He had come to my mom's room the morning after the one with Tart.

'Well, it's been years since Lug-chan came to your mother's room on her own!　I'll have some tea and sweets for you. I have a good stash of cookies.

Mom was in a good mood and used a stool as a stepping stone to take out the cookies she had hidden on the wardrobe.
　The wrapping is a trendy design from King's Landing, so she must have kept it as a gift from someone else.

'Mother, you know why I'm here, don't you?'
''Fufufu, of course. I'm here to thank you for giving Tart-chan a push, right? Did I do it right?
I didn't. I turned him away.
Oh, my God, she's so cute!　Oh, you didn't know how to do it, Lug. Let your mother teach you.
'That's none of your business. That's not my mother's fault.

........Why do they assume I'm a virgin?
　I've already experienced it when I was in Murteu as Irg Balor of the Balor Trading Company.
　But I can't easily make a lover in my Irg Balor status, and only with a professional partner because of my guilt for Dia.

And he was experienced in his previous life.
　I got angry when Tart said he was half-heartedly prepared to use his body as a weapon because I myself had used my body as a boy to take on someone with that kind of preference, and I knew someone I knew who used their body as a weapon, and I knew how hard and miserable it was.

'If that's not the reason, I don't know why. They both love each other on the inside, but they're so distant and tenuous. That's why I almost hurt Tart-chan like that.
It's none of your business. Besides, it's crazy to ask a Tart to use his body as a weapon. I'm not going to let the Tart do that. Mom would know what it means for an assassin to use his body as a weapon, wouldn't she?　How dare you try to lead Tart down that path. ...I'm seriously pissed.

If I'm a tart, I can do it.
　No matter how hard I think it is, I'll hold back for me.
　That's why I'm afraid.

''Ugh, I'm afraid of Rougu-chan. It's not like I seriously asked you to color up Tart-chan, either. It's just that I think she needs an excuse to seduce Lug-chan.

I knew that was the case, but I underestimated the tart's boorishness.

'Next time you do something like this, I won't forgive you. I'll never speak to your mother again.
Oh, no. Mom, I'm sorry. I can't live with myself if you don't like me, Lug.

He clings to me, crying.
　As usual, this person is too young in appearance and attitude.

........Come to think of it, I'm also slender, and I'm often seen as younger than my age. Maybe it's not possible that I'm still the same even though I'm over 20, right?

I'm starting to get a little worried because people often say I look like my mother.
　It is not good for a man, let alone a woman, to be seen as young forever.

'I'll forgive you this time, but there won't be a next time. You don't have to take care of the tartes, I've seen and know them well.

Dear, Tart, and Maher.
　My partners.
　We have our own way of doing things, and I don't need them telling me what to do.
"That's such a childish thing to say, Lug. A girl just doesn't show her true feelings to the person she loves.

I'm a little annoyed by the shyness.
　However, I find myself unable to completely dismiss those words.

''Tart-chan, I'm sure he was pleased when I put my hands on him.
Mom, are you sure you're sorry?
I'm sorry!

Your mother salutes you deliberately.

If you just let it flow and make love to him gently, instead of threatening him that he didn't know what the word "body" meant in that moment. The tart might have been pleased.

But that's not the case.
　A relationship that requires an excuse is unhealthy. And if you are genuinely in love with each other and have physical contact with each other, it will hurt that the first time was for that reason.

I'm going to go now.
Yes, let's go have some sweets.
I'm busy. I won't be able to do my own work when my dad gets home.
It was two days later, wasn't it? I can't wait to see what souvenir Kian will bring me.
'I'm not sure I'm that optimistic. After all, it's treated as an idol for the cause of war. What a hassle that would be.

My father is out of town for a meeting regarding my awarding of a medal.
　The meeting is being held in a city halfway across the country, as it is too far to the royal capital.
　Because there are many political considerations involved, I was called in as the head of Touahade.
　It's strange that I, the ringleader, am not here, but the head of the family is the only one who has been called in.

''Don't worry. I'm sure that Kian wouldn't let Rougu-chan do anything strange, and if he couldn't do anything about it, I'm sure he'd make arrangements to escape.

It's too much of a line for a nobleman, but in fact, my father would do it.
　Touahade is for the Kingdom of Arvan.
　But my father believes that his family is more important than this country.
　Hence, when he has to choose between them, he chooses his family without hesitation. And even though he doesn't have the status of a nobleman, he has the power to protect his family.

And also. Please bring Maha-chan home next time. We talk about many things in our letters, but you can tell from every word we say that we love you, Rogue. We have to find out what kind of girl she is, mother.
I'm going to go.

There's no point in saying anything to this man.
　I left the room with a terrible feeling of emptiness.

◇

My father came home a day later than planned.
　When he came back, he told me to come back to his study in an hour and went back to his room.
　At first glance, he looks like his usual self, but he's pretty tired just pretending to be.

I've never seen my father so worn out before.
　He must have been having a lot of trouble over there.

To Tart, I told him to prepare a special tea I had blended.
　It's a tea that has recently been sold under the cosmetics brand Orna.
　It has a relaxing and skin-beautifying effect and is very popular.
　I will use one of the most precious teas that are hard to find. I want to take care of my father as much as possible.

I will not be surprised by anything he says.

I was ready for trouble, but I was convinced that my father's attitude made it more serious.

◇

Excuse me.

I go into my father's study.
　My father is dressed and looks better than before, having taken a slight nap.

'Sit down, Roug, sit down.'

He took his seat according to his father's words.

'As soon as I can, I'd like to talk to you about the awarding of the medal at King's Landing. As I'm sure you know, I was away from the estate for that meeting.

My father has a serious look on his face.
　He's got something really bad to say.
　Then I hear a knock at the door.

"Who is it?

My father speaks up.

'A tart. Master Rouges has brought you a cup of tea as a courtesy.'
Hmm. Come in.

Tart thanks and pours tea from the teapot.
　This kind of appearance is becoming much more common.
　When he finished brewing the tea, he thanked again and left the room.

It smells good. I've never smelled that tea.
It's a tea from a faraway land. Drinking it brings me peace of mind.
''I never thought my son would see through my discomfort. It won't be long before I hand over the reigns. This is good. It's contagious.

My father smiled thinly and drank the tea, and his expression softened slightly.
　This tea is a good one.
　It was once something that didn't even exist in the world I was in, mutated by the magic that leaked out of the land where the dragon veins flowed, and could only be made in this world.
　I like it so much that I buy the fields and peasants from the landowner and turn most of the harvest over to us.
　The peasants are highly motivated, partly because they are paid more than the original owners.

The peasants are highly motivated by the fact that they are paid more than their owners. "Let's get back to the matter at hand," he said, "I have no problems with the procedures for the awarding of orders in the capital, which is generally what I expected. But we need to take part in some events that are a bit too flamboyant.
I'm prepared for that.

My father tells me in detail, but nothing too crazy, and it's tolerable enough.
　When we've told him that much, there's a pause, and then my father opens his mouth again.

'The question is then.'
Is that what you're referring to when you meet that man?
That's another problem, but it's what comes after that that's even more troublesome. .........The top brass in this country are quite disheartened by this attack on the demon tribe. A single demon tribe has overrun the academy, which is supposed to have the largest number of magicians in this country, by a single demon tribe. It's also painful to say that the royal capital's knees were allowed to do as they please.

The academy exists on the outskirts of King's Landing.
　The royal capital is doubly protected. A fort to stop attacks from all sides, and even if it is dropped, there are many magicians, and the academy, which even has the function of a fort, is in a position to protect the center of the royal capital.

In the current attack by the demons, the outer forts are almost useless and even the academy was almost dropped.
　In other words, one wrong move and the royal capital, the heart of this country, would have been destroyed.
''The fact that you're sitting back means that we're going to take a defensive strategy... you don't mean to say that you won't move the heroes from the vicinity of the royal capital?
''You understand well. Even if the demon tribe appears in the future, as long as the area is more than a certain distance from the king's capital, we won't send any heroes.............................in other words, we'll just leave them to die. The theory is that if the king's capital falls, the country will end, but the people at the center were simply trying to protect themselves.

Only a brave man can kill a demon tribe, but you tame that brave man to the royal capital.
　This is approximately insane.

''How does this have anything to do with me, let alone Touahade?
''The nobles who had territories far from the king's capital were fiercely opposed to it. They didn't want to be left to die when the demon tribe appeared. That's where the rogue's arrowhead comes in. The center convinced the local nobles to let the brave men guard the capital and dispatch a force that could kill the demon tribe.
"You want me to kill demons?　Why would the center be able to do that?

Even though he played an active role in the previous battle, ostensibly, he was only in discovering and monitoring the demon race.
　It's not supposed to be evaluated in terms of direct combat power.

I've been told that the brave Epona has told you a lot of things about Lug. That was careless of you, Lug.
.... I'm sorry, Dad.

I had to keep my mouth shut.
　I knew that if my power came out, I would get into trouble.

"Don't blame the brave man too much. It's just that one of the lords in our party, who were envious of the rogue's success, had a lot of bad things to say about him. That brave man was defending you, and he got all hot and bothered, and you know where it went from there.
'That's what would happen with that brave character. I wasn't thinking straight.
　I'm sure he was on that battlefield, and he blamed me for everything I did.
　You can't blame Epona for this. It's my fault for taking that risk and only tying her up in a verbal agreement.

Fortunately, the reward for the role was adequate. ........I demanded an absurd amount of compensation to protect the rogue, but I didn't expect it all to be accepted. It was decided that at the time of the awarding of the medal, the rogue would be given a special status that had been prepared especially for you. And you'll have all the privileges that go along with that status. I'm sorry I can't protect you.

As expected of the raccoons in the center.
　If they're going to use it, they might as well use the title of Demon Killer to liven up the medal presentation ceremony.

"Father, please don't apologize. I've been negligent and it's my fault. I'll pay for it.
Well, that's good to hear. As a matter of fact, I was just about to get ready to take you and Esri into exile.
You don't have to do that for now. I'll even kill demons.

He has a great career as a nobleman.
　However, the reality is that if a demon tribe appears, it's a loss-making role that forces me to commit suicide by going to defeat them without relying on a brave man.

The center also probably doesn't believe that I can kill the demon race.
　In order to convince the local nobles to not send a brave man to the region, they give me an unreasonable reason to not send a brave man, and even if I'm killed by the demons later on, they will continue to refuse to send a brave man to the region, telling me not to rehash the decision later on.

I was going to get the power to kill the demon tribe anyway, but I had to hurry. If I don't, they will kill me.

And I have a message from the brave Epona. She asked for a meeting the day before the next medal ceremony. And I want to apologize and use my brave skills [Knights Serving Me] to share my brave power with the rogue. And...

That Epona is in such a place.......as expected of a brave man. ...........................No, Central called her as a witness to convince me of my strength.

''I'm grateful for that. It's because I felt a little uncomfortable taking on the demon race as it is now. As expected of a brave man...I didn't know you had the skills to share your power.

Having said that, I know the skill. One of the S-ranked skills I learned in the Goddess' room.

[Knights who serve me].
　Up to three people can be given a skill according to their own strength and the opponent's vessel. However, if the target is 'against the Lord's will' or 'defeated', the power will be lost.

It's nice to be able to use a heroic skill to fight the demon race.
　And this is something that can be used to kill brave men as well. As long as the condition is 'against the Lord's will', there are plenty of loopholes.

'I ask you again, Lug. You're sure you want to do this? I am willing to walk away.

Dad, don't worry. I'll never say I can't do something. An assassin never underestimates or overestimates his own abilities. I'll do a good job. And you won't be any different. I will assassinate demons for the sake of my country.

It's a hassle, but not the worst.
　The privileges that are provided are tempting.
　And, in the end, what we do is the same as it has always been.
　Touahade has been assassinating nobles in the country at the behest of the royal family for the Kingdom of Arvan.

From now on, the target has simply changed from the domestic nobility to the demon tribe.
　If it's for the good of this country, I'll assassinate the demon tribe as Touahade with flying colors.