The Branded Female Fencer

"Victoria has been a nuisance. Because of what we've done."

"Right. But I loved you."

"That's right. Second in the world."

"What's the best?

"Look, don't make me say that out of a woman's mouth."

Tetrapolishka slapped her husband in the chest so he could get twitched. And then you stroke your face slowly.

"Sir, do you have any regrets?

"What?

"It's about walking at the same time as me. There was also a choice to leave me alone and deceive the raw as a person. Because we immersed ourselves in the magic of stopping time together, we were to reduce our life expectancy. Plus all my friends and family died first. Still good -"

Tetrapolishka's words were blocked by her husband's stroking of his head. And Tetrapolishka looked into her husband's clear eyes and understood. He said no more words were needed. They just hugged each other to melt, and eventually slowly turned off the light of their lives.

"... my mother is dead now"

"Tetrapolishka?

The Alphilis had already returned to the vicinity of Arnelia aboard Rakia. As usual, Lakia was disillusioned with her human form in the proper forests nearby, and she was on her way back to Arnelia with the Alphilis. At that time, suddenly, Victoria began to speak.

But although it was the colour of sorrow that floated in Victoria's expression, he didn't seem so upset.

"You're surprisingly calm. How do you know that?

"If anything happened with witchcraft, I was beginning to understand the crisis. I understood in my head that it could be enough as one possibility, but when it happens..."

"Don't you feel anything?

"Yeah, amazingly"

Victoria seemed upset that she felt nothing the other way around. Seeing how it was, Alphilis told him as he gently held his shoulder.

"My mother and I were just a pattern to talk about in our thoughts for a long time. I'm always the one who cleans up and moves around if there's a requirement. It is no longer on the far side of my memory that I was stroked in the head or that I went somewhere with him. Still, if you are in the Ice Column of the Curse, life will be shredded by any being. Eventually my mother's life disappears because I knew it from birth. Oh, I thought the time had come."

"Sometimes when a loved one dies, the feeling comes later. When I die, I can't believe it first, and sometimes I get sad as I prepare for my grave. Tears could come days or months late."

"Alfi has experience, too?

"When I was a master. And Gwendorf."

When Alphilis pounded his shoulder, he left more words as he walked away from Wictrier.

"Your family may be gone, but from now on, we're - this mercenary regiment is our new family. Never forget."

"Are you encouraging me?

"Until I told you the truth. I've been building mercenaries like that."

Alphilis didn't talk about Tetrapolishka that much. But Victoria thought. That I would probably never see the remains of my mother and father again. They should have fallen asleep in perpetual frozen earth, just as they had fallen asleep before. As they have always done, they will surely sleep amicably and forever. The only thing I'm sure of is that they would have been much happier. Wictrier was overwhelmed as he looked north, saying that his mother, Tetrapolishka, might have finally gained real rest after her death.

And when they had lost so much and returned to the mercenary regiment's quarters, the remaining hostages greeted the Alphilis with their eyes round. Because there was no glimpse when it came to their return. It was Ekla who came out of the dormitory in a hurry. Although she and Cowen knew roughly what was going on beforehand, she still seemed uncomfortable.

"Alphilis! Can you explain what the hell happened?

"Come on. Not the same while you're away?

"Yeah, no big change. But the others..."

"It's okay, don't worry. We should meet later."

"Welcome home ~"

The missing voice between cracking and entering is Cowen. The tone was the same, but the look seemed more pressing than usual. From that look, Alphilis perceived the situation.

"Ekla, this is Victoria. She's going to be part of this mercenary regiment. Please welcome me with the treatment of captainship."

"Yes!? Suddenly!?

"You'll be convinced by the way she fights. He's one of the most powerful candidates in my mercenary regiment today. Tajibo the Dragon Man, show him around. Tajibo treats guests for now."

"Ha... come here then"

"Regards"

"Easy to take care of"

Wictrier bowed down small, Tajibo greeted Eagle Deep and followed Ekla, and the others seemed to have returned to the room once. Alpha Reese and Cowen, plus Lisa and Nia went into Alpha Reese's office in a hurry.

Cowen cuts it out quickly.

"Alpha Reese, did Ekura tell you what happened?"

"Yeah, I heard. It must be about Romansland, right?

"Yes - this is still ~"

"Yeah, right. This is..."

"It went as expected ~"

"You did what I expected."

The last words are the two with the same tone.

Continued