Category: Isekai Nonbiri Sanpo Tabi

When we arrived at the woodworking shop, the master carpenter led me toward the back of the workshop.

“Hang on a second… Let’s see… If I clear this out…”

He began tidying up one corner of the shop. It was an area that wouldn’t interfere with the regular woodworking.

“All right. Kid, take out the Goddess’s statue here. Put everything else in those wooden crates.”

Following his instructions, I took the wooden statue out of my Item Box, along with the plates, candlesticks, and the rest of the church’s ornaments.

I let out a small sigh. That was one task taken care of.

“Master, what are you going to do with the plates and candlesticks?”

“We’ll take them to a specialist workshop later. There are craftsmen there who also grew up in the orphanage. We’ll have them restore everything.”

I see.

Of course there were others besides the priest and the young carpenter who had once lived in the orphanage. The master carpenter was convinced they would lend a hand without hesitation. After all, it was the orphanage that had raised them.

“The blueprint from the last time we replaced the church floor should still be around somewhere. I’ll dig it out. And even if it’s gone, we can always draw up a new one.”

“I’m sorry for putting this on you. Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. We don’t have any urgent jobs at the moment, and this is our town too.”

The master carpenter threw back his head and laughed, a booming gahaha that filled the workshop.

The people of this town really were kind.

Leaving the rest in his capable hands, I headed back to the church.

A loud buzz of voices drifted out before I even reached the gate.

Wait… hadn’t the crowd gotten much bigger?

“Welcome back, Shun-san.”

“Sue, what happened?”

“People who grew up in the orphanage came to help with the move.”

According to Sue, a number of townspeople had noticed the commotion around the church and asked what was going on. When they heard that the orphanage is going to be demolished, they passed the news along to former residents. From there, word spread from person to person, and before long people were arriving one after another.

Thanks to the unexpectedly large turnout, the packing and preparations for the move were completed in no time at all.

“The Mother Superior has always pushed herself too hard.”

“For now, just get some proper rest and focus on recovering. We’ll come by and help whenever we have time.”

“My, my… Thank you, all of you.”

The people who had gathered were shocked to see the Mother Superior lying on a simple cot, too ill to leave her bed.

When they heard that she only needed plenty of rest to recover, they all breathed a collective sigh of relief. The Mother Superior is not respected only by those who had grown up in the orphanage. The townspeople admired her just as much. That was why everyone was so genuinely worried about her.

With everything finally ready, it was time to move. By now, both the church and the orphanage had been almost completely emptied.

“““Thank you very much!”””

“Think nothing of it. You’re our juniors, after all.”

“That’s right. Don’t worry about it.”

The orphanage children cheerfully thanked everyone who had helped pack up their belongings.

The townspeople simply smiled warmly in return before heading home. Watching them go, I couldn’t help but feel just how close-knit this town really was.

“All right. Let’s head to the Margrave’s estate.”

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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“I knew the orphanage was old, but I never imagined it had deteriorated this badly…”

The master carpenter muttered. Having arrived at the church, the master carpenter inspected both the church and the orphanage for himself. As expected, the orphanage is in far worse condition. He seemed especially troubled by the foundation. Crouching down repeatedly, he examined it from every angle with a grim expression.

“Master, what did you find?”

“This is serious. The orphanage is in danger of collapsing at any moment.”

“I never imagined it was that severe… This failure rests with me.”

Emilia-sama and the parish priest had also come to the church. Both of them were visibly shaken after hearing the master carpenter’s report on the orphanage’s condition.

An emergency response was immediately put into motion. However, with the Mother Superior’s bedridden by illness, the discussion was instead held with one of the nuns who had been caring for the church.

“We’ll proceed with replacing the church floor and restoring the wooden statue. But our first priority has to be the orphanage. Fortunately, there are several vacant rooms at my estate. For the time being, everyone can stay there under my family’s care.”

The children living at the orphanage, along with the nuns who looked after them, would be evacuated to the Margrave’s estate. The Mother Superior would also be moved there, where she could recover in a safer, more comfortable environment.

“Many children have graduated from this orphanage over the years. In fact… I was one of them.”

“I’ll reach out to the former residents as well.”

The church had stood here for generations, so I knew many children must have grown up in its orphanage. But I never expected the parish priest himself to have been raised there. He intended to ask the orphanage’s alumni to contribute toward the rebuilding effort, whether through donations or by lending whatever support they could.

“Gan, Ren, you two will be in charge of rebuilding the church. We’ll be backing you every step of the way, so put your hearts into it and build something you can be proud of.”

The master carpenter declared.

““Yes, sir!””

Thanks to the master’s decision, the two young carpenters would be leading the work on site.

Repairing the church itself was relatively straightforward. All they needed to do was replace the flooring and restore the wooden statue.

The orphanage, however, was another matter entirely. It would have to be rebuilt from the ground up. They would need to draw up new blueprints, and depending on the condition of the site, they might even have to raise the ground level before construction could begin.

There are no machines in this world, either. Everything would have to be done by hand. It’s going to take a long time. Still, now that everyone had agreed on a plan, the entire group sprang into action.

“First things first—we need to move everyone from the orphanage to our estate. Let’s start packing their belongings.”

“Ao said she’ll fit everything into her magic bag.”

The move was handled mainly by the women, with Ao taking charge of transporting everything. Since no one knew what could safely be thrown away, they decided to pack up absolutely everything and sort it out later.

“Once everyone has moved out, we’ll take the Goddess’s statue to the woodworking shop for restoration.”

“Then I’ll store the statue in my Item Box.”

We carefully removed the wooden statue of the Goddess and prepared to take it to the workshop. All of the church’s other ornaments and decorations were gathered as well so they could be repaired alongside it.

It isn’t even noon yet, but somehow, the day had already become incredibly busy.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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“Actually, I grew up in the orphanage attached to that church. Even back then, the roof leaked whenever it rained. I’ve always been worried about the place.”

“The church itself is built of stone, so replacing the flooring should be enough. But… I’m much more concerned about the orphanage.”

So the young carpenter had actually come from that orphanage. And according to him, the orphanage was in far worse condition than the church. That made sense. The inside of the church had certainly looked old, but nothing beyond repair. The best course of action was to let a real professional inspect it.

“The interior of the church is fine though I do recommend replacing the floor.”

“And this wooden statue can absolutely be restored. Rather than replacing it, it should be repaired and preserved with care.”

Just as I’d hoped, both the church and the wooden statue could be saved. It had definitely been the right decision to have an expert examine them.

Now came the real problem—the orphanage.

“Shiro, Fran, Horn, we’re going to check on the orphanage.”

“““Okay, go on!”””

After calling out to Shiro and the others, who were busy pulling weeds in the garden, we headed for the orphanage behind the church.

“T-this is…”

“This is bad. The building is in much worse shape than I expected.”

Honestly, I didn’t even need an expert to tell me. The orphanage was in terrible condition. When the young carpenter pressed against one of the support pillars, it let out a long, groaning squeak, as though it might give way at any moment.

“The foundation has deteriorated over the years.”

The young carpenter explained grimly.

“And the timber has started to rot as well. To be honest… there’s a high risk the building could collapse.”

Uh- it’s real bad.

We need to warn Sue and the others inside the church immediately.

“““Whee!”””

Inside the orphanage, children were happily chasing one another around the halls. It is good to see them so full of energy.

“Shun-san, is something wrong?”

“It’s about this orphanage. How’s the Mother Superior doing?”

“She caught a bad cold that’s gotten worse. Her strength has declined quite a bit.”

The list of problems just kept growing.

First things first—we needed to speak with the Mother Superior.

Knock. Knock.

“Come in.”

After knocking, we stepped into the Mother Superior’s room. An elderly woman lay resting in bed. The moment he saw her, the young carpenter hurried to her bedside.

“Mother Superior, are you alright?”

“It’s been so long… You’ve grown into quite the fine young man. Have you been keeping well?”

Despite her age and fragile health, the Mother Superior’s first concern wasn’t herself—it was the young carpenter she hadn’t seen in years. That alone told me what kind of person she is. She is someone who cared about others before herself.

But we couldn’t leave things as they were. We needed to gather everyone involved and decide what to do.

“Toria-san, sorry, but could you bring Emilia-sama or the former lord if she’s unavailable? And ask the church officials to come as well. Oh, and the master carpenter from the workshop we visited earlier.”

“Understood.”

It would be best to discuss this with the people in charge before deciding on a course of action.

This is turning into a far bigger undertaking than I’d expected.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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Starting today, our job is to repair the church’s statue of the Goddess. From what I’d first been told, it had sounded as though the statue was so badly damaged that it would have to be carved from scratch.

But… just how bad was it, really?

Well, there is no point speculating until we saw it for ourselves.

“Thank you all for waiting.”

“We’ll be in your care.”

A young nun arrived at the mansion to escort us, and we followed her through town. After about ten minutes on foot, we reached a small church nestled within the city. It was strange though. Despite being in such a good location, the place somehow felt… gloomy.

We stepped inside.

“This is the wooden statue of the Goddess.”

The statue certainly showed its age.

Years of wear had darkened the wood, and cracks had formed in several places across its surface.

Ao and I exchanged a glance.  

After a moment’s inspection, I told her,

“I think this should be repairable.”

“…Really?”

The young nun’s eyes widened in surprise. She looked genuinely stunned, but I didn’t think the statue needed to be remade from scratch. The materials we need could probably be found in town too. It would take some time, certainly, but repairing it seemed entirely possible.

“Actually, this is the oldest church in the city. The Goddess’s statue has a long history as well.”

“In that case, all the more it’s worth preserving.”

So that was it.

I thought the building looked especially old, but it turned out to be the oldest church in town. Since we are already here, we might as well repair the church itself while we were at it. There is one more thing that caught my attention.

“Forgive me for asking, but… are you the only one serving at this church?”

“Oh, no, no. There are others. They’re looking after the children at the orphanage attached to the church. However… our Mother Superior has fallen ill and is bedridden.”

That’s a bigger problem than I’d expected. We’d have to split up if we wanted to get everything done.

“To start with, I’ll use household magic to clean the church as thoroughly as I can.”

“…Pardon?”

A brilliant light swept through the sanctuary.

*Fwoosh.*

I looked around at the now spotless interior.

“That should do for a start, don’t you think?”

The young nun stood frozen in amazement.

“S-so this… this is the power of the Lightning Chef…”

She murmured in awe.

We needed to clean the place first. There was no way to tell exactly what needed repairing while everything was buried beneath years of dust and grime. All I’d done was use magic to clean it, after all.

“Sue, could you take a look at the Mother Superior? If possible, I’d also appreciate it if you could check on the orphanage while you’re there.”

“Of course. Leave it to me.”

“The rest of you, help clean the church.”

“““Okay!”””

With Sue taking the lead, we split into two groups: one to handle medical care, the other to clean the church.

“Toria-san, could you show Ao and me where the carpentry workshop is?”

“Certainly. Right this way.”

We’ll have to buy the tools and materials needed to restore the Goddess’s statue anyways. If the church itself had suffered structural damage as well, we’d probably need lumber for repairs too.

As I followed Toria-san through the streets, those thoughts ran through my mind.

Before long, we arrived at a lumberyard and woodworking shop.

“Hmm… You’ll need wood filler. I’ve even got some made with lacquer. I’ll gather everything you need.”

The master carpenter said after hearing our explanation.

The veteran craftsman immediately began assembling the materials for repairing the cracks in the statue. 

Then, after thinking for a moment, he called out,

“Hey! You lot! A few of you come with them and take a look at the church.”

“Yes, sir!”

To my surprise, he was sending some of his own craftsmen with us.

“Uhm… are you sure that’s all right?”

“Of course it is. The festival is over, so work’s finally settled down. Besides, that church is an old building. It’ll be a good learning opportunity for the younger lads to see a proper restoration job firsthand.”

The master flashed a confident grin. It was a simple smile, but somehow it made him look incredibly dependable.

With our unexpected reinforcements in tow, we headed back to the church.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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Not long afterwards, the troops arrived in the Margravate, and the commander came to the Margrave’s residence.

We moved to the reception room to welcome him.

Knock. Knock.

“Excuse me. Commander Tory has arrived.”

“I understand. Show him in.”

Toria-san announced the commander’s arrival, and the Margrave gave permission for him to enter.

We all rose from our seats at once and waited quietly.

Click

“Please excuse the intrusion. I am Tory, commander of the force dispatched here.”

“You’ve come a long way. Thank you for your efforts. Please, have a seat.”

“Thank you.”

The man who entered looked every bit the professional soldier. He was tall, clean-shaven with a completely bald head, and so solidly built that his powerful physique was obvious even beneath his armor. His bearing was impeccable, and his manners were equally polished. Compared to the eccentric nobles I had met until now, he was in an entirely different league.

Then Casey-san and Telma-san stepped forward together and bowed their heads respectfully to Commander Tory.

“Commander, on behalf of the House of Viscount Nasca, I offer my deepest apologies for the trouble our family has caused.”

“And on behalf of the House of Viscount Franz, I sincerely apologize as well for all the trouble we have brought upon everyone.”

“For now, I will accept your apologies. However, we are here to carry out our mission in the Western Frontier Territory, so there is no need for concern. The full investigation will begin once everyone has been escorted back to the royal capital.”

The commander accepted Casey-san’s and Telma-san’s apologies with calm professionalism. Considering the sheer scale of this incident, it was obvious that resolving everything would take quite some time.

“So the royal capital is conducting a large-scale investigation as well?”

 Emilia-sama asked.

“As expected of Emilia-sama. The members of the House of Viscount Nasca and the House of Viscount Franz who were apprehended here in the Frontier have confessed to everything. Using those confessions as a starting point, the authorities are now tracking down everyone connected to both the Human Supremacy Cult and the Red Scorpions.”

“““…Eh?”””

The room fell silent in an instant.

None of us had expected the investigation to have progressed that far already. Not only Casey-san and Telma-san, but even Sue looked completely bewildered.

Well… I’d actually already heard about this from Emilia-sama.

“S-Shun-san… did you already know about this?” 

 I admitted with a nod.

“A bit. I couldn’t tell anyone because it was confidential. Apparently, Casey-san’s and Telma-san’s older brothers deeply regretted dragging their younger sisters into all of this. They were only minor members of the criminal organization and hadn’t committed any major crimes themselves. Because of that—and because they genuinely regretted what they’d done—they confessed everything and accepted responsibility for their actions.”

“I see…”

There was no way I could have shared information like that. Not even with Sue.

That said, it was also true that the two brothers had known some of their associates were involved in the bombing incident. As a result, the question of their punishment would ultimately be left to the courts.

Commander Tory continued,

“For the time being, we will resume questioning all those who have been taken into custody. I’ve been informed that additional suspects were arrested yesterday as well.”

He turned toward Casey-san and Telma-san.

“As for the two of you, your movements will not be restricted as long as you remain within the capital of the Frontier. In fact, it would greatly assist our investigation if you continued staying here at the Margrave’s residence.”

“Thank you very much for your consideration.”

The two women bowed deeply in gratitude. 

As for the restrictions placed on Casey-san and Telma-san, I thought they were perfectly reasonable.

That being said, what were we supposed to do until the next detachment arrived?

Tap. Tap.

“Hm? Shiro, what is it?”

“Well, weren’t we supposed to repair the Goddess’s statue at the church after the festival was over?”

“…Ah!”

She was right.

“I completely forgot.”

With everything that had happened before the explosion in the town square, the matter had completely slipped my mind. Still, it would give us something worthwhile to do.

When I looked over at Emilia-sama, she gave me an approving nod.

“All right. Until the next unit arrives, we’ll focus on repairing the Goddess’s statue at the church.”

“““Okay!”””

The girls all answered enthusiastically.

“I’ll notify the church staff. If I remember correctly, it’s the church near the fortress gate.”

Once I explained our plans for the time being, Shiro and the others raised their hands energetically.

It was a sensible arrangement. Everyone would know exactly where to find us, and if anything happened, the garrison stationed near the gate would be close enough to respond immediately.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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The following morning, I woke up at my usual time and made my way to the dining hall.

It wasn’t that I’d done much fighting yesterday. I spent almost the entire day cooking instead. My body’s a bit stiff, but a full day of rest should be enough to work the soreness out.

“Oh my, you’re up early, Shun.”

“Good Morning!”

Emilia-sama entered the dining hall carrying Kent-chan in her arms. As always, the little guy was overflowing with energy.

“Shun, keep your schedule clear today. The army from the royal capital will arrive around noon.”

So, the troops from the capital were finally here. There were far more prisoners than anyone had expected, so sorting everything out afterward was going to be a logistical nightmare.

While I was thinking that over, Emilia-sama added another piece of information.

“An additional detachment is already on its way to the Frontier. We captured too many people for the original force to handle. The representatives of the House of Viscount Nasca and the House of Viscount Franz are accompanying the army as well. Since members of both families were arrested, there are all sorts of matters that need to be negotiated and settled.”

Oh?

That was new. So, besides the reinforcements, Casey-san’s and Telma-san’s families were coming as well. Things were going to be chaotic for a while.

“I’ll tell everyone else when the time is right. But I wanted to let you know first, Shun. I’m sorry to ask this of you, but I’d like you to look after those girls.”

“Of course.”

Emilia-sama had been thinking carefully about every aspect of the Human Supremacy Cult incident. She really was impressive. People who excelled at their jobs truly were on a different level.

“(Yaaawn)… Morning…”

“Morning!”

Just then, Shiro and the others finally wandered into the dining hall. 

That was enough serious talk for now. Breakfast first. I waved them over and took my seat at the table.

◆◆◆

“So that’s the situation. Make sure all of you change into proper clothes before we go out to receive them.”

“““Yes!”””

At lunchtime, Emilia-sama explained the arrival of the army to everyone once again.

We changed into the outfits that had been made for us in the Northern Frontier Territory, while Casey-san and Telma-san mentioned that they had packed suitable clothes in their magic bags as well.

With that settled, everyone returned to their rooms to change.

However…

“Shun, is this right?”

“Hey, hold still! Stop squirming. I’ll help you put it on, so just wait.”

“Shun-oniichan, can you do my hair next?”

“After I’m finished with Fran.”

For some reason, I ended up helping only Fran and Horn get dressed.

As for me, all I had to do was put my own clothes on, so it was easy enough. But dressing Fran and Horn was another story. They had wings. Trying to fit a formal dress around a pair of wings was a surprisingly troublesome task.

Shiro, on the other hand, simply slipped into a one-piece dress and was ready in no time. Neither Shiro nor Fran had particularly long hair, but Horn’s hair reached well down her back. To match the dress, I carefully braided it for her. With Ao lending me a hand, we somehow managed to finish everything just before it was time to leave.

“Shun. Couldn’t you have just called one of the attendants to help?”

“…Ah.”

I froze.

“Right there’s that option too.”

“““Hm?”””

The three girls stared at me in unison. Only then did it dawn on me. There had been attendants in the mansion this whole time. I really had made things much harder for myself than necessary.

When I went to the entrance hall, the Margrave pointed that out to me, and I felt incredibly dejected. 

Incidentally, when I asked Shiro and the others why they didn’t ask Sue for help in changing clothes, they said it was because changing clothes takes a long time and is difficult.

And then, Sue and the others arrived in the entrance hall just in the nick of time.It’s true that changing clothes takes a very long time, especially with makeup.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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“With that, this year’s Harvest Festival comes to a close!”

“Wuu… It’s finally over…”

After the joint wedding ceremony, the crowds had poured in without end, and by the time the festival was over, I was completely exhausted.

Once the parade had finished, Shiro and the others, and Toria-san returned to help at the stall. Even Sue joined in after a while.

Unfortunately, their presence only attracted even more customers.

“My, you girls have real guts. I like that.”

“Risking your lives for your family isn’t something just anyone can do.”

“If the royal capital’s become too difficult to live in, you’re always welcome here in the Frontier.”

“U-Um…”

The center of all that attention was Casey-san and Telma-san. They had stubbornly insisted on helping at the stall, no matter what anyone said. Since their injuries had healed completely, we let them work as vendors. That turned out to be a spectacular mistake. The line in front of our stall stretched longer than ever.

Their desperate act of throwing themselves over the explosive magic device had deeply moved the beastmen, winning over their hearts almost instantly. To make matters worse, Hera had spilled everything, and once people learned about the hardships the two women had endured, sympathy for them only grew.

As if that weren’t enough, Shiro and the others had become local heroes as well after their roles in the wedding ceremony and for taking down Hera’s bodyguards.

Between the girls’ newfound popularity and the crowd’s curiosity, customers kept flooding toward our stall without end.

“Toria-san, I’m so glad the former lord and your mother were finally able to get married.”

“I always figured they’d tie the knot someday, once an heir had been born.”

“T-Thank you very much.”

Perhaps because the former lord and Maria-san had finally become husband and wife, Toria-san herself had become something of a celebrity. As the townspeople showered her with congratulations, she returned every greeting with a radiant smile.

Thanks to all of them, I spent the entire time standing behind the stall, cooking nonstop.

As for Ao, she remained with Kent-chan, serving as part of the Margrave family’s security detail.

Given everything that had happened earlier, I couldn’t exactly complain—but I really could have used another pair of hands in the kitchen…

If Horn hadn’t stepped in to help make the round bakes, things would have been truly unbearable.

And, between you and me, after everyone witnessed Sue flying into a rage and hurling Hera’s bodyguards aside in the blink of an eye, rumors began spreading that the legendary “Holy Empress” really did exist.

Fortunately… Let’s keep that little detail a secret.

“All right! Get this packed up, too!”

“Take care of this side while you’re at it!”

The square was already bustling with cleanup crews as the festival came to an end. They had even offered to dismantle and collect all of the food stalls for us, so there was nothing left for our group to do. Together with the attendants, we made our way back to the mansion.

“Ugh, I’m tired. I can’t believe we’ve sold out twice in a row.”

I stretched, watching the backs of the women chatting amicably. We’ve been through a lot, but it’s really nice to see us all talking together like this.

“Shun-sama, is something wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“??”

Toria-san looked at me strangely, but I felt pretty good too.

“Welcome back, everyone. You must be tired after everything that’s happened today, so get some good rest after dinner.”

“““Yes!”””

When we returned to the mansion, Emilia-sama greeted us.

Emilia-sama must be tired too, so thank you for all your hard work.We were all so tired that after our bath and dinner, we fell asleep almost immediately. We’ve been through a lot today but tomorrow will bring a whole new kind of busyness.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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“The bouquet toss has concluded without further incident. As soon as preparations are complete, we will begin the parade.”

“Without further incident?” I couldn’t help but blink. That had felt like the most chaotic bouquet toss in history, yet apparently it still counted as “normal.”

The announcer had glossed over the whole spectacle as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. In a way, that alone said everything about life in the Western Frontier Margravate. It really was an extraordinary place.

While the parade was being prepared, Toria-san and I headed over to the former lord and Maria-san. Judging by the determined look on Toria-san’s face, she intended to pry every last detail out of them.

“Sir, Maria-san, congratulations on your marriage.”

“Thank you, thank you. Sorry for keeping it a secret.”

The former lord replied with a hearty laugh.

“Shun-sama, thank you so much for everything you’ve done for my daughter. I truly can’t thank you enough.”

It seemed the former lord and Maria-san had expected Toria-san and me to come. They answered us without the slightest hesitation. Then, without another word, the former lord and Maria wrapped Toria-san in a warm, heartfelt embrace.

“Toria… I’m sorry. Even though I’m your real father, there was so much I couldn’t do for you until now. From this day forward… I want you to call me Father.”

“I’m sorry for keeping both the wedding and my pregnancy a secret from you. But from now on, we’ll all live together as a family.”

“Father… Mother…”

The three of them embraced, tears streaming down their faces. So much had kept them apart—their positions, their responsibilities, the circumstances surrounding them—but all of that was finally behind them. From now on, they could live together as a real family.

“I’ve realized, after accompanying Shun-sama and Sue-sama that I still have so much to learn. I want to keep working hard and become stronger.”

“Shun’s a rather special case. So don’t compare yourself to him. Just keep looking after your unreliable older brother.”

The former lord commented with a chuckle.

Uhm… Former Lord… The way you phrased that makes it sound like I’m some kind of oddball. Could you please not slip that in during such a touching moment?

“The carriage is ready. If everyone would please come aboard.”

“Toria, this is the perfect opportunity. Come ride with us.”

“Yes. We’re family, after all.”

The former lord and Maria-san gently took Toria-san by the hand and led her toward the open carriage waiting outside.

I smiled as I watched them go.

This was a day they’d never get back. I hoped the three of them would enjoy it together as a family.

“Shun-oniichan, Shiro’s going too!”

“We’re off!”

For some reason, Shiro and the others dashed after the carriage as well.

Well… I supposed they deserved it. They had worked hard to help with the wedding, so they could think of it as a little reward.

As for me, I headed backstage to check on Sue and the others.

“Sue, how are things over here?”

“Ah, yes. Please, come in. Casey and Telma are asleep.”

After calling out to Sue first, I stepped behind the stage.

Sue had already changed out of her ceremonial clothes, while Casey-san and Telma-san were still lying where they had been, fast asleep in the same clothes they’d been wearing. Sue sat quietly on the floor beside them, her gaze fixed on the two sleeping women.

“How are they doing?”

“The treatment is working well, so they’ll be fine.”

When the two of them had thrown themselves over the explosive magic device, my heart had nearly stopped. The fact that they had both pulled through safely was nothing short of a miracle.

“Now that the incident’s being brought under control, they won’t have to push themselves so hard anymore.”

“That’s right. They’d both been under tremendous strain because of their families. I’d like to let them get some proper rest.”

She was right. The two of them were exhausted, not just physically but mentally as well. They needed the chance to sleep without worrying about anything. Once the army arrived, things would undoubtedly become hectic again. For now, it was best to let them rest in peace.

Just then, one of the attendants peeked backstage.

I wondered what had happened.

“Shun-sama, the additional ingredients have arrived.”

…Seriously?

Of all possible moments, the food stalls were reopening now?

And to make matters worse, not only were Shiro and the others gone, but Toria-san was with the parade as well.

“Shun-san, do your best. I’ll stay here and watch over these two.”

Somehow, I could sense an absolute, unshakable determination behind that smile.

Haha…Yeah. There was no getting out of this.

With my shoulders slumped in resignation, I followed the attendant out of the backstage area.

Everyone else looked so happy today. I suppose I could work a little harder for their sake.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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“Now, once again, let us report to God the marriage of the bride and groom here. Exchange rings and share a kiss of vows.”

““““Uooooh!””””

The priest proceeded quickly, and the mass wedding ceremony was over in no time. The people gathered in the square erupted in thunderous applause.

“Mother, I’m so glad…”

“Uo-oh, (sniffle, sniffle )uuoo.”

Toria-san was moved to tears by the sight of her mother beside the previous head of the family, and the Margrave was sobbing again.

Sue and Shiro were also applauding loudly.

“Now, while we prepare for the parade, it’s time for the much-anticipated bouquet toss. This time, it’s a precious bouquet that has overcome many difficulties.”

“I’ll catch it!”

Uoh… this is bad.

An army of unmarried women surged into the square, each on their frenzied state.

Considering everything that had happened today—the explosion in the square, the destroyed stage decorations, the attack in the middle of the ceremony—and yet the joint wedding had still reached a happy conclusion… It wasn’t hard to believe everyone thought these bouquets would be incredibly lucky.

And after the surprise announcement that Maria-san was expecting, the bouquets had probably gained a reputation for blessing their catcher with children as well.

“Sue… Toria-san…”

I watched the crowd of eager women and swallowed.

“Doesn’t this bouquet toss look like it’s guaranteed to leave someone injured?”

“Their frenzied state is absolutely terrifying. I have a very bad feeling about this…”

“The determination they’re showing is nothing like last year’s bouquet toss. The atmosphere is completely different.”

“““Scary..”””

Shiro, the others, and even Ao instinctively shrank back in fear. Sue and Toria-san weren’t looking much better, their faces visibly tense.

Ignoring all of our growing anxiety, the ceremony marched relentlessly onward.

“Now then, which six lucky ladies will catch today’s bouquets?”

The announcer raised her voice dramatically.

“Here they come!”

“““Ready… throw!”””

Six brides tossed their bouquets high into the air. 

The six bouquets sailed into the air at the announcer’s signal, arcing toward the sea of eager women below.

And just as I’d feared…

Chaos erupted.

“I’m getting that one!”

“No, it’s mine!”

“Hey! Who told you to shove your way in?!”

“Ow! Stop pushing!”

“That bouquet belongs to me!”

It wasn’t just shoving and grappling anymore. People were yelling at one another. Some had even started throwing punches. This had gone far beyond a “slightly intense” bouquet toss. It had become an all-out battlefield.

“““Uwaaah…”””

“““(Trembling in fear)”””

Sue, Toria-san, and I could only stare in horrified disbelief at the chaos unfolding across the square. Shiro and the others had already huddled together in fright. Even Ao, who normally stayed calm no matter what happened, quietly slipped behind us and hid in our shadows, trembling along with everyone else.

“E-Emilia-sama… isn’t this getting a little out of hand?”

“It’ll settle down soon enough. It’s an annual tradition. No one can stop it once it starts.”

She gave a small shrug.

“We’ve already arranged for healers to be on standby, so everything will be fine.”

Since Emilia-sama herself looked completely unconcerned, the rest of us had no choice but to hold our tongues.

“I got it!”

**Clap! Clap! Clap!**

A few minutes later, the brutal bouquet battle finally came to an end.

The victorious woman triumphantly held the thoroughly battered bouquet high above her head as the crowd applauded.

Honestly…

She looked less like someone who had caught a wedding bouquet and more like a battle-hardened warrior returning from the front lines. Her makeup was in ruins. Her dress was torn and disheveled. Yet somehow, there was an almost sacred dignity about her after surviving such a fierce struggle.

To be perfectly honest, the men who had watched the bouquet toss from a safe distance were staring in stunned silence.

But in a frontier territory where beastmen made up much of the population, perhaps it was only natural for women this strong to take the lead.

Looking at the Margrave’s own household, that certainly seemed to be the case.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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“Take Hera into custody and remove her from the square.”

“““Yes, Ma’am!”””

At Emilia-sama’s command, the guards moved in and hauled the exhausted, barely conscious Hera away. Since her dislocated shoulder would only make transporting her more difficult, Emilia-sama had calmly reset the joint before they left.

Despite everything that had happened, not a single stain marred Emilia-sama’s dress. As composed as ever.

Turning toward the stage, she spoke,

“Now then, let us resume the joint wedding ceremony. The brides and grooms have been waiting.”

And just like that, she walked back onto the stage as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened. I assumed she was returning to her seat, but instead, she headed straight for Casey-san and Telma-san, whom Toria-san was still tending.

The rest of us followed Emilia-sama back onto the stage.

“You two were far too reckless.”

Her voice was stern, though no longer filled with the murderous fury from moments before.

“I understand why you acted as you did. Even so, I will not allow you to throw your lives away.”

““Yes… We’re very sorry.””

Casey-san and Telma-san lowered their heads in unison, unable to offer any excuse. Even Casey-san and Telma-san seemed to realize how reckless they had been. Having nearly sacrificed themselves, they could only bow their heads and quietly accept Emilia-sama’s reprimand.

Then, without another word, Emilia-sama stepped forward and wrapped both of them in a tight embrace.

“I’m just glad you’re both safe.”

Her voice softened.

“I don’t think I could bear to see anyone else get hurt.”

““We… we’re so… sorry..””

Casey-san and Telma-san’s shoulders trembled as tears streamed down their faces. There was probably so much weighing on their hearts—thoughts of their family, of Casey-san’s brother, and everything that had happened leading up to today.

Eventually, Shiro and Toria-san each scooped one of the women into a princess carry and gently carried them backstage.

“Now then, let us resume the joint wedding ceremony.”

The master of ceremonies was just about to continue when someone hurried over and handed her a slip of paper.

“Hm? Let’s see… What? Ehh?!”

She stared at it with wide eyes, utterly dumbfounded.

…What on earth was written on it?

“My apologies for the interruption. We have one more joyful piece of news.”

“It has just been confirmed that the former lord and Maria are expecting a child!”

“““““Wooooooon!”””””

The entire square exploded with cheers.

After everything that had happened—the explosions, the attack, the confrontation—an overwhelming wave of relief and celebration swept over the crowd. There could hardly have been a happier ending to the ceremony.

It was the perfect surprise.

In an instant, it blew away the tense, uneasy atmosphere that had been hanging over the square. Maria-san’s cheeks flushed a bright crimson, and the former lord responded by gallantly drawing her into his arms. That alone sent another wave of cheers rolling through the crowd.

“Grampa! Maria!”

Kent-chan clapped enthusiastically from his seat, while Emilia-sama watched with a warm smile and an approving nod.

“H-Huh…? What?!”

The margrave, however, looked utterly dumbfounded.

Judging by his reaction, no one had told him that Maria-san was expecting. The expression on his face was so priceless that I almost laughed.

“…Mother?”

Just then, Toria returned from backstage.

The moment she heard the announcement, she froze where she stood, staring blankly at her mother. Apparently, she hadn’t known about the pregnancy either.

In any case, there was no denying it. Thanks to that incredible surprise, the mood of the entire ceremony had changed completely. The fear and tension from the attack melted away, replaced once more by joy, laughter, and heartfelt celebration.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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