Chapter 390

I said it was over, but it wasn’t completely over.

I still had to entertain the guests at the wedding reception in the evening.

As befitting a wedding between the great nobles of the North and Central regions, the reception was magnificent.

No, “magnificent” wasn’t enough to describe it; it was filled with all sorts of delicacies.

Marquis Celtrine had spared no expense, spending money like water, saying that there should be no shortcomings in a place where even His Majesty the Emperor was present.

Anyway, thanks to that, the guests seemed to be extremely satisfied.

I was now with Regina, who had officially become my wife, going around the tables and greeting the guests.

“It’s been a while, Amy. How have you been?”

Regina greeted her with a gentle smile.

It was understandable, as the other person was her direct junior, whom she had treated like a real sister.

“P-President! President! I really wanted to see you!”

Baguette Senior practically rushed and hugged her.

She was now clearly a Duchess, but her title was still “President.”

That title was so endearing that memories came flooding back.

It seemed I, too, had undeniably become a graduate.

“Hello, Junior Max. Ah, should I call you Your Grace the Duke now?”

Diana, the former head of the newspaper club who was next to her, greeted me.

She still wore glasses, but she now had a much more professional air about her.

Was it because the freshness of being a student had disappeared?

It was a natural course of life for everyone, as one couldn’t remain a student forever.

“Come on, let’s drop the stiff titles. Once a senior, always a senior, right?”

“Hehe, you haven’t changed, Junior.”

“One should always live with a young heart.”

“Are you boasting about how young you are right now?”

“You know me well, don’t you?”

“Honestly.”

Diana let out a chuckle.

“How’s life as a reporter?”

Diana had gotten a job at the largest newspaper company in the Holy City.

I had vaguely heard that she was working as a reporter, but we hadn’t had a chance to see each other, perhaps because we were both busy.

“It’s hectic. I volunteered for the tough assignments on purpose.”

“Tough assignments?”

“You know what the situation is like in the Central Continent right now, right? I’m in charge of that.”

“What?”

My eyes widened.

The Central Continent was in chaos due to the uprising of the dark cultists.

It was a pandemonium, a chaotic era itself.

There was probably no place more dangerous in the world right now.

And she volunteered for such a place?

“Why such a dangerous place…”

“It’s not some grand sense of duty or anything like that. It was just a hunch.”

“A hunch?”

“I had a hunch that the scene that would be recorded as an important part of human history was there.”

A reporter’s instinct.

It seemed Diana did have such an ability.

I just didn’t know it would lead to this.

“Whatever the reason, that’s amazing. It’s something most people wouldn’t be able to do.”

“Well, thanks to that, I did get some attention as the crazy new recruit who took on a big case.”

“Should I say that’s a good thing?”

“Hehe, whatever it is, that’s not what’s important.”

“Then?”

“I volunteered thinking it was a jackpot, but something feels off.”

“…”

“I feel like I’m missing something more crucial.”

It seemed Diana had a lot on her mind lately.

I thought I might be able to give her an answer.

‘Everyone needs the truth, for the sake of all.’

People would eventually have to know that the world was on the brink of destruction and that there were those striving to save it from that destruction.

Because that was history, and that was the truth.

Besides.

‘It will make it clearer that I am a hero.’

The calculation was complete.

“Senior.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“You’re right, Senior.”

“About what?”

“That you’re missing something crucial.”

“N-No way? Do you know something, Junior?”

Diana leaned in, her eyes sparkling.

Wait, why did she suddenly take off her glasses?

That was seductive.

“I can’t tell you here… For now, come back to the Holy City.”

“Come back to work in the Holy City?”

“Yes, then I’ll tell you. Information that will make your intuition tingle.”

“Can I trust you?”

“If you can’t trust me, you can’t trust anyone in the world.”

“Ahaha, you really haven’t changed. Alright. What the heck, I’ll take a chance on my junior.”

The decision seemed to have been made decisively.

She said I hadn’t changed, but Diana, despite her appearance, was still as bold as ever.

“What are you two talking about so affectionately? Suspicious.”

Baguette Senior, having finished her tearful reunion with Regina, finally paid attention to me.

“Just a conversation between a senior and junior who haven’t seen each other in a while. By the way, Baguette Senior, have you finished your bakery pilgrimage?”

“Ugh, I-I told you not to call me Baguette Senior!”

…No, I didn’t want to hear that from someone who brought a baguette to a wedding.

“Ah, sorry. My thoughts just slipped out…”

“Don’t even think such things!”

“No, when I see that baguette, it’s an unavoidable reflex.”

“Grrr! My annoying nickname, it’s all your fault! Take responsibility!”

Baguette Senior roared like a tiger.

It seemed she had a lot pent up because of the nickname.

I felt a little sorry, but it was a nickname she would have gotten anyway, even without me.

“I’m sorry. But still, I’m your lifesaver, so to shout like that…”

“Ugh?”

Baguette Senior flinched.

She had to, since I had used the invincible shield.

“T-That, w-well, of course I’m grateful…”

“Yes, I’m sorry too.”

“Y-Yeah.”

“Indeed.”

The atmosphere ended on a warm note.

I could see Regina and Diana smiling.

They could make such expressions because they all knew that even if they bickered on the surface, they weren’t really on bad terms.

“Anyway, so, the bakery pilgrimage?”

A journey to visit bakeries around the world, only the delicious ones.

It was an idea only Baguette Senior could come up with.

“Hmph, I finished it.”

“She gained 10 kilos.”

“Aaaah! W-W-What are you talking about!”

“Ah, I thought you looked a bit chubbier.”

“No! I’m not!”

As expected, people who are easy to tease get teased a lot.

“It’s okay, you look just right.”

“R-Really?”

…Really, I was just saying nice things so she wouldn’t pout.

“Yes, yes.”

But I was a good junior, so I affirmed it until the end.

“Whatever it was, you must have had a great time. So now what?”

“Hmph.”

Suddenly, Baguette Senior smiled confidently.

What was it?

“Of course, I’m thinking of opening a bakery. Isn’t that obvious?”

“Pfft?”

“W-Why are you spitting things out so disgustingly?”

“…I-I was surprised.”

It was true.

In any play I knew, there was no path where Baguette Senior became a bakery owner.

In most cases, her healing talent was recognized, and she was scouted by the Tower of Light or the Church and became a healer.

Usually, when something happened (?) to the glass healer Annette in the protagonist’s party, this person was the number one replacement healer.

But a bakery…?

“Surprised by what? My feelings for bread are always sincere. And I gained confidence from this bakery pilgrimage.”

“What kind of confidence?”

“Confidence that I’ll never go bankrupt.”

“…”

“Hmph, I’m confident that my baguette is as delicious as any bakery’s.”

“W-Wait a minute. Did you bake that yourself?”

“Isn’t that obvious? My hobby is baking baguettes.”

…I didn’t know.

I just thought she got them all from the cafeteria or bakeries.

It seemed I didn’t know because we weren’t close enough due to different tastes.

“I’m opening a shop in the Holy City next month. I’m having a special discount event for a week, so I’d be very grateful if you stopped by.”

“G-Grateful, who!”

Baguette Senior’s cheeks reddened as she vehemently denied it.

I know, I know.

Deep down, you want me to come.

But my future movements are strictly confidential.

That was my plan.

“I see. Congratulations. But that’s a shame. I’m planning to focus on managing my territory, which I’ve neglected for a while, so I don’t plan on leaving the Empire for some time.”

“Hmph, I-It doesn’t matter.”

Baguette Senior snorted, but her disappointment was evident.

She was an interesting character.

“I’ll definitely stop by.”

Regina said in a gentle voice.

It was entirely possible, as she planned to continue being an academy professor.

“Y-You will, President? Aww, i-it’s such a humble place…”

“Don’t say that. I know very well how hard Amy has worked for her dream. And I know that the results of that effort will be anything but insignificant.”

…Her dream was to be a bakery owner?

But why did she become a healer every time I played?

Was it because she didn’t have the start-up funds and was trying to earn them?

“Sob, P-President!”

Anyway, Baguette Senior became a crybaby in front of Regina.

Well, it was a heartwarming sight.

Anyway.

‘So both of them will be in the Holy City?’

Diana, who decided to return to the Holy City after hearing my words, and Amy, who decided to open a bakery in the Holy City.

This couldn’t be a mere coincidence.

It must be the aftermath of my actions so far.

‘It wouldn’t be bad.’

The more helpful people, the better.

Especially if they were significant supporting characters from the academy.

“Contact me when you come to the Holy City.”

I said to Diana before I stood up.

“But didn’t you just say you weren’t planning on leaving the Empire for a while?”

“Yes, that’s true. Instead, please find Camian. I’ll leave a message with him.”

Camian and Annette.

I planned to tell them all my plans today.

It was natural, as they were the protagonist party.

We were a community of fate, destined to go together until the end.

“Junior Camian? Hmm, looks like there’s something going on. Alright.”

Diana looked intrigued but didn’t say anything more.

Perhaps she sensed that I wouldn’t answer anyway.

“P-President! I’ll definitely greet you again before I go!”

Leaving Baguette Senior, who was looking at us with the mournful eyes of a puppy parting with its owner, we moved on.

* * *

“You’re here.”

“Hehe, no matter how many times I see you, you two look really good together.”

This combination was one I never got used to, no matter how many times I saw it.

A former executive of an evil organization and a monster empress.

“Isn’t the Empress busy? Go quickly.”

“Oh my, I’ve cleared my schedule for today. You can’t just send me away as you please, cute Senior.”

“…”

No, they actually seemed like a surprisingly good match.

Anyway, we paid our respects to the Empress.

Normally, we should have come here first, but I deliberately postponed it because I thought it would be draining.

The Empress wasn’t the type to care about such things anyway.

“Now that you’ve graduated from the academy, you must return to your official duties.”

“I am deeply sorry, but my humble self is overwhelmed with managing my own territory. I trust that Your Majesty will carry out your great will, and I will do my duty from afar.”

A polite refusal.

It was the natural answer.

This wasn’t the time for me to be tied down by Imperial politics.

“Oh my, honestly, I’m shocked. Are you saying you’re abandoning me alone now?”

No, you usually like to do everything yourself, so why are you acting like this?

“It’s not like that…”

“Hehe, I’m kidding, I’m kidding. You must have your reasons, Senior. You also need to enjoy your honeymoon.”

The Empress winked.

…Her understanding was so vast that I still couldn’t get used to it.

It was a relief that it wasn’t obsession.

“Wait, but if you’re enjoying your honeymoon, then the Professor will soon…”

The Empress’s eyes widened as she suddenly realized something.

“It’s not polite to pry into adult matters.”

Riviera interjected.

…Calling it adult matters makes it sound even weirder, you know.

“Ah, ah, is that so? My apologies.”

No, you didn’t do anything wrong.

Why do you keep making the atmosphere weird?

“Work and family, they are truly difficult things to balance.”

“…”

“The wild goose is sadned.”

“…”

You two really hit it off, don’t you?

“It’s alright.”

Regina, who had been quiet, smiled.

“Distance doesn’t matter in true love.”

“Oh my.”

“Ugh, t-the aura of an adult…”

Was this the counterattack of experience?

I chuckled inwardly and opened my mouth.

“As you know, that matter hasn’t been resolved. I intend to do everything in my power for it.”

I spoke vaguely on purpose, as there were many ears in the room, but the astute Empress would naturally understand.

The Empress’s eyes, tinged with interest, blinked rapidly.

“Hehe, I see. So that’s what it was. I’ll see what I can do to help in my own way.”

The Empress wouldn’t utter empty words.

Especially not here.

To me now, those words were sweeter than any other.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Hehe, not at all.”

“I’ll look into it too.”

Riviera interjected, as if she couldn’t lose.

A smile touched my lips.

“Yes, thank you.”