Budding Flowers

Fushi no Kami Rebuilding Civilization Starts With a Village — LNCrawler · All chapters

Budding Flowers

Maika’s Perspective

I was always looking at his profile—surprisingly, I hardly ever looked him in the eye. After all, he was always staring straight ahead. Engrossed in a book, engaged in conversation, or just lost in thought. His gaze was straight ahead at all times, and at the end of his sight awaited his dream of a safe, healthy, and affluent life like the one of the ancient civilization.

The more time passed, the more I realized what an incredibly difficult task that was. I had come to understand why smarter and more powerful people than me didn’t bother pursuing that same dream—it was too far removed from reality. Surely Ash, who was smarter than me, was painfully aware of that fact. And yet, he didn’t give up. To achieve his dreams lying far into the distance behind an impenetrable veil of darkness, he didn’t have the luxury to look to the side. His shining eyes were focused on the goal. On the contrary, I was always there, watching him... So, of course I would immediately notice any changes in him.

“Ash, are you injured?” I asked.

My gaze was closely fixated on the red-haired boy, who was nonchalantly going through some documents at his desk at the Promotion Office.

“No, I am fine. Why are you asking?”

“You’re definitely injured.” I knew it. His answer just now meant that he was injured but didn’t want to show it. By now, I could easily see through the smoke and mirrors. “As the chief, I order you to pause your work until you’ve recovered.”

“Maika, please wait a moment!”

Ash was getting ready to start negotiations. He turned around to face me with a smile and lowered eyebrows.

Here we go! Ash’s looking straight at me! I like his profile, but he looks even more handsome this way!

“I may have a little injury, but...”

“Just be honest. It’s your stomach, right?”

I could tell that his movements were different than usual. Normally, Ash had good posture, so it was quite obvious.

“During the fight against the treants in Ajole, I suffered a blow to my flank.”

While the injury itself may have been unavoidable—or was it?—I had every right to be overprotective considering that Arthur had asked me to make sure Ash wouldn’t do anything too reckless. It was outrageous that he tried to hide it in order to continue working.

As I glared at Ash, he started to talk faster. “I understand what you are trying to say, I really do, but please overlook it this time. Just this once. If we do not manage to relocate Ajole’s residents before winter comes, my precious new personnel may be in risk of perishing.”

He wasn’t wrong. During the treant attack on Ajole, Ash had led a troop to save the villagers and stall the enemy. In the process, they had demolished the houses and repurposed the materials to build an encampment for their counterattack. As a result, they had managed to defeat the treants, but Ajole village no longer offered any shelter from the cold. If the poor villagers spent the winter sleeping outdoors, many of them would end up catching colds and dying. To prevent such an outcome, we need to relocate them, and Ash was trying to do that while hiding his injuries. Ahh... It’s this... This is precisely why Ash’s so amazing.

“I am really grateful that you and Renge already wrote up a draft plan before I returned. Thanks to you we can act right away,” he continued. “The Ajole residents are now all experts in advanced farming techniques—every single one of them is valuable. I have got to do my best for them. Besides, I cannot let your and Renge’s kind gesture go to waste.”

This is what I love about Ash. He fiercely swoops down on any tragedy and rewrites it to have a happy ending. “All right, I got it... I’ll back you up wherever possible.”

So, I decided I was going to support him rather than trying to stop him.

“Thank you, Maika! You are always so wonderfully kind!”

Huh? That one caught me off guard...

I could feel my face turn red. Ash’s direct compliments were always a one-hit knockout, with no room for defense or evasion. Not that it was necessary. If anything, I would gladly run straight into them.

“Well then, let us start negotiations with some of the villages that seem likely to cooperate!” After making me blush, Ash tried to just take the documents and leave at once, but... “Maika?” I grabbed his shoulder.

“Not so fast, Ash... You can’t trick me so easily anymore...”

A single compliment was no longer enough to sway me and cause my attention to wander. Finally, I had caught up to Ash. I was able to stop him in situations like these, where he tried to slide through my hands.

“I’ll allow you to work, but you can’t go outside!”

“Wh-What?! I mean, it is not an unreasonable request, but...”

“Weren’t you just trying to go negotiate all by yourself?”

“Well, yes. For the time being, I was going to visit the villages managed by our former classmates, like Saias. That should speed things up.”

That’s a no-go. No way an injured person should be doing work like that.

“In that case, I’ll go with Glen.”

“But...it is quite the—it is an extremely tough job.”

“All the more reason I can’t leave it to you. I told you I was going to back you up.” No shame in relying on me, especially when injured. In fact, I insist. Please, rely on me. “Besides, they are also my former classmates. And considering my position, I may even be better suited for the task. I’ll ask Glen to bring Suiren along.”

As our positions were more suitable for the job, this was probably going to work in our favor and smooth things out. Ash would have most likely yielded the same results with his momentum alone, but then I might as well go myself if it was going to be the same result.

“Hmm... Your plan seems fine too...” Ash admitted.

“See? You don’t have to do everything yourself. You stay here and sort out the residents’ requests. Some might want to stay with their families, but others don’t mind being split up.”

After considering my proposal for a moment, Ash reluctantly agreed. “Fine. Let us divide the workload this time.”

“You can count on me.”

Ash handed me the documents with which he tried to leave earlier. They were papers requesting a guide and guards for the journey. It looked like I had intervened just in the nick of time—a little later and he would have been gone.

“Please take care, Maika,” Ash said in a greatly concerned tone while staring right at me.

“Heh heh. Don’t worry. There’s not much crime around here, and I’ll have someone guide me, so I won’t get lost either.”

“Yes, but... You have become quite an important person here in Sacula. As the head of the Promotion Office, you should always be on your guard.”

No matter what I said, it appeared that Ash remained worried—his eyes were fixed on me. It sent a chill down my spine. Ash’s gaze, which was always oriented toward his dreams, was now focused on me. In other words, I was important enough to his dream to be included in his field of vision. It had been a long road. Ever since that fateful evening back in Noscula, I had kept on running, pushing myself beyond my limits. But now, I finally stood here eye to eye with Ash. Was this the right moment to confess my feelings? If I jumped into his arms and told him that I like him, would he reciprocate my feelings...?

No—I had to suppress the urge. I had to play it cool and reassure him with a smile. As his childhood friend.

“I’ll be fine. Can you just contact Glen and Suiren for me? I’m going to request a guide in the meantime.”

“All right. Take care, Maika.” And with that, Ash turned around. I was once again looking at him in profile now that he was focused on contacting Glen and Suiren. His profile was handsome, but I would have loved to look straight into his eyes for a while longer—that was a much rarer sight.

But soon you’ll be mine!

The count’s family was currently discussing our engagement! Once the proposal was official and Ash my groom, I would make him look into my eyes more often. And in return, I was going to help push him toward his dream. So, for now, I was going to be patient and run this errand for Ash. But first, I looked at his profile a little longer.

“Maika, is there something stuck to my face?” Ash asked.

Yes, my lovestruck eyes.

Yuika’s Perspective

I had made it a habit of not dropping by the city too often, since I used to be the count’s direct successor. While it had been some years since I had renounced that title, there were still a few of my supporters around. Once you got some fervent followers, you didn’t shake them off quite so easily. For the most part, that wasn’t a problem. Many of them had just shifted their support to the current successor, my brother Itsuki. After all, we were known to get along well. Nevertheless, some hardcore followers were prone to causing trouble, so I decided to confine myself to my village to avoid inconveniencing Itsuki and the current administration. Therefore, it had been a while since I last visited Itsutsu city, but now I was here, following a very charming invitation.

Many of the shops had stayed the same since I last saw them. Some of my favorites had closed down, though, replaced by new ones. The roads also looked much nicer than I remembered. I was so captivated by the cityscape that, before I realized it, I had arrived at the administrative halls.

“Dear sister! It’s been a while!” The acting count had come to greet me personally.

“Yes, some time has passed since our last meeting, Your Excellency.” Looks like he needs some lessons.

Did he not realize why I rarely showed up here? And why I had used Quid’s guards as escorts rather than knights? And why I was referring to my younger brother by his official title? It appeared he needed someone to spell it out for him.

In an instant, a maid rushed out of the building to grab Itsuki by the nape of his neck and drag him back in. After my brother had disappeared through the administrative halls’ imposing doors, the maid took his place.

“I am sorry about his attitude, Lady Yuika.”

“Looks like you’ve got your hands full, Ms. Ran.”

Even without mentioning any specifics, the acting count’s personal maid immediately understood what I meant. She thanked me for my concerns with a bow.

“I have told him countless times that it is okay to act familiarly as long as it is not in public. And yet, as soon as I take my eyes off him for a moment, he openly introduces himself like this,” Ran lamented.

“I’ll make sure to remind him later myself,” I reassured her.

“Anyhow, your accommodation at the mansion has been prepared.”

“Thank you. Just leave Itsuki to me.”

Due to external pressure, there wasn’t much friction within the Sacula household. However, that didn’t mean that there was no conflict brewing at all. Despite being my younger brother, Itsuki still outranked me, so it wasn’t right for him to behave too casually toward me. Otherwise, the vassals might have started thinking that I was a better fit for the title, causing unnecessary drama.

And here I was thinking that the count’s successor had grown a bit, but looks like he’s still very much a child on the inside.

After letting out a sigh, a smile came over my face. My brother’s warm welcome was a reflection of Sacula’s charm. Even though it was a poor, dangerous, and remote region, it still flourished in harmony.

“Well then, Ms. Ran.” I directed my smile toward the acting count’s personal maid and took a bow. “I am Yuika Noscula, wife of Chief Klein, the head of Noscula village. I have come as the village chief’s representative to negotiate the acceptance of the Ajole refugees.”

“Welcome to Itsutsu, Lady Yuika. Chief Maika from the Territory Reform Promotion Office informed me of your arrival.”

My smile grew even bigger and my eyes were sparkling. “Chief Maika” had a nice ring to it. This was the first time I had heard someone refer to my daughter as chief out loud.

“The meeting will take place at the Territory Reform Promotion Office itself. I will show you the way,” Ms. Ran said.

“Thank you.” I followed the familiar maid down the corridor. “Ms. Ran, I have a question regarding the Territory Reform Promotion Office.”

“Yes?”

This was a good opportunity to learn more about my daughter’s achievements.

“Is it true that they have accomplished quite a bit despite being such a new department?”

“Oh, very much so,” my guide replied cheerily. She kept walking ahead of me while continuing her explanation. “The Territory Reform Promotion Office was established as a department exempt from certain restrictions to better carry out its mission. As such, it is under the direct control of His Excellency the count—or rather the acting count at this moment. A certain amount of success was guaranteed when Lady Maika, a direct relative of the count, was appointed as head of the department—”

“But it exceeded expectations?” I finished the sentence for her.

Ms. Ran nodded in agreement. “No one expected it to become such an important department over the past two years.”

It’s a pity people underestimated them. I do remember predicting something like this would happen when Itsuki asked me for advice and I urged him to support them... “They will exceed your expectations” were my words, I believe.

“Crime has remarkably declined in Itsutsu. Most likely because we started delivering food to the slum quarters of the city.”

“You are distributing food to the slums? Is this also the doing of the Territory Reform Promotion Office?”

“Without a doubt. The Promotion Office hired residents from the slum quarters to carry out public works, aiming to cultivate more fields for agricultural experiments outside the city. It seems that prisoners acted as an intermediary between the Promotion Office and the leaders of the slum quarters.”

Indeed, they had exceeded all expectations. No one would have thought of recruiting residents from the slums and collaborating with prisoners.

“In addition, they also started expanding the laboratory, planned to improve trading routes, and invited people to test their experimentally cultivated produce for free. Everything in order to distribute more food to the people in need.”

As a result, fewer people were starving in the slums, which in turn had led to less crime.

“So poverty does indeed seem to be the main cause for crime.”

“That is what the numbers suggest,” Ms. Ran confirmed.

That was great news. On a personal level, I was happy for the reduction in sadness and suffering. Moreover, as a politician, I was also happy about the increased level of safety.

“Furthermore, the Promotion Office has also been introducing new building materials, which helped revitalize carpenters, stonemasons, and all kinds of craftsmen that work with kilns and furnaces,” Ms. Ran added.

“In other words, they increased the demand in labor through the manufacturing of new products, which in turn will eventually boost the economy,” I said.

“It has already been positively affected. For example, the Quid company, which is working closely with the Promotion Office, has quickly grown in size these past few years.”

Until a few years ago, Quid had been working as hard as he could, driving a single horse-drawn cart by himself, but now his company was sending out dozens of horse carriages to various places. Fortunately, it appeared that Quid hadn’t forgotten the source of his success—he was providing Noscula with great deals.

“However, as a result of the Promotion Office’s projects, the administrative work here has also increased. Ms. Rihn is still somehow managing it, but she is reaching her limits.”

“That’s not good...”

That one hitch risked slowing down an otherwise smooth process.

“Yes, but fortunately, the past two years we’ve had excellent students enroll in the military academy, so help is on the way.”

“Oh my!”

Now that she mentioned it, it had come to my ears that the two students from our village were hard at work. They were listed as the dorm supervisor’s assistants in several letters.

“It seems that a bright future lies ahead for Sacula,” I remarked.

“Surprisingly, yes,” Ran agreed and briefly paused. “That bright path was paved by the Territory Reform Promotion Office. They’ve suggested and executed countless plans. Chief Maika’s skill is astonishing.”

Even the acting count’s head maid couldn’t hold back her praise for their achievements, understandably so. No matter how effective a plan may have been, it would cost money, and the territory’s administration usually didn’t have much leeway. The budget was a significant hurdle, looming like a tall wall, which any new challenger would have to climb while dragging down anyone ahead of them to come in first. That was a difficult task. As a result, even the best, most carefully crafted new plans tended to devolve into half-hearted, haphazard projects. It was each department chief’s responsibility to win that battle royale and secure funding. And it looked like my daughter had come out on top. Well done, Maika.

“However, Lady Yuika, while Chief Maika has showcased tremendous skill, there is someone else who is just as...tremendous? Yes, tremendous... Although you could also say a little baffling, or maybe mysterious...”

I immediately realized who Ms. Ran was referring to. There was really only one person this difficult to describe in Itsutsu right now...

“In Lady Maika’s shadow—is ‘shadow’ the right word here?—well, putting the terminology aside, I should probably also mention the source of all those projects, the Promotion Office’s head of planning...”

Of course, it’s him. I chuckled while covering my mouth with my hand. It appeared that the red-haired boy, who had just popped into my mind, was doing quite well for himself here too.

Ms. Ran turned around to reveal a frown on her face. I remembered her as someone who didn’t show much emotion, but it appeared that the head planner’s rampage baffled her.

“Oh dear, is the head of planning causing trouble? Unlike the chief? As they say, talented people can often be quite peculiar,” I feigned ignorance.

In return, Ms. Ran replied with a face indicating sixty percent approval and forty percent disapproval. “No, there probably aren’t any problems, I think... The head of planning is...fundamentally a good kid who’s even given me small gifts on occasions. He has good manners and always points out Lord Itsuki’s flawed behavior, which I’m grateful for...”

She was right. Ash was fundamentally a good kid who helped others.

“However, it’s also true that he can be a bit too forthcoming and overwhelming,” she continued. “But normally, he is a good kid with good intentions, so I can’t really scold or reject him either...”

She was also right about that. Ash was a naughty kid whose unstoppable momentum could be overwhelming.

As I giggled to myself, Ms. Ran’s facade finally started crumbling. “Lady Yuika, I really don’t think Ash is a bad kid... I especially like how he lets Lord Itsuki have it, and his sweets are always delicious...”

Even though he was quite a peculiar boy, he somehow managed to put everyone in the palm of his hand, including Ban and Father Folke. His peculiarity was undoubtedly part of his charm, and it seemed to work here in the city too.

“He truly must have a remarkable talent for you to say that. I’m guessing the project I’m here for also sprung from the head planner’s mind.”

“It did. After extensively testing the newest farming techniques in the fields and yielding great results, the head of planning proposed the project at hand.” Ran started talking really fast as she finally praised him in a non-roundabout way.

“And the refugees have all learned those new farming techniques? Sounds promising.”

“Yes. Hopefully, this will solidify the Promotion Office’s influence within the territory. Besides, leaders and their associates from other territories have started inquiring about the office.”

“I see. They’re proving themselves both within and outside the territory,” I said. Then I let out a murmur before I realized it. “That’s Ash as we know him. My little monster. You keep charging straight ahead toward your dream, just as you said back then.”

The bird that had flown away from the village had now started building a majestic nest here in the city. It was exciting to see. As his supporter, it made my heart leap to hear that my favorite monster’s rampage was shocking so many people. Moreover, my daughter was standing right by his side! How exhilarating!

“Now then, Lady Yuika.”

Ran stopped in her tracks. We stood in front of a room that I remembered to be a storage space for all sorts of random documents. Now, there was a sign stuck to the door that read, “Territory Reform Promotion Office.”

“This is it. The head of planning is waiting for you inside.”

“Thank you, Ms. Ran.”

My dear little monster. It had been a while since I last talked to him as Noscula’s representative—I was looking forward to it. He had scooped the finest honey from the bottom of the barrel called Noscula, so I wondered what he was going to pull out of the barrel called Sacula.

When I entered the Territory Reform Promotion Office for the first time, I was greeted by bookshelves filled to the brim with documents. An incredible sight considering the department had only been established two years ago. There were three somewhat larger desks. I instinctively smiled upon seeing the department chief’s nameplate placed on the one at the far back. Unfortunately, currently no one was sitting at that desk. Instead, the boy who had sat behind one of the other large desks stood up.

“Welcome to the Territory Reform Promotion Office. We have been eagerly awaiting your arrival, Mrs. Yuika.”

Even though it was a formal, business-like greeting, his gentle smile radiated genuine hospitality, especially in tandem with his good looks—although my husband was still more handsome.

The boy approached me with a neat, straight posture and led me to my assigned seat at the round table. “Thank you for accepting our invitation. My name is Ash George Fenix, and I am the head of planning. I will be acting as a substitute for Chief Maika, who is temporarily unavailable.” Ash’s hand gestured toward the girl who was already sitting at the table. “And this is Suiren Ajole. She performs a stellar job as the chief of Ajole village.”

“I am S-Suiren! I don’t know how to thank you for your kind gesture!”

Suiren’s nervous tension was written all over her face as she abruptly rose up and energetically bowed her head. Thanks to Ash’s swift thinking, he was able to pull away her chair before she knocked it over. Nice save. He must have been aware that Suiren was in danger of committing a blunder.

“My name is Yuika Noscula. I am Noscula’s village chief’s wife. You don’t have to be so formal, Ms. Suiren,” I politely suggested. After all, Suiren outranked me.

However, Suiren vigorously shook her head. “No, I absolutely insist! Maika and Ash told me that you immediately agreed to provide shelter to our refugees! Your generosity has brought me so much relief, since I knew that they had somewhere to go. Therefore, thank you from the bottom of my heart!” Suiren repeatedly bowed her head.

That was a great answer. Her stiff attitude was not just because I was a relative of the count, but also because I helped her villagers. As I glanced at the red-haired boy, he acknowledged me with a nod and a smile. I had heard that Ajole village had run into various problems, but with a chief like her, I was hopeful for their future.

“You don’t have to feel like you are burdening us at all, Ms. Suiren. Your villagers all know how to use the newest farming techniques developed by the Territory Reform Promotion Office. I don’t consider it an act of charity at all, but rather an investment.”

“Yes! The residents of Ajole trained for the past two years! We will definitely be of use!”

She sounded very confident, and considering who trained them, I was convinced. My little monster smiled, pretending to be completely harmless.

“Now then, since we are done with our introductions, let us get straight to the point. Regarding the farming techniques learned by the Ajole villagers, please take a look at this,” Ash said.

I started skimming through the papers he had just handed me. Some of the techniques seemed familiar—the use of companion plants, the best ways to efficiently manage fields and document their condition... Those were all methods widely employed in Noscula. However, there were also many unfamiliar techniques. I had heard about some, but I had no idea what they actually entailed.

Interesting. So this was the new and improved Ash—the result of my daughter’s support.

“That is a remarkable amount of new technology,” I remarked.

“I appreciate your kind words. It is all thanks to the outstanding personnel here at the Promotion Office selected by Lord Itsuki himself.” Ash’s words sounded too genuine to be mere flattery.

“This investment seems even better than expected. However, while we are able to accommodate refugees, we won’t have enough food for everyone until next year’s harvest.”

I jumped right into the negotiations for a better reward. Reframing the issue of Ajole’s refugees as the migration of farming experts was a genius move, but they were still displaced villagers in the end. My negotiation aimed at using that fact to my advantage to claim compensation.

“There is no need to worry in that regard. Until your next harvest, the Sacula administration will provide the food for the migrants.”

Great response. Or should I say as expected? He had come prepared. By limiting the food supply to the migrants, he managed to keep expenses to a minimum. Very reasonable. But was that really all there was to it? It was hard to argue against it. Unfortunately, humans aren’t always reasonable creatures—they might try to squeeze out a little more.

“With those conditions, we may not be able to accommodate too many migrants in Noscula...”

For example, they could threaten to accept fewer migrants. Since the Ajole villagers most likely also wanted to stay with their families and relatives, this could have thrown a wrench into the works of the Promotion Office and forced them to reorganize their plans. It could have also seriously impacted the ability of the refugees to efficiently teach the new techniques if there were fewer experts in Noscula.

“Mrs. Yuika.” The red-haired boy was smiling. Not Ash, but Mr. Ash. Maintaining his professional composure and without taking advantage of our relationship, he went on to answer my test question. “Please take another look at the list of farming techniques.”

“What do you mean?”

“Some of the improved machinery and equipment require a bull or a horse to pull them. Do you have any farm animals in Noscula?”

“No, unfortunately not.” Shouldn’t you know that already? I thought to myself with a strained smile.

“In that case, we will run into some problems trying to teach you those new techniques. But since we want to give you full training, we will lend you some horses for that time period. The Quid company is currently working on a scheme to rent out its horses.”

I see. So that’s how it is. He really is good at negotiating.

They weren’t just going to provide food and funds on a single occasion, but rather enough aid to smoothly diffuse the new agricultural technology according to their plan. Moreover, since it was a loan rather than a donation, the Promotion Office wouldn’t run many expenses either. Furthermore, horses made it possible to cultivate more fields than usual, and a larger harvest meant higher taxes that would in turn cover their expenses.

The Quid company was surely more than happy for the administration to pay the maintenance costs of their horses too. It might have even encouraged other companies to keep more horses, which would eventually lead to higher circulation of goods. And that, once again, would increase the tax revenue going toward the administration offices.

I wondered what the Financial Affairs Department lead’s face had looked like when the Promotion Office had submitted their plans. They must have been freaking out at the prospect of losing money while praying that it would come back with profits.

“However, there will be a limit to the number of horses we can provide. Since there will be a sequential order, they might arrive a bit later to some locations, so please bear that in mind.”

“A sequential order?”

“Yes, a rotation. There should not be too many issues since working times vary even within the territory, but just to be safe, we need to sequence the distribution,” the head of planning explained with a smile.

It was human nature to use any sort of ranking to your own advantage. If it were me, I would prioritize sending the best horses—and maybe even in bigger numbers—to the places that agreed to accept the most migrants. Moreover, the horses were being distributed in sequential order, meaning the villages that accepted the most migrants would get the horses earlier, when they weren’t exhausted at all.

Ah, my cute little monster had become quite a bad boy. How promising. How extraordinarily promising! After all, I was on his side.

“Noscula may not be wealthy, but we’ll take as many refugees as possible.”

As an ally, I decided to raise my hands in the air to signal surrender.

The purpose of this visit was to help the Territory Reform Promotion Office hone their negotiating skills ahead of their first large-scale talks. They wanted me to become their examiner and practice partner for a negotiation without any favoritism. But in the end, I actually wished he would have gone easier on me.

“Did I pass, Yuika?”

“Yes, perfect score.”

After I had broken character and praised Ash’s performance, he started blushing slightly, like most kids his age would have after receiving praise from their seniors.

“I am glad to hear that. If you say I pass, then I definitely will not have any problems with the other negotiations.”

“Don’t let your guard down! Although... I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

As I was a relative of the count, I enjoyed a special standing. In hierarchical terms, I was probably above the Promotion Office, which was under the count’s direct control, yet Ash managed to strike an advantageous deal without any favoritism from my part. Therefore, there shouldn’t have been any problems regarding the other village chiefs, who would be of lower rank than the Promotion Office.

“You see, Suiren? There is no need to worry. Your village’s residents will be treasured wherever they go.”

The frightening head planner was politely convincing Suiren that the migrants were so valuable that most places would love to welcome as many of them as possible.

“Y-Yes, I... I believe what you’re saying.”

Thank you for taking my monster’s side. As an ally, I’ll give you a little bonus.

“Earlier, I said that Noscula wasn’t that wealthy, but we actually have some leeway at the moment.”

“That is delightful news!” Ash happily exclaimed.

You do realize that that is because of you? I thought. “Consequently, we are willing to take in families with a lot of children and households without any men. In fact, you can prioritize those groups for Noscula.”

“A-Are you sure?” Suiren gasped.

When working in the fields, the most important thing was strength. Women and children, who tended to be physically weaker, were thus often considered unsuited to become farmworkers. Suiren must have been aware of that fact too, thus her surprise.

“Yes, leave them to us. In Noscula, we’ve also got some work that doesn’t require much strength, so don’t hold back!”

For instance, manufacturing beeswax and aloe ointment, or helping people working from their homes. There had also been talks of starting leather processing following the recent increase in hunting exploits. While we didn’t know how exactly it worked, the younger villagers had suggested we just look it up in a book.

Noscula, a village that had almost exclusively survived on farm work, now had a budding processing industry. It had transitioned from a village self-producing the bare minimum of food to the birthplace of several luxury items of high value, making the local economy flourish. While it was still a far cry from the abundance of the ancient civilization that Ash sought to recreate, life in Noscula had become much more comfortable.

Suiren had immediately understood my message. At the same time, Ash smiled with a hint of satisfaction—just a hint. That’s so like him.

After hearing my proposal, Suiren ran toward the desk, overjoyed to re-examine the list of migrants.

“Thank you, Yuika. In fact, there are a lot of households where the husband and eldest son have died, leaving only the women and small children.”

Ash also expressed his gratitude. It appeared that it would have been difficult to assign those women and children to the city, since a lot of jobs had already been assigned to the residents of the slum quarters.

“Don’t worry about it. I mean, we’re already familiar with some of those techniques in Noscula, and in the worst-case scenario, we’re not too far away from here,” I said, implying that Ash could always come help us.

Upon hearing my presumption, Ash replied while pouring another cup of tea. “I believe that kindness repays kindness. And you have always been kind to me.”

“Thanks, but that’s my line.”

As I accepted the tea, I closely watched Ash—not in my capacity as the village chief’s representative, but as Maika’s mother.

“You’ve grown up so much. I can’t believe you’re already turning fifteen this winter.”

Both his body and face were starting to lose their childlike features and becoming more mature. His formal work clothes were a perfect fit that made him look even more like a grown-up.

“All thanks to you. If you had not given me your approval to study at Itsutsu’s military academy, I wouldn’t have flourished this much.”

Ash crossed his hands with long fingernails behind his back. His calm demeanor was sure to appeal to all the girls his age. He had become a truly handsome young boy.

“By the way, I wanted to ask you about Maika,” I continued.

And with that, the conversation had now entirely turned into a private chat about my cute daughter.

“What about her?”

“What do you think of her now that she’s become the Promotion Office’s chief?”

“She is wonderful,” Ash replied without any hesitation to my sudden question. “Even considering her lineage, it is astounding how much she has achieved with this new department. I may not be the best person to say this, but she readily understands and supports my barrage of proposals.”

It probably would have been closer to the truth to say that she supported Ash rather than the proposals.

“So you are saying that the Territory Reform Promotion Office would not be where it is now without Maika?”

“Most certainly not.”

The Promotion Office’s accomplishments equaled Ash’s accomplishments. Any outsider could tell, no matter how humbly he portrayed himself. He had turned the Promotion Office into his wings, allowing him to fly closer to his dreams. In other words, by advancing his projects, my daughter was pushing Ash forward to his goals.

“She has been proactively covering for my weak points, like negotiations or dealing with grievances. I am extremely thankful for that. It allows me to focus on drafting new plans and doing my administrative work,” he added.

It looked like Maika was giving her best. She had become an essential part of Ash’s life and dreams. Although that must have been no easy feat, she still strongly wished to stand beside him. Her adoration had not withered with age. On the contrary, she had nurtured it to a point where it was blossoming stronger and more vividly than ever before. Maika, if you love him this much, let me lend you a hand one last time. In the stories, the young maiden who had troubles in love was often helped by the magic of a witch.

“In that case, it would be awful if Maika ever left, right?”

I just provided him with a little food for thought. What if his childhood friend, who had been on his side since seemingly forever, suddenly disappeared? Now, consider it carefully. Was she important to his dreams? Did he want to hold on to her? If he felt even the tiniest bit of fear at the thought of losing her, then he had already started to come under my magic spell.

Maika’s Perspective

After receiving several positive replies to our petition to take in refugees, I made a triumphant return to the city in the evening. My visits to the refuge villages had been a huge success! Ash would surely praise me! “As expected, Maika! You are so reliable! Let’s get married!” Something along those lines. Well, maybe not the last part, but I was confident he was going to say the rest.

I would have loved to barge right into Ash’s room at the dormitory, but tonight I was supposed to stay at the count’s mansion. On the second floor, there were rooms reserved for our family. My room was the one where my mom used to sleep in when she lived in the capital. However, since I was spending most of my time at the dormitory, I barely ever used it.

As I approached the room, I heard some lively voices coming from inside. Once I opened the door, I was met by the previous occupant, who had made herself comfortable there.

“Oh my, it’s Maika! You can’t just open the door without knocking!”

“I’m sorry, mom!”

Even though she was scolding me, I was happy to hear her voice again. It had been such a long time.

My mom laughed it off with a wry smile. “Welcome back, Maika.”

“I’m home, mom!”

Reminiscing about home, I suddenly felt the urge to hug her, and since there were only family members in the room, I jumped right into her arms.

“Ahem, you’ve grown up a lot. Naturally, considering you’re already fifteen now.” Apparently, I had choked her a little bit with my hug. Maybe I had used a bit too much strength in my excitement. After taking a deep breath, mom hugged me back like she always used to. “Everyone’s praising you for working hard.”

“Of course! I’m working with Ash, so I have to do my best.”

“Ash was also praising you. A lot,” mom emphasized.

My heart almost started melting upon hearing her words. Even if I hadn’t heard it directly from him, it was still praise from Ash—so addicting.

“What did he say about me?”

“That you are wonderful. And that he can focus on the things he wants to do thanks to you.”

“Really?! Yay!” I exclaimed while raising my hands up in the air.

My mom evaded my fist with a frantic expression on her face. Sorry I almost hit you there. She had taken a few steps back to get to safety. Her tender touch had let go of me again.

“Won’t you behave a little more gracefully? Your enthusiasm is cute, but you should also know when to keep it within limits.”

“Yes, ma’am! I will make sure to pay better attention henceforth!” I sharply straightened myself and took a bow. How about that? Even I was capable of more refined behavior.

“Now you sound like a soldier, Maika. It would be more elegant if you loosened up a little bit. Keep that in mind.”

“Oh... Yes...”

And here I thought I had mastered proper etiquette, but I was still far behind my mom. She was formidable. Once I dropped my shoulders, her fingers started stroking my hair.

“As long as Ash likes you the way you are.”

“That’s the problem... I don’t know what he thinks, since he behaves the same way toward everyone...” It was as if he had likes and dislikes but nothing he really loved. As his childhood friend and superior, I did get to see more sides of him than others, but still, I couldn’t tell whether he felt the same way as I did. “But that’s also part of Ash’s charm.”

“Yeah, that’s a praiseworthy attitude...but you need to make him yours sooner rather than later. I’ll help you.”

“Thanks, mom!”

Her help equaled that of a hundred people. After all, she was Ash’s first crush, and I definitely didn’t want her as a rival...

“Now then, shall we start the Sacula family council? Itsuki, you can sit down on the chair.”

On command, my uncle stood up. He was trembling. For some reason, he had been made to sit on the floor before I entered the room.

As if she understood my confusion, my mom explained with a smile, “I had a talk with him as his older sister. Don’t worry about it.”

“Did you mess up again, my dear uncle?”

Ran often scolded him, but to think that even my mom had to give him a lecture after being apart for such a long time! He had a bit too many weak points.

“Itsuki, do you mess up so often that Maika’s already grown used to it?” my mom asked.

“N-N-No, no! J-Just once in a while! Right, Maika?!”

“Hm, he always works diligently, but privately he is slacking quite a bit...”

Like being hungover after drinking with George or spending a fortune on a lavish feast at the tavern. Of course, someone needed to scold him for those things. And since my uncle didn’t have a wife and his father was at the royal capital, his personal maid Ran was burdened with that task.

“Come on, Maika, that’s just socializing among men. Or I should say, it’s a possibility to directly engage with the citizens, so it’s not just private fun at all—”

“Itsuki, I’ll have another word with you later.”

Upon hearing my mother’s cold tone of voice, my dear uncle stopped with his rapid-fire excuses and dejectedly hung down his head.

“Putting aside my little brother’s escapades for later, let us get to the main topic then—the reason why I came to the city,” my mom changed the subject and clapped her fist into the palm of her hand.

That was right. My mom, who had avoided Itsutsu for years, had come to discuss a very important topic. And it wasn’t the relocation of Ajole’s refugees as farming experts—that was just a cover.

“Itsuki, you are the next in line, so let me ask you. Do you think Maika is capable of eventually becoming your successor?”

Today we had come together to discuss the future of the Sacula family. First, whether or not I was capable of succeeding the count—a question that didn’t just concern me, but also the lives of many others.

I had never seen such a sharp look in my mom’s eyes. She must have fully turned back into Yuika Sacula Amanobe. She was no longer the wife of the village chief, nor my mother, but the politician looking out for the territory’s citizens.

In response to her question, my dear uncle squinted his eyes as if he had just been blinded by my mom’s dazzling look. Then he said, “Maika really lives up to her potential as a child raised by you and my dear brother-in-law. Her administrative work is impeccable and she speaks eloquently at meetings, as proven by the Territory Reform Promotion Office’s achievements. If I had to name a weakness, it would be her lack of social connections.”

“Yeah, that’s somewhat inevitable for a girl growing up in a village,” my mom remarked.

They were right. There were still a lot of people within the territory whom I didn’t know, and even more outside.

“However, that isn’t a big shortcoming,” my uncle continued. “Maika is cheerful and sociable. During her time at the academy, she was surrounded by lots of people and highly valued by the administrative staff too. Even Chef Yacoo, who tends to be quite moody, approves of her.”

“In other words, she’ll catch up as time passes?”

“I think so. In addition, I am still young. If nothing goes wrong, it will be at least another five or ten years until she takes over.”

My mom nodded with a sharp look. “If that’s the only problem, then there’s more than enough time. In the worst-case scenario, I could always support her... Is there anyone else who could claim the right to succession?”

“Yae, who’d be the next in line, would almost certainly endorse Maika. Moreover, my faction, spearheaded by Ran and Rihn, would also follow Maika. We’re all on good terms. Oh, and the Quid company would also be on her side. That’s a big plus. Recently, they actually acquired another company.”

“At this stage, that is more than enough. That sounds like more support than most previous counts ever had, so we should be fine.”

My mom looked at me as the stateswoman she was. I almost perceived a glimmer of joy and surprise in her eyes. I had worked as hard as possible. Just like she had taught me, I had actively formed relationships to have Ash’s back. As a result, I had gained trust from my surroundings.

“Well then, it looks like Maika is more than capable of succeeding the count in the future...which brings us to a more serious problem,” my mom said with a serious tone.

“Maika’s groom.”

My heart skipped a beat upon hearing the words uttered by my uncle. However, I was unsure whether it was due to joy or fear. Either way, I decided to make my opinion clear.

“I don’t want anyone other than Ash.”

I was even prepared to run away from home if they suggested someone else. Fortunately, it appeared that both my mom and my uncle were well aware of my preference, which I had repeatedly stated in the past.

“You heard her, Itsuki. Then we need to convince everyone else that Ash is the right man for her.”

“That was my intention from the beginning. This matter is more urgent than Maika’s succession. A marriage between a farmer boy and the granddaughter of the count normally only happens in fiction. Normally.”

My mom smiled upon hearing my uncle emphasize that last word. “Yeah, I wholeheartedly agree with you.”

But luckily, Ash isn’t normal. Everyone seemed to express that with their smiles.

“I heard that he will be getting his second silver medal soon.”

“That’s old news, my dear sister. He is currently holding four Sacula silver medals, and he will be awarded three more from other territories. Seven in total.”

The fact that my mom didn’t gasp in surprise went to show for how long she had known Ash. Even so, her complexion had changed a bit. Ash was just too amazing.

“Which territories?” My mom’s voice sounded a little hoarse.

“From Viscount Sukuna and Baron Nepton. They were overjoyed when Ash disclosed the recipe for manufacturing soap. They awarded him with the steam silver medal and the tsunami silver medal respectively, both medals unique to their territories.”

“So, the highest honor. Anyone would be in awe upon seeing someone with medals from different territories.”

“They were well aware that the disclosure of the recipe helped break up the monopoly of the wealthy merchants from the capital. At this point, anyone pointing out Ash’s birthplace and family origin would just seem jealous of his accomplishments.”

Now that Ash had been acknowledged by other territories’ lords, he could no longer be reduced to his origins as a farmer. He had been awarded more than enough medals to prove himself superior to most people. Ash probably would have preferred reading another book rather than showing off his medals, but the point still stood.

“Well, then it is decided.” My mom nodded enthusiastically as she spoke. She appeared cheerful at the prospect of having dealt with all problems. “No issues with Maika becoming the count’s successor. Moreover, Ash is known for his great achievements, and it’s a habitual practice to welcome outstanding talent into the family through marriage.”

“Does that mean you approve?!” I leaned forward over the desk.

“Yes. I will put in a word with my father, the count of Sacula, that I consider Ash appropriate as your husband,” my mom said.

“Of course, as the acting count, I will also talk to him. Actually, you’re the only one who can control Ash, so it would be a net positive for you to be together both in public and private,” my uncle added.

“Oh my, do you also think they look cute together, Itsuki?”

“So much so that I can’t even imagine another candidate... I’m a little hesitant about handing over my cute niece, but I do feel reassured with Ash.”

Is that how we’re perceived by our surroundings? It was a little embarrassing, but it made me smile. I wondered what Ash would have thought.

“Lovely. Like me and Klein.”

“Yeah, I imagine anyone from back then would agree.”

“So, make sure not to lose to your parents, Maika. Go and get him!” My mom challenged me with a wink.

How sly. Even I had to admit that she was a great flirt. I’ll have to try winking at Ash next time I see him.

●　●　●

The cold winter air resembled the stretched string of a bow. It created a calm and clear yet solemn atmosphere, where everything within the range of its bleakness was compelled to silence. As a result, the forest was extremely quiet in winter.

Amidst that silence, I closely watched my surroundings. As I knelt down, the cold air rising up from the damp ground relentlessly chipped away at my concentration. Not my day today. I want to sneak under my covers or go to a hot spring.

After suppressing my desires, my knowledge and experience led me to conclude that our surroundings were clear. I stood up with a sigh.

“No ominous signs here. Let us go on a bit further.”

My subordinates acknowledged my order with relieved yet troubled expressions. They were relieved that no dangerous wild animals or demons—especially no treants—were around. And bothered by the fact that they had to push through the forest in this cold weather. I sympathized with them, especially in this weather. I would have loved to go back home just as much.

Nevertheless, this forest warranted our presence. It was the same forest from which eight treants had emerged and flattened Ajole village a little over a month ago. We needed to check if there were any more while also looking out for wild animals. The battle of Ajole was not over just yet.

In the end, the only inhabitable settlement left in the vicinity of this forest was the extremely productive Adele village. Currently, they were offering shelter to the Ajole residents that had lost their homes. Both from an economic and emotional perspective, we couldn’t leave our business unfinished and risk sacrificing Adele as well.

After suppressing a sigh, I observed the troops. They were much more professional than me. Even without any explanation, they had fully grasped the situation. Upon seeing me nod, they steeled their faces and nodded in return. They had every reason to feel tired and discontent—they were only human after all. However, their inherent toughness and trained professionalism allowed them to push through and keep on moving forward. It was inspiring to see their relentless devotion to their jobs as the defenders of the territory. They may have looked like boring old men and mischievous young lads, but on the inside, they were passionate soldiers.

There was still a lot I could learn from them, even as their superior. At the very least, I wanted to be an officer whom they could follow with pride. As a leader, it was important to garner enthusiastic support rather than reluctant submission.

While I was absorbed in my self-conscious musings, we quietly and patiently continued to explore the forest. Following the treants’ tracks, which were still visible a month later, we came across a strange odor.

“This smell...”

It reeked of rotten eggs. Normally, it would have been extremely unnatural for such an irritating odor to linger in the forest...unless it was home to treants.

“This is it, everyone. It smells like treants. Please be careful.”

The soldiers all agreed while sniffing the air with a puzzled look on their faces. Apart from me, no one seemed to smell the odor.

Now, let me tell you something a bit scary. Since fighting the treants, my five senses had become even sharper. In addition, it appeared that my wounds were healing faster. While it may have just been my imagination, I had in fact already completely recovered from the treant battle, including my apparent cracked rib.

In order to work on the Ajole villagers’ migration plan, I had been downplaying my injury, but after just a week it had actually stopped hurting, and another week later I had been able to perform physically exhausting tasks again. At the time, I had just considered myself lucky and ascribed my quick recovery to Goddess Yuika’s divine protection. However, now that I had had the time to think about it more calmly, it appeared like an overly optimistic assessment.

Although it was an intangible feeling—an experience difficult to compare with that of other people—I felt like I was slowly evolving into a different type of non-human being. Like the protagonist in a fantasy novel, except this time the humans aren’t at a disadvantage. Or rather, I am at an advantage. Maybe there is in fact a level-up system in this world? Of course, that was impossible. Probably.

During my research on demons, I had found methods and examples of subjugation. In other words, there had obviously been other people besides me who had defeated demons in the past. However, there were no accounts of anyone gaining special strength from it—not even in folklore and legends. Maybe I’m just the chosen one?

Moreover, there was the mysterious message I had received during the treant battle. On top of that, I possessed memories from my past life. They no longer bothered me at all, but it was still a strange phenomenon. Now that I had become a bit older, I wondered... Was there really no one who could explain all those mysteries to me? God, if you’re listening, isn’t that your area of expertise?

Anyhow, the scent had led us to colorful scenery that was uncharacteristic of the forest. In the faint reflection of the sunlight, crystal-like shades of red, yellow, and silver intermingled with the dark green world of the forest. The source was a bark whose surface appeared like glass. A multicolored substance was leaking through from inside—a bit like candy in a glass bottle. However, it was not a very appetizing color. The red looked dull and subdued, as did the silver. While the yellow was still vivid, it was also the source of the foul sulfuric smell. Even if someone had found this appetizing, they probably should have refrained from eating it. Even if in moderation it might have surprisingly been good for you, assuming it was poisonous was the safer bet.

“Sir, is that what I think it is?” one of the soldiers asked absentmindedly while staring in wonder at the giant glass-bottle tree. I could not blame them. It was such a fantastical sight that you could have easily turned it into a paid attraction.

“I assume you all have heard about it before, but this is a treant dwelling. That being said, this is also my first time seeing one.”

“Whoa...”

The soldiers, whose prime mission was defending the territory against demons, were all extremely knowledgeable regarding their enemies. They gazed at the wondrous treant dwelling with a mixture of admiration and satisfaction.

As a frontier region, Sacula was prone to demon attacks. Its proximity to the Roaring Dragon mountain range and the adjacent large forest meant that demons were never far away. Werewolves, in particular, had a large area of activity, which meant that they often came in close contact with humans. In fact, there were many people who had run into werewolves before.

Nevertheless, despite the frequent encounters with werewolves, not many soldiers had seen a werewolf cemetery. That term referred to a location where werewolves gathered at the end of their lives, and where their remains were preserved as lumps of metal. In this world, it was a precious vein of ore. Less than ten of those cemeteries had been discovered in the Sacula region, and most of them were of such a small scale that you could not collect ample amounts of metal. It appeared that there existed giant cemeteries where metal resources were so abundant that they could stock an entire kingdom. I wish I’d stumble across one.

Apparently, Marquis Datara’s current influence was supported by the wealth he had accumulated back in the day as a frontier-region count. Back then, he had been at the forefront of the fight against the demons during the rise of the kingdom.

On the other hand, the treants’ area of activity was somewhat limited due to their sluggish movements, meaning that the encounter rate was incredibly low. The incident at Ajole village had been a stroke of extremely bad luck. As a result, there were even fewer reports of treant dwellings than werewolf cemeteries.

As the word “dwelling” suggested, it appeared that the undead gorilla in the wooden armor usually rested motionlessly inside this curious glass-bottle tree. Never having seen it myself, it sounded unbelievable to me, but it was written in the literature I had consulted. And now that I was standing right in front of a dwelling, I had to admit that the hole was a bit too large for it to be a natural cavity. Therefore, it was not too far-fetched to think that a treant could have snugly fit inside. However, I still could not believe it until I had seen one entering with my own eyes.

Anyway, the treant dwelling’s profoundly mysterious glass-like bark was in fact made out of glass. Seriously? Can you even call that a bark anymore? Furthermore, it appeared that the regions famous for their glassware were harvesting and recycling the glass bark of treant dwellings. As a result, they were able to manufacture glass on a larger scale than anywhere else. So, it seems to be legit.

Sometimes the fantasy elements of this world were beneficial to humans, after all. I had already come to that conclusion after learning that it was possible to harvest metal from werewolf corpses.

But the benefits did not stop there. The candy-like, discolored substances inside the glass-bottle tree were precious resources. Lord Arthur had told me that, according to scientists in the royal capital, the yellow substance could be sulfur. Like, seriously? I mean, it did indeed give off a sulfuric smell. This is probably good for us too.

Moreover, judging from the scientists’ analysis, it appeared that the red substance was a type of phosphorus, and the silver one was magnesium. I was going to check the validity of those assumptions by thoroughly examining the real thing. If it were indeed true, that would be a huge help. Especially the sulfur. A lifesaver.

It was unclear how widely sulfur was used by the ancient civilization, but nowadays it was nowhere to be found. Apparently, it was possible to collect a minuscule amount at hot springs, but sulfur was so important that even just a small amount was notable. Or to be precise, the sulfuric acid gained from it was so important. But since there was no way to directly obtain sulfuric acid in this world, the focus lay with sulfur itself. And that sulfur was now right in front of my eyes.

Thinking of all the things that I might have been able to finally do, my brain was releasing a flood of endorphins, causing a euphoric high. Feeling such joy, the mystery of why the treants built such dwellings had become a trivial matter. Only the tangible facts mattered—both the werewolves and the treants provided useful resources that were running dry in this world.

Ah! If only there had been demons like this in my previous life. So many people could have been saved. The world had always been short on resources. Such peculiar beings would have probably been deified. After all, the gods of polytheistic religions also tended to bring some disasters along. Just pray and hope for the best! Thank you, fantasy creatures! Thank you, god of fantasy, whoever you may be!

Since I didn’t know the god of fantasy’s true nature, I just prayed to my beloved Goddess Yuika. Now then, let’s secure the area and collect some resources!

The treant dwelling was so big that it was hard to believe there had only been eight of them. Fortunately, that also meant we would not be running out of resources for a while. And hopefully, we would find another dwelling in the meantime. If not, we would have to import the raw materials from other territories. Even if most territories were not willing to give up glass so readily, sulfur should not have been a problem since, to my knowledge, no individuals or associations were currently making use of it. Maybe it would be a bit pricey, but possible to strike a deal. Funny taking into account that sulfur was definitely more valuable in my eyes.

For the time being, I concentrated on turning the sulfur that we brought back into sulfuric acid. Once I had given the all clear to Hermes, the laboratory’s head of experiments, he and his team, the convicts, started experimenting while adhering to methods and procedures researched in advance.

First, we needed to break open the bark glass to retrieve its contents, which already felt pretty surreal. The bark was indeed made out of glass and functioned as a receptacle, like a glass bottle. While it was convenient that the resources were protected by glass, warding off chemical changes, it also felt very artificial.

What’s up with demons? They attack humans but also supply them with resources? As my questions just kept piling up, preparations to extract the sulfuric acid were in full gear.

“Mr. Hermes, we finished setting up the glass vessel.”

“Thank you! I’ll go have a look right away!” Hermes replied to the staff’s report and promptly examined the equipment.

The main device was a glass installation. Simply put, it consisted of two chambers—one chamber combusting sulfur and niter and another one collecting the resulting sulfuric acid, which was our main goal. By making the apparatus more intricate, you could have also controlled the sulfuric acid’s concentration.

“All right! No problems with the equipment!” Hermes loudly exclaimed after checking the device. He nodded at Lady Reina, who had been supervising the whole inspection. “Ms. Reina, may we begin the experiment?”

“Yes, go ahead.”

It was an unusually concise, business-like exchange for a laboratory with a friendly atmosphere like ours. Normally, the staff did not address each other so formally, but in this instance, they were adhering to the rules for handling hazardous material, agreed upon by everyone. Usually, it did not matter what language our staff used, but it was essential to stick to fixed procedures when conducting dangerous experiments that required utmost care. That included formally addressing people, vocalizing each step, and waiting for approval from the superior.

The rules had first been proposed, as you may have guessed, by Lady Reina. She continued to polish her skills as an older sister who was strict when the situation called for it. She was so charismatic that even Belgo and the other convicts followed her orders without questioning. Since applying her rules, there had been a significant decrease in small and big accidents at the laboratory—so much so that Lady Maika had written up a report praising her efforts. After all, boasting about one’s skilled subordinates was also part of the job as the boss.

“Then, let’s start the sulfuric acid extraction experiment!”

On Hermes’ signal, the device was ignited. Lady Reina attentively observed the whole process. All I had to do was enjoy the spectacle with a grin on my face. I was truly blessed to be surrounded by such brilliant lab members and research staff. Of course, that also included all my friends and coworkers.

Incidentally, the niter was mostly sourced from our manure production shed and the adjacent farm. On top of disassembling the nitrogen necessary for compost production, the hardworking farmer microbes also supplied us with niter. We had been collecting the material for quite a while now, and today we had finally found its use.

If we managed to generate sulfuric acid, we could also make nitric acid and hydrochloric acid. Four years after obtaining alkaline materials from the slaked lime, I would finally be able to get my hands on industrial acid. The sulfuric acid could be used for anesthesia, fertilizer, and the manufacturing of batteries. Meanwhile, the nitric acid would pave the way for photography! Still, there were many more uses for those substances. I won’t run out of research ideas any time soon now.

I felt the future taking shape in front of my eyes. Thanks to the strenuous efforts of our reliable research team, the first sulfuric acid test experiment had been a success. We managed to obtain sulfuric acid.

“Excuse me, I’m looking for Ash. I heard he’s here.”

At the same time that I was looking at the extracted sulfuric acid inside a glass bottle with great satisfaction, a young girl entered our experimentation shed. It was Lady Suiren, who looked rather innocent in her priestly attire. She did not seem used to wearing those kinds of clothes.

“Yes, I am here. How may I help you?”

“Oh, there you are. I heard that you’re back from the treant hunt, so I wanted to stop by and thank you.” Following all the rules of etiquette she had learned, the current chief of Ajole village bowed her head as politely as possible. “I truly appreciate all the kindness you have shown since the treant attack in winter up until now.”

“Hearing you say that makes all our efforts worthwhile. I will make sure to let the troops know as well.”

The treant search party and assault troops would surely rejoice at the young village chief’s words of gratitude. And since we had finished our treant scouting, I should probably throw a celebration party to reward them for all their hard work.

“Oh, but you will tell Glen yourself, right?”

“Huh? Uhm, I-I don’t—”

“Please tell him yourself,” I decided for her with a smile.

Reading between the lines, the other lab members also smiled at the now bright-red Lady Suiren. Among the crowd of scarred, tough-looking middle-aged men, Lady Reina’s adorable chuckle stuck out like a sore thumb.

“I mean, it’s very obvious that you two... Still, you shouldn’t tease Suiren like that, Ash!” Lady Reina scolded me.

“I am doing nothing of the sort—I am merely showing support.”

“Hm, is that so?”

I awkwardly smiled as Lady Reina gave me a gentle look, as if to say, “Go easy on her.” She was becoming more and more like an older sister to everyone.

As such, she also took the initiative to explain the current situation to Lady Suiren. “In any case, you’ve come at the right time, Suiren. We just finished our experiment. I’m sure Mother Yae wants to know how it went, so you can tell her that it was a success when you get back.”

“Y-Yes, I will! What experiment?”

“Ash is the only one who knows the details...but we tried manufacturing sulfuric acid.”

“Sul...fu...ric a...cid? Sulfuric acid?” Lady Suiren repeated the words a few times to herself before clapping her hands and smiling. “I know that one! It’s the thing you use to make fertilizer! I heard that you found the material necessary to produce it during the treant search expedition. You already made it?”

“You are right. This is sulfuric acid. You really have a good memory.”

“Thanks! I’ve still got a lot to learn, but I’m trying to prioritize farming-related stuff,” Lady Suiren explained while staring at the glass bottle in my hand. She looked happy and surprised at the same time. “Wow, it looks like normal water. I expected something else. So, if you pour this on animal bones, it will produce a more effective fertilizer?”

“Yes, according to the literature. But I have yet to try it myself, so I cannot confirm or deny it.”

“Oh, right! Hopefully it will work! I’ll do my best!”

Her last sentence was referring to the fact that she was in charge of testing the sulfuric acid fertilizer in the fields. Contrary to our first encounter, Lady Suiren had become very proactive. Currently, she was a priest trainee and collaborator of the Territory Reform Promotion Office. This training was the result of her desire to improve her agricultural knowledge following Ajole village’s unfortunate temporary dismantlement.

In addition to her, about a dozen other villagers had moved to the city, where they were helping to manage the laboratory’s test fields. I had asked Lady Suiren to be their leader. At some point, I was going to put her in charge of recording the results and planning new experiments. Looking at the way she was fervently asking Lady Reina about the details of the experiment, I could tell that it would not take too long until we had a new manager for the test fields.

However, while Lady Suiren was ambitious, she was still lacking some fundamental skills. Since she had not gone to the military academy, she was currently studying as an apprentice at the church, where she was learning reading, writing, and mathematics.

“Suiren, how are your studies with Mother Yae coming along?”

“Oh, her explanations are really easy to follow. The Folke teaching method is amazing! Much easier than when I tried to teach myself how to read back at the village.”

I was very well aware of that method. Still, when had Mother Yae started using it?

“Well, no matter the method, I am glad your studies are going well.”

“Coming to the city like I’ve always wanted and studying... It really feels like a dream. And it’s all thanks to you. I really don’t know how to pay you back.”

“Not at all! I am also grateful to have someone help us out with the test fields. We needed the manpower.”

Besides, I only relayed Lady Suiren’s wishes to my superiors, Lady Maika and Lord Itsuki, so it did not cost me much effort. My superiors had once again shown their brilliance by not passing on such a competent worker.

“You say that, but working in the fields is yet another opportunity for me to expand my farming knowledge. Another thing to thank you for.”

“Yes, it is a relationship that benefits both parties.”

No doubt it would continue for a long while with no one getting the short end of the stick.

However, Lady Suiren showed a bittersweet smile upon hearing my assessment. “I’m really thankful, but all this kindness is overwhelming,” she murmured.

“I know what you mean,” Lady Reina said.

“At first, everyone feels that way,” Hermes affirmed.

Apart from me, everyone seemed to empathize. Bewildered, I tilted my head.

“There is nothing wrong with accepting favors. Especially if you express your gratitude.”

“That’s exactly what she’s talking about,” Lady Reina promptly replied. “I wish I had your problems.”

“I am not sure I fully understand...but it seems like you have some worries.”

Even if I did not fully grasp the situation, I knew very well what it felt like to suffer from worries. When it came to my dreams, I was constantly worried about the road ahead. As such, I tried offering some comfort.

“Come to think of it, we will soon visit the Sukuna region, which is famous for its hot springs. That would be a great opportunity to relax and turn over a new leaf.” I smiled full of excitement. My first time going to a hot spring in this world.

Lady Suiren, however, seemed even more distressed. “Are you sure I can go with you after causing so much trouble already? I feel like that would be too much...” she said with a wry smile.

“You do not have to worry. Lord Itsuki approved of it himself, and taking advantage of your boss’s kindness is the duty of any good employee.”

When I had first laid out my proposal to go to the hot springs, Glen—who had contributed a great deal to our treant operation—had openly expressed that he wanted to take Lady Suiren along. Lord Itsuki, Lady Maika, and I had naturally sympathized with his feelings. He was a young boy head over heels in love—of course he wanted to bring his crush along to a nice holiday.

As for Lady Suiren, she had somehow managed to keep Ajole village afloat for the past two years. In the end, she had shown great leadership as the village chief in the face of Ajole’s complete destruction. Therefore, it was not at all strange for the administration to reward her efforts. Plus, it would not make a difference if there were one more person accompanying us on our hot springs trip. All in all, it just made sense to invite Lady Suiren as well. Thus, it had been decided that she would accompany us. There was no need for her to worry about causing any trouble. If she wanted to repay me in any way, she should have just enjoyed herself. And maybe washed Glen’s back.

“Besides, it was an invitation from Viscount Sukuna. The main objective of the hot springs trip will be a conference with him and His Excellency, Count Sacula.”

Viscount Sukuna was one of the politicians with whom we had shared our soap recipe. While we had acted in our own interest, the viscount had been extremely happy to obtain the soap recipe as the administrator of a region famous for its hot springs. Consequently, he had extended this invitation as a token of gratitude.

Moreover, Count Sacula had scheduled a meeting, since it presented an opportunity to attend to some of the administrative business that had piled up recently. Therefore, Lord Itsuki was also going to join us to engage in diplomatic talks with the viscount and participate in a family meeting. It was no overstatement to say that it was an official business of utmost priority.

That’s right, it’s a business trip. It just so happens to also be a relaxing hot spring trip that’ll help us forget about our worries.

Apparently, it was also very likely that I would get a chance to meet with the hot springs’ owner, Viscount Sukuna, and our liege, His Excellency Count Sacula. If I played my cards correctly, I could establish a network of connections benefiting my future endeavors. What an exciting business trip!

As I was absorbed in my plans and counting my chickens before they were hatched, the others started discussing among themselves.

“I’m in awe just thinking about the invitation from such an important person,” Lady Suiren remarked.

“That’s only natural if you’re not used to it. I mean, I’m still nervous myself,” Lady Reina reassured her.

“Don’t worry about it. Ash is about the only person who can remain calm and even look forward to a situation like this,” Hermes added.

“As expected from Ash.”

“It’s Ash after all.”

“Yeah, typical Ash.”

I don’t mind you drawing your own conclusion, but why do you need to sigh? It’s almost as if I’m a problem child. Regardless, I had understood their worries.

“It seems like you are nervous about meeting the count, but I can assure you that His Excellency is a very amicable person,” I said.

After all, he had invited the whole Promotion Office despite it being a summit of the regional leaders. He was a flexible and reasonable lord. In fact, the biggest reason for the invitation was the fact that two of Sacula’s most prominent figures had gotten married. It was a smartly arranged honeymoon for the newlyweds. Since the Promotion Office had voiced their desire for a hot springs trip at the same time, we had managed to obtain their approval. Timing is everything.

Who were the prominent newlyweds you ask? A knight who had stayed single despite his advanced age and a younger, beautiful priestess who had finally managed to chase him down. I wish them all the best for the future.

Viscount Sukuna had provided accommodations at the most luxurious hot spring inn in the region. While such treatment was natural for the guests of honor, the Sacula family, I did not expect it would extend to me, the son of a peasant, as well.

The wooden bungalow, which had been built with the humidity of the area in mind, did not appear very big. However, it was also partially hiding the hot spring area. Behind the building lay a carefully arranged grove, referred to as the inn’s garden. The garden contained several detached houses and hot springs, where the guests could take baths to their heart’s content away from all tumult. It was perfect for leisurely holidays and private meetings. Lord Itsuki had informed us of those secret gatherings, in a way maybe inevitable for a high-class resort.

Hidden from sight, there were also guards who inconspicuously patrolled the premises to deal with any spies or assassins. Unlike the Sacula troops that specialized in demon battles, the viscount’s troops were experts in stopping human threats. Their presence was barely detectable, like ninjas. Even now, as I was soaking in an open-air bath, observing the charming landscape of rivers and trees in front of my eyes, I could see the guards moving around in their uniforms as little black dots. Thank you for your hard work, I expressed my gratitude toward the scurrying silhouettes in my thoughts. At the same time, I felt like I had ascended to heaven as I submerged myself up to my shoulders inside the bath.

“Ah, this is great.”

It was as if I had been relieved of all the fatigue of the past fifteen years the moment the hot water touched my skin. Nothing beats a good bath, especially a hot spring. With a relaxed mind and body, I could plan ahead from a different point of view.

All this time, I had only been active within the Sacula region, but now that I had shared my soap recipe, that was no longer the case. After all, the royal family had monopolized the soap business until now. Judging from Viscount Sukuna’s invitation, it was safe to assume that Sacula’s technological advancements had been gathering attention. I had to keep an eye on both our public and secret technology with the prospect of eventually engaging in negotiations with outsiders.

“Just relax, Ash. No need to think so hard at a hot spring.”

“Oh, hello, Sir George—I mean, Baleas.”

Baleas had joined me at the secluded private bath. Since it was his honeymoon, I had decided to drop the formal address. He rinsed off his body, which was much more muscular than mine, before joining me inside the water.

In this world, most hot springs had mixed baths, but since people were wearing bath clothes, it was an altogether wholesome practice. Men were usually wearing knee-long pants.

Sir George let out a sigh of delight at the hot water. He went on to smile at me. “Are you still thinking about work? Try letting your mind wander a bit. You work too much.”

“If you are saying that I work too much, I might actually be in dangerous territory.”

In the past, he had had experiences with lethal workloads, like the winter general inspection of all military equipment at the warehouse.

Upon hearing my serious reply, Sir George broke out in cheerful laughter. “See? I’m right. Ha ha! Lord Itsuki also said that it would be convincing coming from me. Don’t make him worry too much!”

Sir George poked my shoulder with his elbow. It appeared that his advice was in consideration of his close friend Lord Itsuki.

I’m fine. I take great care of my health. “What about you, Baleas? Should you not spend your precious time off with your newly married wife instead of me?”

It was their honeymoon after all. They had even been allotted a secluded guest room with a private, open-air bath.

“Spending two days in a row just by ourselves, we kind of ran out of things to do, so we decided to spend some time apart today.”

“How are you saying that already? As a newlywed? Come on, put in some more effort!”

“Easier said than done... Don’t tease me too much.”

Sir George’s sober, virile face took on a miserable expression as he sighed. There is an expression saying that “love makes you captive,” but that did not seem to apply at all to Mother Yae. Or you could say that maybe Sir George was just too clumsy, despite the fact that he was extremely meticulous at his job.

“What is Mother Yae doing right now?”

“She was invited by the other women to take a tour of the hot springs. They said something about wanting her advice as their senior.”

“Oh? Relationship advice, I guess?”

The Promotion Office’s girls must have been interested in the techniques of a woman like Mother Yae, who had been able to win over someone as seemingly impregnable as Sir George. They were all at the age where they showed interest in love and relationships. It could be especially helpful for Lady Suiren—her crush was a similarly serious knight, after all.

In this world, fifteen was a normal age for marriage. Quite natural considering that even within the upper echelons of society, where people lived in a comparatively good environment, the average life span was around forty years. When it came to peasants—whose life expectancy was even lower—it wasn’t strange for a fifteen-year-old to have children either. Compared to my past life, everyone here lived their lives at full speed.

“That makes sense. I was wondering what it could’ve been.” After showing himself impressed at my deduction, he uncharacteristically started teasing me with a playful expression. “Maybe I should copy my wife and give you some advice too?”

“Oh? You want to investigate my love life again?”

It had been a while since he had last done that. When I had just arrived in the city, during our first private conversation, he had asked me something similar. Back then, we had laughed it off as both of us being workaholics, but directly afterward, I had set him up on a date with Mother Yae. Great job on my part, if I may say so.

“You’ve matured quite a bit. And gained social standing,” Sir George stated before addressing me with my full name and title, “Sir Ash George Fenix.”

Yes, sir! Starting this spring, I had become a knight. Following the treant battle at Ajole village, I had been knighted by His Excellency Count Sacula. My last name obviously came from the phoenix—the immortal firebird was now my official banner.

“Starting a family and having your name passed down is also part of your duties.”

“I sort of understand, but it lacks persuasiveness coming from you, my dear foster father.”

“Ah, right...”

My foster father Baleas, who had been single for a long time, scratched his head and tried to evade the issue. Yes, my foster father. My middle name was “George” because he had adopted me as his son—at least for a little under two years.

After I had graduated from the military academy, Lord Itsuki had suggested the adoption. Being the son of a farmer would have put me at a disadvantage when leading the troops and dealing with other subordinates. It had most likely also been a consequence of me voicing my doubts regarding my continued stay in the city after the academy. Lady Maika’s influence was written all over it. When I had consulted Mrs. Yuika, she had enthusiastically encouraged me to take up the offer. My parents had also readily agreed to the adoption, since it only affected our relationship superficially.

The people around me had probably been happier about me becoming “Ash George” than I myself. Lord Itsuki had been extremely relieved, and Lady Maika had rejoiced as if it had concerned her personally. Considering all the celebrations, two years really felt too short. Especially remembering Lord Itsuki’s face when I told him that I had defeated eight treants—a face like that of Sisyphus rolling the stone up the hill.

Even though Baleas had only fostered me for a short while—although officially he was still my foster father—he continued giving me some fatherly advice regarding marriage. “I may not be the best example, but I feel like that is persuasive in another way. You see, everyone kept telling me to get married. That was pretty annoying...”

“I heard that Lord Itsuki was pestering you quite a bit.”

“Yeah, he was the worst of them. Whenever a new maid arrived, he would try to arrange a marriage meeting. It was pretty awkward.”

The image of him burying his head in his hands had indeed a strangely comical persuasiveness.

“And finally, you were cornered by your adopted son arranging your marriage for you, right?”

“Precisely! It is your fault I got married.”

Calling it my fault made it sound like a bad thing.

“Are you not happy with Mother Yae?”

“No, no, that’s not it! That was just a figure of speech...”

Mother Yae definitely seemed to be the dominant partner in their marriage...

“Come to think of it, you never told me the reason why you stayed single for so long.” If I remembered correctly, it had something to do with a former love interest. I would have loved to hear it. Please tell me. “Does Mother Yae know the reason?”

“N-No, probably not... What are you trying to get at, Ash?”

“Since I am your adopted son, would you mind telling me? If you tell me right now, this whole thing will be kept a secret among us.”

“If I tell you right now...?”

“Yes, if you tell me right now, no one will know.”

If he missed this opportunity, there was a chance that someone else might get wind of it. Mother Yae, for example. Although judging from our conversation, it was likely that she already knew, even if Sir George thought she had not found out yet. Now then, how confident are you that you can handle Mother Yae’s questioning?

Upon hearing my kind warning, Baleas started sweating buckets. He had realized the danger of the situation, so hopefully he had an answer ready.

“Uhm...”

At that moment, his eyes sparkled, as if he had found a way to counterattack. I considered my options while waiting for his move. I was ready to crush any sloppy excuses he could bring up.

“F-Fine. I have settled down after all. It might be a good opportunity to put it in the past.”

“Oh, really?”

It appeared he had resolved himself. Still, Sir George’s expression revealed that, while he had been cornered, he had not given up yet. He was like a knight ready to sacrifice himself to stop the enemy.

“However, I don’t want to be the only one talking. Ash, how about you talk about yourself first?”

“What about me?”

If it meant hearing Sir George’s secret love story, I was prepared to share some information.

As if he were about to play his trump card, Sir George proclaimed his next question with a poker face. “What do you think about Lady Maika?”

“I love her.”

“You must have noticed by now, right? Even I can tell that Lady Maika is attracted to you.” He ignored me and enthusiastically continued making his case. Strange. Had he not heard my reply? “Of course, Lord Itsuki’s also noticed. In fact, he’s consulted with me about Lady Maika multiple times. He really loves his niece. He’s been racking his brain to help fulfill her wish from behind the scenes.”

“I had my suspicions already...”

Or rather, I had been fully aware of it. Lord Itsuki had pretty much openly advocated for Lady Maika when he had persuaded me to stay in the city and when he had suggested I should be adopted by Sir George. When it came to his beloved niece, he forwent all subtlety and the mannerisms that were usually required from a noble person. In that regard, Lady Maika far outclassed him. As expected from Goddess Yuika’s daughter.

“I know that you are hesitant because of your different social backgrounds, but as a man, how do you feel about her? As your foster father, I would love to hear your honest thoughts.”

It seemed that Sir George’s monologue had come to an end. After making sure that he was really finished, I repeated my concise reply. “I love her.”

“What?” Sir George tilted his head. Didn’t he hear me?

“As I said before, I love her.”

“Who?”

“Maika.”

“You love her?”

“Yes.”

“Romantically?”

“Romantically.” There was no way to make it any clearer. “That answers your question, right?” Which means it’s your turn now.

“Wait, wait, wait! You’re saying that so lightly?!”

“You asked me. I just answered your question. Also, could you talk a bit quieter? We might get in trouble if you keep yelling.”

Sir George readily covered his mouth. “B-But you never showed any signs of responding to her feelings! Did you keep it a secret?”

“I am not sure if I would call it a secret. Until recently, I was not aware that it was love myself.”

I had always liked her, but it was only this past year that I had started seeing her as a romantic interest, most likely because my body had physically matured. Even my moral objections related to my past-life memories had not been able to withstand my puberty’s zeal.

Lady Maika had grown into an extremely charming young woman. She was cute, pretty, talented, and naturally adapting to my way of doing things. She was my ideal love interest. And I loved how she was willing to resort to any means to achieve her goals. Before I knew it, I had fallen for her. For the past year, I had felt the urge to embrace Lady Maika whenever I got close to her. However, since I had trained to become a gentleman, I showed restraint. For the longest time, I had anticipated it happening once she had physically matured a bit more, and I had been right. I had somehow managed to avoid turning into a lolicon.

“Do you realize how much Lord Itsuki and Lady Yuika worried about this?”

“I do not know what to tell you...”

I was aboard a maximum priority express train toward my distant dream. Of course, I was not going to stop at a non-scheduled station. I was even prepared to blast through the scheduled stops on my route if I risked losing time. If you really wanted to stop me, you had to jump off the platform and stand in the middle of the tracks, but even then, I could not guarantee that I would stop. So, beware of getting caught up in a fatal accident.

I was truly a hazard. Until now, that had never bothered me. On the contrary, I had kept increasing my speed and the potential risks that entailed. However, once you had a special someone in your life, you started considering those dangers.

“It may sound weird coming from me, but I am quite the oddball.”

“You don’t have to tell me. Everyone knows that.”

“Hearing you reply so quickly does hurt a little bit... But that means you are aware that I can be trouble.” I felt a strange bitter taste in my mouth and gave a wry smile before continuing. “Should an oddball like me even consider marriage?”

This was different than involving coworkers or people who followed the same dreams. I was talking about the person I loved. Someone I felt drawn to. Someone I wanted to be happy from the bottom of my heart. I would end up snatching away their opportunity at a normal social life.

“I do not think someone like me should be allowed to get married.”

Sir George was taken aback by the unusual expression on my face. After examining it for a while, he seemed to grasp my opinion and determination. Eventually, my foster father frowned with a stern face before replying, “That’s your opinion, but—”

“However valuable your advice may be, please keep it to yourself,” I interrupted him. I decisively refused to hear him out, admittedly feeling a bit guilty. “It is not your place to convince me.” I won’t be stealing your life. Nor will you be snatching my life away. So, I won’t let you speak. “She is the only one I will allow to convince me.”

Hearing me close the subject with that statement, Sir George pursed his lips and fell silent. Just like when our spears clashed in battle, he closely watched for any opening to charge in. I stared back straight into his eyes to let him know that I was not going to let him land a hit.

Finally, Sir George burst out in quiet laughter. “Ha ha, but you are allowed to meddle in other people’s affairs and marry them off?”

“Compared to my adoption, that was quite a humble push from behind. I really did not do much.”

At most, I told Mother Yae when Sir George was off work and what kind of food he liked. That was a far cry from the political maneuvering necessary to get me adopted and placed into my current job.

“I still think you’re much more coercive.”

“That is not true at all.”

“Be honest, it was you and not Lord Itsuki who delivered the final blow, right?”

Depends on how you look at it.

Sir George raised his hands and gave up upon seeing me feign ignorance. “Either way, I understand where you’re coming from. Even if I were to suggest something, you would pay it no heed.”

“Yes, because I am always charging full speed ahead toward my goals.”

At my speed, I would lose anyone before they could sneak up on me. It was a nonstop rampage.

“Anyone who wants to know your true feelings needs to have the courage to stand in your way and face you head on.” My foster father understood me. As I nodded in affirmation, Sir George let out an exaggerated sigh. “Lady Maika really fell for a troublesome guy.”

“It may be an irresponsible thing to say, but I wholeheartedly agree.”

Sir George gave a bittersweet smile at my selfish remarks before looking off into the distance, toward the grove and river. He had signaled the end of the conversation...but I wasn’t going to let him off so easily.

“Well, Baleas. Now it is your turn.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Don’t pretend you don’t know. “Since I talked about myself, now I want to hear your secret. Is that not obvious?”

That was our promise. I was not going to let him evade my question by pretending like our chat had finished. I had been looking forward to hearing this story for years.

“Are you saying you will not keep your promise, Sir George?”

“U-Uhm...”

Just spill it out already! You’re a grown-up knight! Or maybe you’d prefer if I consulted Mother Yae? About her husband breaking his promise to tell his secret love story.

Seire’s Perspective

The convoy from the Sacula region had arrived. It wasn’t just another group of regular guests, but statesmen on a business trip. We had to personally give a warm welcome to the lords.

“Seire, you will look after Sir Fenix,” Viscount Sukuna, my grandfather, ordered me. His smile acted like a sheath hiding the dagger of his true intentions.

I was sixteen years old and without a fiancée; Sir Fenix was fifteen years old and unmarried. In other words, he was telling me to keep that at the back of my mind while interacting with Sir Fenix.

“Understood. However, it appears that Lady Maika also has her eyes on him.”

It was extremely likely that Lady Maika had identified Sir Fenix as a prospective groom. At any rate, she was like a different person when engaging with him—her gaze was more passionate and constantly directed toward Sir Fenix, even when it wasn’t the two of them alone.

“So, you noticed it too. Don’t worry, there is no need for you to forcefully approach him. I will broach the topic myself and won’t press it too much either.”

“Thank you, grandfather. Please excuse my unnecessary remark.”

As expected from my grandfather. He had already grasped the situation. He didn’t plan on snatching him away and stirring up trouble with Count Sacula’s family. I was going to follow his lead and only approach Sir Fenix in a friendly way. If by any chance that developed into something else, that would be a lucky break.

“I’m sorry,” my grandfather murmured with a melancholic expression.

Seeing him like this you would not have thought that he was the viscount feared as a demon or fox-man by the public. He was just a sympathetic old man.

“About what?” I asked.

“While it may not be something unusual, I feel bad about using my granddaughter as a pawn in political games. I’m just a senile old man, so maybe I leaned out too far.”

“Please don’t worry about it, grandfather. As a member of the viscount’s family, I have received formal education and other great luxuries, so this is part of my duty.”

Besides, none of my sisters or cousins could have done it for me. They were either engaged already or in a social position where they couldn’t have settled for Sir Fenix.

Despite the fact that I was the viscount’s granddaughter, it was next to impossible for me to inherit the title. An engagement between me and the knight Sir Fenix would not upset the balance in our family. Even if it weren’t possible for Sir Fenix to join the viscount’s family as my groom, I could always accompany him as his wife to the Sacula region.

My education had prepared me for this exact scenario. I had to gather and consolidate information, which in turn allowed me to get the bigger picture. It was quiet, delicate, and intellectual work. The women of the house of Sukuna had survived in this aristocratic society by relying on secret intelligence. I quite liked that.

“Besides, Sir Fenix is an accomplished hero proficient in both military and literary arts.”

Recently, his name had become the center of attention here at the house of Sukuna. Everyone agreed that, no matter the context, his name wasn’t one to overlook.

The name of Sir Fenix—although at the time he was still just Sir George’s adjutant—had first made its landing here together with the reports of an airplane, a technology that had only been a myth until then. In Sacula, they had resurrected a machine capable of flying through the skies! It had sounded too outlandish even for a lie. No one here had believed it. It had felt akin to an attempt at deceiving the monkey god. Therefore, no one had tried to corroborate the tall tale either. However, a little while later we had learned the truth.

After staying at Count Sacula’s mansion in the royal capital, my grandfather had come back telling us about the flying machine that he had been shown, which caused a huge uproar. Even an experienced nobleman like my grandfather couldn’t hide the mixture of confusion, amazement, and excitement showing on his face. Once the flying machine had started circulating as a local product from the Sacula region, we all came to share his sentiment.

I had also managed to get my hands on one. It had looked much smaller than expected from the outlandish stories. The machine capable of flying through the skies had been small enough to fit in the palm of my hand, but its impact was much bigger.

Needless to say, the airplane had caused a mad rush at the house of Sukuna. Technology seemingly—no, in fact, straight out of legends had suddenly appeared in front of our eyes. For the house of Sukuna, which maintained its influence behind the scenes through the gathering of information, such a bolt out of the blue was unthinkable. Everyone—from the leaders to the small fries like me—had turned pale at the revelation.

It had quickly become our priority to find out “what” had caused this. No one had even thought of questioning “who” was behind it. Outside of fictional stories, no individual could have created such a legendary item. After all, we were only dealing with facts from the real world. Or so we had thought.

When our intelligence network had reached out to the house of Sacula, they had found out that it had all been the work of a single individual: Sir George’s adjutant. Sir George himself was a well-renowned military leader who supported Lord Itsuki, Count Sacula’s successor. Naturally, his adjutant would have been someone capable. However, that should have been limited to military feats. How had a military officer produced such highly advanced technology? Had it been a decoy? Had the house of Sukuna lost the information warfare?

However, the Sacula family was known for its dauntless courage, fortitude, and vigor. They weren’t the type to engage in information warfare or similar tricks. Not that we looked down upon them for that. On the contrary, we probably actually feared them. That family was able to ignore gathering intelligence precisely because they had the power to just cut off the heads of their enemies, no questions asked. If anyone wanted to gain information, they were welcome to ask and even visit. However, once they considered you an eyesore, they were ready to crush you from head to toe at a moment’s notice. That was the horror of Sacula’s lair of violence. Thus, the information must have been true. I couldn’t believe it, but I had to accept it.

Apparently, Sir George’s adjutant had been involved in making the airplane. It seemed like the adjutant was still young. Apparently, a trainee. A military academy student. A peasant. Our expert spies had relayed the information in such a doubtful tone that they had resembled trainees themselves. It had sounded too strange. Everyone had held their breath. How could such a small, ordinary figure have conquered the skies? He reconstructed a mythical machine capable of flying through the air! We had expected a god-like being, yet it was a mere mortal...

But apparently, that mere mortal had killed a bear by himself at a young age. It seemed like he was so knowledgeable about the early period of the ancient civilization that even priests sought out his wisdom. Allegedly, he had fought and defeated a werewolf one-on-one. He was also rumored to be the shadow chef of a famous restaurant in Itsutsu city. Moreover, he had also seemingly turned the Church’s teachings upside down, manufactured building stones at will, made great medical advancements, and could generate magic-like fire. It was also said that he had discovered a way to solve food shortages. And apparently, he had wiped out a herd of treants without suffering any injuries.

Our doubts had just kept growing the more we had looked into him. Our intelligence experts had been at their wit’s end. Had they not been researching a human? A young boy? In our imagination, Sir Fenix had looked more like a hydra. So much so that we had started to simply refer to him as “the Fiend.”

However, before we could unravel his true nature, he had found us. Going by way of His Excellency Count Sacula, the Fiend had proposed to share one of his new technologies with Viscount Sukuna. A recipe for manufacturing soap. Could he have offered anything better to a region famous for its hot springs? It was as if the Fiend had read our minds.

Of course, it hadn’t been cheap. However, it had also presented an opportunity for a joint stand against the soap monopoly held by the wealthy merchants backed by the marquis in the royal capital. In fact, the offer had been approved almost immediately after Viscount Sukuna had convened a special summit. Anyone could see its benefits. While some people had been suspicious, it had just been too good an offer. Besides, the house of Sacula was considered extremely trustworthy. They would’ve never started a war willingly. They needed to stay focused on repelling the demons after all.

“This is almost too gracious of them,” my grandfather, Viscount Sukuna, had said. “It would be dishonorable not to repay this debt. Let us invite the count and his cohorts to give them a warm welcome here.”

Or, in other words, “Let’s confirm the Fiend’s true nature.” Everyone had held their breath upon hearing his words. Including me. We would finally meet the unknown, mysterious figure.

I was nervous, maybe even a bit scared. But at the same time, I also had a burning desire to meet him. I was incredibly lucky. To have an audience with such an amazing figure was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

“Dear grandfather, it is an honor that you put me in charge of entertaining Sir Fenix during his stay.”

This was my calling as a member of this family. I felt tremendous excitement at the prospect of uncovering the unknown.

At last, the time had come to make contact with Sir Fenix. My grandfather had spotted him separating from the women and heading for a hot spring bath together with the men. I changed into my bathing clothes and joined the other girls who had been selected as members of the reception committee. Sir Fenix was our main target this time. The two older girls were also going to approach the acting count, Lord Itsuki, but that was mostly just for fun.

It was common knowledge that Lord Itsuki’s heart belonged to a woman who had tragically died. As a woman, I respected his attitude, but as an aristocrat, I also believed it also left him open to attack. My grandfather wanted to teach him a little lesson not to show his weakness, which would also serve as a distraction for my discourteous interaction with Sir Fenix. As always, well played, granddad.

As soon as we had received my grandfather’s signal, we once again looked at each other and nodded before stepping onto the steam-filled battlefield. Everyone quickly found the person they had been assigned and positioned themselves right next to them. Of course, my spot was beside Sir Fenix.

“I am your hostess. My name is Seire. Would you like a cold glass of water?” I asked with a smile.

“I would love to have one,” Sir Fenix replied with a gentle smile of his own.

“Here you go.”

As I handed him a sophisticated glass full of water, I closely observed him. As expected, he was handsome. Many of the girls, including me, had found him attractive at first sight upon his arrival, but it was a whole other experience seeing his wet body from up close. Above all, I was shocked by the deep scars on his torso. I had heard the stories of Sir Fenix defeating a bear at his village, fighting a werewolf in the city, and, most recently, annihilating a herd of treants. He was a brave warrior.

However, he hadn’t given off any such aura until now. His gentle smile made him look like a quiet, docile intellectual. Regardless, his scars told of his bravery. This young boy had struggled through so many difficult battles that it was a miracle he was still alive.

When Sir Fenix started drinking his glass of water, my eyes were drawn to his neck. Now that I was aware of his deep wounds, each one of his movements appeared precious. They were proof that he was alive.

With those precious movements, he looked surprised and smiled. “This is great service. Thank you for your thoughtfulness. A wonderfully cool refreshment.”

“Th-Thank you very much.”

He sounded like a young nobleman. My heart skipped a beat. Amazing. Almost the exact opposite of what I had expected. His behavior stood in stark contrast to his simple farmer background and the manly scars on his chest. This was the true Sir Fenix—the true nature of the Fiend.

While I was observing Sir Fenix’s physique, the entertainment of the other guests was peacefully moving along. I say “peacefully,” yet it was a sort of warfare. According to the plan, two older beautiful women were clinging to Lord Itsuki, playfully seducing him. Meanwhile, I was taking care of Sir Fenix. Only the married Sir George was left alone—he was enjoying an actual peaceful bath.

Not knowing what to do with two beautiful girls leaning on both his shoulders, Lord Itsuki awkwardly voiced his grievances. “Viscount Sukuna, would it be possible to tell your hostesses to leave me be? Just like they did with my vassal.”

“Ha ha, what nonsense! A handsome man like you shouldn’t stay a bachelor! Your dear father was also lamenting the lack of an heir the other day.”

“Even if my father says so, that is still no reason to use such tricks on me.”

“But there’s also no reason not to use them.”

Feeling himself at a disadvantage against an experienced opponent like my grandfather, Lord Itsuki cried out for help. “My vassals, your lord has fallen victim to a cowardly ambush. I need your assistance.”

Upon hearing the acting count’s order, Sir Fenix and Sir George exchanged glances.

“Ash, I’m sorry, but I can’t be of any help here...”

“I understand.”

It appeared that Sir George’s new wife had him in the palm of her hand. Or to put it more positively, he was deeply faithful to her. Therefore, he disobeyed Lord Itsuki’s order. What would Sir Fenix do?

“I guess it is just me then,” Sir Fenix murmured and surveyed the scene to assess the difference in fighting power. “Lord Itsuki, I do agree that it is your fault for still being a bachelor.” And just like that, he abandoned the lord whom he served. “You are the acting count, the count’s successor, and you are still single at nearly thirty years old. Even someone without great ambitions would try and take advantage of you by having a beautiful woman seduce you. This should be your wake-up call to find yourself a wife and start a family. Until then, you will have to deal with situations like this.” His extremely serious look made the statement appear like an expression of his loyalty.

“Is that how a vassal talks to their lord?!” Lord Itsuki exclaimed.

“Sometimes it is the duty of a loyal subject to say the uncomfortable truth.” Sir Fenix delivered the finishing blow with a big smile and a bow.

It looked so silly that everyone bar Lord Itsuki broke out into laughter. Even I let out a hearty giggle.

In the end, Sir Fenix had taken our side and ordered the hostesses to continue teasing Lord Itsuki. Following that setup, I should have also happily participated in the teasing.

What a funny guy. He wasn’t just brave and surprisingly knowledgeable, but he also had a good sense of humor. He was full of surprises and talents.

Moreover, it seemed that my grandfather thought the same. With cheerful laughter, he addressed Sir Fenix. “You are a delight.”

“All thanks to Lord Itsuki. He loves receiving advice from his vassals. It really is a pleasure to serve him.”

I see what you’re doing. Now Itsuki won’t be able to stay mad. My condolences.

“Hm... Lord Itsuki is indeed a pleasant person to talk to,” my grandfather said.

During the brief breaks in their amicable conversation, my grandfather kept glancing at me while stroking his beard. He had started to lay the groundwork for the main topic of the night.

“I haven’t had much of a chance to talk to you, Ash... Or Sir Fenix, was it?”

“Yes. His Excellency Count Sacula bestowed upon me the title of knight this past winter. My full name is Ash George Fenix.”

My grandfather re-introduced himself as well, whereupon Sir Fenix politely bowed.

“I have heard rumors about you for quite some time now. Your name’s been on my mind since Count Sacula showed me the model airplane.”

“My colleagues would be pleased to hear that the airplane left an impression on Your Excellency. The idea originated from one of my coworkers, who had dreamt about flying since he was a child.”

This matched the information provided by our spies. However, the situation was a bit more complex than that. While Mr. Hermes had been an important player in making the airplane, Sir Fenix had provided a strong push forward by pulling all the threads together.

“I cannot emphasize enough how much Hermes contributed. It is hard to find such a passionate and consistent worker.”

Yet Sir Fenix didn’t talk about himself. My grandfather must have thought the same when he uttered his next sentence.

“Hm... This Hermes appears to be very skilled indeed, but I am more impressed with you, Sir Fenix.”

Sir Fenix looked perplexed. Almost as if to say that he was of little significance. “With me?”

“Your achievements have even reached my old ears. Not just the airplane, but also the new building materials, the farming methods and farming tools, and, of course, the soap recipe that you so graciously shared with us. I am struck with admiration.”

My grandfather had gone on the offense. Count Sacula had been hiding their new farming technologies. To bring that secret information up as praise was a power move from the viscount.

Sir Fenix’s expression didn’t change. However, he couldn’t be indifferent to the fact that an outsider had brought up his region’s secret information. Sir Fenix must have been suppressing his reaction. In fact, his next words just glossed over it.

“We worked hard these past few years.” He remained calm and made it sound so ordinary. Almost as if he was operating on a whole other level than us.

“Moreover, you are not just intelligent, you also show great bravery in battle. Your body speaks for itself.”

My grandfather kept on praising him. And in response, Sir Fenix praised someone else. His subordinates, his coworkers, his comrades, his childhood friend—but no mention of a lover. Did he really not have anyone? Even though he was such an accomplished person? What about Lady Maika? Maybe there still was a chance for me.

Gradually, Sir Fenix was cornered by my grandfather. He could no longer run from the praise. In that regard, my grandfather’s experience gave him the upper hand. Finally, the viscount broached the topic he’d been wanting to talk about.

“I don’t think there is anyone else like you under the sun. I would love to have your outstanding talent here in our region.”

That was an almost dangerously direct proposal. For a moment, I panicked as I thought it was careless. And sure enough, Lord Itsuki, who had forced a smile until now, suddenly became serious.

“Lord—Your Excellency Lord Sukuna, that goes a little too far. Sir Fenix is fulfilling an important duty as a knight in our region.”

“Ha ha, I was joking. I wasn’t planning on actually luring him away. I just wanted to openly state how jealous I am of his talent.”

My grandfather smoothly dodged Lord Itsuki’s sharp admonition. Because his statement had been so direct, he could easily play it off as a joke. In contrast, if he had done it in a more concealed way, it would have been harder to walk it back.

“We would greatly welcome and handsomely pay anyone as talented as Sir Fenix, but unfortunately he seems to be one of a kind. Still, we pride ourselves in our territory’s picturesque scenery, and at least when it comes to offering relaxation for mind and body, not even the royal capital can beat us.” While enumerating our territory’s selling points, my grandfather glanced at me. “These hot springs really are good for your health and beauty. Many people say we have the most beautiful women in the kingdom here, but what do you say, Sir Fenix?”

Despite being nervous, I smiled following my grandfather’s words. We were always told that a Sukuna woman looked the prettiest when she smiled.

“Yes, I concur. They are very beautiful,” Sir Fenix proclaimed while directly looking at my face.

Although I was far down in the succession line, I was still Viscount Sukuna’s granddaughter. As such, I had to present myself at my best, and I was used to receiving a lot of compliments day in and day out. Nevertheless, I felt my cheeks turning red. His words had been more powerful than expected. Sir Fenix was using straightforward words that resonated with me... No, I need to be more honest with myself. I was happy to be complimented by Sir Fenix. It appeared that I was more attracted to him than I had initially thought. Come on, grandfather, can you push him a little—a lot more?

“Oh, I see, I see. Seire right here is actually one of my granddaughters. She is already sixteen years old, but regrettably, she hasn’t been blessed with a suitable candidate for marriage yet. If only there were someone as wonderful as you, Sir Fenix, I would love to introduce her to him.”

So, what do you say? While I may have been a year older, that shouldn’t have made much of a difference at this age. With upturned eyes, I looked at Sir Fenix to wait for his reply. Apparently, this move made men’s hearts flutter. Besides, I couldn’t bear staring calmly into his eyes.

Lord Itsuki appeared quite flustered—a sign of how much the acting count valued his vassal. Meanwhile, Sir Fenix himself was wearing a relaxed smile. It didn’t seem like he had taken a liking to my grandfather’s proposal. His smile resembled a beast of prey baring its teeth.

“One can never have enough talented people around. If Your Excellency can spare any experts, or even just people with promising talent, we would love to welcome them to Sacula.”

Taking my grandfather’s words into account, Sir Fenix shifted the conversation in a different direction. Unfortunately, I hadn’t been charming enough to make him fall for me. Please forgive me, granddad.

My grandfather forced a bitter smile when I glanced at him. Since he didn’t want to risk his relationship with the house of Sacula, he decided not to push the issue any further and replied to Sir Fenix’s remarks. “You make it sound like your efforts and achievements aren’t good enough.”

“They are not sufficient at all. Although the current situation in Sacula is already more than ideal.”

That latter statement sounded like he was emphasizing his refusal of my grandfather’s proposal. However, in the former sentence he also said that he wasn’t satisfied at all. What was he trying to say?

As if he had read my thoughts, Sir Fenix qualified his statement. “There is still a long way to go until I can achieve my dream,” he declared with a burning passion. “It is not enough to revive the rich and abundant life of the ancient civilization from the legends.”

A convenient life with convenient tools. A society where it was the norm to take care of the sick and poor. Where the rich and hardworking lived in abundant luxury. In order to achieve such a society, more sages, craftsmen, merchants, and politicians were needed. It was almost as if the legend was contained within Sir Fenix’s body and couldn’t wait to jump out into the open.

“We do not have nearly enough materials,” he continued. “I take it you started manufacturing soap? Did your shops and ateliers multiply? What about your tax yields? Immigration? How much more time and effort do you have to spend on managing your financial affairs and public order?”

Before I realized it, I felt my breath catch. The air felt hot. And not because of the hot springs, but because Sir Fenix had correctly guessed the recent chaos here in the Sukuna region.

The house of Sacula shouldn’t have had any spies. So, how had he obtained this information? The answer was simple—he hadn’t. He had just known all along that it would end up like that. New technology birthed new commodities, which in turn stimulated the market and led to disorder.

“And your work will keep on increasing henceforth. Just like growing wheat or a spreading fire, change always brings forth more change. It is unstoppable.”

Upon hearing this clear prediction, my grandfather’s voice became husky. “Do you really think so, Sir Fenix?”

“To be precise, it will not happen automatically.” Sir Fenix’s next words stood out like the moon in the night sky. “I will make it happen. As long as I am chasing after my dreams, I will have to keep changing things.” At that moment, his eyes were shining bright and burning with passion. He was resolved to move forward in a straight line no matter where it took him. “Eventually, I want to establish an education system that reaches as many people as possible. That will likely not come to fruition in the next ten or twenty years. However, I do not intend to take fifty or sixty years either. In fact, we have already planted the seeds in the Sacula territory,” Sir Fenix declared with a smile.

I felt completely overwhelmed. He was a bigger personality than anyone I’d ever met. He was like a fire burning in the distance. When I had first seen him from afar, he had indeed looked small. However, the further I had walked toward the light, the bigger the fire had grown. And that fire was burning in the Sacula region, not here in Sukuna. Regrettably so.

“With each passing day, the Sacula territory is in need of more and more personnel. But we will not just wait for talented people to show up—we will train them ourselves. In fact, we have already started. For example—” Just when I had thought I was going to be left behind, Sir Fenix’s eyes met with mine. “Seire!”

“Y-Yes!”

I didn’t manage to uphold the calm composure required of a hostess. My wavering voice made me sound like a simple town girl. What a blunder! Yet Sir Fenix gave a warm smile. Although “fiery smile” would probably be a more accurate description.

“If you wish to expand your knowledge and create new things, you are always welcome in Sacula.”

Was he inviting me now? From what standpoint? Surely not to marry him? Because if that were the case, I should have agreed. I had already considered leaving Sukuna for Sacula if I could marry him. However, I was in awe now that I had witnessed Sir Fenix’s greatness firsthand.

“N-No, what could someone as inexperienced as me possibly accomplish?”

As I took a step backward, Sir Fenix moved another step forward.

“That is fine. We do not need you to be exceptionally skilled at this point in time.”

“R-Really? But you’re a hero at your age already. I can’t possibly—”

“All that you need is a desire to learn. If you are willing, we will teach you the necessary knowledge.”

While I tried sidestepping, Sir Fenix kept pushing ahead. Overwhelmed, I suddenly came to a realization. He is using the same tactics as my grandfather earlier. Was this revenge? At that moment, I regained my composure. Sir Fenix wasn’t serious about inviting me. I just had to play it off with a smile.

However, as I was getting ready to do so, Sir Fenix preempted me. “And if you desire something that we do not know either, we will just find the solution together!” Sir Fenix enticed me with a smile.

But it wasn’t just any smile. It was the innocent smile of a child happily chasing after his dreams, completely at odds with his mature and intellectual manner of speaking.

My face turned hotter than it had ever been. I was no longer able to just dodge him with a smile. How sly. I thought it had all been a lie. Just diplomatic language—a meaningless exchange between aristocrats. But in the end, he genuinely invited me to join him.

“That is how we are currently cultivating talent. Helping people willing to learn to achieve their dreams. If you are interested, you are welcome to join us, Seire.”

“I am grateful for the offer, but...I-I’m not sure how to respond,” I replied in a hoarse voice.

I really didn’t know what to do. Receiving an invitation with such a joyful expression almost made me want to join him...

How did it end up like this? I was supposed to seduce him. I should have just focused on my job... Yet here I was, wavering. I felt like the fire burning in my chest would never go out again. I really had no idea what to do now.

●　●　●

The following day, while I was enjoying myself at the hot spring resort, I was summoned to a meeting—it was a direct order.

There were only three people currently here in the Sukuna region who could issue orders to me, a Sacula knight: the acting count, Lord Itsuki; my military superior, Sir George; and my direct supervisor, Lady Maika. However, the order had not come from any of them, which meant it must have come from His Excellency Count Sacula, who was supposed to meet up with us at the resort. Finally, I would come face-to-face with my liege as a knight.

When I entered the conference room, I noticed Lord Itsuki and Sir George already sitting at the long table and a large-built, middle-aged man sitting in the seat of honor. Despite his age, he had a respectable muscular physique. He was none other than Count Gentoh Sacula Amanobe.

“Ash George Fenix, at your service.”

As I took a bow, a grin came over His Excellency’s stern face.

“Oh, there you are! I’ve been wanting to meet you for a while, Sir Fenix!”

The count left his chair with such nimble movements that you would not have thought he was already in his mid-forties. Then, he proceeded to lumber toward me and place both his hands on my shoulders. Or rather, he slapped them. Not out of animosity, but affection. His face lit up.

“Sorry for summoning you so abruptly. I wanted to meet you as soon as possible, so I rushed here without sending any messengers ahead!”

He was extremely friendly from the get-go. Better than the opposite, but still a surprise.

Did he actually ride here himself? Instead of taking a carriage? What an energetic forty-year-old!

“The capital is so boring, but your reports always brighten my mood. Ha ha, I can’t believe we finally get to see each other!”

“The pleasure is mine, Your Excellency. I am deeply grateful for receiving the title of knight from you.” But I’d prefer if you didn’t hit my shoulders so hard, Your Excellency.

“That’s the least I could do for someone of your caliber! I wish I could give you more. Don’t you agree, Itsuki?” He invited his son into the conversation.

“I agree, father, but maybe you could be a bit gentler with Ash. He is built a bit smaller than you,” his son cautioned him about his intense greeting slaps.

Thanks for the backup.

“At first glance, he looks frail, but he’s got a sturdy trunk. And a lot of muscles.” His Excellency did not seem to get the message.

“Thank you, Your Excellency.”

“Your appearance lives up to your tales of bravery! You’re a real hero, Sir Fenix!” he complimented me while violently slapping my shoulders.

I reciprocated Lord Itsuki’s apologetic look with a wry smile. I just resigned myself to my fate. I’d rather he’s overly friendly than hard to please.

After His Excellency Count Sacula had finished greeting me, he did not return to the seat of honor, but rather sat down on the nearest chair.

“So much for the formalities.”

Wait. That was a formal greeting? It had felt more like an onslaught of casualness.

“Let’s get some food and drinks and discuss things in a relaxed setting. After all, the subject’s a bit complicated...”

“That sounds good. Let me—”

As the person of lowest standing, it should have been my duty to call the hostess, but before I could say anything, His Excellency’s deep, piercing voice resonated in the room.

“Hey, is anyone there? Can you bring us some snacks and alcohol?”

A flustered reply came from outside the room. Given the hostesses’ skills, they must have noticed immediately that the voice belonged to the count. No wonder they would panic.

“Now that that’s taken care of, let’s get to the first order of business.”

“Father, not everyone’s here yet. Shouldn’t we wait until Maika arrives?”

“Hm? Oh, you’re right.”

“You really should behave a bit more like your age...” Lord Itsuki sighed in exasperation, but His Excellency just casually laughed it off.

It felt refreshing to see Lord Itsuki, who was usually easygoing himself, become the voice of reason. His Excellency Count Sacula’s overly friendly and openhearted attitude forced his surroundings to intervene. Quite the spectacle.

“Your Excellency is very quick to act,” I told the middle-aged count sitting next to me.

Yes, next to me. After engaging me in close combat upon my arrival, His Excellency had sat down in the nearest chair. Or in other words, His Excellency had casually sat down in one of the lower seats. And since I could not possibly have taken a higher seat, I had to sit down next to him. I felt terribly out of place, unlike the count himself.

“Hm! Yeah, speed is essential to all aspects of life. Especially when it comes to defending the territory—you never know when the next demons could show up. If you take too long, there might not even be a next time. You should always act as soon as possible.”

“So, in a way, the territory sharpened Your Excellency’s senses?”

As a result, he had arrived without any preliminary announcement, did not care about the seating arrangement, and loudly ordered food before the lowest-ranked person could do so. As a citizen of the Sacula region, I had to say that speed was definitely not the norm, though.

“Still, Itsuki and my men often say I’m too hasty.”

To no avail, it appeared. Clearly, it would have been pointless to say anything as a newcomer myself.

“Your Excellency, I am quite curious about the royal capital. Has anything interesting been happening?”

“As I said earlier, boring as usual. Lots of mean comments and everyone trying to drag each other down. Oh, by the way!” He sat back upright and his bulky torso leaned forward. “Arthur sends his regards. Ha ha! He would have scolded me if I forgot to tell you all, especially to Ash.” Count Sacula’s smile was bittersweet, probably because he had to pretend that Lord Arthur was his youngest son.

“I am happy to hear that. Is Arthur doing well? In his last letter, everything seemed fine.”

“Yeah, he’s doing all right. Although he keeps reminiscing about Sacula and grumbling about wanting to go back.”

Just like in the letters I had received.

“As long as he is not bottling things up and restraining himself, I am relieved.”

“Ha ha, not sure about that. He would have loved to come along on this trip. Before my departure, he looked at me quite reproachfully.”

Given Lord Arthur’s true identity, she could not have easily left the royal capital. Unfortunately, if I wanted to meet her, I would have to visit the capital myself.

After inquiring about several anecdotes mentioned in Lord Arthur’s letters, someone knocked on the door.

“Ah, that must be Maika!” Lord Itsuki said.

At the same time, His Excellency the count, who had been talking nonstop until now, suddenly fell silent in the middle of his sentence. It was as if time had stopped. As I was observing his motionless bulky body, Lady Maika entered the room.

“I sincerely apologize for my late arrival.”

Lady Maika’s hair was damp and her skin flushed. Apparently, she had been taking a hot spring bath when her grandfather had summoned her. Naturally, it had taken some time for her to get here.

After bowing, Lady Maika expressed puzzlement at the empty seat of honor. She seemed even more confused upon discovering the middle-aged man sitting next to me. Lord Itsuki and Sir George frantically made eye contact to signal to her that she was in fact not imagining things.

Although she did not understand why the middle-aged man had taken one of the lower seats, she politely greeted him. “Your Excellency Count Sacula, it is an honor to meet you. I am Maika Amanobe, the daughter of Noscula’s village chief, Klein, and your daughter Yuika.” Her greeting was impeccable despite her confusion, her soft voice music to the ears, and her elegant movements a visual delight.

In contrast, His Excellency remained silent. With sealed lips and a rigid expression, he stared at Lady Maika. The tension was palpable. A thousand times stiffer than my introduction. But why? She was his granddaughter, related by blood.

Maika had not anticipated this reaction either. She squinted while racking her brain at full speed to come up with an appropriate response. Her late arrival was the only possible explanation one could come to. Maika had come to the same conclusion, and took a deep bow with an earnest expression on her face.

“Once again, my sincere apologies. I deeply regret answering your call with such delay.”

I probably would have acted the same. However, the count of Sacula just briefly nodded. He gazed at Lady Maika without uttering a single word.

Strange... Even if she had committed a faux pas, he should have just moved on after the apology. Putting aside the matter of forgiveness, he had summoned Lady Maika for a reason, so it made no sense to stay silent.

Heavy silence filled the room. Lady Maika appeared increasingly worried when she decided to try one last time. “Your Excellency? May I ask if I did something rude? I am still inexperienced, but I would love to know if I offended you, so I can correct my ill manners.”

However, His Excellency remained silent. So much so that it almost appeared as if he had turned into stone. Lady Maika was at her wits’ end, so she let her eyes wander around the room to look for help. It was Lord Itsuki who came to the rescue of his beloved niece. With a heavy sigh, he complained to his motionless father.

“Father, you’re embarrassing Maika. Just admit it already.”

Admit what?

Lady Maika and I held our breaths and strained our ears to hear the reason for his bizarre mood.

“Admit that your granddaughter is cute,” Lord Itsuki added.

He thought that his granddaughter was cute? What was strange about that? How did that relate to the count’s stiff behavior?

“C-Cute...?!” The count broke his silence by screaming at the top of his lungs. “But Itsuki! M-My granddaughter is... She is the daughter of the man who stole my dear, beloved Yuika away from me!”

It was difficult to make out what he was screaming, but you could see the pain in his eyes. It would not have been a surprise if he started vomiting blood any moment now. A cry from the soul of a man who deeply adored his daughter.

“Yes. And she’s also the daughter of your dear, beloved Yuika!” The count’s son remained calm, his inner strength exceeding that of his father.

“Y-Yuika’s daughter...” The count’s head was shaking violently, as if he were suffering a convulsion.

His son used that opportunity to raise his voice and press for an answer. “That’s right, father! Your grandchild standing before you is Yuika’s daughter! She’s extremely smart, strong, and cute! Don’t you agree?”

“Aargh!!!”

Your Exce— Well, whatever, let’s just leave him be.

The count bent over backward and held his head as if he had just suffered a direct blow upon seeing his granddaughter.

“Admit it, father! You can’t keep averting your eyes forever! My dear sister Yuika married Sir Klein, and together they raised this wonderful girl! Come on, open your eyes and look at her!”

The count clenched his teeth. What was he fighting against? Taking deep breaths, the granddad started facing toward Lady Maika, who seemed to have frozen in panic. However, neither the count nor his successor had noticed her current state, so they continued talking with ever-increasing enthusiasm.

“What do you think, father? Don’t tell me you think she isn’t cute? Can you bring yourself to say that she’s not cute?”

“She is n-no-no—No, I can’t say it!!!” Lady Maika’s granddad yelled while pounding the table. “She is the cutest!!!”

“Exactly! She’s the cutest! And she’ll be even cuter when you talk to her!”

“Really, Itsuki?!”

“She’s hardworking and very considerate. She is a great girl, father!”

“Th-That’s awesome, Itsuki!”

“Yes, she is wonderful, father!”

I no longer knew what was going on. What was I supposed to do? For the time being, I just let my embarrassment show itself.

Outside the room, you could hear the pitter-patter of the hostesses who had noticed the unusual situation. Someone had shouted to summon Viscount Sukuna. I really felt sorry for them.

Meanwhile, Lady Maika, who was just as—or I should say even more—confused than me, had come to hide behind my back.

“S-Say, Ash... Hm... What...” Lady Maika mumbled hesitantly, not knowing how to react to her uncle and grandfather fawning over her. After a brief pause, she pointed at them with her shivering finger. “What is that?”

“I have no idea, and I do not want to know either,” I replied. However, their loud yelling hinted at the reason. “But I guess you could say that your uncle and your granddad lost their minds due to your cuteness.” That was all the conjecture I was willing to make.

Just as Maika and I had lost all motivation to get things straight, Viscount Sukuna entered the room.

“Sorry for intruding. I heard that there was some kind of major trouble?”

I felt deeply embarrassed for bothering the elderly viscount, who was surely busy with other matters. “Your Excellency Viscount Sukuna, my apologies for causing you such inconvenience.” I took a deep bow as I apologized for my rampaging superiors. Shouldn’t it be the other way around? “There is indeed some trouble, but it is nothing serious, so you can just leave them be.”

The viscount seemed to already have grasped the situation from listening to the ramblings of the uncle fawning over his niece and the granddad praising his daughter and granddaughter to the skies. He nodded at me with an extremely gentle smile.

“Ha ha, indeed, it doesn’t sound serious. By the way, your food and drinks will be here any moment.”

“Please do not bother with them anymore. And thank you very much!”

“Don’t worry about it!” Now the viscount had started pitying me upon seeing my incessant apologetic bowing. “As a father, I can understand having mixed feelings about your dear daughter’s child.”

“Oh, really?” Lady Maika tilted her head.

“Yes, of course. I also think my grandchildren are cute, but I falter upon seeing the traits of the man who stole my daughter.”

So that’s why granddad over there turned into a stone statue earlier. And once he had overcome the initial shock, he had talked himself into a state of euphoria, praising his granddaughter’s cuteness. How terrifying.

“Besides, as you’re probably aware, Sir Klein and Lady Yuika’s courtship isn’t exactly one of Gentoh’s fondest memories,” he said, assuming that we knew what he was talking about. Unfortunately, we did not. “Oh? You don’t know?”

“No, we do not. We have been too embarrassed to ask...” I answered the viscount’s question while glancing at Lady Maika next to me.

These past five years, there had been more than enough opportunities to ask about the beginning of Goddess Yuika and Chief Klein’s romance. However, we had refrained from doing so out of respect for Lady Maika’s mental health. There was nothing more embarrassing than hearing your parents talk about their love life, no matter your age. Especially if it had caused such a ruckus at the time. Although I was still not sure why I had been roped into this. Nonetheless, I played along, as I could not refuse any request from Lady Maika, who had supported me so much over the years.

“Hm. I guess that makes sense,” Viscount Sukuna, who must have had a lot of experience in life, just laughed it off.

“Maika, maybe it is time you should know,” I said.

“You think so too?” Lady Maika appeared to agree with my assessment, but still looked for confirmation.

“Yes, I mean...” My gaze wandered over to Lord Itsuki, who was recounting a cute anecdote about Lady Maika, and Count Gentoh, who was enthusiastically listening to it. “Just in case something comes up. Luckily, this time it was resolved like that.”

“You’re right.” Lady Maika dropped her shoulders, admitting that the time had come. “So, Viscount Sukuna, if you know, would you mind telling us?”

“Sure. Do you want me to keep it brief?”

Lady Maika agreed to the elderly viscount’s kind suggestion with an embarrassed nod.

“Let’s see. Do you know about the Royal Sword Fighting Tournament?”

The tournament was famous, so both Lady Maika and I nodded. It was a national sword fighting tournament that took place approximately every five years. Normally, only soldiers and knights from the vicinity participated in the royal capital’s regular competitions, but the Royal Tournament attracted fighters who took pride in their skills from all over the country.

“I heard that it will be held this year.”

“Yes. Since there haven’t been any major demon incidents, it looks like it can safely take place this year.”

Most likely, the schedule of “approximately every five years” was due to the possible postponements caused by major demon incidents. Disaster areas and surrounding territories would only suffer more loss and damages if they had to send their best fighters to a tournament while facing off against demons. Or to put it differently, it was such a prestigious tournament that it was worth sending your best fighters despite suffering heavy losses.

“And it seems the winner receives a gold medal.”

“That is correct. I assume you also know how special a gold medal is...”

A gold medal was the highest possible distinction in the kingdom. It was in another league than the silver ones I had received. According to royal decree, the lords of individual territories such as Count Sacula were only allowed to give out medals up to silver. The royal family alone could award gold medals.

As such, a gold medal was not just the highest of honors for the recipient, but also for their territory of origin. For that reason, it was customary for the gold medal recipient to be granted a wish.

“If you know that much already, then I won’t explain any more. There once was a young soldier from Sacula who participated in the Royal Tournament. Young and strong,” the elderly viscount reminisced. “Needless to say, none of the participants were weak. In fact, many of them were bigger and more experienced than the young soldier. Going purely by appearances, he may have even looked the weakest.” Viscount Sukuna briefly paused. “However, the young soldier cut down all his opponents, winning in the blink of an eye. As custom dictates, the winner of the Royal Tournament was granted a wish upon receiving the gold medal as proof of his victory.”

Lady Maika’s eyes sparkled in anticipation as she guessed the conclusion. It turned out the story that she had been avoiding for the past five years was much to her liking.

“And yes indeed, Ms. Maika. The young soldier asked for a young woman’s hand in marriage. I’m sure you’ve already guessed the name of the soldier and the woman.”

Of course we have.

So that was how Chief Klein, who was usually so reserved and who loved being dominated by his wife, came to marry a goddess.

Who would have thought that their marriage had caused an uproar on such a big scale? I had always assumed it had been contained to the Sacula region, but it turned out it had unfolded in front of the entire kingdom. No wonder Chief Klein was so respected among Sir George and the other knights. Thanks to his sword skills, he had won his bride in battle.

“Both Yuika and Sir Klein had already been deeply in love with each other at the time. They had met at the military academy and instantly fallen in love,” the elderly viscount expanded upon seeing our astonishment.

“So, winning at the Royal Tournament was the condition for their marriage?” Lady Maika asked excitedly.

“You could say that... Although, more accurately, it was to silence the young lady’s father, who was opposed to the engagement.” Viscount Sukuna glanced at Count Gentoh. “The count cherished his daughter very dearly. She was immensely beautiful, resourceful, and intelligent. The count boasted about her being Sacula’s jewel all the time.”

That was not hard to imagine given his earlier behavior. He must have been quite the doting parent. And since we were talking about a goddess here, I could sympathize with him.

“The young soldier, on the other hand, was the son of a remote village’s chief. The count raged by himself that he would never hand his daughter to a man like that.”

“By himself?” Lady Maika asked.

“Pretty much.” The viscount smiled. “The young soldier was widely recognized as a very talented person. His victory at the Royal Tournament cemented his status as an exceptionally gifted swordsman and put him beyond reproach.” His achievements were more than satisfactory. It all boiled down to Count Gentoh’s stubbornness. “I imagine the count had his own plans for his pride and joy. Paired with his paternal instincts, that led him to ignore the pleas of the soldier and his daughter. As a result, the young couple decided to rely on a victory at the Royal Tournament.”

Thus, their marriage ended up being the reward for the gold medal. And since the bride was not opposed to the wedding at all, even the overprotective count had to acknowledge their profound love for each other. As a loving father and high-ranking aristocrat, he swallowed his pride and reluctantly accepted their marriage. Makes sense.

“In other words, His Excellency thinks of Chief Klein as a bride thief who forcefully snatched away his beloved daughter,” I summarized.

“As a father, it seems that way no matter the groom, but the feeling must have been especially strong in this case.” As a father himself, the elderly viscount affirmed my statement with an expression of regret.

At the same time, Lady Maika, who could never have known what it felt like to be a father in that situation, was enamored with her parent’s anecdote. Her cheeks were flushed, and she let out a sigh.

“How wonderful... I envy them. I also want to be stolen away like that...”

I could feel her passionately looking at me, but I just forced a strained smile in return. It was pretty much impossible for me to “steal” Lady Maika away. While it may have sounded a bit pretentious to say so, the fact of the matter was that none of her relatives would have opposed us getting married in the first place. And if everyone was giving us their blessing, you could not really talk of “snatching.”

Incidentally, Lord Itsuki and Count Gentoh had still not returned to the main topic at hand. Although they probably considered complimenting their niece—or granddaughter, respectively—the main topic of the day. It reminded me of the first time we had met Lord Itsuki. Back then, he had also obsessed over Lady Maika.

Lady Maika, who had briefly pouted over the fact that I had ignored her hints, quickly noticed my concerns. One sigh later, our minds had synced. Using a hunting hand signal, she asked me whether she should “go for it.” My response was of course, “Yes, go for it!” The fact that this hand gesture was commonly used by hunters to announce an upcoming kill was pure coincidence. We aren’t planning a rebellion.

Lady Maika briskly approached her bizarrely euphoric uncle and grandfather. On the way there, she washed the look of exasperation off her face and replaced it with the cutest smile possible.

“Dear uncle and grandfather,” Lady Maika spoke in a deadly sweet voice, two tones higher than usual, “could you please stop talking amongst yourselves and include me too? I feel lonely being left out...”

Her uncle and her granddad obeyed her plea with a doting look on their faces. At that moment, it was decided who wielded the greatest power in the room.

“Now then, let us get to the reason why we are all gathered here today,” Count Gentoh proclaimed after collecting himself.

However, he no longer appeared as dignified as when he had first arrived here at a speed equal to first cosmic velocity. It would be at least another few hundred years before that majestic comet showed up again. It was a mistake to let him sit right next to Lady Maika in the first place—probably the worst possible condition for a serious talk.

Count Gentoh presented the topic: “The development of various new technologies in our region in recent years.”

All present fired themselves up and nodded with a serious expression.

“First, I’d like to express my gratitude toward the Territory Reform Promotion Office’s staff, who were in charge of the projects leading to all those accomplishments, and the acting count, Lord Itsuki, who vouched for the establishment of a new department to begin with. Excellent work from everyone.”

“I believe I speak for all my staff at the Promotion Office when I say that we are honored by your kind words, Your Excellency,” Lady Maika replied to our superior’s words of gratitude with a gentle, dignified smile.

Seeing his granddaughter’s elegant behavior, Count Gentoh’s solemn facial expression instantly reverted back to that of a fawning granddad. He probably could learn a thing or two from his grandchild. As could the uncle over there.

“Ahem. Right. Now, while I’m happy to see all those developments coming from our region, I also can’t deny that everything’s been happening a bit too fast. I didn’t really get the full picture by just reading your letters back in the capital, so I decided to hold this meeting.” Count Gentoh raised a cup of sake while speaking. “But it’s not like I want to scold you or anything. As I said earlier, let’s talk about Sacula’s future over some delicious food.”

Following the example of the good-humored, albeit slightly too casual, host, I also raised my cup. “Cheers to Sacula’s future!”

And thus, the Sacula region leaders’ conference was off to a lighthearted start.

“The biggest problem will be how to disseminate all the new technology. The soap recipe deal worked out quite well—it should be a blueprint for all future deals. That’s what we’re here to address,” Count Gentoh started the discussion after downing his cup.

At the same time, Lady Maika, who had known about today’s topic in advance, nodded along while stuffing her cheeks with chicken tsukune. “The Territory Reform Promotion Office was in fact thinking of sharing all our technologies currently in development pertaining to the manufacturing, agriculture, and construction industries.”

Lady Maika may have been speaking in a formal, polite manner, but she was also adhering to His Excellency’s earlier statement of discussing while eating delicious food. Like grandfather, like granddaughter. Let me reiterate, this is Sacula’s leadership summit.

“Oh, that’s quite the resolve,” Count Gentoh murmured while stroking his goatee. He seemed intrigued. Although he may have just simply been fawning over his granddaughter again. “However, isn’t that a little too generous?”

Lady Maika had stated that we were willing to give up all our secrets except military ones. Naturally, that sounded worrying to a politician. In fact, Lord Itsuki had also frowned upon hearing the proposal in advance. Now, Count Gentoh was expressing the same concerns as his son.

“Each one of the Territory Reform Promotion Office’s achievements is a big deal in its own right. They all have the potential to greatly contribute to the region’s development. So, while it wouldn’t be the end of the world, it would still be a shame to let it all fall into the hands of other territories. What do you say in that regard?” the count asked.

“Well, let me quote our head of planning,” Lady Maika replied and looked at me with a proud smile before her lovely lips repeated my words. “Our current technology is merely the foundation—the best is yet to come, so there is no need to be frugal. And the broader the foundations, the more room there is to expand upon them, building ever higher and faster.”

Lady Maika surveyed the room and gave a budding smile upon seeing her grandfather’s reaction. Count Gentoh was gazing at her in amazement, bent backward in his chair. He resembled a child who had just seen a meteor shower for the first time.

“I love this!” the middle-aged man finally said, smiling. “In the capital, I always looked forward to the Promotion Office’s letters the most. I should have anticipated this much considering how impressive it already sounded in writing.” He sat back up straight with a mischievous grin. “Looks like I’ve got a lot more to look forward to, and it’ll only get better!”

“Of course!” Lady Maika replied with a similarly cheeky grin. “As long as Ash is with us, we won’t have any time to get bored!”

“Wonderful! I feel glad to be alive from the bottom of my heart!” At that moment, the territory’s pride and joy, Noscula’s local specialty—me—had finally been officially acknowledged by the count. “Well? What exactly do you have planned for the future?” Count Gentoh asked while pitching forward with sparkling eyes.

“I’m afraid we can’t tell you any details here, father,” Lord Itsuki whispered while frowning. He glanced at the door, signaling that the hostesses outside the room were probably part of Viscount Sukuna’s renowned intelligence network.

Of course, that was in no way surprising. Anyone owning a classy resort like this would have made use of it to gather intelligence. When the leadership summit had started, the viscount had left of his own accord, but it was safe to assume that every word spoken inside this room would eventually reach the viscount’s ears.

“But Itsuki, you may be able to discuss it after going back, but that doesn’t apply to me. Can’t you do something?” the count asked.

“Easier said than done. We can’t underestimate Viscount Sukuna. You of all people should know that.”

Count Gentoh sank into a sullen silence upon hearing his son’s reply. Even from the brief interactions I had with the viscount so far, I could tell how skilled he was. Still, there was something that could be done.

“How about we make the viscount our ally?” I proposed.

“Our ally?” Lord Itsuki and Count Gentoh tilted their heads to the side in unison.

“As long as we consider Viscount Sukuna an outsider, we will have to discuss these matters in secret, but if he were our ally, we could just openly tell him.”

“You’re right, but he’s not from our territory,” Lord Itsuki groaned.

“But he is a human just like us.”

He was not a demon beyond reason. As such, there was merit in having a discussion and testing the waters to see whether he could become an ally. There was no need to consider everyone as hostile from the beginning.

However, it appeared that my classification had been too broad for the two politicians. Their mouths stood wide open in surprise. Only Lady Maika smilingly nodded along. I could see how it may have come across as a careless suggestion given that it concerned confidential matters of the territory.

“I do not think that Viscount Sukuna would become a problem. His region’s stability is proof that he knows how to properly handle confidential information.”

If he were bad at it, he would not have gone such a long time without incurring the enmity of a neighboring lord, causing his own downfall. He steadily used information to obtain an advantage all the while avoiding any losses. He had power and understood how to wield it. In that regard, he was an extremely reliable business partner. While he would surely try to haggle, he would not cross any lines either.

“I concur with Chief Maika’s earlier statement that we should share all our current technology with the other territories. Just think of the wealthy merchants who used to monopolize soap.”

At present, the wealthy merchants had been thrown into disarray by the news of emerging soap production from various regions. Begrudging people had sneaked up on them from behind, while their way forward was blocked by more people who had sworn revenge upon them. Until now, the upper-class merchants had been able to fend those people off by using their wealth as a shield and their influence as a weapon, but their authority had started waning now that soap, the source of their power, was also available from other suppliers.

Moreover, the new soap came in a variety of assortments and was much cheaper than the kind sold by the wealthier merchants, who had sat on their laurels and kept a fixed, high price due to their monopoly. It had even started casting a disquieting shadow on their sponsors. My condolences. This showed how a monopoly brought about a lot of disadvantages. The grudges sounded especially scary.

“I am not sure if a monopoly’s positives outweigh its negatives to warrant the necessary labor costs and financial expenditures. At the very least, I do not think so. If you have the budget and manpower available, you might as well distribute the technology more generously and gain cooperation in return.”

My view differed from that of the wealthy soap merchants. I had no intention of greedily hogging any technologies that were bound to eventually leak anyway while delaying civilizational growth and making enemies in the process. On the contrary, I wanted to gain others’ favor and increase my allies. Ultimately, incentives required less effort and provided more benefits than coercion, as I had previously proven with Lady Reina.

“And should we not use the opportunity to create powerful allies by giving influential people early access to our technology?”

A special perk limited to anyone becoming a member of our alliance. As long as they paid money, they would be given early access. I could see this offer tempting a lot of noblemen. Besides monetary, human, and material resources would also be more than welcome as payments. How does that sound? It’s my basic plan to enlarge my circle of kindness (and payoffs) beyond the Sacula region.

At first, Count Gentoh had seemed perplexed, but the more he listened to my explanation, the more serious interest he showed. “You’re really something else, Ash. From what you say, it does sound like the best course of action. Any potential losses may in fact be benefits if we consider that we can gain allies rather than enemies,” the count mused while stroking his goatee. He had a slightly mischievous expression on his face, like a little brat planning a prank. It looked more fitting than it should have—a bearded juvenile delinquent. “But I see there’s a little scoundrel hiding behind all that lavish hospitality. If whoever provides us with the most benefits will get access to the newest technology the fastest, that will surely lead to competition between our allies,” Count Gentoh pointed out.

“Oh, I had not thought about that. I was only basing my reasoning upon the principle of repaying kindness with kindness.”

Any big favors had to be repaid with a favor of equal value. It was not my intention at all to turn this into a bidding war—that would be a truly regrettable side effect. And no, my grinning doesn’t indicate an evil plot on my part at all.

“Very well, I like it,” Count Gentoh said. “I assume that you agreed to share the technology in advance, Itsuki?”

“Yes... Well, I couldn’t help but agree after hearing Ash’s explanation...”

“Ha ha ha, understandable! Come to think of it, you often mention proposals from the Promotion Office in your letters too!”

“I really got myself some reliable subordinates. Although we haven’t discussed with whom we would share the information. My heart almost stopped when you mentioned Viscount Sukuna,” Lord Itsuki joked.

“At the time, I did not really know any administrators from other regions, so I could not make a proper choice,” I responded.

“But now you’ve met one and made up your mind?”

“Yes, he seems like a great choice.”

Viscount Sakuna’s way of gathering and dealing with information was admirable. He had not just sought out the technology itself, but also the developer. I loved anyone who could appreciate the true value of things. Besides, it would be nice to always have a hot spring available for a little break.

“If possible, I would also like to talk to his successors and any other local authority figures,” I added.

While I was hesitant to say it out loud, Viscount Sukuna was quite old. I had to make sure that his successors and his entourage could be trusted just as much before I offered any big favors. Judging from my interactions with Lady Seire, who was currently working among the hostesses at this inn, the viscount appeared to be surrounded by equally enthusiastic people.

Count Gentoh was relieved upon hearing my concerns. “At first, it looked like a bold, careless move, but I see you’ve carefully considered the important points.”

“I am also a trained hunter after all. And hunters pride themselves on their prudence, which is mostly just a nicer term for cowardice.”

“You’re telling me that the hero who fought a werewolf one-on-one and subjugated eight treants is a coward?”

“Yes, indeed. Because if I die, I will not be able to finish my projects and achieve my dream.”

While I was willing to give my life for the revival of the ancient civilization, I was not ready to give up on my dream. I needed to be alive to chase after it. So, my life may not have been particularly valuable in and of itself, but it was extremely important for me to stay alive. I could not afford losing my life due to a careless mistake.

For some reason, Count Gentoh burst out into laughter echoing through the entire inn after hearing my logical conclusion. “What a delightful fellow! I’ve seen many reckless warriors prepared to die, but I’ve never seen a hero who values his life like this!”

Is that really so strange as to warrant laughter?

“I guess you’re looking at the world through a completely different lens than we do. Now I also understand why Arthur, who usually distrusts others, took a liking to you,” Count Gentoh stated and crossed his arms. He nodded at Lady Maika and subsequently at me too. “I would love to keep talking with you, Ash, but it’s probably better if we settle things with Viscount Sukuna first. One more thing to look forward to. Anyway, that should be all for today,” Count Gentoh concluded.

However, he didn’t officially break up the meeting. Reading between the lines, I left my seat of my own initiative. “I am sure you still have a lot of family matters to talk about, so I will take my leave.” I won’t be in the way of your private talks.

After taking a bow, Count Gentoh sent me off with a suggestive statement. “Sorry for making you leave early. Next time, you may join us.” For some reason, his friendly words were accompanied by a carnivorous smile.

“It will be my honor,” I replied and walked through the door.

Lady Seire, who had been waiting for me, showed me the way back to my room. We took a slight detour, most likely following the orders of Viscount Sukuna, who spontaneously joined us.

“Sir Fenix, may I talk to you for a moment?”

“Yes, of course. My duties have finished, so I am at your disposal. Do you want to talk privately?” I suggested, trying to fish for information.

However, the viscount stroked his beard and shook his head. “No, we can’t do that. It would only lead to misunderstanding with the count of Sacula if we talked privately. And he is scary when he’s angry,” Viscount Sukuna laughed.

“I see. Thank you for your consideration. So, what did you want to tell me?”

“I will officially inform His Excellency Count Sacula later, but since I ran into you, I thought I would let you know in advance.”

“About what?”

“I was thinking of organizing a dinner party with the house of Sukuna and the house of Sacula, including you, Sir Fenix.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful.”

It appeared that my earlier statement about “wanting to talk to his successors and any other local authority figures” had prompted him to organize a meeting. What a swift response.

While everyone was aware that the contents of our discussion had been leaked to the viscount, he could not have officially admitted to it. However, the dinner party secretly implied that the house of Sukuna was very much open toward joining forces with the house of Sacula. He had a good grip on things.

“Then I am looking forward to the dinner party. I have brought some alcohol, which we recently brewed in Sacula, and I would love to hear your opinion on it.”

After I had let him know that I heartily welcomed the proposal, Viscount Sukuna clapped his hands and gave a broad smile in response. “That’s wonderful! I will also prepare a feast for you.”

At once, the elderly viscount enthusiastically walked down the corridor with light steps to make preparations.

“The viscount is a very energetic person,” I commented to Lady Seire.

“This is the first time I’ve seen him enjoy himself this much. All thanks to you, Sir Fenix.” She bowed her head with a smile that revealed her love and respect for her grandfather.

Maika’s Perspective

“Now then, let’s discuss family affairs,” my grandfather merrily changed the subject after seeing Ash off. “We are still aristocrats, and while we aren’t perfect, we have always done our best to maintain peace in the Sacula region. So we should also think seriously about the family’s future.” My grandfather’s gaze fell upon my uncle, who grimaced as he realized he was about to be lectured. “Itsuki, despite your age, I’ve yet to hear anything about you getting married or having children.”

“First, Viscount Sukuna teases me, then Ash scolds me, and now you too! What kind of hot spring holiday is this?!”

“If you don’t want to hear anything, you should do something about it.”

“You didn’t remarry after mother died either!”

“Yes, I didn’t officially remarry, but I did have a mistress.”

Upon hearing my grandfather’s words, my uncle spat out his sake, which he had sipped seconds earlier with a bored look on his face. Strange how fast a person’s complexion could change.

“I-Is that true, father?! D-Do you have another child?! I thought you had assured me that there was no one else who could steal the right of succession from Maika!”

“I have another son.”

“What?!”

My uncle’s jaw dropped when he heard my grandfather nonchalantly admit to having another child. To be frank, he looked pretty stupid.

My grandfather grinned as he poured him another drink. “He’s called Arthur. You’ve met him. I heard you two brothers got along quite well.”

I see what’s going on. He’s talking about Arthur. Following various circumstances, Arthur was known as the child of my grandfather and his mistress.

After realizing that it was all just a joke, my uncle crumbled down in his chair. He held his face, which was covered in cold sweat. Slowly, his relief turned into anger.

“S-Stupid old man.”

“Oh, you’re entering your rebellious phase at this age? Ha ha ha,” my grandfather heartily laughed while my uncle reproachfully glared at him.

Ugh. Why was this exchange so representative of our family? My uncle was angry with my grandfather, yet when it came to George, he had behaved no differently.

“As your father, I would love for you to find happiness with someone...”

Upon hearing those words, my uncle calmed down a bit. Apparently he did feel bad for his lack of filial piety by not giving him a grandchild.

“But as a nobleman, it is also worrying that you lack a successor. So much so that even Yae, who is a priestess, seems like a viable candidate for the countship at this point. Luckily, I have a cute and brilliant granddaughter. You make me proud as the head of the family,” he declared with a gentle smile directed toward me, as if to say he was proud and happy as a grandfather.

Thank you. I’ll do my best so you can spoil your cute granddaughter.

“I saw Itsuki’s and Yuika’s recommendation letters. By the time Maika will succeed as count, Itsuki will be the head of the family. As such, I have no intention of objecting to his decision.”

I bowed my head in gratitude to his approval of my eventual accession as Sacula’s count.

“Which brings us to our next issue. Since she is the prospective future head of the family, we will have to arrange Maika’s marriage now. And since this matter falls under my responsibility as the current head of the family, I have to state my opinion.” I felt a tingling sensation. The subject had shifted to my relationship with Ash. “Therefore, I came all the way to this resort to examine Itsuki and Yuika’s number one candidate.”

It had been a long road until this moment. My mom and my uncle helped me pave the way in a lot of ways. For the sake of Ash, I had studied and worked hard, so that my uncle would acknowledge me as the potential future count of Sacula. Moreover, I had made sure to emphasize Ash’s achievements alongside mine. Now I just needed my grandfather, the current count, to acknowledge those achievements. Right here and now.

“But first, and above all, I want to know how you feel, Maika. I have read Itsuki’s and Yuika’s letters, but it’s important to me to hear what you have to say yourself.”

My uncle sent a teasing look toward my grandfather, as if to say, “You’ve learned from your past mistakes with my sister.”

Hey, we’re talking about my future here. Focus on me. When they noticed me pouting, both of them hurriedly sat up straight. I like these two. They’re easy to handle.

“Of course, I want to marry Ash. Anyone else is out of question,” I gave a straightforward answer.

After stroking his beard for a short while, my grandfather started grinning. “But aren’t there better candidates out there? In the capital alone, there are many more handsome men than him.”

“Huh?” I imagined this was a test. Did he really think so little of me? “Do I look like the kind of easy girl who would dedicate her entire life to someone just because he looked handsome?”

This was an outrage! My love wasn’t so readily on sale. Especially my current feelings, my first love, were extremely valuable and only sold for a high price.

“Can those good-looking men make an airplane fly in the skies? Create new occupations in their villages, recreate a soap recipe, popularize a once-taboo fertilizer, or save a village from the brink of extinction?”

And all while maintaining a smile and making their comrades laugh? Because that was the kind of man with whom I had fallen in love. The man I still loved after all this time.

“I don’t love Ash because of his looks.”

Well, I do love Ash’s face. And the fact that he’s got some unexpected muscles despite his slender figure! He has great posture too, and I love watching him sit down to read a book with his legs slightly crossed! Still, that was far from everything. If I were only attracted to his looks, he would not have stolen my heart on that fateful evening.

“He is chasing his dream, devoting every fiber of his being to make it come true. A dream that seems impossible to most people, and yet he is pursuing it, ready to get hurt and hurt others in the process. He’s come so far already. Is there really anyone else like Ash?”

No way. If there were that many others like him, people wouldn’t be looked down upon just because they were born a peasant. Hermes wouldn’t have had to suffer because of his dream. Ash wouldn’t be such a shining light. There was no one else like Ash.

“Grandfather, if at this stage you really think that Ash is just a slightly good-looking man, maybe you’ve lost the ability to judge people’s character!”

In that case, I would even say that he should retire as head of the family and give way to someone less vulnerable.

My grandfather seemed a little troubled when I glared back at him. “Looks like it will be Yuika all over again if I object. I just wanted to tease you a bit, but it appears that I angered you beyond imagination.”

“Maika is Yuika’s daughter after all. And she’s always telling me that she wants to become my successor for the sake of Ash. If we object to her marriage plans, we’ll end up losing our heads.”

In order to confirm my uncle’s statement, my grandfather’s gaze wandered toward me. I simply nodded. “Of course! There’s no point in becoming the count if Ash can’t be by my side!”

The current count barely resisted breaking out into laughter. “I would have loved to hear that as an outsider. This is more entertaining than any play shown in the royal capital. But alas, as Sacula’s count, I can’t openly laugh at my title being called worthless,” my grandfather grumbled.

At the same time, my uncle appeared slightly more comfortable, showing a wry smile. “You see? Maika’s love is the real deal. I’m honestly jealous of Ash. I hope you can see it the same way, father.”

“I absolutely do. It is the privilege of any man to experience the unconditional love of a woman. Ash must be the luckiest guy in the kingdom.”

The mood had become a little more relaxed. After all, this was just meant to be the final confirmation—the last step in a decision that had practically already been made.

Finally, my uncle asked the relevant question. “I feel like I already know the answer, but I’ll ask anyway. Father, what did you think of Ash?”

My uncle seemed convinced that Ash had left a positive impression, and so was I. When sending Ash off, my grandfather had said, “Next time you may join us.” In other words, he would no longer be considered an outsider at a family meeting.

“Well, I did tease you a bit earlier, but I didn’t mean to belittle him. Ash has been awarded a great many medals by our family. You chose the right guy, Maika. It will only benefit us to welcome him to the family. I’ll help you catch him in my capacity as the count of Sacula.”

“As expected from my father. I’m glad you don’t need any convincing.”

“I doubt there are many other men like him. He’s a hard worker, talks big but takes even bigger actions, and is very skilled on top of that. I want to watch his story unfold up close. I feel it’s one for the history books.” A complacent smile came over my grandfather’s stern face. Ash had done it again. He had won him over in no time. “Those are my thoughts, Maika. It looks like Viscount Sukuna has also set his eyes on Ash. You need to watch out! You have to snatch Ash and run! For your future as the count!”

“Father, are you telling Maika to forcefully steal away her groom?”

“Isn’t that the kind of person we’re dealing with?”

“Well, you’re not wrong...”

He really is that kind of person. He’s Ash after all!

Thus, all the preparations had been made.

What do you say, Ash? This was the best bouquet that my current self could arrange. Would Ash be happy about the right to share in the leadership of Sacula?

My whole body was shivering. Excitement and fear were swelling up inside of me. I felt uncertain. I didn’t know what the future held, but I knew that I wanted Ash in exchange for all my efforts.

I had always looked at his face in profile. I had observed it up close as he gazed straight ahead into the distance. As he was engrossed in his readings. Drafting up plans. Eating dinner. Talking to someone. Being serious, cute, cool, a little mischievous. I had seen a myriad of his profiles from all kinds of angles. I knew better than anyone else what he was looking at, what his goals were. As a result, I could stop him when he tried pushing himself too hard. I could keep up with him and follow him wherever he went. And recently, I had also finally become able to anticipate his next move. There was one thing I could say with certainty: I understood Ash better than anyone else did. Even so, I didn’t know if he would be satisfied with my offer.

Future count of Sacula—that was an honorable title. And yet it still wasn’t enough to help Ash achieve his larger-than-life dream. Even if I were the royal princess, it would have probably not been good enough. So, there was no point in getting hung up on this. I just had to compensate for any deficiencies with my own charms and experiences. As his childhood friend. As someone who had watched his profile all this time. I can compensate for it, right? I want to believe I can.

A shiver ran down my spine. My heart was shriveling, as if it had been squeezed by a large hand. I was scared. My fingers and toes were freezing. I never would have imagined that one day the thought of Ash would make me feel like this. My crush had never radiated any cold—he was shrouded in a warm, bright light.

However, things had changed. Looking back, those feelings had been immature adoration. The dreams of a young girl who had yearned to become a princess protected by a knight in shining armor. And while I still admired cute princesses, I had also resolved myself to fight shoulder to shoulder with Ash. Right by his side, I was going to support the red-haired boy who chased after a preposterous dream that could not even be realized with the resources of an entire kingdom. A knight standing next to a knight—comrades in arms, so to speak. I was no longer the girl who was afraid of the dark.

It was strange. How had things turned out this way? But it didn’t feel bad at all to realize that I had become more like the person whom I loved. After all, there was a saying, “Like husband, like wife.” Husband and wife! Yes, husband and wife!