After Returning to the Country Arc 4: The God-protected Forests Longest Day
In the middle of the 8th month, 1,547th year, Continental Calendar
On this clear day, I was flying through the sky on Nadens back while she was in ryuu form.
This height had scared at first, but after a number of tis being sent out to do weather reporting, I was now completely used to it. Now, I could even sleep at an altitude of 1,000 ters.
Though Naden gets mad if I sleep...
Is sothing the matter, sire? Aisha asked.
Its nothing, I told her.
It was just that today Aisha was seated behind , with her hands wrapped tightly around my waist. That was because we were heading to Aishas holand, the God-protected Forest.
Still, why are we going to the God-protected Forest so suddenly? Aisha asked.
Because we got engaged, but I havent gone to give my regards to Sir Wodan. Weve been communicating with letters, but Ive been aning to find the ti to go see him.
It was to see him about the betrothal?!
Yeah. Ive already talked to Liscias parents, and Junas guardian is Excel, so Ive spoken with her. For Naden, Tiamat is like her mother, so the formalities are taken care of there, too. For Roroa... I intend to visit their grave soon.
Near Van, the forr capital of the Principality, there was a grave for the Amidonian royal family. Roroas parents lay at rest there. I couldnt imagine Gaius would have blessed our marriage, but I had to believe that Roroas mother, a cheerful woman according to Sir Gouran, would have pacified him.
So, that being the case, were visiting Aishas family ho, huh? Naden asked.
Urgh... If that was what this was about, you could have told . Im not ntally prepared... Aisha ground her forehead against my back.
Leaving the confused Aisha alone for a bit, I talked to my other fiance, who was kindly giving us a ride.
Sorry, Naden. Making you give Aisha a ride again, too.
I gave her a pat on the back.
She turned her ryuu head around to look our way and replied, I dont really mind if its Aisha, using her telepathy. Shes ridden before. Besides, the partner of my partner is like my partner.
Yeah, you were saying sothing like that before.
Aisha, who seed to have recovered from writhing in embarrassnt, tilted her head to the side. Hm... If Naden and I are partners, which of us is the husband?
What is this stupidity Aisha was suddenly spouting? ...was what I thought, but Naden pondered the question with a surprising amount of seriousness.
Hmm, wouldnt it be you, Aisha? Youre strong, after all.
In your ryuu form, youre strong, too.
But compared to Juna, youre more of a husband type, wouldnt you say?
Comparing to Juna isnt fair! Shes more of a woman than anyone.
In this form, my breasts are bigger than hers... Wait, saying that just makes sad. But when you think of it that way, isnt Liscia the most like a husband?
Lady Liscia is gutsy, Aisha agreed. In a way, shes better husband material than His Majesty.
Youre just saying whatever you want... Hearing the two of them talk, my shoulders slumped. It was true enough; I was nowhere near as gutsy as Liscia. Still, in the end, youd both prefer to be the wife, right?
Well, of course.
For my part, I need both of you to be my brides.
Sire! Aisha cried.
Souma!
The two both smiled bashfully.
I was embarrassed having said it, too.
Its awkward having my superior flirting right beside , you realize? Hal complained.
He was flying beside us on the back of Ruby, who was in red dragon form. He looked at us with a face like hed been forced to drink boiled sugar.
His mount was looking at Naden with her golden eyes, too.
You, too, Naden, Ruby rebuked and then looked away sulkily. If youre a dragon of the Star Dragon Mountain Range, keep yourself together when your knight is riding you. That is the dignity expected of a knights partner.
Soumas not a knight, hes a king, so there.
Dont quibble! That makes him higher than a knight!
Oh, geez, shut up!
The two of them started arguing high up in the sky.
While they werent as hostile as they had been when Id first t the two of them, neither of them had changed their stubborn personalities, so fights like this were a daily occurrence.
That said, they did it as friends.
As my fiance, Nadens position was far higher than Rubys, but the fact they could fight on equal terms showed that Naden and Ruby didnt let that co between them. They were each the only person the other knew from their holand here, after all.
Then Naden said, Nyahh! and barred her teeth. You can stop worrying about and get along with your own knight, cant you?! That fox-eared mage isnt here today, so you can get as lovey-dovey as you want.
Wh-What are you saying?! I wouldnt...
Oh, my, whats this? Your face is all red, Ruby? Naden teased.
Its naturally that color!
After that, Naden and Ruby kept shouting and having a good ti. Where did the dignity expected of a knights partner go...? Well, if they were getting along and fighting with each other, I could let that go.
But there wasnt any need for to co, was there? Hal asked. If Young Miss Aisha and Young Miss Naden are with you, isnt that enough to protect you?
It was true; when I had the greatest warrior in the kingdom, Aisha, and Naden, who in her ryuu form could probably take on over ten wyvern riders at once, with , there was no point in bringing Hal to protect .
The green leaves of the God-protected Forest shone in the sumr sun.
When coming to provide aid before, we had stopped the rhinoceros train outside and headed for the village on foot, but this ti we were coming from the air, so we could land directly in the dark elf village.
H-He really ca on a dragon! an elf exclaid.
Thats a bigun...
They werent wary because we had notified them in advance, but the dark elves curiously watched the ryuu and the dragon descend from a distance.
When we touched down and Naden and Ruby took human form, the people who had been watching from a distance rushed in like a dam had just burst. Surrounded by dark elves of all ages, from children to adults, we ended up getting manhandled.
What?! You girls are dragons?!
Wowwwie! Hey, transform again!
Why, King Souma, how good of you to co visit.
You were a great help last ti.
Hey, Lady Aisha, good of you to co back.
Lady Aisha, congratulations on your betrothal to His Majesty.
Is this red-headed girl Sir Hals partner? Shes a beauty.
Who is this black-haired kid? Huh? Shes not a kid?
That was about how it went, with the questions flying fast and it not being clear who was saying what to whom until sobody clapped their hands.
Looking in the direction of the noise, Aishas father Sir Wodan was looking on with a wry smile.
Everyone, His Majesty and his entourage have only just arrived. It is rude to surround and interrogate them like that.
When Wodan lightly told them off, the dark elves stepped back seeming a little embarrassed.
Now that we were free from the crowd, we could finally catch our breaths.
Youre a lifesaver, Sir Wodan, I said gratefully.
No, no, the villagers were being rude. However, this is because when they learned that you, who ca to the aid of our village, were coming to visit, they all beca excited about how they had to welco you. Please, forgive them.
Dont worry about it. Im grateful for the warm welco.
Sir Wodan and I exchanged a firm handshake. In that mont, the dark elves all started clapping...
I dunno, being this welco was kind of embarrassing.
Now, it wont do for us to stand here talking forever, Sir Wodan said, indicating which direction he wanted us to go. Please, co to my house.
Chief. A hand went up from inside the crowd of dark elves.
The one with his hand raised was Sir Sur, who had lead the reinforcents that ca during our battle against the Army.
I wanted to invite Sir Halbert to my own house, he said. Would that be all right?
Hmm, what do you say, King Souma? Sir Wodan asked.
I smiled and nodded. I dont mind. That was why I brought him along in the first place.
Thank you, Sur said. Now, Sir Halbert, please co to my house.
O-Okay?
Hal was dragged off with Sur pulling him by the arm. Ruby hurried after them.
Having parted with Hal, Aisha, Naden, and I went to Sir Wodans house.
Looking at the village along the way, I could see almost no signs of the disaster that had happened here before. Their houses were in a forest to begin with, and many were simple, so it must not have taken long to rebuild them.
Youve co a long way towards recovering already, I comnted.
That is thanks to your generous provision of materials, Sir Wodan said. Thank you, sincerely.
I ought to thank you. Thank you for sending those reinforcents during the recent war.
I could hear sniffling from behind , too. Her tears had likely made Naden start crying, too.
Sir Wodan stood up and walked towards . Then, placing his hands over mine and Aishas, he smiled and said, Sir Souma, Im counting on you to take care of Aisha.
Yes, Father, I will.
Aisha. Be happy.
I will... Father.
Madam Naden, I am sure you will be Sir Soumas wife, too. Please, treat Aisha well as a mber of the sa family.
Of course I will! Roger that!
Having heard our responses, Sir Wodan smiled broadly and nodded in satisfaction.
anwhile, around that ti...
Having broken off from Souma and the others, Halbert ended up being practically dragged into Surs house.
He walked where his hand was being pulled. With Halberts strength, which was among the top in the kingdom, it would be easy to shake free of this hand, but he felt nothing but goodwill from Sur, and so he couldnt treat the man poorly.
Ruby hurried after the two of them.
Halbert turned just his head back in her direction and asked in a whisper, H-Hey, Ruby, whats going on here?!
D-Dont ask , she whispered back. Cant you get away?
If he were hostile, thatd be one thing, but Id feel bad brushing off an invitation made with goodwill...
Then all we can do is wait and see how it goes, right?
While the two of them were having that exchange, Sur turned back with a smile. Okay, were here. Welco to my ho.
Huh?
By the ti they realized it, the two had been led to a small house with a thatched roof. It was clearly the abode of a farr, but the roof was bizarrely steep.
Thats an awfully pointy house youve got... huh...
Halberts opinion was more or less exactly how it looked, so Sur laughed.
Here in this forest, when winter cos, we get a fair amount of snow accumulation. If we dont use roofs like this so the snow falls off, theyll collapse.
You get that much accumulation? Hal asked.
Yes. Because of it, we cannot hunt in winter, and everyone spends their ti indoors, nding things or doing maintenance on their weapons. Though last years winter was different.
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