Chapter 59: After that.

Following the somewhat anticlimactic conclusion of the succession war, Arakis-san successfully reclaimed the throne from the former King of Forlitz, Clant. However, it seemed the official succession process was proving to be a bit troublesome.

Apparently, Arakis-san had been leading a hectic life, working day and night to silence the remnants of Clant’s faction and strengthen the influence of his own noble supporters.

Oh, and all the girls who had been imprisoned by the king were safely freed, received a fair amount of hush money, and relocated to our country.

Since there were people back there who viewed them with suspicious eyes, it seemed like this was a way for them to avoid that treatment. Thankfully, since they were still children, there wasn’t much prejudice against them from the beastfolk, and in fact, many viewed them as victims and accepted them warmly without any issues.

I really hope those girls can live happy lives from now on.

Also, we’ve been receiving letters every now and then from the group who moved their residence from the embassy to the royal capital. About a month after the end of the war, Arakis-san, who had fully secured his hold on the throne, established diplomatic relations with the Moonforest Kingdom.

At the same time, a friendship treaty was signed, and at last, Master made their debut as part of royalty.

The adventurers who had been imprisoned were directly sent back to the Adventurers’ Guild of Forlitz at that timing. The response we got back was a notice that the previous guildmaster had resigned, and a proposal from the new guildmaster requesting to set up a branch office in our country.

It’s so blatant that it’s almost funny, but according to Riara-san, who’s handling negotiations, it seems we might be able to secure pretty favorable terms regarding taxes and other matters. Actually, there were even rumors suggesting the internal maneuvering had anticipated the previous guildmaster’s resignation.

It still looks like it’ll take a little more time before things completely settle down, but everyone’s working hard and seems to be enjoying it, so I’m sure it’ll all turn out well.

Thanks to Clarice-san’s connections, we also established diplomatic relations with a nearby magic nation. Our country has gradually been gaining international recognition, and it feels genuinely nice knowing that the “homeland” we worked so hard to build is being acknowledged by the world.

Once things had settled down… we also finished holding memorial services for the unfortunate losses we suffered from the detached unit that had gone out on their own. With that complete, it finally felt like we could breathe a little easier.

A lot happened, but even though life’s still busy, just like the phrase suggests, peace had returned to the forest once again.

“Then why the heck are you here, you flat-chested brat!?”

“Shut it. I was chosen as goodwill ambassador, so deal with it.”

Inside a room of the royal castle, Master and I were sitting in the reception room, receiving the goodwill ambassadors from the Forlitz Kingdom and the Magic Nation Albast, who would be stationed here starting today.

However… of all people, the ambassador from Forlitz turned out to be this little brat.

“Goodwill ambassador!? Don’t you mean declaration of war!? Master, I say we take them on!”

“Peace was just restored—don’t go starting another war, you idiot.”

Smack. I got hit on the head. How cruel!

“Hmph, I knew it, you really are stupid. Not just your butt, your head’s empty too.”

“What did you just say!?”

This damn brat—after everything I did to beat her senseless, she still hasn’t learned her lesson!?

“Fine then… if it’s a fight you want so badly, I’ll gladly beat you down again!”

“Wh—whaaaaat!?”

As I confidently declared that, the little brat immediately glared at me and opened her mouth to snap back, but then suddenly froze, her face flushing bright red before she dropped her gaze and covered her face with both hands.

“D-Don’t… don’t get cocky… I-I would never… bother with someone like you…”

Huh? Wait… what’s with this weird reaction? Did I just trigger some strange flag?

“You brought this on yourself. You better settle this properly…”

“Why does it sound like I’m some cheating scumbag who two-timed her!?”

This makes no sense!

“Maybe you’re actually not an elf but a succubus, huh?”

“What the heck is that supposed to mean!?”

The other person in the room, who had been sipping tea with an exasperated smile, was none other than Clarice-san, the goodwill ambassador from the Magic Nation.

Apparently, she and her husband, Collins-san, had been assigned as ambassadors to our country. We’ve even been invited to their upcoming wedding.

“There’s quite a rumor going around, you know. They’re saying the queen’s kiss turned the icy-hearted sorcerer, Black Fleur, into a weak-kneed mess.”

“~~~~~~~~~!!”

By the way, this brat’s name is Lowe Fleur… such an arrogant name. And stop fidgeting and blushing while shaking your head in denial!

Well, it can’t be helped… looks like I’ll have to sacrifice Master to end this nonsense.

“They’re also saying in certain circles that you’ve become very… ‘skilled,’ if you know what I mean.”

“That wasn’t my doing. Master forcibly trained me like that.”

“Hey, hold it.”

She said it so nonchalantly, and the brat instantly turned pale after flushing bright red, trembling as she glanced fearfully toward Master sitting next to her.

“—I-Is that… for real…!? T-The Moonforest King is terrifying…”

So easy to fool.

After chasing off the goodwill ambassadors to their respective residences, I returned to the office with Master and helped out with paperwork.

There was still a lot to do. After all, we had suffered casualties on our side too—there was compensation to arrange, as well as reparations for the families left behind and for the damaged property.

Riara-san had already taken care of most of the details, so all that was left was for Master to approve the final decisions. But even so, seeing it all laid out in writing and being formally reminded of those who died hit harder than expected.

The only saving grace was that the beastfolk had a culture that respected martial valor. We’d held proper memorial services, and since those who died had fought for “our country,” there was sorrow, yes—but not resentment.

Unfortunately, it seemed that only applied to the beastfolk. …Lately, whenever Master finished his official duties, he would rush through dinner and head straight to bed, turning in early every night.

Ever since the war ended, it had been like this. He didn’t even indulge in the little games of teasing or flirtation with me, nor did he seem interested in spending time with Lulu or the others. Just work, eat, sleep, repeat.

At first, they seemed irritated from frustration, but after seeing Master’s joyless daily routine, their concern gradually overtook any personal dissatisfaction. Now, they simply worried for him.

Watching them like that… I guess I’m pretty soft too. Or maybe, after everything, I’ve grown attached. Well, I suppose that’s only natural—we’ve been together all this time.

After taking a bath and changing into my pajamas, I grabbed a pillow and some wine, then headed straight to Master’s room. This was high-grade wine, a gift from Forlitz.

…Looks like he’s not back yet. I tossed the pillow onto the neatly made bed, pulled a couple of glasses from the shelf, and poured wine for two.

What I was about to do… there was no way I could manage it sober. So I’d borrow a little courage from the wine.

“…Sora?”

Master walked in, looking suspicious, and frowned deeply when he saw me sitting by the low table, already sipping on the wine.

“Just making myself at home,” I said.

“…Hah, you know, drinking alone in a place like this… you might get attacked and eaten up.”

He said it jokingly, but beneath the words there was a hint of rejection. Normally, I’d have darted out of here the moment he said something like that. But I could tell from his demeanor he wasn’t serious.

“Go ahead,” I replied confidently.

“……”

His frown deepened even further. He seemed a little irritated.

“…Sorry, honestly, I’m just not in the mood for that,” he said, sounding a little resigned.

“Yeah, figured,” I replied.

Master glanced at me suspiciously, clearly confused by my reaction—though it was well within my expectations.

“…Please, just leave me alone for a while.”

After a brief silence, noticing I wasn’t moving, Master grabbed my arm.

I was surprised by how strong his grip was, but even so, I couldn’t just give in to those words. Instead, I pulled back on his arm, dragging him onto the bed with me. He tried to resist, but not strongly enough, and ended up tumbling onto the bed beside me. Gently, I cradled his head against my chest and began stroking his hair.

“Sora… what are you…?”

“I don’t understand how you feel, Master.”

I cut him off firmly and tightened my embrace.

“I don’t understand the guilt of ordering comrades to their deaths, the pain you’re carrying, or the crushing responsibility that comes with being in command.”

I’m just a powerless, talentless kid. Someone who’s only ever been protected. I have no right to throw around words like ‘I understand how you feel.’

“If I tried to shoulder even a fraction of the burden you carry, I’d be crushed instantly. If I shared even a sliver of the pain you feel, my heart would shatter.”

I know full well, better than anyone, how pathetically weak I really am.

“But… I can at least lend you my chest when you need to cry. I can at least be here to catch the feelings you can’t handle on your own.”

Master is, without a doubt, an absolute cheat—someone with overwhelming power. But he was born and raised in peaceful Japan. Just a normal high school boy like me.

Sure, I suffered more before being saved in this world. But after I was rescued, I could live carefree, not thinking about anything, while Master couldn’t.

“If you really care about me—enough to whisper sappy lines like ‘I love you’ and ‘I adore you’—then at least rely on me during times like this, you idiot.”

Master didn’t say a word.

But instead, his arms quietly wrapped around my back, hugging me so tightly it almost hurt. I could only let out a small, wry smile as I continued gently stroking his head.

◇◆ADVENTURE RESULT◆◇
NO BATTLE
◆【Sora Lv.105】
◆【Lulu Lv.43】
◆【Yuria Lv.46】
◇―
＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝
Sora Lv.105 [1057]
Lulu Lv.43 [431]
Yuria Lv.46 [461]

【RECORD】
[MAX COMBO] >> 40
[MAX BATTLE] >> 40

【PARTY-1 (Main)】
[Shuuya][Lv.125] HP 3700/3700 MP 4560/4560 [Normal]
[Sora][Lv.105] HP 70/70 MP 1685/1685 [Normal]
＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝

“Haaah… honestly, you really are one troublesome cheat of a guy.”