Hyakuren no Haou to Seiyaku no Valkyria - Volume 22 - Chapter 5

ACT 5

“Let’s see... Today I’ll tell you about the Battle of Okehazama. This was Nobunaga’s turning point, you could say. There were close to twenty-five thousand Imagawa troops, while the Oda forces Nobunaga led were only two thousand in number.”

“Wow! That much of a difference?!”

“Yes. Normally, there would be no hope of victory, but the strategies Nobunaga employed were clever and innovative, absolutely outstanding.”

“Really?! What kind of strategies?! What kind?!”

On the way to Jötunheimr, Yuuto regaled Homura with tales of Nobunaga’s exploits. There wasn’t much to do while traveling, after all, so he felt it was a good way to kill time.

“First, on the night before the decisive battle, he gathered his retainers, but he didn’t tell them any details about the plan. Instead, they engaged in pointless chatter until dusk.”

“Huh? That doesn’t sound like something daddy would do, though.”

“Well, yeah, you’re right. He didn’t have much patience for pointlessness, after all. Of course, this was all part of his plan.”

“I see, I see.”

“They were wholly outnumbered by enemy soldiers. There wasn’t much hope of winning, so it was entirely possible some of his retainers would turn traitor. In other words, the reason he gathered them in one place until late at night was to prevent them from betraying him. He didn’t tell any of them the plan so none of them would leak it to the enemy.”

“Ah, of course! That’s my daddy!” Homura hit her fist with her palm in realization.

“That caution he had was something you need to work on. That’s the number one most important quality for a leader to have.”

“Mggh, I know, I know already! Tell me more!” She pouted in dissatisfaction, but she didn’t argue. Yuuto nodded.

“Even though Nobunaga knew the enemy was about to attack, he didn’t move one inch from his castle. His retainers all thought that he was trying to hole himself up, but...”

“Go on, go on.”

“The moment he heard that his Marune and Washizu fortresses were under attack by the Imagawa Army, it was said that he leapt up, sang and danced the Atsumori, made combat preparations, and headed to the fortresses to do battle.”

“To save them, right?! Daddy swooped in to save the day!”

“Uh, no.”

“No?” Homura tilted her head in surprise. It was natural to think so considering the flow of the story, but this was the genius Nobunaga they were discussing.

“I said it earlier, didn’t I? With the difference in numbers between the two sides’ armies, there was no way for Nobunaga to win. That’s why he used both fortresses as a trap to reduce the enemy forces. That was also why he didn’t move from his own castle until he heard the report that the enemy had started attacking both fortresses.”

“Oh, I get it!”

“With that, the Imagawa Army had been whittled down to just five thousand men. The heavens were also on Nobunaga’s side. There was a torrential downpour, and Nobunaga used that opportunity to stage a surprise attack on their camp, splendidly defeating the enemy general!”

“Yaaay! That’s my daddy!” Homura jumped up in a cry of victory. Yuuto also nodded in agreement.

“It really was something only he could do. I’d never be able to emulate that.” Yuuto simply didn’t have the decisiveness to utilize his allies as throwaway pawns. However, he had to acknowledge the brilliance of the plan. He even thought there was no other path the Oda army could’ve taken to win. Divide and conquer—it was the most rudimentary of tactics in the military playbook, but it was the kind of victory only Nobunaga could achieve, the man who was perfectly fine with losing a battle to win the war.

“And that concludes the story of the Battle of Okehazama. How was it? Did you like it?”

“Yeah!” Homura nodded emphatically. “Hey, next time I wanna hear a story about daddy’s children!” She brought her face to Yuuto’s and started clamoring for the next story. She was awfully close. It hadn’t even been half a month since he started telling her Nobunaga’s stories, and she was already this warmed up to him.

“His children, huh? You know, you seem to like stories like that.”

“I mean, of course I’d be interested in my brothers and sisters!”

“Well, that makes sense. Hmm, but well, I’ve already told you about Nobutada, Nobukatsu, and Nobutaka, so who else is there? Honestly, I don’t really know that much about his children. Ah, what about his father?”

“My grandpa?! Yeah, I wanna hear. I wanna hear!”

“Okay. Now then, let’s see... Nobunaga’s father was named Nobuhide, and...”

“Big Brother, I apologize for interrupting your story, but our destination is in view.” Felicia, who had been listening silently up until now, spoke up apologetically.

“Oh, at last!” Yuuto jumped up and lifted up the cover on the horse-drawn carriage. In the distance, he could see the towering, red-bricked castle walls and the water sparkling in the sunlight on either side of them. He’d only gotten to see this scenery once on account of the sudden report of the Flame Clan’s attack, but even so, it wasn’t something he’d soon forget. This was the Silk Clan’s capital, Utgarðar, located on the very edge of eastern Yggdrasil. It was the Steel Clan’s font of hope—their bridge to the New World of Europe.

“Yuu-kun! Welcome back! I’m so glad you’re safe!”

The instant they arrived in Utgarðar, a black-haired girl came running to greet them. Her name was Mitsuki Shimoya. She was Yuuto’s childhood friend, his wife, and now the mother of two of his children.

“Hey, I’m back! Safe and sound, just as I promised!” Yuuto unconsciously broke into a run as well and went to embrace her. He enjoyed the soft sensation of her skin on his, and his nose tickled with her familiar scent he’d enjoyed since when they were kids. That made him fully realize he was home, which filled him with a sense of accomplishment...and fear.

“Yuu-kun?” Noticing that Yuuto was trembling, Mitsuki called his name anxiously.

“Just let me stay like this for a while longer.” He hugged her more tightly.

“Sure. Welcome back, Yuu-kun... Don’t worry, I’m right here.”

She’d apparently figured out how he was feeling, because she quietly placed her arm around Yuuto’s back and hugged back just as tightly.

He had promised himself that he would absolutely come back to her and their children at all costs, but there were no absolutes in this world—especially when your opponent was Oda Nobunaga. Publicly, he’d always made sure to maintain his composure, but more than a few times he really had doubted that he would return home alive, especially in the final battle. On the receiving end of Homura’s assault, he’d been prepared to die right then and there. That was why being able to return home and feel Mitsuki’s warmth once more filled him with undeniable happiness, but also belated, unadulterated fear.

“Whew, looks like I’ve calmed down a bit now. Thanks, Mitsuki.” After five whole minutes of clinging to each other, Yuuto released Mitsuki.

“You don’t need to thank me. I was happy too. It made me realize you were finally here, actually alive.”

“That so?” Yuuto responded with a small smile. It seemed Yuuto hadn’t been the only anxious one. Mitsuki, too, had been beside herself with worry.

“Thank you as well, Felicia, for bringing Yuuto home safe and protecting him.”

“No, no, I didn’t do anything special.”

“That’s not true. If you hadn’t been with me, I would’ve been seriously up the creek!”

Felicia shook her head in humble denial, but Yuuto wasn’t going to have any of it. He made it very clear how important she’d been. All Yuuto had done was give the orders, and that alone wouldn’t make the clan run as smoothly as it had. It may have been behind the scenes, but it was no exaggeration to say that Felicia’s coordination skills were the backbone of the clan itself.

“I believe it. Yuu-kun can be quite careless. If he didn’t have you to keep him in line, Felicia, he’d screw up somewhere for sure.”

“You’re not wrong, but when you say it, it kinda pisses me off...”

“Wh-Whaddaya mean by that?!”

“I mean, you’re way clumsier than me. Remember what happened in third grade?”

“...Third grade? What are you talking about?” Mitsuki tilted her head in confusion, uncertain what Yuuto was referring to. Or perhaps the event had been so embarrassing she’d blocked it from her memory.

The corners of Yuuto’s mouth turned up in an evil grin. “Oh, you know, that. Here, I’ll give you a hint—w...e...t...y...o...u...r...”

“...Ah! Aaaah! You did not just bring that up, you jerk! I can’t believe you!”

“Mwa ha ha, I’ll bring it up anytime I want.”

“Mrrgh! Then allow me to enlighten everyone present about the incident in sixth grade, when you were teasing me about not being able to ride a bike with no hands. To show me how it was done, you gave me a perfect example...of toppling over and falling on your face!”

“Th-That’s dirty, Mitsuki! Mentioning that is off-limits!”

“And you think what you said wasn’t? If you want to air out my dirty laundry for everyone, then I have plenty to air out of yours! Nyah nyah!” She put her thumbs on her temples, wagged her hands, and stuck out her tongue in an immature display. A vein suddenly started throbbing in Yuuto’s temple.

“Oh, good to see you’re just as annoying as ever!” he spat with a scowl and a click of his tongue. But on both their faces were definite traces of happiness. She was the only one he could ever banter like this with, after all. Their treatment of each other hadn’t changed since they were children, and that was why the only place he truly felt at home was by Mitsuki’s side.

“Oh, Father! Welcome back! As sweet on Mitsuki as ever, I see!”

Yuuto and Mitsuki’s heckling of each other continued until a large man who could quite easily be mistaken for some kind of bear appeared before them. Yuuto immediately broke into a smile.

“And you, Jörgen, are just as healthy as ever, I see!” He clapped the man hard on the shoulder. Jörgen had been one of his advisers back when Yuuto was still serving as the patriarch of the Wolf Clan.

“Taking down that Flame Clan general must’ve been quite a task, but I knew if anyone could do it, it was you!”

“It’s not like I did it all by myself. Everyone helped out.”

“Ah, but gathering great warriors and utilizing them to their full potential is something only an excellent ruler can do!”

“If you say so.” Yuuto smiled wryly and shrugged. He was about to protest at being held in such high regard, but then he realized that would be rude to his comrades, who believed in him enough to not only go along with his reckless plans, but give it their all to make them succeed. Even the ones who’d died had trusted him...

“So, how’re the guys from Glaðsheimr doing? Everyone make it here okay?” Even so, he didn’t handle praise well, so he quickly changed the subject.

“Most of them arrived here safely, with almost no deserters. As for living quarters, we’ve given them a provisional tent outside the castle grounds for now.”

“That so? Good. I knew I could count on you.”

The population of Glaðsheimr had been over a hundred thousand. Under normal circumstances, it would be impossible for nearly all of them to hang on through such a long journey. Thankfully, Jörgen had been in charge of their evacuation and migration. With multiple stab and slash wounds adorning his bald head, cheeks, and eyebrows, he had a face the average thug would wet themselves running from. However, he was diligent in looking after his fellow clan members, and he excelled as a statesman who understood the subtleties of emotion and empathy. That was why Yuuto had chosen him to lead the citizens of Glaðsheimr to safety, and he’d exceeded Yuuto’s expectations.

“However, that’s not to say there aren’t some restless dissenters. Glaðsheimr was the most civilized region in Yggdrasil, after all.”

“Yeah, living in tents as refugees would definitely be quite the culture shock for those city-dwellers.”

“Exactly. They were okay with it while traveling because they were able to keep their distance from the Flame Clan, but now that everything’s settled down...”

“They’ve spent so long living the good life that they can’t accept their current living conditions, huh?”

Jörgen heaved a troubled sigh. Yuuto could tell this had been worrying him for a while.

“I see. Looks like we don’t have time to waste then.”

“Indeed. At this rate, it’ll only be a matter of time before they revolt.”

“You’re probably right. Not only that, but if the refugees from Bifröst and Álfheimr were to join in, then there’s no way we’d be able to control the situation.” Just imagining that scenario sent a chill down his spine. Sure, they were common folk without any combat training or discipline, so they could be subdued with brute force, but killing the citizens he’d worked so hard to save would defeat the purpose of rescuing them in the first place, and it was something he wanted to avoid at all costs.

“Where are Ingrid and Al? At port?”

With that resting in the back of his mind, he had to take stock of the current situation. Ingrid and Albertina were integral to Project Noah’s success, so he wanted to hear their report posthaste.

“Ingrid should be at the shipyard near the port. Albertina has yet to return from the New World with her fleet.”

“...I see.” Yuuto bit his lip tightly. Judging by how little time had passed, he’d figured Albertina would still be absent. She might have been a genius who could read the winds like the back of her hand, but there were no absolutes in this world. As unlikely as it was for something to happen, he couldn’t help but worry.

“Don’t worry. I know for sure that Big Sis Al is doing just fine,” Kristina said with a smile, as if reading Yuuto’s thoughts.

“Thanks for the encouragement. And...sorry. I know you must be the most worried of all.”

“Huh? I’m not worried about her in the least,” she said bluntly. Apparently, she really wasn’t. It was often said that fraternal twins had an almost supernatural connection to one another—when one got hurt or experienced a large shock, the other would feel it, no matter how far away. Countless similar instances had been documented in the modern world, so perhaps Kristina too could feel Albertina’s presence somehow.

“Well, if you say she’s fine, then I won’t worry.” Yuuto nodded. Even if it stemmed from the occult, multiple documented instances were enough for Yuuto to believe it. “Guess I’ll go see Ingrid, then.”

Bang! Bang! Bang! The sound of hammering resounded all throughout the shipyard, along with the mingled voices of carpenters. Even though it was nearly winter, the atmosphere within was heated and lively.

“Hey, you! I see you slackin’ off! Put your back into it!”

“There you are, Ingrid!”

“Who’s— Huh?! Yuuto?! Wait, is it already today?!” When Yuuto called out to the red-haired girl he’d spotted working among the burly men, she blinked in surprise. Judging from her words, she’d known that Yuuto was arriving today, but it seemed that she’d been so caught up in her work that she hadn’t realized the date had changed. A very Ingrid thing to do, for sure.

“Hey, that’s not a very satisfying greeting. And after I made it a point to see you first thing upon arriving in Utgarðar...”

“Wh-What?! You did?!” Ingrid’s cheeks immediately flushed scarlet, and her mouth slackened in a happy grin. As always, she wore her emotions on her sleeve. It made Yuuto wonder how he’d ever been dense enough to not recognize the obvious signs. Now he just thought it made her really cute.

“Yeah, I just couldn’t wait to hear about the progress on the ship, you know?” he replied, teasing her a little. He couldn’t help himself.

“Wait, that’s what you meant?! Oh, okay, I see how it is!” Her expression did an about-face as she curled her lips in an angry pout. “That face is just as cute,” Yuuto thought. But unfortunately, he couldn’t risk ticking Ingrid off any further. He had business with her.

“Just kidding, just kidding. I also wanted to see you. Honest.” He clapped his hands together in apology, but...

“‘Also?’” Ingrid glared at him with half-lidded eyes. That was when Yuuto knew he’d screwed up.

“Ah, no, I really did want to see you...”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. You wanted to hear the details on the ship, I know. You just needed to know how the construction was comin’ along.”

“No, I meant what I...”

“Don’t worry, I get it. You don’t want Ingrid the woman, you want ‘Ívaldi, the Birther of Blades.’”

“Th-That’s not true! Honest!”

“Snk... Heh hhe heh... Ha ha ha!” Watching Yuuto get ever more flustered, Ingrid snickered, then finally burst out laughing. Apparently, he was the one being teased all along.

“Heh... Okay, we’re even now,” Ingrid replied with a satisfied grin. She didn’t look upset in the least. “You’ve been workin’ hard with a lot on your mind and a lot of responsibility on your shoulders, so there’s nothin’ for it. I understand.” Ingrid patted him on the shoulder hard twice as if to console him. Honestly, that casual attitude of hers was like a panacea to him right now. Despite seeming short-tempered at a glance, she was able to understand and sympathize with his circumstances, which was also a huge help. She was also willing to shoulder part of his burden and walk with him together. He remembered that when he’d first come to Yggdrasil four years ago, it had been Ingrid’s kindness that’d saved him from his useless, despicable self.

“Sorry, Ingrid. When all this is over and everything’s settled down, I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

“Yeah, I’m not gonna hold my breath on that one.” She chuckled jovially, as if she hadn’t taken him seriously at all. But perhaps that was what he deserved for being so inconsiderate up until now. Still, Ingrid hadn’t given up on him despite his flaws, and he was beyond grateful for that. He had to make sure she knew how important she was to him. He was struck with the sudden desire to tell her how he felt.

“Ingrid, I...”

“It’s a ship! It’s Miss Admiral! Miss Admiral’s returned!”

“Really?! She’s finally back?!”

“Pull her in, lackeys!”

“Yeaaah!” the men shouted in unison. The words that he’d made up his mind to tell her were drowned out by their squalid voices. The mood was no longer right.

“Oh, looks like Al’s back!” Ingrid, too, was now solely focused on Albertina’s return. He had completely missed his chance.

“Well, that’s nothing new for the two of us, though.” He could go with the flow a bit before telling her. “That in itself would be interesting,” he thought as he and Ingrid ran to the port.

The port was already packed with people. Off in the distance, five massive ships with sails adorned with the Steel Clan’s emblem approached the shore.

Kristina yelled out to the girl standing beside her. “Felicia!”

Felicia gestured to her to wait a moment, then replied as she handed the binoculars she was currently holding over to Yuuto. “Yes, here you go.” When he looked through, he saw a familiar girl straddling the goddess figurehead on the ship, waving at them enthusiastically with both hands.

“Looks like she’s just as energetic as ever.” Seeing her carefree smile through the binoculars, Yuuto broke into a grin. Even if Kristina hadn’t doubted Albertina’s safety, it was a completely different thing to see her alive and well with his own eyes.

“Hey, Yuuto, show me too!”

“Huh? Oh, sure. Here.”

“Thank ya. Oh wow, it really is her! She’s looking just as spry as when she set sail. And the ship... Can’t really see too well without zoomin’ in, but I don’t see any major damage to the hull.” Ingrid nodded in satisfaction. As the creator of the ship, she was, unsurprisingly, concerned about its integrity above all else. As the ship inched ever closer, Albertina’s figure became more visible to the naked eye.

“Yeaaah!”

“Miss Admiraaal!”

“Hail, Miss Admiral!” Gruff shouts suddenly overwhelmed the port. There must have been over a thousand overlapping voices, and baritone ones rather than tenor, creating a cacophony. Yuuto’s honest impression was that he wanted to cover his ears.

“She just waved at me!”

“No way! She waved at me!”

“Idiots! She’s waving at all of us, of course!”

In no time at all, an ugly turf war threatened to break out. Yuuto had read in Botvid’s report that the sailors, cabin boys, and shipwrights all thought of “Miss Admiral” as an idol-like presence, but this was beyond even his imagination.

“...Man, she’s popular.”

“Yeah, it’s like she excels on every level, including the strange ones...”

“Big Sis Al has always possessed an inordinate amount of charisma. Even back home, people would always call out to her and give her food and such.” Responding to Ingrid’s strained smile, Kristina’s own smile was dry, as if confirming in her heart that her sister was beyond help. The two of them didn’t seem to want to get caught up in the din. Yuuto was of the same mind.

“Besides, with that many people clamoring around, the ship won’t even be able to dock,” Yuuto muttered, scratching his head in vexation. He wanted to hear about the New World as soon as possible, but the macho men crowding around to greet Albertina had formed a throng around the dock.

“Hail, Miss Admiral!”

“Hail, Miss Admiral!”

“Yeaaah!”

He didn’t want to approach them. He didn’t even want to consider moving from the spot he was currently in. He wanted absolutely nothing to do with that mess.

“I’d like to do an about-face right here and never look back, but it looks like I’ve gotta suck it up and get in there.”

It was none other than Yuuto who had sent Albertina to the uncharted continent in the first place. It simply wouldn’t do for him as a reginarch to refuse to meet her when he had already come this close. Strange rumors might begin to surface if he were to leave now.

“Looks like you hesitate in the strangest of places as always, Father. It’s quite surprising to see that a bunch like that would intimidate you after all you’ve accomplished...” Jörgen sucked in a breath. “Subjects, open the way for your þjóðann!” His voice boomed in a way that seemed to rend the air itself. Yuuto wondered in admiration how one man could emit such a volume.

It was ridiculously effective. The pairs of eyes all on Albertina suddenly turned to face Yuuto, and not a moment later, the throng parted like the Red Sea, creating a clear path.

“There you go,” Jörgen said with a smirk as he gestured Yuuto forward. He seemed to be used to this line of work. Yuuto was able to do the same when leading soldiers in battle, but perhaps due to his sensibilities as a Japanese citizen born in the 21st century, he couldn’t bring himself to order normal civilians around. He felt it was a breach of his authority to do so. In that sense, he was grateful to have Jörgen step in, but was it just his persecution complex, or did those eyes of the men staring at him seem critical and begrudging?

“Ah, Father! Kris! I’m back!” Albertina waved to them, leaping from the figurehead. Yuuto’s eyes went wide, but if he leapt out of the way instead of catching her, he would be a failure as a reginarch. He managed to catch her before she fell to the ground.

“Tch!” When he did, the sound of clucking tongues filled the air. Yuuto resolved in his heart to, at least while walking around in this town, have a bodyguard with him at all times. 

“All right, let’s hear the details.” Once they’d boarded the carriage, Yuuto asked Albertina about her findings. Of course, he hadn’t had the courage to ask back at the port. The surrounding gazes had concerned him so much that he knew he wouldn’t be able to focus on what she had to say anyway.

“First, let’s start with the elephant in the room. Does the New World exist?” Yuuto unconsciously gulped after he said it. While he was convinced it was there, if she happened to say that it wasn’t, it would mean he would have to make a whole new plan from scratch.

“Oh yeah, it exists. And it’s just like the map you showed me.”

“Yes!” Yuuto couldn’t help but pump a fist. If it was the same shape as on the map, it had to be the continent of Europe. There was no doubt now—Yuuto’s hypothesis had been right on the money.

“Then what about that place?!” He leaned forward in excitement despite himself. Truthfully, he’d had a place in mind to immigrate to for quite some time. Near the Strait of Gibraltar, known to be the entrance to the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea on a map of modern Spain, was Doñana National Park, a huge area spanning over 54,000 hectares. According to legend, this was said to be where the Tartessos Empire had flourished, and where many theorists across history asserted that the lost city of Atlantis lay. The sticking point, though, was that it was the last bastion in Europe for preserving nature, and even in the modern world was never significantly excavated for fear of negatively influencing the ecosystem. In other words, he could bring people and objects to that place without it significantly affecting history. Naturally, he didn’t want to alter the course of history if he could help it. If he was careless, the butterfly effect might render him unable to save Yggdrasil in the end. That was the possibility he was most afraid of.

“Ah, that place? We investigated, and we didn’t detect any signs of residency!”

“Really?! Yesss!” He pounded his fists together in victory. This was another welcome development. If there had been people living there already, the Steel Clan might have had another war on their hands. That had been something else he’d wanted to avoid dealing with.

“Then I advise we send out our first fleet of refugees at once,” Jörgen offered, turning his attention toward Yuuto.

“Good idea. Ingrid, how long will inspecting the ship take?”

“I’m thinkin’ three days, at least. If something needs repairin’ it’ll be longer, of course. It’ll be a long voyage, so we oughta err on the side of caution.”

“Agreed. Running into trouble because we rushed our preparations would defeat the purpose of the entire operation. I leave it to you, then.”

“Yep, you can count on me!” Ingrid pounded her chest. Her reliability knew no bounds.

“Al.” Next, Yuuto addressed the girl who’d just returned from a long voyage.

“Yep yep!”

“For these next three days, focus on resting. You haven’t seen Kristina in a long time, so you must have missed her. Hang out with her as much as you can until the next voyage.”

“Roger! I have so much to tell you, Kris!”

“Unfortunately, I have nothing of note to report to you.”

“How mean! Well, listen to all I’ve accomplished then! Your big sister tried really hard, you know!”

“There’s nothing more boring than a braggart.” Kristina turned the other cheek. It would seem that Kristina had to tease Albertina for a bit before she was satisfied. After all, Yuuto knew well that Kristina loved her sister more than anything else in the world. Even though she probably wanted more than anything to ask about Albertina’s exploits, she was one of those girls that had to play hard to get until the very end.

“Listen to her, Kristina. That’s an order from me. A change of pace for Al is a chance for her to de-stress, which is vital to the success of this mission.”

“Well, if it’s an order from Father, I suppose I can’t refuse.” Sensing he had to toss a life preserver out to remedy the situation, Kristina nodded, but looked reluctant. However, her folded hands resting on her lap were trembling in anticipation. It was rare for a girl as constantly stoic as her, but she couldn’t hide her true feelings this time. She probably couldn’t wait to spend time with her sister after so long.

“So, I hate to rush you, but once the repairs and inspections of the fleet are complete, I’d like you to set out to the New World once more with everyone in tow.”

“Roger that!”

“I’m counting on you, Miss Admiral. That’s because I know I can.”

“Gotcha! Hee hee, having you call me that is a little embarrassing, though, Father,” she said shyly, but she didn’t seem to reject the moniker either. Reading into her response, it was clear to Yuuto that she had confidence in herself and felt good about what she’d accomplished overseas. The girl who felt pride yet also inferiority toward her brilliant, capable younger sister was long gone. She was now just as reliable as Yuuto could hope for.

“Oh, Father! I’m thrilled to see you’re well. And Al and Kris have returned from their duties as well, it seems! I’m so proud to be their dad.” While heading to the palace, a portly, slovenly, middle-aged man rushed over to Yuuto. Though his servile smile was his trademark, he’d always had a sharp light in his narrowed eyes. His name was Botvid, and he was Albertina and Kristina’s birth father. Despite appearances, he had risen through the ranks to become the Claw Clan’s patriarch through his own skill, and his shrewdness was what caused Yuuto to place as much faith in him as he did. Currently, he was serving as Utgarðar’s representative patriarch.

“Dad! I’m back!” Albertina practically leapt into her father’s arms.

“Yep, you look full of energy, Al!” Hugging her, Botvid’s shrewd nature seemed to collapse as he couldn’t help but be overjoyed at his daughter’s return. Looking at his expression, it was hard to believe he was the same sly fox known as the resource hub for all the neighboring clans.

“Long time no see, Dad.” On the other hand, Kristina gave a light, noncommittal greeting. Judging from her casual demeanor, you wouldn’t think she had just returned alive from the fiercest battle in Yggdrasil’s history, but that was par for the course for her.

“Seems like my other daughter hasn’t changed a bit either!” He didn’t seem to mind as he replied. He was her father, so he was more than used to her behavior by now.

“Sorry to put a damper on the father-daughter reunion, but let’s hear your report, Botvid.”

“No problem. I thought you might want information as soon as possible, so I went ahead and compiled all my findings in this letter.” His face quickly changed from doting father to shrewd patriarch as he gestured toward the palace entrance. He was always so resourceful, even in this unique situation.

“I’ll check that later. Just give me the rundown as we walk.” Yuuto proceeded at a quick clip toward the palace. Depending on the issue, he may have to prioritize handling it over reading the letter. Yuuto had learned from experience that priorities were everything when becoming a patriarch.

“At once, Father. Well, everything was going smoothly on the political front. The Silk Clan bureaucrats had been incredibly cooperative.” Utgarda, the previous patriarch of the Silk Clan that had once ruled this land, had been an inhuman tyrant who ruled her children through fear. In comparison, Botvid’s ability to clearly distinguish between the carrot and the whip must have seemed like heaven on earth to the Silk Clan, so it was no surprise they were complying. The annexation of another country was always a delicate matter because of rising emotions and differences in customs, but if everything was going swimmingly, Yuuto couldn’t ask for anything more. Things surely weren’t going to continue to be so simple, however...

“I couldn’t help but notice you used past tense.”

“Yes. With the arrival of the civilians of Glaðsheimr, there’s been some conflict.”

“Yeah, I heard as much from Jörgen.”

“Last night at the bar, a verbal argument broke out, leading to a brawl involving dozens of men. The officials on duty handled the issue promptly, but the situation was awfully touch and go.”

“First I’ve heard of that, but yeah, that doesn’t bode well.” Yuuto made a face like he’d bitten down on a persimmon.

“Indeed. I’ve dispersed some of my men throughout Glaðsheimr’s civilians, but this incident may escalate the public’s dissatisfaction beyond repair.”

“At this rate, war’s definitely going to break out, huh?” Yuuto looked up at the ceiling and sighed a long sigh. Of course, he’d expected this development, but it had occurred much more quickly than he’d anticipated. If the Bifröst and Álfheimr civilians joined in, the revolt would escalate even more quickly, and there would be no hope of remedying the situation. He needed to come up with a plan, and he needed to do it fast.

“Though, solving the problem at the root would defeat the purpose of all this.”

“Correct. Without any inconvenience, the people will want to stay here permanently and will refuse to relocate.”

“Yup...”

Yuuto’s eventual goal was to move everyone to Europe. He’d managed to get them to travel this far by using the threat of the Flame Clan, but now that they were all settled, it would be incredibly difficult to get them to move again. He had to make them feel uncomfortable somehow.

“It seems we’re stuck between a rock and a hard place, as they say. A vexing situation, indeed,” Botvid replied.

“Hmm...” Yuuto put his hand on his chin in thought. He’d wanted to take a bit of time to relax and let his army rest and recuperate, but that didn’t seem to be in the cards anymore.

He made a decision. Compared to battling Oda Nobunaga, this decision was small peanuts. A smirk appeared on Yuuto’s face as he raised a finger.

“I’ve got it. I’ve thought of a way we can keep the civilians inconvenienced, but lower their dissatisfaction toward the refugees at the same time. Listen up...”

“My Lord, you must set an example for your subjects. This is unbecoming of you!”

“Precisely! You need to consider your influence as the þjóðann!”

“Please, return to the palace at once!”

A barrage of panicked protests could be heard from several members of Yuuto’s retinue. More specifically, the officials of Glaðsheimr and the Sword Clan, including Fagrahvél and Alexis, were beside themselves, while behind them his old allies Jörgen and Botvid smirked as though this didn’t surprise them in the least. He would have liked them to have lent him a hand instead of looking smug, but they’d decided to play bystander here, it seemed. This time it looked like he was on his own. They really could be cruel when they wanted to be...

“I’m setting an example for them, though,” Yuuto replied calmly, lying atop the grass. Honestly, compared to the stuffiness of the palace, he found this far more relaxing.

“Even so, it’s simply unheard of for a þjóðann and his family to live in a tent!” Fagrahvél shouted, echoing the feelings of everyone present. To her, the position of þjóðann was sacred, a presence that should never set foot on the battlefield or live like the common man, let alone as a refugee in a tent.

“Well, now you’ve heard of it.” To their chagrin, Yuuto was uncompromising, even grinning in calm amusement as he spoke. The refugees’ dissatisfaction came from comparing their previous well-off lifestyle to their current one. But what if the divine emperor, who sat at the apex, deigned to live in a tent of his own volition? Unable to stomach living in the palace while their ruler sweated it out alone in a tent on the ground, his vassals would likely follow suit. And if the refugees saw such esteemed presences living like they did, Yuuto hoped that it would make them see their living conditions as more bearable.

“That may be true, but still...” When Yuuto explained this to his retinue, Fagrahvél seemed to still have some reservations. Though she seemed to understand the logic, it didn’t change her feelings on the matter.

“We’re not in a position where we can worry about appearances right now,” Yuuto said bluntly. “What matters is whether or not it’s effective. If we let a revolt break out, we’ll have a real problem on our hands that’ll take ten times the effort and cost to quell.”

“Ngh...! I...I understand.” Fagrahvél begrudgingly assented. She had led an entire nation as the patriarch of the Sword Clan, so she was of course well aware of just how destructive an escalated revolt could potentially be. It was highly likely that this time, they’d be able to prevent it with something as simple as living in a tent, and fortunately, Yuuto was used to sleeping on the ground thanks to his experiences camping out on the battlefield. If they could nip the refugees’ anxiety in the bud with such a simple action, it’d be the safest and most cost-effective plan.

“But that doesn’t mean you need to go along with it too, you know, Mitsuki? Our kids, at least, need to be up in the palace.” Yuuto stole a glance at Mitsuki, carrying their twin children, standing beside him. They were both not even a year old, still with physical constitutions that could be compromised by even the smallest of matters. It was much safer for them to stay in the palace.

“I think it’ll be fine. I’ll be here with them, after all, and many of the refugees are also with children.” Mitsuki smiled, saying she didn’t mind. Come to think of it, she had elected to move from the far more advanced and convenient 21st-century Japan to an underdeveloped Yggdrasil because she’d wanted to be with him. She was probably resolved to weather at least this much. “Not to mention, your plan will be more effective if we’re here with you, right?”

“When you put it like that...you make a good point.” If Yuuto alone stayed in the tent, some might express dissatisfaction that his family was still living large in the palace, and dissatisfaction was something that traveled and increased through word of mouth. It was entirely possible the situation could explode into something irreparable before they knew it. However, if his family went with him, it would show the refugees how serious Yuuto was, and might just be the key to extinguishing the embers before they became full-blown flames.

“Man, I’m always giving you and our kids the short end of the stick. I’m really sorry for that.”

“You’re not allowed to apologize, daddy.” Mitsuki jokingly responded to Yuuto’s apology with a reference to an old period piece that only fellow Japanese citizens would understand. By deliberately replying with a joke, he knew Mitsuki was attempting to ease Yuuto’s guilt, and he was incredibly grateful for her consideration. It made him realize once again how amazing of a wife she was.

While that was going on, Sigrún and Albertina were in the palace courtyard, face-to-face.

“Sorry to call you out like this when you’ve just returned from a long trip, but there’s something I absolutely have to confirm.” Sigrún waved her wooden sword as she spoke. She still couldn’t use her right hand properly, so she used her left. That being said, in the past half month, even when traveling from Glaðsheimr to Utgarðar, she had continued to swing that sword with her left hand as part of her training, so she had gotten quite used to it at this point.

“Nah, I don’t mind. I’ve been cooped up on a ship all this time, so I was kinda hoping for an opportunity to get some exercise.” Albertina responded, hopping up and down as if warming up.

“That’s right, if Big Sis Al says so, then it must be fine.” Kristina, in her usual emotionless tone, chimed in, but Sigrún couldn’t help but notice it seemed even colder than usual. Perhaps that was just her imagination? It was almost like she was pouting over something.

“Is something wrong, Kristina?”

“Nope, nothing. Now can we begin already?” Contrary to her words, her reply was prickly. Now that the ice in Sigrún’s heart had melted, she’d come to understand the nuances of others’ emotions more than before, but she still wasn’t quite so great at it. She had no clue what had gotten Kristina so upset, and if she didn’t answer when asked, there was nothing Sigrún could do about it.

“Sure, I have no problem with getting right to it. Let’s begin.” There was no point dwelling on something she couldn’t understand, so it was best to get right down to business.

“I’m ready for you anytime,” Albertina said with a nod, brandishing her knife and holding it at the ready.

“In that case... Begin!” Seeing both combatants take their stances, Kristina’s voice rang out as she brought her hand down to signal the beginning of the match. In the next instant, Albertina’s figure vanished from Sigrún’s vision.

“Hm.” But Sigrún didn’t panic for even a single second and raised her wooden sword. She felt the impact in her arm as a dull noise resounded.

“Huh?! But you weren’t even looking this way!” Albertina let out a cry of surprise as she was repelled backward, but she landed on her feet with alacrity. She was as limber as always.

“I can discern your intentions even without looking,” Sigrún responded coolly. The Realm of the Water Mirror was a mental technique which turned the user’s consciousness into a mirror of water that reflected the intentions of their opponent. This was the skill Sigrún had awakened to during the life-or-death battle with Shiba, the skill that’d allowed her to react at superhuman speed. During that battle it had been the product of complete coincidence, but now that she’d experienced it once her body had remembered the sensation to a degree. Through the course of continuing her training over the past half-month, she’d been able to reach the point where she could now perfectly replicate and control it.

“It’s pointless to hold back. Come at me with all you have.”

“Roger!” Freely admitting she’d been pulling her punches, Albertina charged forward—or so Sigrún thought, but then she took a hard turn to the side. In the next instant, pieces of gravel came sailing toward Sigrún, even though Sigrún hadn’t seen Albertina pick them up. It was enough to take even Sigrún by complete surprise. She managed to dodge two of them and sent the third one flying with her wooden sword, but Albertina was able to close the distance between them in the meantime. She delivered a sideways strike, but Sigrún’s sword was already in position to deflect it.

“Wha—? Again?! How?!” Albertina’s eyes went wide with surprise. To her, it probably felt like she was being toyed with by something supernatural.

“Hm. Well, I can say you’re an interesting opponent, at least.” Sigrún nodded, confirming something in her mind. Yuuto had praised Albertina as a genius assassin, and now Sigrún could see that it wasn’t just flattery. While she seemed like she was going to fight fairly, she used one attack after another not listed in any swordsman’s rule book. However, that had made the battle all the more exciting.

“Maaan, I didn’t even land a single hit. In that case, let’s try...this!” Apparently sensing that she wasn’t going to be able to touch Sigrún with her current methods, she seemed to be changing tack by sending blow after blow at Sigrún. Each of her strikes were impossibly fast. She was using a dagger-sized wooden sword to begin with, but even so, the torque she exerted was incredible.

“Hm, I see now.” To Albertina’s dismay, Sigrún evaded most of those strikes with ease and used her sword to block the ones that she couldn’t. She didn’t allow a single hit to land on her. After what was essentially her coup de grâce, Albertina had expended all her stamina by unleashing that last-ditch attack. She fell to her knees, then on all fours, panting heavily.

“Seems you still have much to learn. Back then, I thought I sensed greater potential, but was it just my imagination?” Without a drop of sweat on her, Sigrún tilted her head, unsatisfied. The intentions she’d been able to read from Shiba during their battle had been far more vivid.

“Well, um... I was only able to do that stuff ’cos it was a real battle where my life hung in the balance, so I had to concentrate and give it everything I had,” Albertina explained weakly.

“So you’re saying you were even more amazing than that...?” Kristina muttered in disbelief as she looked on.

“Well, it was good practice, at least. Seems like my techniques have regained their polish, and my body now moves like it used to. That was all I needed to know,” Sigrún muttered, nodding to herself. As she turned away, her eyes shone with the light of determination.

“Sorry to disrupt you during your rest, Father, but I have a request.” In the tent designated as Yuuto’s office space, Yuuto was in the middle of looking over the report letters when Sigrún approached him, her face even more stern than usual.

“What’s brought this on?” Yuuto couldn’t help but blink in surprise. After all, he couldn’t recall Sigrún ever asking anything of him before, save for maybe asking for him to pet her head after a successful battle.

“It seems you’re in the middle of something. Would you rather I come back when you’re not busy?”

“Nah, you’re fine. A request from you takes priority over all this other stuff.” Setting the stack of letters on a nearby desk, he turned to face Sigrún. It went without saying, but her achievements in battle dwarfed those of any other member of the Steel Clan—there were far too many to count. However, if he was asked whether or not he felt Sigrún had been properly rewarded for all her exploits, the honest answer would be a resounding no. If there was something he could do to try and fix that, something that might make her happy, he’d be all for it, but she was a stoic warrior who seemed to have no interest in wealth, fame, or land. He’d been trying to come up with something to reward her with, and now she had a request of her own volition. This was his chance to finally repay her. In other words, it took priority over all else.

“In that case...I want you to bear witness.”

“Bear witness? To what?” His first thought was that one of the senior clan members was getting married or having a child. Sigrún might have seemed Spartan in nature, but the truth was she really looked after everyone around her, so such a conclusion wasn’t out of the realm of possibility. However, Sigrún’s answer was completely out of left field for Yuuto.

“I want you to bear witness to a no-holds-barred duel between myself and Hilda.”

“Whaaa?!” Yuuto let out a surprised yelp completely unlike him as his eyes bugged out of his head. “What in the world caused you to want to do that?!” he asked in a panic as a mountain of questions raced around in his mind. When she’d first joined the clan, Hilda—Hildegard—had been a cheeky brat that was prone to starting fights, but as of late, she’d seemingly gotten along with Sigrún as though she was her real sister. In fact, during the recent Second Battle of Glaðsheimr, Yuuto had heard that Hildegard had even fought a desperate battle of her own in order to save Sigrún. So why had it come to this?

“Sorry, but you’re both important pillars of the Steel Clan! I can’t risk losing one of you, so surely you understand there’s no way I can allow that!” As much as he wanted to reward Sigrún, this was out of the question. There may not have been anyone currently living in the New World, but he couldn’t guarantee there would be no territorial disputes from neighboring tribes after they had moved the refugees. In other words, he couldn’t afford to lose either of them because of some impulsive duel.

“Huh?” Sigrún replied with a confused look on her face, though that was soon followed by a wry smile of understanding. “Ah, forgive me. It seems like my poor choice of words has made you misunderstand. Rest assured, we’ll be fighting with wooden swords. However, it won’t be a mere sparring match. We’ll be giving it our all.”

“O-Oh, I see. Well, in that case, I have no objections. Don’t scare me like that!”

“I truly apologize.”

“Nah, it’s fine, really.” Waving his hand, he let out a very long sigh. He had a host of other problems he had to deal with besides, so adding the prospect of his children dueling to the death had honestly made his blood run cold.

“Wait, as strong as they are, couldn’t they easily kill each other with wooden swords if they went all out?” That worry crossed Yuuto’s mind suddenly, but they were also masters of their craft. There was probably no need for concern. Above all—

“So then, will you accept my request?” Sigrún wore the serious expression of one about to head off to battle, as if she had a score she was determined to settle. Faced with that expression, there was no way Yuuto could refuse.

“Haaah!”

“Whoa!”

Letting out a yelp of surprise, Homura stumbled backward in the face of Hildegard’s powerful attack.

“Ha!” Seeing her chance, Hildegard moved to close the distance and deliver the finishing blow. The Hildegard of a few months ago would have swung wildly, but she had grown since then. Her strikes were small but fast, designed to put pressure on her opponent. Even Homura had constantly been on the defensive in this match, unable to see an opening. Now that Hildegard had her preoccupied with defending—

“Hya!”

“Ah?!”

She used the direction of her gaze and the movement of her shoulders as a feint to lure Homura to defend against an attack from above. When Homura raised her arms to block, Hildegard didn’t let that opportunity pass her by. Hildegard’s wooden sword went right for Homura’s thigh.

“Ouch!” Homura leapt up, holding her leg in pain. Of course, Hildegard had stopped the momentum of her hand the moment the sword made contact with Homura’s thigh, but it must have hurt all the same.

“That makes it three to one. Looks like I’m on track to win today!” Hildegard gave a smug grin as she tapped her wooden sword against her shoulder.

“Mrrgh... The first time we fought I won so easily! How’d you get so strong?” Homura pouted with tears in her eyes as she rubbed her sore thigh. Though her voice contained a hint of frustration, she showed no signs of harboring any sort of hatred or murderous intent toward Hildegard. Perhaps because their ages—or rather, their mental ages—were similar, and because Homura had acknowledged Hildegard as a powerful opponent, they had taken quite a liking to each other during this half-month-long journey. It had become a daily routine for the two to spar with each other, just as they were doing now.

“Ha ha, y’know, Homura, you might be crazy fast, but your movements are simple. After fighting you every day, even I can hold my own against you now,” Hildegard said smugly. Just as Homura had said, the first duel session they’d had against each other had resulted in a slew of crushing losses for Hildegard. However, now that Hildegard had gotten a read on exactly how Homura moved and had learned her quirks and habits, she had been able to devise a plan of attack, leading to her current status as the running victor. “After all, you’ve got a huuuge weak point.” Hildegard fanned the flames by smirking at Homura.

Truthfully, Homura was incredibly weak to feints. That wasn’t because Hildegard’s feints were particularly high-level or anything. As a matter of fact, the more obvious the feint, the more Homura was successfully deceived. Homura was ridiculously strong, so most people probably hadn’t noticed, but she was easier to read than an open book. Once you recognized her patterns, it was easy to rack up wins against her.

“Whaaat?! A weak point?! Where?! What is it?!”

“There’s no way I’d tell you, is there?”

“Come on! Don’t be such a meanie!”

“Calling me names isn’t gonna change my answer. Spot it on your own.” Homura seemed interested in her supposed weak point and needled Hildegard for the answer, but Hildegard refused. It may have seemed cruel, but this method was actually something Hildegard had learned from Sigrún herself. “You’ll find more value in the answer if you arrive at it yourself instead of someone telling you.”

Hildegard herself knew it was true from her own experiences. That was why, for Homura to grow, she had to employ some tough love—was the motive on the surface. The true reason was simply that she didn’t want her loss count to rise anymore.

“Rrgh... Fine, I get it! Then one more duel! I’ll find the answer during that battle, and then I’ll win!”

“Heh, try if you can. I’ll just knock you back down.” Hildegard acted like she was all high and mighty, but inside she was sweating bullets. In truth, while Homura’s movements became more polished by the day in addition to her already ridiculous speed, she still had a number of things she had to improve on. However, she had been able to match Hildegard even with those novice tendencies, showing once again just how insane the power of a twin-runed Einherjar could be.

Even so, now that she had decided to play the part of the cool older sister, there was no way Hildegard would allow herself to lose.

“Okaaay, you ready?”

“You bet!”

The two warriors bent their knees and were just about to kick off the ground when—

“Oh, so this is where you were, Hildegard? Hm? And Miss Homura is here too?”

“Mother Rún? Wait... You’re here as well, Your Majesty?”

“Huh? Mr. Yuuto?”

Sigrún and Yuuto appeared, causing Hildegard and Homura to freeze in place. The two looked strangely sterner than usual. Surely they couldn’t have figured out that Hildegard had been secretly pilfering all the dried meat during their journey? Yuuto was there as well, so that had to be it. Stealing rations was a major no-no in the Steel Clan, but it wasn’t like she could help it. She’d unleashed her beast form during the second battle of Glaðsheimr, and she’d been sooo hungry...

“Hilda.”

“I’m sorry!” The moment Sigrún called her name, Hildegard bowed down with enough force that her forehead touched her knees. At times like these, it was important to apologize right off the bat. She knew from experience she could save herself a lot of trouble by just admitting to what she’d done rather than coming up with some hare-brained excuse.

“Huh? What are you apologizing for?” But Sigrún frowned, as though she didn’t understand what Hildegard meant.

“Wait... What?”

“Shit, I screwed up,” she thought to herself, but it was too late now. She was so used to getting scolded that she’d automatically jumped into apology mode, but it appeared that Yuuto and Sigrún hadn’t come to scold her.

“Or could it be that you’ve done something you need to apologize for?”

“A-Ah, well, that is to say...” she stammered. It seemed that by poking the bush, she’d accidentally angered the snake within. Feeling Sigrún’s icy glare upon her, Hildegard trembled. Convinced she was going to be hit, she shut her eyes and braced herself, but no matter how long she waited, Sigrún’s fist never landed on her head. Opening her eyes to a squint, she saw Sigrún sigh.

“Well, we’ll save that inquiry for later. Father has taken time out of his extraordinarily busy schedule to be with us, after all.”

“Th-Then that means—! I’m finally going to receive His Majesty’s direct Chalice?!” Hildegard had previously asked Sigrún about receiving Yuuto’s Chalice, and Sigrún had assured her that she would discuss it with Yuuto sometime soon. Was this finally the moment?! Her heart fluttered with anticipation.

“Huh? Ah, yeah, I did hear about that. But this is a different matter,” said Yuuto.

“Aww.” Hildegard dropped to her knees on all fours in disappointment. She felt like she’d truly proved her worth in her last battle and was sure that this was finally going to be her moment, so the shock was doubly devastating.

“Hah, you’re always so animated, Hilda. I never get tired of watching you.” Yuuto was unable to hold in his laughter. This caused Hildegard’s face to grow hot with embarrassment. She had shown a shameful side of herself to Yuuto twice now, so she almost resented Sigrún for bringing Yuuto with her today of all days.

Come to think of it, didn’t she also previously wet herself in front of him...?

“Oh man, it’s over. At this rate, I’ll never get that promotion. My life’s over. I should just die.”

If that happened, she’d take Sigrún along with her. Of course, she had no intention of actually dying, but it certainly sounded like a good option right about now.

“Hildegard, do you want my Chalice?” That was when Yuuto bent down and looked into Hildegard’s eyes. The question sounded like a test to her.

“W-Well, yes. I-If you’ll have me, that is...!” Hildegard answered warily. She didn’t think he would joke around about something like this, at least not in front of her, yet she couldn’t read Yuuto’s true intentions.

“Then duel Rún right now. If you win, I’ll give you my direct Chalice.” The corners of Yuuto’s mouth turned up in a grin as if goading her on.

“R-Really?! A-Are you being serious?!” Her head snapped up in surprise, and she jumped at the opportunity immediately.

Everyone within the Múspell Unit lived under the same roof. Naturally, she knew that Sigrún’s right arm was injured, and she couldn’t move it like she used to. While she didn’t think for a second she could win against a fully healed Sigrún (or rather, she’d lost every single duel against her so far), with Sigrún only having her left arm at her disposal, this might be her chance! Suddenly, she felt like doing her best.

“Yeah, it’s a promise. If you can win against Rún, my Chalice is yours.”

“Forgive me, Father, but I don’t think you should give out Chalices so arbitrarily...”

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but weren’t you the one that wanted to set this up someday?”

“Huh?!” Hildegard couldn’t help but turn to face Sigrún when she heard that. Sigrún had told her she’d grant Hildegard an audience with Yuuto sometime soon, but this was news to her.

“Well, yes, but...” Sigrún looked a bit embarrassed as she avoided Hildegard’s gaze. She’d probably kept quiet because it hadn’t been set in stone yet, and she didn’t want to give her false hope. If it had been Hildegard, she would’ve told Sigrún immediately so that she could be in her debt, but that was just the type of person Sigrún was.

She always looks after everyone, but her brand of kindness is so incomprehensible sometimes. Hildegard was always struggling to try and understand Sigrún, and as a result, she often ended up regretting her thoughts and actions after the fact. Really, it was tough having such an awkward mentor.

“Well, I gotta prod you a little to make you do your best, don’t I?” Yuuto, for his part, spoke casually—enough that it made Hildegard wonder if he truly understood the gravity his own Chalice held.

“It makes sense, but is that really all right?” Sigrún asked.

“Yeah, it’s fine. If you have a problem with it, all you have to do is win.”

“I see. That’s a good point.” With an enlightened nod, Sigrún removed her Garmr cloak. In the next moment, a sharply honed, fierce aura of murderous intent stabbed into Hildegard.

“Seems like you’re even more serious than before,” Hildegard said with a strained laugh.

Does she not want me to have His Majesty’s Chalice that badly? No. She wouldn’t be that shortsighted. There must be some other reason.

She knew that much.

“But His Majesty’s Chalice is on the line. I can’t lose!”

“Seems like you’ve found your resolve. Good.” Sigrún held her wooden sword in front of her. Contrary to the murderous aura emanating from her, it was a rather relaxed stance. At a glance, it might’ve looked like she was full of openings, but alarm bells resounded in Hildegard’s head. If she carelessly chose her approach, she’d be the one in danger. Sigrún’s good arm might’ve been out of commission, but regardless, she was an opponent Hildegard couldn’t afford to underestimate.

“Combatants, are you ready?” Yuuto raised his hand.

“Absolutely.”

“...I’m ready.” Hildegard closed her eyes and held her own wooden sword at the ready.

She’d already switched into battle mode. Nothing mattered anymore except the opponent in front of her. Even thoughts of Yuuto’s Chalice had disappeared from her mind. Such trivialities would only dull her blade, and she knew from experience that the sharpness of a blade meant the difference between life and death.

Confirming the two warriors’ stances, Yuuto took a breath and shouted out.

“Very well. Begin!”

The instant Yuuto brought his hand down, Sigrún rushed forward before Hildegard even had a chance to react.

Sigrún had always let Hildegard take the initiative in their training matches, so this took her completely by surprise. Not to mention, Sigrún’s movements seemed faster than usual.

“Ngh!” With a metallic clang, Hildegard managed to repel Sigrún’s initial attack, but she quickly followed up with a flurry of attacks, immediately putting Hildegard on the defensive.

A bizarre, contradictory sensation assailed her. Compared to the blows she’d become familiar with while sparring with Homura, it was as if Sigrún’s sword was moving in slow motion. But then, why did each of her strikes seem to be quicker than Homura’s?!

“Guh!” Hildegard immediately leapt backward. She sensed that remaining within Sigrún’s strike zone any longer would not end well for her. She needed to distance herself to regain her footing.

“This has to be that ‘Shrinking’ thing, right?” As she made an effort to recenter herself, she tried to guess at the cause of the discrepancy. The full name of the skill she was referring to was the Shrinking Land—a move devised by the late Skáviðr and named by Yuuto. Sigrún had practiced it until she’d mastered it, and she could now use it to get her opponents to perceive her movements as faster than they actually were, delaying their reactions to her attacks in the process. In other words, it was a prime example of the old saying that the most powerful secret techniques were rooted deep within the fundamentals.

“Still, she’s never used it as proficiently as this! She must’ve picked up some sort of trick in her recent battles!” Hildegard had tried so hard to catch up to her, and just when she thought they were finally on equal footing, she was going to be left in the dust again. She thought she’d gotten so much stronger too... Truthfully, the reason she’d been able to fare so well against Homura might have been due to the immaturity of her opponent, but even so, she was able to put up a good fight against a twin-runed Einherjar. She’d thought for sure that the gap between her and Sigrún would’ve closed at least a little, but those gains seemed so inconsequential now...

“You’re not going to come at me like you always do? Then I’ll do the honors.” Sigrún took one step forward, then another, closing the distance between them gradually as she taunted the frozen Hildegard.

“Ngh...” Hildegard took a reflexive, frightened step backward. Even though this wasn’t a match where her life was on the line, her body trembled, and her teeth started to chatter. The intensity Sigrún exuded was simply too much to bear.

“So this is Mother Rún—Mánagarmr, the Strongest Silver Wolf—when she’s serious!” Hildegard swallowed in fear. Sigrún’s aura was the kind that only one who had weathered countless battles, cut down countless warriors, and cheated death countless times could give off.

Hildegard was not yet at that level. She simply didn’t have the same kind of experience.

Frankly speaking, they were on two different playing fields.

“Psh, no big deal?!” Chiding her own weakness, Hildegard’s expression changed to a mischievous grin, and instead of taking any more steps backward, she put a foot forward. She respected and admired Sigrún from the bottom of her heart, but she wasn’t going to let Sigrún look down upon her forever either.

As a pupil, it was said that the best way to repay your instructor for all they’d done was to surpass them. She couldn’t let herself be intimidated by Sigrún here, especially when she’d lost the use of her good arm and wasn’t even in perfect form. If she didn’t have the guts to face Sigrún head-on, Hildegard would never reach her.

“Hmph, I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Seeing Hildegard step forward, Sigrún’s mouth also turned up in a grin. She looked somewhat glad—as if the pupil she’d invested so much of her time and effort into cowing to that level of pressure would’ve greatly disappointed her.

“I’ll wipe that leisurely grin off your face,” Hildegard said.

“Then try it.”

With those words, the two simultaneously kicked off the ground.

Clack! Clack! Clack!

The clashing of wooden swords resounded throughout. Hildegard was now the one on the offensive. Continuing to play defense would only once again render her a sitting duck to Sigrún’s continuous warp attacks. In this case, a strong offense was the best defense. Like a ferocious gale, she delivered a frenzy of blows. However—

“Something feels off. Why aren’t my attacks getting through to her?!”

This new bizarre sensation left Hildegard bewildered. There was hardly any resilience, as if she was hitting a blanket or piece of cloth instead. She felt like her attacks weren’t doing any damage, like their power was being absorbed.

“There’s no way... She’s using the Willow Technique?! But this is on a whole other level!”

This was another technique of the deceased Skáviðr’s. By skillfully redirecting the strength of her opponent’s attacks, Sigrún could prevent her hands and arms from going numb while blocking and deflecting incoming blows while also staggering her opponent. However, there was no question that this technique of Sigrún’s lacked the “gentleness” it’d had before.

That settled it. Sigrún must’ve come to realize something during her fight with Shiba.

“My turn. Get ready,” Sigrún stated.

“Tch?!”

Weaving through the gap in Hildegard’s attacks, Sigrún’s powerful counterattack put Hildegard back on the defensive, reversing their roles in no time. Hildegard tried to retaliate, but Sigrún wouldn’t let her get a hit in. Even though each of Hildegard’s attacks should have been stronger and faster than Sigrún’s, Hildegard was overtaken instantaneously, forced to dance to the rhythm of her opponent.

“Yeah, she’s way stronger than before!”

Hildegard unconsciously clucked her tongue. For the past two years under Sigrún’s rigorous guidance, she felt she’d evolved and improved by leaps and bounds as a warrior, yet Sigrún was still that much stronger. The difference in strength between the two of them was painfully apparent; in fact, her genius-level talent for fighting practically made her a monster.

“Even so, I won’t let her get one up on me!”

Sure, she was strong—frighteningly so. But she was down one arm right now.

“She’s good. But she doesn’t scare me.” As the two exchanged blows, Hildegard calmly assessed the situation. In other words, she was collected enough to where she could afford to assess the situation.

Sigrún’s techniques were incredible—so much so that Hildegard wanted to sigh in admiration at their beauty. The overwhelming aura she emitted as she fought was also as impressive as it was terrifying. However, without the strength of her good arm, Sigrún didn’t have the muscle she needed to finish the job. That was her downfall. Her attacks had reduced speed and lessened force since she wasn’t using her proper arm, and there were even some traces of awkwardness in her strikes, stagnating the flow of her attacks. That was why she couldn’t clinch the victory.

“‘There is naught but a hair’s breadth between victory and defeat,’ was it?” She recalled the strict words Sigrún was always chiding her with. It might seem like a big difference at a glance, especially if the victor was unscathed and the loser ended up dead, but the surprising truth was that victory and defeat were only separated by the thinnest of margins.

“And right now, Mother Rún doesn’t have the strength to make up that final small difference!”

The fact that Hildegard was still standing and able to fight right now was all the proof she needed.

She was beginning to understand why Sigrún had challenged her to this duel in the first place. She was probably looking for an opportunity to find her resolve—to come up with an answer to something.

“Then as her pupil, it’s my duty to help her find that answer!” Choosing a rapid attack meant to put pressure on her opponent, she countered Sigrún’s strike. Just as Sigrún had taught her, she skillfully moved her center of gravity and used her body weight, the elasticity of her legs, and her arm strength to deliver the strongest attack possible with the minimum amount of movement used.

“Guh?!” Sigrún’s left arm jerked backward. If her right arm had been in a usable state, that never would’ve happened.

“Haaah!” Hildegard didn’t miss that opportunity and delivered a powerful side slash.

“Gh!” Hildegard was confident the attack would connect and Sigrún wouldn’t be able to dodge it, but she ended up slashing air instead. Sigrún had jumped backward and evaded. Her reaction speed was completely different from before.

“It couldn’t be... Realm of Godspeed?!”

Sigrún’s decision to enter the Realm of Godspeed in what was essentially a mock battle made it clear to Hildegard just how serious she was about winning this duel. That meant Hildegard had no choice but to respond in kind. Raising her wooden sword, she stepped forward, and with a yell, slashed downwards with all her might.

“Too slow!” Perhaps because of her Realm of Godspeed state, Sigrún was able to deflect Hildegard’s strike, knocking her sword aside. However, Hildegard had been on the receiving end of this technique many a time. She turned her wrist, and without correcting the trajectory of the sword, turned it into a diagonal upward slash.

“Ngh!”

“Yaahh!”

There was a clang, and then the sound of something spinning through the air—Sigrún’s wooden sword. It then clattered to the ground. Hildegard’s own sword was thrust at Sigrún’s neck.

“I am beaten.” Sigrún raised both hands quietly in surrender.

“So I win, then?”

“Indeed. It seems like I can’t best you with only my left arm usable,” she said sadly. She opened and closed her left hand as if checking if it still functioned. Perhaps she felt frustration at not being able to put as much strength into it as she wanted.

“At any rate, I’ve made up my mind.” Sigrún stood up, picking up her cloak which she’d laid on top of a nearby boulder. It was a rare item—only one existed in the entire world—fashioned from the pelt of the Great Wolf Garmr who ruled the Himinbjörg Mountains, felled by none other than Sigrún herself. She now held it out in front of Hildegard.

“Huh? What are you...?” Hildegard was confused.

“Take it, it’s yours. From this day forward, you are now Mánagarmr, the Strongest Silver Wolf.”

“H-Huuuuh?!” Hildegard couldn’t stop herself from recoiling in shock. It was a complete and utter bolt from the blue. Sure, she had aspired to one day take the title of Mánagarmr from Sigrún, but she’d thought it might be a few years from now, certainly not today.

“B-But...I still have so far to go... My techniques still need practice. That should be evident enough from this battle alone...”

“That is true. However, there is no doubt you are currently stronger than me. I’m certain of it.”

Hildegard didn’t know how to respond to that, so she stayed silent. But in this case, her silence was affirmation in itself. The truth was that she didn’t think she would lose to the current Sigrún, no matter how many times they were to face off against each other.

“The title of Mánagarmr is reserved for the strongest warrior in the Steel Clan. That’s why it belongs to you.” Sigrún somewhat forcibly pressed the Garmr Cloak into Hildegard’s hands, as if to say she couldn’t refuse.

The cloak felt abnormally heavy in her hands, even though the material itself was relatively light. Mánagarmr, the Strongest Silver Wolf. It was as if she was feeling the weight of that moniker that absolutely did not allow failure.

“Th-Then I’ll take it. But only temporarily. You’re gonna take it back from me when you’re able to, right?!” she asked anxiously, as if clinging to a tiny hope. She was still in training. There was still so much she had yet to master, so she was uncertain that she could fulfill such a grand role.

“...I don’t think that will be possible. My left arm hurts a bit as well, you see.”

“Ah...” Then she noticed. There had indeed been times where it seemed like Sigrún’s left arm was moving stiffly. That was probably due to the pain.

“Normally, I don’t feel it, but when I put strength into my arm, it starts to throb with pain. It’s probably a side effect of using the Realm of Godspeed.”

“O-Oh no...”

“Well, it won’t restrict me in my daily activities, but this is a crossroads for me. I’ve decided to start commanding our unit from the rear and focus on training my successors, the new blood.” She seemed wistful, but at the same time relieved as she smiled. Perhaps this battle with Hildegard had helped her come to terms with her decision. “So...I leave the rest to you.” She lightly hit Hildegard in the chest, but it was Sigrún’s words that made an impact within Hildegard’s heart. They were the words that she’d always hoped she’d hear. It was for that purpose that she’d given her very best every single day. But this wasn’t the way she’d hoped it would go. She’d wanted to succeed Sigrún through her own merits when she was much stronger—and without a handicap.

This was a big responsibility. A frightening one that she wasn’t sure she could handle. Honestly, she wanted to run away. Her chest burned with anxiety. But even so—yes, even so, she wasn’t about to let the title of Strongest Silver Wolf or the Garmr Cloak slip out from under her. She wouldn’t allow anyone else to inherit them besides her.

There was only one option.

“I’ll become stronger. Way, way stronger than I am now. Strong enough that I’ll even be able to beat you at your best, Mother Rún!”

“Hee hee. Keep up that attitude and you just might.” Sigrún chuckled in satisfaction and nodded.

As if preordained by fate, Sigrún had lost her strength once her battle had ended, begetting a brand-new successor to the title of Strongest Silver Wolf. Perhaps that turn of events symbolized the end of a long era of war, and at the same time, the dawn of a new age.

“Wheeew, now I can finally take a breather.”

By the time he’d returned to his own tent after witnessing Sigrún and Hildegard’s duel, it was already late into the evening. It had been a productive, yet chaotically busy day. Coupled with the fatigue of having been on the road for half a month, Yuuto was absolutely exhausted.

“Oh, welcome back!” Mitsuki grinned as she invited him in, one of their children in her arms. She seemed to be in the middle of breastfeeding Nozomu. For a moment, he thought he might like to be breastfed as well, but of course he stopped that train of thought before it reached the station. For him to even consider something so stupid proved just how tired he was.

“I’m home.” Yuuto made his way as far as the carpet before he simply gave up and dropped to the floor. He couldn’t muster the energy to stand any longer.

“You must’ve gotten a lot accomplished.”

“Mm, well, you could say that,” he said as he looked around the tent. The outside might have seemed shabby, but there was no doubt that the interior had been adorned to accommodate the þjóðann. Even though winter was approaching, the inside was completely warm. With this, he wouldn’t have to worry about his children falling ill.

“Hm? Oh, Miku, you’ve learned to crawl already?” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the older of the twins, Miku, crawling toward him.

“Hee hee, Nozomu can too, you know. He started crawling about half a month ago, in fact.”

“Really? Damn, I’m sorry I missed that.”

Since he’d been preoccupied with the Flame Clan’s invasion, he’d had no choice, but not being around to witness the milestones of his children really did fill him with regret.

“If that’s the case, then I gotta get them to call me papa before they call you mama! Look Miku, it’s papa! Papa!” Yuuto picked himself up off the carpet, got in a sitting position, and scooped Miku up underneath her shoulders with both hands. Miku didn’t seem to mind, cooing happily on Yuuto’s lap.

“Well, would you look at that, Yuu-kun. Even though it’s been a while, she still knows who her daddy is.”

“Of course she does! I mean, if she were afraid of me or something, I’d just consider my life over.”

“Well, they say that’s a pretty common development though.”

“Are you trying to freak me out?!”

At any rate, he was relieved from the bottom of his heart that Miku still remembered him.

“Look, Nozomu! It’s your papa, back after all this time!” Mitsuki brought Nozomu over and sat him on Yuuto’s lap as well. Nozomu didn’t seem frightened either, instead studying Yuuto with curiosity and tugging at his clothes. He was probably going to be a handful when he grew up.

A feeling Yuuto couldn’t quite describe welled up from within his chest. Perhaps because he had had constant brushes with death for so long, being able to experience such a heartwarming, precious scene with his family filled him with happiness, gratitude, and at the same time an inevitable sense of guilt.

“I wonder if it’s really okay for me to be this happy,” Yuuto muttered. He knew that thinking such things would only serve to worsen his mood, and nothing good would come from it. Even so, he couldn’t help it. His mounting anxiety compelled him to ask anyway.

“Yuu-kun...” Saying his name, Mitsuki quietly embraced him. While he felt a sense of relief at her warmth, it couldn’t completely absolve him of his guilt. Somewhere in the bottom of his heart, a little voice was whispering that he had no right to be this happy.

“Yuu-kun, you’re always trying your best to make everyone else happy. You work tirelessly at it. That’s why you’ve earned the right to be happier than anyone else.” Patting Yuuto’s back lovingly, she spoke slowly, in a tone one might adopt to make a child understand.

Warmth began to seep into his heart once more. Those were the words he’d always wanted to hear. At the same time, however, they were hard to accept.

“Yeah, I tried my best. I pushed myself beyond my limits and tried harder than I ever have before. But I can’t help but dwell on the things I could’ve done differently. What I could’ve done better.”

During the Second Battle of Glaðsheimr, many had perished. He’d tried his damnedest to keep casualties to a minimum, but an inordinate amount of people had lost their lives regardless. If he’d just been stronger—if he’d been more skilled—would those people still be alive today? Would there be people among them who’d be celebrating reuniting with their families just like he was now? Was there some method that could’ve saved many more people? People who were now dead because he’d simply overlooked it?

“Everyone here in this camp thinks you’re an incredible person, Yuu-kun. Some even revere you as a god. You’ve done some great stuff that you should be proud of. But you’re human all the same. You’re not a god, so you can’t be perfect all the time.”

“Right. I know that. I understand, but...”

“No, I don’t think you do. You and I and the children are the only ones here. You’re not the divine emperor, or a reginarch, or any of that right now. It’s okay to just be Yuu-kun for a bit, you know? The good old average commoner Yuu-kun that I know so well.”

“...Why did it have to be me?” Yuuto suddenly muttered, his voice shaking. “Right, I was just an average Japanese middle-school student, the type you could find anywhere. Average grades, no special powers... So why did I have to be the one to shoulder this responsibility?!”

He knew asking wouldn’t do any good. Nobody likely had the answer. Because he had talent? Because he had divine knowledge? That was probably how the denizens of Yggdrasil would respond. But Yuuto thought that was all bullshit.

“Why did I, of all people, have to go through all this shit?! What did I even do to deserve all this?! To hell with this crap!” Anger with no outlet overtook him. If the goddess of fate hadn’t decided to pull such a cruel prank on him, maybe he’d still be living a normal life in peaceful Japan. “It wasn’t... It wasn’t like I was the second coming of Christ or a god of war reincarnated! I was just some guy! But everyone piled all their expectations on me anyway, and I had no choice but to live up to them! All the burden was placed on me, and it was miserable!”

His feelings poured from him like a burst dam. Yuuto continued to voice his complaints for a bit longer until he realized that tears were spilling from his eyes. He knew he looked like a complete loser, the most pathetic person ever. But if he didn’t say what was on his mind, his heart was going to shatter.

Mitsuki listened to each of Yuuto’s complaints intently. Without screwing her face up in disgust, she gently embraced him, stroking his head. Gradually, little by little, the negative emotions within his heart began to subside, and a wave of fatigue and sleepiness took its place. No longer possessing the strength to resist, Yuuto closed his eyes.

Once she heard the gentle breathing of Yuuto’s slumber, Mitsuki relaxed, letting out a sigh. Quietly repositioning her body, she laid Yuuto’s head on her lap. “Since it’s Yuu-kun, he’ll probably regret crying in front of me, saying he looked uncool or something like that. But I don’t see it that way at all.” Continuing to stroke his head, Mitsuki chuckled. Having the burden of tens of thousands of lives on his shoulders must’ve been painful. It must’ve been hard, just as he’d said. Most people probably would’ve been crushed under that pressure, or long since run away. Mitsuki herself definitely would’ve. But not Yuuto. Even if he’d had to grit his teeth in desperation, he’d gotten the job done.

He’d even gone head-to-head against the one, the only Oda Nobunaga. What could be cooler and more impressive than that? She was proud of him and the things he’d done. She wanted to take a megaphone and shout to the entire world that she had the best husband anyone could ever hope for.

As affection continued to well up in her heart, she softly kissed Yuuto on the cheek.

“Congratulations, Yuu-kun. You did it. So tonight, take a long-deserved rest.”