第２４８掘：ＴＨＥ ＨＥＲＯ (Part1)
**THE HERO**
**Side: Yuki**
"M-my head is spinning..."
"There, there, Yuki-san. Let me support you."
Leaning on Ria, I barely managed to keep my balance. Honestly, I’d panicked when Eris started crying yesterday. I hadn't realized how much she’d been holding back. I felt terrible as a husband for not noticing sooner. Still, I’m not sure if it’s right to let her indulge until I’m this physically drained.
"Well, it can't be helped. Eris-san’s special day was interrupted, after all. If it were me, I might have unleashed my sword," Ria teased.
"Don't even joke about that. That’s the 15th generation Hero's Sword Narjia-san custom-made for you. You’ve never even used its full power, right?"
"I haven't, but I’d still do it. Think about it—her one day of exclusive time was completely ruined by a lecture, even if it was just an act. She was probably worried you’d hate her, on top of losing her precious time. A girl with a weaker heart might have been driven to despair."
"...Is it really that serious?"
"It really is. But you treated her with such care yesterday, so I’ll give you a passing grade. As expected of our husband."
"Well, thanks for that..."
Meanwhile, Eris was walking leisurely with a radiant, glowing smile while carrying Aslin. Even though Eris was the one doing most of the... movement, why was she the one looking so refreshed?
"...That is a woman’s secret, Yuki. When we are loved deeply and you give us your all, we all end up glowing like that," Ria whispered.
"Is that how it works?"
"That’s exactly how it works."
"It is indeed!" Labyris chimed in.
Since Eris had claimed Aslin today, Labyris wasn't on my shoulders but was being carried in my arms instead. Firia was on my other side. Shera, who was also part of the "little ones" group, generally didn't ask for this in public, though she was all over me for cuddles once we were home.
"Man, it’s only been three days since we transferred, but I’m exhausted," Taiki muttered beside me.
He looked just as wobbly as I was, supported by Airi as he walked. It seemed Airi had been in a similar position to Eris. But Taiki’s exhaustion wasn't just physical.
"Yeah. The moment we stepped into this academy, it’s been a non-stop parade of events and flags. And then there’s Lady Samantha... She’s a walking flag, but we can't exactly just toss her aside."
"Ah, right. Her country is an ally of Enaria, isn't it? But Enaria is on high alert because they supposedly lent a hand in the rebellion caused by the Holy Sword users?" Taiki asked.
"Exactly. Lady Samantha probably knows nothing about it, but if we’d played into the Headmaster’s hands and pinned the blame on her, we’d have had to report it to Enaria. If that happened..."
"It could have sparked a war between Enaria and Lady Samantha’s country," Taiki finished.
"That’s the gist of it. For now, Rowdey is claiming it was the unauthorized action of a few individuals. They’re even saying the contract found with the rebellious minister was a forgery."
"Ah, the old 'cutting off the lizard's tail' trick?"
"Pretty much. There’s a real chance Rowdey was involved as a nation, but they’ve set it up so they can easily cut ties. This level of evidence isn't a decisive blow. For all we know, another country could be pulling strings within Rowdey."
"Even if they wanted to go to war, it’s more than just a little hassle. And it’s not like we can go off and investigate the truth behind Rowdey ourselves," Taiki sighed.
"Well, the actual damage was just some minor hits to the castle town and a few soldier casualties."
"I’d want to ask if they’re really okay with letting it slide after the royal castle was attacked," Taiki noted.
"They repelled the attack, and Enaria has its own secrets to keep. Since the damage was low, there’s no reason to burn through people, money, and resources on a war just to break off current relations."
"Everything is just politics, huh?"
"That’s how the world works. A country with no profit has no future."
"So, how are we handling Lady Samantha from here on?"
"We’re keeping her close for now. She’s a perfect bridge for dealing with Rowdey later, and since she feels indebted to us for this incident, she’ll be useful."
"True. Keeping her as a card in our hand isn't a bad move."
Indeed, while we’d gained the upper hand against the Academy and the Headmaster, Lady Samantha—the catalyst for it all—was in a tricky spot. Rowdey had backed the minister who went on a rampage in Enaria. If word got out that the daughter of a Duke from that very country was interfering with our transfer, it could have been a casus belli. The justification was certainly there.
For us, we wanted to be able to investigate freely in every country, so war was the last thing we wanted. There was no reason to mistreat Lady Samantha when she could be our link to Rowdey, a country we had no connections with yet. That’s why I’d spoken up to support her and ensure the responsibility didn't fall on her shoulders, but...
"Ah, Lord Yuki!"
In front of the academy gates, the young lady in question spotted me—not the group, just me—and came running over with a bright smile. I felt a headache coming on.
"...The flag has been triggered. I thought I’d snapped it clean off," Taiki whispered.
"...Dammit. Did I mess up the follow-up?"
"No, in this case, the choice was hers. You know, like in an otome game."
"Oh, that kind of thing. I thought she’d keep her head down after being caught in the middle of the Academy and the State. I didn't think she’d choose to stay involved with us."
"Well, from the perspective of an otome game, that scene of you desperately shielding her would be a full-screen illustration. You just unlocked an Event CG, Yuki-san."
"I don't want it."
"But you used to complete all the CGs in your galge, didn't you?"
"Well, obviously."
While we were whispering, Samantha came to a halt in front of me.
"Lord Yuki, I look forward to working with you again today. Ah, Lady Eris, and everyone else, good morning."
Everyone returned her greeting normally. Surprisingly, Samantha and my wives had actually become quite friendly. Apparently, being used by the Headmaster had taken a toll on her mentally. After the matter with the Headmaster was settled, she’d come to us alone, moved to tears as she thanked us. If the blame had been pinned on her, even a Ducal house might have been ruined.
The Headmaster hadn't actually intended to go that far and had readily admitted his fault, but the fact that he’d used her remained. Consequently, Samantha now trusted us more than the Headmaster. Even though the trouble was over, the fact that she was waiting for us at the gate showed she possessed a proper sense of noble pride.
I could respect that attitude. She just lacked experience; she seemed like the type who would grow into a formidable woman in the future. Also, her bust was easily a match for Rurua’s. Anyway, I had to return the greeting.
"Ah, good morning. You didn't have to wait for us at the gate, but thank you. I hope it wasn't too much trouble."
"Not at all. Compared to the debt I owe you, this is a small matter. In fact, I haven't been able to repay you properly yet. This is only natural."
Samantha gave me a dazzling, beautiful smile. A stunning blonde with ringlets and a great figure—it was a picture-perfect sight, but as a man who already had wives, it only gave me an ominous feeling.
"...Um, was I being a nuisance?" Samantha asked, her expression faltering slightly as I stood there frozen.
Ah, crap. I needed to keep her as a connection to Rowdey, so I had to say something. What’s the line that avoids triggering a flag? Come on, give me some dialogue options. This feels just like when I met Ria. Give me a clear A or B choice!
"Hehe, it’s quite alright, Lady Samantha. My husband is simply a bit exhausted from working hard yesterday," Eris said with a smile.
"Lady Eris? Lord Yuki is tired? I thought you were the one working hard yesterday?"
"We are husband and wife, after all. I was simply giving him his reward for last night."
"T-that means..."
"Yes. We were... working on expanding our family."
"I-I beg your pardon! I-I shouldn't have asked such an intrusive question...!"
"It’s fine. We are fellow students and friends; there’s no harm in talking about such things."
*Actually, there’s a lot of harm in that,* I thought. Is this kind of conversation normal for women? Terrifying. But Eris had successfully diverted the girl’s attention away from me.
"Now then, we can't keep chatting at the gate forever. Shall we head in?"
"Yes, please leave it to me. That is why I was waiting!"
Samantha took the lead and started walking.
*Nice save, Eris.*