Chapter 83.2: We Gather Under The Black Flag IV – (2)
「I refuse」
That's what I thought. His Majesty had answered instantly.
「Dugan, I understand now why you follow the black elf. She's a relative of someone your ancestors owe a debt of gratitude to. That's a worthy cause for you to risk your life for. But that has nothing to do with me. Besides, this woman reeks of treachery. I don't like her. Indeed, I don't like her at all」
「King Dainsleif, is it because I shot and killed your horse?」
Maria said mockingly.
「I said it earlier, didn't I? That I'll pay back what I owe on the battlefield. Don't bring it up again」
His Majesty is displeased. Which means that I'm also displeased.
Should I punish this woman for this, I wonder?
「Well, listen to me, King Dainsleif. That demon-beast-like horse is truly impressive, but I wanted to find out if your strength is in any way reliant on that horse. You'll eventually have to fight a representative hero after surrendering to me, so I needed to ascertain how strong you were on your own. As for the horse, we'll just get you a new one」
「You must be misunderstanding something. I will not be surrendering to you」
「No, you will. That’s――」
「Hey guys, can I have a word~?」
A voice with a casual tone that was out of place rang out. Regure came out of the tent while rubbing her lower back. Despite the cold, she was half-naked.
She seated herself in between His Majesty and me, then snuggled up against His Majesty.
「I've heard most of what you guys have been talking about. That elf there is connected to Vindoobunikuru, right?」
「Now is not the time to listen to the words of a beastkin woman. If you too are a vassal of Ashtalia, then you should behave appropriately」
Ignoring Dugan's words, Regure continued.
「I’m also connected to Vindoobunikuru though」
「Hmm?」
「Come again?」
Exclaimed His Majesty then me.
『Huh?』
Went the elf and Dugan.
Her tone still light-hearted, Regure began talking about something of great significance.
「King Beardy, I think you know about this since you know much about Vindoobunikuru. At the end of their adventures, Lyridias left her child in Rmir’s care. As the proof of the child’s identity, Ardi left with the child one of his favored swords, the Star’s Child. And that child is my ancestor」
『………………』
It was a story that we were all having trouble reacting to.
「Regure, if this is a joke, it's not funny」
「Even if you say that, it's the truth」
After His Majesty, Dugan also followed up with a question.
「That "Star’s Child". You have it with you now, right?」
「I’ve given it to my disciple」
She’s talking about Shuna.
「Umm, the person who received that sword is a member of my party. I've also received confirmation of its authenticity from a knight of St. Lyridias. It's the real thing」
Zamonglass is not a person who would make a mistake or joke about something like this.
Which means that Regure really is of St. Lyridias’ lineage.
「Well, to be exact, I have a mix of Rmir and Lyridias' blood. Don't tell anyone about this. It was found out once, and the village I was living in was burned to the ground. I killed all of the people who burnt it down though」
As he looked back and forth between Regure and Maria, Dugan spoke.
「What a stroke of good luck. Our ancestors must have brought us together! In order to write a new chapter for Vindoobunikuru! Dainsleif! I'll say it again! Join forces with the new Vindoobunikuru!」
「I refuse!」
「Are you a frigging idiot?!」
「When I say I refuse, I mean what I say! That has nothing to do with my war!」
「My army will no longer fight you! That means that the next time you fight, you'll be up against those shameless bastards who have sided with Elysium! You aren’t immortal! You'll fall eventually! They will likely toy with your remains to no end! That's the equivalent of dishonoring the history of Myriad Kings! You’re the unrivaled Myriad King! You're a man and a warrior who knows no equal! Your life is not yours to throw away as you please!」
「Urgh, Dugan, you!」
「Hang on~」
As the two kings grew heated, Regure cut in between them.
「King Beardy, I'll join your side. I have conditions though」
「Oh, what are they? Let's hear them」
「I ask that you defend the Kingdom of Ashtalia, His Majesty, and the child in my belly. If you don’t accept these terms, I won't join you」
Huh? What did she just say? The child in whose belly?
「Regure, you can't be sure yet that you're pregnant. You're being too hasty」
At His Majesty's words, Regure puffed out her chest and replied.
「No, I'm unmistakably pregnant. I've given birth to a few so far, but this is the first time I've had the feeling of "It's happened" like I did today. The baby will most likely pop out in about 50 days」
Certainly, I had heard that the time between conception and birth for beastkin is short, but I didn't know it’s that fast.
And.
AAAAAAHHH! How am I supposed to explain this to Shuna?!
「Dainsleif, what are you going to do? Your woman has already said this much. Are you still going to throw yourself into a reckless war?」
「Urgh」
It was the first time I had seen His Majesty look so cornered.
Dugan further piled on the pressure.
「You abandoned yourself to despair at the loss of your people and your vassals. But you must know that to die in the place of their king is the highest honor for vassals. The same is true for the people. Are you going to disregard their feelings? Do you think that the loyal vassals, who died proudly, wish for their king to die and be made sport of by lowlifes? Answer me, Dainsleif!」
「Ur, urghh」
Sweat beaded on His Majesty's forehead.
「………Haven't you ever thought of destroying Elysium to avenge your daughter?」
「Dugan, I didn't know you knew」
「There are many among my men who are sharp-eared. They’re very tight-lipped men, and have been forbidden to speak of it to anyone but me」
「Avenge Irisetta, huh? She was………a gentle child. She would hate for blood to be spilled for her sake. No matter who the other party is, you know? I cannot do anything that my dead child wouldn't want me to do」
「So you won't listen to the words of your vassals who are alive now?」
His Majesty put a hand to his forehead and pressed his temples, and then looked at Regure and me.
「Your Majesty, I――」
「Don't say it, Souya. I’ve heard what you had to say through your sword. I'm well aware. But once a man has made a decision, changing his mind is.………」
「Well then, let me deal the finishing blow」
Maria said while looking down her nose at His Majesty.
This person……at least don't show it on your face when you're plotting something devious.
「You’re called Souya, right? I'll take you as my partner」
『Huh?』
Everyone other than Maria exclaimed as one.
「I'm saying that I'll marry you. By forming a marriage with one of Ashtalia's vassals, our unity will be strengthened. It'll also provide us with an excuse to silence the voices that oppose the assigning of some of our troops to defend a dying country. It's a win-win situation, isn't it?」
「Wa, wait, wait. Wait a minute. I have a wife waiting for me back on the right continent!」
「Hmm~, and?」
Hey, what do you mean, “and?”
「Is she more distinguished than I am?」
「She's an elven princess!」
「Where is she the princess of?」
「She's the princess of Heures Forest」
She's been disowned though.
「Ku, kukuku, the princess, of a forest」
Maria burst out laughing.
「Pfff, the princess, of a forest, on the incredibly rural, right continent, you say?」
Maria said, in between fits of laughter.
I'm so angry that I'm quivering. If you say any more, even if you’re a woman, I’ll punch you in the face.
「Maria, don't laugh at the wives of other people's vassals. Some countries have gone to war over such things」
Dugan said the most obvious thing.
I'm late to say it, but he’s a pretty sensible person. It seems like he also goes through a lot of hardship.
「Hmm, Souya. So you're married. What kind of woman is she? It's quite an unusual thing too, for your wife to be an elf」
「She's a big-boobed elf who’s super cute, gentle, and has big boobs!」
I answered His Majesty's question while still tense with anger.
「Ohh, how big are they?」
Dugan asked with great interest.
「One is about the size of two of the apples I gave you」
「Oho. There are such elves on the right continent, huh?」
「That's disrespectful, you guys」
Maria looked angry.
Even though she’s just a flat-chested elf.
「Well, mine are going to grow bigger from now on」
Said Regure with a scowl.
「Is that how it works?」
「That's right, because they'll be full of milk to feed the child」
「Oho」
Maria acts like a child though.
………And, what were we talking about again?
「Then Souya will be my husband. There's no problem with that, right?」
「There is nothing but problems. I adamantly refuse」
「Are you sure? Ashtalia will be destroyed, you know?」
「What?!」
This is ridiculous. I didn't expect that whether or not I let myself be married off is what will decide the future of the country.
「Souya, there's no need to force yourself. The only woman I loved from the bottom of my heart was my late wife. If you have a chance to be reunited with her in the land of the living, then you should remain faithful to her」
「Your Majesty~, this guy has already laid his hands on his mistress and sister, so it’s already too late to talk about him being faithful」
Regure, you snitch!
「Souya! You can't do that!」
「I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but the most I've done with my mistress is kiss, and for my sister, all I’ve done is bathe naked with her」
「All heroes love women. I've got 20 wives!」
His Majesty was angry at me while Dugan was proud of me.
「And! You and I will be married! There's no escape for you!」
Maria was in a bad temper.
「I………………understand」
I can't afford to keep wavering and be of two minds about it. Maria has a childish temperament. It would be troublesome if she changed her mind for some weird reason.
Rana, I'm sorry. I'll apologize as much as you want when I return. I'll dogeza or do whatever you want me to do.
But right now, I want to protect this country no matter what. I have a feeling that if I can protect Ashtalia and His Majesty, something will change inside this piece of trash that’s bent on dying.
Just like the time I protected you, I’ll have one more thing that I can be proud of in my life.
「I'm also a man. I've resolved myself. Black elf, let's get married」
「Yes, let's do it. By the way………how do you make children?」
『………………』
Everyone other than Maria fell silent.
This girl is truly just a child, isn’t she? Is the new Vindoobunikuru army really going to okay?
「Dainsleif, are you seeing this? Your vassals have gone so far for your sake. You would be far too foolish to not respond to them」
「It's no good after all」
「Your Majesty!」
Even I couldn't help but raise my voice.
There's a limit to how stubborn a person can be. I think that something like that is great, but I even promised to marry someone behind Rana's back. Regure also………oh, she's just being true to her desires.
「I'm a failure as a king. To even allow my vassal to make such a sacrifice for me…… For that reason, I'll leave it to my daughter, Amelia, to decide. I'll entrust all of Ashtalia to its crown princess. I'm giving up my position as king. From tomorrow on, I'll wield my sword under you as a mere warrior」
「I see! I see!」
Dugan slapped his knee happily.
「I'll definitely not let your courage go to waste. I promise to restore the ruined Ashtalia back to how it was, no, I'll make it more prosperous than before」
「Hmm, Dugan, but I won’t give my daughter's hand in marriage to your son」
「You'll have to fold on that one. Just resign yourself」
「Urgh, I was hoping to have Souya be Amelia's husband after my death, but was that just a fleeting dream?」
「Are you serious?!」
Ehh, I would be more than happy to have His Majesty as my father-in-law though. Amelia-san looks cute after all.
Even more so because I have a shitty elf as my father-in-law right now.
「You guys, don't advance the conversation without me. Hmm?」
I heard a sound similar to radio static.
Maria took out an old, large communication device from her hip. It was an early handheld transceiver. It had been subtly modified in a way I had never seen before.
「Yes, we’ve reached an agreement. There are no problems. ………What, there's a problem? Isn't it fine, I'm also……yeah, you're right. Alright alright, I know I know. ………Okay~!」
To the people of the alternate world, she only looks like a person who's out of her mind.
Everyone except for Dugan and me watched her with quizzical expressions.
「Dugan, I'll leave the rest to you. I have to introduce my husband to my father」
「Alright, leave it to me. Give my regards to Tortch」
「Souya, take my hand」
「Huh, okay」
When I took Maria's hand, my vision was engulfed by light, and then I lost all sense of gravity.
I fell onto a cold floor.
The scenery had changed completely.
Where is Souya now, and who is Maria’s “father”, Tortch?!
Before that, Souya got himself married to another elf, huh? But worry not, author is not so lazy as to recycle plot. It’s not going to be like how it was with Rana.
And Regure is St. Lyridias’ descendant. And through that story, we find out that Ardi was the father of Lyridias’ child, huh? Three-sword Ardi left one of his swords with his child. Anyone wanna guess where his other two swords are?
Anyway, very short but significant chapter next time to finish the arc. And then, it’ll be the second last arc of this extremely long volume 3! Stay tuned!
And… the people Souya is confirmed to still remember: Misuranika, Rana, Ea, Lanseal, Shuna, Master, Otou-san and Melm… Did you “forget”? And, until I mentioned it, did you realize that the author had been making an effort to slide that info in so very naturally into the story?
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