Chapter 81: Greetings to My Mother-in-Law
The day after returning to Belfast, I briskly went to Yuri’s place, only to find her angry.
“Even though you promised we’d always be together, we were separated for three whole days! Rui, you’re a liar! Why do you keep making plans that take you away!”
While replying, “Sorry,” I couldn’t help but grin because Yuri was implicitly saying she wanted to be with me. I tried to compose my expression and act sharp, but looking at her face, it just kept softening.
“Today, it’s okay, right?”
“Yeah. Today, after requesting the convocation of the Military Council, I’m free. How about we go visit Hiroki and the others?”
Actually, those guys are still staying in Belfast. I heard Sayuri-san is taking care of her father, saying “just a little longer, just a little longer.”
“Eh, I want to go!” Yurisia shot to her feet.
So, saying “Alright, let’s go,” we held hands and left the room, and I went to request the convocation of the council. When I told Duke Fastall that I might be able to make some progress on the matter we discussed the other day, he immediately agreed. With that, my schedule for the day was finished, so we decided to go hang out.
“Come to think of it, Yuri, did you live here before coming to Oldam?”
“Yes. Though, it was in that building over there.”
The place she pointed to was a mansion outside the Castle. Apparently, that’s the main residence of the Razbel, General’s family. Being a Duke’s family, it’s quite magnificent.
“Um, I really should go pay my respects soon…”
“Eh!? You’ll… come…?”
Of course, I will. It seems Yuri also greeted my Pops at some point without me knowing. Even at the Party, he was teasing her, saying, ‘See, you can call me “Father-in-law” again, you know.’
“For greetings, you usually make an appointment first, right?”
“If it’s Rui, you don’t need one. I’ll be there too, after all.”
Heading to the barracks with her, who looked happy yet fidgety, I was about to ask Sayuri-san where they were, but it turned out all three of them were there.
“Ah, it’s Yuri-chan! My, my, linking arms and all, how passionate!”
“N-n-no, that’s not it! Ah, well, it’s not… that different…”
Oh, she’s still bright red, but that’s a fresh reaction, I thought, my cheeks relaxing as I stared intently at her.
“You finally got to meet her, huh? That’s great,” Hiroki said.
“Yeah. Really great. I won’t let her go anymore. Absolutely.”
“Uwah… So, Yuri-chan, are you going to become the Queen?” Ami asked.
Yuri vigorously shook her head.
“Nah, I’ve said it before, but I’ve told everyone that I’d be troubled if they told me to become king, so it’s probably fine.”
The two of them seemed convinced with a “Hmm,” but Mr. Owen gave me a dubious look.
“Rui, that’s just not possible. I’ve heard about your military achievements, but if you’ve done that much, normally they’d never let you get away.”
When Mr. Owen questioned me, I puffed out my chest and said, “It’s fine, I have a way to escape.” When I asked Yuri, who was looking up at me worriedly, “You’ll come with me when I run away, right?” she nodded with a smile, her bright expression returning.
“So, how long are you guys planning to stay? I think it’s fine even if you stay for a few months.”
When Mr. Owen asked if I was talking about the war, I nodded.
“Haven’t decided yet. My stupid mom’s throwing a tantrum, you see!” Hiroki exclaimed, referring to Sayuri-san.
“Hmm, so Hiroki, you’re going to take on your mother, are you? I won’t lose yet!” Sayuri-san retorted.
And so, a rather serious bout of playful fighting began. Ami looked surprised, saying, “Huh, Hiroki’s pushing her back.” Apparently, this was a daily occurrence.
“Sayuri, shall I lend a hand?” Mr. Owen asked.
“Wha-! You, that’s cowardly!” Hiroki yelped.
Hiroki instantly jumped away and used me as a shield.
“Hoh, so you’ll pit Rui against me? Very well,” Mr. Owen said.
“Not very well! I’ll die!” I shouted.
As I shouted that, Yuri and Ami laughed.
“Oh yeah, how long can I keep borrowing this?” Hiroki asked.
The item Hiroki showed was a Light Magic Laser Gun. It was the older model with lower amplification that I used initially, but I had given one to each of them to keep.
“Ah, you can have it, you can have it. But don’t rely on it completely. If you don’t stop at a point where you can still manage with other means, those around you will die.”
Hiroki will probably be fine. He was the second strongest in our Party after Yuri. If he’s being trained by Mr. Owen, he’s probably become considerably stronger. However, if an enemy that Hiroki would struggle against went after Ami, it would be really bad.
“Yeah, Pops has drilled that into me, so no problem,” Hiroki said.
“Oh, Pops… I see, so he acknowledged you,” I remarked, realizing Hiroki was calling Mr. Owen “Pops.”
“Well, yeah. When he tried to seriously protect that troublesome mother of mine like that…” Hiroki trailed off.
Mr. Owen, watching over Sayuri-san as she had fun with Yuri and Ami, had a very gentle expression. As for me, I was relieved that I no longer had to worry about this.
“So, what are you going to do from now on?” Hiroki asked me.
“Hmm. I can’t carelessly leave until I do something about the Empire, so I guess countermeasures for that.”
As I was talking with Hiroki, the conversation shifted to the current situation, and while I was talking about potentially joining hands with Lestall, Mr. Owen had joined the conversation before I knew it. Eventually, the topic returned to the war, and I told them that the Empire’s military strength was greater than expected.
“The Empire is seriously dangerous. They use special magic, and on top of that, there are tons of Mr. Owen-class people around. I seriously thought I was going to die. If I didn’t have Elixirs, I would have died twice.”
“Hoh. What kind of magic do they use? Tell me.” Mr. Owen was also very interested.
I was worried about triggering Yuri’s trauma, but on the contrary, she was worrying about me so much that she didn’t seem to have room for that. I told them they use magic that allows them to move so fast it’s like teleportation, and then I actually showed it to them.
“Huh!? Why can you use it!?” Hiroki exclaimed.
“Fufufu, I learned it by watching the enemy use it.”
“Uwah, that’s so cheap!”
“Indeed. You’re the natural enemy of those who possess secret arts,” Mr. Owen commented.
Even as they said that, they both grabbed my shoulders. Hiroki’s voice was excited as he said, “You’ll teach us, right?”
“Ah, yeah. Sure. There are no rights or crap like that attached to this, so I’ll write it down and give it to you.”
Saying it was an Imperial secret art, I quickly wrote it down and handed it over, and the two of them immediately started working on learning it. Enhancement-type magic is often relatively simple, and this was no exception, so they’d probably learn it easily. Ami, Yuri, and even Sayuri-san, who had gathered around, also started practicing.
“However, that magic has some problems, so be careful. Your kinetic vision doesn’t improve, so controlling your body and various other things becomes incredibly difficult.”
Then, after a while, Hiroki said, “Rui, I’m hungry,” and when we started a barbecue in front of the barracks, people gathered. We treated the soldiers to dinosaur meat too, and spent the time boisterously.
Then, as the sun began to set, we parted ways with a “See ya,” and headed home. On the way, Yuri looked at me expectantly and asked, “Would you like to stop by my place?”
“Then, if you don’t mind, may I take you up on your offer?”
“Yes! Of course!” I followed Yuri, who, while linking her arm with mine, pulled me along as if she were skipping.
Invited in, I found the inside of the house was very quiet. It was a Duke’s residence, so I had imagined a scene like the Castle with servants milling about, but it didn’t seem to be like that. From a distance, I heard a voice call out, “Yurisia, is that you?”
“Yes! I’m home! Rui is with me!”
Immediately after, a loud clattering sound echoed. Because I was using enhancement magic, I heard the sound perfectly.
After a moment, Yuri’s mother came down the stairs, her footsteps making a light, refined “kotsu kotsu” sound, appearing graceful yet hurried.
“I apologize for the sudden visit, today I came to offer my greetings—”
I said, straightening my posture to be as polite as possible, but midway through, Yuri’s mother started prostrating herself on the floor.
“For the outrageous rudeness my husband committed! I am so terribly sorry!”
The blood drained from my face. Why have things been like this since yesterday… No, yesterday’s was just bullying, though…
“That matter has long since been concluded! I have also received an apology from the General! So please, raise your head!”
Come on, Yuri, you too, I thought, looking at her, but she turned her face away, muttering, “You could at least get a little angry, you know.”
Don’t say such unreasonable things! Against General Razbel, maybe, but there’s no way I can do that to my mother-in-law!
I took Yuri’s mother’s hand and helped her stand up, then once again conveyed that I had come to offer my greetings.
“Are you truly sure about Yurisia? This child is so withdrawn, even from a parent’s perspective, I worry and worry…”
“That’s not true! I changed after going to Oldam!” Yuri declared.
Yuri puffed up her cheeks. Yuri’s mother looked flustered. For me, visiting her home for the first time, this situation was far too high-difficulty.
“No, Yurisia-san is a very kind and charming woman. I wish to cherish her from the bottom of my heart.”
“My… such undeservedly kind words… Yurisia, you must listen carefully to what Prince Rui says, alright!?”
“Mother, there has never been a time when I didn’t listen to what Rui says!”
There have been plenty of times… No, it’s fine though, because I’d be troubled if she listened to absolutely everything I said.
“Oh, dear me… I apologize for not introducing myself sooner. Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Randolph’s wife, Millis Razbel.”
“That is very courteous of you. I am Louis von Belfast.”
“I may be young and have many shortcomings, but please, I look forward to your kind consideration.”
After that, I spent a relaxing time listening to stories about her childhood.
Yuri kept getting angry, saying “No, no, that’s not right!” the whole time, but I think we managed to have a pretty good atmosphere.
I was also introduced to Yuri’s younger brother-kun, had dinner with them, and then took my leave.
The house was quiet because, apparently, they usually have servants, but due to the current circumstances, almost all of them had been sent to the Castle for some time now.
However, it seemed the chef had remained, and dinner was quite delicious.
Milis-san also told me to “please take good care of my daughter,” so our relationship now has her parental approval.
Yuri, who tried to return to the Castle with me, was scolded for being improper, and I, unable to object, parted ways with her and headed to the Castle.
After that, I went to Pops’s place and asked for some of his time, saying I had something to discuss.
“What is it? Is it about your engagement with Yurisia-jouchan?”
“Ah, yeah. I want to ask about that too, but it’s about the war. I know it was presumptuous of me, but I’ve been making some moves. This is a report on that, I guess.”
He nodded once, saying, “I see,” and his gaze urged me to continue, so I told him what I had been doing in Lestall.
I explained that we were now in a situation where, as long as we could consolidate our decision-making, a place for discussion could be arranged.
“Hold on a minute. Did you just go and leak our country’s technology to the enemy without permission?”
No, “the enemy”…? Besides, everything I gave them was mine.
It’s a bit upsetting to hear you say that about things I paid for out of my own pocket.
“The only things I gave out were what I brought from the Abyss.”
“Why are you siding so much with Lestall, who betrayed us?”
He seemed very angry.
It’s true I acted on my own, and I understand why he’s angry, but there’s a proper reason for it…
“It’s not like I’ve sided with Lestall or anything, you know? I want you to listen without jumping to weird conclusions.
First of all, it was King Lestall who allowed me to take Abyss Materials out of the country.
Even before that, he understood my desire to protect Yuri and tried to make me the Lord of what’s now southern Belfast so I could join the war from Razbel’s side. He was good to me even when I was just a commoner.
Even after deciding to return Belfast, he’s still allowing us to take half of the materials from the Oldam Dungeon to Belfast. I can’t just monopolize it, can I?”
“Seriously…?” Pops showed a surprised expression.
Ah, good. It seems he’s willing to listen properly.
It’s true that my actions could be seen as going against Belfast’s national interests.
I’ve kept quiet about anything weapon-related, and considering the circumstances, if you also factor in friendly relations, I don’t think I’ve gone against them.
In any case, I was relieved that Pops is someone who will listen properly.
“Dead serious. He even made it so Cornelia-san and the others could move around freely.
That’s precisely why I was able to meet with Marquis Arbane even before the official audience.
King Lestall is doing what he can in the current situation where he can’t afford to diminish his own authority. You received his help too, didn’t you, Pops?”
“But still… he’s the one who should not only be returning things but also paying massive reparations and bowing his head,” Pops said, conflicted.
“No, yeah. It’s natural to be angry about that. Eventually, I think we should make him take responsibility.
But right now isn’t the time to be swayed by those emotions, is it?”
Pops’s view is that we can’t beat the Empire even if we throw Lestall at them right away.
If we lose, we die. So, branding Lestall as an enemy and abandoning the option of joining forces with them at this point is a bad idea.
“Hmm… I see.
So, Rui, you were once again using your own assets to move for Belfast’s protection, huh.
If I were to throw a tantrum now, I’d just be a fool…
Ah, indeed, considering the situation, defining them as an enemy was wrong.
Thinking about it carefully, if our own country were on the brink of being overthrown, we wouldn’t hesitate to commit a Breach of Treaty either. So, if we think about the country, we should probably end this with just a nudge.
I’m still angry, admittedly, but I might have been confusing them a bit with Daltone…”
Right now, there’s an atmosphere in Belfast that all other countries are enemies.
Pops and Duke Fastall were like that too, so even though I knew it would be exhausting, I pushed forward forcefully, trying my best to improve their impression even a little.
It’s so clear that we shouldn’t be swayed by emotions in this regard that even a fool like me can understand it.
It’s true that it’s understandable to think they’re untrustworthy and not worth teaming up with, but that’s not necessarily the case if we can get them to take on Lease and a war between Lestall and the Empire begins.
Considering the possibility of a successful defense, we should definitely try it.
But, if he was going to listen to me this reasonably, I should have discussed it with him from the start.
“Yeah. That’s why I thought I should take the initiative this time.
I want you to move in the direction of exploring whether we can join hands. Lend me your strength… Please, Pops!”
I clasped my hands as if in prayer and bowed my head with all my might.
If an alliance isn’t formed, we’ll be in real danger.
Even if we advance our invasion of Mildrad and increase our territory, we won’t become stronger immediately.
This is a matter that greatly concerns the survival of the people I want to protect.
“Is this the first time Rui has asked me for something… Well, it’s a difficult matter in many ways, but there’s no harm in trying.
I’ll give it a shot, but be prepared for the possibility that it might not come together, okay?”
“Thank you.
Everyone on our side is angry too, and if it doesn’t result in a situation that’s considerably advantageous to our country, we won’t be able to accept it either… I know it’s difficult.
But for now, I want you to discuss it and see if you can find a point of compromise.”
It wouldn’t be good if we pushed ourselves too hard and conceded too much.
If we act humbly after they’ve breached the treaty, we’ll be looked down upon to an unacceptable degree.
Such a stopgap relationship isn’t good. It won’t last, and conversely, it could become a source of worsening relations.
We can’t hope for a healthy relationship unless we both pursue our mutual interests to some extent and search for a compromise.
If Pops and the Duke weren’t caught up in their emotions, they’d be able to act with far deeper consideration than I can. If Pops can swallow his anger, it seems like we can leave the rest to them without any problems.
“Alright. I’ll do my best to negotiate for the tightest possible conditions.”
“Yeah. Thanks, Pops.”
Thank goodness. We didn’t end up having a falling out or anything weird…
Relieved that the discussion concluded amicably in the end, our meeting came to a close.