第５０２堀：けじめ (Part1)
### Chapter 502: Settling the Score
**Side: Ria – Weed Affiliate, Yuki’s Guard, Yuki’s Wife, and Hero**
"Um, Ria. It’s a bit hard to walk like this."
Yuki-san says this to me. Well, I am wearing my armor, so it is a bit inconvenient to be linked arm-in-arm. But…
"That won't do. It’s for the sake of preventing another incident like the last one."
That’s right. This is to protect Yuki-san. It is unavoidable, as I must protect Yuki-san, who is the hero to me. This is strictly business, and definitely not because I just want to be clingy. Well, I am happy that I *can* be clingy, though.
"Exactly. This time, we happened to have Cleena and Samantha, but in the worst-case scenario, we might have been without any guards at all. Even then, having two magicians as the vanguard instead of someone like me or Ria made for a poor balance, didn't it?"
"…I suppose you're right."
"Do you understand how I felt at that time? While Yuki and everyone else were being dragged away, I was ordered to stand by. Do you know how that felt?"
"…I'm sorry."
"No, I’m not trying to blame you. But I never want to go through that again. I couldn't fulfill my duties… or rather, it was unbecoming of Yuki’s wife…"
"Ah, calm down. It really was my fault."
Jessica, who is walking right beside us—not linked arm-in-arm, but close enough to be pressed against him—says this with a trembling voice.
"Jessica has it easy! The rest of us just realized everyone was gone in the blink of an eye. I didn't even know what was happening anymore."
That’s right. I couldn't think about anything. Before I knew it, two days had passed. Everyone says I ate and bathed, but I have absolutely no memory of it.
"So, why do we need to show our faces to the Lord of Baide today, of all days?"
"Indeed. I think we should be resting a bit more."
"…If I rest any longer, I feel like I’m going to wither away."
"It’s alright. We received medicine from Luna-san to help recover your vitality."
"Yes. We would never put Yuki in danger in that regard. It’s only been about half a day since yesterday, so I’m sure everyone is still not satisfied."
Exactly. One night of passionate reunion with Yuki-san is far too little. The members left behind in Weed, and even those summoned to Baide, didn't have any time for intimacy given the situation. I think we need at least another week of love-filled rest. Oh, and that includes taking care of the children, of course! I wouldn't just abandon them. In that sense, too, quality time with Yuki-san is essential.
"I need time with the kids, too. Well, once we wrap up these talks, we should be able to get some rest, so please bear with me for today."
"That’s a promise, okay?"
"…Well, it is going according to plan, so it can't be helped."
"Everyone else is saying we should rest, too. It was hard to convince them otherwise."
" "That goes without saying." "
Everyone else shares the same opinion. In the end, we didn't get the two days of rest we talked about yesterday, and here we are working today. That is why we are whispering to Yuki-san like this even on the road.
By the way, the other members didn't come along this time. They are currently in the middle of a massive renovation of the Baide Dungeon. Despite everything, we are all just as busy as he is. So, as long as Yuki-san doesn't say he’s resting, we can't rest either—which is why we were told to urge him to take a break.
*Fufu…*
The security is already fully deployed; this city is now an armed trade hub that the current level of Baide civilization cannot breach, capable of instantly pulverizing any intruders. All that’s left is for Yuki-san to say, "Let’s go get intimate with everyone!!" and we’re good to go.
Intruders can just become corpses. Ah, cleaning up is a hassle, so maybe ash is better? It’ll just blow away in the wind.
"What’s wrong, Ria? You’ve got a stern look on your face."
"No, it’s nothing. Actually, no, that’s not true. I was just thinking about what a nuisance those people were."
"I see. Well, I might be repeating myself, but please, just hold back. If you go on a rampage, innocent people will just get hurt."
"Yes. I understand."
*…Safe.* I almost lowered Yuki-san’s affection for me just now. That would be bad. Absolutely bad. No, even before the affection thing, it’s my fault for having such dangerous thoughts. Deryu scolded me enough about that, so I have to keep it together.
I am a hero, after all!!
Wait? But my status as a hero is a secret, so I don't really need to act like one, right? Ah, it’s just about not becoming a mere slaughterer, so it doesn't matter if I’m a hero or not. Honestly, I don't feel like a hero at all; I only see myself as Yuki-san’s wife and his guard.
"We got a bit off track, but the reason for talking to the Lord of Baide is to finalize our future plans."
"Plans, you say. If I recall, it was to rescue the imprisoned Queen of Haiden and force a conflict between the pro-royalist faction and the old royalist faction, right?"
"Why go through all that trouble? Why not just stretch the dungeon out and conquer them all at once?"
The scum who caused Yuki-san and everyone else to be kidnapped should just be rounded up and hanged by our own hands.
"Well, if I just wanted revenge, that would be fine. But that would leave the territory of Haiden in ruins."
"…True. Ending it in an instant is within our power, but they wouldn't believe in an opponent with such absurd, incomprehensible strength. Above all, those with patriotism for Haiden would surely rebel."
*Muu.* This is getting complicated.
"There’s also the possibility of invasion from other countries. If we just vent our anger, the same tragedies that happened in the villages and towns where Ria, Milly, and Ratz lived might happen again. That’s unnecessary, isn't it?"
"…Yes. I’m sorry. I was being short-sighted."
I see. It could lead to the same sad things that happened to me and everyone else. That’s why we’re doing this. As expected, Yuki-san is kind.
"Honestly, if we did that, we’d be the ones stuck taking care of Haiden. That would just mean more work. It’s a matter of making them wipe their own messes."
"I see. That is only natural."
"Yes, it is."
"So, once we restore the old royalist faction, our freedom in Haiden will be guaranteed. We won't have to govern Haiden, and we won't need any troublesome permits. We’ll have more support for Weed, and it’s a win-win. That’s the goal."
"In the first place, Yuki’s mission isn't to run a nation."
"That’s right. Besides, Yuki-san is doing something far more amazing than that!!"
That’s right, my hero’s scale is on a completely different level!! Whether it’s kings, demon lords, or gods, he sets things straight and resolves them through reconciliation—he’s an amazing person!! He’s such a big-hearted, kind man!!
That’s exactly why my anger toward the scum who summoned and kidnapped Yuki-san keeps bubbling up, though.
"Normally, I’d be worried about things like assassination…"
"We’ve already brought the doppelgangers from Weed. I don't know about long-range, but within Baide, it’s not a problem for now. This time, in addition to the discussions, it’s also a verification experiment of sorts."
That’s right, he’s not just flesh and blood anymore. That’s only natural!! If Yuki-san gets hurt, it’s a crisis for the world!! Anyone who targets Yuki-san has no choice but to pay with their life.