"Papa. Elsa. Mr. Regina. Cheers. Okay, cheers!

　Anna holds up a mug of ale and says.
　Me, Elsa, Meryl, and Regina drink to each other.
　After completing an urgent mission, we had come to the tavern to launch.

That's good. We fought off a horde of cyclops. Where they came from remains a mystery.

　Anna said that after taking a sip of her mug.
　It's definitely spooky that the source of an A-grade demon is unknown. If we don't strike at the source, there's no guarantee that this won't happen again in the future.

I'm so grateful that my dad and Miss Regina are here.

　Anna said.
'The adventurers said they were different. They said they were on a different level of strength.

"It's been a long time since I fought with Regina. I'm fired up. I don't want my former comrades to think I'm degraded.
"...... hmm.

　Regina sniffed.
　Was it my imagination that she looked a little happy?

"But I didn't expect Regina to join us for the launch. I asked her to join us, thinking she would definitely say no.
So it was a social call?
No. I just didn't expect it.
This guy loves to go to the party. When I was putting together a party, I almost always went to one.

　I thought back on the old days and said so.
　At any rate, she was the one who wanted to go to the party the most.

"There's free booze at .......

　Regina spouting lines like a drunkard.
　But I know.
　Regina, who's never been interested in anything but swords since then, has more than enough money to spare. She can drink alone if she doesn't have to drink for free.
　Despite her looks, she has a lonely side to her. I'm sure.

"Hey. Dad. Do a... do a... ahh...

　Meryl leaned closer to me, and she spoiled me with that.

"Too bad. Here.

　I bring a piece of meat pie to Meryl's open mouth.
　Meryl said with a look of satisfaction, "It tastes three times better when my dad feeds me. Seeing that, everyone except me looked at it with amazed eyes.

What's wrong with you guys?
I just thought your dad was really sweet.
That's what being a parent is all about.

　Anna and Regina have been saying that to me.

'Ugh ....... I envy Meryl for being able to spoil her like that without hesitation......" and for some reason Elsa looked at Meryl with envy.
''But I'm glad you came to King's Landing, Regina.
　Anna says. 　
"You're going to stay here for the rest of your life, aren't you?
I will.
''It would be a big help to the guild if Regina-san was up and running. We're always short on high-ranking adventurers.

　Anna clasps her hands together and smiles at me.

'We have a lot of missions to clean up...'
No one has said anything about begging yet.
Oh, my god. Don't say that. You don't have anything else to do, do you?
"Hey. That's Kaiser's daughter. Stop treating me like I'm slowing down.
My name isn't Kaiser's daughter. It's Anna.
　Anna placed her hand on her chest and introduced herself before saying
'So let me ask you the opposite. What do you do when you're not on duty?
''It's ...... forging a sword, though?''
Anything else?
...... and drinking like this.
Otherwise?
...... Nothing special.

　After putting a hand to her chin and thinking for a while, Regina muttered to herself . She tried to twist it out, but it didn't seem to come out.



I didn't think there was anyone living a less colorful life than Elsa: ......

　Anna looked surprised and put her hand on Regina's shoulder. With a loving look, he said.

'Miss Regina. I'm here to help you, if that's okay with you.
Hey, Kaiser. You sure you don't want me to kick his ass?

　No way I'd give you permission to do that.
　Well, you can't be sure Regina doesn't mean it either. ...... Or maybe she wouldn't.

Anyway, that wouldn't hurt to ask for the assignment, would it?　If we're on a mission to defeat them, we're also training our swords.

　When Anna held up a finger and suggested that, Regina said

...... Okay. I'll take the job. Just on one condition.
I'll do everything I can. What's that?
He's to come with me when I go on a strike mission.

　Regina pointed at me with her thumb and said.

'Miss Regina. You've been on your own all this time, haven't you?　So why do you want my dad all of a sudden?
Did you think I'd say that I wouldn't mind being on my own?

　Regina sniffed mockingly .

'Don't get me wrong. I'm good enough on my own for a takedown mission. It's for a different reason that I'm bringing this guy along.
Is there another reason ......? Elsa said.
"Elsa. I understand.

　Meryl said knowingly.

'Quite simply, Regina is so fond of her dad that she's going to try to make out with him alone on a mission!
"Yes. I was with Kaiser and-- No!　Don't say the right thing!　I wouldn't think such an insolent thing!

　Regina almost nodded for a moment, then turned red and countered .
　Oh . That's a great flippant comment. I didn't know you could do this. I felt as if I had caught a glimpse of my former comrade's surprising talent.
　Regina said she cleared her throat to get it back.

I want Kaisel to come with me because I need the stimulation. This one makes boring enemy combat a little more interesting.
Isn't that because you like your dad after all?
'I told you it's not!　Don't mix your love for them with your approval of them!　This is why I hate people with a love brain.

　Regina spat at him evasively.

'So that's what happened.'
　And I smile happily.
'So Regina approved of me, for a change.
......?

　Regina's face turned away as a bemused look came over her face .

''I'm not sycophantic enough to trust my back to someone I don't ...... acknowledge. We've been working together for years and you can't understand that . You idiot.

　The words were muttered with a short tongue lashing, and I smiled bitterly.
　You're still a straight shooter.
　Anna, who was watching our exchange, opened her mouth.

I know what you want, Regina. But I know you have a lot on your plate. He just works three or four jobs at once. ....... Can't you just come along every time?
...... All right. I won't say every time.

　An instructor of the Order, a teacher at a magic school, and a tutor to a princess.
　Handling the unfulfilled tasks of the Adventurer's Guild.
　On top of that, I'll be accompanying Regina on her mission to defeat the enemy, that's more than one person can handle.

We have to respect Dad's wishes first. Do you think?
I don't mind.

　Normally, I wouldn't take on more than this.

"....... You're going to do something crazy again. I ask you all the time, but you can't just take on anything, can you?

　Anna chuckled in disgust.

'I have to say no sometimes.
Haha. That's true. But this wasn't a freebie on this one. I did it because I wanted to.



　I remember fighting with Regina.
　I hadn't felt my blood boil like that in a really long time.
　I felt almighty, like no one could beat me.
　The sweet aftertaste still haunts me.
　Maybe I accepted this offer so I could experience it again.

If you say so, I won't stop you, but ....... Please don't do it. Your father isn't alone in this life.
"Yeah, I know," I said. I know," I said, smiling at Anna.

　It's been decided that I'll go along with Regina on some of her combat missions from time to time. She's busy as ever, but after today, she'll be busier than ever.

But I wasn't expecting that.
Meryl. What?
"Miss Regina. I thought she was very scary when I first met her, but... But when I got to talking to her, I found her surprisingly easygoing and cute.

　Meryl said that.

Well, I'm not giving it to you, though, am I?

　I told Regina to check it out.

...... I don't even remember trying to get it.
''But it's true, I too thought Regina-san was one hell of a person when she first came to the Adventurer's Guild and pointed her sword at me.
"I was surprised when he came at me out of the blue, too, when he attacked me on the side of the road.

　Anna and Elsa said the same thing.

Haha. Meryl got attacked at the school once by Regina. It's not surprising that people don't make a good first impression.

　I chuckle.
　That time the whole school was in an uproar.

Yeah, yeah. I've been meaning to talk to you about that.

　He turned to Regina.

'You pointed your sword at my girls. To Elsa, to Anna, to Meryl. How about a proper apology to those girls for once?

　I'll be living in King's Landing now.
　The girls aren't the type to hold grudges.
　But it's best to be straightforward with them at least once to avoid bad feelings.
　So I suggested softly that we--

"...... Wait a minute, Kaiser. What the hell are you talking about?

　Regina gave me a questioning look.

'What do you mean by that? You'd better make sense of it once: ......
No, not that part.

　Regina said, trying to drown out my voice.

''I've certainly made contact with the silver-haired girl there and the Guildmaster's daughter. I approached the silver-haired girl there to see if she was worthy of being the youngest S-rank in history. And to get the Guildmaster's daughter to tell him where Kaizel was. But the wizard's daughter, I have no idea. I have made no attempt to reach out to this man.

　--What?
　The words Regina dropped sucked in all the sounds of the place . The silence falls. Or maybe I'm just upset and it feels that way.

'Wait . It's true that the person who broke into the school at that time had Meryl ......

　The headmaster broke through the guardian wards on the school's grounds and the intruder returned Norman to the laboratory where Meryl was working.

With that, Meryl fought off the intruder, but because of the illusionary magic he was using, he was unable to figure out who he was.

　But afterwards, when it turned out that it was Regina who pointed the sword at Erza and Anna, I assumed that the matter at the school was her doing as well . 　

　But--it was different .
　Regina says she hasn't tried to contact Merrill.
　I don't think she's lying.
　Part of me knows that Regina is a difficult and cryptic person, but I also know that she would never lie to me in this kind of situation.

　But before that...
　Regina is completely unable to use magic.
　Hence, she's not the same as the intruder who was using illusionary magic to hide herself. I don't think she was colluding with anyone else either.
　Which means...
　Which means the intruder may still be lurking here in King's Landing.