Ch.103Chapter 103. Encounter (1)

* * *

A few hours ago.

“Huff, huff, huff, haah……”

Waking from sleep, Reika wiped away the cold sweat that had formed on her forehead.

As her consciousness gradually returned, she looked around and recognized that she was in her own room.

‘A dream…?’

It was a terrible nightmare.

The kind of dream where she wasn’t the one appearing in it.

The person who appeared in her dream was Swen.

It was a very strange dream where he was walking directly into a pit of fire with his own feet.

No matter how much she tried to call out to stop him, her voice couldn’t reach him.

And when she tried to follow him, she couldn’t possibly reach him – then she would come to her senses and realize it was a dream.

‘Why did I have such a dream…?’

She wasn’t usually one to dream often.

Especially not such terrible nightmares.

Because of this, anxiety naturally began to sprout in the twenty-year-old maiden’s mind.

‘Could something be happening…?’

Come to think of it, she hadn’t seen his face for several days.

The thought that something irreversible might happen kept making her mind complicated.

While biting her nails and worrying, she realized that today was a day when her father was at home.

If she went and asked him, wouldn’t he tell her something?

After changing her clothes lightly, she immediately went to the study and asked her father about the situation.

“Swen, you say?”

“Yes. I was wondering about his schedule, when he might visit next…”

“What’s this about? Didn’t I say you don’t need to think about magic training for the time being?”

Reika’s development speed had been incredibly fast, but due to a recent incident, it was decided that it would be better for her not to go outside and just stay at home for a while, so she had only been meditating simply at home.

By now, she could meditate on her own even without him.

“Well…”

Ginor looked at Reika with a strange expression as she hesitated to speak.

“Do you miss him?”

“…Pardon?”

“I’m asking if you want to see him.”

Reika’s expression visibly reddened at those words.

Had her adoptive father ever been the type to ask such things?

While he had always been kind to her, this was the first time he had asked something so human, so she couldn’t hide her embarrassment and stuttered as she finally managed to speak what was on her mind.

“N-n-no! Th-that’s… that’s not it, it’s just… I had a strange dream…”

“A dream, you say?”

Reika explained the nightmare she had to Ginor.

She realized that this might be the first time she had ever discussed something as deeply personal as a dream with her father.

“Hmm… I see.”

“How has Swen been doing lately? Is he perhaps carrying out some special schedule? If there’s anything I can do to help him, I’d like to. Of course… with your permission, Father…”

“…”

Lost in thought, Ginor slowly nodded and muttered.

“Indeed, today is that day.”

Today is the day he heads to Hisphil Castle, where Serpina is currently staying, for negotiations.

The nature of her dream wasn’t particularly important to Ginor.

While Reika was an irregular who used the supernatural ability of magic, she wasn’t the type to read omens or anything like that.

Though they say human dreams are imbued with mystical qualities, Ginor himself wasn’t the type to place much meaning in dreams.

Considering Swen’s example, he thought there might be ways to see the future using magic, but his daughter didn’t seem to have such abilities.

After organizing his thoughts, Ginor looked at Reika and asked.

“Very well. If you’re concerned, I can take you to him.”

“R-really?!”

Surprise showed on Reika’s face.

To give permission to go out so easily.

“Why are you so surprised?”

“No, it’s just… I wondered if it was okay to go outside…”

“How novel. When you get married, you’ll follow your husband’s will, not mine.”

“…Pardon?”

Reika asked again, surprised by the sudden words, but Ginor maintained a calm tone.

“Why? Surely you wouldn’t be worried about a man you don’t have feelings for?”

“Ah…”

She lowered her head again.

With her ears turning red, she fumbled and barely managed to speak.

“That’s… w-well…”

Reika thought to herself.

Do I have feelings for Swen?

Is that why I’m so worried?

In a life where she had never liked a man before, it was incredibly difficult for her to suddenly recognize the emotion of ‘liking a man.’

Ginor, for his part, assessed the situation and calculated the gains and losses.

It wouldn’t hurt to build a bridge with him.

If Reika also liked Swen, that would be even better.

But still, there was something he needed to confirm.

“Reika.”

“Ah, yes…!”

“Swen is going to cross into Serpina’s territory today.”

“Serpina’s…?”

“Yes. He’s heading there as an envoy with an armed escort for negotiations. That’s why I can’t help but ask you a question. I’d like you to answer seriously.”

“Ah… yes! If it’s something I can answer…”

Ginor looked at Reika’s face and asked.

“Regardless of your dream, since he’s crossing into Serpina’s territory, there could be dangerous situations. If you’re truly worried about him, you could protect him by his side.”

“Me…?”

“Yes. You’ve already become strong enough. Given what happened at Hisphil Castle, we can’t hide your abilities forever anyway. However.”

Ginor’s words carried a heavy weight.

“You might have to risk your life. It should be safe enough under normal circumstances, but the opponent is Serpina after all.”

“Ah…”

Seeing Reika hesitate, Ginor was suddenly struck by a curious feeling.

Come to think of it, when did meeting ‘Serpina’ become recognized as such a dangerous thing?

Serpina von Einhart.

He remembered her from when she was young, serving the empire close to the emperor.

She was a bright and intelligent girl, but he never imagined she would become the bloodthirsty tyrant she is now.

It was surprising to realize that even he himself had come to think that ‘one might have to risk their life.’

Anyway, that wasn’t the issue to think about now.

After organizing his thoughts, Ginor asked Reika in a very serious tone.

“Do you still want to follow him?”

Reika fell into thought upon hearing those words.

If it was just a diplomatic mission as an envoy, perhaps there was no need to worry—

But having had such a dream, she felt that if she didn’t do something, she would waste the day consumed by anxiety.

If something were to happen to Swen, she would feel guilty for not having done anything.

He was the person who had given her a small taste of freedom for the first time.

Using magic was good, but wasn’t he the one who showed her that there were reasons to live even without using magic?

Thinking that far, it wasn’t difficult to decide how to answer.

“…Yes. If I can be of help, I would like to accompany him.”

“I see.”

Ginor nodded and replied in a calm tone.

“Return to your room and prepare for the outing. I will send servants. Just do as they instruct.”

“Yes, I understand…! Thank you!”

* * *

“So that’s what happened?”

“Ah, yes…! So… I came to the royal castle to wait for someone to take on the role of armed escort, and then the person I met before came out…”

So that’s how this strange duo came to be.

At that moment, Irene approached me and asked.

“Swen.”

“Yes?”

“Even if it’s by the strategist’s order, she seems like just an ordinary young lady… Isn’t it dangerous to take her into enemy territory?”

“Ah, it’s fine. Reika is actually quite strong, you know.”

“Really? She looks so delicate, not like someone who lives on the battlefield…”

I thought about just plainly saying that she could use magic.

But since Irene would trust me without explanation, I didn’t bother taking the time to explain.

She’d find out eventually anyway.

“Don’t worry. She’s stronger than me.”

“Is that so…? Well, if you say so…”

“Besides, we have you, Irene. What is there to worry about?”

Irene seemed pleased with my words and smiled slightly.

“That’s right. Even if the opponent is Serpina, I’m confident I can protect you.”

“I believe in you, Irene.”

“Mm.”

And so, the three of us boarded the carriage.

Our destination was Hisphil Castle, where Serpina was staying.

It seemed like it would be a rather long journey, but… I thought that with these two people, that time wouldn’t be so bad.

The problem was that Reika was excessively shy.

Although she had met Irene once before, they had merely passed by each other, so they were practically strangers…

‘I wonder if they’ll get along?’

*

And, making my worries seem foolish…

“So, Irene, you’ve been holding a sword since you were young…?”

“Yes. This was the only path for me.”

“Wow… that’s amazing. It’s because you’ve been training since childhood that you have this kind of aura.”

Reika began talking with Irene remarkably quickly.

Somehow, the way her eyes sparkled when looking at Irene made me think she was regarding her like an idol.

The girl who had been stumbling over her words and not knowing what to do was now conversing with her without stuttering at all.

“Ah! By the way, that thing at your waist… is that black tea?”

“Hmm? You can tell?”

“Yes! It’s the black tea that goes best with sweet pastries, isn’t it? We have it at our house too. We have a few others that have similar but different flavors.”

“Really? That’s quite an interesting story.”

To the two of them who were engrossed in their own conversation, I gently spoke up.

“You two became friends quickly, didn’t you?”

“…Ah.”

Only then did Reika look at me and bow her head as she spoke.

“I’m… sorry… I didn’t mean to leave you out…”

“Were you lonely, Swen?”

“No, are you teasing me too, Irene?”

“Hehe.”

Irene laughed with a slightly reddened face, clearly enjoying herself.

I could easily tell her tension had risen from the small joke she had just made.

She wasn’t the type to make such remarks often.

Thinking about it, I realized this might be the first time I’d seen her talking with another woman her age.

Since the battlefield was primarily a man’s space, perhaps she felt like she had found a same-sex friend with whom she could converse well?

In any case, seeing the two of them getting along was quite pleasant to watch.

If one were to visually represent the word “peace,” it might look something like this.

Just watching them made a corner of my heart feel warm.

Back then, when I went to negotiate with the fate of the Lunarian army at stake, I was alone.

At that moment.

I suddenly remembered what Ginor had said to me.

“Swords and shields are good, but wouldn’t it be better to have someone who can use magic like you by your side as well?”

‘…’

If Irene were to accept my proposal and become my wife.

And if I were to accept Ginor’s suggestion and take Reika as my second wife.

Then…

Could I continue to watch such peaceful scenes?

I imagined my future with these two people in my mind.

And for the first time, I thought that perhaps a life with more than one wife might not be so bad.

*

“This is the place.”

Hisphil Castle, visited again.

The castle wall where we had made a hole had been repaired and looked quite clean.

Serpina is supposed to be here, right?

‘If so, was Serpina inside the castle when I used magic?’

After lightly bribing the guard, we entered the castle.

The atmosphere in the castle was quite unsettled.

Since it had been under the control of the Brans army for quite a long time, the hearts of the territory’s people wouldn’t have easily turned to Serpina.

Especially after experiencing events like the collapse of the castle wall.

With such thoughts, I arrived in front of the royal castle of Hisphil.

‘Is Serpina inside here?’

Gulp.

As I swallowed dryly, I heard Irene’s voice.

“Swen.”

“Yes?”

“Are you nervous?”

“Me?”

“Yes. Your expression is different from usual.”

Nervous.

According to her words, am I nervous?

Anyway, I’m just here to negotiate, so there’s no need to be nervous…

Was I nervous because the opponent happened to be Serpina?

As I was thinking this, Irene’s hand came to rest on my shoulder.

“It’s alright, Swen. You don’t need to worry. I’m by your side. I will protect you.”

It’s Irene saying this, not someone else.

Isn’t she the person I trust the most right now?

I smiled broadly.

“Irene. Please take care of Reika.”

“Yes. Take care, Swen.”

The strange anxiety rising in my heart would surely disappear once I faced Serpina—

With such thoughts, I stepped into the royal castle of Hisphil.