Episode 81: Father’s Visit
Today, with only two days left until the ceasefire talks.
It has been a little over two weeks since the incident.
Bangwall has regained its calm, and urbanization has begun smoothly.
The culprit who attacked Nephthys has not yet been caught.
We spent our days with a hint of unease.
Training grounds.
A girl with pale blue hair emitting light challenges me.
“Haaah!”
“Your attacks are monotonous. Vary your pace a little more.”
“Yes!”
I am currently training in Magic Martial Arts with Roa.
I deflect Roa’s strikes with the palm of my hand.
The common Stella-Class Magic Martial Arts style focuses on putting all your strength into each strike, but Roa’s style is to unleash a flurry of attacks, leaving the opponent no opening to strike.
“Fuh! Taa! Take this!”
“Your attacks are too light. You won’t be able to defeat Naia’s Stella-Class with that.”
After Roa saw me with Evelyn that day, she questioned me about various things.
I managed to gloss over it somehow, but in the process, I ended up having to do combat training with Roa every day.
“Put more force into your attacks.”
“…B-But, Lord Brother might get hurt.”
I point out that Roa’s attacks are becoming half-hearted.
Roa says something expectantly, fidgeting.
It’s a complete setup at this point.
“Roa, are you… looking down on me?”
“……!”
When I spur her on in a dismissive manner, Roa’s face flushes with delight.
“Don’t dilly-dally around, get serious.”
“Y-Yes, sir!”
As I suspected, Roa has a masochistic streak.
It seems to be limited to me, though. How did this happen?
“Fuh.”
Instantaneous Movement.
Roa’s figure disappears from my sight in an instant.
The next time I see Roa, she is bringing down a kick from above.
Only Roa can use the hybrid of Neural Enhancement and Body Enhancement.
Its speed is so great that even I can barely keep up with my eyes.
“Yah!”
A powerful blow aimed at the neck.
I guard it with my arm and stop it.
Speed is weight.
It’s several times heavier than before.
I release the impact downwards, and the ground bulges up with a thud.
“Good.”
“Not yet!”
Roa lands directly behind me and immediately turns around to charge.
(She intends to challenge me head-on… How naive.)
I prepare to counter Roa.
But the follow-up attack doesn’t come.
(Oh, a feint! Clever.)
“Eii!”
Roa, who has once again gotten behind me, throws a punch at my face.
However, the fist stops a few centimeters in front of my face.
I already have Roa’s arm in my grasp.
“That wasn’t bad.”
“Ah!… Ugh.”
I twist Roa’s arm around, take her from behind, and apply a chokehold.
I entangle my legs around Roa, immobilize her, and fall to the ground.
The scent of Princess White Lily wafts from Roa’s nape.
“Chokeholds are also effective against Stella-Class opponents. But only when the opponent is unarmed.”
“Hau… It’s… Suffocating…”
“…Do you give up?”
“N-No, I’m not… Yet… Like… This… More…”
Saliva trickles from the corner of Roa’s mouth, and she begins to roll her eyes back.
She intends to endure until she passes out.
I have no intention of indulging Roa’s fetish, so I slowly loosen my grip.
“Cough… Cough… Haa… Haa… I yield.”
“That last strike would have landed if I wasn’t your opponent. You’ve grown, Roa.”
“Haa… Haa… T-Thank you very much.”
I’m a little worried about whether Roa can unleash her potential in actual combat, but well, she’s passable.
“Speaking of which, Roa, are you wearing perfume?”
“Yes, does Lord Brother dislike it?”
“No, it’s a scent I like.”
“Actually, Elmia-sama gave me this perfume.”
Roa parts her hair and wafts the scent of the perfume.
“Elmia, huh?”
According to Roa, Elmia apparently gave it to her for the mysterious reason that “Roa is a girl of her age… Ah, she was a boy. But well, if she’s cute, she needs it.”
As expected of my future bride, her thought processes are similar to mine.
“Good work, everyone.”
Nicoletta and Roa’s caretaker each brush off the dirt with cloths.
“Nicoletta, has the culprit who attacked Nephthys not been found yet?”
“No… However, after gathering eyewitness information, one suspect has emerged.”
“Well done. And?”
It seems that a promising lead has finally been found.
“It seems to be a male informant named Drow.”
“An informant?”
“Yes, the person who took office as the head of the Merchant Guild was the last to see him. He has not been seen since the Court of Justice appeared.”
“I see. For now, investigate the head of that Merchant Guild thoroughly as well. There is a possibility of complicity.”
“Understood.”
Drow, huh? I don’t recognize the name.
Is it separate from Lynx?
The thought of at least two of them lurking nearby is quite troublesome.
–The Beastman Hero.
A very troublesome existence.
The fact that they possess the power to fight on par with Stella-Class without Magical Power means they are overly specialized in infiltration and assassination.
If we leave them as they are, the same situation will arise again.
“After all, countermeasures are necessary. If I had a sample, I could research it, but it’s not like they’re conveniently available.”
I don’t think there’s a Beastman Hero nearby, but if I find one, I’ll immediately capture them alive.
Beastman Heroes can’t use Healing Magic, so capturing them alive isn’t that difficult.
I just have to sever their limbs.
Drow, I’ll remember that.
“Nicoletta, how is Evelyn doing?”
“Evelyn, let’s see, I think she’s quite excellent. She is playing a very important role as a wise woman in urban planning. Expansion of commercial districts, public works projects, etc., it is no longer possible without her.”
“I see, I really picked up a good find.”
Evelyn apparently graduated at the top of her class from Stra University in the Far Eastern Holy Kingdom.
She has not only studied law but also historical research, and she has a considerable understanding of the culture and technology of former superpowers.
Anyway, when I suggested, “Let’s build a sewer system!” as a consideration for public works, Evelyn was the only one who understood the intention and agreed with me, while the subordinates were dumbfounded.
“Yes, thanks to Lord Sharka’s efforts, the sewer construction is progressing smoothly. There will be no flood of unemployed people for a while.”
“That’s good. Infrastructure construction should be finished first.”
What I did was just digging holes.
It’s an easy job of just firing Meteor Rays as instructed by Evelyn.
Digging holes is the most labor-intensive, but if I do it, it will be over in a few hours.
After that, I throw the work to Evelyn, and my role is over.
“Bangwall is becoming quite impressive.”
The interior of Bangwall Fort has become cramped, so we are now expanding the commercial district to the outside of the fort.
Houses are gradually being built, and order is steadily being created.
“Yes, it will surely become a good city.”
It hasn’t even been a month since the occupation, but I deeply feel the transformation that Bangwall has begun to undergo.
This is how people’s living spaces are created.
I want to protect the smiles of the people.
“Well, I should change soon. Roa, get ready too.”
“Yes.”
We began preparations for today’s main event.
◇◇◇◇
The time is evening.
A carriage with the Ortenos crest entered the castle.
At the entrance of the Home Castle, I, Roa, and several military officials ostentatiously welcomed them.
When a middle-aged man got out of the carriage, the military officials performed the Ortenos-style salute.
“Father, it’s been a while. I’ve been waiting for you.”
“It’s been a month, your face has changed a lot, Sharka.”
Father Radnock de Ortenos.
His expression was much softer than I had imagined.
I feel relieved to see my father’s face after a long time.
Perhaps because I had been continuing unfamiliar top-down management since my First Campaign, there was a part of me that was tense somewhere.
“Well, various things have happened.”
“I’ve heard various stories. It seems you’ve been very active.”
“Yes, have I been too active?”
“…Well, yes. Honestly, until I heard Sharka’s story, there were many things I couldn’t judge. But leaving you in Bangwall was the right decision. I’ll just say that.”
My father says so and cuts off the conversation.
What I’m worried about is the Court of Justice and the story about Elmia, but since I didn’t get a lecture right away, my father’s impression of me doesn’t seem to be bad.
“You must be tired from your long journey. We can continue the conversation inside later…”
I urged my father’s party to enter the Home Castle.
◇◇◇◇
Dinner party.
I held a small welcome party.
At the dining table, there were only three family members: my father, me, and Roa.
The conversation with my family after a long time was lively.
I told them trivial stories, like how Ortenatris was in an uproar because of my actions, and how my mother was leading chants of “Sharka for the next head of the family,” and how Elmia and my mother had a big fight.
“Speaking of Elmia…”
The moment Elmia’s name came up, I felt a surge of tension within me.
“…She’s been acting strange since she returned. When I press her about why she went to Bangwall alone, she’s reluctant to talk about it in detail. I’d appreciate it if you could tell me what happened, Sharka.”
Seriously, Elmia?
She kept it a secret from Father?
Now that he mentions it, I did think it was odd that Father’s letter didn’t mention anything about Elmia and my relationship.
Father has a bewildered expression, like a father with a rebellious daughter.
It’s definitely not good for discord to arise between the next head of the family and the current head.
“Well, I don’t know…”
“Don’t ‘well, I don’t know’ me. Tell me honestly.”
Do I side with Father, or do I side with Elmia?
After racking my brain, I decided to confide in Father.
Well, he seems to have figured something out anyway.
“Well, actually, Elmia and I were deepening our sibling bond, and things got a little heated… and then, well… she told me to become her husband.”
“Haa, I thought so… and then?”
“…I accepted.”
Father put his hand to his forehead and looked up at the ceiling.
Roa dropped his knife and fork.
He was gaping, probably in shock.
“Haa… Have you two made a child yet?”
“No, not yet.”
“I see…”
Father sighed dramatically and literally held his head in his hands.
He seemed to be rubbing his stomach.
“Brother and, Sister are in a honeymoon phase… Brother, you’re joking, right?”
Roa was looking at me with vacant eyes.
“No, it’s not a joke. Elmia and I are both serious.”
When nobles are serious, it means they’re obsessively in love.
Roa’s eyes quickly filled with tears.
“Uuu… You’re such an idiot, Brother!”
“Roa?!”
Roa covered his face and ran away.
“Roa seems to have admired you. He must have been surprised to think his brother was suddenly leaving him.”
“…”
…Probably for a more visceral reason.
Well, I’ll check on Roa’s bedroom later.
I can’t send him to the Ceasefire Talks while he’s still emotionally unstable.
“You’ve always been talented, but you sometimes act recklessly. Sharka, do you understand what you’re trying to do?”
“I understand, Father. I’m planning to solve the Lanecki problem with this opportunity.”
“…Come to think of it, you also clashed with the Court of Justice. That can still be dealt with because we can pursue the Court of Justice for their faults. But provoking Lanecki with a marriage is a bad idea. Elmia has a fiancé from Lanecki, named Jilga, you know.”
Father said, trying to reason with me.
He’s telling me to give up without saying it.
“Of course, I’ll take responsibility and handle it. I’m tired of being Lanecki’s puppet.”
“The problem isn’t that simple. We have to somehow regain Ortenos’ legitimacy, or we won’t be able to do anything… That’s why we need some time. First, we need to make peace with Naia, and cooperate with the other two houses…”
Father must have something in mind.
It feels somewhat superficial, or roundabout.
It seems like he’s trying to postpone the problem between Elmia and me.
Father is a noble, after all, and I feel like he’s somewhere allowing Elmia’s sacrifice.
Of course, I can’t allow it.
“Father—why don’t we have a heart-to-heart?”
I have no intention of handing Elmia over to anyone.
What I want is a conversation based on that premise.