Chapter 102 - 102 Reconciliation
Steve teleported to the Royal Capital with Daphne. Cecily returned to Steve's mansion separately using her own magic.
Steve, who had teleported right in front of the royal castle, noticed that Daphne's demeanor was strange.
"Your face looks scary for some reason. Did something happen?"
"Did something happen, or is it you, my lord?"
"Me?"
"Yes. Well, it feels as though the distance between you and the Ace of Chalice has shortened."
Daphne had noticed that Steve and Cecily were getting along well. It was a gift of female intuition, or rather, a result of her strictly monitoring any woman who approached Steve.
She was in a bad mood because a new woman had become so close that she seemed to be pursuing Steve.
It wasn't that she desired an affair; she simply wanted to maintain the superiority of being the only one, besides Christina and Nancy, who was training with the sword, thereby monopolizing Steve's time.
"It hasn't quite reached reconciliation, but perhaps you could say our relationship has improved a bit. I do want to get along with my sister-in-law."
Steve's reply was not the answer Daphne wanted. So she pressed further.
"Before we teleported, didn't something happen? Something other than fighting the enemy?"
"That did happen. First, I apologized to Nancy. I told her that if I had handled things a little better, the outcome might have been different."
"And what happened after that?"
"She said she was glad I hadn't died or been raped."
"I see."
Hearing that, Daphne wondered if that alone would shorten the distance, but the answer was no. There must be another reason, so she asked Steve again.
"Was that all?"
"Besides that, I suppose I just healed Cecily, who was injured by an attack from the enemy's former subordinate."
"So the distance shortened because of that?"
"Even calling it healing, the wounds themselves weren't serious enough to require Healing Magic. When I chopped off her arm, that was a much more severe injury. Besides, maybe your intuition about the distance shortening is mistaken."
"It is not a mistake. This is certain."
"Shall we measure the distance with my Measurement magic?"
"It is not a physical distance, so that would be impossible."
Steve remained as dense as ever regarding this kind of talk. Daphne also understood that he was not pretending to be oblivious during this conversation.
Having vaguely understood the reason why the distance had shortened, Daphne thanked Steve and entered the royal castle. She said she would return home on her own from here, so Steve teleported back to his mansion.
After parting with Steve, Daphne muttered to herself.
"She must have been finished off with Healing Magic, surely."
Gripping her fist tightly at the premonition of a new battle, she headed to report to the king.
When Steve returned to the mansion, Cecily was having a normal conversation with Nancy. Seeing the atmosphere different from before the expedition, Steve felt relieved.
"I'm home."
"Welcome home."
Nancy noticed Steve. Steve wanted to ask directly if they had made up, but if they hadn't, the atmosphere would turn sour, so he swallowed the question.
Since Steve had returned, Christina also came to greet him while holding Arthur.
"Welcome home. I am glad you are safe."
"It went well for the first day. I'm home, Arthur."
Steve spoke to his eldest son. Although he could not yet understand words, he reached out his hand and tried to grab Steve's finger.
Steve, who had just returned, washed his hands with water magic. While letting his eldest son hold his index finger, he asked about Isabella.
"Where is Isabella?"
"She is sleeping now. But she should wake up soon. It is almost time for nursing."
"Then I'll go see her face while she is still asleep."
Cecily stopped Steve, who was trying to go see the child's face.
"My lord, if it is alright, I would also like to see my niece's face."
"Then let's go together. Is that okay, Nancy?"
"Of course. I will go too."
"Then, I have to nurse Arthur, so..."
Christina went to another room alone to nurse.
Steve stood in front of the room where Isabella was sleeping, together with Cecily and Nancy. Only Nancy entered the room and brought Isabella out. Steve and Cecily, who had just returned from the battlefield, looked at Isabella being held by Nancy.
"I'm home."
Steve called out, but Isabella remained asleep.
"She doesn't wake up even though her father has returned."
"The saying goes that sleeping children grow well, so it's fine."
Cecily looked at the sleeping Isabella. It was a very warm gaze.
"Nancy, can you let me hold her?"
"You can, but wash off the dust and change your clothes first. Even my lord is enduring it."
"I understand. Then I'll ask after we eat."
"The bath is ready, so feel free to use it."
"This bath is strange. The servants don't need to pour hot water; hot water always flows."
"It is thanks to my lord's heat exchanger."
Naturally, Steve's mansion was also equipped with a bath using a heat exchanger. Cecily had been surprised when she saw it for the first time.
"I have never heard that such things exist in the Empire."
"I was sent here to investigate that secret. In the end, I didn't bring it back to the Empire."
"I will take on that mission, so don't worry."
Even when Nancy spoke of her coming to the Archibalt Territory, Cecily showed no discomfort as before. Seeing them having such a normal conversation, Steve thought that perhaps everything was finally okay.
And when Steve and Cecily returned to their own rooms to change clothes, Nancy hurriedly headed to Christina.
"Chris!"
"What is it, Nancy? You are in such a rush."
"I smelled a woman's scent on Cecily."
"A woman's scent?"
Christina did not understand what Nancy was saying. Thinking that Nancy hadn't conveyed it to Christina, she explained in detail.
"The conversation between them has gone beyond a mere military alliance. That is close to love."
"No way, surely. But, I did think the atmosphere changed after he returned. I thought it was a change in feelings toward Nancy, but toward Steve-sama? Are you sure?"
Christina's gaze, questioning Nancy, was sharp. It was an atmosphere like a carnivorous beast knowing another individual had entered its territory.
"It is certain. Whether it was an instinct to preserve the species in the special space of the battlefield, or something else entirely, the scent is completely different from before he left and after he returned."
"So, what do you think of Cecily?"
"What do you mean?"
"Do you want to live with Steve-sama as sisters?"
Nancy shook her head strongly at Christina's question.
"That is not it. Absolutely not. I do not want my lord to increase the number of women in the position of wife any further. Even if it is a sister, I cannot accept it."
"Hearing that makes me relieved. I am glad we think the same."
Christina smiled, but Nancy thought that smile was like Aurora's.
Just then, Isabella woke up and cried.
"Oh, she wants milk. Then let's go."
Nancy left with Isabella to go nurse at Christina's place.
Watching them off, Christina spoke while looking at Arthur's face as he slept, full.
"Really, your father is quite a handful."
The next day, Steve went to pick up Daphne, then returned to the mansion and teleported with Cecily to yesterday's battlefield.
At the campsite, he received a report from the Deputy Corps Commander, Ryan Thorndyke, about what happened during the night.
Daphne asked Ryan.
"Deputy Corps Commander, did anything happen during the night?"
"Nothing in particular. With ten thousand returning, it takes time, so there was always the tension of being attacked."
Even though they were disarmed, if ten thousand people attacked, even the Royal Guard Knights Order would not escape unscathed. He had given orders to return, but if that many people had to pack their belongings and move, it would take considerable time.
"What about the opposing knight corps?"
"They are quiet. That is because your lordship's magic is effective; there was no fear. Are we transporting them now?"
"Yes."
Steve answered Ryan. Now, the Sword Knights Order would be teleported to the Royal Capital of the Kingdom of Forest and managed there as prisoners. However, since they were currently swearing loyalty to Lewis through Steve's magic, they would not receive harsh treatment.
And right now, the orders from Cecily, who was acting under Lewis's instructions, were being treated as Lewis's instructions, so the Sword Knights Order, who were forced to swear loyalty, could not resist.
"You have worked hard. I will also stand by here from now on. My lord and Lord Cromwell will find other enemies near the border, neutralize them as we did yesterday, and then take them into our management."
Daphne is scheduled to act with the Royal Guard Knights Order during the day. So, she will stand by here from now on until receiving further instructions from Steve.
"At this pace, won't the enemies in this area disappear before the western nobles and the national army arrive?"
"I hope it is that easy."
Steve checked the map created in the Kingdom of Forest based on information obtained beforehand. It depicted the border line with the Empire, and the approximate positions of the enemies were written on it.
Since the enemies might also move, he did not know if they were still in the same place.
"First, we will transport the Sword Knights Order."
Steve said that, then teleported with the Sword Knights Order. And he returned immediately.
"Cecily, we will scout again from now on. Are you afraid?"
"No, I am used to it from yesterday. Besides, if I am with you, my lord, I feel that we can win even against billions of enemies."
"Haha, honestly, if it were billions of enemies, I would run away too. Then let's go."
Thus, Steve and Cecily headed out to scout.
In the end, the Imperial army that had come to the border of the Kingdom of Forest was annihilated over that day and the next.
Now, Steve, Cecily, and Daphne stood side by side looking down at three corpses.
They were the corpses of the King, Queen, and Knight of the Chalice Knights Order. Although the King was officially titled the Ace of Sword.
They, who were in the southern part of the Empire, were moved to the eastern part, ordered to suppress the rebellion in the Kingdom of Beach, and then remained in this place to pressure the Kingdom of Forest.
Therefore, they were discovered by Steve and Cecily, fought, defeated, and killed.
"My lord, I am sorry for the trouble."
Cecily bowed her head to Steve. These corpses had been cut down by Steve and Cecily. And although they had been enemies, they were former comrades, so Cecily had asked Steve to bury the three of them.
Even if the Queen and Knight were forced to become comrades by magic, it was judged that they should be killed in this battle because they would become dangerous when the magic's effect disappeared.
"I will bury them."
"Yes."
With Steve's earth magic, a hole was dug in the ground, and the corpses were placed inside. Then they were buried again.
"Shall we make a tombstone?"
"No, let's not do that. Later, they will be treated as traitors, so I do not want someone to disturb this place then."
Cecily's gaze was fixed on the ground.
Steve could not say anything more and waited behind her until she was satisfied.
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