Chapter 2 – Bet

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In the evening Layla was sitting at the desk in the guardroom sighing deeply. Three days had passed since Chrono left the Erakis March. If nothing went wrong, he should have arrived in the Bawdies Barony by now, but she couldn’t help worrying.

As she sighed deeply once again, she felt a wind hitting her from behind. Someone had opened the door.

“Ahh, so cold, kinda so cold. Such days make you crave for something warm.”

“Once we finish the report, we can kinda go to drink aroma tee at the former inn of Landlady.”

Arided and Deneb had been the ones to open the door. Looking at them, Layla sighed for a third time.

“We’re being sighed at by Layla. Hey, what’s kinda going on with that attitude?”

“If you want, we can listen to your worries for a bit.”

One sat down opposite of Layla, the other on the side. Chrono apparently could tell which was Arided and which was Deneb, but Layla couldn’t tell them apart until this day.

“Arided, Deneb, could you please give me your report before any of that? Besides, what about your subordinates?”

“No abnormalities, kinda!”

“It’s just a report, so we kinda let our subordinates go back ahead of us!”

Arided and Deneb said while straightening up their backs and then bending themselves forward.

“So, why do you kinda feel like sighing?”

“Is it listlessness because you cannot Lord Chrono’s affection?”

“…I received plenty of it on the night before his departure,” Layla answered after a short silence.

“Hoh, so why do you kinda sigh like that then?”

“We understand that you’re worried about Lord Chrono’s safety, but we kinda asked you deliberately.”

“Yes, I have been worried about his safety. Hah,” Layla sighed for the fourth time.

“No matter how you look at it, Lord Chrono’s vitality is going strong, so he’s kinda alright,” Arided commented

“…I understand that feeling painfully well. Hah,” the other twin sighed as well.

“Arided chop!”

“Auuhh!”

Arided unleashed a chop while Deneb screamed out in pain. Layla thought back on her exchanges with the twins thus far. Up until now Arided seemed to always lead the conversation with Deneb following up on her.

“Why did you kinda chop me?”

“I’ll kinda be troubled if even you become listless, Deneb! I wish you could experience how it feels to be the only one to try lift the mood in this place! It’s kinda way too much of a burden!”

Arided exclaimed, repeatedly slamming her hand on the table. Layla didn’t understand where Arided’s sense of having the duty to liven up the atmosphere was coming from, but it seemed she was trying to be considerate in her own style.

“So, how has your nightly activities with him kinda going?”

“I think I managed to satisfy his needs.”

“How enviable, kinda,” Deneb grumbled.

“Did you not manage to satisfy him then?” Layla asked.

“I’m confident about us having satisfied him,” Arided responded proudly.

“I kinda have a little bit of confidence in that as well,” Deneb dais with her cheek blushing slightly in embarrassment.

“So why would you be envious?”

“Umm, it’s related to the number of times and so on,” Deneb answered while sounding somewhat unhappy.

“…I see,” confirmed Layla after a short while.

As expected, if the number of people increases, this sort of discontent seems to come into play. In that case――

“It might be necessary to adjust the schedule.”

“I agree with Layla. Lord Chrono has been kinda reeling ever since he did it with the princess.”

“It’s painful to watch when Lord Chrono acts like he’s not interested.”

“Yep, yep,” Arided and Deneb agreed.

“Question would be: who is going to kinda coordinate it? Do you think you can do it, Layla?”

“Me!?”

Asked by Arided, Layla lightly widened her eyes. She knew that someone had to take on the task on managing the schedule, but she wondered whether she was suited for such an important duty. She imagined her negotiating with Princess Tilia. And for some reason, she couldn’t see her winning against that bullish princess at all.

“…Impossible.”

“I also don’t have any confidence in kinda being able to coordinate the schedule.”

“It’s impossible for me as well.”

Arided and Deneb added while sighing.

“As expected, it’d be kinda best to ask Landlady to handle this.”

“You’re right.”

“That might kinda be a good idea.”

When Arided said so with a serious expression, Layla and Deneb nodded.

“Okay, I’ll kinda go and simply ask he.”

“Please do.”

“Big sis, you’re so reliable.”

“I’m always kinda reliable,” Arided threw out her chest while saying so.

※

Chrono woke up from a light shock. Guessing that the wagon had run over a stone or something, he closed his eyes again, trying to get some more sleep, and remembered how they had been called to stop by cavalry on their way. He hadn’t expected that they would be demanded to pay once again after having paid a toll at the fief’s border.

They had paid the money since they didn’t want to start any trouble, but Chrono could immediately that this was the cavalry earning some extra cash on the side. Recalling how they all had worn awfully expensive equipment, Chrono started to get irritated again.

No, it’s over now, so there’s no point in me getting pissed.

Just when he managed to suppress his anger by persuading himself like that――

“Captain, we’ve arrived.”

“…Oh, so we’re already there, huh?”

Called out by Mino, Chrono opened his eyes once again. The wagon seemed to have stopped. He stood up and stretched his back. Probably because he had remained in the same position for an extended period of time, his body hurt all over.

“I’ll get off first.”

Mino jumped out of the wagon with Chrono following a moment later. Once Chrono surveyed the vicinity, he realized they were in the middle of a forest. A streamlet was flowing in front of the wagon, as if to block the way, and beyond lay a settlement. When he looked even further beyond the village, he could see a mountain. It wasn’t all that high. The white mountain surface――he guessed the mountain to be a a huge chunk of marble――was barren with its inclination being scarily steep.

“Haaah, we have finally arrived.”

Chrono heard from behind. Once he turned around, Fay was approaching, on foot. Wondering where her horse was, Chrono looked behind her. Thereupon――

“Alriiiight! Today we’re going to camp here. Tie the horses to a tree and get everything ready.”

“””Ayes!”””

Alba, Glove, and Geiner vigorously answered Sub’s instruction. The four spread out and started to prepare the camp.

“Is this you birthplace Sir Mino?”

“Yeah, this here is my home village. It hasn’t changed the slightest ever since I ran from home,” Mino muttered as he walked away.

His voice sounded as if it contained nostalgia, and at the same time, suppressed hatred. Chrono wanted to ask him for the reason why he ran away from home, but he resisted. He believed Mino would tell him on his own accord whenever it became necessary.

Clattering could be heard.

Chrono reflexively looked in the direction of the noise. There he spotted a female minotaur staring their way. A bucket was rolling at her feet. He suspected this to be the source for the earlier noise. The female minotaur’s body was trembling. And then――

“Aria!”

“Brother!”

As soon as Mino shouted her name, the female minotaur yelled back at him, too. It looked like she was his little sister. Both started to run towards each other at the same time, before eventually embracing each other.

“Brother! Why did you leave our home!?”

“Sorry. I…I――” Mino squeezed out.

Apparently he didn’t run away from home because he had a bad relationship with his family. That’s great. Shit, now I feel like crying.

At that moment, he heard snuffling. Looking next to him, Chrono found Fay with a runny nose and tears in her eyes. And it wasn’t just her either. The other four guards had arrived at some point and were now also crying with runny noses. A quintet of snuffling.

“It is such an emotional reunion,” Fay commented while wiping her tears away.

“No kidding, Big Sis. It made me recall my family as well,” Sub said with a trembling voice.

The other three also agreed with them and even Chrono was drawn into becoming teary-eyed for some reason. No, he knew the reason. It was owed to him hearing the quintet of snuffling. He felt like telling them to give him back his emotional mood.

“Lord Chrono, what do you think?”

“…”

“D-D-Don’t tell me, you don’t feel anything after seeing such an emotional scene!?”

“”””――gh!””””

Fay looked as if she couldn’t believe it since Chrono remained silent. Sub, Alba, Glove, and Geiner gasped, revealing the same expression as Fay.

“I am…emotionally moved.”

“Real――”

“Mother! Brother..! Mino has come back!”

Fay’s words were interrupted by Aria. Silence swooped down and then, after a while, the door of a house opened. The one stepping out was an elderly minotaur woman.

“M-Mino!”

“M-Mom! Moooom!”

Separating from Aria, Mino ran towards his mother and tightly hugged her, his body trembling. Chrono guessed that he was likely crying right now.

“It is such an emotional reunion,” said Fay, overcome with emotions.

“That’s true indeed,” Chrono agreed.

He could hear snuffling all around him.

I want to feel moved. I really want to, but all the nasal noises make it impossible.

One door after the other flew open in the village, followed by minotaurs streaming out.

“She said Mino!”

“Oh, it’s true! Mino is back!”

“Everyone, Mino is back! Mino has come back to us!”

The minotaurs shouted all over the place, blended by more doors opening. Moreover, a group appeared from deeper into the village. The minotaur walking at the head of that group stopped. He was one-eyed and no matter how you looked at him, he didn’t seem to be a very respectable person. Chrono wondered whether that might be Mino’s father.

“Dad! Daaaaaaad!”

“Mino! Are you really Mino!?”

Mino and the one-eyed minotaur sprinted towards each other. The distance between them shrunk and just when there were several steps left for another emotional embrace, Mono’s father took a big step forward.

Mino couldn’t stop. His father’s stout arm hummed, followed by his fist squarely hitting the side of Mino’s face. Chrono wondered just how much power that punch packed.

Mino was blowing away, tumbling across the ground several times before eventually stopping. Probably planning to punch him once more, Mino’s father raised his fist once more. But――

“Hatsu! Stop!”

“He’s right, Ha-san! Isn’t this a beautiful reunion between parent and child!?”

The surrounding minotaurs got between the two. Mino’s father was apparently called Hatsu. Mino slowly sat up.

“What the hell are ye doin’, you damn old man!?”

“That’s my line, you idiot of a son!”

“Tsk, I come back and immediately have t’deal with this shit!” Mino turned his face away, restlessly surveying the area.

“…What ’bout my brother?”

“They’re dead.”

“――――gh!”

Mino had his breath taken away by Hatsu’s remark.

“W-When did they die? Were they ill?”

“It was an accident. They were buried under a rock slide a little while after you left. So, where have you been loitering around up until now anyway?”

“…I’ve become a soldier,” Mino muttered, his head hanging.

“Hah, as if a blockhead who ran away from his family’s business would be of any use in the army!”

“You’re wrong! I really became a soldier! I’m working at the Erakis March!”

“Then show me some proof!”

Chrono crossed the streamlet and walked up to Mino.

“Who the hell are you?”

“――gh!”

Hatsu glared at Chrono, causing Mino to turn around while taken aback.

“I’m Mino’s superior. My name is Chrono Chroford. I’m serving as lord of the Erakis March and Cad Earldom, which are located north of this barony.”

“What was that?”

Hatsu’s eyes took on a sharp glint. They were quite scary, but Chrono couldn’t afford to run away.

“Mino has been magnificently supporting me as adjutant.”

“Brother!”

“That’s obviously a lie. I’ve never heard about a demi-human becoming an adjutant.”

“But he’s wearing a military uniform, isn’t he?”

“Idiot, anyone can sew a uniform, you know?”

“That’s true. But, what is there to be gained by making a uniform to trick us?”

Aria yelled full of emotions, resulting in the other minotaurs stirring.

“Fay, bring the gift stored away on the wagon!”

“Sub, Alba, Glove, Geiner, please take care of it!”

“”””Ayes!””””

Once Chrono addressed her, Fay immediately outsourced the work to the other four. Sub’s group headed to the wagon and soon after came back while carrying wooden boxes.

“Lord Chrono, is it alright to put down the gifts over here?”

“Yep, please do.”

“”””Ayes!””””

Sub and the other men gently put down the boxes and opened the lids. Naturally, the boxes were filled with the drapery which Chrono bought at Picks.

The minotaurs cheered, causing Chrono to feel relieved. He had been slightly worried about the possibility of them not liking the gifts.

“This is a small present from me. Please accept it.”

The instant the minotaurs were about to head towards the boxes――

“WAIT!” Hatsu yelled.

The minotaurs all stopped moving.

“…Tell me, is my son really working as a soldier?”

“I’ve been tellin’ ye just that, no?”

“I didn’t ask you!” Hatsu barked back at Mino’s fed-up comment.

“So, how about it? My son is a demi-human…”

“Mino is an outstanding soldier. If not for him, I probably wouldn’t be able to stand in front of you like this. It would be a big help if you could see these presents as an expression of my gratitude and accept them.”

“I understand. We shall gratefully accept them,” Hatsu said while scratching his head and then he turned around, yelling, “You lot! Those are presents from Lord Chrono! We’re going to decide how to split them up so that it doesn’t turn into a brawl, so we’ll carry them to the meeting place for the time being!”

Hatsu walked up to the boxes and lightly lifted up one of them.

“Tetsu, Nos, Hachi, help me.”

“””Aye!”””

Three minotaurs stepped forward and picked up boxes as easily as Hatsu did. Once Hatsu started to walk away with the three in his wake, everyone except for Aria and Mino’s mother followed them.

“Fuck, he didn’t even try to meet my eyes.”

“Brother, can you stand?”

“I ain’t that much of a pushover,” Mino wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and stood up.

He wasn’t staggering or anything.

“….Dad has become old, too,” Mino mumbled.

“True. In reality, we’d like him to take it easy, but…,” Aria started off sorrowfully.

“Umm,” Mino’s mother approached.

“Is something the matter?”

“I am Mino’s mother. My name is Take. Earlier my husband has been very rude…”

“It’s our first meeting, so it can’t be helped,” Chrono said with a wry smile.

If he were to be honest, he’d have preferred Hatsu to have caused less of a fuss. But, some things were better left unsaid in this world.

“I sincerely beg for your forgiveness. Also, earlier…you said that my son…Mino has been of use to you? This child has been unable to concentrate since childhood――”

“Mom!” Mino cried out, causing Chrono to smile wryly once again.

He could fully understand Mino’s feelings. Dragging up things that took place in one’s childhood was always embarrassing.

“Mrs. Take, your son is a truly reliable adjutant. If not for him, I’d have probably died during my first battle. I can only stand here before you like this because of him. Please be proud of him.”

“O-Oohhh――!”

Take covered her face with both hands and started to sob loudly.

“Mom, please stop. It’s embarrassing.”

“What’s embarrassing about it!? My son, who ran away from home ten years ago, has come back after growing into a fine man! What parent wouldn’t be happy over such a fact!?” Take said while in tears.

Mino turned his face away. He had been angry when getting punched, but he likely didn’t know how to deal with tears. Chrono lightly clapped Mino’s back.

“I’m sure you must have a lot of things you want to talk about, so spend the rest of the day with your family, okay?”

“That’s fine?”

“It doesn’t really look like we’ll be able to talk business in this atmosphere anyway.”

Straining one’s ears, you could hear loud mooing in the distance.”

“What ’bout Captain and the others――”

“We’ll camp out.”

“Please forgive me. I shall take you up on your kind offer then.”

“Sure, one must cherish their family.”

Chrono clapped his back once more. Right afterwards, Mino went to his parents’ home together with Take and Aria. After the door closed behind them, Chrono breathed out in relief.

“Sub, Alba, Glove, Geiner, please take care of the rest!”

“”””Ayes!””””

Upon Fay’s instruction, the four men headed to the wagon to resume the camp preparations. Fay remained standing next to Chrono.

“Sir Mino came back home in triumph, didn’t he?”

“Quite so,” Chrono answered with a sigh.

“Is there something still bothering you?” Fay asked, peeking at him with a puzzled expression.

“I wanted to let him come back in triumph without any ulterior motives, if possible. Also, if it makes him so happy, I feel pangs of guilt haunting me…”

“Lord Chrono, you are an honest man on top of being sensitive. Which reminds me,” Fay started as if having remembered something, “…what do you plan to have Sir Mino’s clan do?”

“The construction of our port. Didn’t I tell you?”

“I mean after that.”

“I was thinking of asking them if they could transport stuff or maintain the roads connecting the Erakis March with the Cad Earldom after the port is finished. Also, having them manage the saltpans would be an option too.”

I don’t know whether I’ll get merchants to use the port or whether it’ll be possible to build proper saltpans, though, Chrono added in his mind.

“Is something the matter with that?”

“It might be somewhat late at this point, but I feel like it’s a terrible deal. I mean, I’m trying to persuade them to abandon their current lifestyle, even though I cannot give them any guarantees. It’d be only natural for them to turn it down.”

“Lord Chrono, you are overthinking things too much.”

“No, wait, wouldn’t it be bad for the one in charge to not think about stuff?”

“Then let me rephrase it: Lord Chrono, you are overthinking things too much by yourself.”

“You think so?”

“I do,” Fay nodded and looked back over her shoulder.

Drawn in by that, Chrono also looked back, just to find Sub and the others proceeding with the camp preparations. They were setting up the tents and building a fireplace with stones. It all looked very professional.

“I am unable to prepare a camp efficiently.”

“Well, it’s not really being taught at the military academy.”

“That is why I decided that it would be the most efficient to leave it to Sir Sub.”

“…I see,” Chrono agreed after some time.

He thought she had just outsourced the work on a whim, but it was the result of her having judged it to be better to leave the work to someone else.

I guess Fay has grown up in a way, too.

“Lord Chrono, you are weak.”

“Well, I cannot deny that.”

He wanted to, but it was a fact. He could somehow win against new elven and dwarven recruits, but if the difference in physiques was too big, he wouldn’t be able to even win against new beastman recruits.

“I am strong.”

“That’s true! But! Be more gentle! Say it gently!” Chrono raised his voice upon Fay’s declaration.

“But, it is not like I can handle everything just because I am strong. It is impossible for a human to handle everything by themselves. The same also applies to you, Lord Chrono. The explanation has become rather long winded, but what I wanted to basically say is…!”

“Yes?”

“I think Sir Mino made the decision while considering what might be precious to his family. So it would be fine for you to not overthink things by yourself, Lord Chrono.”

“I see. I guess you’ve got a point.”

“I do,” Fay nodded repeatedly.

She has the issue that the things she says are sometimes disconnected, but lately she’s become a lot more relaxed. It’s not like I can do everything by myself and I don’t have to ponder about everything all by myself either. I guess I’ve suffered from tunnel vision after becoming too eager.

“Big Sis. The camp’s preparation is done!”

“I will be right there!” Fay turned around and yelled in response to Sub.

“Now then, Lord Choron, it is time to get a good dose of sleep in preparation for what is to come!”

“What are you going to do, Fay?”

“I will be on night watch!” Fay answered proudly.

Somehow she looks happy. Maybe she likes being on night watch, but I don’t have an overly good feeling about this――

※

At night, a peaceful snoring could be heard from inside the covered wagon. It was Fay’s. Even though she had talked about being on night watch, she immediately fell asleep after eating dinner. It was very typical for her, but――

“…For her to use the thighs of her charge as a pillow…I wonder what I should think about that?” Chrono muttered while lowering his eyes.

Fay was using his thighs as a pillow for her sleep.

Suddenly, a thud could be heard. It was the sound of Fay’s head dropping off Chrono’s thigh.

“T-That hurt.”

Fay repeatedly tossed around while asleep, and only stopped after lying face down. Moreover, she moved towards Chrono, trying to return to her previous position. Putting her arms around his waist, she completed a crotch pillow.

“This in itself isn’t bad, but I think it’d invite misunderstandings.”

Her upper body was slanted, but because she was facing down, her boobs were hidden from sight. Once Chrono rose up with a feeling of bitter disappointment, Fay trembled with a start. Her hand went to the hilt of her sword.

“I felt a presence.”

“Big Sis, Lord Chrono, I’m going to open it.”

Immediately after Fay’s murmur, Sub called out to them.

Right now was a pretty bad time. But, the canopy was pulled aside without him having any time to stop it. Sub widened his eyes in surprise――

“It’s a misunderstanding.”

“Gotcha. Me too. I mean, I’m a guy as well. Hehe, I totally get it. Anyway, have fun.”

Chrono beat him to the punch with his comment, but Sub still misunderstood what he saw. He closed the canopy while looking as if he wanted to say that he saw something nice there.

“I told you, it’s a misunderstanding.”

“gh!”

Once Chrono stood up, he heard a hoarse grunt alongside a thud. Fay had banged her head against the floor. But, Chrono prioritized resolving the misunderstanding for now. He pulled the canopy open and jumped out.

“Lord Chrono, you could have taken it easy.”

“I told you, it’s a misunderstanding.”

“Hehe, let’s leave it at that,” Sub grinned broadly and scratched the underside of his nose with a finger. He was totally giving off the vibe of having seen something nice there. Chrono immediately understood that it’d be hopeless to try to persuade him.

“So, what business did you have with me?”

“Ah, the minotaur girly came to bring us some snacks. That’s why I was planning to get your permission.”

“Since she came all the way out here for us, let’s take her up on it. You still haven’t accepted it, right?”

“Of course not.”

With those words, Sub started to walk off. Chrono followed him in a hurry. Behind the wagon was a tent and a fireplace. Alba, Glove, and Geiner were surrounding the fire while blankly staring into it. Once they stepped out of the wagon’s shadow, a minotaur woman was holding a pot on the other side of the streamlet ―― Aria. Chrono walked up to her so as to not surprise her.

“Ms. Aria?”

“Oh? You can tell who I am?”

Aria widened her eyes in surprise. Sub did so too.

“I heard from Sub that you brought us some snacks?”

“Yes, I heard from my brother that you only brought preserved food with you. But…,” Aria cast her eyes down shyly. “It has been made out of crude ingredients, so I don’t think it will suit a noble’s taste.”

“No, it’s a big help,” Chrono accepted the pot from her with a gentle smile.

“Okay, I will go back home then…”

“It is nearby, but please be careful anyway.”

“Yes, thank you kindly.”

Aria curtly bobbed her head and turned around. After crossing the streamlet, she went back to her own house with a somewhat light step.

“It’s going to be a second dinner, but let’s eat, shall we?”

“Aye. I’ll carry the pot.”

Chrono passed the pot to Sub and they headed back to the fireplace.

※

On the next morning Chrono woke up as he had to take a piss. His body felt heavy. Once he looked down on himself, wondering whether he might have caught a cold, he found Fay clinging to him.

At first he wondered whether this would invite misunderstandings once more, but he reconsidered, believing that he probably should be a bit more tolerant.

Look at this cleavage, err, innocent expression. Such a…oh, no, getting angry after being shown such an innocent expression would be clear proof of me having an inflexible mindset. As her supervisor, my mind should be full of boo, no, composure. But, we can’t stay like this forever either. My bladder is reaching its limit. It’s truly regrettable, but I have to do it.

Chrono separated from Fay, opened the canopy, and stepped outside. Because it was morning, it was slightly chilly, but the weather was nice.

He took care of his business behind a tree and just as he was washing his hands at the streamlet, he heard a bang. Once he lifted his face, Mino was just being blown away by Hatsu’s punch.

“Dad! Please listen to me!”

“What’s there to listen to!? I thought you came back after a long time, only to hear that you’re trying to sell off your family…what’s the big idea!? Know some shame, you idiot!”

Hatsu’s angry yelling roared so loudly that it felt as though the atmosphere was trembling. Chrono felt like it was good they were doing this after he finished his business. If he’d heard that voice while holding it back, he felt like he’d have pissed his pants.

“That’s not it! I’m thinking about my family――”

“What you’re thinking about isn’t your family, but your own career in the army!” Hatsu loudly interrupted Mino.

The other minotaurs streamed out of their homes, wondering what was going on.

“Dad! Listen to me properly! Please!”

“Shut up, fool!”

Hatsu released his fist alongside those words. The punch landed on the side of Mino’s face, causing him to fall on his backside.

“You’re no son of mine anymore! Regard yourself as disinherited! Never show yourself in front of me again!”

“Dad!” Mino yelled, but Hatsu slammed the door shut without lending him an ear.

Mino stood up and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. As he stared at his family’s home, his shoulders trembled. After a while he turned his back on the building and started to walk. Seeing him trudge away with his shoulders slumped in was heartbreaking for Chrono.

“…Mino?”

“Captain!”

He straightened himself back up while raising his voice. Mino looked at Chrono while awkwardly scratching his head.

“Forgive me. I failed at persuadin’ him.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’d expected the persuasion to be a challenge from the start.”

“Sorry.”

Mino crossed the streamlet while groaning. Turning around, he squatted down on the spot. He scooped up water with both hands, rinsed his mouth with it, and spat it out. Chrono suspected that Mino had cut his mouth when he got punched. Some blood was mixed into the water he spat out. After repeating this several times over, he stopped moving. He narrowed his eyes, staring at the village.

“…What ye think after seein’ this village?”

“I think it’s a good place.”

Chrono gave a safe answer, triggering Mino’s shoulders to tremble slightly. Chrono assumed he was probably stifling a laugh.

“Just give me the truth.”

“……I’d say it’s a desolate village.”

Chrono voiced out his true opinion after worrying about it for a bit. This village seemed to be hidden in the forest. Probably because of that, it seemed to him like ruins that were waiting for the day when they’d rot away.

“I told ye before we came here, but my family is makin’ its livin’ by cuttin’ marble out of that mountain. They cut and carry the marble from morning till evenin’. The whole clan keeps repeatin’ this routine.”

“I think that’s very admirable.”

“Me too…ah, this ain’t no sarcasm or anythin’ like that, but I think I’d say the same if it was someone else’s affair. I mean this world wouldn’t work without people doin’ work that helps others. In that sense, masonry is an admirable duty. But, personally I didn’t consider it to be an admirable job. I couldn’t help to hate it with a tee, and so I ran away from home,” Mino explained in a way that sounded as though he was mocking himself.

If one mentioned that it was a job of quarrying and carrying marble from morning until evening, it’d be a proper description, but at the same time it was rough work that threatened one’s life. Yet they had to work like this for many generations. Work, work, and more work, before they eventually die naturally or pass away in an accident.

Chrono wouldn’t be able to bear such a life. And now that he knew it, it was easy to spell it out too, but there was no understanding or empathy in that either. Consolation sometimes could become a salvation. But, Mino wasn’t looking for any comfort and above all, Chrono didn’t want to spout such empty words either. He didn’t want to insult Mino’s suffering.

“Captain, can ye leave the persuasion to me?”

“You’re telling me that only now?”

“It makes no difference either way.”

Chrono lightly shrugged his shoulders as Mino released a stifled laughter.

“I’ll entrust you with the persuasion.”

“Thank ye a lot.”

Mino stood up and squinted his eyes.

※

Three days later Fay gallantly jumped on her horse and looked at Chrono.

“Very well. I will be off to do some shopping.”

“Please be careful, okay?”

“I will be fine even without you worrying.”

Fay clapped her chest as if to tell him that he could leave it to her. Chrono made eye contact with Alba, Glove, and Geiner. The three nodded with serious expressions.

“Alba, Glove, Geiner, we are moving out.”

“””Yes!”””

“Go, Black King!”

Fay made her horse gallop after the three men answered energetically.

“…Black King was the name?” Chrono muttered

“Is somethin’ the matter with Black King?” Sub asked.

“Yeah, well. Nothing important. I know of a horse with the same name.”

“I’m astonished that it’s a name with such a history. Now that you mention it, the name got a nice ring to it,” Sub answered.

“I wonder if they’re going to be okay.

“If it’s those three, there’s nothing to worry about. They’ll support Big Sis without a hitch. The problem is…”

Sub changed completely, talking quietly while looking back over his shoulder. Following his look, Chrono saw Mino sitting cross-legged at the streamlet and Aria who was treating him.

“I think it would be better to give up on it.”

“……I know.”

Chrono agreed after making a pause. It was just as Sub said. Mino had been continuing the persuasion, but the result was sobering. He was repeatedly punched and beaten. Likely because of that, most of the villagers kept their distance. Chrono knew that no negotiations would start at this rate.

“I’ll try to have a little talk with him.”

“Please do.”

Chrono turned around and walked up to Mino.

“…Mino.”

“Captain!”

Called out by Chrono, Mino looked back at him over his shoulder. Because he had been punched there quite a few times, his face was now a swollen mess. The thought that Mino should give up on it only grew inside Chrono.

Mino looked at Chrono for a while, but eventually he looked back to the front again.

“Umm, would it be better for me to leave?” Aria stopped and asked.

“Please continue the treatment.”

Chrono had considered asking her about leaving, but he decided the he’d have her keep handling the medical treatment. Mino’s injuries were worrying and she was also someone involved in this whole matter. She was more than qualified to hear their conversation.

“Yes, thank you kindly.”

Chrono sat down next to Mino while Aria kept treating the minotaur. He then addressed Mino quietly.

“Mino, let us change our respective assignments.”

“Captain! Just a bit longer! Give me a tad more time! Please!”

Mino faced Chrono and prostrated himself on the ground in front of Chrono. Aria stopped her treatment, covering her mouth with a hand. Chrono knelt down on one knee to meet eyes with Mino.

“Why are you going this far?”

“Captain, look at this village.”

Chrono looked at the settlement once more. His impression hadn’t changed. He felt it looked like a gathering of ruins which were waiting for the day they’d rot away.

“This village is poor. Even if they work strenuously, it doesn’t even earn them enough for food.”

“But, marble is the specialty of the Bawdies Barony…”

“The rocks, which can be quarried on the mountain, have been used as building materials in the village, but we don’t have much left at hand.”

“How nasty.”

“No, that’s not it. This much is normal. Haha,” Mino laughed.

It was a hollow laugh.

“One out of four children will die to illness before reachin’ adulthood. Some will also die while helpin’ out with the work while others are occasionally sold off as slaves. This village got no future in it.”

“I will do whatever I can, but no one can guarantee you a future.”

“That’s plenty. I ain’t talkin’ ’bout wanting to be given a wonderful future. I’d like my Dad and the others to have a dream. I won’t mind if it’s no big dream either. Somethin’ like the idea that tomorrow might improve a bit, if ye work hard today, will be fine,” Mino explained while staring at Chrono.

Tomorrow might become a bit better was a hope rather than a dream. But, in this village one couldn’t even place any hope on tomorrow.

“If it’s that much, I can promise it. But, tell me just one thing.”

“Sure, if it’s somethin’ I can answer.”

“It’s the same question as earlier. Why are you going this far? Even if you might be blood-related, being insulted and punched to such an extent… Why do you want to give them a dream?”

“I mean, even I get pissed when being punched by Dad. When he was insultin’ me, I was askin’ myself why he doesn’t understand… But, then I considered that Dad must be the same as us, who were confused by yer actions, Captain. And once I did, I felt like tryin’ to persuade him at all costs.”

Mino lifted his face, scratching his head awkwardly.

At that moment, a thunderous roar could be heard. Once they looked in the direction, the mountain was engulfed by something similar to a white mist. A major avalanche had occurred.

“Dad!”

“Papa!”

Mino and Aria screamed and started to run. Chrono was about to follow the two, but stopped. He took the magic communicator out of his pouch and yelled, “Fay! We’ve had an accident here! Come back at once!”

Maybe because he had left the range of the communicator, there was no response. Groaning lightly, he cursed that he wouldn’t have let Fay go shopping, if he had known that something like this would happen.

“Sub! Take care of the magic communicator! Get on a horse and go after Fay!”

“Gotcha!”

“Thanks!”

Chrono tossed the communicator to Sub, which the other man easily caught. Afterwards, Chrono turned around, leaped over the streamlet, and started to run.

As he was crossing the village――

“What was that noise just now!?”

“Look! There’s smoke rising from the mountain!”

“D-Dear!”

The minotaurs left their homes. Spotting dust enveloping the mountain, they screamed. Chrono stopped and raised his voice.

“I’m going to help out over there now! Everyone with confidence in their stamina, please follow me! Everyone else, prepare clean cloths!”

The minotaurs looked at each other. They were bewildered by the sudden instructions.

“Hurry! Don’t waver around, if you want to save your family!”

“――――!”

The minotaurs twitched once Chrono yelled at them. He thought he got their animosity now, but the minotaurs started to move, even while still being confused. Chrono started to run once again. He passed through the village and a narrow path, just to be greeted by hell beyond.

Heaps of minotaurs were lying on the ground at the quarry which was wrapped up in dust. He could hear pained and desperate mooing from all over the place. Sand was sliding down in irregular waves. The avalanche hadn’t ended yet. If they stayed in this place, they’d get dragged into the next avalanche and die.

“Hel…p.”

“I’m coming right away!”

A minotaur extended a hand, seeking help. Chrono rushed over. No, he tried to do so, but in the next instant a rock came down. The heavy object crushed the minotaur underneath, followed by rock fragments scattering like a buckshot.

Chrono reflexively crossed his arms in front of his face. He felt heat alongside a light impact. Once he looked at his arm, he found a rock piece lodged in his skin.

Scary.

If one asked what was scary, it’d be the fact that he could only feel heat, despite having been stabbed by a rock fragment. Once he pulled it out, the heat gradually transformed into pain. His legs were trembling. He couldn’t suppress the wish to run away from here. But, if he escaped, he’d lose all credibility. He’d be considered a guy who always flees whenever it matters. That’d be bad.

Loud moo’ing screams reached his ears.

“Calm down! Those who are safe, take the seriously wounded while those with shallow wounds come over here by your own strength! Calm down and do the best you can! If you do that, you will be saved! You will be saved!”

As soon as Chrono raised his voice, the screams stopped. The minotaurs started to slowly move. Chrono felt relieved in his mind. Usually they’d have no reason to obey Chrono’s orders. But, because they were in a life-threatening situation, they clung to the idea of being saved.

“Dad!”

“Papa!”

Mino and Aria’s voices resounded. Chrono narrowed his eyes, but he couldn’t see them through the dust. While covering his mouth with a hand, he leaped inside the cloud. Inside was just like a dense fog. He couldn’t even see several meters ahead. But, he shouldn’t be that far away from them. Chrono headed towards them while relying on his instincts and memory.

Even during that time, he could still hear sand trickling down the mountain. Sometimes there were also loud bangs. The avalanche was still continuing.

Chrono assumed that it was better for him to not see much. He knew he wouldn’t be able to take a single step, if he actually knew the current situation.

“Dad!”

“Papa!”

Mino and Aria’s voices resounded once more. Chrono narrowed his eyes, and maybe because the dust had thinned out, he could see a big figure swaying several meters ahead.

‘That must be Mino and Aria.

Chrono advanced further through the dust cloud. Eventually he became able to fully see Mino and Aria.

“Dad!”

“Papa!”

Both were yelling while kneeling. Which wasn’t surprising, though. Both were addressing Hatsu who was stuck between the ground and a marble board.

“…Mino.”

“――――gh!”

Once Chrono tapped his shoulder, Mino suddenly looked back.

“Captain! Why’re ye in such a place!?”

“I heard your voice, Mino, so I thought you might need help over here.”

“…Captain.”

Mino lowered his face, his shoulders trembling.

“Can’t you move this marble?”

“No, we tried to move it together, but…”

“No need to worry about me. Hurry up and get away from here,” Hatsu squeezed out while obviously in pain.

“Dad!”

“Hehe, I’d already expected that it’d end like this sooner or later. But, I was able to meet you at the end. God also knows how to be tactful, doesn’t he? Moreover, you made it all the way to being the adjutant of a noble. This will allow me to move on to the next work with a peace of mind.”

“Please don’t say such things. I still haven’t carried out my filial piety.”

“Mino, Aria, step back! I’ll get the marble off with magic!”

Mino pulled Aria by the hand, separating her from Hatsu.

“Please forgive me if I injure your body.”

“I’ve already resigned myself.”

“Heavenly Pivotal Dance, Heavenly Pivotal Dance, Heavenly Pivotal――”

Chrono activated his magic art. His visual field was buried by the magic formula and he was assaulted by an intense headache. Being forced to operate beyond its limit, his brain screamed at him. He wished the blood running out of his nose away with the back of his hand.

“H-Hey, isn’t that dangerous?”

“Heavenly Pivotal Dance, Heavenly Pivotal――, Heavenly――”

He invoked his magic further.

Dangerous. What’s dangerous? Obviously the multiple activation of magic spells in a row. It’d be one thing if it only gave me headaches, but now my nose is even bleeding. There’s no way this is okay.

Suddenly his visual field blacked out. Once it came back, he was closing in on the ground. Chrono gritted his teeth, somehow stabilizing himself.

More than twenty jet-black orbs were floating around him. He let them sally forth, before clenching his fist. The orbs vanished without sound or light, leaving the marble riddled with holes behind. As soon as Hatsu stirred, the marble fell apart.

“Now you can escape together.”

“Aye! Wait, aren’t you looking like you’re about to croak!?”

“I’ll carry him.”

Chrono was lifted by Mino.

“Alright! Let’s get out of here!”

With Hatsu in the lead, Aria and Mino started to run. However, suddenly their visual field darkened. Once Chrono looked up, wondering what was going on, he spotted a huge rock coming down. He thought that this would be their end. That all four of them would be squashed flat. Chrono couldn’t imagine a future beyond that. But――

“Goddess――omitting the rest! Celebratory Holy Blade! Extend!!”

Het-black light pierced the rock, breaking it into small pieces. The light vanished and Fay ran over to them while holding a sword in her hand. Chrono breathed out in relief.

Still, the Goddess ruling over Jet-Black Chaos sure is tolerant for answering such a random prayer.

“I will handle the rocks one way or the other!”

“Please do!”

Guided by Hatsu, we exited the dust cloud. Heaps of injured minotaurs were lying on the path continuing all the way to the village. Sub was giving orders, and Alba, Glove, Geiner, and the minotaurs from the village were busily running around.

“This…,” Hatsu muttered while looking around himself.

Chrono couldn’t quite hear it, but he felt like Hatsu continued with, “…might be a lost case now.”

In the evening the minotaurs had gathered in an open plot located in the center of the village. It wasn’t as though they had arranged it beforehand. Today’s accident had cost the lives of five men, seriously wounded ten, and lightly injured twenty. As such the minotaurs had moved here out of anxiety about what they should do from now on.

They had paced around, unable to calm down, just to eventually form a circle. It seemed like they were discussing the future, but in reality, there wasn’t much of a conversation going.

Chrono was sitting on a log in a corner of the plot, watching them.

“Ugh, my head hurts from using my divine arts too much.”

“Thanks for your hard work.”

“Fay sat down next to him while curbing her temple.

“How is the state of the injured people?”

“I cast my divine arts on the heavily wounded, but…,” Fay said evasively.

In exchange for being highly versatile, the divine arts of the Goddess ruling over Jet-Black Chaos had no field where they actually excelled. She didn’t have the power allowing her to reliably save the seriously wounded. Yet, she gave them hope, and having even a faint trace of hope was better than not.

“…Everyone, please listen to me.”

A quiet voice made itself heard. It was Mino. The other minotaurs stopped talking.

“I think this village is already a lost cause. Even if you stay here, you’ll only be exploited to death. There’s no future to be found.”

“What are you telling us to do instead then!?”

“Right, right. An even crueler world waits outside this village.”

“We have lived here for many generations. Leaving this place despite that…”

The minotaurs spoke up in response to Mino’s words.

“What about the destination? Is there any place we can actually go to!?”

“Yes, there is!”

Mino clearly answered the yell of a minotaur.

“I’m living there…”

With those words, Mino looked in Chrono’s direction.

“I’m working as Lord Chrono’s adjutant. I came back to this village because we need hands to build a port. Hence, you’ll have a place to go to.”

“Will we be able to live a better life if we go to that person’s place?”

“Isn’t a far more miserable life awaiting us instead?”

“I don’t want to live like some slave!”

“Aren’t you just trying to sell us for the sake of your own career!?”

The minotaurs chaotically yelled, but Mino didn’t refute any of it. Only after they ran out of words to throw at him did he speak up again.

“Cap-, no, Lord Chrono is no god. He promised me to do as much as he can for you, but he cannot guarantee you the future.”

“That’s irresponsible! We have small children with us!”

“What are we supposed to do if we believe you and then end up being betrayed!?”

“Are you telling us to cast away our current life and bet on something so uncertain!?”

“Indeed!”

Reacting to the word ‘bet’, Mino yelled. The minotaurs stirred.

“Even I don’t want to bet on such things, to be brutally honest here. But, sometimes you must make a bet to get out of stalemates. Let me ask you instead. Is there any way for you to escape the current situation without betting on anything? One in four children die after birth. Some are also sold off into slavery. You even have several people dying from accidents like today. How can you break out of this situation? What can you do to embrace hope for a better tomorrow? If you have a good idea, tell me.”

Mino asked, but only silence came back.

“You’ve got no choice but to take a gamble in order to get out of your current lifestyle.”

At that point Mino fell silent. The minotaurs restlessly looked around. Even they understood that there would be no future if things continued like this. But, they couldn’t make up their minds.

Yet, this was probably only natural. Few could gamble everything they own. Just when Chrono thought that the discussion might fizzle out like this, Hatsu spoke up.

“I feel it’s fine to make that bet.”

“…Dad,” Mino muttered, overcome with surprise.

Hatsu averted his face awkwardly.

“Even if he had an ulterior motive with this, Lord Chrono still saved us. He put his own life in danger, too. If such a man says he’ll do whatever he can for us, it’s worth giving him the benefit of doubt, don’t you think?” Hatsu said with a calm voice.

“But, leaving this land…”

“Will we be able to make a good living in the outside world after all the time in this village?”

“There’s also the matter of work. Can we do any work other than stone quarrying?”

The minotaurs voiced their worries.

“I get where you’re coming from. I’m also worried. But, even if we remain here, only a slow and painful death awaits.”

“――――gh!”

The minotaurs gasped at Hatsu’s remark.

“Five people died and ten were so heavily injured that they remain unconscious. Even if they recovered their consciousness, how long would it take them to become able to work as before? Will we be able to pay this year’s taxes?”

“Can’t we somehow get the lord to wait?”

“Did you recall any instances where we managed to get the tax collectors to postpone the payment?”

Hatsu asked the minotaur who had asked with a timid voice. But, there was no answer. The minotaur remained silent, his shoulders hanging in despair.

“Even if we sell the children――”

“No! I don’t want to sell any more of our children!”

A minotaur woman screamed hysterically when Hatsu murmured the idea. With that probably being the trigger, sobbing could be heard from all over the place.

“And even if we manage to pay the taxes, what are we going to do about next year? If another accident…no, if we work with only a few, we’ll have to push ourselves, which will undoubtedly lead to another accident happening.”

“What, so we didn’t have any other choice from the start, huh?”

One of them spat out, causing silence to descend once again. All of them were hanging their heads with meek expressions.

It lasted so long that Chrono started to wonder when they’d move again.

“…Let’s make a bet.”

“Yep. Let’s bet.”

“I don’t want to let go of any more children.”

“Yeah, let’s gamble.”

With someone muttering this at first, it quickly spread, resulting in all the minotaurs joining in.

“That is great to hear.”

“Not yet.”

Fay seemed relieved, but Chrono reined her in. The minotaurs managed to reach a consensus. Next he’d need to convince Baron Bawdies.

Now then, how am I going to tackle this?

Chrono began to come up with ideas on how to persuade the baron.

※

At noon of the next day groaning could be heard, complaining about it being hot and painful. Those were the voices of the seriously injured who had been bedded in the assembly hall. Three had died before dawn broke. The remaining seven were also wandering between life and death.

It’d have been good if I’d taken Mr. Clay with me, Chrono sighed while sitting on a log in front of the assembly hall. Back when he departed the Erakis March, he hadn’t expected that an accident would occur. No one would likely consider the possibility of an accident happening at their destination. As such, it wasn’t his fault. But, he couldn’t help but to wonder whether he could have done something different.

As he pondered about such things, Mino showed up together with ten minotaurs on the path leading to the quarry. Some of them were shouldering shovels. They were on their way back from burying the dead at the village’s cemetery near the quarry.

Before long, they arrived at the open plot, but the minotaurs didn’t look like they were planning to go home. Mino weaved his way through them and planted himself in front of Chrono.

“Captain, what about Baron Bawdies?”

“He hasn’t arrived yet.”

When he shifted his eyes to the wooden box next to the log, Mino addressed him once more.

“Captain, he’s come! It’s Baron Bawdies!”

“Have you met him before?”

“It’s easy t’ tell since Sub is leadin’ him here.”

“Makes sense,” said Chrono and looked ahead of him again.

Led by Sub, a man in a gaudy attire was approaching his location. Five men were with him. All big and bulky guys clad in plate armor. The armor was black, but elaborate metal carvings adorned the plates. Chrono guessed them to be Baron Bawdies’s guards.

“Lord Chrono, I brought him,” Sub yelled.

Chrono stood up and started to slowly walk towards the group. Thereupon, one of the guards stepped forward. He had placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, clearly telling Chrono to not come any closer.

“Arc, stand down.”

“Yes! Please forgive me, my Liege.”

Baron Bawdies lifted a hand. In response, the man called Arc removed his hand from the hilt and opened up the way for the baron. Chrono assumed that those two shared a close relationship. Especially after seeing how the guard didn’t even salute.

“…Are you Marquis Erakis?”

“Yes, my adjutant――”

“Ah, I’ve already heard the details,” Baron Bawdies interrupted Chrono.

His tone was dyed with irritation.

“It seems like an accident has occurred at the quarry…”

Baron Bawdies cast a glance at the minotaurs――

“I hurried here since I was told it’s a major incident, but aren’t quite a few of them still left alive? There won’t be any problems with so many still able to work. You people, hurry up and get back to work. If you do, I’ll overlook you idling around here.”

“Please wait!”

Chrono called out to Baron Bawdies who had turned around to leave.

“Do you still have some business with me?”

“An accident occurred and the only ones capable of working are the ten minotaurs in this place. Doing the hard work of quarrying with just ten people will be impossible. Another accident, no, even if no other accident occurs――”

“So, what about it? Even if you leave demihumans to their own devices, they’ll keep multiplying like rabbits. In the first place, do you have the authority to object to my decision? Not only did you snatch away your current peerage from your predecessor, but you even have the gall to give me instructions… This is why I hate neo-nobles.”

Baron Bawdies interrupted Chrono with an annoyed voice. Apparently he disliked neo-nobles. Chrono suspected that this was also the reason for his irritation. He felt like the difficulty level of the negotiations had risen even further. But, he couldn’t afford to yield here.

“…With all due respect, they cannot work any longer.”

“That’s not your decision to make.”

“Indeed, it is as you say.”

Chrono nodded and looked over his shoulder. Mino nodded and brought the wooden box. He didn’t step in front of Chrono since it wasn’t unrealistic for it to be regarded as rudeness. Mono placed the wooden box on the ground. Chrono stepped back and knelt.

And then he opened the box.

“These are 1,000 gold coins. Would you be willing to yield them to me for this money?”

“You mean the seriously injured with them?”

“No, all of the villagers.”

“The residents of this village are…”

Baron Bawdies faltered. His eyes darted around. He likely didn’t have a grasp on the number of residents. Accordingly, Arc stepped forward and whispered into his ear, “This village should have around 200 residents. With five gold per person――”

“Only ten people can work. Let me tell you as reference: you can get 50 gold for a healthy virgin slave at most in my territory. Even slaves on the verge of death have a value of ten gold, if they’re educated, but the residents here are neither.”

Once Chrono interrupted Arc with those words, the baron snorted while looking utterly displeased.

“Why are you trying to buy the residents of this village, though?”

“I want to carry out reclamation, but it’s difficult since I lack workers.”

“In that case, you can simply buy slaves. Slave trade is prospering in the Erakis March, isn’t it?”

“I also thought so, but I don’t want to incur any debts with slave traders. Besides, I don’t think they obtained their slaves while using proper means.”

“Certainly, those people will use any method to get as many slaves as they can. But, why would you care what method they use? There’s no law that would punish the lord for it, right?”

“That’s what I thought too, but then I wouldn’t be able to avoid being slandered as a scoundrel.”

“Even neo-nobles worry about their reputation, huh?”

“…Exactly because I’m a neo-noble, I have to worry about it.”

“Hmm,” grunted Baron Bawdies and folded his arms in contemplation.

Arc spoke up, “Elder brother, you mustn’t fall for a neo-noble’s cajolery.”

“Silence, Arc. I’m the one to decide.”

“Yes! Please forgive my insolence,” said Arc while straightening his back.

“……Very well.”

“Thank you very much.”

Chrono felt relieved. He had worried how things would turn out, but things have apparently gone well.

“That’s all?”

“Meaning?”

“I’m listening to your request. So, stick out both hands and prostrate yourself in front of me.”

“――――gh!”

Chrono gasped. He was being told to humiliate himself. He could clearly feel blood rising to his head.

‘I probably should do a dogeza, otherwise he might go back on his previous remark.

“Captain, we’ll be lookin’ the other way.”

“That shall not be allowed. Marquis Erakis is asking a favor of me for your sake. You have a duty to burn his appearance into your minds,” said Baron Bawdies with a nasty smile.

No matter how you looked at it, he was clearly out to disgrace Chrono.

“What’s wrong? If you don’t prostrate yourself, I won’t listen to your request.”

“…I understand.”

Chrono went down on his knees and placed both hands on the ground. He was being forced to embarrass himself in front of his subordinates, no, many people. Even though it was only now, he finally understood that discarding your pride by yourself was completely different from having your pride trampled by another person.

“You’re still holding your head high.”

The baron’s voice sounded gleeful. Chrono’s body felt hot. Either from anger or shame. Blood was running out of his nose. He suspected that he had used his magic arts too much yesterday.”

“Your head.”

“…”

Chrono silently pressed his head against the ground. Something fell with a thump. He assumed he must have been able to completely free himself from his emotions.

After around a minute passed, he lifted his face.

“Is it okay with this?”

“Ah, damn. I completely missed it,” Baron Bawdies blurted out something completely silly.

Fortunately, Chrono’s emotions were still dead. Even if he were to be forced to lower his head once more, it wouldn’t matter.

“Got it. How about I also kiss your show, if you like?”

“――――gh!”

Baron Bawdies’s face turned dark red. Apparently this had pissed him off. It was also possible that he’d snap. The baron raised his foot――

“Brother!” Arc yelled

“What!?” Baron Bawdies yelled back.

“Marquis Erakis properly prostrated himself in front of you. You might not have seen it, but I saw it with my own eyes.”

“You! Just who do――!”

“Brother, you crossed the line. At this point, it wouldn’t be strange even if you were challenged to a duel,” Arc explained with a sigh.

Baron Bawdies looked at his other guards, but all of them were looking away.

“I wonder what Sister-in-law and your son will say, if they hear about this…”

“Ugh,” Baron Bawdies was lost for words.

Chrono thought a quarrel between the brothers might start next, but Baron Bawdies suddenly turned around and stomped away.

“Please wait! What about the residents of this village!?”

“Do whatever you like with them!” Baron Bawdies hysterically screamed back at Chrono.

“Good lord,” Arc shrugged his shoulders, approached Chrono, knelt down, and picked up the wooden box.

“So far as it goes, we have a deal. I shall hand this over to my brother.”

“Thank you for your assistance.”

“No thanks necessary. But, if you’re grateful, then please stay silent about me having earned some extra money.”

“Yes, of course,” answered Chrono with a smile.

Arc also smiled. He picked up the box and followed the baron.

After confirming that the baron’s group wasn’t visible any longer, Chrono corrected his posture. Thereupon, Mino knelt down next to him.

“……Captain, sorry that ye’ve had to go this far for us.”

“I had resolved myself, but it still affected me emotionally.”

“Please forgive us, Lord Chrono.”

Sub knelt down in front of Chrono.”

“You don’t need to apologize. “Rather, I’d like to thank you. Just as ordered, you bought out the cavalry commander――though I hadn’t expected him to be the baron’s younger brother――and brought the baron here.”

“You’ve left out the part about feeding him false information.”

“Calling it false information makes it sound so bad. I just had you exaggerate a bit.”

“That’s what you’d call false information. Kukuku,” Sub laughed.

“By the way, how much did you pay him as a bribe?”

“50 gold. Still, I can fully understand why he’d go along with the bribery.”

“Yeah, the equipment of the cavalry was extremely decent. I thought they must be earning quite a hefty sum of money from their side jobs. Once they get exposed, they will either get punished or continue their side jobs depending on the bribery. Well, it wasn’t a bet with bad odds either way. Now then,” Chrono stood up.

Mino and Sub imitated him a little moment later.

“We got Baron Bawdies to approve the immigration. All that’s left is to go back home. Mino, prepare everything for the move. Sub, please take care of the carriage.”

“”Gotcha!””

Mino and Sub’s voices overlapped, causing Chrono to smile.

※

Four days later, Chrono’s group returned to Harshel. Chrono jumped off as soon as the covered wagon stopped in front of the city gate. Just moving and stretching his body lightly triggered cracks from all over his body. His body was responding to the travel in the carriage.

Chrono took a deep breath and looked back.

More than twenty wagons had been following his wagon. Since they were old, they were damaged at many places, but it didn’t impede their functionality. It took him fifty gold, but in return the journey of him bringing slightly less than 200 minotaurs back home went smoothly.

As he was thinking about the multitude of things that needed to be done like preparing hospitalization and inn rooms, White and Gray rushed over.

“Lord Chrono, return.”

“We, happy.”

“Thank you two for protecting Harshel.”

“”Of course, but, happy.””

Both said while wagging their tails. But suddenly their tails stopped and their ears twitched. As Chrono looked to the front, wondering what was happening, the slave dealer from some time ago approached him.”

“Oohhh, Lord Chrono, I have been awaiting you!”

“Ah, hello. Do you have some business with me?”

“Why have you been so distant! If you had told me that you require workers, I would have assisted you!”

The slave dealer said theatrically. Chrono curbed his temple. He didn’t quite know where this was going, he apparently knew about Chrono needing a labor force. As he wondered from where the information was leaked――

“Please look at this!”

“At what!?”

“Ah, forgive me. I totally forgot that I had rushed over by myself,” the slave dealer slapped his forehead when having this pointed out by Chrono.

“The goods are inside. I took the liberty to gather fifty lizardmen. Of course, they haven’t been treated badly and they also received a medical certificate at Harshel’s hospital.”

“Are you telling me to buy slaves?”

“Absolutely not. Hearing about your desire for capable workers, I called out to my fellow slave dealers and simply gathered all the slaves I could find. Everything beyond this depends on you, Lord Chrono.”

The slave dealer shrugged his shoulders exaggeratedly.

“What if I don’t buy them?”

“I will return those who can be returned. The rest will serve as mine slaves, I’d say.”

“Let me hear the price for the time being…”

The slave dealer furrowed his eyebrows, looking troubled and thus Chrono asked him for the price.

“I would like to offer them for 30 gold per person, but since I gathered them without warning you ahead of time, I will deduct a nuisance fee. How about 25 gold per person. It would add up to 1250 gold for the 50 lizardmen.”

“1250 gold, huh? Hmm,” groaned Chrono.

Because he didn’t feel overly good about that slave dealer, Chrono suspected that he might be scheming something. But, he needed the laborers and if he didn’t buy them, it’d leave a bad aftertaste. Besides, there was also the matter with Cain. That had been settled privately, but the pride of a lord also played a part in this.

“Got it. I’m going to buy them.”

“Thank you very much.”

“However, the favor will be returned with this.”

“I don’t know what favor you might be talking about, but as you wish.”

The slave trader bowed his head deeply.

※

At night, after bidding farewell from the slave trader, Chrono went to Goldi’s workshop and asked Sitter to take care of the lodging. When he reported to Elena about his use of 2350 gold, she pulled a very unhappy face. Moreover, he got rid of the journey’s dirt in the bath and enjoyed Shaela’s cooking.

“…I’m at my limit.”

No sooner than returning to his room, Chrono collapsed on his bed. Once he cast a fleeting glance at his desk, he found heaps of documents waiting for him over there. From now on, he would not only have to process all those documents, but also draw up contracts for the lizardmen he bought.

“…The monthly salary will be one gold, we will take care of their daily necessities, and they’ll become free once the port is finished. Ah, but, they didn’t look like they can read. Speaking of contracts, I’ll need something for Mino’s clan too.”

Chrono lied down, face up.

“I’ll leave that to tomorrow and go to sleep for now.”

The instant he muttered that, a knocking could be heard. Someone was knocking against the door. Chrono got a bad feeling about this. He felt that things would become terrible if he opened the door. But he knew, things would become even more terrible, if he didn’t open the door. As such he judged that he had to use his utmost effort to keep the damage at a minimum.

Chrono got out of his bed and walked up to the door. Once he opened it――

“I’m here for a visit.”

“……”

Because Tilia stood in the hallway, Chrono quietly closed the door. She probably didn’t expect him to close the door on her in silence, so she didn’t try to prevent it either. As it was likely for her to open the door on her own, he used his whole body to press against the door.

Immediately following, he could hear knocking from the door again.

“Why did you close it!?”

“I’m in the middle of work!” Chrono yelled back while holding down the door.

Of course, that was a lie. But, if he were to humor Tiana tonight, it’d result in him starting work at noon tomorrow. He shifted his eyes to his desk. A mountain of documents was waiting over there. Just seeing all of that made him feel like running away. But, if any more would be added on top of that, he felt like his heart would break.

“I-It’s the first time in two weeks!”

“I’ve got work to do! My workload accumulated while I was away!”

Arguments flew back and forth with the door in-between. It seemed to Chrono that he’d be pushed back if he eased up on holding down the door as Tiana was apparently using her divine arts. The door opened a foot wide, but then the push suddenly vanished.

Chrono’s upper body swayed due to the sudden loss of resistance. He thought that he had messed up, but it was already too late.

“Huyaa!”

“Guhh!”

Followed by a mysterious battle cry, Chrono was blown away. His back struck the ground, causing him to have a light coughing fit. Once he raised his body, the door was wide open. Tilia stood in the hallway with one of her legs raised. It was a pose reminding Chrono of a kung-fu movie.

“Hmph,” Tilia brushed her nose with her thumb and entered the room. She closed the door and walked up to the bed, flopping down on the mattress. “If you got work, it can’t be helped. I’ll wait for a bit.”

“Ugh, what a condescending attitude!”

Chrono stood up and headed to his desk. Originally, he didn’t want to work, but now he wanted to buy some time. As he sat down on the chair, a question popped up in his mind.

‘Why did it have to be Tilia?

“Your other women won’t come. They talked about you being tired and so on.”

“So you came here knowing that I’d be tired?”

“Hah, of course!” Tilia declared proudly.

“Of course, she says…”

“I lost my right to inherit the imperial throne, but in exchange, I learned something.”

“And that would be?”

“That it is always wrong to adopt a passive stance!” Tilia answered with her fists clenched.

“Is that something you couldn’t learn without losing your right to the imperial throne in return?”

“Ugh, you poke where it hurts… But, it doesn’t diminish me having learned something,” Tilia blurted out with a sullen tone. “By the way, you’re still not done with work?”

“Got it. I’ll round it up here for today. In return…”

“Yes?” Tilia cocked her head cutely.

Chrono opened the drawer of his desk and took out something. It was the item he requested Goldi to make for him the other day when he departed to the Bawdies Barony.

“What’s that?”

“Handcuffs.”

“They’re completely different from the handcuffs I know…”

“True. They’re standard handcuffs from my previous world.”

Chrono put his index finger through the handcuffs’s loop and started to whirl them around.

“No, wait, handcuffing an imperial princess is a bit much…”

“Well, I guess you have a point. No choice then. I’ll ask another girl.”

“Wait! Let me consider it for a bit!”

Tilia raised her voice when Chrono said so with a sigh. She furrowed her eyebrows, looking conflicted. As might be expected, she seemed to worry about it quite a bit. Accordingly――

“As a matter of fact, those aren’t real handcuffs, you see?”

“What do you mean?”

“The real handcuffs have a keyhole over here…”

Chrono stopped talking and pointed at the handcuffs with a finger. Over there was a protuberance――a button. If you pressed the button, the handcuffs would open. He tossed them towards Tilia.

She easily caught the handcuffs and checked whether they’d open upon pressing the button. Moreover, she made sure by putting on the handcuffs.

“Well, I guess I’ll be fine with these.”

“That’s great.”

Chrono felt relieved and walked up to Tilia. After receiving the handcuffs from her, he told her, “Turn around.”

“You’re going to put them on my hand behind my back?”

“That’s the normal way you use them.”

“You’re a pervert.”

Tilia sighed and turned around. With his heart thumping, Chrono put the handcuffs on her wrists.

“Is it okay for me to put them on your feet too?”

“Sure, sure, now that we’ve come this far, we might go all the way. I’ll humor you.”

“Thanks.”

Chrono went back to his desk and took handcuffs――no, ankle lock since they’d be put on her feet――out of the drawer. He returned to Tilia and attached the lock to her feet.

“The chain for the feet sure is long,” said Tilia while moving her legs.

The chain jangled.

Chrono stood up――

“Yay!”

“――gh!”

He pushed down Tilia and mounted her. She widened her eyes in surprise, but immediately recovered her calm. She was likely thinking that she’d be able to easily take off the handcuffs. She fidged around, just to reveal a surprised face. Apparently she had finally realized.

“There’s no button! What does this mean!?”

“I just made sure that the button would face your wrist.”

“Y-You…tricked me!”

“It was quite a thrill as I didn’t know whether you’d notice it.”

“What’s the idea of doing something like this now after all this time?” Tilia snorted.

“Which reminds me, you mentioned something about us not being strangers anyway, didn’t you?”

“Yes. Even without you doing something like this, I’ll let you have sex with me.”

“So you’re telling me to take off the handcuffs and get pushed down by you? No thanks.”

Chrono smiled bitterly and lied down next to Tilia.

“Actually, I realized something in the Bawdies Barony.”

“Oh? What did you notice?”

Chrono gently touched Tilia’s chest――her boobs. There was no resistance. Once he looked at her face, he found it to be bright red. He discovered the protuberance through her negligee and pinched it. In response, Tilia’s body twitched.

“Is something the matter?” Chrono asked gently.

“N-Not at all.”

Tilia averted her face. Probably out of embarrassment. The blush had spread all the way to her ears. Chrono enjoyed her reactions in silence.

After some time, Tilia apparently became unable to endure the silence any longer and asked, “S-So, what d-did you n-notice?”

“Even if I’m fine to throw away my pride, I get pissed off if it’s trampled.”

“Hmm?” Tilia knitted her eyebrows, appearing confused. Her face made clear that she didn’t know what he was talking about.

Understandably so. It was far too distant from the current situation.

“In short, I thought you might be able to take such a calm attitude in the bath and in bed with me because you discarded your shame by yourself.”

“W-Who are you calling s-shameless!?”

“I didn’t talk about you being shameless. I said you discarded your feeling of shame willingly.”

Chrono moved his hand to her lower body half, causing Tilia to put strength in her thighs. She probably intended to prevent his hand moving between her legs. But, it didn’t work.

“Right now, I’m the one holding the initiative. I think I’ll allow myself to have some fun with you.”

“――nh!”

Tilia sharply glared at him. But, she averted her eyes when she saw Chrono smiling. Deepening his smile due to a tiger having transformed into a kitten, he got out of the bed.

“W-Wait! Where are you going!?”

“Nowhere. I just wanted to take off my pants.”

“W-Wait! Please at least remove the foot lock!” Tilia said, looking clearly panicked as Chrono put his hand on his pants.

“Rejected, it is.”

“You…fiend!”

“Thanks. Those are words of the highest praise for me.”

Chrono grinned while taking off his pants.

※

Imperial Calendar Year 431, Middle of March ―― Tilia’s army suffered a major defeat to Chrono’s army.

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