The Red Oni is Blue

— In the middle of the 1st month, 1,548th year, Continental Calendar —

Magna Domain, Randel —

The city of Randel in the west of the kingdom had been the central city

of former General of the Army Georg Carmine's duchy, and it was now the

property of Hal's father, Glaive Magna.

It was also the place where the Forbidden Army and the Army had

clashed during the previous war.

Granted, the only real battle had been fought at a fortress built nearby,

the walls being only lightly bombarded, so the city itself had taken no

damage. Now that a year had passed, it had returned to its previous calm.

The House of Magna's mansion was in the castle town at Randel.

This city was ruled by Glaive, so normally he would have been able to

live in Georg's former abode, Randel Castle. However, knowing Georg's

true intent in what he'd done, Glaive could not bear to reside in the man's

castle, instead living in his mansion in town and going to the castle only for

work.

This was the mansion that, today, Halbert had brought Kaede and Ruby

back to.

In order to reward the soldiers who'd participated in the expedition to

the Union of Eastern States, they were taking turns being given long-term

leave. Halbert and his partners' return was making use of that leave.

Glaive welcomed the three with open arms. "Ohh, I'm glad to see you

home safe. Little Kaede, and Madam Ruby, too."

The "little" for Kaede and the "madam" for Ruby was an indication of

how long he had known each of them. While he had known Halbert's

childhood friend Kaede since she was a little girl, he was hesitant to be too

familiar with the newcomer Ruby.

The two of them gave Glaive a light hug with somewhat awkward

smiles.

"We're back, Sir Glaive," said Kaede.

"We have returned, Father," said Ruby. "You needn't address me so

formally, though."

"Oh, I see. Let me just call you Ruby, then."

Glaive was usually stern-faced, but now he was all smiles.

"No matter how many accomplishments my son makes on the

battlefield, they can't equal the feat of bringing two wise and beautiful

ladies into our house. He's always been a handful, but I must praise him for

taking you two as his wives."

Kaede giggled. "You're exaggerating, you know, sir."

"You're embarrassing me," Ruby added.

Seeing his father dote on his future daughters-in-law, Halbert sighed.

"I'm back, too, you know?"

"Hm? Oh, Hal. I hear you distinguished yourself in the Union of Eastern

Nations, too. You do me proud as a father, but don't let it go to your head

and do anything to put my daughters here in danger."

"Yeah, I know," Halbert responded meekly to the lecture.

Glaive found that attitude suspicious coming from Halbert. It felt like he

was much less easily fired up than usual. In any other circumstance, he'd

have said something like, "Don't treat me like a kid forever!" and pushed

back, but today he was acting awfully willing to listen.

"Did something happen?" Glaive asked.

"...Nothing really. Sorry, I'm tired, so let me go rest in my room."

With that said, Halbert hoisted his luggage, and walked off towards his

room.

When Glaive noticed Kaede and Ruby watching him go with concern,

he cleared his throat to try and change the mood.

"Now then, both of you, come along now. My wife is eagerly waiting to

discuss your bridal outfits."

"We understand," said Kaede. "Come on, let's go, Ruby."

"Okay."

Glaive led the two of them to the dressing room where his wife was

waiting.

However, when the two passed through the door and he closed it, he

glanced in the direction of Halbert's room.

◇ ◇ ◇

Meanwhile...

Halbert was not resting in his room at all. He had in fact snuck out

through the window, taking his two favorite spears to a copse in the

mansion's courtyard.

Halbert exhaled deeply in the cold winter air, then began to swing his

spears. The sound of their blades cutting the wind, and the clatter of the thin

chain that bound them together, echoed through the trees.

Block, thrust, slash... He moved as though he were fighting some unseen

foe.

Most likely, he had a specific someone in mind.

However, the way he looked, swinging madly, only made it look like he

was trying to cast off some indecision.

There was just one thought in Halbert's heart as he swung.

Is it okay... for me to be doing this?

That was the one thing he considered.

Being given leave, coming home to his family with his fiancées,

preparing for the wedding that was soon to come... that whole life separated

from fighting put Halbert on edge.

Is it okay for me to be doing this...? Can I beat that guy this way?

His swings became more and more sloppy.

Because he was swinging wildly with more power than he could control,

his pivot leg was unstable, and he shook left and right. He was gradually

getting winded, too.

His inability to move the way he wanted fed further frustration, and

Halbert stabbed his spears into the ground.

"Hahh... Hahh..." Halbert's shoulders heaved with each breath.

A shadow approached him. "...Honestly. You're a sore sight."

"Huh?!" When Halbert turned to look, Glaive was watching from the

shadow of a nearby tree. "Oh, it's just you, old man..."

"Those ridiculous patterns won't do you any good as practice. You're

just blowing off steam."

"Guh..."

Perhaps he had some self-awareness, because Halbert didn't argue back.

With a single sigh at his son, Glaive approached and clapped a hand on

Halbert's shoulder. "Did you lose to someone in the Union of Eastern

Nations?"

"Wha?! I haven't lost yet! I haven't lost... but... I met a guy I'm not sure

I can beat." Halbert reflexively argued back hard, but his words gradually

weakened and in the end he sat down limply.

Glaive furrowed his brow. "There's someone out there who could do this

to you, the boy who was always so needlessly full of confidence?"

"...Fuuga Haan," said Halbert. "His strength is on another level, and he's

got overwhelming charisma, too. When I saw what he'd accomplished, I

felt myself being drawn in despite myself."

What was stuck in Halbert's mind was the lingering illusion of the

Fuuga Haan he had seen that day.

"I admired the way he lived as if he was burning, and for a brief

moment, I wasn't even scared of dying. The fact that I'd thought that way

made me many times more scared when I thought about it later. Still... at

the time, I thought I wanted to use up my life as a warrior. Completely

forgetting Kaede and Ruby."

His father was silent.

Hal pictured the heroic image of Fuuga racing back and forth across the

battlefield, leading the temsbock cavalry, who would fearlessly give their

lives for him, having no regrets if they died along the way. He had been

entranced by that sight, and though he'd managed to stop, he'd felt himself

being pulled in.

"I was never so conceited as to think that there was no one out there

stronger than me," Halbert said. "That dark elf by Souma's side—even with

me, Kaede, and Young Miss Carla all teaming up on her, she still

overwhelmed us. There's always someone better out there."

"Call her Madam Aisha, would you?" Glaive asked. "That's the second

primary queen you're talking about."

"That Aisha... Madam Aisha's never going to betray Souma. So, as long

as I'm loyal to this country, I'll never see her blade turned on us. But...

Fuuga's from another country. He wants to make his name heard across the

continent, too. For as long as he holds on to that ambition, eventually he

and Souma... he and this country are going to clash."

And he figured when that time came, the ones facing Fuuga would be

him and Ruby. Because Fuuga flew around on his flying tiger Durga, Aisha,

who didn't have a flying mount, was at a disadvantage.

Durga was so powerful that any attempt to face him with a wyvern

would stand no chance.

In the end, only Halbert and Ruby the red dragon were going to be a

proper match for him.

"I need to get to a point where I can win against him," Halbert said. "If I

don't, I can't protect the country, or Kaede and Ruby. When I think about

that... I can't help but rush. I start thinking, 'Is it okay for me to be doing

this? If I don't get stronger, I'll never be able to beat him.'"

Getting married and gaining a partner meant having that much more to

protect.

In Halbert's case, he'd be gaining two at once, so the responsibility was

doubled.

Honestly, I'm amazed that Souma can take this pressure. I'm sincerely

impressed.

He was the king, and he would be gaining five at once, after all.

On top of that, he and Liscia now had two children at the same time. In

terms of the number of things they had to protect, Halbert had nothing on

Souma.

In terms of brawn, the difference between Halbert and Souma was like

that of a grown man and a baby, but in terms of mental fortitude, the

opposite was true.

"When I think I'll be marrying Kaede and Ruby soon... I worry more

and more about whether I'm all right like this. It's like... will I be able to

protect my wives?"

"...I see." Glaive, who had crossed his arms, listening in silence,

surprisingly grinned. "You were just a whelp before, but now it seems even

you've finally started to develop some awareness of your responsibility as

the family heir."

"Don't tease me. I'm trying to have a serious conversation here, okay?"

Halbert glared at him, but Glaive shook his head quietly.

"I'm not teasing you. First of all, what you're feeling is something

everyone feels before getting married. I don't think the fears you harbor

have all that much to do with Fuuga at all, you know?"

"Huh? Fuuga... has nothing to do with it?"

"He may be a contributing factor," said Glaive. "However, your

fundamental concern is whether, once you marry those two, you can defend

this family as the head of the household. That's a worry even an ordinary

husband who doesn't face powerful enemies on the battlefield has to

contend with. There's nothing special about it at all."

When Glaive laughed it off like that, Halbert felt as if the scales had

fallen from his eyes.

Halbert had thought he was afraid of Fuuga, but Glaive was saying a

large part of what he feared was uncertainty about having a family. If that

was true, it meant that uncertainty had taken the form of the phantom of

Fuuga.

"Are you speaking from experience here?" Halbert asked.

"Well... yes, I suppose I am."

Seeing Glaive turn aside awkwardly, Halbert was dumbfounded. Even

stern-faced Glaive had panicked like him before getting married.

Glaive cleared his throat and told his son, "Ahem... Still, even if it's not

the root of your worries, you truly view this Fuuga fellow as a threat,

correct? If you're so uncertain, rather than do training that will not benefit

you here, why not go somewhere you can concentrate and train seriously?"

"Train seriously?"

"Before you take those two as your life partners, it might do you well to

spend some time alone in self-contemplation. Fortunately, with the rollout

of His Majesty's transportation network, getting around the country has

become much easier. I'll put the two of them up in the house here, so use

your leave to go where you want, get in touch with a variety of people, and

train to your heart's content."

Training alone. It was an appealing proposal for Halbert. He certainly

wasn't going to be able to focus here. In that case, this would be a good

chance to take a fresh look at himself.

"But is that all right?" he worried. "Won't Kaede and Ruby get mad?"

"Even if they do, you need to tell them yourself. Oh, I'm sure they won't

be happy about it, but they'll believe in you and send you on your way."

"Yeah..."

"But be sure you don't do anything that would sadden those two girls. If

you go traipsing through the flower quarters just because it's the last time

you'll be single, you'll be eating my and your mother's iron fists of

retribution."

Glaive sounded desperate somehow as he made that last threat.

"I had no intention of doing anything like that..." Hal said. He paused.

"Don't tell me you did?"

Glaive broke into a cold sweat as he placed a hand on his son's shoulder.

"Remember that some things will not be forgiven as youthful indiscretion.

If you anger the ones who are going to be your life partners, expect them to

take a complete grip over your married life going forward."

Hal was silent.

Was this the reason that, despite his mother's gentle demeanor, the

House of Magna was under her dominion?

Getting the feeling he'd glimpsed some of the circumstances of his own

family, Halbert resolved to be careful himself.

When he returned to the house, Halbert did as Glaive had said, and

revealed to Kaede and Ruby that he wanted to leave on a journey of selfimprovement. When he did, their response was...

"Well, if that's what you want, Hal, that's how it has to be, you know."

"When you're satisfied, hurry back."

...to accept it with wry smiles.

It seemed they had both been worried about Halbert not acting like

himself recently. Halbert was very grateful for their kindness.

And so, borrowing a war horse from Glaive, Halbert set out on a journey

alone.

He traveled two days south from Randel on horseback.

Eventually, a deep forest came into sight. It was the self-ruled domain of

the dark elves, the God-Protected Forest.

This was Halbert's third time coming to the forest. The first time had

been to provide aid during a disaster, and the second to be an escort for

Souma when coming to pay his respects to Aisha's father before marrying

her.

When Halbert told the dark elf warriors standing guard outside the forest

that he wanted to go to the village, he was quickly allowed through because

he was a familiar face.

They said they would send out a messenger kui to inform the chief he

was coming, so Halbert thanked the guards and proceeded into the forest on

horseback.

During the bumpy horse ride, Halbert thought about things.

It sure was bad back then. Like something out of hell...

He felt as though the feeling he'd gotten watching Fuuga was akin to a

natural disaster. As if something beyond human knowledge was wielding an

incredible power, and he was but a fly before its might.

This forest was the place where Halbert was first made to keenly feel his

own powerlessness.

That was exactly why he'd chosen it as the first place to go when taking

a fresh look at himself.

Have I changed since then? I'm commanding the Dratroopers under

Kaede now, yes. And I've gained a reliable partner and mount in Ruby. I

also received an incredible weapon from the Turgish craftswoman Taru. But

as for me, myself...

While he was thinking these things, he suddenly came out into an open

area.

In the God-Protected Forest, which with its many trees was gloomy even

in the middle of the day, this was the one place without any tall trees, the

open sky spreading out above him.

It was where the landslide had happened. Because the landslide had

mowed down all the tall trees, this was the only open place.

Halbert dismounted to look at that scene.

Back then, the dirt covering the ground had been a dark brown, but now

it was blanketed with green, and there were young trees as tall as Halbert.

Sensing someone behind him, Halbert turned around to find a smiling

dark elf warrior.

"Why, Sir Halbert, I haven't seen you since Sir Souma came to visit."

The young man was Aisha's father and the chief of the God-Protected

Forest, Wodan Udgard.

"It's been too long, Sir Wodan," said Halbert. "I'm sorry for coming on

such short notice."

Halbert was sorry to impose, but Wodan spread his arms wide to

welcome him.

"Think nothing of it. You've done much for us, so you are always

welcome. I'm sure Sur and Velza would have been happy to see you if they

were here."

"Are they away now?" Halbert asked.

"Yes. It seems they left the forest on some urgent business a few days

ago."

"I see... I'm a little disappointed to hear that."

The twelve-year-old dark elf girl, Velza, had become attached to him

after he'd saved her during the disaster. Since he was at the God-Protected

Forest anyway, it would have been nice to see her, but if she wasn't here,

that was that.

Wodan asked, "So, what is it that brings you to the God-Protected

Forest?"

"...I'm in training now. To reevaluate and improve myself."

"Training... is it? I believe I recall hearing you would be wed soon, am I

correct, Sir Halbert? At the same time as my daughter is to marry His

Majesty."

"Well... yes, but..."

"Hm, it seems you have your reasons. Would you mind telling me

them?"

When Wodan asked that with sincerity, Halbert related the sequence of

events that put him on this journey. When he spoke about Fuuga, Wodan

groaned with a difficult look on his face.

"There is a warrior out there who can even make my Aisha acknowledge

his superiority? Honestly... It's a wide world out there, isn't it?"

For Wodan, who knew Aisha's strength better than anyone, it was hard

to believe there was a being out there that even she feared. However, when

Halbert's tortured expression told him it was the truth, he shuddered.

Halbert sighed and said, "I'm... afraid of that man. If he becomes an

enemy someday, will I be able to win against him? Will I be able to protect

Kaede and Ruby, my wives-to-be? I overthink that, and it even makes me

start to doubt whether I should be marrying them at all."

"Hmm..." Wodan seemed to think about what he'd been told for a little

while. The silence was awkward, and while Halbert was waiting for him to

please say something, Wodan suddenly came out with, "That's weakness."

"Huh?!" When directly confronted with his weakness, Halbert gulped.

Seeing the reaction, Wodan realized his poor choice of words and

corrected himself. "Ahh, I'm not saying this as a criticism of you. We all

carry weakness in us to one degree or another. What is important is whether

or not we can face it."

"Face our weakness, you mean?" Halbert asked.

"Yes. You're doing that. Now it's just a matter of whether you can look

at the true nature of that weakness. 'Weakness is never just weakness.'

These words have been handed down among the warriors of the GodProtected Forest."

Wodan crouched down, running his hand along the moss on the ground.

"In that disaster, the grass and trees were mowed down by dirt and mud.

We can say that they were weak when compared to the land. Our power,

too, was small and insignificant."

Halbert was silent.

"Yet, look. Now grass covers that same dirt. Grass is knocked over

easily, but it has a strength that more than compensates for that. It sprouted

just a few days after the disaster, and in mere months, the area was covered

in green. Now that about a year has passed, new trees have begun to grow,

too. There is a strength in those we think to be weak. The same is true of

people."

When Wodan stood up, he turned to face Halbert.

"The heart that knows fear is cautious and averse to recklessness. The

heart that wishes to run away is thorough when it comes to securing its own

safety. That is why we say in the God-Protected Forest that you should not

reject your fear."

"Don't reject fear..."

Was it important to fear Fuuga?

It certainly may be true that caution is important. However, that said,

when I stand in front of Fuuga, will I be able to fight? When I fight Fuuga,

who I fear, will I be able to defend this country, defend my family?

As Halbert thought it over, Wodan chuckled.

"If you wish to know more of the heart that knows fear, is there not

someone close to you who would be well-suited to teach you? Why not try

asking them?"

"Huh? Who are you talking about?"

"There is, isn't there? The one who bears the greatest fear in this

country, and the one who must also act the most cowardly. In the capital of

Parnam."

When he said that, it hit Halbert.

It was true, that guy was in a position where he always had to be afraid

of something. To fear, to prepare, and despite his weakness, to somehow

overcome his terror.

They were supposed to be friends, so it might not be bad to go and talk.

While Halbert was thinking that, Wodan for some reason drew and

readied his bow.

"Sir Wodan?" Halbert asked.

"Heh heh! Well, that aside, you came to this forest to train, did you not?

How about it? Will you train with the father of the girl they say is the

strongest in this country?"

When he put it that way, a warrior like Halbert couldn't pass it up.

Halbert readied his two favorite spears, grinning. "Sounds good to me.

Compared to using my head, this is way more my style."

"You mustn't abandon using your head. Even during this battle, keep

thinking at all times."

"Yes, sir!"

While they shared an exchange like instructor and pupil, the two started

to fight.

Finally, having carried out combat training with Wodan, Halbert left the

God-Protected Forest behind, turning his horse north-northeast.

The next place Halbert arrived was the familiar capital city of Parnam.

When Halbert reached the capital, he immediately headed for the castle.

The guards knew who he was, and he already had clearance from

Souma, so despite the suddenness of his visit, he was led to the king's

governmental affairs office with only a simple check first.

When Halbert knocked, a listless voice came from the other side. "Come

in..."

When he entered the room, the provisional king, Souma, was there on

the other side of a mountain of paperwork.

Next to him were a number of bureaucrats and the Black-robed Prime

Minister, Hakuya.

When he noticed it was Halbert, Souma, who looked a little exhausted

from all his paperwork, cocked his head to the side.

"Hal? That's unusual. You came all this way just to see me?"

"Well, I just wanted to talk with you for a bit... I can come back later if

this is a bad time."

He obviously couldn't get in the way of Souma's duties.

Souma let out a big yawn. "Hmm, I was just thinking I needed a break,

so sure. Hakuya and everyone else, let's take a short breather."

"Very well." Hakuya bowed and then left the office. The bureaucrats

departed, too, leaving only Souma and Halbert in the room together.

"So? You came here because you had something to talk about, right?"

Souma said, indicating that he should speak.

Halbert resigned himself and said, "Fuuga's been on my mind ever since

we came back from the Union of Eastern Nations."

"Oh, yeah? Have you awakened to the way of the warrior now?"

"Don't be silly... I'm trying to talk seriously here," Halbert said

resentfully.

Souma shrugged his shoulders. "It was a joke. He's been on my mind,

too. He comes after my newborn children, Liscia and the others, and this

mountain of work, though."

"He's pretty far down on the pile."

"What is it about Fuuga?"

Halbert suppressed his desire to keep up appearances, and decided to be

forthright. "If we end up fighting Fuuga at some point down the line, I'm

the one who's going to be facing him, right?"

"...You would be, yeah. I think that, probably, the only ones who could

put up a proper fight against Fuuga and Durga would be you and Ruby. If

Aisha was the one who'd made a contract with Naden, I could have relied

on them, but I'm not going to cut it myself. I don't see the other wyvern

cavalry being able to stall him, either."

Souma crossed his arms and rested them on the back of his chair as he

spoke.

"Honestly, I'm worried the soldiers will flee just because Fuuga and

Durga charge them. It'd be bad if they ended up doing the, 'I-It's Lu Bu!'

thing."

"Lu Bu? What's that?"

"...No, never mind. Anyway, in order to prevent that sort of situation, we

need a great man of our own who's just as majestic as Fuuga. Like, 'If Wei

has Zhang Liao, Wu has Gan Ning.'"

"Zhang Liao? Gan Ning?"

"It's a shame that no one gets my Romance of the Three Kingdoms

references," Souma said with a straight face after spouting a bunch of

nonsense no one else understood. "For my part, I have high hopes for Hal

the Red Oni. I need you to become someone the people will think of when

they're afraid of Fuuga, saying, 'Well, we have Hal the Red Oni.' I'm never

going to have that sort of flowery presence on the battlefield."

"Flowery presence? You mean, like, charisma?"

"Yeah. If you and the other vassals could make up for what Fuuga has

but I don't, that would be a huge help. To keep the people from being

dragged in by the atmosphere around Fuuga."

"..." Halbert pursed his lips.

Those expectations would weigh heavily on him. Just when he was

thinking he needed to do something about himself, he was having to

shoulder the people's expectations, too. He would be expected to win

against an opponent he didn't know for certain he could best. By all of the

people, too. That was an incredible burden.

Please... Don't make me carry that...

Then, Souma stood up and clapped Halbert on the shoulder.

"So, Halbert, I'm counting on you." With no way to know what Halbert

was feeling, Souma said, "If Fuuga charges us, hold him off for a minute at

least, would you?"

"...Huh?" Halbert blinked. "Is just a minute okay?"

"Hey, if you can last five, ten minutes, or even longer, hell, even win,

that'd be a great help, but I can't expect too much, can I? Battles can be

decided by the luck of the moment. Nothing is absolute."

"Well... Yeah, I guess." Now Halbert felt confused.

Souma scratched his head. "Even Fuuga and Durga can't possibly take

on the whole of the National Air Defense Force. Even if no one can take

him on one-on-one, if we surround him and keep beating on him, he should

concede."

"Surround him and beat on him... Huh? Is it okay to do that?"

"He's not a guy we can be picky about how we beat. The issue is if we

can set it up or not. In the previous war, we had a situation where we

couldn't stop Gaius's charge and things got dicey, after all. Wyvern cavalry

using our treasure, the Little Susumu Mark V Light" (a lightweight

Maxwell-type propulsion device) "are good at hit-and-run attacks, but they

aren't suited to pinning an enemy down. That's why, in order to encircle

Fuuga, I want you and Ruby to do your best holding him in place."

Halbert was dumbfounded.

Souma had felt just as threatened by Fuuga, but he'd been thinking

about it in an entirely different way.

Halbert had thought they needed a single person who could defeat the

man, but Souma had been thinking of a way to win using a large group that

included Halbert.

Because of Souma's weakness, he wasn't picky about the methods he

chose to survive.

Halbert felt the scales falling from his eyes.

"I don't necessarily need to beat Fuuga?"

"I told you, didn't I? If you can, nothing would be better. But don't push

yourself too hard. In order to convince the people you're a great man who's

Fuuga's equal, the first priority is for you to survive. That sort of heroic

figure will provide emotional support to the people. That's why, no matter

how dirty it is, you and Ruby have to survive together."

"You make it sound so simple," Halbert said slowly.

Standing in front of Fuuga and surviving wasn't going to be easy.

However, it would be a lot easier than being expected to beat him. Just

for that... he felt it was worth having come here today.

Halbert smiled a little and waved his hand. "Thanks for hearing me out.

Well, I'm gonna head off now."

"Hmm, you're done already? Wait, your wedding's close, too, isn't it?

Should you really be hanging around here?"

Halbert laughed. "I'm on the last training retreat I'll get to take as a

single man. I've got to become strong enough to fight equally with Fuuga

thanks to a certain king, after all."

He said that a little spitefully.

◇ ◇ ◇

It happened while Halbert was on a journey to train and reevaluate

himself.

Kaede and Ruby, having seen him off on his journey, were staying at the

House of Magna's mansion in Randel. Because the extended leave they'd

been granted was about a month long, they had been using it to relax and

wash off the grime of the campaign trail.

And today, in the House of Magna's dressing room, Ruby was trying on

the wedding dress she would wear at the ceremony.

"W-Well, what do you think?" Ruby asked, looking down at her pure

white dress. It was a simple, clean color, and the contrast with Ruby's

blazing red hair made her look very pretty.

When a dragon transformed into human form, their clothing was made

of their transformed scales, and it wasn't possible to change them to differ

from their body color. So, red for Ruby, and black for Naden.

That meant that to put on the pure white dress she was wearing now,

Ruby had temporarily made her scale clothing disappear and become naked

before putting on the prepared dress.

Using this method, the dragon race could partake in fashion. But, unlike

the outfits made of their own scales that transformed with their bodies,

ordinary clothing would be torn to shreds when they transformed into

dragon form. So if they wanted to transform, it would require getting naked.

Ruby spun around in front of the mirror, letting out a sigh of delight.

"What a lovely dress..."

"Hee hee, it really looks good on you," Halbert's mother Elba said,

pressing a hand to her cheek as she looked at Ruby's dress.

Kaede stood at her side, smiling. "It really does suit you, you know,

Ruby."

Ruby smiled bashfully. "Thanks, Kaede."

Elba nodded in satisfaction. "Because our hair colors are so close, it

feels like you're my real daughter, seeing you like this. I was grateful just to

have Kaede, who I've known since she was young, come marry into our

family, but to have you, too, Ruby... My boy is so blessed."

"N-No, that's not true," Ruby said quickly.

"Yes, it is. Honestly... How could that boy leave his adorable brides to

go off traveling by himself? Glaive's just as bad, too, getting him fired up to

do it. When he gets back, make sure Halbert does plenty of what the two of

you want from him. You have my permission."

"Ahaha... We'll do just that, you know," Kaede replied with wry smile.

Incidentally, Glaive had gotten an earful from Elba when she'd learned

the reason Halbert had left on his journey.

"It was fine to hear him out, but sending him on a journey was going too

far. Think of those two poor girls who were left behind! You need to

understand women's feelings more!" And so on, and so on.

Kaede and Ruby had interceded saying, "He did it with our permission,"

mollifying Elba, but Glaive had been forbidden contact with his two

daughters-in-law-to-be for a while as punishment.

The punishment was quite a shock to him, apparently, so Glaive was

staying shut up in his room and sulking.

Kaede smiled wryly, remembering that fact.

As Elba pinched the sleeve of the wedding dress Ruby was wearing, she

narrowed her eyes. "Let me tell you about this dress. It's the one I wore

when I came to marry into the House of Magna, you know."

"Huh?! It is?!"

Elba giggled. "Yes. I've never had a daughter, so I was wondering when

it would ever see the light of day again. I'm sure the dress is happy to have

you wear it."

"I-Is it okay to let me wear something so important?! R-Rather than me,

shouldn't the head wife, Kaede, be the one to wear it?!"

Kaede smiled wryly. "In the House of Foxia, we have our own garments

for these sorts of wedding ceremonies, you know. My elder brother has

already inherited the house, but there is a traditional outfit our women are

supposed to wear. We're a family that originally drifted here from the NineHeaded Dragon Archipelago, you see."

The wedding outfit used by the House of Foxia was a pure white

shiromuku, a colorful iro-uchikake, and a long-sleeved hikifurisode, closely

resembling the Japanese style wedding dresses of Souma's world. The

House of Foxia wanted Kaede to wear that traditional dress, so she

wouldn't be able to wear Elba's dress.

"That's why I'm leaving the dress to you, Ruby," Kaede said.

"I see... But it sounds like your kimono will be lovely, too." Ruby was

delighted by the description of it.

"Hee hee, it's going to be pretty," Kaede giggled. "But Aunt Elba's dress

is lovely, too. I'd have liked to wear it."

"Oh, then why don't you wear both?" Elba clapped her hands as if she'd

come up with a brilliant idea. "You're both about the same height, so why

not trade outfits halfway through the banquet? I'll get permission from the

House of Foxia."

"I think that would be lovely, but... recently, I feel like Ruby's chest has

been getting larger," Kaede sighed, glancing at it.

"D-Don't look at me like that!" Ruby hurriedly brought her arms up to

cover it.

A dragon's human form started out androgynous, but then changed to

the sex which matched that of their partner. Ruby's body was becoming

more and more feminine, and Pai, whose knight had been a woman, was

becoming a man.

That said, Naden, who had contracted with Souma, was as puny as ever,

so there was individual variation in how those changes manifested.

As Kaede eyed Ruby's chest with jealousy, Elba smiled wryly. "Well,

you'll just have to do what you can with padding there."

"The world is unfair, you know," Kaede complained.

"If Naden heard you complaining with your breast size, I think she'd

snap..." Ruby commented.

While the three of them were chatting, one of the servants entered the

room with a knock.

"My lady, there is a person who says they wish to meet with the three of

you," he told them.

It turned out the person in question wanted to see Kaede and Ruby as

well, so Elba had that person seen through to this room. It turned out to be a

young man, accompanied by a dark elf girl of about twelve.

"Oh?" Ruby said. "If I recall, you two were..."

The dark elf girl bowed her head. "It's been too long, Lady Ruby. And

it's a pleasure to meet you, madam. I am Velza, daughter of Sur, of the GodProtected Forest."

"Ahh, so you're Velza!" Elba said. "I've heard about you from Hal. If I

recall, you were the girl Hal saved during that disaster."

Velza gave an energetic response. "Yes! I truly must thank you for what

he did."

"Hee hee, what an energetic and adorable girl you are," Elba said fondly.

"So, what have you come for today?" Ruby asked. "What is your

business here, Sir Sur?"

Sur smiled wryly and shook his head. "Oh, no, I'm just here

accompanying my daughter..."

Velza stared hard at Kaede. "Fox ears... Would you happen to be the one

who will become Lord Hal's head wife, Lady Kaede?"

"Huh? Uh... yes, I am. Why do you know my name?"

"I heard about you before when Lord Hal and Lady Ruby came to visit

the God-Protected Forest. I see... So you're Lady Kaede."

Velza suddenly dropped to one knee, lowering her head.

"I have come today with a request!"

"A... a request?!" Kaede yelped. "Of m-me?!"

"Yes! I... I want..." Velza raised her face, full of determination, looked

straight at Kaede, and said, "I want to serve Lord Hal! Please, make me a

retainer of the House of Magna!"

It was decided they should talk this over calmly. After Ruby got

changed, they moved to the reception room and listened to Velza speak.

Velza brought a hand to her chest and explained her reasoning. "Lord

Hal saved my life. I wish to repay that debt, and to swear loyalty to Lord

Hal. We dark elves pride ourselves on remaining by the side of those we

swear our loyalty to and defending them until the day we die. So, please,

place me at your side."

"Now that you mention it... Madam Aisha did say something like that,"

Kaede said, recalling Souma's second primary queen to be.

If she remembered correctly, the reason Aisha had become Souma's selfimposed bodyguard was because she'd sworn loyalty to him.

Seeing the seriousness in Velza's eyes, Kaede and Ruby were taken

aback, and Elba smiled, saying things like, "Oh my, oh my," and, "Ah, to be

so young again."

Kaede broke into a cold sweat as she asked, "But, in that case, shouldn't

you be asking Hal directly?"

"When he came to the God-Protected Forest before, I did tell him subtly.

However, Lord Hal thought it was a childish joke, and he wouldn't take me

seriously. He would only say, 'When you get bigger.'"

That dense oaf! Kaede and Ruby thought simultaneously.

There was a faint romantic yearning visible through Velza's words.

Their fiancé's complete inability to understand how serious the girl was

gave both of them headaches.

Velza kept on going. "You will be marrying Lord Hal soon, correct?

That being the case, I wanted you, who will be his wives, to know my

intention in advance. And I want your permission. When I am bigger,

please, allow me to be at Lord Hal's side."

Velza stared straight into Kaede's eyes. Her seriousness was apparent.

Ruby looked at Elba, but this time she only smiled, saying nothing. It

seemed she intended to leave this to Kaede and Ruby.

Meanwhile, Kaede stared probingly at Velza. There was a brief silence,

and Ruby, who could no longer handle the stress in the air, cried out and

clutched her head.

"Augh! What is with this atmosphere? ...What do you think, Kaede?"

Kaede was silent.

She looked into Velza's eyes and gently spoke. "You said you wish to

serve Hal as a retainer of House Magna, but will you really be satisfied with

just that?"

"That's..." Velza was suddenly at a loss for words.

Kaede didn't take her eyes off her.

Velza, realizing she couldn't hide the rest, honestly confessed her own

feelings. "...No. That is the bare minimum, the least of my wishes I want

granted. If Lord Hal has no intention of going further, I want to stay at his

side as a retainer. However... in truth... if at all possible..."

Velza worked up the courage to continue.

"If at all possible, I would like to be Lord Hal's wife. I wish to be at his

side as his wife."

"I thought as much. That's what it comes down to, then." Kaede sighed.

From what she'd heard so far, she'd anticipated this.

For this girl, Halbert, who had rescued her from the sand and dirt, was a

kind of prince on a white horse. In her mind, he probably looked three times

cooler than he usually did.

If I were in her position, I think I'd have fallen for him, too, Kaede

thought. Honestly, you know. That Hal. When he's cool once in a while, he

really gets a girl going.

While complaining in her head about her absent fiancé, Kaede thought

hard.

She'd learned through Aisha that if a dark elf swore her loyalty to

someone, they would serve them until death did they part. If she rejected

Velza here, that might only inflame her passion further.

In addition, having a tie to the dark elves, who because of their previous

insular tendencies had had few exchanges with the outside world, would not

be a bad thing for the House of Magna.

It was a hard offer for Kaede, who was marrying into the House of

Magna as the head wife, to refuse.

Hal has to be the one to make the final decision, but I'll have to be

prepared to accept her if it comes to that, Kaede decided. It's a complicated

feeling, but... I'll need her to become someone deserving of my acceptance.

Kaede resolved herself and then spoke. "Velza."

"Y-Yes?!"

"How old are you now?"

"Twelve."

"I see... In that case, I would like to impose one condition."

"...What might that be?" Velza asked hesitantly.

"That you attend school in the capital Parnam beginning this spring, and

you must successfully graduate."

"Sch-School?"

While Velza was blinking, Kaede had taken on an extremely serious

expression.

"You wish to be of help to Hal, yes? I am aware that members of the

dark elf race are excellent warriors. I think you have high potential as a

martial artist. However, I am sure Hal will be flying to the front lines on

Ruby's back. This is not a place someone can accompany him halfheartedly, and I can imagine many scenarios where fighting alongside him

would instead be a hindrance."

Velza was silent.

"Thus, it will be important for you to provide support from the rear. If

you are to be his partner, I want for you to master academics, and to be

someone who can support Hal from off of the battlefield."

"To support Hal... That's what going to school is for?" Velza asked.

Kaede nodded. "I will leave the ultimate decision to Hal, but if you can

graduate from either the Royal Academy or the Officers' Academy, I will

respect your intentions."

Elba had been watching in silence, but now she spoke. "Kaede, are you

all right with that?"

"There's no helping it." Kaede shrugged. "There is currently high

demand for talented people in the kingdom. It will take at least four years to

graduate from either school. If she learns academics, and still feels the same

way four years from now, I have no reason not to welcome her."

"Honestly... you're too good for Hal, you know that, Kaede?" Elba said,

smiling.

Kaede gave her an uncomfortable smile in return.

Velza, who had taken on a thoughtful look after hearing the condition,

nodded firmly. "Very well. I wish to learn in the capital, and four years

hence, I will appear before Lord Hal as a lady befitting of the House of

Magna. When that time comes, I will be in your care."

Velza bowed deeply to Kaede, Elba, and Ruby. Then, in a hurry to

enroll, she dragged Sur off and they left.

After seeing them off, Ruby asked Kaede, "Are you thinking, with four

years, she's bound to change her mind?"

"From what I've seen of Aisha... I don't think that's going to happen.

When the time comes, let's resolve ourselves to welcome her warmly."

"Okay," Ruby said slowly. "But was it really all right for us to discuss

this without Hal?"

"This is his own fault for being so damn cool. But... if I think about it,

that girl wanted to become his subordinate. That means he'll have a wife

among his superiors, his coworkers" (his mount) "and his subordinates."

"That sounds... difficult. I feel a little sorry for him."

Kaede laughed happily. "He'll have to suck it up. We're going to work

together from above him, beside him, and below him to see to it that, no

matter how high he rises, no more girls fall for Hal."

"Count me in on that."

The first and second wife exchanged a firm handshake.

"That boy's such a troublemaker," Elba said, still smiling.

◇ ◇ ◇

Around the same time...

"Achoo!" Halbert sneezed.

Having met Souma in Parnam, Halbert was heading further east.

Conveniently, there had been a unit heading to the island where the island

carrier Hiryuu was stopped, so he had left his horse at the castle and taken a

ride with them.

Speaking to Souma had done a lot to lessen his fear of Fuuga.

But that doesn't mean I can be incautious. I have to protect Kaede and

Ruby, after all.

Pondering that, Halbert had decided to continue his voyage to reevaluate

himself.

And thinking about where best to train, he'd figured it had to be the

Hiryuu, the home base of the Dratroopers he was the commander of.

Upon reaching the Hiryuu, he immediately headed to where the

members of the Dratroopers were training.

"Hm? Commander?" one of them asked.

"Weren't you on leave with Young Miss Kaede?"

"Didn't you say you had a wedding to prepare for?"

Halbert was supposed to be on leave at home with his fiancées, so the

unit members looked at him like they'd seen a ghost.

With a wry smile at their befuddled looks, Halbert shouldered his spears

and casually said, "Well, you know, the home life was a little boring, so I

came in to get a little exercise."

"To get some exercise? Randel's on the west side of the kingdom, isn't

it? This island's in the far east, you know? Just how far did you come just to

get some exercise?"

Halbert's strained excuse had obviously not worked.

One of the men even said, "Oho! I see! Commander, you got scared,

didn't you? I understand the feeling, but that's not gonna fly, sir. If you start

mistreating your wives now, they're going to hold that over your head for

life, you know?" The stubble-faced middle-aged soldier nodded sagely.

He might have been speaking from experience, but he was a little off the

mark.

Halbert smiled wryly, poking the soldier lightly in the chest with the

head of his sheathed spear.

"I have permission, don't you worry. Now then, you lot, I hope you

haven't been slacking off while Kaede and I are away, right? Just because

we've been set free from the battles in the Union of Eastern Nations doesn't

mean I'm going to let you relax forever."

"Don't underestimate us, sir," one of the soldiers who was younger than

Halbert said with a serious look on his face. He was the newest member of

the Dratroopers, being only eighteen, and the mission to reinforce the Union

of Eastern Nations had been his first campaign. "In the battle at Lasta, we

were forced to reevaluate our understanding of what sort of situations our

unit will be deployed into. We descended from far above to allies who were

fighting at a disadvantage, then fought hard to open a way through the

middle of the enemy. No one would slack off in their training after going

through a battle like that one."

"...You have a point."

That was just how close the Battle of Lasta had been.

There had been few allies against the enemy's overwhelming numbers.

And though the elite Dratroopers had been sent ahead, they'd been forced to

fight at a disadvantage. If the wyvern cavalry hadn't brought gunpowder

casks for aerial bombardment, Halbert shuddered to think what might have

happened.

He faced his unit and sincerely lowered his head. "Sorry. Forget what I

just said."

"Oh, no! I'm the one who was being presumptuous!" the young

Dratrooper protested.

"Ha ha ha! You can really hold your own now, kid," another one

laughed. "Did that first night" (it was a night battle) "make a man of ya?"

"Whoa, don't say that so vulgarly!"

The middle-aged soldier put an arm around the younger one's shoulders,

and the other unit members were laughing, too. The harmonious scene

made Halbert smile.

Souma had said Halbert didn't necessarily have to beat Fuuga. That

meant not relying on his own personal martial prowess, but to surpass

Fuuga as a unit, an army, or a country.

Halbert had such reliable comrades. He wouldn't be fighting alone.

Halbert felt his hesitation clearing up.

Crossing his two spears, he slid them along each other to make noise as

he turned to his unit to say, "Okay, I came all this way. That's enough idle

banter. It's time to train!"

"""Yes, sir!"""

And so, Halbert sweated alongside the members of the Dratroopers.

About two hours later, Halbert, having finished his training, stood in

front of a hand-pump well (though, this being a carrier, it was attached to a

water tank), naked from the waist up, pouring water over his head.

When he was washing the sweat of training from that manly body and

catching his breath, someone who was passing by called out to him.

"You! Are you Commander Halbert of the Dratroopers?"

"Huh?"

When Halbert turned in response to the sudden question, the person

standing there was Castor, the captain of this island carrier, the Hiryuu.

The Dratroopers were a land combat force, so, strictly speaking, he

belonged to a different organization than Castor, but as long as he was

aboard the Hiryuu, Captain Castor was effectively the highest in rank.

Halbert hurried to salute. "Ah! Captain, pardon me!"

"No need to be so stiff," Castor said. "I heard you were on leave,

though?"

"Y-Yes. I am, but, um... stuff happened..."

Everyone kept pointing out that same thing, and Halbert was getting

tired of explaining, so he tried to laugh it off.

Castor, sensing he didn't want to talk about it, simply said, "Hmm..."

with a gesture as though he were thinking. "So, you're free now, then?"

"Huh? Err, well, yeah."

Castor grinned. "Then will you join me after this?"

Castor brought Halbert to his private room, which was separate from the

captain's room, and had him sit on the sofa. Meanwhile, he took a bottle of

wine from the shelf, a glass, as well as crackers and nuts as a snack.

"My second-in-command is on leave, too, you see," Castor explained.

"I've been bored."

It seemed that Halbert was being asked to join him in drinking.

Castor sat down on the opposite sofa and asked, "Commander Halbert...

Ah, can I just call you Halbert? How are you with alcohol, Halbert? Strong,

or weak?"

"Huh? Uh, normal, I guess."

Castor gave a satisfied nod. "I see. Well, normal is best. My mother-inlaw is such a heavy drinker, the mornings after I'm forced to join her are

rough."

"O-Oh... Is that right?"

Halbert blinked as Castor poured wine into the glass.

Why was he here drinking with one of the former three dukes, and the

current captain of the Hiryuu?

If you consider our positions... Wait, if I'm going to say that, the way I

treat Souma like a buddy is even more of a problem.

The House of Magna was by no means a small house, but even

considering that, Halbert seemed fated to be tied to the important figures of

this country. That was no doubt a headache for Kaede.

If he thought back, the time Souma and the others had overheard him

and Kaede arguing in the singing cafe Lorelei may have been when his luck

had run out (?).

Castor tilted back his glass and said, "I envy those who can go home at

times like this. I know it's my just desserts, but... I'm not able to return to

my home in Red Dragon City. It would cause problems for Accela and

Carl."

Even though he'd had a good reason, Castor had rebelled against

Souma, and for that, his family name had been taken from him, and he was

now in Excel's custody. He had been forbidden from meeting his young son

who was allowed to inherit the family name in Red Dragon City, as well as

his wife, Accela, who was effectively the one managing things.

Castor agreed that the punishment was only natural, but being unable to

see his wife and child still made him feel lonely.

Seeing Castor's pain, Halbert, who had once thought about siding with

the former General of the Army, Georg Carmine, in an attempt to make a

name for himself, couldn't help but sympathize.

He had a question he wanted to ask Castor, who was forced to live away

from his family.

"Captain... how did you feel when you got married? When you took on a

new family?"

"Hm? What's this about, so suddenly?"

"Well, I'm getting married soon myself, you see."

"Ohh, now that you mention it, you are. To the fox-eared girl and the red

dragon girl, right?" Castor smirked. "Oho! If you're here, then does that

mean you got scared of getting married?"

Halbert only smiled wryly, neither confirming nor denying, because he

was partially correct.

Castor cackled. "Oh, I envy your youth. I felt much the same when I

married Accela."

"Huh? You, too, captain?"

"Did you think I wasn't thinking anything at all?" Castor said teasingly,

then tilted back his drink. "Well, I'm not much of a thinker or a worrier,

but... that time, I stupidly started thinking about all sorts of things. Like

whether I could protect Accela or the children who would be born to us."

Halbert was silent.

He was surprised that Castor had thought the same sorts of things he

was. Maybe, no matter the time or place, the things men thought about

before marriage were the same.

"So, once you were married, what then?" Halbert asked.

Castor downed the rest of his drink and laughed awkwardly. "Having

gone into marriage with all that ardor... Well, I soon saw that I'd been

misunderstanding the situation."

"Misunderstanding?"

"The woman I was wanting to defend was more flexible and resilient

than I'd given her credit for. Even more than I was, maybe. There were

plenty of times I thought I was protecting her when the opposite was true."

Castor poured himself another glass.

"Think about it. Even if I did it to stay true to my convictions, I broke

the House of Vargas apart. But when I sent Accela to be with Duchess

Excel, she told me, 'Please, do what you want,' and supported me. Then,

after the war, she protected the House of Vargas. Furthermore, even though

I cut my ties, she still behaves as my wife, sending letters telling me about

everything that's happened recently. Honestly... she's so strong."

Halbert was silent.

"How about you, Halbert?" Castor asked. "Are the people that you want

to protect so weak that you need to worry about protecting them?"

Halbert closed his eyes and considered his fiancées.

Kaede was his childhood friend. She'd been timid long ago, always

quick to hide in Halbert's shadow. He'd thought he needed to protect her.

But at some point, their positions had changed. She was now his

superior, and he fought under her command.

She had a strong core that allowed her to tell him off and make him stop

when he tried to go the wrong way, too.

There were still situations where Halbert would need to protect her, but

she wasn't a little girl who needed protecting all the time.

Ruby, meanwhile, was both an adorable girl and a powerful red dragon.

If Ruby got into a fight in dragon form, she could burn her enemies to a

crisp from far away with a fire attack. She was a strong girl, no objections

there. However, he knew she could be emotionally vulnerable. He hadn't

forgotten her wounded eyes from when they first met.

Kaede was a girl who wasn't just weak; she had strengths, too. And

Ruby was a girl who wasn't just strong; she had weaknesses, too.

When he thought of the two of them, Halbert realized something.

Huh? Neither of them are girls that need constant defending?

Thinking back on it, neither was so weak that he needed to worry about

whether he could protect them or not.

In fact, because he was agonizing over it like this, despite how busy they

were before the wedding, they'd sent him off out of necessity.

If anything, Halbert was the one being protected here.

Misunderstanding things... He's right.

With this, Halbert felt like all his worries had fallen away.

His unease about Fuuga had been assuaged by talking to Souma, and

Castor had helped him realize that his concern over if he could protect the

others was a misunderstanding of the situation.

It seemed he hadn't needed to worry about any of the things he'd been

agonizing over.

Halbert smiled wryly. "...Captain?"

"What is it?"

"Is marriage... Is having a wife a good thing?"

Castor bashfully laughed. "Well, of course it's good. She can be a bit of

a nag at times, though. I was just telling you about Accela, but in her letters,

she's always writing, 'You aren't drinking too much, are you?' and 'Are

you taking care of your appearance?' It makes me want to say, 'Who are

you, my mom?'"

"Isn't that nice, though?" Halbert asked. "It means she loves you, right?"

"I get that, but it's exhausting to be asked over and over. Well, not

having to hear her nagging may be one benefit of not being able to go back

home."

Just as Castor said that... it happened.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Hm? I wasn't expecting anyone today." Castor inclined his head

towards the door. "Come in!"

The door was silent, and no one showed any sign of entering.

Castor stood up, suspicious, and went to open the door...

"Ah?!" he cried.

He shut that door so fast there was a loud, echoing bang. Whatever he

had seen on the other side, Castor was sweating buckets.

"Um, was it not a guest?" Halbert asked, dubious about what was

happening, but Castor didn't answer.

While Halbert was wondering what was up, this time, the door opened

on its own.

"Geez," a woman said indignantly. "Closing the door on me so

suddenly? Isn't that awful of you?"

The person saying that was a lone woman.

She was a blue-haired beauty with horns and a tail. Halbert thought it

was Duchess Walter for a moment, but on closer examination, there were

some details that were off.

First of all, Duchess Walter's horns were small antlers, while this

woman's were singular horns. On top of that, she had a pair of dragon

wings on her back that Duchess Walter didn't.

Looking at her, Castor finally managed to force himself to respond. "AAccela?! Why are you here?!"

The blue-haired beauty was Excel's daughter and Castor's wife, Accela.

She was a daughter born to Excel and her second husband, who had also

been a dragonewt (but he'd fallen sick and died at an age that was young for

a dragonewt).

Because of that, despite her looks being similar to Excel's, she had the

features of a dragonewt.

Accela turned what looked like a plastered-on smile towards Castor.

"Oh, my? Is it strange for a wife to come visit her husband?"

"Ah! No, we cut ties to avoid you being responsible by association, so

you're not my wife anymore, are you?"

"You were judged, weren't you? So where's the harm in us restoring our

ties?"

"That's not the issue... I mean, I'm forbidden from coming into contact

with you or Carl, you know?!"

Accela giggled. "Yes, you can't make contact from your end. However,

there's no issue with me coming to visit you."

"Huh?! Is that how it works?!"

"Remember, you did a brilliant job capturing a ship from the NineHeaded Dragon Archipelago, didn't you? His Majesty was quite pleased to

be able to find out what's happening in the Nine-Headed Dragon

Archipelago, and in recognition of your meritorious deed, he gave

permission for me to come visit you."

"H-He did...? I'm glad to see you, Accela."

Castor tried to keep up appearances by saying that, but Accela

immediately noticed the half-drunk bottle of wine lying out on the table.

Her eyes narrowed, and she stared as Castor's face up close. "Drinking

while the sun's still high, are we? Did I not tell you, repeatedly, in my

letters to practice moderation and take care of your health?"

"Th-That's... I was doing it to deepen bonds with my subordinate here."

"Deepening your bonds with your men," Accela said sardonically. "Yes,

there was something about that in Mother's letters. You and your men have

been frequenting an establishment where you can drink with women, she

said. What exactly is that about, may I ask?"

"That's also... um... I couldn't refuse." Unable to bear Accela's gaze,

Castor tried to avert his eyes, but Accela caught his face with her hands and

snapped it back to facing her.

"Look me in the eye and answer me. You haven't done anything you'd

have to feel guilty about, have you?"

"No, no! ...I may have looked a little, but I haven't done a thing I'd have

to feel bad about you finding out about!"

"You don't seem to be lying." Accela, seemingly satisfied with that

answer, released Castor... only to then pull him in hard for a kiss.

Castor was shocked at first, but then eventually wrapped his arms

around her waist and held her close to him.

They shared a kiss so passionate that Halbert, who was forced to watch,

turned a bright shade of red.

When Accela eventually moved her face away, there was a soft smile on

her lips. "I'm glad to see you again, Castor."

"...Me, too, Accela."

Castor had a natural smile on now. There was a warm atmosphere

around them.

Halbert, who had been watching them with a dumbfounded look on his

face, came back to his senses, and realized he was getting in the way. He

crept along the wall to the door, closing it behind them as he left so as not to

disturb them.

"Now, since I've come all this way, shall I clean your room for you?"

Accela asked. "You don't have laundry piling up, do you? Your

subordinates won't like you if your quarters are gross, you know?"

"H-Hey. Don't mess with my desk too much! I'll bring out the laundry

myself, okay?"

He could hear that sort of husband and wife conversation from the other

side of the door. It was clear he should give them some alone time.

Halbert moved away from the door, walking off down the corridor.

Watching the two of them, it kind of makes me want to go see Kaede and

Ruby.

Walking faster and faster, he eventually broke into a run.

Halbert wasn't confused anymore.

I'm going back! To those two!

Halbert's journey ended, and he returned to Randel, where the people he

loved were waiting.