Hyakuren no Haou to Seiyaku no Valkyria - Volume 23 - Chapter SS

Side Story: The Sworn Einherjar

On the day following the new year, The Horn Clan patriarch Linnea had paid a visit to Iárnviðr in order to greet her sworn brother Suoh Yuuto, as well as undergo the Oath of the Chalice with fellow clans also under the Wolf Clan. With these tasks already complete, no one would’ve admonished her for heading straight back home, but for all her acumen as a patriarch, she was still a young maiden. After making the long journey all the way to Iárnviðr, it would’ve been much too lonesome to leave without saying a few words to her unrequited crush.

With that in mind, she made her way to his office chambers. Right before she entered...

“Ah, come to think of it, what should I do about the tasks?”

The current patriarch of the Wolf Clan, Suoh Yuuto, was a legend who’d transformed a once-diminutive clan quaintly situated in a mountain valley into one of the very few large nations of Yggdrasil in a mere three-and-a-half-year span. Despite still being young, it was no exaggeration to say he was the main force behind the clan’s revival. On the battlefield, he was undefeated, stringing together victories and defying the odds even when he was outmatched, causing no small number of Wolf Clan members and soldiers to genuinely believe he was the reincarnation of a god of war.

During the conflict with the Claw Clan, he’d razed the village of Ván to the ground and made sure there were no survivors, and when he’d faced off against the Lightning Clan, he’d caused a flood in which several thousand soldiers had drowned. Merciless and fierce toward anyone who dared raise a blade against him, he became acknowledged and feared by neighboring clans as Hróðvitnir, the Infamous Wolf.

“Oh, Linnea, you’re here! Come right in!” Once she’d been guided inside, the owner of the room greeted her with a smile so amiable and childlike it was hard to believe he was the enforcer of the military rule hanging over the populace.

Linnea felt her heart throb within her chest. Thanks to Haugspori’s earlier teasing, she’d probably become more conscious of her feelings toward him.

“Of course, Big Brother. I do hope you are well.” Suppressing the unrest within her heart, Linnea feigned composure, lifted the hem of her skirt, and gave an elegant bow.

“It must’ve been difficult to make the journey all the way here in the cold. Here, stick your feet under this. It’s super warm.” Yuuto tapped the peculiar contraption enshrined before her eyes—a rectangular box covered by a large blanket. Rather than sitting at his usual desk, today he had his feet stuck within the blanket, seemingly performing his duties here instead.

“Please, go right ahead, Big Sis Linnea. It should do wonders to warm you up.” Across from Yuuto, Felicia had her feet underneath the blanket as well as she waved Linnea over. While she normally wore a businesslike smile, today she seemed to be in exceedingly high spirits, as though she was experiencing pure bliss.

“Hmm... At a glance, it seems inefficient, but okay...” Linnea also often covered her lap with a blanket when at her desk during winter, and she couldn’t help but think it’d be warmer to cover herself with the whole blanket instead of the box. However, when she tried putting her feet inside, she was met with a shocking revelation. Warm air instantly enveloped her legs and feet, evoking the same feeling of sitting at a campfire.

“Wh-Whooaaa...” Linnea let out an involuntary sigh of ecstasy. The heat was the perfect panacea after being in the freezing cold for so long. “Big Brother, just what is this incredible box?!”

“Heh heh, I’m glad you asked! This is the most beloved artifact from my birthplace, Japan! Our pride and joy, the ultimate heating device, the kotatsu! It uses charcoal as its heat source! What do you think? Feels good, doesn’t it?”

“Y-Yes, how should I put this...? It feels dangerously good. I dare say that if I stayed under here too long, I might never want to get out...”

“Yep. That’s what we call being put under the kotatsu’s spell.” Normally, Yuuto looked troubled whenever someone praised his homeland’s technology, but today he folded his arms and nodded in a rare display of pride. This “kotatsu” device seemed to be something he was quite fond of, and humans were, after all, creatures that became happy when someone praised something they liked. “Back in my homeland, we used this thing during spring, summer, fall, winter, you name it. Also...”

“Lord Yuuto, forgive me for intruding, but there is something I must discuss with you...” Yuuto’s kotatsu tale was interrupted by a gruff-sounding voice, and a middle-aged man entered the room. Linnea recognized him as Bruno, head of the Wolf Clan’s elders. She remembered him so well because he’d previously quarreled with the second-in-command of the Horn Clan, Rasmus.

“O-Oh, Lady Linnea, you’re here too, I see...” When Bruno noticed Linnea’s presence, he bowed in apparent embarrassment. He was probably wracked with guilt for pushing to abandon the Horn Clan back during the advance of the Hoof Clan. “I’m terribly sorry to disturb your leisurely talk, Lord Yuuto. I shall come again at a later time.”

“Okay, sure. I’m sorry that I’m currently preoccupied,” Yuuto replied.

“Think nothing of it. Now, I shall take my leave.” There was a servile glint in Bruno’s eyes as he bowed his head and slunk out of the room. Though he had no real power to speak of, he was still Yuuto’s senior and effectively his uncle on paper, yet he debased himself in Yuuto’s presence. If memory served, at least half a year ago, Linnea recalled him being a tad more critical of Yuuto’s actions.

“That’s just like you, Big Brother, to skillfully hold the reins of even leaders of the clan many years your senior.” With a sigh of admiration, Linnea gazed upon Yuuto with respect. It wasn’t merely Bruno just now—before the hot springs trip, even the second-in-command of the Wolf Clan, Jörgen, had apparently had nothing but praise and adoration for Yuuto, a boy young enough to be his grandson.

“Compared to him, I’m nothing...” Linnea inevitably found herself recalling her earlier conversation with Haugspori. The reason her subordinates ended up teasing her was probably due to her lack of commanding presence. All the bigwigs in the Horn Clan from the previous patriarch’s rule, including Second-in-Command Rasmus, always referred to her as “princess,” never “mother.” Of course, she knew they called her that out of affection, but she couldn’t help but feel it was also evidence that they didn’t truly recognize her as an actual patriarch. True, sometimes even she didn’t feel like an actual patriarch, but she strongly felt the need to change how her subjects perceived her.

“What do you mean, ‘nothing’? You’re already doing plenty, and doing it well. What about the rebuilding of Sylgr and Myrkviðr? Aren’t those proceeding well ahead of schedule?” Yuuto rebutted.

“Well, if it weren’t for my own negligence, we wouldn’t have had to rebuild them in the first place. I foolishly left a gap in my defenses for the enemy to enter. If I’d just been more capable, the citizens wouldn’t have to suffer so,” Linnea replied, her voice tinged with self-disappointment.

“Well, the Panther Clan is one hell of an enemy to face off against. I’d say you just had a bad matchup,” Yuuto replied, scratching his head in vexation.

“You say that, but you were strong enough to wipe them all out, Big Brother.”

“That wasn’t a one-man show though. It was only possible thanks to the combined efforts of everyone. Including you, Linnea,” Yuuto said frankly.

“Me? But how? I didn’t even participate in the battle!”

“You need to stop devaluing yourself. Here’s how I see it: I wouldn’t have been able to relax and focus on the enemy in front of me if I didn’t have someone reliable like you supporting me from the rear.”

Yuuto stretched his hand out and ruffled Linnea’s hair. She couldn’t deny it felt incredibly good, but at the same time, it depressed her because it felt like she was still under her big brother’s protection. She was the Claw Clan’s patriarch. She couldn’t let her brother coddle her forever. Sooner or later, she had to take the lead and protect her own clan, and she would need to grow much more before she was able to do that. Right now, she lacked the strength necessary.

As Yuuto continued to rub her head, Linnea looked at him with upturned eyes. Before her was the ultimate example of what she wanted to achieve, and she believed learning by example was the quickest path to growth.

Linnea’s Answer

“Uh... I know the kotatsu’s comfortable, but aren’t you bored already?” Yuuto raised his head from his desk and asked warily, seemingly reaching a stopping point in his work.

The evening sun coming through the glass window dyed the interior of the office scarlet red. For nearly two hours now, Linnea had done nothing but intently watch Yuuto as he became absorbed in his work, and it was starting to bother him.

“No, not at all. I’m learning so much... Yaaaawn.” The moment she said it, she let out a huge yawn. Yuuto gave a small smile.

“See, you are bored.”

“Th-That was just because the kotatsu’s too comfortable! I’m not bored or anything, honest!” she asserted, shaking her head in denial. In fact, Linnea was far from bored—she was enjoying herself so much that she could say she was truly happy. After all, she could never tire of watching the face of the person she loved concentrating so hard on his work. To her, there was nothing cooler.

“Yes, it certainly does invite sleepiness,” Felicia agreed with a knowing smile. As someone who shared the same feelings as Linnea, she must have sensed the affection within Linnea’s gaze.

“That being said, Big Brother’s ability to concentrate on his work really is outstanding,” Linnea said.

“Well, I’ve had a lot of experience with a kotatsu, so I’ve built up my resistance,” he responded.

“Not only that, I’ve never seen you take a break. Every day you’re always working hard from morning to night. I truly cannot hold a candle to your work ethic,” Linnea replied.

The generally understood work schedule in Yggdrasil was that by the time the sun rose in the morning you were supposed to be at work, and when the sun reached the apex of its climb, it was time to go home. In other words, Yuuto was a workaholic. It’s said that children learn by watching their parents. Linnea viewed the people of Iárnviðr as diligent and hardworking, and that was no doubt due in large part to their patriarch Yuuto going above and beyond on a daily basis.

Linnea quickly urged herself to take notes and learn from him, but Yuuto himself just shrugged his shoulders in self-deprecation. “Ha ha, these work hours are nothing compared to what passes as normal in my home country.”

“Really?! So everyone in the land beyond the heavens works even harder than you do?!” Her eyes widened in surprise, but at the same time, she thought it made sense. After all, their technology was much more advanced than Yggdrasil’s. It seemed that no matter how far up you climbed, there was always someone above you. She still had a long way to go, so she resolved in her heart to put in even more effort than usual from now on.

Felicia’s Answer

That night, Linnea visited Felicia’s room. Linnea was the patriarch of the Horn Clan, so she didn’t get many chances to visit Iárnviðr. What’s more, she wasn’t a part of the Wolf Clan’s inner circle, merely a sworn sister to the patriarch. There was much Linnea was unable to see from her own perspective. However, what Linnea currently wanted to learn about the most was Yuuto himself. In that respect, since Felicia, as Yuuto’s adjutant, was always with him at all hours of the day, there was no better person to ask.

“Sorry for intruding so late at night. I just had something I wanted to ask. Is that okay?” Linnea said, currently standing in the doorway.

“Yes, come on in.” Felicia had already changed into her nightgown, but she ushered Linnea into the room cheerfully. Linnea followed her lead and sat down on a chair positioned in the center of the room. Warm air was emanating from an earthenware pot beside her. Inside, ash had been laid at the bottom, and the orange light of burning charcoal leaked out of the pot, illuminating the room in a dim glow.

The room itself was quite small, more so than Linnea had expected considering Felicia’s status, and quaint. This was also the only room that directly connected to Yuuto’s bedchambers. Perhaps, among other purposes, it was so Felicia could protect him from harm at a moment’s notice.

“One second,” Felicia said, heading to the corner of the room. “Please take this as well.” She handed Linnea a fur coat that had been hanging on the wall. Because it was situated within a mountain valley, the nights of Iárnviðr were much chillier than what Linnea was used to back in Fólkvangr. A mere hand-warming pot wasn’t enough to keep one’s body fully warm.

“Thank you.” Linnea gratefully accepted Felicia’s gesture of goodwill and put the coat on. When she was done, Felicia spoke.

“So, what did you want to talk about?” Her voice was sweet and gentle. Just by hearing that voice, Linnea felt her tension melt away. It was the kind of voice that one could only come by naturally. Though she was honestly jealous, Linnea kept her composure and responded.

“Let me start by saying that just from what I see, you seem like a woman who has such a keen sense of loyalty that you’ve even abandoned your personal desires to devote your heart and soul to Big Brother.”

“Why, what a compliment. But, as his younger sister under the Oath of the Chalice, I’m only doing what’s natural,” Felicia replied.

“Sure, the oath specifies that’s what you should do, but very few people are actually capable of pulling off such a feat. Please tell me the secret to devoting yourself wholeheartedly to Big Brother.” Gripping her fists tightly atop her lap, she leaned forward in Felicia’s direction. Seeing how desperate she was, Felicia looked a bit at a loss.

“You put me in much too high esteem, but thank you. The truth is, I’m not as disciplined in that regard as you might think. I merely had to up my game to keep up with Big Brother. He’s the truly exceptional one.”

“Which is why I’m here asking you this question,” Linnea replied.

“Come again?” Felicia seemed genuinely confused by Linnea’s response. Thankfully for her, clarity was soon to follow.

“I also believe Big Brother was born to become a patriarch. In fact, I expect he’ll become something even greater. While it’d be the height of disrespect to wish to be his equal, as someone who also carries the responsibility of many citizens on her shoulders, I feel like there’s a lot I can learn from him. I wish to be closer to his level, if only a little.”

“Why, what a noble, respectable goal.”

“Thank you. To that end, I realize you’re probably tired, but I’d love for you to tell me what you feel are some of Big Brother’s good points and things you respect about him.”

“Everything.” Her response was immediate. No pauses, no hesitation. She didn’t have to think about it. This stunned Linnea, of course, but she quickly regained her composure.

“Ah, well, can you give some specific examples, please? I can’t learn from it if it’s too vague, you understand.” She gave a bitter smile, but at the same time she thought, “That’s just how things are with Big Brother.” Truthfully, if she had been asked the same question, she probably would’ve responded the same way—and for Felicia to respond immediately, not out of fear but with her own will, only renewed Linnea’s resolve to learn as much as she could from Yuuto.

Sensing Linnea’s heated, determined gaze, Felicia gave it a bit of thought, as though she’d been inspired by Linnea’s will. “Let’s see. If I have to give an example... His open-mindedness, for sure.”

“Hmm... I see. True, one standing above others must be open-minded and generous!” Linnea nodded emphatically and began to take notes on the paper she’d brought with her.

“Originally, I was not the type of woman fit to stand by Big Brother’s side.”

“Eh?” Hearing the abrupt drop in Felicia’s tone, Linnea stopped writing and looked up in surprise at Felicia’s face. As previously mentioned, Felicia had an admirable degree of loyalty toward Yuuto, and that coupled with her other feminine charms honestly made Linnea jealous. If Felicia wasn’t fit to be by Yuuto’s side, she couldn’t imagine who was.

Seemingly understanding the meaning of Linnea’s stare, she smiled self-deprecatingly, a smile illuminated by the evening light. “Big Sister Linnea, you know of Lady Mitsuki, right?”

“Y-Yes. The woman Big Brother loves.”

“If I hadn’t summoned Big Brother, instead of fighting war after bloody war, he’d still be living a peaceful life with her in the land beyond the heavens, a place where the words we’re speaking now wouldn’t even be understood.”

“Um, but considering the situation back then...”

“That’s right. The Wolf Clan wouldn’t have been able to survive if I hadn’t done what I did. However, that doesn’t change the fact that I placed an enormous burden on Big Brother,” Felicia said, with a face that looked racked with torment. Linnea recalled what Yuuto had said before—that he was looked down upon for being useless when he first arrived in Yggdrasil. As someone who was always by his side, Felicia must’ve witnessed the whole thing firsthand and likely felt responsible and guilty for everything Yuuto had gone through.

“However, Big Brother forgave me, and he even made me his adjutant. For that, I am eternally grateful.”

“Hmm...” Linnea began to think. Even though Felicia had put Yuuto in a bad position, he’d recognized that she was capable and trustworthy. He’d let bygones be bygones and entrusted her with an important role. Perhaps that was natural behavior for one who stood above others, but it was easier said than done. It was easy to let personal feelings get in the way.

When she thought about it further, Linnea and Yuuto had also been enemies at the start, but Yuuto had always glossed over that and approached Linnea amicably, even going so far as to accommodate her needs. It was precisely because he was that way that Linnea put her trust in him, and furthermore, the reason she tried so hard for his sake.

“I see. That generosity and open-mindedness is indeed a page I need to take from his book. I feel like I’ve learned something.” Satisfied with what she’d learned, she nodded—and having now learned something good from someone else, it was human nature to want to learn even more from many different people.

Sigrún’s Answer

“I-In the last battle, you were a-amazing, Miss Sigrún! Y-You did an outstanding job of wiping out the enemy general even though he’d gotten all the way to our base! B-But I suppose that’s the Strongest Silver Wolf for you, ha ha!”

“No, I’m afraid I still have a long way to go.”

“S-Surely you jest. I-I can’t count the number of times I’ve wished for someone of your caliber to be among my ranks in the Horn Clan.”

“Is Haugspori not satisfactory?”

“Y-You’re just as skilled with a sword as you are beautiful, so much so that I c-can’t help but be jealous as a woman. Your clear, pure presence is like that of a flower formed from ice... Oh no, what am I saying...?”

“...Thank you. I appreciate it.”

The next day, Linnea caught Sigrún on her break from training and invited her to the common room to chat. As she tried to hold a conversation with her, however, she found herself becoming tongue-tied. During her talks with Yuuto, Linnea had gotten to know Felicia as Yuuto’s adjutant and bodyguard, but she hadn’t had much interaction with Sigrún at all and found it difficult to speak in her presence. Asking point-blank what Sigrún thought of her patriarch might be allowed if it was a friend or family member, but from Linnea, it might be construed as trying to gather information on the clan as a whole. She didn’t want to be thought of as suspicious, so she had first tried to make small talk and create an amicable atmosphere. However, as it turned out, she didn’t have a leg to stand on.

“Is that all you wanted to tell me? If so, I will take my leave and continue training.”

“A-Ah, w-wait!” Seeing Sigrún stand up with a polite bow, Linnea realized she was going to miss her chance.

“Is there something else?”

When Sigrún turned around to face her with a stern voice, Linnea reflexively flinched. She knew that Sigrún wasn’t being brusque or disagreeable—in fact, considering how she normally was, Linnea was being treated politely as a fellow neighboring patriarch.

Sweat started to drip down Linnea’s face. It seemed that no matter how she tried, she simply had a hard time interacting with Sigrún. The image of the silver wolf wiping out her soldiers and capturing her half a year earlier still remained fresh in her mind. Back when Linnea had been taken prisoner and made to stand before Yuuto as his enemy, Sigrún had also broken the desk in the room with her bare hand and intimidated her. She knew in her heart Sigrún wasn’t an enemy anymore, but she still carried that instinctive fear within her, so much so that the woman’s mere gaze nearly made her cower.

“Aunt Linnea?” Sigrún, seeming to sense something was up, frowned slightly.

“I’ve got to fix this,” Linnea roused herself. Strongest Silver Wolf or not, she was Linnea’s niece now. Getting scared of someone with lower status than her would surely affect her credibility as a patriarch. Yes, that was right—she was supposed to be the superior here, so what in the world was she holding back for? She should just cut to the chase.

“I-I want to ask you...about Big Brother!” Steeling herself, Linnea managed to get her request through. She slightly stumbled on her words at the start, but she could just gloss that off as part of her charm.

“A-About Father?! D-Did something happen?!” In contrast, Sigrún seemed to take Linnea’s suspicious behavior as an indication that Yuuto had done something to her. Right now, her usual calm, composed demeanor was nowhere to be seen.

“U-Uh, no, nothing happened, but I was just wondering if you might tell me what you respect about Big Brother.”

“Everything.” She gave the exact same answer as Felicia. Their personalities and preferences were worlds apart, yet they were in total agreement on their assessment of Yuuto. Finding that rather amusing, Linnea smiled despite herself. When she did, she felt the tension in the air loosen for some reason.

“Do you mind being a bit more specific? Tell me some of his good points.”

The moment Linnea said that, Sigrún dashed over to Linnea and grabbed her hands in glee. “Oh! So you want to know more about how wonderful Father is!” Her eyes seemed to twinkle as she stared right at Linnea. It was like she was a completely different person now.

“H-Huh?!” Linnea was taken aback. Even though she’d showered praise onto Sigrún, she hadn’t changed her demeanor one bit, and yet where Yuuto was concerned, her personality had done a complete about-face.

“First off would have to be his strength!”

“That’s true. He is called a war god on the battlefield, after all.”

“There’s that too, of course, but that’s not all. How should I put it...? Father’s strength is, like, really big.”

“His strength is...really big...?” She found herself repeating Sigrún’s words, not at all able to understand what they were supposed to mean.

“Ah, that doesn’t make sense, does it? Sorry, I’m not very good with words, so let me get my thoughts together.” Holding up a hand indicating for Linnea to wait, Sigrún thought for a bit, nodding to herself. It seemed that her speech skills weren’t as polished as her talent with a sword, perhaps due to always having only martial arts on her mind. The fact that she still wanted to talk despite that communicated to Linnea just how highly Sigrún thought of Yuuto.

“Okay, I got it. My strength is essentially just the strength of one person, right?”

“Yes...”

“If I’m surrounded by fifty or even a hundred enemies, I’ll be cut down in no time. I’m limited in what I can protect with my strength alone.”

“I see.”

“But Father’s different! He has the strength to protect and carry the burden of the entirety of the Wolf Clan on his shoulders! The entire Claw and Horn clans too!” Making up for her poor speech with hand and body gestures, Sigrún desperately tried to communicate Yuuto’s greatness to Linnea. It would have been rude to a warrior like her, so Linnea refrained from saying it out loud, but she honestly thought it was adorable. She was beginning to understand the reason why Yuuto and Felicia would sometimes say Sigrún resembled a dog.

Ingrid’s Answer

“I found you, Miss Ingrid!”

“Huh? L-Lady Linnea? What are you doing here?” The red-haired girl whipped her head around when she heard her name being called out, only to blink in surprise when she saw who had mentioned her.

The two were on the outer perimeter of the wall fortifying the Iárnviðr settlement. Pebbles and large rocks were strewn across the ground, and weeds grew everywhere here—it was an unkempt wasteland. A line of nearby tents dotted the landscape, and shirtless muscled men were carrying off large rocks and stray sticks with a “Heave-ho!” while the women picked up the pebbles and plucked the weeds, depositing them in their baskets as they chatted noisily.

“I was looking all over for you, Miss Ingrid. What are you up to?” Linnea asked, though she quickly observed that Ingrid seemed preoccupied. “Oh, if you’re too busy to talk, I can come at a later time.”

“Ah, well, as you can see, because the population keeps increasin’, we’re starting to outgrow Iárnviðr’s walls. So we’re gonna be addin’ a new district in this area, and I’m here to check it out,” Ingrid explained.

“So you’re adding ‘city planner’ to your long list of specialties too, I suppose?” Linnea said jokingly.

“Ha ha! Don’t be silly, the planning’s Yuuto’s...I mean, Father’s job, not mine.” Ingrid let out a cheerful laugh at Linnea’s lighthearted remark, but then her grin went stiff. Suddenly, she slapped herself across the face and bowed her head in shame.

“Damn it, I did it again, and in front of a patriarch, no less... I won’t be able to talk my way out of this one,” she began to mutter almost inaudibly. She seemed to be blaming herself for her mistake of referring to her own patriarch by his name instead of his formal title. If Yngvi from the Hoof Clan had still been around and had heard that, Ingrid’s head probably would’ve been on a pike right about now.

Linnea, on the other hand, felt a strange sense of camaraderie toward Ingrid’s treatment of Yuuto. It reminded her of how casually Haugspori treated her. While she, Felicia, and Sigrún had all agreed that everything about Yuuto was worthy of respect, sometimes she couldn’t deny that he seemed too perfect, like there was a distance between them she couldn’t cross.

“You seem to be rather amicable with Big Brother, Miss Ingrid,” Linnea said. She chose her words carefully. She was about to say ‘close,’ but she stopped herself, feeling that it was too strong a word. But just why did Ingrid act so casually with Yuuto? If she could figure that out, she might be able to apply it to her own situation.

“Mm, well, that’s because I’ve known Yu...Father from back when people were still calling him ‘Sköll, Devourer of Blessings,’” Ingrid replied.

“Oh, that’s interesting. If you wouldn’t mind, can you tell me a little bit about what Big Brother was like during that time?” She’d heard bits and pieces of the story while at Gimlé. Yuuto had told her that he’d merely used his knowledge to ascend the ranks, but she’d figured there was more to it than that. After all, he tended to downplay his own achievements, and smarts alone weren’t enough to be a leader. There had to be some other factor at play. Hearing the story from someone other than Yuuto might give Linnea the answer she sought.

“Yeeeah, I’d rather not... I’m sorry...” She spoke normally at first, but her voice quickly became quieter as she continued. “After all, I’m pretty sure I only hurled insults at him... Stuff like ‘weakling’ and ‘dumbass’...”

By the time she’d finished, Ingrid was merely muttering to herself, scratching her head as if remembering something unpleasant. However, Linnea couldn’t back down here.

“That’s precisely what I want to hear! I want to learn the whole story of how Big Brother went from being derided as useless to becoming the clan patriarch! That way I might learn how to be a better patriarch for my own clan!”

“Eh?! B-But I can’t just...” When Linnea closed in on Ingrid, wearing a serious expression, Ingrid faltered, taking a step backward, then another. When she did, Linnea closed the distance between them with the same amount of steps forward. Sensing she wouldn’t be able to escape, Ingrid sighed in resignation.

“Mm, okay... You wanted to know about his good points? Let’s see here... Good points, good points... Aha! He’s got guts, for one!” Ingrid declared confidently, raising a finger. Usually having to search for good points about someone meant they didn’t think of the person in question very highly, but Ingrid didn’t seem to realize that. Linnea, too, pretended not to notice, and she urged Ingrid on with her eyes.

“Y’see, back then, he could hardly speak our language, he had soft, weak hands that would blister with so much as a swing of an axe, and well, yeah, he had a rough time of it both physically and mentally,” she explained.

“...I’m sure,” Linnea replied.

To say he’d had it rough was surely an understatement. Linnea had learned to speak this world’s language at a young age, so she couldn’t even begin to imagine how detrimental it’d be to not be able to communicate, especially as an adult (or what Yggdrasil considered to be one, anyway). It had to have been lonely and frustrating to not understand others or be understood. She had to wonder what she’d have done if she’d been put in that situation. Would she just wither and rot away?

“But despite all that, he always put his best foot forward and never gave up. That’s not something just anyone can do, y’know. Also, let’s see... He’s pretty damn reliable when he needs to be.” Apparently, the dam had burst because Ingrid was now rattling off one compliment after another. It was clear to Linnea that Ingrid’s admiration and respect for Yuuto was the real deal, even if it was a little rough around the edges. Courtesy was ultimately surface-level—what really mattered were the feelings within.

“He never breaks, he never bends, and he just gets sharper every time. Really, he’s just like a nihontou...” she continued. “W-Wait, don’t tell him I said that! Keep it a secret between us, okay?!” She yelled out, having realized she’d said something that would be rather embarrassing for Yuuto to find out.

The Twins’ Answers

After talking to Ingrid, Linnea was on her way back to the settlement when she spotted the Claw Clan twins in front of the gates. Just like her, Kristina and Albertina were princesses—clan royalty who had come to be under the umbrella of the Wolf Clan. She’d always been interested in how the two of them felt about Yuuto.

“Miss Albertina! Miss Kristina!” Seeing a perfect opportunity, Linnea increased the speed of her pace and called out to them.

She caught a sudden whiff of pomade. Upon closer observation, their cheeks were tinged with blush, their hairstyles were different than usual, and curiously enough, she could sense moisture in the air even though it hadn’t rained recently.

“Why, Aunt Linnea, what a pleasure.”

“Whoooa, it’s Linnea! ’Sup?”

The twins had the same face and the same voice, but their greetings were as different as night and day. Kristina’s was polite and mannerly, but it put Linnea on guard for some reason. She felt like a snake had coiled around her and had started hissing at her throat. Kristina’s father Botvid was often compared to a viper, so perhaps the girl came by it naturally.

Meanwhile, her older sister Albertina’s contained no trace of courtesy or respect. In fact, under normal circumstances, Linnea would have been upset. But for some reason, she wasn’t. When she looked at that innocent, carefree smile of Albertina’s, such things felt trivial. It was like the girl had some sort of personal magnetism about her.

“Hm?” There was a girl on standby behind the two of them, seemingly a maid of some sort. She bowed to Linnea without a word, likely afraid of intruding on the conversation. The twins were the biological daughters of the Claw Clan patriarch, as well as two of the current Wolf Clan patriarch Yuuto’s immediate daughters by Chalice, so it wouldn’t have been unusual for them to be accompanied by one or two servants. Normally, it wouldn’t have even registered in Linnea’s consciousness, except she recognized the maid’s face from somewhere.

“Oh! You’re the girl that accompanied us during the hot springs trip!” Linnea said in realization. “I thought perhaps you served Big Brother, but it’s these two instead, I take it?” she asked.

“No, she’s Father’s. I suppose you could say that us twins and Ephy are like...old schoolmates, so to speak,” Kristina said with a shrug. She then began to explain the circumstances behind the vaxt, including how Yuuto had come up with the idea of making the school free of charge, how Ephelia, a slave, had enrolled in the school first as a trial run, how Kristina had been appointed as an observer, and how Albertina, well...had ended up having to redo her studies from scratch.

“A vaxt with free tuition? A bold move indeed, but genius.” At one point, Yuuto had explained to Linnea how he valued his subjects with a phrase from his country: “The people are my castles, my stone barriers, and my moats. We show compassion for our allies and vengeance for our enemies.” In this regard, Yuuto’s foresight never ceased to impress. While it would probably seem like an unnecessary expenditure for the first five years, educating and strengthening the populace would be a great boon to the clan ten to twenty years down the line. By that time, the vaxt would’ve mass-produced educated personnel fully capable of carrying the Wolf Clan into the future.

“I thought I was being clever by thinking maybe two or three years ahead, but there’s always someone above you, it seems.” After letting out a long sigh of admiration, Linnea shook her head. It may have only been possible due to the revenue from cutting-edge, unheard-of technology like glass, gravel-free bread, and paper, but rather than squandering those profits, Yuuto had wisely used them to invest in the future.

It was so obvious it went without saying, but power could be a poison with terrifying consequences if left unchecked. The fact that Yuuto had the tenacity and mental fortitude to restrain himself and act for the good of the clan rather than his own interests impressed Linnea to no end.

“So, did you want something?” Kristina asked, dragging Linnea back up from the depths of her own thoughts.

“A-Ah, yes, I did, as a matter of fact.” Realizing she’d accidentally become engrossed in the business particulars of Yuuto’s venture, she remembered the main topic lay elsewhere. Explaining to them everything that had happened so far, she asked each of them what they respected about Yuuto.

“The fact that he created yummy bread without gravel in it!” Albertina’s hand shot up in the air as she answered. For someone who loved to eat as much as she did, it was a predictable answer.

“Well, it’s certainly true that his inventiveness and resourcefulness are part of his charm.” Kristina’s answer was more...useful...to Linnea—not wholly unexpected, given what the other sister had just had to say.

“Also how he gives me snacks all the time!” Another food-related response from Albertina.

As much as Linnea appreciated Albertina’s answers, she was hoping for something a bit more...substantial.

“And how he can give us milk to drink even in the winter!” Apparently deciding to change things up, Albertina shifted the topic to drinks.

“Yes, that’s due to the Norfolk system he employs,” Kristina explained.

Yuuto had implemented an agricultural system where every year they would rotate out the crops they grew in the following order: barley, clover, wheat, then turnips. Before he’d come along, they’d had to slaughter the excess livestock before the winter came and dried up the grass that served as animal feed. In most cases, the slaughtered animals became preserved rations like dried meat and sausage that, along with the harvested grains, were meant to last the humans through the winter. With the Norfolk system, however, there was enough clover to also keep the livestock fed through winter, meaning the Wolf Clan and the Horn Clan’s amount of surviving livestock greatly surpassed that of any other clan. This was especially important because it meant that right at the start of spring, they had the valuable resource of cows, who were stronger than humans and able to bear the brunt of the physical labor of farming.

“Ha ha, it’s just like you to only think about food, Albertina,” Linnea said with a laugh.

“Aw c’mon, I don’t only think about food! But, you know, when you eat a lot of different good food, it makes you happy! That’s why I love Father Yuuto!”

“Huh... I see. I apologize. Perhaps there’s more to your words than I’d initially thought.” She recalled the wise Claw Clan patriarch Botvid teaching her something similar: “The people must not starve. As long as their bellies are full, they can put up with a bit of discontent.” While it may have seemed like Albertina had answered without thinking too deeply about it, she had in fact responded in a way that cut right to the heart of the matter. Linnea was impressed—nothing less from a daughter of the infamously sly Botvid. It seemed that not only had she been gravely mistaken, but she’d also underestimated Albertina greatly.

“What about you, Miss Kristina?” Next, she asked the younger sister, who was eyeing Linnea with an uncomfortably warm gaze. She got the feeling she was being belittled, but she ignored it. She did, however, brace herself. Her instincts were telling her that she couldn’t let her guard down for a second around this girl.

“What, me? Let’s see... I like how soft and naïve he can be at times.” With a snicker, she declined to answer seriously. But that was pretty much what Linnea had expected. People like her wouldn’t reveal their true feelings so easily. “That makes teasing him all the more fun.”

“You’d say that about a parent who gave you his Chalice?” Linnea grimaced. She was gripping her fist tightly, trying to hold back. She remembered someone else who’d been cheeky enough to tease the patriarch they’d sworn allegiance to. In fact, their attitude had been the catalyst for Linnea to start asking this question to everyone in the first place. Perhaps if she listened earnestly to what Kristina had to say, she’d learn something. But she couldn’t let her intentions show. Linnea had been groomed to be a ruler from a very young age. Concealing her emotions diplomatically would be a piece of ca—

“After all, in my eyes, Father still has a lot to learn,” Kristina said bluntly.

Linnea felt something inside her snap.

Naturally, she knew that this girl was one of Yuuto’s favorites. Even during this stay at Iárnviðr, she’d seen the two of them conversing with each other on multiple occasions. She also definitely had the skill necessary for Yuuto to value her highly. Linnea had read her detailed reports on the battles of the Lightning Clan and the Hoof Clan. But that didn’t mean Linnea had to be fond of her.

“Forgive me, but blowing your nose on Big Brother’s goodwill and generosity doesn’t seem very appropriate for one of your position. Might you be the one who still has a lot to learn?” Linnea replied, her annoyance clear in her tone.

“Indeed, I still have much to learn. That way I can tease him more effectively.” Kristina opted to ignore Linnea’s reaction and instead double down.

Linnea bristled with anger. Her expression became icy. A vein began to throb in her temple. She knew Kristina was making fun of her, which meant that reacting like this was probably exactly what Kristina wanted. She understood that, but Linnea had a limit on what she could tolerate.

“Hmph, well, just take care not to fall out of Big Brother’s good graces acting like that. Though, he already has someone he’s in love with, doesn’t he?” The moment those words left her mouth, she regretted it. She’d intended to get back at Kristina, but those words were like a double-edged sword that pierced her own heart as well.

Kristina’s comeback was swift and cruel. “Tee hee, it seems so. Better work hard if you want to catch up.”

“Rrrrgh!” Even the last-ditch attack she’d gouged her own heart out to deliver was repelled coolly. Linnea bit her lip in frustration. Even though she was supposed to be older, it felt like she was dancing in the palm of Kristina’s hand no matter what she did!

“Do you mean to say you’re just using Big Brother for all he’s worth and have no respect for him whatsoever?!” She knew it wasn’t good to wear her emotions on her sleeve like this, but she couldn’t help but ask.

In response, Kristina just gave a leisurely grin. “Well, I won’t deny I’m using him, but I do respect him.”

“Hmph. It certainly doesn’t seem like it.” Linnea crossed her arms and averted her gaze. Because of that, she didn’t see the tender smile on Kristina’s face—a smile she almost never showed to anyone other than her older sister.

“I truly respect him for being able to look directly into the abyss of self-interest, greed, and evil that comes with being a patriarch and remain so naively optimistic,” Kristina replied.

“That doesn’t sound like praise at all.” Though Kristina’s answer was entirely genuine, Linnea remained unconvinced.

“Oh? I thought I was giving the highest praise possible. It’s been quite a sight to see how tenaciously he sticks to that frame of mind.” Kristina chuckled maliciously. Her persistently aloof demeanor ensured that she was impossible to read.

It wasn’t like Linnea hadn’t studied the art of negotiation. She was a patriarch, after all. However, honesty and integrity were what she mainly brought to the table. In contrast, her opponent was a natural-born vixen. For as long as she was unable to see through Kristina’s schemes, she’d never stand a chance against her. And unfortunately for Linnea, good-natured people like her were who Kristina loved to tease the most. Put simply, the two couldn’t be more incompatible.

“Jeez, I feel like I got bewitched by a fox at the end there.” Upon returning to the palace guest room she was using during her stay in Iárnviðr, Linnea shrugged emphatically. She felt newfound respect for Yuuto for having to put up with that witch on a daily basis. That was something she was sure she’d never be capable of.

But in the end, she’d heard from many of Yuuto’s acquaintances, and it’d been rather enlightening. Thanks to that, her conviction to become an even greater patriarch than she currently was grew all the stronger. Just as she’d renewed her resolve—

“Oh? You’re back awfully late. You were with Uncle, I presume?” Right out of the gate, Haugspori began teasing Linnea with a snicker. But it didn’t upset her in the least. On the contrary, she found it somewhat endearing how tame it was. Perhaps that was because she’d come face-to-face with the real demon just a bit ago.

What’s more, as a patriarch, it was necessary to have the generosity to laugh something like this off. Compared to all the trials and tribulations Yuuto had weathered and overcome, this was nothing. Continuing to concern herself with something so small would ensure she’d never accomplish anything big.

With her spirits lifted, she laughed in response. “I’m getting hungry. How about we get some dinner? I’ll tell you everything afterward.”