ã€ŠThe Reincarnated Wizard Who Will Eventually Become the Strongestã€‹


 1 - Prologue Awakening

    He woke up with a dull ache in his head and wondered when he had fallen asleep.

    He rubbed his heavy eyelids and felt a slight headache.

    He had always had headaches, but he had never felt such pain.

    £¨It was as if someone had hit me on the head.)

    You reach for your aching head, wishing for a headache remedy.

    £¨Huh?)

    Then he noticed that there was a cloth wrapped around his head.

    (Is this a bandage?¡¡Could it be that I ...... am injured?)

    His head was heavily bandaged.

    I wonder if I am injured after all.

    Thinking back, my memory of what happened before I woke up is vague.

    £¨What was I doing?)

    As I desperately tried to remember, little by little, I began to remember.

    I came home from work, it was the middle of the night, I drank whiskey without eating, didn''t take a shower, didn''t change my clothes, and jumped straight into bed.

    (What happened to me between then and ...... when I woke up?)

    I don''t remember a thing.

    I live alone in an apartment.

    Even if I got hurt, I don''t have a roommate who could take care of me.

    "- Huh?"

    For the first time, he felt something strange.

    Although his vision is dim, he has no idea what he sees in his dimly lit eyes.

    "......Where am I?¡¡Whose room is it?"

    It is definitely not a room in a familiar apartment.

    It is somewhat classic.

    It is more than twice the size of my room.

    The bed is incomparably comfortable.

    (Not ...... kidnapped. My parents are not rich, they''re average people, and I don''t have any money either, I work for a black company.)

    No matter how much I worried, I had no idea that I was going to be kidnapped.

    Above all, I was not restrained in any way, except for being laid on the bed.

    This eliminates the possibility of kidnapping.

    Then, what was happening to me?

    "Excuse me, is anyone there?"

    He gave up and decided to try to voice it.

    (What?¡¡Isn''t your voice too high?¡¡(You sound like a kid before he changed his voice.)

    The voice I remember of myself is much lower.

    I did not have such a voice that it was difficult to judge whether I was a girl or a boy.

    After a while, I heard a small running sound coming from outside of the room, as if my voice had been heard.

    The footsteps come to the front of the room and open the door vigorously.

    "Sam!

    "Little boy!¡¡You''re awake!"

    A beautiful maid with silver-rimmed glasses and a butler dressed in an elderly but well-dressed tailcoat burst into the room.

    He was stunned by the unexpected appearance of these people, but managed to squeeze out his voice.

    "Who is it?"

    The next moment, for some reason, they both looked despairing.

    The maid even burst into tears.

    I watched this scene as if it were someone else''s problem,

    £¨Who''s the son of a b*tc*?)

    He thinks of nothing else.

 2 - "It seems that he has been reborn in a different world."

    "I can''t believe it, but I''ve been reincarnated in another world. ...... I thought these things happened in comic books and novels."

    A young man who had been a working adult on Earth seemed to have been reincarnated as a boy named Samuel in another world.

    The maids and butlers nicknamed him Sam.

    The boy Sam is nine years old and has a good memory of the past nine years.

    It is more like Sam remembers his previous life when he was an earthling.

    £¨I''m dead?¡¡(I didn''t meet any temptress-like gods or anything.)

    Since my reincarnation, I have often wondered, <>.

    Of course, it is not something that can be answered by thinking about it, but I can''t help thinking about it.

    "But I didn''t think that I was about to die when my half-brother beat me to death with a wooden sword. ...... It''s scary to live in a different world."

    Sam was beaten with a sword by his half-brother, who was one year younger than him, in what he called sword training.

    It seems that the blow was not a good one, and that it was malicious, leaving Sam unconscious and hovering between life and death.

    It is assumed that this incident may have triggered his awakening to the memory of his previous life.

    Fortunately, he suffered no aftereffects.

    The fact that Sam''s behavior is a little different from usual is solved by the fact that it is an aftereffect of the accident.

    £¨I guess I''m here because Sam died and was reincarnated, just as I died and was reincarnated.)

    Perhaps Sam''s personality died when he became unconscious.

    As a result, I did not know whether to rejoice or mourn the fact that I am here now.

    "...... I guess I shouldn''t even think about it. Instead, I have to decide what I''m going to do.

    Sam sits cross-legged on his bed, arms crossed.

    From Sam''s memories, he knows that this is a fantasy world overrun with monsters.

    It is said that there is magic, but only a handful of people can use it.

    Those who can succeed as wizards are even rarer and rarer.

    "I''ve been reborn in another world, and I want to enjoy the otherworldly life to the fullest, but ...... I don''t even know if I have magic power or not. I''ve already known that I don''t have any talent with swords.

    Sam''s family, the Barons of Reinbach, are nobles with a small fiefdom in the countryside.

    There is nothing of note on the estate, and to be frank, he is poor.

    The only boast is that his father, the head of the family, has made his way up with a sword.

    Because of this, the Reinbachs have a family tradition that one must be able to use a sword anyway, and Sam was forced to hold a sword even before he can remember.

    Unfortunately, Sam had no talent with a sword.

    When he swung the sword, it slipped out of his hand, and he could not even hold his shield properly.

    His talent not only with the sword but also with weapons and arms was devastating.

    For this reason, Sam is treated as incompetent by his father.

    He has been so neglected that he does not even need to train with a sword.

 3 - 2. Apparently, he was reborn in a different world. â‘¡

    "I can''t do this because this is the worst home environment I''ve ever been in. I don''t know how I grew up in a decent environment until I was nine years old."

    Sam''s home environment was not a flattering one.

    His mother was frail and had already passed away.

    His mother-in-law, who had been his mistress, became his wife, but she did not seem to like him anyway.

    (Of course, his ex-wife''s child is not so cute, right?)

    Even without his talent with a sword, Sam is the eldest son.

    I am not familiar with the aristocracy in this world, but it is a general rule that the eldest son inherits the title unless there is something wrong with him.

    But my mother-in-law didn''t give up.

    She complained to her father again and again that Sam was not fit to be the next head of the family because of his lack of talent with the sword.

    His father seemed to agree with her, and thanks to the efforts of his mother-in-law, Sam was no longer the heir to the throne.

    Thereafter, his younger brother was determined to be the successor and Sam was left alone.

    The two people who take care of Sam are Derrick, the butler, and Daphne, the head maid.

    They were the two people who showed their faces to me as soon as I woke up.

    It was thanks to Derrick and Daphne that the motherless Sam was not alone.

    "Well, I''ve been reborn in such an unfortunate situation, but I''m in a different world now, and I want to have an adventure.

    Since I was in a fantasy world of swords and magic, which every boy dreams of, there was no choice but not to go on an adventure.

    (To be frank, I don''t want to do the promised territorial reforms or make a fortune by building Japanese playground equipment ....... I don''t want to make that house wealthy.)

    There are several ways of living that are unique to another world.

    But Sam was not willing to do anything that would enrich the Reinbach family.

    Unless the people in the family had been good to Sam in some small way, he was left alone, a treatment that would surely cause a big problem in modern Japan.

    (Well, I tried to do something, but they wouldn''t listen to me in the first place.)

    After all, even if Sam were willing, he could not reform the Reinbachs.

    In the end, Sam has no choice but to leave the house and venture out.

    It is not a house he likes to stay in, and even if he had the memories of the boy Sam, he would have no attachment to it.

    If that is the case, it would be better to go on an adventure to enjoy the other world.

    "But I have no talent with the sword..."

    I tried a little, but sadly I had no talent with a sword.

    I was beyond dismayed and even moved when the wooden sword slipped out of my hand, even though I had a good grip on it.

    "The only hand I have left is magic!"

    In a world where magic exists, it would be a shame not to use it.

    (But I don''t know if I have magic power or not, or if I have a talent for magic or not.)

    If I don''t even have a talent for magic, I will have to cry.

    In that case, at worst, I will become a merchant and make a lot of money by making things from the earth that can be reproduced in other worlds.

    "I wish there was some kind of magic textbook, but I''ll ask Daphne about it."

    When the time comes, it''s a good day.

    Sam quickly leaves his room and looks for the head maid to take care of him.

    She was hanging the laundry in the garden.

    "Oh, there you are. Hey, Daphne."

    "Sam, Sam, Sam. How are you?

    Daphne was a beautiful woman in her mid-twenties with her hair pulled back in an updo and silver-rimmed glasses.

    Her slanted eyes give the impression of being a bit severe, but I remember her as a kind-hearted, gentle woman.

    Her classic maid''s uniform suits her very well.

    It tickles me when she calls me "Botchanma".

    But I know it is her way of expressing her affection, so there is no way I can ask her to stop.

    By the way, her half-brother is called "Mr. Manion" without hesitation.

    The maids seem to hate this unruly and selfish bad boy.

    He knows that his late mother, who was a colleague of Daphne and her friends, is one of the reasons why they love him so much.

    In this sense, her mother-in-law Yolanda was also a maid working for the Reinbachs, but her originally arrogant character was accelerated after she became her father''s mistress, and both father and daughter are disliked by the maids.

    "Hey, do you have any books on magic?"

    "Magic books?¡¡I think I saw a few books in your master''s room. ...... reading?"

    "No. I''m not good with swords, so I thought I could use magic. ...... What''s wrong, Daphne?"

    When Daphne suddenly burst into tears, Sam panicked.

    He wondered what part of the conversation had caused her to cry.

    "Hey, Daphne, don''t cry!

    "Ugh ...... sorry. I''m ...... sorry to hear that Sam was so depressed."

    £¨Oh, so that''s what this is about.)

    Apparently, he felt sorry for Sam, who was still too young to be a swordsman and expected him to use magic.

    She must have felt sorry for Sam because Daphne loves him like a mother and a sister.

    "Don''t cry, Daphne."

    "I''m sorry. It''s my son who should be crying.

    "Uh, yeah, that''s fine, but, so, do you have any magic books?"

    "...... Okay. Don''t tell your husband, but I''ll bring you some magic books."

    "Thank you!"

    "Ugh,...... why does your husband love that bad boy so much instead of Sam Botchan,......?"

    A small voice seemed to be saying something, but Sam was too happy to hear it.

    (Now I can try my hand at magic!¡¡Now it''s up to ...... my talent!)

    Sam prayed that he might have a little talent for magic, since his talent with the sword was so devastating.

 4 - 3 "Im going to try magic."

    At breakfast the next day, Daphne handed me a magic book.

    By the way, Sam is eating with Daphne and Derrick.

    It seems that an incompetent boy with no talent with a sword does not deserve to sit around the table with his father and the others.

    (Well, it makes me feel better, but it''s hard for Daphne and Derrick to look at me with moist eyes, feeling sorry for me.)

    Derrick, the butler, saw Sam rejoicing when he was given the magic book and cried, lamenting the treatment of the young boy, just as Daphne had done.

    Daphne cried too, and when Sam struggled to make them stop crying, she seemed to be a "healthy child" and cried more tears, creating a funny cycle.

    --Don''t get desperate even if you don''t have a talent for magic," she said.

    Daphne and Derrick said this to Sam, as if they had thought of a contingency.

    Perhaps they were worried about how shocked the boy would be if he did not have the gift of magic.

    Sam could only laugh at such an exaggeration, because if he could not use magic, he would just think of another way.

    People are not cut out for this.

    Even if Sam has no talent for sword or magic, he will find something that suits him if he keeps looking.

    (Since I''ve been reborn in a different world, let''s look forward and move on.)

    Although not optimistic, Sam tries to keep a positive outlook.

    Back in his room, Sam opens his magic book and begins to read.

    Fortunately, thanks to his memory, he can read the text, so it is not difficult for him.

    Rather, the joy of gaining new knowledge is greater.

    £¨First of all, it is important to know if I have what it takes to be a wizard. No matter how much I want to be a wizard, I can''t use magic without the essential magical power.)

    I read books with one thought in mind: I wanted to use magic.

    And a few hours passed quickly.

    "...... wind. After all, to use magic, you need to have magic power in your body, right?

    The contents of the magic book were interesting.

    It seems that wizards are rare in this world, and those who can control magic to some degree at will are few and far between.

    Adventurers and wizards in the service of the state are, from the top to the bottom, a rare handful among those who possess magical powers.

    "I''m starting to get a little worried. ...... In a world where there are so few people with magic to begin with, I wonder if I''ll conveniently have it?"

    If there was magic in him, my father would have noticed it early and developed his talent, I wondered.

    But he immediately shook his head.

    Sam''s father, Carius, was not like that.

    In his mind, a son is only as good as his sword.

    Even if Sam had magic powers and was a gifted wizard, he would not be interested.

    Already Sam does not expect anything from his father.

    The same was true for the boy Sam before he became the Sam he is now.

    Daphne and Derrick were the only family that mattered to Samuel.

    "I guess it doesn''t matter what I think. If I cast a simple spell like the one in the book, I could tell if I had magic or not."

    It is a simple method, but it is said to be used to determine the presence or absence of magic, since rudimentary magic can be invoked if there is magic power.

    I heard that an organization called the Magic Society has magic tools that can measure magic power, but there is no way such a clever thing can be found in a small nobleman''s house in the countryside.

    "Let''s see, what is it ...... that you have to keep persevering even if you don''t get results once or twice?¡¡How many times do I have to try to persevere?"

    Even rudimentary magic does not always succeed easily, apparently.

    But that does not mean that it is determined by a lack of magic power, and the book says that it must be tried several times.

    However, it seems that it is up to the individual to decide how many times he or she should try, and it is unclear how many times one should try before reaching a conclusion.

    "There''s no use in worrying about it, I''ll give it a try."

    I''m getting nervous.

    It is no exaggeration to say that the presence or absence of magical power will determine the future of my life in the other world.

    Whether I can become a wizard or not, or whether I have no talent and will look for something else, depends on the next result.

    (Oh no, I''m getting nervous and my stomach is starting to hurt.)

    My hands start to shake holding the book.

    "Don''t be scared, let''s do it!"

    He held up his index finger as he chided himself for drowning out his anxiety.

    He took a deep breath and wished for the magic to come out.

    Then he chanted.

    "-Light the fire."

    What the boy spun out of his mouth was the most rudimentary of all fire magic.

    Even if he succeeded, he would only be able to light a small fire on his fingertips at best.

    But..,

    --Roar!

    With a bang, a pillar of fire shot up from Sam''s finger.

 5 - 4 Ill try magic ã«

    "What?¡¡Wait, no?¡¡Wait, wait!¡¡Go away, go away, go away!"

    In the split second that Sam panicked, a pillar of fire scorched the ceiling.

    "Get out of here!"

    Waving his arms and shouting, he manages to extinguish the flames.

    "What is this, isn''t this just a little fire?"

    I never imagined that a pillar of fire would shoot out from my arm, and my heart is racing.

    I look up at the ceiling, which is discolored black, but not burning.

    I pat my chest, glad that it did not catch fire.

    "...... what am I going to tell Daphne about this?"

    Daphne, who is in and out of her room several times a day, cannot hide the devastation.

    If I were to tell him the truth, he would know that I had magic.

    "It would be troublesome if the people at home knew. ...... But I wonder if Daphne would keep quiet if I asked her not to tell?"

    Daphne, an intellectual beauty with glasses who has a serious and severe atmosphere, has a surprisingly sweet side.

    She was also aware of the fact that she was adoring me.

    She is optimistic that maybe she will not tell him that she can do magic.

    "But I''m sure she''ll be angry that I tried magic by myself..."

    I decided to be prepared for at least one fist bump.

    "Daphne will get mad at me later, but for now, it''s magic. The fact that a pillar of fire was created by the magic of just lighting a fire means that there must be a certain amount of magic power, right?¡¡I don''t think it''s too little."

    It is also possible that it is not well controlled.

    Sam did not expect to be able to use magic just once.

    That''s why he has high expectations.

    At any rate, the magic is there.

    The magic worked.

    All that remains is to learn magic and how well I can use it.

    There are a certain number of people who can use rudimentary magic if they have enough magic power.

    From there, it is important to find out what you are good at, such as each attribute of offensive magic, recovery magic, auxiliary magic, and defensive magic.

    On the one hand, I have high expectations, but on the other hand, I am worried.

    There are some people who have magical power but do not have the ability to use magic.

    It is said that there are some people who have been found to have magical power, but they could not use magic well after trying various methods.

    "Botchana!¡¡What''s wrong with the burning smell!"

    "--oh."

    While I was lost in thought, Daphne, who smelled the burning ceiling, rushed into the room.

    £¨Oh no!)

    She looked at the bed with the flickering grimoire, then looked up and shifted her gaze to the ceiling.

    "......Sam, you little shit."

    "...... Yes."

    "Please explain."

    "...... yes."

    Sam decided to be honest about what had happened.

    That he had tried magic.

    He succeeded, but he failed to light the fire and there was a pillar of fire.

    When Sam finished explaining, he asked Daphne quietly and she put her hand on her chin as if she was thinking about something.

    "Excuse me, Daphne?"

    "Botchan, I''m going to ask you a question, but you''re going to have to answer me properly."

    "Uh-huh."

    "The magic you used was rudimentary, rudimentary fire-lighting magic, wasn''t it?"

    "Yes, but what about it?"

    "No, I can only guess, but unless you have a very good reason, the magic won''t go out of control just by casting a spell.

    "Yes, but..."

    For example, don''t you remember pouring in unusual magical power?

    "No. I just said, "Light the fire."

    "...... I see. Maybe, Bocchanma''s magic power is..."

    Daphne begins to mumble something, but Sam is puzzled.

    He wonders if there is something wrong.

    What he is more afraid of is that his father will report it.

    "Oh, you know what, Daphne?"

    "Yes. What is it?"

    "I don''t want you to tell your father about the magic."

    "Botchana?"

    "Please. Don''t tell anyone that I can do magic!"

    "Are you sure about ......?¡¡Maybe they''ll treat you differently."

    I know what Daphne means.

    People with magic are rare.

    Just having magic power is valuable.

    Even more so if you''re a nobleman.

    It''s also a good way to find a marriage partner.

    Many noblemen want a man of magic in their family.

    "Yes. Still, keep quiet, please."

    "...... Okay. I won''t tell the master if you don''t want me to."

    "Thank you, Daphne!"

    "But, sir!"

    Daphne raised her voice and looked at Sam.

    There was a sternness in her gaze that made his spine stiffen.

    "Please don''t do anything dangerous again."

    "I''m sorry."

    "I''m not saying that you shouldn''t try magic in the future, but I don''t want you to get into trouble if you start a fire, so fire is forbidden."

    "Yeah. Okay."

    "If you use magic in the house, someone might notice, so it''s better to do it somewhere hidden."

    "Yes. I''ll do that.

    "Lastly, please don''t make me worry."

    Daphne said and hugged Sam gently.

    £¨Oh, I see.)

    I forgot that I am a nine-year-old boy.

    It was natural that I would worry him if I did anything reckless.

    "I''m sorry, Daphne. I won''t do anything dangerous anymore."

    "You have my word, Sammo."

    "Yes."

    "Then no, thank you."

    Daphne slowly pulls away from Sam.

    Her kindness and warmth are now so far away that I feel a little sadness.

    "I don''t know if I can keep this from you if it''s just me, so let me talk to Derrick."

    "Yeah. Derrick can do it."

    That sweet old butler would not blow Sam''s secret.

    Daphne felt the same way, which is why she was willing to reveal Sam''s magic to Derrick.

    "I''ll do that, then. Now, I''m going to clean the ceiling, so please keep quiet in my room, Sam.

    "Oh, yeah, sorry."

    It''s okay, it''s what maids do. --Sam, Sam, Sam, Sam.

    Daphne stopped Sam as he was about to leave the room with the grimoire in his arms to do as he was told.

    "Yeah?"

    Sam looked back and saw Daphne smiling kindly at him.

    "Congratulations on your magic! Daphne is truly happy for you."

    "Thank you."

    The heartfelt congratulations naturally brought a smile to Sam''s face.

 6 - 5 "Im going to try magic" â‘¢

    The next day, Sam slipped out of the house under the watchful eye of the Reinbachs, bypassed the town, and found himself in the woods.

    "Well, let''s give it a try."

    Sam, who has promised Daphne that he will not use fire magic, has chosen to try out the magic that strengthens his body.

    As a child, his body is out of breath and fatigued by the slightest movement.

    This is what he wants to cover.

    £¨If he could strengthen his body, he would not be beaten unconscious by his brother.)

    I have already read the grimoire and learned to chant.

    Once I had activated the magic, I could feel the magic inside my body.

    She takes a deep breath and casts a strengthening spell.

    "Soo-Ha......--Give me strength, you who fill my body with magic power."

    Body enhancement magic is the use of the magical power residing in the body - internal magic power - to improve one''s physical abilities.

    I tried to cast the rudiments of this magic, a simple spell to improve my physical abilities.

    Then, I said to myself

    "Oh, oh?¡¡Oh, oh, oh, oh!"

    The effect was immediate.

    The body of the nine-year-old, which had been heavy, became light as if it had grown wings.

    His immature body had been difficult to move, but his arms and legs moved as he wished.

    "--Okay!¡¡Taaaaahhh!"

    Kicking the ground, he was able to make a big leap.

    He succeeded in flying higher than the trees around him, high enough to command a view of the town where Sam lived.

    "Wow, that''s high!

    Surprise and emotion overtook me at the same time.

    Biting back the joy of having succeeded in the body enhancement magic, I enjoy, if only for a short time, the other world that spreads across my field of vision.

    After a short time in the air, Sam lands on the ground without any problems.

    "Wow! I never thought I could jump like this!"

    Sam''s heart was pounding with excitement.

    Unlike yesterday''s pillar of fire that had gone out of control, he had done the strengthening magic on his own will and had succeeded.

    His joy was different.

    It was also good to have a panoramic view of the world we live in.

    Once again, I could feel that I had been reborn in another world, and I could think about my future now that I could use magic.

    "I think I can make it as a magician, don''t you?

    It seemed more efficient to use his enhanced body as a weapon for punching and kicking than to fight with a sword, which he had no talent for.

    "Okay. Let''s try it again!"

    Sam readies his fists and drops his enhanced body low.

    He turns to face a towering tree nearby,

    "--Haaaaaaaah!"

    With all his might, he delivers the coup de grace.

    --A roar.

    "Yeah. ...... lie."

    Sam was stunned.

    His fist had easily snapped a large tree and knocked it to the ground.

    His fist felt no pain.

    Normally, if you hit something seriously, your fist would hurt more or less due to the recoil of the blow.

    "So this is the effect of physical reinforcement. ...... is amazing."

    In a fit of anger, he fires his fist at another large tree.

    Just like before, I was able to break it off with ease.

    And there is still time to spare.

    "I didn''t know how much magic talent I had, but if I can do this, I should have no problem fighting, right?"

    There was enough simple power to make it seem sufficient.

    It is not clear whether this power would work against monsters, but it is hard to imagine that so much power would not work at all.

    There are many people in the world who cannot use magic, and yet there are many adventurers.

    "Maybe I can become an adventurer with this!"

    The ability to use magic raised expectations.

    Sam does not expect that everything will suddenly go smoothly.

    First of all, he was able to take the first step. That was all that mattered.

    I will treasure this step and train myself until one day I become an adventurer.

    "...... problem is, I don''t want to stay in that house forever."

    My excited mood quickly cools down.

    The environment in the house is so bad that Sam, who was an adult before his reincarnation, is fed up with it.

    The father is not interested in his son who cannot use a sword.

    His mother-in-law comes to his room to sarcasm at the age of nine, and she is so unkind that she tells him to his face that he should have died.

    Her half-brother is a monster who beats his brother unconscious with a wooden sword.

    Today, he punched me on the cheek as if to say hello.

    I am worried about the future of my brother who can do unreasonable things with a smile on his face.

    I have a feeling that he will become an out-of-control problem child, just like a child who was raised by a poisonous parent.

    No, it may be too late for him because he has already grown up to be a problem child.

    "Well, I don''t really care what happens to them."

    Sam does not have any kinship with the Reinbachs.

    Whether it is because he is a reincarnated human being that he feels like a stranger to them, or whether it is because he was treated unfairly before his reincarnation, Sam himself does not know.

    The only people Sam feels affection for are Daphne, the maid, and Derrick, the butler.

    Without them, Sam would have suffered from loneliness.

    We can only be thankful for that.

    At best, we can only hope that the people of Reinbach will not give Daphne and her family any trouble.

    After that, the sun was quickly setting as we continued our training in body strengthening magic.

    "Daphne will get angry with me if I don''t go home soon..."

    I didn''t want to worry Daphne, who was kind and friendly to me as if she were my sister.

    I was still tickled to be called "Botchanma," but I did not want to be called "Manion-sama" as casually as my brother.

    It is obvious that Daphne and the other servants have a different attitude toward her and her brother, but her brother seems to think nothing of it.

    The arrogant brother does not care if the servants hate him or not, but rather he does not care what they think.

    Therefore, he is selfish and violent, which makes the servants hate him even more, which is a vicious circle.

    This will continue until the brother himself realizes it.

    Sam, who has prepared himself with sympathy for the servants, says to them

    "Come on, let''s go home."

    Just as he turned on his heel,

    "Gruuuuuhhhhhh!"

    "Huh?"

    A roar came from the trees.

    Reflexively, I turned around and saw a huge bear behind a large tree, a bear I had never seen before in my life.

 7 - 6 "First Battle of Life"

    "AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

    When I realized that I had encountered a monster, a spontaneous scream came out of my mouth.

    No wonder.

    No matter how much I had learned to use body enhancement magic, this was my first encounter with a monster.

    There was no way he could stay calm.

    The big bear lifted its thick arms with sharp claws menacingly.

    The bear, which was already huge, looked even bigger than before.

    "Ohhhh, ohhhh, ohhhh, ohhhh, ohhhh, ohhhh!"

    Sam repeatedly falls on his buttocks and screams.

    "Calm down, calm down, calm down!"

    Aware of the danger, Sam turns his back on the bear and runs away.

    In the meantime, he struggles to calm himself.

    Fight it.

    We have to fight.

    We can''t just run away here.

    Aren''t you supposed to be an adventurer?

    Don''t run away, Sam!

    He barked at himself and stopped.

    Behind me, a great bear is chasing me, roaring.

    There is fear. I am terrified.

    But even more than that, I felt sorry for myself, for being unable to do anything but run away.

    "What are you going to do if you run away?¡¡You''re going back to that house crying!"

    That is not an option.

    What was the point of practicing magic?

    To get out of that house, to explore this other world.

    Not to stumble here.

    "In that house, with my brother bullying me!¡¡You''re going to live with the scorn of your parents!¡¡No, you''re not!"

    Sam turned around with fear in his heart.

    There was a huge body in front of him, ready to attack him at any moment.

    Calm down, calm down, calm down.

    His body is still strengthened.

    I am strong enough to snap a big tree.

    You don''t need to be afraid of this one bear.

    "Get fired up, Samuel!"

    I clenched my fists with all the strength I could muster.

    He leans back and takes a stance.

    All that''s left is spirit and guts.

    Come on, man!

    "Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

    The bear howled and reared its arms.

    With a roar, I dived through the huge arm that came at me and jumped into the bear''s bosom.

    "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

    Then, with all his might and magic, Sam swung his arm.

    --He was out of control!

    "-- Huh?"

    The decision was made in an instant.

    Sam could only be stunned by the sight before him.

    Sam was going to punch the bear''s huge body with all his strength.

    However, Sam''s fist sliced the bear''s body in two, in a horizontal line.

    "What just happened?"

    There is, of course, no answer to that question.

    While Sam was looking dumbfounded, the bear''s huge body shifted sideways from its belly and rolled to the ground, splattering a lot of blood and guts.

    "......We won, didn''t we?"

    Looking at the reddish ground, Sam muttered in a daze.

    Ahead of his eyes, the bear, which had split in two, did not move an inch.

    "I won, I won!

    Seeing the guts scattered on the ground, he was sure of his victory.

    "I did it, I did it, I beat the monster.

    Sam repeated it over and over, as if to himself.

    He squeezes his shaking hands and puts all his strength into them.

    With the small hands of a nine year old, he was able to defeat with a single blow a bear monster that was much bigger than an adult.

    "I can do it."

    Sam''s voice was trembling with delight.

    "With this power, I can get out of that house!¡¡I can explore the world now!¡¡I can--I can live free!"

    Only a few days have passed since my rebirth.

    Sam had succeeded in taking a new step forward.

 8 - 7 "One year later."

    --One year later.

    In the small town of Baron Reinbach, there was a boy.

    His name was Samuel Reinbach.

    He is the eldest son of Baron Reinbach.

    But his family treats him unfavorably.

    He is not treated as the eldest son of a noble family, and this was known to all the residents of the Barony of Reinbach.

    However, few of them would make fun of him.

    On the contrary, Sam was adored by them.

    The reason for this was the two wild bears that the young boy of ten held in his arms.

    Sam is in the middle of carrying the monsters, more than twice the size of his small frame, all by himself.

    Wild bears were dangerous monsters that lived in the forests of the barony and attacked people, sometimes even entering the city.

    It is not unusual for a number of adventurers and residents of the barony to be killed each year, and it is also a monster that is designated as dangerous.

    It was a strange sight to see a ten-year-old boy dragging such a wild bear.

    Moreover, the wild bear had no head.

    It looked as if it had been sliced off by a sharp blade.

    The people were not surprised to see Sam, but rather smiled.

    "Master Sam!¡¡Thank you for all your hard work today!"

    "Master Sam!¡¡Are you hurt?"

    "That''s my master Sam. He killed another wild bear today. Thank you.

    "Sam is so cool!"

    Passersby call out to Sam and wave.

    Sam responds with a smile.

    Then he stops in front of the building of the Adventurers'' Guild.

    "Excuse me, sir. I''d like to get an appraisal for today!

    "Yes!¡¡Oh, Sam, you''re looking great today."

    A woman in her mid-twenties emerged from the building.

    Her name was Melia. She is a charming beauty with flaxen hair pulled back in a ponytail.

    Dressed in the uniform of the Adventurers'' Guild, she was also Sam''s receptionist.

    "Well, are you sure you want two wild bears?"

    "Oh, there are three more in the forest, so it would be great if someone could go get them as usual."

    I''m on it. I''ll send out the people who are not busy right away.

    Sam bows his head to Melia, who winks at him.

    "Thank you for everything."

    "What are you talking about? I should be the one thanking you. Wild bears can only be defeated by a team of E- or D-level adventurers who are willing to die for them.¡¡That''s why it''s hard to get people to accept requests to take them down, but Sam kills several of them every day by himself, so the town is safe."

    "I do what I do because I like to do it."

    "Oh, come on. I have to admit that I was surprised when you came to register as an adventurer with your maid, and I was even against it, but now I''m glad that I let your enthusiasm get the better of me.

    "Ha-ha-ha, I''m sorry for the trouble I caused you at that time."

    Sam thinks back to about a year ago.

    He reported to Daphne and Derrick without concealment that he had acquired body enhancement magic and had defeated Wild Bear.

    They were surprised and very angry.

    They blamed me for not running away from the monster when I encountered it, aside from the fact that I had been practicing magic.

    After lecturing Sam for a while, they hugged the boy tightly, shed tears and were happy that he was safe.

    At the same time, they were pleased to see that, at the age of nine, he was as capable as an adult adventurer.

    Afterwards, the three of us talked about it, and Sam said he wanted to become an adventurer.

    Of course, they both objected.

    We were not opposed to becoming adventurers someday, but we thought that it might not be too late to become adventurers, at least until we had reached adulthood.

    Daphne, who was concerned for Sam''s safety, was especially opposed.

    After many discussions, they agreed that Sam would show them what he could do, and he showed them how he could kill a wild bear in front of them.

    As a result, he agreed to become an adventurer, albeit reluctantly.

    Since then, Daphne has been overprotective and worried about Sam when he goes to accept requests.

    This tickled Sam, but made him happy.

 9 - 8 "One year later" â‘¡

    "At the time, I didn''t know how strong you were, Sam. But now, thanks to you, this town is at peace.

    "I''m glad I''ve been of service."

    "...... but I''m sorry. When I reported it to headquarters, they couldn''t believe that a ten-year-old boy could take down a wild bear by himself, let alone multiple wild bears. That''s why I can''t raise your rank."

    Melia lowers her eyebrows in sincere apology.

    It must be frustrating for her that Sam, despite his abilities, is not given due recognition because he is a child.

    She also feels a sense of responsibility because she is in charge of him exclusively.

    "I don''t mind. I just need to be able to accept the requests.

    "But, you know, if you are appreciated properly, you may even get an offer from King''s Landing. Wouldn''t that be better for you, Sam?

    I guessed why she cared.

    Melia, who lives in the Barony of Reinbach, knows how Sam is treated at home, without exception.

    Melia wants Sam to be given a fair evaluation at the Adventurers'' Guild.

    She knew that if he did so, he might be treated differently at home, or he might even be able to leave his home with a big smile on his face.

    "Thank you. But I really don''t mind."

    "--Yes. Well, if you say so, Sam, I won''t pester you. Well, I''ll do my best again today, so just wait a minute!¡¡Oh, you''re sure you want to do it the same way as usual?"

    "Please. Please share the wild bear meat with everyone in town. But..."

    I know. I''ll keep the orphanage and Sam''s separate as usual."

    "Thank you very much."

    Sam''s latest assignment is to take down a wild bear.

    This request is made so that the wild bears that live in the forests of the Reinbach territory will not attack people.

    Unlike ordinary bears, wild bears have a high reproductive capacity, and if left unchecked, the forest will be overflowing with them.

    This is the reason for the request to kill them.

    The proof of defeat is to bring back a body part of a wild bear, but in Sam''s case, he drags at least two wild bears every time with his enhanced muscular strength.

    In the beginning, he would deliver the wild bears he killed to the Adventurers'' Guild by traveling back and forth between the forest and the town by himself.

    In this way, I could buy the wild bears themselves, in addition to the reward for completing the request.

    This is a good source of funds for Sam, who is planning to move out of his house in the near future.

    Sam gives the meat of the wild bears to the people of the town free of charge.

    Wild bear meat is not the best, but it is tasty.

    It is nourishing, the organs can be used for medicine, the bones can be used for weapons, and the skin can be processed.

    In a sense, it was a lean monster.

    The Barony of Reinbach is small, with only a few small houses in the town, and the rest is just forest.

    Hunting is done, but it is dangerous because of the wild bears that inhabit the area.

    Therefore, the inhabitants do not have many opportunities to eat meat.

    The only meat they eat is the chickens they raise as livestock.

    For the past year, Sam has been serving wild bears to these residents.

    At first it was only two wild bears a piece, but they were so well received that he now gives them all the wild bears he has killed.

    So the meat is excluded from the assessment, but it still brings in a good amount of money.

    "Everyone is happy," he says. Thanks to you, Sam, we can eat good meat."

    "I''m sorry we can''t get it to everyone."

    "Oh, come on, the kids don''t care about that. We''re just happy to get free meat!"

    Basically, the residents who want the meat at Wild Bear get together and draw lots.

    Once a family won the meat, they were given a break so that the meat would be distributed equally among the residents.

    Only the orphanage run by the church and Sam, the exterminator, receive meat every day, but it is a small amount.

    Melia also enjoys the wild bear meat with her family.

    It is a well-known fact that Sam has enriched the diet and that both children and adults are happy to have a full stomach.

    Thanks to him, Sam''s reputation is as different as it was a year ago.

    He used to be the eldest son of a poor baron family who was treated unfavorably because of his lack of talent with a sword.

    Now he is a promising boy with a talent for magic and compassion for his people, although he has no talent with a sword.

    Although he is planning to leave the estate sooner or later, he does not feel bad about his improved reputation.

    He has become good friends with the people of his domain and greets them casually.

    The children at the orphanage love him like an "older brother" and the sisters are grateful to him, which gives Sam a sense of fulfillment.

    Sam was happy that he could make so many people smile with one magic, the magic of physical enhancement.

 10 - 9 "Response of Townspeople"

    "I wish Sam would be the next lord."

    The murmur came from the mouth of one of the residents.

    "Yes, I guess so. If only we could have a kind man like Sam as our lord, we wouldn''t have any trouble at all.

    The surrounding residents nodded their heads in agreement.

    Sam''s reaction from the people was positive.

    He used to be a timid child, a normal child who sometimes came to the town to play with the children.

    He even felt sorry for his father who treated him unfairly because of his lack of talent with the sword.

    The people were surprised to see how much Sam had changed in the past year, but accepted him favorably.

    Thanks to him, monsters are less dangerous and meat is served.

    How could they not like him?

    Sam found time to help in the fields, to help those in need, and to take care of the children in the orphanage.

    Seeing him like this, the people naturally hoped that he would be the next lord.

    In reality, however, it is not Sam, but his half-brother Manion who is said to be the next lord.

    "Lord Manion seems to be a good swordsman, but he is not as gentle ...... as Lord Sam."

    An old man muttered with a sigh.

    Those around him immediately recognized the note of disappointment in the old man''s voice.

    "That''s just a bratty little brat with a temper tantrum. He''s nothing like Sam."

    "Shh. You don''t know who''s listening and where.

    I don''t care if they hear. Even the baron''s servants love Sam more than Mannion. They feel the same way we do.

    "Of course, you''re right, but I don''t think you should say it too loudly.

    My store had all its windows smashed because of that kid''s tantrum!

    The lord paid for it.

    I even got a few words from the Mistress afterwards!"

    Knowing the indignation of the man who sniffed, they did not pay any more attention to him.

    He is right, there is not a single person in this town who would bother to report Mannion even if someone hears him talking bad about him.

    Mannion''s reputation was that bad.

    Mannion was originally raised by his mother to be overly praised and loved.

    He was proud of being the next lord and of being the chosen one because of his superior talent with the sword.

    He was not a child.

    In fact, Manion''s words and actions were beyond a child''s reach.

    His behavior began with insolence toward the servants and sometimes even violence.

    His tantrums are not easily appeased.

    Even the slightest attempt to criticize him would bring his mother, who also has a temper tantrum, flying into the room, which is also impossible.

    In the beginning, there were children who obeyed Manion, but they have disappeared in the past year.

    All the kids, no matter how bad they were, could not keep up with Manion''s selfishness and swearing, and now they even dislike him.

    The same is true for the people.

    When Mannion appears in town, it is quiet as water.

    Everyone is afraid of what he might do to them if they attract his attention.

    If only Mannion''s father had been a decent man.

    He might have scolded his son for the violence he was inflicting on his people.

    But Baron Carius Reinbach was satisfied with his son''s talent with the sword and did not care about anything else.

    In a way, it was the same as neglecting him.

    Instead, his mother was so overprotective that Manion''s behavior did not change.

    "Mistress Yolanda used to be a commoner, too. I wonder why she is like that when she used to be a maid like Sam''s mother, Melanie.

    "Yolanda-sama, you know, she was always a selfish person. Melanie was kind, though."

    "I regret that Melanie passed away so early. If she had lived, perhaps Sam would have been treated a little better."

    "That''s not true. Melanie would have been treated as badly as Sam."

    "When you think about it, I suppose that both Sam and Manion are like their mother, for better or worse."

    Sam''s mother, Melanie, was gone early, but her reputation was still good.

    She was a maid-turned-baroness and a friend of the people without being pompous.

    It is believed that Baron Carius might have been better off when she was alive than he is now.

    Her arrogance increased when Melanie passed away and Yolanda, who had always been selfish and impetuous, took her place.

    Karius, whether he knew it or not, did not do anything to stop Yolanda''s attitude.

    Thanks to this, the Barons of Reinbach, except for Sam, are now completely unpopular.

    If they had been ruling badly, the people would have fled by now.

    "I hope Sam will be rewarded one day..."

    The people nodded in agreement.

 11 - 10. "Calling the Father"

    "Daphne, are you there?"

    After delivering the wild bear meat to the orphanage, Sam returned to the mansion and looked in the kitchen.

    "Hey, Mom?"

    "Oh, there you are. Here you go. Here''s today''s wild bear meat."

    "Well, thank you very much. We servants are happy because we can eat meat every day thanks to you.

    "If you''re happy, I''m happy too."

    I consider it a way to repay the servants who are usually so kind to me.

    They work in the troubled Reinbach household, and I hope they will eat meat to keep their spirits up.

    "But I wasn''t sure what would happen at first, but now you have become a great adventurer. I am very happy and proud of you, Daphne.

    "Is that so?"

    "Yes, of course!¡¡With all due respect, Botchana is only ten years old. But he is just as capable of using magic and fighting as any adult!

    Sam''s cheeks relax at Daphne''s delight, as if it were her own.

    It was nice to be praised by Daphne, who always looked after him like a big sister.

    "I''ll do my best to prepare another meal for you tonight.

    "Yes. Daphne''s food is delicious, so I always look forward to it."

    Incidentally, the head of the Reinbach family, his wife and son have never eaten wild bear meat.

    Sam''s concern that they would not want to eat the meat obtained by his ill-advised son, and the servants who agreed with him, did not even tell them that they had obtained the meat in the first place.

    Sam had prepared the meat for the servants who had been so kind to him, and had no intention of feeding it to anyone who was not his immediate family.

    Sometimes his brother Manion would show up in the kitchen saying that he smelled good, but thanks to the cooperation of the servants, he has not been found until now.

    "Well then, take care of him!"

    "Yes, sir."

    I waved to Daphne and the other servants and was about to return to my room when Derrick, the butler, came running toward me from the front, looking panicked.

    "There you are, my boy."

    "Derrick?¡¡What''s wrong?"

    "The master wants to see you, sir."

    I almost let out a strange "eek" sound.

    "It''s unusual for you to summon me, father."

    It has been almost a year since his reincarnation, but his father has never called out to him.

    When I pass him in the hallway, he basically ignores me.

    He eats with the servants, so he never sees his father''s face.

    (Come to think of it, I don''t even know my father''s voice.)

    His mother-in-law, who goes out of her way to sarcasm him, and his brother, who tries to bully him at every opportunity, sometimes appear in front of him, but his father is the only one he really has no contact with.

    Perhaps out of concern for Sam, Derrick tells us many stories about his father.

    Basically, his father is mostly confined to his office, working or training his sword.

    He does not only leave Sam alone, but also his wife Yolanda and his son Manion.

    I remember Daphne once told me that Yolanda is free to do as she pleases because of this.

    However, it seems that Manion has him practice swordsmanship every day.

    Sometimes they fight each other to train Manion.

    The sword is everything to Karius, after all.

    "Well, boy..."

    "Yeah?¡¡What''s the matter, Derrick?¡¡You don''t look so good, do you?"

    As Sam pointed out, Derrick looked pale.

    He looked like he was trying to say something, but couldn''t. He seemed to be searching for the right words.

    After waiting for a while, Derrick quietly opened his mouth.

    "I know that little Sam would like to leave the estate sooner or later, but we, the servants, would like him to stay.

    "Uh-huh."

    I tilted my head and wondered what was wrong.

    This was the first time Derrick had ever said this to me.

    "Recently, the people have been very impressed with your son Sam," he said, "and I had a faint hope that they might be interested in him.

    "Well, it doesn''t sound like a very good call."

    Unfortunately, yes.

    Derrick probably already knows what Carius has called Sam for.

    And it''s not looking good for Sam.

    "Yeah. "Yeah. I get it. It''s good to know the bad news in advance. Thanks."

    I apologize inwardly to Derrick for making him feel uncomfortable, and head for the office of Callius.

    Then, a voice called out to him from behind.

    "Sam, little man!"

    "Yeah?"

    "We, all the servants, are on the side of little Sam."

    I don''t know how much Derrick''s words meant to me.

    But he was always on Sam''s side.

    He was more like a father to me than Carius.

    It hurts me that Derrick is on the verge of tears.

    Sam smiled at him, as if to say that he was fine.

    "--Thank you."

 12 - 11 çˆ¶è¦ªCalling the Father ã® â‘¡

    "You here?"

    Yes. You asked for me, so I came here.

    Karius Reinbach was a young man, still in his late thirties.

    He had short-cropped brown hair and a clean-cut beard.

    And a grim, stern face that left a lasting impression.

    Sam bowed with exaggerated politeness.

    I don''t know what kind of a man his father is, but he is the kind of man who treats his children differently just because of their talent with a sword.

    He was wasting his time yelling at me for not being polite.

    Fortunately, Daphne and Derrick had taught him some manners, so he had no problem with it.

    "............"

    "Is something wrong?"

    "Were you like that?"

    What do you mean?¡¡What''s wrong with you?"

    "More timid ...... No, thank you. It doesn''t matter.

    I did not know what Carius wanted to say, but I did not ask him any more questions because he said, "No problem.

    Sam, for his part, did not want to have a long conversation with Carius.

    "I have something to tell you."

    "Yes."

    "I''m not going to go into a lot of detail. My successor, Mannion, is officially confirmed.

    Oh, yes. I see.

    That''s it?

    Yes. That''s all?¡¡Anything else?"

    (Is that all, this old man, did you want me to be sad?¡¡(Crap.)

    Maybe he just wanted to see Sam depressed.

    It''s really in bad taste, I think.

    £¨No wonder Derrick looks so gloomy. I have no desire to live in a house like this...)

    Sam was glad that he could not succeed the old butler, although he felt sorry for the old butler who had taken care of him.

    He had never been attached to the house and had never wanted to take over the reigns.

    He is rather happy that Manion has been chosen.

    "There will be a party at Viscount Riedyll''s in a week. I have been invited to be there with my successor. So I have officially chosen Mannion as my successor."

    "Huh. I see."

    "You are my eldest son, but you have no talent with the sword. You cannot be the heir to the Reinbach throne.

    "Of course."

    What?

    I am unworthy of the House of Reinbach. Manion, on the other hand, has a gift with the sword, a brilliant mind, and a personality that will endear him to servants and subjects alike. He is the perfect successor to the Reinbachs!"

    I don''t want to be the heir of this family by any means, so I go ahead and encourage my brother as much as possible.

    Then, for some reason, Karius looked puzzled.

    £¨Why is that?¡¡(Why do you look at me like that?)

    "Are you okay with that?"

    "Yes. Of course. I''m no match for Mannion, with my sword and my lack of talent!

    "...... I see. By the way, I heard you''ve been impersonating an adventurer lately."

    "I am so embarrassed. I''m really just imitating an adventurer. I earn a little money by collecting medicinal herbs.

    "Why would you need to do that?"

    I have no talent. I will leave home as an adventurer when I come of age so that I will not be a hindrance to Manion in the future. I hope you can think of it as a rehearsal for that."

    "...... I see."

    (You''re a pain in the ass, old man. Why are you trying to have a parent-child conversation?¡¡You need to let me go now!¡¡(I''m about to get ripped off!)

    Carrion makes a thoughtful gesture in response to Sam''s answer, and a bad sweat starts to form.

    I don''t understand why he is asking me so many questions when he doesn''t even know that we are killing wild bears.

    "Is that all you want?"

    "Uh, yeah."

    Now, if you''ll excuse me.

    Not wanting to deal with his father any longer, Sam cuts the conversation short.

    He bows deeply and leaves the office early.

    Fortunately, there were no words to stop him.

    £¨What was that old man? (What was that old man trying to do?¡¡Too bad, then!¡¡I''m so excited about my upcoming otherworldly adventures!¡¡I can''t wait to come of age!)

    I''m still five years away from adulthood.

    (I shudder to think that I have to live in this house for another five years. But now is the time to endure. Patience, patience!)

    That time was too long for Sam.

 13 - 12 "I made up my mind" â‘ 

    "Hey, you incompetent!"

    As I was walking from my father''s office to my room, I was stopped by a voice I didn''t want to hear.

    Sighing, Sam saw Manion, a blond-haired boy with a wooden sword, waiting for him with a wry smile on his face.

    Manion spotted Sam and approached him, his lips pursed in a disgusted frown.

    "I guess your father told you about me, didn''t he?"

    "Oh, yeah. Congratulations on your successor. Good luck."

    "-- what?"

    What?¡¡So, good luck."

    Manion looked stunned after I had gone to the trouble of cheering him up.

    Sam tilted his head, not understanding, and Mannion shouted as if in an emotional outburst.

    "What the hell is that?

    I said, "What do you mean, congratulations on officially becoming the heir apparent?"

    "Don''t play with me!"

    "What?"

    For some reason, he yelled at me irrationally.

    I looked at my brother, who seemed to be swinging a wooden sword at any moment,

    (--Ah...)

    I finally understood the reason for his anger.

    (Did he think I was frustrated or crying?¡¡I know you came all the way here to make fun of me for that, ...... but you''re such a boring girl. Don''t you have anything better to do?)

    I am appalled at the childish behavior of my half-brother.

    No, we are rather amazed that a nine year old child would go out of his way to make fun of his brother''s sorrowful behavior.

    (Insidious, no doubt, but he is as sarcastic as an adult.)

    But alas, it was a waste of time.

    Sam is not attached to the Reinbach family and does not lament the fact that he could not be the successor to the Reinbachs.

    Rather, he is excited to be able to live his life as he wishes.

    Perhaps his father will order him to serve Manion, but he has no intention of obeying such an order.

    I will simply leave this house as soon as I come of age.

    "...... What the hell is this guy?¡¡Are you really that Samuel?¡¡Never mind, I''m the next head of the family. I''m the next head of the family, not you with your lowly maid''s blood in your veins."

    "Yes."

    "-- you!¡¡What''s with that attitude!¡¡Don''t get carried away just because you''re getting a little flattery from the servants and the people!"

    What do you want, anyway?"

    I want to do my daily magic training, but Manion is preventing me from doing so.

    Sam was getting frustrated inside.

    But Manion didn''t seem to like him.

    "-- you!¡¡Stop that lickspittle!"

    Sam sighs for what seems like the umpteenth time as his brother spits and rages at him.

    It seems that his brother''s emotions are like an instant water heater.

    "When have I ever taken a snap at you?¡¡If you''re going to make some crazy accusation, can I go now?"

    "d*mn you!¡¡You''re not the same person you were the other day!"

    "I don''t know. Well, when you''re almost beaten to death with a wooden sword by your mean brother, you''re bound to change.

    To Sam, Manion is nothing.

    There is no family feeling for him, and I am sure it is the same for them.

    If anything, Samuel, who was only nine years old that day, thinks he died when his consciousness was replaced by Sam''s now.

    Therefore, Manion was an enemy to Sam.

    I cannot and will not be nice to such a person.

    So far, I have left them alone when they come at me, but if they persist too much, I will have to deal with them.

    I don''t care about Manion''s future, but if he grows up to be selfish and arrogant, I can see that all the servants and the people will have a hard time in the future.

    That was not good for Sam either.

    "I told you not to mock me!"

    Manion''s limits seemed to be easily reached when things did not turn out the way he wanted them to.

    Without hesitation, he swings the wooden sword in his hand at Sam.

    However, Sam easily grabbed the tip of the sword with one hand.

 14 - 13 "I made up my mind" â‘¡

    "--what?"

    Manion, who had been easily caught by the blow of the wooden sword, looked at Sam with a crestfallen look on his face.

    Sam ignored his brother''s gaze and let out an exasperated voice.

    "You know, now that you''re going to be the heir to this family, you should at least think about what would happen if you wield a wooden sword inside the house..."

    "--Shut up!¡¡Get off me, get off me, what are you doing, d*mn it!

    Heedless of Sam''s warning, Manion tried to retrieve his wooden sword, but it would not budge a muscle.

    £¨Is this the genius of the sword?)

    I began to doubt my brother''s ability.

    Sam had easily parried Mannion''s blow without using any physical enhancement magic.

    Moreover, his brother is now struggling to get the sword from Sam.

    (This without strengthening his body?¡¡Or are you saying he''s amazing for a nine year old?¡¡I don''t understand.)

    He has confirmed that he has no talent with the sword, but he has never confirmed that Manion is a genius with the sword.

    If he had a wooden sword and was experienced in swordsmanship, he could probably beat his older brother unconscious, but that does not make him a genius.

    But in fact, Manion''s sword made him puzzled.

    The speed of the sword is too slow.

    I could follow it with my eyes, so I grabbed it with my hand.

    The hand of a ten year old, which had not been reinforced in any way against the wooden sword, did not break, but only hurt slightly.

    Even now, he is winning a simple contest of strength against Manion, who is trying to get the wooden sword back.

    £¨It''s not that I want to be the head of this family, but being compared to this Manion is incompetent. (I don''t want to be the head of this family, but being compared to Mannion is like being compared to an incompetent...)

    In the end, we don''t know if Manion is a genius or not, but at least he is better than Sam, who can''t even swing a sword properly.

    £¨Well, okay...)

    To Sam, it makes no difference whether Manion is a genius with a sword or not.

    It made no difference to Sam whether Manion was a genius with a sword or not.

    "Get the hell off me!"

    "Yes, sir."

    Manion yelled at him numbly, and when he let go of his hand as Manion demanded, he fell on his buttocks with too much force.

    "Oh, I''m sorry, I''m sorry."

    Sam reached out his hand,

    "Don''t touch me!"

    He brushes my hand away.

    Mannion glared at Sam as if he were about to shoot him dead.

    £¨Oh, man, he''s emotional. (You may be extreme, but you''re still a kid, aren''t you?)

    "You know, if you had cried a little, I would have at least given you a warm welcome, but I''ve made up my mind!¡¡You get the hell out of this mansion!"

    "What?"

    "Father thinks I''d leave a useless piece of shit like you in this house, but I''m not that naive!¡¡You useless, incompetent people, get out of my house, get out of my house!"

    Sam was greatly shocked by his brother''s words.

    (-- Come to think of it, why did I decide to stay in this house until I came of age?¡¡On second thought, Manion is right, why don''t we just get the hell out of here?)

    I was not shocked that my brother told me to leave home.

    I was shocked why I didn''t leave this house as soon as my brother told me to.

    "Yeah. Okay."

    "-- hey."

    "I''ll leave tomorrow. Well, I have to get ready!"

    "Heh?¡¡Heh?"

    Leaving his brother stunned, Sam runs back to his room, his heart dancing in his chest.

    He opened the wardrobe and took out a bag containing the bare minimum of personal belongings that he had been preparing for some time,

    "Okay!¡¡I''m getting out of this house!"

    He trembled with determination.

 15 - 14 "I made up my mind" â‘¢

    "Of course not!"

    When Sam told Daphne that he would be leaving Baron Reinbach tomorrow, he was naturally met with fierce opposition.

    How could a ten year old man do such a thing before he comes of age?¡¡I''ll go protest to the Master myself!"

    "Wait, wait, wait!¡¡It''s not like that man told me to leave."

    "Not your husband?¡¡So you''re his wife?"

    No, it''s Manion.

    "--that little shit."

    Finally, not even his brother''s name escaped Daphne''s well-defined lips.

    His temples seem to be drawn together.

    He must be very angry.

    Sam tries to calm Daphne down for the moment.

    "I''m not leaving because Manion told me to. You know Daphne has wanted me out of this house for a long time, don''t you?"

    That''s... yes. I know that.

    "I was thinking of staying home until I''m an adult, but I figured I don''t have to wait another five years."

    "But those five years are important!¡¡I''ve never even heard of a ten-year-old being an adventurer on his own!"

    "But you''re doing well so far."

    "Yes, that''s true, but that doesn''t mean it won''t continue to work!¡¡When you leave the barony, you will find strange monsters. Sometimes you may even have to fight humans!"

    I''m ready for that."

    Sam is no fool.

    He knows that this other world is not just about fighting monsters with swords and magic.

    There are also criminals, bandits, and adventurers who do evil.

    Sometimes you may even have to take a human life.

    Sam is prepared for all of this and tries to stand on his own feet.

    He is grateful for Daphne''s concern.

    There is no one who is more kind to me than she is to herself.

    That is why it was hard for me to worry her and to make her sad.

    Still, it does not change the fact that I want to leave this house.

    "But that doesn''t mean I can send her off with a ''yes''!"

    "Daphne."

    "Sam, don''t bother me too much."

    "I don''t want to be in this house for another five years."

    "--!"

    Daphne chokes up at Sam''s words.

    "My father doesn''t care about me, and my mother-in-law treats me like an obstacle. My half-brother doesn''t even recognize me as his brother. ...... Do I have to endure five more years of that?"

    "...... that''s..."

    "I don''t want to stay in this house for five years while they make fun of me. I''ll miss Daphne and the boys, but if I don''t go now, when will I go?"

    Daphne began to shed tears as she told Sam how she really felt.

    I know I''m being unfair.

    She knows that Daphne, who has always been there for her, is sincerely concerned about her, but she puts her own needs first.

    "I''m sorry, Daphne. You have been so good to me and I have made you sad.

    With a heartfelt apology, she embraces the thin body of her benefactor, who has treated her like a mother and sister.

    Daphne also hugged Sam''s small body tightly.

    "--I''m sure that the best thing you can do for Botchana is to get out of this house. I understand. I won''t stop you now, Daphne, if you have to go through that.

    "Thank you."

    "But, sir!¡¡Please report your survival regularly. Let this Daphne know that you are alive and reassure her."

    "Okay. I''ll send you regular letters."

    We will miss you.

    Daphne''s arms tighten in a hug.

    Sam hugged her tightly, trying to never forget her warmth.

    "Me too, Daphne."

 16 - 15 "I made up my mind" â‘£

    "--Oh, yeah. I had a favor to ask Daphne."

    As I let go of her body regretfully, I remember what I wanted to ask Daphne to do for me.

    "Yes, sir?"

    "I''ll leave most of the money I have saved in the Adventurers'' Guild. So if anyone in town is ever in need of money or food, I want you to spend it sparingly."

    "May I?¡¡I''m sure you had quite a bit of money saved up."

    It''s okay. I can''t deliver wild bear meat anymore, and I don''t know what''s in store for everyone."

    If Sam had any regrets, it was about leaving Daphne and the other kind-hearted townspeople.

    After thinking about what he could do for them, he came up with money.

    Fortunately, I have enough money in my savings thanks to the large number of wild bears I have killed in the past year.

    There is a limit to how much money you can walk around with, and it is not good for a child to have a lot of money.

    So he decided to let the people of the town use it.

    "Yes, sir. Daphne, I will be responsible for the boy''s money.

    "Thank you. And can I ask you one more favor?

    "Whatever you say, sir."

    Sam muttered in a small voice, a little embarrassed.

    "Hey, I want you to make lunch for Daphne."

    "Of course. I will make it with lots of love."

    On this day, Sam decided to leave Baron Reinbach''s house.

    He prepared himself and had his last meal with Daphne and Derrick.

    It had been a year since his reincarnation, but his time with them had not been bad at all.

    Daphne was like a sister and sometimes like a mother, kind and strict at the same time.

    Derrick, who was more like a father and more gentle than a father.

    And the servants who gave us many smiles and kindness.

    I can only thank them all.

    Sam, who could not resist Daphne coming into his bed to make one last memory, fell asleep with her as if they were family, and woke up the next morning feeling refreshed.

    Daphne helps him get ready perfectly, and she hands him a lunch box filled with love.

    "Well, I''m off," she says.

    "Have a nice trip, we are always waiting for your return, Sam Botchana.

    Sam was at the entrance of the baron''s house, escorted by his servants.

    He carried a large bag on his back and was dressed in an adventurer''s outfit, but his age of only ten seemed somehow unbalanced.

    "Thank you, everyone!"

    Not wanting to say a somber goodbye, I smiled and waved goodbye to everyone.

    Daphne was in tears, but she still tried her best to smile.

    It was hard to say goodbye to Daphne, but Sam kept waving and turned his back to the house.

    There was no way he would ever come back.

    But if there is a chance, I would like to see everyone again.

    With these thoughts in his mind, he kicked the ground and ran.

    On the way, he exchanges greetings with the townspeople who are up early, and leaves a letter for the director of the orphanage and the children.

    I had already greeted the members of the Adventurers'' Guild who had helped me out yesterday, so I stepped out of the town.

    I am free!

    Sam took his first step as an adventurer.

 17 - 16 "Its a fateful encounter" â‘ 

    "Oh, how liberating!¡¡This is freedom!

    Sam was walking alone in the forest after leaving the town where the Baroness Reinbach lived.

    He feels light and exhilarated, partly because he has taken the first step in his new life.

    There is a lot of joy in finally being free from that unpleasant family.

    I am sure they will be very happy to know that Sam is no longer with them.

    "From now on, I will travel the world as an adventurer. I''ve been reborn in a different world and I''m going to enjoy it as much as I can!"

    We''re going to the next estate.

    Unlike Baron Reinbach''s fief, which is in the middle of nowhere, the neighboring fief is prosperous in its own way, and there is traffic to and from the royal capital.

    Sam''s goal is to get to the capital first.

    I hear that there are plenty of requests for adventurers in King''s Landing.

    One option might be to knock on the door of a school of magic, which is open to anyone with a talent for magic.

    "By the way, are there any dungeons in this world?¡¡After all, a different world is a dungeon, right?"

    I can''t stop being excited about a world I have yet to see.

    As adventurers, they recruit friends, tackle dungeons, and acquire treasures.

    It is like a game I played many times when I was a child before my death.

    "Are there brave men and demon kings?¡¡Ah, but I''ve never heard of a battle with the Demon King."

    It is not that I do not admire the existence of heroes and demon kings.

    If they exist, I would like to meet them.

    But if there is a Demon King, he might be fighting against human beings, and if that happens, there might be a war.

    I don''t like to see people suffer.

    Even if they are strangers.

    When Sam first came into this world, he thought it was just a dream.

    That he would wake up one day and return to earth.

    It was Daphne and the people of Reinbach who made Sam realize that this other world was real.

    They are alive.

    They are not the inhabitants of a fantasy, but real people.

    And although I do not know why I was reincarnated, I, who became Sam, am also a human being living in this world.

    Therefore, Sam wants to look around this world.

    He wants to see with his own eyes this world where many people live.

    He will not look for a way to return to the earth now.

    I have already accepted that this is my destiny.

    All that remains is how to live in this world.

    "Well, first we must go to King''s Landing. From there, let''s save up and go to different countries!"

    If you know what you want, your steps will be lighter.

    Perhaps it will not be all fun and games.

    There will be failures and hardships.

    Maybe you will even despair.

    But that is life.

    No matter what world we live in.

    Sam kicked the ground with a powerful kick toward the future.

 18 - 17 "Its a fateful encounter" â‘¡

    "Hm?"

    He was about to leave the forest and step into the neighboring territory when he heard someone breathing in his ear.

    "Who''s there?"

    No answer.

    But there is no mistaking the sound of human breathing.

    I have cast a physical enhancement spell on myself so that I can hear better in case I am attacked by a monster unexpectedly.

    I am not mistaken.

    There is no doubt that a human being is nearby.

    "Your breathing is weak. Someone might be injured."

    If someone is in trouble, leaving them alone is not an option.

    Sam sharpens his nerves and moves forward in the direction of the human presence.

    Fortunately, there seems to be no monster.

    Just when he is about to speak out, Sam finds the person he is looking for.

    "There you are!"

    It was a woman sitting helplessly on the ground with her back against a large tree.

    "It''s a woman."

    Her flame scarlet hair stood out in the green forest.

    Dressed in a gray robe, she was dressed as an adventurer.

    However, he is not carrying any kind of baggage.

    It is possible that he was chased by a monster and escaped.

    Um...

    Hmm?

    "----."

    The woman looks up and Sam gasps.

    She was beautiful.

    It is no exaggeration to say that she is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen in this life and the most beautiful woman he has ever seen in his previous lives.

    She must have been about twenty years old.

    Her flaming scarlet hair, unblemished white skin, and slender limbs are well balanced.

    The bridge of her nose, eyebrows, and eyes are as well-defined as those of an exquisite doll.

    What caught my attention the most were her powerful eyes, the same color as her hair.

    £¨He is like a flame.)

    Sam''s caution vanished from his mind.

    Like a moth drawn to a flame, he wandered closer.

    He found himself standing close enough to look down on her.

    "Is there something wrong?"

    Just talking to him makes me nervous.

    Thinking about it, this is the first person I have met since I left the territory.

    I didn''t know who she was, but I couldn''t help but call out to her.

    "Hmm?"

    "Are you injured?¡¡Do you need medical attention?"

    "--ta."

    "What?"

    The woman seemed to mutter something, but Sam couldn''t make it out.

    It seemed that she did not have the energy to speak.

    However, her eyes were shining brightly.

    Her eyes were inviting, and Sam moved his face closer to hers.

    "Are you all right?"

    "Yes."

    His voice was still weak, and I couldn''t understand what he was saying.

    Then a woman''s hand reaches out, grabs Sam by the chest, and brings her well-rounded lips close to his.

    "I''m hungry."

    I didn''t understand what he said.

    I stopped thinking.

    Then she said to Sam again.

    I''m hungry. Please give me something to eat."

    Apparently, the woman was not injured, but rather she had collapsed from hunger.

    Sam could feel his nerves fizzle out.

    With a sigh, Sam dropped his bag on his back and took out some food for her.

 19 - 18 "Its a fateful encounter" â‘¢

    "Thanks for the food. Thank you, I didn''t think I''d go down with hunger. Ha-ha-ha-ha."

    "This woman ...... ate all the lunches Daphne made for me."

    Sam weeps when he sees the empty lunch box.

    He couldn''t even eat a bite of the lunch box that Daphne had so skillfully prepared for him.

    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry. I thought I could eat anytime since I have the item box. I forgot to put the all-important food in the item box.

    "Item box?

    --Item box.

    At the word, Sam''s anger and sadness are quickly dissipated.

    His eyes light up, not expecting to hear a word so full of fantasy in such a place.

    "Is there such a thing as an item box?¡¡Where can I get one?"

    "Calm down boy. The item box is my skill. You can''t buy it."

    "What?"

    "Hmm. This is a rare skill, you must be jealous!"

    "I love it!¡¡I love it!¡¡I want one too!"

    "Unfortunately, you can''t give it to the boy. Skills are innate. --Hmm?¡¡What, the boy has skills too?

    "What?¡¡Do I have any skills?"

    You didn''t know?

    It was my first time hearing that.

    At the same time, my heart jumped.

    I had never dreamed that I had a skill in my body.

    £¨Maybe I have an item box too!¡¡(No, no, no, if it''s not good, it''s even better than that.)

    "So, what skills do I have?

    "I know you''re happy, but relax, boy. But it''s not too much to ask. Fewer people are born with skills than with magic. In a way, it''s proof that the world loves them.

    "I don''t care about that, come on, come on, come on, come on!"

    "What a child. Well, whatever. The boy''s skill set is, hmm... the skill set of the <>.

    "<>?"

    "I guess this skill is specialized for cutting. Good for you. If you hold a sword, you might be able to kill one man at a time.

    Shocked by the woman''s words, Sam fell to his knees on the ground.

    "A skill that specializes in cutting is not much of a skill."

    "Hey, what are you getting down about, boy?¡¡I don''t use it, but there aren''t many skilled swordsmen out there. Hopefully, you''ll be recruited by the national knighthood.

    "How can I ...... use a sword if I can''t use a sword?"

    It was too good to be true.

    If Sam had any talent with a sword, having skills specialized in cutting would have been a plus.

    However, Sam has no talent with sword.

    It is not that he is not good with a sword, but that he cannot use it at all.

    What good would it do to give him a skill specialized in cutting?

    "Boy?¡¡Is there a reason?"

    A woman looked into Sam''s face, who was hanging down with his hands on the ground.

    "It''s strange to find a child alone in a forest like this, if you think about it," she said. If you want, why don''t you talk to your sister about it?"

    "...... Um, what''s that?"

    "Your past and your future."

    The woman smiled.

    Sam does not know if she said this with good intentions or out of curiosity.

    "Why are you telling someone you don''t know?"

    "No, you gave me the boy''s precious meal, so I''m just returning the favor."

    She smiled at me smilingly, and I felt something different from anyone I had ever met before.

    "Oops, I haven''t even told you my name yet, have I? No wonder the boy is so wary."

    She said, standing up and stretching her chest.

    "I am Ur Scheidt. I''m a wizard genius."

    £¨Wow, she''s the type of person who calls herself a genius.)

    The scarlet-haired beauty looked rather regal and suited her as a self-proclaimed genius.

    I almost believed her.

    "So, what''s the boy''s name?"

    "Hi, I''m Samuel. You can call me Sam."

    "Sam, Sam. "Sam, Sam." Yeah. That''s a good name.

    A woman murmurs the boy''s name as if she were chewing on it--Ur.

    She nods a few times and reaches for Sam.

    "Now, tell me about yourself."

    Sam took Ur''s hand without resistance.

    Then he found himself telling her about himself.

 20 - 19 "Its a fateful encounter" â‘£

    "It''s quite a life you''ve led, Sam."

    When I finished telling him everything except that I had been reincarnated, Ulle, with a wry smile on his face, expressed such an impression.

    "You''re a big jerk, sir."

    He was born the eldest son of a baron in the countryside, but he was unable to become heir because of his lack of talent with a sword, and was forced out of his home by his half-brother.

    However, Sam told him that he was happy with his situation.

    Ur laughed at Sam and said, "You are strange.

    "But the Baroness Reinbach, I have never heard of her.

    "Well, he''s a country aristocrat."

    "I see. By the way, what are you going to do now, Sam?"

    "I''m a registered adventurer, so I''m going to save up some money and move around after a while."

    "What a childish and unassuming goal. Don''t you have any more plans to become a big shot, or to look back on the people at home?"

    "Not particularly."

    So what''s your purpose in moving from place to place?

    I just want to see the world.

    "--Oh!¡¡You''re just like me!"

    Ur''s eyes light up with joy at Sam''s answer.

    "Are you, too, Ur?"

    "Yes!¡¡I''m also on a journey to see different parts of the world and to acquire different kinds of magic from all over the world."

    "All the magic in the world?"

    Don''t you think you could use a little magic yourself?¡¡I want to learn and acquire as much magic as I can and climb to the heights of a wizard."

    "I think so!"

    "I knew you would say that. You are somewhat like me. Maybe that''s why you found me, because we are on the same wavelength.

    Ur shakes his red hair and looks pleased, as if he has found a comrade.

    Sam, too, was happy to meet someone who wanted to see the world as much as he did.

    "Oh, but I don''t know if I have a talent for magic. At best I can only do body enhancement magic.

    "It''s surprisingly difficult to use body enhancement because it''s so simple. Well, it''s a good thing we''re on the same page. I''ll do the for you....

    A magic circle floats in Ur''s right eye as he turns to look at us.

    Sam felt as if he were being watched from the inside.

    After a while, Ur growled a little.

    "I never thought I''d meet you here..."

    "Um, Mr. Ur?"

    "Boy!¡¡No, Sam!"

    "What, yes?"

    Ur suddenly grabs me by both shoulders, and her face is so close to mine that our lips almost touch if I''m not careful.

    "You may not be as good as me, but you have exceptional magic and magical talent!

    "Really?

    "Of course. I would never tell you a lie. And I have more good news for you, talented boy!

    "Good news?"

    "Rejoice!¡¡Ur-Scheidt here will make Sam his apprentice!"

    "Yes?"

    Good. That''s a good answer."

    Wait a minute, that wasn''t a reply, I was just confused and asked back.

    Ulle leaves Sam flustered by the sudden offer of an apprenticeship, and proceeds to tell his story.

    His momentum was so great that Sam had no way to stop him.

    "From now on, you can call yourself Sam Scheidt!

    "Wait, Mr. Ur!¡¡Wait, please wait!"

    "I have been looking for someone who could succeed me. Someone talented enough to inherit all the magic I''ve learned.

    No, no way, that''s...

    Yes. That''s you, Sam!

    I can''t even afford to be excited when a well-dressed face is so close to me.

    My heart beats faster.

    But it''s not because Ur''s face is so close.

    "Do I have that kind of talent?"

    The trembling voice let out a question filled with anticipation.

    Ur nodded vigorously.

    "There is!¡¡I promise you!¡¡Sam will eventually become the greatest wizard of all!¡¡No, I will do it!"

    "I''m the greatest wizard of all time?"

    I wonder if I can be.

    One year after being reborn in another world, I wondered if I had such a talent, since I had no talent with swords and had to rely on magic.

    But Ur''s eyes were always straight and he didn''t even seem to doubt Sam''s talent.

    £¨I want to believe.)

    "This is fate, Sam. You and I, meeting by chance in this remote forest, have what we both want. I need a successor, Sam needs a good teacher."

    Gulping, Sam swallowed his spit.

    His body trembled with tension, and his heart began to beat wildly.

    Ul stepped away from Sam and reached out his hand again.

    £¨This must be fate.)

    Ur is right, we both have what we wanted.

    If this is not fate, what is?

    Sam does not know how good Ur, a self-proclaimed genius wizard, is.

    But her words and actions, full of confidence and bravado, make him want to bet on her.

    Sam takes Ur''s hand.

    Her hand is surprisingly small, and her fingers are slender and supple.

    Her hand squeezes Sam''s strongly.

    "It''s nice to meet you. Mr. Ur."

    "You may call me Master. From this day on, Sam is mine."

 21 - "Four years have gone by so quickly.

    --Four years later.

    Sam Scheidt was traveling the world with his mentor Ur Scheidt.

    They had achieved their goal of touring other worlds.

    Every day was an adventure.

    The strange monsters, the different tribes, the countries that developed differently in each land, everything was new and interesting.

    With Ur, I could go to the end of the world.

    I even thought so.

    In terms of magic, Ur spends a lot of time to develop Sam''s talent.

    At first, Sam''s skill was thought to be a waste of time.

    However, Ulle, who had the ability to call himself a genius wizard, answered that unlike Sam, he could use his skills effectively with magic.

    "Specializing in cutting is not just about swords. You can use magic to cut."

    The scales fell from Sam''s eyes at the thought of Ur''s idea.

    He immediately put it into practice.

    He found that he could make the most of his skills by using his magic as a slash, wielding his arms covered with fire and ice as if they were swords.

    The skill was also effective with the hand sword from the strengthened body.

    Then he was taught to use his hands in order to increase the number of attacks.

    In addition to the training in magic, they were trained in physical combat.

    In a word, it was harsh.

    Ul, who excelled in both magic and physical training, was a strict master who did not tolerate whining.

    He never took it easy on me because I was a ten-year-old boy, and he always trained me seriously.

    "I''m going to die, I''m going to die, I''m going to die, I''m going to die!

    I don''t know how many times Sam screamed.

    But when the master fluttered his scarlet hair,

    "You can rest assured that no one has ever actually died after saying they were going to die."

    Saying such things, he did not let up, but instead imposed even more intense training on me.

    "You''re a monster!¡¡Bully!¡¡Dos!"

    Sam was surprisingly tough, too, and overcame all the harsh training while complaining to Ur.

    And then he realized..,

    "Heh?"

    Sam has learned to deliver a blow that rivals that of a magic sword.

    This was an endorsement by Ur and one of the most important events in Sam''s life that gave him confidence in himself.

    Their days together continued.

    When it became clear that Sam had an aptitude for fire magic, which was Ur''s strongest suit,

    "I''m going to learn fire magic in the home of fire magic anyway. Let''s go to the land of the rising sun!"

    He even crossed the sea to an island nation in the east.

    The Land of the Rising Sun was a closed country, and at first Sam and his friends were not welcomed, but they beat up anyone who tried to antagonize them, and before long they were recognized for their abilities, and found themselves guests of the royal family.

    It was fortunate that they were able to learn some secret magic.

    Not only Sam, but also Ur was very happy to have acquired magic that he had never seen before.

    The King of the Land of the Rising Sun asked him personally, "Will you serve my country? Sam and his friends returned to the continent and went from place to place again.

    Whenever they received information of a strong monster, they would go to defeat it, as it would be a good training for Sam.

    When Sam managed to defeat a monster even though he almost died, he received a reward, and after spending the money on a little extravagance, he immediately went back to his training.

    These days went on and on.

    By the time Sam met Ur and two years had passed, his adventurer rank was B.

    His talent for magic grew steadily, and he acquired a surprisingly high level of ability.

    Sam has no attribute magic that he is not good at.

    This seems to be a very rare case.

    Everyone has his or her strong points and weak points, but Sam was good at fire and dark magic, and could use all the other attributes.

    He also mastered the body enhancement magic that he had been using since his early days at a higher level, and he was able to learn the flying magic that only a limited number of wizards could use without any difficulty.

    This was probably due to Sam''s talent, but I must say that Ur''s teaching was also good.

    Ur was very serious about magic.

    He patiently taught me difficult magic repeatedly until I learned it.

    Even when Sam sometimes gave up, Ur encouraged and sometimes scolded him until he mastered the magic.

    He had a spartan side to him, but I guess that was his charm.

    When learning flying magic, he sometimes used a rough technique of knocking him down from the sky and saying, "If you don''t want to die, learn to fly".

    He admired Ur as a master and fell in love with her as a woman as well.

    It was his first love, including his previous life.

    But Sam is still a child.

    He is not the right age and ability to match with Ur, a great wizard.

    Therefore, Sam decides on one goal.

    "Someday, when I''m a wizard worthy of Ur, I''ll confess my love to you."

    I made up my mind to do so and continued to make efforts.

    In a sense, this may have been the most driving force of his life.

    Sam continued to train in magic, fight monsters and criminals, and play hard in the name of rest, and four years passed in the blink of an eye.

    He had never had such a fulfilling time in his life, including his previous life.

    --Sam was therefore mistaken.

    He thought that his days with Ur would last forever.

    Adventures with the love of his life, the pleasure of acquiring magic, the certainty of becoming stronger and stronger.

    He had no doubt that these happy days would last forever.

    --But Sam was wrong.

 22 - 21 "Goodbye and succession"

    It was almost five years ago when Sam and Ur met.

    --Suddenly, Ur collapsed.

    It was a great shock to Sam that Ur, who had been so healthy for the past four years that even killing her would not kill her, collapsed without warning.

    During training, she had been smiling and firing off magic shots, but when she suddenly turned pale and clutched her chest, Sam''s blood ran cold.

    It was none other than Ur herself who calmed the distraught Sam down.

    Breathing heavily, she said, "You''ll feel better after a little rest.

    So Sam carried her on his back and returned to the small inn where they were staying.

    And now.

    Sam watches over her, never leaving her side as she sleeps peacefully in her bed in a small town near the capital of the Kingdom of Skye, Ur''s home.

    £¨What happened to Ur?¡¡Sickness?¡¡But I haven''t seen any sign of that in the past four years. Maybe he was sick, but I didn''t notice it?)

    She said she would get better with rest, but she has been asleep for half a day now.

    It was already dark as night fell.

    The fear that Ur might not wake up again.

    Sam prayed to God for the first time since his rebirth in this world.

    "...... and ...... Sam."

    As Sam sits in a chair by his bed and continues to pray, a voice unexpectedly calls out to him.

    Ur has awakened.

    Sam kicked the chair and ran to her.

    "Ur, how are you feeling?"

    Still pale, he anxiously calls out to his beloved mentor.

    She forced herself to smile.

    "Of course I''m fine."

    "Don''t lie to me. I didn''t expect you to collapse. ...... If you''re not feeling well, you should tell me you''re not feeling well."

    "Oh, for heaven''s sake, don''t look so pathetic, boy."

    Ur gently stroked Sam''s dark head.

    "If he''s awake, let''s go to the hospital. If you can''t, I''ll get a doctor.

    It''s a small town, but we have doctors.

    If the town doctor doesn''t work, head for King''s Landing.

    "I don''t need a doctor."

    But Ur''s words were not what Sam expected.

    "Why?

    He couldn''t help but raise his voice.

    Then Ur made a somewhat soothing sound.

    "I know what I''m doing with my body," he said.

    "But that doesn''t mean..."

    "Sam, listen to me. I don''t have long to live."

    "--what?"

    Sam couldn''t believe his ears.

    No, he could hear, but he didn''t want to accept Ur''s words.

    "What are you talking about?¡¡Don''t you know what to say and what not to say anymore?"

    Suddenly, Ulle starts to sound weak, and Sam feels inexpressible uneasiness.

    He had never seen Ur like this before.

    She has always been strong, confident, and sometimes arrogant.

    She had never looked so weak before.

    "Calm down and listen to me, Sam. I''m suffering from an incurable disease.

    "What?"

    "It''s a malignant disease with no known cause or cure. It is a rare disease that rarely affects people with strong magical powers.

    "Oh, no, because, ur-"

    Sam is upset by Ur''s confession, but she doesn''t care and proceeds with her story.

    "I''m sorry for keeping this from you. I''m sorry for keeping it from you, but I''ve been in a good mood.

    He doesn''t give Sam time to take in his words and chew them over.

    "As a matter of fact, when they found out I was sick, they said I wouldn''t last a year."

    "...... no such thing."

    "So I left everything and ran away without telling my family about my illness. All in order to find my successor."

    Ur looked at Sam and smiled.

    "And I found the man I was looking for. And I found the one I was looking for, my dear apprentice, Sam.

    "Wait a minute, Ur!¡¡One year? We''ve been together for four years!"

    "I wondered too. I thought that maybe the disease had been cured. But the disease was still a disease.

    "We need a doctor, we need a doctor!¡¡In a city as big as King''s Landing, there must be a doctor who can heal Ur!"

    Ur shook his head quietly at Sam''s suggestion.

    "Unfortunately, I have always lived in King''s Landing. I''ve used all my contacts, I''ve seen the most renowned doctors and wizards. The result is that I have one year to live."

    "...... Oh, no, then what do we do?"

    "But life is interesting. The light of my life has lasted me not one but four years. I''m sure it''s because of Sam.

    "Ur, stop it!¡¡Don''t say that, we will continue to adventure, laugh and be together."

    Sam shouts at Ur, who is talking as if he has already succumbed to the disease.

    I can''t let my master die like this.

    I will do whatever it takes to keep him alive.

    I would give my life for his life.

    Sam really thought about it.

    "I know these will be my last words, so I''m going to say them. --I love you, Sam."

 23 - 22 "Goodbye and succession"

    Ur lovingly stroked Sam''s tear-streaked cheek.

    "I love you as a teacher, as a family member, and as a woman," he said.

    Taking her hand in his, Sam did his best to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill.

    "I was so happy to meet you, Sam. I loved her so much that I wanted to have her child if I could. If I had known earlier that I had so much time left, I would have sought you out without hesitation."

    "...... ur ...... me, too, ur."

    "I knew. But I was a coward and pretended not to notice. I thought that Sam didn''t deserve a woman who would one day be gone."

    Tears finally spilled.

    Once they break down, the tears don''t stop.

    "No, it''s not like that. Ur is everything to me. Without Ur, I''m... I''m... I''m... ......

    Sam''s tears wet his cheeks and Ur''s hands.

    "Don''t cry, Sam. We met when we were little, and now you''re a grown man. You''ve grown up. I''m more than happy to see you like this. But I have unfinished business."

    What''s left to do?

    I want Sam to inherit everything I have.

    Sam nodded at his master''s words.

    "Yes. I wish I could have inherited all of Ur.

    If I had more time, I could have mastered her techniques.

    Sam knew that one day he would learn her accumulated magical skills and become a great wizard.

    He had never dreamed that illness would interfere with that.

    "No, no. No, that''s not it. I mean exactly what I mean. I want you to inherit everything I have."

    But I don''t see how that''s possible.

    "If I had more time, I would have raised you with my own hands until the end. But I knew from the beginning that I didn''t have time. That''s why I''ve devised a spell."

    "Wait, is that what you meant when you said I was your successor?"

    "...... I didn''t tell Sam, but he knew I didn''t have much time."

    I had no idea that Ur had made such preparations.

    Her magical abilities are nothing short of amazing, but they are specialized for combat.

    What kind of magic could Ur have created?

    "What I have developed is a secret ritual that can only be used once - inheritance magic.

    "...... inheritance magic."

    "I can pass on all my magic, all the magic I''ve learned, and all my skills to Sam."

    How is that possible?

    If she really can inherit all of hers, as Ur says, then the magic developed is unprecedented.

    Many wizards will be clamoring to have it.

    Many wizards have tried to leave their skills behind.

    Many of them have taken on apprentices or written grimoires to pass on to future generations.

    But even so, not all ten of the ten things are passed down to the next generation.

    Therefore, one of the main tasks of the wizards was to leave behind a living proof of their magic for future generations.

    "It can be done. But inheritance does not mean mastery of everything, it requires talent and skill. But Sam has no problem with that. The past four years have convinced me of that."

    "I''m going to inherit everything Ur has?"

    "Sam is blessed with talent and magic. Time will tell. I''m sure you''ll have no problem using everything I have inherited.

    "Wait, wait, wait, Ur!¡¡You''re kind of assuming that I''m going to inherit it, but I''m going to need a doctor first. You''ve had four years, maybe there''s still time!"

    I am honestly happy that Ur is willing to pass everything on to me.

    But I wanted her to live more than that.

    "You''re a hopeless girl. I told you I know my body."

    "But..."

    "I''ve been aware of the symptoms for some time. My taste buds have gone numb, my hands and feet are numb, my breathing is labored, my strength is gone. It was hard to hide it from you."

    "But that doesn''t mean..."

    "Listen, Sam. I''m glad you feel that way. I wish I could spend more time with you and Sam. But it''s no use if I''m too weak to use my inheritance magic. I won''t be able to trust you with everything I have."

    "--Urr!"

    "You''re not saying you don''t want it, are you?"

    "You wouldn''t say that!¡¡But more than that, I want to be with Ur!"

    If I had not inherited all of Ur, if my remaining time would have been extended, I would have gladly given it up.

    But from her conversation with Ur, Sam knew that she really did not have much time left.

    Still, she would like to spend more time with Ur if she could be allowed to do so.

    She wonders if there is any other way.

    Ur hugs Sam gently as she can''t stop crying.

    "My dear Sam. My first love. I want to live with you. But as much as I want to, I don''t want to see you visibly weaken. Then let me die while I can still be me."

 24 - 23 "Goodbye and succession" â‘¢

    "--Urr!¡¡Don''t say that!"

    I couldn''t see Ur''s face properly through my tears anymore.

    It became clear to me that she was refusing to live.

    I hate that she is so ill that her respected master has no choice but to give up.

    "I used to be afraid of death. I used to be afraid of death. I used to be afraid that I would die with nothing left of what I had learned, of my talent. But not anymore. Because of Sam. Because of Sam, I can sleep in peace."

    "Ur...... don''t like it, Ur."

    "I knew one day I would hurt Sam. I''m heartbroken and I''m sorry."

    It felt as if I was saying goodbye.

    Sam tightens his arms around Ur.

    He was so stubborn that he didn''t want to let go.

    "But I''m glad at the same time," he says. I can give my all to my beloved apprentice. What could make you happier?"

    I can''t reply.

    I can''t stop crying.

    Sam sobs in Ur''s arms.

    "You are a good wizard. If you inherit all that I have, you will reach even greater heights. I look forward to it, my dear apprentice.

    Ur said and gently stroked Sam''s head.

    "Come on, give me your hand."

    Sam complies with tears streaming down his face.

    She pulled herself away from Ur and took her hand in hers.

    "Now I''m going to tell you everything I know. I am sure that if I use the inheritance spell, I will pass away in my sleep. I don''t like to get wet, so I''ve left you a letter. Read it later."

    "Oh, no. Urgh."

    Tears spilled down my cheeks as I wondered if I was about to say goodbye.

    I thought I still had a few days to go.

    It was too sudden.

    It seems that the naughty master doesn''t even give us time to prepare ourselves.

    "You''re a crybaby, Sam. "You''re a crybaby, Sam. If I do, the magic will fail.

    Ur looked troubled.

    "If you love me, please. If you love me, please, take all of me."

    "--Okay. All right. As the only disciple who loves Ur, I''ll accept everything you have to offer."

    "--good boy."

    As Sam tried to listen to his master''s wish with tears streaming down his face, Ur smiled reassuringly.

    Sam, too, smiles, defeated.

    He decided to smile for Ur.

    "Okay, let''s start. It''s nothing, it''ll be over soon. --Inheritance magic activated.

    A small murmur, no chanting or anything, echoed through the room.

    Warm magic slowly flows from our clasped hands.

    I could feel Ur''s magic entering Sam''s body.

    Not just magic.

    Ur''s knowledge and skills flowed into Sam along with the magic.

    £¨It was as if she was one with Ur.)

    It felt as if her whole being, her life, was coming into Sam.

    It would have been a tremendous feeling of happiness, if it had not been for the parting that awaited us next.

    But Ur would be gone when the inheritance magic was over.

    If I had noticed her poor health earlier, a different ending might have been waiting for me.

    Just thinking about it makes my tears well up in frustration, and my smile almost crumbles.

    Sam tried her best to keep smiling.

    And he continued to accept the magic that flowed from her, and the end came.

 25 - 24 Goodbye and Succession â‘£

    "--Fu. The inheritance spell worked. Everything I am has been passed on to Sam. Oh, thank goodness."

    Ulle, with a look of relief on his face, closed his eyes silently.

    "Ur?"

    "Sorry, I got kind of sleepy."

    "Oh, you must be tired."

    It became clear to Ur that his time was running out.

    Tears streamed down Sam''s cheeks.

    He had decided not to whine anymore.

    He didn''t want to worry his beloved mentor.

    Ur grips Sam''s hand with his eyes closed.

    "I want you to be a good wizard. But you know, it''s not only about magic, it''s also about yourself. I want you to forget about me, fall in love, make love, have a family, and be happy."

    "I''m sure you''ll never meet anyone better than Ur."

    "No, you will. I assure you. Sam will be happy.

    Sam took Ur''s words and squeezed her hand tightly.

    "Okay. I''ll be happy. I''ll live my life to the fullest, enjoying magic and life for Ur."

    "--Good boy. That''s Sam. My sweet, sweet, sweet pupil.

    Ur smiled so serenely that it was hard to believe that he was on a sickbed.

    Sam asked his mentor, "How are you doing?

    Hey, Ur. Was I a good student?

    "He was the best student I ever had. Hey, Sam, was I a good teacher?

    "He was a great teacher. --I''m glad I met you. It was good to be with you. Thank you for everything."

    Sam knew that he would never have another chance to say this, so he expressed his gratitude without any false pretenses.

    How lucky Sam was to have met Ur.

    How fulfilling the four years he had spent with Ur had been.

    I don''t think Sam will ever be able to tell Ur how much he appreciates him in the time he has left.

    So, with tears in his voice, he expressed his heartfelt thanks.

    "Well, thank you, too. Thank you for meeting Sam.

    Ur''s voice lost its power.

    Slowly, as if he were falling asleep.

    "I never thought my death would be so peaceful. Sam, can you hold my hand tighter?

    Like this?

    "Yes. Yes, I can feel your heat. Your hands were so small, but now they''re bigger than mine."

    Ur holds Sam''s hand lovingly and caresses it with his other hand, as if to confirm his growth.

    "I will never forget this warmth."

    "I won''t forget Ur''s warmth either. I''ll remember everything about you.

    "I''m flattered, but forget about me. I like that."

    "I can''t. I can''t do that."

    "She''s a total ...... mess."

    Ur gave a small sigh, but he sounded somewhat pleased.

    He might have wished that his apprentice would grow up and forget about him, but to Sam, Ur was something special.

    How could he forget?

    She seemed to understand this and was happy, even though she was in trouble.

    "Sam ......, I have one last request."

    "Anything."

    "Will you give me a kiss?"

    Instead of replying, Sam kissed her beloved on the mouth.

    He tried to remember the feel of her lips on his heart.

    Then, he let go of her lips, regretting his last kiss.

    "Hmmm, to tell you the truth, it was my first kiss."

    Me too. I''m glad Ur was the first."

    "I''m glad Sam was the first, too."

    We both had a small laugh.

    It was not an intense kiss, as if two people who love each other are sincerely seeking each other, but it was a gentle kiss that fully conveyed their feelings for each other.

    "Thank you, Sam. Please make me happy."

    "Yes."

    Her hand loosens.

    "Ur?"

    "...... be happy, please."

    Those were Ur''s last words.

    Ur thought of Sam until the end of his life.

    Ur!¡¡Ur!"

    Sam calls out to his beloved who has passed away as if asleep, even though he knows he will never reach her.

    Of course, there is no answer.

    After calling out for a while, Sam had a faint hope that maybe she would answer him again, but she never woke up.

    "Ur."

    I must accept the death of my beloved mentor.

    It is so painful that his heart aches.

    Tears pour down her cheeks.

    They run down his cheeks and wet his hands.

    Ur would not want her to cry so pitifully.

    But for now, just let me cry.

    "-Good night, Ur. Please rest in peace."

    Clinging to her corpse, Sam continued to shed tears.

    This was how he said goodbye to Ur, the woman he loved with all his heart.

 26 - 25 "Move forward."

    On the day he lost Ur, Sam cried until his tears ran dry and found the suicide note she had left behind.

    One was addressed to himself, and there were others that seemed to be addressed to his family.

    Sam reads the will left to herself.

    "--Ulrike Scheidt Walker."

    He learned that this was Ur''s real name.

    Urs Scheidt was her name when she was working as a wizard.

    It was her so-called magical name.

    Ur was the eldest daughter of the Earls of Walker, who had a house in the capital of the Kingdom of Skye.

    In her will, she wrote that she ran away without telling her family when she found out she was ill.

    What she left in her will was her wish.

    She asked that Ur''s corpse be delivered to her family.

    Of course, I accepted her wish.

    She also asked me to use Ur''s magical name, , as the name of Sam''s family.

    Sam intended to do so without being asked.

    He would not abandon the name that his beloved had given him.

    Samuel Scheidt had been Samuel Scheidt since the day he met him and took him under his wing.

    And I always will be.

    In his will, he also wrote about Ur''s own past, which he had never told Sam.

    He had been the third seat of the court wizard of the Kingdom of Skye, and he had learned of many other things about Ur''s past that Sam had never known.

    "I didn''t know anything about Ur, did I?

    Ul did not talk about himself, and Sam did not want to hear about him either.

    She was so happy every day that she took it for granted that she would be with Ulle more often, and so she did not pay attention to her past.

    I believed that one day she would tell me about her past without me having to ask her.

    In reality, however, that day never came, and I found out about her from the will she left behind.

    If this was going to happen, I should have asked her.

    I wanted to hear from Ur''s mouth who she was and what her life had been like.

    Sam could only regret that he had not been able to say a single word.

    "d*mn it, I''m crying again."

    Just thinking about Ur brings tears to my eyes that I thought were dried up.

    I miss Ur.

    I want to hear her voice again.

    I want to taste her warmth.

    But I know that I can''t do that anymore, so I can''t stop crying.

    Sam read the letter through his tears.

    He read it over and over again.

    Ur left only a brief note about himself.

    The rest of the letter was only about his memories of Sam and his worries.

    I am sure that Sam must have been still a difficult pupil for Ur.

    I am grateful to my mentor for his concern for me right up to the end.

    And I swear.

    "I will not stop, Ur. I''ll become a great wizard like I promised. I will enjoy magic and life to the fullest for you."

    I will fulfill Ur''s wish.

    And one day, when we meet again, you will praise me.

    So watch over me."

    In Sam, Ur''s magic, spells, and skills reside.

    She is still in him, still cuddling him.

    She wished she could forget herself, but she could not.

    How could she so easily forget her best teacher, her benefactor, her beloved?

    I will be a wizard that Ur will be proud of.

    I will be the best and the strongest wizard she ever wished for.

    Sam stands up with the letter in his pocket.

    I can''t cry forever.

    "Ur."

    Sam kisses Ur''s sleeping cheek and covers her with ice magic.

    He covered her with ice magic so that her corpse would not be hurt on the way to the capital.

    After covering Ur with a sheet, he puts the will and personal belongings she left behind in the item box he has inherited.

    "I have to get Ur to her family."

    Gently and carefully, Sam takes Ur in his arms and leaves the room.

    It is already midnight, and Sam walks towards the capital.

    He had to do something, or he would cry over Ur again.

    He wanted to bring Ur to his family as soon as possible.

    Sam continues on his way to the capital without rest.

 27 - "The Earl of Walker,"

    A week later, Sam was in front of the Countess Walker''s mansion in the royal capital of the Kingdom of Skye.

    "So this is the house where Ur was born and raised.

    Carefully holding the corpse of his beloved mentor in his arms, Sam looked up at Ur''s birthplace.

    It was the residence of a countess, and the grounds and buildings were quite appropriate for such a place.

    We can see a three-story house, a flowerbed filled with blooming flowers, and a fountain.

    There was a wall covering the house.

    The Count''s family can be seen from the gate of the house, and Sam''s family, the Baroness Reinbach''s family, is in the distance.

    "The Reinbachs had a normal two-story house," he said.

    They had a large garden in the countryside, but it was not as glamorous as that of the counts.

    I felt as if I had seen the difference between a country aristocrat living in a remote area and a city aristocrat living in the royal city.

    "Anyway, I have to meet Ur''s family, what should I do? Should I knock?"

    "Hey, you!"

    While he was visiting the Count''s house, a soldier, who appeared to be the gatekeeper, appeared and approached Sam.

    "Who are you?¡¡You know this is the Countess Walker''s mansion!"

    £¨Thank God. I can get this guy to hook me up)

    Sam bowed lightly to the gatekeeper.

    "I know. I am Samuel Scheidt, apprentice of Ulrike Scheidt Walker. I''d like to meet with the head of the Walker family."

    "A child like you, Master Ulrike''s apprentice?"

    Yes.

    He''s been missing since he left five years ago!

    "I''ve been with this Master Ulrike for a long time."

    Sam already knew that Ur had left home without telling his family to hide his illness and to find a successor.

    The gatekeeper, however, has no way of knowing this and looks at Sam suspiciously.

    "Then where is Ulrike?"

    "He''s dead."

    "...... what?"

    I saw him. I have the body and a letter for the family.

    The gatekeeper''s gaze turns to Sam''s arm.

    Then he let out a trembling voice.

    "No, no, you''re not holding him, are you?"

    "It''s Lady Ulrike."

    "--wait, wait!¡¡I report to my master!¡¡But, thing is, I don''t know if I can trust you. First of all, do you have any proof that you are Ulrike''s disciple?

    "If you would be so kind as to leave me the will that Master Ulrike left for me."

    Okay. I will deliver it to the masters and ask them to confirm it.

    Please."

    Sam, still holding Ur''s corpse in his arms, took the will she had left in her pocket and handed it to the gatekeeper.

    "I have it. I also don''t know if you are really Ulrike''s disciple. I hate to say it, but it could be a fraud to claim to be his disciple. I''m sorry, but I''m going to have to take you into custody.

    "Of course. I will not resist. Please."

    "Thank you for your cooperation. Now, let''s start with ...... and take care of your body."

    The gatekeeper tried to take custody of Ur''s corpse, but Sam stepped back.

    He wondered if he should give her up so carelessly.

    "I promise to treat her with respect. I have been the gatekeeper of Count Walker''s family for a long time. I know Lady Ulrike well. But I never expected her to pass away. ...... I hope I am wrong if I can help it."

    "I hope it''s not true, too."

    Sam believed the gatekeeper and handed Ur over.

    A sense of loss washes over him as the weight of her is lifted from his arms.

    It''s another reminder that I''ve really lost her.

    "Wait for me. I''ll bring you the body and the suicide note first."

    "Yes."

    The gatekeeper went back inside the house and returned in a few minutes.

    "Sorry to keep you waiting. Now let''s get you into custody. Turn around."

    "Yes."

    Obeying the gatekeeper, Sam turned around.

    Fixes are placed on his wrists.

    "But how could you enter the city with the body?¡¡Didn''t the guards check it out?"

    "We forced our way through."

    "-- hey."

    "So, when it is proven that I am not lying, please intercede with the guards who are after me."

    Sam did not want to carelessly expose Ur''s corpse.

    But the guards guarding the city would not allow it, and they broke through by force.

    By now, the guards were probably looking for Sam, who had entered the capital without permission.

    "Hey, you!

    The gatekeeper sighs in disgust.

    "Okay. I''ll tell the master about that, too.

    "Thank you, sir."

    Let''s go."

    Sam was bound and escorted by the gatekeeper onto the grounds of Count Walker''s house.

 28 - 27 "I met Uls family" â‘ 

    An hour later.

    Sam was unshackled and shown into the drawing room of Count Walker''s house.

    Waiting for him in the room were a handsome man of about 40 and a flaxen-haired woman of about 30.

    He immediately recognized them as the parents of his beloved master.

    Both of them looked somewhat like Ur.

    Both of them had red, swollen eyes.

    I assume that they have identified Ur''s corpse and will.

    £¨They are Ur''s parents.)

    They rose from their chairs and bowed deeply as Sam entered the room.

    "Samuel. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for delivering my daughter''s corpse and will."

    "Thank you very much."

    "Please look up. I''m just doing what a disciple should do."

    "Still, all I can say is thank you."

    After thanking Sam, they both slowly looked up.

    "Come, sit down. We have a lot to talk about."

    "Yes."

    At their urging, Sam watched as they sat down in their chairs and then sat down.

    "First, let me introduce myself. My name is Jonathan Walker. I''m the head of the Earl and Countess Walker family.

    I am Grace Walker.

    Nice to meet you. My name is Samuel Scheidt. Please, call me Sam.

    Sam says his name and bows his head.

    Both of them looked a little surprised.

    "Scheidt...... coincidentally, my daughter''s magic name was also Scheidt."

    "Ur, no, my master gave it to me as a family name."

    "I see. Ulrike must have liked you very much.

    I''m glad to hear that."

    Jonathan gazed intently into Sam''s face.

    Then he sighed tiredly.

    "I''m surprised that your maverick daughter took on an apprentice and loved him so much, but I had no idea that he was ill. As a parent, I feel so sorry for her."

    "I understand that your daughter was cared for by Lord Sam at the end of her life?"

    Yes. If I had known of your master''s illness earlier, I would have forced you to bring him to King''s Landing, but I am sorry.

    "You have nothing to apologize for. You have nothing to apologize for. Thanks to you we will be able to hold Ulrike''s funeral and put her in a grave.

    "I''m glad to hear you say that."

    Both Jonathan and Grace wiped their tears with handkerchiefs and thanked Sam again.

    Sam was also on the verge of tears if he was not careful.

    "I''m sorry. It''s still hard for me to accept my daughter''s death."

    I''m sorry for your loss.

    "Thank you. But let''s talk about you.

    "Yes."

    "She left a suicide note with a lot of things about you in it."

    "...... I see."

    "That you are a very good wizard, that you inherited your daughter''s magic, and that she loved you."

    "I loved my master with all my heart."

    If the message had already been conveyed, there was no point in hiding it, so I made it clear.

    I don''t want to lie about my feelings for Ur.

    Sam answered honestly, knowing that he would be blamed.

    "......I know I''m very hesitant to ask you this, and I know it might hurt you, but let me ask you this. Did Ulrike and you have a s*xual relationship?"

    No, there was no such thing.

    "I''m sorry. I''m sorry. I''m sorry I asked you that. I just wanted to know how much you two had known each other.

    "I hope you don''t mind. I loved my master, but it was only at the end of my life that I was able to tell him."

    "I see."

    "My relationship with my master, if I may be so bold, is family."

    "--Okay. Family."

    Jonathan and the others did not express their displeasure at Sam calling Ur a family member in the presence of his own family.

    Sam is a little relieved.

    There had been some concern that they might not be happy about Sam becoming their apprentice without their knowledge.

    For the moment, however, neither of them expressed any of these feelings.

    "I''m glad he''s not lonely."

    "Really. I''m sure she was happy to have you by her side."

    I''m glad to hear that.

    "Well, you''ve inherited everything from your daughter."

    "That''s right."

    "To be honest, I am surprised that my daughter was able to use the technique to pass on her magic. What did you inherit from her?

    I understand Jonathan''s question.

    Even Sam, who inherited everything from Ur, still cannot believe that such a technique exists.

    "I inherited my master''s magic, magic power, knowledge, and skills."

    "--All of it?"

    "Yes. I still don''t know how to use it, but I inherited it all."

    "I never thought such a thing was really possible. It would be a big deal if I presented it at an academic conference.

    There was an upset look on Jonathan''s face.

    "You, now is not the time.

    "Yes, it was. I''m sorry. I''m sorry, Mister Sam.

    Jonathan, who was about to change the direction of the conversation when his wife rebuked him, clears his throat and returns to the story.

    "Yes."

    "What will you do with the power you inherited from your daughter?"

    "I''m going to stay in King''s Landing for a while. I have things to do."

    "What do you mean by what I should do?"

    When asked, Sam made it clear what he had to do.

    "I will become the most powerful wizard who can surpass my master."

 29 - 28 "I met Uls family" â‘¡

    The Walkers were wide-eyed and stunned by what could be taken as Sam''s reckless remark.

    "...... So, that''s a big goal," Sam said. But, you know, I think it''s going to be difficult. Do you have a plan?"

    "First of all, I would like to become a court wizard in this country."

    "I see. Ulrike was a court magician too. Are you saying that you want to reach the heights where she was?

    "Yes. Yes, but it is a passing phase. I will become a court wizard, the best wizard in this country, then the most powerful on the continent, and then the most powerful in the world.

    Well, that''s grand.

    "As an heir to the magic left to me by my master, I think this is the least I can do."

    He is determined to become a better wizard than Ur so that when he meets his late mentor again, he will be praised for a job well done.

    He does not think it is impossible.

    He knows from the start that it is a lofty goal.

    Then, I will not think about the negative, but always keep a positive attitude.

    But it may have sounded like megalomania to Mr. and Mrs. Walker.

    Both of them are looking very confused.

    Sam clears his throat,

    "In the meantime, I am going to become a court wizard, so please consider that I will be staying in King''s Landing for a while."

    I decided to say what was acceptable for both of us to understand, even if I did not mean it.

    "Whatever your purpose is, are you sure you want to stay in King''s Landing for a while as your base of operations?"

    "Yes."

    "Then you may live in this mansion while you are in King''s Landing."

    "Are you sure?¡¡Wouldn''t that be a nuisance?"

    Now it was Sam''s turn to be puzzled.

    He had never expected anyone, even Ur''s apprentice, to care about a child who was a complete stranger to him.

    Mrs. Walker smiles at Sam.

    "Actually, my daughter has asked me to take care of Sam for her. Please let us take care of you.

    "But..."

    Besides, isn''t Sam a child who hasn''t even reached adulthood yet? I can''t just throw him out there.

    Grace made that clear.

    Not because he was a nobleman, not because he was Ur''s disciple, but because he was a sensible adult who could not leave Sam, who was still a child.

    Her kindness brought tears to my eyes, as I knew she was Ur''s mother.

    Ur also had a strict and arrogant side, but he was kind at heart.

    I miss Eul more and more every time I come in contact with her family.

    "Dear Sam, if you are not willing to just accept charity, how about becoming the family''s personal wizard?"

    Me, sir?

    My daughter has told me of your talents and abilities. If you are the wizard that she has assured me you are, it would be a shame to lose you to another house. What do you think?"

    "If you want to become a court wizard, you must have the backing as well as the ability. Fortunately, my family is a family of wizards and I have been given the title of count. Besides, my husband is the vice-captain of the first squadron of the magical army that serves the country. It would be a good time for us to get behind him.

    The Walkers'' proposal was tempting.

    With no acquaintances in King''s Landing, Sam had nowhere to go in the future.

    Moreover, he would be grateful for the backing of the Earls of Walker in his quest to become a court wizard.

    It would make it easier to reach his goal.

    "Of course, we will have to see what you are capable of, and you will have to show us that you are worthy of being a court wizard. How about it, will you allow us to assist you?"

    "Well, why would you go to such lengths?"

    At Sam''s reasonable question, the couple looked at each other and then smiled a little sadly.

    "You were Ulrike''s first and last disciple, and she asked me to help you. As a parent, I would like to at least fulfill her last wish."

    It is clear that they truly loved Ur from the bottom of their hearts.

    It is not an easy thing to take in a child of unknown origin.

    However, the Walkers decided to accept their daughter''s last words and her discipleship.

    Perhaps because they believe it will be a memorial service to their daughter.

    They sincerely want their daughter to rest in peace and be free of her sorrows.

    Sam felt for the Walker''s and thanked Ur for taking care of him until the end of his life.

    "Thank you for your care."

    Sam bowed deeply to the Count and Countess.

 30 - 29 "I met Uls family" â‘¢

    "Well, if you''re going to live in this house, I''ll introduce you to my daughters."

    "Your daughters?"

    Yes. Ulrike''s sisters."

    The mention of Ur''s sister made Sam nervous.

    He wondered what they would think of him.

    He wondered if he had any thoughts about what he had done to his sister, to deprive her of her last moments with him.

    "Go get the girls."

    "Yes, sir."

    When Jonathan gave the order, one of the maids, who had been standing by in the room, bowed and left.

    "Let''s have tea until the girls come. I''m sorry I haven''t been hospitable to our guests.

    "No, please don''t worry about it."

    The maid prepared a cup of tea for me. As I thanked her and quenched my thirst, I heard footsteps approaching from outside the room.

    There was a short knock on the door and Jonathan gave his permission, and three women came into the room accompanied by the maid.

    (- these are Ur''s sisters ......, yes, they look like Ur in some way)

    Without being introduced, I immediately recognized them as sisters.

    "Mister Sam, let me introduce you. First of all, this is my second daughter, Lieselotte.

    "Nice to meet you, I''m Lieselotte. You can call me Liese. Thank you for your sister.

    Lieselotte was a vivacious looking beauty with straight blond hair tied in a ponytail.

    She was about twenty years old.

    She wore trousers while her sisters wore skirts.

    She was not dressed as a man, but it suited the vivacious Lise well.

    Next is Alicia, the third daughter.

    "Oh, um, I''m Alicia."

    It was Alicia, the third daughter, who greeted us briefly.

    She looked a little older than Sam and was a beautiful girl with soft blonde hair.

    She seemed a little timid, but the slight smile she gave me was soft and reassuring.

    "I''m sorry, Sam. Alicia is a little uncomfortable with men.

    No, I don''t mind. No, I don''t mind. I''m looking forward to working with you.

    "Yes, yes."

    The father''s additions to the conversation made sense.

    Alicia, who is not good with men, is one step closer to Sam than her sisters.

    Perhaps she was a bit confused by her first encounter with a man.

    Finally, there is Erica, the fourth daughter.

    "............"

    "Erica. Say hello."

    "...... I''m Erica. --I don''t accept that you are Sister Ur''s successor."

    It was Erika, the fourth daughter, who reluctantly greeted her father.

    She was a beautiful, winsome girl with short-cut flaxen hair.

    "Oh, my. Erica is fifteen years old, one year older than Sam. She can use magic. I hope we have a lot to talk about."

    "Father, I''m not going to talk to this guy."

    "--Erica. He''s a valued guest in our home and we owe him a debt of gratitude. Don''t be rude to him.

    "No matter what you say, I will never accept such a dull man as your sister''s successor!"

    Erica glares at Sam, then leaves.

    "I''m sorry. Erika has always admired big sister Ur, and she is jealous of you, because you were her favorite pupil."

    It was Lise who followed up on her youngest sister.

    Alicia, for example, who is a quiet person, was in a quandary.

    "No, I understand how you feel.

    Ur was a wonderful wizard.

    Her family must have been very proud of their eldest daughter.

    Ur had taken Sam, a complete stranger, as her apprentice and made him her successor by letting him take care of her at the end of her life.

    It is understandable if you think it is not interesting.

    In fact, you are right.

    Sam has not yet accomplished anything as Ur''s disciple and successor.

    He will be recognized as a disciple and successor from now on.

    "Please don''t hate Erica too much.

    I don''t think of you that way.

    Sam did not take Erica''s attitude personally.

    In fact, it reminded him of Ur when he was in a bad mood and he couldn''t help smiling.

    Erica was not the only one.

    Lise, who seemed to be in a cheerful mood, also had the image of Ur who used magic with a lively spirit.

    (They are sisters after all. They look so much alike.)

    Ur is gone, but not all of her.

    Meeting her family members and being able to think that way, Sam felt a little lighter.

    He felt that the loss of Ur had been healed a little.

 31 - 30 "I met Uls family" â‘£

    Although Erika disliked me, Lise agreed to show me to my room after I finished introducing myself to the Countess Walker girls.

    "Feel free to use this room. Also, you can use the bathrooms and such by telling the servants, so feel free to use them."

    "Thank you."

    "Don''t thank me. If you''re your sister''s apprentice, you''re like family to us."

    Thank you very much.

    Sam is moved to tears when Liese says she is like family.

    Sam was grateful to have been accepted into the family of his beloved late mentor.

    "That''s why I told you not to thank me."

    I''m sorry. I''m sorry.

    "Hmm. It''s okay. Hey."

    Yes?

    "Are you okay?"

    Suddenly, Sam was at a loss.

    What was Lise doing asking him, "Are you okay?" I did not know what he was asking me.

    Liese gently touches both cheeks of Sam, who is unable to answer.

    "Oh, um...?"

    "Did you cry when you lost your sister?¡¡You''re not holding back?"

    "...... Yes. I was sad and cried. I didn''t hold back.

    "Then that''s good. You are a child, you can cry if you want to.

    "I''d rather be with Lieselotte and her friends than with me."

    "Your father and mother were sad and cried, but I''m not so sad. It''s a little inappropriate."

    "Why is that?"

    I don''t think it''s possible to lose a family member and not be sad.

    I worry that Lise is the one who is pushing herself too hard.

    "I think she thinks her sister must have been satisfied with her life.

    "Why would Ulle be happy?"

    "She''s her sister. If she wasn''t satisfied, she wouldn''t have died for no reason. I''m sure she had no regrets since she had you as her successor and spent four happy years with you. That''s why I want to see you off without being sad.

    "Dear Lieselotte."

    I think she''s a strong person.

    I don''t think I could ever be like her.

    "I already told you to call me Lise. Your sister was very protective of you, but from now on I will think of you as my brother. I''ve always wanted a brother since I had only sisters."

    Lise looked so kind and charming as she smiled at me.

    Her smile was different from Ur, but somehow similar.

    "Oh, I''m sorry. I know your sister well enough to be okay with this, but I know it makes you sad. It was an inappropriate thing to do at such a time.

    "No, it''s not like that."

    "Yeah?¡¡That''s good. From now on, you can call me Sam.

    "Yes, Lieselotte-sama."

    I told you to call me Liese.

    "Yes, it was. Yes, Lise.

    She giggled when I called her by her nickname, which I was afraid to do.

    "If possible, I''d like you to call me without ''sir,'' but that will come later," she said.

    "I''m afraid not."

    "Why don''t you just call me ''sister'' like a little brother?"

    Lise had a mischievous smile on her face as she said this.

    "I don''t want to bother Sam too much, so I''ll leave it at that for today. I''ll leave you alone for now, I''m afraid.

    "Thank you very much."

    "If you get a chance, please tell me how you and your sister spent your time together."

    Of course. I''ll be sure to let you know.

    I''ll look forward to it. I''ll see you later."

    Lise waves her hand and leaves.

    After watching her back, Sam quietly opens the door to the room he has been given.

    And is surprised.

    "Wow............that''s the Countess. The rooms are so luxurious that it would be rude to compare them to a baron''s house in the countryside."

    The rooms were not so much poor as luxurious compared to those of the Reinbachs.

    Even when I was traveling with Ur, I had not slept in such a luxurious room since I was invited as a guest of the royal family of the Fire Nation.

    Sam wondered if he should lie down on the well-made bed, but he was tired after a week of traveling to the capital without a break, and he wanted to get some rest.

    He was relieved that Ur''s corpse had been safely handed over to his family, and now his body needed a rest.

    I thought I would at least cleanse myself, but in the end, sleep overtook me and I collapsed on the bed.

    As soon as I close my eyes, Sam leaves in a dream.

    Strangely, sleep was peaceful.

    It was probably thanks to the warmth and kindness of the Earls of Walker who accepted Sam, who was trying to forget his grief over the loss of his beloved.

    In the dream, Sam thanks the family of Ur.

    And in the dream he had that day, he felt Ur said "thank you" to him.

 32 - 31 "A new teacher has been created" â‘ 

    A week has passed since Sam stayed with Count Walker''s family.

    During this time, Ur''s funeral was held.

    The funeral was a modest one, attended only by Sam and Ur''s family.

    As a former court magician, Ur was well remembered by the royal family, who sent their condolences.

    Other wizards who had known Ur during his life were also saddened by his death.

    "It must have been a difficult time for you, Lord Sam. You should take some time to rest."

    Jonathan, the head of the Earl of Walker family, was concerned about Sam''s health, and for the past week he had been quiet in his rented room.

    She had been training to sense the magic she had inherited from Ur, to see how well she could use her knowledge, her magic, and her skills.

    On the way, Countess Grace and Lise, the second daughter, invited us for tea and showed us the room Ur used before her death.

    They gave me the key to Ur''s room and allowed me to come and go as I pleased, so when I have time, I go to her room to remember her.

    What was interesting to me was Ur''s collection of grimoires and magical tools.

    She must have been a collector, because there were quite a few of them on the bookshelf.

    There was also a large amount of whiskey and cigarettes in her room.

    When I met Sam, she had stopped drinking and smoking because of her illness, but I heard that she was a heavy drinker and a heavy smoker.

    I was thankful to know a side of Ur that I did not know.

    The week went by in a flash.

    "...... huh."

    Sam was sighing in his room.

    The reason for this was that he knew that in the past week he had not been able to use half of everything he had inherited from Ur.

    At the young age of fourteen, Sam was still growing up and was too inexperienced to master all of Ur, a talented and mature magician.

    In the first place, Sam had not yet mastered his own magic to the fullest.

    In such a state, he would never be able to use the skills of a superior wizard who was in the position of a court wizard of a country.

    "So the item box is the only thing that can be used without any problem.

    Fortunately, I can use the skills I inherited from Ur.

    However, it is not impossible to use them since they only put things in and out of the subspace.

    After trying various methods, I found out that the items put in the item box are kept in the same state as they were stored.

    For example, if you put a hot cup of tea in a water bottle and throw it in the item box, you can enjoy the hot cup of tea at any time.

    This seems to be suitable for preservation of food as well.

    On the other hand, it is not suitable for items that need time to mature, such as wine or whiskey.

    Of course, there is no problem if you want to store finished products, even alcoholic beverages.

    "Item boxes are very useful. It is indeed a royal fantasy skill."

    With an item box, your adventures around other worlds will be easier.

    In fact, when I was traveling with Ur, I only had to leave my belongings with her.

    "Ur, I will be grateful for the use of the item box."

    He is grateful to his beloved mentor and vows to learn to use not only his skills but also the magic he has inherited as soon as possible.

    I am ashamed of my inexperience, but it is good to have a goal.

    My ultimate goal is to become the most powerful wizard, but before that, I must learn to use all of Ur''s magic.

    It is my growth, Ur''s wish, and above all, it is the best way to get closer to the strongest.

    While I was thinking about this, there was a knock at the door.

    "Yes."

    "It''s Lise. May I come in?"

    "Of course. Come in."

    Sam ran to the door and invited Lise into the room.

    Liese came in, still wearing the same pants, but she was dressed more comfortably than usual.

    "Lise-sama?"

    "You know, I read the letter your sister left me after the funeral. In it, she wrote that she wanted me to train Sam."

    "Liese-sama wants me?"

    If Sam remembers correctly, Lise is not a magician.

    Then what would she train him in?

    "I heard that Sam has no talent in swordsmanship.

    "I''m afraid so."

    To be more precise, he is completely useless with weapons and arms in general.

    "But you seem to be able to use them pretty well with your hands.

    "Yes. Ur taught me how to do it in real combat."

    "Your sister must have really loved Sam. She wrote so much about you. And she was worried about you.

    "Ur worried about me?"

    Lise nodded.

    "Your sister was very good at magic, but not as good as magic at the physical arts. If we fought without magic, I would be stronger.

    "--What?"

    I couldn''t believe my ears.

    As far as Sam knew, Ur was strong even without magic.

    He had not learned any special school or kata of martial arts, but he had the strength cultivated through actual combat necessary for battle.

    His strength was such that Sam, who used body enhancement magic, could easily twist him.

    I couldn''t imagine Liese''s ability to be stronger than Ur.

    "I have only one wish for you, sister. I''ve entrusted her with my magic, and she wants me to fight other battles with her.

    "Well, what do you mean?"

    Lise gave a lively smile to Sam, who was puzzled.

    "From today on, I will be your teacher too. Come on, let''s go to the garden.

 33 - 32 "A new teacher has been created" â‘¡

    Sam was lying face down on the ground in the garden of Count Walker''s house.

    £¨He''s a monster.)

    I ache all over.

    Just moving my fingers causes a dull ache to spread through my body.

    "Oh?¡¡Is it over?"

    It was Lieselotte, the second daughter of Count Walker, who crushed Sam mercilessly with a single wooden sword.

    She was strong enough to tell Ur, whom Sam respected, that she was stronger than him without magic.

    (Even Ur could fight her reasonably well. ...... That''s a lie!)

    If Ur is an exceptional wizard, Liese was an exceptional swordsman.

    At first, they fought each other hand-to-hand, unable to get their hands on each other.

    Then, Sam was allowed to use his body enhancement magic, and Liese took up a wooden sword, again unable to get a hand or a foot in the way.

    Sam, who had prided himself on having become stronger not only in magic but in combat in general during his four years with Ur, had his confidence knocked out of him without mercy.

    While Sam was covered in sweat and mud and breathing heavily, Liese did not even break a sweat.

    The difference in strength between the two was too great.

    (......It hurts just to move. ......You might have a crack in your ribs or arm.)

    Sam was not to be trifled with.

    He had a strong woman named Ur as his mentor, and he would not pretend to be a half-baked feminist who could not fight against women now.

    Even against Liese, I fought with the intention of defeating her from the very beginning.

    But the result was this.

    "Hey, Sam. Can you use recovery magic?

    "...... a little bit."

    "Then you can use it. Let''s continue."

    (And as harsh as Ur)

    He casts a restorative spell on his aching body, then stands up and readies his fists.

    "Good. Let''s go!"

    No sooner had he replied than Liese disappeared.

    "--!"

    I didn''t take my eyes off him.

    He simply moved too fast for me to follow with my eyes.

    But Sam has been through a lot.

    He soon finds Liese.

    But it is too late.

    She was swinging a wooden sword.

    A moment later, her body flew through the air.

    "You can follow me just in time, but your body doesn''t seem to be able to react fast enough.

    Hearing Liese''s voice, Sam felt a sharp pain.

    After a pause, his back hits the ground and the air leaks from his lungs.

    "--Kahaha!"

    Sam couldn''t see Liese''s sword line.

    She was fast and sharp.

    "You seem to have a good eye, but you''re still a bit naive. It will take time for you to be able to follow my sword properly."

    "...... yes."

    "After a while, I think you will be able to at least dodge or catch my sword. When you can do that, I''ll stop holding back and we can get more serious.

    (-This is too much of a standard to hold back.)

    "...... Lise-sama, you are very strong."

    "Thank you. I used to be a disciple of Kensei-sama."

    "Kensei, is it?"

    Sam asked Liese as she stood up, holding her aching body.

    "Oh, you don''t know?¡¡It is a title given to the best swordsman in the country. It''s like a court wizard if you''re a wizard.

    "I didn''t know there was such a title."

    "The difference from a court wizard is that when you become a kensei, you can open your own dojo. I used to go there myself.

    "Heh."

    I hear that he is also busy as an instructor and bodyguard for the royal family.

    "A disciple of the greatest swordsman......... No wonder he''s so powerful. Surely, without magic, he would be stronger than Ur.

    "I hope you believe me."

    Yes. More than I want to."

    Lise smiles at Sam, who makes a bitter face, as if satisfied.

    "I''ve played with your sister a few times, but even with magic she''s a good match."

    "That''s terrifying."

    "Oh, my God, you''re so rude. It''s not so easy when you can kill them faster than you can shoot magic. Anyone can do it if he''s fast enough."

    How many swordsmen are as fast as Lise?

    £¨This guy is a wizard killer for sure.)

    Wizard-killer is a term used to describe the natural enemy of wizards.

    For example, a swordsman like Liese who won''t let you use magic.

    "Your sister didn''t let me win easily either. Every time we fought, she would try to come up with countermeasures against me, so I often lost.

    According to Lise, she has been losing a lot of matches with Ur.

    "But I envy you wizards!"

    "Really?"

    "Yes!¡¡Body enhancement magic is so sneaky!¡¡Do you have any idea how long it took me to be able to move in a certain way?¡¡But Sam can move just as well with enhancement magic. It''s a little frustrating."

    "I still couldn''t get my hands on Lise-sama, though."

    "Hmmm, I can''t let Sam beat you yet. He''s a disciple of the Sword Sage, after all.

    Lise smiles happily.

    She must love swords.

    She looks so lively, just like Ur, who uses magic.

    "I don''t have magic, but I had the good fortune to become a disciple of the Sword Saint and I''ve spent many fulfilling days here. Thankfully, you seem to have a talent with the sword.

    "I envy you, because I''m not very good with a sword.

    "I guess so. But I guess that doesn''t stop some parents from mistreating their own children.

    "......, did you know that much about it?"

    "I''m sorry if I offended you. It''s just a letter from your sister.

    Lise looked apologetic, and Sam shook his head, saying he didn''t care.

    He shook his head and said he didn''t care. He had already broken off relations with his parents and he couldn''t worry about what had happened in the past.

    All I have to think about now is moving forward as a wizard.

    "I don''t care. I met Ur because I didn''t have the gift of the sword. I''m rather glad for that.

    "Hmm. You''re so positive. And you like your sister very much."

    "Yes, with all my heart."

    "I envy you, sister. I wish I could be truly loved by a man."

    Lise looked strangely lonely when she said that.

    "Lise-sama?"

    "Yeah?¡¡What''s wrong?"

    "Oh, no, it''s nothing."

    But she immediately went back to smiling, so I guess I was looking at her wrong.

    "Hmmm, Sam is so weird."

    Sam is relieved to see Lise laughing like a child.

    He thinks that he was mistaken about the lonely expression he saw for a moment.

 34 - 33 "A new teacher has been created." â‘¢

    Sam was then trained by Lise and became accustomed to the Walker family.

    Lise and the other members of the family are all good people.

    Erika was the only one he did not get along with, but he knew she was not a bad girl, so he did not care too much about her.

    I hope that one day I can become a wizard that she would approve of.

    And now he knows exactly how to become the court wizard that Sam aspires to be.

    At first Sam thought that he would just have to pick a fight with a current court wizard and beat him.

    "That would definitely cause problems, so please don''t do that."

    When Jonathan finds out about the plan, he rebukes him.

    At that time,

    "You don''t have to be so much like Ulrike."

    I was taken aback.

    It is said that Ur became a court magician at a young age because he had beaten the current court magician of the time to a pulp.

    However, there is currently a vacancy for a court wizard, so it is possible to be recommended without such a barbaric act as long as you have a good track record.

    However, Sam was still a pre-adult and that seemed to be the biggest problem.

    No wizard has ever become a court wizard before coming of age.

    Even Ur had not yet come of age.

    Despite his frustration, Sam made good use of his time to train with Liese and develop his skills in non-magical warfare.

    At first he was at the mercy of Liese''s speed and was unable to react to her attacks, but little by little he learned to react to her attacks.

    But the end result was still the same.

    The gap between their abilities was still too great, but Sam continued to train with Lise without any fear of being corrupted.

    When not training, Sam used his time to socialize with the other members of the Walker family.

    Countess Grace often held tea parties where she would ask him questions about his relationship with Ur.

    Lise, of course, and Alicia, with whom she had only spoken a few times, were also present.

    She seemed to be interested in talking about her sister and her love life.

    On the other hand, her relationship with Erika did not improve.

    Every day at the dinner table, they would not make eye contact.

    If she happened to make eye contact with me, she would just turn her head to the side.

    It will take more time to develop a good relationship with her.

    Sam would like to have a good relationship with Ur''s sister.

    And the Countess Walker''s family gave Sam a welcome party.

    Of course he is saddened by the loss of his daughter, but he does not want to do anything more than grieve.

    He knows that Ur will not be able to sleep peacefully if he does.

    Sam''s welcome party was a lively affair.

    The servants join in the festivities, Jonathan asks about his relationship with Ur as a father, and Lise joins in the fun, making Sam uncomfortable.

    Everyone knew that Sam loved Ur as a woman, so he was repeatedly asked how far their relationship had progressed.

    Everyone in the Count''s family is kind, warm and full of smiles.

    I am sure Ur would have loved such a family.

    That is why she left without telling her family when she realized that she was dying.

    Sam, as Ur''s only disciple, was determined to protect the family she loved so much.

 35 - 34 "I was invited to hunt."

    "Hey, Sam!¡¡Let''s go hunting!"

    "Heh?¡¡Hunting, sir?"

    As Sam was getting ready after breakfast, Lise came into his rented room without knocking and said with a lively face.

    "Aren''t you bored just training in the garden?¡¡Then let''s get to work, practice!"

    After a few days of training with Liese, I found out that this young lady was quite a tomboy.

    Her behavior was dignified because she had studied swordsmanship, but she could not keep still or was childish.

    Sam liked Lise.

    It was easier and more enjoyable to be in a relationship with someone like Lise, who was full of energy, than with someone who was uptight.

    So there was no reason to refuse her invitation.

    "Okay. Do you know of any good hunting grounds?"

    "I recommend the forest west of King''s Landing. It doesn''t have very strong monsters, but it''s an excellent hunting ground.

    "Heh."

    "I used to go to that forest when I was a student of Kensei-sama''s dojo. I miss it. I survived with just a sword. ...... We had to get food and a place to sleep locally."

    "You are very strong, Lise."

    "This is nothing if you learn to use a sword under the sword saint. But those who didn''t have the guts quit quickly.

    It is said that becoming a disciple of a sword saint is a status among the nobility.

    There are many people who simply want to learn swordsmanship, like Liese, and others who become apprentices in order to gain a reputation.

    It is said that Kensei do not sift through applicants, but accept them.

    However, there were too many who could not keep up with the rigorous and demanding training, especially the nobles who became apprentices because of their status.

    (Well, it''s not likely that a noble lad can survive in the forest with only a sword, is it? (Well, it''s not like a noble lad could survive in the woods with only a sword, is it? I wouldn''t like it either.)

    It''s not impossible, but I don''t want to be a willing survivor.

    In the first place, I wonder what survival with a sword has to do with swordsmanship.

    "Well then, let''s get going!

    "What?¡¡Right now?¡¡Ready to go!"

    "What are you talking about? What are you talking about?¡¡We can get water and food locally."

    "Ew!¡¡Let''s at least bring our own lunch!"

    "You''re wasting time waiting for someone to make you lunch!¡¡If Sam and I leave now, we can be there and back in time for dinner!"

    "That''s true, but..."

    Sam, who can use body enhancement magic, and of course Liese, who has insane strength and legs without magic, would be able to get around faster by running on their own feet than by riding in a carriage.

    Sam aside, Liese is truly out of the ordinary.

    Sam wonders if this is what happens to everyone who attends a kensei''s dojo.

    "That''s why we have to bring our own food. Let''s go!

    "Hey, at least let me make the minimum preparations!¡¡We are hunting, what if something happens!

    We''ll be fine.

    That''s not appropriate.

    "Oh, it''s not random. We''ve looked at our abilities and determined that a forest of that size is not a problem. I can live in this forest by myself for a few days. So let''s go!

    Cautious Sam wanted to be at least minimally prepared, but Liese overruled him.

    She was already itching to hunt.

    As a matter of fact, there is always a minimum amount of water, food, and a tent in the item box.

    Lise knows this.

    (...... You don''t think I''m just a handy toolbox, do you, Lise-sama?¡¡(Right?)

    Despite some resistance, Sam was dragged by Lise toward the woods west of Count Walker''s house.

    Although he was surprised at the suddenness of the trip, Sam was excited to be able to move his body for the first time in a long time.

 36 - 35 "Your parents are watching your daughter."

    There was a figure watching Lise as she grabbed Sam''s arm and ran happily out of the mansion.

    It was Jonathan Walker, the head of the Earl Walker family, and his wife Grace.

    "You, look at this. Lise is so lively.

    Grace had tears in her eyes as she said this.

    "I can''t thank you enough, Sam. I didn''t know what to do with Lise who had suffered so much and I treated her like a tumor, but I don''t know if that was the right thing to do.

    "Me too."

    "But now that Sam has come to live with us, Lise has brightened up. She has regained her former vivaciousness. As a parent, I could not be happier.

    "I''m sure it''s good that Sam doesn''t know anything about his past."

    The Count nodded in agreement with his wife''s words.

    "I''m sure we would have thought of what happened to Liese," said the Count. She is a smart girl. He will see it in our little gestures."

    I can''t see my daughters'' backs anymore.

    We know they went hunting from the conversations we heard.

    I''m not worried.

    Lise is a former disciple of the swordsmith, and Sam is Ulrike''s disciple.

    We know that there are only weak monsters around the city, because knights and adventurers are regularly killing monsters and the city is surrounded by wards.

    Occasionally, a stronger monster will drift in from somewhere, but it is rare, and with the two of them being so capable, it should not be a problem.

    "I still wonder," he says. I still wonder why Lise had to go through what she did.

    "I agree with you. --I thought it was a good marriage, but I did not expect to be treated like that when I married."

    Lise was once married.

    But the marriage was not a happy one.

    The Walkers regretted that they had failed to notice that their daughter was suffering.

    When they finally found out that their daughter was being treated badly by her husband, they let her leave the marriage, but the bright and cheerful Lise was gone.

    Time had passed slowly, not knowing how to deal with such a daughter, but now a change had occurred.

    It was thanks to a boy named Samuel Scheidt.

    He was a pupil of Ulrike, the eldest daughter, and when Lise took care of Sam during his stay at the house, he regained his former cheerfulness.

    He took up the sword again, which he had thought he would never hold again, and began to train Sam.

    He found himself laughing as often as he used to.

    The Count and Countess are truly grateful to him for all he has done for them.

    "I heard that the man has remarried. He''s younger than Lise and has just come of age."

    "It''s infuriating. But it doesn''t matter now. I''m already cut off from that man, or that family.

    "Yes, you''re right. At least I hope the new woman who marries into that family won''t have to go through what Liese went through."

    "--Yes."

    "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to sound so gloomy. It''s just that Lise was smiling at me like she used to.

    "I know. Fortunately, Sam will be in King''s Landing for a while. If he wants to become a court wizard, it should be a year at least.

    Even if Sam were to quickly attain the position of court wizard, he would still have obligations because of his position.

    Even though he aims to be the best wizard, a court wizard is expected to work hard.

    Then it will not be easy to leave King''s Landing, or even this country.

    Lise will be pleased to hear this.

    "I bet. I''m tempted to let Sam and Lise get married.

    "I know that you love Ulrike. I know that you love Ulrike, and I know that you will not easily change your mind about her. As a parent, I can only thank you for loving my daughter so deeply.

    "But Sam has his own life. He himself would not want Ulrike to be dragged down forever."

    "Of course. But it''s too soon to tell. Sam has just lost Ulrike. He needs time to calm down. Besides, I''m sure Lise doesn''t see you as a man yet either.

    "Yes, I was a little hasty. I was a bit premature, too. I was a bit surprised when Lise laughed like that.

    In their eyes, Sam and Lise''s relationship was still that of a close sister and brother.

    Maybe Liese feels for him more than her brother, but Sam is still her older sister.

    They would be happy to have a straight and likable boy like Sam as their son-in-law.

    But the most important thing in a marriage is the feelings of the people involved.

    Maybe he was naive because he was an aristocrat, but it was his parental mind to be cautious since his daughter had once been unhappy because of his marriage.

    "You are really very lenient with your daughters," he said.

    "You are too strict, so I may be lenient. I don''t want you to hate me for being too hard.

    "Oh, my God, what a jerk you are!"

    "Hmmm. Well, let''s keep an eye on Liese for a while. Maybe Sam will come to know about her past. If you can support him then, you can entrust him to me.

    "You seem happy because you wanted a son."

    "Sam is a very good boy, indeed. I hear that he was not treated well in his birthplace, but he remains upright and not corrupt. It is a pity that he has not grown up yet. I''d love to have a drink with him."

    "You''re totally in love with him, aren''t you?"

    Grace laughed at Jonathan''s praise of Sam.

    "Even without the fact that he was Ulrike''s apprentice, he is a good boy, talented in magic, polite, and likable. I only wish she were my own child."

    "Then let us hope that one day you will be our child."

    "Yes. If you are to become a court wizard in time, you will need a backer. Then you might even adopt a child from my family.

    "I''m sure Ulrike will be surprised when she finds out."

    "No, they will praise you for a job well done."

    The wife nods her head as the husband smiles at her.

    She is still sad about the loss of Ulrike and will need time to recover from it.

    But the daughter has left us a bond.

    But she has left us a connection with Sam, a talented boy who has inherited everything from her daughter.

    Thanks to him, Lise, our second daughter, has already brought back the brightness.

    The couple sincerely hopes to cherish the connection their daughter has left them.

 37 - 36 "I learned about Mr. Lieses past" â‘ 

    "Hmmm!¡¡It''s been a while since I''ve had a proper workout."

    Once in the forest, Sam and Lise hunted monsters and magical beasts at random.

    Strangely enough, the inhabitants of the forest were ready to fight and attacked Sam and his friends.

    However, Sam was rarely in action, and Liese cut down all the monsters in one fell swoop with her serious sword.

    "I didn''t get a chance to fight, did I?

    "Oh, Sam has an important role to play. Yes, this monster can be sold for a lot of money, so put it in storage.

    "Just because you have an item box doesn''t mean you have to treat people like useful tools."

    "I''ve asked your sister a few times, but she wouldn''t go with me on a hunt."

    "I think Ur would say it''s too much trouble."

    "It''s worse than that. He said we should burn the whole forest down, and once he really tried to do it.

    "You''re an extremist in every way, Ur."

    Sam, who had been a child who was not needed in battle, was very active after that, thanks to the item box given to him by his master.

    £¨Well, no matter how many high priced monsters you hunt, there is a limit to how much you can carry. In that sense, the item box is invincible.)

    At the moment, it is unclear how much stuff can be stored.

    I tried to find out, but there was no way to check with what I had on hand.

    However, since it can hold the remains of monsters that have been killed so far, it seems to have a considerable amount of space for storage.

    "Well, now that we have stored the monsters, it''s time to have lunch."

    "Right. I''m hungry after all that exercise. By the way, Sam.

    What is it?

    Can you cook?

    I can do that. I''ve been traveling around with Ur, so I can at least learn to cook for myself.

    Ur could cook at least a little, but he was a rough cook, so Sam prepared the meals for him.

    Half of the trip was spent eating at inns and diners, but there were also many times when they were camped out.

    Sam had no problem with this, not only because of his adventures with Ur, but also because he had lived alone in a previous life and could do household chores.

    In fact, it is a good memory that Ur was so fortunate as to put him in charge of cooking duty.

    I''m glad you''re okay with that. I''m not proud of it, but I can''t cook.

    "...... I''m sure."

    "Hey!¡¡What do you mean, "I''m sure"?¡¡Don''t make it sound like I can''t do it!"

    "But you can''t, can you?"

    "So, I can''t, but... But don''t get me wrong. It''s not as if I can''t. It''s just that wielding a sword is easier than wielding a knife.

    "I don''t usually swing a knife around."

    "It''s a figure of speech!¡¡That''s not what I meant!¡¡Anyway, it''s not that I can''t cook, but your mother and the head chef are begging me not to. So let''s give Sam the honor of preparing lunch."

    "Thank you for your happiness."

    "Mmm-hmm. Good."

    With all due respect, I did not originally expect Lise to be able to cook.

    Not because of her skill, but because I didn''t expect a countess surrounded by servants to cook for herself.

    Many noblewomen cannot do housework.

    Or rather, they don''t have to.

    "Just so you know, I can do housework other than cooking."

    "......Well, if that''s what Lise-sama says, let''s say so."

    "Hey, Sam!¡¡You don''t believe me!"

    "Ha-ha-ha, no way. There''s no way I would ever suspect Liese-sama of ...... anything, right?"

    "I doubt it!"

    Joking around with each other, Sam deftly dismantles the edible monsters with his knife.

    Although Sam has no talent with a sword, he has learned over the past four years that he can at least use a knife in a normal way.

    It is funny to see him unable to use a knife at all or even throw a projectile properly when it comes to combat.

    "Well then, let''s cook some meat.

    "I''m looking forward to it."

    He takes a net and salt and pepper from the item box and starts a fire.

    Place the lightly seasoned meat on the net and you are ready to go.

    The fire sears the meat and oil drips onto it.

    The savory smell of the meat stimulates your nostrils and your stomach starts to move.

    "It''s a little late for that, Lise-sama..."

    "Yes?"

    "I have a knife and fork, and a plate, would you like to use it?"

    "Sweet. This kind of meat tastes best when you bite into it with all your might."

    "That''s true, but I''m not so sure about letting the ...... countess bite into meat roasted over an open fire."

    I am still worried that the Master and Mistress will be angry with me later.

    But Lise only smiles happily.

    "You know, I told you that I had a night camp as part of Kensei-sama''s training. You''re not a boxed girl, you can handle it."

    "Of course. You''re Liese, aren''t you?"

    "--Oh, my. I''m curious about the way you just said that. What do you mean?¡¡Are you trying to call me a naughty girl?"

    "...... Oh, the meat is ready. Please enjoy the delicious part.

    "Thank you - but don''t play games with me, Sam!"

    Sam and Lise laughed at each other as if they were brother and sister.

    Sam, who had been depressed by the loss of his beloved teacher, thanked Liese for giving him a time that he could truly enjoy.

 38 - 37 "I learned about Mr. Lieses past" â‘¡

    "Oh, I''m so full."

    After finishing the meal, I took out the tea I had prepared in the item box, poured it into a cup and handed it to Lise, who smiled and sipped it happily.

    "I didn''t think you could have tea after dinner. Sam is really useful, isn''t he?"

    "It''s an item box, though, not me."

    "At least your sister didn''t put tea in the item box."

    "By the way, Ur and I met when he was lying on the ground hungry because he forgot to put some food in his bag.

    "Hmm, that''s just like your sister. She''s pretty crass."

    Looking back, it''s a fond memory.

    I can say that it was thanks to Ur''s crassness that we were able to meet.

    It''s not every day that a man goes hungry while carrying an item box.

    "Hey, Sam."

    "Yes."

    While I was having a quiet moment over a cup of tea, Lise approached me softly.

    "Let''s talk for a minute."

    "Okay."

    I wondered what was wrong with the sudden change of pace after all this time of conversation.

    But when he looked at her face, she had a serious expression on her face and Sam straightened his back.

    "I know a lot about your past, Sam."

    "Yes, I suppose so."

    "I''m sorry about that."

    "No, I don''t think so."

    No, it''s not very interesting for me, a stranger, to know that you had a childhood in which you were mistreated, is it?

    "That''s why I don''t care. Besides, it''s in the past, and aside from my family, the servants were all very nice people, so it wasn''t that serious.

    Sam is a reincarnated Sam, and he remembers the time before he became the Sam he is today.

    Even though his family treated him badly in the past, he was not alone because he had a maid, Daphne, who was like a sister to him, and a butler, Derrick, who was like a grandfather to him.

    Now Sam does not have any family-like feelings for the Baroness Reinbach.

    All that mattered to Sam was Daphne and the others, the people he had connected with in town, and Ur.

    Of course, as Lise says, he is not unmoved by the fact that his past is known, but he knows that it is inevitable, so it does not matter.

    However, Lise seems to feel guilty about knowing about his past without Sam''s permission.

    She is a vivacious and playful girl, but inside she is kind and sensitive.

    I can''t help but chuckle at how typical she is.

    I am sure that this hunt was just a chance for her to have a talk with herself.

    "I know about Sam and you don''t know anything about me.

    "Yes, well..."

    "I thought it was kind of unfair."

    "I don''t think so."

    "No. Besides, I wanted Sam to get to know me, so I asked him to join me on a hunt."

    "So that''s how it was."

    "My past is not very interesting, but will you listen to me?"

    If you want to tell me, of course.

    I already know that he was a disciple of the sword saint.

    But she was talking about it in the past tense.

    I thought there might be a reason for this, and inwardly I was curious about it.

    However, Sam does not have a taste for digging into a woman''s past.

    Therefore, I was a little happy that Lise was willing to approach me in this way, because I felt that my relationship with her had deepened.

    As if determined, Lise opens her mouth to Sam.

    "You know, I was - I was married."

 39 - 38 "I learned about Mr. Lieses past." â‘¢

    Sam couldn''t believe his ears.

    "What?"

    The words spun out of Lise''s mouth were something Sam had never imagined.

    (No, but isn''t it strange considering Lise-sama''s age?)

    Lise is twenty-one years old.

    The second daughter of a noble family, a countess for that matter, it is not surprising that she is married.

    In this world, a woman in her late twenties is considered to be a late bloomer, so it can be said that Lise is old enough to get married.

    Since Ur, the eldest daughter, had run away from home to hide her illness, the responsibility of marriage must have fallen on Lise even more.

    "I''m sorry, I know it''s hard to hear you say something like this all of a sudden. But I wanted you to know."

    "Please don''t apologize. I''m a little surprised, but I don''t know why.

    She said she was married, but only in the past tense.

    And since she is usually at the house, it is normal to assume that she is divorced.

    Sam was about to ask her why she was divorced, when he held his mouth.

    Then Liese laughed at him.

    "Don''t worry about it. I was married three years ago, but we couldn''t have children. I was very much blamed for that."

    "Oh, no."

    "Six months into our marriage, we still couldn''t have children, and your mother-in-law blamed me every day for it."

    "Children are a gift. It''s not Lise''s fault.

    Sam resents those who put the blame solely on Liese.

    "They didn''t think of me the way I thought of Sam. At first I thought they were kind people, but then they changed. They locked me in a room, took away my sword, and my husband, as if he had changed, blamed me for his inability to have children, even violated me ...... and had a mistress on the outside."

    "-- what a guy."

    I had the urge to punch out my ex-husband, a Liese I had never seen before.

    There is nothing strange about not being able to have a child in six months.

    It is more unusual that he locked his wife in a room, violated her, and even had a woman outside the house in six months.

    "I was locked in a room and treated like a tool to make and bear children. But I couldn''t have children. It was the hardest year I''ve ever had."

    Lise''s story was so angry and unpleasant that it was hard to believe that she had ever heard of it.

    (But this is a different world, so women are treated differently than on Earth. I think you''ve got to be kidding me).

    It is unfortunate, but in this world, women tend to be blamed for not having children.

    When a woman has changed wives and still cannot have children, it is finally understood that it is the man who is at fault, but until then it was always the woman who was blamed.

    There was a similar story in Japan not so long ago.

    It is only recently that medical science has come to understand that the body has difficulty in having children.

    (You''re a horrible person who commits violence and has a mistress just because you can''t have children.)

    "When I wasn''t allowed to contact my parents'' house, my father and mother came in and asked me if I was home, which I found suspicious. I don''t remember much, but they found me like a doll and were furious. They divorced."

    I heard that when the Earl and Countess Walker said they would divorce him in a fit of anger, the other family simply said they had no use for a wife who could not bear children.

    Even that makes me angry.

    Even Sam was angry, so Jonathan and Grace must have been very angry at that time.

    "With all due respect, it was the worst marriage I''ve ever seen."

    "Hmmm... Sam is very clear about that. But you''re right."

    "But I''m done with people like that. From now on, live more freely, meet a nice man, fall in love, and be happy.

    Those were Sam''s honest words.

    Lise had married the worst of the worst, but she had already broken it off with her partner.

    Then she is free.

    She can live her life the way she wants.

    A nice girl like Liese will find a good man sooner or later, even if she leaves him alone.

    "--Well. Hmm. Thank you, Sam."

    "Please don''t thank me. I''m just saying the obvious."

    "What''s wrong, Sam?¡¡You seem to be in a bit of a bad mood."

    "Of course I''m grumpy. I didn''t know that Liese-sama had been treated like that. If I had known that, I would have beaten up the house, as well as Ur, of course.

    I have no doubt that I would have done it.

    Ur, who was willing to use force if he didn''t like it, and Sam, who was influenced by Ur, would have at least burned the other party''s house down.

    I only lament that I did not know this at the time.

    "No, I''d rather just go in there and beat them up now."

    "I appreciate the sentiment, but please don''t do that. Your father would be in trouble. But thank you. It''s very kind of you to be angry with me, Sam.

    "Of course. Lise-sama is, uh...

    What am I?

    "You''re my precious teacher."

    A little embarrassed, Sam looked at Lise''s face and said clearly.

    Then she blushed, her lips parted, and she hugged him with a big smile on her face.

    "Oh my God, Sam!¡¡So this is what it''s like to be an apprentice!¡¡Cute!"

    "Hey, don''t hug me!"

    "No need to be shy!¡¡Kensei-sama had a hard but sweet heart towards his disciples, but now I understand how you feel. It''s wonderful to nurture people.

    Liese''s body heat and sweet smell make Sam feel lightheaded.

    He is aware that he has said something embarrassing, and he is almost overcome with shame.

    "Thanks to Sam, I am able to pick up the sword again. Thank you."

    Sam was relieved to see Lise smile and have tears in the corners of her eyes.

    Liese was a little tomboyish and vivacious, and a smile suited her well.

    I don''t want her to have a gloomy face.

    She wished with all her heart that she would be happy enough to forget her painful past.

    (For now, I''ll look into and kill the person who played a joke on Ur''s family next time.)

    As Lise hugged him, Sam secretly planned to do just that.

 40 - 39 At that time, Baron Reinbachs (Daphnes point of view) â‘ 

    "I wonder how Sam is doing now?"

    Daphne, the head maid in the Baroness Reinbach''s household, was sipping tea in the servants'' lounge and thinking about her beloved boy.

    It had been almost five years since Sam, whom she cared for like a child, had left the house.

    It had been a big problem back then.

    The head of the family, Carius Reinbach, had planned to give Sam to his son-in-law who was related to the baron instead of letting him succeed to the baronet''s house.

    However, Mannion, who was chosen as the next head of the barony, decided on his own to get rid of Sam.

    This made Carius so angry that he beat Mannion''s face until it was swollen.

    From the point of view of Carius, Mannion, who was only the next head of the family, did not have the authority to remove Sam.

    Despite his lack of talent, Sam''s character was better than that of his brother Mannion.

    Originally, Carius had wanted to marry the daughter of the Viscount of the other side, but the other side did not like Mannion so much, so he decided to send Sam to be his son-in-law.

    However, because of Sam''s sudden departure, Carius had to bow down to the other party.

    The other daughter was very fond of Sam, and there was a great deal of trouble.

    He became known in a bad way among the nobles with whom he was related as an inadequate father who could not manage his sons.

    This anger was naturally directed at Mannion.

    Mannion apologized, but refused to budge, saying that he did not want to leave the incompetent man at home.

    This again aroused the anger of Carius.

    Furthermore, Yolanda, the baroness, defended Mannion and justified his actions, and the couple became bitter.

    Since then, the marriage has not improved.

    "But still, the people in this house are really stupid.

    Remembering five years ago, Daphne sighed.

    Regardless of Karius'' anger, Sam would never come back, and the Reinbachs eventually announced that he had died in an accident.

    At least they did not want to say that he had been driven out because of his father''s lack of control and the feud between the brothers.

    Since then, it has been forbidden to mention Sam''s name in the house.

    However, Daphne and her family and the Barony of Reinbach do not intend to follow such a rule.

    Because Daphne regularly received letters through the Adventurers'' Guild, and the town occasionally received money earned as an adventurer.

    Even after his departure from the guild, Sam still cared for Daphne and the others, and there was no way that everyone would have assumed that he was dead.

    "Lately, the letters from Botchana have stopped again, and I wonder where he is and what he is doing..."

    It had been almost a month since I had stopped receiving regular letters.

    We know from previous letters that Sam has a talent for magic, has met an excellent mentor, and is having smooth sailing.

    Daphne looked forward to receiving a letter at least once a month.

    "Your letters have stopped before, haven''t they? I think it was when you were in the east, in the land of fire."

    I am not worried about it, as I have stayed in countries where there are no adventurers'' guilds, so I have not received any letters.

    The guild informed me that Sam was a very strong wizard.

    He has earned a lot of bounties from the monsters he has defeated to the villains he has killed.

    "Indeed, the Baroness Reinbach has lost a very valuable person.

    The servants and even the townspeople think the same.

    Wizards are rare.

    And wizards of Sam''s caliber are even rarer.

    Just being able to use simple magic is a status in itself.

    A commoner would be treated well by a nobleman as a member of his family, and a nobleman would receive offers of marriage from many families.

    Carius is a man who only values the sword, but other nobles are different.

    Unlike Mannion, whose character is so bad that his fianc¨¦e wants to break off the engagement, Sam would have been a great draw.

    Sam is supposed to be dead, but the nobles are not stupid enough to believe such a lie.

    Furthermore, they even offered to tell us where he is in secret, in order to connect him with the successful wizard Sam.

    In short, there are now nobles who are willing to take him in if he is supposed to be dead.

    The head of the house, Carius, is unaware of this, and Daphne and her friends do not intend to make him aware of it.

    Regardless of how Sam responds, the more options he has, the better.

    We cannot afford to let Karius hear and let his petty pride ruin the conversation.

    "Daphne, I''m sorry to interrupt, but may I have a word?"

    "Mr. Ricardo?"

    It was Derrick, the butler of Baron Reinbach, who approached Daphne, who was thinking about Sam.

 41 - 40 At that time, Baron Reinbachs (Daphnes point of view) â‘¡

    Derrick asked inside the break room, and when he saw that Daphne was alone, he entered the room with a sense of relief.

    "Is something wrong?¡¡Is that little shit and his f*cking wife throwing another tantrum?"

    "No, ...... no, sooner or later you''ll have a tantrum, but right now you''re still fine."

    What do you mean?

    Already he makes no attempt to hide his dislike for Manion and Yolanda.

    In the past five years, they have grown very ugly.

    Manion, who was said to be a prodigy with a gift with the sword, has grown fat and does not train anymore.

    Yolanda spoiled her son, and his arrogance became even more insulting.

    Daphne and Derrick, the oldest members of the family, had long since grown tired of them.

    Karius, the head of the family, had minimal involvement with them.

    "Daphne, you know that your husband has a mistress, don''t you?"

    "Of course. The master doesn''t seem to want to hide it."

    He nodded at Derrick''s question.

    Carius had a young lover in town.

    Unlike the tantrumming Yolanda, she was calm and collected, somewhat like his late wife Melanie, whom Daphne and the others still adored.

    "You had a child, didn''t you? And it was a boy, wasn''t it?

    Yes, he is a boy, almost eight years old. Actually, I''d like to talk to you about that.

    "...... I have a bad feeling about this."

    Derrick chuckled at Daphne''s words.

    That means my bad feeling is coming true.

    "You know that your husband has been staying at his mistress''s house, don''t you?"

    "Of course. It''s making the f*cking wife very unhappy."

    Karius found time to visit his mistress.

    He is apparently fed up with his irritable wife and his gifted but lazy son, and is now eager to take care of his mistress and the son they have had together.

    "As a matter of fact, the mistress has just had her second child."

    "...... well."

    "The Master would like to officially welcome you into his house as his concubine."

    "That''s going to make ...... your f*cking wife and your f*cking kids mad."

    Yolanda and Manion, who would not tolerate anyone but themselves first, would never recognize their mistress and her child as family.

    They would never recognize their mistress and her child as a family. They were like that to Sam, their eldest son by an ex-wife.

    I shudder to think what they would do to the mistress and her child.

    I wish that were all."

    "...... Is there something more?"

    "The mistress''s son is blessed with a talent for the sword, though not as great as Master Manion''s. He seems to be an honest and hardworking boy.

    "He looks a lot different from that little shit."

    Yes. But it caused one problem.

    What is it?

    The Master has decided that his son will be the next head of the family.

    "--?"

    Daphne could not believe her ears.

    He had never imagined that their master had such an idea behind their backs.

    But although he was surprised, he could not be too opposed to the idea.

    "But isn''t he better than that little shit?"

    "I know we servants are not supposed to say this, but your son seems to be a well-behaved boy compared to Master Manion."

    "Then isn''t there a problem?¡¡This is a family that has a history of removing its eldest son from office. No one will complain if the son of a b*tc* is removed as the next head of the family. In fact, if his mistress''s son is a good boy, they will be happy.

    Originally a troubled boy, Manion has grown into an untouchable bad boy over the past five years.

    It is no longer unusual for him to throw tantrums and to lay hands on servants and townspeople.

    At first, some of the boys in his circle were flattering to Manion, the heir to the baronet''s throne, but they have fallen out of favor and are now separated.

    He has no friends, of course, and no one to tell him what he is doing or saying is wrong.

    Manion has grown up accepting only his mother''s flattery, without the remonstrations of servants or townspeople, and he has grown to the point of overgrowth.

    Nowadays, he often looks at women with a lecherous eye, and he is not happy about it.

    Daphne has also been subjected to licking and uncomfortable glances from him on several occasions.

    Daphne has not been touched directly because her mother is watching her closely.

    It would be bad form for Manion, who is engaged to a fianc¨¦e, to touch anyone other than her fianc¨¦e.

    It may not be unusual for a nobleman to do so, but a minor like Mannion could lose his credibility if he did.

    Furthermore, Yolanda is excessively watchful because she is afraid of the consequences if he messes with a servant or a girl in the town and has a child.

    In this sense, the women were grateful for Yolanda''s presence.

    "I''d like you to keep this between us."

    "...... Is there anything more?"

    "The Master has consulted me, and it seems that he is considering the possibility of receiving his mistress not as a concubine, but as a regular concubine."

    "It is."

    According to Derrick, it was decided to keep the mistress on the side, although Yolanda, the regular wife, would not agree.

    However, Carius would prefer to remove his hysterical wife from the position of the chamberlain and keep his mistress if he could.

    He seems to think that if Mannion is to be removed as heir, he would like to make her the mother of his successor.

    Daphne is laughing her head off inside.

    He can hardly wait for the day when the father and son, who have treated the servants and young Sam so badly, will see the pain in their eyes.

    "Isn''t that nice? I don''t care if the mistress becomes a full-fledged wife, as long as I get to see the downfall of the father and son who mistreated Sam. No, I am not interested in who takes her place, since Melanie is the only wife I have in my heart.

    "I understand that Daphne was a friend of yours, Miss Melanie."

    "Yes, he was too good a friend for me."

    I have a simple feeling that Sam is cute, but because he is my friend''s last living relative, I have been loving him as much as my friend who passed away.

    Just the thought of such a father and son who mistreated Sam falling from their current position makes me laugh.

    "--I hope they will be quickly removed from the succession list and kicked out of the mansion along with their shitty wife."

    Daphne laughs as she looks forward to the future that will eventually come.

 42 - 41 "Welcome to the dungeon."

    "Hey, come hang out with me."

    One day, two weeks into my stay at the Countess Walker''s house.

    Unusually, Erica, the youngest of the four sisters, approached me in a sullen tone.

    Her raised eyebrows and crossed arms were not a very flattering attitude.

    Lise, who was drinking tea with her, frowned.

    "You''re not behaving yourself, Erica.

    "I''m trying my best to be nice. Hey, you! You seem to be practicing with Liese. What does that have to do with magic?

    "Well, you see, I''m not very good at anything except magic."

    "I don''t understand. If you''re a wizard, you should train in magic. I mean, you''re too cocky to take lessons from Liese-sama, the Sword Saint''s disciple.

    "Hey, Erica. I enjoy training with Sam, and above all, it''s what your sister left me."

    "--Hmph!"

    Liese tries to get through to Erica, but it doesn''t work.

    Erica is the only girl Sam has not been able to open up to in the past two weeks.

    Even Alicia, the third daughter, who is not very good with men, is able to hold a conversation and smile at the tea party when she talks about her adventures with Ur.

    £¨She must not like me.)

    It''s not that I don''t know how you feel.

    Erika admired Ur and wanted to grow up to be a wizard.

    However, Ur was not by her side, and she had been taking care of Sam, a stranger, for four years.

    Finally, he died, leaving all of his magic and skills to Sam.

    Erica, who adored Ur, was not amused.

    "So, I hear you''re going to be a court wizard."

    "Yes."

    "......I don''t think you''re capable of that, but okay. I''ll give you a chance to test your mettle."

    Sam tilted his head at Erica, who smiled wryly at him.

    "Are you asking me to compete?"

    "That''s tempting, but your father forbids it."

    "Well, what do you want to do?"

    We''re going to the dungeon!"

    "A dungeon?"

    "If you want credit too, the best way to get credit is to attack a dungeon as fast as you can."

    "Hey, Erica. If you''re going to the dungeon, I''m going with you.

    "No, Liese sister!"

    "Oh, why not?

    Erika rejects Lise''s wish to follow her into the dungeon.

    Lise''s cheeks puff out in frustration.

    Liese went hunting with this guy the other day. So this time it''s my turn.

    "Boo."

    "...... don''t act like a good old boy."

    "Don''t tell me I''m old enough!"

    Sam watches the exchange between the two sisters and thinks that they are very much alike.

    When Lise invited him to hunt, and now with Erika, it was too sudden.

    He smiles bitterly, "At least tell me the day before so I can prepare for it.

    "Don''t you dare laugh at me!"

    "Oh, sorry, sorry."

    "Hey Sam?¡¡Don''t tell me you think I''m too old for you, too?"

    "No, sir!¡¡I wasn''t laughing there, I just thought the two of you were very friendly."

    "I hope ......."

    Mind your own business!"

    After that, Liese was still insistent that she wanted to follow me to the dungeon.

    After she told Sam about her past, she started wielding a sword again, apart from training with Sam.

    Her family seemed to be happy about it.

    Lise seems to want to get back her full strength by exercising her weakened body, and she is very enthusiastic in her training with Sam and in her self-training.

    Thanks to her, Sam is always out of control and falling apart.

    Jonathan, who couldn''t help but notice that Sam needed a break once in a while, told me that he was taking a day off today, but if he was going to the dungeon with Erica, he couldn''t just sit around and take it easy.

    In the end, Liese had to wait at the house quietly.

    Liese had been pouting to the end, but Erika had insisted.

    "......It looks like you''ve got my sister well in hand, but I''m not so sure."

    I didn''t mean it like that.

    I don''t care. Come on, follow me. Let''s go.

    He tells me this and grabs me by the collar and pulls me along.

    "Have a good trip. I''ll be waiting for your souvenirs.

    Waving back at Lise, Sam is led to the Countess Walker''s carriage that has already been prepared for him.

    "The dungeon is less than half a day from King''s Landing. If we go now, we will be there in the afternoon. Let''s go!

    The coach starts moving.

    Sam feels that it would be faster to run, but he relaxes his body, thinking that it would be nice to take a leisurely carriage ride once in a while.

    There is no conversation with Erica, and Sam soon becomes bored and closes his eyes.

 43 - 42 "This is the first dungeon." â‘ 

    "Mmm, my body hurts."

    After three hours in the carriage, every part of my body ached.

    Sam raises his arms high, straightens his back, and looks around.

    There are people dressed as adventurers, boys and girls in school uniforms.

    Everyone''s eyes are shining, ready to take on the challenge of the dungeon.

    £¨So this is the dungeon of the Kingdom of Skye.)

    The dungeon is probably an underground type of dungeon.

    I could not find anything that looked like an entrance.

    Instead, we see several buildings.

    I guess that one of them must be the entrance to the dungeon.

    What do you think?¡¡This is the dungeon of the beginning.

    The dungeon of the beginning?

    "So. The upper levels are for beginners. Adventurers will be happy to know that it''s inhabited by popular monsters that are weak but can yield good stuff. It''s a good place to gain experience, so knights, wizards, and students of the academy can easily take on the challenge.

    "Oh, really?"

    "Don''t you know that?"

    "I''ve tried dungeons before, but only in other countries. This is my first time in the Kingdom of Skye."

    "Hmm. I''m sure you''re safe thanks to your sister, but she''s gone now. Let''s see how far you can go with your skills.

    With these words, Erica unloads the wagon and puts on her gear.

    Sam was relieved.

    He and Lise had gone hunting unprepared, but Erika seemed to have made the minimum preparations.

    He was not too worried about Liese''s ability since he knew her well enough to know that she was a good hunter.

    But Erika was different.

    I could feel her magic power, so she must be one of the strong wizards, but I did not know her actual ability.

    I was not going to go into the dungeon with Erica unprepared.

    Sam himself is not very well prepared, but he has inherited the item box from when he was traveling around the world with Ur, so he has all the tools and food he needs.

    I am not worried because I have checked my baggage after the hunting the other day.

    However, if I could, I would have studied this dungeon thoroughly and prepared myself for the challenge.

    "By the way, Erica-sama..."

    What?

    "It''s okay for me to challenge the dungeon after all this time, but where do I have to aim to get you to accept me?"

    "Well, ...... the beginners'' area is up to the fifteenth basement floor, so of course you''ll have to aim lower than that."

    How deep is it?

    I don''t know?

    No one has reached it yet.

    An Attainer is a term for a person who has reached the deepest part of a dungeon, and is also called a conqueror.

    The first achievers and conquerors often have their names recorded in the dungeon management organization and are rewarded with a large bounty.

    Above all, they are respected by the people around them.

    Although there are many people who can conquer a dungeon, the number of people who can reach the deepest part of the dungeon first is smaller than the number of dungeons.

    Some dungeons have not been conquered yet, and some have not even been discovered.

    Many adventurers go into dungeons to gain wealth and fame.

    "The upper levels are suitable for beginners, but the danger level is so high that even experienced adventurers can easily die if they are not careful in the latter half of the middle and lower levels.

    "Heh."

    That''s really exciting.

    Sam has tried his hand at dungeons many times, but each time he has ended up dying.

    Thanks to his efforts, there is no dungeon that he has been unable to conquer.

    However, every dungeon had already been conquered by the first person who reached it, so we had to try with several ways to conquer them.

    Even so, there were still dangers, and this dungeon of the beginning has yet to be conquered.

    As an adventurer, nothing could be more exciting.

    "I don''t mean to push you to attack the dungeon. But at least show us that you are capable of reaching the lower levels. Sister Ur used to go to the lower levels just for a walk, so if you want to call yourself the successor, you''ll have to show me at least the same level of competence."

    "Very well. I''d like that."

    "What?"

    "Come on, let''s go!¡¡I''m excited!"

    Erica''s eyes widen in amazement at the look of joy on Sam''s face.

    "Wait, didn''t you hear what I said?¡¡The lower levels have no problem with dead people!"

    "Of course I heard. But isn''t that what dungeons are for? I''m really looking forward to it!

    "Exciting, huh?"

    Yes. I want to see the end of the world. I want to see the deepest part of the beginning dungeon that no one has ever reached!

    You say. I hope you''re not just saying that."

    Erika raises her eyebrows in amusement at Sam''s motivation.

    The two of them continued on their way to tackle the dungeon.

 44 - 43 "This is the first dungeon" â‘¡

    The dungeons were managed by the Adventurers'' Guild.

    The dungeon of the beginning is under the control of the Kingdom of Skye, and no one can challenge it without the permission of the Adventurers'' Guild.

    The reception desk was located in a small two-story building, which was like a small village with weapon shops, tool shops, and innkeepers in the center.

    "I thought it would be more lively since it is a popular dungeon."

    "You need permission from the government to open a store in this dungeon."

    "Heh."

    The stores may be small, but they are all royal stores with their headquarters in the capital.

    "I see. I see. So the dungeon is owned by the state, so they are very careful in this area.

    Erica crossed her arms and nodded her head in agreement with Sam''s comment.

    "People come to this dungeon from all over the continent, so we can''t let strange stores operate here.

    "That''s true, too."

    It is a dungeon, after all, owned by the state.

    The reputation of the surrounding stores is directly related to the reputation of the country.

    "But I heard that you are planning to open more stores in the near future.

    "It''s good to see it thriving. Besides, there are too few stores for all the adventurers.

    I agree. But there are too many people who want to open stores in the dungeon, so it''s not easy to decide.

    It''s not easy in the country either.

    Unlike here, the areas around the dungeons that I have seen all over the continent were all bustling with activity.

    There were also dungeon cities, towns built around dungeons.

    Dungeons enrich people''s lives.

    On the other hand, they can also be dangerous because of the periodic outbreaks of monsters in the dungeon.

    Still, the more people stay in the dungeon, the more the returns outweigh the risks.

    Come on, let''s go to the reception desk. ...... seems to be busy today. Are you a registered adventurer?

    "Of course I do."

    With that, he hands Erica his adventurer''s card.

    She looked at the card and clicked her tongue.

    "...... You must be B rank. You''re so cocky."

    "What about Erica-sama?"

    "--C rank. ...... Hey, what''s with that triumphant look on your face!"

    "No, I don''t. I don''t think I''m higher in rank than you.

    "You know what?¡¡A C-rank at my age is pretty amazing!"

    "In other words, it''s even more amazing that I''m younger than Erica-sama and ranked B, isn''t it?"

    "Ugggghh!"

    Apparently, he''s right.

    In fact, not many people Sam''s age can become a B-rank adventurer.

    Even Sam did not become a B-rank adventurer without any hardship.

    He almost died many times, and he had to go through many deadly battles to reach the rank of B.

    "Well, well, don''t worry about it. Rank is not everything, you know.

    "Then stop making that smug face!¡¡It pisses me off!¡¡I''m pissed off!¡¡Hey, really, stop making that smug face!¡¡It pisses me off!"

    I don''t think Erika hates me deeply since we can have such an exchange.

    Sam can understand Erica''s feelings.

    Her sister, whom she admired and adored, has taken a boy she doesn''t know from anywhere as her apprentice and has passed on everything she has to him.

    If you are in the same situation, you must be angry even if you are not Erica.

    "It''s crowded, by the way."

    That''s how popular the dungeon of beginnings is.

    "It wouldn''t be as popular just because it''s for beginners, would it?"

    The materials for the monsters that inhabit the beginning dungeons are always in demand. There are also good quality herbs in the dungeons, so even if you are not good at fighting, you can still make good money.

    "It''s a very good deal."

    It seems to be an ideal dungeon for adventurers.

    The difficulty level is so high that even the most experienced adventurers are prepared to die if they dive too deep, and they will probably spend their entire lives just trying to get into this dungeon.

    "I have gained a lot of experience in this dungeon. Sometimes I even went with my sister Ur."

    "You and Ur were very close."

    We are sisters. But Urs was a court magician, so she was very busy. But she still took the occasional day off to take care of me.

    "That''s typical of Ur."

    Ur''s caring nature seems to have always been there.

    Sam also recalls that Ur taught him many things.

    "...... so I was worried when my sister suddenly disappeared."

    "It''s understandable. A family member so dear to you has suddenly disappeared."

    That''s not true. I thought maybe he got tired of us, or did something to offend us.

    In fact, Ur left his family to hide his illness and to find a successor.

    However, Erika and her family must have been worried because they were not informed of the reason.

    It is understandable that Erica would have negative thoughts.

    "Ur doesn''t hate his family.

    "I know!¡¡That much!¡¡Don''t you talk about my sister!"

    "--Excuse me."

    The conversation that had been going on for so long was cut short at this point.

    Sam tried to comfort Erica, but it seemed to have the opposite effect.

    In the awkward atmosphere, Sam searched for words, but could not find any, and could only wait quietly for his turn at the reception desk.

 45 - 44 "I had a quarrel with the aristocrats" â‘ 

    Sam and Erica waited their turn at the reception desk without exchanging a word.

    There were still about ten people in line ahead of them, so it would be a while before they could tackle the dungeon.

    (--Awww, this is so awkward...) (-If we could get inside the dungeon soon, it might be a little different, but we have a long way to go...)

    As far as Sam could see, all the adventurers were carrying more than their fair share of luggage.

    They will probably spend a few days in the dungeon.

    (Come to think of it, how much time can we spend in the dungeon?)

    Lise knows that we are headed for the dungeon, and I am sure that all the Countesses have heard about it.

    However, she did not tell them how many days it would take to attack the dungeon.

    Sam was also brought to the dungeon by Erika, so there are many uncertainties.

    The item box contains a tent and other outdoor preparations.

    He has enough food and water for about a week.

    But Erica is a student.

    Sam does not want her schoolwork to be neglected because of the dungeon attack.

    £¨I don''t even know how many days it will take to reach the lower levels. If I could have done more research beforehand, I could have made a schedule. ......)

    Since we are here on the spur of the moment, it is understandable that we were not prepared for this.

    Sam didn''t put up much of a fight either, and I couldn''t blame Erica since he was so enthusiastic when he heard that we were going to challenge the dungeon.

    While Sam was thinking about this, three boys and a girl came into the guild.

    They were nobles by the looks of them.

    They were two boys and a girl, and did not look like adventurers.

    The boy with short blonde hair carried a large pack, and the girl with blue hair in a ponytail carried a slender long sword at her waist.

    A slightly plump boy, walking a step ahead of the two, takes one look at the adventurers and sniffs.

    The three of them walk straight to the counter without standing in line.

    (I guess they''re not taking on the dungeon?)

    As Sam watched the boys not standing in line, the three of them cut in at the front of the line.

    "...... sorry, but please line up in order."

    When the guild receptionist approached the boys with a troubled look on her face, the face of the boy at the front of the line was clearly distorted.

    "What?¡¡You want Dolgana Lansgully, the eldest son of this Viscount Lansgully, to be treated like a filthy adventurer!"

    "It''s the rules, sir."

    £¨Wow. Typical aristocratic aristocrat. And the receptionist looks so disgusted.)

    When I see an arrogant nobleman, I think of my own family.

    The mannerisms of the boy who called himself Dolgana reminded me of his half-brother Manion.

    "Well. You have a lot of guts to shield me. I''ll tell Papa and have you fired from the guild!¡¡Name your name!"

    Sam struggled to keep from blowing up.

    It was interesting to see that he was really a typical aristocrat fool, wielding the power of "daddy" here.

    Above all, the boy who was making a smug face like "I''ve got the right line!" hit Sam so hard that he would have laughed out loud if he didn''t hold his mouth.

    It was not that he had never seen arrogant aristocrats before, but they were more like marquises or dukes, so it was funny to see a boy who was pompous in a viscount''s house.

    However, arrogant nobles tend to be those of lower ranks.

    This is especially true for the nobles who have risen to the top.

    A typical example is Sam''s family, the Baronesses Reinbach.

    (I don''t think a nobleman of the rank of baron has the power to control the Adventurers'' Guild, though.)

    Here in the dungeon of the beginning, it seems that there is a cooperative relationship between the state and the Adventurers'' Guild, but basically the Adventurers'' Guild is an independent organization.

    Therefore, the power of the nobles and the like is often not communicated to them.

    Of course, there are exceptions, such as royal families and dukes, but basically, the Adventurers'' Guild will not change its attitude just because you are a noble.

    If we did, the value of the Adventurers'' Guild would be lost.

    Requests from nobles and cooperative relationships with nobles are common, but there is no way that the Adventurers'' Guild would obey orders imposed from above without reason.

    (It''s interesting to watch, but it''s going to be troublesome and time-consuming if someone doesn''t stop this soon.)

    The adventurers in line, not wanting to attract the attention of the aristocratic lads, simply watched, leaving the receptionist to deal with the situation.

    Sam could understand why they didn''t want to bother with a child who was obviously trying to wield power.

    But it was time to take on the dungeon.

    (I may be adding fuel to the fire by intervening, but I can''t just leave him there either.)

    Sam is a child, not yet an adult.

    If he is warned by such a child, it may only pour out the wrath of the selfish-looking viscount boy.

    But I didn''t want to leave him alone.

    Sam sighs and tries to speak to him.

    "Hey, stop it!

    But there was a girl who raised her voice before Sam did.

    It was Erica Walker.

    "Erica?

    Sam''s eyes widened and he looked at the girl.

    Erica had a clearly angry look on her face and walked toward the boys making noise at the reception desk.

 46 - 45 "I had a quarrel with the aristocrats" â‘¡

    "Hey, Erica!¡¡Please wait!¡¡You don''t have to intervene, Erika-sama!"

    "Shut up!¡¡I hate men with a sweet disposition like that!"

    "......, I''m sure."

    Erica, who was irritated with the boys, reached out a hand to calm them down, but she brushed it away.

    Erika has a strong sense of justice.

    For better or worse, she has a straightforward personality, and there was no way she could ignore the boys who were being arrogant.

    Sam had no choice but to follow Erica''s lead.

    "Hey, you guys!

    "What the hell are you?¡¡Anyone who has anything to do with this, stay out of it!"

    Dorgana was obviously displeased and raised her voice, but Erica did not back down and shouted just as loudly.

    You''re bothering me. Everyone else is standing in line and you can''t even keep order?

    "What the hell!"

    "Hey, let''s not do this, Erica. It''s not a good idea to get involved in this kind of thing.

    "No!¡¡I hate people like this who think they''re so big and so insignificant!"

    "I understand how you feel, but you''re wasting your time with these people!"

    It is troublesome to deal with people who cannot follow the rules, whether they are sons of noble families or commoners.

    Especially when Erika, who has a strong temperament, is involved, it is easy to see how the problem might become complicated.

    In fact, the boy of the viscount''s family, who introduced himself as Dorgana, was glaring at Erika with a clear anger in his eyes.

    "You ...... mock the Viscounts of Lansgully!"

    "I''m mocking you!¡¡But yes. A family that can''t even educate its children properly is a disgrace.

    You!

    An enraged boy raised his arm.

    Sam rushes to stand in front of Erica.

    But the boy''s arm did not swing down.

    £¨What?)

    Dorgana stops moving and notices that Erica is looking at her as if she is trying to gauge her value.

    His glances became more and more lecherous, and finally he began to lick Erica.

    "--How. She''s pretty good looking for a commoner."

    Dorgana laughed at him.

    "--What!

    Erika notices the look and shudders, then hides behind Sam''s back.

    Dolgana''s smile deepened as if she had an idea, and she twisted her lips toward Erica, ignoring Sam''s presence.

    "I challenge you to a duel.

    "What?"

    "What?"

    Erica and Sam both made stupid noises.

    They could not understand why the boy, who had been in a fit of rage, had suddenly cooled down and challenged them to a duel.

    As Sam and the others were at a loss for words, Dorgana continued.

    "You are the one who is trying to pick a fight with us..." he said. You''re not trying to escape, are you?

    "--!¡¡Who''s going to run away?¡¡I''ll take it!¡¡I''ll give you a duel or something!"

    Sam''s head ached as Erica easily took up the cheap challenge.

    He intervened to prevent further trouble.

    "Erica!¡¡Why do you take cheap provocations so easily!¡¡You need to calm down."

    "Shut up!"

    Erica!

    "I said shut up!¡¡I''ve decided that I''m going to buy every fight I''m offered!"

    What kind of a resolution is that?

    Erika, perhaps in a fit of bloodlust, stares at Dolgana without looking at Sam.

    Sam sighs and tries to get out of there, or worse, by force.

    It seems that people like Dolgana and Erika are definitely not a good match.

    Furthermore, Dolgana seems to have some kind of a plan or a margin to spare for Erika, who has been provoked.

    He does not have an angry expression on his face that he had shown earlier.

    That was creepy.

    "You''re a noisy follower,...... all right, if you''re so worried about your master, I''ll let you join him in the duel."

    What are you doing?

    "But that doesn''t make us equal. But that would not be equal, would it?

    Behind Dolgana stood a boy and a girl, not much older than Erika.

    They were probably planning to fight as their master said.

    They stepped forward from behind their master.

    "Hey!¡¡You have three and we have two?

    Erika, who found herself in a three-against-two duel, shouted in protest, but..,

    "Since you''re the one who started the fight, you''re the one who has to do this. Or are you cowed?"

    "Who would take on a poor squire!"

    Then you don''t mind, do you?

    I don''t care!

    £¨I can''t do it anymore. This lady is really speaking only with her reflexes. There''s nothing I can do to stop her.)

    Sam has given up trying to stop Erica.

    "All right, all right. Okay, let''s duel!¡¡If I win, I''ll make you my slave!"

    "Huh?¡¡Hey, I can''t let you do that.

    You shut your mouth!¡¡Fine, go ahead and do it if you can!"

    When Sam tried to complain about the sudden declaration of "slavery," he was interrupted by Erica, who was supposed to be his ally.

    "Oh my God!¡¡Please don''t talk anymore, Erica-sama!¡¡What are you going to do if you take this ridiculous duel seriously!"

    "It''s none of your business!¡¡I''m the one who accepted the duel!

    "I''m telling you, I don''t want your squire, but if I have to enslave you, I''ll enslave you with me!"

    "Look!¡¡You''ve got me involved too!¡¡I mean, when was the last time you had a duel where the loser was a slave?

    "I don''t know!¡¡If you win, you win!"

    "Let''s think about the future for a minute!"

    Sam screams, but Erica doesn''t stop.

    Before they knew it, a formal duel through the Adventurers'' Guild had been quickly and smoothly arranged.

    Sam and Erica were to challenge each other to a duel with the loser becoming a slave.

 47 - 46 "Its a duel" â‘ 

    Outside the guild, Sam and Erica were surrounded by spectators and glaring at the noble boys.

    £¨Oh my God! When are we going to be able to dive into the dungeon?)

    Sam sighed inwardly as Erika and the others looked on, eager for the duel.

    I''m sorry to say this, but I feel like I''m involved in a children''s fight.

    No, actually, you do.

    Sam was older than him from his previous life.

    A duel between a boy and a girl in their mid-teens, even though they were adults, seemed like a high school fight to him.

    "You know what I''m saying, but as long as it''s a formal duel, don''t hold it against me if I die."

    That''s my line!

    Sam''s headache is growing as Erica is about to let out a roar.

    Even before being a wizard, I worry about him when he is so vulnerable to provocation.

    Monsters may not be provocative, but when it comes to humans, as in this case, it''s a different story.

    They may provoke us, take hostages, or even resort to more cowardly tactics.

    If you are like Erika, there is no end to the number of times you have to deal with them, and your life may be in danger.

    (I don''t think she will listen to ...... even if I warn her.)

    I am not going to tell you not to fight with anger.

    Sam knows very well that sometimes anger can be a source of strength.

    But it is dangerous to narrow our vision with cheap provocations.

    We must keep our minds cool while we are angry.

    However, Erica will not listen to me if I tell her that when she is in a state of bloodlust.

    From Erica''s point of view, Sam is a child who has not even reached adulthood.

    Even though she was her beloved sister''s disciple, she was afraid that the more she warned him, the more it would backfire, so she decided to keep quiet.

    In the meantime, Erica and Dorgana continued to glare at each other.

    "I thought it would be a hassle to go through a dirty dungeon, but I think I''m going to get some good quality slaves unexpectedly.

    Smiling wickedly, Dolgana seems to think she has already won.

    (How can this noble lad be so confident?¡¡(He doesn''t look like a pretty good user ......)

    His behavior makes him look like an amateur.

    I don''t sense much magic.

    The young squire boy and girl seem to have taken a little bit of martial arts in their behavior, but they don''t seem to have any magic power.

    (Let''s face it--they''re weak, aren''t they?)

    I don''t think they are pretending to be weak.

    If Sam''s eyes are right, Erica alone can win against the three of them.

    But only if Erica can fight calmly.

    Erica.

    "Don''t call me names so casually, okay?"

    "Ha-ha-ha, I really like your strong spirit. I''m looking forward to bringing you to your knees.

    "Oh, no, not my cup of tea."

    "First, you will learn my name, your master. My name is Dolgana Lansgully!¡¡I am the eldest son of Viscount Lansgully!"

    "Oh, yeah."

    "Good, good, good, let''s see how long you can keep up your tough attitude!¡¡If the slaves cry out later that they don''t like it, it will be too late!"

    Durgaana, puffing out her chest, proudly proclaiming herself a viscountess.

    Erika is in the same attitude as if to say, "So what?

    In fact, Erika is a higher-ranking count than Dolgana, so she probably doesn''t feel anything special when they boast about their family.

    (Erica''s parents have a higher rank than Erica''s, though.)

    I would have liked to tell her, but it seems that Erica does not use her family name.

    She is standing here as just one Erica.

    Sam, too, understands Erica''s intention and does not say anything else.

    £¨But if I tell them that I''m the fourth daughter of Count Walker, they''ll get scared and that''ll be the end of it.)

    I can''t help but have a feeling that if we did that, something troublesome might happen, but I''m fine with that as long as the dueling mayhem is quickly resolved and we can take on the dungeon.

    While Sam crosses his arms and sighs, the story goes on.

    "I hope you won''t regret your death either.

    "--Haha, don''t make me laugh!¡¡Lloyd!¡¡Lizzy!"

    "Ha."

    "Yes!"

    Dolgana raised her voice at the boy and girl who had been standing behind her.

    As they straighten their backs and reply, the boy from the barony gives them an order.

    "Don''t embarrass me. You know what you have to do, don''t you?

    "Of course."

    "As you wish, Dolgana-sama."

    "I hope you understand."

    The other side seems to be communicating with the squire.

    Sam approaches Erica and speaks softly to her.

    "Um, Erica..."

    "What?"

    "Shouldn''t we have a plan or something, just in case?"

    "...... I''m not going to cooperate with you."

    Well, why?

    I don''t approve of you. I don''t even know how good you are. It''s useless to make a plan with you.

    (I thought it was ....... Just saying)

    "Well, what are you going to do?"

    Erica sniffs at Sam''s question.

    "I''ll take them all down together, you just watch and stay out of the way."

    "...... Okay."

    I was a little offended by her tone, but she was not wrong.

    Just as Erica had no idea what Sam was capable of, Sam had no idea what she was capable of.

    It would be difficult for her to cooperate with him in such a situation.

    If Sam had been in the same position, he would have chosen to fight alone, just like Erica.

    But Sam was not stupid enough to let her do so under the circumstances.

    As long as Sam does not know Erika''s ability, there is a possibility that she will be defeated even against Dolgana and the others who do not seem to be very strong.

    If that happens, he will fall into slavery.

    He could not let that happen to Ur''s family.

    "Lady Erica!"

    What the hell did you just say?

    "I don''t care if you don''t want to help me, but can you at least let me fight on my own?"

    "You. You want me to hide behind a bunch of kids who haven''t even grown up yet!

    No, no, it''s not like that.

    I''m not that shameless!¡¡Watch me!¡¡I''m going to beat them to death!"

    (Huh. ...... I knew you wouldn''t let me fight...) I guess they won''t listen to me anymore, so I''ll just have to wait and see. Worst case scenario, we can kill all three of them together.)

    I would rather take the lives of a few than put the family of my late beloved master in danger.

    At best, you will regret your arrogance in the afterlife.

    Unaware of Sam''s mindset, the duel between Erika and Dorgana was about to begin.

 48 - 47 "Its a duel" â‘¡

    An official of the Adventurers'' Guild stood between Sam and Dolgana as a witness.

    "Then, the Adventurers'' Guild will be present for the duel..."

    The duel was about to begin when a witness announced the beginning of the duel.

    "Eat me!

    Even though the signal had not been given, Dolgana unleashed her magic as a preemptive attack.

    Of course, this was against the rules and a foul.

    Sam could not react to this.

    He had not expected that such a fool would actually commit such an outrage in a formal duel with witnesses.

    At this point, Dorgana had lost by foul play.

    But that is not the point.

    The countless number of water magic spears that Dolgana had unleashed were about to strike Erika.

    "Erika-sama!¡¡Please run away!"

    "--!"

    Sam shouted when he realized that he would not be able to protect Erica in time.

    Erica, who had been stunned by his loud voice, put up a magic barrier as if she had been shot.

    But..,

    "Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

    Thanks to the magic barrier, the water spear does not pierce Erica, but it does not kill her momentum either, and she is blown backward in a big heap.

    She was blown backward, bouncing twice, thrice, and rolling on the ground.

    "Erica-sama!

    Sam rushed over.

    "Erica, are you okay?¡¡Erica!"

    "Uh-uh."

    He holds Erica in his arms as she lets out a small moan.

    From the looks of it, there is no bloodshed.

    Her eyes are looking at me, but she seems to have hit her head or to be in a daze.

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha!¡¡You let your guard down!¡¡You are now my slaves!"

    "Lady Durgana!¡¡This is foul play!¡¡As a witness of the guild, I cannot allow you to win!"

    The Adventurers'' Guild chairman protests against Dolgana''s triumph, but Dolgana, in his bravado, says he doesn''t know.

    "Shut up!¡¡Don''t let a mere guild official speak for me!¡¡You want to get killed!"

    Do you really think you can get away with such outrage?

    As might be expected, the Adventurers'' Guild did not approve of Dolgana''s brutality.

    However, Dolgana paid no heed to the guild''s voice.

    "So you didn''t intend to duel after all, did you?

    "Of course!¡¡Why should I, a nobleman, fight on equal terms with commoners like you!"

    "Okay, that''s enough."

    What are you talking about?¡¡Now give me that woman!¡¡Let''s get on with the pretty!¡¡Hey, get that woman back!"

    "Ha!"

    "Yes!"

    Dolgana orders his followers to approach.

    After they get their hands on Erica, they will no doubt treat her as a slave.

    --That was not acceptable.

    Sam hugs Erica protectively and holds up his arms to Dolgana, who is coming toward them after the followers in high spirits.

    He then turns to the three of them and points his palm toward them.

    "You, what is your attitude?"

    "--How dare you hurt Ur''s sister ...... and Ur''s precious family?"

    Sam felt like he was going to lose his mind with anger.

    He resisted the urge to go berserk, and chided himself for keeping his cool.

    Then, his heart cried out for those who mocked his precious master''s family to be punished.

    "I don''t think so, but do you think a squire would fight me?¡¡Fine. Then come at me!¡¡I will skewer you with my brilliant magic!"

    "This is ridiculous. A boy who has no idea what he''s up against, who can only use magic to enslave Ur''s precious family?¡¡Skewer me?¡¡--Don''t make me laugh."

    Sam clenches the palms he had been pointing at the three of them with great force.

    "-Golem, take them into custody. I don''t care if you crush them."

    A moment later, a huge arm sprouts from the ground.

    "Aaaaahhhh!¡¡What the hell is this arm?

    The huge arm roared out, seizing and restraining Dorgana and her two stunned followers.

 49 - 48 "Its a duel." â‘¢

    "What the hell is this?¡¡d*mn it, get off me!¡¡Hey, you!¡¡It''s not fair that you could use magic!"

    Sam glares at Dolgana, who struggles desperately and spits as she is caught in the golem''s arms.

    "How can you call me a coward after you took Erica by surprise?

    I''m a nobleman!¡¡I am the rule!"

    A mere viscountess is not so proud.

    What the hell?

    He must be very proud of being a viscount.

    When Sam said "only a viscount", Dolgana''s face turned red and she became furious.

    "You can get angry all you want, but is it okay?

    "What?"

    When Sam puts strength into his own hand, a huge arm tries to crush the three of them.

    "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!¡¡Stop, stop, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts!

    "Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

    "Ahhhhhh!"

    Dolgana, of course, and his followers screamed along with him.

    I could hear the creaking of their bodies as if they were about to be crushed.

    Dorgana and his followers could do nothing but scream, shedding tears and slobbering.

    At this rate, death is clearly awaiting them.

    Seeing the fear on their faces as well as the pain, Sam stopped the magic and relaxed the pressure of his huge arm.

    "Come on, I''ll let you choose."

    Sam tells the boys and girls who are temporarily free from pain and breathing with all their might.

    "Will you surrender and become a slave?¡¡Or are you going to be crushed?"

    Neither of the squires seemed to have the energy to reply to Sam''s question, except for Dolgana.

    "Nonsense!¡¡Why would I be a slave?

    I am a little impressed that you can still resist.

    Apparently, my body is as robust as my arrogance.

    Either that or he''s just slow.

    (How can you bark when you''re out of control? (How can you bark when you''re out of your depth? You must have a lot of guts, or maybe you''re just too stupid to grasp the situation.)

    "You''re an idiot, aren''t you?¡¡The rules of this duel are that the winner enslaves the loser, right?¡¡If you lose, it will be you who will be the slaves.

    At Sam''s words, Dorgana looked at the witness as if he had been shot.

    "This decision cannot be changed, even by the king of this country, since it is officially signed in writing."

    Dorgana''s face turned pale at the witness'' words.

    (Well, it was a foul by nature.)

    It seems that the witnesses, seeing that the rule-breaking Dolganas are about to be defeated by Sam, do not dare to stop the duel but let it go to the end.

    Thank goodness.

    They are dealing with a selfish nobleman like Dorgana.

    If we don''t settle the matter to the end, there will be a lot of trouble later on.

    Above all, since they have been the ones to pick a fight with us, Sam will not be happy if they don''t regret it.

    "Then I will not surrender!¡¡Never!"

    "Then die!"

    Sam put his strength into the golem''s huge arms again.

    "AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

    A pathetic scream echoed all around me.

    The spectators, who at first had been ready to watch a children''s fight, lost their voices at the sight of Sam''s power and the relentless torture he inflicted on Dolgana, and could only watch on.

    No, no, no, you!¡¡You''re going to kill the nobles, you''re going to kill me, you''re going to kill me, you''re going to kill me, you''re going to kill me!"

    "I''m surprised you can still talk so much."

    "Don''t think you can kill a nobleman and get away with it!"

    "You know, ...... you were the first one to tell me not to regret my death. On what basis did you think you wouldn''t be killed?"

    He tightened his grip even more.

    The huge arms tightened around the bodies of the three men.

    And then there was a dull, grating sound.

    "Geeaaaahhhhhh!"

    It was Dorgana who screamed.

    "My arm, my arm!

    "Here''s your ultimatum. Surrender or die.

    As Dolgana screamed after his arm was broken, Sam told him in no uncertain terms.

    If Dolgana refuses to surrender, I will kill her without any hesitation.

    He truly believes that he must die to atone for his beloved master''s brutality toward his beloved family.

    That''s all they did to Erica.

    I wasn''t going to ask twice.

    They try to channel their magic power into the golem to kill Dorgana and the others who don''t answer.

    But..,

    "Wait, wait!¡¡Oh, no!¡¡I''ll take my loss!¡¡So please!¡¡Please don''t kill me!"

    Dorgana screamed pitifully, tears and snot dripping down her nose.

    His arm was broken, he could not escape, and he must have realized that Sam really meant to kill him.

    Sam looked at the witness and nodded.

    "That''s it!¡¡Samuel Scheidt wins!"

    The end of the one-sided duel was announced by the witnesses.

    A moment later, the crowd, which had remained silent, erupted in praise of Sam''s victory.

 50 - 49 "Cleaning up after the duel" â‘ 

    He releases the three men from his grip with his huge arms and throws them to the ground.

    "- They were boring."

    I don''t care if we win or lose.

    It wasn''t even a fair fight to begin with.

    There was no point in the duel once Dolgana and the others had committed the foul play, but the only thing that was unforgivable was that they had taken Erika by surprise.

    After all the twists and turns, the outcome was clear: the future of slavery awaited the Dolganas.

    "...... You! If Papa hears about this, you''ll be in big trouble!¡¡Do you understand that!"

    "You can shut up now."

    He gently laid Erika on the ground, who had been holding her during the duel, and mercilessly kicked Dolgana in the jaw with his toe as she tried to scramble despite her surrender.

    Dolgana turned over without uttering a sound and did not twitch.

    He seemed to have fainted.

    "He was a noisy bastard to the end, wasn''t he?

    Sam decided that it was a waste of time to waste any more time with the selfish child.

    Now that he''s quiet, he''s relieved.

    "I don''t care about that," he said, "I have to take Erica to the doctor.

    Sam, no longer interested in Dorgana and the others, picks Erica up again and tries to find a doctor.

    "Excuse me!"

    Then the boys and girls, all followers of Dorgana, kneeled at Sam''s feet.

    "Would you mind getting out of my way?"

    Sam coldly told them to bow their heads so deeply that their foreheads touched the ground.

    "Please, please forgive me!"

    "I hope you will pretend that this duel never happened!"

    Sam was dismayed by the squires who, while prostrating themselves, were still saying such things.

    "What are you talking about now?¡¡If you don''t think we haven''t lost because we haven''t surrendered, I''m willing to fight you again."

    Sam glares at him, unable to hide his irritation.

    He wanted to take Erica to the doctor as soon as possible, but the two of them were getting in his way, and he wanted to kill them.

    If they wanted to duel each other again, he thought, he would take his time and take their lives.

    "No, no!¡¡We cannot defeat you!¡¡I admit defeat. But please forgive my slaves!"

    What are you talking about?

    He decides that there is no use in trying to deal with the two women who are determined to lose the duel and become slaves, but who complain about it, so he tries to find a doctor for Erika.

    However, they clung to his legs as if they wanted him to escape.

    "Get out of the way!

    "Wow, I''m Jilly Michaels!¡¡I am the daughter of Baron Michaels!¡¡This is my cousin Lloyd!¡¡We were only squires for Lady Durgana at the behest of our father!"

    "So what do you say?"

    "I sincerely apologize for not being able to stop the tyranny of Dolgana-sama!¡¡But I was going to stop it before the worst happened!"

    "You didn''t stop me. Now get out of my way."

    I was fed up.

    Jilly and Lloyd may not have liked to follow Dolgana.

    But they didn''t stop, even if they were told later that they were going to stop.

    They did not stop, and so they dueled and lost.

    "No!¡¡It''s a misunderstanding!¡¡After the duel, I was going to admonish you, Dolgana-sama!"

    "Look, I don''t want to hear about something I didn''t do. You will lose and become slaves. That''s the end of it."

    Jilly''s arm is removed and Sam turns to leave.

    "Are you trying to make enemies of the nobility?"

    Then a voice called out to him from behind, causing him to stop and turn around.

    "Are you threatening me?"

    "It''s true. Even if you treat us as slaves, we will be rescued eventually. You will be the one who regrets it. I am saying this for your sake.

    £¨This is getting tedious.)

    She may not want to become a slave herself because of her stupid master, but she is also responsible for not stopping him.

    It was the other party who had started the whole slave thing in the first place, and Sam did not want these three depressing people in his life.

    However, if he told them that he would not make them his slaves, they would take advantage of him and would not feel sorry for him.

    Then your options are limited.

    "Then, I''d better kill him without regret.

    When Sam glared at Jilly with clear intent to kill her, she shuddered.

    "What?¡¡That''s exactly what I''m going to do, make enemies of the nobility!¡¡I''ll pay you!¡¡I will do my best to be sincere!¡¡Please forgive me, but not the slaves!"

    I don''t want slaves, but I have no intention of forgiving Jilly and the others for hurting Erica.

    But Jilly is trying her best to get me to back down.

    Sam''s patience was running out.

    If he couldn''t get Erica to see the doctor and the time just kept passing by, he might as well stop her from opening her mouth.

    (Or not...)

    I don''t want to waste my time on the people who harmed Erica.

    Sam chose to take care of the three of them.

    He increases his magic power and strengthens his body.

    He then turned one arm toward Jilly, who was hanging on by his feet.

    "Dummy, dumb-dum-dum!¡¡Could you give us a moment of your time, please?"

    "-- Hmm?"

    Sam''s desire to kill fizzles out when a cheerful voice calls out to him from behind.

    He turns around to see a well-dressed middle-aged man standing there with a smile on his face.

 51 - 50 "Cleaning up after the duel" â‘¡

    "Well, it was a wonderful magic. I am impressed that you were able to use such magic so effortlessly and without chanting!

    "Who are you?"

    I ask briefly, wary of a middle-aged man approaching me, rubbing his hands.

    His smile deepens and he opens his hand wide for Sam.

    "You don''t have to be so cautious. I am just a small merchant. I have a doctor with me, if you would like him to examine Miss Erica.

    "You have a doctor?"

    Yes, of course. We are traveling with a trading company, so we have several doctors.

    What is your purpose?

    The merchant''s offer was appreciated, but it did not seem to be just out of the goodness of his heart.

    To tell the truth, I would like to show Erica to the doctor right away, but I do not want to get into trouble again as a result.

    "Don''t worry about it. I''m just a merchant who wants to sell my services to the Countess Walker family.

    "What?¡¡...... Countess Walker?"

    Lizzie and the others, still kneeling on the ground, responded to the merchant''s words.

    "Oh?¡¡Were you all unaware that Lady Erica is the daughter of Countess Walker, and were you two fighting with each other?¡¡It seems that you have been threatening the dummies with aristocrats since a few minutes ago, but your house might be more dangerous than ours, don''t you think?"

    "Oh, no."

    Lizzie turned pale.

    She had never dreamed that the person she was fighting with, using her status as a viscountess, was the daughter of a countess with a higher title.

    But that''s a story for later.

    "It doesn''t matter. But more importantly, you have a doctor, don''t you?"

    "Of course I''m here. Please come to my tent.

    "Just to clarify, how do you know Erica?"

    There is not a merchant in King''s Landing who doesn''t know who Erica is. She is the sister of the magician and former court wizard Ulrike. I find it rather unbelievable that these women would pick a fight with her without knowing it."

    "It''s not just good intentions, is it?¡¡What do you want? Let me be clear."

    "That''s my boy!¡¡You talk fast!¡¡No, no, we don''t ask for money. I don''t mean to be difficult. I''m just trying to make a profit for you, sir.

    Don''t be so presumptuous. Just say it.

    "So, let''s get straight to the point: Would you be willing to sell the three people you enslaved to me?"

    "What?"

    Sam was puzzled by the merchant''s offer.

    Frankly, I don''t need slaves.

    They made the move on their own, they lost, and I ended up with the slaves.

    Considering Erika''s pride, there was a possibility that she would throw the slaves out, saying she didn''t need them.

    "Apparently, Bo-chan doesn''t need slaves, and they are in the way, aren''t they?¡¡The Earls of Walker would not have to worry, but having these men as slaves would be troublesome. If so, would you be willing to sell them to me?"

    In other words, they are willing to take care of the trouble.

    Then there''s no need to hesitate.

    If Erica had stayed awake, she might have forgiven them and let them go, but not Sam.

    There was no way she was going to release the people who had wronged her precious Ur''s family, who had planned to enslave them.

    "--Okay."

    "Please don''t!¡¡Please!¡¡If I had known you were Countess Walker, I would not have been so rude!¡¡My sincerest apologies!¡¡So!"

    "Thank you for your decision. Slaves of noble birth are not always available, but they are in demand. Men and women alike are at the throats of every well-heeled man and woman.

    "--Hey."

    "Well, I''ll give you what you want. I''d rather take Erica to the doctor as soon as possible."

    "Yes, of course. I''m sorry. Then we''ll discuss the price later. Now, please take Miss Erica to my tent. The doctor will be there.

    Ignoring Lizzie''s pleas for forgiveness, Sam and the merchant proceeded to leave.

    The smiling merchant looks at them, and a group of people who appear to be his men approach from a distance and try to take the fallen Dorgana and Lizzie and the others away.

    "Don''t touch me!¡¡Please help me!¡¡Please!"

    Lizzie screamed desperately and Lloyd resisted, but no one offered a helping hand.

    The spectators, too, were defeated by the overwhelming difference in strength of the women, after they had decided on the duel and falsely accused each other, under the pretense of power.

    They deserved what they got, and there was no reason to help them.

    Sam ignored Lizzie''s tearful pleas and headed for the merchant''s tent with Erica in his arms.

 52 - 51 "Weve reached a settlement" â‘ 

    "......n,n"

    "Dear Erica, dear Erica. Are you awake?"

    Erika woke up in the rattling carriage.

    Sam felt relieved.

    "What?¡¡I''m..."

    "It looks like a mild concussion. The doctors have checked him out and he''s fine."

    "...... What about the duel?"

    I won.

    "......I knew it. I vaguely remember that."

    An hour had already passed since the duel.

    Sam and Erica are on their way back to King''s Landing in a carriage provided by a merchant.

    Sam, who had no need of money, slaves, or trouble after that, gave the merchant the three boys and the girl for free.

    In return, he could borrow a sturdy and fast carriage.

    The formalities through the guild have already been completed and the dolganas are now the property of the merchant.

    What would happen to them in the future was none of Sam''s business.

    "I am glad you are safe."

    "--don''t you smile?"

    "Why is that?"

    Sam tilted his head, unsure of the meaning of the question.

    He had no idea why he was laughing at Erica.

    But Erica''s face contorts and she covers her eyes with her arms.

    "I made a big promise to fight a duel, and this is the result. If it weren''t for you, I''d be a slave right now.

    "That''s impossible. He lost by foul play. The result is the same.

    In the end, Sam won the battle by making Dorgana and the others surrender, but there was no doubt that he would have lost by foul play even if he had not fought.

    They were proud of him because he was a viscount, but that was no use to the Adventurers'' Guild.

    Either way, they would still lose by foul play.

    Sam just couldn''t forgive them for hurting Erica, so he took action.

    Erica was never going to be a slave.

    "--I''m sorry."

    "What?"

    Sam couldn''t believe his ears at Erica''s sudden apology.

    It was the first time Erica had apologized for her stubborn attitude ever since they had met.

    But he could not understand the reason for her apology.

    "What''s wrong, all of a sudden?"

    "Thanks to you, I don''t have to put myself out of my misery."

    "I don''t need an apology. I did what I did because I wanted to. But from now on, let''s just think a little bit more carefully about what we''re doing.

    "Yes."

    Sam felt no need to say anything more to Erica, who responded honestly.

    The once rash Erika was now quiet and regretful of what she had done.

    Then, I don''t intend to repeat my complaint unnecessarily.

    £¨But why the sudden change of attitude?)

    You know what?

    "Yes."

    After listening for a while, Erika opened her mouth to me.

    "You know, I was jealous of you.

    "Jealous?¡¡Me, sir?"

    "Of course not. Because you are the only disciple of Ur sister and the heir to everything ......"

    "Dear Erica."

    "I was frustrated. I didn''t want to admit it. So I''m ...... sorry I was so unreasonable with you."

    Tears stream down her cheeks from her eyes, which she hides with her arms.

    "I don''t care."

    But I do care. But I do care. I''m a fool for dueling with a stupid nobleman and now I''m in this mess. I''m so sorry for myself.

    Erica began to sob softly.

    Sam could only pretend not to notice.

    "I couldn''t believe it when I heard that ...... Ur sister had died, and then you inherited everything, and I lost my goals and everything. I wanted to blame you even though I knew I was taking it out on you."

    "It''s understandable, since you lost your family."

    "--but you lost someone important to you, too, didn''t you?"

    Ur was my precious, my beloved.

    "Then what I did is disgusting. I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry for what I did to those who are suffering as much as I am. ......

    Sam gently squeezes Erica''s hand as she bursts into tears.

    "It''s okay. I was blessed to have been with Ur for so long, even more than you. I got to say goodbye. That''s all that matters."

    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry!"

    Sam held Erica''s hand as she continued to apologize and quieted her down.

    I know how it feels to lose someone you love.

    Especially for Erica, who was also a precious member of her immediate family.

    She has been with Erica longer than Sam.

    There is no way that we can blame her for taking it out on us out of grief.

    Sam was glad that she had spoken her mind.

    He was glad he had come to terms with Erica.

    £¨We all love you.)

    Sam continues to comfort Erica, thinking of his late mentor.

 53 - 52 "Weve reached a settlement" â‘¡

    The day is almost ready to change when the carriage rides by.

    Sam and Erica finally made it back to King''s Landing.

    On the way from the dungeon to the capital, they talked about many things.

    Most of them were about Ur.

    The one thing they had in common was that they both had a respected wizard named Ur.

    Sam and Erika admired her, looked up to her, and aimed at her, and once they got to know each other, the conversation flowed naturally.

    They are now good friends.

    "Oh, we''re almost at the house.

    "I''m sure the masters will be very angry with you."

    "...... I know, right?"

    Sam chuckles at Erica''s sagging eyes.

    As soon as we entered King''s Landing, one of the merchant''s men handed me a letter.

    The letter was from Jonathan, the head of the Earl of Walker.

    Apparently, he had sent an errand to Count Walker''s house ahead of us.

    Jonathan was furious at Erica''s behavior.

    He was furious that she had taken a guest to the dungeon without permission, and that she had been injured in the duel that ensued.

    He was very angry that Sam had to clean up the mess.

    He was glad that he had been able to come home without any problems, but if something had gone wrong, Erika might not be here now.

    As a father, he was justifiably angry.

    Erika herself seemed to know that she had done something wrong and that she had no choice but to take the Count''s anger maturely.

    "Hey..."

    "Excuse me?"

    "Thank you for today. And I''m sorry for everything.

    "You don''t have to apologize anymore."

    "Oh, yeah?¡¡But, um, I''m sorry."

    Sam gives a small laugh as Erica tries to find something to say and ends up apologizing.

    It''s true that she didn''t get a flattering attitude from him, but what she did was as cute as not making eye contact with him or ignoring his greeting.

    Sam is not so ungrateful as to get upset over something as trivial as that.

    If anything, it seemed more like an emotional Erica, for better or worse.

    She''s sorry now, and Sam doesn''t feel the need to ask her to apologize anymore.

    "Oh, you know what, Sam?"

    "...... Erica-sama?"

    Sam was slightly surprised.

    Thinking back, this was the first time Erica had ever called his name.

    "I accept Sam as a disciple of your sister Ur, no, as a member of our family. So, can we talk about your sister again next time you have time?"

    Sam smiled at Erica''s fearful question.

    "Of course."

    "Thank you."

    "Thank you very much."

    Sam felt an irrepressible joy at being recognized as a family member by Ur''s beloved family.

 54 - 53 "A freak of a self-styled fiancee is here." â‘ 

    "--Uh, Mom and Dad, you didn''t have to get so mad, I told you I was sorry, but if Sam hadn''t interceded, not only would I have had my allowance cut, but I''d be in jail for a while. I was suspended."

    It had been three days since Erica had taken Sam out to the .

    Erika had been scolded by her parents for not only taking a guest without permission, but for causing a duel that could have resulted in slavery if she had won.

    However, her father, Jonathan, who was very kind to his daughter, calmed her down by cutting off her allowance for six months and dropping a bone on her head.

    It was probably a good thing that Erika herself had reflected on her behavior and changed her attitude toward Sam.

    More importantly, Sam, who had been pushed around the most, followed Erika''s lead.

    Otherwise, she would have been confined to her room by now.

    My mother, who is very strict with her daughters, was quite angry with me and sent me to the Adventurers'' Guild to apologize for the trouble I had caused.

    Today, my parents were again complaining to me because they had received a call from Viscount Lansgully.

    Or rather, a protest.

    Erica was also told by her parents that they had gone to the dungeon to look for their son and squire, who had not returned at all, and were dismayed to find that they had fallen into slavery.

    When they gathered information and discovered that Erica, Countess Walker, was involved, they became very angry.

    In short, "My sons are slaves because of your daughters, what are you going to do about it? Jonathan did not take it up with them.

    It was the other party who had been the one to pick a fight with him, and the reason he had proposed the slavery was because he wanted to take Erika in his hands.

    All of these testimonies have been officially confirmed by the guild officials.

    Moreover, Dolgana surrendered after being beaten by Sam, but before that, she was beaten by foul play.

    Viscount Lansgully could not have overlooked the fact that his son had become a slave without his knowledge, but he had it all coming to him.

    It is also unfortunate that Viscount Lansgully belongs to the rival faction of the Earl of Walker.

    If they had belonged to the same faction, Count Walker would have done more behind the scenes.

    But they are from a rival faction, and above all, they are the parents of the man who tried to undermine their daughter.

    Without Sam, the worst case scenario would have been possible, and Jonathan ignored all of Viscount Lansgully''s appeals.

    Before that, there are few ways to free the enslaved Dolganas through proper procedures.

    The best way would be to buy them from the merchants who owned them.

    Count Walker had no intention of getting involved in the matter, so he was left to his own devices.

    "Where is Sam?"

    Since the duel, Erica''s attitude toward Sam has softened.

    Rather, she has come to regard him as a good friend, or even as a younger brother.

    Yesterday, I asked her about her trip with her sister at a tea party, and Erika also told Sam about her memories of Ur.

    "I wonder if he is practicing with his sister Lise in the courtyard?"

    Erika, who promised to teach Sam the magic her sister used to use, wants to train with Sam, but Lise wants to train with Sam, too, and they are fighting.

    Especially Lise seemed to enjoy training with Sam, who became stronger the more she taught him, as well as training her dull self again.

    Erika is happy to see her sister, who had been depressed for a while, smiling and wielding a sword, but that''s just the way it is and this is just the way it is.

    Learning the magic of Ur from Sam would bring me closer to my goal.

    I am sorry to say this, but I would have liked to spend some time with Sam myself.

    Both Lise and Erica are crazy about the younger boy, Sam.

    They can''t help but love him as a prot¨¦g¨¦ and a brother.

    "It''s almost noon, so it''s my turn in the afternoon, right?"

    My sister would protest, but I would not allow her to have him all to herself.

    With this in mind, Erica heads for the courtyard.

    And then..,

    "Hey, long time no see, Erica."

    Suddenly, a voice calls out to me, and I turn around.

    Erica''s eyes widened.

    "Oh, you."

    The voice sounded familiar, which gave her a bad feeling, but when she saw the face of the owner of the voice, Erica made a truly disgusted face.

    "Hmm, I hear you''ve done a lot of naughty things."

    The voice belonged to a young man in his mid-twenties.

    He was a handsome man with clean-cut blond hair and a white suit.

    "--G¨¹nther ...... what are you doing here?"

    "Well, I don''t like the way you''re talking to my brother."

    The young man, G¨¹nther, was unconcerned by Erica''s attitude and smiled.

 55 - 54 "Self-styled fiancee freak is here" â‘¡

    "Who says he''s my brother?¡¡You are not a stranger!"

    G¨¹nther brushed back his bangs and cowered as Erica gave him a blatantly disgusted look.

    "You''re so boring. I''ve known you since I was a little girl. You''re like a brother to me. Besides, I''m going to marry her, so I''m still your brother by necessity.

    You still don''t know?

    What?

    "...... ur sister is dead."

    Erica told the young man, her childhood friend, that her sister had died.

    G¨¹nther, however, was not saddened, but rather indignant.

    "That''s the thing."

    "What?¡¡What?"

    "That''s what I came here today to find out. I know that there is an infidel who has taken advantage of you and your family by lying about the death of my beloved Ulrike, claiming to be her disciple, isn''t there?

    "G¨¹nther, your sister really is..."

    I believe you said his name was Samuel.

    Erica is at a loss for words when the young man seems to not believe her sister is dead.

    He is a depressing person who has played the older brother since she was a child, but she does not hate him from the bottom of her heart.

    She inwardly tilts her head and wonders how she can get G¨¹nther to accept her sister''s death.

    "Sam. Samuel Scheidt. And Sam is not lying. Your sister is really dead."

    Even Erica doesn''t want to believe it, but she saw the body with her own eyes and went to the funeral.

    There was no way she could say that her sister''s death had never happened.

    "Yes!¡¡Its you Samuel!¡¡Fools claiming to be Ulrike''s disciples!¡¡Why do your uncles allow a child from who-knows-where to take the magical name of Ur?"

    "Sam is the only heir your sister found and raised."

    "Oh. That''s surprising. I thought you would be more emotional about the boy. You were the one who wanted to be Ulrike''s successor, after all.

    Erika''s face contorts as if remembering something bitter in G¨¹nther''s words.

    As the young man had expected, Erica has already gone off the rails, refusing to recognize Sam.

    She has, however, been able to reconcile with him as a result.

    "I''ve already been in denial and jealousy," she says. I''ve already accepted Sam as your sister''s successor."

    "Oh."

    I mean, you came late when you heard the news of Ur-sister''s death. I thought you would have flown in that day.

    "That''s harsh. To tell you the truth, I fainted from surprise when I heard the delusion that Ulrike had passed away, and I just woke up this morning.

    "...... you''ve been out cold for almost a week, how much your brain couldn''t process your sister''s death."

    "I''m an idiot too. Ulrike can''t die. I can''t find a way to kill her. I''m ashamed that I believed for a moment that she was dead.

    "--G¨¹nther."

    The young man in front of me did not accept his sister''s death.

    I realized that he did not accept it.

    That is a very sad thing indeed.

    "Come on, let''s go see Ulrike."

    "That''s why he''s not here!¡¡We''ve already been to the funeral!"

    "-- then!¡¡Let''s meet this boy, this Samuel boy!¡¡If he really is the heir, if he has inherited all of Ur, then I am qualified to meet him."

    What are you doing?

    "And it''s interesting, too. I was going to tear you ...... to pieces to see if you were boy enough for Syscon Erika to recognize as Ulrike''s heir, but I changed my mind after talking to you. If you really believe that Ulleke is dead, then I''d like to meet him, the heir."

    "I would never let a dangerous man like you meet Sam!¡¡What are you doing?

    I knew it would be dangerous to let G¨¹nther see Sam because of his obsession with his sister.

    Even Erica knew that if G¨¹nther, who had not accepted his sister''s death, and Sam, who had accepted and moved on, met with G¨¹nther, there was bound to be some problems.

    "But I''m sure he would want to meet me. If he really is Ulrike''s successor and protege. After all, I am Ulrike''s fianc¨¦e.

 56 - 55 "A self-styled fiancÃ©e is here." â‘¢

    Sam was lying on the ground, exhausted, during a break from close combat training with Liese.

    He is breathing deeply, trying to catch his breath.

    Liese, who was not even sweating, was drinking a cup of tea prepared by the maid.

    "Sam has become quite strong, hasn''t he? I''m surprised that you really don''t have any talent with the sword, but if I had any I would have recommended you to become an apprentice to Master Kensei."

    "...... would appreciate that. However, I''m a wizard, so I don''t intend to become a swordsman."

    "Wouldn''t it be cool to be a magical swordsman?"

    "--It''s cool!"

    "Hmmm, Sam is a boy after all."

    I confess, if I could be a swordsman, I would.

    Being a wizard is a title that tickles my boyish heart to no end.

    But first, there''s magic.

    I''m going to use what I inherited from Ur and make my way up the ladder with magic alone.

    I didn''t want to end up halfway in everything as a result of expanding my reach beyond what was necessary.

    In any case, he has no talent as a swordsman, so he can''t become a magic swordsman no matter how hard he tries.

    "If I continue to train my fighting skills, I might be able to become a magic fencer even if I can''t become a magic swordsman," he said. I think that Sam who is good at body enhancement magic would be perfect for it.

    "Magical Fist ...... sounds great."

    As Liese said, if you can use body enhancement magic beyond a certain level, you can aim to become a Mage Kenshi.

    Thanks to Liese''s efforts to train me in close combat, I am now better at hand-to-hand combat than ever before.

    Liese has been pounding the basics into Sam, who has learned to fight only in actual combat.

    Thanks to that, each action became sharpened and sharp.

    Riise was a better teacher than Ur.

    Unlike Ur, whose stance was basically "learn by experience with your body," Liese taught me the important things.

    Although the final stage is similar to the actual battle, the process to get there is very careful.

    "I think Sam''s overall ability will improve if he continues his training for a while longer. I don''t mean to sound like a family man, but I think he is now good enough to fight against Kensei-sama''s disciples without magic."

    "I''m glad to hear that."

    I am confident that I can use magic to a certain extent.

    I am in the process of learning the magic I inherited from Ur and making it my own little by little.

    If I can learn melee combat and combine it with body enhancement magic, I will be able to broaden my combat range.

    "You are aiming to become a court wizard, aren''t you Sam?

    "Yes."

    "...... Then, ideally, you should win the magic competition in three months."

    "A magic competition?"

    Yes, once a year, we gather the best wizards from all over the country and abroad to fight. Depending on their abilities, it is not uncommon for them to be recruited into the Royal Magical Army. If you show more than that, even court wizards may be recruited.

    "That''s good to hear."

    Or you could ask your father or someone in a position to recommend you. The best thing would be to get a recommendation from a fellow court wizard.

    "Unfortunately, I don''t know any court wizards."

    If he had known someone, he would have first tried to fight them and take their seat.

    Sam is also a very smart person who thinks that this is the quickest way to get a seat.

    "There is a court magician who is related to our company, but I''m not sure if I should introduce him to Sam.

    "Do you know a court magician?"

    "Yes. But he''s a little bit special, or something.

    Lise''s voice stopped as she searched for words.

    Her eyes widened, seemingly startled by something.

    "Lise-sama?"

    "......So, if you speak of a rumor, it''s true. But your timing is not good.

    Lise''s eyes were on Sam''s back.

    She turned her back to see what was going on, and found Erica there.

    She was not the only one, there was a strange young man with her.

    "Erica-sama?"

    "Sam ...... there you are. I''m afraid you have a visitor.

    "For me, sir?"

    Perhaps the young man with Erica is Sam''s client.

    He is a handsome young man with elegant blond hair, dressed in a white suit.

    He is the best-looking man I have ever seen in my life, let alone since my reincarnation into the other world.

    Sam stands up so as not to be rude to his visitor.

    "Gee, G¨¹nther!"

    "Hi, Lise. It''s been a while since I''ve seen you. We have a lot to talk about, but I''d like to finish what I came here to do first.

    The young man - G¨¹nther''s voice is sweet and his beautiful appearance gives him the air of a prince.

    Even Sam, who is of the same s*x, could not help but look at him.

    £¨He''s just like a blonde prince. (He looks like something out of a girl''s comic book.)

    The eyes of such a beautiful young man turn to Sam.

    £¨Hmm?)

    You realize that there is a hint of hostility in his gaze, and you feel a little confused.

    At least, I don''t remember doing anything to warrant hostility from someone I have never met before.

    "So you are Samuel.

    He stared at me intently, and Sam flinched.

    He looked at Lise and Erica, not knowing who he was or what he looked like in the first place.

    But they just looked at each other with indescribable expressions on their faces and shook their heads.

    I don''t think it was Sam''s imagination that they looked somewhat annoyed.

    "Excuse me?"

    Sam spoke to the young man, who did not move but kept staring at him.

    The next moment,

    "--Oh, no, no, no. ......"

    "What?"

    "Oh, that''s ridiculous, I can''t believe it, it was real?"

    "Excuse me, can I help you?"

    "Urgh, urgh, urgh, ah!"

    Sam rolled his eyes at the young man who suddenly began to scream.

    G¨¹nther kneels on the ground and continues his wailing to the heavens.

    "What?¡¡Huh?¡¡What?"

    Sam could not understand what had happened and was simply bewildered.

 57 - 56 "I was told to be a pervert wife" â‘ 

    "You''re bothering the neighbors!"

    Erika kicked the young man in the back, who was beginning to shed tears, with an irritated look on her face.

    "Gghee!"

    The young man falls forward and stops moving.

    "Uh, what, what is this?"

    Sam is left reeling, not knowing what to make of it all.

    She looks at her sisters again, hoping for an explanation.

    "Well, Sam, this is..."

    "It''s just a pervert, don''t worry about it."

    Erika interrupted Liese, who was having trouble saying what she wanted to say, to say one word: "Pervert.

    "Pervert?"

    "This guy--"

    As Erica tried to explain to Sam, the young man stood up without a sound.

    His tear-stained eyes gazed at Sam.

    With a start, Sam took a step back.

    "I was surprised when I received the ...... information that Ulrike had passed away, but I didn''t want to believe it. But when I saw you, I was convinced. Ulrike is really dead."

    "Yes. I''m sorry to inform you that Ur is dead.

    "I knew it. ...... I feel Ulrike''s magic from you. It seems she has indeed found the successor she has been looking for."

    "--!"

    Sam was surprised.

    There was no way he could sense Ur from his own magic.

    He had inherited all of his power from her, but he did not think that a third person would be able to determine one magic power from two mixed powers.

    However, it did not seem as if G¨¹nther was lying.

    He has definitely seen the magic of Ur in Sam.

    "Who are you?

    At Sam''s question, the young man took out a handkerchief, wiped his eyes and opened his mouth.

    "Excuse me. You haven''t even told me your name yet. I am G¨¹nter Ignaz. I''m Ulrike Walker''s fianc¨¦e."

    "......, Ur''s fianc¨¦e?

    Sam couldn''t believe his ears.

    No, Ur was the eldest daughter of a noble family.

    She might have at least had a fianc¨¦e.

    But when she realized that her fianc¨¦ was the beautiful young man in front of her, she felt a bad feeling in her heart.

    "You know, Sam. G¨¹nther''s fianc¨¦e is a self-proclaimed..."

    "-- Huh?"

    "He''s my self-proclaimed fianc¨¦e."

    "What?

    Following Liese, Erika also called G¨¹nther, who claimed to be Ur''s fianc¨¦e, a "self-proclaimed fianc¨¦e.

    However, G¨¹nther refuted the claim.

    No!¡¡I''m not your self-proclaimed fianc¨¦e!¡¡I''m your real fianc¨¦e!"

    "You''re not the only one saying that!¡¡Even your sister was annoyed!"

    "She was shy!"

    "How can you be shy, Sister Ur?"

    The sisters are astonished, "That''s not true!" G¨¹nther continued to argue.

    "Ulrike was shy!¡¡The proof is that whenever I smile at him, he turns his face away."

    "You mean you just didn''t want to make eye contact with him?"

    Erica''s words were harsh.

    "Erica!¡¡To my future brother!"

    "Come on, man, get a grip on reality. I wouldn''t have married you even if you were alive, but now that you''re dead, that''s never going to happen."

    "Oh, um, Erika-sama, I think I''m going to go away for a while."

    Sam, who had been left behind, finally understood that G¨¹nther was in love with Ur.

    Although it was a little strange for him to call himself a fianc¨¦e, he felt sorry for Ur''s sisters, who were denying that there was no chance for them, as a fellow man.

    "You know, Sam. I think you got an idea of what kind of man he is from the exchange between G¨¹nther and Erica."

    "Oh, yes. You mean you liked Ur?"

    "It''s more than that."

    Liese sighed heavily as if remembering the past.

    "For a long time G¨¹nther was crazy about you. He confessed his feelings for her many times and was rejected each time. And so on and so forth. It would have been cute if that was all, but G¨¹nther''s behavior has become extreme. Before my sister left, he was stalking me."

    "...... yeah."

    "They came to our house because they knew our family well, and they took advantage of my sister''s absence for the past few years to ransack our room."

    "Wow."

    "...... how many times have Erica and I fought them off. I''ve lost count."

    Now I know why Erica called G¨¹nther a "pervert."

    £¨I mean, it''s not normal to ransack the room of someone you like. I mean, isn''t that a crime?¡¡(How can the Master let this man in and out of his mansion?)

    "Lise, that would give Mr. Samuel the wrong idea about me."

    "What?¡¡No misunderstandings, nothing, it''s all true.

    I am purely in love with Ulrike!

    "Huh. I don''t know how many times we''ve had this exchange. So what is G¨¹nther doing here?¡¡If you are going to ransack my sister''s room again, I''m not going to let you get away with it."

    Liese held up her wooden sword without a sound, and G¨¹nther raised his hands.

    "Don''t get me wrong, I just wanted to check on Ulrike today."

    Now, if you''re done with your business, please leave."

    No, my business is not finished yet. I have something for you too, Samuel."

    "For Sam?"

    "For me?"

    Sam and Liese wondered together what the hell they were going to do.

    "I couldn''t believe that Ulrike had taken on an apprentice. I thought you were lying to get to the Countess Walker family. That''s why I thought about getting rid of you. But I was wrong. You truly inherited everything from Ulrike. I''m willing to accept you as my apprentice."

    I don''t need your approval, though.

    Erica, I''m talking to Samuel right now. You can''t interrupt me."

    "Yes, yes."

    G¨¹nther approaches Sam.

    "I was angry with you. Then I was jealous. First, I was jealous of you because you inherited everything Ulrike had that I could not. And above all, I am saddened by the fact that Ulleke is gone. But..."

    G¨¹nther puts his hands on Sam''s shoulders.

    A smile appeared on his handsome face.

    "There you are. You have everything Ulrike had, and you''re here."

    "Well, what do you mean?"

    "Mr. Samuel Scheidt. --I take you to be my wife.

    "Hee!

    --Chills ran through my body.

 58 - 57 "I was told to be a pervert wife" â‘¡

    "Why would you do that!¡¡You pervert!¡¡You can''t get enough of stalking your sister, and now you''re making Sam your wife!

    "For the record, Sam is a boy, okay?"

    Erika and Liese intervene on behalf of the speechless Sam, brushing off G¨¹nther''s arm.

    Sam quickly hides behind them.

    "Hmmm.... Erica, Liese, do you think I''m mistaking him for a girl?¡¡Of course I know you''re a boy."

    If so, you are a pervert of the highest order.

    "You''re insane. I suggest you get your head examined at a hospital as soon as possible."

    "This is harsh. But I''m not crazy. I hate to admit that Ur is dead. But there is a child who will inherit everything Ur has. Then he is the new Ur!¡¡Samuel, who has inherited everything from Ur, is more than qualified to be my wife!¡¡Come on!¡¡Marry me!"

    Sam''s already a bit of a donkey.

    Lise and Erica''s cheeks are drawn together.

    £¨Isn''t this guy crazy?)

    G¨¹nther''s obsession with Ur is tremendous.

    He''s crazy.

    Or maybe he is just acting like this because he can''t face the grief of losing Ur.

    Still, it is more than enough to question his sanity.

    "Well, you know..."

    Fearfully, I look out from behind the sisters'' backs and talk to G¨¹nther.

    Then..,

    "Gghhhh, ughhhh..."

    For some reason, he falls to his knees on the spot, clutching his chest in agony.

    "What?¡¡Hey, what''s wrong?"

    Sam was worried about G¨¹nther, who was sweating and looking pale.

    "Oh, hey, are you okay?"

    "I''m sorry, I have a pre-existing ...... condition, may I be excused for the medicine?"

    "Oh, yeah, sure. Here you go."

    Thank you. Now, if you''ll excuse me."

    G¨¹nther reached into his pocket with a trembling hand and pulled out a red rag.

    "What is it?"

    "Hey!"

    "...... I can''t believe it."

    Sam couldn''t believe his eyes, Erika''s eyes widened, and Lise was stunned.

    In his hand was a pair of women''s panties, no doubt.

    I mean, those are not your sister''s underwear!

    "I''m stunned. You''ve been stealing again."

    "No, no, no, why would I find Ur''s underwear when I''m suffering from a chronic illness?¡¡What are you going to do with that!"

    Perhaps unaware of the three men''s reaction, G¨¹nther slowly brings the shorts closer to his face.

    "Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

    She then pressed the shorts against her nose and began to take deep breaths.

    "Hahaha, ah, ah, ah, I can smell Ulrike''s scent!¡¡Oh, Ulrike, you are the only one who can heal me!¡¡Yes, I''ve been crazy about you since that day when we first met as children. My only goal was to be your husband and I kept improving myself to stand next to you as a magician. I even kicked out my incompetent brother and became the next head of the ducal family. But why did he die without me?¡¡Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

    As G¨¹nther smells her underwear while thinking of the deceased Ur, Sam, Lise and Erika stop thinking.

    Sam''s spine goes into a frenzy at the sight of the pervert holding his beloved master''s underwear against his face.

    Lise and the others must be saying out loud, "What are you doing with my sister''s underwear?

    Sam let out all his emotions in one breath as the pervert repeatedly took deep breaths in his shorts, as if he didn''t care what the three of them were looking at him.

    "--Oh my God!"

 59 - 58 "I will fight against the court wizard" â‘ 

    He pressed his nose against Ur''s shorts and took a deep breath, not caring about the stares of Sam and the others, who were looking at him with dismay.

    His face was ecstatic, ruining his handsome appearance.

    However, G¨¹nther quickly returned his face to its original cool one and looked at Sam, smiling.

    "I''ve been listening without saying a word for a while now, but you call me creepy, don''t you?"

    "No, it''s just plain weird. What are you doing in ur underwear?"

    "Oh, dear. I have to take her scent regularly or I get sick."

    "Never heard of it. I''ve never heard of such a disease!

    It''s a love sickness. What a bad ...... girl to be a wife and not understand her husband''s disease."

    "--Hi."

    Sam backs away from me, his gaze lingering on me.

    I don''t know if he''s gone crazy after losing Ur, or if he''s always been like this, but there''s no doubt that G¨¹nther is a dangerous man.

    (Oh no... ...... my ass is in danger...)

    Same-s*x romance is fine as long as they are compatible.

    In fact, here in the Kingdom of Skye, there are same-s*x married couples.

    But Sam can''t be interested in the same s*x, and he doesn''t want anyone who is ecstatic about smelling his underwear in public, even if it''s just a matter of gender.

    "Oh, um, Lise-sama, Erika-sama, can you do something about that guy?"

    "What do you mean, ''do something''?"

    "Or maybe you could use your swordsmanship, which is your specialty, to cut them down."

    "I''d love to ...... do that for you, but even with that thing, G¨¹nther''s strong."

    Sam was surprised to hear Lise say such a thing with a sigh.

    He wonders how strong G¨¹nther is, since Lise is quite skilled in simple swordsmanship.

    (If Liese-sama admits that he is strong, does it mean that even that pervert is a very skilled swordsman?¡¡(Ugh, unbelievable)

    "If it were simple combat ability, even I might be able to beat you now, but if you let me use magic, I''d lose."

    "I knew you were a magician from the first glance, but not that much?"

    "Yes. Because G¨¹nther is a court magician.

    "--what?"

    "And he has a position in the Fifth Seat."

    "Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡¡This pervert is a court magician!"

    I can''t believe it.

    I don''t want to believe it.

    I couldn''t accept the fact that the court magician I aspired to be already had a pervert in front of me.

    "Oh, Samuel. No, it''s you, my wife-to-be. I think I''ll call you Sam in a friendlier way."

    No, don''t call me that!

    "Why are you so surprised that I am a court wizard?"

    I decided to confide in G¨¹nther, who was wondering, much to my annoyance.

    "...... I''m trying to become a court wizard."

    "Hmm. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that Ulrike was once a court wizard?"

    "What would you say if I did?"

    "Of course I want to support my wife''s goals. But the problem is that you have tremendous magical power, either because you inherited it all from Ulrike or because you had a great deal of talent to begin with. You also seem to have a great talent for using magic.

    "--"

    G¨¹nther is wary of the fact that he seems to be able to see right through him just by looking at him.

    He is not just a pervert.

    He is a tricky opponent, who has an eye to see through our opponent''s ability.

    "So here''s what we''re going to do. --Let''s fight me.

    What?

    I''m not asking you to beat me. You''re still a minor, still developing. But if you have shown that you are strong enough to become a court wizard I will nominate you for the vacant seat of a court wizard.

    "Why did you suddenly decide to do that?"

    "I want to make sure that you have really inherited Ulrike''s power. But if you have inherited Ulrike''s power, and you are going to show your poor magic..."

    Then what do you do?

    I''m going to kill you.

    Without any hostility or intent to kill, G¨¹nther said this with a smile on his face.

    "G¨¹nther!¡¡What you''ve been saying for a while now is a mess!"

    "Don''t hit Sam just because you''re sad about your sister''s death!"

    Erika and Lise protested to G¨¹nther, but he kept looking straight at Sam and not at the sisters.

    "Erika-sama, Lise-sama, it''s okay."

    "Sam!

    "Are you sure?¡¡You''re dealing with a court wizard, the highest-ranking wizard in the country, remember?"

    "I''m proud to be Ur''s disciple. Besides."

    He was grateful for their support, but he did not like the idea of being told that he was weaker than the pervert in front of him.

    For Sam, being a court wizard was just a passing phase.

    The magic he had inherited from Ur would make him the most powerful wizard in the world.

    He could not stumble at this point.

    "It''s a good chance to see how good a court wizard can be."

    "......sam"

    "Are you sure?¡¡Don''t be fooled by anything G¨¹nther says or does. What he does may be perverted, but his abilities are worthy of a court wizard."

    I won''t let my guard down.

    "I hope you don''t mind if I take you up on your offer?"

    Sam, who had been hiding behind the sisters'' backs, stepped forward to meet G¨¹nther''s gaze and smiled wryly.

    "I''m to show you that I am worthy of being Ur''s successor and court wizard, am I not?"

    "Yes."

    "I don''t mind if I beat you, do I?"

    Of course. If you can do that, I''ll be happy to recommend you for the position of court wizard.

    I''ve got your word."

    It was an unexpected meeting, but for Sam, it was a chance that came to him.

    As he aspired to be the best wizard, he was bound to run into a court wizard at some point.

    "I was going to beat the court wizard sooner or later anyway. I''ll be the first one. Let''s fight, G¨¹nther Ignatz!"

    "Good eye. I hope you enjoy it, Samuel Scheidt."

 60 - 59 "I will fight against the court wizard" â‘¡

    "Sam, don''t let that pervert get the better of you. You''re Sister Ur''s disciple!"

    We''ll be watching from a little distance. I''m sure you''ll win.

    "Thank you, Erica and Lise. I''ll win the competition to make Ur ashamed of me. I mean, I will not be defeated by someone who perverts himself in Ur''s underwear!

    Erika and Liese gave words of encouragement and moved to the edge of the courtyard to watch Sam and G¨¹nther facing each other.

    "Are you ready?"

    "Whenever you''re ready."

    Sam is in high spirits while G¨¹nther is looking cooler.

    This is Sam''s first battle since arriving in King''s Landing.

    The other day, he had a trouble with a nobleman in the dungeon, but that is not part of the battle.

    This time, he will be facing a court wizard.

    It was a good opportunity to test my abilities.

    "But first let''s get ready for a fight..."

    G¨¹nther snaps his fingers.

    A moment later, I saw several layers of wards covering the courtyard and the building.

    "-- wards."

    "Heh, did you notice?¡¡I''m a warding expert. And I''m proud to say that so far no one but Ulrike has broken my wards."

    "Well, then, I''m the second one."

    "Hmmm, that''s very brave of you. I hope so. My fighting style is quite simple. All I can do is put up wards. It''s not that I can''t fight, but it''s just not my style.

    "Classy."

    "So, if you can penetrate my wards, I will surrender. You win. I wish you good luck with the power you inherited from Ulrike.

    Even before the battle, G¨¹nther was as calm as the surface of a calm lake.

    "You''re talking from the top, let''s see how long you can keep that attitude up.

    In contrast, Sam''s eyes sparkle and he smiles ferociously, his canine teeth bared.

    He is itching to fight the court wizard.

    "I have great respect for you, Ulrike''s apprentice, and I swear to you that I will use my warding skills to the best of my ability. Come on, let''s see what you can do."

    Here we go.

    I didn''t need a signal.

    They looked at each other and nodded, and Sam kicked the ground.

    With his physical abilities explosively enhanced by his magical powers, he quickly closes in on G¨¹nther.

    "--Yes, yes, you''re fast!¡¡But not too fast to react. Even if you couldn''t."

    Sam unleashes a fist with all his might.

    But..,

    "The wards that protect me will prevent you from attacking me."

    True to G¨¹nther''s word, Sam''s blow was met with a roaring sound and a hard ward.

    "--Shit."

    "Badly behaved boy. But you''re fast, and you''re good with a single blow."

    "Don''t get all worked up just because I stopped one of them, huh?"

    Sam''s magic is growing.

    "--flame."

    A roar, and flames engulf Sam.

    His enhanced physical abilities became even more powerful, and he became tinged with flames.

    Sam kicks the ground again, and fires fist after fist and kick after kick at G¨¹nther.

    "Heh. "Heh... body enhancement magic with flames. ...... I''ve never seen this before."

    Although his attacks are blocked by the wards, Sam does not slow down.

    If one blow fails, two. If that doesn''t work, repeat the attack.

    Nothing is absolute in this world.

    Even if the barrier is strong, if Ur has destroyed it before, Sam can do it too.

    "I wonder if I see Liese''s quirks here and there. I wonder if Liese is the master of the body art, no, it looks like Ulrike brought it up and Liese trained her.

    "UAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

    He throws a kick with all his might, but is once again blocked by the warding.

    During this time, G¨¹nther has not taken a single step.

    Of course, he is not doing nothing, since he is consuming magic power to maintain the warding, but there is no doubt that he can afford to do so.

    "You can see that I have a strong ward protecting me, can''t you?¡¡I know your attack is a dual attack of blows and flames, but neither of them will reach me."

    "I don''t know about that."

    Sam''s lips lift up in a grimace.

    "--What?"

    He concentrates all the fire in his body into a raised fist.

    The fist, now stronger than ever, is filled with a high density of flame.

    A blow is released with the fire energized by the magic power.

    "UAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

    The fist hits the ward and bursts into flames.

    Sam does not stop.

    He takes one more step to break through the warding, and increases his magical power.

    "--, that''s a great amount of magic power!

    The heat alone was extraordinary.

    Without the warding, G¨¹nther might have been burned to death.

    "But not enough to penetrate my wards...?

    G¨¹nther''s eyes widened and Sam''s smile deepened.

    "I win!"

    "Nonsense!"

    Cracks appear in G¨¹nther''s pride and joy.

    It sounds like glass cracking, and the wards covering him creak, one by one.

    "- Very good. That''s why you are Ulrike''s disciple. Body enhancement magic and fire, simple at first glance, but with your tremendous amount of magical power you can be a great threat. I see."

    "It''s a hard ward. But not unbreakable!¡¡The dragons we fought on the southern continent had harder wards!"

    "Hmmm, I wouldn''t want to be compared to a dragon. But, Sam. My wards still hold. Cracks and all, but it''s not shattered."

    I know it when I see it.

    And you''re not ready yet. Am I right?"

    At G¨¹nther''s question, Sam extinguished the flames and took a giant leap backward.

    "Let''s settle this. I know you have the potential to break my wards. I''m going to do my best to deploy my wards. I want you to give me your best."

    "I''ll take it. But first, let me ask you something. But first let me ask you... Are you sure the wards covering the courtyard are really sturdy?¡¡I don''t want anything to happen to Liese-sama and the others."

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha, you sound just like Ulrike!¡¡You think you''ve already won?¡¡I''m the one you''re attacking, right?¡¡Unless there is something wrong with my warding, I will protect them."

    The reason Sam didn''t go all out from the beginning was to keep Liese and the others out of it.

    This is an urban area and the residence of Count Walker''s family.

    Sam does not want to cause damage to the surrounding area.

    Above all, although they are fighting, Sam does not intend to kill G¨¹nther.

    In fact, he does not want him to die.

    That is why he is waiting and seeing.

    "The warding that covers this place now is the best I could make for a real fight with Ulrike. It is not so fragile that it can be destroyed by you who only inherited its power.

    "-- then I''ll give it a try."

    Sam quietly opened his hands and chanted in a low voice.

    The short but magical chanting released all of Sam''s inner magic.

    "...... beautiful."

    A crimson magic power rose up to envelop Sam.

    Even Sam''s black hair is dyed red by this magic.

    "You must put all your strength into the warding if you want to die.

    All the magic taught and inherited by Ulrike was now unleashed here.

 61 - 60 "I will fight against the court wizard" â‘¢

    "That, that magic - Ulrike''s!

    "It''s the master''s specialty. Eat it!¡¡--Pierce me, flame!

    Densely concentrated flames shot from Sam''s arm toward G¨¹nther, whose eyes widened in surprise.

    This is a nameless magic that Ur was good at and used a lot.

    It was a vicious magic that shot out high-density flames with heightened magical power, like lasers.

    If it were simple in power, it would be equal to the higher level offensive magic.

    It has overcome many crises.

    The barrier of the giant dragon that lived for a thousand years who calls himself the Dragon King... and its hard scales.

    The regenerative powers of a vampire lord who calls himself the Immortal King.

    The magic of a vicious wizard who calls himself the Great Wizard.

    All have been crushed and defeated by this magic.

    Only wizards like Sam and Ur are allowed to use this magic.

    That was the true nature of this magic.

    "Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

    Flames so intense that G¨¹nther''s field of vision is covered in red, slamming into G¨¹nther''s ward.

    The roaring magic that hit him shattered his wards one after another.

    "I never thought it would be this bad!

    Sam said to G¨¹nther, who looked at him with surprised eyes.

    "This isn''t over yet."

    "--No way."

    "I can fire many shots at once, just like Ur was!"

    Multiple fireballs float around Sam.

    Each of them was filled with powerful magic and dense flames.

    "Impossible!"

    G¨¹nther barks.

    "Don''t tell me you''re as good as Ulrike!¡¡At your age, you''ve already caught up with Ulrike!"

    "You can measure me against Ur if you want to. Come on, G¨¹nter Ignatz. This is a residential area, so make sure you catch it without causing any damage, okay?"

    "--Wait."

    Without waiting for a reply, Sam fired another flash of flame.

    There were ten of them.

    The high density of the flames hit G¨¹nther from all directions.

    "Ugh!¡¡Ahh, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah!"

    G¨¹nther tried to pile up the wards, but the power of Sam''s fire-heat bombardment was greater.

    He broke through the wards one after another, finally destroying all the wards that protected G¨¹nther.

    The next moment, a huge explosion occurred with G¨¹nther at the center.

    The next moment, a huge explosion occurred around G¨¹nther.

    Lise and Erika were stunned, their mouths wide open.

    The ground shook with the sound of explosions.

    The heat did not reach them thanks to the warding, but all of G¨¹nther''s wards that had protected them and their surroundings were shattered and collapsed.

    ".......¨Elie."

    "I don''t believe it. Is this what Sam is capable of?"

    Liese and her friends know that Sam is a disciple of her sister Ur and has inherited everything from her.

    They have also seen him absorb the body-enhancing magic he is good at, the skills he inherited from his sister, and the combat skills he has absorbed one after another through training.

    We also know that Sam aspires to become a court magician, and that his ultimate goal is to become the most powerful man in the world.

    But the sisters underestimated him.

    They thought he was just a young boy who had not yet grown up, but had great talent and a bright future ahead of him.

    Even Liese, with whom she had actually been training, thought that she would not become a court magician for a long time.

    She had never dreamed that Sam would be capable of destroying the wards that G¨¹nther, the fifth seat of the court wizards, was so proud of.

    G¨¹nther''s warding technique is so strong that it is used to protect royalty on their way to their offices, and no one has ever broken it except Ur.

    He has already prevented several assassination attempts.

    Despite the fact that G¨¹nther had deployed several layers of wards, all of them were destroyed.

    Even Liese, who is not familiar with magic, knows that this is impossible.

    Even more frightening is the fact that Sam still seems to have room to spare.

    I mean, is G¨¹nther safe?

    Erika voiced her concern as she remembered.

    Lise huffs at the sound of her sister''s voice.

    Although G¨¹nther had initiated the confrontation, if Sam took his life, it could turn the duke''s family against him.

    Even such a pervert is the next head of the ducal family.

    I didn''t want my little brother to have to suffer needlessly.

    "Get me the healer!¡¡Get me the best recovery wizard in the country!"

    "Oh, I''ll just go get the restoration wizard at home for now!

    Lise shouts to the maid who is waiting for her, and Erika tries to run out.

    But..,

    "Lise, Erica, I appreciate your concern, but it''s not worth it."

    A calming voice came through the cloud of dust and smoke.

    "G¨¹nther?"

    "I''m sorry I worried you. But I''m fine."

    A naked G¨¹nther, with lacerations all over his body, appeared.

 62 - 61 "Its settled."

    "--No, why are you naked?

    I knew G¨¹nther was alive when I sensed his magic power.

    However, he did not expect him to reappear completely naked, and Sam let out a disgusted voice.

    "Hmmm...hmmm...wonderful...wonderful...wonderful...wonderful...wonderful...wonderful...wonderful...wonderful...wonderful. You''re doing great, Sam. Not only did you easily destroy the wards I had put up with all my might, but you also pulled out all the stops to keep from killing me. Still, I would have been in danger if it weren''t for the warding charms I had put on my suit.

    G¨¹nther seems to have had other defenses in place besides his warding techniques.

    Thanks to that, he was not seriously injured.

    At most he suffered a laceration and the suit popped off in his place.

    "I don''t care if you''re a pervert or a stalker, I''m not going to kill someone I know, Ur."

    "I see. You care about Ulrike as much as I do."

    "Of course."

    I understand. Once again, I recognize you as the sole heir of Ulrike. You have shown me that you are capable. As promised, I also nominate you for the vacant seat of court wizard.

    "And by the way, I''m going to ask you to retract that stupid comment about making me your wife."

    I can''t help it. I''m a loser, let''s follow the winner. I swear I will never take you as my wife.

    Sam is greatly relieved by G¨¹nther''s promise.

    £¨Oh, thank God. I''m out of danger now.)

    He is truly relieved not to have to worry about his buttocks.

    "Instead!"

    "--Hmm?"

    G¨¹nther raised his voice and I had a bad feeling.

    His eyes sparkle and he looks straight at Sam.

    "I''ll be your wife."

    "What about ............?"

    "Hmmm, I promise I''ll be a good wife. I will support you and be good to you.

    "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!¡¡That ain''t what I wanted!¡¡It''s not that I didn''t want to be his wife!¡¡It''s not like I''d be satisfied if he was my husband!"

    I have no intention of marrying a man before that.

    And I don''t want a perverted stalker man.

    But G¨¹nther is not listening.

    "Don''t be shy. "I know. You want me to see you as Sam and not as Ulrike, don''t you?¡¡Then you can relax. This G¨¹nter Ignaz promises to love and serve Samuel Scheidt personally and with all his heart!"

    "Where''s the peace of mind in that?"

    Sam''s screams echoed through the courtyard of Count Walker''s house.

    I should have won, but I feel like a loser.

    --Sam later described the battle as such.

 63 - Epilogue "Family Watching"

    Lise and Erika sighed loudly as they stared at the sight of a naked G¨¹nther chasing after Sam.

    It is amazing that Sam could make G¨¹nther, the fifth seat of the court wizard, admit defeat at the age of only fourteen, but the sisters think that G¨¹nther, who is still in good health after such an attack by Sam, is also quite extraordinary.

    "We should take care of G¨¹nther before Sam is affected by his metamorphosis."

    "I thought you were a pervert pervert, but you really are an irredeemable pervert!"

    They can''t even be jealous of two people who are standing higher than them.

    That''s how far apart they are.

    Lise was not looking forward to seeing how talented Sam would become in the future by teaching her skills to her sister, who was also talented and had inherited magic from her.

    She was expecting that he would be a great man who could surpass his sister, or even win a battle against the sword saint whom Lise respected.

    Just thinking about his future, I felt my heart burn deep in my chest.

    Erika has lost her beloved sister and goal, Ur, but today she has found someone new to aim for.

    He was younger than her, but a little cocky and surprisingly kind.

    Let''s go for Sam. I want to catch up someday with the straight boy who inherited everything from his sister and loves her.

    Erica was secretly excited to have found a new goal.

    "Oh, my God! You''ve had quite the outburst, haven''t you?"

    "Oh, Father."

    "Dad, did you see that?"

    It was their father, Jonathan Walker, who approached the sisters.

    "I don''t think I could sit still if I could feel such a surge of magic," he said. But Sam''s ability was more than I had imagined."

    Jonathan chuckled, "I''m glad they didn''t destroy the house.

    He has a little sweat on his forehead, perhaps because he had misjudged Sam''s ability as he said.

    "Me too. It seems I underestimated him.

    "Me too."

    Father nodded at the sisters'' response.

    "If she is capable of easily destroying G¨¹nther''s warding technique and still preserves her power, then she must be powerful enough to be a court magician.

    "He is pleased to recommend Sam for the vacant position of court wizard."

    "Good idea. It would be a shame for Sam, with all his power, to remain free. However, I''m afraid I''ve been blinded."

    "Dad?"

    "No, I knew you wanted to be a court wizard, and I knew that if you had inherited everything Ur had to offer, you would ...... one day. Until then, I would keep him in my magical army and train him. But Sam''s abilities have already surpassed mine. I will be one of the nominees."

    Like his sisters, his father had no idea of Sam''s power.

    At the same time, Jonathan had high hopes for Sam''s future.

    He could not wait to see how high the young boy, who had inherited all of his daughter''s talents at such a young age, could rise to.

    He vowed to watch over Sam for his daughter''s sake.

    "I''m sure Sam will be happy to have the recommendation of her father, the vice-captain of the National Magical Army."

    But it''s not enough.

    "Is that so?"

    "It is folly to judge by age, but Sam is still a minor. It is unheard of for a minor to become a court wizard. Of course, there will be many who will oppose it.

    What then?

    "I''d like at least one more person to recommend me."

    "Would you like to ask the captain of the magic army?"

    "No."

    Jonathan shakes his head.

    Apparently, he has an idea of what else to do.

    "Mr. Delight Sinatra."

    That''s my sister.

    "Yes. Ur''s mentor, the ousted court wizard. But his abilities are real and there are still many who wish to see him return. Let me introduce Sam to him."

    "No, sir?¡¡Mr. Delight."

    "I understand Lise''s concern. I understand Liese''s concern, and I would like to bring Sam to Lord Delight.

    Liese looks at Sam, who is being chased by a naked G¨¹nther, who catches up with her and starts to wrestle with her.

    I can imagine what my father is thinking.

    But it means another trouble for Sam.

    £¨It''s not easy for Sam. I wish there was something I could do to help.)

    Liese was worried about the younger boy, knowing that he was going through a hard time.

 64 - 1 "I heard about Uls teacher".

    "Will you also recommend me for the position of court wizard, Master?"

    After the battle with G¨¹nther, Jonathan called Sam to his office.

    Lise and Erica were also there.

    Only G¨¹nther healed his wounds with a healing potion and went to the bathroom without hesitation, as if the house were his own.

    I heard that G¨¹nther''s personal belongings are always kept in this house.

    That''s how much he is in and out of the house on a regular basis.

    "I''ve seen with my own eyes what Sam can do. I know of no other wizard besides Ur who has the power to destroy G¨¹nther''s wards. I am sure that he is at least more powerful than I am. Then I am happy to recommend you for the position of court wizard.

    "Thank you."

    Sam''s face lit up in surprise at this unexpected turn of events.

    Lise and Erica also smiled and said "Congratulations.

    He may not be a court wizard yet, but he is happy to have taken a step toward his goal.

    Jonathan bowed his head to Sam.

    "Sir?"

    "I underestimated Sam. I''m sorry."

    Hey, look at me!

    "I knew you were strong, somehow. I was your daughter''s favorite disciple, and I thought I knew your strength from the letter she left me. But in reality, you are much stronger than I had imagined. I have learned that my eyes were not so bright."

    Now we know why Jonathan apologized.

    But Sam doesn''t let that stop him from making a fuss.

    In fact, I think it''s a normal reaction.

    "No, I know I''m not ready for this. Please don''t apologize."

    "But I can''t feel sorry for my daughter for ...... this, my daughter''s cherished apprentice, you."

    "Sir, ...... just look at me."

    At the sound of Sam''s voice, Jonathan reluctantly complied.

    That''s a relief.

    I couldn''t keep my head down forever.

    "I knew that Sam was capable of doing well for his age, but I had no idea that he would go so far ...... far that I might one day recommend him for the position of court wizard," said Jonathan, "I''ve been thinking about it for a while now. But I had no idea that he was already good enough. I am happy to recommend you."

    I am grateful for the recommendation of the Vice Commander of the Royal Magical Army.

    Above all, I was glad that Ur''s father recognized me.

    "Thank you. But I have already heard that G¨¹nther is going to recommend you. What about you?"

    It will be in the form of joint names for G¨¹nther and myself. But I would like to hear one more word.

    "One more word, sir?"

    There is no such thing as too many voices for a recommendation. In your case, age is an issue. Of course, you''re as strong as G¨¹nther, so you''re perfectly capable. There are always those who stand in the way. However, the King is the one who will make the final decision.

    The biggest challenge will be to get the King''s approval.

    Well, Sam wonders what to do.

    He couldn''t even imagine meeting someone above the clouds, but he couldn''t imagine getting the King''s approval.

    "So, I''d like to introduce you to someone, Sam."

    "For me, sir?"

    "This is Mr. Delight Sinatra. I''m sure he''ll recommend Sam to you. And the King will remember him. He''s not a bad choice.

    "Mr. Delight Sinatra?"

    I''d never heard of him.

    "Who is he?"

    "Ur''s mentor, a former second seat court wizard. What''s more, he was once called the most powerful wizard in the kingdom."

 65 - 2 "I listened to Uls teacher." â‘¡

    "--!¡¡Ur master is the strongest in the kingdom?"

    "Calm down, Sam. Lord Delight used to be the greatest wizard in the Sky Kingdom. Not anymore."

    "Former?"

    Jonathan chides Sam for getting emotional at the word "strongest.

    "A few years ago, Albert Frege, the second seat of the current court wizard, defeated me and made me the most powerful wizard in the world.

    "I see. So the most powerful man in the kingdom now is Albert. I thought it was Ur.

    About five years. Sam, who had stood by Ur and watched her strength, could not believe that there was a wizard stronger than her.

    Delight, Ur''s mentor, was still within the realm of understanding, but when she was told that it was someone else, she could not hide her confusion.

    Jonathan chuckled at Sam''s comment.

    "I don''t want to sound like a family man, but I think Url was stronger than Albert. But he didn''t like Albert''s bad behavior and tried to stay away from him. He thought he was running away from that."

    "Excuse me, sir, but don''t you like this court wizard Albert much?"

    Sam questioned Jonathan''s attitude.

    He felt that Ur''s mentor, Delight, and even G¨¹nther, the current court wizard, seemed to show a certain amount of respect.

    In G¨¹nther''s case, they seemed to be even closer, but this was probably due to the fact that they had known each other since their daughters were young.

    But only when he mentioned Albert''s name, I sensed a slight harshness in his words.

    I''m sorry, I guess it came out in my attitude. For the record, I do not like Albert.

    It was unexpected.

    He clearly disliked Jonathan, who accepted and showed kindness to a man like him, a man he did not know from anywhere.

    £¨What kind of a man is Albert?)

    "As well as belonging to a hostile faction, he has a vicious habit of picking on the weak. He is a court magician and does what he wants behind the scenes. I don''t like men like that."

    "Doesn''t the royal court pay attention?"

    "We do, to a certain extent. The king has warned me directly, so outwardly I am quiet. ......"

    "Not much has changed behind the scenes, has it?"

    The nobles behind them are protecting them.

    "I don''t like the guy either, just from what I''ve heard."

    Jonathan chuckled at Sam''s words.

    He is Sam''s least favorite type.

    To bully the weak for the sake of showing off one''s power is not something a real strong man would do.

    £¨He may have magical abilities, but he is a small human being.)

    It was unpleasant to see such a person calling himself the strongest.

    "By the way, if I beat Albert, am I allowed to call myself the best?"

    "I knew you were going to say ....... Since Albert himself defeated Lord Delight and calls himself the strongest, I guess he can call himself that if you beat him. Whether he agrees to fight or not, however, is another matter.

    "That''ll be fun. Oh, by the way, who''s in first place?

    "Ah, the first seat of the court wizard, Magnolia, is the best recovery wizard in the country. He doesn''t fight. He specializes only in healing.

    "Oh, really? I didn''t know there was such a person.

    Very interesting.

    There are few people who can use magic itself, but there are even fewer wizards who can use restoration magic.

    Sam could only use rudimentary magic, and Ur could not use it at all.

    I am naturally interested in a wizard named Magnolia, who specializes in recovery magic and is also the first seat of the court wizards.

    "Mokuren-dono is not an enemy of anyone. He is an honorable man who always thinks only of healing the wounded. Just a reminder, if you ever meet him, please be respectful and do not be rude."

    "I rarely pick fights, either."

    "...... I know you do, but you seem to be in love with trouble. I know it''s not your fault about Erika and G¨¹nther, but it just keeps happening."

    "Oh, ha-ha-ha, I''m sorry. But as far as G¨¹nther is concerned, I am completely the victim.

    Sam''s cheeks scrunch up as he remembers the pervert.

    One minute he was calling himself Ur''s fianc¨¦e, and the next he''s saying he''s going to be his wife.

    I thought to myself, "You''re a man, you''re his son-in-law," but I had a bad feeling about this, so I didn''t say anything.

    I will never forget the nightmare of being chased by a naked pervert until Liese and Erika finally stopped me.

    "That''s terrible, Sam. That makes it sound like I''m the only one at fault.

    Saying this, G¨¹nther appeared, dressed in a bathrobe.

    His hair is wet and shiny, and he looks glamorous in combination with his well-groomed appearance.

    If it had not been for people like Sam and the others who knew his true nature, G¨¹nther would have caught their eyes.

    "--No, you''re completely wrong. I mean, you shouldn''t be walking around the master''s house in your bathrobe."

    "Hmmm, the Countess Walker''s is like another family home to me. Uncle, it was a nice hot bath. Count Walker''s bathrooms are as nice as ever. It''s very exciting to think that Ulrike used it once and now Sam is using it."

    "...... as usual, you are."

    "...... Oh no, you pervert."

    Sam is fed up with G¨¹nther''s perverse behavior, and Jonathan makes a tight face.

    The sisters, who had been watching the conversation between their father and Sam, also made a face of obvious disgust.

 66 - 3 "I listened to Uls teacher." â‘¢

    "By the way, I heard your name, Magnolia-dono?"

    "I was just listening to the first seat of the court wizard."

    G¨¹nther sat down on the sofa and crossed his legs gracefully.

    "You are a kind man, Magnolia. He comes from a family of excellent wizards who have protected the royal family for generations. They have been very kind to me as well.

    G¨¹nther calls me by name with a "sir.

    Sam thinks he must be a very important person.

    "Yes, G¨¹nther. I was just talking to Sam and I was wondering if you would consider Delight as a nominee for court wizard?"

    "...... I agree with your uncle''s idea. Sam, you should meet Mr. Delight. He''s the one who taught Ulrike how to do magic. But, Uncle, are you sure?"

    G¨¹nther''s question was filled with a hint of doubt, and Jonathan nodded his head.

    "To tell you the truth, I''m not sure if I should let you meet with Sam, but the influence of ...... Delight is still alive and well. If I could recommend him, I would."

    "Excuse me?"

    Sam is unable to follow the conversation and hesitantly calls out to him.

    G¨¹nther responds with a smile.

    "Oh, I''m sorry, Sam. I didn''t want to leave you out of the conversation about my wife.

    No, she''s not my wife.

    "Not only me and your uncle, but Lise and Erika know that Master Delight is indeed a wonderful wizard."

    "If you say so, then it must be pretty good."

    "If Delight-sama was in his prime, he might have even broken my wards."

    Very interesting.

    G¨¹nther''s solid wards are hard to break.

    In fact, it was so strong that I was convinced that no one but Ur could have broken it during the battle.

    It is hard not to be interested in a wizard who has the potential to break G¨¹nther''s ward.

    Above all, Delight is Ur''s mentor.

    That alone made him important to Sam.

    "Is it too late for that?¡¡I hear you''re getting old."

    "I said I''m not in my prime, but I''m not an old man either. I''m just..."

    "Just?"

    "I''m not sure how to say this."

    You''re not very articulate.

    I noticed that not only G¨¹nther but also Jonathan, Liese and Erika had a difficult look on their faces.

    "Master Delight has been ...... drowning his sorrows in drink since he was forced to leave his position as court wizard."

    "G¨¹nther. I''m sorry, I shouldn''t have said that. You know what, Sam? Mr. Delight''s drinking so much he''s stopped using his magic. Her daughter Francesca is taking care of her now.

    "...... that''s..."

    Liese tells us to add to the story, but to Sam it seems as if Delight has been drowning his sorrows in drink.

    "He used to have many disciples, but now he has none. He is not usually a bad person. In fact, he was a hard man to please, but a dedicated magician. However, he could be a bit out of control when he was drunk."

    "In the past, drinking didn''t cause me such problems. But now that I''ve been through some hard times, I''m a little more dependent on alcohol."

    "I don''t know how you feel.

    "Even after he was deprived of his most powerful position and the position of court wizard, his disciples still adored Delight-sama, but little by little they all drifted away from him. But then the only one who remained was...

    "-Ur?"

    "Yes."

    But Ur is gone now, too.

    "What now, Sam?¡¡Listen to what I''ve just said, and you be the judge. There is no need for you to meet with Mr. Delight. There are other candidates for the nomination."

    Jonathan says so, but Sam is troubled.

    It would be rude not to meet Ur''s master.

    "But you think I should meet with Master Delight, don''t you?"

    "If I may be honest, I hope that seeing Sam, the apprentice left behind by Ur, whom Lord Delight loved the most, will bring about a change in him."

    Apparently, Jonathan and the others hope that they can be the catalyst for Delight''s recovery.

    As for Sam, he can''t just leave Ur''s mentor to become a drunk.

    "Okay. Okay, I''ll see him. Ur master is like a master to me too. Please allow me to say hello."

    "Thank you. Just give me a call, and I''ll take you to the Delight''s estate whenever you want."

    Then I will ask you tomorrow as soon as possible.

    "Okay."

    Thus, Sam decided to meet Ulu''s mentor, Delight Sinatra.

 67 - "Mr. Liese asked me to do it before I left."

    The morning of the day we were leaving for the residence of Ul''s mentor, Delight Sinatra.

    As I was getting ready, Liese knocked and then came into the room.

    "Good morning, Sam.

    "Good morning, Miss Lise. Is something wrong?"

    Lise smiled at Sam and reached over to adjust his collar.

    Then, looking a little uncomfortable, she fumbled for words.

    "Well, I''ve come to ask a favor of you, Sam."

    "Anything. I''ll do anything for Lise-sama.

    "Oh, no. Oh, no, Sam. You say anything to a woman and you''ll get her back. ...... I usually say that, but today I have a serious favor to ask you. It''s about Mr. Delight."

    "I''m coming to see you today. Is something wrong?"

    Sam waits for Lise to speak.

    Liese was lost for words for a while, but then she made up her mind and started to speak.

    "You told me that your daughter Francesca was taking care of Mr. Delight, didn''t you?"

    "I remember."

    "Francesca is a friend of mine."

    "...... I didn''t know that."

    "She wants Master Delight to come back as a wizard again. So I want you to help him, even if it''s a small thing.

    "I wish there was something I could do to help."

    The fact that Ur''s mentor was drinking was something Sam could not overlook.

    He did not know everything about Delight Sinatra''s situation or her feelings, but it was not a problem that could be left unattended.

    On the other hand, he wonders what he can do, since he has not yet reached adulthood in this world.

    Liese denies Sam''s concern.

    "I am sure that Delight-sama will be concerned about you, since you are Ur-sama''s successor. I''ve heard that he''s been drinking more and more since my sister''s departure, so I''m sure he can''t ignore Sam''s concern.

    "Is that so?"

    "We can''t do anything for you. I''m sorry to leave it up to you, but please, Sam."

    "Okay. As Ur''s disciple, if I can be of any help, I will do my best."

    "--Thank you."

    Lise spoke words of thanks and gently hugged Sam''s still small body.

    "Hey, Lise-sama!

    Her body warmth and sweet scent made my heart jump.

    My body stiffens with nervousness, and I panic pitifully.

    I was worried that Liese might feel my noisy beating heart.

    "Hmmm.... Thank you. Sam is so sweet that he''s willing to do anything for us.

    "I''m not happy to be told I''m ...... cute."

    I know, I''m not a girl. But I can''t help it.

    He was a child in age, but he was not happy to be treated like a child in real life.

    Naturally, Sam puffed out his cheeks.

    Lise, who did not miss such a small gesture of Sam''s, poked her cheek with her finger with a twinkle in her eye.

    "No, please don''t do that!"

    "Hmmm, maybe it''s because you''re my first apprentice, or maybe it''s because you think of me as your little brother. I can''t help but think of Sam as cute and adorable."

    "...... would be honored."

    "Don''t get mad at me. I''m sorry, I just thought Sam was cute and I wanted to make fun of him. It won''t happen again. ...... maybe."

    "Promise me you''ll take care of that, will you?"

    Sam and Liese were having such an exchange,

    "--ah-ha-ha-ha."

    "Puh-uh-uh-uh."

    Both sides burst out laughing.

    Sam realizes that his nervousness at the prospect of meeting Ur''s mentor has unwittingly dissolved.

    Lise''s concern for her friend makes him decide to help her.

    The two laugh for a while.

    Sam smiles at Lise.

    "I''ll do my best to take care of Mr. Delight and Francesca.

    "Thank you, Sam. Thank you, Sam.

    Yes, sir. Okay, I''m off.

    "See you later."

    Lise saw me off and we got into the carriage waiting outside the house.

    She waves to me and I wave back.

    £¨It''s strange. (It''s strange... I''m only leaving the house for a little while, but I''m a little sad...)

    Sam felt uncomfortable being alone in the carriage.

 68 - 5 "I arrived at the Sinatra house" â‘ 

    We arrived at a large mansion on the outskirts of the capital.

    "So this is Ur''s master''s mansion.

    Sam thanked the governor and got off the carriage.

    He noticed a woman standing in front of a rather deserted house.

    She was about Lise''s age.

    She had a good posture with a straight back, and her blue hair was cut around her chin.

    She turned to Sam and bowed.

    "We''ve been expecting you. Welcome to the Sinatra family."

    "My name is Samuel Scheidt. I apologize for the unexpected visit.

    When Sam greeted her, the woman looked up and smiled.

    "No, Count Walker and Lise have already contacted me, so I hope you don''t mind. Besides, I am sure my father will be pleased to hear that you are a disciple of Master Ur.

    "I hope so."

    I am sure he will be pleased. I''ll take you to my father right away. I''m sorry I''m late in introducing myself. I am Francesca Sinatra, daughter of Delight Sinatra. I may not be as talented as my father or Ursula, but I am a wizard.

    I knew from the first glance that the woman - Francesca - was a magician.

    Her magical power is high.

    Her magical power is high, even higher than Erica''s, who has a certain amount of magical power.

    Above all, her every movement was so refined that I could guess that it was the movement of a person who has the appropriate ability.

    (Is she indeed the daughter of Ur''s master?)

    "Francesca, you are..."

    "Please call me Fran. Everyone who is close to me calls me that."

    Um, yes. Then you can call me Sam, too.

    Okay. Mr. Sam."

    No, sir, you can call me Sam. And please don''t use honorifics. I''m younger than you and Francesca is a countess.

    I am not good at being feared by people of older age and position.

    Francesca is probably not the kind of person who would have this kind of attitude.

    She has an atmosphere similar to Lise''s, I think.

    Perhaps my expectation was right, Francesca relaxed the corners of her eyes.

    "Hmmm. I''ll call you Sam, then. I hope you will call me Fran too, Sam."

    "Yes, Miss Fran."

    Francesca--relieved that Fran''s words have been broken.

    Her smile makes Sam''s cheeks soften as well.

    There was a certain good-natured vibe coming from Fran.

    "Well, I''ll take you to my father. I''m sorry if I''m going to make you feel uncomfortable..."

    "Um..."

    Sam is puzzled by the sudden apology.

    "My father has been drinking ever since he heard the news of Ur-sama''s death,...... and he''s been drinking more than usual."

    "...... must be that sad."

    It seems that the news of Ur''s death has already reached them.

    "I loved Ur so much ...... that I, his daughter, am jealous of him. That''s why you can''t accept her passing."

    "I understand how you feel."

    Even Sam hasn''t gotten over Ur''s death.

    Sometimes Ur just pops up out of nowhere and says, "I was just kidding!" I sometimes wonder if he will say, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry.

    Liese and her family may have accepted Ur''s death, but they have not gotten over it.

    G¨¹nther, whom I just met the other day, could not even accept his death.

    It is impossible for a master who loved Ur so much not to be depressed when he hears the news of his beloved pupil''s death.

    It is understandable that it is hard to accept death.

    But that is naive.

    But Delight''s daughter was tough on her father.

    "Even little Sam has accepted Ur''s death and is looking forward to it. ...... I''m ashamed of my father."

    "I got a lot of memories from Ur."

    "...... good boy."

    At Sam''s words, Fran narrowed her eyes and patted me on the head.

    Feeling a little embarrassed, Sam did not refuse Fran''s hand.

    Somehow, she had the same vibe as the Countesses of Walker.

    "Oh, I''m sorry. I''m sorry."

    "No, I don''t mind."

    "I''ve always been an only child, so I thought if I had a brother, he''d be like Sam."

    "I''d be happy to have a sister like Fran, too."

    "Oh, you flatter me. I hear that Lise also loves you like a little brother, and I envy her a little.

    With this exchange, Sam is invited into the Sinatras'' home by Fran.

    I''m sorry, I got carried away. We don''t get many visitors, so I guess I got a little carried away. I''ll take you to my father now. Come on, come on."

    Beckoned by Fran, Sam stepped into the mansion of Ur''s master.

 69 - 6 "I arrived at the Sinatra house" â‘¡

    As I walked through the house, I noticed that there were still remnants of the days of the sorcerer''s apprentices in many places.

    The training hall in the garden, the library with a large collection of books on magic, and the dining room must have been once bustling with activity.

    And it is deeply moving to think that this is where Ur learned magic.

    "This is where Ur learned magic from Mr. Delight, isn''t it?"

    "Yes, she will be my sister''s apprentice. You must have enjoyed learning magic from my father. You were absorbed in learning magic from early in the morning until late at night. And before you know it, you''re a court wizard. But by then, my father was already ......"

    "So Albert Frege had taken the most powerful position in the world from you, and you were also forced to become a court wizard."

    I wonder what Ulle, who became a court magician to replace his master, thought at that moment.

    "Don''t get me wrong. It''s true that he took away my position as the most powerful one, but I voluntarily resigned my position as a court magician.

    "Was that so?"

    "...... It sounds nice to say that he resigned on his own, but in reality, he must have been very bitter about his defeat in front of the king. He was a proud man and was so ashamed of himself that he resigned, saying he could no longer be a court magician.

    "I didn''t know that. ...... yourself."

    I don''t doubt how you feel.

    A person who has risen to the level of a court wizard must have had a certain amount of confidence in his magic.

    And now it has been shattered.

    And in front of the king.

    I can only speculate, but I can imagine how frustrated he must have been.

    "Thankfully, the king and the other court wizards stopped me, but ...... I guess they couldn''t stand the thought of me being a court wizard with a man who had beaten me."

    I am told that Count Walker was among those who persuaded him not to abandon his position as a court wizard.

    And, of course, Ur.

    "I wish Albert Frege had been a man of character, but he was a coward and a bully. My father couldn''t accept the fact that he lost to such a man. I''m sure I would have done the same thing if I were in his shoes."

    "You know Albert Frege?"

    Fran told me with a frown in response to Sam''s question.

    "You don''t know him, he sometimes comes all the way to the house just to make fun of my father. On top of that, he even asked ...... me to be his woman. ...... I wonder how long it takes him to make fun of us."

    "Such a thing."

    Not all court wizards are like Ur.

    From what I''ve heard, Albert Frege is a scum of the earth.

    It was one thing to take away the top spot from the best of the best because they had duly fought, but it was unforgivable for him to come to the house afterwards and make fun of Fran and the other wizards.

    "Oh, I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have said that to you."

    I''m sorry, I''m sorry.

    "It''s okay. But be careful. But be careful. I don''t want you to mention Albert''s name in front of my father. He''ll be furious if he hears it.

    "Okay."

    Sam nodded as Fran warned him.

    No one wants to have their old wounds gouged out.

    Sam understands this, because there are some things he doesn''t want to be touched.

    Their conversation stops, and only the sound of footsteps echo through the spacious house.

    After a while, Fran''s footsteps stopped.

    "My father is in this room. I hope he hasn''t been drinking ......."

    Fran knocked on the door.

    But there was no answer.

    She did not care, but called out through the door.

    "Father, you have a visitor. Mr. Samuel Scheidt, Ulrike''s apprentice, is here."

    "............ Oh."

    A low, gruff voice came from the back of the room.

    Fran looks slightly annoyed, but puts her hand on the doorknob.

    "Come in."

    "Excuse me."

    Sam stepped into Delight Sinatra''s private office.

 70 - 7 "I met Delight Sinatra, Uls master." â‘ 

    The room was littered with magic books and filled with the smell of alcohol.

    The owner of the room, Delight Sinatra, was a long-haired man in his mid-forties with a stubble beard.

    He was not filthy, as if his daughter was taking care of him.

    However, it seems to be true that he is addicted to alcohol.

    "......Sorry. I told her not to drink."

    "I don''t mind."

    I walked across the floor, which was littered with books, and kneeled down in front of a middle-aged man with his feet on the desk, who was stirring a bottle of sake.

    "It''s nice to meet you. My name is Samuel Scheidt. I am a student of Ulrike Scheidt Walker."

    At Sam''s greeting, Delight looked from the bottle to me.

    "You''re Ur''s disciple?"

    "Yes."

    "You''re a kid."

    "I''m still a minor."

    "......So, what do you want from me?"

    "I wanted to say hello to Mr. Delight, Ur''s mentor."

    "Ha, what''s the use of saying hello to a fallen man like me?"

    Delight''s attitude was not very good, perhaps because of the alcohol he had consumed.

    But not to the point of being off-putting.

    In the meantime, Sam is sensing Delight''s magic.

    For a man who has been sober for so many years, he has sharpened his magic.

    He feels powerful, even though his age should have diminished him.

    £¨He is indeed Ur''s master. Even if he was a drunkard, his quality as a wizard is quite high.)

    "...... father, Sam, I came to greet you because I wanted you to be a nominee for the court wizard."

    "Oh?¡¡Oh, you said something like that. Ha!¡¡You make me laugh!¡¡A kid like you, a court magician?¡¡I''m not that naive!"

    "Maybe. But as Ur''s apprentice, I aim to be the strongest. Being a court wizard is just a passing phase.

    How dare you call yourself the best in front of me?

    To the man who was once the strongest, it seemed arrogant for Sam, still a child, to speak of being the strongest.

    I could clearly see the anger on Delight''s face.

    Fran rushes to follow Sam.

    "Father, I heard that Sam can destroy Master G¨¹nther''s wards."

    "--, that perverted little boy, he can break G¨¹nter Ignatz''s wards?

    "Yes."

    "I thought only Ur could break G¨¹nther''s solid wards. ...... Do you really think a kid like you can do that?"

    Sam responds to Delight''s quizzical look with a smile.

    "In the meantime, I was able to borrow G¨¹nther''s name as a nominee for the court wizard."

    "You don''t have to lie ....... Hey, kid.

    Please call me Sam.

    You''re just a kid. You''re more confident in your abilities, aren''t you?

    "Ur trained me, sir."

    "...... okay. Then I''ll see how good you are first!¡¡If you use nothing but boring magic, I''ll kill you on the spot!"

    "Oh, Father!

    I will gladly accept your offer.

    "Even Sam?

    Leaving Fran, who could not hide her surprise, behind, the decision was made to fight Delight.

    It was unexpected.

    I had heard that he had been drinking and not using magic, but it would be nice to have the master of Ur to see what he can do.

    Sam himself wanted to see how well his magic would work against Delight.

    Besides..,

    (If you''re really drunk and not using magic, I don''t think you''d bother trying to fight me. Maybe this guy is not as fallen as everyone says he is.)

    Just as Liese wished, Sam hoped that Delight would get back on his feet if he had fallen.

    But if he has the strength to fight, it seems he is not as bad as people around him say.

    "--Good nerve, you little shit."

    Delight gets his feet off the desk and tries to stand up.

    But..,

    "Ggh, d*mn it."

    He wobbles to his feet and falls on his buttocks on the floor.

    "Father!¡¡You''re drinking too much!"

    "I didn''t drink that much. ...... d*mn it!¡¡Hold on, kid!¡¡I''m gonna go take a bath and sober up!¡¡Okay?¡¡Don''t run away from me!"

    "We''ll be waiting for you. Please make yourself at home."

    "You cheeky little brat!"

    With that, Delight sniffed and left the room to take a bath.

 71 - 8 "I met Delight Sinatra, Uls master." â‘¡

    Sam and Fran left in their room.

    "Hey, hey, Sam."

    "Yes?"

    Sam was happy to be able to fight with Ur''s master, and Fran spoke to him with a mixture of confusion and joy.

    "You''re amazing! I wonder what kind of magic you used."

    "Well, ...... what do you mean?"

    "My father hasn''t used magic for years. I thought he had lost his passion for magic a long time ago, and now he wants to fight you, and I can''t believe ...... he''s even sobering up."

    Apparently, Fran had never dreamed that her drunken father would try to fight Sam.

    "I wonder if he saw something in Sam that Ur-sama left behind.¡¡But thank you. I''ve never heard my father speak so animatedly.

    Fran burst into tears.

    Sam shook his head.

    "I''m sure Mr. Delight never lost his passion for magic," he said.

    "Is that so?"

    "I kind of get it. I may have fallen behind, but I still couldn''t give up magic. That''s why the book of magic is still open.

    "--!"

    When I first entered this room, I was surprised not only by the smell of alcohol, but also by the amount of magic books that filled the room.

    There were signs that I had read them all.

    Some of the books are soiled by hand that they seem to have been turned over and over again.

    A person who has lost his passion for magic would not bother to read them.

    We could assume that Delight had not yet abandoned magic.

    In fact, I felt no decline in his magical power.

    And he even offered to play Sam himself to see what he could do.

    A man who had abandoned magic in favor of alcohol would never have said such a thing.

    "If you really gave up magic, you wouldn''t want to be in a room full of magic books. I''m sure that Mr. Delight would have told you that when you weren''t looking..."

    "You''ve been reading magic books?"

    "If I had to guess, I''d say he was trying to win over Albert."

    "--Oh, yes, that''s right, Father. You haven''t given up your magic yet. Thank God."

    Fran burst into tears.

    It was as if something had loosened in her tension, holding out hope that her father might be able to recover.

    Sam held out a handkerchief to her a little awkwardly.

    "Thank you."

    "No."

    She wiped her eyes with the handkerchief and smiled.

    Sam, not wanting to see the woman cry, was relieved that Fran had calmed down.

    That''s when it happened.

    --Boom, boom, boom!

    The door of the mansion was pounded unceremoniously.

    "Who is it?¡¡I wasn''t expecting anyone but Sam today."

    Returning the handkerchief to Sam, Fran left the room to see who was still knocking.

    Sam follows her.

    I don''t want to be a prowler, in case it''s someone suspicious.

    As she approaches the front door, she hears a man yelling.

    "Hey!¡¡You keep me waiting!¡¡Who the hell do you think you are?

    It was deafening.

    £¨Who are you?)

    Sam is offended by people who come to his house and yell at him.

    Even though this mansion is located on the outskirts of King''s Landing, it''s still a nuisance.

    Sam thought it was none of his business, but he decided to complain and asked Fran,

    "Lady Fran?"

    She looked pale and stiff.

    "Fran?¡¡You don''t mean to say you know him?"

    "......Yes, and right now I''m the last person you want to see."

    "Who is it?¡¡Hmm?¡¡The person you least want to meet is--uh, no way?"

    No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

    While I was talking to Fran, I kept hearing obnoxious voices yelling at me from the other side of the door.

    "Me!¡¡The most powerful wizard in the land!¡¡How long are you making Master Albert Frege wait!¡¡Now open the door!"

    The identity of the uninvited guest was revealed when he introduced himself as Albert Frege.

    The wizard who reigned supreme in the Kingdom of Skye had appeared to the Sinatra family.

 72 - 9 "I sold the fight to the strongest." â‘ 

    "...... What are you doing here, Albert?"

    "Hey, hey, hey, Mr. Albert, right?¡¡You''re not very polite at all, are you?"

    "Which one of us has no manners?"

    The man who smiled at Fran as she invited Albert into the house with a look of disgust on his face was the most powerful man in the kingdom.

    Fran wanted Albert to leave as soon as possible.

    He let him into the house, but he seems to respond to him at the entrance.

    £¨So this is the most powerful man in the kingdom, the wizard.)

    He must be in his late 20s.

    He is tall and of solid build, and seems to have some other fighting skills besides magic.

    He wears his brown hair short and has good looks, though not as good as G¨¹nther.

    However, the impudent way he looks at Fran, the many gleaming ornaments he wears on his arms and neck, including his ears....

    The ungraceful laugh, all of it irritated Sam.

    £¨A man like this is a court magician?¡¡The most powerful wizard in the kingdom?)

    It''s just absurd that such an unrefined man should call himself the most powerful man in the kingdom, let alone Ur.

    "So what can I do for you? My father..."

    I don''t have any use for that drunken loser.

    You!

    Fran glares at Albert for calling her father a loser, but he doesn''t care.

    Instead, he sniffs, and his nasty smile deepens.

    "Oh, come on, it''s true, isn''t it? You''re a loser who couldn''t continue as a court wizard because your pride was too high and you weren''t satisfied with just being defeated by me in front of the king..."

    "Not because you insulted my father in front of the king''s public!"

    "Well, I don''t care. I don''t care about scum. But, Francesca... I''m about to get a good answer from you."

    "...... what are you talking about?"

    £¨What are you talking about?¡¡I mean, why did Albert come all the way to this mansion?)

    Sam said that Fran had told him that Albert had been visiting the house for some reason.

    Most of them were to insult Delight and Fran, he said.

    I wonder how the most powerful man in the kingdom has so much time on his hands.

    "Of course not. Remember, I told you I''d make you my b*tc*?"

    "-- who!¡¡To a man who would insult my father!"

    "For the record, I''m serious. I''m not talking about a mistress or a plaything, I''m talking about making you my wife."

    Who the hell is going to be your wife?

    How many women do you think want to be my wife?¡¡Some of them are daughters of high nobility. But I chose Francesca. It''s an honor, isn''t it?"

    "...... do you really think I''m going to be a wife for you?"

    Sam wondered if he should come between them.

    Albert''s words and actions make me angry.

    I am amazed at how he can speak from such a high position.

    On the other hand, I was worried about Fran.

    It is natural that she would be angry if she is asked to be the wife of someone who insults her father.

    As a proof, she was shaking with anger.

    £¨But I didn''t want things to get complicated by my intervening. I''m a third party.)

    But Sam is nearing the end of his rope.

    It was really annoying to see Ur''s master and his sister''s apprentice being mocked.

    But Sam can''t lose his temper while Fran is enduring.

    Taking a deep breath, he managed to control his anger.

    "Think about it, Francesca. If you become my wife, you can even take care of your loser father''s business. I can''t make you a court wizard again, but I can recommend you for an officer in the royal army. That''d be great for a drunk, wouldn''t it?"

    "Don''t insult my father!¡¡I would never be under your care!"

    "Well, what are you and your son going to do now?¡¡You''re in debt because of your scumbag father, aren''t you?¡¡All my students have given up on me. Ulrike, my only pride and joy, is gone. You have the Earl of Walker and the Duke of Ignatz to help you out, but with your only link to Ulrike dead, how do you know if they will continue to help you?"

    "Well, that''s..."

    "And if that happens, what will you do?¡¡You''re going to sell your body?"

    Fran turned red and slapped Albert on the cheek.

    "Don''t insult me!¡¡My father will get back on his feet!¡¡I''ll even pay back my debt!"

    "Ha."

    "Besides, I''d rather sell my body as a whore than become your wife!"

    "--You''re telling me. I''m nice to you, and you take advantage of me!¡¡Watch your tone, I''m the most powerful man in the country!"

    Albert, enraged by Fran''s apparent rejection, flung his arms wide.

    Sam, who could not tolerate this any longer, stepped in between Fran and Albert.

    The next moment, Albert''s fist hit Sam directly on the cheek.

 73 - 10 "I sold the fight to the strongest." â‘¡

    "--gghh!"

    "Sam!

    Sam staggered as he was hit on the cheek, and Fran called out his name like a scream.

    He raised his hand lightly and glared at Albert.

    Don''t try to hit a woman.

    And not a slap, but a fist.

    This is not the behavior of a man who claims to be the strongest.

    What are you going to do if Master Fran gets hurt?

    Albert''s face contorted in disapproval as he glared at me with more intimidation.

    "--I mean, where is this kid from?¡¡I''ve been thinking about how depressing it was behind Francesca''s back for a while now."

    "My name is Samuel Scheidt."

    "...... Scheidt?¡¡Oh, yeah, yeah, you''re Ulrike''s disciple, huh?"

    What then?

    He looks straight at Albert, who gives him a condescending look.

    I don''t like the way this man calls Ur''s name so familiarly.

    "Oh, I heard that the dead Ulrike left an apprentice, but I didn''t know he was such a brat. He died for nothing. What can a little boy like him do?"

    "Albert, you!¡¡That''s enough!"

    "It''s all right, Master Fran. I don''t care what some scumbag who tries to hit a woman says.

    You son of a b*tc*!

    "Don''t do it, Sam. He may be a man like this, but he''s the strongest man in the kingdom, and he defeated my father!"

    Fran tried to stop Sam from getting into a fight, but he was more concerned with not wanting to back down in front of Albert.

    In Sam''s mind, being a court magician was the height of having had a beloved mentor.

    Ur was a confident wizarding genius, like a sister, like a mother, kind, sometimes strict, respectful, and someone he loved with all his heart.

    Even G¨¹nther, the court magician whom I met after I came to King''s Landing, was better than Albert.

    Although he had a perverted love for Ur and even extended his finger to Sam, his warding skills were nothing short of magnificent.

    But what about this Albert?

    I can sense a strong magic in him.

    If it were a simple amount of magic, it would be considerable.

    But his magic is rough and unstable.

    Like Albert''s emotions, it has its ups and downs.

    Sam was taught by Ur to increase his magical power only when he uses it.

    He was taught to be as quiet as the surface of a calm lake in everyday life and as stormy in battle.

    He was taught to be quiet as a calm lake in everyday life, and stormy in battle. This was Ur''s idea.

    It is difficult to keep the magic stable on a regular basis, and it took me a year to be able to do it without being conscious of it in my daily life.

    But it can be done in a year.

    As far as Sam can see, G¨¹nther can do it too.

    But what about Albert?

    He is dripping as if to show off his powerful magic.

    It is doubtful if he has ever trained to sharpen his magical power in the first place.

    Perhaps Albert is a power type who boasts of his overwhelming firepower.

    His magic is already heightened due to his emotional state.

    Albert could have unleashed his magic at any moment according to his emotions.

    I am sure that Fran is aware of this.

    That is why he is worried that Sam will not be harmed.

    But Sam is not afraid of Albert, who only boasts of his strength.

    "Fran, I appreciate your concern, but there is no problem.

    "-Haha, don''t dress so nice just because you''re in front of a woman. It''s too late for a kid who hasn''t even grown up to know how strong I am to regret it later."

    "Shut up."

    "............ Oh?"

    "I do not approve of a man like you being a court wizard and calling yourself the most powerful man in the kingdom."

    "Mr. Sam!¡¡Stop it!"

    Fran tries to stop me, but I apologize in my heart and ignore her.

    --This is a good opportunity.

    "You''re right, you little shit!"

    "Stop it, Albert!¡¡Don''t take the kids'' word for it!"

    "Shut up, Francesca!¡¡Do you want to burn down this shithole of a house?"

    "--!"

    He even began to threaten, and I doubted Albert''s integrity.

    He was not a man of high rank.

    If the court wizards of the Kingdom of Skye thought that their only concern was their ability, then I was very disappointed.

    You shut your mouth.

    Aah!

    "I''m so displeased that a piece of human garbage who can only raise his hands against women, threaten them, and do such things, is making the most powerful man look like he owns the world."

    "You''ve been saying whatever you want to me for a while now!¡¡Then what the hell do you call it!"

    Sam smiled wickedly.

    How could I pass up an opportunity like this?

    "Albert Frege. I challenge you to a duel."

    "Huh?

    The most powerful man in the kingdom is right in front of you.

    I will take it from him.

    Give me the title of court wizard and the kingdom''s most powerful man.

 74 - 11 "I sold the fight to the strongest." â‘¢

    "...... Why are you getting into a dueling frenzy while I''m taking a bath?"

    A refreshed Delight looked up at the heavens with a towel wrapped around his waist.

    Sighing heavily, Delight reaches for his drink, as is his habit.

    But his daughter Fran stopped him.

    "Father, please don''t drink."

    "d*mn it, I get it!¡¡But you''re going to want a drink!¡¡For what reason is this kid supposed to duel with that bastard Albert!¡¡You better explain it to me so I can understand it!"

    But first, you need to get dressed. You''re in front of a customer.

    "I can''t find my clothes!¡¡I called for you many times from the bathroom, but when you didn''t come, I thought something must be wrong, but I never dreamed that Albert was here!

    "There''s a change of clothes right there for you."

    Take it.

    "Yes, sir."

    After receiving his clothes, Delight quickly changed and sat down on the sofa, just like Sam and the others.

    "Anyway, let''s start from the beginning. How did you end up in a duel?"

    "I''m the one who challenged him to a duel."

    "...... You''re being too brief. No, you''re the one who asked for the duel in the first place, and you''re the one who''s going to accept it against the kid."

    Delighted or angry, he begins to shake his leg.

    Fran said apologetically to him.

    "Father, I''m the one who caused this."

    "Oh?¡¡What do you mean?"

    Fran told my father.

    Albert had been courting her for several years and had been insistent.

    He is still persistent and came to the house again today.

    He said that he had slapped Albert for insulting him, which made Albert angry, and that Sam covered for him when he was about to hit him.

    "...... That''s why he said duel."

    "I could not allow such a man to be a court wizard, much less call himself the most powerful."

    You''re an idiot.

    Maybe.

    "Normally, I wouldn''t pick a fight with the most powerful man in the kingdom. But, well, you know... ......"

    Cranky and slightly embarrassed, Delight bowed his head.

    "I thank you for defending my daughter."

    "--Father."

    "I''m a father too. I wouldn''t be so cool if I heard my daughter had been beaten before she got married. ......Well, if you let your daughter take care of a drunk like me, you''re probably just as much of a man who lays his hands on women."

    Neither Sam nor Fran can find the words to say to Delight, who mocks himself with these words.

    "But what the hell, how could Albert leave without getting into a fight with a kid?"

    "Strangely enough, Albert was also very enthusiastic. I think he''s up to something, and I think he''s telling Sam to wash his head and wait for ...... him."

    As Fran had explained, Albert left so easily that Sam, who had sold the fight to him, was left in a state of shock.

    And he did so after agreeing to fight a duel.

    Even Sam was surprised that Albert agreed to the duel.

    What is more interesting is that he was smiling as if he was looking forward to it.

    "I mean, kid."

    "Yes."

    "--No, I''ll call you Sam. I''ll put your skills aside, but I''ll give you credit for having the guts to pick a fight with that son of a b*tc*."

    Thank you very much.

    So, what are the odds?

    "Well, I''m sure we can work something out."

    "...... you know. You know, court wizards don''t take duels lightly. They rarely challenge you to a duel. Even if they did, the question is whether the state would recognize ...... it or not. Sam said he would take Albert''s place as court wizard and the most powerful, and if we have to fight over this, it will be in front of the king!"

    "Well, why?"

    "Well, I guess you don''t know anything about that."

    Sighing, Delight explained.

    To begin with, the king is the custodian of the court wizard.

    Even if they are sent to war, they are not allowed to go out without the king''s permission.

    However, before the king makes a decision, the wizarding army, the knights, and the nobles discuss the matter, and then the king makes the final decision.

    In other words, even if Sam wanted to fight a duel with Albert, he would have to first convince the army and nobles, and then get the King''s approval before he could even fight.

    "On the other hand, if he wins against Albert, the king will recognize his status as the court wizard and the most powerful one, right?

    "Why are you so positive!¡¡Well, if you get permission and the duel is approved, and in case you win, so be it."

    Then it''s convenient. I''ll beat him, that''s all."

    It is not a matter of confidence or lack thereof.

    As Ur''s apprentice, as his successor, as one who aspires to become the most powerful wizard in the world, being a court wizard or the most powerful wizard in this country is just a passing phase.

    Then it is only natural that I should win such a duel.

    Sam had no intention of letting this opportunity pass him by.

 75 - 12 "I sold the fight to the strongest." â‘£

    "Sam, a duel with a court wizard is a fight for your life. And since it''s Albert, he''s not the kind of man who would forgive you even if you admit defeat."

    "I don''t mean to threaten you, but in a duel sanctioned by the royal court, no one will complain if you kill him. They will kill you for sure."

    "In other words, if I kill Albert, no one will blame me?"

    "That''s true, but ......, so why is that what you''re worried about!¡¡You don''t know what he''s capable of!¡¡That son of a b*tc* is the most powerful man in the kingdom!"

    Both Fran and Delight are sincerely concerned about me, whom they have just met.

    £¨They are good people, I must win for them.)

    "But, Mr. Delight, you were the strongest in the kingdom, too."

    "Idiot!¡¡Sure, I was the best at one time, but back then I was outclassed by that son of a b*tc*!¡¡In front of the King and my colleagues, I was beaten and beaten inhumanely!"

    "...... father."

    Delight bit his lip, a bitter look on his face.

    "I''ll never forget the humiliation. I still have nightmares about it. That''s why I try to drown them out with a drink."

    "...... Mr. Delight."

    When Sam learned the cause of his drinking, he could no longer forgive Albert.

    "Look. My arms shake just thinking about all those years ago. It''s f*cking disgusting. I''m still scared of him."

    "But you''re not just afraid, are you, Mr. Delight?"

    What the hell are you doing?

    "I can tell from the books of magic scattered about the room that you are still learning magic. Perhaps you were planning to fight Albert again someday and win?"

    "- You''re looking at me all wrong."

    "Father, then, after all..."

    "I''m scared of Albert for sure. But as a wizard who once called himself the strongest, I want to take back that title. But you know, no matter how much I relearn magic, I can''t imagine how I can beat that bastard.

    Delight clenched his fists and shook.

    As a former court wizard and one of the most powerful wizards in the world, he could clearly see the difference in power between him and Albert.

    It is too painful to want to win and to know that you can''t win.

    I can only imagine what he was going through.

    "But I fought him and he didn''t kill me. Well, that son of a b*tc* couldn''t have been so reckless if he didn''t have power and backing then, but not now."

    "If it comes to a duel, you''ll kill me, won''t you?"

    Sinatra and his son nod their heads in approval.

    "If anything, Albert was so hostile to Ulle that he''d be more than happy to kill you," they say.

    I don''t intend to lose in the slightest.

    You can say that because you''ve never fought him.

    "Now, let me ask you, who is stronger, Ur or Albert?"

    Delight did not hesitate to answer Sam''s question.

    "I''m not trying to favor my apprentice, but Ur is stronger. There is no doubt about that. I wanted to give up the top spot to Ulle. But he''s not interested in that kind of thing. I thought he was... ...... I didn''t know he was sick. What a woman to die before her master."

    Sam spotted a glint in Delight''s eye, but pretended he didn''t see it.

    But he did hear some good things.

    Delight, who had fought Albert before, said Ur was stronger.

    Then Albert''s strength, as Sam perceived it, was just as he had imagined.

    With his personality, it''s not like he has a hidden ball, and even if he did, he should not be allowed to play it.

    "I''m sorry, I''m getting a little wet."

    "No. I''m the one who''s being rude.

    I don''t care. So, what''s the big deal if Ur is stronger?

    "I don''t mean to brag, but I fought beside Ur and with her and saw what she was capable of. I''ve been in mortal battles with her, sometimes to the death, and I''ve fought with Ur too. I have never met a wizard stronger than Ur."

    What do you mean?

    Even though I was ill, Ur has recognized my strength. So even if Albert calls himself the strongest, I am not afraid and I will win.

    "Ha, you''ve got some guts. But maybe that''s all right.

    Delighted at Sam''s fearless comment, Delight smiled.

    "If you''re scared from the start like me, you can''t even win. I think it''s better to be like you and only think about winning.

    "Thank you very much."

    It''s not a compliment. Well, hey, Sam. Go home today.

    Yeah, but...

    I''ll think about it if you want to talk about who''s going to nominate you to the Court of Wizards. But first let''s see how the duel with Albert goes. It''s no use recommending him if he''ll kill me in a duel. But if you can win, then you don''t need my recommendation in the first place.

    Sam agrees with Delight''s words.

    Although it was assumed that they would duel, there was no doubt that Sam''s future would be determined by his victory or defeat.

    "Wait a minute!

    Just as the conversation was about to end, Fran spoke up.

 76 - 13 "I sold the fight to the strongest." â‘¤

    "Win or not, Sam, is it inevitable that you will fight Albert?"

    Delight opens his mouth evasively to Fran, who can tell that he doesn''t want Sam to fight.

    "If the state doesn''t approve of the duel, the story could go away. But Albert is a man who likes to show off his power. Even if it''s a kid like Sam. He''ll be glad to be able to beat up a kid with dignity."

    "...... such."

    "If the nobles who are backing him want to use the duel to make their position and Albert''s power known, then a duel is possible."

    "The fight is inevitable. ...... Is that what you''re saying?"

    The father nodded at his daughter''s question.

    "If that son of a b*tc* left without doing anything to you or Sam, I guess he did. It was more like a duel with Ur''s disciples. I don''t think the aristocrats who are enemies with the Earl of Walker and the Duke of Ignatz will let this go.

    "Thank you for your concern, Fran. But it''s okay. I myself want a duel with Albert.

    "--Sam. Yes, yes. If you''re willing, I won''t worry about it too much anymore. But be careful. He''s the most powerful man in the kingdom, the one who defeated my father.

    "Of course."

    I appreciate Fran''s concern, but a duel with Albert is what Sam himself wants.

    He would not miss out on a shortcut to the kingdom''s most powerful man.

    But there was something about Delight''s words that bothered me.

    "By the way, am I in that faction?¡¡I''m not sure about that area...what is the aristocratic faction or something like that?"

    "...... Count Walker didn''t explain anything to you?"

    "Yes, uh, but I think the Viscount something or other I dueled with before was a rival faction."

    "I can''t help it, it''s not my place to tell you, but okay. Listen, there are three main factions in this country.

    "Huh."

    The royalists want to develop the country with the king at the center. The aristocrats believe that the country can only run with the nobles. The knight faction, though not as large as the other two. You should know that. What kind of country do you come from?

    Barony of Reinbach.

    "...... where is that?"

    Unfortunately, the Barons of Reinbach were not even recognized by their family name, let alone their domain.

    (Come to think of it, I wonder how Daphne and her family are doing. (Come to think of it, I wonder how Daphne and her family are doing, they haven''t sent any letters for a while.)

    "What faction are you in, Mr. Delight?"

    I don''t have a relationship with that kind of thing anymore. But I used to be royalist.

    "Ah, so you know the master."

    Yes. I took on Ur because she''s the daughter of Count Walker, who''s been very kind to me. I had no idea at the time I was introduced to her that she would become such a wizard.

    "So that''s how you and Ur met."

    "Many court wizards have their backers. Especially those like me who rose from the ranks of the common people. It was Count Walker and the Dukes of Ignatz who backed me.

    "...... that pervert''s house too?"

    Sam remembers someone and sighs.

    "Yeah, and that pervert''s house, too."

    Then Delight let out a big sigh.

    The face of G¨¹nter Ignaz was probably floating around in Sam''s mind, as well as in Delight''s.

    He is rather curious about what G¨¹nther has done before, who does not need to be named by the word "pervert".

    "It seems you know how perverted he is, don''t you?

    Yes, well, more than enough.

    "G¨¹nther''s boy has been in and out of my house for ages, even though he''s not my apprentice. If he wanted to learn magic he was too busy snooping in Ur''s bath and dressing and trying to borrow the towels he used and getting his ass kicked by Ur. I never thought he would become a court magician. And now he''s the next head of the duke''s family. Isn''t that amazing?

    "Oh, no."

    G¨¹nther was always G¨¹nther.

    Delighted with his past, he speaks ill of it with his mouth, but looks nostalgic with his eyes.

    "Well, it doesn''t matter. Anyway, your fate depends on what happens in this duel. But, well, it''s all a bit of a long shot, isn''t it?

    "Yes?"

    Somewhat brusquely, Delight took her eyes off of Sam, cleared her throat, and spoke up.

    "If you really want to fight Albert, you know what, I''ll take care of you for a little bit.

    "Mr. Delight!¡¡Are you sure?

    "...... father."

    Sam, and of course Fran, rolled their eyes in surprise.

    Thinking of Delight, whom he had just met, he had never expected her to say such a thing.

    "Hey, don''t get your hopes up about a drunk. I just don''t want to see one of Ur''s disciples get killed by that son of a b*tc*. Don''t get me wrong, I''m not worried about you!¡¡Hey, go home now!¡¡Fran, see him out!"

    "Yes, yes."

    I realized that Delight was worried about me, too.

    Sam bows deeply to Delight, who turns away, perhaps embarrassed.

    £¨Delight-sama is a tsundere.)

    Chuckling inwardly, Sam bowed his head once more and left the room, taking pleasure in the fact that Ur''s master was taking care of him.

 77 - 14 "I sold the fight to the strongest" â‘¥

    "Thank you, Sam."

    "Huh?"

    At the front door of the Sinatras'' house, Fran, whose eyes were moist as Sam waited for the carriage, thanked him.

    "I didn''t think my father would ever say he''d take care of you."

    "I would be honored to be trained by Ur''s master."

    "I''m sure my father was motivated by you. It''s been a long time since I''ve seen my father so cheerful.

    Tears spill from her eyes.

    But these tears are not sadness.

    I knew immediately that they were tears of joy.

    "My father has been depressed ever since we lost Mr. Ur. But you found what Ur-sama left behind in Sam, didn''t you?

    "I hope so."

    "Hmm, I''m sure you''re right. I also think that Sam and Urs are somewhat similar.

    "Me and Ur?¡¡Well, I''m not aware of it myself, but do we look alike?"

    When Sam asked, Fran smiled and nodded in the affirmative.

    "I like the way you stand confidently against any opponent," Sam said. From the past, Urs always faced his opponents head-on, just like Sam, without fear."

    "It''s just like Ur."

    "So is Sam. "No one would challenge the most powerful court wizard in the kingdom to a duel.

    "Maybe. But I couldn''t stand that he was a court wizard and that he called himself the most powerful man in the kingdom. And he was disrespectful to Master Fran and Delight.

    "Thank you for doing this for us. But don''t be too hard on yourself."

    I won''t force myself on you. I''ll take it easy and beat Albert.

    "Oh, God, that''s impossible. You''re not afraid, are you, Sam?¡¡I would be afraid to fight Albert."

    Fran asks, and I think about it.

    It is true that fighting the most powerful wizard in the kingdom would seem reckless from the outside.

    But Sam, strangely enough, doesn''t think so.

    He knows well the abilities of his late mentor, Ulrike Scheidt-Walker, whom he respected and admired.

    She is the one he should aspire to be.

    There is no better wizard than her.

    To prove it, Sam, who has inherited everything, aims to be the best.

    Therefore, the strongest in the Kingdom of Skye is only a passing phase.

    And that is why we should not be afraid.

    If I am defeated by such a man with a rotten heart, I will not be able to face my late Ur.

    I am not afraid. I know someone stronger.

    "Master Ur. I know how strong you are.

    "Well, you''ll see. I''m going to beat Albert. Then he won''t be hanging around you anymore, and Delight will have a chance to take a new step forward.

    "--, You''re thinking of us so much. Thank you."

    "Because you are Ur''s master Delight and Ur''s sister Fran. They mean a lot to me, too. I would do anything for you guys."

    As he said this, Fran hugged Sam tightly.

    "You are so strong for such a small body.

    "Think of me as arrogant. I am the one who will eventually become the strongest. I won''t let something like this stop me. I''ll defeat Albert and relieve the sorrows of Ur''s loved ones.

    "--Thank you. I''ll be rooting for you, Sam, from the bottom of my heart. I believe that you, Ur''s favorite disciple, Samuel Scheidt, will not be defeated by such a man."

    Sam also embraces Fran''s body.

    Her body is so thin that it is hard to imagine that she has supported her father all her life.

    I wonder how anxious she must have been when Albert wooed her.

    She wanted to save a woman in need, and not only because she was Ur''s sister-disciple.

    And not only Fran, but also Delight who was not here.

    He was humiliated by Albert.

    And Albert, of all people, wants Fran for himself.

    I can only imagine how Delight felt when he found out.

    If Ulle were alive, he would have gone to beat him up without waiting for a duel.

    Sam would do the same thing right now.

    But he knows that would only make him feel better.

    In public, let''s do to him what Albert did to Delight: beat him to death and take everything he has.

    Sam knew what he had to do.

    "Thank you very much.

    Thanking Fran for her support, Sam leaves her body, regretting that he has to leave her.

    With a slight feeling of embarrassment, the two waited wordlessly for the carriage.

    When the carriage arrived at the Sinatras'' house, they exchanged greetings and left the house.

    --And that night... Sam and Albert''s duel was recognized by the state.

    A week later, it was decided that they would fight at the royal palace.

 78 - 15 "My family is worried" â‘ 

    "Father!¡¡What is the meaning of Sam''s duel with Mr. Albert Frege!"

    It was late at night when Lise burst into Jonathan''s office.

    She was wearing light make-up and a nightgown, but she was sweating slightly.

    This is unusual for Lise, who has been showing her defenseless body as little as possible since Sam started living in the house. She must have come here in a hurry.

    The news of Sam''s encounter with Delight and Fran and their son, and his fight with the court wizard Albert, had already reached Count Walker''s family.

    But they did not expect that the duel would be approved before the day was out.

    "I see you have heard as well. I too have just received word from my royalist friends via a messenger. The official announcement will be made tomorrow.

    Did Sam know about this?

    I don''t know yet. I''ll tell them tomorrow when things are more settled."

    "...... I see."

    Jonathan sighs heavily.

    He had thought it was a joke when he had been told that he had fought the most powerful wizard in the Kingdom of Skye, but if the duel had been recognized by the government, then it had to be true.

    I wish I had been wrong.

    Lise probably feels the same way.

    "Uncle!¡¡What do you mean Sam is dueling with Albert!"

    "...... G¨¹nther. You''re still in the house."

    G¨¹nther Ignaz, heir to the Duke''s throne and the fifth seat of the court wizards, bursts into his office in his pajamas.

    Perhaps he is using the drawing room for himself.

    If I remember correctly, he has brought some personal belongings with him, so he probably thinks of it as his own room.

    "Of course I was there!¡¡As a wife, I was concerned about Sam and Lord Delight. I was surprised to see that the family came to me with the information when I was knocked out after asking for Sam''s room.

    "You''re not so bad. Well, okay. Lise and G¨¹nther, please calm down and sit down first."

    He makes them sit down on the sofa and calls the maid to prepare tea.

    "Oh, I''d rather have wine.

    "Me too. I know that your father has a secret bottle of wine hidden in the bookshelf, and I''d like to have that."

    "...... I secretly bought this expensive vintage behind Grace''s back. Well, okay. In exchange, please don''t tell anyone."

    He reluctantly reaches for the wine he has been saving from the back of the bookshelf and sets it down on the table with a glass.

    When I pop the cork, a rich aroma hits my nose.

    I feel my emotions subside, though not as much as those of my daughters.

    The wine is poured into the glasses.

    I do not make a toast.

    I did not make a toast, because I was not in the mood.

    "I would like to taste your good wine, but it''s more about Sam. I never thought the state would allow me to duel with that Albert."

    "I agree."

    It all started when Sam challenged Albert to a duel.

    Knowing Albert''s character, Jonathan and G¨¹nther could easily imagine that he would be provoked by Sam.

    However, they could not expect that the state would give official permission for a duel between them.

    Jonathan hoped that the story would be dropped if at all possible.

    "Sam told me that apparently Master Albert had made a pass at Fran, and then he stopped him, and that''s how the duel started."

    "...... no matter how many times I hear it, I don''t understand how it ended up in a duel."

    Sam says that Albert''s character was not worthy of being a court wizard or the most powerful man in the Kingdom of Skye, so he decided to take him away.

    I understand the feeling.

    But I wish he would have thought before he acted.

    I know Sam is strong, but I can''t help but wonder if he can take on the strongest in the kingdom.

    I know that Sam''s skill in magic is quite strong since he made G¨¹nther, the fifth seat of the court wizard, admit his defeat.

    Still, I wonder if it is not a bit premature to challenge the strongest.

    "Dueling aside, I think it was a good decision for Sam to protect Francesca. He''s notorious for his womanizing ways. Among the court wizards there''s not one with that many problems."

    Albert must be doing whatever he wants to do if he is called a troublemaker by a troublemaker.

    "I hear that he is also involved in some other bullying activities. It''s ...... pathetic how someone like that replaced Delight as the most powerful man in the kingdom."

    "That''s simply because Albert is strong."

    "I don''t need G¨¹nther to tell me that!"

    Liese glared at G¨¹nther.

    She knew it in her head, but her emotions didn''t want to understand it.

    Before his drinking binge, Delight Sinatra was a man of great ability and character, worthy of being the most powerful wizard in the kingdom.

    She was well-liked and a friend of the weak.

    Liese knows well that he was well-liked by his people.

    Her friend Fran was very proud of her.

    "I know, but I can''t accept it!"

    "I don''t like the guy either. But the strongest in the kingdom is the strongest in magic."

    "Even a warding master as good as G¨¹nther can admit that Albert is strong?"

    At Jonathan''s words, G¨¹nther''s handsome face contorted and he nodded.

    "I hate to admit it. Of course, I did not let you break my wards, but if you are looking for strength, Albert is the best of all the court wizards. I''m not much of a fighter."

    G¨¹nther is a defensive specialist, not an offensive one.

    Of course, as he is sent to the battlefield as a court magician, he has some means of combat.

    However, in terms of simple firepower, he is far below Albert.

    "I wonder why the king has given his approval for the duel. And so soon?

    "It seems that all the aristocrats are in favor of the duel. But it seems that the king has his own agenda.

    "But I don''t think we''ll be ready for battle in a week!"

    Even if it was the king''s decision, Liese could not agree with the sudden decision to fight.

 79 - 16 "My family is worried" â‘¡

    "Calm down, Lise."

    G¨¹nther''s calm voice soothes Lise.

    But it seems to have the opposite effect. She raises her eyebrows and shouts loudly.

    "Even G¨¹nther must be worried about Sam!

    "Of course that''s true. How can a wife not worry about her husband? But--"

    "What?"

    "I''m sure Sam would love to see the moment he defeats the strongest in the kingdom."

    "G¨¹nther!"

    Liese is incensed by G¨¹nther''s words as he sips his glass of wine and moistens his lips.

    "Wait, Lise!"

    "Father!"

    "Just calm down, you too."

    "...... yes."

    Lise tried to get up, but Jonathan stopped her.

    Reluctantly, Lise sat down on the sofa and drank the wine from her glass in one gulp.

    "More!"

    "Don''t let me taste more of it. I saved up my meager allowance to buy this wine.

    "I don''t know!¡¡More importantly, Father, I need another drink now!"

    Oh, dear. By the way, G¨¹nther.

    Jonathan asked as he poured wine into his daughter''s glass.

    "You don''t really think Sam is going to beat Albert, do you?"

    "Yes, in my opinion, I think we have a good chance of winning."

    "You''re dealing with Albert Frege, you know?¡¡This is a man who, if sent into battle as a force, would reduce all his enemies to ashes."

    "I think Sam has a chance."

    Is he that strong?

    There is currently no war in the Kingdom of Skye.

    It is a relatively peaceful country, though not without occasional skirmishes with its neighbors.

    But that does not mean that warfare does not exist.

    Starting with the defeat of bandits, the Knights and the Royal Magical Army are dispatched to exterminate monsters.

    It is often thought that court wizards do not have a role to play because of the Knights and the Royal Magical Army, but this is not true.

    One of the reasons why the Kingdom of Skye is so peaceful is because the Court Wizards are the greatest fighting force in the Kingdom.

    Not all of the twelve seats are filled, but the presence of a good wizard to protect the kingdom has a great impact on the surrounding countries.

    Therefore, court wizards are sent to various places at the king''s discretion to demonstrate their presence and power.

    As a result, they have stable relations with the surrounding countries.

    Of course, this is not all thanks to the court wizards, but to the efforts of the bureaucrats in diplomacy and other areas.

    However, the presence of the court wizards contributes greatly to the protection of the country.

    Albert Frege, the court wizard and the most powerful man in the Kingdom of Skye, has been sent into battle many times.

    He single-handedly and in an instant burned down hordes of ogres that the Knights and the Magical Army would have had to form a squadron to defeat.

    Albert was so strong that he was known not only in Japan but also abroad as a wizard of fire.

    Albert was a wizard who boasted of his high firepower, and at the same time, he showed no mercy or restraint to his enemies, even if they were human beings.

    Whether they have been forced to commit crimes for a reason or have turned against him as a result of his family being taken hostage, he burns them equally to death without listening to their circumstances.

    "I still can''t forget how Albert defeated Lord Delight in front of the kings."

    "I''m sure. I was there with my father, and it was amazing to see him defeat the most powerful man in the kingdom at that time, Lord Delight, so overwhelmingly. But what came after that was not so good. He was too far from a gentleman."

    Jonathan and G¨¹nther remember Albert''s behavior in the past, and they look bitter.

    "Father, I have only heard stories, but was it that bad?"

    "Yes, Lord Delight fought and defeated Albert, another fire wizard. That''s all right. It can''t be helped. But Albert tortured the defeated Delight unilaterally.

    "No court wizard of the time could have intervened. That was the difference between him and Albert. The king was stunned, but before he came to his senses, Lord Delight was burned, kicked, and scorned in front of the crowd. It was a terrible sight."

    "Magnolia-dono may have erased the scars, but the wounds in Delight-dono''s heart will never fade."

    "Not so much."

    Liese only knew about Delight and Albert through hearsay.

    She could not even ask her friend Fran.

    At the time, she was very curious about it and remembered that she had asked her father about it, but he had only given her a bitter look and would not tell her.

    I would not have been able to bear that humiliation. I would not have been able to endure that humiliation. I can say that it was only because of the devotion of your daughter Francesca that I was able to escape to drink. But I had no idea that Albert had made a pass at Francesca. Shame on him."

    I don''t want Sam fighting with a man like that!

    "Well, wait a minute, Lise. So, let me get back to the point. I think Sam has a chance to win.

    "Let me ask you again, G¨¹nther, are you saying that Sam is better than Delight, or even Albert?"

    Asked by Jonathan, G¨¹nther nodded.

    "In terms of simple firepower, yes. I would say it exceeds Albert''s."

 80 - 17 "My family is worried." â‘¢

    Both Jonathan and Lise gulped.

    Once again, they knew they had misjudged Sam''s ability.

    Sam had indeed broken through G¨¹nther''s wards.

    No one but Ur could have done that.

    At that moment, both Jonathan and Liese had just realized that Sam was better than they had thought he was.

    Even so, they still did not think he was good enough to beat the strongest in the kingdom.

    Part of me was simply concerned for his safety.

    But maybe somewhere I underestimated him as a child.

    "Just."

    "Just what?"

    "I''ve only been fighting for a short time myself, and I don''t want to speak highly of myself as a loser, but in terms of skill, Delight-sama may be better than Albert in defeating humans."

    G¨¹nther''s additions were met with silence from Jonathan and Lise.

    After a while, it was Liese who opened her mouth.

    "Even if there is a possibility, I would be worried if there is still some uncertainty.

    "I know. I know. So do I. But you know, I heard that Sam has been traveling around with Ulrike, gaining experience. I don''t know if I''m right.

    "Of course!"

    "But it''s not a bad idea. Sam may be more experienced and stronger than we think.

    "Such speculation!"

    I love you for believing me.

    How can you say I don''t believe in Sam?

    "I know that. Very, very well."

    Lise is just worried.

    She is not only her sister''s precious apprentice, but Sam is now her irreplaceable family member.

    Just the thought of anything happening to him sends a cold sweat down her spine.

    It is not a matter of whether Sam will win or lose against Albert.

    I don''t want him to fight with someone like Albert who is capable and has character problems.

    "Liese. Aren''t you being a little overprotective of Sam?"

    "Oh, no!"

    "Don''t tell me you haven''t. I understand. I''m worried about my sweet Sam, too. I shudder to think of sending him to fight with such a savage. But it''s what Sam himself would have wanted."

    "...... that is."

    Liese choked on her words at G¨¹nther''s point.

    He is right.

    The one who wants most to fight Albert is Sam himself.

    "Just don''t get me wrong. Don''t get me wrong. I don''t believe in Sam''s victory like a fool. If Sam is going to lose, I''ll intervene before he kills me."

    "...... really?"

    "I swear to the late Ur, I will protect Sam."

    "--Okay. Then I won''t say anything more.

    "Lise and G¨¹nther, calm down. I''m just as worried about Sam as you are, but the decision''s been made. It cannot be overturned.

    Both Liese and G¨¹nther cooled down after Jonathan''s rebuke.

    Both of them had been very concerned about Sam and had become very emotional.

    "Fortunately, I have been told that Mr. Delight will be taking care of him for a while.

    "Oh. That Delighted man is talking about Sam?"

    "...... that would be great for Fran."

    "Apparently, his encounter with Sam has brought about a change in him."

    While not completely back on his feet, it was good news that Delight was once again involved in magic.

    Jonathan is convinced that he was right to bring Sam and Delight together after all.

    "What I''m more worried about is whether or not Sam is going to make a mess of things in front of the king like that."

    "It''s possible. Both Ulrike and Sam seem to be very belligerent towards people they don''t like, so it''s possible that they will go too far in front of Albert.

    "Sister Ur has done that a few times, and I''m worried."

    The concern of the three men changed from Sam and Albert''s fight to whether Sam would misbehave in front of the king.

    They know that he is a good boy, but he sometimes seems to act without thinking about the consequences of his actions, like in this duel.

    Jonathan can''t help but laugh at the thought that he doesn''t have to be so much like his daughter.

    "First, I will talk to Sam tomorrow. First, I''ll talk to Sam tomorrow. I don''t want to worry him too much.

    Lise and G¨¹nther nodded at Jonathan''s words.

    It was already late at night.

    The three of them drank the remaining wine and ended their discussion.

 81 - "Training with Mr. Delight."

    "Ugh, no kidding, right?"

    The Sinatra family courtyard.

    Standing in the long-disused training grounds, Delight Sinatra could not hide his amazement at seeing the forgetful abilities of his prot¨¦g¨¦, who had not even come of age yet.

    "What do you think?"

    "...... Oh, yeah, if you''re that good, no wonder you''re not scared in front of that bastard Albert."

    "Thank you."

    At breakfast, Sam learned from Jonathan that his duel with Albert had been approved by the state and would take place in a week''s time in the presence of the king.

    He was surprised but not worried.

    However, he was glad that Lise, Erica and Alicia were concerned about Sam''s situation.

    As I was saying to them, "Don''t worry," a messenger arrived from Francesca.

    She told Sam, on behalf of his father, that Delight had told him to come immediately if a fight had been arranged.

    Sam had no reason to refuse, so after breakfast he went straight to the Sinatras'' house.

    Delight confirmed Sam''s ability without even saying hello, and here we are today.

    "When I heard about your fight with G¨¹nther, I thought there was something wrong with you, but now it makes sense. Ur has a very biased way of training his disciples.

    "If anything, it''s not Ur''s fault, but Skill''s."

    You''re in a lot of trouble. God must hate you very much if you can''t use a sword and you have skills specialized in cutting.

    "But I''m sincerely grateful to God, if He exists."

    "What?"

    "Because you made me meet Ur."

    I don''t know if there is a God in this world.

    Even when I was reincarnated in another world, I have never met God, so I doubt his existence.

    But if God exists somewhere, and if he intervened in my destiny, I would like to thank him from the bottom of my heart for letting me meet Ur.

    Meeting Ur opened up a new world for Sam.

    The four years he spent with her became an irreplaceable treasure.

    It is a pity and too sad that Ur passed away, but she was warmly welcomed by her family.

    And now she is with her mentor.

    "Ha, you''re one of G¨¹nther''s preppers, aren''t you?"

    "Please don''t be with that one."

    No matter how many times Delight said it, it was impossible to miss.

    G¨¹nther''s warding technique is one thing, but I don''t want to be mixed up with that perverted and obsessive young man.

    £¨I''m not a pervert.)

    "I don''t suppose you''ve got a pair of Ulu''s underwear hidden away, have you?"

    "............"

    "............ hey."

    No, it''s a misunderstanding. I have all of Ur''s personal belongings that he used during his adventures!"

    "- Isn''t that more dangerous?"

    "That''s not what I meant!¡¡Since I inherited the entire item box, it means that I received Ur''s personal belongings as they were!"

    On second thought, you should have given it to your family.

    I should have given it to her family. I had completely forgotten about it, since her personal belongings were only clothes, dishes, books she had read, and so on.

    "Well, I''ll leave it at that. Now, back to you, I''m sorry, but there''s nothing I can tell you. I''m sorry, but you''re stronger than me."

    "...... Mr. Delight."

    I never thought that he would recognize me as a better person.

    I was more confused than pleased.

    To Sam''s bewilderment, Delight continues.

    I have a lot of experience. I''m sure your training with Ur while moving from place to place was a good experience for you. It''s good that Lieselotte is teaching you the art of bodybuilding now. So... There''s only one thing you can do for me."

    One, sir?

    "Get ready, Sam. I''m a drunk and I''m about to kill you with everything I''ve got.

    Delight radiated so much killing power that Sam braced himself for it.

    "That''s right. I can''t teach you magic, but I''m going to spend the rest of the week with you in a war you''re going to hate. --Let''s go!

    Magic rises from Delight.

    I knew at once that he had used a physical enhancement spell.

    It was hard to believe that he had been drinking all this time, but the fact that he enhanced his body so naturally gave me a glimpse of the sophistication of his technique.

    Sam is delighted.

    It is not every day that he gets to work with someone of this caliber.

    His lips pursed into a grin, and he raised his voice as his fighting spirit grew stronger.

    "-Please do me a favor!

    The next moment, Sam and Delight collided with full force.

 82 - 19 Lieses Thoughts â‘ 

    "Long time no see, Fran."

    "Yes. Long time no see, Lise."

    In her room at the Countess Walker''s, Lise was having tea with Fran across the table.

    "When was the last time you saw me like this?"

    "Not since Lise got married. I''m sorry about your marriage. I am ashamed that I once gave you my blessing, that such a man was your husband."

    "--It''s over. Not so long ago, I was dwelling on my marriage, but not anymore."

    Lise, who had once been depressed after her unhappy marriage, was now able to talk about the past without any problems.

    Fran was relieved to hear this.

    "Is it because of Sam?"

    "...... I agree. I think that meeting that boy helped me to recover."

    Just like my father.

    "I''m sure Mr. Delight is training Sam right now."

    "My father has been very anxious all morning because Sam and Albert''s duel has been made official," he said. He was also looking forward to Sam''s arrival. Even though he had refused to use magic for so long, he was still a magician at heart.

    Fran had a happy smile on her face when she thought of her father.

    "You look happy. I haven''t seen that look on your face in a long time.

    "I''ve never been so happy. He''s back to his father''s love of magic."

    Fran looks really happy.

    Lise was honestly pleased with the change in her friend.

    In the past Fran had been busy supporting her father who had lost his position as court wizard and the most powerful man in the kingdom.

    It could be said that he did not have enough time.

    She wanted to help her friend, but there was not much she could do to help him.

    In the last few years, I had been going through a difficult time because of an unhappy marriage, and we had almost drifted apart, but Sam had given me the opportunity to see each other again.

    "I''m sure it''s the same for you, too."

    "Me?"

    "It''s not that I couldn''t come to see you before because I had to take care of my father. I just didn''t know what to look like with Lise, who had been through so much."

    "...... I''m glad you did."

    "You are not a good friend. If Lise was in pain, I wanted to comfort and support her as her best friend. ...... but I couldn''t. I''m sorry."

    "Don''t worry about it."

    Lise was happy enough with Fran''s feelings.

    Besides, even if they had met each other, it might not have turned out well.

    So let''s be thankful that we can laugh together now.

    "Sam told me about Lise. When I found out that she was training him with the sword again, I knew I had to meet her.

    "How do you feel about meeting him?"

    "You look much nicer than the Liese I''ve known so far."

    "Thank you."

    "A woman in love is a beautiful woman."

    "Hey, what are you talking about all of a sudden?

    Lise''s face turns bright red and she panics at the unexpected words.

    Seeing her reaction, Fran''s smile deepens as if she is convinced of something.

    "I''m not like that, Sam is like my little brother.

    "It''s okay. We''re not friends. I won''t tell anyone."

    "............"

    "You''re at least a little aware of the opposite s*x, aren''t you?"

    "What makes you say that?"

    Lise asked, and Fran laughed.

    It seems that her dear friend doesn''t even know if she likes the boy or not.

    "Because Liese seems so happy when she talks about Sam," she said.

    Lise looked surprised at Fran''s point.

    After a while, she nodded her head in agreement.

 83 - 20 Lieses Thoughts â‘¡

    "...... Well. Fran, so I have to confess that I''m attracted to Sam. But I''m not going to nurture these feelings any further and I''m going to keep them hidden."

    "What?¡¡Why?"

    Lise admits her feelings for Sam, but her expression is somewhat dark.

    Fran couldn''t help but ask her a question.

    "You don''t have to tell me. Sam and I are not that old, and ...... I was married once."

    "I don''t think Sam-kun would care about that."

    "She''s sweet, so maybe she doesn''t mind, but I do."

    Above all," Lise continued.

    "Sam loves your sister Ur very much. Even though she is gone, she will never be able to get rid of her love for Ur.

    Sam''s feelings for Ur are known not only to Lise but to everyone.

    If you ask them, they were in love with each other.

    It is painful to know that they confirmed their feelings for each other in their last moments, but there is no doubt that they were in love with each other.

    I don''t think his strong feelings for his sister will ever disappear, and I don''t want them to.

    "Oh, why do you have to worry about that?"

    "Huh?"

    "I know that you love Ur-sama, Sam. He''s been saying ''uru, uru, uru'' a lot, so unless he''s a very insensitive person, I''m sure you''ll notice his feelings. But what does it matter?"

    "............"

    "Why shouldn''t the person you love have another loved one?"

    "...... that''s a no-no."

    "Of course, you may not love someone who has a family, but Sam is single. You''ll get married eventually, and even if you don''t meet someone better than Ursan, you may find someone you love just as much.

    "Maybe."

    "So you don''t have to hold back."

    Fran said it clearly.

    "Fran, honey."

    "If Sam becomes a court wizard, you will be inundated with marriage proposals. It''s inevitable since you''ll be obliged to leave behind your blood. If Sam is going to marry someone he doesn''t want, it would be better for the people who love him to love him as much as they can.

    Fran is not wrong.

    Sooner or later, when Sam becomes a court magician, he will also have obligations.

    The most important of these is to preserve the blood.

    Wizards are rare.

    It is not always the case that the child of a good wizard will become a wizard, but it is not impossible.

    Then, it is natural to expect that those wizards who are good enough to be chosen to be court wizards will be good enough to be chosen to be court wizards.

    Not all court wizards have children, but there is no doubt that the country and the people would want an heir.

    In such cases, political marriages were not uncommon.

    It is needless to say that the factions to which they belonged and the nobles who backed them would send their children to strengthen the ties with the court wizards.

    Lise does not want Sam to have such a marriage.

    He will no longer have Ur, the man he loves so dearly, but he wants him to have a proper, loving marriage and a warm home.

    Liese''s unhappy marriage made her think about it more.

    "...... You seem to be concerned about Sam, too, don''t you, Fran?"

    "Yes. I''m grateful to you for getting my father back on his feet and for protecting me from that Albert. I was the reason for this duel. I don''t think there''s a woman in the world who wouldn''t be conscious of that."

    "...... well."

    Liese tried to return the favor, but Fran readily admitted her feelings.

    Even to a person of the same s*x, the slight blush on Fran''s cheeks was adorable.

    I am sure that Sam would have felt the same way if he saw her face right now.

    My heart prickles a little when I think of that.

    "Hey, Lise. We can never have a relationship like the one between Sam and Ursama. But you know, I think we have a way of being with Sam that only we can do.

    "--Yes, yes, of course."

    "I''ve only just met Sam and Lise, so I don''t think it''s going to happen right now. But I don''t want to put a lid on my feelings even though I hate him.

    Liese thinks about Sam in response to Fran''s words.

    A younger, kind boy with excellent magic.

    He is cheerful, energetic, polite, but also a little arrogant and quarrelsome, she learned the other day.

    Training with him is a lot of fun, and it is a pleasure for me as a master swordsman to see him stealing techniques from me as if he were a cotton wool.

    I look forward to spending time with him every day.

    It pains me just to think of Sam enjoying himself with someone other than himself.

    Maybe it''s a feeling that hasn''t yet developed into love.

    I don''t even know if I am qualified to love him in the first place.

    But Lise thinks that it would be too sad to give up the feelings she holds in her heart for him.

    "Sam is still a minor and there is still time. Let''s try not to regret it.

    "...... I don''t want to have any regrets. Thank you, Fran. You''ve helped me face my feelings."

    "Hmmm... I''m afraid I''m adding another rival to my list. But I want Lise to be happy too, so... keep up the good work."

    Lise nodded in agreement to her friend''s encouragement.

 84 - 21 "Its a duel for the strongest." â‘ 

    --One week later.

    Sam was at the palace.

    "Welcome, all of you!¡¡Today, the battle for the most powerful in our country will be fought!"

    The clear voice of Clyde Isle Sky, King of the Kingdom of Sky, echoes through the magical army training hall in the palace.

    King Clyde was a man in his mid-forties with long, bluish silver hair.

    He gives the impression of being unapproachable, stern, and not very friendly.

    Despite such a king, he is very popular among the people because of his good government and his constant concern for the people.

    "The young boy Samuel Scheidt, surprisingly, is still young enough to challenge Albert Frege, the most powerful wizard in the country.

    From the hastily constructed bleachers for the royal family, the King looks out over all the people gathered to watch the duel.

    Everyone listened to his voice as he gave the King his greatest bow.

    Sam and his men were no exception. They were kneeling and hanging their heads with Albert on the square ring in the training area.

    The king, the royal family, the dukes and other nobles are gathered here.

    There were also many members of the knightly orders and the magical army who wanted to catch a glimpse of the duel.

    And of course there were the court magicians, though not all of them.

    Not only them, but also the civil servants and maids of the royal court were watching the duel from the windows of the buildings and from afar.

    Of course, there were also the Earls of Walker who had come to support Sam.

    Jonathan, the Vice Commander of the Magical Army, his wife Grace, his second daughter Lise, his third daughter Alicia, and his fourth daughter Erica were all dressed in formal attire and seated in the nobility.

    Next to them were Delight Sinatra, a former court wizard, and her daughter Fran.

    Delight''s arrival, who had been a recluse and a drunkard for many years, had surprised his former colleagues and others who knew what was going on.

    "Albert, look up."

    "--Ha!"

    Albert looks up as the King speaks.

    His eyes were glistening with the fighting spirit of the duel that was about to begin.

    Already his magical power is rising, as if to overpower him.

    "I expect a fight worthy of the name of the strongest.

    "Of course."

    King Clyde nodded in satisfaction at Albert''s short but confident reply.

    The king then shifts his gaze to the side.

    "Samuel."

    "Yes."

    When the king, who could be said to be above the clouds, called his name, Sam replied calmly.

    "I will be watching to see you, young man, take on the mightiest of the mighty."

    "I will not disappoint you."

    "Mm. Well, I''ll leave the preliminaries at that. I look forward to a great battle!

    The king said loudly and nodded his head, and the man who was to act as referee climbed onto the ring.

    He was a man in his early forties, with a well-trained body dressed in an indigo-colored military uniform.

    "The referee will be Ludo Orself, the head of the National Magical Army!¡¡Now it''s time to duel. Stand up, both of you!

    Sam and Albert stood up at the sound of Ludo''s voice.

    Their gazes meet.

    Sam looks calm, while Albert''s face is twisted into a fierce grin.

    "It''s too late for regrets, kid.¡¡You''re going to die a horrible death because I''m going to play with you."

    "Albert!¡¡And watch your private conversation!"

    "Hey, hey, but it''s true, isn''t it?¡¡You can''t be blamed for killing the kid in this duel. Everyone knows what will happen to the little bastard who so cheekily challenged me."

    Albert smiles at Sam, but Sam ignores him without changing his color.

    He knows there is no point in trying to play with him.

    "But I''m not the devil either. I''ll at least let you have the last word. I''ll even give you time to say hello to the Countesses who are watching you die.

    "Albert, enough!¡¡...... Samuel Scheidt, I do not agree with Albert''s proposal, but in this duel the exchange of lives is permitted. If you want to abstain, now is your last chance. Once the duel begins, no one can protect you."

    "Thank you for your concern. But everything will be fine.

    Sam is grateful for Ludo''s concern, but he smiles at Albert as if he is not afraid of him.

    Albert''s face contorts in disapproval, as if he is offended by Ludo''s concern.

    "Are you sure you want to do this?¡¡Then I won''t say anything else."

    "Stupid kid. I''m going to give you a taste of the greatest magic of all. Funny thing is, even those losers Delight and Francesca are here! I''ll take your head as a souvenir and make Francesca my b*tc*.

    "I told you to watch your language, Albert!"

    "Hey, hey. Let''s get on with it.

    Albert, who was warned, showed no signs of remorse.

    It was obvious that he did not doubt his victory.

    "Samuel, the duel begins. Are you ready?"

    "Of course. Please.

    "Then let the duel begin for the title of greatest wizard in the Kingdom of Skye!¡¡Both of you, ready!

    There was no way he could be afraid of starting a duel.

    The only thing that occupied Sam''s mind was the joy of finally being able to take the first step.

    Sam did not doubt his victory.

    Arrogant, perhaps, but four years of training with the greatest master, Ur, had given Sam a great deal of confidence.

    "--Start!

    Ludo''s voice rings out loudly.

    The crowd held its breath.

    A moment later, Albert''s voice rises from his throat.

    "OLAAAAAAAAHHHHHH, I''m going to show you why I''m called the strongest!¡¡This is my--"

    Albert is about to unleash his magic, pushing his power to the limit.

    The audience, who are watching from afar, can clearly see the high concentration of magical power that is being unleashed.

    To Albert..,

    "Skill Release--Kirisakumono."

    Sam quietly flashed his right arm to the side.

 85 - 22 "Its a duel for the strongest." â‘¡

    "--Oh?¡¡What the hell was that?¡¡Is that an attack?"

    Thinking that Sam had attacked him first, Albert did not unleash his heightened magical power and looked doubtful.

    But anger soon appeared on his face.

    "Are you kidding me?¡¡I thought you interfered with my magic.

    "Oh, Albert."

    Ludo, the referee, calls to Albert, who was shouting angrily, in a voice filled with hesitation and confusion.

    "What the hell!¡¡Don''t let the referee talk to me in the middle of a duel!"

    "...... you don''t realize it, do you?"

    "Oh?"

    "Your body is bleeding so much, don''t you feel anything?"

    At Lude''s words, Albert looked down at his own body and rolled his eyes.

    "What the hell is this?"

    A red puddle spread out beneath Albert''s feet.

    A large amount of blood is pouring out of his abdomen, soaking his feet and creating a pool of blood.

    "Oh, hey, what the hell is this?¡¡What the hell did you do, you little shit!"

    Albert''s arm is stained red with fresh blood as he holds his abdomen while yelling.

    Sam, who had been quietly watching the whole thing, looked impressed and said in an impressed voice.

    "You''re surprisingly good, aren''t you? How can you still be standing?

    "Oh?¡¡...... Oh?¡¡What are you doing?¡¡My vision is off."

    With a heavy thud, Albert''s upper body fell to the side, leaving his lower body behind.

    A moment later, there was a scream from the audience.

    Then, the remaining lower half of his body slowly fell backward, scattering his internal organs in a pool of blood.

    "Ah...... ah,ah,ah!"

    I don''t know if he understood what had happened to him or not, but he was struggling in the pool of blood with only his upper body to look at Sam and say something.

    Sam moved to his side and called out to him.

    "How dare you call yourself the most powerful man in the land?¡¡Well, never mind, from this day on I am the most powerful wizard in the land. Do you have any last words?

    Don''t be ridiculous.

    "Yeah?"

    Call Magnolia. Let him heal her. And then we''ll fix it, and if you''re not careful, we won''t have to go through all this.

    "No, you can''t."

    If they heal you, you can still fight. Albert was miserable, saying that if he had not been so careless, this would not have happened.

    Albert had no doubt that he was a winner.

    Therefore, he was conceited.

    Maybe he thought that Sam''s attack was insignificant.

    But the result was as follows.

    Albert was cut in two by Sam''s attack, and he is lying on the ground.

    This is all.

    There is no way that he would have been allowed to say that he wanted to re-do the fight.

    Above all, there is only one outcome left for Albert.

    "You didn''t see my blow, so I''ll explain it to you: my attack is a fiery slash. It''s a combination of magic and skill, just to kill. You can brag about it, because you''re the first person to ever use it on a human without hesitation."

    "Be quiet."

    "Now you may think you''re just being cut in two, but look, look at it properly."

    "What the... what the...?"

    The blood and viscera that Albert spewed lit up.

    The flames spread slowly and surely, slowly consuming all of Albert.

    The only one who panics at this is Albert himself.

    "Wait, wait!"

    Sam does not know how much restorative magic the Magnolia, the first seat of the court wizardry, is capable of.

    But Albert, whose body had been cut in two, had told him to call her.

    She might have been able to heal him.

    But I will not allow it.

    I have decided that Albert will die here.

    That''s why I chose the blow to burn him.

    "Wait, please don''t kill me, I don''t want to die."

    What are you talking about?¡¡You''re already dead."

    Stop! I''m sorry. I don''t want to be a court wizard anymore, and I don''t want to be the most powerful, so please...

    Begging for his life, Albert was a miserable, pathetic, loser.

    He was still unworthy of being the most powerful wizard in the land.

    Sam smiled more than ever at Albert, who was even shedding tears.

    "Good-bye, Albert Frege. You have insulted people I care about. You will pay for it with death."

    Flames spread through Albert''s body as he looked on in despair.

    "Stop, stop, stop it, it''s hot, it''s hot!"

    Spilling tears, Albert reached into the void for help, but without any help, he was consumed alive by the flames.

    Without even time to scream, his face a mess of tears and snot, Albert is all consumed by the flames.

    All that is left is a gray mass.

    All that is left is a gray mass, blown into the air by a gust of wind.

    --The wizard who had been called the strongest in the Kingdom of Skye vanished without a speck of dust.

 86 - 23 "We have the strongest position in the kingdom."

    While everyone was speechless, Sam quietly kneeled down in front of the king.

    King Clyde, stunned, comes to his senses.

    "Judgment!"

    "Yes, yes!¡¡Winner!¡¡Samuel Scheidt!"

    There were no cheers as Ryudo, when his name was called, proclaimed Sam the winner.

    No one could accept the fact that a boy of only fourteen years of age had killed the most powerful wizard in the kingdom in the blink of an eye.

    The same was true for the Countess Walker and the Sinatras, who were watching on.

    "--I didn''t think I could kill Albert in an instant,......You can''t believe your own eyes," he said. But I ask you, Samuel."

    "Yes."

    Did you have to kill Albert?

    I was not a man to be trifled with.

    I''m not lying.

    I was not the kind of man you could take mercy on.

    The king had a difficult look on his face when Sam answered, but he nodded his head in understanding.

    "Well, then, that''s fine. Samuel Scheidt.

    "Ha."

    "From this day forward, you are the most powerful wizard in the Kingdom of Skye."

    "Thank you very much."

    And the position of second seat of the court wizard, or rather the third seat where Ulrike Scheidt-Walker used to be, is yours.

    "Thank you for your concern."

    Sam thanked the king for his consideration.

    As Ur''s successor, I am grateful to be entrusted with the third seat of the Court of Wizards, where Ur used to be.

    He wanted to be the court wizard and the most powerful man in the kingdom, but he did not want to take Albert''s place.

    "From this moment on, I want you to serve this country."

    "Of course. I will use my magic for the good of this country.

    "Mm. Pleased to meet you.

    Nodding his head in satisfaction, the king stood up and announced loudly to the crowd.

    "Hear me!¡¡All of you!¡¡Here is born the greatest young wizard of all time!¡¡Praise them all!"

    As the king''s words echoed through the crowd, applause and emotion welled up.

    Looking around, all the Countesses of Walker and Sinatra and his son also said, "Well done! I could hear them shouting.

    G¨¹nther, who was escorting the king, winked at me, but I ignored it.

    However, I could see a few well-dressed people among them who were applauding and looking bitter.

    They are probably aristocrats who were Albert''s backers.

    They must not be amused by the disappearance of the court wizard whom they had known so well.

    (Well, it seems that Albert was in the opposite faction to the Master, so it doesn''t matter.)

    I am not interested in aristocratic ties.

    All Sam has to do is to use his position as court wizard and the most powerful man in the Kingdom of Skye as a stepping stone to eventually become the most powerful man on the continent and the most powerful wizard in the world.

    £¨Urgh, I did it.)

    Later we will visit the grave of our beloved master.

    Tell her that I am the greatest wizard in the Kingdom of Skye.

    I''m sure she''ll congratulate you on a job well done.

    Or she may be disappointed that you caused a duel.

    Sam missed Ur tremendously.

    Sadness fills his heart and he bites his lip to hold back the tears that threaten to spill.

    He does not shed a tear.

    I decided to smile and move on.

    "Samuel. You will be notified later. First, you may reassure those who have worried about you and supported you."

    "Thank you very much."

    And-- and well done."

    "What?"

    Reflexively, Sam looked up to see the king with a deep smile on his face.

    What he meant by "well done" to Sam, Sam does not know.

    £¨Or if he even needed to know. (I don''t need to know what the King thinks.)

    As the King sat down in his chair, Sam stood up, bowed deeply, and ran to his beloved family.

 87 - 24 "Its a dragons attack" â‘ 

    "Sam!"

    "Lady Lise!"

    As Sam rushed to his family, Count Walker and his family, led by Lise, and Sinatra and his son came toward us.

    Everyone greets me with a smile.

    Sam felt warmth return to his bleak heart.

    However, there was a shadow overtaking Liese and the others from behind.

    --It was G¨¹nter Ignaz.

    He dashed past Liese as fast as he could, hugged Sam first, held him in his arms, and started spinning him around.

    "That''s Sam!¡¡He''s my husband!¡¡Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

    Liese, who had extended her arms to embrace Sam, stiffened as the pervert took the lead.

    The family members stopped in their tracks with indescribable looks on their faces.

    Sam was shaking with anger in G¨¹nther''s arms.

    "Why are you the best!"

    "Really!"

    Sam head-butts G¨¹nther in the arm, and the reactivated Liese strikes him in the back of the head with her fist.

    But that did not stop the pervert.

    "It''s my right as a wife!"

    "But that''s not why I''m here!¡¡You''re not my wife!"

    "Hmmm, you''re just as shy as Ur. You''re cute in that way too.

    "Oh, my God, that''s horrible, that''s horrible!¡¡You really don''t blink!"

    Sam''s hugging G¨¹nther''s arms start to touch his chest and buttocks, which irritates him and he kicks them as hard as he can.

    G¨¹nther pulled away from Sam with a happy "ah-huh" sound.

    Erica quickly catches him and locks him in a tight knot.

    Sam, freed from the pervert, coughs loudly.

    Liese coughed as well.

    And then,

    "Sam!"

    "Master Liese!"

    The redo began.

    Lise hugged Sam tightly.

    "Lise-sama!"

    The warmth of a woman''s body and the sweet smell of a woman of her age make Sam nervous.

    It was impossible not to get upset when a beautiful woman like Lise hugged him.

    Unaware of the boy''s struggle, an aroused Liese speaks up quickly.

    "That was amazing!¡¡What was that magic?¡¡I didn''t know they could do that!¡¡And while you''re at it, can you cut off the pervert, too?

    "If I could, I''d like to cut both ways..."

    They are laughing at each other.

    Delight and Fran approach them.

    "I can''t believe it. I thought you could beat Albert in a hand-to-hand combat, but I didn''t think you''d win so convincingly.

    Bang bang!" Delightedly, Delight patted Sam on the back.

    "Ur''s apprentice has become the most powerful wizard in the kingdom! I couldn''t be happier.

    Delighted Delight had tears in her eyes.

    "Mr. Delight, have you been relieved?"

    "I guess it''s arrogant of me to think that I would do it if I could. Thanks, you did a good job. I''ll take a cue from you and move on.

    Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

    Thank you. But I''ll be fine.

    Delight suffered for a long time after his defeat and humiliation in front of the crowd by Albert, but the defeat by his beloved disciple Ur''s disciple should have been a catalyst for him to move on.

    There is no one left to torment him.

    Now it is up to Delight.

    "Congratulations, Sam. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for avenging my father''s death."

    "Okay. It''s for my own good."

    "No. No. I''m grateful, too. It''s such a relief to know that this guy won''t be following me around anymore."

    "Right. Albert is gone. I hope you, Delight and Fran can forget all about him and live a new day.

    "Yes, I will. Thank you so much, Sam.

    Like her father, Fran had tears in her eyes.

    For years, Albert had insulted his father and followed him around.

    She was relieved to know that she would no longer be tormented by him.

    "Sam!¡¡You did good!"

    "Sir!¡¡And your wives, Erica and Alicia!"

    Everyone in the Countess Walker family came to Sam with smiles on their faces.

    G¨¹nther, who had escaped from Erica''s custody, was with him again.

    "It''s a great result," Sam said. I don''t know what else to say. Ur must be very happy that Sam has been recognized by His Majesty."

    Yes, really. I''m sure she''s happy.

    "Thank you very much, sir and madam."

    Sam bowed his head to the Count and Countess, who were as pleased as if they were his own.

    "Hey, Sam!¡¡That''s great!¡¡I mean, you''re so strong!¡¡What kind of magic did you use!"

    "Thank you, Erica. It''s a mixture of magic and skill."

    "What''s that? I''ve never heard of it!"

    I''ll explain it to you next time when you''re calm.

    I promise!

    "Of course."

    Erika is also excited to see the magic she has never seen before.

    I know exactly how she feels.

    Even Sam couldn''t sleep at night because he was so excited when Ur taught him so much magic.

    I look forward to the time when I can talk to her about magic later.

    "Oh, Sam, I''m so glad you''re okay."

    "Thank you very much, Alicia-sama."

    Alicia, the third daughter of Count Walker, approached me with some trepidation.

    She is not very good with men, so we do not have much contact with her on a regular basis.

    We have been together at tea parties, but our conversations have been the fewest among the sisters.

    She is not good at fighting or even blood, due to her quiet nature.

    I can only thank Alicia for taking the trouble to come and watch the duel for me.

    No, no, I''m embarrassed to say that I didn''t understand what was going on before it was over.

    "Alicia has nothing to be ashamed of. I don''t mean to brag, but I couldn''t see much either.

    For Alicia, an amateur in combat, let alone magic, the duel between Sam and Albert seemed to be over before she knew it.

    She seemed ashamed that she did not understand anything about the battle, but that was okay.

    I don''t want the gentle and quiet Alicia to understand that she took a life, even if it was a man like Albert.

    As if to comfort her, G¨¹nther pats her on the shoulder as if he were her brother.

    "That''s really nothing to be proud of!¡¡Well, I didn''t see anything either!¡¡I mean, how much did G¨¹nther not see?

    "To be honest, I''m confident that if he were to fire a slash like that, it would cut me in half, wards and all."

    "Oh, I''ve heard good things about you. Sam, the next time G¨¹nther perverts you, cut him down.

    We forgive you!

    "Oh?¡¡I''ve never committed a single perverted act in my life, have I?"

    "Unaware!"

    Lise and Erica say such things to G¨¹nther, and Alicia looks puzzled.

    It was a lively scene that showed the ease of childhood friendship.

    (I didn''t have any childhood friends, so I''m a little envious of Lise and her friends.)

    Looking back, Sam''s life in Baron Laibach was so gray that he did not even have friends.

    The only people he spoke to were his maid, whom he loved like a sister, and the butler who acted as a father figure.

    His real family consisted of a violent brother, an overbearing mother-in-law, and a father who did not care about his children.

    £¨I don''t know what they are doing now. (I wonder what they are doing now... I guess they are happy now that I''m gone, but it doesn''t matter because I don''t care about them)

    I remember the past, but that''s all.

    Now I have people who accept me as family.

    Sam is determined to cherish the precious connection Uru has left for him.

    £¨Ur, first of all I became a court magician, the most powerful magician in this country. I''ll keep on running until I''m the best in the world.)

    I was expressing my feelings for my late beloved mentor.

    "Your Majesty!¡¡It''s an emergency!

    "--What''s going on?"

    A soldier rushes to the king, who is about to return to the palace, and kneels down.

    £¨What is it?¡¡(Emergency?)

    The soldier, who was breathing hard, must have been in a great hurry to get here.

    His loud voice makes the hall quiet and tense.

    Sam and the others waited for the soldier''s words.

    The next moment,

    "The dragon is coming toward King''s Landing!"

    I couldn''t believe my ears.

 88 - 25 "Its a dragons attack." â‘¡

    "Nonsense!¡¡What the hell is that supposed to mean?¡¡Explain it to me so I understand!"

    Only the king''s voice rang out.

    The soldier continued his report in a trembling voice.

    "A red dragon is flying toward the capital!

    "Are you sure it''s not just a passing thing?"

    "There is already damage on the streets!"

    "--Why?¡¡Why are dragons targeting this country!

    As soon as the king''s head was in his hands, a panic broke out among the quiet crowd.

    Some tried to flee, others lamented in despair, and still others fainted.

    I understand.

    A dragon is such a threat.

    A dragon is not like a dragon.

    Dragons are treated as monsters.

    Some countries revere them as gods... others fear them as demons.

    "Be still!¡¡Calm down!"

    The king''s exhortation causes everyone to stop moving.

    "Who can fight?¡¡Ludo!¡¡Can you move the magic army?"

    "Yes. It is possible if you give us some time. But I cannot guarantee you victory against the dragon.

    Ludo''s expression is bitter, as if he doesn''t want to whine before the battle.

    But as the leader of the army, he had to tell the truth.

    "I know that!¡¡But we must protect our country!"

    "Of course. I will defend the Kingdom of Skye even to the death!"

    "...... please. And now, court wizard!¡¡It''s your turn!"

    There was no reply.

    (-- Huh? )

    Sam is surprised that no one responds.

    G¨¹nther was about to raise his hand, but was stopped by Jonathan who said, "You are not fit for battle, don''t do it.

    The dragon is definitely a threat.

    The pride of a nation of wizards may have no chance against them.

    Especially since the country just lost its most powerful wizard.

    Not all the court wizards are present.

    Maybe all of them are not fit for battle.

    £¨How pathetic!)

    But whatever their excuses, wizards recognized by their country have an obligation to fight.

    If Ur had been here, I am sure he would have been happy to go to battle.

    The same goes for Sam.

    Sam is now a court wizard and the most powerful wizard in the Kingdom of Skye.

    Above all, as Ulrike Scheidt Walker''s apprentice, he cannot be intimidated by this.

    No, we cannot be afraid.

    Quite the contrary.

    £¨I never thought I''d have another chance to fight a dragon ......... it''s a good test to see how far I''m willing to go now.)

    "My king. I will fight."

    "--Samuel Scheidt, are you serious?¡¡You would fight the red dragon?"

    "Of course. That is why I am the court wizard and the most powerful wizard in the land.

    Sam kneeled before the king and hung his head.

    "This is not the first time I have fought a dragon. I was with Ur, but I fought and I am alive. Please command me."

    "--Okay. I''m sorry, but I need your help.

    "Leave it to me."

    Sam stands up and bows to the king.

    Then G¨¹nther interrupted him.

    "Wait, Sam. Then I will fight too. My husband is not the only one in danger.

    "G¨¹nther Ignatz, you will fight for me too? Thank you.¡¡Husband?"

    "Don''t talk nonsense, G¨¹nther!¡¡In this time of emergency, the king has turned his head!¡¡I mean, I''m the only one who has to fight."

    "That''s too arrogant, Sam!¡¡You''ve certainly proven your mettle!¡¡I''ll even admit that I was more capable than I had imagined!¡¡But no one can beat a dragon, not even Ulrike!"

    G¨¹nther, too, had a few unnecessary words, but I knew he was sincerely concerned about me.

    It is true that even Ur might not be able to win against a dragon.

    When I fought Ur against a dragon in the past, I didn''t win just because I didn''t die.

    "Yes, Sam!¡¡They are not like dragons, they are a higher species we cannot even imagine!¡¡You can''t fight them alone and win!"

    "Dear Liese, ...... I appreciate your concern. But if I don''t fight, who will?"

    "--well, that''s..."

    "Let me be blunt, but the Royal Magical Army can''t win. The court wizards are useless. If I, the heir to Ulrike Scheidt Walker, do not fight, who will?"

    Sam''s words were an insult to the court wizards.

    But not a word of rebuttal or anger was raised.

    For the court wizards present had no intention of fighting the dragon.

    They do not want to raise their voices and end up fighting against the dragon.

    Sam was truly disappointed to see such a coward in the position of court wizard.

    Then I''ll fight too!

    "Lise!"

    Jonathan''s voice rings out to stop his daughter.

    "You have indeed learned swordsmanship from the Lord of Kensei, but you are going to fight a dragon with only one sword!"

    "So, but, Father..."

    What can you do when you haven''t held a sword in your hand for so long?

    "Yes, Lise-sama. If anything should happen to you, I''ll be sad.

    Sam agrees with Jonathan.

    If something happens to Lise, who is still in bad shape, in the battle, Sam will definitely regret it.

    He would also feel bad for Ur.

    "But if something happens to Sam, I''ll be sad too, you know?"

    "Trust me. I''ll come back safely, I promise.

    "--You promise?"

    Of course.

    "Then I promise."

    Lise hugs Sam tightly.

    Sam pats her on the back, and Lise pulls away and turns her back to him.

    Maybe she is crying.

    I feel like calling out to her, but Erica, Alicia, and Grace run to her, so I leave her to them.

    For their safety, we must fight the dragon.

    "King, please evacuate first!

    Sam advises the king.

    "Yes, all right. I''ll tell the people to evacuate as well.

    I''ll take care of that.

    You may panic, but a dragon is like a natural disaster. You have no choice but to flee.

    "Then, I''ll buy you some time. I''d kill it if I could.

    "Samuel, I''m sorry. If all goes well, you will be rewarded for your service."

    Thank you. Hey, G¨¹nther.

    Yes?

    "Can you set up a ward over the entire area to protect King''s Landing?"

    At Sam''s question, G¨¹nther crosses his arms and thinks.

    "It would be difficult for me to do it alone, but if I could borrow some of my men and some wizards who can use warding techniques from the magic army, it would be possible.

    Then, please."

    "--So, you want me to protect everyone in King''s Landing instead of fighting dragons, is that it?"

    "G¨¹nther, who specializes in protecting, can do it, can''t he?"

    "Well, well, if my husband expects me to do it, I''ll do it. I''ll do my best, but I can''t guarantee how hard the wards will be and how long they will last.

    "That''s fine."

    There is a difference between having protection in King''s Landing and not having it.

    I don''t like to fight with my back to the wall.

    I wanted to concentrate on the attack.

    Fortunately, I am well aware of the solidity of G¨¹nther''s warding techniques.

    I have no doubt that he can do it.

    "Master and madam, please take everyone and evacuate quickly!"

    "Sam, no, I won''t say anything. I''m sorry, but please. I''ll do what I can.

    Jonathan nods vigorously.

    "Sam!"

    Lise burst into tears and called his name.

    Sam smiles at her and tells her not to worry.

    It''s all right, Lise. It was the Dragon King who fought with Ur, but I am alive. I''ll get through this time too.

    But...

    "And maybe..."

    Sam''s feet leave the ground.

    "There doesn''t seem to be any wizards who can use flying magic, so I think it''s my turn to deal with a flying dragon."

    Surprised by Sam''s flight, voices rose one after another from the surroundings.

    "Okay. I won''t keep you any longer. But be careful and make sure you come back."

    "Sam!¡¡Take it easy!"

    "Oh, well, good luck, Mr. Sam."

    Thank you. I''ll be back. I promise."

    The three sisters saw him off, and he took off in a great leap.

 89 - 26 "I will fight the dragon" â‘ 

    "Well, I''m going to go all out from the start."

    Flying high into the sky, Sam saw the red dragon above the royal city, and he unleashed his full magical power.

    He inherited not only magical skills and knowledge from Ur, but also magical power, but he is not able to use even Ur''s magical power with his originally large amount of magical power.

    Although he has been training for this purpose, he was still inexperienced.

    Sam''s full strength at the moment was his full strength using his own magical power.

    "I don''t know what your reasons are, but there are people I care about living in this country. I can''t let you trample on them."

    The dragon''s stature is such that it could cover the whole court.

    It is considered to be a very high ranking dragon, and to have lived a long time.

    The scales covering its body and its sharp eyes are red, indicating that it is a dragon that controls fire.

    (Is it a Western dragon type, which is not uncommon in this world?)

    The nuisance of dragon''s breath is familiar to me.

    The breath of dragon species is affected by the attribute they control, but a single blow is often equivalent to the highest level of magical attack magic for humans.

    Even dragons, the lower species of dragons, have breath equal to the highest level of magic.

    It was only natural that humans would consider them a threat.

    (In addition to breath, dragons use their own magic, so the only way is to attack and crush them before they can touch you.)

    The strategy is quite simple.

    Attack faster than the enemy and defeat them with firepower.

    If you fail, death awaits you.

    "Let me take your life."

    Sam flies straight for the dragon.

    He wanted to do something before the dragon entered the sky over King''s Landing.

    The next moment, the dragon roars loudly.

    "Gosh, I think my eardrums are about to burst!

    He recognized Sam.

    The roar of hostility almost blew him away, but he was able to withstand it by deploying a barrier.

    "--Let''s go! This is my full power."

    He punched the red dragon in the face with his fist, which had been physically strengthened to the limit.

    A roar echoed through the air, and the air shook.

    The dragon stopped its wings just before the royal city and stopped in place.

    Hostility and murderous intent reach Sam through the dragon''s eyes.

    A wave of rage so thick that it seems to boil in his veins causes him to cower and stiffen.

    "Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

    But Sam forced himself to break his rigidity by letting out a spirited yell.

    "Do you recognize me?¡¡Can you recognize me?¡¡I am your opponent, I am your enemy!"

    I have already hit him once, so it''s too late for him to recognize me as an enemy.

    If he can turn hostility toward us, King''s Landing will be protected while he can fight.

    Sam beckoned to him as a provocation, and the dragon roared.

    He is convinced that the dragon has completely recognized Sam as an enemy.

    In the next instant, a ward covered the entire city.

    "Looks like G¨¹nther did a good job."

    His words and actions are those of a pervert, but his warding techniques are top-notch.

    I would have respected him if he were a little more normal," I laugh at the thought of Ur and G¨¹nther''s unusual love for me.

    Thanks to him, at least we don''t have to fight with our backs to the wall.

    "First, I''m going to draw you away from King''s Landing. Then we can start fighting in earnest."

    Needless to say, the dragon is a superior opponent.

    I almost died when I fought the Dragon King on another continent with Ur, but thanks to her, I am alive today.

    But now that trustworthy mentor is no more.

    Fighting alone against a dragon feared as a natural disaster, one naturally becomes nervous.

    But strangely enough, I was not afraid.

    "-Suishinken."

    He deployed advanced water-based magic in both arms.

    He had chosen water magic to counter the red dragon, which was thought to be of the fire attribute.

    Water God''s Fist is an attack magic that simultaneously deploys the body strengthening magic that Sam is good at and the water attribute attack magic.

    It is also a close combat magic and requires concentration, mental strength, and magical power to maintain the magic.

    Normally, a long chanting is required for this magic, but Sam deployed it in one breath.

    "Let''s go!"

    Sam kicks the void.

    He flies in a straight line toward the dragon.

    He increases his magical power and concentrates it in both arms.

    The dragon opens its jaws wide to breathe out a breath, but it does not allow itself to be attacked so easily.

    Sam flies wide and lands right in front of the dragon''s eyes. He shakes his fist with all his might, forcing the dragon to interrupt the breath.

    "There''s more to come!¡¡--water god legs!"

    The legs are also covered with water-based superlative magic and the attack unfolds.

    Fist after fist, kick after kick, they collide with the dragon''s scales.

    Of course, the dragon is not all beaten up.

    With a roar, it shakes its claws and tries to tear Sam apart.

    The blow is fast for its huge size, but Sam, who has strengthened his body to the limit, is able to avoid it without any problem.

    And Sam''s attack continues.

    £¨d*mn, so far I''m hitting harder than him and he doesn''t retreat ...... even once. What''s so special about King''s Landing?)

    Sam''s attack has stripped the dragon of its scales, leaving it covered in fresh blood.

    Its wings are bleeding as well, and it looks as if it will win if it keeps pushing.

    However, the dragon was relentless in its pursuit of the capital of the Kingdom of Sky, and no matter how many times it attacked, it never retreated.

    It seemed determined to get to the capital no matter what it took.

    (Why does he go for the capital so much?¡¡What does this dragon want with King''s Landing?¡¡No, I don''t care why, I''m going to go down physically and magically before you do. Then--)

    Sam decided that he would be the first one to reach his limit, so he decided to move on.

    He moves away from the dragon and stops above it, then releases his suishinken and raises his arms to the sky.

    He then began chanting.

    "--Heaven, grant me strength through the blessings of rain and water. My desire is the power of the raging water and the main current of the storm that sweeps away the enemy..."

    Blood spurts from Sam''s cheeks and forehead due to the increased magical power beyond his limits.

    Normally, a longer chant would have reduced the consumption of magic power, but the short time was too short, so it was omitted.

    The short time was too short to spare, so he omitted it.

    The dragon must have decided that Sam was going to make a big move.

    He opens his jaws wide, and then he deploys a magic circle in layers.

    But Sam was faster.

    "I''ll give you the best magic!¡¡--Baal!

 90 - 27 "I will fight the dragon" â‘¡

    The highest level of magic, Amejin-no-Whirlwind Baal, unleashed by Sam, became a muddy stream that swallowed the dragon''s massive frame.

    The dragon, trying to escape from the wild turbulent current, violently fought against it, but was swept away without resistance.

    The highest level of attack magic is not just a magic to push away the muddy current.

    The water turns into a blade and attacks the body of the dragon swallowed in the muddy stream as if it had a will of its own.

    The dragon''s cry echoes in the sky as it continues to create lacerations all over its body.

    The dragon struggles to escape from the muddy waters, but it cannot let go.

    "I''m going to pull you out of King''s Landing in one fell swoop!¡¡Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

    The release of magic beyond its limits causes fresh blood to dance from all parts of Sam.

    Sam continues to pour his magic power into his spells.

    And he succeeds in pulling the dragon, which is so large that it envelops the palace, away from the royal city.

    "Hah ...... hah ...... hah, there''s hardly any magic left. But it''s not over yet."

    With all his remaining magical power, he chased after the giant dragon that had fallen with a roar into the grassy plains far from the royal capital.

    When he found the dragon lying helplessly in the middle of the flooded meadow, covered in mud and blood, he landed a short distance away.

    "I guess you couldn''t kill it after all."

    I wanted to crush him to death with a muddy stream, but I guess I didn''t have enough power.

    Sam prides himself on his great magical power and is confident that he can use some of the most powerful magic.

    However, he is not so confident that he can easily master one of the most powerful magics.

    Of course, there are only a few wizards who can use the highest level of magic.

    "I guess I''m still not good enough,...... if it''s Ur, or maybe not against a dragon."

    I wanted to add the skill of "Baal" to the top level magic, but I couldn''t do it.

    I am ashamed of my inexperience.

    "You can hear me, can''t you?¡¡I picked an empty spot and dropped it here. This is where we''ll end it."

    You son of a b*tc*.

    You can talk?

    A human language was spoken from a mouth full of dragon fangs.

    Sam was not surprised.

    The dragon kings he had fought had spoken human languages fluently.

    I''ve heard that dragon intelligence surpasses that of humans. Then it is not surprising that they can speak human language.

    You human!

    The dragon lifted its long neck and stared at Sam with red eyes.

    Then a faint red glow enveloped the dragon''s huge body, and its body shrank.

    "--Hey."

    This surprised Sam.

    What the dragon is doing now--humanization.

    Emerging from the light was a tall, beautiful woman with red hair that reached to the ground.

    The dragon''s resemblance to Ur makes him a little confused.

    The dragon who became a woman was wearing a red folk costume coated with mud.

    Her long, narrow eyes with a hint of danger in them were red, and she had a well-defined bridge of the nose and slender limbs.

    She had a beauty that transcended human beauty.

    But the dragon stared at Sam with such a beautiful face distorted.

    "You human ...... have inflicted this much pain on me, this scorching dragon! I have not been so wounded in 500 years.

    It''s an honor.

    "I used too much power in defense, but I have no problem killing a man like you. If anything, it makes it easier to fight."

    He has taken human form because he is better suited to fight Sam, though he may have consumed some of his strength.

    He might have been able to crush him with his huge body, but he must have known from the little offense and defense that it would not work on Sam.

    In fact, the dragon''s huge body was a good target, though it did not do much damage.

    £¨It''s going to be a tough fight. (It''s going to be hard to fight. I don''t have much magic left, so I''ll just have to settle this at once without thinking about the consequences.)

    He deployed his Suishinken and prepared himself.

    Ryu also readied his thin arm.

    "Let''s go!"

    "Come on, you human!"

    Both of them kick the ground and collide with each other.

    The impact was so great that it sent earth, sand, and muddy water splashing up.

    Sam''s fist caught the dragon in the abdomen, and the dragon''s claws gouged out Sam''s arms.

    Both were exhausted, and their strength was almost equal.

    "Shaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

    The dragon spits out a breath at close range.

    Sam tries to avoid it by flying, but his left arm is burned.

    He immediately casts a recovery spell and manages to regain some movement.

    She then slams her water fist into the dragon''s face, breaking her fangs and sending her flying through the air.

    "Die, human!"

    A piercing hand imbued with magic power is released like a spear.

    I narrowly avoided it, but my clothes were torn and my stomach was exposed.

    If he had been even slightly grazed, he would have been splattered with fresh blood.

    I grabbed the dragon''s wrist and put all my strength into it.

    A cracking sound was heard, and Sam could feel her bones crushed in his hand.

    "----!"

    Sam shakes his fist more and hits the dragon''s face again and again.

    But they are hard.

    The skin breaks and blood dances, but it is not a decisive blow.

    Sam clicks his tongue, and repeatedly strikes the dragon''s face with his fist.

    He knows that the dragon''s scales are hard.

    Then he just has to attack again and again until he gets a decisive blow.

    However, the dragon is not going to be silently beaten.

    The unbroken arm is released again as a thrusting hand.

    The second thrust was faster and sharper than the first, and he could not avoid it.

    "d*mn!"

    Sam clicked his tongue and clenched his back teeth to endure the coming pain.

    The next moment, the dragon''s finger pierced his shoulder.

    "GAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

    His clenched back teeth separated and a scream erupted.

    Sure enough, the dragon had tried to pour flames into his pierced shoulder.

    He quickly kicked her and moved away from her.

    "--I wonder why we are having this mud fight. I hate it. But I''m fighting a dragon!¡¡My magic, my attacks, they''re working!"

    Sam holds his aching shoulder and rejoices.

    The four years he had spent with Ur had not been in vain.

    The child who had never been able to use magic properly was not strong enough to fight dragons like this now.

    All thanks to Ur.

    Sam thanked his late master from the bottom of his heart.

    "Now let''s start over. I can still fight. I still have magic and strength!

    "...... what are you laughing at?"

    "What?"

    At the dragon''s words, Sam realized he was smiling.

    I admit it.

    Sam is enjoying the fact that he is fighting for his life in a national crisis.

    But the dragon does not like him.

    Is that so funny?¡¡But I am not crazy about anything!¡¡No, do you humans find me ridiculous?¡¡Is it so funny that a mother has her child kidnapped and is desperate to get it back!"

    "What?"

    The reason in my raging emotions picked up on a word I couldn''t miss.

    "Wait, what do you mean?"

    Ignoring Sam''s question, the dragon roars and rushes forward.

    Sam intercepted the dragon with his Suishinken, but he couldn''t help but ask her a question.

    "Wait!¡¡What brings you to the Kingdom of Skye, to King''s Landing?"

    What the hell are you doing?¡¡You humans stole my beloved child from me so that I could get her back!"

    At the dragon''s words, Sam stiffened, unable to unleash his raised fist.

 91 - 28 "This is an unexpected development" â‘ 

    "Wait, really, wait!¡¡What do you mean, a child?"

    Don''t play dumb with me!¡¡I know that people from your country have kidnapped my children!"

    The red dragon responded to Sam''s question in an agitated manner, making him dizzy.

    "I don''t understand ......, what''s going on here that I don''t know about?"

    I have no idea what''s going on.

    I hadn''t thought much about fighting Albert this past week, but I had been thinking about the duel and what would happen afterwards, and I never expected that someone in this country would kidnap a dragon child.

    Dragons are feared as natural disasters, but immature young creatures are far inferior in strength.

    Therefore, I have heard that collectors and people who believe that dragon blood and flesh can be used as a medicine for immortality have been making efforts to obtain them behind the scenes.

    However, since this would incur the wrath of the dragons, meddling with dragon larvae is forbidden by continental law.

    It is not uncommon for even royalty to be condemned to death if they break the law.

    That is why dragons are so terrifying.

    (Is there really a fool who kidnapped a dragon child?¡¡Of course your parents would be angry if you did that!)

    In fact, the dragon''s anger was painfully familiar.

    It is understandable that the dragon did not back down even a single step during the battle, if it was all for the sake of the child.

    £¨The king would not know that. He really didn''t seem to have any idea why the dragon attacked. It couldn''t have been an act. Either the ...... dragon is mistaken, or someone in the Kingdom of Skye really did kidnap the dragon''s children.)

    "Just for the record, you''re sure you''re not mistaken?"

    "Don''t be silly!"

    He didn''t like Sam''s words so much that he attacked him with his claws exposed.

    He responded with a suishinken (water fist).

    The claws gouged Sam''s abdomen, but he put more force into the dragon''s face and punched it.

    The dragon is blown away and rolls on the ground.

    "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean it like that. I''m sorry... but I don''t know what''s going on here!¡¡I don''t doubt that the child has been kidnapped, but is he really in King''s Landing?¡¡Do you have any proof?"

    "You think I don''t know where my child is!¡¡The voices of my children are coming from the city you call King''s Landing!"

    "- d*mn it!¡¡You''re really here!"

    The dragon rises and stares with vindictive eyes at Sam and then at the city far behind.

    "Bring out the man named Albert!¡¡Albert Frege, the man who took my child, give him to me!"

    "-- Huh?¡¡Huh?¡¡Huh?¡¡HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

    Sam couldn''t believe his ears.

    He wondered if the dragon could even speak human in the first place.

    "Wait, wait, wait, really wait!¡¡Did you just say Albert Frege?

    "Yes. I''m sure I heard that name in a telepathic conversation with the children. I know that one of the people who hurt and kidnapped my children while I was foraging for food was named Albert Frege. I also know that he holds the position of court wizard in your country."

    "What the hell are you doing, that son of a b*tc*?

    I thought he did not deserve the position of court magician or the most powerful man in the world, but it turns out now that he is a genuine piece of trash.

    What could have made him kidnap the dragon''s child, risking the dragon as an enemy?

    It is incomprehensible.

    In fact, as you can see, the dragon who had his child kidnapped came to the Sky Kingdom in a rage.

    And after Albert''s death.

    The timing is too bad.

    I can''t even offer him to her.

    "It may be a little late to be saying this, but let''s talk."

    "--no!¡¡Give me his head and give me back my children!¡¡Or I will turn your country into scorched earth!"

    "I told you to listen to me!"

    After Sam shouted, he released his water fist and dissipated his heightened magical power.

    He showed that he did not want to fight any more.

    The dragon looked at him doubtfully.

    "What do you mean?"

    "Listen, Albert Frege is not here."

    "Screw you!¡¡Do you think that I have misheard the words of my children!"

    "Oh, God!¡¡That''s not what happened!¡¡Albert was here, but he''s gone!

    What are you talking about?

    I just killed him!

    "...... what?"

 92 - 29 "Its an unexpected development" â‘¡

    The burning dragon was silent for a while, perhaps not fully understanding Sam''s words.

    After a while, however, it raised its right leg wide and stomped on the ground.

    A roaring sound echoed through the air, and the ground cracked into a spider web.

    She took a deep breath and seemed to be trying to calm her emotions.

    Anger, resentment, and impatience to get her children back, she suppressed all her emotions and told Sam briefly

    "Explain."

    "Okay."

    Sam told the dragon, who finally listened, about Albert.

    Sam, and perhaps even the king, was unaware that the child had been kidnapped.

    He and Albert had a history and fought a duel.

    He had killed him in that duel in order to end his worries for the future.

    "- I understand. If you killed the man who took my child, so be it. I''m sorry I couldn''t do it myself, but I can''t worry about dead people anymore. But that does not change the fact that I must get my child back.

    "About that, if you want to help me rescue the child, I''ll be happy to do it."

    "What?"

    "No, you know. It''s Albert and whoever he''s working with that''s to blame. You''re the victim. That''s why.

    I''m not trying to clean up Albert''s mess, but I don''t want this country to be destroyed because of him.

    Even if we fight the burning dragon to the end, one of us will die.

    (Why should we risk our lives to fight the dragon because of Albert?¡¡And the other mother just wants her child back!¡¡Screw you, Albert!)

    Anyway, it was Albert''s fault.

    Sam and the dragon were both victims.

    Then it is nonsense to fight against the victims.

    "...... I don''t want to help the humans, but for the sake of the children, we have no choice. I understand. What else can we do?"

    Sam is deeply relieved that they have taken his suggestion.

    At least now he would not have to fight the scorching dragon.

    "You know where the kids are, right?"

    "The human city has its own wards, so it''s not exact, but we have a rough idea of where they are."

    Then let me report to the king first. Let him know that you mean no harm to this country and that you are looking for the children.

    "Do you have to do that?"

    "If you don''t know exactly where the kids are, you need help, don''t you?"

    "............"

    "And what if something happens to the children when you try to get them back by force?¡¡Wouldn''t it be troublesome if the country remained on alert?"

    Above all, we don''t want the conversation to get complicated and end up fighting her.

    We do not know if the kings will understand the dragon''s situation and cooperate with us, but it would be troublesome if we do not at least let them know that her purpose is for the children and that she has no intention to do anything to the Sky Kingdom.

    More than that, there was also Sam''s personal feeling that he could not do without telling someone that Albert and his merry band of friends had brought this on themselves.

    "All right. I''ll take your offer."

    "Thank you."

    "But if anything happens to my children, I will not only kill you, but I will also destroy your country!"

    "That''s fine. I''ll fight you with everything I''ve got.

    (Please, I beg you, do not harm the dragon children.)

    Sam could not help but wish for himself and his country.

 93 - 30 "Return the Dragons Child" â‘ 

    Sam and the scorching dragon, both with wounds all over their bodies, promised a truce and landed in front of the capital of the Sky Kingdom by air.

    To tell the truth, Sam was initially worried that the dragon might go berserk the moment he entered the capital, although he had promised a truce, but "I am not like a human!¡¡I will not make a mistake on my word!" I decided to believe him.

    If her anger had been an act, I would have distrusted human beings for sure.

    "G¨¹nther!¡¡G¨¹nther Ignatz!"

    At the entrance of the Royal City, the name of the surgeon who is supposed to cover the entire city with wards is called out.

    I called out the name of the man I knew who seemed the least likely to come to harm, and in less than a minute he came running as fast as he could.

    G¨¹nther smiles at first, but when he sees Sam covered in blood and mud, he pales, falls to his knees, and looks up to the heavens.

    "Oh, no!¡¡I knew I shouldn''t have let my little Sam fight the dragon alone ...... like this!¡¡God, why do you put Sam through this ordeal!¡¡I should have gone with you, but first I need medical attention. I''ll use my tongue to keep the wound from festering."

    "...... you''re still on a roll, you ...... wait, stop, hey, stop it!¡¡Why are you trying to lick me!¡¡Hey, hey, stop extending your tongue!¡¡You''ll get an abscess on the other side!"

    "--Birth?¡¡You''re having my baby?

    Your ears must be rotten!

    I regret it deeply.

    However, he was hesitant to let the people of Count Walker meet the dragon out of the blue.

    It was not that they did not believe in dragons, but that they did not want to burden the others too much.

    "...... What a pervert!"

    As a result, G¨¹nther is treated as a pervert even by the dragon.

    Sam''s head ached, even though he should not have been injured.

    "I am the court wizard of this land. And heir to a dukedom."

    "...... such a man is a nobleman, this country will meet its demise in the near future, not to mention my own destruction."

    "Right. --No, G¨¹nther!¡¡Come on, let''s have a serious talk!¡¡Please!"

    "Yes, it was. I''m sorry. I was just... I was out of line. I''m ashamed."

    (You''re always embarrassed!)

    I had so many things I wanted to say to him inside, but I bit them off because the conversation was not going anywhere.

    "Let me introduce you. She may be humanized, but she is a burning dragon.

    "--, I thought I could sense its terrifying presence and magical power, but I didn''t expect it to be a dragon. I guess we can assume it''s the red dragon you were fighting, right?"

    It seemed that G¨¹nther, who seemed to be joking around, had noticed the scorching dragon.

    Sam nodded his head in affirmation.

    "Yeah, that''s the dragon we were fighting earlier."

    "I don''t understand, why are you in King''s Landing with the person you were fighting?¡¡From the looks of the two of you, it seems like you two had a serious fight.

    "This dragon had more than enough reason to attack King''s Landing."

    "Reason?"

    Apparently, a child was kidnapped by Albert Frege and his friends. So they came to save him and ended up fighting me."

    "--Oh, my God."

    G¨¹nther is absolutely mortified.

    It''s understandable.

    It is forbidden by continental law to touch dragon children.

    You have done more than enough to warrant retaliation by the dragon before you can be punished by continental law.

    In fact, if Sam had not fought, there is a possibility that the whole city would have been burned to the ground without his knowledge.

    The Kingdom of Skye would have resisted, but we do not know how far that resistance would have gone.

    Above all, a nation should not be destroyed by a few greedy people.

    And the mastermind is already dead, which is not funny at all.

    "Albert would certainly do it. There are some bad rumors about him. One of them is that he is working together with the nobles who back him to capture demons and fantasy species and sell them illegally to the likes.

    "He''s a really stupid guy."

    I agree. Well, he was the best in the country in terms of firepower, so it may have been a backroom business, but I can''t say I was ...... stupid enough to mess with a dragon."

    Sighing heavily, G¨¹nther looked alternately at Sam and the dragon and then asked, "What is it?

    "What are we going to do now?"

    "They seem to know the general whereabouts of the child. But if we try to get them back on our own and get into trouble, we''ll be in trouble again. So I''d like to inform the king of the situation and ask for his permission before making any move. I also need your help."

    "It is a good idea to ask for the King''s permission since there is a possibility of trouble with the nobles. The magic army would probably have an easier time subduing the criminals, considering that they would have to fight the dragon.

    "Would you please tell the king that you''re the one to tell him?"

    I''ll take care of it.

    And break the warding. I can''t get in."

    "Oops, that''s right. You could probably force your way in, but then we''d be stuck here.

    G¨¹nther snaps his fingers, and the warding is lifted only at the entrance to King''s Landing.

    Sam and the dragon step into the city.

    "His Majesty the King will have no choice but to allow it. Considering that we''re going to have to deal with the dragon, we might as well cooperate with him.

    "As soon as possible, please. He wants to save the child as soon as possible.

    I know. I know. Lady. I know. I know. Lady, please be patient.

    Reverently, G¨¹nther bows to the burning dragon.

    "Well, Sam, I''ll go back to the palace first. I''ll head back to the palace first. You guys can come back later.

    "Okay. Is that all right with you, too?

    "I don''t care. The children are in the direction of the palace. But hurry!

    "Yes, yes, G¨¹nther."

    I''ll take care of it. With the power of my love for Sam, I will make His Majesty the King shake his head even if I have to beat him to get his permission!

    Hey, hey.

    So!

    G¨¹nther runs to the royal palace with a blustery look on his face.

    The warding technique should have drained him of both magic and strength, but he quickly disappeared from sight, as if he had the energy to do so.

    Sighing, Sam calls out to the burning dragon.

    "Just a little more patience," he says to the burning dragon. I hope we can save the kids soon."

    "--You''re an odd one, aren''t you?"

    "Is that so?"

    "Yes. Well, okay. As promised, I''m not going anywhere until you give me permission. But remember, even that has its limits.

    "I understand. Then let''s go to the palace.

    "Mm."

    The two of them started walking toward the palace.

 94 - 31 "Return the Dragons Child" â‘¡

    Some time later, Sam and the burning dragon were in the presence of Clyde Isle Sky, king of the Kingdom of Sky.

    The place was not the training ground where the duel had taken place.

    The king was seated on his throne and received the fiery dragon as a formal guest of honor.

    The king is flanked by G¨¹nther and the other court wizards.

    They were supposed to be the king''s shield more than anyone else in case of emergency, but except for G¨¹nther and one woman, the court wizards looked comically pale.

    The absence of royalty other than the king may have been due to the fact that they were expecting the worst.

    On the other hand, the nobles were standing to the left and right of Sam and the others.

    That was strange.

    "Samuel, I have heard of you."

    "My king, I''m sorry to see you like this."

    "No problem. You fought for your country. First, you must heal.

    No, it''s not as bad as it looks. I''m sure G¨¹nther has already told you about this.

    Sam glances at the dragon next to her as she kneels down.

    She just stands there with her arms folded and a scowl on her face.

    "--Hmm. I will not bow to a human."

    "Hey!"

    "No matter, Samuel. Lord Burning Dragon, I''m sorry for all the disrespect the people of Skye have done to your family.

    King Clyde stood up from his throne, stood in front of the burning dragon, and bowed deeply.

    The nobles were astonished to see the king of a country bowing his head and apologizing.

    Sam, however, was impressed. He thought Clyde was a wonderful king.

    There was no telling what would happen to the country if the dragon, a natural disaster, became angry.

    He understood that correctly, which is why he made a formal apology as king.

    It makes me rather question the sanity of the nobles who are staring at the scorching dragon with such loathing.

    I would like to ask them why they are being so stubborn.

    "No need to apologize. My children have not been saved yet. You know that if anything happens to my children, not only your life but this country will disappear.

    Yes, sir.

    Good.

    The king looked up, tapped Sam on the shoulder, and gave him a bitter look.

    "Albert has left us with quite a legacy," he said. It is true that the royal court was aware of the black rumors about Albert. But this time we can''t say such a thing."

    "I think you''re right. It''s a national crisis.

    "I heard that Albert was making some kind of money with the nobles with whom he had developed a friendship. We believe that this is deeply involved in this case. As I recall.

    "King of Men."

    Clyde''s words were interrupted by the dragon.

    "Yes?"

    She extended a slender finger and pointed at a man.

    The man was well-dressed among the nobles.

    He was probably of a higher rank.

    The man was pale and his forehead was covered with greasy sweat.

    The burning dragon looked at the man and told him clearly.

    "I can smell my children on that man.

    "--Hey."

    The man fell on his buttocks at the sharp, intimidating gaze of the dragon.

    He tries to say something, but seems to be unable to do anything more than crack his mouth open, perhaps out of fear.

    "...... Marquis Gordon. You were Albert''s biggest supporter.

    £¨A marquis and a court wizard together in crime.)

    Since the dragon said that the Marquis Gordon smells like a child, he is black for sure.

    But the Marquis is determined not to admit it, and he struggles to keep his voice down.

    "Your Majesty!¡¡This is some kind of mistake!¡¡I was very close to Albert, but I had no idea that he had been up to any mischief!"

    "You think I am lying!"

    "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

    "I am not the kind of mother who forgets the smell of her own children!¡¡You''ve got to be kidding me!"

    The Marquis of Gordon made a show of trying to make the dragon angry, but all he did was to pour oil on the dragon''s wrath.

    The Marquis, exposed to the dragon''s rage, became incontinent and fainted on the spot.

    (That''s what happens when you try to make a fool of yourself, you fool!)

    "Beat him up and interrogate him!¡¡Make them tell us who else may have been involved, and take them all captive!¡¡He is a man who has put his country and his people in great danger. There is no need to show any mercy, no matter what it takes!"

    "--Ha!"

    On the king''s orders, the knights drag the Marquis Gordon away.

    Leaving the search for the Marquess''s companions to the King and his men, all Sam has to do is to rescue the children of the Burning Dragon.

    (If the old man smells the children and knows they are here in King''s Landing, it''s natural to assume that they are being held by the Marquise. The question is whether we should go in or not.)

    "Supposedly, the dragon children are in the Marquis Gordon''s mansion."

    If you''ll excuse me, I''ll go myself.

    Can I count on you?

    "It''s probably going to be rough, but..."

    I don''t care. Do as you please. But be sure to rescue the dragon children!

    "Yes, sir."

    Bow reverently.

    I have the king''s permission, and no one will be able to stop me now.

    Sam''s lips pursed.

    "I''m in. I won''t take no for an answer.

    "I know."

    "I''ll gather the magic army and the Knights to the Marquess Gordon''s house."

    Thank you very much.

    Sam stands up, bows to the king, and turns himself around.

    He rides into the Marquess Gordon''s house with the scorching dragon next to him.

    Let''s go. We have to save the children!

 95 - 32 "Return the Dragons Child" â‘¢

    The house of the Marquess of Gordon was located in a corner of the aristocratic district not far from the royal palace.

    Large grounds and well-kept gardens. The three-story residence is as one would expect from a high ranking aristocrat.

    As Sam, G¨¹nther, and the burning dragon walked straight to the Marquess Gordon''s house, the gatekeepers with their spears at the ready called for them.

    "Wait!¡¡Who do you think you are?

    "In and out, you son of a b*tc*!"

    Basically, I had decided to defeat all people related to the Marquess Gordon family as enemies, so without hesitation, I struck them with my reinforced fists to silence them.

    They kicked down the gate of the house, and the three of them, with Sam in the lead, entered the premises.

    "Bandits!¡¡The bandits have shown up!¡¡Deeeeh, deeeeh!"

    "What is this, a period drama?"

    The noise of the gate has brought in the Marquise''s private army.

    Fully armed.

    Why are you guys so eager to fight?¡¡Are you being told by your master to protect something?"

    I have nothing to say to the bandits!

    Soldiers charge in a straight line.

    Since they are considered bandits, they bring their swords down on us without question.

    But the degree is so low that they do not even need to avoid it.

    He unleashed his reinforced fist, shattering the oncoming sword and punching the soldier away.

    "Yes, next."

    If you''re a swordsman, you''re not going to lose unless someone better than Liese shows up.

    Before that, I couldn''t kill the soldiers because they were valuable sources of information.

    "Wait, Sam. Let me help you."

    Can you fight?

    "You can use warding techniques to fight against people. Look, look."

    G¨¹nther snaps his fingers, and wards cover the faces of the soldiers as they ready their weapons.

    Then the soldiers, who had been rolling their eyes to see what was going on, reach out with their mouths flapping as if they were asking for something, and then fall to the ground and sprawl around.

    What did you do?

    "Huh. It''s simple. We warded it, cut off its air supply. They''re just suffering from not being able to breathe."

    "Eggh!"

    Sam shouted at G¨¹nther, who had a fresh smile on his face and was doing something truly ghastly without a care in the world.

    Meanwhile, the soldiers were struggling and stopped moving.

    "Oops, I can''t let you kill them, can I?

    G¨¹nther snapped his fingers again, and the warding was lifted.

    Sam finds one soldier who is still conscious and grabs him by the collar and lifts him up.

    "Hey, there''s a dragon cub in this house, isn''t there?¡¡Where are you?"

    "I don''t know!¡¡I was only told by the master not to let any outsiders into the house."

    "Really?"

    It''s true!

    "You''d know if I was lying, wouldn''t you?"

    "No, I''m not lying!¡¡It''s just that the master has been in and out of that building a lot. We''re not even allowed to go near it!"

    The soldier pointed to a building at the back of the compound.

    At a glance, it was a one-story building, not very large.

    (I thought they might have horses or something, but hmmm, doubtful.)

    "Thanks for the information, then sleep a while."

    He punches the soldier in the abdomen, knocking him out.

    "This is a very large place. A house and another building... the Marquises!

    "Sam!¡¡My house is much bigger!¡¡Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you that I have a room for you."

    No!

    Sam is appalled by G¨¹nther''s nonchalant attitude, even though he has come to rescue the dragon child.

    Meanwhile, the scorching dragon, who had not been given a chance to participate, was looking around the site with a furrowed brow.

    "Hey, that building looks suspicious to me, do you know where the kids are yet?

    "Over there. The smell is getting closer. I can definitely smell the children and the magic coming from over there."

    She pointed to the building where the soldier had given her the information.

    £¨Well, yes. It would be risky to hide a dragon, even a child, in the house you live in. Then it would be outside.)

    It was not impossible that they could be hidden somewhere else, but since the burning dragon had sensed their scent and magic, the children must be here.

    "Let''s go!"

    "Mm."

    The dragon nodded and was on his way to help the children.

    "Wait for me!

    With a high-pitched, angry voice, a woman in a glittering dress appeared.

    "Who is it, lady?"

    "--Oh, you ...... bandits are having your way with me, but it''s over. I will make you regret your unauthorized entry into my house, the house of the Marquess Gordon!"

    The heavily made-up woman was in her mid-forties.

    She was holding a feathered fan in her hand and glaring at Sam and the others. Behind her, a crowd of soldiers and people who looked like wizards were waiting for her.

    £¨We took a little too long. But these guys are no match for us. Let''s just blow them away and save the children as soon as possible.)

    Sam clenched his fist and was about to kick the ground when someone grabbed his shoulder.

    It was a scorching dragon.

    "Let me fight! I want to take my frustration out on him.

    "...... don''t kill him."

    "I know!"

    She gave a short reply and disappeared the next moment.

    No, she is moving at a blinding speed.

    Even Sam can barely follow her with his eyes.

    In her true dragon form, she was a complete power type, but I was amazed at how her fighting style changed when she became humanized.

    Less than a minute later, the soldiers brought by the Marchioness are silenced.

    They are not dead, just not dead.

    Some are moaning from shattered limbs, others are lying on the ground with their chests caved in, gasping for breath.

    Not a single person has survived against the dragon.

    What?¡¡Huh?¡¡Huh?"

    Mrs. Huang does not understand what has happened.

    When she came to, she could only look at her allies, who had been wiped out.

    "......It''s the opposite of just beating up people of this caliber, it''s a lot of resentment."

    The dragon returned to stand next to Sam, looking more exasperated than ever.

    I have no sympathy for these hostile soldiers.

    It is their fault that they serve a nobleman who does evil.

    They should be thankful that they fought the dragon and were not killed.

    "So, you are involved with Albert and Marquis Gordon''s illegal trade in demons and dragons, is that right?

    At Sam''s question, the blue-faced Marchioness lifted her lips in a triumphant smile.

 96 - 33 "Return the Dragons Child" â‘£

    "Yes!¡¡Albert!¡¡We have Albert with us!¡¡Do you think you can live with the most powerful wizard in the kingdom against you?

    I can be proud and confident even though I am the only one standing, probably because I am relying on Albert, the strongest force in the kingdom.

    But that is a story of the past.

    Not even a speck of Albert Frege, once the most powerful wizard in the world, remains.

    "...... Well, it''s no wonder you don''t know. You know what, Auntie? Albert is gone."

    "What?¡¡What are you talking about?

    I just killed him.

    Hearing Sam''s words, Mrs. Hart began to laugh in a high-pitched voice.

    "Ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho!¡¡What nonsense!¡¡A child like you killed Albert?¡¡Who would believe such a stray story!"

    Mrs. Kikuchi does not think in the slightest that Sam, who is still a minor, has won over Albert.

    As for Sam, he does not intend to explain politely.

    I asked her if she was involved in the illegal trade, but from her reaction, she said no. I asked her if she was involved in the illegal trade, but she said she was not.

    The rest of the questioning can be done by the government.

    (It''s too much trouble, let''s shut him up. (It''s too much trouble, so I''ll just shut him up...) If I let him make too much noise, I''m sure the irritated burning dragon will lose his temper.

    The burning dragon, who had not moved selfishly to rescue the child, had his brows furrowed in a deep crease at the behavior of the marchioness and her high-pitched voice.

    He must not feel good about being needlessly stranded when he knows where the child is.

    I don''t want her to get on my nerves any more.

    Sam sighs and tries to silence her with his fist.

    "My lady, I think it''s about time you noticed me."

    Then G¨¹nther intervened between Mrs. Sam and Mrs. Sam.

    "Hey, G¨¹nther!"

    "Well, you''re in good hands."

    "What?¡¡G¨¹nther?¡¡No way."

    Perhaps the name G¨¹nther sounded familiar to her, or perhaps she looked him straight in the eye.

    The next moment, Mrs. G¨¹nther''s face turned blue.

    "Oh, are you G¨¹nther Ignaz?¡¡The Duke''s troublemaker, the court wizard?¡¡Why that G¨¹nther?"

    I don''t like to be treated like a problem child, but let''s leave it at that for now. Well, my lady, if you''re asking me why, there''s only one answer. As a court wizard I''m here by order of His Majesty the King to deal with the rascals.

    "His Majesty''s orders?¡¡Where''s Albert?¡¡What was Albert doing?

    "Don''t you know, lady?¡¡He was in a duel today."

    G¨¹nther''s question made her gasp.

    "Yes, Albert was in a duel with a child in the care of Count Walker.

    "He''s the one I''m dueling with, Samuel Scheidt."

    "What?¡¡You''re lying?¡¡So, really?"

    "Albert Frege is dead. A fitting end for a wizard of the court.

    "............"

    "Well, now that you understand that Albert is dead, what are you going to do about it?¡¡Do you think I will wake up the fallen soldiers and fight me, the court wizard, and Sam, who has the most powerful title?¡¡I''m telling you, in that case, I can''t guarantee your life."

    Mrs. Holland fell to her knees.

    "I surrender, don''t kill me!¡¡It''s my husband and Albert who are to blame!¡¡I was just pretending not to see it!"

    "Then will you testify against the Marquis Gordon in the proper place?"

    "Of course I will!¡¡So, just your life!"

    "All right. Now, my lady, look outside the house. We''re not the only ones who have received the king''s orders."

    I looked outside the house and saw the magic army and the Knights.

    Needless to say, they have come to detain the lady and anyone else involved in the evil.

    "Hey, G¨¹nther! You bought us some time, didn''t you?"

    "I have to give credit to the magic army and the Knights. They''ll come after us if we settle everything on our own.

    "I don''t care about that."

    "You''re just like Ulrike in that way, aren''t you? She lacked the same kind of consideration. Well, that''s what I like about her, and I''m thrilled by the arrogance of Ulrike, too."

    "Hey you ......, that''s enough. Well, let''s see. If we can leave these ladies to the magic army, we''ll rescue the dragon children as soon as possible."

    "--Finally."

    Sorry to keep you waiting.

    Humans are a pain in the ass. Why don''t you just burn them all down?"

    The scorching dragon lurks in the brow, as if it were an abomination.

    I can only thank him for suppressing his desire to save the children and for being understanding of the human side''s actions.

    "This time, no matter who comes out, we will force our way through!¡¡Let''s go!"

    "Yes, of course!"

    The three of them head in a straight line for the building at the back of the compound.

    In the basement of the building, they find the dragon children in chains.

 97 - 34 "We rescued the dragons child" â‘ 

    "- What a way to treat us!¡¡My dear children in chains!"

    The dragon was understandably enraged.

    The three baby dragons that were found were cute little creatures, only about one meter long.

    They had been chained to their necks with iron fetters inscribed with magic and chained so that they could not move.

    Even though the dragon was a threat, it was still an unpleasant sight.

    "Wait for me, my mother will save you now!"

    The children were listless, but when they spotted the burning dragon, their faces lit up with joy.

    They must have understood that he had come to help them.

    Hearing the three of them squealing, the mother gripped the chains, trying to tear off the fetters.

    --A moment later, the chains discharged and made a sound of rejection.

    "-- d*mn you!"

    The dragon''s supple fingers burned, its claws popped, and fresh blood danced in the air.

    "What the hell was that?

    "You''ll do a d*mned thing. This thing is enchanted to harm you if you try to force it out of its bonds. This could harm the children if they try to release them."

    "Albert did this?¡¡What the hell did you do that for?

    "...... I don''t think Albert is capable of such finesse, though."

    "Indeed."

    I can''t help but nod in agreement with G¨¹nther.

    It is unlikely that Albert, a fire power idiot, would be able to do such a detailed job. There must have been someone else who could have helped him.

    "Then let me take care of it."

    Wait!¡¡You''ll get the same thing!"

    "I know. But I want to try something. --Skill release, Kirisakumono.

    If they harm us when we try to remove their fetters, let us destroy them before they do so.

    Sam released his skill and traced his fingers across the shackles and chains that would deprive the dragoness of her freedom.

    The next moment, the fetters and chains restraining the dragon cub are broken without a sound, and it falls to the ground.

    "You fool, you, that''s..."

    "Thankfully, it''s my skill set."

    "If I had fought you like that, would I have been cut down?"

    "Worst case scenario. Yes!¡¡I''ve cut it all off, I''m free!"

    When all the restraints were broken, the children, who had fallen down helplessly, stood up and cried out when they saw their mother.

    The burning dragon rushed toward the children and embraced them with all his strength.

    "Oh, my dear children!

    "Squeak, squeak."

    "I''m sorry. I didn''t think you''d be kidnapped while I was away!¡¡Forgive my mother!¡¡I''m so glad you''re safe!"

    The burning dragon is bursting into tears, rejoicing that his children are safe.

    The cubs also shed tears from their eyes and rubbed their faces against their mothers'' and cried.

    "Whatever it is, I''m glad you''re all right."

    "Yes, it is. At least we can consider the national crisis ...... over."

    "I don''t know. Someone takes a child from its mother for personal gain. This country is in danger.

    "Certainly. But I hope you realize that not all aristocrats are like that.

    I hope you''re right."

    Sam looks on, conversing with G¨¹nther in a low voice so as not to dampen the reunion of mother and child.

    From the burning dragon embracing the children, Sam could certainly sense a maternal quality that she did not know existed.

    She must be a kind mother in her own nature.

    That is why she turned into an angry dragon when her precious children were taken from her.

    Sam was truly thankful that her children were safe.

    After a while, the mother and the child of the dragon were happy to see each other again and turned to Sam and G¨¹nther.

    Wiping his tears, the dragon approached Sam and opened his mouth.

    You have brought my child back safely. I thank you - your names are Samuel and G¨¹nther, I believe.

    "Just call me Sam. That''s what everyone close to me calls me.

    "Well, Sam, and G¨¹nther. My sincerest thanks to you both.

    She kneeled down, put her hands on her chest and bowed her head.

    Perhaps this is the dragon''s way of saying thank you.

    "You don''t have to thank me so grandly. It was our fault to begin with. Now get your face up."

    "...... got it."

    "I''m sorry, human. I''m so glad you and your family are safe.

    You don''t need to apologize. I don''t think all humans are bad. Although, when I was in a rage, I wanted to kill them all.

    "Is it safe to assume that you are no longer hostile to humans?"

    The dragon nodded at G¨¹nther''s question.

    "I''m angry, but now that I have my child back, I don''t care. Besides, it was humans who took the child, but it was also humans who helped us rescue it.

    "Thank you for your mercy."

    G¨¹nther expressed his gratitude for the forgiveness.

    Sam follows his example and bows his head.

    We have learned more than enough from this incident that dragons are a threat.

    One can only hope that the foolish nobles will not do anything stupid in the future.

    "Well, it''s depressing to stay in this dingy basement forever, let''s go outside..."

    "Mm. I''ll do it. Now, children, follow your mother.

    "Squeal!"

    G¨¹nther leads the way up the staircase that connects the underground to the ground.

    On the way up, Sam notices one of the baby dragons staring at him and gives a small smile.

    Then, one of the little dragons made a "squeal" and rubbed its head against Sam''s. Sam looked at the little dragon with a small smile.

    "Hm?"

    "Well, the boy has found out that you are his benefactor, and he likes you."

    "I''m glad to hear it. May I pet you?"

    No problem. Be gentle with him."

    With his mother''s permission, Sam reaches out and pats the dragon cub on the head.

    The scaly skin was a little soft, perhaps because it was still a child.

    Sam thinks the little dragon is cute as it squints and squeaks pleasantly.

    On that day, his opinion of dragons, which he had only thought of as dangerous, changed a little.

 98 - 35 "We rescued the dragons child" â‘¡

    When Sam and his friends returned outside from the basement, they were greeted by the Magic Army, the Knights, and King Clyde.

    "Samuel, G¨¹nther, I see it''s all over."

    "--King."

    "Your Majesty the King."

    Sam and G¨¹nther kneel together.

    "Good, don''t be afraid. You''ve done your part. Stand up.

    "Yes."

    "Thank you very much."

    After confirming that the two had stood up, the king stood in front of the burning dragon with its cubs and bowed deeply.

    "I apologize once again, Lord Burning Dragon. I am sorry."

    "That''s enough. All my children are safe. Sam and the others did everything they could. Then I won''t make things worse.

    "I''m glad to hear you say so."

    The king is clearly relieved.

    No wonder, since he has been assured that the dragon threat is no longer looming over the Kingdom of Skye.

    "So, what are you going to do now?"

    "...... I''m going to move with my children to someplace where they can live in peace and comfort to heal the wounds from the battle with Sam."

    "Sorry."

    "No, I''m sorry I said that. I hurt you too, don''t worry about it.

    Sam apologizes for the burning dragon''s words, but is met with a wry smile.

    "Do you have any guesses?"

    "No. But it''s a big world. There must be a safe haven somewhere."

    "Oh, come on, does that mean you''re just going to wander around the world with no idea where you''re going?"

    "That''s what I mean. There are some places that are out of bounds to me, so I would like to spend a few years in some quiet place without people, although it is limited. In the meantime, my children will grow up.

    "Burning Dragon, then I have a proposal for you.

    "Proposal?"

    There is a mountain range in our territory, not far from the capital, that has not been touched by man. Why don''t you live there?

    What do you mean?

    I will give you the land.

    The dragon rolled his eyes at Clyde''s words.

    "Are you out of your mind?¡¡You want us, dragons, to live in this country?"

    We, the Kingdom of Skye, wish to establish a good relationship with the Burning Dragons. Although it started with our mismanagement, I hope that our relationship will be restored.

    "............"

    "I understand your apprehension, and your response does not have to be immediate. But I would like to at least treat your injuries. There are wizards in this country who excel in recovery magic. Would you be so kind as to allow him to treat you?

    "...... Okay. Thank you for your offer.

    The dragon did not respond to the offer of housing, but he agreed to treat his injuries and thanked them.

    It would be good for her to have her wounds healed.

    If the king had not offered, Sam had been thinking of making a proposal to him.

    "Then make the arrangements. --Oh, and in the meantime, she''ll have to stay somewhere. Count Walker!"

    Here!

    Jonathan Walker, at the head of the magical army, stepped forward as the king called his name.

    "I would like you to take care of Lord Burning Dragon and his children at your residence. Is that all right with you?"

    "Yes, sir!"

    I''m asking if you don''t mind, but you practically have no veto power.

    Earl Walker''s voice trailed off in approval.

    £¨Master, your face is so drawn. No, it''s understandable...)

    Taking care of a dragon and its child, which is said to be a natural disaster, at the house must be the biggest event in the history of Count Walker''s family.

    I am sure that they chose Sam to stay at the house because he has been taken care of by Count Walker''s family.

    "Sam, your wounds must be healed. You will be treated together with the Burning Dragon.

    "Thank you for your concern."

    I would like to see you again at a later date. Is that all right with you?

    "Of course."

    "I will send an errand soon. Until then, please take care of the Burning Dragon and the others.

    Yes, sir.

    Thus, the scorching dragon and its children were placed in the custody of Count Walker''s family.

    Out of the corner of Sam''s eye, he sees the Count holding his stomach and making a pinched face, but it is probably just his imagination.

    Sam was finally able to relax, knowing that the series of events that had begun with the duel with Albert had come to an end.

 99 - 36 "The Dragons came to the Earl of Walker" â‘ 

    "Well, well, it''s a dragon!¡¡That''s amazing!¡¡I have read many stories with dragons in them, but this is the first time I have met one!¡¡I''m so thrilled!"

    When the scorching dragon and the children arrived at Count Walker''s house, surprisingly, Alicia, who is always quiet, squealed with delight and hugged the child dragon.

    "--Alicia!"

    This startled his father Jonathan, his mother Grace, his sister Lise, his sister Erica, and his sister Sam.

    Aside from Sam, who had fought the scorching dragon on equal terms, Jonathan and the others, who respected and feared the dragon, were at a loss as to what to do or say to stop the three girls, and in the end were unable to do anything.

    The Countesses of Walker are nervous and tense even at the sight of the dragon children, but Alicia seems to be different.

    She is genuinely happy and excited to see the dragon that appeared in the story in front of her.

    And surprisingly, the dragon children did not seem to mind being hugged by Alicia, rather they rubbed their heads against hers and squeaked their throats.

    Everyone, including Sam, was astonished at the sight.

    The same seemed to be true for the mother of the children, the burning dragon, who looked into the children''s eyes and nodded her head in admiration.

    "--Amazed. She can talk with her children?

    "Heh?¡¡What do you mean?"

    "I mean, no, look at those girls."

    At the burning dragon''s request, Sam stares at Alicia and the baby dragon.

    "Well, well, well. Master Albert was a real jerk, wasn''t he? But you can rest assured that Sam is a very gentle man. What?¡¡You know about this?¡¡Hmmm, of course."

    "squeak, squeak, squeak"

    "Oh, dear, oh, dear, oh, dear."

    "They''re talking to each other!

    Sam exclaimed, and Count Walker fell to his knees on the spot, clutching his stomach.

    "Oh, uh, Miss Alicia?"

    "Is something the matter, Mr. Sam?"

    When I called out to her fearfully, Alicia turned around with a big smile on her face.

    She seems to have no doubts that she is communicating with the dragon children.

    "You can talk to dragon children?

    "Oh, by the way, ...... somehow I think I understand the language."

    "It''s that easy."

    I''ve been reading stories about dragons for a long time. That''s why I''m so happy to be able to talk with such cute little dragons.

    "I''m glad to hear that - no, I mean, I''m wondering why we can have a conversation.

    "Wait, Sam."

    As Sam repeats his question, the scorching dragon waits.

    "Yes?"

    "My children enjoy talking to her. Don''t interrupt."

    You stupid parent!

    "What the hell?¡¡What''s wrong with having a cute kid!¡¡Besides, I know why my daughter can talk without you worrying."

    "Is that so?"

    "She must be able to communicate not only with dragons but also with animals that cannot speak human language. You just haven''t noticed it because you haven''t had the chance.

    It was said so simply, "constitution.

    Sam looked at Jonathan, Lise and the others who were still frozen in surprise, but they shook their heads as if they had no idea.

    "Is there anyone with such a constitution?"

    "It wasn''t uncommon in the past. It may be rare now."

    "How long ago was that?"

    "About a thousand years ago."

    "............ No, it was too long ago."

    "Not so surprising. We dragons will speak human languages as we grow older. In a few years, my children will be able to speak human languages and even turn into humans.

    Burning dragons talk like it''s nothing, but as far as Sam knows, there are few people who can speak to non-humans.

    There are occasional demon wizards who control and manipulate demons, but even they are not able to speak as clearly as Alicia.

    £¨Alicia is amazing!)

    Leaving Sam and the others stunned, Alicia continues to interact happily with the dragon children.

 100 - - 37 "The Dragons came to the Earl of Walker" â‘¡

    Despite the surprise that Alicia could talk to a dragon, the family was then taken to the largest guest room of Count Walker''s house.

    At first, the dragon said it was fine to go outside, but he could not leave the guest entrusted to him by the king outside, and Sam and the entire Count family asked to go inside the house.

    As a result, the burning dragon nodded his head in agreement with Sam and the others.

    Fortunately, the scorch dragon is humanoid and the cubs are only about one mail long, so they can move around the mansion without any difficulty.

    "Well, well, the baby dragons are wonderful to ride!"

    One of the baby dragons was carrying Alicia on its back, but Sam was tired of being surprised, so he pretended not to notice.

    It turned out that Alicia, who is usually quiet and timid, had the most courage of all the Countesses.

    It was a gift for her to be able to befriend a dragon that was considered a natural disaster, and at the same time, I was impressed by how gentle she was.

    Alicia found herself getting along well with her mother dragon, and the burning dragon accepted this as a good thing.

    The dragons were soiled and Alicia led them to the bathroom.

    Alicia said, "Let me lend you some of my clothes. I''m sure they would be suitable for you too.

    "Mm-hmm. I''ve never put my sleeves on someone''s clothes before, but it''s interesting. I''m sure I''ll be of great help."

    The conversation was pleasantly exchanged.

    The bathroom of the Count''s house is large, so there is no problem to enter with the dragons.

    Leaving the family of burning dragons in Alicia''s hands, Sam and the others decided to rest their weary bodies and minds.

    "...... Alicia-sama surprised us, didn''t she?"

    Yes, very much so. I am beyond amazed that my own sister can be so unafraid of dragons."

    Sam and his friends were having a cup of tea and catching their breath in the dining room.

    Lise sips from her teacup, admiring her sister''s guts.

    "I never thought that the shy Alicia had such talent, and I am ashamed that as a father I could not see it.

    "You mustn''t be so downhearted, my dear. I too thought Alicia was a shy girl.

    A little dejected were Jonathan and Grace.

    As parents, they were more than a little shocked that they had failed to see the true nature of their daughter.

    But I think that''s understandable. Who would have thought that they could talk to a dragon?

    The same is true for Liese and Erika.

    "Alicia has always loved dragons. She used to read stories about them.

    "That said, it''s amazing that you''re not afraid of the real thing. I thought I was going to shit my pants!

    "Hey, Erica, don''t be shy!"

    Even your sister Liese was surprised!

    "I was surprised, but I didn''t pee my pants!¡¡Don''t say funny things in front of Sam!"

    "Yes, yes, I''m sorry."

    Even a friendly little dragon is said to be as powerful as the top ones.

    To Liese and Erika, who have experience in battle, it may have seemed like a terrifying threat had just arrived.

    "I wonder if even Kensei-sama can fight against a dragon - no, she never had a chance to fight in the first place..."

    "Not usually!"

    "Sam really fought well. And I''m glad you made it back in one piece."

    "Yes, it is!¡¡I was surprised when you said you were going to fight the dragon, but I am relieved to see you back here.

    "Thank you, Lise and Erica."

    As the sisters expressed their happiness that Sam was safe, Jonathan and the others, who had been depressed, looked up and smiled at him.

    "It''s been a hectic time, Sam, but we''re glad you''re back safe and sound. And once again, well done on your position as court wizard and on your rise to the most powerful position in the world. Congratulations."

    "Sam keeps me on the edge of my seat, but I am so proud of you."

    "Thank you, sir and madam!"

    Sam''s joy was overwhelmed by the compliments he received from both of them.

    He could not hide his joy at being recognized by Ur''s parents.

    "I thought I knew you were strong, but I guess I still underestimated you. I''m sorry."

    "No, you don''t need to apologize to me, because they were worried about me. Rather, I am sorry for making you worry.

    Sam himself was glad that the Countesses were concerned about him.

    Jonathan said that I underestimated him, but it was my fault for not showing all of my abilities properly.

    In fact, I am sorry that I have caused them so much worry.

    "I would have invited the Delights and the others to a celebration, but I''m sorry.

    No, this is not the time.

    Delight and his son are not here because they have gone home.

    G¨¹nther tried to follow them as if he were going back to his home, but a servant at his parents'' house said to him, "Enough, please come home! He returned to the duke''s house reluctantly.

    All three of them were happy for Sam''s safety and his victory over Albert as if it were their own.

    Especially Sinatra and his son, who had been humiliated by Albert, were even grateful to Sam.

    "But now that you''ve become a court wizard and the most powerful man in the world, I''d like to congratulate you in a big way," he said.

    "Well, well, my dear. Why don''t you change your mind at a later date?

    "Yes. I''d like to invite you, too, but I''m not sure if it''s right to let you get involved in human affairs or not, and leaving you alone is also a problem.

    Jonathan seems to be concerned about the burning dragon.

    (I''m sure they would normally join us if we invited them, but as the Master said, it''s not a good idea to get them involved in human troubles).

    We want the burning dragons to stretch their wings in a leisurely manner.

    Jonathan is a good man, but not all nobles are.

    There will be people who will try to take advantage of the dragons, and there is no guarantee that there will not be people like Albert and the Marquis of Gordon who will think that they are not worthy of them.

    Considering the future of the dragons, I was worried about letting them get involved with humans more than necessary.

    Besides, it was enough for Ur''s family to say "congratulations" to him, without having him throw a celebration.

    It would be a punishment if I wished for more.

    "By the way, sir..."

    What is it?

    "Actually, the king told me that I did a good job defeating Albert, what does that mean?"

    "Huh?¡¡Did His Majesty say that?"

    "What do you mean?"

    "No, I have no idea what that is."

    At Sam''s question, Jonathan took one look at his wife and daughters, who tilted their heads, and nodded.

    "...... I wouldn''t mind telling Sam or any of you. You know that Albert was an aristocrat, don''t you?"

    "Yes. I heard about you before.

    "Of course he has been at odds with the royalists, but he has also been doing whatever he wanted behind the scenes, as in this case. These are the things His Majesty wanted to stop."

    "Well..."

    "They were able to put on a big face because they had the strongest forces in the kingdom. But now that they''ve lost that, they won''t be able to do anything for a while. Besides..."

    "And?"

    "Those who were involved in the kidnapping of the Burning Dragon children will be severely punished. I''m sure His Majesty will show no mercy to those of a hostile faction.

    "What will happen?"

    The aristocracy is a real pain in the ass.

    Sam asks, thinking this inwardly.

    "The ringleaders and key players will not escape the death penalty. They were responsible for the destruction of this country. No matter what anyone says, we cannot resist. They''ll tear down our homes."

    "Wow."

    "Did you know that Albert was an earl?"

    "No. Was he an earl?

    I''m surprised that such a classless man even had a knighthood. It really doesn''t suit him.

    "All court wizards are given the title of count. Albert was originally a viscount, but his own family will have to take responsibility now that Albert is dead."

    "Oops."

    "You got what you deserved!¡¡He couldn''t get enough of making fun of Mr. Delight, and he even made a pass at Fran!"

    "Oh, my God, that''s so creepy!"

    Both Lise and Erica snicker at the idea that Albert''s family will be held responsible for their late son, as they should be.

    Lise, in particular, seems to feel more strongly about this, since her friend had been inconvenienced by Albert.

    As for Sam, he would be relieved if all of Albert''s bloodline that harassed Delight and Fran so much is destroyed.

    It would have been troublesome if he had remained in the family and had been resented.

    "His Majesty will inform you personally about Sam''s future. I''d like to ask you a few questions: ......"

    "Yes. Yes, sir?"

    Jonathan asked Sam, a little hesitantly.

    "Is it okay for Sam''s family name to remain Scheidt?"

    "Well, I don''t have any plans to change it, but why?"

    Unsure of the intent of the question, Sam tilted his head.

    Looking closer, he sees that not only Jonathan but also Grace is looking at Sam with concern.

    (Is there something wrong with being a shyte?¡¡I like the family name that Uru gave me.)

    "I know that you have had an unfavorable environment in your family home. But you are, by nature, a Samuel Reinbach. When you''re given a title, the family name stays with you. Can I keep the name Scheidt?"

    "No, I''m not a Reinbach anymore."

    "...... I see."

    "If it is not too much trouble for you and your wife, I would like to continue to be Samuel Scheidt. I would be more than happy to receive a knighthood and to keep the magical name of Ur as the family name forever."

    Hearing Sam''s honest response, Walker and his wife bowed deeply and expressed their gratitude.

    "--Thank you."

    Sam, who is not a parent, cannot imagine how much emotion was put into those words.

    But Sam, in his own way, wanted to leave what Ur left behind in this world.

    He was relieved that his parents had given their permission.

 101 - - 38 "Liese confessed to me".

    "Sam, can I have a word?"

    A day full of events, from the duel to the attack of the dragon.

    Lise came to Sam''s room.

    "Of course. Please come in."

    Lise, wearing a nightgown and what appeared to be only a hint of makeup, gave a small smile and said, "Thank you," and entered the room.

    "I''d like some tea if you don''t mind."

    "I''m sorry I came to visit you so unexpectedly."

    "I hope you don''t mind."

    I asked him to sit down on a chair and prepared the tea in a very efficient manner.

    Sam was just about to drink the tea because he could not sleep yet.

    Lately he had been reading the magic book left by Ur, but today he was a little tired and had not even opened the pages.

    "Oh, that''s a strange smell."

    "It is a tea from the land of the east, the land of the sun."

    He pours the light green liquid into a teacup.

    A calming aroma wafted through the room, tickling Sam and the others'' nostrils.

    "Here you go."

    "Thank you."

    They drank the tea without a word.

    £¨What''s the matter, Lise?¡¡You seem a little nervous. ...... Well, I guess I''m nervous too. A woman of your age alone in a room, I''m not just a little nervous, I''m a lot nervous.)

    Sam is a man.

    If a beautiful woman like Lise comes to your room in an unguarded state, you will be nervous.

    Especially, Lise is usually so close to me that I am conscious of her as a member of the opposite s*x.

    However, it is not right to have ill feelings toward Liese, who is like a family member.

    As a brother and a disciple, he tries to keep his composure.

    "It tastes different from tea, but it''s delicious. I like it."

    "I''m glad it was to your taste. I like tea too."

    In my previous life in Japan, I did not have much experience with tea, but now that I can drink it in this other world, I feel nostalgic.

    I have no desire or regrets to return to my former world, but it is quite a strange experience to be able to get something that I had in my former life in another world.

    "By the way, what can I do for you?"

    "A lot happened during the day, and I wanted to talk to you properly. Am I bothering you?"

    No, it''s not like that. I wanted to talk to Liese-sama, too.

    "Oh, I''m so glad. Sam - once again, congratulations on your position as court wizard and on being the most powerful."

    "Thank you."

    It tickles me when Lise, the master of close combat, praises me.

    "But I was so worried about you."

    "I''m sorry for your concern."

    "I''ve always wondered why Sam didn''t use his skills in training with me, but after seeing that, it makes sense. You didn''t dare."

    "Yes. My skills are dangerous. It wasn''t so dangerous before, but when I use it together with offensive magic, it has become something evil. You can''t use it easily in a normal fight.

    "I know. I don''t want to be cut in half like Albert. But I''m glad you won. To be honest, some people thought it was too much. But as long as Sam is safe, I don''t care about Albert.

    I was prepared for some people to say that it was too much.

    He had anticipated it all, and Sam had killed Albert to break all his fears.

    He knew that there was no harm in keeping him alive, and he did not know what kind of foolishness the defeated man would do if he was allowed to live.

    Taking his life would save him from regretting later that he should have killed him.

    "But I never thought you would fight the dragon afterwards..."

    "It''s true. And it was Albert''s fault.

    "As far as I''m concerned, he really didn''t do anything wrong. But it did teach me one thing.

    "What did you find out?¡¡Well, what is it?

    "That''s, you know, how I feel."

    "Are these the feelings of Liese-sama?"

    Unable to understand what she was saying, Sam tilted his head.

    Lise continued to speak to Sam.

    "You know, I have always thought of you as my little brother.

    "That''s very kind of you."

    "Hmmm, I was just so cute because he''s my first apprentice and he''s so worthwhile to teach.

    "I thank you too, Lise. Thanks to you, I have learned how to play close combat."

    "But--"

    Lise hesitated for a moment.

    But then, as if she had made up her mind, she spoke.

    "I found myself thinking about Sam more than about my brother.

    "Well, what does that mean?"

    "I was happy that he treated me the same way he did when he found out about my past, but I had feelings for Sam that I didn''t deserve."

    "Lise-sama?"

    I am at a loss to understand what she is trying to say.

    "I''ve been trying to hide these feelings from you. But then I realized that Sam was going to fight the dragon and that I might never see him again, so I thought I should at least tell him how I feel.

    I understood that the battle with the burning dragon had worried Liese greatly.

    Before Sam could say a word of apology, Liese continued to speak.

    "Listen, this is just something I want to tell you on my own, so you don''t have to reply or anything. I''d rather you keep this between us.

    "Ah, if Lise-sama says so. But what?

    "-I like you, Sam."

    "Heh?"

    I didn''t understand what he said.

    "I adore you as a man."

    Finally, Sam understood the meaning of Liese''s words.

    But he couldn''t hide his upset.

    £¨What?¡¡Huh?¡¡Huh?¡¡Liese-sama said that about me?)

    It was hard to believe that a beautiful woman and a master swordsman would fall in love with a child whose only skill was magic.

    It would be more convincing if she laughed at me and said, "I was only joking.

    But Lise''s face was too serious, her cheeks were slightly red and she was looking straight at me with moist eyes.

    Even Sam, who has little experience in love, could clearly see that her feelings were true.

    "Um, Lise-sama..."

    "I know you love your sister Ur. But I still wanted to tell you."

    Yes. It''s true that Sam still loves Ur.

    That will never change.

    I''m sure Sam will love Ur for the rest of his life.

    Ur never wanted that.

    He told me that one day he would be with someone else, have a family, and be happy.

    It is not an easy thing to do, even if it is the word of a loved one.

    So I only thought that such a time might come someday.

    But I never dreamed that Lise would tell me that she loved me.

    How could I not be happy to be liked by such a kind and charming person like Lise?

    Sam tries to find the words to reply.

    However, he was so upset and confused that he could not get the words out.

    Lise, perhaps sensing this, opens her mouth.

    "You don''t have to answer me. I just wanted to let you know how I feel.

    "Lise-sama, but..."

    "Really, it''s okay. I just want you to remember. I just want you to remember that there''s someone out there who loves you. Even though Ursula is gone, there are still people who care about him.

    Liese stood up and moved closer to Sam.

    Then she bent down and gently placed her own lips on Sam''s.

    "--!"

    "I''m sorry. But please forgive me for this."

    Lise smiles at Sam''s surprised, slightly mischievous face.

    Liese gently strokes Sam''s hair as he stiffens under the sudden confession and kiss,

    "Good night, Sam. Have a nice dream."

    With these words, he leaves the room.

    Sam tried to stop her, but he could not think of what to say to her and could not call her name.

    In the short time that followed, Lise left the room.

    Sam, who was left alone, put his hand to his lips,

    "--Lise-sama."

    He becomes even more nervous than when he fought the dragon.

    What should I look like when I meet Liese tomorrow?

    What will I say in reply?

    She said she doesn''t want it, but I think that''s also insincere.

    £¨What am I supposed to do?)

    The confession from the person he loved like a big sister made Sam spend sleepless nights.

 102 - - 39 At that time, Baron Reimbachs family (from Daphnes point of view)

    --In the Reinbach estate, a militant maid, ready for a trip and armed, was being pinned down by her old butler colleague as she was about to leave the house.

    "I''m coming, old man!"

    Stop it!

    "Don''t stop me, Mr. Derrick!"

    Daphne, the maid who screams at the door, is on her way to King''s Landing after hearing through the guild that her beloved Sam is going to duel with a court wizard in King''s Landing.

    Derrick, the old butler, is trying his best to stop Daphne.

    I will stop you. What''s the use of Daphne going to King''s Landing?

    "But my sweet little doggie is going to duel with a court wizard!¡¡And with the most powerful man in the country!

    "I am surprised, too, but Daphne''s going there will not cancel the duel. It will take him several days to get there in time for the duel if he leaves now.

    "--I hate being in the country!"

    Derrick sighed in exasperation as Daphne put her hands on the clean floor and wept bitterly.

    "You''re not the only one, the servants are worried about little Sam," Daphne said. Even though he can use magic, he is still only a child, and they wonder if he can fight against Albert Frege.

    "I received information from the guild that you are not a very flattering person."

    "I don''t want to judge his character by gossip, but he seems to be a man who has achieved the highest position in the world only on the basis of his abilities. But I also heard that the duel that took place was not a very flattering one.

    "I can''t allow this Daphne to see a pretty little girl fight against such a barbaric person!"

    "So, I''m afraid there''s nothing we can do. I hear that Sam Botchan has found a good teacher. Then he will guide us.

    "--I wish that were true."

    "Besides, Daphne has a lot of work to do, I won''t miss it. Now, Yolanda wants to see you.

    Daphne''s face turns pale at the mention of the name Yolanda.

    Daphne got up and tried to escape, but Derrick caught her by the collar.

    Daphne flailed her legs and resisted.

    "No more!¡¡I don''t want to be subjected to that selfish old hag''s tantrums!"

    "You''re the only one I can deal with, so what can I do?"

    Now, Daphne and the other servants were having too much trouble with Yolanda, Baroness Reinbach''s daughter.

    It all started when Manion, the second son of the Baroness Reinbach family, had kicked Sam, the eldest son, out of the house without permission, which had angered his father.

    The incident occurred just as a marriage proposal between Sam and the barons was about to be finalized.

    The other party was furious because his daughter was very fond of Sam.

    Of course, Mannion''s father Carius was furious too, but his son showed no remorse, and Yolanda was happy to see the son-in-law gone and defended Mannion.

    Carius, fed up with this, decided to stay at his mistress''s house and take her as his concubine.

    Harriet, his mistress, was a good-natured town girl who was a great comfort to Carius, who had a wife with a bad temper.

    Moreover, Harriet has a son named Harry.

    Unlike Manion, he was a good boy who never stopped smiling and striving with his sword.

    He was also a talented swordsman.

    How could Carius not love him?

    As a result, Carius invited Harriet to his house as his wife and Harry as his successor.

    Yolanda would not keep quiet about this.

    She had been acting arrogantly as the head of the household, taking the servants under her chin, and throwing tantrums and raging if she didn''t like it.

    Fearing that her life of freedom and the future of her beloved son would be ruined, Yolanda attempted to murder Harriet and Harry.

    It was too rash an act.

    Instead of doing it herself, she ordered her servants to poison their food.

    Of course, no servant would follow the orders of the detestable Yolanda, and Carius told on her.

    As a result, Carius, enraged by the foolishness of his beloved wife, has left Yolanda under house arrest in a corner of the house.

    Since then, he has been told that he is to take care of her only minimally.

    Daphne and the other maids'' only duties are to bring her food and to watch her when she leaves her room.

    But Yolanda, even in such a situation, still says, "It''s not my fault!" I am the victim!" The maids who took care of her kept saying, "If you don''t stand up for me, you''ll hurt my family! He was hated even more and was not taken seriously because of his threats.

    Since then, he seemed to believe that only Daphne, whom he had known for a long time, was on his side, and he repeatedly called her up, complained, and threw tantrums.

    "They hated us to begin with, and then they ordered us to commit murder, and now they are complaining that it was our fault that they failed," he said. I mean, his new wife is a very good person, there''s no way she''ll take sides with that old hag."

    "...... It was an attempted murder. The master seems to have given up on her completely after this one incident and is in the process of divorcing her."

    "Oh, that''s wonderful."

    "Yolanda will not be pleased, but you should be thankful that we have only been separated. I heard that Master Harriet admonished Master Yolanda when he became enraged and brought out his sword. She said it was her fault and not to take care of it.

    He is a man who was able to survive the attempt on his life. I mean, if she wanted to kill him, she would''ve done it to her husband, not his wife. It''s the Master who made a woman and changed his wife and successor.

    As for Daphne, she does not care if Callius is killed for his disdain for Sam.

    I only think it''s a pity that Yolanda got what she deserved.

    "I don''t think the old hag and the little shit have a future as nobles anymore. They''ll be punished for making the old lady suffer so much. It''s a nice feeling."

 103 - - 40 "At that time, Baron Reimbachs (Daphnes point of view)" â‘£

    "By the way, Mr. Manion''s fianc¨¦e''s parents have officially contacted us to break off the engagement."

    "I''m sure."

    Manion''s fianc¨¦e was the daughter of a viscountess who had taken a liking to Sam.

    The daughter disliked Mannion very much, but she could not disobey the order of the family and became the fianc¨¦e of the heir to the Reinbach family.

    However, Mannion lost the position of the heir to Harry.

    Then, there was no more merit for the daughter to be engaged to Manion.

    "The little shit threw a tantrum and tried to do something terrible, just like his mother. I shudder to think of him as a pre-adult child."

    Like his mother Yolanda, Manion was furious at being deprived of his heirship and tried to hurt Harry in the name of training, just as he had once done to Sam.

    He may have wanted to kill him if possible.

    However, he could not show his talent with the sword because of his lack of exercise and his fat frame, and he was easily beaten back.

    Daphne and the others wondered why Manion, who had never made a proper effort, thought he could beat Harry, who was also talented but had never put in any effort.

    Daphne and the others wondered why Manion, who had never made a serious effort, thought he could beat Harry.

    Karius, who had kept the fat, arrogant Mannion out of his sight, and with a bad temper, took advantage of the opportunity to loudly proclaim Harry as his official successor.

    Mannion, too, seems to have been shocked by the fact that he had been defeated by a much older opponent without even striking a blow, and is now under house arrest in a corner of the mansion with his mother.

    He seems to have lost his self-confidence and is depressed, but instead of cheering him up, Yolanda throws tantrums and accuses him of being a useless pig, and this vicious cycle of depression continues.

    But there is no one in the house who cares about them.

    "Yolanda-sama''s parents have been informed of this incident, and the master has asked them to take her in. ......"

    Is there a problem?

    He says he doesn''t want a stupid daughter who attempted murder and a fat grandson who is good for nothing.

    "Well, that''s all I have to do. Then what are you going to do with them?

    As for Daphne, she would like to see these two troublesome people gone as soon as possible.

    Especially since he has a grudge against Sam for mistreating him for so many years.

    Who would want to take care of them?

    "The Master is going to kick them out. There''s no one to object."

    "Of course. Well, I don''t care about those idiots. They''ll kick us out or they''ll die, whatever they want. What I''m more concerned about is you!

    "Speaking of little Sam..."

    "Was there anything else besides the duel?"

    "No, well, it seems that the Master has heard about the duel with the court wizard, and he can no longer ignore it."

    "--That''s nonsense."

    Daphne spat.

    "Didn''t the master already stated publicly that Samuel Reinbach is dead? What are you saying now?

    "Yes, but it seems that the baroness, who was very fond of little Sam, has heard about it and is very upset about it.

    The daughter became Manion''s fianc¨¦e reluctantly because of Sam''s death.

    However, she was furious when she found out that he was still alive.

    When Mannion was removed as the heir apparent, she asked him to break off the engagement.

    "I can understand your daughter''s anger. I had given up on being the little bastard''s fiancee because he was dead, but if I found out that he was still alive, I would have said screw you too."

    Daphne felt deep sympathy for the girl who had unwillingly become Manion''s fianc¨¦e.

    It is sad that she has to marry according to her parents'' wishes, even if it is to strengthen relations between factions.

    It may be a nobleman''s duty, but as a woman, I feel sorry for her.

    "The master says that talent with a sword is all that matters, but most people value a rare wizard more than a swordsman. Swordsmen at the level of saints are rarer than wizards, but there are plenty of skilled swordsmen in the knightly orders.

    "It makes no difference. To be honest, I''m more surprised than surprised, but a boy who can duel with a court magician must be very good. It''s not just a talent for magic. Rather, he is much more valuable than a little brat who can use a sword a little.

    Derrick nodded in agreement with Daphne''s words.

    Wizards are rare and even fewer reach the level of court wizards.

    This is because of the importance of innate qualities, and some people are thankful for their magical powers as a gift from the gods.

    On the other hand, swordsmen can reach a certain level through hard work, although talent is also important.

    It is difficult to become the best swordsman in this country, but it is possible to reach the level where you can join the knighthood if you make a reasonable effort.

    But it is not difficult to understand which talent is more valuable, the magic or the sword.

    £¨You were born in the wrong house. No, it''s true that he met me because of that, but I wish he had been born in a family that praised and developed his talent for magic.)

    "The Master has not mentioned it, but I can see that he is upset inside. Even his friends in the family are chastising him for giving up little Sam."

    "Suck on that."

    If the Reinbachs did not want Sam, other families would have wanted him.

    Magic is that rare.

    "It seems that little Sam is being taken care of by Count Walker in King''s Landing.

    "Countess Walker?"

    They are nobles of the royalist faction that is hostile to the aristocratic faction to which the master belongs. Therefore, they are accusing us of what a thing to do, handing over a rare wizard, a boy whose abilities are comparable to those of a court wizard, to a rival faction.

    "I think he got what he deserved."

    He tried to hide the fact that Sam had run away from home and died, but if he was dueled openly in the capital like this, it would be revealed to be a lie.

    Before that, many knew that it was an agonizing lie on the part of Carius.

    "However, this may not be a good situation for little Sam.

    "Is something wrong?"

    "I think the Master is thinking of bringing little Sam back to the mansion."

    "--That''s ridiculous!"

    "The Master says that it was Manion who kicked him out, and since Manion is no longer in the house, he should come back."

    "No, no, no, they can''t come back!¡¡What are you doing, sir, shifting all the responsibility on the little bastard?

    From Daphne''s point of view, Manion was just as guilty for bullying her and Karius was just as guilty for neglecting her because of her lack of talent with a sword.

    The greater sin is that of Karius, who is a father but abandoned his child-rearing duties.

    "The Master seems to think that little Sam will follow his orders."

    "You have a very flowery mind, Master."

    "So, it''s not going to be good for little Sam. Daphne,

    If you hear from Sam Boy, tell him all about this and ask him to be on the alert."

    "Yes, sir. However, if you''re being taken care of by the Count''s family, I don''t think the power of a baron in the countryside would be much of a challenge.

    "It would not hurt to warn them that if they don''t listen to us, we will use force against them."

    "I can only imagine how badly they''ll be beaten back, but yes, they will. I understand."

    Even though Karius excels in the martial arts, he is not strong enough to win against a court magician.

    At best, he would be a captain of a knighthood.

    I have never heard that he has the skill to slay magic, so I don''t think he would be able to do anything if he was shot from a distance with magic.

    (-It would be a good idea to go to the royal capital under the guise of informing Botchana of the situation.)

    Daphne smiles at such a thought.

    (Nevertheless, let''s first pray that Bocchanma''s duel will be over without incident. (But first, let us pray that Botchana''s duel will end well, but I believe in you. (But first, let''s pray that Bocchan-san''s duel will end well, but I believe that Bocchan-san, who aspires to be the most powerful magician in the future, will be able to overcome such a small problem!)

    --A few days later, Daphne''s wish was granted, and Sam won the duel and took the title of the most powerful man in the world.

 104 - - 41 "Mr. Mokuren came to the house."

    The morning of the next day, after a hectic day of dueling with Albert, a fierce battle with a burning dragon, and the rescue of the dragon children who were being held captive.

    A burning dragon visited Sam in his room with dark circles around his eyes.

    She demanded that Sam serve her tea, and sat down on the sofa with her legs crossed, looking very much like she owned the place.

    There was a cup of tea that the maid had brought a while ago, so she poured it into the cup with her own and handed it to the dragon.

    Sam did not sit down on the sofa as she did, but looked out the window and waited for the arrival of Magnolia, the first seat of the court wizard who would come all the way to the Count''s house for the treatment.

    "Hmm. The human dwelling and the food were not so bad after all.

    Sipping tea gracefully, the scorching dragon says something like that with a not-so-satisfied look on his face.

    Sam looked at her and smiled.

    "That''s good to hear."

    "What, you haven''t had enough sleep?¡¡You don''t look very bright, do you?"

    "No, yes, I know, but let''s leave it at that."

    "I don''t know, but I get it."

    Last night, I couldn''t sleep at all, partly because of Lise''s confession.

    In the end, I spent the morning in agony on the bed without an answer for her.

    £¨How should I look at Lise?)

    Ur, the love of his life, wanted him to fall in love and have a family.

    He would never be able to forget Ur, but he hoped that one day such a day would come.

    To reassure his late master, he wanted to be happy for her as well.

    I think it is my filial duty as a disciple.

    However, I never once thought that I would be irreverent enough to take Liese as a partner.

    Therefore, her confession came out of the blue.

    "By the way, I heard you were talking with Alicia-sama until late?"

    Almost caught in another whirlpool of thoughts, Sam turned the subject to the burning dragon.

    She smiled cheerfully and nodded her head in agreement, perhaps remembering what had happened last night.

    Alicia is a good girl. As a mother, I am sad that my children all miss her, but I am happy that they have made friends. She speaks to me with a smile and does not hesitate to talk to me. There will be few girls like her."

    "Alicia, you are amazing!"

    Alicia, who is not good with men and has a weak side, is again surprised to see that she is not afraid of dragons.

    She had read many stories with dragons in them, and she seemed to be pleased to see them in real life, but Sam and the rest of her family could not believe that she, who had no fighting skills, would befriend a dragon that was called a natural disaster.

    However, Alicia seems to be gentle and kind, and is well-liked by the dragon and her children.

    "She has a soft atmosphere. That''s what we fantasy species like."

    "I know Alicia-sama has a soft mood, but..."

    You humans wouldn''t understand. Even we can only guess. But Alicia likes her not only because of the atmosphere but because she is a good and honest person at heart. She is not afraid of us and sees us as we are. I have never met such a person before."

    "That''s very kind of you, Alicia."

    In fact, Alicia is a very nice girl.

    It took some time for Sam to get used to her, but when I told her about Ur or when I told her about my time in different places, she seemed very happy to hear me.

    Every time I told her a story, she would put so many different expressions on her pretty face, as if she was enjoying a play, that I could not help but put a lot of effort into my speaking voice.

    They are also very attentive to Sam''s concerns even though he is a family member who has lost Ur.

    This is true for Lise and all the other members of Count Walker''s family.

    Needless to say, the Countesses were kind-hearted people.

    "Mmm. Yesterday, they even washed the children and me carefully in the bath. Her clothes are comfortable. Alicia has been very kind to me. If only we had people like that, we could live in peace.

    "If all humans were like Alicia, we could live in peace without conflict.

    "No doubt."

    Sam and the burning dragon looked at each other and laughed.

    Then they heard the sound of a carriage outside their window.

    They looked out the window and saw a large, ornately decorated carriage parked in front of the house.

    "Oops, while I was talking to you, it seems that Magnolia-sama has arrived."

    The burning dragon moves next to Sam and looks at the carriage in the same way.

    "Oh. Is there the best recovery wizard in the country there? He''s quite a magician.

    "You know what I mean?"

    Of course. I know that you have a great deal of magic power, and that you have another powerful magic power, and that you have a fetter on the second magic power."

    "--Oops. I''m going to have to ask you to keep that to yourself."

    I am not surprised that he easily found out that I have two magical powers.

    We are dealing with a dragon that is far beyond human beings.

    This much is to be expected.

    Sam puts his index finger to his mouth and poses for silence.

    The scorching dragon grimaces and sniffs.

    "Hmm. I have no one to say it to. But I don''t like the fact that you didn''t give it your all when you fought me.

    "I did my best. My body''s not ready to handle too much magic. That''s all I could do."

    Had the fight lasted a little longer, I would have unleashed my skills, but now I am truly glad it didn''t come to that.

    "You are still a child, aren''t you? You''re small in stature."

    "I''m not small!¡¡Because when you grow up, you''ll grow up even more!"

    Sam is only 14 years old, but he is about 160 centimeters tall.

    He is slightly shorter than the average height in Japan in his previous life, but he does not think he is too small.

    I think it has something to do with his diet.

    The food in this world is not bad by any means, but it is simple.

    There is no one who cares about nutritional balance, and many of them live too simple a life for a commoner.

    Although I have been planning to showcase some of my own ideas on food, I have not had the time or the luxury to do so until now.

    "By the way, I haven''t used the skill that cut through my child''s fetters..."

    "That skill is too useless. You can either use it with extreme restraint or you can use it with all your might. If I had used it on you, you''d be in pieces by now.

    f*ck you. My scales could withstand it."

    I don''t know," I thought to myself, but I did not say it.

    It would be a pain in the ass if they wanted a rematch.

    Sam moved away from the window and stood in front of the mirror to adjust his appearance.

    He is about to meet the first of the court wizards and he does not want to be rude.

    As he is getting ready, there is a knock at the door.

    Before Sam can answer, the burning dragon moves silently and opens the door.

    "Master Sam, Master Burning Dragon, Master Magnolia is here!

    Alicia, riding on the back of a dragon cub, came to call us.

    When the dragon cubs found Sam, they purred happily, and I couldn''t help but smile as I stroked all three of them in turn.

    Thank you, Alicia! But I see that you have become very good friends with them.

    "Yes!¡¡I really wanted to sleep with you, but you looked so tired. But he seems to have regained his strength and has been with us since this morning!

    "My children have been all over Alicia since breakfast time."

    A burning dragon smiles with a mother''s face.

    She watched with satisfaction as Alicia and her dragon cubs made friends.

    "When you have time, Sam-sama-sama, let''s play together.

    Yes, please let me join you. I have to go now. We can''t keep Mr. Magnolia waiting. Come on."

    He urged the burning dragon and left the room with her.

    "I can only use a minimal amount of recovery magic, thank God.

    "It''s not every day you get hurt enough to need medical attention."

    "You should be proud. You are the first person who has ever hurt me this badly.

    It''s an honor.

    As he walked to the reception room, Sam and the scorching dragon exchanged light banter, but there was something that was bothering him a little.

    (Normally, Liese-sama would have called for me, but ...... it was yesterday and today, or is it awkward?¡¡(Or am I thinking too much?)

    I haven''t seen Liese yet today, whom I see every day.

    I felt so lonely.

 105 - - 42 "I was told that my grandchild was my daughter-in-law." â‘ 

    "How do you do, Mr. Burning Dragon, Samuel Scheidt? My name is Shih Lily Magnolias. I am a restoration wizard in the first seat of the court wizards.

    In the reception room of the Earl of Walker''s house, a woman in her mid-fifties smiled kindly.

    She sat on the sofa with a calm demeanor that conveyed an air of serenity.

    Her indigo hair, which had a hint of gray in it, was tied in a bun at the top of her head.

    The clothes he wore were different from those we see in the Kingdom of Skye, and appeared to be traditional clothing.

    "Hello, my name is Samuel Scheidt. Thank you very much for coming.

    "Thanks for your help."

    Sam greets him politely while sitting on the sofa, to which the scorching dragon responds irreverently with his legs crossed.

    Sam poked her with his elbow, but her attitude did not change.

    "No, Samuel-sama fought for this country, and the dragon is a victim. It is only natural that we should help him.

    "Thank you."

    There are no members of the Countess Walker family here.

    The counts who greeted Magnolia first are waiting in another room for him to finish his treatment.

    "Well, let''s start the treatment right away. Excuse me, Mr. Burning Dragon.

    "Yes, please."

    Magnolia stood up, went behind the cross-legged Burning Dragon, covered her body gently as if hugging her, and poured magic power into her.

    "I guess that''s what a dragon is like. Most of the wounds seem to be healed. I don''t know whether I should be surprised at the dragon''s resilience, or be amazed at Samuel-sama for inflicting this much damage.

    While Magnolia is smiling, the dragon''s wounds are healing.

    The visible lacerations were closed by simple recovery magic and the dragon''s healing power, but not even its inner self was healed.

    As a proof of this, there were many bruises on the skin peeking through the burning dragon''s clothes.

    However, those bruises are disappearing neatly by Magnolia''s recovery magic.

    "--Ho! That''s a wonderful restorative magic. Thank you.

    "I am honored by your compliments. Now, the next one is Samuel.

    Please do.

    In one breath, Magnolia had finished treating the burning dragon, and then began to treat Sam.

    He wrapped his arms around Sam''s body in the same way, and began to flow magic power into him.

    "...... This is amazing."

    I could feel the soft, warm magic flowing into me.

    I could feel my body healing from the inside out.

    The dull aches and pains in Sam''s body disappeared one after another, and his body became lighter.

    Within a minute, Sam was completely healed.

    "It''s over. Are you both feeling any discomfort?

    "No. I''m cured. Now we can un-humanize him.

    "I have no problem either. Thank you, Mr. Magnolia.

    When Sam thanked him, Magnolia smiled and nodded.

    He returned to the sofa, sipped the still steaming tea, and exhaled heavily.

    "Hmm. Age makes us tired of using magic, doesn''t it? Well, Samuel..."

    "Yes?"

    "I have a question for you."

    "What is it?"

    After the preamble, Magnolia looked Sam straight in the eye and then opened her mouth.

    I have lived my life thinking that my mission is to heal the wounded, regardless of race or species.

    I think it''s admirable.

    "Thank you. That is why I do not approve of the taking of life. So let''s ask the question. Was it necessary to kill Albert Frege?

    "Yes, there was."

    When asked by Magnolia the same question that the king had asked him, Sam answered clearly and unequivocally.

    "Did you have any doubts?"

    Yes, he insulted my master, my family, and the people I care about. I couldn''t forgive him. He also brought this country to an unprecedented crisis with his illegal trade of illusory species and demons. Even if I had not done what I did, they would have been executed.

    There was no reason to keep Albert alive.

    A person like that would not admit to something that is wrong with him and often resents it.

    There was a good chance that someone I cared about might get hurt because of my unnecessary mercy.

    In that case, it would be much better to kill them without leaving any sorrow.

    "Certainly, the death penalty would have been unavoidable. His Majesty decided to destroy the Count of Freige and his family, the Viscounts. Albert''s father was executed for his crime, and the rest of his family and relatives were deported.

    "I think that''s all I did."

    I have no sympathy.

    Albert''s parents are responsible for not disciplining their son to prevent him from doing such a thing.

    "I agree with you, but I was against the harsh punishment.

    "Mokuren-sama, please cherish your thoughts, Mokuren-sama. I will go my own way."

    No matter how many times Sam would have made the same choice, no matter how many times Magnolia might have disagreed.

    He would do the same again and again, even if someone like Albert comes along in the future.

    I like Mokuren''s kindness, but it is only Mokuren''s idea, not Sam''s.

    For some reason, Magnolia smiled at Sam''s opinion.

    "It''s nice to be young. They are so straight, which is dazzling and enviable. What do you think, Mr. Samuel? Will you marry my grandson?"

 106 - - 43 "I was told that my grandchild was my daughter-in-law." â‘¡

    "--Why would they do that?"

    Sam was dumbfounded, not understanding why the story had to be about marrying Magnolia''s granddaughter.

    (Wasn''t he just talking about something a little more serious?)

    Magnolia is still smiling.

    "Well, I guess it''s a good match."

    "Sam."

    "What, you suddenly interrupted me?"

    The scorching dragon taps Sam lightly on the shoulder.

    I expected her to give me a helping hand or something, but she gave me a thumbs up.

    I don''t know about you, but you should try to make a baby. It''s good to have kids."

    "Mind your own business!"

    She screams at the useless mother dragon.

    As Sam tried to get his head around what had happened, Mokuren continued to speak.

    "If you like, we can set up a date for a blind date later.

    "Wait, no."

    "She is eighteen years old, a little older than Samuel, but she is a good-natured girl.

    No, that''s why.

    I will speak to Count Walker myself.

    Listen to me!

    Now that the treatment is over, I will report to the Count about the matchmaking as well.

    Sam had been trying to be civil, but he finally lost his patience and shouted at Magnolia, who kept on going on and on with his story.

    Not showing the slightest sign of being offended by Sam, Magnolia bowed and walked out of the room with a "Oh-hohoho" smile on her face.

    "Oh, she really left without listening to me!¡¡Is this a matchmaking process!"

    "Well, isn''t it a good thing you found a partner?"

    The burning dragon gives a curious look to Sam, who holds his head in his hands.

    "It''s not like it''s a done deal. Besides, I''m still a minor.

    "But you can have children, can''t you?"

    "Yeah, well, maybe."

    Sam is a boy of age. He has a libido like anyone else.

    He''s a functioning man.

    However, just as in his previous life, he has not had the opportunity to procreate in this life.

    Then there is no problem. I hear that you are strong and have earned your place. Then is it not your duty to procreate and bequeath blood in the next?¡¡Rather, why hesitate?"

    "The dragon made me sound like a human!"

    "You seem to misunderstand, but we dragons do not live freely either. Strong individuals like me have a duty to preserve the blood of our kind.

    "Oh, really? Humans and dragons both have their ties, don''t they?

    That''s just the way it is."

    Sam is not just aiming for the top of the wizard world without a second thought.

    He knew that although being a court wizard was just a passing phase, there were certain ties that came with the position in a country.

    "No one knows where or with whom he will find his true love. It might be a good thing for you to meet Magnolia''s granddaughter.

    "Well, I don''t know if that''s true.

    My husband and I had a contentious relationship, but we were surprisingly compatible as a couple.

    You have a husband?

    Of course. Now I''m away from here. But I''m happy for you, Sam.

    "Yeah?"

    The scorching dragon began to laugh wickedly.

    "If it had been my husband who attacked the country this time, the country would have been destroyed for sure."

    That''s a horrifying thought.

    "Well, now that you''ve been cured, I think it''s time for me to go."

    "What?¡¡Where?"

    "Now that my wounds are healed, I''m going to take another bath. That''s good. Soaking in hot water feels really good!

    "I''m glad you''re enjoying human life to the fullest."

    "Mm!"

    The burning dragon, his wounds now completely healed, walked lightly toward the bathroom.

    When I think of the scene of the dragon that had attacked this country to destroy it being absorbed in taking a bath, I can''t help but smile.

    I am glad that she and her children do not hate humans, even though the encounter was a terrible one.

    "But still... Marriage..."

    Sam, left alone, sighs as he sips his cold cup of tea.

    Her beloved Ur is gone, but she wants Sam to move on.

    Moving forward is not only about magic.

    It means falling in love with someone, getting married, raising a family, leaving behind blood.

    "I''m still a minor.

    I''ve only just lost Ur and I miss her every day.

    But I''m trying not to let her down, I''m looking forward and taking it one step at a time, day by day.

    I don''t know if I will ever find a better woman than Ur, but I don''t doubt that one day I may be able to start a family with someone.

    But I have no intention of erasing or hiding my love for Ur, only if there is a woman who will accept me for who I am.

    "That''s a difficult thing to do, isn''t it?"

    I wonder what it would be like if it were me.

    I have someone I want to marry and I am always number two.

    It would be disrespectful to them and I don''t think we could be a real family.

    What am I supposed to do if I''ve never been in a relationship before?

    In Sam''s mind, the face of Lise, who confessed her love to him last night, comes to mind.

    She is a very attractive person.

    She was a respectful woman who had a painful past but was looking forward to the future.

    I wanted to support her, but I never expected that she would confess her feelings to me.

    I wonder why she confessed herself to me.

    "I have to give a proper answer to Liese-sama before I meet Magnolia-sama''s grandchildren. But what should I do?

    Sam was still unable to give an answer to the question, and the time was passing in vain.

 107 - - 44 "Its about your husband and Mr. Mokuren." â‘ 

    Excuse me. Count Walker. I''ve finished treating Master Burning Dragon and Samuel, and I''ve come to inform you..."

    "Oh, thank you very much, Mr. Magnolia. Please have a seat."

    Jonathan Walker, who had been putting away papers in his room, sat up and bowed as Magnolia was ushered in by the maid.

    Jonathan was courteous to the Earl because he was the first seat of the court wizard and his superior, although he had the same rank as the Earl.

    "Thank you very much. Please don''t hesitate."

    Jonathan sits down so that he is facing Magnolia on the sofa.

    "You must be tired. If you don''t mind, let me offer you a glass of wine, but you don''t drink alcohol, do you? Then let me prepare some tea for you.

    "Thank you for your concern."

    I looked over to the maid who was waiting in the room, and she quickly prepared a cup of tea.

    The rich aroma of the tea wafted into the room, and then a teacup was placed in front of both of them.

    They moistened their throats before talking, and Magnolia was the first to open her mouth.

    "Samuel is a straight and good boy, isn''t he?

    "Yes. I''m really looking forward to seeing your future, since you are so good at magic.

    I agree with you. That''s why I don''t understand why the Baroness Reinbach gave up such a great talent like him.

    Jonathan was surprised to hear the name "Reinbach" come out of Magnolia''s mouth.

    "Did you know?"

    "Well, you see, Lord Samuel became famous overnight. The youngest court wizard, the most powerful wizard in the Kingdom of Skye, and good enough to fight dragons on equal terms - he''s too good to ignore. I''m sure the Count has been in touch with you in various ways."

    "You seem to know what I''m talking about. As a matter of fact, since this morning, we have received numerous offers for Sam as a son-in-law.

    All the paperwork Jonathan had been putting away was a matchmaking offer for Sam.

    "He is still a minor, despite his impressive fighting skills. He''s still a minor, and he''s not related to his family. He would be a perfect match for her."

    "What is a headache is that I get letters from aristocrats asking me, a royalist, to arrange a meeting with them. Moreover, they include a picture of your daughter.

    Jonathan is more than a little amused by the offer from the rival faction to set up a match.

    As he looks bitter, Magnolia gives him a wry smile.

    "I guess they think they can get away with it if they can get him as a son-in-law."

    "If you can think of manipulating him at will after seeing his abilities, I''m impressed.

    "The aristocrats must be desperate. Albert, the Marquis of Gordon, and all the aristocrats who were associated with him are gone. It must be more convenient for the Earls of Walker.

    "You are right. For us, the royalists, this is a good opportunity to destroy the aristocrats.

    You will not be able to dismantle the aristocracy.

    Even if we do, there is a possibility that another faction will be born or a small knight faction will grow.

    It is best to keep them at a level where they cannot move.

    I would like to put a quick end to the stupid factional strife within the country, starting with the king.

    However, it will not be easy because factional strife has always been a negative aspect of the aristocracy.

    What do you think of the future of Samuel, Count?

    What do you mean by "how?"

    Jonathan asked back, not understanding the intent of Magnolia''s question.

    "As I told you earlier, I would like to marry my granddaughter, Karen, to Lord Samuel," he said.

    "--Mokuren-dono?"

    Jonathan''s voice was puzzled by Mokuren''s too-sudden idea.

    Magnolia kept smiling and continued talking.

    "We, the Purple Clan, are a family whose mission is to leave behind the blood of a great wizard," he said.

    "I know."

    If Jonathan remembers correctly, the Purple Clan is a family from a country on a continent far from the Kingdom of Skye.

    They were skilled in various kinds of magic and served the king of that land.

    But the country became corrupt and civil war broke out. The ancestors of Magnolia got fed up with this and fled their country, moving from place to place, taking in the blood of excellent wizards in various places, until they ended up in the Kingdom of Skye.

    With such ancestry, Magnolia, her husband, her daughter and her husband''s wife, and her granddaughter were all magically gifted.

    "My granddaughter, like me, is skilled in recovery magic, and even if she is not favored by her relatives, she is probably an excellent magician. I think she will be a good partner for Samuel.

 108 - - 45 "Its about your husband and Mr. Mokuren." â‘¡

    To Magnolia, who was pushing for his granddaughter to be Sam''s partner, Jonathan made it very clear.

    "--I would like to have Sam as my son.

    Jonathan wants to keep Sam, not because of his abilities, but simply because he likes him.

    The house has been brighter since he arrived.

    Things get hectic, but he misses it as if it were when he had his eldest daughter.

    And I want to protect him from the aristocratic clutches.

    "Alicia or Erica?¡¡But I thought you both had fianc¨¦es."

    At Magnolia''s point, Jonathan shakes his head with a bitter look on his face.

    "Alicia''s just a guy wooing her," Jonathan said. We''ve known each other for a long time, so I haven''t been able to say no clearly, but I''m not going to let her get married if she doesn''t want to. As for Erica, she has been asked to marry into a family she is friends with, but it has not been decided yet."

    The Earl of Walker has other close family members besides the Dukes of Ignaz.

    G¨¹nther is not the only childhood friend of the sisters.

    Jonathan has no intention of forcing his daughters into a marriage they do not want. Even if it is with Sam, he will not change his opinion.

    In the same way, he did not want Sam to have an unwanted marriage.

    "At the moment, I have no intention of forcing Sam to marry my daughter."

    The Count did not dare mention Lise''s name.

    From a parent''s point of view, he knows that Lise loves Sam more than her brother.

    But they cannot rush their daughter, who has once suffered a painful marriage, nor can they destroy their current relationship.

    Sam has not even been gone a month since he lost his beloved Ur.

    "I see. Then, why don''t we adopt Sam as the Count''s son and make him related to the Purple Clan?"

    "Your family and mine?"

    I do not belong to any faction. I do not belong to any faction because I believe in equality of treatment.

    I bow to your thoughts.

    "But if you will make Lord Samuel my granddaughter-in-law, I will be a royalist."

    Are you serious?

    "I''m serious."

    Why are you so interested in Sam?

    Jonathan was surprised to see such a forceful side to the normally calm Magnolia.

    "I am genuinely worried about my granddaughter. There are many people in my family who wish to make a marriage proposal. However, there are those who would prefer that everyone be related to a court wizard, or worse, that I or my grandson be used as a cure-all. I do not want my granddaughter to marry such a person.

    "I understand your feelings."

    "Besides, my grandson Hualien is a good boy, but he is also a very naughty boy. So I just had a gut feeling that Samuel would be a good choice.

    Whether she was simply a grandmother thinking of her grandchildren, or whether she had other motives in mind, Jonathan was not able to fully comprehend all of Magnolia''s feelings.

    However, he could not give an answer at this moment.

    He did not want to force Sam, who was as cute as his son, into a marriage he did not want.

    He doesn''t even know what kind of person Shi Hualian is.

    I would like to respect Sam''s wishes.

    After thinking about it, this was the only answer I could come up with.

    He had included a distant refusal, but Magnolia understood Jonathan''s feelings and smiled.

    "If you wish, my grandson can be a concubine. The count''s daughter will be his wife and his grandson will be his wife. Isn''t that one way to make a match?

    Let''s be honest. Sam has feelings for someone.

    "Yes, I know that Samuel adores Ulrike. But he is still young and should move on. I know this may sound like over meddling, but he needs a partner for the rest of his life. There was a time when I was so absorbed in magic that I thought I would never get married, but then I met my husband and we became happy. I want my grandchildren and Lord Samuel to be happy not only as wizards but also as human beings."

    Magnolia seems to have a lot of information.

    Sam is not hiding it, nor does he want to hide it, but he still adores Ur.

    But the fact that Mokuren, with whom he has had no contact until today, knows of this feeling suggests that she has also investigated Sam in advance.

    "I will let Sam know what you think, Mokuren-dono."

    "Thank you very much. There is one more thing I would like you to keep in mind.

    What is it?

    We have information that some of the houses are plotting to entangle Lord Samuel in order to get to him as quickly as possible.

    "Involvement, in other words, with women. That''s a lot of trouble.

    Probably from the aristocracy.

    There are many other houses that would love to have the blood of a wizard in their midst.

    "Lord Samuel is still young. I don''t think he is as slutty with women as Albert is, but you never know with men and women. I do not want him to be taken advantage of, so please be careful.

    "Thank you very much for your advice."

    After finishing his story about Sam, Jonathan saw Magnolia off on his way home with his family.

    Of course, Sam was there, too.

    He gave him a puzzled look and left with a beaming smile on his face.

 109 - - 46 "Its Lieses determination and my feelings" â‘ 

    Jonathan Walker sat on the bed in his bedroom in his robe and sighed loudly.

    His wife Grace, who was applying lotion to his face, calls out to him from the mirror.

    You look tired.

    "Yeah, it''s been a heady day."

    "Is something troubling you?"

    I''ve been talking to Sam about a marriage proposal.

    "--Well!"

    Grace put her cosmetics away quickly and sat down next to her husband.

    "Who is he with?"

    "This is Lady Karen''s granddaughter, Lady Karen."

    "Well, you have a grandson of Mokuren-sama?¡¡It''s a good match, isn''t it?"

    "It will be a good match for Sam and my family. Lord Magnolia has expressed his interest in adopting Sam as Count Walker''s son and then making a marriage proposal. He must have been concerned about us."

    "It would be better than marrying Sam to a family that only sees his power and wants to take him in."

    I agree with that."

    Magnolia has the status of a court magician and the best recovery magic user in the kingdom, and is trusted by the king.

    If Sam is going to be a court magician and the strongest magician in the kingdom, he will have the best support from the king.

    However, Jonathan is worried that Mokuren just wants to take Sam in like the other nobles.

    However, in a sense, Mokuren is a clean man.

    He has told her in advance that he wants the blood of a good wizard in his family and that it is for the sake of his granddaughter.

    Unlike the nobleman who plans to take advantage of Sam, he is not completely unaware of Sam''s situation.

    "Mokuren-dono has also offered to take my granddaughter as his concubine. He also said that he would be willing to join our faction.

    "It''s a good match for us. I don''t know about Sam. But is that why you look so difficult?¡¡It''s not the first time you''ve had trouble with a marriage proposal.

    Grace is right that the Earls of Walker are currently struggling with their daughters'' marriages.

    Alicia is being courted by a childhood friend, and although she does not want to, she is having a hard time saying no.

    Erica has been asked to marry into a family of wizards, but they are not yet sure of their feelings.

    The late Ur was also in a difficult situation. Offers of marriage came in from all over the country to marry a court wizard.

    Lise, too, was in great demand as a disciple of the saint of swords. However, in the end, she failed to choose a marriage partner. Liese is now being offered a marriage proposal.

    Some of the family members who have no daughters in the family want to marry Liese, who is a returnee, in order to make a connection with Sam.

    Of course, Jonathan, who puts his daughter''s happiness first, sends back a letter of refusal without considering it.

    So Grace said that there was no need to worry about Sam at this point.

    However, it was not just the proposal that was bothering Jonathan.

    "Some of the families are trying to get Sam involved. I don''t know when or where he''s going to get a woman."

    "......I hear that boys that age are very interested in the opposite s*x. If an attractive person asks you out - no, Sam has a boyfriend named Ur."

    "Even if you have feelings for someone, you have to make it work. It''s not impossible.

    "So, what are you going to do?¡¡Even if you can refuse the marriage proposal, how do you stop the family from plotting to entangle you?"

    "The best thing would be to give him some experience with women so that he can develop a little tolerance, but it''s kind of hard to say, you know. That''s the role of a father or an older brother, isn''t it?"

    I love Sam like a son, and he loves me, but it''s hard to talk to him about sensitive matters.

    I don''t think he''d say, "Hey, Sam. Are you a virgin?¡¡I''m in danger with women, so why don''t you get some experience?" I can''t say that.

    No, it would be hard to say that even to immediate family members.

    "What if I take her to a whorehouse?"

    After a long pondering, Grace''s brow furrowed at the muttering that leaked out from Jonathan.

    "I don''t think you should go to a whorehouse. You never know who is connected to whom. And no maids, please. Sam is very popular and the maids might be more attracted to her."

    Indeed, brothels are sometimes used by the nobility.

    We don''t know where they are connected to rival nobles.

    In the worst case, they could be the cause of Sam being taken in.

    Men are difficult creatures.

    "Not as much as women. Either way, it''s a headache, but that''s not what I''m worried about, I''m worried about Liese."

    "--Yes, of course. I''m sure Lise adores Sam."

    Both Jonathan and Grace would think of Lise if they were going to marry Sam to another family''s child.

    It is understandable for parents. Everyone wants their daughters to be happy.

    Especially Lise, who has had an unfavorable marriage, so I feel more strongly about it.

    "Now what should I do? Oops, it looks like someone is here..."

    Jonathan, with his head in his hands, felt the presence of someone and turned his attention to the bedroom door, where a knock sounded.

    "It doesn''t matter. Come in."

    "Excuse me. Father, mother..."

    "Oh, Lise."

    Is something wrong?

    The owner of the sign was Lise, the second daughter of the family.

    Jonathan and the others responded in a calm manner, as they had been talking about their daughter until just before.

    "I am sorry. We wanted to talk to your fathers, but we heard you two talking."

    "It is."

    Liese smiled at them, as if she did not care that they were listening to her.

    But..,

    "No, I understand. Sam has his place too. I don''t want him to get hurt later because he didn''t get used to women. If that is the case, would you be willing to leave that role to me?

    Jonathan and Grace were wide-eyed and astonished by Lise''s statement.

 110 - - 47 "Its Mr. Lieses determination and my feelings." â‘¡"

    "Liese!¡¡Do you know what you are talking about!"

    "Yes!¡¡You are Sam!"

    Lise looked a little sad when her parents expressed their feelings as they were.

    "--I think you already know, so I won''t hide my feelings from you now. I love you, Sam."

    "Then!"

    "But I don''t think I''m the right person for her."

    "Don''t tell me you''re worried about being married once?"

    "............"

    Liese was silent at her father''s question.

    Both Jonathan and Grace knew immediately that the silence was an affirmation.

    "I''m sorry, it was my fault about the marriage proposal. I am the one to blame."

    With regret in his eyes, Jonathan got up from the bed and apologized to his daughter.

    But Lise does not blame her father and shakes her head.

    "No, I was married with my own consent, so it''s not right to blame your father. But I still think it''s unforgivable for me, a returnee, to be married to Sam.

    "--Lise, you don''t have to worry about forgiveness or unforgiveness."

    "Mother,...... if you think about Sam, you will find someone better."

    "Are you okay with that?"

    "Yes. But it would be a comfort to me if I could at least have a physical connection with Sam. Please let me take care of that for you.

    Although grateful for her parents'' kind words, Lise did not accept them until the end.

    Lise''s only thought was for Sam.

    She was willing to kill her love for Sam if it was for his sake.

    Lise looks at her father with determined eyes and bows her head deeply.

    After a while, words were uttered with a sigh.

    "......I understand if you insist so much."

    "You!"

    "Look up, Lise."

    "Yes."

    Lise does as she is told and looks up.

    Her father looked straight at her.

    Her mother is blushing and staring at her father.

    "I''ll leave you in charge of Sam," she said.

    "Thank you. Then I''ll go to Sam right away. Good night."

    Lise greets her parents and leaves the bedroom.

    The two of them remained silent for a while, until Grace became impatient and raised her voice.

    "You!¡¡Why didn''t you stop Liese!¡¡That will hurt both Liese and Sam later!"

    "I know. But human emotions are not something even parents can control. I think Liese''s strong admiration for Sam is what made her think that way."

    "Even I can understand that!¡¡That boy is going to give it up by making memories of one night with Sam!"

    "I know that much."

    Then why?

    As a woman, Grace understood her daughter''s feelings.

    She loved Sam with all her heart and thought it was best to step aside, but she couldn''t.

    She wants to end her love affair with him, even if it is just for one night.

    But what awaits him after that will be hard days.

    Even if he succeeds in forcibly containing his feelings for Sam, they will not simply disappear.

    They will continue to smolder somewhere in Liese''s heart.

    And we have to keep watching Sam meet someone, fall in love, love each other, and get married.

    Sam and Liese are family now. They are master and disciple, so there is no way to break their relationship.

    Therefore, Liese has no other choice but to watch Sam get married to someone else.

    --But that is too cruel.

    It would be nice if Liese could fall in love with someone other than Sam, but there is no chance for her to do so.

    It is because of Sam that Lise loved him.

    "I am also worried about Lise. But I have a feeling that it won''t be the worst thing we can think of."

    "Why?"

    "Laugh at me if I think you''re naive. But I''m sure Sam will accept even Liese now."

    "...... you."

    "I believe in you both."

    Jonathan says and tries to go back to bed.

    But Grace was worried about her daughter.

    I like Sam too, and I want to believe in him. But I am not optimistic that it will turn out well.

    "It''s not that I haven''t considered the possibility that things could go wrong. It''s unfortunate, but if it does, it means that the two of us were not meant to be."

    Grace could do nothing to stop Liese, who was already on her way to Sam''s room, and could only nod reluctantly at her husband''s words.

    "--Sam. Please take care of my daughter."

    Grace couldn''t help but wish, even though she knew she wouldn''t get it.

 111 - - 48 "Its Lieses determination and my feelings." â‘¢

    After Sam''s wounds from the battle with the burning dragon were fully healed thanks to Magnolia, he took a light stretch before bed and finished training his magic and skills, and then took a bath and stayed in bed.

    In the bath, one of the baby dragons was comfortably occupying the bathtub, and when it found Sam, it squealed happily and urged him to come to the bathtub.

    I had no reason to refuse, so I soaked in the bathtub with him and played with him by pouring hot water on each other.

    The little dragon was very friendly, even though he had been treated badly by the humans.

    He quickly became familiar with Alicia, with whom he could talk, as well as with Sam and the other members of the Walker family.

    Even the servants, who were a little apprehensive at first, are now very fond of the cute little dragons.

    For Sam, the little dragons are very cute. They are like little brothers or sisters.

    Sam had only one brother who was not so cute, so the little dragons seem even more adorable to him.

    I will play with them again tomorrow, I thought as I tried to get into bed.

    Then there is a small knock at the door.

    "Sam, are you awake?

    "Lise-sama?¡¡Yes, I''m awake, come in."

    The knocker was Lise, but she was not surprised.

    She always comes to visit me in my room, no matter what time of day it is.

    "I''m sorry to bother you."

    "Yes. Let me make you some tea--Lise, sir?"

    Sam''s eyes widened in surprise as he went to prepare tea for Lise.

    Lise usually wears a nightgown and a cardigan when she visits her room, but today she was wearing a thin negligee.

    The light in the room made her skin and panties clearly visible, and Sam quickly looked away.

    "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to come in so suddenly. Were you about to go to bed?"

    No, no, I was relaxing. By the way, what can I do for you?"

    Sam asked nervously.

    If Liese had been in her usual form, she would not have asked such a question and a pleasant conversation would have started.

    But that was not the mood.

    (Is it my imagination that Lise smells of a different perfume than usual?¡¡I mean, why are you dressed so scantily clad?)

    I try not to look at Lise as much as possible, but the sweet scent tickling my nostrils and her breath reaching my ears make me nervous.

    (--Lise-sama''s mood is too different from usual!)

    Usually, Lise is a cheerful and vivacious woman, somewhat mischievous, but at heart she is a kind and sensitive woman like the sun. But now Lise is just the opposite, like the moon. She has an air of s*xiness and even seductiveness about her.

    I swallowed down the urge to scream, "What''s going on?" and tried to act as if I was unperturbed, but Lise gently sat down next to me and pulled me close.

    "--!"

    I could feel her body heat, and my nerves began to flare.

    £¨I''m a man too!)

    Lise and I are like brother and sister, but it''s hard not to be aware of her as a woman, even though she is so attractive.

    I swallow with bated breath and look at her softly.

    Her lean, toned and slender body was nothing short of beautiful.

    I could see a little sweat on her healthy skin.

    Every time she exhales next to me, I can smell her sweet fragrance, and I can''t stop my heart from rising.

    (Thinking back, I feel like I have met Lise-sama since she confessed her feelings to me.)

    I have been thinking about Lise ever since she confessed her love to me.

    I couldn''t even do my training properly just thinking about her.

    I had never had a woman so much in my mind except for Ur.

    Lise was so quiet as if her usual vivaciousness was a lie, and she just stood still next to me.

    Not knowing what she was thinking in her silence made me nervous in a double sense.

    As Sam was looking for something to say, Lise gently put her own hand on Sam''s hand.

    "Lise-sama!

    Reflexively, I look at her face.

    Our eyes meet.

    Lise''s eyes are moist and her cheeks are dyed vermilion.

    Once again, I am reminded of what a beautiful woman she is.

    As Sam is gawking at Lise''s charm, her well-shaped lips with pale lipstick open softly.

    "Sam!"

    "Yes, yes."

    Lise told Sam, who could no longer hide her nervousness.

    "I love you with all my heart."

 112 - - 49 "Its Lieses determination and my feelings." â‘£

    "...... Dear Liese."

    After receiving a confession for the second time, Sam desperately searches for words.

    The words that he should have said, but just can''t come out.

    "When I heard about Sam''s arranged marriage to Magnolia-sama''s grandson, my heart ached.

    I don''t want that. I mean, I don''t want that.

    I know. But I envied you. I love you, but I can''t be with you.

    I dared not ask why.

    Instead, my heart ached.

    "Things are changing for Sam now," he said. There are many noblemen who want to take you in. Some of them want to use their daughters to make you fall in love with them. So, get used to women with me."

    "--What?"

    "I want you to think of it as practice, so you can hold me without regret."

    Sam could hardly believe his ears at these unbelievable words.

    But Liese reaches for Sam''s body to make good on her spun statement.

    "I can''t."

    Lise''s movements stiffened at Sam''s words.

    She asks me with a sad look on her face.

    "Sam, why?"

    "Oh no, I can''t believe you want me to practice holding Lise-sama."

    "You don''t like me?"

    "That''s not what I''m saying!"

    "Then..."

    "I am!¡¡I don''t want to hold a woman like that, Liese-sama!"

    Sam is a man, too.

    When an attractive woman comes on to you, you get excited and want to touch her.

    However, he is not the kind of man who would be pleased to be told to "practice without regret.

    In fact, it made me want to cry and wonder why he would say such a sad thing.

    "Sam!"

    "I''ve been thinking about you, Liese-sama."

    Triggered by Liese''s words and actions, the feelings that had been smoldering inside Sam took shape and were unleashed from his mouth.

    "About me?"

    "I was happy when he confessed to me. I can''t tell you how happy I was to have someone as nice as Lise tell me she liked me."

    "-those words alone are enough to make me happy."

    "I have been looking for an answer to Liese-sama for a long time. I should have told you that I cannot accept your feelings."

    "Yes, it is. Sam loves you, doesn''t he?"

    Sam nodded.

    It was nothing to hide now.

    But that''s not all Sam is feeling right now.

    "Yes, but I couldn''t."

    Sam looks straight at Lise.

    Then he told her how Samuel Scheidt was feeling right now, without lying.

    "I''m going to be convenient. I like you, Liese-sama."

    "--"

    "I know it''s rude to put it this way, but I adore Lise-sama as much as I adore Ur."

    "Well, Sam?"

    He grabbed Lise by the shoulders and said, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry.

    "Let me make this clear. I love you.

    Liese let a single tear fall from her eye as she received Sam''s confession.

    "That''s why I can''t hold you in practice. I don''t want to. I want to be truly with you, Liese."

    "--No."

    "...... Why?"

    With tears streaming down her face, Lise shook her head.

    "I''ve been married once. And I''m not pure."

    "What does it matter!"

    "You don''t deserve a woman who was played by her ex-husband. I''m just happy that Sam was thinking of me.

    "--No!"

    Sam hugs Lise as hard as he can.

    "Don''t embarrass me, Sam. I can''t accept your feelings. I''m sorry I said I loved you."

    "Please stop!¡¡Why would you say that?

    "If I get married to you, people will say things to me that they don''t need to say. You don''t have to go through all that trouble because of me."

    "Let those who want to say it say it!¡¡What matters is how we feel!"

    "But..."

    He puts his arms around Liese.

    I''ll never let go. You must not let go. If I let go now, Liese will go away.

    I couldn''t let her go.

    I''m moving on. I can''t tell you to forget the past, I surely can''t either. But let''s look forward. Let''s move forward together, Liese-sama."

    Sam placed his own lips on Lise''s tear-stained lips.

    "Lieselotte Walker, will you marry me? Let us be happy together."

    When Sam proposed to Lise, she burst into tears and tried to shake her head but could not.

    "Are you sure about ......?"

    "Of course."

    "...... me, is that okay?"

    "I want Lise-sama. I''ll say it again. Will you marry me?

    "--Yes."

    Lise nodded at me, her tear-stained face breaking into a smile.

    Sam took her lips again and pushed her down on the bed.

    There was no resistance.

    Sam kissed Lise on the forehead and cheeks, as if she was asking for him.

    She wriggles ticklishly, accepting all of Sam''s courtship.

    "--I love you, Lise."

    "--I love you too, Sam."

    On this day, Sam and Lise confirmed their love for each other many times.

    They started a new day together.

 113 - - 50 "Its Lieses determination and my feelings" â‘¤

    --The day after Lise and I confirmed our love.

    Sam was down on his knees and bowed to Jonathan and Grace in the cafeteria.

    Behind Sam is Lise with a troubled look on her face.

    Alicia and Erica, who were sitting at the same table with their parents, also rolled their eyes at Sam''s behavior, wondering what was going on.

    "Sam, what''s going on all of a sudden?"

    "Yes, look up."

    The couple looked puzzled.

    They could guess that something must have happened with Lise last night, but they didn''t seem to understand why Sam was on his knees.

    Was it an apology for spending the night with Lise, or...?

    Sam, who couldn''t possibly understand the couple''s feelings, let out a loud voice.

    "Please give me Lise-sama!"

    Lise and Jonathan''s eyes widened at the boy''s words.

    After a short pause, Jonathan and Grace looked at each other, somewhat relieved, and nodded.

    "--Okay."

    "I don''t even have a proper place to live. I have some savings, but I don''t have an income yet. To be honest, I''m sorry that I fell in love with Liese-sama like this, but I still want to be with her!"

    "I forgive you."

    "I know. No matter how much I''ve become a court wizard--what?"

    "I said I forgive you. I forgive you for allowing Sam and Lise to marry."

    "Yes, sir?"

    Sam, not expecting such an easy acceptance, pulled his cheek to see if he was dreaming.

    But it hurt. It wasn''t a dream.

    "Lise, are you sure you feel the same way as Sam?"

    The father asks his daughter, who is standing behind Sam.

    "Yes. I''m sorry I lost my cool last night. But I want to move forward together with Sam, who has accepted me as I am now.

    "I hate to say this, but Sam still adores Wool, doesn''t he?"

    "I love Sam like that with all my heart, including my feelings for Sister Ur."

    Jonathan looked closely at his daughter''s face.

    Unlike last night, she looked refreshed, as if possessions had been lifted from her.

    He was convinced that Sam had done this.

    I know that Liese knows her own heart and wants to be with Sam.

    As a father, I can send her off with peace of mind.

    "Then I have nothing to say to you. Be happy, Lise."

    "Thank you, Father!"

    Lise bowed deeply to Jonathan as he accepted her hand in marriage.

    The second daughter was congratulated one after another.

    "Well, congratulations, sister!

    "Congratulations, Lise!" "Congratulations, Sam!"

    "Thank you, Alicia, Erica!"

    The sisters smile at each other.

    Grace stood up and hugged her daughter tightly.

    "You will be happy this time," she said.

    "I am happy now, Mother."

    Grace''s eyes filled with tears as she hugged Lise.

    Even more than Jonathan, Grace wished for Lise''s happiness from the bottom of her heart.

    "Sam."

    "Yes, yes."

    "Would you please stand up now?¡¡We are the ones who should be bowing."

    "Sir."

    Jonathan reached out to Sam and helped him to his feet.

    Without releasing his hand, he bowed deeply to Sam.

    "Please take care of my daughter."

    "Sam, please make Lise happy."

    Next to her husband, Grace also bowed her head to Sam.

    Sam''s voice was firm as if to reassure them both.

    "--Yes!¡¡I will make Lise-sama happy for sure!"

    "Thank you. I know I can count on Sam."

    "Yes, I can trust you with Sam. Besides, I''m glad that Sam, whom I thought of as my son, is really becoming my son.

    "It must be. It''s the son I''ve always wanted!"

    Sam was relieved.

    I was worried that he would not accept my marriage to Liese.

    But my fears have been lifted. From now on, I can proudly walk with Liese.

    £¨Ur. I will move forward as I promised.)

    "Come, sit down, let''s eat!¡¡It''s a happy morning!¡¡I think I''ll open a bottle of my favorite wine!"

    "Oh, my God, honey. You just woke up.

    "Oh, Father!"

    The family laughs.

    Sam was grateful to be a part of this family.

    "We won''t get married until Sam is older, so until then, we''re engaged. Good. Thank God we have time to prepare. Let''s make this a big ceremony!"

    "Oh, my God. I know you''re happy, but please keep everything in moderation."

    "I know!"

    "Lise, you will support Sam as his wife now that he is a court wizard."

    "Yes!"

    Sam opened his mouth to remind Jonathan and the others with a big smile on his face.

    "By the way, sir..."

    "What''s up?"

    "Since I am to be married to Lise-sama, I would like to decline the arrangement with Magnolia-sama''s grandson."

    I don''t want to be disloyal to Liese.

    Besides, I felt bad for the other party to have an arranged marriage with someone who has no intention of marrying me.

    But for some reason, Jonathan, Grace, and even Lise and the other three sisters looked at me with a puzzled look on their faces.

    "Excuse me, everyone?"

    "What are you talking about?¡¡Isn''t the arranged marriage with Mokuren-dono''s granddaughter another story?"

    "-- Huh?"

    "Yes, Sam. We''ve already made a promise.

    "Heh?¡¡Heh?¡¡Heh?"

    I look at Lise, who is sitting next to me, and I ask her what she means, but she is just like her parents,

    "You know, you made a promise to me before we did this, so it would be rude to refuse."

    "Oh, hey."

    It must not be my imagination that I feel it would be rude to accept an arranged marriage in this situation.

    Jonathan said to Sam, who was puzzled, as if to catch up with him.

    "As a father, I want you to love only Liese, but Sam has his own reasons. Fortunately, they have agreed to be his concubine, so it won''t be a problem.

    "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!¡¡It''s a big problem!"

    I don''t know why Jonathan seems so unconcerned.

    I wonder if this is how aristocrats feel in this world, which I am unaware of.

    "Calm down, Sam. I am not saying that you must marry someone other than Liese. But you and Magnolia-sama both have your positions. For the sake of your future relationship, you must go through a proper blind date.

    Even Grace started to say something like that, so I looked at Liese again as if to ask for help.

    "Good luck with that."

    But she only laughed at him.

    "Oh no!"

    Having gained the position of court wizard, the title of the most powerful wizard in the kingdom, and the love of his life, Sam could not help but scream at the hardships that were about to befall him.

 114 - - "Epilogue ""Busty Daily Life"

    Sam had come to Ur''s graveside earlier in the day to report his marriage to Lise.

    He brought cigars and whiskey, which he had learned Ur liked, and sat down in front of the grave site to talk to her.

    "Ur. I''m going to marry Lise."

    I am sure Ur would smile and say congratulations.

    "I never thought I could love anyone but Ur, but I have found someone who says he loves me and I love him. It''s strange that it''s Ur''s sister, isn''t it?"

    I''m sure they are smiling in heaven.

    "I''ve earned my position as court wizard and the most powerful wizard in the land. I would like to be the most powerful on the continent next, but unfortunately I don''t know how to call myself the most powerful on the continent."

    Sam laughed, annoyed.

    Unfortunately, being the strongest on the continent is not a title that can be obtained simply by defeating Albert, who had claimed to be the strongest in the kingdom.

    You have to be recognized by at least several countries, or you have to defeat the wizard who currently calls himself the strongest on the continent, but Sam did not know who this strongest on the continent was.

    "So I''m going to be a wizard here for a while, working for the Kingdom of Skye and for the Earls of Walker," he said. I''m getting married and I need to settle down a bit."

    The wind blew and caressed Sam and Ur''s tombstones.

    Summer is almost here.

    When summer ends, Sam will be an adult.

    "Let''s have a drink together in the fall. As a matter of fact, I like drinking a lot.

    With these words, Sam turned his back to the gravestone.

    "I''ll be back."

    The wounds of losing her have not healed yet, but I have decided to move on.

    I have decided to walk with Lise.

    That''s why Sam never stops.

    He will live to honor his beloved mentor.

    "Are you done?"

    "Yes. We''ve had enough to talk about.

    Lise, who had come to visit the grave with me, called out to me.

    After she finished cleaning the grave, she left Sam alone with Ur.

    While she was talking with Ur, Lise stayed at a distance and watched Sam''s back.

    "I''m sure Ur must have had a look of embarrassment on her face when she heard that Sam and I were engaged."

    "I''m sure they''re happy to see you."

    "I hope so."

    They naturally joined hands.

    Thinking back, this was the first time I had ever spent time outside with her like this.

    "Would you like to go to the city for a while?"

    "Oh, is that an invitation for a date?"

    "Yes. Let''s date like engaged couples. And maybe take a break from training once in a while."

    "Mmm-hmm, that''s nice of you. Let''s go!

    The two start walking toward the city.

    They were definitely lovers.

    A tactless voice calls out to them.

    "Sam!¡¡Lise!"

    The familiar voice made them both look back in disgust, but when they turned around, they saw the man who had ruined their date.

    "Hey!¡¡I see you guys were also here to visit Ulrike''s grave."

    He was a beautiful young man in his mid-twenties, dressed in a bright white suit.

    He is tall and slender, and the suit suits him well, but he looks out of place.

    "Hey, what kind of an idiot wears a white suit to visit a grave? Ah, there you are.

    "You''ve come to the right place. I was thinking of stopping by Count Walker''s later."

    "Why?"

    "I heard you two got engaged."

    "So soon, isn''t it?¡¡That was this morning!"

    "Huh. When it comes to the people I love, I''m informed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week."

    "What''s that scary!"

    "If I may say so myself, Ulrike would be pleased."

    "Surprising. I didn''t think you''d say anything other than ''ur sister.

    Lise interjects.

    Lise''s doubts are certainly justified after being exposed to G¨¹nther''s infatuation with Url.

    I think she is right to be angry with Sam for choosing someone other than Ur.

    "Liese, I''m not that tactless. Ulrike wouldn''t want Sam to be stuck with her forever, would she? Congratulations, I congratulate you too."

    "Oh, well, thank you."

    "...... unexpectedly, but yes, thank you."

    G¨¹nther was smiling and congratulating me, but it was somewhat eerie, and I couldn''t be honestly happy.

    (No, I should be thankful to him since he was congratulating me.)

    That''s when Sam thought.

    "From now on, the three of us will get along as a family!"

    "-- what?"

    "--Oh?"

    Sam''s voice was confused, and Liese''s voice was low and drugged.

    G¨¹nther spins his words as if he were singing, oblivious to their faces.

    Fortunately, polygamy is allowed in this country. Well, I became Sam''s wife first, but I''ll give my place to Lise. I''m not so brazen myself. Besides, if it''s love for Sam that counts, then I''m the bigger man."

    "--Sam."

    "Yes, sir."

    Although she only called me by my name, I guessed what Liese was looking for.

    Sam takes out a wooden sword for Liese from the item box.

    A moment later, Liese, holding the wooden sword that had somehow vanished from Sam''s hand, comes close to G¨¹nther.

    Liese swings down with her full strength.

    But G¨¹nther''s solid warding blocked it with no difficulty.

    "--chi!"

    "Well, well, what are you angry about, Lise?¡¡I''m not impressed that our wives can''t get along with each other."

    I want to cut her to death so bad!

    "What a naughty girl you are. I''m worried that Sam will love you so much for being so petty."

    Liese smiled and puffed her chest out triumphantly as G¨¹nther continued to make incendiary remarks, whether unknowingly or intentionally.

    "Hmph!¡¡I''ve already spent a night with Sam and he took care of me!¡¡That''s too bad!"

    "Hey, Lise-sama!¡¡Not that loud!"

    What the hell are you talking about," Sam panicked.

    G¨¹nther, on the other hand, has sweat on his forehead and begins to shake, unable to hide his agitation.

    "I don''t care what you say!¡¡I hustled with Ulrike and Sam in my dream last night, too!"

    "No, don''t do that."

    "Hmm. I hope you''re only dreaming. Sam is mine!

    Liese said and intertwined her arms with Sam''s, leaning in close to show him off.

    G¨¹nther took out a handkerchief and started to chew on it with a "giggle" in frustration.

    Wait a minute!¡¡There must be equal love there, or there will be discord in the family!¡¡Sam!¡¡It''s my turn tonight, you know!"

    "Yes, yes, yes!"

    "Why?

    "Why not? You''re not a man!"

    "I''m against s*xism!¡¡I''m his wife too!¡¡I''m a honeymooner!"

    "Don''t be cute and beg!¡¡What if Sam is ready for it!"

    "No, I won''t!"

    Sam''s shoulders slumped as he wondered if Liese didn''t trust him.

    "Oh, God!¡¡I was just getting into a good mood with Sam, and now you''ve ruined it!"

    Lise''s cries echoed through the sky.

    Sam''s date with the love of his life had been interrupted, but he thought it might be possible to have such a lively time.

    Not that he and G¨¹nther would have anything to do with it.

    £¨Well, I''m having fun every day, uru!)

    Sam muttered something in his mind, and he thought he heard Ur burst out laughing.

 115 - - 1 "A week has passed."

    It has been a week since Samuel Scheidt became engaged to Lieselotte Walker.

    It has already been a month since Sam started his life in King''s Landing.

    A lot has happened in that time.

    He has been in contact with the Earls of Walker, battled the court wizard G¨¹nther Ignatz, won the title of the most powerful wizard in the Kingdom of Skye after a duel with Albert Frege, and even fought a dragon.

    It was a month in which too many things happened.

    Sam has been able to spend the past week in peace without any problems.

    He has a good relationship with his fianc¨¦e, Lise, sister of his master Ur, and they are spending their days together.

    Since he got together with her, they spend their evenings together, and since they are both young, they confirm their love every night.

    Liese is usually very vivacious, but surprisingly she is very quiet in bed.

    She loved to have affectionate words whispered to her, and the days of lavishing affection on her were very fulfilling.

    On the other hand, Liese is very good at switching between the two and trains Sam strictly during the day as a master in combat.

    And when the training is over, she returns to her cute fianc¨¦e. Sam could not get enough of this gap between Lise and Sam.

    Sam had hoped that his engagement to Liese would not affect his meeting with Magnolia''s grandson, but even though he had told the other party that he was engaged, he had not changed his mind to proceed as originally planned.

    He told them, "Congratulations on your engagement. Your grandson can be your side wife.

    He has no intention of giving up his future with his granddaughter.

    He has a good relationship with all the members of the Walker family.

    Jonathan and Grace also treat Sam as a son more than ever now that he is officially engaged to their daughter.

    They are no longer reserved, they are able to say what they want to say as a family, and they are showing a side of themselves that they never showed before.

    The same is true for Alicia and Erica.

    Alicia is taking care of the baby dragon together.

    The other day, when the Burning Dragon officially received the mountain range from the royal palace, she said, "I''m going to check if it''s a good place for the children to live. Until then, you are in charge of them.

    Since then, Sam and Alicia have been in charge of the children.

    Although Alicia and Sam were somewhat distant from each other, she began to speak more and smile more through the care of the children and after the decision to become her future brother-in-law.

    I knew she had guts, but after talking to her, I realized that she was not naive, but had the capacity to accept things as they were.

    I could understand why the little dragons were so fond of Alicia, who saw the differences between human and dragon species as trivial and accepted each of them as individuals.

    Her relationship with Erica is also good.

    She recently asked me to be her apprentice. I''m not sure what to say.

    According to him, his ability to slaughter Albert, the strongest man in the kingdom, in an instant, and his achievements in fighting dragons on equal terms have made him not only my sister''s successor, but also a target for me to aim for.

    I like Erika''s attitude to learn magic, but I have put my apprenticeship on hold.

    Jonathan says that Erica''s apprenticeship with Sam, who has become a court wizard, will be seen as favoritism by others.

    He advises me to at least have someone else as an apprentice before accepting Erica.

    It is true that there might be a lot of misunderstandings if he takes his fianc¨¦e''s sister as an apprentice. --But Sam, who still considers himself immature, wondered if he should take her as an apprentice before that.

    The one who gave him an answer was none other than Liese.

    "There are many things you can learn by taking on an apprentice. I was one of them."

    The words of a loved one were strangely acceptable.

    I am grateful to her for telling me that just as Liese was able to learn from Sam as her apprentice and mentor, Sam was able to have a different experience by taking on an apprentice.

    This made Sam think positively about becoming an apprentice.

    As Sam was going through such a good time, someone came to him and asked him about it.

    "Hi, Sam. You look pretty today."

    G¨¹nter Ignaz sends shivers down my spine every time I see him.

    Dressed in a white suit and blue coat, he is the court wizard and the best warder in the Kingdom of Skye.

    He got out of the carriage sent by the palace and patted Sam''s buttocks spontaneously as he met him at the door with a smile on his face.

    "Hi..."

    Lise appears from behind Sam''s hair-raising head, holding a wooden sword.

    Liese comes close to him with a speed that even Sam has a hard time reacting to, and she flashes the wooden sword at him.

    However, the wooden sword is blocked by the ward that covers G¨¹nther, and the wooden sword cannot reach him.

    This is a common sight these days.

    Liese, with a frustrated look on her face, twines her arms around Sam as if to show G¨¹nther how she feels.

    G¨¹nther looks at Lise with envy.

    And the counts look at each other with a "here we go again" look.

    Sam is a little taken aback, but ignores G¨¹nther''s perverted behavior, which he has become accustomed to, and says, "So? He urges them to do what they need to do.

    He looked as if he wanted more attention, but then opened his mouth as if he had no choice.

    "His Majesty the King wants to see you.

 116 - - 2 "The Kings Story" â‘ 

    "Welcome, Samuel."

    King, it''s been a long time.

    Sam prepared himself and headed for the royal palace, where he was shown by the Kingsguard not to the throne room but to a room in the palace.

    The room was decorated with gorgeous ornaments, expensive-looking vases and paintings, and the sofa on which he was now sitting was of high quality.

    The sofa on which I am sitting now is also of high quality. This room is probably used to meet important people from various countries.

    Such a room is not very comfortable.

    I am facing Clyde Isle-Sky, the king of the Kingdom of Sky, one-on-one.

    "Thank you for the duel with Albert the other day and the incident with Lord Burning Dragon.

    No, I did what I had to do.

    Clyde, dressed in white with a crown on his head and silver hair tinged with blue, looked somewhat tired.

    His stern expression seemed to have less energy than when I saw him the other day.

    "I would have liked to see you sooner, but there is so much to deal with. Did Count Walker tell you what happened after that?

    I''ve heard most of what you said.

    "Hmm. Well, I''ll tell him again. I have some new things to tell you.

    At Clyde''s words, Sam nodded his head and said, "Please.

    "First of all, thanks to you, the crisis in the country is over. The Burning Dragon has accepted our mountain range as an apology and as friendship for the future. I don''t think that he will be an enemy of ours for the time being."

    "That''s because nothing happened to the dragons. I am also relieved.

    I agree with you. Samuel, it is because of your fight against Lord Burning Dragon and your attempts to communicate with him. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

    What a waste of words. It was for the sake of the country and the burning dragon was a victim.

    I was surprised that the king himself bowed to Sam and thanked him, but I took it in stride.

    I thought it would be disrespectful to waste the king''s sincerity.

    Clyde looked up, a bitter look on his face.

    "Hmm. I feel really bad about what I did to the Burning Dragon. I had no idea that Albert and the Marquess Gordon were illegally trading in demons and fantasy species.

    The king sighs, his handsome face contorted.

    Even Sam laughs at this.

    He had never imagined that his opponent, whom he had defeated in a duel, was involved in illegal trade and doing as he pleased.

    He was not worthy of being a court wizard or the most powerful man in the Kingdom of Skye.

    "After that, I had them search the houses of those involved, and they came up with ...... a mountain of incontrovertible evidence. He also sold the people of Skye to other kingdoms. The damage was too great."

    "- what a mess."

    "Now, I''m putting together a survey team to get the people back and get them out. We may not be able to save all of them, but we hope we can at least save those who know who sold them to us."

    I did not expect to find people being trafficked as well.

    However, there was no way that those who were illegally trying to sell not only demons but even dragons would not use human beings as commodities.

    There is slavery in the Kingdom of Skye, but it is only through legitimate contracts.

    Illegal buying and selling of human beings is not allowed.

    "The Marquesses of Gordon and all the nobles involved have been sentenced to death. Half of them have already been executed. The houses are to be torn down or the heads replaced and the families of those involved exiled."

    "I think it''s appropriate. Considering that the scorching dragon is going to burn the country to the ground, I think it''s rather compassionate.

    I am told that most of the Marquess Gordon family was involved in the illegal trade.

    Some people said they had no choice but to do so because they were ordered to. However, when I investigated, I found that most of the servants had received a large amount of hush money and had been living a life of spending money roughly.

    Mrs. Gordon also claimed that her husband did it, but according to the testimonies of the servants, she was actively involved in the trade and introduced them to collectors of her acquaintance.

    Mrs. Gordon, who had a violent temperament, was known to have routinely attacked her captors, and was sentenced to prison without mercy.

    She is no longer with us.

    Albert Frege''s parents, siblings and relatives were also punished in a way that they had to take responsibility.

    His father was convicted of death. His mother and the rest of his relatives are mostly deported.

    Many illegally captured people were found in Albert''s house, and they testified that they had been abused.

    Since Albert was already dead and could not be punished, his family paid for his crimes.

    Other aristocrats and merchants who had collaborated with the two were also destroyed, and those who had been involved were severely punished.

    There are some who say that this is too much. However, I did not want to keep in this country the people who had provoked the wrath of the Burning Dragon. It is not impossible that he might do something stupid again.

    You are right, sir.

    "Thanks to this, I was able to reduce the power of the aristocratic faction that had been my enemy, if not destroy it. They will be quiet for a while now."

    By punishing those who have endangered the country, the aristocracy is said to be on the verge of destruction.

    The king, looking tired, is somewhat satisfied.

    "Thanks to you," he said, "they have been unable to even resist and have lost their power, thanks to the death of Albert, who was the greatest force of the aristocrats. I am grateful to you, Samuel."

    A full-scale power struggle could have resulted in a civil war in the worst case.

    However, the aristocrats lost Albert, the most powerful wizard in the kingdom.

    And Sam, who slaughtered Albert, was entrusted to the royalists, the Earls of Walker.

    They probably did not need to think about the consequences of starting a civil war.

    In the first place, even if Albert were still alive, it seems that the royalists did not seem to be ready to fight a war against the country, but they were prepared for any eventuality.

    After all, it seems that the aristocrats were nothing but a group of people who did as they pleased using their power and strength as a shield.

    "Have I told you everything, or is there more? I will also inform you of the treatment of the other court wizards.

 117 - - 3 "Its about the king" â‘¡

    "Of the court wizards?"

    "Samuel, have you not wondered?¡¡You and G¨¹nther were the only ones who stood up to a national crisis. Magnolia''s lack of fighting ability is not to be blamed, but the rest of the court wizards are in such a mess."

    "I must confess, I''m appalled. I''m stunned. I don''t know how such a person can be a court magician.

    Clyde nodded to Sam, who told him clearly.

    Clyde nodded. "I agree with you. "I agree with you, but I can''t help it.

    "No choice?¡¡What do you mean?"

    A body that cannot even stand up in a national crisis cannot be called inevitable, at least not by Sam.

    The king responded with a sigh.

    "Except for Magnolia and G¨¹nther, none of the court wizards present had the ability to be a court wizard. The only exception was Albert.

    "You didn''t have the ability?¡¡Then why?

    "With the exception of one, who is still out there killing monsters, the other court wizards were pushed by the aristocrats. Their relatives became court wizards to increase the influence of the aristocrats.

    "I understand that the King has the authority to make decisions regarding court magicians."

    Clyde looked somewhat tired and arched his back.

    "I am not absolutely powerful either. It is not uncommon for my opinions to be rejected nowadays, partly because the aristocrats have been growing in power since my grandfather''s time."

    "...... such."

    "In all these years, there has been no one who could truly be called a court wizard except Magnolia, G¨¹nther, Delight, Albert, and you, Ulrike. Taking advantage of this, the aristocrats installed people with little experience in actual battle who could only use magic to some extent as court wizards.

    However, it is said that no great harm was actually done.

    "Fortunately, those who did not deserve it were only for decoration. I suppose he didn''t want them to grow too much and then be asked to play the role of a real court magician. Besides, it was not all that bad for me either."

    "What do you mean?"

    "The court wizards are our greatest asset. It would be unbecoming if the twelve seats available were to remain empty. If the Kingdom of Skye did not have a decent wizard, other nations might take advantage of us. Therefore, even if we were not convinced of their abilities, it was good to fill the seats."

    I understand what you are saying, but I do not agree.

    However, Sam did not dare to say it in front of the king.

    The King, who runs the country, and Sam, who is only a wizard, are in different positions and have different ways of thinking.

    "I don''t mean to be rude, but what do you plan to do with these court wizards?"

    "Well, to return to the subject, I am going to strip all of you other court wizards of your positions as unqualified. Not to mention the titles we have bestowed upon you.

    "-I''m surprised, but I think it''s a good idea."

    "I have my own thoughts on the matter. So I need your help.

    "I am at your service."

    "That''s very kind of you. Then I will ask you to fight a duel.

    Duel, sir?¡¡Who should I fight?"

    The king chuckles at Sam''s question.

    "Of course, with the court wizards.

    "What?"

    Anyone who refuses to fight you in a duel will be stripped of his rank and title as a disqualified court wizard."

    Sam tilted his head.

    That''s too good a deal.

    I can''t read the king''s intentions.

    "Is that what you want?¡¡If a man does not want to give up his position, I think he would at least accept a duel."

    (I don''t suppose you want me to leave the court wizards for dead, do you?)

    I am not going to say that I do not want to exchange lives now.

    I have lived in this world long enough to know that sometimes you have to take a life if necessary.

    I do not hesitate to take another person''s life now, as I did when Ur and I started traveling from place to place.

    Furthermore, it is unforgivable that there are those who become court wizards on the strength of their power alone, without the ability to be a wizard, and who act so high and mighty that they are too scared to move when the time comes to take action.

    They will bring harm to this country.

    They could cause a big problem like Albert did.

    I am willing to take a life in a duel to protect this country where people I care about live.

    But I have my reservations.

    Sam is a wizard, not a killer.

    I don''t want him to think that it is his job to take someone''s life.

    "That''s not going to happen. No one would want to duel with you.

    "But, sir..."

    "I don''t think anyone wants to see Albert do the same thing. It''s a d*mn shame, but Albert was good at what he did. Who would want to fight you who killed Albert in an instant?¡¡Especially, a hypothetical first court wizard without much ability would not have the guts to do so."

    "Is that how it is?"

    "Something like that. Leave the rest to us. Now is the time when the aristocrats are out of power, and I want to clean out the pus from the country. Is that all right with you?

    Sam nodded in agreement.

    "Of course. As a court wizard, I will live up to the King''s expectations."

    "Thank you. If anyone is prepared to duel with you, feel free to do so. There is no one who can fight you properly anyway.

    "Yes, sir."

    Sam sighs inwardly.

    It seems that he has to fight an unwanted battle, even for the sake of his country.

    However, he has resigned himself to the fact that he will probably have to deal with this kind of situation in the future now that he has become a court wizard.

    For now, all I could do was to make every effort to make this country, where I and my loved ones live, a better place to live.

 118 - - 4 "Again, its about an arranged marriage." â‘ 

    I''m sorry to have to tell you such a trivial story, but I''m counting on you. By the way, I hear you''re engaged to Count Walker''s daughter Lieselotte.

    "Yes. I am happy to have made a match with such a wonderful person.

    I had no idea that the engagement to Lise had reached the King''s ears.

    "I have also heard about Lieselotte. You should love her as much as you can, after a marriage that was never a good one.

    "Yes. I will make Liese-sama happy.

    That''s good. I have known her since she was a little girl, and I wish her all the happiness in the world.

    "Thank you."

    Sam bowed his head.

    He thanked the king for wishing Lise happiness, and at the same time, he resolved once again to make her happy.

    "By the way, I also heard that you are going to meet Magnolia''s grandson soon."

    "Well, I don''t know how it happened," he said.

    He also seems to know about Magnolia.

    Clyde smiles at Sam''s troubled face.

    "Hmmm, Magnolia. You''re quite skillful. There."

    £¨What?¡¡What do you mean, "there"?¡¡I have a very bad feeling about this!)

    "You will also have to arrange a marriage with my daughter."

    "--Yes?"

    "Mm. That''s a good answer.

    "Because it''s not!¡¡--Oh, I''m sorry. I was just being myself."

    I apologize in haste for my reflexive retort.

    But please understand that I am being honest.

    I don''t understand why, in the course of this story, I am going to have an arranged marriage with the king''s daughter, the princess. I don''t want to.

    "Good, good, you will be father and son, so you should be easy to deal with. Yes, I will call you Sam. Is that all right with you?"

    Yes, yes, please, call me.

    "Well, Sam. I''d like to talk to you about my daughter Stella.

    No, sir, one moment, please!

    "What?¡¡--You are not satisfied with my daughter?

    "No, no!¡¡That''s not what I meant."

    I was joking. Don''t panic.

    (Can you please stop joking!¡¡I was so scared because you suddenly snapped!¡¡I mean, you''re surprisingly easygoing, this king.)

    I''m baffled that I''ve just been engaged to be arranged with the granddaughter of Magnolia, but the mere thought of arranging a marriage with a princess makes me sick to my stomach.

    (In the first place, there''s the difference in status between a commoner and a princess... Okay, I''ll use that as a reason to avoid it somehow!)

    "Well, I''m sorry to make you an offer, but my status is not commensurate with that of the princess."

    "Really?"

    "As you may know, I come from a country baron''s family. And I''m a commoner now that we''ve severed our ties. I''m not a princess.

    Sam bows his head and pleads his case, but his mouth is set in a sly grin.

    He was convinced that he had succeeded in using his status difference as an excuse.

    But..,

    "What are you talking about? You''re a court wizard now, and I''m giving you a countship. It''s a good match.

    The king''s words made Sam look desperate and hopeless.

    (Oh my God, that''s right!)

    "Yes, yes, yes, but still..."

    "Sam. I can understand how you feel. Building a harem is sometimes envied, but it can be quite exhausting."

    "The king?"

    "When you favor one side, the other side gets on your nerves. It''s the same with the night life and the children. The slightest thing can cause a conflict."

    (Because it isn''t!)¡¡All I''m saying is, just let Liese-sama be the only one!¡¡Let us have our lovey-dovey honeymoon!¡¡I don''t want two or three wives!¡¡(I only want Master Liese!)

    "No, you see, that''s not what I''m saying, I''m saying that I''m fine with marrying just one person."

    "No."

    "I''m sure..."

    After Magnolia, even the king suggested that they have an arranged marriage, and Sam sighed heavily, unable to hide it any longer.

 119 - - 5 "Once again, its about an arranged marriage." â‘¡

    "You are not greedy. You will be related to the royal family.¡¡Many would envy your position."

    The king asked him if he was testing him, and Sam smiled back.

    "I''m fine with mediocrity."

    "How can you call me mediocre when you are the most powerful man in our country? But it is precisely because of you that I want to entrust my daughter to you.

    "I don''t mean to be rude, but I''ve had enough of dealing with aristocrats, you know, like G¨¹nther, the next head of the ducal family, and I''m sure others in the same position are similar.

    "As you can imagine, the other dukes would be furious to be lumped in with him. I don''t want to be lumped in with them. But your wife?¡¡Isn''t that right?"

    No, sir, I''m not.

    But G¨¹nther...

    No, sir.

    "Oh, yeah."

    Yes, that''s right.

    I must assure you that G¨¹nther''s claim that she is his wife is clearly not true.

    If he is not careful, he will really try to get himself a wife.

    Especially since he got engaged to Liese, he seems to think he has a chance to do so, if he knows what he is doing.

    As usual, he is a man whose mind I cannot understand. No, I don''t want to understand him.

    He may not be a bad person to have as a friend, but he is not my wife at all.

    "Well, I don''t care about G¨¹nther. I''m more interested in my daughter."

    "Oh, no. I couldn''t fool them.

    "My daughter Stella was born to the first queen. She is a little older than you at 18, but not by much.

    "The first queen''s daughter for me?¡¡I mean, shouldn''t he be marrying people who should be more connected to him?"

    Clyde sighed with a troubled look on his face at Sam''s reasonable words.

    "To tell you the truth, she''s a bit of a pain in the ass," he said.

    "Troublesome, you say?"

    Most people with royal blood are born with silver hair with a hint of blue. I, too, have more gray hair than silver, but I still have a tinge of blue, don''t I?

    Pointing to his own hair, Clyde''s head was indeed gray but silver with a hint of blue.

    "It''s definitely a little blue," he said.

    "I can see it more clearly in the sun. My children are all the same, except one."

    "I didn''t know you were one of them."

    Yes. My daughter, Stella, was the only one with gray hair.

    According to the king, not all children are born with silver hair with a hint of blue.

    In fact, Clyde''s brother was blonde like his mother.

    So Stella''s gray hair is not unusual and neither the King nor the Queen is concerned about it.

    "But the gray-haired girl, who is the proof of the queen''s wrongdoing, is a princess, and is not worthy of being a princess and is hated by the rest of the kingdom, so she has withdrawn from the world.

    "Whoa!"

    Sam raised his voice, as if he didn''t care about disrespect.

    The king, however, did not look displeased or angry, but continued the story.

    (The king said something about settings!¡¡Princess, what reason do you have for being a recluse?)

    "In fact, there are times when those who see the gray hair of a daughter suspect the queen of infidelity. That''s why we know that Stella was subjected to cruel words from an early age."

    "Well, that makes me want to stay in the house."

    Do not misunderstand me. I and the queens love Stella very much. Being cooped up in the house is not a problem.

    "Well, what do you mean?"

    Our country''s heir is our eldest son, Cedric.

    I know who you are.

    Even Sam, who is not familiar with politics, knows this much.

    No, he did not, but Liese had taught him beforehand.

    Cedric is the eldest son of the king, the son of the first queen.

    He is also the twin brother of Princess Stella, who is currently the topic of conversation.

    "The heir has been chosen. I have already stated that. But still there are those who would do anything against my wishes."

    "Are there nobles who are trying to put up another?"

    "Yes. There are more people than you might think who are trying to make Stella, or any other prince, the next king."

    (Aside from other princes, I don''t see the point of carrying a reclusive princess. No, is she good enough to be a puppet?¡¡Hmmm, I have no idea about the ties of royalty.)

    Sam continues to be puzzled as to why the king finds Princess Stella so troublesome and why he wants her to marry him.

    He sympathizes with the fact that she is a child suspected of wrongdoing because of her gray hair, but if her parents love her, there is nothing wrong with that.

    She will be hurt, but let those who want to say it say it.

    It would not do to force such a princess out of the palace, at least that''s what Sam thought.

 120 - - 6 "Once again, its an arranged marriage." â‘¢

    "Can''t you do something with a word from the king?¡¡I don''t care how much it costs to have a successor to the country on his or her own."

    It may be a problem that cannot be decided only by the king''s decision.

    However, it is not right for the nobles to carry other children against the king''s will.

    If such a thing is allowed to happen, it will lead to a battle for the succession to the throne in the worst case.

    In some cases, the country will be devastated and people will die.

    It is undesirable that this country, Ur''s hometown and the home of Liese and her family, should fall into such a situation.

    "If I say it will come to that, it will come to that. There will be complaints, but the decision to name Cedric as my successor is final. Unless the worst happens to my son, there will be no change."

    "Then you must be worried about the prince."

    "I have my misgivings, but G¨¹nther''s strong wards protect me at all times. As long as he is careful about poisoning and women, he should be fine.

    But," the king continued, "the people are not so lucky.

    "Not when it comes to Stella."

    "What do you mean?"

    It''s better for her if she stays out of the palace. Not only for the sake of the nobles who have bad ideas, but also for Stella''s sake."

    "Are you interested in the throne, Lady Stella?"

    The king shook his head clearly at Sam''s question.

    "I''m not worried about that. But because of my gray hair, I''ve been misunderstood for a long time, and I''ve been studying to be more like a princess. She is a recluse because she is studying hard to be a princess. She is a bright girl. But there are people who mistake her efforts and intelligence for an aspiration for the throne, and there are people who want to take her in and carry her up.

    "So for the sake of the princess, you are saying that by marrying, you are getting out of the royal family and away from the throne?"

    "Mm. This will not end well if he marries her to another country. It may be worse for the child, who is misunderstood as a child of iniquity, even if only partially. I do not want that."

    "So, it''s me?"

    The king nodded his head.

    I understand his feelings, but Sam looks annoyed at being forced to be the princess.

    He is not sure what he should do if he is asked to marry a royal whom he does not know in the first place.

    Besides, he now has Lise, the love of his life.

    I''m so sorry that I just got engaged.

    "Well. I will make her renounce her claim to the throne when we marry."

    (Oh no, my marriage is going ahead in the King''s mind!)

    "And my daughter is a lovely girl. There are those who have evil intentions and want to take her without power. It''s natural for a father to want to protect her from them.

    I understand how you feel.

    "Well, you know. Maybe it''s not what a parent should say, but Stella''s a good girl. She may have a few character defects, but they are minor. She will support you as a good wife.

    No, sir.

    "Of course, Lieselotte can be your wife. It would be more convenient for me.

    "That''s not what I meant."

    Stella is a sensible girl. She will stand by Lieselotte and support you. We are not strangers.

    Listen to me!

    "So, Sam. I want you to meet Stella right away."

    "-An arranged marriage?

    Give me a break," Sam said, looking up to the heavens.

    They don''t even let me prepare my mind.

    Lise has told me that she doesn''t mind my meeting with Magnolia''s granddaughter, but I''m not sure how she feels about it.

    But I don''t know how she feels about it. And I didn''t like the idea of arranging a marriage with the king''s daughter without Liese''s knowledge, because it seemed like a bad thing to do.

    (Can''t I refuse?¡¡I can''t say no, can I?)

    "Don''t be so nervous. Just think of it as a meeting. We can make it official at a later date."

    "Well, I don''t know if this is too late, but is this a decision?"

    What are you talking about? It''s decided.

    Sam''s shoulders slumped as he realized that there was no escape.

 121 - - 7 "I met Mr. Stella" â‘ 

    Sam was personally guided through the royal palace by the king himself.

    Sam, an ordinary person, is taken to a residential area where only members of the royal family are allowed to enter.

    This is Stella''s room.

    After a long walk in the palace, we arrived at a room guarded by two female knights.

    Both knights bowed deeply when they saw the king, and then looked at Sam as if they were glaring at him.

    (Wow, not so welcome).

    Sam cowered his shoulders as he looked at them as if they were obviously suspicious or foreign objects.

    "Good. I invited this man myself. There is no need to be alarmed."

    "Yes, sir."

    At a word from the king, the knights looked away from Sam.

    "How is Stella doing?"

    "Today, too, I am studying hard."

    "Lately, he seems to be spending a lot of time in bed, and the lights are on until midnight."

    "--Have you been studying more again?¡¡Why are you doing that?

    "............"

    Something''s wrong, isn''t it?

    That''s... that''s...

    One of the knights is hushed.

    The king urged him to speak.

    "Is it hard for you to say?¡¡It''s all right, you can tell me."

    Now, if you''ll excuse me. Miss Rachel visited Miss Stella''s room the other day.

    "Rachel?¡¡What are you doing here all the way out here?"

    Rachel is the second princess of this country.

    She had a different mother from the first princess, Stella, as Sam remembers.

    "It is very hard to say this, but Lady Rachel came to ...... tell Lady Stella herself that the other day at a party she attended, the nobles were gossiping and laughing at her as a child of iniquity."

    "...... Rachel. You came all the way here to tell Stella such a thing. Why don''t you take a cue from your sister and learn a thing or two?"

    "I don''t know what you told her in detail, but since then, Stella has been studying harder."

    (The second princess has a bad character. (Second princess has a bad character...why would she go out of her way to tell us that her sister is the topic of conversation?)

    Sam was disgusted by Princess Rachel, whom he had not yet met or seen.

    "Open the door."

    "But..."

    "Fine, open up. It''s not good for your health to be in your room every day, no matter how hard you study. Besides, there is someone I want you to meet.

    "The one you want me to meet, is he the boy?"

    "Yes. You don''t know him because you never leave here, but he is a young wizard newly made a court wizard and the most powerful wizard in the kingdom. And he is married to Stella."

    (...... and before you know it, you''ll be married to someone else)

    "--oh, I beg your pardon. Please come through."

    "Mm."

    The door is opened by the knights.

    "Follow me, Sam."

    "Yes."

    I entered the princess''s room with the king.

    It seemed unwise to enter a woman''s room without permission, even if it was her daughter, but the king did not care and continued on his way.

    After going through the door, the maid in the room opened the other door and finally entered the princess''s room.

    The inside of the room did not seem to belong to the princess.

    A canopied bed, a wardrobe, and a mirror stand were not so different from those of ordinary women, but there were books and other materials placed in the space between them.

    And then there was a woman who was sitting at a desk by the window.

    The sound of her writing brushes was heard softly in the room. I felt as if I had wandered into the room of a scholar rather than a princess.

    "-It''s Stella..."

    "Hey, hey, father!¡¡I''m sorry, I didn''t realize."

    The princess jumps out of her chair when she hears her name called, realizes that the voice is her father, and rushes to her knees on the floor.

    "Good. Make yourself comfortable. You seem to be working hard on your studies, by the way..."

    "Yes. Yes, I still have a lot to learn.

    Princess Stella said this with a smile, and her hair was pure white, just as I had heard beforehand.

    Straight, snow-white hair that reached down to her waist.

    Her skin was as white as her white hair, probably due to the fact that she had been holed up in her room studying all the time. It is hard to imagine that she has been exposed to much sunlight.

    Her limbs are thin and slender, and she is generally slender.

    She looked fantastically beautiful in the light shining through the window.

    Although different from her father, her well-groomed, neat appearance was eye-catching, refined and beautiful.

    "I would like to learn more and be recognized by everyone as a princess."

    Stella smiled at her father, but to Sam, she seemed tired, impatient, and driven.

 122 - - 8 "I met Mr. Stella" â‘¡

    "...... I see. I heard that you''ve been studying a lot more lately, is something wrong?"

    "No, no, nothing at all. I''m just studying to make up for my inexperience.

    "From my point of view, Stella is doing well. No, rather, she seems to be working too hard. I am afraid that you will break down.

    Stella smiled as she accepted her father''s words of concern for his daughter.

    "Thank you for your concern. But I will be fine. I will study harder and harder so that everyone will recognize me as a princess.

    "...... I see."

    "Oh, by the way, Father. What brings you to see me today?"

    "Oh, yes. There''s someone I''d like you to meet.

    "For me?¡¡Is it the boy over there?"

    Yes. Sam."

    Sam, who had been watching the conversation between father and daughter, rushed to his knees to greet the caller.

    "Well, it''s nice to meet you. My name is Samuel Scheidt.

    Nice to meet you. My name is Stella Isle-Sky. It''s nice to meet you.

    Stella gave Sam a kind smile.

    She seemed much more friendly than I had imagined.

    It seems that she is staying in the house to study, not because she is sick of the world.

    "Stella."

    "Yes."

    Sam is the man you''re going to marry.

    "--"

    "I brought you here today to see you."

    Stella''s body jumped as soon as she was told that Sam was the man she was going to marry.

    Her reaction was frightened, as if something she had feared had just happened.

    When I looked at her face, the smile was gone before I knew it.

    She looked as if she was about to cry, but bit her lip as if she would not cry.

    "...... does that mean you are banishing me from the royal family?"

    "Banished?¡¡What are you talking about?"

    The king was bewildered, not understanding the meaning of his daughter''s words.

    Stella screamed out with a trembling voice.

    Rachel told me!¡¡Father, who is not fond of me, is going to marry me off to some nobleman!¡¡And this must be the girl!"

    "...... Rachel. Where did you pick up such a ridiculous rumor? Calm down, Stella. It''s a misunderstanding. It is true that I wanted to marry you off, but I did not mean to alienate you. It is because I love you that I want to take you out of the palace and set you free."

    "But I am a princess!¡¡I haven''t done anything as a princess yet!

    "Do you think it''s princess-like to just stay in a room like this and study?"

    "--!"

    £¨Oh, shit. I interrupted you. I was trying to stay out of it.)

    Stella was irritated that the king seemed to be listening to her and not to be listening to her.

    Perhaps she is unable to accept her father''s words as they are because she has a preconceived notion of what Princess Rachel has told her, but knowing the King''s concern for his daughter, she is annoyed that he does not seem to understand her.

    Why do I have to say such a thing to you?

    "Let''s listen to what the king has to say. The king told me that he loves Stella too. But you stubbornly refuse to believe the King''s words.

    "I am..."

    "I don''t understand what you mean by admitting or not admitting that you are a princess in the first place. You are a princess, aren''t you?"

    Sam stands up and looks straight at Stella.

    She meets Sam''s gaze and continues speaking.

    People think I am a child of iniquity!¡¡Because of this hair!"

    "I know."

    "How I - no, your mother and father - have been disgusted by the words of such heartless people!¡¡Therefore, I must be recognized by everyone as a princess, the true daughter of my beloved parents!"

    "Nonsense."

    What?

    Whether it was in front of the king or the princess, I had reached the end of my patience.

    I sympathize with Stella''s discomfort at being suspected of being the son of a wrongdoer because of her white hair.

    I also feel sorry that she is being used as a topic of conversation by the aristocrats who have nothing better to do.

    But..,

    "Why do you care what people say about you when your parents love you as their daughter?"

    "What do you know!¡¡I have been told since my birth that I am a child of iniquity, and that is how I feel!"

    I don''t like the fact that Stella is only concerned about the voices of those around her, even though she is loved by her parents and recognized as their daughter.

    It was as if she was looking at herself, who used to want to run away from home, but couldn''t do so and was still brooding over it.

    "No, I don''t understand. "No, I don''t know, but I can see that you are stubborn. It''s really nonsense."

    "-- you!"

    Stella''s sticking hand came flying at me.

    But I was able to grab it easily before her slender hand reached Sam.

    "Let go of me!¡¡It''s disrespectful!"

    "King, may I be excused for a moment?¡¡I promise I won''t do anything dangerous."

    Oh, yeah, no problem.

    Now, if you''ll excuse me."

    Sam moves to the window, holding Stella''s arm, and opens the window.

    He then took her in a princess hug.

    "Hey, you!¡¡Stop it!¡¡What are you doing?

    "You''re so stuffed up in this room that you can''t think about anything else. Let''s look at the bigger world."

    What are you talking about, huh?¡¡What?¡¡Hey, wait a minute, stop--"

    Holding Stella in his arms, Sam put his foot on the window.

    "Okay, let''s go."

    "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!"

    He flew into the sky in a great leap.

 123 - - 9 "I met Mr. Stella." â‘¢

    "Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!¡¡Put me down!¡¡Let me down!!!!!!!"

    Stella reaches the sky above the castle in her arms and screams with tears in her eyes.

    No wonder. A person who cannot use flying magic cannot reach such a high altitude.

    And since she is being held by Sam, she has no freedom.

    He must have felt compelled to scream at the thought of falling.

    Ignoring Stella''s cries, Sam calls out to her.

    "Look, Stella-sama. Please open your eyes and look at me.

    "I can''t!¡¡I can''t!

    "Come on, come on. There''s a whole new world out there that you''ve never seen before.

    "What?¡¡...... Ah."

    Perhaps intrigued by Sam''s words, Stella''s movement stops as she slowly opens her eyes.

    The cityscape of King''s Landing and the endless horizon filled their field of vision.

    "It''s a nice view, isn''t it? Whenever I have a bad day, I like to look far away from the sky like this.

    As Stella''s eyes were caught by a sight she could not normally see, Sam continued.

    I don''t mean to be arrogant and say that I understand everything you are feeling. I know that you have been through a lot of hardships and unpleasant experiences. I think it is very good that you are trying so hard for your parents. But you are loved."

    "......I know that much. But..."

    Then that''s enough. You don''t need the approval of someone who does nothing but gossip and badmouth. Let those who want to say things say them. Look at this big world. This world is not only people who say bad things about you. There are many allies, too.

    "............"

    "I used to be a hermit in a small world just like you. I wanted to escape from home, but I couldn''t. The door was open and I was free to go out, but I couldn''t."

    Stella looks into Sam''s face and asks.

    "So what happened to you?"

    "I got out. That''s why I''m here. I was sad to leave all those people who had helped me so much, but compared to rotting away in that house, ...... it was the right decision to leave."

    It reminds me of who I used to be.

    I was reborn in another world, but my family environment was terrible.

    I wonder what I would have done without Daphne and Derrick.

    It was because of this escape from this suffocating world that I met Ur.

    I learned magic, I learned combat, I traveled the world, and I learned to love.

    All because I took the first step.

    "I don''t have ...... the courage you have."

    "I''m sure you have courage too, Stella-sama."

    "Even me?"

    "Yes, because you stood up against the malice of those around you. Well, I can''t say I don''t think your methods were a little bit wrong, but you made a choice to stand up for yourself. That''s a brave thing to do."

    "...... I doubt that."

    "Of course. Look again at the world before you."

    Stella looks again at the world in her field of vision.

    This time, she does not shout, but seems to be absorbed in the view.

    This world is so big. Likewise, your world must be big too. It is good to stay in your room and study, but you should experience a lot of things in a wider world and be happy. Let your courage be directed to many things.

    "I make you happy?"

    "Yes. Parents always want their children to be happy. The same is true for the king. Which do you love more? Your parents who love you with all their heart or a nobleman whom you hardly see?

    Of course they are my parents!

    Then just ignore the noise. The world is a big place and there is a lot of fun to be had. Let''s relax our shoulders and move forward.

    I want Stella to see the wider world as I once did.

    I wanted to do for Stella what Ur had done for me.

    "--Yes, you''re right. I guess you''re right."

    Stella turned to Sam.

    Her face looked somewhat refreshed.

    The princess smiled.

    You know, I don''t know what fun is. You said your name is Sam, right?

    "Yes. My name is Samuel Scheidt. Please call me Sam.

    "Okay, Sam. Will you be responsible for teaching me how to have fun?"

    "Of course."

    I want to help Stella, who is somewhat like my old self, to move forward.

    Sam nodded his head in agreement without hesitation.

    Stella nodded again and again in satisfaction and gave him her biggest smile of the day.

    "Yes. I understand. I could marry you."

    "--Hmm?¡¡Ah--ah."

    (Oh shoot!¡¡I said a lot of things because he looked like the old me, but what''s the use of being liked?¡¡(my ass!!!!)

 124 - - "Stella liked it."

    Stella came back to the room and turned her face to her father king, whose possessions had fallen away, and smiled cheerfully.

    "--Father. I am sorry for having worried you. But it''s all right now.

    "Stella."

    "Thanks to Sam, I now know that I am only confined to a small world. From now on, I want to look forward to a wider world."

    "I''d be happy to do that for you."

    "But there is one thing I would like to make sure of."

    You can tell me anything. I''ll be happy to oblige."

    After a few moments of hesitation, Stella asked her father in a determined tone of voice: "What do you want?

    Do my father and mother love me?¡¡Do you feel neglected?"

    "I don''t need to ask you, we love Stella very much. We have never once felt slighted.

    "Am I allowed to be happy?"

    "Of course not. No parent would want their daughter to be happy.

    Tears welled up in Stella''s eyes as Clyde clearly expressed his love in words.

    "Thank you. And I''m sorry. I was being stubborn."

    "Good. I know how you feel. It must hurt you to be called the son of iniquity. I should have been more considerate of you. I''m sorry."

    "Please don''t apologize. I don''t care about the noise around me anymore!

    Well said, Stella!

    Father!

    They hugged each other.

    £¨Now Stella will leave the room. The king will be relieved.)

    "I''m glad you two have made your peace. Now, if you''ll excuse me..."

    "Wait for me, Sam."

    Sam is about to walk away when the king reaches out his arm and grabs him by the shoulder.

    The escape failed.

    (Of course...)

    "I thank you. I now know how my daughter feels. I wish you happiness in your marriage to Sam. I believe that Sam, who has lightened your heart, will make you happy.

    No, sir.

    I like you too, Sam. I would be happy to marry you.

    "Um, so, you know..."

    I wish you wouldn''t have proceeded without me.

    I thought you said this was just a meeting, and that the meeting would be held at a later date.

    However, when I opened the door, I found that he himself had given his consent to the marriage.

    Sam was troubled by this.

    "I see, I see!¡¡You like Sam!¡¡This is a blessing!"

    "...... No, I''m not happy."

    "Stella. I will miss having you as my wife. But there are those who would take advantage of you. I do not wish to bring chaos to our land and our house.

    "I understand. I understand that there are those who want to take me up.

    If that were all, there are those who have filthy desires for you. They cannot make you happy. But Sam is worthy of you. He may be young, but he is skilled in magic and has a straight heart.

    "Yes. I, too, would be happy with Sam.

    Before Sam can interject, the king and princess are talking.

    Sam wants to run away, but the king, who is surprisingly strong, has a firm grip on his shoulders, so he can''t escape.

    It''s not that I don''t like Stella.

    In fact, I like her.

    However, it seems to me that it is insincere to talk about marriage with Stella when I have found the love of my life in Liese and we have been married.

    It is not only Liese. I feel bad for Stella too.

    It could be said that it was because she was going to be a nobleman and polygamy was allowed, but it didn''t feel right to Sam, who had never even had a lover in her previous life.

    "You will be Sam''s wife, and you will support her.

    "Of course."

    I just need you to do one thing for me.

    Please do whatever it takes to relinquish your claim to the throne. Of course, Stella is still my daughter. But the right to the throne will not stop some from taking advantage of you.

    "Yes, sir. I have no interest in the throne. I am only interested in being loved by my father and mother.

    I''m sorry. And thank you. I am blessed to have a daughter as wise as you. I love you with all my heart, Stella."

    "I am too, father."

    I am so glad that father and son have found a way to communicate with each other.

    (Now that we''ve had a good talk, what should I do?)

    "Well, Sam. Thank you for this time. Let''s set a date for the meeting."

    "Date?

    "...... No, Lieselotte and Count Walker will have their own reasons. I remember we''re going to meet Magnolia''s granddaughter as well. We can''t proceed until we know more about that."

    (That''s right,...... I''m going to meet with the granddaughter of Magnolia-sama,...... what are you going to do about this?¡¡Liese won''t get sick of me, will she?¡¡It''s going to be okay!)

    "Stella will be my fianc¨¦e and we will decide on the marriage later. First, you should try to arrange a marriage with Magnolia''s granddaughter."

    "...... understand."

    "Mm. Then we shall meet again.

    Yes, yes, we''ll see you next time.

    Thanks to the granddaughter of Magnolia, who has yet to be seen, we are done here for now.

    However, we cannot let our guard down.

    Stella is ready to marry and the king is ready to give her in marriage.

    Sam cannot say no.

    He feels bad for Lise, but he can''t hate Stella.

    If she had a bad character or something, he would have refused her outright.

    (I will get down on my knees to Liese-sama when I get back to the house.)

    With a new fianc¨¦e on the way, Sam returns to Count Walker''s house with a heavy gait.

 125 - - 11 "Mr. Liese was jealous" â‘ 

    "Wow. That''s great."

    The night I came home from the palace.

    Lise was in bed, wearing a nightgown, her cheeks puffed out.

    "No, it''s just the way things are, I guess..."

    Lise is acting this way because Sam has a new fianc¨¦e, Princess Stella.

    After meeting Stella and resolving the coiled relationship between her and the king, Sam was liked by both parties and the engagement was quickly arranged.

    No court wizard or the most powerful wizard in the kingdom could stop these two from getting into the swing of things.

    Sam returned to the house and handed Jonathan a letter from the king.

    The letter stated that he and Stella were to be engaged, that Lise was to be his wife, and that they were to have a formal meeting in the near future.

    Jonathan, who had not expected to come back with the princess as his fiancee, felt his stomach in knots, wondering why he had just been to the royal palace and ended up in this mess.

    It seems that the engagement was the King''s sole decision and he had not consulted Jonathan about it beforehand.

    And around the time we were talking about it, Lise started to get somewhat irritated.

    Sam, who decided that she was definitely in a bad mood, tried hard to get her in a good mood, but he finally failed.

    (--I can''t say this out loud, but Lise-sama who is jealous of me is cute too...)

    As for the arranged marriage with Magnolia''s granddaughter, Hanae, Lise had advised him to accept it properly, and I had thought that she was just trying to get herself more women like a daughter of a noble family.

    But I was wrong.

    It seems that she is not happy with the fact that she is getting a fianc¨¦e without her knowledge.

    £¨I know, right? Even Magnolia-sama''s grandson didn''t get married just because he was going to have an arranged marriage, so it''s no wonder Liese-sama''s reaction was different.)

    Our priority now is to restore Liese''s good mood.

    If not, we will have a lonely night.

    We can''t let that happen.

    Lately, Sam can''t sleep well without Liese''s warmth.

    Above all, Liese is cute when she is jealous, but she still wants the person she loves to smile at her.

    "Um, Liese-sama, ...... I would appreciate it if you wouldn''t get too angry."

    I''m not angry with you. I''m not angry with you. Unlike me, she''s slender and protective. She seems to be concerned about that white hair of hers, but it''s so beautiful and divine.

    "Don''t be so sulky."

    I''m not sulking.

    "Of course, I apologize for the fact that you''ve had a new fianc¨¦e before I knew you. But how could I have avoided the king''s order?

    I don''t know.

    Resisting the urge to poke Lise''s puffy cheeks, Sam desperately makes sweet noises.

    Besides, Lise is the only wife I have. She''s the sweetest wife I''ve ever had, and I want to protect her.

    "Well, that''s what you told me ......!"

    I tried my best to get him in a good mood, but he threw a pillow at me.

    The pillow hit Sam''s face with a slight thud.

    Still undaunted, Sam holds Lise''s hand and whispers his love to her.

    "I love you, Lise. Please don''t hate me.

    "I don''t hate you. I don''t hate Sam. But..."

    But?"

    "You''re my fianc¨¦e, why can''t you be a little jealous?"

    "--, of course!¡¡Jealous Liese-sama is cute too, so please be jealous as much as you want!"

    "I''m not sure about that reaction either. ...... Hmmm . Am I that cute that you''re jealous of me?"

    "Oh, my God, my heart!"

    Sam prepared himself to get angry, but Lise started to wiggle her cheeks.

    "Hmmm. I''m pretty. I see."

    "Um, Lise-sama?"

    "I''m not so easy to get into a good mood just because someone says I''m cute. I just don''t think you''re always so mature, so I''ll let you off the hook this time."

    "Oh, thank you."

    "But..."

    Liese lays her head on Sam''s chest and leans against him.

    "I know I shouldn''t, but I might get jealous like I did today. I''m surprisingly jealous. I''m surprised at myself.

    "I like it when you get jealous, Lise-sama, it''s cute."

    "God d*mn it!"

    When I hug her and whisper in her ear, her face turns red.

    Her reaction is so adorable that I kiss her forehead.

    I continue kissing her cheeks and neck.

    "Mmm..."

    Lise wriggled ticklishly, but she, too, wanted Sam.

    Their lips naturally moved together, and they made love.

    After a few moments of sweetness, they parted their lips when they were satisfied.

    They were a little sad to leave, but they had more to talk about, so they decided to be patient for now.

    "But I didn''t know that Stella-sama was so worried about it. It''s true that she was concerned about her gray hair.

    "So you knew about this, too, Lise-sama."

    "Yes. I''ve heard people say bad things about you, Stella. I hate to say it, but every noble girl has heard it at least once.

    "So you are that famous."

    Sam is disgusted by the nobles who gossip that Stella is a child of iniquity simply because she has gray hair.

    Lise also recalls her past and makes a bitter face, as if she is not amused by it.

    "It''s all a bit uncomfortably exciting, isn''t it? Especially that Rachel.

    "The second princess''s?"

    "Yes, she seems to be taking the lead in spreading bad rumors."

    "I didn''t know sisters could do such things."

    £¨Women are scary. Oh, but as I recall, Rachel said some unnecessary things, which made Stella''s withdrawal more difficult. Oh, no!)

    "Maybe it''s because I have a different mother."

    "Are you saying that they don''t get along with each other just because they are half-siblings?"

    "As far as I know, Rachel hates Stella unilaterally. Maybe it''s because Stella''s mother, the first queen, and Rachel''s mother, the second queen, are dog and monkey.

    "Wow, that''s a common thing with royalty."

    I''m fed up with all this woman-on-woman stuff.

    Stella didn''t seem to dislike Rachel, so I guess it''s her one-sided feeling, but it''s not very pleasant to talk about.

    "Yes, it is. She also doesn''t like the fact that His Majesty the King cares about Stella the most."

    "You know very well."

    "Now aside, I used to be in social circles, so you''ll hear about this stuff all the time," he said. Whenever women get together, they always talk bad about someone."

    "Wow."

    Even Lise looked fed up.

    It is in her nature not to talk bad about anyone, nor to listen to anyone.

    "But I think it''s a good decision that Your Majesty entrusted Stella-sama to Sam.

    "What?¡¡Is that so?"

    "Aside from those who speak ill of Stella, I hear that many men have bad thoughts about her because of her beautiful figure."

    I''ve heard that from the King himself.

    "It is said that there are many people who want Lady Stella, not only from the aristocratic faction that is hostile to your father, but also from the knightly faction."

    Well, she was certainly quite beautiful, wasn''t she?

    Stella is vividly etched in my mind.

    Her snow-white hair and skin.

    Her thin, slender body.

    Her face, neat and trim, yet somehow protective.

    Indeed, men would flock to her.

    "Hmm."

    As I thought of Stella and nodded my head in agreement, I felt a steady gaze from inside my arms.

    "Ah."

    Liese''s cheeks were puffed out again when Sam honestly praised Stella as a beautiful woman.

 126 - - 12 "Mr. Liese was jealous" â‘¡

    (Shit! ...... I misspoke!)

    "No, no, no!¡¡She''s beautiful, but not as beautiful as Lise!"

    "......Well, okay. I''ll forgive you for seeing Sam''s flustered face."

    Thank God. Thank you.

    Relieved that Sam had given his permission, Liese again broached the subject of Stella.

    "Stella-sama, I don''t think she will be treated well if she marries a hostile faction, and I don''t want her to become a person who is only to be lusted after in the first place. It''s a natural thing for parents to want to marry their children off to a safe place.

    "So, I''m not sure about this ''me'' thing."

    I have no intention of treating Stella badly, but I still don''t understand why I was chosen for the king''s favor.

    Lise laughed at Sam.

    "Sam is a good candidate for marriage, isn''t he?"

    "I''m not sure myself."

    "Hmmm, yes. First of all, Sam is in the custody of Count Walker''s family.

    "Yes, well, I''m sorry I''ve been such a burden to you."

    "One of the things that His Majesty the King can be assured of is that he has my father''s eyes and my presence."

    They feel safe in the same faction and in the same family.

    They also believe that since Stella and Liese have known each other since childhood, they will not be treated badly.

    Because the King knows Jonathan and Stella, he thought that Sam, who is closely related to both of them, would be a good choice for his daughter.

    "I also want to bind Sam to the royal family and to this country.

    "Binding is kind of a nasty word, isn''t it?"

    "I don''t have a choice. You are not only the court wizard but also the most powerful wizard in the kingdom. In other words, you are the greatest asset of this kingdom. If we want to keep you in the kingdom and deepen your relationship with the royal family, marriage is the quickest way to do it, don''t you think?

    "Yes, that''s true, but..."

    "By the way, there was also talk of a marriage between Sister Ur and His Highness Cedric."

    Cedric is the first prince and heir to the throne.

    Sam was more than a little surprised to hear of Ur''s marriage to such a man.

    But at the same time, he thought that a wizard of Ur''s caliber would be a worthy consort for the queen.

    First of all, she would be able to protect herself, and she would also be able to guarantee the safety of her husband. No queen could be more reassuring.

    "What was Ur''s reaction?"

    At Sam''s question, Lise laughed as if she remembered.

    "I dismissed it as not being to my liking. "And in front of His Majesty and Your Highness. I heard that my father clutched his stomach and crouched down.

    Sam laughed at the refusal, which was so typical of Ur.

    At the same time, I was also impressed by Jonathan''s hard work.

    He reflects on the trouble his daughter has caused him in the past and now he is causing himself.

    However, it is not that Sam wants to be a burden to Jonathan''s stomach.

    "And by the way, I heard that G¨¹nther has been acting like a spoiled child."

    "Oh, I expected that."

    There is no way that Ur''s stalker would let him get married without telling him.

    I would have liked to have seen G¨¹nther, who looks like a prince in a girl''s cartoon, acting out of control.

    I''m sure Ur would have at least kicked him after he sighed.

    "That''s why the story about your sister and his highness fell through. I guess that''s why you wanted to push him this time.

    "Here I come. I''m fine with just Liese-sama."

    "Oh, Sam!¡¡Don''t make me too happy!¡¡--But you can''t say no.

    "What?"

    My heart skipped a beat when Lise uttered the warning as if she had looked into my mind.

    To tell the truth, I had been thinking that it would be better for Lise if I refused.

    I am honored that Princess Stella likes me, but I am not so good at loving and marrying two women.

    He had never been in love in his previous life and could not even imagine what marriage would be like.

    It is almost a miracle that Lise and I are able to make out like this.

    However, Liese continues, saying that she cannot refuse.

    "I know how hard it was for you, Stella-sama. Staying in the royal palace could ruin the change that has just come to you. I pity her too much. It''s not pity, but we''ll make a place for you."

    "Are you sure?"

    "To be honest, it''s not funny. It''s funny how I was ready to give up on Sam at one point, but now that we''re together I''m jealous of him.

    "I''m glad Liese-sama is jealous of you."

    "Hmmm, then I''m jealous without reservation. But you know, Sam has to leave an heir and you can never have too many people to support you.

    Jealous but tolerant, Lise was after all the daughter of a nobleman.

    I bowed to her determination and her willingness to put Sam first instead of herself.

    And although she doesn''t say it out loud, I guess she can''t leave Stella alone for some reason.

    I think it is because Lise was once married and unhappy that she can''t turn a blind eye to Stella who might have an unwanted marriage or an unhappy ending waiting for her if she gets married.

    "I thought that the second one might be Karen-sama, but I didn''t expect that Stella-sama would come. But it''s a good marriage. It''s good for Sam to have a connection with the royal family. Besides, Stella would be a good choice for the royal family.

    Sam tilts his head at Lise, who suddenly says something like that.

    "What are you talking about?"

    "What?"

    "My rightful wife is Lise. Lise is my firstborn. That will never change.

    "--Sam."

    Liese looks at me with a surprised expression on her face.

    Her eyes were moist with tears.

    "So, will you tell me that I am the best?"

    Her arms embrace Sam.

    "I''ll teach you everything you need to know."

    "Punish me for being jealous."

    "No, I''m rewarding you for your cute jealousy."

    "Hmm."

    "Ha ha."

    Sam and Lise giggled happily.

    Naturally, the two got closer to each other, and they fought for each other''s lips.

    After kissing each other for a long time, Sam pushed Liese''s body down on the bed.

    They continued to kiss each other strongly, as if they were confirming their love.

 127 - - 13 "At that time, in the Baroness Reinbach" â‘¤

    "Why, ...... why did this happen!"

    --With a thud, Karius Reinbach pounded his fist on his desk and shouted in frustration.

    The cause of the Baron Reinbach''s anger was his son, Sam, who had run away five years ago.

    "That bastard!"

    Again Karius punched his desk, this time at his son Sam, who was so poor that he could not even use a sword properly.

    Sam, who had been neglected as the son of an untalented man, had instantly killed Albert Frege, the most powerful court wizard in the kingdom, and had even fought a dragon that was about to attack King''s Landing.

    It seems that the king remembers him well because he reconciled with the dragon not by slaying it but by conversing with it.

    He is even said to have become engaged to Lieselotte Walker, the second daughter of Count Walker''s family, where he was staying.

    There were too many events that were too much for the ill-fated son.

    "Samuel, you ...... were supposed to be a failure who couldn''t use a sword, but I didn''t know you could do so much magic. ...... Why didn''t you tell me!"

    Currently, the talk among the nobility is all about Sam.

    It was the same for the nobles on the frontier.

    "Do you have any idea how much I''ve been ridiculed because of Samuel?

    Carius'' anger did not abate.

    Besides Sam, he had two other sons, Manion and Harry.

    Both were gifted with the sword, but Sam had none.

    He could not use a sword, let alone any kind of weapons or arms. He was deemed unfit to be the heir to the baronage that had founded the Reinbach family with swords, and he was excluded from the list of successors.

    I did not expect that Sam would have such a talent for magic, and that he would be the most powerful in the kingdom.

    This led to a reprimand from Viscount Riedyll, with whom he had a close relationship.

    Regardless of what Karius thinks, in the general public, wizards are rarer than skilled swordsmen.

    He had driven away his eldest son, who probably had the talent of a wizard, and then declared him dead.

    The Viscount was furious.

    His relationship with Viscount Riedyll was such that he promised to marry off the Viscount''s daughter to the Baron''s family.

    The Viscount initially proposed his daughter Luce Riedyll for Sam''s hand in marriage.

    It is said that Luce fell in love at first sight with Sam when they greeted each other during a visit to the Baron''s house. As a father, he wanted to fulfill his daughter''s first love.

    However, Carius decided that it would be disrespectful to the other man if he had an inadequate and embarrassing son, so he pushed Mannion, who was going to be the head of the family.

    Luce was not happy about it.

    But just when she was ready to accept the fact that he was dead, Sam''s survival and his success as a wizard came to her.

    Thanks to this, the anger of the Viscount continues to this day and shows no sign of abating.

    "Shame on Samuel as well as ...... Manion for breaking off the engagement!"

    The engagement between the second son Manion and Luce has already been called off.

    But even Carius could not protest against the Viscount.

    Manion had once been a gifted boy with a sword.

    But now he is so fat that he cannot even wield a sword properly.

    And now he is so fat he cannot even wield a sword properly. That alone is enough to make him angry.

    He was a fool who had learned his lesson by getting his revenge once, but he went for it a second time.

    He was foolish enough to try to take the heir''s position by killing him instead of changing his attitude toward life, which his mother Yolanda may have encouraged him to do.

    Harry fought him off the second time, but the sight of Mannion ranting excuses and giving groundless reasons why he was a better heir than he was pushed Karius to his limits.

    As a result, he smashed Mannion with a wooden sword and broke his dominant arm so that he would never be able to misbehave again.

    Since then, although he has been quiet and closed up again, Carrius has wanted to kill Mannion in his heart.

    "If only Yolanda''s family would take him in sooner!"

    Manion''s mother, Yolanda''s father, is a man of extensive business interests.

    He should be able to take care of his daughter and grandchildren, but he refuses to accept a man who is so thoughtless as to commit attempted murder.

    However, I don''t intend to keep them at home forever.

    I am afraid that the temper-tantrumming, short-tempered mother and son will attack Harriet and Harry again at any moment.

    "We''ve got to get rid of these nuisances as soon as possible."

    I don''t care what happens to Manion and Yolanda.

    Carius wanted to get rid of one more problem.

    "And speaking of trouble, that little baroness ...... has turned down the chance to become Harry''s promising fianc¨¦e. You really want that lousy son so badly!"

    The Viscounts had given up on Manion, who had no future, and proposed an engagement to Harry, the most gifted swordsman and the official heir, but Luce and the Viscount rejected the proposal.

    Annoyingly, he was told that "there was no need to make a marriage proposal to someone whose illegitimate son might appear and replace the heir.

    He even said that if he was going to make a match, he would prefer Sam.

    I was humiliated.

    It was so angry and abhorrent to be mocked by a frontier viscount who had never left the countryside, and who used to live in King''s Landing and was the heir to a viscount''s family.

    This is all Samuel''s fault!¡¡If it weren''t for him!"

    Today, Carius is mocked by the nobles with whom he associates as "a fool who failed to see the talent of his son.

    Manion is the one who kicked him out of the house, but somehow the people around him know about the way he treated Sam before that, and Karius'' reputation has been ruined.

 128 - - 14 "At that time, in the Baroness Reinbach" â‘¥

    "--And to my annoyance, I received a letter from my parents'' home asking about Samuel, whom I had never heard from!¡¡You have been ignoring me, but now you are interested in Samuel!"

    Karius'' anger continues to rage.

    The cause is a letter from his parents'' house in King''s Landing.

    Originally the eldest son of Viscount Kofi, Carius had no doubt that he would be the heir to the throne.

    He was a talented swordsman and had been offered a knighthood.

    He had a younger brother, but he was too sickly to wield a sword and had no magical ability.

    He seemed to be able to learn a little, but it was of no value.

    Carius was convinced that he was the right person to be the head of the family.

    But it was his brother whom his father had named as his successor.

    On the contrary, Carius was reprimanded and driven out of the barony for having no value other than his sword and for not caring about others.

    Feeding on his hatred for his father and brother, he became an adventurer and continued to fight to the death.

    However, the only thing he could gain with a single sword was a baronet''s house in the countryside.

    He had tried so hard to protect it, but all his efforts had been undone by his ill-advised sons.

    Even Harry''s future was in jeopardy!

    The Viscounts Coffey contacted me to make a connection with Sam.

    The first letter from the family, who had never contacted him before, was all about Sam.

    It was really annoying.

    It seems that the Viscount Kofi had already heard that Samuel had been declared dead, and that he was to be welcomed into the family.

    Annoyingly, Viscount Kofi did not give any consideration to Karius, but only warned him to stay out of the way as he would work to bring him in.

    What made Carius even angrier was the fact that he had been told that he was not to be involved in the marriage,

    "Samuel is a count!¡¡A son is an earl when his father is a country baron?

    The idea was that Sam would be given an earldom for becoming a court wizard.

    I know how court wizards work, but that still doesn''t make sense to me.

    If I leave Sam alone, I can see that my position is getting worse and worse.

    "What do you think?¡¡I have no interest in wizards, but I can''t ignore Samuel at this point. We must use him at all costs. If we use him, we may be able to return to King''s Landing.

    Greed had taken hold of Carius.

    Until now, it had been enough to maintain the barony and pass it on to a worthy successor.

    For this reason, he had removed his eldest son, whom he considered incompetent, and he had decided to get rid of his second son, whom he considered to be harmful.

    But now Carius thought that he could use Sam to get back his position in King''s Landing.

    Then he would not have to worry about the frontier country nobles.

    "We can call Samuel back. I am sure he will be happy to come back since Manion will be gone anyway."

    Karius, who truly believed what Daphne and Derrick would have doubted his sanity if they had heard it, was incapable of sound judgment.

    He could not believe that Sam, who had treated him so badly, would not cooperate with him for his own greed.

    Partly because of his confidence in his skills.

    If Sam did not listen to him, he was prepared to hurt him and bring him to his knees.

    His experience in defeating many wizards during his adventuring days had encouraged him to do so.

    At the same time, he had an unfounded confidence that he would be able to handle the most powerful man in the kingdom, even if he was a court wizard, because he considered Sam to be an inadequate son.

    "Derrick!¡¡Is Derrick here?

    Here.

    King''s Landing, write to Samuel!

    "For little Sam?"

    Yes!¡¡I''ll bring Samuel back!"

    Sir, that''s too much.

    Shut up!¡¡Don''t talk to me!"

    Derrick''s attempt to call him selfish is interrupted by an angry voice.

    "By the way, you and Daphne were close to Samuel. Just as well, you tell Samuel to come back and make a contribution to his father and to the Reinbach family!"

    "But..."

    "I did not ask for your opinion!¡¡If you decide to do so, get rid of Manion and Yolanda as soon as possible!¡¡Worst case scenario, I hope they die in the field!"

    Derrick, who had been trying to admonish Karius, shook his head as if in resignation.

    He decided that no matter what he said, he would not be listened to.

    He prepared the letter as Carius had ordered, even though he knew that Sam would never come back to the house.

 129 - - 15 "Alicia says she has someone she likes." â‘ 

    Sam was depressed because he was due to meet Hualien, the granddaughter of the first seat of the court magician, Mokuren.

    "Haaaaah!"

    He had just gotten engaged to Princess Stella in addition to Lise, and even though he felt guilty about it, he was worried about what would happen if he got another one.

    "No, no, you can just say no to her because you arranged the marriage. Yes, that''s right!"

    "squeak squeak squeak."

    "Oh, I''m sorry. I''ll wash you now."

    One of the baby dinosaurs meows at his urging, and Sam apologizes.

    Sam went to the garden to wash the baby dinosaurs.

    They had been playing with Alicia today, but they had gotten covered in mud because they had been so enthusiastic in their play.

    (Even Alicia was covered in mud, where on earth was she playing?)

    It is no longer unusual to see Alicia and the baby dragons working together.

    At first glance, Alicia seems to be a quiet girl, but as the younger sister of Ur and Lise, she has a vivacious side to her.

    She is now being scolded by her mother, Grace, for coming home covered in mud.

    In the meantime, Sam is trying to wash the little dragons.

    She wants them to go straight to the bath, but she knows that the maids will have a hard time cleaning up if the hallway gets dirty on the way there, so she takes over the job.

    "Here, let me pour hot water on you."

    "Squeaky!"

    Using water magic, he prepared a large amount of water in the air, heated it to the right temperature using flame magic, and then poured it over the bodies of the little dragons with great vigor.

    The water is then poured vigorously over the bodies of the little dragons, who "squeal" pleasantly, and then the brush is applied to them.

    As I scrubbed and lathered them with soap and a brush,

    "Master Sam, let me help you."

    Alicia, who must have been released from her sermon, appeared with a brush.

    "Thank you, Alicia. But you are free from Mr. Grace?"

    "Ugh, it''s been a long time ...... no, years. No, it''s been years since your mother scolded me.

    "I''m glad to see that Alicia is enjoying herself these days, playing with her dragon cubs."

    "Yes!¡¡Every day is a joy!

    They all brush up against the dragon cubs.

    Alicia''s clothes are also covered with mud, but she can go straight to the bathroom as soon as she undresses, although in her case it is a little too late.

    She is probably prepared for this.

    "...... I''m sorry to hear that you haven''t been feeling well lately, Sam-sama.¡¡Oh, you didn''t have a fight with your sister Liese, did you?"

    "No, Lise and I are good friends. I''m happy to see different sides of her every day.

    "Well!¡¡You''re so hot, I envy you. But then, why do you look so down?

    While washing the baby dragon, the two continue their conversation.

    "Is it that obvious?"

    "Yes, he has a very obvious troubled, listless look on his face."

    Alicia''s vocabulary has increased dramatically since the arrival of the little dragons.

    Alicia is very lively as she talks with the little dragons in a friendly manner as if she has more siblings.

    The little dragons seemed to love Alicia very much and took to her as if she were their big sister.

    Sam and Alicia, who are somehow loved and missed by the little dragons, have been spending more and more time together, and they talk a lot.

    Alicia, who used to hide behind Lise and say she was not good with men when they first met, is now being friendly to me as if it were a lie.

    Sam was honestly happy to see the change in Alicia.

    "Actually, tomorrow I''m going to have a blind date with Mokuren-sama''s grandson, Hanae-sama.

    Alicia looked convinced by Sam''s weak voice.

    "The blind date is tomorrow, isn''t it?"

    "Yes, that''s why I''m in trouble."

    "By the way, your mother told me that you were also engaged to Lady Stella."

    "Yes, before I knew it."

    Alicia looked into Sam''s face as she moved her brush, sighing in reply.

    "Are you unhappy with the way I''m doing it?"

    Sam shakes his head in panic.

    "I''m not complaining. Stella is a hardworking and respectful person. I''d rather say that I''m not good enough for her, no, I''m not. I just feel bad for Liese-sama.

    "I don''t think your sister cares too much. Of course, she might be jealous, but she''s a noblewoman. Besides, it''s not as if Sam has been dishonest, so I don''t think she cares too much.

    "That''s true, but..."

    "...... but I''m a little jealous."

    "Lady Alicia?"

    Sam tilted his head at Alicia, who muttered, "I''m jealous.

    She smiled and continued.

    "I can see that you love your sister Lise very much, Sam. That makes me envy you a little, as a woman of the same s*x.

    "Well, ...... excuse me, but doesn''t Lady Alicia have a partner?"

    Come to think of it, I have never heard of Alicia having a fianc¨¦e or girlfriend.

    Alicia responded to Sam''s question with a slight blush.

    "Well, I''m not very good with men, ...... but, um, there is someone I''m interested in."

    "--Hey."

    I have to admit, I was surprised.

    I knew that she was not good with men as Alicia had said.

    It was a surprise to me that she was interested in someone of the opposite s*x.

    (We need to find out if she is interested in him and what kind of man he is.)

    Sam raised his guard against any insolent person approaching his precious family.

    The man listens to me very carefully," he said. He is a kind and devoted person. If such a person had feelings for me too, it would be a bad thing..."

    Alicia sounded like a maiden in love.

    Sam guessed. Alicia had more feelings for this person than she cared for.

 130 - - 16 "Alicia says she has someone she likes." â‘¡

    "I don''t think there''s anything wrong with having feelings for someone."

    "Hmmm. She already has a fianc¨¦e. I don''t dare to come between them - and besides..."

    Alicia''s smile turns dark.

    As Sam wonders what is going on, she utters a startling statement.

    "There is a man who wants to marry me.

    "...... Congratulations, you don''t look ...... like a ......."

    One look at Alicia''s unhappy face and one could tell that her courtship was not a pleasant one.

    "Yes, I know. The man is a childhood friend of mine, but he is ...... not my favorite person."

    "I guess you have a problem with men even if you''ve known them since childhood."

    "No, it''s not because he is a man, but because he is a ...... Oh, don''t get me wrong. He is not a bad person. But..."

    But?"

    "He won''t listen to me."

    Sam looked confused, not understanding what Alicia was trying to say.

    "What do you mean she won''t listen to me?"

    "Well, yes. He is always talking about himself and never listens to me.

    "Oh, yeah, like that."

    "It''s as if he''s not interested in me. I met him the other day, but he only talked about his own recent activities and did not ask me about mine."

    "You are a very selfish man, aren''t you?"

    Alicia neither confirmed nor denied Sam''s statement.

    She simply spun her words in a lonely manner.

    "I think that if we are going to get married, we should talk about it properly. I want to take the time to get to know my partner and to get to know myself, as well as our personalities and our conversations. Otherwise, I am afraid that it will be a sad marriage.

    "I understand your feelings."

    It is unflattering to marry with insecurity.

    As a nobleman, as a daughter of a countess, you cannot escape from a marriage proposal, but if you have the freedom to choose, you should decide whether you are compatible with the person you are marrying.

    Of course we do not want Alicia to be unhappy, but we do not want her partner to have an unhappy marriage either.

    (But there are people who talk about themselves too much sometimes...)

    There are people, men and women, who sometimes want to talk only about themselves, without malicious intent.

    It is not that they are not interested in others, but there are people who put themselves first, unfortunately.

    (I don''t know if they are egotistical or not, but judging from Lady Alicia''s reaction, things are not going very well for her.)

    We''ve known each other since childhood.

    It is unthinkable that he was so nervous in front of the person he was in love with that he spoke without thinking.

    If so, he may be the kind of person who only talks about what he wants to talk about.

    (I guess he and Alicia are not a good match.)

    For all her boldness, Alicia is at heart a reserved person.

    I understand why she does not feel at ease unless we have a proper conversation and get to know each other, as she has revealed to me.

    I don''t think we understand each other because we have known each other since childhood.

    At least, Alicia does not think so.

    A childhood friend and a marriage partner are two different things.

    "I am glad that Sam listens to me so well. The same goes for the little dragons. Is it selfish of me to want to be with someone with whom I can have a pleasant and natural conversation?"

    "That''s not true. I talk with Liese-sama every day, too, and I would miss her if we suddenly couldn''t talk.

    "Yes, of course. --Good. I''ve never told a man so much about myself.

    I''d be happy to talk to you anytime if you''d like."

    "Well, ...... is that okay?"

    "Of course. You listened to my problems earlier, too. It''s mutual. Besides, you''re family, so don''t hesitate to talk to me as if you were talking to my brother.

    I don''t mind talking to Alicia. In fact, I like it.

    Besides, since I am marrying Liese, Alicia and I will be a real family.

    I want to listen to her problems and it is normal for us to talk about other things as a family.

    I would also be happy if she gets used to men through talking to me.

    "Yes. Yes. Please listen to my story over a cup of tea this time. Oh, yes. I''ve found some stories with dragons that you asked me to read the other day.

    "Thank you!¡¡I''ve been wanting to read it!"

    "Hmmm, I can assure you it will be interesting."

    I''m looking forward to it."

    Sam often borrowed books from Alicia.

    Alicia, a voracious reader, used to frequent the library of the mansion and is still adding to her library.

    We look forward to her recommendations as they are all interesting.

    "Kyu-kyu!"

    "Oh, I''m sorry, I''m sorry, my hand stopped."

    "I''m sorry. Let''s get you cleaned up."

    The foam-covered baby dragon squealed in protest when the brush stopped, so Sam and the others concentrated on washing the baby dragon.

    They finished washing off all the dirt and foam with hot water.

    "Okay. Let''s go back to our room."

    "squeak squeak"

    Hmm?"

    "Excuse me, Mr. Sam. They want to take a bath.

    "...... didn''t I just wash you?"

    "He doesn''t like it if he doesn''t soak in hot water."

    Sam let out a laugh at the children''s request.

    "I guess they''ve gotten used to human life by now."

    I wondered for a moment if I would be able to return to nature with the burning dragon.

    "Kyuuurrrr!"

    "What''s wrong?"

    One of the baby dinosaurs was biting Sam''s arm sweetly and seemed to be complaining about something.

    However, Sam does not know what the dragon cub is trying to say.

    He can understand that the little dragon cub is trying to be sweet to Sam, but he cannot understand what the little dragon cub is trying to say.

    Alicia, with a puzzled look on her face, asked Sam to translate for her.

    "She wants to take a bath with Mr. Sam," she said.

    "Okay, okay. Here, don''t pull my arm. I''ll take a bath with her. Can I leave that one to you, Alicia?

    "Of course!"

    While I was replying to Alicia, the dragon cub was pulling me to go to the bath as soon as possible.

    The reaction of the little dragon was so cute that I couldn''t help but to look at it with the corners of my eyes drooping.

    Sam petted the other children while being pulled by the dragon cubs, and then headed for the bathroom.

    After seeing Sam off, Alicia smiles at the rest of the litter.

    "Come on, let''s go take a bath too.

    "Squeal!"

    "Squeal!"

    Alicia looks forlorn for a moment as she and her dragon cub head inside the house.

    "...... Hmmm. Sam is really very kind, isn''t he? I''m very jealous of your sister Lise."

 131 - - 17 "Its an arranged meeting with Mr. Hanaren" â‘ 

    The day of the blind date arrived.

    Sam, depressed from the morning, was seen off by the smiling face of his fianc¨¦e, Lise, and went with Jonathan to a restaurant in King''s Landing.

    Jonathan is accompanying him as a surrogate father.

    He was the father of his fianc¨¦e and had always treated him like a son, so he was well suited for the role.

    He was going to accompany him without being asked.

    And it was no wonder, since Sam was the fianc¨¦ of his daughter Liese. In other words, he is an important family member of Count Walker''s family.

    We do not know if Sam is going to be a son-in-law or Lise is going to be a daughter-in-law, but they are still family.

    My beloved fianc¨¦e is away today, saying, "It would be strange if I went along on Sam''s blind date.

    Sam would like to take Lise with him and say "I''m sorry, I''m engaged to this person," but that would cause a big problem.

    Even if I refuse, I have to make sure to arrange the blind date properly so as not to embarrass the other party.

    "Oh, my stomach is starting to hurt.

    "Ha-ha-ha, Sam, what a coincidence. Me too."

    I walk into the restaurant with Jonathan, clutching my stomach.

    The restaurant , built in a prime location in the royal city, is popular among the nobility.

    The restaurant is always overbooked, and it is said that even high ranking nobles cannot enter without a reservation.

    Rumor has it that royalty also go there.

    The interior of such a restaurant patronized by aristocrats was calm and simple.

    However, even Sam could tell that it cost a lot of money.

    The tables and chairs, as well as the paintings and vases must be quite expensive.

    It was a little uncomfortable for Sam, who is a commoner.

    (......I have never been to a restaurant with such an atmosphere even in my previous life.)

    When I was living in Japan, I used to go to family restaurants and izakayas (Japanese style pubs) with friends. I have been to some Italian restaurants, but they were run by people I knew, so they were less intimidating.

    Once I was taken to a fashionable bar, but it was still a friendly place.

    Because I am Sam, I am intimidated by the atmosphere of this place.

    What''s more, I have an arranged marriage waiting for me.

    I felt my stomach ache.

    "We''ve been expecting you. Count Jonathan Walker, Samuel Scheidt, Wizard of the Court. I am General Manager Thomas Jura.

    Sam and his friends were greeted by a man in a classic suit.

    Thomas Jura, who claimed to be the general manager, was a gray-haired man in his fifties with a soft smile on his face. He bowed politely to Sam and the others.

    Sam bowed hurriedly.

    "We would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for choosing our restaurant as the venue for the arranged marriage between the Counts of Purple and Walker today. Countess Murasaki and Countess Hanae are already waiting for you in your rooms, and I will show you to them.

    The general manager leads us to a room in the back.

    Perhaps noticing Sam''s curiosity at the fact that there was not a single guest even though it was almost noon, Thomas announced, "The restaurant is closed for a private party today.

    He is absolutely mortified that a popular restaurant frequented by aristocrats would be rented out for the whole day.

    When I asked Jonathan if he knew about this, he looked pale and shook his head.

    It seems that Magnolia had arranged it.

    "...... I wonder if Mokuren-dono really intends to marry Sam and his granddaughter."

    Jonathan''s mutterings gave Sam a headache.

    Even Sam knew that Magnolia was serious.

    (I still think it''s a bad idea to go on a blind date with Liese-sama, but it would be rude to suddenly refuse after all this ...... I don''t know about the nobility, but I''ll try not to embarrass Mokuren-sama in the meantime).

    The general manager stops in front of the room and knocks lightly on the door.

    "Count Jonathan Walker, Samuel Scheidt, Wizard of the Court, has arrived.

    Thomas opened the door.

    In the room was Magnolia, smiling and drinking tea, and a woman a little older than Sam, with a pale emotional face, waiting for him.

    "We have been expecting you, Jonathan-dono, Samuel-dono."

    "Well, well, well, Magnolia-dono. I apologize for keeping you waiting.

    No, we just got here early. Please have a seat.

    The general manager pulls out a chair and Sam and the others are seated.

    The woman sitting opposite Sam looked at him intently.

    Meanwhile, Thomas bowed and left the room.

    "Let me quickly introduce you to my granddaughter," she said. This is my granddaughter, Hualien. Say hello.

    "--Purple Lotus. Let me tell you first, I''m not interested in this blind date."

    The one who said so clearly was Hualien, a woman with voluminous peach-colored hair tied in a ponytail, wearing a white traditional costume - similar to a Chinese dress in her previous life.

    She looked somewhat emotionless, but I could tell she was bored.

    Perhaps she is a person who does not show her emotions.

    I think she is the opposite of Lise, who often smiles.

    However, she was as beautiful as Lise.

    "I told her not to say anything else..."

    Magnolia sighed heavily at her granddaughter''s words, Jonathan clutched his stomach, and Sam was..,

    (Huh?¡¡Maybe it won''t go further than a blind date?)

    I feel a little better now.

 132 - - 18 "Its an arranged meeting with Mr. Hanaren" â‘¡

    "...... at all. I''m sorry. She''s just this kind of girl."

    Next to Mokuren, who is having trouble with her grandson, Sam, who was staring straight at Hualien, comes over to her with a troubled look on his face.

    "Samuel Scheidt."

    "Yes."

    "You may have earned your title as the most powerful wizard in the Kingdom of Skye, but even I could defeat a man of Albert''s stature."

    "Huh."

    "I didn''t fight him because he wasn''t worth fighting."

    "Don''t do this, Karen."

    But...

    "Please don''t. You are disrespecting Samuel.

    "...... got it."

    Without moving her face, Mokuren chided Sam for provoking Hanae.

    The grandmother''s tone became stronger, so that Hanaeren closed her mouth reluctantly.

    "Samuel, I hope you won''t be offended.

    "No, I don''t mind."

    "Hualien is a wizard skilled in recovery magic, but she also excels in the physical arts. She has a bit of a boyish side because of this, but she''s a good girl.

    Mokuren is desperate to defend her grandson''s gaffe.

    However, Karen opens her mouth again.

    "I''m not interested in people weaker than me."

    "...... hualian."

    "Grandma, I have something to say."

    Sam offers his help to Mok-ren, who looks annoyed at Hana-ren for ruining her grandmother''s follow-up.

    "You don''t have to worry about me. Please feel free to say whatever you want to say.

    "Well, then, be my guest. You may be strong for a child. I think it''s admirable that you were able to fight the dragon. But you''re still only a wizard.

    "Well, what do you mean?"

    "You don''t need a wizard to chant for you."

    You''re right.

    "--What?"

    "Huh?"

    When I affirmed Haren''s opinion, she sounded surprised and her complexion changed for the first time.

    "Surprising. I thought you were going to get all riled up and argue with me."

    "I''m not getting mad. Besides, you''re not wrong. We don''t need to let the wizard use magic. As long as they make the first move, they can do whatever they want. That''s the weakness of wizards.

    "Yeah. That''s right.

    "That''s why I try not to rely too much on magic. Even if I do use magic, I try to learn how to do it without chanting, and I also study the physical arts."

    "Hmm."

    "I don''t know how good you are, Hualien-sama, but you shouldn''t think of me as a mere magician, who was brought up by Ur, my respected master, and trained by Liese-sama."

    "--Hey."

    Hualien is not wrong.

    If we want to fight against wizards, we should first obstruct them from using magic.

    Knowing this, Sam has learned the physical arts and uses chantless chanting as a habit.

    He also has skills, so he can fight without relying on magic, but he usually refrains from using it, because in that case, without exception, lives are exchanged.

    Even so, Sam, who is proud that he has become stronger thanks to Ur and Liese, is taking cheap provocations, thinking that he cannot afford to lose to someone he has never met before, no matter how good they may be.

    "That''s enough, Hualien."

    "Stop it, Sam."

    Sam was about to get up from his chair with just a word or two more, but Jonathan interrupted him.

    Hualien was also staring at her grandmother.

    "...... sir."

    "Sam, this isn''t like you."

    "I''m sorry."

    Sam regains his composure after Jonathan''s rebuke and relaxes his shoulders.

    "Hualien, don''t provoke me. I know what you want to do. I know you want to provoke Samuel to fight, but I won''t let you do it."

    "--chi."

    "Lord Samuel, on behalf of my grandson, I apologize. Hualien did not mean to disrespect you. I''m ashamed to say that she has a bad habit of wanting to fight with stronger people.

    £¨Oh, man. I was almost provoked!)

    I was irritated by Hualien''s aggressive attitude even though we had never met before.

    I was sweating, thinking that I was almost going to fight with her as she wanted.

    If she had come here to meet her husband and then dueled with him, she would have disgraced herself in the face of both Karen and Jonathan.

    "It was so close, it''s a shame."

    I''m a little annoyed at Hualien, who says such a thing without a trace of apology.

    I took a deep breath and asked her to calm down. She smiled and said it was nothing.

    "...... haha, haha, your grandson seems to be very healthy. My stomach.

    "I am so embarrassed. Because I am like this, I have no luck with men. Even if I am offered a good offer, I want to fight first to see how good he is, so I have failed many times.

    "I don''t want to marry someone who is not stronger than me."

    "So I thought that Lord Samuel would be a good choice. I thought I would entrust him with my granddaughter.

    "You almost said we were going to impose!"

    Sam, who had overheard something he couldn''t miss, shouted loudly, but Magnolia tilted her head to show him what she was talking about.

    "What?¡¡It''s just my imagination."

    £¨You old hag!)

    Sam was inwardly annoyed, but Mokuren smiled at him and said, "Oh-hohoho.

    "Well, now that things are getting exciting, I think it''s time to excuse the old people and leave the younger ones alone.

    "I''m not in the mood!"

    "Now, Count Walker. I have prepared lunch for you in the other room.

    Sam''s attempts to push Mokuren into a somewhat aggressive matchmaking session were ignored.

    He makes eye contact with Jonathan to ask for help,

    "--Sam."

    "Sir."

    "......, good luck."

    With a tap on the shoulder, he gets up with Magnolia and leaves the room.

    £¨He gets up and walks out of the room with Magnolia.)

    Sam screamed in his heart at the unexpected betrayal.

 133 - - 19 "Its an arranged meeting with Mr. Hanaren." â‘¢

    "Haaaaaaah!"

    "It hurts me too when you sigh so loudly."

    "Oh, I''m sorry. It''s not that I don''t care about you, but I''m engaged to Lieselotte Walker and Stella Isle Sky as well.

    "I know."

    "I''m still a minor, and I just became a court wizard, and I''m wondering if I should just keep getting more wives."

    "...... Don''t you want a harem?"

    "No, sir!¡¡I didn''t know I was that misunderstood!"

    What a terrible misunderstanding," Sam shrugs.

    (Well, I''m engaged to Stella after Lise, and I''m meeting with Karen today, so I guess I could be misunderstood as having a desire for a harem--I''m innocent!)

    We should consider ourselves fortunate that Liese has not misunderstood.

    I would be in despair if she thought I was a harem-hungry bastard.

    "I don''t care if you have a harem desire or not. I don''t know if you and I will get married. I''m undecided at the moment. But..."

    But what?

    "If you show me the strength to do it, I will do it."

    "Show strength, you say? ...... In case you''re wondering."

    What?

    "Well, you mean you don''t care if I have another wife, as long as I show strength?"

    "Yes. Polygamy is not uncommon among the nobility, so I don''t mind. Your father has three wives."

    It is not unusual for an aristocratic man to have more than one wife.

    The nobleman Sam knows best is Count Jonathan Walker, who has only one wife, Grace.

    According to Lise and others, Grace was very jealous and did not approve of side wives.

    More than that, they say that Jonathan was so much in love with Grace that he could not look at other women.

    They are the rare aristocrats who fell in love, had a relationship, and got married.

    "All I want is to marry a good wizard and have good wizard children.

    "............"

    Hearing Hualien''s words, Sam knew he had to ask.

    "I''m undecided on whether or not I''m going to marry you, but I want to ask you something."

    "Hmm."

    "Suppose we get married and have children in the future. What if that child doesn''t have the gift of magic?"

    I couldn''t help but ask before the question of whether or not to marry.

    I know Liese well enough to know that she would love an ordinary child without a hitch.

    However, I was worried about what she would do if her child did not have any talents, as she was an excellent magician and fighter like Hualien.

    In the past, Sam was treated unfavorably just because he was not gifted with a sword.

    Sam did not find it hard, but it was true that he was angry at the way he was treated.

    If Hualien is the same as the people of the Reinbach family, who are not very flattering to him, he will get up from his seat right here and now.

    "-I hadn''t thought about it."

    "You should think about it. You can''t always have the kind of child you want."

    "Hmm."

    Hualien crossed her arms and made a gesture of thinking, and after a while she opened her mouth.

    "I don''t think so. The Purple Clan, without exception, has children born with magical talents."

    "But it is possible that the first exception could be your child, and even if he or she has magical talent, it does not mean that he or she is good. Can you love such a child properly?"

    "...... interesting to hear. It is natural for parents to love their children. I think that those who do not love are somehow flawed."

    I agree with you that it''s not human.

    But Sam has known parents who did not love their children who were not born the way they wanted.

    "But you want a child of a good wizard, don''t you?"

    "That''s my first choice. But I don''t expect it to be what I want. The world is unreasonable and mean. It is possible that my child will not be able to use magic, as you say. But if that is the case, I can train him in the physical arts, or even make him learn to use a sword. If he is well, I am happy for him.

    "...... Sorry. I must have misunderstood ...... you, Karen."

    Sam realizes that he has overreacted to Hualien''s clear words and apologizes.

    She shakes her head and says she doesn''t mind.

    "--Hmm. But I didn''t expect that."

    "What is it?"

    "You said you weren''t interested in an arranged marriage, but we were talking about having a child."

    "No, that''s... that''s... that''s... that''s... that''s... that''s... that''s... that''s...

    "Just kidding. I know you didn''t have a good time at home because of your lack of talent with a sword. That''s why you''re here, isn''t it?

    "Yes."

    "I don''t know if I''ll ever marry you, but I''m glad you''re a kind man."

    Hualien smiled as she said this.

    Sam gulps as he sees her expression clearly change for the first time.

    She had always been expressionless, but when she smiled, she was very pretty.

    Sam clears his throat and changes the subject, as if to cover up the fact that his eyes had been caught by her smile, even if only for a moment.

    "Well, what are we going to do now?"

    I''m hungry.

    It''s almost lunchtime. Since we''re in a fancy restaurant, let''s order something.

    "Yes."

    Hualien nodded her head while her expression returned to blank, and I thought she was looking forward to the meal.

    Sam rings the doorbell and orders a meal with Hualien.

    The food was exquisite, as the restaurant was a popular high-class restaurant that was patronized by aristocrats.

    Sam was not sure whether he would marry Hualien or not, and Sam was not keen on the idea, but after a series of casual conversations, he realized that he and Hualien had a lot to talk about.

    Hualien is not very emotional and her words are not very expressive, but after a while, he began to read her emotions.

    The conversation was lively and the blind date was over in no time.

    We had a good time listening to her talk about her health, her daily efforts in magic and body art, her frustration and longing for her grandmother, and so on.

    I just wish I could have talked with Hualien a little bit more.

    The blind date ended without incident, leaving me with a slight sense of regret.

 134 - - 20 "Im going to have an arranged marriage with Mr. Hanaren" â‘£

    Murasaki Magnolia and Murasaki Karen were having a grandmother-grandson conversation in the carriage on the way home after their blind date.

    Of course, the topic of conversation was about Sam.

    "How was Samuel-dono?"

    "Hmm. He seems nice. He seemed to be having trouble with the matchmaking, but he was thinking ahead. I think he''s sincere."

    "Well, well, well, my grandmother is relieved that he seems to have taken a rare liking to the gentry."

    "But he hasn''t shown me his strength yet."

    Magnolia sighed at her granddaughter''s insistence on strength.

    "You say Albert Frege was weak, but he was strong. There is no doubt about that.

    "The strength I seek is different from his. If anything, I think Mr. Delight Sinatra was stronger. He''s just a pushover. No skill. Just a firepower fool. And you''re a fool for making him the most powerful man in the kingdom.

    "Please don''t. It''s true that Delight was a great wizard, but it was a mutually agreed-upon duel and he lost."

    For Hualien, Albert, formerly the most powerful wizard in the kingdom, was not really the most powerful.

    Once she had seen Albert''s fighting style on the battlefield and had been offended by the way he fought, as if he were a child with disproportionate power who was shaking the weak.

    I do not deny that there are power wizards. If anything, Hualien is a power type.

    But he does not fight in such a way that he bullies the weak with no skill or anything like that.

    I remember that Delight was more worthy of the name of the strongest fighter than Albert.

    "If you decide that a fighter is strong only because of his firepower, you should have made Ulrike Scheidt-Walker the strongest in the kingdom."

    Magnolia frowned at his grandson''s words.

    "Ulrike was not interested in those titles. --I think it was due to his illness."

    Magnolia was one of the few people who knew that Ur was suffering from an incurable disease.

    When Uru was looking for a cure, he turned to Magnolia, the best healer in the kingdom, next to the doctor.

    However, even Magnolia had no cure for the incurable disease.

    A short time after they made a pact that they would never tell anyone that he was ill, Ur left the country.

    I thought she was looking for a place to die, but she met a wonderful disciple and was able to entrust everything to him.

    As a fellow wizard, I envy her.

    Mokuren has a successor named Hualien, but I think it will be difficult for him to inherit everything.

    It is not that Hualien is a bad person, but simply that her grandson and herself are different as wizards.

    It does not matter if they are family members or not.

    Just like the individuality of each person, magic has its own personality. That is the only difference.

    But Ur has found Sam, who is on the same wavelength as he is.

    This is a miracle. Or was it fate that they should meet?

    "I didn''t think I was sick when I was beaten up for fighting before."

    "Hualien, did you do that?"

    My grandson, however, has a tendency to fight a lot.

    He is an excellent magician, but he is still mentally immature.

    As a grandmother, I can only hope that he will find a good companion and become more settled.

    "I have a good memory of being beaten to a pulp with only body enhancement magic. Her death is the same as the loss of this country''s treasures.

    "But she has an apprentice who will inherit everything."

    "Yes. So, I wasn''t keen on the blind date, but then I met Samuel Scheidt. He was more than I expected. I''m glad I did."

    When she sees that her granddaughter, who normally has difficulty expressing her emotions on her face, is excited with a slight blush on her cheeks, Magnolia expects a surprisingly positive reaction.

    "She has more magical power than I do, even if she can only sense it. And I''ve heard that she has skills. I''m excited just thinking about what would happen if we actually fought.

    Hualien wanted to fight Sam, but he did not take her up on the challenge.

    Despite her rude words and actions, she actually respected Sam for fighting the dragon.

    Hualien is a good fighter, but if she were asked to fight a dragon, she would feel fear.

    I heard that Sam actually fought and evened it out. He did not defeat the dragon, but instead had a conversation with it and made peace with it.

    Hualien was honestly impressed with Sam who found a solution other than fighting and winning.

    She would not have been able to imitate him.

    Above all, I think that they were able to have a conversation because they were able to fight with the dragon as equals.

    If he had been weaker than the dragon, he would not have listened to our conversation.

    "I have to remind you again and again, don''t fight without a fight."

    "Boo."

    "I, too, do not want my grandson to be cut in two and then turned to ashes. However, you will not marry Lord Samuel, will you?

    "Yes."

    "My head hurts. I don''t know what to do."

    If possible, I would like Hualien to marry Sam.

    For better or worse, there are not many people who can be who they are without being taken advantage of by their too straight granddaughters.

    Having a grandmother who is a court magician has often made people look at her with a certain amount of prejudice, and this has led to many occasions when people with ulterior motives have approached her.

    I am glad that he does not mind it too much, but I want him to succeed in the biggest event in his life, marriage, if possible, and I hope he will be happy.

    Hualien probably knows that Sam is more capable than he is. And he wants to test her with his own body, which is not a good quality.

    I can''t help but let out a giggle and a sigh of sadness at her battle-junkie granddaughter.

    "Don''t worry, Grandma. I know Samuel is strong, so I will observe him for a while.

    "Observation?"

    "I''d like to fight if I can, but if not, I''ll just observe. If you have the strength I think you have - I will gladly marry you."

    Somehow sensing what her granddaughter was about to do, Magnolia apologized inwardly to the person who was about to cause her trouble.

    "You mustn''t trouble Count Walker too much. He seems to be taking a lot of stomach medicine lately."

    "Hmm."

    Mokuren was pleased to see that Hualien was more interested in Sam than she had expected, and she felt that this blind date had been a success.

 135 - - 21 "Hanaren-sama has come to the house."

    That''s why I''m here.

    What do you mean?

    Three days after the blind date.

    In front of the entrance of the Earl Walker''s house, there was a flower lotus dressed in indigo clothes and carrying a package.

    She lowered her luggage to the ground and gave a small bow to Sam.

    "First of all, I want to apologize for the rude things I said to you the other day. I''m sorry."

    Oh, no.

    "It would have been quicker if you had fought me on that provocation, but since that didn''t happen, I came to check with you directly."

    What do you mean, "confirm"?

    Your true strength.

    I sighed, "We were still talking about the matchmaking.

    Hualien is a good person.

    Sam did not dislike her.

    She was a bit of a battle junkie, but she had a straight-forward personality that he liked.

    However, in Sam''s mind, he had assumed that the meeting had been dropped since he hadn''t heard from her after the blind date the other day.

    (I can''t believe he''s coming here in person. ...... And he even brought his luggage, he''s definitely going to live here.)

    Well, I''m sorry to hear that.

    "Don''t worry, Count Walker has given me permission."

    "What?¡¡You have permission to do that!"

    "Yeah."

    "......Why did you do that? ......No, I''m surprised, but I think you need to think a little more before you do that."

    "Hmm?"

    Hualian, who does not seem to understand Sam''s point, tilts her head blankly.

    "You know, I''m staying at my fianc¨¦e''s house, and it''s unheard of for a woman to come there."

    "It''s okay. I don''t mind."

    "I''m the one who cares!"

    Finally, I couldn''t hold back and raised my voice.

    Then a familiar voice reached him from behind.

    "Sam?"

    "Hi, Lise-sama!¡¡I''m sorry!"

    The voice belongs to Lise, who has recently started wearing skirts.

    I liked her in the pants look before, but she was also attractive in a simple beige skirt and white blouse.

    She looked at me strangely when I apologized reflexively to Lise.

    "What are you apologizing for?¡¡Oh, is that you, Miss Purple Lotus?"

    "Yes."

    "We''ve been waiting for you. Lady Karen. I am Lieselotte Walker. I''m Sam''s fianc¨¦e.

    Lise steps forward to shake Sam''s hand.

    Karen shakes her hand.

    "Nice to meet you. I''m not Sam''s fianc¨¦e, but I''d like to be friends with you.

    "Of course. I have always wanted to be friends with you, too."

    "Just Hualien."

    "What?"

    "You are older than me, so please call me Hualien."

    "Okay, Hualien. Please call me Liese, too.

    "Yes. Nice to meet you, Lise."

    After shaking hands and introducing themselves, Sam is relieved to see that there is no hard feelings between the two.

    It was rather strange that they seemed to be conversing with each other in a friendly manner.

    "Well, let me show you to your room.

    Nice to meet you.

    "Hey, wait a minute!"

    Sam panicked as the conversation proceeded without him.

    "What''s wrong?"

    "Did Lise-sama know that Hualien-sama was coming to the mansion?"

    "Of course..."

    "Oh, what do you mean?"

    "I''m sorry, I forgot to tell you. You see, I was going to tell you about Hualien last night, but I got carried away because of the excitement over there.

    "Uh, yes, I''m sorry. I''m sorry.

    I think Lise told me last night that she needed to talk to me, but it was Sam who hugged her and suggested that we talk later.

    After that, the party got heated and before we knew it, it was midnight.

    We were both exhausted, and slept in each other''s arms until morning.

    £¨Yeah. My fault!)

    "I''m glad you and your fianc¨¦ are getting along so well."

    "You don''t have to respond to that!"

    Sam exclaims in shame as Karen gives him a thumbs-up without moving her face.

    "Hmmm. But I''m glad."

    "Lise-sama?"

    "Hualien is better than I expected. And I''m relieved that you and Sam seem to be getting along well."

    Liese smiles funny when she sees the exchange between Sam and Karen.

    "Hualien doesn''t seem to be an honest girl.

    "I''m sure he''s a good man."

    "It''s so adorable that you want to marry a strong man. Some women are too demanding when it comes to their partners. Some of them are too demanding: the eldest son and heir, decent parents, enough money to live on, and if he is a terrible person, he won''t get angry if you cheat on him.

    "...... women are scary."

    "Compared to that, wanting to marry a strong man is a small thing. And Sam is strong. After living with him for a while, I''m sure Hualien will be one of your fianc¨¦es soon."

    "Huh."

    For some reason, Liese doesn''t doubt that Haren will be her fianc¨¦, and Sam can''t help but nod his head.

    However, I don''t want to put my cute fianc¨¦e in a bad mood, so I decide to keep my mouth shut.

    Meanwhile, Liese picks up Hualien''s luggage.

    "Come on, Karen, Sam, let''s go. Today is the welcome party for Hualien.

    "Yeah. Thanks."

    Liese leads Haren into the house.

    Sam folds his arms and groans as he watches them walk away.

    "...... Lise isn''t jealous this time. She was jealous of Stella. Did she not like the fact that she had a new fianc¨¦e without her knowledge?¡¡What am I supposed to do with this mumbo-jumbo of wanting to be jealous and feeling relieved?"

    Sam wondered whether he should be sad that he missed his fianc¨¦e''s cute reaction or relieved that she wasn''t jealous, but in the end he never got an answer.

    £¨The woman''s heart is a complicated thing.)

    Sam followed the girls to help them carry their luggage.

    As an aside, later, some perverted heiress of a ducal family said to him, "That''s not fair!¡¡I''m coming to live with you!" But that''s another story.

 136 - - 22 "Im going to say hello to Kensei" â‘ 

    A week has passed in the blink of an eye since Hualien came to live at the Countess Walker''s house.

    Although she does not show her emotions very much, Hanae seems to be surprisingly sociable and soon became friendly with the members of the Count''s family.

    Lise was friendly from the first meeting, and so were the other sisters.

    Alicia, being of the same s*x, conversed with them without any wariness.

    When she saw Alicia riding on a baby dragon, Karen was indeed surprised, but after a while, she too was allowed to ride on the back of the baby dragon.

    She has been adored by Erika ever since they had a hand-to-hand combat.

    As the granddaughter of Mokuren, the first wizard of the court, Hanae showed more than enough ability, and Erika accepted and respected her.

    At the same time, she was not satisfied with the somewhat melancholy look in her eyes that said, "Sam, you''re in trouble, too.

    Jonathan and Grace are not treated as guests, but as Sam''s fianc¨¦es like his own children, just like his daughter.

    The Earls of Walker are good people, after all.

    If this were any other family, they might have seen Hualien as Lise''s rival, but there was no such atmosphere in the Countess Walker family.

    While they were living like this, G¨¹nther appeared and said, "I should be treated as an equal!" Stella sent a letter from the palace saying, "I would like to live there too ......, but I don''t want to cause you any trouble, so I''ll just have to put up with it.

    She told us that although she continues to study, she has started to cut down on the amount of work she does and has started to leave her room more often.

    She seems to be actively meeting with her parents and spending more time with her family, which she had been holding back until now.

    Sam''s daily life has not changed much.

    He continues to train in the physical arts while flirting with Liese. Recently, Hualien has joined his training, and they have been meeting more and more often.

    In terms of simple body techniques, Sam was not as good as Hualien.

    Even if he used body enhancement magic, if Hualien used it as well, they were repeatedly defeated due to the difference in their physical skills.

    But even so, she did not judge Sam to be weaker than she was.

    With a sword, Liese and Hualien''s abilities were very close.

    Neither of them gave their best, but they always drew each other.

    If Liese could use seriousness and Karen could use magic seriously, the match would be settled, but neither of them had any intention to do so.

    Liese and Hanae have gotten to know each other quite well through their meetings.

    Sam also learned a lot from Hanae, who pointed out that he had been relying on magic power and gave him advice on how to improve, which helped him to grow one step more.

    After that, we learned physical techniques in the mornings, focusing on hand-to-hand combat, and in the afternoons, we trained in magic.

    In the evenings, we play with the dragon cubs and talk with Alicia about other things.

    At dinner time, he talked with Erika and Jonathan, and in the evening, he spent sweet moments with Liese.

    One day at noon, when I was quite satisfied with such a daily routine.

    Liese, who had finished her morning training and was wiping off her sweat, called out to Sam, who was out of breath.

    "Hey, Sam."

    "Yes."

    They sipped the cold lemon water that the maid had prepared for them, and Hualien handed them both glasses as well.

    As Sam thanked her and quenched her thirst, Lise continued.

    "I told you before that I was Kensei-sama''s disciple, didn''t I?"

    "Of course, I remember."

    We have heard before that Liese is a disciple of the <, who holds the title of being the best swordsman in the kingdom.

    Sam does not know how much of a person the Swordsman is, but he knows that Liese respects him.

    "Since you have been so kind to me, I would like to inform you of my engagement to Sam. He has been taking care of me for the past two years."

    Apparently, Kensei was concerned about the divorced Liese.

    If Sam remembers correctly, Lise''s ex-husband was also a disciple of Kensei''s like her.

    Maybe that''s why Kensei was so concerned about Liese.

    "Yes, he did. I think it''s a good thing. Then let''s go say hello to her.

    "Will you go with me, Sam?"

    "Of course. I''m the one who''s going to marry Liese-sama, so if I don''t go, who will?"

    "......Thank you."

    "I don''t think I''m supposed to thank you for that."

    (I thought it was an invitation to go and say hello, but I guess Liese-sama was planning to go alone?)

    "I want to go, too."

    "Hualien-sama?"

    "I have always been interested in the strength of the Kensei. I''d like to meet him if I can.

    Liese smiles at Karen, who raises her hand and says she wants to follow.

    "Well then, the three of us should go."

    "Hmm. Thanks."

    Hualien has decided to accompany him, but Sam wonders inwardly if it is really all right for her to go with him.

    (What would it be like to bring your fianc¨¦e and her blind date to a wedding to report your engagement?¡¡Oh, but is it okay that Lady Karen is not my fianc¨¦e?¡¡Huh?¡¡(I don''t understand)

    After much deliberation, I decided not to worry about the details.

    Lise says it''s okay, so it must be okay.

    (I thought he was a sword saint or someone I had no chance to meet since I can''t use ...... sword, but I never expected to meet him in this way. I wonder what kind of person he is.)

    Sam was also interested in the person of Kensei, though not as much as Hualien.

 137 - - 23 "Im going to say hello to Kensei" â‘¡

    "So, Lise. When will you report to Kensei-sama?"

    Liese was a little troubled by Sam''s question.

    "Yes, I think so. I know you are not a busy person, but I would like to ask you by letter. I''ll contact him myself.

    "Okay. I''ll take care of it."

    I am slightly relieved that it is not difficult to greet Kensei right away.

    I have to prepare a gift for him, and I have to think about what to say to him.

    This was Sam, a former Japanese.

    Hey, Lise. What kind of person is Kensei?

    Sam responds to Hualien''s question.

    "Come to think of it, I don''t know much about him either. I heard that you are the best swordsman in the kingdom.

    "Well - let''s talk a little bit about Master Kensei."

    The three of us sit on the ground, glasses in hand, as the conversation begins.

    It''s bad manners, but that''s OK, because there is no one here to blame them.

    "Kensei-sama''s name is Amemiya Kurando. He was a swordsman who came to the continent from the island nation of Hinokuni with only a sword.

    "Many of the swordsmen in that country are very strong, you know."

    "...... I didn''t know such a country existed. I''d like to go there."

    Sam recalls the time when he crossed over to the Land of Ur and the Land of the Rising Sun.

    All the swordsmen, called Samurai, were strong.

    They would not let him chant even if he wanted to use magic, and even if he managed to cast a spell, they would cut it down.

    It was truly a land full of wizard-killers.

    "Kurando-sama was traveling all over the continent with only a sword when he met the then prince, His Majesty Clyde, on the battlefield and they hit it off and became friends."

    There were many wars and civil wars in the Kingdom of Skye at that time, and King Clyde was also on the front lines.

    At that time, Kurando, who was employed as a mercenary, saved his life, became his friend, and eagerly invited him to become a knight of the kingdom.

    Kurando wanted a place to settle down and recognized Clyde as a master to serve, so he accepted the invitation and came to live in the Kingdom of Skye.

    "His Majesty the former king recognized Kurando-sama''s achievements on the battlefield, where he went around slaying enemy soldiers like a demon god. After joining the Order, he left behind numerous achievements, and for that he was given the title of Count and the title of ."

    He opened the Amamiya-style swordsmanship dojo.

    In the Kingdom of Skye, there is no dojo for learning kenjutsu in the mainstream of the Kingdom of Skye.

    Many fencers aspire to become knights, so they usually learn swordsmanship at schools or by hiring retired knights.

    Kurarayo was unusual in that he opened an exotic dojo for swordsmanship.

    Of course, there were some who opposed it.

    However, the king unanimously agreed, and his dojo was opened.

    For a time, the attraction of learning swordsmanship from a swordsman who was a vice-commander of a knighthood and had the title of a sword saint attracted many young people who wanted to become knights.

    As time went by, the number of knights using Amamiya-style swordsmanship increased, though not by many.

    However, some people still despise it as a barbaric swordsmanship because of its harsh training in actual combat style, which is different from the Kingdom style swordsmanship, and the fact that it is thoroughly trained only to kill the opponent.

    Although many people give up in the training, those who have acquired a certain level of skill are without exception considered to be among the strongest.

    Liese, too, is a strong fencer who has learned Amamiya-style swordsmanship and has reached the rank of Shihan-dai.

    Sam, with whom she has daily training, knows best her ability.

    It is always a scene that Sam, who uses body enhancement magic, is beaten by Liese, who does not use magic, by swordsmanship alone.

    It''s a disgusting sight to see how good the Amamiya style of swordsmanship is.

    "Kurarayu-sama has two daughters. One is Mizuki-sama, who is an excellent swordsman, and the other is Kotomi-sama, who is frail.

    "What about your wife?"

    After Kotomi gave birth, she fell ill and passed away."

    "I didn''t know that."

    "I don''t know who my students are now, but when I was learning the sword, there were about thirty of them."

    "Surprisingly few."

    Not all of them can keep up with me. I don''t know how many times I wanted to give up.

    Lise''s body is trembling slightly as she looks into the distance as if remembering her past, perhaps because she is remembering the harsh training she went through.

    "Liese said you are a master teacher, how long have you been training?"

    "I''m not much of a teacher. Compared to Mizuki-sama, I''m not much better.

    Sam could not decide whether Liese was being modest or whether the daughter of a sword saint was more capable than he had imagined.

    "I''ve never taught anyone before. Sam is the first."

    "Hmm?¡¡Does the sword saint teach each one of you?"

    "Kensei-sama teaches us, but it is Mizuki-sama who gives us detailed instructions. The rest are the more experienced disciples.

    "It''s funny. I''ve only heard stories, but I believe this Mizuki is said to be the equal of Kensei. Why isn''t she the heir?

    "As Hualien said, Master Mizuki is really strong. But for some reason he is not a candidate for successor. Even if all three of the successor candidates were to join forces, there''s no way they could beat Mizuki-sama.

    "Why?"

    "There must be some circumstances that I don''t understand. And I don''t know what''s going on at the Dojo these days. Sometimes, Kensei-sama and Mizuki-sama write to me, but they don''t mention anything about the succession problem.

    Whether you are a nobleman or a kenjutsu dojo, the question of succession seems to be a difficult one.

    £¨I wonder how Manion is doing. I can''t even remember his face now, but whatever. Oh, that''s right, we didn''t send a letter to Daphne and the others!)

    I hear a story about a sword, and for a moment I remember my brother, who was called a genius with the sword, but I soon let it sink into the depths of my memory.

    I was more upset when I remembered that I had not been able to give an update to Daphne and the others who had been so kind to me.

    (I''ll write to them later.)

    "Why doesn''t Liese go to the dojo?"

    "...... I don''t want to say this in front of Sam, but one of the candidates for the successor of Kensei-sama is my ex-husband. I know you don''t visit the dojo very often, but I didn''t want to see him willingly."

    "...... sorry."

    "Don''t apologize. It''s in the past and Sam is here now.

    "Yes."

    Hearing her ex-husband''s words, Sam''s heart stirs in her chest.

    She had heard what her ex-husband and his family had done to Liese before, and she had not forgotten.

    But she had never thought that her ex-husband was a candidate to be the successor to the saint of swords.

    £¨I never thought that he was a candidate for the successor of the Sword Sage, but I never thought that he was a person who is in a position to learn the sword and teach someone else how to use it. I don''t know if I will be able to suppress my emotions if we meet face to face. I hope we don''t meet, but if we do--)

    "Sam?"

    "Oh, yes, what is it?"

    "I''m sorry. You didn''t want to hear about my ex-husband. If you don''t like it, I can greet the saint alone.

    No, I don''t mind. No, I don''t mind. So please don''t mind Lise-sama either. Liese-sama has me. I will make you happy. So let''s just forget about the unimportant past.

    "--Sam. Thank you."

    Lise moves to Sam''s side and hugs him.

    As she hugs her gently, I realize that she is still suffering because of her ex-husband.

    I took a deep breath, trying not to show my anger,

    "Sam, well said."

    My eyes met those of Hualien, who nodded her head with a thumbs up.

    Thanks to her, my body, which had been tense, relaxed.

    £¨I still don''t know what I would do if I met Liese-sama''s ex-husband.)

    With these thoughts in my mind, I hoped that nothing would happen to Lise.

 138 - - 24 "I met Mr. Mizuki Amemiya."

    On the same day that Liese sent a letter to the sword master Amamiya Kurando, she received a reply saying that she could come anytime she wanted.

    The next day, the three of us immediately went to the Amamiya-style swordsmanship dojo.

    Sam and his friends were in front of a mansion with a large plot of land on the outskirts of the capital.

    "It''s been a long time, Lise."

    As soon as they arrived, the gate opened and a girl appeared.

    She was a beautiful girl in her mid-teens, wearing a navy blue hakama and braided boots, with her long black hair in a braid.

    Her appearance reminded Sam of Japanese style, and he felt nostalgic.

    Lise''s face, who recognized the girl, broke into a smile and ran out.

    "Mizuki-sama!¡¡It''s been a while!"

    Lise takes the hand of the girl who greets her.

    The girl also looks happy and holds Liese''s hand.

    Both of them have even a few tears in their eyes, so they must have been close to each other.

    "Yes. We''ve exchanged letters, but it''s been a long time since we''ve seen each other. How have you been?"

    Yes, I''ve been well. I''m glad to hear that you haven''t changed at all, Mizuki-sama.

    "What''s the matter, Lise? Don''t act like a stranger, we are friends, please call me Mizuki like before."

    Mizuki says in a slightly disgruntled voice to Liese''s polite tone.

    Apparently, they used to be friends who could talk in a casual tone.

    "Yes. Okay, Mizuki. It''s been a long time. You''ve grown taller."

    "It''s a growth spurt. I''m glad to see that Lise is so much happier than when I last saw her."

    "--Yes. I''m very happy now. Let me introduce you, this is Sam. This is my fianc¨¦e. The other girl is Hualien. She''s a friend.

    I''m sorry I''m late. I''m Mizuki Amemiya. I''m a master of the Amamiya-style swordsmanship dojo. Nice to meet you.

    My name is Samuel Scheidt. Pleased to meet you."

    "Shi Hualian."

    Sam and Karen greet Mizuki, who introduces herself with a friendly face.

    Mizuki was a petite girl with a calm demeanor, and her every movement seemed sophisticated.

    £¨She is a strong girl.)

    Even without a fight, I could tell that Mizuki was a reasonably strong competitor.

    It seemed that the same was true for Haren, whose lips were lifted up in an expressionless face.

    "She is strong.

    "Yes."

    "He has magic power, but his movements are those of a strong man. I want to fight."

    "No, you can''t. We''re not here to break the dojo, so please be quiet."

    "Too bad."

    Sam laughed at Hanaeren, who sighed like a puppy that has been left in the litter.

    It seems that when she sees a strong person, she wants to make a match with him regardless of who he is.

    "They seem like interesting people. I''m surprised that Samuel Scheidt, who is the talk of the town right now, is engaged to Liese."

    "Am I a hot topic?"

    "That''s right. He killed Albert Frege in a blink of an eye and fought a dragon. Especially women want to marry him.

    "...... Please don''t tease me too much."

    "It''s true. Yes, but I know how much you hate being strong when I see you in person like this. You can join us if you want.

    "I''m sorry, but I don''t have any talent with a sword."

    Not expecting to be solicited, Sam turns down the offer with a troubled look on his face.

    "I''m sorry. You are welcome to join us whenever you feel like it. Oh, you came to see my father today, not me. He''ll get angry if we let our guest stay outside the house indefinitely. Come here, then."

    "...... Hey, Mizuki."

    Yes?

    Liese hesitantly approached Mizuki who was about to lead her inside the mansion.

    "Well, this is a hard thing to ask you..."

    "Don''t worry, that man is gone."

    "--Oh, yeah. That''s good.

    By "that man," I assume you mean Liese''s ex-husband.

    Liese looked relieved, but Mizuki''s smile faded and changed to one of displeasure.

    "Did you hear that?¡¡That man was married to a new woman, but they divorced because they couldn''t have children."

    "...... you haven''t changed."

    "Both the man and his mother were screaming that it was the other man''s fault that they couldn''t have children, so they had a mental breakdown and are now recuperating at home."

    "You know a lot."

    "...... now that I''m being wooed."

    "Oh, no!

    Liese''s voice was hoarse with surprise, and Mizuki cowered her shoulders.

    Sam, who was listening to their conversation, was stunned, not knowing whether to be amazed or angry.

    £¨He dumped Lise-sama, married another woman, and then dumped her as well, and now he''s courting Mizuki-sama. ...... How unprincipled can he be?)

    As a man, I despise him.

    Even if we put aside the fact that he divorced her, I don''t understand how he could make a pass at Lise''s friend, Mizuki, after that.

    "How could you let that happen?"

    "The d*mned thing is, that man is a candidate to succeed my father. I guess he thinks that if he marries me, he''ll be the next saint of sword."

    He''s not that good to begin with!

    "If I may say so myself, none of the candidates for the succession can hold a candle to me. I don''t even understand why that man is a candidate.

    "Why, Master Swordsman?"

    "Well, I don''t know what my father thinks."

    "......Mizuki."

    Liese could not seem to find any words to say to Mizuki, who looked somewhat forlorn.

    Mizuki, perhaps noticing her friend''s gaze, smiles and opens her mouth to reassure her.

    "Oh, don''t get me wrong. It doesn''t mean that the parent-child relationship has deteriorated. In fact, we get along well with each other. That''s why I''m wondering why you haven''t made me your successor.

    Sam, who was listening to the conversation, also wondered why Mizuki was not chosen as the successor if he had no problem with his ability and the relationship between father and son was good.

    Hualien seemed to be in the same boat, tilting her head.

    "Oops, did I say something unnecessary? I''m sorry. My father is waiting for you. Let''s go inside.

    With these words, Mizuki turned her back and the three of them followed her into the mansion.

    As soon as they stepped into the house, Mizuki called out to Sam as if she remembered him.

    "By the way, Samuel, I heard that you have been moving from place to place in the continent. Have you been to the Land of the Rising Sun, by any chance?

    "Yes. I was there for about two months."

    "I envy you. I''ve always wanted to visit there because it''s my father''s hometown, but it''s such a closed country. You can tell me about it sometime if you like."

    I''d be happy to.

    I promise. My father''s at the dojo. Come here.

    Mizuki led Sam and the others through the house to the dojo.

 139 - - 25 "I met with Kensho Amemiya Kurato" â‘ 

    Sam and his friends were greeted by an elderly man sitting upright with his back straight on the floor of the dojo.

    It has been a long time, Liese.

    The gentle-looking man over 50 with a soft voice and a calm expression on his face is the Sword Saint Amemiya Kurando.

    He had black hair mixed with gray and tied in a single knot, round glasses, and was wearing a hakama (traditional Japanese hakama).

    "It''s been a while, Mr. Kensei.

    Liese, following Kensei''s example, sat upright on the floor and bowed deeply.

    Sam and Karen bowed in the same way as Liese.

    "Please make yourself comfortable.

    "Thank you."

    The three of them looked up at Kurando''s words of concern.

    Mizuki, who had led them to the dojo, sat upright diagonally behind her father.

    £¨It is strange to have a building that looks like a Japanese kendo dojo in the Western-style Sky Kingdom. But it is nostalgic somehow.)

    Inside the dojo, the floor is polished like a mirror and the walls are decorated with wooden swords.

    A Shinto altar dedicated to the god of the Land of the Rising Sun was set up behind Kurando, and in front of the altar were two kenjins.

    Although he had no connection to kendo before his reincarnation, the memory of doing radio exercises during summer vacation at a dojo near his parents'' house as a child came back to him.

    "I have always been concerned about Liese. But it seems that she has recovered without me worrying about her.

    "Thanks to Sam. Sam, this is my sword master and the best swordsman in the land, Amemiya Kurando-sama.

    As Liese introduces the sword saint, Sam bows his head again and introduces himself.

    "My name is Samuel Scheidt. It is a pleasure to meet you.

    I am Kurando Amemiya. I may be called a sword saint, but I''m just an ordinary guy, so please don''t hesitate to contact me.

    "No, no."

    At first glance, he seemed mild-mannered, but Sam instinctively sensed that there was more to him than that.

    It seemed that the same was true for Hualien, who was staring at Kensei with a hint of sweat on his forehead.

    "Sam ......, this man is quite capable."

    "Of course."

    Kurando noticed Hualien''s gaze and his smile deepened.

    "You must be the grandson of Mokuren-dono, aren''t you?"

    "I''m Purple Lotus."

    Nice to meet you. I am very much indebted to you, Mr. Magnolia."

    "For your grandmother?"

    Yes, my second daughter is frail, so she is in great need of your help.

    Magnolia, the country''s best user of restorative magic, seems to be in good contact with the sword saint.

    However, since she had never met Kensei, she seemed to be surprised that he knew her grandmother.

    (Maybe he was hiding it so that Master Hualien would not challenge him to a fight.)

    Kurando''s gaze turns to Sam again.

    "Your Majesty has told me about you, Samuel. I have heard from His Majesty that he is very good at magic at his age. I too have magic, but I can only use it to strengthen my body, so I envy your young talent.

    "I owe it all to the good mentor I met."

    "You mean Ulrike. The Kingdom of Skye has lost a great asset. Her death came too soon. It is a shame.

    Ulrike''s death was regretted even by the sword saint.

    Once again, he learned how important a wizard his master had been to the nation.

    "But she has a wonderful successor in Samuel. I know it will be difficult for you as court wizard and the most powerful wizard in the Kingdom of Skye, but I wish you all the best. You can always count on me, if you need me. If you are Lise''s fianc¨¦e, you are very important to me.

    "Thank you for your concern."

    "Sometimes, Lise."

    "Yes."

    "I hear you''ve started holding a sword again."

    "Thanks to Sam, I have made up my mind to pick up a sword again."

    It seems that the fact that the disciple who had once stopped holding the sword had now grasped it again had reached the ears of the sword saint.

    I could see the corners of his eyes relax and he looked happy.

    "It''s a very good thing. It was too bad that you, with all your talent, had to give up your sword. Of course, I know the reasons why you did not hold it, but your talent was still missed. As a teacher and a fencer, I am glad to see you back on the path of the sword. Good luck to you."

    "I will devote myself to it."

    Lise did not pick up a sword because the family she married into would not allow her to do so.

    But now she is free.

    No one can stop her from going back to the sword.

    As Kensei said, Sam was glad to see her talented young lady back on the sword.

    Thanks to Lise, Sam became stronger.

    He would like to return the favor in another way.

    "Lise, will you come back to the dojo?"

    "What?"

    "It would be good for you to train yourself at your parents'' house, but at the dojo you will have someone to train with and I will be able to teach you. Mizuki, who was a good friend of yours, will be pleased."

    "...... that is."

    Liese''s face, which muddied her reply, was not one that was pleased with Kensei''s words.

    The reason, of course, is that the man she once married is in this dojo.

    Lise''s dark face made Kurando realize he had misspoken.

    "No, forget it. This Dojo was not a comfortable place for Liese now, was it?

    "No, that''s not true!¡¡I am very much indebted to Kurando-sama and Mizuki. I have many happy memories!¡¡I''m sorry, but--"

    "I know I don''t have to say it. I apologize for my lack of consideration."

    Kensei looked at Liese and bowed deeply.

    "Oh no!¡¡You have nothing to apologize for, Kurando-sama. Please look up."

    Lise''s panicked voice made Kurando raise his face, which remained there for a while.

    Sam, who was nervously watching this exchange, realized that the kensei cared for Liese more than a pupil.

    That is why he felt frustrated that Liese could not return to the dojo.

 140 - - 26 "I met Kensho Amemiya Zojin" â‘¡

    "Keep your sword. You need to protect yourself, of course, but there are times when you need to use force to protect those you love."

    Yes. I will devote myself to it.

    "--But it is also true that there are many things in life that cannot be solved by swords alone. Please do not forget that.

    "Yes."

    He looked satisfied when he saw Liese nodding sincerely at the words of the sword saint.

    "Then that''s good. I''m sorry for being so preachy when you came to congratulate me. Enough meddling, and finally, Samuel Scheidt."

    "Yes."

    "Lise is not only a precious pupil of mine, but she is also my daughter. Please make her happy."

    "I will spend my life to make you happy."

    Lise''s eyes welled up and Kurando nodded with a deep smile.

    You are a good and honest girl. Lise will be happy. When do you plan to make the official announcement?

    Sam and Lise looked at each other in response to Kensei''s question.

    "We are planning to do it after Sam comes of age--around the fall.

    "I''m looking forward to it. By the way, I heard from His Majesty that you are also engaged to Lady Stella.

    "Oh, that''s, uh, that''s, uh..."

    Sam looked uncomfortable.

    It was a little uncomfortable to tell him that I was engaged to another person when I had come to report my engagement to the swordsmith whom I had said I thought of as my daughter.

    Even if it wasn''t, Sam''s forehead was sweating uncomfortably since he had brought his blind date, Hualien, to this meeting.

    "No, I''m not accusing you. No, I''m not accusing you. You have more than one fianc¨¦e, that''s not a problem. His Majesty has told me how the engagement came about. Since Stella-sama has been through a lot, please make her and Lise happy."

    "I will try."

    That was all Sam could say.

    His relationship with Stella, whom he had only known for a short time, was not a deep one.

    I still don''t know why Stella agreed to marry me, and I still don''t know her true intentions.

    But we have just started exchanging letters to get to know each other first.

    Fortunately, there is still time before she comes of age.

    By then, I would like to get closer to Stella and find out if she really thinks I am the right person for her.

    Sam would like to know her and would like her to know him.

    Not that he wants to start with a friend, but he wants to take some time.

    "I heard that you and Hualian had a blind date the other day. Would you like to have a blind date with Mizuki, too?

    "Oh, no, please."

    "Hey!¡¡Sam!¡¡That''s no way to talk to Mizuki!"

    "Ha-ha-ha. I don''t mind. But father... You make fun of Samuel a little too much.

    "Oops, my bad. I was just making a friendly joke to help you relax."

    (Because it''s not funny at all!)

    It''s not that I don''t like Mizuki or anything, but I don''t want any more matchmaking.

    As a nobleman, as a court wizard, you might say, but for Sam, who still has the sensibilities of a former Japanese, it is hard to keep up with the developments.

    I would like to grow in love with Lise and gradually become accustomed to the customs of this world.

    "You''re a real father. ...... Oh, by the way, Father. Samuel, I heard that you have been to the land of the rising sun.

    "Oh. How did you manage to get to that faraway island country?

    Perhaps noticing Sam''s troubled look, Mizuki changed the subject.

    Thanks to this, Kurando''s interest seemed to have shifted to the Land of the Rising Sun.

    This is probably because he is from the Land of the Rising Sun.

    Sam gave Mizuki a small bow, and she smiled and nodded.

    "It must have been difficult for you since it was a closed country."

    "Yes, but everyone was very nice to me in the end."

    "What brings you to the Land of the Rising Sun?¡¡To learn swordsmanship?"

    "I went there to learn fire magic."

    Kurarayakko understood.

    "In the Land of the Rising Sun, swordsmanship and fire magic thrive. It was a good learning experience, wasn''t it?

    "I have learned a great deal."

    I spent my days learning magic and learning the horror of the swordsmen of the Land of the Rising Sun.

    The Land of the Rising Sun was, as Kurando said, a closed country.

    It was not that they were not interested in Sam and Ur, who were from another country, but they did not want to get involved.

    However, Ur showed his natural pace, and we deepened our relationship with the local people and found ourselves becoming friends, learning magic, fighting, and laughing with each other.

    Memories that I still cannot forget are vividly etched in my mind.

    "If you would like, could you tell Mizuki and my other daughter, Kotomi, a story about the Land of the Rising Sun?¡¡They both want to visit my hometown, but they never get the chance. I can''t leave the country easily because of my position, and I''m worried about sending my daughter there alone - haha, laugh at my foolishness.

    "It''s a long trip from the Kingdom of Skye. I understand your concern."

    It is a long way to travel east across the continent and across to the sea.

    The culture and even the monsters in the land of the rising sun are all things that cannot be found on the continent.

    In Japanese knowledge, yokai (monsters) exist and roam around with impunity, and that alone makes it a terrifying country.

    Even if she excelled in swordsmanship, it would be a parental concern for their daughter to go to such a country alone.

    "Um, Kurarayana-sama. How is Kotomi-sama?"

    (-Oh, by the way, you said you were frail, didn''t you?)

    Liese asked me in a concerned voice, and I remembered Kurando''s words earlier.

    He also said that he was being looked after by Magnolia, so it was understandable that Liese, who must have known him, would be concerned.

    "Thank you for your concern for Kotomi. These days I am not as weak as before, thanks to my growing body. Sometimes she is so energetic that she even does some swinging in the dojo."

    "I''m glad to see that you''re feeling better - thank goodness."

    Relief comes to Liese.

    I could see that she was worried about the other daughter of the swordsmith who was not here.

    "Kotomi adored Lise, and I''d like you to meet her later if you like."

    "I would be happy to meet with you."

    "--Oh, I''m sorry, Mr. Samuel. You don''t know this, but my second daughter, Kotomi, is frail. Well, maybe that''s not quite the right way to put it.

    "What do you mean?"

    At Sam''s question, Mizuki and Liese''s faces clouded over and Kurando replied a little sadly.

    "Kotomi is only twelve years old, but her magical power is very large. It seems that her body cannot keep up with her magical power.

    "That''s common among children with a lot of magic."

    "Yes, that''s right. I am relieved that he is not ill, but it is still very difficult for a parent to have a child of his age spend his days sleeping on the bed, unable to play.

    I''m sorry for your loss.

    "Thank you. But as I said before, I am relieved to see that your body has grown and you are more energetic than before. I have also been taught how to use magic by Mokuren-dono, so the burden on my body seems to have decreased.

    Sam was well aware of the constitution of Kotomi, the second daughter of a sword saint.

    It is often seen in children with a large amount of magic power.

    There is no solution, but to wait for the body to adjust to the magic power as it grows.

    Fortunately, it is not a life-threatening disease, and only appears in childhood.

    Sam has never experienced it, but it is said that it sometimes causes physical pain and fever.

    This is a rare occurrence in this world, where few people have a lot of magical power to begin with.

    However, it is said that those who show these symptoms are, without exception, full of magical talents.

    "Kotomi has a talent with a sword, but according to Lady Magnolia, she also has a talent with magic.

    "You may laugh at me for being a family man, but Mizuki is right, Kotomi has talents in swordsmanship and magic. And with the amount of magic power she carries in her body,......, she is truly a child whose future is very exciting."

    Kurarayan''s smiling face with Mizuki made me feel that Kotomi is loved very much by her family.

 141 - - 27 "I met Kensho Amemiya Zojin" â‘¢

    After that, Sam and the others had a good conversation with Kurando and Mizuki.

    Only Haren was not able to engage in much conversation due to her limited vocabulary, and she seemed sleepy.

    I noticed that they had been talking for about 30 minutes already.

    Most of the conversation was about Liese''s memories of her time at the dojo, but it was a pleasant time for Sam to learn about a side of his fianc¨¦e that he had never known.

    "--Lise, it is a pleasure to talk with you like this, but you have come all the way to the dojo. Would you like to have a hand-to-hand combat with me after a long time?"

    Liese rolled her eyes at the unexpected proposal of the swordsmith, and the word "hand-to-hand" made her sleepiness disappear.

    "Of course, you are welcome to join us, Hualien-dono. You''ve been wanting to fight me for a while now, and I''m sorry if I''m boring you too much.

    "......Mr. Hualian."

    "Sorry. But - if you''ve been invited, there''s no reason to refuse."

    Hualien stands up triumphantly, fist to fist, and smirks.

    He still loves to fight," Sam sighs, and then Kensei calls out to him.

    "What about you, Samuel?"

    "No, I''m a magician, so I don''t think I can fight in the dojo.

    "Liese has been teaching you the art of bodybuilding, hasn''t she?¡¡I hear that you are quite good at close combat using body enhancement magic."

    "...... hahahaha."

    Sam laughed deceptively.

    He likes learning magic, but he does not have the battle junkie desire to fight anyone strong like Hualien does.

    I will fight if I have to, and if I do, I will show no mercy or restraint, but I am not so battle-hungry that I want to fight unnecessarily.

    (- and if you fight this person, you will not win even if you fight with all your might, or you may even want to fight beyond your might)

    One of the reasons for his reluctance was that he was not confident that he would be able to finish the meeting as a hand-to-hand contest.

    Perhaps sensing Sam''s feelings, or perhaps he had other reasons, Kurando did not invite him any further.

    "Ah, Samuel. Well then, will you meet Kotomi?"

    It was Mizuki who made the suggestion on behalf of her father.

    She shook her braids and smiled at me.

    "Now, tell me and my sister about the Land of the Rising Sun," she said.

    "...... Kotomi will be pleased. Samuel, if you don''t mind, may I?"

    "I would be happy to talk to you."

    There is no reason to refuse.

    Besides, Sam, as a wizard, was also concerned about the girl with too much magic power.

    "Thank you. Mizuki, please show Samuel around. Please don''t be rude.

    "All right, all right. Come on, let''s go."

    Yes, sir. Well, Lise-sama, Karen-sama, I''m going to see Kotomi-sama."

    Say hello to Kotomi-sama for me.

    See you later."

    He nodded to both of them, stood up, bowed to Mizuki and left for the dojo.

    They walked down the hallway of the mansion and up the stairs.

    The mansion is spacious, as one would expect from a man who holds the title of "Kensei" (sword saint).

    The maids that we passed on the way to the dojo, who seemed to be trained in some kind of martial arts, wore the air of fighters.

    "I''m sure my sister will be very happy to see you. Actually, she is a fan of yours.

    "Why are you such a fan?"

    Sam was puzzled when Mizuki said such a thing while walking.

    He did not remember doing anything that would make him a fan.

    Mizuki laughed and continued.

    "You appeared out of nowhere in King''s Landing, claiming to be Ulrike Scheidt-Walker''s apprentice, took the title from the most powerful wizard in the Kingdom of Skye, and single-handedly fought the dragon that tried to attack King''s Landing. Sounds like the hero of a story, doesn''t it?"

    "I don''t know if it''s like that. There have been so many things that have happened in such a short time.

    A lot has happened in the two months since I arrived in King''s Landing.

    I came to King''s Landing in the depths of disappointment, but now I think it may have been my late master''s guidance.

    Thanks to him, I met my loved ones, my family, and my friends.

    I envy you a little bit.

    "Mizuki-sama?"

    "I know that I will be teaching swordsmanship in this dojo in the future. Even if the successor is someone other than me, what I have to do will not change. That also means that I had no other choice.

    "Do you have doubts about your future?"

    At Sam''s question, Mizuki shook her head in denial.

    "Oh, I''m sorry I gave you the wrong idea. I like swordsmanship and I''m proud of my position as a master. After all, I like teaching swordsmanship to others. But - since I''ve only had a sword since I was a child, I sometimes think about a different future.

    (Perhaps you have some thoughts about not being the heir to the Sword Saint?)

    I couldn''t say it out loud, but that''s what I thought.

    According to Liese, Mizuki is the best of the disciples of the swordsmith.

    If so, I don''t know why she was excluded from the candidates for the successor.

    Probably, Mizuki herself may have this question.

    The good relationship between father and daughter may be the reason for her doubts.

    "I envy you, Mizuki-sama."

    "Me?"

    I have no talent for swordsmanship.

    "I hear so. From what I''ve heard, you can''t even hold a stance?

    "I can hold it, but then it falls apart.

    Sam shrugged his shoulders and said so, and Mizuki laughed amusedly.

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha. I''d like to see that. I think you''re talented in a way, aren''t you?"

    "Unfortunately, it looks like it''s only for laughs."

    Sam was relieved to see Mizuki, who had looked a little gloomy earlier, laughing out loud.

    It''s not easy to get involved in the affairs of a family, and I''m not sure if I should step into such a delicate subject.

    Sam moved around the house with Mizuki, talking about other things as if to change the topic of conversation.

 142 - - 28 "I met Mr. Tomomi Amemiya."

    "This is Kotomi''s room."

    Stopping in front of a room on the second floor of the mansion, Mizuki knocked lightly on the door.

    "Kotomi?¡¡Are you awake?"

    "Oh, sis!¡¡I''m up!"

    When Mizuki spoke through the door, a cheerful voice came back from inside.

    (I''m glad to hear that you seem to be in better spirits than I expected.)

    I can''t see his face yet, but at least he doesn''t seem to be in bad shape.

    "I''m coming in. There''s someone I want you to meet. I''m sure she''ll be happy to see you."

    "What?¡¡I wonder who it is. Come in.

    Well, let''s go inside.

    Excuse me.

    The owner of the room invites me in, so I go through the door and step inside.

    Inside the room, there was a girl in a nightgown on the bed.

    The curtains of the sunny room are open.

    There is a large bed in the middle of the room filled with cute, girlish knick-knacks.

    The girl was looking at you from the bed as if she was a little bored.

    (This is... again...)

    Sam was surprised to see a vivacious-looking girl with short-cut black hair.

    He had heard that she was twelve years old, but she looked much younger, probably because she had been in bed for a long time.

    It is a pity that such a vivacious girl cannot move freely.

    But what impressed Sam most of all was her magical power.

    (Hey, hey, maybe she has more magic power than ...... me and Ur?)

    Both Sam and his master, Ur, were of extraordinary size in terms of their magical power.

    The amount of magic power is not everything in the use of magic, but it is not a necessity.

    I have heard that the amount of magic power is something you are born with and does not change much.

    From the time when Sam first met Ur until now, there has not been a dramatic increase in the amount of magic power.

    Nevertheless, thankfully, Sam has not been affected by the magic power and has a large amount of magic power while he is still in good health.

    However, the girl''s magical power was even greater than Sam''s.

    £¨I see. No wonder her body is overloaded with magic power. It''s too big.)

    "Uh, sis?¡¡Who is this person?"

    "Hmm. I bet you''d be surprised to hear who she is. The third seat of the court wizard, the most powerful wizard in the Kingdom of Skye..."

    "-Mr. Samuel Scheidt, by any chance?

    While Sam was surprised, the conversation between the sisters proceeded.

    Kotomi rolled her eyes and seemed surprised to hear Sam''s name.

    She seemed to be somewhat pleased.

    Sam smiled at the girl and introduced herself.

    "Yes. My name is Samuel Scheidt. Nice to meet you, Kotomi-sama.

    "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Samuel!¡¡I, Kotomi Amemiya. I am 12 years old!

    The girl who greeted us with full of energy did not seem to be burdened with magic power.

    Kurando said that her body seemed to be adapting to the magic power as her body had grown, but to Sam''s eyes, it seemed that it would still take some time for the magic power to adjust to her body.

    "Please, call me Sam."

    Hiding his feelings, Sam continues to smile.

    "Are you sure?

    "Of course."

    "So, then, Master Sam!¡¡Please call me Kotomi, too."

    "Um, that''s a bit, well, Kotomi-chan, is that OK?"

    "I''m so happy!"

    Sam is also caught by the broken-faced Kotomi.

    If I had a sister, she might be like this.

    Kotomi is not so much cute as her brother, whose face she can''t even remember, and she can''t help feeling that Kotomi is cute.

    "Oh, I think I''ll call you Sam, too.

    "By all means, please do so. Since you are a friend of Liese-sama, I would appreciate it if you could be more friendly to me."

    "What''s wrong with your sister Liese?"

    Kotomi tilted her head curiously at the mention of Lise''s name.

    I haven''t told you that," Mizuki whispered to her sister.

    "Sam is Liese''s fianc¨¦e, you know."

    "Eeeeeeee!¡¡Master Sam was your sister Liese''s fianc¨¦e!"

    "Yeah. It''s too good for me, but I''m engaged to him.

    And I''m also engaged to Princess Stella."

    And the princess?

    "Ha-ha-ha, somehow I found myself with two fianc¨¦es."

    "That''s great!¡¡That''s what I''m talking about, Mr. Sam!¡¡The most powerful court magician in the kingdom is different!"

    "I don''t think wizards have much to do with engagements, though."

    "Hmmm. Kotomi seems happy to meet the man of her dreams. I haven''t seen Kotomi this excited in a long time.

    Mizuki was also happy to see her sister in good health.

    Sam was also happy to see her so happy just because she met him.

    "It''s great to see you and Sam, who''s the talk of the town right now.

    "--Hmm?"

    "Yes!¡¡Because Mr. Sam is the man of the hour!"

    "--Hmm?¡¡Huh?¡¡Am I that much of a topic of conversation?"

    "Yes!¡¡I can''t leave the house, but I know about you from the nanny''s stories and from the newspapers my sister buys for me!"

    "I''m in the newspaper?

    I am astonished by the fact that I did not know.

    He never thought he would be in the newspaper.

    Kotomi told Sam that it was only natural.

    Of course!¡¡He killed that bastard Albert Frege in a blink of an eye, fought dragons, and made that G¨¹nter Ignaz his wife!¡¡Even the newspapers won''t leave me alone!"

    I was surprised to hear that the newspaper had made a story about me, but more importantly, I heard something that I couldn''t miss.

    As for Sam, he could not help but correct the false story.

    "Wait!¡¡Because G¨¹nther is not his wife!¡¡Because it''s bullshit!"

    Once you have to talk to the newspaper that wrote the outright lie, you have to talk to the newspaper.

    He had to talk to the newspaper that had written the outright lie once, even if it meant using magic, Sam decided.

 143 - - 29 "You wanted to become a disciple."

    "...... I see. I see that Mr. G¨¹nther is not your wife."

    "I hope you won''t be disappointed!"

    "...... I''m disappointed too."

    Even Mizuki-sama!

    I don''t understand why the sisters are visibly disappointed when they find out that G¨¹nther is not their wife.

    He is always on the lookout to become a wife.

    If such a false rumor is circulating in the world, he may take advantage of it to spread the word that it is true.

    I feel a sense of mission to eliminate the malicious false rumor at any cost.

    "There is an association in King''s Landing to support Mr. Sam and Mr. G¨¹nther..."

    "What a malicious organization!"

    "No such ill will!¡¡We are just a secret society that genuinely supports the two of you!"

    "...... newspaper and their secret society, it seems that there is an organization that we have to fight."

    I can''t help but feel seriously hostile, and at the same time, I can''t help but shudder at the fact that there are rotten ladies in other worlds who prefer men to each other.

    "Hmmm, Sam is a hot topic, for better or worse. I heard he''s engaged to Stella-sama, isn''t that great?"

    Mizuki laughed teasingly, and Sam laughed as well.

    "I''m surprised myself. Two months ago, when I first came to King''s Landing, I had no idea that this would happen.

    I had lost Ur and was in the depths of despair, but I never thought that I would meet the love of my life again.

    I still miss Ur to the point of tears, but I have found Lise, the love of my life, and I have also met Stella and Hualien. He is a good friend of G¨¹nther''s, even though he annoys me a lot.

    Jonathan and the rest of the Walker family are like family to me, and the father and daughter of Delight and Fran are very important to me.

    This bustling and hectic life has become something that Sam would not change, and he has no intention of giving it up.

    (-Maybe we have the life we have now because Ur guided us to it.)

    I am sincerely grateful to my mentor who continues to guide me even after his passing.

    "So many events in just two months!"

    Yes, indeed. Thanks to you, these two months have flown by.

    I love the time that has passed in the blink of an eye.

    I am sure that the days will continue to be hectic, fast-paced, and fun.

    "That''s just what Sam would do!¡¡Normally, one cannot become a court wizard or the most powerful person in the kingdom in such a short period of time. I admire you!"

    "Ha-ha-ha, thank you, Kotomi."

    "Well, sir..."

    "Yeah?"

    "Actually, I wanted to ask you for a favor if I could meet you, Mr. Sam."

    "If I can do it."

    Sam felt like doing something for Kotomi, who spent most of her time in bed due to her excessive magical power.

    Kotomi told Sam clearly.

    "--When I get well, please make me your apprentice!

    "What?"

    "I want to be a wizard!¡¡My sister wants to be a sword saint and I want to be a court magician and make my father proud of me!"

    I had not expected that the request would be for an apprenticeship.

    (But considering the amount of magical power she has, I think she will be a great wizard in the future. If I can help her, I can learn more from her as a wizard.)

    Mizuki gave a troubled look to her younger sister, who was eager to become an apprentice.

    Kotomi," she said, "you''re talking like that again. I''m not father''s successor to begin with.

    "No, I''m not!¡¡Why can''t you be your father''s successor when you are the strongest among his disciples?"

    "--that."

    The sister seemed unable to find the words to address her sister''s complaint that she was not the heir to the Kensei throne.

    Perhaps Mizuki is wondering more than her sister that she has been removed as the successor.

    "Lady Magnolia told me that I have the talent to be a magician. So, please!"

    At Kotomi''s earnest plea, Sam said, "I''m sorry, but I can''t help it,

    "Yes, I understand."

    He readily agreed.

    Mizuki was surprised at this.

    "Yay!

    "What?¡¡Sam?¡¡Are you serious?"

    "Of course. As Mr. Magnolia said, Kotomi definitely has the talent of a magician. She will become a wonderful wizard in the future. I would be honored if I could help her.

    Sam throws his hands up in the air in joy, but he makes sure to nail his words with a nail: "But, sir," he says, "I''m not sure.

    "I will not become an apprentice until I have your permission first, Kurando-sama. Of course, it is also an absolute requirement that Kotomi-chan be in good health.

    "Sam, are you sure about this?"

    "I''m sure they''ll ask me to take on an apprentice at some point, so if you don''t mind, it''s something I wouldn''t wish for. However, I still have to get well and get permission from Kurarayu-sama.

    "--I never thought that Kotomi would really be my apprentice."

    "In the future, though."

    First of all, I don''t know if her father, Kurando, will give his permission, and if Kotomi gets well, he may wish her to learn swordsmanship as a kensei.

    Still, as a wizard, I would like to guide the promising girl as I was once guided by Ur.

    "I will ask your permission!¡¡Then I can be Master Sam''s first apprentice!"

    When she looked so happy, not only Sam but also Mizuki, who had been looking troubled, couldn''t help smiling at her.

 144 - - 30 "Mr. Mizukis question."

    Afterwards, Sam told the sisters about his memories of his visit with Ur to the Land of the Rising Sun, promised to meet Kotomi again, and left the room with Mizuki to return to the dojo.

    On the way back to the dojo, Mizuki stopped and thanked Sam with a bow.

    "Thank you, Sam. Kotomi looked very happy."

    "No. I had a good time myself.

    "Kotomi is not usually in contact with many people, so she was happy to be able to talk with Sam. Besides, it seems that she has decided on her future goals.

    "I''m sorry I decided to do this on my own."

    "Oh, no. It''s okay. I''m sure your father won''t object. It would be better for you to have a goal. But..."

    But what''s wrong?

    "To be honest, I''m surprised that Kotomi is pursuing a career other than sword, but I never thought that she believed that I would succeed my father."

    Sam does not know all of Mizuki''s abilities.

    He only knows that Mizuki is a strong man from what he has heard from Liese and from Mizuki''s appearance.

    He could not judge whether or not she is suitable to be the successor of the Kensei.

    However, Kotomi believes that her sister is a suitable successor to her father, and Liese also said that Mizuki is the best in the dojo.

    Then, why did Kurando not make Mizuki his successor, but made other disciples as candidates for the succession?

    (I know it''s not a compliment to get involved in other families'' affairs too much, but...)

    "That''s how much I believe in Mizuki-sama''s ability."

    I don''t know.

    Mizuki''s face turns dark, a complete change from the time when she was spending time with her sister.

    "I know I shouldn''t go into this too much, but at the risk of sounding rude, let me ask you something."

    "...... yeah."

    "Why doesn''t Kurando-sama make Mizuki-sama his successor?¡¡Liese-sama says that Mizuki-sama is the most talented of all his disciples."

    I am proud of my ability to succeed my father. I''m not bragging or anything. I''ve never lost a hand match to anyone other than my father. That''s why I don''t know.

    Mizuki''s eyes seemed to moisten slightly.

    "Why doesn''t father even consider me as a candidate, let alone a successor?"

    Mizuki does not seem to understand Kurando''s true intentions.

    It is somewhat frustrating.

    Why does he dare to choose someone else when he has a daughter who is suitable to be his successor?

    There may be some reason that Sam cannot imagine.

    "I have asked you before. When the candidates for his successor were announced.

    "What was your response?"

    "He said I don''t have to succeed him. I told him to do whatever he wanted, but I just couldn''t accept it.

    But," Mizuki continued.

    "It wasn''t that I wanted to inherit the title of kensei at first, either.

    "Was that so?¡¡But..."

    All I wanted was to take over the Amamiya family and teach the Amamiya style of swordsmanship. But, rumors began to circulate among my students that the next sword saint would take over the Amemiya family.

    "Have you asked Kurarayu-sama about it?"

    Of course. But he told me I didn''t need to worry about it. I was disappointed that I wasn''t chosen to be a sword saint or the heir to the family.

    I''m sorry for your loss.

    "But I guess that wasn''t the end of the story."

    Mizuki prefaced her talk by saying, "It''s not going to be interesting for Sam either.

    "Lise''s ex-husband, Julian, has been coming on to her."

    "Oh, by the way, you said something like that to Master Liese."

    "From the way that man talks, it seems that he thinks that if he wants to take over this house with the sword saint, the quickest way to do it is to marry me."

    "...... You''ve got to be kidding me."

    "It''s true. I don''t know what made you come up with that idea, but the fact is that Julien is leaving his wife and is coming on to me. I know what he did to Liese and I don''t want to marry a man who is far inferior to me in ability, but I don''t care.

    Mizuki cowered her shoulders in disgust.

    She was right, it was certainly not an interesting story.

    The fact that the man who made Liese unhappy is making advances on Mizuki, who is also her friend, is both irritating and shameful.

    At the same time, I wonder why Kensei is leaving Mizuki in such a bad situation.

    "I''m sorry, I probably shouldn''t have brought this up with you, Liese''s fianc¨¦e."

    "No, that''s fine."

    "Yeah. Good. But I wonder... Julian is not a good enough candidate to be the successor of the Sword Saint.

    "What do you mean?"

    "To put it bluntly, Julian is weak.

    Sam''s head tilted even more as Mizuki made this clear assertion.

    £¨Why, then, is such a man a candidate for the successor to the saint?)

    No one was present to answer Sam''s question.

 145 - - 31 "I got permission to welcome my apprentice."

    When Sam and his friends returned to the dojo, they were greeted by Karen, who was lying on the floor in a heap but looking very satisfied, and Liese, who had changed into a hakama and was wiping her sweat off with a towel.

    (Wow, Lise-sama in Hakama is pretty cute!)

    Sam''s heart flutters at the sight of his fianc¨¦e looking so fresh.

    The problems he had been having with the successor of the Amemiya family and Lise''s ex-husband have suddenly flown away.

    Liese notices her fianc¨¦, who is stretching his nose, and calls out to him with a smile on his face.

    "Oh, welcome back. How was Kotomi-sama?

    Yes, she was a very nice girl. And you seemed to be in better health than I had heard.

    "I''m glad to hear that."

    Lise looks relieved.

    If we remember that Kotomi called her "Liese''s big sister", she must have been a good friend of Kotomi.

    Therefore, Lise''s concern is understandable.

    Sam loved her fianc¨¦, who was both caring and kind.

    "How is Kotomi-sama from your point of view?"

    "I think you have a great talent for wizardry. If it were only for magic, he would be better than me and Ur.

    "What?¡¡Are you better than Sam and his sister?"

    "Yes, he has more magic power than we do."

    Sam nodded to Lise, whose expression changed to one of surprise.

    Kurando, who could not remain silent, joined the conversation.

    "Samuel, is ...... that true?"

    "I''m sure of it. I have never met a child with such great magical power before."

    "Truly, more than you and Mister Ulrike."

    "He has a greater amount of magic than we do."

    Kurando exhaled loudly.

    "I knew that Kotomi''s magic power was great, but I didn''t expect it to be greater than Ulrike''s."

    "So, Kurando-sama, what''s this about?"

    "Yes."

    "May I take Kotomi-chan as my apprentice?"

    "--What do you mean?"

    Kurando''s face turns puzzled when he is suddenly asked to take his daughter as an apprentice.

    Mizuki told him to add something to his father''s question.

    "Kotomi asked Sam to be her apprentice.

    "Kotomi?"

    Mizuki told Kurando that Kotomi had appealed to Sam to become her apprentice and that she had the goal of becoming a court magician.

    Kurando probably did not know either.

    His face showed his surprise.

    "...... I never thought that Kotomi would want to become a wizard."

    "I was surprised too. But I think it''s a good idea. You have magic power, and I''m proud of you for having a future goal that makes use of it.

    "Yes, it is. I thought she was still young, but in her own way, she was thinking about her future. But, Samuel, are you willing to take Kotomi as your apprentice?

    Sam smiled back at Kensei''s question.

    "With the amount of magic power she has and her hidden qualities, Kotomi is definitely talented as a magician. I would be more than happy to help you.

    "Wait, Sam. Wait, Sam. Kotomi-sama''s still in bad shape.

    "Oh, yes, of course I will make you my apprentice when you are well again, Kotomi.

    Liese told me that I had not said enough, and I continued in a hurry.

    "From my point of view, it will take some time for you to get well. That''s how big the magic is. But you can still learn. I''ll bring you the grimoire I''m reading next time, and you can read it to him."

    Regardless of whether or not he was going to be an apprentice, he wanted to help the girl who had that carefree smile and said she wanted to become a wizard.

    If Ur was here, he would do the same.

    (Oh, Ur would probably start working out even if she is not well, saying that she will get well eventually if she keeps working out.)

    The training Sam recalls as an apprentice was indeed extreme.

    Because of such training, Sam has decided to be kind to others when he is in a position to teach them.

    "I think it''s okay to learn swordsmanship on days when you can move your body. Since you have a talent with a sword, I hope you will be able to use both sword and magic.

    As Sam spoke his mind, Kensei bowed deeply.

    "Thank you for thinking of my daughter. Thank you for thinking of my daughter and please take good care of her.

    With her father''s permission, Kotomi became Sam''s apprentice.

    Although she may not be able to do much for him yet due to her health problems, she will try to help him as much as she can.

    I will try to help her as much as I can. Sam."

    "Of course."

    I''ll let them know later. I''m sure he''ll be overjoyed."

    Mizuki also seemed pleased that her father had allowed her sister to become an apprentice.

    "Well, I look forward to working with you in the future.

    Sam concluded, bringing today''s visit to the Amemiya family to a close.

    As Sam was on his way home with Liese and Karen after changing his clothes, there was a matter of concern in his mind about the successor of the Kensei, but he decided not to get involved in it because he hoped Mizuki would not say anything.

    I was happy to have an apprentice, but the visit left a lump in my throat.

 146 - - 32 "At that time, in the royal palace" â‘ 

    Rachel Isle Skye, the second princess of the Kingdom of Skye, was in a very bad mood.

    Wearing a gorgeous red dress with ornate embellishments, she walked down the corridor with her thighs wide open.

    Her silver-blonde curls were fussed over with her fingers, and her attitude, which did not hide her annoyance, was not flattering to the princess.

    The maids who passed by her, not wanting to be taken out of her sight, moved to the end of the corridor and quietly bowed their heads to Rachel.

    Without looking at the maids, Rachel goes to her sister''s room.

    Knowing that the guards in front of her sister''s room are gone, Rachel opens the door vigorously and walks in.

    "Sister Stella!

    "Oh, Rachel. What''s wrong with you today?"

    A woman tidying up the room - Stella Isle Sky, the first princess of the Kingdom of Sky - greeted Rachel, who was out of breath.

    Rachel was convinced that what she had heard was true when she saw her sister cleaning up the room herself, even though she could have left it to the maids.

    "......I heard that you had started to leave your room, so I came to see how you were doing."

    "You''ve been looking out for me. Thank you."

    "As your sister, of course. But you really left your room. I thought you were lying. And I heard that you stopped studying, which you were so absorbed in."

    When Rachel asked probingly, Stella put on a cheerful face.

    I feel a little annoyed at this, but try not to show my feelings.

    "I haven''t stopped studying. But I have stopped putting so much time into my studies. Lately I''ve also started exercising."

    "......What kind of change of heart?¡¡You always talked about studying, studying."

    My sister has clearly changed.

    She is not the same person she was when she was locked in her room studying to be accepted as a princess. As if possessed, she has put on an air of serenity.

    Rachel spat at her inwardly.

    "Well, I guess it''s thanks to Sam.

    "Sam?¡¡Who is it?

    "Would Samuel Scheidt be a good name for you?"

    "--!¡¡Samuel Scheidt?¡¡You mean that Samuel Scheidt, who not only became a court magician but also took Albert''s place as the most powerful man in the kingdom!"

    "Yes, well, I didn''t know much about it, but Rachel must have seen Sam and Albert duel."

    Now, there is probably no one at the royal court who does not know the name Samuel Scheidt.

    Albert, the most powerful wizard in the kingdom, had suddenly called for a duel.

    And the opponent was a minor child, a disciple of Ulrike Scheidt-Walker.

    It was a good topic for a man who had nothing better to do with his time.

    Some of the nobles were even looking forward to seeing how brutal a show Albert would put on.

    Aside from her reclusive sister, Rachel was one of those who were interested in the duel and lined up to be a spectator.

    "Of course I was there. Many people at the palace were looking forward to it since they had heard that Albert was going to beat the children to death. But they didn''t expect him to kill them in an instant. Albert was a miserable man.

    "Rachel. "Don''t speak ill of the dead. Besides, Sam was strong, that''s all."

    "That is true, but ......, why did this Samuel Scheidt and your sister meet?"

    I don''t care about Albert who caused trouble in the kingdom even after his death. It''s more about Sam.

    Rachel couldn''t help but wonder why he, of all people, was meeting with her sister.

    "Oh, by the way, I didn''t tell you again. I''m engaged to Sam."

    "--Ha!"

 147 - - 33 "At that time, in the royal palace" â‘¡

    Rachel couldn''t believe her ears.

    --What did she just say?

    "Sister, what did you just say?"

    I''m engaged to Samuel Scheidt.

    "Is it really your sister?"

    Yes, your father introduced us. At first I had my doubts about him because he was a younger boy, but now I''m happy with him. I know he didn''t want to get engaged to me, but I can feel his care and tenderness in the letters we exchange.

    Smiling happily, Stella looked like a maiden in love.

    "-All the sisters again."

    Rachel bit her lip as if she wanted to chew it off at the sight of her sister.

    "Maybe Lise is the best for Sam, but that''s okay. I know from your letter that you care for me. We can''t live together yet, but eventually--Rachel?¡¡Rachel, what''s wrong?"

    "...... No, it''s nothing. Oh, is that letter from that Samuel Scheidt?"

    "Yes, it arrived earlier today. He''s a fast learner. I didn''t think we could exchange letters so often."

    Stella holds the letter she found on the desk with great care.

    This gesture also irritated Rachel.

    Rachel tries her best not to look so obviously distorted in front of her sister.

    She tried to be a sister who listens to her sister''s story.

    "I didn''t know that ...... but she''s a very curious one too, isn''t she? I''m a little impressed that she accepts her sister who has a bad reputation.

    I made a sarcastic remark on purpose, but she never cracked a smile.

    "Really. But he''s not the kind of person who cares about such trivial things. And I don''t care about rumors anymore either.

    "--!¡¡......Well, I see, why is that?"

    She asks her sister, hiding her upset.

    She was a different person from the one who had been upset by petty rumors.

    "Rachel has been telling me a lot of rumors because she cares about me, but I don''t want to hear any more," she said. Thank you for everything. Now that I know that my father and mother love me very much, I am not afraid of anything anymore.

    "...... that''s what I was thinking. As a sister, I couldn''t be more happy to see your positive attitude.

    "Thank you, Rachel. You''ve been a big part of it."

    "Oh, oh-hohohoho, as a sister it is natural to care about your sister."

    Rachel said nothing more and turned her back on her sister, not wanting to be here any longer.

    "Oh, you''re leaving?"

    "Yes, I''m afraid I have some business to attend to. I heard that your sister left her room today, so I just wanted to check on her.

    "Thank you so much. While I was shut up, only Rachel came to see me.

    "-I''m sure your brother Cedric has been in to see you as well."

    "That''s right. Thank you so much, Cedric and thank you Rachel. Thank you."

    You''re welcome. Now, if you''ll excuse me. Good day to you.

    Without looking back at her sister, Rachel left the room.

    She walked down a long hallway, returned to her room, and went to her bedroom.

    When she reached her bed, Rachel lifted the pillow and slammed it down with all her might.

    "What the hell, that woman!¡¡I''ve given you so many bad rumors to keep you cooped up forever!¡¡They love you!¡¡And you''re engaged to that Samuel Scheidt?¡¡You''re taking what I want again, b*tc*!"

    Emotions that I had been holding back from showing in front of my sister explode.

    Rachel had always hated Stella.

    She hated her sister, who got everything she wanted, as well as their mother''s quarrels.

    So she deliberately let her know that she was being laughed at behind her back for being an infidel because of her gray hair.

    Sometimes, when the nobles got tired of Stella''s insinuations, she would offer them something to talk about in order to get them interested again.

    Thanks to this, Stella began to withdraw and retreat into her shell.

    Rachel enjoyed going to see her sister, pretending to be a caring sister.

    But even though she was withdrawn, she still had what she wanted.

    The love of her father the king.

    People who adored her.

    And Samuel Scheidt.

    "Of all things, Samuel Scheidt, whom I so longed to have, was Stella''s!¡¡You''ve got to be kidding me!"

    He repeatedly slammed the pillow down on the floor, but his frustration did not subside.

    And so it should have been. Rachel had wanted Sam since the day she saw him and Albert duel.

    She had her mother check him out, and when she found out that he was safe enough to be hers, she had just the other day asked her mother for him.

    But it was gut-wrenching to think that by that time he had already belonged to his sister.

    Rachel was fascinated by Sam''s strength.

    Rachel has never known another man that strong.

    She wanted to make him her own, to bring him to his knees, to have him as her lady-in-waiting.

    For the first time, she was willing to give herself to him.

    "Your father loves you, and now you want to take away what I want..."

    Rachel bit her lip in a jealous rage at the thought of her sister''s abomination.

 148 - - 34 "Are you going on a date with three people?" â‘ 

    "Sam!¡¡Let''s go shopping in the castle town!"

    Liese and Karen, who had packed their bags, came into Sam''s room.

    Sam, who had been scattering grimoires on the floor, gapes open-mouthed at the sight of them.

    "I''m looking forward to shopping."

    "Uh, shopping?"

    It had been a week since I visited Kensei Amamiya Kurando.

    Sam had spent the past week training with Lise and Karen, playing with Alicia and the dragon cubs, correspondence with Stella, and searching for a grimoire for Kotomi.

    Needless to say, his relationship with his fianc¨¦e Lise is good, and they sleep together every night.

    She is sleeping with her fianc¨¦e Lise every night. With Hualien, he has come to understand her feelings, though only vaguely. Although he still could not win the hand-to-hand contests, he still continued to win them because Sam also hates to lose in some way.

    He has a good relationship with Stella. He has already accepted her as his fianc¨¦e, but he does not know how to treat her because of her status as a princess. So it was easy for me to communicate with her through letters.

    I guess she is the same way, she writes me a lot about what''s going on in her life and what happened in her day. Sam found himself looking forward to exchanging letters with her.

    "I don''t mind, but is there something you want?"

    "It''s not like that, but I''d like to go out once in a while. Besides, Sam seems to be stuck."

    "Sometimes it''s important to take a break."

    Liese was jealous of Stella, but she showed no such signs of jealousy toward Karen, and they have become friends over the past week.

    I don''t know if it''s because she''s not my fianc¨¦e, or if they''ve just gotten to know each other through their trysts, but I''m relieved to see that they seem to have a good relationship.

    "Yes, it''s a dead end, isn''t it?

    Liese was right.

    Now that Kotomi had been accepted as an apprentice, I wanted to prepare a grimoire that she could read on her bed, but it was difficult to find one that would satisfy her.

    At the moment, all I had on hand were grimoires that I had collected during my travels all over the continent, and they were not for elementary magic or for beginners.

    Through Jonathan''s contacts, I have tried to order some grimoires, but they are all boring.

    I think that this would be boring for Kotomi, too.

    I thought of writing a book for Kotomi by myself, but I know that I would not be a good reference for her, since Sam is a compilation of his favorite magic books from all over the world.

    Since Ur was like that, I grew up in the same way, but I was taught in a practical way, and the result is what I am doing now.

    I hope that you will start from learning the legitimate magic.

    Especially if you cannot move your body.

    Every country and region has its own fad for any kind of magic.

    In the Kingdom of Skye, it is said that there is a trend for wizards not to use physical skills or swordsmanship, but to focus on the firepower of magic.

    Especially, it seems that offensive magic is good.

    Albert Frege was just like that, come to think of it.

    Some wizards say that the mixing of magic and physical arts by Sam and Ur is barbaric and lacks the character of a wizard.

    However, Kotomi also has a talent for swordsmanship, and I hope she will master both Amamiya-style swordsmanship and magic.

    However, I think it would be better for her to learn the legitimate magic first.

    "There are several bookstores in the castle town. You might have a good chance to meet someone at one of those bookstores.

    "That''s true, too."

    "Also, I thought I''d like to go out on a date once in a while."

    "Lise-sama."

    Sam''s heart flutters at the cuteness of his fianc¨¦e who says such things with blushing cheeks.

    However, it might not be strictly a date, since Hualien is also there.

    He looks at her and she gives him a thumbs up.

    "...... I''m not your fianc¨¦e, but I can give you a special date today."

    "Thank you very much."

    I don''t know what''s so special about it, but the three of us going out together is something new.

    "Well, let''s get started, shall we?"

    "Good!¡¡I can''t do a lot of shopping without Sam with the item box!"

    "--, you invited me as a baggage handler?

    "Uh-huh, just kidding. Come on, let''s go on a date."

    "Oh."

    Lise puts her arm around Sam and they head for the castle town.

 149 - - 35 "Are you going on a date with the three of us?" â‘¡

    It had been a long time since I had visited the castle town.

    "Wow, it''s so crowded!

    When I first arrived in King''s Landing, I used to walk around aimlessly in my free time, but it was more like a walk to distract myself from the depression I was feeling after losing Ur.

    Once my life settled down, I often visited the royal palace to fight in duels, etc., and I only passed through the castle town.

    "There are a lot of people living in the royal city..."

    "But there are fewer people here today."

    Sam and his friends walk, passing busy people.

    Today they did not use a carriage, but walked around the town on their own feet.

    The nobles usually have a merchant come to their house or a carriage to their purveyor''s store.

    However, both Liese and Hualien sometimes walk around the castle town on their own feet, and shopping is also common.

    "The coffee shop over there has good coffee.

    The meat at that stall is excellent."

    "Oh, I see."

    Lise and Hualien are not aristocrats in a good way.

    They seem to be ordinary women in the sense that they emphasize ease of movement rather than splendor in what they wear, and that they casually go shopping in the castle town.

    To Sam, this is preferable, and she is easy to deal with since she does not have to worry about anything.

    It seems that Alicia and Erika also often do not use the carriage when they have something to do in the castle town.

    "Sam!¡¡I have some sweet icy treats over here!"

    "Hmm. I want something cold. It''s been hot lately."

    With summer approaching, there are ice cream stalls.

    Sam took a peek and found shaved ice, which in his previous life in Japan was rarely seen except at fairs.

    The only difference is that the shaved ice seems to be made of frozen fruits and eaten in small pieces. The shaved ice is then topped with pulp and sauce.

    "Let''s eat, there''s plenty of seats left.

    "Yes."

    "Yay!"

    "Well, I''ll go get them."

    "Oh, thank you."

    He set the two women up at a table in front of the stall, and Sam bought three kinds of iced candies: strawberry, orange, and grape.

    He took a plate from the owner and placed it in front of Liese and the others.

    "Thank you."

    Thanks. Thank you very much.

    As Sam takes a seat, the two women begin to eat the ices with a spoon.

    "Mmm, that''s delicious!"

    "When it gets hot, ice cream is the only way to go."

    Lise and Hualien looked satisfied, and Sam followed their example and ate a piece of ice cake.

    The coolness and the sweetness of the fruit spread in my mouth, and it was really pleasant.

    The heat in his body seemed to cool down.

    "Sam, yes?"

    "What?"

    "Uh-uh."

    "Let''s see."

    Lise is pointing a spoon at me with a smile.

    "Here, ah!"

    "Ah, ah!"

    Sam opened his mouth when he realized what she wanted to do.

    Lise smiles at him and feeds him an ice candy.

    It''s kind of embarrassing, but I think it''s quite nice.

    I can''t help but feel that she is looking at me with jealousy from afar, but she has two such beauties with her. I''ll take the jealousy in stride.

    "Well then, I''ll return the favor. Lise-sama, ah!

    "It''s a little embarrassing to be the one who gets ....... Uh-oh."

    Now it''s Sam''s turn to feed Lise.

    Liese''s lips open, her cheeks flushed with a hint of color, and she brings him an ice-cream cake.

    "Yes, it''s delicious. Maybe it''s because Sam fed it to me.

    "It''s a little embarrassing, but it''s very couple-like. We should do this more often."

    "Oh my God, Sam!"

    (I like Lise-sama who is embarrassed too. ...... I mean, Hualien-sama keeps eating at her own pace even though we''re flirting in front of her. On the contrary, it''s amazing. If it were me, I would have been annoyed.)

    With these thoughts in mind, Sam spent a sweet moment with Liese.

    Meanwhile, Karen had another ice cream.

    I wish these peaceful moments would last.

    Sam thought back on the hectic days since his arrival in the capital and wished that such a peaceful time would last.

 150 - - 36 "Are you going on a date with three people?" â‘¢

    "We didn''t find any grimoires, did we?

    Sam, who had just finished eating his icy snack, grumbled in disappointment.

    He went to several bookstores and came across some grimoires, but the contents were boring.

    According to the owner of the bookstore, it was impossible for a hard-core writer of grimoires to write anything interesting.

    In fact, most of the grimoires were only about magic and boasting.

    The former is aside, we do not need the latter.

    "I wonder if there are many wizards who buy and read grimoires?¡¡I thought there would be more."

    Lise''s question was answered by Karen, who had finished her second bowl of ice cream.

    "I had so many grimoires at home that I didn''t need to buy any."

    "So that''s how it is. But we have a lot of grimoires too. Maybe because your father was a magician and your grandfather was a magician.

    "Oh. Lise-sama''s grandfather was also a magician, wasn''t he?"

    Yes. He was a very good man. He was very friendly with me, but very strict with my father."

    I had never heard of the previous head of the Earl Walker family.

    But I could tell that the family had been producing wizards for generations.

    Ulle, Jonathan, and Erika are all excellent wizards, and Erika is a promising wizard.

    "Nobles often have parents teach their children or hire wizards to learn basic magic."

    "I knew it."

    "It is the commoners who study on their own."

    "I see."

    "You can learn it in school. Children who can use magic are sometimes exempted from tuition fees, so many children learn magic that way."

    Haren''s words remind me of a magic school.

    As I recall, Erika also attended a school with a magic department.

    Sam has never been to school.

    He was trained in a practical way by an excellent teacher named Ur, so he did not need to go to school.

    It may sound bad to say, but the experience gained through actual combat was more important to Sam than classroom learning.

    However, this was not the case with Kotomi.

    "School or ......, Kotomi can''t leave the house in the first place. I''ve learned all the rudimentary magic too, but I don''t know how to teach it to her."

    "Why don''t you ask your grandmother?"

    It was Hualian who offered help to Sam in his distress.

    "What?"

    "Hmm... Grandma has a lot of grimoires. Many of them I''ve never even read. Maybe there''s a grimoire just right for you.

    "Are you sure?"

    When Sam asked, Hualien gave him a thumbs-up.

    "For a promising wizard, you''re more than welcome."

    "I look forward to working with you."

    "Hmm. I''ll leave it to you."

    "Thanks to Hualien, the grimoire problem may be solved. Thank you, Karen."

    "Don''t worry about it. I want to do things for her, too.

    A grateful Sam and Lise.

    It seemed that Haren was also concerned about Kotomi, and she was glad to hear that.

    Feeling at ease, the three sit down to continue shopping.

    "Earlier, I saw a store with a nice sword on display. I''d like to go there next time.

    "Well, can''t you at least wear shoes or clothes there?"

    "Oh, my, it''s a really nice sword. Sam will like it when he sees it.

    No, no, no, I mean...

    It''s like Lise, a swordsman, to be interested in swords instead of clothes, but it''s just not the same.

    (Well, if it''s OK with Lise-sama, it''s OK with me.)

    In the end, Hualien was also interested in weapons, and the three of them headed for a nearby store.

    At the arms shop, Liese spent a long time staring at a long sword.

    It seems that she wants to buy a sword, but the price is too expensive.

    However, it is a very good sword, and I don''t know when I will be able to find it again.

    Liese is conflicted, so Sam buys her a sword as a souvenir of their date.

    "Thank you, Sam!"

    Lise hugs me and kisses me on the cheek.

    Sam tilted his head, wondering if it was a good idea to give her a long sword as her first present, but he decided it was okay as long as his cute fianc¨¦e was happy with it.

    In a way, it was just like Liese.

    (It was nice to see Lise-sama''s happy face.)

    By the way, the price was quite expensive.

    "Sam, me too."

    Haren starts to beg Lise to buy a new one if she can get one.

    She greedily points her finger at a knuckle guard displayed in the new items section.

    It is also quite expensive, and is the same price as the long sword I gave Lise.

    It seems to have been made by a well-known craftsman and is a one-of-a-kind item.

    "As a thank you for giving me a date."

    I''ll send it to you, won''t I? I''ll send you a ...... grimoire to help you with that, yes, I understand."

    In the end, I decided to send a gift to Hualien as well.

    "Wow!"

    She didn''t change her expression, but I don''t think it was my imagination that her lips seemed to be more relaxed than usual.

    I pay the shopkeeper, who seems pleased to have sold two expensive weapons, and put them away in the item box so that they won''t interfere with our date.

    After leaving the store, the three of them continue to enjoy shopping around the stalls and window-shopping.

    On the way, Sam sees a handkerchief for sale at a clothing store.

    The white handkerchief with blue roses on it reminded them of Stella, so they bought one.

    He decides to send it with his letter tomorrow.

    Sam and his friends go out before noon, but it is already dusk.

    "Shall we go back to the house now?

    "Yes. --It was fun, Sam. Let''s come back."

    "Of course."

    Sam was very happy to see Lise smile so much.

    I''d go on a date like this again and again.

    "Thanks for the present."

    "No problem. I''m indebted to you, Ms. Karen."

    "Hmm."

    Regardless of what Haren thinks of herself, it''s nice to know that she gets to meet with her every day.

    Thanks to both of them, Lise with her sword and Karen with her empty hands, Sam''s skill has improved again.

    It is a small way for me to give something back to them.

    "Okay, let''s go home."

    Lise shook Sam''s hand.

    That''s when it happened.

    "Oh, it''s Lise, isn''t it?"

    An unfamiliar man''s voice echoed through the bustle of the castle town.

 151 - - 37 "I met a bad guy." â‘ 

    Someone''s voice calling Lise''s name made Sam turn around reflexively.

    Behind him was a stranger.

    "Who is it?"

    He was a man in his mid-twenties.

    He was well dressed, with auburn hair neatly trimmed.

    He was tall and slender, with a sweet mask that left a strong impression on me.

    At his waist was a sword, but he did not look like a swordsman.

    The scabbard of the sword was decorated with ostentatious and ostentatious ornaments, which made us feel that he had no sense of style.

    £¨Who is this guy?¡¡He looks like a swordsman, but no, he is not a swordsman. (It looks like an aristocratic monk imitating a swordsman.)

    The man looks straight at Liese, not at Sam.

    He is about to ask his fianc¨¦e if they know each other, when he notices that she is shaking as she holds his hand.

    "--Julien."

    The name that came out of Lise''s mouth, which trembled not only her body but also her voice, sounded familiar.

    £¨Julian... I don''t think that''s Lise''s name...)

    If Sam remembers correctly, it was the name of Lise''s ex-husband.

    He is a candidate for the successor to the Kensei, and a man of ill repute who is courting Mizuki Amemiya.

    "Hey, Liese. It''s been a long time. We haven''t seen each other since our divorce.

    "...... what can I do for you?"

    Lise gives a stiff reply to Julien''s friendly attitude.

    It is not Sam''s imagination that her voice is somehow cold.

    "Well, you''re not very friendly, are you? I just saw you here and called out to you.

    "I don''t think we have the kind of relationship where you can talk to someone lightly."

    In response to Liese''s discomfort and annoyance, Julien simply cowered his shoulders.

    "Don''t tell me you miss me. We used to be a couple. It''s about time I had a talk with you. Let''s go into the nearest store."

    Liese trembled with fear when Julien extended his hand to her unkindly.

    Sam, who did not miss the change in his fianc¨¦e, quickly intervened.

    "Who are you?

    Finally, Julien''s gaze fell on Sam.

    He looks displeased, perhaps because he has been interrupted.

    But I am the one who is displeased.

    Who are you? If you want to ask someone''s name, say it first.

    "...... you rude child. Shouldn''t you respect your superiors even if you don''t know that I am Julien Michel, the eldest son of Count Michel?"

    "Why should I respect you?"

    I can only take a quarrelsome attitude toward Liese''s ex-husband.

    In the first place, this man''s words and actions irritated Sam.

    He is convinced that this man is not a good match for him, regardless of Liese.

    "Sam, stop it. Let''s get the hell out of here."

    "--Sam?¡¡Is this Samuel Scheidt by any chance?"

    Julian, upon hearing Sam''s name, seemed to recognize the person in front of him.

    Then he sighs deliberately.

    "What do you mean then?"

    "No, I heard that Lise, my wife, was engaged to someone very promising, but I had no idea she was such a child."

    "Stop it, Julien!"

    Rumors are unreliable. It seems that the quality of court wizards in this country has declined. Either that or your Majesty''s eyes have grown blinded by admitting such a child.

    "- Don''t talk to me like that, man."

    I feel the urge to punch him in the face at any moment, but I hold back.

    At least I knew that Liese would not want me to hit him here.

    Sam takes a deep breath and suppresses his irritation.

    "Sam, let''s not take it out on him.

    "Okay."

    Nodding to Lise, who sounded as if she was about to burst into tears, Sam turned away to face Julian.

    "Let''s go, Hualien."

    "Yes."

    The silent Karen looked at Julian for a moment, but then seemed to lose interest.

    She nodded and was about to leave with Liese,

    "Wait. You''re not allowed to leave without my permission, Lise."

    "--!"

    Julien, with his arrogant manner, waits for them.

    And Sam, for his part, had one thing he could not tolerate.

    "Hey!¡¡Don''t call my fianc¨¦e''s name lightly."

    He turned around and would have punched Sam if Liese had not grabbed his arm.

    I didn''t like the way he had been calling her name, Liese, Liese, as a term of endearment.

    I don''t understand how the man who made Lise unhappy can talk to her so casually.

    I can''t help but wonder if he doesn''t feel a little guilty.

    "You''re a cheeky little boy, aren''t you? Are you a young man, Liese, by any chance?"

    "You, enough!"

    "......, you noisy kid."

    Julien, who still calls Lise''s name lightly, is about to reach his limit.

    Next to Sam, Karen mutters.

    "He''s so annoying.

    "Hmm?¡¡Oh, you have another companion. Oh, you''re somewhere else.

    "I don''t care. I''m not interested in you. If you don''t have something to do, get out of here."

    It seems that Hualien does not think well of Julian either, and he is even more indifferent than usual.

    Julian frowned at her attitude.

    "Hmm. Lise, even though we are divorced, you were my wife. I don''t like the idea of dating such a person."

    "It''s none of your business who I date!"

    "......How. Are you trying to turn against me? Well then..."

    Julian, perhaps not pleased with Lise''s attitude, showed clear irritation on his face.

    For a moment, Liese looked frightened, but Sam stepped in to shield her again, as if to protect her.

    This time it was the same for Karen.

    "I''m telling you, if you lay a finger on Liese-sama, I''ll kill you."

    "Likewise."

    Sam and Karen were filled with murderous intent, and for some reason Julian made a dumbfounded face.

    Then, he suddenly started laughing, wondering what was so funny.

    "Boo-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha, kill?¡¡Me?¡¡You guys?¡¡You make me laugh!¡¡It''s really hilarious!"

 152 - - 38 "I met a bad guy." â‘¡

    Julien continues to laugh hysterically with his stomach in his hands.

    "Laugh till you die."

    "You''re so annoying."

    "Ha ha ha ...... Oh, that made me laugh. I never thought that someone would behave like that towards me, the heir to the saint of the sword, but I guess ignorance is a terrible thing.

    I think Julian is a brazen fellow who calls himself the successor of the Sword Saint, even though he is a candidate for the position.

    I mean, his words and actions have been deliberate since a while ago, and it''s only getting more irritating.

    "Well, never mind. I have only one word of advice for Lise. I see that you''ve been showing up at the dojo recently, but please keep in mind not to say anything unnecessary to Mizuki-sama."

    "What do you mean by ''unnecessary''?"

    Everything. She''s the one who''s going to be my wife."

    "Are you serious?"

    "Of course. Well, it''s not my favorite, but as the heir to the sword saint, I have to be patient."

    "-- you!¡¡That''s how I feel about Mizuki!"

    Liese, who had been frightened of Julien until now, stared at him angrily, as if she couldn''t forgive him for making fun of her friend.

    But Julian doesn''t even show any sign of caring about the way Liese looks at him, and sighs.

    "Oh dear. I don''t understand what you are so angry about. Noble marriages are like that, aren''t they? I didn''t marry you out of love either.

    "That''s enough!"

    Sam''s angry voice drew the attention of passersby.

    Julian, who had no intention of making a fuss in front of the crowd of prisoners, clicked his tongue in disgust.

    "I told him, Lise. If you do anything unnecessary, you''ll make me angry. No, my house. Neither you nor your father would want that. --Do you understand?

    "You think I''m going to nod my head with a threat like that?¡¡No, it''s before that. Mizuki would never have anything to do with you, not to mention what I have to say.

    "Well, we''ll see about that. "Well, we''ll see. I''ve told you what I have to tell you, so I''d better be going. I don''t enjoy the public gaze."

    Julien was about to turn on his heel, but stopped and looked at Sam.

    "Yes, Samuel Scheidt, isn''t it?"

    "Don''t call my name so casually. It would be embarrassing if people misunderstood that we were friends."

    I hope to see you again.

    I don''t think I''m going to make it.

    "No, I''m sure we''ll meet."

    Julian turned his back on us with a few meaningful words.

    Julien then turned his back and disappeared into the bustling crowd.

    "Are you all right, Lise-sama?"

    As soon as Julian disappeared, Sam called out to his fianc¨¦e as if he was concerned about her.

    He seemed to be acting strong, but his color did not look good.

    "Yes, yes, I''m fine. I''m just a little surprised, I didn''t expect to see you here all of a sudden."

    "He was a jerk."

    I agree with Mr. Hualien.

    I should have punched him. I kind of regret it."

    "It''s best to leave that type of person alone."

    He says this not to Haren, but rather to himself.

    If Liese had not stopped him, he would have beaten her to death.

    "Let''s go home now. The masters will be worried.

    "......, yes."

    If I could, I would chase after him now, beat him up, and tell him never to appear in front of Liese again.

    But I know that Liese would not want me to do that.

    Above all, once his emotions were ignited, Sam was not sure he could control himself.

    £¨I can''t stand it if you just hit me, you''re scaring Liese-sama, I want to kill you.)

    The reason why he did not do so was that this was a castle town and not a place for dueling.

    Sam does not mind being blamed a little, but he does not want to cause trouble for Liese, Hualien, and the Countess Walker family, to whom he is indebted.

    He feels that the number of people he loves has made it more difficult for him to move around than before.

    In the past, I would have acted without any worries.

    "Sam, Hualien."

    "Yes."

    "Mm-hmm."

    "Thank you for today."

    No, no.

    I want to thank you too.

    "Yes, ...... but I''m sorry. I''m sorry I spoiled all the fun we had."

    "There''s no need to apologize, Lise-sama."

    "That''s right."

    "Yeah. But I''m sorry."

    Liese apologizes for not having to do so and starts walking away without holding hands with Sam.

    Sam and Hualien hurriedly chase after her and call out to her, but Lise only replies blankly.

    In the end, her cloudy face does not change even when they get to the house, and finally she does not smile again that day.

 153 - - 39 "Im worried about Mr. Liese."

    "Sam. Did something happen with Liese?¡¡I don''t think so, but I had a fight with you ...... No, I don''t think so."

    After dinner, Lise, her face still gloomy, went back to her room alone.

    Normally, Lise would spend most of the time in Sam''s room chatting or having tea with her sisters and Hualien, but she was acting strangely, perhaps because she had had an unwanted reunion with her ex-husband during the day.

    Jonathan and his sisters have noticed the change in their daughter.

    Sam was called to Jonathan''s room and asked to tell him about the day''s events.

    "Actually, I met Lise''s ex-husband, Julien Michel, in the castle town.

    He reports his findings while standing across the desk from the office.

    I did not feel comfortable talking without Lise''s permission, but I could not keep silent to Jonathan who was worried about his daughter.

    I met Julian in the castle town.

    Lise felt uncomfortable because of his familiarity with her.

    She told him that she would take Mizuki as her wife and that she had been warned not to say anything.

    "I see. So you''ve met that man because of ......?"

    "I''m sorry. I was with him and he said whatever he wanted."

    "Sam is not the one to apologize. It''s not Sam''s place to apologize. He''s always been that way. At first glance he seems like a nice guy, but inside he''s ......"

    "I almost laid a hand on you. No, I regret that I should have."

    "I understand how you feel. But thank God you didn''t touch me."

    Sam sits down when Jonathan urges him to sit on the sofa.

    His father-in-law sat down on the other side of the table.

    "The Walkers and the Michels used to be close friends. The previous head of the family was a very successful man. Because of this, Lise and Julien were once married, but you know how that turned out. If the previous head of the family had lived, that would not have happened.

    Jonathan sighs bitterly.

    "The previous head of the family, sir?"

    "I don''t think Sam knows this, but the previous head of the Michel family, Mr. Mendes, was a wonderful man. He was well remembered by His Majesty the King and was an excellent swordsman.

    "I didn''t know there was such a person."

    When the Sword Saint Amemiya Kurando-dono came to the continent from his country, he was one of the first to recognize his talent and ability and to assist him."

    "Heh."

    (I don''t think so, but is that why you made Julian a candidate for successor to the Sword Saint?¡¡(No, that''s too much to ask.)

    I had a thought in my mind, but I did not say it out loud.

    Frankly speaking, I don''t care if Julian becomes a saint or not.

    I know that he would not want such a man to be his father''s successor, considering what happened to Mizuki and Kotomi, but what is important to Sam now is Liese.

    "But his grandson is not a good man. Lise thought she was finally on the mend after meeting Sam. The fact that she was once married to such a man will never go away. I''m sorry, but please take care of Lise."

    "Of course. I''ll visit your room later. I think that Mr. Hualien is seeing you right now.

    After dinner, Lise went back to her room alone, and Sam saw that Hualien had followed her.

    They have been meeting daily and get along well with each other.

    Hanae and Liese, who is a self-paced person and a caring person, get along so well together that sometimes Sam is jealous of Hanae.

    So I am sure that she is still a good companion for Liese.

    "I see... Hualien-dono is... It would be rude to say this, but I am glad that Liese and Karen are getting along so well.

    "Me too."

    Liese was jealous of Stella, but she did not show much jealousy toward Karen.

    Perhaps it was because they were only arranged marriages and not engaged, or perhaps she felt as if she had one more sister to take care of.

    "Regardless of what Sam and Hualien-dono are going to do in the future, as a father, I would like to thank the fact that there are other people who care about Lise besides us."

    "I understand how you feel. I am grateful to you, too.

    "But, Julien, you can''t be serious. I never thought you were planning to marry Mizuki-dono.

    Jonathan spits it out in disgust.

    Sam agrees with him.

    "I heard that after he divorced Liese, he divorced the woman he was with again. How can he make one move after another?

    After Julian divorced Liese, he married and divorced another woman.

    He has been married and divorced from other women after divorcing Liese, and he is now trying to get his hands on Mizuki again.

    If he still had feelings for Mizuki, it might be understandable, but Julian clearly said that he did not like her, but he wanted to become a kensei.

    As a man, I find this extremely unpleasant.

    "I have kept my distance from that family for the past two years, but I have heard bad rumors. Julien has his problems, but the mother of the head of the family, Misery Michel, is also a troubled person. I know that it was Misery more than Julien that drove Lise away."

    "I see. You''re not a very good father and son, are you?

    "No doubt. The only regret is that we belong to the same faction, so we can''t clearly antagonize each other. We are protesting by cutting ties and ignoring them, but I wonder how effective this will be.

    "Let''s leave it alone. We won''t see each other again. Mizuki-sama has no intention of marrying that man.

    In fact, Mizuki had no intention of marrying Julian, and in fact, he seemed to be annoyed.

    As a matter of fact, why would Mizuki, who was a friend of Liese''s and knew to some extent what had caused the divorce, marry Julian?

    "But he is a candidate for the successor of Kensei-dono. It''s hard to say that he won''t get involved at all."

    "...... might be a good place to start."

    But Julian is the candidate for the heir to the sword.

    "Sir?"

    "No, I heard he could play the sword a little, but I didn''t think he was good enough to succeed to the title of Sword Saint."

    What Jonathan wondered was also said by Lise.

    And I recall that Mizuki had clearly declared him "weak.

    Sam also did not get the impression from Julian''s behavior that he was a swordsman accustomed to fighting.

    "In my opinion, I don''t think he''s a very good swordsman.

    "If Sam says so, then so be it. Well, okay. I''m sure Sam won''t be amused, but if he gets involved again, just ignore him. He''ll get on your nerves. It''s best not to get involved with that house."

    Yes, sir. I will try to do so.

    I''m sorry. As a father myself, I feel sorry for you, but nobility has its ties.

    I understand.

    "Thank you."

    "No, well, it''s time to go to Lise-sama''s."

    I found myself spending quite a bit of time with Jonathan.

    I don''t know what happened with Lise and Karen, but I think it''s time for Sam to show his face.

    "Yeah, I''m sorry I held you up. Take care of my daughter."

    "--Yes."

    Sam thanked Jonathan and got up to go to Lise''s room.

 154 - - 40 "Hana Ren cheered up Liese".

    "Lise, are you okay?"

    Hualien looked into Lise''s face as she lay on her bed with a gloomy look on her face.

    She is worried about Liese, who has locked herself in her room after dinner without talking to her family.

    "......Hualien. I''m sorry for worrying you. But I''m fine."

    "You don''t look too okay."

    There is nothing more unreliable than a person who is not okay.

    At least in her words, Karen was sincerely concerned about Liese.

    "--Yes. To tell you the truth, I''m a bit overwhelmed. I was having such a good time with Sam and Karen, but I never thought that one man could ruin it like this.

    It was not that Lise was shocked to see Julien again.

    Of course, she was not surprised by the unexpected reunion. She also felt that her good time had been watered down.

    But that was not the cause of Liese''s depression.

    What shocked Lise more than anything else was her own fear of Julien.

    "I thought I didn''t care about that guy. No, I don''t care. But when I saw him in person, I was so miserable that I couldn''t move."

    Just the sight of his face made him stiffen, and his body trembled when he was approached.

    I feel ashamed and frustrated.

    More than anything, I felt sorry for Sam that I was trapped in that man''s life forever.

    "I didn''t want to tell you because I didn''t think it was a good thing to say, but I know Lise''s situation too."

    "...... I''m sure you''re right."

    "It''s easy to say that it''s not something to worry about ......, but I understand that it''s not really that easy."

    "......Thank you. I''m glad you said that."

    "I should have blown that guy away myself."

    "I thought I could have at least slapped him in his nasty face, but I couldn''t do anything. I''m so sorry about that."

    Hanae sits down next to Lise, who bites her lip, and gently reaches out her hand.

    She takes Liese''s hand in hers and gives her words of comfort.

    "I don''t think we will see each other again. Besides, Liese has Sam. She has someone to protect her. So you don''t need to worry."

    "...... hualian"

    "I envy Lise. She has someone who loves her unconditionally."

    "...... Well, I am blessed."

    "I have no one like Sam. I don''t think that''s a bad thing, but it is a little sad.

    Lise''s eyes widened at Hualien''s unexpected words.

    She had never thought she would say such a thing, even as a consolation, since she enjoys fighting with strong people and wants a strong man for her marriage partner.

    "...... surprised me. I didn''t think that Hualien, who I thought was only interested in strong people, would say such a thing."

    "Yeah. Yeah, that''s part of it."

    "Hey, why are you looking for someone strong?"

    "Between you and me, I don''t mind if you''re not strong."

    "What?"

    I''m a girl, too, and I have a desire to be protected.

    "Well, you don''t think so?"

    "Yes."

    A smile escaped from Liese as Hanae nodded her head, her face reddening slightly.

    "Hmmm..."

    "Actually, don''t tell your grandmother about this. I told you because I''m Lise. She''s a very dear friend of mine."

    "Thank you, Karen. I consider you a dear friend too.

    "Yeah. And it''s a bit of a coincidence."

    "Guessing"?¡¡What do you mean?"

    Liese tilts her head, and Karen says with a slight lift of her lips.

    "All the men I''ve met so far on blind dates didn''t even look at me. I''m only the granddaughter of the court magician Purple Magnolia."

    "Hualien."

    "The goal was to make a connection with the family, and I was an added bonus. And that kind of pissed me off. So I made it a condition that he had to be stronger than me. I couldn''t do it without that."

    Liese couldn''t believe that this was the reason why Hualien wanted a strong man as a marriage partner, and she couldn''t help but laugh.

    "Hmmm. So Hualien is a girl too."

    "Excuse me. I''m always a girl."

    She looks at Karen, who is puffing up her cheeks.

    The two of them suddenly become funny and start giggling.

    "Mm-hmm."

    "Ha-ha."

    At some point, Liese realizes that the gloomy feeling that had been gripping her has lifted.

    Perhaps Haren was intentionally making Liese feel better by telling her about herself.

    "To tell you the truth, I like Sam after living with him. He is kind. Above all, I can tell from his attitude towards Liese that he is a loving person."

    "Yes, Sam loves me very much."

    "So, Lise. I don''t have to worry about that guy anymore."

    Haren, who does not always show her emotions, smiled in a clearly recognizable way.

    Her expression was very gentle and warm.

    "What Lise needs now is not to stay in her room. She does not need to worry about her family. I think she needs to hug Sam and let him give her lots of love."

    "--Yeah, right. I''d like that. I really need Sam''s hug right now."

    Then let''s leave the room together."

    I grab the hand that Hualien holds out to me and get up from the bed.

    But before embracing her loved one, she wanted to hug her precious friend who had cheered her up.

    "Thank you, Karen."

    "Hmm. Oh, my God."

    Liese, who had been dominated by the worst of her feelings, was able to return to her normal, typical face.

 155 - - 41 "I received a call."

    After talking with Jonathan, Sam went to Lise''s room.

    He walks down the hallway, thinking about what he can do to cheer her up.

    "Do I make a quick change of pace with a hand-to-hand combat, or do I go out into the castle town at night ...... and have a drink with her if she''s an adult, but she''s still a minor."

    As for drinking and smoking, you can drink and smoke at the age of fifteen, but the area is really lax.

    A child of Sam''s age can drink or smoke without being caught by the military police, who will just say, "Hey, hey, stop it!

    Furthermore, they will not be arrested for walking around the town in the middle of the night.

    It is a rough world, but it is not as safe as in prehistoric Japan, so you are really on your own.

    There are criminals in this world as there are criminals in Japan.

    From bandits, pirates, and righteous pirates to murderers, thieves, and even adventurers who try to exploit the weak, there are many.

    If a child has been drinking, some adults will get involved with the child for being cheeky.

    In fact, during my adventures with Ur, adults once surrounded Sam when he showed up at a bar to gather information.

    Of course, there was no way Sam could be defeated by a common adventurer, so he fought them back.

    After that, he said, "You have a lot of nerve to pick a fight with my little apprentice! I hope they are doing well.

    "I have an idea of what would please Lise-sama ......, but I''m not sure if it''s appropriate right now."

    In the end, Sam couldn''t think of anything he could do for Lise, so he stopped and began to groan.

    "Excuse me, Mr. Sam?"

    "Yes?"

    I heard a voice calling Sam''s name, and when I turned around, a familiar maid came running up to me with a flurry of footsteps.

    "Is something wrong, Miss Marie?"

    The maid, a redhead with a ponytail, was a charming-looking woman of about twenty.

    She was also in charge of making the bed and cleaning Sam''s room, and we were close enough to have a casual conversation whenever we saw each other.

    She was the one who treated Sam more politely than anyone else as a member of the family when he suddenly became a nuisance at the Countess Walker''s house.

    It is not her imagination that Marie looks so pale.

    "Is something wrong?¡¡You don''t mean Lise-sama?"

    No, sir. It''s not about you, miss. Actually, I received a letter for Mr. Sam.

    "A letter from Lady Stella?"

    No, I mean...

    "Daphne hasn''t come yet, has she? I just sent a letter, so I don''t think they have received it yet."

    It is rare for me to receive a letter from someone other than Stella.

    G¨¹nther sometimes sends me poems of his own composition, but he reads them out loud in front of me, so I would not bother to give them to the maid.

    "I am sorry to tell you this, but Julien Michel''s messenger asked me to give it to Master Sam."

    "--what?"

    "I was told not to let the Master or the Lady know that I received a letter."

    I never thought I would hear a name I never wanted to hear again.

    And what kind of a plan was it to send me a letter?

    "Okay, thank you."

    When he receives a letter from Marie, he opens it roughly.

    "-Say what you want."

    The contents of the letter were extremely unpleasant.

    To sum it up roughly, <

    £¨I should have killed her when we met in the daytime.)

    It is also annoying that he treats Lise so disrespectfully and treats her like property, but he adds, "I''ll be waiting for you tonight on the outskirts of King''s Landing. Let''s talk about Liese.

    £¨I know I should ignore it, but I can''t. Even though I know it in my head, my heart is telling me to meet him. I can''t ignore it.)

    Even though I know it''s a cheap provocation, I can''t help but get on board.

    Remembering my conversation with Jonathan, it is best to ignore it.

    But there was no way I could ignore him when he treated Liese as his property.

    "Excuse me, Mr. Sam. This may be none of your business, but I think you should talk to your husband or your daughter about this. I''ve heard nothing but good things about the Michels. If they do something to you when you call them, it will be a big problem.

    "...... okay. It says we just want to talk, that''s all."

    "But ...... I know I shouldn''t be saying this to a servant, but there is no one in this house who feels good about the Michels who made Lise unhappy. Moreover, Mr. Julien, the one who did it, has summoned us. It is inconceivable that nothing will be done.

    (I agree.)

    Sam is no fool.

    He does not think that after being provoked so much, he will really end up just talking to them.

    But if he says it out loud, Marie will tell Jonathan or Lise about it.

    So Sam tries to act like it''s nothing.

    "Don''t worry. They''re not stupid, they''ll come back after a short talk.

    "But..."

    "So please don''t tell Master and Lise. I don''t want them to worry."

    But...

    I''ll be fine.

    Sorry for Marie''s concern, but ignoring her pleas, Sam decided to answer the call.

 156 - - 42 "I will fight against Julian" â‘ 

    "You called for me, but no one came?"

    On the outskirts of King''s Landing.

    Sam was in front of an abandoned mansion that was said to have belonged to a fallen nobleman.

    The surrounding area is lined with similar buildings and is unpopular because no one lives there.

    It seems that they are going to demolish this area soon and build a new residential area, but this was of no concern to Sam.

    (Why did you call me all the way to such a remote place? I guess it''s not enough to just talk about it, as far as Marie is concerned. But so do we. (Don''t think you''ll get away with it after sending such a provocative letter.)

    I leaned my back against a nearby wall and waited for a while, then I heard footsteps approaching.

    And they were the footsteps of more than one person.

    In the dim darkness, there was Julian with five followers carrying lanterns.

    When he spots Sam, he smiles a broad smile.

    "Hey, I''m impressed you''re here all by yourself. I was expecting you to cry to Liese or something. I commend you for having the guts to do it.

    Thank you very much. You said you wanted to talk to me, but you''ve got a whole bunch of squires here. Hey.

    "I have my reasons. If I know I''m going to meet someone like you and I don''t have an escort, my family will worry."

    The squires are swordsmen.

    Their movements were those of swordsmen, as were the swords on their waists and backs.

    They seem to be quite skilled, but they do not seem threatening.

    "No, no, it''s quite funny that a candidate for the successor to the saint of swords is walking around with an escort. He should at least be able to handle the danger by himself."

    It is also laughable that he cannot meet the child he has summoned without an escort.

    Frankly speaking, I ask you if you intend to call yourself the next saint of swordsmanship.

    Either that, or he thinks Sam is a threat, or he is not confident in his skills.

    You should consider your position. You may be the most powerful wizard in the kingdom, but you are not so great that you can compete one-on-one with me, the next saint of swordsmanship. Rather, you should be thankful that we''re even speaking to each other like this."

    "--Oh, I see. So?¡¡You want to talk. Let''s get this over with. It''s gonna rain.

    I can smell the rain from a few minutes ago.

    I feel like I''m wasting my time just meeting with Julien, and I''m not going to waste my time if it''s going to rain on top of that.

    "Yes, that''s right. I don''t want to spend all my time talking to a country boy either. Now, as I already told you in my letter, Lise is mine."

    "You''ve got to be kidding me."

    "I''m sorry she couldn''t have children, but such is the nature of noble marriages. I divorced her, but she''s still mine."

    "How can you say that after having an affair?"

    "That''s a funny thing to say. A nobleman needs an heir. It''s natural to have more than one wife. The only way to do that is to have a mistress on the outside. You have a fianc¨¦e besides Lise, don''t you? It''s the same.

    "Don''t put us together!¡¡I''m doing it right where Master Liese knows!¡¡I would never do anything that Lise-sama wouldn''t like!"

    To tell the truth, Lise''s presence was all Sam needed.

    However, he met Stella and Karen, and as time went by, they became important to him.

    His relationship with Karen is still like that of a friend, but he has already accepted Stella as one of his future partners.

    But still, if Lise had said "no", I would have refused.

    I am sorry for the others, but Lise is that important to Sam.

    "I don''t understand."

    But Julien looked at Sam as if he were looking at something truly incomprehensible.

    "Why do you have to ask Lise''s permission for every single thing?¡¡Women are creatures of obedience. They don''t need to be looked down upon.

    "You know, you''re not afraid to say things that would make the women of the world angry if they heard them, are you?

    "But it''s true. Well, I don''t care. But more importantly, Lise is mine. Whether you like Lise or not, it doesn''t matter. If you like Lise, then you''ll break off the engagement and give her back to me, won''t you?"

    "Of course not, you idiot."

    What is so sad that I have to give up the love of my life?

    No, it''s more than that. I don''t understand why I have to obey the man who made Liese unhappy by asking me to give her to him.

    £¨I mean, he treats Lise like an object! He''s crazy if he thinks I''m going to obey him.)

    "I don''t understand you. Since I''ve gone to the trouble of giving you advice, you should reflect on your mistake, break off your engagement with Liese, and apologize to me. I''m sorry for messing with my property."

    "...... you seriously think I would say something so stupid?¡¡If that''s the case, you''re out of your mind."

    I''m impressed.

    If you can only think of things in such a self-centered way, you must be living a very happy and fulfilling life.

    I am sure that they never feel regret or sadness when they fail in something.

    "From the way you look at me, it seems that you don''t intend to make the most of the opportunities I have given you. Then - you will regret it when you die."

    At Julien''s words, the squires who had been watching from the sidelines each draw their swords.

    "You were going to kill me from the start anyway, you know that?"

    "Of course I do. You messed with my property, and I''ll make sure you''re sorry for it when you die."

    Try it."

    "Ha-ha-ha, I can''t wait to see how long you can keep that attitude up. You can die in peace. After I marry Mizuki Amemiya and inherit the title of Sword Sage, I will take Liese back as my concubine and take good care of her."

    "...... don''t say any more bullshit."

    "Yes, yes, you have Princess Stella, don''t you? I''m sure she would be suitable for me now that I''ve become a sword saint.

    Of course, Julien finally says he''s going to make a move on Stella.

    "Oh, by the way, there was that unfriendly woman, Hualien. I don''t like her, but I believe she is the granddaughter of Lady Magnolia. Then, I''ll take her as well."

    "I don''t know what to say, I''m so dumbfounded. I can''t find the words to say. I''ve had enough of your nonsense. Come on now."

    I''m getting tired of talking to Julian.

    If they intend to use force, we will only resolve it with force.

    Let''s see what the heir to the saint of swords can do!

    "Good grief... Ignorance is a scary thing... Or should I say naivete... Ignorance is a scary thing. --Do it.

    At Julien''s command, the five followers attacked at once.

 157 - - 43 "I will fight against Julian" â‘¡

    "Ha ha ha ha!¡¡These are the famed swordsmen of the Wizard Slayer!¡¡No matter who you call yourself a court magician, if you can''t make them use magic, you''re not the enemy!"

    Julian''s high pitched laugh echoes as the swordsmen charge straight at Sam.

    "-- huh?"

    It is fatal for a wizard not to be able to use magic without being told.

    However, it was a surprise to me that they thought we had not taken any countermeasures against it.

    "Only five swordsmen of this caliber?

    They are not afraid of swordsmen who just charge at them without any coordination.

    He activates his body enhancement magic and kicks the ground.

    He closes in on the swordsman in front of him and slams his fist into his stunned face.

    With a crunch, the man''s face shatters and blood spurts out.

    The man, his face smashed in, lets out an inaudible scream, lets go of the sword, and slumps down on the ground, clutching his face.

    "--What?"

    I heard someone make a short, dumb noise, but I ignored it and pressed on to the next swordsman.

    He throws an enhanced kick, shatters his knee, and before he loses his balance and falls, he grabs the man by the face and slams him to the ground.

    The ground cracks and caves in like a spider''s web.

    When he is sure that the man, who has stopped moving, has his white eyes peeled back, he begins to fight off the third man.

    "--Hi!"

    The third was a two-sword swordsman. However, he was so frightened that he did not even hold his sword at the ready.

    He smashes his weapon with his hand and picks up a splinter in midair and thrusts it into his stomach.

    He stomps on the face of the man, who screams and rolls on the ground, silencing him.

    "Next!"

    The fourth and fifth attacked at the same time, and we responded in the same way.

    With my enhanced kinetic vision, their movements were slow and tedious.

    I kicked one of them in the jaw with the toe of my right foot, and then swung my raised foot down on the other one.

    The man received a heel drop on the top of his head and was slammed to the ground with a mighty thud.

    "What?"

    In the blink of an eye, the five of us were silenced, and Julien spoke up briefly.

    "No, you''re too weak. If you want to kill me, bring five hundred more with you."

    It is unclear whether the swordsmen are alive or dead.

    They came at us with the intention of killing us, and they were prepared to be killed.

    But for a wizard-killer, they were too weak.

    It''s a bit of a letdown, to say the least.

    I thought he was a strong swordsman since Julian was bragging about him, but he was just a small fry.

    "- Huh?¡¡Huh?¡¡Huh?¡¡No, no, no, they are all famous swordsmen!

    "You''re taking too many licks with me. I don''t need to use magic on these guys."

    How can you be so stupid?

    "I''ve been fighting with Liese every day. At least bring someone as good as her."

    The five swordsmen I just fought are not even close to Liese''s level.

    They seemed to have experience in battle, but they were too weak to take on Sam.

    "--I heard that you were beaten by a swordsman of Liese''s caliber!"

    "Huh?¡¡Don''t you know what Master Liese is capable of?"

    Julian said, "It''s only Liese''s level." But Liese is strong.

    She is the one whom Sam has defeated time and time again, even with the use of physical enhancements. Knowing what she is capable of, Sam can''t say that she''s "just like Liese" at all.

    "It may sound like a sore loser when I say this, but the reason I can''t beat Liese-sama is because it''s a hand-to-hand contest.

    Sam had been defeated in hand-to-hand combat with Liese and Karen, but both of them knew that <> and <> were different.

    If Sam fought them with the intention of killing them, he would be defeated by them.

    The reason why he didn''t do that is because the meeting was a training exercise and a place for Sam to learn his skills.

    Sam is fighting not with the skills he has cultivated so far, but with the skills he has learned from them. Fighting under such circumstances, it is no wonder that he is defeated.

    It seems that Julian had gotten the information about Sam''s defeat against them from somewhere, but he underestimated Liese and her team, including their abilities, to his own advantage.

    It was truly comical to see people without the ability to think things through.

    "Don''t get carried away!¡¡Do you think you can beat me just by defeating these swordsmen?¡¡I''ll deal with them myself, instead of those useless bastards!¡¡You should be honored!"

    Julian''s voice lost its reserve.

    He pulls his sword from his waist and holds it up to his right eye.

    Sam, too, clenched his fists and readied himself.

    "Come at me, man! Let''s get this charade over with."

    "--Prepare yourself. Teyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

    Julian kicked the ground.

    "Hmm?"

    Sam felt a sense of discomfort as Julian came toward him.

    £¨Too late!)

    We were too late. Too late.

    No one is getting closer.

    They were far behind Liese and Hualien, as well as the other swordsmen.

    "Seyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

    Finally, Julian moves up to Sam''s eye and swings his sword down with great force.

    However, although his momentum is as strong as a human''s, his sword speed is still slow.

    Julian''s blows are neither fast nor sharp, and are so slow as to make one yawn.

    He was able to avoid them with a little time to spare.

    "-Ha, just because I dodged by a fluke!"

    Sword blows came from above and below, left and right, but Sam was able to avoid them without using his legs, using only his upper body movements.

    His movements are slow, but since the only target is his neck, he doesn''t even feel the need to see through the attacks.

    "Ha, ha, ha, you seem to be doing your best just to escape, but how long can you keep your strength up?"

    "No, you''re the one who''s out of breath."

    It''s time to get serious.

    "What, you''ve been cutting back? I''m surprised."

    I was relieved.

    He was too weak.

    It didn''t seem like the ability of a person who claimed to be a candidate for the Sword Saint and was full of confidence, but it made sense if he was skimping on his skills.

    I don''t understand why he would cut corners.

    "Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

    Julien kicked the ground again, letting out a spirited shout.

    But there was no change in his movements.

    £¨Nothing has changed.¡¡What?¡¡What''s this?¡¡A candidate for the successor of the Sword Saint can''t be this good, can he?¡¡That means I''m being licked, right?)

    I feel a seething anger.

    Sam shouted at Julian, who was really acting like a fool, and thrust out his fist.

    "That''s enough!¡¡Come at me like you mean it!"

    The next moment,

    "B heh."

    "Huh?"

    Sam''s fist caught Julian in the face.

    The feeling of his nose being crushed and his teeth broken was transmitted through his fist.

    "Are you kidding me?"

    Sam, stunned, mutters, unable to hide his bewilderment,

    "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!¡¡My nose, my teeth, my teeth!

    Julian''s exclamation was heard on the trees.

 158 - - 44 "I will fight against Julian" â‘¢

    "Huh?¡¡No, sir.

    Sam couldn''t believe it.

    He had not attacked Julien, but his fist had hit him directly in the face.

    Moreover, Julian''s once fair face had turned into a wretched mess.

    Sam was surprised and puzzled by this.

    "Aaahhhhhh!"

    "Oh, hey."

    "You, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you!

    Julian, his face bloodied and slobbering with tears and drool, comes swinging his sword in a fury.

    But Julian''s low-level attack, which has no form and is no different from a child throwing a tantrum and swinging a sword, does not hit Sam.

    £¨This is a farce. (It''s a farce now. I''m sick of it.)

    It became clear that Julian was not capable of being the successor to the Sword Saint.

    I thought he didn''t mean it, but unfortunately, Julian had meant it from the beginning.

    "That''s enough. I know now that you are weak."

    "I''m weak?¡¡You!¡¡How dare you do such a thing to me, the heir to this sword saint!"

    Furious at Sam''s words, Julian lunged at him with his sword in the upper stance.

    Huh. Sam cowered his shoulders as if he couldn''t take any more of this, and then he set himself up for the attack.

    He casts body enhancement magic to the limit and kicks the ground.

    "Ah!"

    He enters the bosom of Julian, who is standing still, unable to react to Sam''s movement, and kicks him in the groin with all his might.

    --He kicked him in the groin with all his might. Sam frowned as he felt the unpleasant sensation of something being crushed through his legs.

    "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!

    Julian, who had been crushed between the legs, let out a funny exclamation and fell to his knees, holding his groin.

    Bloodied urine flows from between his legs, staining his pants and forming a puddle.

    "That''s bullshit."

    Sam and Julian were too far apart in ability.

    He could have killed him, but he was a nobleman of the same faction as Count Walker.

    I don''t want to cause trouble for Jonathan.

    But I needed to make him reflect and regret.

    If we let them go without a fight, they would take advantage of us and repeat the same thing.

    It was a hassle to deal with them one by one.

    "I won''t take your life. But you will die as a man."

    Sam coldly tells the convulsing Julian, "I''m not going to let you do this to me.

    He was crushed in the groin, he must be in a lot of pain.

    But he dared to do so.

    The man who had tormented Lise so much, who had done the same to other women, who had tried to touch Mizuki, had died a man so that he could never do such a thing again.

    It is not mercy that he did not kill her.

    It was a heartfelt message from Sam to live and suffer.

    It would not be balanced to make Liese suffer and then die to make her feel better.

    Julian, whose crotch has been crushed and who has become useless as a nobleman and a man, will live in despair.

    "- Suffer at best."

    Sam turned away from Julien, who was in agony and unable to move, not wanting to keep him in sight any longer, and decided to leave him alone and return to the house.

    As he walked through the castle town, taking in the night breeze, rain began to trickle down.

    The rain became heavier and heavier, and poured down noisily.

    In no time at all, Sam was soaked to the skin, but the rain helped him regain his composure.

    "--I can''t wait to see Liese-sama.

    I don''t care about Julian anymore.

    I just wanted to hug my beloved.

    After walking for a while, I finally returned to the house.

    I raise my hand to the gate guard I know, and as I go through the gate, I notice the woman I''ve been waiting to meet running from the house.

    "Sam!

    "Ah, Lise-sama."

    Lise jumped in and hugged Sam tightly.

    "Oh, no!¡¡Marie told me that you were summoned by Julien, and I was just about to leave with your father for the army!"

    "I''m sorry. I didn''t want to worry you, so I didn''t tell you.

    "It''s true!¡¡More importantly, Sam, are you okay?¡¡Did he do anything to you?"

    No, nothing. Not even a scratch."

    It is rather strange that Liese should worry about herself.

    If she thinks she can do anything to a man of that caliber, it''s nice of her to worry about me, but it''s a bit disconcerting.

    "Listen to me, Liese-sama."

    "What?"

    But for now, let''s just concentrate on feeling the warmth of our beloved fianc¨¦e''s body.

    (Oh, but I should tell you something...)

    "That man was just a small fish. I crushed his crotch while we were fighting."

    "Huh?"

    Liese''s eyes went black and white as she pulled herself away.

    "What do you mean?"

    Liese, who had no idea that Sam had made Julian a man again, looked puzzled, not understanding the meaning of the words.

    Sam gave her a wry smile and hugged Lise herself.

 159 - - 45 "I will fight against Julian" â‘£

    "Haaaaah ...... what a mess. Julian, I never thought you''d try to kill Sam. I don''t understand why you thought you could."

    Sam came home soaking wet and was in Jonathan''s office after Liese threw him in the bathroom.

    Liese was also present.

    Both Jonathan and Lise''s faces clouded over when I explained everything that had happened tonight.

    Especially Lise was lying on the sofa with a bitter look on her face because her ex-husband had tried to kill her fianc¨¦.

    Jonathan sighed in disgust at Julian''s reckless behavior.

    "So..." he said. Sam, I''m glad you''re back safe and sound. But what, did you really do that thing with Julian?"

    "Yes, I kicked him in the groin!"

    Jonathan''s stomach clenched as Sam puffed out his chest, as if he had just done something good.

    Riese looks up and asks Sam, "What are you doing?

    "Did you really crush it?

    "It was already soggy. I could feel it, but I didn''t feel much of a response. I don''t know why."

    I felt Jonathan turn inward at Sam''s words.

    Liese had been looking gloomy, but now she frowned and sighed heavily.

    "Well, are you guys okay with being crushed by that thing?"

    How can you be so sure? Even a small shock can cause fainting in agony. And that-- sam, that''s horrible. I''ve been dreaming about it."

    The father looks at his daughter, who doesn''t quite get it.

    Sam, too, is glad that he has been on the side of the crusher, but he really doesn''t want to be on the side of the crusher.

    "Oh, I see."

    "As a man, I don''t want to go through the same thing. So, did you kill Julian?

    No, I didn''t take his life because I thought it would be troublesome if I killed him. Well, as a man, I wanted him to die."

    "Ki, I know you''re concerned about me, but I think crushing my crotch would be a bigger problem than that. ...... Well, no matter. Well, he almost killed me, so I guess I''m lucky to have a life."

    Jonathan is right.

    Sam could have killed Julian, but he didn''t.

    Although he meant for him to live and suffer, he should be thankful that he let a man who tried to take his life live.

    (Well, he would have suffered so much that he would have been better off dead, but he got what he deserved...)

    "The man said the woman was his property. Of course I can''t forgive him for making Lise suffer, but there must be other victims. As a man, I couldn''t forgive him. I hope he suffers as much as possible."

    "Sam."

    "I''m sorry for what I did to you."

    I don''t regret it in the slightest, but I do regret that I caused Liese, Jonathan, and the others to worry.

    I just didn''t want to give Liese unnecessary grief when she was feeling down after meeting Julian.

    "Sam doesn''t need to apologize. You went all the way to see that man for me, didn''t you?¡¡Marie told me everything. It''s repulsive that that man ...... thought I was his woman."

    I can only imagine the pain Lise must be going through.

    It is not amusing to think that her ex-husband, who has caused her so much pain, still thinks of her as his property.

    "In my position, I have a lot to say to Sam, but as a father, I just want to say - well done."

    Instead of blaming Sam, Jonathan smiled.

    He too had had his daughter''s misfortune, and he must have had feelings for Julian.

    Sam nodded his head in response.

    "The Michels will make a fuss, but I''ll take care of it. It all started when Julien tried to kill Sam.

    "I wish he was only trying to kill me, but he even went so far as to say that he would take Liese, Stella, and Karen as his concubines."

    "He''s the worst. Why should we be his concubines?

    "We''d rather protest against your attempts to kill Sam and plunder Liese and her family. Of course, by making a big deal out of it, we will let the other houses know that we are justified."

    If the world finds out that they killed Sam and tried to take away his fianc¨¦e, it will be the Michels who will be in danger.

    Hualien is the granddaughter of the first seat of the court magician, Mokuren.

    Stella is a member of the royal family.

    No one would take Julien''s side if he tried to touch them.

    If he takes her side, he will be making enemies of the purple family and the royal family.

    And even Sam, the most powerful wizard, would not remain silent.

    "Just remembering this makes me angry. I should have killed him after all.

    "Don''t say that, Sam. Killing a man like that will only make you less valuable. Just be a man and kill him."

    "...... I know."

    Sam replies to Jonathan and stands beside Lise, their gazes locked.

    "I hope this helps to alleviate some of Liese''s worries."

    "I don''t know what to ...... about that guy, I just feel bad for Sam."

    "Me?¡¡Why?"

    "I couldn''t be strong enough to be with that man again. If Sam thinks I still have feelings for him...

    I was surprised that Liese would think such a thing.

    When a traumatized person appears in front of you, it''s no wonder that you can''t behave as you want.

    I am not so narrow-minded as to blame her for that.

    "I wouldn''t think that. Lise is very dear to me. She always has been and always will be. I will never let you go."

    "--Thank you, Sam. Hold on to me forever."

    He hugs Lise reassuringly.

    Her warmth is warm and comforting.

    Just the scent of her hair reaching my nostrils makes me happy.

    I am thankful to have such a wonderful woman by my side.

    "Oh, what? It''s fine to be friendly with her, but not too much."

    Jonathan laughed at the two of them as they were about to kiss.

    Sam and Lise blushed and then laughed at each other when they realized that they had done something immodest in front of their father.

 160 - - 46 "I heard that Mr. Kurato was ordered."

    In the residential area where the nobles live, a woman''s shrill voice echoed in the streets.

    The woman was Missalie Michel, the Countess of Michel.

    She is in her mid-fifties, wearing a dress that is not very elegant, and waving a fan around.

    In front of Misery, Amamiya Kurando, the sword saint, is kneeling and hanging his head.

    "Kurando!"

    "Yes, ma''am."

    In the office of the Michel family, Misery, trembling with anger, glares at Kurarayan from above.

    "My little Julien has been treated so badly by some kid named Samuel Scheidt!"

    "--I guess you''re right."

    "All the restorative wizards I''ve sent to help you were not worth it. My son is having difficulty functioning as a man, let alone leading a normal life."

    "I''m sorry."

    "Of course, Purple Magnolias refused to treat Julian!¡¡If you take away the cure from that woman, what is left?

    Kurando sighed, oblivious to Misery''s hysterical cries.

    He had already heard that the first seat of the court wizard, Shi-Len, had refused to heal the injured Julien Michel.

    The reason for this is also roughly understood.

    Sam, whom Mokuren had intended to become the son-in-law of her granddaughter Hualien, had been the target of an attempt on his life. He even told her that he was going to make her his wife.

    Of course, he himself and the other members of the family have not been informed of such a plan.

    In other words, he thought that by killing Sam, he could have all the women around him.

    Frankly, it was a story that made me question his sanity.

    As a result, Magnolia, who loves her granddaughter dearly, refused to treat Julian.

    If she had treated him, he might not have lost his daily life as well as his male functions. For this reason, Misery''s anger was tremendous.

    However, Kurando wonders how she could have so brazenly asked him to treat her.

    "Kurando. You are indebted to my family and to your father who was the previous head of the family. Isn''t that right?

    "Yes."

    "It was my father who helped you when you were a swordsman from the Land of the Rising Sun, who had come to the continent and was in dire need of food.

    "I have never forgotten my debt to my predecessor."

    Mendes, the previous head of the Countess Michel family, was a wonderful human being.

    He was not the only one who saved my life.

    He supported an orphanage for children who had lost their relatives due to the war, and he frequently served food to those who were in need.

    There are so many people who respected Mendez.

    Unfortunately, his daughter Misery and grandson Julian, who took over the head of the family after the death of Mendes, were the complete opposite of the previous head of the family.

    Perhaps because they were pampered by those who adored Mendes, they mistakenly thought that they were special and became conceited.

    Because of this, the people who adored Mendez have now left him.

    Even now, the only people who feel indebted to the Countess Michel and follow her are the Kurarayans.

    Even so, Kurando did everything he could to keep Julien from becoming distorted.

    He taught him the sword, taught him morals, and was sometimes harsh with him.

    Julian adored Kurando and grew up straight - or so he thought.

    "You''ve done well. You became friends with His Majesty and were given the title of Sword Saint. You''re a nobleman now. But that''s all because my father helped you. Isn''t that right?"

    "No, sir. It''s all thanks to the previous master.

    "Then isn''t it time to return the favor?"

    At Misery''s words, Kurando looked up.

    "As requested by your wife, I will inform the royal court of Mr. Julian as the heir to the title of Sword Saint."

    "No, I''m not. No, I''m not saying that. It''s a given that Julian will become a saint. What you''ve been given is ours too. It''s only natural that you should give it back to us.

    Then what?

    Kill Samuel Scheidt.

    "...... that, that..."

    I had a bad feeling about this from the moment I was summoned.

    Kurando has his own feelings about Julian. He was an honest boy when he was a child, but his mother''s distorted upbringing has gradually changed him without his knowledge.

    He did not realize it when he married Lise, one of his favorite disciples. At that time, Julien''s true nature was already distorted, but he hid it well from Kurando. But I never thought that he would do such a thing to Lise when they were married.

    I regretted that I had given Lise my blessing even once.

    And to top it all off, he was going to touch my daughter.

    If it had not been for Mendez''s grandson, I would have kept him away from the dojo.

    The reason why he did not, or could not, is because of his debt to the previous master, Mendes, and because he had once loved her as a disciple.

    At the time of his death, Mendes told Kurando to take care of his remaining family.

    Kurata has done his best to fulfill his benefactor''s wishes, even if it was in a foolish way.

    Many times, he has asked Misery to change her attitude toward people around her so that Mendes would not mourn in the afterlife.

    However, she never accepted them.

    There was not much that Kurarayan could do.

    He is indebted to Mendes. Misery has known her since she was a young girl, and Julien has loved her since she was a child.

    But that does not mean that he can kill Sam.

    He has no reason to cut himself.

    "You can do it, can''t you?¡¡You may be touted as the most powerful wizard in the land, but you are just a child. As a wizard-killer, you have taken the lives of many wizards, so it should be easy for you to take their lives.

    "...... He''s my apprentice''s fianc¨¦e."

    "I don''t like that either!"

    Misery shouted at him and threw a fan at him.

    The fan hit Kurando on the forehead and blood flowed.

    "That pupil of yours must be that Lieselotte!¡¡How sad it must have been for Julien to unilaterally divorce a stone woman who couldn''t even have children, even though he gave her to him as a wife!¡¡That alone is infuriating, but the bad things the Walkers say about my house have caused all the nobles who had a relationship with me to leave!"

    People are leaving because of what Misery and Julien have said and done, but she refuses to admit it.

    She was convinced that Count Walker was behind it.

    What have I done?

    "Mistress Lise is under house arrest. She has suffered."

    "Don''t be ridiculous!¡¡I was just trying to keep my ill-performing wife out of the house!¡¡Lieselotte, what are you doing after divorcing Julian, and now you say you''re engaged!"

    Spit flying, Misery keeps yelling.

    "And your fianc¨¦e has harmed my beautiful son!"

    "But, madam."

    All you have to do is shut up and do what I say!"

    Kurando was about to say that Julian had tried to kill Sam, but was interrupted by an angry voice and held his tongue.

    He would not listen to him anyway.

    He thinks that it might have been Misery''s idea to kill Sam before that.

    She had known Misery for a long time, and only the previous head of the family could admonish her for this.

    "You know what I mean. Julian will recover and become the successor of the saint. We have to get rid of anyone who stands in our way while we still can. I would do anything for my son''s future!

    In fact, Misery has done exactly what she said she would do.

    It was because of Misery''s words that Julian was chosen as one of the successors of the storehouse.

    Otherwise, his daughter, Mizuki, would have been chosen as his successor by now.

    Julian is not capable enough to be the successor.

    In simple terms, he is not even half as skilled as Liese, his former wife.

    As a swordsman, he is average at best. At best, he''s a lesser swordsman.

    But Julian, who was spoiled from childhood, has no doubt that he will be able to obtain the title of Sword Saint that he has always wanted under his mother''s command.

    Mizuki was supposed to be the heir to the title of Sword Sage, but on second thought, there was no need to force her to take over the title.

    She wanted her daughter to live more freely.

    I don''t want her to live her life bound by the title of sword saint.

    That''s why I accepted Misery''s proposal.

    "When Julian becomes a sword saint, marry your daughter and make her the head of the Amemiya clan.

    "--Wait!"

    Kurando did not agree to Misery''s order.

    "You promised me that Mizuki would stay out of this!¡¡I want my daughter to live free!¡¡Please!¡¡Please don''t do that!"

    "What are you talking about?¡¡My son says he likes your daughter, so you owe it to him to give her to him willingly!¡¡Or are you offering me your weaker daughter?"

    "Mistress!"

    "...... at all. If you don''t like the idea of a big-hearted Julien accepting a little girl of foreign blood, then we''ll leave you alone. Fine, do what you want with my daughter. But kill Samuel Scheidt. That''s the one thing I won''t compromise."

    The warehouseman looks bitter.

    He is not willing to give up Sam no matter what.

    "I will make Samuel Scheidt dead and his son a saint. And I will forgive you. I do not want your daughter. Is that clear?"

    "............"

    "Kurando?¡¡Answer me."

    "But..."

    "Well, here''s what we''ll do. I''ll do you one last favor for all your loyalty. I have no intention of giving you any more favors. If you understand, then answer me.

    "............"

    "...... Kurando!"

    I can''t do it.

    Why, what?

    Kurando couldn''t bring himself to kill Sam.

    He couldn''t take a hold of the pleasant boy who had offered to be Kotomi''s mentor.

    Above all, he could not take away the boy he loved from Liese.

    "I cannot kill you, Samuel. Please forgive me."

    "--Huh. Kurando''s always been stubborn. You never change your mind once you''ve made up your mind. I understand.

    "Thank you, ma''am, for your--"

    Then I''ll kill Kotomi.

    "Mistress?¡¡What are you doing?

    When Kurarayan became unusually agitated, Misery gave an ugly smile.

    "Do you think I didn''t expect you to resist me?¡¡I''m not that stupid. I have orders to take Kotomi while you are in this house.

    "--Ma''am!"

    Kotomi is already in my possession.

    How could you do such a thing? I''m sure Mizuki''s at the mansion.

    Think about it. Who arranged the servants for you when you were knighted and set up your house?

    "--!"

    Yes, that''s me. Some of the servants are loyal to the Michel family.

    "You''re going to go that ...... far, sir?"

    Misery laughs at the trembling Kurando''s voice, saying it is natural.

    I would do anything for Julian. "I would do anything for Julien, even if he is a court magician, even if he is using a sword saint," she said. Now choose. Your life or Samuel Scheidt''s?

    "--that."

    "I''m telling you, if you cause me any more discomfort, it won''t be enough to kill Kotomi. I''ll make you regret being born a woman. Yes, I''ll do the same to Mizuki. She won''t be able to use her sword, her pride and joy, now that her sister is trapped.

    "Mistress!"

    "Kurando, you may be the best swordsman in the land. But you''re naive. Too sweet. It doesn''t matter if you''re just as strong as you are. Hohohohohohohohoho!"

    Kurando bites his lip.

    We have no choice.

    He clenches his fists tightly, even shedding a tear.

    "Just so you know, don''t try to cry to His Majesty. He may help you, but in the meantime I can at least humiliate your daughters. You will kill Samuel Scheidt of your own free will. You must not speak of your daughters being held captive."

    "............"

    "I am kind and I will give you one last chance to make it right. Come on, Kurator. Kill Samuel Scheidt.

    Kurando had no choice but to obey.

    He was tempted to slay Misery right then and there, but since he had no way to confirm that his daughter had really been captured, he had no choice but to do her bidding.

    Just the thought of my daughters being deprived of their dignity as women - it makes my blood run cold.

    £¨Samuel, Lise, I am sorry. I can''t go against you, Misery.)

    For the sake of my daughters, I will kill Sam.

    He had no other choice, even though he knew it would break his beloved Lise''s heart.

    "Yes, sir."

    Kurando bit his lip and gave a sob-like reply.

 161 - - 47 "I was offered a duel." â‘ 

    Two weeks have passed since we fought off Julian.

    Jonathan and other people who knew Misery, the head of the Michel family, had been expecting him to come in the next day, but surprisingly, no complaints have reached the Earl and Countess Walker.

    I tilted my head and wondered if it was just that Julian, who had his groin crushed, did not want anything to do with Sam anymore.

    As for Sam, he knows that the next time he sees him, he won''t get off scot-free.

    He just doesn''t care about that guy anymore and goes back to his normal life.

    For the past two weeks, Sam''s life has been the same.

    But there are some things that make him anxious.

    He has not received a single reply to his letters to Kotomi.

    I don''t know if her health has deteriorated or if there is some other reason, but I feel uneasy.

    I thought I would like to visit her once to see how she is doing.

    Lise also began to complain of feeling unwell.

    She feels sluggish and sleepy, and sometimes has abdominal pain and nausea.

    Concerned, Sam suggested that she see a doctor, but she insisted that she was fine.

    In fact, he is not very good at seeing a doctor.

    However, I forced him to promise to take a break from the training and to go to the hospital if he continued to suffer from the pain.

    Because of this, I had to put off my visit to Amemiya''s house.

    "Sam."

    "Hualien-sama?"

    Since Liese did not participate in the training, I was sitting in the courtyard reading my grimoire, when Hualien approached me.

    Dressed in a traditional costume reminiscent of Chinese clothing, she had been staying by Liese''s side a lot lately.

    Sam would like to be there for Lise, but she told him not to worry too much, so he spends lonely time by himself.

    Haren is worried about her first friend Liese''s poor health. Lise is also comfortable with other women and lets Hualien do as she pleases.

    As for Sam, he is happy to have someone who cares about his beloved fianc¨¦e.

    "Can I help you?"

    He asks her why she took the trouble to come all the way to the courtyard.

    "Is there something wrong with Liese-sama?"

    "No, I''m not. Lise is lying on her bed, looking bored. Sometimes she sleeps, but it''s not that bad. No, I received a grimoire from my grandmother.

    "That would be great."

    "I read it for a while and found it interesting. I think you won''t be bored reading it."

    "Thank you very much. Well, then, get it to him as soon as you--"

    Wait.

    Yes?"

    I thought it would be a good opportunity to show my face to the Amemiya family.

    Sam was about to deliver the grimoire to Kotomi, who was probably itching to learn more about magic than anything else, when Hanaeren interrupted him.

    I heard something strange.

    "What do you mean by ''strange story''?"

    The sudden topic of conversation makes Sam tilt his head back and ask, "What do you mean?

    "The servant who delivered the grimoire to me said that the old lady refused the treatment.

    "That Magnolia-sama?¡¡Isn''t that unusual, or perhaps a first for you?"

    As far as Sam knows, Magnolia is a restorative magician who will always heal you if you wish.

    He heals everyone equally, as long as they are not so bad.

    It was a bit of a surprise to hear that he would refuse to treat them.

    "Yes. I was surprised too. Grandma treats basically everyone. But what surprised me more is that the person she refused to treat was Julien Michel.

    "Oops."

    "Apparently, because the old lady refused to treat him, Julian was rendered incapable of being a man again. She also said that he''s going to have trouble with his daily life.

    "That''s what I was trying to do. I was worried because I didn''t get much of a response, but I''m glad."

    I laugh inside and say, "Suck it up.

    A man who treats a woman like an object deserves to die as a man.

    Be thankful you didn''t take a life.

    From now on, don''t bother anyone and live quietly in the shade.

    "Maybe the old lady was thinking of Sam and refused to treat him."

    "You mean for my sake?"

    "Yes. Grandma knows Julian is Lise''s ex-husband. And Lise is engaged to Sam.

    "Well, in other words, you are on my side, aren''t you, Magnolia-sama?"

    "I think that''s what he meant."

    "Then I guess I should thank you."

    Sam''s concern was that Julian would be healed.

    There were few wizards, and even fewer who could use recovery magic, but he was dealing with the next head of a noble family.

    He had considered the possibility that a recovery wizard might work for Julian''s sake.

    But the best restoration wizard in the kingdom did not move.

    Probably, it was partly because he was on Sam''s side, but it must have been somehow conveyed to him that Julian was about to touch Hualien as well.

    There is no way that Magnolia, who adores her grandchildren, would approve of that.

    In fact, I am impressed by his thick skin that he could ask for treatment so brazenly.

    "The old lady likes Sam. That''s why she set him up with me. I think that''s why she was afraid that she and Sam would fall out after treating Julian."

    "I see."

    "But thank you, Grandma. I feel bad for Julian, too. He made Lise suffer, so he should suffer even more."

    "I agree. Well, I don''t care about that man anymore. Let''s deliver the grimoire to Kotomi-chan.

    I''d rather worry about the promising Kotomi than Julian, who is determined not to recover.

    "If you go to Kotomi, I want to go with you. I had a handshake with Kensei the other day, but I want to have a handshake with Mizuki, too.

    "I don''t mind if you come with me, but please be patient if Mizuki-sama doesn''t want to."

    "...... will take care of it for good."

    "I''m worried. Please do."

    After such an exchange, the two put several grimoires in their handbags and headed for the Amemiya house.

    I tried to tell Liese that I was going out, but she seemed to be sleeping, so I did not call out to her.

    I hope she rests well and gets better soon.

    As Sam and Karen were leaving the house, they saw a familiar figure at the gate.

    "Kurando-sama?"

    "Hello, Samuel, Ms. Karen."

    Amamiya Kuraton, the sword master, who was more gaunt than when we met the other day, still greeted Sam and the others with a soft smile on his face.

 162 - - 48 "I was offered a duel." â‘¡

    It''s been a while. Can I help you, sir?¡¡Come in if you want.

    No, I came to see you.

    The gatekeeper opened the door for Sam, and he smiled softly at him as he rushed up to the storehouse.

    Sam tilted his head at this.

    "For me?¡¡Oh, yes, just in time. I was just about to come over to your place to give Kotomi-chan a grimoire.

    "I see, for Kotomi''s sake. Thank you very much. Samuel is a really good boy.

    "Oh, yes, yes, thank you."

    Kurando''s smile clouded over as Sam was puzzled, not understanding why he had suddenly been praised.

    "That''s why I''m sorry that it came to this."

    "What?¡¡What do you mean?"

    When Sam, who did not understand what he was trying to say, asked him, the sword saint looked straight at him and spoke clearly.

    Samuel Scheidt, I challenge you to a duel.

    "...... what?"

    At Kurando''s words, not only Sam but even Karen''s eyes widened and she could not believe her ears.

    "This is a duel for life. I have to kill you.

    "Wait a minute!¡¡What do you mean, a duel?"

    Tomorrow, I''ll be waiting for you at the dojo. The only place in King''s Landing where you and I can fight to the fullest would be the palace or the dojo.

    "Wait!¡¡I have no reason to fight you!"

    "I am ...... a messenger of the Michel family."

    "--!"

    Sam was crestfallen.

    He had never imagined that the warehouseman would claim to be an emissary of the House of Michel.

    He knew that the Michels wanted to kill Sam, but he had never expected them to use Kurando.

    "Now you know why we are fighting, don''t you?"

    I don''t know. Why you?

    He managed to get his trembling voice out.

    I don''t understand why Kurando, who had been Lise''s mentor and who had cared for her after her divorce, would become an errand boy for the Michels and try to kill Sam.

    His daughter Mizuki was also annoyed by Julien''s advances.

    How could he not know that?

    I waited for him to tell me what he really wanted, but he just shook his head and gave me no answer.

    "I will be waiting for you tomorrow at the residence. Yes, maybe in the evening."

    With that he turns his back on Sam.

    "Wait!¡¡Please don''t go on with your story!"

    At Sam''s loud voice, the storehouse owner stops and turns around.

    "I will give you time to say goodbye to your loved ones, especially Liese."

    "Are you really going to fight me?"

    Yes, I''m serious. I have to fight you, I''m sorry.

    So tell me why!

    I''ll see you tomorrow.

    Kurando vanished without answering the last question.

    He vanished without making a sound, and at a speed that was almost too fast for the eye to notice.

    "...... fast. I couldn''t see him."

    Hualien, who had been watching what was going on, was surprised at the speed at which the sword saint was moving.

    Sam was amazed as well.

    "Me too. I mean, what the hell!¡¡Why the hell do I have to fight Master Kurando!"

    But more than that, he is not satisfied with the fact that he has to fight against Kurando, and shouts loudly.

    "Sam, can you beat the sword saint?"

    "---I doubt it. I''m sure he''s not someone you want to imagine fighting."

    Just as Hualien could not follow with his eyes, Sam could not see Kurarayan''s movements.

    The name of the saint of swords is not a given.

    The man who became the strongest in the kingdom with a single sword was definitely a strong man.

    Regardless of the reason, Sam felt a chill run down his spine at the thought of having to fight such a man.

 163 - - 49 "Ive received it."

    "--Michels!"

    The room was filled with the sound of Jonathan''s fist pounding on his desk.

    His face was tinged with anger.

    No wonder. His daughter''s fianc¨¦e, Sam, whom he cared for like a child, had just had her life threatened by a sword saint.

    Calm down, Master.

    Sam is right, Father.

    There were Sam, who had been challenged to a duel, and Liese, who was complaining of poor health and unable to stand still in the face of her fianc¨¦''s crisis.

    Lise''s feelings must be especially complicated.

    Her ex-husband''s family had ordered her respected teacher to kill her fianc¨¦.

    Haren, who was not present at the meeting, had gone home once to report this incident to her grandmother Mokuren.

    She seemed to have her own thoughts on the matter and wondered if there was anything she could do to stop it.

    She likes to fight, and she says that she learns a lot from watching strong people fight, but she still thinks that this duel was wrong.

    "I never thought you''d move Lord Kensei, House Michel, you really want to do something about Sam, don''t you?"

    And we know why.

    The other day, Julien Michel tried to take Sam''s life. That alone is enough to make us angry, but of course Julien was planning to take Lise, Karen, and Stella away from Sam and make them his wives.

    But he was beaten back and his crotch was crushed, making him incapable of being a man again.

    From Jonathan''s point of view, it was a resentment.

    "Excuse me, father. Why did Kurarayu-sama do the bidding of the Michels?"

    "Kensei-dono owes a great debt of gratitude to Mendez-dono, the previous head of the Michel family. Perhaps that''s why. No, but would that be enough for him to do something so foolish?¡¡I wouldn''t know."

    I understand Jonathan''s lament.

    Sam and Lise also cannot understand why Kurando has made this choice.

    Amemiya Kurando is the greatest swordsman in the Kingdom of Skye. He is not in the same league as Albert Frege, who was the greatest wizard in all but name.

    He is probably the most difficult and fearsome of all Sam''s opponents.

    A wizard and a swordsman are not a good match.

    A mere swordsman can shoot magic from middle or long distance to keep them away from him, but a swordsman of Kuran''s level will cut down even his magic.

    It is doubtful if he even has time to use his magic.

    Thanks to the cooperation of Liese and Haren, Sam has become much better at close combat.

    In fact, when he fought against the dragon, he used his signature suishinken in the close combat.

    However, the kensei is more troublesome than the dragon.

    While the dragon used many big moves to crush Sam, Kurando would attack precisely as a wizard-killer.

    In a way, he is the last person I would want to fight, even more than my master Ulrike Scheidt-Walker.

    "Sam, you have been challenged to a duel.¡¡You don''t have to accept a duel out of principle."

    I''ll take it.

    "Sam?

    Liese screamed at Sam''s easy choice to accept the duel.

    Perhaps it was because she knew the swordsmith''s ability so well that Sam seemed so reckless.

    "I don''t want to duel with Kurando-sama if I can help it. But he is willing to fight, and even if I refuse, he will fight in some way. Then I''ll just fight him head on and crush him.

    "Can we win?¡¡He is the strongest swordsman in the country, remember?"

    Liese looks anxious and I try to reassure her with a smile.

    "I understand your concern. I usually can''t win in a hand-to-hand combat with Liese-sama. Just the thought of facing a kensei is enough to give me the creeps.

    "Then!"

    But I don''t intend to lose. If you want to kill each other, there are several ways.

    You won''t get away with it, and I don''t want to.

    I don''t want to worry my fianc¨¦e, but the worst case scenario is that Liese and the others will be harmed.

    If the Michels were only against him, that would be fine, but if even Count Walker was misguided in his anger, Sam''s choice not to fight Kensei here would be a bad one.

    "I won''t lose."

    "......Sam"

    "I''m not going to lose in a place like this. I''m sorry to Kotomi, Mizuki-sama, and your disciple Liese-sama, but - I''ll fight with all my might."

    Sam could not die, even if it would cause grief to Mizuki and Kotomi, who had become good friends, and to Lise, who respected Kurando.

    He is determined to live for the sake of Ur.

    He is not even at the top of the wizarding world.

    Above all, he could not die without his beloved Lise or his fiancee Stella.

    "It''s okay, it''s not Sam or Kurando-sama''s fault. I only ask one thing of you - don''t die, Sam.

    "Let me tell you something. Don''t die, Sam.

    "Yes, I promise."

    Thus, Sam decided to challenge tomorrow''s duel.

    He was nervous and anxious, but he had a reason to live, so his fear naturally disappeared.

    It was not that he had never fought anyone greater than a kensei before.

    We will do our best to win this time, just as we have done in the past.

    Sam greeted Jonathan and left the room with Liese.

    He hugged Lise, who had been anxious until she fell asleep, and tried to reassure her, and they hugged each other to sleep for tomorrow.

 164 - - "At that time, at the Amemiya family,"

    "Father!¡¡How could you have dueled Sam?

    In the dojo of the Amemiya family, Mizuki Amemiya, sitting on his knees and meditating, was approached by the swordsmith, Kurando Amemiya.

    "You put me under house arrest for the past few days, and now you want to duel with Sam?

    Mizuki was forbidden to leave his room by the storehouse keeper.

    However, a servant, who was either too clever or did not understand Kurando''s behavior, told him that he had challenged Sam to a duel.

    Unable to resist, he broke his father''s word and came to question him.

    "And it''s strange that I can''t see Kotomi. Where has she gone?

    Mizuki had noticed that Kotomi had disappeared from the mansion.

    Several servants were also missing, and she had no idea what had happened.

    When he visited Mizuki''s caretaker, he received an incomprehensible reply: "I heard that she is recuperating somewhere.

    "Sam is Lise''s fianc¨¦e, and he is the one who will be Kotomi''s magic teacher, isn''t he? Even your father was happy about it.

    It was the first time that his father had ever voluntarily challenged him to a duel.

    At least, he had not done so in the sixteen years since Mizuki was born.

    He might have been asked to fight a duel by a man who wanted the position of kensei, but never the other way around.

    That is why I still cannot believe his father''s action.

    Moreover, the fact that the person who challenged him to a duel was Sam was also a great surprise to Mizuki.

    Why would he fight a duel with a boy who had just arrived the other day as the fianc¨¦e of Lieselotte Walker, a former student of Mizuki''s, a friend to Mizuki, and whom her father loved like a daughter?

    "Are you trying to rob Liese of someone she cares about?¡¡I wonder how much of a shock it will be to you later when you find out that your father cut down Sam."

    "............"

    "Father!"

    "......Mizuki. Leave this country with Kotomi."

    What are you talking about?

    I will kill Mr. Samuel tomorrow.

    When my father finally opened his mouth, what he said was neither an excuse nor a defense.

    "So, how can that be, I ask you!"

    "I will surely not be forgiven for taking my beloved away from Liese. And that''s not all. Samuel is also the princess''s fiancee. If I had killed him, I would have been forgiven.

    "If you know that, why are you dueling with Sam?¡¡It''s not too late, just take it back!"

    I don''t understand how his father could understand everything and still try to cut him down.

    After all, Sam is a court wizard and the most powerful wizard in the Kingdom of Skye.

    In other words, like Kurando, he is a direct subordinate of His Majesty the King.

    If we kill him, we will be held accountable in some way.

    This is different from Sam''s duel with Albert for the title of the most powerful man in the kingdom.

    It was a private duel.

    It is not that dueling is unacceptable, but that a sword saint challenged a court magician to a duel for no reason at all.

    Moreover, as Kurando himself is aware, Sam is the fianc¨¦e of Princess Stella.

    Killing him would have been a big problem, of course.

    "Kotomi will be back tomorrow."

    "What do you mean?"

    "I''m sorry to cause trouble for Mizuki and Kotomi. --I have prepared a letter for you.

    "A letter?¡¡What''s a letter?

    As soon as Kotomi returns, take the letter with you to my birthplace in the Land of the Rising Sun and be taken care of."

    "In your father''s hometown?"

    "I have run away from home, but if I bring this letter, they will accept me. With Mizuki''s swordsmanship, I''m sure he''ll be more than welcome. As for Kotomi, if she has the talent of a promising wizard, she will not be treated badly.

    "That''s not what I meant!¡¡Why don''t you just stop fighting Sam, Father!"

    Mizuki had always wanted to visit her father''s hometown someday, but not in this way.

    Besides, there is something different about leaving her father behind and running away to the land of the rising sun.

    Even though she was not sick, she was hesitant to take Kotomi, who was frail, to a strange land.

    "I can''t do that.

    "That''s why I''m asking you why!"

    "--Mizuki, I did not choose you as my successor because I wanted you to live freely."

    "...... what''s the rush?"

    "I didn''t want to take over the family, I wanted to see how strong I could become with just a sword. I lived my life as I pleased, and it was a fulfilling life. I met good friends, met the love of my life, and gave birth to lovely daughters. I have no more regrets."

    "Father!"

    When Kurando said these words as if he was saying his last goodbye, Mizuki couldn''t help but raise her voice.

    What Mizuki wants to hear is the reason why his father is fighting Sam, not these words.

    "It''s a pity that I didn''t get to see you two in your bridal gown. Samuel, if it hadn''t been for this chance encounter with him, I would have loved to have married Mizuki."

    Mizuki cannot catch up with his father''s words.

    If he regrets so much, why does he have to fight against Sam?

    Why don''t you tell me why?

    "The sword saint will be succeeded by Julien Michel-sama."

    "...... That''s ridiculous. He doesn''t deserve it and he doesn''t have the ability!"

    It is not a question of whether he is less or more talented than Mizuki.

    Of all the candidates for Kensei, the one with the least ability is Julian.

    If it were another candidate, we would be able to accept him even if we don''t understand him.

    But with Julian, it is impossible.

    "But if the royal court accepts him, that is. My nomination will be meaningless if the royal court does not recognize him as a qualified sword saint. I don''t know what will happen, and that''s as far as my duty goes.

    "Righteousness?¡¡What do you mean by "duty"?

    I have no more obligations to that house.

    Mizuki repeatedly asked Kurando''s questions, but Kurando never answered until the very end.

    "Please don''t let Kotomi know anything. You will take her out of the country tomorrow when the duel is over.

    "No!"

    Do what I say. --That''s an order.

    "--"

    For the first time, he is surprised to hear his father give him an order.

    Still unable to accept the order, Mizuki repeatedly asked Kurando to reconsider.

    However, he did not heed his daughter''s words at last.

    "Please let me unify my mind. I want to be ready for tomorrow."

    "Father."

    "Step back, please."

    When Kurarayan says this, he shuts his mouth.

    Mizuki still tried to speak to him, but when he realized that his father''s attention was no longer on him, he sighed heavily and left the dojo.

    --The day of the duel arrived.

 165 - - 51 "Its a duel with Kensho" â‘ 

    Sam was in an open area outside the dojo of the Amamiya family.

    Accompanying him were his fianc¨¦e, Lise, and Hualien.

    "Welcome, Samuel Scheidt. We have been expecting you."

    Amamiya Kurando stood quietly facing Sam, dressed in Hakama and holding a serious sword in his hand.

    Behind Kurando stood Mizuki with a bitter look on her face.

    She turns her head toward him and bows her head.

    "Sam, Lise, I''m sorry. I couldn''t stop you."

    Perhaps they were trying to admonish their father in a place they did not know.

    He apologizes for the lack of results, but we can only thank Mizuki for trying to stop the duel.

    "Thank you, Mr. Mizuki. Count Jonathan Walker told me what happened. I understand that you are indebted to the previous head of the Michel family.

    "...... yeah."

    I''m sure you have your ties and your reasons. But I can''t let you beat me.

    "I know. Mr. Samuels, I need you to resist with all your might. I, too, would hesitate to kill an unarmed man. What is preferable is that we give it our all and fight each other.

    Stepping onto the gravel in the courtyard, Sam and Kurando step forward.

    At the same time, the women stepped back to a place out of the way of the duel.

    "Don''t lose, Sam!"

    "Of course."

    "I''ll be watching Sam fight. I want you to leave Liese to me."

    "Thank you for your help."

    I''m not saying goodbye.

    After smiling at Lise and Hualien, Sam looks straight at Kurarayan.

    "I don''t mind giving you a moment to say goodbye."

    "No need. I''m not going to let you beat me.

    "I envy you your confidence, and I am dazzled by it. But it is arrogant.

    Arrogance is just fine.

    "If you don''t need to say goodbye, that''s fine. But please wait a moment. I have something to tell you.

    Go ahead.

    Kurando bowed his head to Liese as Sam cowered his shoulders, not wanting to interrupt.

    "Kurando-sama?"

    "I don''t ask you to forgive me, but I apologize for hurting you."

    No, no apology is necessary. No, you don''t need to apologize, because Sam will not be defeated.

    At Liese''s reply, the swordswoman looked up, looked a little surprised, and then smiled gently.

    "You have become stronger after all. I''m glad to see that, and I''m sorry.

    He glanced back at Sam, and their eyes met.

    "Shall we begin?"

    "Yes, it seems that the waiting party has just arrived."

    "Waiting for someone?

    "Hello, my dear Sam."

    A young blonde man in a white suit, G¨¹nter Ignaz, appeared.

    "I can''t believe you and the sword saint are dueling, you''ve gotten yourself into a lot of trouble. I''d like to kill him myself, but I''m not going to do anything rash. You''re going to win anyway.

    G¨¹nther approached Sam and patted his ass in a familiar manner.

    "...... don''t touch my ass naturally. Can''t you be a little more serious?"

    "I can''t just stand by and watch unless I get a perk like this," he said. You know what I have to do, don''t you?

    You''re here to put up wards so we can run amok, aren''t you?"

    "Correct. But because of my action, the King has heard about this. And how it happened. Well, it seems that His Majesty has heard from Magnolia-dono as well, so either way, the Michel family is finished.

    G¨¹nther''s words made Mizuki gasp.

    In other words, the king had heard that Kurando had challenged Sam to a duel in an attempt to kill him.

    There would be no excuse now.

    But at the same time, he must also know that the Michels took advantage of the storehouse keeper.

    "That''s right. Do you still want to fight?

    "I suggest you choose not to fight. Your loyalty is not to House Michel but to the royal family. I don''t think it''s right to cause too much grief to His Majesty.

    "I am truly loyal to His Majesty Clyde. But I am also indebted to House Michel.

    "Wait!"

    Mizuki intervened.

    She looks like she finally understands why her father is doing what he is doing, but her expression is not convinced.

    "You fought a duel with Sam for the Michel family?¡¡A favor?¡¡What do you mean?"

    "-I am greatly indebted to Mr. Mendez, the previous head of the Michel family. I only want to repay that debt."

    "...... Is that why you''re trying to kill Sam?"

    Mizuki seems unconvinced by Kurando''s reasons.

    It''s not surprising.

    Unlike his father, Mizuki is not indebted to the Michel family. Rather, she was just a nuisance to Julien, who made her friends unhappy and even wooed her.

    "I don''t understand why people in the land of the rising sun are like this. If they stubbornly stick to their beliefs, so be it. Yes, His Majesty has a message for you.

    Please tell us.

    The Michels and you alone are responsible for this incident.

    "...... that is."

    "They say they won''t hold our daughters guilty of anything, no matter if Lord Kensei kills Sam or is killed by Sam. I''m sure you have your own ideas, but you are a sweet friend to have.

    "Thank you, Your Majesty."

    The storehouse keeper kneeled down and bowed deeply toward the direction of the palace.

    "If you didn''t want to cause trouble for my daughter, why don''t you stop?¡¡It''s not too late. I don''t want to kill you."

    "I don''t want to kill you either."

    "Then..."

    Kurando stood up and put his hand on the hilt of his sword.

    "I may seem like a terrible fool to you. But on that young day, when you saved my life, Mendes-sama''s only wish for me was to take care of my family. I will only grant that wish."

    You''re an a**h*le.

    "Of course. I''m often called an inflexible man. But I can fight without worry as long as my daughter is not harmed. Mr. G¨¹nther, you should not have passed on your message.

    "......fun. It''s none of my business. You''re going to lose anyway. Fight your battles without regret.

    G¨¹nther spat out, and then he placed several layers of wards over the Amemiya family.

    "I''m going to watch Sam win!"

    G¨¹nther stood alongside Liese and the others.

    "Well, Samuel. Now you can fight to your heart''s content."

    "I''m sorry."

    I, too, regret that our paths have crossed in such a manner. I had hoped to build a good relationship with you. I was even thinking of taking Mizuki to be my wife if I could."

    I can only laugh at the thought of Mizuki becoming my wife without my knowledge.

    Kurando laughed as did Sam.

    "But have you ever thought of this?"

    "What?"

    "Who would be stronger in a fight, the strongest wizard in the Kingdom of Skye or the best swordsman?"

    I''ve been thinking.

    It was annoying that the Michels had made an attempt on his life, but Sam was looking forward to this fight.

    Having been taught magic by Ur and having inherited everything she has to offer, Sam''s quest to become the most powerful wizard in the Kingdom of Skye is just a passing phase for him.

    As a wizard, he may be the best in the land, but he knew he could never truly claim to be the strongest in the kingdom without fighting the greatest swordsman in the world, a renowned wizard-killer.

    There was just no reason to fight.

    He had not insulted the people he cared about like Albert, nor had he hurt the people he cared about like Julien.

    Before he died, Ur said, "Find a reason to fight."

    To use magic and power without a reason is barbaric.

    It is not aesthetically pleasing to a wizard.

    Sam agreed with him.

    That is why he thought he would never fight against the kurabito.

    But life is what it is.

    Who would have thought that Kurando, who was indebted to the Michel family, would stand in the way of Sam''s death?

    "Of course. Swordsmen, wizards, and all those who seek strength are broken somehow. I, too, once chased after strength and kept on slaying people. It is almost a miracle that I was able to lead a peaceful life for more than ten years.

    "But now you have a reason to fight. Is that right?"

    Yes, we have a reason to fight. Then I can no longer restrain myself.

    Father, no.

    Mizuki was surprised at the true nature of her father, whom she had never known.

    With his back turned to his daughter, he spoke out.

    "I have disappointed you, Mizuki. But this is my nature. A hungry wolf, hungry for swords and battle.

    Kurando quietly drew his sword.

    Perhaps he felt no need to speak again.

    "I''m sure that from the very beginning, he didn''t care about his debt to the Michel family. Maybe I just wanted to fight you."

    "Are you sure about that?"

    "Come on, Samuel, let''s fight. Let''s make it a flesh and blood fight.

    Kurando did not answer Sam''s question, but held his sword in his right eye.

    He smiled with a ferocity I had never seen before.

    Sam held up his fist and laughed as well.

    "Come at me, Amemiya Kurando!"

 166 - - 52 "I will fight against Kensho" â‘¡

    Sam and Kurando moved simultaneously.

    "--Suishinken."

    "Amamiya Style--Pigu."

    The moment Sam was covered with water at the same time as the body enhancement magic, Kurando unleashed a slash at a blinding speed.

    A moment later, blood spurts from his shoulder faster than Sam can react.

    "--!"

    "Brilliant. It seems you''ve managed to track my movements. Sharpen your mind. Don''t let your attention wander away from me for even a moment.

    Kurando kicked the ground without making a sound.

    Invisible--not fast enough.

    £¨I see it!)

    The five senses, which had been strengthened to their fullest, had managed to follow Kurando''s figure.

    "Amamiya style--Edarashi."

    "--kkk."

    A series of slashes were fired at an unusual speed, and Sam was hit.

    Sam tried to counter each one with a suishinken and failed.

    The slashes slashed at Sam''s shoulders, cheeks, arms, and legs.

    As he tried to keep his distance, slashes came at him in between.

    Spattering fresh blood, Sam can do nothing but defend himself.

    More than a hundred slashes hit him, and then he stops.

    "He''s still hard, isn''t he? I am amazed at your body strengthening magic.

    You are saying the name of the technique deliberately, aren''t you?

    "Your tone is slurring. Have you lost your composure?

    Don''t you dare!

    Sam is going to attack.

    A series of fist and foot attacks with enhanced physical strength and sharp, watery strokes.

    The attacks have struck even dragons, but the kensei maintains his composure and pops off each blow with his sword.

    In fact, he even unleashed a slash while repelling the attack.

    Fresh blood flew again from his body, which was supposed to have been strengthened.

    "This is a marvelous strengthening magic! No one has ever made me wield a sword like this before. No matter how hard they are, with skill they are easy to cut and can inflict wounds. How long can you withstand it without being mortally wounded?"

    (Not good, there is a laughable difference in physical ability. He is several times stronger than Liese-sama and Karen-sama, you old man!)

    "Bless us, O sun, that we may feed on your radiance..."

    Sam decides to abandon close combat and switch to magic.

    He did not want to use only magic against the swordsman, but he decided that it was better to fight in his area of expertise if the difference in physical ability was so great.

    However..,

    "I won''t let you chant."

    The spearhead of the sword was between Sam''s eyebrows.

    He discards the chanting and concentrates on avoiding it.

    "d*mn!

    Kurando narrowly avoids a cut, but Kurando turns his sword to the side and his cheek and ear are cut deeply.

    Blood sprays, and pain runs through him.

    "Sam!"

    Liese, who should have been silently watching over him, could no longer stand Sam''s struggle and shouted loudly.

    No wonder, she was aware that she was being pushed.

    I shake her hand to tell her it''s okay, but her hand is also wounded and covered in blood.

    "It''s a little disappointing. You don''t use the skill that killed Albert Frege?"

    "............"

    "I see. You don''t want to kill me after all this time - sweet."

    A single vertical slash was released.

    Sam tried to avoid it, but his legs did not move as expected and the slash hit him directly, slashing him vertically from his shoulder to his chest.

    He was lucky that he ducked reflexively, but if he had reacted later, he might have been cut in half.

    "--Ha...... hah, d*mn it!"

    I can feel the blood flowing and my strength being drained from the deepest wound I have ever received.

    I''m going to be out of my depth.

    I will bleed to death before Kurando slays me.

    Sam tries to escape from the worst of it by casting a recovery spell.

    But Kurando will not stand idly by.

    Once again, a slash strikes Sam.

    Sam has to put all his energy into strengthening his body to avoid and defend himself.

    Each time his sword came close, his body was scarred with wounds large and small.

    Sam''s blood flowed profusely, soaking the gravel red.

    "I saw how strong you are when I put my hands on you. I am not serious, but I was not out of practice."

    You tell me.

    "No matter how much magic you have, no matter how powerful the magic you support, if you don''t allow yourself to use magic, you are nothing more than a boy who can do a little physical work. You could use your skills, but you don''t seem to be willing to do so, even though you''ve been cornered so far. Then let''s end this."

    I''m not going to be defeated so easily.

    Then come at me."

    At Kurando''s words, which could be seen as a provocation, Sam kicked the ground, strengthening his body even further.

 167 - - 53 "I will fight against Kensho" â‘¢

    All the magic power is used for body enhancement magic.

    There is no room for magic.

    He is not the kind of opponent who can take a big blow.

    Then, we have no choice but to outclass Kensei in a physical battle.

    "Oh, he is much faster than before. This is going to be a bit difficult to handle.

    (-- You son of a b*tc*.)

    Kensei''s still relaxed voice made me angry, and at the same time, my lips lifted up.

    Even though I''m struggling so much, even though I''m in pain, even though I''m worrying my fianc¨¦, I can''t stop smiling.

    This exchange of life gives me the joy of being alive.

    It''s different from the hand-to-hand combat I usually have with Liese and her friends, it''s a real killing match.

    --It was fun.

    "You''re smiling, Samuel."

    You''re the one laughing.

    "Mmm-hmm."

    Ha-ha-ha-ha.

    "Mmm-hmm."

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

    Sam, clad in a water fist, and Kurando, holding his sword, continue to laugh as they attack and defend each other.

    Sam is cut, but he never backs down and continues to attack.

    It seems that not even a sword saint can inflict a fatal wound on a body that has been strengthened with all his might using out-of-the-box magical power.

    Kurarajin, too, attacked without stopping.

    He sometimes uses his sword and sometimes his arm to knock down Sam''s attacks, and whenever there is an opening, he sends out a slash.

    They are so nervous that they cannot take a single blow from Sam because he is too aggressive.

    Even though Kurando is a superior swordsman and has the upper hand in the game, he can only use a little bit of magic to strengthen his body.

    In terms of defense and offensive ability, he was far inferior to Sam.

    He must have known that even one effective blow would reverse his advantage and defeat him.

    Therefore, he did not stop and continued to swing his sword.

    £¨Oh no, there is no way to win. Attacks don''t hit and don''t reach him. He is a much more troublesome opponent than I had expected!)

    Sam clucked his tongue inwardly as he bumped into Kurando.

    He couldn''t even use his flying magic.

    His big moves were no good.

    He knew it was naive, but he didn''t want to use his skills either.

    (It''s not good to be so poor.)

    He already has lacerations all over his body and finds his clothes heavily drenched in blood.

    Blood was dripping on the ground and wetting the gravel.

    Kurando''s body is also red in places. All of it was Sam''s blood.

    "Ah, d*mn it!"

    With a great swing of his arm, he pulls Kurando away from him and leaps low to get away.

    Kurando does not follow up.

    He is disgusted at the thought that he has been missed.

    "You''re losing momentum. I know you are not serious yet.

    What then?"

    Kurando released his stance and told Sam.

    "Let me tell you one last time. Fight with the intention of killing me.

    That''s for me to decide.

    "Perhaps you are concerned about Mizuki and Kotomi, but it is useless. I didn''t dare to tell you to avoid a trivial fight, but I will tell you to see how serious you are."

    What?

    "I will kill you, then do what I have to do, and I will die on my belly."

    "--"

    "Father!"

    Sam was startled by Kensei''s shocking words, and Mizuki raised her voice.

    Liese and Karen also held their mouths at the thought of Kurando, unable to say anything.

    Only G¨¹nther sniffed in a bored manner.

    "That is my apology to Samuel and Lise. That''s how I atone for the injustice I''ve done to your majesty.

    "If you were going to do that, you wouldn''t have to fight!"

    It''s all too ridiculous and nonsensical.

    If you would rather fight than risk your own life, don''t fight in the first place.

    Kurando looked troubled at Sam''s words.

    "That may be so. But the battle has already begun. And I can''t stop fighting."

    "What do you mean?"

    Before Sam could even utter a question, Kurando kicked the ground again.

    £¨I can''t react!)

    He''s moving faster than ever before, and Sam can''t react.

    "I''m serious now. I''m going to kill you. You will have to endure.

    Kurarajin put murderous intent into his words and delivered the coup de grace.

    (--Mazuki)

    Faster than you can think, the sword is swung straight down.

    A moment later, the kensei''s slash cut deeply through Sam''s shoulder, chest, and leg.

    "Sam!

    More blood spurted out than ever before, Sam collapsed, and Liese screamed.

    "Is it over?¡¡Then let''s put an end to it."

    Sam put up a fight when Kurando stood beside him without a sound, looking down at him with his spearhead pointed down at him.

    "No, not yet."

    Sam increased his magical power, flicked the spearhead at him with his sword, and stood up.

    He clutches his shoulder and breathes heavily, trying to recover by pouring his magic power into it.

    £¨Ah, I can''t stop the blood. (Ah, I can''t stop the blood...) I had put all my magic power into defense at the moment, but he does it. (Is this the saint of swordsmanship?)

    He manages to stop the bleeding and heal himself to the point where the pain is negligible.

    £¨He''s a real pain in the ass. I''ve never had anyone other than Ur push me this hard before.)

    Sam smiled.

    "--Ho."

    Sam looks straight at the swordsmith.

    He could tell that he was strong even without fighting.

    His swordsmanship, his experience, everything about him was better than Sam''s.

    But it cannot end here.

    "It''s a shame. I''m so sorry. I liked you. You were a good man, and I didn''t want to kill you.

    Kensei won''t move.

    He watches with expectant eyes to see what Sam will do.

    "I''m sorry, Mizuki-sama."

    "......Sam"

    Apologizing to Mizuki, who was watching the duel, Sam pointed at Kurando.

    "Amemiya Kurando, you are my enemy!"

    "Yes, I am."

    "I can''t die here. I can''t die because of some stupid favor you owe me. I have someone I love, and I want to make her happy. I can''t do that."

    "So, what do you want to do?"

    "I will kill you."

    Sam exchanged a look with Kurando with clear hostility and murderous intent, and he smiled happily.

    "I am glad that you are finally ready. Now let''s have the best fight of our lives. Let''s fight a battle worthy of the greatest swordsman and wizard in the land!"

    "Excellent."

    Sam increased his magical power.

    The power was so great that Liese and the others who were watching could clearly see it.

    "- this is..."

    Scarlet magic surrounded Sam.

    The amount of Sam''s magical power swelled up and grew so large that it seemed to be about to explode.

    "I never thought I''d see this much ...... wonderful magic."

    A change occurs in Sam.

    It was Lise who noticed it first.

    "Sam, you, your hair color..."

    As his fianc¨¦e had said, Sam''s hair had turned scarlet.

    It looked just like the hair color of his beloved master.

    "Rejoice, Kurando Amemiya. You are the first one to make me use this. You can brag about it to Ur in the afterlife."

    Scarlet magic spreads to embrace Sam.

    "What?"

    Everyone who had been watching, including Kurando, who was about to ask a question, could not believe their ears when Sam''s next words came.

    "The technique--Ulrike Scheidt Walker released."

 168 - - 54 "Ill do my best"

    Scarlet magic power was released from Sam with a force that reached the heavens.

    The force and the amount of magic power were so great that it was hard to believe that a single person could have released it.

    The wards that G¨¹nther had set up for the duel shattered with a sound.

    Everyone took a defensive posture due to the strength of the magic. It was the same for Kurarayu, the Sword Saint.

    The release of magical power was so great that if he did not put strength into his legs, he would have been blown away.

    After how long the release of magic power continued, I saw someone''s figure in the scarlet vortex.

    It was not Sam.

    The silhouette looked like a tall woman, not like the petite Sam.

    Everyone wondered where Sam had disappeared to.

    As each of us watched the vortex of magic, we could see that the released magic power was getting weaker.

    The vortex of magic that had reached the sky became thinner and thinner, and then disappeared.

    When the scarlet magic disappeared, Samuel Scheidt was not there.

    "--Ulrike?"

    It was G¨¹nther who called out the name in a daze.

    His eyes widened and his body trembled in shock, as if he had seen a ghost.

    "Ur-sister!¡¡Why?

    Liese, Karen, Mizuki, and Kurando, who was facing Sam, could not hide their surprise.

    "That''s absurd, she must be dead, she''s dead!"

    In Sam''s place was a tall, well-styled woman with flaming scarlet hair.

    Her name--Ulrike Scheidt Walker.

    She was a genius wizard who had once held the third rank of court wizard in the Kingdom of Skye, and was Sam''s mentor.

    And now she is deceased.

    "Where is Sam?¡¡How did you come to see my sister Ur?

    It was Lise, Sam''s fianc¨¦e, who guessed before anyone else.

    The woman in front of her looks definitely like her late sister.

    But the clothes she was wearing, the way she looked and the mood she was in, belonged to her beloved boy.

    "Are you Sam?"

    "Yes, it''s me."

    The voice that came back was definitely Sam''s.

    "Hey, G¨¹nther. You''ve got to reattach the warding."

    "Sam?"

    Hmm?¡¡Oh, my God, you''ve changed. I didn''t expect it, but I''m surprised. But I guess it''s appropriate. Well, you''d better rewire the place. Very tightly, please. I''m going to fight them now and destroy this place."

    They are all left astonished by Sam, who does not seem to be bothered by the fact that he is now Ur.

    G¨¹nther, in particular, is breathing hard and his eyes are bloodshot at the sight of his beloved.

    "I know, I know, but why is Sam taking the form of Ulrike?¡¡I know you want to please me, but I can''t help but ask you to consider the occasion."

    I''m not trying to please you.

    "So, just one more thing, why do I sense Ur''s magic in you?¡¡I can feel Samuel Scheidt''s magic and Ulrike Scheidt Walker''s magic from you right now."

    "That''s because I inherited everything from Ur."

    "I know that - no, you don''t mean to say that you inherited not only her magic but also her magical power?¡¡You have two magical powers in one body!"

    "Something like that."

    It is unusual to have two magical powers in one body.

    It is impossible for one body to have two magical powers, let alone two amounts of magical power.

    However, what made it possible was the inheritance magic that Ur used on Sam.

    It succeeded because of the inheritance magic and because Sam himself had the free capacity to hold Ur''s magic power.

    "I know you have a lot of questions, but I''ll explain later. Ur''s magic is a wild horse and can''t be used for a very long time.

    "I''m sure you''ll explain, no, I don''t need an explanation. Ur has entrusted you with everything, really everything."

    "--Yes."

    Good. She''s definitely alive inside you. I''m so glad to know that. There''s nothing more I can say, no, there was, I want to make sure those tits are real, can I rub them?"

    "Of course not!¡¡If you''re going to be serious, stick to the end!¡¡Hide your desires!"

    "Just kidding. Well, I hate to interrupt your limited time. You can use your power to defeat the sword saint as soon as possible.

    I''ll do it without you telling me."

    Sam laughed at G¨¹nther, whose attitude did not change even at a time like this.

    He then turns his attention to his beloved.

    "Sam."

    "Dear Liese. It feels a little strange to stand before you as Ur."

    Me too. There''s so much I want to say and so much I want to hear, but right now I just want one thing - win."

    "Of course. Watch me, I''ll do my best.

    Sam told Liese and turned his back on her.

    The Kurarayan was gracious enough to stay out of the way of the conversation.

    "I''m sorry you had to wait so long for me."

    No, because I want to fight with you in full strength. ...... but I can''t hide my surprise. It''s as if I''m facing the girl herself."

    Despite his surprise, Kensei laughed, as if anticipating the battle that was about to begin.

    Sam laughed back.

    "Of course. I am Samuel Scheidt and Ulrike Scheidt Walker now. So, are you ready?"

    "--Yes."

    I''m not naive enough to believe that I won''t kill you again. I''ll fight you with everything I''ve got.

    By all means. Oh, I''m looking forward to it.

    Sam, in the form of Ur, raised his fist and increased his magical power.

    A vortex of scarlet magic envelops Sam.

    "Here I come, Amemiya Kurando, the Sword Saint!

    Kurando readied his sword.

    "Come, Samuel Scheidt!"

    The next moment, Sam disappeared.

 169 - - 55 "Ill do my best"

    "--Nah."

    As soon as Sam disappeared, Kensei''s eyes widened.

    Even with his motion blur, he couldn''t see Sam''s movement.

    "There''s a lot of openings."

    Sam, who had been hiding in Kurando''s pocket, swung his fist.

    "Shit!"

    Before Kurando can react, Sam''s fist slams into his abdomen.

    His explosively enhanced physical abilities are unparalleled.

    The blow from his physical strength, which had been strengthened by the two''s combined magical power, caused damage even to Kurando''s internal organs.

    "--Kahaha!"

    Kurando was in agony and coughing up blood, but as one would expect from a sword saint, he reared his sword to the side.

    But Sam''s fingers easily grabbed his sword.

    "...... stupid."

    Kurando, his face again stained with astonishment, kicks Kurando in the stomach and throws him into the air.

    Sam pointed his index finger at the swordsmith, who flew through the air at his mercy, and laughed like a child.

    "--Bang!"

    A moment later, a ray of scarlet magic power, condensed to a high density, is released.

    Kurando succeeded in avoiding Sam''s blow by twisting himself in the air as quickly as possible.

    However, the dojo behind him was sliced open and exploded in a flash of scarlet light.

    "...... wonderful."

    Kurando landed on the ground, his mouth reddening as he praised Sam.

    "Two magic powers that would normally be impossible, each of which is out of the ordinary, and yet you are controlling them at the same time. Or perhaps you are merging them into one?

    Well, something like that.

    "It seems that the body enhancement magic is now stronger than ever. What''s even more troublesome is that it can even fire a blow comparable to an advanced offensive magic without any preliminary movement or chanting."

    "That''s about all I can do at the moment. Ur''s magic is too strong, and if he''s not careful, he''ll get us all into trouble. But it''s more than enough to kill you.

    Kurando is not wrong.

    To be more precise, he is multiplying Sam''s magic power by Ur''s magic power.

    Thanks to this, he can use more than twice as much magical power, not simply twice as much.

    The body enhancement magic using too much magic power can even surpass the movement of a sword saint, and a mere magic bombardment can bring about a powerful destructive force.

    However, it is very consuming and difficult to control.

    "--Huh, huh, huh, huh."

    "Fun, isn''t it?"

    Sam laughed too, as the sword saint smiled happily and happily while spitting out blood.

    "Yes, it''s a lot of fun. I''ve never felt such a danger to my life before.

    "Don''t worry, I''ll kill you right up to the end."

    "H-Huh, ha-huh, ha-huh, ha-huh, ha-huh, ha-huh, ha-huh!"

    Kurando laughs as he moves closer to Sam and swings his sword.

    His slash was faster and more powerful than ever before.

    It was clear that Kurando had given it his all.

    Sam, however, dodges all of the slashes with a comfortable margin, and shoots them down with his bare hands.

    Then, as if it was his turn, he fired his fists and feet in a series of scarlet blasts.

    The ground is gouged out, a huge hole opens in the wall of the mansion, and the half-destroyed dojo is completely destroyed.

    Sam became the incarnation of destruction, but Kurando was not to be outdone.

    As if he had concentrated all his energy on evading the attack, he swings his sword at the slightest opening left by Sam''s excess of magical power.

    The target is the eyes, between the eyebrows, the throat, the heart, and other vital parts of the body.

    Sam also avoids and repels all the attacks.

    The battle is not over.

    After shooting scarlet flashes at once, even the sword saint switched to evasion only.

    Sam fires a flash of scarlet and kicks the ground at the same time.

    The ground caved in and Sam disappeared again.

    "--K!"

    Kurando loses sight of Sam again and spins around with his sword at the ready.

    He prepared himself to be attacked from any direction.

    But..,

    "You''re late."

    Sam was already behind Kurando.

    He grabbed him by the arm,

    "--shima."

    Kirisakumono.

    For the first time in this duel, he released his skill.

    The next moment, Kurando''s left arm, from the elbow down, was sliced open and sent flying through the air.

    "Father!"

    Mizuki''s screams echoed.

    But Sam ignored her voice and flung himself at the kensei, who had lost one arm and had stopped moving.

    "Farewell, Amamiya Kurando, the Sword Saint. Give my regards to Ur in heaven."

    A hand sword, strengthened beyond its limits by scarlet magic, was brought out toward Kurando''s neck.

    "Stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it!"

    As Mizuki''s exclamation echoed through the hall, Kurando smiled calmly, not in resignation or lamentation, but in happiness.

    "--Kirisakumono."

    Without stopping, Sam released his skills in a flash across the room.

 170 - - 56 "Ill do my best"

    Everyone thought Kurando''s head had been jumped.

    But,

    "......, why?"

    Kurando''s head was connected.

    Sam''s sword only passed in front of his neck.

    "Oh, no, that''s too bad. We''re out of time."

    As he says this deliberately, Ur''s figure fades into a haze, and he returns to his true form as Sam.

    "You didn''t kill him on purpose, did you?"

    "I don''t know, right?¡¡But, come on."

    Sam swung his fist and punched Kensei in the face.

    He falls to the ground, sprawled out in a heap.

    "You don''t have much strength left, do you?

    Yes, I lose.

    "Yeah, I win."

    Kurando accepted defeat gracefully.

    "Even with my dominant arm, I was too wounded to wield the sword. But--"

    "Oh, hey?"

    "I lost the duel, but I haven''t given up on killing you."

    Kurando stands up, using his sword as a cane, and takes up his stance again.

    Why did you go that far?

    "Your fight with me was the best. It was a great fight, worthy of my last battle. But no matter what I do, I have to kill you.

    "It''s not just your debt to Mendez Michel, is it?¡¡There''s something else to fight for, isn''t there?"

    "----"

    "I take silence as an affirmation. You really don''t know what''s going on with the Michels... do you?

    Sam turns his attention to the house.

    And then he notices.

    "Wait, where''s Kotomi?"

    "...... I am recuperating at Michel''s house."

    I didn''t feel Kotomi''s magic in the house.

    There was no such great magical power anywhere in the house.

    The worst thought popped into Sam''s mind.

    "Don''t tell me that doesn''t mean we''re being held hostage?"

    "Father!"

    Kurando-sama!

    Not only Sam, but also Mizuki and Lise screamed.

    No wonder. They probably had no idea that the Michels were holding Kotomi hostage.

    But that''s what they would do.

    It is no wonder that the family that Julian grew up with, the family that plotted to kill Sam and steal Liese and the others, would take a hostage.

    In fact, the fact that Kensei challenged Sam to a duel makes sense if his daughter is being held captive.

    "What the hell have the Michels done? !"

    (This is no time for a duel here!)

    Come on, let''s keep going. Mr. Samuels.

    You.

    "If I kill you, Kotomi will return safely. You may not agree, but I will apologize many times in the afterlife.

    "You''re going to let the Michels do what they want?"

    "No, he''s done this much for me. No, he has done us this much. They will pay for what they''ve done. After I kill you and restore your honor, I will be responsible for killing Master Julian and Misery.

    For the first time, I felt anger from Kurando.

    He definitely intends to kill Julian and Misery.

    Kurando is determined.

    He has only been trying to avoid showing it until now.

    The only way for Sam to survive is to kill Kurando. But if anything happens to the hostage, he will regret it for the rest of his life.

    "Kurarajin-sama, let''s all go rescue Kotomi. I''m here, Liese-sama, Haren, and G¨¹nther are here too. I''m sure our strength is perfect.

    "I''m sorry. I knew you would say that. But I don''t even know where Kotomi is now!¡¡Then I have no choice but to kill you!"

    Kurando points the tip of his sword at you and takes a low stance.

    £¨I shouldn''t have deactivated the technique. No, that''s before that. Just because I''m killed doesn''t mean Kotomi will be freed. It''s the same if I kill Kurarayana. In fact, it might make things worse.)

    Sam looks at his fiancee with only his eyes.

    Liese puts her hands together as if in prayer, looking worried.

    £¨No, I have someone I want to protect. I have someone I want to make happy. I can''t die here.)

    If I had never met Liese and the others, if I had never loved anyone, I would have been willing to lay down my life for Kotomi.

    But now Sam can''t do it.

    But he can''t just leave Kotomi like this.

    £¨What should I do?¡¡What should I do?)

    Sam was so worried that he neglected to focus on Kurando.

    A moment later, Kurando kicks the ground and tries to get closer to Sam.

    "--shima!"

    A white blade closes in.

    The blade reaches Sam faster than he can evade it, as if sucked in.

    But..,

    "No more, Father!"

    Mizuki''s sword repelled Kurando''s blow before it could cut Sam.

    "Mizuki!¡¡Don''t get in the way!"

    "I will!¡¡I don''t know if this will bring Kotomi back!¡¡If Kotomi knew that her father killed Sam because of her, she would regret it for the rest of her life!"

    Get out of the way!

    No!"

    Mizuki would not budge.

    She must have been worried about Kotomi, too.

    But she knew that she could not save anyone this way.

    Everyone was wondering what to do, and there was no answer.

    It was a time when they thought that if they could at least find out where Kotomi was, they might be able to do something.

    "What are you doing?

    A man''s angry voice rang out.

 171 - - 57 "Hes an uncool man."

    "What are you doing, Kurando?

    The loud voice belonged to Julien Michel.

    In his arms was Kotomi, dressed in her nightclothes, looking a lot thinner than she had two weeks ago.

    A dagger was held to her neck.

    "Kotomi!"

    Kurando peeled his eyes and called his daughter''s name.

    Sam and the others could not hide their surprise at this unexpected turn of events.

    £¨I can''t believe you brought Kotomi-chan here, what good timing you have, for now I can only thank you for your stupidity!)

    Kotomi was trembling in Julien''s pale-faced arms.

    It must be terrifying for a girl of only twelve years old to be held up by a dagger.

    And she was facing an angry Julian. She did not know when the dagger would strike her.

    Still, it was important that the missing girl was here.

    "Father,...... I''m sorry,...... it''s my fault."

    It seems that Kotomi is aware that she is being held hostage.

    "Kotomi doesn''t need to apologize. Has he done anything to you?

    "Uh-huh."

    "Please, Mr. Julien. Please let my daughter go.

    "Don''t play with me!¡¡You promised your mother you would kill the kid!¡¡Then kill him quickly!¡¡Kill me, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!"

    Julian''s bloodshot eyes flashed at Kurarayan as he spat at him, and it was hard to believe that he was insane.

    There was no telling when his dagger might hurt Kotomi.

    £¨I''m glad you brought Kotomi with you, but I don''t think I can talk to her. If something happens to Kotomi, it would be a big problem.)

    Even though Kotomi is here, we can''t do anything indiscreet as long as we are being held hostage.

    Sam clicked his tongue.

    "Julian!¡¡What a despicable thing to do!¡¡Let go of Lady Kotomi!"

    "Scum. Let go of Kotomi."

    Liese and Hualien accuse Julien, but he does not understand them.

    Instead, he found Liese and started smiling broadly, as if he knew what was going on.

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha, Liese!¡¡It''s Liese!¡¡Yes, I''ve got an idea!¡¡Hey, Lise!¡¡If you don''t want Kotomi killed, you kill the kid!"

    "-- hey."

    "Tell me which life is more important!"

    Julian, of all people, told Liese to weigh the lives of Sam and Kotomi in the balance.

    "Kotomi!¡¡Let my sister go, Julien!"

    "Please don''t, Mr. Julien!"

    Amemiya and her son appealed to Julian, who made a crazy proposal, to free Kotomi, but there was no way he would listen to their wish.

    "And you too, Kurando!¡¡You''re a sword saint, but you''re useless!¡¡Besides, your mother told me!¡¡I went to the trouble of offering Mizuki as a wife, but she refused!¡¡If you want, I''ll even rape you and your sisters right here and now!"

    Please don''t!

    "--Father?"

    Apparently, Mizuki had never heard of Kurando''s rejection of Julian, who wanted a daughter.

    Sam and the others did the same. And I think it''s a good decision.

    If they had given their daughter to such a man, who knows what they would have done to her.

    Please, please let go of her!

    As Kurarayan reaches out with his hands and pleads, Julian spits in his face.

    "You always make me so nervous!¡¡Well, we knew there were no good women to hold the sword anyway. I don''t want any savage women in my life!¡¡But I''m betrothed to the little brat, and Lady Stella deserves me. Just the thought of being able to do whatever I want to the princess excites me!"

    Sam felt the urge to hit Julien for saying whatever he wanted, but he had to do something about it, so he looked around and saw G¨¹nther.

    He gave a small nod. Knowing what he was thinking, Sam decided to turn Julian''s attention back to him.

    "Come on, Lise!¡¡Kill Samuel Scheidt for me!¡¡Then I''ll be happy to do it for you again!"

    "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!¡¡You can''t function as a man because I crushed your crotch, so who are you to tell me what to do?"

    Sam burst out laughing, exaggerating to get Julian''s attention.

    Then Julian glared at Sam with bloodshot eyes.

    "You son of a b*tc*!¡¡You''re the one who got me into this mess!"

    "You had it all coming!"

    "Don''t play with me, ah ah ah ah ah!"

    Julian''s face turned red and he shouted angrily at Sam''s provocation.

    At that moment, there was a slight gap between Julian and Kotomi''s bodies.

    "--I agree with Sam, as a fellow man I am very uncomfortable."

    G¨¹nther did not miss that slight opening.

    G¨¹nther snapped his fingers, and the wards covered Kotomi''s body, sending Julian''s body flying away.

    "--oh?"

    As soon as Julian, who did not understand what had happened, made a dumb noise, Sam and Kurando moved.

    "Well done, G¨¹nther!"

    "I''m looking forward to your reward!"

    "Tell that to Kurando-sama!"

    Sam and Kurando are wounded, but they do not intend to fall behind Julian.

    Without the hostages, they are no match for him.

    "I won''t forgive you for what you did to my daughter.

    With a single swing of his sword, the kensei slashed down on Julian''s right arm from the shoulder as he gripped the dagger.

    "Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

    As Julian screams out, Sam comes close to him and swings his sword down.

    "--Kirisakumono!"

    Julian screams for the second time as his left arm is cut off from the shoulder.

    Sam punched him away, telling him to shut up.

    Julian, who no longer has an arm to support him, falls to the ground on his back.

    "Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no...!

    Julian, realizing that he has lost both arms, screams for the third time.

    Sam stomped on his face as hard as he could, his face a mess of tears and runny nose as he sprawled on the ground.

    "Shut the f*ck up already!"

    Sam let out a deep breath as he took his foot off Julian, who had stopped twitching.

    "Father!"

    "Kotomi!"

    Kotomi, who was able to escape safely from Julian while protected by G¨¹nther''s warding, rushes to her father.

    Kurando also ran toward Kotomi and hugged her small body as hard as he could.

    It might be tactless to interrupt their reunion, but there was something he needed to ask her.

    What should I do with him?¡¡I leave it to Kurando-sama to decide whether or not to kill him. I don''t care about him anymore."

    Sam took one look at the fallen Julian and spat.

    Kurando looked at Julian and shook his head, his eyes sadly downcast.

    "I don''t care either. For now, all I care about is that Kotomi is back safe and sound. ...... Samuel, G¨¹nther, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving Kotomi."

    Kurarayan then removed Kotomi''s body from her and placed it in the hands of Mizuki, who was standing behind her, bowing his head as his father had done.

    "Let me settle this. Now, kill me."

    "Father!"

    "Father!

    "I seriously tried to kill you, Samuel, even though you were holding my daughter hostage. That is unforgivable.

    "Are you serious?"

    Yes, I''m serious.

    Sam walked up to Kurando and clenched his fists.

    "Sam!¡¡Please don''t kill my father, father!"

    "Master Sam!¡¡It''s my fault!¡¡So please forgive your father!"

    Ignoring the pleas of his daughters, Sam punched the kurajin as hard as he could on the cheek.

    "......Why?"

    Kurando, his cheek pressed and his lip bleeding, looks at Sam in disbelief.

    Sam grabbed Kurando by the chest and yelled at him with all his emotion.

    "There is no way I could kill you!¡¡There''s no way I could take your father away from Lady Mizuki and Kotomi!¡¡Don''t you dare try to complete this for your own satisfaction!"

    Unsatisfied, he punches Kurando again on the cheek.

    "I don''t want to kill you and live with the hatred of Mizuki-sama and Kotomi-chan!¡¡If you want to make amends, live to make amends!¡¡Isn''t that right, Kurando Amemiya!"

    "--Yes."

    Kurando was in tears.

    Sam does not know what he was thinking as he wept.

    But this was the end of a duel that had begun for a trivial reason.

    "If you still want to fight, then let''s fight fair and square, with no regrets. Let''s make it a simple fight to decide who is stronger. Dueling is just fine like that.

    After saying this, Sam pulled his hand away from Kurando''s.

    Kurando falls to his knees, and his daughters run to him, crying and hugging each other.

    Sam watched this scene for a while, and then a shadow came near him.

    "Sam, I will take care of Julien Michel.

    "G¨¹nther?"

    My role is not only to put a ward on this house. Kurando Amemiya, I''m taking you to court, to His Majesty. You won''t complain, will you?"

    "...... will of course accompany you."

    "G¨¹nther, you."

    G¨¹nther winks at Sam.

    He was originally supposed to be the one to take the kurajin to the palace.

    It was inevitable since the king had heard of the duel.

    Kuramoto will be penalized in some way.

    And Michel''s family, of course.

    £¨But that''s enough. I''m tired today. I want to go home and relax with Lise.)

    "Come on, let''s go home."

    When Sam called out to Lise and the others who had been watching over him all along..,

    "Huh?"

    Slowly, Liese''s body tilted in Sam''s vision.

    With a thud, Liese collapses.

    "Liese-sama!

    The unexpected event made Sam involuntarily run to his beloved.

 172 - - 58 "Congratulations!"

    "Congratulations."

    "--Oh?"

    In a room of the Amemiya household, Sam and his friends put the collapsed Liese on the bed and called their family doctor to examine her.

    However, the doctor''s words made Sam''s brow wrinkle, and he angrily stormed over to him.

    He grabbed the doctor by the chest.

    "How dare you congratulate me in front of a fallen man!¡¡Huh?"

    Not only Sam, but also the flower lotus behind him was silently glaring at the doctor.

    G¨¹nther and the other storekeepers were not present.

    It seems that G¨¹nther had originally been ordered by King Clyde to capture Kurarayan.

    Kurando followed G¨¹nther to the royal palace.

    Mizuki was concerned about Liese, but she was also worried about her father, so she left Liese in the care of Sam and the others and went to the palace.

    "Oh, it''s a misunderstanding!¡¡I''m sorry, my words were not enough!¡¡There is nothing wrong with Lady Lieselotte!¡¡I think he was just so tense that he collapsed from the stress."

    "So, how does that lead to congratulations?"

    Sam''s frustration grows as the doctor refuses to clearly state his conclusions.

    The doctor, realizing that he had not said enough, rushed to tell him.

    "-I''m pregnant."

    "--Hmm?"

    Unable to understand the doctor''s words, Sam makes strange noises.

    "Lieselotte-sama is pregnant. It''s not surprising that she collapsed under the stress. Have you been feeling sick lately?

    Wait, wait, what do you mean?

    "Liese said she was tired and sleepy. She also said she had a stomach ache and sometimes threw up.

    <

    "It''s an early sign of pregnancy, isn''t it? I wish you had seen a doctor then. Anyway, you are pregnant. So I say congratulations. I''m sorry I didn''t say it better."

    "Oh, no, thank you?"

    Sam was about to thank me when, for no apparent reason, he said, "I''m sorry,

    "Uh, no."

    Lise woke up.

    Sam runs to the bed and calls out to Lise.

    "Lise, thank God!¡¡How are you feeling?"

    "Oh, I ...... think I''m right, Kotomi-sama!"

    Sam holds Liese back as she tries to get up, perhaps remembering what happened before she collapsed.

    "Kotomi, you are safe. She is resting in her room.

    "What about Kurando-sama and Mizuki?"

    "Kurando-sama went to the royal palace with Mizuki-sama after being healed by Magnolia-sama."

    The same was true for Sam, who was treated by Magnolia.

    Mokuren, who had heard the story from her grandson Hualian the day before, showed up and treated him as if she had been watching for the right moment, because she knew he would need her help.

    It is possible that he was ordered by the king.

    But thanks to that, Sam''s wounds are healed.

    "To the palace?"

    "The king is summoning you. Apparently, G¨¹nther was also responsible for taking Kurando-sama to the palace."

    "...... Yeah. I''m sorry Sam had to fight, but I hope the punishment won''t be too severe."

    "I agree. Well, according to G¨¹nther, it won''t matter. Well, they only targeted me because the Michels threatened Kotomi as a hostage in the first place.

    "Yes, I know. ...... Speaking of which, is Sam okay?¡¡Your injuries are ...... gone, you''ve been treated."

    Don''t worry. I''m fine now."

    Anyway, I am relieved to see that Liese is as healthy as ever.

    Hanae taps Sam on the shoulder.

    "Sam, I have something more important to say to Lise.

    "Oh, yes!¡¡Liese-sama, it''s amazing!¡¡I''m so surprised I can''t believe it... Oh, yeah, I''ll have to let the Master and Mistress know soon!"

    "Oh, calm down, Sam. I don''t know what you''re talking about."

    That''s the thing!

    "--Lise has a baby in her belly."

    "What?"

    When Liese tilted her head to the side because Sam''s words didn''t make sense when he was about to report his pregnancy, Hualien simply said, "I''m pregnant, but I don''t know what to do about it.

    "Hey, Hualien-sama!¡¡How come you got there before me!"

    "I was annoyed that you didn''t say it properly after all this time."

    "Oh, no."

    "What?¡¡You''re lying?"

    Liese''s eyes were black and white in disbelief, but then she found the doctor in the room and looked at him.

    The doctor smiles and bows to Liese.

    It''s true. Congratulations on your pregnancy."

    "--Sam and I are having a baby in your belly?"

    Lise asks in a trembling voice as if to confirm.

    Sam smiles and answers.

    "Yes!¡¡It''s me and Master Liese''s baby!"

    "Yeah, but it''s been so long since I''ve had relations with Sam."

    "There is no doubt that you are pregnant. It is small, but I can feel the baby''s magic in Lieselotte-sama''s belly. Perhaps it will be born with magical power.

    A single tear fell from Lise''s eye.

    "Lise-sama!

    For a moment, Sam worried that Lise was not happy about the pregnancy.

    But what she said next came as a big shock to him.

    "I ...... thought I was constitutionally incapable of having children. I felt bad for Sam, but I wanted to be with him. That''s why I''ve been trying to get him to have other wives."

    "...... I''m sorry you had that in mind."

    On second thought, perhaps he could have recognized Lise''s insecurity.

    It is no wonder that Lise, who is married to Julian and has a history of being mistreated because of her inability to have children, thinks that she is incapable of having children.

    I am glad that she still wants to be with Sam.

    But she probably felt guilty about it. That''s why he was not dissatisfied when Karen and Stella became his fianc¨¦es.

    (I should have thought more about Lise-sama.)

    However, Liese does not have to worry anymore.

    Because now she has a new life in her belly.

    "Liese-sama, please don''t be anxious anymore. If you are worried, don''t hide it from me.

    "......Sam"

    "--Thank you, Master Liese."

    Tears begin to fall from Lise''s eyes as she receives Sam''s gratitude.

    "Congratulations, Lise."

    Hualien followed with words of congratulations with a short but clear smile on her face.

    "--Oh, thank you."

    Lise began to sob as her fianc¨¦ and friends congratulated her.

    Liese was so sweet and Sam hugged her tenderly and lovingly.

    "Let''s all be happy together, no, I''ll make you happy."

    "-No, I''m already very happy."

    With tears streaming down her cheeks, Liese put on her biggest smile ever.

 173 - - 59 "It is up to the King to decide."

    Royal Palace at night. In the office of King Clyde, he and Amamiya Kurando, the Sword Saint, are seen.

    Kurando was well dressed, and his wounds from Sam had been cleaned by Magnolia''s treatment.

    However, his left arm was missing.

    "Kurando, you didn''t have your arm connected by Mokuren, did you?"

    Clyde said to his friend, who was on his knees and hanging his head, with a sigh.

    "I don''t deserve it, sir," he said.

    "I have heard all about what has happened. I thought I had lost my mind when I heard you were going to duel with Sam, but I had no idea that my daughter was being held hostage. The Michels, they''ve done a foolish thing."

    I am sorry, sir.

    I''m sorry. At least you could have consulted my friend - no, my daughter has been taken hostage, that would have been difficult.

    Clyde sympathizes with Kurando.

    Feeling indebted to Mendes, the previous head of the family, Kurando has served the Michels well.

    This is too much to be saved.

    At the same time, he is furious with the Michels for taking advantage of a friend who was so dear to Clyde.

    We have already taken custody of Misery Michel.

    She saw her son with both arms missing and fainted in a frenzy.

    After interrogating several servants of the Michels, we have learned which of the Amemiya family''s servants was working on the inside.

    However, it turned out that these informants had also been threatened by Misery, who had taken their families hostage.

    It seems that the servants did not want to kidnap Kotomi, but they had no choice but to obey her when she used the lives of their families as a shield.

    We do not intend to punish them severely because of the extenuating circumstances.

    "You don''t owe the Michels any more, do you?"

    "I am grateful to Mr. Mendes. But I have already done you a favor.

    "Of course. Mendez will not complain. No, rather, he will lament the fact that he did not give up on them sooner."

    "Maybe. Still, I couldn''t do it.

    "Stupid, but true."

    For better or worse, Clyde knew that Kurando was a righteous man.

    It was a pity, because if he had been more dexterous in his dealings, this would not have happened.

    As a friend, he felt sorry for Kurando, but as the king, he could not help but judge him.

    "Kurando! As of this moment, I take from you the title of Sword Sage.

    "--Yes."

    "I''m well aware of the situation, but even so, I can''t allow it."

    "Of course."

    "You have served your country long enough, we will not deprive you of your title. You may live out the rest of your days in peace."

    "...... thank you for your kindness."

    Some might say that this is naive, but I have already received a message from Sam through G¨¹nther that he does not want me to take care of it.

    Clyde appreciated Sam''s offer.

    "I hear there''s a man who is worthy to be the next Sword Sage."

    "...... I am still inexperienced, but I believe that in time you will become a better swordsman than I am."

    G¨¹nther reported that his daughter Mizuki stopped Kurando''s blow when he was about to kill Sam.

    If this is the case, I am really looking forward to the future.

    "If he has such an excellent daughter, there is no way the royal court would recognize a Julien Michel as the next saint of swordsmanship.

    As king, I have the final say.

    The materials on the candidates for the next saint of sword have been delivered to me, but none of them seemed to have the ability to become a saint of sword.

    Especially Michel, who was considered to be a strong candidate, we already know that there are traces of falsification in the documents, and we already know that the person who did it is related to the Michel family.

    The tampering person has already been captured, and there is a testimony that he was paid a large sum of money by Misery Michel to do so.

    Moreover, the Michels were also the family that was passing information on the royalist faction to the aristocrats. Although they only recently became aware of it, they now have a good cause to punish them for this incident.

    "Although I knew it, I could not refuse the Michels'' request."

    "Yes. Well, okay. Let''s see if your daughter Amemiya Mizuki is suitable to be the next Kensei and then we''ll decide who will be his successor. Until then, the title of Sword Sage is vacant.

    "Yes."

    Clyde knows Mizuki well.

    As the daughter of a friend, he once held her in his arms when she was a newborn.

    "What about the girls?¡¡I do not intend to do anything with my daughters. I hear that Kotomi, the second daughter, is going to be Sam''s apprentice. Then you can go on with your life as before.

    "--Thank you."

    "But I am thinking of giving Mizuki to Sam in marriage."

    "Your Majesty?"

    "We''ve tried to keep this one out of the open as much as possible, but even so, we can''t shut the mouths of those in the royal palace."

    You''re right.

    "Already, some of the nobles have heard about you, and some have even called for the death penalty, including the revocation of your status as a sword saint.

    Many of the nobility do not take kindly to Kurarayakko.

    Some of them took advantage of this incident to denounce Kuramoto.

    "Mizuki will be taken hostage as Sam''s wife."

    "Your Majesty, what does that mean?"

    It means never again so that you will not make the same mistake. That''s just the way it''s supposed to be. If you don''t do that, the other nobles won''t be able to rule.

    Although he said it was a pretext, Clyde would have to hold Mizuki and Kotomi accountable if Kurarayan did the same thing again.

    Of course, Clyde believes that such a thing will not happen.

    However, even if Clyde believes it, people who are hostile to Kurata would not be satisfied with that. In order to prevent them from denouncing Kurata, he entrusts Mizuki to Sam as a form of surrender.

    I am sorry to say this to Sam, but it would be safer to have someone nearby who could stop Kurando and Mizuki if something were to happen.

    Of course, there will be some who will oppose this.

    At present, there are many people who want to marry Sam.

    Not only Sam, the most powerful wizard in the kingdom, but also Lieselotte, the countess, Haren, the grandson of the court wizard, and Stella, the princess, are among those who wish to be united with him.

    Mizuki will be kept as a hostage by Sam, but if nothing happens to her, she can make love to him and bear his children as a normal wife.

    No doubt there will be people who will not be happy about that.

    I do not want to lose my friend.

    "...... Your Majesty."

    "I still vividly remember how he once saved my life on the battlefield. I also remember how he worked with me through the night to come up with a gift for my wife. You are an irreplaceable friend to me.

    "...... What a waste of words."

    After all, Clyde doesn''t want to lose his best friend.

    "I''m sure Sam will be annoyed, but I''ll let him off the hook for having a more skilled and capable wife," Clyde said. But he may resent me for making such a decision on my own, and my daughter may not like me for having more fianc¨¦es."

    I know Sam doesn''t want to have many wives, so I decide to apologize at a later date.

    "Well, my dear master..."

    "Yes."

    "Was Samuel Scheidt strong?"

    He was a very strong boy.

    G¨¹nther was getting all depressed and worked up, what''s going on?

    "I don''t know much about magic, but he aspires to be the greatest wizard of all, and it won''t be long before he earns that title."

    "I see. I''m really looking forward to my son-in-law''s future."

    To tell the truth, I did not expect Sam to win against Kurando.

    I knew that Sam was strong even against dragons, but I was not sure how well he would be able to fight against a wizard-killer in an urban area with limited number of moves.

    Therefore, he sent G¨¹nther in case of emergency, and he also had Magnolia standing by the house.

    The reason they did not stop the duel was so that Kurando would not be cornered.

    Clyde, who knew Kurando, had guessed that he was doing this for a reason.

    All that could be done was to keep them both alive.

    (If I had known about it a little earlier, I could have stopped it. ...... But Sam was brilliant. He had beaten Kurarajin, the greatest swordsman I had ever known. I can''t wait to see what the future holds.)

    The result of the duel, however, was Sam''s victory.

    Kurando was unable to back down due to the circumstances and stood up again, but the result was Sam''s victory.

    Clyde was surprised at this report.

    He had not intended to have Sam killed, but he had not expected to win.

    In a way, I am grateful to Julian.

    He intervened and neither of us would have lost.

    The damage was kept to a minimum.

    "In the meantime, I have something to say to you."

    Yes, sir.

    "I will not allow you to kill yourself. I will not allow you to leave the country. You will live, and you will take and train disciples as you have always done.

    "...... if you don''t mind?"

    Sam doesn''t want you punished. You are bold, despite the attempt on your life. Live to thank Sam.

    At Clyde''s words, Kurando lowered his forehead so deeply that it hit the floor.

    It must have been his imagination, because his body trembled in little increments.

    "--Thank you, Your Majesty. And thank you, Samuel."

 174 - - The Epilogue "The Fool"

    Yolanda Reinbach was frustrated by the bad days that followed after her husband brought a new woman into the family.

    Her son Manion had been removed as heir to the throne, and she had gone from being a chambermaid to a concubine.

    "I have taken this position from Melanie, and now she is going to take it away from me!

    Harriet, the newest member of the Reinbach family, was a simple girl, just the way her husband Carius liked her.

    Looking back, she was somewhat similar to the late Melanie.

    As irritating as that was, Harriet''s son Harry was the child who had stolen the heirship from Mannion.

    It was unforgivable.

    I had no doubt that my anger was justified.

    "Manion is Manion!¡¡I can''t believe that kid turned the tables on us!"

    Her son''s disappointment was another factor that added to Yolanda''s frustration.

    She taught him to take what he wanted, just as she had once done to Melanie.

    But instead of losing Harry, her son had failed twice.

    In the end, his arm was broken by Carius so that he could never do it again.

    Yolanda is forced to live a life of deprivation as punishment for her son''s seduction.

    "Foolish servants!" ...... "How dare you poison Harriet, but betray her and tell on the master? I knew I should have taken my time and pushed them like I did with Melanie."

    It reminds me of how I once drove Melanie to suicide.

    I harassed Melanie because she was still favored by Carius despite the fact that she had given birth to Sam, who was not a good boy.

    Daphne''s presence on Melanie''s side was an obstacle, but she was not with the maid all the time.

    I took the opportunity to bully Melanie a lot.

    We had a good laugh when she left her will and disappeared.

    She was the Baron''s wife and she was able to get rid of an obstacle in her way.

    I had planned to do the same to Harriet to get rid of her from the house, but I failed in my haste because Manion had been deprived of his heirship.

    Yolanda bit her lip in disgust.

    Somehow, even now, I want Harriet to be dead.

    The woman is carrying Karius'' child in her belly.

    He cared for Harriet more than he had ever cared for Yolanda.

    It is annoying that he treats her as if Yolanda and Manion were not there.

    "I am a full member of the Reinbach family. My son will be the next head of the Barony of Reinbach ...... and for that reason, I have to get rid of those who are in my way."

    I have been writing to my father in secret, asking him to help me, but I never receive a reply.

    It is possible that she has been stopped at her husband''s place.

    Yolanda is under house arrest and is not free to leave the house, even if she wants to see her father.

    The maids, too, do not listen to her, as if they are under her husband''s orders.

    While she was wondering what could be done, the door to her room was opened roughly without knocking, and two maids entered.

    In their hands was a tray.

    I realize that they are bringing meals, and at the same time, I sigh, wondering how long I will have to live like this.

    The cramped feeling of having to eat in the room instead of in the dining room. I have to feed my son who cannot move his arms.

    She is tempted to scream, "Why do I have to go through all this inconvenience?

    I think of running out of the house and going to my father directly to ask for help.

    "......It''s a nuisance, isn''t it? I wish the master would just throw them out..."

    The young maid deliberately muttered so that Yolanda could hear.

    "What?¡¡You''re a servant!"

    "Oh, you heard me. But I''m not afraid of you anymore. Look at you, stuck in your room, your pride and joy useless. You should see for yourself what you did to little Sam!"

    "- you son of a b*tc*!"

    There it is again.

    The servants in this house are always saying "Sam, Sam,

    "Don''t put me in the same room with that incompetent kid!"

    Yolanda couldn''t take it anymore and shouted, and the maids started laughing.

    "What''s so funny?

    "You don''t know anything, do you? Little Sam is engaged to the Princess Stella.

    "--What?"

    And the Countess Walker. Sam has been given the rank of court wizard and even an earldom by His Majesty. What is he so incompetent about? If anyone is incompetent, it''s your son.

    The maids spit this out, put down their dishes roughly, and leave the room.

    "Wait a minute!¡¡I don''t understand!"

    Yolanda tries to chase after the maids, but the room is locked and she cannot get out.

    She knocks on the door, but no one responds.

    "How can this be, this is ridiculous ...... that Samuel is engaged to a countess and a princess?"

    I can''t believe it. I can''t believe it.

    "Manion''s engagement has been called off and he''s been deprived of his position as head of the family, so how can that incompetent man who can''t even use a sword be enjoying the good life!¡¡--You should have driven her to her death like her mother did!¡¡I left you alone because I thought you were a child, and now you are returning the favor!"

    Yolanda screamed something that would have made anyone question her sanity if they had been listening, and she lifted a nearby chair and slammed it to the floor.

    "--Ha,ha,ha...... yes, yes!"

    Yolanda was out of breath, but she smiled as if she had just thought of a good idea.

    "Instead of Samuel, we can make Manion the princess''s fianc¨¦e!¡¡I''m sure the princess would prefer Manion''s talent with the sword to Samuel''s incompetence!"

    Yolanda writhes in agony as she imagines the future she has envisioned.

    "Well, then, let''s take Manion to the capital. If we ask your father, I''m sure he can at least provide us with money for our trip and stay. No, I''m sure he''ll be happy to pay for it. If Manion marries the princess, we can easily destroy the Reinbach barons. I''ll kill Harriet and Harry after I''ve made them both despair!¡¡Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

    That''s right. You and your son are not the kind of people who end up in a place like this.

    They are not little people who can be satisfied with a country baron''s wife.

    My son would be more interested in a glamorous princess than in a rustic woman.

    Yolanda continues to smile broadly, looking at her unfulfilled dream.

 175 - - Epilogue Two: The Lady of a Viscounts House.

    In a room of a baron''s house in the capital of the Kingdom of Skye, a woman in her mid-40s was staring at a newspaper.

    The woman with lustrous black hair is sitting on a chair, reading the article with a single-minded devotion.

    The tea beside her had already been drunk, but she was absorbed in the newspaper without taking a sip of it.

    The article she was reading was about Samuel Scheidt, who is currently the talk of the town.

    The youngest court wizard and the most powerful wizard in the Kingdom of Skye.

    He is betrothed to the first princess of the Kingdom of Skye, Stella Isle Skye, and Countess Lieselotte Walker, and is said to be a double-faced wizard who has even taken the troubled G¨¹nter Ignaz as his wife.

    Knowing what is written about her young and distorted s*xuality, it is obvious that she is reading a common gossip article.

    But she does not laugh at the articles about Sam as funny, nor does she get angry at them for being full of lies and jokes.

    She just reads the article over and over again.

    On her desk are a number of newspaper clippings.

    She had collected anything and everything related to Samuel Scheidt.

    "--Sam."

    A lady called the boy court wizard''s name.

    She looked as if she were about to burst into tears.

    "Once, just once, I''d like to see you grow up with my own eyes ......, but I don''t deserve it."

    At last, large tears spill from the woman''s eyes and wet the newspaper.

    "Oh my God, I can''t believe I''m crying.

    Wiping her eyes with a handkerchief, she sipped the cold tea and tried to calm down.

    After regaining her composure, she prepared a paper knife and cut out Sam''s article from the newspaper.

    When she had successfully cut out the article and placed it on the table, there was a knock at the door.

    "Come in."

    "Hey, how are you feeling?"

    A man about the same age as the woman appeared.

    He was a well-dressed, elegant man with flaxen hair slicked back.

    He looked as if he was concerned about the woman and asked her a question.

    Yes, I''m fine. Thank you for your concern.

    "Clarice was worried too. Oh, were you looking at the newspaper again?"

    "I''m sorry."

    No need to apologize. You don''t have to apologize. I just want you to stay in bed. At least in bed."

    They are husband and wife. And they have a young daughter.

    They live happily ever after.

    But I can''t stop thinking about Sam.

    "If it''s all right with you, I could ask Count Walker for you, you know?"

    Mrs. Kato looked puzzled at her husband''s suggestion.

    This is not the first time this exchange has taken place.

    She wishes she could see Sam just once, but she has the means to do so, but she can''t.

    The feelings of wanting to see him and the feelings of not being able to see him are at odds within her.

    "Don''t worry about me, don''t worry about Clarice. I know that he is precious to you."

    "............"

    The husband called her name as if he was worried about his wife who had kept her mouth shut.

    "Melanie."

    Mrs. Holland just gives her husband an apologetic look.

    "Look, I have told you many times that it is a natural feeling for a mother to want to see her son. If you tell him what''s going on, I''m sure he will accept you for who you are."

    "...... you."

    "Clarice will be happy to know that he is her brother."

    "Are you sure, really sure?"

    The husband nodded at the woman''s question.

    "Of course. Your happiness makes me happy.

    Gently and thoughtfully, the husband smiled at her.

    "When you are ready, let me know. I''m always ready to talk to the Count."

    "-Thank you, dear."

    The woman--Melanie--told her beloved husband thank you.

    Then, as her husband left the room, she looked down at the article in the newspaper again.

    "I don''t know if I deserve to see you, Sam.

    She muttered to herself, her voice filled with sadness.

 176 - - 1 The number of fiancees has increased. â‘ 

    It had been a week since the duel with the sword master Amemiya Kurando.

    In the meantime, many things had happened.

    First of all, the Michel family.

    A young man named Kenny Michel was chosen as the new head of the Michel family.

    Kenny was Julien''s cousin, and unlike Julien, he had a reserved and quiet personality.

    He had recently visited the Earls of Walker and knelt down to Jonathan and Sam and apologized to them for the disturbances caused by his cousin and aunt.

    Kenny reported Julian''s death to Sam and the others with his apology.

    Julien, who had died as a man with his crotch crushed, was still alive, although Sam and the storehouse keeper had taken his arms.

    He and his mother had been under house arrest in the house, waiting to be judged, but the pain and humiliation were too much for him and he threw himself down from the third floor of the house. However, she could not die, and her body became immobilized.

    Misery, who felt sorry for him, told me that she killed him by strangling him.

    Misery, shocked by the murder of her beloved son, seems to have lost her senses.

    She was sent to her estate in the countryside, where she later committed suicide.

    It is said that she died by banging her head against the wall repeatedly while screaming her son''s name.

    He deserved to die, but in this case, it is all the more pathetic.

    When Kenny told them about his cousin and aunt''s death, they offered to pay compensation to the Walker family and Sam for the trouble they had caused, but he politely declined.

    In return, he promised that the Michels would never show their faces in front of Sam and his family again, and they left.

    Jonathan may have had his own reasons, but Sam was no longer interested in Julien and Misery.

    He was rather relieved that Liese no longer had anyone to bother her.

    Meanwhile, the Countess Walker''s family was in a state of joy.

    Lise, the second daughter, was pregnant with Sam''s child.

    When the Earls learned of Lise''s pregnancy, they were surprised and delighted.

    Especially Jonathan was so happy that his daughters looked at him funny and started to make mysterious little leaps.

    No wonder. It was his first grandchild.

    From then on, Jonathan and his family acted quickly.

    They decided to have their family doctor stay at the house and to keep an eye on Lise''s health at all times.

    Liese said "you''re overreacting", but Jonathan and Sam took advantage of the situation and were overprotective of their fianc¨¦e.

    Lise laughs at Sam and her father, but is happy that she feels cared for.

    Grace, Alicia, and Erica also congratulated Liese on her pregnancy.

    Jonathan, who was quick-tempered, had already started thinking about what to name the child.

    Grace is thinking about the boy''s name and the girl''s name together with her husband, although he says that they should wait until they know the gender first.

    She is probably looking forward to her first grandchild as well.

    The Countess Walker is greeted by G¨¹nther Ignaz, who arrives with a gift to congratulate her.

    He was not jealous of Lise and congratulated her on her pregnancy.

    Sam was relieved by G¨¹nther''s surprisingly normal reaction, but it was an unimportant moment when he winked at him and said, "It''s my turn next" as he invaded the bed that night in a negligee, and he really let loose with his magic.

    The next morning, G¨¹nther was having an elegant breakfast in the dining room of the Walker house as if nothing had happened, and Sam felt a sense of crisis that it was time to take the situation seriously.

    The hectic but lively week passed by in a flash, and the Walker family had regained their composure.

    Sam was on his way to the courtyard for training when he was approached by Marie, a maid.

    "Oh, Mr. Sam. Mr. Hualien has returned.

    "The Lady of the Lotus?¡¡Oh, yes, I''ll go meet them.

    For the past week, Hualien has been back at her parents'' house with no intention of interrupting family time.

    Hualien had become close to Liese, but she seemed to be concerned about her.

    Sam and Liese told her that she didn''t need to be so attentive, but she said she had something to report to Magnolia, so it was convenient for her.

    When Sam went to the front door, he found Karen carrying a large bag on her back.

    "It''s been a while, Ms. Karen.

    Hmm. It''s been a week. How is Lise?

    "You are fine. Let her see your face, she''ll be happy.

    Hmm. I will.

    You''ve brought a lot of baggage, by the way.

    "I also have a souvenir for Liese. I also brought some personal things. I''ll be taking care of you from today.

    After all, Hualien had been living with Count Walker''s family for about a month, and they were like family.

    Jonathan and Grace had welcomed her warmly, saying that they were happy to have a new daughter.

    I think she was grateful for the kindness of the Countesses, just as Sam was.

    "Well, then, say hello to your husbands, won''t you?"

    "Hmm. But first, I have to tell Sam something.

    "For me?¡¡Yes, what is it?"

    Hualien put down her luggage and bowed to Sam.

    "From today onward, I''ll be your fianc¨¦e, and I''m looking forward to working with you again."

    "--Hmm?"

    When Hualien suddenly said such a thing, Sam let out a surprised and strange voice.

 177 - - 2 More fiancees â‘¡

    "What do you mean?"

    Unless Sam was mistaken, Hualien had no intention of marrying Sam.

    She had been a good friend for the past month or so, so she could not hide her surprise.

    "I''m ashamed of myself for not seeing through Sam''s power."

    "No, no, that''s not true.

    "My eyes were blind. I never thought I could fight that sword saint that hard. When I used Ulrike''s magic power at the end, I was so moved that my hair stood on end.

    "It''s still just a trial, though."

    "If it''s not finished, I''m looking forward to seeing it when it''s finished."

    Me too.

    That''s what I''m talking about.

    "Yes?"

    Suddenly we are talking about Sam''s power, so I tilt my head back and forth, but the conversation continues.

    Then I remembered.

    (By the way, didn''t Hualien-sama say that she won''t marry a strong man? I mean, no way...)

    "I think Sam is a good man."

    "Huh?¡¡Uh, yes, thank you very much?"

    "I could tell from the way he treated Liese that Sam is a loving person. I wanted to walk with Sam like that."

    "......Er, I mean..."

    "I fell in love with Sam. Not only for his strength, but for Sam himself. That''s why I want to marry you. Please accept me. Oh, and don''t worry, I have Lise''s permission."

    Sam was surprised by the confession.

    He is only a little happy.

    The fact that Hualien, who had been looking for someone strong, had fallen in love with him not only for his strength but also for who he was, meant that she had been looking out for Sam''s best interests.

    Sam smiled and replied.

    "It''s nice to meet you, too."

    "--Okay?"

    Hualien''s eyes widened when Sam agreed.

    I was surprised at how easily I was able to accept her, but thinking back, we had been living together as a family and as good friends for the past month, so I guess I was ready to accept her.

    I can''t refuse her and pretend that the time I spent with her was not there.

    "I know that Haren-sama is a kind and caring person who has been good to Liese-sama and brought the grimoire for Kotomi. I already consider you such a wonderful person as my family.

    "--Thank you."

    Thank you very much.

    Hualien smiled clearly as she was accepted by Sam.

    Her smile was so lovely that Sam could not take his eyes off of her.

    However, her smile quickly fades and she pats Sam on the shoulder,

    "Well, good luck with the next one."

    He said something like that.

    "What?¡¡Next?"

    Not knowing what he was talking about, he pointed behind Sam, who tilted his head.

    "Hmm."

    Then, in front of the house,

    "Hey, Sam."

    "What?¡¡Mizuki-sama?"

    Mizuki Amemiya with her luggage was waving a small hand.

    Sam ran up to her.

    "Mizuki-sama, can I help you?"

    "Long time no see, Sam. I''ll be taking care of you here from today.

    "Yes?"

    Sam, who had no idea that Mizuki was going to live in the mansion, had a question mark on his face.

    "Huh?¡¡Didn''t you get the message?¡¡I''m going to be staying here from today, just like Lady Hualien. --I''m your fiancee.

    "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!"

    Following Hualien, even Mizuki became a fianc¨¦e, which was far from unexpected.

    "Wait, wait, what do you mean?"

    Hualien was easy to accept because she had been in an arranged marriage and had spent time with him, but Mizuki was not.

    I know she is a good person, but I don''t think we were meant to be engaged.

    "You don''t have to be so happy. Lise is very pregnant and needs help, doesn''t she?¡¡I figured I wouldn''t have to worry about it."

    "Wait a minute. I''m glad you care about Liese-sama, but what?¡¡What''s a fianc¨¦e?"

    I don''t understand why Mizuki, whom I haven''t seen in a week since the duel with Kurando, is now my fiancee.

    Sam tilts his head and wonders how long they have been talking about this.

    Mizuki smiled apologetically and told Sam.

    "You may not find it interesting to put it this way, but - hostage, I mean."

    The word "hostage" is not gentle.

    Sam frowns.

    "What do you mean?"

    "I''m leaving it in your hands as a possible deterrent so that my father won''t do anything stupid again, and I won''t do what he did."

    "Is that okay with you, Mizuki-sama?"

    Whoever decided this, it seemed to me that they were ignoring Mizuki''s wishes too much.

    If this had been a marriage between two families, there would have been room for acceptance, but it was difficult for me to accept it honestly when I was told that I was being held hostage.

    Mizuki, however, somehow blushed red in her cheeks and beamed.

    "Ah, yes, it''s a little embarrassing, but I''m glad Sam is going to be my husband."

    "Oh, yes."

    Sam''s tense air quickly fizzled out at the different response from what he had imagined.

    "I don''t dislike Sam, and if anything, I prefer him. Above all, I owe you a debt of gratitude for not killing my father. And I feel guilty for the trouble I caused you."

    "It''s nothing to worry about, Mizuki-sama."

    "I don''t care if you say so, but I do care because of what my father did. Of course, I''m not just a token wife, but I''ll be faithful to you. I know that Liese is the best, so don''t worry.

    "No, I''m not worried about that.

    "I will do my best to make sure that you accept me as your wife, not just as a formality, and I look forward to working with you for many years to come.

    "Yo, please take care of me, okay?"

    Apparently, Mizuki did not become Sam''s fianc¨¦e out of spite.

    She is here because she is convinced in her own way, although her role as a hostage is also a part of it.

    However, the sudden turn of events is too much for Sam''s head to keep up with.

    "Hmmm, I was wondering what would happen when you and Sam had a duel, but I guess I can thank you a little for that. I can''t wait to see how Sam and I''s children will grow up.

    When he saw Mizuki''s bright smile, Sam could not say anything.

    He was confused, but he did not dislike it.

    Is it because he is now aware of his status as an aristocrat, or is he simply happy to have a pretty girl as his fianc¨¦e?

    (For now, I''ll get down on my knees to Lise-sama later.)

    As Sam thinks about this with a distant look in his eyes, Karen, who had been watching what was going on, also sounds as excited as Mizuki.

    I''m looking forward to it too. I''m sure we''ll have a cute and healthy baby.

    "Yes, it is. I''m sure Lise will have a healthy baby, and the Scheidt family will be safe and sound.

    Sam can''t help but laugh at their comments, "Ha-ha-ha-ha.

    Sam, who found himself with four fianc¨¦es, muttered, "I''ve had a lot of luck with women since I was transferred to another world," and then sighed heavily, "huh.

    Sam is not averse to having a connection with these women, but he is happy about it.

 178 - - 3 Its a girls party â‘ 

    One sunny afternoon.

    Summer is approaching and the sun is shining a little more strongly.

    The plants in the garden are greening up and the flowers are growing well.

    On the terrace of the Earl Walker''s house, four of Sam''s fianc¨¦es were having a tea party.

    Lieselotte Walker, the second daughter of Count Walker, is carrying Sam''s child.

    She is wearing a loose-fitting white one-piece dress, whereas in the past she has often worn trouser-look clothes to show off her vivaciousness.

    Liese used to wear her long blonde hair in a single bun for ease of movement, but now she lets it loose.

    Lise used to be a dignified woman, but people around her say that she has become softer since she and Sam tied the knot. And when she found out that she was pregnant, she began to feel motherly in her soft atmosphere.

    Purple Lotus, granddaughter of Purple Magnolia, the first seat of the court wizard.

    She wears a white traditional costume with flower embroidery reminiscent of a Chinese dress as usual, and her voluminous peach-colored hair is pulled up in an updo.

    She is not very good at expressing her emotions and speaks without hesitation, but inside she seems to be surprisingly emotional, especially when she is involved in battle, and her eyes light up like a child''s.

    She was drawn to Sam''s strength and kindness, and when she confessed her feelings to him, he accepted her and became one of her fianc¨¦es.

    Mizuki Amamiya, daughter of the former kensei Amamiya Kurando.

    She is a dark-haired woman of the Land of the Rising Sun, dressed in hakama and laced boots.

    Her long hair was braided into a braid. She had a calmness that reminded me of Sam''s previous life in Japan.

    She has a sword standing by her side, which also serves to protect the women in the room.

    Trained from childhood by her father, a former swordsmith, she is one of the best in the country in terms of swordsmanship.

    After her father''s duel with Sam, she became his fianc¨¦e as a hostage, but it was not a serious matter because Mizuki herself was fond of Sam.

    The Earl and Countess Walker also treated her as one of Sam''s fianc¨¦es.

    And then there is Stella Isle Skye, First Princess of Skye.

    She was a fair-looking girl with silky, spotless white hair that reached down to her waist.

    She was the youngest of all her fianc¨¦es at 16 years old, giving her a slightly childish appearance.

    Her skin is as white as her hair, and her slender limbs invite protective feelings.

    Because Stella was not born with bluish hair, a common trait among the royal bloodlines of the Kingdom of Skye, she was rumored to be a child of infidelity for that reason alone.

    Her parents did not care, but Stella herself did, and she withdrew to study hard so that everyone would recognize her as a princess.

    However, after meeting Sam, she decided to see the wider world and started to leave her room.

    Recently, she has been spending more time with her parents, and has also started to actively engage in physical activities such as horseback riding.

    It is said that this has helped her to lighten up.

    Today was the first time that all four of these engaged couples had gathered together.

    "I never thought that Sam''s fianc¨¦es would get together like this when I met him.

    Lise says deeply, remembering the first time she and Sam met.

    Looking back, the boy who came to King''s Landing with his dead sister was filled with sorrow and worried that his sister might follow him if he left her alone.

    When his sister asked him to teach her the art of bodybuilding, he began to interact with her and gradually became attracted to her dedication.

    "I was attracted to him, too. It was unthinkable not so long ago that I, who had been confined to my room for so long, would become Sam''s fianc¨¦e and have tea with you all.

    Stella smiles happily.

    If she had not met Sam, she would have remained stubbornly locked up in her room.

    "I never thought I''d be anyone''s fianc¨¦e either."

    "Me too. I''ve never really thought about it."

    Hualien was dissatisfied with being seen only as the grandson of the court magician Magnolia, and sought strength in a marriage partner.

    None of them fulfilled this requirement, and none of them made any effort to be close to Hualien, who was reluctant to show her emotions.

    Only Sam was willing to laugh with her, to be kind to her, and even to show his strength to her.

    Mizuki was also a girl who lived by the sword, but she was worried that her father would not make her his successor.

    Despite all the twists and turns, she was able to understand the reasons for them when Sam and her father fought.

    It was probably because of Sam that I learned that my father cared about his family.

    "Yes, he did. I wrote to you in my letter, but I did not tell you directly. Congratulations on the fact that you and Sam are carrying a child together. I envy Lise a little."

    "Thank you, Lady Stella. But you too, Stella, no, I think it''s just a matter of time for all three of us.

    "Well."

    At Lise''s words, the three of them looked surprised and expectant.

    Although she is now Sam''s fianc¨¦e, the relationship between the three of them is still very much intact.

    Like Liese, they have not taken it one step further.

    But now that they are engaged, it is hard not to think that they will eventually be with Sam.

    "Sam is lonely, so please be nice to him."

    "Um, but is that okay?"

    Mizuki asks Lise.

    There is a slight hesitation among the three of them because they know that Liese is the best for Sam.

    "I don''t want you to worry about me. We are all going to be wives and we need to be loved equally. I want us all to be happy."

    Lise may be the most cherished of them all, but she knows she is not really the best.

    Her late sister is the love of her life.

    She has never felt bad about that.

    She loves Lise because she loves her deceased sister.

    "I am not going to monopolize Sam. From now on, it would be my pleasure if you guys could spend some time with Sam too."

    At Lise''s words, the three of them looked both relieved and embarrassed.

    As much as they were glad that Lise recognized them as Sam''s fianc¨¦e, it took a lot of courage to take a step forward in their relationship with him.

    "I''m a little embarrassed ...... with you, Mr. Sam."

    "Yeah. A little embarrassing, maybe.

    "Yes, it is. I think I''d like to start by going on a date."

    "I think that''s a good idea. You and Sam can go at your own pace."

    "But, Lise..."

    "Yes, Miss Stella?"

    "For our future reference, would you like to tell us about your sweet days with Sam?"

    "--What?"

    Liese stiffens at Stella''s hope.

    "I''m curious too. I sometimes hear them making out, but I want to know what they''re doing.

    "I''d like to know, too, for the future."

    "...... don''t tell Sam."

    Lise nodded with a wry smile at Stella and the others, whose eyes sparkled with interest.

    Then a yellow scream went up.

    Lise quenched her thirst with a cup of tea and began to talk about Sam to her expectant fianc¨¦es.

 179 - - 4 Its a girls party â‘¡

    "Sam is a sweetheart."

    "Well!"

    "Surprising."

    "Yes, it''s surprising."

    When I tell the women that Sam is a spoiled child because of Lise''s experience, they look surprised.

    "Maybe it''s because he didn''t have a very good childhood in a good family, but he unconsciously craves for human skin. And, you know, he''s young, so sleeping together comes naturally to him.

    Lise blushes.

    Stella and the others'' cheeks also turned red at the thought of her and Sam''s affair.

    "-Well, you know!¡¡Between you and me, what is it like to actually experience it?"

    It was Stella who raised her hand and asked a curious question.

    "Stella-sama, I think you are asking too much. No, it''s not that I''m not interested.

    "I''ve studied a lot of books about this for Sam-sama, and I''ve asked your mother and nanny about it, but I thought it would be better to ask Lise, who has Sam-sama''s favor first and foremost, about this kind of thing."

    Although Mizuki rebuked Stella, it is written on her face that she would like to hear about it.

    Hanae also looked at Lise and murmured.

    "Indeed, I am interested.

    "Well, I''ve heard that the first time is painful, and I''d like to be prepared for it, so if you can talk to me about it, I''d like to hear about it."

    "--oh?"

    --First time.

    Liese tilted her head at the word.

    "What''s wrong, Lise?"

    When Mizuki asked her, Lise responded with a slightly puzzled and troubled look on her face.

    "I, well, it wasn''t the first time with Sam..."

    "Oh, I''m sorry."

    "No, it''s okay. No, it''s okay. I can put it behind me and talk about it. But it''s a little strange. The first day Sam and I had s*x, it hurt so much that I cried and there was so much blood on the sheets."

    Looking back, I think Sam looked surprised, too.

    But Lise was the most surprised.

    Lise, who was supposed to have been through it all before, looked like a live girl.

    "That''s not what I heard. It''s not fair that it hurts every time.

    It''s a little different from what I know. Is that how it is?

    "Well, Lise, I hesitate to ask this, but how was your first time?"

    "Well, I didn''t feel anything."

    Now that her ex-husband is dead, Lise is able to think of the past as the past, but it is still not something she wants to remember very much.

    Still, she thinks back to two years ago to clear up the doubts that once came to her mind.

    What does that mean?

    There was no pain, no nothing. I''m going to get a little graphic, but with Sam, I knew he was in there, but with Julian, I didn''t know anything."

    "That''s a short--"

    "Lady Hualien!¡¡These chocolates are very popular in King''s Landing!¡¡You''re welcome to try some if you like!"

    "Mmmm, mmm, mmm, yummy."

    Hanae, who sensed something in Lise''s words, was interrupted by Stella, who also sensed something in Lise''s words.

    Mizuki''s wry smile suggests that she understood what Hanayasu was trying to say. However, Liese tilts her head at their reaction.

    "Besides, once with Sam it was a really long time, but with Julian it was only a few seconds. I don''t know why it''s so different for everyone. My first night with Sam was full of confusion.

    That''s fast.

    "Ohhhhhh, Hualien!¡¡I guess I''m not impressed with you just saying whatever comes to your mind!¡¡No, I think we all agree, and maybe I''m right, but let''s think before we say anything!"

    Again, Karen was about to say something, but this time Mizuki stopped her.

    Stella''s face turned red and she turned her head down.

    However, Liese was still puzzled, not knowing what was going on.

    "Well, well, I''m glad that you have put Julian in the past. Yes. No wonder you can''t have kids with your second wife. There were rumors that he might be sterile, but I guess that was before that."

    "Now I can understand why Sam said he didn''t get much of a response when he was crushed."

    "Well, ......, but judging from what he said and did, I don''t think he was aware of it."

    Three daughters were convinced by such a statement.

    It seems that the problem was on Julian''s side that Lise could not have children from his first marriage and that he could not have children with his second wife.

    Moreover, it seems that he was unaware of it.

    It seems that even a mother who loves her son so much did not know what was going on between his legs.

    "Wait a minute. So, doesn''t that mean that Lise''s real first time was with Mr. Sam?

    "Yes, I think that''s what it means."

    "Well, what have you been saying?¡¡Please tell me so that I can understand."

    "I know, I know. Sorry, sorry. Actually--"

    On behalf of Liese, Mizuki told Liese about Julian''s situation.

    Liese heard about Julian''s problems as a man and the fact that he had given his first time to Sam,

    "--Pfft. Pfft!"

    He burst out laughing, clutching his stomach.

    "I knew he was a small man, but he was small too!"

    "I don''t think it''s small, I think it''s tiny."

    "Ha ha ha ha, stop, don''t make me laugh!"

    Lise laughed so hard that Stella also clamped her mouth down and both Mizuki and Karen started to laugh.

    Their laughter echoed throughout the house.

    After laughing so hard that they almost had breathing difficulties, they asked the maid to make them some more tea to calm down.

    "By the way - how big is Sam?"

    Lise sobs at Hualien''s question.

    She tried to protest, "What kind of a question is this!" but Stella and Mizuki, their eyes shining, were waiting for Liese to speak.

    They were smiling at Liese''s words,

    "Actually..."

    Lise is also in high spirits and starts talking about it.

    If Sam had been there, he would have fainted in agony.

    The tea party between the four of them was lively and lasted until dusk.

 180 - - 5 "Guntas elegant daily life" â‘ 

    G¨¹nter Ignaz''s day begins with a greeting to a portrait of Ulrike Scheidt Walker and Samuel Scheidt.

    "My Ulrike, Sam, you are beautiful today."

    The pervert, who has been in ecstasy since this morning, rubs his cheeks against Ur and Sam''s personal belongings--underwear borrowed from Count Walker''s family.

    "--Phew, I feel like I can make it through another day now."

    If Sam had been here, he would have shot the magic out of him with impunity.

    In fact, this man looks nonplussed even after being attacked repeatedly.

    In a way, Sam sometimes wonders if G¨¹nther is the most powerful wizard in the Kingdom of Skye.

    He stands in front of the mirror, smiles, and takes off his nightgown.

    Naked, G¨¹nther''s next task is to select the most important item of underwear.

    It is a gentleman''s duty to choose something s*xy so that Sam can see it whenever he wants.

    "Hmmm, now that Liese is pregnant, I guess it''s my turn for a night out. Stella-sama, Karen-sama, and Mizuki-sama are also here, but in order of precedence, I''ll be first."

    The man had not learned his lesson the other day when he got into Sam''s bed in lingerie and got his ass kicked.

    "As long as Sam can take the form of Ur, I''ll consider making him my wife... No, that was a magic trick, not Sam''s form, but Ur''s form. It''s not the same as loving Sam in that form. I was drawn to Ur because of what I did. Sam is a bad boy. He needs to be punished a lot.

    Just remembering the recent duel between Amemiya Kurando and Sam, I can''t help but feel excited.

    At that time, Sam took the form of Ur.

    By using her magic power, she temporarily took the form of Ur and showed her power several times higher than Ur.

    To tell the truth, I was surprised.

    I thought I was going to climax.

    As a wizard, as a man, I can only respect Sam and bow to his deep love for me.

    It was a battle that made me wonder if I had ever loved Ur as much as he loved me.

    "--Phew. I shouldn''t have done that. I''m a little down. If I don''t smile, Ur will be sad."

    He puts on his favorite skimpy underwear and pulls on a white shirt and suit.

    He checks his clothes in the mirror to make sure they are in perfect order.

    Then, as if timed perfectly, there is a knock at the door.

    Good morning, Mr. G¨¹nther. You are in a good mood today.

    "Good morning, Annabelle. You seem to be in a good mood.

    A well-dressed middle-aged maid appeared.

    Her name is Annabelle, and she has been G¨¹nther''s personal maid since he was a child.

    She was a very important person to him, a family member.

    "Yes, a grandchild was born yesterday."

    "--That''s a pleasure. I remember your due date is coming up. How are you and your child?

    "I am very well. Thanks to your son G¨¹nther, who arranged for my daughter to be born in his house."

    That''s good. What is the s*x of the child?

    It''s a boy. He was born a little short.

    "It''s good that you are well. I wish I could have been there, but I''ve been so busy lately. I''m sorry. I''d like to send you a small congratulations later.

    "You took the trouble to tell me that, little man. You''ve been so kind to me in the past, I''ll be punished if you treat me any better.

    Annabelle''s grandchildren are like family to me.

    "--Thank you very much."

    G¨¹nther smiled kindly.

    Annabelle has done so much for me.

    Ur also liked Annabelle.

    It was one of G¨¹nther''s precious memories that Ur often came to visit her for the sweets she made.

    G¨¹nther moves to the dining room, chatting with Annabelle.

    He often eats at the Countess Walker''s house, but when he is at home, he has his meals with his parents.

    Family time is important to me, despite all the small talk I have been getting lately.

    "Good morning, father and mother."

    "Mm."

    "Good morning, G¨¹nther."

    Already in the dining room were my father, Logan, and my mother, Isabella.

    Logan was in his mid-fifties with gray hair brushed back.

    He keeps busy at the palace as an advisor to His Majesty Clyde, King of Skye.

    He is also busy as the head of the dukedom, but he makes it a point to appear at the breakfast table like this.

    Isabella is a woman of about 40, younger than her father.

    She and her father were married at different ages, but they are very close.

    She wears her hair blonde like G¨¹nther''s and wears an ornament in her hair.

    Her mother, who was the youngest sister of the present King Clyde, is a kind woman who never ceases to smile.

    "Oh?¡¡You two are in a good mood today. Did you have a brother or a sister?

    "Don''t be silly. Sit down."

    "Yes, yes."

    My father, who always looks so difficult with wrinkled brows, seems to be in a good mood.

    My mother was smiling as usual, but her smile looked even bigger than usual.

    When G¨¹nther sat down, Annabel brought him a cup of tea.

    He thanks her and quenches his thirst.

    "So, what happened?"

    "Something wonderful happened."

    G¨¹nther will be very pleased.

    "Me?¡¡Don''t tell me you and Sam have set a wedding date?"

    You''re going to have an arranged marriage.

    "-I''m sorry, father, I''m having trouble hearing in my sleep. Please try again.

    G¨¹nther could not understand his father''s words very well.

    "You''re going to have to arrange a marriage!"

    "She''s a lovely, good-natured young lady. You''re only twelve years old, but they like you very much. I thought it was a good offer, so I accepted."

    G¨¹nther felt giddy at his parents'' outrageous statement.

 181 - - 6 "Guntas elegant daily life" â‘¡

    "No, no, no, father, mother - I have a husband named Sam."

    G¨¹nther put his hand on his forehead, and when he said this, my father''s eyes widened and he yelled at him.

    "You can talk in your sleep!

    He stood up with a thud, his hands on the table, spit flying, and Logan yelled at his son.

    "You think I don''t know how much trouble you''re causing Lord Samuel?¡¡I don''t give a d*mn if they are of the same s*x or not, as long as they are in love!¡¡But you, you are unilaterally following an underage boy!¡¡And you''ve even caused trouble for Count Walker''s family!¡¡Shame on you!"

    "G¨¹nther, as a mother I would like to support my son''s love, but Samuel has a child with Lise. He also has other fianc¨¦es, Stella, Karen, and Mizuki, so you mustn''t interfere too much."

    Even the mother looked annoyed at her son, and G¨¹nther was not at all pleased.

    I am also your fianc¨¦e.

    "How can that be!"

    "Father, your blood pressure will rise if you keep yelling at me like that all morning."

    "It''s your fault!¡¡Yes, I''ll give you a hundred paces to go after Samuel. But think of your heir!¡¡You even if you were to oust your brother and become his successor!¡¡Don''t you have a responsibility for that!"

    "I had no idea what would happen to the duke''s family if I let that incompetent man succeed him, so I kicked him out. Besides, don''t worry about the heir, I''ll give birth to him.

    "There''s no way I can give birth!"

    "You''re not ready yet, father. I''m sure Sam will be able to impregnate me.

    G¨¹nther cowered, and Logan slumped back in his chair.

    "...... I should get down on my knees and apologize to Samuel," he said. But that''s beside the point!¡¡Your matchmaking is set!¡¡She may be young at twelve, but she is a good-natured, healthy girl. I like her!"

    No, thank you.

    "If you refuse, I''ll burn your collection of Ulrike''s things."

    "I don''t think you can break my wards, father."

    "I will call Lord Samuel."

    It''s not fair!

    Even G¨¹nther is well aware that his wards do not work on Sam.

    However, Sam would probably have an indescribable look on his face if he were summoned to the duke''s house to burn Ur''s stolen belongings.

    No, he might be happy to cooperate to save Ur''s belongings from G¨¹nther''s clutches.

    "Yes, I have a good news for you. The girl I''m meeting has a rare skill."

    I won''t change my mind just because of your skills.

    "Just listen. The girl has a skill called [Transparency]. Do you understand?¡¡He can pass through your wards at will!"

    I''ve never heard of such a skill!

    "That''s why I said it''s rare!"

    "Well, well, G¨¹nther, don''t you two make a lovely couple? You should meet them. You mustn''t disrespect someone who loves you for your eccentricity.

    But, Mother...

    "If you don''t like it, you''re not allowed in Count Walker''s house."

    "Oh, no!"

    It seems that even G¨¹nther can''t force his mother''s hand, and she is getting the better of him.

    Father tried to push G¨¹nther away.

    I usually leave you free to do what you want!¡¡Give it up and arrange a marriage!¡¡No, get married!¡¡Make a baby, and make us feel at ease as soon as possible!"

    "How am I supposed to make a baby with anyone other than Sam ...... than a little girl from nowhere who can''t conceive me?"

    "No, you idiot!"

    Thus, G¨¹nther''s parents decide to arrange an arranged marriage, even though G¨¹nther has no intention of doing so.

    G¨¹nther, who is determined to refuse the matchmaking as a duty of a nobleman, and Logan, who is determined to make G¨¹nther marry her at any cost, are staring at each other.

    It was a typical day in the life of the Ignatz family.

 182 - - 7 "At that time, in the Baroness Reinbach" â‘¦

    "Hoogeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

    Daphne, the head maid in the kitchen of the Baroness Reinbach''s house in the Barony of Reinbach, screamed as she opened the letter.

    Her colleagues looked at her to see what was going on, but she did not seem to notice their stares and was trembling.

    "Daphne?¡¡What''s wrong?¡¡Like that, making strange noises like a monstrous bird."

    "So, so, so, Mr. Derrick!¡¡I received a letter from little Sam!"

    "That''s good to hear, isn''t it?"

    "Hey, hey, hey, I''ve got a new fianc¨¦e without my knowledge!"

    Isn''t that a good thing?"

    Sam, who had been treated poorly, was happy in King''s Landing.

    Derrick was happy to hear the good news about the boy he loved like a grandson.

    But Daphne was different.

    "It''s not good!¡¡I was planning to take away your little boy''s chastity!"

    "...... you were thinking of such a thing, you are such a person at all."

    It is not unheard of for a maid to be the first partner of a nobleman''s child.

    Sometimes a housemaid or a widow of the estate would be asked to be the first mate.

    In most cases, the maid is rewarded handsomely, and is said to be well treated afterwards.

    Especially, the first woman is sacred for men, and they often continue to go to them afterwards or use them as mistresses.

    It would be all right if it were only like that, but sometimes there are women who try to seduce a woman because she is a child, even if she is an aristocrat.

    Even if they hire prostitutes, there is a fear of not knowing where they are connected with other families.

    For various reasons, it is considered the safest thing to have a trustworthy maid for the child.

    However, it is rare to find a maid like Daphne who is willing to be Sam''s first.

    "And your fianc¨¦e is pregnant!"

    "Oh!¡¡Isn''t that a cause for celebration!¡¡Who is he/she?

    "Countess Lieselotte of Walker."

    "So you''ve met the daughter of a family that has been very kind to you."

    "That''s not all!¡¡She is also engaged to the First Princess of the Kingdom of Skye, Stella Isle Skye, the First Seat of the Court Magician, Purple Magnolia, her grandson, Purple Magnolia, and Amamiya Mizuki, the son of the Sword Saint, Amamiya Kuratoh!"

    "--Yes?"

    Derrick couldn''t believe his ears.

    "What?"

    "That''s why!¡¡I''m engaged to the daughter of a countess, a princess, the grandson of a court magician, and the son of a sword saint!"

    "--I''m sure the Master would die of shock if he heard."

    "You can''t make a little boy do your bidding even if you''re standing on your head completely naked."

    "Of course."

    Karius has no doubt that Sam will obey his commands.

    But Daphne and the others think differently.

    Manion may have sent Sam away, but there is no way that Sam would listen to Karius, who had not looked for him and assumed that he was dead.

    Even if they tried to tell him from above, Sam is already a court wizard - in other words, he is a count.

    He also has a countess, a princess, a court wizard''s grandson, and a sword saint''s daughter as his fianc¨¦e.

    As Daphne said, they are not the kind of people a country baron can command.

    "By the way, what happened to the letter to the boy that the master told you to send?¡¡I didn''t see any mention of it in the little boy''s letter."

    I didn''t send it.

    Are you sure?

    "No need to bother, since little Sam is out of this house and sailing along smoothly."

    "That''s what I''m talking about, Mr. Derrick."

    Daphne commends Derrick''s judgment.

    There is no need to bother with Sam, who is succeeding in King''s Landing.

    "The master is a short-tempered man by nature, and I don''t want him to get into trouble with little Sam and have it turn into a big problem. It is best to leave him alone.

    "Speaking of neglect, I wonder what happened to that tantrumming father and son?"

    "I don''t know, I don''t know."

    "I didn''t think they would leave the mansion on their own."

    Daphne''s tantrumming children are Yolanda Reinbach and Manion Reinbach.

    They were under house arrest in a room on the north side of the house where there is no sunlight, because of their antagonistic attitude toward Harriet and Harry, the new residents of the house, and their attempted murder.

    After that, the father and son, who had been spending their days screaming without showing any sign of remorse, escaped from the house the other day.

    All the servants were delighted to hear this.

    "Thanks to you, the master seems to be in a good mood now.

    Karius, who had always wanted to get rid of Yolanda and Mannion, was in a good mood now that the troublesome father and son were gone from his life.

    Even the servants are relieved not to have to deal with their tantrums.

    "I just don''t know where they went. My hope is that they died in the field somewhere, or were attacked by some monster and died a horrible death."

    "--Don''t say things like that too loudly."

    "Oh, I''m sorry."

    Derrick is relieved to see them go, but he is also glad that Yolanda and Manion are gone, since he has been having a hard time with them.

    Especially Manion, who once almost killed Sam.

    Derrick and Daphne, who had taken a special interest in Sam, were not pleased with Mannion.

    "Well, I don''t care about that father and son. But a little boy with a little boy? ...... I guess it''s time for Daphne here to go to King''s Landing."

    "I don''t mean to tell you not to go, but you should at least get permission from the little man first."

    "Oh, I''m looking forward to it!¡¡I bet your little boy is going to be very cute!¡¡Yes, we must greet the wives!¡¡Oh, my God!¡¡You can''t even bring a souvenir from the countryside!"

    Daphne was already ready to leave for King''s Landing, and Derrick sighed heavily as if he had given up.

 183 - - "I was called up by the Second Queen."

    Sam had been living a peaceful life for the past few days, interacting with Lise and his fianc¨¦es.

    He was concerned about Lise''s health, so he met with Karen and went to visit Mizuki and Kotomi. He exchanged letters with Stella and was steadily strengthening his bonds with his fianc¨¦es.

    Sam is suddenly taken to the royal palace by a knight who has come to Count Walker''s house.

    It seems that the second queen, Cordelia Isle-Sky, has something to do with Sam.

    When I asked him why, he could only tell me the reason and made me put on my formal clothes in a short time.

    Thanks to the help of Liese and the others, it didn''t take long, but she is a bit frustrated by the impolite summons.

    (I don''t know why I was called...).

    Dressed in a black suit and a blue coat reserved for court wizards, Sam was ushered into the reception room, where he inwardly nodded his head without touching the tea that had been brewed.

    He could not think of any reason why he should be summoned by the second queen, with whom he had no connection, while Stella''s mother, the first queen Frances, had been summoned.

    (But that didn''t mean he could ignore the queen''s call.)

    Such a thing might cause trouble for the Countess Walker family and Stella as well.

    To be honest, I have nothing to say to the queen, whose face I don''t even know, but I am in the royal palace because it is the job of a court wizard in the service of this country.

    After a few minutes of waiting, when the steam from the teacups had run out, a knight entered the room without knocking.

    The knight took one look at Sam, looked around the room, and said to the hallway, "Come in.

    Then a woman in her mid-forties in a sparkling red dress with a maid in tow appeared.

    She had blonde hair and a flamboyant look.

    (Is this the Second Queen Cordelia? (Is this the Second Queen Cordelia? ...... She looks like a flamboyant lady?)

    Although he never said it out loud, Sam''s first impression was one of extreme disrespect.

    If he had asked me, I am sure I would have been outraged.

    The queen led the maids to a chair and sat down, half hiding her face with a fancy fan, and turned her gaze at us as if she was trying to judge our value.

    "Are you Samuel Scheidt?"

    The queen''s voice was somewhat intimidating.

    "Yes. My name is Samuel Scheidt.

    Sam got up from his chair, put his hand on his chest and bowed.

    "Hmmm, to think that the most powerful wizard in the kingdom is only a child. Well, that''s all right. I called you here today because I have some good news for you myself.

    "Yes."

    "You will be pleased. I will let you marry my daughter Rachel."

    How could you?" Sam sighed inwardly without saying it out loud.

    "With all due respect ......, I have Lieselotte Walker, Lady Murasaki Karen, Lady Amamiya Mizuki, and my fianc¨¦e, Her Royal Highness Princess Stella Isle Sky."

    It is impossible for him to be engaged to one more princess when he is engaged to a countess and even to a princess.

    This would be frowned upon.

    More importantly, I do not want to marry a princess whom I have never met.

    Moreover, Princess Rachel is of such a bad character that she would go out of her way to tell bad rumors about Princess Stella. I don''t think I want to be with her.

    "I''m aware that you have more than one fianc¨¦e."

    "Then..."

    "Why don''t you just break off the engagement?"

    "......."

    "My daughter Rachel likes you. Rachel is better than Stella who is not even sure she''s yours. You must have someone behind you if you''re going to be a court wizard. I will be your backer.

    "No, thank you."

    When Cordelia, in a laconic, high-handed manner, told him that she could not accept this, Sam made it clear that he would not accept it.

    "What?

    "Therefore, I must decline."

    "You''ve got to be kidding me!¡¡I''m offering you, a nobody from nowhere, Rachel!¡¡And you say no to that!"

    "No, I won''t do it. With all due respect, sir, I have no reason to marry you, Rachel.

    "...... don''t get cocky!"

    Cordelia''s fan is waved and strikes Sam on the cheek.

    Still straightening up, Sam did not shift his gaze from Cordelia.

    Lieselotte and I are going to have a child. I can''t break off my engagement to these precious people and get engaged to Rachel, no matter what happens.

    "You, you dare to disrespect Cordelia''s wishes!"

    A knight standing behind Cordelia approaches Sam as if he is about to draw his sword.

    But..,

    "Don''t touch me."

    "--Hi, ah, ah, ah..."

    The dense deadly energy and magical power emanating from Sam rendered him unable to utter another word, and he collapsed on the spot and began to hyperventilate.

    "Enough!"

    Cordelia rose from her chair and snapped her fan in her palm.

    "Rachel insisted, and I thought it would be a good thing, but a child with no manners like you is not fit to be a daughter," Cordelia said. You should be playing with the little girls at best."

    With these words, the queen, having lost interest in Sam, gets up from her chair and leaves the room.

    The maids rush after Cordelia.

    "Well, what was it all about?"

    Sam tilted his head and said, "I don''t understand," but there was no one there to answer him.

    Later, a maid came in and asked, "Are you still here?¡¡You can go home now," he is told. He sighs that he has wasted his time, and turns to leave the palace.

    "Oh, Sam."

    A familiar voice calls to Sam as he steps out into the hallway.

    "-The king."

    When Sam saw that it was King Clyde, he fell to his knees.

    "Good, good, you and I will be father and son. I would like you to be more friendly to me. I heard you were in the palace and came looking for you because I had something I wanted to talk to you about. Will you come by my room?"

    "Of course. I will be happy to accompany you.

    Mm-hmm. Let''s go."

    Sam readily agrees, and the king starts walking in a good mood.

    £¨I wonder if he came to look for me by himself. He''s so quick with his footwork.)

    With these thoughts in my mind, I followed the king.

 184 - - 9 "Im talking to the king."

    Sam is shown into the king''s office and is told to sit on the sofa, where he sits down.

    He sat down and began to prepare a cup of coffee, but not the maid.

    "Oh, is that the king?"

    "I''ve been on a coffee kick lately. I choose my favorite beans from a variety of beans, and I''m also particular about the utensils I use. Do you like coffee?

    "Yes."

    I''m glad to hear it. Francis and Stella seem to prefer tea, and although they will join me, they don''t seem to enjoy it very much.

    The rich aroma of coffee wafts into the room, and a smiling Clyde hands the cup to Sam.

    "Thank you very much. Thank you very much.

    Sam likes both coffee and tea.

    He often drinks green tea from the Land of the Rising Sun, but in a previous life he used to regularly visit a coffee chain with a worldwide network.

    He was not as obsessive as Clyde, he just liked to drink coffee, but he remembers that some of his friends had a hobby that involved even coffee utensils.

    "It''s delicious!"

    I am not trying to flatter you, but the coffee was well balanced and tasty.

    Clyde''s face relaxed at Sam''s words.

    I''m glad to hear it. I''d love to enjoy a cup of coffee with you, but I had to talk to you. Well, it looks like Lise is pregnant, congratulations."

    "Thank you very much."

    "I hope Lise is happy to have met you."

    I''m glad to hear that.

    If Lise is happy, Sam is happy.

    Because of her unhappy marriage, I want to make her happy enough to forget her painful past.

    "Have you heard about the Michels?"

    "Yes."

    "Julien Michel is dead and Misery Michel went crazy and killed herself. It''s a pity that they got what they deserved. But I can''t say I feel sorry for her.

    "I agree."

    I have no sympathy for him because he deserves it too much.

    He should have stayed quiet since his groin was crushed, but he lost both arms because he was foolish enough to take Kotomi as a hostage.

    As a result, he could not die even if he tried to kill himself, and he ended up dying at the hands of his mother.

    The mother, too, went insane from the shock of having her beloved son killed, and committed suicide by slamming her head against the wall.

    Instead of living to atone for her sins, she took the easy way out.

    "The remaining Michels are demoted from counts to barons. That''s all I can give as a penalty. I''m sorry.

    "I do not ask you to apologize to the king."

    I don''t care about the people who are no longer here, and I have no intention of having anything to do with that house in the future.

    "By the way, you already know that I met with Kurando the other day."

    "I''m sorry about your arm."

    I did not expect Kurando to refuse to treat my arm.

    When Kurando refused to heal his arm, Mokuren also readily backed down, so he will be living as a one-armed man from now on.

    But that does not mean that he has lost his ability as a swordsman.

    I would not fight him again if I could help it.

    "Good. It was his choice not to treat him. That''s all he did. I owe you an apology. Kurando was an irreplaceable friend to me. Therefore, I have given you a warm feeling that you may not agree with. I''m sorry."

    "No problem. Kurando-sama was a victim too.

    I''m sorry. Mizuki will take over the sword saint''s position sooner or later. But now is not the time. I''m sorry that this incident has spread. Therefore, we cannot make Mizuki the saint of sword. And Kurando says that she is not capable of that yet.

    I''ll leave that part up to you."

    "I think you mean your wife."

    Sam looks troubled at the king''s words.

    It was Clyde''s decision to make Mizuki Sam''s fianc¨¦e.

    Mizuki herself seems to know that she is also a hostage to Kurando, but Sam is a little unconvinced.

    However, he did not intend to interfere if Kurando and Mizuki were satisfied with it.

    "I don''t care if Mizuki-sama is a kensei or not. I accepted her engagement because I thought it was a chance encounter, but I didn''t do it because she is the daughter of a sword saint.

    "-I sometimes envy you for that. I was not like you when I was young."

    "Because of my inexperience. I am ashamed of myself."

    My relationship with Mizuki is good.

    She is smiling, partly because she does not feel the grief of coming here as a hostage, and partly because Sam and Countess Walker are treating her as one of their own fianc¨¦es.

    Although she lives apart from her father and sister, she is not forbidden to see them, so she visits them when she can.

    Sometimes Sam goes out with them.

    "Hmmm, that''s all right with you. Now, Liese, Stella, Karen, and Mizuki are your fianc¨¦es, and they want to give you a territory."

    "No, thank you."

    "...... to the end of the story."

    I don''t want it.

    "So..."

    "I don''t want it super bad."

    "...... huh. You are not greedy. Normally, I would be happy to receive a territory.

    Sam cowered as the king chuckled.

    "Even if you give me the land, I cannot assume the responsibility of managing the land in consideration of the lives of the people in the land. I will not accept such an offer in the future.

    Is that what you want?

    Yes. I''m more comfortable in King''s Landing.

    "Looking back on Sam''s past, I don''t think he''s very laid-back."

    Ha-ha-ha-ha, that''s the way it is.

    "Well, good. I will do as you wish. It would be more convenient for me if you were in King''s Landing.

    "Thank you."

    Sam was relieved that he did not have to give up his lands.

 185 - - 10 "Talk to the King" â‘¡

    "By the way, it seems that your relationship with Stella is going well."

    "Yes, although it pains me that we have only exchanged letters.

    I am sorry that Stella is the only one who can only send me letters from the palace while the other engaged couples are enjoying their lives together.

    Sam would like to talk to Stella face to face anyway, but he feels that it would be unwise to visit the royal palace so casually.

    "I don''t think so. The other day she was pleased with the handkerchief you sent her.

    "I''m glad you were pleased."

    "I did not expect Sam and Stella to write to each other every day like this. But it''s good. She''s happy. So..."

    "Yes?"

    "We think it''s time for Sam and Stella to come live with us."

    Then I must speak to the master.

    Wait, wait, wait a minute, Sam.

    If Stella is coming to the house, we need to be ready.

    I''m sorry, but I''m going to have to ask Jonathan to make some arrangements.

    Clyde interrupts Sam as he is thinking about this.

    "Are you planning to stay with Count Walker''s family?"

    "Well, shouldn''t I have?"

    Considering Lise, I thought it would be best for her to continue to live with the Countess.

    Jonathan and his family would want to be near their first grandchild, and since Lise was pregnant, she should be in a comfortable place.

    "I don''t mean to be rude, but you already have the title of count. Why don''t you at least have a house of your own?

    "Oh, is that how it''s done?"

    "That''s the way it is. Don''t look like such a pain. I''m sure it''s hard to find a place ...... but there it is. I''m going to give you the house.

    "What?"

    It''s my late brother''s house, not a very big one.

    "But, sir, I mean..."

    He could not hide his confusion, as he had never imagined that he would be given a house.

    At the same time, he wonders if he should be allowed to decide on his own.

    I wanted to discuss this with my fianc¨¦es.

    "Between you and me, I''m giving you too much trouble. Starting with Albert and ending with the Kurando case. But I have not repaid you in any way. I am sorry for that.

    "Oh, no, I don''t care."

    "I would be concerned. You are a kind and good man, but it pains me that I have to take advantage of your kindness all the time. And even if Stella came to live with you, she''d be too busy with the Countess Walker family to visit you easily."

    "Oh, I see."

    "Eventually you and I will have a child together. I want a place where I can go to see you without any worries. Will you accept this?"

    I am sorry to be so modest when the king says so much.

    I will have to discuss it with my fianc¨¦es and with all of the Countesses of Walker,

    "Thank you very much."

    Not being able to ignore Clyde''s goodwill, I thank him and accept his offer.

    "--Mm-hm."

    The king nodded in satisfaction at Sam''s reply.

    "I will give you the details later. Finally, I have one more thing to tell you. Do you remember the other day when I told you about the other court wizards besides G¨¹nther and the others?"

    "Of course."

    I am referring to those who, due to the intervention of the aristocracy, have been placed in the position of court wizards despite their lack of ability.

    These men were informed that they could remain court wizards only if they dueled with Sam.

    What happened after that, Sam had not been told.

    "In the end, no one was willing to duel with you to preserve your position as court wizards."

    "What?"

    "They all refused to fight a duel and renounced their offices and titles for fear of repeating Albert''s mistake."

    "That''s absurd."

    I did not expect him to give up his position as court wizard so easily.

    I was surprised, since I thought he would duel with some if not all of them.

    "You may not understand it Sam, but that''s all there is to people who think they can take advantage of their position and take advantage of the sweetness of the situation.

    "So that''s how it is. I just don''t get it.

    That''s all right. It''s just that I''m in a bit of trouble.

    I have a bad feeling about this.

    When adults use such phrases, it is usually because they are involved in something troublesome.

    "Besides you, G¨¹nther, and Magnolia, there are others who have fulfilled their duties as court wizards and served their country well. His name is Dominic Johnston."

    "Are you Dominic Johnston, sir?"

    "Yes. Dominic is an excellent wizard. He missed your duel with Albert because he was skirmishing with a certain tribe on the frontier.

    What happened to him?

    He''d love to see what Sam can do."

    Sam looked up to the heavens as the king apologetically told him.

    "Oh, it''s trouble after all!"

    Sam''s hunch became a certainty.

 186 - - 11 "The letter has arrived."

    After spending some time with the king, Sam would have liked to meet Stella if time permitted, but she was riding a horse and he hesitated to disturb her, so he decided to go on his way.

    "I think I''ll go to the castle town and buy some souvenirs for Lise and her friends.

    Knowing that they were having a girls'' night out during the day, Sam decided to get some cookies or something.

    "Samuel."

    "Hmm?"

    At that moment, I thought I heard someone call my name.

    I looked around for the owner of the voice and saw an elderly man staring straight at me.

    £¨Who is it?)

    At least I didn''t recognize him.

    I could tell by his appearance that he was a nobleman.

    I was about to ask the old man with the cane if there was anything I could do for him when he opened his mouth.

    "Samuel Reinbach, is that correct?"

    "No, you have the wrong person."

    Sam made it clear.

    At the same time, he completely stopped being involved.

    He bows to the old man and turns to leave,

    "...... No, you''re not."

    You''ve got the wrong guy.

    I''m talking about me.

    You''ve got the wrong guy.

    "But you..."

    You''ve got the wrong guy.

    I don''t know who the old man was, but I had a feeling he was going to be trouble.

    In the first place, he could not be decent enough to call himself by such a joke of a name as Samuel Reinbach instead of Samuel Scheidt.

    Sam is a member of the Scheidt family, and the only family he has is that of Count Walker.

    Of course, the people who live in the Reinbach estate and Daphne and Derrick, who are like family to him, are different, but he still does not want to have anything to do with that family anymore.

    £¨I didn''t think that I would have such a country baron''s acquaintance in King''s Landing. I was a little caught off guard.)

    "Well, I think you understand that you have the wrong person, so I''ll leave you to it."

    "Well, wait!"

    The old man stopped Sam, but he kicked the ground regardless.

    He used his body strengthening magic to make a big leap, and then he flew through the air with his flying magic to the courtyard of Count Walker''s house.

    When he released his magic and landed quietly on the ground, a voice called out to him from the second floor of the house.

    "Sam, welcome home."

    "Ah, Lise-sama. I''m home."

    "What was the queen''s business?"

    "I don''t know, sir, but it wasn''t much of an errand."

    I don''t want to tell them that I was told to leave Liese and the others and get engaged to Princess Rachel.

    Lise would be uncomfortable, and I don''t want to bother her with that kind of thing.

    "Lise, how are you feeling?"

    Sam uses his flying magic again and flies upstairs.

    He enters the house through the window.

    "Yes, I''m fine. Don''t worry too much. I''m not so weak."

    "I''m sorry."

    "It''s nice of you to worry about me."

    Liese kissed Sam on the cheek.

    "Oh, yes. I have a letter for you."

    "For me?¡¡Oh, is that Daphne?"

    "I don''t think so. I only saw the address, but it says Viscount Riedyll.

    "Viscount Riedl? I''ve never heard of ....... I''ve never heard of him, but I''m sure I''ve heard of him somewhere.

    The name may or may not sound familiar.

    I think I heard it somewhere, but I don''t remember.

    "Open it anyway. Then you''ll understand."

    "Yes, sir. Okay, then."

    He opens the letter and checks its contents.

    Then Sam sighs heavily.

    "-- huh."

    "What''s wrong?"

    "The Viscount Riedyll''s family is apparently the family of my ex-brother''s fianc¨¦e."

    "Ex-brother of the Reinbachs?"

    "Yes, but I heard the engagement was called off. I heard from Daphne''s letter that her illegitimate son has become the heir, so the engagement must have been called off because of that."

    "I''m sorry to hear that, but it''s not uncommon among the aristocracy."

    Yes, well, yes, that''s true.

    Former brother Manion was once heir to the Barony of Reinbach.

    I don''t know the details of what happened after I left that house.

    However, I heard that he had another half-brother who became the heir of the family.

    (He had absolute confidence that he would be the heir, didn''t he? Well, it doesn''t matter. I don''t even remember his face.)

    I was not particularly interested.

    To Sam, Manion and his newly succeeded brother were of no importance.

    The problem was not with them, but with Viscount Riedyll.

    "What''s wrong?¡¡He was kind of brusque, or rather, he wrinkled his brow."

    "Actually, Viscount Riedl wants to meet with me once. With your daughter."

    "Sam, it''s probably..."

    "That''s what I''m talking about, isn''t it? I''m sick and tired of this kind of thing."

    Although nothing direct is written, it is clear that he wants Sam to have a daughter.

    Since he defeated Albert to become a court wizard, it seems that he had been contacted by families who wanted to be related to him through Count Walker''s family, but Jonathan had taken care of everything.

    However, recently, with the number of fianc¨¦es now four, the families who think that they might have a chance to be involved, have been contacting him repeatedly even after he has refused their offers.

    Perhaps the old man who had just approached Sam might be one of them.

    "I can''t help it. Sam is a court wizard. Besides, he has a fianc¨¦e, Lady Stella.

    It seems that some of the noble families want to be associated with the royal family rather than with Sam, which makes Jonathan''s stomach and Sam''s head ache.

    "That''s right, isn''t it? But there''s something that''s been bothering me."

    "What''s wrong?"

    "It says here that Viscount Riedyll''s daughter is looking forward to seeing me again, but I don''t remember meeting her."

    "Well, I hate to say it, but I think that''s the plan."

    "Yes, but there''s something about it that''s bugging me, that''s bothering me, hmm."

    I feel like I''m forgetting something.

    "Well, that''s unusual for Sam. I wonder if he''s interested in the daughter of a viscount?

    Lise laughs teasingly.

    "No, no!¡¡It''s not like that. But it''s stuck in my memory somewhere.

    Maybe he had met Sam before he became the person he is today.

    It is possible that Sam does not remember all the memories of the past, and therefore cannot recall her.

    If so, what would she think when she sees herself as a different person?

    I was a little curious.

 187 - - 12 "I met my grandfather" â‘ 

    "Did you see Viscount Koffi the other day?"

    A few days after his return from the palace, Jonathan summoned Sam to his office and asked him about it.

    Sitting on the sofa, drinking a cup of tea, Sam tilted his head.

    The name did not ring a bell.

    "Who is it?"

    "I''m not close to him, but I know him. He''s a nobleman of the same royalist faction, but we don''t know each other very well."

    "What''s wrong with the viscount?"

    "It seems that I approached Sam the other day, but I misunderstood him, so he apologized and offered to speak with me face to face again."

    The old man who approached Sam comes to mind.

    "Oh, could it be him?"

    "You''ve been seeing him, after all?"

    Yeah, probably. When you called me Samuel Reinbach, I thought you had mistaken me for someone else."

    "...... Sam, you did that on purpose, didn''t you?"

    Jonathan sighs.

    "I really don''t want to have anything to do with people who call me Reinbach."

    "Not that I don''t know how you feel. So, what are you going to do?¡¡You are free to see him or not. You do what you want."

    "Are you sure?"

    "It''s not a house you can afford to ignore. Besides, it might be someone who wants to take advantage of Sam the court wizard. It would be a waste of time if we had to deal with all of them.

    However," Jonathan adds.

    "At the moment, it seems that they want to talk to Sam rather than to win him over. As far as I''m concerned, if he knows that Sam was a Reinbach man, it wouldn''t be a bad idea to meet him once and see how he''s doing.

    "Okay. I don''t like the idea of meeting with someone who might be related to Reinbach, but I don''t want to get into trouble later, so I will try to meet with him."

    "Okay. I''ll let them know."

    Please do."

    The next day, Viscount Koffi called me back and said he wanted to meet with me immediately, so it was decided that we would meet at the Count''s house that day.

    The person came immediately.

    I thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking time out of your busy schedule to meet with me today. My name is Ewing Kofi. I am Ewing Koffi, the former head of the Viscount Koffi family.

    Hi, I''m Samuel Scheidt.

    This is my fianc¨¦e, Mizuki Amemiya.

    In the drawing room of the Earl of Walker''s house, Sam and his family were meeting with Ewing Coffey, Viscount Ewing''s predecessor as head of the family.

    Ewing was, after all, the old man who had approached them outside the palace the other day.

    He had only brought one of his followers with him, and he was not armed or anything.

    He had come just to talk with Sam.

    On the other hand, Sam''s side has Mizuki standing next to him, just in case.

    Mizuki was chosen because she is the most skilled user among the fiancee''s, since she was supposed to protect Sam from Ewing and vice versa.

    The presence of the fianc¨¦es here is also a check to prevent them from discussing a marriage proposal inadvertently.

    Jonathan, who has already greeted Viscount Kofi, is also present because he is concerned about Sam.

    "Samuel Scheidt, I apologize for the other day.

    After exchanging greetings, Ewing bowed deeply and apologized.

    "Please look up. I am sorry for being rude to you. But how could you have mistaken me for someone like Samuel Reinbach?"

    "That''s because I am the father of Carius Reinbach."

    "Oh, I see."

    £¨I''m surprised that you are related to him, rather than related to him. I never expected to find that man''s father in King''s Landing.)

    Inwardly, Sam sighs.

    If I had known Ewing''s true identity in advance, we would never have met.

    "Well, does this mean that Mr. Ewing will be Sam''s grandfather?"

    "No, Mizuki, I''m not so sure about that.

    "Huh?¡¡But."

    Mizuki mentioned that Ewing was Sam''s grandfather, but it was Jonathan who interrupted him.

    "Baron Reinbach has stated publicly that his eldest son is dead. Then, isn''t he a stranger to Sam?¡¡His name is Samuel Scheidt. Not the deceased Samuel Reinbach."

    "I came here prepared to be told that."

    Ewing looks at Sam and sounds calm.

    "I know you are wary of me, but I am no longer associated with Carius."

    "What do you mean?"

    He was once my successor, but he mistakenly thought he was superior, became arrogant, and would lash out when he did not get his way. I tried to change him, but he would not change. Therefore, he made his brother to be his successor and got rid of Carius. I thought that hard work would change him, but considering your situation, it seems that nothing has changed.

    "I have no interest in Carius Reinbach."

    I don''t care how Carius got kicked out of Viscount Kofi''s house.

    I don''t care that much about him.

    Sam, you shouldn''t be so cold to your grandfather.

    Mizuki rebuked Sam for his indifferent attitude toward Ewing.

    Sam''s eyebrows furrowed in annoyance.

    "It''s okay, Mizuki Amemiya-dono. From his point of view, it''s understandable that he doesn''t want anything to do with that house.

    "Then why did you come to see me?"

    "My grandson became a successful wizard at a young age. I wanted to meet him, even if only for a moment."

    "I see."

    And I wanted to give you a heads-up.

    "--attention?"

    I don''t know the details of what Carius did to Samuel. As a parent, I can only apologize for the actions of my ill-advised son. But if he has not changed, beware. He will do something."

    "Thank you very much for your advice."

    Sam was curt.

    Ewing''s apology would not change the past.

    Besides, Sam was no longer Reinbach.

    Carius was not wrong in his public statement.

    Indeed, Samuel Reinbach is dead.

    Sam''s previous identity was killed by Manion.

    He is now Samuel Scheidt with the memories of his previous life.

    Therefore, he does not consider the old man in front of him as his grandfather, nor does he care about Karius.

    For Sam, family means Daphne and Derrick, who still work for the Reinbachs, and Lise and all the other members of the Walker family. And his fianc¨¦es, including Mizuki, Karen, and Stella.

    In the end, Ewing left without further conversation.

    He left saying that he wanted to see her again.

    Sam did not reject him.

    "I''m sure Grandpa was worried about you," he said.

    "I''m not so sure."

    "I think so. I feel sorry for you if you''re too blunt."

    A short time after Ewing left, Sam, who had remained in the parlor, was rebuked by his fianc¨¦e.

    "I''m sorry. But I''m Samuel Scheidt."

    "You said that, but you''ve been in touch with Daphne and the others."

    That''s true, but...

    "I''m not going to tell you to remember what you went through. I think it''s better to just forget about it. But now that your grandfather has come to see you, maybe next time you can be a little nicer to him."

    "......Yes. I''ll try to do that."

    "Yes. Good and honest. You''re a good boy, Sam.

    Mizuki patted Sam''s head as he replied honestly.

    "Hey, don''t treat me like a child."

    "Hmmm, he''s just a kid. Sam is my sweet younger fianc¨¦e.

    Mizuki hugged me gently, and Sam also hugged me strongly.

 188 - - 13 "I met my grandfather" â‘¡

    When former Viscount Ewing Coffey returned from the Countess Walker''s house, he was greeted with a smile by her granddaughter, Mewie.

    "Welcome home, Grandfather.

    "Oh, you came all the way to see me, Mui."

    Of all Ewing''s grandchildren, Mui is the one he loves the most, a fifteen-year-old girl with long, flaxen hair.

    She is also the most intelligent of the grandchildren.

    "You''ve seen Samuel, haven''t you?¡¡How was it?"

    "The boy was very unlike the son of Callius."

    "Oh, I wish I could have met him."

    Don''t say that. I''m sure we''ll have a chance to meet."

    Sam did not seem to have good feelings toward Ewing, Karius'' father, but he still expected him to improve.

    "What are your plans with Samuel?"

    "I hope to build a good relationship with them. I was thinking of taking you as my wife, if possible, to deepen our relationship, but it seems that my fianc¨¦es are more important to me. I don''t want to push things too far and cause trouble. Besides, your fianc¨¦es won''t be so quick to show their openness."

    "Oh, I''m sorry."

    Muyi says, sounding really sorry.

    "So am I. There are no wizards in our family. I would have loved to have a wizard in my bloodline, but there is no use in forcing it.

    Sam is not only a good candidate for women.

    Being a wizard is a rarity in itself.

    Many people want to have a wizard in their family.

    Especially one as young as Sam, who holds the title of court wizard and the most powerful wizard in the Kingdom of Skye, is a man in desperate need.

    "I''ve heard from your father about your Uncle Carius, that he doesn''t care much for magic."

    "He was a man for whom the sword was everything. But even his sword is more than ordinary at best. Your father may have been physically weak, but he was quick-witted and kind-hearted, but he knew that as a nobleman he had to be cool-headed when necessary. That is why I sent Carius away. I did it because I thought it was in the best interest of my son."

    In the end, however, Carius never changed.

    As a parent, it is sad that I could not understand my son until the end.

    "But it''s amazing. Uncle Carius became a baron with just a sword.

    "Mm. I''ll give you that much credit. But you treat your children terribly. Nothing has changed since I sent them away.

    "Perhaps you don''t know that wizards are rare?"

    "That can''t be true. You know it, but you can''t appreciate its value.

    If Carius had been a flexible thinker, he would not have kicked him out.

    "Uncle Karius reminded me that I just received a report that Yolanda Reinbach and Manion Reinbach are on their way to King''s Landing."

    "Yolanda?¡¡Manion?¡¡I''ve heard of him, but who was he?"

    It''s Uncle Carius'' wife and child. It seems they are Samuel''s half-brothers."

    Mewey''s explanation reminded Ewing of his grandson, whose face he did not know.

    "Ah, the bad boy and his mother, who had been touted as having a talent with the sword and had become a good boy. I had them gather information in Reinbach, but they were not people I wanted to have anything to do with.

    "Former heir to the throne and former heir to the throne, apparently."

    Viscount Kofi had been researching the Baroness Reinbach family in the wake of Sam''s case.

    In the process, they remember getting nothing but bad information about Manion and Yolanda.

    Ewing has no intention of getting involved with either of them.

    "As I recall, the current heiress is Harriet, and the heir is her son, Harry."

    I don''t know their names. Do you have any information about them?

    "She''s a town girl from Reinbach. Apparently she was a favorite of my Uncle Carius, who made her his mistress and carried his baby boy. But Yolanda had a temper tantrum and Manion almost beat Samuel to death, so he wouldn''t let her near the house.

    "Well. It seems to be very important."

    "It would seem so. It seems that Uncle Carius gave up on his former successor Manion when he became a selfish child who couldn''t even use a sword properly and made Harry his successor. I think it was a good opportunity for him, since he was fed up with Yolanda who had spoiled her son for so long.

    "Manion was the one who kicked Sam out, wasn''t he?"

    Yes. Manion, who thinks the sword is the best, just like Uncle Carius, treated Samuel, who cannot use a sword, as incompetent and kicked him out.

    "It''s a sad thing to treat a man of such talent as incompetent."

    Manion, who treated Sam as an incompetent, had also become an incompetent who could not wield a sword properly because of his sloppy life.

    To top it all off, he tried to kill his half-brother and was repulsed twice.

    Ewing, of course, did not want to admit that Mui and Ewing were of the same family.

    "It''s an interesting story, sir."

    "What?"

    "Reinbach told me that after the incident in which Manion almost killed Samuel, Samuel became cheerful as if he were a different person, and then he awakened to magic."

    "Oh. Was it the near-death experience? Or was it something else?

    "I''m curious too. So, how do you want to deal with Manion and Yolanda?

    When asked by his grandson, Ewing shared his thoughts.

    "It''s a waste of time to get involved. Let it go. We don''t want any trouble. As soon as he arrives in King''s Landing, keep an eye on his movements.

    "Yes, sir."

    She reverently picks up her skirt and bows, and Muey leaves for the back of the house.

    He must have gone to give orders to his men.

    "Hmm. It''s a pain in the ass when you''re trying to get close to Samuel. But what are you doing in King''s Landing?"

    Ewing could not have imagined that Yolanda and Manion, delusional that they could take everything from Sam, were on their way to King''s Landing.

 189 - - 14 "Its Alicias feeling" â‘ 

    Alicia Walker is a somewhat reserved girl.

    Compared to her lively sisters, she is not very vocal or physically active.

    She was always downcast, speaking in a hushed voice, and did not have any close friends.

    And she is not good with men.

    The only people Alicia could relate to without fear were her father, Jonathan, and her childhood friend, G¨¹nther.

    There was another boy who could be called a childhood friend, but he was not Alicia''s type, so she did not get to know him well.

    Samuel Scheidt was a strange person for Alicia.

    He is her late eldest sister''s apprentice, her beloved boy, and her second daughter''s fianc¨¦.

    The most powerful wizard in the Kingdom of Skye, he was a little different from the men Alicia knew.

    He is easy to talk to, and words come naturally when she is with him.

    When she actually talked with him, she found that he was a good listener and listened to Alicia''s stories with a smile.

    Thanks to him, I have come to enjoy talking to people.

    Since Sam came to the house, many things have happened.

    To Alicia''s shock, a dragon, who had only existed in the stories, came to stay with her as a guest.

    She learned that she had the skill to communicate with non-human creatures.

    I was happy to be able to talk with the scorching dragon and its children.

    My heart pounded in my chest as if I were a character in a book.

    The children were very friendly to Alicia, and it tickled her to hear them call her "big sister" in their own language.

    Alicia realized that they had become her beloved family.

    It is amazing to see how playing with them has made Alicia realize that she has a vivacious side to her that she never thought she had.

    Don''t tell my family that the other day I took a trip to a faraway place on the back of a baby dragon.

    Sometimes we play in the river, get covered in mud, and laugh loudly with each other.

    I was living a life that I could not have imagined a short time ago.

    I realized that I was no longer the person who had been lying on my face.

    I can now stand tall and proud and say things clearly.

    I made friends at school, and for the first time, I was able to enjoy my school life.

    I think the reason why I was able to change like this was because of Sam.

    Today, I went with Sam to bathe the baby dragons, which has become a daily routine for me.

    They squeaked and bit my arm to bathe with me, and I got soaked by Sam''s water magic.

    He and his dragon cubs laugh loudly and frolic happily, oblivious to the fact that their clothes are becoming transparent.

    "Oh my God, even Alicia has become a tomboy.

    So laments my mother, who sighs when she sees herself covered in mud.

    My father is a man of good health, but my mother would like to lament the fact that her once ladylike daughter has turned into a brawler.

    But Alicia has no intention of going back to her past.

    She is going to play in the courtyard with Sam and the dragons until the sun goes down.

    "Ummm, we had a good time today too, didn''t we?

    "Ssshhhhhh..."

    Alicia and her friends go straight to the bath after having fun playing with the little dragons.

    I had a good time talking with Sam about the book I had given him the other day.

    It was a very enjoyable time, but it ended easily.

    When Lise was looking for Sam, Hualien came to call her.

    Sam went to his sister, looking happier than when he was with Alicia.

    It was not that Sam had disrespected her.

    He looked apologetic and said, "I''m sorry. I''ll see you tomorrow.

    I gently petted the little dragons and went to my sister''s room.

    I have no complaints. I shouldn''t have complained, but I felt sorry and my heart ached.

    "I knew it..."

    Alicia tries her best to hide the feelings that are in her heart.

    Seeing her sister so happy warms her heart.

    Alicia truly wants her sister to be happy after all she has been through.

    She has never wanted to interfere with her sister''s happiness.

    "--Sam."

    Still, the faint feeling of love for Sam that resides in my heart will never disappear.

    But I am afraid just to think that my sister''s smile would be clouded if her feelings were made known to me.

    At the same time, I am unable to confide my feelings for Sam, and I am tormented by the fact that I have to keep them deep in my heart.

    "ssshhhh..."

    "It''s okay. It''s nothing, please don''t worry."

    The little dinosaurs purr anxiously and lick Alicia''s face, so she smiles and reassures them.

    She doesn''t want them to worry about her, as they are still children.

    Alicia tries to keep her smile on her face, keeping her feelings for Sam deep in her heart.

    After leaving the bath with the children, Alicia changes into a comfortable one-piece dress, and Marie, the maid, appears.

    "Dear Alicia."

    Hey, Marie. Can I help you?

    The master wants to see you.

    Your father?¡¡Thank you, I''ll be right there."

    It was unusual for my father to call me, I thought as I sent the dragons to their rooms and headed for my father''s study.

 190 - - 15 "Its Alicias feeling." â‘¡

    "Sorry to call you all the way out here. Come on, sit down."

    "Father?¡¡Even your mother?¡¡How can I help you?"

    Alicia went to her father''s study and was greeted by her parents.

    Alicia sat down on the sofa, tilting her head to see if something was wrong.

    Her parents sat down on the sofa facing Alicia across the table.

    "We''ve had a lot of trouble in our family lately, but we''ve had more celebrations than that," Alicia said. It may seem strange to say this, but Viscount Robert has expressed an interest in pursuing a marriage with Alicia. I wanted to confirm your feelings."

    "You mean you want me to marry ...... Mr. Jim?"

    At least that''s what they and Jim, of all people, want."

    Viscount Robert''s family has known each other for a long time, as their mothers were friends from school.

    Jim, the eldest son, was a boy who attended a magic school and was a childhood friend of Alicia.

    Jim has been fond of Alicia since she was a child, but Alicia is not very fond of Jim, who is a brusque boy, does not listen to others, and is always talking about himself.

    "Jim is graduating from magic school this year. Jim will graduate from magic school this year. He has some time before he becomes the head of the family, so he plans to join the magic army. He would like to take Alicia as his wife. Yes, we will be engaged until he graduates, and then we will be married."

    "Jim is not a bad boy. He is a talented wizard and has been devoted to Alicia since he was a little boy. I think it''s a good story, and that''s why I''m going ahead with it."

    "...... I am."

    Alicia''s voice is dark against her parents'' eagerness.

    It was no wonder; Jim was not the kind of man she wanted to marry.

    She knew he was not a bad man, but they were not compatible.

    "Of course, you can say no if you don''t want to. After what happened with Liese, I want you guys to have the marriage you want."

    "......I don''t mean to contradict your opinion, but it would be very difficult for you to marry late because of it."

    "I know. I know, but you''re not too old to rush. Alicia is only seventeen years old. She''s still going to school, and I don''t think it''s a bad idea to wait until she graduates at least.

    "You''re just sad that I''m going to marry off my daughter to you."

    Hey, hey, don''t do that in front of Alicia.

    "Oh-ho-ho, excuse me."

    Seeing my parents so happy together makes me long for the idea of marriage.

    Suddenly, Sam''s face flashed in my mind.

    Alicia''s heart ached again.

    "Well, Alicia, what do you think?¡¡You may not like gentlemen, but your childhood friend Jim would be different, wouldn''t he?¡¡We see each other once a month, and I''m sure the boy will understand you."

    As a mother, she would have been happy to see Alicia with her friend''s son.

    With that in mind, it is hard for me to say that I am not a fan of Jim.

    Sure, I see him every month, but I have never confided in anyone that that once-a-month day was painful.

    I am sure my mother would be disappointed if I told her.

    However, Alicia asks herself if she should just let Jim and her marriage proposal go forward.

    £¨I''m sorry, Jim. I''m still...)

    I don''t think I can live up to my mother''s and Jim''s expectations.

    Alicia takes a deep breath and looks straight at her parents.

    £¨You have to be brave. (You have to say it! You have to say it right!)

    If things go on like this, it will hurt Jim.

    I don''t want a marriage I don''t want.

    I might not be a daughter of a nobleman, but I was not going to give up the feelings I had in my heart.

    "I''m not good at ...... Mr. Jim."

    "Alicia?"

    I summoned up all my courage and uttered a single word, and the next words came naturally.

    "She has never once listened to me, only talking about herself. He is always bragging about himself. I didn''t want to listen to him talk on and on. He is not the kind of person who listens to me like you do, Mr. Sam."

    "-Alicia, is it possible that you..."

    "--"

    I held my mouth in panic at having unintentionally mentioned Sam''s name, but it was too late.

    My parents rolled their eyes and then asked me to confirm it.

    Tell us the truth. No one is going to blame you."

    "But..."

    "Alicia, we can''t do anything for you unless you are honest with us.

    In response to my parents'' words of concern, I summoned up my greatest courage and told them clearly.

    "--Yes. I adore you, Mr. Sam.

 191 - - 16 "Its a story about a father and a daughter." â‘ 

    Night. Lieselotte was reading before going to sleep.

    "I didn''t think there was such a book on the market ...... Sam might faint if he saw it."

    The book in her hands is a story that is quietly popular among the women of King''s Landing and some men.

    The vivacious Lise is not much of a reader, but Marie, the maid, says, "I''ve found something amazing! He delivered it to me with a snort.

    I was interested in reading it because Marie, who loves the stage, praised it highly,

    "......What is this, the lustful life of Duke G¨¹nther Ignatz and Samuel Scheidt, court wizard?"

    I read the book and found it to be exactly as the title says.

    I don''t know who writes such books, but there are a few things I didn''t like.

    The most important one is that Lise is sleeping with Sam by G¨¹nther, and in the end she congratulates him instead of stepping down because she thinks they are a good match.

    "No. Absolutely not."

    I''m sure G¨¹nther would be delighted to read this.

    No, I suspect that G¨¹nther might be the author of this book.

    It hurts my head to think that such a book is popular in King''s Landing, albeit secretly.

    "I don''t suppose you''ve read it, Alicia, have you?"

    I would be a bit shocked if my sister, who loves to read, has read this book.

    I don''t want to have to tell her that the book exists if I try to confirm it.

    As Lise sighs, there is an unexpected knock at the door of her room.

    "Lise, may I have a word with you?"

    "Father?¡¡Of course, come in."

    He hides the radical book under his pillow and stretches out on the bed to greet his father.

    "I''m sorry you''re resting. Oh, where''s Sam?"

    "He''s with Hualien and Mizuki."

    "- You mean both of you at the same time?"

    Liese sighs as her father''s eyes widen and he imagines all kinds of crazy things.

    "...... father, that''s a bit vulgar. We are training for the night. Of course, it''s about combat."

    "Yes, that''s right. I thought they were, you know, engaged, like you, Sam."

    "Yes, we are engaged, but I think it will take a little more time for Sam and I to become man and wife."

    "Well, that''s a relief."

    Lise tilted her head and wondered what her father was doing here.

    If he had come all the way to his daughter''s room to talk to her about such a trivial matter, he would have to report it to her.

    "Father, you wanted to talk to me about something, didn''t you?"

    Oh, yes, that''s right. Alicia has received a formal offer of engagement from the Robert family."

    "Jim Robert, I believe. I didn''t have much contact with him, but I know he is crazy about Alicia. How can I help you with that?"

    I thought he had come to inform me of my sister''s good fortune, but my father''s expression was somewhat gloomy.

    It was not the face of a man who had come to announce a happy event.

    £¨Oh, I see.)

    Lise nodded her head as if she had an idea from her father''s complexion.

    "But, Alicia," she said, "I don''t know..."

    "You''re not keen on it, are you?"

    Father looked at Lise with surprise.

    "--How did you know?"

    "She''s my sister, I know it when I see it. Alicia likes Sam, doesn''t she?"

    Looking at my sister these days, I knew immediately who she had feelings for.

    "Mm-hmm, as a matter of fact, I do. Jim seems to be the type of guy who doesn''t listen to me and talks about himself a lot.

    "That sounds like the type of person Alicia would have a hard time with."

    That''s right. Sam, on the other hand, listens well and seems to really enjoy our time together. Recently, he has been spending more and more time with her, taking care of her dragon cubs and so on, and he has found himself falling in love with her."

    "Hmm. I thought so. Alicia''s personality would be a good match for Sam.

    Alicia seemed to enjoy taking care of the baby dinosaurs.

    Perhaps it was simply the fact that she could talk to the dragons in the story, but I know that Sam was always next to her when her sister''s smile was bright.

    Not wanting to disturb her, she did not speak to her when she saw her.

    "But yes. But you confided in your father. It must have taken courage."

    "So, you know. Alicia wanted to apologize to you in person, but, uh, you know, I stopped her. I''m sorry."

    Liese was surprised at her father''s sudden apology.

    "Why should Alicia and your father apologize to me?"

    "...... that''s what it is."

    "Perhaps you don''t think I would be angry with or against Alicia?"

    "You don''t?"

    "No, I won''t do that. It''s true that I''m a bit jealous, but I don''t want Sam all to myself.

    "Really?¡¡I thought..."

    "If I had intended to do so, Karen, Mizuki, and even Stella-sama would have refused. If it was Sam''s character, he would have refused if I had said I didn''t want to do it.

    "But you didn''t."

    Lise understands that Sam cares about her very much.

    She is grateful for that feeling, and Lise loves Sam as much as he loves her.

    If Lizeth had really said that she wants Sam exclusively and does not need any other woman, Sam would have done exactly what she said.

    But Liese doesn''t want that.

    "Yes, Sam is lonely and I don''t think I can support him by myself. So I would be very happy if Alicia would support Sam with me.

 192 - - 17 "Its a story about a father and a daughter" â‘¡

    "--Hah."

    Hearing Lise''s words, Jonathan sat down in a nearby chair and let out a big breath of relief.

    "Good. I was afraid that the relationship between the sisters would be broken."

    "Hmm. That won''t happen. It is rare, but not unheard of for sisters to marry one man.

    Depending on the occasion, it is not impossible for sisters to marry one man.

    As long as they are happy with each other, there is no problem.

    However, it is not impossible for sisters to have a disagreement over one man, so Jonathan''s concern is understandable.

    "That''s true, but - well, for some reason Sam seems to have a predilection for the Walkers," Jonathan said. Ulrike, Lise, Alicia ......, you don''t mean Erica, do you?"

    "Erica seems to respect Sam in terms of magic, but she doesn''t see him as a member of the opposite s*x. She just loves him as a younger brother.

    "--Ha, don''t tell me that they''re going to make me and even Grace Sam''s fiancee one of these days!"

    "...... How can that be?"

    Liese looks at her father, who has just said something outrageous.

    I''m not saying it''s impossible for my mother to be with Sam, but it''s not likely to be with my father.

    If the whole family, both male and female, were to get engaged to Sam, even Liese would be puzzled.

    "But it seems that Sam and I are a good match."

    "No doubt. I think Sam is as cute as my own son."

    Jonathan lowered the corners of his eyes.

    My father is true to his word, he loves Sam as if he were his own son.

    He sometimes makes him go through hardships, but he seems to enjoy them as well.

    Now that Sam is engaged to Liese, he will soon become a son in the true sense of the word.

    Liese and her family knew that their father was looking forward to that day.

    "You must really love Sam, father."

    "We have been blessed with lovely daughters, but if we had wanted, we would have had a boy, too."

    "I would have enjoyed my days if I had a younger brother. That is why I adored Sam so much, but I had no idea when I met him that I would come to love him with all my heart.

    "You never know how people are going to relate to each other."

    "Yes, it is. By the way, father. It''s all well and good for Alicia to get engaged to Sam, but how are you going to tell them no if you''ve taken her feelings into consideration?

    "Actually, that''s the problem."

    I understand my father''s concern.

    Although they are not yet officially engaged, that does not change Jim Robert''s commitment to Alicia.

    It would be ideal if possible to amicably forget about this conversation, but if he is not convinced, there is always the possibility of a dispute.

    "Jim has not been without good things to say. "Jim has not been without a good offer, but he won''t hear of it unless it''s Alicia.

    "If you liked Alicia so much, you shouldn''t have been so selfish."

    "Don''t say that. It is not unusual for a boy of his age to not be able to act the way he wants to in front of the person he loves. It''s rather something to smile about.

    It is more unusual for a boy like Sam to be able to interact with women without fear, despite his age.

    Usually, he is a little nervous.

    "I don''t doubt it, but..."

    "The only thing that worries me a little is that Jim seems to be a bit of an emotional boy. He has a strong sense of justice, but he''s not very flexible and has had a few run-ins with students at school because of it.

    "More and more, Alicia and I are not a good match."

    "I wonder what Jim would do if he found out Alicia had dumped him."

    "I have no doubt that he will come to see Alicia to find out how she really feels."

    Sigh," the father and son sighed together.

    "You''re in trouble."

    "I''m sure you''ll get into trouble."

    They prayed that their hunch would not come true.

    "It''s a friend of Grace''s. I''d like to keep it quiet if at all possible."

    "Yes. But even if Sam hadn''t been there, it wouldn''t have worked out, so I think it''s better to make it clear, don''t you?"

    "What do you want me to say?"

    "Actually, Alicia has always had a hard time with your son."

    "I might shut myself away if I had to hear such a thing from my lover.

    "I think the only way to get him back on his feet is to introduce him to a new woman, don''t you think?"

    It is better not to let them get married even if there is a little trouble here and now, than to have a loveless marriage and have things turn sour later on.

    As Liese, I want Alicia to be happy.

    At least from what my father has told me, Jim Robert will not be able to make it work with Alicia.

    Even if they do get married, Jim may be happy to marry the man of his heart, but Alicia is not.

    "I don''t think I''d change my mind so easily by introducing someone else, but okay. If Lise accepts Alicia, I am sorry to say no. Well, I''m sorry, but Sam has feelings, too. Will you talk to her?"

    "Yes, I''ll take care of it. Besides, I''m sure Sam won''t refuse Alicia.

    Lise smiles, looking convinced of something.

 193 - - 18 "Who does Alicia like...what?" â‘ 

    "Huh?¡¡Liese-sama, you are still awake, aren''t you?"

    When Sam came back to his room after meeting with Karen and Mizuki and taking a bath, he was greeted by Lise, who was lying on the bed with her upper half awake and wearing a cardigan over her nightclothes.

    "Yes, Sam and I wanted to talk to you for a moment."

    "You want to talk?"

    It might be a little difficult. Come on, come sit next to me."

    Lise invites me to sit on the bed.

    "By the way, what happened to the lotus flowers?"

    He says he''s worked up a sweat and is going to sleep. Well, maybe it''s because I was so serious in front of them, but they really attacked me even though it was a hand-to-hand meeting, and I thought I was going to die."

    In the recent battle with Kurando Amemiya, Sam fought with all he could muster at the moment.

    Although there were many magic tricks that he had not yet demonstrated, it was the best he could do at that time and place.

    And he showed that he could overpower the best swordsman in the land.

    Seeing Sam''s ability, Karen and Mizuki attacked him with all their strength without any hesitation, even though it was a hand-to-hand contest.

    Perhaps, they too wanted to draw out the best out of Sam.

    However, Sam fights with them only as a training for close combat, so his use of magic is minimal.

    They seem to want to corner Sam and make him use his magic.

    "Hmmm. Haren and Mizuki both hate to lose. They want to challenge Sam''s real intentions.

    Ha-ha-ha-ha. I''m coming.

    "By the way, let''s get down to business."

    "Yes."

    "--What do you think of Alicia?"

    Sam tilts his head.

    I am puzzled as to why he asked me about Alicia, not understanding Lise''s true meaning.

    "Hmm?¡¡Are you talking about Lady Alicia?"

    "Yes, I want to know how Sam feels about it."

    "I think she is a very nice person. You can tell by the way she gets along with the little dragons. I''m surprised that he is a little too energetic. Lately, it seems that he invites them to his room to live with him. For some reason, the burning dragon hasn''t returned yet, so the children are happy to see him.

    "Yes. I didn''t know she had such an energetic side.

    We both laugh.

    Alicia, who I had thought was a shy and quiet girl, has the audacity to take a walk on the back of a dragon.

    Sam is able to deal with the family of the scorching dragon without hesitation because of his fighting skills, but Alicia is different.

    Sam knows how much courage it takes for a girl who has no fighting skills to be friends with dragons who have the power to overwhelm humans.

    "And you''ve read a lot of books, so you''re very knowledgeable. I''ve heard that you have excellent grades in school. Above all, we get along well with each other. I like stories too, so we''ve been having a lot of fun talking about popular books lately."

    I loved spending time with Alicia talking about all kinds of things while taking care of the little dragon cubs.

    I miss Alicia, who at first kept her distance from Sam because she said she was not good with men, but now we have become close.

    Now, he looked forward to spending time with her.

    "I see. So you like Alicia."

    "Of course. How could I ever dislike Alicia?

    "--Okay. It''s a relief to hear how Sam feels."

    "Relieved?¡¡What do you mean?"

    I was puzzled, not quite understanding what Liese was trying to say.

    Then Liese opened her mouth, looking satisfied.

    "Sam, I would like to take Alicia as my wife.

    "--Yes?"

    "Well, technically I''m still your fianc¨¦e, but you''ll be Sam''s as well as ours."

    Wait, wait, what do you mean?

    I don''t know why Liese suddenly wants to make Alicia her fianc¨¦e, and I don''t know what her true intentions are.

    Sam is filled with confusion and questions.

    "What?¡¡I mean it as it is."

    "No, I mean, why are you talking about Lady Alicia becoming my fianc¨¦e?"

    "You like Alicia, don''t you?"

    "Well, yes, but that''s not what I meant. I heard that Alicia has an offer for you ...... well, she doesn''t seem to be too keen on it."

    "He says she''s not interested in the proposal because she''s in love with someone else."

    Oh. Then I''ll be with him.

    I wonder what kind of person Alicia likes.

    The kind of person she would like.

    He must be kind.

    It''s you.

    "Hmm?"

    "Alicia likes you, Sam."

    "--What?"

    When Sam heard his fianc¨¦e''s words, he couldn''t believe his ears and let out a muffled yelp.

 194 - - 19 "Who likes Alicia...what?" ï¼Ÿ

    "Well, that''s..."

    I meant exactly what I said. She should probably tell you how she feels about you, but we don''t have much time."

    "Time?"

    "They want to move things along. It''s not a bad match, but Alicia wants to decline. She told her father and the others why she wants to go ahead with it, but I think she''s been too shy and she doesn''t want to tell Sam how she feels about him. But hey, it''s too late for that, right?"

    Sam knew that Alicia had been approached about a marriage proposal.

    As I recall, it was a boy who had been a childhood friend of Alicia''s.

    However, he had never expected that Alicia would like him.

    Of course, I was confident that we had a good relationship as family and friends, but I could not hide my surprise that she had more feelings for me than that.

    However, I do not dislike it. In fact, it makes me happy.

    "Well, it''s true, I already have four fianc¨¦es..."

    Alicia tried to hide her love for Sam from Liese, feeling sorry for her, but it is certainly too late for that.

    Sam has three other fianc¨¦es besides Liese: the first princess of Stella Isle Sky, Karen Murasaki, and Mizuki Amemiya.

    "Hmmm...Sam is going to have a hard time. So, what do you think?¡¡On a serious note, I''d like you to accept Alicia."

    "Lise-sama?"

    Sam tilts his head curiously at Lise, who looks somewhat serious and recommends Alicia.

    Knowing how close the sisters are, it is not surprising that they recommend Alicia as their fifth fianc¨¦e.

    She knows that Sam and Alicia have a good relationship.

    In fact, Sam did not seem to dislike Alicia either.

    "I know she''s my sister, but I feel sorry for Alicia because I don''t want her to get her heart broken," Sam said. I''m afraid that if she gets desperate and gets into a marriage she doesn''t want ......."

    I understood Lise''s anxiety.

    Alicia is usually a quiet girl, but when push comes to shove, she has a strong and strong side.

    If Alicia were to become desperate and marry someone she does not want to marry, there would be many unhappy days ahead of her.

    Of course, there is no guarantee that Alicia will act in such a rash manner, but the possibility is not zero and Liese must be worried about it.

    But the biggest problem was Sam''s feelings.

    "Liese-sama. I like you, Alicia-sama. But..."

    But?"

    Sam thinks about Alicia.

    He enjoys spending time with her.

    Alicia''s favorite stories are Sam''s favorite stories, and the time spent together with her taking care of her dragon cubs is a precious moment.

    At first, when we first met, there was a sense of distance because of her fear of men, but now we are so close to each other that we have no problem being shoulder to shoulder.

    I was happy to see that.

    The thought of Alicia getting married to someone else, which I did not want, bothered me.

    I had already come to a conclusion.

    "I will tell the rest to Alicia herself.

    With that, Sam makes Liese meditate with one eye.

    She must have understood what Sam meant.

    Lise smiled happily and hugged Sam.

    "Oh my God, Sam!¡¡Thank you!¡¡Make Alicia happy too!"

    "I''ll do my best."

 195 - - 20 "Im tied up with Alicia."

    The day after Lise told me about Alicia''s feelings.

    A somewhat nervous Sam went to Alicia''s room.

    "Mr. Sam?"

    When I knocked, Alicia, wearing a one-piece dress and a light cardigan, peeked out from her room.

    "May I have a moment of your time to talk to you?"

    "Of course. Please, come in. But please don''t look around the room too much. It''s not a beautiful room and I''m embarrassed.

    "Excuse me."

    When Sam was invited into the room, he looked around Alicia''s room.

    Thinking back, this was the first time he had visited her room.

    There were many stuffed animals on the bed and shelves, and books were placed everywhere, but it was not messy at all.

    It was Alicia''s room.

    "Please, have a seat here."

    There was a small table and two chairs, probably for drinking tea.

    Sam sat down on one of the chairs and faced Alicia across the table.

    "So, what can I do for you?"

    Alicia asked, and Sam swallowed hard.

    Sam was nervous.

    He had been married to Liese and engaged to Stella and the others, but he had often let himself be carried away by momentum, emotion, and the flow of the moment, so this was the first time he had had to face them like this.

    £¨It''s not that I don''t believe in Lise, but I don''t want to imagine what it would be like if Alicia didn''t like me or not. (Yeah, go for it!)

    "Well, I don''t have anything very clever to say, and I don''t think it''s very nice of you to suddenly ask me something like this."

    "Yes, what is it?¡¡You can tell me anything you want."

    "-Will you be my wife?"

    "--What?"

    Alicia''s eyes filled with tears as Sam''s courageous confession was made.

    "Aaahhhh, I''m sorry!¡¡I''m sorry!¡¡No, it''s not!"

    "...... not?"

    "Oh, no, no, not at all!¡¡But, you know, I''m sorry if I offended you!"

    Alicia suddenly started crying, and Sam was in a panic.

    Alicia takes out a handkerchief and presses it to her eyes.

    "I''m sorry. I''m ...... sorry for crying all of a sudden, but I''m so happy."

    Sam''s chest heaved with joy to hear her say that.

    At least he knew that Alicia didn''t mind.

    "But why all of a sudden--oh, did your father tell you?"

    "Yes, well..."

    I had actually heard about it through Lise, but I didn''t mention it because if I had mentioned my sister''s name, Alicia might have shown unnecessary concern for her.

    "So you proposed to me, P.," she said. But I don''t think it was because your father asked you to.

    No, sir, I don''t.

    Alicia''s concerns were valid, but Sam made it clear that he did not want to mislead her.

    "I didn''t do it because someone asked me to."

    "......I won''t hide it from you, since you already know. I adore you with all my heart, Master Sam."

    Alicia, who took Sam''s words to be serious, confided her feelings to him with red cheeks.

    However, this is short-lived as her expression turns thoughtful.

    "However, I have never wanted to be forced into a relationship with you. I would rather go to a monastery than cause trouble for Sam.

    Please stay. I''m not bothering you!

    "--What?"

    Sam panics at the mention of a monastery.

    He had never thought that Alicia would think of such a thing.

    She must have been very reserved, not wanting to disturb her sisters.

    Her excessive concern was typical of Alicia, but she could have been more brazen.

    "I must confess that I was surprised when I first heard of your feelings, Alicia-sama. I didn''t expect it. But I was happy."

    "...... Dear Sam"

    "I love spending time talking with you, Alicia. I can''t help but smile when I see you talking about your book. It broke my heart to hear that you might be about to get married, even if you don''t want to.

    Sam gets up from his chair and goes over to Alicia and kneels down beside her.

    He takes her hand and lays his own on top of hers.

    It made him happy to know that Alicia was thinking of him. I was very grateful.

    "So, you mean, you really care about me?"

    Yes. I intend to.

    Alicia, unable to hide her surprise at learning of Sam''s feelings, gives a wry smile.

    "I know I should probably spend more time on this kind of thing, but I heard you don''t have much time, so I had to take action.

    "......Mr. Sam, are you sure you want me to do this?¡¡Do I have to give up on Master Sam?"

    "If it''s okay with you that I have four fianc¨¦es, let''s be happy together."

    "--Master Sam!"

    Alicia jumped into Sam''s chest.

    The force of the plunge caused Sam to collapse in Alicia''s arms.

    Alicia would have been in tears at the thought of having done something so immodest, but she was oblivious to her current position.

    Her cheeks flushed with happiness and excitement, and she gave me the biggest smile I had ever seen as she pushed Sam down.

    "Of course!¡¡I look forward to working with you for many years to come, Master Sam!"

 196 - - 21 "There are still problems left."

    "--Congratulations, Alicia, Sam!"

    After welcoming Alicia as his fianc¨¦e, Sam went to report to Jonathan and Grace.

    They were having tea in the cafeteria, where Lise, Erica, Karen, and Mizuki were also there.

    The six of them congratulated Sam and Alicia on their engagement.

    They were especially happy for Liese, who knew that she had been about to step down because of them.

    Jonathan and Grace also seemed relieved that Alicia, who had been so reluctant to be with the opposite s*x, had successfully tied the knot with the boy she loved.

    "By the way, you two sisters are crazy about Sam, aren''t you?

    Erika laughs at that.

    She is right, the eldest daughter Ulrike, the second daughter Lieselotte, and the third daughter Alicia loved Sam.

    And Sam loves them all.

    "No, no way, Erica ......, you love Sam too?"

    The father, who had slightly misunderstood his youngest daughter''s statement, thought that even Erica adored Sam, and panicked.

    "No, I don''t!¡¡Of course, I respect him very much as a wizard, but Sam is just my little brother!"

    Erica seems to love Sam as a younger brother.

    Jonathan and Grace looked relieved.

    Their parents'' attitude was understandable. It does not mean that they do not like Sam. But they do seem to be a little concerned about all the sisters marrying one boy.

    It also means that Erica, in particular, cannot suddenly break off the marriage since it is currently going well.

    "But, father, mother, I hate to say this at a festive time, but I don''t think Jim will give up on his sister Alicia so easily, do you?"

    Alicia and the others'' expressions clouded at Erica''s words, which she spoke somewhat hesitantly, knowing that they would dampen the mood of the meeting.

    "Well, I guess so. That''s what worries me."

    "Jim has always been obsessed with Sister Alicia, though not as obsessed as G¨¹nther is with Sister Ur."

    "Hey, Erica. Tell him you''re single-minded."

    Erika is bitter, as if she doesn''t think much of Jim Robert.

    Liese chided her youngest sister.

    "Well, from my point of view, G¨¹nther and Jim are not so different.

    "Leaving G¨¹nther aside, the question is what to do with Jim. I am going to refuse him, saying that it was not a good match, and they will not force me to do so. But I have no doubt that Jim likes Alicia, as Erica said."

    Sam did not interrupt the discussion with the Walkers, but he gently took Alicia''s hand, who looked uncomfortable because the topic was about her.

    "...... Mr. Sam."

    "It''s all right, Alicia. Trust your husband."

    "--Yes."

    Sam smiles, and Alicia smiles too.

    Jonathan, who looked satisfied with the girls'' appearance, continued to speak.

    "Well, I don''t know what to do. The best thing would be for me to apologize to him, but I don''t know if he would accept that.

    "I must apologize, too. I have to apologize as well. I have been too much of a proponent of this project, not taking into consideration Alicia''s feelings. I am sorry for that.

    "...... mother, I''m sorry."

    No, Alicia doesn''t need to apologize. I didn''t think you had a problem with Jim ...... but come to think of it, I''ve never heard you talk about him. I had heard that Jim liked Alicia and talked about you all the time at home. I was content with the fact that they liked you. Forgive my mother."

    "Oh, no, it''s not your mother''s fault."

    Alicia shook her head as Grace apologized.

    It is true that her mother did not listen to her daughter''s opinion properly when she was making a proposal.

    But that was because she thought it was a good match. And Alicia could not say no.

    It''s a mutual thing.

    You know...

    Sam, who had been standing on the sidelines, raises his hand fearfully.

    "What is it, Sam?"

    "If you don''t mind, I''d like to go and talk to this Mr. Jim Robert myself."

    No!

    "Sir?"

    It was Jonathan who immediately dismissed Sam''s proposal.

    Sam was puzzled.

    "I appreciate the sentiment, but what if you and Jim end up in a duel after G¨¹nther, Albert, and Kurando!

    "No, that''s not going to happen.

    "Even if Sam has no intention of doing so, there is a possibility that the other party will get out of hand and challenge him to a duel. Especially from Jim''s point of view, Sam is the man who took Alicia from him. He would not be able to keep his cool. I can''t let him cut the son of Grace''s friend in half!

    I won''t!

    (That''s a terrible accusation!¡¡I''d have enough sense not to duel with you!)

    Sam was unhappy, but Jonathan was not the only one who felt uneasy; Grace and the other fianc¨¦es, including Lise, nodded their heads.

    "Yes, I know. Whenever Sam goes out of the house, he always comes back with trouble.

    "They love trouble."

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha, yes, well, don''t be naughty in moderation."

    "......Liese-sama, Haren-sama, even Mizuki-sama."

    Sam''s shoulders slumped in disappointment at the words of his fianc¨¦es.

    It was impossible for him to duel with Alicia''s childhood friend, but Sam, who had been involved in many troublesome situations, looked back on his days in King''s Landing and closed his mouth with an indescribable look on his face.

 197 - - 22 "I heard that the marriage was canceled."

    When Jim Robert was summoned by his parents, he went to his father''s study in high spirits, having heard that there had been progress in the matter of his marriage to the man of his dreams.

    However, the expression on his parents'' faces when they greeted him was not very cheerful.

    He tilted his head, wondering why he did not seem to fit in with the celebration of his and Alicia''s union.

    "You''re here, Jim. As I''m sure you already know, we''ve made progress on the Countess Walker''s proposal to marry Alicia, and I thought I''d let you know."

    "Yes!"

    Jim could hardly contain his excitement as the moment he had been waiting for came.

    He felt as if his parents were giving him a sad look, but it didn''t matter, he was so excited.

    "--I''m sorry to inform you, but this proposal has been cancelled."

    "--What?¡¡Huh?¡¡What did you just say?"

    "I said that my offer to you, Alicia, is off the table."

    "Mm."

    Jim could not accept his parents'' words as they were.

    No, that was before that.

    His mind didn''t want to understand what they were talking about.

    "What do you mean?"

    "Lady Alicia is betrothed to the court wizard Samuel Scheidt."

    "--What?"

    Once again, I could not understand a word my parents were saying.

    I didn''t understand what they were saying.

    Alicia Walker.

    Jim''s childhood sweetheart.

    I''ve loved her since I was a little girl. She''s the perfect daughter with a reserved personality.

    She is nothing like the crass and strong-willed girls at the magic school.

    She was Jim''s ideal woman and marriage partner.

    It was unacceptable to him that Alicia was engaged to another man and not to him.

    "Oh, no, how could that be, how could that ...... happen, didn''t Alicia love me!"

    "You thought so, didn''t you?¡¡He used to tell us that a lot."

    "Mm."

    Yes, yes. Yes, that''s right!

    "So we thought it was a good match and proceeded to talk about it."

    Then why?

    I don''t understand.

    I can''t keep up with my thoughts.

    I never imagined that Alicia would ever be with a man other than herself.

    I had always believed that she would marry me and create a warm family.

    "We have never listened to you before, but why did you think that Alicia liked you?"

    "Because!¡¡Because Alicia always listened to me!¡¡Every time I see him, every month, he listens to me and smiles!"

    "...... I''m going to ask you a few questions, do you always do the talking on blind dates?"

    Yes, yes, that''s true. Alicia is a modest girl, so she won''t make any assertions in front of me, even in front of me. She''s not like those crass girls at the magic school!"

    "--Hah."

    My mother sighed deeply.

    My father also looks bitter.

    --Why?

    "What do you like, Alicia-sama?"

    "--What?"

    "We''ve known each other since childhood, you know what Alicia likes, don''t you?¡¡Please tell my mother."

    "Is that ...... that?"

    I couldn''t answer my mother''s question.

    Alicia is the one who always smiles modestly and listens to me.

    Jim tried his best to share all the good times and bad times he had at school.

    --But, looking back, Alicia had never told him anything about her.

    "Well, I..."

    "I thought it was too much to tell you, but you should know for the future."

    What?

    "I''m afraid Lady Alicia wasn''t very good with you."

    "......, that''s not true."

    You were so busy talking about yourself that you didn''t even listen to Alicia. Alicia was saddened by that.

    "Oh, no."

    I would have covered my ears if I could have.

    But I didn''t have the strength to do so, and I just sat there.

    "Don''t get me wrong, Alicia doesn''t hate you. But she says that it is not possible for her to get close to someone she is not comfortable with.

    "............"

    "I am sorry too. I should have made small talk about marrying you and Alicia because of your closeness to Lady Grace, but ...... the conversation was moving forward positively in Count Walker''s family, and I was hoping that it might be possible."

    Perhaps there were expectations as an aristocrat, but at least my mother was happy to see her youthful promise to marry her friend''s daughter to her own child - a promise that was fulfilled.

    Therefore, she took her son''s words at face value and mistakenly believed that Alicia was also happy.

    "Perhaps you couldn''t care less in the face of your first love. I''m not saying it''s wrong, but your reserved nature, Alicia, is probably why you were not a good match for her."

    "Mother, what should I do?¡¡How can I be with Alicia?"

    For the sake of her son, who still wanted to be with Alicia, the mother made it very clear.

    "I have never had a chance to be with Alicia."

    "...... such."

    "Jim may not agree, but there is nothing wrong with forcibly marrying a woman you don''t want. It can lead to family discord. You are still young and will be blessed with a good marriage.

    "Mm."

    For some reason, the parents seemed to be on Alicia''s side, but Jim was not convinced.

    If she was going to refuse, she should at least make it clear from her own mouth.

    At least, Jim had already told Alicia what he wanted to tell her.

    Then it would be sincere for her to do the same.

    Until Alicia told him that she would choose another man over him, Jim could not give up on her.

    "--"

    "Jim?"

    "--No!¡¡I''m not giving up on Alicia!"

    "Wait!¡¡Jim! Jim!¡¡You need to talk to me!"

    Ignoring his parents'' words, Jim ran out of his father''s study.

    Unable to control his raging emotions, he simply ran out into the darkness.

    After running out of the house and walking around the castle town for a while, Jim had regained his composure after some time had passed.

    "--Alicia didn''t like me or anything, I''ve been thinking about you for years. ...... If you didn''t like me talking about myself, you should have just said so!¡¡If you don''t tell me, I''ll never know!"

    Pitter-patter, the sky began to rain like tears, like Jim''s emotions.

    The rain gets heavier and heavier, soaking the boy in no time.

    The clothes stick to his skin, which is uncomfortable, but the wetness cools his head.

    Jim turns his feet toward his house.

    "Let''s meet Alicia, just once, just once. Make sure you hear what she has to say.

    Jim muttered to himself as he continued to walk listlessly through the castle town.

 198 - - 23 Manion and merchants â‘ 

    Manion Reinbach and his mother Yolanda had escaped from Baron Reinbach''s house and were heading for the royal capital beyond the barony.

    Fortunately, they found a merchant family who knew his father and were half-intimidated by the merchants, who took them to the capital.

    However, it was a tough journey for the father and son, who had never left their lands.

    The food was a meagre meal of dried meats and fruits.

    The occasional soup was salty, and the bread was hard and inedible.

    My mother is already weak and lying on the back of the wagon.

    She is weak, but only because she is tired from the trip, and her mouth is open.

    She talks only of her resentment toward her father, her hatred toward Harriet and Harry, and her lamentation for her son who was a genius, and she considers herself a tragic heroine, saying "It wasn''t supposed to be like this, it didn''t turn out like this.

    Manion was fed up with such a mother, so she left the house and stayed in the shade of a tree, at least for a break.

    "Why did I have to go through this ...... shit, it''s all Samuel and Harry''s fault!"

    Leaning his broad back against the tree trunk, Manion bites his nails.

    Despite the bad food, it is not enough for Manion, who has always been a good eater, and he is still hungry and frustrated.

    "I shouldn''t have left the mansion if this is what I had to do. ...... Mother has been depressing me enough."

    Mannion has forgotten all about his father''s attempts to drive them out of the house, and he misses his life back home.

    Although recently they had been forced to live under house arrest, they were comfortable in their beds with good food, as long as they ignored their hysterically screaming mother.

    If I could, I would go back to my old life - I think about it and then shake my head.

    "If only I could hold out now, I could take it all away from Samuel. If only I could hold out now, I could take everything from Samuel..." "Mmm-hmm... I''d be a count!¡¡Just the thought of all these princesses becoming my women makes me laugh!"

    Mannion''s ungraceful laughter spills out of his mouth.

    A boy who grew up spoiled, who got what he wanted, who never doubted that he could have everything his mother said she would give him.

    And just hearing that he is going to get it from that Samuel makes him feel elated.

    I never liked Samuel.

    He was a frail, frightened boy a year older than me.

    His mother died soon after, and his brother, who could never use a sword properly, was the object of his father''s scorn.

    Manion, who was a fool for a brother, took care of him when he had time.

    It''s a comfort to take a title and a fianc¨¦e from him.

    I think it must be a way of repaying him for all he has done for him.

    In the first place, it is unbecoming and impudent for Samuel to be engaged to a princess and a countess.

    He deserves better than his inadequate brother, who is a prodigy with a sword.

    "Hmph, hmph, I''ve had a lot to be angry about lately, but it looks like my luck is turning. No, people like me can''t be left alone!¡¡Those who mocked me will be sorry later!¡¡When I get power, I''ll make that viscount and Harry suffer and then I''ll crush them all!"

    The other day, my long-time fianc¨¦e, Luce, daughter of the Viscountess Liedl, and I decided to call off our engagement.

    She had always been a nasty woman who made no effort to hide her displeasure whenever I saw her, but I put up with it because she was so good looking.

    However, it was impossible not to be angry at the Viscountess Riedyll for unilaterally calling off the engagement to Mannion.

    How much had I cared for them?

    I wanted to have a relationship with them, but I had to put up with them because they wanted a healthy relationship, and now this.

    What is even more annoying is the fact that my father has recommended Harry as his successor.

    In the end, Viscount Riedyll turned him down, and when I found out about it, I had a good laugh at his expense.

    "Hmph, I don''t care about some pretentious woman who won''t even let me hold her hand. I''ll leave the Viscountess behind if I can marry the princess!"

    In Mannion''s mind, it was a given that he would marry a princess whose face he did not know and with whom he had never even exchanged a word.

    If he was to be married to the princess, he would be a member of the royal family.

    He really believed that he would be able to destroy the father of the country baron, his child Harry, and even the viscount, on Mannion''s orders.

    "--Excuse me for being delusional. I''m afraid you can''t take everything from Samuel Scheidt."

    "Who the hell are you?

    A voice called out to Mannion, who was enjoying himself in the midst of his fantasy.

    Mannion is startled and looks around. But there is no one there.

    "Where are you!¡¡Where are you? !"

    As Mannion, half in panic and half in tears, looked for the owner of the invisible voice, a slimy figure appeared in front of him from the shadows of the trees.

    "What the hell are you?

    A man in his mid-twenties appeared.

    He was an exotic-looking young man wearing a red turban and poor white clothes.

    Manion was about to run away when he was unexpectedly approached, but the young man smiled softly, as if he felt at ease.

    I am just a small merchant. I heard your voice, Mr. Manion, and I thought I would give you some advice, even though I am an old woman. Yes."

 199 - - 24 Manion and merchants â‘¡

    Mannion looks at the merchant who suddenly appears.

    "I can''t take anything from him, can I?"

    "Yes, I don''t know who Samuel Scheidt is in your mind, but I know him to be the greatest wizard I''ve ever known.

    Manion could not take the words of the merchant, who seemed to have some respect for Sam, in stride.

    "How can he be the strongest when he was just too scared to do anything about me!¡¡If he''s the best, then I''m the best!"

    "With all due respect, you can''t beat Samuel. No, but even if you could, who would recognize you and tell you that what is Samuel''s is yours?

    "Well, that''s..."

    "Samuel is not only strong. He is well remembered by His Majesty Clyde Isle-Sky, King of the Kingdom of Skye, and is a friend to other court wizards and sorcerers. He has many allies, but how many allies do you have?"

    "--"

    Mannion had nothing to say in return.

    The merchant was right, Mannion did not have Sam''s connections.

    "If I lived in King''s Landing, I''d be just like him."

    Yes, yes, of course. Yes, of course. You''re not as good as Samuel because you''re in a lonely barony in the countryside."

    I am not inferior!¡¡Sure, I''m not well-connected, but how could I be inferior to a man like that!"

    "Oops, my bad. Yes, Mr. Manion is not inferior to Samuel. If we fight, we can win, can''t we?

    "Of course!¡¡There is no way I could lose to that scum!"

    "-With your ugly, fat frame, can''t you even run properly, let alone wield a sword?"

    "You insult me!"

    Manion, red in the face, spits in the air.

    But, perhaps aware of the merchant''s point, he tries to hide his bloated belly, as if ashamed.

    If you try to take it from him, Samuel will surely resist. He will be desperate not to have what is his."

    "Well, then, what should I do?

    "-That''s why we recommend this product."

    As if he had been waiting for us, the merchant pulled a pitch-black sword out of the void.

    It was a weird-looking long sword, black from the tip to the hilt.

    Manion did not understand it, but if Sam had been there, he would have frowned at the evil and magical power coming from the long sword.

    "What is this weird sword?"

    "Oh, well, creepy is the word, isn''t it? The power hidden in this sword is extraordinary. After all... it''s a magic sword!

    "--a magic sword?

    Mannion''s eyes widened in surprise.

    No wonder. It''s not every day you get to see a magic sword.

    They cannot be mass-produced in the first place, and are made by a renowned craftsman who has been trained for many years, using first-rate materials and magical power.

    It is not something that is generally distributed.

    It is not something that can be easily obtained, such as a nobleman''s heirloom passed down from generation to generation, or a skilled adventurer who finds it in the deepest part of a dungeon.

    Even Manion is a swordsman. He has a longing for the magic sword.

    And with the sword right in front of him, he should not be surprised.

    "Yes, a magic sword. It took a lot of work to get it, but it was worth it.

    Give me that!¡¡If only I had a magic sword!

    Yes, of course. I''ll give it to Master Manion.

    "Are you sure about ......?"

    Manion was dazzled by the magic sword and demanded to give it to the merchant, but he was disappointed when the merchant readily agreed to give it to him.

    He even suspected that the sword might be a fake.

    "However, I have a condition before I give it to you.

    "Conditions?¡¡What is it?"

    It means that you are recognized by this magic sword. It is said that the sword has a will and chooses its wielder. If it is chosen, it will have unimaginable power, but if it is not chosen, it will suck your life away and you will die.

    Manion''s throat clears.

    The merchant smiled at the boy.

    "Well, how can I help you?"

    "...... that''s..."

    Knowing that his life was in danger, Mannion became frightened.

    It should have been easy for him to take everything from Sam.

    But, as the merchant pointed out, he needed a weapon to defeat Sam.

    Still, it was Manion''s honest intention not to take the risk.

    "What are you afraid of, when you are about to take everything from Sam!"

    A voice scolded Manion, who was unable to reach for the magic sword in front of him.

    "Oh, Mother!"

    "Oh, ma''am."

    Manion''s mother, Yolanda.

    She is supposed to be resting in the carriage, but she has probably come to look for Mannion.

    She takes one look at her son who is hesitating before the magic sword and looks at the merchant with a sniff.

    "I don''t know which merchant you are, but it''s a good decision to let Manion look at my son."

    "I am honored by your compliments."

    Come on, Manion. Pick up the magic sword.

    "But, but..."

    Take it!¡¡You piece of shit!¡¡You will take everything from Samuel and take revenge on your husband and Harry!¡¡Why do you hesitate!¡¡You don''t have the guts to risk your life!"

    "But, but..."

    Just do it!¡¡You dullard!"

    Yes, yes!

    Yolanda, not bothering to hide her annoyance at her son''s fear of the evil sword, yelled at him.

    Manion does as he is told.

    Reflexively, he reaches for the sword and grips its hilt.

    "Ah!"

    At that moment, I felt a connection with the sword.

    "Oh, this is wonderful!¡¡The demon sword has acknowledged Master Manion as its master!"

    "Oh, I was chosen by the demon sword?"

    "Yes, yes, of course!¡¡From now on, you are a demon swordsman!¡¡You are now a mage!

    "Excellent, Manion!¡¡That''s my boy!¡¡Even the Master doesn''t have a magic sword, but you have one!¡¡Now we can kill Samuel and take everything!"

    "Congratulations."

    Manion, who had become the master of the magic sword so easily and unexpectedly, did not know what had happened to him, but he realized that he was the chosen one when he heard the compliments of his mother and the merchant.

    "I am the master of the magic sword!¡¡Yes, I was chosen!¡¡I knew I was special!¡¡I''m a genius!"

    "Yes, Manion!¡¡You are my son, of course you are special!

    "Now I can take everything from Samuel!¡¡I can even get revenge on your father and Harry!"

    Manion, elated at being chosen as the magic sword, begins to laugh hysterically.

    Yolanda joined him and continued to laugh happily.

    The merchant smiled a crooked smile as he applauded Manion.

    "Now, I have a proposal for you, Mr. Manion.

    "What?"

    "Would you like to try your hand at slaying?"

    "Trial slaying, huh?"

    Yes, a trial slash. Fortunately, this is Viscount Riedyll''s domain. The domain of the family of your former fiancee who disrespected you. Isn''t it an appropriate place to wield a magic sword?

    The merchant''s words brought a twisted smile to Manion and Yolanda''s faces.

    They understood what the merchant was trying to say.

    "Fortunately, there is a small village nearby. --Would you like to try it out?

    "Fine, show me around!"

    I knew you would say that. Come on, this way.

    Guided by the merchant, Manion follows, magic sword in hand.

    Yolanda and her son go deeper into the forest.

    --That day, a village was destroyed.

 200 - - 25 "Im Guntas fiancee" â‘ 

    One afternoon, the sun was shining brightly.

    Sam, who was sweating after his combat training, had just finished getting dressed and was getting ready to spend some relaxing time with his fianc¨¦es.

    "Sam!¡¡Help me!"

    "...... G¨¹nther?¡¡What the hell, I''m busy.

    Suddenly, G¨¹nter Ignatz burst into the room.

    As usual, he looks like he came out of a shoujo manga, and the sight of him dressed in a white suit is breathtakingly beautiful, even for a homos*xual.

    If he were not a pervert on the inside, many of us would have gone astray.

    G¨¹nther is dressed as usual, but looks somewhat tired.

    His complexion is somewhat pale.

    "I love it when you act casual!¡¡This is the biggest crisis of my life. I''m being hunted by a powerful enemy who can''t touch me. I need your help.

    "G¨¹nther is a strong opponent, how strong can he be?"

    "To be honest, I don''t think I can win."

    "--Hey."

    I thought he showed up to perform his usual perverted acts, but it seemed he was really asking for help.

    Above all, as a wizard, I was intrigued by the fact that G¨¹nther, the best warder and court wizard in the Kingdom of Skye, was a formidable opponent.

    "Okay. G¨¹nther has been a great help to me, and I''m interested in this strong opponent of his."

    Sam smiled ferociously.

    The renowned wizard might be a top adventurer or a wanted criminal.

    The reason for G¨¹nther''s target is unknown, but Sam is looking forward to seeing how far his magic will be able to penetrate this yet-unseen foe.

    "Where is he?"

    "They''re probably coming after me."

    "Hey!¡¡Not only are you strutting around King''s Landing like you own the place, but you''re here in this mansion?¡¡What the hell are you doing?¡¡--We have to evacuate Liese-sama and the others as soon as possible!"

    No longer in the mood for fun, Sam panics.

    He had to get Liese, who was very sick, his master and wife, Alicia, who was not capable of fighting, and his precious guests, the dragon cubs, away.

    Haren and Mizuki are a big part of the force, but I need you to protect Liese and Alicia and the others if you can.

    "I''m sorry, Sam. I was desperate to escape."

    "No, I don''t blame you, but what happened to your warding technique?"

    It didn''t work.

    "- - I''m not so sure about that.

    Sam himself had a hard time imagining that G¨¹nther''s warding would not work.

    "Let''s get to them before they fall behind."

    We don''t want to fall behind any more than we already are, especially since we don''t know how powerful the attackers are.

    If at all possible, I wanted to avoid fighting them in the palace or even in King''s Landing.

    "Sam?"

    I was about to leave the room with G¨¹nther when the door opened and Liese peeked out.

    "Ah, Lise, just in time!"

    "Oh, you wanted to see me?¡¡But wait a minute. I wonder if G¨¹nther is here.

    "Yes, yes."

    Good. G¨¹nther, you have a visitor.

    "Hmm?¡¡You have a visitor?"

    Sam tilts his head at the fact that someone would come all the way to Count Walker''s house for G¨¹nther at this time.

    "No, no, no, no, no!"

    Behind Sam, G¨¹nther crawls into bed with him and screams.

    "Hey, G¨¹nther!"

    "Don''t be fooled!¡¡He''s not a customer, he''s an enemy who wants me!

    "You don''t mean to tell me you''re already here?¡¡Lise-sama!¡¡Please, this way!

    "Uh, Sam?¡¡G¨¹nther?¡¡What do you mean, enemies?"

    "I heard there''s an enemy chasing after G¨¹nther!"

    "...... I don''t suppose you''re talking about the lovely young lady over here, are you?"

    "-- Huh?"

    A small girl appeared from behind Liese in Sam''s vision as he rolled his eyes, "What do you mean?

    She was a petite girl who still looked younger than Sam, who was fourteen years old.

    She had blonde hair down to her waist and was wearing a light pink dress. When her eyes met Sam''s, she smiled and bowed her head.

    "Nice to meet you, my name is Kree Doik.

    "Yes. Hi, I''m Samuel Scheidt. Uh, who are you?

    I am the fianc¨¦e of Mr. G¨¹nther Ignaz, the man who ran away from the meeting.

    It seems that it was not an enemy but his fianc¨¦e who was chasing after G¨¹nther.

 201 - - 26 "Im Guntas fiancee" â‘¡

    "G¨¹nther ......, don''t call your fianc¨¦e a formidable opponent. I feel like an idiot for taking you seriously!

    Sam felt ashamed of himself for getting so fired up at the prospect of a strong enemy.

    He was surprised that G¨¹nther had a fianc¨¦e, but he was also surprised that it was only a little girl.

    But what surprised Sam the most was that G¨¹nther ran away from such a young girl at such a tender age.

    It was a bit pathetic, he thought.

    No!¡¡This little girl is not my fianc¨¦e!¡¡We are only meeting today, not getting engaged!"

    "Duke Ignatz told me that if you should run away from the arranged marriage, he would have you betrothed to me with or without my consent."

    "You father!"

    "That''s my uncle. You seem to know everything. You shouldn''t have stood me up for the arranged marriage in the first place.

    Sam wasn''t the only one who was taken aback; Lise was as well.

    It would be a problem for the heir to a duke''s family to turn away from a blind date.

    The reason why things did not get worse was probably because it was G¨¹nther, and also because Duke Ignaz knew in advance what his son was going to do.

    "But Lise!"

    "But," I said, "but," not "but. You followed me all the way here. You''d better play nice."

    G¨¹nther is older than Lise, but Lise''s words sounded like those of a younger brother.

    Having known each other for many years, the relationship between the Walker sisters and G¨¹nther is like this.

    "No, not Lise!¡¡Come on, Sam!¡¡You''d better get rid of the evil demon that is interfering with my love for you and me, and quickly!"

    "...... you know what?"

    Sam sighs at G¨¹nther, who for some reason leaves it to others.

    I didn''t understand why he was so wary of the Kree.

    "The best warder in the country shouldn''t run away from a little girl like this! She seems like a nice girl."

    "Sam doesn''t know how scary this little girl is, that''s why he can say that!"

    "...... huh."

    I''d like to know what is so frightening about holding a small, pretty girl in your arms.

    "Don''t sigh for me, please!¡¡This little girl really has some nasty powers!"

    "What do you mean by ''nasty power''?"

    Sam looked at Lise as if she was looking at him, but she shook her head as if she had no idea what he was talking about.

    Instead, it was Kree who spoke up.

    "Perhaps you are talking about my skills," she said.

    "Your skills?"

    "May I ask what skills Kree has?"

    "Yes. Yes. It is nothing to hide. My skill is . I can slip through anything.

    Sam and Lise gasped at Kree''s words.

    If she can slip through anything as she says, what about the warding of the best warding artist in the country?

    Sam asked in a shaky voice.

    "Don''t tell me you can get through G¨¹nther''s wards too?"

    "Yes. I checked with him when I met him at his residence a few days ago, and he was able to pass through without incident.

    It was a surprise.

    Even Sam, who boasted of his great magical power and strong offensive ability, had a hard time breaking G¨¹nther''s wards.

    But Kree did not need to attack to destroy the wards.

    If she wants to get through, she can.

    "I''m surprised ...... I didn''t know you had that skill. Good for you, G¨¹nther. This is your fianc¨¦e."

    What''s so great about it?

    "......You didn''t run away because your warding doesn''t work, by any chance, did you?"

    "............"

    "Hey!"

    "G¨¹nther, it''s you. How could such a cute little girl be harmed just because she got through your wards?"

    Sam is stunned again.

    Liese rebuked him, saying that even if Kree had rare skills, he would not harm G¨¹nther.

    G¨¹nther, however, is not convinced.

    "Don''t get me wrong, Sam, Lise!¡¡I''m a bit of a wizard myself. I''m a wizard, too. I''m not ...... afraid just because a little girl got through the wards!"

    "Then why did you run away?"

    I''m afraid of what this little girl is going to do and say!

    "Hmm?"

    Sam could not understand G¨¹nther''s words.

    There is nothing frightening about Kree Doyk''s words or actions.

    Rather, he seems mature for his age and seems to have a liking for G¨¹nther.

    I could not understand why G¨¹nther was running away from me like this.

    "Mr. G¨¹nther, you mustn''t bother Sam and Lise too much. Let''s go home."

    "No."

    "Please don''t embarrass me too much. Let''s go home and continue our pleasant blind date.

    "No!"

    "If I don''t bring Master G¨¹nther back, Duke Ignaz will bring his soldiers."

    That''s better!

    Not like the usual G¨¹nther, he kept saying, "No, no, no," like a child.

    To top it all off, he put up a ward to keep them away from us.

    Sam and Liese could not get close.

    However, Kree smiles a little in front of G¨¹nther''s warding.

    "Hmmm...you know it doesn''t make sense, but you''re so cute..."

    "Hi."

    With a smile on her face, Cree tugs at the edge of her dress with her fingertips and walks away.

    Then she slips through G¨¹nther''s strong wards.

    "--Hey."

    "Oh, my God, it''s true. It''s amazing to see with my own eyes."

    Sam is impressed by Kree''s ability to pass through G¨¹nther''s wards, which easily block powerful attack magic, as if they were not there.

    "Help me, help me!

    "No. Please don''t think about it. Mr. G¨¹nther has to go back to his house now and make plans for a bright family with me.

    "No, no, Sam, Lise, help me!"

    G¨¹nther looks as if he is about to cry and asks for help, but Sam and Lise only laugh and do not offer their hands.

    When I think about it, I am amazed that Duke Ignaz has thought this through so well.

    He is going to take Cree as his wife, a woman who can be a weak point for G¨¹nther the wizard.

    If they are united, there will be no more threats to G¨¹nther.

    "Here we go, Master G¨¹nther. --Come on, Master G¨¹nther!

    Cree''s body staggered as he grabbed G¨¹nther''s arm.

    "Oh, hey!"

    "Are you okay?"

    Sam and Liese called out to him, but Kree smiled as if he was all right.

    "Don''t worry, we''ll be fine. It''s just that I used my skills a little bit. I haven''t mastered it yet. I''m sorry, but would you mind if I take the medicine right now?

    Uh, yes, yes, of course.

    Thank you very much. Now, if you''ll excuse me."

    Cree then pulled out of the pochette in his hand a pair of uselessly transparent, probably men''s, underwear.

    The small area of cloth made me wonder if it was really underwear, but I was sure I was right.

    Cree picked up such an obscene pair of underwear,

    "Oh, I think I''ve seen something like this somewhere before."

    "-- then."

    He pressed it to his face with a rapt expression on his face.

    It was a very d¨¦j¨¤ vu sight.

    Both Sam and Lise were speechless.

    G¨¹nther turned pale.

    "Look, look, Sam!¡¡Lise!¡¡This little girl is such a pervert that she smells people''s underwear!"

    "Uh, yeah, I guess so."

    "Ssshhhhhhhhhh, haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

    "Stop, oh, oh, oh, oh, you pervert!"

    Sam couldn''t resist saying to G¨¹nther, who was screaming as he smelled his own underwear in front of him.

    "Well, I don''t know what to say... anyway, you don''t get to say it!"

 202 - - 27 "Im Guntas fiancee." â‘¢

    After the tsukkomi, Sam concentrated on calming G¨¹nther and Cree down.

    He didn''t mind, but he didn''t want to leave the pregnant Lise standing there forever, so he suggested they talk again in a calmer place.

    As they were heading for the dining room, Jonathan, Grace, Erica, and Sam''s fianc¨¦e, who had heard that "that" G¨¹nther''s fianc¨¦e was at the house, gathered there.

    In the crowded dining room, Cree greets the Earl and Countess Walker.

    "Once again, I am pleased to greet you. My name is Kree Doik.

    Picking at the edge of her skirt, Cree greeted him politely, not quite the same as the girl who had just sniffed G¨¹nther''s underwear and looked ecstatic.

    Sam and Lise, who knew Cree''s extreme side, smiled bitterly, while G¨¹nther looked drawn and somewhat frightened.

    "--Wow, the daughter of the Baroness Doik. I''ve known your father for a long time."

    "My father also told me about Count Walker. He told me that he once saved his life on the battlefield, for which he was grateful, and that he was impressed by the Count''s strength."

    "Well, that brings back memories. Come on, don''t be so hard. You are the daughter of a friend of mine and G¨¹nther''s fianc¨¦e. You are like family to us."

    "Thank you very much for your kind words."

    Cree''s father and Jonathan seemed to know each other.

    He must have taken a liking to Cree, because he narrowed his eyes and looked at her as if he were looking at his daughter.

    But there was one person who did not like Jonathan''s attitude.

    Needless to say, it was G¨¹nther.

    "Wait, Uncle!¡¡I am not going to marry this pervert!"

    "I never thought I''d see the day when the word ''pervert'' would come out of G¨¹nther''s mouth. ...... I''d like to say out loud, ''Look in the mirror.''"

    "-- right?"

    Sam agreed with Jonathan.

    "You''ve already said that!¡¡I''m not saying that, I''m saying I''m not going to marry a little girl who takes pleasure in sniffing people''s underwear!"

    "--Wouldn''t that be a good match?"

    Why is that?

    G¨¹nther seems unconvinced, but the others, with the exception of him, are nodding their heads in affirmation that he and Cree are a good match.

    "I don''t want to be this perverted little girl!"

    "...... Hey Sam. Is G¨¹nther serious?¡¡Or is he waiting for a lucky break?"

    "Probably the latter."

    I agree with you.

    Both Sam and Jonathan decided that G¨¹nther was waiting for a response.

    It was impossible, they thought, that he could be so perverted on a daily basis and not be aware of his own perversion.

    "Father, Sam, it''s nothing new whether G¨¹nther is a pervert or not. We have more important things to worry about. Hey."

    Lise turned her head toward the women, and Sam''s gaze shifted with hers.

    Sam looked at the women, including Grace, whose eyes were sparkling with anticipation.

    Their gazes were fixed on the young Cree.

    "I heard that Kree-sama is positive about marrying G¨¹nther.

    Lise asked on behalf of the women, and Cree blushed shyly and gave a small nod.

    That''s strange. In this way, she looks like a girl of her age.

    "Please call me Cree. Yes, I am ashamed to say that I have always admired you, Mr. G¨¹nther.

    The girl''s straightforward words elicit yellow screams from the women.

    Women always love love stories.

    Cree must have been only twelve years old. When did you meet G¨¹nther?

    Hualien raises her hand and asks a question.

    "Actually, it was two years ago.

    "Wow, so you were ten years old?"

    Not to be outdone by Cree, it was Mizuki who hid her cheeks and asked curiously.

    "Yes. I adored you as soon as I met you."

    "It''s wonderful!"

    Alicia is excited, too.

    (I can''t believe she fell in love with G¨¹nther, who is ten years old and a year older than her. (I mean, I''m wondering why G¨¹nther is shaking his head so much...)

    Maybe G¨¹nther has no idea how he met Kree.

    He is shaking his head like a thousand pieces, but the women who have started talking about their love don''t look at him.

    Jonathan seems to have noticed G¨¹nther''s behavior, but he has decided to leave him alone and is drinking tea gracefully.

    And Sam also looked away.

    Meanwhile, the ladies are talking excitedly.

    "It all started when I met Master G¨¹nther who visited Baron Duyck''s estate on a mission as a court magician.

    What kind of encounter?

    At the time, the Barony of Duyck was suffering from an outbreak of monsters. Of course, we had hired adventurers and sent out knights, but the situation was not good. It was then that the barony was rescued by G¨¹nther."

    "...... surprising. G¨¹nther is doing a decent job."

    "Hualien, you are also rude!¡¡I''m always decent!"

 203 - - 28 "Its the residence of the royal brothers" â‘ 

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha, isn''t it delightful indeed! A girl who can play G¨¹nther. I wish I could have been there.

    I will invite you next time.

    By all means.

    Laughing with a wry smile was Clyde Isle-Sky, King of the Kingdom of Sky.

    He was laughing out loud when Sam told him about the recent incident with G¨¹nther and Kree.

    "It''s a funny story for me, but it must have been hard for you."

    Yes, it was very hard. G¨¹nther was very impatient to go back to the house, and Cree was very excited to see him.

    In the end, a hectic time ensued until Duke Ignaz and Baron Doik came to collect them.

    Incidentally, I was impressed that both the duke and the baron apologized profusely for the children''s noise in the other''s house.

    The duke told Sam, "I''m sorry, but I need you to take care of my son.

    Sam did not know what he meant by "please" and tried not to think about it.

    The day after their arranged marriage, in spite of G¨¹nther''s resistance, the Duke of Ignaz made a big announcement that his son G¨¹nther''s fiancee, the next head of the family, was Kree.

    Since then, G¨¹nther has been shut up in his room.

    "Oh, Father, if you speak too loudly, you''ll reveal yourself."

    Besides Sam and Clyde, there was one other person in the room.

    A girl a little older than Sam with beautiful white hair - the First Princess of Stella Isle Sky.

    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry.

    "Your father is a little too merry."

    "Don''t say that. It''s been a long time since I''ve been out of the house.

    Most of Sam''s meetings with Clyde and Stella were at the palace, but today he was outside the palace.

    The reason was to visit the house of Clyde''s late brother, which was to be given to Sam.

    The original plan had been for one of his subjects to take Sam to the house, not Clyde, but at Clyde''s request, it was decided that the king himself would take him there.

    Stella joined them, and Sam was walking around the royal city with his fianc¨¦e and her father.

    "I''ve been busy with my duties lately, so it''s nice to be able to stretch my wings like this. With my daughter and son-in-law, we can take a walk like this without being seen.

    "It''s good to be physically active. Your father seems to be very busy these days, and I was afraid that my mother might get sick.

    "I appreciate your concern, but I am not that frail. I appreciate your concern, but I''m not that frail.

    The three of them were walking through the nobles'' district, a.k.a. the nobles'' district, where the residences of the nobles are concentrated.

    Of course, there were guards protecting the two royalty in the shadows at a distance.

    In addition, traffic control was in place at a distance to keep people away from the area.

    In case of emergency, the guards would move, but in the unfortunate event that the worst should happen, Clyde and Stella would still have Sam near them.

    It would be difficult for them to be harmed unless something bad happened to them.

    Clyde is happy to be able to walk around King''s Landing as he pleases for the first time in a long time.

    He is walking on his own feet instead of using a carriage because he wants to savor these little moments.

    Likewise, Stella, who has recently started learning horseback riding and swordsmanship in addition to her studies, was enjoying the scenery outside the palace freshly, even though it was not so popular.

    While Stella was looking around with a curious look on her face, Clyde quietly approached Sam.

    "By the way, this is Sam. I heard you got tangled up with Cordelia the other day.

    "...... Yes."

    "It seems you were asked to be Rachel''s son-in-law. I''m sorry, and I apologize on behalf of Cordelia."

    Sam''s eyes widened in surprise.

    He had not expected the king to know that Queen Cordelia had asked him to be the son-in-law of the second princess Rachel.

    I had kept quiet about it because I did not want to disturb the peaceful days, but it seems that the King had found out.

    Perhaps one of the maids or knights led by Queen Cordelia had been mixed up with someone from the King''s side.

    "No, no. The king doesn''t need to apologize.

    What my wife did is my responsibility. ...... is soft on daughters. Rachel was spoiled and she''s selfish. Again, I''m sorry."

    "No, sir. Please don''t apologize.

    "It''s funny that you should be relieved, but Cordelia isn''t interested in you anymore. It seems that she originally wanted to use you as a pawn at Rachel''s request and the court wizard, but she must have realized that you would not listen to her. Cordelia may be arrogant, but she is no fool."

    I won''t say it, but I''m glad you don''t have to deal with Cordelia anymore.

    "As for Rachel, her father, for what it''s worth, has a vicious habit of coveting what belongs to others. This time, I rebuked her severely. I hope she won''t cause you any trouble in the future."

    "With all due respect, I hope so, too."

    "I think it was out of concern that you did not tell me or Count Walker about Cordelia and the others, but if it happens again, please tell them for our sake. You will be my son. Do not hesitate. We would rather you do us the inconvenience, and we are sorry if you do not hesitate."

    "Thank you for your consideration. I will be careful from now on.

    After Clyde''s rebuke, Sam bowed his head.

    "--Mmm. You may not be able to rely on me, but you should rely more on the people around you, including me. Oh, Sam, Stella, here we are! This is my brother Roig''s house."

    While talking with the king, who would eventually become their father-in-law, Sam and his friends arrived at their destination, the residence of Roig Isle-Sky.

 204 - - 29 "Its the residence of the royal brothers" â‘¡

    We are told that the late king''s brother, Roig Isle-Sky, was a windy man who loved freedom.

    He loved music, painting, and other arts, and above all, he loved magic more than learning imperial sciences.

    He was not so talented in the martial arts that his tutor gave up on him, but he was quite good in the field of magic.

    However, Lo?gue''s magical abilities were never put to use.

    Needless to say, the reason for this is that he is a prince.

    Loig was kind and always wanted to use the magic he had been given for the benefit of his people.

    It is said that his brother Clyde sometimes rebuked him and sometimes comforted him.

    However, Roig finally lost his patience and ran away at the age of 18.

    It is said that it was difficult to follow him, as he had made careful preparations in advance.

    And then, the months passed.

    The reunion of the brothers came in the worst possible way.

    An adventurer delivered Roig''s corpse.

    It seems that he had been a fellow adventurer of Roig''s and had witnessed his death.

    Clyde was able to hear from him about Loig''s life as an adventurer.

    Loig had changed his name to Charles Howard and was working as a wizard adventurer.

    He was called "Charles the Pillar of Fire," and was a successful adventurer in his own right.

    However, he was injured while defending the town from monsters, but he continued to fight and died when he succeeded in defending the town.

    He was praised as a hero by the townspeople and his friends, but Clyde could do nothing but shed tears for his brother, who had died and been reunited with him as a brother.

    That was more than ten years ago.

    "But seeing Sam reminds me of my brother."

    King Clyde, who sometimes shared his memories of his brother with us as he looked around the house, let out these words.

    "Is Master Sam like Master Roig?"

    It''s, uh, an honor.

    The house had been uninhabited for many years, yet it was so meticulously maintained that not a speck of dust had fallen.

    The size of the house is slightly larger than that of the Countess Walker.

    There are few ornaments and paintings on the walls, but even the untrained eye can tell that each of them is expensive.

    The king''s brother must have been a man of good taste.

    "Hmm. Lo?gue was no good with a sword either. We once learned swordsmanship together, but his mistakes nearly killed me several times. I was furious at the time, but it''s a good memory now. It really was a matter of talent or lack thereof."

    "Well, father. You look like a...

    "Just like Sam, right?"

    Stella reacts with surprise to Clyde''s recollections.

    Indeed, he seems to be a man without the same talent with the sword as Sam.

    "I didn''t know there was anyone else like that.

    In a way, I''m impressed.

    It is as if I am cursed to be unable to use a sword, and the fact that there is someone like me makes me laugh with bewilderment.

    If he were still alive, I would have loved to talk with him.

    "Roig had a talent for magic, but not as much as Sam. But he was easily liked and people naturally gathered around him. He would have been a better king than I am."

    Clyde reminisces about the past.

    "But there was a side of him that didn''t like conflict. Perhaps it is because our mother had a hard time because of the power struggles. ...... I think it is because of this that Roig, and not me, did not want to be carried up by the nobles and disappeared to avoid a conflict. But for his brother, it would have been a great opportunity. He has wanted to be an adventurer for a long time."

    "You wanted your freedom."

    "Yes. But when he came back dead, there were no words. With no one to love and no heir, he continued to fight for someone else - or perhaps there was someone he loved that I did not know.

    I''m sorry.

    If you listen to Clyde''s words, you can tell that the brothers were close.

    Therefore, I can only imagine how sad Clyde must have been when Roig left to avoid a power struggle between the brothers and came back as a corpse.

    "No, it was ten years ago. --No, it''s been ten years since I last saw you..." - he was deeply moved by the sight of your dark hair and dark eyes. But you really do look alike. The dark eyes, the dark hair, but also the atmosphere.

    "Father, did Master Roig have black hair?"

    It was Stella who asked.

    She was probably wondering if Lo?gue had silver hair, which always appeared on royalty.

    "He had black hair with a hint of silver in it. It was black at first glance, but in the light of day I could see it clearly. Perhaps I like Sam more because he resembles my late brother than because he will be my son-in-law.

    The king laughed, but when he realized that he had been speaking out of turn, he gave a small cough.

    "I am sorry. I should have shown you the house first.

    No, it was valuable. If you don''t mind, I would like to know more about you, Mr. Roig.

    I would be interested too.

    "Oh, yeah?¡¡Then there are other places that hold memories for me. Let''s move on."

    Clyde took Sam and Stella on a tour of the house, talking about his memories of his late brother.

 205 - - 30 "A surprising woman came to visit." â‘ 

    Sam is strolling with King Clyde and Princess Stella in the house of King Roig''s brother.

    At the Earl of Walker''s house, Lise is getting ready to go out.

    A month has passed since she found out she was pregnant, and Lise is in good health.

    She had been in poor health before she found out she was pregnant, but once she found out it was due to the pregnancy, she was completely fine.

    However, I felt that my father and Sam were a little too worried about Liese, who was very heavy, but I was happy because I felt that she was being taken care of.

    Since my overprotective father was at work and Sam was out of town, I decided to exercise a little while I could.

    Lise has always been vivacious, and she is not good at sitting still.

    I have heard that moderate exercise is good for prenatal care, so I thought I would take a light walk.

    "Liese?¡¡If you need something, I''ll take your place.

    It was Shi Hualian, Sam''s fianc¨¦e, who peeked into the room and called out to me.

    Lise and Karen''s relationship is good as they are engaged to the same person and as friends.

    Like Sam, she is a kind, if not overprotective, person who cares for Liese''s well-being.

    "Don''t be too overprotective of me too, Hanae. I just want to exercise a little. Can''t you at least take a walk?"

    "Hmm. Then I''ll go with you. Where to?

    Let''s go to the castle town.

    "Well, I''d like to invite Mizuki and the others to have tea in town. I recently found a nice restaurant.

    That''s nice.

    Dressed in a white traditional costume, Hualien went to call for Suiju and the others.

    Within a few minutes, she brought Mizuki Amamiya in a Hakama and Alicia in a one-piece dress and cardigan.

    "Let''s go to the castle town!"

    Hanae, as vivacious as Liese, lifted her lips slightly and smiled happily, a change that only her family could see.

    "Yes. It''s nice to have tea outside once in a while."

    "I''m glad you invited me too."

    "Alicia is also Sam''s fianc¨¦e. She''s like a sister to us. I''d like to see us get to know each other better in the future."

    "Thank you very much, Mr. Hualien."

    Lise smiled at how well Sam''s fianc¨¦es got along.

    Thus, the four of them decided to go for a walk in the castle town.

    However, as they are about to leave the house, they see a figure at the gate and stop in their tracks.

    Immediately, Karen and Mizuki stand in front of Liese and Alicia to protect them.

    "--There is someone in front of the gate. I don''t think it''s a prowler.

    "It''s true. If your father is a guest ......, he should have an appointment with you, so you should be greeted."

    Mizuki and Alicia are alarmed and nod their heads in agreement, respectively.

    Certainly, if they were guests, they would be welcomed by the servants.

    Then, the figure in front of the gate could be a person who just happened to pass by the house, or it could be someone who came to the house without getting an appointment.

    "I will ask him."

    Hualian, on behalf of the others, approaches the figure at the gate.

    "Who is it?"

    "Ah."

    The figure who raised a puzzled voice when she was approached was a classy woman in her mid-forties with dark hair.

    "This is the Countess Walker''s house. If you need something, I''m here.

    "No, I mean, I''m..."

    Hmm?

    The woman was so quiet that Karen tilted her head.

    You picked the wrong person. She is not the right person to ask for someone''s business.

    Her words are not enough, and she does not show her emotions very well, which can make her seem blunt at times.

    Liese and her friends, who have already lived with her and know her inside, know that she is a curious and kind girl, but she may have seemed a bit overbearing to a woman they have just met.

    "-- Hmm?"

    Hualien stares at the woman intently.

    "Uh, sir?"

    The woman is puzzled by Haren''s gaze.

    Then she called out to Liese and the others behind her.

    "Liese, Mizuki, Alicia, hey, hey!"

    "What''s wrong?¡¡Do you have a visitor?"

    "I don''t know. But I think I''ve seen this guy somewhere before."

    Liese and the others head for the gate, knowing that the woman has no hostile intentions toward them, since she is the one calling them.

    Then, just as Hualien had said, there was a woman whom they had never met before, but who had a somewhat familiar air about her.

    "--Oh, we''ve never met before, but I''m sure I''ve met her somewhere before."

    "Oh, um..."

    "I''m sorry for the sudden appearance. My name is Lieselotte Walker. This is Shih-Hanren, Mizuki Amemiya, and my sister, Alicia Walker. If you don''t mind, I''d like to know your name.

    "Dear Lieselotte, ...... you are the ones."

    The woman''s eyes widen when Lise says her name.

    It seems that she knows Liese and the others.

    "Do you know us?"

    "Yes, yes."

    The woman gave a short reply to Mizuki''s question.

    "...... what should I do? Maybe it''s because we''re engaged, but this one looks like Sam."

    "--!"

    In Alicia''s eyes, the woman looked somewhat like Sam.

    Liese and the others nodded their heads in agreement.

    "Oh, yes. No wonder she looks so familiar. Is it because we have the same dark hair and eyes - no, we look alike. Not just because of the black hair and eyes. It''s the eyes, the mouth, the atmosphere. ...... Um, excuse me, do you know Samuel Scheidt?"

    "Lise, Sam is famous, for better or worse."

    "I see. So you know him personally?

    The woman nodded quietly at Lise''s question.

    "-I, yes, I know who you are."

    "I knew it!¡¡If so, is he a guest of Sam''s?¡¡Are you a relative?¡¡He''s not here right now, but if you''d like, you can wait for him inside the house. He should be back in a little while.

    When Liese realized that the woman was an acquaintance of Sam''s, she responded with a soft smile.

    However, the woman''s face turns dark at Liese''s words, as if she is troubled.

    "Oh, no, I am not qualified to meet her."

    "What do you mean by ......?"

    Liese and the others think that Sam is a close friend of theirs because he refers to her as "that girl.

    However, the woman''s attitude does not give the impression that she has come to see a familiar person.

    Liese and the others were puzzled.

    "I don''t have any face to meet her, but I heard that she has a new fianc¨¦ recently, and I was curious. I was wondering if I could at least catch a glimpse of him from a distance."

    "--Please tell me your name."

    I asked again the name of the woman I had asked once but had not been able to ask after all.

    The woman opened her mouth fearfully after hesitation.

    "...... My name is Melanie Teeling."

    "--Miss Melanie?¡¡I''ve heard that name somewhere."

    Lise had a feeling that she had heard her name somewhere before.

    The other women seemed to have the same feeling and started to search their memories.

    Alicia was the first one who remembered.

    She had the same name as Sam''s mother.

    The woman nodded at Alicia''s words.

    "Her name used to be Melanie Reinbach," she said.

    "--No way, no way."

    It was easy to guess who the woman was.

    Melanie confirmed Liese and the others'' expectations.

    I am Samuel''s mother.

 206 - - 31 "A surprising woman came to visit." â‘¡

    Lise and her friends were about to go out to the castle town when they were greatly surprised by the appearance of a woman claiming to be Sam''s mother.

    Not wanting to take a stroll, they return to the house with Melanie.

    At first, Melanie had no intention to meet Sam or to see Lise and her family like this, and she was about to leave.

    However, Liese and her family could not let Sam''s mother go home and asked her to come up to the house.

    However, Lise and her friends did not completely believe that Melanie was Sam''s mother.

    They certainly look like her, so she must be a relative of theirs. To confirm these facts, it was necessary to continue the conversation.

    Who would want to make a connection with Sam, who suddenly appeared in King''s Landing and quickly became the most powerful wizard in the Kingdom of Skye?

    Lise and Alicia''s father, Jonathan, have been contacted by many people claiming to be Sam''s relatives, half-brothers, and half-siblings.

    However, all of them are fakes, and the only real relative so far is Viscount Koffi.

    Not to make things worse, but it is not impossible that Melanie, who claims to be Sam''s mother, is also a fake.

    However, the fianc¨¦es knew instinctively that the boy they loved and Melanie looked too much alike.

    They also decided that she was not lying.

    "I am sorry that I forced you to come with me."

    On behalf of her fianc¨¦, Lise apologized to Melanie.

    The girls went to a different place and found themselves in the drawing room of the Countess Walker''s house.

    They were seated on soft sofas, and in front of each of them was a cup of iced tea, as summer was approaching.

    Lise nervously moistens her throat and looks at Melanie who looks uncomfortable.

    "I apologize from the bottom of my heart if I have caused you any discomfort.

    "No, no. Lieselotte and her friends don''t owe us an apology.

    I am glad to hear you say so. I would like to talk with Melanie about many things, but first I have to ask you something.

    "I am ready. Please tell me.

    Already Melanie seems to know that she will be asked.

    As for Liese, it pains her to have to ask such a question, but she says it out of the goodness of her heart.

    "--Ms. Melanie, are you really Sam''s and Samuel Scheidt''s mother?¡¡From what he told me, your mother must have passed away."

    Yes. Sam''s mother, Melanie, is presumed dead.

    Sam is aware of this, and so is everyone else in the Baron Reinbach family.

    But then Melanie shows up.

    Therefore, we have to be sure.

    "...... my boring past story..."

    We''d love to hear from you.

    "Yes, well - I used to be a maid in Baron Reinbach''s household. Baron Reinbach, Carius, found me and took me as his wife, but ...... I didn''t want to. My parents knew how I felt about Carius and agreed to marry me, but I couldn''t say no to him.

    Melanie, perhaps remembering those days, complains with a bitter look on her face.

    Lise and her family wanted to get married, but it is not unusual for people to be forced into marriages they do not want.

    However, when they learned that Sam''s mother had unwillingly married into the Reinbach baronet''s family, their fianc¨¦es looked gloomy.

    They wondered if it was possible that Sam had been born unwanted.

    "When Sam was born and grew up and it became clear that he had no talent with the sword, Carius Reinbach treated him coldly. I, too, was treated poorly, as a worthless child who had no talent."

    "...... must have been hard for you."

    "You''re a terrible man."

    That''s for sure.

    I am so sorry for your loss.

    Baron Reinbach''s stock, which had been low to begin with, dropped even lower among Liese and the others.

    "I would be lying if I said it wasn''t hard for me, but I would have been happy with Sam. He was the love of my life, born to a man I loved with all my heart."

    "--What?"

    Hearing Melanie''s words, Liese felt uncomfortable inside.

    It didn''t make sense that she had married Baron Reinbach without her consent, but Sam was born to the love of her life.

    Did he change his mind after the marriage, or--?

    "I was really happy. But when it became clear that the boy born to his consort Yolanda had a talent for the sword, Callius'' attitude became more pronounced. He began to treat Sam as if he did not exist. Fortunately, the servants were my former colleagues and treated me well. ......"

    "Is something wrong?"

    "I guess my heart was weak. I was sickened by the persistent harassment I had been receiving from Yolanda for a long time."

    "-oh, my God."

    The household of an aristocrat with multiple wives is a complicated one.

    It is said that the family can be quite peaceful when the wives get along well with each other, but when the wives get along well with each other, the family can be unimaginably nasty.

    Sometimes wives even kill each other.

    Melanie must have been harshly treated by Yolanda, a concubine of hers. And she endured it without retaliation. But it wore her down little by little.

    "I felt I had reached my limits and took the easy and stupid way out."

    "...... No way, no way."

    It was really easy to imagine the rest of the story.

    "As you can imagine, I decided to take my own life. But I couldn''t let Sam go with me, even though he was sick at heart. And so I threw myself into the river, leaving behind a suicide note."

    "--I''m sorry for your pain. But you lived. Why didn''t you show your face to Sam earlier?"

    Lise''s question was also the question of her fianc¨¦es.

    Melanie''s face contorted sadly at the question.

    "That''s why ...... I threw myself into the river and nearly lost my life. In fact, I must have died because they said I had stopped breathing. It was Viscount Stephen Teeling, now my husband, who found me and saved me."

    "Do you have a ...... husband?"

    Liese and her friends were surprised, not expecting that she had remarried.

    Melanie''s next words revealed the reason.

    "No wonder you are surprised. I know it''s an excuse, but when my husband saved me, I had lost all memory except for my name."

 207 - - 32 "A surprising woman came to visit." â‘¢

    "That''s why he couldn''t appear before Sam. --No, you didn''t remember him in the first place."

    If she had amnesia, it is understandable that she did not want to see Sam.

    Melanie had forgotten that Sam existed.

    Even if he were still alive, there is no way she could have met him.

    "Yes. "Yes. It is a shameful thing for a mother to do. I was so politely protected by Steven. I found myself falling in love with him and marrying him out of wedlock. And we had a daughter."

    "--oh, Sam has a sister?

    "We have different fathers, but yes, we do."

    Riese and her friends are astonished.

    It was unexpected that Sam''s mother was still alive, but now he has a younger sister.

    "I never thought that Sam''s mother was in the Tiefling family.

    Viscount Teeling was a nobleman of the same royalist faction as his father, and the family name was familiar to him.

    Lise, as well as the other fianc¨¦es, had never dreamed that Sam''s mother was so close by.

    "Well, Sam-sama''s mother has regained her memory now, hasn''t she?"

    When Alicia modestly asked the question, Melanie affirmed in the affirmative.

    "It was about a year ago. About a year ago, I was inadvertently drowned in a lake on a trip. I remembered everything I remembered. But I already had a new family. I could not ask to see Sam, and Sam had left the Reinbach area by then and was missing, so I could not see him even if I wanted to."

    A year ago, Sam was traveling around with Ur.

    Melanie, of course, and Lise and the others had never met.

    Sam would never have dreamed that his mother, whom he thought was dead, was actually alive, even though she had lost her memory.

    "So this is what you''re doing now?"

    Yes. Sam''s story became a popular one in King''s Landing, and we rejoiced greatly at his growth and success as a wizard. If you''re around, I''d like to see you. But I am not worthy to see him."

    It seems that Melanie feels guilty for attempting suicide without Sam.

    No one could easily say that they understood her feelings.

    "But the desire to see Sam grew stronger and stronger. Then, when I learned that Sam had recently become engaged, I could no longer hold back my feelings, and I rudely visited the Earl and Countess Walker''s house, hoping to at least see my grown son from a distance."

    Good timing or bad timing?

    Just in time, Liese and her friends appeared on the spot.

    But that''s not all I have.

    "Miss Melanie?"

    "I think God told me that now that I have my memory back and have met Sam''s fianc¨¦es like this, I can''t hide anything from him."

    What are you talking about?

    I have something to tell Sam. I thought I should keep it from him, but he has a right to know and I have an obligation to tell him.

    "Is it something you have to tell Sam?¡¡What does that mean?

    At Liese''s question, Melanie put on a serious expression and told her.

    "It''s about her origins."

    "--Origin?"

    I had a bad feeling.

    If I heard the rest of the story, I might be in trouble.

    Such a premonition struck Liese and the others.

    And just as they had expected, what Melanie told them was astonishing.

    "Sam is not the child of Carius Reinbach.

 208 - - 33 "A surprising woman came to see me." â‘£

    I had guessed, but the surprise was too great to actually hear it.

    --Sam is not Baron Reinbach''s biological son.

    I won''t say that I had never imagined it.

    Born into a family inclined to swordplay, but unable to use a sword and specializing in magic, we have all wondered "what if" about the boy''s origins.

    Perhaps even Carius Reinbach himself never stopped to think about it.

    And Sam himself.

    Therefore, Melanie''s statement that Sam was not of Baron Reinbach''s blood was, surprisingly, not considered a lie by Liese and the others.

    Still, they could not help but ask.

    "-- or let me check. Is it true that Sam is not Baron Reinbach''s child?

    To Lise''s question, Melanie nodded her head clearly.

    "Yes. At the time I was in love with an adventurer who was visiting Reinbach territory. He was an adventurer, but he could not use a sword at all. He had a talent as a wizard, but he was a bit of an oddball who excelled in the arts.

    "Is that Sam''s?"

    "Yes. I was attracted to this kind-hearted person who had a strong sense of justice and always wanted to help others."

    Melanie''s expression was calm as she spoke of her former lover, perhaps remembering that time.

    "Well, did Baron Reinbach know that Sam''s mother had a lover?"

    Melanie shook her head and said, "I don''t know.

    "I didn''t know."

    "Excuse me, ......, but didn''t Sam''s mother think about getting together with that person?"

    "As you said, Alicia, I was going to run away with him. But he left the town, saying that he wanted to step aside, perhaps because he was an adventurer. I don''t know what happened to him after that.

    "......It must have been so hard for you. I wouldn''t have been able to bear it.

    "Yes, I know. I think I couldn''t stand it either. I had lost the love of my life, and my parents wanted me to marry into the Barony of Reinbach, as Carius wanted me to. But what I didn''t realize at the time was that Sam was already in my belly.

    If he had known that Sam was in Melanie, the adventurer who had been his lover might not have left.

    His parents might not have forced him to marry into the barony.

    Carius might have given up on Melanie.

    We can only lament the fact that it was too late.

    "I think I was a bit of a loser at the time," he said. I lost the love of my life and got into a marriage I didn''t want."

    "...... Dear Melanie"

    "Carius was not a bad person at first. But I had no feelings for him. If he had not wanted me, my beloved would not have left me. And I think that my feelings were conveyed to Carius, for he immediately took a wife."

    Soon after Melanie''s pregnancy, Carius took Yolanda as his consort.

    Less than a year later, Yolanda also became pregnant.

    Carius was devoted to Yolanda. Perhaps he realized that Melanie did not want to marry him.

    I don''t know if this made him uncomfortable or not, but he had minimal contact with Melanie.

    Fortunately, Melanie had her friend and colleague Daphne, and Derrick, who was more supportive than her own parents.

    The other servants were like family, and with their help, she gave birth to Sam.

    "When I saw Sam born, I knew immediately that it was his child. He had silver hair, just like the man I loved."

    "Sam''s hair is silver?¡¡No, but doesn''t Sam have black hair?"

    "As I grew up, I turned completely black. But sometimes, because of reflections of light, silver shone through the black hair.

    It wasn''t just the similarity in hair color.

    Her face, her atmosphere, she looked just like the person I loved.

    "I was delighted. My beloved had left me, but she was carrying my beloved''s child. I was happy just to have Sam. Even if I found out that he had no talent with the sword, I did not mourn because it only made me more certain of his father''s blood.

    Karius'' disappointment when he found out that Sam had no talent with the sword was great.

    Perhaps he had realized that Sam was not his own son, Melanie guessed.

    Therefore, at first she wanted to leave the house with Sam, but Carius, of all people, would not allow it.

    Carius ordered Melanie to spend the night with him shortly after the birth, but she refused because she was not feeling well.

    He probably did not find this amusing. Gradually, his attitude toward Melanie deteriorated. On the other hand, she treated Yolanda better.

    At the same time, Yolanda''s son Manion was discovered to have a talent with the sword.

    He was not a great talent, but he could use a sword a little.

    But Carius was pleased. He said out loud that this was indeed his son.

    From that time on. Yolanda began to harass Melanie, his wife.

    My guess is that she wanted her talented son to succeed her. And she wanted to be the heir to the throne.

    Yolanda''s harassment escalated, and Sam began to suffer as well.

    Although her friend Daphne helped her, Yolanda was very good at hiding from the public eye.

    As a result, Melanie''s heart gradually became sickened by the long-lasting harassment, and she ended up throwing herself into the water.

    "You must think I''m a bad woman. I''m so ashamed of what I''ve done, I feel like I''m losing control. I am sure that God did not forgive me for what I did.

    "I can''t say that I understand all of your feelings, but I can never say that I, or we, are sorry for you, Melanie."

    Melanie''s circumstances were also unfavorable.

    If only she had not been discovered by the nobility, she might have lived a happy life with her beloved husband and children.

    Thinking of this, I could not unilaterally judge her disappointing behavior as a bad thing.

    "Thank you very much. But I am aware that I did something wrong. I should have forced myself to leave the house when Sam was born."

    She does not say it, but perhaps for Sam''s sake she did not resist Karius'' attempts to stop her.

    If we can raise him as a child of a noble family, at least we won''t have to eat.

    "Speaking of which, what is the name of the adventurer with whom you are dating, no, what is the name of the man who is Sam''s real father?¡¡If you have any clues as to where you are from or anything else, we might be able to find you."

    His name is Charles Howard. I still have the only dagger he ever gave me. It was the only thing I had on me when I threw myself."

    Now, let''s take a look at the man.

    "Please, I beg of you. Please don''t look for him."

    Melanie rejected Liese''s proposal in a clear tone of voice.

 209 - - 34 "A surprising woman came to see me." â‘¤

    "...... Dear Melanie".

    "I know you are doing this for Sam''s sake, but please don''t do this. It has been more than ten years since he left me. It will only cause him trouble if he hears that I have a son.

    "But..."

    Liese and her friends wanted Sam to meet his real father.

    "Sam has a life now, and I have a family too. Sam is important to me, of course, but my husband and daughter are also very important to me.

    "-- Yes, that''s right. I''m sorry for my imprudence."

    Lise realized her mistake.

    Surely, it would be good for Sam to meet his real father.

    But it would also mean a change in Melanie''s current family.

    She has a daughter with Viscount Teeling, and she is happy with her life now.

    Not only her, but also the lives of Viscount Tiefling and his daughter could be drastically changed.

    It would be irreversible if a family was destroyed because Liese and her family had found Charles Howard.

    "Please don''t apologize. If that''s true, maybe we should find a father for Sam. He grew up without the love of a normal family. Of course, it''s my fault. So it is only natural that he would like to have a real father. But I am afraid."

    "Afraid?¡¡What is it that you are afraid of?"

    "I am afraid that he has changed since I left Charles. I''m afraid that he might try to take advantage of me. Of course, I do not think that things will turn out badly. There is a possibility that he will accept Sam and be a good father to him, but I can''t bet on it.

    "--Yes, sir."

    If Charles Howard was a lousy person, Sam would be saddened by the outcome.

    Of course, this is not always the case, and he could be a very nice person and have a good relationship with Sam.

    But we will not know that until we actually meet Charles.

    Melanie is right, we should avoid taking a gamble.

    Charles may have a family.

    It is not impossible that he may find Sam''s presence annoying.

    There is no need to dredge up the past fourteen years now, is there?

    "I have talked a lot, but I probably should not have told you this story. For Sam''s sake, I should have taken the facts to my grave."

    "No, Sam would have wanted to know the truth."

    Liese and the other fianc¨¦es assured him that he was not wrong, only that he could know the facts.

    If they could think of Sam''s past and the man he is now, they would be able to truly part with the past.

    Of course, it will be a shock, but you will not be wishing you had never known.

    "Are there any other facts about this?"

    "My husband is the only one who knows the secret of Sam''s origin. I couldn''t hold it alone, so I told him."

    "I see. Do you mind if I tell Sam?¡¡Perhaps our parents could be told about it."

    "Please. I don''t have the courage to tell Sam."

    "Okay. If so, I will take the responsibility of informing Sam. Sir, your mother...

    I am not qualified to be called "mother". Please, call me Melanie.

    "No, you are Sam''s mother. No, you are Sam''s mother and we love you very much.

    Following Lise''s words, her fianc¨¦es nodded.

    Whatever Melanie may owe to Sam, she is still his mother. If so, she is an important mother to all of us.

    Melanie bowed her head and thanked Liese and the others for recognizing her as a mother.

    "Finally, will you be seeing Sam?"

    "Am I qualified to meet Sam?"

    Melanie looks up, her anxious eyes fluttering.

    She wonders if she should meet Sam because of the debt she owes him.

    To reassure her, Lise smiled kindly and nodded gently.

    "Of course. I know it takes a lot of courage, but please meet Sam. If not today, then tomorrow or the day after. As soon as she is ready, please show her face."

    "--Thank you. I think Sam is lucky to have such kind-hearted and wonderful people like Lieselotte and her family. As a mother, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

 210 - - 35 "Im planning for the future.

    Sam and Stella were guided by King Clyde and finished looking around the house.

    Sam liked the house.

    It was classy and relaxed. In a good way, it didn''t look like an aristocratic house.

    It was nice that there were no unpleasantness though there were some parts where money had been spent.

    King Roig and his brother must have been a man of good taste.

    "It will be a long time, but when Liese settles down, you can move into this house. In the meantime, I will make sure that the house is ready to receive you.

    Clyde stopped at the entrance and said this to Sam with a friendly smile.

    He had been in a good mood since he arrived at the house.

    "Well, are you sure you want to leave this to me?"

    It''s a gift from me, including the house. Please accept them without reservation.

    "Thank you."

    Sam decided to be honest and accept Clyde''s goodwill.

    "Mm. Stella, I wish you a happy life here with Sam and the other wives."

    "Thank you, Father ......."

    And hurry up with the grandchildren.

    "Oh, Father!"

    Stella''s white cheeks turned bright red when she was asked for her grandchild.

    Clyde''s eyes relax at the sight of his daughter.

    Not long ago, they had not been able to do any of these father-daughter things. Considering that, Clyde must be happy now.

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha!¡¡You can wish for that much. I have no grandchildren yet. I can''t wait to hold them in my hands. I''m counting on you, Sam. I wish you good luck.

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha, I''ll do my best?"

    "Oh, my God, even Sam!"

    Ha-ha-ha-ha, good one!¡¡That''s the spirit!"

    Clyde laughed happily and joyfully for a while, then realized that it was almost time to go back to the palace and looked regretful.

    His moment of relaxation was coming to an end.

    "I''m sorry to leave, but I have to get back to the palace," he said. Oh, that''s right. I forgot to tell you something. Sam."

    "Yes."

    "I think we should move the wedding up."

    Let''s see...

    "I thought it would be better to get married when you are grown up, as we originally planned, but Lise is pregnant, isn''t she?¡¡You''ll want to wear your wedding dress before your belly shows."

    "Yes. I''m sorry, I didn''t think about that."

    "I thought. But it''s nothing to worry about. Let the adults take care of these things."

    Sam felt sorry for himself, because he was usually so concerned about Liese''s health, but he could not notice the important things.

    Clyde patted him on the shoulder and told him not to worry about it.

    "What do you think Stella?"

    "I agree with your father. I think she would like to be Sam''s wife, in name and in reality, as soon as possible, in spite of the dress.

    "Then let''s do it that way. Besides, it would be more convenient for us if you let the wedding take place earlier.

    What do you mean by convenience?

    "I know that neither you nor I care, but there are those who speak ill of getting pregnant before marriage. There is no need to be a good topic of conversation for the nit-picking aristocrats. Even if it is just a little birdsong, it is better to have a little less stress for pregnant women."

    "......Thank you for your consideration."

    Sam bowed deeply, sincerely thankful for Clyde''s concern for Liese.

    "Father, I mean, is there anyone who would complain about Master Sam getting married before he comes of age?"

    "Well, there are a few of them, but none of them can say it out loud. Sam may be a pre-adult, but he''s accomplished as much as any adult. He is already a count, and no one can complain. Even if someone were to speak ill of Sam, you would not care, would you?"

    "Well, I don''t care. Whoever wants to say it can say it, that''s all.

    If Liese or Stella had said something bad to me, I would not have been confident that I could restrain myself, but if it had been about me, I would have been fine.

    Sam knows that there are people in this world who are always looking for something bad to say about others.

    If the target is himself, there is nothing to worry about.

    At most, he would feel it as a small annoyance.

    "Father, what is the date?"

    "I''ll have to discuss it with Count Walker, Magnolia, and Kurando, but I think we should have the ceremony as early as next month."

    Next month?

    "Well... It would be better to hold the wedding with only my family. I''d like to celebrate it with a big party, but there''s no end to the number of people who are blinded by greed and want to be connected with Sam. Only those who will give their hearty congratulations should attend. I hate to say it, but there are already people who have a lot of nonsense to say about your marriage.

    Clyde did not say, but Sam had an idea of what he meant by "nonsense.

    Sam had never thought about it, but it was something that Jonathan and Grace were concerned about.

    It was that Lise was remarried.

    Not many people have a good imagination when they hear that a returned woman remarried a promising minor.

    Moreover, since it was decided that she would be the first lady, even though she was remarrying, and not Princess Stella, there were already a lot of things being said behind the scenes.

    Most of it is directed at Lise and Countess Walker, but it is still not very pleasant.

    Stella has also been the subject of bad rumors in the past, and Hualien has also ruined many marriages.

    Mizuki''s father Kurando has just been stripped of his title as a kensei.

    And Sam, a baron from a remote area where few people know his name. Although he is presumed to be dead, it is easy to find out that he is not.

    Since Sam and his family are having a wedding, the only people who will truly congratulate them are their relatives.

    Therefore, it is understandable that Clyde wants to hold the wedding with only his family members.

    At least, Sam did not intend to oppose it.

    But he was a little worried about what his fianc¨¦es would think.

 211 - - 36 "Surprised" â‘ 

    "I''m home."

    When Sam returned home after dropping Clyde and Stella off at the royal palace, he found his family and fianc¨¦e all gathered at the door.

    "Look at all of you!"

    Sam!

    "Lise-sama, what is this?¡¡Lady Karen, Lady Mizuki, and even Lady Alicia. Oh, the Master and his wife are all here too. ...... Are you going somewhere?"

    The Earls of Walker and their fianc¨¦es are as close as family can get.

    They have even gone out to eat together on several occasions.

    £¨Do we have plans today?)

    At least Sam can''t remember the last time he had to go out with everyone in one place.

    Is it that he just forgot about it, or was it something that was suddenly decided?

    I was thinking about it leisurely,

    "We''ve been waiting for you!"

    A nervous Liese told me on behalf of the group.

    "Me?¡¡Why is that again?"

    (--What did I do?¡¡You didn''t, did you?¡¡(Yeah, I didn''t do anything that would make you angry!)

    Other than the recent turmoil between G¨¹nther and Cree, I have been relatively quiet, so I have no reason to blame them.

    However, what is this tense atmosphere that is prevailing among everyone here?

    It made me nervous, too.

    "Sam, let''s talk a little. "Well, there''s a lot of people here, so let''s talk in the cafeteria.

    "Huh."

    For some reason, I was impressed by Jonathan, who had his stomach in knots and was trying to smile peacefully, but failing and looking somewhat drawn.

    (Huh?¡¡Did I do something wrong after all?)

    Sam follows Jonathan to the diner, and his fianc¨¦e surrounds him as if to keep him from escaping.

    I felt like a prisoner being transported.

    Sam and his fianc¨¦e move into the cafeteria. They each take their seats as usual, and the maid offers them cold tea.

    Sam, who was thirsty, happily drank the tea and quenched his thirst, while Jonathan began to talk with a mysterious look on his face.

    "Well, where should I start...... to tell you the truth, I was just told about it by Liese and the others, and I can''t hide my surprise."

    Uh, yes.

    "Father, Sam is in trouble. First, we must tell him what we need to tell him.

    Yes, that''s right. Sam, do you remember your mother?

    Sam was puzzled by Jonathan''s question.

    Why is he asking about his mother now?

    "No, not really. My mother died before I can remember. For me, Daphne, the maid, was my mother and sister."

    "...... I see. That''s understandable."

    £¨How come you''re talking about your mother now?¡¡I think I told you before that he passed away. I don''t remember much about it in my earlier memories.)

    I have two memories of Sam, one from my previous life in Japan and the other inherited from the previous Sam.

    The former can be recalled to a certain extent, but not so much the latter.

    In the first place, until the switch from the former Sam to the present Sam, Sam had no memories at all.

    Of course, he has no memory of his mother either. Probably because of his mother''s early death.

    Sam''s inherited memories are of a fragile old Sam living in not-so-good circumstances and being able to endure such a daily life because of Daphne and Derrick, whom he could truly call family, even though they are not related to him by blood.

    It is not that I have no memories of my mother Melanie, but they are hazy. Because of this, I do not consider her as my mother.

    To Sam, family was Daphne, Derrick, and all the servants in the Reinbach household.

    "Well, sir, how did you know about my mother?"

    "There''s no point in being indirect. There''s no point in embarrassing Sam, so I''ll be direct."

    "Please."

    Sam''s mother, Lady Melanie, is alive.

    "--Yes?"

 212 - - 37 "Surprised" â‘¡

    Jonathan''s words were enough to startle Sam.

    Wait a minute!¡¡My mother has been dead for years!"

    "Sam, please calm down. We met with Melanie today."

    Alicia, Haren, and Mizuki nodded at Liese''s words.

    "Liese-sama and the others?¡¡That''s a lie."

    I know you don''t believe me, but it''s true. I''ve spoken to her and I''m pretty sure she''s Sam''s mother."

    Liese and the others told Sam about today''s events.

    By chance, they met Melanie in front of Count Walker''s house and learned that she was Sam''s mother.

    She was supposed to be dead, but she had once tried to commit suicide but ended up failing. But the cost was that she lost her memory.

    She was rescued by her present husband, Viscount Teeling, with whom she has a daughter.

    Her memory has only recently returned. She was ashamed of her past indiscretions, and had refused to see Sam because she felt she could not face him, but when she heard her son''s story, she could no longer stand it.

    "I didn''t know that was possible."

    "...... Mr. Sam?¡¡Is that all?"

    Alicia asked Sam, who was honestly surprised at her mother''s situation, in a puzzled tone.

    "Alicia-sama?"

    "Well, I thought you would be more surprised that your mother was alive. More."

    No, I don''t really feel it, I don''t remember his face clearly, so I don''t know how to react. I am sorry if I have offended you.

    "No, no!¡¡It''s not that. It''s just that, for a moment, Melanie..."

    Alicia did not speak the rest of the words, but Sam somehow understood what she meant.

    Sam could tell that Alicia''s attitude had been too curt.

    He had expected her to be happy that her mother was alive and to want to see her.

    I don''t know what Melanie and Alicia and the others talked about, but perhaps she felt sorry for my mother after seeing Sam''s indifferent reaction.

    (Alicia seems to be a kind lady, but I am sure Sam would have reacted the same way before. (No, aside from me, he would have been more angry or something.)

    Now we know how he attempted suicide.

    It''s rather convincing that Yolanda would do such a thing.

    The way her father treated her is not the way he would have treated a wife of his own volition.

    But I am not going to ask for common sense from the people in that family anymore.

    I know Melanie had a hard time, but it was still hard for me to recognize her as my mother.

    The old Sam might have resented me for leaving her in that house, but the new Sam did not feel that way.

    Rather, it is a good thing that his mother, whom he thought was dead, is still alive.

    Melanie, who had an unhappy marriage and attempted suicide because of her mental illness, thinks that it is good if she is happy now.

    She is happy to have a family, a loving husband and a daughter.

    She does not want to disturb their happiness if she can help it.

    "If my mother is happy now, that''s all that matters to me. If you ask her, she had a hard time, so I hope she will be happier than that. As a son, I hope so."

    There was nothing more to say.

    Now that he had a new family, it would not do any good for Sam to get involved.

    He did not want to bring discord into his mother''s current family because of him.

    "Wait, Sam. I''m not finished with you yet.

    "--What?¡¡Is there something more?"

    (My mother being alive is quite an incident, but what more is there?¡¡Is it something related to my mother?¡¡(Or is it about Reinbach?)

    Jonathan gives a difficult look to Sam, who tilts his head.

    I noticed that not only he but also Liese and the others had a troubled look on their faces.

    At least, it seems to be different from the good news that my mother is alive.

    "Melanie, you have given us a terrible truth. Sam, about your origins."

    "Origins?¡¡Don''t tell me you picked that up somewhere around here?"

    "Not quite, no, but close, or something like that, I''m at a loss for words.

    "Huh?¡¡Did you really pick it up around there?"

    "No, no, no, no, no, Sam is not of Reinbach blood."

    "Hmm?"

    I didn''t understand.

    Jonathan, who thought the words were far-fetched, tells me again.

    "--In other words, Karius Reinbach is not Sam''s father."

    "Yes!"

    Reflexively, Sam raised his hands.

 213 - - 38 "Surprised" â‘¢

    "Sam?"

    "Oh, I''m sorry, it was just a reflex!¡¡Well, I didn''t know that was possible!¡¡A bolt from the blue, indeed!¡¡Oh, I''m dizzy."

    That''s good. ...... at all."

    True or false, I could not be happier if it were true.

    If there is not a drop of that man''s blood in me, I will be very glad indeed.

    That means I am a stranger to my brother, whose face I do not even remember.

    "I am sorry that my grandfather, no, Viscount Koffi, came all the way to see me, but I thank him that he had nothing to do with that house."

    "--Well, I knew you would say that."

    Jonathan chuckles with a sigh.

    Lise and the other fianc¨¦es are also laughing, as if they had expected Sam''s reaction.

    Sam is relieved to find out that he is now a complete stranger to the family that had treated him so poorly, even though they had always been like strangers to him.

    In fact, there is no reason for him to be sad when he finds out that he is a stranger.

    This is definitely good news, even if it comes as a surprise.

    "Considering Sam''s situation, I guess it can''t be helped."

    "But I''m a little more surprised."

    "Surprisingly bland, isn''t it?¡¡We were quite surprised."

    "...... If it were me, I would be so shocked I would fall asleep."

    As he listened to his fianc¨¦e''s thoughts, Sam''s heart was filled with an unprecedented sense of freedom.

    But it didn''t matter to Sam who his father or mother was.

    "Whoever my mother is, whoever my father is, I''m still me. I met Ur, I learned magic, and now I can be a family with Liese and her family. That''s more than enough. I''m happy just the way I am.

    --He is content with the status quo.

    That was Sam''s honest truth.

    "Excuse me, Mr. Sam. I''d like you to meet your mother, if possible.

    "Yes. Maybe we should meet once."

    Sam nodded with a smile at Alicia, who once again wished to meet her mother.

    She doesn''t want to know who her father is now, but she also wants to be sure that he is not related to the Reinbachs.

    "--Good. I was worried that you might not feel well about your mother, since you were not very open with her."

    For Alicia, who is a kind-hearted person, Sam''s attitude toward her mother was a little unsettling.

    "No, it''s not like that. I don''t have anything against her, but I don''t know how to feel about her.

    "I see. I hope that you can build a good relationship with your mother.

    "We will try."

    Alicia smiled at Sam''s words with satisfaction.

    "By the way, we haven''t talked about Sam''s father yet, have we?"

    "Mizuki-sama?¡¡Do you know about my father, too?"

    "Yes. Your mother told me about you. Sam''s father is an adventurer. Amazingly, Sam''s father couldn''t use a sword either.

    "...... Is it genetic, this?"

    It is rather tempting to think that it is a curse that has been passed down from generation to generation.

    (I don''t suppose, though, that the unborn child will not inherit the inability to use this certain gifted sword, right?)

    I don''t know if it''s a curse or genetic, but give me a break.

    Especially Liese is looking forward to teaching her child how to use a sword, so it would be a shame if she can''t use it.

    Of course, I have no intention to treat her coldly like some baronesses, but I would feel sorry for Lise if her child can''t use a sword because of her own heredity.

    "Yes, yes, I believe his name is Charles Howard.

    "--Hmm?"

    Sam couldn''t believe his ears.

    He had only heard the name Charles Howard a short time ago.

    He wondered how such a coincidence could be possible, that the king''s brother''s alias and his father''s name were the same.

    "Sam?¡¡What''s wrong?¡¡Do you have any idea what it might be?"

    At Liese''s question, Sam smiles and shakes his head "No".

    "Ha-ha-ha, I was a little surprised. I didn''t know such a coincidence could happen.

    "Coincidence?¡¡What is it?"

    "Actually, I heard that the late King''s brother used to call himself Charles Howard when he was an adventurer.

    Everyone fell silent as Sam laughed.

    "Huh?¡¡You know what?"

    The silence hurts.

    "No, no, no way, no way!¡¡That can''t be true!¡¡Yes, it must be!"

    "Yes. How could such a coincidence happen?

    Jonathan smiles and for some reason says loudly, and Liese agrees with him.

    "That''s impossible. That''s too good to be true.

    "Right. Yeah, I think so too."

    Hualien and Mizuki also let out a dry laugh.

    "Well, don''t tell me that you''re under the mistaken impression that the king brother is my father or something like that?¡¡That''s not possible. If that happened, it would be a big deal. Ha-ha-ha-ha ...... No, please don''t be silent and laugh. You''re kidding, right?

    Sam tried to laugh it off when he realized what his fianc¨¦es were thinking, but all he got was silence again.

    "............ that."

    After a long silence, Alicia opened her mouth.

    "Shouldn''t we make sure of that, just in case?"

    Everyone, including Sam, nodded with sweat on their faces at the hesitant suggestion.

 214 - - 39 "A lot of things happened."

    "--Ha. I''m tired from so many things."

    Sam was walking around the castle town for a change.

    It wasn''t that he didn''t want to stay at the Countess Walker''s house, or that he wanted to keep his distance from his fianc¨¦es.

    He just wanted some casual alone time.

    For the past week, Sam''s surroundings had been buzzing with activity. Or, rather, hectic.

    Starting with his mother Melanie''s survival, the fact that Sam was not of Baron Reinbach blood disturbed not only Count Walker''s family, but also his fianc¨¦e and her family.

    The royal family of Skye was especially surprised.

    The father of Sam, who had caused quite a stir, was the late King''s brother, Roig Isle-Sky.

    Needless to say, many people, including Earl Jonathan Walker, were astonished when they found out the truth.

    Sam''s father was an adventurer named Charles Howard. But that was also the name that his brother Royg had used when he was an adventurer.

    One would have thought that such a coincidence would never happen.

    Sam and his fianc¨¦es were so astonished that Jonathan finally crouched down with his stomach in knots.

    Now the question of whether Sam was really the son of Roig, the king''s brother, was on everyone''s mind.

    Lise and the others heard from Melanie that Charles had black hair mixed with silver. And Sam also had silver hair when he was a newborn. This made them think that it was almost certain.

    However, I needed more information to determine that Sam was of royal blood.

    So, the dagger that Melanie had received from Charles was presented to the royal family.

    It was found that the dagger had the crest of the Marquess of Glen, the mother of King Clyde and his brother Roig, engraved on its handle.

    This confirmed that Sam was of the blood of King Roig and his brother - in other words, that he was of the Marquess of Glen and the royal family.

    Furthermore, Clyde''s mother, Queen Mother Dowager, is still alive and wants to meet the last surviving relative of the late Roig.

    Sam does not want to be treated as a member of the royal family or even as a member of the Marquise family, but it seems that this is not the case.

    No decision has been made on what to do about this, and it is said that Clyde and the others will discuss the matter, but it seems that at least he will not be able to enjoy a pleasant magical life as a court wizard.

    Also, he and Stella Isle-Sky, the first princess, are cousins now, but they have no problem getting married.

    In fact, Clyde, for example, seemed to be truly happy to be related to his brother''s son.

    Now, the problem was not with Sam but with Melanie.

    Even though she did not know it, she had given birth to a boy with the king''s brother.

    If only this were enough, but now she was married to Viscount Thieling. More specifically, she was once married to Baron Reinbach, who committed suicide and died.

    Her background is as complicated as her son''s.

    The higher-ups were apparently concerned about how to deal with Melanie, but after receiving Sam''s request via Jonathan to "leave my mother alone," Clyde and the others promised to treat Melanie only as Viscount Teeling''s wife and Sam''s mother.

    That''s a relief. At least my mother would not be subjected to the rough and tumble of the aristocracy any longer than necessary.

    Now all that remained was to meet his mother and grandmother, but Sam had had enough.

    Jonathan and the other members of the Walker family had never dreamed that Sam, who had been accepted as an apprentice of Ur, the eldest daughter, was related to the royal family.

    Thanks to this, Jonathan spends his days visiting the royal palace with a sick feeling in his stomach.

    Fortunately for Sam, Jonathan was a man of integrity and not someone who would try to take advantage of him.

    He has no desire to use Sam to better his own position.

    Rather, he would have wished that there would be no more problems.

    On the other hand, Viscount Kofi must be disappointed that he has lost his relationship with Sam.

    They were never related to him in the first place.

    Rumor has it that he regrets that he should have at least made his grandson one of his fianc¨¦es, even if he had to force his way.

    G¨¹nther was the only one who seemed to be doing normal in this case.

    He assured Sam that his love for her was the same whether she was a baron or a royal. This seemed to have shocked his fiancees who had been upset, and it seemed to have made them pull themselves together.

    G¨¹nther, who had been withdrawn for a long time, came storming into the house, perhaps to cheer Sam up, or perhaps he saw his weakened state as an opportunity - he was collected by Cree.

    He was still the same, but that was a relief in a way.

    However, as Sam was related to G¨¹nther by blood, it made me feel a little uncomfortable.

 215 - - "Mr. Jim spoke to me."

    "--Samuel Scheidt, are you sure?"

    "Yes?"

    A man''s voice called out to Sam from behind as he staggered helplessly through the streets of the castle town.

    He felt no hostility, so he turned around and saw a boy in his late teens.

    The boy, whom he did not recognize, was a well-dressed man with long cropped chestnut hair and a difficult expression on his face.

    He was probably a nobleman.

    "I am Samuel Scheidt. Who are you?"

    "I''m sorry to call on you so suddenly. But now that I''ve seen you, I couldn''t help but call out to you. I''m--I''m Jim Robert.

    "--Oh."

    I know who he is.

    He was the boy who had been pining over Alicia, Sam''s fianc¨¦e the other day.

    Alicia and Jim''s marriage was being discussed by their mothers.

    Jim was positive, in fact, he wanted to, but Alicia did not want to.

    It was not that Jim was a jerk or that he had done anything wrong to Alicia, but they were just not compatible.

    Above all, Alicia had feelings for Sam and would never have turned her heart to Jim.

    In the end, Alicia and Sam were together, and Jim''s marriage proposal was broken off.

    Jim is the boy in front of you, Jim Robert.

    "I''m glad you can understand me."

    "If this is about Lady Alicia..."

    "I know. I''m not blaming you or complaining.

    "What?"

    I didn''t expect that.

    He has every right to blame Sam and to complain.

    Before his incompatibility with Alicia, Jim had been a boy who never listened to her and talked only about himself.

    The women were critical of him, but Sam and Jonathan felt that it was too much to ask a boy of his age to show perfect behavior in front of a girl he was in love with.

    In his own way, he too had strong feelings for Alicia, and his desire to let her know about him was just a little too much.

    Still, he was prepared to complain about the fact that Sam was one of the reasons why he and his girlfriend had broken off their marriage, but apparently not.

    "I just want to talk to you for a minute. Please."

    "Well, let''s, uh, let''s go to a nearby coffee shop."

    "Okay."

    Just in time, there was a coffee shop in front of us, so we moved there.

    Fortunately, the store was empty.

    We sat facing each other at a window seat away from other customers so that we could talk calmly.

    He asked the waitress for two coffees, and they waited quietly without exchanging a word.

    After a while, the coffees arrived and they both moistened their thirst, Jim slowly opened his mouth.

    "I''ve been thinking about this ever since the offer fell through. I''ve been trying to figure out why and what went wrong. But I couldn''t find the answer on my own, so I talked to a lot of people. And, what the heck, they all told me that I was the one with the problem.

    As if in shame, Jim confides his experience to Sam.

    "At first I couldn''t believe it, but a kind friend put me in Alicia''s shoes and helped me realize my mistake. Yeah. I''m ashamed of myself."

    "Well, excuse me, I''m surprised."

    I am truly surprised that Jim acted so calmly after having a loved one taken from him.

    He is an adolescent boy. He should have been allowed to act more emotionally.

    "I think so, too. I know I did, but at first I was trying to act in an impulsive way. But my parents and friends saved me. They caught me in shock and locked me in my room so I wouldn''t do anything stupid. Probably to prevent me from doing something stupid like fighting you.

    What quick and precise parents.

    In fact, if Jim''s parents had not locked him up, they might never have faced each other across the table.

    "I was out of my mind at the time, but if I think about it, if I challenged you, you would have cut me in half and that would have been the end of it," he said. Even I know that you killed Albert Frege, the former court wizard, in an instant."

    "Thank God you didn''t have to fight your childhood friend, Lady Alicia."

    "I am also thankful that I did not recklessly challenge the most powerful wizard. Thanks to you, I am alive."

    (Well, the marriage proposal was broken up because she was an adolescent and her first love didn''t work out, and he got engaged right away. I''m surprised you put up with it - or rather, listened to your parents and friends. (I guess they tried very hard not to be so thoughtless.)

    Jim, with his kind parents and friends, must be a good man, even though he was not a good match for Alicia.

    Even Alicia did not seem to dislike him as a childhood friend, even if she did not like him as a marriage partner.

    "It''s one thing for me to talk to you like this, but to tell you the truth, I have a favor to ask you."

    "Let me ask you something."

    I need to talk to Alicia.

    "I''m sure."

    I expected to be told that.

    Although he has regained his composure, he may not have completely blown it.

    Then I knew he would ask to speak with Alicia once.

    "Don''t get me wrong. I don''t mean to embarrass you or her. I just want to apologize and get a clear rejection. I''m sorry about how I feel about it, but it''s what I need to do to move on."

    "......I understand how you feel. Just so you know, Alicia wanted to say no and apologize to you in person."

    "I know. I know my parents would have stopped me. I don''t want my words or actions to hurt her. And that I would not regret it later. I am grateful to them. If I had met Alicia sooner, I would have done something rash. But now that I''ve cooled off, I want to make a decision."

    I know what you''re talking about. As a man, I understand Jim''s feelings.

    "Then, it''s not a matter of whether I forgive you or not, it''s between the two of you. I won''t stop you."

    "Thank you."

    "But be warned - if you say or do anything to hurt Alicia, I will not tolerate it. You''d better be prepared to be cut in half."

    I do not want to leave a scar on Alicia''s tender-hearted heart.

    Alicia is still concerned about the fact that she and Jim have called off their marriage proposal.

    Jim nodded at Sam''s warning.

    "I''ll keep that in mind."

    "Well then, the sooner the better. Right away."

    Sam finished his coffee and stood up.

 216 - - 41 "Theyre going to move forward."

    "AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?"

    When Jim Robert arrived at Count Walker''s house, he was greeted by the heroic figure of Alicia Walker, who was riding a baby dragon in the sky.

    If that were all, all he would have had to do was roll his eyes, but one of the dragons spotted Sam and flew up.

    For Sam, it was a lunge as if to say, "Be gentle," but for Jim, it was different.

    Even though it was a baby dragon, it opened its fang-lined mouth and came straight at him.

    Maybe he thought he was going to be eaten.

    Then Jim''s scream echoed through the air, and he fell over.

    "Oh, Jim!

    Alicia, who noticed the owner of the scream, comes running down to the ground with her dragon cubs.

    Alicia tried to get close to Jim, who was probably in a slump, but he held up his hand to restrain her, as if it were a man''s will.

    Alicia stopped a short distance away and waited for her childhood friend to raise her upper body, then bowed her head deeply and apologized.

    "--Jim, I''m sorry."

    Sam realized that her short apology contained a variety of feelings.

    Alicia may have had her own reasons, but she did not say them out loud, only apologized.

    Jim smiled kindly at Alicia and shook his head.

    "...... No, it''s okay. At this moment, I realized that I did not understand anything about Alicia. I had no idea she was brave enough to become a dragon knight.

    "No, you see, it''s not like that.

    Sam tried to follow up, but it seemed that his words were not reaching Jim.

    He was not ignoring Sam, but was shocked by what he had just witnessed.

    I understand how he feels. Even Sam had never imagined that Alicia, whom he had always thought of as a shy character, would be riding on a baby dragon that could destroy King''s Landing all by itself if it wanted to.

    "It was foolish of me to assume that Alicia had a reserved personality. I had no idea she had such a bold character. ...... What had I seen in Alicia until now?

    "No, that''s why, you know, I''m surprised at the side of Alicia that your family doesn''t know about."

    I''m ashamed of myself!"

    "--Listen."

    (I hate to say it, but I''m sure this kind of not listening was not a good match for Alicia. Well, as a friend, I don''t mind it so much, but it''s hard to think about being married to someone like this every day.)

    Sam was shocked to see Jim''s side of him that didn''t listen to him, but he didn''t have the tact to say it out loud.

    For now, he would just watch Jim and Alicia and see what happened.

    "Alicia?"

    "Yes."

    I hope you and Samuel Scheidt will be happy.

    "--Thank you, Jim."

    Jim never uttered a word of resentment, but sincerely wished his childhood friend well.

    Alicia smiled as if she had been saved by her childhood friend''s words.

    Sam was relieved to see her.

    "And Samuel Scheidt."

    "Yes."

    "Make sure Alicia is happy. As a childhood friend, I''m counting on you."

    "I will make you happy, even if you don''t ask me to."

    Sam looked straight at Jim and nodded, and he nodded back in satisfaction.

    "--Good. Now I can move on. Now, Samuel."

    "Yes."

    "Before we move forward, I need to ask you a favor."

    Um, what is it?

    When Sam wondered if there was anything more, Jim told him clearly without changing the expression on his face as he faced the two of them.

    "I need a bath and a change of clothes, if possible. I''ve peed my pants."

 217 - - 42 "The Sorcerer and His True Nature" â‘ 

    After Jim took a bath and changed out of Sam''s clothes, the three of them, including Alicia, had a cup of tea.

    Lise and the others seemed to be in the house, but they did not show their faces out of concern for Jim.

    Grace was the only one who had heard from the maid that she was going to say hello to Jim later.

    "Again, I''m sorry, Alicia.

    Jim, who was feeling a lot better, bowed to Alicia across the table.

    "Now that I''ve met you as a childhood friend, I can see that you''re not who I thought you were. The Alicia I know would never ride on the back of a dragon.

    Unlike before, Jim was able to see Alicia properly and his expression was calm.

    He will not be able to easily forget his feelings for Alicia, but he will be able to move on.

    And in time, his love for Alicia will become a memory.

    "I should have told Jim about myself," Alicia said. I couldn''t say anything when I saw how happy your mother and aunt were to see us."

    "Yes, it must have been difficult for you to say. But I''m glad. Now we can tell each other exactly how we feel. Most of all, as a childhood friend, I''m happy to see Alicia so happy."

    "Thank you, Jim."

    "Yeah. Good. Now I can move on."

    Sam was relieved to see Jim looking so content.

    He was thankful that he had acted rationally and not out of desperation.

    Alicia was the one who would have been grieved if she and Jim had gotten into trouble.

    They continue to talk happily.

    They talk happily afterwards, as if they are trying to rekindle their relationship as childhood friends, to get to know each other better.

    They will be good childhood friends from now on.

    It was then that Sam relaxed and had a cup of tea.

    "Sam!¡¡Is Sam here!"

    "Sir?"

    "Father?"

    "Is that your uncle''s voice?"

    Jonathan''s voice echoed throughout the house, as if he was in a panic.

    Sam stood up and went out into the hallway to see what was going on.

    "Sir!¡¡I''m here!"

    A few moments later, Jonathan came running into view.

    "Oh, there you are, Sam!¡¡I''m sorry, but I need you at the royal palace!"

    "The palace?¡¡What''s wrong?"

    "Father, are you having trouble with Master Sam again?"

    Sam and the others looked anxious when they were told to come to the palace.

    Alicia, who was also well aware of the messiness surrounding Sam''s origins, asked her father anxiously, "What is it that you want?

    "Yes, there is a lot of trouble over Sam, but not right now," Alicia replied. We need the power of the court wizard, the most powerful wizard in the kingdom!

    Let''s go.

    Sam replied without checking what was going on.

    If Jonathan, whom he trusted, was asking for his wizardly powers, he would only comply.

    "Master Sam!"

    "It''s all right, Alicia."

    But...

    Don''t worry. I''m strong.

    "...... believe in you."

    Thank you very much. Oh, by the way, since you seem to be in a hurry, please tell Lise and the others that I''ve gone out.

    Yes, of course. But please be really careful.

    Alicia must have sensed from her father''s panic that something had happened.

    As the fianc¨¦e of a court wizard, she did not try to stop him, but she still could not hide her uneasiness.

    Sam smiled to calm her tender-hearted fianc¨¦.

    "Of course. I''m sorry, Mr. Jim, but I''m going to have to leave."

    "Don''t worry about it. I''ll say hello to my aunt and then I''ll be on my way. --Thank you, Samuel Scheidt. You''ve been a great help to me moving forward.

    "Please, call me Sam. Mr. Jim, please come visit us again. This time, let''s play with the little dragons.

    No, thank you. I don''t want to shit myself twice in front of Alicia."

    Sam and Jim chuckled at each other.

    "Here you go, sir."

    "No, I''m sorry. Alicia, Jim, let me borrow Sam.

    Jonathan says this and turns on his heel and begins to walk away.

    Sam follows him silently.

 218 - - 43 "The Sorcerer and his true colors" â‘¡

    "This is an emergency."

    Sam was in the royal palace, in the office of His Majesty King Clyde.

    Besides the boy, there was Jonathan, the other senior representatives of the Magic Army and the Knights, the court magician Purple Magnolias, and a slightly disheveled G¨¹nther Ignatz.

    And then there are a man and a girl I don''t recognize. Their appearance suggests that they are aristocrats, but their faces are dark with fatigue.

    The girl''s eyes are fixed on Sam.

    "Once again, I would like you to explain to the people here what you have told me. Is that all right with you, Viscount Riedyll?

    "Of course."

    The name Viscount Riedyll sounded familiar to Sam.

    £¨Viscount Riedyll is the family of Manion''s ex-fianc¨¦e, isn''t it? Why is he in King''s Landing?)

    The man must be the current head of the family.

    He is a tall man in his late forties with grayish blond hair brushed back.

    Next to him might be the girl who was Manion''s fianc¨¦e.

    £¨Oh, no. Now I must concentrate on the emergency.)

    "The other day, our territory was attacked by a magic swordsman."

    "--A magician?"

    It was a man of the Order who reacted to the name of the magic sword.

    But he was not the only one who was surprised, including Sam.

    Magic swords are rare. Even fewer people can become wielders of the sword.

    It is a powerful sword, comparable in power to several holy swords owned by the Church.

    And unfortunately, the Royal Order of Skye has no wielders of either swords or demons.

    "There were many casualties. Our family was also targeted, but with the help of soldiers and adventurers, we were able to escape to the royal capital to seek help.

    Viscount Riedil bites his lip, his face contorted in frustration.

    "It is shameful that I had to flee without my people, even though I am a ...... lord. I am sorry."

    The Viscount''s face is pained and he even begins to shed tears.

    But he must have been well-loved by those who let him go.

    Someone who tried to save his life.

    Samuel Scheidt.

    "--Yes."

    The king called Sam by his full name, rather than his usual nickname.

    "The wizard has already cut down a number of famous adventurers. It seems that he has extraordinary power. What''s more, he seems to be able to take away the magic and physical strength of the person he slays and turn them into power.

    "It''s a typical example of a magic sword, but it''s tricky. But a demon sword is easy to deal with. Just snap it off."

    Sam says it like it''s nothing, and all eyes are on him.

    "Samuel, breaking a magic sword is the first thing that''s hard to do - no way, you..."

    "When I was traveling around with Ur, I had several battles with the sword wielders. I broke them all. Leave it to me."

    Sam''s words were met with a gasp of astonishment from all corners of the room.

    At least a few of them would be able to fight the demon sword and return safely.

    "That''s encouraging. But this time, while I need your strength, I am not sure if I should let you fight."

    "What do you mean?"

    As a court wizard, Sam does not refuse to fight those who would harm his country.

    And they are wizards. I know firsthand their extraordinary strength.

    However, every swordsman I have fought so far has been a warrior seeking power. That''s why I was afraid of them, but this time I feel that they are using the magic sword as a tool just to show their power.

    I have heard that the sword is said to have a will of its own, and that the wielder is chosen accordingly.

    I also wondered if the sword would choose a person who would cut down the people without power, let alone attack their territory.

    "Currently, the wizard is on his way to the capital. It seems that they are after Viscount Riedyll.

    "I see. So it''s the Viscount you''re after.

    "But that''s not the point. It''s the identity of the swordmaster.

    "You already know?"

    I''m impressed how fast you''re working.

    A famous swordsman or a criminal?

    Or perhaps he is an unknown person with no name at all.

    Either way, he will remain a formidable opponent.

    The name of the man who attacked our hometown with the magic sword is Manion Reinbach.

    "-- Huh?"

    Sam couldn''t believe his ears when the girl revealed the identity of the magic sword wielder.

    "Baron Samuel Scheidt of the Barony of Reinbach, your brother is the magic swordsman."

    He understood why the king did not want him to fight.

 219 - - 44 "The Sorcerer and His True Nature" â‘¢

    "--I''m..."

    He could not say that he was not from Reinbach and that Manion was not his brother.

    I already considered myself dead, and since I had cut off my ties, I was now Samuel Scheidt.

    In the first place, according to his mother, he was not of the Reinbach family, but this was not something that he could say here.

    Above all, it seemed insincere to say such a thing to the girl who had been attacked by Manion in her hometown and in her house.

    "Sam is not from Reinbach. He is Samuel Scheidt, the cherished son of my family, the Earls of Walker."

    It was Jonathan who said this on Sam''s behalf.

    "I understand your resentment. But Sam lived in King''s Landing independently of the Reinbachs. Please do not direct your anger at him."

    "...... I know. I know, but isn''t Samuel Scheidt still Manion Reinbach''s brother? No, let''s not talk about that. But, Mr. Samuel."

    "Yes."

    "You will defeat that evil swordmaster, won''t you?"

    The tone was harsh, but the girl''s voice sounded like a plea.

    Sam nodded without hesitation.

    "Of course. As a court wizard and a human being, I will not leave a human being to hurt someone or to take a life.

    "Thank you very much. It''s a relief to hear you say that.

    Samuel.

    "--Ha."

    Clyde interrupted the girl and Sam.

    The girl shuts her mouth, and Sam replies reverently.

    "I''m going to have to give you a very hard order."

    "Whatever you say, sir."

    "Then I command you. --Kill Manion Reinbach."

    Clyde clearly told Sam to take Mannion''s life.

    Jonathan and the others look at each other.

    It is understandable that they are surprised that the king has ordered the murder of his brother, especially if they do not know anything about Sam''s origins.

    "I don''t doubt your ability, but don''t even think of taking advantage of him," he said, "and don''t let him live. The ringleader has already killed over 50 people. And more than that he''s wounded. He also attacked a nobleman''s house. He will be executed even if you do nothing. I do not need your help. Is that clear?

    "- Yes, sir. I promise you that I will do everything in my power to help you."

    We have no idea how Manion came into possession of the magic sword, but he took it too far.

    He has crossed the line.

    There is no warmth to be given to Manion, who has slaughtered instead of fought.

    That is why Sam did not speak or act in defense of him.

    "Very well. I hear that Yolanda Reinbach is here with Manion Reinbach. It seems that they are trying to burn her son."

    He''s the one who''s going to do it.

    His punishment has already been decided. If he turns against you, I am ready to lay hands on him.

    Yes, sir.

    "And as for Baron Reinbach, he will, of course, be held accountable. The Baron himself has done nothing wrong, but he cannot be held innocent when his son commits such an outrage. At the very least, the baron''s house will be destroyed.

    No dissenting voices were heard.

    (Oh, how easy it is, isn''t it?)

    I have no sympathy for Carius Reinbach.

    Mannion did not take good care of him, which is the reason why he committed such a violent act.

    Especially when he left Yolanda, who only cares about herself, alone with her son, I wonder if she could have imagined what would happen.

    This is the result.

    I can''t help but think that Karius is responsible for most of the lives that Manion has taken.

    "Samuel, I give you one last command."

    "--Yes."

    Do not die.

    "Yes, sir."

    Sam placed his hand on his chest and bowed deeply to Clyde.

    The king then addressed the people who had been watching the event.

    "G¨¹nther Ignatz, court wizard.

    "Yes."

    You are to assist Samuel.

    I''m at your service.

    G¨¹nther winked at Sam. Normally, I would be able to count on him to go at his own pace under such circumstances, but he seemed to be lacking in energy.

    Perhaps his engagement to Cree was still holding him back.

    "The wizards of the court of Purple Magnolias are standing by at the royal palace. Be ready to move at any moment."

    "Yes, sir."

    The kingdom''s best recovery wizard smiled at Sam with eyes like those of a loving grandchild.

    Sam nodded in return.

    "Count Walker."

    "--Ha."

    You are to lead the elite of the magical army to Sam''s aid."

    Yes, sir.

    It was probably the king''s concern that he had appointed his foster father to back him up.

    Commander of the Orseif Magic Legion.

    "--Yes."

    Count Lyud Oluseif, Commander of the Royal Magical Corps, replies.

    It was the first time I had seen him since he and Albert Frege had dueled for the kingdom''s greatest power.

    "You and your magical army are charged with the protection of King''s Landing."

    "As His Majesty the King shall command."

    The Knights are to assist him. The ...... question is, where is Manion Reinbach?

    "If you use a magic sword, it will emit a certain amount of magic power, so if you are close by, you will be able to tell...?

    In mid-sentence, Sam''s eyes widen.

    "What''s wrong?"

    "The magic, I''ve never felt such a strong magic before, I don''t believe it."

    "Calm down, Sam. You don''t mean to tell me there''s already a magic sword wielder in King''s Landing?

    "Yes, I''m here!¡¡The problem is location!¡¡Mannion, he''s at the Countess Walker''s!

    We were all in a state of shock. We had no idea that Mannion was right under our noses.

    Even more than that, we thought he was after Viscount Riedyll, but we had no idea that he was at the Countess Walker''s house.

    Sam kicked the ground in frustration.

    "Wait for me, Sam!

    "Don''t go alone!"

    Ignoring G¨¹nther''s and Jonathan''s cries to stop him, he leaps out the window with his foot on the window.

    "I''m sorry, sir!¡¡I''ll go first. Please come after me!"

    Sam couldn''t stop.

    The Earls of Walker have loved ones.

    I know what they are capable of, but Mannion has a magic sword.

    Lise and Alicia, who cannot fight, are also there, and he is not comfortable with the thought that the worst may happen.

    I flew through the skies of King''s Landing as fast as I could so that I could reach my loved ones as soon as possible.

 220 - - 45 "Its an attack" â‘ 

    Jim Robert had just finished greeting Countess Grace Walker, his second daughter Lise, and his third daughter and childhood friend Alicia, and was about to leave the Countess'' house with a clear face.

    The only regret was that Sam''s fianc¨¦es, Karen Murasaki and Mizuki Amemiya, were away on business, so he could not greet them.

    Jim once again bowed to the Countesses Walker who had gone to the trouble of coming to the door to see him off.

    We apologize for any inconvenience caused. My parents and I will be back to greet you."

    As we parted, Grace smiles gently at Jim, who apologizes repeatedly.

    "It''s okay. You are like a son to me. You are welcome to visit me anytime.

    "Thank you, Aunt ......."

    Although he had no connection to Alicia, Jim was the son of a dear friend of Grace''s.

    Just because the marriage proposal is off the table does not mean that the relationship is off the table.

    The same is true for Alicia, his childhood friend.

    "Jim, I''ll see you soon."

    "Yes, Alicia. We''ll see each other again. This time as a childhood friend. As a good friend.

    Yes. I''ll be waiting for you.

    They both smiled and shook hands naturally.

    Jim felt the warmth of Alicia''s hand on his and gently pulled his hand away, showing no sign of regret.

    "Now, if you''ll excuse me..."

    Jim was about to say goodbye, but he was at a loss for words.

    He turned around as if he had been shot by a bullet, and felt a general chill run through his body.

    "Jim?"

    "Is something wrong?"

    "It''s not my imagination ......, I''ve got a bad feeling about this."

    Alicia and Lise ask worriedly, but Jim does not reply.

    Alicia and Lise looked out through the open doorway and saw a figure in front of the gate of the Count''s house.

    One shadow seemed to be a boy, and the other a woman.

    And at the feet of the figures, two of the gatekeepers of the count''s house were found bleeding and lying on the ground.

    "--oh, my God!

    "Noaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

    Liese screamed and Alicia screamed and hugged her mother.

    A moment later, baby dragons descend from the air to protect Alicia and the others, and roar.

    "Guruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!"

    Alicia and the others let out a hostile cry that Alicia and the others had never heard before, and the children stared at someone just as Jim had.

    For a moment, Jim''s body jumped reflexively when the children appeared, but he did not look back and quietly called out to Alicia and the others.

    "Auntie, Alicia, Lise, please come inside the house."

    There is no doubt that thugs have appeared.

    Whoever attacked Count Walker and for what purpose is unknown, but we know what we must do.

    Jim stepped forward to protect the women.

    If it were a simple matter of skill, Lise, with her superior swordsmanship, would be a few steps ahead of him.

    However, she is too heavy to fight.

    Then Jim has no choice but to stand in front.

    Jim is still one of the top students at the school of magic and has experience in actual combat. If it is a robbery, he is confident that he has the ability to defeat two or more of them.

    Above all, there is a reason why Jim cannot back down. Alicia is there.

    With Sam out of the picture, it was Jim''s turn.

    "Who the hell are you?"

    Jim calls out with intimidation, and an obese boy with blonde hair and a woman who resembles the boy unceremoniously enter the property.

    "Do they know we''re Countess Walker''s?" he asked.¡¡I am afraid that all of you, father and son perhaps, have committed a crime together. However, we cannot allow thugs like you to enter the house when the master is away. I beg you to leave."

    Just leave us here, and we''ll be fine.

    I regret leaving the assailants unchecked, but if you will not fight them here, so be it.

    We can have the Knights follow them later, and above all, we want to treat the wounded.

    "...... Jim, be careful."

    "Yes, I know. By the way, can your friend''s little dragons fight?"

    In case there are others in the group.

    Jim wanted a dragon cub to join the fight.

    Even though they are children, they are still dragons. He thought that a human would be no match for him.

    "Yes, yes, but..."

    But?"

    "These children are still children. In the worst case, they could destroy King''s Landing.

    "--A dragon indeed. Then let''s have him stay here and protect Alicia and the others. I''ll deal with the thugs. I don''t want you to ever leave the backs of the dragons.

    But...

    "I''ve shown my face in so many disgusting ways. Let me at least try to look good."

    I cowered and showed her my shoulders without looking back, and I noticed Alicia nodding behind me.

    "Jim, please take it easy."

    "I know."

    "Jim ...... sorry. I wish there had been someone else at least."

    "Lise-sama, it''s those attackers who are to blame. You are very frail and I beg you not to grab your sword."

    "...... Okay. Take it easy, Jim."

    "Yes, sir."

    Following Alicia, Lise apologizes, but she has no reason to apologize.

    It was all the attackers'' fault.

    "My husband and Sam will be here. Don''t do anything rash.

    "Aunt, yes, I understand."

    After Grace voiced her concern, Jim took a deep breath and took a few steps toward the thugs.

    At least Alicia and the others were protected by the baby dragon, so there was no chance of anything happening to them. The only problem is that he is more worried about King''s Landing, as long as Jim does not let the assailants pass behind him.

    This is the first time I am fighting to protect someone like this. Therefore, he cannot hide his nervousness, but he does not want the attackers to realize it.

    Trying desperately to keep his composure, he glared at the boy and the woman.

    The attacker, a boy, gripped a long, ominous sword that was disproportionate to his fat frame, and smiled a crooked smile.

 221 - - 46 "Its an attack" â‘¡

    Identify yourself, assailant.

    I am the chosen one of the magic sword, the magic swordsman!¡¡Manion Reinbach--remember this name."

    Jim was somewhat taken aback.

    He had asked who he was, and had not expected a simple and honest answer.

    He could not hide his amazement at the boy who had attacked the count''s house with impunity and could still puff out his chest.

    "...... Reinbach?¡¡I think that''s where Sam is from - they are very dissimilar brothers."

    The growing Sam is a little shorter, but has the body of a slender but fit fighter, while Manion is only fattened up in width.

    I had heard in the newspaper or something that Sam''s brother was a swordsman, but I don''t think so.

    Mannion does not give me the impression that he is capable of proper exercise, even before fighting.

    "How can he and I be alike?¡¡He''s a lesser scum than I am!"

    Apparently, Manion took Jim''s point positively.

    He gripped his sword like a magic sword, and his ugly, bloated belly protruded from his chest.

    Behind Manion, Yolanda is smiling, dressed in a dress and jewelry.

    She strokes the boy''s head with a hand overloaded with expensive rings.

    "Yes, Manion. Don''t let that no good man be with my beautiful son."

    "...... What a funny thing to say. How can you say that you are better than your brother who is so much better than you? I''m even impressed.

    Jim had heard rumors that he was not only the most powerful wizard in the Sky Kingdom, but that he had even defeated the former swordsmith Amemiya Kurando.

    How many people in this country could claim to be better than Sam, who was the strongest in both name and reality in the kingdom?

    "I was always better than him!¡¡They said you were a genius with the sword!"

    Manion, who had looked so ugly before, now had a childlike expression appropriate for his age.

    Jim guessed that he had something on his mind about Sam.

    However, Manion''s childishness is only a child having a tantrum.

    A child throwing a tantrum over a magic sword is the stuff of nightmares.

    The truth is unknown, but as long as there is no change in the ominous presence coming from the long sword, we should conclude that Manion is holding a magic sword.

    "It may be a child''s way of thinking, but he must have been brought up badly."

    Jim feels sorry for Manion.

    He could only imagine what kind of upbringing he had when he saw his mother, wearing a fancy dress and jewelry too disproportionate to walk down a residential street, and smiling the same crooked smile as her son.

    "I should be thankful," she said. If I didn''t have parents and friends who cared for me, I would have been arrogant like you."

    I''m glad it didn''t turn out that way.

    Jim did not mean to provoke, but only to express his feelings, but Manion seemed to be different.

    His face twisted again and he clutched the hilt of his sword as hard as he could.

    It seemed that he had reached the limit of his ability to stall for time with conversation.

    He was a more intolerable child than I had imagined.

    I had expected him to stay with me for a while longer, so I clucked my tongue inwardly.

    I had no idea what kind of power Manion''s sword had, but I didn''t want him to wield it here if at all possible.

    If something happened to Alicia and the others, I would have no face to show to Sam and Jonathan.

    "I mean, what the hell are you?¡¡I came all the way down here to get Samuel''s fianc¨¦e, so get out of my way!"

    What?

    First, I''ve come to see if the Countesses are worthy of me before the Princess. Get out of the way!

    "You mean you''re here to kidnap Alicia?"

    If so, I can''t allow it.

    Alicia will be happy with Sam.

    I can''t let her ruin the future of her precious childhood friend.

    "Who''s Alicia?¡¡Well, okay. If she looks good, she can be my girl!"

    "............ I''m too dumbfounded to say anything."

    Jim, about to explode with anger, was stunned by Manion''s words.

    "If you don''t even know the name of the woman you''ve come to rob, how can you rob her?"

    "--Shut up!¡¡Shut up, shut up, shut up!¡¡If you think I''m a fool, I''ll cut you down just like those gatekeepers!"

    "I refuse. There is no master in this house now. I will not have a crazy child like you in my house without a master!

    "Well, fine then. I''ll just kill you and go inside."

    Again, Jim sighs in disgust.

    "You''re not so smart, but you got bad eyesight, too. Watch my back. Even if you could take my life, there''s the dragon. You don''t stand a chance. Let them take you captive before you commit any more great crimes!"

    "Manion!¡¡If you''ve been told this much, there''s no need to go easy on me!¡¡Kill him now!¡¡The jewels of the Countess, the dress, show them to me quickly!"

    "Yes, mother!¡¡A dragon, or whatever it is, a little dragon that has been tamed!¡¡I''d knock that much off if I had my magic sword!"

    "Poor child. Perhaps it''s his mother''s fault, but now that I''m holding a ...... sword, I''m going to fight for real. A child, however, is still a cause for concern, and above all, you are the one who attacked the Count''s house. Don''t expect me to be nice to you, okay?"

    "I''ll show you the power of my magic sword!"

    Manion, with a lecherous smile on his face, held up his magic sword.

    "I may not be as good as Sam, but I''m still one of the top students at my magic school. Even if you had a magic sword in your hand, I wouldn''t be so easily defeated by a child who doesn''t even know how to fight!

 222 - - 47 "Its an attack" â‘¢

    It was Manion who set the first move.

    He kicked the ground with his magic sword in the upper position, but he did not get close enough to Jim and rushed forward with a thudding sound of footsteps that did not sound like a swordsman''s, but he was really slow.

    He may claim to have a magic sword, but he moves like an amateur.

    Jim was taken aback by the sight, but he did not let his guard down.

    Since two of the soldiers who were in charge of the gate of the Count''s family had been cut down, he judged that they were not as good as he had seen them.

    Manion finally stood in front of Jim and swung his magic sword down, but Jim easily avoided the blow by taking a step back.

    "Don''t avoid me!"

    "Are you an idiot?¡¡Of course you would avoid it, since you were attacked.

    "d*mn, d*mn, d*mn, d*mn!"

    Manion''s continuous slashes were no threat to Jim.

    Each blow was large and slow.

    His movements were exaggerated, and he shouted at each blow, so it was easy to tell when an attack was coming. He also follows the target with his eyes, so that by looking into Manion''s eyes, one can naturally see where the target is.

    Jim was not very good at physical skills, but it was more difficult for him to take a blow when the conditions were so perfect.

    "It seems that you have a magic sword, but that''s about all you have at your core. He must have taken the gatekeepers by surprise."

    "How come it didn''t hit me!"

    "He was caught red-handed in the attack on the Countess'' house and the attempt to kidnap Alicia and the others. You''ll be taken prisoner.

    "Don''t f*ck with me!"

    Jim, seeing no point in fighting any longer, advised against it, but instead set Mannion on fire.

    "I''m a magic sword user!¡¡I am the strongest swordsman chosen by the magic sword!

    A tremendous amount of magical power was unleashed from Manion, or rather from the magic sword.

    "-- this is...!"

    As if in tune with Manion''s emotional excitement, he emitted a disastrous magical power.

    The magic power entwined with the blade, and the sword was charged with power.

    With a "thud," the blade of the sword leaps into action.

    "Did I see it wrong?¡¡A sword now?"

    Jim couldn''t believe his eyes.

    If he wasn''t mistaken, the magic sword pulsed as if it were a living creature.

    "I''m going to show you what I''m really made of, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

    Mannion swung the sword with no skill, just brute force.

    "-- huh?"

    What was different from before was that as soon as the sword was swung down, magic power was released as a slash.

    It was a surprise, but not enough to panic.

    Jim stopped to avoid it.

    Alicia and the others were behind him. No matter how well protected he was by the dragon cubs, he knew that there was always a chance.

    And instead of evading, Jim tried to put up a barrier to catch the slash.

    "Kuhi!"

    Manion laughed at Jim who had taken a defensive posture by putting up a barrier.

    Jim immediately realized that he had done exactly what Manion wanted him to do, but it was already too late.

    Manion''s slash cut through the barrier and gouged out Jim''s shoulder.

    "What the hell?"

    Jim could not help but be amazed as fresh blood danced from his shoulder and intense pain shot through him.

    Even as a student, he had not expected to be able to tear through the magical barrier so easily.

    It was as if the barrier had been sliced through like a piece of paper.

    "So this is the magic sword. I hate myself for not settling this sooner.

    It''s not too late. Let''s settle this as soon as possible.

    Jim decides to act on this decision and suddenly drops to one knee.

    This was unexpected, even for Jim.

    "......What happened?¡¡Why, my body is drained of power and magic.

    Just as he had said, his strength and magic were draining out of him as if they were flowing out of his body.

    I feel as if I were going to collapse on the spot.

    But Jim, who has someone to protect, bites his back teeth, endures desperately, and tries to stand up.

    "You son of a b*tc*!"

    "Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!¡¡You took a bite!¡¡You took a blow from my magic sword, didn''t you!"

    Manion laughed happily and happily when he saw Jim on his knees.

    "My magic sword takes away the magic and strength of the person it cuts!¡¡Even if you just graze him, it doesn''t make a difference. Suck on that!

    "You ...... are so weak."

    Jim finally fell to both knees as the sound of laughter echoed uncomfortably.

    "Duhhhh, I''ll chop your head off just like all the others who made fun of me!¡¡Come on, come on, beg for your life!"

    No one does.

    "Hmph, then die!"

    Manion, with an ugly grin on his face, swung his sword broadly to the side.

    The black blade of the sword flashed out to cut Jim''s neck.

    The sword was blunt, but Jim did not have the strength to avoid it.

    "I''m sorry, Alicia."

    The blade of a sword is pressed against the neck of a boy who apologizes for failing to protect his childhood sweetheart.

    "Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

    Alicia''s screams were heard from behind her.

    But no pain, no shock, nothing reaches Jim.

    Thinking that he had died before he realized it, he reflexively opened his eyes and saw that the black blade of the sword had been caught in the palm of someone''s hand.

    "Thank you, Mr. Jim, from the bottom of my heart, for protecting us all. And I apologize for the delay.

    "--Sam."

    Standing between Jim and Manion was Samuel Scheidt.

    He turned his back to Manion, still holding the magic sword, and gave a small bow to Jim.

    "Get the hell off me!"

    Mannion tries to get the sword back from Sam, but he seems to be unperturbed.

    Jim understood that this was the difference between the most powerful wizard in the kingdom and himself.

    "Sam!"

    "Yes."

    "Now, have I shown Alicia any of my good qualities?"

    "Of course. I''m a guy, but I''m falling in love with you."

    I don''t have that kind of taste. But I''m glad you made it. You can take care of the rest.

    I''ll take care of it.

    Jim''s relief at Sam''s arrival pushed him over the edge.

    He fell forward, and Sam gently caught him as he fell.

    "Oh Samuel!"

    At that moment, Manion, who had been ignored, angrily called out Sam''s name.

 223 - - 48 "I will fight Manion" â‘ 

    Ignoring Manion''s angry shouts, Sam let go of the magic sword, picked up Jim''s body, and gently kicked the ground.

    He walked behind the little dragons and laid him down on the ground.

    "Master Sam!"

    "Sam!"

    My fianc¨¦es called my name.

    He was relieved that they were safe, and at the same time he thanked Jim for fighting to protect them.

    "Alicia, Liese, and Mrs. ...... sorry for the delay. I never thought the house would be attacked. G¨¹nther and the master will be here in a while, so please do not get out from behind the little dragons until then."

    "ssshhhh...."

    "Thank you for protecting us, too. We''ll be done soon, just bear with us a little longer."

    "Squeal!"

    He gently strokes the heads of the baby dragons who stood in the way to protect Alicia and the others.

    Alicia had once heard from a burning dragon that these young dragons had no experience in battle, even though they were still very young and had strong dragon-like powers.

    We thank them for their courage in standing up to protect Alicia and the others.

    Sam turned to everyone and smiled reassuringly.

    "We''ll be done soon."

    Without hearing any reply, Sam kicked the ground and moved in front of Manion.

    "You''re Mannion?"

    "Hmph, it''s been a long time, Samuel!¡¡You still look like a pussy!"

    It has been a long time since I saw my brother, but I can''t quite connect him with my memories.

    It is true that my memory of him had faded, but I had not expected to see him in such a depraved state.

    He had been told that Manion was a magic sword user, but he was a bit taken aback by Manion''s appearance, which was so different from Sam''s imagination.

    "Samuel!¡¡I see you''ve made a bit of a name for yourself, but Manion is worth more than a dull man like you!¡¡Give your countship and fianc¨¦e to Manion!"

    "...... Oh, by the way, you were there too."

    "You!¡¡How dare you talk to me like that!"

    Yolanda, who started screaming, seemed to be the same as ever.

    Looking at Yolanda, pathetically clad in a gleaming expensive dress and jewelry that a baroness could never afford, it was obvious what she was doing on her way to raid a nobleman''s mansion.

    "I don''t know what you mean. I mean, I don''t get it... Mannion having a magic sword and all, but what makes you think you can take away my title and my precious fianc¨¦e?"

    "I deserve it more than you!"

    "Why?"

    "What the hell, you!¡¡Are you going against me?

    "Oh, no, I can''t have a conversation with you. Well, I guess I can''t give a proper answer when asked because I''m just talking out of my emotions. Well, never mind. Well, Manion Reinbach, whatever your reasons, you''ve gone too far."

    Sam abandoned the conversation early on, finding it impossible to have a conversation with someone who was just speaking out of his emotions.

    I thought I would ask him about his reasons for committing such a violent act, but I am certain that it was triggered by the thought that he could take everything away from me.

    Most likely, Yolanda had incited Manion and the situation had worsened.

    This was a common scene in the Reinbach area.

    The only thing that is unclear is the source of the magic sword. At least, there was no such a thing in the Barony of Reinbach.

    What the hell?

    "I don''t know what kind of upbringing your father had, and I don''t want to know, but you, your mother, and everyone else in your family is crazy."

    "You''re Samuel and you think I''m stupid!"

    "No, actually, you''re an idiot. After all you''ve done. Oh, shut up. Shut up. Maybe it''s not worth it to say it out loud, so I''ll just hit him to shut him up. I''m telling you, I''m not gonna go easy on you."

    "--But, boohoo, hihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihi."

    Manion begins to laugh with a distended belly, and Yolanda joins him in laughter behind him.

    Apparently, Sam''s words had amused her.

    "You''re going easy on me!¡¡What can you do, you who have been bullied by me for so long and have never been able to do anything about it?

    Mannion''s perception may not be far off the mark.

    In fact, Sam used to be at Mannion''s mercy.

    If Mannion has unconditionally assumed that he is a strong man because of that, then so be it.

    At best, he should feel good about that misconception.

    "Come on, let''s get started. It''s thanks to the magic sword that you can do what you want, isn''t it?¡¡Then I''ll smash that magic sword, come and get it.

    "You''re a fool, too, you know that? If you''d just kept your mouth shut and offered me the girl and the title, you wouldn''t have gotten yourself into trouble. Fine, I''ll play a little. Prepare yourself, Samuel!

    Manion, holding his magic sword, smirked.

    The next moment, Sam swung his right arm in a single vertical motion.

    "--Kirisakumono!"

 224 - - 49 "I will fight Manion" ã¨

    Sam''s target was not Manion''s head, but the magic sword.

    He knew from his past experience that the sword is a nuisance, so he tried to deal with it as soon as possible.

    Sam''s skill Kirisakumono sliced the sword in two and cut off Manion''s right arm from the elbow down.

    "Gyaaaahhhhhh!"

    A deafening scream came out of Manion''s mouth as he was hit by the most intense pain he had ever experienced.

    "Manion!

    "Idaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!"

    (Well, this is what a child who has never experienced a real battle would be like. If only Jim-sama hadn''t used the magic sword, he would have subdued Manion without delay.)

    Yolanda rushed to her son, who was spattering blood and sprawling on the ground, but she could do nothing and glared at Sam instead.

    "Samuel!¡¡You have no brotherly love!"

    "--?"

    "You cut off your brother''s arm, and you still think you''re his brother!"

    "...... No, I''m not brothers with Manion. I mean, you attacked me with the intention of killing me, so you were at least prepared to be killed. I don''t understand why I''m angry."

    Mannion has been murdering and robbing in Viscount Riedyll''s territory and is currently wounding the gatekeeper and Jim Robert in an attack on Count Walker''s house.

    He deserves no thanks, but not a word of complaint, for he has managed to spare the life of such a man with only one arm.

    (The king wants us to kill him without mercy, but first we have to make him tell us where the magic sword came from.)

    Either way, Manion and Yolanda will end up together.

    Manion will not even have the strength to fight anymore.

    £¨Sloppy. (Sloppy...) Even with an arm gone, he can handle it. That''s why lazy people ...... don''t care. It has nothing to do with me.)

    I''m not actually related to Manion by blood, and I''ve never considered him a brother anyway.

    I don''t know how Sam once felt, but at least to Samuel Scheidt now, Manion Reinbach is not his brother.

    More specifically, he is the avenger of Sam''s murder.

    He should be thankful that he did not kill him with or without asking.

    "Now, Manion. I have a question for you."

    He kicked Mannion, who was still flailing about, and stomped on his right arm as he coughed.

    "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

    "Stop it!¡¡I won''t stop you, Samuel!¡¡What the hell did Mannion do!"

    "...... What did I do?¡¡You attacked innocent people at Viscount Riedyll''s house, and now you are attacking Count Walker''s house!¡¡You''ve got to be kidding me!"

    "Well, that''s what we have to do to get what we deserve!"

    "I''m stunned. How can you make excuses like that that even a child wouldn''t use?"

    He puts his foot down on Mannion''s arm.

    "Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!"

    "Stop it!¡¡I can''t believe my brother did this to my brother!"

    "That''s why I''m not your brother."

    "What are you saying ...... Oh, that''s what I mean. You must be really upset that your husband told you he was dead."

    "-- what?"

    "Fine, in that case, give your title and your fianc¨¦e to Mannion. Then you can talk to the master."

    "............"

    Sam was greatly dismayed.

    Even in front of his son, who had lost one arm and was covered in blood, he still thought that his son could take everything from Sam.

    "Huh. That man and I are not father and son.

    "What?¡¡You''re such a sore loser."

    "No, no, no, really. We''re not blood related.

    "I beg your pardon?¡¡Then who do you think your father is?

    "Charles Howard," he said.

    "......Charles Howard,somewhere ......Oh!¡¡That''s not the name of the adventurer who used to live in the estate!¡¡Oh-ho-ho-ho, you!¡¡Not the child of a nobleman, but of an adventurer from who knows where?¡¡Oh, by the way, Melanie was very close to you. Oh, I see. Well, that''s just like lowly Melanie!"

    Apparently, Yolanda also remembers that there was an adventurer named Charles Howard. And that she and Melanie were close friends.

    Furthermore, it is true that Sam does not have the blood of Baron Reinbach, but he does have the blood of the royalty of the Kingdom of Skye.

    There is no need to compare bloodlines, but I am sure Yolanda would shed tears of blood and envy if she knew that Sam was of royal blood.

    I mean, you should be a little more concerned about your son," he said. Well, it seems that Mannion is a tight-lipped man. Then I guess I''ll have to ask you. Where did you get the magic sword?"

    Well, what are you going to do with that?

    "How can we not be sure of the source of such a dangerous thing?"

    Yolanda''s lips lift up in a grin at Sam''s words.

    "How much are you paying?"

    "Yeah?"

    "I''m asking how much money you''re willing to pay for that information!"

    "Don''t tell me you think you''re going to get paid for this?"

    "Then I will never tell you!"

    "Just to be nice and let you know, the sins of you and Mannion are too big to be laughed at. You might want to consider showing some cooperation and lessening the punishment a little."

    "...... What?¡¡You don''t think we''re going to be punished?

    "On the contrary, I ask you, what makes you think you won''t be punished?"

    I''m even impressed by his brazenness.

    It''s about time, now that Manion has stopped moving.

    If I don''t make him give up his information, he will be replaced by someone who is a professional.

    It would be more painful for both Manion and Yolanda.

    Despite their mixed feelings, Sam tried to show a little compassion for them, but it seemed to be in vain.

    "Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh..."

    That was when Sam let out a deep sigh against the father and son.

    Manion, who had been holding him down with his legs, suddenly began to convulse.

    "Manion?¡¡Manion!"

    "Oh, shit, did he go into shock from the hemorrhage?"

    Mannion, wobbling and shaking, blood-filled bubbles overflowing from his mouth, caused not only Yolanda but also Sam to panic.

    I don''t care if Manion dies here, but I''d like to give him a chance to realize his guilt and reflect on his actions if possible.

    I have a grudge, but he''s just a kid, thirteen years old.

    It is also the fault of the adults around him, including Yolanda, that he has become distorted.

    I wish he could have been a decent human being at least at the end of his life.

    "Aaahhhh, aaahhhh, aaahhhh!"

    Manion stopped moving.

    "--Magnon?"

    His eyes are empty, and I don''t know where he is looking.

    Sam checked that he was breathing, so he must be alive, and then Mannion''s body began to change.

    Manion''s body, which had been fattening up, began to shrink.

    Like air leaving a balloon, Manion''s body slowly but surely shrinks.

    "What is it?"

    "Manion!

    Startled, Sam saw that Manion was rapidly losing his vitality.

    Once he realized this, he could do nothing but watch, not knowing what to do.

    Meanwhile, Manion''s body dries up and finally he is left with only bones and skin.

    "...... Manion?"

    Stunned, Yolanda shook her son''s body with a shiver.

    A moment later, Manion''s body collapses like a mountain of sand.

    "Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

    Yolanda''s screams echoed through the trees.

    Sam, too, was stunned by the scene, unable to understand what had happened.

    ......What happened?¡¡I cut off my arm, but I didn''t do anything to deserve this."

    "Great!"

    Just as Sam was about to voice his doubts,

    "It''s wonderful!¡¡Lord Samuel Scheidt!"

    Someone''s voice of praise and applause rang out.

 225 - - 50 "Sam and the merchant" â‘ 

    Yolanda was the first to react to the appearance of someone.

    It seemed that the person who appeared was someone she knew.

    "You!¡¡What happened to Mannion?¡¡How could you let this happen?

    When Yolanda shouted angrily, the figure - a man - bowed reverently with his hand on her chest.

    "Well, well, ma''am, it''s been a while. How was your trip with your son killing people with the magic sword?¡¡You attacked various families, took their money and goods, and secretly hid them before arriving in King''s Landing."

    At first glance, the man appeared to be a merchant in his mid-twenties.

    However, it was easy to tell that he was not from the Kingdom of Skye.

    He wore a red turban and simple white top and bottom clothing.

    His skin is a slightly tan color, but not quite white or brown.

    He smiles benignly, but I immediately recognize the look in his eyes as one that makes fun of Manion and Yolanda.

    "Oh, shut up!"

    "...... you even did that?"

    Sam is taken aback by the merchant-like man''s words.

    From what Yolanda was wearing, it was immediately clear that she had committed a robbery.

    But hiding the money and goods she had taken was beyond brazen.

    The man laughed, as if amused and mocking.

    "You and your son are the first to use the magic sword I gave you for such a trivial purpose. Other people have used it for more decent things.

    "I see, you are the one who gave Manion the magic sword."

    Yes. I also helped them to secretly invade King''s Landing.

    And who are you?

    "I am a humble merchant, but those closest to me call me Yarl."

    The man - Yar - smiled and thanked Sam.

    Sam responded with a sniffle.

    "Do merchants these days sell magic swords and even aid and abet criminals?"

    "That''s not a very nice thing to say. I only gave you the sword to help you in any way I could, because I felt sorry for you, Mr. Manion, who was under the delusion that he could take everything from you. The fact that you misused it is only because you were foolish, not because of me.

    Yarl says that Manion is solely responsible, and Sam actually agrees with him.

    Yarl may have given the sword to Mannion, but it was Mannion''s choice to use it to attack innocent people, to rob them of their money and goods, and to raid the baron''s and count''s houses.

    And it was Yolanda who encouraged her son''s actions instead of stopping them.

    It is these two who should be blamed.

    They could have chosen not to accept the sword.

    They should not have had the delusion that they could take everything from Sam in the first place.

    After all, he deserved it.

    How did Manion die?

    "It''s because the magic sword broke, isn''t it?"

    "Is it because of the magic sword?"

    "The magic sword given to Manion-sama takes away the magic and physical strength of the person it cuts, and gives the user power. However, a fool like Manion-sama was only given this much power, but that''s to be expected. But, originally, they can obtain even greater power, can''t they?"

    "Forget your nonsense. Tell me the rest of the story."

    You''re a hard man to please. Let me briefly explain, the magic sword that absorbs power from the outside was broken, and it went out of control and tried to absorb excessive power from the user, Manion-sama. ...... Unfortunately, Manion-sama has no magic power and his physical strength is not as good as a human. It was less than that, so inevitably it was deprived of life force as well.

    "I guess I deserved it after all."

    Yes, I think I deserved it as much as I foolishly did.

    Manion Reinbach, who is not a blood relative, not a brother, only a criminal, is pitiful.

    How did he get into the mindset of trying to easily take something from others instead of trying to gain something by his own efforts?

    Needless to say, it is because of Yolanda.

    And Karius Reinbach is also to blame for leaving Manion alone.

    £¨Truly, he is a fool. (-and those who were killed by him will be sorry too...)

    Mannion is pathetic, but I feel even more sorry for his victims.

    My heart aches for them.

    "We know how Mannion died. He got what he deserved and it''s over."

    "Oh, my God, that''s terrible about your brother. Oops, I thought you were not related to him. I was surprised that I didn''t know that information. Who is your father?

    "None of your business. And what are you?¡¡You know too much about magic swords, don''t you?¡¡And from what you say, it sounds like you have several magic swords. Are you a magic sword owner too?"

    I''m sure I''m the owner, but that''s a little different. I am the maker of the magic sword.

 226 - - 51 "Sam and the merchant" â‘¡

    "You''re kidding, right?"

    Sam is speechless.

    If Yarl''s words are true, it''s a terrible thing.

    "There must be no one in the world today who can make a magic sword. The reason why the magic sword is so rare is because it cannot be made with modern technology!

    "But I can make it. Well, I admit I''m a little cunning. But isn''t Samuel the same way?"

    "Me?¡¡Why?"

    "Your skill is beyond that of a magic sword and in the realm of the holy sword. It''s terrifying, and I envy you.

    "So you know my skills too. But it''s not that big of a deal.

    "I hate to sound like I''m bragging, but I''ve never had one of my lovingly crafted magical swords broken. But you broke my sword so easily. I was shocked."

    "I''m sorry about that. But it''s your fault for making such a mess."

    We continue our conversation, hoping to extract as much information as possible.

    Yarl is very talkative.

    It is not clear if he is okay with information leaking out of the conversation or if he does not care.

    Regardless of who or what Yarl is, the existence of a person who can make a magic sword is in jeopardy.

    If he is capable of producing magic swords in large quantities, he is in big trouble.

    If he is not careful, the balance of the nations of the continent could be upset.

    "Well, I guess it''s time you tell us.¡¡Why do you let Mannion have a magic sword and come after me?"

    You were intruding a bit, sir.

    You could have been clearer.

    Albert Frege, Misery Michelle.

    What about them?

    He was a fool who ruined himself by getting involved with you, but he was also my collaborator.

    "Cooperation?¡¡For what?"

    To take the Kingdom of Skye. --In other words, he was a traitor.

    Well, then he deserved to die.

    Albert Frege and Misery Michel were people who, considering their personalities, would have been willing to sell the country if it were good enough for them.

    It would not surprise me if they are now revealed to have been traitors.

    "Well, we were going to use him and then kill him, but we would have liked to use him a little more."

    "No, those guys are useless."

    Even people like that have their uses.

    "I see. So, who are you to talk about taking the Kingdom of Skye?

    "I, no, we are the people of Najaria."

    Sam knew about the people of Najaria when Yarl mentioned them.

    He tilted his head, because he knew them.

    "What?¡¡The Najarians are from the northernmost part of the continent, right?¡¡Why are they going after the Kingdom of Skye in the south?"

    "Well, there are many reasons, but it is my family''s long-cherished desire to take territory from the hated Kingdom of Skye."

    "--quite annoying."

    I''m not sure why, but the idea of owning the Kingdom of Skye is annoying as hell.

    "We are acting for a cause, and there is no need to stop us."

    "So, I''m in your way."

    "Yes. Very disturbing. It''s not good to have a force like you in the sky kingdom. So please die.

    "Screw you, you''re dead."

    Sam kicked the ground and reared his right arm as he came within inches of Yarl.

    "--Kirisakumono!"

    Yarl''s body was sliced in a horizontal line across his abdomen, sending his upper body flying through the air and falling noisily to the ground.

    However, Sam''s arms did not feel anything cut.

    Before that, there was no blood flowing from the yarl that had cut him in two.

    "Hahaha, hahahaha, this is great. After actually tasting it, I am convinced. I don''t think my magic sword will be able to compete with you. For the time being, I''ll have to concentrate on making a magic sword that surpasses yours. We will meet again, Mr. Samuel Scheidt. I will prepare a more useful piece this time.

    "Don''t come back."

    Yar''s body fades away.

    He does not know how it works, but if it is magic, it is something unknown to Sam.

    "Well then, goodbye."

    With these words, Yarl disappeared.

    It was as if he had never been there in the first place, leaving nothing behind.

    All that was left was Manion, whose corpse was not even properly preserved, and Yolanda, who was kneeling where her son would have been.

 227 - - 52 "Mr. Alicia got angry" â‘ 

    "Master Sam!"

    "Sam!"

    "Kyuuurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!"

    Alicia, Lise, and the little dragons came rushing toward Sam from behind.

    "Alicia-sama, Lise-sama!"

    Sam rushed to them as well.

    The little dinosaurs rub their heads against him, and he pats them, saying that they did a good job.

    "squeal squeal squeal squeal squeal!"

    Sam''s shoulders relax with relief that the battle is over.

    "Uh-uh."

    "Master Jim!"

    Jim, who had been lying on the ground, slowly got up with a grunt.

    Sam and the others approach him and call out to him.

    "Mr. Jim, are you all right?

    "Don''t worry. The wound is nothing serious. But I didn''t think that just being cut would rob you of your magic and strength. ...... Magic swords are terrifying things."

    "Yes, it is. But I''m glad that I only lost my magic and strength.

    "I agree with you. Besides, it''s probably because Sam broke the sword. Not all of my magic power and strength came back. Thanks to that, I can move like this.

    Sam and the others breathed a sigh of relief.

    Jim, on his feet, seemed unaffected.

    He has a laceration from the sword, but that is all.

    Sam bowed his head to Jim.

    "Thank you for protecting Count Walker, Alicia, and the others while I was gone.

    "No, I wasn''t much help. No, I''m sorry I wasn''t much help.

    He must regret having fallen behind Mannion. His complexion is dark.

    Even though he had a magic sword, Mannion''s movements were those of an amateur.

    Jim felt ashamed that he had been hit by such a human.

    But then Alicia spoke up.

    No, Jim fought for us!¡¡Jim doesn''t need to apologize!¡¡We owe you our thanks. --Thank you, Jim.

    Alicia''s voice is filled with gratitude, bringing tears to Jim''s eyes.

    "Yes, I know. Thank you, Jim. Thanks to you, we''re safe."

    "Not even Liese-sama."

    "Jim, thank you for your courage."

    "...... aunt. No, I''m really glad you guys are okay."

    Jim looks embarrassed when Lise and Grace thank him as well.

    "Sam-sama, are you okay?"

    "Lady Alicia?¡¡Yeah, I''m not really hurt.

    "No, no, it''s not that, it''s just that ...... your brother..."

    "--Oh."

    Alicia voiced her concern for Sam, and Liese and the others turned their attention to him.

    I could tell that everyone was concerned and worried about Sam.

    "I don''t mean to sound cold, but you got what you deserved."

    "I see."

    Alicia looked puzzled as to what to make of Sam''s simple response.

    Should she be genuinely happy for Sam''s safety, or should she mourn the death of Manion, who had been her brother?

    However, Sam does not think that Alicia needs to grieve for Manion.

    She is lucky that she was able to protect him, but in a worst case scenario, Manion could have harmed her.

    Alicia is being kind, but she should not take her feelings to Manion.

    "Manion Reinbach,...... I''ve exchanged words with him, and I heard his conversation with Sam, but he was a poor child."

    "Yes, it''s pathetic."

    "Can we leave that mother alone?"

    "Well, what should we do? She is a mother who has lost her son, though she was a part of the crime. I don''t know how to talk to her.

    Sam and Jim look troubled.

    Yolanda had committed a crime that could not be undone, but now it seemed too much to blame her.

    She could never have any good feelings, but Yolanda was the only one who could truly grieve Manion''s death.

    £¨I''ll leave her alone until the Masters arrive to help.)

    He could not leave them alone, but it was the least Sam could do to leave them alone for a while.

    Then Yolanda, who had been lying on her face, looked up and saw Sam.

    No, she glared at him.

    "Samuel ahhhhhhh!"

    "--Yolanda."

    "Because of you, because of you, Manion is dead!¡¡What are you doing!¡¡You were supposed to use her to make a good living!¡¡You could have been royalty!¡¡Take responsibility!"

    "...... You people are still the same after the death of your son."

    Sam was disgusted by Yolanda and felt sorry for Manion, whose mother had not been saddened by his death.

    He did not expect her to mourn the loss of her own interests at this point in her life.

    She wondered if it was a mother who would mourn the loss of her own gain by taking advantage of Manion, instead of genuinely mourning her son''s death.

    "Yes!¡¡It''s your fault, now pay up!¡¡You killed Mannion and you will pay for it!¡¡And get me a house and servants!¡¡You''re a count now, you should have no problem with that!"

    What are you doing?

    "You feed me instead of Manion!¡¡You killed Manion, you''ll get that much!"

    "This is ridiculous. I don''t have the right to do this. I mean, you''re not grieving for Manion, are you?"

    "I''m grieving!¡¡Who''s going to bring me the money when she''s gone?

    "...... you''re a mother. Don''t you have anything better to do?"

    "Of course there is!¡¡I can''t take your fiancee away from you anymore, I can''t even get you to marry the princess!¡¡My whole plan is over!"

    £¨No. I can''t talk about this. I''m wasting my time talking to this woman.)

    "You''re a terrible mother. I can''t believe it."

    "...... is not very sane, but it''s insane."

    "Sam, do not listen to the words of a woman like this."

    Jim, Lise, and Grace showed their clear disgust at Yolanda''s words and actions.

    Sam, too, decided to stop dealing with Yolanda and turned his back on her.

    Just then, Alicia moved.

    "Alicia-sama?"

    As soon as Sam''s question came to her mind, she walked up to Yolanda, her eyes filled with tears and her arms flailing wide.

    --Pang!

    "Oh, Alicia-sama!"

    Sam and everyone else present turned to see Alicia in action.

    Alicia had slapped Yolanda across the cheek.

    Alicia, that gentle and kind-hearted person with a reserved personality, had slapped Yolanda on the cheek.

    To Yolanda''s surprise, Alicia shouted louder than ever as she held Yolanda''s cheek.

    "That''s enough!"

 228 - - 53 "Mr. Alicia got angry." â‘¡

    What are you doing, you little b*tc*?

    "Your child just died, and instead of grieving, you ask for money--are you really a mother?

    Sam and the others were so surprised to see Alicia facing Yolanda with such clear anger that they could do nothing to stop her or calm her down.

    Meanwhile, Alicia''s voice echoes.

    "Your child is dead, a mother should grieve!

    I don''t care about my son who is fat as a pig. I was only with him because I thought I could use him, not because I loved him."

    --PUN!!!

    Alicia burst into tears and slapped her again at Yolanda''s outburst.

    "What are you doing?

    "I heard what your children did. Your child is a criminal. He would have been tried even if he were alive. But you, the mother, are the only one who should mourn her child''s death!

    "You little shit!¡¡If you''d just shut up, you''d be on a roll!¡¡You don''t know how miserable I was to have such a useless child!"

    You still do that!

    "What are you, a genius with a sword?¡¡You think you''re a genius just because you can swing a sword a little?¡¡You should have trained hard, but instead you''re just getting fat and fat!¡¡Of course the Master must have been disgusted with you because of him!"

    Isn''t it your role as a mother to admonish and guide such a child?

    Why should I have to go through all that trouble!"

    "You''re the one who--!"

    Alicia was about to raise her hand for the third time when Yolanda repeated her motherly comment.

    But her raised hand was stopped by Sam.

    "--Mistress Sam."

    "That''s enough. Alicia''s voice cannot reach this woman. No matter how loud you speak, she can''t feel anything.

    "......, I see."

    "Manion will be rewarded for Alicia''s anger on his behalf. ...... Manion was never given proper affection. That''s why he was able to commit this kind of thing with impunity."

    I had Daphne and Derrick and the others.

    They scolded me when they had to and praised me when they had to.

    Sam grew up with the clear love from Daphne and the others. This is what kept him from being distorted.

    However, unlike Sam, Manion had no one to love him.

    For Manion, his mother Yolanda and his father Carius may have been all he had, but his mother was only concerned with herself, as we know from her words and actions now, and his father also treated Manion coldly.

    Of course, Manion is also at fault, so we cannot simply call him a victim.

    He was distorted and without proper affection, and he ended up doing his barbaric acts with the magic sword in his hands.

    "If Manion could have heard Alicia''s words while he was still alive, he would have been able to reflect on his actions. That''s the only thing I regret."

    "Samuel!¡¡Pussycat!¡¡Remember that!¡¡I''m going to get your money back!¡¡If you don''t do that, all your hard work will be for naught!"

    "...... What kind of effort did you put in?¡¡Well, good luck with that. But it''s over. Come on, we''re coming for you."

    "Pick you up?"

    Sam jaws at Yolanda, urging her to look behind her.

    She turns around to see the magical soldiers led by G¨¹nther and Jonathan in front of the Countess'' house.

    Jonathan and G¨¹nther step onto the grounds of the house and come toward her.

    "Sam, I''m sorry I''m late. --"Sam, I''m sorry I''m late... but it looks like it''s all over.

    "Yes, it''s done."

    Jonathan nodded in response to Sam''s words and looked around before asking.

    "I don''t see the kid who I think is Manion Reinbach?"

    He is dead. His body has unfortunately disappeared.

    "...... I see. Then, Yolanda Reinbach, you are in custody!

    "How could you let me be captured?"

    Yolanda cannot hide her agitation at Jonathan''s declaration.

    "I know that you have incited my son to commit numerous crimes. I know that you yourself have stolen.

    "It''s not my fault!¡¡It''s your right!¡¡I deserve more respect and money!¡¡That''s why I became a nobleman''s wife... but that country baron... he''s a poor nobleman and he despises me!"

    "Enough, shut up!¡¡Somebody get him out of here!

    At Jonathan''s command, his men come running and restrain Yolanda.

    "Let me go!¡¡Let go of me!¡¡Who do you think I am? !"

    Yolanda, screaming, finally realized that to the very end she was only thinking of herself, not mourning her son''s death.

    Jonathan frowns as Yolanda is taken away.

    "That''s a parent. ...... As a parent of the same person, I''m saddened. Well, that''s okay. What''s more important than that?"

    Jonathan patted his chest heavily when he was sure that Alicia next to Sam, Liese and Grace a little further away, and Jim and the baby dragons were all OK.

    "Thanks to Jim-sama. Jim-sama protected you all from Manion."

    "--Oh, well. Jim, thank you from the bottom of my heart for protecting my precious family."

    No, no, I was beaten in the end.

    But it wouldn''t have been so important if it weren''t for you. Thank you.

    Yes, sir.

    Jim nodded a little shyly as the Count expressed his gratitude, hugging his wife and daughter.

    Jim nodded his head, a little embarrassed. Then, the little dragons squealed as if to compliment them.

    "Kurukyuu!"

    "Ha-ha-ha, thanks to you too. I''m glad you didn''t fight. ...... I''m so glad."

    Jonathan lets out a hearty sigh of relief, and everyone laughs at him.

    The little dragons had done their best to protect us, but if the three of them had fought, at least the area around the Count''s house would have been cleared.

    Thinking of that, I can''t help but think how lucky I am that Jim was there.

    "Sam. Can I talk to you for a minute?"

    "G¨¹nther?"

    G¨¹nther called out to me, and in his hand was a broken magic sword.

    There seems to be no more signs of misfortune, but it is definitely the remnants of a magic sword.

    "This seems to be the magic sword, doesn''t it?"

    "Yeah."

    "I''ll have the magic army take the sword and investigate. Maybe we can find out something."

    Thank you.

    If Yarl, who gave the sword to Mannion, really has the technology to create a magic sword, then he is a threat.

    If we can obtain clues to the production of the magic sword in the Kingdom of Skye by examining the magic sword, we can countermeasure against the people of Najaria, who are hostile to us.

    Are you all right?

    "Yeah?"

    "You fought with your brother who grew up under the same roof with you, even though you don''t share blood with him. Isn''t it mentally painful for you?

    "I have ...... a few thoughts, but I''d rather have you rubbing my ass right now!"

    Sam yells at G¨¹nther, who is stroking Sam''s buttocks with the hand that is not holding the magic sword, while still caring for him.

    Alicia is smiling at G¨¹nther as usual.

    "Hahahaha...... lately, that little b*tc* is making me, me, me!¡¡I can''t find the courage to go home without regaining some peace of mind!"

    "You and that girl must be pretty good together."

    "Are your eyes blind?¡¡I can''t believe I''m suffering so much and we''re still compatible!¡¡That little b*tc* held my collection hostage yesterday and made me do unspeakable things!"

    "I''m glad you guys are getting along so well."

    I''m so happy for you.

    "Sam!¡¡Alicia!¡¡That''s ridiculous, that''s not the way to handle it.

    I am relieved that G¨¹nther seems to have a good relationship with Kree.

    It seems that Kree is one step ahead of G¨¹nther.

    Thanks to G¨¹nther, the feelings I had for Manion and Yolanda disappear.

    I wondered if G¨¹nther was being considerate in his own way, but when the man kept rubbing his buttocks, I thought I was imagining things.

    "Get your hands off my ass!"

    "--Ah!"

    G¨¹nther made a happy sound when Sam kicked him out of the room.

    Thus, the magic sword riot ended with Manion''s death and Yolanda''s capture.

 229 - - 54 Baron Reinbachs End of Life â‘ 

    In the Barony of Reinbach, the knights of the paratroopers dispatched by the Knights of the Order of the Rhineland were riding in armed form.

    The paratroopers are elite troops who ride tame wyverns and magic birds in the sky.

    They had only one goal: to capture Baron Carius Reinbach.

    The knights walked through the house, which they knew beforehand, and opened the study of Callius without knocking.

    "What the hell are you doing?

    In the study was not only Carius, but also his wife Harriet and his son Harry.

    The knights clucked their tongues inwardly.

    They did not want their wives and children to see them about to capture Carius.

    But a mission is a mission and must be carried out as it is.

    "--Baron Carius Reinbach. I am bound to you!"

    "What, what?¡¡Capturing me!¡¡What the hell is going on? !"

    We are the Royal Guard. We will capture you and take you to King''s Landing. Please do not resist.

    I have no reason to be held captive by the Knights!

    "No, there is that."

    "What?"

    Carius opens his eyes.

    He really has no idea why he is being held captive.

    "Your son, Manion Reinbach, and his wife, Yolanda Reinbach, have attacked the Viscounts of Riedil."

    "-What?"

    Karius was not the only one who was crestfallen; Harriet and Harry were as well.

    "And before that, they raided several villages and towns, killing innocent people and robbing them of their gold and goods."

    "...... Such, such nonsense. Do you really think it was Manion and Yolanda?"

    "We have the testimony of Viscount Riedyll and his daughter, Mistress Luce, who escaped with their lives by running away. We have also confirmed this before our visit to the Reinbach district. There is no doubt about it."

    Carius was speechless.

    Manion and Yolanda, who had left on their own accord, had attacked the barons without his knowledge.

    Manion was particularly incomprehensible. He is not skilled enough to defeat the soldiers patrolling the Viscount''s territory.

    I could not even imagine such a manion murdering, robbing, and of course attacking the Viscount''s house.

    We have nothing to do with them. We''re already cut off."

    "We are not in a position to judge that. We are here by order of His Majesty the King to arrest you. I warn you, we have orders to cut you down if you resist. What do you say?"

    "...... agree to be captured."

    "A wise decision."

    The knights were inwardly relieved.

    If Carius resisted, they planned to cut him down as they had been advised, but the ideal was to capture him and bring him to the capital.

    I was worried because of what I had heard Mannion and Yolanda say and do, but Callius seemed to be surprisingly understanding.

    "But I would like a chance to explain myself."

    That is for His Majesty the King to decide.

    "--Godd*mn you, Manion!¡¡Just when I thought you finally left the house, you do something stupid!"

    "...... you."

    "Father."

    His wife and child make anxious noises as the knight grabs them by the arms and leads them away, though they are not restrained.

    Carius nods to reassure his beloved family.

    "No problem. We are strangers to Mannion and the others now. I will be back soon."

    With these words, Carius was taken to King''s Landing.

    This was the last time he would see his wife and child.

    Taken to the royal palace, Carius was chained in prison without being given a chance to explain himself.

    Of course, he kept on appealing that he had nothing to do with Mannion and that he should be given a chance to explain himself, but all his pleas were rejected.

    He seems to think that Manion and Yolanda are already strangers and unrelated, but that is not the case.

    His son committed mass murder, attacked a nobleman''s house, and stole. But there is no one left to judge.

    Yolanda, the instigator of his son''s crime, has already been captured and put in jail, but she is not even mourning for her son''s death.

    Then Carius had to take the blame.

    Even if he said he had nothing to do with it, he was still his son by blood and the woman who had once been his wife.

    He was trying to make her give him back his position for his own reasons, but that would not work.

    The biggest crime of Callius is that he left them alone.

    If he knew that they were problematic people to begin with, he should have kept a closer eye on them.

    In this sense, too, Karius is responsible.

    After a week in jail, Carrius is sentenced.

    Fortunately, he was not condemned to death, but his baronetcy was demolished, his private property was confiscated, and Carius was sentenced to forced labor until his death.

    Of course, Carius was not satisfied with the verdict and appealed repeatedly for an opportunity to defend himself, but all his appeals were rejected.

    To top it all off, he demanded to see Sam.

    Sam, who had faked his own death, was a court wizard and an earl. He thought that Sam would work for him.

    He appealed to the king on the assumption that Sam, who had the king''s good memory, could save him from his predicament.

    However, his appeal was squashed without reaching Sam.

    When Sam did not show up for the meeting, someone came to see Callius, who had grown tired of the situation and had begun to lash out.

    It was Count Jonathan Walker.

 230 - - 55 Baron Reinbachs End of Life â‘¡

    Let''s just say it''s nice to meet you. I''m Jonathan Walker.

    You, you''re Samuel''s.

    Don''t call my son''s name so casually.

    "What, son?¡¡He''s my son!

    "No, no. You yourself said that Samuel Reinbach is dead, didn''t you?

    "--what?"

    Carius is silenced by the pain, and Jonathan sighs.

    At the same time, he was thankful that not a drop of this man''s blood had been passed on to Sam.

    "I come to you out of the goodness of my heart. There are things you need to know."

    What?

    Sam is not the biological son of your father, Carius Reinbach.

    What are you talking about?

    You don''t know that Melanie is alive, do you?

    "- - Oh, my God, Melanie''s alive!¡¡If he''s alive, let me see him!¡¡That''s my wife!"

    The man who treated young Sam badly as soon as he found out that he had no talent with a sword, now claims Melanie as his wife.

    Jonathan despised Karius, and inwardly he was spiteful.

    No, she is not your wife. She is now Melanie Teeling, Baroness Teeling. You should know your place."

    "...... what?¡¡Melanie is a Viscountess?¡¡What the hell is going on!"

    "I''m not going to explain the details. Just so you know. This Melanie told me about Sam''s real father.

    "Your real father?¡¡You can''t seriously be saying that I am not Samuel''s father!"

    Of course, Jonathan does not expect me to believe him when he suddenly says such a thing.

    But it doesn''t matter.

    Jonathan''s goal is to let Karius know that Sam is not of Reinbach blood.

    "Sam''s father''s name was Charles Howard."

    "...... Charles Howard?"

    "Sound familiar?"

    "Yes-- yes, I remember. Yes, I do!¡¡You''re that stream-of-consciousness adventurer!¡¡He was eyeing Melanie, so I kicked him out of the territory. ...... Wait, you''re really saying that that man''s child is Samuel!"

    "Yes. Sam was in your body when you took Lord Melanie by force."

    "--oh, that''s absurd."

    "Furthermore, the name Charles Howard is a pseudonym, and my real name is Roig Isle Skye."

    "...... Sky?¡¡No, no way.

    "It seems that even a nobleman of your stature knows the name of the royal family. You see, Sam is of royal blood.

    "Huh."

    "What?"

    "Don''t be silly!"

    Karius'' angry voice echoed through the prison.

    "You say that I am suffering because of Manion, and Samuel is going to become a member of the royal family!¡¡So you won''t even come to see me!¡¡Even if your real father was royalty, you still owe me for raising you!¡¡No, rather, if you are going to be royalty, you must have the power to save me!¡¡He owes it to me to save me!"

    "Alas! Why is it that Yolanda Reinbach and you can only think of yourself?"

    "Shut up!"

    "Why doesn''t Sam come see me?¡¡We don''t want you to see us. We don''t want a rude and impolite person like you to hurt Sam with your emotional outbursts. Do you understand?"

    "No, go get Samuel!¡¡Tell them to save me!"

    Well, it''s time to say goodbye.

    No, no, wait, I''m not finished!

    It''s over. I came here to tell you the facts, not to listen to your demands. You are condemned to work from now until the day you die. No one will come to help you. You will spend the rest of your life making amends for what your only blood son has done and regretting the mistakes of your parenting. --Take him.

    As Jonathan gave the order, a soldier standing near the prison unlocked the lock and tried to shackle the hands and feet of Karius.

    Karius tried to resist, but his body, exhausted after a week in prison, did not move as smoothly as he would have liked, and the shackles were quickly placed on his hands and feet.

    "Stop!¡¡Please, please, please!¡¡Tell Samuel, or if he''s royalty, tell His Majesty to return the favor of raising me!¡¡Warmth!¡¡Warmth!"

    I have no warmth to give you. Get him out of here!

    "No, no, no!¡¡I am a baron!¡¡Why did you do this to me, you son of a b*tc*!"

    Jonathan could not help but be disgusted by the fact that Carius did not regret his failure in child-rearing or care for his remaining wife and children until the very end.

    Carius Reinbach, who was sentenced to hard labor, never felt remorse, but only grumbled and lost the energy to do so.

    He tried and failed several times to escape and was punished each time, but each time he was told, "I am a nobleman!¡¡I am Baron Reinbach!" He shouts.

    Under close surveillance, unable to attempt escape and forced to work in silence, Karius grew weary and within a year he was a different man.

    But the punishment continued.

    He was not allowed to commit suicide and lived a long life under the punishment.

 231 - - 56 "Post-processing" â‘ 

    The day after Manion''s attack with the magic sword, Sam was at the royal palace.

    He was summoned to the office of the king, Clyde Isle-Sky, and found himself facing the king across his desk.

    "Sam, are you here?"

    "Yes. My family is very sorry for the trouble we have caused you.

    Clyde says, "Good," to Sam, who bows deeply.

    The king''s voice sounded somewhat concerned.

    "I know you had nothing to do with this. I don''t blame you."

    "Thank you for your understanding."

    "Manion Reinbach was a foolish boy. If he had talent, why was he lazy when he could have worked hard?¡¡Unfortunately, not a few children of aristocrats grow up to be like Manion."

    "I don''t understand. I''ve had a lot of fun learning and working hard, even though it''s limited to magic."

    "Yes. I don''t know. Well, let''s cut to the chase. My father-- no, not my father. Have you heard about the capture of Baron Reinbach?

    "Yes."

    The arrest of Karius had reached Sam''s ears.

    He had heard that it was a quick capture with a flying squadron.

    The Rheinbach territory, which is in the middle of nowhere, was captured in less than a day by airborne troops.

    Thanks to this, they captured the Counts of Walker on the day Manion attacked them in the capital.

    That is how seriously the kings tried to capture Baron Reinbach.

    Thanks to this, Reinbach was captured and taken to the capital without knowing what Mannion had done, without being able to escape, and without being prepared for his arrest.

    "The baron will be held responsible for his son''s mismanagement. There have been too many casualties this time, and there is also the matter of the attack on the barons and counts. Someone must take responsibility."

    "I''m sure. Baron Reinbach will be glad to make up his mind because of what his son has done. By the way, how is his mother?"

    "I was surprised to hear that report. Instead of mourning the loss of their son, they seem to be ranting about how it''s not their fault because he did it on his own."

    "...... You are still the same person. It''s just as he seems to be."

    Yolanda had not changed at all after the loss of her son or her captivity.

    I am at a loss to know whether to be amazed or impressed.

    "Karius Reinbach will spend the rest of his life as a martyr for labor. The barony will be destroyed."

    "I think it''s a very kind decision."

    I thought it would be death.

    Mannion had gone too far, and Callius'' responsibility was too great.

    The excuses that he had cut himself off from Mannion, that he had left the house without permission, that they were no longer father and son, were no longer valid.

    "I did not give him warmth. For Karius, there are days when he would have preferred to be dead."

    "Well, I hope that makes you feel better about what you''ve done. Well, it doesn''t matter to me anymore."

    "It''s Sam."

    "Yes."

    "Carius will be sent to the workhouse in a week or so. A man like that was your father once. If you miss him now, you will never see him again.

    You don''t have to see him.

    To the king, who was concerned about him, Sam made it clear.

    I have never considered Carius Reinbach as my father.

    It didn''t matter if it was a previous life or a reincarnation, the man had never done anything fatherly.

    We do not know how he was to Mannion, but at least Sam does not have any father-son feelings for Karius.

    I don''t care if he was forced to work or not, I don''t care what happened to him in the place where he worked.

    I would have been better off if he had been condemned to death, though I will not say it.

    I''m sure.

    "It''s not a question of blood. They weren''t really father and son.

    "I know. If he had truly loved you as Sam''s father, I would have given you the warmth of a family man, even if you called me a family man. But he-- no, let''s not do that anymore. I don''t want a man like that to make us feel bad."

    "Yes. Let''s not do this anymore."

    Talking about the Baron any longer will only make you uncomfortable.

    I''m not going to have anything more to do with that man.

    That''s all right.

    It''s not that I don''t think about it. It was the Baron who brought Manion up that way.

    I want to complain at least a little for putting my beloved fianc¨¦e in danger, and if I could I would beat him to death.

    Even if he had been related to Carius, he would not have changed his mind.

    "As for Yolanda, there was a proposal to send her to live in a monastery, but she has no sense of mourning for her son, so we decided it would be useless to send her to a monastery. Yolanda, like her husband, was to be sentenced to labor. They also confiscated Yolanda''s father''s private property and destroyed his family''s business.

    From what I''ve heard, Manion''s violent behavior was all because Yolanda instigated him to do so.

    One can only be amazed that Yolanda came up with the idea that she could take everything from him without any evidence.

    Manion, too, took advantage of her, and it is a pity that she is not even mourned for her death after having used her so much.

 232 - - 57 "Post-processing" äº‹å¾Œ

    "What will happen to the people who work in the merchant houses?"

    "Don''t worry. The commercial guilds will take care of you, and each of you has already found your next job.

    "That''s good to hear."

    It may be inevitable that Yolanda''s father will be affected by what she did, but it is hard to wake up if the people who work there have some problems.

    Sam was relieved that the employees were being taken care of.

    "What will happen to the Barony of Reinbach in the future?"

    What concerned me the most was the territory.

    I don''t mind the baron''s family being torn down, but I don''t want all the servants, who were like family to me, to be left on the street.

    I am also worried about the lives of the people who live in the barony.

    Clyde, perhaps sensing Sam''s uneasiness, gave him a reassuring smile.

    "The Barony of Reinbach will become the Viscountcy of Riedyll. The residence of Baron Reinbach will be used by Viscount Riedyll''s relatives. You can rest assured that the servants will continue to work there. However, there are those who have expressed a desire to work for Sam.

    "At my place, sir?"

    "Mm. Daphne, Derrick, ring a bell?

    Those two?

    "Mm. He originally wanted to get to you as soon as possible, but his timing was not good. So, if you don''t mind, how about letting him work in Roig''s house?¡¡Wouldn''t you feel safer if someone you know well was in charge of the mansion?"

    "Thank you for your consideration. I would be very happy to do so.

    I was glad that Daphne and Derrick wanted to work for me.

    Sam did not care about the Barons Reinbach, but he did care about Daphne and Derrick, who were like family to him.

    He even thought of introducing them to his fianc¨¦es if he could.

    Nothing would make him happier than if Daphne and her family came to King''s Landing and took care of the house that had been given to them.

    "Yes. Then we will do so.

    "Thank you!"

    Sam thanked the king with a smile, but the king sighed somewhat tiredly.

    "Well, is there still a problem?"

    "Actually - there is."

    "You have ......?"

    Although I asked, I didn''t think there were really any problems left.

    But then I wondered if there was anything else, but I couldn''t think of it.

    Clyde tells Sam in a troubled voice.

    "It''s about Harriet, the Baroness Reinbach''s daughter, and Harry, her son and heir to the baronetcy."

    "...... ah."

    (If you ask me, I think there were such people, but I don''t even know them to begin with.)

    Sam doesn''t even know who Harriet and Harry''s mother and son are, having only recently learned of their existence.

    "When the barony is taken down, they will no longer be nobles, but they will have no relatives."

    To be precise, Harriet''s parents used to be alive and well, but they are now deceased and she has no relatives.

    "At least Harriet seems to be comfortable with the idea of no longer being an aristocrat, but the lack of a place to live is a problem.

    "Why don''t you just go back to the barony, or rather to the place where you originally lived?"

    "The baron is not a lord well-liked by his people, so he seems to be saying that he can''t live in his hometown now that she is his wife. What''s more, I''m in trouble."

    "Is it still there?"

    "It seems that Harry, the heir apparent, is not of Baron Reinbach''s blood."

    "--Hmm?"

    Sam couldn''t understand Clyde''s headache.

    "So you''re saying that Harry is not the son of Carius Reinbach, just like you."

    "-- Yes?"

    "You''re right to be surprised. I couldn''t believe my ears when I heard it. Of course, I asked him about the situation, but did you know that Harriet was originally the Baron''s mistress?"

    "No."

    "It seems that she had a fianc¨¦e, but she was forced to become his mistress just because she liked his looks. Her parents were happy to offer their daughter to a nobleman if she would become his mistress. However, it is said that Harriet had a child by her fianc¨¦ in her belly."

    "I''ve heard this story somewhere before, haven''t I?

    I mean, I don''t know how to react to Carius, who has had the same thing done to him by two women.

    But I couldn''t feel sorry for him.

    Especially in the case of Harriet, it was Karius'' own fault for making a move on her when she had a fianc¨¦.

    (I mean, will this end the line of Baron Reinbach''s family? (Or, will this end the bloodline of Baron Reinbach family?)

    "Baron Reinbach thought it was his own child, but that doesn''t really matter, does it? We don''t even need to verify the truth. The question is what to do with the two of them.

    "No, I don''t need you to tell me that."

    At least if I was related to them or knew them, I might have been able to do something about it, but I didn''t know Harriet and Harry existed until recently.

    I had no more reaction than "Wow, I didn''t know there was such a person.

    It may sound cold, but Sam''s feelings for Harriet and her family are nonexistent.

    He has a fianc¨¦e and family to take care of. He doesn''t have time for strangers.

    "I''m sure you''re right. At first, it was thought that Viscount Koffi would take them in, but if they are not of Reinbach blood, there is no reason for that."

    "I''m sure. He''s a stranger even to Viscount Koffi."

    He would not have wanted to take in Harry whose blood was that of a stranger, let alone the blood of a son he had cut off from his family.

    This is not about Viscount Koffi, but it is inevitable.

    "The Duke of Ignaz has offered to give me a home in his estate, what do you say?"

    "...... well, if that''s the case, I can take care of them as well as Daphne and the others."

    "I know you''re being nice, but you shouldn''t do that."

    I thought about taking them in, but Clyde was against it.

    "Why not?"

    "As I''m sure you''ve already noticed, you and Harry are in similar situations. But there is one crucial difference. That is your father.

    "Well, my father is royalty, and Harry''s father is, um, who is he?"

    "He''s a merchant who lives in the barony. I hate to put it this way, but there is no chance that Harry will resent you for being in a better position than he is. It''s best to stay out of it."

    "I''m not sure that''s how it works."

    Sam didn''t agree, but Clyde said he wasn''t sure how the grown-up Harry would feel about Sam.

    It''s unreasonable, but he might think that if only Sam hadn''t been there, Mannion wouldn''t have done something stupid, the barony wouldn''t have gone under, and he could have been an aristocrat himself.

    You may think it is absurd, but that is resentment, and there is nothing more unreasonable than human feelings.

    "It is not only Harry who may resent you, but also his mother Harriet. Instead of my son becoming a baronet, he has gone from being a nobleman to a commoner. You may think it is selfish, but it is human to feel jealous and resentful. It is better for both of us to keep our distance."

    "At ......, I''d like to ask you both for a favor. I know this may sound cold, but I don''t know how to treat people I don''t know."

    If you don''t have to get involved, I think that''s best.

    I don''t want to be resented later on, and I don''t want to fight unnecessarily.

    If the Duke of Ignatz is willing to lend a hand, it would be best for both of us to leave it to him.

    "I promise that nothing bad will happen to you. You can rest assured."

    "I look forward to working with you."

    Thus, the treatment of the Barons of Reinbach was decided.

 233 - - 58 "About the people of Najaria" â‘ 

    "--Well, let''s talk about the biggest problem of all. Manion Reinbach possessed a magic sword, and the sword had the ability to take away the magic and physical strength of the person it cut. And the person who gave him the sword...

    "They called themselves the people of Najaria."

    Clyde looked up to the heavens.

    He does so for a moment and then, with a loud sigh, turns a weary gaze on Sam.

    "It''s them, isn''t it?"

    "Did you know?"

    "Of course not. They have plagued this country for years."

    I had never heard of it.

    At least Sam had never heard of the people of Najaria from Jonathan or G¨¹nther.

    Nor had he encountered the people of Najaria when he and Ur were based in the Kingdom of Skye.

    He only knew of the existence of such a people.

    "It is not surprising that they have been quiet for some years now. But it is a headache that they have started to do something again. And they even brought out a magic sword, what are they thinking?

    "The people of Najaria are from the northern part of the continent. Why would they want to involve themselves with the Kingdom of Skye in the south?"

    Sam questions Clyde.

    Normally, the Kingdom of Skye and the people of Najaria should have no connection.

    "They want this country."

    I heard that. But I''m not sure why ...... you want to live somewhere warm?"

    No, it''s not. They want our kingdom, but they also hate us.

    "I heard something similar from the people of Najaria themselves, but I still don''t understand it."

    So are we.

    Just as Sam could not understand the claims of the Najarian people, neither could Clyde.

    The king sighs deeply.

    "It must have been about a few decades ago. There was a great famine in the north of the continent and many tribes were scattered all over the continent."

    "Aside from the major powers, a small tribe could not sustain a clan properly. It is a wise decision to flee."

    Sam has never experienced famine, but it breaks his heart to think of those who have suffered the agony of not having enough to eat for so long, even in the past.

    "......It''s difficult, though, from the standpoint of a man who governs a country. Anyway, looking for a new place is not a bad thing. But it is not always possible to find it.

    "That''s just the way it is, isn''t it?"

    "Yes. I''m sorry, but that''s the way it is. The people of Najaria have not found a new home. If that were the case, it would be a common story, but they didn''t."

    "......What do you mean different?"

    "If you can''t find a new home, make a new one. In other words, they want to take our country away from us."

    "I don''t understand why that would be the case."

    I can sympathize with the difficult circumstances.

    But to rob a place just because it is there is the thinking of a criminal.

    "I understand that the famine was the trigger and that you suffered. But to have the Kingdom of Skye taken away from us as a result, that''s just too much."

    "Right?"

    "But we have not been enemies from the beginning. We once tried to accommodate those who fled famine, but they were thoroughly incompatible with us."

    "What do you mean, incompatible?"

    Clyde prefaces his story by saying that he heard it from the previous king.

    "First of all, the people of Najaria are the best in terms of men. Especially the older men are the best, and the position of children and women before they reach adulthood is low, no different from that of slaves.

    "I know you''re at ....... Tribes with weird rules like that."

    "They didn''t mind doing it in their own little world, but they forced their rules on the people of the Skye Kingdom."

    "That''s not something you do to the people of a country that has embraced you."

    "Indeed. They are arrogant to the people of the Sky Kingdom who have extended a helping hand to them, and they assault and violate the women of the Sky Kingdom as a matter of course. We could not accept such people. As a result, the Kingdom of Skye has banished every single one of Najaria''s people."

    I thought it was a foregone conclusion.

    "But they grew to resent the Skye Kingdom all the more for it. They think they were kicked out for no reason, because that''s what''s normal for them. Of course, other countries that have reached out to the people of Najaria have had similar results. They are out of control.

    The reality is that there are people like them outside of Najaria.

    Even in the Kingdom of Skye, there are men who disrespect women and children, and vice versa, there are women who disrespect men.

    But it is an individual view, and it is rare for a whole family to be like the people of Najaria.

    "I don''t know why they are so obsessed with this country, but it''s not good for them."

 234 - - 59 "About the people of Najaria" â‘¡

    "Couldn''t they have helped just the women and children?"

    "I couldn''t. When the children and women are released from their low status, they change their behavior. I hear that you can no longer deal with them."

    "Wow, I don''t want anything to do with any of these people."

    The king nodded at Sam''s words.

    "Yes. It is best to stay out of it. Since then, they''ve been living in settlements near the borders of the Skye Kingdom on their own."

    "Well, I don''t know how to say this, but didn''t you get rid of them?"

    "We could have eliminated them, but we couldn''t, since we knew they would be a detriment to our country."

    Clyde continued speaking with a bitter look on his face.

    "They were so good at magic that the Kingdom of Skye decided to leave them alone."

    "It''s no use," he said, "if it''s not done well, it will lead to war.

    "The only good thing about them is that they''re closed. Marriages and everything else is done within the family. Occasionally they raid neighboring villages and towns, looting and kidnapping people, but the damage is kept to a minimum and countermeasures are taken on a case-by-case basis. It was also believed that there was no need to defeat them and that they would perish on their own if left unchecked. However, "

    "But?"

    They survived. They survived because of one terrible habit.

    Sam did not miss Clyde''s slight shudder.

    "They eat people."

    "--"

    "This is why they survived the food shortage and did not perish. I had them investigate further and found out that they did not do cannibalism as a painful decision because they suffered from hunger. They eat humans as a daily habit.

    "Frankly, it makes me want to vomit."

    I agree. It is said that the people of Najaria have a belief that they can gain more strength by eating wizards or people with magical powers. A wizard of high rank eats a wizard of low rank. Children and women are also eaten if they have any magical power.

    "--horrifying."

    Sam struggled to hold back the volume that was rising in his mind.

    Eating people--this is a taboo that one must not commit in order to be a person.

    Just the thought of a family that breaks this rule targeting the Kingdom of Skye was enough to make one shudder.

    "In the past, it seems that people kidnapped from neighboring villages and towns were also eaten without exception. No one wants anything to do with such a family. But they are good wizards. That''s what''s so frightening."

    "--I know that there are people who believe in such taboos. In fact, I have never met a person who actually violates such taboos, but basically, nothing changes when a person eats a human being. It may be a little bit harsh to say, but it is no different from eating the flesh of an animal. It is impossible for a wizard to become strong.

    Surprisingly, not a few people break the taboo.

    Unfortunately, there are people who cannot suppress their mad curiosity to try things that are forbidden to do, and end up doing them.

    For example, a girl who dreamed of becoming a magician killed a magician and drank his blood.

    An old nobleman ate a wizard, believing that it would rejuvenate him.

    The list goes on and on, and human beings commit abominations for a variety of reasons.

    However, there are probably few people who believe in breaking taboos like the people of Najaria.

    This is insane.

    Maybe they are already more like monsters than human beings.

    Not physically, but mentally.

    "It seems so. But the people of Najaria do not understand such words. --If they have acted again, I am afraid.

    "Albert Frege and Misery Michel were also involved with them."

    "Apparently. I guess those who have only known how to be honest, loud, and violent with their emotions have gained wisdom. I wonder why now, but more than that, I am afraid of them.

    "I agree. At least those who have adopted taboos into their daily lives are not normal. It is beyond comprehension. I can''t predict what they will do to us in the future.

    It''s Sam.

    "--Yes."

    Clyde looked straight at Sam.

    "We may have to fight the people of Najaria in the future. No, you can be sure of that. I am sorry to cause you trouble, but you are the greatest wizard in our land. We will be counting on you to do your work."

    "--Of course. Let us fight for our lives for this country where our loved ones live."

    I will not allow my beloved master''s hometown, my country with my loved ones and my family, to be defiled by a family that is steeped in taboo.

    If the worst should happen, if the worst should happen to a loved one in their hands, Sam would be at his wits'' end.

    For the sake of his loved ones, for the sake of the people who live in the Kingdom of Skye, Sam is determined to fight.

 235 - - 60 "I met Mr. Harriet" â‘ 

    After his meeting with Clyde, Sam was told that there were two people who wanted to see him, and a maid led him to a room to meet one of them.

    He knocked and received a short answer, so he opened the door slowly.

    "Nice to meet you, I am Samuel Scheidt.

    "It''s nice to meet you. My name is Harriet. I am no longer in Reinbach, so please forgive me if I say only my first name.

    Harriet, whom I saw for the first time, had flaxen hair, but she reminded me of my mother Melanie.

    She seemed kind, but I got the impression that she had a timid and timid side to her.

    (Still, it doesn''t make sense that he would seek for his mistress the image of his ex-wife who treated him so unfairly. Then, you should be more affectionate to her - is that too much to ask? Maybe that guy knew he wasn''t loved enough. Whatever.)

    "I hope you don''t mind."

    "Please, we''re renting the room, but we can at least offer you some tea."

    "Thank you very much."

    Please take a seat in one of the chairs over there.

    Harriet and Harry, who is not here, were being protected at the palace.

    It was not meant to protect them from anything, but to give them a place to live for the time being, as a father and son who had nowhere else to go.

    Harriet, who had prepared the tea herself, placed the cup in front of Sam, who was sitting on a chair, and sat down so that she herself was facing him.

    "I heard you wanted to talk to me."

    "I wanted to thank you for your hospitality."

    "Thank you?¡¡I don''t remember doing anything to you.

    Harriet bowed deeply to Sam, who had no idea what she was talking about.

    "-Thank you very much for killing Manion Reinbach."

    "It''s not that I killed him. I just destroyed myself.

    "But I''m still grateful. That d*mned kid tried to kill Harry more than once. Yolanda tried to kill me, too. It''s a good thing."

    "Of course. I know how you feel.

    The father and son together have had their lives threatened so many times, they must be relieved at Manion and Yolanda''s demise.

    I can understand why you would feel sorry for them.

    Manion was a pathetic child in a sense, unloved and spoiled by his parents, but it did not matter to Harriet and her family.

    She was afraid that her status would be threatened, so she tried to kill him as she had done to Sam in the past, calling it a training exercise.

    It was really pathetic that he was beaten back, but it was only because of Harry''s superiority and Manion''s lazy body that he couldn''t wield a sword properly.

    However, it did not change the fact that Manion had a clear intent to kill him.

    From Harriet''s point of view, Manion, whose beloved son was almost killed, is nothing but an object of hatred.

    "Will Yolanda be executed?"

    I''m sorry. You''ll be in labor until you die."

    "No, thank God. I''m sure she has no remorse for what she did. She should suffer for the rest of her life, screaming until she dies.

    Sam agreed with Harriet.

    You can''t simply ease a person who doesn''t mourn the death of his son, who says it''s not his fault, and who starts screaming as soon as his position becomes bad.

    The work place Yolanda is being sent to is the toughest place in the Kingdom of Skye, as is Carius.

    The prisoners are thugs and the environment is the worst of all.

    It would have been easier to die there.

    "I''m sure you''ve already heard, Mr. Samuels, that Harry is not of Baron Reinbach blood."

    "Yes. Yes, I heard. I have also heard that Carius Reinbach has plundered and torn you and your lover apart.

    Harriet nodded, her face contorted as she remembered the past.

 236 - - 61 "I met Mr. Harriet" â‘¡

    "I married into the Baroness Reinbach family to save the life of someone I love. No, to be precise, my parents sold me to them. They died of alcoholism, but I am not sad. They were the ones who condemned me to hell.

    "............"

    Sam did not know what to say, so he kept silent.

    I can only imagine what she was going through.

    She had been discovered by Baron Reinbach, but that must have been the last time.

    I can''t imagine what Harriet was thinking and what she was living up to now, as she had no other choice but to marry him in tears, because of her parents who accepted the money given by the baron, and because of the safety of her lover.

    "I was uncomfortable acting as that man''s wife and being mistakenly thought that Harry was his child. It was hell to have that man play with me every night."

    "I heard you have a child in your belly."

    "Hmm, he has nothing to do with the Baroness Reinbach. He seduced a merchant who frequented the baron''s house and had a child. The man was happy to have a child of his own, but ...... you must despise him."

    "No."

    It''s okay. That''s all I did. But this is my little revenge.

    Harriet''s dark eyes filled Sam with dread.

    Harriet had been living with someone she had not only not loved for years, but even hated, and it felt like an obsession.

    At least Sam couldn''t imitate her.

    £¨Women are scary. They can do things that men can''t.)

    Sam mentioned a question he had been having to change the subject.

    "You''re not going back to Harry''s father?"

    "--He passed away."

    "...... sorry about that."

    "Because of my marriage to the Baroness Reinbach, he mistakenly thought that I was a woman who had left him for a nobleman, and he took his own life without being allowed to explain or explain himself."

    I am so sorry for your loss.

    Thank you very much. But I have put that behind me. I have Harry now. The knight told me I had a gift with the sword. He''s teaching me how to use a sword.

    "Good for you. What are you going to do about Harry?"

    Harry is completely innocent.

    I wonder what the future holds for my faceless, bloodless brother.

    At the very least, I do not want him to end up like Manion.

    "We have received a proposal to live in a small village in the Duchy of Ignatz. We are grateful for the offer, as we too would like to live a quiet life without the nobility. But I am not sure what Harry wants to do in the future.

    "...... I see. He''s just a kid."

    "Pardon me, Mr. Samuel, but you''re still a minor. I don''t want my son to succeed like you. If it were possible, would it be selfish of me to wish him a quiet and happy life with a kind-hearted person who is different from me?

    "No, as a parent, I think it''s only natural."

    Sam drank the tea that had been served to him.

    He decided that the conversation was over.

    Harriet had a grudge against Reinbach.

    And her revenge was unexpectedly accomplished.

    Nothing would bind her anymore. Hopefully, she will live a peaceful life.

    "From now on, the three of us, father and son, will live quietly and modestly."

    "Please take care."

    Sam got up from his chair and bowed to Harriet.

    She wished there was something she could do to help, since she was in the same situation as her mother Melanie, but she knew it was best not to do anything.

    She would not want anything to do with Sam.

    Harriet was in the same situation as my mother, but she had a stronger heart than my mother.

    She would not want to help her, and she would not want to remind her of her past because of her.

    "If you need anything at all, please feel free to contact me at any time.

    "Thank you."

    Sam thanked Harriet once more, turned away, and turned to leave the room.

    Then..,

    "Um, Mr. Samuel."

    "Yes."

    Harriet''s voice is behind her, and she stops dead in her tracks.

    "-Thank you very much for ruining those men."

    Sam didn''t look back, didn''t know what Harriet looked like, but he didn''t care.

    "You''re welcome."

    Sam said a few words and left the room.

    He then walks to the courtyard.

    There was another person who wanted to see him.

 237 - - 62 "I met Mr. Luche" â‘ 

    There is a person waiting for Sam in front of the fountain in the courtyard of the royal palace.

    She was a girl a little older than Sam, wearing a cardigan over a light blue one-piece dress.

    Sam approached her and called her name.

    "--Mistress Luce Reedill."

    "...... Dear Samuel."

    It was the first time he had seen the girl''s face as she turned around since the attack on Manion the other day.

    Before, she and her father had looked exhausted after fleeing Mannion, but now she seemed to have regained her composure.

    He and Viscount Riedyll, who is now under the protection of the royal court, are now asking to return to the Viscount''s estate in a few days.

    Fortunately, the Viscount''s family, who had escaped, is safe.

    His wife and other daughters who fled with him are said to have been scattered, but they are now all in the royal palace, protected in other towns and territories.

    It is probably fortunate that Mannion targeted only the girl and her father, to whom he had once been betrothed.

    As a result, the Viscounts of Riedyll were attacked but not killed.

    Of course, the people of the region cannot be too happy about their safety, as there were many casualties among them.

    The families of the victims will be paid from the confiscated private property of the Reinbachs and Yolanda''s family merchant family.

    If there is not enough money, the Viscount''s family and the royal court will provide assistance.

    Although the money will not bring back the stolen families, the victims'' families will still have to continue to live.

    They need the money.

    "It''s been a while.

    "Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to meet with us. And thank you from the bottom of my heart for defeating that d*mned Manion Reinbach."

    Sam wonders what to say to Luce, who bends at the waist and bows deeply.

    Even for a man like that, Manion had been her ex-fianc¨¦. He must have something to think about.

    "I was rude to you the other day. I don''t know if you can forgive me, but I''m sorry."

    "Please look up. I did what I had to do. I know it was hard for you. My former fiancee did that to me.

    "I didn''t become your fiancee because I wanted to. I always hated that man.

    "...... I see."

    The girl looked up, her eyes filled with clear dislike and hatred.

    "It is not uncommon for marriages to be used to deepen relations between families. I too was prepared to marry for the sake of my house and my people. But I didn''t like that man."

    Luce''s clear dislike for Mannion makes me wonder how I should look at her.

    It seems that Mannion had been disliked by Luce even before the attack.

    "I don''t think such a lazy and incompetent man could have run the estate. In fact, he ended up like this after he had a short thought and developed some stupid delusions."

    "I''m sure it is. Mannion is not the kind of man who can become the head of a noble family and take over a fief.

    I still don''t understand what Carius had in mind when he decided to select the next head of the family based solely on his talent with a sword.

    It is not the sword that is required of a lord. Of course, sometimes he may wield a sword to protect his domain and his people, but first of all, he needs to have the talent to manage his domain.

    This requires a lot of effort, such as studying and learning about the territory.

    In this sense, it is not surprising that Manion, whose talent with the sword made him lazy and consequently incompetent in studying and even wielding the sword, was deposed from the position of the next head of the family.

    Considering his character, his thoughts, and his mother''s presence, he could not even manage a minimal estate.

    "I was going to marry you at first."

    "So I''ve heard."

    My true intention was to marry you.

    "...... I see."

    Luce looks straight at Sam with moist eyes.

    "Do you remember?¡¡I remember the day we first met ...... and I have been in love with you ever since."

 238 - - 63 "I met Mr. Luche" â‘¡

    "I''m very flattered by your sentiments, but ...... I have no memory of meeting you."

    "--What?"

    Luce rolled her eyes in surprise at Sam''s words.

    "I have to tell you, you seem to know a lot about me from back in the day. When I was nine years old, Manion tried to kill me and that''s when I lost my memory. In that sense, I must be dead."

    I wouldn''t say that my personality has been replaced. That would confuse her.

    So I told her that I thought it would be easier for her to understand if I said that I had lost my memory.

    In fact, Sam has no memory of meeting Luce.

    In fact, his memory itself is also problematic. He has a dim memory, but he is aware that it is not his own memory, because he feels as if he is reading someone else''s memory in a book or something.

    "--Oh, no."

    "After that, I''m living a new life. I am now Samuel Scheidt, not the Samuel Reinbach you have met."

    Well, then, how did you and I really meet?

    I don''t remember.

    "......Mr. Samuel saved me when I visited the Baroness Reinbach and was crying because I had wandered through the house out of curiosity and got lost. He gave me a handkerchief and comforted me with a kind smile. Don''t you remember all that?"

    "I''m sorry."

    A single tear welled up in the girl''s eye.

    The handkerchief you gave me at that time is my treasure. I had been looking forward to seeing you again. ...... How happy I was when I first found out that I was going to marry Mr. Samuel."

    "Thank you for thinking of me that much. I am sure Samuel would have been pleased."

    "...... Manion is to blame. That man pushed Samuel away and became my fianc¨¦e. Every time I saw him, I was offended by his arrogant and unpleasant behavior. He used to make fun of Mr. Samuel, but I always put up with it for the sake of the house. But because of that man, Samuel had forgotten even the meeting with me?¡¡Unforgivable, unforgivable!¡¡How could such a man, how could I, what did I, what did Master Samuel do to you!"

    Luce''s voice is filled with sobs, anger and sorrow.

    Sam does not comfort her, does not hug her, but waits patiently for her to calm down.

    £¨It''s not me that she loves, it''s the old Sam. But he''s gone. Then I have to put an end to her feelings here. I want her to move on, forget about us, and be happy.)

    I wonder what Sam once thought of Luce.

    Did he have faint feelings for her as she did, or was he still a child and did not have such feelings for her?

    The memories that remained in Sam''s mind were not the feelings he once had for her.

    "Master Luce, I''m not the Samuel you loved so much."

    "--Yes."

    "But I know that you were thinking of me before. So I have something to tell you."

    Please tell me.

    I wish you all the best.

    Sam wished Luce happiness from the bottom of his heart and told her so.

    "I am sure that this is what Samuel, whom you met and loved, would have wished for you."

    Luce''s eyes filled with tears.

    The girl with wet cheeks and red eyes must have felt them.

    This was the end of the relationship between Sam and Luce.

    "I wish you happiness, too.

    I don''t know if this was the right thing to do.

    No, I am sure there is no right answer.

    I think we can know if this answer was a good choice or not by whether she will be happy or unhappy.

    If possible, I hope she will take a new step forward and be happy.

    "......Thank you, sir."

    Luce said no more.

    She just bent down and bowed her head deeply so that Sam would not see her face.

    I could not imagine how much feeling she had put into her words of thanks.

    "Well, I''ll leave you now."

    There was no reply.

    But as he turned away, sobs could be heard from behind him.

    Still, he continued on his way without looking back.

    Sam left the courtyard, wishing Luce happiness.

 239 - - Epilogue "People of Najaria"

    In a remote village in the Kingdom of Skye.

    Amidst the clutter of small, uninhabitable buildings, there were only a few houses where people could live in a decent manner.

    In the largest of these houses was the head of the people of this village, Najaria.

    "Yar, I thank you for your hard work.

    A man in his fifties, dressed in simple white clothes and cluttered with gold necklaces and bracelets, complimented the young man kneeling in front of him.

    The young man with the red turban was Jarl, who had recently given Manion Reinbach the magic sword.

    "No, chief. It was convenient for me too, because I wanted to see if the magic sword I had made would work on Samuel Scheidt.

    "I''m glad to hear you say that. So, how good was Samuel Scheidt?

    "Come on."

    "......, you know, you."

    "Well, he was Samuel Scheidt''s brother, so I gave Manion Reinbach a magic sword thinking I could use it, but he was ...... impressively incompetent, so I couldn''t do anything and he was defeated."

    "What, the brother of a wizard like that is just a rascal?"

    No, as a matter of fact, they are not related to each other at all. He said he was a stranger.

    "What?"

    "Well, I mean... Samuel Scheidt''s mother had a child with another man, Baron Reinbach.

    "You mean Samuel Scheidt?"

    "That''s what I''ve heard."

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

    The chief of Najaria laughed hysterically.

    His laughter echoed outside the house, causing some of the Najarian people to stop moving to see what was going on.

    "I must say, Baron Reinbach is a fool. He would have known if the child was his or not.

    "Perhaps they knew, but only vaguely. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have called him a loser and treated him unfairly, even though he had such a talent for magic.

    "So the Baron is now a forced laborer."

    "He tried to escape several times. Mistress Yolanda, for example, lost her footing and fell off a cliff while trying to escape.

    "Is he dead?"

    No, I heard that his arms and legs are bent the other way, but he seems to be very healthy. That''s good. Now you don''t have to work.

    "That''s not a good thing. Well, that''s all right. More importantly, Samuel Scheidt. Do you know who the kid''s father is?"

    "I don''t know."

    So, you know, you should really check it out.

    We had a brief conversation, but he used his skill set and got away with it.

    "Oh, it''s a killer monster. That was nasty. The fact that it''s a skill and not magic is what makes it troublesome. I wonder why God gave a man with such magical talent such a vicious skill. That''s not fair.

    "Indeed."

    The atmosphere is one of small talk, but in fact they are both very wary of Sam.

    Samuel Scheidt was a thorn in their side if they were to fulfill their long-held dream of taking the Kingdom of Skye.

    Not only Sam, but also G¨¹nter Ignaz, Purple Magnolias, Delight Sinatra, and once Ulrike Scheidt Walker.

    So the people of Najaria have plotted to destroy the court wizards, the magic army, and the knights from within.

    They gave Albert Frege a magical tool that multiplied his magical firepower by several times and made him the first court wizard, thus putting him in power.

    Then, by leaving Albert alone, they let the country rot.

    The objective was well achieved.

    Albert and his companions grew in strength, and they attacked the dragon, which even the people of Najaria would not touch.

    The city was supposed to be destroyed by the dragon''s wrath.

    However, the people of Najaria did not expect that there were people who could fight against the dragon.

    It was there that they first became aware of the existence of Samuel Scheidt.

    The Michels, who had promised to provide him with a magic sword in exchange for financial support, were next to be moved, but Julien Michel went out of control before they could make a move.

    I took this opportunity to measure Sam''s ability, but to my dismay, I could not observe his fight with Kurando Amemiya because G¨¹nther and Magnolia were there.

    However, I could see that Sam''s magic power was beyond my imagination.

    Moreover, he even cut off the right arm of Kurando Amamiya, who had slain many people in Najaria, which made us more wary of Sam.

    And he used Manion Reinbach.

    His delusions of grandeur aside, he wanted to see if he could get his hands on his brother.

    But they were not blood-related to begin with, and there was no brotherly affection before that.

    Mannion''s self-destruction had ended the battle without even a proper look at Sam''s abilities.

    "This is not good. Because of Samuel Scheidt, we need to rethink our plan."

    "Yes, sir. My magic sword is no match for him at the moment.

    "I''d fight you, but I honestly don''t know if I can win."

    I agree. I''m in trouble.

    "Well, I guess we''ll just have to save our strength a little longer."

    What do you mean?

    "Did you know that otherworldly people have appeared in the Kingdom of Orkney?"

    Yes, of course. I hear you are quite skilled in magic. Some of the humans are even brave.

    I wish I could eat it.

    "I''m sure you''ll have great power. I hear that people from other worlds, as usual, have extraordinary powers and skills."

    "Do you have any soldiers you can move?"

    Uh, yes. One person.

    "Huh. The weakness of Najaria''s people is their lack of numbers. But one of our warriors is a great warrior. Even an otherworldly race will not be able to defeat him.

    "Then make the arrangements. Now that the Kingdom of Skye knows we''re on the move, they''ll be on the alert, along with the Kingdom of Orkney and the surrounding nations.

    "We''re not interested in anything but the Kingdom of Skye, but, well, so be it."

    Yarl stands up and curtsies reverently.

    "Yes, Yarl."

    "Yes?"

    "I''m sorry for all the trouble I''ve caused you. You should concentrate on making magic swords for the time being.

    "Yes, sir."

    "I also snatched a few kids from a nearby village. Use them, eat them, whatever you want.

    "That''s the chief. You know how to treat your men. Thank you very much.

    "Yes."

    Yarl, his lips pursed in a reverent bow, leaves the chief''s house.

    The remaining chief smiled happily.

    Samuel Scheidt, yes, I''m looking forward to it. I wonder what you taste like."

 240 - - 1 "Eul seems to have been an old woman." â‘ 

    Ulrike Walker was a child prodigy who, from an early age, read and understood all kinds of difficult books, including her father''s secret grimoires, which belonged to the magic army.

    The Earls of Walker are a family that has produced outstanding wizards for generations. Ulu, who has the same flaming crimson hair as the first Earl Walker, was sometimes said to be the reincarnation of the first Earl Walker.

    Her father, Jonathan, and mother, Grace, were delighted that their daughter would become a great man in the future, but it was only for a few years.

    When Url grew up, she was an out-of-control little girl.

    She did not become selfish or arrogant in the typical way of a noble child. It''s just that she has become a naughty girl who is so eager for magic that at the age of nine, she has repeatedly left the house to hunt monsters in order to try using the magic she has learned.

    She has a good relationship with her parents and with the servants.

    She has a daily battle with the gatekeeper to escape from the house, but she is still friendly with him.

    Some people said that Ur was not like a noble daughter, but neither she nor her parents minded.

    Ur was not good at the gatherings of the nobility.

    She just doesn''t get along with other children her age.

    Either Ur is too mature, or the people around him are childish, or both.

    Either way, Ur was not at all interested in a tea party where the nobles just gathered and chatted.

    Ur secretly changes from her dress to her normal clothes and quietly exits the house with her footsteps and breath silenced.

    He decides that now that the guests are here, they are not paying attention to him, so he decides to go to the dungeon of the beginning, which he has been planning for a long time.

    Carrying a bag of food and weapons that he had prepared in advance, he crept forward,

    "--Ul."

    I heard a voice calling my name.

    Fearfully, he turned around to see his father standing behind him with his arms crossed.

    "Gee..."

    "No, no, no, no, no. I told you just the other day that a girl of your age shouldn''t be so vulgar. My sisters are so girly, why do you think Ur is the only one?"

    Father laments, but Ur doesn''t care.

    It''s a phrase that is repeated almost every day, so it''s nothing new.

    Ur responds without a trace of apology.

    "It''s a personality thing."

    "Of course. By the way, I heard you made G¨¹nther cry again."

    The name "G¨¹nther" made Ul look really uncomfortable.

    Among the children around him who did not fit in, there was only one boy who was willing to talk to him.

    That boy was G¨¹nther Ignaz.

    G¨¹nther had the appearance of a prince in a storybook, with honey-blond hair.

    All the girls around his age were crazy about him and everyone was trying to get his attention in every possible way.

    However, Ur is not so fond of G¨¹nther.

    "Because he''s so creepy!"

    "Hey! I warned you not to say ''creepy'' to a creepy girl! G¨¹nther doesn''t like it either, so you should be more considerate of him.

    Father chides Ur, who clearly does not like G¨¹nther because of his young age.

    "But I can''t stand the way he looks at me!¡¡It''s kind of creepy!"

    "But it''s still too much to pull down your pants in front of everyone. You''re crying with joy. What if G¨¹nther gets even crazier?"

    "It is."

    Ur did not like the way G¨¹nther approached him, breathing hard.

    He wanted to make him feel bad, and since he was the only one who was feeling bad, he decided to do it again and pulled down his pants in front of everyone.

    As a result, the girls screamed yellow and G¨¹nther was very excited to be messed with by Ur.

    "Can you take responsibility?"

    When his father asked him about it, Ur looked deeply displeased.

    "If you can''t, don''t distort his proclivities. It would be a big problem if the second son of a duke''s family couldn''t marry because he became a pervert. From now on, refrain from doing so."

    "Yes."

    Let''s get back to the tea party. I''m glad you''re well, but don''t let me worry you too much.

    Taking his father''s hand, Ur had no choice but to return to the tea ceremony.

    Later, G¨¹nther comes up to him again, acting and behaving in an unpleasant manner, but Ul only slaps him as hard as he can, as his father had warned him not to do so.

 241 - - 2 "Eul seems to have been an old woman." â‘¡

    At the age of ten, Ur has grown up to be a more naughty girl, and at the same time, she has taught herself magic and physical arts and acquired a certain level of competence.

    In addition, since it was discovered that she possessed a rare skill called "item box," the young Ur was sometimes scouted by adventurers.

    Of course, Jonathan would never allow his young daughter to go on adventures, and he used magic to scare off the scouts.

    Ur was bored.

    His parents, who recognized his talents, tutored him, but clearly there was nothing for him to learn.

    He was fed up with the tutor who talked about what he already knew, as if he was bragging about it, and finally he hurt him with his magic.

    Of course, Jonathan scolded him, but Ulle snorted, "There is nothing to be taught by someone weaker than me," and he lamented, "I may have ...... raised him the wrong way.

    He had a number of tutors, but the same thing kept happening over and over again, and eventually he was shunned by Count Walker, who told him that he would never recover if he became his tutor.

    It was a hot summer day when Jonathan, worried about his future if he continued to allow Ur to do as he pleased, visited the residence of Delight Sinatra, an acquaintance of his.

    "Oh, this young lady is your daughter, Mr. Jonathan? I''ve heard many rumors. She seems to be a very naughty girl."

    Seeing Ur''s sullen face, Delight Sinatra, the court wizard, laughed.

    He is the best wizard in the land, having become a court wizard at a young age and at the same time the most powerful wizard in the Kingdom of Skye.

    There have been many wizards who have tried to take the title from him, but he has defeated them all.

    He was trusted by the king and the prince, and even served as a tutor for the young prince''s children.

    Many people admired him and wanted to become his apprentice, but he could not accept all of them, and Delight himself selected talented people to become his apprentices.

    Jonathan had known Delight since he was a simple wizard and took care of him. He asked Ulle to be his apprentice.

    He thought that Ur might listen to him if he was the most powerful wizard in the kingdom.

    "Ha-ha-ha... I''m puzzling over this every day..." he said. "Well, Ulrike. Say hello to Delight."

    "......, this is Ulrike."

    "Oh. I''m Delight Sinatra. I''m a court wizard.

    "- A court wizard?

    Ur''s eyes lit up when his father told him about the apprenticeship, but he had not been told that it was with a court magician.

    It was a position that anyone who dabbled in magic would have loved to have.

    Only the court wizard is chosen by the government to be a wizard.

    "You''ve been doing a lot of things, haven''t you, little girl? But if I were your teacher, I wouldn''t let you do that. But I''ll teach you real magic that you can''t learn on your own."

    Ur''s eyes sparkle, but he does not seem to trust Delight very much and gives her a stinky look.

    From Ur''s point of view, Delight was an old man with a shaggy head and a stubble beard.

    He did not look like a court wizard.

    "...... uncle, are you really strong?"

    "Hey, hey, don''t call me uncle!¡¡I''m still young!"

    "But you''re my uncle!¡¡I want to know if you are really strong!¡¡I would never study under someone weaker than me!"

    "Oh, you know the hardest word of all, ''master''! Well, that''s all right. If you want to see what I can do, I''ll show you.

    Ul lifted his lips in a grin at Delight''s words.

    As if he had been waiting for Delight''s words, he increased his magical power and burst into flames. He put strength into his legs and pulled back his hips to unleash his fists.

    "-Flame!"

    His fists were filled with the magic of fire.

    It was a blow Ulle was proud of, having sent many tutors to the hospital.

    But..,

    "Well, if you''re self-taught at your age, you''re doing pretty well. I mean, you''re too good. He''s talented. He''s got more magic power than I do.¡¡But I guess I''m still just a kid after all.

    Delight scattered Ur''s flames with a burst of magic power and easily caught her fist in the palm of his hand.

    He then pinches Ur''s stunned forehead with his magic-enhanced finger.

    "Ouch!"

    "Then you know I''m stronger than you."

    "Uh, yes."

    "Well, from today on, you''re my apprentice. Don''t worry, I''ll make you strong.

    When Delight says this and meditates with one eye, Ur''s face lights up.

    Then he replied in a loud voice.

    "--Yes!¡¡I look forward to working with you!"

 242 - - 3 "Eul seems to have been an old woman." â‘¢

    Ur has changed since becoming Delight''s apprentice.

    She began to look up to him as her "teacher" and to listen to him. She has lost her tomboyish ways and has calmed down to the level of an energetic little girl.

    However, while her life had calmed down, her desire for magic had grown too much.

    Everyday, even in the early morning, when I went to the Sinatras'' house, she would start doing magic on her own. At first, Delight had a bitter look on his face, but he gave up and started to let him do whatever he wanted.

    Delight wakes up, has breakfast with his family, and finds Ur warmed up nicely.

    Here''s where things start to go wrong.

    For Ulle, who likes reading but not so much classroom learning, Delight decides to work with him.

    It was a spartan method whereby Delight thoroughly drills the magic and techniques to be taught into Ur until he absorbs them during the hand-to-hand training.

    Of course, since he was dealing with a child, he took it easy on him.

    While fighting against Delight, Ur learned his magic and techniques.

    His dexterity in quickly applying what he had learned surprised Delight greatly.

    His insatiable desire to win is unbelievable for a ten year old.

    However, Delight liked Ul very much because he saw in him the same drive for magic that Delight had in Ul.

    He began to devote more time to Ur than to any of his other students.

    Ur was the type of person who grows up through practical experience. Delight beat him mercilessly. Her frustration was also a springboard for growth.

    She fell to the ground many times, but she still got up, gritted her teeth, and faced him.

    Delight found her talent in Ur, who learned and mastered her magic through many magical and painful experiences.

    He decided that she would eventually become a wizard of the first rank, and continued to work with her every day until she gave up the ghost.

    "Well, here I come."

    "You''re always so slow to give up."

    "Ugh, I thought I was going to win today."

    "Of course not. Where do you get your confidence from? If I lose to you, I''ll have to give back my position as the strongest and the court wizard.

    Delight smiles at Ur, who is sprawled out on the ground.

    "I''ll win someday!"

    "Yes, it is good for the apprentice to surpass his master. But I''m not going to let you beat me.

    I''m going to win!"

    The girl hates to lose, and unusually, like a child of her age, her cheeks puffed up and tears came to her eyes.

    But she does not cry and wipes her tears with her sleeve. She probably thinks she will lose if she cries.

    Delight smiled inwardly, thinking that if she was this competitive, it would be worth teaching her.

    "Well, I''m looking forward to that time. Hey, Nancy. I think it''s time for dinner."

    "Yes, sir."

    Delight calls out to his wife and carries the immobile Ur to the dining table.

    Ulle was spending more and more time at the Sinatras'' house instead of at the Walkers''.

    He learns magic from early in the morning until late at night, and returns home after being treated to dinner.

    When he comes home, he takes a bath and sleeps until morning.

    Needless to say, Jonathan missed him a lot.

    The apprenticeship was to take an even better turn.

    Ur has started to learn more than just magic.

    Delight had told him, "How can a fool learn magic properly?

    She also learned the manners of an aristocrat and a countess without making a sour face.

    Ur was so enthusiastic when even a little bit of magic was involved that after only one year, her tutor gave up and said, "I will not teach you any more.

    His parents were dismayed at the extreme results.

    Ulle has become so absorbed in his magic that he no longer needs to study.

    Day by day, Ur grows calmer, perhaps because his days are full of life, or perhaps because his motivation and curiosity are satisfied.

    His manner becomes softer and he is more open to others.

    He started to take care of his sisters and to play with Fran, the Delight''s daughter. Fran, who was shy at first, had a hard time with Ulle, but she did not mind and took her around with her. Unfortunately, Fran became friends with Lieselotte, who was the same age as her.

    Not only in magic, but also in daily life, Ulle is full of life and smiles a lot. Naturally, the family also starts to smile more and more.

    Delight, too, has made a name for himself not only in the Kingdom of Skye, but also in the surrounding countries, by achieving some of the most powerful feats in the Kingdom.

    The relationship between the Walkers and the Sinatras was also good, so much so that the Walkers lamented that if either family had had a son, they would have wanted to be related to each other.

    --The years passed quickly, and Ulle was sixteen years old.

 243 - - 4 "Eul is boring" â‘ 

    "Ah, boredom."

    Walking through the royal palace on a cold, snowy winter day, wearing a blue coat, was Ulrike Walker, the newest member of the court wizards.

    Underneath the blue coat, which only a court wizard can wear, she wears a white blouse and black slacks. She has grown taller in the past few years and has grown into a slender, well-styled beauty reaching one hundred and seventy.

    Her flaming crimson hair reaches down to her waist and is tied in a single knot at her back.

    Ur has a somewhat mature impression for such a young girl.

    She is the youngest person to be appointed as a court wizard, surpassing her mentor Delight Sinatra, and is well remembered by the king, who expects her to become the next most powerful person in the kingdom.

    While Delight, the strongest in the kingdom, excels in skill and maneuverability, Ur is known for her overwhelming firepower.

    It is said that when master and disciple are united, there is no rival. Even before becoming a court wizard, Ur solved many problems with Delight, and he was recommended by three court wizards to become a court wizard as soon as his achievements were recognized.

    Ur has fulfilled his wish, but his face is not so good.

    It is no wonder that he is bored out of his mind because he cannot move as freely as he used to because of his position as a court wizard.

    Whenever I had time, I used to dive into the dungeons of the beginning and hone my skills while trying to reach the deepest level.

    Now I have to get permission from the royal court even to dive into the dungeon.

    It is a pity, because I have a feeling that I will reach the deepest level soon.

    I would ask my master for a lesson, but Delight is away on duty.

    He has gone to exterminate the barbarians who invade our borders and will not be back for a while.

    I would love to take care of my sisters, but they are busy.

    Lise, the second sister, was apprenticed to Amemiya Kurando, the most famous swordsman in the country, because he recognized her talent. Since then, she has been a frequent guest in the Amemiya household, just like Uru, who once learned magic from Delight.

    His swordsmanship is still not very good, but it seems to be growing, and he will become a wizard-slayer in the future.

    With a smile on her face, she said, "I will be strong enough to cut down my sister," and inwardly, I wondered if she had something on her mind.

    Alicia, the third daughter, stays in her room to read. I remember that she was very excited to see a famous book by a popular author.

    She is a timid girl, but she continues to receive at least a minimal amount of training. From Urs'' point of view, I am impressed that she can continue to do something she is not interested in, but I guess it is just her personality.

    Erika, the fourth daughter, has not yet grown up enough to be Ur''s partner, but she is very motivated to become a wizard like her older sister and is struggling with tutoring.

    Erica''s admiring eyes are ticklish, but comforting. It makes me want to become a court wizard that my sister would be proud of.

    The master is away. Each sister has her own business.

    In other words, Ur was free.

    A shadow approaches quietly behind Ur.

    "Hello, my Ulrike."

    A voice whispers his name in my ear.

    A chill runs down his spine, and he reflexively turns around and throws a slap.

    With a thud, he slapped the person behind him on the cheek.

    "--Ah-hun!"

    For some reason, I heard a happy voice, and Ur''s face contorted in disgust.

    "It''s you again, G¨¹nther. You''ve learned your lesson, haven''t you?"

    I was wondering what to do when I came to the palace on my father''s business, but I was so bored that I didn''t expect to find my Ulrike here. I knew you and I are bound by the red thread of fate!"

    "You''re still a creepy guy."

    Don''t be so complimentary. You''re embarrassing me.

    I''m not complimenting you.

    The man with the red cheeks and the wiggly wiggly movements is G¨¹nter Ignaz.

    He is the second son of the Duke of Ignatz and Ul''s childhood friend of the same age.

    At first glance, he looks like a prince out of a storybook, but in reality he is a disgusting pervert.

    His creepiness has remained since the moment we met him. I wonder why G¨¹nther is acting so strange when his parents and brother are decent people.

    He played reasonably well when he was a child, but looking back, I feel that his behavior has been weird ever since he was a child.

    I can''t count the number of times he peeked at me when I was changing clothes or taking a bath, and once he swapped my underwear for new ones.

    He was often at the Sinatras'' house, even though he was not a disciple of theirs.

    The sisters are also put off by G¨¹nther''s behavior, but they have a relatively good relationship with him. As a sister, she sometimes wonders how her sisters can be friendly with a mere pervert.

    However, Ur is also Ur, and even though she is not very nice to G¨¹nther, she does not try to eliminate him from her life.

    Perhaps it is because of their rough personalities.

    If someone peeps on him, he just says, "Well, it''s G¨¹nther." If someone steals his underwear, he just says, "Well, it''s new, so I guess it''s OK.

    The father has accused the duke of G¨¹nther''s perversions, and we often see the head of the duke''s household bowing his head when he is unable to stop his son.

    Ur is sure that G¨¹nther is disgusting, but he does no great harm, so he is happy to leave him alone.

    He is a pervert, but he does not hate him.

    It was only a few days ago that G¨¹nther decided to become a court magician in pursuit of Ur, the man he has a big crush on.

    G¨¹nther is the best defender in the country at the age of sixteen, specializing in the rare magic of warding.

    Although he was inferior to Ur in general, and there were still some concerns in terms of combat, he had the ability to become a court magician.

    In the first place, court wizards are not only required to have combat skills.

    G¨¹nther.

    "Yes, my Ulrike?"

    "I heard you met Princess Stella and Prince Cedric?"

    We''re cousins. We''ve met several times. I''ve put up wards for the both of you today."

    Why did you go to all this trouble?

    "There''s been a lot of annoying noise lately. His Majesty must be concerned."

    "What''s the noise?"

    Look, Stella''s hair and skin are white. Some people say heartless things about her because she doesn''t have the royal silver.

    Stella, the eldest daughter of King Clyde, has hair and skin as white as snow, without the silver hair that appears on royalty.

    This has led to suspicions of infidelity on the part of the first queen, Francis.

    The couple is on good terms with each other and there is no such thing as infidelity. It is impossible to cheat on one''s wife in a royal court where many people are watching, but since there are many aristocrats whose hobby is to speak ill of others, it is difficult to keep the bad rumors from spreading.

    "That''s nonsense. Why don''t they just leave the weak people who can only talk behind their backs alone?"

    "Not everyone is as strong as you."

    "I don''t care. I''m not really a princess person.

    "I know. I know you''re crazy about me and you don''t care about Stella or Cedric, is that what you''re trying to say?

    "No, I''m not. I admire your positive thinking sometimes."

    "Ha ha ha!¡¡Don''t praise me too much or I''ll climax!"

    "Geez."

    G¨¹nther''s sweet voice came out as he kicked G¨¹nther''s buttocks, which made him look ecstatic.

    I kicked G¨¹nther''s buttocks, which had the opposite effect on him, and he unintentionally brushed my foot off with his hand.

    The two of them had once talked about getting engaged, but Ur was adamant that he would not accept.

    However, G¨¹nther does not show any signs of giving up after the rejection of the engagement. In fact, he is trying his best to turn her around. But it all backfires.

    Even if it is G¨¹nther, he has found it a good way to pass the time and was about to go back to his house when a voice stopped him.

    "Ur!"

    "Father?"

    Seeing his father in a panic, Ur guessed that something troublesome had happened, and he smiled happily to say goodbye to the tedious time.

 244 - - 5 "Eul is boring" â‘¡

    "Ur, I''ve been looking for you. There you are."

    "Hi, Uncle. Hello. How are you?

    "G¨¹nther''s here, too. I hope you''re not still doing creepy things to my daughter."

    "Uncle ...... G¨¹nter Ignaz, Ulrike has never called me disgusting in her entire life."

    "Bullshit!¡¡I tell you it''s disgusting every day!"

    Jonathan laughed at Ur and G¨¹nther''s normal behavior.

    It seems that the two of them are not as incompatible as their father thinks.

    Aside from G¨¹nther''s behavior, the two childhood friends seemed to be having fun, so Jonathan had nothing to say to them for the time being.

    "I''m glad to see that G¨¹nther is still the same.

    "So, father, what can I do for you?"

    "Oh, as a court wizard ...... it''s a little different, but I need a favor from Ur."

    Let me ask you something.

    "I want you to bring back the next head of the Marquise de Glen."

    Bring them back?

    "Lord Jasper Glenn has run away from home."

    "What?"

    Ur could not believe his ears.

    Then he questioned his father''s sanity.

    "I don''t suppose you''re going to tell me to go and get your runaway son, are you?

    "I''m sorry, but you''re right."

    When Ur looked uncomfortable, Jonathan replied apologetically.

    Maybe Jonathan did not want to ask the daughter of a court wizard for a favor.

    "Why don''t you have the knight in the Marquise''s service do that?"

    "That''s true, but you are the best.

    "Uh, no."

    "You can fly. You can fly. Just take a quick flight and bring me back."

    Is that why? Not only my father, but many people ask me to run errands for them because I can fly, and it''s a real pain in the ass.

    "Don''t say that. The Marquess of Glen is the birthplace of the Dowager Queen Hazel. It would be a big problem if anything happened to the heir to the throne.

    "--Hah! I understand. I understand. So all I have to do is smack the idiot son a few times and bring him home?

    "No, don''t slap me. You really shouldn''t!

    It''s not right for a court wizard to beat the heir to the marquisate''s throne.

    Since he is related to the Queen Mother, I hope Jonathan will bring him back peacefully.

    "Well, it''s okay if I''m bored out of my mind, but in the future, I''d like to see you run more exciting errands. Slaying dragons, slaying barbarians, fighting with court wizards of other countries..."

    "I''m not going to ask you to do that, but, as you say, I''ll do better next time. Well, I''m sorry, but I''m going to have to ask you."

    Yes, sir. Now then..."

    "Wait for me."

    He flipped his coat and was about to deploy his flying magic when G¨¹nther grabbed Ur by the shoulder.

    "Don''t touch me without permission. I''ll sue you."

    I''ll go with you.

    "Well, I don''t like it very much. You''re in the way, you''re annoying, you''re disgusting."

    "You''re all kinds of terrible. But the casual abuse feels good!¡¡Oops, I mean, if you went to Ur alone, you wouldn''t know what Jasper Glenn looks like, would you?"

    "Come to think of it, I didn''t know what he looked like."

    "...... Ulu doesn''t attend soir¨¦es or anything like that. I failed. I forgot too.

    Nobles have various kinds of parties such as evening parties, tea parties for their children, and social gatherings for young noblemen.

    Sometimes they are a little genteel, with people who are not dressed to impress their parents, but Ulle has never attended any of them.

    It was Ur''s idea that if he had time to attend such parties, he would be better off practicing magic.

    Ur has no interest in dressing himself up in dresses, and he hates parties to begin with.

    Even now that he is a court wizard and has received his title, Ur is the heir to the family of Earl Walker. He must eventually marry a son-in-law and take over the family, so he needs to keep in touch with other children of the same noble family, but he is completely indifferent to the idea.

    His younger sister, Lise, always attends the evening parties in Ur''s place, and sometimes people mistake her for the eldest daughter.

    Because of this, Ur has never heard of the heir son of the Marquis of Glen, let alone know his face.

    "Fortunately, I am a friend of Glenn''s. If Ulrike shows up out of the blue, he''ll probably be wary, so why don''t I lend a hand?

    "But you can''t fly!"

    "Well, there you have it, Ur holding me like a princess..." You look so disgusted!¡¡That''s the most disgusted look I''ve seen all day!"

    As G¨¹nther said, Ul looked like he was biting a bitter bug.

    "I don''t want to touch you."

    "Harsh!¡¡Oh, but it''s so comfortable!"

    "I''ve decided. I''m going to beat you to a pulp and then tie you to a rope and carry you away."

    "Unfortunately, I don''t see any reason for me to get beat up. But if Ur is going to beat me up, I''m willing to take the beating!¡¡I''ll lick your knuckles if I get a chance."

    "Oh, my God, that''s disgusting!¡¡Creepy creepy!¡¡You know, if you don''t stop acting like a pervert, your parents are going to cry!"

    "Don''t worry, she''s already crying."

    "Then you''re even worse!¡¡Enough, let''s get rid of him first."

    Ulle was about to use force when Jonathan coughed loudly.

    "You''re welcome to play with me, but please take care of Mister Jasper as soon as possible.

    "Huh. ...... understand. Look, I hate to do this, but here we go, G¨¹nther."

    "Aha, I never thought I''d finally get to be a princess in Ur''s arms. ...... You''ll have to wait a little longer, now put on your formal wear."

    "Oh, no. I won''t hold you. I''m not gonna hold you, so grab my ankles or something."

    Ulle kicks G¨¹nther in the buttocks, and he kicks the floor, flying lightly.

    G¨¹nther, who let out a sickening "ahhh" sound, jumps up and catches her right leg and starts rubbing his cheek against it.

    Ur is deeply disgusted, but he seems to know that if he gets into trouble here, it will be the same thing over and over again, so he holds back his anger.

    "So, where is your runaway son?"

    "Mister Jasper is headed for the dungeon. "You take care of it."

    Leave it to me. I''ll bring your runaway son back and leave G¨¹nther with you.

    "...... in moderation."

    Jonathan saw Ur off, and with the metamorphosis in his legs, he flew out of King''s Landing.

 245 - - 6 "The reason for running away from home is an arranged marriage." â‘ 

    Jasper Glenn was quickly found.

    On the road out of King''s Landing to the dungeon, I saved a man who was being chased by a monster on a horse, and it turned out to be Jasper himself.

    Jasper was a boy of Ur''s generation. He was a small, thin boy with flaxen hair that grew down to his ears.

    The moment he saw Ur and the ecstatic G¨¹nther, he made a startled face and ran away with his horse.

    "I just saved you from a monster, you rude bastard! --Flame shot!"

    Ulu landed on the ground and fired his magic mercilessly at the boy, who ran away without thanking him.

    Of course, he doesn''t mean to hit him, but he doesn''t mean to let him escape either.

    The flaming bullet grazed the horse''s snout and exploded on the ground.

    "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

    The blast and the dust sent the horses tumbling, and Jasper was thrown off and rolled on the ground.

    Kicking G¨¹nther, who was still rubbing his cheek against his leg, Ur got up and ran toward the boy who was trying to escape, and gave him a flying kick as hard as he could.

    "Gubbeh!"

    Jasper, who had not been physically strengthened, took the kick with reasonable strength, and was forced to plunge face first into the ground again.

    Ulle nodded his head in satisfaction as he stomped on his back to keep him from running away.

    "Okay, got him."

    "Well, wait!¡¡Please!¡¡I want you to listen to me!"

    "No."

    "Don''t give me a straight answer!¡¡We can talk this out, can''t we?"

    "I''m not going to talk to a guy who''s going to run away after I came all the way out here to pick him up."

    Please. For God''s sake, let me go.

    Jasper cried out, and Ur let out a sigh of "ahhhhh" and then asked in a troublesome tone, "What''s the matter with you?

    "So, why did a good old marquis'' son run away from home?"

    "That''s-"

    "I''m not interested in you, but I forgot to ask your father about that. Then give me a short reason why you ran away from home."

    I didn''t like the matchmaking.

    "What?"

    At Jasper''s reply, Ur involuntarily strained against the leg on his back.

    "Geez!"

    Jasper sounds like a squashed frog, but Ur puts more and more pressure on his legs.

    "I love it."

    Ignore the pervert looking enviously at Jasper from a little distance away.

    "No way, you made me, a court wizard, fly all the way here for such a silly reason. Ah, yes, I see. --Clench your teeth!

    "Hee, I''ve already kicked you a lot, and you''re still trying to hit me!¡¡You savage!"

    "Shut up!¡¡I don''t care how much free time you have, if you have to deal with the selfishness of a child, you might as well be training in magic by yourself!"

    I didn''t want to retrieve a child who had run away because he didn''t want to go on an arranged marriage, no matter how much his father had asked him to do so.

    However, Ur is also a habitual offender who runs away from arranged marriages many times, but there is no one here to point this out to him.

    "Wait a minute, Ulrike. I think Jasper did this for a reason. Why don''t we talk to him first?"

    G¨¹nther says this as he brushes the dust from his white suit.

    Ur''s face contorts in frustration.

    "Well, why don''t you just knock him out and take him back to King''s Landing?"

    "But since he is going this far, he must have a reason. It will be too late to regret it when you find out later that he is unhappy, won''t it?"

    "I don''t care if he''s unhappy or not."

    "...... I love that dryness of yours, but let''s at least listen to what you have to say. If you don''t like matchmaking so much that men cry, you must have a good reason.

    "Well, okay. Well, make it quick then."

    Ulle gave his permission, and G¨¹nther smiled as he stood beside Jasper.

    "Hey, Jasper."

    "...... G¨¹nther Ignatz, I see you''ve come to take me back to hell too."

    I''m your chaperone. But hell is a strange place to be. Urn, you''re curious, aren''t you?

    G¨¹nther tried to look at Ur, but she was looking at the sky, not even looking at him in the first place.

    "Oh, I''m so hungry."

    "Oh, no. He''s not interested. But that''s what''s nice about Ur!"

    "Hey!¡¡Ulrike Walker!¡¡I''m screaming with such a heartbreaking cry, you should at least listen to me for a minute!"

    "Huh. You''re a pain in the ass. You want to talk, then talk. But if it''s boring, I''ll slap you."

    Ur glares at Jasper, wanting to go back to King''s Landing.

    But he was undaunted by Ur, and opened his mouth.

    "My blind date is a woman over forty years old," he said.

    Silence fell.

    Ur looked sober and G¨¹nther''s eyes widened in surprise.

    It may be strange for a sixteen year old boy to have an arranged marriage with a woman over forty. But there are many ties to a nobleman''s matchmaking.

    Ulle, who was not particularly interested in the affairs of others, was unrelenting.

    "All right, let''s move out!"

 246 - - 7 "The reason for running away from home is an arranged marriage." â‘¡

    "Wait, wait, wait!¡¡Wait!¡¡You''re supposed to be sympathetic here, or ask for the rest of the story!"

    "Come on, sis. ...... what''s for dinner tonight, I hope it''s meat."

    "See!¡¡I''m not interested anymore!"

    It was a waste of time to ask.

    It is not uncommon for the heirs of noble families to make unwanted marriages.

    If they had to run away from home every time they did so, there would be no end to it.

    Of course, I sympathize with the fact that he has to meet someone who is too old for him, but since he has been leading a good life as the eldest son of a marquis, he should consider it as his duty as a nobleman.

    "A matchmaking partner who is over forty...... you''re not telling me, Gabriel-sama!"

    Don''t say that name!¡¡It''s horrifying!"

    Jasper''s face contorts at the name "Gabriel," and he shouts louder.

    It seems that G¨¹nther has an idea who Jasper''s blind date is.

    "Who''s Gabriel?"

    "It''s not surprising that you don''t know him, Ur, but he is feared like the devil in our generation. Lady Gabrielle Woodford is a member of the royal family."

    "Heh."

    "He is called Gabriel the Benevolent, and he runs a number of orphanages and does a great deal for orphans."

    "He''s not a nice guy."

    But he''s got serious boyish tendencies.

    "Hmm?"

    "I love pretty boys, you know."

    G¨¹nther''s explanation gave me a rough idea of what kind of person Gabriel was.

    Ur then looked at Jasper, who was trembling with fear.

    (I heard that he was sixteen years old, but I wonder if he was attracted to him because he looks much younger.)

    Jasper is a small, thin boy, shorter than Ur.

    With soft hair and big eyes, he looks cute and boyishly beautiful.

    I was convinced that he was more than enough for a woman with boyish taste to desire.

    "Isn''t it nice to be crazy about what you like? Happy aunt, happy kids. Yes, the end."

    "You''re leaving me unhappy!"

    "Well, why don''t you just say no?"

    If I could do that, I wouldn''t have any trouble. Master Gabriel has so many powers that even His Majesty is not able to stand up to him. What can he do?

    Don''t give up. I''m sure they''ll love you."

    "I''m running away from home because I can''t give up!"

    "...... You''re such a pain in the ass."

    Ur was becoming increasingly irritated with Jasper.

    He understood that he didn''t want to go through with the arranged marriage, but running away from it was not a solution.

    I think it is important to make your intentions known to your parents and to your blind date.

    Even before that, I understand that you don''t want to get married to someone who is more than 20 years away from you. If I were in the same position, I would not want to get married.

    However, it is a little bit disturbing to be so reluctant just because of the rumors about the other person.

    Maybe he/she is a good person.

    If he is too old to have a child, he can have a wife by his side, and he may be a man who understands such a situation.

    I was getting an urge to punch Jasper who had run away from me just because he didn''t like me because I was an old lady with younger hobbies.

    "Calm down, Jasper. Even if we were married, I''m sure you''ll lose interest in me as you get older.

    "It''s not about me!¡¡Until then, it''s a living hell!¡¡What will happen to me if Michael finds out that I''m going to arrange a marriage with Gabriel?

    "There''s someone new on the list. Who is it?

    Jasper looks at G¨¹nther, who is anguishing with his head in his hands.

    He looked a little troubled.

    "There is a woman named Mrs. Michael who is a rival of Mr. Gabriel. She, too, has a taste for boys. And to my horror, she is a terrible witch who plans to take all the boys in the country for herself."

    "............"

    Ulle sighed heavily when G¨¹nther explained about Michael.

    Then he shouted to the sky.

    "This country must be destroyed!

 247 - - 8 "Its a battle between Ul and Elf" â‘ 

    When Ur resisted his attempts to take Jasper back to his house, he was so frustrated that he punched him to silence.

    He grabbed Jasper by the collar and was about to return to the capital when he felt a strange magical force approaching.

    Ur turned around.

    "--Who is it?"

    "Oh, you must be very sensitive to magic to notice me. I''m impressed, sister."

    The owner of the magic was a petite girl.

    She looked to be a young girl of about twelve years old, dressed in revealing green clothes.

    Her long golden hair, shining in the sunlight, swayed in the wind.

    The girl smiled at Ur.

    "You''re not a child. You''re not even human, are you?"

    What caught my attention more than anything else were the girl''s pointed ears.

    I could clearly see from the eye contact that the girl''s magical power was also an order of magnitude greater than the girl''s. More than Ur.

    "That''s great of Ulrike Walker to show no signs of fear when you know she''s not human. Pretty girl."

    "Do you know me?"

    I mean, who in this country doesn''t know that? The youngest young court wizard and apprentice of Delight Sinatra, the most powerful man in the kingdom. You are also the beloved daughter of Jonathan Walker, His Majesty the King''s most trusted advisor."

    "You even know about your teacher and your father. Who are you?¡¡Identify yourself.

    "You''re a wizard of the Skye Kingdom and you don''t know me. You should be more aware of your surroundings, not just learning magic."

    Mind your own business.

    "All right, let''s call ourselves distinguished young wizards out of respect. --I am Michael. Those who know me call me Mrs. Michael.

    The girl, Michaela, was not quite what one would call "Mrs." in appearance.

    But Ur has already seen that she is not as old as she looks.

    "So you''re the boyish Michaela. And you are an elf, right?"

    "--Correct. See those pointed ears? And with such beautiful features and pristine white skin... It''s just like the elves of the forest, isn''t it?

    Michael, with his ears flicking, looked more lovely than beautiful.

    "So this is the elf I wanted to meet once. What a pity. So what brings a forest elf to the capital of the Kingdom of Skye?"

    Don''t tell me that.

    I''m pissed. Don''t wink at me. Stop sticking your tongue out so pretty.

    "You''re an angry little girl already. If you''re Delight''s favorite pupil, you''re like a pupil to me, too, and I don''t think you respect me enough."

    "Are you the teacher''s mentor?"

    (Come to think of it, you never told me who or where you learned magic from. (I wonder if he hid it because he was an elf, or if he has no good memories of elves with boyish tastes ...... the latter)

    I''d be lying if I said I wasn''t curious about the relationship between Delight and Michael, but I''m not now. I decided to ask Delight about it later.

    "I gave you a lot of squeezing. You must be so embarrassed. Now that you know who I am, let''s cut the crap. Give me the girl."

    "Because, G¨¹nther. Come on, you''ve got to take care of him."

    "Me?

    "No, I''m not!¡¡I don''t want it, you pervert!¡¡Who would want the most troubled child since the beginning of the kingdom!"

    "G¨¹nther ......, you''re the most troubled boy since the beginning of the kingdom. Yes, that''s understandable, but you need to start behaving a little better."

    "Rude!¡¡Not many men are as clean, righteous, and honest as I am!"

    "That''s not necessary. Just give me Jasper Glenn.

    Michael''s beaming smile had disappeared.

    He was definitely going to take Jasper home with him.

    £¨Well, my purpose is to bring Jasper back to King''s Landing. Huh?¡¡(Wouldn''t handing it over to Michael have accomplished the objective?)

    "Ulrike, just so you know to your face, Mrs. Michael is going to kidnap Jasper. She''s not going to take him back to King''s Landing for us, and I''m sure my uncle will scold me if I give Jasper to her."

    "...... d*mn."

    G¨¹nther, who looked so obvious, said something like that with a sigh.

    I don''t want my father to scold me.

    I don''t like the fact that Ur, the court wizard, has come to retrieve his son out of the goodness of his heart, and now someone is interfering with that.

    Above all, I was annoyed by Michael''s attitude that he looked down on us with a confident attitude as if he were the strong one.

    "Because, you know. I''m afraid I can''t give it to you."

    "You''re going to take her home and set her up with Gabriel. I flew all the way out here just to stop you."

    "Good for you. So, what''s the reason?

    When asked by Ur, Michael had a glazed look on his face that was disproportionate to the girl''s appearance.

    "I love pretty boys, you know. I like girls too, but now I like young boys. I was good friends with Gabrielle, who had the same interests, but she was building an institution, buying slaves, and spending her days in a good way, and now she''s going on a blind date with a promising girl. ...... That''s not a run-around."

    I don''t give a shit.

    "So, you know, I''m thinking of taking some things from her before Gabriel does."

    "I won''t stop you, and you can do whatever you want. I won''t stop you, and you can do whatever you want, but not until we get Jasper back to King''s Landing, okay?"

    "No. I''ve come all this way, and I can''t go home empty-handed.

    "Honestly, I don''t care what you do, I want to give it to you, but your father told me to take you home, so I have to take you home. If you interfere, I''ll kick your ass."

    Ulle bared his canine teeth and laughed.

    "-Little girl who''s only lived for sixteen years is talking big. I''m better than Delight."

    "So?"

    "Ah, yes. So you really want to fight me. Fine, fine, I''ll take your cheap provocation.

    "Stronger than you, that''s very exciting. I was regretting taking this boring job out of boredom--but you''re right!"

    Ur''s heart danced with joy at the prospect of fighting with the elves, and he kicked the ground as if he couldn''t wait any longer.

    "I am the court wizard Ulrike Walker!¡¡That''s the name of the wizard who''s going to blow you away. Remember that!"

 248 - - 9 "The Battle of Ul and Elf" â‘¡

    "G¨¹nther!¡¡Put up wards to protect your stupid son!"

    "Ulrike ......, why are you so belligerent at all?"

    "It is out of a court wizard''s sense of justice to protect the children of King''s Landing from the perverts with boyish tastes!"

    "Don''t lie to me!¡¡You just want to fight the elves!¡¡Yes, his chastity depends on you, so win!

    "Ha, who are you talking to?¡¡I''m Ulrike Walker!"

    With G¨¹nther''s encouragement, Ulle unleashed his full magical power.

    I will not begrudge the unknown elves their existence.

    The elven race has a longer life span and is more skilled in magic than humans.

    At the very least, Michael should have more magic and experience than Ur, a sixteen year old girl.

    It would be boring if they were defeated easily because they were waiting to see what would happen.

    "--Pierce, fangs of flame, devour your enemies!

    As Ur pointed one hand at Michael, his magical power exploded, and a serpent of fire appeared.

    The serpent of fire, so large that it could easily swallow a man, roared and struck Michael.

    The rampaging serpent turns not only Michael, but also the trees around the road into ashes.

    Even though the normally requires longer chanting, a wizard with great magical power like Ur can unleash a more powerful magic than the original while minimizing the chanting.

    However, Michael kept a cool face in the face of the attacking serpent.

    "Wow, it''s so hot! But this is nothing to worry about.

    With these words, Michael pulls out of the void a slender, over-height staff and waves it as if it were a tactic.

    The moment the serpent that had attacked her touched her, it was obliterated with a resounding crack.

    "Hhhhh, I''ll get it..." she said. You didn''t use magic, you just hit me with your magical power to cancel me out!"

    "Oh, you know what I mean. Then it''s our turn. --Jyukki, bind her. I wouldn''t mind breaking off a limb or two.

    With a thud, he tapped the ground with his stick, and a large number of branches appeared at Michael''s feet.

    The branches intertwined with each other with a dry sound and became a thick tree.

    Branches of various sizes sprouted from the trees and attacked Ur.

    Ulle takes a great flight and stops in the sky above, and a magic circle is unfurled and shines.

    "--Burn everything in sight, <>".

    Ur''s immense magical power became a wave of flame that engulfed the cursed tree and all the attacking branches, reducing them to ashes.

    Flames and heat waves hit Michaela as well, but she spun her wand around and put up a magical barrier to escape.

    Ur clucks his tongue.

    £¨Magic is no match for the elves. Then we''ll just have to change our means.)

    The heat waves and flames still spread and lash the land.

    Even with the barriers deployed, Ur jumped into sight where the flames still stirred.

    "--The Thunder God''s Sword."

    He muttered the name of a short magical chant, which could not be called a chant, and -- thunder rumbled.

    A moment later, Ulle, clad in thunder and with her hair standing on end, flashed her sword of thunder, cutting through the flames.

    The flame cracked and a straight path was formed toward Michael.

    When Ur lands on the ground and puts strength into her legs, sparks explode and she disappears.

    "Wait, what?"

    Michael probably did not see Ur''s move either, and a puzzled voice went up.

    But it was too late.

    While Michaela''s eyes were wide open, Ur was closing in on her with lightning speed.

    "I win!"

    Ulle grips the thunder sword, which sparks noisily, and swings it down without mercy.

    A thunderous roar echoed.

    Ur''s blow slashed Michaela''s staff and hers to the ground.

 249 - - "Eul thought it was troublesome".

    When fresh blood danced in the air, Michael fell on his back on the ground and stopped moving.

    His eyelids were open, and he was seen to have expired in a state of despair.

    G¨¹nther, who had been watching the battle with his warding, panicked at this.

    "Ugh, Ulrike!¡¡She''s even if she is from the kingdom!¡¡You can''t kill him."

    "Don''t be stupid, he''s not dead. Now, stop pretending you''re dead or I''ll really put the finishing touches on you."

    He kicks the girl while she''s still down,

    "--Heeee!"

    Michael blinked.

    "Ouch!"

    Michael stood up slowly, holding his shoulder, and glared at Ur, his cheeks puffed out.

    "You know, I really thought you were going to die. I was only trying to make a match with you, but I hope you won''t try to kill me.

    "I will kill anyone who opposes me."

    What kind of Berserker are you?

    The wound disappeared in a flash when Michael, with a dumbfounded look on his face, stroked the roughly cut wound with his right hand.

    The torn clothes were still there, but the skin was so clean that it looked as if it had never been wounded in the first place.

    "Interesting. Is that the magic of the elves?"

    "Yes. But you can''t use it on humans."

    "Tsk."

    "You''re a funny girl. Well, I don''t know what to do. I was hoping to go easy on you, but I guess I''m going to have to get serious with you. But I''m not sure I should be killing a court wizard who''s been so good to me in the Kingdom of Skye."

    I don''t care.

    "I care!¡¡If I kill you, I''ll feel bad for the Delites!¡¡Huh, let''s give up on Jasper Glenn. He''s a cute kid, and I wanted him, but, well, Gabriel will take care of the rest himself."

    At Michael''s meaningful words, Ur and G¨¹nther both tilted their heads.

    "Hmm?¡¡What do you mean, "do something?"

    "......I''m going to say this because I''ve failed in my purpose, but I tried to kidnap Jasper for Gabriel."

    "Isn''t that funny?¡¡I thought you didn''t want Aunt Gabrielle to beat you to it, so you came here to get in the way."

    When I asked Michaela what she was talking about, she looked a little miffed.

    "I''m certainly annoyed that you beat me to it!¡¡She''s over forty!¡¡I don''t care if you''re an elf or a human, there''s a lot that can go wrong!¡¡I''m not that much of an ogre myself!"

    Then what are you doing here?

    I''m trying to destroy an arranged marriage. Gabriel is in love with a boy. And she doesn''t want to go through with the blind date.

    "What?"

    "That''s why!¡¡I''m in love with a boy I enslaved for a debt!"

    "I don''t understand. No, I don''t know, you don''t have to explain."

    Ur head ached.

    He had left King''s Landing to capture his son at home, but now he felt like he had been caught up in a travesty.

    "Don''t say that, just listen to me!"

    Michael begins to explain to Ur, who is not interested at all.

    Gabriel Woodford is the head of a ducal family and also a moneylender. According to Michael, it is within the bounds of legality.

    A family was in so much debt that the parents were willing to give their child to Gabriel in exchange for money.

    Perhaps they knew Gabriel''s tastes.

    Gabriel decided that it was better to have a boy of his choice than to wait for the money that was unlikely to be returned, so he accepted the offer.

    This is a typical story, but there is more to it.

    Gabriel took the scrawny boy as a slave, gave him hot meals and a place to sleep, taught him to study, and gave him a job. He also paid him wages, so he was not treated as a slave.

    The boy naturally came to love and adore Gabriel.

    Apparently, the boy''s parents were scum and abusive.

    Gabriel felt sorry for the boy and gave him affection without any ulterior motive.

    As time went by, the boy grew up a little and fell in love with Gabriel.

    Likewise, Gabriel fell in love with the boy.

    Naturally, the two were united.

    "-...and that would be the end, but Gabriel is a duke and the other is a commoner, or rather a slave. There was no way they could balance each other, and Gabrielle was in trouble because she couldn''t say anything to anyone. She was thinking of leaving everything and eloping, but there was no guarantee that she would be happy. So he panicked when someone who would do anything out of the ordinary arranged a blind date with the boy who was passed out there.

    "So you decided to help. I heard you didn''t get along, but you''re very kind."

    At first, Michael appeared with a malicious intent to interfere with Gabriel''s matchmaking, but when he opened his eyes, he turned out to be just a rival - or rather, a friend.

    Nevertheless, the means are a little rough.

    I felt like sighing, "Couldn''t they have done something else, such as appealing to their connections?

    "Don''t get me wrong!¡¡I don''t care if Gabriel is happy or unhappy!¡¡It''s just that, you know, Jasper was my favorite, so I thought if Gabriel didn''t want it, I''d take it."

    "............"

    "Say something!"

    "Okay, well, why don''t you ask Jasper to make an offer and then politely decline?

    Yes, that would be great.

    "The problem is that Jasper is scared because he''s heard nothing but bad things about Aunt Gabrielle, but I''ll just have to hit him and make him do what I say. I''ll talk to your father and the teacher, too, just in case."

    "Just so you know, please don''t tell anyone about Gabriel."

    "I know. I know. Being an aristocrat is a pain in the ass.

    "You''re not an aristocrat either."

    Michael pointed out the problem, and Ulle made a bitter face.

    "I would never marry just because someone told me to. ...... no? I can''t imagine marrying someone and having a family. I''m sure I wouldn''t love someone even if they told me I was free to do so."

    "You''ve got me--gasp!"

    "Ugh!"

    Ulle, who had punched G¨¹nther off when he jumped at him, could not for the life of him imagine himself starting a family with someone else.

    Sorry to my parents, but I''ve left the Walker family for a new one anyway, so you can count on my sisters," he said.

    "You''re quite a trouble child, aren''t you? I hope you meet someone you truly love someday."

    Thank you very much.

    "When you return to King''s Landing, come and visit me."

    "No."

    "You ...... should nod your head at that. I''ll teach you some elven magic.

    "I''m coming! I''m coming!¡¡I''m definitely going!"

    You''re a cash cow.

    Michael laughed at Ur, whose eyes changed color at the mention of magic, and then, with a flutter, took off toward King''s Landing.

    Ur grabs the unconscious Jasper by the collar and follows her back to King''s Landing.

    The two men were now in the city.

    A boy was left alone on the road leading from the capital to the dungeon of the beginning.

    "He left me behind!

    Ur had left G¨¹nther Ignaz behind.

    Fortunately, G¨¹nther was able to find Jasper''s horse and return to the capital, but it was not until he was in bed that Ur remembered that he had left his childhood friend behind.

 250 - - A ã€Œ sequel. ã€

    A week after bringing Jasper Glen safely back to King''s Landing and handing him over to his father Jonathan, Ur was invited to the house of the elf witch Michaela.

    "Welcome, Ulrike Walker."

    "Hurry up and teach me your magic."

    "...... impatient little girl. At least say hello."

    "Hello. Teach me your magic."

    "...... Well, okay. I owe you one."

    "Owe?¡¡What are you talking about?"

    You''re being silly. You spoke to His Majesty the King, didn''t you?"

    In the parlor of Michael''s house, Ur sits down on the sofa and makes a bitter face.

    Michael smiles at Ur and opens his mouth as he prepares a cup of tea.

    "I am grateful to you. Thanks to you, Gabriel will be happy.

    "Hmm."

    After returning to King''s Landing, Ur told Jonathan about Gabriel''s problems, including Jasper''s situation, without any hesitation.

    Jonathan understood the situation at Jasper''s house, but was greatly surprised that Gabriel was in love with a slave boy, which made him hold his stomach.

    Ulle, who had decided that his father was not going to be of much use to him, went straight to see King Clyde.

    Even a court wizard could not be expected to meet His Majesty the King, but Ur did not care.

    Fortunately, Clyde had time and the king had known Ur since he was a child, so they met immediately.

    Ur had revealed Gabriel to the king as well.

    Ur''s personal philosophy was that if there was something he really wanted, he would do whatever it took to get it.

    Even though Gabriel was a duke and his lover was a slave, he thought that if he really wanted to be with her, he should do so at any price.

    Gabriel and Michal may say, "What have you done to me?

    The slave boy is Hugo Alahi.

    He was thought to be a commoner, but in fact he was descended from the fallen Viscount Alahi.

    The reason why Clyde knew this immediately is that he had been aware of Gabriel''s infatuation with the slave boy for a long time.

    It was fine if it was just for fun, but it was a little problematic for a woman of a certain age who was not married and who had royal blood in her veins to be so involved with a slave.

    Gabrielle''s taste for boys is well known.

    That is why he never married.

    Gabriel himself lived a free life and never bothered anyone, but some people did not like it.

    In particular, the aristocratic faction, a faction that despises the royal family, tried to find fault with Gabriel.

    And then this happened.

    Fortunately, it didn''t turn out to be a big deal.

    The Marquise of Glenn was against the marriage between Gabriel and Jasper, but they thought lightly of it as an arranged marriage.

    However, Jasper did not seem to think so and ran away from home.

    When the head of the Marquess of Glen personally visited Gabriel Woodford and told him that the marriage had never taken place.

    Gabriel agreed without a single complaint.

    Hugo Alahi was adopted by the Countess of Cerros, a relative of the Marquis of Glen.

    The Count of Seros was not blessed with children and was planning to adopt one soon.

    Hugo was given to him.

    By adopting Hugo, he will be related to the Duke of Woodford.

    Although Gabriel''s age was a concern, they also calculated that if they could have a child, they could have someone with royal blood as their heir.

    Personally, the Count and Countess of Seros liked the polite Hugo so much that they decided to make him their son without calculation.

    It was a bit of a hard sell, but the people of the royal court who wanted to do something about Gabriel, who had been late in marrying for some time, did their best.

    As a result, Gabrielle Woodford was able to marry a young husband of sixteen years old.

    Indeed, it had been a week of tumultuous events.

    Of course, Ur had only exposed himself to his father and the king and left all the troublesome matters to him.

    But Ur was the reason for Gabriel''s happiness.

    Gabrielle seemed to be truly grateful to Ur, and he had high hopes for her future as a court magician, and proposed that she take the name of a magic that was used by the old wizards. At the same time, he offered Url his treasured grimoire.

    "If I had known that things would turn out as conveniently as they did in the story, I should have made a different move.

    "Coincidence. I only exposed Jasper Glenn and Gabrielle Woodford because I was angry when I heard their stories. I''m sorry it worked out the way it did."

    You''re not so honest yourself, are you?

    "I don''t care what you''ve already said. Now tell me the magic!¡¡I''ve been looking forward to it all week!"

    "Yes, yes. Then I''ll give you this book.

    After preparing tea, Michael put the teacup in front of Ur and handed him an old book.

    "What is this?"

    "It is a book of Elvish magic. Oh, don''t worry, it''s written in human script."

    "--are you sure you want such a precious thing?"

    "I don''t mind. It''s not like it''s out of the gate, and you''ve probably only got a few spells you can use as a human to begin with.

    "Still, it makes my heart dance to know that I can use the magic of the elves."

    "You really like magic, don''t you?"

    Michael smiled at Ur, who broke into a smile.

    "Well, I''ll be going now!"

    "Are you leaving already?¡¡Why don''t you take it a little slower?"

    "Well, I''d like to read it as soon as possible."

    "Impatient. Since you''re here I''ll teach you some magic of my own. I was bored anyway."

    "Well, are you sure?"

    Of course. If you''re Delight''s student, you''ll be mine. Don''t be shy. I''m even more of a spartan than Delight. Prepare yourself."

    At Michael''s words, Ur bared his canine teeth.

    "-Great."

    "Well, let''s have tea first. Then I''ll take my time with you. You''re still a little rough around the edges with your magic and momentum, so let''s start with correcting that. You are a wizard when you can use magic more smoothly, beautifully, and artistically.

    In this way, Ur found someone to take care of him instead of the busy Delight Sinatra, but he never called Michaela a teacher.

    He never called Michael a teacher. That''s what he has decided.

    "Speaking of which..."

    "What''s wrong?"

    "Why are the elves in the Kingdom of Skye?¡¡As I recall, I heard that the elves live on the western side of the continent where the subhumans live."

    "Oh, that''s it. Actually, I came to the Sky Kingdom to look for my sister who ran away."

    "My sister?"

    Yes, she''s very nice. She''s even better at magic than I am and she''s a candidate for queen of our country. Unfortunately, I don''t know where she is."

    "Hmm."

    "You asked me, but I didn''t respond well!"

    "I thought you had a more grandiose reason, that''s all. So what are you going to do when you find your sister?¡¡Are you going to take him home?"

    "No, I''m not!¡¡I want to live with you!¡¡Oh, sister!¡¡That beautiful, wonderful elf among elves!¡¡I would even destroy the world for you, sister!"

    Michaela''s ecstatic face as she spoke of her sister who was not here was somewhat similar to G¨¹nther''s obsession with her, and it was sickening.

    "Oh, sister!¡¡I wonder if your sister will miss you without Michaela?¡¡The silly sister who suddenly said that she felt like she was destined to meet her destiny, and then ran out of the country."

    Sipping a cup of warm tea, he decided to leave Michaela alone until she calmed down and opened the book he had just given her.

    I haven''t seen your face for fifty years. I wish I could at least know if you are still alive - Sister Daphne."

 251 - - 1 Reunion with family â‘ 

    A week has passed since Manion Reinbach caused the magic sword fiasco.

    Sam was reunited with his old family at his brother Roig Isle-Sky''s mansion in King''s Landing.

    "Botchana!¡¡Daphne Lomax here is so happy that you have made it big in King''s Landing!"

    "Hey, Daphne!¡¡Don''t cry!"

    "In just four years, I''m so proud of you, little man, whose fame has echoed all the way to the shithole!¡¡Ah, Daphne here, I''m so happy to see you again!"

    "I''m glad to see Daphne again, too."

    Her nearly white blonde hair is long and pulled back in an updo, and she wears silver-rimmed glasses.

    She is Sam''s big sister and mother, and a very important person in his life.

    Normally, she is a stern-looking woman with slanted eyes, but now she is sobbing and not a glimpse of her usual self.

    Daphne has not changed her appearance from four years ago, and is still in her mid-twenties.

    She was wearing a flared skirt and blouse, which was new to Sam, who had only seen her in a maid''s uniform.

    "Little Sam, it''s been a long time. I am very happy to see how much you have grown. And thank you for hiring us."

    Derrick Morrison greeted us with a polite bow.

    Although he is in his early twenties, he maintains a youthful appearance with a straight back.

    He is wearing slacks today, but in Sam''s memory, he is an old gentleman who is neatly dressed as a butler.

    He was also an irreplaceable father and grandfather to Sam.

    "Derrick, it''s been a long time. It''s good to see you again. But were you both happy?¡¡Reinbach, I mean, you''re out of Viscount Riedl''s territory."

    Daphne and Derrick will continue to work with the other servants at the former Baroness Reinbach''s mansion.

    However, they told us that they wanted to work in King''s Landing, knowing that Sam had received the royal brother''s house from the king and would eventually be living there.

    I heard that they had been supporting the Baron Reinbach family for many years, and that Viscount Riedyll was going to offer them a high position. They turned it down and said they wanted to work for Sam.

    "No problem. Daphne is single and I have a wife and child. He told me that he would let us live in the house that his Majesty had given him.

    "Ah, yes. We''re planning to live there eventually, but right now, you see, Lise just got pregnant, so we thought it would be better for her to live at her parents'' house. I''ll be staying with Count Walker for a while, but I''d like you to take care of the house in the meantime."

    "Of course. I will work with the utmost sincerity.

    "Thank you. I want Derrick to work as butler and Daphne as maid, as the head of each of them."

    "Are you sure, Botchan?¡¡Well, we are very happy that you are still employing us, but we are sure that Your Majesty can provide us with better people."

    "You two are the best for me. I can trust them with my life."

    For Sam, Daphne and Derrick are the two people he trusts more than anyone else.

    They have been like family to him since he was a child, and he can trust them with the management of the house he has received.

    It is not that I do not trust the servants that King Clyde provides, but there is a possibility that they are connected to some noble family.

    I don''t mind them as long as they work well, but they are still inferior to Daphne and the others in terms of trust.

    Above all, when I think about the baby Liese is carrying and the future with my future fianc¨¦es, I want to have someone by my side whom I can trust my precious person with my whole heart.

    "--, Bo-Cha!¡¡I never thought you would have that much faith in me Daphne!¡¡I understand, I will take you as my master and serve you wholeheartedly!"

    I will work even harder than before.

    "Thank you, both of you. You can count on my salary. Fortunately, I have some savings and since I''m a court wizard, I get a good salary every month, so I won''t be short of money.

    Sam has already worked as a court wizard for a few years and received a decent bonus each time.

    This is because he has been duly recognized for things that only he could have done, such as saving King''s Landing from the dragon and exposing the nobility for illegal trafficking.

    "You''ve come up in the world, haven''t you? I''m so glad to see that little Sam become a court wizard, or rather the most powerful wizard in the Kingdom of Skye. ...... Derrick here," he said.

    "Ha-ha-ha, I''m kind of embarrassed. Oh, by the way, I''d like you to meet my fianc¨¦es sometime, even though they won''t be with us today. I know it might be annoying to hear you say this, but Daphne and Derrick are very important to me.

    Sam looked a little embarrassed, Derrick bowed deeply, and Daphne''s eyes were moistened.

    "I''m so happy that you consider me family!"

    "-Those words alone are enough for me, Derrick.

    "No, I''d like to meet him."

    Of course, we will meet your future wives. By the way--"

    "Yeah?"

    Derrick looks up and looks behind Sam with a mysterious look on his face.

    "Is that man one of your good men, little Sam''s good men?"

    "No, I''m not."

    "But I don''t think it''s my imagination that you''ve been stroking little Sam''s butt for the past few minutes."

    "I wish I had imagined it!¡¡Sadly, it''s real!¡¡I hate that I''m getting used to the perverted behavior by now too!"

    Yes, as a matter of fact, G¨¹nter Ignaz was sticking to Sam like a haunted ghost behind his reunion with Daphne and Derrick after four years.

    He took advantage of the fact that Sam was talking with them and was fondling and rubbing her ass as he pleased.

 252 - - 2 Reunion with family â‘¡

    "Oops, I''m sorry. I was so caught up in Sam''s tempting ass that I didn''t even introduce myself. My apologies. I''m G¨¹nther Ignaz. I am the Duke of Ignatz. Well, I''d rather you remember that I''m Sam''s wife!"

    "--Wife?"

    Derrick asks with a puzzled look on his face at G¨¹nther''s proud declaration.

    The pervert nodded clearly and assured him.

    "Yes!¡¡She''s my wife!"

    "No, she''s not my wife."

    "Master Ignatz!"

    Daphne approaches G¨¹nther, who is puffing out his chest, as if he has not heard Sam''s comment.

    G¨¹nther is fine with me. You are Daphne, right?

    "Yes. My name is Daphne Lomax.

    Suddenly they are staring at each other.

    "What?¡¡What?¡¡Don''t tell me you''ve fallen in love or something?¡¡No way!

    "No, little Sam. I don''t think it''s such a good idea.

    "What do you mean?"

    Sam, who had no idea what G¨¹nther and Daphne were thinking, watched them for a while as Derrick seemed to have an inkling of what was going on.

    They looked at each other and suddenly shook hands.

    "I think you and I are going to get along well."

    "I smell the same thing in you, Mr. G¨¹nther."

    They began to act as if they had been friends for years, which only confused Sam.

    "What?¡¡What, what, what''s going on?¡¡Why are you two suddenly shaking hands?¡¡I mean, they''re even sitting on each other''s shoulders!"

    "Hahahaha, I didn''t expect to find someone like Daphne by Sam''s side."

    "Me too. I didn''t expect to find someone like Mr. G¨¹nther by Botchana''s side. --It''s a coincidence. As a token of our closeness, here are the underwear you used to wear when you were a child."

    "--, is this ...... okay?"

    "Of course. Please accept this as a token of our friendship."

    "No, wait, wait, wait, what are you doing?

    Sam was greatly perplexed.

    He took out of Daphne''s bosom a pair of underwear that seemed to belong to his childhood.

    That alone does not make sense, and yet Daphne gives the underwear to G¨¹nther.

    (I mean, why does Daphne still have my old underwear?)

    "At the wonderful ......, feel free to--suh-huh, ha-huh, ah, wonderful, nectar!¡¡Nectar!"

    "Stop it, you pervert!¡¡I mean, what are you doing, Daphne?¡¡Don''t give a pervert your underwear!¡¡Why do you have my underwear in the first place?¡¡I''m surprised Daphne came to King''s Landing and brought my old underwear!"

    Daphne tilted her head in annoyance at Sam''s exclamation.

    "I always carry around Botchana''s personal belongings, don''t I?"

    "No, I don''t want you to tilt your head back!¡¡What''s this, Daphne is such a person?"

    Sam is confused.

    If Sam remembers correctly, Daphne Lomax was a kind woman, like a mother, like a sister.

    She would never carry around someone''s underwear like some pervert.

    "...... Sam boy."

    "Oh, Derrick!¡¡What the hell was that all about Daphne?

    At Sam''s question, Derrick shook his head with a subdued expression on his face.

    "Daphne has been acting like a good sister in front of little Sam, but..."

    "What?"

    "She''s a pervert who''s been after Sam Boy''s chastity since he was a little boy."

    "--Oh, no."

    Sam''s impression of Daphne crumbled noisily.

    She had always been there for him, always been kind to him, but he had never imagined that she was the kind of woman who would target his chastity.

    "Don''t be rude, Derrick!¡¡I don''t care if it''s not my first one!"

    "That''s not the point!¡¡I mean, did you really go for it?

    Yes, of course. Ever since he was born, I thought it looked very delicious. Of course, I still have my eyes on him, don''t worry. Working at night is also a maid''s job.

    "Wow, you''re ruining my image of Daphne, stop it!"

    "Wait a minute, Daphne. I''d appreciate it if you''d refrain from tying the knot with Sam before I do.

    "You stay out of this!¡¡It''ll complicate things!"

    "Yes, sir. Daphne, I have no intention of disrespecting your wife.

    "--Ma''am...... Oh, that sounds good. I don''t know why the Countess Walker''s servants don''t call me ma''am. That''s strange."

    "That''s strange."

    "It''s your heads I wonder about!"

    (Not good!¡¡Daphne is unexpectedly on G¨¹nther''s side!¡¡This is really bad if this keeps up!)

    This is not going to change my family love for Daphne, but I have to be a little wary of her friendship with G¨¹nther.

    (I''ll tip off Kree later.)

    G¨¹nther''s fianc¨¦e, Cree, a twelve-year-old girl who has the skill to slip through his warding techniques without difficulty, is currently living with the Ignazes.

    She is still a young girl, but she is surprisingly clever, and it is said that she takes G¨¹nther''s collections as hostages and punishes him in various ways.

    The couple is very happy together.

    Since Cree has a good relationship with Lise and her family, she often comes to the Count''s house to visit them, and Sam sees her frequently.

    £¨G¨¹nther, I won''t let you do what you want!)

    In order to protect his dignity, Sam vows to tell Cree about G¨¹nther''s words and actions.

    "By the way, sonny..."

    Hmm?

    "I heard that your wife is alive. Is it true?"

    Sam nodded at Daphne''s question.

    "Oh, yes, he''s alive, but that''s a sudden change of subject, man."

    "I am very happy that you are alive, but I am a little angry that you have never contacted me as a friend."

    "Oh, I know."

    We are told that Daphne and Melanie were good friends and colleagues.

    Even after Melanie became Baroness Reinbach, Daphne supported her.

    Daphne must be happy to know that Melanie is still alive, but she is a little angry that she did not hear from her.

    Of course, since she had amnesia for many years, she could not contact Daphne in the first place, and even after she regained her memory, she could not contact Daphne because Karius and Yolanda might have found out that she was still alive.

    "I''m going to see her tomorrow.

    No, I don''t think so. No, I don''t think so. I think you should meet the little boy first. Please tell him that I would like to meet him later as a friend.

    "Yeah, okay."

    "Thank you very much. I still have some work to do.

    What''s there to do?

    "I''d like to show off my collection to Mr. G¨¹nther."

    What collection?

    The family reunion turned out to be more lively than I had imagined, but not too bad.

    It is reassuring to know that Daphne and Derrick will be living and supporting us in King''s Landing.

    £¨I can''t wait to introduce them to Lise and her family.)

    Despite some misgivings, Sam was eager to meet his beloved family and his dear fianc¨¦es.

 253 - - 3 "I met my mother" â‘ 

    Sam was visiting Viscount Teeling with his fianc¨¦es, including Lise, to meet his mother, Baroness Melanie Teeling.

    The Viscountess Teeling is located in the noble district of the capital, not far from the Countess Walker''s house where Sam has been living.

    This time, because it was an official visit and Lise was very ill, they took a horse-drawn carriage, but it was far enough for Sam to walk there by himself.

    He had never dreamed that his mother was still alive and living so close by.

    When he arrived at the Viscount''s house, he was greeted by many servants and the Viscount and Viscountess.

    To them, Sam and Lise were their superiors.

    They were greeted with the greatest courtesy.

    Stephen Teeling greeted them politely and was about to show them the way into the house.

    Sam''s eyes met Melanie''s, who was staring at him. However, she immediately bows and looks away.

    The Viscount, Liese and the others suggested that Sam and Melanie talk to each other first.

    Sam''s impression was that it would be a problem to be honest.

    Not because of Melanie, but because he was puzzled by the fact that his mother was still alive and that they were reunited like this.

    He does not even remember her. He only knows her in his knowledge.

    He is troubled by what to say when he meets such a person who has now been replaced by the Sam she gave birth to.

    However, he could not ignore everyone''s concern for him, and he and Melanie were sent to a separate room.

    "Well, I guess I should say it''s been a while, but I don''t remember spending any time with you. So let me say it''s nice to meet you.

    "Um... what do you mean you have no memory?"

    When asked, Sam was troubled.

    It was easy to say that he had become another person, but he was not sure if they would understand.

    It is not even clear if Sam has taken on the identity of the boy Sam, or if he is a reincarnated soul who has remembered his previous life.

    Either way, the Sam Melanie knows is gone. He was lost in Manion''s assault.

    In the end, Sam, after much consideration, decided that he had no memory, just as he had told Luce.

    "It''s like that I don''t remember when I was a little girl, but I was almost killed by Manion, and ever since that one incident, I don''t remember much about my past."

    "......Magnon......Yolanda''s son did that to Master Samuel."

    "Did you hear what happened to them, including Baron Reinbach?"

    "Yes."

    "I don''t mean to sound cold, but I wasn''t related to him, and I never thought of him as family, so I don''t really think of him that way. But you are different, aren''t you?"

    "...... I don''t know."

    We have heard how Baron Reinbach and Yolanda ended up.

    The couple was sentenced to forced labor together.

    Death is not the end. You live and you suffer.

    The families of those killed by Manion, who was possessed by the evil sword that Yolanda inspired, may not agree, but it is too easy to take the lives of people who have no remorse or regret and be done with it.

    However, it seems that Baron Reinbach and Yolanda are not sorry for what they did, but only lament that Mannion was wrong.

    They are such irredeemable people.

    The feelings of Melanie, who was once a member of the family with these two, must be complicated.

    She probably has no good memories of them, she was the cause of being separated from her beloved, she was harassed and driven to the point of neurosis, and she even attempted suicide.

    But there is no joy in Melanie''s face.

    (Do I really need to talk about this too much?)

    Melanie would not want to recall too many painful memories from the past.

    Then she slowly opened her mouth.

    "I''ve been in a state of confusion these past few days. I never dreamed that Charles was the king''s brother when I met him. When he withdrew and disappeared from my life, I was worried that I had done something wrong. There were times when I resented him. But maybe it was because of my position as the king''s brother.

    "I don''t understand."

    As a man, I find it a bit irresponsible.

    We were lovers once. He should have at least taken her and run away, even if he was dealing with a nobleman.

    Even though he is hiding his past, he should have revealed his royalty for the sake of his beloved.

    Of course, Charles may have had his own circumstances, but we cannot say anything since he is dead.

    "I am the same way when it comes to confusion. Your survival, your real father being a royal brother, your coming to King''s Landing was a coincidence, but so many things have happened that I feel as if I was led here. To be honest, I''m tired of being surprised.

    Melanie bowed her head to Sam, who smiled wryly at her.

    "I''m sorry for the trouble I''ve caused you."

    "...... I didn''t mean to complain. Also, I would feel more comfortable if you were a little more casual with me."

    "--But..."

    "I know you feel guilty about this, but I don''t care. I mean, I don''t even remember, so I can''t be bothered."

    Sam cowered his shoulders and said casually, but Melanie''s expression did not soften, but turned depressing.

 254 - - 4 "I met my mother" â‘¡

    "......, but you had a difficult childhood in the Barony of Reinbach. It was definitely my fault."

    After all, I think that is what Melanie owes.

    She became neurotic and tried to take her own life. She thought that she could not take her son with her, and decided to die alone.

    But as a result, she survived and started a new family.

    A kind and understanding husband and a beautiful daughter.

    But Sam''s situation did not change. No, in fact, it was worse now that Melanie was gone.

    "Oh, I don''t know. Daphne and Derrick were there for me.

    While Melanie lost her memory and lived a second life, Sam was treated poorly by the barons.

    This is probably the reason why Melanie cannot see him straight.

    But as for Sam, he can''t help but think that it is just a matter of time.

    It was certainly unfortunate. I don''t want to go through that again, and I don''t want to go back in time. But it has happened and I am happy now. There is no point in lamenting the past now.

    "I don''t know if I should say this in front of you, but for me family is Daphne and Derrick."

    "...... I see. I am truly grateful to Daphne and Derrick."

    "Yes, they are here in King''s Landing. Please meet them. We have been thinking about you.

    They will be very happy to hear that Melanie is alive.

    At least, she would never say or think that she is the only one who should be happy, as Melanie herself seems to think.

    Please know that you do not have to feel guilty about meeting Daphne and her family, who are old acquaintances of yours.

    "Is it all right for me to meet them?"

    "No problem, Daphne and the others want to meet you. They will be happy to see you.

    "...... Thank you."

    (Maybe it''s not only me who owes them, but Daphne and the others as well.)

    I don''t know what Melanie thought or did when she was suffering.

    Daphne and Derrick would have protected Melanie and cheered her up.

    It was Yolanda''s fault, not Melanie''s, though it was a disappointment.

    "Well, I know you have a lot of things to worry about, but don''t worry."

    "......When you say reassurance?"

    I have nothing against you, nor do I have any feelings for your family. All I want is for you to be happy with your family.

    "Are you sure?"

    Good or bad, you already have a family. Your priority should be your family.

    "But you, Mr. Samuel, are family to me."

    Anxiously, but clearly, Melanie referred to Sam as family.

    "Maybe, but I''m on my own now, and I have someone I love. In less than a year I will be a father. I''ll be fine."

    "......, but..."

    "I understand that you have a daughter, Melanie. Please give her lots of love. And of course, give lots of love to your husband. Above all, be happy yourself. That is Samuel''s wish."

    Sam, perhaps because he doesn''t remember Melanie, can''t help but act like a stranger to her.

    But maybe the old Sam would have been different.

    Maybe he would have smiled and considered Melanie as his mother with all his heart.

    All Sam can do now is to wish Melanie happiness.

    I am sure that the old Sam would have wished for her happiness too.

    Melanie bowed her head deeply at Sam''s words.

    "Thank you very much."

    Sam did not know what she looked like.

 255 - - 5 "I met my sister" â‘ 

    (It''s awkward... ...... This is not mother and son, but strangers to each other...)

    I don''t think I''m handling it very well.

    Sam is Sam, and Melanie, perhaps because of her own guilt, calls Sam''s name "Mr. Samuel" in a strangerly manner.

    If someone were to see this scene, he or she would see a baroness dealing with an earl. If someone were to look at the scene, they would see nothing more than a baroness dealing with an earl.

    No one would think that they are related to each other by blood.

    Sam would like them to treat each other without any guilt.

    However, there is a problem on Sam''s side.

    Sam is always friendly, but when he calls Melanie, he calls her "you" or "Ms. Melanie" and does not call her mother.

    Maybe that is why Melanie cannot call Sam as her son.

    £¨I''m in trouble. What should I do? (What should I do? I think this is a problem before a father and a son.)

    In the meantime, Sam wants to make things work with Melanie.

    He has no memory of his mother, and it is difficult for him to recognize Melanie as his mother. Still, she is the mother who gave birth to him.

    He thinks that it is not good to say goodbye to Melanie without having a good relationship with her, and he thinks that he should do something about it.

    Melanie will not be able to get rid of the guilt and the guilt she feels, and her fianc¨¦es will be saddened to know that Sam and Melanie could not repair their relationship.

    £¨Well, what should we do?)

    Even Sam does not know how to treat his mother, whom he thought was dead, because she is alive.

    Sam has never needed a mother.

    With Daphne as his mother, he did not miss his mother and there was no inconvenience for him.

    Daphne''s love for Sam was real and she was like a mother to him.

    (Is there anything to talk about?)

    Melanie remains silent while Sam wracks his brain.

    I wonder if she has any more questions for Sam.

    There are so many questions she could ask him, such as what he was doing, how he was doing as a wizard, and so on.

    In that sense, Sam also has questions about Melanie''s past, her new family, etc., but she is too reserved to talk about them.

    For better or worse, they are reserved with each other.

    As Sam folds his arms and ponders, there is a knock at the door.

    "Melanie, Sam, it''s Lieselotte."

    "Lise-sama?"

    "Please come in, Miss Lieselotte."

    Melanie motioned for her to come in, and Lise, with a kind smile on her face, walked into the room and thanked her.

    "Thank you very much. Sam, Miss Melanie, I have spoken with Viscount Teeling, would you like to move to a different place?"

    "Uh?"

    "I thought it would be better if you two talked together, but I was concerned that we weren''t having a good conversation. I know I''m meddling, but would you like to have a cup of tea on the terrace for a change?"

    I don''t mind.

    I looked at Melanie and she nodded.

    "I don''t mind either."

    "Thank you. Viscount Teeling would like to say hello to Sam again. Let''s go.

    At Lise''s urging, Sam and the others moved to the terrace on the second floor of the house.

    "Mr. Samuel Scheidt. I am Stephen Teeling. I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the opportunity to meet with the greatest wizard in the land, Mr. Samuel."

    "My name is Samuel Scheidt. Pleased to meet you."

    Stephen Teeling was a man about Melanie''s age.

    He was a clean-cut man with flaxen hair slicked back.

    Sam looks at the smiling baron and thinks he is a kind man.

    No, in fact, he is a kind man.

    He protects Melanie, who has lost her memory and fallen ill, and is in love with her and has a child with her.

    I also admire him for accepting Melanie, whose identity was unknown to him.

    At least many of the nobility would not do what Viscount Thieling did.

    At the most, they would have kept their relationship with Melanie as a sidekick or a mistress. However, the Viscount has Melanie as his wife, and he has no mistress or mistress. It is clear that he loves Melanie that much.

    "I would love to introduce you to my daughter, but she is a little shy, and I am sorry I have not greeted her."

    "No, I think it''s understandable, since several people suddenly showed up at the house.

    I''m glad to hear you say that.

    Looking back, when I visited the Viscount''s house, I was welcomed by many people, but none of them seemed to be his daughter.

    He wondered what kind of child she might be, and thought of his sister whom he had not yet seen by blood.

    Then..,

    "-- hmm?"

    I feel a gaze on my back.

    I turned around and saw a little girl looking at me from the other side of the window.

 256 - - 6 "I met my sister" â‘¡

    The girl was a pretty girl with big eyes and dark hair just like Melanie.

    When Sam smiled and waved to the girl, she withdrew with a huff. But after a while, she came out again and looked at him.

    The cute gesture of the girl makes not only Sam but also Liese and the others relax the corners of their eyes.

    "Hmmm...she''s been making fun of us since a few minutes ago..."

    "He''s cute, like a little animal."

    "Is he a little wary?"

    "He looks somewhat like Sam, too."

    The girl seems to be interested in her fianc¨¦es, but they don''t seem to approach her.

    "This is my daughter Clarice. She is shy, but she seems to be interested in Samuel and the others.

    How old are you?

    I''m nine years old.

    Oh, wow. He''s a cute kid.

    Thank you very much.

    Clarice''s appearance brings smiles to everyone''s faces.

    It was not only Sam, but also Melanie.

    "Come here, Clarice."

    Steven beckons to her, and the girl approaches with an anxious look on her face.

    For some reason, she does not go to her father, but stops by Sam''s side.

    "Well, hello."

    "Hello."

    For the first time, Sam came face to face with his blood sister.

    Clarice had inherited Melanie''s dark hair and atmosphere and Viscount Teeling''s handsome face.

    I thought how beautiful she would be when she grew up.

    "Oh, um..."

    "Yeah?"

    The girl asked Sam fearfully.

    "Are you Clarice''s brother?"

    The girl who asked me this question while fidgeting was really cute.

    Sam''s smile deepened and he tried to nod, but Melanie called his daughter''s name in a hard tone.

    "Clarice!¡¡You''re being disrespectful to Mr. Samuel!"

    Clarice jumps at the sound of Melanie''s scolding voice.

    Tears well up in the girl''s eyes.

    "But, but, if you''re a mama''s boy, then you''re Clarice''s brother, too..."

    "I don''t know who said that, but you shouldn''t be so rude."

    "Even at ......."

    "Clarice!"

    "It''s my big brother."

    "--What?"

    Sam, who couldn''t bear to see Clarice, whom he called his brother, being scolded, rose from his chair, locked gazes with Clarice, and smiled.

    "--Mr. Samuel, however..."

    "It''s okay. In fact, I''m her brother and sister."

    "But..."

    Melanie hesitates when Clarice calls Sam a brother.

    Sam laughs at Melanie and says he is fine with it.

    In fact, Clarice is Sam''s sister.

    Sam, who has only ever had a not-so-pretty brother, is happy to have Clarice, who is as cute as a little animal, as his sister.

    "Nice to meet you. I''m Samuel Scheidt. People close to me call me Sam. I''d like you to call Clarice Sam, too."

    "Well, then, can I call you Brother Sam?"

    "Of course."

    "Yes!"

    Clarice''s face breaks into a smile like a blooming flower.

    Sam, Liese, and the others are relieved to see the smile return to the girl who had looked so gloomy after her mother''s rebuke.

    "Hey, Clarice. Can I hold her?"

    "Yes!"

    Sam holds the girl in his arms, who readily agrees.

    Clarice''s body was light, like a feather.

    Her initial wariness seems to be a lie, as she wraps her arms around Sam and hugs him tightly.

    "Hehehe, I''m so happy to have a big brother."

    "Me too. I didn''t have any siblings. I''m so happy to have such a cute little sister.

    The corner of Sam''s eyes relax at the sight of his first sibling.

    "Hey, Sam, are you going to get married?"

    "Yeah. The people here are my fianc¨¦es."

    Clarice''s interest seems to be Sam''s marriage.

    When Sam turns to Lise and the others, Clarice''s eyes light up.

    Then, as if they had been waiting for her, Liese and the others began to introduce themselves.

    "I am Lieselotte Walker. Please call me Liese, Clarice.

    "Purple Lotus. Hello."

    "I''m Mizuki Amemiya. Nice to meet you, Clarice.

    "This is Alicia Walker. Well, well, well. I envy you having a little sister like Clarice, Sam.

    Clarice looks at the four of us with longing eyes as we finish our introductions.

    Perhaps, to the still young Clarice, Liese and the others look like very nice older sisters.

    In fact, they are wonderful, no doubt, but for a little girl, they must be her ideal.

    "Wow, they are all so beautiful. Oh, um, can I call you my sister?

    "Kuh, Clarice!¡¡Don''t be so rude.

    That''s all right. Don''t worry too much.

    Again, Melanie is flustered at the thought of being rude, and Lise responds with a smile.

    To them, too, Clarice is Sam''s sister. They seem to think that if Clarice is Sam''s sister, then she will be their sister as well.

    "Hmmm, Clarice is Sam''s little sister. She''s a dear sister to us, too."

    "Yeah. Clarice is my little sister."

    "I''d be happy if you could be friends with my sister, Kotomi."

    "Ummm, you are so cute and full of energy. I''m so happy to have a sister like you, Clarice.

    Clarice looked satisfied and smiled when she was welcomed by her brother''s fianc¨¦.

    "Nice to meet you, big sister!"

 257 - - 7 "I met my sister." â‘¢

    Thanks to Clarice, the tense atmosphere between Sam and Melanie had eased.

    The tea party with Clarice then became lively, and she took the lead in the conversation.

    At first, Melanie looked bitter at Clarice''s friendly attitude toward Sam and Lise, but her expression gradually softened.

    Clarice seemed to want an older brother or sister and talked to them excitedly and actively.

    She seemed to know about Sam in particular, and she was honestly happy that a famous person was her brother, and she was sniffling when she bragged about it at school.

    Time passed quickly as Clarice and I talked a lot, and Sam and I found ourselves getting closer to each other as brother and sister.

    It was now late in the evening and it was time to leave the Viscount Teeling''s house.

    Needless to say, the girl, who had gotten to know her brother and his fianc¨¦es so well, expressed her dissatisfaction with Sam and his friends on their way home.

    Melanie and Steven are annoyed by Clarice''s sulking and puffy cheeks.

    Sam succeeded in putting Clarice in a good mood for a bit by promising to see her again.

    "Will you come and see me again?"

    Sam smiles at the girl who looks up at him and asks, "What are you doing here?

    "Of course. But I think I''d like Clarice to come visit me this time.

    "Yes!¡¡Absolutely!"

    Clarice hugs Sam, who hugs Clarice gently.

    Still in Sam''s arms, the girl accepts the temporary goodbye and waves to Liese and the others.

    "See you later, sisters!"

    "I''ll be waiting for you at home this time. I''ll have lots of sweets ready for you, so come anytime.

    "Next time, let''s play with your body."

    "Yes. Tea parties are nice, but I like to play with my body.

    "If I get a chance, I will recommend some of my favorite books to you. Please look forward to it.

    Lise, Karen, Mizuki, and Alicia greet Clarice.

    The girl nodded in agreement to be reunited with her four sisters.

    Sam hands the girl in his arms to Viscount Teeling.

    "Thank you very much for coming today, Mr. Samuel."

    "Viscount Teeling. Please, call me Sam.

    That, however...

    Clarice is my sister. Then you, her father, are family to me. If it''s not too much trouble.

    The viscount nodded in response to Sam''s words.

    "No, I am not a nuisance. Well then, Mr. Sam. Please continue to be a good friend to Clarice.

    "Of course."

    You are welcome to visit us anytime. You are welcome to call us family.

    Thank you very much.

    And if I can be of any help to you, please let me know. I promise I will always be at your service, Master Sam.

    "--Thank you."

    Sam shook Stephen''s hand stiffly.

    Finally, he turned to Melanie.

    Melanie had just finished greeting Liese and the others.

    She did not look straight at Sam until the end.

    She wonders if she should go home, perhaps because of her guilt.

    (It would be easy to leave here, but I don''t think that''s the right thing to do... ouch!)

    Sam had a headache as he wondered what to do.

    The next moment he felt the pain, he found himself saying the words out loud.

    "I will see you again--Mom."

    "-, you call me, you call me your mother?"

    (Oh, I see, I didn''t call her mother, so I guess the guilt didn''t go away. It was my fault.)

    I looked at my mother for the first time.

    No, no, I think I saw her face.

    "If it''s not too much trouble, please let me call you mother."

    "......, but I''d like you to..."

    "Well, please don''t call me you. I have a name my mother gave me.

    "--Sam."

    "Yes."

    "Sam!"

    Melanie, calling her son''s name for the first time, hugged Sam, tears streaming down her face.

    Sam, too, embraced his mother''s body and felt its warmth.

    We will see each other again. Let''s talk more about each other this time.

    "Yes, yes."

    "I''m glad your mother is alive. Please be happy."

    In this way, Sam was able to get one step closer to his mother.

 258 - - "Its Guntas plan,"

    Jim Robert was invited by the court magician G¨¹nther Ignatz to visit the Duke of Ignatz.

    Jim is nervously shown into the drawing room, where he faces G¨¹nther, who is waiting for him.

    Jim is also the heir to a count''s family, but this was the first time for him to meet the next head of the dukedom face to face, let alone to exchange a brief greeting with him.

    "Well, Jim Robert. I''m sorry you had to come all the way to the house today. I should have come myself, but I''ve been very busy.

    No, it''s an honor to meet you, Wizard of the Court of G¨¹nther Ignaz."

    "You don''t have to be so hard. You can call me G¨¹nther.

    "Yes, Mr. G¨¹nther."

    First of all, G¨¹nther tried to relieve his tension, but he couldn''t help but laugh at Jim''s stiffening attitude every time he called out to him.

    "There''s no need to be so formal. Well, I hope you''ll get used to it. Well, I guess I''ll call you Jim. Is that okay?"

    I''d be honored.

    "I''m sorry, but we had to look you up. I''ve heard you''re an excellent wizard, one of the best in your school. If I had known in advance that the other party had a magic sword, I would have been able to keep up with the battle against the traitor who claimed to be Sam''s younger brother. Well, the kid called Manion was just an amateur, so it''s not surprising. But I appreciate his spirit in standing up to the attackers and trying to protect everyone in Count Walker''s family.

    "Thank you."

    Although he never said it, G¨¹nther knew that Jim had once been Alicia''s prospective fianc¨¦e and that his heart had been broken.

    And that his parents and friends had worked together to capture Jim and lock him in his room so that their son would not act rashly.

    I think it was a very good decision. It is natural for an adolescent to act out of the ordinary because of a broken heart, but it would have been bad for many reasons if he had attacked Sam because of it.

    Sam would have taken it lightly, but the boy, who has a surprisingly low boiling point, would have been in trouble if he had been told off about his beloved fianc¨¦es or any of the Earls of Walker.

    Jim should thank his parents and friends from the bottom of his heart.

    "No, it is I who should thank you. I am very grateful to you. Alicia, Lise, and Aunt Grace are my family. Thank you for protecting them."

    "No, they are very important to me too, so I can''t thank you."

    G¨¹nther liked the fact that Jim was not being modest, but was speaking from the heart.

    So, as originally planned, he cuts to the chase.

    "I appreciated you. I would like to welcome you here when you graduate from the school of magic.

    "--Thank you. I look forward to working with you."

    "I am relieved to hear your colorful response. For the time being, you will be Liese and her family''s escort. There are Haren-dono and Mizuki-dono, but we can''t be sure that the attack won''t happen again as it did the other day when their errands coincided with each other. It is better to have more hands on the defensive.

    "Yes, I see. I understand what you mean.

    "I''m glad you understand. Thank you."

    Haren and Mizuki regretted that they had not been present at the time of the recent attack.

    At first, one of them had proposed to move their plans, but when Lise, Grace, and the others told them that they were Sam''s fianc¨¦es and not his bodyguards, they went on with their errands as planned.

    As a result, the attack happened at an inopportune time when they were not together. Fortunately, Jim was there to prevent Liese from picking up a sword and fighting, but Karen and Mizuki, who were also engaged and friends, still blamed themselves.

    Afterwards, the two discussed and decided that they would serve as fiancee and also as guards for Count Walker''s family. It seems that this incident had taken a toll on them.

    Everyone told them that there was no need to go to such lengths, but they stubbornly refused to listen.

    "I don''t mean to make a pecking order in the family, but your position is not so high among the wives.

    "Yes. --Yes.¡¡What do you mean?

    "You''ll have some time before Sam calls you for the evening, but you''ll have to be patient with that. Of course, I''ll go first. That''s non-negotiable. Okay?"

    Uh, sir?

    What is it?

    Something is wrong, Jim asks G¨¹nther with a puzzled look on his face.

    "What on earth are you talking about?¡¡Who is Sam''s wife?"

    "My wife is my wife.

    "Well, weren''t you here today for a meeting with Mr. G¨¹nther so that he could make you his subordinate?"

    "--What are you talking about?¡¡Of course I called you in for an interview so that you could become Sam''s wife."

    "......

    "Huh?"

    "You''ve got to be kidding me!"

    Jim forgot his position and shouted angrily.

    "I''m friends with Sam!"

    "I know. I know, I know. I think he will gradually deepen his relationship with Sam after he becomes his friend. That''s a good idea.

    "No, sir!¡¡You know, I''ve given up on her, but I liked Alicia!"

    "I know. I know it''s hard to have your heart broken. But you thought Sam was the right man for Alicia, so you stepped aside."

    "Yes."

    "That''s why I fell in love with Sam. Isn''t that right?"

    "No!"

    "I don''t blame you. I didn''t have the best of encounters either, but now we''re a happy couple."

    "That''s why I said it''s not true!"

    "-No way, are you serious?¡¡That''s absurd. You and I are so different. I called you here because I thought you were one of the guys who were into Sam.

    Don''t put me in a room with you!

    Jim is only a friend to Sam and does not direct his affection toward him as G¨¹nther does.

    In the first place, he cannot have romantic feelings for Alicia, who he had just dumped and with whom he had been married.

    Or rather, he had given up on Alicia, but he still had a faint feeling for her.

    "Yes, then let''s let you know how good Sam is!"

    "I know he''s a good guy to have as a friend!"

    I thought I was going to have more wives on my side!

    I don''t care!"

    And so on and so forth,

    "Oh, Mr. G¨¹nther, have you been here again?"

    A girl''s voice suddenly rang out, and G¨¹nther jumped up and down.

    "Hey, hey, Kree. It''s a beautiful day, isn''t it? I thought you were going for a walk."

    "I just pretended to go for a walk because Master G¨¹nther seemed to be up to something."

    "Oh, no."

    "I must warn you, Mr. G¨¹nther is a simple man. Reading his behavior is a piece of cake for me.

    The girl greets Jim with the edge of her dress while G¨¹nther''s face turns pale.

    "I''m sorry I''m late. I am Mr. G¨¹nther''s wife, Kree Ignatz.

    Oh, yes, very kind of you to call me Jim Robert.

    "We apologize for any inconvenience caused by Mr. G¨¹nther. Please rest assured that I will inform your father-in-law.

    No, I don''t mean to make a big deal out of it.

    Jim was overwhelmed by the apparently younger girl.

    For some reason, he could not stop breaking out in a cold sweat.

    There was a sickening sense of oppression.

    "You little girl!¡¡Who is my wife!¡¡Don''t casually call yourself Ignatz!"

    "With your father''s and mother''s permission."

    And don''t call me that!

    "--Mr. G¨¹nther."

    The girl''s voice sounded emotionless.

    "Ha, hahi."

    "--I''m punishing you."

    "Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, help me, Jim!¡¡Take me and get the hell out of here!"

    "Oh-ho-ho, Master Jim, my husband is very sorry. Your father knows you are a good wizard, and I''m sure he will ask you to join us.

    "Oh, yes."

    G¨¹nther, who wants to run away but is too crippled to move, calls for help, but Jim doesn''t look at him and replies to Cree, "I''m here to help you.

    Jim does not look at him, but replies to Cree: "I have some discipline to take care of, so I''ll leave you alone for today. I would like to apologize again.

    No, no, it''s okay. Well, I''ll leave you to it. Well, bye!

    Jim quickly leaves the room.

    G¨¹nther is left behind, despair plastered on his face and wincing.

    "That''s funny. How could he be talking about becoming Sam''s wife when he was originally talking about recruiting Jim to be his own man? ...... Well, it''s okay. We have plenty of time, so let''s take the time to ask these and other questions of your body.

    Cree smiled with a glamorous smile that did not seem very twelve years old.

    G¨¹nther was more afraid of such a fianc¨¦e than anything else.

    He could not stop shaking just thinking about what was about to happen to him.

    "Oh-ho-ho-ho, now you are going to be punished."

    That day, G¨¹nther''s screams filled the Duke of Ignaz''s home.

    But neither the parents nor the servants paid any attention to it, as if it was a usual occurrence.

    A few days later, Jim received a letter from Duke Ignaz apologizing for the trouble his son had caused and recommending him to work for G¨¹nther, but he wondered if he should work for that man.

 259 - - 9 "There are people from other worlds." â‘ 

    After a long day of chatting with his fianc¨¦es before going to bed, Sam was told by the maid that Jonathan wanted to see him, and after saying no to his fianc¨¦es, he went to Jonathan''s office.

    "You wanted to see me, sir?"

    I''m sorry I called you here so late at night. Were you sleeping?"

    "No, I was just having a little chat with Lise and the others."

    Then I''m even more sorry. Time with your fianc¨¦ is important. Especially before marriage. I''m sorry."

    Sam shakes his head, not caring for Jonathan''s apology.

    "I hope you don''t mind. I thought it was something important. Lise and the others don''t mind."

    "I''m glad to hear you say that. Sam, it''s a court wizard''s job.

    "Is it a fight?"

    "No, no. Calm down. Do you know the Kingdom of Orkney?

    "Well, it''s the neighbor country to the north of the Kingdom of Skye, isn''t it? I''ve been there before, but I didn''t stay long."

    The Kingdom of Orkney was founded about 300 years ago by the descendants of pirates who had settled in the northern seas of the continent and moved south.

    Sam has only heard a little about it, but as he recalls, the pirates fought among themselves and then involved neighboring countries in a rather bloody conflict.

    It seems that the pirates were taken advantage of by the nations, and a war was fought with so many casualties that the sea and the land were dyed red.

    The first king of Orkney was a man who got fed up with such endless battles and decided to abandon his homeland of the sea.

    He abandoned the sea, went on land, built up a mercenary army, and took over an exhausted country, and the Kingdom of Orkney was born.

    Incidentally, the war in the north lasted about 20 years, and the pirates and the surrounding countries fell together.

    "I just received word from the royal court that a delegation from the Orkney Kingdom is coming to Skye."

    "That''s another sudden thing, isn''t it?"

    "As this is a country that has suffered damage from the people of Najaria, we will hold a meeting to discuss countermeasures for the future. I will visit the country for the purpose of holding a meeting to discuss future countermeasures. In addition, once a year or so, we have wizards and knights from each country fight each other, so that will be held as well."

    "I see. So you want me to be in that battle.

    No, no.

    "Oh, what?"

    I''m out of sync.

    I had assumed from the flow of the conversation that I would be told to go into a duel and show my power as a court wizard.

    "It''s a duel, but it''s a preliminaries match. I don''t want Sam''s skills to cut his opponent in half.

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha, I don''t like it. I''m not going to cut off all the people I''m fighting either.

    "...... hope so. The Imperial Match is going to be someone Sam knows very well."

    "You don''t mean G¨¹nther?"

    No, no. G¨¹nther is a G¨¹nther, and when he attacks, he is not suitable for a fight because he is very deadly. The one who should be in the fight is Mr. Delight Sinatra.

    "Mr. Delight?

    Sam was so surprised that he forgot it was the middle of the night and let out a loud cry.

    Jonathan, who had been expecting this, chuckled.

    "Lord Delight has received a direct request from His Majesty to return to the court of wizards.

    "Well, that''s... Master Fran will be very pleased."

    "I''m sure you''re right. Francesca is going to work as Mr. Delight''s secretary.

    I had never heard of it.

    "It was recently decided, and since Lord Delight has accepted to return to the court wizardry, he will be training in the dungeons for a while. He said that at the very least he would have to be stronger than Albert Frege before he could return. And so he has returned to King''s Landing.

    "So you are stronger than Albert."

    Albert Frege was the most powerful wizard in the kingdom before Sam.

    Before Albert, Delight Sinatra was the most powerful man in the kingdom.

    Delight was defeated and humiliated by Albert. As a result, he became a drunkard, but he recovered after meeting Sam.

    He is also a very caring person who gave Sam training before Sam''s duel with Albert.

    He was also the mentor of Ulrike Scheidt Walker, a wizard whom Sam admired.

    If it is true what Yarl, a citizen of Najaria whom he met the other day, said, Albert is a traitor and his magical ability was amplified by the magic sword that Yarl created.

    His actual ability is probably not that great.

    I think so only because I have actually fought against him.

    Delight was defeated only by firepower, and he would have been better than Albert in terms of technology and in the actual fight for life.

    But the fact is that Delight lost. He ran away to drink, but he did not make excuses.

    If Delight trained in the dungeon and came back to surpass Albert, he must have equaled or surpassed the firepower he had lost.

    The fact that the wizard who was originally the strongest in the kingdom is now back with even more power means that he will be a great asset to the kingdom.

    "But we think that perhaps ...... Sam may have a role to play."

    "Why?"

    Despite the presence of Delight Sinatra, who had returned to the Court of Wizards with a newfound ability, Jonathan''s countenance was not exactly cheerful.

    "Haven''t you heard?¡¡In the last six months or so, the Kingdom of Orkney, like the Kingdom of Skye, has replaced its most powerful wizards."

    "I''ve never heard of it."

    "It is said that he is a boy a little older than Sam, but his ability is immeasurable. I''ve only heard that he has fought with representatives of several countries and beaten them to death. I hate to say this, but it is said that he is the most powerful wizard on the continent.

    "--Hey."

    My lips lifted involuntarily.

    Sam is aiming to be the most powerful wizard in the world.

    After becoming the most powerful wizard in the kingdom, the goal had been stagnant due to the lack of a wizard above him, but if the wizards of the Orkney Kingdom are the most powerful on the continent, then it''s a good time to start talking.

    (I''m sorry to say that Delight-sama has just returned, but I''ll take that wizard.)

    "Ah, that''s the face. That face looks just like Ur when he''s up to something!¡¡Can they even resemble each other that much?¡¡It''s already so easy to predict what Sam will do!¡¡For God''s sake, don''t pick a fight!¡¡If they sell you a fight, don''t buy it!"

    "...... I don''t like it. There''s no way I would do something like that."

    "Don''t turn away, look me in the eye and say so!"

    Aah," sighs Jonathan grandly.

    "For God''s sake, don''t get me in trouble. I don''t want to get in trouble because of my partner''s background.

    "Are you royalty by any chance?"

    No, no. I don''t know what he is, but he seems to be from another world.

    "-- What?"

 260 - - 10 "There are people from other worlds." â‘¡

    Sam couldn''t believe his ears.

    (If I''m not mistaken, you just said the master is from another world, didn''t you?¡¡Are you there?)

    --Otherworldly.

    That is, someone who is not of this world.

    Not a reincarnated human like Sam, but a being summoned or somehow accidentally transported across the world''s barriers.

    Whether it is true or not, there are still stories that the heroes who were active decades ago were also from another world.

    It would be very interesting if such otherworldly beings have appeared in the Kingdom of Orkney in recent months and have become the most powerful wizards in the country.

    It is said that otherworldly people are sometimes endowed with some kind of strong power. Perhaps they became the most powerful by some kind of power of the transfer privilege.

    "Even more surprisingly, there are two otherworldly people."

    "......There are two of them?"

    "One is Hayama Hayato, the boy I mentioned. He is a boy in his mid-teens. He is a gifted wizard, but he also seems to be a gifted swordsman. In the Kingdom of Orkney, he is considered a magical swordsman, but some people say he is also a brave man.

    "Is there really such a thing as a brave man?"

    "I don''t know. It''s just what people around him say, but he seems to be very good at what he does."

    A brave man who has been transferred to another world seems like a formidable opponent.

    We do not know what kind of person he is, but we are intrigued.

    "However, I hear that he has a difficult personality. He is said to be a man who often gets into trouble. I''ve had him do some research, and it seems he has his own sense of justice that clashes with knights and wizards."

    "Ah, yes, there are those. There are people like that.

    "He is the supreme power of the country, and although he listens to orders, he sometimes has a habit of making decisions on his own. So far, he hasn''t caused any major problems, but from what we''ve learned, he''s a self-righteous and self-important person."

    (I wonder if I came to another world and got carried away because of the cheat?)

    "The other one is also a girl in her mid-teens, but she is skilled in recovery magic and is called a saint because she has helped many people in the last six months. Her name is Kaoruko Kirishima, and she and Hayama Hayato are from a country called Japan in a world called Earth.

    £¨Japanese after all. I thought it might be. I thought he might be in his mid-teens, which means he must be a high school student or something.)

    I had thought that high school students who were transported to other worlds only happened in novels and manga.

    I can''t speak for others, because I have experienced such a reincarnation in another world.

    "Well, how did otherworldly people come to our world in the first place?"

    I don''t mind that otherworldly people are in our world, but I was curious about the reason why they came to our world.

    Jonathan gave me the answer to that question.

    "The Kingdom of Orkney has been threatened by monsters for the past few years. The Kingdom of Skye has sent a force to fight them. But it didn''t help. There were too many monsters. The princess was so worried about her country that she summoned a brave warrior from another world."

    "Wow."

    It was a typical otherworldly summons.

    "I don''t know if they are heroes or not, but two otherworldly people were summoned as a result."

    "How could the princess of the Orkney Kingdom summon otherworldly people in the first place?"

    Sam, who had traveled from place to place, knew nothing of such magic.

    He thinks it might be a technique handed down in the royal family.

    "Unfortunately, we don''t know. "Unfortunately we don''t know... but His Majesty is concerned. It is not good if the otherworlders are called so often. If the otherworlders are so powerful, it could upset the balance of power among the nations."

    "Right?"

    "Strangely enough, people from other worlds often have great power. The two of you are no exception to this rule and are powerful. It is not that I doubt Sam''s ability, but rather I know him well enough to know that I do not want him to get into trouble with the otherworlders. I don''t want it to become a big deal."

    "Uh, we''ll take care of it."

    "I beg you, please, be careful."

    "Ha-ha-ha, you don''t have to worry about that.

    Sam has no intention of getting himself into trouble.

    He knows that Jonathan uses a lot of stomach medicine because of him, so he will try not to overload his stomach.

    "The delegation will be accompanied by a girl who is called a saint. Since the Kingdom of Skye has a Lady Magnolias, I don''t think it''s worth giving her special attention, but I hear that she is as good a user as the Lady Magnolias."

    Perhaps the Kingdom of Orkney would like to show off the talent they have acquired.

    That''s why they bring two otherworldly people without hiding them.

    "The level of Magnolia-sama is quite high, isn''t it?

    "They say they have no means to fight, but their recovery magic is outstanding. I don''t know if this is useful information or not, but it is said that the two otherworldly people don''t get along well with each other.

    "We don''t get along with people from the same world, do we?"

    "Rather, I heard that Kaoruko Kirishima hates Hayato Hayama because of his problems."

    "What kind of problem?"

    It''s a woman problem. Hayato Hayama seems to be an extreme lover of women, and it is said that he makes a move on them at random, whether they are his girlfriends or married women. Of course, many people do not like it, and there are some who criticize him, but he does not seem to care. Inexplicably, women who have been touched by him seem to have fallen in love with him as if they were his followers.

    £¨Wow, what an amazing girl. I don''t suppose you have any charm skills, do you?)

    Cheating is cheating, whether on earth or in other worlds, and a person who is unfaithful is not a decent person.

    "Your Majesty does not want Hayato Hayama to do as he pleases in the Sky Kingdom. Of course, I don''t think people on an embassy would be rude in another country, but they are from another world. There are cases where our common sense does not apply. We don''t want to get into trouble, but we can''t help but be vigilant - so please don''t cause any problems, Sam, I beg you, I really beg you!

    "Wow, okay."

    Sam had no choice but to nod, pressed by Jonathan''s swordsmanship.

    But he was curious about the otherworlder who claimed to be the strongest on the continent.

 261 - - 11 "Choose your outfit".

    The day after Jonathan told me about the existence of otherworldly people.

    Sam was there to help his fianc¨¦es choose dresses.

    The social gathering with the Kingdom of Orkney was just a few days away, and Lise and her friends had to prepare dresses for Sam''s fianc¨¦e to attend the social gathering.

    At first, Liese and her friends were reluctant to wear the dresses because they had their own dresses, but as the fianc¨¦ of the most powerful wizard in the Kingdom of Skye, they decided to make a new dress for the social event, so that they would be dressed appropriately as Sam''s fianc¨¦e.

    "Hey, Sam. What do you think of this dress?"

    "It suits you well, Miss Lise."

    Lise, whose belly is not yet noticeable, is as stylish as ever.

    Lise smiles at Sam as she tries on a slender, white, tight dress that shows off her curves.

    "Oh, thank you. I never thought I''d be attending a national event as Sam''s fianc¨¦e.

    "Of course. I never thought I''d see the day when I''d be a court wizard too."

    I miss the days of free travel.

    "Hmmm, I think I''ll go with this one. I''m so embarrassed that when I show Sam other dresses, all he says is that they look good on me.

    "But it''s true, they all look good on me."

    "Oh, you''re good."

    In fact, Lise looked good in all the dresses.

    She is tall and slender, with a modest bust, but her overall balance is very good.

    She was a swordsman and had been training her body for a long time, so she had no flab at all.

    When Lise wears a white dress, she is as beautiful as a flower.

    "Which one do you like, Sam?"

    "Well, the one you are wearing right now is my favorite."

    "Then I''ll take this one."

    "What?¡¡Are you sure you want to make the decision so easily?"

    "Hmmm, because I want Sam to see the dress the most. Of course I want the one that Sam likes best."

    "Well, thank you. It''s beautiful, Lise."

    "Thank you."

    Sam and Lise smiled at each other.

    Lise told the tailor who was helping her try on the dress that she had decided on one, and disappeared behind the partition to take off her outfit.

    A shadow approaches Sam.

    "Sam. How are you doing?"

    It was Hualien who asked me shortly.

    She was wearing a Chinese-style dress with gorgeous embroidery.

    The deep slit that reached down to her waist revealed her toned and supple legs, giving her an indescribable s*x appeal.

    "It looks very good on you, Hualien-sama."

    "......Sam''s eyes are glued to her legs."

    "I''m sorry, I''m a ...... boy."

    "Never mind. And I don''t feel bad."

    With that, she shows off her healthy legs through the slit.

    Sam couldn''t take his eyes off Hualien''s legs and swallowed hard.

    "Sam, do you want me to take a look at them, too?"

    "......Mizuki. That was a good point."

    "Ha-ha-ha, sorry. But I want my fianc¨¦ to see my outfit too. But it''s a little embarrassing. I''ve never shown someone dressed up like this before. ......

    Mizuki, wearing a kimono decorated with flower patterns, looked good because she is of Japanese descent.

    As a former Japanese, Sam was smitten by Mizuki''s appearance, which made him nostalgic for his former homeland.

    Her black hair matched well with her kimono, which gave her a calm impression.

    "Mizuki-sama, you are dressed in the Land of the Rising Sun, it suits you very well."

    "Oh, thank you. I get a little embarrassed when people compliment me straight away.

    Mizuki''s cheeks flushed with joy at Sam''s compliment.

    Sam felt her cheeks heat up at Mizuki''s honest reaction.

    "Miss Sam!¡¡How do you like my dress?"

    Finally, it was Alicia who approached us proactively.

    Alicia is usually modest, but when the time comes, she is proactive like this.

    Alicia was dressed in a white dress just like her sister.

    While her sister''s dress was tight and showed off her curves, Alicia''s dress had a loose, billowing skirt.

    The dress gives a soft and fluffy impression, which suits Alicia''s soft atmosphere very well.

    "It''s very nice."

    "Well, well, I''m glad you say so, Sam!¡¡I''ll have this dress too!"

    Alicia, beaming, runs to the other side of the partition just like her sister.

    After a while, she came out in a dress with Liese, accompanied by Karen and Mizuki, and started to choose accessories this time.

    "Is this a new one this year?"

    "Yes. I like this kind of thing."

    "I think I''d like a hair ornament."

    "I don''t know what to do. There are so many beautiful things to choose from.

    Sam looks on with a smile as his fianc¨¦es are absorbed in their choice of accessories.

    Women everywhere are fashion-conscious.

    Here in the Kingdom of Skye, only royalty, dukes close to the royal family, and those approved by the royal family are allowed to wear blue.

    Sam, for example, is a court wizard recognized by the royal family, so he is provided with a blue coat. This coat is designed to be worn in ceremonies and so on, so I will not dress up for the social gathering, but will wear a blue coat and a black suit as usual.

    There is no rule against wearing blue, but the unspoken rule is that blue is the color of royalty, and is therefore coveted by the children of noble families.

    It is not possible to wear blue in dresses, but wearing blue in accessories has been passed down for a long time as one of the fashionable ways for women.

    It is difficult for Sam to understand, but it seems that there are various rules for even a single accessory, such as the number of blue accessories to be worn and the intensity of the blue color.

    Marquises, who are higher in rank, can wear dark blue and there is no limit to the number of blue items they can wear, while counts are allowed to wear blue, but there is a limit to the number of blue items they can wear.

    Barons, for example, are only allowed to wear accessories in light blue rather than blue.

    Although not legally set, the rules of the women''s world are much stricter and more frightening than men think.

    If you break the rules even a little, you will be talked about behind your back, or sometimes you will be criticized by mean women.

    They try to be as fashionable as possible within the limits of what they can do. Such were the women of the Kingdom of Skye.

    "Okay, now it''s Sam''s turn."

    "What?"

    "Let''s have your clothes tailored, Master Sam."

    "Well, I''m going to dress as usual.

    Before long, the ladies seemed to have finished picking out their accessories.

    The fianc¨¦es then try to pick out clothes for Sam.

    "You know what, Sam? Sam gets more attention than we do. He''s the most powerful wizard in the Skye Kingdom, and I don''t think the Orkney Kingdom will leave him alone."

    "I think I''ll be talking to a lot of ...... parties and stuff."

    "Oh, no."

    Sam''s shoulders slumped at Mizuki and Karen''s point.

    He has never been involved in parties in his life, so he feels that all the pomp and pageantry is a little too much for him.

    I know that parties are a part of social gatherings, and I accept the fact that I attend them with my fianc¨¦e because it''s my job. But I am not looking for attention.

    "I''ll probably be approached by some of the key people over there," he says. If you don''t dress the same way you normally do, you will embarrass yourself and us, your fianc¨¦es.

    "People might say, ''We''re all dressed up .......''"

    I don''t want to get all dressed up, if you don''t mind my saying so.

    Oh, you don''t have to dress up. I''ll just have the suit tailored in a better fabric than before.

    What color would you like?

    "Sam is royalty. Maybe we can dress him in blue."

    "Hmm. But since he doesn''t seem to be sure he''s royalty yet, I think it''s best to avoid that.

    Leaving Sam behind, the women get excited.

    In the end, Sam had a suit tailored for him, using fabrics that were a few shades better than what he normally wears.

    The bill he received from the tailor made him dizzy, but he paid it with a slightly wry smile, as long as his fianc¨¦es were happy.

 262 - - "The burning dragon is back."

    In the courtyard of the Countess Walker''s house, Sam was alone, working his magic to stay in shape.

    Normally, he would be here with Karen and Mizuki, and Liese, Alicia, and the dragon cubs would be watching the scene, which was the daily life of the family these days.

    Today, however, they are alone.

    The reason for this is that Lise and her friends are visiting the royal store in the royal capital to have their wedding dresses tailored.

    They have been visiting the store for wedding dresses for a while now, and it is supposed to be completed soon.

    However, Sam couldn''t see it until the very last minute, so he couldn''t go to the store with them.

    (I hope everyone''s dresses look good on them...)

    The other day, when we tailored dresses for a social event with the Kingdom of Orkney, the engaged couples looked beautiful and pretty in dresses that showed off their individual charms in more than enough ways.

    I wonder what it would be like in a wedding dress. Sam can''t even imagine.

    He knows he has to look forward to the wedding, but as a man, he can''t wait to see his loved ones looking so beautiful.

    This is the reason why I have not been able to concentrate on my training and at least try to keep myself in shape.

    "-- Hmm?"

    As Sam sat cross-legged in the courtyard, he heard the approach of strong magical energy and the flapping of wings.

    He turned his back and saw a familiar woman standing there.

    "Oh, it''s the Burning Dragon!"

    "Long time no see, Sam."

    A beautiful woman with long black hair that almost touches the ground and wearing a Chinese-style costume smiles at Sam.

    In her true nature, she is a dragon, a being that transcends humans, and the mother of the dragons who live in Count Walker''s household.

    She had left the house to see if she could make the mountain given to her by the Skye royal family her home, but it had taken her a long time to come back.

    "Long time no see, I mean, how long have you been gone without your children?"

    "I''m sorry about that. But we had our reasons.

    "Reason?¡¡Is there something wrong with the land that the kingdom gave you?"

    No, the land was wonderful. Unspoiled nature, springs, caves to hide in. They even offered to build us a home if we wanted to live in human form. It''s a very generous offer."

    "So what''s wrong with that?"

    No, it''s not that. I have no grievances with the kingdom. The problem is my husband!

    "--Husband?"

    I remember that the burning dragon had a husband.

    The father of the children. We''ve got a safe place to live, and I was going to invite my husband to come and live with us as a family... but... he''s cheating on me with a young dragon!"

    Roar!" howled the scorching dragon.

    The air trembled, and Sam''s entire body was roused.

    "Whoa, whoa, calm down! You''ll destroy the house if you get mad!

    I''m sorry. I''m sorry. It''s hard to stay calm.

    Well, I don''t blame you for feeling that way.

    "What charm is there in a dragon who is only young!¡¡It is not strong, and the only thing that is dragon-like about it is its presence and size. And her husband!¡¡Even if he is a candidate to be the next Dragon King, he is still slavishly extending his nose to such a dragon whose only merit is his youth!¡¡I''ve had enough of you!¡¡Sam!"

    Yes, sir.

    "Grab a drink!¡¡I can''t do this without a drink!"

    In moderation.

    £¨Your husband is a candidate for the next Dragon King. He must be very stressed out.)

    I think dragons are going through a lot.

    I mean, they are very human, getting angry over cheating.

    "Oh, I have to see my kids first. How are they doing?"

    "Of course, I''m fine."

    "I pity the children. With a bastard like that as their father, they''re going to be delinquents in the ...... future."

    "Oh, no, that''s not a good omen."

    I don''t want to imagine those adorable little dragons turning into a bunch of greens.

    I mean, if they become too wild, they will be a threat to us.

    I sincerely hope that they will grow up to be cute.

    Call Liese and Alicia. Let''s have a party!"

    "Everyone''s out. Oh, but be careful when you get home, Lise-sama can''t drink.

    "Why?"

    "Because I''m pregnant."

    "--Hmm."

    The burning dragon smiles.

    "She''s carrying your child. Mmm-hmm, that''s good. Children are good, they enrich our days.

    "I hope so."

    "Come to think of it, there''s a residue of magic in the house that I don''t know about. Have there been two more residents?

    How do you even know that?

    "I know, because I am a dragon."

    "There is a person named Karen-sama and Mizuki-sama who have been living together for the past few days."

    Who''s that?

    Well, my new fianc¨¦e."

    A moment after Sam replied, the burning dragon''s right arm reached out and grabbed him by the neck.

    "Ghee!"

    He is lifted up.

    Sam, suspended in mid-air, slaps her arm in pain.

    "Why don''t you touch Alicia if you''re going to touch another b*tc*?¡¡No one could have been as good as he was!"

    "Oh, I''m engaged to Alicia, too!"

    The grip on his neck loosened from the burning dragon''s hand, releasing Sam, and he fell to the ground on his buttocks.

    Coughing lightly, he takes a deep breath and regulates his breathing.

    "Hey, don''t do that suddenly!"

    "Hmph."

    "I thought your husband cheated on you because he didn''t like that part of you."

    Is that so?

    "No, I don''t know."

    Which is it?

    Is it because he is a dragon that he is a bit violent, or is it because of his burning dragon personality?

    "Well, it''s okay. But it''s good that Alicia''s love has borne fruit. She''s a good girl. If she is unhappy, I will turn this country into a wasteland, so keep that in mind.

    "I will do my best to make you happy."

    "Then good. Well, let''s change our desperation and celebrate Alicia''s engagement, Lise''s pregnancy, and Sam''s new fianc¨¦es!

    "I''m counting on you to moderate."

    I''ll take care of it!

    After meeting with his children and taking a bath to cleanse himself of his fatigue and grime, the scorching dragon caught up with his returning fianc¨¦es and started drinking in the courtyard.

    Before long, Jonathan, Grace, G¨¹nther, and Cree also gathered and the place became crowded.

    Sam didn''t drink any alcohol since he was not yet an adult. I look forward to the next few months.

    The revelry continued late into the night, and the good times went on and on.

    Sam sipped a cup of cold tea, wishing that these good times would last longer.

 263 - - 13 "Yoin Yayama from the Other World"

    Hayato Hayama was an ordinary high school student living in Japan.

    He had no close friends and only minimal conversation with his parents. His younger sister, who was in the throes of puberty, disliked him for no reason, and Hayato disliked her as well.

    At home, she just watches video sites or plays smartphone games. At school, she only dozes off or reads light novels or manga.

    I am aware that I am fed up with these days, but I don''t want to change it. I know that even if I try my best, there is no way to change such a daily routine.

    He spends his boring days thinking that one day he would like to be summoned to another world and have a great adventure to save it, just like in the manga and light novels that he loves to read.

    But then something unexpected happens to Yuto.

    On his way home from school, he was enveloped in a blinding light.

    Yuto unintentionally meditated, but when he opened his eyes, he found a beautiful girl whom he had never seen before.

    Looking around, it was as if he was in a medieval castle.

    --As Yuto swallowed his spit with confusion and expectation, the girl opened her mouth, her eyes shining.

    "Welcome, my hero!

    At this moment, Yuto realized everything.

    He had become the hero.

    His heart swelled with anticipation as he realized that he had been summoned to another world as a hero, and that his own story was about to begin.

    Yuto heard various stories from the Third Princess of the Kingdom of Orkney, who had summoned him.

    Yuto was summoned by the summoner, but he is not a brave man.

    Unfortunately, in this world, there are no birth titles or status checks. It is said that "hero" is an acquired title given to those who are recognized for their achievements later on.

    However, as long as you were summoned by the summoner, it seems that you have the potential to become a brave man.

    I regret that I did not have a typical turn of events waiting for me, but that gloomy feeling soon vanished.

    Yuto''s talent was tremendous.

    First of all, his magical power is high. He was even more powerful than the most powerful wizard in the Kingdom of Orkney, where he had been summoned.

    And he was also gifted in magic and swordsmanship.

    It was as if his body had known from the beginning that he could manipulate magic and wield a sword at will.

    He found himself defeating, albeit hand-to-hand, the most powerful wizard in the kingdom, and taking his place.

    Yuto''s rapid progress continues.

    He succeeded in wiping out the hordes of monsters that had plagued the Kingdom of Orkney for years and had led to the summoning of the heroes.

    Of course, it was not the work of the heroes alone, but the entire nation, including wizards, knights, court magicians, and the support of the church forces.

    But it was the bravest of them all.

    He defeated strong individuals of monsters that even the strongest of the former great powers could not defeat, entered the dungeons that produced an inexhaustible supply of monsters, and succeeded in destroying the nucleus.

    With this, all that remained was to defeat the monsters.

    And as a result of the combined efforts of so many people, the monster threat was successfully eliminated.

    The brave man who played a great role in this battle was not satisfied with the name of the strongest wizard in the kingdom, but became known as the Brave Man of the Kingdom of Orkney.

    He was praised by the people around him, and he felt a sense of fulfillment that he could not have experienced in Japan.

    --But there is no end to human desire.

    Yuto wanted to be admired more by those around him. He wanted to be recognized and sought after. At the same time, he wanted to know how strong he was.

    The stronger he was, the more everyone would admire him out loud.

    Yuto asked the princess to test his strength to see how far he could go in this world.

    The princess, who was strangely open to any request, agreed to his request and arranged for him to fight against court wizards, knights, and adventurers of great wisdom from other lands.

    The battles were not easy, but all were won. I found myself the strongest on the continent.

    --It was a great feeling.

    Swords and magic did not exist in Japan, or even on earth.

    The moment you fight a monster or a strong man, it makes you feel alive.

    There was no resistance to take human life.

    If you don''t kill, you will be killed. I am not going to whine about it.

    Fulfilled with his power and recognized by many, the brave wanted to move on.

    Perhaps because of his increased energy, he was able to speak openly with women whom he could not speak to before.

    It was a proof of his self-confidence.

    He was also comfortable with the fact that women were flattering him.

    With his self-confidence boosted, Yuto confessed his feelings to the princess, whom he had been in love with for a long time, and their bodies and hearts were united.

    However, his euphoria was short-lived.

    Yuto wanted the next one.

    He discovered the beauty of women and began to fall in love with them one after another.

    A noble lady knight with a fianc¨¦e, a duchess, and a bewitching married woman all showed their love for him as if they were rubbing their eyes on him, and accepted him with open arms.

    It went on and on, and then I realized...

    --I must have the magical eye of fascination.

    Laughing like the protagonist of a harem manga, I began to use charm intentionally, unlike before.

    Once you learn how to use it, nothing is easier. After all, he can make eye contact with a woman and she is his.

    Yuto began to make his moves on his favorite women at random.

    Of course, there were those who complained about such a life of debauchery.

    But he does as he pleases, charming the women and ignoring the men. I was satisfied with my sense of superiority, thinking that the men who complained were just backbiting me.

    In the end, he even made a move on the queen and felt like a king of a kingdom.

    Hayato Hayama, a person from another world, laughs.

    This world belongs to me. I am the hero, and this world was prepared for me!

    The overzealous boy can no longer think only in his own favor.

    And his desires go beyond his own country.

    His desire to own a princess, a nobleman, or a famous woman of another country became stronger.

    "I heard that the princess of the Sky Kingdom is as white and beautiful as snow. ...... I''m looking forward to meeting her. How shall I play with her?"

    He was no longer the boy he had been when he was summoned.

    He had become a snob, covered in greed.

 264 - - 14 In the case of Kaoko Kirishima, a different world person â‘ 

    Saint Kaoruko Kirishima was lying on her bed and sighing heavily in a room of a church in the capital of the Orkney Kingdom, which protects her.

    "I don''t want to go to the Kingdom of Skye.

    Kaoruko, an ordinary high school girl, was suddenly summoned to another world, and came to this world.

    A beautiful girl claiming to be a princess asked her to fight against monsters, but there was no way a high school girl could do such a thing.

    There was a boy from my hometown who was sniffing around enthusiastically, but that was no good. I knew right away that they were just intoxicated by the situation of summoning a brave man.

    Kaoruko reads light novels and plays smartphone games. She likes boys'' manga more than girls'' manga.

    I don''t know if I should say it was because of that, but I immediately understood that this was a summoning of a hero, which is common in otherworldly stories.

    I sighed to myself. I honestly wanted to cry.

    To tell the truth, this kind of thing is fun because it is creative.

    Who would fight against monsters with swords and magic in a world without cell phones and the Internet?

    I don''t need fantasy. Give me the password to the Wi-Fi instead.

    Unfortunately, Kaoruko''s lament was not heard.

    A boy named Hayato Hayama said out loud, "I''ll fight for my country! I''m not going to be able to do it.

    Kaoruko''s voice saying "Give me a break!" was muffled by the joyful voice of the princess and many others.

    Fortunately, Kaoruko did not have the strength to fight.

    Instead, she was found to possess powerful magical powers and a talent for restoration magic.

    Since the person who had summoned Kaoruko had to stay behind to attend to Yuto, Kaoruko was left in the care of the church.

    Kaoruko, who was angry at the princess for not providing aftercare, was greeted by Sister Claire, who became her caretaker, and other people belonging to the church.

    They were sympathetic to Kaoruko and sympathized with her, saying, "It''s hard to be separated from your family.

    That day, Kaoruko cried because she longed to return home and to eat her mother''s food.

    The next day, Sister Claire, who saw Kaoruko with slightly swollen eyes and understood her situation, prepared a meal for her and asked her about this world.

    Yuto did not seem to mind, but when Kaoruko asked him to return to Japan, Sister Claire told her apologetically, "I''m sorry, but it''s a one-way street.

    I will never forget how salty the soup tasted.

    Kaoruko, who had decided to permanently live in another world, became desperate, and in order not to die, she learned recovery magic with great enthusiasm.

    She learned the basics of magic, and then advanced to beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels of restoration magic.

    It seems that no one can use the highest level of resuscitation of the dead, and Kaoruko was no exception, but with the advanced restoration magic she learned, she could at least revive a missing part.

    She was also praised for her skill in making potions.

    As she learned recovery magic, she interacted with knights and wizards she met in the process of learning it, and with people in the royal capital who were injured or sick, and somehow adapted to life in another world.

    At first I thought that I didn''t want to live in such a world where the food is not so good and there is no entertainment, but it seems that the adaptability of human beings is more amazing than I imagined, and now I am fine with it.

    While Kaoruko was working hard like that, Yuto had become the most powerful wizard in the kingdom.

    "What is he doing?

    Needless to say, I couldn''t help but say it.

    The hero is sent to defeat a monster that has plagued the kingdom for many years, and the people he meets are also sent into the battle.

    Kaoruko felt that it was heartless to just watch from the safety of the royal capital, so she and the sisters joined the battle as logistical support.

    The battle was terrible.

    In the end, Yuto seemed to have solved everything, but in the meantime, many wounded people were brought in.

    By the time the battle was over, countless wounded had been treated.

    Kaoruko had cured at least all the wounded who came to her without letting any of them die.

    However, even though she had a huge amount of magic power, she would run out of magic power if she did something she was not used to doing, and her body and mind would become exhausted.

    Kaoruko reached her limit and collapsed.

    However, a faint smile appeared on her lips as she said that she had done all she could do.

    --And when Kaoruko woke up a few days later, she had somehow become a saint.

 265 - - 15 "In the case of Kaoko Kirishima, a foreigner" éœ§

    For some reason, Kaoruko has been worshipped more and more, but what she does remains the same.

    She heals patients at the church and makes potions in her spare time. She gets paid, eats good food, and drinks alcohol.

    But the patients started to thank me with tears in their eyes when I healed them, and when I went out to eat, I was served fine food that I didn''t ask for.

    No, it is not. It''s not like that. Normal is fine. I want to be treated normally.

    However, there is no way I can complain since they are doing it out of the goodness of their hearts, so I have decided to return the favors of the people of King''s Landing with my normal behavior.

    Kaoruko, however, has a small dream.

    Even if it is decided that she will live permanently in another world, or even more so if it is decided, she would like to meet a wonderful person, fall in love, get married, and have a boy and a girl child someday.

    Thankfully, or rather, naturally, I have a guarantee for my life in addition to my salary.

    Thanks to this, I do not have to worry about the marriage fund.

    The question is whether I have a partner or not.

    As a matter of fact, Kaoruko has a marriage proposal. And it is from a nobleman.

    The kingdom says it is a good match, but the knights and wizards I know are indifferent to it, so I have turned down the nobleman''s offer.

    The kingdom probably expects me to bequeath to the next generation the healing magic that makes me a saint, and they probably want me to be as happy as anyone else because of the guilt of summoning me without their consent, but then they should leave me alone in terms of romance.

    A loved one is not something that is prepared for you. You have to find it by yourself.

    Fortunately, I have many acquaintances. Even before I became a saint, I have been invited to tea and dinner.

    I will work steadily and steadily. I thought it would be better for both work and love.

    One day, while she was leading a simple life despite being called a saint, Kaoruko heard that Hayama Yuto, who was from her hometown and had become known as a brave man, had tied the knot with a princess.

    What is he doing, she thought.

    Thinking back, I had only exchanged a few words with Hayato.

    I had avoided getting involved with him at parties and other events, only saying hello to him because I didn''t like the way he looked at me from top to bottom.

    Perhaps because they understood my feelings, or perhaps because they had heard bad rumors about Yuto, the knights I had befriended through my treatment had become my walls.

    Yuto was also getting on his high horse as the strongest on the continent, but he seemed to be intimidated in front of the big knights and immediately ran away from them. It was really pathetic.

    Soon after that, the women around Yuto gathered around him like insects swarming around honey, and they started to complain about him.

    Then, for some reason, Yuto makes a smug face.

    It was ridiculous, so I stopped dealing with them. It is best to leave these kinds of things alone.

    So I stayed out of it, but in the meantime, it seems that Yuto was continuing his rapid progress.

    Starting with the princess, he has touched a princess knight, a duchess, an enchanting married wizard, and finally the queen.

    Except for the princess, all of them have a fianc¨¦e, a lover, or a husband.

    When I heard the story, I thought they had a taste for cuckoldry.

    I''m not sure if it''s a good thing or not, but it seems that the first queen of Orkney is not on good terms with the king and they don''t see each other except in public. It is said that the young third queen is the one who is favored by the king.

    It would have been bad if Yuto had made a move on the third queen, but since she is the first queen, he seems to have been let off the hook.

    Yuto got carried away by the favor and built up his harem.

    And now he is trying to extend his appetite outside of the country.

    I don''t know what is so attractive about him.

    Maybe it''s because otherworldly people are more popular with dark-skinned guys like him, but he''s not popular with anyone but the ladies.

    I really wish he would refrain from acting and behaving like an idiot, because I am not comfortable with the idea that all otherworldly people are like that.

    "I don''t want to go to the Sky Kingdom. I''m sure there will be trouble.

    In a few days, Kaoruko and her friends are scheduled to visit our ally, the Kingdom of Sky. Of course, one of the members of the group will be Yuto.

    The meeting is supposed to be a countermeasure meeting against a dangerous family called Najaria''s people, but in reality it is just a show of power between the countries.

    Then why wouldn''t they take Yuto along?

    "That idiot thinks he''s the hero, and the women around him take advantage of him because he pampers them. ...... Yeah, there''ll be trouble. It''s definitely going to be a problem."

    I have only heard rumors from acquaintances, but it seems that Yuto is up to something.

    It''s bound to be something stupid.

    The harem members are fighting over who will go with Sky Kingdom, and there''s even a duel going on. It''s all rather silly.

    As for Kaoruko, she would prefer to lead a low profile life as usual instead of participating in the social gathering where there would surely be some trouble, but she can''t refuse the king''s request to accompany her.

    "Oh, I don''t want to go to Sky Kingdom!¡¡I''d rather be relaxing in the church making potions!"

    Kaoruko wondered if someone would be so kind as to blow away Yuto, who was in such a good mood.

 266 - - 16 "It is the plan of the people of Najaria."

    A small, hidden settlement on the remote fringes of the Kingdom of Skye.

    A tribe called the People of Najaria lived there.

    They are a dangerous people who are trying to take the Kingdom of Skye. Their threat is that they are skilled in magic and that they do not mind breaking the taboo of eating people.

    More than once, plans have been made to wipe out the people of Najaria.

    But we have not been able to find their villages, which are surrounded by wards.

    Then, it was thought to defeat them steadily when they went out of the settlements, but those who went out of the settlements were strong without exception, and in many cases they were defeated in return.

    Up to now, only a few people have been able to fight the people of Najaria on an equal footing.

    In other words, the people of Najaria are strong.

    A man was summoned to the house of the chief of the people of Najaria.

    "You wanted to see me, chief?"

    "Oh, you''ve come, Anan."

    The man called "Anan" was a man in his mid-thirties.

    He was a tall, well-trained, muscular man with white clothes and short-cropped hair, giving the impression of a warrior.

    His ears, nose, and lips were adorned with gold earrings.

    Among the people of Najaria, only those of high rank are allowed to wear goldsmith''s ornaments.

    Most of the goldsmith''s work was looted, but it was a sign of strength and honor to wear what one had taken.

    "I heard that, chief. I heard that Yarl''s bastard failed in his mission."

    "It''s not a failure, but it''s not a success either."

    That''s called a failure. So, is it my turn?

    The chief nodded to Anan, his eyes shining with anticipation.

    "Yes, Anan. It''s your turn.

    "Hey!¡¡I''m looking forward to it since I haven''t been on the rampage lately!¡¡So, what''s this? Are we about to invade and destroy the Kingdom of Skye?

    Not yet. The trouble is, there''s a wizard out there that we can''t compete with right now.

    "Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey! Aside from the weak Yarl, I don''t think the chief and I have any enemies.

    I hope so.

    "So I should just go kill the wizard?"

    No, no, no. I don''t doubt Annan''s power, but I need you to do something for me first."

    "Oh?¡¡What do you want me to do?"

    "--capture the otherworldly."

    "Heh."

    The word "otherworldly" aroused Annan''s interest and anticipation.

    "Did you know that about six months ago, otherworldly people appeared in the Kingdom of Orkney?"

    "Yes. I had just run amok in the dungeon to destroy that country, and now, well, the otherworldly people have done it. So what are you going to do with them?¡¡Are you going to kill me?"

    Anand knows that otherworldly beings are exceptionally powerful.

    That d*mned hero was an otherworldly being.

    "As much as I would like to, the otherworlders are interesting. They say their lands are very prosperous. And yet, they say that magic does not exist. Wouldn''t you like to know more about their world?"

    "What a bore. You don''t catch them, eat them, and kill them, do you?

    "Well, don''t say that. And I have an interesting story to tell you. Apparently, this otherworldly person has a magic eye.

    "-..."

    "Anand, you like to collect magic eyes, don''t you?"

    At the chief''s words, Anan''s lips lifted.

    "That''s my chief!¡¡You know exactly what I like!"

    Annan likes to go after people who have a magic eye.

    He wants the magic eye so badly.

    Therefore, he attacks them and eats one of their eyes. And he likes to keep the other eye for safekeeping.

    Originally, Anan had a longing to be a magic eye bearer, but in this world, people with a magic eye are much less common than children born with magic power.

    Therefore, Anan tries to obtain a magic eye by eating those who possess it, but so far he has not been able to obtain one.

    There is no way that Anan will be able to resist hearing that there are otherworldly people who possess a magic eye.

    He could not get the magic eye by eating the demon eye holders in this world, but he might be able to get the magic eye from the other world people. Such is the thought that comes to my mind.

    "Fine, I''ll kidnap that otherworldly person myself. But I''ll take the magic eye, okay?"

    "Fine. It doesn''t matter if you can''t see, as long as you can talk. But be careful."

    "Huh?"

    "Apparently, the otherworldly boy has something that makes the people around him fall in love with him. I''m guessing it''s a magic eye, but I''m not sure. Sorry to get your hopes up."

    "No, it''s a magic eye. Probably a charmer''s eye. Well, I don''t mean to tell you this, but it''s a little tough for a kid to have."

    The charmed eye has the ability to twist the will of the opponent and enchant him, depending on the strength of the charmed eye.

    It is said to give pseudo-emotions or brainwash people, but it is not actually known.

    But what is certain is that you can make any person fall in love with you by using the charmed eye.

    "I have a few charmed eyes in my collection, but an otherworldly charmed eye is different. Heh, I''m looking forward to it."

    "Oh yeah, if that boy is too much for you, there is another otherworldly person who can help you.

    "Oh?¡¡The Kingdom of Orkney has two otherworldly people!"

    "That one is a saint. She''s good at healing magic and has a lot of magic power.

    "Nice. I guess we''ll have to fight over the meat. Well, I don''t want it.

    "The old men believe that eating a restorative wizard will increase your life expectancy. Well, that''s all right. They''re only quiet while they eat."

    One of the taboos is that eating a restorative wizard is supposed to increase one''s life span.

    In the people of Najaria, especially the old men who belong to the Elders'' Council, they desire restorative wizards in order to prolong their life span which is nearing its end.

    So, where am I supposed to go?"

    "--Sky Kingdom, King''s Landing."

    "Oh, the land of our dreams!"

    Annan was truly happy to be going to the capital of the Kingdom of Skye, a place he had never set foot in before.

    "In a few days, there will be a meeting between the Orkney and Skye kingdoms. If there are any opportunities there, I''ll be counting on you.

    I''ll take care of it!"

    Afterwards, Anan, who had given a status report through chatting and laughing, left the chief''s house.

    The chief, left alone, meditates on the future.

    "Well, well, I''m not interested in otherworldly people, but other worlds are interesting. It would be interesting to cross over to the other side as a new land after we eventually conquer the Sky Kingdom.

    It is the old men of the Elders'' Association who are calling for the recapture of the Kingdom of Skye.

    The present generation, including the chief, is also aiming at the Sky Kingdom, but with a different purpose from those old men who talk delusions.

    I will take the Kingdom of Skye. Until then, please wait. --Our father.

    The chief faces the void and prays.

    Then, he ponders his thoughts to fulfill his purpose.

 267 - - 17 "This is the beginning of the exchange meeting" â‘ 

    The exchange meeting between the Kingdom of Skye and the Kingdom of Orkney began when summer was in full swing and the weather was dreary and hot.

    The day before the meeting, the king and his entourage of the Orkney Kingdom had visited the capital of Skye to hold a meeting about the people of Najaria during the daytime, and the rest of the Orkney Kingdom had gone to the castle town.

    And at night.

    A large party began in the halls of the palace to deepen the exchange between the two countries.

    The king and queen, princes and princesses of the two countries were the main participants, along with the nobles in the royal city.

    Sam also attended this party, leading Liese and her friends, each of whom was dressed in a dress.

    Only Stella, the princess, could not be with them because she was with the king.

    She is disappointed, but she has promised to go on a date with him at a later date, and she will be able to meet up with him later so they can have fun together.

    When Sam entered the hall, many eyes were focused on him.

    No wonder. He is not only the youngest court wizard, but also the most powerful in the kingdom, both in name and reality.

    Moreover, some of the nobles knew that Sam was the son of the king''s brother.

    Some nobles want to get close to Sam, the first princess'' fianc¨¦e, and others want to force his daughter into marriage.

    There is also the attention of the ladies.

    Although he has many fianc¨¦es, Sam is still a prime candidate.

    He is well liked by the king, and has the company of the dukes. His fianc¨¦es are all countesses.

    Some women try to approach him without hiding their ulterior motives, thinking that they would benefit greatly from being discovered by him, but all such people flee when their fianc¨¦es glare at them.

    Some of the gazes are complicated by a mixture of male envy and jealousy.

    It is because of the women Sam has with him.

    First, there is Lieselotte Walker, walking arm in arm with Sam and being cared for.

    She is Sam''s favorite and carries his child in her belly. She is the sister of Sam''s mentor, Ulrike Scheidt Walker, with whom she is deeply connected.

    She was dressed in a white dress and a light blue stole, showing off her beautiful and well-styled body.

    Following Lise was Purple Lotus.

    She is the granddaughter of the first seat of the court magician, Murasaki Karen, and excels in recovery magic and combat. Although a bit belligerent and slow-paced, her well-trained limbs are long, supple, and beautiful.

    Some men gasped at the sight of her walking around showing off such attractive legs through her white dress with a large embroidered slit.

    It is a charming fact that she already has a plate of food in her hand.

    Next up was Mizuki Amamiya.

    She is the daughter of the former sword master Amamiya Kurando, and is the head master of the Amamiya-style sword dojo.

    Wearing a kimono, the costume of the Land of the Rising Sun, she is dainty, though not revealing.

    Her black hair, which is rarely seen in the Kingdom of Skye, looked good against the flower-patterned kimono.

    And it was Alicia Walker who was the center of attention today.

    She was wearing a white dress just like her sister, but she looked very different.

    If the older sister is beautiful, the younger sister is just adorable.

    Alicia''s dress with a fluffy skirt enhances her cuteness.

    She is also famous for her friendship with the child of the dragon that once tried to attack King''s Landing.

    Her aggressive flying on a baby dragon is well-known to most of the residents of King''s Landing.

    In a sense, she is feared to be more powerful than Sam, but she is only a friend to him.

    The kind-hearted Alicia is liked not only by the cubs but also by her parents, the burning dragons. It is secretly rumored that if anything should happen to her, King''s Landing would be destroyed.

    And Princess Stella Isle Sky is also Sam''s fianc¨¦e, albeit at a distance.

    Wearing a dark blue dress only royalty are allowed to wear, Stella looked fantastically beautiful with her white skin and white hair.

    The nobles, who usually talked about her behind her back, were so impressed by her beauty. Some of the men even regretted that they should have approached her even if they had to cheat to get close to her.

    Samyeel Scheidt is the one who is loved by all of these beautiful girls.

    It is no wonder that they look at her with envy and jealousy.

    Women look at Sam covetously. The men looked at Sam with envy.

 268 - - 18 äº¤æµThis is the beginning of the exchange meeting ã® â‘¡

    After greeting their acquaintances, they have to greet each other at their respective homes, and the fianc¨¦es join their families to greet each other again.

    Sam is left alone and wonders what to do.

    He can''t drink yet, and he could eat, but he is not that hungry.

    (I don''t know what to do, it might be a little difficult to be alone in a place like this.)

    Acquaintances are busy greeting and chatting.

    Even G¨¹nther is smiling at the nobles who came to greet him with their families.

    Some people are surprised to see Cree casually standing next to them, and a few women are envious of him.

    (Oops, finally, the otherworldly people are here...)

    As Sam, who was a bit bored, leaned his back against the wall and crossed his arms, a brave man from the Kingdom of Orkney appeared with his girlfriend.

    All eyes, not only Sam''s, are on them.

    (As I recall, it was Hayato Hayama and Kaoruko Kirishima.)

    A boy enters the hall with his chest out, wearing a stern white garment decorated with gold ornaments. Perhaps it was the military-like design of his clothes, but he looked out of place against the thin boy.

    (Is this Hayato Hayama? He has a lot of magical power. (He is Hayama Hayato, I see. He has quite a bit of magic power, but not that much different from mine. The power in question is, well, hard to tell at a glance. But still, he''s the strongest on the continent?)

    Hayato Hayama was a teenage boy who looked more mature than a typical high school student.

    His black hair was brushed up and set in an unfamiliar style, as were his clothes.

    However, I could see that he was full of confidence.

    Sam does not know what kind of life he used to have in Japan, but at least Hayama Hayato seems to be satisfied with his current situation.

    He is surrounded by a variety of beautiful girls and women.

    From princess-like girls to bewitching older women, they were all so attractive that the men in the hall could hardly breathe a sigh of relief.

    £¨Amazing. (Amazing...you were summoned to a different world, called a brave man, and even created a harem...) I''m impressed that even temples are so beautifully done. ...... Well, it''s not for me to say.)

    I can''t speak for Sam either.

    He was reborn, raised by a genius master, and now he is the youngest court magician and has five fianc¨¦es.

    He had had enough of the other world.

    "-- Hmm?"

    One step away from Hayato Hayama and the women surrounding him, there was another girl who appeared to be Japanese.

    She was dressed in what looked like a church sister, a white robe with gold embroidery and a sober, party-ready look.

    Such a girl was distorting her well-groomed appearance as if she was fed up with it.

    £¨That girl is probably Kaoruko Kirishima. (That girl is probably Kaoruko Kirishima. She is noticeably low in spirits, by the way).

    The difference in temperature between the brave men and women is too great.

    I found myself looking at the women who were competing with each other to be escorted by Yuto, without regard to their surroundings, with a subzero level of arousal in their eyes.

    (I guess Kaoruko Kirishima is not Hayato Hayama''s harem. Oh, really?)

    The Queen of Orkney got up from her seat and took Yuto''s arm.

    She intertwined her arms with his and pulled him close to her, and then she went back to Clyde and the others.

    She probably intended to introduce Clyde to the heroes of her country.

    But the distance between them is too close.

    Sam hears, "Oh, the queen has run away! I decided not to listen to it.

    Clyde looks a little puzzled when he is introduced to the hero, and the King of Orkney looks bitter, but I pretend I didn''t see them.

    When I looked away, my eyes met Kaoruko''s unexpectedly.

    (Oops, what should I do? (Oops, what should I do? Should I just say hello?)

    Sam bailed out to Kaoruko, and she bailed back.

    (I''m not hiding the fact that I''m a reincarnated person, but it would be strange to talk to her. (I''m not hiding the fact that I''m a reincarnated person, but it would be strange to talk to her.)

    Sam had never dared to mention that he was a reincarnated person because he had never had to before, and because he thought it would not be well understood and would confuse people.

    But if she had asked me, "Are you a reincarnated person? I would affirm it.

    However, since he looks like a resident of our world, he would not be recognized as a reincarnated person.

    (Aside from Kaoruko Kirishima, if Hayato Hayama found out that I am a reincarnated person, I think there would be trouble.)

    I am terribly prejudiced, but I do not think that the existence of a reincarnated person would be very interesting to a boy who is enjoying another world.

    Sam decided to be considerate and keep quiet.

    It is not that he is not interested in boys and girls who have been summoned to another world, and above all, he has his own thoughts about the existence of Hayama Hayato, who is said to be the strongest on the continent.

    But from Sam''s point of view, he wonders if Hayama Hayato is that strong.

    (I wonder if he really has the strength to claim to be the strongest on the continent, but seeing him playing love-comedy to such an extent ......, I don''t want to get involved).

    Women vie for Yuto in front of the two kings.

    It was not my imagination that the queen was among them.

    I was a bit nervous about the queen''s presence in front of the king, but the king of Orkney just looked depressed.

    Clyde looked puzzled, as if he didn''t know what to do, but Sam decided to keep his distance.

    The men of the Kingdom of Skye, who at first had looked at Hayato Hayama with envy, now gave white eyes to the somewhat less polite women of the Orkney Kingdom.

    £¨I''m a little curious about Kaoruko Kirishima, but I think it''s best if you don''t get involved with either of them. They''re not going to cause any big problems.)

    He turns his back on the Japanese as if he has had enough.

    And then..,

    "Hey, Sam."

    A familiar voice called my name.

 269 - - 19 "This is the beginning of the exchange meeting." â‘¢

    Sam turned around and saw Delight Sinatra and Francesca, a father and son he had not seen in a long time.

    "Mr. Delight!¡¡Lady Fran!"

    "Long time no see, Sam."

    "It''s been a while, Sam. How have you been?"

    An unusually clean-cut Delight, with his usually shaggy blue hair carefully brushed back and his stubble clean shaven.

    Fran, an intelligent beauty with silver-rimmed glasses and blue hair cut back around her chin, was smiling.

    "I''ve been fine. I''m the one who should be asking you. I was worried because you two haven''t been seen for a long time.

    "Well, you know, I''ve been busy with everything."

    "Huh?"

    Sam noticed that Delight was wearing a blue coat just like his own.

    Although the details were different, he was wearing a blue coat, which only court wizards are allowed to wear, over his gray suit.

    Sam remembered that Jonathan had told him that Delight had been restored to the position of court wizard.

    "--Congratulations on your return to the position of Court Wizard."

    "Oh, yeah, thanks. I''m kind of embarrassed when you say that. Well, you know... His Majesty personally asked me to return as a court wizard. I can''t say no."

    "That''s what he says, but my father was pleased."

    "Shut up, Fran!¡¡You ought to pay a little more attention to your father. At least make him look cool in front of Sam."

    "Oh, I''m sure it''s a little late for that, since your father has shown his pathetic face to Sam so many times."

    "Ha-ha-ha, we are as close as ever."

    I haven''t seen Delight and Fran interact with each other in a while, and it makes my cheeks loose.

    "I have agreed to return to the court wizardry, but my pride won''t allow me to remain weaker than Albert''s bastard. That''s why I''ve been training in the dungeon for a while now.

    I''ve had a lot of trouble with them.

    "Ha-ha-ha, thank you for your hard work. --So, how''s it going?

    Delight laughed in satisfaction at Sam''s question. Perhaps he was satisfied with the results.

    Delight Sinatra is an excellent wizard who was once the most powerful man in the kingdom.

    He is skilled in technique and, although he is a wizard, he is also skilled in the physical arts. His signature sword, the flaming sword, has burned down many of his enemies.

    However, as he himself admits, his firepower is not quite there yet.

    Like his apprentice Ur and his grandson Sam, he has not been able to produce the firepower that he is known for. This was a weakness of Delight.

    Of course, he is a wizard whose skills in other areas are superior enough to compensate for his lack of firepower, but unfortunately, he was defeated by Albert Frege in terms of firepower and passed him the title of the most powerful wizard.

    If such a Delight has been confined in the dungeon and has acquired firepower, he has acquired considerable power.

    Sam cannot afford to be complacent.

    He has been fighting a lot lately, but he has not been able to improve himself.

    He has decided to follow Delight''s example and become more eager for magic.

    "But more importantly, Sam!¡¡While I was in the dungeon for a while, you got engaged to Liese, and now you''re pregnant!

    "Ah, hahahaha, many things have happened."

    "What''s going on with Alicia, Princess Stella, Lady Karen Murasaki and Mizuki Amamiya, who are also engaged!"

    "Really, a lot has happened."

    "Of course!¡¡Moreover, I feel like the world has changed while I was diving in the dungeon, like I destroyed that abominable Julien Michel with his whole house, or like I defeated the Sword Saint Amemiya Kurando-sama and am really the strongest in the kingdom!"

    Sam can only laugh at Fran''s excitement.

    Sam, too, had been taking care of the events that had happened to him one by one, and this is what happened to him.

    He was happy to be with his lovely fianc¨¦es, but there were so many things that had happened to him.

    "I know it won''t be possible today, but you and Liese can explain all this to me at your leisure next time.

    "Yes, sir."

    "Don''t blame Sam just because Alicia, not to mention Lise, beat you to it!"

    I didn''t hit you!

    "Yes, Sam. You can have him. One more won''t make a difference. I''ll be able to send him off in peace with you.

    "Oh, God, Father!¡¡What a thing to say to Mr. Sam!¡¡--Oh, no, it''s not that I don''t like you, Sam. It''s just that I don''t like the way things are going."

    Delight recommends his daughter as a bride, and Fran is not amused.

    Sam is at a loss as to how to respond and can only laugh.

    "You''re making a lot of noise. I''m glad you''re enjoying yourself.

    "--King."

    While I was chatting with the Delights, His Majesty King Clyde, who was supposed to be with the King of Orkney, approached me with a smile.

    Sam and the others hurriedly put their hands on their chests, bent at the waist, and bowed deeply.

 270 - - 20 "This is the beginning of the exchange meeting" â‘£

    "Good, make yourself comfortable. There''s no need to be so formal.

    "--Yes."

    Sam and the others look up at Clyde''s words.

    Sam and Delight had met Clyde many times before, so they did not need to be unnecessarily nervous, but Fran was not so sure, and stiffened nervously.

    "Well, I don''t know if I should be the one to say this, but a party like this is exhausting," said Sam. I wish I could just relax in my room and have a cup of coffee.

    "Your Majesty, that''s not possible..."

    I know, Delight. I''m just saying."

    Sam spoke to Clyde, who was smiling but looking somewhat tired.

    "I understand how you feel. I''m not very good at this kind of thing myself. But that was great earlier, wasn''t it? I wonder if the brave men of the Orkney Kingdom are usually like that.

    "...... Huh. That was really great. I never thought I''d see women fighting over men in front of the kings of both countries, and even the first queen of Orkney. ...... I don''t know what to say, I''m at a loss for words."

    "Right, right. He''s from another world, isn''t he?

    "Yes, this is Hayato Hayama, a brave warrior from the Kingdom of Orkney, and an otherworldly man who claims to be the strongest man on the continent."

    Clyde''s affirmation showed that Sam''s guess was correct.

    £¨That''s a brave man. That''s the most powerful man on the continent. ...... It''s a pity.)

    The title of the most powerful man on the continent must be crying out for a man who has obviously been messing around with the women around him but seems to have taken no responsibility for his actions.

    How is he going to take responsibility for his actions with the queen in the first place?

    It may be a temporary fling, but the way the Queen of Orkney looked at Yuto, she was serious.

    It would not be enough to say that it was just for fun.

    "...... He''s still flirting with a woman. I mean, is that okay?

    "I don''t care. It''s always the same, apparently. Lord Wiik was saddened."

    "Huh,...... if that''s fine with His Majesty the King next door, I''m not going to do anything about it,...... but it''s not very nice."

    Vik is Vik Orkney, the king of the neighboring kingdom.

    Delight looked at the women who were having a lovers'' quarrel with Hayato Hayama and made a disgusted face.

    Fran, though she doesn''t say it out loud, looks at him with the same disdain.

    Not only the two of them, but many other guests were watching the behavior of Hayato Hayama and his women.

    Some of them were making drinks, some of them were laughing, and some of them were looking at the women who were about to fight with each other with incredulity.

    "They are already the stars of the party, aren''t they? For better or worse."

    "I agree. I don''t think there''s any point in staying here if it comes to this. I think it''s time for me to leave.

    Ha-ha-ha, I know how you feel. Then, Sam, you and I will escape and go to the castle town.¡¡Oops, I''d better not do that, or I''d be mistaken for a second G¨¹nther.

    Even the king would not do such a thing.

    I''m sorry. I''m sorry.

    Sam is being teased by the king, and Delight and Fran look at him with interest.

    "Well, you have that G¨¹nther Ignaz as your wife, don''t you? You must be a very sick man to take a man as your wife.

    "Kyou, I''m not interested, but if you want to talk about it, Sam, I can get the details. I wonder what he does at night."

    "...... Dear Mr. Delight, even Fran."

    Lately, every time I see someone, they ask me about G¨¹nther.

    It''s the same at this party.

    Every nobleman I meet is curious about my relationship with G¨¹nther.

    Usually, the topic of conversation would be about his multiple fianc¨¦es or Lise''s pregnancy, but it never turns out that way.

    It seems that G¨¹nther is popular in King''s Landing, for better or worse.

    To top it all off, there was even a man who suggested to have a son as the youngest of her fianc¨¦es. Not a daughter, but a son. And half of the nobles who had offered him children had offered him sons.

    Because of G¨¹nther, it was possible that Sam was thought to have "a taste for the pleasure of taking men as wives.

    "Don''t say too much. G¨¹nther is getting more mature these days, thanks to his lovely fianc¨¦e. That''s worrisome in its own way, but it''s good to see a troubled boy being quiet. By the way, Delight, are you enjoying your first gala in a while?"

    "Huh?¡¡Oh, yes. It''s just a bit of a hassle. I''m just happy to have a good drink."

    "Keep it in moderation. I don''t think you''ll have a problem with Fran, but make sure you make the proper rounds."

    "...... I''m not a child, I know."

    "Fran, you will support your father."

    Yes, I will take good care of my father.

    "Mm. --But I''m relieved to see that Delight is still the same. I knew you had to be this way. It''s not like you to stay in the house.

    "Well, forget about that."

    Ha-ha-ha, I can''t do it. By the way, how did your dungeon dive turn out?¡¡I hear you''ve come back with a good deal of power. I have always had faith in you and high expectations of you, and that will never change. I hope you will continue to do your best for me and for your country.

    Delight put his hands on his chest and bowed at the waist.

    "Thank you for your kind words. I pledge my allegiance to Your Majesty and to this country with all my heart."

    "-- Mm."

    Delight looked up and said, "I''ve done a terrible thing," smiling bitterly, and Clyde joined him in smiling.

    It was as if they were friends.

    Perhaps Delight, who had served his country as a court wizard for many years, had a close relationship with the king.

    "Well, I must be getting back. I have left my wife and son to deal with the kings of Vik, but as king, I cannot take too much time to relax. I should have introduced Sam to my wife and son. He will be Stella''s mother and brother, so he will be no stranger to you. But I haven''t had a chance to do so. I will make time for you before the wedding, so please wait for me."

    "I look forward to it."

    "Mm. By the way, Sam.

    Yes?

    "Do you have a minute?¡¡There''s someone I''d like you to leave the party and meet."

    Yes, yes, that''s fine. Who is it?

    "--my mother."

    Uh, Empress Dowager?

    "Mm. That would be your grandmother.

    She is the mother of Clyde and his late brother Roig, so of course she must be Sam''s grandmother, but it doesn''t feel right to say that the queen mother is his grandmother.

    "...... Sam?¡¡Eh?¡¡What do you mean, "Oh, the Dowager Empress is my grandmother?"

    "Hey, Fran. You shut up. You can ask Lise later."

    "But, Father..."

    I don''t know nothing about that!

    "Oh, you didn''t know, did you? I say it here and now, some of you may be listening in on the conversation. You can ask one of the Countesses Walker or the Duke of Ignatz later. I don''t care who you are.

    Yes, it''s nothing to hide.

    "Oh, yeah, okay, I don''t know, but okay. I''ll ask anyway."

    The father and son, unaware of Sam''s royal blood, were puzzled.

    "So, Sam, what do you think?¡¡Will you meet my mother?"

    "Of course, we would be happy to see you."

    "--thank you. Let''s go."

    Sam and Clyde parted from Sinatra and his son, and quietly left the hall.

 271 - - 21 "Im going to meet my grandmother." â‘ 

    Sam and Clyde were walking through the living quarters of the palace.

    They entered a corner of the palace, which is different from the place where Stella lives, and is located on the outskirts of the palace.

    On the way, he passed several Kingsguard knights to prevent intruders.

    "Oh, by the way, this is Sam. The head of the Duke of Glen and his son and heir wish to meet with you. I suppose they want to see you because you''re kin, but they also want to get a good look at you."

    I''m afraid I don''t know how to judge you, sir.

    "You are a close blood relative of the Marquis of Glen. But until recently, he was unaware of your existence. Moreover, you are the most powerful court wizard in the kingdom. You do not know how to deal with him.

    "If it bothers you so much, I wouldn''t mind if you left it alone."

    My mother and grandmother have a reason to see me, and I would like to establish an amicable relationship with them.

    However, there is no end to the number of relatives we can reach out to.

    The Marquise de Glen is undoubtedly the family of my grandmother, the Dowager Empress, but I would prefer to leave them alone if I don''t know how to deal with them.

    It''s not that I don''t want to be involved, but I honestly felt that I didn''t have to get involved if it would bother me.

    "That''s not going to be the case. If you are not careful, you may end up having to give up your daughter in order to deepen your relationship with Sam.

    How is that possible?

    Of course it''s possible. The Marquise de Glenn has three daughters ranging in age from 20 to 10.

    "Do you really have to go that far to have a relationship with me?

    "You may not know much about it, Sam, but every family whose daughter is betrothed to you is envious, including the Earls of Walker. And the royal families, of course."

    "Well, why?"

    He wonders if there is any benefit to being engaged to her.

    Sam has never thought of Liese and her fianc¨¦es in terms of merits or demerits.

    Of course, some of them did not want to get engaged in the beginning, but now they are so close that he is glad to have had the chance to meet them.

    And they are all such good women that they make me feel that way.

    You should be more aware of your own worth. The most powerful court wizard in the kingdom - what if you could pass on your talent and magic to the next generation?¡¡You have the skills and the royal blood. I''m not terribly talented with a sword, but even with that, I''m sure you''d want me by the throat."

    Blood.

    "You''re not happy?"

    "No, I think it''s a good idea for an aristocrat to think that way."

    "Well, there are many houses that would like to take you in once you become a court wizard. It''s just that you had a connection with Count Walker before that. You can thank Jonathan for trying so hard to keep you out of trouble."

    "I will always be grateful to you, sir."

    Sam knows that you have been turning down offers of marriage and other offers of marriage behind the scenes.

    I can''t thank him enough for all the other things he has done for me.

    "However, I am sure that there will be no end to the offers of marriage in the future, no matter how hard Jonathan tries."

    "I already have five fianc¨¦es."

    Then, they will just say, "Then why don''t you just add one more? Oops, that makes six now that Fran is here. Then it is okay if there are seven or eight more.

    "I don''t care!¡¡Besides, I don''t want anyone to be left out because of the many engagements.

    Isn''t that up to you?"

    "Yes, but!¡¡Oh, and I don''t want a marriage that''s just a formality!¡¡I don''t want to live in a loveless marriage!"

    "......Sam really isn''t cut out to be an aristocrat. No, not really. Count Walker, Viscount Teeling, and Duke Ignatz had only one wife. Well, good. I like that serious side of you. Let Sam do what Sam wants. If it''s a bit of trouble, we''ll take care of it.

    "Thank you very much."

    "Good, Sam is my nephew before he is my son. You can count on me for anything.

    "Thank you for your help."

    Mm-hmm.

    Clyde nodded his head in satisfaction, pleased that his nephew and son-in-law, Sam, was relying on him.

    They continued this conversation until they reached the innermost part of the living quarters of the palace.

    "In the meantime, we have arrived at my mother''s room," said Clyde. I''m sorry, but this is as far as I go."

    "What?¡¡Am I to meet the Queen Mother alone?"

    I''m sorry. It''s what my mother wanted.

    I''m nervous about meeting Queen Mother Dowager alone.

    Even more so since I had never met my grandmother before.

    The queen mother is not much of a public figure.

    I have heard that she has stopped making public appearances in memory of the late king and her brother.

    "Well, I don''t think she''s a person you can meet easily..."

    "As for me, I am glad that my mother is meeting with you. She has been depressed since the loss of Lo?gue. She doesn''t see anyone much and her public appearances have decreased. There are even rumors that she is ill.

    "Is that so?"

    "From my point of view, he was a troublesome and troublesome little brother, but I guess that''s why he was so endearing to my mother. He even became depressed for a while. I think that''s why my mother misses him so much.

    "I hope they don''t think less of me."

    I am anxious that the presence of Sam, the unexpected son of the king''s brother, will not make him uncomfortable.

    (I hate to put it this way, but my mother is from a commoner''s background. If you ask me if he is a good match for the king''s brother, well, it''s hard for me to answer. I hope the Dowager Empress doesn''t feel bad about it.)

    "Don''t worry about that. My mother is concerned about your success. If she didn''t like you, she wouldn''t have wanted to see you in the first place."

    "I wish I could ....... Anyway, I''ll do my best not to be disliked."

    Tension grows as the meeting with Empress Dowager approaches.

    She is Stella''s grandmother before she is her grandmother.

    Sam''s honest feeling was that he didn''t want to be disliked or thought less of.

    "-Sam, take care of my mother."

    "Yes, sir."

    He nodded to Clyde and smiled contentedly.

    Then he called out to the Kingsguard standing guard over one of the rooms.

    "Thank you, sir. I''m here to see my mother. Let us pass."

    "--"

    The guard takes a step back and opens the door.

    Inside the room, an elderly maid is waiting.

    "Your Majesty Clyde, welcome."

    "I brought my mother to see Sam and Samuel Scheidt."

    "Yes. The queen mother already knows. Please, come in.

    Sam left Clyde and the old maid led him into the room where the queen mother was waiting.

 272 - - 22 "Ill meet my grandmother." â‘¡

    Sam stepped through two majestically crafted doors and bowed reverently on his knees on the blue carpet.

    "It''s nice to meet you. My name is Samuel Scheidt. It is an honor to meet you, Empress Dowager.

    Look up.

    "--"

    At the command of a calm, clear voice, Sam looked up.

    There is a table and two chairs by the window of the room.

    In one of the chairs sat an old woman in blue clothes, smiling.

    She must be in her mid-sixties. She had silver hair with a hint of gray, but with a tinge of blue, pulled back into a single bun.

    "I am Hazel Isle-Sky. Samuel Scheidt. ...... Come on in, come on in."

    "Yes."

    Sam stood up and stepped to her side as Dowager Queen Hazel wanted him to.

    Gently, she reaches out her thin arms and gently touches Sam''s cheeks.

    "-I see the face of my late son. He looks like him when he was a little boy. Even if I had not known in advance that you were my grandson, I would have recognized you as my son''s blood relative if I had seen you at first glance."

    "Well, Miss Hazel."

    If you don''t mind, you can call me Grandmother.

    "Are you sure?"

    Hazel smiled gently at Sam''s puzzled question.

    "Of course. You''re Lo?g''s son, you''re my grandson."

    "--Well, I don''t mean to be rude, but I''m not aware that I''m Master Roig''s son."

    The queen mother has accepted Sam without any unpleasant feelings.

    Yet, it is difficult for Sam to accept her as his grandmother.

    This is because he had never dreamed that Sam, who he had always thought was born to a baron in the middle of nowhere, was the son of the king''s brother.

    Hazel''s expression did not change when she heard Sam''s words. Rather, she nodded her head in agreement.

    "Of course. I heard that she left your mother before you were born. When I first heard about it, I was saddened. If you found someone you love, you should have done whatever it takes to hold on to him. Because you didn''t do that, he finally passed away without even knowing he had a son. It is a shame."

    Sam did not dare to say anything.

    "Even though Samuel may not consider Lo?gue to be his father, you are still Lo?gue''s son and my grandson."

    "Maybe."

    "...... Maybe you don''t think of your mother as a mother, just as you don''t think of Roig as a father?"

    "--that."

    I was right on the money.

    The only difference was that I would not be able to build a relationship with Roig in the future, whereas Melanie was different.

    Sam called Melanie his mother.

    He decided to build a parent-child relationship with her, even though he still did not truly believe she was his mother.

    "I heard you met your mother, how was that?"

    "I had a cute little sister."

    "Oh, ......, by the way, this will be Samuel''s first sibling."

    "Yes."

    "I know it''s none of my business, but I thought it was too early for you to meet your mother. It is not easy to accept the sudden revelation that the dead are alive. Moreover, I heard that you had no memory of your mother. Perhaps Liese and the others thought it would be good for you, but it was annoying, wasn''t it?"

    "No, I wouldn''t call it a nuisance. I appreciate your concern. And even if I couldn''t consider my mother as my mother, I was glad that the person who gave birth to me was still alive. I am glad to see her. I was able to call her my mother, though awkwardly."

    At first, I was not sure if I would meet my mother, and even if I did, I was not sure if I would recognize her as my mother.

    But thanks to my sister Clarice, I felt that I had a family by blood.

    I found myself calling Melanie my mother.

    It may be hard for me to accept her as my family yet, but I have no doubt that she is my mother. That much is certain.

    I just think it will take me a little longer to understand and accept it in my heart.

    "I''m sure you don''t recognize me as your grandmother either."

    "--that is..."

    That''s fine. I would have felt the same way if I were in your shoes. But even if you don''t accept me as your grandmother now, I hope that you will eventually accept me as your grandmother.

    "We will try."

    "Think of it this way. If you don''t think of me as your grandmother, you should think of me as your fiance''s grandmother.

    "What?"

    Hazel smiled at Sam, whose eyes widened in surprise.

    "That would make it easier for us to get to know each other, wouldn''t it?"

    "Yeah, yeah, well..."

    "Fortunately, you are marrying Stella. Then you''ll naturally be my grandchild, you see, and you''ll think of me as your grandmother after all."

    Yes, I see.

    "Then, until then, just think of them as your fianc¨¦''s family. It''s difficult because you try to force yourself to think of them as family.

    Indeed, as Stella''s grandmother, Hazel will inevitably become Sam''s grandmother once they are married.

    It is easier to understand and accept the grandmother of one''s fianc¨¦e than the mother of one''s father, whose face one does not even know.

    "Indeed, it is easier to think of her as Stella''s grandmother, you know."

    "Of course. I don''t mean to force you to think that I am your grandmother. I just want to be close to my beloved son''s forget-me-nots, that''s all. I''m just asking you to be patient with me for a few years, just as if you were an old man playing a short-lived game.

    I was more prepared before I came here.

    She had to treat Queen Mother Dowager as a grandmother, even if she had to force herself to do so. She was also overawed that she had to act as her grandson.

    However, Hazel was a rather flexible thinker, which made Sam feel more comfortable.

    "But I wish you would at least call me grandmother.

    "So, um, Grandma."

    "--It is pleasant to be called grandmother by you."

    I don''t even know what my father looks like. On the contrary, I was taught that another man was my father. But I''m glad you''re my grandmother, Hazel.

    Hazel smiled happily at Sam''s words.

    "--Thank you."

 273 - - 23 "Ill meet my grandmother." â‘¢

    Sam sat down in the chair across the table from her at Hazel''s suggestion.

    "If I could, I would have met your mother - Lady Melanie - but Clyde told me not to, so I''m holding back."

    "To my mother?¡¡If you don''t mind, may I ask why you want to meet?"

    I was a little worried.

    I didn''t think it was possible, but it wasn''t out of the realm of possibility that Hazel was not happy with Melanie.

    It would be terrible for a mother who had been so guilty that she could not even look her son in the eye to be told something bad by the man she had once loved and his mother, the queen mother.

    I wanted to thank you.

    "Thank you, sir?"

    Sam couldn''t help but ask back.

    "He never had a son, but he left me Samuel," Sam replied. I hear that he went through a lot. I wanted to tell Melanie how much I appreciate her love for Roig and the fact that she left me a beautiful grandson.

    "I am sure my mother will be pleased to hear you say that, Grandmother."

    Inwardly, I was relieved.

    At least, nothing would happen that would burden Melanie.

    "Just so there is no misunderstanding, I have no intention of interfering with the relationship between Viscount Teeling and Melanie. There is no more Roig, and I sincerely hope that Melanie, who has suffered so much, will be happy.

    "I appreciate your concern."

    Sam bowed his head to his grandmother.

    My mother has her own life. I want her to be happy after all she went through, just as my grandmother said.

    "Well, Samuel."

    "Um, please, call me Sam. That''s what everyone close to me calls me."

    "...... is it okay if I call you?"

    "Of course. If you don''t mind, please feel free to call me.

    "--So, Sam."

    "Yes, ma''am."

    "As your grandmother, I am proud that at such a young age you are the most powerful court wizard in the Kingdom of Skye. I know Lo?gue would have been as proud as I am if she were still alive."

    "I owe it all to having found a good teacher."

    I am honestly happy that my grandmother is proud of me.

    I owe everything to Ur for guiding me.

    The years spent with her have made Sam stronger.

    "Ulrike Scheidt Walker. She was a wonderful magician. It is a shame that such a great talent died so young."

    "Thank you for ......."

    "But we have you, Sam. Live long and be happy for Ulrike. That''s the best I can do for you as your apprentice.

    "--Yes."

    Hazel nodded in satisfaction at Sam''s reply.

    "Stella has met the right person. I was so grateful to you when I heard that she had started to go outside thanks to you. But I never dreamed at the time that you, who were engaged to Stella, were my grandson."

    "Ha-ha-ha, me too. I still feel like I''m dreaming.

    "I have known Lise, Alicia, Karen, and Mizuki since I was a little girl. You will be happy with all of them.

    "Of course. I''ll be happy with you all.

    Sam is already happy.

    Thanks to his wonderful fianc¨¦es, he has found someone to love again.

    Just as Ur wished, just as his grandmother said, Sam has a duty to be happy.

    With his fianc¨¦es, he will be happier and happier.

    "Oh, by the way, Sam is of royal blood, but he is never treated as royalty. Clyde says it''s because you don''t want to be treated as royalty.

    "I would feel much better if you did."

    Sam cowered and chuckled.

    He was not worthy of the title of court wizard and count, but now he would be treated as royalty as well, and that would not sit well with him.

    Of course, I understand that Sam has royal blood in his veins and I am prepared to be inseparable from the royal family since I am marrying Stella, who is royalty.

    "She''s an interesting girl. Usually, when people find out that you are royalty, they are happy and want to act like it. In the past, there have even been people who claimed to have royal blood even though they were not royalty.

    "For me, royalty is too heavy a title. Even my current position seems inappropriate for me.

    "...... I do not intend to force you to do so. Whether you are treated as royalty or not, you are still my grandson.

    "Yes. I feel the same way.

    "You have already contributed more than enough to our country. As your grandmother, I can only hope that you will continue to live your life as you have.

    "Thank you, Grandma."

    "--Hmmm, I have several grandchildren, but I feel most comfortable when Sam calls me grandmother."

    Hazel smiled at that and reached out to nuzzle Sam''s head.

    "Thank you for today. I appreciate you taking time out of your precious time for me. I hope you''ll come and see me again if you can. Yes, it would be nice to see you again, this time with Stella and your fianc¨¦es.

    "Yes, by all means, I will come and visit with Stella and her family this time."

    I look forward to that day."

    "Yes. Please take care of yourself until that day, Grandma.

    Thus, Sam was able to successfully establish a good relationship with his grandmother.

 274 - - 24 "They say theyre up to something." â‘ 

    Japanese Hayato Hayama was yawning with boredom while attending a party for the exchange between the kingdoms of Skye and Orkney.

    He had come all the way to another country, only to have a bunch of women fighting over him. It''s really annoying.

    At first, he felt comfortable and satisfied with his self-esteem at the sight of beautiful girls getting all worked up for him, but lately he was feeling a little depressed.

    (What a lot of noise!).

    It is tiring to deal with some of the women who try to bind or monopolize the braves.

    The first of them is Deela Orkney, the third princess of the Kingdom of Orkney.

    She is a beautiful girl with platinum blonde, spotless hair longer than her waist and a handsome face of Scandinavian descent.

    She was 18 years old, one year older than Yuto, and she was the one who took care of me because of the joy of summoning me to another world and the guilt of inviting me from my hometown without my consent.

    At first I was grateful to her, and after making love with her and having physical contact with her, I felt that all I needed was Deila.

    However, Yuto''s desires were great, especially when he found out that he had the magical eye of enchantment, and he followed his desires and kept acquiring new women one after another, building a harem.

    To tell the truth, he is getting tired of this harem.

    No one can blame Yuto, though he treats them badly, even though he charmed them because he wanted them.

    He hides the fact that he has the magical eye of enchantment, and there are not many people who can speak up for him as a brave man.

    (It''s ...... disgusting that I have to deal with these people when I''ve come all the way to Sky Kingdom. ) The usual suspects are on board after all... Oh, God, this is really messing up my plans!

    Although he had the good sense not to say it out loud, Yuto''s response was not flattering.

    In fact, he has been neglecting the women who have been vying for his affections for some time now.

    However, his attitude will not change because he still believes in the delusion that he, as the hero of this world, is allowed to do whatever he wants.

    £¨I''d like to make Princess Stella mine soon, but I don''t know what to do. (I want to make her mine soon, but I don''t know what to do... I have to get close enough to make eye contact...)

    After using the charmed eye several times, I found out that it is not an easy thing to use.

    It takes a little time for eye-to-eye contact before the charm takes hold. This depends on the person. Some women need a few seconds, others a dozen or more.

    Some of the women tried to resist the charm.

    The charmer''s eye is apparently not perfect. I learned from an old document in the library of the Royal Palace in Orkney that it does not always work if the will is strong or if there is someone who truly adores you.

    But so far, every woman has succumbed to the charm, even if she could resist it.

    Therefore, he had no doubt that Stella, whom he wanted, would be his without any problem.

    As Yuto was licking his tongue and looking at his prey, he heard behind him the women quarreling and Kaoruko Kirishima, a fellow countrywoman, trying to stop them.

    £¨Oh, no, not again. How many times have you done this to me?)

    Yuto complains inwardly about the women he has attracted himself and who have made him so absorbed in their lives that he can''t see what is going on around him.

    There are times when he wishes he could just throw them away, but he doesn''t know how to break the spell in the first place.

    Even if he did know how to do it, it would be a waste to let go of the beautiful girls he has acquired, so he is unwilling to let go of them while complaining about the trouble he is going through.

    (Come to think of it, Kaoruko Kirishima, right? She is treated as a saint too. I don''t like her, but if she''s treated as a saint, it''s better for me to have her as my woman, right?¡¡Oh, no, they worship her like the knights do. I''m not afraid of making enemies with her, but I''m sure she''s annoying, so I don''t want to. Besides, I''m not looking for a woman who reminds me of the d*mned Japan, I''m looking for Princess Stella.)

    I can''t help but feel annoyed when I see Kaoruko because she reminds me of my life in Japan.

    Even though he has become the hero of another world, Yuto is uncomfortable with the fact that the abominable memories have not been erased.

    (Well, he can get Kaoruko Kirishima anytime he wants, so it doesn''t matter now. I must quickly get Queen Stella, that beautiful white woman, for myself. She''s the one who deserves to be my hero!)

 275 - - 25 "It looks like youre up to something." â‘¡

    Yuto looked at Stella, who was still chatting with the nobleman, and sighed deeply.

    Her skin as white as snow, her silky white hair, even her eyelashes were white. The pure white girl was so beautiful.

    Her dark blue dress shone against her white skin.

    Just the thought of having such a beautiful girl for myself is enough to arouse my excitement.

    If only there were no one to see me, I''d like to charm her by force and take her to some room.

    £¨Poor girl... I''ll make you happy.)

    We had already greeted each other once at the beginning of the party, but I had not been able to charm Stella that time.

    I did not have enough time to charm her.

    Above all, Stella only took a glance at Yuto and said hello.

    I was annoyed at her attitude as if she was not interested in me, but just thinking that she would eventually fall for me and flatter me made me shiver.

    £¨Finally, you''ve finished your story!)

    I keep my eyes on Stella as she greets the nobles, pushing aside the other men who have gathered to greet her as we approach.

    The women behind me are saying something, but I don''t care.

    For now, the only thing on his mind was to get Stella.

    "Oh, um, Princess Stella..."

    I was too nervous to speak.

    The shame of not having been able to call his name properly overtook him.

    However, Stella did not laugh at him or care about him, but welcomed him with a smile.

    It was Hayama Hayato-sama, wasn''t it? I apologize for not being able to greet you properly earlier. How is the party going?

    Yes, it has been a pleasure.

    First, we talk about other things so as not to alarm them.

    If there is an opening, I just make eye contact.

    Just by doing so, Stella becomes Yuto''s.

    "I heard you had a look around the castle town, how was it?"

    "It was a nice town. It''s proof of the wealth of this country."

    I am glad to hear you say so.

    No, I''m just telling you the truth. By the way, Princess Stella, if you don''t mind, could you tell me more about your country?¡¡I come from a different world, so I don''t know much about the world outside of the Kingdom of Orkney.

    "Yes, of course, of course, but ...... it''s none of my business, but are you sure about Princesses Deila and others?¡¡I''m told you''re very close. It would be a nuisance if they misunderstood me in the presence of such women.

    Yuto inwardly clicked his tongue at Stella, who looked at the women behind her and seemed reserved.

    He does not hide the fact that Deila and the others are his lovers.

    Or rather, they cannot hide it.

    Even if they had a relationship with the princess of a country, they would be noticed, for better or worse.

    It''s not a good situation that Stella is on her guard because of it.

    £¨She''s a pain in the ass. She may not be on her guard, but she is not making eye contact with Deila and the others, as if she is concerned about them. She''s a real pain in the ass.)

    Despite his inner irritation, Yuto tried hard not to show his emotions and smiled.

    "It doesn''t matter, they are not the kind of girls who would be jealous of such a trivial thing. Yes, yes, since we are not here, why don''t we talk somewhere private if you don''t mind?

    With me, sir?

    Yes, if it''s not too much trouble. I''d like to talk without being disturbed. There are some things we can''t talk about here.

    I clicked my tongue at Stella''s slight confusion when I told her it was just the two of us, but then I noticed that her gaze moved toward me.

    Yuto immediately made eye contact with Stella.

    £¨Yes!¡¡I''ve got eyes on you!¡¡Now you''re mine!¡¡(--Charm activated!)

    Yuto was confident that he had definitely charmed Stella.

    £¨Now Stella is mine. I''ll take good care of her.)

    With lust-filled thoughts, he could not wait to see how Stella would behave towards him.

    Would she be obedient like a puppy, or would she go into heat as a female?

    £¨Come on, Stella!¡¡Flirt with me!)

    When Yuto''s face twisted into a smile, Stella opened her mouth.

    "I''m sorry, but I have to decline.

    "--What?"

 276 - - 26 "They say theyre up to something." â‘¢

    £¨Why doesn''t the charm work?¡¡I''ve never seen this happen before!)

    Stella tells him clearly to Yuto, who is upset inside.

    I have a fianc¨¦e whom I love very much. I don''t want her to get any unwanted rumors about me being with another man.

    "No, I''m not trying to do anything wrong, I''m just talking to you."

    Of course, you would never do anything wrong. But you don''t know who is watching. I would not want any distorted information to reach my fianc¨¦e''s ears. I am sorry, but I cannot allow the two of you to speak together. Of course, there is no problem if you and Mr. Hayama talk to the dealers together, and I would appreciate it if you would do so.

    "...... You''re a fianc¨¦e who cares about the little things, aren''t you?"

    I''m the one who cares. Please understand."

    £¨d*mn this woman, how come she doesn''t fascinate me?)

    "What''s wrong with you, such a small man! If your fianc¨¦ dumps you because of me, I''ll take the blame.

    Yuto became impatient with the unattractive Stella and clutched her hand.

    "You!¡¡You are disrespecting Lady Stella!"

    One of the nobles around us shouted, "I don''t care," and made eye contact with Stella once again.

    Stella looked straight at Yuto as if she was glaring at him.

    £¨I''m going to get you this time, you stupid b*tc*! --(I''m going to get you this time, you stupid b*tc*!)

    "Please let go of my hand."

    £¨d*mn it, d*mn it!¡¡Again, the charm doesn''t work!¡¡(Even though it should have been activated!)

    The lack of charms was frustrating for Yuto, and he got into a lot of trouble.

    "Come on, I''m a brave man! Are you saying that there is a stronger man than me in this country?¡¡I am the bravest man on the continent, the strongest man on the continent, and I am being asked to join you here. You wouldn''t turn me down, would you?"

    "--I see. So this is your true nature. But whether you are the bravest man or the strongest on the continent, I am not interested in you."

    "......"?

    "I am the fiancee of Samuel Scheidt, the most powerful wizard in the land. He is stronger than you. I believe so.

    "You''ll take advantage of me if I don''t behave!"

    I''ll say it again. Get your hands off me.

    "Sounds like you need ...... discipline if people are underhanded!"

    Stella, who is not getting her way, gets frustrated and finally tries to raise her hand.

    Yuto raises his arm, but Stella is not intimidated and her glaring eyes become sharper.

    This made him even angrier, and he tried to hit her, forgetting that he was in public and that he was dealing with a princess.

    But..,

    "Take your hands off Lady Stella."

    "Can I break this arm?"

    "It''s okay, I guess. I don''t think I need my arm to hit you, Stella."

    "--Sucks."

    We were interrupted by a group of women we didn''t know.

    £¨They''ve got to be kidding me!¡¡I''m a brave man, I''m the hero!)

    "Who the hell are you?¡¡Who do you think I am?

    Yes, I know who you are. You''re the proud hero of the Kingdom of Orkney. You shouldn''t be so gullible as to talk to other women, even if they are escorting you.

    A beautiful woman of about 20 with long blonde hair says derisively.

    There were also a Chinese-style girl with peach-colored hair, a Japanese-style beautiful girl in a kimono, and a beautiful girl with loose hair who stared at me.

    Yuto did not know that they were Lise, Haren, Mizuki, and Alicia, Sam''s fianc¨¦es.

    £¨What is it with these women!¡¡You make people look like fools!)

    "--You f*cking b*tc*es!"

    "Oops, I don''t like it when you talk to women like that. First of all, get your hands off me.

    "--shhh!"

    Yuto was surprised.

    Despite his emotional state, he did not notice the approach until someone touched his arm.

    The person who put his hand on Yuto''s arm, who was grabbing Stella''s hand, was a man in his mid-twenties.

    He looked like something out of a shoujo manga, a handsome young man with a handsome appearance that could almost be called a prince.

    "G¨¹nther."

    "Hi, Stella. You''re in trouble. To be approached by such a lowly man.

    "I''m glad Master Sam is away from here with your father. I didn''t want him to see me like this."

    "I agree. If Sam had been here, this boy''s arms would not be connected now. Now, get your hands off Stella.

    You, at me.

    "Okay?¡¡I''m mild-mannered, so I''ll say it to you with my mouth as many times as I can without touching you - let go."

    Frightened by the eyes of the young man called "G¨¹nther," Yuto reflexively pulled his hand away from Stella.

    Humiliated, Yuto asked in frustration to the person who was standing in front of him to protect Stella.

    "Who are you people?"

    "We are--"

    We are the wives of Samuel Scheidt!

    Lise was about to say something on behalf of the others when G¨¹nther, who for some reason was supposed to be a man, interrupted her and said in a loud voice that echoed through the hall.

 277 - - 27 "The brave are fools." â‘ 

    "Huh!¡¡You''re such a perverted bastard, even a man''s wife!"

    G¨¹nther laughed at the words of an otherworldly boy from a neighboring country.

    "You are a rude boy, aren''t you? You have more than one lover.

    "That ain''t the point!¡¡I''m saying it''s perverse to treat a man like a wife!"

    "--Small man. It doesn''t matter if you''re a man or a woman.

    "It''s not a minor problem!"

    "Hah, ...... it''s pathetic to listen to. I know that I''m a small man with no more capacity than Sam. It is useless to talk to you any longer. The party is almost over. You should take your lovers and go back to the waiting room.

    "-and you are ordering me, a brave man, to do it!"

    G¨¹nther sighed heavily.

    "I will. I don''t know how high up you are in the Orkney Kingdom, but this is the Kingdom of Skye. You''re a guest, not a lord. Do you understand?"

    "Don''t be silly!¡¡I am a brave man, I am the chosen one!"

    Hayama Hayato, the hero of the Kingdom of Orkney, may have the ability, but he is a child in his thinking, G¨¹nther cowered his shoulders.

    It is disgraceful to see a grown-up adult, who is using his position as a shield to call out for help.

    (Oops, come to think of it, in the other world the age of adulthood is 20. ...... Well, that doesn''t erase the crime of Hayato Hayama treating his beloved Sam like a pervert, nor does it absolve him of the fact that he had a hand in Stella''s life.)

    "You''re a helpless child, aren''t you? Already all eyes are on you. You''ve already embarrassed yourself, and now you want to do something about it?

    "I can''t keep quiet after being made a fool of so much!¡¡--Hey!

    At the sound of Yuto''s voice, his lovers braced themselves.

    They do not have weapons, but they seem ready to attack with their bare hands at any moment.

    Of course, the lovers of the heroes, who are said to be of some skill in the Orkney Kingdom, are not a threat to G¨¹nther, who has a powerful warding technique.

    Unless they have overwhelming firepower like Sam or Ulrike, or terrible skills like Kree, they are no match for G¨¹nther.

    In this sense, the existence of a hero from another world was unknown to him, but he was confident that his girlfriend would be able to defend against all of his attacks.

    "Hey, stop it!¡¡Don''t cause any more problems!"

    Only Kaoruko Kirishima, the only girl who is called a saint, tries to stop them, but her voice does not seem to reach their ears.

    The King of Orkney, who seemed to be the only one who could settle the situation, was absent, having retreated to the waiting room as soon as Clyde left his seat.

    £¨Now, I''m not sure if this is a good time to get into trouble. But in Sam''s absence, it is my duty as his wife to protect his fianc¨¦e.)

    "I have no choice. If you insist, I''ll be your partner. Now, Stella and the others, get behind me. Especially you, Lise. Of all people, stay away. Okay?"

    "G¨¹nther, dear."

    He winks at Lise, who sounds anxious.

    "I''m glad Sam''s not here. He''s even less patient than I am. I don''t want some brave man from a neighboring country to cut me in half in the royal palace."

    "Stop messing around!¡¡You mocked me!¡¡I will make you pay for this!"

    G¨¹nther''s calm and composed attitude makes Yuto even angrier.

    Yuto raised his fist in the air, forgetting where he was.

    However, his arm did not move at all.

    "What are you doing?

    Someone grabbed his hand.

    --Sam.

    "Who the hell is that?¡¡Get your hands off me!"

    Samuel Scheidt. I''m Samuel Scheidt. - Good day to you, otherworldly man.

    "...... you''re Sam!"

    "Don''t call me that like I''m your friend.

    "You think I''m stupid, too?

    "I don''t, but I wouldn''t want to get too close. I heard there was trouble and I flew down here, but you''re the only one yelling. Don''t you feel embarrassed?"

    "You!¡¡You are disrespectful to the brave--"

    One of the girls, a crony of Yuto''s, tried to crowd around Sam, but with a single glance, she fell to her knees and collapsed on the spot.

    "Oh, hey, Deila?"

    Upset, Yuto looked at the image of his girlfriend, who had fallen unconscious.

    Not knowing what had happened, he shouts loudly to Sam in an agitated voice.

    "You!¡¡What did you do to Deila!"

    "...... don''t you understand this much? Well, never mind. Let''s just get this over with. We don''t want any trouble, and this is a royal palace.¡¡We don''t want to add to your shame any more."

    When Sam let go of his hand, Yuto rubbed his arm uncomfortably, which was held so tightly that it left a mark.

    Yuuto, who had been staring at Sam in disgust, smiled as if he had just thought of a good idea.

    "Fine. If you don''t want any trouble, I''ll pull out on one condition.

    "I don''t understand how that could be a condition."

    "--We can borrow Princess Stella for the night!¡¡And while you''re at it, get your fianc¨¦e, Lise, to serve me. And then we''ll call it a day.

    Yuto could not utter a word until the end.

    Because Sam''s toe kicked him in the jaw.

 278 - - 28 "Brave men are fools." â‘¡

    An otherworldly person with a blood-red face sprawls on the carpet of the royal hall.

    Blood sprays from his face, and he reflexively tries to suppress his shattered jaw, but the pain is so intense that he can''t even touch it, so he just screams.

    Sam looks down at Hayama Yuto coldly.

    Samuel Scheidt is a mild-mannered boy, but he can be ruthless with those he once perceives as enemies.

    It doesn''t matter if they are the guest of honor of a neighboring country or an otherworldly being called a hero.

    He shows no mercy to those who would harm those he cares about.

    Sam, who has changed his expression from the previous episode to one as expressionless as a noh mask, asks Yuto

    What did you just say?

    Of course, there was no way that Yuto, whose jaw was shattered and who was struggling in pain, could reply.

    However, Sam, perhaps frustrated by the lack of response, kicked the boy as hard as he could in the abdomen.

    "What did you ask me to do to Stella-sama and Lise-sama?¡¡Aaah!"

    He stomped on the foot of the brave man who coughed up blood and slobber and put his strength into it.

    "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?"

    Yuto''s leg was broken, and he screamed for the second time.

    "Shut up! Answer my question instead of that. What did you do with my precious Stella and Lise?

    One leg was not enough to cure Sam''s anger, so he broke the other leg as well.

    "Geeaaaahhhhhh, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop!"

    "Screw you, man. You want me to lend you the people I care about?¡¡You treat me like a thing, and I''ll kill you right here and now!"

    No, no, no, no, no, no.

    No one could move.

    Not because Sam suddenly went berserk.

    It was because the crowd was so stiffened by his dense deadly energy and magical power that they could not move a muscle.

    With no help, Yuto crawled on the floor like a caterpillar and tried to escape.

    Stepping on his back, Sam raised his right arm.

    "Kirisaku!"

    "No!"

    Just as Sam was about to activate his skill and slay his countryman, a sharp and loud voice echoed through the hall.

    Sam''s hand stops.

    "--King!"

    When I turned my gaze to the source of the voice, I saw His Majesty King Clyde Isle-Sky and His Majesty King Vik Orkney of the neighboring kingdom with grim faces.

    In the silence, the two men approach us.

    "Sam, what happened?"

    "...... this guy said something about lending us Stella and Lise for the night, and we thought he might be suicidal, so we thought we''d give him a chance to make it happen. Please wait a moment, I''ll finish soon. Then we''ll talk."

    "Wait, Sam."

    Sam raised his hand again, but Clyde waited for him.

    Sam looks frustrated, but at least he holds his hand up.

    "Why are you stopping me?¡¡Stella-sama, Lise-sama, they insulted me!"

    "I know. But wait. Don''t kill him.

    But...

    Sam!

    "...... yes."

    Sam reluctantly decided to follow Clyde''s lead.

    But his stomach is still churning, so he kicks the brave man in the gut one more time.

    "...... Sam."

    "I''m sorry, I just..."

    "...... enough, get away from that boy."

    "Yes, sir."

    Sam takes a few steps away from Yuto, and Stella and Liese hug him on both arms.

    Karen, Mizuki, and Alicia came to Sam''s side silently.

    G¨¹nther tried to join the engaged couples, but Hanaeren kicked him away.

    Seeing his family in such a state, Sam began to regain his composure.

    "Well, Mr. Vike, what do you think of this?¡¡It seems that the heroes of your country have made a barbarian request to borrow my daughter for the night. You are honored guests, and your country welcomes you with open arms, but we do not intend to entertain you by offering you our daughters.

    "--I am very sorry."

    Vik Orkney made no excuses and, despite the public appearance, bowed his head and apologized.

    This took the breath away from the crowd, which had been stiffened by Sam''s outburst.

    "To Lord Clyde, Samuel Scheidt, Princess Stella and Lieselotte, I offer my sincerest apologies."

    "Your Majesty!"

    "You can''t apologize in a place like this!"

    Vike apologizes profusely, and his subjects try to stop him, but he does not stop apologizing.

    "This man is from another world, and because he is a hero, we have spoiled him too much in our country. This is the result. I apologize on his behalf to all those who have been inconvenienced. But just once, just once, please let him go this time without taking his life. Of course, you will be punished. I strip you of your titles of valor and promise that you will never appear in public again, so please spare my life."

    "--Father!¡¡Then you are too brave!¡¡I''ve already been punished!¡¡In the first place, it would be strange to refuse such an honorable invitation to be your partner for the night!"

    Princess Deela of the Kingdom of Orkney, who had been knocked unconscious by Sam''s deadly fury, had the audacity to object to her father, who had gone so far as to bow and apologize in an attempt to settle the situation.

    People from both countries looked up to the heavens.

    The king of a country has just apologized in public with sincerity. This should have put an end to Hayato Hayama''s blunder and Sam''s rampage.

    However, because of Deila''s comment, the story was about to continue.

    Of course, Vike would not have approved of that.

    By all accounts, it was the hero who was at fault.

    Of course, only an ancient tyrant would ask a princess of a country to spend the night with a woman pregnant with the child of an important person of a friendly country.

    I was even dumbfounded to learn that Japan is a country with such a lack of common sense.

    "- - Shut up. Don''t provoke me any further."

    "But!"

    I told you to shut up!

    The air was churning with the sound of his angry voice.

    "--hi!"

    The princess sagged and closed her mouth at her father''s angry shouts.

    Weik was forced to apologize again.

    This time he looked Sam in the eye and bowed his head once more.

    "I''m sorry, my daughter. I guess I''ve lost my common sense somewhere since I started to get involved with Hayama Hayato."

    "Please raise your face."

    Sam''s voice sounded calm as he was surrounded by his fianc¨¦es.

    Vike looks up.

    Sam tries to tell him that you shouldn''t apologize,

    "--Duel me!"

    A voice, unpleasant to say the least, interrupted him.

 279 - - 29 "Brave men are fools." â‘¢

    "An?"

    The brave man, whose jaw had been healed by the saint, glared at Sam with eyes filled with hatred.

    "You will duel me in the tournament tomorrow!

    "You, I told you to shut up!"

    Vike yelled at Yuto, who was wiping blood off his face and shouting loudly in a shaky voice as if he was trying to sound defensive.

    "Hee, hee, but if we don''t do something, the Orkney Kingdom will be licked!

    It''s your fault!"

    Vike''s temples tightened at the sight of the brave man who had shown no remorse for his actions and was now using the Orkney Kingdom as an excuse for his own actions.

    "Good!"

    "--Master Sam!"

    "Sam, you!"

    No sooner had King Vike attempted to sound even angrier than Sam responded.

    "A duel, I''ll take it. Come and get it."

    A smirk twisted the lips of the hero.

    He seemed confident that he could win if he fought properly.

    But even Sam had no intention of losing to someone like Yuto, who would make a move on a woman with a fianc¨¦e and then ask to borrow her for the night.

    "Hi-hi-hi-hi-hi!¡¡I''ll humiliate you in front of your fianc¨¦es!"

    "-Shut up already, you disgrace to our country!"

    With a thud, King Vik''s fist silenced the hero.

    The women crowd around the unconscious boy.

    The princess, Deila, tries to complain to her father, but he glares at her and shuts his mouth.

    "I am sorry again. But you don''t have to take her word for it. And it may be rude to say this, but even a fool like him is the most powerful man in the kingdom, or even the continent. Even if we don''t have to fight."

    Sam shook his head as Vike apologized and advised him against a duel.

    "I appreciate your concern, but I will not forgive you for insulting someone I care about just because he is strong. There is no need for you to apologize to King Vike either. I will have Hayato Hayama take full responsibility.

    "...... No way, you''re not."

    "Yes, I will gladly accept a duel."

    Vike was taken aback by Sam''s wry smile.

    When he heard that the hero was the strongest man on the continent, he did not shrink back, but was even impressed that he was willing to fight so enthusiastically.

    He could not help but think that if only his country had such a man.

    Weik was deeply envious of Clyde.

    Later, the unconscious Hayato was carried to the waiting room by the women.

    Sam and the others, not wanting to stop now that they were involved in the trouble, disappeared into the waiting room as well.

    Clyde and Weik apologized to the partygoers who had witnessed the incident and explained that it was because Hayato Hayama had gotten drunk.

    Of course, the participants were not stupid enough to accept this explanation, but they decided to leave it as such for the sake of His Majesty the King''s face and the relationship with the neighboring country.

    The party continued with dancing and eating.

    However, the topic of conversation among the participants was always Sam and Yuto.

    Sam''s reputation was not so bad.

    The most common comment was that he was envious of his attractive fianc¨¦e, but his outspoken anger on behalf of Stella and Lise, who were entangled with a hero from a neighboring country, was generally positive.

    Some raised their eyebrows at the violent resolution, but still there were few bad comments.

    Most interesting of all was G¨¹nther''s declaration of "wife" to the participants.

    It was originally said that G¨¹nther was one of Sam''s fianc¨¦es, but he said it so clearly in such a public place and in public. Everyone was convinced that there was no doubt about it.

    On the other hand, Hayato Hayama''s reputation was very bad.

    Unlike Sam, he had several lovers instead of a fianc¨¦e, and his first impression was not a good one.

    While Sam is young and in a committed relationship with women, Hayama''s girlfriends can''t even be counted on the fingers of his two hands.

    Rumors of his having affairs with married women and those with fianc¨¦es were also circulating in the Kingdom of Skye.

    Such a brave man had disrespected Stella, the first princess of the Kingdom of Skye, even though he had been the subject of many bad rumors in the past.

    It was unheard of for him to demand a one-night stand with Lise, the second daughter of Count Walker, who was close to both Stella and the royal family.

    This is not to say that such a case does not exist at all, but at least it is not something that a royal family with a fiancee in mind would do.

    And yet Yuto had proudly asked the most powerful court wizard in the Kingdom of Skye to lend his fianc¨¦e to serve him.

    Everyone thought he was insane.

    Those who remembered the duel with Albert Freige, the former court magician and the most powerful man in the Kingdom of Skye, even thought that Yuto would be cut in half without mercy.

    So, from the Sky Kingdom''s point of view, it was a good topic of conversation.

    But from the Orkney Kingdom''s side, it was not a good story.

    After being greatly humiliated by the outburst of a single, otherworldly person, even the king had to apologize.

    The reputation of Yuto, whose strength is recognized but whose character is not, is now more severely damaged than ever.

    The participants from both countries were filled with anxiety and anticipation for what would happen at the exchange match the day after this incident occurred.

 280 - - 30 "I got in trouble."

    "--Sam, what are you thinking?

    I''m sorry. I should have killed you right then and there."

    "You never said that!¡¡That''s not what I''m angry about!"

    Sam moved to the waiting room and was immediately scolded by Liese.

    Of course, Liese did not want to be scolded.

    I could feel how much she cared about us, and as a fianc¨¦e, I was happy for her.

    However, as his elder, I felt that I had to scold him properly when I had to, considering his future.

    "Sam, you are not the Samuel Scheidt who just visited King''s Landing. You''re the most powerful court wizard in the Kingdom of Skye now, and you need to be more appropriate."

    "Yes, Master Sam!¡¡I understand that you are very angry with us, but a duel!"

    Following Liese''s example, Stella, who is also complaining, has a dark expression on her face, as if she thinks she is the cause of the problem.

    "I''m not the right person for you to be dealing with, Sam. It''s people like that you lose when you play with them.

    "But that little brat, of all people, he''s the one who took Stella-sama and Lise-sama..."

    Just remembering it makes me so angry.

    I have an urge to go into their waiting room and tear them to pieces right now.

    The only reason I don''t do that is because Karen and Mizuki are watching Sam with their backs to the door to make sure he doesn''t leave the room.

    Sam, as expected, could not help Hayama Yuto by getting into a fight with Karen and Mizuki, so he had no choice but to bite his teeth and hold back.

    "Well, calm down. Have you noticed?¡¡You''re leaking magic because of your anger. Your too much magic is not good for your prenatal care.

    "--!"

    G¨¹nther''s point made Sam''s blood run cold.

    He hurriedly suppressed his magic and looked at his beloved.

    "I''m sorry, Lise. How are you feeling?

    Don''t worry, I''m fine. Don''t worry about it. Go tell His Majesty we won''t duel. It''s not good for your prenatal care to fight someone who''s supposed to be so brave.

    "Don''t worry, I''ll win."

    "That''s not what I''m worried about!¡¡I''m afraid that in an exchange match, Sam will cut his opponent in half!"

    Stella, Alicia, Karen, Mizuki, and G¨¹nther in the room nodded in agreement.

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha, there, you see, that''s the fight they''ve been selling - you can kill them without worry."

    "......I knew you were thinking of something dangerous."

    Liese looked up to the heavens at the motivated Sam.

    "Oh, Sam-sama, even if this is an exchange match, I think it would be a problem to leave him for dead, no matter how good an opponent he is."

    Let''s just call it an accident.

    "No!¡¡Sam will be furious with his father!"

    Alicia also seems to disagree with Sam''s plan to kill Hayato Hayama, although she is a bit off.

    Hanae and Mizuki nodded their heads in agreement, as if they were of the same opinion, although they did not interject.

    "You know, Sam, I''m really glad you''re mad at us. But there''s a chance that it might make things worse for you, please."

    "............ understand."

    At Lise''s almost pleading, Sam reluctantly shook his head.

    Everyone was relieved.

    However, Sam''s expression changed drastically and he laughed like a villain.

    "As long as you''re alive, right, as long as you''re alive - don''t worry, I won''t kill you, I won''t kill you."

    Oh, no," said Lise and the others, realizing that they had failed to persuade Sam.

 281 - - 31 "The saint seems to be suspicious."

    "d*mn, d*mn, d*mn, d*mn, d*mn, d*mn, d*mn!"

    Yuto, who had been completely healed by the recovery magic of the saintly Kaoruko Kirishima, was in rough shape.

    His shattered jaw, broken leg, and kicked abdomen were supposed to be healed nicely, but he could not forget the pain he once experienced. He kept rubbing his jaw and leg and spitting curses at Sam without hiding his irritation.

    Even though they were allowed to use the royal palace room reserved for guests as a waiting room, the lovers were at a loss as to what to say to him as he continued to throw tantrums, kicking chairs, throwing jugs against the wall, and pulling the curtains open.

    Only Kaoruko, who looked at Yuto coldly as if he deserved it, and Princess Dilla stayed away from him and waited for him to calm down.

    "Thank you, saint, for treating the brave man."

    "...... you, you''re sane when you do this."

    "Yes?"

    "Oh, no, it''s nothing."

    Deila is a girl who is beyond blind and crazy when it comes to the brave, but in this way, she is a caring and polite girl.

    She is a different person from the princess who followed the overbearing, overweening Yuto.

    £¨She becomes so strange that you wonder if she''s been brainwashed. But even if she has been brainwashed, I don''t know how to unbrainwash her, so there''s nothing I can do about it.)

    I''ve suspected it for a long time.

    When he was summoned to our world, Yuto was a boy who was just enjoying the other world, though he had a little dark atmosphere.

    In a sense, he was harmless.

    However, after he got married with Deila, he started to make his hands on other women one after another.

    It was all right for him to make a move, but he did not ask them out on dates or have a prior relationship with them, and after a few moments of contact with them, he would offer his body to them without hesitation, even if they had fianc¨¦s or husbands.

    Even the first queen.

    Even Kaoruko, who had never been in love before, found this strange.

    Of course, Kaoruko was not the only one who was suspicious of Yuto. King Vaik, the king''s aides, lovers, fianc¨¦es, and men who had cuckolded their wives were all suspicious of the changes in the women and suspected something was wrong.

    But they have no idea what that "something" is.

    That''s why it''s so terrifying.

    I am afraid that I might somehow fall in love with him.

    £¨I have kept my distance from him because I thought it was best not to obsess over him, but I don''t think it''s a problem that can be left unattended.)

    If there is a genuine attraction to Hayato and women are into him, so be it.

    It''s a matter of self-responsibility.

    Just tell them to talk to each other and it''s over.

    However, if Hayato has been treating the women in some way, that is a big problem.

    £¨But it doesn''t look like he is doing anything. (But it doesn''t look like they are doing anything...) I''m afraid to say it.

    "Hey, Kaoruko!"

    "Hey, don''t call me that. Don''t call me that."

    "We have things to do. You''re in my way! Get out!

    "What?¡¡What''s there to do? --Uh, that kind of thing. I''d say you''re a very lively man, but you shouldn''t be messing around in another country''s palace.

    "Shut up!¡¡I''m pissed off!¡¡Or do you think you''re the one who''s going to deal with me!"

    "Of course I don''t like it, scum like you."

    Kaoruko sniffed and Yuto''s face turned red as if it was on fire.

    "--What the hell!¡¡What kind of scum am I!"

    "You tried to make a move on Princess Stella even though she has a lover, and when she refused you, you tried to violate her. You''re the scum of the scum, no matter who you are!

    "Shut up, shut up, shut up!¡¡I''m the hero!

    "-- Huh?¡¡What''s that? That''s so funny."

    £¨I thought he was an idiot, but he thought he was the hero of the story. (I thought he was an idiot, an idiot, but he thought he was the hero of his own story. ...... I wonder if he got misunderstood because he was summoned to another world, had strong power, and was called a brave man--poor guy.)

    This is real.

    There are people living in this world, and many things happen.

    It is not the world of Yuto alone, and he cannot be the main character.

    Each and every person living in this world is a hero.

    Enough!¡¡Now get out of here!¡¡Deela, get him out of here!"

    Both of his eyes flashed suspiciously as Yuto yelled at him.

    "...... Wait, what''s that guy''s eye doing right now?"

    "I''m sorry, saint, but you''ll have to leave the room. It''s what the hero wants."

    £¨No way. The moment his eyes lit up, Princess Deaira started acting strangely.)

    As far as Kaoruko knows, Princess Dheera is a sensible person.

    She would never think of behaving in such a situation, but her cheeks were stained as if she was in heat, and her breath was coming out in confusion.

    And yet, she looks somewhat calm like a doll, which gives me the creeps.

    Not only Deila, but also the first queen and the other heroes'' lovers undress and speak obscenities to him.

    "You don''t have to tell me, I''m leaving. But you know what, Princess? I know it''s pointless to say anything now, but come to your senses."

    Get out of here.

    "Hey, don''t push me!¡¡I''m getting out!¡¡I don''t want to be here either!"

    £¨He won''t even listen to me!¡¡It''s strange that as soon as his eyes lit up, not only the princess but all the women who are always fighting over that fool became quiet. They must be brainwashing her or something!)

    I don''t know for sure, but if he can brainwash people, it would not be surprising if he does it because of Yuto''s character.

    £¨But I can''t tell anyone because I don''t have any proof. No, but maybe the king, who is suspicious of him, would listen to me?¡¡But I don''t want them to find out and brainwash me... Oh, God!¡¡I can forgive you for being summoned to another world, but I can''t forgive you for being with that idiot!)

    Kaoruko was kicked out of the waiting room, screaming inwardly in frustration.

 282 - - 32 "I speak to the King,"

    Sam was in the waiting room with his fianc¨¦es when the maid summoned him to King Clyde''s office.

    "Hi, it''s Sam from ......."

    "Yes."

    "You''ve gone too far."

    Sam was a little frustrated to hear such a thing said to him with a sigh.

    "I went easy on you even then."

    "...... Is it too much to ask you to break his jaw and snap his legs, or is it too much to ask you to--oh, yes, that''s right, cut him in half. I''m not sure if I should praise you for not cutting me in half."

    Clyde held his forehead as if he had a headache.

    "Don''t tell me that the Kingdom of Orkney has complained to you?"

    "No, it''s not that. No, it is not. Rather, King Vik has apologized once again. Hayato Hayama had some problems, but he brought him here because he is the best fighter in the country, but he didn''t think he would do something stupid that could cause a rift in the alliance.

    "You are right to apologize. It is the Kingdom of Orkney that allows people to call themselves brave and do as they please.

    "No doubt."

    Sam would like them to be grateful that he did not take their lives.

    Hayama Hayato had done just that.

    "As the king, I must warn you that you have gone too far, but as a father, I want to praise you for a job well done."

    "Thank you."

    Anger flashed across Clyde''s face.

    He must have had his own feelings about the brave man from the neighboring country.

    "That little brat, he''s brave, he''s from another world!¡¡You touched my sweet Stella with your filthy hands!¡¡If I were still alive, I would have taken my sword and cut off its head myself!"

    "...... Well, that''s what happens."

    We know that Clyde cares about Stella.

    I am rather surprised that he was not enraged at that moment.

    "I''ve heard that he has a difficult character, but I never thought he would try to touch a princess of another country, especially Stella, who is engaged to someone else, and to do that in public, he must be a very big fool!

    I''ll give you a hundred percent that I approached him.

    It is natural for a man to want to talk to Stella when he sees her beautiful appearance.

    But the problem comes after that.

    When Stella turned him down softly because she had a fianc¨¦e, it was Yuto''s fault for being insistent.

    That was no different from a bad pick-up.

    And he did it in front of his girlfriends.

    "Well, please watch. He made a move on Stella. You will be punished accordingly in tomorrow''s duel.

    Sam was even angrier with himself than he was with Yuto.

    Jonathan had told him that Hayato Hayama had problems with women.

    However, he had thought that he would never touch her in public.

    I feel sick to my stomach at my lack of sense of urgency.

    Accepting the duel with Hayato was half out of anger.

    "I''m looking forward to it - I''d like to say, but I won''t allow you to kill him. You know, you really can''t."

    "Yes, sir. But at the very least, I''d like to cut off the dirty arm that touched Stella-sama.

    "...... I''ve been thinking lately, you''re pretty radical."

    "And while you''re at it, I''ll take the title of strongest on the continent. He doesn''t deserve it."

    "We have already received notification of who will participate in tomorrow''s preliminaries. They are Hayama Yuto, his lover, and the five former most powerful wizards of the Orkney Kingdom.

    Aside from Hayato Hayama''s merry band of friends, I am interested in the former most powerful wizard of the Orkney Kingdom.

    "What about me, Mr. Delight, and the rest?"

    Sam asked, and Clyde opened his mouth, somewhat puzzled.

    "I hate to say this, but Hayama Hayato and the others have offered to let your fianc¨¦(e)s participate in the tournament."

    "Huh, how did that happen?"

    "My guess is ...... that he wants to pit your fianc¨¦es against his own lovers."

    "It''s a bunch of nonsense."

    I agree with you. But it''s also a good opportunity.

    "Well, what do you mean?"

    "Aside from Liese, who is already pregnant, there are those who question whether Haren, Mizuki and the others are suitable for Sam. In short, it''s just some nobles who want to marry off their daughters to Sam are making a fuss, but they certainly haven''t shown off their abilities in public."

    "Well, yes. But they are both strong, aren''t they?"

    "I know. Hanae is not only good at the recovery magic that Mokuren has taught her, but also at the physical arts, using body reinforcement at will. Mizuki is the daughter of Kurando and the master of the Amamiya school of swordsmanship. You can tell even without a fight."

    They know that both of them are strong, but they have not seen it with their own eyes, so there are people who are willing to doubt their abilities.

    As for Sam, he did not accept his fianc¨¦e on the basis of her strength, so he says, "What are you talking about? I''m like, "What the heck?

    In the first place, both of them are stronger than Sam if they fight without magic.

    "I don''t mind if you bring Haren and Mizuki to the match, but..."

    "I''m telling you, Liese-sama is very heavy, so you''ll never make it!"

    "My opponent is not that stupid. Liese is not required to participate, but they want Alicia to play instead."

    "--Of course not!

    "That''s what I said. Lord Weik told me it was impossible, but the first queen over there is insisting. To tell the truth, I am troubled.

    I felt dizzy.

    There was no way Alicia could fight anyone.

    "Okay. Yes, I''m ready. I officially accept G¨¹nther as my fiancee. So G¨¹nther will take Alicia''s place.

    I hope it goes through.

    "You can''t do this, Alicia," he said. "If you have to fight..."

    "The children and the Lord of the Burning Dragons will not remain silent."

    Yes. Sam and the others are worried about Alicia, but they are also afraid of the reaction of the dragons when they find out that she is going to fight.

    "...... I hope it''s not just the ashes of the palace."

    "It''s a headache. I have a meeting tomorrow, so I will not allow Alicia to participate. However, I have a feeling that King Weik is planning something for tomorrow''s game.

    What is King Vaik doing here?

    I don''t know. I have a feeling that he wants to make you fight Hayama Yuto before he sends Alicia to the duel.

    Sam actually does not know what the king of the neighboring country is thinking because he has not heard him speak.

    But Sam did not care what it meant to fight Hayama Yuto.

    "It''s no problem. I will defeat Hayato Hayama. There is no other end.

    "It is encouraging and reassuring. I''m counting on you, Sam.

    "--Yes."

    "As for Alicia, I''ll reiterate my objections at the meeting. I am not sure how far my opinion will go, since there are so many different considerations involved, but I will do everything I can to help.

    Thank you very much.

    "Yes. If possible, would you meet with Stella before you go back to the house?¡¡He is depressed because he feels he is responsible for this one incident."

    "That''s not true and yet ...... I understand. I''ll see you soon."

    I had already met Stella earlier, which was perfect because I wanted to have a proper talk with her alone.

    Sam bowed to the king and went to Stella''s room.

 283 - - 33 "Time with Mr. Stella."

    It is a short distance from Clyde''s room to Stella''s room, but it does not take long.

    On the way, I exchange a few words of greeting with the Kingsguard, whom I have come to know well, and stand in front of Stella''s room and knock.

    If she was already asleep, I would quietly leave.

    "Who is it?"

    It''s me, Sam.

    "--Mr. Sam?"

    From inside the room, I hear small footsteps approaching the door.

    A few moments later, the door is opened quietly.

    "Good evening, Ms. Stella. I just came by to have a little chat with you.

    "Well, I''m glad to hear it. Please come in.

    Stella recommends that I step into her room.

    I have been to this room several times already, but it is difficult to get used to the idea of being in the room of a princess of a country.

    And it is late at night. If people knew that Sam visited Stella''s room at this hour, they might misunderstand him.

    "Please, have a seat."

    Stella urges me to sit down in the chair where I always sit when I talk to her.

    Stella is sitting opposite to me, but for some reason she is sitting next to Sam today.

    "I don''t mean to be rude, but today I''m going to sit next to you, Sam.

    "No, I''m happy to."

    "So, what did you want to talk about?"

    "The king has told me that you are concerned about today''s events. When I saw you earlier, you had a gloomy look on your face and I was a little worried.

    "...... Thank you. We are glad that you care about us, Mr. Sam. At the same time, I am very sorry.

    He turns to Stella, who looks at him darkly, and their gazes meet.

    "Please don''t say you''re sorry.

    "But it was my fault that Master Sam had to duel."

    After all, Stella was concerned about this incident.

    But she was not at fault in the slightest.

    "No, Stella-sama. It''s all Hayato Hayama''s fault. He has more than one lover, and he''s messing with Stella-sama, that''s what''s wrong."

    "--But!"

    "Well, if I had to say, maybe it''s because Stella-sama is too beautiful."

    "What?¡¡Sa, Sam-sama?"

    "Stella-sama is beautiful no matter who looks at her. I get nervous talking to her alone like this. So, well, if you say that man couldn''t control himself in front of Stella-sama, it''s understandable.

    Stella finally laughed at Sam, who cowered his shoulders and said something like that.

    "You''re very good at that, Sam. Compliments on me won''t get you anywhere.

    I''m just telling you the truth. You have been beautiful and lovely since the first time I met you, Miss Stella.

    In response to Sam''s words, Stella gently leaned in closer.

    She puts her head on Sam''s shoulder and takes his hand in hers.

    "Then I guess I''m the cause of all this, aren''t I?"

    "That''s why."

    "Please punish me for causing you to duel, Master Sam."

    "--What?"

    Her words startled Sam a little, and when he looked at her, he saw Stella with moist eyes.

    He immediately knew what she was looking for.

    "Now, my fianc¨¦e will punish you, Stella-sama, for being so beautiful that you could bewitch the brave men of other lands."

    "--Yes."

    Sam said this, and slowly put his lips on Stella''s.

 284 - - 34 "Heres some advice from the saint."

    After cheering up Stella, Sam was walking alone in the palace.

    His fianc¨¦es had already gone home.

    He walked a little faster and approached the courtyard to go home early and prepare for tomorrow,

    "Oh, hi."

    "Hello, good evening."

    I ran into Kaoruko Kirishima, a saint from a neighboring country and a person from another world.

    £¨Oh, no. I never thought I''d meet this girl. Hayama Yuto was like that, what kind of girl is this?)

    A little wary, Kaoruko was the first to make a move.

    She bows her head toward Sam.

    "I''m sorry about that idiot."

    "Oh, no, look up. You don''t have to apologize, Your Holiness.

    "But we''re from the same country. We''re not close, but I don''t want you to think I''m that otherworldly guy."

    He''s a he, you''re a you.

    Apparently, Kaoruko is different from Yuto.

    I was relieved inside.

    "By the way, how did you end up here, Seijo-dono?"

    "Well, I was just going back to my room. You may not like it, Mr. Scheidt, but I was treating Hayato Hayama."

    "That''s fine. It''s your job.

    "-I''m glad to hear you say that."

    Kaoruko looked apologetic, but Sam smiled and said he didn''t mind.

    I don''t think that all Japanese are like Hayato Hayama.

    Sam is also a former Japanese.

    I remember living over there, but you would be hard pressed to find someone like Hayato.

    "How is he doing?"

    "............ Um, uh, uh..."

    "Your saints?"

    "Well, you know, with the lovers."

    "Uh, yes, okay. I''m sorry. Well, I hope he''s feeling better. I''m looking forward to tomorrow."

    You''re in good health, I guess.

    I''m even impressed by his mentality to be able to have a relationship with his lovers that day in a neighboring country without a royal palace, even after all the pain he put me through.

    "Um, are you really going to fight the heroes?"

    "Of course. Of course. I''ll buy a fight when I''m offered one. I will not back down this time.

    Jonathan had told him not to sell fights and not to buy fights, but if he had heard Hayato Hayama''s words and actions, he would not have complained.

    Rather, he would say, "Let''s do it!

    Sam did not want to get into trouble, but there was no way he could back down after being insulted by Stella and Lise like that.

    "I''m telling you, he''s a scab, but his strength is real. I have seen his strength with my own eyes.

    "......, I''m sure."

    I don''t think Yuto is weak.

    I do not doubt that he is capable of claiming to be the strongest on the continent, but since he is still being hailed as a hero and a brave man by the whole country, I believe that he has some power.

    "It may not be right for me to say this as a person who is indebted to the Orkney Kingdom, but please be careful with Hayato Hayama.

    "Of course, of course."

    No, you don''t understand. I''m talking about his abnormality.

    "Abnormal, sir?"

    (There was nothing abnormal about that man. ...... Well, his personality and behavior were abnormal, but...)

    I tilted my head, not quite understanding the abnormality that Kaoruko was talking about, which made me uneasy.

    Then Kaoruko told Sam something surprising.

    "Perhaps he has some skill of brainwashing or fascination.

    "--Oh, no."

    "Maybe it''s the eyes. I think there''s something in his eyes. I think he''s using them to control the women around him.

    "A charmed evil eye. ...... I''ve heard of such a thing through gossip, but I never thought anyone really had it. And an otherworldly person...this isn''t funny. But, are you sure you want to tell me about it?"

    Kaoruko nodded clearly at Sam''s question.

    Sam was about to exclaim inwardly.

    He had heard that he had been seducing women and had jokingly thought that he might be able to charm them.

    It was unexpected that an otherworldly person could really be in this world with charms.

    Unexpected, but Sam''s fault.

    As an excuse, he never thought that he could make a move on a princess with a fianc¨¦e at a party where dignitaries from two different countries were gathered.

    I had heard that he was a quick man, but I thought he had at least a modicum of common sense.

    If I had known in advance about his fascination and his character, I would not have left my fiancee to go and see him, even if my grandmother had wanted to see him.

    "I don''t want to be with that man. Besides, if the princesses are unwillingly made his women, I want to free them. But I don''t know how and I don''t have the power."

    "So, it''s for me. But what should I do? I don''t think I can free myself from the charm just by fighting--no, wait, was that guy messing with you, trying to charm Stella-sama?"

    No doubt, Hayama Yuto was trying to charm Stella.

    £¨I''m such an idiot, if you suspect something even for a second, doubt it!¡¡Don''t take your eyes off the people you love!)

    I can''t even think about Stella falling prey to her charms.

    If that had happened, Sam would have beheaded the brave man.

    But he didn''t.

    "Huh?¡¡But, wait a minute, Stella-sama had refused his invitation."

    "My guess is that if you have a strong will and love someone with all your heart, you can play the charm. At least, his fascination is not always."

    "...... I see. I see that there is no countermeasure, but this is not a plan. Maybe men can be charmed too?"

    "I don''t know, but I don''t think his character would attract men."

    "Right. But thank you, now I can fight tomorrow with caution."

    I never thought that Yuto might have such skills.

    However, I had heard beforehand that Yuto had been making moves on women no matter who they were, so it would not be surprising if he had such a nasty skill.

    Rather, I don''t think that a person who would say and do something like that could be popular without such skills, so it makes sense to hear that he is attracted to them.

    "You know what I advised you to do?"

    "Of course, I won''t say that you told me. It must have taken courage to tell you. Thank you."

    No, I just wanted to help in any way I could. Besides, I hate that guy."

    I hate that guy too.

    Then they both laughed.

    Sam was quietly angry as they laughed.

    If Kaoruko''s story is true, then Yuto is treating women like objects.

    Even now, he is not making love to them, but using them as an outlet for his desires.

    The fact that Stella was almost attracted to such a man was so unforgivable that blood flowed from her clenched fist.

    £¨The eyes... I''m all yours once you know... Prepare yourself, Hayama Hayato.)

 285 - - 35 "Its the beginning of an exchange match" â‘ 

    The next day.

    Early in the morning on the day of the tournament, a letter was delivered to the Earls of Walker from the royal court.

    The sender was Clyde.

    They had discussed the matter until late yesterday, but Alicia''s participation was inevitable.

    It seems that it was the First Queen of Orkney who had been the most vocal in demanding Alicia''s participation.

    It seems that the First Queen, who is very much in love with Hayato Hayama, is only thinking of bringing shame to Sam and his fianc¨¦e for making a move on him.

    As a compromise, Alicia is to participate in the preliminaries, but she is to surrender at the start of the match.

    The First Queen of Orkney seems to be satisfied if Sam''s fianc¨¦e is defeated by her valiant lover.

    (It''s really stupid.)

    I wanted to complain, but Clyde''s accompanying apology made me relent.

    "Well, that''s fair. There''s no need for Alicia to be around those people.

    Sam finished reading the letter and said, cowering his shoulders.

    The Imperial Match had completely turned into an opportunity for Hayama Hayato to take revenge on Sam.

    He knows from his conversation with Kaoruko Kirishima that Hayato probably has a brainwashing or enchantment spell. Sam does not know whether he used it to manipulate the queen or she voluntarily sided with him.

    Either way, people under the influence of enchantment are insane.

    I just bow down to Clyde for taking the time to hold a meeting with such a person.

    "Just so you know, I''m going to the game."

    Me too. I''m very motivated."

    Mizuki and Karen were willing to compete.

    In fact, they were even more eager than Sam.

    They can''t seem to forgive Hayato Hayama and his girlfriends for trying to humiliate Liese, who is pregnant, after they had their hands on Stella, Sam''s fianc¨¦e.

    Of course, Sam agrees with them.

    Hualien is always dressed in her usual Chinese dress and wears her peach-colored hair up in an up-do, but on her arms are knuckle guards of a very dangerous nature.

    It was a bit noisy even though it was still before the match.

    Mizuki was already wearing a kimono and had a sword at her waist.

    While Haren was pretending to shake her fist, Mizuki was standing quietly, which was more frightening.

    I could feel their motivation more than enough.

    Mizuki and Hanae are smiling at each other.

    As a friend, she was glad that they were angry with her, but she was worried that they might overdo it in the competition since both of them were very strong players.

    Sam, Liese, Jonathan and the others do not expect Mizuki and Karen to lose.

    They have checked as much as they could about the abilities of Hayato Hayama''s girlfriends, and they do not think that there is any reason for them to lose.

    "Sam-sama!"

    "Yes, how can I help you, Miss Alicia?"

    "--Let me fight in the match too!"

    "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!"

    "Don''t worry. I can fight too.

    "No, but, but!¡¡"No matter how many times you say it''s a pre-match, it''s not."

    I also want to show that I am worthy of being Master Sam''s fianc¨¦e."

    "But, sir..."

    When Alicia tried to get into the game, Sam was reluctant.

    He was not sure that Alicia would be able to fight, but he also knew that if anything happened to her, the dragon''s father and son would not be happy.

    Of course, Sam did not want Alicia to get hurt unnecessarily.

    "Sam, that''s fine."

    "...... even Liese-sama did that."

    It was her sister, Lise, who showed her approval of Alicia''s enthusiasm.

    "You know, Alicia is a very sweet girl, but she is the sister of Ur and me. There is no reason why she can''t fight.

    "--well, what do you mean?"

    "Your father taught me how to fight, at least."

    "Oh, really?¡¡No, but they seem to have a lot of experience.

    If Liese says so much, Alicia might actually be able to fight reasonably well.

    Riding on the back of a baby dragon and soaring through the skies of the royal city, we can see that she has a surprisingly high physical ability.

    Even so, I can''t help but think that the kind-hearted Alicia is not fit for a fight.

    £¨This is just my selfish opinion. I don''t want her to fight.)

    "Master Sam!"

    "Yes."

    When his name was called, Sam looked straight at Alicia.

    Alicia just smiled as usual.

    But then she spoke clearly.

    You have to trust me.

    £¨Well, if you put it that way, I already know what I''m going to say.)

    "-Okay, I believe you, Alicia. But please be careful!"

    "Yes, sir!"

    Thus, Alicia''s participation was decided.

 286 - - 36 "Its the beginning of the interleague match" â‘¡

    Sam and the Earls of Walker were visiting the venue of a match at the royal palace.

    It was also the place where Sam had fought Albert Frege for the title of the strongest fighter in the Kingdom of Skye.

    There were bleachers for royalty and guests, as well as spectator seats for nobles, their families, and those with access to the palace.

    All of them are protected by the strong wards of the court wizard G¨¹nter Ignatz. And just in case, the first seat of the court wizards, Shi-Len and Kaoruko Kirishima, a saint of the Orkney Kingdom, were waiting in the wards.

    Jonathan and Grace moved to the spectator''s seats while Sam and the others went to the players'' waiting room.

    The fianc¨¦es, except for Stella, who was in the bleachers as royalty, were with them as usual.

    "Hey, Sam. You''re in a lot of trouble, aren''t you?"

    "Mr. Delight."

    Raising his hand lightly, Sam was greeted by Delight Sinatra, who had just been reinstated as a court wizard.

    Next to him was his daughter, Francesca Sinatra.

    "Hello, Sam. I didn''t expect Alicia and her friends to participate in the Imperial Court game, but I''m sure that ...... Karen-sama and Mizuki-sama will have no problem with it. Don''t worry, I''ll take care of Lise.

    "Please take good care of Lise-sama."

    "Yes, I''ll take care of it."

    "Hey, Fran. I don''t need you to take care of me.

    "Just in case, you''re very ill, you should be worried."

    Lise and Fran, friends as ever, are easy to get along with.

    Fran greeted Karen and Mizuki.

    "We''ve spoken a few times before, haven''t we?"

    "I remember."

    "Yes, it was Francesca, wasn''t it? I remember you too.

    Please, call me Fran. It makes me feel more comfortable."

    I''m Hualien, too.

    I''d like you to call me Mizuki, too. And you can be more casual like you are with Sam and Lise. We''ll do the same.

    "Oh, well, I''ll be sure to do that."

    Sam and Delight kept their distance from Fran and the others, who were trying to deepen the exchange with them while exchanging greetings.

    It is always wise to stay out of the way of the ladies.

    "I never thought Sam would have to fight a brave man. I was out of the office yesterday. I heard later that the brave men over there are quite troublesome.

    No problem. I''ll kill him quickly.

    "No, it''s not like when I fought that bastard Albert, so don''t kill him. Hey, I''m serious!

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha, I know. I just have to make them think it would have been better if they had died."

    "...... d*mn, you son of a b*tc*. Well, my fiancee got messed with, so I''m not sure I don''t understand your anger."

    I''m glad you understand.

    "Well, I was hoping to beat their hero in the return match, but I''ll pass on that. My opponent is the former greatest wizard of the Orkney Kingdom. As we are the same, I think he would be a good opponent for me.

    Despite his usual droll demeanor, Delight''s fighting spirit was immediately apparent in his eyes.

    For him, this was his first fight since returning to the court wizardry.

    Even if it was an exchange match, he could not afford to lose.

    "Please don''t lose!"

    "Ha, who are you talking to? I may have fallen behind Albert, but I''m not the same guy I used to be. You should see how strong I''ve become.

    I''m looking forward to it."

    "Oh, yeah. I''ll never show my face again as Ur''s master. I promise.

    With that, Delight smiled wryly, tossed on his blue coat, which only court wizards are allowed to use, and headed for the ring for the first match.

 287 - - 37 "Youre the strongest vs. the strongest".

    Delight Sinatra was alone in the ring, set up for the match, sentimental.

    £¨Once, in this place, I lost to Albert in front of His Majesty. (Once, here I was in front of His Majesty, but I was beaten by Albert in a terrible way...) I fell to an a**h*le, but life is strange. Sam, Ur''s apprentice, came along and helped me get back on my feet. I was able to rise again. I know I messed up with Fran, but it''s not over yet. I''m not done yet. Fran, Sam, watch me.)

    The crowd watched as the man who had once been the most powerful man in the world once again became a court magician and took his place in the tournament.

    Ignoring the clamor, Delight looked at the guest of honor''s table.

    Clyde seemed to be watching Delight as well, and their eyes met.

    Delight quietly kneeled down and bowed deeply.

    He vowed here that he would never be humiliated again.

    Delight stood up and looked at his opponent who had come into the ring.

    My name is Alexandra Doe. It''s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Delight Sinatra. Your former fame has reached as far as the Kingdom of Orkney. Not to mention your fall from power."

    It was a cheap provocation. The Delight of the past might have been pissed off and outraged, but he did not do so now.

    He accepted the facts as facts, even his shameful past.

    "That''s shameful. You''re the one who lost the top position to an otherworldly kid, aren''t you?

    Alexandra''s face contorted ugly under the provocation, while Delight was not provoked.

    "--You can say that because you don''t know how strong he is!¡¡He was not content to just take the strongest title from me, he took my wife and daughter as well. He is very thorough in his punishment of the losers. I don''t know how strong your student Samuel Scheidt is, but he is no match for Hayama Hayato."

    "If they''ve done that much to you, why don''t you think about doing something to get back at them a little bit?"

    "You''ve shown me that you''re so good that I don''t feel like doing that. Besides, it''s none of my business if my wife is a spendthrift and my daughter a selfish one. I feel bad that they took it from me, but I''m glad they did."

    "Whoa, you''re not so bad yourself. Well, that''s all right. I''m just offering the victory to Your Majesty. I don''t give a d*mn about your stupid affairs. So go ahead and get to it."

    The pre-fight war of tongues will be a draw.

    Delight had no intention of repeating the provocation.

    "All right. --Referee, you may begin.

    The referee for the match was Ludo Orself, the Chief of the Royal Magical Army of the Kingdom of Skye.

    Coincidentally, he was the one who had once refereed both Delight''s and Sam''s fights against Albert.

    "Ready, Delight?"

    Whenever you''re ready.

    "Then let''s begin!¡¡The exchange match between the Kingdom of Skye and the Kingdom of Orkney will now begin!¡¡Game one, begin!

    Ludo''s declaration rang out, and the match began.

    Both Delight and Alexandra moved simultaneously.

    "--Earthlance!"

    "--Hellfire!"

    Alexandra shoots over ten sharp stone spears.

    As the attack roared and closed in, Delight quietly raised her right hand and let loose a burst of flame.

    Fire magic is Delight''s specialty, and one that he has passed down to his beloved apprentice Ur.

    His blow, which was thought to lack firepower, was not the magic of the Delight of old.

    "--Not."

    Delight''s magic was tremendously powerful.

    His fire magic, which until now had been a master at manipulating flames at will, had been raised in power to the level of an explosion.

    The magic power contained in the spell is also rich, befitting the name of the former strongest.

    The firestorm swirled over the ring like a serpent crawling on the ground, turning the stone spear to ashes.

    The flames engulfed the stunned Alexandra and turned her into a pillar of fire.

    A moment later, G¨¹nther''s carefully constructed wards were cracked open.

    It was that powerful.

    "Well, that''s not so bad."

    When the flames subsided, Alexandra, who had been burned all over her body, was found standing and unconscious.

    She was barely alive, but everyone could see that the damage had been done.

    Delight "puffed" out the remaining flames in her right arm, and with a satisfied look on her face, she once again kneeled down to face His Majesty the King.

    "The winner, Delight Sinatra!"

    A moment after his name was called out loudly as the winner, the crowd went wild.

 288 - - 38 "Its your turn." â‘ 

    When Delight returned from his overwhelming victory, Sam and the others who had been watching the match greeted him with excitement.

    "Mr. Delight, you did it!

    "Oh. How am I doing?

    It was great. You''re the master of Ur!"

    "Heh heh, well..."

    Delight smiled shyly at Sam''s compliment.

    His daughter Fran approaches him.

    "Father!"

    "Oh, Fran."

    "How do you like the taste of victory after all these years?"

    Not bad.

    "I''m glad to hear it. It was worth all the trouble we went through to get into the dungeon together.

    Don''t say that. Well, you see... I''m not the same guy anymore. I owe you for your support. --Thank you.

    "No, no, I did what I had to do as a daughter."

    Fran was moved to tears by her father''s straightforward words of gratitude.

    Sam and Lise, who were present at the moment, congratulated the two of them one after another on the moment their father''s hard work had been rewarded.

    Now they would not have to worry about Delight any longer.

    Everyone was relieved.

    "I''m a little embarrassed...oh, I don''t need to worry about that anymore...I''ll just go to the next meeting..." said Sam. I''ve got my next opponent waiting for me."

    I''m next.

    Raising her hand and sniffing wildly, she was Purple Lotus.

    "I''ll do my best."

    She gave a thumbs-up and, unlike usual, was filled with a fighting spirit that anyone could see.

    "Please don''t get hurt. And don''t overdo it."

    "I''m looking forward to seeing you in action, Hualien."

    "Please be careful, Master Hualien!"

    "Good luck, Karen."

    Lise, Mizuki, Alicia, and Fran call out to her respectively.

    "Hanae-sama, I know how good you are, but please be careful. I believe in your victory.

    "Hmm. Thanks, guys. Okay, I''m off.

    *

    Hualien went on stage and put her arms around the audience at her own pace as she was cheered by the audience.

    She is dressed as usual and looks normal.

    However, her arms are covered with knuckle guards and she is full of wariness.

    Hanae was angry in her heart, though she did not show it.

    For Hanae, Liese and Stella, and Alicia and Mizuki were not only in the same position as Sam''s fiancee, but also important friends and family.

    Hualien, who is a fighter at her own pace, had never had a friend like a friend before.

    She was alone, but not lonely. It was thanks to her grandmother, who was the most understanding person in her life.

    Even so, there were times when she wanted to be "normal," to make friends and fall in love as much as anyone else at her age, but she could not.

    Then a turning point came to Hualien.

    On the advice of her grandmother, she had an arranged marriage with a young wizard named Samuel Scheidt.

    I don''t know if it was for her hobby or out of concern for herself, but her grandmother often asked her for a marriage proposal.

    Hualien, who had always turned them down, was intrigued when she met Sam.

    When she came to live with him, she made a friend named Lise. It was her first friend.

    She found herself welcomed into the family of Count Walker and became friends with Erica and Alicia.

    And then I saw that Sam was stronger than I had ever imagined, and I fell in love with him.

    Or maybe I had already fallen in love with him before that.

    Thus, Haren became Sam''s fianc¨¦e, and was once again able to bond with Liese, who was in the same position. She also made a new friend, Mizuki. And Alicia and Stella became good friends as well as fianc¨¦es.

    Even a naive person like me can understand this.

    Normally, women do not get along so well with one man.

    They fight meanly over who gets Sam''s favor the most.

    But not the Hwarens.

    The fianc¨¦es were all dear friends and family.

    What a comfortable relationship, Hualien thinks.

    At the same time, for the first time in her life, she strongly desired to never let go of them.

    That is why she was so angry.

    How she could keep it inside her heart is a mystery to me.

    Hayama Hayato, an otherworldly person and a brave warrior of the Orkney Kingdom, tried to treat Lise and Stella, two of Karen''s dearest friends, as if they were objects, asking them to "rent them for a night.

    This is unforgivable.

    It seems that the man she is about to fight is the lover of this unpleasant man.

    He is one of the foolish women who were willing to let Hayato Hayama touch Stella and her friends right in front of them, even though they were his girlfriends.

    Needless to say, it was more than enough for Hualien to take the brunt of his anger.

    "--n."

    As I waited in the ring, my opponent came up.

    He must be very confident in his abilities.

    The dull red-haired girl stands tall and proud.

    She was lightly equipped with knuckle guards on her arms and a breastplate, just like Hanaren.

    When she gazed at her opponent, the corners of her lips lifted up like a ferocious beast.

 289 - - 39 "Its your turn." â‘¡

    "So you''re the fianc¨¦e of Samuel Scheidt, the man who disrespected our hero. My name is Lind. I hear we''re both empty-handed. Let''s see who''s stronger."

    Her opponent - the girl who called herself Lindo - was just as eager to fight as Hualien.

    "Of course I''m going to win."

    "Ha, you''re telling me. I''ve been through it all with you!¡¡I''m not going to let you beat me that easily!"

    "It''s the same for me."

    "Hey, hey, I heard that you guys leave it to your fianc¨¦es and hardly fight at all. You women should have the guts to help the men you fall in love with!"

    "It''s better than a woman who just watches the man she''s in love with make a move on another woman."

    Are you making fun of me, my hero?

    If anything, I''m insulting you.

    "You b*tc*!"

    Apparently, Lind is insufferable.

    It was an argument that she had initiated, but with her canine teeth bared, it was unlikely that any further conversation would ensue.

    "......f*ck you, I''m gonna kill you for sure!¡¡I''m going to kill you and win the favor of the brave!¡¡I''m going to prove that they love me more than anyone else!¡¡Come and get it!"

    Hualien sighed.

    (-- woman with a boring reason to fight)

    "Are we done?¡¡It''s time to get the game started."

    Referee Ryudo intervened, ending the standoff between Hualien and Lind.

    "Hmm..."

    "Let''s get this thing started, I''m gonna kill you!"

    "At ......, the second game--begin!"

    The signal to start the match sounded.

    A moment later, Karen kicked the ground so vigorously that the ring caved in.

    "Hey!"

    Ignoring Lindo, who was immensely impressed by Hualien''s speed, she kneaded her magic power to the maximum and converted it into her physical abilities.

    "--Body enhancement to the maximum."

    The explosively strengthened body improves Hualien''s physical body, which is already physically capable, by a factor of ten or more.

    Of course, her body screamed at the sudden increase in physical ability.

    An ordinary human being would not be able to endure this, but Hualien is the grandson of the first seat of the court magician, Shi-Lian, who is the best recovery magic user in the country, and she is also a recovery magic user who learned recovery magic from her grandmother.

    She is a recovery magician who learned recovery magic from her grandmother. She can force the body to recover by casting recovery magic on the whole body of a person who is screaming.

    This allows him to ignore the great burden and to strengthen his physical abilities to more than the maximum for the attack.

    Of course, it would not last long, but he did not intend to take too long.

    In an instant, Hanaeren was in Lindo''s pocket, and as soon as she stepped through the cobblestones of the ring, she released her fist with all her might.

    Hualien''s fist caught Lind in the chest, causing it to cave in significantly.

    Lindo''s internal organs were crushed, and a large amount of blood was spit out from his mouth.

    Houren swung his fist with all his might, not caring about the blood flying into his face.

    Lindo was blown away as if he had been hit by a bullet, and hit the boundary that G¨¹nther had set up, and fell forward to the ground, motionless.

    "--Fu!"

    After releasing the body enhancement magic, Karen watched to see if Lind would get up, but when she saw Drew approach her and shake his head before hurriedly calling for a rescue team, she knew it was settled,

    "What the hell?"

    He let out a short, spontaneous laugh.

    He was so out of it that he let out a short word.

    "Sam, praise, praise."

    When Hualien came back to the waiting room, she rubbed up against Sam and decided to pat him on the head.

    "Ah, yes, that was brilliant. I mean, I''ve never seen you in earnest before!¡¡That''s strong!"

    "I''m not serious yet."

    "What?"

    "Grandmother said not to overdo it, so I saved it."

    So you didn''t really mean it. Wow."

    Sam thought he had a good grasp of her ability, but it was clear that he was wrong.

    Moreover, he said that Hualien had not yet shown her true potential.

    I broke out in a cold sweat, wondering how much of her ability she was hiding.

    "I know I had a bad attitude, but I could have killed a brave man''s aide in a blink of an eye. Look at the bitter looks on the faces of the Orkney Kingdom people...hmmm...you thought you were going to have a good fight, didn''t you?"

    "Whether you are a member of a brave man''s entourage or not, you are still weak. I''m surprised that you could come to the exchange game so openly.

    "I guess I agree with you. It''s one thing to be surprised by Hualien''s speed, but I would have liked to see him at least react or show enough spirit to continue the match even if his chest was crushed."

    "Yeah, yeah. "Yeah, yeah. It was gutless."

    Hualien and Mizuki''s evaluation of Lindo was very poor.

    However, even for Sam, it was not a good development in this match, as he easily lost to an opponent whom he had licked and whose skill was beyond his imagination.

    Following Delight, Hualien ended the match with a single blow.

    This is not a good way to communicate with the audience.

    "--Liese."

    "Hualien?"

    Hualien, in a good mood after Sam patted her on the head, gave a thumbs-up to Liese.

    "I''ll protect Lise and Stella."

    "--Thank you, Karen."

    It was a short word, but Lise, who was very close to her, understood all that Hanae had to say and hugged her.

    "Hehehe."

    The bashful-looking Hanayasu had successfully defeated the lover of the brave man who had insulted her friend.

 290 - - 40 "Its Mizukis turn" â‘ 

    "Well, I guess it''s my turn now."

    Mizuki, dressed in hakama and holding a sword at his waist, spoke quietly.

    Mizuki-sama, I am cheering for you. But please don''t overdo it.

    "Ha-ha, Sam is a worrier. You know how good I am.

    "But I''m still worried."

    "Yeah. Thank you. It''s nice to have someone worry about me like this. But I''ll be fine. I dedicate this victory to Sam.

    Mizuki had enough time to meditate with one eye.

    Sam said, "Good luck," because worrying about Mizuki more than necessary would lead to doubts about her ability.

    Mizuki was happy to hear her fianc¨¦''s words of support and smiled.

    "Mizuki, I''m rooting for you."

    "Good luck."

    "Mizuki-sama, please do your best!"

    "It''s kind of nice to have people care about me like this. I''ll do my best. I''m going to put away in a moment the lover of the man who insulted Lady Stella and Liese, my dear family."

    Mizuki then proceeded to the ring for the match.

    Mizuki then walked to the ring for the match.

    Mizuki Amemiya quietly sat on the ring with her eyes closed.

    All she could think about was the recent past.

    The meeting with Sam, the fight between his father and Sam. As a result, she became Sam''s fianc¨¦e, a hostage of her father.

    But Mizuki was not treated badly.

    Everyone, including Sam, accepted me not as a hostage but as one of his fianc¨¦es. They treated him like family.

    If it had been any other family, it would not have been like this.

    Mizuki was truly grateful for this chance.

    That was why she could not forgive Hayato Hayama and the women who followed him for avenging Liese and Stella, who were also her fianc¨¦ and her family.

    "Sorry to keep you waiting."

    A girl came up to the ring late.

    She was a beautiful, well-bred, knightly-looking girl in pants and silver armor.

    Her blonde curly hair was well-groomed, but she had an air of pride about her.

    In her hand was a long sword in an ornate scabbard.

    "I heard that your father is a sword saint. Coincidentally, my father is also a renowned sword saint in the Kingdom of Orkney.

    My father used to be a swordsman. Now he is just an ordinary man who runs a dojo.

    My father seems to feel a little better now that he is no longer a sword saint.

    Even after losing the title of "Kensei," he began to take care of his remaining disciples who adored him.

    Of course, he is no longer a sword saint, but he still takes up the sword for his country. In fact, he laughed at the fact that he could take the initiative now that he no longer had any ties to the government.

    My father is here today, watching the match as a spectator.

    "Oh, yes, that''s right. I heard that you were defeated by a wizard who was not a swordsman, and you were given the title of Kensei.

    "Huh, that''s a lousy provocation."

    "Oh, I''m so sorry. I heard a rumor that you, Mizuki Amemiya, are the next Kensei. It''s a coincidence that I, Rebecca Urbanfield, am also planning to follow in my father''s footsteps and become the next Sword Sage.

    Rebecca, brimming with confidence, flutters her hair and proudly stands tall on her chest.

    Mizuki, on the other hand, looked at Rebecca with a wary gaze as if she was not interested in her.

    "I see. So, what are you trying to say?"

    "You must decide who is stronger, me or you."

    "It doesn''t matter who''s stronger."

    That''s not true. As the best swordsman in the land, I cannot be outdone by swordsmen from other countries. I want to offer my victory to the hero. Then I can enjoy his favor all to myself!

    "Ah, so that''s where we''re getting to after all."

    Mizuki cowered her shoulders.

    Hayato Hayama''s lovers are all screaming like mad, "Master Yuusha, Master Yuusha!

    Mizuki didn''t know what in the world was so attractive about that boy.

    "What''s wrong with you?¡¡It is natural to try to win the favor of your beloved lord."

    "Ah, well, I don''t deny it. But we are all a family, and I don''t understand why we have to fight over one man like you do.

    "--Well, that''s kind of creepy."

    When Rebecca gave her a look of disgust, Mizuki frowned involuntarily.

 291 - - 41 "Its Mizukis turn." â‘¡

    "What''s the fun in playing family with strangers?¡¡Perhaps you are Samuel Scheidt''s fianc¨¦e, but you do not adore him?¡¡I remember ...... that some father was given to you as a hostage so that you would never do anything stupid again. I suppose such a situation would make it impossible for him to have any affection for his fianc¨¦e. --I''m sorry to hear that.

    "...... heh."

    "If you wish, I can help you free yourself from your current situation. If you are loyal to the hero, you may ask him for his favor - after mine, of course.

    "--Not anymore."

    "Yes?"

    Mizuki was a relatively calm person among his fianc¨¦es.

    This is because he was raised to be calm as a swordsman.

    Of course, he has feelings and sometimes gets emotional. But basically, she is a calm girl.

    Mizuki''s heart was filled with anger.

    She was angry that she had been told that her family members were creepy, but now she was told to become Hayato Hayama''s woman. It was truly horrifying.

    "I understand that you are trying to make me angry. And it worked. I have to keep my cool when I hold a sword. ...... I guess I''m still a work in progress."

    "Oh, isn''t it good to know that you are immature? Then let me tell you that not only your mind is inexperienced, but your swordsmanship is inexperienced as well.

    "Hmm. Well, let''s see what you can teach me."

    Ludo, the referee, stood between them and raised his arm to announce the start of the match.

    "You have insulted my beloved family. That is unforgivable. You will pay for that."

    As soon as the match began, Mizuki''s eyes turned sharp and he cut the koiguchi of his sword with a blinding speed.

    A high-pitched metallic sound echoed, and then something fell to the ground with a thud.

    "All right," said Mizuki, "I''ll do it. Then, with this sword of mine--what?

    As Rebecca was about to draw her sword, she noticed something strange about herself.

    "My arm..."

    "I think that''s your arm on the ground. I think you''d better pick it up and get it hooked up."

    "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!"

    Rebecca''s screams rang out.

    The female swordsman from the neighboring country had lost her right arm from the base down.

    As proof, her right arm, still holding the sword, is lying on the ring.

    Rebecca''s throat is ripped open in a scream, and she falls to the ground and sprays blood, sprawling around.

    Mizuki gives Rebecca a chilling look.

    "I''ll let you off with just one arm. But it won''t happen again. If you insult my family again, you''d better be prepared to roll on the ground from the neck up."

    After saying this, he turns away as if he is no longer interested.

    It is not clear if Mizuki''s voice reached Rebecca, who was still screaming, but it surely made her feel a little better.

    The referee declared Mizuki the winner, and the crowd cheered.

    Thus, it was the third victory for the Sky Kingdom.

    The crowd cheered.

    (Noooooo, I could hardly see Mizuki-sama''s sword. Isn''t he stronger than Kurarayu-sama?)

    Sam, who was watching the match, could hardly see Mizuki''s movements.

    He managed to see the first movement, but was surprised to find that his opponent''s arm had already fallen off.

    It probably looked to the audience as if Rebecca''s right arm suddenly flew off from the base.

    (I''ve fought countless times, but Mizuki-sama was only in the category of a hand-to-hand fight, wasn''t he? I wonder what would happen if we actually fight.)

    Like Liese, a swordsman who has mastered Amamiya-ryu is too much of a wizard-killer.

    It is not that it is impossible to countermeasure against them, but it is really hard to deal with them when they can attack as quickly and sharply as Mizuki does.

    If Sam and Mizuki fight with all their might, who knows how it will end.

    Sam, on the other hand, does not intend to fight for his life against his fianc¨¦e.

    "Heh heh, Sam, I want a compliment too."

    Back in the waiting room, Mizuki seemed like a different person from the one who had mercilessly cut off his opponent''s arm.

    No one would expect a girl who rubs up against you like a puppy and urges you to pat her head to have unusual fighting skills.

    "Oh, yes, of course. You were very good, I mean, I could hardly see you."

    Patting Mizuki on the head, Sam responds with half admiration.

    "You''re not ready yet, Sam. You saw the lotus flowers and Liese, didn''t you?"

    "...... No, I could only see about half of it. While I was laying down my sword, Mizuki has become even stronger. I''m impressed.

    Lise marveled.

    "I could see. But it was pretty close."

    Hualien seems to have been able to follow it with her eyes. After all, she too has excellent dynamic vision.

    "I couldn''t see anything. I heard a click and was startled when I saw my opponent''s arm fall off.

    Alicia was the only one who could not see at all, and understandably so.

    It is rather strange that she could follow them with her eyes.

    "Lise will have to retrain after the birth. Sam will be working harder than ever tomorrow when we meet. I understand that your skills and magic are powerful and that you are the best in the country overall, but you are still growing and you need to develop your physical skills as much as you can.

    "I will devote myself to it."

    "Hmmm, let''s do our best. Hey, Sam, Lise, guys.

    "Yes?"

    Mizuki looked around at her family and told them with a smile.

    I am happy to be a part of your family.

    Smiling like that, Mizuki looked really happy.

 292 - - 42 "Its Alicias turn." â‘ 

    "Then, it''s my turn!

    Alicia was about to enter the ring, sniffling and ready to fight, when Sam called out to her.

    "Oh, um, Alicia, I don''t think you need to push yourself too hard.

    As for Sam, he was sincerely concerned about Alicia.

    Liese and the others had told him that Alicia had the means to fight, but he had not seen her with his own eyes, so his concern did not disappear.

    Alicia responded to Sam with a big smile.

    Don''t worry!¡¡I will also show you that I am a suitable fianc¨¦e for you, Mr. Sam!"

    "No, I appreciate the sentiment, but..."

    Well, I''m off!

    "Wait, Alicia-sama!

    Alicia, who was a little more excited than usual, came to the game in the middle of Sam''s words.

    If you had seen her, you would have known that she was not going to give up as soon as the match started.

    Sam wanted to hold her head.

    "You have nothing to worry about, Sam."

    "--Burning dragon?¡¡You were coming?"

    Without a sound or a sign, Sam''s back was occupied by the burning dragon that had taken such an affectionate interest in Alicia.

    "Hmm. I had some free time. Daphne invited me. He''s in the audience."

    "...... Daphne, when did you become friends with the burning dragon? I don''t mean that, that''s fine, but we have to stop Alicia!"

    "Fine. In case of emergency, I''ll tear them to pieces."

    "That''s what you''re worried about, and I want to stop you!"

    "I was joking. Don''t worry about it. I assure you Alicia will be fine."

    "But you know what?"

    "Sam - if you''re engaged, you have to trust Alicia."

    "Ugh."

    When he said that, Sam had no choice but to keep his mouth shut.

    It''s not that he doesn''t trust Alicia.

    I''m just worried.

    "-Mr. Sam."

    As Alicia left the waiting room, she looked back at Sam and smiled, as if to say, "Don''t worry.

    "I am glad that you are concerned about my safety, Sam. But let me prove to you that I am not only protected.

    Alicia bowed by the hem of her dress, and this time she headed for the ring.

    I realized that the frightened Alicia I had met was gone.

    She had grown into a girl who stood up straight and was not afraid of anything.

    "Sam, I appreciate your concern, but you don''t have to be overprotective of Alicia, no, not only of Alicia, but of all of us."

    "......Liese-sama."

    Alicia will be fine. I trust her."

    "Even Alicia has her thoughts. Let''s trust her and watch over her."

    "Hanae-sama, Mizuki-sama."

    After being rebuked not only by the burning dragon but also by his other fianc¨¦es, Sam admitted that he was indeed overprotective.

    I don''t see anything wrong with that. What''s wrong with worrying about the ones you love?

    But Sam clenched his fists tightly, resisting the urge to bring Alicia back at any moment, and decided to watch over his beloved.

    He knows that sometimes it is important to stay out of it.

    "--Good luck, Alicia."

    The first time I saw a man with a

    Alicia stepped into the ring and politely greeted her waiting opponent.

    "I''m Alicia Walker. Pleased to meet you."

    "--Ha. What a weak-looking girl to be my opponent. It''s a little surprising, but okay. I''m not going to take it easy on you because you have to win for your girlfriend."

    Sighing dejectedly was Brenda, a girl with short-cut black hair, a short leather skirt and long boots down to her knees.

    "Of course, I''ll do my best."

    "You''re kind of a downer, aren''t you? I don''t dislike her, but it was a bad turn of events. I''m not going to be a bully, so I''ll just get it over with. And you''re going to get a lot of love from your hero."

    Brenda twists around with a glazed look on her face, imagining what will happen after the match.

    Lude, the referee, looked a little fed up with the third appearance of the girl who was fascinated by the hero, and announced the start of the match.

    Brenda was the first to make a move.

    "Well then, let''s begin--summoning.

    Brenda snapped her fingers and a magic circle appeared.

    A stag with magnificent antlers appeared out of the bright light.

    But what caught my attention most of all was the stag''s sturdy-looking chain around its neck.

    Alicia frowned at the not-so-good treatment of the stag.

    "There are many spirits in the Kingdom of Orkney. This stag is one of them. I have captured it and am training it.

    "--That''s terrible."

    "Oh dear, that must have been too much for a fragile little girl like you. But you know, all summoners do the same thing. They are summoners only when they train and use others to summon them.

    "I would never do such a thing. I will fight with the help of my dear friends!

    "Oh, you''re a summoner too?¡¡Okay, go ahead and call them."

    Alicia took a deep breath and called out the name of her dear friend.

    "--Welcome, my little Merci!"

    A magic circle filled the ring, and a divine light shone out, turning the surroundings white.

    And then..,

    "--Kyururu!"

    Emerging from the light was one of the baby dragons, who was supposed to be staying at Count Walker''s house.

 293 - - 43 "Its Alicias turn." â‘¡

    Brenda''s eyes widened at the appearance of a baby dragon named Merci.

    "What?¡¡Huh?¡¡You can''t be serious about dragons!¡¡There''s no way I could have commanded such a thing!"

    Alicia puffed up her cheeks and shouted her protest with Merci, who was also looking dissatisfied.

    I didn''t use her!¡¡Besides, Merci is a dragon, not a dragon!"

    "Kyurrrrr!"

    "Because it''s even more impossible!¡¡How could a dragon be so stupid?¡¡No summoner in history or in the past has ever been able to summon a dragon!"

    If Brenda''s words are true, Alicia has done something unprecedented.

    In fact, as she said herself, Alicia did not perform the mission.

    She is just borrowing the power of her good friends, but it is still unprecedented.

    In the first place, in this day and age, there is no one who can communicate with a dragon.

    "I am not a summoner, but with the help of Mercy-chan, I will fight hard to be of help to Sam-sama!

    "Wait, wait, wait, that''s not good, there''s no way I can deal with a dragon!¡¡Besides, you know, your dragon started out with a cute cry, but now it has a very frightening cry.

    I''m coming!

    "GROOAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

    "Don''t, don''t, don''t, don''t, don''t, don''t, don''t, don''t, don''t, don''t, don''t, don''t, don''t!¡¡No, no, no, no, no spirit can defeat a dragon--"

    Brenda had already abandoned her fight for victory over the heroes.

    Her knowledge and experience as a summoner had made her realize that she could not win against the girl and the baby dragon in front of her, even if she stood on her head.

    Brenda tried to shout out her surrender, but she was too weak to speak and sat down on the spot.

    Alicia told Brenda without any mercy.

    "Merci, please!

    "Squeal squeal squeal squeal squeal squeal squeal squeal squeal squeal squeal squeal squeal squeal squeal squeal squeal squeal squeal squeal squeal squeal!!!!!!!!!"

    When the dragon cub opened its mouth wide, a ray of converging fire mixed with magic power was released.

    The power of the ray was equal to or even more powerful than the blow that Sam had fired using Ulrike''s magic in his battle with the sword master Amemiya Kurando.

    Of course, there was no way that Brenda, a mere summoner, could withstand such a blow, and she fainted, blowing bubbles as she faced the future of her own death.

    In fact, the searing rays of heat did not burn Brenda.

    Alicia dared the dragon cub to aim at the sky so that no one would be harmed.

    A red flash of light penetrated G¨¹nther''s sturdy wards like paper and flew far into the sky.

    A beat later, a storm of aftermath blows over the ring and through the hall.

    The unconscious Brenda was easily blown away and rolled out of the ring.

    When the storm subsided, the venue was filled with a painful silence.

    "Ladies and gentlemen, the winner, Alicia Walker!"

    Ludo, the referee, declared in a trembling voice, but the audience did not move an inch.

    Everyone was in awe of Alicia and her dragon cub.

    Alicia was the least conspicuous girl among Sam''s betrothed.

    Some of the nobles maliciously accused her of being a favor to Sam, who was being cared for by the Earls of Walker.

    The reason why Alicia was maligned was because she was considered to be unworthy of the wife of the most powerful court wizard in the kingdom.

    Lise is a disciple of the sword saint and excels in swordsmanship. Stella is a princess. Hualien is not only the grandson of a court magician, but she herself is skilled in restoration magic and body techniques. Mizuki is also the daughter of the sword saint Amemiya Kurando, and is a strong candidate to become the next sword saint.

    Although combat power and position were not everything, it was true that Alicia was not as good as her other fianc¨¦es.

    However, this match would have changed everyone''s opinion of Alicia.

    For the humans, fresh from the memory of the attack by the dragon on the capital, Alicia, who could call the dragon her friend and borrow her strength, must have looked very scary.

    No matter, Alicia was a woman worthy of Sam after all. That''s all there is to it.

    Everyone was frightened of Alicia, admired her, and vowed never to speak of her behind her back again.

    Only Alicia herself was happy to hug the dragon cub, unaware that what she had done had changed the way people looked at her.

    In the midst of all this, there was only one shadow that moved.

    The spirit of the stag that Brenda had been working with approached Alicia and Merci with a small cry.

    The chain around the stag''s neck was missing.

    Perhaps the chains had been shattered in the aftermath of the dragon cub''s blow.

    The free stag approached Alicia and rubbed his nose against hers to show his gratitude. The stag then does the same to the dragon cub, which kicks the air and disappears into the sky.

    Alicia looked over at the released stag, and then struck a gut-punching pose with the snorting dragon cub,

    "I did it!"

    Unusually for her, she let out a loud, excited cry.

 294 - - 44 "I will fight against the strongest brave on the continent" â‘ 

    "We won!¡¡Master Sam!¡¡Sister!"

    "Kurukyu!"

    Sam caught Alicia with both arms as she flew into the waiting room, followed by a flying dragon cub that jumped on her back and nuzzled her like a cat.

    "Well, there are many things I want to say, but first of all, I''m glad to hear that you are safe. I mean, you named the baby dragon, didn''t you?"

    The baby dragon had wanted a name for a long time, but its mother, a burning dragon, had not allowed it.

    Giving a name is a kind of contract, and may have a great impact on the future growth of the cubs.

    The dragon wanted the children to grow up free and uninhibited.

    Sam and his children had been desperately holding back when the dragon cubs begged them for their names, because they also understood the wishes of the dragon.

    However, Alicia has now given a cute name to one of the baby dragons, Mercy-chan.

    £¨I wonder if it''s a good idea?)

    Sam looked at the burning dragon uneasily, but she smiled as if it was no problem.

    "Don''t worry about it. The mistress has given her permission."

    "What?"

    Sam was surprised.

    He had never expected that a dragon with a burning heart would give permission to be named.

    But he soon understood why.

    "Because my child wants to help Alicia, Sam, and the rest of the family. ......The kids grow up so fast."

    Sam is moved by the fact that the dragon cub himself, named and bound by contract, is willing to help Alicia and himself.

    The burning dragon was pleased to see the great growth of his children, his eyes moistening with joy.

    "Not only Merci, but all the little dragons think of us as family," he said.

    "I see. Thank you, Merci."

    "Squeal!"

    When Sam thanks her, Merci squeals "You''re welcome" and rubs her cheek.

    The corners of my eyes droop at the sight of her large but still cute little figure.

    However,

    "Soon, please give names to the other children. If it''s just this one, he might start to complain about favoritism and go berserk."

    There are two unnamed baby dragons.

    If they all go on a rampage together, they will surely destroy the Count''s house as well as a part of King''s Landing.

    "That''s not good!

    Sam''s pathetic voice was met with laughter from everyone.

    The others laughed at him.

    "--Well, I guess it''s my turn now."

    So far, the Kingdom of Skye has won game after game.

    And they are winning by overwhelming margins.

    The Kingdom of Orkney must be very frustrated.

    It was supposed to be an exchange match, but it turned out to be a demonstration of the strength of the Sky Kingdom.

    This would not have happened if Hayato Hayama had not asked Hualien and his team to participate in the match after causing trouble.

    I wondered what the boy from the neighboring country would be looking like right now, and I smiled a little.

    "Sam. Be careful. He may have a lousy personality, but he is considered the best in the country. No, he claims to be the strongest on the continent, so you must be on your guard.

    "Don''t worry too much, Liese-sama. I won''t lose, no matter if they''re from another world, a brave warrior, or the strongest on the continent.

    Sam hugged his beloved fianc¨¦e, who looked at him with worried, moist eyes.

    "Yes, I believe you. Yes, I believe in you. I know you''re not here, but I know you believe in Sam''s victory.

    "I''m going to beat that scum who tried to touch Stella-sama and Lise-sama. I''m going to teach him a lesson so he can never do anything stupid again.

    I''m sorry to leave you, but I have to let go of Liese.

    Each of my fianc¨¦es called out to me except for Lise.

    "Good luck, Sam!"

    "Sam, you can have all the fun you want."

    "I believe you will win, Master Sam!"

    "Squeal!"

    "Hmmm, let the mistress have her fun."

    Hualien, Mizuki, Alicia, and Mercy and the Burning Dragon gave us a pep talk,

    "Well, I''m off."

    Sam headed into the ring to fight Hayato Hayama.

 295 - - 45 "I will fight against the strongest brave on the continent" â‘¡

    In the ring, Hayato Hayama, the hero of the Orkney Kingdom and the strongest hero on the continent, was already waiting for him with an irritated look on his face.

    He glared at Sam as if he were about to shoot him dead, and opened his distorted mouth.

    How dare you mock my lovers!

    "Sorry, my fianc¨¦es are very strong."

    "Screw ''em, man, they''ve already done that to my face, so I guess I''m out of the second tier."

    Hmm?¡¡What do you mean, "dropped out of the second army?"

    "Ah, d*mn, why do I have to explain it to you? Oh, well, that''s okay. I''m looking for qualities in a lover. That''s why guys like you who lose out to kid fianc¨¦es like you are demoted from lovers."

    "-- Huh?"

    I''m not sure what to say.

    Just when you thought he was eager to avenge his lovers who lost the match, he comes up with something really stupid.

    "I''m stunned. You''re in no position to talk to a woman like that, are you?"

    "Huh?¡¡Who do you think I am?¡¡As a brave warrior of the Kingdom of Orkney, I am allowed to do this kind of thing!¡¡Even they were attracted to me."

    "Bullshit. You''re using a charmed evil eye.

    Why did you say that?

    "No, you''re too upset."

    Thanks to his honest reaction like this, I was convinced that Hayama Hayato has a magic eye.

    Hence, the anger that I had been suppressing until now rekindled.

    "You use it too much. You should have done as you pleased within your reach, but of all people, you''re messing with Stella-sama!¡¡You''re prepared to pay a fair price for that, aren''t you?"

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!¡¡Oh well!¡¡If they know, so be it. Yes, I have a charmed eye. You may not understand it, but it''s the greatest gift God has given to me, the chosen one who was summoned to this world as a brave warrior!

    "That''s a big deal. But I''m not allowed to mess with anyone''s mind.

    "I don''t know about that!¡¡God gave it to me to use, so I''m allowed to do whatever I want!"

    I decided that it was useless to continue this conversation.

    Fortunately, Yuto''s excited voice was heard not only in the ring but also throughout the venue.

    The spectators, Ludo as the referee, and the members of the royal family in the guest of honor''s seats were all looking at him with contempt.

    Only the women, who were fascinated by him, looked at him in ecstasy as he boasted of his magical eye.

    (With this, one of my goals has been fulfilled. The rest is--)

    Sam wanted to kill Hayama Yuto if he could.

    He wanted to make sure that he would never go near Stella or Lise again.

    However, he was nailed by King Clyde not to kill him.

    Sam thought of this and tried to spread the bad deeds of Hayato so that he would die a social death.

    Perhaps he succeeded.

    Many people knew that the brave man had an eye of enchantment.

    Those who had lost lovers and wives to him would know why.

    The king of the neighboring kingdom, whose first queen is in love with the hero, will not forgive him if the reason is enchantment.

    "And Stella, and Liese, is it Liese?¡¡I''ll charm all your other fianc¨¦es and play with them, mess them up, and then dump them."

    "--Shut up. Don''t call their names with your filthy mouth.

    It was unclear whether it was a provocation or not, but Sam hit Yuuto with a thick killing intent when he told him that he had not given up on Stella yet, and that he would even touch Liese and the others.

    "--hi!"

    He quickly took a few steps backward, sweat beading on his face.

    It seemed that the fact that his jaw had been shattered and both of his legs had been broken had been implanted as a latent fear, even if his injuries had healed.

    "Hmmm, hmmm, I''ll admit your girl is stronger than mine. But you can never be stronger than me!¡¡I''m a brave man, you know!"

    Sam laughed at the attitude of the brave man, who seemed to be bluffing.

    "You call yourself a brave man," he said.

    "What the hell, man!"

    "Enough of your nonsense. Come on, let''s make this black and white. I can''t wait to destroy you.

    "You little brat, don''t make me laugh!¡¡Do you really think you can beat me!¡¡You have no idea why I''m called brave!"

    Yuto raised his hand to the sky.

    The next moment, something else, different from magic power, is unleashed and blows into the air.

    "What?"

    Yuto pulled a long, shining white sword from the sky and held it high in the air.

    "Do you understand?¡¡It''s the holy sword I got in the dungeon. No one else could pull it off, but it chose me. It chose me and me alone!¡¡I am the brave chosen by the sword!

    "So?"

    What?"

    When Sam asked what was the matter, Yuto made a dumb face.

    It was a surprise that Yuto had the holy sword, but that didn''t change anything.

    All Sam had to do was to beat Yuto to a pulp.

    "What do you mean he pulled out the sword?

    I have defeated the strongest forces of other nations!¡¡I''m the strongest and bravest man on the continent!"

    "So what does that make you?"

    "My power!¡¡The enchantment, the holy sword, it''s all my power!¡¡It is valuable only if I am worthy of being a brave man!"

    "Oh, yeah. Then let''s see if your power is better than mine."

    We don''t need to have this conversation anymore.

    Sam braced himself.

    "Fine!¡¡They tell me not to kill you, but I''ll kill you!¡¡I have a grudge against you for humiliating me so much!¡¡You''re just a little kid with a big f*cking ego!¡¡It''s people like you that get on my nerves!"

    I''m not afraid of anything, even if they stare at me with a grim look in their eyes.

    From Sam''s point of view, Yuto is nothing more than a child who does as he pleases with his power. He happened not to meet people whose power did not work for him, but even if he had not met Sam and his friends, the same thing would have happened to him somewhere someday.

    "Please, Mr. Ludo, start the game!"

    "Okay. And now, for the final match of the evening, Samuel Scheidt versus Hayama Hayato!¡¡--Let''s begin!

    It was Yuto who made the first move.

    Raising his holy sword, he ran at full speed, keeping low to the ground.

    When he was close to Sam, he swung the sword with all his might.

    "What?" he said, "I''ll combine the power of my magic and the holy sword for a special kill!"

    "-Kirisakumono."

    Sam, on the other hand, intercepted him and reared his right arm to the side.

 296 - - 46 "I will fight against the strongest brave on the continent" â‘¢

    At the same time as the deafening metallic sound echoed, the holy sword that Yuto was holding was cut in two from the middle.

    "--What?"

    With a clank, half of the sword fell to the cobblestones of the ring.

    Yuto is stunned, but then a cut runs across his right eye, and a moment later fresh blood spurts out.

    "Gyaaaahhhhhh!

    Sam nodded his head in admiration as he watched the hero fainting in agony while holding his right eye.

    "Whoa, I wasn''t sure if that holy sword was real or not, but it''s surprisingly hard. But thanks to that, I could only destroy my right eye when I intended to destroy both eyes. Come on, don''t just stand there! I''ll cut out your other eye too.

    "Oh, shit, oh, shit, oh, shit, oh, shit, you did it again!¡¡My eye!"

    Yuuto, holding his right eye and staining his clothes and skin red, glares at me with one eye.

    But what did he think? He turned around and shouted at the girls who had finished the treatment and were watching his game.

    "Hey, protect me!

    "Oh?"

    Lind, Rebecca, and Brenda climbed onto the ring in response to Yuto''s voice.

    "Oh, come on, can you really charm them that well?"

    "Kirishima!¡¡Cure my eye!"

    Yuto had the three girls stand in front of him like a wall and demanded that Kaoruko Kirishima heal him even though they were in the middle of a match.

    This puzzled Kaoruko.

    "What are you thinking!¡¡You''re in the middle of a match!¡¡If you want me to treat you, you should have surrendered and finished the match first!"

    "Don''t be stupid!¡¡There''s no way I could lose!¡¡I''m in too much pain to concentrate!¡¡Get well soon!"

    "No!"

    "If you don''t ...... heal, I can order you to do what I say by force. If you don''t want to do that, then heal me quickly!¡¡That''s an order!"

    "Oh, no."

    If Kaoruko did not obey Yuto, he would surely charm her into healing him.

    When Kaoruko hesitated, Sam offered her a helping hand.

    "Okay, you can treat him."

    "What?¡¡But."

    I don''t care. No matter how many times I treat you, you''ll just keep doing the same thing over and over again. Next time I''ll cut your left eye, then your arm, then your leg. Let''s see how many times you can take it."

    There are no more rules.

    The exchange match was ruined when Yuto manipulated the lovers and used them as shields, and then demanded medical treatment even during the match.

    Lude, the referee, tried to stop the game, but Sam looked at him and dared to stop the game.

    As for Sam, he could not let the match end like this.

    The brave man had not yet received his reward.

    "Don''t get all worked up over something as trivial as breaking a ...... holy sword. I still have my magic. Besides, you can''t attack me if I use a woman as a shield!

    "You''re such a scumbag."

    I can despise it with all my heart.

    To charm and manipulate them, to play with their bodies and minds, and then to use them as shields to protect oneself is something no sane person could possibly imitate.

    "These useless women are just fine to use as shields!¡¡They''re happy to comply anyway, so why bother!¡¡But what about you, you can''t attack, can you?"

    "No, but I can."

    (What is this guy talking about?¡¡I feel sorry for you that you are fascinated, but of course you don''t care about strangers you don''t even know. What''s more important is that you get what''s coming to you for messing with Stella and the others.)

    "Huh?¡¡What are you talking about?

    "Why should I care about them?¡¡I have people I care about. But they''re not one of them. Even if it''s not my intention, if they get in my way, I''ll cut them down without mercy."

    You don''t have a soul!

    You who charms and manipulates, don''t tell me what to do!

    Sam was stunned to hear this.

    At least I don''t want to be told what to think of the human heart by a man who charms and plays with little girls.

    "d*mn it, go!¡¡Keep that kid on his toes while I heal him!¡¡I''ll die if I have to!"

    The girls replied, "Okay," and pulled out their knives, swords, and other weapons.

    Sam also braced herself.

    He does not like the idea of cutting down the captivated girls, but it does not mean that he cannot do it.

    The question is whether or not it is acceptable to do so in an exchange match, but I decided not to think about it too much anymore.

    I originally did not want to cut down the girl who was being manipulated, but I decided that if I could not break the enchantment, it would be better to die.

    However, the slight pity makes me hesitate and I can''t make a move.

    In the meantime, Yuto turned his back on Sam to heal him.

    The next moment, Sam could not believe his eyes.

    "Hey..."

    "What?"

    It was the same for Kaoruko who was looking at us.

    The only one who did not notice was Yuto, who was too occupied with himself.

    The girls readied their weapons and attacked not Sam but Yuto''s back.

    There was no way to stop them, and Sam could only watch in stunned amazement.

    Meanwhile, knives and swords were thrust into Yuto''s back.

 297 - - 47 "I will fight against the strongest brave on the continent" â‘£

    Yujin fell forward and out of the ring, his eyes wide open in disbelief.

    Sam, Kaoruko, and probably the audience felt the same way.

    "What''s wrong?"

    "You''ve got to be kidding me!"

    How dare you play with us!

    I''m gonna kill you!¡¡Prepare yourself!"

    "--hi."

    The girls'' angry shouts led Sam to a certain conclusion.

    "You don''t think they''ve broken the spell, do you?"

    However, the sudden turn of events had caught everyone by surprise and they were unable to move.

    Meanwhile, the girls climbed onto Yuto''s back and began to thrust knives at him.

    "Ow, stop it, what are you doing?

    The girls who were trying to kill Yuto with demon-like expressions looked really terrifying.

    Everyone gasped for breath and could do nothing but stand still.

    Even Drew, the referee, the Kingsguard who was preparing for any eventuality, and G¨¹nther, who had set up the warding, were stunned by this scene.

    "Why is he suddenly charmed?

    If so, he would need both eyes to maintain the charm.

    The one-eyed Yuto would not be able to charm and manipulate the girls again.

    No, a man who has been stabbed to death and continues to suffer without dying cannot afford to charm anyone.

    £¨Good riddance, let him be killed!)

    I think it''s a better ending than Sam''s handiwork.

    I''m not going to stop you, I just wanted the girls to hang on until Yuto was dead.

    £¨Well, let''s leave this one alone.)

    This is no match. When I turned my eyes to the guest of honor''s seats to ask for his/her judgment, he/she seemed to be having a hard time over there.

    The first queen, who was probably under the spell, fell down from her chair and seemed to be shouting.

    She too must have been freed from the spell.

    King Clyde looked puzzled and King Weik, who I had heard did not get along with her, seemed to be hugging his wife and trying hard to speak to her.

    "Oh, my God!

    As Sam cowered his shoulders, the referee Ludo approached him.

    "Hey, Scheidt! What do you want me to do with this?"

    "Well, there was a lot going on. Is it against the rules or something?"

    "I''m sure that''s true."

    When Ludo asked the king, Clyde nodded his head in exasperation.

    Beside him, King Weik was holding his wife in his arms, looking as if he was biting a bitter bug.

    "And now, the winner, Samuel Scheidt!"

    There was no echo of cheers.

    Everyone was focused on the game and not on the brave men who were still being attacked by the girls.

    "Well, can we say that we have taken the title of the strongest on the continent?"

    "I don''t mind, do you?¡¡A man like that does not deserve the title of strongest on the continent."

    "I agree with you, but I''m not sure if I can call it a victory.

    To tell you the truth, I really wanted Sam to get his comeuppance with his own hands.

    But seeing Yuto in pain after being attacked by the girls he had charmed, it seems to me that he deserves what he gets.

    He told them that he was using charm in the presence of many spectators. He also broke the rules of the game and tried to use the girls as shields.

    His despicable behavior was seen by everyone, and there was no way to make up for it.

    This is what happens when you act on your emotions of the moment.

    Now he would lose his status as a hero of the Orkney kingdom and his title of hero.

    "You''re a foolish man, but I hope you get what''s coming to you for playing with those women."

    "Stop, gosh, gosh, ah, ouch, I don''t like it, ah, stop, you guys, remember, stay!¡¡Ahh, ouch, stop, ahhh!¡¡Save it."

    Still being stabbed by the captivated girls, Yuto reaches out for help, but no one takes his hand.

    "Oh dear, this has turned out to be a boring battle.

    Sam sweeps his words away with a sigh, turns his back on Yuto, and gets out of the ring.

    Then,

    "Sam!"

    "Master Sam!"

    "Lise-sama?¡¡Stella-sama?"

    Lise and Stella jumped in and I hurried to catch them.

    "Hey, Liese-sama is very heavy, don''t startle me!"

    Then came Hualien, Mizuki, Alicia, and the child dragon and the burning dragon, and they surrounded Sam.

    "I''d like to say I''m glad you''re okay, but I had no idea that man had the power of enchantment.

    "I shudder to think that I would have been a target too. But I''m not. Why is that?"

    Sam kept his fianc¨¦es in the dark until he was sure that the brave man had the charm.

    He did not want to worry them unnecessarily.

    However, he told Jonathan and G¨¹nther because he didn''t want them to be worried in case something happened to him. Thanks to them, I had a shadowy escort to make sure that Yuto did not mess with Stella and the others before the match.

    "Fascination is not so easy to use."

    "Do you know about enchantment, Burning Dragon-sama?"

    A little, but not much. If the person who tries to charm you has a strong heart, or if you love him or her with all your heart, if there is no room in your heart for him or her, you can easily repel the charm."

    Sam thought, "I see," as the burning dragon answered Stella''s question.

    (I guess charm is not a must, after all. (I guess that''s what people who are fascinated by Hayato Hayama mean. ......)

    Lovers, fianc¨¦es, and even women with husbands fell prey to Yuto''s charms, but if the burning dragon''s words were correct, they could have rebounded if they had strong feelings for each other.

    If the scorching dragon''s words were right, they could have rebounded if they had strong feelings for each other.

    (Well, maybe it''s not possible for a person living an ordinary, normal life to love someone so strongly that he/she can repel the charm. (Well, but maybe a person who lives an ordinary, normal life will never love someone strongly enough to repel the attraction... If he/she has a certain amount of love, a certain amount of happiness, and takes it for granted, the feeling will become weaker.)

    I can only speculate, but not everyone has a strong heart.

    Even a married person or a person with a fianc¨¦e may not be deeply in love with the person whom his/her parents have decided to marry.

    Emotions are difficult.

    "Mr. Sam!"

    "Uh, yes."

    "As Burning Dragon-sama said, I was not charmed."

    Yes, I am relieved.

    "Well, I mean, I adore you so much, Mr. Sam!

    "Oh, uh, well, thank you very much. I''m very happy."

    I could see Sam blush when Stella told him she loved him, blushing all the way up to her ears.

    "Oh, if you love Sam, I''ll love you too," she said.

    "I love you, too!"

    "I don''t know if I want to lose either."

    "I adore you too, Sam, with all my heart!"

    "Kurukyu!"

    Liese takes Sam''s arm in defeat, and Karen winks at him.

    Mizuki fidgeted a little while Alicia made her feelings clear.

    Then, for some reason, Mercy, the little dragon cub, squealed as if to join in.

    "You''re a popular guy, Sam. Take good care of everyone."

    The burning dragon chuckled and said something like that.

    "Of course, I''ll take care of everyone!"

    The brave man who did not care for women is still tormented by those he attracted.

    Sam, not wanting to be like that, reminds himself to take care of his beloved fianc¨¦es who have told him that they love him.

    Thus, the battle against the heroes of another world comes to an end.

 298 - - 48 After the game â‘ 

    That night after the exchange match.

    When a tired-looking Jonathan came home, he gathered Sam and the others in the cafeteria and told us the story after the game.

    "It was a tough night.

    Jonathan gulped down his wine with gusto and let out a loud sigh.

    I could see that he was exhausted from dealing with the aftermath.

    "Thank you for your hard work, sir. So, what happened after that?

    "The exchange is over because of that otherworldly person. It''s not surprising after all he did."

    Hayama Hayato had a charmed magical eye and did as he pleased.

    However, when Sam cut off one of his eyes, the women''s brainwashing was broken. As a result, he was avenged by the women who had played with him.

    The women were so angry that they gathered together with other women who had not participated in the games, and in a fit of emotion, they tried to have Yuto executed.

    But the Kingdom of Skye would not allow it.

    "It''s a bit vicious to call it a lover''s quarrel ......, but I say, let''s put the means aside and take the quarrel between men and women somewhere else."

    The women''s feelings may be understandable, but private execution within the Kingdom of Skye and at the royal palace is unacceptable.

    Jonathan and his men captured the women and set guards on them.

    The reason for the guards is to keep an eye on the women to make sure that they do not take any action.

    The Kingdom of Skye wanted them to return to Orkney without causing any more trouble.

    "Of course, we also captured Hayato Hayama. Sam and the others may not like it, but even a villain like him is a guest. We didn''t want him to die, so Mokuren-dono treated him."

    I mean, you were stabbed to death by the people who played with you, and you''re still alive. You''re very persistent."

    "To my dismay, the boy does not seem to be aware that he has done anything wrong. He was constantly shouting about why he was being subjected to this. Everyone was appalled."

    We protected her and treated her, but we had to tie her hands and feet to the bed and cover her eyes tightly with cloth and leather to prevent her from using her charms again.

    They also invited a teacher from the magic academy who was familiar with the magical eye to investigate whether Yujin really had the power of enchantment or not.

    The women who were said to have been enchanted "moved their bodies and minds on their own. The testimonies of the women who were said to have been enchanted, "Their bodies and minds were moving on their own, and I could do nothing but watch them," and the magical power in their eyes, officially revealed that they had the magical eye of enchantment.

    However, the right eye that was cut by Sam had lost its power of fascination, even though it had been healed.

    Therefore, the Kingdom of Orkney and the Kingdom of Skye decided after discussion that Hayato Hayama''s other demon eye would also be destroyed and healed so that he would never be able to use the charm again.

    Fortunately, according to the testimonies of the charmed women, no one in the Kingdom of Skye had suffered from the charm.

    It seems that Yuto was only thinking of charming Stella.

    Yuto was officially stripped of his title of valor and the title of the most powerful man in the Kingdom of Orkney.

    The title of the strongest on the continent was now passed on to Sam, the winner of the match,

    "I don''t know if I can be recognized as the strongest on the continent after such a messy match.

    Sam could not be honestly pleased.

    However, he decided to take what he could get.

    Sam said that he had not won properly, but he was the one who had broken Yuto''s holy sword and crushed his evil eye. The winner was clear for all to see.

    "Um, father... What will happen to Hayama Hayato?¡¡Don''t tell me you''ve just been stripped of your position?"

    "No, it won''t. But the trouble is that we are in a dispute over his treatment.

    As Jonathan answered Liese''s question, the treatment of Yuto was a hotly contested issue.

    He tried to charm the first princess of a friendly country, Stella, who had a fianc¨¦e, and then insulted Liese and declared that he would use charm to take away Sam''s fianc¨¦e during the match, which was inexcusable.

    For this, King Vik made a formal apology.

    The heroes had their way in the Kingdom of Orkney.

    He has been groping his fianc¨¦e, his girlfriend, and even the first queen.

    Until now, it has been thought that the one who makes moves is the one who makes moves, and the one who accepts is the one who accepts, but the story changes when it comes to the fact that this was an allure.

    The Orkney kingdom did not try to stop Yuto from doing whatever he wanted because they felt guilty for bringing him back from his hometown without asking and because they owed him a debt of gratitude for saving their country. But the heroes went too far.

    Among the delegation, there were fathers whose daughters had been touched by him and sons whose fianc¨¦es had been stolen from them. There were others who had lost their fianc¨¦es, lovers, and wives, and none of them wanted to protect the heroes.

    Some even called for him to be put to death.

    The Kingdom of Skye told them that they were free to put him to death, but only after he returned to the Kingdom of Orkney.

    However, there were many people on the Orkney side who did not want to take the hero back home with them.

    But that does not mean that the Kingdom of Skye will accept such a piece of human waste.

    "Once again, he is a terrible man. Didn''t the Orkney Kingdom notice the attraction in the first place?¡¡I don''t care how guilty you feel, you should at least think it''s a little funny."

    "I know what you mean Sam. As a matter of fact, King Vik seemed to have sensed that Hayato Hayama had some kind of power."

    "Huh!"

    It is said that Vik Orkney sensed that "something was going on" when he saw that the children of noble families were becoming Yuuto''s lovers one after another, and even the first queen was getting involved with him.

    He thought that it was probably a power that affected the mind, either brainwashing or fascination. However, he was not able to do anything about it because he was not sure and there was no way to deal with it even if he had the power of mental manipulation.

    More importantly, there was no force to stop the heroes who were doing as they pleased.

    Therefore, Weik wondered if someone from another country could defeat Hayama Yuto.

    He knew that Hayato wanted to test his strength and had asked Princess Dila to fight a powerful man from another country, so he took advantage of that.

    But the result was only that Yuto became the strongest on the continent.

    Moreover, the number of Yuto''s girlfriends increased.

    When Weik was worried that things were getting out of hand, he learned of the existence of Samuel Scheidt.

 299 - - 49 After the game ã®

    "Wait, father!¡¡In other words, His Majesty Vike tried to take advantage of Sam!"

    Jonathan nodded in affirmation at Lise''s cry.

    King Vike knew that Sam had multiple fianc¨¦es and that he was capable of fighting dragons.

    He thought that Sam would be a good choice.

    Furthermore, all of Sam''s fianc¨¦es were good-looking. He was convinced that the misogynistic Yuto would make a move, and he anticipated that it would lead to trouble.

    He would then set him against Sam, the most powerful man in the Kingdom of Skye, and defeat him. If possible, he wanted to have her killed.

    But it seems that Yuto''s actions were not what King Vaik had in mind.

    He did not expect him to act so foolishly.

    Needless to say, Clyde was furious at Vaik''s confession.

    As the king of a kingdom, it was understandable that Vike had a hard time dealing with the brave men, but that didn''t stop him from making a move on his daughters and using his nephew and son-in-law, Sam, for his own gain.

    Weik, of course, knew that he would be blamed. At worst, he was prepared to give up his head. It seems that he made a hard decision not to let Yuto fall in love with him any more, even if it meant going to such lengths.

    However, there is no way he could have agreed to such a decision.

    In particular, Sam was angry at Vike for assuming that his fianc¨¦es would be taken advantage of, let alone taken advantage of.

    "...... Sam, I know how you feel, but don''t do anything rash. His Majesty Clyde will hold Vike accountable. I''m sorry, but you''ll have to bear with me."

    "I understand."

    Sam nodded honestly to Jonathan.

    Jonathan, too, could have been playing with his daughter, who had been seduced by a brave man.

    You must have some thoughts about King Vik.

    "King Vaik has offered to meet with Sam and apologize."

    "I decline. I don''t know what I would do if I saw him.

    "I''m sure you''re right. I''ll say no."

    "Please."

    Already, compensation has been paid by the Kingdom of Orkney to the Royal Family of Skye, Countess Walker, Countess Purple, Countess Amemiya, and to Sam personally.

    However, just because they received the money, it does not mean that it did not happen.

    King Vik may have wanted to do something about Hayama Yuto, who is doing whatever he wants, but all he had to do was to ask for "help.

    I wish he would stop leaving things like this to chance. It was a nuisance.

    But it was all Hayato Hayama''s fault.

    He didn''t want to have the charm, but he used it wrongly, needless to say.

    He made many women unhappy and even destroyed their families.

    If Hayato had not done such a foolish thing, Vike would not have forced Sam into this mess.

    I do not forgive him, but I do not blame only Vike.

    "I don''t care about the Kingdom of Orkney anymore. Get the hell out of here."

    That was Sam''s honest truth.

    "...... Um, Father."

    Alicia raises her hand fearfully.

    "I understand that the first queen and many other women were attracted to that man, but what about Princess Dira?"

    At his daughter''s question, Jonathan looked puzzled.

    Then he began to talk in a whisper.

    Currently, Hayama Yuto was being held in the royal palace''s infirmary under tight security.

    Although Yuto has recovered from his wounds, he is groaning, apparently unable to forget the hateful looks he received from the girls he had charmed.

    At his side is Princess Deila Orkney.

    "...... is it possible?"

    "Yes. Her Royal Highness Princess Deela was not under the spell."

    Deila did not fall under the spell because she loved Yuto with all her heart.

    When her father rebuked her for not stopping him and allowing him to do as he wished, she smiled and said, "As you wish, my beloved hero.

    King Vik lamented that his daughter was not in her right mind.

    If you listen carefully, it seems that Deila was helping the hero to charm women.

    He may have thought that she was helping him because he was brainwashing her, but she was helping him because she was willing to do anything to please the one she loved.

    The result is this.

    "--Wow!"

    Everyone who heard the story was taken aback.

    --There is no doubt that Deila is sick.

    Even Sam was so angry that he forgot his anger and pulled away.

    "Speaking of which, I wasn''t sure if I should tell you, there was a problem with the women who were being attracted to you."

    "Problem?¡¡Well, I was being played with, so I can''t imagine the emotional trauma."

    "It''s not like that, Sam. It''s not just the mind that''s in trouble, it''s the body as well."

    "...... body problems, no way."

    "Most of these women were pregnant."

    "Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

    When health checks were conducted on the fascinated women, almost all of them were pregnant.

    To make matters worse, even the first queen was carrying a child.

    There is no telling how many pregnant women there will be back in the Kingdom of Orkney.

    "Hayato Hayama must have a grudge against me to the point of death.

    Perhaps the women in the Orkney kingdom have also broken their enchantment.

    No doubt they are confused.

    For those women who had lovers, fianc¨¦es, husbands, etc., it must have been hell for them to have left their loved ones, even though they had been enchanted, to spend time as lovers of men they did not love, and even to have children with them.

    The men who lost their women to the heroes would have a hard time accepting them again, no matter how much they are told that it was because they were enchanted.

    After all, fascination is not perfect and can bounce back.

    As long as that fact exists, the men may think that they were not loved.

    It is a difficult question because the strength of human feelings is invisible.

    But it does not matter to Sam.

    The Kingdom of Orkney is responsible for the care of women who have been played by brave men.

    "Hayato Hayama, who has learned that his spell has been broken, has been ranting that he does not want to return to the Orkney Kingdom. He even asked for asylum in the Kingdom of Skye, but they don''t need someone with a personality problem like that."

    "Of course."

    It seems that the decision has been made to make the brave slaves of the country for the time being.

    He is, after all, a talented man who could claim to be the strongest on the continent.

    They have come to the conclusion that he will no longer be allowed to do as he pleases, but will be used up instead of being guaranteed food, clothing, and shelter.

    Still, those who want the death penalty have not given up yet.

    They will finally take into account the number and the voices of the women victims, but, well, let them do what they want.

    "That''s about all I have to say. We are going to keep our relations with the Kingdom of Orkney to a minimum. They import food from the Kingdom of Skye, so it''s going to be a problem, but this is the least we can do to show them that."

    King Vaik has also decided to retire, apparently to take responsibility for having made Hayato Hayama like him and for causing so much trouble to the Sky Kingdom by involving Sam and others.

    As for Sam, he can only do as he pleases, since he cannot forgive King Vaik no matter how much responsibility he takes.

    The only thing that I am a little concerned about is what Kaoruko Kirishima, another otherworldly person, is going to do now.

 300 - - 50 "A man who doesnt reflect."

    "Why am I in this mess?"

    Hayato Hayama lamented his unreasonable situation of pitch-black vision and immobile limbs.

    Everything had changed since Samuel Scheidt had slit his evil eye open with his prized holy sword.

    He had never expected that these obedient women would break their spell and attack him.

    "I treated you so well, and you returned the favor..."

    Yuto did not feel sorry for himself in the slightest.

    It is true that he had charmed her, but it was nothing criminal, just a use of his power.

    I did not force him into a position where he could not be held down, nor did I threaten him.

    Rather, she flirted with him on her own and opened her legs for him.

    He felt that he had nothing to blame, but rather was a victim.

    "You talk about people like they''re bad people. ...... If it''s your fault, it''s your fault too!"

    Several people had come to see the bound Yuto, but all they did was to say whatever they wanted, taking advantage of his inability to move.

    He has lost his lover, he has lost his fiancee, he has even meddled with the queen of a country... It is an insult.

    Perhaps it was because they could not see my face, but those who came to complain were very talkative.

    From the point of view of the brave men, it was worse to have a woman taken from them.

    It was also the fault of the women who had been seduced.

    In the first place, there are people like Stella who cannot be charmed.

    Then they were seduced because they wanted to be seduced.

    If they loved their lovers, their fianc¨¦es, their husbands with all their hearts, they would not have been charmed like Stella.

    "It''s not my fault after all!

    If the women who had been victims of the charm had been here, they would have been stabbed to death again.

    Fortunately, they are not here.

    They have been given a room in the royal palace, a guard, and someone to talk to, and they are well protected.

    Some of the women who have already been played with and who claimed to be pregnant have attempted suicide.

    Women who had ex-lovers, ex-fianc¨¦es or ex-husbands in the delegation clung to them, but only a few men were able to accept them.

    The majority of the women that the heroes made contact with were women of nobility and position. The partners of such women were also in a certain position.

    Even if the lover or fianc¨¦e of a nobleman was attracted to them, it would be difficult for him to accept them again if they had been played by another man and had become pregnant.

    Even if the men want to, their homes may not allow it.

    The selfishness of the brave men made not only the women unhappy but also the men.

    The mission, especially those who had lost women to the heroes, were under surveillance, so they could not act rashly, but if they had not been watched, the heroes would have been killed long ago.

    "My brave man!"

    "...... Is that your voice, Deila?"

    "Yes, your dhira."

    Yuto braced himself when he recognized the familiar voice as Deila.

    He thought that perhaps she might have resented him for having charmed her and had come to get back at him.

    However, Yuto''s prediction turned out to be wrong.

    Deila stood aside from Yuto and began to wipe him with a towel soaked in water.

    "By the way, it was a disaster this time. It is unforgivable that those women, who were favored by the hero, should have turned their backs on him. I asked my father if he could punish them, but he told me it was impossible.

    He sounded deeply disappointed.

    "Don''t worry. I am on your side, my brave friend. I will protect you with my life. If you want to play with other women, just tell me as you have done in the past. You don''t have to charm me. Just tell me and I''ll bring you a beautiful girl. Or do you take a man as your mistress, like the wizard who took the charm from the hero?

    "Dee, dila?"

    I will take care of you for a long time. I will have the honor of carrying your child and forget about the ungrateful pigs who complain about it all the time. You have a more suitable partner, my hero.

    "What?¡¡What, now, child?"

    Yuto could not believe his ears.

    If what Deila said was true, then someone who had been his woman was pregnant.

    Yuto wanted to ask her who was pregnant, but she wouldn''t let him talk to her.

    "Those women were not worthy of you. I am glad that I no longer have a whore who does not realize that I am the best of the brave men and who shakes her hips in a vain attempt to win their favor.

    At this point, Yuto finally noticed that something was wrong with Deila.

    The brave man wanted me first. You confessed to me without using enchantment. I can''t tell you how happy I was to see you ...... and not just satisfy your lust like those sows. I am your companion.

    "So, dila."

    Don''t worry. I will make arrangements to flee to another country. When I return to the Kingdom of Orkney, the women who have played with me will be saying things like "Take responsibility for your children," and other such unworthy things. How brazen of them! I should be thankful for their favor.

    While stroking the motionless body of the hero, Deila continued to speak.

    "All I want is to be with you, my brave son. Let''s live quietly in our little house. The child I carry in my belly also wants to live with you.

    "...... are you pregnant?"

    Yes. I did not tell you because I thought it would surprise you. Yes, your mother, Lind, Rebecca, and Brenda are pregnant. It''s very kind of you to give mercy to women who aren''t worthy of being heroes.

    "Wait, are you all pregnant?"

    Yes, but don''t worry about it. Your mother''s been crying, Lind has been on a rampage, Rebecca tried to kill herself for some reason, and Brenda''s been depressed. Normally, they should be more happy that they were able to conceive a child of a hero, but I don''t know what pigs are thinking.

    "Deela!¡¡Tell me more about what you''re talking about, about everyone."

    Yuto, who had irresponsibly continued to touch women, was flustered by the stories of pregnant women, including Deila.

    I voiced a request for more information, but received no response.

    "Deela?"

    Again, he called out the princess''s name, but there was no response.

    Instead, a thud was heard, as if someone had fallen.

    "Deela!¡¡Hey!¡¡Deela!"

    Brave man did not know what had happened, but he could not move to check.

    He struggles desperately, but it seems that what is restraining him is not just a rope, and it does not budge.

    "Oh, so you''re the brave one, huh? You''re being bound as if you were an offering to me!

    "Who the hell are you?

    Suddenly, a strange man''s voice rings out, frightening Yuto.

    The man reaches out his hand without restraint, and with great force removes the belt that covers the boy''s eyes.

    "Hey, hey, you''ve only got one eye to charm, haven''t you? I wonder if I should eat it or keep it. Ah, but I have more than one enchanted evil eye, but it''s rare to find an otherworldly person''s evil eye, so I''m torn..."

    "Oh, hey, who are you?

    Yuto yells at a man he doesn''t recognize at all, but the man ignores him and crosses his arms.

    "...... I don''t have a choice. Let''s eat."

    "--What?"

    As soon as Yuto blinked, the man''s hand reached out.

    He grabbed Yuto''s head forcefully,

    "Well, well, thank you very much."

    He opens his mouth wide and approaches.

    "--hi."

    Yuto realized what the man was about to eat.

    "Wait, wait, don''t do that, Deela!¡¡Deela!¡¡Somebody, somebody help--"

    The man''s teeth gouged out the boy''s left eye.

    A moment later, Yuto''s screams were heard.

 301 - - 51 "King Vikes apology and request."

    The day after the exchange meeting, Sam was summoned to the royal palace to visit Clyde.

    However, in the king''s waiting room, there was someone he did not want to see - King Vik Orkney.

    King Vike Orkney was in the king''s antechamber, and he said, "King Vike, I don''t want to talk to you.

    I have no taste for face to face contact with people who have tried to take advantage of me.

    I can understand Vike''s concern for Hayato Hayama''s feelings, but it is not easy for him to be involved in such a situation.

    Moreover, Sam''s anger is justified since his fianc¨¦es could have been harmed.

    "I understand how you feel. I understand your feelings, and I share your anger with Lord Vike. But he begged me to apologize in person, and I could not refuse. I am sorry."

    No, the king does not need to apologize. It is this man who is to blame.

    Just listen to what he has to say.

    Yes, sir. So what is it? Just for the record, I have no respect for you. If I don''t like what you have to say, I''ll have no mercy on you, even if you''re the king of a country.

    Sam''s attitude was as if he didn''t care about disrespect, but Vike didn''t seem to mind.

    On the contrary, he kneeled down and bowed deeply.

    "--Thank you for defeating him, Hayama Hayato."

    "Ha, you call them up on your own, and when things get out of hand, you have someone take care of them. ...... It''s a wonderful country, isn''t it, the Kingdom of Orkney?"

    "It hurts my ears, but I can''t argue with that. Let me apologize again for bringing you and your fianc¨¦ into this.

    If a third party were to see the king of a country kneeling on his knees in front of the king of a friendly country, they would be horrified.

    But Sam was not moved.

    Fortunately, his beloved fianc¨¦es were not harmed, but Sam would not have let the people of the Orkney Kingdom, including Vike, off the hook if he had been played by Hayato Hayama''s charms.

    "Hayato Hayama is a scum, but you''re no slouch either.

    "I know. I know. I''m most responsible. I won''t deny that. I can''t.

    "And that''s all you have to say?¡¡If you want to apologize, that''s fine.

    Wait a minute, I want you to use your skills again!

    "What do you mean?"

    "I crushed Hayama Yuto''s left eye several times in order to destroy his remaining magic eye. However, when I healed him, his enchanted eye came back together with it. So we thought of a plan. We must blind the eye with something special like your skill. We therefore ask you..."

    "So you want me to cut out his other eye, too?"

    Yes. Will you do it?"

    Sam sighed.

    If that''s the case, why didn''t they just leave him blinded?

    But the Kingdom of Orkney would like to continue to make use of the bravery of the heroes, so they would want to keep them in perfect condition if at all possible.

    "...... understand. However, there is a condition.

    "Just tell me."

    Don''t you ever show yourselves to me again."

    Sam did not want to be used again.

    Vik nodded weakly.

    "I understand your anger. I don''t ask you to forgive me. But you must understand that we had our reasons."

    "As someone whose fianc¨¦e was involved in this, I''d say, ''I don''t care.''"

    I''m sure you''re right. I''m sorry. But there was no one in our country who could stop him.

    "But that doesn''t mean-- no, that''s enough. There''s no point in talking about what''s already done. It doesn''t matter. But you have to promise me. I won''t involve you and Stella in my foolish plans ever again."

    "Okay. I promise. I will never again involve your fianc¨¦es."

    He put his right hand on Vike''s neck, who was still kneeling.

    "If you break your promise, you can expect this head to say goodbye to your torso."

    With a thump, he slapped Vike''s neck with his right hand.

    If I wanted to, I could cut off his head right here and now without using my skill.

    Emotionally, I want to cut off his head, but I can''t do it because it would cause trouble in the Kingdom of Skye.

    "...... I''ll keep that in mind."

    Vike replied in a slightly shaky voice, and Sam moved away.

    He was going to lose his patience if he stayed close to Vike.

    "Well, let''s go crush Hayama Yuto''s remaining eyes, shall we?

    Sam said this and Vike was about to stand up.

    "Aaaaahhhhhh!"

    Someone''s scream echoed through the palace.

 302 - - 52 "Its an attack."

    "What''s going on?

    Suddenly, a roaring scream caused Clyde to open the door to his office with great force, and he asked the Kingsguard waiting in the corridor.

    But the soldier just shook his head, his confusion evident even to himself.

    I don''t understand!¡¡We''re sending them out to investigate now!"

    "......, though it may have been my imagination."

    King Weik muttered with a bitter look on his face.

    "What is it, Lord Vike?"

    "Wasn''t that Hayato Hayama who screamed earlier ......?"

    I''ll go check on him.

    I wouldn''t mind if something happened to Hayato Hayama, but I wouldn''t be happy if he caused trouble in the palace again.

    Sam did not wait for Clyde and the others to reply, but ran toward the medical office.

    "...... what the hell is this?"

    On the way to the infirmary, soldiers were lying in the corridor.

    Some of them had even died.

    "......What''s going on?"

    It is reasonable to assume that someone has invaded the palace, but I can''t think of anyone who would do such a thing.

    (Or, perhaps, the people of Najaria have just now made their move?¡¡But the scream is Hayato Hayama. Is that the one you''re after?)

    As I tried to avoid the fallen soldiers and head for the infirmary,

    "Mr. Scheidt!"

    "My Lady, what are you doing here?"

    Kaoruko Kirishima called out to me from behind.

    "I heard Yuto''s screams, so I thought maybe the women had come for revenge."

    "Is that so? But this place can be dangerous. Please go back to your room and lock the door as soon as possible.

    Sam hurriedly offers advice.

    He decided that it was dangerous for Kaoruko to be here as long as she did not know who the enemy was.

    "Oops, that''s not going to happen.

    A voice echoed from inside the infirmary, contradicting Sam''s words.

    Sam is alarmed and hides behind Kaoruko to protect her.

    A man in his thirties with a good physique appeared from the doctor''s office.

    He is dressed in simple white clothes and wears a lot of mismatched gold work on his arms and legs. His ears and nose were pierced, and his appearance was not elegant.

    In the man''s hands was Hayato Hayama, who looked as if he were unconscious or slumped over.

    He was being dragged by his hair, and there was a painful gnawing mark around his left eye, and his eyeball was missing.

    "You ate his eye, didn''t you?

    It was easy for Sam to make that judgment.

    The man''s mouth was stained bright red.

    The man smiled and wiped his mouth with the hand that was not holding Yuto''s hair, as if he had noticed Sam''s gaze.

    "Oops, my bad. I''m not very good at manners.

    "That''s not what I''m talking about. What''s the point of being a cannibal if you don''t know the rules? No, it doesn''t matter. How did the people of Najaria get into the palace?

    "Oh, yeah, how do you know I''m a Najarian?"

    You''re the only people on the continent who eat people.

    "Ha-ha-ha, no doubt about it!"

    Sam''s guess was confirmed by the man himself.

    It is unknown how he got into the palace, but he is a citizen of Najaria, and he ate Hayato Hayama''s left eye.

    I knew this in my knowledge, but when I was confronted with a real cannibal like this, I could feel a disgusting sweat break out on my face.

    It looks human, but it is as if there is another, more different creature in front of me.

    Behind Sam''s back, "...... what?¡¡Kaoruko looked blue, saying, "Cannibalism is such a thing.

    "I ask you again, how did you sneak into the palace?

    "Uh, can I tell you this?¡¡Well, okay. The point is, there are still traitors in this country who will cooperate with us. I don''t like traitors. I''d kill them as soon as I find them."

    "Don''t talk so high and mighty when you''re using that traitor. So why did you eat it?

    "Oh?¡¡Oh, you mean this guy?¡¡I''m a collector of evil eyes.

    "A collector?"

    "Oh. I''m a sucker for a magic eye. So when I find someone who has a magic eye, I take one eye and keep the other.

    "It''s beyond comprehension. What''s the use of doing that?"

    If you eat it, there''s a chance you''ll get a magic eye. Didn''t you know that?

    "No, that''s not possible!"

    The reply was so ridiculous that Sam raised his voice.

    But the man did not seem to mind.

    "That''s the reason why I''ve gotten the magic eye in the past," he said, "I''ve eaten it before. But, alas, this time it was not enough. Well, it was tasty with a certain amount of magic power, but it''s always frustrating when you can''t get a magic eye.

    "That''s crazy. And now that you''ve eaten his magic eye you have no more use for it. I don''t care if he takes that piece of shit with him.

    You don''t need scraps.

    Just leave it. What use is such a piece of shit?

    He''s from another world, right?

    What then?

    "Our chief is very interested in other worlds. So I thought I''d get some information from him. As far as I''m concerned, all I need is a magic eye, but I''m still an obedient Najarian warrior. I have to do what the chief says.

    Sam dared to continue the conversation.

    He is trying to get more information out of the people of Najaria.

    The man is also giving me some information, though I am not sure if he understands Sam''s intentions or not.

    If possible, we would like to capture this man, not beat him.

    But it was difficult for Sam to fight alone with Kaoruko at his back.

    "Oh, that''s right. There''s another woman from another world who''s called a saint, isn''t there? You can take her home with you."

    "--Hi."

    Behind Sam''s back, Kaoruko let out a small, frightened scream.

    Kaoruko''s reaction made the man look convinced of something.

    "She''s the saint, isn''t she?¡¡I''m so lucky. I found two of the people I wanted. It would be ideal if I could bring them both home. I want to eat one of them together. It''s not every day you get a chance to eat otherworldly meat. I hear they''re exceptionally talented in magic and spells. I''m sure they''ll give us strength."

    "You guys, you''re making me sick."

    "Hey, hey, Mr. Scheidt, what''s with these people, eating is a metaphor, right?¡¡Right?"

    Sam shook his head as Kaoruko turned pale and trembled behind him.

    "I''m sorry, but these guys really do eat people. Please don''t ever come out from behind me, saint!"

    "Uh-huh."

    "By the way. What''s your problem?

    "Samuel Scheidt. He''s a court wizard of the land. I will not tolerate any more disorder in my court."

    "Hey, hey, hey!¡¡You''re Samuel Scheidt!"

    The Najarian man''s eyes lit up when Sam said his name.

 303 - - 53 "Its a battle against the people of Najaria" â‘ 

    "Do you know who I am?"

    "Oh, you''re the guy who broke Yarl''s pride and joy, aren''t you?¡¡Ha-ha-ha, I didn''t like him because he was always so scruffy. That''s a good one!"

    "That''s good to hear."

    The man gave Sam a disapproving look, as if he were trying to price him out.

    "But a boy like you is not the kind of wizard the chief would be wary of. I don''t know if it''s a talent or a result of hard work, but you look good.

    My whole body was covered in hair.

    I could clearly see that the man''s gaze had changed from one of interest to something else, and I broke out in a disgusting sweat.

    Even facing him like this, I knew that the man was not only creepy but also strong.

    "He''s a creepy guy, isn''t he?"

    "Don''t say that, it''s an honor to be eaten by us. But, well, I''m not going to fight you now. My goal is to kidnap the otherworldly and bring them home. And... Let''s make a deal.

    "Deal?¡¡Me and you?¡¡Don''t make me laugh."

    "Well, listen. If you hand over the otherworldly person, I''ll leave the palace without a fight.

    I could clearly see Kaoruko trembling behind me.

    Of course, there was no way Sam would turn her in.

    (Hayato Hayama would say, "Go ahead," but that would be a bad idea.)

    "I''d like to tell you that you can have him, but I don''t have to take you up on your offer."

    "...... I don''t think so. You''re not going to fight me, are you?

    "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. --I''m going to kill him.

    Sam has unleashed his magic.

    This man is not someone we can hold.

    He''s-- he''s harmless.

    He is a threat to this country and to everyone he cares about if we let him live.

    "Yes, you''re right!¡¡All right, I''ll fight you!"

    The man threw the unconscious hero.

    "My name is Anan. I am the strongest warrior among the people of Najaria!¡¡Let''s go, Samuel Scheidt!¡¡I''m gonna kill you and eat you!

    "Eat me if you can!"

    Anan rushed forward foolishly.

    Sam tries to activate his Kirisakumono to end the fight quickly.

    But..,

    "Oops, I won''t let you use your skills!"

    Anan, reading Sam''s movement, made a quick action.

    He grabbed a fallen soldier nearby and used him as a shield.

    "You son of a b*tc*!

    Sam could not activate his skill.

    He knew it was naive, but he could not choose to cut Anan in two with a soldier.

    In that brief moment of hesitation, he was caught by Anan.

    "--GGHH!"

    All Sam could do was to use his body enhancement magic to defend himself and push Kaoruko, who was protecting him on his back, to the side.

    "I got you, OLA!"

    In return for protecting Kaoruko from Anan''s attack, Sam was grabbed.

    He tried to break free from the grip, but Sam, who had been physically enhanced, did not even twitch when he seriously resisted.

    I decided that Anan had probably activated the same kind of body enhancement magic.

    "OLAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

    Still in Annan''s arms, Sam broke through a nearby wall.

    His back received a huge impact, and air leaked from his lungs.

    Without stopping, Annan continued to break through two, three, and four walls, shattering stone pillars, and leaping out of the palace.

    "Hey!

    Released by being thrown, Sam rolled repeatedly on the ground.

    Coincidentally, he was in the ring where the exchange match had taken place.

    "You''re tough, man!¡¡Most guys would have been shattered by this!"

    "You stupid power ......, you look stupid, but you are very careful and skillful in using magic ......."

    "Ha-ha-ha, don''t compliment me."

    "Don''t laugh at me. You''re a fool, who do you think is going to repair the palace?

    "That''s what you care about!¡¡You''re a funny guy, Samuel.

    "Please don''t call me familiar, I would be too embarrassed to walk out of the house if I thought a lunatic like you was my friend."

    Spitting blood, Sam now sets the stage.

    Kicking the ground, he gets close and unleashes a fist that has been physically strengthened to the limit.

    "--ohah!"

    The fist easily caught Annan in the abdomen.

    Of course, he does not intend to stop there.

    A fist caught him in the jaw, cheek, and stomach in quick succession, and a kick hit him directly in the side of the head.

    Annan rolled around on the ring under Sam''s onslaught. He quickly gets back to his feet as if nothing had happened.

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha, you son of a b*tc*!

    Annan, too, kicked the ground in defeat.

    Anan reached out his hand and tried to grab it, but Sam answered him with a fist and a kick.

    This exchange was repeated several times.

    Anan''s hands grazed Sam''s cheeks and temples.

    £¨The son of a b*tc* is going for my eyes!)

    He must have a special place in his heart for eyes, since he says that collecting magic eyes is his hobby.

    But Sam does not have a taste for having his eyes gouged out.

    He deftly moves his upper body to avoid Anan''s thick arm.

    "Don''t play around!"

    "Of course I will!"

    He dived under Anan''s arm, which showed his annoyance, and Sam dived into his abdomen and dug his knee into it.

    "Gahaha, goho!"

    The full force of the blow damaged Annan''s internal organs and made him cough up blood.

    Sam does not miss the chance to take advantage of the slight pause in his movements.

    As if to fold him up, he eats a kick, hits him with an elbow, and blows him away with a spinning kick.

    Once again, Annan rolls around on the ring, but gets back up again soon after.

    But he is not unperturbed.

    His nose, mouth, and eyes are bleeding, and he is breathing on his shoulder.

    I knew without a doubt that he was damaged.

    "Oh, man. You''re not so bad. But he''s just a kid. Maybe he''s still growing up... but he doesn''t have enough physical strength. This much will hurt, but it won''t kill you."

    Then I''ll kill you as you wish."

    Sam creates over a hundred fireballs without chanting and shoots them directly at Annan.

    The fireballs, densely concentrated with flames, hit Annan, creating an explosion of flames while destroying the ring with a roaring sound.

    "--Ha-ha!¡¡I can''t get enough of this!¡¡Samuel, you''re better suited to concentrate only on using magic rather than empty hands. Good, I love the pain!"

    Sam felt a chill when he saw Anan smiling despite being burned all over.

    "You''re a perverted bastard if you''re ......."

    "Whoa, now it''s my turn!"

    With a burned hand, Annan pulled something cylindrical out of his pocket.

    "Do you know what it is?¡¡It''s a magic eye from my collection. I couldn''t get the magic eye by eating it, but the magic eye itself has magic and power. And it can be used in this way."

    Taking the eyeball out of the tube, which he had taken from someone else, Anan pointed it at Sam.

    Sam had a bad feeling about this and tried to kick the ground,

    "Too late!¡¡--Unleash your power, demon eye!

    With these words, Anan crushed the evil eye.

    The next moment, Sam''s body went rigid and he could not move.

 304 - - 54 "Its a battle against the people of Najaria" â‘¡

    "What did you do?"

    I try to move my body, but it does not twitch.

    It is as if his limbs have turned to stone.

    He only moves his eyes and stares at Anan.

    "It''s a waste, though, because it can only be used once. I''m going to have a hard time defeating you, but I''m going to make it easy for you.

    What did you do to me?

    "What I just used was a magic eye of restraint. You can literally make the target stop. A magic eye is good for a collection, but it''s also good to use it as a tool like this.

    Sam inwardly clicked his tongue.

    He had no idea that a magic eye taken from its holder could be used in such a way.

    £¨I thought you''re just a power idiot, but you''re using it to lure me in.)

    He tries to do something, but no matter how much he increases his magical power, he cannot move.

    Sam''s prediction came true.

    "Well, then, what is it, heh heh heh - I''ll take it."

    As he approached Sam, Anan opened his big mouth happily and bit into his left shoulder.

    "Gaaaahhhhhh!"

    Sam screams.

    Flesh was bitten off and blood poured out.

    Anan chews Sam''s flesh with a delicious taste, his mouth turning bright red, and slurps up the blood.

    "Puhhh, come on!¡¡Both the meat and the blood are exquisite, with so much magic in them!¡¡This is one of the finest feasts I''ve ever had."

    "...... That''s, thank you very much. ...... If your body moves, I swear to God, I''ll kill you."

    It was the first time I had ever experienced my body being eaten by a human being.

    It was so unpleasant and horrifying.

    It was hard to believe that Anan, who was swallowing the flesh and blood with a look of ecstasy on his face, was the same person.

    "Oh, I''m afraid, I''m afraid. Well, I''ll just savor it a little longer..."

    Next, Annan bit into Sam''s second arm.

    The flesh was gouged out and he bled profusely.

    Anan tries to move his body in order to deal with the chewing noises, but it seems that the restraining spell is still in effect, and his body does not move at all.

    (Oh no, ...... if I keep going like this, I will be devoured to death.)

    While I struggled, I was bitten more.

    "AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

    Discomfort and intense pain hit Sam, causing him to scream out.

    Anan listens raptly as Sam''s screams spice up his meal.

    "...... I''m going to kill you."

    "Yes, yes, I love looking into your glazed eyes as I eat. All the people I''ve ever met have been so boring... crying and screaming when they take a little bite. But you''re the best, Samuel.

    He smiled and once again Anan bit into his other shoulder.

    Teeth thrust deep, and fresh blood poured out, staining the area around Annan''s mouth.

    The sensation of the blood being sucked out of his mouth with a gurgling sound is extremely unpleasant.

    Then Annan''s teeth gouge the flesh of Sam''s shoulder.

    "Gaaaahhhhhh!"

    The pain of being eaten without any resistance caused Sam to scream out.

    "--Sam!

    At that moment, a familiar voice called out Sam''s name.

    As he endured the pain that threatened to knock him unconscious, he moved his eyes only to see a pale Stella on the outside of the ring.

    "What are you doing?"

    She''s not the only one. If you look closely, you can see King Clyde, King Weik, Kaoruko Kirishima, and others gathered with the Kingsguard.

    They probably heard the commotion and came here.

    All of them are immensely shocked to see Sam''s body being devoured.

    "Hey, hey, hey! You have no manners! Don''t peek at people''s food. It''s embarrassing."

    I wonder how serious he really meant it, but Annan uttered such a ridiculous statement with a furrowed brow.

    To Anan, it was Clyde who stepped forward.

    "People of Najaria!"

    "Oh, oh, ain''t you the king!"

    "Give Sam back to me, my nephew."

    "Huh?¡¡What, Samuel, you''re royalty?"

    Wiping his sleeve around his blood-stained mouth, Anan looked at Sam''s face as if he were surprised.

    "People of Najaria! What do you want?¡¡You are too fearless to come riding in here like this against the Kingdom of Skye. You can take this as a declaration of war, can''t you?"

    What the hell are you talking about? We''ve been enemies since the beginning of time!

    At Clyde''s question, Annan smiled distortedly.

 305 - - 55 "Its a battle against the people of Najaria" â‘¢

    So, what''s the point?

    "Well, I can''t tell you that. You''ll have to ask the chief. Well, it''s always the last time the chief makes a move. Well, anyway, as you can see, I''m eating. If you interrupt me, you can have your dessert.

    Anan''s bright red mouth hung open, and everyone took a step back in disbelief.

    "Hey, hey, hey, don''t be so scared. But I''m sure I could use a little dessert. Right there, girl."

    Annan pointed his finger at Stella.

    "--What?¡¡Better yet, let go of Mr. Sam, quickly!"

    "Oh, you''re shaking, but you''re sturdy. I see you and Samuel are getting along so well. What is your relationship?

    I am Master Sam''s fianc¨¦e!

    Stella answered clearly and without fear of cannibalism.

    Anan''s smile deepened.

    "Oh, so that''s how it is. I''m sorry about that. I''d rather be with Sam. Then I''ll put you in my belly too!

    "--hi."

    Stella, seeing Annan''s appetizing eyes on her, let out a frightened sound.

    "You''ve got to be kidding me."

    "Oh?"

    Sam''s voice was filled with anger, and Anan''s attention was drawn from Stella back to us.

    Sam tries to escape from the control of the evil eye by increasing his magical power to the limit.

    "You people, stay away from my Stella-sama!

    Sam''s body moved as he felt something tear off.

    Blood poured from the wound, but it didn''t matter.

    Sam flew toward Annan, trying not to let Stella touch him.

    "Hey, hey!¡¡He forced me to overcome the evil eye!¡¡I thought I stopped all your magic and skills!¡¡How much magic power do you have!¡¡You''re still a threat, Samuel!¡¡I''m gonna eat you alive right here and now!"

    "That''s my line--kirisakumono."

    This time, Sam was faster.

    With a flash of his sword, he sliced Annan''s huge body in two.

    "...... hahaha, you''re good, but this isn''t enough to stop us."

    Halfway through his words, Annan split to the left and right and collapsed.

    He splattered a large amount of blood and guts all over the ring and died.

    "--Whoever comes in here, I''m going to get back at them," he said. So f*ck you, you crazy son of a b*tc*."

    Sam''s strength drains out of him as he spits this out over Annan''s body.

    With nothing to hold on to, he fell to his knees.

    "Master Sam!"

    Stella runs up to Sam.

    "Oh, my God, you''re bleeding so much...... somebody!¡¡Get me Magnolia-sama!¡¡Please call for Magnolia-sama!"

    Both shoulders and arms are eaten off, and Sam''s body is covered in blood, with Stella supporting him and shedding tears.

    Sam opened his mouth, trying not to worry his fianc¨¦e.

    "Stella, has he done anything to you?"

    "Yes, I''m fine!¡¡But Master Sam!"

    "No, you can''t show your face in battle. If anything happens to you, I''m ......"

    I start to lose consciousness, probably due to the amount of blood I''m losing.

    My body loses strength, and I lean my weight on Stella, who is supporting me.

    "Sam!¡¡Master Sam!"

    I''ll do the restorative magic!

    "Somebody!¡¡Call Magnolia!¡¡It is the king''s command!¡¡Come on, come on!"

    Sam slowly closed his eyes, listening to the voices around him as his vision faded to black.

    Sam slowly closed his eyes.

    "Annan is dead. --I''m sorry. I knew Samuel Scheidt was a tough nut to crack. Annan may have been a bit of a fool, but he was one of the best in his family."

    The chief of the people of Najaria was at a certain place through the village.

    He notices that Annan''s magic and life force have vanished, and a tragic expression appears on his face.

    "Most likely the reason I lost was because I tried to eat Samuel, but I didn''t think I would lose even though I used the magic eye from Annan''s collection. ...... Well, how can I win? As long as that boy is around, we''re not going to get what we came for.

    The place where the chief muttered such a thing was a cemetery in the royal capital of the Kingdom of Skye.

    "I''m sorry Anan, but thanks to you distracting the Skye Kingdom, we''ve achieved our real goal. Well, ideally, I would have gotten the otherworldly man as well, but that''s okay."

    He was in front of the graveside where a certain person was supposed to be laid to rest.

    "It was clear to me that Samuel Scheidt was still in the way of getting the Kingdom of Skye," he said. Other troublesome people are G¨¹nter Ignaz, Delight Sinatra, Purple Magnolias, and, yes, Samuel''s fianc¨¦e. Oh, and the dragon. So, here we are.

    At the chief''s feet was a grave that had been dug up.

    "--Ulrike Scheidt Walker, you''re up."

    And in his arms was the corpse of Ur, who had left Sam to die that day.

    Sam had magically frozen the body, so there was no decomposition of any kind.

    He was exactly as he had been then.

    "I don''t like doing this either, but if you''re going to hate me, hate yourself for being so strong."

    He leaves the graveyard with Ur''s corpse in his arms.

    "--Now, Ulrike Scheidt Walker is back."

 306 - - 56 "The battle is over" â‘ 

    "----"

    When Sam woke up, he was greeted by G¨¹nther''s face at such a close distance that their noses were almost touching.

    "What the hell are you doing?

    Reflexively, I punched G¨¹nther, who fell on his buttocks and made a sad face.

    "...... I thought the prince''s kiss would wake up the princess."

    "Who''s the princess!¡¡No, that''s not the point!¡¡Don''t attack me in my sleep!"

    "--oh, yeah, that''s right. I''m afraid it was my fault, I was so excited to see your sleeping face that ...... from now on I''m going to attack you when you''re awake, fair and square."

    No, no, no, no, no.

    "......Well, on a serious note, I''m glad to see you''re doing well by the looks of it. You''ve been asleep for three days."

    "I''ve been asleep for three days?"

    Sam was surprised.

    He remembers fighting Anan, a warrior of the Najarian people, and cutting him down with a single sword.

    After that, he had a conversation with Lady Stella and had no memory of the rest of the battle.

    He probably lost a lot of blood and passed out from the excessive use of magic.

    "My wounds were healed by the neighboring saints and Magnolia, so I don''t even have a mark on me. But you can''t get back the blood you lost.

    As G¨¹nther stood up, Sam checked himself.

    He was right, he had been healed so well that it seemed as if he had lied about being eaten by Annan.

    "......The people of Najaria, they were actually a bad bunch when we fought them. They use unknown methods and have no real qualms about eating people. I never thought I would experience being eaten by humans instead of monsters."

    "O you people of Najaria!¡¡I''m not tired of you sticking your teeth into my Sam''s soft skin, but to eat his flesh and sip his blood - how enviable ...... and horrifying!"

    "Hey, didn''t you just say you were jealous?"

    "Ha-ha-ha, what nonsense! I''m sorry I couldn''t help you in your time of need. If I had been there, I could have at least protected them with a ward, but at that time, I was in the middle of putting the self-injuring women from the neighboring country to sleep and locking them inside the ward. I didn''t expect that crazy family to storm into the royal palace."

    "You don''t have to apologize, G¨¹nther. It was my fault. I was weak.

    G¨¹nther does not need to apologize.

    He was just doing what he had to do.

    Sam was just Sam, a court wizard, fighting the people of Najaria against the Kingdom of Skye.

    It is Sam''s own fault that he was wounded.

    He could not be ruthless enough to slay Anan and the soldiers who shielded him. He used his magic eye on Anan, even though it was a surprise attack. This is the result.

    "You can''t blame yourself so much. Besides, you would have won smarter if you had used magic. The only reason you couldn''t use magic to its fullest is because the battle took place in the royal palace.

    That''s no excuse.

    "Like Ulrike, all your magic is too powerful. You should learn to use more subtle tricks."

    Ur was the kind of person who didn''t care where he was or where he was shooting his magic.

    Sam hesitated whether or not to kill the soldier who was using him as a shield, but Ur would have cut him down without hesitation, saying, "It is a soldier''s duty to die.

    Sam is getting close to Ur''s strength. With his skills, he would be a very good fighter. But he will surely lose. The reason is that Sam is too soft and Ur is not.

    It was not likely that he would callously abandon a man who had done his duty as a soldier, even if he had nothing to do with it, let alone one who was his enemy.

    "I know. I''ve been using my skills too much lately. I''ll train more.

    Kirisakumono is easy to use.

    After all, if it has a drawback of being too powerful, it can be fatal if it hits you.

    However, because of its overuse, there is a possibility that it will be dealt with in the future as it was this time.

    There were several more efficient ways to defeat Annan. If they had been able to use them, they would have won the battle earlier and he would not have been eaten.

    Sam gritted his teeth.

    He would never be able to face Ur at this point.

    He had yet to master her magic, her spells, or even his own for that matter.

    He must have been somewhat in a good mood because he had been winning the battles so well recently.

    I feel sorry for being a poor student to my respected master.

    You are still developing. I would like to tell you that there is no need to be in a hurry, but I am sure that you, of all people, would not agree with me."

    "Yeah."

    "I believe in it. I believe that you, the heir to Ulrike Scheidt-Walker, will be a better wizard than she ever was."

    "--Thank you."

    Sam thanked G¨¹nther frankly.

    "Well, it''s a wife''s role to support her despondent husband.

    But G¨¹nther was his usual self.

    "He''d be a really nice guy if he wasn''t."

    "Oh yeah, speaking of wives, let''s go get Liese and the others. They''ll be at the palace in case Sam wakes up. You just wait here for a moment.

    G¨¹nther winked at me and walked out of the room. A few moments later, Stella, Karen, Mizuki, and Alicia came running into the room, with Lise in the lead.

    "Sam-sama!"

    It was Stella who hugged Sam before anyone else.

    She had seen Sam being eaten by Annan, and she was probably not in the least bit happy about it.

    She began to cry tears of relief as she hugged Sam.

    "Sam, thank God. It''s such a relief to see you back on your feet."

    "Ha-ha-ha, I''m sorry for worrying you."

    Liese also looked deeply relieved.

    "To be honest, I''m surprised that Sam had such a difficult opponent."

    "We struggled this time, but next time we won''t fall behind."

    "...... believe in you, Sam. You''re going to be a father, so don''t be too rash."

    He must have been very worried about me. Lise was also acting stout-hearted, but she shed tears and hastily wiped them with a handkerchief.

    Alicia was crying without uttering a word, and Hanae and Mizuki were also bewildered by Sam''s weakened appearance, which they had never seen before.

    (I''m sorry for worrying you guys. ...... I should reflect on this.)

    As Sam, with renewed determination, addresses his fianc¨¦es one by one, a knock on the door echoes through the room.

    "I heard that Mr. Scheidt woke up."

    When he answered, he was visited by Kaoruko Kirishima, a saint and otherworldly person from the Kingdom of Orkney.

 307 - - 57 "The battle is over" â‘¡

    Kaoruko looked a little uncomfortable when she saw Sam with her fianc¨¦es.

    Perhaps she thought it was the wrong time to visit.

    Still, she looked Sam straight in the eye and bowed her head deeply, as if she had something to tell him.

    "Thank you very much, Mr. Scheidt, for fighting for me."

    No, don''t worry about it. No, don''t worry about it. I did what I had to do as a court wizard.

    "Still, thank you very much. I shudder to think what would have happened if that crazy man had taken me."

    "Of course."

    Even Sam wouldn''t want to be taken to a settlement of Najaria''s people if he were in Kaoruko''s shoes.

    Just imagining the horrific future that awaits them makes me want to vomit.

    "You may not be interested in this, but let me tell you something. Hayama Hayato has lost his magic eye.

    Sam and the others looked surprised.

    Hayato Hayama''s magic eye could not be destroyed except by Sam''s skill, but apparently Anan could do the same.

    "Is it because you were eaten?"

    "I don''t know. I heard that this guy Anan might have been something special, but I can''t be sure of that either.

    How is Hayama Yuto doing?

    "He must have been very scared of having his eyes eaten alive. He''s so scared he won''t come out of bed."

    "...... I''m glad to hear that it was good medicine for you."

    "Right now, Master Dilla is taking very good care of him."

    "Well, I guess that''s not my problem anymore."

    I was surprised to hear that Princess Deila of Orkney was not enchanted by the heroes.

    She had willingly cooperated with his warped desires.

    --Believing that it was because it pleased the one she loved.

    Sam did not care anymore about the love-crazed woman or the boy who made everyone unhappy just to satisfy his desires.

    If the exchange was over, he wanted her to go back to the kingdom of Orkney as soon as possible. That was all.

    "What are you going to do now, saint?"

    "To be honest, I don''t think I''m going to live in the Orkney Kingdom in an honest way."

    "Why is that?"

    Yuto has gone too far. No matter what excuses you make, it is unforgivable. But I don''t like the idea that the Kingdom of Orkney called him up on its own and then tried to kill him because it was out of control. Then they might try to kill me someday if they think I''m in their way. Once you have distrusted them, it will not go away.

    "I understand how you feel."

    "His Majesty Clyde approached me. I''m--I''m going into exile in the Kingdom of Skye.

    "Oops."

    I was surprised to learn that such talk had been going on in the three days I had been asleep.

    But it might be a good thing for Kaoruko to come to Sky Kingdom.

    From the kingdom''s point of view, it would be a great thing to bring in a person who is a saint and a master of restorative magic.

    Kaoruko will have an easier life if she is given a place where she can feel safe.

    "However, I have some things I left to do over there and some people I want to say hello to, so I''m going back. Fortunately, His Majesty Vik has granted me asylum."

    Stella told me in a small voice that the handover of the saint was one of the reparations from the Orkney Kingdom for the great trouble they had caused to the Kingdom of Skye and Sam.

    The neighboring kingdom had suffered a great blow by losing one of its best restoration wizards.

    "That''s good to hear. What will you do in the Kingdom of Skye?"

    I am going to work as a magician, not as a saint. I''ve decided to become a disciple of Shi-Len-sama, and I''d like to learn more about recovery magic so that I can save many people.

    "That''s a wonderful idea."

    Even though she was called to this world without wanting to be here, Kaoruko was determined to use her power for the benefit of the people of this world.

    Her intentions are noble.

    If Hayama Hayato had even a little bit of compassion for someone like Kaoruko, he would not have caused misfortune to those around him even if he had a charm.

    That is the only thing I regret.

    "Well, that''s the thing, if you don''t mind, please teach me a lot about magic when you come back to the Sky Kingdom. I''d like to know more than just recovery magic.

    For some reason, his cheeks rose to the surface and he asked me for a favor.

    Sam nodded without thinking.

    "Yes, that''s fine."

    "Oh, thank you!¡¡I''m looking forward to it!"

    Kaoruko, beaming with happiness, greeted Sam and her fianc¨¦(e)s and left the room with light steps.

    The remaining fianc¨¦es were silent for some reason.

    Sam tilts his head.

    "Uh, sir?"

    "She''s got a thing for Sam."

    "Yes?"

    It was Hualien who suddenly said such a thing.

    Sam was about to laugh it off, but Mizuki agreed with her.

    "Yes, that''s right. I think she was taken by Sam who saved her from the people of Najaria."

    "How is that possible? Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha."

    Sam tried to smile, but his fianc¨¦es were silent.

    Sam''s secret is that it scared him a little.

 308 - - 58ã€Œã‚¨ãƒ”ãƒ­ãƒ¼ã‚°ã€

    "Oh dear, it''s raining so hard just when I''m ready to go back to my house.

    After spending the night at the palace to see how things were going, Sam was allowed to return to the house the next day.

    At the palace, he was glad to have some time alone with Stella, whom he did not get to spend much time with, but he also wanted to return to the house as soon as possible because there was a possibility that he might meet someone from the Orkney Kingdom, where he was still staying.

    The Kingdom of Orkney has lost a lot of its reputation in this exchange.

    Needless to say, it was because of the outburst of Hayama Hayato, a brave and otherworldly person. It was also deemed irresponsible that King Vik, who had enough of Hayato, wanted to clash with him and Sam.

    In the end, the Kingdom of Skye and the Kingdom of Orkney did not break their alliance, but they were no longer equals. Of course, the Kingdom of Skye has the advantage.

    The Sky Kingdom''s trade and diplomatic relations will be in its favor from now on. The Orkney Kingdom owes the Sky Kingdom that much.

    The Orkney Kingdom could not afford to worry about the disadvantage in diplomatic relations and trade.

    Since the hero lost his charm, the women who were his lovers have come to their senses, with the exception of Princess Dira, and there is a great deal of excitement.

    There has been a flurry of problems, including a suicide attempt and an attempt to kill Yuto.

    I hear that his other lovers and lovers he left behind in the Orkney Kingdom are also making a big fuss about the fact that he did not mean to do it.

    Some of them have destroyed their families because of their acquaintance and infatuation with Yuto, and some of them have abandoned their husbands and lovers without a second thought. Some of the women seem to have given him a lot of financial support and spent a lot of money to attract his attention.

    Everyone expected that they would be killed if they returned to the Kingdom of Orkney, but it was only someone else''s problem.

    Even more unfortunate was the fact that, although it was a bilateral exchange, there were probably several important figures from other allied countries in attendance.

    Thanks to this, the disturbance caused by the Orkney Kingdom spread to other countries.

    On the other hand, the reputation of the Kingdom of Skye was enhanced.

    The Kingdom of Skye, which had been a place where the aristocrats had done as they pleased, succeeded in showing the strength of the court wizards who were loyal to the royal family.

    Especially, the strength of Delight Sinatra and Samuel Scheidt and his fianc¨¦es were shown to the fullest extent.

    Although the number of court wizards was reduced, they showed that they were more than capable of making up for it.

    Many countries envied the quality of the wizards and wondered if they could somehow bring them into their own countries.

    In fact, people from other countries have asked Delight to remarry and Sam to arrange a marriage.

    "Ah, those were troublesome days when I think back on them..."

    As heavy rain poured down noisily, Sam was greeted by someone who welcomed him as he left the palace without an umbrella.

    "Sir?"

    "Sam, I''m here to pick you up."

    "Thank you very much. I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to come all the way out in the rain."

    No problem. Come on, get in."

    At Jonathan''s urging, Sam got into the carriage.

    Usually there was some kind of conversation, but Jonathan was quiet with only a pained expression on his face.

    Sam became concerned that something might have happened and asked him what was wrong.

    "Sir, sir. Is something wrong?

    "...... Sam, I need you to follow me somewhere."

    "Uh, yeah, sure."

    Sam and Jonathan arrived at the cemetery of the royal city after being rocked by the carriage for a while.

    This is where Ulrike is buried.

    £¨Why did they go all the way to the cemetery in such heavy rain?)

    Jonathan got off the carriage and said to Sam, who was tilting his head, "Follow me," and Sam followed him.

    It did not look like a gravesite, at least not to me.

    After walking for a while, Sam walked back to the house,

    "What?"

    I couldn''t believe my eyes.

    "What the ...... is this?

    Sam''s emotions were raging and anger was in his voice.

    Despite his illness, Sam released a wild magic power, thicker and angrier than when he had fought Anan, the people of Najaria.

    "--Sam, I''m sorry. I have no words either."

    In front of Sam''s eyes was Ur''s grave, which had been dug up.

    "It seems that on the day Sam fought against the people of Najaria, someone dug up the grave and stole Ur''s corpse. A search is underway, but ...... unfortunately, they have not found it."

    "--f*ck you. Who would do such a thing?

    The high density of the magic power thundered and rumbled.

    I''m at my limit, I''ve never been this angry before.

    Sam let out all of his current emotions in an angry voice.

    "You''ve got to be kidding me!

    The next moment, magic power was released high into the sky with a shout of rage.

    The force was so great that it instantly dispersed the rain clouds that covered the city.

    "I don''t know who did this, but I will definitely find the culprit and make him pay!"

 309 - - 59 "Steps and regulations"

    What awaited Hayato Hayama upon his return to the Kingdom of Orkney were eyes of disgust and contempt.

    The reputation of Hayato, who had once been called a hero of salvation, trusted and respected by the people of Orkney, was now the exact opposite.

    When Sam cut out one of the hero''s eyes and Anan, a citizen of Najaria, ate the other eye, losing his enchanted magic eye, the women who had been in a state of enchantment were freed.

    But the freed women were not saved. Rather, this is where the hell began.

    There was a girl who whispered her love to a man she did not like and gave his pure blood.

    There was the woman who left her childhood sweetheart whom she had promised to marry and gave everything to a brave man she had just met.

    A noble daughter who was raised with care, played with and conceived.

    A woman who had a family to take care of, a woman who abandoned her husband and children to become an amorous woman.

    A devout sister in the service of God crazily sought a boy she did not love.

    An innkeeper''s girl, a soldier''s woman, and a tool store owner''s daughter fell under Hayato Hayama''s spell at random, and were then released.

    The women came to their senses and screamed, flashing back to what they had just done.

    It is not surprising, since they had been saying and doing things for a long time that no one in their right mind would have done.

    There was a woman who lost her lover.

    A woman lost her fianc¨¦.

    A woman lost her family.

    Some lost their faith.

    Women who broke the spell, sobbed and collapsed on the spot.

    The people around them could not help but be surprised at the suddenness of the situation.

    But when we asked them what happened, they were surprised to hear that Hayato Hayama had been playing with them.

    To many people, it seemed that they were voluntarily serving him. It seemed to me that they were crossing the line, but I thought it was only because they were in love with him.

    No one could have predicted that none of the women would have wanted this.

    As a result, in the capital of the Kingdom of Orkney, the position of the heroes had changed completely.

    The hero of salvation had become a great sinner who had seduced and played with women.

    Even more outraged than the women were the families and lovers of the victims.

    The victims varied from daughters of noble families to daughters of merchant families to sisters.

    Because of this, people from many walks of life resented Yuto.

    When Yuto returned to the capital, he was greeted not with cheers but with loud abuse and stone throwing.

    He was called a "pervert," "devil," "enemy of women," and "dead," among many other epithets.

    The people''s anger frightened Yuto, who was crouched in the carriage, and he wept.

    Deila comforted him lovingly.

    The anger of the people was not only directed at Hayato, but also at the king.

    They demanded that the king take responsibility for having left Yuto to his own devices.

    As soon as he returned to the palace, King Vik stood before the people, apologized, and announced his retirement.

    Of course, this was not enough to calm the people''s anger.

    The nobles accused Hayama of having played with their daughters and wives, and Hayato was thrown in jail.

    King Vik wanted to continue to use Hayato as an asset in the war, but the damage was greater than he had imagined, and there were many who wanted to see him executed.

    Many wanted to kill him directly, but there was no one to protect him but Deila.

    The reason for putting him in jail was also to protect him.

    Vik was in a hurry to protect the women who had been attracted to him above all.

    All of them, from those who had been his mistresses and lovers to those who had been his playthings for a one-night stand.

    Unfortunately, some of them had already taken their own lives.

    No wonder. They were seduced and played with, no different from being attacked and raped by wild thieves. No, it would be worse, since even their minds had been manipulated.

    Needless to say, Weik was also condemned.

    He was in a critical situation, saying that he was responsible for letting Hayato Hayama go free, and that he could not just retire.

    The person who denounced Weik the most was his eldest son Richard, the son of the first queen who had been played by Hayato, and who had replaced Weik as king of Orkney.

    Needless to say, his reason was that his mother had been played.

    If he had loved a brave man of his own will, he would have left him alone even if he could not bless him. But if he heard that it was because of his enchantment, he could not leave him alone.

    Her anger at the king was so great that the night she came to her senses and apologized to Richard, she took her own life.

    She had always been a proud woman, and now she was pregnant with the queen after the queen had done what she wanted. She also felt guilty for the trouble she had caused to her allies.

    Richard had no intention of forgiving Yuto for playing with his mother and many other women.

    As a result, he clashed with Vike, who was planning to use him and destroy him as a national asset. The discussions were parallel, much to Richard''s chagrin.

    Vike was also angry that his wife was being played with, even though they did not get along, but he was more attracted to the power of the brave men.

    Even though he was easily defeated by Sam, his ability to defeat the monsters that had plagued the country for so many years was real.

    But Richard would not allow it.

    Richard, frustrated by the endless lack of agreement, resorted to force.

    He cut off Vike.

    With this, there was no one left to protect Yuto except Deila.

    Since Deila knew of Yuto''s fascination and had helped him, she was equally guilty and should be punished.

    Richard was advised to send her to the death row immediately, but he refused.

    He decided that putting an unrepentant and unrepentant man to death would do no good.

    So, he decided to leave the brave man in prison.

    They were in prison with no windows, no light, no food or water, and no one to talk to.

    The conditions were too harsh.

    Richard left Yuto alone and devoted himself to taking care of the women victims and their families.

    However, many women could not be saved.

    Even if they were protected, some of them got sick and committed suicide afterwards.

    The women explained the situation to their ex-family members and lovers, and they were saddened that not a single woman was able to return to her former relationship, even though they claimed that they were victims.

    Half of the pregnant women promised to support them in the future, since they decided to have the child, saying that the child was innocent.

    In the end, Richard was forced to clean up Hayama Hayato''s mess for several years after his accession to the throne.

    He was licked by neighboring countries, was not helped by the Kingdom of Skye even though he was its ally, and managed to keep his country alive despite several invasions.

    Richard was a good king and was loved by his people, though it is not known if it was because of this or not. Vik, on the other hand, left his name in the history as a foolish king.

    The first time I saw the "Vik", I was surprised to see the "Vik".

    In the pitch black darkness, Hayama Hayato lay weak on the cobblestone pavement, wearing only a piece of poor quality cloth.

    He was given no food or water, not even light. He was unable to speak with people and had no energy to move.

    Normally, it would have been natural that he would have died of emaciation, but Yuto was still alive. He was alive and suffering.

    "...... Somebody help me."

    Yuto wonders how this happened.

    However, he does not reflect on it because he comes to the conclusion that he did nothing wrong.

    He was attracted to her, he liked her body, but what was wrong with that?

    There was a woman who gave him all her money, but Yuto does not remember asking her to do so.

    He does not remember asking her to abandon her family.

    They did everything on their own.

    If he had been able to say, even with a lie, that it was my fault, there is no doubt that his situation might have been different.

    However, Yuto was not a flexible thinker who would say what he did not think.

    As a result, his death was approaching.

    I don''t know if it was the perks of being transplanted or the magic, but it was amazing that he could endure a week without eating or drinking.

    But my mind was already going crazy.

    He wanted to talk to someone, to hear someone''s voice, but there was no one who would listen to his appeal in the first place.

    At first, he screamed until his throat ran dry, but not a single person responded.

    With no energy to even stand up anymore, Yuto clung to the bars and tried to speak, but he could not speak properly due to the severe dryness of his throat.

    Still, he desperately tried to call for help.

    "...... help!

    But still no one was there to lend a hand.

    What did I do wrong?

    What was so bad?

    Yuto thought desperately in his foggy consciousness, but he could not come up with an answer.

    And then - for the next two weeks, Yuto Hayama suffered from starvation, dryness, and loneliness, and finally, he died of a debilitating illness.

    His corpse was dumped in a nearby forest.

    No one mourned the death of Hayato. Rather, everyone was relieved that he had finally died.

    However, a few days after Yuto''s death, Princess Deira took her own life.

    In her will, she wrote only, "By the side of Yuto-sama.

    Thus, the Kingdom of Orkney, once saved by the otherworldly people, was devastated by the otherworldly people.

    This has not changed since the death of the hero.

    As long as the victims were alive, the resentment toward them would never disappear.

 310 - - "Its Uls awakening."

    Ulrike Scheidt Walker wakes up in a strange place.

    When she realizes that she is lying on a hard surface, she opens a small mouth.

    "--Sam."

    The first words that spontaneously escaped his mouth were the names of his beloved disciples.

    But there was no response.

    If Sam were nearby, he would have responded.

    Ur woke up.

    "...... where am I? No, no, no. I''m supposed to be dead.

    Moving his sluggish body, he looks around and sees that he is in what appears to be a cave.

    Moreover, Ur realized that he was lying on a ceremonial altar in the cave.

    "This is in bad taste."

    It was something unknown to Ur.

    Intricately painted magic circles surrounded the altar, and the cave was filled with a nauseatingly dense magic.

    A person without magic power would have fainted if he or she had been in this place.

    "I can smell blood. And it''s not just one or two. It makes me sick. ......, my body doesn''t feel right, I don''t have magic, but it''s like I''m not myself."

    You speculate on several reasons for your awakening, but all of them come with unpleasant answers.

    I don''t know who or what woke me up, but I decide to kill the ringleader.

    £¨It wasn''t Sam who did this foolish thing. No, Sam can''t raise the dead in the first place. (No, Sam can''t raise the dead to begin with because I didn''t teach him.)

    Ur has only knowledge of the secrets of raising the dead.

    But he has never thought of using it because he understands that it requires many sacrifices.

    In the first place, people die. It was not my intention to go against the natural order.

    If anyone could raise the dead with no risk, it would be the saints as they have been told since ancient times.

    "Well, whatever, let''s get out of here."

    He walks through the strangely lit cave, finds what he thinks is the exit, gets down from the altar, and tries to leave the place.

    "Hello, you are awake. Ulrike Scheidt Walker."

    Suddenly, a voice called out to me.

    "Who is it?"

    The voice is male.

    He had not been in the cave from the beginning, but had appeared from another doorway at just the right moment.

    "Hey, hey, you''re not very friendly, are you? You''ve killed my men before. Or did you just die once and forget about it?"

    "My men?"

    As the man walks toward us, we can make out his figure clearly.

    He was a middle-aged man dressed in white and gold work.

    "--Oh, the appearance and the clinging stench of death ...... of the people of Najaria."

    I''m the chief.

    "Heh. So you''re the head of some stupid tribe that''s been fighting the Kingdom of Skye for years. I was wondering what kind of a fool you''d look like, but you''re even dumber than I thought."

    The chief of Najaria laughed at Ur''s tone.

    "You''re hurting me. I''ve gone to the trouble of resurrecting you, but I don''t think these are words of gratitude to a benefactor."

    "Resurrected?"

    This time, Ur furrowed his brow uncomfortably.

    "Don''t be silly. This is not resurrection or reanimation, it is transmutation.

    "Oops, I''m impressed that you noticed that as soon as you woke up."

    "I know my body best. And I have a pretty good idea who you are.

    "I see. I see. That''s Ulrike Scheidt Walker. Now, let me ask you a question. Why are you as empty of magic as a shell?

    At the question of the Najaria chief, Ur''s expression changed drastically and he blew up.

    "Boo-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!¡¡What, you woke me up without knowing it?¡¡I entrusted all my magic to my beloved apprentice!"

    "...... Samuel Scheidt again. I''m afraid I''ve never had much luck with him.

    "Oh, you know Sam?"

    I know who you are. I know. I''d like to kill him.

    "But you don''t have that kind of power. So you woke me up and tried to use me. They''re shallow."

    When I gave him a mocking look, the chief of Najaria gave me a bitter look.

    "...... terrible. You''ve just woken up and your head is spinning.

    "Because he''s a genius."

    "Then you must understand what is to come. You will be my pawn.

    No.

    What?

    He must not have liked Ur''s words very much.

    The chief of Najaria emitted a thick, murderous atmosphere.

    "I said no. I would never avenge Sam. Or rather, I have no intention of becoming a servant of a joke of a monster like you!"

    Ulle spits this out, raises one arm, and magic swirls around it.

    The chief of Najaria was startled.

    "Magic!¡¡You must not have any magic power right now!"

    "What are you talking about?¡¡I have no magic, but if I don''t have it, I can borrow it from where I have it. Fortunately, this place is full of magic, and I will show you the magic the elves taught me.

    "d*mn!¡¡Why don''t you take control of me!¡¡I thought I had prepared you for this when I resurrected you!"

    "That''s because I am Ulrike Scheidt Walker. I will not fall behind you, even if I lose my magic!"

    "Yeah, you''re a freak!"

    Ur tried to convert all the magic that filled the cave into magic.

    At the risk of being interrupted, the chief of Najaria, unable to accept the failure of his plan, looked away from Ur and tried to think of something to correct his course.

    Ur laughed.

    Finally the chief of Najaria understood where the magic Ur was about to unleash was directed and started to panic.

    Of course, too late.

    Stop!¡¡Do you have any idea how many years and sacrifices went into building this altar!¡¡I cannot move on without this altar!

    "Hearing those words, I am even more motivated. It''s just what I needed for my freshly awakened rehabilitation."

    Ur laughed.

    "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!"

    A moment later, Ur unleashed a burst of magic that reduced the cave and the altar to ashes.

 311 - - "Its a surprising reunion."

    It has been a week since someone took the remains of Ulrike Scheidt Walker from the cemetery in the royal capital of the Kingdom of Skye.

    The culprit is not known, but the timing of the attack on the royal palace coincided with that of the people of Najaria, so we have almost identified the culprit.

    The problem, however, is that we do not know where the people of Najaria settled.

    Jonathan has his magical forces in pursuit of the people of Najaria.

    He has determined their approximate locations based on the eyewitness testimonies he has received so far, and is going to start searching for them at random.

    He has already begun the search with fifty wizards under his command.

    It is not only the family that has been angered by the desecration of Ur''s death.

    G¨¹nther Ignaz, who had a great love for Ur, was willing to give up his role in order to find the people of Najaria, but he was saved from going berserk by his fianc¨¦e, Cree, who quieted him down nicely.

    The fact that the Countess Walker and her family were holding their anger in check seemed to have helped them cool down.

    And the only one to go about his day as usual during the week was Ur''s only prot¨¦g¨¦, Samuel Scheidt.

    At first he was furious that Ur''s corpse had been taken from him, but now he has regained his composure and acts as if nothing is wrong.

    However, it was easy for his fianc¨¦e Liese and her family to understand that Sam was holding back his anger.

    As a proof of this, just the other day there was an incident in which a well-known bandit attacked a town near the royal capital, and Sam, dispatched as a court magician, killed the bandit in an instant.

    The fifty bandits, young and old, male and female, were all cut down equally with a single blow.

    When he returned to the Earl of Walker''s house, he was the same Sam. A smiling, kind, honest boy. But his fianc¨¦es were worried that at any moment he might explode with anger in his heart.

    And so today, Sam was living his life as usual.

    He eats, does light exercise, practices magic, and plays hand-to-hand with his fianc¨¦es, Shi-Kalen and Mizuki Amemiya.

    He takes care of the baby dragon with Alicia Walker and writes a letter to Princess Stella Isle Sky. They also took a walk together, taking care of Lise''s pregnant body.

    It was supposed to be a normal day, but the fiancees were still anxious.

    The day was over and it was almost time to go to bed.

    "Hey, mister!¡¡Mistress!¡¡Lord Sam!"

    The gatekeeper shouted loudly.

    The gatekeeper, whom I knew very well, never shouted so loud late at night.

    Something urgent had happened, so Sam jumped out the window.

    He lands soundlessly and runs to the gate of the house.

    "What''s going on?

    The gatekeeper, who had shouted out loudly, was slumped down on the spot, sweating profusely and looking very upset.

    Before him, there was someone wearing a ragged robe over his head.

    "Sam, Sam, here, here, here, here, here, here..."

    "Hm?"

    The gatekeeper pointed at the robed figure, but he seemed unable to utter a word.

    Sam stepped forward to protect him and faced the robed figure.

    "...... I don''t know why, I feel like I''ve missed you. If you don''t mind, could I see your face?¡¡If I don''t do something, I''ll have to catch you as a suspicious person. I don''t think either of us would want that."

    At Sam''s words, I thought I saw the robed figure smile a little.

    "-It''s been a long time, Sam. I''m surprised to see how much you''ve grown. I''m surprised and happy to see you.

    The voice of the robed figure was female.

    "This, this voice. I don''t think so."

    The moment I heard her voice, my whole body was shocked.

    How could I forget?

    How could I forget?

    I don''t know how much I wanted to hear her voice again, how many times I dreamed of it.

    She slowly took off her robe in front of Sam, who stopped breathing and stared at the robed woman.

    And then, what Sam had imagined in his mind came true.

    "I had no idea that within a few months of leaving me you''d become a court wizard, or even the most powerful wizard in the Kingdom of Skye. You are indeed my apprentice."

    Emerging from inside the robe was a man with crimson hair like flames.

    There was a beautiful woman with slightly slanted eyes, giving the impression of being a winsome woman.

    Her name was Ulrike Scheidt Walker.

    She was Sam''s mentor, the one who was supposed to be dead.

    "--Ul."

    "Oh, it''s me. I missed you, Sam."

 312 - - 3 Reunited with everyone â‘ 

    "I can''t believe it. Ulle''s not here."

    "...... Oh, it''s really Ur."

    The Countess Walker''s household was in an uproar, even in the middle of the night, because Ur had come back to life.

    No wonder, even Sam thinks it was like a dream.

    It had been less than six months since he had taken care of Ur. He is finally getting over the pain and sadness of that time, and now, unexpectedly, he is back.

    I was more confused than happy.

    £¨How did Ur come back to life in the first place?)

    The questions were endless, but for now I decided to be honest and be happy to see him again.

    Especially the family members who did not even meet their deaths are shedding tears of joy at the reunion.

    Not to mention Jonathan and Grace, Lise, Alicia, Erica, and the servants who knew Ur, all shed tears.

    "What a filial son of a b*tc*!¡¡If you were sick, why didn''t you tell us you were sick!¡¡And to die after running away from home!¡¡If it weren''t for Sam, I wouldn''t even have been able to give him a funeral!"

    "You, calm down. It''s too much to blame you for what has already happened.

    Jonathan scolds his daughter as he hugs her, while Grace hushes her.

    Urs also looked uncomfortable at his father''s words and scratched his cheek.

    "I''m sorry, Father, Mother. But I didn''t want my family to see me so weak."

    "I don''t know ...... what the reason is that he came back to life, and I am anxious, but first of all, I thank God that we are able to speak to each other again and hold each other again."

    Ul hugged Jonathan, then Grace, Erica, and Alicia, and then it was Liese''s turn.

    Lise is also happy to see her sister again, but her expression is somewhat gloomy.

    It was not only Liese, but also Alicia, Karen, and Mizuki.

    Ur hugged Lise tightly and then smiled.

    "But still, I didn''t expect Liese and Alicia to be with Sam. And then there was Princess Stella, Shi-Kalen, and Mizuki Amamiya. And Fran is also suspicious...my disciple is quite good. You''re a master."

    "No, I don''t know what''s so special about them, but Lise and her friends have been very good to me. Of course, the Master, the Mistress, and all the Countesses.

    "I am glad to see that my dear family and my dear apprentice are getting along so well. I am happy for you, Sam. I can''t believe you''ve become a part of my family. The only thing I was worried about was leaving you behind, but I guess my fears were unfounded."

    "It''s the connection that Ur has made with me."

    Ha-ha-ha. Then it''s thanks to me. You can thank me."

    The Ur who said such things was the Ur that Sam knew well.

    His mouth relaxes involuntarily.

    I felt the black feelings I had been harboring in my heart disappear.

    "Excuse me, sister..."

    "Hmm?¡¡Liese, what''s wrong ...... with you all looking so mysterious?"

    When Ur looked at them curiously, Lise, Alicia, Karen, and Mizuki bowed their heads together.

    This made Ur and Sam''s eyes widen.

    "Excuse me?"

    "Lise-sama!¡¡Guys, what''s going on?

    "I am so happy to see you again, sister. I am grateful that we have been able to exchange words again in any way. However, I must apologize. We are engaged, Sam and I. I fell in love with Sam with all my heart."

    Sam was crestfallen.

    He had not expected Liese and the others to apologize to Ur.

    Sam certainly loves Ur. But that does not mean he does not love Liese and the others.

    He loves them as much as he loves Ur.

    He cares for his fianc¨¦es with all his heart.

    When Sam tried to open his mouth, Ur stopped him with his hand.

    "You don''t have to apologize. "You don''t have to apologize, but I want to thank you. Thank you for loving me."

    "We are the ones who should be thanking you, and we are the ones who should be thanking your sister for bringing us together with Sam."

    "Thank God. Just knowing that Sam wasn''t alone made coming back all the more worthwhile. Sam, as I told you before, be happy.

    "Yes."

    "I''m sorry that Lise, Alicia, Karen, Mizuki, and Lady Stella are not here - but take care of Sam for me."

    The fianc¨¦es nodded vigorously when Ur entrusted Sam to them.

    Satisfied with this, Ur embraced Liese and the others one after another.

    "Oh, thank God! Now I can pass away in peace."

    "What do you mean by that, sister?

    However, Ur''s words left everyone in a state of shock.

 313 - - 4 Reunited with everyone â‘¡

    "Urgh, urgh!¡¡What does that mean?"

    Sam was the first to open his mouth.

    Ur looked over at Sam and the rest of the family and smiled.

    "This resurrection is incomplete. Perhaps this life is temporary and time is limited. And unfortunately, there won''t be much time.

    "--Oh, no."

    Sam looked as if he was about to cry, but Ur seemed to have no sorrow in spite of the little time he had left.

    "Well, I was dead to begin with, so just being able to see everyone like this is a blessing in disguise."

    Ur was positive to the end.

    Sam nodded at her, trying hard to suppress the welling up in his heart.

    Yes, he would never see her again, but here they were again. Then, instead of dreading the goodbye, I would cherish this moment.

    "In case you haven''t noticed, I''m not human now."

    "Heh?"

    "I''m a human half-breed who failed to become a vampire. If I had been a full vampire, there is a chance that my life would have been spared, but, well, that''s fate.

    "So Ur was not revived, but transformed. Still, that''s impossible with today''s magical technology. Who could have done such a thing?

    "Have you ever heard of the people of Najaria?"

    I knew it was them.

    I had guessed that it was the people of Najaria who had taken Ur''s corpse, but I had not expected that they had the technology to turn him into a vampire.

    Transmutation is a secret technique sought after by some wizards.

    Humans have limitations in terms of magical power, magic, and technology. Therefore, there are a few who try to obtain extra-human powers by transforming themselves into other races.

    For example, elves have basically more magical power than humans, and they have their own magic.

    For example, vampires, aside from their magical power, also have race-specific skills such as being able to steal magical power from others.

    There are also other races, known only in folklore, such as the demons and the dragons.

    However, there is a limit to transmutation. Although they originally make many sacrifices, they can only be transformed into a race similar to humans. It was impossible for ogres, orcs, and other races called monsters.

    "So Sam knows the people of Najaria after all. I was expecting that since their chief knew your name..."

    "We fought a few times. They''re a nasty bunch."

    The people of Najaria are a troublesome lot.

    From those who can make magic swords to those who collect magic eyes.

    I don''t know why they are making enemies of the Kingdom of Skye, but I can only hope that they can live their lives in peace and quiet, without causing trouble to other nations.

    "Those nasty people are going to make their move any minute."

    "How do you know that?"

    "We''ve destroyed their stronghold and their altar, which they seem to value very highly, and we''ve killed all their warriors. Unfortunately, we missed the chief."

    "-- Huh?"

    I didn''t know what Ur was talking about.

    "You''ve been resurrected in the stronghold of the people of Najaria, who for a long time didn''t know where they lived, so there''s no reason not to make the most of it," he said. We couldn''t wipe them out to thank them for turning us halfway, but I think we destroyed half of them."

    "What the hell?"

    "They tried to resurrect me to fight Sam, but I guess I was too inexperienced in the arts, including transmutation, so they failed miserably. There are no warriors left to fight. It''s the end for that family.

    "--That''s absurd."

    Everyone was stunned, not just Sam.

    Ur had single-handedly defeated all the warriors of the people of Najaria, whom the Kingdom of Skye and the surrounding nations had been struggling with for years.

    (I knew Ur was strong, but what?¡¡But all of Ur''s magic power is supposed to be mine.)

    "You know what, Ur?"

    "What?"

    "How did you fight without magic?"

    "You too. You know, magic is not only in our bodies. It''s all over the world. If we wanted to, we could pull magic power from somewhere and use it.

    "That''s horseshit. That''s not a human skill.

    "Well, I''m a genius. Well, it''s nice talking to you like this, and I''d love to have more conversation with my family, but first let''s get this mess out of the way. Let''s go to His Majesty."

    "What?¡¡To Mr. Clyde''s?"

    "Yes, it''s night, but I don''t care. If he sleeps, we''ll wake him up."

    "Well, that''s all I have to do, isn''t it?"

    That''s right. I''m not interested in the old man''s sleeping face either.

    We do not know Ur''s purpose, but we can guess that it is something related to the people of Najaria.

    Sam looked at Jonathan and the others and nodded, puzzled.

    "Well, let''s get started."

    First of all, he thinks that Ur should do what he has to do. He would take his time to get in touch with his family after all of that was taken care of.

    That''s when I thought to myself.

    "I can smell Ulrike!

    G¨¹nther, bloodshot-eyed and excited, suddenly kicked in the door.

    "I knew you would come. I mean, how far do you think it is from the Ignaz family mansion to Count Walker''s house? I don''t think Ur''s scent would reach that far."

    Sam makes a quip, but it doesn''t reach G¨¹nther.

    "Ah, Ulrike!¡¡My Ulrike!¡¡I won''t even ask how you''re still alive. Welcome home, Ulrike!¡¡I guess Sam and I will be making a baby with the three of us tonight!"

    "...... still creeps me out, man."

    "Oh, those cold eyes, those cold words, they make me sick!¡¡--ha-ha-ha-ha."

    G¨¹nther shivered with pleasure at Ur''s cold attitude, and we all felt the afterglow of our reunion fade away.

    The arrival of G¨¹nther caused all the emotions to fly away, and the atmosphere returned to its usual state.

    "By the way, why does G¨¹nther include Sam in his list of creepy objects?"

    "Um, sister, G¨¹nther is, um, Sam--"

    When Lise explained fearfully, Ulle made a dumb face for the first time since their reunion.

 314 - - 5 "Adjustment of force and original force" â‘ 

    "Gya ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!¡¡G¨¹nther is Sam''s wife!¡¡And with a younger fianc¨¦e, how chaotic can it get!¡¡I''m dying, I''m dying of laughter!¡¡I''m back from the dead and I''m going to die!"

    When Ur heard what had happened to G¨¹nther, he rolled on the floor with his stomach in his hands and laughed hysterically.

    Sam and the others laughed too.

    In fact, when you put it in words like Ur''s, the relationships surrounding G¨¹nther, or rather Sam, are complicated and bizarre.

    "It''s sad, Ulrike. I am not the man you know now. I''m all dirty. I''m not clean anymore."

    (What?¡¡G¨¹nther''s way of saying, "What, you don''t think I''m Kree?)

    There was a line that bothered me, but I''m not going to worry about it right now.

    "I don''t give a shit!"

    "Oh, this cold response is so comforting!¡¡I thought I''d never taste that again!"

    "Oh, I laughed and laughed."

    Ulle, who had been laughing for a while, wiped his tears with his sleeve and regulated his breathing.

    It must have been a good point.

    "Hey, G¨¹nther. I''m sorry to make you feel uncomfortable, but we were talking about something quite serious.

    "Oops, that was rude. So, what''s this about?"

    "It means that my resurrection is not complete."

    "--what does that mean?"

    "Well, you''ll die again eventually. Hey, hey, don''t look so gloomy, that''s disgusting. I''m just glad to see my family again. I don''t know how much time I have left, but I''ll live without regrets."

    "......, that''s very Ur-esque."

    Perhaps because they had known each other since childhood, G¨¹nther, like Ul, did not show a sad expression on his face.

    "Well, I have a lot of things to take care of, but first I have to take care of something important. Sam, let''s talk in private for a minute."

    "What?"

    "I want to talk to you as master and apprentice."

    "Wait a minute, Ulrike!"

    "What the hell, G¨¹nther? Don''t say something disgusting.

    "Well, you know, it''s all right for master and pupil to have secret lessons, but at least keep the naughty stuff behind Liese and the others'' backs."

    "I ain''t doing that!¡¡I just told you not to say anything creepy!¡¡Are those ears for decoration!¡¡Aah!"

    I don''t know if it was out of concern for Liese or not, but Ulle, offended by G¨¹nther''s stupid words, pulled his ear as hard as she could.

    G¨¹nther screamed in pain, but his face was not like that of a person in pain.

    It was more like he was enjoying the pleasure of the pain.

    Ur realized that his punishment of G¨¹nther was having the opposite effect and threw him down.

    He then beckoned Sam to leave the room.

    He went to Ur''s room.

    "I''ve missed you. I haven''t been home for years, but I''m glad you''re keeping it clean. Well, have a seat. I think I''ll have a whiskey first. I''ve been sober for years, a little goes a long way."

    "In moderation."

    I know, I know. You want a drink?

    "I''m underage, so it''s fine."

    "You''re so boring. You''re almost an adult. Well, whatever. I''ll have a drink anyway!

    Ulu picked up a bottle of fine whiskey on the shelf and poured it into a glass, opening the seal with a practiced hand.

    The room was filled with the aroma of whiskey from the casks.

    Ulu sniffed the aroma and then he quickly poured the whiskey in one gulp.

    "Ah, this is it!"

    "What a waste of fine whiskey, drinking it like beer!"

    "Liquor is a luxury item, so it''s best to drink it as you like."

    After pouring the second glass, she rummaged through the desk and took out a cigarillo.

    When she was sure it was not damp, she added it to her mouth. With a snap of her fingers, a small fire was lit and she hit the cigarillo.

    Ur exhaled purple smoke deliciously.

    "Ah, this is it. Whiskey and cigarettes are a perfect combination.

    The Ur that Sam knew did not drink or smoke.

    He did not care for it when he lived with us, but now that he thinks about it, he probably refrained from it because of his illness.

    "By the way, is Ur in good health now?"

    "I don''t know, but I don''t have that pain or heaviness. My guess is that the disease is gone, even if only halfway through the conversion."

    "...... would have been nice if the conversion had been complete."

    "I don''t think so. I wanted to master magic, but I never wanted to stop being human. I wanted to master magic and become strong while still being human. Well, in terms of increasing knowledge, a species with a longer life span than humans might be ideal, but I think humans are ephemeral and beautiful because of their limited time."

    "--Ur."

    "We humans are obsessed with various things because we have a finite ...... amount of time to do them. Sometimes we wish we had more time, but if we had more time, we would probably not have so much to occupy ourselves with, and we might even get bored in the process. It''s just as well to be human."

    Ur poured his third whiskey into his stomach and walked up to Sam to make eye contact.

    He is looking at Sam with a cigarillo in his mouth, as if searching for something.

    A magic circle was unfolding in her right eye.

    "--I knew it."

    "Ur?"

    "My inherited magic is taking its toll on you, isn''t it?"

    "--well, that''s..."

    "And perhaps your skills have been affected. You''re not using your skills properly, are you?"

    Sam could only nod silently at Ur''s point.

 315 - - 6 "Its the adjustment of the force and the original force" â‘¡

    "Your skills are special in a way. It''s not just useful like my item box, but it''s specialized for attacks. You can''t use a sword, even though you have the skill to slice and dice. So, I suggested. Use magic."

    "Yeah. I remember."

    "But you''ve done it in a way that''s way above my pay grade. You have elevated your skills to the realm of magic."

    At first, Sam used magic and skill at the same time. At that time, he named it "slash-and-burn magic" and used it a lot.

    However, it was easy to use.

    Not only attacking with magic, but by adding slashing to the magic, double damage can be inflicted.

    It could be used in various ways, such as increasing the number of magic and making it a powerful blow.

    After many improvements to make slash magic more powerful and easier to use, we were able to sublimate it to a magic specialized only for slashing, even though it is a skill.

    "Normally, you might say that using a skill to defeat an enemy is not like a wizard, but not in your case. Skill is magic. No, all your slashes are magic. That''s your strength, and against certain opponents you should be able to basically cut them down with a single slash and be done with it."

    "Yes, when I was adventuring with Ur, we had a hard time, but we cut through everyone."

    But now your body is filled with stagnant magic. The magic power that should be circulating in your body is not circulating properly. This is a big problem. This is a big problem.

    "It seems that ...... Ur has it all figured out."

    Sam held up his hands as if in contemplation.

    Ur is right, the circulation of magic is bad. I can''t use my magic power as I want to.

    The reason why I have been able to use it without any problems up until now is because I have enough magic power for both of us, and I have only been using it by forcing myself to exert my magic power.

    Of course, when he could still use more magic than those wizards, Sam is also an out-of-the-box wizard.

    I''m sorry.

    "Ugh, Ur don''t need to apologize!¡¡I''m just immature!"

    Sam was flustered when his beloved master bowed to him.

    But Ur was not convinced.

    "No, no. He should have let him inherit it when he had fully grown up both in magic and body. I used the inheritance magic without thinking of anyone but myself at that time. I think it was unkind and I feel bad when I see that my magic power is hindering Sam''s growth."

    "That''s not true!¡¡I was happy to inherit all of Ur!"

    "I''m glad you say that. But you''ve made magic difficult for me. This is fatal for a wizard. Perhaps the output is too strong for you?"

    "Yes. I was able to unite Ur and my magic, but it''s too big and I keep getting pushed around by it. I''ve tried some countermeasures, but they haven''t worked. My skills have become too powerful and I''m afraid to use them.

    Just as Sam said, the output of magic and skills jumped up after inheriting Ur''s magic power.

    I had expected this, but it was beyond my imagination.

    Ever since I came to the capital and fought with G¨¹nther, I had a strange feeling.

    I stopped using my skills because they had been enhanced too much.

    --Sam had been fighting without using his original skills.

    He was afraid that he might hurt someone who had nothing to do with his skills.

    He also felt that he was putting too much pressure on himself.

    So, he decided to use the skills that had been elevated to the realm of magic, by reducing them to mere skills. Fortunately, if I use it as a mere skill, it is not as difficult to control as the original skill.

    That is "Kirisakumono".

    "Maybe the reason I came back to life was to take care of Sam until the end. Let''s be clear. If you don''t, you''ll die.

    "-To tell you the truth, I expected that."

    "It''s a good thing I''m still able to suppress the magic now, but not too long from now, the magic will have run amok."

    "...... what should I do?"

    If I lost my life in the battle, I had no choice, but I didn''t want to destroy myself because of the magic inherited from Ur.

    I would be sorry for Ur if I died that way.

    "As for the magic technique, if you take time to learn it, you will be able to master it without any problem, but as for the magic power, it is not so easy to learn it. It''s not impossible that it will work itself out over time, but it will probably go out of control before that happens."

    "No way out?"

    "No, it''s not. It is possible to adjust it forcibly, though it would be a rough treatment."

    "Can you do it?"

    "Yes, but it will hurt to death. You could die of shock, if you''re not careful. That''s how troublesome magic can be.

    Ur''s eyes were serious.

    But Sam had only one choice.

    "I don''t care. I have people I want to protect now. I can''t stay like this for them. I need to be stronger. I don''t want them to worry."

    "Okay. We''ll take care of it right away. No doubt, there will be a battle ahead. And we don''t want Sam to be unable to be serious.

    "Yeah, do it."

    Wait, first...

    "Yeah?"

    Ur suddenly hugged Sam.

    "I''m so proud of you, Sam, for being the most powerful wizard in the Kingdom of Skye, even though you haven''t reached your full potential."

    "--Thank you. A student of Ur can do that much."

    "Ha-ha, you''re still cocky. Yeah, but that''s Sam for you."

    They separated and laughed at each other.

    Ur''s right hand slowly reached for Sam''s chest.

    "Okay, let''s go."

    The moment Sam nodded, his body pulsed.

    My vision spins, the world spins, and I feel as if my body has become something else.

    A moment later, Sam''s screams echoed through the midnight house.

 316 - - 7 I understand the purpose of the enemy â‘ 

    An hour later, Sam was at the palace with Ur and G¨¹nther.

    At first, Hualien and Suiju said they would come with him, but when Ur asked them to protect the house, they agreed to do so.

    It was already late at night, and when they tried to enter the palace, they were stopped by the Kingsguard, but they insisted that they had urgent business to attend to.

    The Kingsguard were reluctant to do their duty, but when Sam, the most powerful wizard in the kingdom, G¨¹nther, the court wizard and the next head of the ducal family, and Ur, the former court wizard who was supposed to be dead, stood side by side, they had no choice but to obey.

    Sam and his friends were in front of the bedchamber of Clyde Isle-Sky, the king of the Kingdom of Sky.

    Ur knocked loudly and loudly in the middle of the night.

    "Who is it?"

    Clyde''s voice came back from inside the room, and Sam called through the door on his behalf.

    "Well, I''m sorry to bother you at this time of night, but this is Sam.

    "Sam?¡¡Come in anyway."

    The tone of his voice, which had been hard at first, turned softer as soon as he heard Sam''s name.

    "...... Hey, isn''t Your Majesty kind of sweet on Sam?¡¡Normally, you wouldn''t scold them or complain about their sudden arrival in the middle of the night, would you?"

    "Ulrike didn''t know. Sam is the nephew of His Majesty.

    "Huh!¡¡What''s that? Well, never mind, we''ll hear about it later.

    Listening to the exchange between Ur and G¨¹nther, Sam slowly opened the door to Clyde''s bedroom.

    The light was on in the room, and Clyde seemed to be at his desk doing some paperwork.

    He had not yet changed into his nightclothes.

    "Mr. Clyde, I apologize for the unexpectedness.

    No problem. As you can see, I was not yet asleep. G¨¹nther''s here too, and there''s one more person...

    Clyde looked up when he noticed that there was someone else there besides Sam, then his eyes widened and he dropped the pen in his hand.

    "That''s ...... impossible, why is Ulrike here?¡¡Were you not supposed to be dead?"

    "It''s being restored for a limited time because of the people of Najaria."

    Clyde looked at Ulle, who cowered his shoulders, with a bitter look on his face.

    "I didn''t know that family was capable of such a thing. I''m afraid we don''t know what they''re up to.

    "Uh, no, you don''t have to act like that anymore."

    What?

    When Clyde felt again threatened by the people of Najaria, Ur''s words came as a shock to him.

    "Ur?¡¡What are you talking about? What do you mean, playacting?"

    When Sam''s questioning was interrupted by Ur telling him to wait a moment, he continued to speak to Clyde.

    "Your Majesty, I awoke in a settlement of the people of Najaria. I was about to be used as a pawn in a fight with Sam."

    "...... seems like Sam is in the way. He took your corpse because he wanted to use you against Sam.

    "It seems so. So, there was no way they could control me, and I had to fight with Najaria''s warriors. Of course, now that I am here, you don''t have to ask me if I won or lost.

    "That''s Ulrike Scheidt Walker. It''s good to see you fighting the warriors of Najaria and coming back in one piece."

    "Oh, no, sir. There are no more warriors among the people of Najaria.

    "-, that means, no way!"

    "Yes, we have killed all the warriors."

    "...... What an accomplishment that is. No one has ever done anything like that before."

    Clyde believed Ur''s words.

    Having known Ur since she was a child, Clyde knew she was not a delusional person.

    He also knew that she was capable of taking on the people of Najaria and winning.

    "I have left them alone because I have no taste for non-combatants, even mere folk, but I leave it to your majesty to decide whether or not to destroy that clan. I remember their strongholds and will guide you there if necessary. I will even work as a former court wizard if you ask me to."

    "It would be reassuring if you could help us!"

    "But first, I''d like to have a heart-to-heart talk with you, Your Majesty."

    "--What are you talking about?"

    I said, that''s enough. I know, approximately. Your Majesty Clyde, and you, G¨¹nther. You two have known all along what the people of Najaria are really up to and why they''re after the Kingdom of Skye.

    "............"

    Neither Clyde nor G¨¹nther refuted the question, but answered in silence.

    "I''ll take silence as an affirmative."

    "I suppose you won''t let me say what it''s about."

    "Of course. I tortured the warriors lightly before I killed them, so I have some information. But I wanted to confirm it with Your Majesty.

    Clyde exhaled loudly.

    "Then let me ask you the opposite. What is the longing of the people of Najaria, as you know it?"

    "--Revival of the old demon king."

 317 - - 8 I understand the purpose of the enemy â‘¡

    "Is there a Demon King?¡¡There''s a Demon King!"

    Sam was the most surprised by Ur''s words.

    It had been several years since he was reborn in another world, but he had never heard of a demon king.

    No, neither have the heroes. The other day, Hayama Yuto called himself a hero, but technically speaking, he is not a hero.

    He was only considered a brave man in the Kingdom of Orkney.

    To Sam, the other world was a fantasy full of magic, but unfortunately he had never met a demon king, a hero, or even a race of non-human beings such as elves or dwarves.

    The only exception was dragons. I have met dragons more times than I can count, and even fought against a dragon king.

    Perhaps because of this, I was surprised and a little excited by the existence of the Demon King, even if it was inappropriate to say so.

    Ur gave Sam a curious look.

    "What are you talking about? There are many demon kings.

    "How many are there?

    I don''t know how many times I have been surprised just today.

    Ur''s resurrection and the existence of the Demon King are indeed beyond my tolerance.

    "Oh, yes, that''s right. Sam doesn''t know anything about the west side of the continent, does he? I didn''t take him with me, but I thought it was too early to tell. Well, that''s okay. We''ll talk later."

    "Uh, yes."

    (Yeah, one thing''s for sure, I can''t call myself the best on the continent just yet.)

    "Well, Your Majesty. Let me get back to the story."

    Ulle then began talking to Clyde again.

    "I have always believed that the purpose of the people of Najaria was immortality. In fact, when I was converted, I understood that they were trying to prolong my life span by transforming me from a human to another species, even if immortality was difficult. Well, I have smashed to pieces the altars that seem to be necessary for the conversion.

    "In our country, too, we know that people obsessed with the foolish desire for immortality are cooperating with the people of Najaria. It does some harm, but we let them swim until the moment of need."

    "Sounds like it. But if longevity is the goal, there''s no need to mess with the Skye Kingdom. There are those who claim to have lived in the area in the first place, but the people of Najaria and their secret agents are using that as a cover to move quietly toward their original goal. That is the resurrection of the Demon King."

    Sam asks, fearfully, because he has a question.

    "You know, why do you want the Kingdom of Skye?¡¡Immortality is one thing, but the Demon King has nothing to do with it."

    "Sam, it is not irrelevant. In the royal palace of the Kingdom of Skye lies the corpse of the Demon Lord.

    "Huh!"

    It was Clyde who answered Sam''s question.

    "What do you mean, King?¡¡Is there a Demon King in this country, or rather, in the royal palace?

    It was a startling revelation.

    I had never dreamed that the Demon King, even though he was a corpse, was so close to me.

    "Sam, I''m sorry for not telling you. I''m sorry for not telling you. The only people who know about this are the kings of the past and, with one exception, the Dukes of Ignaz."

    "And G¨¹nther?"

    "Sorry, Sam."

    G¨¹nther looked troubled.

    He has a big crush on Sam and Ur, but he seems to keep his private and public life separate and has been keeping the secret of the kingdom a secret until now.

    "G¨¹nther is in charge of putting up the wards around the tomb of the Demon King," he says.

    "Indeed, G¨¹nther''s warding technique is very robust. Why only the Dukes of Ignaz?¡¡If we had more collaborators, wouldn''t we have fallen behind the people of Najaria?"

    Clyde shook his head at Sam''s question.

    "I can''t do that. I have asked other clans for help in the past. However, there were a few, if not all, who were attracted to the Demon Lord, or who were in league with those who were trying to revive him at the time. In the end, we came to the conclusion that it is best to keep secrets hidden."

    "Well, it can''t be helped. Nobles are like that.

    "In fact, now, even if they do not know about the existence of the Demon King, there are nobles who desire the immortality that the people of Najaria have proclaimed, and who betray their country.

    "But, Your Majesty. But, Your Majesty, if you have come this far, you will tell us everything, won''t you?

    Url looks straight at Clyde.

    The king nodded.

    "You are all parties now. I will tell you everything. Follow me. I will show you to the tomb of the Demon King.

 318 - - 9 "Im an intruder" â‘ 

    Sam, Ur, and G¨¹nther quietly followed Clyde as he led the way through the palace.

    Occasionally, a Kingsguard would notice the four and look surprised to see them, but when Clyde said, "No problem," they would simply bow their heads.

    They never dreamed that they were in the middle of guiding them to the tomb of the Demon King in the royal palace.

    When we entered the area of the palace where people are forbidden to enter and exit, Clyde, who had been silent until then, suddenly opened his mouth.

    I have never thought of myself as a king. I am, no, I am only a grave keeper.

    Sam heard Clyde refer to himself as "I" for the first time.

    "It is said that my ancestors were otherworldly beings sent from another world. I don''t know if that''s true."

    "You''re not from another world, are you?"

    Sam and G¨¹nther looked at each other disapprovingly when they remembered a certain boy.

    I heard recently that the Kingdom of Orkney is in trouble.

    From the pregnancy troubles of the women that Hayato Hayama has been messing around with, to the new king who has been given the throne, cutting down the former King Weik, it seems that the kingdom is in a state of flux.

    I am worried about Kaoruko Kirishima who is still in the other country, but I decided to concentrate on the story of the Demon King for now.

    "It was a time when the continent was at war. It seems that the person sent from another world was not a foolish person like Hayama Hayato, but an ordinary boy who had nothing to do with fighting."

    "That''s a tough one. I don''t know who sent you, but it''s a terrible story."

    "No doubt."

    Clyde laughed at Ur''s sympathetic voice.

    The idea of living in another world might make your heart dance.

    In fact, Sam did too.

    But the reality is that it is not as it appears in comic books and novels.

    Injuries hurt, illnesses are painful, and there is no entertainment or Internet.

    It is so hard to actually live in another world that it makes the Japan where I used to live seem like a heaven.

    Sam was able to live as a human in this world because he found magic and met Ur.

    However, it is hard for a student to survive in the midst of war.

    Even if you have some kind of privilege like Hayama Hayato, it must be hard both physically and mentally for a person with normal nerves.

    "He was summoned by a saint from the former Kingdom of Skye. The saint supported the hero, and together they grew up and became stronger. And they fought against the worst demon king of all, the Vampire King Lepsi, the cause of the war, and won."

    "We won, huh?"

    "Yes, we just beat them. We couldn''t destroy them. Still, they say it was a great accomplishment. But a few problems remained. If we have not destroyed it, there is no doubt that it will come back. What then?"

    "What are you going to do? You mean you couldn''t destroy it, so you sealed it, right?"

    "Yes. The boy sealed it so that the Demon Lord would not return and spread war across the continent again. And he became the guardian of the tomb. The boy and the saint were united after that and their friends who adored them built a nation. That is the Kingdom of Skye."

    I never thought that the people who founded the Sky Kingdom were from another world.

    Moreover, it is not easy to imagine that it was the tomb guard of the Demon King that started it all.

    "And the Demon King has been sealed ever since?"

    That''s right. My task is to guard the Demon King''s corpse and eliminate those who plan to resurrect him."

    "......These are the people of Najaria."

    "Yes. Have you ever wondered, Sam?¡¡The palace is protected by a ward set up by G¨¹nther and his men. But the other day, Anan, the Najarian warrior, easily entered. Of course, we already know that some of our nobles helped him, but it would have been a little too easy."

    "-- no way."

    "I''m the one who invited him into the palace."

    There were no words.

    I had never thought that the king himself would invite his adversary into the palace.

    "......Why?"

    "First, I wanted to find out where they were settling. I tried to fulfill my role as tomb guard, knowing that it would cost me. I''m not a good king, but I must eliminate all those who seek to resurrect the Demon Lord."

    "Even at the risk of your people and your family?"

    "Even at the risk of my people and my family."

    Sam wanted to say out loud, "Screw you," but decided not to now.

    Of course I have thoughts.

    There were people in the palace that he cared about, including Stella. I shudder to think what would have happened if something had happened then.

    "Of course, we had taken multiple measures. Above all, if something had happened, I would have fought them myself.

    "The king?"

    "I have access to a power that has been passed down through the royal family for generations, though it is limited to the royal court. This power is passed down to the king who will be the guardian of the tomb, and although it is limited in time, it can be as powerful as that of my ancestors who defeated the Demon King."

    "Such power..."

    Thinking back, Clyde had approached Annan without an escort and exchanged words with him.

    He must have been confident that he could handle Annan if he turned on him.

    "But something unexpected happened. That''s the thing, Sam, isn''t it?

    "Me?¡¡Are you saying that it was a bad idea to kill Anan?"

    "That''s not what I meant. Until now, there has been no force against the people of Najaria. I have not told you what happened, but there were powerful wizards like Ur and Delight, but I was worried that they were not enough, and then you came along.

    "I''m no use to you. Even Annan caught me off guard. Besides, it was Ur who did the most damage. He seems to have defeated all the Najarian warriors.

    "That was also unexpected. I must have misjudged the power of Ulrike Scheidt Walker. ......I must confess that I never dreamed that Ulle would come back to life."

    I think it must be, and so does Sam.

    Ur''s resurrection was unexpected.

    Perhaps it was the same for the people of Najaria.

    They did not expect that Ur would destroy their stronghold and leave their warriors dead when they tried to use them.

    At best, they should regret their attempt to desecrate the dead.

    "Up until now, other than myself, the other tomb-keepers have destroyed those who attempted to resurrect the Demon Lord, with many sacrifices. There was a time of peace, but unfortunately, in my generation, the people of Najaria stood in my way. Perhaps, as long as the Demon Lord''s corpse is sealed in our land, similar conflicts will continue endlessly."

    Clyde let out a sigh and placed his hand on the wall of the unkempt hallway, letting the magic flow through him.

    A door appeared in the wall.

    "Up ahead is the tomb of the Demon King!"

    The door opened to reveal a staircase leading to the basement.

    Clyde led the group down the stairs, which were filled with the smell of dust.

    Then..,

    "Your Majesty, excuse me for interrupting. --There''s an intruder.

    G¨¹nther told him that someone had been caught in the warding.

 319 - - 10 "Im an intruder" â‘¡

    An intruder suddenly appeared in the middle of the night. I can only think of one reason.

    "Hey, hey!¡¡What happened to the warding!¡¡No way, you were loosening it even now!"

    When Sam raised his voice in surprise, G¨¹nther shook his head.

    "No, I didn''t do that. No, I didn''t. Amazingly, it was pried open. I''ve never seen anything like this before."

    "That''s not good."

    "At this moment, huh? Well, I guess the people of Najaria got tired of being on their own and rushed in here by themselves.

    Sam agreed with Ur.

    There was nothing left for the people of Najaria.

    With all but the chief defeated by Ur, it was no wonder that they had ridden in alone out of desperation.

    "Sire, it seems that Ulrike is right about the people of Najaria. I cannot say if he is long or not, but he seems to be a bit troublesome."

    "Lead the way. Just as well, we''ll settle up with the people of Najaria today."

    "Yes, sir."

    G¨¹nther snapped his fingers, and the quality of the wards covering the palace changed.

    "Your family''s residence has been heavily warded. No one can enter or leave from the outside or the inside. We have made sure that the guards and all the remaining civilian officials are not allowed to approach."

    "Thank you."

    "However, I have now allocated all of my magic power to the warding, so you should not expect me to be able to fight."

    "Yes, I understand. You will maintain the warding.

    "Yes, sir."

    Clyde let out a breath.

    "Now everyone in the palace is safe. Now all that remains is to settle the score with the head of the Najarian people.

    Clyde continues underground without stopping.

    "Well, we should head for the cemetery. It''s the most secure place in the palace. We can fight there. To be honest, I hesitate to let the people of Najaria enter the tomb of the Demon King, but I don''t want to make his presence known to the public."

    It was a risky decision to let the people of Najaria into the cemetery, but Clyde, who wanted to hide the fact that he was sealing the Demon King''s corpse, made an agonizing decision.

    "Isn''t it too risky?"

    "I know. But in the worst case scenario, the cemetery is where I can use my power the most.

    "Worst-case scenario, the demon king''s resurrection?"

    "In that case as well, a place where the full power of the royal family can be released is preferable. Perhaps with my power, even if the Demon King were to resurrect, I would not be able to destroy him as my ancestors did. Sealing would be the best I could do. If that is the case, I do not want the existence of the Demon Lord to be known. We don''t want a second Najarian people to appear.

    "I understand that, but..."

    As for Sam, he remains uneasy.

    When I looked to Ur for advice, she looked unconcerned, unlike Sam.

    "What?"

    "No, you know, I think we''re in a pretty serious emergency right now, can''t you be more impatient or panicky!"

    "Oh, I see. What''s the point of being in a hurry. What''s the use of being in a hurry. The enemy is already here.

    It''s that simple.

    What are you talking about?¡¡Things are simple. You just have to kill the enemy. That''s all there is to it.

    £¨Well, Ur used to be like this. (Come to think of it, Ulu was like this. He beat up everyone who ever had even the slightest antagonistic relationship with him.)

    "Besides, I''m not as pessimistic as you and you. If the chief of Najaria''s people invade, we will defeat them. If the demon king has returned, defeat him too. That is what we wizards must do."

    Well, that''s true, but...

    "And, Sam..."

    "Yeah?"

    You fight.

    "What?"

    I have no magic. It''s not that I can''t fight, but Sam is stronger than me now."

    I don''t think so.

    No, you are already beyond me. No, you''ve already surpassed me. And now that you''ve adjusted, you can use your skills to their full potential. Show them how strong you are, Samuel Scheidt.

    Sam was no longer weak at Ulle''s words, "I believe in you," he said.

    £¨Yes, I do. Ur doesn''t have much time left. Then I want him to see how much I''ve grown. For that, I''ll fight the people of Najaria or the Demon King.)

    "Sam, I''m sorry, but can I trust you?"

    Sam nodded at Clyde''s words.

    "I have something to say to the king, but there are people in this country who are important to me, and I will do my best. Besides, I am a court wizard and I will gladly fight for my country."

    "...... please."

    "Yes. Besides, it''s a good opportunity to use all my strength."

    The demon king''s corpse, the plot to resurrect him, and other unexpected developments continue, but what Sam has to do is as simple as Ur says.

    --Defeat the enemy.

    That''s all that matters. Let''s leave the hard stuff to those in positions of authority.

    For now, Sam will take Ur''s corpse once and defeat the chief of the people of Najaria who has turned him into something other than a human.

    He decides to do so.

 320 - - 11 "I will fight against Aldo" â‘ 

    The cemetery was an open area.

    "I didn''t expect to find such a large place under the palace.

    Sam looks around and sounds impressed.

    I had imagined a smaller room, but it was large enough for a hundred people to be able to exercise inside the cemetery.

    I wonder how they have been able to keep such a large facility hidden for so long, for who knows how long.

    That''s how long they wanted to keep the existence of the Demon King a secret.

    "Hm, perhaps it''s the corpse of the Demon King, or perhaps it''s just a characteristic of this place, but it''s filled with magical power. This is more than enough for me to fight in case of emergency."

    Ur checked the cemetery''s overflowing magic and prepared for the worst.

    "Hey, Ur. What''s that?"

    "Yes, I can feel the evil magic. I mean, since there''s a coffin sitting there, it''s probably filled with a dried-up demon king.

    They looked out and saw a heavily guarded coffin at the far end of the cemetery.

    It was probably the corpse of the demon king Lepsy.

    The coffin was surrounded by a magical circle, and a long sword with a strong sense of power was thrusted in each of the four directions. The swords were connected to each other by a cord, probably woven from a woman''s hair.

    "Magic, spells, and holy arts...he seems to be using as much as he can. The demon king must be terrifying. If I were in perfect health, I would not wait for the people of Najaria to come and fight the Demon Lord.

    "...... Ur, that would be a waste of everything my family has done, so please don''t do that."

    "I was joking. I''m joking."

    "...... sounded serious to me."

    Clyde''s face scrunched up at Ur''s noisy words.

    She said she was joking, but it sounded serious to Sam, who was listening next to her.

    "Your Majesty, Ulrike, Sam. --We have a guest."

    G¨¹nther, who had been quiet since he came down to the cemetery, announced that an intruder had arrived.

    Apparently, he had manipulated the warding technique to lead them to us.

    "Well, let''s welcome them. And today, here and now, we will settle our differences with the people of Najaria. Sam, Ulrike, G¨¹nther, you are in charge.

    All three nodded silently.

    At the same time, footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs.

    Clyde took a step forward as if waiting for them.

    Both Sam and Ur prepared themselves to attack at any moment, while G¨¹nther kept a tight cordon to protect Clyde.

    A few moments later, a large middle-aged man dressed in white appeared in the cemetery.

    He wore goldsmith''s ornaments vulgarly all over his body, jingling and clinking.

    "...... He is the chief of the people of Najaria.

    Ur mutters something like that and Sam stares at the man intently.

    He can sense some magic, but not as much as he and Ur once did.

    It seems that the people of Najaria have a belief that they gain their power by eating wizards, but if the chief is this powerful, then he is just another pathetic family obsessed with some crazy folklore.

    They are said to be strong wizards and to have tormented the Kingdom of Skye for many years, but they don''t seem that strong.

    Of course, it was possible that they were hiding their power to a minimum, but to Sam''s eyes, they didn''t seem to be doing so.

    In the first place, there was no sign of composure in the man''s expression.

    "Welcome to the royal court of Skye. Welcome, chief of the people of Najaria."

    "...... Well, well, well, His Majesty King Clyde Isle Sky. It is an honor to meet you. And G¨¹nther Ignatz, Samuel Scheidt, and the d*mned Ulrike Scheidt Walker.

    Hey, how are you? How are you?

    She waves her hand deliberately at the chief of Najaria, who glares at Ur with a look of indignation. This must have touched the chief''s nerves, because his expression turned more grim.

    "You''ve got to be kidding me!¡¡Because of you, my family is as good as destroyed!¡¡All the warriors have been killed, and there are only women and children who can''t fight and old men who can''t do anything but talk!"

    "Well, I''m sorry to hear that. But I can''t feel sorry for you because you got what you deserved. Also, no one will be bothered if crazy monsters like you perish.

    "You have ruined all my plans for the next few years!¡¡You will pay for this, I promise!"

    He seems to be quite short of time and reacts excessively to Ul''s light-hearted words.

    Seeing this, Sam sighed.

    (I wondered what kind of person would appear as the chief of the people of Najaria, who has been tormenting the Kingdom of Skye ......, but he''s just an old man who can''t afford to lose his temper.)

    "Well, chief of the people of Najaria."

    "My name is Ord. My name is Ordo. Remember it. The name of the man who will lead us to our country!

    "I see, Ordo. I know all about your purpose. I will not let the vampire king Lepsy return.

    "-The existence of Samuel Scheidt and your attempt to use Ulrike Scheidt Walker was a big mistake, but the biggest miscalculation of all was that you, who I thought was an incompetent king, knew everything that was going on here."

    "My purpose has been consistent from the beginning. My purpose has been consistent from the beginning. I only want to eliminate those who, like yourselves, plan to resurrect the Demon King. That is the role of my family.

    Clyde Isle Sky is valued differently by different people.

    Some say he is a good king who rules well, while others say he is a fool who lets the aristocrats rule.

    He is not a bad king, but he is not a good king. Such are the voices.

    He was a king who was generally popular among his people, but was somewhat despised by the aristocrats.

    "I don''t care if the nobles lick me, or if there are informants or collaborators of my family in the country."

    "I''m fine with it, but they''re all just a bunch of worthless people. They may not be fit to be kings, but they have been used. Thanks to them, here you are before me. ...... No, thanks to Ulrike and Sam. But at least now I can fulfill my role as grave keeper."

    "You think I''m going to lose?¡¡I may have a hard time dealing with Samuel Scheidt, G¨¹nther Ignaz, and Ulrike Scheidt Walker, but I am still the head of the people of Najaria. I am several times stronger than Anan, who attacked this country the other day."

    "That''ll be fun."

    As the Ordo''s magic increased, Sam stepped forward to protect Clyde.

    "I''ll deal with you."

    "Samuel Scheidt. Everything''s been a mess since you came to this country. You''re the one who destroyed all the people we worked with!¡¡I will make you pay with your life!"

    "They were all poking at me. Well, that''s okay. I wanted to thank you too.

    "Thank you?"

    "You dug up Ur''s grave, took his corpse, and turned him into a half-breed vampire! I am grateful that Ur and I can speak again, but you have desecrated him. I cannot forgive you.

    "--Ha!¡¡Ulrike destroyed the altar of our family''s long-standing magic, and now we can no longer transform it!¡¡There is no other way for us now but to resurrect the Demon King and have him transform us directly!"

    Sam looked at the spitting Ordo curiously.

    "You want to be something other than human so badly?"

    "A little boy like you wouldn''t understand. No, you, who were born with substandard magic, magical talent, and powerful skills, could not possibly understand!¡¡Ordinary people like us want to climb to great heights, even if it means abandoning the human race!"

    "What are you talking about? Cannibals can''t be normal! You''re not human enough!

    You insult my family!

    "No, I detest it with all my heart. I find it distasteful that we should even speak to each other. Just the thought of smelling blood in your mouth makes me want to vomit.

    At Sam''s provocation, the Ordo turned pale and agitated.

    He could feel the quality of the magic he had been building up deteriorating.

    "The king may have a lot of things to deal with as a tomb guard, but not me. I will never forgive you for insulting Ur. Come on, let''s fight, Ordo. I''ll show you my true power."

 321 - - 12 "I will fight against Aldo" â‘¡

    "You little bastard who''s only lived a dozen years!¡¡Don''t you dare lick my lips!¡¡After I kill you and all the humans present here, I will resurrect the Demon Lord!¡¡Then I will become a member of the Immortal Family, and have eternal life and magic beyond mortals!¡¡And when I do, I will sip the living blood of your betrothed and eat their flesh!"

    "--and?"

    "...... what?"

    "No, you know. I''m tired of hearing the Najarian people talk. All they do is talk and eat people. If you have to do that to become strong, then you have no magic talent to begin with!¡¡If you become a non-human species, you''ll end up smoking in it!"

    "You little brat!"

    The Olds have completely lost their composure.

    He glared at Sam as if to curse him to death.

    Sam, however, is keeping a cool face in the face of the Ordo''s murderous intent.

    "G¨¹nther, do your best to put up a ward here. I''m serious."

    "Okay, honey."

    "Buhaha, honey, come on!"

    Urs burst out laughing at G¨¹nther''s comment, which was so normal even at a time like this.

    Sam glares at the two of them, who look alike in some way.

    "Hey, let''s be serious at least for now.

    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry."

    "Don''t be rude, I''m always serious."

    "That''s why G¨¹nther is such a bad quality!¡¡--Oh, man, I''m sorry. I''m trying to fight seriously, but my master and this country''s pride and joy pervert are not feeling any tension.

    "...... I don''t believe it, but do you think you''re going to take me on alone?"

    Apparently, Ordo was planning to fight everyone in the room by himself.

    "I''m not in the mood to beat up a guy who came charging in here out of desperation after all his plans had gone down. Besides, you''re mistaken."

    "Mistake?"

    "--I''m good enough on my own."

    Sam sneered.

    Ordo''s face scrunched and contorted as it had never been before.

    "You licked me, you little shit!¡¡At least Ulrike would have given me a fighting chance, you stupid kid!¡¡You can''t beat me!"

    "I''m just as sure of myself, but you''re just as sure of yourself!¡¡That''s right, that''s why you''re the head of Najaria!"

    "I know what I''m talking about!¡¡You can''t cut through me!¡¡Because I have the skill to block the skills of my opponent!¡¡All those slashes you''ve been trying to kill, they can''t reach me!"

    "Oh, yeah."

    "If you think I''m lying, use it!¡¡When you realize it, you''ve lost!¡¡I''ll eat you alive!"

    The Ordo, his canine teeth bared in a snarl, was not human.

    £¨This is no ordinary man. (He''s not a normal human being...he''s probably doing something to himself, just like he did to Ur.)

    I will not let my guard down.

    We don''t lick them.

    We don''t play naive.

    All Sam has to do is cut the man in front of him.

    "Come, Ordo, leader of the people of Najaria. This is the last battle."

    "Samuel Scheidt!¡¡I will kill you, and I will resurrect my father, the Demon King!"

    Sam burst into flames of magical power.

    I could see that his own magic and the magic he had inherited from Ur were circulating through his body nicely.

    The enormous amount of magic power was all converted into strength.

    Sam put all his strength into each blow.

    No signal was needed.

    Sam and Ordo stepped forward at the same time as if they were drawn together.

    "-Seal it!"

    "-Subete wo kirisakumono!"

    An unprecedented full-body slash was released from Sam''s right arm.

 322 - - 13 "I will fight against Aldo" â‘¢

    The upper half of the Ordo''s body, with the lower half obliterated, flies through the air and falls with a clatter.

    Guts and blood are scattered, spreading a reddish-black pool of blood on the floor of the cemetery.

    "...... stupid, impossible, couldn''t you seal the skill?"

    Despite the loss of half of his body, and the fact that he could have died instantly, Ord was still alive.

    "No, I must have sealed his skill. Why, no, in the first place, what, that, that skill, that''s not something I know.

    Sam responded to Ord''s questioning as blood spurted from his mouth.

    It''s my natural skill. You may have tried to block my skills, but I guess you couldn''t."

    "Oh, no, silly, you bet on this?"

    "I would never do such a thing. I was confident that my skills wouldn''t be blocked. I took a skill that could only cut and turned it into magic. I put skill on top of magic slash. My skill in killing is magic. If I wanted to seal it, I should have sealed it with magic or witchcraft."

    In fact, Sam''s skill of "Subete wo Kirisakumono" was not blocked, but its power was reduced.

    The evidence is that it is less powerful.

    Normally, the Ordo would not have had time to have a conversation like this, and the original form of his body would not have remained.

    Sam was going to fight only with magical slashes regardless of whether his abilities were blocked as a skill.

    The power of his magic has increased as he has learned to use Ur''s magic and his own magic in the true sense of the word.

    It was because he was aware of this that he swung his slash without care.

    (......) If Ur had not adjusted my magic, it might have been sealed as a skill. You lost because you tried to use Ur.)

    "- d*mn the longing of my family for the resurrection of my father."

    "Give it up. I''m surprised you didn''t die instantly with the lower half of your body gone.

    I''m not a normal human being, either, with all the tinkering I do with my body.

    "But you will die soon. It''s inevitable.

    "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Then, at least, my dear, dear wish..."

    Ord stopped mid-sentence.

    As Sam approached, he could see that he had died with his eyes open.

    "So this is it."

    Finally, I can relax my shoulders here.

    Thinking back, I feel that the people of Najaria have been involved in most of the battles since we arrived in King''s Landing.

    "-It was a fine job, Sam. It was truly magnificent."

    Clyde, who had been watching the battle, approaches at a quick pace. The king hugged Sam''s shoulder and showed his gratitude.

    "Thank you, sir."

    "I have not doubted your power, but you have done well to defeat the chief of the people of Najaria, who has been tormenting our nation for many years. ...... Now I can face my ancestors."

    "I''m glad I could help."

    Clyde was so happy that he was on the verge of tears.

    It was not surprising, since he had fulfilled his role as grave keeper for many generations.

    As long as no new enemies like the people of Najaria appeared in the future, he could rest assured.

    "Wow, my magic just got more powerful. Can you use it?"

    Ulle followed, looking interested.

    She had never doubted Sam''s victory, so she did not seem surprised at this outcome.

    "Yeah, thanks to Ur, I''m feeling very comfortable in my body.

    "Good, good. Now you''re going to get more training and experience. Eventually you''ll evolve into a more powerful magic. Be diligent.

    "I''ll do my best."

    Ur pats Sam on the head, saying well done.

    Sam''s mouth relaxes as he is praised by his master as an apprentice for the first time in a long time.

    "Well, then..."

    "I know, Sam, Ulrike. I know, Sam, Ulrike. I know that you two will punish me for keeping secrets from you, even if they are state secrets. Oh, I''m looking forward to it!¡¡I''m so excited!¡¡Come on, you can do it to your heart''s content!"

    I ain''t gonna do it!

    Master and disciple kick G¨¹nther together, but G¨¹nther is ecstatic, as if he is experiencing pleasure rather than pain.

    "Oh, how sweet to be kicked by Ulrike and Sam at the same time!

    "Oh, my God, this guy!"

    "I''m kind of surprised at how normal it is."

    I feel weak, even as my shoulders relax.

    Even though the Demon King was on the verge of revival, G¨¹nther''s unchanged words and actions made me think his heart was made of steel.

    "Ah, I''m sorry to interrupt your fun, but I have a favor to ask of you."

    "Oh, I''m sorry."

    Sam and the others straighten their posture when Clyde approaches them with a reserved tone.

    "I want to destroy the people of Najaria as it is."

    Sam and the others nodded their heads in agreement with Clyde''s strong-willed words.

 323 - - 14 "Unexpected development"

    "...... I''m sure you''re right."

    "There will be women and children, but we cannot leave them behind. If they were good people and the Ordo were only possessed by the Demon Lord, that would be fine, but the people of Najaria are evil.

    "I will not be so lenient now. I will not be so lenient now. I will let these man-eating horrors leave this place.

    Sam, for his part, had no intention of showing mercy to the people of Najaria.

    As Clyde had said, there were women and children, but the people of Najaria were a horrifying way of life.

    Even if we gave them shelter and food, it was uncertain whether they would be good neighbors or not, and we could not gamble on the possibility.

    Before that, there is no need to feed a hostile family unconditionally.

    If the people who are still alive know about the existence of the Demon King, it will be the Kingdom of Skye that will suffer the pain later.

    Then it is best to destroy him without fear.

    "I am relieved that you have no objection. I am sorry, but I order you to go and eliminate the people of Najaria. There will be no exceptions, all of them equally..."

    Clyde was giving orders to Sam and the others.

    "--?

    An enormous amount of magical power rose from the coffin of the Demon King.

    "--No way!¡¡That''s impossible!¡¡Why? !"

    Clyde screams.

    Everyone present wondered why, since the demon king''s resurrection had been prevented.

    "Oh, come on, give me a break!"

    Sam sweatdropped under the pressure of the unusual amount of magical power and the oppressive feeling.

    I can feel the power that comes with being called the Demon King.

    £¨But how did he come back to life?¡¡Did the Ordo do something to him before he died?¡¡Or was there a break in the seal?¡¡I just don''t get it.)

    Sam could not decide if it was the last work of the Ordo or if the battle had influenced the Demon Lord.

    All he knows is that the Demon Lord is coming back.

    It is hard to believe that he is sleeping as if nothing had happened after releasing such a ridiculous amount of magical power. If so, he must be sleeping badly.

    G¨¹nther!¡¡The Demon King is back because you keep saying creepy things!"

    I''d like to say out loud that that is indeed a false accusation!

    "This is not the time for such talk!¡¡G¨¹nther, get the wards up!"

    I''m already on it.

    "It''s a pain in the ass, Sam. I give the go-ahead, cut ''em open!

    "--Yes!"

    Sam obeyed Ur''s words without hesitation.

    There was no need to wait politely for the Demon Lord''s resurrection.

    Whether by surprise or not, we should defeat him.

    Kicking the ground, Sam explosively increased his magical power to the limit, and without thinking about the future, he unleashed his full strength.

    "--subete wo kirisaku mono!"

    The slash was released in a single vertical flash, cutting both the coffin and the ground.

    But the magic did not subside.

    On the contrary, we could feel the magic power increasing.

    "Oops, is this the resurrection of the Demon King? The Demon King secretly sealed away by the Kingdom of Skye is unleashed in the modern age... Isn''t it exciting?

    Even at a time like this, Ur''s voice was lively.

    It was inappropriate, but it was typical of her.

    Unlike Clyde, who looks desperate, Url seems to be really happy.

    No doubt, she is going to fight against the Demon King.

    And so is Sam.

    Something humanoid slowly crawls out of the coffin that Sam slashed open.

    The first thing that appeared was a jet-black lower body.

    It appeared to be a slender person, but it was covered with black fur like a wolf.

    The upper half of his body was missing, probably because Sam had slit it open, but the fact that he was still alive under the circumstances was indeed a sign that he was a demon king.

    (It is painful that he didn''t die from the blow with all his might. (It''s painful that he didn''t die from the blow with his best...) Since he was able to cut both sides of the body, it doesn''t mean that he can''t attack at all, but now I''m in trouble.

    While I was thinking about what I could do, the upper half of his body emerged from the coffin and fused with the lower half.

    With an unpleasant sound of flesh, the two halves became one, as if it had been a lie that they had been cut in two.

    "Good morning, gentlemen."

    The humanoid, with a slender frame covered in jet-black fur, a pair of bat-like wings, and a mouth lined with sharp fangs that split open to the ears, spoke fluent human language.

 324 - - 15 "Revival of the Devil King Repsie" â‘ 

    Silently, the deformity turned its gaze toward the Ordo, whose upper half of his body was still lifeless.

    "I am sorry, my child. But your sacrifice of your life has brought me back to life, albeit imperfectly. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your loyalty.

    "Lepsy the Vampire King!"

    Clyde shouted at the demon king, who kept his eyes down and said a silent prayer to the Ordo.

    "It''s been a long time since I''ve ...... heard someone call my name."

    "How did you manage to resurrect it?¡¡The wards on the cemetery must have been tight!"

    "My child, who is rotting there, was using a technique to offer his soul to me in case he dies. It seems that he has also taken the lives of several people in advance. It was not enough to revive me completely, but it was enough to free me from the coffin like this."

    "Oh, my God."

    For a Demon Lord, you explain things very carefully. What do you mean?

    Clyde, who had fallen to his knees in despair at the resurrection of the Demon King, turns to Clyde again and asks Ur: "What is it that you want to do with me?

    "It doesn''t make any sense. But it does. But I suppose he''s hungry for conversation after not having had one for hundreds of years."

    "I see. I see. Then die!"

    Ur gathers magic power from the atmosphere and converts it all into magic.

    It is her signature fire magic.

    The fire is condensed to such an extent that it becomes a ray of light like a laser.

    The flash of flame easily pierced through the demon king''s chest and made a big hole.

    --The demon king''s chest was pierced,

    "Brilliant. For a son of man, you have good magic. You are not human, are you?¡¡More like my dependents. But it seems to be the result of an artificial, botched transformation."

    The lepers continue their conversation unconcernedly.

    "Your followers did what they wanted!"

    I shot magic again.

    This time, it gouged out his shoulder and blew off his arm as well.

    But still the demon king looks unconcerned.

    "Don''t you feel any pain?¡¡Or was he just a perverted bastard?"

    "I''ve been asleep so long, even the pain is lovely to me. But as a vampire, I can only regenerate these wounds.

    Just as Lepsey had said, his wounds were mending like images played backwards.

    "It''s wonderful, it''s magic. Son of man, be my servant."

    "Huh?"

    "Your imperfect life may live on if you become my servant."

    "Oh, wait a minute!¡¡Even if you are the Demon King, I hope you won''t make a pass at my Ulrike. --I''ll kill you.

    G¨¹nther had been concentrating on putting up all the wards he could to keep the Demon Lord out of the tomb, but now that Ur, of all people, had been recruited by the Demon Lord, he could not remain silent.

    "Your mate, I beg your pardon. I have no desire for any woman but my wife. But yes, I see you are a warding master of some skill. You and your wife may be my spouses."

    "............"

    "Don''t be silent, G¨¹nther!¡¡You, I''m going to seriously blow you away if you don''t stop this!¡¡I mean, who''s going to mate with this pervert?¡¡You f*cking demon king!¡¡Your eyeballs must be rotting!"

    "I''m just kidding, Ulrike!¡¡How could I possibly be fooled by the sweet words of the Demon Lord!"

    "You''ve been misled all along!¡¡Oh, for heaven''s sake!"

    In a way, Sam was impressed by Ur and G¨¹nther''s normal behavior even at a time like this.

    Clyde, who still hasn''t recovered from the shock of the Demon King''s resurrection, looks much more normal.

    "Well, Demon King Lepsy... I have a question..."

    "Yes, boy. ...... you have a strange soul and magical powers, interesting. You are a great fighter at such a young age, with the blow that cut me in two so easily. Respectfully, I will answer your questions.

    "Thank you very much. What is your relationship to the people of Najaria?¡¡Ordo called him father, but is he your son?"

    It may not be the right time to ask this, but I wanted to clear up any remaining questions.

    "No. I have only given power to the distant ancestors of the people of Najaria. Did you know they eat people?"

    "Yes, I''m sick and tired of it."

    "Their actions are merely imitating me, the vampire. They are my followers, and they sincerely wanted to be my dependents."

    "So you used him."

    "That perception is incorrect. It is not exploitation. It is quite natural for children to help their parents. And vice versa. Therefore..."

    The demon king''s magic power jumped.

    The oppressive magic force, so oppressive that it seemed to stop breathing, attacked Sam and the others mercilessly.

    I, the father, must avenge the death of my son.

    "Yeah, well, I knew it would turn out that way."

    "But I have mercy. If you will swear fealty to me as my household, I will forgive you once with a generous heart."

    "I beg your pardon, my king."

    Sam looks at Clyde, and a light comes into Clyde''s eyes, which should have been dejected.

    "Sam, you''ve bought us some time, thank you!¡¡O Lepsy, the Demon King!¡¡I will fulfill my role as your tomb guard!¡¡You may return to your coffin again!"

    Clyde puts his hands on the ground and releases his magic.

    Golden magic filled the cemetery and tinted his vision.

    The magical power became chains, binding the demon king''s limbs.

    "Taste the power of the royal family!"

 325 - - 16 "Revival of the Devil King Repsie" â‘¡

    Clyde had been preparing to activate the royal power from the moment the Demon King was resurrected.

    At first glance, it seemed that he had despaired of the Demon King''s resurrection, but he, the tomb guard, had not given up.

    It was because he realized this that Sam dared to talk with the Demon King. Perhaps Ur would have done the same.

    Thanks to his efforts, the Witch King was bound by the golden chain.

    But..,

    "Hmm. "You''ve deteriorated, Skye, my royal power."

    The lepers tore off the royal power with a light force.

    The chains dissipate, and the Demon Lord is free once again.

    "-No way!

    The Demon King called out to a crestfallen Clyde.

    "I remember your ancestors. He was a strong, brave, otherworldly boy. I wanted to take him as my servant, but he refused, and we killed each other. As a loser, I bear no grudge. But I will not be defeated by my descendants.

    A dark-colored flash of light is released from the Demon Lord''s fingertips and pierces Clyde''s abdomen.

    "--Gosh!"

    Sam rushes to Clyde, who falls forward, holding his abdomen.

    "King!"

    "Your Majesty!"

    Clyde should have been well protected by G¨¹nther''s wards. Despite this, Sam and the others could not hide their surprise at the glimpse of the Demon Lord''s power that penetrated them like paper.

    But it was too early to despair.

    Sam still has both magical power and physical strength left, so he can still fight.

    It is too early to feel defeated even before the fight.

    "Sam, can you fight?"

    Asked by Ur, who stood next to him, Sam nodded.

    "Of course."

    "I probably can''t beat that Demon Lord."

    "Ur?"

    Unusual, I never thought Ur would say something so weak.

    "It''s not a matter of strength. My body can''t withstand the full force of battle.

    "I see. Well, take care of Mr. Clyde for me."

    "...... fight alone, right?"

    "Yes. I''m not without means."

    "--you''re going to use that?"

    <.

    Sam laughs and nods his head.

    "I''ll use it. I mean, you can''t win if you don''t use it, can you?

    "Of course. But you know what?¡¡With that thing, you''ll be..."

    I know. I''m ready. I''m ready.

    Then I won''t say anything else. Go and defeat the bloodsucking king Lepsi, the worst of the vampire kings."

    "Yes, sir."

    With a light wave of his hand, Sam headed toward Lepsey.

    He looked over to G¨¹nther, who nodded at him to leave Clyde and Ur to him, and Sam nodded back.

    Sam stood in front of the Demon King Lepsy.

    Strangely enough, he is not afraid.

    He is the same as usual, even in the face of the overwhelming power of the Demon King.

    It must be because Ur and the others are behind him.

    Are you going to fight me?

    "I don''t think they''ll back down now."

    "Well, that''s a good point. I''m only about 30% of what I was in my prime. I might have a chance to win now.

    (30% of his prime is not a demon king, but a dragon, right? Or is the demon king class full of such things?)

    "Let me ask you something, demon king Repsy."

    I don''t care.

    "I can''t believe you used to go on a rampage, your magic is so calm."

    I used to be told that I didn''t look like a demon king.

    How did you come to be called the Worst Demon King?

    At Sam''s question, the Demon Lord cast down his eyes as if remembering the past.

    "I once had a human wife and a child. But humans killed my wife and child just because they had relations with vampires. Therefore, I retaliated. But the anger remains, the curse remains, and my wife and child will not come back to life."

    "............"

    I shouldn''t have asked, I thought to myself.

    I wished the Demon Lord had been evil if possible.

    "I decided to destroy the human race in order to relieve my uncontrollable emotions. And I fought against the otherworlders and lost. That''s all."

    "I see. So when you get out of here, you''re just going to do it all over again?"

    "Of course. It''s the only reason I have any more."

    "Don''t you think it''s a contradiction to hate humans and yet want to make them your dependents?"

    I hate humans, but I am trying to be merciful to them. To be a servant means to give up being a human being. There is no discrimination.

    That''s very kind of you.

    "Above all, most of my followers are my own children, persecuted by the same people."

    "I see."

    I don''t know what kind of family the people of Najaria were before they believed in the demon king, but they must have had their reasons.

    That does not excuse their existence, though.

    "I am a demon king and a revenger, but I do not wish to destroy the world. I have mercy. I will have mercy even on those I hate. If they become my children, I will love them with all my heart. But if they are to be my enemies I will not have mercy on them.

    The Demon King looked straight at Sam.

    "You are free to fight me, boy, but be prepared to do so."

    "I''m ready. The people who tried to resurrect you are the ones who caused the damage. I won''t say that you should ignore them and enjoy the modern age freely.

    "I see. Then there is only one thing to do.

    "Yeah, let''s fight. But you''re not getting anywhere, either.

    What?

    Sam felt sorry for the Demon Lord.

    Not for the reasons behind his actions. But for his resurrection here today, in this day and age.

    "The day I regained my true power, he resurrected in a degraded state. It would have been better if I had been in perfect condition at least."

    "...... funny thing you say, kid. Do you think that you, a mere human, however rich in magical power you may be, can defeat me, the Demon King?¡¡Even if it''s only 30% of your prime, you can''t fall behind against a human--"

    The Witch King''s words stopped.

    The reason for this was that Sam had released his magic power.

    Lepsy''s eyes widened for the first time.

    "What is that magic power?

    The magical power rising from Sam surpassed anything that had ever been seen before.

    Not Ur''s magical power, but Sam''s personal magical power alone exceeded the Demon King''s magical power, albeit not by a long shot.

    "Impossible! It is ...... impossible for a human child to have this much magical power!"

    "Thank you for chatting with us. It''s going to take me a while to use this thing!"

    "- yeah, yeah, yeah, you..."

    "I''m gonna give you my best shot!¡¡You''re the second person to taste this!¡¡You can brag about it!"

    "Fine. If you can beat me, beat me!"

    The Demon King, like Sam, exploded with magical power.

    A moment later, their magical power shattered the wards that G¨¹nther had put up, causing cracks to run through the walls of the cemetery.

    Even the ground shattered noisily, and the castle itself shook like an earthquake.

    "This is great magic! I have a name for you, boy.

    "My name is Samuel Scheidt. Remember it!

    "I will remember!¡¡You faced me bravely, modern wizard!"

    Both of them unleashed all the magic they had built up to their limits.

    "-Bloodlance."

    "- Sekai wo Kirisakumono!"

    A wave of reddish-black spears comes rushing toward us, covering our field of vision.

    Sam consumed all his magical power and reared his arms with skill.

    --A moment later, the world screamed.

 326 - - 17. "The demon disappeared."

    "- Brilliant, Samuel Scheidt."

    Lepsy, the Vampire King, lay dead from the chest down.

    Sam unleashed the ultimate slash, swallowing up and slashing through all of the demon king''s magic.

    But Sam was not without a price.

    £¨Oh no, I don''t have enough strength to stand anymore.)

    My half-vision is shaken.

    He quickly tries to extend his arm, but realizes that he has no feeling in his left arm, and falls down.

    "Well done, Sam. I''m proud of you."

    It was Ulrike, his mentor, who held Sam in her arms.

    With her support, he managed to stand on both feet and realized that he was completely blind in his left eye.

    "Thanks."

    "So, how much did you pay?"

    "I''m blind in my left eye. I also can''t feel my left arm.

    Let me see.

    Ur looked at Sam, a magic circle forming in his eyes.

    "It will only be temporary. But I don''t know how long it will stay like this. I''m sure he''ll recover."

    "That''s all right then. If this is the price to pay against the Demon King, it''s a good deal."

    Sam unleashed his most powerful slash, a feat beyond Sam''s skill.

    It is Sam''s absolute most powerful technique, in which he temporarily gains magical power beyond his limits and unleashes all of it in a single blow.

    But too much power comes at a price.

    In order to use a slash that he would normally not even be able to use, Sam must pay a price for his skill, allowing him to use <>.

    However, it is unclear what is taken at the cost of the skill, and the too powerful skill is inconvenient to use easily.

    Therefore, since it was used once in the past, it is a skill that Ur has forbidden to use except in the case of a life-threatening situation.

    Until now, Sam had been unable to use this most powerful slash, but thanks to Ur adjusting his magical power, he is now able to use it.

    However, he never dreamed that he would have to use it the day it became available.

    "...... Sam"

    "Dear Mr. Clyde."

    "I still can''t believe it. I can''t believe you''ve defeated the Demon Lord my family has kept locked away for hundreds of years.

    No, I''m not finished yet. Ur, take me to the Demon Lord."

    "Yeah."

    Clyde seems to think that his long history with the Demon Lord is over, but Sam is not so sure yet.

    He could not rest until he saw that he was surely going to die.

    He leans on Ur on his shoulder and approaches the fallen Demon Lord.

    "Hey, am I winning?"

    He tried to force himself to show that he still had room to spare, but he didn''t feel like he was smiling properly.

    On the other hand, the Demon King smiled calmly despite the fact that he was only above his chest.

    "If I had my full strength," he said, "I wouldn''t say that. Samuel Scheidt, you win. I will die now."

    No regeneration?

    Your blow even killed my regenerative abilities. A terrible power. All that awaits me is, this time, total annihilation.

    Despite his imminent death, there is nothing gloomy in the demon king''s expression. In fact, it is probably not my imagination that he seems to be in a cheerful mood.

    "I see. I thought you might not be such a bad guy after we actually exchanged words, but it seems that you and I have never had a connection.

    "It seems so. But that''s all right. I''m tired. I became a demon king... I lost my wife and child... I hate humans... I started wars... but I am still thirsty. My thirst will never be quenched as long as I cannot get back my lost wife and child. Then I will die and go to my wife and children.

    The people of Najaria were an unmistakable evil to Sam.

    But the Demon King, who had been resurrected by such a family, was now, aside from what he had once been, simply a pathetic being alone without a wife and child.

    "I hope to see you again.

    Lepsy smiled and nodded at Sam''s words.

    "-Samuel."

    "Just call me Sam."

    "...... Sam, you''re a sweet kid. I''m glad you were the last one to fight. I don''t mean to thank you for that, but I''ll give you some advice."

    "Yeah."

    "Don''t use that power again. You yourself know the price is too great."

    "...... I guess so."

    "That power is the power to reach the Demon Lord, or even dragons and gods. A human being will eventually destroy himself.

    I only used it on you. You don''t need it against a human."

    In fact, if they had fought properly, they might have lost.

    Lepsy was willing to join in the conversation that Sam had started to buy time.

    I think it might have been possible to kill him before Sam could unleash the <<>.

    Maybe this is how he wanted it to end.

    Maybe he wanted to die and see his family instead of being sealed up for a long time.

    "Sam, do you know where you come from?"

    "Well, I heard he''s a Skye royal on his father''s side."

    "That''s not what I meant. Perhaps you are the cursed child."

    "Cursed child?"

    I had never heard the word before, and when I asked her about Ur, she shook her head and said she did not know.

    "Back in the days when I was still in my prime, there were a few among us who possessed powers that transcended human beings. They had acquired such power by sacrificing various things. Perhaps you have some of that blood in you."

    "I don''t have any idea what you''re talking about."

    "Considering your skill, the amount of magic you have, your talent for magic ...... and that blow that cut me open, I can only assume. You''ve already paid the price."

    "......The price is that I''m blind now, and I can''t feel my arms."

    "No, it''s not. You must have been born with some kind of handicap.

    Sam had one thing in mind when the Demon Lord told him.

    He did not think it was possible, but he said it out loud.

    I have no talent with a sword. I mean, I can''t even hold a sword properly.

    "Oh, that''s what you mean. Perhaps you had more talent as a swordsman than as a wizard. But instead of giving up your talent, you have gained the talent, the magic, and the powerful skills of a wizard.

    "But I don''t remember doing that."

    "I don''t know about that. Either your ancestors'' covenant was passed down to you, or you just don''t remember it in some way."

    In the middle of the conversation, the demon king''s body began to crumble into particles.

    "--It''s about time. I had enjoyed my conversation with Sam, but now I could finally go home to my wife and child. It''s been a long time. Clyde Isle Sky."

    At this point, the Witch King approached Clyde, who had been watching the events unfold.

    "What is it?"

    "I shouldn''t say this, but I''ve known your family a long time. It is strangely sad to say goodbye like this."

    "I am glad that my ancestors'' wish has been fulfilled in this way. --But I cannot help thinking that if you had been as rational as you are now, things might be different now. It''s a shame."

    "Maybe, but I could not forgive the man who took my wife and child. Hundreds of years have passed since I was sealed up, and even if I regain my composure, this feeling will never go away."

    "I have a child and a wife to take care of. I understand how you feel."

    "I see."

    "Farewell, sworn enemy of my family. May you rest in peace in death.

    "...... thank you. Finally, Sam.

    After exchanging words with Clyde, the lepers approached Sam again.

    "Now that you have defeated me, the Demon King, you have the right and qualification to call yourself the Demon King.

    No, I''ll pass on that.

    "Suit yourself. But that doesn''t mean other kings will leave you alone. Some demon kings are friendly to men and some are not. There are demon kings for whom power is everything, and there are mad demon kings. They will all be on your radar sooner or later.

    "...... hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, don''t be so silly."

    "Be more powerful, and you will have power over others."

    Lepsy gently held out his hand, which was becoming a particle, enveloped in a pale light.

    "Shake your hand?¡¡Uh, yes."

    Sam held out his hand, and it was squeezed with light force.

    "No, no. I will give you a part of my power. Fortunately, you are a child of the d*mned. You are more than human. I think you can accept some of my power.

    "Oh, come on, man, you can''t do that."

    Sam tried to shake his hand away in a panic, but found that the power flowed from the leprosy faster than that.

    "...... losers feed the winners. It''s the natural order of things."

    I was about to complain, but the demon king was disappearing faster than I could complain.

    "......Oh, I''m so sleepy."

    "Good night, demon king Repsy. Sweet dreams."

    "Yeah, good night."

    The demon king closed his eyes, looked peaceful, and vanished without a trace.

 327 - - 18 "The battle is over."

    "What a lonely guy. I wondered how treacherous he''d be since the people of Najaria planned to resurrect him... but he was a poor devil king."

    "It''s Sam. The Witch King Lepsy was a demon king who committed all kinds of atrocities before he was sealed away. I don''t mean to sound unsympathetic, but we would have had no good future if he had been resurrected and made his way into the world.

    "Right. I agree. The Demon King Lepsy was someone who had to be defeated.

    I sympathized with him, I pitied him, but in the end, I would not have been able to join him.

    The demon king Lepsy had embraced the people of Najaria.

    Their cannibalism was also an imitation of vampire behavior.

    Then both of them are nothing but harm to humans.

    £¨I hope you''ll be reunited with your family in the afterlife. I can do nothing but hope so.)

    "Speaking of which, Sam. What did the Demon King mean when he said you were a cursed child?

    When asked by Ur, Sam replied, "I don''t know. He cowered his shoulders.

    To be honest, I had no idea what was going on.

    After all, there must be some reason for his inability to use a sword, or the fact that he was born with a skill, but I couldn''t think of anything else right now.

    No, perhaps I will not be able to find the answer even if I think about it later.

    "Whether I am a cursed child or not, it doesn''t make any difference. I''m just going to live my life as me. Just like I always have and always will.

    "...... I guess so. That''s fine."

    With Ur patting me on the head, I finally relaxed my shoulders at the end of a long day.

    It began with the resurrection of my mentor, Ulrike Scheidt Walker, and then I learned that the Demon King was sealed in the royal palace of the Kingdom of Skye.

    He fought against the chief of the people of Najaria, but the Demon King was resurrected, and he succeeded in defeating him, though he had to pay a price.

    Not a very large amount of events can happen in a single day.

    I''m tired. Let''s just go home."

    I miss my bed.

    Now I could sleep for a couple of days.

    "But first, Sam."

    "Yes, my king."

    Clyde called out to Sam as he turned away from the cemetery, and when he looked back, he bowed deeply.

    "The Demon King is back, and that was unexpected, but thanks to your presence, we were able to fulfill our family''s long-cherished dream. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your complete defeat of the Demon King, which our ancestors were unable to do."

    "No, I did what I had to do. No, I was just doing what I had to do. Besides, if the Demon Lord goes on a rampage outside, the people I care about will be in trouble.

    One of my fianc¨¦es, Lise, is pregnant with a child.

    I don''t want my child to be born in a world at war with the Demon King.

    I want him to grow up in a peaceful world.

    "But my gratitude will never change. I am sorry that I cannot honor you on a grand scale, but I hope to repay you for your trouble at a later date."

    "Thank you very much."

    "Well, that would be very helpful to us. Well, I think it''s time to get back on the ground. I - no, I - must do my best from now on, not only as a grave keeper but also as a king. From tomorrow on, there will be much to do. I have to capture and condemn those who were connected to the people of Najaria.

    Clyde''s busy life awaits him now that he has returned to the king from his post as tomb guard.

    The country no longer needs the informers and traitors to the people of Najaria who have been kept at bay until now.

    Then it is in the best interest of the country to get rid of them as soon as possible.

    "...... Speaking of which, G¨¹nther''s been quiet all day...did he get caught in the middle of all this and die?"

    As we were about to return to the ground, Ur suddenly remembered G¨¹nther, who had been quiet for a long time.

    The reply was immediate.

    "...... I wouldn''t leave Ulrike and Sam to die, would I?"

    "Oh, he''s alive. I mean, why are you blushing so hard?¡¡You''ve got to think about when you''re in heat."

    I''m at the point where I can''t take it anymore.

    "Hmm?"

    Sam and the others looked at each other, not knowing what the limit was.

    "The blow that slaughtered Sam''s Demon King tore up the cemetery and part of the palace!¡¡I''m holding it up with wards, but it''s about to collapse.

    Sam, Ur, and Clyde turned pale at G¨¹nther''s words.

    "Get out of here!

    Then Ulle carries Sam and Clyde up, and they fly away from the cemetery in a single bound.

    --They leave G¨¹nther, who still holds up the cemetery with wards.

    As soon as Sam and Clyde are safely out of the cemetery, a corner of the palace collapses with a crash.

 328 - - 19 "Ill clean everything up" â‘ 

    --As it turns out, the royal palace that had stood tall in the royal capital of the Kingdom of Skye since the time of its founding has been half destroyed.

    The cause, of course, is Sam''s .

    Both Sam, who unleashed the most powerful attack, and Ur, who allowed it, knew that the palace would be destroyed.

    They decided on the spot that if they could defeat the old demon king, it would be balanced by the total destruction of the palace.

    Clyde did not blame Sam and Ur.

    They could have defeated the Demon King that the Skye royal family had kept locked away for so many years in exchange for the palace, as they thought, so they could not complain.

    The palace could be built again. But if the Demon King comes back and human casualties are caused, it will be irreversible.

    It was obvious without thinking which damage would be worse.

    They are calling it an accident on the surface. They are going to make up some appropriate reason such as decrepitude.

    Since there is no longer any need to hide the graves in secret, they will bury all the graves at the same time as the palace is repaired.

    Clyde''s face is brightened by the fact that his role as grave keeper has been handed down from generation to generation for a long time.

    Incidentally, G¨¹nther crawled out of the rubble as if nothing had happened.

    He was still looking handsome despite the dust and dirt, with the same sparkling prince-like demeanor and composure.

    "d*mn," Ur clicked his tongue, and Sam laughed hysterically, and Clyde laughed along with him.

    Clyde started to laugh as well, and soon Ur and G¨¹nther were laughing too, and the four of them continued to laugh for a while.

    Looking back on the confrontation with the Ordo, the chief of the people of Najaria, and the resurrection of the Demon King, it seemed as if several days had passed, even though not more than two hours had passed.

    Perhaps I was in a high state of excitement because so much had happened.

    Needless to say, those who had heard the roar of the palace''s collapse and gathered there were bewildered to see Sam and the others like that.

    "Well, Sam! Ur, G¨¹nther! I, or rather I, will now seize and punish all those who have been in league with and cooperated with the people of Najaria."

    "How do you intend to dispose of them?"

    At Ur''s question, Clyde''s smile faded and his face grew grim.

    "He''s guilty as sin. From what I know about him, he''s doing things that he doesn''t care what happens to this country. I''ll extend my sympathies to the families of the innocent, but I''ll tear down their homes as well."

    "Well, well, some nobles will disappear today."

    "That''s all I did. I dared to let it go because I needed it, but it has made me too much of a fool for it. Some of these fools are doing things that are horrible to even talk about.

    It is unclear what kind of horrific acts Clyde is referring to, but as far as I am concerned, an aristocrat with twisted desires will not do anything wrong if he goes out of control.

    £¨You''ve got the wrong guy. They''re idiots.)

    I don''t feel sorry for you. Sam had no interest in people who tried to live forever.

    Human beings are beautiful because they are short-lived, and they burn and live hard.

    Aging and death are inevitable and at the same time a sign of equality.

    Sometimes, death is unreasonable, but still life is equal and there is no superiority or inferiority.

    However, arrogant people sometimes try to survive even if they are the only one.

    They try to extend their life span as much as possible by magic, spells, or holy arts.

    Some people try to gain longevity by abandoning their human nature, just as Ur did.

    It is believed that a species that can live for 300 or 500 years can accomplish more than a human who cannot live for 100 years, but a species with a long life expectancy and a human have different ways of using time.

    Perhaps, if the aristocrats were to obtain immortality, they would just continue their self-indulgent lives, wasting each and every day of their lives. Such a thing cannot be called living.

    (Seeking immortality, betraying one''s country, even involving one''s family, and getting nothing but death--suck it up)

    "Then I will go to the settlement of the people of Najaria. Let''s put an end to all this."

    Please. There may be no more Demon Lords to follow, and there may be no more followers of Demon Lords, but they are still a danger to us all. Destroy them without exception.

    "Yes, sir."

    Sam bows reverently to the king and floats with Ur.

    "I''ll go with you. We''ll take care of this with just a few of our best."

    "Without you, the country''s defenses will be at risk."

    "It doesn''t matter, because I have my men. At least, I don''t think we have any more enemies right now.

    That''s true, but...

    "I wouldn''t worry so much. We have Dominic Johnston.

    "Oh, that old man''s here..."

    Clyde had told me the name Dominic Johnston before.

    It was the name of the only court wizard Sam had not met.

    For some reason, I wondered why Ulle looked so uncomfortable when he heard the name.

    "Ur?"

    "Ah, what can I say, he''s quite a peculiar old man. He''s a good match for G¨¹nther."

    "Isn''t that a little bit dangerous?"

    "Yeah, it''s bad. Pretty bad."

    I had thought that there were not many people with habits on par with G¨¹nther''s, but it seems that there are.

    The Kingdom of Skye seems to have more weirdos and freaks than Sam thought.

    "Pardon me. I wouldn''t want to be lumped in with Lord Dominic."

    "If you say so, he must be pretty good.

    Even G¨¹nther raised his willow eyebrows, and frankly, I wouldn''t want to meet him.

    "So, you said you have this guy, is he ...... strong?"

    That old man is pretty strong. As a magician, he''s better than me or the teacher, but in the realm of combat, he''s pretty good. Or rather, if you make him your enemy, you''ll have a lot of trouble.

    "He has his quirks, but he should have no problem defending King''s Landing in our absence."

    "......Mr. Clyde is giving me a really bad look."

    "Yes, how should I put it, Your Majesty is not very good at it either."

    G¨¹nther was explained to me, but I had no idea what he was like.

    Even Clyde, who is tolerant of G¨¹nther, frowned at him, but as long as he is capable, there is no problem.

    "Well then, I guess we should leave King''s Landing to him and go do what we have to do.

    Ulle grabbed G¨¹nther by the collar and flew away with Clyde watching.

    On the way, they visited the residence of Delight Sinatra and asked him to accompany them to a hidden village where the people of Najaria were said to live.

 329 - - 20 "Ill clean everything up" â‘¡

    What a day!

    It was Delight Sinatra, the court wizard, who was looking at the burning forest with his fire magic and complaining like that.

    "I was surprised Ur came back to life, but I never thought I''d see the day when I''d have to destroy those d*mned people of Najaria. It''s hard to believe that you''ve been smoking the last few days.

    Delight was really in bed a few hours ago.

    He had once fled to drink, but now he is mentally calm enough to enjoy it in moderation.

    He was sleeping soundly today when he was awakened by Sam and the others.

    At first, "Think of the time!" But when he saw Ul smiling at him and saying, "Hey, teacher," he thought he was being picked up.

    Delight was in such a panic that even Fran woke up and was surprised to see Ur.

    After a few minutes of calming them down, I told them that Ur had been temporarily revived by the people of Najaria and that I had found out the location of the Najaria people''s base and would go there to destroy it.

    The people of Najaria are idiots, aren''t they? The decision to revive Ur to use as a countermeasure against Sam is not a bad one. I guess they were just thinking in their own way."

    Delight asked about the whole situation as he moved through the sky, and his impression of the people of Najaria was something like this.

    I don''t know how they did it, but if there is a way to control Ur, I''d love to learn it.

    If such a thing were possible, I would have been able to correct my beloved apprentice who has been misbehaving for several years now.

    "I have nothing but bad memories of the people of Najaria, but, well, it''s over. I don''t know if it''s immortality or what, but what do you want to do with your years? That''s why I hate idiots."

    The hidden villages of the people of Najaria are being burned by the most powerful fire magic Delight has recently developed.

    The screams that could be heard at first are already gone.

    "You are indeed a teacher. You have become stronger than before.

    Ulle descends from the sky to Delight, who closes his mouth and manipulates the raging flames with his magic.

    "What are you talking about? The last time I showed you my face was pathetic. I''m a little better than that, but not nearly as good as Sam. And I haven''t reached you yet either.

    I''m done with you, sir.

    Hearing those words from Ur makes me want to cry.

    "I gave Sam everything I had. Sam has surpassed me and will become even stronger."

    Delight laughed at Ulle''s pride, as if he were talking about himself.

    Just as he had once been proud of Ur, he was proud of his apprentice Sam.

    It is good to see Ur''s growth as a person.

    Even though he was able to recover from his drinking binge, all he ever cared about was Ur.

    I thought that it was my fault for not not noticing his illness and for running away from him, for running away to drink after losing to Albert.

    Without any excuse or apology, Ur died.

    I felt a great sense of loss when I realized that I would never see my prized pupil again.

    But life is a strange thing, and here we are, meeting and talking with Ur again.

    "Lepsi, the vampire king who was called the most evil demon king. I had heard about him in the lore, but I never thought he was sleeping in the royal palace. And to think that Sam could defeat such a Demon King.

    "I made him pay a lot of price, but Sam did a great job."

    "You can''t defeat the Demon King with no risk. No... if you could defeat him for a small price... that''s a good thing..."

    "Maybe so, but..."

    Delight understood Ur''s feelings.

    No one wants to pay a price for a pretty apprentice.

    No matter how much he could win against a demon king who would go down in history, if he had to take the risk, it should have been his master''s job, not his pupil''s.

    (Well, I was sleeping while Sam and the others were fighting with the Demon King. d*mn it, if you''re going to wake me up, wake me up earlier!)

    "It''s a small price to pay for a temporary fix. You know, if you look gloomy, it''ll bother Sam, so keep smiling, even if you have to. That''s what a master does."

    "...... yes."

    "d*mn it, we still have some time left, don''t we?¡¡Now let''s get these Najaria guys out of here and I''ll listen to you over a drink or two. I wasn''t a good teacher, that''s the least I can do."

    "You are a very good teacher, sir."

    "Ha, come on!¡¡But, hey, whatever, I''m glad you feel that way."

    While conversing, Delight increased the firepower of the flames.

    The trees are burned down and the forest is devastated.

    Thanks to G¨¹nther''s warding, neither the flames nor the people of Najaria are able to escape.

    The flames will not be extinguished until everything within the boundary is consumed.

    "Ur, you can use magic, can''t you?"

    "Of course."

    Then help me. We''re going to burn every last bone in their body.

    "I agree. ...... it''s been a while since you and I have done anything together."

    "No doubt. I''ve been drinking and you''ve been running away and dying. I never thought the day would come when we''d be able to work magic together again!

    "Yes, it is. But I miss it!

    Ur also manipulated external magic power as much as he could and unleashed a fire magic equivalent to a prison flame.

    The two flames raged like raging dragons, consuming the entire forest where the people of Najaria had lived.

    --After a miraculous reunion for the first time in several years, the master and disciple continued to manipulate magic with all their might, as if to give each other a report on their recent activities.

 330 - - 21 "Ill clean everything up" â‘¢

    "Ur, Mr. Delight, thank you for your time."

    Sam came down lightly from the sky, raised his hand and greeted them.

    "Hey. "Hey. Good job."

    "Sam, are you done already?"

    Ur asked him and he nodded.

    "Yes. We killed everyone who lived here, without exception."

    "...... I see. It must have been a nasty job."

    "To be honest, it was an unpleasant job. But the people of Najaria were the ones to be destroyed. The settlement was too horrible.

    "Oh, you saw that?"

    I saw it. I don''t think it''s the same person. Especially in the bunker. ...... No, let''s not go there anymore. Ur and Mr. Delight''s magic burned it all up.

    Even without telling Sam what he had seen in the village of Najaria, Ur seemed to have guessed. Perhaps she, too, knew how the people of Najaria lived.

    At first, Sam felt that taking the lives of non-combatants, no matter how harmful they were to the people of Najaria, was a great burden, but when she saw how they lived and what they did as a matter of course, she changed her mind and decided that they should be eliminated as soon as possible.

    Now he understands with a greater understanding why he once tried to embrace the Najaria people many years ago, but was unable to do so.

    "Did any of them resist?"

    "There were some, but we cut them all down. I couldn''t find any reason to let them live, so my heart was not broken. If we let them live, we will regret it later for sure.

    "d*mn, d*mn, d*mn, d*mn, it''s a good thing I never set foot in the village."

    Delight is right.

    Sam has looked around the entire settlement and regrets his decision to enter.

    There really was not a single warrior among the people of Najaria.

    There were only old men, women and children, but they were numerous.

    At first the people of Najaria did not seem to understand Sam''s appearance, but they soon recognized him as a hostile.

    But none of them fought.

    The old men told them to let him go because he would give them a young woman, and the woman said she would give him her child.

    The child, misunderstood, was happy to get out of the village and brazenly demanded to be given a good life.

    Disturbingly, not a single one of them tried to protect their family or neighbors. Not a single person said, "I don''t care what happens to me, just my children.

    Sam could not think of them as human beings.

    Therefore, he cut them all down without any resistance.

    He was blind in one eye and had no feeling in the other arm.

    The people of Najaria had nothing but orders to beg for their lives until the very end.

    They did not even take up arms to defend their own lives, they only asked someone else to do it for them.

    There were some who escaped, but they could not get out of G¨¹nther''s ward and were burned to death by the flames of Ur and the Delites.

    "To tell the truth, I think it would have made more sense to fight the goblin hordes."

    That''s what a court wizard does," he said. I''ve been in many battles I didn''t want to be in. I''ve done a lot of unwanted fighting. I''ve done a lot of silly babysitting. But that''s the job.

    "As Ur said, we can''t just do what we want to do. Sometimes we have to take the lives of the unarmed or the powerless. Well, but that doesn''t change whether you''re a court wizard or a knight. You serve your country, you obey your country, that''s all."

    "Yes. I understand."

    Ur and Delight are right.

    Whether he likes it or not, Sam is a court wizard of the Kingdom of Skye, even if it is considered outrageous.

    Then he will only use his magic for the good of his kingdom.

    "You don''t have to think too hard. Of course, I''m not asking you to be just a puppet to do my bidding, but there are people in the Kingdom of Skye I want to protect. Then you don''t have to think about all the people who are against you. Because whether they''re happy or unhappy, it doesn''t hurt us."

    "Hey, Ur, that''s an extreme view. Well, you''re not wrong.

    "It''s all right. I don''t care that we buried all the people of Najaria. If the same kind of enemy appears again, we will be able to fight them without problems.

    "Then, all right!¡¡Then let''s go home. Back to my family."

    "Yes, I can''t wait to see Liese and her family."

    We have only been apart for a few hours, but it feels as if we haven''t seen each other for days and we miss each other.

    Not only Lise, but also Karen, Mizuki, Alicia, Stella, the Master and Mistress, Erika and all the servants. I want to see the faces of the children and the burning dragons who live in the Count''s house.

    Me too. Well, now that the troublesome battle is over, let''s enjoy the rest of the time we have left!¡¡When you''re feeling better, we''ll have a hand-to-hand combat. I''ll pull you up to the point where you can use the magic you haven''t mastered yet!¡¡Also, I''d like to fight the doctor!¡¡And while we''re at it, let''s beat up G¨¹nther too!"

    "Ha-ha-ha, let''s do that."

    "Don''t casually try to beat up G¨¹nther. Speaking of which, how''s that guy doing?

    G¨¹nther had set up wards around the settlement of the people of Najaria, but the flames had died down and he should have finished his work by now.

    But he is not here.

    Not only Delight, but also Ur and Sam mutter, "Oh, by the way," as if remembering.

    After waiting for a while, G¨¹nther emerges from the smoky village.

    "Hey, I''m sorry to keep you waiting," he says.

    His white suit was covered in soot and he looked tired.

    "Is there a problem?"

    "Hmm, it''s nice to know you''re worried about me, Sam!"

    "Don''t be like that."

    "Oh, excuse me. I''ve just been showing mercy to the people who used to be our food."

    "...... that''s-"

    "As you can imagine. I found a hidden bunker. There were several people there who had been physically and psychologically raped. They lived, but I decided it was better to let them die and take their lives."

    "I see. I''d better check to see if I missed anything else."

    "No, don''t worry, I''ve already checked everything with my detection magic. But yes, I thought I knew how bad the people of Najaria were, but it''s hard to see it like this.

    They all cast down their eyes when they learned the reason for G¨¹nther''s exhaustion.

    I don''t know how many times I''ve thought it, but I''m glad we destroyed the people of Najaria.

    "Then let''s go home. I don''t want to stay in this place too long."

    "Yes, you''re right. That''s right. Yes!¡¡Let''s go home!"

    Ul deliberately let out a loud and cheerful voice to drown out the discouraging atmosphere.

    Sam and the others nodded and flew back to King''s Landing.

    --And so, the reincarnated boy met his beloved master, parted, met someone new, and made love.

    He became the most powerful court magician in the Kingdom of Skye, destroyed the hostile peoples, and even defeated the Demon King.

 331 - - 22 "Its a conversation between father and daughter." â‘ 

    After G¨¹nther took care of the report to the royal court, Sam returned home directly to his house from the settlement of the people of Najaria, but he could not see Liese and her family and fell asleep in the corridor.

    Liese and her family had been waiting for Sam, but the result was unfortunate.

    Of course, there is no one in the house to blame.

    They know how many battles Sam has been through.

    At the same time, seeing Sam collapsed, greatly exhausted, I was reminded once again that he was only a child of 14 years old.

    Uru picked him up and carried him to bed, hoping to let him sleep alone today.

    Ur took a shower, ate a light meal, and then went to his father''s study to have a drink with him.

    "Come to think of it, I''ve never had a drink with Ur like this."

    "Yes, it is. I was a court wizard and your father was a busy military man.

    "I never thought that after my daughter''s death, the day would come when we would be drinking together like this."

    Both of them laughed and raised the glasses in their hands.

    Jonathan is drinking wine made from grapes grown on the estate of Count Walker.

    It was a popular red wine with a rich aroma and a rich taste that has fans not only within the Kingdom of Skye but also outside of the Kingdom.

    Ur, facing his father, is drinking a whiskey made at a distillery in the southernmost part of the Kingdom of Skye.

    Ulu has been drinking it for a long time and likes it so much that he visits the distillery himself to buy it when he has time.

    The distillery is located near the sea, so it smells and tastes like the sea. Ulu loved the taste that could only be made in the land of the Kingdom of Skye.

    The distillery is 25 years old.

    Ulle, who had died of an illness, had been sober for many years that he was able to enjoy the taste without hesitation, even if it was only for a limited time.

    "While you were settling the scores with the people of Najaria, His Majesty contacted me and told me the general situation. I had no idea that a Demon King was sleeping in our country. ...... I had no idea that Sam would defeat that Demon King."

    "As surprised as I am by the existence of the Demon Lord, I am not surprised by Sam''s ability. The boy won as he should have won."

    "But I hear you paid a price."

    Ur''s face turned bitter at his father''s words.

    Sam had decided to fight the Demon King with all his might, and he had given his permission.

    Perhaps it was because he had exerted himself beyond his limits that he was able to defeat the Demon King.

    As a master, it is complicated.

    He is proud of having defeated the Demon King successfully, but he also feels guilty for having made him pay the price.

    "If I had been in a perfect situation, I would have thought that I could not have defeated the Demon King Lepsi. Don''t worry, Sam''s price is only temporary. I am sure Sam would not like to be worried."

    "I''m not saying I''m not worried, but aside from me, Liese and the others are. I can''t tell my fianc¨¦e not to worry about Sam, either.

    Haha, I wouldn''t say that either. But if you worry too much, Sam may think that he could have done more.

    "I understand that."

    Ulle drank the whiskey poured in his glass in one gulp and let out a big sigh.

    "This time, because we were dealing with the Demon King Lepssy, I let him use his skills beyond the limit, but I didn''t want him to use that power either."

    "Have you used it before?"

    Yes, once when I fought the Dragon King. At that time, I cut off the Dragon King''s wing, but I was drained of magic power for about a week and could not move my right half of my body properly. Since then, I did not know what price I would pay, so I forbade using it."

    I remember my days traveling with Sam from place to place.

    We had a dispute with a dragon and ended up fighting against the Dragon King.

    While Ur used his magical power to cast high-level magic with high firepower in place of a barrage, Sam used his first <<>.

    The result was that the Dragon King''s wings were cut off and he fell to the ground.

    In recognition of his achievement, he made peace with the dragon, but the cost was too great for Sam, and he was forbidden to use it.

    The Demon King Lepsi was much inferior to the Dragon King, partly because he had just been revived, but he was several times stronger than the Demon King Ur knew.

    If Ur had been in perfect condition, he would have been happy to challenge her, but he could not fight her because he knew that if he did, his first life would end.

    He hesitated to throw away his life on the spot because he still had things to do, and as a master, I feel ashamed that he left it to Sam alone.

    However, thanks to him, I now know how to use the time I have left.

    That is--to strengthen Sam''s <.

    Even now it has been strengthened by Ur''s magical power, but even so, it will not be enough in the future when we may have to deal with the Demon King.

    We can''t make them pay the price every time.

    Then, I decided to give him the skills that my elf friend had taught me in the past, and to give him the ability to compete with races other than humans.

 332 - - 23 Its a conversation between a father and a daughter â‘¡

    "......The Dragon King and the Demon King. In the first place, if humans lived a normal life, they would not only never fight, but they would never even meet. Even the chief of the people of Najaria was struck down with a single blow by Sam''s original skill, if you ask me.

    "Yes. Sam has regained his true strength. He is not at his best now, but as long as he recovers, he will not be as far behind as I have heard.

    "Well, that''s good news."

    Ur had heard, albeit briefly, the events leading up to Sam''s separation from him and their reunion.

    He had been victorious in the end, but he had also fallen behind his adversary on several occasions.

    He judged that the magic and magical power that Ur had passed on to Sam was putting a heavy burden on the young Sam.

    At the same time, Sam''s naivete may also be to blame.

    That sweet apprentice is sweet. No, I should say too kind.

    But that''s okay. Ur is also saved by Sam''s kindness.

    Then he should be strong enough to carry out his kindness.

    I have given him the magic and the skills to do so, and unlike Sam, he has the power to use all of them.

    "However, it will be a different story if we have to fight against races other than the Demon King and humans in the future."

    "...... Do you really think other demon kings will be interested in Sam?"

    "Well?"

    "Come on, you ......."

    Ur shrugged his shoulders at his father, who gave him a look of dismay.

    "I don''t know what the Demon Lord is up to. But I''m sure Sam will figure something out.

    As the Demon King Lepsy had said, Ur does not know if other Demon Kings would be interested in Sam.

    However, the fact that he has slaughtered a demon king who has left his mark on history, even though he is imperfectly revived, will affect Sam and those around him to a greater or lesser degree.

    If we are asked whether other demon kings or other races will be involved with Sam as a result, it is quite possible that they will.

    But I am not worried.

    Sam has become strong. He will continue to get stronger.

    Ur was satisfied with Sam''s growth so far, although he regretted not being able to lead him to the end.

    The hardships that will come in the future will be a good experience for Sam.

    Life is full of peaks and valleys. A life without easy, pleasant, and hardships will only make you lazy.

    I hope that he will have a lot of experiences, and with the support of those around him, he will grow up a lot each time.

    "......I hope so."

    "It''s a bit of a pervert, but G¨¹nther is there too. Besides, I''ll work on my magical and spiritual side a bit more before I die a second time, don''t worry."

    "For what it''s worth, Ur seems to trust G¨¹nther."

    "Well, he is a pervert, but I recognize his ability. I was amused when he said he was going to be Sam''s wife, but I guess he and Sam have a good relationship.

    In a way, I am impressed by G¨¹nther, who was still the same pervert even after seeing each other for the first time in several years.

    If you can ignore his perversity, he is a man you can rely on.

    He and Sam seem to be a good match.

    He has known Sam''s fianc¨¦es since he was a child, so he knows them well.

    He is a troublesome and dangerous man, but Ur trusts him enough to entrust his apprentice to G¨¹nther.

    I am not going to say it out loud because it is frustrating, but....

    "Sometimes I feel uneasy when I look at G¨¹nther, and I am sorry to make him bow down to the Duke.

    "Is his parent still bowing down to him? Oh, my God. We should have a little talk with him. Well, let''s not talk about G¨¹nther. I just have one more thing I wanted to ask your father."

    There are still many things to worry about, but it is not too late to address them when Sam wakes up.

    That much time is still left in Ur.

    There was only one thing he wanted to do.

    "It''s been a long time since Ur asked me for a favor. I will do whatever I can. Just say it.

    "Then feel free to - please expedite the marriage between Sam and Lise and her family."

 333 - - 24 Its a conversation between sisters â‘ 

    The day after settling scores with the people of Najaria and defeating the Demon King Lepsy.

    While Sam was still sleeping soundly, Ur, who had had a light sleep, was facing his sister Lise in his room for the first time in a long time.

    "It''s been a long time since I''ve had a good talk with Lise like this. Yesterday was too hectic for me, so I can finally relax.

    Thank you very much for your hard work. But I never dreamed that I would be able to see your sister''s face and talk to her like this again. Alicia and Erica wanted to talk with you too, so please make time for them.

    "Of course. So, I heard you wanted to talk to me, what''s up again?¡¡Oh, did you get in trouble because of my reckless request to accelerate the wedding?"

    It was early in the morning when I asked my father Jonathan to expedite the marriage of Sam and his fianc¨¦es.

    It''s already past noon.

    I assume that Liese and the others will have heard about this.

    Ur also looked a little uncomfortable because he knew that he had asked too much.

    "No, we''re not in any trouble. It''s just that I wanted to talk to your sister while you were sleeping.

    "Yeah. Then let''s talk."

    Sitting on the sofa in Ur''s room, they looked at each other quietly.

    Thinking back, I recall that I had been so busy that I had not had much time to talk with my sister.

    After she became aware of her illness, she had left the house, thinking only of herself, and we had not had a proper conversation for at least five years.

    Ulle, aware that she can never be praised as a sister or a family member, tries to reach for a drink to escape the guilt she feels for her family, but decides not to.

    "I just heard from your father and mother that they would like you and Sam to hold our wedding while your sister is still alive."

    "I''d like to celebrate Sam and my sisters'' start in life, if possible. I know it''s a lot to ask, but please do.

    "No, I don''t want to be bothered!¡¡That''s not true!"

    "Then I''m glad. I was aware that I was asking too much, but I was relieved to hear Lise say so. So, what you''re talking about is marriage, right?"

    "Yes."

    The serious look on my sister''s face makes me nervous.

    I waited for my sister''s words, slightly puzzled by the fact that Lise had grown up so much, unlike my memory of her.

    "Before I tell you anything, Sam doesn''t know what I''m about to tell you. We will tell your sister at our own discretion.

    "Uh-huh."

    Liese told Ur, who tilted his head, "I don''t know.

    "-Would you like to marry Sam, sister?"

    "Huh?"

    Ulle could not believe his ears.

    He then remembered that he had not been able to revive himself properly because of the Ordo''s proper technique, and tried to convince himself that he had a problem with his ears.

    "...... You and Sam look a lot alike, even down to the way you are surprised."

    Lise giggles at her sister who makes a silly face.

    Ulle, with great perplexity, reassured herself that her hearing was OK, and asked her sister the opposite question.

    "No, I don''t have time for this...me marrying Sam?¡¡Why?"

    "Why, if you don''t mind my asking, weren''t Sam and your sister compatible in the first place?"......

    "Well, yes, well, that''s true, but..."

    Ulle couldn''t help but reply tartly.

    "I know it''s none of my business, but I want you and Sam to be happy."

    "...... Liese."

    "We love Sam very much. We love Sam with all our hearts and we want him to be happy. And your sister is also very important to us. It''s a miracle that you two were reunited, then we want you both to--"

    Ur was painfully grateful for the feelings of his sisters.

    Then, he told them what he needed to tell them clearly.

    "--Thank you. But I have to say no."

 334 - - 25 "Its a conversation between sisters" â‘¡

    "Why?

    Liese involuntarily stood up after Ur''s response.

    "Calm down, Lise. Come on, sit down."

    After making sure that his sister complies with his words, Ur reiterates.

    "I appreciate your feelings. But my feelings are already settled. It was an impossible reunion, but just seeing Sam again is all that matters. I don''t want anything more than that."

    "But!"

    "-and if I marry Sam, it''ll be hard for me to leave him behind."

    "That''s..."

    Hearing Ur''s true feelings, Liese was speechless.

    "Thank you. I am happy to have a sister who loves me.

    "...... Still, I want to make memories for Sam and your sister."

    "Cute Lise. I appreciate your concern. I''m a woman too, it''s not that I don''t want to be with the man I love."

    "Then..."

    "But I don''t want to scar Sam. I''m going to die. It''s inevitable. Then I don''t want to hurt him. I want to send him off with a smile on his face into the future, into the future with you."

    "...... sister."

    Ur still loves Sam as much as ever.

    He does not change his feelings just because he died.

    Although he was resurrected unintentionally, Ur did not want to ask for a continuation.

    The reason is that, as he explained, death awaits him sooner or later.

    But more than that, he did not want to disturb Sam who had overcome his death and found a new love.

    "Well, it would have been a different story if it had been a complete resurrection. d*mn, Ordo, you''ve done a half-assed job. If you''re going to do something, do it thoroughly. I don''t understand, or I am mentally incapable of understanding, the use of imperfections in a technique that I once intended to use, be it witchcraft or forbidden."

    Ur himself has some magic that is still in the process of development or has been left unfinished, but he does not want to use it in an incomplete form.

    Magic or sorcery, a formula is beautiful because it is perfect.

    We do not want to use imperfect and distorted ones, and there is a risk in using them. Above all, it is not cool.

    Using unfinished magic as it is is like saying out loud that you could not create the rest of the story, that you have compromised.

    As a magician, I cannot stand such a thing, and I will not accept it in the first place.

    I don''t know what reason the Ordo had for using such an imperfect technique, but I am not going to understand it either.

    I am grateful to him for giving me the feeling of living again, even if only temporarily, but as a wizard I could only complain that he had done a half-assed job.

    "Well, I wouldn''t have given Sam to you guys if I had my way."

    "--huh."

    Lise gasps when I show her a smirk.

    "You know Liese, don''t you?¡¡I''m selfish and possessive. I can''t get along with everyone like you guys do. I would definitely keep Sam to myself. I wouldn''t let anyone touch him."

    I''m not trying to scare you. I''m not going to do anything now.

    But Ur can''t and won''t behave like Liese and the others.

    He would have used his magic of pride to eliminate anyone who came near Sam, as if he didn''t care about ties or anything else.

    "That''s just like your sister Ur!"

    "Right?"

    I can''t do what you''re doing.

    "That''s fine. I''m me, Lise is Lise. But as your sister I have to tell you something.

    Let me ask you something.

    "I think it''s great that you guys are so kind, including Lise. I can''t do it myself. Just don''t let someone take advantage of your kindness and steal Sam away from you.

    "...... I am very much aware of that."

    As for Ur, he doesn''t mind that Sam has more than one fianc¨¦e.

    He is a good man, and I can understand why he is so popular.

    But as a sister, I don''t want anyone to take advantage of Lise and her friends'' good qualities.

    Not everyone is as open to get what they want as I am.

    Sometimes there are people who do unspoken and despicable things.

    Ulle nodded but smiled at her sister when she dared to say something threatening because she wanted Sam and Liese to be happy.

    "But I''m sure it will be difficult to keep Sam all to yourself.

    "Heh. Why?"

    "Well, I''m embarrassed to say this, but..."

    "Yeah?"

    "--the night is too energetic."

    Ur had a scowl on her face, but she was aware that her expression had fallen at her sister''s comment.

 335 - - 26 "Its a conversation between sisters" â‘¢

    "--Hmm?¡¡Wait, wait, are you talking about over there?¡¡What?¡¡Seriously?¡¡Is that what Sam is?"

    "Well, I''m ashamed to say that I''m still losing."

    "Wow, I see. That Sam. Hmm. He''s kind of grown up. ......, is that right?¡¡Um, well, okay, so, uh, we''re all doing well, right?"

    The topic changed, and Ulle took the bait.

    "You''re really biting on it, aren''t you?

    "Of course they''ll bite!¡¡It was a topic I had no connection to!"

    As for Ur, he had never imagined being in a relationship with anyone, male or female.

    Even before he became a court wizard, he thought that he would never fall in love and that he would live his life without ever loving anyone.

    I could not imagine myself ever loving anyone.

    But you never know what life is like. She fell in love with a young boy she met when she was over 20 years old.

    I was comfortable with Sam.

    I knew that he liked me, even if only vaguely, and I didn''t think that I wanted to pursue the relationship.

    Above all, I worried about whether I should touch a boy who was not yet an adult.

    But I never thought that my sister was pursuing a relationship with Sam, which I had hesitated to do.

    We are sisters after all. They have similar tastes in men.

    That made me wonder what kind of night life Sam has with his sister.

    "Well, we can''t have more than one, yet. We have our own sense of shame. Besides, I''m the only one who still has relations with Sam, so it''s not easy.

    "-- what?"

    "I was brought together on the spur of the moment, but Alicia and I are in the process of building a little relationship in order, so it''s difficult for all of us to spend the night together. ...... sister?¡¡Is something wrong?"

    "Haaaaaaahhh!¡¡Sam, with all these women, you haven''t touched anyone but Liese!"

    Yeah, yeah, well, so far.

    "You''re such a dick!"

    Ur was trembling. If his sister''s words were true, then his sweet apprentice was a total ass.

    If he knew how Ur felt, he would have turned red and said, "Mind your own business! But he is not here.

    "Liese is too ill to play with you right now, isn''t she?"

    "Uh, yes."

    "Well, in the meantime, where''s Sam''s horniness that he can''t get enough of?

    "That''s what I''m wondering too, but I couldn''t bring myself to ask."

    "-No way, with G¨¹nther."

    No, I don''t think so. If there was, G¨¹nther would not have kept it from us.

    "Of course. I''m sure that idiot would have been happy to report it."

    The topic, which was not tolerated but of interest to me, was a little far from reason.

    The sisters decide to take a deep breath and cool down.

    "But you never know with men, do you? Since you''re engaged to be married, why don''t you just put your hands on all of us without hesitation?

    "As far as we are concerned, we would like you to make a move. Well, the order is important, but sometimes we want to be forced by a man, yes?

    "I see. As much as my sisters'' marriages are important to me, I won''t be able to go to heaven until Sam has his hands on all of my fianc¨¦es."

    "I think Sam would be confused if you gave him a reason like that."

    Ha-ha-ha, maybe he''ll stop touching you. But still..."

    Ur folded his arms and tilted his head.

    "Young girls these days are so well behaved, you know. The women I knew used to be so predator-like with their hands.

    I have in my mind a perverted elf and a perverted duke.

    I wondered if those perverts were still perverting themselves.

    "I''m not so sure about that."

    "They''re just special, aren''t they? I''d like to meet those perverts when I come back to life.

    I wouldn''t call us friends, but since I''m here in King''s Landing, I''d at least like to see how things are going.

    (Well, I was worried about the future of Liese and her friends, but I''m relieved to see that they seem to be doing OK. (Well, I was worried about the future of Liese and her family, but I''m relieved to hear that they seem to be doing OK.)

    I was relieved that Lise and her fianc¨¦ were getting along well.

    At least for now, it will not be what Ulle feared.

    As a sister, I hope that no nasty women will come near Sam in the future.

    Sam is not the only one who should be happy. Url sincerely hopes that her sisters'' fianc¨¦es will be happy with Sam with a smile on their faces.

    "Well, I''ve talked to Lise about a lot of things, but I haven''t said what I wanted to say the most yet."

    "Excuse me?"

    "--My baby, you''ll be a better wizard than I ever was."

 336 - - 27 "Its the movement of the demons" â‘ 

    The western part of the continent, far from the eastern part where Sam and his friends live.

    There is a small country called the Land of Night, where vampires live.

    This land, where vampires and other beastmen live, is bright and bustling day and night.

    Their lives are not so different from those of human beings.

    The streets are not much different from those in human lands.

    The only difference is that in the land of the night, the nobles are powerful vampires and the king is a demon king.

    Here in the Night Lands is the land of vampires, ruled by the fresh-blooded demon lord Vivienne Claxtons.

    She is one of the seven demon kings of the western, southern and northern parts of the continent.

    Her title is King, but her involvement in the Night Lands is limited.

    The Night Lands are only a country created by those who have gathered to seek the protection and rule of the Demon Lord Vivian.

    The country is run by the nobles who are close to Vivian, the vampire who started it all.

    The rules of the land are simple.

    Worship the Witch King Vivian Claxtons as your master.

    Never betray the Witch King Vivian Claxtons.

    The inhabitants must pay their blood regularly.

    No discrimination or persecution based on race.

    These are the only rules that the inhabitants have decided to abide by.

    Humans also live in the land of night.

    Some of them are originally from the western part of the continent, and many others have moved here from other continents for some reason or another.

    However, the Land of the Night has welcomed them with open arms.

    Therefore, in this land, vampires, humans, and beastmen can lead a stable life.

    They are not afraid of monsters, they do not have to worry about food, they do not have to worry about power, and they are able to live a healthy life.

    In a corner of the land of night, there was an old mansion.

    It was a not so big house with two stories.

    A small garden, a well-maintained rose garden, and a few magical beasts on the loose.

    Inside the mansion, there was the Demon Lord Vivienne Claxtons.

    "Oh, my God, Lepsy is dead!"

    A voice like a tinkling bell echoed through the darkened room.

    The room was illuminated only by the moonlight that shone in the room.

    "I can''t believe she''s dead. --I''m so happy for you.

    The voice, which should have sounded high enough to belong only to the girl, was as compassionate as a mother''s.

    The voice belonged to the Demon Lord, the first vampire to live for more than a thousand years.

    "I hope you get to see your family again.

    As he wished this to the moonlit night sky, he raised the glass of wine in his hand and drank it down.

    The Demon Lord behaved with ease, but her appearance was that of a young girl.

    Perhaps, if you passed her on the street, you would not think she was the Demon Lord.

    But even in the form of a little girl, the Demon Lord is still the Demon Lord.

    Above all, the Demon King Vivien was one of the strongest of the seven Demon Kings.

    Even his household vampires fear him and worship him like a god. If Vivian wanted to, he could easily change the topography of the continent.

    "It''s a beautiful night, Vivien Claxtons."

    "Oh, so it''s you who came to visit first, Tomoya Endo."

    Good evening. It''s been a while.

    A young boy in his late teens, wearing a black stuffed collar, silently transplanted himself into Vivian''s room.

    He had dark hair, a childlike appearance, and a friendly smile that did not stand out in particular.

    I haven''t seen you for about ten years. How have you been?"

    Vivienne welcomed her friend whom she had not seen for a long time, took a glass from the table and poured wine.

    "Thanks to you. Unlike you, I am not a king, so my days are more leisurely.

    "What business brings you to my room in the middle of the night?"

    "As you''ve probably noticed by now, the Demon King Lepsy is dead. This time, completely.

    Finally. I''m a little relieved. Do you think it''s terrible?

    "No, ...... I too am relieved that he has made it safely to his family."

    "Lepsey was a good friend of yours. We met at the worst possible time, but over time we became best friends. Come to think of it, his wife was related to you.

    Vivienne gently hands the glass to Tomoya, squinting her eyes as if reminiscing about the past.

    They drink a toast to the deceased Lepsey without making a sound.

    "I didn''t come here to be sad. I have a problem, and I thought I could use Vivian''s help.

    "Is something wrong?"

    "Actually, the two silly demon kings started making a fuss about going to see the humans who defeated the lepers."

 337 - - 28 "Its the movement of the demons" â‘¡

    Vivian was so surprised that she almost dropped her glass.

    "...... what?¡¡No way, in the land of humans?"

    "I mean, no way."

    "Are you trying to go?"

    "Oh, no, sir. We''ve already left."

    Vivienne sits down on the sofa, feeling dizzy.

    It was not that she was not interested in the person who had defeated Lepsy, but it made her head hurt to think that there was a demon king who was so light on his feet, even though he had his own reasons for being stuck as a demon king.

    "You really ...... are a silly boy. With whom, I wonder?¡¡Oh, okay. It''s Douglas and Evangeline anyway."

    You know exactly what I mean.

    "Curious about them, I hear. So, what about the pursuers?

    I thought we could discuss that. Unfortunately, I can''t stop them both. I am the lowest of the Demon Lords.

    Tomoya chuckles.

    It is true, as he says, that he is the least powerful of all the Demon Kings.

    But if Tomoya goes to the human kingdom, he will cause more confusion than anyone else.

    Knowing this, Tomoya himself does not pursue the two Demon Kings, but comes to Vivian, the old Demon King, for advice.

    "This is the country where the Lepsies were sealed, what was its name?"

    "--the Kingdom of Skye."

    "...... Ah, the land of the descendants of the Otherworlders. That brings back memories. Come to think of it, you''re from another world, too.

    Yes, well. Yes, well, it was a long time ago. By the way, we can''t leave Douglas and Evangeline alone. They''re both too stupid to think, and that would definitely cause problems."

    "It''s the worst kind of war."

    "I''m not afraid of a bunch of humans, but I''m interested in the ones who beat the lepers. I''d like to talk to them without killing them, if possible."

    "Oh?¡¡Are you trying to avenge your enemies?"

    When asked by Vivian, Tomoya cowered his shoulders in denial.

    I don''t intend to do that. I''m not going to do anything to the people I''m grateful to, and if I wanted to, I''d be on my way to the Sky Kingdom before anyone else.

    "Of course."

    "This is just my personal opinion, but if he is good enough to defeat Lepsey, he may as well be the Demon King."

    Even Tomoya, who was far away, knew that Lepsey was not back in perfect condition.

    Even so, Lepsi''s strength was out of the ordinary.

    If he had reigned as the Demon King instead of being mad for revenge, the strongest Demon King would have been Lepsi.

    Therefore, I am always interested in those who defeated him.

    "As an ex-human, I can''t say this, but there is no way that a mere human could have managed to defeat Lepsi. Even if he wanted to die, even if he was resurrected without power.

    "But I''m afraid of humans. But I''m afraid of human beings... individuals who sometimes transgress the boundaries of humanity, just as you did.

    "That''s why I care about the people who slaughtered the lepers."

    Like the Demon King who went to the land of humans without thinking about his position, Tomoya seems to have an endless interest in the people who defeated the Leprosy.

    Of course, Vivian is the same.

    It is impossible not to be interested in the human who defeated her lovely child.

    "Let''s send my children away. The knight can send them right away.

    Thank you.

    "But you won''t be able to deal with Douglas and Evangeline, so have someone who knows both of them go. We''ll have to convince them to come back without any trouble."

    Vivian meditated for a moment.

    "I asked for it. She''s on her way."

    "Thank you. I don''t know if I will be able to catch up with them as they fly away, but I can transfer you to the eastern entrance of the continent.

    "Oh, thank you. I''ll ask for you as soon as I''m ready. In the meantime, let''s have a drink together.

    I''d be happy to oblige."

    Tomoya sits down on the sofa and pours wine into a glass.

    He poured wine into Vivian''s empty glass and lightly tapped it.

    "I''m looking forward to this, the person who defeated my best friend - if it''s possible, I''d like to hear directly from him if he passed away satisfied."

    Tomoya Endo, an otherworlder, a former human, and now one of the Demon Lords, lifted his lips in amusement.

    --And so, as the Demon King Lepsy had left word, the Demon Kings showed their interest in Sam.

 338 - - 29 "I spent time with Wool" â‘ 

    "......I was asleep before I knew it. Hmmm, I must have slept for quite a while. My body hurts."

    Sam wakes up in bed, sits up and stretches.

    He remembers the part where he destroyed the settlement of the people of Najaria, but he has no memory of what happened after he returned to the house.

    He must have fallen asleep because he had reached his physical and mental limits.

    I bit back a yawn and heard someone giggle, and turned my head to the side,

    "Good morning, Sam."

    His master Ur was sitting beside him on the bed, smiling.

    "Ur, good morning. I''m ...... glad to see you."

    "Hmm?¡¡What was good?"

    "When I woke up, I was glad Ur was there."

    It has been less than a day since Sam was reunited with Ur.

    It could have been a dream.

    In fact, Sam has repeatedly dreamed of seeing Ur again, only to wake up and be disappointed.

    It was not unreasonable to suspect that it was a dream again.

    However, it is not every day that he has such an intense dream of destroying the people of Najaria and fighting against the ancient demon king Lepsy.

    "You''re a child who can''t stay away from your master. You''ll have to part ways sooner or later. Besides, you have a fianc¨¦e and a child now. You can''t keep being a spoiled brat.

    "That''s true, but..."

    "You have the power to defeat the Demon King, but you''re still an immature child at heart. You should be more mature.

    "I don''t think so."

    Sam''s cheeks puff out in frustration at being called a child, and Ur laughs.

    "Look at you, you still look like a child. The mind is pulled by the body. No matter how old your mind is, the Samuel Scheidt of this world is still a 14-year-old kid. Of course you can only live like that."

    "--What?"

    "What''s wrong?"

    Ur''s words stunned me.

    Ur calls out to Sam, who stiffens, but he has no time to reply.

    £¨I don''t think so...)

    Nervous, Sam opened his mouth fearfully.

    "Do you know, Ur, by any chance?"

    What?

    "About me. I mean... how should I put it?

    <

    "Are you telling me that you have been hiding the fact that you are a reincarnated person?

    "Oh, no."

    I was surprised to hear him say something like, "Oh, you mean that?

    He had not been hiding it, but he had not said so himself.

    It was no different with Ur, his beloved mentor.

    But guess what? She already knew that Sam was a reincarnation.

    "For the record, I examined you when we met. I knew it then. Well, I didn''t see that you had the royal blood of Skye."

    "No, no, no!¡¡You knew that early!¡¡Tell me!"

    "Why are you so upset?¡¡Oh, you didn''t want them to know you''re a reincarnated person?"

    "No, I''m not, but I''m confused by your nonchalant attitude!¡¡Isn''t there another reaction more like this?¡¡I''m a reincarnated person, if I do say so myself!¡¡A reincarnated person!"

    If Sam remembers correctly, Ur did not seem surprised when they first met.

    "What do you mean he''s a reincarnation?¡¡There are guys like you from time to time, and it''s no big deal."

    "Really?"

    "No matter who you are, where you were, how many years you lived, what experiences and memories you have, it belongs to another human being. It doesn''t belong to Samuel Scheidt, who is standing in front of me right now. You are here. That''s all that matters."

    "--It''s kind of like Ur."

    He was somewhat relieved.

    It was not without fear that her attitude might change because she was a reincarnated person, although this was impossible only for Ur.

    However, when I realized that my fears were unfounded, my shoulders relaxed.

    "I mean, you are as old as you look."

    "Eh?¡¡Is that so?"

    "Yeah, he''s a kid, he''s a kid. Don''t worry about the memories of your past life. You are who you are.

    Sam smiled and thanked his master, who reached out and patted him on the head.

    "--Thank you, Ur."

 339 - - 30 "I spent time with Eul" â‘¡

    "However..."

    "Yes?"

    "I''ll tell you this much. You may think you are an adult, but everything you say and do is that of a child. So you can be naive and you can fall behind your adversaries. I don''t blame you for that, but you have to realize that you are a child first, Samuel Scheidt. You are a child of fourteen years old. Otherwise, even if your body grows, your mind will never grow, will it?"

    Sam nodded deeply at Ur''s words.

    Sam had always thought of himself as an adult.

    Physically, he was still a child, but mentally, he was an adult because he had memories of his previous life.

    But Ur says otherwise.

    He told me that Sam was still a child of fourteen years old, regardless of whether he had memories of his past life or not.

    For Sam, it is as if he suddenly woke up one day as a boy named Samuel in this world, but Ur says otherwise.

    Samuel only has memories of his previous life.

    Therefore, he says, Sam is a child and is the same age as his physical age.

    Maybe he is.

    He has changed from the persona of Sam he was to the persona of Sam he is now, but he is still Sam.

    Nothing more, nothing less.

    "--Yes. I''m me. I may have memories of a past life, but I''m still Samuel Scheidt."

    "That''s fine. You can''t grow up thinking you''re an adult. I should have told you earlier. I''m sorry.

    "No, no. I should have told you about my previous life sooner.

    "Then it''s both our faults. But it''s all right now. You''re a child now, and you''re going to grow up. You will grow stronger, and yes, you will become the most powerful wizard in the world."

    "--Ah!"

    Ur''s words are Sam''s driving force.

    After losing her, he set a goal to become the most powerful wizard in the world.

    I am glad that Ur told me that.

    He is a master. I felt we were very much alike.

    "And this is just my concern as a teacher, yes, as a teacher..."

    "What''s wrong?"

    Ulle''s serious face turned red in the cheeks and he seemed to be having some difficulty saying something, which made Sam tilt his head involuntarily.

    This was unusual for her, as she was not afraid to say whatever she wanted to say.

    I wondered if it was something she was uncomfortable to say, and waited for Ur.

    "Ah, it''s a little worrisome that a boy of his age only has his hands on one of his many fianc¨¦es," she says. I mean, what, is there something wrong with the man functionally?"

    "--No!"

    I wondered what kind of conversation was about to start, but it turned out to be a very condescending one.

    I almost lost my nerve, but Sam let out a loud voice to clear up the unflattering misunderstanding.

    "But I''ve heard that a healthy boy looks great in the morning...but that''s not true at all!

    I followed Ur''s gaze and saw that it was directed at my lower body.

    Certainly, the morning physiology of boys is not happening to Sam right now.

    "You''ve been through a lot and you''re exhausted both physically and mentally, so please don''t be reckless!¡¡I mean, Ur is not that kind of character!"

    "I''m a girl myself, I''m not saying I''m not interested."

    I''m kind of surprised.

    "Rude!¡¡Anyway, get them all before I die!¡¡This is a master''s order!"

    "Unreasonable!¡¡What kind of master''s order is that?

    Sam was taken aback after all the serious talk we had been having.

    £¨But now that I think about it, we were always talking about magic or laughing at silly things, so I missed it.)

    "Well, wait. I''m serious... you never know when you''re going to die... so live without regrets. Your fianc¨¦es want to be happy with you. It''s not just about the heart. Human beings, women and men alike, seek happiness mentally and physically. It''s healthy to want to be with the one you love and to feel good about yourself. It is rather unhealthy to hold back.

    "I know that much. But..."

    But what?

    "I don''t know how to go one step further with everyone."

    With a sense of shame, Sam spoke his mind.

    He and Liese had been together without thinking too much about it. In a sense, it was natural. Sam also liked Lise and she liked him.

    He knows that they like him, and Sam also loves them dearly.

    However, it is difficult for him to make a relationship with them.

    Not only because he was comfortable in his current relationship, but also because he was afraid that if the relationship developed, something would change in their relationship.

    "............"

    "............"

    When Sam revealed his true feelings, an indescribable silence followed.

    After a while, Ul let out a sigh, and then his eyes widened and he let out a loud voice.

    "You bastard!¡¡Gutless!¡¡Let''s give it a shot!¡¡So, why don''t you just go ahead and do it!"

    "No!¡¡You can''t say that!"

    "Say it!¡¡Oh, well, I''ll go tell him for you. Hey, you know, I''d like you to have s*x with my cute little disciple."

    "Hey, you can''t say that to me, or I''ll break off the engagement!"

    "Yes. I wouldn''t want a lousy fianc¨¦e who would ask her master to say such a thing."

    "Then don''t say it!"

    "You idiot!¡¡That''s because you''re mellowing out!¡¡Now, give me a shot and put me at ease!"

    "Extreme!¡¡Ur just too extreme!¡¡I told you to fix your tendency to do things with just your momentum!"

    "I always live on momentum!¡¡See, even death couldn''t cure you!"

    Sam and Ul bickered and bickered about silly things, just as they had in the past.

    Before they knew it, they were laughing, their voices growing louder and louder in the room.

 340 - - 31 "I learned about the magic of compensation."

    "Oh, we''ve been talking nonsense, haven''t we? By the way, how''s your eye and arm?"

    After a short fuss, the conversation turned to Sam''s physical condition.

    "Unfortunately, I still can''t see or feel anything. It hasn''t been a day yet, so it''s nothing to worry about."

    It''s an inconvenience, but it''s not a problem.

    I can see out of my other eye and I remember how to use my arm even though I can''t feel it.

    If I have to fight against a demon king like Lepssy again, it will be a big burden, but against a human, I will not easily fall behind.

    Sam had regained his original strength and skills, and was able to use the magical power inherited from Ur without any problem, he was proud of it.

    I''m sorry I let you use it, even though I knew there was a price to pay."

    "You don''t have to apologize, Ur.

    "I know. But I still want to apologize for not being able to fight."

    "Still, I don''t need an apology. I fought because I could. I used it because I knew I would pay the price. I couldn''t have been so generous with the lepers in the first place. If I had hesitated to use my power, even for a moment, I wouldn''t be here now.

    Sam had no regrets.

    If he had not fought because he was afraid of the cost, he would have regretted it more.

    No, he could not even regret if he had died.

    I shudder to think of what would have happened after that.

    Ur, G¨¹nther, and His Majesty Clyde who were there would have been killed by the lepers. After that, there is a big possibility that Liese and other important people in the capital would have lost their lives too.

    Then, Sam''s decision to fight against the Lepsies at that time was not wrong.

    "- I see. Then I won''t say it again."

    "Yeah. That''s fine."

    "Then I''ll tell you what I didn''t tell you."

    "What you didn''t teach me?"

    "Yes. There are things I have deliberately kept from you. And I have omitted that knowledge from the knowledge transmitted by the inheritance magic I have performed on you. But for the future, it would be good for you to know."

    "Huh?"

    I had never thought that there was something that Ur had intentionally omitted from the knowledge he had passed on to me.

    At the same time, I could see that he had definitely done so for my sake.

    "Your greatest magic, [Sekai wo Kirisaku Mono], is called <>."

    "Compensatory magic?¡¡What does that mean?"

    I''ve never heard of this kind of magic.

    At least, I have never heard of it in the more than four years I have studied under Ur.

    "It means exactly what it says. Magic for a price. It is a very simple but powerful magic. Originally, we wizards used magic by consuming our own magical power. We use magic by paying the price of magic power. And what do you think would happen if that price were increased?

    "...... Well, we can use powerful magic, right?"

    That''s right. There was once a study of compensatory magic. But the research was not good enough. If you increase the price, you can use powerful magic, but you don''t want to pay the price yourself. Then what should you do?¡¡It''s easy, just have someone else pay the price who is not you."

    Is that...

    It''s forbidden.

    I''m sure you''re right.

    At any time and in any place, there are people who are willing to take risks for others while being unwilling to take risks for themselves.

    When I hear such stories, I am reminded of how cruel human beings are.

    "The most forbidden art is the one that was recognized as forbidden because it was found to be able to force others to pay the price. Furthermore, even if it was powerful magic, it could not go beyond the boundaries of human beings. After all, there is only so much magic a human being can do.

    "Huh?¡¡But what about me?"

    Sam''s question was valid.

    As a human, Sam had defeated the Demon Lord with a single blow.

    Even though his opponent was imperfectly resurrected, he had defeated the Demon King, a secret that had been kept by the Kingdom of Skye for generations.

    More than anything else, Sam was not aware that the [Sekai wo Kirisakumono] he used was a compensatory magic.

    Rather, he did not even know how he was able to use it.

    Originally, Sam''s skill was a simple one, .

    It was a simple and easy-to-understand skill that specialized in cutting.

    However, Sam cannot use a sword. He cannot use any kind of weapons or tools.

    So, he decided to use his skill as a slash using magic.

    He improved this skill, made it easier to use and more powerful, and over time, sublimated it into magic.

    Its power is such that it can slaughter the Ordo, the chief of the people of Najaria, with a single blow.

    But [sekai wo kirisakumono] is different.

    It was not invented by Sam, nor was it the brainchild of Ur.

    It came to Sam''s mind like a revelation during the battle.

    At the time, he was in a life-threatening battle with the Dragon King, or rather, on the verge of being killed, so he used it without thinking. As a result, he succeeded in cutting off the Dragon King''s wings.

    But I knew there was a price to pay, and Ur and the Dragon King I fought had warned me not to use it, and I had not used it ever since.

    (-If what I used was compensatory magic, I feel that I have exerted a power beyond the realm of human beings.)

    "Well, except for you. By paying a price, the Sekai wo Kirisakumono can use a limited amount of power that surpasses your own. I tried not to think about it because I didn''t want to make you use it again, but it''s too strong for compensatory magic, and the price is too little for its strength."

    "Yes. I agree. If the price for being able to use that much power is a temporary loss of function in one eye and arm, I''m sure he won''t hesitate to use it again."

    "--I''m afraid of it."

    "Huh?"

    Ur looked straight at Sam.

    Her eyes seemed to be sincerely concerned for Sam.

    "Are you sure you haven''t paid the price?¡¡Are you paying for something that you and I can''t perceive, such as a life span, without knowing it?"

    "I don''t ...... know about that."

    I was horrified when Ur told me.

    (Yes, why did I assume I was only paying what I could figure out?¡¡Lifespan is invisible and cannot be felt. I don''t know what I''m paying for in magic, or talent, or anything else.)

    "So promise me, Sam. I''ll never use it again."

    "--that."

    Sam could not reply.

    If another Demon Lord should appear as an enemy, there would be only a limited number of ways to deal with him.

    It was better to sacrifice himself than to let the fear of the cost deprive him of what he held dear.

    "I understand your concern. So I will give you a solution. You will be pleased. After all, it is the magic of the elves.

    "--Elf!¡¡Urgh!¡¡I know an elf!"

    Elf.

    They are the representatives of fantasy, but Sam has never met one before.

    When he was told that he would be taught the magic of the elves, his heavy thoughts were blown away.

    "Yeah, too bad they''re perverts."

    But at the master''s words, Sam''s shoulders slump.

    "I see, you''re a pervert. There are so many perverts in this world.

    "Yeah, there''s a lot of perverts."

    "Ha-ha-ha."

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha."

    Sam and Ur laughed.

    They kept laughing, as if it were a joke.

    They laughed so much that they gradually lost the reason for their laughter.

    Thinking back, when I used to travel with her, we laughed at trivial things.

    (I have more things on my mind, but that''s okay now. If Uru tells me not to use it, I won''t use it. That''s all right.)

    After talking and laughing with Ur, Sam finally felt that he was properly reunited with his beloved mentor.

 341 - - 32ã™ã™ã™ã™ã™ã€‚

    "Good!"

    Kaoruko Kirishima cleaned up the church residence where she had lived for about six months, packed her few personal belongings in boxes, and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

    It had been a hectic time since Kaoruko returned to the Kingdom of Orkney.

    The bill for Hayama Hayato''s excesses had been discovered here and there.

    As a result, he himself, the king, and even the princess ended up dying.

    "This is the end of our country. If I hadn''t been with that idiot, we might have had a different future. ...... It''s a bit of a pity."

    Kaoruko had been serving the people as a saint, but she felt uncomfortable because she was from the same world as Yuto.

    However, Richard, the new king, asked her to stay in the country.

    She told the new king that it was impossible, but he was still complaining that he would think about it if he could do something about the rumors against me.

    Fortunately, the relationship with the sisters and knights who had helped her was good.

    They were sad that Kaoruko was leaving for the Kingdom of Skye, but they understood that it was better than what she was doing now in the Orkney Kingdom, and they said they would see her off with a smile.

    Some of the knights confessed that they would like to be with her as a lover and, if possible, as a husband, but Kaoruko politely refused their confession.

    Her feelings were appreciated, but she was afraid of changing the lives of the knights who had been so kind to her.

    Above all, Kaoruko has someone on her mind.

    He is younger than her, she has a fianc¨¦, and she is not in love with him yet, but she is interested in him.

    I am happy to see him again, but it will be a little while before I see him again.

    I have cleaned up my room, but I have not yet received my welcome from the Kingdom of Skye.

    I came back to the Orkney Kingdom for the patients in the process of healing and those who have not yet been healed, but the residents of the Orkney Kingdom have distanced themselves from Kaoruko, who is also from another world, because of Hayato Hayama.

    I sigh that it was a waste of time to come back.

    Still, I was saved by the fact that there were people who were not prejudiced and were willing to say goodbye to me.

    By now, the word would have gone through the church that we were ready to go to the Kingdom of Skye.

    All that was left was for the Orkney Kingdom to send a request to the Sky Kingdom to come and pick up Kaoruko.

    It may take a little time, but that''s fine.

    "Uh, saint."

    Can I help you?

    One of the sisters called out to me through the door.

    When I opened the door, it was a Sister I knew.

    Because of our close age, we have been in close contact with one of the Sisters, helping her with her laundry and having tea together.

    She is one of the Sisters with whom I have a close relationship, helping with the laundry and having tea together.

    Kaoruko waited for the Sister''s words, tilting her head inwardly, wondering if something was wrong.

    "Your saint has a visitor.

    "A visitor?¡¡What kind of person is it?"

    "Well, the Sky Kingdom, sir."

    "What?¡¡You came to pick me up already?"

    "I am sure that you are here to welcome the saint. You have a letter from the royal family of Skye and proof that you are a court wizard."

    "What''s wrong?"

    Kaoruko asked the sister, who seemed to have lost her temper.

    She looked troubled and opened her mouth fearfully.

    "I''m some kind of pervert.

    "What?"

 342 - - 33ã™ã™ã™ã™ã™ã™ã€‚

    "Well, I heard you were a saint, so I was wondering what kind of girl you would bring, but she''s very pretty. It''s nice to be from another world, isn''t it? Shiny black hair, fine and beautiful skin. I''m so envious!

    Waiting for Kaoruko in the reception room of the church was a person for whom words are hard to describe.

    At first glance, he was a man in his mid to late forties. He was nearly two meters tall, with a thick chest plate and log-like arms and legs, as if he had been working out.

    He had no hair on his head, which must have been shaved and reflected the light.

    A shaven man with a strong body, his well-groomed eyebrows and wide-open eyes are somehow frighteningly impressive.

    What caught her attention most of all was that he was the most fit man Kaoruko had ever seen in the other world, and he was wearing a pink, fluffy skirt.

    It was kind of a horror to see a forty-something year old man wearing a pink outfit that was so gorgeous and pretty, almost like a little girl''s outfit.

    (He''s a pervert. ...... No, no, no, no, it''s fine, even if a guy dresses up as a girl!¡¡It''s hopelessly unsuitable for her, but her charming face is not somehow creepy ......, and she looks cute, too, and yes, don''t judge her by her outfit.)

    Stunned, Kaoruko scolded herself inwardly without saying it out loud.

    She smiled outwardly and opened her mouth somewhat nervously.

    "Um, I heard you are from the Sky Kingdom."

    "Oh, I''m sorry, I haven''t even introduced myself. --I''m Dominique Catherine Johnston. I''m a courtesan in the Kingdom of Skye.

    (-- Did you just say "Courtly Magical Girl"?¡¡Not a court wizard!¡¡Huh?¡¡(Is there such a position, I just don''t know about it?)

    Kaoruko tries to keep a normal mind, even with a shiver in her heart.

    To do so, she bit her tongue.

    "...... Dominique-sama, have you come to welcome me?"

    "Now, please be friendly and read me as Catherine. It''s my, it''s my soul name."

    "...... Lady Catherine, so, um..."

    I have received an order from His Majesty King Clyde Isle Sky to pick up Kaoruko-chan.

    I''m sorry to bother you.

    "It''s okay. Kaoruko is very important to the Kingdom of Skye.

    Me, sir?

    Hearing Dominique''s - or rather Catherine''s - words, Kaoruko was slightly confused.

    At least, Kaoruko herself is not aware that she is a person of any importance in the Kingdom of Skye.

    She only thought that she was defecting to the Sky Kingdom as a result of her growing distrust of the Orkney Kingdom.

    "It''s been about half a year since you were summoned from another world to ours. With that much time, you can use recovery magic comparable to the pride of the Sky Kingdom''s court wizard, Purple Magnolias, and the Kingdom must want to keep you as a candidate for future court wizards.

    "...... me, a court magician?"

    Kaoruko could not imagine such a future.

    Catherine smiles.

    "It may not always be possible, but Kaoruko, you are going to be a disciple of Magnolia-sama, aren''t you?¡¡Then there is a good chance. From what I''ve heard, even at this point in time, you can use restorative magic to regain a lost limb.

    Kaoruko nodded.

    Since there were few recovery magic users in the Orkney Kingdom, she did not know how good she was, but she was aware that her recovery magic was a few steps behind that of the Purple Magnolias she had been shown during her stay in the Sky Kingdom.

    Magnolia''s recovery magic was wonderful. I was so fascinated by his technique that did not leave even a trace of treatment that I suddenly asked him to be my apprentice.

    Kaoruko''s offer surprised him, but he readily agreed with a smile.

    With that, Kaoruko decided to go to the Sky Kingdom.

    "It''s not my intention to say this, but Kaoruko''s recovery magic is unique, isn''t it? Normally, one would improve one''s magic skills through repeated experiences of failure and success, but I heard that Kaoruko was able to control recovery magic as if she was breathing from the very beginning.

    "Yes. I had acquired all the knowledge of how to use restorative magic as soon as I came to this world. ...... Maybe it''s a perk of otherworldly transfer, like in comic books."

    "I don''t know what the perk is, but it''s not something Kaoruko-chan learned and acquired."

    "Yes."

    "Oh, no, I''m not accusing you. In fact, there are people who have such a God-given nature. I''m one of them, but enough about me. But since you''re you, I''m counting on you."

    "Expectations?¡¡What on earth do you mean?"

    When Kaoruko raised a question, Catherine''s smile disappeared and she looked extremely serious.

    "Kaoruko-chan, ...... do you think you can use resuscitation magic?"

 343 - - 34ã™ã™ã™ã™ã™ã™ã€‚

    "--Resuscitation magic? ...... I''m sorry, but it''s not available."

    At Kaoruko''s answer, Catherine looked slightly disappointed.

    However, there was no one who could use revival magic in the first place.

    Not even the best recovery magician, the purple magnolia, could use it.

    No, I''m not talking only about humans.

    It is said that even subhumans such as vampires and dragons cannot bring the dead back to life.

    The exception to this rule is <>.

    It gives life to a dead person as a different race.

    In a sense, it seems to be a kind of resuscitation, but strictly speaking, it is not.

    Also, there are very few who can perform transmutation.

    It is said that vampires above the rank of duke can be converted into their dependents by giving them special blood, but this is not certain.

    It is also rumored that the Dragon King can resurrect the dead, but this is only a rumor.

    Since reanimation is an act of defying the world system head-on, reanimation itself is tantamount to rebellion against the world, and is sometimes considered to be forbidden.

    For example, the Ordo of the people of Najaria could not be resuscitated, but they were able to forcibly bring a woman back to life by transforming her.

    But that, too, is strictly speaking a failure.

    Transmutation is imperfect and life is not long.

    Not even resuscitation magic has been developed for human beings, and although it was studied in the past, it has not been done since it was considered forbidden.

    However, just because it has not been widely publicized, several recovery wizards have attempted it, but have been unable to achieve it during their lifetimes.

    That was the current state of resurrection magic.

    "That''s right. I thought maybe, but it doesn''t work like that. I knew that, but it''s hard to face the reality like this.

    "-- um..."

    "I''m sorry. I don''t think Kaoruko-chan is at fault. It''s just that we have our own reasons.

    "...... someone you want to resuscitate?"

    Kaoruko did not detour and asked clearly.

    An emissary of the Sky Kingdom had gone to the trouble of visiting her and asking if she could use resurrection magic.

    She could guess that there must be a good reason.

    She wondered whether she should ask or not, but Kaoruko dared to ask.

    "I have nothing to hide from you, Kaoruko-chan, so I will tell you. There is someone I want to revive.

    "I knew it."

    "It''s a little complicated. I''m back from the dead for the first time in my life, but death awaits me. We want to avoid that somehow. We all want her to live, even if it is forbidden and even if she does not want it herself."

    "So you like that person."

    "Yes, I love it. She''s a naughty, selfish, pushy girl, but she''s sensitive, kind, and a very wonderful wizard. It would be a great disservice to the Kingdom of Skye to lose her. No, it doesn''t matter. I want her alive, Your Majesty, we all want her alive, that''s all."

    Catherine''s words conveyed how much she cared about this person.

    She once left the country without telling us and passed away with only her disciples to take care of her. We only found out about his death later. How painful it was. I wondered if there was anything I could have done for her.

    "I''m sorry for your pain."

    Thank you. But, by some miracle or by God''s mercy, a chance has come our way. Maybe we can save her this time... I have such a small hope..."

    But that hope will be fleeting.

    Even the otherworldly healing magic that Katherine had hoped for could not revive her.

    She would turn to vampires and the Dragon King if she could, but vampires have no diplomacy, and the dragon is staying in the Kingdom of Skye, but she says it is difficult to visit the Dragon King, and even if she could, it would take time. It is also said that it is not known if the Dragon King will always be able to use revival magic.

    "Um, if you don''t mind, may I ask your name?"

    I''m sorry, I didn''t tell you. The boy''s name is Ur. Ulrike Scheidt Walker.

    "Scheidt?"

    Some of the names sounded familiar.

    It was the family name of Samuel Scheidt, whom I had met the other day.

    "Maybe it would be easier for Kaoruko-chan to say it like this. Ulrike Scheidt Walker is Samuel Scheidt''s mentor, no, he is more important than that."

    "Not Sam-sama''s important people ...... Lise-sama and the others?"

    "Of course, Lise and the girls are important. She''s their big sister.

    "I see."

    Catherine came to save Ulrike, Sam''s mentor and Lise''s sister.

    The result was disappointing. Sam and his friends must be disappointed.

    But..,

    "Lady Catherine, I cannot use resuscitation magic."

    "I''m sorry. I don''t mean to blame Kaoruko-chan. I just asked her what she expected.

    No, it''s not that. The reason I can''t use revival magic is because I don''t have enough magic power.

    "...... What do you mean?"

    At Kaoruko''s words, Catherine asked in a low voice.

    "I don''t have the magic power to use revival magic, nor do I have the skill. But I do know how to use resuscitation magic.

    At these words, Katherine''s eyes widened.

    Then she kneeled down on the floor and pleaded with Kaoruko as if praying to God.

    "Kaoruko-chan ...... No, Saint Kaoruko Kirishima-sama, please give us your knowledge to help our dear friend. For a price..."

    "Of course!"

    She interrupted Catherine when she was about to mention the price, and nodded reassuringly to Kaoruko.

    "It''s a revival magic that I can''t use, but Magnolia-sama or Sam-sama might be able to use it. If there is a chance that someone important to the Kingdom of Skye, to the people I know, can be saved, I will gladly give this knowledge to you!"

    On this day, a muscular man dressed in frilly clothes and carrying a saint and his luggage took off from the Kingdom of Orkney.

 344 - - 35 "Its a daily life with Eul" â‘ 

    The day after Sam woke up, just before noon.

    In the courtyard of the Earl Walker''s house, Sam, who had been trained by Ur in the elvish technique of incorporating and manipulating external magic, was lying in a heap.

    (-I remember Ur was a Spartan...)

    Sam, too exhausted to speak, tries to catch his breath, breathing on his shoulders.

    The magic skills of the elves were amazing.

    For those of us who believe that one must be born with magical power to be a wizard, it was a revelation to be able to harness the magic that is naturally present in the atmosphere and manipulate it at will.

    At the same time, the more this technology spreads, the more wizards there will be.

    £¨But it doesn''t work that way.)

    Those who are not born with magic power cannot feel the magic in the atmosphere, and it is impossible for them to use it.

    It seems that not many wizards can perceive the magic in the atmosphere.

    Sam is sensitive to magic by nature, so there is no problem. However, Erika, for example, could not sense the magic in the atmosphere no matter how much time she spent.

    (Well, if everyone could use magic, the balance of power among countries would be broken and problems would arise, so I guess this is the way it is.)

    As for Sam, he thinks it would be wonderful to have a world where magic is available to many people without distinction. But some people do not want that.

    Those who have privileges because they are wizards, or those who are more privileged than others, will lose their advantages if magic becomes the norm.

    Some wizards, even if they are not very good, are surrounded by nobles and live a good life just because they have magical power and can use magic. In short, they are treated like stallions, but even so, there are not a few who think it is better than working hard. For them, it would be unbearable to have their current life taken away from them.

    However, it seems that few humans have access to the magical skills of the elves, and the number of wizards is not increasing.

    £¨It''s time for me to move on. (I wonder if Lady Karen and the others are around...)

    When I sit up, I see Ur working with Erika, Karen, and Mizuki in the courtyard.

    Rather than teaching them something, they are playing a hand-to-hand combat, but Uru looks cool against the three of them.

    Haren and Mizuki are working in unison, attacking with fists and wooden swords, while Erika is firing sharp magic from behind.

    The three of them, who train together on a regular basis, were in sync with each other.

    However, Ur did not use any magic, but handled their attacks with only her physical strength, as if she were dancing.

    "That''s just as you should expect from your sister Ur. I know that they are not serious about each other, but I still didn''t expect such a big difference in their abilities.

    "I don''t know the details of the battle, but I know that your sister is very strong!"

    Liese and Alicia are sitting at a table and chairs in the shade of a tree in the courtyard, watching over their family members as they train. Jonathan and Grace were there earlier, but they are away on an errand.

    The burning dragon is sleeping in his room, and the baby dragons are sunbathing in the sun, looking at Ur with interest from the roof of the house.

    "Well, I''d better get back soon."

    "Hmm, Sam looks happy."

    "Of course. It''s like a dream. Well, I''m in enough pain to make you think it''s real.

    Lise and Alicia laughed when I said that with a cowering shoulder.

    Indeed, Ur is in such good spirits that it is hard to believe that he just came back to life the other day.

    Even now, a flower lotus danced in the air as Uru kicked it high in the sky.

    "I would have joined you if I could have. Even though I know I''m carrying a baby, my body still tingles when I see everyone else.

    "I understand how you feel, but you mustn''t mix with them!"

    "I know. It''s just a shame.

    Lise is a swordsman too. Perhaps it''s because she sees Mizuki, who is also a swordsman, fighting with Ur, that she is tempted to grab a sword herself.

    I understand your feelings, but as your fianc¨¦e and the father of your child, please don''t do anything dangerous. Of course, I know that Liese doesn''t really want to fight with Ur, but I''m worried about her.

    Letting out a deep breath, Sam went to join the four of them for another hand-to-hand combat with Ur, but then stopped.

    He senses a presence approaching and turns his head in that direction. There was Stella with a parasol, guided by the maid.

 345 - - 36 "Its a daily life with Eul" â‘¡

    "How are you, Mr. Sam, ladies and gentlemen?"

    Stella, dressed in a blue one-piece dress and holding a white parasol, gave Sam and the others a friendly smile.

    Even though it was a hot summer day, her white hair was flowing smoothly and there was not a trace of sweat on her snowy skin.

    "Hello, Stella!

    Sam stands up and greets him, raising his hand in a friendly manner.

    Liese and Alicia got up from their chairs and bowed, and Ur and the others who were in the middle of a handshake stopped moving and bowed.

    "Please, stay where you are. Especially Liese who is very heavy. Besides, we are Master Sam''s fiancees. At least I consider you all as my family, so there is no need for formal greetings.

    "Thank you for your concern."

    Stella said words of concern with a wry smile, and Liese expressed her gratitude on behalf of Stella.

    Meanwhile, the maids finish setting up the chairs.

    "Anyway, it''s not good to stand around in the heat, so please have a seat, Stella-sama.

    "Thank you, Master Sam."

    Stella closes her parasol and sits down on a chair, and Liese and the others start to move.

    Hanae and the others moved faster than anyone else, trying to catch Ur, but there was no such thing as an opening, and they were quickly repulsed.

    "--I see that Ulrike is really here. My father and G¨¹nther had told me about it, but to be honest I was skeptical.

    "I understand how you feel, Stella-sama. We were surprised at first, too.

    "I didn''t have much contact with Ulrike, but I heard about her every day. I am often surprised to see you again as Master Sam''s mentor.

    "Mr. Clyde told you about us, didn''t he?"

    "Yes. My father told me many stories."

    Stella wore a slightly tired smile.

    It was easy to see how much Clyde had told her.

    "I see. That must have been quite a surprise."

    "I really couldn''t hide my surprise. I never imagined that in the Kingdom of Skye, under the palace, there was a tombstone of the Demon King, and that my family was the tomb guard.

    "No wonder. In fact, I never dreamed of such a thing myself.

    Sam, too, laughs along with Stella.

    It had never occurred to him that such a powerful demon king could be so close by.

    "I also heard that Sam-sama defeated the Demon King. I knew that Sam-sama was strong, but I never thought that he had defeated the Demon King as well, and I must confess that I was most surprised.

    When Stella says this apologetically, Sam shakes his head and says he doesn''t mind.

    Sam shakes his head and says that he doesn''t mind.

    They are not on the same level as creatures.

    Sam himself does not know how he came to be in the realm of the Demon Lord.

    But strangely enough, he did not think that he could not defeat him.

    "It''s just a fluke.

    "Even if it was a fluke, I don''t think anyone can defeat the Demon King. The Kingdom of Skye is not related to the Demon Lord because of its location, but there are countries on the west side of the continent that are affected by the Demon Lord, and some of the Demon Lords have their own countries. The Demon Lord is strong and terrifying. Defeating a Demon King with that much power is not something that can be achieved by chance or luck.

    "Maybe."

    "Thanks to Sam, my father had a look of peace I had never seen on his face. I thought he was suffering from the anguish of his position as king, but he was suffering from something much greater.

    "I respect Clyde for not being able to tell anyone about the Demon King and for being a martyr to his role as tomb guard."

    Yes, me too. Thank you very much, Sam. Thanks to you, my father will be saved and Cedric will not have to carry such a heavy burden.

    Stella bows deeply to Sam and makes him look up, saying she doesn''t care.

    I did what I had to do. In the first place, the Demon King''s resurrection is not Clyde''s problem alone.

    "This power given to me by Ur has benefited many people. That alone is an honor.

    When Sam smiled at her, Stella''s cheeks turned red.

    "You may think I''m being a little bit arrogant, but I''m very happy to have met such a strong, kind, and wonderful person like you, Sam.

    I was so surprised when Stella, who was looking straight into my eyes, said that to me,

    Um, yes, I am very honored.

    Sam was embarrassed.

 346 - - 37 "Its a daily life with Eul" â‘¢

    Ur, who had beaten Hualien and the others to a pulp, walked toward us with a cool look on his face.

    Ulle stood in front of Stella and bowed reverently.

    It was the first time for us to meet like this. I am Ulrike Scheidt Walker. I did not expect to meet you after I had died.

    "Dear Ulrike, it''s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Stella Isle Sky. That does not mean that I know nothing about you. I heard about your activities when you were a court wizard and G¨¹nther told me a lot about you.

    Stella greeted Ur with a smile, and the name G¨¹nther came out of her mouth, which caused Ur to make a disgusted face.

    "...... I remember that you are related to that pervert, aren''t you? I''m sorry for you."

    Stella laughed at Ur''s harsh comments about G¨¹nther.

    She probably knew in advance how she was going to treat G¨¹nther.

    "He is like a fun brother to me.

    "It''s the end of the world, isn''t it, that such a brother is so partial to his own fianc¨¦e?"

    "I would respect G¨¹nther more if he didn''t have that. But that''s just like him, isn''t it?

    Well, we agree on that.

    G¨¹nther was a topic of conversation even though he was not here.

    Stella motioned for Ur to sit in the vacant chair.

    Urn sat down without hesitation and called the maid for a cup of cold tea.

    "I wanted to meet you, Ulrike. Especially in the last few months, this desire has been growing stronger. Ulrike, master of Sam and a very important person. I wish I could have met him sooner.

    "I guess it was fate that brought us together today."

    I am sure that if Ur had met Stella earlier, our relationship would not be what it is today.

    If Ur had met Stella, who has a strong influence on those around her, for better or worse, Stella might have left her room earlier and enjoyed the outside world.

    "I know it''s not my concern, but please take care of Sam for me. Please take care of Sam. I know it''s not my concern, but please take care of Liese and the others and make sure they have a happy, happy family."

    "--Yes. Yes, I promise."

    Stella nodded at Ur''s wish.

    For Stella, Sam is not only the love of her life, but also her benefactor.

    If she had not met him, she would still be alone in that dark room, escaping in the name of study.

    I will never forget how Sam took me out of the room that day.

    Thanks to Sam, I am happy and fulfilled every day now.

    It was natural for me to want to do more for him than he had done for me.

    I want to work with the other fianc¨¦es to love Sam more than Ur and make him happy.

    I will make you happy, we will make you happy.

    Hearing Stella''s declaration, Ur smiled happily.

    The first time they met, Ur was very happy.

    Afterwards, Sam, who had recovered his strength, joined Ur in a hand-to-hand contest.

    Sam is blind in one eye and has no feeling in his left arm, but he has more than his original strength and moves best.

    Haren and Mizuki followed Sam, and Erika dragged the three of them down, but Ur won a convincing victory against the four of them.

    Of course, Sam did not use his skills, and it was only a hand-to-hand contest, but still the difference between master and disciple was significant.

    Sam was the first to leave, followed by Mizuki and Karen. Surprisingly, Erika bit the most, but in the end she ended up on the ground, flying in the air like the three of them.

    "You''re not ready yet. I know you don''t mean it, but I don''t mean it either. You need to be more diligent."

    Ulle, who kept his breathing steady, then listed the good points and areas for improvement for each of us.

    While being strict, Ur''s stance is to give praise where praise is due.

    (I still have a long way to go on my own without any skills, don''t I? (I''m not ready yet - that''s an excuse, but I want to be a little bigger).

    At 14 years old and slightly smaller, Sam wanted to grow a little more in terms of his physique.

    Physically and mentally, he could grow even more than he is now.

    Now that his magical power is fully developed, he can improve his magical skills.

    It would be ideal if he could finally reach a certain level of strength physically, magically, and skill-wise.

    £¨If possible, I would like Ur to see my growth to the end.)

    As it stands, Ur''s death is inevitable.

    Jonathan, His Majesty King Clyde, and Purple Magnolias are trying to find a way.

    However, Ur himself has no intention of doing so.

    Ur was happy to see the people he never got to say goodbye to again, and to be ready to die this time.

    He chose to be himself, not to look backward, not to struggle in vain against a resurrection that was not meant to be.

    Therefore, Sam and the others have decided to go along with Ur and cherish each day as it comes.

    Sam is not sure how much time he has left, but he hopes he can stay with Ur as long as possible.

    Sam''s task remains the same.

    If he had to say goodbye to Ur for the second time, it would only be to become a more powerful wizard than she, the greatest master he had ever known.

 347 - - 38 "Eul and I are pleasant friends" â‘ 

    It has been a week since Ulle was reunited with Sam and his family.

    In the meantime, Sam has been training with her to make up for lost time.

    His fianc¨¦es, Karen and Mizuki, and his sister, Erika, would join him in training, and Alicia and Lise would sometimes observe, but it was always just Sam and Ur on either the morning or afternoon of the training day.

    They did not want their fianc¨¦es and their families to disturb them.

    Even G¨¹nther, who seemed to consider their time together sacred, did not interfere.

    However, at other times, he would attack Ur and Sam in his usual perverted manner, only to be returned and retrieved by Cree.

    The unlearning days went on, with Ur pointing and laughing at his childhood friend.

    There was a lot of smiling and laughing during the week.

    Wool''s parents also cherished the time with their reunited daughter, enjoying drinks and tea together.

    Everyone thought, "Maybe Url will stay with us forever," as if Url was a natural part of their daily life.

    Ur himself cherished the time with his family. He also made time for the servants and the soldiers of Count Walker''s family, saying goodbye and expressing his gratitude for what he had done for them.

    While Sam and the others had a faint hope that maybe, just maybe, Ur accepted the end of his life as a matter of course and cherished each day as if it were his own.

    And today. Ur had met two friends.

    One of them is a beautiful girl of about 12 years old in appearance, but she is not as old as she looks. The one with long blonde hair and wearing a unique green costume is Michaela. He is not human, but a race of people called elves.

    The other is a beautiful woman with long blonde hair mixed with silver. She looks to be in her mid-thirties, but her actual age is almost fifty. Her name is Gabrielle Woodford, and she is the Duchess of Skye.

    Both of them are far apart in age from Ur, but they became friends when the heiress of a certain noble family ran away from home, and they found themselves becoming friends regardless of age, race, or position.

    And now. On the terrace of the Duke of Woodford''s house, a tea party with tea and cookies lined up on a white table was being held, and Ur joined in.

    "I knew it, Ulrike, you''re one of us. I knew it. I could smell the same thing.

    Holding a teacup in her hand, Gabrielle Woodford smiled.

    He is the head of a ducal family, but he keeps politics out of his life as much as possible and lives a freewheeling life. She is a moneylender and her fortune is considerable.

    Gabrielle is also a person who is devoted to other charitable activities such as running an orphanage, providing shelter and housing for vagrants, and job placement, and she has a good reputation among her people.

    However, he has a troubling proclivity for immature boys, which once caused him to be feared by the children of the nobility.

    However, a few years ago, she had been happily married to a boy whom she had taken in as a slave, and they seemed to be enjoying a peaceful married life.

    "I agree with you. Ulrike gave off the same vibe as us.

    It was Michael who nodded his head while picking up a cookie.

    She looks like a young girl, but she is the oldest of the three.

    Her true identity is that of an elf. It is a mystery why an elf, who is a closed person, is in a human country, but she seems to be moving from place to place in search of her sister who ran away.

    She is currently based in the Kingdom of Skye, searching for her sister. She has been out of the country for the past few days, and when she came back, she was very surprised to find her friend who was supposed to be dead.

    By the way, Michael is also a pervert with a penchant for boys.

    "No, don''t mix with him. Perverts."

    And the one who is the harshest on his friends is Ur.

    When Gabriel invites him to tea, Ur is not pleased to find that he is treated like one of the perverts.

    Still, he refuses to leave after drinking the tea, probably because they are his friends.

    Ur is happy to see his friend again, whom he thought he would never see again, although he does not show it.

 348 - - 39 "Eul and I are pleasant friends" â‘¡

    "Oh, my God, you''re such a pervert. I heard that Ulrike was also using her position as a teacher to do this and that to Samuel Scheidt, who is the talk of the town right now."

    "I will!"

    "--What?¡¡You didn''t?"

    At Ur''s angry denial, Gabriel''s eyes widened in disbelief.

    "I ain''t!¡¡Not with you perverts!"

    Ulle shouted angrily again, thinking that it was more tiring to deal with these perverts than to fight the demon king.

    Then both Gabriel and Michael looked at each other with a pained expression on their faces.

    "I see. So, Liese has eaten Samuel''s first food! Poor little thing."

    "You''re pathetic. To lose your first one to your sister. A boy''s first is a memory that lasts a lifetime. Ulrike missed a big one.

    "Don''t say it''s your first!¡¡You guys are still the same as you were a few years ago!¡¡Don''t you have a little change or something!"

    I get a headache from the fact that the pervert was still a pervert.

    There are too many perverts in this country, even though G¨¹nther alone is enough for me.

    "I can''t help it! I''ll take you to my favorite restaurant. You can dance and eat boys!"

    "That''s why I ain''t doing it!¡¡I mean, what the hell is dancing and eating?¡¡No, stop, don''t explain!¡¡That''s enough or I''ll magically blow you away!"

    Gabriel remonstrated with Ur, who slammed his teacup down and stood up, saying, "Oh, dear.

    Ur reluctantly returned to his seat.

    After a life devoted to magic, Ur has no tolerance for vulgarity.

    "I think it''s time to cut the jokes a little bit. I am so happy to see you and Ulrike again. When I heard of your death, I honestly could not believe my ears.

    "...... Was this conversation ever really a joke?¡¡Well, never mind. I''m sorry about that."

    "Hmm. It''s unusual for Ulrike to apologize."

    "At the time, I really didn''t have the time. It''s not an exaggeration to say that I lost my mind. When I was told that I had very little time left to live, I was in total darkness. I even cursed God, whom I did not believe in. I wanted to do something about my illness, even though I knew there was no way to do so, outside of this country... I thought that short-sightedly and ran away from the country. And then I met Sam."

    I still remember the despair I felt when I was diagnosed.

    I tried to do something about it, consulted doctors and restorative wizards, and even dabbled in magic unknown to me.

    Although I have never said it out loud, I have also considered prolonging my life by becoming a non-human, as the people of Najaria had done to me.

    But Ur wanted to be human. He wanted to remain human.

    That is why he tried to find a cure outside the country. If he could not, he wanted to find an heir who could inherit everything.

    And that''s how he met Samuel.

    "It''s fate."

    "Don''t play games with me, Gabriel. But maybe you''re right. I think meeting Sam brought me back to my senses. The days that followed were so colorful and full of life. I didn''t even regret dying. But I never thought I would see my family and you guys like this again."

    Ulle can only laugh as the unexpected events of the past few days continue to unfold.

    "It''s true. It would be better if Ulrike could live on like this.

    "That''s impossible. But I''m not afraid of anything. I have Sam, my family, and my friends again. If I want more, I''ll be punished.

    "I like that kind of grace, Ulrike. But, Michaela, can''t you do something about it?

    Gabriel asked, and Michael shook his head, saying it was impossible.

    "We elves are long-lived to begin with, so it''s not like they want to lengthen our lifespan," Gabriel said. Besides, we can''t heal a human body, and Ulrike is half-vampire now, so we''re out of luck."

    "...... so."

    "So don''t get all dark, because I don''t care. Usually when we die, that''s the end of it. I''m lucky to be able to have a cup of tea with you guys like this.

    Gabriel nodded in agreement with Url''s words.

    Then, as if to blow away the gloomy atmosphere, Michael stood up with a thud.

    "Stop it, stop it!¡¡Shiny is not for us!¡¡If Ulrike doesn''t have time, then let''s hurry up!¡¡I''m going to go dance and eat boys!"

    "You perverted elf!¡¡You still say that!"

    I''ll pass. I''m a devoted husband.

    "What surprised me the most when she came back to life was that Gabrielle had seven children!¡¡Don''t be a MILF!"

    "Don''t call me a MILF!¡¡I will still bear the children of my loving husband!"

    "You''re still going to have the baby!¡¡I just looked at your husband and he looked so thin because you''re squeezing him too much!"

    "-I won''t deny it."

    "You don''t!"

    The nonsense had returned, but Ur was inwardly relieved that the gloom had been lifted.

    He thanked God, whom he did not believe in, for allowing him to talk like a fool with his friends without thinking, as he had done in the past.

 349 - - 40 "I heard about the demon king" â‘ 

    While I was having a good time with my friend, I felt a twitch and Ur reacted to something.

    He gets up from his chair and looks out from the terrace toward the castle town.

    Ulle''s expression was tense, unlike the past times when he had a smile on his face.

    His two friends came to see him, wondering if something was wrong.

    "Ulrike?"

    "What''s wrong?"

    "The Demon Lord is here."

    It is understandable that Gabriel, who is not a wizard or a fighter, does not notice, but it is surprising that Michael the elf does not notice this much magical power.

    "By demon kings, do you mean the demon kings of the west?"

    "Yes, I knew they would come in the near future, but I didn''t expect them to arrive just a little over a week after the death of the Demon Lord Lepssy. d*mn it, you demon kings have a lot of time on your hands!

    Michael nodded his head in agreement as Ur swore.

    "Oh, you know what I mean. The demon kings are basically bored.

    "Is that so?"

    "It''s quite famous in the West, but the Demon Lords used to kill each other really hard. There were several times as many demon kings as there are now. But when the Demon Lords fight, it''s the weak like me who suffer.

    "What kind of weakling are you, you perverted elf!"

    "Weak!¡¡So, before they went mad with vengeance, Demon King Lepsy and Demon King Vivian and the others killed the troublesome Demon King. They caused a tremendous amount of damage.

    "So there''s going to be damage after all?"

    Ur was disgusted.

    Either way, we can''t let the city be damaged.

    £¨But what should we do?¡¡Can I deal with the Demon King now?¡¡No, I can''t. Then is it a problem if we provoke them unnecessarily?¡¡I could stay here and see what happens, but ...... d*mn, I hate myself for being weak.)

    It is not every day that we get a chance to fight the Demon King, and it is not that I do not have the desire to fight.

    However, it is absolutely necessary to avoid the destruction of King''s Landing because of Ur''s emotional reaction.

    First and foremost, we need to know why the Demon King came to King''s Landing.

    "You know, if the war is going to drag on for a long time, he decided to end it in a short time, even if it causes damage.

    That''s admirable.

    "And the number of Demon Kings has reached the present, and no more Demon Kings have been born since then."

    "Why?"

    I don''t know how many hundreds of years ago this was, but it bothered me that the once numerous demon kings had never appeared again since the war.

    "Other demon kings crush those who are trying to become new demon kings. Sometimes they crush them physically, and sometimes they add them to their ranks. That''s why there are beings who are called the Demon Lord class even if they aren''t the Demon Lord. By the way, your beautiful sister is a semi-Demon King!

    "I don''t need information about your sister. Hmm?¡¡Huh?¡¡I believe you said your sister''s name was Daphne?"

    Yes, isn''t it a nice name?

    No, I think I''ve heard that name somewhere recently.

    "For the record, Daphne is not an uncommon name. Is the owner of that name Ur told me an elf?

    Uh, no, human. I think she was a maid.

    "How can a noble and beautiful sister be a maid?¡¡We''re not from the same race to begin with, and there''s no way I wouldn''t recognize you if you were around!¡¡My sister and I are connected by the bond of sisterhood!"

    "I''m not surprised he''s running away from you."

    "Hey!¡¡Stop being so rude!"

    Gabriel''s cough echoed between Ur and Michael.

    "You two are getting sidetracked from the story of the Demon King.

    "Whoa, go on. Go on, pervert elf."

    "Yes, yes. So now the Demon Lords have decided not to fight useless battles. Well, technically...

    "Ostensibly, that is."

    The Demon Lords are not good people. I''ve heard that Evangeline and Endo in particular are terrible people. There are even rumors that some of the other Demon Lords are preparing to start a war against Vivien, who is one of the oldest Demon Lords.

    "What about the Demon King Lepsy?"

    Michael cowered.

    "I only know what I''ve heard about Master Lepsey, because he was defeated by a human before I was born. But I don''t know anyone who would say anything bad about Master Lepsey. Everyone says he was a great demon king. Even now, there are many who adore Master Lepsey.

    "--I hope Sam doesn''t get into trouble with those guys."

    Sam''s misery seems to continue, and Ur sighs involuntarily.

 350 - - 41 "I heard about the demon king." â‘¡

    "I know I''ve said a lot of unnecessary things, but there are many Demon Lords who have a lot of free time on their hands. This continent must be too small for them to have free time.

    "- Such a Demon Lord coming to the Kingdom of Skye, that''s a big deal."

    As yet, the Demon Kings have not made any major moves.

    The only thing we know is that they are wandering around the castle town, but no problems have arisen as of yet.

    I hope that the Demon Lord will not come to kill Sam after hearing Michael''s story, but I do not make any optimistic predictions.

    I don''t know what the Demon Lord, who is an old acquaintance of the Demon Lord Lepsy, thinks about the death of one of the Demon Lords.

    "I don''t think so, but you''re not going to meet the Demon King, are you?

    "I intend to, but what?"

    "As a friend, I advise you. Stay out of this. It''s not unusual for a Demon Lord to sneak off to the human lands from time to time. There''s no problem. Then this time...

    "But the timing is too good. I''m not optimistic enough to think that the demon king''s arrival after the death of Lepsy is a coincidence.

    Since there is a possibility that the cute little apprentice is being targeted, Ur has no choice but to exercise maximum caution.

    There is also the fear that, like Michaela, he does not know the Demon Lord.

    "I have given you my advice. It would be a fool''s errand to voluntarily throw away his few remaining lives.

    "I know--"

    The moment Ur was about to reply to Michael''s advice, he noticed an explosive release of magical power.

    It was too dense and violent.

    He could feel the power so strong that he felt as if his body would collapse if he let his guard down.

    £¨I''m scared to death to have to deal with such a thing.)

    "Ulrike?"

    We notice the presence of Michael and Gabriel, who are worried about Ur, who is in a cold sweat and shaking all over.

    £¨I see, the demon king''s magic is so strong that they can''t even sense it. Unless they are standing in the same area or close to the Demon Lord, it''s hard to tell. I see... No wonder the Demon Lord is able to stroll around the town with his friends.)

    Probably only a few people in the Kingdom of Skye are aware of the current Demon Lord''s magical power.

    We don''t know how he will sense this power, but it is likely that the wizards Ur knows will go to the source of the power.

    "Ulrike?¡¡What''s been going on with you since a minute ago?"

    "Oh, no, it''s nothing. I just remembered something I had to do. I''ll be back."

    Hey!

    "Ulrike?"

    Urs tries to fly home not from the front door but from the terrace, much to the consternation of his friends.

    Ur stopped once and looked back at them.

    "Sorry, we''ll see you again."

    "Ulrike, you have to say it right this time."

    Gabrielle stood up, approached Ur and hugged him gently.

    We will always be friends.

    "Yeah, I''ve got a good friend, even if he is a pervert."

    "You know what?¡¡It''s about time you stopped calling me a pervert!"

    Michael, who was complaining, followed Gabriel and hugged Ur.

    He let go of his friend''s body regretfully, and Ur flies away slowly.

    "I''m glad I met you guys. You are my dearest friends.

    With these words, Ur flew through the skies of King''s Landing.

 351 - - 42 "A girl and a big man."

    "You scum, you mongrel, you stupid ogre!¡¡You came all the way to a human country and you don''t have any human gold!¡¡You''re useless!¡¡You''re the reason I can''t have any of your delicious-looking snacks!"

    Sorry.

    In a corner of the castle town in the Kingdom of Skye, a strange scene was unfolding.

    "I''m sorry, you little fish!"

    "I''m sorry ......, please don''t do this again."

    "What are you apologizing for?¡¡Get down on your knees and apologize!"

    I''ve already apologized, so please forgive me. Besides, I have my pride. I can''t get down on my knees in the street.

    Everyone stopped and looked at the indescribable situation of a girl in her mid-teens cursing and kicking a large man in his thirties with a bewildered look on his face.

    The sight of the hysterically screaming girl and the strong-looking big man being left unprovoked and unresisting was a strange one.

    A few people wondered if they should stop the girl, but they held back for fear that the girl''s abuse would be directed at them.

    "--Hmm. So what are you going to do?¡¡I can''t even eat. I don''t even know who killed Lepsi. What the hell are we doing here?

    "It was a mistake to come out here on the spur of the moment."

    The big man scratched his head in annoyance, and the girl showed her annoyance at his attitude.

    "You''ve got to be kidding me!¡¡I thought I had checked it out when you said you were going!"

    "We came to the east side as soon as the leprosy was completely gone. There''s no way we could have been prepared. I know I was shortsighted, but it''s still normal to want to meet the person who killed the lepers."

    "I want you to do your research before you make a move!"

    "Ha-ha-ha, it''s the same for you!¡¡But, well, I''m sure you''ll find who you''re looking for sooner or later. Not many people can beat a leprosy."

    "I mean, we don''t even know if it was a human who defeated Lepsey. Maybe even more than us.

    "Maybe. Well, let''s put that aside and have a bite to eat first.

    The big man went at his own pace.

    He had no money, but right now he was more concerned about being hungry than about the people he was looking for.

    Maybe the girl felt the same way, or maybe she was getting tired of dealing with the big guy.

    She does not hide her sour face, but turns her dark eyes to the surroundings.

    "d*mn, if you don''t have money, you can get it from some guy around here..."

    "I''ll stop you. I don''t care if Vivien scolds you. I don''t care if Vivien scolds you or not, you''ve been spanked so hard your ass is red and swollen before."

    "...... That old hag!¡¡My buttocks hurt just remembering it!"

    When the girl held her buttocks and shouted angrily at someone who was not here, the big man laughed out loud with amusement.

    Then the man crossed his arms and realized that they were now conspicuously attracting attention,

    "Well, I don''t know what to do."

    He muttered to himself without looking too troubled.

 352 - - 43 "Im in love with the demon king" â‘ 

    Sam was walking alone in the castle town on a summer day.

    He spends a lot of time with Ur these days, but he also spends a lot of time with his fianc¨¦es.

    It seemed unusual for the residents to see Sam walking alone in the city.

    Some of the people who knew him approached him.

    Sam waves his hands at these acquaintances, sometimes laughing in reply.

    "Uh, right around here, right?"

    Sam''s errand was to buy cookies, her favorite food, for Lise, who had lost her appetite due to the hot weather.

    "I hope Lise is happy. I hope Lise will be happy and I''ll buy some more things for everyone.

    I was feeling a little sorry for myself because I felt I had been overprotective of Liese lately.

    Lise is not a child either. She is not a child, and it would be hard for her to feel at ease if she is constantly bothered by this and that just because she is pregnant.

    Sam was unaware of this, but he had been advised by the scorching dragon who was sleeping and eating at the Countess Walker''s house.

    She was impressed by the fact that the dragon had a husband and a child.

    But Sam''s first child was in Lise''s belly.

    First time or not, it doesn''t matter. A new life is being born to the woman he cares about. Of course she would be worried and overprotective, Sam thinks.

    However, he understands that it is actually depressing at times.

    He reflected on the fact that the kind Liese was probably concerned about him.

    I am happy to be a father, but I am equally anxious and afraid.

    But for now, all I can do is hope that both mother and child will be healthy.

    "--Hmm?¡¡Hey, what are you doing?"

    We were almost at Lise''s favorite baked goods store when we saw a crowd of people.

    As I approached to see what was going on, a resident noticed Sam and approached me.

    Mr. Scheidt, are you alone today?

    "Yes, I am. By the way, what''s this all about?

    "I don''t know the details, but I heard that a girl is verbally abusing a big guy.

    "What''s that?

    I can''t help but ask back out loud.

    "Another pervert has appeared ...... in the middle of the castle town in the middle of the day?"

    The residents stroke their beards and laugh at Sam''s sigh.

    "The Kingdom of Skye is full of unique individuals, for better or worse. As I recall, in my grandfather''s time, the court wizards were a bunch of freaks and eccentrics."

    "Wow."

    "I think Mr. Scheidt is an eccentric enough fellow himself. He''s in love with that Mr. G¨¹nther. ...... Noblemen have tastes that commoners can''t understand.

    No, don''t do that, seriously!

    "Ha-ha-ha, I''m kidding!"

    Waving his hand at the residents who make jokes that are not jokes, Sam makes his way through the crowd.

    I wanted to leave him alone if he was a pervert, but I didn''t want to wake up later to hear that there was a problem, so I tried to just warn him.

    Then..,

    "You piece of shit!¡¡Fish!¡¡f*ck you!"

    A girl in her mid-teens, with voluminous hair as black as darkness, dressed in a black gothic lolita fashion, and holding a parasol, was shouting foul-mouthed curses at the big man.

    The girl had unhealthy-looking, morbidly white skin. She was a pretty girl, but her dark eye shadow made her look a little creepy.

    The girl, who was supposed to be pretty, was giving off a strange atmosphere because of her behavior, black clothes, and heavy makeup.

    "Please give me a break!"

    A large man in his thirties was the one who made such a pathetic sound.

    He had brown skin and a well-trained physique.

    He was over two meters tall, which was an enviable height for Sam, who was still a small man even though he was still growing.

    However, the sight of such a well-trained big man being abused and kicked by a Gothic Lolita girl made him hesitate to say anything to her.

    (Is there any problem if I leave it alone?).

    At first glance, it looks like a fight, but both parties seem to know each other.

    The big guy was calm when the hysterical girl kicked him, and he thought that it might not be a good idea for him to intervene and make things worse.

    --The girl and the man looked at Sam as if he had been shot.

    A moment later, their gazes merged, and a dense magic power emanated from both of them.

    "--!"

    The magic that sent chills through his body immediately convinced Sam that he was in the right place.

    £¨Oh no, these guys are the Demon Kings!)

    Sam broke out in a cold sweat at the untimely encounter with the Demon King.

 353 - - 44 "Im in love with the demon king" â‘¡

    "Oh, my God, you''re so smart to notice us. So you''re the one who killed Lepsey."

    She approaches us, twirling her black parasol.

    The girl''s face, however, was filled with a sense of cruelty.

    £¨This is not good. I can''t fight in such a town in front of so many people. No, in the first place, if it were known that there were two Demon Kings, there would be a possibility of a huge panic ......)

    I am not sure how much the residents of the Kingdom of Skye, which has never been associated with a Demon King, really understand the existence of the Demon King.

    I don''t want them to panic, but that doesn''t mean they should ask "What is the Demon King? We don''t want to incur the wrath of the Demon Kings.

    £¨Oh no, that''s not good. What should we do?)

    While Sam was spinning in his thoughts, a girl was standing right in front of him, her face close to his nose.

    She smelled sweet and citrusy, as if she was wearing perfume.

    And although she is wearing heavy make-up, she is still a beautiful girl at such a close distance.

    "She can sense our magic power, so is she at least at least competent?¡¡You don''t look very strong. I mean, seriously, did this guy kill Lepsi?"

    "Be on your guard. Sometimes human beings can be a formidable force. No matter what the cost. You and I both know how scary humans can be.

    "--Ha!¡¡I ain''t never been afraid of people!"

    The big man also approaches Sam and looks at him as if to ask how he is doing.

    Sam wonders what to do, and then decides.

    "How about dinner?"

    "What?

    "...... how?"

    The girl looked surprised, and the big man nodded his head as if he was impressed.

    "I''ve been watching the exchange between the two of you, and it seems you''re hungry because you don''t have any money. So, can I buy you a drink?"

    Sam''s conclusion was not to fight.

    He did not have the arrogant notion that he could win against two Demon Kings.

    The only one Sam had ever known, Lepsi, was capable of conversation. Then, he thought he would first try to communicate with them.

    If worse comes to worst, if we have to fight, we''ll think about it then.

    At least it would be better than fighting in this place where all the residents were gathered.

    "What do you think?¡¡There''s a restaurant not too far from here that I recommend. You''ll get a private room and we can talk about all kinds of things. It''s just right for you, isn''t it?"

    Sam tried to smile.

    It was a smile that was 50% more affectionate than usual to convey that he had no hostile or warlike intentions.

    The girl looked stunned to see Sam like this, but the big man broke into a smile.

    "Oh, I''m sorry!¡¡I''m ashamed to admit it, but I''m broke and haven''t been eating properly. But you know what?¡¡You know what we are, right?¡¡Still?"

    "Of course. I''ll even get you a drink if you want. Since you''re here for me too, I''d appreciate it if we could just have peace during the meal."

    "--!"

    For some reason, the dark-haired gothic lolita girl is absolutely mortified.

    "She''s a friendly person. No, I''d say she''s got guts. If you could sense the power we both have, you''d know you''re no match for her. But I like her!¡¡But let me tell you something first. I drink, okay?"

    "If you promise not to get drunk and act out, you can drink as much as you want."

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha!¡¡You''ve got some nerve!¡¡You''re good enough to take down a leprechaun. I was hoping you could tell me a story about him, including how he died."

    "Then let''s talk about him over dinner. I have a lot of questions I want to ask you Demon Lords.

    When Sam said this, the big man''s smile deepened.

    For a strong-looking demon king, he seemed friendly when we exchanged a few words.

    With some relief, he was about to lead them to the restaurant when a girl grabbed Sam''s arm.

    "Wait a minute."

    "Well..."

    The girl''s cheeks were clearly flushed, even through her makeup.

    Before Sam could ask her if she was in a bad mood, the girl opened her mouth, her eyes shining.

    You like me, don''t you?

    "Heh?"

    "Okay, I''ll make you a special husband. You''ll thank me."

    "--Yes?"

    Sam stiffens at the girl''s sudden words.

    He does not know how her thoughts had led her to the idea of making him her husband, but he has a feeling that this is going to be incredibly troublesome.

    The big guy looked like "Oh no" at the girl''s sudden words and actions.

    £¨I mean, what''s going on here?)

 354 - - 45 "Im in love with the demon king" â‘¢

    Sam did not know what to say.

    In front of him, a dark-haired gothic lolita girl was standing confidently with her chest out. Her cheeks were red and her eyes were moist.

    Behind the girl, a man with a huge brown frame tilts his head as if he is troubled.

    £¨What is this? Why is he suddenly going to be my husband?¡¡I mean, I''ve been in a situation like this before!)

    The dazzling smile of the pride of the Kingdom of Skye was on my mind.

    If Sam remembered correctly, he had been in a battle with this pervert.

    (I don''t think so, but it won''t be a fight like the one with G¨¹nther, will it? (I don''t think so, but we''re not going to fight like we did with G¨¹nther, are we?)

    It''s not a matter of winning or losing.

    The fact that the Demon King might turn against Sam depending on his reaction is bad in itself.

    £¨Oh, I''m desperate!¡¡(Worst case scenario, I have to fight the Demon King even if I have to break my promise to Ur!)

    Sam opened his mouth slowly, fearfully, so as not to provoke the other party.

    "Well, I''d be glad if you could tell me how it happened."

    "You''ve never met me before, and you want to have dinner with me, the Demon King, and you fell in love with me at first sight, didn''t you?"

    "...... eh."

    Even when he explained it to me, I couldn''t understand it.

    (Yeah, I don''t really understand, but at least I know that I shouldn''t invite the Demon King to dinner.)

    As Sam looked deeply troubled, the big man, the Demon King, intervened.

    "I''m sorry. I''m sorry... I''m going to humiliate my people, but I''d appreciate it if you could think of it as a seizure. He often makes the mistake of thinking that someone is in love with him when they are a little nice to him."

    "I do that a lot!"

    "I''m not mistaken. You want to have dinner with me?¡¡A weak man had the courage to ask me out. Then it''s only a lady''s duty to answer him."

    "...... you should really look up the word ''lady''."

    Sam agreed with the big man, but he just nodded his head without saying a word.

    Then the black gothic loli demon king grew grumpier and grumpier.

    She looked at Sam for confirmation.

    "You want to have dinner with me, don''t you?¡¡But first, if you pledge your allegiance to be mine with all your heart--"

    "Okay then..."

    "What?¡¡Hey, wait!

    Somehow, after all the trouble, Sam gave the answer that it was best not to get involved and tried to leave the place.

    £¨The Demon King?¡¡I don''t give a shit about that stuff!¡¡I came to town to buy baked goods for Liese-sama!¡¡Oh, what a pain in the ass!)

    The big man panicked at this.

    "Oh, come on, give me a break!¡¡He was going to buy me dinner, but you''ve put him in a bad mood!

    "Shut up!¡¡I mean, you just called me a family member, but don''t you dare lick my face. Even if we''re the same Demon King, you''re a lower rank than me!"

    "That''s true, but don''t be so sure. You''re hurting me. And I''m hungry. Let''s eat anyway. In a friendly way, okay?"

    He puts his hand on Sam''s shoulder and smiles amiably, as if to appease him.

    The girl with the grumpy look on her face didn''t seem to like Sam''s sleeve, but she was hungry as well and didn''t seem to be out of control.

    "Let''s just eat and calm down. Oh, by the way, who are you?

    "This is Sam. Samuel Scheidt."

    "--Hmm?¡¡That name sounds familiar. Well, not now. I''m Douglas. I don''t mean to call myself that, but I''m the Demon Lord. I''m an ogre."

    "What?¡¡An ogre?¡¡But."

    When Sam was told that the big man who treated him like a friend was an ogre, he couldn''t help but ask back.

    The demon king, who called himself Douglas, had brown skin, which was rare in the Kingdom of Skye, but he was human in appearance.

    "Oh, he''s disguised as a human now. But I''m special. I''m a pure-blooded ogre, but I''ve evolved several times. Because of this, it is not unusual for me to be thought of as close to human."

    "Pureblood?¡¡Evolution?"

    "You don''t even know what that''s about. Well, if you''re human and you live on the other side of the world from us, it''s not too much to ask. I''d be happy to tell you about that when I get a chance, but it''s probably none of your business.

    The ogre Sam knows is a blue- or red-skinned, horned subhuman who wields a powerful force.

    They are powerful enough to be called monsters, intelligent enough not to run amok with their emotions and desires.

    A close relative is the ogre in the land of the rising sun in the east, but this is a more savage and evil being.

    "Maybe the line between us subhumans and monsters is blurred. You look a little confused.

    "Oh, no, I don''t mean to treat you like a monster.

    "I don''t mind. It happens all the time, and we know we''re ogres, but we don''t know if we''re more monster or more human.

    Douglas laughed without a hint of concern.

    To him, he was a demon king and an ogre. I guess that''s enough for him.

    £¨I see, it is a bad habit of humans to try to distinguish between monsters, humans, subhumans, and so on.)

    For better or worse, we humans are sometimes obsessed with the categories of "us" and "them.

    Sometimes, even the difference in country of origin or place of birth can be a target of discrimination.

    But I am sure that only humans do such things.

    "By the way, I have orcs and other races under my command in addition to ogres. I''d like to introduce them to you when I get a chance. Hey, it''s about time you got in a better mood and at least introduced yourself.

    Douglas approached the sulking girl in the background.

    The Gothic Lolita demon king stared at Sam and puffed out his chest again.

    "I am Evangeline Alahey. You shall have my name on your heart, my wife-to-be!

    "You''re a hard man to beat. You got dumped.

    "I didn''t get dumped!¡¡I was just embarrassed, you know!"

    "...... huh. Sorry, Sam. Well, let him say what he wants. And for the record, Evangeline is the Dragon King''s daughter.

    "-- what?"

    "Hey, don''t go around spouting off about me like that!¡¡Besides, I''ve already cut ties!¡¡I am now the Demon King and Evangeline Allahi, the Demon Dragon!"

    I had no idea that the girl who called herself Evangeline was the daughter of the Dragon King.

    (A daughter of the Dragon King playing the role of the Demon King, haha, that''s not funny.)

    Although I am related to the Dragon King, I had no idea that he had a daughter, so I was simply astonished.

    "I know you have a lot of surprises and questions you want to ask me, but let''s talk about them over dinner. I don''t want to hear that you won''t buy me a drink now."

    "Oh, yes, that''s all right, but please don''t go wild in this town, in this country."

    "I''m not going to do anything violent. We''re not stupid enough to go on a rampage in someone else''s country.

    "...... what should we do? If Sam won''t be mine, I''ll take my chances.

    Hey!

    I promise I won''t make you do it, please."

    Although Evangeline is still a little uneasy, there is no need to be rude to Douglas, who is friendly and welcoming.

    "All right. Let''s eat in peace."

    Sam nodded, and Douglas smiled happily.

 355 - - 46 "Dinner with the demons."

    The restaurant is run by a relative of the Duke of Ignatz family and is one of the most popular restaurants in the capital.

    It is a restaurant for the masses, but the food and drinks are first-rate. Yet, the prices are kept reasonable so that people in the city can visit the restaurant casually.

    Sometimes it is a casual place for family and friends, sometimes for lovers, and sometimes for a short time for the aristocrats on a secret trip.

    The chef is so skilled that he has been scouted by the court, but he has repeatedly turned them down, and is said to be a chef who makes it his mission to bring his cuisine to as many people as possible.

    If only the name of the restaurant were more ordinary, was the honest opinion of Sam and the other people in King''s Landing.

    However, the restaurant is run by a relative of the Duke of Ignaz, of whom G¨¹nther is the next head of the family. It would make more sense if the name of the restaurant was a little unusual.

    Since Sam is related to the Duke of Ignaz - to be frank, partly because he is followed by G¨¹nther - he passes the restaurant face to face and pays the bill with the Duke''s family.

    Of course, if I give in to the Duke, I might be giving in to G¨¹nther, so I visit the stores and pay the bill just like anyone else.

    However, for once I was allowed to use the Duke''s name.

    He decided that it would be better not to make the hungry demon king wait.

    Fortunately, it was just before noon, and the restaurant was still in the preparation time, but the manager, who had smiled at Sam''s sudden visit, bowed down to him and got a private room ready for him.

    When the manager confirmed that the two demon kings had no likes or dislikes, he politely said, "Please wait a moment" and left.

    The kings, who had no intention of being shy, had already ordered drinks from the manager.

    They must have sensed that the guests were hungry, because beer, wine, and whiskey were soon served along with larger portions of food.

    Douglas and Evangeline continued to eat, one with gusto and the other with good manners, while they were enjoying the food and drinks.

    "Ah, this is it," Evangeline said. I haven''t had a good meal in days, but beer is the best!"

    "Shut up! Can''t you at least eat quietly?"

    Evangeline, wine in hand, looked annoyed at Douglas as he slurped down his beer and ate his steak with relish.

    Sam and his friends were lined up at a round table with a number of meals in front of them.

    I wondered if I would be able to consume such a large amount of food, but after seeing how well Douglas was eating, I thought my fears were unfounded.

    Sam is also eating his meal and drinking iced tea.

    "You know, I don''t think a demon king would be so stubborn..." he says. You should be thankful to your darling and eat your food while crying.

    "Don''t be absurd. I''m not that handy. Of course, I''m grateful to Sam.

    "That''s all right, but, um, darling, I don''t think so."

    I asked fearfully, and Evangeline winked.

    "Darling is darling. You''re so cute, you''re so shy.

    "Ew."

    Aside from the difference in gender, this atmosphere of not wanting to listen to anything that was said was very similar to that of G¨¹nther''s.

    Sam thought not to say anything unnecessary and took a mouthful of the pilaf under her sultry gaze.

    £¨It''s so good, but I can''t concentrate on my meal because of her eyes on me.)

    Evangeline was enjoying her meal, which consisted mainly of vegetables and fish, while Sam was looking at her with a slightly uncomfortable feeling in his eyes.

    Although each bite was small, Evangeline was surprisingly as good as Douglas as she ate with a good tempo.

    The meal went on peacefully for a while, and we enjoyed all the dishes.

    Douglas changed his drink from beer to whiskey, and Evangeline finished her wine, at which point Sam called out to her.

    "Now that you''re settled, I''d like to ask you a few questions first.

    "Ask me anything. I''m still going to eat, but I need conversation with my meal. Let''s have a nice talk.

    "Anyway, I know what to expect, but what brought you to the Kingdom of Skye?"

    "Of course, I''m here to see you. Samuel Scheidt.

    "Right."

    Sam cowered and sighed at the obvious answer.

 356 - - 47 "The reason for the demon and the story of Repsie" â‘ 

    Sam cleared his throat.

    I knew it was coming, but I couldn''t hide my nervousness when he said it so clearly.

    I had been prepared for a day like today ever since he talked about other demon kings when he defeated the demon king Lepsy.

    I have tried to be friendly with Douglas and Evangeline in my own way so that the encounter would not turn into a battle, but I am still disappointed to think that a battle is inevitable.

    Especially Douglas is a nice and friendly person. He has a good personality.

    It is just a pity that we have to fight - or maybe not fight, but still fight - with him.

    "I knew he wanted revenge on me for the leprosy."

    My words were cut off by the nervous dryness in my mouth.

    "--Hmm?"

    "-- Huh?"

    Maybe that''s why the two demon kings looked at me so strangely.

    I tried to open my mouth again, thinking that perhaps my words had not been conveyed properly, but before I could open my mouth again, Evangeline spoke up, as if she did not understand what I meant.

    "Darling, what are you talking about?"

    "What?"

    "Why do we have to go through all the trouble of avenging the leprosy?"

    "What?¡¡No?"

    "No, it''s not. Oh, you didn''t think we were going to avenge Lepsey''s death or something, did you?¡¡That''s why you''re so nervous. I thought you''d be all over my good looks, d*mn it."

    (-- Huh? )

    Now it was Sam''s turn to tilt his head.

    "But you came all the way from the western side of the continent to see me, didn''t you?¡¡Then what are you doing here?"

    "What are you talking about, darling? --Of course it''s fate. I was led here by the red thread that connects me and you.

    "...... huh."

    "Evangeline, you shut up. You''re not going to get anywhere. Now, Sam. We''re not gonna do anything to you. We''re just grateful for the whole leprosy thing in the first place."

    "Grateful?¡¡Why?"

    We''ll let Evangeline''s words pass. But I couldn''t miss what Douglas said.

    It was a little hard for me to understand how he could be thankful for the murder of a leprosy, the same Demon Lord.

    "He wanted to die. Do you know why?

    Because you lost your family?

    "Yes. He was a poor man who was mad for revenge, but he couldn''t go crazy. He cried and cried when he thought about his wife and children, whom he could never get back. That''s why we left Lepsy alone."

    "Hey, Douglas!¡¡Talk more plainly to your darlin''!"

    "Oh, I''m sorry. I''m a fighter. I''m not very smart. We Demon Lords didn''t stop the Lepsi from getting their revenge. Is that okay?"

    "Uh, yeah, but why?"

    To Sam''s question, Douglas answered as if it were obvious.

    "It''s the humans'' fault. They killed the demon king''s family, his beloved family. No one will get away with it. He got what he deserved."

    Following Douglas, Evangeline sniffs and agrees.

    "Well, that fool didn''t stop at destroying the country of the people who messed with his family. Still, there''s no reason for us to stop him. I don''t care if humans die or if their country dies.

    Their replies were the Demon King''s to a fault.

 357 - - 48 "The reason for the demon and the story of Repsie" â‘¡

    "Evangeline is a bit out of line, but she is not wrong. People back then knew they couldn''t beat the lepers, so they went after their families. I''m not talking about the Demon Lord, those cowards don''t deserve to live. I have a family too. I shudder to think what I would have done if it had been me. That''s why there''s no reason to stop them."

    Even Sam understands that the fault lies entirely on the human side.

    We don''t know why the humans turned against the lepers, and we will never know, but there must have been more they could have done.

    As a result of their cowardice, the country was destroyed, and the wrath of the Demon Lord has not been appeased until the present day. That''s all we did.

    "We could have stopped the lepers, but that would have caused too much damage. When we were living free, we still had subjects and people to protect. We could not fight."

    "I didn''t have anything in my way, so I could have fought, but I couldn''t because that old b*tc* was in my way..."

    "Well said. You were the first one to try to bring Lepsy back to his senses."

    "Huh?¡¡Don''t be delusional. I don''t want my darling to get the wrong idea.

    "You don''t have to hide it, everyone knows you were close to Lepsey''s wife and kids."

    "Don''t be so selfish and delusional!"

    It seems that the Demon Kings were in contact not only with Lepsey but also with his late family.

    Sam felt as if he knew what they were really thinking, not because they were demon kings, but because they could not forgive those who had harmed their friends and family.

    "We avoided a fight between two demon kings, but before that, there was also the reason that we didn''t know if we could win in a fight."

    "And I would have won!¡¡I mean, Lepsey and the rest of them are small fry!"

    "Evangeline says so, but at least I didn''t win - I don''t think."

    "That''s because you''re a little fish, too!"

    I can''t even imagine how good Lepsey was in his prime when the Demon King in front of him said he couldn''t win.

    Even Douglas, I guess, is quite strong.

    He is so different in power that Sam cannot read his power.

    And Evangeline is even more difficult to read. She claims to be the daughter of the Dragon King, but I couldn''t see enough of the depth of her power to be convinced.

    "How strong was Lepsey in his prime?"

    The Lepsi that Sam knew had lost much of her power, perhaps due to her incomplete resurrection.

    Even so, they were hopelessly outmatched in a normal fight.

    "Yes, he was one of the best demon kings in the world. But his character was not suited for battle.

    "It''s amazing, though, that someone could make such an idiotic leprechaun so angry."

    "No doubt."

    It sent a chill down my spine to know that the royal court of the Kingdom of Skye had an extraordinary demon king.

    It makes me want to thank the people of Najaria for their half-hearted work, which resulted in an incomplete resurrection.

    What would have become of the country if it had regained its full strength?

    "I get that you didn''t stop Lepsey from getting his revenge, yes, but why didn''t you save him from being sealed away in the ...... Sky Kingdom?"

    The big question that remains is why the Demon Kings, who appeared so quickly when they thought Lepsi had been defeated, left the sealed Lepsi alone.

    "As I said before, Lepsi wanted to die out of vengeance. We couldn''t make it happen."

    "You mean?"

    It''s pretty hard to kill a leprosy, even for the same demon king."

    "You mean because Lepsey is so strong?"

    "Aside from his simple strength, the most frightening thing about Lepsey is his ability to regenerate. One little attack and he regenerates in the blink of an eye. That''s the kind of creature he is. The only way to kill a leprosy is to strike a blow that surpasses its regenerative capacity. I''m sorry, but I can''t do it. The same goes for the other demon kings.

    I could have killed him with time to spare, though!"

    Sam doesn''t know what Evangeline is capable of, but his confidence would not lie.

    Douglas cowered.

    "So I''ve heard. So, you know. He fought an otherworlder and lost. That surprised me, but I still couldn''t kill the lepers. Not even an otherworldly hero could do it.

    "We talked. Either we help the lepers'' fools or we leave them alone. And even if we unseal the pussy, he''ll just cry again. That would be too much trouble, so we decided to leave him alone.

    "I hate to say it Evangeline, but you''re not wrong. Let''s let him sleep it off rather than let him go crazy with grief. Until one day, when you are healed of your grief."

    However, the grief of the lepers has not healed even today, and their anger and hatred toward humans have remained.

    But at the same time, he was a kind demon king who tried to give warmth to the persecuted humans.

    "And then my darling showed up."

    "Me?"

    "We know that Lepsy has had an incomplete resurrection. And that he fought someone afterwards. I''m not surprised about this. There are a lot of lepers out there, and if they try to resurrect him for their own reasons, well, that''s acceptable. Well, it''s not good for the Kingdom of Skye. But the problem is after he''s resurrected."

    Sam said nothing.

    "Even if he is an incomplete resurrection and wants to die, a person who has the power to annihilate that Repsy, one of the most powerful demon kings of all time, is clearly a threat to us as well."

    "I was just curious, not freaked out!"

    Douglas looked straight at Sam.

    "I know it was Sam who fought the lepers. Now, I''ve been trying to be honest with you. So let''s have a heart-to-heart talk. What did you do?"

 358 - - 49 "The reason for the demon and the story of Repsie" â‘¢

    "--I see. An unknown force I don''t understand. That''s a very troubling thought.

    I''m surprised that my darling is a cursed child. I didn''t know their bloodline was still around.

    Sam told the Demon Lords about his battle with the Lepsi and the fact that he was the that he had been told by him, without lying.

    The reason he told them honestly was that he wondered if he could get any information about Sam''s most powerful attack, the , and the cursed child.

    The Demon Lords were interested in the Sekaiwokirisakumono, but they had no idea what it was.

    Perhaps, as Ur was concerned, they were paying more for the compensatory magic than Sam was aware of.

    But as for the cursed child, both of them seemed to have an idea about it.

    "What do you know about the d*mned child?"

    Evangeline knows more about that than I do.

    I don''t give a shit about those dark people. But..."

    In mid-sentence, Evangeline stares at Sam.

    "Sure, darling, you''ve got the cursed child''s blood in you, but it''s weak. I''m curious about the fact that he lost his gift with the sword and gained skills and magic, but I''m not sure if it''s really true. Maybe it has nothing to do with the cursed child at all."

    "Don''t you see?"

    I''m not omnipotent.

    Well, you know...

    "What''s up darling?"

    "So, darling, ...... that''s all right for now, what do you know about the cursed child?"

    At Sam''s question, Evangeline looks at Douglas with a slightly annoyed look on her face, but he just cowered his shoulders.

    Evangeline opened her mouth as if she had no choice.

    "I''m just trying to be detailed. Ah."

    "Evangeline killed most of the d*mned children. I''m afraid she missed some."

    "I didn''t fail to kill him!¡¡You just didn''t have to kill him. I thought it had died out on its own.

    I''m here.

    Sam tried to keep his composure, but Evangeline warned him.

    For what reason she had murdered the d*mned children, he did not know at this moment, but he did not know what she would think of Sam, who was also a d*mned child.

    "Well, that''s okay."

    "What?¡¡Is that okay?"

    But to Sam''s alarmed reaction, Evangeline was easygoing.

    It was a bit disconcerting.

    "A cursed child is the result of a person who was cursed by someone who had no power and offered a price to someone else. They are miserable people who would have been outmatched by non-humans if they hadn''t done such a thing, but as far as I can tell, my darling is not cursed in the least. Well, don''t you have to worry about it?"

    "...... that''s how it''s done."

    I was relieved.

    Sam would never be able to beat Evangeline now, even if he stood on his head. He knows that there is that much of a gap in their abilities.

    Moreover, he would not be able to use his trump card against Ur because he has lost the function of one of his eyes and the left half of his body at the cost of defeating Repsy, breaking his promise to Ur.

    "Good for you too darling. No matter how much I love you darling, if you had been cursed - I would have killed you right here and now."

    "----!"

    Sam is hit with such a dense magic that he stops breathing and is unable to move.

    But..,

    "No, Evangeline. You''ll spoil the food and the booze."

    Douglas''s powerful voice caused Evangeline to suppress her magic and Sam''s rigidity was lifted.

    "--Ha-ha-ha!"

    Sam, who had stopped breathing, repeatedly took deep breaths in search of oxygen.

    £¨I know I can''t win, but I can''t see the bottom. (I know I can''t win, but I can''t see the bottom...maybe it won''t even be a fight...)

    Sam once again confirmed that the two men in front of him were the Demon Kings.

 359 - - 50 "The reason for the demon and the story of Repsie" â‘£

    "Sorry, darling. But, you know, it''s kind of our duty as Demon Lords."

    "...... duties?"

    Evangeline, with her magic power contained, said apologetically, but Sam did not understand what she was saying.

    As the Demon Lord, she must have a role to play.

    When Sam asked back, Evangeline tried to open her mouth as if she wanted to explain.

    But Douglas interrupted him before he could.

    "Don''t say anything more. There''s no need to bring Sam into this.

    "Yes, yes, I understand. Shut up.

    "Well, what do you mean?"

    In the end, Sam, still unsure of what Evangeline was going to say, looked at Douglas, but he shook his head.

    "I''m sorry if I offended you, but this is none of Sam''s business. There are some things in this world you don''t need to know."

    "...... I see."

    Feeling no need to pursue the matter further, Sam simply withdrew.

    Whatever the Demon Lord''s reasons, Sam did not need to know everything.

    Although defeating Lepsy had brought Evangeline and Douglas together, he had no intention of interfering with them.

    "Well, I mean, they may be cursed children, but they are not the same cursed children we used to exclude. That''s all you need to know. You''re a good man, and thank God we didn''t fight."

    "I agree with you. I shudder to think of fighting you people."

    "Ha-ha-ha, don''t be modest. If you can fight the Lepsies, you can fight us.

    It''s just," Douglas scowled.

    "The problem is," he said, "that there''s a price to pay for slaughtering a leprosy. I don''t know, I wasn''t there, but I don''t know what you''re talking about. Well, I advise you not to use powers you don''t understand."

    "That''s what my mentor told me."

    And so it shall be. But it''s a small price to pay to kill the lepers completely, if only for one eye and the left half of the body as a temporary price.

    "But it''s possible that something more than that is being taken away from you."

    "But it''s still cheap. Sorry to break it to you, but the price of an entire human life span is not balanced by the death of a leprosy."

    As Sam himself has already thought many times, the price of one''s life against one Demon Lord is definitely a low price.

    If the life of King''s Landing had been taken - just thinking about it, he would have been willing to give his life.

    "However, Sam defeated the Lepsi for a small price. I guess you could call him a brave man."

    "Don''t be brave."

    In my mind''s eye, I see Hayama Hayato summoned as a hero in a neighboring country.

    I don''t want to be compared to him.

    "I know I''ve digressed a lot, but let me ask you one last question.

    "Yes."

    "Did Lepsey pass away peacefully?"

    "Yes, he looked peaceful."

    "Then I''m glad. Thank you, Samuel Scheidt.

    After all, perhaps the Demon Kings just wanted to make sure that their friend had passed away peacefully.

    Douglas and even Evangeline stopped eating, closed their eyes, and said a silent prayer.

    Sam followed their example and prayed that Lepsey would be reunited with his late family.

 360 - - 51 "Knight Zoe is here" â‘ 

    When Sam came out of the restaurant after the dinner with the Demon King Douglas and the Demon King Evangeline, he was greeted by the hot summer sun.

    It was already late afternoon.

    Douglas, who was rubbing his stomach with satisfaction, called out Sam''s name.

    "Thanks for everything you''ve done for me. It''s been nice talking to you."

    I''m glad to have met a Demon Lord like you.

    The two shake hands.

    "Well, let''s go home. My family and my subjects will be looking for me, and they will be in trouble.

    You should have said no before you came."

    "Ha-ha-ha, no doubt!¡¡Evangeline, let''s go home."

    "Huh?¡¡I''m going home with my darling."

    Douglas, having achieved his goal, is heading back to the west side of the continent, but Evangeline seems determined to stay in the Kingdom of Skye.

    Sam''s face scrunches up and Douglas sighs heavily.

    "You know, you should be more considerate of Sam''s problems."

    "Screw you!¡¡Who in their right mind would say that a man who eats and drinks like a fool is a nuisance to his darling!"

    Evangeline''s angry voice made Douglas look bitter.

    Then he looked at Sam, and the big man shrank back.

    "I''ll pay you back, Sam, I promise."

    "I don''t care. I bought it for you because I wanted to."

    "I knew it, darling, you''re in love with me."

    "That''s all right. I''m sorry, Sam. You owe me. I''ll pay you back someday."

    I look forward to it.

    Well, I''d better be off, or Vivien will find out.

    "-That''s right, Mr. Douglas."

    Someone''s voice echoed, and it wasn''t the three of us.

    "--oh!"

    Sam turns his head in the direction of the voice, as if unaware of its approach.

    There was a girl with silver hair.

    She is a small girl who looks about the same age as Sam, but since she called the demon king''s name, she must not be as old as she looks.

    She wears deep blue armor on her petite frame.

    £¨Oh no, I didn''t recognize her at all. It''s not that he has no presence, it''s simply that I didn''t notice him. She''s strong!)

    "Oops, I didn''t think they''d come after me already."

    "Wow, you''re here!"

    The two demon kings responded to the girl''s appearance without raising an eyebrow.

    I realized that there was that much difference between Sam and them.

    The girl passed by Sam as if she did not recognize his presence, and then kneeled down in front of the Demon Kings and bowed to them.

    "Lady Evangeline, Mr. Douglas, the knight Zoe is here to welcome you both."

    "Thank you. I mean, you''re here, Vivien.

    "It''s obvious."

    Douglas and Evangeline''s faces pull into a wide grin as the girl replies expressionlessly.

    "Wow. I''m going to get blown away and Evangeline''s ass is going to swell up like a lie."

    "I''m not leaving!¡¡That old hag''s punishment is extreme!"

    It seems that Vivien, the demon king, is in a position to scold both of them.

    I wonder what kind of person she is.

    "Well, Evangeline-sama, Vivienne told me that you can''t expect to get away with just a buttock, she said.

    "--Whey. You''re gonna die, you know that?

    Douglas patted Evangeline''s shoulder sympathetically, making strange noises.

    "That''s too bad. It looks like they know what we''re doing."

    "Shut up!¡¡I shouldn''t have followed you!"

    "Ha-ha-ha, it''s no use regretting it now!¡¡Let''s both get along and let Vivienne scold us."

    The girl takes her gaze away from the Demon Lord as they exchange such words for the first time.

    "Is that you?"

    The girl shot a sharp look at Sam as if she were glaring at him with a vengeance.

    At the same time, a cold hostility swept over Sam.

    Sam was drenched in cold sweat, unable to move, and was simply engulfed by the hostility.

 361 - - 52 "Knight Zoe is here"

    "You are the human child who defeated Master Lepsey? Well, you''re good in your own way, but I don''t think you''re good enough to beat him. Well, all right. Let''s see what you can do."

    The girl who spoke the words to Sam, who stiffened in hostility, disappeared.

    No, she moved so fast that one would think she had vanished.

    £¨Oh no, I can''t see her. d*mn, my body can''t react.)

    The girl who had lost her hostility toward Sam--Zoey''s speed, she couldn''t react at all.

    If I continued at this rate, I would surely be killed.

    Such intuition moves, but I can''t do anything.

    But nothing attacked me. No pain. But a greater shock hit Sam.

    "You''re kidding, right?"

    Zoe, who seemed to have vanished, reappeared right before Sam''s eyes.

    The tip of the sword at her waist was pointed at Sam, and her arm was held by a woman.

    If not for the intervention, Sam would have been stabbed to death by Zoe.

    It was chilling to see Zoe''s sword stop just before it pierced his chest.

    But more problematic was the person who saved Sam.

    "Well, well, knights have a bad habit these days, don''t they?"

    "--Daphne!

    The person who saved Sam''s life was Daphne Lomax, a kind of sister who had taken care of him for many years.

    Sam was not the only one surprised by Daphne''s appearance.

    Zoe, who was unable to move due to the grip on her arm, as well as Douglas and Evangeline were wide-eyed with surprise.

    Wait a minute, why is Daphne here?

    "Hey!¡¡I thought you were missing!"

    Douglas and Evangeline voice their own questions.

    From their words, they seem to know each other.

    It seems that Zoey is the same way.

    It has been a long time, Daphne Lomax. Let go of my hand."

    "I will if you put your sword away."

    "--Hmm. All right. You are saved, human child.

    Daphne let go of his hand, and Zoe sheathed her sword as promised.

    But even now she does not hide her hostility toward Sam.

    I feel uncomfortable, though not immobilized.

    £¨No, it''s more about Daphne.)

    I had so many questions.

    First of all, Daphne''s acquaintance with the Demon Lords, but Sam could not help but be amazed at her ability to easily defend against Zoe''s attack, which Sam could not react to.

    It had never occurred to him that the woman he had loved like an older sister and spent his childhood with could be such a powerful woman.

    "Hey, hey, Daphne!¡¡What is your relationship with my darling?

    Before Sam could open his mouth to question Daphne, Evangeline shouted.

    Evangeline had not expected Daphne''s appearance, even for her.

    Daphne looked at Evangeline and Sam alternately and nodded her head in understanding and somewhat exasperated.

    "Evangeline is your darling, little Sam? ......Boy, you''ve been favored by a strange man again, haven''t you?"

    "Don''t call me weird!"

    "I don''t care about Lady Evangeline. I''m talking about you, Daphne.

    "Not good!¡¡I''m going to blow you guys away!"

    Zoe interrupted, and Evangeline raised her voice even more.

    However, both Daphne and Zoe ignored the Gothic Lolita demon king and continued their conversation.

    Sam felt that he understood Evangeline''s treatment of Zoey a little better.

    "I never thought that you, who have been missing for so many years, would be with this human!"

    "It''s been a long time, Zoe. I''m your faithful s*x slave now, little Sam.

    "No, I ain''t!"

    Daphne''s mischievous comment made Sam, who had been trying to watch what was going on, burst in.

    "What, this man treats Daphne like that?"

    Zoe looks at Sam with a look of exclamation.

    "Right!¡¡I knew this was coming!¡¡But why should I believe you?

    Sam wanted to shout, "Give me back the seriousness of the situation.

    He had saved his life, but he felt he had lost something else.

 362 - - 53 "The demons are back."

    "Oh, darling, I can''t believe you like that pervert. I''m not a pervert. ......

    Sam''s head ached as he realized that even Evangeline was shaking with excitement, believing Daphne''s words.

    "No, I mean, can you please stop this misunderstanding that I like perverts or something!"

    "Don''t worry too much about it, little boy, not a few men are perverts."

    "I don''t care if the person who caused the misunderstanding follows up!"

    Daphne''s smile brings a smile to Sam''s face.

    Daphne turned her attention to Douglas.

    "It''s been a while, Mr. Douglas. We may have a lot to talk about, but for now, please leave us alone.

    "Yes, I will. It''s not my intention to get into trouble in the land of the humans and Vivien has found out about it. I have to get home as soon as possible.

    "Thank you."

    Daphne bows deeply to Douglas.

    Evangeline shouted a protest at her.

    "Hey!¡¡You should be thanking me too!"

    "Oh, bye."

    "That''s why you treat me so lightly!"

    Apparently, Evangeline is not happy with the way she is being treated even though she is the Demon King.

    But I guess they are close to each other somehow.

    The Gothic Lolita demon king didn''t seem to be really angry either.

    "I''m telling you, if you don''t leave quickly, a wizard equivalent to a quasi-demon king will fly in..."

    "Oh, there are humans in the semi-demon class?"

    "This is Sam, the little boy''s master."

    He soon realizes that the wizard Daphne is referring to is Ur.

    (Ur is a quasi-magician. (No, even Ur is a quasi-magician.)

    "Well, we can''t afford to get into any more trouble. Let''s go home. Come on, Evangeline, Zoe.

    "Yes."

    When Zoe replies, she glances at Daphne once and turns on her heel.

    She is no longer interested in Sam.

    She has something on her mind now that she has failed to respond to the attack.

    "I''m staying."

    Evangeline, however, was the one who refused to leave without giving it some air.

    "You''re being so selfish again," she said.

    "I don''t understand why I have to leave when Daphne is with Darling!¡¡Darling, listen to me, don''t leave any stone unturned!¡¡You''re going to be humiliated!"

    "No, no, no, no, no..."

    I don''t know what Evangeline knows about Daphne, but I can''t help reacting that this is indeed an exaggeration.

    She has no reason to be so wary of Daphne, who is like a sister to her.

    But for Evangeline, it seems different.

    "What a bunch of crap!¡¡You can say that because you don''t know the old Daphne!"

    "Dear Evangeline, please don''t say such misleading things in front of the little boy. Don''t you make it sound like I''m the one who''s playing with you. I''m a virgin.

    "She''s a raw girl, but she''s driven many men crazy, she''s even worse than the Demon Lord!¡¡You really shouldn''t mess with my darling!"

    "............"

    "Answer me!"

    Suddenly he''s dead!

    "- huh?"

    It seemed as if he had heard something about Daphne''s extraordinary past, but what surprised Sam more than that was her sudden use of force.

    Caught off guard, Evangeline was hit in the abdomen and fell unconscious with a cute voice.

    "Hey, Daphne!

    Sam panicked at the maid''s savagery, but Daphne didn''t seem bothered and caught Evangeline, tossing her to Douglas.

    "Lady Evangeline was being too loud, so I asked her to be quiet."

    "You can''t do that. You''re the Demon King.

    "It''s okay. It''s okay. I''ve been treating Evangeline like this for a long time.

    I felt a little sorry for Evangeline.

    "Oh, I almost forgot."

    Douglas, carrying Evangeline, turned away and turned to leave, saying, "See you later," but Zoe stopped and looked back at Sam.

    "The Witch Queen, Vivienne, would like to have a meeting with you at a later date.

    "Well, do I have veto power?"

    You have no right. I''ll send you a letter later. Wait for it.

    After saying this, Zoey leaves, as if she has no further use for me.

    "Well, you know. I know things got a little messy at the end, but it was nice to meet you today. See you soon, Sam."

    "Yeah, if I get another chance."

    Sam and Douglas raised their hands lightly to each other in farewell.

    "In the meantime, tell Evangeline I said hi."

    "I have a feeling Evangeline would take advantage of me if I did that, but whatever. I understand. Daphne, when Vivien and Sam meet, you''re coming with them.

    Yes, sir.

    Bye.

    Douglas and Zoey disappeared so quickly into the bustle that it was almost as if they had never been there in the first place.

    I searched for any sign of them, but could not find them.

    Once again, I was reminded that the Demon Kings were a few steps ahead of me.

    If the Demon Lords had not just come to see me, but had been trying to take my life, I would have been dead by now.

    In this sense, I am thankful that Douglas and Evangeline are friendly.

    "I think Douglas and Evangeline like you, but Zoe''s attitude bothers me."

    "I don''t know why, but she doesn''t like me."

    "Zoey used to be a servant of the Demon King Lepsy-sama, so I guess she must have some feelings for the little boy."

    "--You know that much."

    Daphne seems to know not only that the Demon King has come to the Sky Kingdom, but also that the Lepsies exist and that Sam fought against them.

    Thinking back, he remembers that Daphne is an important part of his family, but that he doesn''t know much about her.

    Daphne smiled softly, as if she could see right through Sam''s heart.

    "I will tell you everything later. But first..."

    Daphne looked up at the sky, and Sam looked up as well, and saw Url with her scarlet hair flying overhead.

    "Sam!¡¡Where''s the Demon King!

    "I''m back."

    What?¡¡You''re back!"

    "Uh, yeah, that''s right."

    "I see, I''m too late..."

    He probably noticed the presence of the Demon King and flew over.

    I was thankful for the Master''s concern, but also a little relieved that Ur, who was even more belligerent than I was, had not encountered the Demon Lord.

    "Thank you, Ur. You came because you were worried about me, didn''t you?"

    "That''s one thing, but I wanted to fight the Demon King!"

    "...... I knew it."

    It''s very Ur-esque.

    Sam chuckled.

 363 - - 54 "Its a conversation between the demon king and the knight" â‘ 

    The Demon King Douglas was crossing the Kingdom of Skye with his colleague on his shoulders.

    In a little while, they would be able to return by the transfer of their colleague, the Demon King Tomoya Endo, who was coming to pick them up.

    His steps were light as he walked to his destination.

    Zoe, the vampire knight who has come to pick him up, is walking a step behind Douglas with a disgruntled look on her face.

    Even without looking back, Douglas could tell that Zoe was not happy.

    £¨Well, understandably so.)

    Zoey was once a servant of the demon king Lepsey.

    She was a diligent and serious girl who served as a maid for Lepsy''s wife, but when she almost died from an epidemic, she escaped death by turning into a vampire.

    From then on, Zoey became more loyal to Lepsey and his family than ever before.

    However, a few years later, Lepsey lost his wife and children and went berserk. Zoey followed him and even destroyed the human kingdom.

    However, Zoe was not so mad with rage that she lost her reason like Lepsy. Of course, her anger toward humans was equal to that of her master, but after a few years of rage, Zoey was beginning to regain her composure.

    She was not over her grief at the loss of her master, but her reason told her that she would not want this.

    After that, Zoe continued to pray on Lepsy''s behalf for his wife and children.

    After a dozen years of prayer, she was told that Lepsy had been defeated and sealed.

    He tried to help her, but was stopped by the demon lord Vivian Claxtons, who learned of Lepsy''s true wish and promised not to touch her.

    She then becomes a subordinate of Vivian and is knighted in the land of night. She spends her days working as a knight, praying for the repose of her late master''s soul and the peace of her Lord.

    Because of Zoe''s attachment to Lepsy and her family, she must have feelings for a boy named Samuel Scheidt.

    Douglas, too, was upset when Zoe suddenly set on Sam.

    He was thankful for Daphne''s appearance, as he could not stop the girl, who was <<> in terms of speed alone.

    "Master Douglas seems to be in a good mood."

    Suddenly, a voice arrives from behind Douglas, sounding like a bell in a bad mood.

    Douglas turned around and nodded.

    "Sam was a good guy, you know."

    "But he''s not someone that Douglas or Evangeline would care about. They didn''t even react to my movements."

    "Even I can''t handle your speed. I don''t think it''s too much to ask of Sam.

    "Master Lepsey would have had no problem with that."

    Don''t put him and Sam together.

    "But if it was that kid who beat Master Lepsey, I have my doubts about his ability at that level."

    "Don''t say that. He is a child who has lived only fourteen years as a human being, yet he is capable of rivaling, or even surpassing, us demons.

    "However, he is not a quasi-demon king. No, at best, he''s on par with a knighthood.

    "You know, that means he''s strong."

    I''m not even close to Master Lepsey.

    "You''re comparing the wrong person. I''m not even close to Lepsey.

    Zoe''s standard seems to be Repsie. I feel sorry for Sam who is being compared.

    Sam is reasonably strong, including his skills, but it seems difficult to convey that to the snickering Zoey.

    "Compared to that kid, I''m much more convinced by that master who showed up later."

    "I didn''t get a good look at him, but I could sense his presence from a distance. I could sense little magic, but my instincts as a warrior told me. Strong."

    I agree. I am surprised that there were so many of them among humans. That''s why it''s such a shame.

    Douglas nodded in agreement with Zoe''s words.

    "Absolutely. From the looks of it, they won''t last another month."

 364 - - 55 "Its a conversation between the demon king and the knight." é­”

    "I felt like I was turned into a vampire, but that was a mistake. Perhaps it was a curse from a lesser mortal. It is a pity that there are so many fools who do not know that it takes vampire blood to turn a person into a vampire.

    "I wonder why so many humans have always wanted to turn into vampires."

    "I think it''s because there are examples of people like me who have been transformed that they think they are stupid, too."

    Since ancient times, many people have turned into vampires.

    The old vampires have the blood and the skill to turn, and they hope to do the same.

    In fact, some humans, especially those in power, have been attracted to the transformation of demons, even though they are evil. With a lifespan more than twice as long as humans, and with their extraordinary magical powers, they must have seemed like a dream come true to humans, who are numerous but weak.

    In fact, the wives and children of Lepsies were killed for the crime of consorting with vampires, partly out of envy for the benefits of being a vampire''s wife.

    She would eventually turn into a vampire and live an eternal life. There was also a lot of jealousy.

    "Well. I don''t know what it''s like to be human.

    "I agree."

    You used to be a human being.

    "But I still don''t understand. I just don''t know if there is any other creature as ugly as that one.

    Douglas neither affirmed nor denied.

    "Just out of curiosity," he said, "is there anything we can do to save this master of Sam''s?"

    "No, you probably won''t be able to save him. Vivien might be able to, but after such an incomplete transformation, it would be difficult. In the first place, his presence is no longer that of a vampire, but of a wight.

    "...... Well, I''m sorry to hear that, Sam."

    Douglas''s expression clouds slightly.

    He has met and parted with many people during his reign as one of the Demon Lords.

    No matter how many times I repeat it, I can never get used to parting.

    He will eventually have to say goodbye to his master. He could only imagine how painful it would be.

    "As a way, I can help you with purification or..."

    "Purification?¡¡Oh, you mean sacred magic?¡¡I''m not familiar with that area."

    "It''s a kind of unique skill that saints and heroes can use. If she is a vampire turned into a demon, even if she has failed to become one, I don''t think it is impossible.

    "But?"

    "Even if the saints were conveniently present, they would have to have considerable skill and magical power to use purification. What''s more, the result of purification may be death. We will not know until we actually try it.

    "Hmm. It''s risky, but since death is waiting for us anyway, is it worth the gamble?"

    "...... What do you want to do?¡¡I don''t like the idea, but if it''s what Master Douglas wants, I''ll go tell the kid."

    Douglas looked surprised at Zoe''s suggestion.

    He had not expected Zoe, who disliked humans and did not think much of Sam, to say anything that would help them.

    "Without the saints and the heroes, it''s not much of a story, but yes, just tell them."

    "Yes, sir."

    A moment after she replies, Zoe disappears.

    "...... as usual, you''re fast."

    "It''s true."

    As Douglas was admiring his work, a third party''s voice rang out.

    The voice sounded familiar, and Douglas''s mouth relaxed before he called out the name.

    "Tomoya?"

    "Yes, I''m here to pick you up. But I''m afraid you''ll have to wait a little longer for Zoey."

    A boy wearing a stuffed collar emerged from the darkness.

    He looks like a human boy, but his true identity is Tomoya Endo, one of the Demon Lords.

    "I''m sorry for making you do what you want.

    No, that''s how much you like Samuel Scheidt, isn''t it?"

    "Yeah. Yeah. He was an immature kid, but he had room to grow. I can''t wait to see what the future holds."

    "Will you eventually take over the reptile kingdom and become the Demon King?"

    "I wouldn''t go that far. But I''m sure there''s no chance."

    "I''m looking forward to that."

    Tomoya smiles a friendly smile that seems to make people like him.

    But Douglas knows.

    Of all the Demon Lords, he is the most troublesome.

    Even Lepsy, who was a friend of Tomoya, had a certain amount of wariness toward Tomoya.

    "Well, well, we look forward to seeing more of you, Samuel Scheidt. If I have a chance, I would like to meet him.

    Hearing Tomoya''s mutterings, Douglas inwardly thought that it would be better if the two of them never met.

 365 - - 56 "Its about Daphne" â‘ 

    I like the sweet and sour feeling due to the fact that I''m sweating a little!¡¡The subtle perfume mixed with the great flavor is just so, so, so, so, so good! I want to spend the rest of my life smooching!¡¡Aha, you''re so nice, sister!¡¡With my sister, I don''t care about all the other people out there!"

    "Wow."

    Sam, who had been through various events in a short period of time, including a chance encounter with the Demon King, a life-threatening crisis, and being saved by Daphne, was stunned by the scene that seemed to blur all of these events.

    In front of him, a petite and beautiful girl was saying something disgusting with an ecstatic expression on her face buried in Daphne''s uninhibited breasts.

    She was squeezing her breasts, feeling their softness on her cheeks, and taking deep breaths in her cleavage.

    To say the least, he was a pervert.

    Moreover, I was beyond amazed and stunned to see my sister performing perverted acts on my sister.

    "This is why I left my hometown, isn''t it?

    Daphne, whose breasts were being played with by her sister, looked somewhat distant.

    Sam and Daphne joined Ur and went back to the restaurant to find a place where they could talk calmly.

    Then a girl who calls herself Michael appears, and when she sees Daphne, she is overcome with emotion.

    "I mean, who is this girl?"

    "Uh, Mrs. Michael," he said. She''s an elf. And she''s going to be Master Delight''s mentor."

    "Mr. Delight?

    "Such a pervert, but quite a wizard. And, well, it pains me to say it, but he''s also my friend."

    The girl seems to breathe from Daphne''s breast, but if she is an elf and Delight''s mentor, she is probably not as old as she looks.

    And perhaps Daphne, too.

    "Well, if she is an elf, then so is Daphne."

    "Yes. I am Elof.

    "--what?"

    Sam tilted his head.

    I feel like I''ve just been told a terrible thing.

    "I made a mistake, I''m an elf.

    "Right!¡¡You''re an elf. Oh, you scared me!¡¡I mean, you can''t mistake your own race!"

    £¨I was in a hurry. For a moment, I thought there was a race called Elov!)

    It was a terrible misstatement. I mean, it is a mistake that one would not normally make.

    "...... I didn''t realize that Michaela''s sister was Sam''s maid."

    "I also didn''t think that the master of the little boy was a friend of my sister. The world is surprisingly small."

    "It must be."

    Daphne bowed dexterously to Ur despite the fact that her sister was rubbing her bosom.

    "We have never met like this before, have we? "This is the first time we have met, Ulrike Scheidt-Walker. Thank you very much for your help with little Sam. I have heard a lot about you from your letters.

    "I''ve heard a lot about you, too. You are an important family member of Sam''s."

    Daphne shakes Ur''s hand, and they shake each other''s hands.

    "But..."

    Hmm?

    "I am somewhat doubtful that I did not lose my virginity after four years with the little boy. Dancing and eating for the first time, should be something every woman longs for at least once."

    "I don''t long for it. Yeah, I''m sure. This is Michael''s sister, I''m sure of it.

    As Ur sighs in exasperation, Sam sighs loudly.

    Daphne, who had been a kind older sister when they were children, made no attempt to hide her desire to see her again.

    Of course, this does not change her relationship with Daphne, but when she mentions the words "first-time dancer and eater," I can''t help but feel a little upset.

 366 - - 57 "Its about Daphne" â‘¡

    "Ah, gosh. By the way, why was Daphne there in the first place?¡¡You didn''t really run out on your sister because you didn''t like her, did you?"

    It was getting kind of weird, so Sam forced a change of subject.

    Fortunately, Daphne responded by looking from Ur to Sam.

    "I don''t dislike Michael, but he is the cause of all this."

    "What do you mean?"

    "I was originally one of the candidates to be the next queen of the elves. I don''t mean to boast, but I was quite capable. Michaela was not only a candidate for the same position, but also the most likely candidate."

    Sam could not help but be surprised that Daphne was a candidate for queen of the elves.

    He had never dreamed of having such a woman by his side.

    Elves are one of the most representative races in fantasy.

    Sam was disappointed that he had never met an elf before, but he did not expect that the first people he would meet after his reincarnation would be elves.

    "This is the queen of elves... They will destroy us as a race more than as a country..."

    Beside Sam''s astonishment, Ur frowns at the pervert who is still burying his face in his sister''s chest and enjoying her scent.

    Indeed, Michaela''s words and actions make it hard to believe that she was a candidate for the queen.

    "In fact, this girl could have destroyed the Elven nation."

    "--Michael, what did you do?"

    When Ur asked in a disgusted voice, Michaela''s voice became hoarse as she pulled her face away from her sister''s cleavage.

    "It''s not my fault!¡¡It''s their fault!"

    "I am also the cause. Since he was a child, Michael has been unusually fond of me. Michael was finally elected queen, but he insisted on ...... giving up his position to me."

    "There is no elf more noble, more lovely, and more worthy to be queen than your sister!"

    "It was like that. Of course, the rule is not reversed. I was never going to be queen in the first place."

    "That''s why I tried to root out all the hard-headed idiots, you know."

    "I was about to do the most amazing thing imaginable!"

    Sam and Ul scrunch up their faces and say how much they love their sister.

    However, Michael seemed to be unaware that he had done anything wrong and was proud of his actions.

    "I thought this was a bad idea, so I left the country. I wanted to live a carefree life, and I had always wanted to be an adventurer, so I thought it would be a good chance. I didn''t expect ...... that Michaela would give up her position as queen and come after me."

    "I''m not interested in a country without your sister!"

    "I lived my life trying to keep Michaela from finding me, as I wanted her to be away from her sister, but I never thought we would meet again like this."

    "Daphne has been through a lot. But why did you work as a maid in the mansion?"

    Daphne answered Sam''s question with a smile.

    When I was injured, Melanie helped me. I worked as a maid to repay her kindness. After Melanie was gone, I worked for Sam. Hmm, I''m afraid I don''t have any episodes of grandeur to tell you."

    If Sam''s memory serves him correctly, Daphne has recently had a reunion with her mother.

    It is unclear what they talked about, but he remembers that both Daphne and his mother seemed happy to see him.

    "I had no idea that there was an elf near Sam. I was surprised that he was a semi-demon king, but I was also surprised that he knew the demon king.

    Daphne shook her head in humility at Ur''s mutterings, saying it was no big deal.

    "I was a candidate for queen, so I had some power, and I was related to the Demon Lords.

    "In other words, Michaela, who was eventually elected queen, is also about as powerful as a quasi-demon king?"

    "I am not. Among the elves, you are the only one who has the power of a semi-demon king, even if you unravel the long history of the elves.

    "And yet you never became queen, did you?"

    "My mother was of low birth."

    "Ah, so that''s how it is with elves."

    It seems that humans are not the only ones who care about status and lineage.

    "It seems that the land of the elves is no different from the land of humans in some ways."

    "As Sam-boncho said, there are many similarities. Other demons are similar to each other. The only exception is the land of night ruled by Vivian, the founder of the vampire race, whose title is determined by his strength and bloodlust.

    £¨Vivien and the Night Lands. (As I recall, Douglas and the others mentioned the name Vivian.)

    When Sam tried to open his mouth to hear more about the Demon Lord..,

    "--Sam!¡¡Ulrike!"

    "G¨¹nther. How did you know I was here?"

    Ulle looked uncomfortable at G¨¹nther''s sudden appearance.

    "This place is run by my family. But with all the love I have for you, I can at least trace your scent.

    "You''re a dog!"

    "Doggie!¡¡--I''m glad you want to play, but we''ll do it later!¡¡Now is not the time for this!"

    I''m not playing!¡¡You, I''ll blow you away!"

    Ur spits and yells at G¨¹nther as usual.

    Michael and others were moved with tears in the corners of their eyes, saying, "You''ve grown up, G¨¹nther," but Sam could not understand what part of the exchange had moved him.

    "So, what''s wrong?"

    Sam is concerned when he hears that G¨¹nther, who is always going at his own pace, is distraught,

    "Here comes the most powerful pervert in the country!"

    "That''s what you''re talking about!"

    He said it as if he was not the strongest pervert in the country, and everyone tilted their heads in bewilderment.

 367 - - 58 "A great thing has appeared" â‘ 

    "It''s been a while, Mr. Scheidt."

    "Ah, you must be Samuel Scheidt. I''ve seen you from a distance a few times, but up close you''re very pretty. You''re my sister''s favorite."

    "--Hi."

    Sam and Ur were greeted by Kaoruko Kirishima, a Japanese saint summoned to the neighboring Orkney Kingdom, and a macho old man with a kind of muscular body and cute clothes like a magical girl.

    They were screaming that the outfits which should be worn by pretty girls in anime and manga were about to be torn by the well-trained bodies of the old men.

    It makes us, the viewers, wonder when they will be ripped off.

    The sight of such a muscular old magical girl, calling herself "sister" and wiggling her hips while giving Sam a licking look, was truly a nightmare.

    "......When G¨¹nther said he was a pervert, I didn''t think it was possible, but it was you. Dominic Johnston."

    Instead of Sam, who was more crestfallen and immobilized than when he had faced the Demon King and the knights of the demon tribe, Ur, who had an idea of what to do, called out the name of the magical girl with a sigh.

    "Oh my God, I''m sorry I didn''t introduce myself. My name is Dominique Catherine Johnston. I''m a courtesan in the service of the Kingdom of Skye. You can call me Katherine like your friend."

    What''s that?

    With her muscular body undulating, Catherine introduces herself in a thick voice.

    Sam couldn''t believe his ears.

    He had never dreamed that there was an old man who claimed to be a magical girl, even though the other world was a big place.

    And what the heck is a courtesan magical girl?

    To be honest, Kaoruko, whom he hadn''t seen in a while, looked a little misty.

    The saint is standing next to Catherine, smiling and happy to see Sam and the others.

    Perhaps she does not see the creature next to her.

    Sam and Ur are not the only ones here.

    G¨¹nther, who brought them here, the Count and Countess Walker, and Sam''s fianc¨¦es Lise, Alicia, Karen, and Mizuki are also present.

    However, although G¨¹nther and Jonathan looked tense and kept their distance from Catherine as much as possible, the other ladies seemed unconcerned and greeted each other casually, saying, "It''s been a while.

    (What is that?¡¡Maybe I''m the only one who thinks he''s crazy?¡¡(No, G¨¹nther and the Master are also frightened...it''s weird, isn''t he a pervert?)

    For a moment, I was worried that I was not sensible, but all the men looked frightened, and Ur looked indescribable.

    "Sam, be careful. "Be careful, Sam," said Ur, "Dominic is the head of a family that has been perverted for generations. You can''t be too careful of his looks, but you can''t be too careful of what''s behind him either. Don''t ever let your guard down."

    "What''s a pervert from generation to generation, that''s scarier than the Demon King!"

    Jonathan explains to Sam in a frightened way.

    His buttocks seem to be straining.

    G¨¹nther has even deployed a ward.

    "Hey, Jonathan, don''t say anything misleading to Sam. No, no. Meh."

    "Hi, I''m sorry."

    Jonathan held his buttocks and moved away from Catherine, and his apology was so undignified that it was hard to believe that he was an earl.

    "We, the Johnstons, fought together with the first king against the demon king Lepsy and helped him to found the kingdom. Did you know that the first king was from another world?

    Yes, well...

    "The first generation of our family was deeply impressed when the first king told him about the magical girls from other countries who fight as guardians of the world. Since then, the Johnstons have become a family that has produced a venerable lineage of magical girls."

    Sam does not know what the first king was thinking when he talked about magical girls.

    But even if he didn''t get it, he had to say something.

    "What are you doing, First King?¡¡It ain''t no magical girl you created!¡¡It''s something very scary!"

 368 - - 59 "A great one has appeared" â‘¡

    The men nodded at Sam''s exclamation.

    Catherine, however, shows no concern and wiggles and rubs herself against Sam.

    "Oh my God, you''re so good with your mouth, you know that? "Oh, my God, I''m so sorry, that was a little bit rude of me."

    "I don''t care anymore, so please go on with your story."

    Yes, you''re right. I would have liked to get to know the junior wizard a little better, but it seems we''re running out of time.

    Catherine looked straight at Ur and narrowed her eyes.

    "It''s been a long time, Ur.

    "You''re still dressed like a madman, Dominic."

    "Hey, don''t be a b*tc*, call me Catherine like you used to."

    "...... don''t make it sound like I used to call you Catherine."

    Ulle let out a big sigh.

    They must have had this kind of exchange before.

    "Seriously speaking, I was surprised when you suddenly resigned as a court wizard, but I was even more surprised when I heard that you had passed away and I cried.

    I''m sorry about that.

    It''s true. I''m your colleague and your best friend, and you didn''t confide in me.

    "Wait, we''re colleagues, but I don''t remember us being best friends."

    "Oh, you''re so shy!"

    Catherine poked Ur''s cheek with a fat finger.

    Url looks visibly annoyed by this action.

    "...... No, he''s still the same old man who won''t listen to me. He''s even more annoying than G¨¹nther, it''s exhausting.

    However, there is no disgust or rejection in Ur''s expression.

    Catherine has been like this for a long time, but she seems to accept it.

    In fact, we can sense her affection for Ur through her words and actions. I felt that she is a good person who cares about her friends, despite her appearance.

    "I wish I could be happy to see you again forever, but unfortunately I can''t. You don''t have much time, do you?"

    "We knew that from the beginning. Miracles don''t happen twice."

    But as best friends, it''s inevitable that we resist the urge to work miracles.

    "What are you going to do?¡¡Ah, so you''re the saint of the neighboring country there."

    Ur''s gaze turns to Kaoruko and she bows silently.

    "Nice to meet you, I am Kaoruko Kirishima."

    "I''m Ulrike Scheidt Walker. That name sounds like you''re from the land of the rising sun.

    No, I was summoned from another world to this world.

    "I see, a transferee."

    When Ur was satisfied with Kaoruko''s background, Catherine interrupted.

    "She has some revival magic in her knowledge. But Kaoruko can''t use it because of her lack of magic power. For the same reason, Magnolia-sama couldn''t use it either.

    "-and Grandma didn''t make it?"

    Karen was the first to react.

    Sam and the others were equally surprised.

    They had not expected that there was magic that a wizard as good as Mokuren could not use.

    "Wait a minute, Dominic--not Katherine!

    I called her Dominic and she was miffed, so I called her Katherine again, and she looked at Sam,

    "...... no way."

    "--You, Sam. You''re the one who does the resurrection magic."

    "Me, revive magic?"

    All eyes were on Sam.

    Certainly, he has more magic power than anyone else in the room.

    Since he has inherited Ur''s magic, he is aware that he has several times the amount of magic power of an ordinary wizard.

    However, I am not sure if I am capable of using revival magic.

    More than anything else, considering Ur''s feelings as she accepts her second death, she wonders if she could use resurrection magic even if she could.

    However, it is not that I do not want Ur to live. More than anyone else, Sam wanted Ur to live.

    It was a time when everyone had a faint hope that maybe Ur would stay with them.

    "Don''t do this."

    A voice that should not have been here rang out.

    "If you cast a revival spell on that woman, she will die."

    The voice belonged to the knight Zoe, who was supposed to be on her way home with the Demon Lord.

 369 - - 60 "Zoes reappearance and bet."

    Zoe''s reappearance was not a reaction that Sam or anyone else present was able to react to.

    When she came to, she was there.

    There is no better explanation.

    But Sam, for the second time, as well as Ur, G¨¹nther, Jonathan, and Catherine, who are all experienced wizards even if they are not as strong as they should be, were not too surprised.

    It was partly because they knew in advance that the Demon Kings had visited.

    However, the women reacted differently.

    Hanae and Mizuki held their fists and swords to protect Liese, Alicia, and Grace.

    They look tense, as if they might jump at the slightest noise.

    "Oh, my sweet girl! Where did you come from?"

    Catherine, who had the most time to spare, asked Zoey a question while Kaoruko kept behind her.

    Zoe, who looked cool, moved her eyes up and down Katherine''s figure, then turned her head to Sam, looking puzzled and slightly frightened.

    "...... What is this creature?¡¡Is this a new species of ogre?"

    "No, I don''t need you to tell me that."

    "Yes, it is. It''s a small thing, or I''m not mature enough to be upset by something like this. More importantly, human child, I believe your name is ...... Samuel Scheidt."

    "Yeah."

    I am not going to ask why you are here, or anything else for that matter.

    I showed up because I had something to do.

    And it''s about Ur.

    Sam keeps quiet and waits for Zoe to speak.

    "I know you want to prolong the woman''s life as much as possible, but revival magic is counterproductive.

    A painful silence fell over Zoe''s words.

    No wonder. Everyone had held out some hope for Ur.

    Then, to be told that the revival magic we had hoped for was not only meaningless but counterproductive, we were at a loss for words.

    Only Ur is unconcerned.

    "Then what should I do?"

    I don''t doubt the words of Zoe, who went to the trouble of coming here to give me advice.

    Sam asked for help.

    "--cleansing."

    "Purification?"

    "You know what I''m talking about when I say sacred magic?"

    If Sam remembers correctly, there are very few people who can use sacred magic.

    Although it is called "magic," it is more like a skill that can only be mastered by heroes, saints, or high-ranking priests who have trained for many years.

    Needless to say, Sam cannot use it.

    "The woman is a contradiction in terms: she is as good as dead but alive due to her atrocious incantation. If you cast a revival spell on her, the effect would be the opposite.

    "But where can someone use sacred magic?"

    "--Yes, I can!

    Kaoruko raised her hand and shouted loudly.

    All eyes were on her.

    "I can do purification.

    "Oh. Come to think of it, I''ve heard there are saints among humans, and you''re one of them."

    "...... is, yes. I am Kaoruko Kirishima. I have been called to this world as a saint, though I am still a novice.

    "Kaoruko Kirishima, I''ll remember that. But be careful. There are various kinds of purification. Above all, even if the purification is successful, it doesn''t always end the way you want.

    "Oh, what do you mean?"

    All eyes are on Zoe again, and Katherine asks on her behalf.

    "If the purification is successful, there are two possible outcomes. One is to become human again and live a short life. This would be the best outcome for you.

    What''s the other one?

    The dead are at peace now that they have been purified. In other words, they will die a second time.

    I guess it''s a gamble.

    "It is beyond comprehension that the woman would have come back to life with such an imperfect incarnation, even with a time limit. It is a miracle in its present state. To deal with that miracle, we need to do something equally miraculous.

    Without the people of Najaria, we do not know by what means Ur was revived.

    In other words, Sam and the others have no choice but to take Zoe''s advice and bet on Kaoruko''s purification.

    All of them except Ur cannot hide their agitation at the fact that there is a big difference between success and failure.

    Zoe coolly told Sam and the others that they had no choice but to take a chance on Kaoruko''s purification.

    "You''re going to die anyway even if you leave me alone. No matter how much you worry about it, there is nothing you can do about it.

    "Even the ...... Demon King can''t do it?"

    "Impossible. First of all, as long as we don''t know how he was revived, we can deal with him no differently than you can. It would be different if she had more time, but she doesn''t have much time left.

    Zoe clearly stated that Ur''s remaining time, which she had thought would not be long, was "short.

    I guess that''s what she meant.

    "Why are you advising us?"

    What bothered Sam was that Zoe, who had been so hostile, had gone out of her way to come back and give advice for them.

    I understand that there is no malicious intent, but I wanted to know the reason for the action.

    "Lord Douglas has been merciful. You should be grateful."

    "...... Yeah. Tell Douglas thank you. I''ll thank you myself next time I see you, but please do."

    "I don''t want to be your errand boy, but fine. I''ll let Mr. Douglas know."

    Thank you."

    By then, Zoey had left the conversation with Sam to her own devices, and she leaned her back against the wall and closed her eyes, as if to say, "The rest is up to you.

    No further advice was offered, and it was up to Sam and his friends to decide what to do.

    "Sam, I--"

    Ur''s answer must have been obvious.

    She is grateful that she is miraculously alive again, and she thinks it is enough.

    She probably means that she does not need to do anything for herself.

    But..,

    "Ur, I don''t mind taking a gamble. Please, let me try."

    It was Jonathan, Ur''s father, who wished for this.

    "...... father."

    "I know you''re ready. But as a parent, I would cling to you if I could make you live a little longer."

    And Jonathan is not the only one who wants Ur to live.

    His mother, Grace, his sisters, Lise and the others, his colleagues and friends, G¨¹nther and Katherine, and Sam, who respects Ur''s wishes.

    "I''m very lucky to be thought of this way."

    Everyone wants Ur to live. Ur cowered his shoulders in annoyance at this wish, but he relented and changed his mind.

 370 - - 61 Purification and its conclusion â‘ 

    Sam, Ur, and the others had changed their location from Count Walker''s house to a church in King''s Landing.

    This was a result of following Zoe''s advice that if they were going to use sacred magic, it would be better to do so in a sacred place.

    Normally, churches are not often rented out for use.

    Exceptions are weddings, for example, and this church is where Sam and Liese''s marriage will take place.

    Catherine sent a messenger to the king and got him to talk to the church on short notice.

    In front of the altar in the inner sanctuary of the church are Sam and Ur, G¨¹nther and Catherine, and Kaoruko and the Count and Countess. Last but not least, Zoe.

    Lise and the others are not there. It was decided to ask them to stay at home in case the pregnant woman was affected by the accident. Hanae, Mizuki, and Alicia remain by Lise''s side.

    Erika, the youngest sister, wanted to be present at the bet that would decide Ur''s future, but her father told her to wait for him at the house.

    "Hey, you perverted-looking man!"

    When Kaoruko went to clean herself up, she was accompanied by Grace and Catherine, who were not present.

    Sam and the others are waiting for Kaoruko and are a little bored.

    Jonathan and the others are walking restlessly around the inner sanctum, as if they cannot hide their anxiety.

    Sam was anxious as well, and was very thirsty, probably due to his nervousness.

    Then Zoe called out to G¨¹nther.

    "...... I don''t think you mean me?"

    "Who else could it be but you?"

    "I think it''s the middle-aged guy in that cute, frilly outfit who''s the pervert."

    "I''m already aware that they are such creatures, and I don''t want to let them out of my sight as much as possible. It makes my brain hurt. I don''t care about that, put up wards. You''re a warder, aren''t you?"

    G¨¹nther looked surprised.

    "You''re the demon king''s household, aren''t you? I give you ten G¨¹nther points.

    "Are you there? Shut up."

    Despite knowing Zoe''s true identity, G¨¹nther was the same as ever.

    Sam and Ur, who were watching the exchange between the two, could not help but laugh.

    In fact, I felt like shaking my head at the idea of G¨¹nther points.

    I wonder what kind of perverted acts will be performed when the points are accumulated.

    "It''s a pity that you don''t get my sassy jokes."

    G¨¹nther snapped his fingers, and we could see the wards had been put up to cover the church.

    "Well, I thought he was a perverted man, but his warding technique is very good."

    "I am honored by your compliments."

    G¨¹nther winked at Zoe''s compliment, and she looked very uncomfortable.

    Meanwhile Kaoruko had returned, cleaned up and dressed in her nun''s habit.

    £¨So this is what''s going to happen now. My stomach hurts to think that Ur''s future is about to be decided. She doesn''t seem to care, but I want Ur to live. I can only pray for his success.)

    I know Ur is happy with the way things are going, but as a student I would like to learn more from her and spend more time with her.

    "--We''re all here. Let''s begin. Kaoruko, come here."

    "Yes, yes."

    A slightly nervous Kaoruko stands in front of the altar as Zoe instructed, after being sent off by Catherine who said, "Good luck, Kaoruko-chan.

    "Ulrike, you stand in front of Kaoruko.

    "Yes, yes."

    As soon as Ur stood in front of Kaoruko, tension filled the room.

    Jonathan and Grace hugged each other, anxiously watching the ceremony in which their daughter''s future was at stake.

    Sam stood alongside G¨¹nther and Catherine, ready to move in case something happened.

    "The purification process will force you out of your dead state, as you have failed to become a vampire. This is a completely forceful action, not a legitimate ritual. Return to humanity and live. Or you will become human again and die. Are you ready?"

    "...... Yes. I will do my best.

    "I always live my life with no regrets. I accept things as they are, no matter what the consequences. But..."

    Ur stopped speaking and looked at his parents.

    "Just in case this might be the last time, let me tell you something. Thank you for what you have done for us. I was lucky to be born the daughter of your father and mother.

    Ur said goodbye to her parents, something she had not been able to do at the time.

    She said goodbye only to Sam, and to her family by letter.

    Ur has already said goodbye to Sam, but she still wanted to say goodbye to her parents.

    "--Ulrike!¡¡Fool, you should not have said goodbye!"

    "Yes, you will stay with us."

    Both Jonathan and Grace were in tears at their daughter''s words.

    Both of them try to think positively, but saving Ur through purification is a gamble, and the worst case scenario could happen in the next moment.

    They did not say goodbye to Ur because it might be the last time.

    If they did, it would be as if they were giving up.

    So let''s begin. Kaoruko.

    "--Yes!"

    "Use all your powers of purification. I will do my best to assist you in your inexperience.

    "Please!"

    Kaoruko nodded vigorously at Zoe''s words.

    "Good luck, Kaoruko-chan!"

    "Yes, Katherine!¡¡I''ll do my best!"

    Encouraged by Catherine, Kaoruko became enthusiastic.

    "Kaoruko, Ulrike, hold hands and breathe in unison.

    They did as they were told and joined hands. Then they took deep breaths.

    "Okay. Kaoruko, increase your power. Not magic power. As a saint, raise the sacred power that lies within you, yes, raise it with the intention of going beyond your limits and drawing it all out."

    With Zoe''s advice, Kaoruko began to increase her power, and a light like a golden particle rose from her.

    "--Good, more. Be stronger, don''t think about the future. You only need to increase your power and purify it.

    The golden light becomes so strong and so bright that it is hard to keep your eyes open.

    Zoe puts her hand on Kaoruko''s shoulder and waits for more power.

    Unknown to Sam and the others, Zoe seems to be assisting Kaoruko in her power.

    "--Excellent, you are more powerful than I once was. You know the rest. All the power you''ve developed so far will be unleashed in a purification process."

    "Master Ulrike, here I come!"

    "Yes, thank you."

    Ur smiles calmly and nods at Kaoruko.

    Then he took one look at his parents and Sam and the others, and his smile deepened.

    The next moment,

    "Here we go--purification!"

    A golden beam of light shot out from Kaoruko and enveloped Ulle''s body.

    --A moment later, as if refusing to be purified, the released power was reflected back, and everyone except Ur was blown away by the invisible force.

 371 - - 62 Purification and its conclusion â‘¡

    Slammed against the wall, Sam could not understand what had happened.

    Falling without being able to catch himself, Sam looked around the camp with only his right eye, which was still functioning, ignoring the pain in his body.

    What the hell happened?

    Sam was not the only one blown away by the invisible force.

    G¨¹nther, who could form wards as if he breathed, Catherine, who could be described as a giant of a man, and even Zoe, the knight of the demon king, were blown away without being able to defend themselves.

    The same was true for Kaoruko, who had unleashed the purification, and was lying on the floor under the cross on the altar.

    Jonathan and Grace were also blown to the entrance of the camp, though they were not slammed against the wall. The fact that Jonathan is holding Grace in his arms indicates that he covered her in a moment of panic.

    And it is Ur who is standing stunned in front of the altar with a puzzled expression on his face.

    "Ur!¡¡Are you safe!"

    "Oh, yeah, I''m fine, but what happened?¡¡Where is your father and mother?"

    Ur rushed over to find his parents lying on the ground.

    Sam got up and helped G¨¹nther, who was lying nearby, to his feet. He then followed Ur and called out to Jonathan and Grace, and after confirming that they were safe, helped them to get up.

    Meanwhile, Catherine helped Kaoruko to her feet and Zoe got up without a sound.

    "This is ridiculous, this can''t be happening."

    Zoe''s exasperated voice echoed through the church''s camp.

    "Even if it had failed, this would never have happened. The purification is bouncing back?¡¡Such a thing should be impossible, even for the Demon Lords. What happened?

    Naturally, everyone gathered in front of the altar.

    "...... failed?"

    Sam asked Zoe on behalf of the group, but she shook her head and said she didn''t know.

    She shook her head and said she didn''t know. "I guess I failed in the sense that I didn''t succeed," she said. "In the sense that it hasn''t succeeded, it must have failed," she said, "but normally, failure wouldn''t cause something like this. It is beyond our comprehension that she could not purify it and that is the end of it, but she refused to purify it and reflected on it."

    "I don''t know what happened either. I don''t know what happened either. Did he survive?

    "--not a single change has occurred in this woman."

    "That means..."

    "It''s not that I''ve been purified and turned back into a human, or that I have less time left. Nothing has changed. The purification never reached her.

    Zoe''s merciless words left us all speechless.

    £¨We knew. I wouldn''t have thought the purification had worked either if I had been suddenly blown up without knowing what it meant. But it''s tough.)

    The disappointment was great, for there was still hope, however slight.

    Count and Countess Walker must have been especially shocked.

    They were in tears and hugged Ur.

    There were no words that could be said to them.

    "It''s all right."

    Ulle uttered a few words as her parents hugged her.

    Her face was smiling, and she did not look disappointed or shocked. It was a face of acceptance and acceptance of what had happened.

    "But, Url..."

    "Sam, it''s okay now."

    At some point, as Sam was trying to make up Ur''s time, she shook her head kindly.

    Seeing her face, Sam was about to say something, but closed his mouth.

    "It''s Kaoruko Kirishima. Thank you, you too."

    "...... sorry, I was immature."

    Kaoruko, supported by Catherine, shed tears and apologized.

    Of course, everyone knows that it is not Kaoruko''s fault. Of course, everyone knows it is not Kaoruko''s responsibility, but Kaoruko herself must have felt responsible.

    "There is no need to apologize. Once the miracle of coming back to life like this has happened. I was able to meet everyone again. That''s all I need to be happy. That''s all I need to say."

    Urs had a satisfied look on his face, without a trace of regret.

    If he could see me with such a face, I would never be able to get back on my feet again.

    At Ur''s words, Sam bit his lip and G¨¹nther looked like he was about to cry. Katherine, with tears in her eyes, hugged Kaoruko as if to comfort her as she spilled tears.

    And Mr. and Mrs. Walker, their faces crumpled up with tears, hugged their daughter''s body as tightly and as tightly as they could.

    "--Thank you, everyone."

    Thus, the attempt to save Ur--failed.

 372 - - 63 "This is Zoes advice."

    Thank you."

    Today, many people come and go in King''s Landing. Amidst the hustle and bustle, Sam sees Zoe off.

    Ur and the others are not here. It would have been impolite to let Zoey go home after she had told him she did not need a send-off, so Sam had come to see her off on behalf of the others.

    Jonathan tried to show his gratitude, but Zoe clearly refused.

    In front of the big gate at the entrance to the capital of the Kingdom of Skye, Sam offered his right hand to Zoey.

    "Hmm. You don''t have to thank me. Master Douglas gave the order. Besides, it didn''t work out."

    "Still, I''m grateful for your help. Of course, you can thank Douglas, too."

    "I''ll tell him as much as I can."

    In the end, Zoe did not shake Sam''s hand, but sniffed instead.

    She smiles at the fact that he helped her, but she is disappointed that she could not open up to him.

    "Hey."

    "What?"

    "You were one of those lepers, weren''t you?"

    What about it?

    "Do you have a grudge against me?"

    I thought I should ask.

    She had been hostile to me since our first encounter, but it would make sense if she was one of the Lepsy''s dependents.

    She had taken my husband''s life. No wonder.

    Even though Douglas ordered her to do so, I can only be grateful to her for cooperating with Sam.

    That is why I decided to confront her.

    I could not leave the lepers free.

    I do not regret taking Lepsy''s life for the sake of Sam''s loved ones, for the sake of the people who live in this country.

    It was difficult for us to understand each other in that place, and we were not even close to being able to talk to each other on equal terms.

    Sam had no other choice but to fight.

    Still, he made the best choice.

    But not for Zoe. Sam wanted to face Zoey, and if she had a grudge, he knew he had to accept it.

    "No - I don''t hold a grudge."

    Surprisingly, however, Zoey''s response was not what Sam expected.

    "I am grateful to Master Lepsey for giving me peace of mind. But I am angry because I don''t understand how you could have taken Lepsey''s life with your puny power. I do not want you to question Master Lepsey''s ability because of your weakness."

    "He was strong. Stronger than anyone I''ve ever fought.

    "I know that very well without you telling me."

    I''m sure you''re right," nodded Sam.

    Sam had never known Lepsey at his best, at his strongest.

    He felt a little sorry for that.

    He wished he could have met Lepsy in his prime, when he wasn''t so riled up by his anger.

    I have a word of advice for you.

    "Yes, I''m listening."

    "I have been knighted by Vivienne Claxtons, the Vampire and Demon Lord of the Beginning, who has judged me to be of quasi-magical power. I myself am puzzled by such a waste of a reputation, but even so, I am stronger than you."

    "Of course."

    "You couldn''t even react to my moves. I''m telling you, that wasn''t my full power. Do you understand?¡¡You will never be able to survive against us demons."

    "I understand that much."

    Sam is no fool.

    He knows that he can''t beat Zoe in front of him, let alone the Demon King Douglas and the Demon King Evangeline, even if he were to stand on his head.

    It is a nonsense idea that we can use the same blow that defeated Lepsy.

    He could not be so shameless as to count as his own power a magic of which he did not know the meaning or the cost.

    "Even if Master Douglas and the others are friendly to you, some of the demon tribe would be foolish enough to kill you for defeating Master Lepsy and take the place of the Demon King. The Demon Lords are keeping a close watch on you, but you never know when he may appear before you. You''d better be prepared.

    Thanks for the advice.

    "Hmm. You can live in fear at best."

    Zoe''s advice is something that Sam was concerned about as well.

    Defeating a great entity comes with risks.

    It is not surprising that some demons might think they can beat Sam even if they cannot beat Lepsey. In fact, it might be a way of igniting the demons whose ambition had been stagnant.

    The Sam of the past might have laughed at the strongmen who might emerge and said, "I hope so.

    But the Sam of today did not see it that way.

    Sam has people to protect. People he loves. And if they were to be harmed, he knew that he would have to--

    "At best, you will be strong enough to live up to the name of Master Lepsy. If you can be strong.

    With these words, Zoe turns her back on Sam and begins to walk through the bustle.

    "Well, goodbye."

    "Yeah, see you."

    She utters a parting shot and disappears without a sound.

    Once again, Sam, unable to react to her movements, clenched his fists tightly.

    Let''s be strong so that we don''t lose our precious existence. I vowed.

 373 - - 64 "Its the night before we get married" â‘ 

    A week has passed since Ur''s purification failed.

    Since that day, Sam has been focusing on training with Ur and cherishing the rest of his time with her.

    He fought with her, laughed with her, played with her, made memories with her. Of course, Sam wasn''t the only one. He made as many memories as he could with his family and friends.

    And just as Ur had hoped, the wedding will be held tomorrow, but moved up.

    Today is the eve of the wedding, and a banquet is being held at the Count''s house.

    Sam and the other relatives of tomorrow''s stars gathered at the Count''s house for a boisterous, boisterous party.

    As Ur wished, no one has a gloomy look on their face and a smile appears on their face.

    Lise and her friends were also invited, and Sam greeted them and chatted with them.

    Other guests included Catherine, a magical girl from the court in a pink dress, Kaoruko Kirishima, Duke Gabriel, and Michael.

    Daphne and Derrick, who usually work in such places, also attended the banquet as Sam''s dear family members.

    The party continued to be lively, and some of the guests even performed drunken tricks.

    During the party, there was a funny scene that G¨¹nther, who was caught wearing a pure white wedding dress and trying to attend the wedding as a matter of course, was taken away for punishment by a smiling Kree after Ul burned his dress and made him scream.

    I hope it is my imagination that I still hear G¨¹nther''s screams from time to time.

    Sam drank mainly cold water and tea instead of alcohol, but his fianc¨¦es, except for the pregnant Lise, seemed to be enjoying themselves with a glass of wine in their hands.

    Now they are chatting around Ur.

    While his fianc¨¦es are chatting around Ur, Sam wants to catch the night breeze, so he flies from the terrace and climbs up to the roof of the Count''s house.

    The moon in the summer night sky was so beautiful that he almost cried.

    The moon is considered magically important in this world, so much so that there is a theory that the moon emits magical power.

    It is said that a moonlit night, especially a full moon, is preferable for special ceremonies.

    In reality, there is no proof of this, but it is likely that everyone is fascinated by the mysterious beauty of the moon.

    Sam is one of them.

    Before, when I saw the moon, I used to think that it was more beautiful than the moon I saw in Japan. But nowadays it is different.

    I feel as if I have been fascinated by the beauty and mystery of the moon.

    Sometimes I wish I could just stare at the moon forever.

    Then, someone appeared and sat down next to Sam without a sound.

    "--Ul."

    "Huh, what? You''re just looking at the moon before you get married."

    "I''m not trying to be cool. It''s just..."

    Just what?

    I''m nervous.

    Marriage is a big event in itself, but in Sam''s case, he has five people to marry. And they are all beautiful women. It is difficult not to be nervous.

    But Ur laughs at Sam.

    "You are a pathetic man. It''s your big day. It''s your family''s wedding, there''s no need to be so nervous.

    Ur is right: Sam and his family are to hold their wedding to their relatives and a few friends.

    It is the wedding of Sam, the most powerful wizard of the court, to whom Princess Stella is also to be married, but they did not decide to make a big deal of it.

    Sam has nothing to do with this. It was decided by Jonathan and King Clyde.

    He is relieved that he does not have to worry about the participation of nobles whose names and faces he does not know, and he does not have to make a big show of affection to them.

    Sam is also an aristocrat with the rank of count, so it would have been a problem to have the wedding only with those close to him, but I am glad about this because I did not want to involve politics and aristocratic ties in this wedding.

    However, it is said that some nobles complained to the Earls of Walker why they were not invited to the wedding, but such nobles are the ones we do not want.

    Sam''s impression was that it was not true.

    The participants from the royal family were His Majesty King Clyde, First Queen Francis, First Prince Cedric, and Hazel, who is also Sam''s grandmother.

    From the Dukes of Ignaz, the Duke and Duchess, G¨¹nther and Cree.

    From the Countess of Purple, Magnolia and her family.

    From the Amamiya family, Kurando and Kotomi.

    From the Countess Sinatra family, Delight and Francesca.

    The Marquess Glenn will be there as he is related to Sam.

    Alicia''s former fianc¨¦, the Robert family, will also attend.

    Kaoruko will be there as a friend of Sam''s, and Catherine the Magical Girl of the Court, Michael, Duke and Duchess Gabriel will be there as a friend of Ur.

    And Sam''s dear family, Derrick and Daphne, and the mothers of the Viscounts Teeling will join us.

    In addition, the Burning Dragons and their children will also attend the wedding, which seems to be the first time in the long history of the Kingdom of Skye that dragons have attended a wedding.

    Finally, Jonathan, Grace, Erica, and their servants from Count Walker''s family will attend the wedding.

    (Even though it''s only their relatives, there are six of them getting married, so that''s a lot of people to attend.)

    Sam''s shoulders slumped as Ulle said it was no big deal.

 374 - - 65 Its the night before we get married â‘¡

    "I''m worried about our future married life if you are so nervous about a wedding.

    Laughing as he said this, Ulle poured whiskey from a bottle in his hand into a glass and slurped it down in one gulp.

    "Phew, you want some too?¡¡It''s the best 30-year-old bottle I''ve ever had. It''s your start, so I opened it."

    "Drink your liquor again, and drink it vigorously."

    Sam refuses the drink softly, takes a canteen from the item box, and drinks the cold water.

    He is thirsty, perhaps from nervousness.

    "It''s one of my few hobbies. Oh yeah, and all the stuff in my room, it''s all yours. Books, liquor... Don''t let G¨¹nther take any of it.

    Sam frowned at Ur, who laughed out loud.

    "...... Ur."

    Sam resisted the idea of talking about her after she was gone.

    "Don''t look at me like that. I told you that''s enough. It''s just that I regret that you haven''t touched the other four after all.

    "You''re not talking about that again!"

    "I''ve been talking to those girls about it for a while now."

    Don''t do anything you don''t have to!

    "Have you decided on the order of the wedding night?¡¡These things are important, okay?"

    "It''s not what you think!¡¡It''s a care!

    My deepest feelings have flown away.

    A smirking Url puts his arm around Sam''s neck and exhales a breath that reeks of alcohol. He''s already acting like a drunken old man.

    "I think we should get engaged in that order. "I think it''s better in the order in which we got engaged. Then Karen, Mizuki, and Alicia, in that order. Well, I heard you''re tough, so I think it''s fine if we all get engaged at once, but in the end, the order will depend on who you want to hold first."

    "Hey, hey!¡¡You''re drunk!"

    "f*ck you, your every move determines the pecking order of these women!"

    "Such a pecking order is a big deal."

    Sam laughed it off, but Ulle, who had been smiling, put on a serious face and moved closer to him.

    "No, seriously. No, seriously. There''s a pecking order. Noblewomen make decisions like that unconsciously. Not out of malice or anything, but because their parents and neighbors are like that, they do it naturally."

    "Oh, no."

    Ur''s words shocked Sam, not a little.

    It was unthinkable that Liese and her family would have a pecking order within the family.

    "This is something that women of noble birth have to deal with, and there is a pecking order at the academy as well. It''s not only women, but also a few men."

    "That may be true, but..."

    "Lise, my first fianc¨¦e, who is already pregnant, will always be the best. That''s why Liese is so ready for it. But next. I suggest you choose Stella. Alicia will be reserved, Karen won''t mind because of her personality, and Mizuki will be more supportive of others. It is inevitable to give priority to the royal family. Even if Princess Stella doesn''t want it, it might be a corner somewhere later on."

    Marriage alone makes me nervous and anxious, but I don''t like it when you say that.

    "In the case of Liese and her family, they are supposed to get along with each other, so there will be no hard feelings, and they may not care about the hierarchy. But usually there is. So, you have to take care of them. Okay?"

    "Well, what do I do?"

    "That''s for you to figure out. I''d say ......, but I''ll give you some advice. Love them all equally. That''s all you need to do."

    "That''s it?"

    "There are so many men out there who can''t do that, that''s why women get into trouble with each other!"

    "That''s right!"

    After all, it seems that people around them want to decide who is the best or not, not Liese and her friends.

    King Clyde also has a reputation as a good husband and father, but from what Sam can see, he seems to be especially protective of Queen Frances and her children.

    It is not that he despises the others, and he may love them equally, but he still notices them when he notices them.

    "It''s not easy being a popular man. I hope G¨¹nther doesn''t rush you on your wedding night!"

    Don''t worry about that. Cree will take care of it.

    "Ha-ha-ha, she''s a good girl. I''m surprised there''s a girl who''s really in love with G¨¹nther, but she''s--"

    "What about Kree?"

    Sam asks Url, who has stopped speaking.

    But she laughs like a child who has just thought of a prank,

    "Let''s save that for later. There''s an order in which we have to tell them."

    "What''s that? I''m curious."

    After that, Sam and Ul had a lively conversation.

    They talked about a variety of things, from trivial matters to memories.

    When the party was about to end, I wanted to talk more, but Ur looked serious and I knew that this good time had come to an end.

    "We had a good time today, but it''s time to give you back to Liese and the others. But finally, I have something to say to Sam, not as a teacher, but as Ulrike Walker personally."

    "Yeah."

    "Make your sisters and your fianc¨¦(e)s happy. But more than that, I want Sam to be happy."

    "--Yes."

    That''s all I ask from the bottom of my heart."

    I know that Ur has always wanted me to be happy.

    More than a mentor, she cared for Sam like a sister, like a mother.

    "Yes. I promise. I''ll be happy with everyone."

    "Okay. Now I feel safe."

    Ur got up and gently stroked Sam''s head.

    "Good night, sweet Sam."

    "Hey, don''t treat me like a child."

    "Ha ha, he''s still a cute kid to me."

    I was a little frustrated that he treated me like a child, but I was also somewhat embarrassed and tickled.

    But it was somehow comforting.

    "Well, I''m going to bed. I''m looking forward to the wedding tomorrow. Good night, Sam."

    "--Good night, Ur."

    Sam and Ul exchanged smiles.

    Ur goes back to his room and Sam returns to the banquet by himself.

    He spent time with Lise and the others, laughed with his adoptive father Jonathan and the others, and cried with G¨¹nther, who had escaped from the Kree.

    The merrymaking continued until Grandmother Hazel frowned at them, saying it was time to call it a night because it would affect the wedding tomorrow.

    --This day was the last time Ur and I spent together.

 375 - - 66 Marriage çµå©š

    The wedding took place in a church in the city of the royal capital.

    Sam was dressed in a white tuxedo facing his brides.

    The wedding was not supposed to be a big affair, but there were five brides. Moreover, four of them were daughters of counts and one was a princess, so there were a good number of people in the family alone.

    Outside the church, residents who are interested in Sam''s wedding, which has been the talk of the town lately, are gathering. Some were just curious, others wanted to catch a glimpse of the bride and groom.

    In the chairs lined up in the inner sanctuary of the church, Ur, dressed in a bright red dress, her family, friends, and relatives were watching the ceremony, congratulating her.

    The wedding ceremony went smoothly, with the King''s speech, the vows, and the exchange of rings.

    As for the rings, silversmiths of the royal family made identical rings for the six guests.

    The ceremony came to the end with the kiss of love.

    First, Sam stood before Lise Walker.

    Lise''s wedding dress was a slightly loose empire line with a floral lace pattern that suited her well.

    Her pregnancy has not changed her figure, and she is as slender as ever.

    Lise opened her mouth with a slight blush on her cheeks.

    "Do I look good?

    During the wedding, I had not been able to talk to her, so now that I was close enough to kiss her, I was finally able to talk to her.

    "You look very nice. You look beautiful, Lise."

    "Hmmm, thank you. But let''s not call you Lise-sama anymore. You''re going to be my husband, so please call me Liese."

    "Okay, Lise."

    Calling her name again makes me realize that we are going to be a married couple.

    When we first met, it was only as Ur''s family. Next, she became my mentor in close combat and treated me like a sister, and I found myself drawn to her.

    We were heart to heart, we were physically connected, and now she has a life of her own, you never know what life has in store for you.

    "Hmmm, that tickles a little."

    "Me too."

    Sam and Lise laughed at each other.

    "I love you with all my heart, Sam."

    "I love you too, Lise."

    They moved closer, and their lips gently pressed together.

    Voices congratulating Sam and Lise and applause echoed through the room.

    Especially Jonathan was so moved that he was crying, and Grace was offering him a handkerchief with a troubled face, but I could see tears in her eyes as well.

    She is happy that Lise, once unhappily married, is happy.

    "Please call everyone like a husband," she said.

    "Yes."

    Sam pulled himself away from Liese with a look of regret and stood in front of the next bride.

    "I am so happy to have made it to this day, Mr. Sam.

    Waiting for Sam with flushed cheeks was the First Princess of Stella Isle Sky.

    "Me too. I''m happy to be with Stella."

    "--Well. I''m glad."

    Stella was surprised that Sam called her out, but her face immediately broke into a smile.

    Perhaps she felt that she was now going to walk with him not as a princess, but as a companion.

    Stella''s wedding dress was an alteration of a dress given to her by her mother, Frances. It was originally her grandmother Hazel''s dress.

    There was a proposal to have a new wedding dress made for Stella''s big day, but she wanted to go to the wedding ceremony in the wedding dress that she had received from her grandmother.

    Stella was dressed in a bright blue wedding gown with a princess line, which was appropriate for a princess to wear.

    Her white skin and hair looked great, and Sam couldn''t help but admire her even during the ceremony.

    "Thank you so much for meeting with us, Mr. Sam."

    I''m glad I met Stella, too.

    "I love you, Master Sam."

    "I love you, Stella."

    Stella, her white cheeks flushed, kissed Sam on the mouth.

    The applause echoed again.

    King Clyde clapped his hands especially enthusiastically.

    He loved and cared for Stella and would have loved to see his daughter happy.

    He would have sincerely wished for the happiness of his daughter who had been slandered unjustly just because her hair color was white.

    Stella noticed her father''s gaze and gave him a big smile. The next moment, tears welled up in Clyde''s eyes.

 376 - - 67 "Marriage" çµå©š

    Next, Sam stood in front of Alicia, who was waiting nervously.

    She was wearing an A-line wedding dress with a floral lace pattern that matched her sister Lise. The upper half of the dress showed off her curves, and the exposed shoulders were both beautiful and daring. She must have been adventurous for today.

    Alicia looks like she''s already in a state of deep emotion, with tears in her eyes. Worried that her makeup might be smudged, Sam gently reached out her finger.

    "Dear Sam, it''s like a dream come true for me to be a bride like this..."

    I can''t wait to marry Alicia, too.

    "Hmm, this is the first time Sam called me Alicia. It''s very comfortable."

    When we first met, we were distant from each other because of our dislike of men, but we gradually grew closer.

    Alicia enjoys reading, and Sam, who also likes to read, gradually became a good conversationalist.

    I still vividly remember how Alicia, who was supposed to have a reserved personality, burst into a frenzy with bright eyes when she saw the baby dragon.

    I look forward to working with you for a long time. I will serve you to the best of my ability, Sam-sama.

    "I can''t believe I''m going to do this. ...... Let''s all build a happy and bright home together."

    "--Yes!¡¡I love you, Master Sam!"

    "I love you too, Alicia."

    They looked at each other, and their lips gently pressed together.

    A round of applause echoed through the camp.

    As with Liese, Jonathan was clapping his hands and shedding tears as much as he could. Both Grace and Ur were smiling at the sight of their father. Erica was also applauding her sister''s blessing.

    Jim Robert, Alicia''s ex-fianc¨¦ and childhood friend, was also in the crowd, smiling and congratulating her. He was a good man who could celebrate the happiness of the woman he had fallen in love with, even if his first love had not come true.

    Alicia looked shy but happy as we parted our lips.

    Alicia was followed by Karen.

    She was wearing a wedding dress that boldly exposed her legs, which she was very proud of. It was a nice dress with a slender line that showed off her healthy body.

    There was a suggestion of a dress from her grandmother''s hometown, but Hualien wanted to match her friends, who were also brides.

    "How do you like it?"

    "You look beautiful."

    "Are you horny?"

    "Um, yes, I do."

    Even at a time like this, Hanae is a woman of few words and speaks at her own pace, but you can see a slight blush on her healthy cheeks.

    I think she might be hiding her embarrassment at this question, but it is also possible that she was really asking me.

    Whatever the case may be, I can''t help but smile at the fact that it is just like Hualien at weddings.

    "Okay then. I love you, Sam."

    "I love you too, Karen."

    "Nn."

    Hualien took a step closer and their lips met.

    The applause echoed through the room.

    Looking back, my first encounter with Karen was an arranged marriage. Both of them had not wanted this, but as they began to live together, they got to know each other little by little.

    Although Hanae is a person who takes her own pace, she became familiar with Count Walker''s family and soon became friends with Lise and her family.

    Sam liked her because she was always aware of things and followed up casually.

    I am sure that he will get along well with her for a long time. I have a feeling that we will get along well with her for a long time.

    Then it was Mizuki''s turn.

    Sam stood in front of her.

    "I''m a little nervous. I never thought I would be so happy.

    Mizuki beamed, dressed in a mermaid gown.

    Some had suggested that she wear a bridal gown from her father''s home country, Hinokuni, but she chose a dress to match everyone else''s. She looked fresh and beautiful in her dress, as she usually wears hakama (traditional Japanese male dress).

    "Let''s be happy, shall we?"

    "Yeah. It didn''t start out so well, but I love Sam very much. I''m looking forward to working with you for a long time.

    "It''s nice to meet you, too. I love you, Mizuki."

    Sam placed his lips on Mizuki''s meditating lips.

    A round of congratulatory applause echoed through the room.

    Mizuki''s father, Kurando Amamiya, was in tears as they lined up in their seats. Her younger sister, Kotomi, is also clapping her hands in high spirits today.

    Sam and Mizuki first met when she reported her engagement to Kurando, Liese''s sword master. However, due to a malicious person, Sam and Kurando had to fight. Sam won, but Kurando lost one of his hands and his title as a sword saint.

    To prevent Kurarajin from doing anything rash and to protect him from rival nobles who tried to denounce him, King Clyde decided that Mizuki would be Sam''s hostage and became his fiancee.

    Kurando is said to feel a sense of guilt toward Mizuki. He must be pleased as a father to see his daughter so happy.

    Sam separated his lips from Mizuki''s and looked at Kurando and nodded. He nodded, as if to say, "Don''t worry, I''ll make you happy. He smiled and nodded, as if Sam''s heart had been touched.

    --And so Samuel Scheidt welcomed his five brides safely.

 377 - - 68 "Its Wools heart".

    Amidst the cheers, Ulrike Scheidt-Walker looked on with a smile at her happy disciples.

    Jonathan, Clyde, and Kurando are also crying, which makes me laugh a little.

    Even the black-hearted Purple Magnolia seemed to be truly happy about her grandson''s marriage.

    £¨I never thought my sisters would marry Sam. In fact, it''s a surprise to see them like this.)

    I know not only Lise and Alicia, but also Karen and Mizuki because of their family relations. Especially I remember that Hanae was challenged several times and she fought back. Stella was the only one I did not have any contact with because of her royalty, but I am glad that my beloved disciple has made a connection with good women.

    I have no doubt that Sam will be happy.

    Five, or if Ur is to be believed, several others are in love with Sam, so I am sure that he will eventually have more wives. The women may have a hard time with each other, but I am sure they will all make Sam happy.

    Ur is not jealous of his sisters, although Liese and her sisters seem to be concerned about it.

    His relationship with Sam ended when they once told each other they loved each other.

    Ur was content with the many happy memories she had with him. Now she only wishes Sam and his family all the best.

    (......)

    I glanced at my childhood friend sitting next to me.

    I expected G¨¹nther, who had been ready to participate as a bride until yesterday and even prepared a pure white wedding dress, to make a fuss at the ceremony, but he was all crumpled up and didn''t seem to be moving much.

    He clapped his hands but seemed to be drained of energy as if he had been squeezed out of various things.

    Next to G¨¹nther is Cree, who looks happy with his arms around G¨¹nther. It''s our turn next," he says, looking at Liese and the others with enchanted eyes.

    (I didn''t think there was a girl who was so devoted to G¨¹nther. No, G¨¹nther has always been popular. But later on they find out his pervertedness and say he is not a good marriage partner. Sometimes there were girls who said it was fine, but I got jealous instead, and it was troublesome. (Thinking about it, Kree might be just right for G¨¹nther.)

    From what I''ve heard, Kree seems to be as good as G¨¹nther.

    I agree that they are a good match for each other.

    Although they are childhood friends, I still want G¨¹nther to be happy.

    I don''t know about chasing Sam''s ass, but I have found a daughter who accepts G¨¹nther as he is.

    I''m sure Cree will make G¨¹nther happy on her own.

    (Above all, I don''t see any other choice but to marry him. But G¨¹nther................................ What surprised me after his resurrection is not only the fact that G¨¹nther was in love with Sam, but also the fact that he was in love with her. I guess I''ll take advantage of it.)

    When he looked away from his childhood friend, Sam and the others had left the camp and were showing themselves to the people surrounding the church.

    The marriage of Sam, the youngest court wizard who has saved his country, to the princess and other beautiful women is a topic of conversation, for better or worse.

    The newspapers are here, too.

    As the brides throw their bouquets, G¨¹nther and Michaela are seen reaching for them. But because they interfered with each other, they missed each other and are kneeling on the spot.

    Ur is happy to see that everyone congratulates his beloved family members.

    A few people are shouting incomprehensible things like "When will you and G¨¹nther get married?

    £¨Well, my time is almost up.)

    I thought I had a little more time left, but it seems my time is shorter than I imagined.

    It was awkward to tell my family after the wedding, but I have decided to say my goodbyes properly this time.

    I think my family wants the same thing.

    This past week, and even today, none of Sam and his family has shown any sadness.

    That is what Ur wanted.

    He did not want to water their happiness, he wanted to keep their smiles on his soul.

    Ur turned her bright red dress around and went to her sweet disciples and the brides to congratulate them.

    "-Congratulations!"

    "Thank you, Ur!"

    Just seeing her smile was enough to convince me that my resurrection was worth it.

    Ulle went to the sky of King''s Landing and set off several fireworks with his magic.

    He wished that everyone would be happy and smiling for a long time.

    Ulrike Scheidt Walker was happy, no lie.

 378 - - 69 Its time to say goodbye â‘ 

    "I''m sorry for interrupting your wedding.

    When they returned to the house after the wedding, Ur told them that the time had come.

    "I''m sorry for not being able to read the atmosphere on your wedding day," he said.

    Sam, Lise and the others, as well as Jonathan and the others who had been planning to have a good time since yesterday, stiffened in surprise.

    They had been prepared for this, but it had come too soon.

    The hall of the house, which should have been crowded with people, fell silent.

    Everyone is speechless as Ur apologizes with a wry smile.

    "Ur!"

    Then, as if by surprise, Sam called out her name.

    No wonder. Ur''s body was emitting pale particles of light.

    "Oh, it''s about time!"

    They all turn to look at Ur, who has calmed down.

    Her fingertips are translucent.

    "Ur, what does that mean?"

    "Apparently, this is how it ends. Oh, man."

    Sam shivers in disbelief as Ur chuckles at the sight of his own fingertips.

    "Wait a minute, is that possible, Ur''s end?"

    Including Sam, who probably thought that when Ur''s life ran out again, he would pass away in his sleep.

    "I don''t understand it either, but it seems that way. I''m going to disappear."

    What had just happened to Ur was unexpected, not only by Sam, but also by herself.

    £¨She had been prepared to lose Ur again after the purification had failed, but to lose him with nothing left!¡¡(That''s not possible!)

    Her body slowly melts into the world while Sam is unable to even speak, too angry at the absurdity of it all.

    "- I guess this is goodbye."

    Ur''s words brought tears to the eyes of his family.

    Not only the family. The Dukes of Ignatz, Sinatra and his son, who were also present, wept at the sudden and unexpected parting.

    "I''m sorry that I''m such a poor teacher to pass away on my beloved disciple''s wedding day. But I''m glad to see you so happy. Be happy, Sam."

    "--Yeah. I''ll be happy. I''m going to be happy.

    Sam laughed.

    He had decided to send Ur off with a smile.

    Everyone tried to follow Sam''s example, wiping away the tears that were flowing and trying to catch a glimpse of Ur.

    "Take care of Lise and Alicia, take care of your family. And of course, take care of Princess Stella, Karen, and Mizuki.

    "Of course."

    "Good, that''s a relief."

    Ulle nodded in satisfaction and looked at Sam''s brides.

    Liese and her brides, also in tears, still looked at each other to see Url off.

    "Liese, Alicia, Princess Stella, Karen, Mizuki - I asked you to take care of Sam. No, you don''t have to say all that. I want you all to be happy."

    "I promise you that I will be happy with Sam!"

    Liese replies on behalf of Ur.

    Looking over at the girls who had become Sam''s wives, Ur smiled happily.

    "I''m glad you married Sam. I hope you will be good friends with my little apprentice for a long time to come."

    "Yes!"

 379 - - 70 Its time to say goodbye â‘¡

    Ur continued, turning to face his parents and Erica.

    "This is goodbye, father and mother. Please take care.

    When the parting words were spoken, Jonathan and Grace could not stop their tears, but still responded.

    "Well, I guess. I will miss you again. But thank God we get to say goodbye like this. I was lucky to have a daughter named Ur.

    "Me too. You were a tomboy and a maverick, but you guided Sam and raised him well. You have made us all happy. I thank you for that. Ulrike, I am so proud of you."

    Although neither Jonathan nor Grace spoke of it, they could not accept that Url, who had given them the opportunity to make their family happy, would die at such a young age.

    However, they still feel happy that Ur accepts his death. I didn''t want to say anything unnecessary to dampen her feelings.

    "I was happy, too. I am grateful from the bottom of my heart to have been born a daughter of your father and mother. Thank you very much."

    Ur''s heartfelt words of gratitude brought tears to the eyes of her parents.

    Sam and the others also felt their hearts well up in their chests when they saw Jonathan and the others.

    They know that the two of them, more than anyone else, did not want Ururu to die.

    Of course. It is such a sad thing when a child dies before his parents.

    "Erica."

    "--Sister!¡¡Me!"

    Erica had so many things she wanted to say to Ur that she couldn''t get the words out.

    The eldest daughter of a respected wizard. As a younger sister, she admired and was even jealous of her sister''s talent.

    Erika dreamed of catching up with, or even surpassing, her older sister as a wizard in the future, and when Ur had time, she would accompany her to training.

    She tried many dungeons and worked with her sister at night. Erika talked about her dreams, and her sister always cheered her up with a smile.

    She had left the country and passed away, thinking that she would return someday.

    It is hard to put into words how much of a shock this was for Erica.

    She could no longer see herself, could no longer see her dreams come true one day. Such a sense of despair made her cold to Sam at one time. I am ashamed of what I did at that time.

    But unbelievably, my sister came back to life. But she says that her time is limited. I did not know whether I should be happy to see her again or sad to lose her.

    In the end, I couldn''t put these feelings together and today has come.

    Ur and I spent a lot of time and made a lot of memories in the last days. I realized once again how strong my sister is when she trained me for the first time in several years. And I was disappointed that I could not catch up with her.

    But that''s okay. Ulrike Scheidt Walker is a great wizard. It is not so easy to catch up.

    Today, on this day, my sister will be gone again, but I still want to be a wizard who can live up to Ulle''s sister.

    "Erica, you''ve come a long way."

    "--What?"

    Ur smiled gently at Erika, who was desperately searching for words.

    "I''m sorry that I don''t have anything nice to say to you, but I admire your willingness to work magic. Keep up the good work and become a better wizard than I am."

    "--Yes!"

    "You can do it. You''re my little sister."

    "Sister!"

    Erika couldn''t help but hug Ur.

    She gently stroked her sister''s hair as she sobbed into her chest.

    However, everyone noticed that Ur''s hands had become thinner and more transparent than before.

    Ur turned to face the Duke and Duchess of Ignatz, still holding Erica in his arms.

    "Uncle, aunt, you have been very kind to us as well."

    "...... Ulrike. I don''t know what to say. I know my son has been through a lot, but I thank you for your continued company."

    With these words, the duke and duchess bowed their heads.

    Ur looked at G¨¹nther for once,

    "Well, I''ll say it for the last time, that idiot was family to me, too."

    For the first time, he referred to his childhood friend as family.

    "Thank you. I promise to protect Samuel and the rest of the Walker family."

    "I look forward to working with you."

    We have said our goodbyes to the dukes, to whom we have been related since childhood.

    Without time to dwell on the memories that were welling up in his mind, Ur turned his head to say goodbye to Delight.

 380 - - 71 Its time to say goodbye â‘¢

    "I have been concerned about my teacher for a long time. But I''m glad to see him back on his feet like this."

    For Ur, Delight, who taught him the basics of magic, was a special person.

    When he was about to leave the country after being told that he had very little time left to live, he still had feelings for Delight.

    But fate is a strange thing. Sam, whom Ur met and nurtured, gave Delight a chance to get back on his feet. And he has successfully returned to the court wizardry.

    It was a relief to be back on his feet again.

    "I''ve been showing you all kinds of pathetic things. I''m sorry I''ve been such a bad teacher.

    Delight, with mixed emotions on his face, brushes his hair.

    Sure, Ulle had seen Delight''s pathetic appearance, but he had never once thought of him as a bad teacher.

    "No, you were the best teacher I could have ever had."

    That''s my line. Ur, you were the best student I ever had.

    With tears in his eyes, Delight sent the words to Ur.

    To Delight, too, Url was special.

    Delight, who was elated to have become a court magician and the most powerful magician in the kingdom, shuddered when he met Ur, who was a child but had a great deal of talent.

    A wizard''s intuition convinced him that the young Ur would be a better wizard than he was.

    His intuition was right.

    Despite his talents, Ur loved magic and never stopped working hard and training. From early in the morning to late at night, he worked on his magic until his strength ran out and he became stronger and stronger.

    Before he knew it, he had surpassed himself as the strongest man in the kingdom.

    No wonder he became a court magician as soon as he came of age. I thought about giving her the title of the most powerful wizard, but she, of all people, was not interested in being the most powerful.

    No, no. No, no. Ur was not interested in the smallest thing in the Kingdom of Skye.

    Her vision was always ahead.

    Delight tried her best to be as good a teacher as Ur.

    But Delight lost her position as the strongest. Not by Ur, but by someone who thought of magic only as a tool for career advancement.

    That was the beginning of his downfall. After his disgraceful appearance before His Majesty, he resigned his position as court wizard and shut himself up in his house. He drank more and more.

    He lost his position and power and his wife gave up on him early and left him. He felt sorry for the trouble he was causing his daughter and the loss of his desire for magic.

    Still, he read grimoires in the hope of one day regaining his position as the strongest, but there was no way he could grow as a drunkard.

    When he heard that Ur had run away, he thought he had gone to see the wider world. He felt sorry for himself, running away from drinking and smoking.

    But I was wrong. A few years later, the news of Ur''s death came to Delight, who was still in the same state of disrepair.

    A wizard had died at such a young age, and he was still living in a state of low self-esteem. Unable to accept such a fact, he fled to drink again.

    But even in death, Ur gave Delight a chance. Her student Sam came to visit her.

    She took Sam as her apprentice, just as she had taken Ur as her apprentice. I wondered many times what she thought about being a mentor and what she thought about herself, questions that had no answers.

    Having found an opportunity, Delight set out to make a comeback so that Ur would not be ashamed of her. Thanks to the reminder of his apprentice and his daughter, who had caused him so much trouble, he was able to return to the court wizardry.

    Then Ur comes back to life, and there is nothing left to do but laugh. When I saw him again, I said to myself "You can do anything you want! I just shouted.

    Ur still calls me "master. I am sure no one knows how happy that makes Delight.

    But now that Ur has come back to life, he is about to die again. Delight did not know whether to be glad to say goodbye or to curse the world that had taken Ur.

    Still, he holds back his tears, trying to do his best as a teacher to see her off so that she can sleep peacefully.

    "Please take care of Sam. She still has a lot to learn, so please take care of her.

    "Oh. But there''s nothing to worry about. You''ll be surprised how much they grow if you leave them alone. Just like you.

    "Maybe so. Well then, master. Good bye."

    Yeah, bye, bye.

    If I said anything more, I would burst into tears.

    I bit my lip and held back my tears.

    "Fran, I asked you to take care of my master."

    "Leave it to me."

    "You''ve become a good woman, too. If you care about Sam, you can join him as a wife right away.

    I''ll think about it.

    They said goodbye to Sinatra and his son, and Ur turned his attention to G¨¹nther.

 381 - - 72 "I left behind the shocking facts" â‘ 

    "I know. If I''m the last, it''s a confession of love.

    No, man.

    "...... what the f*ck?"

    "No, don''t be surprised there. I mean, I don''t understand how you can be so paranoid about getting a confession. I''ve known you for a long time, but you''ve finally become an object that doesn''t make sense until the very end. But I''m grateful to you for always being the same.

    Ulle smiled at the fact that G¨¹nther did not change even in such a situation, but he was still happy.

    If even G¨¹nther cried, he would have been in trouble, and he would not be able to give him the surprise he had in store for him.

    "Huh. Have I ever done anything that Ulrike didn''t want me to do?

    "It''s been crazy!"

    I don''t remember that!

    "Convenient brain, man!¡¡But that''s just like you."

    G¨¹nther brushes his bangs back in annoyance at Ur''s words.

    "I''ve always lived for you. I''m not going to cry and beg you not to go. I want to look good in front of Ulrike, too.

    "--G¨¹nther."

    Ulle was grateful to G¨¹nther, who was always straightforward about his feelings, even though he was a pervert of the highest order.

    Although she cannot accept his feelings, they are still her childhood friend and family.

    Although he had never said so, G¨¹nther was still an important part of his life.

    It is sad to think that we will never hear his ramblings again.

    "So, I have prepared a love poem for Ulrike for this parting day that I knew would come one day."

    "-- what?"

    Next, I have prepared a love dance. Enjoy my love to the fullest.

    "You''re not going to let me become a Buddha, are you?

    Correction. I''m glad to say goodbye to this pervert.

    G¨¹nther was about to sing, but then he coughed once and looked at Sam.

    "I''m sorry, Sam. Just for today, I want to be G¨¹nther Ignatz only for Ulrike."

    "Ha-ha-ha, don''t be shy, you''ll always be Ur''s."

    "Wait, Sam!¡¡You''re taking every opportunity to force this pervert on me!¡¡What if they follow us into the afterlife!"

    Sam was also taken aback by G¨¹nther''s usual overtures.

    However, the family members who had been crying pulled back their tears and laughed.

    They were now in the situation that Ur had hoped for, that they would see him off with a smile.

    He glanced at G¨¹nther and winked at him as if to say, "You did a good job," which was really annoying.

    "So, let''s start with the first chapter of the love poem, Encounter. Let me sing it for you.

    "I''m telling you to stop, you pervert!"

    "Ahh!"

    When Ur kicked G¨¹nther to stop him from really starting to sing, he squealed happily.

    "Hey, Kree! Are you sure this is the right husband?"

    "Hmmm, I love Ulrike and Sam very much, and I love G¨¹nther very much."

    "You''re amazing, man. You''re probably the strongest man I''ve ever met."

    Everyone, including Ur, thought that there must be something wrong with Cree, who could not only look at his fianc¨¦e doing something stupid with a big smile on his face, but also love her.

    "They''re just like each other, aren''t they?"

    "Ulrike!¡¡I think there are certain things you are allowed to say and certain things you are not allowed to say, no matter how many times you say them!¡¡Who''s married to this little b*tc*!"

    "Oh, come on, just accept it. You''re a good boy. She''s perfect for you. Yeah. You''re perfect for each other.

    No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!

    "Well, I''m going away too, so it''s time you left me alone. You''re going to be a father.

    "-- Huh?"

    I wonder who was the one who shouted that stupid voice.

    If I''m not imagining it, I think Ulle said something I couldn''t miss.

    But no one could understand. It was as if our brains could not process her words.

    Everyone stood still, rolling their eyes.

    "Uh, uh, Ur?¡¡I thought I just said something outrageous, but it was just my imagination, right?"

    I visited Sam, who had somehow managed to break his rigidity.

    Sam''s face showed great agitation and tension. He seemed to be more shocked than when he had a chance encounter with the Demon King.

    G¨¹nther''s face was pale, as if he had some idea what was going on.

    It''s not just my imagination. G¨¹nther is going to be a father.

    That means...

    "I''m having a baby."

    "I heard you''re having a baby.

    Everyone but a few looked at Sam.

    Even the newly married brides looked at him with suspicion, and Sam couldn''t help but scream.

    "It wasn''t me!

 382 - - 73 "I left behind the shocking facts" â‘¡

    "Why do you think they look at me in this stream!¡¡And even Liese and the others!¡¡You guys are my wives now!¡¡No way, it''s a betrayal!¡¡You''re a Cree here!"

    Sam''s exclamation echoed, and all eyes turned to Kree.

    Cree looks bewildered as he catches everyone''s attention.

    No wonder. She probably had no idea that she was pregnant.

    "Oh, um, Ulrike-sama?"

    "I''m sorry. I should have told you in a more proper place, but I knew my end was going to be dark anyway, so I decided to make it a surprise to change the atmosphere."

    "What a crazy surprise!"

    Everyone nodded at Sam''s shout.

    G¨¹nther looks like his heart is about to stop.

    I guess the surprise was a success, but I was so surprised that I felt like I wasn''t saying goodbye to Ur anymore.

    (I understand that they wanted to avoid a heart-warming moment, but it''s hard to ...... react to such a subtle atmosphere!¡¡Anyway, G¨¹nther did what he had to do. It''s a good thing it''s another world. In modern Japan, he would have been caught!)

    "Um, Ulrike-sama, are you really in my belly?"

    "I have G¨¹nther''s child. You''re going to be very happy."

    "--Yes!"

    Cree''s face changed from one of bewilderment and she smiled as if a flower had bloomed.

    But there was still one man who was not ready to give up.

    "Wait, wait, wait, I''m still clean," he said.

    "Bullshit."

    Ur kicked out at G¨¹nther, who was about to make a desperate attempt.

    Then G¨¹nther''s head reeled.

    "Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!¡¡No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!"

    "No, no, no, the fact that you''re having a baby is the best proof of all."

    "I resisted too!¡¡But when this little girl started wearing clothes from Ur''s childhood and giving him the aphrodisiac she was going to give Sam, and doing this and that - I was like aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

    "Hey, hey, what''s an aphrodisiac?"

    There were a few facts that I couldn''t help but overhear, so Sam poked his head in.

    G¨¹nther''s possession of Ur''s childhood clothes was a surprise, but not unexpected. However, no one can hide their astonishment at Kree approaching G¨¹nther in those clothes.

    £¨What a means to an end! Yeah. I wish you all the best!)

    I am glad to see that she consumed the aphrodisiac that could have been used on her.

    Sam decided to congratulate G¨¹nther and Cree sincerely.

    "Well, what the hell. I know he''s a pervert, but he''s a dear childhood friend. Take care of them."

    "Yes!¡¡I will make Master G¨¹nther happy!"

    Ur nods and smiles in satisfaction at Cree''s decision.

    Then the particles of light emitted from her became more luminous and her body became transparent.

    Sam shouted.

    "Wait a minute, Ur!¡¡No way, you''re going to be happy to pass away in the air like this!"

    Not only Sam, but all of us agreed with him.

    At least, it was unlikely to return to an atmosphere of reluctance to say goodbye.

    But Ur''s smile deepened.

    "d*mn it, you guys are getting all sad, that''s why I''m trying to be nice!"

    "This situation is beyond caring, indeed!"

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha, that''s good. I''ve had enough of tearful goodbyes. Let me die laughing for the second time."

    It''s so Ur-esque.

    She was forcing herself to meet the end she wanted.

    Even those who had been crying were confused, and G¨¹nther was still rolling on the ground, pleading his innocence, but not quite sure what innocence meant.

    They all laughed loudly, as if Ur was the last of them.

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha!¡¡Oh, I laughed, I laughed, I laughed!¡¡I''m so lucky to be able to laugh at the end of my life."

    Ur''s body dissolves into particles in the air.

    "--Ul!"

    Sam shouted out for the last time.

    He had something he wanted to say for the last time.

    "--Thank you!"

    I told him how I felt that day when I ran away from home, thanking him for everything since I met Ur.

    No one but Sam could have known how much emotion was put into that short statement.

    Ur looked at him with a stunned expression on his face, but he smiled kindly as if he were a mother and hugged Sam tightly.

    "Don''t be silly. I''m the one who should thank you. --Thank you, Sam."

    With these words, Ur''s figure melted away.

    And so Ulrike Scheidt Walker died a second time.

 383 - - 74 Epilogue ã€

    "--Welcome, Ulrike Scheidt Walker."

    When Ur opened his eyes, what awaited him was an endless expanse of pure white sky.

    Under the disgustingly pure white sky, the earth was filled with colorful flowers and a small table.

    And at the table, there was a woman wearing a simple white dress.

    She had a nostalgic feeling, with her translucent white skin, a doll-like nose bridge, and her long rice-ear colored hair that almost touched the ground.

    "Who are you?"

    Ur asks with a hint of caution.

    There were many questions, such as why I was here when I was supposed to be dead, and where I was in the first place, but the presence of the beautiful woman in front of me was so great that I had to ask first.

    Then the woman snapped her slender and supple fingers once.

    A moment later, an unrecognizable memory flashed through Ur''s mind.

    He falls to his knees, but his doubts are answered.

    "-I remember everything. I made a covenant with you, with God.

    When Ur remembered everything, he stood up and stared at the woman-God.

    "How could you be revived by the half-baked, ugly magic of a third-rate Ordo?"

    Ur sits at the table facing God.

    God waves his hand and a teacup with steam rising from it appears before him.

    "The Ordo did not succeed. You interfered, and as a result I have my first life."

    "Such was the deal."

    "Yes, I remember that too. In exchange for doing you a favor, I was temporarily resurrected. d*mn, you''re a mean one, too. You''re so mean to make me forget about it while I''m back."

    As Ur sipped from his teacup, God quietly bowed his head.

    "I am sorry. I did not want other humans to know of our existence.

    "Of course."

    After his first death, Ur was summoned to this place to meet with the goddess before him.

    The contract he made with her brought him back to life in a limited way.

    No wonder the Ordo could not control Ur. He did not have the technology to revive Ur in the first place.

    "Well, that''s okay. I''m sorry for what I did to Sam and the others.

    "I am so sorry. It hurts me that I have to take you away from your beloved, even though it was only a contract."

    I feel bad for my friends who tried so hard to keep me alive.

    That''s why I had to ask.

    "Let me ask you something. If I had not made a contract with you, would I still be alive?"

    The goddess shook her head.

    "No, I''m afraid I couldn''t. Hypothetically, it would have been possible for Kaoruko Kirishima a few more years later.

    "Who played the purification?"

    In order to fulfill my contract with you, the contracting technique reflected the purification. You have a contract with me, and magic such as revival and curses have no effect on you.

    God''s work.

    I am sorry.

    Ur exhales heavily.

    If the goddess has not caused his friends'' efforts to be in vain, there is no need to complain.

    He is more thankful that the goddess has allowed him to say goodbye to his family.

    "Well, it doesn''t matter. I could not forgive them if their efforts had been in vain, but if not, then fine. I regret not being able to explain that to them, but I believe they will be fine.

    "My sincerest apologies. I know it was a contract, but I''ve caused you a lot of pain as a result."

    "No, please, I made my own decision."

    The goddess turned her golden eyes toward Ur.

    "Then let us fulfill our agreement.

    Ur nodded with determination.

    "--Yes, I will be reborn in a world under your control."

 384 - - 75 Epilogue ã€

    The contract Ur made with the goddess was to be reborn in the world under her control.

    At first, Ur could not immediately respond to the proposal of the goddess, but he agreed to it after accepting the conditions that the god proposed.

    --The condition was that he would be resurrected for a limited period of time.

    At first, the idea of being resurrected did not appeal to him. Because Ur lived without regret. Of course, he had some regrets, but he lived his life the way he wanted to live it.

    But when he realized what God had shown him about Sam and his family, he chose to make a covenant.

    Ur regretted not being able to say goodbye to his family in person. Most of all, he was concerned about his beloved apprentice Sam, who was weakened by the magic and magical power he had entrusted to him, unable to use his true power.

    With time, Sam would have been able to regain his strength on his own, but it was Ur''s fault that his apprentice was not strong enough.

    Ur had used the inheritance magic to entrust Sam with everything at the moment of his death, but the magic was not perfect.

    Not wanting his apprentice to spend his precious time with imperfection, Ur agreed to make a contract with him, and he was resurrected.

    Although he miscalculated in losing the memory of the contract, he was able to finish all that he had to do.

    He was even able to attend Sam''s wedding, so he had no regrets.

    Ulle can now face the new world with a clear face.

    "Please. Then you have my blessing and my blessing.

    "I don''t want it."

    "...... what?"

    The goddess'' eyes widened.

    "I don''t need those things!¡¡I finally decided to go to another world just to see how far I would fare in it!¡¡I told you so!"

    Once I decided to reincarnate, my curiosity was piqued.

    I wanted to see how well I could do in a different world.

    I want to experience the unknown.

    I want to meet new magic, new people, and have adventures to the fullest.

    I want to meet new magic, new people, and have adventures to the fullest... I am trying to fulfill the dream that was cut off by my illness in another world.

    The goddess laughs.

    "Of course. Then let me at least inherit the same magical powers, magical techniques, and memories as before your death. Also, let me purify your body that has been sickened by too much magical power, so that you will never be raped by magical power again.

    "Oh, thank you. I''ll take it.

    "However, since you will be reincarnated, it does not mean that you will be as good as you are now from the beginning. You will be a child of a certain family, and you will have to start your life from scratch. To regain your current strength, you will need to make a reasonable effort.

    It''s what I do best.

    So...

    Wait a minute.

    Ur asked the god to let him reincarnate, but he was interrupted.

    He was not sure for what reason he was going to reincarnate himself, but he was not amused by the fact that everything was going God''s way, so he decided to give a few orders.

    "I am sorry to change my opinion, but I still wish you would grant my wish. I heard that reincarnated people sometimes get some benefits from God himself. Especially those who meet God like this.

    "Yes. It does not apply to those who, like Samuel Scheidt, were reincarnated with other intentions than my intervention, but yes, I can give them the blessing of privileges."

    "I told you, I don''t want your blessing. Instead, I need you to do something for me.

    "Let''s hear it."

    Ur smiled.

    "When Sam''s life is over, when his life comes to an end, let him reincarnate in the same world as me, in the same time period."

    "--, that''s--"

    If Ur''s only regret after dying a contented man, it is for Sam.

    For the sake of his happiness, she stepped aside as a mentor and a family member, but she really wanted to be with him. I wanted to see more of the world with him.

    I don''t care if it takes place in another world.

    I want Sam next to me.

    Wouldn''t that be nice?"

    "...... can''t make any promises, but we can negotiate."

    "Well, that''s fine."

    You must really like Samuel Scheidt.

    "Oh, I won''t let anyone have it this time. You''ll be my very own Sam."

    "......I promise you that we will try to fulfill your request."

    "Ha-ha-ha. Sorry. I''ll take care of it."

    The goddess let out a big sigh as Uru laughed.

    She had never imagined that she would be asked for such a favor.

    "It is true. No, but it might be a small price to pay for your future. If it were Samuel Scheidt right now, it would be impossible, but now that he has lived a full life, it should be no problem.

    "That''s good news. By the way, I have a question.

    No problem.

    "Why was Sam reincarnated?¡¡Who reincarnated you?"

    The goddess did not open her mouth immediately.

    She looked a little worried, and then slowly opened her mouth, as if she thought Ur might be okay with it.

    "---------"

    Ur cowered as the goddess spoke to him.

    "Well... He''s going to have quite a life.

    "I''m sure it won''t be boring."

    "Well, I''m sure Sam will figure it all out. I''m not worried about that.

    Ur was not worried about Sam''s future.

    There was no doubt that his beloved pupil would have a hard time, but he would be happy to get over it all.

    He has the power and the talent to do so.

    Above all, he made a promise. That he would be happy. And I believe he will keep his promise.

    It''s time to go.

    "Okay. But still... another world. I''m looking forward to it. I never thought I''d experience reincarnation, but who knows what might happen to me after I die?

    I am sure you will be satisfied with this world. So, Ulrike Scheidt Walker ...... have a nice trip."

    God snaps his fingers, and a small door appears out of the void, just for one person.

    "Well, I''ll see you again when I get a chance. Take care of Sam for me.

    With that, Ulle passed through the door without hesitation.

    And Ulrike Scheidt Walker was reborn in a new world.

 385 - - 76 "Epilogue" â‘¢

    "I''m sorry, Ulrike Scheidt Walker."

    After Ur had departed for the new world, the remaining goddess uttered a small apology.

    "But it was dangerous to leave you in that world. But it was dangerous to leave you in that world, because a broken goddess wanted to use you as a vessel. Even the deadly disease that consumed you was spread by a goddess in hiding.

    The monologue of the goddess who knew that Ur could not hear her voice, but felt guilty for having reincarnated her without telling her the details, continues.

    "If I had lost my life there, the goddess would have taken my body.

    The truth of her death, hidden from Ur, and her value were immeasurably greater.

    So great was her value that the goddess in charge of another world had to forcibly intervene.

    Is it done?

    "Yes."

    Before she knew it, a man was standing behind the goddess.

    The Goddess was not surprised by the sudden voice, but quietly turned around and nodded her head.

    The man is also a god.

    He is a beautiful young man with a sword at his waist, swordsman-like.

    He, too, is a god who controls several worlds and a god of war.

    We cannot interfere in that world.

    "Yes. But we had to interfere, even if we had to.

    "No doubt. At what cost?

    "Not so big. It will sleep for a thousand years or so, but that''s a minor problem."

    Even for God, a thousand years is a reasonably long time.

    For a people, it is long enough to give birth to multiple cultures.

    But the goddess said that sleeping for a thousand years was a trivial matter.

    It is true. In fact, if Ur''s existence had been left alone, without forcibly interfering in the world, it might have harmed many worlds. Sleeping is a small price to pay for eliminating that possibility.

    "I''m going to miss you."

    "Oh, I''m so glad you said that. I''m flattered.

    It''s true.

    Can I leave the rest to you?

    I don''t mean to interfere. I have no taste for self-sacrifice, as you do."

    The goddess laughed.

    Although the god of war has a blunt manner, she knows that he is a kind and considerate god who has come here to help her in this way.

    "No problem. Just let him see it through to the end."

    "...... understood."

    "Thank you."

    The goddess stood up from her chair, bowing her head, and said to the god of war that she had waited.

    "Even if we let Ulrike Scheidt Walker leave the world, there are still other vessels out there. What are you going to do?"

    "At present, there is no one as fit as she is, so I think she will be safe for a while. Besides, the demon kings are trying to destroy the goddess.

    "I don''t know if they are capable of killing gods, but if they try, I''ll watch them do it."

    "Please."

    The god of war sniffs.

    "You rest now. If something should happen, I won''t intervene, but I''ll at least try to wake you up.

    "Hmmm, thank you for your concern."

    The goddess bowed her head to the god of war and quietly disappeared.

    The god of war sat down in the chair she left behind.

    "Well, I am not interested, but I will watch over you as I promised.

    Then the god of war quietly meditated.

 386 - - 77ã€Œï¼Ÿï¼Ÿï¼Ÿã€

    "...... your,own."

    It", which had been sealed deep within the continent of a certain world, emitted a voice like a murky poison filled with vindictiveness.

    The anger of having been deprived of the "vessel" that it had been eyeing for a long time moved its emotions for the first time in a long time.

    In a bad way, of course.

    It wanted to spit out a curse, but its mouth would not move as it wished.

    Even if I wanted to go berserk, I couldn''t even move my fingers.

    "......Oh, shit!"

    Despite my best efforts, I could not utter even a single word.

    It was no wonder, then, that its body was bound by several layers of wards.

    Its body was rotting, giving off a searing pain.

    The body was already gone.

    It lived a long, long time in solitude, as if it were a cripple with a worn-out spirit.

    Unable to sleep, unable to move, exhausted in body and mind, it could have died in despair.

    --But because of God, it could not die.

    --No, he could not die.

    It cannot die.

    It does not eat, does not drink, does not sleep, but it lives on.

    Even if it suffers from loneliness, even if its body rots, it continues to live.

    Instead, my heart is about to die, but it is the feeling of hatred that resides inside my heart that has kept me sealed for so long.

    Its hatred became a curse, spreading throughout the world as if seeping out from within the continent.

    Magic died, spirits died, deadly diseases spread.

    The world was cursed and polluted by it.

    Hope appeared in such a world that could only be cursed.

    A being appeared to be the "vessel" that I had been searching for so long.

    It was a pure-blooded human being with great talent, life force, and magical power.

    It willingly defiled its existence.

    It wanted to take the mortal man and make him its own, just as it had dreamed of doing.

    But it was no match.

    A different, more powerful being took it from him.

    My vision turned red.

    I felt as if the fruit I had been carefully nurturing had been taken from me just before I was about to harvest it, by someone unknown to me.

    But all that could be done was to say one word.

    Until I find my "vessel" again, I will have to stay in this prison.

    As it was about to utter the curse again, it suddenly realized something.

    --Yes, we can compromise.

    --It doesn''t matter if it''s not a perfect vessel.

    --As long as I can get out of here, that''s all that matters.

    It smiled a hideous smile.

    It was a perfect vessel, but I don''t care if it''s perfect.

    "Oh, man, this is so weird."

    There was a girl looking at the pitch-dark space and sighing.

    She was a dark-haired girl who appeared to be in her mid-teens.

    The girl looked at the rotting lump of flesh with a disgusted look on her face.

    "It''s obvious, isn''t it? You''re so simple-minded, aren''t you? I really think that boring people are like this.

    The girl was looking at a black space, but she was also in an empty white space.

    "You''ll never get out of here unless you have something to do, though. Do you understand that?

    Of course, there was no reply from the one in front of me.

    It is impossible for the girl''s voice to be heard, so there is no way for her to reply.

    "You may not know this, but no one wants you anymore. It''s absolutely impossible, but even if you were to come back, everyone would say, "Who are you?¡¡I''m sure you''ll be tilting your head.

    Aaaaah," the girl laments exaggeratedly.

    "It''s scary to think that a being who was once loved, worshipped, and sought after by everyone can turn out like this.

    Oh no," cries the girl, cowering her shoulders in an exaggerated manner.

    "You''ll just rot away with time. Well, I know you don''t like it, but I have to watch you too, so I guess it''s both our fault. Good luck and please die soon.

    The girl smiles and says so, then her expression disappears as if she is bored.

    Then she lies down in the empty space and begins to breathe in her sleep.

 387 - - 1. Heres a report on how youve been doing. â‘ 

    "- Ur, it''s been a week."

    It has been a week since we lost Ur.

    Strangely enough, I don''t feel sad about losing her.

    Maybe it''s because I wanted to say goodbye to her, or maybe it''s because I promised to live for her.

    But even though I don''t feel sad, I do feel lonely. I even feel as if there is a cavity in my heart.

    Sam visited Ur''s grave today to give an update.

    Ur''s remains do not remain, but instead, some of her personal belongings that she loved during her life are buried there.

    Sitting in front of the grave, Sam gently pats the headstone.

    "Honeymoon is going well," he says.

    With a slight chuckle, Sam spoke.

    Our honeymoon was going very well.

    Although we did not have our wedding night on the day Ur and I separated, we had a successful wedding night with our brides.

    "It was kind of amazing. I know I''m not supposed to say this to Ur, but there was no one else to say it to."

    As a matter of fact, there seems to be a pecking order among brides as far as Ur was concerned.

    It is not that Liese and her family members are trying to make them superior or inferior, but that the people around them seem to see Sam and his family in that way on their own.

    Sam thought that they should leave such things alone, but it was not so easy as he had expected.

    Sam was called by his grandmother Hazel, who told him about the sordid affairs of the aristocracy, which he did not want to know about.

    However, the hierarchy is not only for women.

    Of course, men also have a pecking order, and so do students. To put it in an extreme way, hierarchy exists unconsciously even within a peer group.

    Hazel advised him to have his wedding night with Stella first.

    She did not mean that Stella should have priority because she was a princess or a grandchild, but that she should be considerate of the fact that some people might look down on her if she had a later wedding night than the other fianc¨¦es, who had been told many things behind her back.

    To be honest, I thought that the order of the wedding night would not be leaked to the outside world, but it seems that this is not the case.

    It is said that the information is easily leaked through the exchange of information among the servants working in the noble''s mansion.

    This is not a bad thing, but it is also a place used to gather information among nobles.

    However, for better or for worse, the information is kept secret, so confidential information is not shared with anyone but the most trusted servants, and the servants do not cross the line too often.

    Of course, there are people who try to extract information from them, sometimes with money or threats.

    But most of the time, it seems, it is just the servants making a lot of noise with gossipy stories.

    So it is easy for them to know with whom Sam had his wedding night.

    Sam shuddered when he heard the story.

    "Well, I''m not very good at it. I''ll try to stay out of it.

    Managing servants is the job of noblewomen, apparently.

    However, since Sam is currently being taken care of by Count Walker''s family, Liese and her family do not need to worry about it.

    There will come a day when we will move into the house that His Majesty the King has given us, but for the time being we plan to stay here and take it easy.

    "So, in case you''re wondering who I''ve been spending time with, I''ve been spending time with Stella as Ur advised me to."

    After all, Sam was so distressed that he gave up the thought of being engaged in the order in which they were engaged.

    Everyone was still important to him, and Sam was determined to love them all with all his heart.

    As a result, the order was the one recommended by Ur and Hazel.

 388 - - 2. Heres a report on how youve been doing. â‘¡

    To put it mildly, it was a great night with the brides.

    "As I thought when I saw Lise, I was reminded that women have many different expressions."

    I can''t say too much here, but each of the brides gave Sam plenty of different looks from the daytime.

    "Stella was so cute!"

    Stella was very passive.

    She had studied a lot before the wedding night, as she is usually a studious woman, but she was too shy to show it.

    Her skin was smooth and white like a piece of ceramics, and was beautiful beyond words.

    Needless to say, Stella was so lovely that she had been with him many times.

    "Hualien had a very strong gap between the two of us."

    Hualien usually goes at her own pace and sometimes does not say many words, but at night she was the complete opposite.

    She was very responsive and vocal.

    The feelings that lay deep within her were conveyed to Sam in the form of words.

    Her well-trained body was supple, especially her legs were beautiful.

    Above all, she herself was aggressive. What man wouldn''t be happy to be desired?

    "Mizuki, yes, it''s nice to be a bokko, isn''t it?"

    Mizuki was just as sensitive as Hanae, but she was surprised and embarrassed by her reaction, which was very cute.

    As a swordsman, her slender and toned body was beautiful, yet had a softness that only a woman can have.

    She used "I" in the first person. Yes, I can''t resist it.

    "Alicia was really aggressive. Yes, I knew from the moment I met her with the dragon cubs that she was actually very dynamic, but it was great."

    From the time we met, Alicia was quiet and reserved. She was not good with men, a little shy--but she could be aggressive when the moment called for it.

    At the wedding and when we met on the same bed for our wedding night, she showed a lot of happiness and shyness on her face and even blushed up to her ears.

    I was so relieved to see Alicia like that, but when we made physical contact--that was a complete change.

    Being a voracious reader, she knew a lot about the night and tried her best to put her knowledge into practice. Later she told me that she was just trying to please Sam, but she was surprisingly aggressive.

    "Of course I spent time with Lise."

    I didn''t get physical with her, but we enjoyed some time alone together for the first time in a long time.

    She asked me how the other girls were doing, and when I told her they were doing well, she became unusually jealous.

    Lise was adorable as she pouted childishly, but Sam did his best to keep her in a good mood.

    They made out a lot and had an intense time.

    Lise was very active and did a lot of things to me as long as it was not too hard on my stomach.

    I felt a little guilty and immoral, but I must confess that I was rather aroused by it.

    "I know I worried you a lot, but we are getting along well. All the wives get along well with each other. To be honest, I was worried about the idea of six people in a marriage, but it turned out to be a surprisingly good idea.

    As one might expect, we didn''t all end up spending the night together.

    Even though the brides were like sisters, there was still a certain amount of embarrassment.

    For now, I will be sure to meet each one''s request to make love to Sam as his wife.

    However, it is a secret that I am a little excited about the prospect of having all of us together at some point in the future.

    "Hehehehe ...... Oops, excuse me. The master, or rather the fathers-in-law, are fine. The maid told me that seeing us reminded them of their honeymoon, and they are working hard every night. Maybe we''ll have a little brother or sister.

    Sam chuckled at the prospect of new life in the Earl and Countess Walker family, who were looking forward to seeing their grandchildren''s faces as soon as possible.

    Whatever the case, the family is moving forward despite the loss of Ur.

    Just as Ur wished.

    "Oh, by the way, listen. I just got married and I''ve been getting offers for my daughter, for my wife''s chambermaid, for my mistress... I guess your father-in-law is taking care of it, but I don''t know."

    Many families want to have a connection with Sam.

    They want the blood of Sam, the court wizard and the most powerful wizard in the Kingdom of Skye, but they also want to have a connection with the royal family.

    It is said that there are many aristocrats and merchants who want to take advantage of Sam''s royal blood, though they hide it.

    However, Sam wants to be happy with a woman who loves him properly like Liese and his family, and he does not intend to become a family with a woman who is based on calculation or her parents'' orders.

    I know it is not aristocratic, but I am strong enough to say such a selfish thing, so I will push through.

    "That''s about all I have to say. My story is endless, but I am doing well. So, here we go. I think what''s on Ur''s mind the most is G¨¹nther and Cree. It''s true, it''s been hard since Ulle made that crazy announcement and then disappeared.

 389 - - "After Gunta".

    The whole group was thrown into confusion by Ur''s bombshell, but the duke quickly came to his senses and ran to the royal palace to bring the court magician, Shirin, with him.

    The diagnosis by Mokuren clearly confirmed that Kree had a magical life force in her belly.

    Sam could also feel the magic power from her abdomen. It was still faint, but there was no doubt.

    "The dukes were overjoyed!"

    G¨¹nther, heir to the Dukedom of Ignaz, is partial to Ur and Sam. The former did not take to him and is now dead. The latter cannot have children even if they were to become compatible with each other.

    To tell the truth, Cree was a great help to the Dukes, who were even thinking of adopting a child from a relative, thinking it would be impossible to have an heir.

    They had heard G¨¹nther being spanked night after night, so they had faint hopes, but when it became clear that they were going to have a child, they were overjoyed.

    "You did a great job!" The Duke and Duchess hugged Cree and shed tears streaming down their faces.

    We celebrated G¨¹nther, too.

    Everyone circled around him, holding hands and congratulating him.

    As a result, G¨¹nther couldn''t handle the reality and fainted.

    "You were quick from that point on, Duke," he said.

    The Duke took his son''s fainting as an opportunity and promptly announced the marriage of Kree and G¨¹nther with great fanfare.

    He even reported the news to the royal court before G¨¹nther could make any resistance.

    As a result, Kree was officially welcomed as the wife of the Duke of Ignaz and became his first wife.

    This is an exceptional treatment for a woman from a baron''s family.

    Sam and the others did not mind and congratulated Cree, but the other nobles did not seem to agree.

    It seems that the Duke''s family received offers of marriage every day from people who thought that if the daughter of a baron could become the first wife of a duke, then their own daughters could too, or from people who were jealous of Cree''s treatment and wanted to marry into the duke''s family themselves.

    Of course, it was impossible for the duke''s family not to recognize such a greedy person, and he turned them all down.

    In the first place, there were not many women who could make G¨¹nther like Kree, or even play with him.

    Even Ur could not control him, so we can see how difficult it would be.

    Unless a woman like Kree has the capacity to accept G¨¹nther as he is, and has the same perverted nature, it would definitely be impossible for them to live together.

    Above all, Cree genuinely loves G¨¹nther. I think that feeling is the most important.

    "That pervert is crying so hard that he doesn''t want to go home even though he is now a father. He says Cree treats him like his own daughter, which I think he always did, but he just doesn''t feel like he belongs."

    The servants are in a celebratory mood, and G¨¹nther seems to be very uncomfortable.

    He was also quite shocked to find out that he had gotten married without his knowledge.

    "I''d be jealous of a lovely younger wife who genuinely loves me..." he says.

    A nobleman''s marriage, especially as heir to a ducal family like G¨¹nther''s, would be a marriage without love, but also a marriage that would involve the other party''s calculations.

    G¨¹nther is a lucky man, considering the fact that he has to produce an heir despite the loveless married life and the mask of a married couple.

    Kree adores him with all her heart.

    Duke Ignatz is determined to make his unborn grandson G¨¹nther''s heir, and the lady has a good relationship with Kree as if they were her own son and daughter.

    Kree seems to be very happy.

    "G¨¹nther, who can''t face reality, is holed up in his room in the count''s mansion, mumbling to himself. He''s basically neglected, but it looks like Cree will be coming to get him soon, so that''s okay."

    Unbeknownst to Sam, the Kree were very popular in his family''s barony.

    Her parents were overjoyed to hear that she was pregnant with G¨¹nther''s child.

    And those who had secretly admired Cree were said to have fallen to their knees. They probably thought G¨¹nther was fed up and would come back. And maybe they were hoping for a chance.

    "Well, that''s why things are so busy. Everyone is moving forward with smiles on their faces, just as Ur wished.

    Sam concludes with a smile and stands up.

    I''ll be an adult in a few years, so we''ll have a drink together then. I''ll be back."

    Waving to the grave, Sam turns away and returns to the house where his family is waiting for him.

 390 - - 4 "I was called to the royal palace" â‘ 

    Sam was summoned by His Majesty King Clyde Isle-Sky and shown to his office in the palace.

    On the way, he found a scene of construction work on the part of the palace that Sam had slashed and destroyed, and decided to bring some food to the people working in the hot weather.

    "I haven''t seen you since our wedding, Sam."

    "Yes, Your Majesty."

    Sitting deep on the sofa next to Clyde was a smiling beauty - the First Queen Frances Isle-Sky.

    Clyde is smiling more than Sam remembers, and his circulation is better. She looked radiant.

    £¨Clyde, you look good. I guess being freed from guarding the tomb of the lepers was a big deal after all.)

    "You don''t have to be so impolite. Call me Father."

    "Well..."

    "You are not only my brother''s son, but also my daughter''s husband. You are family. Call me father.

    "...... father-in-law."

    "Mm. --That sounds good."

    Francis chuckles at Clyde, who seems content to meditate.

    Sam was uncomfortable calling the king of a country his father.

    He still didn''t feel like the son of the king''s brother, which was understandable.

    "Sam, please call me mother too."

    "...... mother-in-law."

    "Hmmm, I have a son, but it''s nice to be called mother by you.

    Frances and I were introduced by Clyde before we were married. Like Stella''s mother, she has a very similar face and eyes. She looks like Stella''s mother in terms of her face and eyes.

    Also, she looks so young that it is hard to believe that she has a child. If she and Stella were side by side, she could pass for an older sister.

    Sam, who is loved by Trouble, had a hard time saying hello to Francis, but he managed to do so before the wedding. The wedding has come and gone, but he is nervous because he has only spoken to her a handful of times.

    "How is Stella doing?

    "Yes, I''m fine."

    "That''s good to hear. I wasn''t worried because you haven''t sent me a single letter, but I was hoping you would at least give me an update on what''s going on.

    "Well, don''t say that. Well, don''t say that. It''s a good thing if your newlywed life is fulfilling."

    "Yes, that''s right. By the way, Sam.

    "Yes."

    "--How is your evening going?"

    The words came out of Francis''s smiling mouth that I could hardly believe my ears.

    Sam rolls his eyes.

    "...... let''s see..."

    "You have relieved him of his burdens, and his Majesty has been with me night after night..."

    "Ah, gosh!¡¡I''ll leave it at that. Even if she is a mother, she doesn''t need to hear about her daughter''s nightmares. If you do, ask Stella directly. Sam will have a hard time answering that question."

    Clyde followed up, but it seemed that he wanted to stop his wife from telling him about her nightlife rather than for Sam''s sake.

    (I see, Clyde is now free from being a grave keeper and is full of energy in many fields. Maybe Master Stella will have a younger brother or sister.)

    "Yes, of course. I''m sorry."

    No, I understand how you feel.

    "Let me thank you again. Stella, who had been depressed, became cheerful and happy thanks to Sam. As a mother, I don''t know how to thank you.

    "I can''t thank you enough. I''m happy because of Stella. Of course I am, and I always will be. That''s all that matters.

    I''m happy to have a good son. Your Majesty.

    "Mm. That''s right."

    The conversation was proceeding in a friendly manner, but after enjoying the time with my parents-in-law for a while, Clyde gave me a difficult look and told me the main issue.

    "Well, let''s get down to business. --I''ve received a letter from the Demon King."

 391 - - 5 "I was called to the royal palace." â‘¡

    "You''re here."

    "I''m here. It is addressed to me, but its contents are intended for you."

    I had heard that Zoe, a knight of the Demon King, would be contacting me, but when the letter from the Demon King really arrived, I could not hide my upset.

    "This is a formal invitation from Vivienne Claxtons, the Demon Lord of Fresh Blood. He would like to invite you to come and talk with us. He will allow you to accompany him."

    "Vivienne Claxtons, the Demon King of Fresh Blood?"

    Although Zoe had told him the name, Sam was unfamiliar with the situation in the western part of the continent and had never even heard of the Demon King, so he had no idea what kind of a being Vivien was.

    "Even I, who am not familiar with the situation in the West, know who Vivian is. He is said to be the oldest and most powerful Demon Lord among the current Demon Lords.

    "...... I am horrified to receive an invitation from such a Demon Lord."

    Sam cries his shoulders out, and Clyde continues with a sullen look on his face.

    "For our part, we don''t want to antagonize the other demon kings, even though we''ve just been freed from the demon king Repsy. We would like to proceed as amicably as possible.

    "I understand."

    I am sorry to cause you trouble, but please accept the invitation of the Demon King Vivian.

    "Yes, sir."

    Sam had no intention of turning down the Demon King''s invitation.

    One of the reasons was that Zoe had told him that he had no right of refusal, but Sam would be lying if he said that he himself was not interested in the Demon Lord as much as or more than Lepsey.

    He has just been reminded that there is always someone better than him, but he has not given up on becoming the greatest wizard of all.

    I''m thinking of improving some of my skills, and even if the Demon King is still out of the question, this is a good opportunity for me to develop the means to fight against the Demon Lords.

    Above all,

    (Fourteen years of living in a different world!¡¡Finally, vampires!¡¡Demons!¡¡I get to meet a race of fantasy royalty!¡¡I''m honestly scared of the Demon Lord, but I''m also excited!¡¡I hope they have dark elves or something!¡¡I love dark elves!)

    After all, I was very interested in the demon kings with their many fantasy elements.

    "Thank you. The person who delivered the letter is now staying at the palace as a guest.

    "Oh, so the demon tribe is here."

    I don''t know the exact race, but they are here. I don''t know the exact race, but they are here. I was sweating a little, even though I knew they had no hostile intentions."

    "You''re that good, aren''t you?"

    It seems that demons are more powerful than humans.

    I don''t want a war between countries or against the Demon King, but I would like to see how far I can go against them as Samuel Scheidt personally.

    (To do so, I must master the skills that I have learned to use thanks to Ur. This is why the other world is so much fun.)

    Nervous and fearful, but unable to contain my excitement.

    I was born in a different world, so let''s fully enjoy it.

    I will enjoy the world, become strong, and live my life with a smile on my face.

    And I will become a wizard, or rather a human being, that she will be proud of.

    "I''m not sure who I should choose to accompany me. G¨¹nther won''t be much use for a while, so you can take Dominic with you."

    "-- "--"?"

    Sam stiffens at the mention of the name of a magical girl of the court, more formidable than G¨¹nther in appearance alone.

    A terrifying creature dressed as a magical girl and carrying a stick, even though he is an old man.

    Moreover, she calls herself Katherine and acts like a big sister, which is extremely creepy.

    No, I know that we should not discriminate people by their appearance, but I have had enough of these perverts.

    What I don''t understand is that Lise and her friends accept Katherine as she is. The other day, they were having a tea party.

    Even Kaoruko Kirishima, who is from another world, was surprised at Catherine''s departure at first, but now she is able to accept her.

    On the other hand, men such as Sam, G¨¹nther, and Jonathan are afraid of Catherine and have a hard time getting used to her.

    £¨I know she is a good person in terms of her personality, but I am afraid of her body touching. I can''t be on my guard, or I don''t want them to stand behind me).

    "Even dressed like that, Dominique is excellent. He''s so good that he can wipe out a pack of monsters single-handedly. Not only is he good at magic, but he is also good at the physical arts. Well, how can I say this, that family has been madly carrying on the magical girl existence taught by the first generation, but other than that, they are a sensible family."

    "I think the magical girls are the biggest problem. I mean, shouldn''t it be Delight-sama?"

    "No."

    Do something about it!

    "No!"

    Sam hangs his head.

    It seems that we have to be even more wary of him than we were of the Demon Lord.

 392 - - 6 "This is the princes consultation." â‘ 

    "You are Samuel Scheidt!"

    Sam was about to leave the palace, his shoulders slumped after the Demon King''s invitation and the pervert''s presence, when he looked up at the voice calling to him from the front.

    "--His Highness Cedric."

    The voice belonged to Cedric Isle-Sky, the first prince of the Kingdom of Sky.

    He is the younger brother of Sam''s wife, Stella, who is the heir to the throne and has been nominated by his father, Clyde, to be the next king.

    Cedric is one year older than Sam and still a boy, but he is nearly 180 tall. He is slender yet toned, probably because he is a member of the Order of the Knights and wields a sword for the people.

    His hair is a soft honey blonde with a hint of silver, a characteristic of the royal family.

    His face is similar to Stella''s, but he is a soft prince with drooping eyes.

    "It''s been a long time."

    Sam folded his knees and was about to bow, but Cedric restrained him.

    "Please don''t. You married my sister. Yes, I married your sister. You should call me brother.

    Cedric is the boy who is expected to be the next king.

    There are other princes, but Cedric is the rightful heir.

    He is both literate and skilled in both the military and civilian arts, and his fondness for magic and his beauty have made him the object of admiration not only of the children of the nobility, but of many women as well. He still has no official fianc¨¦e, and I have heard that offers of arranged marriages come to him daily.

    He is very popular among the people, and many boys aspire to become knights because they admire Cedric.

    Some of them are said to be plotting to make another prince the king, but Cedric was chosen as the next king because he was deemed suitable to be the next tomb-keeper.

    If the existence of the Demon King had been revealed to those who did not know about the existence of the Demon King Lepsy and thought that the prince who carried him up would be the next king, they would have been in serious trouble.

    Few members of the royal family knew of the existence of the Demon King Lepssy. The information was shared only with those who were suitable for Clyde to be the tomb guard.

    In fact, since the other princes were still young and the nobles behind them seemed to be trying to manipulate them, it was out of the question to inform them of the existence of the Demon Lord.

    Although there is no Demon Lord Lepsy now, Cedric''s position will never change.

    It was just before the wedding when Cedric and Sam officially met. I remember well that he was very friendly to me even though he was a prince.

    "By the way, were you on business at the palace?"

    Yes, the king called me.

    "You must be busy as a court wizard. --Well, in that case, I shouldn''t bother you too much.

    Is something wrong?

    Cedric raised his eyebrows a little and opened his mouth as if he was troubled.

    "No, you see, I had something I wanted to talk to you about.

    "Me?"

    "Yes. If you have some free time after this, would you be willing to discuss it in my room?"

    "Yes, but I don''t know if I can be of any help to you, Mr. Cedric."

    If I could, I would consult with Cedric, but I don''t think Sam can solve the problems faced by the royal family.

    (If you want me to take someone down, I can...)

    "That''s not true!¡¡That''s exactly why I need your advice!"

    "Yes, yes, of course, if it''s all right with me."

    "I appreciate it!¡¡Because I have no one I can call a friend!¡¡I have no one to talk to even if I wanted to!¡¡Thank God!"

    Sam almost cried when Cedric said the sad thing out loud.

    £¨It''s quite amazing that the prince doesn''t have any friends. (It''s quite amazing that the prince has no friends...normally he would have school friends or playmates from his childhood...)

    Children of nobles have childhood playmates, squires by their side, and cronies called "schoolmates.

    This is especially true for princes.

    Of course, we may not be able to call such people friends, but it is quite strange that Cedric, who is a man of both literary and military prowess and is adored by many people, has no friends.

    "Well, I heard that you and G¨¹nther are cousins and close.

    Of course, G¨¹nther and I are close friends. But he is more like an older brother than a friend. Therefore, I am a little embarrassed to discuss this with you. I think you, above all, are the right person."

    Sam realized that he could help Cedric with his friendless problem.

    On second thought, Sam had no one he could call a friend either.

    Most of them were older than him, and it would be impolite to call them friends. G¨¹nther is at the very last minute, but I''m not sure if I can treat him as a friend, because he seems to be the kind of guy who could get into trouble if I give him the chance.

    "Oh, I''m a loner too."

    "Bokuto?¡¡I don''t know about you, but I''d appreciate it if you could help me out. Let''s go to my room right away. Oh, yeah, there''s some good tea cakes. You can count on it."

    Cedric was light on his feet for a consultation, and Sam, realizing that he had no friends, followed at a leisurely pace.

 393 - - 7 "Its a consultation with the prince" â‘¡

    Cedric''s room was a sunny room in the living quarters of the royal palace.

    The room was simple, with only a large bed, a closet, a sofa, and a table.

    "Come, sit down."

    "Excuse me."

    Sam sat down at the suggestion of the couch, and Cedric offered him a plate lined with cookies.

    He had asked the maid who had passed by before to bring him some tea.

    "I''m sorry this is the only hospitality I can offer you, but please eat.

    "Bon app¨¦tit."

    Sam was hungry, so he did not hesitate to put a cookie in his mouth.

    They were crunchy, sweet and melt-in-your-mouth, and tasted like tea, so I guessed they were tea cookies.

    They tasted better than the cookies he usually bought in the castle town. As expected of the prince, he eats good food.

    "So, um, what is it that you want to talk about?"

    "- Actually, there''s a girl I like."

    "...... huh?"

    The consultation was, by no means, a love affair.

    To be honest, I can''t hide my confusion.

    I wondered if a court wizard should meddle in the love affairs of a prince who is nominated to be the next king of the kingdom.

    But that does not mean that he should ignore the matter.

    "Are you the daughter of some nobleman?"

    "No, I don''t think so. If I were, it would have been much easier to talk.

    "Well, who are you, then?"

    At Sam''s question, Cedric''s cheeks turned red and he hesitated.

    He must have been embarrassed to reveal the name of the person he loves, even if it is just for a consultation.

    "I''m not going to hide it from Sam," Cedric said. I''m going to come clean. The person I like is Louise, the head maid.

    "...... that is."

    I swallowed my words as I was about to say, "Are you sure you''re okay?

    Sam knows Louise, the head maid at the palace.

    Today, she was the one who showed Sam to King Clyde''s office and brought him tea when he was summoned to the palace.

    Louise is a woman of refinement. Sam does not know her origin, but she is a very beautiful and capable woman. I remember her as a person worthy of the position of head maid.

    It''s just..,

    "Um, if I remember correctly, she is quite old, isn''t she?"

    "Yes, 30 years old."

    It is not unusual for a 15-year-old boy to have a 30-year-old woman as his lover.

    Older women have charms that their peers do not have.

    Even Sam, all of his wives are older than him.

    "Are you married?"

    "No, I haven''t."

    "Do you have a girlfriend?"

    "No. There are men who are courting her, but Louise doesn''t seem to be interested. I''ve already looked into her as much as I can.

    "Uh, yes."

    (A little stalker?¡¡No, no. But I feel like I''m close to G¨¹nther. (Oh, we''re cousins, aren''t we?)

    "By the way, did Cedric-sama have a fianc¨¦e?"

    "No, I don''t. If there were candidates, there would be more than one to choose from. ......"

    "But?"

    "The candidates have been involved in a family squabble, so it hasn''t been decided yet."

    "Wow."

    I should say that he is indeed a prince.

    He is the future queen of the kingdom, and he will be the fianc¨¦e of Cedric, who is nominated to be the next king. That''s what he''s going to try to do with his eyes.

    Parents also have access to royal connections and power, so it is understandable that they would be eager to make their daughters the future queen.

    However, I really don''t like it when they make their mates with such calculations and greed.

    I want to make the same face. I don''t want to get involved in that area, so I leave it alone, which is fine, but my mother and grandmother try to find new candidates, telling me to choose a fiancee as soon as possible. But I--"

    "I like you, Louise."

    "Mm-hmm. I''m kind of embarrassed to talk about this.

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha, yes."

    I liked Cedric because he was royalty but not sleazy.

    I want him to be happy with the person he loves, but his position makes it difficult.

    Especially, his age might be the biggest problem.

    "Well, I have a question..."

    "Ask me anything."

    Why Louise?

    "--I''m the first person to do that."

 394 - - 8 "Its the princes advice." â‘¢

    "Yes?"

    "Oh?¡¡Sam has no connection?¡¡The royalty, of course, and the nobility have women who teach them for the first time."

    "Oh, I''ve heard of them, but..."

    "Sam didn''t have one?"

    No, I don''t think so. I grew up in a barony in the middle of nowhere.

    "...... sorry. That was a little unkind of me."

    Cedric''s apology was probably not for growing up in a frontier barony, but for remembering Sam''s family situation.

    He laughs and urges us to continue, saying that he does not mind because he understands Sam''s rather complicated and amusing origins.

    "Louise was my first. Even before that, she was a woman who took care of me and whom I adored. I was the first prince and I had an older sister, but my sister Stella was also a recluse, so Louise was like a sister to me.

    "I understand."

    I guess she is like Daphne to Sam.

    Sam adored Daphne as a sister, mother, and family member, but Cedric seems to have felt more than that for Louise.

    Of course, I do not think there is anything wrong with that. I think it is a natural thing.

    "I have always loved her. The feelings may have been small, but they were real. And then I got into a relationship with her, and I understand that she was working, but my feelings for her became stronger."

    I understand.

    I had a physical relationship with someone I adored, even though it was a rite of passage. It would be unreasonable to tell her not to strengthen the feelings she had kept inside.

    Having seen the girls of her generation engaged in a dromatic battle for the future queen''s throne, she must have been attracted to a kind and gentle older woman who was receptive to her.

    "I couldn''t resist and confessed my feelings to her."

    "--Hey?¡¡Have the results been posted already?"

    "Mm. I''ve been rejected!"

    "............"

    I couldn''t find the words.

    A moment of silence enveloped them both.

    Sam clears his throat and hesitantly asks Cedric

    "Well, what do you want to talk to me about if you''ve already found out the results?"

    "Louise has been admonishing me that I am mistaken, that my feelings are only temporarily aroused because I have been physical with her, but that is not the case. I''ve just been dumped once, and I''m not ready to give up."

    "I understand your feelings, yes, but..."

    Cedric said to Sam, who tilted his head and wondered what he could do.

    "So!¡¡I''m hoping that Sam, who has not only taken the troublesome, reclusive older sister in hand, but has married Lise, Karen, Mizuki, and Alicia, all of whom have their own unique characteristics, and has taken that pervert G¨¹nther as his wife, might have a better idea!"

    "...... with all due respect."

    I don''t care!

    "There''s too much to go into, too much to go into!"

    They say that the wives are terrible, or something like that. They say that the perception of my sister is a little bit... I was told about G¨¹nther, after all. I had many things to say, but I didn''t know where to start, so I just raised my voice.

    Sam, who had been gasping for air for a while, regained his composure and apologized to Cedric.

    "--Excuse me."

    "I don''t care!¡¡I would rather you treat me without reservation. I don''t have any friends who would do that for me. There are many people who try to take advantage of me, and many people who try to take advantage of me, so I am glad to have your kind of response.

    It was a very sad statement.

    "It''s not easy being a prince."

    Ha-ha-ha, I can''t help it. I''m prepared for this since I was born into royalty. My cousin G¨¹nther is very friendly to me, but he is also difficult to deal with. I know he is a good man, but he has fits and sometimes he goes crazy. Or is he always crazy?"

    "Right?"

    "I''m glad to see that G¨¹nther has a child. It may not be interesting for Sam, but please congratulate him.

    No, I''m very happy for you. No, I''m very, very happy for you.

    "Really?¡¡Well, it''s good that you''re not jealous."

    "...... I have to deny it, but it''s getting tedious."

    I''m getting tired of denying my relationship with G¨¹nther.

    Maybe this is a ploy of his.

    And if it is, it''s not to be underestimated.

    "...... don''t talk about it. Let''s get back to Cedric''s story.

    "Mm. Leaving G¨¹nther aside, let''s talk about my Louise. Do you have any good ideas?"

    (It''s not the same thing to surround yourself with royal power, is it? Oh, by the way...)

    Reminds me that I had something I wanted to check with Cedric.

    "Cedric-sama, how do you want to be with Louise in the end?¡¡I know I want to be in love with both of you."

    I''m sorry, I didn''t tell you. I don''t want Louise to be my wife or my mistress.

    "...... No way."

    "No way. I want to take you as my official wife."

    (No, no, no, that would be difficult!)

    I almost said it out loud.

    It is difficult to take an older maid as an official wife, even if she is a child of a noble family.

    It might be possible for a mere nobleman, but it would be difficult for a royalty, especially for Cedric, the next king.

    Sam didn''t care if she was a maid or older than him, but the world, and most of all Cedric''s parents, would not allow it.

    "I can see by the look on your face that it''s going to be difficult."

    "......I''m sorry, but I think it will be difficult."

    "I would not even say that I want to be the first queen. But I want her to be my wife.

    I know how you feel. You want to make sure your relationship is strong because you love him.

    (I think Cedric''s feelings are good, but the problem is that he was actually rejected. Why was he rejected?¡¡(Or maybe it''s simply because he doesn''t like her or, um, because she''s the head maid and he''s thinking about Cedric-sama.)

    "Did you confess that to Louise, by any chance?"

    "Of course, I confessed that I wanted her to be my wife."

    "Oh."

    Maybe that''s why he dumped me.

    "Maybe he didn''t take my confession as serious after all. I should have shown my seriousness like G¨¹nther taught me."

    "Hm?"

    Perhaps it was my imagination, but it was disconcerting.

    "Oh, um, what did they teach you?"

    "G¨¹nther says that you should at least have a collection of your lover''s underwear and carry it around with you, and that sometimes you should even go so far as to scratch your nose at them as proof of your love."

    "G¨¹nther ah ah ah ah ah!"

    What are you teaching the prince? What if he imitates you?

    But the way Sam saw Cedric''s movements in his eyes, he had a bad feeling.

    "Then let me at least show Sam that my feelings for Louise are serious."

    "Wait, wait."

    Before Sam could stop him, Cedric pulled a pair of shorts from his pocket.

    £¨The son of a b*tc* already took my underwear!)

    I don''t want to see the first prince of the next king, who is popular among the people, sniffing at his lover''s underwear.

    Sam jumped in to stop him.

    "Whoa!"

    However, she had too much momentum and pushed him down on the sofa.

    Still, I managed to reach down to take his underwear,

    "Excuse me, Cedric. I was told Sam was here to see you.

    "Excuse me. Mr. Cedric, I''m sorry I''m late, but I brought you some tea..."

    Without knocking, the door to the room was opened and Grandmother Hazel and Louise, the head maid, entered.

    The two of them freeze.

    £¨What kind of miracle is it that Grandma and Louise come at this time!¡¡(d*mn you!)

    Sam''s thoughts whirled around in his head, but he didn''t think he could avoid the situation.

    He decided to say hello anyway.

    "Good day to you, old lady!"

    Sam is in a good state of confusion, as "good day" escapes from his mouth, which he does not usually use.

    "......, Mr. Cedric!"

    It was Louise who called out the prince''s name, unable to hide her agitation.

    C¨¦dric did not seem to know how they looked to their loved ones and greeted them normally.

    "Hello, Louise!

    I wanted to pound my fist into the screen of the beaming prince.

    There''s got to be something else to say.

    "Sam, I heard you were related to ...... G¨¹nther and Cedric."

    "No, no, it''s all a misunderstanding, including G¨¹nther!"

    My grandmother''s eyes widened and she made a terrible mistake.

    "Why would Master Cedric wear the underwear I thought I had lost?

    It seems that Louise''s brain has been wracked with a very intense misunderstanding.

    Sam, who had reached the end of his patience, decided to make a loud noise for the time being.

    "Oh, God, it''s getting complicated aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!¡¡It''s a pain in the ass!"

 395 - - 9 "The princess seems to be consulting with you." â‘ 

    While Sam was screaming in the royal palace, the Earls of Walker were visited by an unexpected person.

    That person was Rachel Isle-Sky, the second princess of the Kingdom of Sky. She was visiting her half-sister Stella.

    She is attended by her sisters Stella and Lise.

    Stella tried to invite her sister to her private room in the Countess Walker''s house, but Lise let her in the drawing room, saying softly, "You are our guest.

    The reason for this was not because Rachel was a princess, but because Lise knew that she was the one who used to spread bad rumors about Stella behind her back.

    She does not know the reason for her visit, but she decides that it is better to be on her guard.

    In the reception room, sitting on the sofa across the table from Rachel are Stella and Lise.

    Hanae is watching outside the room to make sure that the guards Rachel brought with her do not do anything wrong.

    Stella said there was no need to be on guard, but Karen insisted just in case.

    Mizuki is back at home taking care of her younger sister Kotomi, and Alicia is at school.

    The Earl of Walker and Jonathan are at the palace on business for their magical army, and Mrs. Grace is out at a tea party with her friends.

    Lise was nervously looking at Rachel who had suddenly visited her.

    "It''s been a while, sister."

    "It''s been a long time, Rachel."

    It was Rachel who sipped the tea prepared by the maid and started the conversation.

    "It''s been a long time, Lieselotte. I couldn''t attend your wedding, but congratulations. This is just a feeling.

    As Rachel said this, her personal maid, who was standing behind her, placed some items on the edge of the table.

    "Thank you, Rachel. It''s nice to have you congratulate me."

    "Thank you for your kindness, Miss Rachel."

    Stella was smiling and saying thank you, but Lise was relieved inside.

    It seemed that Rachel had only brought a gift to celebrate.

    Not only Rachel, but also the rest of the royal family except for the first queen Francis and Cedric did not attend the wedding.

    There was a reason that the wedding was to be held only for the relatives, but if all the royals attended the wedding, some nobles would have wanted to attend.

    The second queen Cordelia was not interested in Stella''s marriage and the other queens and their wives did not interfere.

    Lise was relieved but could not let her guard down.

    Not only what Rachel had done to Stella, but she had also tried to use her mother, the second queen, to take Sam away from her.

    When Sam refused easily at that time, Cordelia got angry and the story was dropped and we haven''t heard from her since.

    (-She''s smiling, but I''m afraid of what she''s going to say next.)

    Liese is not happy with the laughing sisters, as she knows that Rachel''s character is not flattering.

    "You two have changed, haven''t you?

    Suddenly, Rachel says something like that.

    Liese was almost defensive, but Stella responded with a smile.

    "Is that so?"

    "Yes, I think your sister and Lieselotte have changed so much from before. To be honest, I envy you for your happiness.

    For the first time, Lise felt a little different from the Rachel she knew.

    Rachel, who usually gives the impression of being easily emotional, seemed to have a calmness about her. So, I decided to ask her a question.

    "Excuse me, Miss Rachel. What brings you here today?¡¡I don''t think it''s just a celebration."

    His words are a little harsh because he once messed around with Sam.

    However, Rachel nodded her head without revealing her feelings toward Lise.

    "--Lieselotte. Yes, I know. You know her, don''t you?"

    "Yes."

    Probably what she did to Stella.

    "I know I''m being impertinent, but I''m here today to ask a favor."

    "Please, sir?"

    £¨Is it something about Sam?¡¡Perhaps you would like to become a wife yourself?)

    "Yes. I would like you to introduce me to Mr. Delight Sinatra!"

    Liese, who had been on her guard, was startled by Rachel''s words, which were so far from what she had expected.

 396 - - 10 The princess seems to be consulting with you. â‘¡

    "...... Oh, um, what did you just say?"

    Lise asked Rachel in a puzzled tone.

    "So, I would like you to introduce Mr. Delight Sinatra to me!"

    Lise confirmed that she had heard him correctly, but she did not understand why Rachel would want to introduce Delight to her.

    (...... If I''m not mistaken, Rachel looks like a girl in love with red cheeks, don''t you think?)

    When he calls Delight''s name, I think his voice seems to be bouncing.

    "Rachel. Delight-sama means Delight Sinatra, the court wizard, is that correct?"

    "Of course!"

    Rachel''s eyes widened and she nodded her head, and Stella, who had been smiling at her, pulled back a little.

    "Excuse me, but why does Rachel-sama want me to introduce her to Delight-sama?"

    Liese was a little afraid of Rachel''s reaction, but she knew that the conversation would not go any further if she did not ask her about it.

    Rachel''s eyes became moist and she told us both shyly.

    "Well, I''m in love with Mr. Delight..."

    "--Yes?"

    "Well!"

    Lise could not believe her ears, and Stella was surprised to hear her sister''s confession.

    "I''m so embarrassed, oh, Delight-sama!¡¡Just remembering your dignified face that day when you defeated your opponent with a single blow in the exchange match against the Orkney Kingdom......, I, I, I, I, I, I, I!"

    "...... reaction is similar to G¨¹nther''s, maybe because they are cousins."

    Rachel, hugging herself and wincing, was much different from the black-hearted and tantrum-prone girl Lise knew.

    In the past, she would have ordered me to introduce her, not to ask me to introduce her.

    They say love changes people, but it seems that Rachel might really be in love with Delight.

    "I don''t mean to deny your feelings, Rachel-sama, but do you really mean it?"

    "Of course!"

    "Well, that''s a little convenient, isn''t it?"

    "Lise?"

    Lise''s stiff attitude toward Rachel makes Stella sound a little confused.

    Liese makes eye contact with Stella and asks her to leave it to her.

    Perhaps her feelings were conveyed, Stella closes her mouth and leaves the matter in Liese''s hands.

    "With all due respect, Rachel, I believe that you have asked the Second Queen Cordelia to get Sam. And also Lady Stella."

    He glances at Stella.

    I wondered for a moment if I should tell her that it was Rachel who was spreading the bad rumors that had caused Stella''s distress.

    It was not only Rachel''s fault, but it was true that she was trying to undermine her sister.

    And yet she had the audacity to ask us for a favor.

    I don''t care who Rachel falls in love with, but if she is going to ask us for a favor, she should have something to say first, Liese thinks.

    If we just let it slide because she is a princess, Liese and the others will be the ones who will be in trouble later, and by extension, it might cause trouble for Sam.

    For the sake of her beloved husband, whom her sister had entrusted to her, Liese had to say what she needed to say, even if she would be resented.

    "--I understand."

    Rachel was known for her tantrums, but instead of becoming enraged by Lise''s words, her eyebrows furrowed in a figure eight and her expression darkened.

    "I know I''m asking a lot of you, and I know there are things I should have done before asking you."

    --Gong.

    Rachel bowed her head as hard as she could and slammed her forehead against the table.

    "--Rachel-sama!

    "Rachel!"

    Both Lise and Stella were surprised and panicked at this.

    However, Rachel remained in the same state and spoke words of apology.

    "Sister Stella, I am so sorry!

 397 - - 11 "The princess seems to be consulting with you." â‘¢

    "Rachel?"

    The sudden apology made Stella involuntarily call her sister''s name.

    "I have been spreading rumors behind your sister''s back, or rather, rumors that have made your sister''s position worse," she said.

    Rachel''s monologue is a torment to Stella''s heart. Lise is concerned and tries to talk to Stella, but surprisingly, she does not seem to be sad.

    "Rachel, please look up. I knew everything."

    "--What?"

    Not only Rachel but also Lise was surprised by Stella''s words.

    "I knew you were not happy with me."

    "In that case..."

    "But you are my little sister. I was hurt when I found out that you had said bad things about me, but you still came to see me and you called me many times.

    "--That''s it!"

    Perhaps Rachel just wanted to see her sister suffer because of the rumors.

    Although she did not say it out loud, Liese could hardly believe that Rachel was acting out of the goodness of her heart.

    Of course, Stella is not a fool, she would have known the reason for Rachel''s action. She knew it and accepted it.

    "It was my own choice to withdraw. I was happy to see your face and have a conversation with you even if you had your own intentions.

    "...... sister."

    "And after all the twists and turns, I met Master Sam and became his wife. I am happy now."

    Stella''s truly happy smile is the only word that can describe her true feelings.

    She has been through some hard times, but she is happy now.

    Stella is only sixteen years old. She has a longer happy time ahead of her than the time she spent suffering from the bad rumors.

    Of course, there will be hardships, and sometimes she may have fights with Sam. But I can''t wait to see what I will experience in the future.

    Stella does not blame Rachel. Call her naive, but she just wants her sister to be happy as she was happy.

    "--Sister, ...... I am so sorry. I envied you and did foolish things."

    Are you jealous of me?

    "I was envious and jealous of your sister, who was loved by your father and deeply loved by Francis."

    "Even Rachel was impressed by Lady Cordelia."

    My mother doesn''t care about me. She only judges me based on whether or not I''m of use to her."

    "Oh, I see. ...... But your father..."

    "I respect your father as a king and as a father. He has been a good father to me. But his love for your sister Stella still came first.

    "No, it''s not."

    Stella said "No," but Lise, who was listening to the conversation, thought that Rachel was right.

    She knew that His Majesty King Clyde had taken special care of Stella.

    She also understood that he had no prejudice against Stella when she met Sam, and that he had brought a promising man to her for her daughter''s sake.

    However, Lise did not interfere in this matter.

    "Maybe I have never known proper love. But I fell in love for the first time with Mr. Delight. I know what love is."

    "Um, Miss Rachel, did you know Sam?"

    At Lise''s question, Rachel puffed out her chest and said, with a smug look on her face for some reason.

    "Of course she''s harassing you guys!"

    "...... You''ve reopened the door."

    "I am so sorry!¡¡I was angry that everyone was happy while I was unloved!¡¡But I apologize, I''m sorry!¡¡I''ll get down on my knees and do whatever you want, just introduce me to Mr. Delight!¡¡I want to be with him!"

    "Oh, my God, Rachel."

    Lise rolled her eyes, not expecting the word "combination" to come out of the mouth of the second princess, who is still a minor.

    Stella seemed to be smiling at her sister, but Liese, being a sensible person, decided to butt in.

    "Well, since you are a princess, you should think about how you say things!

 398 - - "I dont think I can relax."

    "I''m home."

    "Welcome home!"

    It was Hualien who greeted Sam when he came home with a tired face.

    Dressed in what looked like Chinese clothes, she waved her hand without changing her expression as usual.

    But Sam knows. But Sam knows that she is very sensitive and talkative when they share a bed.

    "Are you tired?"

    "Yes, well, I''ve been through a lot."

    Hanae looked into Sam''s face as she sighed heavily.

    "Good, good."

    Then she hugs Sam and pats his head.

    Sam''s face relaxes at the sight of her toned yet soft body and her sweet scent.

    (I don''t care if I''m treated like a child. (I don''t care if I''m treated like a child... I''ll be pampered for now)

    It was a good thing that I consulted with His Highness Cedric, but at the last minute, my grandmother and Maid-in-Chief Louise suspected a relationship.

    From there, it was a difficult time.

    Even though I told them that it was just a coincidence and a misunderstanding, they didn''t believe me. The reason for this was that G¨¹nther was going around saying "Sam, Sam" everywhere.

    The workers at the palace and even his grandmother were aware of the relationship between Sam and G¨¹nther.

    Sam exclaimed, "That''s absurd," but it was not unusual for two men to be together.

    (I''m not a man who just got married and cheated on his wife!)

    Finally, Sam lost his temper and they believed it was a misunderstanding.

    From there it was tough.

    With his grandmother in the middle, Cedric reiterated his feelings for Louise. He saw it as an opportunity to be with his grandmother and Louise. Sam tried to stop him from confessing his feelings, saying that he should be careful since he had been rejected once, but Cedric went out of control in front of the person he had feelings for.

    As a result, he was rejected again.

    Louise bows to Cedric who falls to his knees and leaves the room. Sam doesn''t know what to say to her and Hazel tilts her head to the side wondering what''s going on.

    Sam is at a loss, so she decides to talk to her grandmother about the whole situation.

    After hearing what happened, the grandmother said she would at least ask her why she refused for the sake of her grandson.

    By the way, she was willing to accept Louise as a wife, that is, as one of the queens, as long as Louise was willing to accept it.

    However, she could not take Louise as the first queen, and she would have to have a woman who was suitable for the position, but if C¨¦dric was willing to do so, he would ask Clyde.

    He said that Clyde would probably not object to it.

    (But since Louise has refused, I think the conversation is over. (But since Louise has refused, I think the conversation is over...)

    In the end, Sam was unable to offer any advice, but Cedric was grateful for the opportunity to confide in someone.

    Afterwards, he had a chat with his grandmother and reported on his married life.

    Hazel was looking forward to her great-grandchildren and was concerned about Lise. At the same time, she told me that she and Stella were looking forward to having children together.

    However, the grandmother told me some unpleasant stories.

    In fact, it seems that the engagement has already been arranged for Sam''s child.

    I was fed up with the fact that the baby in Lise''s belly had not been born yet, and the other wives had not yet been born, but I guess it was not a mistake for a nobleman.

    In most cases, the marriage of children is made between two close families, but it is not unusual for a family with a weak position to offer its child to a strong family as a concubine or a concubine.

    It is a wonder that this is done with the children to be born in the future.

    Hazel''s guess is that Liese''s child will most likely be the heir to the title of Count Walker. Of course, Sam''s family, the Countess Scheidt, also needs an heir, but the Countess Walker family, which has only had female children, also needs an heir.

    Erica, the fourth daughter, seems to be doing well with her fianc¨¦, but since she is going to marry, we do not know if she will be able to become the heir.

    In that case, Lise''s child, or a child with Alicia who will be born in the future, will be the heir to the count''s family.

    If Stella has a child, she will be betrothed to a child of one of the royal family. More likely, she will be betrothed to a family that wants to be connected with the royal family, a child or grandchild of a court magician, or a child of a duke''s family.

    As the grandson of the court wizard Shi-Len, there are probably other families with which Hualien would like to be connected.

    Mizuki is in the lightest position, but since her younger sister Kotomi''s marriage is currently undecided, there is a big possibility that Mizuki''s child will be the heir to the Amemiya family.

    In that case, however, he would need to be a good swordsman.

    It remains to be seen how many children Sam''s wives will have after that, but the more children they have, the more people will want to marry them.

    At least, like Sam, it will be difficult to marry the man of one''s choice.

    (There is also a story about G¨¹nther''s child and mine, but G¨¹nther is not interested in that in the first place, so, yes, we can think about it then.)

    Starting with the Demon King''s invitation, then Cedric''s love affair, I''m exhausted.

    I think I''d like to spend the rest of the day making out with my wife.

    While I was thinking about that, I heard footsteps and I let go of Hualien, though I was sorry to leave her behind.

    I wondered if another bride had come to meet me, but it was an unexpected person who appeared.

    "Oh, it''s Samuel Scheidt, isn''t it? Oh, you are Samuel Scheidt, aren''t you? Welcome back."

    "Ah, yes, I''m back, Miss Rachel."

    I didn''t congratulate you properly. Congratulations on your wedding. I hope you make your sister happy.

    Yes, yes, of course.

    I tilt my head back and wonder why Rachel is there and why I have to say I''m home to her.

    Also, there is something different about the Rachel that Sam knows. It''s hard to describe, but she seems to have softened somehow.

    Lise and Stella appeared after Rachel.

    "Hey, Sam. Welcome back."

    "Welcome home, Mr. Sam."

    "Oh, Lise, Stella, I''m home. By the way, what''s going on?"

    He asks the wives why Rachel is in the house. Rachel''s eyes light up as if she has a good idea.

    £¨I have a bad feeling about this.)

    "Yes, Samuel. You should go and ask him. I think it would be better if you were here."

    "Well, where are we going?"

    We are on our way to merge with Mr. Delight!

    "What do you mean, ''combine''?

    Sam yelled out, knowing that he could not rest yet.

 399 - - 13 "Im heading to the Sinatra House" â‘ 

    "Oh, I''m surprised. I mean, heh, Rachel-sama likes Delight-san ...... what''s that, is it popular among the royal family to like someone with an age difference?"

    Sam was taken to the carriage without knowing what was going on, and Lise and Stella told him about the circumstances of Rachel''s visit.

    To tell the truth, he did not expect that Rachel, following Cedric, would be in love with someone older than him.

    However, Rachel''s case may be more difficult than Cedric''s. Delight is a wizard trusted by the king, but he is already in his forties and has a daughter, Fran. Delight''s feelings are important, but if Fran refuses to accept Rachel, even her father will not accept her.

    It is not unusual for a nobleman to remarry, but it is very rare for it to be to a princess, a fourteen-year-old girl.

    "Sam?"

    "What do you mean?"

    Sam wondered for a moment if he should tell Cedric.

    He had said he could tell Sam''s wives because he wanted to hear the story from a woman''s point of view, but Rachel was in the carriage with him, which made him hesitate.

    However, she apologized for what she had done to Stella and promised to keep the secret safe, so I decided to tell them.

    By the way, Haren is sleeping as soon as she gets on the carriage. But if something happens, she will react faster than anyone else.

    "I didn''t know that Cedric was ...... going to tell Louise."

    I''ve never heard of it.

    "Oh, I knew that."

    Stella and Lise were unaware of Cedric''s feelings for Louise.

    "What?¡¡Did you know about this?"

    When Sam asked, Rachel answered, "Yes.

    "Cedric, you have always been attached to Louise like a puppy, haven''t you? I thought that one day he would make her his wife or mistress, but I didn''t think he''d dumped her.

    (...... I knew Lady Rachel had a bad character.)

    The grin on her face when her brother was dumped was the look of a villain.

    "Hey, Rachel. You shouldn''t laugh at people''s misfortune.

    "Maybe we should just turn the carriage around."

    When Stella rebuked her sister and Lise said something nasty, Rachel''s bad face changed to a sad one and she took out a handkerchief and made a gesture to wipe her tears.

    "...... Oh, my brother!"

    "I can see that you don''t think that in the slightest."

    Despite a few hints of bad character, I thought Rachel was not a scoundrel to the core.

    I honestly don''t know what she did to Stella, but she has forgiven her, so I''m not going to say anything about it.

    I just thought that he was surprisingly good at telling a good story.

    I had imagined that she would not listen to other people''s opinions and would only push her own opinions through, so I was a bit disappointed.

    Even in the case of Delight, he did not call Delight and give her an order, but rather followed the order of bowing down to Stella and asking her to introduce him to her.

    That''s how serious he is. It seems to me that he wants to have a proper heart, not just power.

    In this area, Cedric and Rachel are like brother and sister.

    "By the way, Samuel..."

    "Yes."

    "This is not malicious advice, but good advice, so please don''t misunderstand me."

    "Huh."

    "I don''t think Louise should be your brother Cedric''s partner."

 400 - - 14 "Im heading to the Sinatra House" â‘¡

    "...... what does that mean?"

    The air in the car felt a little heavier.

    Rachel answers Sam''s question with a sigh.

    "You may not know this, but Louise has a very unclear past.

    "You mean?"

    Louise is an adventurer of some renown who has led a bleak life since she was about the same age as Samuel is now. The royal court tried to recruit her but she was repeatedly rejected.

    I don''t care.

    There''s more to the story. A few years later, Louise had a change of heart and accepted an offer from the royal court. But as a maid. The royal court had originally wanted to invite her as a knight or a Kingsguard, but she accepted because it was her wish and because it would give her access to the best men.

    I''d never heard of it.

    I knew Louise was a "capable" person from her appearance, but I had no idea that she was such an adventurer that the royal court itself scouted her.

    (But what I wonder is that she changed her mind and accepted the scouting ...... hmmm, it''s not because she was fed up with her days of fighting or anything like that?)

    "Do you know why Louise-san became a maid?"

    No, not that much. But it''s true that you have an uncertain past, so I don''t think you''d be a suitable match for the next king''s brother. It''s not that I don''t like Louise, but it''s them who will be in trouble if something happens later.

    "I know, right?"

    "Louise has been very good to me. I don''t want Louise to be sad afterwards. ...... what''s that look on your face?

    "No, I don''t think you''re the one who was harassing that Stella."

    "He has found love and changed his mind!¡¡Besides, your brother Cedric was kind to me too. I don''t want you to be unhappy!

    "Oh, is that so?"

    Stella apparently did not know that Rachel and Cedric were close.

    "...... I''m not close with my other siblings, but Cedric was the only one who was always smiling and being ridiculously nice to me."

    "That''s very Cedric."

    Indeed, thought Sam.

    Although he had not been involved with Cedric for a long time, he could not imagine that someone with a split bamboo personality like Cedric''s would dislike or discriminate against anyone.

    "By the way, the reason Cedric''s brother hasn''t been able to find a fianc¨¦e yet is because of my mother''s meddling."

    "......Master Cordelia, you are doing that, aren''t you?"

    Lise sighs.

    Sam had met the second Queen Cordelia before, but he remembered her as the complete opposite of the gentle and kind first Queen Frances.

    I have a younger brother, but he cannot be king. I have a younger brother but he cannot be king, partly because he is still young, but also because of his older brother Cedric. My mother doesn''t like it, so she''s planning to either marry a woman with problems to your brother and pull him down as heir, or send a woman who will do what he says and manipulate him.

    "...... what can I say?"

    Indeed, this is typical of the sordid goings-on in the royal court," Sam said with a disgusted look on his face.

    To begin with, the king of the Kingdom of Skye is responsible for guarding the tomb of the Demon King Lepsy.

    Now that he was free from the demon king, it was a coincidence.

    We can only assume that the Second Queen Cordelia did not know about the existence of the Demon King Lepssy.

    "But it''s a wonder, isn''t it?

    "Yes?"

    "I think you must be joking when I see the look on your ...... carefree face that Samuel, who is the same age as me, killed that Albert in a blink of an eye and is more capable than Mr. Delight."

    "Albert was a small fish, though."

    That, too, was at one time the strongest in the kingdom.

    He''s just a firepower idiot.

    I can''t even remember his face anymore.

    He was the most powerful man in the Sky Kingdom, but his power was not much.

    His firepower may be cumbersome, but for Sam, it''s just a long, slow buildup. He could have easily cut down both of them with his weakened skills before using magic, so it was only that much.

    "But, Master Delight..."

    "Even Mr. Delight would have won if he had fought outside the palace. Mr. Delight is strong and scary when he fights freely. Because he fought in such a small space on the ring of the palace - no, let''s not do that."

    Delight was once a court wizard, but was deprived of his position by Albert.

    This does not mean that Delight is weak.

    It just means that they were not a good match for each other.

    But now Delight is different. He has more firepower than Albert, and he has enough power to fight in a narrow ring or in the open field.

    If it were a simple matter of wizardry, he would be better than Sam.

    (He could win if he fought with the intention to kill, but there is no reason for him to do so.)

    Since Delight is not interested in the title of the strongest in the kingdom today, there was no reason to fight in the first place.

    "I can see that as we speak. I mean, are you really going to approach Delight, Rachel-sama?"

    "It''s not an approach!¡¡I am proposing to you!"

    "It doesn''t matter either way, but Fran is there too."

    "Oh, Francesca, you''re going to marry her, is that all right?"

    "...... I don''t deny that there is such a story, though."

    In fact, there is talk of taking Fran as Sam''s wife.

    Since the wives are very welcoming, it is certain that Fran will become his wife in the near future.

    Sam also has a strong feeling against Fran.

    I even admire his devotion and support for Delight over the years.

    "Then I must have many children so that Delight will not be lonely!

    "Rachel, you''re so immodest."

    "No, sister!¡¡I plan to have at least ten!¡¡Oh, I envy Lieselotte. I wish I could conceive a child by the one I love as soon as possible."

    Sam''s face tightened as Rachel''s cheeks flushed with motivation.

    "Um, Lise. I think she''s ready to get married."

    "...... don''t know. I''ll leave the rest to Mr. Delight."

    "Wow, he''s just going to throw it all away!"

    "I don''t have a choice!¡¡I couldn''t have predicted that Rachel would fall in love with Delight!"

    "Right?"

    Sam looked at Lise and sighed heavily.

    Then she sighs again, anticipating the trouble ahead for Delight.

    "Oh my, I''m so glad Rachel is alive and well."

    Unlike the other two, Stella is smiling at Rachel, who is ready to conceive.

    Sam and Liese are honestly impressed by Stella''s ability to smile at her sister who used to harass her.

 401 - - 15 "Its Frans melancholy" â‘ 

    Francesca Sinatra was greatly fed up and slumped her shoulders when she checked the bundle of mail that had arrived at her home.

    "How can you be so shameless? It''s appalling."

    Fran, a bespectacled, intelligent beauty, her well-toned face contorted in disgust.

    It was no wonder, then, that most of the mail she received was about an arranged marriage to her father, Delight Sinatra, the court magician.

    "Oh my God, your father''s too old for an arranged marriage, and you''re trying to get a girl younger than me, it''s so obvious that you''re trying to get a girl younger than me. I feel sorry for the daughters who are forced into arranged marriages."

    Not only had my father been reinstated as a court wizard, but he had also gained a great reputation after one of his overwhelmingly powerful victories over the former most powerful wizard of a neighboring country.

    Delighted to be remembered by His Majesty the King, he has been associated with the Dukes of Ignaz and Counts of Walker and other prestigious nobles. He used to be in decline, but since his return, he is more highly regarded than when he used to be in active service.

    One of the reasons for this is Sam''s involvement.

    It was Delight, of all people, who trained Sam''s master Ulrike, and Sam can be called his grandson''s apprentice. The fact that Sam, who had become the most powerful wizard in the kingdom, respected and admired Delight as a wizard also played a role in raising his father''s reputation.

    Many people want to be associated with Delight, who has successfully returned to active service.

    Once the most powerful man in the kingdom, there is no doubt of his ability and wizardry. And now Delight has neither a wife nor a lover.

    It was not unreasonable that someone would plot to take his daughter as his wife. Furthermore, if he could not be related to Sam, there would be those who would try to double their advantage by indirectly connecting with Delight so that they could be related to his grandson Sam.

    And, of course, Fran received many offers of marriage.

    "There is even a family that gave up on my father once. How can you be so shameless? How can you be so brazen? I''m impressed, actually."

    Other former students of Delight''s have asked to become his students again.

    "--Huh. Only those who gave up on my father before anyone else would ask to be reunited with him. It''s disgusting."

    In the past few days, I felt like I''d been shown a lot of the worst parts of people I didn''t want to see.

    More than that, I am angry.

    There were many people who had once been associated with Delight, but who simply cut ties with him as soon as he was defeated by Albert Frege.

    I do not begrudge them this. That''s the way it is with the nobility. Delight, the court wizard and the most powerful man in the Kingdom of Skye, is the reason why they made the connection. When that status is gone, they can see no advantage in dating, which is uncomfortable but unavoidable.

    But there were others who could not be forgiven.

    These are the disciples who gave up on Delight early on and left him. I am told that those disciples switched places with Albert, and were doing bad deeds under him.

    Some of them were punished severely, and some of them did only minor misdeeds and were punished only a little.

    But I don''t care about them.

    For Fran, the most unforgivable person was her mother.

    Nancy, Delight''s only wife and Fran''s mother, disappeared without a word the day after her husband left to become a court wizard, leaving her daughter and her husband behind.

    It seems that a letter was left behind, but Fran never read it. Her father would not let her read it. That is, that is all that was written in the letter.

    Needless to say, it came as a big shock to Fran, who was still in her mid-teens. She had thought they were a good couple, and she had hoped to have a nice family one day like her parents, but she felt betrayed.

    In the end, it was my mother who gave up on my father before anyone else.

    This caused Delight, who was depressed, to turn to alcohol.

    Fran could not blame her father for this.

 402 - - 16 "Its Frans melancholy" â‘¡

    Although Delight had become a drunk, there were still people who followed him.

    There were also disciples who believed in his comeback.

    However, Delight was unable to recover.

    His disciples dwindled in number, and in the end there were none left. Some of them cried and apologized to Fran for not being able to follow him to the end.

    Fran wished them all the best.

    In fact, those who stayed until the end were able to find jobs in the military and other prestigious places.

    From what I have heard, being a student of Delight had a small part to play in this.

    Fran congratulated them.

    But here comes the problem.

    "Oh, you''re here again today. They are persistent too.

    The disciples who had given up on Delight early on started sending him letters every day, wanting to become his disciples again.

    Fran could not help but feel dismayed at this.

    How many years had it been since his father had resigned his position as court wizard? He had failed to show himself in that time. He must have no talent.

    The people who misbehaved under Albert want to start over by becoming Delight''s apprentices, but their intentions are obvious.

    "You''re going to get your father to give you a job anyway, aren''t you?"

    It is honestly laughable to see such a difference among the disciples when many of them who stayed until the end send me letters congratulating me on my return.

    Some of them even sent me letters saying that they wanted to marry Frans while they were still holding on to their father, or that they were actually in love with him, etc., which made me question their nerve.

    It is obvious that he has a trivial desire to become the husband of Delight''s daughter, who has been reinstated as a court wizard, so that he will have a secure future.

    "Well, I''m not saying that your father is entirely blameless, but I''m not going to get involved with someone who isn''t worth dating."

    I have the Dukes of Ignatz, the Earls of Walker, and the Royal Family of Skye, all of whom have supported my father and never abandoned him.

    There is no need to force him to develop friendships with people who only care about power and position.

    Fran burns the letter with magic and goes to the dining room to prepare a meal for her father.

    "......Oh, by the way, the servants want to come back, too, don''t they?"

    There was no money to pay the wages, so the servants had to quit, but they were concerned about Delight and Fran until the end.

    The servants have since been able to find new employment with the help of the Dukes of Ignatz and Countess Walker, but recently they have been contacted again for employment.

    The feeling is kind, but after several years of living alone with only one parent and one child, I can make a good living without the help of the servants.

    The best thing is that they have found a new job with a good salary. I appreciate your concern, but you must put your life first.

    "I just wish I had someone to take care of your father, so I could marry into the family without any worries."

    My father is old, but being a nobleman and in his position, it is not surprising that he remarried.

    What Fran is against is to make a match with those who send their daughters to Delight, only because of Delight''s position.

    If Delight wishes to remarry to a woman of his choice, as his daughter, he would give his wholehearted blessing.

    "However, your father can be quite a pain in the ass as well."

    From a daughter''s point of view, her father has a difficult personality.

    Unless he is the kind of person who would support my father to the end, I can''t give him my blessing.

    "Well, I don''t think anyone would be eccentric enough to marry your father at a good age.

    My father seems to be having a lot of fun with magic right now.

    He looks radiant after meeting Sam and being reunited with Ur.

    He will not be seeing a woman for a while.

    For what it''s worth, Fran also liked to take care of her father.

    "Well, let''s get ready for dinner. ......"

    Fran was about to enter the kitchen.

    Then he heard a bang, bang, bang at the gate of the house.

    "I don''t think anyone was supposed to be here..."

    Tilting my head, I headed out of the house, only to find someone at the gate calling out my father''s name in a loud voice.

    Moreover, it was a voice I had heard somewhere before.

    "Who is it?

    Wary of the visitor who kept knocking on the gate rudely, I asked him, and then a familiar voice called out "Fran" from the other side of the gate.

    I had a bad feeling.

    It''s me, your mother!

    "--!"

    The visitor was my mother, Nancy, who had left home before anyone else, leaving my father behind.

 403 - - 17 "My self-styled wife got on board" â‘ 

    Fran hesitated to open the gate, but she did not want any strange rumors to be spread about her father, who had just been reinstated as a court magician, so she reluctantly invited Nancy into the house.

    She tried to go straight into the house, but Fran stood in the way.

    (The last time I saw this man, he had a look of contempt for my father.)

    But Nancy, whom I met again after several years, was clearly tired.

    Her hair and skin were unkempt, her eyes lacked strength, and she was not well groomed.

    She was wearing a long skirt and blouse, which is not unusual in a castle town, but her clothes were also dirty.

    The Nancy Fran remembers was a bit fastidious, but it was clear to her that things can change after a few years of not seeing each other.

    "It''s been a long time, Fran."

    "Don''t call me names like that."

    Nancy tries to treat her as a mother, and Fran gives her an uncomfortable look. However, Nancy does not care and touches Fran''s body.

    She may be trying to have skinship with Nancy, but she feels disgusted, as if a snake were coiling around her, and she shakes off Nancy''s hand.

    "Come on, I''m your mother. You don''t have to be so mean to me."

    "How can you say that after you left me and your father?"

    Frankly, I don''t even want to have this conversation.

    Considering Nancy''s appearance and the timing of her visit, it was easy to imagine what would happen next.

    "I apologize for that!¡¡I must have been out of my mind. But, you know, I have my reasons."

    I don''t know. You left the day after your father resigned as court wizard."

    "That''s..."

    Fran interrupts Nancy''s attempts to make excuses with an exasperated tone.

    Whatever the reason, it doesn''t change the fact that she left without a word to her father or herself.

    I don''t want to hear excuses or anything. I''m busy, what can I do for you?"

    I need to speak to your husband.

    You don''t have to.

    Please, Fran!

    "Huh. I''ll tell him for you, just tell me."

    "Or ......."

    Most of them may be naively thinking that my father will forgive them if they keep making excuses and apologizing to him, but I won''t let them.

    Fran, as well as Delight, have already put Nancy in the past.

    No matter how much fuss they make about it, nothing will change.

    But as a daughter, she did not want to bother her father who had just started a new life.

    "If you don''t want to tell me, go home. Or do you want to be kicked out?"

    Even if it had been her mother, Fran would have beaten her out as she said. Reluctantly, Nancy opened her mouth to tell Fran how serious she was.

    "...... I get it. I heard that the Master has returned to being a court wizard."

    "So?"

    "So I thought it might be a good idea to get back together."

    "--what?"

    It wouldn''t look good for him to be single, would it?¡¡So, you know?"

    "...... don''t be silly."

    "Fran?"

    Fran shivered with anger.

    She had never imagined that the day would come when she would be so angry with her birth parents.

    She resisted the urge to punch the woman in front of her, and instead raised her voice.

    "Don''t play with me!¡¡How shocked your father was when you left!¡¡If you''re my wife, you should support me!¡¡How dare you show your face now after running away!"

    "And I was young then, so I''m making amends now."

    Nancy''s words were hushed by Fran''s swordsmanship, but she still had no intention of backing down.

    "I''m telling you, I know.

    "What are you doing?"

    "And that you became the wife of a merchant. And that you were driven away by a young mistress, and driven out of your home with your children. ...... From the looks of you, I''d say you''re living a poor life."

    "Yes, that''s right!¡¡Fran''s brother has no clothes to wear and has trouble eating. So please, let the master welcome him back."

    "Shut up!"

    Fran''s anger grows at his brazenness.

    Abandoning her family to marry into a merchant family, having children, and being kicked out by her lover were all consequences of Nancy''s choices.

    Delight should not have to clean up the mess.

    I don''t have a brother!¡¡I don''t care who you have children with!

    "--Fran!¡¡Don''t you have any feelings at all?

    "You left your father and took up with a man too soon!¡¡You married your father for his position and money!

    "What''s wrong with that?¡¡Not all noble marriages are like that!"

    When Nancy finally reopened her mouth, Fran laughed at her and said, "You know, I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it again.

    "I''m sorry to hear that. Your father gets offers of marriage every day. And not with an old lady like you, but with a well bred young girl.

    "Oh, no. They''re probably just girls offered up by families looking for money and power!"

    "So you don''t tell me!"

    Even a marriage with an ulterior motive to take advantage of my father''s position and his marriage is better than being back with this woman.

    Do you think there are other women who can make you happy besides me?

    "That''s why you''re the one--"

    I''m right here!

    "What?"

    Heh?"

    A voice interrupted the argument between Fran and Nancy, the voice of an unfamiliar girl.

    She stopped speaking and turned around to see Rachel Isle-Sky, the second princess of the Kingdom of Sky with her arms folded and her chest outstretched,

    "Um, excuse me, excuse me for disturbing you."

    "I''m sorry to bother you so suddenly."

    "Good day to you, Fran, sir."

    There was Sam with an awkward look on his face, Lise, and Stella with a smile.

 404 - - 18 "My self-styled wife got on board." â‘¡

    The surprise must have been even greater for Fran, who knew the princess better than Nancy, who did not know her face.

    Without warning, the second princess showed up with the court magician, the most powerful boy in the Kingdom of Skye, and his wife. It would be hard not to be surprised. Also not here, but in the carriage, is Hualien, who is sound asleep.

    But Nancy doesn''t seem to know Rachel, Sam and Lise, or even Stella''s face.

    "Who is this child?

    "--Mr. Delight''s wife!"

    "...... Huh!"

    It was Fran who was surprised at Rachel''s high-handed declaration.

    Sam looked at her with a puzzled expression, and Fran turned her attention to her.

    "Sam!

    "Yes!"

    "Explain!"

    "Well..."

    Sam wonders how to explain.

    We don''t know the details of what Fran was talking to the woman about, but when we arrived at the Sinatras'' house, we heard that Delight had an arranged marriage. Then, they asked each other if there was a woman who could make Delight happy, and Rachel, not being able to resist, stormed into the room.

    However, I wondered if I should tell this to Fran as it was. Then Rachel stepped forward.

    "Samuel, let me explain this to you.

    "Oh, yes. But..."

    "Please do."

    "...... Okay."

    Sam was anxious to let Rachel explain, but he didn''t know how to do it, so he left it to her.

    (Please don''t say anything crazy. For Mr. Delight''s sake!)

    As Sam prayed, Rachel picked up her skirt and greeted Fran.

    "Good day, Francesca Sinatra. It''s been a long time since we''ve seen each other like this.

    Yes, I see. It''s been a while. By the way, um...

    "I know. I know. Okay, I''ll be brief. --From today on, you can call me Mama!

    (Yes, I knew you were going to say something stupid...aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!)

    Sam''s fears were not unfounded.

    Stunned, Fran managed to squeeze out a few words.

    "I don''t know what ...... that means."

    "Right!¡¡Hey, Lady Rachel!¡¡What, you think you''re already married?¡¡You''ve been in a hurry since a while ago!"

    Following Fran''s questioning, Sam butted in, and Rachel looked flabbergasted.

    "I''m sorry. The mere fact that I set foot in Mr. Delight''s house made me feel like I was going to get impregnated and I was so excited!

    "I ain''t impregnated!"

    Like Cedric, Rachel reminds me of G¨¹nther.

    I don''t know whether to be impressed or saddened by the resemblance between the two cousins.

    "Sam, Lise, Stella!¡¡What do you mean!¡¡Why is Lady Rachel with my father?¡¡Could it be that you were messing with me without my knowledge!"

    Because of Rachel''s words and actions, Fran started to make a big mistake.

    "Calm down, Fran. "Calm down, Fran. It''s Rachel''s one-sided adoration for Delight."

    "Is that so?"

    Lise rushes to follow up, and Fran breathes a sigh of relief.

    "Lieselotte!¡¡Please don''t say it''s one-sided!¡¡We and Mr. Delight are very much in love with each other--mumble mumble mumble."

    "I think Rachel should be a little quiet."

    Stella interrupted Rachel again from behind her.

    Unintentionally, Sam and Lise gave Stella a thumbs up for a job well done.

    "What about the end?

    "Don''t worry, it''s just that Lady Rachel adores you. She asked me to introduce her to Mr. Delight today. I''m sorry I brought him here without informing you. But I can''t believe how long you''ve been in love with him. You are indeed G¨¹nther''s cousin."

    "Oh, G¨¹nther''s. Yes, G¨¹nther''s. If you''re the princess, you''re G¨¹nther''s cousin. I can see why you''ve been acting so well. But is that the kind of person Rachel is?¡¡More like this: ......"

    Fran stopped mid-sentence.

    Perhaps the image of Rachel that Fran knew was not a flattering one.

    Then Nancy, who had been completely out of the picture, spat at her and shouted angrily.

    "What the hell, you people!¡¡I don''t give a d*mn about this kid!¡¡Get the Master out, now!"

    "Well, Fran, who is this?"

    At Sam''s question, Fran opened her mouth in disgust.

    "I''m ...... your father''s ex-wife."

    At Fran''s words, all eyes focused on Nancy.

    The next moment,

    "Master Delight''s ex-wife, eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

    Rachel, who had escaped from Stella''s hands, shouted on behalf of all the people present.

 405 - - 19 "Self-styled wife vs ex-wife" â‘ 

    Stella again covered Rachel''s mouth after she screamed out loudly.

    This time, she held her down tightly and forcefully so that she could not escape.

    When it became quiet, Sam asked Fran on behalf of the others.

    "Well, I mean, are you Fran''s mother?"

    "Unfortunately, yes. But I don''t consider this woman who abandoned my father and me to be my mother anymore."

    "Ah, you mean Mr. Delight showed up just in time to be reinstated as a court wizard, right?"

    This was not a surprise, as we knew that Delight was currently single.

    (This is the person who was Delight''s wife and Fran''s mother.)

    Sam guessed why his mother, who had abandoned Delight and Fran, was here now.

    "As you can imagine. She left on her own, had a baby with a merchant, and then came back because she lost out to a mistress who dumped her."

    "I''m sorry you''re having such a hard time, Fran, and Mr. Delight."

    It''s a total nuisance.

    Sam sympathizes with Delight''s situation, knowing that she has been receiving offers of marriage and other opportunities to establish a relationship.

    Sam''s own case was similar, but Jonathan handled it well, so she did not have to worry about it.

    In Delight''s case, Fran seems to be having a hard time, and I feel sorry for her.

    It must be hard for her to be at peace, especially when her mother who left her comes back to her.

    "Enough!¡¡Get the Master out of here!¡¡Fran, you''re not going against your mother!"

    Nancy, unable to hide her frustration at not having the conversation go her way, yelled angrily once again.

    Her attitude was unflattering, as if she had never been a member of the Delight and Fran''s family.

    Her unkempt hair was a mess, and she was spitting and raging. Whether she had always been like this, or whether she had changed since she left the Sinatras, Sam could not tell, but he wondered if she should have behaved in front of her daughter in a more proper manner as a mother.

    "You''ve changed a lot in a few years. Your true nature is showing. You have better things to do first."

    What are you talking about?

    Nancy tilts her head, not understanding the meaning of Fran''s words.

    After taking one look at her mother, Fran kneeled down reverently in front of Rachel and Stella and hung her head.

    "Dear Rachel Isle-Sky and Stella Isle-Sky Scheidt, welcome to our home. Samuel Scheidt, Lieselotte Scheidt, it''s been a long time. Whatever your business is, I''m glad you''re here."

    Fran dared to call Rachel and Sam by their full names and honorifics.

    "Fran, look at me. You''ve known me since I was a little girl and I miss you when you act like that."

    "Yes, Fran,...... you''re doing it on purpose, but please stop."

    As Lise had said, Sam knew that Fran had greeted him in an exaggerated manner on purpose. And for that reason, too.

    Just as Fran had planned, Nancy''s eyes went black and white,

    "Isle Sky?¡¡No way, Princess ......."

    He can''t hide his agitation.

    At this point, Rachel runs away from Stella again with some force, crosses her arms across her chest, looks at Nancy from top to toe, and snickers.

    "Poor Mr. Delight, to be married to a woman of this caliber. The fact that a talented woman like Francesca was born is proof that Delight''s blood prevailed.

    He suddenly started to challenge Nancy.

    Even though she knew that the other party was a princess, Nancy modestly retorted to his one-sided words.

    "Oh, princess, but how can you say that?

    "Excuse me?¡¡I can''t hear you very well. Could you speak louder?

    But Rachel''s strong attitude makes me stop my words in mid-sentence.

    "...... No, it''s nothing."

    "Hmm. Then you should have kept your mouth shut from the beginning. But still ...... it is not all that pleasing to see the woman who abandoned not only Delight, but Francesca as well, return so brazenly to the court wizardry."

    Rachel had seen the whole exchange and knew what Nancy was here for.

    Rachel, who genuinely adores Delight, is beyond amazed that the woman who ran away when she should have been supporting him could even show her face.

    "By the way, I haven''t asked you your name. --Please tell me your name.

    My name is Nancy.

    "I see. I don''t care if you''re Francesca''s mother or Mr. Delight''s ex-wife. I''m here on important business for Mr. Delight. So, unless you have something else to do, please go home as soon as possible."

    Rachel narrowed her eyes at Nancy coldly.

 406 - - 20 "Self-styled wife vs ex-wife" â‘¡

    "With all due respect, sir, I''m with my husband."

    "What do you mean, with your husband?"

    Nancy flinched under Rachel''s intimidating gaze, but she still insisted on her opinion.

    "I''m thinking of getting back together with you."

    "I see. By the way, what kind of logic makes you think that someone who left you and Francesca for Mr. Delight would just show up now and accept you?"

    "It''s..."

    "It is?¡¡What is it?"

    I''m in trouble!"

    Nancy''s words made not only Rachel but also Sam and the others say, "What the hell is he talking about? I was like, "What the hell is this?

    Rachel''s question was, how could she show her face in front of the family she had abandoned?

    She replied, "I''m in trouble," which was not an answer to her question.

    I suppose that is true, but that is not what I am asking.

    I don''t know anything about that. I don''t know, it''s none of my business or Mr. Delight''s."

    "I have a son!¡¡Even the Master will like it at first sight!¡¡My son needs a master!"

    Nancy''s arguments increasingly baffled Sam and the others.

    They could understand that a child needs a father, but why a Delight, they wondered.

    £¨No, you should talk to the child''s father about that. Not to Mr. Delight.)

    Sam was trying to stay on the sidelines without interrupting, but he felt the need to butt in loudly.

    When he asked his wives about it, both of them looked puzzled.

    "...... Just to make sure, your son''s father is not Mr. Delight, is he?"

    "Yes, but he''s my child!¡¡I''m sure even your husband!"

    I don''t know what the logic is, but in Nancy''s mind, it seems that Delight would accept a stranger''s child.

    Delight is blunt but kind. Even though his ex-wife left him to have a child with another man, he might offer her a hand if she is in real trouble.

    But if he does, Nancy will take advantage of him and will continue to drag Delight down in the future.

    "......I don''t understand, so please tell me, why should Mr. Delight accept someone else''s child?¡¡Are you planning to let them raise you, by any chance?"

    "He was my wife, he was my child!¡¡It''s only natural that you would do that much!"

    Nancy was so outspoken that even Rachel looked as if she had a headache.

    "...... is no good. I can''t have a conversation with him any more than I can with G¨¹nther, who is crazy. No, it would be several times better to deal with G¨¹nther''s perverted behavior. At any rate, I understand only one thing - you are trying to disturb the friendship between me and Mr. Delight, aren''t you?"

    But the next moment, the expression on Rachel''s face disappeared.

    She stared at Nancy with cold, icy eyes.

    Nancy lets out a short scream under Rachel''s gaze.

    No wonder, even Sam gasps at the change in Rachel.

    Rachel, who had erased her emotions and made no effort to hide her hostile and murderous intentions, was, to tell the truth, frightening.

    "No, I didn''t mean it like that."

    Nancy must have realized that her words and actions had offended Rachel, and she tried to make excuses, but it was too late.

    "Are you saying that you want to make me an enemy of Rachel Isle-Sky, the second princess of the Kingdom of Sky?

    "No, no!¡¡I''m just..."

    "Just?¡¡What is it?"

    "...... no, ...... nothing, nothing."

    Nancy was finally unable to say anything as Rachel, with her face like a Noh mask, came so close to her that she could have breathed on her.

    Then Rachel stepped away from her and clapped her hands with a big smile on her face.

    "I''m glad you''re not. I don''t want to do anything bad to the woman Delight loved even once, even if it was only for a short time. Now listen carefully to what I''m going to say.

    Rachel smiles happily.

    Sam was truly afraid of the smile of a princess her own age.

    "Don''t you ever show your face in front of Delight and Francesca again. Not even in front of me, of course. I''ll make sure of it."

    "--hi."

    Answer me.

    "---- is yes."

    Rachel nodded her head in satisfaction as Nancy, her body shaking slightly, strained her voice.

    "Very well. Now, if you understand me, before Mr. Delight hears all this commotion and comes over here - get lost!

    At the sound of Rachel''s low voice, Nancy ran away without answering.

    She didn''t even look at Fran, she was soaking wet and sweating, she didn''t even have time to scream, she just ran.

    "Rachel-sama, are you serious?"

    When Nancy disappeared, Sam asked her fearfully.

    And then..,

    "Of course he''s joking. If you don''t threaten them like this, they won''t learn their lesson and come back again."

    As if her attitude toward Nancy was a lie, her intimidation and fake smile disappeared, and she returned to the atmosphere of Rachel before she came to the Sinatras'' house.

    Chuckling at Sam''s relief, Rachel approached Fran.

    "Are you sure this is the right thing to do, Francesca?"

    "Thank you for your response. I wouldn''t have been able to get rid of that woman myself, so thank you.

    Fran bows to Rachel.

    Nancy, who had been tough with Fran because she was her mother, was not able to deal with the princess.

    (I doubt she was really joking, but it''s not something to question.)

    Lise and Stella didn''t stop her either because they knew Rachel wasn''t serious or because they thought they should do it.

    Sam decided that it was better not to know the truth.

    "Please look up, my dear. We are family. There is no need to thank us.

    "Wow, he just said ''family''!"

    Sam shushed Rachel, who was trying to slip into the family just as she was about to do so.

    Sam doesn''t like people like Nancy either, but Rachel is Rachel enough of a pain in the ass.

    The question is, I wonder how Fran will respond to Rachel.

    "Hey, hey, what''s going on?"

    At that moment, Delight appeared from inside the house.

    A moment later, Rachel hugged Delight with bright eyes.

    "Aha, Mr. Delight!¡¡I''m so glad to see you!¡¡This Rachel Isle Sky!¡¡I have come to deliver Master Delight''s baby, ohhhhhhhh!"

    "What''s really going on here aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

    Rachel''s sudden and unexpected courtship caused Delight to scream out loud, not understanding what was happening.

 407 - - 21 "Mr. Delight is a bit confused." â‘ 

    "--I mean, what the hell. What kind of a joke is Lady Rachel making about me ......?"

    "I wish it was a joke."

    Sam and his friends gather around a table in the Sinatra family''s parlor.

    Delight, looking as if he had a headache, said the words weakly while trying not to look at Rachel, who was positioned next to him and had her hand entwined in his arm.

    Everyone, including Fran, laughed.

    Only Rachel was in a good mood.

    "......You know, Rachel-sama..."

    "Oh, no, I don''t like it. Please call me Rachel instead of Rachel.

    No, a princess of a kingdom.

    "Before she''s a princess, she''s the lovely wife of Mr. Delight!"

    Sam and his friends don''t know what to say to Rachel, who has come to introduce Rachel to Delight, only to find that she has turned away his ex-wife and is now sitting in his wife''s position.

    £¨They don''t know what to say to Rachel, who has turned her ex-wife away and is now taking her place as his wife.)

    I want to throw it to Delight, but I give up, thinking it won''t work that way.

    "Hey, Sam."

    "Yes."

    "When did I marry Lady Rachel?"

    "What?"

    "Fran!¡¡Booze!¡¡Get me some booze!¡¡You know that vintage brandy Ur gave me!¡¡Bring it!"

    Delight tried to take the easy way out with the booze.

    But Rachel, with a smile on her face, intertwined her arm with Delight''s,

    "Here''s to our future."

    Delight''s shoulders slumped.

    "I don''t need alcohol ......, so someone please do something about this situation."

    Rachel, who was smiling broadly beside Delight, who was finally drooping, had a lot of nerve, or should I say she had a lot of nerve?

    (Delight is not rejecting her, but Rachel is also very brave to do so in such a troubled situation.)

    I turned to my wives, but Lise cowered her shoulders as if she didn''t know them, while Stella looked on with a smile.

    I then looked at Fran, who surprisingly looked at my father with a smile on her face.

    "If I''m not mistaken, Rachel reminds me of G¨¹nther''s son.

    "We''re cousins."

    "Ah, that makes sense in a nutshell. I thought G¨¹nther was a mutation, but the royal blood must be bad.

    "I guess so."

    "You''re lucky Master Stella doesn''t look like her."

    "I am truly grateful to Stella."

    I guessed that royal blood might have some perverted elements, but most of them are relatively sane.

    However, the strong personalities of some of them make them stand out badly as a whole.

    The first of them is G¨¹nther. He, too, is currently a recluse.

    "So. Dear Rachel, I think it''s time we had a serious talk.

    "What is it, my dear? I just said that!

    "...... seriously!¡¡Talk!¡¡And then, you know!¡¡I''m a member of the First Queen Francis'' faction.

    "Is there such a thing as factions in the royal court?"

    Sam was fed up with the fact that there were factions not only in the nobility but also in the royal court.

    "Oh, Samuel, you don''t know. Many of the people who work in the palace are related to the nobles, so they naturally decide who they want to work for.

    "Wow."

    "By the way, Lieselotte''s father, Count Jonathan Walker, and G¨¹nther''s father, Duke Ignaz, are from the faction of Francis, your sister Stella''s mother."

    At Rachel''s addition, Sam looked at Lise, who nodded quietly.

    "I see, no wonder."

    The royal court is a troublesome place, and the queens seem to have their own factions.

    However, it made sense that the Counts Walker and the Dukes Ignatz were in Queen Francis'' faction.

    Clyde brought his beloved daughter Stella to Sam, probably because Sam''s successor was the Earl Walker, who belonged to Stella''s mother''s faction.

    "I know it''s a hassle, but I''m a royalist nobleman in the care of the Dukes of Ignaz. The Duke of Ignaz supports His Majesty''s nomination of His Highness Cedric as the next king. That makes me a natural choice for Queen Francis the First."

    "So there are people who want another prince to be king."

    "I don''t mean to speak in front of you, but Queen Cordelia, Lady Rachel''s mother, wants her son, His Royal Highness Russell, to be the next king, so, you know..."

    It''s troublesome, isn''t it, royalty and nobility?

    "No doubt."

    Sam and Delight laughed weakly.

    But..,

    "But, factions are irrelevant in front of the love between me and Delight-sama!

    In a sense, Rachel, the one who should be the most concerned about the situation, says she doesn''t care about the factions.

    (Really, she''s so brazen...)

    For the time being, Sam was beginning to admire Rachel''s words and actions.

 408 - - 22 "Mr. Delight is a bit confused" â‘¡

    "I mean, I''m sure you guys would be careful not to bring it up, but he was here, wasn''t he?"

    "--oh, father, that''s--"

    Sam felt the air tighten, the relaxation caused by Rachel''s presence.

    No one, not even Rachel, had mentioned Nancy out of concern for Delight, but apparently she had noticed.

    "No, it''s okay. No, it''s okay. I''m not going to see her either. It''s just that I''ve fallen out of favor in a relationship that I thought was going well for a long time. I don''t care that you left. But I can''t forgive you for leaving Fran. Until Fran forgives him, I''m not going to have anything to do with him.

    Delight spat this out with a bitter look on his face, but to Sam, it looked somewhat sad.

    "I don''t think I have a mother, so there is no reconciliation."

    Fran made her rejection clear.

    For a woman who had respected and supported her father, a mother who gave up on her the moment she lost her position was not a very forgivable person.

    As a result, Nancy''s behavior shocked Delight and may have been the cause of his drinking.

    She cannot forgive him because she is related to him by blood.

    Her mother came back to her as soon as Delight recovered and became a court wizard again. Fran''s anger is understandable.

    "I see. "Well, that''s good. I''m surprised she left so quietly. I don''t miss him, but he came to my house because he was in a tight spot, right?"

    "Um, Mr. Delight. Miss Rachel sent me away."

    "Is that so?"

    Sam gives a brief recap, and Delight thanks Rachel, who still has her arms around him, looking happy as ever.

    "I''m sorry, Miss Rachel. I''m sorry for getting you involved in my family''s problems. And thank you. Sam, Lise, and Stella, I''m sorry too.

    "Oh, no, Mr. Delight!¡¡Please don''t be a stranger!¡¡A wife would do anything for her husband, no, for her family."

    "......, let''s leave it at that."

    "Don''t leave me here!"

    "What the hell am I supposed to do, I... My head hurts."

    "Why don''t you just give up?"

    "Sam, come on, man, it''s not personal."

    (To be honest, I don''t think there''s anything you can do to stop Lady Rachel. (Honestly, I don''t think there''s anything we can do to stop Rachel...I just wonder what Clyde''s father-in-law will make of it. The biggest problem will be Queen Cordelia the Second.)

    To be honest, I do not have good feelings toward the second queen Cordelia.

    It is difficult for me to have a good impression of her since she spoke to me one-sidedly from above when I met her for the first time.

    At that time, I thought that we would never get involved in the future, but I never expected that Rachel would fall in love with Delight, and that we would be involved in such a situation.

    (But then again, Cedric-sama and Rachel-sama are siblings who fall in love in a troublesome way .........)

    I have heard that royal marriages are not romantic.

    Or I have heard that they are made to meet each other from childhood and be close to each other so that they will eventually become husband and wife.

    Since many people try to take advantage of marriages with royalty, it is best to have children from nobles with whom you have a friendly relationship, if possible.

    However, we can rest assured that neither Louise nor Delight are the kind of people who would try to take advantage of the royal family.

    There are other concerns, but I guess it is up to them to decide what will happen.

    "Hey."

    While I was wondering what to do, Hualien, who was supposed to be sleeping in the carriage, comes to me.

    "What''s wrong?"

    "I''ve got a letter from the royal family."

    "What?¡¡From the royal family, why?

    "Old Delight told me to give it to you."

    "Well, what do you mean?"

    "I don''t know. I was sleeping in the carriage when a knock on the door woke me up and told me to give the letter to the old Delight."

    (Hualien said she was awakened by a knock at ...... even though she''s normally as alert and sensitive to signs of life as a cat?)

    Perhaps Sam''s agitation was felt, Hualien continued to speak.

    "He looked like a normal person, but he was so normal that it was scary. No sign, no smell, it was a little scary."

    "Well, maybe, just maybe. --Geez."

    Delight, who had received the letter from Hualien, sounded strange as if he had some idea what was going on.

    "His Majesty wants you to come to the palace tomorrow.

    "No way."

    "That''s the thing. As one might expect given Lady Rachel''s position, it seems that ......<> has been following her. It seems that everything that happens on our side is being reported."

    "......<> really existed, didn''t it?"

    Sam has never seen one in person, but he says there are shadowy beings who serve as the hands and feet of the royal family and to whom he owes complete allegiance.

    Most of their activities are information gathering, but sometimes they do things that cannot be revealed.

    The reason Clyde was able to immediately condemn the nobleman who had betrayed his country when he was released from the guardianship of the Lepsi tombs was because the shadows had gathered information in advance.

    £¨There is no sign of him. I feel no magic. But there is a possibility nearby. I''m afraid... I''m afraid...)

    I search the area, but there is no sign of anyone.

    Or there could be a <> nearby that Sam can''t find.

    £¨Let''s not do this. (Let''s not. We''ll lose if we worry about it.)

    Sam decides to forget about the <>.

    The bigger problem is that Delight has been summoned to the royal palace.

    "It says here that Sam should come too."

    "Me too?¡¡I''m involved again!"

    I won''t let you get away with this!

    "Oh, give me a break!"

    Sam is about to cry because the Cedric case is still unresolved and he has a feeling that things are about to get even worse for Rachel.

    Delight is also trying not to let Sam go.

    And Rachel, on the other hand..,

    "Well, Father, you have blessed me and Mr. Delight!"

    He was happy to say that his head was full of flowers.

    I wonder where the character who had been harassing my sister for years had gone.

    "Rachel, I''m so happy for you!"

    "Yes, sister!¡¡I will be happy!

    "No, sir, I''m sure that''s not true."

    Stella congratulates her sister, and Lise says it''s not going to be like that.

    Hualien seemed to be unsure of what was going on, but she didn''t seem to mind, drinking Sam''s tea and taking it easy.

    (I wondered what would happen at one point, but it didn''t ...... somehow, did it? The biggest concern is how Fran feels about Rachel, right?)

    The issues may be numerous, but Sam was concerned about Fran''s feelings about possibly having a younger mother-in-law, but didn''t know how to visit her.

    (I''ll leave it to Lise-sama later.)

    Thinking that it would be easier to talk to other women, he decides to ask Lise to help him.

    Lise and Fran have known each other since childhood and are best friends. Fran will be able to talk to her without hesitation.

    £¨I''m not throwing this all in your face. (I''m not throwing this in your face by any means...)

 409 - - 23 "Its Bin Bin!" â‘ 

    The day after Rachel''s assault on the Sinatras, Sam was at the palace again.

    (-- Yesterday was a big day.)

    Starting with the invitation from the Demon King, Cedric''s love for Louise, Rachel''s love for Delight and a chance encounter with Delight''s ex-wife, I am amazed that so many events took place in one day.

    After that, Rachel said "I''ll stay here because she''s my wife" and didn''t move even if she had to.

    Delight could not speak strongly against the princess, and Fran was silent. Liese tried to talk her out of it, but it was no use. When they were in a bind, Stella suddenly hit her sister with a blow to the head, knocking her out.

    Sam and Delight are astonished, but the women do not care.

    I heard that Stella has been learning body techniques from Hualien, and she is quite talented. However, she does not need to show the results of her training to her sister.

    After that, Hualien threw the unconscious Rachel into the carriage and left the Sinatras'' house.

    Sam was so tired that their marriage was shorter than usual, and he fell asleep early.

    (Today''s leading man is Mr. Delight, so I hope it''s better ...... than yesterday.)

    For Delight himself, it must be a problem, if not a nuisance.

    He himself would never have dreamed that Rachel, the second princess, would fall in love with him, who is much older than she is.

    I haven''t asked him how he feels about it, but I guess I can''t say that I don''t like it, given my position.

    And there were Sam and Delight in Clyde''s office, dressed in the formal attire of a court wizard, as they had been yesterday.

    They greet Clyde, the First Queen Frances, and the Second Queens Cordelia and Rachel, who are kneeling in their chairs.

    Clyde and Francis are friendly and easygoing, but Cordelia is more formal, so Sam and Clyde greet each other nervously, unlike usual.

    They know that if they don''t like Cordelia in any way, they will be yelled at.

    "I''m ...... Delight."

    "-- is."

    After being told to make himself comfortable and sitting in the chair provided, Clyde was the first to open his mouth.

    "I heard about Rachel. To be honest, I was surprised. We have a lot to talk about, but first I would like to hear how you feel."

    Clyde did not express his opinion, but asked Delight''s feelings first.

    Cordelia looked unhappy about this, but her daughter Rachel was smiling.

    "I appreciate the sentiment," Cordelia said. But there is an age difference between us, and I am divorced and have a daughter over twenty years old. As you probably already know, my ex-wife came to my house yesterday and had a trouble with Rachel, and I cannot cause her any more trouble. You are young and have a long way to go. There is a better man for you."

    "Hmm."

    Delight issued a curt refusal.

    Clyde nodded, and Cordelia looked satisfied. And despite the rejection, Rachel is still smiling.

    "Delight Sinatra knows what he''s talking about. That''s a relief."

    Cordelia was put in a good mood by Delight''s attitude.

    However, Rachel rebuffs her.

    "Mother, the master is just embarrassed!"

    "Shut up, Rachel!¡¡Your mother is looking for you to marry!"

    I''d rather elope with the Master than marry the man your mother has chosen for me!

    "Yeah, stop calling Delight Sinatra your husband!¡¡You think you''re already married!"

    "I''m not married, I''m pregnant!"

    "...... Delight Sinatra!¡¡No, you!

    "You''ve got it all wrong!¡¡I never laid a hand on you!

    Really?

    I swear it by Your Majesty and your ancestors!

    "...... Rachel, don''t bother me or His Majesty with too much nonsense."

    Our love is undying!

    "I''d appreciate it if you wouldn''t drag me into this ......."

    Misunderstanding her daughter''s words and actions, Cordelia suspects Delight, and he desperately denies it.

    It would be a big deal if it turned out that they were not only not engaged, but that they had been involved in a marriage that their mother did not approve of.

    (Well, Mr. Delight found out about Rachel''s feelings yesterday, so there''s no way he can touch her.)

    "Cordelia, I think Rachel is serious."

    "Your Majesty!¡¡It''s not enough if you''re serious!"

    "I know that, too."

    "Actually, Delight Sinatra isn''t going to accept Rachel either, so that should be the end of the story!"

    Sam tilts his head.

    Cordelia''s tone was harsh, but she was not wrong.

    Delight had turned her down softly, and that should be the end of the story.

    "You don''t even know if a middle-aged Delight Sinatra is a functioning man!¡¡A young man should not have to worry about that!"

    "Mother!¡¡That''s a bit of an exaggeration!"

    "Rachel!¡¡If you get married, you too must have and raise children!¡¡What if you can''t have children because of a man!"

    The two were about to get into a fight when Clyde intervened.

    "Hm, wait, Cordelia. Then why don''t you find out? Delight, what do you think?"

    "...... yeah."

    Clyde, who has just asked Delight himself if he is functioning as a man, can''t hide the fact that he is upset, Sam is upset, and even Cordelia is upset.

    "Well, Your Majesty, you don''t expect me to answer here, do you?"

    It''s important. --Is it a bing bong?

 410 - - 24 "Its Bin Bin!" â‘¡

    "--But."

    Sam almost blew it out.

    (Mr. Clyde, you can''t say "bimbo" with a serious face, there are more words than that!)

    "Well, you know, I''m still working, so I''m still binging."

    £¨Even Mr. Delight said "bing bong"!¡¡(You''re kidding, right? !)

    Sam desperately holds his mouth shut and tries not to blow it out.

    Clyde nodded his head in satisfaction, as if to catch up with Sam.

    "Well, you''ve got it!¡¡Then, good!"

    £¨I can''t take it anymore.)

    My whole body was shaking, and I was about to burst out laughing if I relaxed even a little.

    "I''m so glad you''re binging, Mr. Delight!"

    "--But!"

    Finally, even Rachel said something about bimbos, and Sam couldn''t help but blow up.

    "It''s Sam."

    "Oh, I''m sorry, I''m sorry, no, no, no, this is not..."

    "Are you a bimbo too?"

    "-Buhhaha, I''m on fire!"

    When Sam blew his mouth out, he was chastised and asked how much he had blown.

    In the end, he blew it out again.

    "Why me too?

    Francis smiled at Sam, who looked puzzled.

    "Sam, I''d like to know how you and Stella are getting along by finding out how much you''re banging. It would be hard for you to answer me directly if I ask you how your night life is.

    "...... No, it''s harder for me to answer if you ask me if I''m binging or not."

    "How is it?¡¡Are you a bimbo?"

    "Uh, yeah, well, I''m young."

    When Sam replied, giving up the idea that if he didn''t answer, the conversation would never get anywhere, Delight looked at him as if he were one of his own, and Clyde and Francis looked at each other, both pleased.

    Clyde and Francis looked at each other and said, "Well, that''s a good bimbo. By the way, I get binged every day."

    "I don''t know!"

    "Especially because Sam has freed me from my responsibilities, I am more fertile and have more endurance. I''m even more fertile than I was in my prime!"

    "So I don''t know!"

    I didn''t care about the disrespect anymore, so I barged in, but Clyde didn''t seem bothered.

    (He''s really having a good time now that he''s free from the leprosy!)

    Sam felt like crying a little, wondering where the seriousness had gone.

    That''s when it happened.

    "That''s enough!

    Cordelia, who had not been participating in this inconsequential conversation, became agitated and raised her voice.

    Sam is a little relieved to see that there are people of decent sensibilities in the royal family.

    However..,

    "I can''t accept that Delight may be a bimbo!"

    "You''re going to say ''bing bong'' too!¡¡I''m surprised!"

    "Mother!¡¡Wasn''t it your mother who was worried about Master Delight''s binging condition!¡¡Now that you have confirmed that Mr. Delight is binging, please admit it!"

    "What is this bimbo festival?¡¡Me?¡¡Do I have to stop this trend?"

    "Yeah, shut up, Rachel!¡¡Even if you are a bimbo, what good is it if you are not taken seriously!¡¡You''re the one who''s been neglecting me, leaving me to deal with Francis, even though you''re a bimbo!

    "I can''t hide my upset at the sudden start of the royal couple situation!¡¡What, what''s this about Mr. Delight and Lady Rachel?

    Everyone started binging, and eventually the conversation devolved into the marital status of Clyde and his wife, leaving Sam confused and upset.

    It seems doubtful that this story will even reach its conclusion.

    "I should have brought someone with some common sense.

    I whined about it, but I couldn''t think of anyone with common sense who could match the momentum of Clyde and the others.

    "Your Majesty doesn''t care about me!"

    "Cordelia, you are mistaken!"

    "Then why doesn''t your majesty turn his bing bong to me?¡¡Why are you only binging Francis?

    "Hey, Miss Cordelia, can''t you say it differently?¡¡Hey?¡¡Can''t you change it?"

    Unfortunately, Sam''s prodding fell on deaf ears, not to mention Cordelia''s and Clyde''s, and the barren argument continued.

 411 - - 25 "Its Bin Bin!" â‘¢

    "You''ve got it all wrong. My bing bong is for you too, Cordelia."

    "I don''t believe it!"

    "No, you know, what''s this about bing bongs being directed?¡¡I mean, can you stop saying ''bing bong'' already, can''t you think of another word?"

    Cordelia, a strong-willed woman with tears in her eyes, makes an appeal, but it is very surreal because the word "bing bing" is included in her words.

    The quality is bad because they take it seriously.

    Sam is beyond laughing now, and is starting to get scared of people who can say "bing bong" so much.

    "It''s Cordelia."

    "That''s enough!¡¡Anyway, even if Delight Sinatra is a bimbo, I don''t approve!"

    Cordelia tried to stand up, saying she was done talking.

    "Wait, Cordelia!"

    Clyde grabs the second queen''s arm and stops her.

    Cordelia tried to shake him off emotionally, but Clyde did not let her.

    "...... Cordelia, let''s talk in the next room, just the two of us. I''m sorry I didn''t point my bottle at you. But I think we need to talk now for Rachel''s happiness. Our bing bong can wait."

    Clyde then pulls Cordelia by the arm and leads her into an adjoining room, somewhat forcefully.

    There is a sound of the door slamming, and the two disappear.

    "I don''t want to start a fight or something..."

    "Sam, you can leave it to His Majesty."

    Sam was worried about the couple fighting, and Francis told him not to worry, but seeing Cordelia''s emotional attitude, he didn''t think he could manage it.

    From the next room, I could hear Cordelia yelling something.

    I don''t know the details, but I was sure that Cordelia was in a rage.

    (Wow, I can hear her voice...). (I think this is Clyde''s nap room next door, right?¡¡Are the walls thin?¡¡(Or maybe that''s how angry Lady Cordelia is.)

    Cordelia''s frustration is understandable.

    If Clyde spends his evenings only with Francis, it would not be very interesting for the second queen.

    Sam is not alone in this. He decided once again to take good care of all his wives.

    And then..,

    "--Hmm?"

    Cordelia''s angry voice became quiet.

    Sam wondered if Clyde had quieted her down,

    "Oh, no, Your Majesty. Even if it''s a request from Your Majesty, but, oh no, in such a place, so suddenly, oh no, my daughter, Rachel will hear me!"

    (Something started in the next room aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!)

    Honestly, Sam couldn''t believe his ears.

    He thought he was hearing voices due to stress, but when he glanced at Delight, he saw a surprised look on his face.

    Unfortunately, it was not an auditory hallucination.

    Then Cordelia''s voice with something glamorous echoed again from the next room.

    "I don''t think I''m going to change my opinion, even if you do this to me...oh, no, I don''t think I''m going to change my opinion.¡¡Oh, God, I''m coming, I''m coming, I''m coming, I''m coming, I''m coming, I''m coming, I''m coming, I''m coming, I''m coming, I''m coming, I''m coming, I''m coming, I''m coming, I''m coming, I''m coming, I''m coming, I''m coming. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh."

    "I wonder what''s going on!¡¡Is it a massage?

    Sam let out a loud voice to drown out the rather awkwardly charming voice.

    I don''t want to hear my father-in-law doing this and that with my wife.

    £¨I''m afraid that Francis is smiling, and Rachel is not even a bit upset.¡¡What''s this, do royalty have a tolerance for this kind of thing?¡¡(Are you open!?!!?)

    Sam''s eyes are black and white at this unimaginable turn of events, and Delight calls out to him fearfully.

    "Hey, Sam."

    "Yes?"

    Delight''s expression was dark, and he seemed to be pondering something.

    "Suppose, suppose," he said, "that things go well with Lady Rachel. Will you and I become a family?"

    "It''s nice to be kin to His Majesty, to whom Mr. Delight owes allegiance, isn''t it?"

    No, that''s not the Majesty to whom I owe allegiance. He''s just some old man in a bottle wearing His Majesty''s skin.

    "I''m sure he''s just having a good time after being released from the leprosy. You know, you''ve been through a lot.

    "You''re going to meet the Demon King, right?¡¡Just go get one of them. Your Majesty needs the Demon Lord.

    "I can''t do it."

    I was exchanging words with Delight as if to escape reality,

    "I understand, I approve of Rachel''s marriage.

    (Are you still doing that, old man?¡¡I mean, that''s a hell of a way to convince people!¡¡And, Lady Cordelia lost!¡¡I''m married!¡¡Is this what you want!¡¡Hey, royalty!)

    Sam screamed out loudly in his mind as he heard Cordelia''s loudest scream.

    Delight, too, is not sure what to do at the sound of the second queen''s voice, which is beyond glamorous and vulgar.

    To Sam and Delight,

    "Oh, my God, you''re so good, Your Majesty."

    "That''s your father!¡¡You''re the one who made the bones of your mother, who was so difficult that she had no one to be her son-in-law!"

    Francis claps his hands in admiration, and Rachel looks on,

    (I knew there was something weird about royalty...)

    Even after all this time, I was convinced that there is something wrong with people who have royal blood in their veins.

 412 - - 26 "Mr. Clyde did his best" â‘ 

    A few moments after Cordelia''s screams echoed through the room, Clyde returned to the office, looking like he had just finished a job.

    "Well... I''m sorry for keeping you waiting. Cordelia has graciously allowed Rachel and Delight to marry."

    "No way!"

    "That''s what I''m talking about, father!¡¡I''m glad you left it to your father to persuade your mother after all!"

    I wanted to ask him what part of this was persuasion, but I knew that if I said anything else, I would get into trouble, so I closed my mouth.

    "Well, it''s a trivial matter when you have the royal technique.

    "What''s a royal technique?"

    (Is that it?¡¡Is it some kind of variant of the royal power they used on the lepers?¡¡--What the hell is that?)

    Clyde turned his head to Sam, who was poking around in his mind, as if he had just remembered.

    "Oh, by the way, I didn''t teach you anything, Sam. I''ll teach you the royal technique later.

    "--by all means!"

    "Hey, Sam!¡¡That''s not right!"

    "Oh, I''m sorry, I was just..."

    Delight yells at Sam, who responds reflexively.

    He apologizes, but Sam is a boy of his age. He would like to improve his night life if he could.

    It would be great if he could get the royal technique that would make that uptight Cordelia scream in a vulgar way.

    (If Liese and her friends get as wild as Cordelia ...... hehehehehehe)

    I can''t stop smiling just thinking about it.

    The wives tell me that they are satisfied with their nightlife, but Sam always wants to give it his all and make them happy.

    "I can''t help it if you''re on my side!"

    "I''m sorry. I''m just, you know, I''m a boy.

    "Well, you might want to calm down, Delight."

    "...... Sorry about that."

    It doesn''t matter. I intend to teach you the royal technique.

    That''s not why I''m yelling at you!

    "Mr. Delight, the other party is a king!

    Yes, that''s right. I''m sorry for repeating myself.

    "Good, good, you and I."

    "I wish you would stop talking like that, because it might be misunderstood.

    Delight is becoming less and less reserved.

    This kind of conversation between men is fun, but we have to move on.

    Sam raised his hand and asked.

    "By the way, father-in-law..."

    "What''s up Sam?"

    "After all, I mean, what is the future of Mr. Delight''s relationship with Lady Rachel?"

    It was good that we were able to convince Cordelia, the biggest obstacle, but since Delight had already said no, I was concerned about where this one was going.

    Then Rachel stood up and made a bouncy noise.

    "Now that your mother, who was the biggest pain in the ass, has given in, we have no more obstacles!¡¡Right, sir!"

    Delighted Rachel looks at Delight with a puzzled look on her face.

    (I''m sure Rachel genuinely likes Mr. Delight, but it''s hard to tell, isn''t it?)

    "I''m Delight Sinatra."

    "Your Majesty?¡¡How can I help you, sir?

    Clyde''s voice was the most serious of the day, and Delight, as well as Sam and the others, straightened their posture.

    "I trust you with all my heart as a good friend who has supported me."

    "That''s too much for me."

    It is precisely because of you that I want to entrust my daughter to you."

    "...... are you serious?"

    "Of course, I''m serious."

    Clyde''s firm voice made Delight nervous.

    "--May I ask why?"

    "It''s all for the sake of my precious daughter."

    "For Lady Rachel, sir?"

    Clyde looked at his daughter once and nodded deeply.

    "As you know, Delight, Stella, the first princess, married Sam. However, she did not do it only because Sam is a promising talent."

    "I understand that it is."

    Sam never said it, but he did not believe that Clyde had asked Stella to meet him or arranged a marriage simply because he liked her.

    But I never asked him what he meant.

    "I did not bring him together with Stella only because Sam had become the most powerful wizard in the kingdom. It was partly because Sam was not only an excellent wizard, but also a good and likeable boy of good character, and because of his close relationship with Earl Walker and his confidence that he would not become an enemy of the royal family."

    "............ understand, I can. Sam would never betray the royal family."

    "And, as it turned out later, Sam was also his brother''s only son. Stella could not have asked for a better man to marry."

    Above all," Clyde adds, "I am a good person.

    "I wanted her to marry Sam, whom she loved. I may not be a good king, but as a parent I want to put my daughter''s happiness first. The same goes for Rachel. Rachel is also my beloved daughter.

    "...... father."

    "As a parent myself, I can understand your pain. But I...

    "Rachel has already received numerous marriage proposals. Many from the nobility of the Kingdom of Skye, and many from our allies as well. Of course, as a princess, it is only natural, but from what I have gathered, they will not make Rachel happy."

    "What do you mean?"

    Clyde looked bitter when Delight asked him about it.

    Francis and Rachel''s expressions were also dark.

    "Everyone is trying to take advantage of Rachel. For example, some of the nobles of the Kingdom of Skye want to make Rachel''s son-in-law and have a say in the matter, and they want to make Russell, the second prince, king. Cordelia also wants her son to be king, but she does not want Rachel to be unhappy."

    I do not mean to deny Cordelia''s desire to be king over the child she gave birth to through pain in her belly. In fact, I think it is a very natural thing for a parent to do.

    However, the person who is trying to carry Prince Russell and Cordelia have fundamentally different thoughts.

    "I think Delight already knows about the existence of the Demon Lord Lepssy, and I told Rachel the other day. Sam has relieved me of my responsibilities, but the power that has been passed down from generation to generation of the royal family is still alive and well, and there is still something to protect. I have entrusted Cedric with that role. This cannot be reversed."

    Those who do not know about the existence of the Demon King Lepsy and are only trying to support Russell are only thinking of their own interests.

    If such a person becomes Rachel''s son-in-law, there is a strong possibility that she will never have a happy life.

    As a parent, Clyde''s concern is understandable.

    "In fact, Stella was almost taken advantage of, so she entrusted Sam, albeit somewhat forcefully. As a result, Stella seems happy. I want Rachel to be happy next time. --I want Rachel to be happy next time.

    Clyde got up from his chair and knelt down on the spot.

    "Your Majesty!

    Delight peeled his eyes back in surprise.

    He was not the only one, even Sam had not expected Clyde to fall to his knees.

    "Please, will you take Rachel and make her happy?"

    "Your Majesty!¡¡Please don''t!"

    "I beg you too, Delight."

    Cordelia also got up from her chair and tried to kneel, causing Delight to scream and wait.

    "Even the queen!¡¡Anyway, look up, Your Majesty!¡¡Okay, I''ll take it!¡¡First of all, please raise your face!"

    The king made such a wild gesture of getting down on his knees and asking for help that Delight had no choice but to respond in kind.

 413 - - 27 "Mr. Clyde did his best" â‘¡

    When Delight asked Sam for help, together they made Clyde raise his head and sit in the chair.

    Sam thought it was amazing that Clyde could bow his head for his daughter even though he was the king.

    Rachel was stiff with surprise, not expecting her father or even Francis to do such a thing for her.

    "I''m sorry I was so pushy. I''m sorry to be pushy, but I know I can trust you."

    "For the record, I''ve fallen on hard times. I''d be dead if it weren''t for Fran. Are you okay with that?

    "Don''t be so down on yourself. It is true that you were depressed at one time. But you got back on your feet. You are now a court wizard."

    "...... Your Majesty."

    "And it doesn''t mean that you haven''t done your best for your country. For me, you are the best wizard and the best friend I have ever had."

    "--Thank you for your kind words. It''s a waste of words.

    I could see Delight''s eyes well up at the sincere words of the king, who swore allegiance to him.

    "Laugh at me for being such a foolish parent. Stella married the man of her choice, I want Rachel to marry the man of her choice."

    "...... Father!"

    Rachel cries when she learns of her father''s feelings.

    "Rachel, too, was troubled because she longed for you. She wondered if she should confide her feelings to you. But after she had thought about it, she realized that she really loved you, and she acted on it.

    "...... so that''s what it was."

    (It would be uncivil to go into that behavior, though...)

    Sam swallowed hard as the words came to his throat.

    "You''re still active as a wizard and as a man. "No, not just Rachel. You may take any of the other daughters from the offerings that have come to you as wives."

    "No, I''m too good for Rachel alone."

    "Mr. Delight!"

    "I''m not so good at loving more than one person."

    Delight stood up and kneeled down in front of Rachel.

    Delight looked at her and asked the adoring princess, "What do you think of me?

    "Are you sure you are okay with this old man?"

    "I want Mr. Delight."

    "There must be younger, better men out there."

    There is no better man than Mr. Delight. I want Mr. Delight!

    "--If you insist that much, then I''ll make up my mind, too. To be honest, I''m not much for love affairs. My ex-wife was only married to me by chance, and I''m sure she''ll give you a hard time.

    "You don''t need to worry. I will make every effort to make you love me, Mr. Delight.

    Rachel looked straight into Delight''s eyes and clearly expressed her feelings and determination.

    Delight smiled kindly for the first time at Rachel.

    "Well, I will try my best to make you happy, Rachel-sama."

    "-I look forward to working with you for many years to come."

    Rachel smiles like a blooming flower and sheds a tear.

    £¨I wish Stella could have seen this scene. (I wish Stella could have seen this scene. I''m sure she would have been as happy as I was.)

    Despite the ups and downs, Delight accepted Rachel''s feelings.

    I am sure they will be happy together. I have a feeling that they will.

    Above all, with Rachel''s energy, she should be willing to be happy on her own.

    Unlike Delight''s ex-wife, Rachel has a sincere love for him, and it won''t be long before she will be truly married to him.

    "Mm!¡¡Congratulations!¡¡Now Rachel is safe!¡¡My hope is that Stella''s and Rachel''s children will marry in the future!"

    "Well, your father is very quick-tempered!¡¡I will give birth to at least ten of them, so please look forward to it - and then, let''s get started."

    "Hmm?"

    The face of the maiden who had been happy with the fulfillment of her love changed drastically to that of a ravenous predator.

    £¨I know how this is going to turn out!)

    "Let''s have our wedding night in my room!"

    "No, it''s too early!¡¡It''s not night yet, hey, what the hell, this princess has a lot of power!¡¡Hey, Sam!¡¡Help me!"

    He tightens his grip on Delight''s arm and drags him away.

    While Rachel is surprised to find such strength in her petite body, Delight slides out of the room without any resistance.

    "Good luck with that!"

    All Sam could do was smile and see him off.

    It would be unwise to interrupt him here.

    "Oh, shit!¡¡Yeah, I ain''t single no more, so take care of Fran for me!¡¡He''s sacrificed so much for me. So you make him happy, I beg you.

    Finally, Delight was taken away, leaving Fran in Sam''s care.

    I am sure we will hear of the pregnancy in the not-too-distant future.

    "By the way, Rachel''s power is amazing, isn''t it?

    "Sam doesn''t seem to know it, but sometimes people use their royal power unconsciously, even if they don''t know how to use it. Rachel uses her royal power unconsciously to strengthen her muscles.

    "Heh."

    "I entrusted Rachel to Delight and Stella to you partly because if a child is born with the potential to inherit royal power, I want to entrust it to someone I can trust."

    "I''m sure. If the power of the royal family were to fall into the hands of those who want to take advantage of the royal family, it would be a scary thing, wouldn''t it?"

    Even if few people know the power of the royal family, they will eventually find out when a child is born with that power.

    There is even a possibility that some nobleman will say that the only one who is worthy of the throne is the child who has the power.

    If that happens, the battle for the throne will be waiting for them.

    It would be best if the royal family can be protected as well as the happiness of the children by marrying someone who will not take advantage of the royal family and who will be loyal to the royal family.

    A person like Delight, who is truly loyal to the current royal family and to His Majesty the King, is an unchangeable person.

    Clyde might be glad that Rachel''s love is Delight. That''s why he bowed down and entrusted Rachel to Delight.

    "Well, Sam. Delight told me to ask you to take care of Fran for me."

    "--I''ll leave it to you."

    Clyde is surprised when Sam replies without hesitation.

    "Surprisingly, you''re not in a hurry, are you?"

    "Fran has expressed her feelings to me before. I knew this day would come."

    As a matter of fact, Sam was confessed by Fran.

    However, since Delight has been reinstated as a court wizard and this is the most important time of the year, it was decided that they would meet again.

    Liese and her friends know how Fran feels, and they seem to welcome her more than Sam does.

    If Rachel supports Delight enough to convince Fran, Sam will come for her.

    "Then, please. Fran is like a daughter to me, too."

    Yes, I will try to make you happy.

    "Yes, please."

    Yes. But...

    "What?"

    "Mr. Delight, you accepted Lady Rachel surprisingly easily."

    To tell you the truth, I thought Delight would have been more reluctant to accept Rachel.

    Not because she is not good for him, but because of the age difference and the fact that he has a daughter.

    Francis smiled at Sam as he pondered these questions.

    "Hmmm, Sam is still a child, isn''t she? Delight must have known that he would eventually have a wife now that he has been reinstated as a court wizard. Especially if he wants to marry Fran. You need a successor."

    "Ah, yes, of course. I hadn''t thought that far ahead.

    "Of course, not many daughters would be genuinely attracted to Delight when it comes to marriage. Unfortunately, it is a fact that many noble marriages are political marriages. Of course, it is not impossible to be happy in a political marriage, but there is a possibility that you will end up following the example of your ex-wife. Then, it would be better to have a daughter like Rachel who is devoted to you."

    "I see."

    Rachel''s feelings for Delight are real. That much is certain.

    Clyde added to Sam''s conviction as if to add something else.

    "Delight is a man, too. I bet he likes young women!"

    "Well, if you say that, you''re really messing things up!"

    Aside from the extent to which Clyde, who was laughing, was serious about what he said, I remembered that a marriage between nobles with an age difference as large as Delight and Rachel was not particularly unusual.

    (You don''t think that''s true only for Mr. Delight, do you?¡¡(See?).

    Delight''s hobbies aside, Sam wished him and Rachel all the best for the future, but he was still not done with his business at the royal palace,

    (It''s going to be another long day)

    Cowering his shoulders, he decides to go to Louise, the head maid, who wants to meet Sam.

 414 - - 28 "After Nancy" â‘ 

    "Why?¡¡Why won''t it work!"

    In a cheap apartment in a corner of the castle town, where there were many bars and merchants'' houses, Nancy was throwing tantrums, throwing things and acting out.

    The reason was that she could not get back together with her ex-husband, Delight Sinatra.

    Her plans to be welcomed by the Sinatras by now and to have a son as the Sinatras'' heir eventually would have come true, but Rachel had prevented all that.

    "I can''t believe you''re holding the princess in your hands!¡¡Fran is Fran too!¡¡You have wronged me!"

    He overturns the table and gasps for air.

    The thin walls of the room made the neighbors yell, so I stopped hitting things.

    I was the one who had to clean up the mess before my son came home anyway.

    If lashing out won''t clear my heart or solve the problem, I should think about what I can do.

    "I know I ran away that time,...... but yes, they won''t mind if you make the princess your wife and me your wife!¡¡Then I can use my royal power, and everyone will be happy!"

    Unfortunately, there was no one there to give Nancy a second thought.

    If Fran and Delight heard of her overly convenient idea, they would be more than appalled, they would be saddened.

    At least, it wasn''t like this before Nancy left the Sinatras.

    She was a good wife and mother of an aristocrat and court wizard.

    It was after she left the Sinatras and married into a merchant family that she changed dramatically.

    Though they were a middle class merchant family in the royal city, they had money. Nancy, who became his wife, was able to spend the money like a hot water and enjoy the luxury that she had never done before.

    "If I manage to get back together with the Master, I might marry Fran off to a rich merchant family. Many men are willing to pay for a woman who can give birth to a child with the talent of a magician."

    Originally the daughter of a country nobleman''s mistress, Nancy had no connection to the glamorous world of the aristocracy, but she dreamed of one day leading a good life like her other siblings who looked down on her.

    Then, when Delight, who had just become a court magician, visited the store where she worked, she took notice of him and, using her boss''s connections, made a connection with Delight.

    She was comfortable as the wife of a court wizard. She was also the wife of the most powerful wizard in the kingdom. People around her praised her husband and envied her daughter who showed her talent as a wizard.

    But that life was coming to an end.

    She was defeated by a young wizard and lost her position as the most powerful wizard in the kingdom.

    If that were all, it would have been fine, but she has resigned her position as court wizard.

    Then he is no longer of any use to us.

    Nancy gave up on him early and married the eldest son of a merchant family whom she had been courting for a long time and had a child with him.

    And it is a boy. Nancy had no doubt that she and her child would have a bright future together.

    However, her husband started to fall in love with a young woman, and when she gave birth to a boy, he left her and the child easily.

    He gave me some money, but it was a small amount considering the money I had been able to spend. I spent it all in a flash and ended up living a poorer life than when I had been mocked as a mistress''s child.

    The son made friends and got used to this life, but Nancy could not.

    She has no doubt that she is worthy and that her son has a bright future ahead of him.

    She had been transformed by the luxury she had learned to live in, and she did not deserve such a poor life.

    Then she heard that her ex-husband had been reinstated as a court wizard, and she rushed to him, but to no avail.

    However, Nancy had no reason to doubt that she could make it if only she could meet Delight.

    "We can still start over. I''m sure that when you see your son''s face, you''ll be able to make up for it."

    Nancy, who does not know that Delight does not have the slightest intention of starting over with her, thinks that she has to meet her ex-husband somehow.

    Worst case scenario, it could be Rachel.

    I was rude to you yesterday because I didn''t know what you looked like, and I don''t intend to make that mistake again.

    I''ll flatter Rachel, but I''ll get back together with her. Once we get back together, it won''t matter.

    "Anyway, I''ll make my son the heir to the Sinatra family and use the power of the royal family to destroy the merchant family that abandoned me. I''ll kill his mistress along with his son!"

    Nancy, who was already ready to use her power freely, was indulging in her selfish fantasies.

    A discreet knock sounded at the door of her room, where a draft was coming in.

    "Who is it?"

    For a moment, I thought it was my son, but it was not. I don''t knock when I come back to my house.

    Tilting her head, she opened the door and found a "normal" man there.

    He was really ordinary.

    An ordinary young man with no special characteristics. He was the kind of man who would not leave a lasting impression on you.

    "Who are you?"

    The "ordinary" man, who made no impression on me, smiled a smile that I could not tell if he was really smiling or not, and bowed.

    "I am a messenger from the royal palace.

 415 - - 29 "After Nancy" â‘¡

    "Oh, the royal palace?¡¡What do you want from me?

    Nancy was puzzled, not understanding why an envoy from the royal palace would come out of the blue.

    She almost felt herself getting ready to be punished for being disrespectful to the princess.

    "Her Royal Highness Princess Rachel Isle-Sky and Her Royal Highness Court Wizard Delight Sinatra are pleased to announce the marriage of Her Royal Highness Princess Rachel Isle-Sky.

    "-- What?"

    Before I could even think about running away, my thoughts stopped.

    Nancy was stunned, but the man continued without losing his smile.

    "I have another message for you from Miss Rachel. --She asked me not to show my face to you again.

    I''m Mr. Delight.

    Yes, I know who you are. You''re the former Mrs. Sinatra.

    "Yes!¡¡And always will be!¡¡Even Lady Rachel can have a side room!"

    "No, Lady Rachel wouldn''t want me to."

    "Oh, no!¡¡Mr. Delight is an earl!¡¡Why can''t he have a concubine?

    Nancy, who never accepted a concubine when she was married, says convenient things.

    Delight herself had never tried to have a concubine, but Nancy had always insisted that she would never accept a concubine.

    It seems like a bad joke that Nancy would want to be Delight''s concubine.

    "Please don''t misunderstand me. Rachel doesn''t mind if Delight has a lady-in-waiting or a mistress."

    "Well, then."

    "I am rejecting you."

    "Oh, no."

    Nancy sits there, absolutely mortified.

    She had been rude to the princess, but she had not expected to be rejected like this.

    She is about to lose her head, thinking that this will ruin all her plans.

    Then a heavy leather bag was placed in front of Nancy.

    What is it?

    "There are gold coins in here."

    "Gold coins?

    Nancy jumps into the leather bag and checks its contents.

    Just as the young man had said, there were gold coins in it. And a lot of them.

    With this much gold, they should be able to live for a few years.

    "You wanted money and tried to ask Delight for your reconciliation. Then I will give you the money. In exchange, I''ll ask you to leave King''s Landing.

    "No, you can''t do that!"

    Of course, I do not believe that money can buy your heart. What you do with it is up to you.

    "What if I get the money and don''t leave King''s Landing?"

    The young man responded to Nancy''s words with the same nonchalance that he had always responded to Nancy''s words, which were so brazen.

    "Be my guest. If you are ready to make enemies of the royal family, I will not stop you. However, I have no ...... idea what will happen to your children, let alone you."

    "I''m just kidding!¡¡I get it, I''m out of King''s Landing!¡¡As long as I get my money, I have no use for that dull, magic-obsessed man!"

    "Thank you for your wise decision. We do not wish to endanger the lives of our people. Most of all, we don''t want to lose your wife, even though she was with Master Delight, who has done so much for the crown and the Kingdom of Skye.

    "...... so and so."

    Nancy was relieved that she had made the choice to leave King''s Landing.

    She did not want to make enemies of the royal family to get back together with Delight. If she did, the future of her beautiful son would surely be ruined. That was the last thing she wanted.

    "Of course, I won''t just give you the money and ask you to leave."

    "What do you mean?"

    "We have prepared a small house on Count Walker''s estate, small enough for a father and son to live in together."

    "Are you going to give me a place to live?"

    When Nancy hears that she will receive a large sum of money and a house, she turns to her. The young man nodded with a smile on his face and said, "Of course.

    The Earl of Walker''s estate has low taxes and lots of work. The Earl of Walker is a popular estate with low taxes and lots of work.

    It was a good deal to have a home in such a place. At least it was better than living under the princess''s nose.

    "Count Walker, who is related to Mr. Delight, has kindly allowed us to send your children to school in the estate. I have a job for you as well. At the very least, this will allow you to continue living at least as well as you do now. What do you think?"

    "I''m going!¡¡If you''re willing to go that far, I have no regrets about King''s Landing or the Master!"

    Nancy jumped at the proposal held up before her.

    Being the wife of a nobleman was ideal, but fighting with the princess over the succession issue was a fight she could not win.

    There was a possibility that her son would be killed when he grew up, and that she would have to live a more miserable life than she did now.

    Then, if I can have a better life than I have now, so be it.

    I just wanted to get out of this miserable life now.

    "-I wish you all a good life.

    Nancy and her son then settled in a small town on the estate of Count Walker.

    It was a nice town, famous for its viticulture and wine, bustling and friendly inhabitants.

    Nancy became a daughter-in-law of a merchant family and learned to enjoy the luxuries of the town, but she adjusted to it surprisingly well and lived a healthy life with her son.

    She was a good mother and happy with her son, although she was a little rough with her money because of her large fortune.

    However, a few years later, she passed away easily from an epidemic.

    After that, her son became a fine young man supported by the residents.

    He fell in love with the mayor''s daughter, had a steady relationship, got married and became the father of three children.

    He married, became assistant to the mayor, worked for the town, was a man of integrity, and lived a life loved by many.

    He was a man of integrity and a man of many people.

    When Rachel received a report that Nancy had left King''s Landing, she looked out the window from her room in the palace and smiled coldly.

    "I am not an ogre either. Both Mr. Delight and Francesca must have been worried about you, even though they said so. Then let me give you a hand. Thanks to you, I can have Delight all to myself, so I''ll give you this much in return.

    The relationship between Rachel and Nancy was quickly spread by the nobles who loved to gossip.

    Eventually, there were speculations that Nancy had been exiled from King''s Landing, or even killed.

    Thanks to this, those who wanted to marry off their daughters to Delights and enjoy their sweet juices backed off, not wanting to make an enemy of Rachel.

    There were some who wanted to push Rachel away to become a full wife, and others who wanted to manipulate her by becoming a side wife, but these were crushed by her mother Cordelia.

    "Nancy and her son should be monitored. We don''t want them to get greedy in case they get greedy, so yes, let''s give the son a woman of his own in a few years and let him be happy. Let him think that his life is important now, and he will not be greedy.

    Nancy and her son don''t matter to Rachel. Frankly, it would have been easier to let them die.

    But if she made them disappear too soon, the Delights would realize it and they would be saddened. Then, let''s lock them up in a prison of happiness for the rest of their lives.

    Rachel made a choice to take her time and contain her enemies.

 416 - - 30 "Its Louises situation." â‘ 

    "Thank you very much for your visit, Mr. Scheidt."

    There is a section of the royal palace where servants live.

    There are servants of the royal family as well as those who come from the countryside to work. Most of the servants are from the castle town, but most of the others live in the palace.

    Basically, servants share a room with two or three other servants.

    However, those who hold a position or are the personal servant of a member of the royal family are entitled to a private room.

    Louise, who invited Sam to her room, also had a private room because of her position as the head maid.

    "No, I wanted to meet Louise once, too.

    I am not used to being called "Mr. Scheidt" by a superior woman.

    I once asked her to call me Sam, but she told me that a maid could not call me Sam, the eldest son of the king''s brother, a court wizard with an earl''s title, in a familiar way.

    On the contrary, she asked me to call her "Louise", but as a result I have been allowed to call her "Miss Louise".

    However, I could never have imagined that she was the love of C¨¦dric''s life when I met her for the first time.

    "You are talking about Mr. Cedric, aren''t you?

    "Yes. I have called Mr. Scheidt here because he seems to be a friend of His Highness Cedric''s, and I have a favor to ask him."

    "I hope we can become close enough to be friends."

    Sam is not yet close enough to call Cedric a friend.

    He hopes that they can eventually become friends.

    "Would you be able to convince Cedric to give me up?"

    "I guess that''s what you''re going to have to talk about, isn''t it?"

    I had expected this from the moment he called me, but I was a little disappointed when he said it so clearly.

    C¨¦dric, who is straight in love with Louise, will probably be sad.

    It''s a pity, though, because it''s just a matter of human feelings.

    "I am happy for you, Your Highness. I also understand that your highness does not like me because we have made love.

    "I don''t think it''s polite to ask this kind of thing."

    "No problem. You can ask me anything.

    "May I ask why you cannot accept Master Cedric''s feelings?"

    "--Of course. That''s why I called Mr. Scheidt here."

    Sam sits down in the chair at Louise''s urging.

    She began to talk quietly as she prepared the tea.

    I was born in a rural village. It was a poor village, but because it was surrounded by forests, there were many beasts, and as long as we hunted, we had no trouble eating. In such a village I was stronger than the adults from an early age."

    People like Louise are real.

    Some are skilled, some have magical powers, but some are simply born strong.

    "The villagers, including my parents, thought I was creepy. Still, they are a valuable asset and have never been treated unfavorably."

    (I think it''s unfair enough that they let kids fight, but they''re strong, so they''re creepy.)

    Sam listened silently without speaking, as it was a good idea not to break the conversation.

    "It was a child''s idea, but I wanted to try my luck in the city, not in this closed and boring countryside," he said. Outside the village, everything was colorful and fresh. I became an adventurer and succeeded at a young age."

    In fact, not everyone born strong can be as successful as Louise.

    It is not enough to be strong to survive.

    Louise must have had a lot more than just strength.

    "I am sure she was just floating around. No, maybe she was licking her lips at the world.

    Louise, who had achieved fame and status as a hard-earned adventurer, was not satisfied with fighting alone and led a wild life.

    She had relations with men she did not like and once bought a male prostitute.

    It was not only relationships.

    He was hungry to fight, or rather to win.

    He did whatever it took to win. He did and had done unspeakable things.

    "One day, while I was living like that, it occurred to me. What am I doing?

 417 - - 31 "Its Louises situation." â‘¡

    "What do you mean?"

    "Why did you become a court wizard, Master Scheidt?"

    Louise does not answer the question, but returns with a question.

    "Because I want to be the best. That''s why I''m here.

    "Why do you want to be the best?"

    "Because I want to be a wizard who will never be ashamed of my late greatest teacher."

    Louise smiled sadly at Sam''s strong-willed words for some reason.

    "I envy you so much, Mr. Scheidt, for pursuing your dreams."

    "Why is that?"

    I had no such dreams, no purpose, nothing."

    "What?"

    "It is true that I wanted to test myself. But it is not a dream. I was strong. I had a natural reputation, I had money, and I sent money home to my parents, who were weirded out by me, just to show them how much I cared. I drank the wine of victory, I was recognized as a top adventurer, I had fame and accolades, and I thought there was nothing I couldn''t have. But I did not value them."

    Many adventurers would have wanted what Louise got.

    They would have envied her to the point of burning with jealousy.

    But neither fame, money nor admiration were worth it to her.

    How lonely it was!

    "Suddenly I realized. I did not want to be an adventurer. I didn''t want to hunt for food, but I didn''t want to fight a battle I didn''t have to fight. I had no reason to kill anyone with dirty hands. I was just living momentarily. I was sick of that kind of life - no, let''s be honest, I was tired of it."

    I wonder what Louise was thinking and feeling at that moment.

    I think it is sad that she did not see the value in what she had been doing for so many years.

    "I was only successful because I was strong. That''s all. I''m just a boring woman who indulged in fleeting pleasures."

    Louise spits out the words as if in self-mockery.

    "I cannot possibly respond to the feelings of such a person as Your Highness, who is kind-hearted, intelligent, and cares about the country and its people.

    It sounded as if he wanted to respond if he could.

    "Above all, I have a very good reason why I should not respond to your feelings.

    Louise''s way of saying not "I can''t" but "I mustn''t" caught my attention.

    Sam asked her why, knowing that she was being rude.

    "Why?"

    Louise looked Sam straight in the eye and let out an emotionless voice.

    "--because I am a servant of the Demon Lord Vivienne Claxtons.

    A moment later, Sam fired a hand sword filled with maximum magic power toward Louise''s neck.

 418 - - 32 "Its Louises situation." â‘¢

    The slashing stopped just before Louise''s head was cut off.

    "-Are you a spy?"

    "What do you think?"

    Sam asked in a calm voice, and Louise looked troubled.

    She did not intend to take his life without question, but the fact that she seemed unconcerned when confronted with a blade that could easily reap a life was probably due to the fact that she was a seasoned adventurer.

    "Please choose your words carefully. Worst case scenario, I have to kill you even if Cedric-sama hates me."

    "I was supposed to tell Vivienne-sama if there was any change in the Demon Lord Lepsy."

    What do you mean, "change"?

    "Well?"

    "Yes."

    "That''s all they told me. Will the demon king who has been sealed up be unleashed, or is there something else going on? In any case, if the name of the Demon King, who is a hidden existence, is revealed, I will tell Vivian-sama, that was my only duty.

    Sam brought his sword down from Louise''s neck.

    "Are you sure?"

    "Not that that''s enough to call me a spy. People with ties to other countries are probably leaking more information than we are. But I have a question. How did you get acquainted with the Demon King Vivian?

    It is an unspoken rule, or rather a common story from the old days, that it is not unusual for people working in the royal palace or nobles to have contacts with other countries.

    It does not mean that they are traitors or traitors, but they are related by marriage or some other relationship, and information is often passed on to other countries without malicious intent. On the other hand, information from other countries may come to the Kingdom of Skye.

    In this sense, it is not enough to tell people about the existence of leprosy if it is revealed.

    Rather, I am more concerned about how they met the Demon King Vivian.

    "I said earlier that I was tired of everything, but there is more to the story. I couldn''t give up, I lived a life without any alternatives, and when I was betrayed and almost died in the territory of the demon tribe by a human I thought was my friend - for the first time, I wanted to live. Then Vivian appeared."

    Why, the Demon King?

    "I had my doubts too, so I asked him, and he said he heard a strong inner voice."

    Louise, whose life was saved by the Demon King Vivian, wished to return the favor.

    At first, the Demon King refused that he had done nothing of importance, but Louise pushed him away and asked him for information about her friend who was imprisoned in the Sky Kingdom.

    Louise then decided to be scouted by the Sky Kingdom and succeeded in getting into the royal palace.

    "I wanted to repay my debt to Vivienne. I wanted to repay her for the first time for being so kind to me without reward. But something unexpected happened."

    Working quietly as a maid, Louise spent her time without getting any particular information about the Demon King Lepsy.

    One day, because of her skill, she became Cedric''s personal maid as well as his bodyguard.

    She must have been serious by nature. Louise worked hard for C¨¦dric. C¨¦dric says that she became like a sister to him.

    "I adored Cedric, who adored me with all his innocence. I also had the pleasure of working with him for the first time."

    To be honest, Louise had not forgotten her debt to Vivien, but she wanted to live her life without fulfilling her role.

    To report something to Vivian was to betray Cedric.

    But he never heard the name of Lepsy.

    Louise was promoted from the prince''s maid to head maid and C¨¦dric grew up to be the next king.

    They say that they had been thinking that nothing would ever happen to them again.

    However, a big change came.

    Although only a few people knew about it, the Demon King Lepsy was released and died.

    The information about the Demon Lord Lepssy was passed on to Louise.

    Just when Louise was ready to think that her comfortable life had come to an end, she is surprised to find that Cedric has asked her to marry him.

    "I was aware of your feelings, but I could not accept them. We are far apart in age and in different positions. Above all, I am a subordinate of the Demon Lord Vivian.

    "Hmm. Are you saying that you would not have said no if you were not under the command of the Demon King?"

    "I don''t know. I never thought about it."

    Once alerted by Louise, she says that she has not yet reported to the Demon Lord Vivian or done anything.

    There has been no contact or communication from Vivienne''s side, and she was really just working as a maid.

    (It sounds like she''s using the fact that she works for the Demon Lord as a reason for refusing.)

    "Well, here''s the deal. I''ll meet with the Demon King Vivian next time, and I''ll ask him to set you free, Louise."

    "That''s not true. I am free. I wanted to help Master Vivian myself.

    "...... what should I do, maybe I should talk to the old lady about it once."

    I already told you.

    "What?"

    "I heard that Mr. Scheidt is meeting with Vivienne. Then my true identity will be revealed sooner or later. I thought I would come clean before then."

    "Are you planning to leave the palace, by any chance?"

    Sam said he had a guess,

    "--Yes."

    Louise nodded quietly.

    However, her face looked as if she was about to cry.

 419 - - 33 "My grandmother seems to agree."

    "It''s nothing to be concerned about."

    "Heh?"

    When Sam visited his grandmother and asked for Louise''s advice, he was surprised by the simple reply.

    Spies from other countries are not uncommon. Some noble families are connected to other countries without malicious intent. If they are outright traitors, they should be punished accordingly, but they are not punished merely for being connected. Rather, I believe that we can exchange information."

    "Is that how it is?"

    Yes, something like that. In fact, our people sometimes work for noble families in order to gather information in other countries, and sometimes they become mistresses or even wives. I was surprised when I was told about Louise''s connection with the Demon King, but I guess it doesn''t bother me too much.

    Sam also thinks that having connections with other countries is not the same as treachery, but he is surprised at the flexibility of his grandmother, a former queen.

    £¨No, no... (No, no... I guess it''s because she is a royal grandmother that she thinks this way.)

    I know I am a bit prejudiced, but from the point of view of knights and others who are loyal to their country, those who stand in the gray zone are traitors, too.

    In fact, there were people who gave information to the people of Najaria in return for the fairy tale of immortality.

    The difference between them is whether they harm the kingdom or not.

    In the former case, there is something to be gained in exchange for giving information, if not harm, but in the latter case, there is nothing to be gained at all.

    This is a big difference.

    "Are you sure?"

    "Rather, it would be more beneficial to have Louise, who has connections with the Demon King, as an ally."

    "That''s what I''d expect from an old lady."

    Only," Hazel adds.

    "The question is, what will Clyde think?"

    "I know, right?"

    Sam was also concerned about Clyde.

    "I heard about Delight and Rachel, but Cedric and Louise are probably more troubling than the two of them. They have given him a hard time because of his relationship with the Demon Lord Lepsy, and there is a possibility that it may not end well for him.

    Grandmother was right, Clyde has lived his life as a tomb guard of the Demon King Lepsy, and it must be significant for him that Louise is related to the Demon King and not to other countries.

    Now that he is free from his responsibilities, he knows that he had a long and hard life.

    I am sure that he sacrificed many things because of it.

    Clyde wants to establish a friendly relationship with Vivian, but the fact that Vivian and Louise are in touch is a different matter.

    "It seems that the Demon Lord Vivienne Claxtons is not a rough and tumble Demon Lord, and Clyde may be more likely to forgive Cedric and Louise if they can establish a friendly relationship."

    "As for you, what do you think of the two of them?"

    "If you ask me if I agree or not, I agree. A king is a solitary being. Just as Clyde had Francis, who could act as a human being, Cedric may need Louise.

    "...... I think you may be right."

    I don''t know the details, but it seems that Frances, the first queen, was the one who took it all in for Clyde.

    It is rare that a superior person can show his weakness.

    Cedric would be better off if Clyde had Frances when he eventually becomes king.

    "Fortunately, I am convinced that Louise is also concerned about her position, but she does not hate Cedric. If she really wanted to get information about this country as a subordinate of the Demon King, she would have gladly tied herself to Cedric."

    "That''s right. I see, that''s why you were suffering."

    My grandmother''s words convinced me.

    Sam could not understand why Louise had suddenly told him about her relationship with the Demon King Vivian.

    She had said that she would be found out sooner or later, but Vivian would never reveal her inside information to her.

    Perhaps Louise was suffering.

    Because of her love for Cedric, she did not know which one to choose, Vivian, her benefactor or Vivian, the Demon Lord.

    "So, the future of Cedric and Louise will be determined by the kind of relationship Sam has with Vivian, the Demon King.

    "That''s a big responsibility, isn''t it?

    It all depends on Sam''s efforts.

    "I''m sorry for all the trouble I''ve put you through, but all I can say is, as your grandmother, do your best."

    "No problem. Cedric is Stella''s brother and I hope that he will marry someone he loves. I will do my best to establish a friendly relationship with the Demon King Vivian. But before that, please convince Louise not to quit the palace and disappear.

    "Yes, sir. Leave Louise to me."

    The importance of the relationship with the Demon King Vivienne has grown again.

    For the sake of his country and his family, Sam now had more reasons to do his best.

 420 - - 34 "Fran is married".

    "I''m home!"

    Oh, welcome back.

    "...... Fran?"

    When Sam arrived home at the Countess Walker''s house, he was greeted by Frances Sinatra.

    She shook her short blue hair and waved to Sam.

    "I''ll be taking care of you today, won''t I?"

    "Yes?"

    "I''m fine. I''ve already said hello to Lise and the others, and I''ve already told my father."

    "That''s not what I meant, why all of a sudden?¡¡No, Fran, you are always welcome."

    In response to Sam''s question, Fran frowned, her dignified, well-dressed face.

    "Well, you see, Miss Rachel came to my house."

    "I''m sorry about yesterday. You must have been surprised."

    "No, I mean, he came here with all his stuff and said he''s going to start living with us today!"

    "Yeah, ...... today, today, you''re already here?"

    He officially tied the knot with Delight this morning, and it''s unclear what happened after an emotional Rachel took him into her bedroom.

    Sam then met with Louise, discussed the matter with his grandmother, had tea and lunch afterwards, and returned home this evening.

    "He says he doesn''t want to leave his father."

    "It''s very typical of you, Miss Rachel," he said.

    "Not at all. Just when I thought my father had come home from the palace dried out like dry goods, a strangely glamorous Lady Rachel barges in and ...... you know what?¡¡Lady Rachel seems to be very good at housework."

    (Mr. dried up Delight and the glamorous Lady Rachel are ...... ah, I must have been eaten.)

    Whatever Delight and Rachel did, it was a surprise that the second princess was good at housework.

    Stella, the first princess, is not good at housework.

    In the Countess Walker''s house, the maids would take care of the housework, and even if they would eventually move to the Countess Scheidt''s house, Daphne and Derrick would be there, so Sam and his wives would not have to do housework.

    "It would be rude of me to say I''m surprised."

    He said he learned from an early age so that he would be ready to marry anytime he wanted. She said she didn''t even need servants, but Lady Cordelia objected to that and brought three maids with her.

    "Lady Cordelia doesn''t object anymore," he said.

    That''s the king. I''m impressed.

    Maybe Cordelia is more understanding than we thought.

    It is quite possible that Cordelia''s opposition to Delight and Rachel''s marriage was for the sake of her daughter''s happiness.

    "Rachel-sama, you keep asking me to call you ''mama'' and flirting with my father in front of my daughter..."

    "Wow."

    "My father is my father, and he can''t be mean to Rachel, but he looks like he doesn''t know what to do in front of his daughter, so ...... it''s kind of awkward."

    I''m sure.

    "It was getting to be night and the thought of hearing things from my bedroom was giving me a headache, so I decided I''d better be on my own. So I came over."

    "Oh, you''re here."

    I know exactly how Fran feels.

    Even Sam would feel awkward if his parents were flirting with a young girl.

    "Rachel, you really love your father. She''s even tried to be a family with me. She even looked sad when I told her I was going to Sam''s."

    "Well, Fran, how do you feel about Mr. Delight''s marriage to Miss Rachel?"

    "What?¡¡I''m all for it."

    "Is that so?"

    Although he did not say it out loud, Sam thought Fran was against the Delights.

    He thought it would be tactless if Fran, who seemed to be a bit of a father-figure, supported his father for a long time and would not be amused if Rachel showed up as soon as he came back.

    But in fact, it seems that this is not the case.

    "I''m really glad that Rachel and my father got together. My father has turned down all offers of marriage since he became a court wizard again, perhaps out of his own reservations about me. So I thought that I would have to find someone good for him sooner or later, even if I had to force him to meet someone else."

    "Lady Rachel came to me."

    But it''s amazing. I wonder if a young lady like you, Rachel, has an uncle''s taste?¡¡You know?¡¡More than half of the offers of marriage to my father come from young girls.

    "Well, why, again?"

    "Well?¡¡Don''t aristocratic uncles like young girls?"

    As one would expect, I don''t know the circumstances of the aristocracy, so I had a hard time replying.

    However, I was relieved that Fran seemed to accept Rachel.

    "I am grateful to you, Rachel. She may be a bit pushy at times, but I think she''s just right for my father. Besides, if he sees me so devoted to him, he would never betray my father, would he?"

    "Yes, I''m sure that''s true."

    Rachel''s words and actions toward Delight make it unlikely that she would commit treachery.

    Sam also trusted Rachel in this regard.

    "Hmm, and I don''t think my father is too happy about it either. Because he''s looking down his nose at Rachel for taking such good care of him."

    "I can''t imagine Mr. Delight stretching out his nose."

    "Next year, I''ll have a little brother or sister. To tell you the truth, I''m kind of looking forward to it because I''ve always wanted a brother or sister.

    "It''s going to be a very lively place."

    Given Rachel''s commitment to Delight, she will never be satisfied with just one or two children.

    They will be a family with many siblings.

    "Of course, I would love to have a beautiful child. Please, Sam.

    Sam winks and smiles at Fran, a little embarrassed,

    "Ha-ha-ha, I''ll do my best."

    He nodded with some anticipation.

    "I couldn''t make it to the wedding, but I did get to say hello to Ulrike, and I''m sure she''ll be a great bride, so take care of her for a long time."

    "Yes. I will do my best to be a good husband.

    Sam and Fran naturally brought their faces close together and kissed each other on the mouth.

    "Oh my God, that''s the first time I''ve ever kissed you. I feel so happy. By the way..."

    "Yes."

    "Now that I''m getting to know Sam, I can''t ignore him, so I''m going to say this: ...... is it okay to ignore G¨¹nther, who is staring at me like a ghost in the shadow of the pillar on the other side of the room?"

    "I would have ignored it if I could have."

    To tell the truth, I had noticed G¨¹nther''s gaze from the beginning.

    Sam sighs loudly and walks closer to G¨¹nther, who is looking at him from the shadow of a pillar.

 421 - - 35 "Gunta is not honest either." â‘ 

    "Sam ughhhhhhhh!"

    "I finally came out of the room, but it''s like a ghost, it''s so scary!"

    G¨¹nther crawled out of the shadow of a pillar and scared me.

    His handsome face was lifeless and his honey-blond hair was shaggy. I felt a little frustrated that he was still handsome.

    G¨¹nther clings to Sam''s leg.

    "If you''re back on your feet, I can call Cree for you, can''t I?"

    "Don''t do this, Fran!¡¡You have no idea what I''ve been through the last few days!"

    "I don''t want to know what it feels like to be a pervert who does what he has to do and refuses to take responsibility for it."

    "----Yes, you say. But please consider that it was a force majeure. What could I have done if I had been drugged with an aphrodisiac, if I had been dressed in Ulrike''s childhood clothes, if I had been unable to escape!

    The sight of a tearful G¨¹nther might be captivating to an intolerant woman. But Fran, who has known G¨¹nther for a long time, looks at him coldly and says one cold word.

    "At least make an effort not to show it."

    "Fran, you''re talking like that!¡¡Vulgar!¡¡Vulgar!"

    "Oh, excuse me."

    Fran was cute, sticking out her tongue.

    Like Delight, Fran is not very talkative.

    G¨¹nther put his hands on the floor without any effort,

    "-I couldn''t do it."

    He confessed that he could not endure the situation.

    "Don''t tell me you couldn''t take it either, G¨¹nther!"

    Hearing information he didn''t want to hear, Sam kicked G¨¹nther''s butt.

    "Aghh!"

    But he is pleased, and he looks bitter.

    (Seriously, does Kree have any regrets for carrying such a pervert''s child?)

    The women have a tea party to socialize, and Sam talks with Cree normally, but they are not particularly close.

    "So, how long are you going to stay at the mansion?"

    "I''m always in this house, aren''t I?"

    "Yes, but that''s not what I meant. I''m just trying to tell you not to leave your pregnant wife unattended.

    "Don''t call her your wife!¡¡You''re my father, too!¡¡I can''t believe I let you marry that little girl without my consent!"

    It''s your fault for fainting.

    "It was a bolt out of the blue!¡¡My brain couldn''t process it all!¡¡Ulrike''s last words to me brought tears to my eyes just remembering them!"

    G¨¹nther''s point is not hard to understand.

    The last words he heard from Ur, the man he loved so much, were, "We''re having a baby.

    The world would have changed forever.

    And while I was knocked out, the Duke had decided to marry G¨¹nther and Kree, and had made a big announcement about it.

    There is no one in King''s Landing who does not know the story of G¨¹nther and Kree.

    "Even if you say so, Kree, the baby in your belly is definitely G¨¹nther''s, so you should at least let him come home..."

    "I don''t have any ill will toward a child either," he said.

    Oh, really?

    "Aside from the fact that I have fallen in love with that little girl and that I was forced to marry her, I promise you that the child will be my first child and that I will raise it well."

    G¨¹nther''s acceptance of the child did not surprise me.

    If he really refused to accept the Kree, he could have dealt with them in other ways than by warding.

    If G¨¹nther could use magic other than warding, there was no way that the Kree would play games with him.

    "You really like Kree, don''t you?"

    Who would want a little girl like that?

    "Don''t push it. If you really don''t like the girl, you wouldn''t like the kid either, would you?"

    "...... ugggh."

    "Ur said that since you asked him to graduate, he should be happy that G¨¹nther has a family of his own."

    "My plan was to conceive Sam''s child and start a family!"

    I told you, that''s impossible!"

    Even with a child, G¨¹nther was still G¨¹nther.

    It is not that Sam dislikes G¨¹nther.

    Of course, I don''t want to have him as my wife, but I consider him as a friend.

    It was natural for me to want my friend to be happy.

    (Okay, if I can get G¨¹nther and Kree together completely, my ass will be protected, yes!)

    Just a little bit, just a little bit, really, but I''m pushing him because there is a girl who likes him for a troublesome guy like him.

    --I was Sam who thought, "I''m not going to do it.

 422 - - 36 "Gunta is not honest either." â‘¡

    "Listen, G¨¹nther. You shouldn''t be so mean to her, Cree.

    At Fran''s comment, G¨¹nther turned away and made a sultry sound like a child.

    "I don''t mean to be mean to you."

    "You''re not."

    "Because that little girl is taking all kinds of firsts away from me!"

    Fran sighed heavily as G¨¹nther shouted out the inevitable.

    "You''re a disgusting adult, you know that? I doubt Kree''s taste."

    "I agree with you on that."

    "Sam!¡¡Fran!¡¡I think you guys just want to talk shit about me after all!"

    "And then...!¡¡For the child''s sake, he should go back and show his face. I feel sorry for you that your unborn child doesn''t love you!

    I didn''t mean it like that.

    Then you should step up to the plate. You know..."

    Sam, thinking that he would become stubborn if he spoke too strongly, put his hand gently on G¨¹nther''s shoulder and said to him as if he were trying to tell him something.

    G¨¹nther nodded his head, albeit reluctantly.

    "Okay."

    "--oh."

    "This G¨¹nther Ignaz is a man too!¡¡I will not escape responsibility for what I have done!¡¡I swear to the late Ulrike that I will take good care of her unborn child!"

    "I beg your pardon?"

    "---- what?"

    As Sam called out outside the front door, the door was opened wide and a girl entered the house with a group of servants.

    Sam and Fran smile when they see the girl''s face, and G¨¹nther turns pale.

    "Oh my God, Mr. G¨¹nther!¡¡You Cree!¡¡I''m about to give birth to my child because of the kindness of Mr. G¨¹nther who cares for me!"

    "Wait, no, not now!¡¡I knew it!"

    When G¨¹nther sees Cree''s face, he starts sweating profusely and tries to run away, pretending his comment never happened.

    "You''re not going to get away with this!"

    He grabbed G¨¹nther by the collar to stop him from escaping, and a chain was wrapped around his neck with a jerk.

    "What''s this?

    £¨Hmm?¡¡I can feel the magic from the chain. Is it a magical tool?)

    G¨¹nther struggles desperately to remove the chain from around his neck, but unfortunately, it does not budge.

    And needless to say, the owner of the chain was Kree.

    With a dainty smile on his face, Kree said, "I''m sorry, but I''m afraid I can''t help it,

    "We have received a large number of magical tools from Ulrike. If Master G¨¹nther is too stubborn, I suggest that you train him, as well.

    He started to say the darndest things.

    "Ulrike!"

    (Wow, Ulle had gone that far for Cree. Time to pay the piper, G¨¹nther.)

    G¨¹nther, who had not been paying attention to his surroundings and had not noticed the Kree''s approach, had no escape route in the first place.

    He may not have had the usual leeway, but it is quite serious that an amateur in combat failed to notice his approach.

    "I am shocked. --I didn''t know you had it in you.

    "Don''t take it!"

    "I thought it was enough to love without being loved. Even though Master G¨¹nther is a bit of a drag, he makes love to me at least three times during the night, and my mother and father love me as if I were their own child.

    "Don''t say it!"

    I knew that Cree had been drugged with an aphrodisiac and equipped with Ur clothes and was having s*x with G¨¹nther, but I suspected that G¨¹nther might be in the mood for it, too.

    "Yes, G¨¹nther three times, he''s fine."

    "Fran,......, since you''re a poster child, will you please stop giving me those disdainful eyes!"

    "No, I don''t. I just think it''s garbage that you''re having an affair with a girl who''s been acting all casual with you, and then when it comes time to do it, you''ve done it three times."

    Sam nodded involuntarily, "Indeed," he said.

    "That''s why you''re forcing me to do it... oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!"

    "Three times and we''re in agreement."

    Still, G¨¹nther shouted in his own defense, but Fran kicked him out.

    G¨¹nther tried to find something to say in his defense, but all he could do was crack his mouth open and no words seemed to come out.

    After a while, he reached his limits and collapsed with a thud, his eyes flashing white.

 423 - - 37 "Gunta is not honest either." â‘¢

    "Ladies and gentlemen, please!"

    At Cree''s words, the servants who had been standing by hold G¨¹nther in their arms.

    He will be collected by the duke''s family.

    "Thank you very much, Sam and Fran. I am relieved to know that Mr. G¨¹nther does not hate me.

    "Well, good luck with everything."

    Yes!¡¡I''ll do my best!"

    Cree''s cheerful reply brought a smile to Sam''s face.

    It must be hard to deal with G¨¹nther, who is not very honest in any way, but I hope he will be happy.

    "But Cree, you have a child in your belly, so don''t be too hard on yourself.

    "Thank you for your concern, Fran. Lise has taught me a lot about how to serve you, so I''ll do my best there!

    That''s a relief.

    £¨I''m not sure if I should go into it or not, but I''m not sure.¡¡(And what''s so reassuring to you, too, Fran?)

    The urge to go into all sorts of things came up, but Sam dared to hold back.

    He didn''t want the conversation to become troublesome.

    It would be unwise to meddle in the couple''s affairs.

    "I will use the various magical tools that Ulrike-sama gave me and train Master G¨¹nther so that he cannot react to anyone but me!

    £¨I wonder what kind of magical tools he gave her?¡¡But wait, if G¨¹nther can''t react to anything unexpected from Kree - why not!)

    "Good luck!¡¡For everyone''s happiness!"

    "Yes!¡¡Oh, yes. I understand that Mr. Sam is away on business.

    "Yes. I had to run some errands.

    "Your timing was terrible. Your father told me he was throwing a party to celebrate my marriage to Mr. G¨¹nther.

    I think I saw what Duke Ignatz really meant.

    It is already a well-known fact that G¨¹nther and Kree are married, but I guess he is trying to make it absolute by throwing an unveiling party.

    I think the Duke is also happy that his son, who has been chasing Ur, has successfully had a child.

    "I''m sorry I can''t be there, but I wish them both the best."

    "Thank you, Mr. Sam."

    I''d love to be there. I can''t wait to see what G¨¹nther looks like at the party!"

    "...... Fran."

    "We''ll be waiting for you, Mr. Frans."

    Cree greeted politely, "Now, if you''ll excuse me," and left the house with the servants carrying G¨¹nther in their arms.

    "She''s a strong girl, isn''t she?

    "Yes, it is. That''s why he and G¨¹nther are so good together. I''m sure he''ll really train her.

    "Good luck, G¨¹nther!¡¡I sincerely wish you the best!"

    Cree made a strong impression on me when I first met her, but I think she is even stronger now.

    Whether it is because he lives with G¨¹nther or because he has a child, Sam does not know.

    No doubt Cree will be happy.

    I admire and want to learn from him that he is not waiting for someone else to make him happy, but is willing to take action to make himself happy.

    "Hey, Sam."

    "Yes?"

    "Don''t let G¨¹nther and Cree get the better of you tonight."

    A somewhat glamorous-looking Fran looks into Sam''s face.

    "I''ve already spoken to Lise and the others, so tonight is our wedding night."

    But I''ll do my best.

    On this day, Sam took Fran to be his wife, and they worked hard until late at night.

 424 - - 38 "My companion is Mizuki."

    He was in the dining room with his wives, discussing the future with them in preparation for his meeting with the Witch Queen Vivienne Claxtons, which was to take place in a few days.

    The day was already over and dinner had been served.

    They were sipping tea, wine, and pastries.

    "I wonder if they have decided who will accompany them?"

    Lise, who had recently taken up knitting for her unborn child, asked Sam on her behalf.

    "Yes. I''d like you to follow me, Mizuki."

    "What?¡¡Me?"

    Mizuki, who had been drinking tea, looked surprised.

    "May I?"

    "Of course!¡¡I was interested in the demon people and their country!"

    Mizuki''s eyes lit up like a child''s and Sam couldn''t help but smile.

    However, there were some who were not satisfied.

    Hualien.

    "Boo-boo!"

    As if in protest, Hualien puffed out her cheeks.

    "I want you to protect everyone."

    "Mmm."

    I could never take her in front of the Demon King, because she would never say it out loud, but when she sees a strong opponent, she cannot help but challenge him.

    Although she has calmed down since her marriage, I was worried whether she would be able to endure in front of the strong demons, as she is naturally fond of strong people.

    She is usually slow-paced, but she thinks things over surprisingly well, so she should not cause any big problems.

    If anything, I wanted her to stay for the sake of everyone as she said.

    Hanae is sensitive to the presence of others.

    I don''t know if it is because she is a fighter or if she has this kind of constitution by nature, but I believe that she is better suited to protect people than others who are sensitive to foreign objects.

    "Liese is very heavy, and even Stella-sama can''t take her to the demon king''s territory where there are dangers. Alicia has school, and Fran has Delight and Rachel to think about, so it would be best not to go too far.

    Taking Lise with you is out of the question.

    Not because I am overprotective of her, but because if something happens to her, she will be dead weight.

    Stella, in her position as a princess, cannot go with them in case they do not establish a friendship.

    Fran should stay with her father until the situation with Rachel and Delight is settled.

    Alicia is out of the question. If we take her and something happens to her, the dragons will not be happy. That would be a big deal. And there are dragons on the Demon King''s side as well.

    That''s why I chose Mizuki who can defend herself and is considerate.

    "Boo. I know, but it''s not fair to Mizuki. Make it up to me next time."

    "Of course. Let me make it up to you when I get back. Of course, Liese and the others."

    "I''m looking forward to it."

    Me too!

    "I pray for the safety of Mr. Sam and Mizuki."

    "I appreciate you letting me stay with my father, but please be careful with Sam and Mizuki."

    I am relieved that the wives have given their approval.

    (To tell you the truth, I don''t want to put Mizuki at risk either, but it would be rude to be overprotective of him.)

    I know that Mizuki, Karen, and Liese are very good at what they do.

    They are probably the best in the Kingdom of Skye.

    But they are not fighting humans but demons.

    Sam knows well the power of the Demon King Lepsi, so he is worried only when he thinks of the possibility.

    Repsy, who had learned the difference in power when even Ur could not win, was only about 30% of his peak strength.

    The power of the Demon King Douglas and the Demon King Evangeline, whom he had a chance encounter with the other day, was bottomless.

    Zoe, who claimed to be a knight of the Demon King Vivian, was also stronger than Sam.

    (I know it sounds pathetic, but if something happened to them when I took them to the Demon Lord''s territory, I was not confident that I could protect them. And I don''t think they would return safely after fighting against the demon tribe.)

    He did not know all the demons, but at least the ones he knew were too strong.

    Therefore, he decided to take only Mizuki with him.

    To be honest, I did not know whether to choose Mizuki or Karen as my companion. Mizuki is a skilled swordsman who is a master of Amamiya-ryu, and Hanasen is also an excellent hand-to-hand fencer and can use recovery magic.

    Sam was troubled, and as if in perfect timing, he received a letter from Mizuki''s father, Kurando Amamiya.

    Kurando, who had become Sam''s father-in-law, asked Mizuki to take him to the demon king''s territory to broaden his knowledge of the demon king''s territory.

    Kurando wanted Mizuki to experience things that could not be experienced only within the Kingdom of Skye, just as he had trained as a warrior at a young age.

    He knew the risks involved, but he wanted Mizuki, who would eventually become his successor, to gain a lot of experience.

    "Well, I am worried about Sam and Mizuki meeting the Demon King, but I believe that we will return safely as wife and family. But you see, the problem is that the newlyweds will be separated from each other."

    "Yes?"

    Lise''s words made Sam make a strange noise.

    Looking closer, he could see that the wives were nodding their heads in agreement with Liese.

    "That''s why, Sam."

    Liese,

    "until we leave."

    Stella..,

    "about us."

    Alicia,

    "Take lots of care of them."

    Fran,

    "Yay."

    Karen looked at Sam with glazed eyes.

    "Ha-ha-ha, it''s not easy for you either, Sam. I can keep up with you, but of course I want you to love me equally.

    Even Mizuki said something like that, so Sam said, "I''m sorry, but I don''t know,

    "But I''ll do my best."

    It was all I could do to reply.

    From that day on, Sam worked very hard, as if he had said and done everything.

 425 - - 39 Welcome ãŠ

    The morning of the day of the meeting with the Demon King Vivian.

    Sam and Mizuki were outside the walls surrounding the royal city.

    Sam was dressed in formal wear as a court wizard with a blue coat, and Mizuki was in her usual navy blue hakama, but her furisode (formal kimono) was white with a purple pattern on it, and she was wearing boots with net laces on her feet, like a schoolgirl in the Taisho era.

    I heard that a pickup would come, but I wondered if it would be ready in time for the meeting.

    If I remember correctly, it took a few days for the Demon Kings to appear in the capital of the Sky Kingdom from the west side of the continent.

    "Sam-chan, Mizuki, take care of me for a while.

    The other companion greeted us in a thick voice, and Sam and Mizuki thanked him.

    The muscular giant of a man wearing a frilly pink magical girl outfit and wiggling his magic stick in his hand made a big impact on Sam''s eyeballs and brain.

    "Oh, it''s been a while, Dominique-sama."

    "Hey, you can call me Katherine."

    Courtly Magical Girl Dominique Catherine Johnston.

    Somehow, among the court wizards, she holds the title of Magical Girl, a position that is hard to understand.

    Her pink Puella Magi costume is quite memorable, as she does not wear blue, the national color of the Kingdom of Skye, which only court wizards are allowed to wear.

    Moreover, she is in her late forties and has a stout figure of nearly two meters. In addition, her shaved head reflects the light and even shows a halo.

    "Hello, Katherine. It''s nice to meet you too."

    Mizuki is very friendly to Sam, who keeps a certain distance from her physically and emotionally.

    Strangely enough, this old man dressed as a magical girl is adored by the women as if she were his own sister.

    (I can''t help but shudder at the wives who, as usual, do not feel alarmed by this man, but accept him as he is.)

    Catherine is trusted not only by Mizuki and her friends, but also by the women of the Sky Kingdom.

    She sometimes counsels women in distress.

    She also manages an orphanage and helps needy and struggling students in a wide range of activities.

    I respect her very much in terms of her personality, but I couldn''t accept her magical girl outfit.

    (Am I too small for this ...... or is there something wrong with this world?)

    On the other hand, she is the object of wariness not only from Sam, but also from G¨¹nther, Jonathan, and Clyde.

    He does not mind at all, and he is afraid to be treated like a friendly neighborhood sister.

    "But still, will she be able to make it in time to pick me up on the day I''m supposed to meet the Demon King Vivian?"

    At worst, Sam can fly away, but not so with Mizuki and Catherine.

    Before that, even if they do fly, there is the question of whether or not they are allowed to fly in other countries'' territory without permission. In particular, they have no knowledge of the territory of the demon tribe. It would be terrible if they mistook us for suspicious people and attacked us.

    "That seems to be alright..."

    What do you know about it?

    "Come on, Sam!¡¡Sam!¡¡Look up!"

    "Up?"

    As he was visiting Catherine, who had plenty of time to spare, Mizuki tugged on Sam''s arm in surprise.

    I did as she asked and looked up,

    "--Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

    A winged white horse was pulling a carriage and galloping through the sky.

    "Well, it''s rare to see a horse in the sky!"

    "I''ve never seen it before!"

    "I''ve never seen a heavenly horse before either, but I didn''t know they existed."

    I remember that it appeared in a book I borrowed from Alicia, but I had no idea that it was a real creature.

    £¨A heavenly horse is fantasy at its finest!¡¡(......, but I realized that I still don''t know this world properly after all.)

    I am ashamed that I thought I knew this world so well after moving from place to place with Ur.

    "Do you know about Tenma, Katherine-san?"

    "If it''s just knowledge. It''s called a heavenly horse, but we don''t know much about its ecology. We don''t treat them as monsters because they don''t harm us directly, but I''ve heard some disturbing stories about people who tried to capture and tame them, but were kicked to death because they couldn''t be trained.

    "What''s that? I''m afraid of a heavenly horse."

    As I looked at the approaching Tenma, I noticed that they were bigger than most horses.

    The strength to pull a large carriage by himself and his leisurely flight in the sky made me think that he was not a being that could be controlled by human beings.

    "Wow!¡¡Perhaps we can get a ride in a carriage drawn by a heavenly horse?¡¡I wish Kotomi could have seen it!"

    Mizuki was fresh and excited like a child.

    Her younger sister, Kotomi, is sickly and spends most of her time in bed. She must have read a lot of books and knows about Tenma.

    While we were watching the horse run silently in the sky and spread its wings, the carriage landed quietly in front of Sam and the others.

    As the horse whinnied loudly to announce its arrival, a familiar girl appeared from inside the carriage.

    "Long time no see, Samuel Scheidt."

    It is Zoe, a knight in dark blue armor with long shaking silver hair, who leads us to Vivian, the Demon King.

 426 - - 40 Welcome ãŠ

    Zoe, who still looks very young, is disproportionately strong to her appearance.

    She is considered to be a semi-demon king, so powerful that even if Sam were to stand on his head, he would not be able to defeat her.

    The fact that she is the only one to greet him is not a breach of etiquette. In fact, the fact that the Demon Lord Vivian has sent the second most talented person after the Demon Lord for Sam and the others suggests that she is looking forward to this meeting with great anticipation.

    "It''s been a long time, Zoe.

    "Mm. You''re Mizuki, aren''t you? I don''t remember talking to you much, but I remember you.

    I''m Mizuki Scheidt. I look forward to working with you on the road.

    Turning to Zoe, Mizuki politely bowed.

    "It''s nice to meet you, too. I am a valued guest of Vivienne''s. I promise you a pleasant flight.

    "I can''t wait to ride in a carriage drawn by a heavenly horse!"

    "This is Vivienne''s beloved horse that she picked up and raised. The reason why he sent his horse to pick me up is because he is looking forward to meeting Samuel Scheidt. It''s a great honor for you to do this for us. You should be proud of this for the rest of your life."

    Zoe''s boastful gesture was so cute that it was hard to believe that she was a quasi-demon king.

    Then, a huge body approaches Zoey.

    "Ufufu, you''re still as small and cute as ever. You make my sister squeal!"

    Zoey''s body jumped at the approach of the giant magical girl.

    "There''s ....... I don''t understand this creature.

    "Oh my God, you can''t flatter me by calling me incomprehensibly beautiful."

    "Who said anything about you being beautiful!¡¡Are those ears for decoration?

    Zoey looks bitter and shouts loudly, while Katherine giggles and giggles.

    It seems that Zoey is not very good at Katherine.

    Perhaps it is because of her mind, but it seems to Sam that Tenma is also surprised at seeing an unknown creature for the first time, saying, "Oh, my God!

    "The King of Skye has placed his trust in you, so I will take you as my companion, but if you try to pervert Lady Vivienne, you will lose your life!"

    "Oh, no. I would never do anything perverted. That''s your business, isn''t it, G¨¹nther?

    "...... existence is perverted."

    "Well, excuse me, I''m sorry, I''m sorry!"

    Perhaps he thinks he is puffing up his cheeks in a cute way, but he is not cute at all.

    Zoey''s face is distorted as if to say, "What kind of creature is this?

    Mizuki, who is admiring the two of them and saying, "Ha-ha-ha, Katherine can make friends with anyone at once," might want to have a healing spell cast on her eyeballs and brain once.

    (Perverts aside, how dare Lady Catherine treat a quasi-magician without hesitation?)

    I don''t know if they have no idea what they are doing or if it is all calculated, but I admire it, though I don''t want to emulate it.

    Zoe looked at Catherine from top to bottom, then turned to Sam and gave him a puzzled look.

    "...... Are you sure you want this to be one of the representatives of the Kingdom of Skye?¡¡Are you sure you want to do this?"

    Zoey was like, "You can change now," she said,

    "I don''t know!"

    Sam replied lamely.

 427 - - 41 "This is the reason for the magical girl" â‘ 

    "Wow!¡¡The carriage is really flying in the sky!¡¡This is what flying feels like!"

    Mizuki was so excited to see the scenery outside through the window as she got on the carriage pulled by Tenma.

    Amma is said to be so smart that he does not need a guardian, so everyone got in the carriage, Zoe said "please", and they took off toward their destination.

    The speed through the air is quite fast, but the carriage is smooth and unshakable.

    At this speed, they are on time for the meeting with the Demon King Vivian.

    Then, why didn''t the two Demon Kings use their horses the other day?

    They traveled from west to east across the continent on their own feet, so it seems that it took them a long time.

    "Amazing, isn''t it!¡¡Oh, but Sam can fly by himself, so it''s not so fresh, is it?"

    "No, it was my first time to see a carriage flying in the sky, and it was also the first time to learn about a creature called a Heavenly Horse, so I was full of surprise.

    I think it is like a fairy tale that my wife and I can ride in a carriage pulled by a white horse that runs in the sky.

    There are a few extras, but I don''t mind them.

    Someday, I would like to take Liese and her family on a horse-drawn carriage. Especially Alicia, who loves stories, will be very happy.

    I hope to build a good relationship with the demon king Vivian for that purpose.

    "Hmmm. Don''t they train Tenma at Todai Riku?"

    "I''ve heard that there have been some failed attempts to do so."

    "I see. In the western continent, a Heavenly Horse is used as a favorite horse of a person of high rank, or for welcoming guests as in this case. Being able to fly has many advantages, after all.

    "I can see that."

    With Zoey there would be no problem, and we would not have to worry about being attacked by monsters or bandits.

    The best thing is that it saves time because you can get to your goal in a straight line.

    "I can do short flights, but I also like to ride on the back of a horse."

    "Do you have a sky horse, Miss Zoe?"

    Mizuki asked with a twinkle in her eye, and Zoe nodded with a smile.

    "Yes, a very long time ago, Master Lepsey gave me a horse. If I have a chance, I will take you to see him. He is a bit of a difficult horse, so I can''t promise to give you a ride, I''m sorry."

    "Thank you!"

    Mizuki is pleased, and Sam smiles along with her.

    Zoe is also much friendlier than when we first met.

    Perhaps it was a good thing that they had talked a few times.

    Sam had hoped to get to know Vivian, the demon king, as well as Zoey, the Lepsy''s maid, better if he could.

    He did not want to get on bad terms with the strong but kind servant of the Demon Lord.

    By the way...

    "Yes?"

    Zoey''s smile clouds over and she tries to change the subject.

    Sam replies,

    "No, I don''t want to ask Samuel Scheidt, I want to ask the creature there."

    Zoe points to Catherine, who is gazing raptly out the window.

    "Oh, me?"

    "Why are you dressed so creepy and incomprehensible?"

    (Wow, she said the hardest thing to say directly to me!)

    To tell the truth, even Sam only knows that Catherine''s outfit was handed down from the first king, an otherworldly hero, and passed down from generation to generation.

    He knows that the first Johnston was impressed by magical girls, but the big question is why he passed it down from generation to generation.

    However, I could not ask him, and above all, it was difficult to ask him because he was so unconcerned about it.

    Sam gulped with respect and anticipation at Zoe''s words, which were, in a way, a complete non sequitur, and waited for Catherine''s words.

 428 - - 42 "This is the reason for the magical girl" â‘¡

    "Oh, you''re interested in your sister, aren''t you?¡¡You''re a precocious child."

    "...... I''m much older than you. No, it doesn''t matter. Why are you dressed so strangely?"

    Catherine didn''t seem offended by Zoe''s bluntness and winked at her.

    "Don''t call my family''s battle dress bizarre!

    With a snap of her thick index finger, Catherine pressed Zoey''s soft, white cheek.

    Zoe made a very uncomfortable face.

    "...... is that a battle suit?"

    Sam was so surprised that he couldn''t help but ask.

    He knew that the magical girl outfit had come from the first king, a brave man from another world, but he had never expected it to be for combat.

    To be honest, there was too much exposed skin for me to believe that it was for combat use.

    If the anime were a manga, this outfit would not be suitable for combat in the real world.

    (Huh?¡¡But why are some adventurers wearing such light clothing?¡¡Or is that a swimsuit?¡¡(Some people were dressed like that.)

    However, I would like to object to a muscular old man being forced to wear a cute outfit of a magical girl as a battle suit, if it is acceptable at least a hundred steps.

    "Of course, it''s a battle suit. Did you know that the first Johnston was a companion of the otherworldly hero who founded the Kingdom of Skye?"

    Yes, well, sort of.

    "In the world of the heroes, there is a formal dress for wizard girls to wear."

    "...... brave ah."

    Formal attire or not, it is definitely something a magical girl would wear.

    However, I couldn''t help but think that she must have had a lot of time on her hands to show such knowledge when she was fighting against the Demon King Lepssy.

    "The first master who taught me seemed to be very fond of the wizards of the other world - magical girls," he said, "and I began to admire them.

    "I don''t remember any strange creatures like you in the company of the heroes at that time.

    Zoe, who seemed to have a memory of those days, said something like that in a whisper, which made Sam curious and asked Catherine about it.

    "Well, what was the first Mr. Johnston like?"

    "Oh my goodness, even Sam is interested in your sister!¡¡It is said that the first lady was a very petite and pretty girl. I have seen a portrait of her once, and she was a lovely, beautiful girl!

    "Ah, I see...so the brave ones want to teach magical girls, too?"

    The first Johnston was not a rocky man like Catherine, but a pretty girl.

    That would explain why he taught her how to dress as a magical girl.

    "She was only twelve years old when she met the hero and together they decided to fight against the Demon King Lepsy. I''m sorry, Zoe, but I''m sure that''s not a very pleasant story for you to hear.

    Aside from her outward appearance, Catherine seems to be a person of character with a caring personality and a generous side.

    Perhaps this is why women adore her so much.

    "I don''t mind. But, um, there she is. There she is, the young magical woman!¡¡That child''s offspring is you!¡¡...... humans are terrible, taking in the blood of monsters to become stronger."

    "No, I don''t think so."

    "Is that so!"

    Apparently, in Zoe''s mind, Dominique Catherine Johnston is somehow of non-human blood.

    Sam almost nodded his head in agreement, but this was unlikely in the Kingdom of Skye, where there was little interaction with the demons.

    Especially not one of the Johnstons who had fought against the Demon Lord, or any other race.

    "Oh my God, Zoey!¡¡I know I''m cute and all, but come on, I''m pure human."

    You''re lying.

    "I guess it''s true."

    Sam honestly thought it was amazing that Catherine could take Zoe''s rather rude comment in a positive way.

 429 - - 43 "It seems like you have a wife and children" â‘ 

    "Sho, I know that the first generation learned that bizarre outfit from a brave man, but why do you have to dress like the first generation?

    "That''s right, isn''t it?"

    Sam nodded in agreement with Zoe''s question.

    Clyde has told me that the magical girls have been passed down from generation to generation, and I want to know how that came to be.

    "Well," said Clyde, "since you turned out to be such a pretty little magical girl, the Johnstons have had a magical girl in the family for generations!¡¡Decided!¡¡--He said that he was a good man.

    "First generation yiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!"

    The first Johnston was apparently a beautiful girl, so a magical girl figure would have suited her well.

    But his descendant is a stern old man.

    I can''t help but think that they should have at least considered the possibility that the other head of the family might be a man.

    £¨No, it''s the brave men who are the cause of all this. That''s for sure).

    "I heard that the first generation loved the magical girl''s figure. She remained a magical girl until she was 40, when she passed the reign to her son."

    "That''s not a magical girl anymore!¡¡You''re a magical MILF!¡¡Oh, no, maybe not quite a MILF, but certainly not a girl!¡¡Don''t be reckless!"

    I wonder if the heroes didn''t tell her how long she could stay a magical girl, or if they didn''t stop her in the middle of her life.

    "Well, wait!¡¡You just said that your son has succeeded you as head of the family, but you didn''t mean it."

    Of course!¡¡Your son, who grew up watching and idolizing the first generation of the Johnstons, is now a fine magical girl of the Johnstons!¡¡I don''t know if it''s true or not, but I heard that he had more magical abilities than the first generation."

    "I think the whole thing is ruined by the bizarre outfits."

    I don''t know what she was like, but I hear she was a nice magical girl.

    "And you''re carrying it on now."

    Catherine smiles and stretches her thick breastplate.

    "Yes, I am. My family has been magical girls for generations."

    £¨What a family! I''m sure the brave ones are lamenting, or maybe even laughing. If they didn''t stop in the middle of the story, they must have done it on purpose.)

    I don''t know what happened in those days, but as the descendants of the heroes have their own peculiarities, the companions of the heroes were quite crooked.

    There are still other descendants of the companions of those days, and my body trembles at the thought of possibly encountering new eccentrics and oddballs.

    I am much more frightened than the demon king Vivian whom I am about to meet.

    "I don''t think so, but are you going to give up your magical girl costume to someone else?"

    Of course not. My little girl is the next magical girl.

    "-- Huh?"

    Zoe stiffened.

    Sam couldn''t believe his ears.

    £¨What?¡¡Didn''t you just say something amazing?)

    "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!¡¡You have a daughter?¡¡I mean, were you married, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!"

    Sam, who had never dreamed that Catherine had a family, could not hide his astonishment and exclaimed.

 430 - - 44 "It seems like you have a wife and children" â‘¡

    "Hey, don''t look so surprised. I don''t mean to be rude, but I''d marry you too, right?"

    "...... No, I mean, it was a huge surprise."

    "Oh, yeah?¡¡Come visit us sometime. I''ll introduce you to my wife and daughters.

    Catherine smiles and invites him to join her, but Sam is confused.

    (......) No. I don''t understand. She calls herself a sister, but does she have a wife?¡¡Do you have a daughter?¡¡(Lies!)

    I didn''t say anything because I was aware that I was thinking rudely.

    I wondered what his wife and daughter thought about their father taking the form of a magical girl, but I was too afraid to ask them.

    "I mean, why is Sam so surprised?"

    Mizuki, who was absorbed in the scenery outside the carriage and had not joined Catherine''s Puella Magi situation, asked Sam with a curious look on her face.

    "I''m rather full of doubts about Mizuki, who is able to listen to me without a care in the world, though.

    "Huh?¡¡Didn''t Sam know?¡¡Lady Catherine also has a relationship with my father, so we''re on good terms with each other house to house."

    I''d never heard of it.

    I will ask my father-in-law, Kurando Amamiya, who is a man of common sense, what he thinks of Catherine next time.

    "Hmmm, I can''t believe that little Mizuki has become a bride. I''m getting old, aren''t I?

    Catherine squints her eyes nostalgically, perhaps remembering the past.

    Mizuki looks a little embarrassed.

    "I think you are still young, Katherine.

    "Oh, I''m flattered.

    The exchange between Mizuki and Catherine, if you ask me, has the atmosphere of people who have known each other for a long time.

    If we think about it, Liese and her friends must have known Catherine since she was a child. Then it is understandable that they accept her as she is.

    (I guess they don''t feel any sense of discomfort because they have been imprinted with such an existence. ......?¡¡What was the reaction of G¨¹nther and your fathers-in-law?)

    As Sam tilts his head, Zoey tugs at his sleeve.

    "What is it?"

    Sam asked, and she gently approached him and whispered in his ear.

    "Ask your wife what kind of monster my daughter is."

    "...... you''re pretty rude too."

    "She''s the daughter of this!¡¡She must be a tough girl, like a rock!"

    You want me to ask you that?

    "Why don''t you just ask your wife?"

    "Well, that''s true, but..."

    Zoe urged me to join Mizuki and Catherine, who were still chatting and laughing, but I was afraid to join them.

    "Oh, um, Mizuki ...... Domi, I mean, what kind of people are Catherine''s daughters?"

    "Oh no. Sam, are you going to make my daughters your wives too, instead of just Mizuki and the girls?

    "No, it''s a misunderstanding. No, it''s not. I''m sorry."

    I couldn''t help apologizing for the strange misunderstanding.

    "All three of them are very beautiful."

    "--!"

    Sam was crestfallen, along with Zoe.

    Mizuki''s answer was somewhat predictable, but she was surprised to learn that Katherine had three daughters.

    "No, no, wait, you can''t rely on what a woman says to a woman about a beautiful woman.

    You''re so rude!

    Sam suddenly remembers his previous life as a student.

    (When a girl introduces her friend, she usually says, "She''s a pretty girl. ) When boys introduce their friends, they usually say, "She''s cool."

    Regardless of whether it is right or wrong, taking compliments from the same s*x for granted may not always result in a bad experience later on.

    "Well, for your information, what kind of person are you?"

    "Well, I don''t think she looks like Catherine. She has a vivaciousness that is similar to Erica''s. Oh, and she''s very similar to Zoe in that she''s petite and cute!

    "-Wow, I''m, I mean, aren''t you a beautiful girl!"

    "...... you have a rather brazen personality. No, I''m not wrong, but..."

    Sam looks at Zoe, who can call herself a beautiful girl without hesitation, and is taken aback.

    Unless she has very strange tastes, there is no doubt that Zoe is a beautiful girl. But I didn''t think she would say so herself.

    £¨A daughter of Lady Catherine who is as vivacious as Erica and as beautiful as Zoe... No. I can''t imagine it. But a girl would look better as a magical girl than this old man, yes. That''s enough.)

    On second thought, we shouldn''t judge people by their looks.

    Even the leading pervert of the Sky Kingdom looks like a prince out of a shoujo manga. But inside, he is a stalker pervert.

    It''s okay for an old man to dress up as a magical girl, because he''s not such a bad person inside.

    Even though the knowledge from her previous life did not match the magical girl in the other world, the other world must have its own rules.

    Sam reflected on this.

    "So this is the descendant of the brave fellow who defeated Master Lepsy. They must be grieving..."

    Zoe''s little mutterings were pretended not to be heard.

 431 - - 45 "Its a nail mark of Repsie."

    "Huh?"

    As the carriage drawn by Tenma continued to gallop through the sky, Mizuki suddenly shouted out.

    "--The atmosphere has changed. The air is heavier, or perhaps the magic in the air is thicker?¡¡It''s a little hard for a non-magician like me to get used to."

    "Maybe so. If anything, I''m a little more comfortable.

    "I guess it''s different when you''re a wizard, huh?"

    "How about you, Lady Catherine?"

    "Well, I don''t know. I don''t feel anything strange either.

    Sam also looked out the window from behind Mizuki, but the scenery had not changed much.

    It is not that the sky is purple or that the dense, dark forests are eerie.

    However, compared to the eastern side of the continent, there is more magic.

    The feeling is a little different for Mizuki, who is not a magician, but for Sam, the thick magical power is pleasant.

    "Hey!¡¡Sam!¡¡Look at that!"

    Mizuki notices something and raises her voice and points.

    Turning his eyes in the direction she pointed, Sam gulped.

    "What is that?"

    There was a large crack in the earth that stretched out in the direction the carriage was traveling.

    The crack looked as if it had been gouged straight through, and its depth was unknown.

    It looked like a huge valley.

    However, Sam''s eyes somehow understood that the crack in front of him was not natural but man-made.

    "Yeah, most people are surprised when they see that."

    "What is that?¡¡It''s not natural, is it?"

    "Yes, it was made by a blow from Master Lepsey."

    "-- what?"

    I didn''t understand what Zoey meant.

    Sam wasn''t the only one.

    Mizuki and even Katherine looked back at Zoey and stiffened.

    "There used to be a big human kingdom around here before the battle with the heroes, but it was destroyed by the Lepsi when they messed with them. That''s what''s left of it."

    "...... That''s funny, that is. What kind of a mess do you have to make to get them to go this far?"

    "Master Lepsey had many servants in addition to his own household. The benevolent Master Lepsy protected those who had nowhere else to go and gave them shelter, food, and jobs. The humans were very grateful. However, there were people who did not think well of those who were saved by Leprosy. That is the country. Foolishly, they announced that they would purge Master Lepsey and his men, and the result was that not a single one of them was left standing. It happens all the time.

    "Well, is it common?"

    Zoe says to Mizuki, who has a drawn face, in a matter-of-fact way, as if nothing is wrong.

    "In the old days, before the Kingdom of Skye was founded, there were many demons and humans living in great numbers on the west side of the continent, and there were many conflicts. Especially, humans believed in a god whose name escapes me, and there was a widespread belief that the demons were evil. But there is no religion anymore.

    "So is it peaceful then?"

    There can be no peace. There are still human nations. Some of them are under the protection of the Demon King. It''s all about fighting."

    "The Demon King doesn''t rule, does he?"

    "In fact, it is fair to say that the demon kings rule the western part of the continent, but there are a certain number of humans and demon tribe members who do not approve of this.

    Zoe cowered her shoulders, but Sam, Mizuki, and Catherine did not know how to react.

    If even someone with such overwhelming power as the Demon Lord could not eliminate conflict, they wondered how long humans, or any other living creature for that matter, would have to fight.

    (--But still, I didn''t know that a leprosy had the power to tear the earth apart. How many times stronger than my skill?)

    Perhaps the lepers who fought in the basement of the royal palace were skimping because they wanted to die.

    If they could tear up the earth, they could have easily killed themselves right there, even if they were not at their peak strength.

    (I mean, aren''t the brave men of the Sky Kingdom pretty strong who defeated and sealed the Lepsies even if they couldn''t kill the Lepsies with such power?)

    We do not know what kind of power the heroes had, but they must have been at least as powerful as the Demon King.

    No, it is possible that the strong but kind-hearted Demon Lord was defeated willingly so that he would not run amok any more out of hatred.

    "You know what, Zoe?"

    "What?"

    "Lepsey, maybe ...... no, nothing."

    He refrains from talking about hypotheticals now that the man himself is dead.

    Zoe gave Sam a gentle look.

    "Master Lepsey has always had a bitter look on his face," said Zoe. I think she cried in her heart every time she lost herself in revenge and laid waste to humans. But now he must be at peace. That is all that matters."

    "...... I see."

    Zoe did not say anything about Lepsey after that.

    In the meantime, the carriage continued on, driving over the rift in the earth.

    "Come on, let''s get out of here. We are only a few hours away from Vivian''s night country.

    Zoey''s words send Sam and the others into a nervous tailspin.

    They have already entered the realm of the demons.

    The thought of what encounters and events are to come makes them anxious - and more than that, excited.

    Sam looked forward to meeting the Demon King with anxiety and even more anticipation in his heart.

 432 - - 46 "Hes up to it."

    "--Is it true that the demon king Lepsy was killed?"

    There was an open town in a deep forest on the western side of the continent.

    The town was ruled by the lion tribe, a race called the beastmen by humans.

    It was the town''s representative, Bowood of the Lion Tribe, who was touched by the death of the Demon King Lepsy.

    In a conference room of the largest mansion in the town, he sits at a table with the beastmen of the lion tribe, who are also lions, and he is covered in golden fur and has a magnificent head of hair.

    He differs from the lion beasts in that he is humanoid.

    "There is no doubt about it. It was obtained by an informant on the other side of the world. They say that a human killed a leprosy."

    "A human killed that leprosy?

    Bowood howled in disbelief.

    No wonder.

    The Demon King Lepsy was the second most powerful Demon King after the oldest vampire, the Demon King Vivian, and was said to be the best of all the Demon Kings in terms of simple combat ability.

    Furthermore, he is a person of character and accepts people of all races, even human beings, which is why he is said to be an eccentric demon king by some of the demon clans.

    Bowood and his friends remember when the Lepsi went berserk after losing their wives and children to humans.

    They had heard that they had been defeated and sealed by humans, but they had never thought that they would be killed in the modern age.

    "-I''m just speculating, but wasn''t he as strong as people say?¡¡I honestly don''t understand ...... how the Demon Lord could be defeated by a fragile human."

    You have a point. Vampires are nothing but bloodsuckers. Not like us proud beastmen!

    "Master Bowood, I hear that the Demon Lord Vivian invites those who have defeated the Lepsies."

    Bowood frowned at the aide''s words, as if he did not understand them.

    "I don''t understand. Why would Vivian invite a leprosy who was supposed to be his household member but was killed?

    "I don''t understand."

    It''s not in her nature to summon someone and then kill them, is it?

    "I don''t know if it''s true or not, but..."

    "Fine, talk."

    At Bowood''s prompting, a subordinate, who had been standing erect in his chair, bowed reverently and then opened his mouth.

    "I heard from an acquaintance that the Demon Lord Vivian is trying to establish friendly relations with the people who defeated the Demon Lord Lepssy.

    "--What?"

    More outraged than surprised, Paul Wood let his emotions get the better of him and smashed the desk with his fist.

    The wine glass on the desk falls to the floor with the desk and shatters noisily.

    His men are frightened by Bowood, and distance themselves from him.

    "We proud demons, who were defeated by the humans, are so pathetic that you have taken the trouble to call us here to establish friendly relations?

    Yes, it seems so.

    "--The demon kings are getting old."

    Bowood''s anger faded, and he laughed through his fangs.

    "This is an opportunity!"

    "Master Bowood?"

    "No more demon king now!¡¡A foolish demon king who took a human as his wife, a coward who killed his family members and yet took no vengeance!¡¡We have a cursed dragon, an ogre that can only be destroyed, and two human demon kings!¡¡This is the Demon King who represents us!¡¡I can''t take it anymore!¡¡Above all, I do not like the fact that the Demon King, the king of beasts, is not of the lion tribe, but of the werewolf tribe!"

    Bowood once aspired to be a Demon King.

    But his ambitions were dashed in the face of the werewolf demon king Lobo, King of the Beasts.

    But now there is a chance.

    "I will take the head of the man who killed Lepsy!¡¡And I will show them that I am worthy of being the Demon King, and that I should reign as the Demon King!"

    "Oh!¡¡You stand up, sir!"

    "We must seize this opportunity!¡¡Gather your brothers and sisters from all over the land!¡¡Now is the time for a generational change!

    At Borwood''s declaration, the beastmen shouted in unison.

    The disgruntled elements, dissatisfied with the current Demon Lord, began to make their move.

 433 - - 47 "I met Vivian, the demon king" â‘ 

    "Welcome, Mr. Samuel Scheidt, Mizuki Scheidt, and ...... Dominique Catherine Johnston."

    Tenma arrived in the land of night and flew over the city, landing in front of a Western-style house.

    Sam and his friends were greeted by an old butler wearing a tailcoat.

    He bowed reverently and welcomed them.

    "My master, the Mad King Vivienne Claxtons, is waiting for you inside the house.

    "Thank you for meeting us."

    "Thank you for your hard work, Miss Zoe."

    "Mm."

    At first glance, Zoe and the old butler appear to be grandson and grandfather, but the hierarchy is different.

    The butler invites us into the house, saying, "Please come this way.

    Sam looks behind him before heading into the house.

    He had imagined that it was dark in this land of night, but the streets lit by the setting sun were not so different from those of the castle town in the Kingdom of Skye.

    If there is a big difference, it is that not only humans but also various races of demons are living in the town.

    Even now, from a distance, Sam and the others who came to the house are seen by the residents, who range from a child who seems to be human, to a girl with cat ears, to a wolf-like person covered in body hair.

    "What''s up, Sam?"

    "No, I''m just more interested in the city."

    "After my meeting with Lady Vivien, I will show you around the city."

    Thanking Zoe for her kind words, Sam stepped into the queen''s castle.

    Although it is called the queen''s castle, it is actually a three-story Western-style house.

    The garden is large, with a fountain in front of the entrance and colorful flowers.

    "Vivienne is waiting for you in your room. Please come in."

    The old butler leads the way through the house.

    He is followed by Sam, Mizuki, Katherine, and finally Zoe.

    The house of the Demon Lord was surprisingly ordinary.

    It was comparable to that of the Earl of Walker''s house, and seemed simple for a man of his position.

    Walking down a dimly lit corridor with a bright red carpet and closed curtains, I suddenly felt a gaze upon me.

    We could not see anyone but ourselves, but we felt eyes everywhere.

    They seemed to be curious stares, different from price gouging or hostile stares, but they were unsettling.

    After walking around the house for a while, I was led to a door on the first floor.

    (I was getting nervous ...... if the Demon Lord Vivienne Claxtons was in this room)

    "This way, please. Please wait a moment. Vivien, I have a visitor for you.

    The old butler''s voice was answered immediately.

    "-Please, let me pass."

    The girl''s voice, like the tinkling of a bell, echoed from the other side of the door.

    The old butler opens the door, and Sam and the others enter nervously at his prompting.

    It is nice to meet you, and welcome to the land of night.

    As if drawn by the sweet, young voice, Sam and his friends'' eyes widened in surprise when they saw the owner of the voice.

    For Vivian, the Demon King, was a girl of about twelve years of age.

    Her dark purple hair, which reached down to her waist, was shaking, and she had a motherly smile that was disproportionate to her young, pretty, doll-like appearance.

    Her blood-red tongue peeked out bewitchingly from her small cherry-red lips.

    (-This is the person...)

    What impressed me the most were her light blue eyes, which seemed to be able to see through everything, as if they were the surface of a lake.

    The girl in a black dress with a childish body welcomed Sam and the others with a gentle voice.

    "--Vivienne Claxtons welcomes you.

 434 - - 48 "I met Vivian, the demon king" â‘¡

    "Come, sit down."

    At Vivian''s urging, Sam and the others sat down at a table for ten in the center of the room.

    Clockwise, Vivian, Sam, Mizuki, Katherine, and Zoe sat down.

    The room is for a conference, or perhaps just a large table in a room with no special features.

    "Would you like a glass of wine?"

    No, thank you.

    "Yeah?¡¡There''s nothing complicated to talk about, so just take it easy."

    "Thank you."

    Sam could not hide his nervousness at the smiling face of the Demon Lord.

    The Witch Queen, Vivienne Claxtons, is a very deep person. No, I don''t even know if she is the Demon Lord or not.

    Douglas and Evangeline knew that she was the Demon Lord the moment they met her, but Vivienne, who looked like a girl in front of them, was completely unknown to them.

    The claw marks I saw along the way were deeper than those left by the lepers. I get the impression that she is like the bottom of the sea.

    Mizuki and even Catherine, who is supposed to be a light talker, are nervous or quiet.

    Zoe, too, keeps her mouth shut and maintains silence in front of Vivienne.

    "Well, let''s have tea.

    Just as Vivienne said this, as if they had been waiting for her, several maids appeared, prepared tea for the number of guests, and left the room without a sound.

    All that was left was a steaming tea cup.

    "Don''t worry, it''s not poisoned. It''s my favorite tea, I guarantee the taste.

    Vivienne gracefully puts her thin lips to the teacup, and Sam follows suit.

    "Bon app¨¦tit!"

    The hot tea was very tasty at the time of drinking.

    The climate and temperatures vary from place to place in the western continent, but the Land of Night is a relatively cold country with long winters. In the Kingdom of Skye, even in the height of summer, one can feel a slight chill.

    A cup of tea helped me to calm down a little.

    "Is it good?"

    "Yes, very much."

    "Then I''m glad. Well, now that you''re feeling a little less tense, let''s start by saying thank you. Samuel Scheidt, my fellow demon king gave me a hard time the other day. I didn''t expect to find a fool among my colleagues who would end up penniless in the land of the humans, but I''m glad to have met you unexpectedly.

    It was nice to meet you both.

    Douglas was a pleasant man, and Evangeline was not a bad person, despite her quirks.

    There is no doubt that the time spent with them was valuable and enjoyable for Sam.

    "I''m curious about Evangeline calling you darling, but let''s leave it at that for now, shall we?"

    "...... would be very helpful if you would."

    Vivian smiles bitterly, and Sam smiles back.

    Apparently, Vivian had heard about Sam from Evangeline.

    "But what I am most grateful for is that you gave my sweet boy a good night''s sleep. Thank you for killing Lepsy."

    "...... was Lepsey your son?"

    Sam was surprised, not expecting Vivian to be Lepsey''s mother.

    But Vivian shook her head, "No," she said.

    "No," Vivienne shook her head, "I don''t mean that I gave birth to her through pain in my belly. It means that she is my son who shares my blood."

    In other words, Lepsy was turned into a vampire by Vivian.

    Sam can''t help but be upset that Vivian is capable of creating such a vampire.

    "As you probably heard from Zoey, she was a sweet girl. She was too kind to accept the death of a loved one. I am sorry as a mother for the many lives I took and the trouble I caused to the Kingdom of Skye. So, as a token of my gratitude and apology, I would like to establish a friendly relationship with the Skye Kingdom."

    "--I wish it were not so."

    Sam bowed deeply.

    Mizuki and Katherine bowed their heads as well.

    £¨First of all, we have passed the first barrier. I want to talk about Louise''s case, too.)

 435 - - 49 "I met Vivian, the demon king" â‘¢

    "I think we''re done with the Kingdom of Skye."

    Vivian, smiling with satisfaction, looks at Sam.

    "You know that my main goal was to meet you when you fought against the Lepsi, don''t you?

    "Yes. But before I do, there is one thing I would like to ask you.

    What is it?

    "I''d like to talk to you about Louise, the head maid in the Kingdom of Skye."

    Sam cut to the chase about Louise.

    Vivia''s face showed surprise and nostalgia.

    "Oh, I''ve missed that name. I haven''t seen her for about ten years now, how is she?

    Yes. Yes, I''m fine.

    "Now that you mention Louise''s name, you know that she is a friend of mine.

    I''d like to ask you a few questions about that.

    Please come in.

    "Louise told me that she was under your command and that she was in charge of reporting information about the Demon King Lepsy and the rest of the Skye Kingdom."

    I never said I was on the inside.

    The information had not yet been passed from Louise to Vivien, the Demon King.

    "Ah."

    "Uh?"

    As Sam nervously tried to proceed, Vivienne made a strange noise.

    "Louise is a tightwad, isn''t she? I can''t believe that she would be so disciplined about the joke that I had just played on her."

    "A joke, sir?"

    "Yes. I saved her when she was dying here, but she didn''t want to return the favor. As for me, I was only guided by a strong inner voice, and I didn''t have any good intentions or intentions in saving him, it was just a whim, so it didn''t matter.

    Vivienne gave a small laugh as if recalling those days.

    "Well, I said that I wanted you to do some information gathering in the Kingdom of Skye, but I don''t remember giving you any orders. I never got any information from Louise in the first place, and if I really wanted information, I could buy it with money."

    "......Errr, you mean?"

    "On the contrary, can I ask you something?¡¡Why do you bother asking about Louise?¡¡Did something happen to that girl?"

    The question is asked back.

    Sam remembers that he had not yet told Vivian about our situation and opens his mouth to explain.

    "Yes, that''s right. Well, let me start with that.

    Sam told them that Cedric Isle-Sky, the first prince of the Kingdom of Sky, had proposed to Louise, the head maid.

    Vivienne''s face lit up with amusement at the mention of her acquaintance''s love story.

    However, Louise refused, saying that she could not accept Cedric''s love for her because she was in league with the Demon King, and moreover, she would never become the wife of the next king.

    "Oh, well..."

    "So, if Louise is under your command, I was going to ask for her freedom."

    "I see. --Then will you tell Louise?

    "Yes."

    Vivienne opened her little lips softly as if to tell Louise, who was not here.

    "Congratulations on your marriage, be happy," she said.

    "It is."

    "I never meant to tie her up in the first place. But if she still feels indebted to you for saving her life, will you tell her to be free?"

    "I will be happy to tell you."

    Sam was inwardly relieved.

    Now, at least, the rest was a matter of Louise''s own feelings.

    £¨The rest was up to Cedric-sama!)

    To be honest, I don''t feel that Louise used Vivian to cover up her own feelings, but I guess she will be able to make up her mind now.

    It is up to her whether she chooses to be with C¨¦dric or not to accept his marriage proposal.

    "Nevertheless..."

    "Yes?"

    "Uh-huh. I can''t believe Louise is in such a situation with the prince. I''m so jealous. I know family love but I don''t know anything special like love. That''s why I''m a little bit jealous."

    The Demon King, who had lived for a long time and said he had never known love, looked somewhat lonely with a smile on his face.

 436 - - 50 "The demon was friendly" â‘ 

    I''m sorry I''ve been talking to you so much that I''ve left you two out of it. Mizuki Scheidt and Dominique Catherine Johnston, right? You two look lovely."

    Vivian smiled kindly at Mizuki and Catherine, who had been trying to change the subject and watch what was going on.

    "Oh, thank you very much."

    "I am honored that the Demon King Vivienne praised my work."

    Mizuki and Catherine are pleased to have their clothes praised by the Demon King,

    (Mizuki, of course, looks great in her hakama and everything else, but - what?¡¡Is Lady Catherine nice too?¡¡(Wow, the sensibilities of the Demon King.)

    Sam is surprised at the smiling Demon Lord, who can hardly believe it.

    I look over and see Zoey looking at me with a look of utter amazement on her face.

    Perhaps she is just as surprised as Sam at the sensitivity of the Demon Lord Vivian.

    "--Dominique-dono''s clothes are, as I recall, those of an otherworldly person, whose name, let''s see, Ryutaro Tsukishiro gave to Miriam Johnston, right?"

    The names of the first king of the Kingdom of Skye and the first head of the Johnston family came out of the Demon King''s mouth without hesitation, and everyone''s eyes widened.

    (Oh my, what a cool name ......, or rather, it''s the first time I''ve heard the name of the first king. Also, I don''t know if I should go into this, but I don''t know how you went from Ryutaro Tsukishiro to the Skye clan of the Skye Kingdom).

    I recently learned that Sam also has royal--and therefore otherworldly--blood.

    I don''t mean to sound like a royal, but I am a little curious about what happened to the first generation.

    Above all, I wonder if it means anything that I am a reincarnated person with the blood of an otherworldly being.

    Of course, no one will be able to answer that question for me.

    "Do you know the First Masters?

    When Catherine asked timidly, Vivian answered "Yes.

    We didn''t know each other directly, but I remember the first time I had a real fight with a Lepsy. At that time I had no idea that I would be on friendly terms with them."

    "...... As for me, I''m amazed that the descendants of that girl have become monsters that orcs would run away from in surprise."

    Zoe muttered something to Vivian, who was reminiscing about the past.

    "Oh, my God, Zoe. I''m sorry, Dominique. She''s a bit of a mouthy one."

    "I don''t mind. If you don''t mind, you can call me by my soul name, Catherine."

    "Yeah?¡¡Then I will call you Katherine, as if you were my friend.

    "Well, I''m glad to hear it."

    (Huh?¡¡I''m getting along well with the Demon King.)

    I think it''s amazing that she not only talks with the Demon King in a friendly manner, but also makes him call her Katherine.

    Also, Vivienne who accepts everything without any resistance is also amazing.

    Zoe, who is sitting next to Vivienne, is absolutely amazed at how easily her husband accepts Catherine.

    (I wonder if Catherine is good at getting along with women?)

    I can''t help thinking about that.

    Sam''s wives, including Mizuki, and Kree, G¨¹nther''s wife, love Catherine like a sister. So, I think that she is also a demon king, but not necessarily, since Zoe is there.

    But it is a communication skill that Sam cannot imitate.

    "As I recall, there were a few other outliers besides the brave Ryutaro Tsukishiro and Miriam Johnston. I think..."

    "That was Saint Christina Skye, wasn''t it? There were several others, but if I remember correctly, they were all women."

    As if to supplement Vivian''s memory, Zoe mentioned the name of a saint.

    (I see. So Skye was on the saint''s side.)

    As I was convinced of the origin of the name of the Kingdom of Skye, Vivien and Zoe started talking about the past as if they were making small talk.

    "Yes, yes. We were always fighting over the brave boys, weren''t we? I was impressed at the time how they could afford to fight over a leprosy."

    "Indeed. We had big fights every day about who was going to be brave and who was going to be brave and who was going to be brave and who was going to be brave.

    "I see. So the heroes were in a romantic comedy. I wish Lepsey had won."

    Sam thought that the brave man who seemed to be enjoying his summoning to another world for some reason should explode.

 437 - - 51 "The demon was friendly" â‘¡

    "I''ve been reminiscing about the past, but let''s talk about the heroes and their friends some other time. But I am glad to see their descendants like this.

    Once again, we see that the Demon Kings Vivian and Zoe have existed for a long time.

    I never thought that I would come to meet the Demon King and hear the stories of the founding heroes and saints.

    By the way, how long do you plan to stay?

    "With your permission, I would be happy to stay for a few days or so and talk with you."

    "Of course. If you have some time to spare, take a look around the city. It''s the country my sweet children worked so hard to build."

    I would be happy to do so.

    Then let me show you around. I promised you that earlier.

    I don''t intend to stay long, but I would like to make sure that we are on friendly terms with the Demon King.

    The relationship between the Kingdom of Skye and the Night Lands would depend on the future kings, but Sam personally wanted to make friends with Vivian if he could.

    "Oh my. Zoey''s unusual. I was going to show you around."

    Vivian looks a little bored, and Zoe sighs heavily.

    "If Vivienne goes to town, there will be a big commotion.

    "Uh-huh. You''ve done that before, haven''t you?

    "Everyone adores you, but since you live in seclusion in your mansion while your country is under your control, I am surprised when you come out once in a while, and I would like to hear a word from you."

    Apparently, Vivien does not run the country.

    She does not seem to be a recluse, but from Zoe''s words, it is rare for her to leave the house.

    "Well, Tomoya..."

    "-- No!¡¡It would be a bigger deal if that man went to town!"

    (--Tomoya?)

    The name Vivian mentioned caught Sam''s attention.

    If I am not mistaken, the sound of the name reminded me of Japan in my previous life.

    (No way, there can''t be any Japanese in the Demon King, can there?)

    Sam laughed inwardly, thinking that it was indeed impossible.

    If you think about it, names that remind us of Japan are common in our world as well.

    Mizuki, for example.

    She is of Japanese descent and her family members have Japanese names.

    Since I had just heard about the first brave man, I had just thought of the name "Tomoya" as if he were a reincarnation or something.

    "Okay. Then I''ll leave it to Zoe.

    Yes, sir. Oh, by the way, Samuel Scheidt."

    "Yes?"

    "Where''s Daphne?¡¡You didn''t bring him?"

    "--oh."

    When Zoe asked me about it, I remembered that I had forgotten to bring Daphne, who had been like a sister to me since I was a little girl.

    I had learned that Daphne was an elf through a chance encounter between the Demon King and Zoey. At that time, I was told to bring her to the meeting with the Demon Lord Vivian.

    "...... I seem to have forgotten. I wish I had asked him first. I only remembered he was gone after we had already left the Kingdom of Skye."

    "- You are looking for me, sir?"

    As Zoe raised an eyebrow at him awkwardly, Daphne''s voice, which should not have been here, rang out in the room.

    "What?"

    Sam looked at the entrance of the room and saw Daphne Lomax there, dressed in a maid''s uniform as usual.

    "Daphne!

    Yes, I''m Daphne. I didn''t think that Botchan had forgotten about me. No, I didn''t want to come this side so much, but I was so disappointed to be left behind that I ran after him as fast as I could.

 438 - - 52 "I joined Daphne".

    "--d*mn, did you really run all the way from the Kingdom of Skye to the Land of Night?"

    Zoe looked at Daphne with a sigh.

    "Really?¡¡You''ve been bombing down there while we''ve been traveling in the sky?"

    It is somewhat surreal to see Daphne running from the Sky Kingdom to the Land of Night.

    But at the same time I feel sorry. Sam had forgotten about her and had wasted his time and energy on her.

    "I''m sorry, Daphne."

    "No, a kind person used transfer magic on the way, so it was easy from there."

    When Sam apologizes, Daphne smiles and shakes her head.

    "Transference magic?"

    "The ...... guy?"

    "Yes, he was creepy as ever."

    Zoe seems to have an idea who sent Daphne with the transfer spell.

    £¨I knew that transfer magic existed, but I never thought there was a wizard who could actually use it. I guess it wasn''t a human. Maybe a demon?)

    Transference magic is the magic that everyone dreams of.

    The conditions of use differ depending on the user, but the magic that can shift in an instant, regardless of distance, is the shifting magic.

    It is a magic that Sam would like to learn, but he has never met anyone who uses it, and there are many unknowns about how to learn it, so he has not learned it yet.

    Since he has already mastered flying magic and likes to spend time traveling around the world, he does not feel the need for transfer magic, so he does not care much about it.

    However, it is exciting to know that there are actually people who can use it. I have a little hope that maybe I can learn it too.

    "Daphne, it''s been a long time!

    When Vivienne called out to her in a friendly manner, Daphne knelt down on the spot and bowed reverently.

    "It''s been a long time, Demon King Vivian."

    "Uh-huh, don''t be so formal. You''re not my friend."

    "I am honored to hear you say so, but I have given up my former position and am now just Sam''s obedient maid."

    Daphne straightened her posture, but I could hear the familiarity in her voice toward Vivienne.

    "Oh, by the way, you work for Samuel Scheidt, don''t you?"

    "They love me day and night."

    "--Well."

    "Bullshit!¡¡Please don''t spread misinformation in front of the Demon Lord!"

    Sam''s hunch that he was going to say something bad was proven right.

    It''s not nice to be told that I''m the kind of man who would touch a maid in front of the Demon King.

    "I beg your pardon. I was mistaken in saying that I adore you.

    "Oh, dear."

    "D-Da-da-da-da!¡¡Don''t say that!¡¡Well, I''m sure they love me, but it sounds like I mean something else!¡¡They''ll get the wrong idea!"

    Vivienne smiled at Sam, who forgot his place and shouted louder.

    "That''s all right, Samuel Scheidt. He''s a boy of your age. It''s understandable that you would fall for a beautiful woman like Daphne.

    "I don''t need that kind of understanding!"

    "Don''t be shy. I understand that you have seven wives, and they are young, so it is normal for them to be lively.

    "Excuse me, one of you has more wives than the other."

    It is a problem that the Demon King knows how many wives he has, but it is also worrisome that the number of his wives has increased by one.

    When Sam had a bad feeling that this was not possible, Vivian narrowed her gentle eyes in understanding.

    "It seems that you have an unusual relationship with the Duke''s family. I know what you mean, it''s called "boys'' love".

    "Yes, there it is!¡¡Bad habit of people of this world!¡¡I''m so quick to believe what otherworldly people say!"

    "Tomoya, my colleague, the Demon Lord, told me."

    "And it was from the same Demon Lord!¡¡That man is definitely from Earth!¡¡Japanese!¡¡It''s decided!"

    "--Oh?"

    "Also, if you''re going to do research, do it right!¡¡There''s something you don''t want in the mix!¡¡What do you mean, even the Demon Lord misunderstands my relationship with G¨¹nther!"

    It''s almost as if G¨¹nther has cursed us.

    He has a young and pretty wife and a child, so I hope people around him understand that he and I are only friends.

    Also, Vivian, the devil king, must have found out about himself somehow, but I wish he had tried harder.

    I hope you can verify the information, and if there is an agent, he should be fired.

    "Oh, I''m thirsty!¡¡I''ll have some tea!"

    Sam gulped down the cold tea with gusto.

    "Thanks for the tea!"

    "Uh-huh. You''re a funny girl. You look much cuter now than you did a moment ago, when you were so tense and on edge.

    Sam makes a puzzled face, not feeling much like a compliment.

    Then Zoey, as if she couldn''t help but notice, offered a helping hand.

    "Dear Vivien. Now that Daphne is here, we should leave for the city.

    "Oh, I remember you talking about that. I''m sorry, I just thought it was funny.

    "Daphne, it''s been a long time since I''ve been in the land of night. Daphne, it''s been a long time since you''ve been in the land of night. I''m afraid not much has changed, though."

    Zoe''s words about inviting Daphne to the city stopped mid-sentence.

    The reason for this was probably because Daphne looked so serious.

    Sam had never seen Daphne''s face like this before. At the same time, we can guess that something happened.

    "As much as I would like to miss the city, I have some unfortunate news.

    "What is it?"

    When asked by Vivian, Daphne quietly opened her mouth.

    "The three idiots have risen up and named themselves the new Demon Lord.

    "-- what?"

 439 - - 53 "The trouble seems to have begun." â‘ 

    Unable to accept Daphne''s words as they were, Sam stared at her face, stunned, as if she were family.

    Of course, there was no reason for Daphne to lie at this moment, and as she said, someone from the demon tribe must really have risen up and claimed to be the Demon King.

    I asked Mizuki and Catherine, who were also from the Sky Kingdom. Mizuki seemed to be speechless and Catherine seemed to know that something big had happened and her hairless head was sweating.

    "Well, that was surprisingly quick."

    "I had expected that someone would try to take Master Lepsey''s place, but I didn''t expect it to be so soon. It''s very thoughtless of them.

    However, in contrast to the three humans, the Demon King Vivian and his servant Zoey accepted what Daphne had told them without a care in the world.

    Or rather, they seemed to have expected this to happen.

    "Which child has taken the name of the Demon King?"

    "I am Bowood of the Lion Clan. I think he now calls himself Bowood, the Demon King of the Lion Clan."

    "--Yes."

    Vivienne cast her eyes down in disappointment.

    "What kind of a demon king is that thing with all its pride!¡¡I knew he was jealous of the fact that the werewolf tribe had a demon king, but of all people, such a weakling would call himself a demon king in place of Master Lepsey!"

    Zoe, on the other hand, was indignant, saying that she did not know the Bowood who called himself the Demon King, and that he was not fit to be Lepsey''s successor.

    She must have been very angry.

    Sharp canine teeth protruded from Zoey''s small lips, and her eyes were dilated.

    "No, Miss Zoe, no."

    "What?"

    Daphne''s voice was laced with dismay as she spoke to Zoey, who was furious.

    "Bowood of the Lion Clan calls himself the new Demon King!

    "...... what?¡¡What do you mean?"

    "They are trying to replace all the demon kings without Vivian and the others who are currently reigning as demon kings.

    He''s an idiot, right?

    I agree.

    Sam understood that Bowood was up to something terrible, but for some reason, Zoe had put her anger aside when she heard Daphne''s words.

    Sam, who had lost interest in the conversation for the moment, raised his hand and shouted.

    "Wait, wait, wait, wait!¡¡Daphne!¡¡Zoey!¡¡I''m sorry, but you have to say it so we can understand!¡¡What did the Demon King say?"

    "No, sir, mister. A fool who is not qualified to call himself the Demon King has called himself the Demon King. And he''s trying to get rid of Vivian and the others and replace himself as the new Demon King!

    Isn''t that important?

    Yes, it''s more than just a grandiose dream, more than just a plot to replace Master Lepsey.

    A bad sweat beads down Sam''s cheeks.

    Mizuki and Kathryn are also in a quandary, wondering what to do about this unimaginable situation.

    "We''re in trouble. It''s a little bit dangerous, isn''t it?

    Sam''s head hurt when Vivienne did not seem too troubled.

    He couldn''t understand how she could be so calm after all the uprisings that had taken place.

    No, before that, he can''t help but think that there is no need for Sam and the others to make up their minds at this time when they have come to establish friendly relations with the Demon Lord.

    Sam couldn''t help but speak out loud.

    "-This is a troublesome time!"

    But Zoe turned to Sam,

    "No, it''s because you''re here."

    Sam''s eyes widened as he said this, as if to say, "What are you talking about?

    "What?¡¡Me?"

    She turns to face Sam, who is not understanding the meaning of Zoey''s words, and tries to continue,

    "Hey, Zoe."

    "...... excuse me. It''s nothing, forget it."

    Vivian chides him and he keeps his mouth shut.

    But that doesn''t mean I can forget what she said.

    "Wait a minute, don''t pretend that I didn''t hear you say that much. What do you mean I''m the cause of this?"

    Sam wanted to shout, "Why?

    "-No way, it''s because I beat the lepers?"

    I looked at Zoe, Vivian, and Daphne, and all three nodded, though they looked troubled.

    I guess that''s what they meant.

    "Don''t get me wrong, Sam. I have nothing against you. I myself still have my doubts about the fact that a small human defeated Master Lepsey, but I don''t think it''s a lie. But I am sure that there are some among the demonkind who have more doubts than I do."

    "But that doesn''t mean..."

    "Or, if the demon king can be beaten by a human, it is no wonder that some people think that they are more suitable to be the demon king."

    "No, no, no, that''s too extreme, demon people."

    It is too positive to think that we are worthy of the Demon King so easily.

    When Sam''s head was in his hands, Catherine raised her hand.

    "What''s wrong?"

    "You know, Zoey. I''m wondering if you could help me."

    "What?"

    "I wonder if there is a demon tribe that thinks they are more suitable to be the Demon King than the Demon King Lepsy-sama, even though they see the scar that ripped the earth apart?"

    "The demons - no, the beastmen - are short-sighted. No, not all of them, but especially those who are brought up with pride, like the lions. I am sure that they do not think that they are stronger than the Lepusy. But the Master Lepsy is not here now. Then, if I kill Sam who defeated Lepsy-sama, the next demon king will be me, and I''m stronger than Lepsy-sama, then I''ll get rid of the demon kings in my mind.

    "Oh, my, that''s a problem."

    Sam was more than annoyed, he couldn''t help but shout loudly.

    "What is that?¡¡It''s a super disgusting association game!"

 440 - - 54 "The trouble seems to have started." â‘¡

    "That''s what it means to have defeated the Demon King."

    At Zoe''s sharp words, Sam exhales heavily.

    "Not that I regret defeating the lepers," he said.

    If I had, I would have killed you right here and now."

    "Right."

    The Demon King Lepsey and I did not get along.

    He had his own reasons for fighting, Sam had something to protect, and they were on different sides.

    It is a pity that he could not do the same with Lepsy, even though he could drink tea with Vivian, the same Demon Lord, but lamenting does not change the past.

    Above all, Sam would have killed Lepsy without hesitation even if the same scene had been repeated.

    "But I''m in trouble. I don''t know what to do."

    I''ll go with you. I''ll kill as many Bowoods as I can.

    "...... Right. Maybe it''s best to let Zoey take care of it."

    With a sad look on her face, Vivienne makes her decision.

    Perhaps she does not want to kill Borwood, who calls himself the new Demon Lord.

    Vivien may have her own feelings about the lioness Bowood.

    I think she is a very kind person.

    I don''t think he is a demon king like Lepsy.

    But Vivian, as a superior being, looked determined.

    "--So, I have a suggestion. Why don''t you ask him to defeat Bowood?"

    No sooner had Vivian opened her mouth than the voice of a boy who was not here rang out.

    Sam and the others look around as quickly as they can, but no one is in the room who seems to be the owner of the voice.

    (No sign, no magic, nothing. ...... Is the voice just flying through the air?¡¡(Oh come on, how can you be so dexterous?)

    Surprise and jealousy well up in the heart of the owner of the voice, who has done something that the present Sam cannot imitate even if he stood on his head.

    Vivian, Zoe, and Daphne, who seemed to recognize the owner of the voice, did not seem too surprised.

    "Tomoya?"

    "Tactless. You have the nerve to magically send a voice into a maiden''s room!"

    Vivian called out the name of the owner of the voice, and Zoe stood up, indignant at the impolite appearance.

    The boy''s voice echoed through the room without any hint of offense.

    "Ha-ha-ha, excuse me, Vivien. I hope the knight Zoe doesn''t get so angry with me. You know why I can''t appear casually in public, don''t you?"

    "Hmm."

    "Besides, if I cause problems because of my appearance in front of them, it would be a matter of diplomacy and, above all, I would feel sorry for him."

    "--Shit. Suit yourself."

    Zoe clicks her tongue and sits back in her chair.

    I do not understand the exchange between the owner of the voice and Zoey, but at least there seems to be a reason why someone invisible cannot appear here.

    And since both Zoe and Vivian know this, they do not seem to ask her to come out here.

    "Tomoya-sama!"

    "Hello, Daphne. It''s been a while."

    Daphne calls out the name of the supposed owner of the voice in a familiar tone.

    Since the name of the Demon Lord who had appeared several times was Tomoya, I guessed it was the same person.

    "Thank you for your help earlier. However, there was a word that I couldn''t help overhearing, so I would like to interject.

    "Yeah. What is it?

    "Did you tell him to fight, sir?"

    A dense killing spirit is unleashed from Daphne along with the words.

    "--!"

    Sam is astonished to see Daphne, who has been smiling so kindly like a sister, sometimes like a mother, release a deadly energy that reminds him of death.

    At the same time, he could tell from the magical power rising from her that she was at least a few steps ahead of him in terms of power.

    "Ha-ha-ha, I didn''t think Daphne-san was so <."

    "You probably couldn''t beat them even if you had a bunch of sisters!"

    It was not only Sam who was surprised, but also Mizuki and Katherine.

    Mizuki, in particular, seemed to be surprised because she has been in contact with Daphne through Sam.

    No wonder.

    Daphne now seems to be a different person from the Daphne that Sam and his friends know.

    Daphne Lomax is a kind, gentle and caring woman. And above all, she is a dear family member.

    Recently it was revealed that she was an elf and a rather perverted person, but that does not change the relationship.

    Still, Daphne seemed to be undeniably < of the current Daphne.

    However, everyone present here knew that the reason for her killing intent was out of concern for Sam''s safety.

    That is why Sam clenched his teeth tightly against Daphne''s deadly energy.

    "Yeah. I told him I wanted him to fight."

    "--Do you think I would allow that?"

    "You''re overprotective. Yeah, I think it''s a good idea. He''s a kid, a baby bird. I can understand why you''d want to take care of him."

    "Then!"

    "But it''s not good for him. In other words--shut up."

    The voice was calm, but the pressure of the voice was so strong that it was almost crushing.

    Daphne is unable to resist and falls to her knees.

    Sam, Mizuki, and Catherine almost stopped breathing under the pressure.

    "Oops, excuse me."

    But with a light voice, he was soon released.

    Sam, breathing on his shoulders, got up from his seat to run to Daphne, who was kneeling on her knees, unable to move.

    "How do you do, Samuel Scheidt?"

    The voice of the unseen Demon Lord addressed Sam.

 441 - - 55 "This is a suggestion from the demon king."

    "...... Nice to meet you, Demon Lord."

    We nervously greet the Demon Lord, who had subdued not only ourselves but also Daphne, a candidate for Elf Queen, with just his voice.

    They knew instinctively that Sam and the others would not be able to win if they displeased him.

    I am Tomoya Endo. Well, I''ve been allowed to play the role of the Demon Lord brazenly, but I''m sorry for not showing up. I''m not very good at public appearances.

    Unexpectedly, the Demon King Tomoya Endo responds to Sam in a friendly manner.

    Sam senses no hostility in his voice and looks at Mizuki, who is listening to him.

    Mizuki seemed to understand what Sam was trying to say and rushed to Daphne.

    "No, I hope you don''t mind.

    Thank you. Now, without further ado, I would like to ask a favor of you.

    "You want me to fight a demon tribe that calls itself the Demon King?"

    "Yes. I want to see what you can do. I apologize for my rudeness and my lack of sincerity, but I need your help.

    "Why?"

    "I just want to see what you can do to beat Lepsey, that''s all."

    I see," Sam agreed.

    Like Zoe, the demon king Tomoya Endo was skeptical about Sam''s ability to defeat Lepsey.

    In fact, he did, but they don''t know what part of Sam, even though he was not in his prime, was capable of defeating Lepsy.

    (- I myself doubt that I could have been strong enough to defeat Lepsy, but I can understand the skepticism of the Demon Lords.)

    "Tomoya, don''t do this."

    Before Sam could respond, Vivian chided Tomoya.

    But he was not going to give up just because of that.

    "Sam is our guest. No matter how many times Bowood has called himself the Demon King, it''s not right to make him take care of the rest, is it?"

    "Of course, I understand. I understand that my request is unreasonable and insincere. I want to see what he can do.

    Tomoya''s interest in Sam seems to be insatiable.

    Sam is not sure how to respond.

    Is it right to fight in someone else''s country against a demon tribe and a rebel who calls himself the Demon King?

    No, even before that, there is the question of whether Sam can win in a fight.

    (Just because they are strong is no reason not to fight them. Well, now we have a problem.)

    "Wouldn''t Vivienne like to know what he can do?"

    "............"

    Vivienne responded to Tomoya''s question with silence.

    This means that she, too, is interested in Sam''s power.

    "Samuel Scheidt, I hope you don''t mind me saying this, but I don''t feel that you are strong enough to kill Lepsy even if you were weakened."

    "That''s because Lepsey wanted to die."

    "Sorry. It''s not that. I wanted to kill him if he wanted to die. But I didn''t have the strength to kill the lepers. Neither Daphne there, nor Zoe, nor Vivienne."

    Sam involuntarily turned his gaze to Vivienne.

    She nodded her head in affirmation of Tomoya''s words.

    (Don''t tell me that Vivian, who had made the lepers her dependents, couldn''t kill him?)

    "Do you understand?¡¡Lepsi was not only strong, but also had tremendous life force. If you, a human being who had not lived for 15 years, could have killed him, no matter how weakened he was, my friend, I would have done it long ago.

    Tomoya''s words convey the feeling that he himself wanted to make Lepsey comfortable.

    It is precisely because of this feeling that he is interested in Sam''s power.

    £¨Yes. I''ve made up my mind.)

    "Okay."

    "Botchana!"

    Hey, Sam!

    "Sam, what are you doing?

    Daphne, Zoe, and Mizuki were surprised to see Sam.

    "It doesn''t matter. To be honest, I think I was getting a little carried away. I was just saying that it''s easy to become the strongest just because you''ve become a little stronger against the same people. Of course, I don''t mean to drop that goal, but I want to know the wider world. Then this is a good chance."

    The room erupts in applause.

    It was not from the people in the room, but from Tomoya, echoing from somewhere.

    "--That''s a wonderful spirit. Then, I would like to show you my greatest sincerity. If you could defeat Bowood successfully."

    "Then what?"

    "Aside from the other Demon Kings, at least I will recognize you as the heir to Lepsy, the new Demon King who will succeed him!"

 442 - - 56 "They say the demon king is looking forward to it." â‘ 

    Sam, who had decided to fight, and Mizuki, Daphne, Zoe, and Catherine, who had decided to follow him without hesitation, were sent to the place where the Bowoods were gathered by a transfer spell, and Tomoya Endo appeared without a sound in the room where only Vivian remained.

    "Welcome, Tomoya."

    "I''m sorry I took the liberty of doing that."

    "It''s okay. But it''s not like you to be so forceful.

    Vivienne, who was looking out of the window of her room at the country at night when the sun had already set, looked annoyed at Tomoya''s words and scratched her head.

    "But I had to be sure," she said.

    "I know how you feel. But I don''t think you''re suggesting Beauregarde, are you?

    I swear I didn''t do that. I swear I didn''t do that. I''m sure they made up their minds on their own."

    "--Yes."

    Bowood was originally a man who wanted to be a Demon King.

    He was the most powerful of the lion tribe and had confidence in himself because he had never lost a battle.

    He had too much pride and was prone to emotional outbursts. Apart from his faults of being too proud, too emotional and underestimating humans, he was a surprisingly caring and friendly beastman.

    --He was...

    A few hundred years ago. He tried to call himself a demon king when there were still several demon kings in the world, unlike today.

    Although he did not have extraordinary power, he was one of the top-ranking beastmen, and had many subordinates of all races, so he had no problem calling himself a Demon King back then.

    However, he could not call himself the Demon King.

    The reason for this was the appearance of werewolf robots.

    We don''t know where he came from, where he came from, or anything else.

    We barely know his race, since he calls himself a werewolf, but that is all.

    A werewolf robot.

    The appearance of the beastman, of which only that was known, meant that Bowood was not allowed to call himself the Demon King.

    At the same time that he called himself the Demon King, he was at war with the Winged Tribe, which at the time was hostile to the Lion Tribe.

    He was going to call himself the Demon King after killing the chief of the Winged Tribe and bringing the Winged Tribe under his control.

    However, werewolf robots appeared out of nowhere, and both friend and foe were overrun.

    At first, everyone tried to get rid of the werewolves, judging them as "tactless" for appearing in the middle of a war.

    However, the result was that all warriors who stood before Lobo were killed equally.

    Lobo''s overthrow continued unabated until the battlefield was red with the blood of beasts.

    Bowood, enraged by the slaughter of his men, challenged Lobo, but was defeated without the slightest effort.

    The only reason he did not die was because Bowood was a very capable man.

    Because of this defeat, Bowood could not claim to be the Demon King.

    It was not possible for a proud lioness to call herself the Demon King after being so cruelly defeated by a werewolf with no name.

    After that, Lobo continued to fight against anyone, regardless of race, as if he had gone berserk.

    And when he was defeated by the Demon King Lepsy, he was named the new Demon King.

    "I don''t think I need to tell you this, but I don''t think Samuel Scheidt can beat Bowood."

    "Maybe. Bowood is not strong enough to be a Demon King, but he is still a demon tribe of the level of a count. Well, I don''t think an ordinary mortal can win against him. --If they were normal..."

    "Do you think that Samuel Scheidt is unusual, by any chance?"

    Tomoya laughed at Vivian''s question.

    He had not expected to be asked such a question.

    "Of course not. An ordinary person can''t kill the Demon King Lepssy.

    "--Yes, yes."

    "Also, I''ve been secretly watching him since he entered the demon territory."

    Well, you''re a bad boy.

    Ha-ha-ha, I''m sorry. I was just curious.

    "So, what''s bothering you?"

    For a moment Tomoya hesitated whether to open his mouth or not, but eventually he spun the words.

    "I heard that he is very thirsty.

    "...... yeah."

    "I thought this might be a sign."

    Tomoya''s words "thirsty" and "signs" brought a shadow to Vivian''s face.

    She seemed to have noticed something "strange" happening to Sam.

    "I checked and he hasn''t really shown his strength since his fight with Lepsey, so I thought he might need a place to vent a little. --And..."

    "And?"

    "If he, Samuel Scheidt, is what I think he is, I think we could be good friends."

    Tomoya looks happy when he says this as if to change the subject.

    "I''m the first friend you''ve had since Lepsey. I hope we can be friends.

    "I''m looking forward to it."

    And there''s something else I wanted to tell you.

    Can I help you?

    "That girl, she may have been unconscious, but she said <> <>. If I remember correctly, she was referring to people from your homeland.

    "--I see. So that''s what you''re saying.

    "I guess you''re right."

    Tomoya smiles happily, joyfully, and radiantly.

    "You are just as I thought. Samuel Scheidt, no, my countryman friend.

 443 - - 57 "They say the demon king is looking forward to it." â‘¡

    The Demon King Tomoya Endo greeted the Demon King Vivian and moved to the beach at the edge of the continent by transfer magic.

    Lying in a wooden chair on the white sandy beach lit by moonlight, he took out a bottle of wine from the item box and put his mouth directly onto the bottle.

    He gulps down the wine with a gulp and takes out another two bottles.

    He placed one bottle on the beach and took the other bottle in his hand, placing it against the bottle as if to toast it.

    "Samuel Scheidt, huh?"

    The human boy who killed his best friend.

    I was wondering if it was possible, but my heart danced as I realized that he was most likely a reincarnated person, as I had guessed.

    "I was summoned to another world, and my best friend was defeated by a reincarnated person from another world - funny how things happen when you live for a long time."

    Strangely enough, I can remember it vividly even though it happened more than a thousand years ago.

    On a bad day in junior high school, Tomoya met a god and traveled to another world.

    He was not summoned as a hero as in the story, nor was he involved in the summoning of a hero.

    However, as a result, Tomoya is in another world.

    "I had no particular reason to live in another world, but before I knew it, I was a demon king. I''m blessed with friends and people who understand me well, so I''m happy.

    Tomoya was satisfied with his life, which was more fulfilling than when he was on Earth.

    His only regret is that he could not give filial piety to his parents, but for that reason, he has extended his hand to anyone in need, regardless of race.

    Many times I have protected my fellow human beings who have wandered into this world.

    I am already a demon and a demon king, but I have always tried to be a good person.

    "I was surprised when I heard that a brave man had appeared in the Kingdom of Orkney, let''s see, it was Hayama Hayato. He was the type I didn''t like and I left him alone because he was doing whatever he wanted, but Samuel - what about you?"

    If I remember correctly, there is another saint in the Orkney Kingdom, Kaoruko Kirishima.

    As I recall, I heard that she has moved to Samuel Scheidt''s kingdom and is studying magic as an apprentice of the court wizard.

    "I have lived for more than a thousand years, but only a few earthlings have come to my kingdom. Most of them are just lost people."

    Bob, an American, was climbing a mountain as a hobby when he encountered bad weather and found himself in another world.

    He enjoyed his adventurous life at first, but soon retired, married a shopkeeper, and started a family.

    Mao, a Taiwanese, showed his talent for magic and spent 30 years as a court wizard in the land of humans before becoming a demon, but he died on the battlefield defending his friends.

    Kosuke, a Japanese like Tomoya, was delighted to be transferred to another world, but on the day he started his adventuring career, he was eaten by a monster and died.

    Including them, there were less than ten of them.

    Of course, there is a possibility that Tomoya does not know them, but he thinks it is unlikely that he misses them because of the information network he has cultivated through his long life.

    Then, Samuel Scheidt appeared.

    At first, I was unaware of him.

    No wonder. He is just a strong man. No need to care.

    But then something happened that made his name stick in my mind.

    --The death of the most powerful demon king, Lepsi.

    A man who went out of control in his grief and killed the gentle and pathetic demon king who cursed the people he loved.

    Such an existence cannot be ignored.

    "The more I look into him, the more interesting he becomes."

    One day in his childhood, he suddenly became a different person.

    He was an extraordinary child who had awakened a talent for magic and specialized skills in "cutting" and was able to defeat monsters on his own and share his bounty with the people of his hometown.

    What kind of mentality does a boy of only ten years old have to fight against monsters?

    Would he be able to share the food he got from defeating the monsters equally with the people of his hometown?

    When I heard this story, I hoped that he might be able to...

    "He wandered from place to place for a while, and then he stumbled into the Kingdom of Skye, killing a court wizard in an instant, battling dragons, slaying lepers. Yeah. He''s no ordinary man."

    Sometimes, people are born with substandard qualities.

    Such is the case with the brave.

    But not Samuel Scheidt.

    He is not a brave man. He has the royal blood of the Kingdom of Skye, but he is not brave.

    --Then who is he?

    Tomoya''s interest is insatiable.

    I want to talk to him eye to eye.

    If it were true, he would have liked to come over to his house.

    But to do so would cause a lot of trouble not only to Samuel but also to the people around him.

    He could not do that to the people with whom he wanted to establish a friendship.

    Then came the chance to test his strength.

    It was Bowood, chief of the lion tribe.

    Although he had failed to become a demon king, he was still a powerful man of the rank of count.

    Zoey said that he was a junior, but it was strange that he was a knight even though he was a quasi-demon king.

    Normally, Sam would not be able to beat Bowood.

    But Sam is not normal. I''m sure he will surprise us all.

    "--Oh, I''m so looking forward to it. Hey, Lepsy. I can''t stop thinking about him you entrusted to me."

    Bowood is not our only enemy.

    Tomoya did not instigate Bowood, as he told Vivian.

    But there is someone who has incited Bowood to make up his mind.

    "Well, well, let''s see what the ever-interesting Samuel Scheidt is going to do with them.

    Tomoya said happily and closed his eyes, stirring the wine.

 444 - - 58 "The opponent seems to be a strong opponent." â‘ 

    "--Oops. Ugh, that''s disgusting. Shift magic isn''t so good, is it?

    Sam, who had been transferred to the open wilderness by the transfer magic of the Demon Lord Tomoya Endo, felt a sensation like motion sickness and shook his head.

    Next came his wife Mizuki, his maid Daphne, the courtesan Catherine, and finally the knight Zoe.

    "That''s amazing, the magic of transference. I don''t know where we are, but the atmosphere has changed a lot from the night country we were in.

    "Yes, it is. There''s not much nature, and the air is a little bit bad.

    Mizuki looked around and expressed her impressions of the place.

    Catherine took out a handkerchief and put it over her mouth, as if the air here was not suitable for her.

    "This is a place down south from the land of night. The air here is a bit heavy, and children without magic power will get sick. If you have any physical problems, please let me know.

    Sam and the others involuntarily clamped their mouths shut with their sleeves and handkerchiefs as Daphne explained the situation.

    "Don''t play games with me. It is not so harmful to wizards like yourselves. The magic is too strong in this area. The west side where the demon tribe lives has always been thick with magic. That''s why many of them get magic sickness.

    "So Zoey came too?"

    "Hmm. Now is a good time to see what you can do after defeating Master Lepsey."

    "Oh dear, Zoey is not so honest. Why didn''t you just tell her you were worried about her son?

    "What?¡¡Really?¡¡Thank you."

    "Bah, idiot!¡¡No, I''m not!¡¡Hey, Daphne!¡¡You, don''t talk nonsense!"

    When I thanked Zoey for following me, she denied it, her white cheeks turning bright red.

    Daphne teases her, and I can''t help but smile when I see how well they get along.

    "Anyway!¡¡Look over there!¡¡See the city?¡¡In that town, there are idiots who, like Bowood, call themselves the new born Demon Lord!¡¡Let''s kill him now!"

    "Can I kill him?"

    Sam''s question made Zoe look doubtful as to what he was talking about.

    "Of course. We called ourselves the Demon Kings while we despised the Demon Kings. They must know that there will be a battle, and they must know that death awaits them if they are defeated.

    "I see."

    "Vivian-sama will forgive me - or perhaps she doesn''t care, but I doubt the other Demon Lords will."

    Sam is a little disappointed.

    I don''t agree with all of it, but I don''t mind the ambition to rise to the top.

    Even Sam knows that there is always someone better than him, and he is proud to say that he is aiming to be the best.

    "I''m telling you, you''d better drop the crazy idea. The only reason I''m going with you in the first place is because I know you''ll die if you''re alone."

    "Maybe."

    "If Daphne is here, we can avoid total annihilation, but the beastmen are stupid but strong. At least, I don''t think humans can take them seriously.

    "Oh, my dear Zoe, you followed us because you were worried about your sisters. What a sweet girl!"

    Hearing Zoe''s reason for accompanying her, Catherine hugged her small body happily.

    "Yeah!¡¡Don''t hug me!¡¡You smell like old age!¡¡My sweat, it''s slippery!¡¡I''m slippery!¡¡Hey!¡¡You, really, stop!"

    "Well, it''s rude to smell like old age!¡¡I don''t miss taking care of my body every day!"

    "Stop it!¡¡Don''t pat me on the head!¡¡I am older than you!¡¡Kneel down and be respectful!"

    Pushing Catherine away from her, Zoey looked as cute as a little chestnut rat with her cheeks puffed out.

    It was a warm feeling even before the battle.

    "I''m sorry to interrupt your friendly relations, but..."

    "You!¡¡I''m gonna gouge out your eyeballs!"

    "Are you sure I''m not good enough to fight these beastmen?"

    "......I don''t want to make any assurances since I don''t know all of your capabilities, but I don''t think you can do it. You might be able to fight a few of the usual beastmen, but you won''t be able to beat Bowood and the others who call themselves Demon Kings. They may be weaker than me, but they are still good enough to call themselves the Demon King and have people following them.

    At Zoe''s words, Sam could only cross his arms and groan.

 445 - - 59 "The opponent seems to be a strong opponent." â‘¡

    "Zoey, ......, let me ask you something."

    Sam fell silent and was replaced by Mizuki.

    "What is it, Mizuki?"

    "I know that the higher the title, the stronger the demon tribe, but why is Zoe the knight stronger than Bowood the count?"

    Catherine listened to Mizuki''s question, which was quite reasonable.

    "--I don''t see why not. I''m not interested in knighthoods. I am honored that the Demon Lords have given me the rank of a quasi-demon lord, equivalent to a marquis, but I am only a knight in the service of Vivienne.

    "Zoey has always been like this. Vivienne says that you should be given a position that is appropriate for your abilities.

    Daphne affirms Zoe''s words.

    Zoe sniffed and glared at Daphne.

    "How dare you! You were supposed to be given a knighthood, but you ran away as fast as you could!

    "I am free to live my life, bound by no one. No, I would like to be tied up by the old man.

    "Don''t worry about whether you should be relieved or saddened that ...... you haven''t changed."

    Zoe is taken aback by Daphne''s enraptured face.

    Mizuki sees their exchange and giggles.

    "You are surprisingly free. I had an image of you being more uptight because of the title. But how strong is Bowood?¡¡I''ve never seen Zoey fight."

    I know firsthand that he is strong, but Mizuki, who has never seen Borwood, does not have enough information.

    To Mizuki, Sam is strong.

    She understands that there is someone stronger than her proud husband, who is the strongest wizard in the Kingdom of Skye, and has defeated her father, who is known as the Sword Saint, but she wonders if the difference is that great.

    "You are weaker than Daphne!"

    "...... we don''t know how strong Daphne is."

    "Is that so?"

    "Yes!¡¡For us, Ms. Daphne is recognized as the wonderful sister of Sam''s precious family!"

    "...... nice,sister?¡¡Who?"

    "Oh, my. That''s very kind of you to say. Next time, I''ll make a big bowl of side dish just for you, Mizuki-sama.

    "Really?¡¡Thanks -- not!"

    Mizuki, unable to sense Daphne''s strength, seems frustrated.

    Then Sam, who had been thinking about something, looked up.

    "Yeah. Let''s put aside the fact that Daphne is strong, I have to fight Bowood anyway.

    After all, it was a proposal directly from the Demon King Tomoya Endo.

    We are interested in who he is, and he seems to be interested in us.

    Then, I would like to meet his expectations and make friendship with him as well.

    "Sam! Your sisters are court wizards, so to speak, wizards recognized by the state for their abilities. Sam in particular is the most powerful in the kingdom. But you''re up against a demon tribe. The chief of the lion tribe. He''s so strong that he calls himself the demon king. If you can''t fight, there''s no shame in saying you can''t fight.

    "Thank you for your concern. I would be lying if I said I was not afraid, but I do not intend to back down. Ur would have been happy to fight. As his apprentice, I have no choice but to fight.

    Above all," Sam continued.

    "It''s true that I may be weak compared to the demons. But that doesn''t mean that Ulrike Scheidt-Walker''s only disciple can''t run away in fear before she even starts fighting!"

    Hearing Sam''s determination, Catherine smiled at him.

    "Well, boys are like this after all. Pfft!"

    "--Oh."

    "It''s a big sister''s job to help the young ones. I''ll go out with you as long as I have to.

    "I intend to do the same thing!¡¡I will follow my husband wherever he goes!¡¡Besides, I''m excited to meet my new foe, too!"

    Not only Katherine, but Mizuki is ready to fight alongside Sam.

    Sam was glad to have a reassuring friend.

    (I''m a little concerned that Tomoya Endo tried to make me fight Bowood when he knew he couldn''t win, but that''s okay. As Ur''s disciple, I''ll just laugh at this obstacle and get over it.)

    "Botchana--what do you want to do?"

    "Sam, what do we do?"

    Daphne and Zoe asked, and Sam bared his canine teeth and laughed.

    "--I''m going to hit them head on!"

 446 - - 60 "The appearance of the new demon king" â‘ 

    "--Come out, Bowood of the Lion Clan!"

    With Sam in the lead, they ride into the city where the Bowoods are gathering.

    The beastmen guarding the low-walled entrance to the city notice Sam and his men and point their spears at them.

    Who are you?¡¡The Demon Lord Bowood is in an important meeting with the other Demon Lords!"

    "Thank you so much for your kind words!"

    With a bow, Sam activated his body-enhancing magic with all his might and kicked the beastman away.

    The beastman fell down in a heap and broke through the wall of a nearby building, which seemed to be a warehouse, and did not get up.

    "Yes!¡¡That''s relatively good!"

    When Sam posed his guts out, having defeated the beastman more easily than he had expected, Zoe looked at him with a look of dismay and regret.

    "Be on your guard, you fool. A small army like that doesn''t count."

    "I know. Come on out, Bowood!

    Loud enough to echo through the city, Sam called Borwood''s name.

    He had heard that he was a proud man, so he expected him to come out this way.

    Zoe, Mizuki, and Katherine looked puzzled by this tactless action, but this was normal for Sam.

    When he was traveling with Ur, if there was someone to fight, he would not do anything stupid, but beat them up and beat them up without hesitation.

    Simple.

    "Who are you?"

    Just as Sam had predicted, the demon tribe he had been looking for appeared.

    He is a tall lion with shaking golden hair.

    His face and arms were those of a lion, but he walked on two legs.

    Although he looked a bit like a rich man, he looked like a nobleman in a sense, with his costly clothes and ornaments.

    Only the lion standing at the head of the beasts that appear in a crowd is clearly recognizable as strong.

    "Are you Bowood?"

    "Don''t call my name so casually. Little human. --Hmm?

    The lion seemed sure it was Bowood, his low growling voice sounding uncomfortable at Sam calling his name.

    As he turned to continue, his gaze left Sam and turned to Zoey behind him.

    Zoe, noticing Borwood''s gaze, stepped forward and glared at the lion chief.

    "It''s been a long time, Borwood."

    "...... Zoe Stockwell? d*mn you, demon king! You must be scared of us if you send the Grim Reaper to warn us of our every move.

    "Don''t waste your breath. Vivien and the others would never be afraid of a little fish like you. Shut your mouth unless you want to suffer and die.

    Bowood, not liking Zoey''s tone, bared his teeth and snarled.

    No, not only he, but also the beastmen he had with him snarled.

    "How dare you, you knight!¡¡--I''m a Count, no, I''m a Demon King!"

    "Hmmm... Don''t talk big to me when you call yourself the Demon King."

    Zoe bites Bowood, who clearly calls himself the Demon King.

    Zoey must be really upset that he calls himself the Demon King.

    I understand her feelings, but this is not the way things are going to go.

    Sam reached behind her and lifted Zoey up by the armpits.

    "Now, now, now, now," he said, "calm down. Zoey."

    "Sam!¡¡Hey, hey, don''t lift me up like a cat!¡¡Rude!"

    "Meow."

    With a sigh and a kick, Zoey is behind him, and Sam takes a few steps toward Bowood.

    "How dare a human interrupt our conversation!"

    The lion chief, seemingly displeased that Sam had intervened, stops what he is saying as if he has noticed something.

    "You just said Sam, didn''t you?

    "Yes, my name is Samuel Scheidt. Nice to meet you."

    I dared to shake his hand in a friendly manner, but Bowood ignored me.

    "Oh, yeah!¡¡Are you the one who killed the lepers Vivian says she invited?"

    "Well, it looks like it."

    "Kuh ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

    Bowood began to laugh uncontrollably, clutching his stomach.

    "Well, I expected this kind of response, but it really pisses me off when they do it!"

    "You, a human child of your stature, killed a leprosy!¡¡I''ve heard about you, but I''m surprised to see you in person!¡¡What is it about you that makes you capable of killing a leprosy like the plague that you are!"

    "I''d like to know."

    "Well, well, this makes me think that Lepsey was a weak man in name only!"

    Sam did not contradict Bowood.

    From his point of view, he was a human child.

    He could not deny that he thought Sam was weak simply because of his size.

    In fact, the simple specifications of a demon and a human are different.

    However, I cannot stand it if you ridicule Lepsey for being weak just because Sam looks weak.

    "--You!¡¡It seems you can''t even decide what to say and what not to say!¡¡You insulted Master Lepsey, and he will cut your stinking mouth out!"

    Zoe, who was less patient than Sam, stepped forward again and was about to draw the sword at her waist, when Sam grabbed her by the neck and pulled her back.

    It was not Zoe who told the demon king Tomoya Endo to fight Bowood. She might be able to take care of him easily, but that would not be good enough for Tomoya Endo.

    "So wait, what are you going to do about it?

    "Get out of my way!¡¡I don''t care how much you make fun of me, but I will not allow you to make fun of Master Lepsey!"

    "You should be worried about me there, too!¡¡I mean, come on!¡¡Hey, Bowood!"

    I was getting nowhere, so I decided to proceed with the conversation while I was pinning Zoey down with my wings.

    "Human child! I will allow you to call me by my name in a casual manner, as if you were ignorant and stupid. But let me ask you to show some respect.

    Uh, yes, so, Bowood.

    Put a "sir. Mr. Bowood.

    Deep down, I thought, "This guy is annoying."

    My mouth starts to curl, but I hold it in.

    "Mr. Bowood."

    "Oh, yeah."

    "Enough of your nonsense, let''s get on with the fight."

    Sam''s words could be taken as a declaration of war,

    "--Huh, ha-huh, ha-huh, ha-huh, ha-huh, ha-huh, ha-huh, ha-huh, ha-huh!"

    The beastman who called himself the Demon King laughed loudly.

    "You''re a little shit, you know that?¡¡All right!¡¡I''m going to tear you to pieces with my claws, my pride and joy!"

    With a roar, Bowood stepped forward to close the distance between him and Sam.

    "Well, it''s sad to see you''re the only one having fun, isn''t it? Are we the outcasts?¡¡I want to be a part of it.

    A white tiger beastman strokes his beard and steps forward from the crowd of beasts.

    "--Amru."

    In her arms, Zoe called the tiger beastman''s name.

    (Oops, Zoey remembers the name of the demon tribe, which means this guy is also a newborn demon king...)

    "Hihiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin!¡¡I never thought that only a few would appear before us!¡¡I admire your courage, sir!"

    Next was a white horse carrying a great sword.

    But his body looked more like a centaur than a horse.

    A human upper body was mounted on a horse''s body, and although his face was that of a horse, he spoke fluently.

    He was the closest to a beast of them all.

    "-There was even a Bacchus?"

    And, again, it was the demon tribe whose name Zoe remembered.

    The horse-beast demon king.

    "Don''t ...... have the Demon Lords show up in droves. Come out with more dignity and dignity.

    The appearance of three new demon kings made even Sam bitter.

    --But inwardly, he was determined to defeat them all.

 447 - - 61 "The appearance of the new demon king" â‘¡

    "Sam, you know as well as I do that these are the fools who call themselves the Demon Lords. I hear there''s another one.

    It''s me.

    A quiet voice rang out from amongst the raucous voices of the beasts.

    A moment later, the voices of the beastmen stopped.

    Sam turns his head in the direction of the voices and is horrified.

    There it was, leaning against the wall of a house.

    It was a dark, dark man.

    He looked like a young human man of about twenty years of age, but he did not feel anything.

    There was no magic, no presence, nothing.

    There was no sense of life coming from him. He is an eerie young man who is not sure if he is even there in the first place.

    £¨This guy is the worst. He is the worst...he is more creepy than anyone I have ever met...)

    You suspect that there is a doll standing there, but when the young man moves, you know that at least he is alive.

    But something inside Sam felt a tug.

    "I didn''t notice," he said.

    Zoe''s mutterings startled Sam inwardly.

    She had never thought that she would be so oblivious to the young man in front of her.

    That meant that the young man was that good.

    Zoey then went on to make a statement that surprised Sam even more.

    "Who are you?"

    "Wait, Zoe?¡¡You don''t know?"

    "I don''t know!¡¡I''ve been alive a long time, and I''ve never seen anyone like him. Who is he?"

    When Zoe pointed the tip of her sword at the young man and asked him a question, he smiled a fake smile.

    "Well, who do you think it is?"

    "Are you a ...... lickspittle?"

    Just as Zoey''s emotions were about to boil over, a voice interrupted her.

    "No, Zoe. Varzad is in trouble.

    "Varzad?¡¡So, who are you?"

    Bowood called the young man''s name, but again Zoey had no idea who he was.

    Amr the Tiger followed.

    "No wonder you don''t know him. I am ashamed to say that we are also an unknown demon tribe. They say they are only recently born. But he''s more worthy of the Demon King than any of us!"

    "--Amazed. I''m surprised that you beastmen, whose only pride is your pride, have such a high opinion of non-beastmen.

    At Amr''s words, neither Bowood, Bacchus, nor any of his subordinate beastmen behind him raised an objection.

    On the contrary, they began to call out Valzard''s name in praise.

    They must have seen something in the young man that made him worthy of being the Demon King.

    £¨I don''t feel any magic power, but are you a demon? What kind?¡¡It doesn''t look like a beast. No, but like Evangeline, a dragon can look just like a person. Still, it''s strange that they don''t seem to have any magic power or presence.)

    "We reign in this world as the new born Demon Kings!¡¡There are others who are not here, but there are other new Demon Kings and their supporters!"

    Bowood shouted high and proud.

    The beastmen shouted too.

    Only Varzad smiles a grim smile.

    "Fine, I''ll kill them all!"

    "I like your bullishness. Zoe, I''m only going to say this once. Follow me.

    Die."

    At Borwood''s invitation, Zoey spat in disgust.

    "Well, I knew you''d say no. "Well, how about you, little Sam?"

    "What?¡¡Me?¡¡Are you asking me out here?"

    Sam''s eyes go black and white, honestly not expecting the invitation to come to him.

    "I''m a generous guy!¡¡If the kid who killed Lepsey is going to be under your command, that''s a good story!"

    "No, thanks. I''ll pass."

    "--How?"

    "Because it would be so boring if you became the Demon King."

    I made it clear.

    I don''t know what Bowood wants with the Demon Lord.

    He is not going to overthrow the current Demon Lord and call himself Demon Lord, and he has no hope of doing so if he is a coward.

    Relations with the Kingdom of Skye could also be bad.

    It would be unwise to let the Skye royal family suffer again after having been freed from the Leprosy tomb-keepers.

    Therefore, Sam''s choice was clear from the start.

    "Good dare!¡¡Now I have more than enough reason to kill him!"

    Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.

    Sam covered his ears as his eardrums ruptured.

    "We have every reason to kill you, too. There are four infidels claiming to be the Demon Lord and a lot of rebels, but we have five of you. That''s just right."

    Deep down, I don''t want Mizuki to fight, but it''s too late now.

    I don''t know how to stop Mizuki from putting her hand on the hilt of her sword and licking her tongue.

    She was also a fighter looking for a fight.

    Next to my wife, Catherine, who was also eager to fight, took out a pretty walking stick and for some reason was swinging it.

    I''m sure this one will fight and survive on her own if we leave her alone.

    "I''ll deal with the most troublesome one, Varzad. Sam will fight Bowood as originally planned. He''s a small fry to me, but he''s a big fry to you. Take heart."

    I know what I''m doing.

    If you have the power to slaughter Master Lepsey, show me.

    I''ll do my best.

    Sam looks at Mizuki and the others.

    "Don''t worry, Sam. I haven''t shown you how serious I am yet. I''m excited to be facing a demon tribe!

    "Oh, ha-ha-ha, please be careful not to get into trouble."

    "Yeah!"

    Mizuki is already looking at Bacchus with his great sword.

    He is going to challenge him as a fellow swordsman.

    "I will show you the magic of your love, courage, and hope!"

    Catherine, waving her walking stick, was even more enthusiastic than Mizuki.

    "Good luck!

    "Yes, I will show you the power of a magical girl."

    When Catherine winked at her, I thought I saw Zoey gasp.

    "I never thought I''d be fighting with Daphne."

    "Daphne here. Let''s show them how we''ll take care of Botchana''s enemies!"

    Daphne, mop in hand and looking as calm as ever, is strangely reassuring.

    Not because she is an elf or because she has the power of a quasi-demon king.

    She is like a big sister who has supported him since he was a child, and Sam trusts her with all his heart.

    "-Daphne."

    As Sam was about to speak to her, the beastmen began to murmur for some reason.

 448 - - 62 "I can only call myself the demon king."

    Sam tilted his head, and one of the beastmen shouted out.

    "...... Daphne, huh?¡¡No way, Daphne Lomax!¡¡Is that Daphne Lomax in there!"

    "I''m here, what is it?"

    When Daphne replied in an unassuming manner, the beastmen rustled.

    Even Bowood and the other newborn Demon Kings had a distinct look on their faces.

    "What?¡¡What''s going on?"

    Sam muttered a question, and at the same time, Bowood shouted loudly.

    "--Hide the children and the young man!¡¡Don''t make eye contact, or you''ll be raped!¡¡Demon kings!¡¡It seems that you are afraid of us, that you are not satisfied with just the Grim Reaper, and have even sent us a lascivious woman!"

    "...... you know, Daphne."

    "Yes."

    "I wonder what kind of things I have to do to get this kind of reaction!"

    "--Say?"

    You definitely have an idea!

    Sam shoves Daphne, who is doing her best to look nonchalant, in a loud voice.

    Seriously, I was beginning to wonder what Daphne had been doing when she was living in the western continent as a candidate for the elven chief position.

    Daphne is an irreplaceable family member, sister and mother to Sam, but the demons treat her like a whore.

    There are things in the world that we don''t need to know, but now that I have come this far, I want to know what Daphne has done to me, just to see something scary.

    "Sam," he said. I''m going to have to change my opinion of you. I don''t think you''re the kind of pervert who keeps Daphne Lomax around as a maid!

    Don''t look!¡¡You''ve got it all wrong!"

    "We don''t want any perverts in the new world we''re building!¡¡I''m going to kill you and Daphne!"

    "He''s so motivated!¡¡It''s a little unexpected!"

    Aside from Zoey, Sam and his team were seen as lower-ranked, so they thought they had some kind of opening or strategy, but with Daphne as the catalyst, Bowood became more wary.

    "No problem. I believe Botchana can take down Bowood."

    "I''m the same way. I believe in Sam''s victory. I hope you believe in me, too.

    "Your sisters trust you, so fight with your chest out!"

    Daphne, Mizuki, and Catherine stood alongside Sam.

    "Putting aside the thoughts of the demon king Tomoya Endo, do your best not to disgrace the name of Lepsy-sama.

    Zoe also called out to Sam and sheathed her sword.

    "Heeeeyiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin!¡¡I am the best swordsman among the horsemen. I will deal with your daughter. I won''t kill you!¡¡I am kind to women and children!"

    Bacchus, a white horseman, raised his great sword and looked Mizuki in the eye.

    "Then I am your--what?¡¡What, is that guy ...... wearing pink pretend clothes?¡¡Huh?¡¡Even though he''s a bald old man?¡¡What is this? It''s scary.

    Amr, a tiger tribe member, had spotted Catherine, who was also a big girl, and was frightened when he noticed the strangeness of her appearance after all these years.

    "Well, you''re a rude tiger! I''m going to punish you!"

    Catherine does not seem to be very angry, but her stick is gathering a lot of magic power.

    Her magic power was not as strong as Sam or Ur, but it was enough to be chosen as a magical girl of the court.

    Wait, wait!¡¡I am a gentleman!¡¡I am a gentleman!¡¡I don''t want to fight a pervert!¡¡Change, change!

    "-- you idiot!"

    Amul shook his head, saying "No, no, no," and for some reason Bowood punched him in the face.

    This startled Sam and the others, as well as the beastmen.

    Bowood''s next words further puzzled Sam and the others.

    "Don''t be rude to the lady!"

    "......No way."

    "...... Is he blind?"

    Sam was startled and couldn''t believe his eyes and ears when Zoey saw something she couldn''t believe.

    "Excuse me, my dear lady. Amr calls himself a gentleman but in reality he is a lonely man who has never had a lover. I was merely reacting naively in the presence of a beautiful lady like you. Forgive me."

    Bowood went out of his way to suppress the fighting spirit he had been directing at Sam and kneeled before Catherine to thank her.

    It seems that in his lioness eyes, Katherine is a beautiful woman.

    I wondered if he was a demon king or if he was special.

    "Well, well, I won''t get mad at you just because you made fun of me, my little tiger!"

    "You are a lovely lady to the core. It is a pity that we are enemies. But such is fate!

    "Yes. Let''s fight the good fight.

    Sam, who had been watching the exchange between Bowood and Catherine, asked a stunned Zoe.

    "Hey, do the demon people have a culture of calling perverts ladies?"

    "Of course not."

    "Right. --All right!¡¡One more reason to take down Bowood!¡¡That guy is dangerous in more ways than one!"

 449 - - 63 "Its a battle against the new demons."

    Mizuki was the first to set the ball rolling.

    Without making a sound, he stepped into the space between the horsemen''s Bacchus and drew his sword with blinding speed.

    A moment later, there was a metallic sound, sparks, and fresh blood.

    "Heeeiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin! You''re good!¡¡¡¡But I am not defeated either!"

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha!¡¡This horse is so strong!"

    Both sides wield swords and blades in jubilation.

    Sword blows are repeated, blood splatters repeatedly, and the two continue to happily exchange swords and blades while making lacerations.

    They knew Mizuki was strong.

    He remembered a previous battle with a swordsman from the Orkney Kingdom, in which he had instantly taken his opponent''s arm, disabling him from fighting.

    However, I was surprised that he could fight a swordsman of the demon tribe, a man of great strength who wielded a large sword with ease.

    I had heard that the demon tribe had higher specs than humans, but Mizuki was as strong as the demon tribe.

    Wonderful!¡¡I didn''t know humans had such strong swordsmen!¡¡I''m so impressed!"

    "You''re a horse too, you know that?¡¡--I''ll cut off your head and give it to my father and sister as a souvenir!"

    While Bacchus was impressed by Mizuki''s ability, Mizuki was saying some disturbing things.

    She is usually a kind and considerate woman with common sense and a keen awareness of things. But once she gripped the sword and turned on the switch, this is what happened.

    "Oh my goodness, Mizuki! I''m glad to see you''re having fun even though you''re all dressed up for the occasion ....... Then let''s fight too!

    Catherine, the magical girl, smiles at Amur, the tiger tribe.

    However, Amuru, who was still on his buttocks on the ground, was shaking his head from side to side with all his might, looking so pathetic that it was hard to believe that he had claimed to be the Demon King.

    "No, no, I, as a gentleman, would like to fight a more proper opponent.

    "Don''t be selfish. No."

    Catherine gives Amr a bump on the forehead with her fat finger, as if she were chiding a child.

    Then, with a thud, Amuru''s huge body was overturned.

    "Sister..." she says. I know that your majesty, who is also my dear friend, has been suffering from the Demon King for a long time, so I want to stay by your side Vivian, who is building a friendly relationship with me. I don''t dislike you hot-blooded boys, but I''m sorry. Your sister has a reason to fight--I''m really going for it."

    --Hmph!¡¡The muscles in her body rose and fell as Kathryn raised her magic and poised herself.

    "--P!"

    Amr, still on the ground, lets out a small scream.

    The demon tribe can only be horrified by the whole-body enlargement of the magical girl, which is unknown to them.

    Meanwhile, Katherine''s body continues to grow.

    Her muscles expand as much as they can, and the pretty costume of the Puella Magi is stretched to the point of screaming.

    "- How horrifying!

    Zoe, who had been watching from a distance, turns pale and mutters.

    Then Katherine''s physique grew about two times larger.

    A steamy vapor is rising from her body, whether it is magic or sweat.

    The ground shook as she took a step forward.

    "Here I go! Your sister''s body enhancement magic and her love stick!

    The stick she holds in her right hand looks like a toy against her bloated body.

    Catherine, not caring, turns to face Amul, who can only look on in stunned amazement, and swings down her arm clutching the walking stick without mercy.

    "--Love love attack!"

    The stick was swung and a roar rang out.

    The ground exploded and shook violently.

    Amr was blown up and penetrated through a nearby building.

    Looking through the large hole in the wall, we could see Amuru lying limp and motionless in the far distance.

    "This is the power of a magical girl!"

    Catherine, posing with her slimy, glistening body, twitched her muscles as if she were showing off.

    "I didn''t expect that!¡¡Thank you very much!"

    "--Oh."

    Sam was indeed the one to butt in, and Zoey was in shock.

 450 - - 64 "I got it wrong."

    "Well, Mizuki-sama is fighting Bacchus and Katherine-sama is fighting Amuru, so I will go down to the beasts who are about to make a scene."

    "You got it. I''ll fight the demons of Varzad."

    Zoe exploded with magical power.

    Sam gulps.

    It was beyond his imagination that such a small body could possess such magical power.

    It is much more than Sam, who inherited Ur''s magic.

    It is not only that he has great magical power.

    The quality and strength of his magic is tremendous.

    "Now, if you call yourself the new Demon King, show me your power. However, if you refuse to resist, I will spare you the pain and jump on your head for your grace. Which way?"

    The black-robed demoness moved away from the wall she was leaning against and raised her hands as if in surrender.

    "I think I''d better not."

    "--what are you doing?"

    "Let''s get this straight. I called myself the Demon King because I am worthy of being the Demon King, and I don''t think it will change the fact that I am the Demon King even if you guys disagree with me vociferously."

    "You''ve got to be kidding me!"

    Zoe is indignant, and a moment later, she disappears.

    She moved at an unusual speed.

    Several steps faster than when she had attacked Varzad earlier.

    But..,

    "Oops. You''re not behaving yourself as I''m talking to you. You''ve been alive for a long time, you should behave more maturely.

    Zoey came at me from behind without a sound, and I dodged her as if she had eyes in the back of her head.

    What surprised me even more was the fact that he easily parried Zoe''s blow as if he had eyes behind his back, even if he had eyes behind him.

    "Like I said before, there''s no way a quasi-demon king can do anything about a demon king--oh?"

    As soon as Varzad''s words stopped, red lines appeared on his cheeks and neck, and fresh blood flowed.

    "I see. He''s fast for a quasi-demon king, isn''t he? Yes. I underestimated you for a moment.

    "Done. Next time I''ll cut off your head.

    "As long as you have that rage, no matter how fast you move or how soundly you cut at me, I''ll know where you''re coming from. Never mind. It''s better than that."

    Valzard slowly raised his arm and pointed toward Sam.

    "Samuel Scheidt, Mr. Bowood is coming.

    At these words, Sam realized his blunder.

    He had been so distracted by the strangeness of Varzad and his surroundings that he had taken his mind off of Bowood.

    It was too pathetic to make such a blunder.

    "Samuel Scheidt!¡¡Let''s have some fun too!"

    He must have been excited to see his friends fighting.

    With his fangs bared, Bowood came within inches.

    (Oh, man, he''s fast...)

    That was as far as my thoughts went.

    Bowood was quicker, though not as quick as Zoe.

    If I had focused my attention on him properly, I would have been able to handle it. But it was too late.

    Beauregard''s fist caught Sam in the left cheek.

    The impact was so strong that Sam thought he might lose consciousness from the neck up.

    His feet lifted off the ground, and he felt a sense of floating.

    --A moment later, his arm flew off.

 451 - - 65 "The battle was flooded."

    "--oh?"

    Sam blew up, rolled on the ground, and plunged into the wall of a nearby house, making a huge hole, while Borwood''s right arm, from the elbow down, fell to the ground with a thud, spattering blood.

    No one present could understand what had happened.

    The first one to notice was none other than Bowood.

    "My oh my oh my oh my oh my!¡¡My arm aaaaaaahhhh!"

    Bowood crouched down on the spot, holding his arm.

    "You''re a fool, you couldn''t see me."

    "How did you grow up to be such a good boy, son?"

    Zoe, who did not recognize Sam''s movements, muttered words of surprise, and Daphne could not help but be impressed by how Sam had grown so much from a young boy.

    "What have you done!¡¡Oh, boy, oh, boy, oh, boy, oh, boy!"

    As Borwood''s screams were released, Sam crawled out of the rubble, kicking it away.

    Sam was bleeding from the forehead and mouth, and his nose was dripping blood.

    He wiped the nosebleed with his sleeve, spat out the blood, and wobbled back to the scene.

    "Oh, I thought I was going to die. You don''t have any magic power, do you?¡¡It''s amazing what a beastman can do with his bare strength. I''m amazed."

    The blow was so hard on Sam''s leg that he could not walk straight.

    Still, he was smiling happily, his joy at the fact that Bowood was stronger than he had imagined.

    "I guess I underestimated you, even though I knew you were the better fighter. Laugh at me for being such an a**h*le, and I''m sorry to Ur for making such a mistake."

    What?

    "But I''m also grateful. I''m glad you''re strong. I''m glad you''re strong!

    So far, with the exception of Lepsey, all of them have been fought and won in less than perfect conditions.

    G¨¹nther, who was a strong opponent, I had no intention of killing, and Amamiya Kurando, the wizard-killer, I was able to win with my imperfect strength.

    Always and everywhere, I could not be serious because I was concerned about the damage to the surroundings and the lives of my opponents.

    The only two people Sam thought he was no match for were Ur and Lepsi.

    But even Ur was only a trained fighter, not a full-fledged one.

    As for the Demon King and Zoe, they probably would have been defeated, but they could not challenge them because they were in the castle town of the Kingdom of Skye.

    I don''t intend to use that as an excuse, and even though they say it is troublesome, I think they still like to fight after all.

    Even if it is an opponent like the Demon King, whom I can''t win because of the difference in ability, if I have to fight, I want to fight with a strong opponent.

    And now that wish has come true.

    Bowood is stronger than he is.

    But even Sam has not yet given his all.

    After all, Sam was much like his master.

    He enjoys fighting.

    It''s easy to just go at a strong opponent like a fool, without thinking about the consequences.

    Therefore, he smiles when he finds out with one blow that Bowood, whom he thought was a demon king who only talks a lot, is not only a talker, but a man of ability.

    He is indeed of the rank of an earl.

    He has been recognized for his power based on his simple prowess alone.

    But he is not defeated.

    I''m sure I can reach him.

    What did you do to my arm?

    "What?¡¡I just cut it off.

    "You took a blow from me, and you had time to spare?

    "No, no, it was almost a reflex. Humans are amazing. They can do things on the spur of the moment.

    Sam had inherited Ur''s magic power and possessed a magic power beyond the standard.

    However, too much magic power was a burden to Sam, who was not fully grown both mentally and physically, and he could not handle too much magic power.

    Because of this, he could not fully use "Subete wo Kirisakumono," which is a skill specialized in slitting to the realm of magic, and used it as a degraded version of "Kirisakumono.

    Now, however, Sam has mastered the use of "svete wo kirisaku mono.

    No, it is more than that.

    Now he is sharper, sharper, and faster than when he used to use it, thanks to the magic of Ur.

    Furthermore, even without releasing it as a skill, it was able to deliver a slash equal to that of the "Kirisakumono".

    With this power, Sam slashed down his right arm almost reflexively as soon as he was hit by Bowood.

    Just as Sam was unable to react to Beauregard''s movements, so too was he unsure of his attack.

    He had a good chance to win.

    With a grin, Sam formed his own right arm into a hand grenade and struck him on the neck with a thump.

    "Next time I''m going to cut off your head."

    "Don''t ...... lick me, kid!"

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!¡¡That''s my line!¡¡Let''s have a fun fight!"

    Sam''s dare resonated well in the quiet.

    "I see. I see. I see. I admit that I have underestimated you. I also admit that you are more than human. I recognize that you are not a puny being, but a worthy adversary!"

    The mood in Borwood changed.

    "This is Borwood, chief of the lion tribe. --Let''s go. My claws will tear you apart!"

    For some reason, Bowood did not identify himself as the Demon King.

    But that''s good.

    I''d much rather be Borwood the Lion than the Demon King.

    Sam was excited about the battle that was about to begin.

    "Samuel Scheidt. I''m going to cut you down!"

    They laughed together.

    A moment later, they were about to kick the ground in unison.

    "Yes, that''s it."

    An arm sprouted from Borwood''s chest.

    "What about ----?"

 452 - - 66 "Nobody seems to match."

    Sam stopped moving, absolutely mortified at the unimaginable turn of events.

    "...... haha!"

    Bowood vomited blood, which splashed onto Sam''s face and clothes, which were a short distance away, and stained them red.

    "I''m sorry, Mr. Bowood. I''ve been trying to burn you up all day, telling you that you''d make a good Demon Lord, but I don''t think you''re the right person for it.

    The arm belonged to Varzad, who had pierced Borwood''s chest from behind.

    "...... Val,zard,...... you,...... how dare you."

    "I''m honestly impressed that you didn''t die instantly. It''s amazing how the life force of a beastman can be so strong.

    As Valzard said this, he pulled his arm out of Borwood''s chest, and a large amount of blood poured out of his chest and mouth.

    "Nonsense, I was not distracted by this man. I didn''t even know he moved, did I?"

    Not only Sam and Bowood, but even Zoe couldn''t figure out Varzad''s movements.

    "Zoe Stockwell. There''s no way you could have figured out my moves. You''re strong, but you''re a semi-magician, aren''t you?¡¡I am the Demon King. The difference is huge."

    Pull him out!

    Zoey, sword at the ready, kicks the ground, and in the blink of an eye, she''s right on top of Varzad.

    "Stop it, Zoe!¡¡You can''t take on Varzad."

    The vampire knight''s small body was flying in the air when Bowood, spitting blood and trying to stop Zoey, yelled out.

    "--Not!"

    "You''re late."

    Valzado grabbed Zoey and slammed her to the ground.

    She hits the ground from the back, creating a web-like crack.

    "Ha ha-- you son of a b*tc*!"

    Zoey was definitely damaged, but she quickly unshackled herself from Varzad''s arm and made a big leap to get away from him.

    "...... You''re lying."

    Sam, who had been watching the whole thing, was compounded in amazement.

    Zoey, who was faster than anyone he had ever met, had been easily taken in stride and called "slow.

    It is hard to imagine what kind of physical ability Valzado has.

    Zoe herself was astonished that Varzad did not strike her a blow but was repelled by her.

    She must have realized that she was dealing with an opponent whom she thought was a nuisance, but whose strength she had not anticipated.

    "Your number eighteen is speed, isn''t it? You can turn your magic power into speed and cut through your enemies. Simple and powerful is your strength. But unfortunately... You''re too slow for me."

    "Idiot. Even Master Lepsey can''t fully handle my speed."

    "Yeah. So you can think of me as more than the Demon King Lepssy. You know what I mean?¡¡Because I am strong, the lion tribe and other beastmen, who are just too proud, recognize me as the Demon King."

    I guess Varzad''s words are not lies.

    In fact, none of the beastmen complained when he attacked Borwood from behind.

    They did not even try to avenge him.

    They are more afraid of Varzad, who has crippled their representative, Borwood, with a single blow.

    "Why did you betray me, Varzad ......?"

    Bowood, clutching his chest, his mouth and body stained red, asks weakly.

    Then Varzad opens his mouth, looking a little apologetic.

    "That''s why you weren''t made to be a demon king. I''m sorry. I''m sorry I put you in that mood.

    "Why did you call out to me?"

    "At first, we tried to call ourselves the Demon King by ourselves, but you see, there are seven Demon Kings now, and five of us are not quite balanced, right?¡¡So I thought I''d include you guys and make it eight."

    "...... That''s the only,reason?"

    "It would have been different if you guys were stronger and more useful, but you were surprisingly weak, so I''m sorry."

    "Don''t be a fool."

    Valzard''s words were a sincere mockery of Bowood and the others, who had once been his friends.

    Or, perhaps, he did not mean to mock them at all.

    Maybe he was just being honest because he sincerely thinks that the Bowoods are weak and useless.

    But that would be an insult to Borwood. He was wounded to the bone, but he was still angry.

    "You''ve got to be kidding me."

    "Oh, sorry, sorry. I know it''s hard with the hole in your chest. I''ll make you feel better in a minute.

    As Valzado approached Bowood, he grabbed him by the shoulders and raised his bloodied right arm.

    "Well, goodbye."

    Standing helplessly on his feet, Valzado takes a shot at Bowood.

    But Sam grabbed his arm.

    "What?"

    "--Subete wo kirisaku mono."

    No sooner had Varzad turned to look at Sam with a slightly startled look on his face than Sam chopped off his head.

 453 - - 67 "He is a true demon." â‘ 

    The head of Varzad dances with a whirling motion.

    Everyone stared dumbfounded at the flying head.

    Just when Sam thought that this was the end of the new born Demon King''s silly rally, the headless body of Varzad reached out and caught the head in both hands.

    "Oops. That came out of nowhere."

    Even more startling was the sound of Walther''s unchanged voice emanating from the severed head.

    A closer look reveals that not a drop of blood has flowed from him.

    £¨You failed.)

    The head of Varzad in Sam''s arms laughed at him as he inwardly clicked his tongue.

    "You''re good, kid. That was a blow that could reach the Demon Lord, but are you aware of that?"

    Zoe and the others looked at Sam as if he had been shot in the face, but he ignored their gazes and said a few words.

    "You''re disgusting, you know that?"

    "You''re hurting me."

    "I didn''t think anyone could be decapitated and not die. Are you really a demon?¡¡Before that, are you even a living thing?"

    In Sam''s memory, no creature has ever had its torso and head severed and not died.

    There were many questions about how it talked, whether it could breathe, and why it did not bleed.

    All in all, Sam dismissed them all as "weird.

    "I don''t like it. Of course it''s alive. A demon king doesn''t die from a head wound. Even the lepers that everyone loves won''t die from that. They''re the same demon king. Wouldn''t it be natural if they had the same life force?

    "Don''t make me laugh. You think you''re the same as a leprosy?

    Sam felt a strong resentment toward Varzad.

    All the demon kings he had met so far had been worthy of being demon kings.

    Not only were they strong, but they had the capacity to be demon kings.

    But I felt nothing from Varzad.

    Compared to him, I think that Borwood is still more suitable for the Demon King, even if he is not as powerful as the Demon King.

    "I haven''t seen Lepsey for an hour, but I can assure you. He''s not the kind of scum who would hurt his friends from behind.

    "Oh, don''t get me wrong. Mr. Bowood is not one of mine. He''s just a proud fool who didn''t even make it as a pawn."

    "That''s what pisses me off. And you''ve become very talkative. You know what?¡¡Guys like you are going to get killed miserably later anyway."

    "Oh. Are you saying you''re going to kill me?¡¡Even though you''re failing?"

    "I''ll kill you if you want."

    Valzard''s words, which could be taken as a provocation, increased Sam''s magical power.

    "Are you going to show me your special trick of killing Lepsy, by any chance?¡¡Then I''m very happy!¡¡Come on!¡¡Come on!¡¡Show me what you can do!"

    Ur told me not to use it.

    Sam promised not to use it.

    But he had to kill Varzad right then and there. Sam''s instincts were screaming a warning, more dangerous than the lepers.

    £¨I''m sorry, Ur.)

    Since we have not yet recovered the price we paid when we fought Lepsey, we are not without fear of what he will take with him next.

    But if we leave Varzad unattended and he should harm the people we love, we will regret it more and be afraid.

    Then we must not be so generous.

    "Eat up your fill - Sekai wo Kirisaku!"

    He tried to unleash his magic power, which he had raised to the limit, as the best blow he could deliver.

    But..,

    "Let it end there, Varzad."

    A quiet voice rang out, and Sam stopped moving.

    No, he did not intend to stop, but his alertness caused him to react reflexively to the owner of the voice, and he stopped moving.

    "Huh?¡¡Did they come for you already?¡¡It''s a shame, we were almost there."

    The voice was on the roof.

    "You play too much."

    "That''s why I said I was sorry. I''m sorry you guys had to come all the way out here."

    At Varzad''s words, Sam noticed that there were four figures wearing black cloaks over their heads on the roof of the house surrounding them.

    "I didn''t notice their approach.

    It was the first time Daphne had heard a nervous tone in his voice.

    But Sam agreed with him.

    Even though he had been concentrating on Varzad, it was too big a blunder for him not to have noticed four people approaching him.

    But they did not notice.

    Most frightening of all, the four in black, like Vaulzard, felt no magic, no presence, nothing at all.

    "Who are you?

    As Zoe shouted, the one who had approached Varzad removed his hood.

    It was a tall young man with long black hair.

    He looked at Zoey and quietly opened his mouth.

    "We are - the true demon kings!

    A moment after the man spoke the words, a madly powerful magical force and crushing pressure poured toward Sam and the others.

 454 - - 68 "Hes a true demon." â‘¡

    A strong sense of intimidation and pressure descended on all present.

    The beastmen and even Zoe and Daphne, who were supposed to be semi-demon kings, kneeled down on the spot with a pained look on their faces.

    Mizuki tried to hold out with her sword as a walking stick, but was unable to do so, and fell to the ground.

    Katherine, who was also of good physique, went down on both knees with greasy sweat on her face.

    But Sam was the only one who could stand still.

    "Oh. You can withstand my release of magic? You have the same magical power as the Demon King!"

    "...... No, it''s pretty tight."

    In fact, Sam is biting his back teeth, and if he doesn''t hold on with his strengthened body, he is going to fall down at any moment.

    It is far beyond the standard that an opponent who had not felt anything could feel so much just by releasing his magical power.

    Sam himself had been told several times that he was out of the norm, but now he was reminded that he had met a real outlier.

    "More importantly, what do you mean when you say that I''m the Demon King?"

    "Don''t you have any idea what you''re capable of?¡¡Well, okay. You''ll realize that soon enough, since your power doesn''t seem to be stable. There''s no reason for me to go to the trouble of teaching you.

    The young man who told Sam this looked around in a circle and sighed with boredom.

    "Honestly, I''m disappointed. You guys are getting this from the magic I''ve released with only enough force for you to feel it. Even a semi-demon king level is kneeling down in a state of helplessness. This is what I mean when I say they''re not worth killing.

    Zoe and Daphne bit their lips at the young man''s insults.

    But they do not seem to have the time to even speak out and just bear it.

    "You''ve got the power down and you call yourself the ...... Demon King!"

    "I don''t call myself that. It''s a fact that we''re the Demon Lord. Just as well, I declare it. --We''re going to kill the old Dark Lords.

    Clearly, the young man who claimed to be the Demon King said so.

    "Do you intend to fight properly?

    "Yes, I do."

    "But then, it seems that you have been gathering other newborn Demon Kings and so on?"

    "We don''t know if the Demon King will fight us honestly, and he has a lot of men under his command. Then we''ve only increased the number of pawns we can use."

    "I see. Well, I don''t care what your situation is. If you want to fight the Demon King, do as you please."

    What are you talking about?

    "What?"

    "You''re our target too, Samuel Scheidt."

    "...... yes?"

    Sam, who has grown accustomed to the pressure emanating from the young man, can''t help but ask back.

    "Since I couldn''t kill Lepsy, who was my main objective, I''m going to kill you."

    "I don''t understand!"

    I went to great lengths to bring him back to life by instigating that crazy and stupid family."

    Hey, come on!

    I hear the inaudible, and Sam yells at me.

    "What?"

    "Don''t tell me you were behind the people of Najaria?"

    "He''s been a Lepsi fanatic for some time now and has been messing around with the Skye Kingdom, but lately he''s been getting a little help. The family has been crazy from the start."

    "If you wanted to free the lepers so badly, why didn''t you just do it yourselves!"

    I can''t do that.

    What do you mean?

    I don''t understand a word the young man is saying.

    It would have been easy for a man as powerful as he is to go into the Skye Kingdom by himself and free the lepers.

    "We couldn''t free the lepers. That''s all."

    "That''s why I''m asking you why!"

    I don''t have to go to the trouble of explaining it to you."

    "Oh, I see!"

    "...... you won''t kill me here yet either. It''s not time to hunt yet. Well, Varzad, I think it''s time to go."

    A young man approached Varzad, who had been using a fallen beastman as a chair.

    He stood up, took a big leap and landed next to the young man.

    "Oops, I forgot something", he said.

    With a crooked smile, Valzado snaps his fingers.

    Then more than a hundred deformities appear in a line behind Sam and the others.

    "What the hell, are you controlling corpses?"

    It was a strange sight to see these lifeless, puppet-like deformities advancing straight toward us, making only the sound of their footsteps.

    "Correct. If I had to say it better, I would say that I''ve added various races of demons. Isn''t it cool?

    "It''s in bad taste."

    "I''m shocked. I can''t believe you don''t see the artistry in this. My friends say the same thing. Well, whatever. Now, my little collection-- grind them down.

    "Hey, Walzard. Don''t kill Samuel Scheidt yet.

    "Look, I don''t want to get in trouble later, so let''s just kill him here."

    "......, that''s okay."

    "All right!¡¡So, Mr. Samuel Scheidt--goodbye."

    The deformities are rushing in.

    All but Sam still cannot even stand up.

    Sam, however, is not in a hurry, nor is he frightened, as he fights off the approaching deformities.

    He unleashes his heightened magical power on his right arm at once.

    "-Subete wo kirisaku mono set of flame."

    A slash of flame struck the deformities.

    The deformities are sliced in half and ignited by a horizontal flash of fire.

    The fire, which took in the oxygen and magic power of the atmosphere, quickly turned into a blazing fire and reduced the deformities to ashes.

    "...... method. You cut and burned only the target. That''s impressive."

    Sam''s blow did not damage any buildings or fallen beasts, but cut and burned only what he wanted to cut.

    It was a blow that combined Ur''s signature fire magic with Sam''s slash.

    "You''re good, kid. Your magic is now kingly again. But you don''t have the power to kill us now.

    "I guess so."

    "I should probably kill you after all, but alas, it''s time."

    As soon as Valzard says this, the newborn Demon Kings disappear soundlessly, one by one.

    "Let''s call it a draw this time. I will appear before you again, you can look forward to that time.

    "No thanks. Don''t come back."

    Ha-ha-ha-ha, you''re so boring. See you later."

    With these words, Valzado and the young man also disappeared.

    They disappeared without a sound or a movement, as if they had melted into the air.

    The next moment, the oppressive feeling that had overtaken them all vanished, and each of them began to move.

    "d*mn it, these troublesome people have appeared, and they''re coming after me, and I have nothing but trouble ahead..."

    Sam cowered his shoulders, "Give me a break," he said, now that he had caught the attention of a demon tribe of the demon king class.

 455 - - 69 "Post-processing" â‘ 

    "Mizuki!¡¡Daphne!¡¡Katherine, Zoe!¡¡Are you okay?"

    When Varzad and the others were gone, Sam first ran to his wife and his companions.

    Fortunately, they were crushed by the pressure, but did not seem to have suffered any serious injuries.

    "...... Ha-ha-ha, that was awesome. It was a good reminder that there is always someone better than you."

    Mizuki stood up with Sam''s help and tried to smile, but failed.

    No wonder.

    The magic power unleashed by the young man who claimed to be the true Demon King was tremendous.

    It was enough to break even the most confident person''s heart.

    "Mizuki, you were right, they were really scary.

    Catherine felt the same way as Mizuki.

    She wiped her sweaty forehead with a handkerchief, but still seemed mentally relaxed.

    "...... I never thought anyone could be that powerful. I think it''s safe to say that Varzad and the other three are equal in power. Frankly, I''m horrified."

    "It''s rare to hear Zoey sound weak. ...... No, I was stuck too, so it''s not like I''m a person. But I didn''t expect Botchan to be so calm under such pressure."

    Zoe and Daphne seemed to have no problem either, judging from the way they brushed off the dust.

    "No, they weren''t fine, though."

    "...... I guess I was wrong about Sam. You were the only one standing in that situation. That''s all that matters."

    "I think it''s just a coincidence."

    No!¡¡That''s not true, in fact, your magic is--"

    "Zoe, let''s wait until things settle down."

    "...... I guess so. I''ll do that."

    Zoe wanted to say something, but Daphne interrupted her.

    But she didn''t want to say anything else.

    "So, Sam. What are you going to do now?"

    "The fight is over, that''s all that matters."

    "Then you may declare it."

    Me?

    You.

    "Well, that''s all right."

    At Zoe''s urging, Sam took a deep breath and released his voice.

    "Well, for now - the fight is over!¡¡If you still want to do it, step forward!¡¡I''ll cut you open myself!"

    Not a single person objected to Sam''s declaration.

    Sam was the only one who stood against Varzad and the others who claimed to be the true Demon King, and no demon tribe thought to stand against him after seeing him slay a horde of deformed creatures with a single blow.

    "Alright. Well, let''s deal with Bowood for now."

    "......What do you mean, somehow?"

    "We''re going to heal him."

    "Oh, come on, you''re not going to help me?"

    Zoe says she can''t believe it, and Sam nods.

    Bowood and the others call themselves the new Demon Lords, but that''s all they''ve done yet.

    They have not harmed any of the Demon Lords'' men, nor have they mistreated the demon tribe.

    It is a shameful thing to say, but they had done nothing yet, even though they had been inspired by Valzard to take up arms.

    "I know it sounds naive, but since they were using us, there should be some leniency. Besides, we need to get information out of them."

    "......Whether I was used or not, even if I did nothing, I would still be sentenced to death when I stood up to the Demon Lord, but, well, if you say so,...... mmm, I still disapprove."

    It''s not that I don''t understand Zoey''s feelings.

    The fact that no harm was done is a consequence, not a possibility.

    If Sam and the others had come a day later, it could have ended differently.

    "Then why don''t you leave the rest of the story to me?"

    As Zoe and the others puffed their cheeks out in disapproval, the voice of someone who should not be here reached them.

    Zoe is the first one to recognize the voice and breaks her knees.

    "-Vivienne!"

    The Demon King Vivienne Claxtons had been transported to this place.

 456 - - 70 "Post-processing" äº‹å¾Œ

    Zoe and Daphne, as well as all the immobile beasts, kneeled down to greet Vivienne.

    Sam, Mizuki and Katherine also rushed to their knees.

    "Good evening. Please make yourself comfortable."

    Zoe and the others stood up as they were told, but the beastmen could not move.

    No wonder.

    Not only have they once tried to fight against her, but they are above the clouds, unable to even look at each other under normal circumstances.

    Vivienne, swaying in her nightdress, quietly steps closer to Borwood, who has collapsed, bleeding and breathing heavily.

    "It''s been a long time, Beauregard."

    "Dear ...... Vivienne ...... Claxtons ......"

    When Bowood called out the Demon Lord''s name breathlessly, I put my index finger gently on his mouth, not wanting him to have to speak any more.

    "Where''s his arm?"

    "Yes. I have it right here.

    In Daphne''s hand was Bowood''s right arm.

    Vivian beckoned to him and Daphne quickly carried his arm.

    Lifting the lion''s arm in her small hand, Vivian told Beauregard.

    "I forgive you this time. Thank Samuel. He said he was going to help you and I was going to help you."

    "............"

    "Don''t want to be a Demon Lord anymore.

    When Vivian called the Demon Lord "boring," everyone, including Bowood, looked surprised.

    Vivienne Claxtons - the long-time reigning Demon Lord - made us think deeply about the meaning of her words.

    "Oh, I..."

    "Live. It may be a shameful thing for you to do, proud as you are, but live."

    Vivienne, sensing what Bowood was about to say, interrupts him.

    In a sense, for Bowood, he is being betrayed by his friends, having his arm cut off by a human and finally being betrayed by his own people, all while claiming to be the Demon King. But still, having to live may be more painful than dying.

    "You knew you couldn''t win after the first blow of Samuel, didn''t you?"

    "--Yes."

    "Good boy."

    Vivian stroked Borwood''s mane gently, as a mother does her child.

    Then she slashes his right palm with her finger.

    As fresh blood trickles down, she drains it onto the severed surface of Beauregard''s arm and into his pierced chest.

    "Don''t worry, I''m not turning you into a vampire. My blood has strong healing properties. But if it''s not me, my blood can''t heal anyone.

    As she said, the wounds that were given blood healed as if they were regenerating with blood smoke.

    This elicits a gasp of surprise, respect, and awe from the beastmen who have been watching.

    Zoe and Daphne, perhaps aware of her abilities, are unconcerned, but Sam and the rest of the Sky Kingdom cannot hide their astonishment.

    (Anything is possible now, Demon King.)

    The regenerative power of the Demon King Lepsy was so great that it was cunning, but the power to heal others with only one''s own blood, without the need for restoration magic or healing potions, is also quite troublesome.

    "......Vivienne-sama ......I am..."

    "I''m glad I didn''t kill you, I''ve known you since you were a baby."

    Vivienne looks deeply relieved, and large tears begin to fall from Beauregarde''s eyes.

    After his injuries were healed, Borwood was embraced by a large presence like a mother, and continued to cry.

    After crying for a while, Beauregard stops crying, and then he leaves Vivienne, sniffling.

    Then he kneeled down in front of Sam, who was watching what was happening.

    "--Yes?"

    When Sam sounded confused, not understanding why he was kneeling to him, Bowood took a deep breath and loudly declared, "I don''t understand why he''s kneeling to me.

    "I lost!¡¡Loyalty to you, the victor!¡¡I swear it!"

    "I''m fine with just your feelings.

 457 - - 71 "Post-processing" äº‹å¾Œ

    Sam turned down Bowood''s offer without a second thought.

    I don''t know about you, but I don''t appreciate an oath of allegiance.

    I''m just a court wizard.

    I thought that was for the Witch King to decide.

    What?¡¡No, isn''t this the part where you accept the ......?"

    "Really?"

    Sam looked at Zoe and Daphne with a troubled look.

    "Well, I guess it''s Bowood''s way of making things right. Not good enough for the Demon Lord, but good enough for the apprentice. You''ll get his loyalty."

    "It''s good to have a subordinate, considering that Botchana works here."

    The two demons say that they should accept Bowood.

    "But you know what?

    I am not a king, and I have no idea what I am supposed to do if I am asked to swear allegiance to someone who is not a king.

    "You are stronger than I am. You cut off my right arm, and I could not have done the same to you, nor could I have cut off Varzad''s head."

    "I''m glad you say that, but I don''t need your loyalty. I''m not a great man.

    "But!"

    Bowood called Sam "you," which gave me a headache.

    How could it be, he wondered, when he had just been "you," "you," and "boy"?

    I was glad that he recognized my strength in battle, but why not just be my friend then?

    Vivian stops Bowood from giving up on trying to get Sam to accept her allegiance.

    "Well, well, well, we''ll talk about it later, since Samuel has some business to attend to."

    "Huh?"

    But when Sam, who had no idea what Vivian was talking about, was about to ask, a magic circle appeared at his feet.

    "Hey, this is..."

    "I will be responsible for your wives, don''t worry."

    A smiling Vivienne waves her hand.

    Sam reaches out his arm, but at the same time - he''s shifted.

    "Where am I?¡¡I mean, it''s so hot!"

    Compared to Vivian''s chilly territory, the new destination was as hot as a tropical country.

    Sam takes off his jacket.

    Then he notices the smell of the sea and the sound of the waves, and knows that he is on the beach.

    "Where is the ocean ......, here?"

    It''s been a long time since I''ve been to the beach.

    Maybe since Ur and I moved from place to place.

    There is no such thing as swimming in this world.

    The main reason is that monsters appear in the sea, but people prefer to swim in lakes.

    Nobles have their villas by the lakes, and even ordinary people go to the lakes, which are famous tourist spots, for vacation in the summer.

    It is still fresh in our memory that Sam and Liese were also thinking of going with them, but they decided not to go because of their hectic days.

    "Welcome, Mr. Samuel Scheidt. We have been expecting you."

    While I was looking out over the sea at night, I heard a voice behind me.

    Sam was not surprised.

    The voice sounded familiar, but not many people would go to the trouble of using transference magic to call him.

    Above all, Vivian''s smile as she looked away indicated that her acquaintance was the master of transference magic.

    Or rather, there are probably only a few people who can send out a transfer spell to transfer only the target of the spell.

    And Sam knows only one person who can do such a thing.

    He turned around and saw the person he had expected to see.

    He was a dark-haired boy who looked not much older than Sam.

    He was wearing a black collar reminiscent of a school uniform in this hot weather.

    He had a Japanese face and smiled at me as if he were welcoming me as a friend.

    It is the first time we have met in person. My name is Tomoya Endo - the Demon King.

 458 - - 72 "Its Vivians hunch." â‘ 

    Zoey, who saw Sam off after he was sent away by the transfer magic, was convinced that the demon king Tomoya Endo had taken him with him.

    He is the only person in the whole of the western continent who can transfer people so easily.

    "He''s amazing, isn''t he?

    "Lady Vivien?"

    Zoe reacts to her respected master''s mutterings.

    Vivian gently caresses Zoey''s head with the palm of her small hand.

    "Good work, Zoe. It must have been hard for you."

    "No, I''ve been all talk and no action. I didn''t think that such a being would be unknown to ...... you, Vivienne, do you know them?"

    Vivian shakes her head vaguely at Zoe''s question.

    "It''s not that I don''t have an idea, but I can''t be sure. But if I''m right, I didn''t expect him to show up here as the Demon Lord. I''m sorry to you and Daphne as well as Samuel and the others.

    "No. No. I am Vivien''s sword. Use it to your heart''s content until the day I perish.

    "Oh, my. I never thought of you as a sword. You''re a very dear friend.

    What a waste of words. By the way, Sam, is Tomoya Endo still the Demon King?

    Yes, I am. Tomoya wants to talk to you privately.

    As I thought," Zoey says, "I''m sure you''ll agree.

    She had noticed that Tomoya had some kind of interest in Sam since he had approached her, even if it was only through his voice.

    Zoe has known Tomoya for as long as she has known Vivian.

    Tomoya was already there as a friend when Zoey was sheltered, cared for, and given a place to live by Irene, Lepsy''s wife.

    He was not only Lepsey''s best friend, but also the one who was under the greatest watchful eye of his master, who was arguably the most powerful demon king of all.

    Tomoya had been friendly to Zoey, but when she found out his true nature, she became hostile to him.

    He understood why the lepers were wary of him and why he kept his wife and daughter as far away from him as possible.

    Even though they have known each other for a long time, Zoe still does not understand what Tomoya is thinking.

    She does not know what he is up to, why he is in the position of the Demon King, or why he is interested in Sam.

    Well, whatever," Zoey said, breaking off from her thoughts.

    Whatever Tomoya''s business with Sam, there was nothing he could do about it since he had already been taken away in the transition.

    If there is anything I can do, I''ll talk to him about it. That''s what I thought.

    "I''m sure they have a lot to talk about, so let''s leave them alone for now.

    "A lot to talk about, sir?¡¡Don''t tell me you know him or something?"

    "No, not really, but ...... boys are a lot of things."

    "Huh."

    I felt a little frustrated with her elusive words, but I knew that when Vivien made such comments, she did not tell me something definite, so I did not pursue the matter.

    Hence, I changed the subject.

    "Dear Vivian."

    "Hey, what?"

    "Were you aware of Sam''s, Samuel Scheidt''s power?"

    Zoey was painfully aware that she had misread Sam''s power.

    If she simply fought him, she would win.

    There was no doubt about that, and their fundamental strengths were too different to begin with.

    But if they were to kill each other in a real fight, without thinking of the damage and sacrifices of the people around them, I think the winner would be Sam.

    When Sam cut off Borwood''s arm, Zoe could not follow his movement.

    Zoey, who uses speed as her greatest weapon, also has good eyesight. But even so, she could not see him.

    Above all, when she cut down Borwood''s arm, and more than that, when she burned down the crowd of corpses that Valzard had manipulated, Sam''s magical power was more than her own - no, not like that, definitely of the demon king class.

    It was no exaggeration to say that he was the equal of the lepers whom I adored with all my heart.

    I still couldn''t believe it even though I had touched a part of Sam''s power with my own eyes and body.

    "I never thought that Samuel could be so powerful. In fact, the moment he cut off Varzad''s head and the moment he cut open the poor dead man - I definitely felt the same amount of magical power as us demon kings."

 459 - - 73 "Its Vivians hunch." â‘¡

    The Zoe of the past might have said, "That''s absurd," and would not have taken Vivian''s words.

    But now that she had felt Sam''s power for herself, she was easily convinced.

    Rather, Vivian''s words have removed the still negative part of Zoey''s mind.

    "...... I guess I wasn''t mistaken after all."

    "You''d be surprised. I didn''t expect this. His usual magical power may be out of the norm among humans, but it''s not that unusual among the demon tribe. Of course, not many individuals have as much magical power as he does, but it''s still not rare.

    Among the beastmen, many of whom do not have magical powers, there are few who possess the magical power of Sam.

    Even elves, unless they are royalty or high ranking individuals, are unlikely to have more magical power than Sam.

    However, vampires are a little above the average, even with the magical power of Sam. The difference between a vampire with a title and a vampire with a title is overwhelming.

    It is true that Samuel Scheidt''s magical power is great and of high quality.

    However, there are many other vampires who are more powerful than Sam, and even if they are not as powerful as Sam, their basic self-power is still higher than that of human Sam.

    In human society, the greater the amount of magical power, the more advantageous the situation would have been. However, this is not the case when the opponent is a demon tribe.

    However, it is a different story when Sam''s magical power is of the Demon King level.

    "If it''s his usual amount of magical power, Zoe is better than him, isn''t she?

    "Yes."

    "But when he increases his magical power, it comes out of him like a fountain and surpasses you, no, even me."

    "...... honestly, it''s terrifying."

    "Yes, it is. If he could combine that much magic and skill into a slash, he could have killed Lepsey. Of course, I don''t think it would be enough to kill the lepers, but the possibility is greater than ours. But the strangest thing is that he, a human being, could exert such a power and remain unaffected."

    "He seems to be a child of the d*mned."

    Yes, I''m sure I have some of that blood in me. But not exactly. He is not under any curse like the cursed child.

    As for the cursed child, there are many things we honestly don''t know.

    Because most of them gained their power by sacrificing themselves, they die as soon as they fulfill their purpose.

    There are some survivors, but most of them were killed by the Demon Lord Evangeline Alahi.

    All that is known is that they are cursed by the world.

    "It seems that you are also a direct descendant of an otherworldly hero. But that''s not true either. The hero did not have his ephemeral strength. He was a man of steady strength.

    "Yes, it is. The brave Moon White is not as strong as Sam."

    "Then the remaining possibility is the Blessed One, but there will be no god to bless him now, and then--"

    "And if so, what is it?"

    "I wonder if I''m a lucky child, born with the best of my ancestors'' strength."

    "That''s the stupidest thing I''ve ever heard. ...... Don''t joke about it."

    I didn''t want to admit that I was strong just because I was <.

    "Oh, I''m sorry. In all seriousness, it is possible that Samuel Scheidt''s own power, and Ulrike Scheidt Walker''s power that gave him his power, are all working in a positive way.

    How is that possible?

    "It could be. Come to think of it, I think Lepsey has entrusted him with something, and it''s possible that he''s undergoing some major changes.

    Vivian''s smile deepened.

    "It''s one of the possibilities I''m hoping for--that Samuel Scheidt, the boy, is out of his league to begin with, that''s all."

    Zoe did not agree with Vivian that there was a possibility that Sam himself was an outlier, regardless of whether he was a cursed child, entrusted with powers by a leprosy, or had inherited everything from a master woman.

    "Is it possible?"

    "It''s possible. Zoe, just as you were once a saint, just as a lepsey turned into something more than a vampire, just as I was born a vampire, so Lord Samuel was born with something special in him."

    "............"

    "But I''m a little worried."

    "...... something on your mind?"

    While Sam''s strength is a concern, Zoe thinks there is no need to worry.

    The fact that there are so many demons interested in him is certainly a concern, but it is not quite the same as what Vivienne is talking about.

    "When an interspecies, out-of-standard being is born - bad things happen to the world, don''t they?"

    "...... no way."

    Although Zoe said so, there is no doubt that something different from the past is happening with the death of Lepsi, who was thought to be incapable of killing anyone, and the appearance of the Valzards, who had the power of a demon king but were unknown.

    However, it was hard to believe that they would lead to something on a "world" level.

    In the end, Zoe and Vivian did not know if Samuel Scheidt, whoever he was, was a person who could influence the world, or if he would be involved in something.

 460 - - Epilogue "Former Devil King"

    In a place on the western side of the continent where demons live, there is an old western-style house with a deep forest and many layers of wards.

    Inside the house, a blonde woman wearing a tired white robe was restlessly biting her thumbnail.

    At first glance, she should have been a beautiful woman, but it was obvious that she was pale and tired. She had dark circles under her eyes and was not in the least bit healthy.

    "Are they here yet?"

    The woman looked exasperated, unaware that she had gnawed on her nails so much that they were bleeding.

    Just as she was about to start biting not only her nails but also her fingers, the door to the house was opened with a bang and the waiters came home.

    "Mom!¡¡I''m home now!"

    "Varzad!"

    The woman was waiting for Varzad and his men, who claimed to be the true Demon King.

    "We''re back safe and sound too, Mother."

    "Genius!¡¡Wendy, Tony, Daisy!¡¡Oh, how nice of you to come home safely, my sweet children!"

    Entering the mansion after Valzado was a young man claiming to be the true Demon King--Genius, two girls, and a boy.

    These five were all the true Demon Lords.

    "Thank goodness! I was watching over you with the magic of the far-sightedness, but that d*mned Vivian and Endo made me lose track of you on the way."

    "It''s okay, Mom. There''s no way we could lose to that little fish. Right, Genius?

    "Valzard''s right. We''re your mother''s masterpiece. You should have more faith in us."

    "I''m sorry, my children. I''m sorry, my children... but I can''t help worrying about you because of the pain you caused in my belly. Parents always worry about their children."

    The women embrace and kiss their children one by one.

    The child''s mother''s affection tickled and delighted them.

    After confirming the safety of her children, the woman''s face turned serious and she asked them a question.

    "Did I call myself the true Demon King?"

    "Yes. If you''ve been watching along the way, you know that Zoe Stockwell, the vampire knight, and Daphne Lomax, the elven abomination, were there, too."

    "We showed our power and claimed to be the true Demon Lord. Now they won''t be able to ignore us.

    "Well done!"

    "This power that your mother gave me was nothing compared to the power of a semi-demon king."

    "Don''t be a fool, Varzad. They didn''t even know we had it in them before. We''re in the wrong realm.

    As Genius said, none of the beastmen, Zoe, Daphne, and the humans present could even sense their own power without suppressing it to match theirs.

    In other words, the magical power of the Geniuses, who claimed to be the true Demon Kings, was too great for them to recognize.

    "That''s my boys!¡¡Now, now I can finally have my revenge!¡¡With your awesome power, make your mother the reigning king - no, god - of this world!"

    "Of course, Mom, you deserve to be the ruler of this world!"

    "We will make your mother''s dream come true with our lives."

    Not only Walther and Genius, but also other children praised their mother and said that she should reign over the world.

    The children''s innocent adoration and affirmation of their mother made her smile with desire and madness, and her lips lifted up as if they were about to burst.

    "Vivienne Claxtons...... you who took the position of the Demon Lord from me, I''m going to make a mess of you and your loved ones!¡¡I will take everything you have, along with your sweet child!¡¡And I will become more than a Demon King - I will become a Demon God!"

    Octavia Salinas, the former Demon King, begins to take action to fulfill her revenge and ambitions, using the Artificial Demon King she has created herself.

 461 - - "Its Valentines Day".

    "Let''s start preparing for Valentine''s Day!"

    Lieselotte Scheidt''s shouts echoed in the kitchen of the Countess Walker''s house.

    "Oh!"

    In response to Lise''s call, Karen, Alicia, Stella, Mizuki, and Fran, all wearing frilly aprons, held up bowls and whisks.

    They looked like heroes equipped with legendary swords and shields.

    "Why did you do this to me?

    "Come on, darling, let''s make her happy!"

    Meanwhile, Zoey is caught up in the event and Evangeline is getting into the groove.

    Both are equipped with adorable aprons and triangular hoods.

    "...... you otherworldly creatures. They brought their incomprehensible events to our world!"

    As Zoey complained with a red face, two otherworlders brought Valentine''s Day with them.

    One was Tomoya Endo on the western side of the continent, and the other was Ryutaro Tsukishiro on the eastern side.

    At the same time, cacao, the raw material, and chocolate, the finished product, were widely distributed throughout the continent.

    The new event was easily accepted by all the races in the boring daily life.

    However, both Zoe and Evangeline had never been involved in any kind of romance in their lives, so this was the first time for them to participate.

    Perhaps that''s why Evangeline is clearly looking forward to it, while Zoe is secretly looking forward to it.

    "--With your permission, I, Daphne Lomax, would like to teach you how to make chocolate."

    An intelligent, beautiful, and long-lived elf in a maid''s outfit and glasses struck a pose for some reason.

    They all bow their heads and say, "Please," without Daphne''s smug look on their faces.

    "Gohon. Let''s get naked first.

    "--Oh, hey!"

    "What is it, Master Zoe?"

    "You don''t have to be naked!¡¡Or rather, make the chocolate first!¡¡There is no way we would do something as perverted as melting and smearing chocolate on them!"

    "You know very well. I haven''t explained it to you yet."

    Zoe realized her gaffe when she saw Daphne''s face, smiling wickedly at her.

    Lise and the others are smiling at her, too.

    Karen patted Daphne on the shoulder and nodded that she didn''t need to worry about it.

    Daphne felt as if she were an adolescent boy whose family had found out that he had been hiding a dirty book.

    "No, no, no, you''ve been scheming, Daphne Lomax!"

    "You blew yourself up on your own."

    "No, I don''t!¡¡You''ve got it all wrong!¡¡I knew about it because Master Lepsey was doing that kind of thing with Lady Irene!"

    Zoe is no doubt confused, as she tries to make her supposedly beloved master the culprit.

    This is not something she would normally do, but she seems to be trying to hide her mistake.

    Lise and the others, not wanting to push Zoey any further, said, "Yes, you''re right. Liese and the others, not wanting to push Zoey any further, agreed.

    "......, seriously. But you already know how to make chocolate, don''t you?

    "But I''m not so sure."

    Alicia''s words were met with nods from everyone.

    "If I may be so blunt, I am sure that pastry made by a pastry chef tastes better.

    "Hey, you''re ruining it!"

    Evangeline can''t help but tsk-tsk at Daphne''s original line.

    "That''s why!¡¡We will do what we would not have done otherwise!"

    "What is it?"

    "Good question, Lady Stella. What can we do that confectioners can''t? That''s what we can do... we can put our love for you, Sam!

    "You are the best, Mr. Daphne!¡¡You''ve been taking care of Mr. Sam since he was a little boy, that''s why you think so much of him!"

    Daphne''s face is smug again at Stella''s praise.

    Mizuki raised her hand.

    "But how can I show my love to him?"

    Fran follows.

    "I usually treat Sam with affection."

    "Yes, I know. Well, it''s just that I''m kind of hoping that my love will reach you even more than it already has.

    "And how do you do that?"

    Hualien asks, and everyone gasps.

    Daphne laced her fingers together in front of her chest to make a heart mark and shouted at the top of her voice.

    "--Love beam!"

    "Huh?"

    Whose voice was that?

    "Come on, everyone, join us!¡¡Three, yes!¡¡Love beam!

    "--Love beam!"

    It was Lise who first followed Daphne.

    She seemed to be a little embarrassed, but she still made a heart mark for Sam.

    Following her, the other members of the group, including Karen, also shot out their love beams.

    "Wait!¡¡What''s the point of that!"

    And it was Zoe who was still willing.

    But Daphne must have known that.

    Without hesitation, she replied.

    "- Love is invisible. Hence the love beam!

    "I don''t understand!"

    "But if it makes you happy, darling, it makes me happy, too--love beam!"

    "Evangeline!¡¡Have you given up the pride of the Demon King!"

    "Well done. Evangeline, you are indeed praised as the goddess of love.

    Well, well, well!

    "No, he''s useless when he''s pampered!"

    Zoe gave up, and they practiced their love beams for a while, each of them becoming so good that Daphne recognized them, and finally growing to the point where they could make the heart mark fly.

    "If you have grown so much in such a short time, I''m sure Sam Botchana can feel your heartfelt affection!¡¡Now all that''s left to do is to melt the chocolate I bought at a fancy pastry store and let it harden again!¡¡Just like we made it ourselves!"

    "Yes!¡¡Teacher!"

    "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!¡¡Is that what you want?

    I suspected that I had already been brainwashed, but when I saw everyone happily roasting chocolate, pouring it into heart molds, cooling it with ice magic, and wrapping it in cute little packages, I decided to give it a rest.

    That night.

    "Wow!¡¡Thank you all!"

    Sam looked very happy when he received chocolates from Liese and her friends, his sister and other women he was related to.

    --And as an added bonus...

    "I didn''t make it for you, you know!"

    Zoey handed the chocolate to Sam with a template tsundere and stepped into the castle on the western side of the continent where the demon king Lepsy once lived.

    Zoey, who has many feelings for Lepsy, visited the castle, not the tomb built by his followers.

    She walks through the uninhabited castle and places a piece of chocolate on the throne without its master.

    "Dear Lepsy, ...... I have misled you into thinking that you are a pervert who plays with chocolate with his wife!"

    Zoe, who had blamed Lepsey for her blunder, had prepared chocolates for him as a way of apologizing and apologizing.

    She was a little disappointed.

    She should have participated in Valentine''s Day while Lepsey was still alive and in a more peaceful state of mind.

    "Dear Lepsey, I have changed. After meeting Sam, I feel that the time that had stopped has started to move. Please watch over me with your family.

    Zoe bowed deeply and said, "I''ll be back. and left.

    When Zoey returns home, she finds Sam''s wives waiting for her, who are unusually torn over who will spend a sweet Valentine''s Day night with her.

    She smiles at them and says, "I guess there are days like this," and laughs at how lively they are.

    Then I remembered.

    "-- Come to think of it, I''m kind of scared that that pervert won''t participate in such an event. Oh well."

 462 - - "Its Valentines Day (back)"

    In the kitchen of his home, G¨¹nter Ignaz stared at a pot full of hot, melted chocolate and gulped down a mouthful.

    "--Valentine''s Day has finally come. Every year I''ve been ordering chocolates for Ur, but she never comes home, so I can''t give them to her, and Lise and Fran keep eating them, but this year I have Sam!"

    G¨¹nther is usually dressed in a white suit, but he is wearing an apron and nude clothes to prevent the chocolate from bouncing.

    "Oh, Sam!¡¡I got some chocolate in a color close to your hair!¡¡But the problem was that it was a little bitter. If I had breast milk, I could have flavored it, but I''m not there yet."

    Unfortunately, he''s not in a position to do so, as there''s no Sam or Zoey here to butt in. At the same time, it is a bit lonely because there is no one to listen to him.

    "I bet Liese and her friends are having a great time right now!¡¡But!¡¡I dare you to challenge me to a battle of loneliness!¡¡I''m definitely not sad that I wasn''t invited!"

    G¨¹nther raises his voice as if he were making excuses to someone.

    My father came to see what he was doing, but when he saw a young man of a good age wearing a naked apron, he sighed loudly and left.

    "--But you''re going to be exposed to this. ...... to put it mildly, won''t it kill you?"

    As expected, even G¨¹nther was not comfortable with the idea of covering his head with hot chocolate.

    "Yeah!¡¡What are you hesitating about, G¨¹nther Ignatz!¡¡In other worlds, they say, everyone does it to show their love to the opposite s*x!¡¡If otherworldly people can do it, why can''t I!"

    With all his mistaken knowledge planted in his head, G¨¹nther decided to try his hand at full-body chocolate.

    There was no need to do it hot, but according to his information, it was hot, so he had no choice.

    "-- here we go!"

    G¨¹nther grabbed the pot,

    "Well, well, wait a minute."

    I''m a little freaked out.

    "It''s not a good idea to go in there so suddenly. First, let''s try a little--hot!¡¡Hot, hot, hot!¡¡I''m going to burn my nipples!"

    I applied a small spoonful of the chocolate I had saved and found it was hotter than I had imagined.

    "Is this kind of thing popular in other worlds?"

    G¨¹nther could not hide his agitation, but he felt a gaze on him and turned around.

    "You look so bad, Mr. G¨¹nther!"

    There was Cree, his entire body covered in chocolate.

    "...... You don''t think you''ve succeeded in covering your whole body in chocolate!"

    "Because of my love for Mr. G¨¹nther!"

    Needless to say, Kree is not burned at all because he is smearing moderately heated chocolate on his skin.

    "Mr. G¨¹nther, I hate to say this, but..."

    "What?"

    "Master G¨¹nther''s love for Sam is just that!"

    "What the hell?"

    "If it had been you, Mr. G¨¹nther, you would have smeared yourself with hot chocolate, or even magma!¡¡But you have been trained by me, and as a result, your love for Master Sam has diminished!"

    No," G¨¹nther says, shaking his head in agitation.

    But it''s true, as they say.

    The man I used to be, I would not have hesitated.

    After Kree had taken away his first many precious memories and he had even had a child, G¨¹nther realized that he had apparently become "defensive.

    Thanks to you, I''m awake now. You G¨¹nter Ignatz!¡¡There is nothing to fear before my love for Sam!"

    "Yes, sir!¡¡That''s exactly what I''m talking about, Mr. G¨¹nther!

    "Mama ......, you didn''t tell me that you were going to berate me, did you?"

    When G¨¹nther was puzzled as to why, Cree - covered in chocolate, it was hard to tell, but perhaps smiling - said, "I don''t know.

    "I adore you just the way you are, Mr. G¨¹nther. My feelings for Sam are part of G¨¹nther!

    "...... I never thought I''d see the day when you''d encourage me - then watch me there, my feelings and love for Sam!"

    "Oh, yes!¡¡That''s the spirit!¡¡That is why I adore you, G¨¹nther Ignaz!"

    G¨¹nther grabbed the pot and covered his head with the hot chocolate in one fell swoop.

    And then..,

    "Gyahhhhhhhh!"

    He screamed.

    A short time later, the first seat of the court magician, Shilin, was dispatched to heal G¨¹nther''s minor burns.

 463 - - Quiet story: Pervert and the Devil.

    Evangeline Allahi, the Demon King, with the help of her colleague, Tomoya Endo, moved to the Royal Capital of the Kingdom of Sky, and opened the window of the room of Count Walker''s house where Sam lived, which she had checked out beforehand.

    "Darling!¡¡They''re here!"

    Evangeline, who was also the man of her dreams, was so eager to meet Sam that she bravely went to his room and found him there,

    "What the hell are you?

    Who the hell are you?

    There was no one in the room that I had feelings for, but instead a strange blonde young man in the bed.

    Evangeline couldn''t help but let out a loud cry and kept her mouth shut when she remembered that she was a guest in the house.

    She had just been scolded and spanked by Vivian for visiting the Kingdom of Skye without permission, so she didn''t want to be spanked a second time.

    Anyway, I went into the room through the window and let out a murderous laugh at the man who looked suspiciously like a man.

    "So, who the hell are you? I mean, where is my darling?"

    "Darling?¡¡You don''t mean Sam by any chance, do you?"

    "Yes!¡¡It''s Samuel Scheidt!¡¡I am Evangeline Alahey. Darling''s wife, by the way!"

    "...... Oops, that''s not a good idea. Let''s say it out loud!¡¡I am G¨¹nther Ignaz, Sam''s wife!"

    "Oh?¡¡You''re a man!¡¡And get the hell out of my bed!¡¡What are you doing curled up in my darling''s bed!"

    Evangeline was inwardly clicking her tongue.

    She had planned to sneak into the room and surprise him, but she had no idea that someone had already arrived.

    And the name G¨¹nter Ignaz rang a bell.

    He''s a high-ranking figure in the Sky Kingdom.

    He had thought there was no need to be wary of a human being, but he had never expected a traitor to claim to be Sam''s wife.

    "Oh, excuse me. I''ve been humiliated for the past few days by my mom, or should I say her daughter. I''ve been trying to relax with the scent of Sam."

    G¨¹nther crawled out of bed, brushing his hair out of his face,

    "Wow. ......."

    Evangeline took a few steps back in horror.

    The reason for this was G¨¹nther''s outfit.

    His moderately fit and hairless body was somehow equipped with bright red women''s underwear.

    Not only was he wearing shorts, but he was also wearing a bra, which was so perverted that even Evangeline, the daughter of the Dragon King and the Demon King, could not help but feel an instinctive sense of fear.

    But, even if she is rotten, she is still the Demon King. I was driven by a sense of duty to do something about the pervert for the sake of my beloved boy, even if it meant sacrificing myself.

    "No, no, no!¡¡Why are you wearing that fancy underwear?¡¡That''s a woman''s thing!¡¡No man should wear that!"

    G¨¹nther snorted in response to Evangeline''s cry.

    "Shut up!¡¡It''s none of your business what kind of lingerie I wear!"

    "Now that you''re showing off, it''s a big deal!"

    "By wearing Ulrike''s lingerie, I will always be one with her!"

    "I can assure you. That Ulrike definitely thinks you''re creepy!"

    "--Ha!¡¡You have no idea the bond between me and Ulrike!"

    I don''t know, and I don''t want to know.

    "Well, that''s okay. By the way, when you called Sam "darling" earlier, that was a bit rude to my wife, wasn''t it?

    Evangeline, dressed in pitch-black gothic lolita, and G¨¹nther, wearing only bright red underwear, glare at each other.

    "I remember now. You''re the Demon King, aren''t you?

    "Heh. You still have that attitude even though you know I''m the Demon King?"

    "Of course, out of love!"

    "...... I see. It seems that your feelings for my darling are genuine."

    The Demon King spat out a little regretfully.

    G¨¹nther proudly displayed his bra-equipped chest and made a smug face.

    "That doesn''t change the fact that you''re a pervert!¡¡I bet my darling is grossed out by it anyway!"

    "LOL!¡¡--How can Sam be prejudiced just because I wear women''s lingerie!¡¡Of course he would accept me as I am!¡¡Sam is not such a small vessel!"

    "--, yes, darling, you can laugh at this pervert ......, no, you can''t!"

    "That''s why you''re no good to me, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

    The pervert yells at me, and I get jumpy.

    Since a few minutes ago, I have been wondering why this pervert is so bossy.

    I wonder if this kind of thing is prevalent in human society, but I don''t know it myself.

    "In the first place, you''re not qualified!¡¡First of all, if you''re going to barge in, do it at night!¡¡Also, you''re the Demon King, right?¡¡A woman of good age and position should be more ...... neat and tidy in such a gloomy, dark outfit!"

    "You''re my mother!¡¡I mean, why are you being told off by a pervert you''ve never met before?"

    "That''s not the point. Why are you here?

    "Huh?¡¡No, that''s why I came to visit my darling.

    "So that''s the question. If you''re Sam, you''ve been invited by the Demon King to meet with Vivian, right?"

    "Huh?"

    Time stood still for a moment.

    And then..,

    "Tomoyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

    Evangeline screamed out.

    "That son of a b*tc*!¡¡How dare you suddenly hand me information about my darling!¡¡I was just thanking him for the magic to transfer me to the Kingdom of Skye, and here I am!¡¡You''ve kept me from seeing my darlin''!

    Evangeline had not expected Sam to come to the west, but Tomoya''s sweet words had brought her there.

    What awaited her was not her beloved Sam, but a pervert.

    The reality was so unreasonable that Evangeline almost shed tears.

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha!¡¡Apparently, Sam and you are not related!"

    "...... you bastard. You take advantage of people when they''re nice to you. Now I''m going to have to put you out of your misery, too!"

    "...... why?"

    Because I don''t like you!¡¡I know you''re after my darling''s ass anyway, but I won''t let you!"

    "Wait!¡¡You''ve got it all wrong!¡¡It''s the other way around!

    "Shut up!¡¡I''ll protect my darling''s ass!"

    At any rate, Evangeline exploded with magic power to take out her anger at being cheated by Tomoya.

    "--God, you''re the Demon King!¡¡I don''t know what I would have done if I hadn''t warded it."

    "In the name of my name, Evangeline Allahi, I command you. Curse you! --I curse you...

    Evangeline releases a spell of magic that envelops G¨¹nther.

    "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

    The Demon King''s high laugh and G¨¹nther''s screams were heard.

    --On this day, G¨¹nther Ignatz became a woman.

 464 - - 1 "In a way, he was the most powerful demon king."

    "Are you ...... Tomoya Endo-sama?"

    Tomoya gave a soft, natural expression to Sam''s nervousness.

    "You can call me Tomoya. May I call you Sam, too?

    "Uh, yes."

    "Or, if you want me to read you by your pre-reincarnation name, I will."

    "--"

    The mention of the word "reincarnation" made Sam nervous and alarmed.

    No doubt, Tomoya seemed to already know that Sam was a reincarnated person.

    "I don''t like muddle, so let me make this clear. I''m convinced that you are a reincarnation.

    "--Why?"

    "Well, I''m a reincarnated person when I get that answer. Normally, I would say, "What are you talking about?

    "--oh."

    Although it was a trivial matter, the fact that I responded with a question instead of a denial seemed to have affirmed Tomoya''s words.

    However, Sam is not hiding the fact that he is a reincarnated person.

    He just doesn''t tell people because he has no reason to.

    Therefore, it doesn''t hurt or itch if Tomoya finds out that he is a reincarnated person.

    "Don''t be alarmed. I think you have already guessed what I am by my name, haven''t you?

    You are a reincarnation, or rather, a transmigration, right?

    Yes. More than a thousand years ago, I was summoned to this world.

    "As a brave man, perhaps?"

    "No way!¡¡A brave man is not such a terrible thing!¡¡You see, it happens all the time. You know, the stories about meeting God and going to another world.

    "--No way."

    I realized that the boy in front of me who claimed to be the Demon King had come to this world from a completely different background than Sam.

    "Yes, I am a Japanese who met a goddess and was sent to this world.

    "...... I didn''t know that was possible."

    It''s not like Sam, who found himself reborn in another world.

    I had never met a god, nor did I think one existed in the first place.

    "I remember that day vividly. I wasn''t a person people liked, so I had a lot of trouble in Japan."

    "Excuse me, how old are you?"

    I came to this world in the third grade of junior high school, when I was only 14 years old.

    "For such a child."

    Tomoya chuckled at Sam''s mutterings.

    "Isn''t he the same age as you are now?"

    "That''s true, but..."

    "I''ve grown up a little since I came to this world, but then I became a demon king, so I''ve stayed the same. I don''t look like a young man.

    "When you become a demon king, don''t you age?"

    There are more questions to be asked than these, but I just ask them out of reflex.

    "Hmmm. A demon king is a somewhat strange existence among the demon tribe that can be attained only when several conditions are met. I seem to have stopped being human when I reached that point. I guess I have been immortal ever since. I didn''t pay much attention to it because the people around me didn''t age."

    There was something in Tomoya''s words that could not be ignored.

    In his way of speaking, a Demon Lord cannot become one just by saying his name, but must come to be.

    If this is the case, I wondered what would happen to Bowood, Valzard, and the others.

    Tomoya opened his mouth as if he could see through Sam''s mind and continued to speak.

    "Your question is valid, so let me explain. If you simply want to be the Demon King, just call yourself the Demon King. If there is a demon tribe that shows strength and follows you, then that individual can be the Demon King. However, Demon Kings like me, Vivian, and Lepsi are individuals whose very existence is recognized by the world as a Demon King.

    "Well, it''s kind of a hassle, isn''t it? But how did you become the Demon King?

    It''s the way it was meant to be. I''m sure you have many questions. I, too, am intrigued by the idea of a reincarnated Sam.

    "Huh."

    Tomoya said, "Since we are here, let''s sit down and talk slowly," and pointed to a wooden chair on the beach.

    Sam and Tomoya each sat down on a chair and faced each other.

    "So, first of all, how did I become the Demon King?

    "Well, is it like a perk of meeting God?"

    "I have a different constitution, but I got the perks for the perks."

    "I love it!"

    Sam, who never met the goddess when he reincarnated, of course did not receive any privileges.

    "Ha-ha-ha. My peculiarity is something I''ve had since I lived in Japan. It''s a disgusting trait. I''ve made a lot of people unhappy because of it, and I''m a hater myself.

    "......What kind of constitution do you have?"

    When I was living in Japan, I was interested in the idea of a peculiar constitution. However, when I heard that he was unhappy because of his condition, I wondered if I should visit him or not.

    But Sam''s curiosity got the better of him and he asked.

    "--Lucky skate."

    "------------ is ?"

    His ears and brain could not understand Tomoya''s words.

    No, no, he could hear and his brain could process what he was saying, but his heart refused to accept it.

    Tomoya continued as if he was trying to get Sam to fold up.

    "My peculiarity is that I''m a lucky skeptic. I became a demon king by this lucky scheme.

    ".................. haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

    Sam, a great scream came from his soul.

 465 - - 2 "The Devil began to speak" â‘ 

    (What?¡¡What''s that, a lucky scheme, that lucky scheme?¡¡Is there some element of being a Demon King that I just don''t know about!¡¡(Someone tell me what''s going on!)

    Sam sweats, unable to hide his bewilderment,

    "-I''ve been a lucky skeptic ever since I can remember."

    (He started talking about something!)

    Tomoya begins to tell the story of his upbringing.

    Sam''s turmoil only grows.

    When I was a child, yes. Let''s go back to when I was in kindergarten. I was a very popular boy who was always with the girls. I was the kind of kid who liked to play make-believe rather than run around outside, but I still never thought of it as a particularly lucky scheme."

    "I bet."

    It would be rather frightening if a preschooler could be aware of lucky skates.

    "However, when I entered elementary school and began to be s*xually conscious in the upper grades, it was just like a romantic comedy with all the happenings.

    Tomoya says that sticking his head up a girl''s skirt was an everyday occurrence.

    However, he was never shunned by girls because of this.

    The girls who were surprised at the beginning were just aware that "Endo-kun is doing it again".

    £¨That''s amazing!¡¡(The girls have too much nostalgia for their impressionable age!)

    In Sam''s elementary school days, he remembers that girls used to hang up on bad boys who had skirt-flips.

    Considering this, the girls around Tomoya seem to be very tolerant.

    "I can''t count the number of times I''ve seen girls changing clothes in the classroom after school. I''ve been locked in the gym with the cutest and most popular girl in the class and ...... well, I''ve had a lot of things happen."

    "A romantic comedy on the high road!"

    I''m starting to think that I''m a lucky skater, or perhaps I''m the protagonist of a romantic comedy.

    At least Sam has never experienced such an event.

    "This was cute. Besides, look, I have a pretty face, don''t I?¡¡So the girls didn''t get mad at me if I got a little naughty."

    "I said it myself!"

    Tomoya certainly has a pretty, girlish face.

    Among Sam, G¨¹nter Ignaz is a very handsome man, but Tomoya is a beautiful boy with a different vector from G¨¹nter Ignaz.

    However, I am not sure if Tomoya, who has lived more than 1,000 years, can be called a beautiful "boy".

    If he is as good looking as he is, girls may have been willing to give him a break.

    "But things changed when he became a junior high school student.

    Tomoya attended a junior high school where students came from several elementary schools to one junior high school.

    Because of this, more than half of the students did not know Tomoya.

    However, he was still a lucky skater and started to cause quite a lot of serious happenings.

    Still, the girls did not mind, either because of his good looks or because they knew that Tomoya had no malice toward them.

    However, the boys, who were in the midst of puberty, did not think Tomoya was funny.

    "Ah!"

    Tomoya was popular among the girls, despite his lucky skate.

    It was impossible for the boys not to be annoyed with Tomoya, who sometimes received confessions from not only his classmates but also from upperclassmen.

    "So, the seniors called me in and beat me to a pulp in plain sight."

    Tomoya was not defeated by the unreasonable violence.

    He told the police about the assault and had the seniors suspended from school.

    The seniors must have had pride. They could not say that they did not like Tomoya because he was being pampered by the girls, and they made a lot of excuses, but in the end they were suspended.

    After that, the boys who were jealous of Tomoya and surrounded him in numbers and violently attacked him were scorned by all the girls and stopped coming to school.

    The other boys, who thought Tomoya was uninteresting, could no longer touch him, and for the time being, there was peace.

    However, he still has his lucky skating, and he has happenings with girls and gets close to them even though he is not aiming at them.

    Moreover, these girls become aware of Tomoya and develop a liking for him.

    The cycle repeats itself.

    The popular girl in the class.

    The most beautiful girl in the grade.

    The cheerful student body president who is loved by everyone.

    Even the students of other schools start to ignore Tomoya, who has been unconsciously attacked by the boys because of his lucky break.

 466 - - 3 "The Devil started talking" â‘¡

    "I''m kind of speechless."

    I think it''s an easy development to understand.

    The girls are envious that they are allowed to have lucky sketches, and yet they are popular among the girls as well. It must have been quite uninteresting for other boys, especially those who are curious about the opposite s*x in their adolescence.

    "Ha-ha-ha. To tell the truth, I didn''t care much about it. I didn''t think elementary and junior high school friendships lasted long."

    "Dry!"

    I think that''s a very cold thought for a junior high school student.

    But in fact, there are probably a few people whose friendships have continued since elementary and junior high school. Some of us don''t.

    In fact, Sam has only two friends from elementary and junior high school in his previous life.

    "To continue the story, it would have been fine if it was just the boys, but it turned out that the girls didn''t like it either."

    "...... has it become?"

    "It just happened."

    It all started when I started dating a girl.

    Tomoya is a boy of his age.

    He had a desire to fall in love with someone in an appropriate manner for his age and to have a sweet and sour youth.

    He had a rather good feeling with his first girlfriend, who was a typical junior high school student. However, Tomoya''s lucky skating continued in the meantime.

    Then, he gets close to a new girl and his girlfriend gets jealous.

    At first, he was cute at first, but gradually he became more and more restrained and fed up with it.

    The girl who couldn''t bear to see Tomoya like that warned him, but the girl who warned him was in love with Tomoya in the first place and envied his girlfriend''s position, so things started to get awkward.

    (-- I get sick to my stomach just listening to this)

    "I don''t like to play lucky games either. Well, people around me knew I didn''t do it on purpose, so it was hard to blame them. It''s a shame that the girl I was going out with took the brunt of it."

    "So, what happened in the end?"

    "My girlfriend at the time eventually tried to kill me and die herself."

    "Madness!¡¡Why did you do that!"

    At Sam''s question, Tomoya let out a loud sigh.

    "If you knew that, you wouldn''t have any trouble."

    "Don''t tell me she stabbed you to death and you ended up in another world?"

    No, I had other girls protect me there. It happened at school."

    "...... pathetic."

    "I don''t have any words to reply. Well, the girl transferred to another school, unfortunately, but I haven''t seen her since. I wish it had ended like this."

    "You think the lucky skating is still going on?"

    Tomoya nodded with a dark look on his face, and Sam couldn''t hide his confusion.

    There are too many events even before coming to the other world.

    "After that, I had a lucky shot not only with a student but also with a female teacher. I mean, a young, beautiful and popular teacher."

    "Wow."

    "Of course, not only the boys, but also the male teachers became less amused. They were laughing because they knew it was a personnel issue, but they couldn''t laugh anymore."

    "Well, well, teachers are human beings. Of course he didn''t find it funny. I don''t know.

    Aside from the married men, the single male teachers must have been amused.

    In fact, it is easy to see why, since he says that the criticisms against him have become more severe.

    I don''t mean to follow the male teacher, but if he had a lucky break with a beautiful colleague and then the female teacher started to have feelings for Tomoya, it would be very frustrating for him.

    Even teachers are not saints.

    "It''s still a good part of the school life that the girls and the female teacher got into a conflict and made it very difficult to go to the school.

    "That''s the good part!"

    "...... Yes . Until then, it was still good."

    "I can''t say I''m surprised there''s more to come."

    What could have given us such a constitution and such an event?

    Frankly, it is so far removed from the kind of lucky sketches that happen in comic books that it is not even funny.

    "Finally, I even started having lucky skate with male students and teachers."

    "That''s cursed, isn''t it!"

 467 - - 4 "The Devil began to speak" â‘¢

    "......, right? Some of the girls are happy, some of the boys who had been ignoring them start inviting me home, a male teacher gives me detention class, and although I don''t like it, I get a lot of body touches and ......"

    "Yeah. It''s a curse. It''s not a condition. And, you know, it''s not luck. That''s not what a lucky break is."

    "...... What can I say, I''m sick of life already."

    Of course, I think so.

    What''s so sad that we have to be dirty with male students and teachers?

    (What do you mean, the person who gets lucky and gets a favor from you is attracted to you ......?)

    "When the principal offered to have a relationship with me, I wanted to refuse to go to school."

    "I even got lucky with the principal."

    "Yes. I was the one who got the dirty job when the drama club made me dress up as a girl for some reason ...... and the principal yelled out, "I love boy''s girls!" I still remember that."

    "Of course!"

    "Of course I said no, because I wasn''t going to have a dating relationship. Well, I began to wonder if I had some kind of fascination with them, along with my lucky streak."

    Just as Sam thought, Tomoya came to the same conclusion.

    However, the place is Japan, where there is no magic or anything.

    There is no way to know if there is charm or not.

    "After all, I was depressed and gloomy every day, but I still went to school only because I didn''t have a place to stay at home..."

    "Is something wrong?"

    "The boys who couldn''t ignore me long enough and the boys who resented me when they tried and failed to touch me joined forces and beat me to a pulp. I thought I was going to die, so I tried to run away and found myself in front of the goddess."

    "...... isn''t that dead?"

    "Well, the goddess only smiled vaguely, so I don''t know."

    After surviving a number of events, Tomoya met the goddess after a group assault.

    "What did the goddess say?"

    "According to the goddess, there is a summoning going on in this world, the one we''re in now, and I was chosen to be summoned."

    "Why?"

    "Well?"

    "So, you didn''t mind?"

    At Sam''s reasonable question, Tomoya tried to recall the time, then looked weary.

    "I was kind of fed up with everyday life, my parents didn''t get along, they were supposed to get divorced but they had a big fight over who was going to take me in... well, I was fed up with relationships. So when I was told that I was going to another world, I just thought, "Oh, I see.

    "......You wanted to go somewhere where you didn''t know anyone about yourself."

    "That''s what I mean. But even in another world, I''m still going to have the same lucky skating!"

    Tomoya exclaimed with a bit of desperation, but Sam thought, "I guess so.

    He has risen to the rank of Demon King through lucky skating, and there is no way he will lose his peculiar constitution when he is summoned to another world.

    However, I wonder what kind of lucky skate was performed in the other world.

    "What kind of lucky plays did you perform in the other world as well?"

    "--For example, I was caught between a couple who started mingling in the next room of an inn, and I got caught between them through the wall, and the man almost ran into me."

    "That''s not lucky!"

    It was not luck at all, but misfortune.

    Tomoya continued with a dark look on his face.

    "You know what?¡¡When you play lucky on a tense battlefield, the air dies."

    "Of course!"

    "It was hard at the time, when I was being looked at like, ''What the hell is this guy doing here?

    "I''m crying listening to you already!¡¡I mean, you met a goddess, couldn''t you do something about your constitution?

    He says he''s not in charge.

    "You''re a useless goddess, man!"

 468 - - "They said they received a special bonus."

    I breathe on my shoulders because I''m tired of rushing in and out.

    I''ve been rambling on and on for a while now, and I''m getting a headache wondering what I''m doing against the Demon King.

    Sighing heavily, Sam asked Tomoya.

    What is the role of a goddess, then?

    "It''s to give me perks for going to another world."

    "--!"

    Don''t tell me that Sam was excited to hear about the perks familiar to him from manga and novels.

    As Sam waited for the rest of the story, the Demon Lord continued.

    "--I played darts."

    "No way, darts!

    "And the one I won was a four-wheel-drive car. ...... What am I supposed to do in another world? I told him I was in junior high school and couldn''t drive, and he gave me a transfer spell.

    "What''s so sneaky about that!"

    There are a lot of things I want to go into, such as the fact that the award is chosen by darts and that I won the car, but I honestly envy that I can get a transfer magic, which is very difficult to learn.

    If Sam had to choose between the car and the magic, he would choose the magic without any hesitation.

    Tomoya''s transfer magic can transfer not only himself but also others. I am impressed by the fact that he is a god who gives us such a useful thing.

    "I received many other things as well, but I''ll tell you about them another time. Now, I am the one with the transfer magic and the lucky charms, but I did not have the power to become the Demon King from the beginning.

    "Was that so?"

    "Of course. When I was summoned to this world, I was just an ordinary middle school boy who was lucky.

    "That''s great, though."

    At least not normally.

    It is possible that the other world side regretted that they summoned the wrong person, although they did not say it out loud.

    "At first, it was very difficult to survive. But I used my lucky streak, defeated enemies, gained experience, and became a demon king.

    "I''m curious about the process. I mean, what is a battle using a lucky draw?

    Ha-ha-ha, sorry. It''s a long story. When you play a lucky trick, everyone is surprised, aren''t they? When they stop moving, I use transfer magic to go behind them and do it quickly.

    "Wow, that''s nasty!"

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha!¡¡If you win, you win!"

    Tomoya didn''t say much, but no matter how lucky he was or how much transfer magic he had, a junior high school student was thrown into another world with only his body.

    It must have been unimaginable hardship.

    (I was omitted - but he had enough power to slaughter more enemies by using his lucky drawings and transfiguration.)

    If it is a surprise attack, it has to be a coup de grace, or there will be no next time.

    No matter how much you surprise them with a lucky shot, it is at best a first look.

    Even if he goes behind the magic, he can deal with it if he has a certain ability.

    In other words, Tomoya must still have some kind of power.

    "There were about a hundred light novels worth of events, but I''m doing fine now that I''ve become the Demon King.

    "I guess so."

    "Well, here''s the thing - have you met the goddess?¡¡Even if you know that you are a reincarnated person, you will not know if you have met God or not until you ask him or her. If possible, it would be helpful if you could tell us truthfully and honestly.

    Unlike before, I could sense impatience, expectation, and anxiety from Tomoya who asked me whether or not I had a chance encounter with a goddess.

    Unfortunately, Sam had never met a goddess before.

    "I''m sorry, but I''ve never met a goddess."

    "...... so, was it?"

    "Is there a reason for that?"

    At Sam''s question, Tomoya looked up at the sky and muttered.

    "I want to see the goddess again."

    "Why, may I ask?"

    I don''t care. I just want to get rid of my lucky streak somehow."

    "--What?"

    What do you mean? I''m a lucky guy.

    "It''s okay, I didn''t miss anything. I just don''t understand. Why do you want to get rid of the Lucky Charms?¡¡I''ve had it for over a thousand years. I''m sorry to say this, but is it too late?"

    I wondered.

    I wondered why he wanted to lose his lucky drawer now.

    No doubt he has been avoiding it for a long time, but he has been with us for a thousand years now. There must be a way to deal with it.

    Above all, if he used his power to become the Demon King, then even his abhorrent constitution is a means to an end.

    I don''t think we should lose it.

    (I''m not saying it''s a waste, ...... but I''m sure he''s experienced a lot of hardships in his own way and he''s probably fed up with it already.)

    I thought it was uncivil of me to ask him why.

    "That was unnecessary, I''m sorry.

    No, it''s just for my own reasons. I understand your doubts. Why now? You''re right.

    Fortunately, Tomoya was not offended.

    Thanking Sam for his generosity, the demon king began to tell him the reason why he wanted to abandon his lucky scheme.

 469 - - 6 "This is Tomoya Endos reason."

    "--Life in Japan was one of the worst because of this constitution, so I just wanted to live a quiet life in another world and not get involved with people.

    "I understand how you feel.

    "But, I am ashamed to say, I was lonely. I couldn''t do it in Japan, but I thought that in this world, there would be people who would accept me as I am.

    I could understand Tomoya''s feelings.

    Even if he is not treated well in Japan because of his peculiar constitution, here in another world, there might be people who have deep pockets who don''t mind.

    If they were demons, they might not care.

    If they were non-human demons, they might not even react to the lucky skate.

    I think there were various hopes.

    "Well, in fact, in our world, there have been a series of lucky plays by all races, and sometimes they even pointed their swords at me. Still, I kept looking for someone somewhere who would accept me."

    Tomoya says he has not only been a random seeker, but has also helped others along the way.

    "I thought I would do something good for all the trouble I caused everyone, so I picked up orphans and raised them. I helped many people who were sick. If they didn''t have money, I gave them as much as I could. I can''t say it myself, but I''ve done my share of good deeds."

    "I think it''s wonderful."

    Sam honestly respected Tomoya.

    He could have said that it was his physical condition and that it was not his fault.

    He could have used his lucky streak to do something bad.

    But he did not.

    He did not do evil, but he did good deeds and kept moving forward.

    "Everyone was grateful and some even treated me like a saint," he said. Sometimes, I was even added to their circle of friends. But it didn''t last long."

    "......Why?"

    "I was lonely. I missed people. I wanted to be with someone. I wanted to laugh. But more than that, I was afraid of strangers."

    I can see why.

    I''m sure I''ve drawn a lot of flak because of my lucky-scheme nature.

    I have just heard that he never had a good time in Japan.

    Fortunately, the girls were on his side, but he must have had a bad reputation among the boys because of it.

    Moreover, even the girls had a bad atmosphere with each other.

    It is natural to be afraid of strangers after witnessing such a situation.

    "Once there was a girl who told me she loved me. She was a girl who had a lot of lucky sketches, but she still laughed it off and said she didn''t care about such trivial things, and she was devoted to me. But I could not accept her."

    "............"

    Sam couldn''t find the words to say, so all he could do was listen.

    "Then she got old and ended her life. She was happy, just as I once was, saving orphans and being loved as a mother by many of her own children, many of whom were unrelated to her. But she never married. She was a very pretty girl, and she was asked many times to marry, but she kept refusing. When I was taking care of her, I asked her why.

    Tomoya''s eyes became moist as he recalled the past.

    "Then she told me that she still loves me. She said that I am the only one she loves.

    Then a tear rolled down Tomoya''s cheek.

    "I was shocked. I didn''t believe the girl who loved me so straight. I was frightened and kept my distance. I was pathetic, sad, and sorry. I made up my mind to move on so that I would never have to feel like this again, or let this happen to me. And now, there are kids who say they don''t mind me being like this."

    Tomoya wiped away tears and smiled shyly.

    "I want to respond to their feelings. For that purpose, I would like to give up my lucky skating. Even if that''s not possible, I''d like to be able to seal it off."

    "...... I see."

    "I have suspected that there are other powers of enchantment besides the lucky charms. But the goddess said there was not. But still I am worried. I wonder if she is manipulating their feelings and minds.

    The demon king Tomoya Endo was a good man.

    At least Sam thought so.

    "That''s why - I want to see the goddess again."

    Hearing Tomoya''s earnest desire, I want to help him.

    Unfortunately, Sam was reborn in this world without meeting the goddess.

 470 - - "Im like me."

    "I''m sorry, but as I said before, I didn''t meet a goddess. I just found myself reborn in this world.

    "I see. I''m sorry to hear that, but this doesn''t mean I''m giving up. ...... Thank you for listening to me."

    "No."

    "But when you found out, you were reborn, weren''t you?"

    Something was bothering Tomoya, and he wondered about Sam''s reincarnation.

    "I was almost killed by my bloodless brother when I was a child, and then I woke up the way I am now."

    It''s a fond memory now.

    Although I was born in that house, I found a precious family in Daphne and Derrick, and my mother is still alive.

    My real father was a different man, and it is long past now.

    "Oh, so that''s what you mean. So you were reincarnated, but you did not regain your memories until that day.

    "It seems so, in a manner of speaking. I just don''t know if he really just got his memories back or if my soul was transferred to him at that time.

    Sam is still concerned that the boy Samuel once was may have died, and that is where he is now.

    He has not been able to determine whether the Samuel of the past has regained his memories of his previous life and become the person he is today.

    I think that what has changed can''t be helped, and even if the boy Samuel had died, he has been avenged, so it is too late now.

    "In my opinion, I believe that you are alive in this world. At least you are not possessed."

    "What?"

    "For example, if Samuel before you was dead, and your current soul was placed in an empty vessel of a body, it would be distorted. People around you would not be able to recognize you and Samuel as the same person.

    "What does that mean?"

    Tomoya continued to explain to Sam, who was puzzled, "I can''t say for sure," he prefaced his answer.

    "Even though you were told that you had changed, you were still living as Samuel. People around you recognized you as Samuel. That''s not the way it works when the soul changes."

    That''s new.

    I''m sure you''re right," Tomoya said with a wry smile.

    Reincarnation itself seems to be rare to begin with.

    As far as I know, I have met only one reincarnated person.

    "You mean other reincarnations besides me?"

    Yes, it was a long time ago, but she woke up in this world in an empty vessel of a dead person in reincarnation. It''s called possession. People around her could not recognize her as the same person she was before, and she lived a terrible life, being persecuted by people who said that she was possessed by demons or that someone killed her and took her body.

    "How is that possible?"

    I shudder to think how I might have been persecuted by those around me had I made a mistake.

    The gentle Daphne and Derrick would certainly not have been able to bear such treatment from the people of the town, who were all good people.

    "But you didn''t. Then you were born into this world Samuel. You just didn''t remember your previous life, but you remembered it because you almost died. That''s all. It''s not that hard."

    "...... not a difficult story?"

    It was difficult enough.

    At any rate, we now know that Sam has been Sam since birth, and that he has recovered memories of his previous life along the way, leading up to the present.

    "Even if you are not Samuel and people do not recognize you, all you have to do is to go to a place where you do not know Samuel of the past. Your current wives have nothing to do with the Samuel of the past. Oh, you''ve known Daphne since she was a child. If she recognizes you as you, then you are definitely Samuel Scheidt from birth."

    I''m a little relieved.

    I can now live my life without worry.

    I felt like a small lump in my heart had disappeared.

    "There are few reincarnations from Japan, but there are demons who repeatedly reincarnate when they die. Reincarnation itself is not rare, but it is not impossible.

    Tomoya concludes by snapping his fingers, and a table appears.

    "I''m sure he will be pleased.

    Smiling, Tomoya snaps his fingers again, and a hamburger, fries, and nuggets appear.

    "--This is..."

    Sam turned his eyes.

    There are no hamburgers in our world.

    Not that there isn''t something completely similar, but it''s just meat seasoned with salt and pepper and sandwiched between two pieces of bread. In other words, it was more like a sandwich.

    But the hamburger in front of me had cheese, lettuce and tomatoes, and the white stuff was probably mayonnaise.

    £¨This demon king ...... made not only the hamburger but also the mayonnaise?)

    I was impressed that Tomoya was able to do something that Sam, who could cook but did not know how to make food, could not do.

    "It doesn''t taste exactly the same, but I tried my best to make it to suit our palates," he said. I''d like to offer you a beer here, but you don''t drink, do you?

    I''m underage.

    "No one in this world keeps that kind of code. Besides, you''re an adult enough to have lived a life before.

    Well, yes, but just in case.

    Well, let''s have soda water. Well, thank you very much for your hard work. Let''s talk about the rest over dinner.

    The first hamburger I had in the other world was teriyaki-flavored and, to put it mildly, delicious.

 471 - - "Its a story from now on,"

    I quench my thirst with lemon-infused sparkling water while tucking into a hamburger and fries.

    Sam was hungry and thirsty after the battle, and appreciated Tomoya''s hospitality.

    Most of all, he is glad that the menu reminds him of the after-school time he spent with his friends in his previous life as a student.

    I wonder how my friends are who I have lost touch with since I entered the workforce.

    "Hmmm, eating hamburgers like this reminds me of the days when I used to go to the restaurant every day with the little money left by my parents who never cooked for me."

    "..............."

    I am glad I did not speak of my school days, I thought to myself.

    "Well, I know I''ve told you a lot of personal stories, but I wanted to thank you."

    "Thank you?"

    Tomoya placed the hamburger on his plate and bowed to Sam with a slightly melancholy expression on his face.

    "Thank you for letting Lepsey go. He was one of the few friends I could trust. He was one of the few friends I could trust, even though he was wary of me because of my constitution.

    "Did you have a lucky break with a leprosy?"

    "No. I had a lucky break with his wife and daughter."

    "Well, that''s alarming!¡¡I mean, I was scared of who he was because he was a demon king that Lepsey was wary of, but that''s what you meant by wary!"

    "And I have some complaints about that."

    Tomoya, who had begun to eat his hamburger again, brushed off Sam''s criticisms and spoke reminiscently about the past.

    "I was the reason Lepsey and Irene got married. Irene...... Lepsey''s wife is a girl who grew up in the town I was helping. She was looking for work and I helped her to clean and feed the lepers."

    "I don''t think the girl had any idea that she would be working in the home of the Demon Lord."

    You know exactly what I''m talking about. He was very surprised, but he was a good, bright boy. In no time at all, he and Lepsey were in love and had a child together. We were ...... happy. Really, at that time.

    The darkening of Tomoya''s voice reminds us of the ending of Lepsey.

    Lepsy''s beloved wife and child were killed by humans, and he is bent on revenge.

    He is defeated by the heroes of another world and sealed away for a long time.

    "To be honest, I sometimes wonder if it was my fault that Lepsi became like that."

    "--that is."

    "Irene wouldn''t have died if she and Lepsey hadn''t gotten together. My bringing the two of them together has made them, no, the three of them including the child, unhappy. I can''t help but feel responsible."

    Tomoya, biting his tongue at the pain of those left behind, spoke of an impossible possibility.

    "Like you, I think about ...... if a leprosy could be reincarnated in some other world and live a laughing life with Irene and her daughter Daisy."

    "I understand. I wish that too."

    Sam is the same way.

    Not only the Lepcys and their families, but also Ur, who passed away young and is still alive and well in some other world - I can''t help but think.

    Let''s move on, don''t dwell on it, but those of us who are left behind think of the dead.

    "I''m sorry. I was going to say thank you, but it turned into a damp talk.

    Yes, sir.

    "Let''s change the subject. You''ve already met Zoe, right?

    "Zoe?¡¡Yes, he''s been very good to me.

    "She is a child that Irene protected, a former human, though she is now a vampire. She has been through a lot and hates humans, but the loss of Irene, whom she adored ...... and Daisy, whom she adored, and the revenge-madness of the Lepsy, whom she admires, have only added to her misanthropy."

    We knew Zoe hated people.

    I thought it was natural for her to hate them since they killed her husband and his family, but it seems there are other reasons.

    "I''m glad she''s getting along with you," he said.

    "Are you and Zoey close?"

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha. I consider her like a sister, but she always treats me badly because I play the lucky game whenever we see each other.

    According to him, he used to call me "Endo-sama" and respect me, but when I started having some lucky skating sessions with him, he started treating me less and less like "Tomoya.

    However, Tomoya seems to have followed Lepsy''s lead and seems to be taking an interest in Zoey.

    "When you first met Zoey, she didn''t behave well, did she?"

    "Yes, well..."

    "For better or worse, I think he is interested in you. Zoe is basically a dry person, so if she''s not interested, she''ll just ignore you."

    I shudder to think of Zoe''s hostility when we first met.

    I remember breaking out in a cold sweat, thinking that she was faster and more formidable than Bowood, whom I had just fought.

    "If you had seen Zoe like that, you would know that there are other Lepsy dependents out there who would not recognize you."

    "...... Yes. Of course. I don''t know how I feel about that."

    Even Sam would not be convinced if he were told that a human boy had defeated his beloved master.

    There is a fundamental difference between humans and vampires in terms of their own strength, and a leprosy is also a demon king.

    It is normal to think that a human child who has not even reached adulthood is not an opponent that can be defeated.

    "Some of the children are under my protection, others have received titles and are under the control of other demon kings. Of course, there are those under Vivian''s care. Most of them will want to try to identify you."

    "...... I''m in trouble."

    "But if the first of them, Zoe, is close to you, it won''t be much of a problem. At best, she''ll challenge you to a duel."

    "That sounds like a lot of work, though."

    There is no one as strong as Zoe. I''m sure you can beat her. But I''m not sure if they''ll survive.

    "Let''s worry about that."

    We do not intend to fall behind, but we cannot afford to cut through the vampires, who are the dependents of the Lepsi and under the control of the Demon King.

    But if we respond with magic and physical combat, our chances of victory will be reduced.

    Sam''s too great power is a death blow that will surely injure his enemies and easily take their lives.

    Not wanting to get into any trouble with the demons, let alone with Vivian''s Lepsi servants, Sam popped the remaining fries into his mouth.

 472 - - 9 "I was scouted" ã•ã‚Œã¾ã—ãŸ

    "Well, now that we''ve finished eating, I''d like to say goodbye, but there is one problem.

    "Trouble?"

    Sam tilted his head and wondered what had happened.

    Tomoya laughed and continued, "You seem to have forgotten.

    "I said that I would recognize you as the Demon King after defeating Borwood.

    "Oh, we talked about that."

    I''d forgotten all about it.

    With the appearance of the Valzards, who claimed to be the true Demon King, and the existence of the Lucky Scarecrow Demon King, this crazy story of Sam becoming the Demon King was far away from my memory.

    "I didn''t think you''d make him swear allegiance to you without overthrowing him."

    "I''m surprised, too. I''m also surprised. I can''t stop thinking about how it happened.

    "Beastmen seek the strong."

    "If you''re so strong, why don''t you pledge allegiance to a fellow beastman, a demon king named Lobo?"

    "I''m not defending Borwood, but Lobo is strong, very strong, but that''s all. I''m sure Bowood didn''t find Lobo attractive as a fellow beastman or warrior."

    "Attractive, huh?"

    Somehow, I think I understand what Tomoya is trying to say.

    Just like Lepsey and Vivian, it is easy to understand if you are a demon king who has the capacity and attractiveness to "follow" you.

    Douglas, who is also a demon king, is the same. I think he will be loved by people because he has the charm of a big brother rather than a demon king.

    On the other hand, there are those like Evangeline and Tomoya who have no followers and remain aloof.

    However, if it is asked whether he is not attractive as a king or not, it is no.

    All the demon kings I have met so far have had something that attracted me.

    "Robots are robots in many ways, though. Oh, he''s very interested in you too...so be careful with your life."

    "I''m scared!"

    I don''t know if it''s a good thing or a bad thing to be of interest to the Demon Lord, but it''s still trouble.

    I wonder if I should be glad that I am powerful enough to be of interest to a powerful person, or if I should mourn the fact that my life is in danger.

    (Personally, I would like to meet a strong person without a demon king or anything like that.)

    Fighting with Bowood reaffirmed my belief that fighting with a strong opponent is a thrill for the flesh and blood and a thrill for the heart.

    It makes me feel alive, and above all, it is fun.

    That is why I think it is troublesome to have an extra title.

    "But aside from that, do you want to be a demon king?"

    "...... Don''t leave me alone. I''m not a demon king!¡¡--I mean, I''d like to ask you a few questions first."

    Please.

    "Why do you want me to fight Bowood?¡¡To be honest, Zoe would have been better if she had been there just to control the situation. Well, I didn''t expect the appearance of some mysterious demons like Varzad, but..."

    After all, he has yet to tell us why he fought Bowood.

    I understood Tomoya''s circumstances and constitution for the time being, but I did not know what he was thinking.

    Just because we share the same hometown in Japan does not mean that I can put all my trust in him.

    Of course, I would like to trust him, but it is difficult to do so when you have just met him.

    I haven''t explained it yet. My apologies. First of all, I did not expect the appearance of a demon tribe called "Varzad" or something like that. That''s for sure. I was surprised that a Demon King level entity was hiding in the city, but I was also surprised that they would come forward and declare war on us with something like a true Demon King or something like that.

    "......It''s true that it''s a little bit painful to say something like "true demon king" yourself, isn''t it?"

    He was powerful enough to call himself the true Demon King, but it would be a little different if he called himself that.

    Of course, he is still a formidable foe.

    "It''s not that I don''t have any idea about them at all, but that would be troublesome, a relic of the past, or our mismanagement, wouldn''t it? I''ll look into that later."

    Please tell me what''s going on!

    "At this point, we are not at the point where we can make any assumptions. I will tell you when I have proof. Now, there''s only one reason I asked you to fight Bowood. I wanted to see the power that killed Lepsey."

    "...... You didn''t really think that was all there was to it?"

    They asked me to show them my power, but I am surprised that they were true to their word.

    I had assumed that there was some other reason that was more like the Demon Lord.

    "I''m sorry, but I need to know if I''m strong enough to defeat Lepsy. You are very--scary."

 473 - - 10 "I was scouted" â‘¡

    "I never thought the Demon King would say I was afraid of him."

    No, you are actually scary. I''m convinced, after testing you, that you''re the type who shows your true worth by fighting a strong enemy. No, I''m not. You are the type of person who can finally use your true strength by fighting someone you don''t have to go easy on."

    "...... I won''t deny it."

    Sam could not deny Tomoya''s words.

    In fact, he was aware of the part of him that was.

    "To be honest, among the humans, I think that the imperfect state of the skills of Svetewo Kirisakumono, or Kirisakumono, would have been enough. But in this world, there are demons. There are dragons."

    "I know."

    I smiled at Tomoya, who knew his own skill set inside out.

    I don''t know where he gathers his information, but I think he is a scary demon king.

    No matter how strong a human is, there is a limit to magic. Even if Ulrike Scheidt-Walker is a genius magician, it is not enough to become a Demon Lord. But you have skills. A skill that can kill with a vicious deadly force, even though you are not sure if it is skill or magic. It is your only and greatest weapon, but you do not know how to use it.

    "............"

    "I know I''ve learned to use it to the best of my ability. But power does not mean that you should always use it with all your might. That''s why you''re being so choosy about where you use it. Isn''t that right?"

    "--Yes."

    By inheriting and adjusting Ur''s magic, Sam now has a strong offensive tool.

    But he has only used his skills to the fullest a few times.

    "To be clear, I''m not accusing you of anything. It is difficult to ask you to master something that you never had a chance to use.

    It is true that Sam is a magician by nature.

    There were times when he could have won without using his skills. No, more often than not.

    "You are strong. You are strong. I would say that you are in the highest ranks of mortals while keeping your strength in check. But that makes you... naive."

    "Sweet, huh?"

    "I don''t mean that in a bad way. Yes, it was a mistake to let Bowood get the blow, but you withstood the blow he intended to kill you with. Well, it''s understandable that your attention would be diverted after such a hilarious turn of events. I laughed too. I am Samuel Scheidt now, with all that naivete.

    "I''m sorry about that scene."

    No excuses.

    It was all Sam''s fault that Bowood took the blow.

    "I love your human sweetness. Of course, I don''t mean that in a funny way."

    "Yes, yes, I don''t misunderstand you there."

    "It would be strange if we, who were Japanese, were reincarnated in another world and in a little over ten years became ruthless people who can easily take lives and kill our enemies like machines with no sweetness or anything.

    "It seems like an extreme analogy, but, yes, it is.

    "Personally, I think it''s good to be human as long as you don''t worry your loved ones. My heart has been worn out after about 500 years, so I have no resistance to taking someone''s life.

    "--Sad, isn''t it?"

    "Really. Well, there are demon kings like Lepsy and Vivian who have lived for more than a thousand years and still resist taking lives. But even they can take as many lives as they want once they decide to do so.

    In fact, the lepers started out with revenge, hating humans and taking a large number of lives.

    It is impossible that Vivienne has never taken a life because of her position as the Demon King.

    "In the end, what I''m trying to say is - think more comfortably.

    "What?"

    "Your power is strong. So what? If you''ve been fighting with them, it''s all their fault. It can''t be your fault for defending yourself, whether you cut through the city or get people killed. --I won''t say anything extreme, but you can resist more to protect your life, to protect the people you care about."

    Tomoya reached out and gently wrapped his hand around Sam''s, which was on the table.

    "Your sweetness is also gentleness. Your sweetness is also gentleness. Vivian was not hurt. And that''s okay. So let me make a suggestion."

    "Suggestion, sir?"

    "Samuel Scheidt, would you like to be a Demon King?¡¡I think you would make a gentle Demon King."

 474 - - 11 "Theyre going to train me".

    "Well, I''m sorry to have to decline your invitation."

    "I''m sorry, but I knew you would say that."

    Tomoya, who says he''s sorry but doesn''t look too sorry, takes his hand off Sam''s.

    "I don''t think I''m the right person to be the Demon King. And I''m not brazen enough to call myself the Demon King. Even now, facing you, I don''t know how to fight.

    I don''t think I have what it takes to be a demon king.

    I don''t have the charm, or should I say, something big that makes me want to follow him.

    I feel that Tomoya has something that he has cultivated for a thousand years besides his lucky skating, and I think his unfathomable nature is exactly suitable for a Demon King.

    He has the feeling of wanting to call Douglas his big brother, the freedom of Evangeline, and the depth of Vivienne''s heart, all of which Sam does not have.

    And above all, Sam does not have the strength to reach them.

    "For the record, I am the strongest of the Demon Lords. I can even defeat the Demon King Robot that Mr. Bowood defeated with his overwhelming strength. Of course, without any lucky draws. Well, I''m sure it will be triggered.

    Besides," Tomoya continued.

    "Let''s leave aside the question of capacity and attractiveness. It is not necessary to become a demon king. What you need is simple--strength. And you have that much power.

    "I was told that my magical power is of the level of a demon king, and you tell me so now, but I don''t really know about that either."

    I was selfless when I was a leper.

    If you say that I am a demon king because I defeated a demon king, then maybe you are right.

    However, I wondered if he really had the power to match the Demon Kings he had met.

    "Hmmm. Your future task is to know your own power better. This leads us to the topic of how to use your power, but let''s start there first. When you are able to use your power at will, you will be able to recognize the power that lies inside of you. Then you will become stronger. I guarantee it."

    "Can I be strong?"

    Yes, I can. Yes, you can. - The most powerful Demon King ever.

    I was horrified.

    He had said boldly that he wanted to be the strongest, but when he met the demon tribe and the Demon King, he realized that he was a frog in a well.

    The Demon Lord told me that I could still be strong.

    I cannot hide my joy.

    My heart raced, knowing that I could climb to greater heights.

    "So, that''s why - let''s train..."

    "What?"

    "From now on, we will be fighting demons with at least a title, so let''s improve our basic self-strength."

    "Well, how?"

    Ha-ha-ha, don''t worry. In all ages and cultures, training is something that becomes strong on its own if you fight with strong opponents.

    "Yes, here it comes!¡¡Suddenly, brainy thinking!¡¡Like Ur, I wonder why everyone is so forceful!"

    Tomoya''s words, as if it were a matter of course, reminded me of my training days with Ur.

    At that time, Ur had done his best to crush me and I had become stronger, but I did not expect this super theory to be presented to me by the Demon King.

    "No, no, it''s actually like this. You can keep at it, but, you know, we all have our own lifespans and age, so we can''t just sit back and relax.

    "...... If I take it easy, will it take that long?"

    "Well, I''ve never been a cobbler. Also, you are young and flexible. As you get older, your habits become stronger.

    After all, it seems that training in an easy-to-understand way yields better results.

    "I understand. If you can help me, I would appreciate it. Please do."

    "Yes, my pleasure. Now, as for who you''re going to fight - it could be me, but I don''t want to have to kill you, so I''ll get you a demon tribe with a knighthood. Zoe is fine, but she seems to have feelings for you already, so you can''t fight her with the intention of killing her. You can''t either, can you?"

    "...... sorry."

    Aside from the difference in strength, Sam did not want to use his skills to fight Zoey, who had become a good friend.

    Even though she can heal, she resists.

    It is not that he despises her as a warrior, but that he does not want to wield his power against his family and friends.

    "Fine. You and Zoe are alike. You have a sweetness about you, and that sweetness is kindness. That''s what you are. That''s your strength. You may fall behind, you may fail, but you will be the last one standing. Well, my advice is not to worry about your family too much.

    Besides," Tomoya continued.

    "She is one of the best among the Demon King Lepsy''s men. It would be terrible if she were to be cut down and killed during her training.

    "What do you mean by that?"

    I''m sure Zoe will tell you more about that later."

    Tomoya stood up after leaving the meaningful words.

    I''d like to talk with you more, but it''s almost time. The pleasant time passes in a flash. Oh, and please give my regards to Ms. Kaoruko Kirishima.

    "...... She''s a summoner just like you, shouldn''t we meet?"

    "If you don''t show up out of the blue and call me the Demon King or make me feel lucky, I''ll come to you. But that''s impossible."

    "I know, right?"

    Sam and Tomoya laughed happily at each other, raising their voices as if they were friends.

 475 - - "Im done with the story."

    "Actually, even while I''m talking to you, there''s a chance of a lucky break. Please be careful."

    "Really? I don''t want to be a victim of that."

    "Ha-ha-ha, I don''t want to have a lucky scheme with someone who has a wife, either. So, let''s meet next time at Vivien''s rented house."

    "Are you okay with that?"

    Even though she is a demon king, Vivien is a woman.

    There are other women in her mansion, and even Zoey shows up.

    I was worried that Tomoya''s appearance in such a place would surely lead to some lucky skating.

    But he replied, "Don''t worry.

    Don''t worry. I chose this place because I want to talk with you alone this time, but it is under Vivienne''s control ...... and I don''t get lucky skating in her mansion.

    "...... What do you mean?"

    "Vivienne Claxtons . The last of the vampires, the Demon Lord. Her power is to completely nullify all power."

    "...... seriously?"

    But only within her control. Yes, I''m serious."

    I can''t believe it," said Sam, upset.

    He had never thought that it was possible to do something so extraordinary as to nullify an opponent''s power.

    "The chief ...... of the people of Najaria you fought against was Ordo, wasn''t his name? I heard that he also had the ability to block skills."

    It didn''t work, though.

    "That''s because there was a tremendous difference in power between you and him. Human ability is only a certain amount of power at the upper limit. But Vivien is different. No matter who she is, they are all equal in front of her. By the way, under such circumstances, Vivienne can use her magic and power as much as she wants.

    "Wow. That''s not fair."

    When I hear such a story, I wonder if there is any being who can defeat Vivien.

    I doubt if it would be a battle in the first place.

    I asked Tomoya about it, and after a few moments of hesitation, he slowly opened his mouth.

    "In order to defeat her, do you have to do it by yourself without relying on your skills or magic, or do you have to use a power so strong that even she can''t control it?

    "If you had that kind of power, I don''t think you''d have any trouble."

    "No doubt. That''s why I don''t play lucky games with her.

    However, it seems that if Vivian does not try to get Tomoya under her control, she will usually get a lucky break.

    Apparently, her nullification ability can be turned on and off.

    (I see, that''s why Tomoya is so close to Vivian.)

    "We''ve talked a lot, but it''s time to say goodbye. I''m going to transfer you to Vivian''s house.

    A magic circle enveloped Sam.

    His talk with Tomoya was productive.

    I was surprised at the fact that there was a Tomoya who made Japan his home, and more than anything, I was stunned beyond astonishment at his constitution, but I was glad to be able to talk to him like this without hesitation.

    Of course, Tomoya would not tell Sam everything, and neither would Sam, but I am sure that we will be good friends in the future.

    "Oh, yes, I would be very happy if you could teach me some things as a fellow ex-Japanese.

    Tomoya looked a little embarrassed as he said this, and Sam tilted his head.

    "Teach me what?"

    "To tell you the truth, it''s been more than a thousand years since I was reincarnated, but I''ve never been with a woman or a man. So, I''d like you to have more experience, Sam-kun."

    "--Seriously!¡¡I mean, I don''t have a lot of experience, I don''t have any experience with men either!"

    "Again."

    Tomoya waved his hands in front of his face as if to say, "Don''t be shy.

    "Hey, you''ve gathered a lot of information, how could you be wrong about that?¡¡Wait, let''s talk!¡¡Let''s get this straight--"

    Then I will see you again soon."

    But in mid-sentence, Sam shifted.

    Tomoya, who was left alone, looked up at the moon shining in the night sky and told his deceased friend

    Hey, Lepsi. Your successor looks like a very happy boy.

    Thus ended the meeting between Sam and the Demon King Tomoya Endo.

 476 - - 13 "Zoe waited for me." â‘ 

    "Hey, hey!"

    When Sam shouted to Tomoya and was enveloped in light, he was not on the beach, but inside the room.

    "Oh, what''s that?"

    "You''re back, Samuel Scheidt."

    In front of him was not Tomoya, but Zoe.

    She was not wearing blue armor, but a navy blue one-piece dress, probably a loungewear.

    "Oh, Zoe?¡¡Well, then, this is the place."

    "This is Lady Vivien''s mansion."

    "Wow, you didn''t clear up the misunderstanding at the last minute!"

    Sam was saddened by the fact that he had been transferred under the worst possible misunderstanding.

    Zoe chuckled at this.

    "From the looks of it, I guess you''ve made progress with him.

    "Yeah. Yeah. He''s a lot different from what I imagined."

    "Surprised, aren''t you?"

    "I was surprised!¡¡Why didn''t anyone tell me about this!"

    I had not expected, nor could I have expected, the existence of a demon king who had a lucky streak in him.

    I was astonished because I had no prior knowledge, but I wished I had been told about Tomoya beforehand if possible.

    I gave Zoe a somewhat reproachful look, to which she responded in a defeated manner.

    "I''m afraid to say it!¡¡The ordinary demon people cannot speak ill of the Demon King!¡¡That skulking, know-it-all attitude is creepy, isn''t it!"

    "Well, that''s true, but..."

    "I''ve known him for a long time, and he''s generally out of the public eye, but every once in a while he comes out and gets his dirty laundry done!¡¡From the demons I know, it''s an object of fear!"

    "Yeah, I''m afraid that if I meet them, I''ll have a lucky break or something."

    It''s too scary to know that you''re going to do something dirty and no one can avoid it.

    It''s also troubling that Tomoya has no malicious intent.

    "It seems that you are safe. I thought you might come back crying from the humiliation!"

    "That''s the worst possible turn of events!¡¡I''m not humiliated, as I should be!"

    "Well, that''s good to know."

    I wondered what I was going through in Zoe''s mind, but I was grateful because I knew she would still be worried about me.

    "By the way, Vivian-sama, Mizuki and the others are..."

    "It''s already midnight, so I''m resting. Mizuki wanted to wait for you, but she was probably tired from the trip, so I let her rest."

    "So Zoe has been waiting for you instead. Thank you."

    When I thanked her, Zoe''s white cheeks turned red.

    "No, I was just wondering if you were being humiliated by Tomoya!

    "Ha-ha-ha, I didn''t do anything like that, but thank you."

    "Hmm. Mizuki, Daphne, and Catherine took me on a tour of the city. I hope you had a good time."

    That''s great.

    "Mm. You can look around tomorrow. I''m sure Mizuki and the others didn''t see everything.

    I''m looking forward to it."

    I''m looking forward to seeing the city of the demon tribe ruled by the Demon King.

    I''m excited at the thought that there might be something I haven''t seen yet.

    I feel like a child before a field trip.

    By the way...

    "Yeah?"

    Zoe asked in a hard voice to Sam, who was still thinking about the city of the demon tribe that he had not seen yet.

    "-Will you be the Demon King?"

    Sam shakes his head, though surprised by her question.

    "--No. I''m not going to be a demon king."

    Hearing Sam''s answer, she looked a bit mixed up.

    Relieved, but also disappointed, were some of the emotions that could be measured only on the surface.

 477 - - 14 "Zoe waited for me" â‘¡

    "...... I see. Mm-hmm. I kind of knew you would."

    "So you''re not surprised that the Demon King has recruited you?"

    "Lady Vivienne predicted that Tomoya would recruit you. And it''s not good to have only one Demon King in the office. It would be a good thing to have one Demon Lord vacant, because a fool like Bowood would appear."

    He does not understand why Tomoya has nominated him for the position of Demon King.

    I think he has his own reasons.

    As Zoe says, a new Demon King is needed to correct the balance that has been broken by the loss of Lepsi.

    But that doesn''t mean he can''t rise up like Bowood did.

    "Speaking of which, how are Bowood and the others doing?"

    "They''ve followed us, so Vivienne has been very gracious and let them go to the guest house to do as they please. They''re probably having a good time, though. As for me, I''m not happy about it, but I''ll just have to go along with it if Vivian-sama agrees, since they''re a pathetic bunch that got crushed before they could do anything."

    "I followed you. What do you know about Varzad and the others?

    I didn''t have much."

    Bowood was cooperative in passing on information about Varzad.

    However, he did not have anything of this kind.

    It is said that he was planning to rise up to become the Demon King when Varzad and his men appeared and beat him to a pulp.

    Bowood tried to follow Valzard who showed his ability, but to his surprise, they invited him to become the Demon King with them.

    Borwood and his friends were delighted by his generosity and decided to join them.

    "In the end, they just used us for their own gain," said Bowood. Valzado said he used Bowood too, but it is possible that he was still up to something.

    "They''re a pain in the ass. If they want to be the Demon King so badly, why don''t they challenge Tomoya and the others and fall prey to their lucky schemes?"

    "No doubt. But I don''t know where Tomoya usually is."

    In fact, Varzad and the others will be quite a formidable foe.

    They could cut off heads with impunity and their magical power was off the charts.

    We don''t even know what kind of demons they are.

    Or even if they were demons at all.

    The thought of them taking action at any moment is terrifying.

    "I''ll have to get stronger."

    Eventually they will appear as enemies in front of Sam.

    We need to be strong enough to deal with them.

    "You''re so positive--I envy you."

    "...... What''s wrong, all of a sudden?"

    Zoe''s words came out of nowhere and startled Sam.

    He had never expected her to say that she envied him.

    I couldn''t do anything in front of Varzad and the others.

    I could see that Zoe was depressed because she knew what she was capable of and was proud to be a strong person.

    "I didn''t make it easy for them, but most of all I didn''t make it easy for Master Lepsey," she said. I wish I had the strength to stand up to Varzad and the others like Sam did and free Lady Lepsey."

    "--Zoe."

    "...... sorry. I don''t know why I''m so weak with you."

    She looked like she was about to start crying, but Sam was a little worried, even though she smiled and said it was nothing.

    "If it were me, I''d listen to you anytime, okay?"

    "Mm. I appreciate it. When you do, I''ll be counting on you."

    However, not knowing how far to go, he could only say a few bland things.

    Zoe changed the subject as if she wanted to change her mind.

    "By the way, Vivienne suggested that I go to the Kingdom of Skye."

    "Really?"

    "Mm. I would need permission from the king there, but I would like to stay for a while if possible."

    "Well, why?"

    "Since you and Vivienne have established a friendship in the Kingdom of Skye, what good is a friendship if we don''t interact with each other? I will go there, and if possible, I would like the Sky Kingdom to send someone to the Night Kingdom to deepen our exchange.

    "That''s a good idea."

    If we are going to have a full-fledged exchange, we should go deeper as Zoe said.

    There are countries that have friendship in name only, but in order to avoid such a situation, I would like to get along well with Vivian and the Demon King.

    Bowood and the others have said they will follow us.

    "Really?"

    Sam''s allegiance to the Bowoods is not good, since he and the Bowoods have not yet settled their differences, but he is glad that the Bowoods, as strong warriors as they are, recognize him.

    I don''t want a subordinate, but I hope we can be friends.

    "-Oh, by the way..."

    "Yeah?"

    "I received a messenger from Evangeline, the Demon King--"

    Zoe tilted her head.

    "Help me," was the only message she sent, but what was it about? Well, let''s just ignore it."

    "...... is fine."

    "I don''t know where that Demon Lord is in the first place. It would have been a different story if he had at least told us where he was, but I don''t know where he is playing around at all.

    Afterwards, Sam and Zoe had a light-hearted chat.

    --Sam would look back on this day and regret his decision not to accept Evangeline''s help.

 478 - - 15 "Im touched."

    "Yes!¡¡Yesterday was fun too, but I''m glad I''m with Sam!"

    It was Mizuki, Sam''s wife, who told me such a happy thing.

    She was not dressed in a brightly colored furisode kimono, but in her usual hakama (traditional Japanese male dress).

    She was dressed casually today because she felt she would be conspicuous in a casual outfit when she walked around the town.

    "Well, Mizuki, you really love Sam-chan, don''t you? It''s nice to be young, isn''t it? It makes me miss my wife too."

    Catherine, smiling as she gazed at Sam holding hands with Mizuki, who was frolicking with her hand on her cheek, was surprisingly not in her usual magical-girl form.

    However, she was dressed in a sailor suit, so she was still a sight for sore eyes.

    The skirt of the sailor suit of a long time ago, which is rarely seen in Japan anymore, was shortened to the limit, and the standing figure, which showed her well-trained abdominal muscles and navel, stimulated my eyeballs and brain as if it were a violent act.

    The sight of a heavy man dressed as a teenage girl, so to speak, in his pre-transformation state, was as stimulating as ever.

    Zoe almost put back her breakfast when she saw Catherine first thing in the morning.

    Sam, Mizuki, Katherine, and Zoey were touring the Land of Night, ruled by the Demon Lord Vivian Claxtons.

    Daphne is not with them because she has a lot to discuss with Vivian.

    At first glance, the streets of the Night Lands do not look much different from those of the castle towns in the Kingdom of Skye.

    However, when we actually visited there, we found many differences, as it is the land of the demon tribe.

    The biggest difference is that there are many non-human races.

    There are races from easily recognizable beastmen like the Bowood to races like the Zoe, whose appearance is not so different from that of human beings.

    When I see these people living together in a friendly manner regardless of their race, I am reminded once again that this is a good country.

    "Where shall we go?¡¡Is there anywhere you''re interested in, Sam?"

    "Hmmm. I''m thinking of getting a souvenir for Liese and her family."

    "Yes. I was thinking, too, what kind of souvenirs do the demons bring back?"

    Sam and Mizuki look around.

    I could ask Zoe for advice, but since I''m here, I''d like to take a look and think about it first.

    "--!"

    In Sam''s field of vision, he saw a certain demon tribe, and he was absolutely stunned.

    Then, unable to resist the urge that welled up in him, he shouted out loud.

    "Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!¡¡Amazing!!!¡¡Kappa!¡¡There''s a kappa here oh oh oh!¡¡Seriously, aaaaaaahhh!"

    "Wait, what?¡¡What''s up with you all of a sudden, Sam?"

    Mizuki looked startled, and Sam shivered, not even having time to reply.

    In the store in front of him, there was a kappa-san, a yokai that most Japanese people associate with yokai, tending to his store.

    He is a green-skinned, surprisingly handsome man with a shiny plate on top of his head of slicked-back blonde hair. His store, with its turtle-like shell, is a tableware store.

    "Oh, he''s eating a cucumber!¡¡After all, a kappa would be a cucumber!"

    "...... Sam?¡¡Wait, why are you crying?"

    "You''re a cute kappa, though, aren''t you?"

    Mizuki and Katherine were puzzled, but their voices did not reach Sam.

    Because tears are spilling down from their eyes with emotion.

    (--I''ve been reincarnated in another world, and I''ve seen vampires and beastmen, but kappas are not good.)

    Come to think of it, even in the land of the rising sun in the east, there existed yokai as monsters, but we never saw kappa at last.

    That is why I was so moved.

    Why are you so excited about kappa?¡¡Aren''t they a common species?"

    "How often do you see them?¡¡--Oh, I''m so glad I was born into this world.

    "I don''t know if it''s that impressive!¡¡...... Is there some special race of kappa that I just don''t know about?"

    Zoey was puzzled by the fact that Sam was so moved.

    Mizuki seemed to feel the same way and turned to Sam and asked hesitantly, "What is it that you are looking for?

    "Well, do you think that Sam likes green skin or shell?"

    "Really?¡¡That''s an unusual taste for a human. You have a plate on your head, and you like men - you must have some twisted proclivities."

    "You''ve got it all wrong!¡¡Mizuki, Zoe!¡¡You guys are making a big mistake!"

    Sam was impressed by the kappa, but the women''s great misunderstanding brought him back to his senses.

    "I don''t mean to deny the kappa, but that''s not what I meant!¡¡What kind of yokai have you personally always wanted to see?¡¡It''s not a race, it''s a species!"

    "...... Come to think of it, Tomoya liked the kappa tribe a lot too."

    "Of course!¡¡All men love kappa!"

    "...... I also remember seeing another girl from the cat tribe who was very impressed."

    "I know!¡¡I know so much!¡¡Specters, cat ears, it''s so easy to understand!¡¡All the boys love it!¡¡I love it so much!"

    Sam, who had been so excited by the reflex, gasped,

    "Hmm."

    "...... I see."

    "Oh, my God, Sam!"

    I noticed that the ladies were giving me the cold shoulder.

    "No, you misunderstand!¡¡It''s not that I like them in a weird way, but it''s frustrating!"

    Japanese people would understand the excitement of having kappa and cat-ear girls in real life, but for the inhabitants of this world, they are not rare species, so they just tilt their heads back and forth.

    When Sam was thinking about it...,

    "Well, I''m sorry, but I can''t accommodate your feelings because I have a wife and child."

    A kappa emerged from the store and said something like that to Sam, sounding truly sorry.

    "I''m not confessing anything!

    My first contact with Mr. Kappa turned out to be a meaningless one, as he rejected me even though I had not confessed to him.

 479 - - 16 "Its a magic sword shop."

    "Oh, Sam!¡¡There''s a magic sword shop over here!"

    "There''s such a thing as a magic sword shop!"

    Mizuki took Sam by the hand and led him inside the store, which seemed to be a weapon shop.

    "No way! They really sell only magic swords!

    "How did you find this place, Mizuki? This place sells a good magic sword. How about a souvenir?

    "You can buy a magic sword just like a souvenir?"

    As far as Sam remembers, magic swords have been passed down from generation to generation in noble families, or have been the partner of famous knights, though to different degrees. In other cases, the swordsmen of the top adventurers owed most of their abilities to the magic sword.

    The magic sword is a swordsman''s dream.

    Compared to the holy sword, which exists but is rarely seen, the magic sword is expensive, and its wielder may be chosen, but it is not impossible to obtain, and every swordsman dreams of having a magic sword at least once.

    If you can buy a rare sword as a souvenir, then of course you will buy it.

    "Would you like to buy it?"

    "--Yes!"

    Sam''s mouth dropped open when he saw that sixteen-year-old Mizuki looked more childish than usual.

    Mizuki immediately started to look around the store.

    Occasionally she said, "Wow! They seemed to be very excited and lively.

    Mizuki, who is a swordsman, must also like magic swords.

    Although Sam can''t use swords, he can''t deny that his heart dances when he sees the number of swords on the wall.

    "Welcome--oh, isn''t it Zoe-sama!"

    "The owner. It''s been a long time. I''ve taken the liberty of watching you.

    Come in, come in!¡¡See as much as you like!"

    The owner of the magic sword shop, who appeared from the back of the store, was a dwarf.

    His dark brown hair bristled from his head to his beard.

    His stout, three-headed frame seemed to be covered in muscular armor.

    Even his beard-covered face is recognizable as charming, and he welcomes Zoey with lowered eyes.

    "You know Zoey?"

    "Mm. The previous owner had my sword struck for me. He''s only been here a short time, but he''s a good craftsman.

    "Oh, come on, I''m embarrassed!"

    As Mizuki, Zoe, and the owner were smiling at each other, Sam looked straight at the dwarf with a trembling body.

    "It''s Mr. Dwarf!¡¡A Dwarf as a magic sword shop owner is a fantasy!¡¡It may be the high road, but I like it!"

    Sam was delighted by the appearance of the Dwarves, who are also representative of the fantasy world, and popped his guts out toward the ceiling.

    "......What''s wrong with this brother?"

    "Don''t worry about it. "Don''t worry about it. He''s tired. Let''s just leave him alone."

    "Huh. If Master Zoe says so.

    "By the way, show her the magic sword. If she likes it, I''ll buy it.

    "If you are Zoe''s guest, of course I am. Come here, girl. I have a very special magic sword for you.¡¡You, too, brother."

    The shopkeeper saw Mizuki and Sam and recognized them as humans.

    Then he took one look at Catherine, a huge sailor-suited woman who was looking around the store behind Zoey, and pretended not to have seen her, so he didn''t touch her.

    "Yeah. Well, I''m human."

    The dwarf shopkeeper smiled at Mizuki, who hesitantly told him she was human.

    "No, no, I didn''t mean it in a strange way. Welcome, human lady. We have never had a human swordsman in our house before.

    The owner glanced at Zoe.

    Perhaps he knew that she hated humans.

    "If you are Zoey''s customer, let me show you something special!

    The owner took out a sword.

    Even Sam, who does not know much about swords, can clearly see it. This is a bad sword.

    A chill runs down his spine.

    "Wow!¡¡That''s amazing!¡¡Sam!¡¡If my father saw such a demon sword, he would go crazy!"

    "I can''t imagine that Kurando-sama would go crazy over this, but I''m sure it would be a great gift for a swordsman."

    Sam, who cannot use a sword, can understand the greatness of a sword, but he cannot understand the goodness of a sword.

    It is a pity indeed.

    However, I am proud to say that I have not lost to him when it comes to cutting.

    Master Ur has guaranteed me a skill that is equal to or even better than a magic sword, so I have nothing to worry about not being able to use a sword, but as a boy who has been reborn in a fantasy world, I would have liked to hold a magic sword in my hands at least once.

    "This is my own masterpiece. I can''t beat my predecessors or my father yet, but I''m proud of it.

    "--Hmm. It''s a good sword. I''ll borrow it. Hey, Sam.

    "Yeah?"

    Zoe, clutching her demon sword, slashed at Sam.

    She didn''t really mean it, but I could see her movements clearly. I could see her, but I would have been surprised if she had suddenly pointed a demon sword at me.

    Reflexively, Sam swung his right arm out.

    Then the sword was split in half with a resounding clang.

    "Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

    A silken scream burst from the burly dwarf''s mouth.

    "Sam has cut his demon sword!¡¡What a waste!"

    "Sorry!¡¡Hey, Zoe!¡¡What the hell are you doing all of a sudden?¡¡I just cut it off!"

    When Sam protested, Zoe looked at the broken sword and scowled.

    "It''s a good sword, but it''s not enough. If it had been my sword, the result would have been different.

    "You know what, don''t try to test me!"

    Zoey returns the broken demon sword to the shopkeeper without any apology.

    Sam wonders what to say to the shocked owner.

    He wonders if he will have to pay for it.

    "Zoe!¡¡My arm wasn''t up to snuff yet!¡¡I didn''t expect my brother to break it so easily."

    "You will make a good blacksmith. You will be a good blacksmith.

    Thank you!"

    (It sounds like a good story, but that''s all right. Is this a common sight when shopping?¡¡(If that''s the case, I''m scared of demons!)

    "I''m sorry, girl. I''ll show you my father''s pride and joy!

    "No, thank you!"

    "Yeah, just a minute."

    The owner then went to the back of the store.

    After a while, he brought a sword covered with a white cloth.

    "This is a very special sword. If you don''t like it, I won''t show it to you. I know your brother is strong, but how about this sword?

    The smirking dwarf pulls the blade from its scabbard and places it on the table.

    "Wow!¡¡This is amazing!¡¡That demon sword you just saw was awesome, but!¡¡This is, how can I put it, too different!"

    Like Mizuki who was impressed, Sam was also fascinated by the yokutai.

    The blade of the sword was so beautiful that it was hard to believe that it was a demon sword.

    It radiated an icy coldness, and yet it seemed to have a solitary presence that no one could approach.

    I had the illusion that if I carelessly reached out my hand, my finger would be cut off.

    "This is one of the masterpieces that my father hesitated to even name."

    "Why didn''t you name it?"

    He thought that naming the sword would degrade its quality. It is precisely because it has no name that it is beautiful and appeals freely to the viewer''s heart.

    Sam tilted his head, but Mizuki and Zoe seemed to understand and nodded their heads yes.

    "Mizuki, how do you like it?"

    "Yes!¡¡It''s a great demon sword!¡¡Father will be pleased, but I might want one too!"

    I''ll take that.

    Hey!¡¡Thank you very much!"

    "Oh, hey, hey, hey, Zoe!¡¡Money is ...... expensive!¡¡I don''t have that much on me.

    Before Sam could say that he would pay for it because it was his wife''s request, Zoey opened her mouth, blushing a little.

    "Well, I mean, what is it? It''s a present from me to Mizuki - a friend."

    "What?¡¡Oh, no. Is that okay?"

    "Of course. I''d be happy to accept it!"

    When Zoe shyly told him it was a present, Mizuki broke into a hug.

    "Thank you, Zoe!"

    "Uh-huh!"

    Zoey''s face is bright red, and Sam says, "Thank you.

    She was very happy to see that Mizuki and she had become friends, even though she had initially seen Sam as an enemy and disliked people.

    "Oh, my. Why don''t you give me a token of friendship too?"

    I don''t know if she was serious or not, but when Catherine said that, Zoe turned to the shopkeeper with an unusually disgusted look on her face.

    "...... shopkeeper."

    "Hey. That half-troll, half-orc scourge of yours is the hammer of my masterpiece!"

    "Oh, hey there. A frail lady like me couldn''t possibly carry such a heavy thing!"

    "What?"

    What?

    "What?"

    £¨Your muscles are for decoration!¡¡Oh, no, I know she''s actually a very powerful character, but what about this?¡¡(Waiting for a shove?)

    Catherine''s presence created an indescribable atmosphere that enveloped the magic sword shop.

 480 - - 17 "I have a younger brother." â‘ 

    Sam and his friends, who had purchased two swords, one for Mizuki and the other as a souvenir for Kurando, finished their meal at a nearby restaurant and were about to stroll around the town again.

    I had expected to see monsters and unknown creatures at the table in a restaurant of the demon tribe, but the restaurant was quite normal.

    The seasoning was a little different, and they used ingredients that are not available in the eastern part of the continent.

    Thinking back on it, the breakfast at Vivian''s house was also quite normal.

    "Hey, bro!"

    As I was wondering where to go next, a lion tribe beastman appeared waving his hand.

    His name was Bowood Fedek.

    He is the leader of the Lion Tribe, and a demon of the rank of count.

    He is also a demon tribe who had recently tried to rise up in the name of the new Demon King, but had ended in failure.

    "Hmm. What is it, Bowood?

    "Hey, hey, Zoe!¡¡If my brother is going to take my sister out with him, I, as the first prefect, will have to accompany him."

    The man who wanted to be the Demon King was now Sam''s younger brother.

    Zoey frowns, her head aching.

    "...... you. Where are you, the man who twice aspired to be the Demon King, the self-proclaimed proud ...... prefect?"

    "Ha, Valzado took all that stuff away!¡¡I''m going to live my life as my brother''s brother!"

    Well, if that''s all right with you, I don''t mind.

    Zoey let out an exaggerated sigh.

    As for Sam, he didn''t understand why the lion chief would want to be his apprentice over his subordinate.

    I mean, Bowood was already acting like a prefect even though he hadn''t agreed to it.

    It makes me wonder if this is the right thing to do.

    "Oh, you know, by the way, do you mean me as your sister?"

    "Of course I am!¡¡If she''s your brother''s wife, she''s like a sister to us!¡¡Please let me call you sister!"

    I''m not going to quip, but Beauregard''s language is different from what we''ve seen so far.

    I felt a headache.

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha. It''s a little strange to be called sister by a beastman warrior.

    I''ve got a little brother now," said Mizuki, surprisingly accepting Bowood.

    "I look forward to meeting my brother''s other wives!"

    Beauregard was wagging his ears and wagging his tail, and Mizuki looked like she wanted to pet him.

    Mizuki was about to pet him, but he held back, thinking that would be a bad idea.

    Then, Beauregard noticed Catherine, kneeled down in front of her, took her hand and kissed it.

    "Oh, my lovely lady. You are here too. You look lovely today."

    "Oh, my, you have a good mouth."

    "Mmmm, I mean it, lady. Though your legs peeking out from your too-short skirt may be a little too much of a turn-on."

    "That''s very nice of you to say."

    I still think you are a beast with serious eyes.

    Zoey was looking at me with a look of astonishment, saying, "Are you kidding me?

    "Excuse me, Mr. Bowood?"

    "Hey, bro. Please don''t call me Bowood."

    "Oh, yes. Then you can call me Sam, too.

    "Okay, Brother Sam."

    "Um, I''d like you to leave my brother out of it, please."

    What are you talking about?¡¡Because he''s my brother!¡¡Me, Amur, Bacchus, and 300 other beastmen!¡¡I will follow you until the day I die!"

    Apparently, the beastmen who had been following Bowood the other day were now under Sam''s command.

    He is disappointed to find that many things are going on without his knowledge.

    Zoe patted Sam on the back.

    He looks at her and wonders if she is trying to comfort him. She gives him a thumbs up and a big smile.

    "Good for you, Sam. I''ve got 300 men!¡¡You can take this stuff home with you!"

    "I don''t want it!"

 481 - - 18 "I have a younger brother." â‘¡

    Sam huffed.

    "You''re not thinking of bringing three hundred people to the Sky Kingdom, are you?"

    "Don''t worry. We will not cause you that much trouble. First of all, I''ll go alone and ask your king for permission to stay - or rather, permission to emigrate!

    "You''re going to emigrate?

    It seems that they do not intend to bring three hundred beastmen with them, but I cannot hide my surprise at their unexpected wish to emigrate.

    "Hey. Even though I have been allowed to return to my old life by Vivian thanks to Brother Sam, I am too embarrassed to do so. I want to be reborn under my brother''s care and start over from scratch!"

    "I wonder if that''s okay."

    He looked at Zoe as if asking for help with a puzzled look on his face, wondering if it was possible for a demon tribe, even a count-level demon tribe, to move to another country and become just another demon tribe under a human,

    "I don''t know."

    He responded with a curt, "I don''t know what you mean.

    "I think it''s fine, but I''m not sure about His Majesty. I don''t think he has good memories of the Demon King, so I wonder if he''ll accept the demon tribe.

    "Oh, yeah, that''s right."

    "But I wonder if His Majesty wouldn''t mind if I did."

    "......, right?"

    Clyde, who once had the responsibility of guarding the tombs of the lepers, suffered from the fact that he could not tell anyone about it.

    He served not as king, but as tomb-keeper, and remained a tomb-keeper even when the country was in ruins.

    Clyde, who was relieved of his duty after the release of the lepers and their overthrow by Sam, has become a man of the open air, perhaps as a reaction to his past.

    He has become so outspoken that people around him are worried that he has turned into a different person.

    As Mizuki said, the current His Majesty might accept Borwood, a demon, without any particular concern.

    I was afraid of how the people of the Kingdom of Skye, who have no connection with demons, would react, but after thinking it over, I realized that the people of the Royal Capital, who are used to the strange behavior of perverts, would have no problem with a beastman or two.

    "Brother, sister, I don''t want to stand around talking, how about a cup of tea?¡¡I can recommend a place here. Come in, please.

    Bowood pushed Sam and Mizuki back and beckoned Catherine and Zoe.

    "Hey, I''m showing you around, don''t interrupt me!"

    "Don''t be so hard on yourself. We''re all just brothers and sisters, and we''re going to get along.

    "You ...... when did I become Sam''s servant!¡¡I''ll chop your head off!"

    "Come on, lady. I''ll be your escort.

    Listen to me!

    Zoey''s face is scrunched up as Bowood treats her like Sam''s prefect, but the lioness beastie is more into escorting Kathryn.

    "Oh, you''re still a lovely lioness!"

    Sam saw Catherine beaming with delight,

    "Why don''t you just become Catherine''s apprentice already?"

    Mizuki, who was standing next to me, laughed when I muttered something like that.

    --Dear Ur in heaven.

    I heard that you have a new beastman brother.

    I looked up and saw an endless blue sky over the city of the demon tribe.

    Thus, Sam and his friends enjoyed the land of night, bought some souvenirs, and returned home three days later.

    Sam and his friends returned home three days later.

    Farewell day.

    The group was greeted at the entrance of the house of the Demon Lord Vivienne Claxtons.

    "We will meet again, won''t we?

    Vivian hugged Sam, Mizuki, and Daphne and Catherine, and they said goodbye to each other.

    "Yes, I will see you again."

    "Thank you for your hospitality."

    "Take care of yourself."

    "Please come to the Kingdom of Skye. We''d love to have you.

    Sam and the others greet each other with fond farewells.

    Vivian, the Demon King, has been very kind to Sam and his friends.

    The first day was hectic with the uprising of the Bowoods and the appearance of the demon tribe claiming to be the true Demon King, but after that, she took us around her land of night and prepared for us meals, meetings, and dance parties with the nobles and other events.

    Although the other demon kings didn''t show up, we met with the legendary demon tribe in the Kingdom of Skye and the demon tribe that appeared in fairy tales, and it was a few days that even Mizuki and Katherine, not to mention Sam, rolled their eyes.

    Some of them looked at Sam with a disgruntled face after he defeated the Lepshies, and others looked at him as if to judge him, but in general they were friendly.

    Although Sam was invited as an individual, not as an emissary of the Sky Kingdom, it seemed that the relationship between the two countries would be good.

    As for Louise, the love of Prince Cedric of Skye Kingdom, he was relieved to hear Vivian''s words of congratulations.

    "Oh yes, before I forget, I''ll give you this..."

    Vivian handed a small box to Mizuki as if she had just remembered.

    "Um, this is..."

    "Please open it."

    At her prompting, Mizuki opened the small box and found a silver ring.

    Sam understood that it was some kind of magical tool.

    "I heard that there is someone in your family who is suffering from health problems due to strong magic power, so if you would like, you can use this."

    "--Mistress Vivien."

    "It''s a ring that seals out magic, but I''ve made a few modifications to keep it in check. With it on, you''ll be able to go about your daily life, run around and even wield a sword."

    "Are you sure about ......?"

    "Of course. Even if it''s because the child can''t balance his body and magic, I feel sorry for him if he''s in bed every day."

    As Mizuki''s eyes moistened, Vivienne smiled gently at her like a mother.

    "I''ve made sure that there are no problems in that area as well, since just suppressing the magic will alienate the growth of the magic. I am sure that this will bring good results to your family.

    "Thank you, thank you!"

    "Don''t thank me. I hope your family gets well soon.

    Vivian hugged Mizuki, who was in tears of gratitude.

    Sam, of course, thanked Katherine and bowed her head to the kind Demon Lord.

    I can only thank him for having prepared such a magical tool for Mizuki''s younger sister, Kotomi, who has become an important family member for Sam.

    Probably, the ring he gave her is also a very good one.

    Originally, there were fetters to seal magic power to bind criminals who used magic, but it was said that it was impossible to make them small enough to the size of a ring.

    Furthermore, it would be impossible to suppress magic power to the extent that it would not inhibit growth.

    I don''t know when he heard about Kotomi''s story, but I was amazed that he could prepare such a thing in just a few days.

    I was also grateful and puzzled at the same time, wondering if I could accept the gift.

    Vivien winked at me, perhaps sensing Sam''s feelings.

    Sam bowed his head deeply to Vivian once again.

    "Well, are you ready to go?"

    The voice of Tomoya Endo, the Demon King, who is not here, echoes.

    He said that instead of using a carriage, he would take us home with his transfer magic.

    "Zoe, Bowood, make sure you greet the people of the Kingdom of Skye properly. Don''t be rude."

    "--"

    "Yes, sir."

    Zoe, a vampire knight, and Bowood, chief of the lion tribe, who had stepped back so as not to disturb the farewell, bowed reverently.

    They will accompany Sam and his friends to the Kingdom of Skye, where they will live out the rest of their lives.

    "Now, Samuel Scheidt. Thank you for your visit to my country. I wish you and the Kingdom of Skye a long and fruitful friendship."

    "Thank you very much. I wish you all the best in your relationship with the Witch King Vivienne Claxtons.

    They nodded to each other.

    "--Well, I''ll start the transition. Samuel, I will see you soon.

    Tomoya bade them farewell, and Sam and his friends were transported from the Land of Night to the Kingdom of Sky.

 482 - - 19 "Im back home."

    I slipped through the transfer magic and opened my eyes to find myself in the courtyard of Count Walker''s house in the royal capital of the Kingdom of Skye.

    It has been a few days, but it feels familiar.

    Unlike the land of night, the heat that clings to my skin and the unique smell of the Sky Kingdom make me realize that I have returned home.

    Sam has moved from place to place, but the royal city where he has lived for the past few months is now his home, probably because of the people he loves.

    "So they know we''re living here. You''re a scary demon king."

    We don''t know how they gather information, but they know where we live, and they know our power.

    I was afraid of Tomoya Endo, not of the Demon Lord, but of him as a person.

    We had established a friendly relationship, but I shudder to think what it would be like if we were enemies.

    "Hmmm. I visited this country the other day and left right away, but let''s take it easy for a while and have a look around the city.

    "So this is where your brother lives. It''s nice to have a nice garden to sit in the sun."

    "...... you guys."

    Sam cowered at Zoey and Bowood, who were going at their own pace.

    The two of them seemed to have no worries about the prospect of living in a strange country.

    First of all, they have a lot of things to do, such as meeting with the king, making a report, and getting permission to stay, but the two demons don''t seem to be too concerned about it.

    "I''m happy to be back in my old Skye Kingdom, but it''s not right for you to go home like this. I have to go tell His Majesty first."

    "Yes."

    I would also like to inform you that I have established friendly relations with the Demon Lord Vivienne Claxtons and that I have received permission to marry Louise, the head maid.

    At least this will put Clyde and Cedric at ease.

    "--Well, I guess I''ll go and inform the wives of my return."

    "Oh, Daphne, please. --Is it my imagination that the city seems to be more lively?"

    After seeing Daphne off, Sam hears people''s happy voices coming from the castle town.

    He tilted his head and wondered if the country had ever been so bustling, even though it had always been lively.

    Mizuki agreed with Sam''s question.

    "Yes, it was. I don''t think there is any festival, umm, at this time of the year.

    "I know. I don''t think your sister has any idea either.

    Neither Mizuki nor even Catherine, who has lived in this town for many years, seem to have any idea of the bustle of the town.

    "--Sam!¡¡Mizuki!"

    While I was wondering what was going on, Lise appeared with Daphne.

    Sam smiled when he saw his beloved wife in a loose-fitting dress.

    "Lise!"

    I couldn''t help but hug her thin body, feeling as if we had been apart for years, even though it had been only a few days.

    "How are you?"

    "Of course. Sam, it''s not like we haven''t seen each other for a week.

    She giggles, and she remains just as Sam remembers her.

    "Because, you know, I''m having a baby."

    "It''s okay. I have the lotus blossoms and my father''s family. Sam, you worry too much.

    "Yes, but..."

    She smiles ticklingly at Sam who is still worrying about Liese, and turns to Mizuki who is also an important family member.

    "Welcome back, Mizuki. Thanks for coming back."

    "Yeah. I''m home."

    Mizuki responded to Liese by lightly raising her hand.

    Liese, who was happy to see Sam again, felt Zoe and the others'' eyes on her and thanked them as she hurriedly spoke her body from her husband.

    "I beg your pardon. Thank you very much for accompanying us, Katherine."

    "Hmm, it''s no big deal."

    "And, Sam. Can you introduce me to these people?

    "Oh, yes, that''s right."

    Sam introduced his friends who had watched over the couple''s reunion undisturbed.

    "This is Zoe Stockwell, knight of the Witch Queen Vivienne Claxtons. This is Zoe Stockwell, a knight of the Witch King Vivienne Claxtons, and this is Bowood Attrack, a knight of the title of Earl of Bowood. Both of you, this is Lieselotte, my dear wife.

    "This is Sam''s wife, Lieselotte Scheidt. My husband is very happy to meet you.

    Lise bowed, and Zoe opened her mouth first.

    "I''m Zoe Stockwell. As you have been introduced, I am a knight of Lady Vivienne Claxtons. I will be staying here for a while. It will be a pleasure to meet you."

    "You must be Zoe. Pleased to meet you.

    No, just Zoe. Mizuki and I have become friends. I''m told she is Sam''s wife and Mizuki''s childhood friend. Then she is a friend to me. I want you to take it easy on me."

    Lise smiled at Zoe''s kind smile.

    "So, I will call you Zoe. You can call me Liese too.

    "Yes, Lise."

    Lise and Zoe shook hands.

    It''s good to see you two getting along so well," said Sam, smiling.

    "And you, you''re the beastman, right?"

    It must be the first time he has seen a beastman.

    When Liese approached him with a somewhat puzzled look on her face, Bowood kneeled down reverently.

    "Hey, sis."

    "Oh, sister?"

    "My name is Bowood Attrack, Brother Sam''s first prefect."

    "A prefect, sir?"

    Hey!¡¡I fought with you and I admire your strength. I hope you will think of me as your little brother and take good care of me!

    "...... Sam?¡¡You are on your way to meet with the Demon Lord, so why do you have a prefect brother?"

    What did you do?¡¡Sam cowered.

    "I don''t know. I wonder why.

    Sam was still puzzled by the fact that Bowood had become a prefect, as he had not expected it.

    "Mr. Bowood?"

    "No, call me Bowood, sister."

    "......You know, I''ve been calling you my sister for a while now. ...... Huh. Well, Mr. Bowood..."

    Please, call me Bowood.

    "Bowood."

    Hey!

    "If you''re Sam''s little brother, you''re our dear family. Please, stay with us. But you might have some bad experiences because of the lack of beastmen in this country.

    "I came prepared. I will be at your service!"

    At Borwood''s strong words, Liese smiled and shook his hand.

    She was grateful that Liese would treat the beastmen the same way she had always treated them.

    Like Mizuki, I admired these women for their deep pockets.

    "Zoe, where do you live?"

    "Well, I haven''t decided yet."

    "Oh, well, would you like to come to your sister''s house?"

    "--No!"

    "You don''t have to say it with so much force."

    When Catherine asked Zoe to join her, Zoe''s eyes widened and she let out a word of rejection.

    Sam chuckled, "I don''t know how you feel about that.

    Catherine looks unhappy, as if she has just introduced her favorite Zoey to her family.

    "Well, Zoey will be staying with us, too."

    "Are you sure?"

    Yes, it''s a busy place with many residents, but please come.

    "Thank you."

    Before that, we have to get permission to stay here," Zoe muttered, and Sam asked Lise, "Speaking of which," she said.

    "How are the others doing?"

    Sam wondered why no one showed up except Liese, who greeted him.

    Normally, Karen would be the first to fly in, followed by Alicia and Stella.

    Even Fran, who had recently joined the family, was the type of person who would welcome you with open arms.

    It was even stranger that there was no sign of the dragon cubs.

    "Hualien, Stella-sama, Alicia and Fran are taking the children to the theater to help out.

    "-Theatre, sir?"

    I don''t remember there being such a thing," Sam tilts his head.

    "I was going to head out with your father and mother."

    No, sir, wait. Why the theater all of a sudden?

    At Sam''s question, Lise said, "Oh, yes, that''s right," as if she remembered.

    "In the past few days when you''ve been away, the stage started by the Dukes of Ignaz has become very popular in King''s Landing."

    "Huh?"

    G¨¹nther is now the best stage actress in King''s Landing.

    What happened to him while I was gone?

    Lise smiled mischievously at Sam''s cry.

 483 - - 20 å¥³I heard you became a womanä½“ â‘ 

    Sam went to see the Demon King Vivienne Claxtons, fought against Bowood, encountered the Demon King Tomoya Endo, the true Demon King appeared, and finally returned home, but it seems that the Sky Kingdom had a lot of events.

    Why does the Duke of Ignaz run a theater? Why is G¨¹nther, a man, a stage "actress"?

    It seems that the families of the Counts Walker and their wives are also involved.

    Moreover, we heard that King Clyde was also a frequent visitor to the theater, so Sam decided to accompany Zoe and the others to the theater, swallowing the "do your official duty" rush.

    Lise, who is heavily burdened, takes the carriage, so Sam and the others ride along with her.

    After a while, Lise, Mizuki, and Sam were chatting and laughing while riding in the carriage, the carriage stopped at a particularly busy place in the castle town.

    "Wow, a really big theater has been built! Are you kidding me, you built this in just a few days and you''ve already started the stage?

    "Wow!¡¡That''s amazing!"

    The Dukes of Ignatz are a force to be reckoned with.

    "Hmmm. It looks good, doesn''t it? It''s not finished yet."

    "Is that so?"

    "The exterior, the stage, and the seats are in place, but the rest of the building is being completed in the time we''re not performing."

    We enter the theater as Lise explains.

    There was a person who looked like a receptionist, but when she saw Lise''s face, she smiled and said, "Come in" and passed her face.

    "A stage - I have seen it with Master Lepsey and his family hundreds of years ago..."

    "People like entertainment, don''t they? No, I don''t mind it myself, but I prefer to be in motion, so I''d rather be in a riot than sit and watch a play.

    The demonic duo followed Sam, each sharing their own thoughts.

    Passing people were a bit surprised at the appearance of Beauregard, but it didn''t matter because they seemed to think he was in a costume or something because of his presence in the theater.

    "Well, well, it''s a nice theater. I love the stage, sister. --But I''m sure there are other theaters, aren''t there?

    Catherine asks Count Jonathan Walker, who wiggles and walks next to her.

    "Oh, um, don''t get too attached to ....... Yes, there were other theaters, but they were all bought by Duke Ignaz, or more precisely by G¨¹nther, who took over everything, from the actors and actresses to the staff.

    "Oh, dear."

    "Duke Ignaz was at first appalled by G¨¹nther''s madness, but now that his play has become a big hit, he''s going to get serious about it."

    "And Count Walker and the others will be with you?"

    Yes, well. We''re only funding a small part of it, but we''re going to write a script.

    "A script?"

    "G¨¹nther has decided that he doesn''t care who writes the script as long as it''s interesting, and I, my wife and daughters, even His Majesty, are working on it with our eyes wide open."

    I can hear Jonathan''s voice, sounding happy.

    Apparently, the people of King''s Landing are enjoying the play and the investors are enjoying the script.

    £¨But why is G¨¹nther suddenly on stage?)

    The questions are still there, but I decide that since I''ve come this far, it''s better to ask the man himself, so I continue on my way.

    After walking around the theater for a while, I went out on the stage.

    Perhaps he was in the middle of a meeting.

    The staff was hurriedly moving around, and the actresses were acting on the stage. And there were people holding scripts and groaning.

    I looked for G¨¹nther, wondering if I should call out to him, but he was not there.

    Then..,

    "Oh, Mr. Samuel!¡¡It''s been a while. I have missed you, Mr. Samuel!

    A woman, who could easily be described as the most beautiful woman in the world, noticed Sam and came running up to him.

    Zoe and Bowood let out a gasp when they saw her in a tight white dress with golden blonde hair that reached down her back.

    Sleek, well-defined bridge of the nose, large, moist blue eyes. Thin, well-defined eyebrows. Glossy lips and the beauty of a doll carefully crafted by a top dollmaker.

    She has a slender figure, but her breasts and buttocks are well defined, and she is very s*xy.

    But alas, Sam sighs heavily instead of getting excited when he sees the beautiful woman in front of him.

    "What are you doing, G¨¹nther?¡¡I heard you started a stage act, but now you''re dressing up as a woman, you must be sick."

    "What?¡¡This beautiful woman is G¨¹nther!"

    Mizuki could not hide her surprise at Sam''s words.

    She seemed to be a different person, but Sam''s eyes could not be fooled.

    She acts like a lady, but her eyes are repeatedly fixed on Sam''s buttocks.

    Sadly, it was a look she was used to.

    "G¨¹nther ...... heard that before. G¨¹nther Ignatz. Hey, wait, that''s not it!¡¡You said transvestite!¡¡Is this guy a pervert too!"

    "No way. Even the smell is female!

    Zoe, who remembered G¨¹nther''s name, shuddered at the new pervert, but he was the most powerful pervert the Kingdom of Skye had ever known.

    Bowood is puzzled when his sense of smell seems to recognize G¨¹nther as a woman.

    When G¨¹nther''s true identity is revealed, he stops trying to make up for it and brushes his bangs in a familiar gesture.

    "--Huh. That''s Sam. That''s my darling. I can''t believe you recognized me in an instant!"

    "No, you would."

    "But!¡¡You are wrong!"

    What?

    I''m not dressed as a woman!¡¡This appearance--a femme fatale!"

    When G¨¹nther shook his chest and said such a thing out loud, Sam

    "Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

    I didn''t know what it meant, but I shouted anyway.

 484 - - 21 "I heard you became a woman" â‘¡

    "What do you mean, what do you mean, what do you mean?¡¡What is feminization!¡¡How did that happen!¡¡I mean, how did you do it?

    It is hard to believe that G¨¹nther would go out of his way to lie, so he must have really become a woman.

    It is understandable that Liese and the others kept silent about it.

    Even if they had told us that G¨¹nther had turned into a woman, we would have ended up tilting our heads.

    But the questions are endless: why did she become a woman, how did she become a woman, and why is she a stage actress as a result of her feminization?

    "Well, calm down. Let me explain. I met a goddess the other day!

    A goddess?

    She blessed me!¡¡And so I was reborn!¡¡Now I am a real woman!¡¡I''m Gyunko!"

    "I know I''m rambling on and on, but couldn''t you have done something about that name?"

    I don''t know why they bother to put "child" in the name in the western style Sky Kingdom.

    "Sam!¡¡What are you talking about!¡¡What does it matter what your name is!¡¡In this country, with all the bizarre transvestite creatures, do we even have the technology to do transvestitism on a regular basis!"

    It was Zoe who raised her voice.

    Even for her, it is not so easy to take on a woman''s body.

    "No, it''s not normal. It''s the first time I''ve ever heard of a female body.

    Then why?

    "By the way, G¨¹nther."

    "Call me Gyunko!"

    Sam looked disgusted and coughed.

    "It''s Mr. Gyunko."

    "What is it, Sam?"

    "My biggest question is, who is the goddess?"

    If Sam remembers correctly, there is no goddess who would let him take on a female form.

    The church in the Kingdom of Skye also worships a "god," but it is for a vague deity, not a goddess.

    It was natural to wonder who she was, then.

    In response to Sam''s question, G¨¹nther - or rather, G¨¹nko - pointed out the window of the theater.

    "Oh, he is still in the temple over there."

    "Temple?¡¡--What?¡¡No way. What is that?¡¡It wasn''t there before we left!"

    Outside the window stood a temple that rivaled the church where Sam and his family were married.

    The pure white building with a large bell stands out.

    In Sam''s memory, however, such a building had never existed.

    "I took the initiative and built it with everyone in King''s Landing!"

    "Your tone gives me the creeps!¡¡Oh, wait, you built a temple?"

    Of course. It''s easy if we''re serious about our devotion to the goddess!"

    "--Wait."

    Gyunko proudly boasts that he built the temple in a few days, but Zoe interrupts him.

    "Yes, pretty lady?"

    Don''t treat me like a child. I am older than you.

    "Hmm. I see - well, you don''t mean to tell me that Sam didn''t bring a new wife!"

    "Don''t be silly!¡¡Whose wife? Whose wife? !¡¡That kind of thing takes time, first a hundred years of correspondence. ......"

    Zoe''s cheeks turned bright red at the mention of G¨¹nther''s "wife.

    "Ha-ha-ha, you''re a very naive young lady!

    "Shut up!¡¡--No, that''s not important. What is a goddess?¡¡There is no such thing as a goddess in this world, no, there is no such thing as a god!"

    When Zoe glared at him, G¨¹nther ruffled her hair and snickered.

    "--Hmmm. Ignorance is a terrible thing. But it''s nothing to be ashamed of."

    "What?"

    "Why are you being so superior?"

    Sam tried to intervene, but her momentum did not stop as he could see that Zoe was irritated by Gyunko''s language.

    "Listen with your heart!¡¡The other day, the Goddess of Love descended upon the Kingdom of Skye!"

    "Goddess of love, huh?"

    Her name is Evangeline Alahey!

    "You''re the Demon King, aren''t you!"

    Thinking back, Sam and Zoe exclaimed, of course, that the Demon King, whom they had never met in the land of the Demon People, was now being treated as a goddess in the Kingdom of Skye.

 485 - - 22 "I heard youve become a woman." â‘¢

    She is the goddess of love who has come to Sam''s room!

    Wait a minute!¡¡Why the hell did Evangeline descend on my room!¡¡I mean, why were you in my room?

    Once again, there was much to ponder.

    Following Sam''s cry, Zoe sighs.

    "I wondered where Evangeline was, I didn''t expect to find her in the Kingdom of Skye. She probably came here to see Sam, but I didn''t expect her to be worshipped as a goddess. But why would she send a message like help?"

    "Hmm. Not so peaceful. The goddess seems to be happier every day.

    Gyunko also seems to have no idea why Evangeline would send such a message for help.

    "Leaving Evangeline aside, Lise, you kept quiet on purpose, didn''t you?"

    "Hmm. I''m sorry. I was just wondering how you would react."

    Sam turned his eyes to Lise.

    She giggled as if the prank had worked.

    "We were also surprised when we heard that G¨¹nther had become a woman. Your father fainted."

    "Of course!"

    "So I thought I''d surprise Sam, too."

    "Oh, come on!"

    As Sam''s shoulders slump, Gyunko smiles and starts clapping.

    Everyone looked at her, wondering what was going on.

    "I can only say that you''re very good at what you do, Sam.

    "What?"

    "I am very happy to say myself that you found me G¨¹nther Ignaz, a beauty that rivals - or even surpasses - Ulrike''s. In case you didn''t recognize me, I would have been very much obliged to you."

    "Oh shoot!!!¡¡I made the wrong choice ahhhhhhh!"

    Sam, it was a cry from the soul.

    After the scream echoed through the theater, he collapsed to his knees.

    As if to comfort Sam, Zoe puts her hand on his shoulder and says, "It''s hard for you, too, isn''t it?

    "I mean, I''m surprised that Lise and the others have accepted G¨¹nther''s transformation into a woman without a care in the world!

    I''m told he was surprised, but his treatment of Gyunko doesn''t seem any different than it has been in the past.

    "You know, Sam?"

    "Ha, yes."

    "Whether G¨¹nther is a woman or a man, do you think it will change the way he treats you and the way he usually behaves?"

    "Uh... I don''t think it''s going to change.

    "Right?¡¡So we were surprised, but we didn''t change our response afterwards. Well, it''s G¨¹nther..."

    Liese smiles bitterly.

    Probably the same reaction was given by the flower lotus.

    "But after Duke Ignaz screamed, he and G¨¹nther had a grand father-son fight, but he lost.

    "I am relieved that there were two people who had a normal reaction."

    "Oh, hey, sorry to interrupt, but you guys are all kinds of crazy!"

    Zoe, who had been making an indescribably squirmy face behind Sam, couldn''t take it any longer and started to butt in.

    "Why is the Kingdom of Sky unleashing that incomprehensible magical girl and her female-animating pervert in the first place!¡¡Seal it up!¡¡That''s exactly the kind of thing that should be sealed up tighter than Master Lepsey!"

    "You know what, Zoe?"

    Zoey, who was so vigorously wound up that she was breathing on her shoulders, looked at Liese with a sympathetic gaze.

    "--This is our everyday life."

    "What, what?"

    "Everyone accepts G¨¹nther even if he''s a pervert, and they don''t mind if he changes his gender and becomes a stage actress. Because it''s G¨¹nther.

    "You must be crazy!"

    "Even Lady Catherine has been a magical girl for generations, so we''re all used to it, and it doesn''t surprise me."

    "I''m scared!"

    "And look over there. Lady Catherine is auditioning to become a stage actress!

    "I thought it was quiet, but I didn''t expect this!"

    "Zoe, I know it''s often confusing for you in another country, but it''s okay."

    Lise smiled at him.

    "--you''ll get used to it."

    "I''m scared of the Sky Kingdom!¡¡I want to go home!"

    "They''re both very popular in their own country to begin with. They are very active in charity work and there are many children who have benefited from their support. Lady Catherine is a model of what a nice aristocrat she is, she even organizes a monthly meeting with children who are interested in becoming magical girls.

    Zoey was already crestfallen.

    The same goes for Sam, who was listening along with me.

    Sam, who had not lived in King''s Landing for long, learned of the country''s dark side.

    "I know it''s none of your business!¡¡I''m very worried about the future of the Kingdom of Skye!"

    Zoe''s small body trembled and her voice became hoarse, to which Sam nodded, "Of course.

 486 - - 23 "It was tampered with."

    "......I don''t care about G¨¹nther anymore, yeah. I do. He''s a woman now. All the fuss won''t change it. So... It''s great that you made a makeshift theater... but what kind of show are you doing?"

    If it is at the height of its popularity in King''s Landing, one would expect it to be a very interesting performance.

    Come to think of it, there is not much entertainment in this world.

    Sam, too, has been doing nothing but magic and battle training, except for reading books.

    He has no interest in gambling like Ur, and if the stage is interesting, he would like to see it.

    Then Gyunko confidently pulls out a stack of papers from his cleavage.

    (I''m not going to ask her where she put it!)

    "Here''s the script for the play I''m starring in tonight. Please read it!"

    "Here you go."

    He receives the script from G¨¹nther and opens it.

    Zoe and Bowood peek in from behind.

    "What?"

    Sam could not believe his eyes at the first page.

    The story begins with a young boy, Samuel Scheidt, born in a remote barony and ill-treated, at a loss after being evicted from his estate, meeting an ideal couple, Ulrike Scheidt Walker and G¨¹nter Ignaz.

    After their fateful meeting, the three spend their days moving from place to place, trying to raise Sam to be a first-rate wizard.

    They sometimes gamble and have a crisis of chastity, but Sam is quickly saved by G¨¹nther, and his heart flutters in excitement.

    He fights the Dragon King and, with G¨¹nther''s help, defeats him with a single blow from Sam, who has awakened to a powerful force.

    "Don''t get mixed up in the precious memories of me and Ur!"

    "Ha ha ha ha!¡¡There''s no need to be embarrassed!"

    "I''m not embarrassed!¡¡You, seriously, stop it!¡¡I mean, you''re a woman in a woman''s body and you''re playing your part!"

    "--What are you talking about?¡¡Of course I''m playing Ulrike!"

    "I''m gonna kill you, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh."

    "Calm down, Sam!¡¡Come on, come on, come on!

    "Oh, brother, I don''t know about this, but calm down!"

    Bowood bullies him and Zoe chides him, but Sam''s anger remains.

    He had no idea that the contents of the play were their own memories, and that they had been falsified.

    Let go of me, Bowood!¡¡If this is performed, the people who saw it will misunderstand!"

    "Oh, you know what, Sam?"

    "Lise?"

    "It''s very nice and painful, but it''s already been done many times."

    "Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

    Liese''s sorry words caused Sam to scream.

    "Oh, no! I wish Liese and the others would stop this pervert.

    "Not even Cree could stop him. Besides, even though it was an adaptation, the story itself was interesting."

    "The second part, the first night, which takes place in the evening, is getting rave reviews!"

    "I''m getting it," I said!¡¡What''s a first night edition?¡¡Oh, wait, wait, don''t explain!¡¡I''m going to break down, I''m going to break down!"

    Something must be done, Sam fretted.

    If he doesn''t do something, his days with Ur will be falsified and recognized by the people of King''s Landing.

    He does not care whether it is on the stage or not, as long as it is a correct memory, but G¨¹nther''s intervention is a bad idea.

    It may be good for your entertainment, but I did not want false memories to remain in people''s memories.

    "We haven''t shown it on stage yet, but we have a lot of scripts for pregnancy, childbirth, and the next generation, so please look forward to them!

    "Stop it!¡¡Don''t intervene not only in our memories, but also in our future!"

    (I think I''ll just slash through the whole theater now!¡¡That''s a fine way to defend yourself!¡¡Tomoya said it''s okay if there is damage if it''s for self-defense, so yeah, let''s do it!)

    Sam started to have dangerous thoughts, but there was a possibility that Bowood and Zoe would stop him, and he didn''t want Liese and the others to get hurt, so he swallowed down the urge to slash them open.

    "Mr. G¨¹nther! I have an interview with some actresses waiting for me.

    "Oh, Jim. I''m sorry."

    "--Jim?"

    The man who appeared with the notebook was Jim Robert.

    He was Alicia''s childhood friend and her fianc¨¦e, whom her parents had once arranged to marry.

    Despite the twists and turns over Alicia, Sam and Jim overcame their broken hearts and became good friends.

    "Long time no see, Sam."

    What are you doing?

    "I work for Master G¨¹nther, and for some reason I''m involved in the running of the theater. Is this the work of a subordinate of a court wizard?

    "I guess not."

    If Sam remembered correctly, Jim became G¨¹nther''s subordinate, but he had no idea that he was being forced to work in the theater.

    Sam almost cried for his friend who was not blessed with a boss.

    "Well, that''s okay. I don''t mind the stage either. But..."

    "But what?"

    "I''m tired of everything."

    "Thank you for your hard work!"

    Sam couldn''t say anything more to Jim, who let out a sigh.

    "Thank you. It''s been a real pain in the ass, running the theater and even arranging interviews for actresses. Even Mr. G¨¹nther insists on interviewing everyone who goes on stage himself."

    You know what?

    What?

    "It''s only been a few days since the show started, right?¡¡And you already have people who want to work here?"

    "Already, aspiring actresses from all over the capital have gathered here in admiration of Master G¨¹nther."

    It''s too soon!¡¡It''s happening too fast!"

    The G¨¹nther effect is too scary.

    Sam couldn''t help but think that even if he was a lucky devil king, his existence would be a blur in front of G¨¹nther.

 487 - - 24 "Its Bing Bing again." ãƒ“ãƒ³" â‘ 

    "Oh!¡¡Sam!¡¡It''s Sam, isn''t it!¡¡You''re back!"

    "--Mr. Clyde."

    A familiar voice called out from behind me, and I turned around to see Clyde Isle-Sky, His Majesty the King of Skye, standing there with a smile on his face.

    Everyone falls to their knees.

    Zoe and Bowood followed their example and fell to their knees.

    "Mmm. Make yourself comfortable. We''re having a private meeting today."

    "Private?"

    Each of them stood up after Clyde''s words.

    Sam tilts his head and asks, and Clyde smiles at him, giving him a bad feeling.

    "Well, I didn''t think you''d be in the theater, Mr. Clyde?"

    "You''ve seen this theater. From now on, the Kingdom of Skye is going to focus on the stage!"

    "Master Clyde ahhhhh!"

    It seems excessive for the dukes to be putting so much effort into it, but for the royal family to get involved, I can''t even imagine what will happen to this theater and Gyunko and the others.

    "Yes, your story was good too."

    "It''s been adapted so badly, though!"

    "That''s how plays are."

    "Well, to be honest, I don''t care as much as I say I do, and if it were Ur, I''d probably just laugh it off."

    "No doubt. It seems that G¨¹nther also had a hidden talent. I was inspired to write one of my own scripts. It will be performed on stage next week.

    "Seriously!¡¡Even Master Clyde wrote a script!"

    A bundle of manuscripts was in Clyde''s happy hands.

    It seems to be true.

    "Ha-ha-ha-ha. I''m not the only one. Francis, Cordelia, Rachel and Stella, and my mother are all working on scripts.

    "The Royals, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!¡¡I mean, what are you doing, even your grandmother!"

    I''m surprised even my grandmother had a hand in the script.

    Queen Cordelia the Second was also involved.

    He wonders if he should be relieved that Cedric is not participating.

    "Calm down, Sam. First, read the script I''ve come up with."

    "What?¡¡Uh, yes."

    Tilting my head, wondering why I was being asked to read a script, I received the manuscript and felt like falling to my knees when I saw the title.

    The name of the book is - The Sky Kingdom Bing Bing Story.

    "Clyde?¡¡This title..."

    "It''s a good title. I spent a whole night thinking about it, and it''s the best title I could come up with."

    (Don''t take all night to come up with a title that even an elementary school kid who loves to talk down to you can''t come up with!)

    It''s a miracle I didn''t say it.

    To tell the truth, I was almost in my throat.

    Sam''s strong will to not do anything disrespectful, no matter how close a relative he was, held out.

    "Well, read it and tell me what you think."

    "So..."

    My fingers trembled as I turned the pages of the manuscript, for I had a feeling that the title of the book might be too much for the content.

    What jumped into Sam''s eyes as he read the manuscript with trepidation was a development beyond his expectations.

    Ryutaro Tsukishiro, a hero summoned from another world, confronts the evil Binbin, the Demon King Lepssy, as Binbin Bean, the messenger of justice.

    Bimbi Bean, who defeated many Bimbins and binged Bimbi of Lepsy.

    Bimbi Bean binges Bimbi the Demon King Lepsi, but the Demon King''s power is still superior to Bimbi Bean''s.

    However, Bimbi Bean, whose bingbing was strengthened by the love of his lovers, succeeded in crushing and sealing Lepsy''s bingbing.

    As King Binbin, he founded the Kingdom of Skye and became the Tomb Guard.

    Until one day we will need Bimbi Bean again.

    "............"

    Sam took a deep breath,

    "Bing bing ain''t all-powerful!¡¡Don''t even bimbo the lepers!¡¡I mean, evil bimbos and bimbi beens, I don''t get it!¡¡Is this really going to be on stage next week!"

    He raised his voice, as if he didn''t care about disrespect.

    To say the least, my head hurts.

    I don''t know if they wanted to make it a comedy on purpose, or if they just wanted to take out their grudge on Lepsey, but it was just too much.

    As a proof, Zoey, a beloved Lepsey''s household member, was trembling with anger.

    Before Sam could say, "Calm down," Zoey exploded.

    "How dare you turn Master Lepsy into such a disgrace as the Bing Bing Demon King!¡¡I''ll cut off your head!"

    "Zo, Zoe, I know how you feel, but calm down. You''re my brother''s king!

    "I don''t give a shit about that!"

    Bowood is doing his best to bully me, but Zoey is in a rage to break free of her restraints and attack Clyde.

    "What''s up with this raging girl?"

    I''m a child of the Lepsey family.

    "Don''t give me strange introductions!¡¡I''m Zoe Stockwell, a household member of Master Lepsy Daniels!"

    "--How. You''re a Lepsey.

    "That''s right!¡¡You are the servant of the Lepsi you just humiliated!"

    He was so engrossed in the script presentation that he didn''t notice Zoe or Bowood, and rolled his eyes at the strange knightly girl and the beastman.

    However,

    "So you''re saying it''s okay if I put you in the too?"

    Clyde was Clyde.

    There was a "wham!" and something snapped, and at the same time Zoey screamed louder than she had ever screamed before.

    "Who said that?

 488 - - 25 "Its Bing Bing again." ãƒ“ãƒ³" â‘¡

    "Relax, Zoe. It''s not like that."

    "Get off me, Bowood!¡¡I''m going to slay this bimbo and dedicate him to the grave of Master Lepsey!"

    Vivien will be furious with you!

    "Zoe, do me a favor. Give him a break!

    Bowood is trying to stop me, but I don''t know when I will reach my limit, since I have the same physical and physical strength as the thin Zoe.

    Sam intervenes, puffing out his cheeks and insisting, "I''m not happy," but he manages to contain his anger before turning away with his arms folded.

    Sam sighed heavily.

    If Zoey really went on a rampage, there was nothing there to stop her.

    Daphne in the house might be able to, but Clyde''s head would probably be off by the time she got here.

    G¨¹nther and G¨¹nko are also here, so they might be able to protect Clyde with their warding techniques, but the power of a quasi-demon king is unknown even to Sam, so there is a lot of uncertainty.

    It''s not so funny that the cause of the conflict between demons and humans is a play written by the king.

    "Zoe, come here. Would you like some cookies?

    It''s delicious.

    "...... Lise, Mizuki, don''t treat me like a child. Well, I''ll take it.

    Lise and Mizuki beckoned to Zoey, who sat down on a spectator''s chair and spread a handkerchief on her lap.

    When Zoey dusts off her cookies like a baby squirrel, Sam complains discreetly to Clyde.

    "I know you have feelings for the lepers, but you don''t have to get involved in the binging."

    "You misunderstand, Sam. This is because we have recognized the Demon King Lepsy, who has tormented us for so many years, as our rival.

    "...... is enough. I really don''t want Zoey to get upset.

    "Hmm. If Sam says so, then so be it. By the way, can you introduce me to your handsome lion?

    There is no negative emotion in Clyde''s eyes as he looks at the beastly Bowood.

    Sam was relieved to see that at least there was no negative aspect to the demons.

    "This is Bowood Attrack. He is a demon of the lion tribe with the rank of count.

    "My brother introduced me to you, Bowood Atruck. He''s also Brother Sam''s first apprentice.

    "--oh."

    You''re the king of the land, aren''t you?

    "Indeed. I am Clyde Isle of Skye, King of Skye.

    When Bowood asked for a handshake instead of a bow, Clyde responded.

    The two held hands and continued their conversation.

    "I came to this country after Sam''s brother. Therefore, I would like to request permission to stay.

    "You, who are a countess, look up to Sam as your brother?"

    "Yes."

    "And why is that?"

    "I know it sounds pathetic, but I had a stupid idea to become the Demon King, and Sam''s brother beat me to it. I decided to live as his apprentice. That''s all."

    "Hmm."

    Slowly removing his hand, Clyde brought his hand to his chin and made a gesture of contemplation.

    "Excuse me, Mr. Clyde?"

    Clyde stopped Sam, who was about to follow Bowood, with a hand.

    "I''m sorry, but I need to speak to this man alone."

    "Yes."

    I wanted to interrupt him because I wanted him not to have a bad image of Bowood''s attempt to become the Demon King, but Clyde didn''t seem to need that.

    I don''t sense any ill feelings toward Beauregard from him.

    Sam decided to wait and see what would happen.

    "It''s Bowood, isn''t it?"

    "Oh. I''m sorry, but even if you were the king of this land, I wouldn''t respect you. That doesn''t mean I''m going to hurt you. I''m your brother''s apprentice.

    That''s fine.

    "--If you had listened to me earlier, you would have told me that Sam was your prefect!¡¡Don''t tell me you''re cheating on me!"

    "Yes, yes, let''s keep quiet, Gyunko. Come here, come here."

    In the middle of the conversation, the femme fatale pervert shouts out, but Liese pulls him by the arm and he sits down in a chair.

    Gyunko was watching the exchange between Clyde and the demoness, but it seemed that he could no longer hold back.

    "I know that you used to guard the tombs of the Lepsi. I know that you used to guard the tombs of the Lepsi. You must have dreaded every day. I know you don''t like demons.

    "You are mistaken, demon of the lion tribe."

    "What?"

    "I certainly have feelings for the lepers. But I don''t hate the demons themselves.

    "--Okay."

    Then," said Bowood, bowing to Clyde.

    "Then I want you to let me live here. If you give me permission, I promise to lend you my power, next to my brother''s."

    "A tempting proposition. Then let me ask you - are you a bimbo?

    (-- Hmmmmm?¡¡I wonder why those questions keep popping up?)

    Sam was not the only one who wondered.

    Bowood was also puzzled when asked, and Zoe muttered, "You''re an idiot, you old man.

    "Oh, yeah!¡¡I get binged every day!"

    Bowood answered clearly, though with some hesitation, and Clyde smiled broadly and opened his arms.

    "--Welcome to the Kingdom of Skye!¡¡I recognize you as citizens of this land!"

    "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!"

    Sam and Zoe yelled out in surprise.

    "Is that it?¡¡Are you going to decide whether or not to accept the demon tribe there?

    "Is this country really safe!¡¡I don''t like it, if we have damaged Lady Vivian''s name because of our friendship!"

    Bowood, too, was relieved to be accepted, though he could not hide his bewilderment.

    Gyunko was saying, "As expected of His Majesty," with an unintelligible interest, while Liese and Mizuki only laughed. Only Jim sighed heavily.

    Clyde then looked from Bowood to Zoe and asked her a question.

    "Are you binging too?"

    I''ll cut your head off!¡¡Who''s a bimbo!"

 489 - - 26 "Its bing bing bing bing again" â‘¢

    "So ...... you''re not a bimbo?"

    Clyde is disappointed, and Zoey pulls a face.

    "Oh, my God!¡¡This is the descendant of the Skye Kingdom, which has sealed Master Lepsey for many years!"

    "Well, it wasn''t like this until Lepsey died. He''s been freed from his responsibilities, and he''s been having a good time."

    I thought it would be temporary, but Clyde''s bubbly attitude seems to be getting worse by the day.

    However, after years of carrying the burden of guarding the tomb of the Demon King, I think he should be able to relax now that he has been released from this burden.

    The country is not in the doldrums, in fact, he seems to be actively meddling in the affairs of state, which until now have been minimal, and he has restored the power of the royal family by suppressing the rebellious noble faction, so there should be no problem.

    "Thank the Lord that Lepsy didn''t have to see this!"

    "Oh, no, you''re overreacting."

    With the way Lepsey is adored and the fact that he has a friend named Tomoya Endo, I think he has enough in his pocket to laugh off Clyde''s eccentricities.

    "You said your name is Zoe."

    "What if it''s ......?"

    "I''m sorry you''re not a bimbo, but I''m willing to accept you as one of my people."

    "......Thank you, but what''s this fuzzy feeling?¡¡I''m a woman to begin with, remember?¡¡How can I be a bimbo?"

    "My wife is a bimbo, okay?"

    "What the hell?¡¡No, wait, don''t explain!¡¡I don''t want to hear it!¡¡Stop, don''t open your mouth!

    Sam agreed with Zoe that it was better not to ask questions that need not be asked, even though he was curious about what was in the queen''s bottle.

    "Still, I didn''t expect Sam to bring home a demoness and a Lepsea as his wife."

    "No, sir, I''m not, but..."

    I am not Sam''s wife!

    "Is that so?"

    "Yes!"

    Zoey, who clearly denies being treated as a wife, looks a little uncomfortable while shouting.

    No wonder.

    It would be awkward for anyone to be called a new wife in front of Liese and Mizuki, Sam''s wives.

    Especially if it is a misunderstanding.

    "......I thought that you had married her to strengthen our friendship. Besides, from what I can see, you have a soft spot for Sam."

    "Shut your mouth, ohhhhhhhhhh!

    For the umpteenth time, Zoey''s exclamation echoes.

    Zoey, breathing hard on her shoulders, glared at Clyde.

    "Don''t you dare mislead me!¡¡It would make things awkward!¡¡I came here as an emissary of friendship, not to be Sam''s wife!¡¡Oh, no, it''s not that I don''t like Sam, it''s just that I don''t like him.¡¡What the hell, this is a turn of events!"

    Sam, too, was at a loss for a response.

    He thinks he and Zoe have become good friends, but it would be bad if Clyde misunderstood that she was his wife.

    I asked him if he was afraid that Lise and the others would misunderstand him, and he smiled for some reason.

    (Why are Lise and Mizuki smiling?¡¡(But I don''t have the courage to ask that!)

    "Hmm. If you say no, that''s fine. But it would be nice if you could tell me when you are going to get married. I have to say hello to your country too. Sam, the goddess of love, and this girl, you are irresistible!¡¡He is indeed the most powerful bimbo that the kingdom has ever known!"

    "So aaaaahhhh!¡¡This guy pisses me off!"

    "Hey, what''s with the title?¡¡Since when did I become the strongest bimbo in the world, I don''t even know what that means!"

    Zoey stood up and got up on her feet, and Sam sat there with a headache.

    "Zoe Stockwell--I recognize you as my rival!"

    "You don''t have to!¡¡You''re a pain in the ass, you know that?

    Zoey looks deeply annoyed when Gyunko sees her as a rival,

    "...... Don''t tell me I have to call Zoey my sister?"

    Even Bowood makes such a suggestion.

    "Bowood!¡¡You too!"

    Enough!" Zoe shouted again, and a shadow called out fearfully from behind Clyde.

    "Oh, um, Your Majesty. I think it''s time for you to go back to the castle."

    The voice was subdued, but clear and well-defined.

    "Oh, it''s about that time already. Come to the castle later, Sam. I want to hear your report.

    "Yes, sir."

    Relieved that this hectic time was finally over, Sam bowed reverently.

    He looked up and was surprised when his eyes met those of the girl who had approached Clyde.

    "-Luce-sama?"

    The familiar girl smiled at Sam.

    "It''s been a long time, Mr. Samuel Scheidt."

    Her name is Luce Reedill.

    She was once the betrothed of her brother Manion, the daughter who had come to King''s Landing for help after her brother had razed her lands to the ground.

    I had not seen her since the incident with Manion, but I did not expect to find her in King''s Landing.

    "Another new girl?

    Gyunko shouted, but Sam and everyone else ignored him as if it were a matter of course.

    Sam couldn''t hide his upset at being reunited with the girl with whom he had had a bad breakup.

 490 - - 27 "I reunited with Mr. Luche" â‘ 

    Clyde, who knew about Sam and Luce''s relationship, was very attentive, and they were left alone together.

    The only person who didn''t want to be alone with Luce was Clyde, who knew about Sam''s relationship with Luce. But he was dragged away by Bowood and Zoe.

    "It''s been a while.

    It was Luce who sat in the audience of the theater and bowed her head.

    The last time I saw her, she seemed to be in good health, although she had fled to King''s Landing with her father after Manion Reinbach had tried to kill her and she had been exhausted both physically and mentally.

    Sam was relieved to see that Manion''s victim, who was her brother, was back on his feet, even though they were not blood related.

    "Really. How are you?"

    "Yes. The territory has been restored to normalcy, and the people are doing their best to live a positive life, if not a normal life."

    "I see. But why did you come to King''s Landing?

    As an apprentice.

    "Oh, I see."

    The royal palace is the best place for children of noble families to study and work.

    You will meet good people, and if you are lucky, you will be discovered by royalty.

    Sam knows that many children of barons and baronesses work at the palace.

    The nobles are more likely to be able to hire them because of their strong backgrounds.

    However, not everyone can work in the royal court, but many of them work as maids for dukes and marquises.

    "Originally, I was going to work as a maid for a marquis''s family, but since I was remembered by the royal family, including you, Stella-sama, I am now assisting you at the royal palace with all due respect."

    "So that''s how it was."

    "Yes."

    And this is where the conversation stops.

    To be honest, Sam did not know what to say to her.

    He knew that she had interacted with him in the past and that she had liked him, but now that he had regained his memories as his present self and changed his personality, Sam did not remember her at all.

    As a result, I wished her well and thought I would never see her again, but it seems we have a connection.

    "Oh, um..."

    "Yes."

    "I apologize for my emotional outburst the last time we met."

    "No, I don''t need you to apologize to me like that. No, I don''t need your apology. I''m sorry that I wasn''t considerate to you when you were hurt. I''m sorry, too.

    "No, no, no. No, no.

    "It''s my way."

    We laughed at each other as we repeated this exchange.

    At this point, for the first time, Sam and Luce met each other''s eyes.

    "There''s no end to this, is there?"

    "Yes, really."

    Sam is relieved to see Luce giggle.

    £¨Thank God. She can laugh, too.)

    In my memory, she was exhausted and sad, but I am glad to see her smile.

    "Yes, it was. Congratulations on your marriage. I knew that you were engaged to Princess Stella and Lady Lieselotte, but it seems that you have also married Lady Karen, Lady Alicia, and most recently Lady Francesca.

    Ha-ha-ha, thank you very much. I''ve had a lot of luck in my life.

    I feel indescribably happy to be congratulated on my marriage by a girl who has always adored me.

    Luce smiles, but I wonder what she is thinking in her heart.

    Luce, perhaps sensing Sam''s thoughts, opens her mouth with a smile on her face.

    "With all due respect, I heard a lot of things about you after that. About your family environment, about your separation from your magic teacher..."

    Well, a lot has happened.

    "At the time, I thought I was the most unhappy person in the world. But it was not so. I am ashamed that I could not realize such a natural thing, that even Sam-sama, no, everyone has experienced a few unwanted ...... events."

    "I don''t think so. You''ve been through a lot. It is normal to feel pain and unhappiness about it.

    It makes me feel better to hear you say that. You are very kind, Mr. Sam.

    "Is that so?"

    "Yes, I didn''t realize it at the time, but I know now that you were cold to me for my sake even that day. I am grateful for that."

    I don''t need to be thanked.

    At the time, Sam felt guilty for not remembering her.

    "I don''t think Sam is any different from the Sam I know. I am convinced of that today.

 491 - - 28 "I reunited with Mr. Luche" â‘¡

    "--Is that right?"

    "Yes, the old Sam is just as kind as you are now. --I''m glad."

    Luce smiled happily.

    Sam was unable to move, not knowing how to react.

    "I''m sorry to change the subject, but I heard that you are royalty, Mr. Sam.

    "Yes, yes, it looks like it."

    "I heard he was the son of the king''s brother."

    I''ve heard that. I don''t know much about my father myself, and I have no memory of my mother.

    Her mother, Melanie, is now remarried to Viscount Teeling and they have a lovely daughter.

    To Sam, she is his half-brother and half-sister.

    They do not see each other very often, but they exchange letters.

    In fact, Lise and her family seem to see Melanie more often than Sam, and the relationship between them seems to be good.

    "I beg your pardon, but when I found out that Mr. Sam is not of Baron Reinbach blood, I thought, ''I knew it''."

    From an outsider''s point of view, there was no resemblance between Sam and the Baroness Reinbach.

    "I get that a lot."

    Sam cowered his shoulders.

    It is a good thing for Sam that he is not related to that family.

    He had a lot of things on his mind, but it was over now and he didn''t care.

    The same goes for his father who was his royal brother.

    For now, he just wanted to take care of the wives he had married, the mother he had reunited with, and the family that had been good to him since he was a child.

    "I am glad you are royalty, Sam."

    "What?¡¡Why?"

    "-When you''re royalty, it doesn''t matter how many concubines you have, does it?"

    "Yes?"

    Luce looked straight at Sam, who tilted her head, her cheeks staining with determination.

    "After all, I could never forget you, Sam. I still have feelings for you in my heart.

    "-- um..."

    "I know. I know that Sam has wonderful women in his life, including Lady Lieselotte and Princess Stella. But I won''t give up.

    It was her declaration.

    "My feelings are not so small that I can easily erase the feelings I have held in my heart for so long. Therefore..."

    Luce stands up.

    "From now on, I will do my best to make you like me, Sam-sama!"

    When Sam was stunned by this unexpected confession, Luce said, "Well, now, excuse me! He then leaves the room and walks quickly away.

    As Sam stiffened, unable to move, he felt someone approaching from behind him.

    "You''re very popular, Sam.

    "...... scorching dragon?"

    "It''s been a long time. I heard you had returned from the western continent.

    The one who called out to me from behind was a burning dragon who was supposed to be lounging around at Count Walker''s house.

    She had gone looking for a husband to live with her family after checking on the land given to her by the royal family, but the results were not so good and she was sleeping unfaithfully at the count''s house.

    Alicia, who is exceptionally close to the dragon cub, is relieved that they did not have to say goodbye, but she is worried that the family is not getting along.

    "What do you want from me?"

    "Yes, I do. It''s about Evangeline."

    "Ah, the demon king who has been worshipped as a goddess. I wonder how she''s doing.

    "G¨¹nther Ignatz has made the temple as heavily warded as possible. It has been difficult to escape, but with your vicious skills, I am sure you will be able to save Lady Evangeline."

    "--Evangeline was a prisoner!¡¡Oh, no, it''s G¨¹nther again!¡¡What the hell is he doing?

    Since I''ve been back home, G¨¹nther''s been making me too upset.

    Sam sighs for the umpteenth time.

 492 - - 29 "I heard about Evangelins past" â‘ 

    After saying a few words to Liese and the others, Sam left the theater with the burning dragon and walked toward the temple where Evangeline was enshrined as the goddess of love.

    "Speaking of which, what''s the relationship between Evangeline and the Burning Dragon?"

    "Simply put, Lady Evangeline was a student of my mother''s."

    "Hmm?"

    Sam tilted his head, unsure.

    He could not connect the word "pupil" with Evangeline and her friends, who were dragons.

    "Dragons have their own villages, where they live the same way as people do," he said. Many dragons move out when they reach a certain age, but others continue to live in their villages.

    "Well, there are more dragons than we know, aren''t there?"

    "That''s what I mean."

    As long as there are villages and dragons living there, there are more dragons than humans know.

    Dragons live freely.

    Sometimes they are harmful to humans, and sometimes they are harmed by humans.

    Nevertheless, they remain a great threat to humans as well as to demons in general.

    I would like to get along with Evangeline, the demon king and the evil dragon, as well as the burning dragon, for the future.

    "Lady Evangeline was lonely because of her birth."

    "Daughter of the Dragon King, right?"

    "Not there. Of course, the position of the Dragon King''s daughters is that of royalty in the human sense of the word. But Evangeline is not the only child of the Dragon King.

    "Then why are you lonely?"

    It''s a dragon trait. Evangeline is an evil dragon with cursed magic. Her power is a terror to ordinary dragons.

    I had heard that Evangeline was an evil dragon, but I guess she didn''t have a very good time in the dragon village.

    I don''t mean to feel sorry for her, but I was a little disappointed to see that dragons have a human side to them as well.

    "The burning dragon seems to be fine, though?"

    "I have been well taken care of by the Lady Evangeline," he said. My mother treated him without discrimination or fear, except for the Dragon King. That is why he used to come to our house often. She was like a sister to me."

    I thought I saw the burning dragon narrow his eyes and smile a little, as if he was nostalgic for the past.

    "Why is Evangeline out there?"

    "--have been tricked by the humans?"

    "Huh?¡¡What does that mean?"

    It is not a gentle thing to hear "tricked".

    But the question comes to mind, "What can a human do to a dragon?

    But even before that, I wonder if it is even possible for humans to enter a dragon''s village without permission.

    "One day, a human wandered into the village. The village of dragons is not a hidden village, and it is not unusual for people to wander in from time to time. But the man was bad."

    "Bad?"

    "I don''t know what purpose he had in mind. We don''t even know exactly why he wandered into our lives in the first place. The man somehow got close to Lady Evangeline and seduced her.

    Sam is speechless at the sight of the bitter-faced scorching dragon.

    It is hard to believe that Evangeline, the daughter of the Dragon King and powerful enough to be feared by dragons, has been seduced by a human.

    (Or, if she was alone, could she have been taken advantage of?)

    As a human being, or even as a man, Sam was disgusted by anyone who would abuse a woman.

 493 - - 30 "I heard about Evangelins past" â‘¡

    "Of course, my mother and the Dragon King were against my relationship with the man. I didn''t like it at the time, but even now, just remembering it makes me uncomfortable."

    "You mean I can''t because I''m human?"

    "No. No, it''s not. It is not unusual for a human and a dragon to be together. The problem is that we have a gut feeling that the man is not a good one.

    "A dragon''s intuition."

    "But Lady Evangeline didn''t trust our instincts."

    I don''t know enough about those days to say for sure, but I did see the general outcome of the conversation.

    "To begin with, how could a mere human being withstand the magical power of Evangeline-sama''s curse, which even dragons fear?¡¡Why Evangeline?¡¡I still have a lot of questions."

    "I don''t really understand the magic of the curse."

    "That''s because Evangeline had grown up and was able to control her magic. Even so, the magic of Evangeline-sama, who could not yet control her magic at that time, would be poison to a person who is only in the normal category, not to a person with a high resistance to magic like you.

    Still, the man approached Evangeline with impunity.

    "He had his eye on Lady Evangeline. I don''t know why. But I treated him as a friend, and when I opened my heart to him, he whispered his love to me. He was lonely. Even with me and my mother, it was not enough."

    As a result, Evangeline accepted the man''s love.

    Of course, the burning dragons opposed the relationship afterwards.

    For Evangeline, this was the first man who loved her, but her mother, teachers, and siblings, whom she had forgiven, did not approve.

    "Some time later, when the man had recovered from his injuries, Evangeline almost eloped with him.

    Then we were together, and we were happy - then there was no problem.

    Unfortunately, it did not work out that way.

    "A few years later, I heard through the wind that Lady Evangeline had cursed the man to death. I don''t know what happened. I also heard that he became the Demon Lord."

    "............"

    "Vivienne Claxtons, Lepsey Daniels, and Tomoya Endo were the ones who admonished Lady Evangeline, who at the time was rampaging about wildly and destructively."

    Three people came out that sounded familiar.

    It seems that Evangeline, Vivian, Lepsey, and Tomoya have more than just a long-time relationship with each other.

    "I didn''t know that happened."

    "It''s not uncommon among dragons and demons."

    It seems that people who are not related to demon kings or dragons do not know much about them. In fact, Sam had never heard of them.

    "After that, Evangeline-sama reigned over the western continent as the Demon King, but she never had any followers or fiefdoms, and lived a carefree life."

    Perhaps something happened to Evangeline that made her reluctant to befriend anyone.

    "It seems that she has been in contact with the same Demon Lord, but I don''t know him well ...... because I have lost touch with him over the years. But I didn''t think that he, whom I haven''t seen from a distance in a long time, would call you darling."

    "I never thought I''d be called darling either."

    "And I didn''t think I was being held captive by a pervert and treated like a goddess!"

    I know, right!"

    "So - let''s rescue Lady Evangeline from this pervert!"

    Sam follows the enthusiastic scorching dragon, but..,

    (I don''t want there to be a lot of perverts in the temple.)

    I was a little bit scared inside.

 494 - - 31 "Move to the House of the Devil, the Dragon, and the Shite" â‘ 

    "Darling nnnnnnnn!¡¡Thank you for saving me ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

    Using their skills, they succeeded in cutting through the wards that had been placed so tightly around the outside of the temple, and Sam and the burning dragon stepped inside the temple and successfully rescued Evangeline.

    Fortunately, it was just time for Evangeline, the goddess, to take a break, so no one was there to worship her and the place was almost deserted.

    Sam succeeded in sneaking Evangeline away, and went straight to the house of his late father, the present Earl of Scheidt, which had been given to him by King Clyde.

    "Those perverts have built a temple to me as the main deity in the Kingdom of Skye!¡¡I don''t want to change their gender or cast perverted curses on them every day anymore!"

    "What are you making me do?

    Tearful and snotty, Evangeline hugged Sam as he held her and recounted the events of the past few days.

    When she met G¨¹nther, she thought he was a pervert who wanted Sam''s ass and cursed him to become a woman, but he was overjoyed.

    By the time Evangeline realized something was wrong, it was already too late, and word had spread throughout the Kingdom of Skye that the Goddess of Love had descended.

    Then, couples wishing to have children began to visit the goddess.

    However, Evangeline, the cursed dragon, had nothing to do but to give advice to the couples, and she felt a little sorry for them, so she lightly cursed them to become immature.

    Such a trivial action was blessed by the goddess! The word got out, and now, what a mess.

    To top it all off, people from all over the country wanted to change the s*x of their bodies, claiming that since G¨¹nter Ignatz had been transformed into a woman, she was a real goddess.

    Sometimes, even strange people who wanted perverted curses to be cast on them came, and they had to deal with them every day.

    "Since he''s the demon king, why didn''t he just run away and beat up all the humans?"

    "Bollocks, darling!¡¡Even if I am an evil dragon and a demon king, I can''t harm those who really and sincerely wish me well!"

    "Well, yeah, that''s true."

    "Even the priests have a lot of faith in me, they don''t have any bad intentions. So, you know, it felt really good to be pampered for the first time in my life!"

    After all, it was probably because of her past as an evil dragon, feared even by the same dragons, that Evangeline had continued to cast curses in the name of blessings at the temple.

    G¨¹nther, the people who come to the temple, and the priests are not afraid of Evangeline. On the contrary, the opposite is true.

    I am sure that such a first experience was very sacred for her.

    "Hey, there''s a dragon... I thought there was a dragon, but it''s you, Tachibana!¡¡You''re getting so big!"

    "I''m here to help you, sister. But you seemed to be in a surprisingly good mood.

    "I''m not in the mood!¡¡Well, it''s nice to be adored, but I''m sick of dealing with these perverts!¡¡I mean, this country scares me!"

    "Hm?¡¡Who''s Tachibana?"

    "That''s my name. The burning dragon you call me is just a kind of dragon."

    "Heh."

    I remembered that I had thought that the burning dragon had a name, just as the evil dragon had the name Evangeline, but I had not asked because it was not inconvenient.

    "I named him Tachibana, you know."

    "I heard you had a relationship, but I didn''t know that."

    "Well, yeah. By the way, thanks for saving my life, but why is Tachibana here?"

    "Why, what do you mean?"

    Evangeline asked Rikka, the burning dragon, who tilted her head.

    "No, I heard that you married a young dragon who is a candidate for the Dragon King and had a child?"

    "--Oh, that man!¡¡You have me and my daughters!¡¡He was having an affair with a young dragon!"

    "Uh, yes. That''s, uh, a pity?"

    Evangeline looked at Sam for help, but he gently turned his head away, saying that it was a sensitive issue and that he should not get involved.

    In the meantime, the Countess Scheidt''s house came into view, and I quickened my pace.

    "For now, let''s talk slowly at my place.

    "Darling''s mansion!¡¡I mean, it''s my house!"

    No, no, no, no, no!

    Sam hurries to the house before someone notices the goddess'' absence and makes a fuss.

    But inwardly, he wonders if Evangeline might be returning to the temple.

 495 - - 32 "Move to the House of the Devil, the Dragon, and the Shite" â‘¡

    "Sam, little man. Welcome home.

    The man who greeted us at the Countess Scheidt''s house was Derrick, Sam''s beloved family member and the man who takes care of the house.

    He was dressed in his tailcoat as usual, and his expression was soft.

    "I''m home, Derrick. I was wondering if I could borrow your room for a while.

    "Of course. I''ll get the tea ready right away.

    "What''s wrong?"

    Derrick looked at Evangeline with a slightly surprised look on his face.

    "No, I think you''re looking at a goddess, aren''t you?"

    "I''m not a goddess!¡¡It''s a dragon, though!"

    "I beg your pardon. Please, come in."

    After correcting Evangeline, Derrick bows deeply to her and leads her inside the house.

    "That butler is amazing. He didn''t freak out when I told him I was a dragon--oh, the perverts in the Sky Kingdom didn''t freak out either. What''s the matter with you? They''re not freaked out by me."

    Sam smiles at Evangeline, who is fiddling with her dark hair and making an indescribable face.

    "It''s a good thing. It''s not like you want to be feared just because you''re a dragon or a demon king, right?"

    "That''s true, but it''s a bit dignified for a demon king, isn''t it?"

    She seems to be at a loss to not be awed by the title of "Evil Dragon," "Demon King.

    But I think that''s fine.

    The Kingdom of Skye is a rather pleasant place, but it has the depth of spirit to accept a family of scorching dragons.

    I''m sure it''s the same for Evangeline.

    "I guess the demon king is no different. Vivien was a good person and I heard that Lepsy was also a loving wife. Even Evangeline is a demon king who can talk like this, so she doesn''t need to be feared.

    "Yes, but... It''s just so new and embarrassing."

    Evangeline looked more like a teenage girl than a demon king.

    "I''m glad you''re happy, sister."

    "Shut up, Tachibana!"

    As we were exchanging these words, Derrick''s footsteps stopped.

    "I like your friend Sam''s friends, they''re very lively. Well, please use this room. I''ll have some tea ready in a minute.

    "Thank you, Derrick."

    No, no, no. It''s a pleasure to see you like this, sir.

    "Ha-ha-ha, I''ll see you more often."

    Sam felt bad that he had been left in charge of the house and that he had not been able to visit the house from the Countess Walker''s side.

    Daphne and the other servants he had hired were there, but it would not be worthwhile to manage the house if there was no one to live there.

    It is a pity that Sam can only see his family, Derrick and Daphne, once in a while.

    He plans to move to this house when Lise gives birth, but he feels bad about separating his newborn grandson from Count and Countess Walker.

    Even though they are only a few minutes away by carriage, I still have to think about it.

    However, Lise, Karen, Mizuki, Stella, Fran, and Alicia are gradually moving their belongings to Count Scheidt''s house.

    G¨¹nther and others have already secured their own rooms, so we cannot be too careful.

    If they leave Count Walker''s house, the Burning Dragon family will follow them.

    Zoe and Borewood will naturally move in with them, since it would be unwise to allow them to live in Count Walker''s house without Sam and his family.

    The Countesses may be quieter, but it would be bad for them to be under the care of the Counts forever.

    Also, it is sometimes said that Clyde and the other in-laws think that the Count and Countess Walker are not fair to them.

    So we are planning to move as soon as Lise is settled.

    However, if one of the other wives becomes pregnant before Lise''s birth, the women have agreed to move to the Countess Scheidt''s family at that time.

    "Hey, darling."

    "Yes?"

    "It''s a little late for that, but this butler isn''t just any butler, is he?¡¡I don''t know, the way he looks, he doesn''t look like a normal person."

    Derrick is my family. That''s all."

    What a waste of words.

    Evangeline''s doubts are ones that Sam has had as well.

    He had not noticed it as a child, but when he met Derrick again after Ur had trained him and helped him grow in terms of combat, he immediately recognized Derrick''s movements as those of a refined and strong man.

    I think that Derrick has some kind of past, just as Daphne was an elf.

    But there is no point in worrying about it.

    Derrick and Daphne are both important family members. That''s all that matters.

    "Then I''ll make them my family!¡¡I''m Evangeline Alahey, Darling''s wife to be!"

    "Pleasure to meet you. Ma''am."

    "Oh!"

    "You know, Derrick ...... don''t just accept it that easily."

    Sam''s cheeks tightened as Derrick readily accepted Evangeline as one of Sam''s wives.

 496 - - Silent story, "Goddess? Evangelin".

    "-why am I in this mess?"

    With a deep sigh, the day of Evangeline Allahi, the evil dragon and demon king, begins.

    Men and women in priestly robes reverently come to greet Evangeline in her bedroom in the temple, which has been prepared for her, and then they prepare themselves and move to the <.

    "Today, too, the people are gathered here to worship the Goddess.

    "But I''m not a goddess!¡¡I''m the Demon King!¡¡I''m a dragon!"

    You are a goddess to us!

    Listen to me.

    Evangeline, the Demon King, is somehow worshipped as a goddess.

    It has something to do with G¨¹nther Ignaz, the most perverted man in the land.

    When they first met, Evangeline recognized G¨¹nther as a pervert who was after the buttocks of Samuel Scheidt, whom she called her darling, and as a result, she transformed him into a woman.

    And what do you think?

    G¨¹nther noticed the change in his body, rubbed his chest, put his hand between his legs, and understood what had happened.

    Evangeline smiled a little in a lecherous way, expecting him to scream, "I''m loyal to you! I was bewildered.

    I don''t remember much after that.

    I don''t remember much after that. I was treated very well at the Duke of Ignatz''s house, and the next night I was taken to a temple that had been built and worshipped as a goddess.

    --I should have cursed her with disability instead of feminization!

    I realized my blunder, but it was too late.

    The pervert was not after Sam''s ass, but the other way around.

    He is trying to impregnate her with his strength, but it is physically impossible. Just then, Evangeline''s curse has given him a fertile body.

    G¨¹nther''s frenzied dance knocked his father unconscious and made Evangeline wince.

    I have been a dragon for a long time, but I have never seen a human being so happy to receive a curse.

    Evangeline, who was the demon king, was so terrified that she decided to stop defying him and go along with him for a little while. --But that was a bad idea.

    It all started with a couple who had been married for five years and were unable to bear a child.

    When we talked to them, we learned that their parents had been urging them to succeed to the family.

    I don''t know about the human constitution, but it seems that the husband was too tired from work to encourage his wife.

    Taking pity on the couple, who were not afraid of her and sincerely asked for her help, Evangeline cast a curse of adultery on the husband.

    The couple said, "We''ll do our best! He smiled and left the temple, but this was not good.

    The next day, people who thought the curse was a blessing came to the temple, wanting a blessing for themselves as well.

    What a greedy person, he thought, but the call of Evangeline echoing in front of the temple made him feel better and he said, "What the heck, I''ll take care of them! I''m sorry I got carried away.

    "Goddess, please make me a beautiful woman!

    A strong warrior who wanted to become a woman,

    "Goddess - give me a true body."

    A dignified female knight, whom everyone would call a beautiful woman, asked for a man''s body.

    And then..,

    "My husband hasn''t been well lately."

    "My wife is not responding well."

    "I''m old, but I want to stay active."

    People with such demands appear without a break.

    As a result, out of desperation, we cursed them all.

    And guess what?

    The next day, the boy who is the prince of this country, who is famous all over the city as the goddess of love, got down on his knees and said...,

    "-Please make me a bimbo."

    He begged me.

    It''s a secret that I was worried about the future of this country.

    I cast a curse of immorality on him, and he left with a tent between his legs and a smile on his face.

    And then I remember.

    The Kingdom of Skye was the land that had defeated and sealed the lepers.

    "The Sky Kingdom!"

    Not that I was scared, but I asked Zoey, whom I have known for a long time, for help, but the little girl ignored the help of the Demon Lord.

    £¨But, well...)

    Just a little bit, really just a little bit.

    I thought that days like this might not be so bad.

    I was born with the magical power of a curse and have been feared as an evil dragon.

    The people who whispered to me that they loved me only wanted to take advantage of my power.

    They deceived me, made me lose many lives, and by the time I realized it - I had become the Demon King.

    The world had recognized Evangeline as the Demon Lord.

    I despaired.

    Never again would she have anything to do with anyone.

    If she was going to be an evil dragon, a demon king, and fall to the ground, she was going to destroy this world, and she went on a rampage.

    But fate is a strange thing.

    Evangeline was defeated by the oldest demon king, the strongest demon king, and an otherworldly demon king.

    But instead of being killed, she was welcomed as one of us.

    At last, she had a place where she belonged.

    The days that followed were peaceful.

    There were busy times killing cursed children and eliminating self-proclaimed Demon Lords, but my heart was at peace.

    I had no doubt in my mind that I would continue to live until the day the world was destroyed.

    But then the world changes.

    A family of lepers is murdered and they seek revenge.

    The demon king, who had never been known for killing, went around killing everyone in sight.

    Then he was defeated by the otherworlders and sealed for a long time.

    When I heard that such a lepsy had been killed, I thought it was a mistake.

    But when I learned that it was true, I became interested in the person who defeated the lepers.

    Then I met a child who was only 14 years old, and I was shocked.

    Strangely enough, my heart was racing.

    It is too early to give a name to this feeling, but human life is short.

    We cannot take our time.

    So I called him "darling.

    I met my darling, Samuel Scheidt, and my days changed.

    The demon king, who had been stagnant, began to move and show interest.

    Even Zoe, the stubborn former saint, softened.

    Evangeline wanted to change too, so she went to the Kingdom of Skye and was captured by a pervert, but I am sure that in a hundred years or so, she will have fond memories of it.

    It will be quite fun to play the role of a goddess and deal with the perverts in this delightful land.

    Evangeline, who had a belated desire to be involved with someone, was intrigued by the Kingdom of Skye and its people, though it might not seem like it.

    "Goddess!¡¡It was a wonderful deed!¡¡I am so impressed!"

    "Of course!¡¡I know you will!"

    It feels good to be pampered and cared for.

    I feel like a king.

    We priests will follow the Goddess for the rest of our lives!

    "Ha ha ha ha!¡¡All right!¡¡I''ll take care of you!"

    Drunk on a bottle of fine wine that the prince had given her as a thank-you, Evangeline was in high spirits, and said such things with pride.

    But the next day.

    The next day, however, Evangeline''s heart is quickly broken by the line of perverts waiting for her when she returns to her normal self.

    "--Save me darling, save me, save me, save me!"

 497 - - 33 "This is the future of Evangelin" â‘ 

    Sam and his friends take a break from drinking the tea that Derrick has prepared.

    The sweetness of the tea soaks into Sam, who is finally able to take a break after returning to Japan.

    However, he can''t take it easy forever.

    He has to leave Zoe and Bowood in Lise''s hands and he has to go and report to Clyde, including the case of Cedric and Louise.

    Catherine has gone ahead of me to the palace to make a report, but I think I will have to go there in a little while.

    "I mean, why is my darling living in someone else''s house when you have such a magnificent mansion?"

    "It''s not really a man''s house, it''s his wife''s parents'' house."

    "Ah, Lieselotte, right?"

    You know him?

    I met him once. Yeah, he was a nice guy.

    I''m glad to hear you say that.

    I don''t know when or where I met her, but I am happy to hear him call the woman I love a "good person.

    Tachibana nodded her head in agreement.

    Lise is a good girl. She has taken good care of me and my daughters.

    "--Oh, by the way, you live with your darling, don''t you?"

    "...... sister. That language is misleading. I am a family member of Count Walker''s family."

    The Burning Dragons are now fully-fledged members of Count Walker''s family, and they have become friends with the people who live in the Count''s house.

    Even so, it is probably Alicia who is the most forgiving of all.

    In particular, the affection of the little dragons is amazing.

    Alicia and the little dragons get along well with each other.

    "Yes, it is. Thanks to Alicia, the children have grown up in many ways. By the looks of them, they''ll be humanized soon.

    "Well, I''m looking forward to it."

    "Especially Merci, it looks like she''s going to be quick."

    Mercy is the eldest of the three sisters and the baby dragon named by Alicia.

    She is an energetic little girl who has taken to Sam very well.

    I am excited to see what the three sisters will look like.

    I will tell Alicia about them later.

    "It''s good that they grow up so fast. It took me quite a while to humanize myself."

    "I was fast."

    "There are individual differences, aren''t there?"

    "Anyway, but, darling..."

    "Yeah?"

    Evangeline put down her teacup and looked straight at Sam, her face a little serious.

    "You met Vivian and Tomoya''s bloke, didn''t you?"

    "Yeah."

    I really wanted to tell them before I met them, but whatever."

    Apparently, she was trying to give Sam some advice about the Demon King.

    I thank her for her concern.

    "Vivien is basically a nice guy, so I think we should just hang out. You can trust her because she is not a plotter and she will ask you for a favor before she tries anything. He is the best demon king to build a friendship with.

    "I think so, too."

    As Evangeline said, Vivienne was not like a demon king.

    Even though she was the parent of a leprosy, she did not feel bad for Sam, but rather thanked him for his kindness.

    Needless to say, Sam felt much better.

    Above all, he even prepared a magical tool for Kotomi, Mizuki''s younger sister.

    Mizuki would have delivered the magical tool to Kotomi by now.

    If possible, it would be desirable to continue the friendship between the Kingdom of Sky and the Land of Night, as well as Sam personally.

    "Ta-da-shh!¡¡Be wary of that perverted Demon Lord!¡¡He''s always using, manipulating, and making fun of someone, he''s so black-hearted!¡¡After you made me a lucky play, you said, "I''m sorry, I don''t like you, but I don''t like you either!

    Tomoya Endo seems to have a lot on his mind when it comes to Vivien.

    "He may be black-hearted, but he won''t cheat and trick you, but he''s the type of guy who gets into trouble with a smile, so you''d better be careful. How many times have I and Lepsi been pushed around by him!"

    "Ha-ha-ha, I see you''re having a hard time. He was a surprisingly good demon king."

    He did not say, "We are from Japan, too.

    Sam was fine, but there was a possibility that Tomoya had not disclosed the information, so I decided to keep quiet around here.

    "......If darling says so, that''s fine. I''m not mad at her, and I''m wary of her, but I don''t hate her."

    For what it''s worth, I think Evangeline is good friends with Tomoya, Sam said.

 498 - - 34 "The future of Evangelin" ã®

    "I haven''t seen my darling in a while, and we''re going to be in the country for a while, so let''s go on a date sometime."

    Sam nodded his head, not really thinking about it, since it sounded more like an invitation to go out as friends than as partners.

    "So, if you''re going to be here for a while, are you going back to the temple after all?"

    "Sister?¡¡Is that your intention?"

    When Sam and Tachibana asked, Evangeline scratched her cheeks in a bit of embarrassment.

    "Well, if they adore you, even if they''re a bunch of perverts, you can''t leave them alone, can you? It''s not like me!"

    "...... sister."

    "What''s that?"

    "My sister was once called an evil dragon and was subjected to heartless words. I cannot even imagine how painful it must have been for you. But I know that you are a kind and wonderful person.

    "Hey, Tachibana?¡¡What are you saying in front of my darling?¡¡I''m so embarrassed!"

    "So please feel free to be yourself in this country as long as you like, sister. I will help you in any way I can.

    The burning dragon honestly supported his sister.

    He thought that if Evangeline, who had a painful past, was in touch with people and seemed to be enjoying her life, then she should be able to do so.

    Sam would have stopped her if she had been forced to become a goddess, but if Evangeline herself could not leave her followers alone, she would not do anything unreasonable.

    (I have a feeling that the perverts in this country will come alive, but hey, it''s a little late for that!)

    "I''m counting on you.¡¡--Well then, now that we''ve come to an agreement, I''ll make this house a love nest for me and my darling for now!"

    "Huh?"

    "Well, living in a temple isn''t so bad, but as a demon king, I''d like to be more secretive. It''s not so bad to be taken care of, but I''d like to have some time to relax by myself.

    Evangeline, who has come out of the blue, seems to have been taken care of by her followers in a very rewarding way.

    Not that she is not happy, but she is not accustomed to being pampered so much that she needs some time alone.

    "...... room is available, you can do whatever you want."

    "That''s so sweet, darling!¡¡Then I''ll take the sunniest room!"

    "It''s bad, but it''s okay."

    "...... I''m an evil dragon, so I''m not a fan of brilliant rooms."

    "You don''t have to be that much of an evil dragon."

    "It''s a habit!"

    Evangeline''s habits aside, it will be nice to have her, the Demon King, stay in the Kingdom of Skye on a friendly basis.

    She is already a well-known goddess of love, and even His Majesty King Clyde has accepted her, so it''s a little late for that.

    "Oh, yes!¡¡I''m going to be your darling wife too, so make sure you introduce me to all the other wives!"

    "- Are you serious, sister?"

    "What do you mean, seriously?"

    "Are you sure it''s Sam?"

    At Tachibana''s question, Evangeline wagged her finger from side to side.

    "You don''t get it, do you? It''s okay because you''re my darling."

    "......If that''s what you decide, I won''t object. Sam, take care of your sister."

    "Well, I don''t know what the right response is."

    The dragon ladies alone seem to have it all figured out, but Sam is puzzled as to why Evangeline has come up with the idea of becoming his wife.

    To be honest, the Evil Dragon and the Demon King are not factors that Sam cares much about.

    Evangeline, with black hair and dressed in black goth, is a beautiful girl on the outside, though her mouth is not so good, and she seems to be a nice girl on the inside, too, when we talk to her.

    I don''t mind her liking me, but I wonder "why? is a question that still haunts me.

 499 - - 35 "The Dragon King is moving." â‘ 

    In the northernmost part of the continent, there is a valley covered with snow and ice.

    The area around this valley is not suitable for humans or demons, and has never been a living area for anyone.

    If you manage to go south as far as human habitation, you will find a country, but it is so cold and harsh that even that country does not want to expand its territory toward the north.

    However, adventurers and others sometimes visit the area to make a fortune because of the rare ores and monsters.

    However, ninety percent of them are killed by the cold. Even the remaining 10% are often unable to move their bodies enough and become food for monsters.

    Deep in such a harsh icy land, there is a village where dragons live in seclusion.

    While the outside world is covered with snow all year round, the village is warm all year round thanks to the magical warding.

    Colorful flowers bloom in profusion, trees cover the land, and fruit grows in abundance.

    It may seem like a paradise to some.

    Such a village is ruled by the Dragon King, the king of dragons.

    A beautiful woman sits on a throne at the base of a large tree that rises in the center of the village.

    She was about 30 years old in appearance.

    Her golden crown was placed on her head, and her wavy blonde hair was so long that it spread on the ground.

    Her white, simple clothes made of fine silk showed slender arms and legs, a slim waist, but her breasts and buttocks were full and voluptuous.

    Her snow-white skin was beautiful, but there were faint red scales on her cheeks, arms, and shoulders.

    The eyes of such a beautiful woman were red like flames.

    She is the Dragon King, a red dragon who presides over rebirth and destruction.

    Such a Dragon King has not been able to show her true dragon form for the past several years.

    A few years ago, the Dragon King, who is the absolute leader of dragons, had one of his wings slashed off, a major incident that seems to have happened only a few days ago for a long-lived dragon.

    Of course, it was a human child who did such a terrible thing.

    Many dragons chased after the infidel who had done such a thing, and clamored that he should be torn to pieces, but he was silenced by the Dragon King himself.

    However, no dragon would have gone through with the action even if the Dragon King had not stopped him.

    In the first place, only a demon king would wound a dragon king.

    There were some hot-blooded dragons, but they still wanted to make the Dragon King more memorable, and in their hearts they were afraid of those who could cut off the Dragon King''s wings.

    It was all talk.

    However, the fact that such a thing was possible for a human child was a great shock to the dragons.

    "--That is all for now."

    A young man in his mid-twenties knelt before the Dragon King and gave his report.

    His blue hair was brushed back and he had the eyes and sternness of a rugged warrior.

    While the Dragon King was dressed in a silk robe, the young man was dressed in military-like clothes.

    Next to the young man was a girl with short-cropped blue hair.

    She has a well-defined bridge of the nose, eyebrows, and large eyes.

    Her slender arms and legs are supple, and her chest is plump and soft despite her slender body.

    She was a beautiful girl with a slightly strong atmosphere.

    They are twin brothers, blue dragons.

    And they were the children of the Dragon King.

    "--Hmm."

    Hearing the children''s report, the Dragon King chewed over the contents and then, unable to swallow, sounded somewhat puzzled.

    "--My daughter Evangeline is the goddess of love?¡¡Worshipped in the Kingdom of Skye?"

 500 - - 36 "The Dragon King is moving." â‘¡

    "Yes. I don''t believe it at first hand, but it is accurate.

    The Dragon King frowned at his son''s words.

    "I do not doubt your report, but my understanding has not caught up with it."

    "I am still skeptical, as I was the one who delivered the information to you. But the information is correct.

    She is a dragon, not a goddess. Evangeline is an evil dragon born with cursed magic - hardly an object of faith.

    "I agree."

    The Dragon King''s words were the same as those of the children.

    Then the girl sniffed.

    "Ha, it''s not only that such a half-baked dragon called himself the Demon King, but it''s also super funny that he''s a goddess..."

    He pastes on a mocking smile and laughs.

    The young man nodded his head in agreement.

    "I agree. It is only a cursed dragon after all. It may be true that he is friends with the Demon King, but the Demon King is not a being that can be reached easily. Perhaps he''s only calling himself that because he''s acquainted with the Demon King.

    "It must be. I doubt if it''s even the same dragon, but she was deceived and used by humans, and she''s a failure who can''t even come back to her village after her downfall.

    The young man scorns, the girl sneers and curses at Evangeline.

    "--Shut up!"

    The Dragon King turned to the children and let loose a single word of intimidation and displeasure.

    A moment later, they both feel oppressed and their expressions disappear.

    If they did not hold their ground, they would be crushed to the ground by the pressure.

    Evangeline is my daughter, your sister. Watch your mouth."

    I''m sorry, sir.

    "I''m sorry. I''m sorry.

    The Dragon King releases his hold on the apologetic twins.

    The two were released, breathing on their shoulders and inwardly clicking their tongues at the same time.

    The young man, in particular, who had been staring at the ground without looking up, twisted his face and gritted his teeth in disgust, taking advantage of the fact that the Dragon King could not see his face.

    "............Why does your mother care about that failure?"

    No one responded to his voice, which he muttered so that the Dragon King could not hear him.

    The young man was displeased.

    He did not like the fact that his youngest sister, Evangeline, was cared for by his mother, or that he called himself the Demon King.

    He is also displeased that humans treat him like a goddess, even though he is a cursed evil dragon.

    The young man is still a young dragon, but he is one of the most powerful. The same is true for his sister who is standing next to him.

    But she is not a demon king.

    I have no desire to become a Demon King, but even if I did, I could never become one.

    A Demon King is such a special existence.

    I can''t forgive Evangeline for calling herself such a Demon King, and I can''t forgive her for making the Evil Dragon think that she is stronger than her brothers.

    Of course he has no such power.

    To the demons and humans, the dragon''s power is so great that they would not even know if he is a demon king or not.

    The young man wanted to believe that Evangeline was calling herself the Demon King.

    If Evangeline had really become the Demon King, it would be a threat.

    She would be a threat to his position as a candidate for the next Dragon King.

    No, before that, he wonders if he would forgive them for not thinking well of Evangeline, the evil dragon, and persecuting her.

    After all, the young man is a proud son of the Dragon King, but he is a small man.

    Whether he was unaware of or did not care about his son''s conflict, the Dragon King''s lips pursed as if he had just recalled something.

    "--I believe there was a boy in the Kingdom of Skye. Recently, he even managed to kill the Demon King Lepsi.

    You human beings have defeated the Demon King!

    His son tries to make a fuss, unable to accept the fact that it is already well known, but the Dragon King glares at him and shuts his mouth.

    "That human cut off my wing!"

    "--but... but!"

    "Enough, shut up!¡¡I''m not going to get anywhere here by asking and answering questions with you people!¡¡Then let me find out for myself!"

    "Oh, mother, what is it?"

    The mother stood up, her voice raised, and the daughter approached her in a puzzled tone.

    "I''m going there myself to find out what Evangeline is doing and what kind of country the Kingdom of Skye is!

    Mother, that''s not a good idea!

    You''re going to cause problems!

    "Shut up, I''ve made up my mind."

    The children fell silent, perhaps sensing the futility of any further comment at the Dragon King''s words.

    The Dragon King smiled as he returned to his throne.

    "Ah yes, Samuel Scheidt, isn''t it? I''m very much looking forward to seeing that boy again."