第３３８堀：事態は駆け足で (Part1)
**Chapter 338: Things Move at a Sprint**
**Side: Jessica**
……Truly, you never know what life has in store for you.
If you had told me as a knight—as an aide to Marly—that I would spend my life being defeated by an enemy, becoming a prisoner of war, and eventually marrying that very person, I would never have believed it. And to top it off, I am head-over-heels in love with him.
Perhaps because I chose a partner who walks above the clouds, far beyond the common sense I once knew, my life since then has been nothing like it was before.
I am no longer just a knight; I am part of a series of heroic events challenging the world's problems. And my husband? He doesn’t just face off against the goddesses who oppose us—he defeats them with methods that sound like a bad joke.
I can only laugh. Who could have imagined such things?
Well, I have certainly re-evaluated Yuki’s worth as my husband. Even if it’s a goddess, he shows no mercy to those who lack reason. I suspect my husband embodies the very way of life I aspired to as a knight. Ah, but that cynical attitude of his doesn't suit my tastes, so I won't be imitating that. I will simply support Yuki in my own way. After all, my love for him remains unchanged.
But how did it come to this……?
"Alright!! Jessica!! Come at me from anywhere!!"
"Lady Jessica. Feel free to beat him into a pulp."
"That’s right. I think this will stop His Majesty from going on a rampage for a while, so give it your all!!"
"Oh, please make sure he can still move his hands. I want him to finish the paperwork."
"Damn it!! You guys, watch closely!! The Sword King hasn't lost his touch!!"
These are the heavyweights of Roday having this conversation.
……Why, exactly, am I having a sword duel with the King of Roday?
I glance at Yuki, but……
*‘My condolences.’*
That’s the look he sends back.
……*Sigh*, has Yuki’s "trouble-magnet" constitution rubbed off on me?
"Jessica, make sure you hold back, okay!?"
"I-is this really alright!? W-what if it’s considered lèse-majesté!?"
"My lady, it’s fine. We have the go-ahead from Lord Huge, the Queen, and the Chancellor, Lord Ronri. Even if he gets badly hurt, we can just patch him up quickly so no evidence remains. So, Lady Jessica, finish this up quickly so we can have dinner!!"
My own people are just saying whatever they want, fully in spectator mode.
……Ah, I finally understand why Yuki always gives a bitter smile in situations like this.
I’m sorry. I’ll try to restrain myself from now on.
"Damn it!! That pisses me off!! I’m definitely going to beat Lady Jessica, then beat Lady Ria, and then challenge Yuki and win!!"
Well, with his reputation as the Sword King on the line, the King of Roday can’t back down now……
Why was I chosen as his opponent again?
……If I recall, it was after we suppressed the ruffians, returned to the castle, had some tea, and were listening to the reports.
"Your Majesty, the confiscation of the cargo is complete. As you suspected, it is indeed *that* item."
The one giving a crisp salute is Runo, Samantha’s older sister. I heard from Samantha that after graduating from the Magic Academy, she was stationed in the Royal Capital and hadn't been at her family home. That turned out to be a blessing; the coordination in the capital went well, and the cleanup was smooth.
"Listen. Given what it is, keep it under heavy guard. Don't let anyone but me through. I’m not issuing any written orders, so treat any you see as fakes."
"Yes, sir!!"
"There’s no way those ruffians could have brokered the purchase of that many magic swords on their own. No matter how you look at it, our own people are pulling the strings. While we’re playing around like this, they’ll get word of the raid and come to investigate. On the surface, we just arrested some thugs illegally occupying a warehouse. To anyone who doesn't know the contents, they’ll just think it’s my usual behavior. Keep an eye on whoever shows up. Also, find out who the official owner of that warehouse is."
"Understood, excuse me!!"
Hmm, hmm.
He really is the intuitive type. Marly-sama had a bit of that in her, too.
……Though, if a King were to use that intuition to do whatever he pleased, it would be incredibly troublesome.
"Alright, sorry to keep you waiting. Now that that’s settled, there’s no problem with me having a match!! Let’s do this without holding back!!"
"You just want to play, don't you?"
"Pretty much."
"Honestly, Your Majesty is the same as ever."
……Ah, so he’s the type who gives his all to having fun.
"What’s wrong with having fun!! I was a mercenary who ended up king after a throne dispute where everyone else died. No, I was forced into it. They told me to clean up my own mess."
"If we’re talking about that, we’re in the same boat."
"Indeed. Because of the internal strife back then, most of the factions wiped each other out, and that’s why we, who were enjoying a leisurely life as mercenaries, were called back."
……Ugh, that’s painful to hear.
There is room for sympathy, but in reality, there are people suffering even more because of it, and the people living on this continent owe Yuki a debt they can never repay.
The reason we came here is largely because of us……
It’s not about status; to anyone with common sense, it looks like everything has been pushed onto Yuki.
And it’s not as if he’s doing these good deeds out of the goodness of his heart. It’s because it’s his job.
Well, if someone came and said, "I came to save this continent out of a sense of justice!", it would sound suspicious, but "It’s Yuki’s job" is also quite troublesome.
We—that is, Jessica, Cleena, and Samantha—have ties to this continent as his wives, so we do the work even if it’s a bit of a hassle. If not for that, we might have just stood by and watched without intervening in the country’s problems.
Yuki doesn't necessarily need to find the cause of the mana depletion on this continent; just seeing the results here is enough of an achievement……
That’s how dry Yuki is.
……And so, Yuki, who is in the same position, nods at the Roday King’s words.
This is a very bad sign. I can see Yuki’s motivation plummeting.
……If I don't get that Roday King to shut his mouth, it might be a crisis for the world.
"We can discuss that later. Now, Roday-sama. Please, guide me with a move."
"Oh!! Wait, I’m the one challenging you. Well, whatever. Come!!"
His fighting spirit is palpable. He really feels more like a knight or a mercenary than a king.
How far would I have gotten if I hadn't met Yuki……?
But now, it’s different.
"Then, excuse me."
"Huh? Whoa!?"
*Clang!!*
I move behind him in an instant, call out to him on purpose, and let him catch my blade.
"Whoa!! Huh? Oh!? W-wait a minu……"
Using brute force while our blades are locked, I launch the Roday King into the air. He must have let his guard down, thinking I couldn't beat him in strength. If he had relaxed and deflected the force, he wouldn't have been launched.
However, as expected of someone who worked as a mercenary.
"Damn you!!"
Knowing his posture in the air was unstable, he relied on the weight of his sword and swung it down at me with all his might. He must have understood that if he just guarded, he’d be blown away.
*Cling!!*
With that sound, our swords collided…… and only the Roday King’s sword was sent flying.
"Eh?"
Because of that, I swung my sword through, and the Roday King, descending from the air, closed in on me.
"Gotcha!!"
*Tch*, the intuitive type is truly a nuisance.
I have no choice but to backstep instantly to create distance.
"Whoa!? Hey, stay here and trade blows with me!!"
"Don't be an idiot. Your opponent is a woman."
"Indeed. What a reckless thing to do. Besides, your sword was deflected, so you’ve already lost, Your Majesty."