“The Yuridina Clan has a history of protecting Elves. In fact, one of those Elves played a significant role in the last battle.”
“Yeah, risking my life in the process.”
As she poured wine into the glass in front of me, those words were thrown out casually.
I felt a lump in my throat at the stark reality of it.
That ‘Elf’ was none other than Pope Eyong.
But I quickly regained my composure.
His death ultimately paved the way for the future.
“And the Imperial Court wants to integrate the Elves into the Empire. To do that, they must first address the long-standing grievances between humans and Elves. It seems they’ll need a representative to symbolize this.”
“An Elf who sacrificed for humanity…”
Senior Delphine closed her eyes and tapped the table with her finger.
After a few soft taps, the woman’s voice flowed out again.
“That’s not bad… no, it might actually be better than I imagined.”
“The clan that was protecting that Elf is the Yuridina Clan.”
“But the Imperial Court wouldn’t just let it end there.”
That was a sharp observation.
The effort to settle the Elves in the Northern Region was directly tied to the interests of both the Imperial Court and the Yuridina Clan.
After all, the Northern Region was under the jurisdiction of the Yuridina Clan.
The leniency shown towards a clan in collusion with the Dark Cult was excessive.
Considering that the heir had personally arrested the traitor, it was still too generous.
At the very least, the Imperial Court would want some show of punishment, even if it was just for appearances.
Reto, who had relayed this plan to me, was also well aware of that fact.
“You just need to fully support the resettlement of the Elves.”
“Ah, right… that could work.”
It was a clever idea, but Senior Delphine’s reaction seemed somewhat lacking.
There was no other choice, given the situation of the Yuridina Clan, which was not good enough to be dismissed lightly.
Out of nowhere, the clan head had been branded a traitor.
Preparations for a battle with a monstrous mass of flesh had severely depleted the troops, and countless resources, including supplies, had been lost. There was no time to respond to the sudden transfer of power.
And yet, the suggestion was to take responsibility for the Elves’ resettlement?
“Ultimately, the stability of the populace can only be secured with the help of the Imperial Court. So, the Imperial Court gets to keep the Yuridina Clan on a leash, and if the resettlement of the Elves goes well, it couldn’t be better. The number of subjects will increase, and we can reduce unexplored lands, not to mention bolster our forces in preparation for a confrontation with the Dark Cult.”
“And in order to control the Elves, who still harbor deep grudges, the Yuridina Clan’s private soldiers will also need to be reorganized. Of course, since the troops will actually be used to control the Elves, they won’t be able to move freely.”
“In an emergency, they could be utilized. For example, in a war that shapes the future of the Empire?”
Senior Delphine let out a small laugh.
“How neat, it’s almost aggravating.”
“Well, this outcome is only because the Imperial Court didn’t want to bring this issue to the surface. If they had announced that we have colluded with the Dark Cult…”
“I know.”
As if there were no need to say more, Senior Delphine raised her hand to halt my words.
The end of that hypothesis was obvious.
A catastrophic demise.
At the very least, a disaster of equivalent magnitude would have befallen the Yuridina Clan.
Of course, there were still processes left to dialogue with various councils, including the Holy Kingdom, but that was something the Imperial Court could easily gloss over.
In other words, we had passed the critical point.
The Imperial Court kept their loyal hound alive and gained profit, so they were satisfied.
And the Yuridina Clan avoided the worst, so it was a relief.
A long sigh escaped my lips after gaining Senior Delphine’s agreement.
It was finally over.
As if to confirm that fact, Senior Delphine subtly lifted her wine glass and stood up.
Even her gentle steps were captivating.
The atmosphere shifted dramatically, and I could now gauge Senior Delphine’s intentions.
Yes, here we go again.
Senior Delphine leaned her head against my chest and said.
“You’ve worked hard, my lord. It seems you’re keeping quite the good strategist by your side?”
“Yes, well. I guess so.”
I replied with an awkward smile.
In truth, many memories sprang up as Senior Delphine approached.
For instance, Ceria, or Emma.
Unbeknownst to my inner thoughts, Senior Delphine flashed a smile full of affection.
The breath against my nape was warm.
It couldn’t just be the influence of alcohol.
“Well done; after all, managing your subordinates is also a leader’s ability… I owe you a great debt, my lord. What should I do to repay you?”
It was a question whose conclusion had already been decided.
However, I purposely kept it to myself.
I merely threw a topic at Senior Delphine, while trying to appear nonchalant.
“Um, but that’s not the only problem here.”
“…?”
And so the conversation continued.
Senior Delphine’s expression grew subtle as I shared about Ceria’s rampage and what had happened with Emma.
Eventually, she let out a deep sigh and plopped down in her seat.
Then, with a sour expression, she filled her wine glass to the brim and emptied it a couple of times.
I felt a cold sweat break out on me.
It was clear to anyone that Senior Delphine wasn’t in a good mood.
In fact, her irritation was palpable.
That was also the reason I couldn’t accept Senior Delphine’s outrageous solution blindly.
To suggest sleeping with Ceria for a night?
Was it really something that could be accomplished so simply?
I cautiously eyed Senior Delphine while asking.
“Um, Senior Delphine?”
“What?”
Her voice was sulky.
I was surprised to find that the always confident and dignified Senior Delphine could produce such a tone.
It was a typical pouty expression, which one could see anywhere.
Without thinking, I found myself smiling faintly.
“Are you perhaps feeling upset?”
It was a question that could be deemed not just obvious, but even rude.
After all, I had already had a physical relationship with her.
If my beloved were to be seen with other women, it was only natural that she wouldn’t feel good about it.
Yet, Senior Delphine was a woman who exceeded many of my expectations.
“Me? Upset? Hmm… why?”
Her tone suggested she genuinely didn’t understand.
Yet, at the same time, irritation seeped through her gaze, and I offered a deliberately oblivious response.
“Are you jealous?”
“Me, jealous? Of others? Pfft, no way…”
At first, Senior Delphine tried to laugh off my observation.
But perhaps something struck her, and her laughter soon faded.
It didn’t take long for her expression to harden.
Eventually, Senior Delphine let out a deep sigh.
It was a sign of surrender.
“Jealous, jealous… I guess that might be it.”
Her voice carried a sense of defeat.
As if she couldn’t believe she had come to this point, Senior Delphine swept her hands over her face.
“…I must be going crazy.”
Of course, it was an absurd lament.
If we were to pick the crazy one, it had to be me, who was off gallivanting while leaving such an attractive woman like Senior Delphine behind.
I decided to comfort her in the most gentle tone I could muster.
“No, it’s not your fault, Senior Delphine. It’s my fault. If you’re uncomfortable…”
“No.”
I closed my mouth in response to her firm rejection.
Senior Delphine, quenching her throat with wine, muttered with a dazed expression.
“I won’t be able to get married for a while anyway. And you already have plenty of bright women around you… you don’t really need to be tied to me. I don’t want to hinder your future.”
“Senior Delphine, even so…”
“Just do as I say.”
With that, Senior Delphine abruptly stood up.
It took only a brief moment for the woman to approach me.
Then, her voice turned pleading.
“I knew from the start. You, no, my lord, are a man I can’t monopolize… and yet I still did. And Ceria is a pitiful child too. So, really, don’t worry about me too much.”
What could I say to that?
As I sighed with frustration, Senior Delphine quietly took my hands in hers.
And with sincerity in her gaze, once again declared.
“This is my love.”
In the end, I managed a wry smile and pressed my lips against Senior Delphine’s.
After that, we simply felt each other’s warmth for a while.
It was strangely wonderful.
Just being like this felt good.
A languorous sense of fulfillment filled my chest, one that couldn’t be satisfied by anything else.
Such a serene time continued until Senior Delphine broke into a blurry smile.
“It’s turned into quite a funny situation… the Yuridina sisters serving one man, and now another commoner? If you had told me that a few months ago, I wouldn’t have believed it.”
She spoke as if she had heard a hilarious joke.
So, it was difficult for me to bring up the fact to Senior Delphine.
That there were still more women involved.
Of course, it was something I couldn’t hide forever.
While I hesitated for quite some time, I could feel Senior Delphine’s puzzled gaze directed at me. And I ultimately closed my eyes tightly and had to admit to all my relationships.
Including the stories about Senior Elsi and the Lady Virgin Saint.
The warmth faded from Senior Delphine’s eyes once more.
I held back the urge to kneel as I stumbled over my words.
“Um, w-would that be… okay?”
“Okay? Ah, I’m fine. Why not change bedrooms every night? Or if it’s too much of a bother, just sleep with both women at once.”
There was no way I could possibly respond.
As I fell silent and began a vow of silence, Senior Delphine let out a chuckle filled with incredulity.
I suppose I had to make sense of things.
Just as I was determined to open my mouth, Senior Delphine suddenly kissed me, her lips covering mine. And with our tongues entwined, the sweet scent of liquor flowed in between us.
Stunned from the exchange, I looked at Senior Delphine in surprise.
Yes, there she was, flashing a thoroughly captivating smile.
“Instead, report to me every time… about which night felt the best with whom.”
Wasn’t this also a question with an already decided answer?
I almost retorted, but stopped myself.
Now, all that remained was the proof.
Once more, our bodies became entwined atop the bed.
The next day, I was walking through the halls of Yuridina Castle, yawning.
Most of the urgent issues had been resolved.
What remained were just trivial follow-ups. Other than that, it was mostly housekeeping tasks, like going to see Senior Elsi, getting scolded by the Lady Virgin Saint, or checking in on Abiyang.
The visit of a certain girl disrupted my peaceful routine.
I had just been walking and conversing with Abiyang when…
“…Oniichan!”
Just as I registered the familiar voice from afar, I was struck with an intense shock and sprawled onto the ground. The girl, charging at me like a cannonball, had jumped on me with a pout.
With black hair and golden eyes.
The emblem of a clan.
“W-what to do… You’ve had a hard time, haven’t you? You can’t even keep your body stable…”
I reflexively coughed dryly, wanting to refute.
The reason I couldn’t currently keep my body stable was due to something else.
But before I could respond, the girl reacted.
Not to me, but to Abiyang beside me.
“What’s this filthy Elf…?! Hey, what’s your relationship with my oniichan?!”
Seeing that, I resigned myself and relaxed my throat.
She was using honorifics, but she didn’t even say please, in fact, she was being quite rude.
This proved that the girl was extremely agitated. So, there was no point in trying to talk.
Yet, my little sister’s visit revealed another fact.
It was time to go back.
To the Academy.
My life in the Northern Region was coming to an end.
