Chapter 3 — Family Reunion

Part 14 — Good News

Now, we return to me, Sansui Shirokuro. After finishing the exhibition in the Batterabbe lands, we’re now making our way to the royal capital. Since our group has also been assigned to serve as a diplomatic delegation, we now need to report to His Majesty the King.

While the various treasures made with the Immortal Arts and given to us by my master had been effectively free, the value of the other gifts we had carried to Magyan and the cost of employing all the members of the delegation all added up to a substantial sum. Since the royal family shouldered part of that expense, it would be problematic if we forgot to pay our respects on our return.

Personally, I’d prefer to just pass by the capital and get back to the Sepaeda territories as soon as possible. Unlike Lady Douve, who got to travel with Tahlan, and Saiga, who was accompanied by Happine, Sunae, and Zuger, I still have Blois and Lain waiting for me at the Wynne family estate. It’s been over a year, and I really want to go and see them as soon as possible. I’m sure Blois, Lain, and the others feel the same way.

I’m no longer Lady Douve’s bodyguard, so I don’t actually have any official responsibility to accompany them to the capital, but I’m also not comfortable leaving my direct superior behind and going home without them. It would be nice if there was something that demanded my immediate attention, but unfortunately, I’m not that busy. Had any of my students caused problems while I was out of the kingdom, I might have had a plausible reason to hurry off to the Sepaeda territories, but fortunately, nothing of that sort had occurred, so there’s nothing urgent on my docket. Of course, it’s actually great that my students are approaching their jobs so seriously. It’s my own thinking that’s the real problem. I just need to wait a little longer and then I’ll have a lot of free time.

That thought gives me the strength to carry on a bit longer. I’ll see my family soon.

However, a single piece of good news quickly overturns those plans. Surprisingly, over the last year, Blois had been pregnant and had already given birth to our child.

“Father, Douve, Tahlan. I’ve been on pins and needles waiting for your return. I’m very glad to see you returned from the long journey looking so well,” His Brothership says, greeting us at the House Sepaeda estate near the capital. I expect him to say something to Lady Douve or Tahlan, but he looks in my direction instead.

“I’m sure there’s plenty to discuss, but first... There’s something I need to tell you, Sansui.”

His Brothership starts not by addressing his father, sister, or brother-in-law, but me, his subordinate. He’s not someone who usually opens a conversation this way, so all four of us are caught by surprise, even as his next words clear up the matter.

“After you left Arcana, we found out that Blois was pregnant.”

I suck in a breath of surprise. As I sat there in the carriage, trundling toward Magyan, Blois had been dealing with a serious development. It’s happy news, but pregnancy carries risks of complications and danger, so I’m also quite anxious.

“S-So... Is Blois all right?”

“I haven’t seen her in person, but I’m told she safely gave birth. Both mother and child are doing well.”

His Brothership’s words blast away my anxiety, and my profound relief supersedes any joy I might otherwise feel.

“I see... Both mother and child are doing well... I’m so glad to hear it.”

“Why can’t you look a little happier?”

However, Lady Douve seems to be extremely displeased about my reaction. I suppose she’s unhappy that I don’t look overjoyed. Tahlan and His Fathership, on the other hand, seem to empathize with me.

“Well, listen, Douve. It’s not my place to say it, but I think Sansui looks plenty happy.”

“Douve, Master Sansui is extremely happy. Surely you’re aware by now that he’s not the sort to make elaborate expressions of emotion.”

The two of them have placed themselves in the shoes of a man who has just found out about his wife’s pregnancy well after she’s already given birth. At the same time, Lady Douve is still unmoved by their words.

“You really are...a boring man.”

“My apologies.”

“I feel so bad for Blois and Lain... I’m not sure such a boring man should be a father. Don’t you agree, father?”

“Y-Yes.”

Please don’t use His Fathership and His Brothership as a baseline for comparison for my behavior. I mean, I agree that they are both, at a glance, extremely emotional, expressive, and interesting people, but even so.

“Blois is your wife and Lain is your daughter. But to me, the two of them are like my younger sisters. I can’t help but feel sorry for them that they’re stuck with such a terrible father,” Lady Douve says, expressing her exasperation. She truly pities Blois and Lain. Am I really that bad...?

“Sansui, I understand where you are coming from. It’s a common difference between men and women. Don’t let it bother you,” His Fathership says sympathetically. It’s as though he’s reflecting back on when he heard similar complaints in his own life.

“Well, yes, you do have a point on that difference, but that is exactly why it’s worth listening to. Master Sansui, as Douve says, women do think about how we react. Simple honesty isn’t enough to get your emotions across.” Meanwhile, Tahlan offers me advice. His insights are always really helpful. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that I’m older than him.

“True... I’m sure Blois has given up on various things, but Lain has many expectations of you, so try to be a little more thoughtful, mm?” With that, Lady Douve smiles gently and turns to look at His Brothership and His Fathership. “So... If I end up having Tahlan’s child...”

“What?!”

“You rogue! We haven’t conducted the ceremony in Arcana yet!”

I wish they would drop it already. Their reactions make me wonder why we even bothered to go all the way to Magyan.

“I hope to see a reaction that’s so over the top and different from your usual impassive expression that it seems exaggerated.”

“I see... Yes, that’s important. I’ll bear that in mind.”

“Yes, I look forward to it.”

Lady Douve and Tahlan’s interactions are lovely to watch. I suppose this is what a successful marriage looks like. Still, to want a reaction that’s so over the top it seems like an intentional exaggeration... Really?

“At any rate, just play the role of a happy fool. That’s how you show your commitment. Don’t pass it off as being too mature to give an emotional reaction like you usually do.”

Acting too mature to react... Is that really what I’ve been doing all this time? I mean, I appreciate Lady Douve’s words, but I’m not sure what she’s saying is actually all that applicable.

“So, Sansui. You can set aside your work and go to Blois’s side.”

“Are you certain?” I reflexively ask about His Brothership’s offer. It’s true that I’m practically ready to hop out of the door right now, but I wasn’t expecting him to go out of his way to give me permission.

“I have no intention of telling you to stay here after giving you news of your child’s birth. There’s nothing in particular that you need to do here, so of course I’m happy to send you back to your family.”

His words really are generous and I find myself tearing up.

“Oh, before you head to the Wynne family estate, stop by the main Sepaeda manor. I’ve had them prepare formal clothing for you, so pick it up before you head home. I doubt it’ll be much of a detour for you.”

“Formal clothing?” I ask with some trepidation.

“Yes. Show off a bit for Blois, Lain, and your new child.”

I really find it hard not to cry at his thoughtfulness. Seeing my expression, Lady Douve, His Fathership, and Tahlan all look quite pleased. I somehow manage to keep a level voice and respond as I’m enveloped by the affectionate warmth in the room. “You honor me more than I deserve. I shall accept your generous offer and return to the Sepaeda lands!”

I bow my head multiple times as I leave the estate. That done, I quickly dash off, leaving the capital far behind me. I’m going to meet my wife, my daughter, and my new baby. I feel my heart skip a beat inside my chest as I’m filled with an expectant joy I’ve never felt before.

Part 15 — Special Order

Having been relieved of duty for the time being, I’m traveling along the road from the capital to the main Sepaeda estate, using Feather Step to jump ahead. You might think that lightening my body with Feather Step would leave me vulnerable to getting blown off-course by the wind, but Immortals are in close harmony with the air, so I can ignore crosswinds and simply make use of the following wind. You can think of it as ignoring any air resistance and hopping along the road. Now, if I were to combine this with Quicken Self, I could travel much faster. However, unlike Feather Step, Quicken Self burns a lot of ki, so I’m refraining from using it for the time being.

The nice thing about being an Immortal is that I can ignore air resistance and run in a straight line toward my destination without worrying about things like terrain. Moreover, I can keep running constantly without rest. There are no negative effects from not eating or drinking, and if I want to, I can also go without sleep. I also don’t get lost while running at night, and I’m unaffected by wind, rain, and snow. Heat and cold aren’t a problem either. Lately, Saiga and Ran’s cheat abilities have tended to draw all the attention, but Immortals cheat plenty too.

Even as I’m thinking highly of myself and Immortals in general, I can’t quite get rid of the trepidation I’m feeling. I have to meet with a group of people who’ve had to deal with my cheats over the years. They’ve spent years thinking I was in my teens, only to find out I’m in my five-hundreds. I’m sure that made them throw their hands up in exasperation.

Thanks to my master’s teachings, my thoughts don’t affect my Immortal Arts or physical fighting abilities. Even so, I feel like my stride is a little heavier than usual.

I arrive at the main Sepaeda estate sooner than I expect because I’ve run the entire distance without any rest or sleep. At the estate, there are a lot of craftsmen who have taken care of me over the years. While House Sepaeda believes in fierce, constant competition, they do have professionals that they keep on retainer. Typically, they rotate them out every once in a while by holding contests and the like, but these individuals haven’t been moved in the last ten years or so. As such, the same craftsmen have been making all of my clothes and wooden swords for the last few years.

“Master Sansui, it’s good to see you again,” the middle-aged gentleman wearing a monocle says to me with an air of faintly irate formality. This is House Sepaeda’s chief tailor. Technically, I’m now a noble, and as such, I now outrank him. Still, that’s not enough to change his perception of me.

“Then, if we can begin... Can you please put on the formal suit for the wedding?”

“Y-Yes, of course...”

The clothes set out for me are a pair of white formal suits cut in the style of a military dress uniform. For some reason, each is different in size. Oh, I see, that’s in case I decide to take the Golden Balm before or not. I’m pretty sure I told them that my clothes also grow along with me when I use the Immortal Arts, but I guess this is a point of professional pride for him. I try on the smaller suit first, and he looks at me resentfully.

“Impressive. Perfect as always.”

“Yes, a perfect fit... Without a single change for over seven years... Not a single need for adjustment,” he observes with a touch of acerbity.

Well, yes, of course, since I’m an Immortal. Then again, I hadn’t told anyone that I was actually five hundred years old until Eckesachs revealed to everyone that Immortals don’t actually age. As such, the fact that my body measurements hadn’t changed in the slightest for the entire time he’s known me must have been a question that had eaten away at him over the years.

“Then can you please take the Golden Balm or whatever it is? After you take off the suit, of course.”

“O-Of course...”

“It makes such a mockery of us tailors,” the tailor says with indignation as he helps me undress. I can see a burning resentment in his eyes, clearly the result of me not having changed at all. “As you might be aware, clothing is something that is altered as an individual grows. I have crafted new clothing for both Lady Douve and Lady Blois as they grew older.”

“Y-Yes...”

“As a tailor, I often see my clients unclothed. So, I had suspected...for a long time...that there was something off about you. Yes, indeed!”

“I-I see...”

“How pointless it was for me to think of new patterns and designs for you to wear to go along with your growth!”

His rage is driven by the fact that his skills and care as a craftsman have been rather completely rejected as meaningless. As a swordsman, I can understand caring about the details of one’s craft. As I consider that, having stripped down to my underwear, I take the Golden Balm. My loincloth remains snug and perfectly adapted to my size as I grow into my adult size. That sight further irritates the tailor.

“What is it with you?! First, I find you don’t age at all! Then, I find out that when you grow, your clothing grows along with you! Are you mocking me and my craft?!”

“M-My apologies...”

Even in his rage, he manages to accurately measure my body. I’m sure he’s checking to see if anything has changed since my journey to Magyan. Nothing has, of course.

“I’m sure that from your perspective, having spent five hundred years training with your sword, I’m a mere child! I haven’t even lived a hundred years! But still, I’ve spent thirty years of my life working as a tailor! For the last seven years, I have been forced to make nothing but simple clothing, something even an amateur could make! I wasn’t able to make any changes or innovations! It was a direct challenge to my pride as a tailor!”

“M-My apologies.”

He dresses me even as he rants. Yes, it all fits perfectly.

“I have pride as House Sepaeda’s on-call tailor! I’m one of the three best tailors in all of Arcana! My skills are enough to deal with any order that comes my way! And yet...to be told to make such simple clothing... They really did make me question my whole vocation as a tailor!”

I’m sorry, but can you please say that to His Brothership, His Fathership, and Lady Douve instead of me? The reason I continue to wear that simple clothing isn’t by my own choice. It’s House Sepaeda’s policy. Though, okay, the part about growing and the like is my fault.

Having picked up my formal clothing, I then make my way to House Sepaeda’s chief swordsmith. He’s the craftsman who makes Blois’s rapiers and my wooden swords, and he’s done a good deal of work for me over the years.

“So, listen...Master Sansui. I’m proud of the swords I make.”

Like the tailor, the swordsmith is himself now on a bit of a rant.

“I-I see...”

“I clawed my way to the top among the sea of swordsmiths that serve House Sepaeda. I have always been proud of the fact that the elites of House Sepaeda, the great martial house, use the swords I make.”

“Y-Yes... I think that’s very impressive.”

The swordsmith’s hand balls up into a fist as he talks. He looks about ready to punch me.

“I’m choosy about who gets to buy my swords. After all, I’m House Sepaeda’s swordsmith. I make the best swords in the kingdom. I don’t want anyone short of a royal guardsman or a paladin using them. No, I won’t let anyone short of the most elite use anything I make.”

“I-I see...”

“Great swords are for great swordsmen. Even the greatest sword is useless in unskilled hands... But I...! But I...!”

He, like the tailor, looks really resentful.

“I only end up making wooden swords for the kingdom’s greatest swordsman! What the hell is that all about?!”

“I-I’m sorry!”

“What pisses me off is that you really are the best in the kingdom, whether you’re using a wooden sword, a bludgeon, a sword you grabbed from your enemy, a rusty sword, or whatever! You use them all perfectly! Just what the hell do you think us weaponsmiths are here for?!”

He goes on a rant that reminds me of something Eckesachs was saying. True, I don’t really care about what sword I’m using. I don’t even need it to be a wooden sword; I can just use a random stick.

“It was seven years ago! I was told to bring not just Lady Blois’s rapier, but wooden swords and a bunch of other swords to the Sepaeda estate! That’s when I first met you, you bastard!”

He grabs me by the collar as he swears at me. But, but, I’m a noble...

“You remember that, right?! The old Lord Sepaeda gathered a hundred soldiers who were condemned to death by military tribunal and had you test swords on them! He ordered you to use the swords as roughly as possible, remember?! I was there too!”

“Y-Yes! I remember!”

“I was going to stop you from swinging the sword you picked up because the grip hadn’t been designed for a brat like you! Imagine my surprise when I see you kill the first ten men with a sword you were wielding for the first time! A brat younger than my own son, slaughtering ten trained soldiers using a sword he’d just picked up for the first time! I still remember the sheer power of your bladework!”

“Y-Yes...”

“You kept wielding it effectively even when you crushed a skull through a helmet and broke it in half! You adjusted to the shorter length and kept killing them! You left the old lord and me just staring in shock... You could use any sword effectively, regardless of whether it was chipped or broken, because you just accounted for the damage. It was amazing to watch the condemned soldiers go from cocky and mocking to pale and terrified.”

Oh, right, I remember that... Moreover, I remember reading a novel with a main character who’d talk frankly like this regardless of whom he was dealing with. I let my thoughts wander in that direction as this energetic craftsman rants in front of me. I understand what he’s feeling, but...well, there’s not a lot to be done about it.

“The ultimate swordsman, who can use any sword, however big and heavy, or small and light. I thought hard about what sort of sword to make for you after seeing you fight...”

“I-I really appreciate the great wooden swords you provide me with...”

“You son of a bitch!”

Sure, a cunning mason can work with any stone, but he’ll still dream of marble while he’s carving granite. I guess I’ve grown the same kind of frustration in the swordsmith.

“No, no, they’re much better-crafted than the ones that I make... I’ve spent five hundred years making wooden swords, but I haven’t gotten any better... So, I’m always impressed...”

“Are you mocking me, dammit?! Blast it all! You! You and your master! You don’t really care, do you?!” He shakes me back and forth. He’s really scaring me. “I saw the swords your master made! They were actually pretty decent swords! Even though they’re made of stone!”

“Yeah, I was surprised too. I didn’t know my master had that sort of skill...”

“Your master! Can make decent swords! And yet only! Taught you how to make half-assed wooden swords! That’s exactly what I mean about making a mockery of craftsmen!”

Well, to summarize, my master’s progression went from “Noble treasure swords are strong,” to “I’ll go learn how to make them myself,” then to “Since the swords I make break quickly, I want one that won’t break,” followed by “I got Eckesachs!” Then, after that, “Relying on Eckesachs is making me weaker,” and thus concluding with “You know, a stick is good enough to kill people, isn’t it?”

As such, he never really had any reason to teach me how to make a sword properly. It seems the swordsmith understands this, which is part of why he’s so angry.

“If you’re the strongest swordsman, at least care a bit more about what tools you’re using!”

“I-I-I am! The wooden swords you make are of a much greater quality than...”

“Of course I make them with as much effort and care as possible! Do you understand how I feel? How I poured my heart and soul, my thoughts and experience, into crafting swords that I care for like my own children... Then you come by and tell me you would prefer just to use a wooden sword! Do you know how angry and frustrated I was when I heard that?! What the hell are swordsmiths even for?!”

“Th-There are times I need to stop people without killing them... So, the wooden swords are more...”

“Do you understand how I feel when a patron comes in and asks for the same sword that the most powerful swordsman wields?! Do you have...any idea... What. It. Feels. Like?! To have to point them over at the wooden swords?! You couldn’t possibly understand, could you?!”

I suppose this is part of wanting to become the strongest: looking up to the most powerful swordsman and trying to copy them in appearance in order to get a little bit closer to them. Since I’m copying my master, I can understand what that’s like. The problem for everyone involved is that the most powerful swordsman in this kingdom is a boy who wields a simple wooden sword.

“Do you know how disappointed they look when I point to the wooden swords?! Do you know how many times that’s happened?! Well?!”

My master and I have mastered the “sword” to such an extent that we have no preferences when it comes to swords as actual physical objects. Since we have Ki Blade and Leaden Step, we don’t even need it to be a wooden sword. You know, I once showed off to Saiga and lectured him about what it meant to really use a sword, but...it seems that sort of thing is an unforgivable insult to this swordsmith.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

“You’ve finally...FINALLY! Ordered a proper sword, you son of a bitch! Why couldn’t you have done it years ago?! Or rather, do it from the very start!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

“I’ve made a combat-worthy sword to go along with the ceremonial sword! Make sure you use it, you bastard!”

At this particular moment, this swordsmith is the very model of a “Light Novel Protagonist (Technology Skill Type).”

Part 16 — Surplice

It’s a common trope in comedy that someone dresses up in really nice clothes for a date only to end up getting them all dirty through a series of random accidents. Since this actually does happen in real life and that experience is something people at every level of society can identify with, it’s a trope that happens in this world too. Yes, it even applies to me.

I’ve finally acquired the clothes I wanted, in the local style, and I also have a ceremonial sword to wear with it. I’m sure my wife and daughter will be pleased to see me in that outfit, but I don’t make the fatal mistake of wearing it on my journey to the Wynne family estate. Instead, I take the formal suit off and put my kimono back on as I make my way from the Sepaeda estate to the Wynne estate.

Of course, I’m carrying the formal suit and ceremonial sword in a waterproof pack. In this outfit, thinking about it, I really look like a teenage peasant wearing a really simple outfit. Yes, my robes are made of pretty fine cloth, but it’s not enough to offset just how simple my attire is. For that boy to be running around with a bundle filled with expensive clothes and a ceremonial sword... Well, the kind of person I most resemble is a thief running with his booty. Still, this is a necessary evil to avoid the wrath of the trope.

Besides, I’m running at high speed, so it’d be hard for anyone to catch me. Furthermore, I’m currently in Sepaeda territory, which is basically my homeland. If someone saw a black-haired boy clearly using a Rare Art to move quickly, I’m pretty sure they would just accept that it’s the Young Sword Apostle running around. Even if I was to be stopped at a roadside checkpoint, His Fathership has given me a free travel pass, so it wouldn’t be a problem in the slightest.

It’s a bit of an exaggeration to say that I can act as arrogantly in these lands as Happine does in the Batterabbe lands, but...I do have a fair bit of leeway here in Sepaeda. Although I’d been in the capital lately, I’d spent about five years here in Sepaeda, so I’m pretty well known.

“Ahh, I can finally see the Wynne estate.”

Since I can already detect Blois and Lain’s presence, I could simply use a single Flash Step to arrive at the front gate of the estate. Unfortunately, I’m currently dressed in my kimono and have my wooden sword on my hip. I may not be wearing a laurel wreath or be decked in honors, but I do have a nice formal outfit now. If I’m honest, there’s a part of me that wants to show it off, so I decide to look for a spot to change.

I make my way to a nearby stream to wash. Since I’m an Immortal, I don’t really emit much in the way of bodily fluids or waste, but given that I’ve been running all the way from the capital, I’m a bit dusty. Once I finish washing off, I take a Golden Balm and begin dressing. Honestly, I’m not really someone who cares a whole lot about my appearance, but having a nice set of formal clothes made just for me is kind of exciting.

When I was living with my master, I needed to make my own clothes, so I was fine with the simple kimono. However, when I started living in Arcana, a medieval European-esque culture, I definitely felt a bit isolated being dressed as I was, like some pauper from medieval Japan. I understand why Lady Douve, His Fathership, and His Brothership like dressing me in a distinct outfit to show off the fact that they have a foreign Rare Art user in their service. Still, when I think about it that way, it really isn’t fair that Saiga gets to dress normally and I don’t...

“Tsk, tsk. I’m still immature.”

I take a moment to check on my appearance. The clothing is cut in a military style and the sword on my hip is fancy and decorated as a ceremonial piece. I’m also in my adult form after taking the Golden Balm. Now that I’m prepared, I take a moment to practice a few lines.

Being properly dressed, I then make my way to the front entrance of the Wynne estate. Since the Wynnes are nobles, there are guards positioned at the gate. However, this is my wife’s family home and I’m properly dressed, so I decide to go speak to the guards to let me in. I let myself think briefly that they might flatter me about my new outfit, but their reaction is completely different from what I’m expecting.

“Hello, thank you for your hard—”

“Hold it! Who the heck are you?”

“You look pretty properly dressed, but...we hadn’t received any word that someone like you was coming!”

I am stunned into silence. They shoot me down the very moment I call over to them. It seems the guards simply don’t recognize me.

“Ahem, I’m...”

“I don’t know who you are, but this is the Wynne family estate! Don’t think you can get in without an appointment!”

“That’s right, that’s right! This is a house connected to Lord Sansui Shirokuro, House Sepaeda’s First Swordsman and Supreme Combat Instructor!”

Sorry, that’s me. Yeah, I suppose this makes sense. Thinking about it, they can’t tell it’s me at a glance, and I hadn’t actually sent any messages ahead. If the guards were to just let me through without identification, they would be completely neglecting their duties.

“I’ll come back later,” I say after I recover my wits.

“Don’t show your face again!”

“Not if you don’t want to face the strength of House Sepaeda and its ace!”

Like I said, that’s me. Still, it’s pointless to argue, so I retreat from the gate for the moment. I mean, if I wanted to, I could easily put the guards down. Really, there’s no need for me to actually step through the gate. I could just float over it.

I’m technically a noble now, though, so I can’t really just ignore the guards. They’re just doing their jobs at my wife’s family estate. Still, I can’t help but be hurt by their reaction.

At any rate, I need to restart this. I return to the spot where I changed earlier, wait for the Golden Balm technique to wear off, put my kimono on, and then hang my wooden sword from my sash. Now, no matter who looks, they’ll be able to recognize me. I end up having to put the formal suit back into the bundle; since the ceremonial sword doesn’t match my kimono, I put it away as well. There’s something a little humiliating about all this, but they can’t mistake me for anyone else now. With all that done, I make my way back to the Wynne family estate.

“Pardon me, my name is Sansui Shirokuro...”

“Oh! Lord Sansui!”

“Welcome back!”

Back in my usual clothes, the guards at the gate recognize me instantly. I mean, this is completely understandable, but I can’t help but feel a bit conflicted about the outcome. I have to wonder whether it’s right that everyone’s popular conception of me is as a poorly-dressed boy with a wooden sword. Still, it’s not like there are that many men who are dressed like me with black hair and black eyes. I think there was some story about the opposite, where they couldn’t tell that Ikkyu was the real priest because he was so nondescript, but I suppose I shouldn’t get too deep into that rabbit hole.

“Are you aware of Lady Blois?”

“Or, rather, Lady Shirokuro...”

“Y-Yes. I’ve heard both mother and child are doing well.”

“Yes. His Lordship is also overjoyed!”

“And Miss Lain is taking good care of her sister!”

It seems they’re happy to see me. Still...there’s a feeling I can’t describe, something about all this that’s hard to accept. I suppose Ikkyu felt the same way... However, it’d be a bit too cruel to look proudly at them and reveal that they had chased me off earlier. It’s not like they tried to hurt me or anything...

“I’m sure you’re tired from your long trip from Magyan!”

“Please, come on inside! We’ll go ahead and inform the estate, so please take your time.”

Since they seem to sincerely respect and admire me, I can’t really say anything to them about the earlier incident. But why do I have to feel this way? All I wanted to do was dress up a little and return to my wife’s family home in style. It may not be showing in my expression, but this feeling itself is a sign of my own immaturity.

It’s no one’s fault... Yes, no one is at fault. Not the tailor, not the swordsmith, not the guards. None of them are at fault.

“Th-Then I’ll be on my way...”

And so I end up heading to the room where Blois and Lain are waiting in my usual clothes. I thought about stopping to change, but one of the guards had decided to come with me. In fact, he’s holding the package with my formal suit and ceremonial sword for me. This is what they mean when they say a small kindness can cause a much bigger mess...

When I enter the room, I see a clear look of disappointment on both Blois’s and Lain’s faces. As expected, they were hoping that I’d look different from usual. I’m sorry to disappoint them, but I make excuses internally that I tried my best.

Blois has a bit of resignation to her, as though to say “I suppose I should expect this of Sansui,” but Lain, who is a fair bit bigger than when I left, is clearly displeased at my appearance.

“Hey! Papa! Why did you come back dressed like that?! We know they had really nice clothes for you ready at Lady Douve’s house!”

“L-Lain... I mean, all Sansui’s done is come home in his usual outfit... Ahem, yes... Sansui, I’m not disappointed at all.”

“That’s not true! Mama Blois was looking forward to seeing you in a suit too!”

“Well, yes... At the very least, I’d hoped you’d at least take the Golden Balm before coming over...”

“You really are insensitive, papa!”

My daughter, whom I’ve just now seen for the first time in over a year, holds nothing back. The criticism hurts... I guess this is what they mean by a “rebellious phase”...

I remain silent. I think an apology from me will settle everything. I mean, part of me can’t quite accept that, but it’s not like anyone is actually at fault...

“Y-Yeah. I’m sorry, both of you...”

I’m the only one who knows everything that happened, so if I stay quiet, it can all just be my fault. I’m the oldest here...and it’s not like I want to lecture anybody... But you know, I’m a little annoyed that the guard who’s carrying my package behind me is looking at the scene like he’s watching a heartwarming family reunion.

“Come on now, Lain... It looks like he has some souvenirs...”

“I didn’t want souvenirs! I wanted Papa to be dressed up!”

“Don’t say that... Here, let me have that.”

Anyway, Blois takes the package from the guard.

“S-So, what’s in here...?”

“I don’t care!”

“Hm? Clothes and swords?”

Oh dear, she’s opened it up in front of the guard. The guard looks at the contents and tilts his head quizzically. Yes, those are the clothes that the suspicious figure he chased off earlier was wearing...

“Th-Those...are the clothes I’m going to wear at the wedding... They’re not souvenirs or anything. I’m sorry.”

“N-No, don’t worry about it. I see, so you can wear clothes like...”

“Why didn’t you wear that when you came home?!”

Blois looks a little happy about the prospect, but the color has completely drained from the guard’s face. What should I do? The fact that the guard is here has completely ruined my attempt to keep the truth quiet...

“S-Sorry... But you know, I can’t really risk them getting dirty, right?”

“Whatever! Go put it on!”

After I take the Golden Balm and put the formal suit and ceremonial sword on, Blois and Lain proceed to welcome me with open arms. For myself, I can’t help but look over at the guard who carried my luggage here. He looks about ready to hang himself.

What should I do? He didn’t do anything wrong... How did it end up like this? I guess it’s just a bad thing to try to change my appearance. At least, that’s the lesson I’m going to take from this.

Part 17 — First Meeting

“I see... Why didn’t you just say so?”

“No, no... I have no interest in being pushy...”

Blois was curious why the guard’s face was so pale, so I ended up having to explain what happened. As Blois says, maybe I should have just said outright that I was Sansui Shirokuro and that I was transformed. Personally, I don’t think that would have worked. I mean, I actually know full well they wouldn’t have believed me...

“I mean, you and Lain know that I can grow using the Golden Balm, and since you know my face well, you can tell who I am even when I’m grown up, but... Well, do you think your family’s guards know me that well?”

Since this world doesn’t have photographs, the only way to record a person’s face is with something like a portrait. Further, it’s not as though the guards at the Wynne family estate have ever taken a close look at my portrait. Since they only know me in my teenage state, if they saw me with another five or six years added on, I don’t think they would have ever recognized me as Blois’s husband. I mean, really, it’d actually be scarier if a simple gate guard at the Wynne estate knew everything about me: that I’m an ageless Immortal, that I can grow using the Golden Balm, and that I have new formal clothes for a wedding ceremony.

“Besides, there would be no end to it if someone claimed they had transformed using a Rare Art.”

“I suppose that’s true... That does let anyone make outrageous claims.”

Or rather, if I end up being pushy and argumentative, I’ll just interrupt the work of the guards, which would cause problems for the Wynne family too. I mean, my body returns to normal when the Golden Balm wears off, which is why I decided to retreat in the first place...

Thinking more carefully about events, I think my assumption that they’d just let me through after taking the Golden Balm was a mistake. As His Fathership, His Brothership, and Lady Douve intended, everyone recognizes me as the boy in a kimono with a wooden sword. And in this world, without a conscious effort to get people to know you by reputation, it’s hard to get them to remember what you look like.

“The best thing to do would have been to get in through the gate in my normal state, then take the Golden Balm and change into the suit. I mean, then I could’ve gone and seen the two of you.”

“True... Do that from now on.”

I guess the thought of seeing Blois and Lain again after so long made me a little giddy and careless. It was complete immaturity on my part. I still need more training. That said, I’m pretty sure my own master can’t really handle this sort of thing properly either. I doubt I’ll be able to solve the problem with more sword training or more experience with the Immortal Arts.

“Who cares about that?!” Lain, who’s still in quite a state of agitation, complains even as Blois and I reflect on my mistakes. I mean, true, she’s probably right, but since Blois and I worked together for so long, whenever there’s a problem, we end up trying to talk it out in order to find a solution. I guess that’s part of the reason why Blois and I aren’t very interesting to Lady Douve.

“That’s true... Ah, well, Sansui... Welcome home.”

“Yeah, I’m glad to be home.”

Oh, wait! No, I can’t just return that greeting like that. Tahlan went to the trouble of giving me advice and I need to follow it or Lain’s going to yell at me again.

“Ahem... Ahem, Blois.”

“Wh-What is it?”

“I’m really happy to see you after so long... I missed you so much.”

“O-Ohhh...!”

Dressed in my formal suit, I embrace Blois, who is dressed like a proper noble lady. Blois is sitting in a chair, so I make her float with Feather Step before pulling her to me. Blois’s reaction is so shy, really, it doesn’t seem all that different from before her pregnancy...

Well, she looks like she’s happy and she’s embracing me back, so I think it’s all working out well. Besides, Lain looks really pleased.

“Y-Yes...yes...sniff...sniff...”

“I’m glad to see you looking so well...”

“Th-Thanks... I’m also...happy to see you’re all right...”

Yeah, we’ve been apart for over a year. I had been off on a long journey to a distant land as a bodyguard while Blois dealt with the hard work of being pregnant. It wouldn’t have been that big of a deal in my old homeland, but we’d had no contact at all, whether by voice or by letter, over the last year.

Blois is crying as she holds me, and Lain is crying as she sits primly in her chair. Yeah, I get it... It’s understandable that they’re both crying. For better or for worse, I’m ready to die at any moment, so my emotions aren’t as prone to swings as theirs are, but even then, I can understand what they’re feeling. Yes, I’m really glad they’re both doing well.

“Right now, Lady Douve and His Fathership... Er, hang on... Lady Magyan and the Lord Emeritus...are at the capital. I ran ahead of them back to Sepaeda, and...they told me to take my time and enjoy some time with my family.”

“I see... I’m grateful for that.”

Blois straightens in her chair and wipes her tears. As a martial house, House Sepaeda requires that its retainers undertake hard missions, but they’re also good about rewarding us when we’re done with those missions. Having time to spend with my family is probably the best reward they could have given me.

“Hey, hey, papa. Are you going to wear those clothes and be a grown-up for the wedding ceremony with Mama Blois?”

“This is the outfit I’m supposed to wear at the ceremony for Lady Douve and the others, but that’s probably what will end up happening... I’m sure they’ll let me show off a little at my own wedding.”

“G-Good... I’m so glad... I was honestly worried... Without the Golden Balm, I’m taller than you...”

“That’s right... You’ve both grown so much...”

It has been almost seven years since I hopped over the carriage with Lady Douve and Blois on it while carrying Lain in my arms. I suppose it really is true that life passes by in the blink of an eye. Not that my life ever actually blinks, I guess.

“No, you’ve grown too, papa! I’m so proud of you, papa!”

“Yes, you’ve gotten bigger, Sansui.”

“Well, this is all due to medicine...”

Can you really call it growth when I’m only in adult form because of the Golden Balm that my master made with the Immortal Arts? There’s no getting around the fact that it’s just doping. Should I really be happy about people praising the growth that I acquired through doping?

“Anyway, it seems our wedding is going to be held in Sepaeda. That means all the details are going to be handled by the Wynne family.”

“True... Father says that’ll be his last big responsibility as Lord Wynne. After that, Hetter will inherit the title.”

“Okay... I’m looking forward to Lady Douve’s wedding!”

I still remember Lady Douve as a child, and part of me still thinks of her as one, but she’s getting married... I guess life really does go by in an instant.

“So, how was Lady Douve? Did the king of Magyan say anything to her...?”

“Prince Tahlan’s father gave his blessing to the union. Unfortunately, Tahlan also ended up pretty much needing to cut ties with his mother.”

I don’t go into specifics, but the pair seem to read between the lines. It’s not really much of a surprise that Tahlan’s mother objected to such a perfect prince marrying into a foreign land’s noble family, or that she stubbornly wanted to keep him in Magyan. Still, I doubt either of them thinks that Sukreen, Tahlan and Sunae’s mother, was willing to go as far as to plan a rebellion.

“I see... Well, they’re royals. Such things happen. So, did Lady Douve seem bored on the journey?”

“Well, Prince Tahlan was with her, so...she seemed to really be enjoying herself, even during the six-month carriage journey.”

“Prince Tahlan really is remarkable...”

“Yeah, amazing...”

Blois, Lain, and I are all well acquainted with Lady Douve’s impatience and dislike of boredom. Even when we traveled within Arcana, she proposed getting attacked by bandits because she was bored. I suppose part of that is because Blois and I were boring bodyguards, at least by her standards, but even then, it was quite a feat to have kept her entertained for a journey that took a whole year.

“That, and on the way back, there was still the afterglow of the wedding ceremony they held in Magyan. Both of them were really enjoying the feeling of being newlyweds. So, what about you two? Weren’t you bored just waiting out here?”

“Well, your students, the ones working as instructors in Sepaeda, came to visit pretty regularly. That, and Master Suiboku would occasionally look in to check up on me. I honestly didn’t feel all that much boredom.”

I’m sure my students all came from relatively close by, but wow, my master really is traveling all over the place now. Maybe he’s actually enjoying interacting with the mortal world for the first time in ages. After all, he did spend fifteen hundred years in that forest. Thinking back on it, that would mean my first conversation with him, five hundred years ago, would have been the first conversation he’d had in over a thousand years, so...

“Everyone was really nice, papa!”

“It’s all thanks to your character... I really do have a wonderful husband. I didn’t have much in the way of connections, myself...”

“Don’t say that, Blois. You did your duty, you protected your family, and you protected Lady Douve from harm for all those years.”

Since Blois and I had been Lady Douve’s only bodyguards, Blois hadn’t been able to make friends or get to know anyone else through her work. There’s no helping that she doesn’t have a particularly wide social circle.

“Oh, that reminds me, Mama Blois’s teacher came to visit.”

“Yeah, he was grumbling about you. Only when Lain was out of earshot, though.”

“Your teacher...? Oh, ah... The top swordsman from before I came along, right?”

Obviously, Blois has a teacher who taught her swordsmanship and magic. Since she had been tasked with protecting the daughter of House Sepaeda, her teacher was House Sepaeda’s best swordsman, naturally. He had been pretty old already when I first met him, but even at his age, he was at least equal to the Royal Guardsmen in strength.

“Yes, that’s the one. The one you beat in a match and then dismissed after he begged to receive instruction from you.”

“Oh, I didn’t know about that...”

“Well, you were still really little, Lain... But it really was a shock to me at the time.”

Blois’s teacher really was strong. His magic and his rapier skills were both first-rate. Then again... Seven years ago, my Flash Step and swordsmanship were already at my master’s level, so there was no way I was going to lose.

“Can you imagine it, Lain...? The great teacher who had raised me and made me strong, the person I probably admired most in the world? Can you imagine how I felt when that teacher lost to Sansui, who didn’t look much older than me, and then the teacher kowtowed to him and begged for instruction?”

“Papa, that’s awful!”

Not to toot my own horn, but unlike Saiga, who’s shown a great deal of growth lately, I was already so skilled that my master told me before I left the forest that I would be strong enough to claim to be the greatest in the land. There was no way I was going to lose to anyone other than Fukei or Pandora’s perfect wielder, but...since Blois didn’t know how old I was at the time, well... She got really upset after that little incident happened.

“You rejected my teacher’s plea for instruction because you said your master hadn’t given you permission to take on apprentices. My teacher had to take you at your word and give up, but then you suddenly started taking random thugs from around the land as your students. Well, you can see why he was really angry. Evidently, Master Suiboku gave him some instruction afterward to make up for it, but...”

Wow, my master really is doing a lot of things... Maybe he’s actually got nothing else to do? Anyway, this conversation really makes me feel like I’ve come home. It really makes me feel...relaxed, or safe, something like that...

We sit in a companionable and pleasant silence. However, Blois and Lain look as though there’s something they’ve forgotten that’s bothering them.

“What is it?”

“It just feels...”

“I don’t know. Like...we’re forgetting something.”

“The baby?”

I check with the two about what I detected earlier, the small presence inside the estate. It prompts a quick response from both.

“That’s right! Papa and Mama Blois’s baby! I completely forgot!”

“Oh dear, we had that whole incident with the guard, so...I ended up putting it off...”

Wait, what? I’d been looking forward to this for a while... Well, I guess I can understand Blois’s reaction. After all, her husband, who had been away for over a year, came home and immediately ended up causing trouble because he was trying to be tactful. It’s understandable that dealing with that threw all other potential considerations out the window.

“I’m sorry, I was a bit caught up in the joy of suddenly seeing you again.”

Maybe I should have sent a message ahead to let them know I was coming. Actually, yes, I should have done the normal thing and sent a message two or three days ago, and then come back riding in a House Sepaeda carriage. The guards would have let me through the gates without any problems at that point, while Blois and Lain probably would have welcomed me with the baby in their arms.

I mean, I did what I did driven by a desire to be home as quickly as possible, but I guess haste really does make waste. Most things work better when you just do the normal thing. Tahlan mentioned that Master Suiboku’s teachings apply just as much to relationships between men and women, and I guess this is probably what he meant. Just putting on the appearance of propriety with the clothes and the Golden Balm isn’t enough to have things go smoothly.

“We can spend a little more time talking if you want...”

“No, no, go and see her. As soon as possible!”

“That’s right, papa! Go show her your face! You’re her papa!”

That’s right, I’m a papa now that my child has been born. Wait, no, I’ve been a papa since I adopted Lain, I guess.

So, I’m finally going to meet my own child in person. Wait, no, that makes it sound like Lain isn’t my daughter. Let’s just rephrase that: I’m going to meet the baby. At any rate, I go and lay eyes on the baby for the first time. She’s a few months old, old enough that I can distinguish her facial features. Well, that makes sense. It took me a year to get to and from Magyan, and I spent about six months there, so if she was born ten months after I left, she’d be about eight months old now. So, yes, that explains why she’s so big.

“I hate to phrase it like this but...she doesn’t look anything like you... And since she has mana, there really isn’t anything to prove that she’s yours...” Blois says worriedly, and I can understand why she’s a little nervous. For the mother, she can prove it’s her child because she gave birth to it, but that’s not true for the father. Meaning, Blois is afraid that...people might suspect she was unfaithful while I was away.

Now, we can prove that we’re related using Dainsleif, but... Well, I have no intention of doing anything of the sort. Even I, with my relative lack of social skills, know what I’m supposed to say right here. Yes, I shouldn’t lie and say, “No, no, she looks just like me,” and obviously, “Don’t worry about that,” is completely out of the question. I’ve known Blois for a long time, so I know what I need to say at this moment.

“Blois... I’m sure giving birth for the first time was hard. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.”

“Sansui...”

“Thank you for giving birth to such a healthy girl. I’m really happy.”

“Sniff...”

She ends up crying again, but not in a bad way. I embrace her as she sheds tears of relief.

“Yeah, she really does look just like you, Blois.”

She’s still a baby, but as Blois says, there’s nothing about her that looks like me. As she lies there in her crib and Lain gently pokes at her cheek, I note that her hair and eye color are exactly the same as Blois’s. I have to admit, I’m a little sad to not see any of my features on her.

“Hee hee hee, papa, I’m a big sister now!”

“Yes, yes you are...”

A thought crosses my mind as I look at Lain proudly smiling up at me. Whom will this baby end up marrying? She’s still a baby, but even I know it’s going to be an issue. I don’t care so long as she’s healthy, but she is a girl. As such, I end up wondering what sort of person she’ll end up marrying.

“What is it, Sansui? Why do you look so troubled when you look at your daughter?”

“Well... I was wondering what sort of marriage partner we need to prepare for her.”

“Oh, come on... It’s a bit early to think about that.”

“No, not at all. I’m told these things are sometimes decided before birth, and since I’m a noble now, I figure I need to take that seriously.”

It’s probably because of Lady Douve’s wedding in Magyan. I know I’m getting ahead of myself, but I can’t help but hope my daughter will also have a lovely wedding. I know, I know... I’m getting far, far ahead of myself here.

“Besides...I hate to put it this way, but it’d be a problem if there’s too much of a gap between her and Lain.”

It’s been pretty easy to forget lately, but Lain is the last surviving member of the Domino imperial family that Ukyou overthrew. As such, due to political considerations, Lain herself or her child is expected to marry Ukyou’s child. However, that means Lain will be marrying someone at the top of the social ladder. After all, if Lain herself ends up marrying Ukyou’s son, she’ll be marrying into a ruling family, even if it’s of a client state. Further, because Ukyou is engaged to Setenve Arcana, it means she’ll also be connected to the Arcanian royal family by marriage.

The same applies if it ends up being Lain’s child that marries Ukyou’s child. After all, since they’ll be marrying into the ruling family of the Domino Republic, Lain’s partner can’t be just some random person off the street. That means she’ll be marrying someone pretty high up in the Arcana Kingdom’s hierarchy.

But that doesn’t apply to the child born to Blois and me. In the end, she’s just a child of two vassals of House Sepaeda. Blois is the daughter of a regional lord, but Hetter is going to inherit the title and he already has children of his own. I haven’t been given any lands of my own, so I only have the title of Supreme Combat Instructor of House Sepaeda, and because of House Sepaeda’s belief in competition, it’s not a title that my daughter or son can inherit.

All this means that we already know that Lain, who isn’t related to me by blood, is going to marry someone extremely prestigious, while the daughter who is related to me isn’t going to be able to marry anyone particularly important. With that much of a gap between their futures, it wouldn’t be surprising if it ended up causing a rift between Lain and the baby. I’d like to go ahead and remove any possible causes of discord between them as early as possible.

“That reminds me... The thought of me getting married doesn’t bother you, papa?”

“Not at all. I’m very happy thinking about it.”

“I don’t know if I like that either...”

I mean, I understand why Lain’s not exactly pleased with that response, but I also think His Fathership and His Brothership’s steadfast overprotectiveness of Lady Douve is problematic in the extreme.

“The thing is...I was thinking you getting married is a sort of bookend to my time here.”

“Well, I guess that’s true, papa, but...that makes me not want to get married.”

“Don’t worry, even if that was my original plan, that doesn’t mean I’ll never see you again once you get married.”

“Even then... I don’t like it...”

My original goal when I left the forest was to take care of Lain until she was fully grown-up and able to take care of herself. Getting married is a pretty good marker of someone being a grown-up, I think, whether looking at it from the perspective of society as a whole or as an Immortal. But, yes, it’s probably a bit heartless to just say, “Oh, you got married? Okay then, goodbye.” My intention, at least, is that I’m going to visit her at least once a month.

“Why get so gloomy over something that’s over ten years away? Besides, there’s something else you haven’t mentioned yet,” Blois says in a cool, exasperated voice.

“That’s right, papa.”

I suddenly remember I’d forgotten to ask something. It’s my own daughter’s name, of all things.

“That’s right... So, tell me her name.”

“All right... Since she resembles me, I named her Fanne Shirokuro.”

Wait, hang on, maybe I’m being insensitive here, but is Fanne really a girl’s name? I mean, Fanne Shirokuro sounds pretty good, but it doesn’t sound very feminine. Actually, when I think about it, “Blois,” “Chette,” and “Lyra” don’t sound very cute either. I mean, I named Lain because I think it’s a pretty cute name for a girl. Maybe Fanne is a pretty normal name for a girl in the Arcana Kingdom? I mean, even Lady Douve’s name doesn’t really sound...well, all that girlish. Now that I think about it, the names of the girls from Tempera Village were even worse.

“It’s a lovely name.”

I choose to respond with something that I don’t actually feel, but at least I can proudly say that it’s the right thing at this moment.

“Right? Right! It’s a name I thought of years ago!”

“I think it’s great too!”

I see. So, in the Arcana Kingdom, Fanne is a girl’s name. Lain sounds happy too, so I guess that’s all there is to it. I decide to accept it.

In an emotional moment, Fanne catches my eye. While Blois and Lain are all excited, my daughter and I are both calm. Of course, I suppose my daughter doesn’t really understand the name Fanne, but I’m sure when she grows older, she’ll consider Fanne a girl’s name.

That makes sense, since she was born in Arcana and is going to grow up here. I’m sure her friends and the people around her will have similar names. The problem here is me, in that I haven’t really adapted to the culture I’ve married into.

“At any rate, I’m also now Fanne’s father. I’ll work hard, so you can all rest easy.”

No, Fanne still sounds boyish. I feel like it’s going to take a while until I get used to calling my daughter Fanne. In fact, I’m pretty sure all the aces from Japan are going to feel the same way. It really is hard to understand foreign cultures.

Part 18 — Reporting

I’m currently sitting idle at the Wynne family estate and enjoying a rare vacation from my duties. I keep my sword practice at a reasonable level; rather than spend all my time training, I’m devoting most of my days to being a father with Fanne, Blois, and Lain. I’m currently holding the baby Fanne in my arms, and it’s bringing back memories of when Lain was still a baby. Thinking about it, Lain really has grown a lot. She’s gotten so much bigger in the year and a bit I was gone. Blois is also a lot different from when I first met her; she was a girl then, but now she’s a proper lady and mother. It makes me reflect once more that time passes quickly.

“Wow, papa, you’re good at holding Fanne.”

“Well, yeah... I held you a lot when you were a baby. I let other people take care of you, but I can at least hold a baby pretty well.”

“Oh, right. That makes sense.”

From my perspective as a father, Lain not remembering that I held her as a baby is a little sad. Then again, as I said, I left most of her care in the hands of other people. Really, the only thing I did was hold her every so often, so it’s understandable she doesn’t remember it. At least, this is what I tell myself to ease the sadness.

“Hey, papa... When are you having your wedding with Mama Blois?”

“Let’s see... Well, it’ll be after Lady Douve’s wedding...”

That’s already been decided, and it’s not in my power to change. It’s a little pitiful when I think about it, but since there’s nothing for me to decide, well, I can answer it without hesitation.

“Gotcha... Fanne’s going to be there too, right?”

“Yes, I think so.”

It’d be strange for a daughter not to attend her parents’ wedding, right? Well, I suppose it’s already somewhat unusual for a child to attend their own parents’ wedding. Still, since I was going to be away for over a year, having a child before we formally held a wedding was kind of unavoidable. I mean, we were going to Magyan to get permission for Lady Douve and Tahlan to get married. Since Lady Douve needed to get married first before Blois and I could get married, the way things unfolded was pretty much the only way we could have done it...

Now, from a Japanese person’s perspective, it’s strange to have a daughter before holding a wedding ceremony, and it’s also strange to need to wait for my boss to get married first. But, well, that’s talking about Japan. While it’s true that I’ve been alive for over five hundred years, my core perspective really hasn’t changed much from my time in Japan. I guess that makes sense, since I’ve only lived in the mortal world here for about seven years, and I was away from Arcana for the better part of a year, so I’ve only spent about five years actually in my new homeland.

“Hey, papa... Lady Douve and Prince Tahlan had a wonderful ceremony in the Magyan Kingdom, right?”

“Yes, it was beautiful. The plan is to hold a wedding like that here in Arcana too.”

“Same for you and Mama Blois?”

“No, probably not on that scale...”

It seems Lain also wants a fancy ceremony for Blois and me. I suppose a fancy wedding ceremony is something that girls aspire to, regardless of the world.

“Boooooo.”

Lain looks really disappointed, but this isn’t something I can do for her. Or, rather, I’m pretty sure the fancy wedding Lain is thinking about is rather different from the wedding I actually attended.

“Listen, Lain... First, Lady Douve’s wedding will have an enormous number of guests. Also, the venue is going to be really big and there’ll be a really big band...”

“Really?”

“Yes, yes... There’s no point in inviting a lot of people you don’t know, right?”

It sounds a little disrespectful, I guess, but I hope my point gets across to her.

“So, papa. What sort of people are coming to your and Mama Blois’s wedding?”

“Uh...?”

I tilt my head quizzically because I’ve never actually thought about that question. Now that I think about it, who am I actually supposed to invite to my wedding? I mean, I can’t invite Saiga and his companions, right?

“Well, if they can, I’d like to think at least either the Lord Emeritus or Lord Sepaeda could attend...”

“Why do you sound so unsure from the start?”

Lain is upset, but please consider my point of view. It’s true that I’d like His Fathership and His Brothership to attend my wedding. They’ve been really good to me, and in a sense they were the ones who helped bring Blois and me together. However, the two of them have plenty of responsibilities, so I can’t be sure they’ll attend my wedding. That, and I have no idea about my actual social standing. Just how high up am I and what sort of people am I supposed to or allowed to invite?

“Listen, Lain... Both the Lord Emeritus and Lord Sepaeda are very important people. They’re so important that I don’t even know if I’m allowed to invite them to my wedding.”

“That might be true, but...”

They’re the most important people in House Sepaeda. Even from the perspective of the kingdom overall, they rank second only to the king. I may know them pretty well, but I don’t know if I should invite them to my wedding. Maybe the best thing to do is ask them for a letter of congratulations to be read out at the ceremony? The other problem is that, if I’m going to invite them, the wedding has to be one worthy of inviting such important guests. Depending on how much that costs, I might end up going bankrupt. Well, maybe not, but at the very least, I don’t want the wedding to be so expensive that the possibility even exists.

“Really... I think Blois’s dad is going to be the one deciding who attends the wedding. The people I’d invite are...Master Suiboku and my students.”

“You don’t have any friends?”

“I don’t have any friends that I’ll be inviting to my wedding.”

“Oh, papa...”

Lain looks at me with a really pitying expression. Not that things would be any better if Blois were here with me. After all, she doesn’t have much in the way of a social life either.

“Don’t look at me like that. Besides, there are quite a few of my students...”

“But they’re not really the wedding guest sort...”

I’ve thought some pretty disrespectful things about them, but my daughter is even worse. It’s true that my students are about as far as you can get from a girl’s dream wedding guests, but they’re not that bad. Or, well, maybe they are. They might have done some things in the past that make them inappropriate to invite. No, wait, the past is the past. Now they’re people that His Brothership vouches for. Doubting their suitability for the wedding would be to doubt His Brothership’s judgment.

“But Lain... There’s really no one else I can invite...”

“Isn’t that pretty bad?”

I mean, I understand Lain’s feelings. I guess she wants me to invite Saiga, Happine, or maybe Miss Paulette. But they’re all really important people too, and I can’t very well just invite them to Sepaeda for my wedding. Also, hearing her describe the situation as pretty bad doesn’t feel great. It really hurts to hear that coming from my daughter.

“Lain, Blois is already a noble and I’m going to be one as well. That means there’s a lot about the wedding that’s more than just the ties between families. We probably don’t have much choice in who we invite, but...isn’t the important thing that the guests celebrate and rejoice in our wedding?”

“So, that means you don’t have any people who are happy to see you get married, papa?”

Why does my heart ache so much when I’m just talking to my daughter? Her honest comments, given without even a little restraint, are all landing where it hurts.

“Sniff... Lain, you’ve certainly grown...”

I clutch Fanne tightly as I hold her in my arms. Is she also going to grow up in the blink of an eye and start hitting me where it hurts? Ah, I see. Daughters are teachers for their fathers, and just as I need to be a good father for my daughters, I also need to learn from them. It’s not that I need to listen to all of their requests, but this conversation has really shed light on my sheer lack of social connections... As a father, should I make more friends outside of work? I suppose that would probably be true even if I wasn’t a father.

“Hey, Sansui, there’s guests here to see you.”

It’s then that Blois enters the room with several people in tow. Speak of the devil and he will appear, the saying goes, and that’s exactly what happens. The “guests” are the students we were just talking about inviting to the wedding.

“It’s been a while, Master Sansui. We heard you’d returned from Magyan, so we thought we’d come to congratulate you on your new baby!”

They’re all large and muscular men adorned in noble treasures. They’re far, far from the ideal guests that girls think about when fantasizing about their dream wedding. But none of us in the room—not Blois who brought them, not Lain who sees them enter, and certainly not I—are unhappy to see them.

“Thank you so much for coming all this way.”

They’re all smiling at the sight of my own domestic happiness. Blois, Lain, and I all know that to celebrate is to rejoice in someone else’s happiness. If they do end up coming to the wedding, then it’ll be a lovely event with a lot of celebration and joy.

Lamp, Cabbo, Yuen, Inke, and Woulnut; unlike the group that accompanied us to Magyan as Lady Douve’s bodyguards, they’re part of the group that remained in the Arcana Kingdom to instruct the vassals of House Sepaeda on fighting techniques. There are a few other groups scattered around the territories and they’re all doing a good job in their new roles. The phrasing might leave a little bit to be desired, but they also have a bit more flexibility in their schedules compared to the students who became bodyguards. I’m told they all came by to congratulate Blois when Fanne was born.

Seeing as how I was far off in distant lands and didn’t even know Blois had given birth, I’m really grateful that they came by during my absence. Compared to modern Japan, giving birth in this world is a lot more difficult and dangerous. I’m sure having so many people coming to celebrate Fanne’s birth was a big boost to Blois’s spirits.

“Our journey to Magyan went rather well. The only unfortunate outcome was that Prince Tahlan and Princess Sunae’s mother wished to keep the two in Magyan, and the two ended up leaving with a rift between them and their mother.”

“Huh... Figured that would happen.”

“I can understand not wanting to let such a good son marry and settle in a foreign land.”

“Well, it’s a long way away, so that’s a normal response, I think.”

No one shows any surprise when I give a brief summary of events in Magyan. In fact, they even realize that Sukreen only wanted Tahlan to stay and didn’t even care about Sunae. From what I remember hearing, Sukreen had said as much to Sunae.

“Also, your fellow students, the ones who are now Prince Tahlan’s subordinates, did their jobs well. We held some practice matches with the local elites and they welcomed us with open arms.”

“Oh...? I’m glad they didn’t embarrass Prince Tahlan or the Lord Emeritus in front of everyone.”

“And how are you all doing? I’m told you returned to your homelands before you reported to your new employers... I hope everyone welcomed you home warmly?”

It might sound like I’m being sarcastic when I say it, but becoming Lady Douve’s bodyguard or the combat instructor to a vassal house is the type of advancement that ordinary people could never hope to achieve in this kingdom. Having accomplished that feat, I’d like to think that these five were welcomed with open arms when they went back to their homelands. My intention in broaching the subject was to start a cheerful conversation, but all of their smiles look forced.

“Well, yes... I suppose the welcomes were warm, but...”

Social advancement, phrased in a negative way, means you’re an uppity overachiever. They then go into detail about how they had been welcomed home.