Three days after Perugius Dola established a cooperative relationship with Ariel Anemoi
A lecture hall located a short distance from the women's dormitory of the University of Magic.
It had been prepared for noble use and served various purposes.
Currently, it had been reserved exclusively for Princess Ariel's relocation preparations.
In front of a room within that lecture hall stood four figures.
One man and three women.
Two of them were the two people everyone at the school knew: the Quagmire
The other two were Sword Kings who had recently gained fame in the neighborhood:
"I'm just saying, I've forgotten all my manners."
"I'm also pretty hopeless when it comes to etiquette."
Standing before the lecture hall's doors, the two made their declarations boldly.
At their attitudes, Rudeus shrugged while Sylphie gave a wry smile.
"Princess Ariel isn't someone who's particularly strict about etiquette. She wouldn't demand excessive courtesy from her bodyguards."
As Sylphie said this, she noticed a loose thread on Eris's shoulder, plucked it off, and discarded it.
At this, Eris pouted and crossed her arms.
"But I'm also Rudeus's wife, so if I act strangely, it'll cause trouble for him, won't it?"
At Eris's words, Rudeus blinked.
He hadn't expected such words to come from Eris.
"It's no trouble for me. But I'd appreciate it if you at least tried to use polite language. Otherwise, it puts Sylphie in a difficult position."
"...No, I don't really mind. I'm used to that sort of thing."
Sylphie said, scratching behind her ear with a slight pout.
Having experienced being bullied and serving as a cross-dressing guard, she was accustomed to others saying all sorts of things about her.
Of course, being used to it didn't mean it never stung.
But after dozens of days living together, she had come to realize that demanding such things of Eris was asking too much.
"..."
Conversely, seeing this, Eris felt that she herself needed to try harder.
Her feelings toward Sylphie were still complicated.
Honestly, she still couldn't think of her as "family."
But even so, she couldn't see her as an enemy either.
A comrade, perhaps—or something like a fellow countryman. That was closer to the feeling.
"Hmph..."
Eris scowled and looked down at her own outfit, uncertain.
Nothing seemed off.
It wasn't formal wear, but Nina had confirmed it was not something a Sword King should be ashamed of.
However, that endorsement was only in her capacity as a Sword King.
"My clothes are okay, right?"
"Yeah. You're fine.
That outfit looks really cool, by the way."
Getting Sylphie's seal of approval too, Eris nodded, satisfied.
For some reason, she had the sense that if Sylphie said it was fine, then it probably was.
"Or would you prefer a dress?
Eris, you're from a noble family, right?
So wouldn't it be better to look more ladylike?"
"If there's no problem with it, this is fine."
Eris had purchased clothing since coming here, but she had yet to show any of it to Rudeus.
She had had the opportunity, but...
For some reason, she felt nothing she'd bought suited her, and had never put it on.
The only thing she'd shown him was a nightgown.
Of course, since it was sleepwear, she'd only shown it to Rudeus briefly before immediately taking it off.
"You can learn etiquette from Sylphie before we arrive in the Asura Kingdom."
"...Well, I don't mind teaching you."
Eris took a deep breath.
She was going to become his wife.
She was going to become a woman worthy of Rudeus.
She had worked hard with that thought in mind, but it was becoming clear that sword training alone wasn't enough.
"All right, then let's go."
At Sylphie's words, Eris and Ghislaine nodded deeply.
Sylphie knocked on the door directly in front of her and raised her voice.
"Princess Ariel. I have brought Eris
"Please come in."
Sylphie opened the door and stepped inside.
The room was slightly messier than usual, owing to the packing.
Seated in a chair near the center was Ariel.
Sylphie moved to stand at Ariel's side.
Rudeus positioned himself between Ariel and Eris.
Rudeus first placed a hand over his chest and bowed, then gestured toward Eris.
"Princess Ariel. This is Eris.
Eris Greyrat.
As Princess Ariel is no doubt aware, she is a swordsman bearing the title 'Mad Sword King.' She will be accompanying me—Rudeus Greyrat—as my bodyguard on this journey."
Rudeus said this much, then called out in a low voice, "Go on, Eris."
Eris had started to cross her arms, but caught herself, placed a hand over her chest, and bowed her head instead.
Imitating Rudeus.
"I am Eris Greyrat."
Her manner was arguably somewhat curt, but Ariel smiled gently.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Eris.
I am Ariel Anemoi Asura, Second Princess of the Asura Kingdom.
I have heard rumors of you since I was a child."
"Hmph. I'm sure they weren't anything good."
At those words, Ariel let out a soft laugh.
"The ones circulating in the royal palace were indeed not flattering.
However, I do not judge people by rumors.
After all, rumors are nothing more than rumors."
"..."
"More importantly, the fact that you stand at Lord Rudeus's side is proof enough.
Many... colorful individuals gather around Lord Rudeus, but not a single one among them is a bad person."
Eris nodded with satisfaction and crossed both arms.
Her usual pose, feet spread shoulder-width apart.
She had already discarded any trace of a noble lady's greeting.
"That's right. Rudeus is amazing. You know that, don't you?"
"Yes... In any case, it will only be a short time, but please take care of her."
Ariel bowed from her seated position.
Eris looked down at her, let out a "hmph," but bowed her head in return all the same.
"Ahem."
Scratching behind her ear, Sylphie cleared her throat.
At that, Eris murmured "Oh," uncrossed her arms, and took a step back with a slight scowl.
Seeing this, Rudeus gave a wry smile and gestured toward Ghislaine.
"This is Ghislaine.
Ghislaine Dedoldia.
The famous 'Black Wolf' Ghislaine.
I would like to introduce her as a bodyguard for Princess Ariel."
Ghislaine took a step forward and knelt on one knee.
She fixed her single eye on Ariel, meeting her gaze with a sharp look.
"I'm Ghislaine."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Ghislaine.
I am Ariel Anemoi Asura, Second Princess of the Asura Kingdom.
When you were stationed in the Fittoa Region—"
"I have a question."
Cutting Ariel off mid-sentence, Ghislaine asked.
"I heard that if I serve under you, I can avenge Lord Sauros. Is that true?"
"That is correct."
Ariel answered this impertinent question without hesitation.
She had already heard from Sylphie what drove Ghislaine to agree to become her bodyguard.
Ghislaine wanted to avenge Sauros.
Eris was nominally Rudeus's bodyguard, but Ariel had guessed she was driven by a similar motive.
"If you come with me to the Asura Royal Palace, the ones who framed Lord Sauros... the actual perpetrators will be found.
No—I will find them. When that time comes, please swing that sword to your heart's content."
Ariel knew about the death of Sauros Boreas Greyrat.
He had been executed, held responsible for the destruction of the Fittoa Region.
It was the result of a conspiracy to weaken the power of Boreas—one of the four great regional lords—and, by extension, diminish the First Prince's influence.
Of course, Ariel had no memory of ordering such a thing.
But she had considered the possibility that it had been carried out by someone in her own camp.
If that were the case, it would be troublesome...
Even so, without hesitation, she would hand over that noble's head.
To honor Rudeus, who had introduced Ghislaine.
"I'm counting on you."
With those brief words, Ghislaine rose to her feet.
Flicking her tail, she turned her gaze toward Sylphie.
"So, what should I do?"
"Starting tomorrow, I'd like you to serve as Princess Ariel's bodyguard.
Today is just for introductions, so after you've prepared for the journey, please come see me again. Luke and I will go over the details of the bodyguard work together."
"Understood... Also, just Ghislaine is fine."
Ghislaine said curtly and took a step back.
"..."
Ariel looked once more at the three people standing before her.
The Mad Sword King Eris. The Black Wolf Ghislaine.
And the most powerful mage Ariel knew—the Quagmire Rudeus—who had brought them here.
Three immensely powerful people, none of whom had sworn loyalty to her.
And behind Rudeus, there was presumably the Dragon God
Though Rudeus denied it, she could guess that his approach to her had been on Orsted's instructions.
Honestly, she didn't know what Orsted was plotting.
Ariel had seen Orsted once.
Just one look, and she had felt an indescribable terror.
After her conversation with
And yet, strangely, Ariel felt a sense of reassurance.
Was she getting carried away by the immense power gathered before her?
Did she not know that power beyond one's station could lead to one's destruction?
No.
"Then, everyone, please take care of her."
Ariel stood and bowed to the three.
Rudeus returned the bow naturally.
Seeing Rudeus, Eris hurriedly bowed in return.
Ghislaine inclined her head in a slight nod.
"..."
At the end of the exchange, Ariel glanced at Sylphie.
The reason she felt no anxiety was that Sylphie connected her to them.
Whatever Orsted was planning remained unknown.
But Rudeus had sided with Orsted to protect his family.
If that was the case, Rudeus would not harm Sylphiette.
And Sylphiette would not harm Ariel.
That fact was what gave Ariel her peace of mind.
*(Sylphie, I owe you a special debt of gratitude.)* In her heart, Ariel bowed to her one and only dear friend standing at her side.
--- That evening.
Among the countless bars in the magic city of Sharia.
In a noisy bar, there was one particularly quiet corner.
In that corner, at the far end of the counter, a large woman sat alone, quietly tilting her glass.
A beast-woman with tawny skin and a muscular build.
She was somewhat past her prime, but to any observer, she was beautiful.
And yet, no one approached her.
The hostile aura emanating from her—and the fear inspired by the title "Mad Sword King"—kept everyone at a distance.
Of course, she was the Mad Sword King's teacher, not the Mad Sword King herself.
Into this bar, a new patron appeared.
The bell above the door jingled as a single long-eared woman entered.
With lustrous hair, a beautiful face, and a figure that was alluring everywhere except the chest.
Her belly, however, was swollen far beyond what her slender frame would suggest.
She was pregnant.
Seeing her, several patrons called out cheerfully.
"Hey, long time no see!"
"Done man-hunting?"
"I heard you got married!"
"Come over here and have a drink with us!"
She responded to these calls with good humor and made her way through the bar.
Her destination: the far corner.
The very end of the counter.
The seat that nobody dared approach.
She sat down beside it.
The surrounding patrons held their breath.
"Heeey, Ghislaine! Sorry to keep you waiting!"
She—
"You're late."
Ghislaine stated the fact flatly.
"Well, can't be helped. I'm in a family way, you know... Oh, I'll have a barley ale and some bar snacks as well."
Elinalise placed her order with the bartender.
Hearing that a pregnant woman was going to drink, several of the men in the bar grimaced.
Ghislaine was one who felt the same way.
"Is it okay for you to drink?"
"A celebratory toast for our joyful reunion, and the sad tale I'm about to tell.
Both call for alcohol, I think."
Hearing that, even Ghislaine couldn't object.
"Don't worry—I won't drink enough to affect the baby.
He's the precious, precious child of the man I love, after all."
Elinalise stroked her belly with a dreamy expression.
At this, Ghislaine looked surprised.
"I heard you'd paired up, but I didn't expect you to be this devoted to one person."
"I'm a little surprised myself, honestly.
But
He's a bit inflexible and doesn't listen very well, but he has his own convictions and a strong sense of responsibility.
Even during intimate moments, he works so hard—not just for his own pleasure, but he tries earnestly to make me feel good too.
I just find that so endearing...
Ghislaine, you should find a good person soon too!"
"I'm fine."
To Elinalise's matchmaking, Ghislaine was utterly dismissive.
She had already given up on living as a woman.
She intended to live and die as a swordsman.
"Well, I won't force you... Oh—"
At that moment, Elinalise's barley ale arrived.
In this region, barley ale was somewhat pricey, but its alcohol content was low.
For Elinalise, it might as well have been juice.
"Well then, a toast to our reunion with an old friend."
"Cheers."
Ghislaine clinked her glass against Elinalise's.
A crisp, satisfying ring.
Elinalise and Ghislaine.
Former members of the "Fangs of the Black Wolf," reunited at last.
"It would have been nice if Talhand and Geese were here too..."
Saying that, the cheerful mood of their drinks turned to sorrow in an instant.
But Elinalise had come here precisely to have this conversation.
It would have been easier after a few more drinks, but it didn't matter.
"Paul was... It's such a shame. He should have outlived me, if anything..."
"He was rushing toward death. I always thought he'd die young."
"Oh, he used to say things like that back in the day."
"It was you who said that, actually."
"Was it?"
"Yeah... Him dying wasn't all that surprising to me."
"Paul was magnificent in the end, too... Would you like to hear?"
"Tell me."
At Ghislaine's request, Elinalise recounted Paul's final moments.
How he had been separated from his family and desperately searched for them.
How, despite being such a womanizer, he had turned down other women and remained faithful to Zenith.
His conversation with Rudeus after their reunion.
Paul's face as he spoke, looking so happy.
And Paul's end—dying to shield Rudeus.
"So he changed too, huh? I can't imagine him being the same fool he was when he was goofing around with you."
"Oh, the biggest fool was Ghislaine, wasn't it? Do you remember when you used to wag your tail every time you saw Paul?"
"That was a momentary lapse. It was mating season. And besides, I'm not a Dedoldia—I don't wag my tail even when I'm happy."
"It was a metaphor, dear. A metaphor."
"Hmph."
"But Ghislaine was so cute back then, you know.
Always fretting over Paul and whatnot..."
"That's ancient history. Forget it."
Elinalise chuckled and popped a seasoned snack into her mouth.
She crunched through the tough meat and swallowed.
Watching her, Ghislaine moved to order the same thing.
"Oh, get something different and we'll share."
Elinalise pushed her plate toward Ghislaine.
The two of them picked at the same snacks.
For a while, the crunching sound was the only thing filling the silence between them.
"I was more shocked by Zenith than by Paul."
When the plate was empty, Ghislaine said quietly.
"I never imagined Zenith would end up like that."
"Indeed. But Rudeus seems to be searching for a cure, and she's slowly regaining herself."
"..."
"I'm sure one day, the Zenith we knew will come back."
"You think so?"
"Well, she's gotten older, of course."
Ghislaine let out a soft laugh and drained her glass.
"I hope we can drink together again when that day comes."
"We should! And when that time comes, we'll invite Geese and Talhand and really make a ruckus."
"What happened to those two?"
"Oh, after Talhand and I dissolved the party—"
After that, the two talked about many things.
What happened after the party disbanded.
The events following the Teleportation Incident.
The day they first met Rudeus.
And not just that—they talked about their adventuring days, too.
The time they delved into a dungeon.
The time Geese lost all their money gambling and the whole party had to hustle for cash.
The time Ghislaine went into heat and Paul took advantage of it.
The time Elinalise compounded the situation further, and the three of them carried on a messy arrangement for a while.
Most of the memories were embarrassing enough to make them blush.
But every single one was nostalgic, and every one made their hearts tremble.
Elinalise, in a tipsy haze, spoke with her eyes half-closed.
Ghislaine, long since dead drunk, rested her cheek on her hand with a vacant stare.
"My, my. You're awfully drunk. Can you make it back to your room?"
"No worries. There aren't any wolves looking to pounce on me anymore."
Ghislaine said this, then glanced behind her.
The rough-looking adventurers all averted their gazes under her stare.
"Maybe I should have accepted Lord Philip's offer after all."
"Philip? Oh, from the Fittoa Region?"
"Yeah. Once, he asked me to be his concubine."
"That was a missed opportunity! If you'd accepted, you'd have been set for life."
At Elinalise's teasing, Ghislaine smiled wistfully.
"I wouldn't have been able to face Lady Eris."
"I'm amazed that words like 'face someone' would come out of your mouth—Oh?"
As she spoke, Elinalise looked at Ghislaine and tilted her head.
Ghislaine's eyes were unfocused.
They had the look of killing intent.
"Lord Philip is dead, too. He didn't survive the Teleportation Incident. They buried his body, and I killed the ones who killed him."
"...Oh, I see. That's a shame."
"Lady Eris has gone to marry Rudeus..."
Ghislaine stared up at the ceiling with sharp, glinting eyes.
"All that's left is avenging Lord Sauros."
At the killing intent emanating from Ghislaine, several patrons in the bar sensed danger and slipped out.
But Elinalise didn't flinch.
She knew that the woman before her was the type to suddenly radiate killing intent and suddenly cut someone down.
And she also knew she herself would not be cut down.
"So that's why you became that princess's bodyguard."
"Yeah."
Elinalise sighed and looked up at the ceiling as well.
"You've changed too, Ghislaine.
You used to be nothing like this—no fierce sense of loyalty like some noble knight."
At those words, Ghislaine paused, then looked at her glass.
Amber-colored liquor.
Her own face reflected in it.
The conclusion came quickly.
"...I suppose it's because I'm of the Dedoldia tribe after all."
With that, Ghislaine stood.
Despite being dead drunk, her steps were steady as she moved away from the chair.
"Where are you going?"
"Home."
"My, my. As abrupt as ever."
Elinalise shrugged and stood as well.
She pulled a silver coin from her pocket and tossed it onto the counter.
"Ghislaine!"
Having settled the bill, Elinalise called out to Ghislaine, who was about to disappear into the night.
Ghislaine turned back, her ear twitching.
"In the Asura Kingdom, please protect Rudeus and Sylphie!
They're both my precious grandchildren, you know!"
"...Leave it to me."
Ghislaine's tail stood straight up as she gave her answer.
Elinalise headed in the opposite direction—toward home, where Cliff was waiting.
She believed that her dear friend would, without being told, protect those around her.