ACT 4
“Now then, we shall commence the Chalice Ceremony,” the man intoned. “I am Alexis, and as goði, I shall supervise these proceedings. This day is particularly auspicious...”
At the center of the ceremonial hall, a middle-aged man in good shape with a beard was beginning to make his speech. The man’s body was cloaked in smooth, lustrous, and high-class clothes. They were made from an extremely rare cloth known as “Sieke” that could only be produced in lands far to the east. Judging by what he could see, Yuuto was certain it was silk.
Which was only to be expected of a representative sent as an envoy of the divine emperor. It was natural that he would be wearing something so expensive.
“...and that has brought us here,” the man continued. “And now, on this most wondrous day, I present the two parties intended to be bound by the ties of sibling-hood: as the elder brother, the eighth sovereign patriarch of the Wolf Clan, Lord Yuuto. And the younger sister, the sovereign patriarch of the Horn Clan, Lady Linea. And through the authority of this Chalice, the Wolf Clan and the Horn Clan will be bound as kindred clans from here on.”
Droning on and on about things that were utterly pointless, Alexis had finally reached the reason everyone was gathered here. Yuuto couldn’t help but be reminded of his principal’s speeches during morning assemblies at his school. While this was a tradition and a part of the social ritual, he couldn’t help but fight off the urge to yawn.
Incidentally, Yggdrasil had no concept of family names. If one needed such a thing, they usually used their designated clan as such. That was what it meant to be a clan: those bore the same lineage, a family.
“You shall thus be united. While I know it is unnecessary, I will check the sacred wine once more.”
The goði Alexis lifted the silver pitcher and tipped the spout, splitting the stream of alcohol into the two Chalices with his hand.
There were around twenty people on either side of the goði. They were almost all members of the Wolf Clan, but around five members of the Horn Clan were also in attendance. As it was a sacred ceremony, not one of them was making a sound. Only the sound of liquid made an odd echo.
Having filled both Chalices, Alexis picked up one and took a sip. He was testing it for poison. These Chalices were tying the interests of two countries, after all. While it was a rare occurrence, the position of goði required one to risk their life.
“Indeed, it is a fine liquor,” he said. “Now then, Lord Yuuto, you will be serving as the elder sibling.”
Alexis returned the Chalice he had tested to the podium, then turned to face Yuuto once more and called upon him. The tension, which had been uncomfortably thick up to that point, now increased further.
Yuuto gulped, finding the solemn atmosphere of the ceremony difficult, making it hard for him to breathe. He could feel everyone’s eyes focused on him.
“Yes.” Yuuto thrust out his chest and responded with a hoarse, subdued voice. He tried to maintain as much of an air of dignity as possible, so as not to bring shame upon the Wolf Clan.
“By sharing the Chalice with her, you intend to make her your little sister,” Alexis intoned. “If it is truly your will that you both watch over each other in times of wellness as in times of illness, in times of joy as in times of sorrow, in times of wealth as in times of poverty, then please drink deeply of this Chalice. You may proceed!”
Yuuto furrowed his brows at the man’s words. Though this was the standard, accepted speech for the Chalice to cement sibling bonds, it sounded to Yuuto like marriage vows. He was still only sixteen, and already had his heart set on a certain girl.
Of course, he understood they were only taking a vow to be siblings by way of the Chalice, but Yuuto still couldn’t help the psychological aversion he felt.
“Well, no time like the present,” he murmured.
Yuuto was the one who had said he wanted this, and those words, once given voice, could not be taken back. Having steeled himself, he reached for the Chalice of elven copper right in front of him.
The Chalice would bind two clans by way of their sovereigns. If the Chalice the Wolf Clan prepared was too shabby, it would reflect poorly upon them. And for the Horn Clan, who had lost everything, it would appear that the Wolf Clan thought even less of them. Elven copper was the same weight as gold and had its own inherent value. So the Wolf Clan having made it from such metals was a sign of utmost respect toward the Horn Clan.
“Here goes.” He gulped down the Chalice’s contents in one go. An intense burning sensation filled his mouth, and gulping it down caused his stomach and throat to flush with heat.
Honestly, it was unpleasant beyond belief. His head began to feel hazy.
Why do adults drink this stuff? Yuuto wondered, mystified. He drank what he estimated to be the requisite amount, then pushed it toward Linea.
“And now, Lady Linea, we pose to you the same inquiry...”
“...Okay,” she murmured.
“The moment you drink from that Chalice, you become Lord Yuuto’s subordinate. From that moment, you are expected to loyally serve your elder brother and his clan without fail. If you have truly prepared yourself for this vow, then demonstrate your resolve by drinking the remaining contents of this Chalice and letting that resolve forever thrive within.”
Linea narrowed her eyes at the Chalice.
And she just kept staring and staring.
Just as the fear that she actually might back out of becoming his little sister subordinate gripped Yuuto, Linea violently seized the Chalice and downed its contents in one gulp.
There was no ceremony nor dignity to her movements. It was a tiny act of rebellion.
“Whew!” Linea wiped off the now-empty Chalice with a handkerchief from her pocket and, using both hands, rose halfway and fell back. She then bowed deeply. “Please look after me for all eternity... Big Brother.”
Her voice was so slight and so full of bitterness that it was hard to tell that she was asking him to do anything for her.
There were several members of the Horn Clan in attendance. Though they might not have agreed with the idea of the Chalice, there had to have been something that had sold them on it.
At any rate... the Chalice Ceremony concluded without incident.
The longstanding dispute between the Wolf Clan and the Horn Clan had finally been brought to a close. For a relationship that had been like oil and water for so long, they could now begin anew as kindred clans. Thanks to the Chalice, they could celebrate peaceful days with no war, at least for now. Yuuto’s mission as the sovereign had been fulfilled. He could now turn his attention to finding his way home without feeling guilty.
Yuuto pondered the situation leisurely, feeling a sense of relief.
“Princess! Th...thank heavens you’re safe!” A middle-aged man burst into sobs with no concept of shame or care for the eyes upon him.
“Second-in-command, I’ve already told you, I’m not your princess anymore,” Linea said, seeming keenly aware of the eyes upon her. “Come on, we’re in public. This is embarrassing.”
The ceremony was over, and after half a month of waiting, this would be the first time the Horn Clan had their sovereign back.
Though the rest of them didn’t make quite the scene the middle-aged man had, the other delegates in turn greeted their sovereign patriarch joyfully, their eyes blurry with tears.
“Those Wolf fiends didn’t harm you, did they?”
“They really are beasts.”
“It’s utterly disgraceful to think we’re now a kindred clan of theirs.”
With a bitter grin, Yuuto called out to them cheerfully and broke into their conversation.
As soon as he did, all of the Horn delegates moved between him and Linea, as if to protect her, and glared down at him. Their feelings of hostility and trepidation were made abundantly clear. It was completely natural, considering that he had kept their sovereign locked up in the palace.
“Hey now, don’t make such scary faces,” Yuuto said. “I’ll say this again: You guys know we’re not enemies anymore, right?”
He lowered his shoulders, as if to placate them. A cold sweat trickled down his back. All of them, even the highest members of their leadership, wore hardened expressions, like yakuza members being threatened. If Felicia hadn’t been behind him as his guard, Yuuto might have immediately turned tail and run away.
“Stand down, all of you,” Linea ordered. “He is my big brother, after all.”
“...Yes, ma’am!”
At Linea’s insistence, the emissaries from the Horn Clan reluctantly backed down, opening a path for Yuuto. But they did not waiver a bit in their vigilance. It was as if to show that they would do anything to protect their sovereign.
It was obvious that Linea was beloved by her child subordinates. The other day, when he’d visited her room, Yuuto had thought that she’d seemed jealous, perhaps because she was unpopular among her own people, but it was clearly the opposite.
“Big Brother, please forgive my child subordinates and their lack of manners.” Linea turned back to face Yuuto and gave a small bow.
They had only just shared the Chalice, and yet she was addressing him more formally, using a more polite manner of speaking. Perhaps because two sovereigns were involved, the people around them understood the weight of the Chalice.
Yuuto waved his hand, as if to tell her not to worry about it. “It’s only natural that they would protect their sovereign. They’re good child subordinates.”
“They really are good subordinates. Too good for me.” The slightest hint of a shadow eclipsed Linea’s face.
Somehow, those words hit home for Yuuto. He had experienced the same feelings and worries she was feeling now. It was likely that she, like him, didn’t feel deserving of such fierce loyalty from her subordinates.
Linea had endured a crushing defeat, and now she and her people had been forced to become subservient to the Wolf Clan, whom they had considered beneath them. There was no doubt that, for now, her worries were greater than Yuuto’s.
“Big Brother, shall we go get some fresh air together?” she asked.
“Hm? Sure, that’s fine with me.” Yuuto readily agreed to Linea’s invitation, giving her a nod. She had been locked away in a room ever since she’d come to Iárnviðr. He figured she just wanted to see the outside, to breathe fresh air, but...
“Oh, you all, wait here,” Linea commanded the Horn Clan emissaries with a flick of the wrist.
They had just gotten their sovereign back, and this was a foreign land. The Horn emissaries exchanged uncomfortable glances.
“Princess?! I-it’s dangerous to go alone,” her second-in-command protested.
“It’s all right,” she assured him. “If someone wanted to hurt me, they would have done it long before now.”
“B-but!”
“We siblings need to have a private conversation. Don’t worry. We’ll be right back,” Linea said firmly.
Yuuto followed Linea, bewildered. Glancing back over his shoulders, Yuuto’s eyes met several faces, gnashing their teeth and glaring at him.
“Hey, is this really okay?” he asked hesitantly. “You finally got to see your subordinates again. Don’t you have a lot to talk to them about?”
“We’ll have plenty of time for that on the way home.”
“Indeed, if you wished to speak with Big Brother, now would be the time for it,” Felicia added.
“Hey, Felicia! Why are you coming along, too?!” Yuuto cried.
“Because it is my job to guard you, Big Brother.”
“Uhm, you know that’s not what I meant, right?!”
While dedication to her duties as his guard was normally something Yuuto was grateful for, sometimes Felicia’s dedication was an annoyance. Linea had left her subordinates behind, so Yuuto’s adjutant coming along made him look weak and cowardly.
“Since she’s your little sister too, I suppose there’s no way around it,” Linea said. “This is a siblings-only conversation.”
“Are you really okay with this?” he asked.
“Sure, I don’t mind.” Giving a quick nod, Linea stepped through the door.
From the top of the tower, where the ceremony had been held, one could easily see straight across to the horizon. A sigh of astonishment slipped from Linea’s lips at the magnificent view before her.
The town below, shielded by a tall outer wall, was full of wooden houses. The bazaar that ran along the main road that stretched from the palace to the gate was clearly, even from this high up, bursting with activity.
Linea took in the scenery for some time before turning back to Yuuto. A resigned look of sadness appeared on her face. “Sorry for making you wait.”
“It’s fine. So, what did you want to talk about?”
He could tell from Linea’s expression that this was no trivial matter. So much so that it seemed he would need to prepare himself for whatever it was she had to say. He gulped loudly.
Almost in sync with that, Linea dropped rapidly into a bow. It was with such fervor that her forehead practically hit her knees. “I humbly ask of you: please, please treat my people, the citizens of the Horn Clan, as you would the citizenry of the Wolf Clan.”
Yuuto quickly determined that Linea was talking about the Horn people living on land that had been seized by the Wolf Clan.
Taking conquered peoples as prisoners of war or forcing them into slavery was something that seemed to be accepted throughout the world. The country that lost would often have the land they were born and raised on confiscated, have their dignity and rights as a person stolen, and be exploited via manual labor. He was sure that it was for this outcome that Linea grieved.
“I know what I’m asking for is impossible,” she pleaded. “I know it may be of no value to the Wolf Clan. If my body pleases you, you may do as you like with it! Please, I beg of you...!”
She was still such a young girl. It was only natural that she might fear this male she scarcely knew forcing himself upon her. The body she offered up quaked uncontrollably. And yet, to protect her people, she was trying to offer herself in their stead.
“Uh, well...”
Having the values of someone from the 21th century, Yuuto found it incredibly difficult to accept the idea of a slave. He had intended to give her equal treatment from the start, so the fact that she made such a show of offering herself left him a bit taken aback.
That being said, when Yuuto had pressured Linea into becoming his little sister subordinate, he had threatened harm to her people. It made sense that she would feel such anxiety.
Yuuto laughed wryly and began patting Linea’s head.
“Big... Brother?” A note of bewilderment echoed through her voice, likely not understanding why Yuuto was doing what he did.
At this point, Yuuto finally felt like he was beginning to understand why Linea’s people idolized her so. There were few monarchs who concerned themselves with their people the way she did.
Though her clan had been the ones attacking the Wolf, she likely felt that the Wolf Clan might ride the wave of militaristic fervor and further threaten the Horn Clan, so this was her only chance to protect them.
“I’ll listen to whatever it is you need to ask me, my adorable little sister,” he said fondly.
“Thank you — agh!”
As Linea raised her head to gaze joyfully up at Yuuto, he forcefully held her head against his chest instead. Looking her in the eyes would be way too embarrassing right now.
Statues that must have represented gods were lined up on a pyramid-shaped altar made of stacked jagged stones. Above the altar hung the mirror that had brought Yuuto to this world, and a torch that burned without end.
The Chalice Ceremony held before the altar earlier had been a sacred affair, one conducted in near silence, but now, the men were seated next to the altar, making music on pipes, and the women were losing themselves to dancing in tune with the music.
One of those women was Yuuto’s adjutant, Felicia. Already well-known for her versatile talent pool, Felicia was a skilled and prominent dancer among the Wolf Clan.
It was a feast to celebrate the fact that the Wolf and Horn Clans had become definitively intertwined as kindred clans. There were plenty of people showering the dancers with adoration, and just as many laughing and drinking together to their hearts’ content nearby.
“Everyone seems to be having a great time,” Yuuto commented.
With the burden of the ceremony now lifted, Yuuto was enjoying the atmosphere of the feast and the food that came with it. While he didn’t think it appropriate for him to directly engage in the frivolity, he didn’t dislike the lively celebration, either.
There was a jolt beside him.
Standing behind Yuuto in Felicia’s stead, Sigrun started to her feet, giving off a dangerous aura.
“Hi there, Yuuto-bro. It’s been two months.” Someone swiped the pitcher right from in front of Yuuto.
He was a man that appeared to be in his late thirties, with a pot belly and a jolly smile that left a genial impression.
“Yo, bro,” Yuuto said. “You been well?”
“I’m grateful for your concern, thank you,” the man said. “Yeah, I’m well. But, wow, to think that the Horn Clan would cave in this easily. Ah, there’s no way a guy like me’d be any match for you. I just feel totally embarrassed at my own stupidity back then.”
“It’s unsettling hearing such flattery from my own sibling,” Yuuto answered. “So what’re you scheming this time?”
“What? I’m not scheming anything. It’s how I really feel. You’re so harsh. Oh, here.”
As the man bowed humbly, he held the pitcher out to Yuuto.
Yuuto took up his glass and accepted the liquid the man poured into it. He then lifted the cup to Sigrun’s nose, and only once she nodded in affirmation did he tilt the cup back.
The man’s name was Botvid, and he was Yuuto’s younger brother subordinate. He came off as timid and rather like a servant, giving the air of a man who would never get anywhere, but in reality, he was the sovereign patriarch of the Claw Clan, with whom the Wolf had been in violent combat up until two months ago.
Unlike Yuuto, who had gained superiority through modern knowledge, this man had climbed to the position of sovereign through brute strength, and had almost single-handedly pushed the Wolf Clan to the brink of destruction. He was the very epitome of a person it would do well to not judge by outer appearances.
“I wouldn’t call it scheming, but I did have something I wanted to ask you,” Botvid said.
“Oh?” Yuuto took another sip of his drink. He couldn’t help but feel thirsty with the amount of nervousness he felt coming face-to-face with this man, with whom he couldn’t put his guard down for even a second.
Even regardless of the defensive barrier he was erecting around his heart, he wound up startled.
“I was just wondering what consideration you were giving to your own marriage.”
“Pbfhuh?!” Hardly prepared for the question that came his way, Yuuto spewed the mouthful of water he’d had in his mouth. Of course, it landed directly on Botvid’s face, who was sitting right in front of Yuuto.
Yuuto coughed violently. “S-sorry.”
“Not at all. Please don’t worry about it. Guess it went down the wrong pipe?” The smiling sovereign of the Claw Clan wiped his face off and made a casual joking comment.
Anyone observing the man at that moment would see him as generous and big of heart, but Yuuto knew there was deception lurking beneath that poker face. From the moment Botvid had appeared in front of Yuuto, the smile on his face hadn’t wavered, not even when Yuuto had spewed water on him.
“I’m told nothing has been decided regarding this matter as of yet,” the man said.
“I-I’m still a little young to be getting married.”
“You absolutely are not too young. Bro, you’re at exactly the age where it would be completely normal to take a wife.”
“Uhm...” Yuuto was at a loss for a response. He had answered from the perspective of someone from the modern day, but having observed the way people fretted over Felicia having waited too long at seventeen by his calendar, he understood that their line of thought was different.
“Well then, how about my daughter?” the man asked smilingly.
“So that’s your real aim. You really were scheming something.” Yuuto gave a light snort and rested his chin in his hands. The older he got, the more dull and troublesome the conversation got.
Basically, this was intended to be a strategic marriage. Yuuto found it difficult to accept that sort of thing, but he knew because of his love of the Warring States Period that this had been common practice all throughout the world up until modern times.
“No, I just felt that it might be advantageous for us to forge a more longstanding bond with you and the Wolf Clan,” the man said. “How about it? Say yes now and I could add a second to sweeten the deal?”
“Whoa, hey...”
What is he, a host on a home shopping show trying to hock his wares? Yuuto thought, astonished.
In a way, it showed how desperate he was to buy Yuuto’s favor. Offering up both his daughters, he was clearly trying to forge favorable relations.
Yuuto’s perception of himself was fairly low, but the fact remained that in the year since his inauguration as sovereign, he had brought the Wolf Clan back from the brink of destruction, and he had crushed the Claw and Horn Clans without completely destroying them. Looking at it objectively, Botvid’s assessment of Yuuto as an excellent marriage prospect for his daughters was spot on.
There was also the fact that, as relations between the Wolf and the Horn deepened, the inferior Claw Clan likely felt a sense of impending danger.
Botvid almost doubled over, bringing his face closer to Yuuto. “They’re beautiful girls, if I do say so myself. Yes, looks just like their mother. You can rest assured that they don’t look a thing like me.”
“I think you’re being a little hasty,” Yuuto said, holding up a hand so that Botvid wouldn’t come any closer. He was trying his best to evade the stench of alcohol wafting off the middle-aged man. “This is a matter of political importance. This isn’t something you decide under the influence of alcohol.”
Though Yuuto was being ambiguous about it, accepting the proposal wasn’t an option for him. He had no intention of settling down in this world. The idea of getting married in this world had never occurred to him.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” the man said. “I just thought it might be a good way of uniting our clans for the long haul.”
Readjusting his position in his seat, it was clear Botvid had no intention of giving this up. In fact, a light glinted in Botvid’s eyes, as if he’d just remembered something.
He gave a single nod. “Mmm, well, you do have a good point, Big Bro. Well, I certainly don’t want to earn the ire of everyone attending this fine feast by monopolizing the man of the hour. Later.”
Botvid slapped his knees and stood up, withdrawing as if his nonchalant air up to that point had all been a ruse.
Yuuto had a bad feeling as he watched the man’s back disappear.
It would be some time before his premonition would bear fruit.
“So, how about my granddaughter, then? She is rather beautiful, if you’ll permit me to say so myself, and I believe you may find her to your liking, Lord Yuuto.”
As Bruno, the head of the elders, chatted happily before him, Yuuto couldn’t help but feel a sense of futile déjà vu, thinking to himself, not again.
There was no end to the stream of people coming to pour Yuuto’s alcohol and chat with him. Among them were many who, like Botvid, came with their own marriage proposals. This was the sixth one who had come.
It seemed that the type of people who would flock to power all had similar lines of thinking. Yuuto felt as if he had gotten himself caught in an infinite loop.
“I’ve told you, I have no intention of marrying anyone right now,” he said firmly.
“Ah, but you are of that age, Lord Yuuto,” the man said smoothly. “Ah, uh, naturally I wouldn’t demand you take anyone too far beneath you for your wife. You could take her as a mistress, as long as you were to treat her well...”
Bruno refused to give up, even as Yuuto clicked his tongue and tried to send him away. The man’s emotional stamina would not be exhausted.
Yuuto was well aware that this was normal in this world. Still, your grandchild is not a tool for political warfare, he thought, righteous indignation raging within his heart.
Bruno was one of those who had refused to serve under Yuuto when he’d first become sovereign patriarch. As support for Yuuto had grown within the Wolf Clan, his attitude had suddenly changed, and he’d begun trying to get close to Yuuto. Now he was offering up his own granddaughter.
With things like this happening, Linea and the rest of the Horn Clan were well within their rights to denigrate the Wolf as dogs.
“Oof.” Yuuto hopped to his feet.
“L-Lord Yuuto, what is the matter? Did I say something that bothered you?”
Bruno was a little flustered at the fact that Yuuto had suddenly stood up. His face stiffened in anxiety, perhaps feeling slightly displeased.
“I need to use the bathroom,” Yuuto declared.
Yes, you did bother me, Yuuto thought, but his poker face helped to sell his lie as he strode quickly away from Bruno.
This whole thing was so ridiculous, he could stand it no longer. If he’d stayed there even a minute more, he might had said something he’d regret.
“Oh, I shall go, too...” Bruno began, starting to rise to follow. “Ulp!”
One glare from a keenly observant Sigrun had him settling back into his seat.
The man might have been a little more persistent with the mild-mannered Felicia, but with the awe and fear commanded by the Strongest Silver Wolf Mánagarmr, even the head of the elders wouldn’t oppose her. Yuuto really could count on her.
Felicia let out a long sigh. “I would like such a guard dog for myself. You seem to be having so much fun, turning down those marriage requests.”
She had an air of frivolity about her, but her voice was quite sincere. Clearly Felicia had faced problems of her own due to Bruno’s matchmaking offensives. Yuuto instinctively let slip a bitter laugh.
“Pardon me, Lord Yuuto,” the master of the Chalice Ceremony said, stepping towards him. “Congratulations on this day’s accomplishment.”
“Oh, Lord Alexis, thank you for coming all this way today.” Yuuto panicked and lowered his head. Upon reaching Felicia and Sigrun, he took a formal posture, going down on one knee.
The goði, a member of the empire’s upper echelons who stood as a representative of the divine emperor, was of far higher rank than Yuuto, who was really nothing more than a feudal lord.
It was that official power from the emperor that granted a sovereign their authority to govern. Defying the divine emperor’s authority was equivalent to defying the law itself. Therefore, if the Wolf Clan’s sovereign was considered the incomparable head of a mighty clan, then that certainly meant the goði was owed the upmost respect.
“Well, now that these two clans who have warred so long have become kin, perhaps we can finally have some peace in the Bifröst Belt,” the man said warmly. “I am grateful and pleased that you have bound yourself to a worthy clan.”
“No, no, I’m the one who is grateful to you, from the bottom of my heart, for putting on such a wonderful ceremony.”
Yuuto felt that Felicia and Jurgen were far better at these exchanges of pleasantries and honeyed words. He honestly found it to be a vapid and futile exchange, but this too was part of the sovereign’s job.
“This might be a little forward of me, Lord Yuuto, but from where do your biological father and mother hail?” Alexis inquired, gazing not at Yuuto’s face, but higher up on his head, at his hair.
Within Yggdrasil, people with blond, brown, or red hair were fairly common. There were those with darker-tinted hair, but it was almost always just a dark shade of brown. Very rarely was it jet black, like Yuuto’s hair was. It wasn’t surprising that Alexis would be curious.
Be that as it may, it was rather rude for him, someone who had barely ever spoken to Yuuto, to ask such a question.
“From the east.” Yuuto gave a safe answer.
Having come from so far in the future, there was no way he could honestly say more than that. If he were to just come out with the truth, it was unlikely that anyone would believe him, and it was possible that diplomatic relations could become problematic for the Wolf Clan if people believed their sovereign to be mentally unfit.
“Hm, I don’t know that I’ve seen people that look like you as far east as I’ve gone.” Alexis tilted his head, making a grim face.
Indeed, this was to be expected from the leader of the Holy Empire of Ásgarðr — in other words, the unified state of the entire land area of Yggdrasil. He was likely familiar with every area of Yggdrasil. The fact that “as far east” as Alexis had been didn’t have people with black hair was an extremely important point.
Yuuto made a note in his mind, and his mind responded with, This could be your chance.
“Kind of on the same subject, but have you ever heard of any Einherjar with the ability to go, er, I mean, send someone to another world or anything?” Yuuto asked.
It wasn’t just the size of land they owned, but also the rich and longstanding history that made the Holy Empire of Ásgarðr the premiere kingdom of Yggdrasil.
Yuuto had asked in the hope that he might find some leads or ideas to get him back to his home world, but Alexis’s face only grew more sour, then it loosened in confusion as he spoke.
“Hm? To another world? Do you mean the realm of the gods, by any chance?”
“H-huh, well, uhm, something like that.”
“Certainly, anyone seeking an audience with the gods themselves would have to have the brazen nature that you yourself possess, Lord Yuuto, but I’m afraid I can see such a desire as nothing other than arrogant recklessness. To the gods, as we humans lack the ability to control natural disasters and such, we are seen as merely weak and powerless, and nothing more. If you incur their wrath, it will not be just you, but all of us upon whom they take out their wrath.”
Yuuto winced at being chided in such a harsh manner. Being from 21st century Japan, he could feel a gap between himself and the people of this time, who were zealous in their faith and very superstitious.
Lately, Yuuto had been thinking that, considering how he had been thrust into Yggdrasil and forced to accept the existence of Einherjar, it wouldn’t be that strange for there to be something so transcendental, but he couldn’t bring himself to get as worked up about the possibility as the people of Yggdrasil might.
That being said, at this rate, he wasn’t going to get the information he needed. He had to smooth the whole thing over somehow.
“Uhm, actually, when I asked about the world of the gods, it was more figurative than anything else. You see, I was just wondering if there was another realm where people lived, whether the gods had made other peoples and realms beyond us. That was all.”
“I see. So that’s what you meant,” Alexis intoned, showing he was satisfied with Yuuto’s answer. It seemed he had at first interpreted it as Yuuto having ambitions of acquiring even more territory. “But I must apologize. I am afraid I will not be of much use to you. If it were the other way around, I might have some ideas, but...”
“...The other way around? You mean, someone coming here rather than us going there?!” Yuuto cried.
It didn’t matter how trivial the information was; if it was about moving between worlds, Yuuto wanted to hear it. If he could understand why he had been brought here, then perhaps he could find a way to get home.
Yuuto might have been lobbing questions like he was grasping at straws, but Alexis made a bitter face like he had swallowed a bug. As if to say, Damn it!
“...I’m afraid that was a slip of the tongue. Please forget what I said. I’m afraid it’s a matter of top security for our empire, so I cannot tell you. Please forgive me.”
“What?! Can’t you tell me something?! I will tell no one else!”
“Please try to understand. It is not at my discretion...”
“Please, anything!” Yuuto cried in desperation.
Having come this far, he couldn’t hold back now. Yuuto hounded the man over and over again, but each time, Alexis just shook his head.
A clue had been dangled so neatly before him, and yet he couldn’t grab hold of it. All Yuuto could do in response to that feeling of vexation was to bite his lip.
As soon as the feast ended, Yuuto quickly withdrew into his room.
Everyone spending time with Yuuto at the feast had been a decade or two his senior. More importantly, he had to keep up appearances as the sovereign patriarch to ensure he maintained the requisite dignity. It was completely mentally exhausting.
Hitting his bed with a thud, Yuuto called his childhood friend, seeking some sort of relief.
“You old perverted harem master!” she shouted. This was the first thing he heard upon calling her.
Yuuto could do nothing but stare blankly at the ceiling. “Oh, hey, Mitsuki-san, what’s this all of a sudden?”
“Well, you shared a Chalice with that sovereign girl from the Horn Clan or whoever she is, right?”
“Well, yeah. I did, but...”
Yuuto tried not to weigh Mitsuki down with the gritty stories of life in this world, but he had told her about today’s Chalice Ceremony.
His intention had been to relieve any concerns she had, to tell her there would be no disputes this time.
And as a result...
“See, I knew it! You really are running a harem!”
Yuuto couldn’t help but feel how ridiculous the whole thing was.
“It’s so important, I had to say it twice.” Her laughter cackled out from the speaker.
He was sure that Mitsuki had meant it all as a joke, but her first words still stuck in his heart, and the blood was still flowing to his face.
He had received numerous marriage proposals today, but as he had felt guilty and committed to none of them, he felt no further cause for concern or need to mention them.
“Huh? But didn’t you say she was a little sister subordinate rather than a child one?” Mitsuki added. “Then I guess ‘master’ would be strange. In that case...you’re a harem big brother?”
“I’ve never even kissed a girl before, and yet you’re making all these terrible accusations,” he complained.
“Oh, you’ve never been kissed. Mmm. Not yet, I see. I see, I see. Not even one kiss.”
She repeated the same thing over and over in that bemused tone of voice.
They had been friends for so long. Yuuto knew she meant no harm. He knew that, but the veins in his forehead still throbbed.
“You talk as if you have,” he said curtly.
At Yuuto’s age, having experience with women was something that granted social status. Having been reminded over and over that he had no such experience really was annoying to him.
Mitsuki’s next words hurled Yuuto into the depths of chaos. “Mm, I have.”
“Y-you’ve what?!”
“Tee hee hee! Jealous?”
“Y-y-y-y-yeahh, right!” Yuuto sputtered impudently.
He could in no way bring himself to be happy for her. The panic that seized him would have been enough to shake the girls of the Wolf Clan of their infatuation for him.
Who? Who was it with?!
Yuuto and Mitsuki were childhood friends, but it wasn’t as if they had been going out. He wouldn’t have been surprised if, during these two years he had been gone, she had fallen for someone. He would have been in his third year of middle school, so they were both at the right age to be interested in such things.
All of the outrage that had filled Yuuto’s head earlier was gone, replaced with the question of who Mitsuki had shared her first kiss with.
Was it someone he knew? Maybe it was a new guy she’d met in the two years he’d been gone? Or could it have been...?
“...So, wh-who is it?” He couldn’t stand going back on his words from earlier, but Yuuto really just had to know.
“Ohh, so you do wanna know.”
“Ng!”
Mitsuki, you brat! were the words he wanted to say, but he caught them before they left his throat.
Mitsuki was younger, but here she was, stringing him along. It was rather humiliating. Still, even if it was by force, he had to know who Mitsuki had kissed.
“Tee hee!” she giggled. “Yuu-kun, it was you.”
“...Huh?”
“Come on, it was when we were in kindergarten. A kiss on the cheek, right? You don’t remember?”
“Uh... uhm...”
His brain was working at full tilt, trying to dig up that memory. He had a faint recollection of something like that...
Yuuto slumped to the floor on both knees and heaved a big sigh. “Come on, don’t scare me like that.”
“Tee hee! Now you’ve had a taste of my own pain. Geez, you just surround yourself with one girl after another. I mean, I know you can’t help it, but still...”
“Huh? What was that?” Yuuto asked. Mitsuki had muttered that last part too quietly for Yuuto to hear clearly.
“Noooothinnnng.”
It clearly was something, but Yuuto had decided not to push further. He no longer had the desire to do so.
“Give me a break,” he complained. “I came back to my room because I was wiped out, and this is how I get treated? I can’t take it!”
“Ahaha! Sorry.”
“You’re not even the least bit remorseful.”
“Nope.”
“You little—! Someday, I’ll get you!”
“There it is! You’ll come get me? Then you had better hurry...”
“Huh?! Wha?!” For a moment, he didn’t understand what she meant. But when understanding came, his pulse began to quicken. It was a complete surprise attack.
Mitsuki, you cheeky little—! His lips turned up into a smile as the thought came to him.
“...Yeah,” he said. “I will, no matter what.”
At any rate, he had learned that Alexis, or rather, the empire, held some sort of clue. If he could earn their trust through some sort of tribute, then perhaps they might tell him.
No, somehow, he would have to make them tell him.
“No matter what?” she asked. “I can’t be waiting for you for—”
“Please excuse my disturbing your rest, Big Brother!” Felicia’s distressed voice came with the inelegant slamming of the door.
What? It was just getting good, Yuuto lamented, his shoulders slumping. But from Felicia’s behavior, it was clear this was no trivial matter.
“Mitsuki, I’m sorry,” he sighed. “Something’s suddenly come up.”
“Huh?! Wh-what’s happened?!”
“I’m not sure. We did just finish a battle. It’s probably nothing dangerous. Just rest easy. Goodnight.”
“Wait, ‘goodnight’?! Yuu-kun? Yuu...”
He succinctly ended the discussion by ending the call, and went so far as to power the phone down.
He had a bad feeling about this. He didn’t want Mitsuki to hear any upsetting conversations. And more importantly, if Mitsuki was present, he wouldn’t be able to switch his mindset.
“What’s happened, Felicia?” he demanded.
His face no longer bore the youthful exuberance fitting a boy of his age that it had a few moments ago; now it was pulled taut with concern.
Felicia gazed at Yuuto’s smartphone apologetically, but she responded to Yuuto’s question straight away. “W-we just received word via carrier pigeon from the border fortress Fort Horn. You see... the Horn are being attacked by the Hoof Clan.”
“Did you say the Hoof Clan?!” Yuuto’s eyes opened wide in shock.
Even Yuuto, who wasn’t very knowledgeable about this world, had heard of the Hoof Clan.
There were approximately a hundred clans, give or take, in all of Yggdrasil. Among those, the Hoof Clan was one of the Ten Great Clans.
“Thank you all for gathering in spite of the late hour.” Glancing around at their faces, Yuuto first thanked the many officers for their efforts.
The various officers of the Wolf Clan had been gathered and lined up in the audience chamber, with the second-in-command Jurgen at their helm.
Everyone, from the lowest private to the highest ranking officer, stood at attention, ready for bed, yawning or giving superficial grins, with some of them looking downright unwilling to take in whatever was coming their way. Naturally, the youthful Einherjar, meaning Felicia, Sigrun, and even Ingrid, were also present.
Linea was present, as well, as she too was now an affected party. The emissaries from the Horn Clan were here with her.
“We’re in a dire situation, so I’ll get right to the point,” Yuuto announced. “Four days ago, a major power from the west, the Hoof Clan, launched an invasion into the territory of our allies, the Horn Clan, toppling the fortress at the border of their territory. The Hoof troops are estimated to number around 10,000, while they are said to have over 500 chariots.”
“10-10,000?!”
“D-did he say 500 chariots?!”
Cries of shock and panic arose from the various officers throughout the audience chamber.
10,000 might have seemed like a small number to someone from the 21st century, but in a world like Yggdrasil, where farming technology was still in its infancy, it was unlikely that there were many nations that could support such a large population.
In fact, the Battle of Kadesh had been said to be the grandest battle in ancient history, with the Egyptian forces boasting over 18,000 troops.
The shock for the people from the tiny, remote clan of the Wolf must have been unfathomable when they’d heard the Hoof Clan had 10,000 troops. The Wolf Clan had at most 2,000 troops that it could mobilize.
War was first and foremost a matter of numbers. At a glance, stories of a small army toppling a large military were spectacular, but that was specifically because they were almost always impossible, so when such things did come to pass, they were shining beacons in history.
The difference between the two clans was obvious.
“The sovereign patriarchs of this world are clearly rather cunning,” Yuuto said. “They don’t miss a thing.”
“What are you saying?” The head of the elders, Bruno, tilted his head.
You’re the adviser. You figure it out, Yuuto thought, but he maintained a stoic expression and continued speaking.
“The Horn Clan just endured a crushing defeat at the hands of us, the Wolf Clan, and their forces have been wiped out. We’ve been holding Linea, their sovereign, as our prisoner of war, so the Hoof Clan know she isn’t there. And her second-in-command made the journey here for the Chalice Ceremony today. There would be no better time to invade than this.”
“Hmm, I suppose this is exactly the moment they have been waiting for.” The second-in-command, Jurgen, nodded thoughtfully.
The emissaries from the Horn Clan all furrowed their brows, their faces grave.
Linea interjected, “This is my fault! It’s because I lost...” and continued to blame herself, almost in a trance or a stupor. Her face was so pale and heartbreaking to behold that Yuuto couldn’t bear to look.
But this was war. If he wasn’t honest about the situation at hand, it could impact the outcome of battle. He couldn’t just hold back for the mental well-being of his cute little sister subordinate. Indeed, he had to cast off all his emotions, and so he continued speaking as the sovereign of the Wolf Clan.
“This situation requires urgent action. We of the Wolf Clan must send immediate aid to our sister nation, the Horn Clan.”
A clamor of voices erupted among the troops assembled throughout the audience chamber.
They understood why. By exchanging the sibling Chalice, both nations were bound to protect one another. It was an absolute law here on Yggdrasil.
But asking them to face off against an enemy five times their size was insanity. There was likely no way they could win, so it was as if he was sending them to their deaths. It wasn’t surprising that everyone would be so flustered.
“B-but, Lord Yuuto, it was the Horn Clan who were attacked, not the Wolf Clan,” Bruno objected. “So long as we do not meddle unnecessarily, no harm will come to us, correct?”
Bruno had been the one to explain the vow of the Chalice to Yuuto, so he clearly knew the moral implications of what he was saying. However, the enemy this time was far too strong. The Chalice had been originally created in order to help the organization run smoothly. It would be a matter of putting the cart before the horse if the Wolf Clan was destroyed protecting the Horn Clan. There was no place for trying to keep up appearances at a time like this.
“Bruno, you bastard!!” Several of the emissaries from the Horn Clan were outraged. Among them, the Horn Clan’s second-in-command, Rasmas, was spurring on the outcry.
It was a natural reaction, considering that to him, it likely looked like his country was being cast aside.
“Why are you angry?” Bruno snorted. “I am not saying that we intend to attack you along with the Hoof Clan or anything. At the very least, you can fight without fear of an attack coming from behind. If you consider all that has happened over the years between us, you have more cause to thank us than to be angry with us.”
Then Bruno turned away from them dismissively.
Voices of dissent and opposition to the idea of deploying troops gushed forth from the assembled officers.
“Ohh, that is true, so true!”
“I feel bad for the Horn Clan, but we’ve only just given them the Chalice. We have no need to foster their good will.”
“Mmhmm. Indeed, there is no obligation for us to cross blades with the Hoof Clan.”
They were all exchanging glances and nodding in agreement. It was likely that Bruno’s words spoke for all of the officers in attendance.
Still, Yuuto found these words to be anything but rash. They all had families and ways of lives to protect. Endangering all of that for a clan that only the day before had been an enemy didn’t make sense.
“Our clan no longer has the strength to stand against the Hoof Clan.” Linea’s quiet voice rang out as she stood pale, the blood completely gone from her face, in that war-weary room. “Without aid from the Wolf Clan, my people will...”
They were countries that bordered one another. As her clan’s sovereign, she had intimate knowledge into how the Hoof Clan operated.
The Hoof Clan was a clan who had rapidly expanded its influence by enslaving people from other nations and forcing them into hard labor.
Those slaves, stripped of their individuality and treated as property by their “owners,” were a crucial source of hard labor during this era. It was common knowledge that people from countries that had been destroyed in war were fit to be used like tools by their fellow man.
“We’re supposed to protect the people of the Wolf Clan, not the Horn Clan,” Bruno shot back at her.
“Yes, it’s your job to protect your own people,” another man agreed.
“We have no resources left to defend your people because of all that time you Horn Clan spent attacking us.”
Whether trying to appeal to the majority or to lord their prowess over the weaker party, Bruno began taking the lead, speaking self-servingly of their war weariness. Perhaps it was because the clans didn’t see people from other clans as humans on the same level as themselves.
“H-how could you all...?!” Linea’s eyes became empty, swallowed up in despair.
Thud! The sound of something hitting the wall echoed through the audience chamber.
“Don’t spout such cowardly things, you spineless imbeciles!!”
Yuuto’s voice, like a peal of thunder, boomed throughout the audience chamber. There were no longer any signs of the normally gentle, weak-hearted boy.
Blood was starting to drip from the right fist he had struck the wall so forcefully with. He showed not the slightest hint of concern for his bloody fist; instead, a glint of rage in his eyes pierced through every person in the audience chamber.
What shot through his mind now were the words of his father when Yuuto had informed him of his mother’s critical condition from the hospital.
“I’m afraid I can’t get away from my work right now. I’ll be there later.”
His father had always prioritized his work over his family, but at that moment, he had even put his own convenience over them. As a result, he hadn’t been there to care for Yuuto’s mother in her final hours. This when Yuuto’s mother had always worried over the man who had left her behind.
There was no way Yuuto would abandon his family. No way he could. He wouldn’t become like that awful man. Those thoughts and feeling spurred Yuuto on.
“Isn’t the vow of the Chalice of Allegiance supposed to be absolute?!” he bellowed.
Yuuto had pressured Linea into taking the Sibling Chalice. But he himself had chosen to make her his little sister, with no one pressuring him to. Even if it was out of a sense of duty, Yuuto felt that Linea was his family, and he needed to protect her.
“Weren’t you all just full of congratulations for Linea and me earlier today at the Chalice Ceremony? The very ceremony that was intended to connect us and the Horn Clan together as family?!”
The elders and upper leadership all lowered their heads simultaneously at Yuuto’s words. They had already said their piece. In this situation, what Yuuto was saying should amount to nothing more than noble lip service.
And yet, they could say nothing in response.
As was to be expected from elders or those in leadership, everyone here had long records of military service that had gotten them to this point. They were in this position specifically because they had endured so much hardship on the battlefield. And yet, people of such prestige had been silenced by a boy of at most sixteen.
“Hee... hee hee hee...” Even as she held her quaking body with both arms, Felicia couldn’t help but crack a smile.
If it came to an actual fist fight, Yuuto would be the weakest one in the room. Everyone there knew that. And yet, every one of them was awestruck by him in that moment — even the Wolf Clan’s strongest soldier, Sigrun herself.
Right now, what was causing Felicia’s entire body to quake was not a spine-chilling fear, but rather an even greater sense of amusement.
This was it. This was the hidden, other side of the spectacular leader she had been so enthralled by.
Clearly the knowledge Yuuto possessed was essential for the Wolf Clan. But could a mere weakling boy with some knowledge, useful knowledge and nothing else, have inspired such intense devotion in someone like Felicia, or in the Wolf Clan’s fiercest warriors, like Sigrun and Jurgen?
Especially in times of great crisis, humans are bound to show their true character. Those who would normally rant about morals and bravery might run away when faced with true danger. The head of the Elders, Bruno, in particular, fit this pattern.
And then there were examples to the contrary. Like this normally seemingly unreliable boy, whose true character was that of a mighty lion.
Yuuto Suoh had once learned that the kanji that made up his name meant “Protect those around oneself and fight with bravery.” That was truer now more than ever. He always showed his true strength when it came to protecting people. Even if the fact that it was for a girl from another country might cause offense.
“I will save the Horn Clan,” Yuuto declared. “It has been decided.”
No dissenting opinions arose in response to Yuuto’s words. Even Bruno’s pale face was nodding repeatedly.
Felicia smiled wryly at Linea, who was standing frozen with her teeth chattering after witnessing the sudden and fierce change in Yuuto. When they had first met with her, Felicia had bristled when Linea referred to the Wolf Clan as dogs. It seemed silly now, to have been concerned about such a trivial thing.
When Yuuto had first come to this world, he had been as helpless as a nursing kitten. However, after enduring battles for over two years, he had grown into an indomitable lion cub. While a lion slept, one could pull whatever mischief they liked. But if the lion awakened and roared with rage, it didn’t matter what you were, be it a wolf or dog or whatever — no one would be able to stand against him.
Yuuto plopped down on the throne and rested his chin in his hands, still seething.
“A strategy of vigilance is the lowest strategy,” he declared. “Remaining neutral will lose us credibility on both sides.”
It might seem like a good strategy to wait until they had more information, and in the meantime, to keep up a good facade on all sides and bet on the winning horse when the time came.
However, that wasn’t actually the case. That would be merely declaring their position only upon ascertaining the actual state of affairs and choosing their allegiance based on the victors and the victims.
According to The Prince, neutrality would only lead to destruction. The brave were better off making their allegiance clear. Yuuto fully agreed with that sentiment.
Humans were more likely to trust those who stood by them and helped them in tough times, versus those who would only kiss up to them upon assuring their victory and value. They would also remember those who’d treated them cruelly as opponents.
During the Battle of Sekigahara, the Satake and Akita Clans had taken a neutral stance and lost territory as a result; on the other hand, the Shimazu Clan had been able to return to their territory after their brave, but antagonistic actions. The way they’d ended up dividing the country had gone exactly as Machiavelli had predicted.
“Not only that, but our clans exchanged the Chalice in front of an emissary of the Divine Emperor,” Yuuto declared. “We will not nullify the vow that accompanies that Chalice just because of the situation. Just try and scrap the vow of the Chalice on the day we shared it. See how quickly the Chalice of the Wolf Clan loses its value! And if we did that, we would be giving the Claw Clan every excuse to betray us.”
“...Ah!” A look of comprehension ran across the faces of the officers.
The Hoof Clan were such a large military threat, they had been distracted and totally failed to think of such an outcome. A worthy leader who wanted to be seen as an elder brother should absolutely protect his subordinates. If he cast aside his little sister subordinate, Yuuto would lose all respect as an older brother and leader, and no one would be judged harshly for defecting to other clans.
“The Hoof Clan is a clan with whom we have no ties,” Yuuto said firmly. “So if we allowed the Horn Clan to be destroyed, then it would be only a matter of time before we were bordered by a much more powerful clan. Naturally, the Hoof Clan would make it known far and wide that the Wolf Clan had broken its vow to the Horn Clan. The morale of the soldiers would drop, and the Claw Clan might switch their allegiance to the Hoof Clan. They’d launch a pincer attack on us. There would be no way we could win.”
To the Wolf Clan, that would be the absolute worst-case scenario.
Perhaps it was like Jurgen had said, and this had been the plan all along. If that was indeed the case, Yuuto couldn’t help but be astonished at the ingenuity of whoever within the Hoof Clan had come up with such a plan.
Still, he couldn’t allow himself to play right into the enemy’s hands.
“The Horn Clan have about 2,000 soldiers left to defend their capital,” Yuuto continued. “As for the Claw Clan, their territory doesn’t border that of the Horn Clan. There is no need to fear their betrayal right now. If we’re prepared to worry later about being betrayed from behind when we’re up against an enemy force five times our size, why not take them head on now with combined forces, and even the odds down to an enemy only twice our size?”
“Hmmm...”
“Th-that is true...”
The officers buzzed, breaking into a cold sweat at Yuuto’s speech.
The one who was commanding them now was the national hero Yuuto, the one who had destroyed the Claw and Horn Clans in rapid succession. A military force five times their size would of course be difficult to defeat, but they could actually see the possibility of winning against an army twice their size. The officers weren’t enthusiastic by any means, but they had begun to consider launching an attack as the best alternative.
“Well, have you all prepared yourselves?” Yuuto barked. “Run!”
“...Sir!”
At Yuuto’s summons, the silver-haired girl took a step forward from the row of assembled officers. Her movements were slower than usual, as she had been completely awestruck with Yuuto. She appeared to be trembling with anticipation.
“Take charge of the Múspell unit and head out first,” he ordered. “Use Pattern B: Mongol Formation. Don’t do anything reckless. Prioritize preventing loss of troops over trying to take down the enemy.”
“Understood!” Sigrun gave a bow and then rushed out of the audience hall.
She understood, without having to be told, that there wasn’t a second to waste. As the Strongest Silver Wolf, Mánagarmr, even with the brief instructions he had given her, Yuuto had absolutely no doubt that she would make the right decisions on the field when the time came.
She was normally so unquestioningly faithful that it caused Yuuto a bit of discomfort, but right now, she truly was his most reliable soldier.
“Jurgen!” he barked.
“Sir!” his second-in-command answered.
Though they were in such troubling circumstances, Jurgen couldn’t hide the corners of his mouth twitching upward.
Normally, Yuuto gave off the impression that he wasn’t very dependable, but at times like this, he was quicker than even the longest serving general to steel himself for the battle ahead.
Youth itself is recklessness, Jurgen thought with a smile, but he knew it wasn’t true here.
Over the past year, Jurgen had come to know Yuuto for who he truly was. Yuuto was in no way ignorant to his responsibilities as the sovereign patriarch. He actually understood them better than any other. His assessment of the situation earlier had been exceedingly accurate. And most importantly, he had the ability to sway those before him.
He wasn’t even twenty yet. There was no doubt that he would only continue to mature.
Even though it was obvious he didn’t care for the position of sovereign, Jurgen felt that people with an aptitude for that position as great as Yuuto’s were few and far between. He was a leader worthy of followers.
“Hurry and assemble the troops. Have all preparations complete by dawn!”
“Understood sir!” Jurgen responded to Yuuto’s haughty, authoritative tone with a single bow.
Normally, Yuuto would have used restraint when speaking to Jurgen, who was two decades his senior, but this was an emergency situation. He had no time to worry about how he might be perceived.
For Jurgen, who had demanded dignity from his leader, this was the Yuuto he had wanted to see.
“Linea!” Yuuto called.
“Y-yes?!” Linea stood at attention.
She was the Horn Clan’s actual sovereign, and not merely Yuuto’s retainer. Even so, there was no room for her to oppose Yuuto in this ghastly situation.
“Return to the Horn Clan at once and rally your soldiers.”
“U-understood!”
“Ingrid!”
“H-hwha?! You want m-me?!” Ingrid let out a panicked reply.
Though she had been granted the rank of eighth in line through her many achievements, Ingrid had little sense of actual battle. She had likely never thought she would be called upon like this.
“You must have one of those ready,” Yuuto said. “Now is the time to use it. Could you please lend it to Linea?”
“S-s-seriously?! Wait, really? But she’s not one of us.”
“But she is my little sister.” The corners of Yuuto’s lips lifted into a grin.
They were definitely family now, born of a bond deeper than blood forged by the Chalice. Unlike Botvid from the Claw Clan, he could also trust her on a personal level. On top of that, this was a most pressing matter. They didn’t have the luxury of arguing over particulars.
Ingrid, seething with irritation, finally, but reluctantly, relented.
“Ahh, geez! You’re always such a pushover, but you’re acting pretty bold and forceful here!” she complained, then added in a softer tone, “W-well, fine... I guess that part of you is why I have such faith in you.”
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