Chapter 20: To Remain Myself.

—I hate Father.

Honestly, there aren’t many people who could like someone who forces unwanted responsibilities on them and never offers a single word of praise.

Especially me—I think my sense of self was strong from childhood because of my past-life memories.

Before anyone else could influence me, I was already profoundly shaped by the person I’d been in my previous life.

If I’d been just an ordinary child, I might have absorbed noble values and accepted Father’s strictness as "correct" for a noble.

But being an adult doesn’t automatically make someone right.

If anything, I knew all too well how much humans are ruled by their emotions—far more than children realize. And because of that, I couldn’t help but feel Father’s behavior was driven by his own unresolved feelings.

Of course he refuses to accept Yous.

He’s looking at his younger self.

My mother, Elenacia Austroheim, was also a "White Blessed" like me.

That’s why she died in an accident when I was little.

Somehow, I could sense that this tragedy was the root of Father’s harshness.

The way he sees Mother through me. The way he sees his past self through Yous.

I understand it all too well—and that’s why I can’t stand him.

Above all else, the way Father is… overlaps with me.

There’s still a barrier I haven’t crossed.

Going beyond the line with Yous, deepening our bond—but—

I still haven’t told Yous I love him.

It’s not just that the timing hasn’t been right.

More than anything… I don’t know.

Can I really say I love Yous?

In the end, emotion is what pushes us to make decisions.

But do I truly have that inside me?

Would it really be okay for me to say I love Yous—?

---

"Oh my, oh my, what a delightful conversation! Let’s speak again soon, shall we?"

—Wine glass in hand, Bronze Star’s leader, Golem Randolph.

The noble-hearted okama golem who carried S-rank adventurers on his back was, as always, diligently mingling with nobles for their sake.

Golem had experience in these social circles—after all, he’d once been an adventurer who attended such gatherings himself.

Though that party had long since disbanded, and Golem, now a solo adventurer, had rebuilt Bronze Star from scratch.

His rank had dropped all the way to D, but now, he’d guided them back to their former glory.

Back then, he was just a member. Now, he was the face of the party.

And what concerned this okama most was Rinaria.

He didn’t worry much about the others—they were professionals. As long as he taught them proper etiquette, they wouldn’t make mistakes.

—Rinaria Austroheim.

The only daughter of the Austroheim ducal house.

A family that had served as pillars of the nation for generations, their talents renowned.

Naturally, the same was expected of Rinaria—their sole heir.

Even if it clashed entirely with how she wanted to live.

Of course, birthright came with responsibility. Rinaria was bound by duty to her position as duchess.

She didn’t reject all of it.

Even now, as an adventurer, she surely intended to return home someday and succeed her father.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t be fighting so hard for his approval of her relationship with Yous.

Drestred—Rinaria’s father, and Golem’s old acquaintance.

The two knew each other well.

Extremely well, in fact. Golem had fought alongside him, knew him as a fellow adventurer.

Yes, Drestred had once been an adventurer too.

Just like Rinaria, he’d left home in his youth, gained experience and success, then returned to inherit his title.

Their paths were identical.

Except for one thing—Rinaria was a woman, and Drestred was a man.

In the end, gender differences haunted every world.

Men were praised for valor, women for beauty.

Had Rinaria not been a woman, Drestred likely wouldn’t have objected.

He’d never say it outright—his position forbade it—but he wouldn’t have opposed her this fiercely.

No matter his personal feelings, objectively, Drestred’s actions were justified.

And yet, Golem had chosen to side with Rinaria.

Why?

The answer was obvious.

The current Drestred was unbearable to watch.

The once-brave adventurer was gone, replaced by a man consumed by unchecked emotion.

To him, Rinaria’s defiance was an unbearable attack on himself.

And that only made her resist harder.

Unless someone compromised, this cycle would never end.

And in Golem’s eyes, Rinaria and Yous had already found the better solution.

"My, my, it’s been ages! How many years has it been? Oh, I’m simply overjoyed to speak with you again!"

—Even as these thoughts ran through his mind, Golem greeted another familiar noble.

His role here was to gather information—to confirm whether Rinaria and Yous’s challenge had succeeded.

"Oh yes, indeed. The 'Noble Prodigy' Yousrid is a proud member of Bronze Star. One might even say he’s the face of our party!"

First: Yousrid’s reputation among nobles.

As Golem had said, Yousrid’s fame within Bronze Star was unparalleled.

Called the "Noble Prodigy," he was wildly popular in high society.

There were even plays about him—proof that he had countless fans among the aristocracy.

And Golem was here to confirm it.

And on top of that, there was one crucial matter.

That was whether or not Yous’s true identity had been exposed.

After all, that was the trump card Yous and Rinaria had held onto—the key to gaining recognition for their relationship.

And then, there was one more thing.

“By the way, did you hear? Lady Austroheim’s daughter has made a public appearance for the first time in five years.”

This was news from Rinaria’s world of nobility.

For the past several years, Rinaria had been considered absent from noble society.

Some said it was due to illness, others claimed it was to recover from injuries caused by an accident—but the truth remained uncertain.

Either way, the fact was that Rinaria had disappeared from the public eye and was said to be secluded in the Austroheim estate.

If that version of events hadn’t been contradicted by any leaked information—

Then Rinaria’s secret could be considered perfectly protected.

“Yes, yes, quite so. It’s wonderful news. Now if only she could find herself a good match…”

And in that sense too, their plan had succeeded.

Without revealing her true identity, Rinaria had managed to ascend to S-Rank.

She was likely now with her companions, under the name Rinaria Austroheim.

Which meant that now—

‘Leader, we have a problem! A message came in from Rina—Lord Drest made contact with her!’

—At that moment, Yous’s voice echoed in Golem’s mind.

A communication spell.

It was a form of magic that transmitted one’s thoughts to another across a certain distance.

Rinaria had likely tried to reach Golem as well, but the distance must have been too great for the message to get through.

Yet Yous and Golem remained connected.

That brought them to the current situation.

‘…So, they’ve chosen to strike first. Yous, are you ready?’

‘I am. I’m nervous, but… I don’t think we have any choice but to rush to Rina’s side.’

‘Understood. Then go—now.’

Their exchange was nothing less than that of comrades on a battlefield.

Their enemy was Drestred Austroheim, Duke of the realm.

To both Rinaria and Yous, he was undeniably the greatest threat.

A monster that had to be brought down.

“Yes, yes, thank you. Let’s talk again soon. It was a pleasure seeing you today.”

With those parting words, Golem took her leave.

The polite smile she had worn shifted, subtly, into the cold expression of someone heading into battle, as she moved toward the place where Rinaria and the others were likely waiting.

This was it—the decisive clash.

They had, without question, allowed Drest to make the first move.

But even so—Rinaria had not broken.

And that was why—

If she could be of help, even just a little—

Then the decision Golem Randolph made, to stand with Rinaria and Yous, would hold meaning.

---

Father didn’t attack me directly—he provoked the rest of the party to get at me.

Not that I care. At this point, being disapproved of by him is basically expected, so whatever.

But making sure everyone in the party hears it—that’s a direct attack on my comrades.

It’s petty. Disgustingly petty.

Seriously, to think you could pull something this pathetic so brazenly… You piece of crap old man!

What makes it worse is, even though his motives are pure trash, the way he goes about it is uncomfortably effective.

If his head’s really clear enough to play his role as duke, then that alone makes him formidable.

Which is exactly why… cheap tricks and smooth talk won’t win this.

What I need to do is twist things around and force the situation into the setup I’ve prepared—no matter how reckless that might be.

So, there’s no need to dance to Father’s tune right now.

I switched the magic I’d been using to mute sound into one that projected it.

In other words—

“—Don’t you agree, Father?”

Up until then, no one had been able to hear my voice, but now it rang out loud and clear.

The only one who might have noticed what I did was… maybe Anna. I’d switched the type of magic so smoothly, no normal person would’ve caught it.

From there, I went all in—exaggerating my gestures and addressing the noble audience around us like a performer on stage.

“These people standing with me are the famed S-Rank adventurers, celebrated throughout history. They are the ones lighting the way toward our future.”

It was so out of the blue, so disconnected from the previous exchange, that naturally it left my party members confused.

But Anna, quick to catch on, gave me a look—a silent signal to keep going.

My goal here was to completely cut off the string of direct insults Father had been hurling at me, and shift the narrative to my side.

If he thought to take advantage of my sound-suppression magic, then all I had to do was remove that advantage—let everyone hear my voice.

I’d intended to reveal my voice eventually anyway.

Now was the perfect time. While he was still off-balance, I’d seize the initiative.

However—

“—Indeed. Quite so. Ladies and gentlemen, these are the honored adventurers of the Bronze Star party, our guests of honor today.”

That bastard of a father—he completely saw it coming and shifted gears like he’d read the whole damn script in advance.

—No way. Did he actually notice that I switched the type of magic I was using in that situation?

No, even if he didn’t catch it, did he predict I would and act accordingly?

Either way—

“Many of you may already be familiar with their tales of heroism. I myself have heard these epic adventures recounted more than once.”

—He stole the initiative. Instantly.

His next line came without a pause, smooth and uninterrupted, leaving me no room to wedge in a single word.

More than anything, his voice—despite not using any amplification magic—resonated louder than mine.

So this is what it means to be a high noble who commands a nation, huh!?

Father spoke slowly, deliberately.

He recounted the achievements of Bronze Star.

How they came to be recognized as S-Rank.

And above all—he was trying to sever the connection between me and Bronze Star.

“Wouldn’t you agree, Rinaria? Their accomplishments are more than worthy of praise, are they not?”

If I agreed, then that would be it—Rinaria Austroheim would officially acknowledge that she knows of Bronze Star only through their tales.

In other words, I would be declaring that there’s no personal connection between us.

Which means that the bond between me and Yousrid, a member of that party, would be publicly erased.

No matter how heroic they are, no matter how much they’re honored as S-Rank adventurers, there’s no way I could declare him a fiancé—or even a lover—after that!

Father had been aiming for this from the start.

Of course he was. Even if he was trying to rip me and Yous apart out of personal spite, S-Rank adventurers are a national asset.

No matter how emotionally driven he might be, denouncing them as unworthy in front of the other nobles—there’s no way the head of a ducal house could get away with something that reckless.

So instead, Father crafted this entire situation, pushing me to create the separation myself.

I’ve been dancing in the palm of his hand the whole time.

Damn it. Thinking I could handle this with cheap tricks and clever words—how arrogant can I be?

I should’ve known better.

The number of battles Father’s fought compared to mine isn’t even close. Add in my past life’s age, and he’s still older.

Did I really think I could beat him in a direct confrontation?

—No. Not yet.

No matter what, Father hasn’t cut me off. He’s still giving me a chance to speak.

If I hesitate for even a second, he’ll interpret that as agreement and move on.

But right now, just this one instant—I have a window to act.

Think. Think, damn it!

Draw on every instinct I’ve honed as an adventurer in life-or-death situations.

This is my only shot.

If I agree, it’s checkmate.

I need to shift the conversation—now.

But if I go off-topic even slightly, Father will discard it without a second thought and return to his narrative.

There’s no room for pointless detours. No time for more than a moment of hesitation.

In that case, the only thing I can do—

No time to waver. Say something—anything—just don’t stop!

“—They are an excellent party. But… surely, not all of them are present here today, are they?”

The words flew out before I even realized it.

But they were about Yous and the Leader.

Yeah. That’s right.

No big twist or fancy rhetoric—just the truth.

These guys are the best.

But neither Yous nor the Leader are here right now.

And if they’re missing… then I can’t call this party complete.

If even one of us is gone, if anyone is missing, then we are no longer Bronze Star.

That’s why—I can’t agree with Father’s words here.

No matter what.

And then—

“Ah, yes. That’s right,” Father said. “The hero’s son is not among us today.”

—It was such a casual thing. Just a single, thoughtless word.

But from that word, I understood everything.

It meant only one thing:

—I won.

The final piece of victory clicked into place right here, right now.

Ah, Father...

You slipped—right at the end.

If you hadn’t let that word fall... if you hadn’t called Yous that...

I wouldn’t have had the certainty I needed to push forward.

“If that is the case—”

Father tried to resume his speech without a hitch.

He thought it was over. That I and Bronze Star had been publicly declared strangers, and that was that.

But his words—his narrative—no longer held any weight.

If there’s nothing more for him to say, then there’s no longer any reason for me to hesitate.

“Yes, you are absolutely right. We must not forget—Bronze Star counts among its members a hero known to all.”

I didn’t use the word son.

Because why would I?

No one here is supposed to know that.

Just like Father hadn’t realized that Yous was still hiding his identity...

No one in this room is supposed to know who Yous really is.

And the only ones who do, right now, in this very moment—

Are you and me, you bastard of a father.

Which means—no one else here knows that you know.

“You’ve heard the stories too, haven’t you, Father? Then naturally, we must introduce him.”

And with that—

The momentum shifted, wholly and entirely, in my favor.

“Pardon the interruption—may I pass?”

A voice rang out through the hall, strong enough to rival Father’s own.

It was Yous’ voice.

Right on time—responding to my call, arriving at the perfect moment.

—And Father didn’t try to cut in.

He realized it, the instant I interrupted him.

He’d made a fatal mistake.

That from this point on, I’d seized control of the entire stage.

He probably still didn’t know what slip gave him away.

Didn’t realize that in revealing his hand, he’d run out of moves—and that I knew it.

That’s why we continue.

To unveil the final trump card we’ve been guarding all this time.

“—You’re late, Yousrid.”

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Rinaria.”

Without hesitation, I ran straight to Yousrid’s side.

Amidst the murmurs spreading through the room, the young noble standing next to me was dressed in truly magnificent armor.

Platinum-white. A set everyone here has either seen before—or at least heard of.

“I’d like to introduce him, Father.”

Father couldn’t stop it.

By this point, he must’ve realized—through the gasps and reactions around him—what mistake he had made.

The nobles were murmuring in shock at the sight of Yousrid.

And it wasn’t a normal reaction.

Yous was already well-known among the nobility. Famous enough to have plays written about him.

This kind of surprise didn’t match that reputation.

Which meant—only one thing.

“Yousrid Platina. The man who will become my fiancé.”

That name—the identity we’d kept hidden all this time—that secrecy was its very purpose.