In the warm sunshine and pleasant weather.

Come on, man, this way.

"Oh, oh.

　Nell takes me by the hand and I walk along the footpath.

　Open rice fields surround us, swaying in the breeze.
　Private houses are sparsely populated, and there are few people to be seen. Only the occasional grandfather and grandmother, who seem to be working on the farm, can be seen.

　Scenes in the countryside don't seem to change much, even if the world is different.

　It seems that you understand what I'm thinking as I scurry around, and Nell opens her mouth with a smile on her face.

"This is the middle of nowhere, right?

Yeah, I guess so.

　It's a peaceful, nostalgic village.

　--This is the village where Nell grew up, located on the outskirts of King's Landing.

　It's located about three hours from the capital by carriage, and is said to be governed by an ordinary nobleman who is not particularly good, but not bad at all.

　The same fruit is grown in many parts of the country, but it's not so rare, Nell explained with a laugh.

　Well, since we're here, let's buy some as a souvenir.

　And then Nell looks at me and chuckles.

"Well, you don't have to be so ticklish anymore.

"No, no, you say that. ...... Or rather, what am I supposed to call your mother?　Should I call you Noira?　Or should I call her mother-in-law?　Like your mother-in-law?

　Noira is Nell's mother's name.
　What should I call her, seriously. Someone please teach me how to meet my girlfriend's parents: .......

"Eh, hmmm ......, that certainly bothers me when you say that.

Right?

　Nell hmmm, looked troubled for a moment and then opened her mouth.

The first thing that comes to mind is that you can just call her 'mother-in-law' normally.　Calling her by her name is a bit of a stranger and she wasn't a fan of being too formal (・・・・・・).... If you call her mother-in-law that, I'm sure she'll giggle.

...... Okay, I'll do that. I guess I'll do that then.

　I was slightly suspicious of Nell speaking in the past tense, but I nodded my head without voicing any doubts.


　　　.


　We then traveled for a while through the idyllic rural landscape and eventually arrived at a church, which somehow wasn't her birthplace.

　I was told that Nell was not an orphan raised in a church or anything like that, but was raised in a single-parent but normal family: .......

This way, man.

　Before I could interrupt her with a question, she stopped a little later with Nell walking away - a beautifully polished (・・・・・・・) white stone (・・・・) quietly built behind a church.

　The stone, located in the shade of a large tree, was bathed in sunlight as a cool breeze blew through the trees, and just looking at it made me feel calm.
　Only in this space, you feel as if time is passing slowly.

　...... ah.

　So that's what I thought.

...... When did he die?

　I looked down at a white stone with a name engraved on it - a tombstone and said.

When I started training as a brave man, about two and a half years ago, I think it was about a year and a half ago when I first met my brother. About a year before I met my brother for the first time. He was pushing himself hard to raise me, but he hid it from me and kept working. As soon as I decided to go to church, his health began to fail. So I was battling with the disease for a while. ......

"...... was a fine person.

"...... Yeah. He was a very respectable person. He worked from morning to night, but he was always smiling and kind. And he was a sweet guy who made a lot of mistakes with his cooking and stuff, you know?　It's how I learned to cook.

　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make your life easier," she said, her tone calm and smiling as if she were recalling memories of the past.

　The fact that Nell broke down immediately after she decided to go to church is a relief to her .......
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for, and you'll be able to find out what you're looking for.

　...... or maybe it was just a matter of deceiving and misrepresenting what was originally the limit.
　I'm going to be able to have a look at it.

...... If I could, I would have introduced you to your brother while you were still alive.

"...... Oh.

　I wish I could have said hello to you when I was alive.

...... Uh, ......, this is kind of a hard question to ask if it's okay to ask: ......

"Hmm?　Okay, ask me anything you want.

　I ask Nell, stammering a bit, "What is your father's grave?

Let's see, ...... your father's grave is not here?　I've heard from you before that you are deceased: ......

　But there is only one grave here, and only one name engraved on it.
　Maybe he wanted to be under this tree, or there is no other grave nearby.

　Normally, wouldn't a couple be buried next to each other or under the same headstone?

Oh, my father's grave is a long way to the southeast from here. He was a soldier, but he died in the war, I heard. She said that after he died, she left her war-torn country and came to this great and stable country to give birth to me in peace.

　...... For my daughter, or .

　But it would not have been a half-hearted decision.
　Her husband died and she came to a foreign land where she didn't know anyone, and she gave birth to a daughter, raised her and worked.



　It is not easy to put into words how much hardship they had to go through.

I'm sure you'll want to visit your father's grave sometime in the future because ...... is not going to be able to leave this country for long while I'm a brave man.

　With a slightly sad look on his face, he says so.

...... I see. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make your life easier.　Brave man, good job traveling. Well, maybe not just the two of us.

"......, that sounds good. Huh, that sounds fun. It's going to be a hilarious trip with everyone in the dungeon. It's getting fun just thinking about it now.

"Haha, yeah.

　It's going to be a very noisy trip.

　Maybe I'll give it a makeover when I get back, just to make sure it's safe to leave the dungeon empty for a long time.
　I still have pets to repel intruders, but I'm worried about leaving the dungeon empty for too long.

　--Well, we'll talk about that later. 　

Nell, in the human world, what do you do when you pray to the dead?

"You know, like this, I put my right hand on my chest like this. I'm going to say, 'I'm still thinking of you when you're gone.

　I got up on my toes and propped my knees in front of the tombstone and put my right hand on my own chest and closed my eyes as she asked me to do.

　--Err ...... hi, mother-in-law. I'm sorry to be abrupt, but I'm your daughter's husband and your son in law, Yuki.

　It's really abrupt," I laughed a little to myself, and then I continued.

　--Nell is doing a very fine job of being a hero. A kind fellow, a sweet fellow, a cowardly but brave fellow. I was attracted to her, and now we are going to live together as husband and wife.

　--Please leave your daughter to me. I'll protect her. I'll protect her and live with her.

　I'll protect her and live beside her, no matter what. I will risk everything, every particle of my being, everything.

　--I will risk everything, every shred of my existence. May you rest in peace and warmth.

...... Okay.

　She opens her eyelids, brushes the sand off her knees with a pang, and stands up.

"Hmm, did you talk to your mother?

　Nell was also praying. She lowered her hand to her chest, turned her head toward the gravestone and said, "Oh...

I have two other wives. To tell you the truth, I have two other wives, and I asked them to forgive me if they could.

Haha, that's certainly something to mention.

Are you done with yours, too?

Yes, I introduced this crazy person as my brother.

"Hen you

　I smiled at Nell, smiling happily, and turned my back to the grave.



　The wind blows.



　Caught by the wind, I suddenly look back.

　--A soft, wry smile.

　A gentle smile, much like Nell's, a compassionate, tender smile.

　A gentle smile, much like Nell's, a compassionate, tender smile, flickering in the sunshine, and then melting into the world, disappearing.

　I gulped and blinked, and there was only a tombstone standing in the shade.

?　What's wrong?

...... I guess that means you're forgiven for your

"Huh?　What does that mean?

"Well,

　I laughed at Nell, who had a question mark in her head, and I took her comfortable hand.

You know, I don't have a lot of time, but I need you to give me a quick tour of the area. Oh, or rather, I'd like to go to your house.

"Yeah, but it's just a regular house, okay?　Sometimes I go back to raids, but I'm already spending time in King's Landing, so it will be a little dusty and dirty.

It's fine. Then we'll clean up together--