158: Gotta have someone to play the bad guy, right?

Maina was pouting.

She kept her face scrunched up, refusing to budge from her "I'm mad" expression, cheeks puffed out, staring off to the side.

Persia watched her with a look that was half-exasperated, half-soft.

Amidst the rush of finalizing the envoy's departure, I noticed it. Maina was preparing to go too.

Most of her stuff had been gathered in the special storage for my "spatial storage," but somehow, a corner of the personal section had been set aside just for her.

And she kept sneaking over, carrying things, dropping them off.

...Just clothes, again.

I glared at Persia, who was hovering right by Maina’s side like a shadow.

I stepped back a few paces from Maina, who was serious about packing, and whispered to Persia.

"Hey. Why's Maina packing?"

"You decided who’d be on the delegation. So you should be the one to tell them."

Damn it!

Trying to shove the hassle onto me, huh!?

"No way! I’m not letting you guard her!"

"Going back and forth between Maina’s room and this warehouse? That’s just the right amount of exercise for Maina."

"That’s not what I’m talking about!"

I must’ve raised my voice too much—Maina looked up at me.

She spotted me. Her face lit up. She practically bounced over, pointed at her bags, puffed out her chest, and huffed.

If this were actually important, I’d be praising her right now…

I shot Persia a dirty look, sighed, then crouched down to meet Maina at eye level.

"Maina. You’re not coming on this inspection trip."

Maina blinked a few times, tilting her head with a puzzled frown.

"...uh?"

She didn’t seem to get it. Probably never even thought she wouldn’t be coming along.

"You’re staying behind."

"Staying... behind?"

"Yeah. It’s dangerous where we’re going. Can’t take you there. You’ve got the academy, don’t you?"

As I said that, she looked up at me with eyes wide like she’d seen something impossible, then puffed out her cheeks full force and turned away—right at the start.

You could practically see the *puff-puff* of her huffing. Maina was royally mad.

"Persia. You deal with her."

"Fufu. Angry Maina-sama is adorable."

"Wha—?!"

No good, this useless one. Gotta fix this fast!

I was just struggling to get Maina to calm down when Kyle and Zaid walked up side by side. The guards were Alphard and the Holy Knight.

“Craft-sama and Maina? What’s going on here?”

“Huh? Oh. Kyle, you tell her. Maina’s pouting because she can’t come along.”

Kyle blinked hard, then stepped in front of Maina.

“Maina. I get it. But I can’t take you. The small states—they’re a mess. Hundreds of city-states, each running their own politics. No telling what’ll happen next.”

Kyle spoke gently, but Maina didn’t even twitch. Just looked away.

Then Zaid stepped forward, sharp and sudden.

“Maina. I’m listening. Heard your grades at the academy aren’t great, huh?”

For the first time, Maina flinched, her body trembling faintly, her eyes flicking sideways toward Zaid.

“Hear you’ve been skipping your noble education, wasting time like a commoner.”

A bead of sweat trickled down Maina’s forehead.

“Hear you’ve been healed of that old curse, that you’re feeling much better. But are you exercising? Studying? Practicing etiquette? Tell me—surely you’re not just avoiding your noble duties… and not just that, but dodging the mandatory education every citizen of Elixir’s realm is supposed to fulfill… by packing your bags?”

Zaid stared down at her, cold and sharp. Maina just dripped sweat.

“Tell me—how can someone who hasn’t even met their own obligations… possibly handle a mission for the domain… no, for the Emperor himself?”

“U….”

The words hit hard. Maina’s eyes welled up. She turned and ran.

I didn’t tell anyone I wanted to collect the Saint’s tears because, well… I kinda deserved it. Might get hated.

“Zaid. You’re going a bit too far, aren’t you?”

“……”

Zaid glares back without a word.

“Craft. Come with me a sec.”

He doesn’t wait for my answer and starts walking. The holy knight tries to follow, but Zaid waves him off. “No guard needed.”

I shrug and fall in step behind him, tsking under my breath.

◆

We ended up on a wide balcony overlooking the town below.

A maid cleaning nearby tried to bring tea, but Zaid flicked a hand and sent her packing.

…Damn, the nobility’s presence is flawless. This guy.

Zaid leans on the railing. I stand beside him.

“…I can handle being the one everyone hates. Just me.”

“Huh?”

So small, it was almost lost to the wind.

“Running a territory isn’t just about pretty words. Sometimes you have to make decisions people will hate.”

I straightened up a little. Ready to hear the rest.

“Kyle’s talented. Too kind, though. That’s why the people support him. But that also means if he ever steps outside their image of him, they’ll lose faith in him—fast.”

Yeah, that’s what Kyle’s father, Lord Bairoroad, the Marquis of the Frontier, said once. Though Van shot it down.

“So someone needs to be the villain. The one standing beside Kyle, taking all the blame.”

The wind whipped through my hair.

“You’re saying you’ll be that villain?”

“Yeah. Fits me, don’t you think?”

For the first time, Zaid lifted the corner of his mouth just slightly.

Was this some kind of atonement for Kyle?

"No. I’ve been given direct orders from His Majesty to run this territory. I’m just using the most efficient method possible."

"Is that so."

We just listened to the wind for a while.

"Craft. Take care of Kyle."

"No need to tell me."

"No, that’s not what I mean."

I raised one eyebrow.

"Did you notice? Both Kyle and Maina call you 'Brother,' but they call me and Flatten 'Older Brother.'"

Thinking back, yeah… that did seem familiar.

"So what? Feels like the pieces don’t quite fit."

"That’s exactly it. It means you’ve earned Kyle’s trust without even trying."

"Guess that’s nice."

Kyle trusted me that much?

"Not just this mission. From now on… keep being his support."

Finally, it clicked.

And I had no reason to argue with that.

"Yeah. Leave it to me."

"I... too..."

Zaid looked up at the drifting clouds.

"One day, I’ll earn the name 'older brother' through effort."

"Is that so."

And with that, we ended our talk.

It’s fine.

As long as Kyle remains lord, our future’s guaranteed to be bright.

I clenched my fist. A single raindrop fell onto it.

I hadn’t noticed—suddenly, the sky had turned ugly.

Rain clouds blotted out the sun in an instant.

Like they were mocking our resolve.

Today’s the release day for the latest five volumes!

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I put in real effort writing this!

There’s plenty of it—enjoy!

And surprise—this one’s from Maina’s point of view!