel Voice Broadcast conferences, so this was Maria’s first time meeting them. Because the broadcasts were held in secret, aside from the rare exception of people like Ginger and Sandria, there were few people who she had met.

“I’ve heard of the two of you from Souma. You’re both adorable.” Maria smiled at both of them.

“This is that singing, dancing empress... She’s pretty normal, huh?” Naden said quietly to herself as she looked at Maria.

Come to think of it, Naden had been watching broadcast programs from the Empire while she was in the Star Dragon Mountain Range. Incidentally, the simple receiver she had been using was in the castle now.

I didn’t want to be thought of as engaging in spying, thus leaving a bad impression, so I’d told Maria we had a receiver that could view the Empire’s broadcasts. Since they used separate jewels for public broadcasts and important communications like us, she said it wasn’t an issue. In fact, she wanted a receiver that could view broadcasts from the Kingdom in return, so we sent her one.

When Juna saw Maria singing and dancing, she’d said, “What natural charisma... It’s frightening how gifted she is,” which got her competitive spirit all fired up. I felt lucky to have caught a glimpse of her determination to always win.

“You’re amazing. I think this is the first time I’ve seen a woman who’s stronger than Jeanne.” Maria poked around Aisha’s physique as she stood rigid and upright.

“Y-You flatter me.”

Maria had a gentle demeanor, and could interact with anyone quite naturally. She was good at closing the distance between her and other people, so I could see why the people of the Empire loved her. If this came to her naturally, she was a born enchantress. It wasn’t just Krahe; she could probably make any man dance around in the palm of her hand.

“Th-The Empress? Seriously?” Hearing a strange tone of voice, and I turned around to see Mio was frozen stiff, her eyes blinking rapidly. She’d just come along as told, and now the head of the superpower to the west was standing in front of her. No doubt her mind was still trying to process all of what was going on.

Owen gave Mio a slap on the back. “Ah! Sir Owen?”

“I know how you feel, but relax. When you live in the Kingdom, these sorts of ridiculous things happen all the time. It’ll be easier on you if you get used to it early.”

“...What happened to the Kingdom after I left?”

Ouch, that hurt. Nothing bad happened to it. Probably.

“Sister, it’s about time,” Jeanne urged.

“Hee hee, yes, it is.” Maria looked at me. “It won’t do for us to stand here, talking all day. Let’s go inside. I’ve heard in advance that you have something of great importance to discuss, after all.”

“Yes. As such, I would like to limit the number of people who attend the talks. Will that be acceptable? We’ll each have one assistant inside the room, and one guard outside.”

“I understand. I’d like Jeanne to join me. Gunther will stand guard.”

“Then Hakuya will join me, and Aisha will be the other guard.”

We ordered the others to watch the surrounding area.

Lavie... Er, no, Krahe, who was left out, said, “Why must I be left out of this historic conference? I’m very sad. I mean, silly Gunther is just a taciturn ox of a man, isn’t he? I’m begging you, let me be by your side, too. Please, please, please, please, please.”

He cried and begged desperately, but Maria and Jeanne both just waved it off.

Following that, Maria pointed at Naden. “I’ve heard the raven-haired Madam Naden is a dragon from the Star Dragon Mountain Range.”

“Huh? Why are we talking about me now?!” Naden’s eyes widened at the sudden change in topic to her.

I thought I noticed a flash in Krahe’s eye then. Maria continued, “I’ve heard she’s a particularly unique type of dragon called a ‘ryuu,’ too. Aren’t you curious how Naden met Souma, who is not one of the dragon knights of Nothung, and built a bond strong enough it led them to form a contract?”

“...Certainly!”

Whoa... In order to distract Krahe from the conference, she’d brought up Naden’s heritage, and was trying to shove him off onto her. That was an empress for you. What a harsh move.

“Why don’t you ask her about it while we’re having the conference?”

“Ohhh, I most definitely will!” Krahe rushed over to Naden, put his hands together in front of him, and bowed his head. “Please, please, tell me about it!”

“Whoa, you’re too close! Souma, can I shock this guy?!”

“Uh, no, he’s kind of a foreign general...”

“We don’t mind. If he gets too rude, please, punish him,” Jeanne said with a smile.

“I can?!”

She gave permission awfully easily. Is this really all right? Naden sent sparks flying through her black hair to intimidate him, but it seemed Krahe didn’t mind at all, as he kept getting closer.

“Ohh, the hero’s dragon partner wreaths herself in lightning? How mystical and divine! Ahh, I’m fascinated to learn how you and Souma met. What was the story? Please, tell me! Now, now, now!”

“Gyah! Stay! Away! From! Meeee!”

I dunno. If he was able to go this far without batting an eye, I almost had to be impressed. Ah! I might just have the word to describe Krahe... He was a romanticist—to an unhealthy degree—that was what Krahe was.

“Sorry, Naden. It’d be a pain if he interrupted the conference, so can you keep him occupied for us?”

“Wait! Why me?!”

“Please. I promise I’ll make it up to you later.” I put my hands together, as if in prayer, as I asked her.

“Murgh...” Naden groaned. “...I’m going to make sure you make it up to me.”

“Yeah, I swear I will.”

“Okay, I get it. I’ll chat with him, but just for a little while.”

It looked like I’d talked her into it. Naden would handle Krahe, so we decided to quickly go inside the villa and get the conference going.

◇ ◇ ◇

Not long after that, a bewildered Hakuya and happy Jeanne came into the room. Jeanne was pulling Hakuya along by the sleeve. It looked like she was feeling better now.

“It seems like your sister’s in a better mood.”

Maria had also noticed them, and was smiling softly. “Speaking of little sisters, is Trill doing well?”

“Yeah. A little too well. She’s hard at work on developing the drill with Genia. I actually wanted to bring her along, but she firmly refused...”

I thought it would be a good chance for the three sisters to get together, but...

“Not a chance! If I were to meet my sisters now, I’d surely receive an extended lecture about not interfering with Big Sister Genia’s married life! Big Sister Jeanne is so strict, I might even be taken back to the Empire! I absolutely refuse to accompany you!”

...Trill wasn’t having it.

Granted, I couldn’t be too firm with her given her own status. I had Jeanne’s permission to be strict with Trill, but I wouldn’t have wanted to upset her and delay the drill development project as a result. That was why I was letting her do as she pleased, within reason. If things got out of hand, I’d have her sisters scold her, though.

Maria chuckled. “That’s so like her. Always free-spirited. I envy her a little.”

“Speaking of free spirits... Everyone here is acting pretty free-spirited, huh?”

I looked around, and people from the Kingdom and Empire were mingling in quite a chaotic scene. Naden was passionately regaling Krahe with the story of how the two of us met. Her face was a little red, and her eyes were unfocused. She looked tipsy.

“So, like I was saying, Souma, he told me I had individuality. It... made me really happy.”

“Oho, I see, I see. That is a wonderful way to have met. Here, have another drink.”

“...Hic.”

It looked like Krahe had wheedled her into telling him everything. Well, him knowing how the two of us met wasn’t going to cause any problems. There were guards nearby, so if it sounded like she might divulge anything that ought to be kept secret, they’d probably stop her. But Naden... if she still remembered this when she sobered up, she was going to be writhing in shame, wasn’t she?

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the room, Mio was knocking back a stiff drink.

“Urgh... What am I even doing here...?”

“M-Madam Mio? Aren’t you drinking a little too much?” Owen commented, attempting to stop her.

Mio shouted, “You think I could get through this without drinking?!” and helped herself to another. “I was surprised enough that the Elfrieden Kingdom and the Principality of Amidonia had been unified, but we’re on friendly terms with the Empire now, too...? What happened to the Kingdom while I was away? I feel like a traveler coming back home after a decade, and shocked by how everything’s changed... Hic.”

“A lot happened. Oh, geez, you’re drinking too much. If you’re hungover, the gondola ride is just going to be that much harder on you, you know?”

Though Owen was trying to calm her down, she wasn’t listening to him.

Hrm... If it was going to be like this, maybe I should have brought Colbert and her mother, too... Mio’s mother didn’t seem like the type to be intimidated by this type of thing. Before parting ways with Colbert, I’d had the opportunity to speak with her briefly.

When I asked her what she thought about Georg, she’d said, “This is the path that tactless man chose. No matter what others think of him for it, I’m sure it was the best choice he could have made. As his wife, I can only believe in him, and accept it.” What a strong woman. I doubt the sight of her daughter drowning her confusion with alcohol would have fazed her.

Looking around closer, I found our bodyguards Aisha and Gunther glaring at one another.

“.........”

“.........” (Munch, munch.)

Gunther stared Aisha down, standing upright and unmoving, while Aisha was returning the stare, but held a plate with a variety of dishes on it, and munched on them as she glared back at Gunther. Seriously, what was I looking at here?

“Um... Why is Gunther glaring at Aisha?” I asked Maria.

“Oh, I’m sorry. That stern look on Gunther’s face is normal for him. He likely wanted to speak to his fellow bodyguard, but couldn’t find the words, and their eyes happened to meet, so he couldn’t look away... I suppose?”

“He’s shy, even though he looks like that?!”

When we first met, I thought he must not have a good impression of me, but was he actually just feeling tense? When I thought of it that way, the rough old man started to look kind of cute.

Maria chuckled. “Everyone looks like they’re having fun.”

“...Yeah, they do.”

“By the way, Sir Souma? I’d like to talk alone for a little while,” she said in a mischievous tone.

Taken aback by her sudden invitation, I panicked a little. “Alone...? That’s not good. We’re both leaders, you know?”

“Madam Aisha and Gunther should still be able to see us on the balcony over there, so I don’t think it should be a problem?”

“That’s... fine, then.”

We told Aisha and Gunther we wanted to talk alone, so we’d like them to guard us from a distance, and then headed out to the balcony. I was afraid of getting sniped out here, but there were members of the Black Cats positioned around the villa, so it was probably fine.

Maria’s shoulders trembled a little. “It’s a little chilly outside, huh?”

“Well, it is autumn, and we are in the mountains, after all.”

She was right about it being chilly, but I couldn’t even tell how many layers that dress she was wearing had, and I was dressed pretty heavily myself, so it was tolerable. Decidedly, we stayed out on the balcony.

Maria was the first to open her mouth, “Now, in regard to the dispatch of a fleet to the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Union...”

“...I can’t reveal any more to you at the moment, you know?”

“I won’t be asking. What I’m about to say is in regards to the favor we’re owed. You did say you would pay us back someday, didn’t you?” she said, a mischievous smile on her face.

“Wait a sec. Um... If you ask for anything too unreasonable, it’s going to be a problem.”

“Hee hee, the agreement we made was a verbal one, not committed to paper. It only counted as a favor to you because you believe that we’ll follow through on it. So, I’d like you to make me a verbal promise, too.”

“Return the favor with a promise?”

“Yes. If, at some point in the future...”

What Maria said to me after that, despite the calmness in her voice when she said it, made me doubt my own ears.

“Huh?!” I looked at her, eyes wide.

Maria just... smiled.

These must have been Maria’s true feelings, which even Jeanne didn’t know. Even after I listened to everything she said, I couldn’t say anything for a while.

After a silence that felt especially long, I finally managed to reply, “Don’t say anything so ominous...”

Maria chuckled. “It’s important to be prepared. So, how about it? This is a verbal agreement, not committed to paper, but can I ask you to do it?”

“I...”

This... wasn’t something I could just nod and agree to so easily. If what Maria had just spoken about came to pass, I would have to gather Hakuya and my closest retainers and debate the matter for days. But only if it truly happened. For now, it was only one future possibility. If I told them I wanted to debate the matter now, they would tell me I was worrying too much.

I, myself, couldn’t believe it was going to happen, after all. Oh... That’s why it’s a verbal agreement. This way, she’d be happy if I did as I promised, but I couldn’t be faulted for not doing it. It was the same as when I asked her for a favor. Still, Maria and I both believed that if the other promised something, they would follow through. She must have spoken about it because she trusted me. In case the time should ever come.

“...I understand.” I looked Maria in the eye and nodded. “If that sort of situation arises, the Kingdom will act as you wish.”

Maria gave me the biggest smile she had yet today in response. The way she looked as she gently lifted the hem of her skirt in the moonlight was entrancingly beautiful.

Then, in a gentle voice, she said, “I believe you, Sir Souma.”

◇ ◇ ◇

The next day, we each returned to our own countries. Gimbal, King of Zem, came to visit in the morning, so he, Maria, and I were bidding one another farewell.

“Sir Gimbal. I thank you, in my capacity as empress, for providing us a place to talk like this.”

“I thank you on behalf of the Kingdom, too. We were able to have a fruitful meeting as a result.”

As Maria and I both thanked him, Gimbal shook his head. “If the Kingdom and Empire are on good terms, we won’t be caught in the middle of your wars. Well, assuming you two don’t happily invade us together, that is.”

He’d said that jokingly, but a lot of truth is said in jest. Gimbal wanted to avoid us being so hostile to one another that his country became the battlefield for our wars, but he didn’t want us to be so close that we decided to invade him together either. That’s why he provided a place for us to meet, doing both of us a favor, while letting him probe what our relationship was like. He was a seriously tricky one to deal with.

Maria and I both replied with plastered-on smiles.

“Like I said before, if you remain genuinely neutral, the Kingdom will not start any trouble with you.”

“Hee hee, the Empire won’t be breaking the Mankind Declaration when we were the ones who issued it to begin with.”

Gimbal replied with an equally fake smile. “Ha ha ha, that’s reassuring to hear. If you wish to use this place for conferences in the future, just say the word, and I’ll lend it to you anytime.”

“Thank you for that.”

“We’re grateful for it, Sir Gimbal.”

We all shook hands as our retainers looked on. It was a theatrical way of showing we had a relationship of trust, but that sort of display was important, too.

And so, we each returned to our own countries.

“It’s still before dawn.”

“Oh, yeah...? Well, I’m going back to sleep, then. Haah...”

“I’m all for that, but can you get off me first?”

“No way.”

Shot down instantly. Oh, well.

I went back to sleep once more with Naden staying where she was. When we first started sleeping like this, I had dreams where I was being crushed flat by a rhinosaurus, but now... I was already pretty crushed. I hope... these peaceful days... can last fore... ver... Zzz...

◇ ◇ ◇

One day, about a month after Georg Carmine’s reputation was restored...

I was in the governmental affairs office receiving a report from Hakuya about the effects of it. “The new information of Duke Carmine was a little confusing to the people, but no one is making any noise about it anymore. The almost excessive glorification of him, and the fact that Madam Mio made a new pledge of loyalty to you, has led the majority to believe this is what he would have wanted.”

“Well, it would be weird for outsiders to hold it against me when his own daughter doesn’t.”

Even if some other nation tried to set her against me and sow discord, Mio herself had no intention of doing anything, so it wouldn’t even create a spark.

Hakuya continued, “The honor of men in the Army like Sir Beowulf, who joined Duke Carmine’s farce of a rebellion, and died along with him, has been restored as well. Though, as part of the rebellion, those who had families, like Sir Glaive, left the Army of their own volition—or were forced to—so hardly any of those who died had kin left behind.”

“It means he took those steps in advance. Well, even if their houses aren’t restored, as long as their honor is, they would probably be satisfied with that.”

“Yes. I’m sure Inuga—Ah, pardon me. I nearly started talking about someone who definitely has nothing to do with the subject we’re discussing.” Hakuya cleared his throat in a deliberate manner.

I smiled wryly and said, “That’s true. You really shouldn’t bring up people who have absolutely no connection to what we’re talking about.”

“I’ll be more careful in the future. Oh! Speaking of Madam Mio, there is just one issue.”

“With Mio? What?”

“It seems she’s having trouble managing her domain.”

“Ahh...”

With the restoration of Georg’s honor, Mio had been reinstated as a middle-ranked knight and given Randel and the surrounding area as her domain. Because all knights belong to the National Defense Force, Mio would be working in them, and would entrust management of her domain to a magistrate during that time. However, because the Kingdom was always short on capable hands, it wasn’t easy to come by a talented magistrate.

Fortunately, the National Land Defense Force’s base was near Randel, so Mio didn’t have to travel far. It seemed she had been managing things there herself for some time, but Mio was a warrior to her core, and suddenly being tasked with political duties had proved too much for her. It wasn’t long before her brain overheated. Those who had once managed the House of Carmine had returned to her side, and Glaive of the House of Magna was watching over her as a neighbor, but that didn’t solve the fundamental problem.

Hakuya shrugged. “Madam Mio has sent us a letter requesting we introduce her to someone who is good at administrative tasks, and has a head for numbers. ‘If possible, I would like to marry someone who can do mathematics, and have him manage the House of Carmine,’ she says.”

“In a way, you have to respect that.”

“The calculations must have been really hard for her.”

“But a husband, huh...” I rested my head on the palm of my hand. “I’m sure there are a lot of knights and nobles who would want to form marital ties with the reborn House of Carmine. If she puts out a call, I have no doubt she’ll find any number of candidates to be her husband. But, given the importance of her house, I wouldn’t want her getting engaged to anyone strange. In some ways, it’s even more important than with Poncho.”

“Should we have Madam Serina scrutinize the candidates again?”

“In this case, Serina’s the same gender as Mio, and she’s already Poncho’s wife, so she wouldn’t obstruct the process, but... that’s not a fundamental solution to the problem. The core issue is a shortage of talented people.”

Someone who was single, gifted at administrative tasks, strong at math, and who I could accept marrying into the House of Carmine... Hakuya said he had no intention of marrying just yet, and there just weren’t that many other... Hold on a second.

“Isn’t there someone who comes to mind?”

“...There is. We have just the person for it.” Hakuya seemed to have come up with the same idea as me, and he nodded. “If you read the criteria in this letter closely, it seems like she’s requesting a specific person, too.”

“Yeah, it does. The castle isn’t a marriage consultancy service, though...” That said, we still called in the person in question.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door, and a young man with short hair walked in. “Your Majesty, did you require something of me?”

“Hey, thanks for all your hard work, Colbert.”

The young man who entered the room was our Minister of Finance, Gatsby Colbert.

“I’ll cut straight to the chase, Colbert. Would you help the House of Carmine with their administrative tasks for a while? It would mean commuting between the capital and Randel, though.”

“By the House of Carmine, you mean... Madam Mio’s house, right? The one that was just reestablished.”

“Yes. Mio is more of a warrior, and I hear she’s been struggling with the finances. You’re an old acquaintance of hers, so why don’t you go help her out for a while?”

“Yes, sire! If that is your command, I will obey.” Colbert put his hands together in front of him and bowed his head. “But while I’m away, please take care of Lady Roroa...”

“I know. I’ll keep a close eye on her.”

The man was a model Minister of Finance who never forgot to impress the importance of these on me.

Once he had bowed and left, Hakuya asked me, “Was it all right not to tell him she was looking for a husband?”

“I can’t be sure how serious Mio is about that just from reading a letter. It could be her griping about having to deal with the numbers, and bringing it up would just make Colbert unduly cautious.”

“You have a point there.”

“I know, right? You know how it goes, eh?” I said with a suggestive smile. “Let’s let the young couple work it out between themselves.”

◇ ◇ ◇

Meanwhile, around that same time... To the east of the Kingdom of Friedonia, in the United Kingdom of the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago (called the Archipelago Union for short), in a port town that belonged to the Archipelago Union, a young man had a frown on his face.

The tall and lanky man, whose hair was tied in a ponytail, had white fox ears on his head, making it clear that he was a member of the mystic fox race like Kaede. From the Nine-Headed Dragon katana he wore at his hip, you could also tell he was a “mononofu,” a job roughly equivalent to that of a knight in the Kingdom of Friedonia.

The mononofu with white fox ears looked at the town and sighed. It seems the situation is serious...

This island, like the other islands of the Archipelago Union, had a prosperous fishing industry, and the ports were always bustling. The islanders lived, and died, by the sea. It bore them a great bounty, but when the waters were rough, it would take their lives without mercy. Because they were in constant danger, they lived every day to the fullest.

That was why, at this time of day, the fishermen who had come back from their early morning fishing were in the pubs, singing sea shanties... Or they would have been, but...

Now there were few people in the port town, and it was silent, without a sea shanty to be heard.

Many of the shops on what should have been a busy shopping street were shuttered, and there were few products on display at the ones that were open. There was a man on the side of the road who had drunk himself into a stupor, lying down with no vitality in his face.

The mononofu with white fox ears peered into an open fishmonger’s business.

“Hello there, Chief. What can I help you with?” A beastman fishmonger who had the face of a tanuki called out to him while rubbing his hands together.

He called the man chief because he was the island chief, a position held by one person on each island of the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Union. By the same token, they called the chief of the largest island the Nine-Headed Dragon King.

The mononofu with white fox ears was the island chief of a small island.

He saw that despite the small number of fish on display, they were all awfully expensive. Fish that would have been sold in bulk before were being sold individually and at close to double the price.

“That’s expensive...” he muttered.

The tanuki-faced fishmonger crossed his arms in indignation. “Well, what else would you have me do? The fishermen traveled a long way, close to the continent in the west, and risked their lives for these fish, you know? The cost of stocking them has gone up, so if I don’t sell them for this much, I won’t be able to make a living.”

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean it that way,” he said, bowing his head. “We mononofu defend the people. I felt like I was being forced to see how my own powerlessness has made them suffer... If I offended you, I apologize.”

“Oh, no. Please, raise your head. It’s not your fault, Chief,” the fishmonger said, slightly panicked.

The mononofu with white fox ears purchased a number of fish and had the owner wrap them.

“What’s going to happen to this country...?” The tanuki-faced beastman suddenly mumbled. “The taxes keep going up, even though we can’t catch fish, and I hear we’re about to get into a fight with the Kingdom of Friedonia to the west. The Empire in the east has been telling the chiefs of all the islands that, ‘The Kingdom will be coming to invade soon,’ haven’t they?”

“Yeah...”

It was true that envoys from the Gran Chaos Empire had been visiting the chiefs of each island recently. It seemed every island had seen them at least once, and even the chief of a small island like this one had received a visit.

The fishmonger got a far-off look in his eyes as he spoke, “It sounds like the Nine-Headed Dragon King is scrapping for a fight, too. What are we supposed to do if there’s a war when we’re in this state...?”

The mononofu with white fox ears had no answer, so he simply bowed, and then left the store.

His home was situated on the island’s high ground. Though it was called a house, because of the history of conflict between the islands, each island chief’s residence was like a fortress. They were built on top of stone fortifications and surrounded by white-painted walls. There was a building on the low ground, and another on the high ground. The island chief generally lived in the “second house,” on the high ground, but carried out his political duties in the “first house” on the low ground. This was all built on the highest point on the island, so the gate of the second house had a view of the bustling port, and the blue sea beyond it.

As he returned from the fishmonger, he noticed someone was waiting for him by the gate.

“Lady Shabon...”

The person was a young girl wearing the outfit of a court lady with its frilly sleeves and hem. She was maybe eighteen years old.

The girl had airy, emerald-green hair, but what was truly distinctive about her was the fish-like fins that she had where a human would have had ears. Her slim arms also had translucent fin-like growths attached to them like sleeves. Her kind were known as mermaids, and they were especially common in the Archipelago Union.

“I have returned, Lady Shabon.” The mononofu with white fox ears called out to the mermaid girl, and stood next to her.

The girl he called Shabon turned her somewhat sleepy-looking eyes towards him. “Welcome home, Kishun. How were things in port?”

“...Unfortunately, they have only worsened.” Kishun showed Shabon the fish he had purchased. “Even fish like these are now traded at five times their former price. The situation is serious. This country has problems already, but the taxes still rise, and war looms with the Kingdom of Friedonia to the west. The people cannot have even a shred of hope.”

“When you cannot have hope... cannot imagine a bright future... that is the hardest.” Shabon gazed down on the port town below with a tragic look on her face. “It’s like this everywhere in this country. It is like the will to live has been stolen from the people along with their fish. We live with the sea, are raised by the sea, and die with the sea. That has been the pride of our people, and it makes this situation all the more intolerable.”

“Lady Shabon...”

“And... The situation continues to worsen.” The sadness in her voice was palpable.

Kishun struggled to respond. “The... The fishmonger asked me if war with the Kingdom of Friedonia would really come.”

“It seems there are envoys from the Gran Chaos Empire visiting every island as we speak...” Shabon trailed off. “They say things like ‘The Kingdom is preparing their forces to bring the whole of the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago under their control.’ and ‘That’s why you should join the Mankind Declaration, and come under the Empire’s protection.’”

Unable to find the words to say, Kishun remained silent.

Looking down, she continued, “Because the chiefs are fiercely independent, they would rather go to war with the Kingdom than accept the Empire’s protection. And Father, the king of our islands... intends to do just that.”

“To do that at a time like this... The island chiefs and King Souma are both terrible.” Kishun clutched his fists in frustration as he spoke. “I had heard he was a wise king. A hero summoned from another world who had saved the Union of Eastern Nations from the demon wave, but...”

But Shabon silently shook her head. “I am sure the Kingdom has its own justifications. Because our fishermen have been fishing near the Kingdom, there have been conflicts with their fishermen, and Father has been having the military intervene in those clashes. He must have thought war was the only way to resolve it now.”

“But if they would just consider our situation...”

“That is supposed to be Father’s job. It’s too much to ask that they consider our situation when we’ve done nothing to communicate it to them, wouldn’t you say?”

“Still! The way things are going...”

“...Yes, at this rate, it will go quite badly.”

Shabon began to sing in a clear voice.

When the great darkness appears, the sea beasts will vanish.

As the great fish disappear, few fish will remain.

When the sea falls silent.

With man and beast gone, none will tell the tale again.

It was a song handed down since ancient times in the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago. A majority thought it to be no more than a scary story just a few years ago, but now most of the people believed it to be the truth.

Shabon had a tragic look on her face. “We can say that we have entered the ‘silent seas’ phase now. If we consider what comes next... there is no time for delay.”

“Lady Shabon...”

“Kishun, I have come to a decision. I will go to the Kingdom of Friedonia.” Shabon looked towards the sea, determination showing on her face. “If I can save the people of this country, I don’t care what happens to me...”

Midword

Thank you for reading volume 12 of Realist Hero. This is Dojyomaru, who came down with the flu early this year, and then was hospitalized a week later due to an intestinal obstruction caused by gastroenteritis. It was a painful lesson on the importance of health.

This volume is the Mercenary State Zem arc, but the story centers around the issues surrounding the House of Carmine which had been left untouched, as well as foreign relations. Continuing from the last volume, which focused on internal affairs, it concludes the story of the 1548th Year, Continental Calendar.

I really struggled with the page structure for these two volumes.

In the web version, the previous volume and this one’s Zem arc formed a single volume, but there was too much text to be contained in one release, but not enough material in the Zem arc to fill a volume on its own.

In the past, I’ve written that one of the strengths of web novels is that you don’t have to worry about the page count, and you can write as much as you want. I got a lot of feedback on that, but with freedom comes responsibility. You’re guaranteed to pay a price for doing things however you please later. Be careful.

Because of that, after this midword there are some interludes set after Souma and the others return to the Kingdom, and the prologue to next volume’s Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago arc. It was a little too long to fit into the next volume, so in a way, things worked out just right.

I hope you will stick with me to the end.

Oh, and, and...

I believe this has already been advertised online, as well as on the band wrapped around the cover in the original physical publishing, so you should already know, but Realist Hero is getting an anime.

Yes. Seriously.

This is thanks to all of you who’ve supported the series.

I’m truly grateful.

There is an anime coming... is the only information I’m allowed to reveal so far. I can’t talk about it myself, but I’m sure Overlap will continue releasing information as things move along. Please, wait for it.

Now then, I give my thanks to the artist Fuyuyuki; to Mr. Satoshi Ueda of the manga adaptation, which I am enjoying reading as it comes out; to my editor; to the designers; to the proofreaders; and to all of you reading this now.

This has been Dojyomaru.

Because they didn’t know what the other ship was up to, Castor changed course, placing his ship at a diagonal to the other ship’s heading, and prepared to open fire. They were getting closer and closer. Soon they would be in firing range. Is there no avoiding a battle now?

“Ready...” Castor began.

Just as he was about to give the order to fire in order to preempt the other ship, the sailor up in the crow’s nest voice came in through the speaking tube, “The enemy ship has cut loose the creature that was pulling them!”

“Huh?!” Castor cried out in surprise.

Cutting free the creature that was pulling your ship meant losing all propulsion. That meant they could no longer come towards them, or run away. Why would they do something so foolhardy now?

As Castor remained dumbfounded, the lookout continued, “The enemy ship has raised a distress flag!”

“Now it’s a distress flag?” Castor scratched his head. “They do it now...? Augh, damn it!”

Tolman, who was unable to grasp the situation, simply looked at Castor with a dazed expression.

After some time, Castor made up his mind and spoke, “...We have no choice. All hands, we’re going to rescue that ship.”

“Huh? You’re helping them?” Tolman asked, and Castor scratched his head.

“They’ve raised a distress flag. We have to help them.”

“Isn’t it blatantly suspicious? Couldn’t it be a trap?”

“Tolman... there’s this thing called the Law of the Sea that all sailors have to obey,” Castor said, sounding unamused. “Flags, smoke signals, special cannonballs... There are a number of ways to signal that your ship is in distress. But any ship that sees a distress signal is obligated to provide help, no matter what country the other is from, and no matter what kind of position they themselves are in... Even if their countries are at war.”

Anyone who falls into the sea has their life at risk. It was a place where, when the unexpected occurred, everyone came to help each other. Guaranteeing to aid others in times of crisis also guaranteed that they would help you in an emergency, too. This was the creed of the sea.

“Was there an international treaty like that?”

“No, it’s not something countries decided—it’s a custom that sailors came up with themselves. But if people find out we ignored it, we’ll receive pushback from sailors from every country. That includes our own, too. If they all strike, the flow of goods will be disrupted, and we won’t be able to get fish anymore.”

“I see... But aren’t there people who would abuse distress signals—such as a pirate ship looking to ambush another?”

Castor shook his head. “They’d be turned away from ports in every country if they did that. It’s only acceptable to ignore a distress signal from a ship you’ve already entered hostilities with. There’s a moral code we have to follow out here at sea. If you can’t do the bare minimum of respecting a distress signal, whether you’re a fishing ship, a warship, or a pirate ship, you’re not going to be able to continue operating out here.”

“I see... so that’s how it works,” Tolman said, acting convinced.

Castor’s ship approached the distressed one and pulled up alongside her. They laid ladders between the two vessels, and the Kingdom’s sailors boarded the other.

They were greeted by a young man and woman. One was a beautiful mermaid girl; the other was a young beastman man with white fox ears who carried a Nine-Headed Dragon katana at his waist.

“We will not resist. Please, lower your weapons.”

When the marines surrounded them, the young man laid his sword down on the deck, and raised his hands in surrender. The mermaid girl did the same. They were transferred to Castor’s ship without incident, and the Kingdom’s sailors began searching for other potential passengers.

Tolman asked, “Who do you suppose these people are?”

“Like I’d know. We’ll have to ask them.” Castor spat out in response.

As he looked at their two new passengers from where he stood on the bridge, he noticed the quality of the clothes they wore, and got a look on his face like he’d bitten into something unpleasant. These were clearly people of some significant status. Uninvited guests at a time like this... What kind of trouble have we come across here? Castor let out a little sigh as he anticipated the headache to come.

Bonus Short Stories

Souma and Maria Watch

We were having a relaxed get-together after the first conference where Maria and I met face-to-face.

“It looks like everyone’s having a good time.”

“Yes. Everyone does seem to be enjoying themselves.”

As the two of us talked, I was watching my companions. They had each found someone they could get along with and were engaged in pleasant conversation.

Maria chuckled. “I had expected talks with another nation to be more tense. During this sort of get-together, you would expect us all to be trying to get a feel for the other side’s intentions, you know? But everyone’s acting as they normally would.”

“Well, our countries have amicable relations, so it would be weird for our subordinates to be fighting when we’re not... It looks like our second-in-commands are getting along, too.”

I smiled wryly as I caught a glimpse of Hakuya and Jeanne out of the corner of my eye. Jeanne seemed to be enjoying herself, and Hakuya gave off a much softer impression than he usually did, too. Maria must have noticed it as well, because she was smiling softly.

“I guess I should have expected your subordinates would be like this. You approach everyone without prejudice. They must have learned from watching you, Sir Souma. That’s how they can be so open with everyone.”

It was a little embarrassing being given such a direct complement.

“I could say the same of the Empire. Because their leader is so soft and fuzzy, her subordinates are kind, too.”

“Oh, my? Me? Soft and fuzzy?”

Maria made a show of puffing up her cheeks in mock anger. Even though I knew she was a year older than Juna, it still made her look like a cute little girl.

I shrugged. “Having met and talked with you, I can say you’re pretty soft and fuzzy.”

“That’s quite a thing to say. I am an empress you know.”

“My apologies, Your Imperial Majesty,” I said jokingly.

“Yes. Very good,” she said in a self-important tone. I knew she hated to wield her power in this way, so she was just messing around, too.

Then both of us broke out laughing.

“Ha ha ha, I don’t know what it is, but even though I know you’re supposed to be important, I can’t help but laugh when you act like that.”

“Hee hee! It’s because I’m not good at being important. When I do it in front of you, it’s just an act.”

“Like you’re playing empress?”

“Yes, that’s a good way of putting it.”

After we’d had a good laugh, Maria smiled. “It’s so peaceful here.”

“Hm? What’s this about, all of a sudden?”

“If we could laugh like this with people we had just met, we wouldn’t need a framework like the Mankind Declaration...”

She said that like we’d be better off without it. That was probably how she really felt, too. Maria’s Mankind Declaration existed to force the signing nations to band together in the face of the Demon Lord’s Domain. She had taken the heavy burden of leading them upon herself. But if there was a way for countries to work together without compulsion, nothing could be better than that. After all, it would relieve the huge weight on her shoulders.

“...Our country may not be a signatory state, but we do support your ideals,” I said.

“Sir Souma...”

“When Kuu inherits the Republic, they’ll be reliable allies, too. In a few more years... just a few more years, you won’t need to shoulder everything by yourself.”

If Maria threw in the towel now, I’d be in trouble. The role she played in maintaining the balance between the countries on this continent could not be overstated. If she said she was retracting the Mankind Declaration tomorrow, the world would be thrown into disarray. That sort of chaos could lead to the rise of ambitious people like Fuuga.

But... I couldn’t rely on Maria forever.

There was no way it was healthy to put this much stress on one woman. Someday, we all had to move on from the Mankind Declaration and set her free.

“Just wait a little longer, Madam Maria. Soon enough, my country will be capable of shouldering the burden alongside yours. I’m sure Hakuya would agree. Together with my companions, we’ll change the situation that’s put this heavy burden all on you.”

“...Will you?” Maria smiled slightly. “I suppose I’ll have to keep working just a little longer, until that day arrives, then.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I chose this path for myself. But...” Maria looked at me. “Do hurry.”

“I will.”

With that, we two sworn friends nodded to one another.

Aisha and Gunther Face One Another

““.........””

During the get-together, Aisha stood facing one of the Empire’s commanders, Gunther. In her hands, she held plates stacked with food which she was greedily gobbling up. This man. He seems to have considerable skill. What is he thinking...? Unlike Krahe, because Gunther was a man of few words, Aisha was on her guard around him. Even now, as everyone around them was having a good time, he was alone in his silence, not eating or drinking, just glaring at her with a frown on his face.

“Are you not going to talk to anyone?” she said.

“...There is no need.”

“Then why not eat something? It’s all delicious, you know?”

“...There is no need for that, either”

“Murgh.”

He was completely unapproachable—not that she wanted to be friends with him. It just made her uneasy to encounter a warrior with unquestionable skill, who was so unreadable. Protecting Souma was of utmost importance, so she kept an eye on him. And because the food looked good, she ate as she watched.

But because just eating and watching him was awkward, she tried striking up a conversation, too.

“Everyone looks like they’re having fun. Why don’t you loosen up yourself?”

“...No. That is not my role as a warrior.”

I really can’t figure out what he’s thinking... Aisha sighed. She came from a martial background. Being strong, but not all that smart, she knew she wasn’t perceptive enough to discern what someone was thinking based on words and gestures. She was better at understanding a person when they crossed swords and traded blows. That was just how warriors communicated. Still, I can’t challenge him to a battle here.

If she were to challenge him to a duel at a party like this, they would doubt her reasoning. It would cause problems for Souma as well. Aisha didn’t want that, so she continued the conversation, even though it wasn’t her strong suit.

“Then what do you think a warrior’s role is?”

“To serve those he has sworn himself to. To risk his life to protect them.”

“Hmm.” Aisha could relate to that answer. “I agree. Because I’ve sworn myself to His Majesty, too.”

“...But I had heard you were King Souma’s wife?”

“When we first met, I was his bodyguard. But though we are now married, my wish to protect him, even at the cost of my own life, remains unchanged.”

“...Is that right?”

Oh? It felt like Gunther had softened a little. Was that because her sympathy for his position had changed the way she viewed him? As Aisha watched him closely, she saw that though Gunther still remained standing still, his eyes were moving. Following his gaze, she found Souma and Maria talking, and then Hakuya and Jeanne. His eyes bounced between both pairs.

“Sir Gunther, is Madam Maria the one you’ve sworn yourself to, or is it Madam Jeanne?”

“...I have sworn myself to both daughters of the Imperial House of Euphoria,” Gunther said in resignation. “Despite their youth and beauty, they carry the weight of an empire on their shoulders. I respect that, and believe they must be protected. I can only serve them as a warrior, but I will do my all to make sure they can feel at ease.”

“You stay on your guard so that they can relax theirs... Is that it?”

Aisha felt like she understood. Maria and Jeanne looked relaxed as they chatted with Souma and Hakuya. Quietly watching over them was a way of showing his loyalty.

“Heheh! It seems you’re a fine warrior!”

“...You’re too kind.”

“Ah! But what about the third daughter of the Imperial Family, Madam Trill? Do you swear loyalty to her?”

Gunther’s frown deepened in response.

Seeing that, Aisha couldn’t help but burst out laughing. “Pfft... Ahahahaha!”

So he can make a face like that, too. He might be an interesting individual.

Aisha wanted to tell this story to Souma.

Naden and Krahe Talk

During the get-together, Souma’s second secondary queen, Naden, was talking with Krahe, a commander from the Empire.

“So then me and Souma took care of the storm that attacked the Star Dragon Mountain Range.”

“I see, I see. That’s just lovely.”

No, it was more like Naden was telling the story of how she met Souma, and Krahe was enthusiastically nodding along and prodding her to keep going.

“Was it a natural storm?” he asked.

“No way. There was this weird thing inside the clouds that was causing it.”

“The Lurker in the Clouds... I like it! It sounds exciting! So, what happened? Did the lurker have a terrifying and dignified form, like some sort of demon lord?”

“Oh... It was a cube. Like a metallic one.”

“A metallic cube... huh?” Krahe looked blatantly disappointed. “The Cube in the Tempest... It’s strange, I’ll give it that, but it lacks impact. Now, if there was a massive, bat-winged devil, or a three-headed dragon, then we’d have something to be excited about.”

What’s the Thousand Year Dragon King got to do with this? was the joke Souma would have made if he were listening.

Naden sighed in exasperation. “I can’t change what we saw, so you’ll have to live with it. But it did make an impact if you were actually there to see it, you know? There were these patterns carved into the thing, glowing faintly, but more than anything, it was just huge.”

“Hmm... When you say it like that, maybe it does work.”

“...Is the way it looks that important?”

“Of course!” Krahe got up close to Naden, a serious look on his face. “Stories of heroes and saints need a terrifying and dignified enemy! No matter how strong the hero, and no matter how revered the saint, their story cannot function with them alone! The people respect Lady Maria as a saint, and King Souma was summoned to be a hero. The story of our times will be sung for ages to come. We’re just waiting for the enemy they’ll stand against to appear.”

Krahe spoke as if enraptured, not even pausing for a breath. It made Naden think of how he’d been described as being a romanticist, and to an unhealthy degree.

“Wouldn’t it be better if there was no enemy? Nothing beats peace.”

“What are you saying? The story needs a powerful enemy for them to strike down! Our lives are short, but if people tell stories of us, they’ll last for a hundred generations. If I could leave but one page in Madam Maria’s story, I would know no greater bliss.”

“That’s...”

Wrong somehow, thought Naden. When she was in the Star Dragon Mountain Range, Souma told her that though a tree that remained beautiful forever was wonderful, the flowers that bloomed for a short time before falling were beautiful, too. It felt like, in trying to leave behind his name in a story, Krahe was grasping for eternity.

I don’t think Souma would say something like that. He wouldn’t be interested in leaving his name in history. What instead came to her mind was Cian and Kazuha’s young, innocent faces. Even if his name doesn’t remain, preserving his children’s lives and wishes into the future is enough... That’s what he’d think. I feel like I can understand that, too, now. Naden chuckled.

She adored Cian and Kazuha. But wouldn’t her own child be even more dear to her? Then again, some people said it was easier to dote on kids that weren’t yours, since you had no responsibility for them. But I still want Souma’s child. For the future.

Naden squirmed as she covered her flushing cheeks with her hands.

Krahe cocked his head to the side at the way she was acting. “Hm? Is something the matter?”

She cleared her throat to hide her embarrassment. “...No, it’s nothing.”

Even if she told the man in front of her what she was feeling, he probably wouldn’t be able to understand. We all have our own set of values. That’s something she’d learned since coming to the Kingdom. But a story requires a strong villain... huh? Naden looked at Krahe and felt a little uneasy.

He was pure, in a way. True to his dreams and desires. On its own that might have been a virtue. But wasn’t it dangerous to seek an enemy for the sake of that dream?

Maybe I should report this to Souma later... Naden thought as she looked at Krahe’s friendly smile.

Mio and Owen Get Better Acquainted

“Madam Mio, are you all right? You’re not looking so good.”

During the get-together, Owen, who was both Souma’s personal trainer and sounding board, approached Georg Carmine’s daughter with concern. Owen was a former commander in the Army, and greatly respected him, so he always wanted to look out for her.

Mio gave Owen a weak smile. “I-I’m fine. It’s just because the amount of information I have to take in is dizzying.”

She was constantly wondering, What am I doing here? Here Mio was, in the same place as the empress and her entourage. She couldn’t believe it. The relationship between the Kingdom and the Empire had changed completely in the time she was away. During King Albert’s reign, they hadn’t known what the Empire’s intentions were, and had just been jerked around by everything that the Empire did. Now they were building an amicable relationship as partners in an alliance.

“There was a time not so long ago when all of this would have seemed impossible.”

“Well, our country has gone through a lot,” Owen said, crossing his arms with a smile. “His Majesty and Lady Liscia have both tried their hardest.”

“I can see that.”

“You’ll be even more surprised when we return to the Kingdom. His Majesty will keep his word and launch a new investigation into your father’s actions. Depending on the result, the House of Carmine could even be restored.”

“...Ah ha ha, I guess so.”

Mio’s laugh sounded a little troubled. I don’t really care about that, though... She was no longer fixated on Souma and her father at this point.

“So the House of Carmine will be restored... huh?”

“Hm? Is something the matter?”

“Oh, no... It’s just that I’d be the head of the household, wouldn’t I?”

“You would indeed.”

Mio scratched her cheek awkwardly as Owen looked at her as if she’d just said the most obvious thing in the world.

“Um... I’m a capable warrior, but governing is not my strong suit. My father had more or less given up on me there...”

“Ahh...” Without a word more, Owen looked at her with a small wry smile.

Realizing the situation, Mio continued, “As you’ve likely figured out... I’m not the smartest person around...”

“Mmm... W-Well, I’ve heard that when Duke Carmine was young, he was entirely focused on his skills as a warrior, and was scolded by his father for it, too. You’ve still got room to grow, Madam Mio.”

“Oh? Is that right?”

Mio had the impression that her father was skilled with both the pen and the sword, but apparently that wasn’t true in his youth.

Owen nodded. “I hear that he devoted himself to his administrative duties around the time he brought a wife into the household. Ga ha ha! He must have wanted to show her his good side. Or maybe he didn’t want her to see his weaknesses. That’s how men are, after all.”

“...I’m surprised.”

Even living with my father, I never knew that aspect of him.

Owen clapped a hand on Mio’s shoulder. “Well, when the house is restored, I expect you’ll bring in a husband. You can choose someone who’s skilled at administrative work.”

“Ahh, Father said that, too... Ah!”

“Is something the matter?”

“You know, I just remembered that there was a bureaucrat who earned my father’s rare praise... Right. I believe, Sir Colbert was his name”

“Colbert? The Minister of Finance?”

“Yes. Though he still served the Principality of Amidonia at the time.”

Father praised him, and if he’s the Minister of Finance now, he can handle administrative work, I don’t think I could ask for better than that, Mio thought to herself.

“Um, Sir Owen, may I ask a question?”

“What is it?”

“Would you say I’m pretty?”

“...Huh?” Owen stood there gaping, not sure what he’d been asked for a moment. “Oh, um, I think you’re more than pretty enough, Madam Mio... Why ask that so suddenly?”

“Oh, I thought I might be able to use my womanly weapons to ensnare a gentleman,” Mio said in a flirtatious tone, a serious look on her face. “I think I’ve inherited Mother’s good looks. I learned from Father that in war, you must use every means and weapon at your disposal. They say that love is war, so I thought I might face my target with all the weapons I can muster.”

Owen was taken aback to hear Mio talk like this so seriously.