*

　In the evening - as Tilia was sitting in her chair, there was a kotk sound.
　She huffed and looked in the direction of the sound.
　Then, a cup was placed on the table.
　A cup was on the table.
　There was steam in the air.
　It's also steam with a pungent smell.
　It's Myra's special fragrant tea (original blend).
　I look up at Myra who was standing beside me before I knew it.
　After a moment, she smiled.
　It's a gentle smile.
　If she didn't know her true nature, she would be mistaken.
　But Tilia knows her true nature.
　She's not just a kind woman.
　She's a brazen, selfish woman.
　I wish she would hide her true nature anyway.
　That way, you'll have less heartache.
　She must have an agenda other than selling products bearing Tilia's name.
　You don't have to have a hunch every time you get a cup of incense tea brewed.
　Nevertheless, the incense tea is innocent, and the fact that it warms you up and helps you.

''........go ahead.''
Yeah, I'm sorry.

　Myra whispered, and Tilia reached for her cup.
　Her hand trembled slightly.
　It's not from the cold.
　It's mental.
　She frowns and brings the cup to her mouth.
　I take a drink of the incense tea and exhale in a small breath.
　I meant to, but the exhale was louder than I thought it would be.
　I set the cup on the table and let out another sigh.

'The raid was a success, and that there was no damage done here.
I know that.

　Tilia propped her cheekbones on the armrest for support.
　She received a report via a magic item for communication.
　A useful tool.
　There are some limitations.
　But the ability to communicate without a message is great.
　If a communication network could be stretched across the country, the military system of the empire would change dramatically.
　He thinks about this and smiles.
　In the Marquis' mansion, the merchants were using magic items for ultra-long distance communication.
　This is essentially - this is how Crono wants to use it.
　Using it for war.
　It seems like a betrayal, and it's kind of disgusting.

''........Madam?''
I'm sorry. I zoned out.

　I shouldn't," he said with a small shake of his head.

'I thought you might like to get some rest.
I don't think so.
'I understand your desire to welcome Master Kane and Master Gaul, but...'

　Myra said as she exhaled a sigh, and then punctuated her words there.
　Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
　And -.

'Isn't it self-satisfaction?'
Ugg.

　Tilia grunted at the one word that was released.
　I think I have an understandable personality.
　She also thought it would be self-satisfying to greet the two of them.
　But when it is pointed out to me like this without reservation, I respond.
　No, was that 'pause' reserved?
　If so, I wanted you to be more reserved.

That's right. It's self-satisfaction. Is that bad?
'I think that's pretty good. Self-gratification is important.

　When I said openly, I got a surprising answer.
　Hoho, I couldn't help but let out a voice.
　Then Myra made a slightly miffed expression.
　I don't think she's really miffed.
　It's probably an act or a fusillade to make the performance stand out.

''Why did you let your voice leak out?''
I thought you were going to deny it.
"With all due respect...
No.
"I'm afraid I come to you as a compassionate woman.

　Myra continued to speak.
　Even though she didn't allow him to speak.

'I don't remember allowing you to speak,'
"Your wife is not your employer.

　Myra said simply.

'Then how come you and your wife...'
The man who will be your wife sooner or later, I thought it would be good to remember him.
Now that's not exactly a good time to remember.
You're kidding.
I'm serious.
'I believe your wife is a man who doesn't get hung up on little things.

　Myra gave a small smile as Tyria asked back.
　The conversation was not engaging.

'I'll stick to the little things,'
You're not suggesting that the future Empress...
I learned from Crono. Oh, man, I've been yammering on about my military school days...

　Myra says in a theatrical tone, and Tilia feels fed up.
　Of course, it's Crono's persistence that's disgusting.
　He doesn't talk about it much these days, but it's not like he's forgotten about it.
　It's a good idea to be careful when you're not careful.
　We have to keep our guard up.
　When you feel that you are in the wrong, they will come at you with their mouths wide open.

"Do you think the person in charge should have an open mind?
There was a time when I thought the same thing.

　Tilia looked up at the ceiling.

'Do you see anything?'
I see the ceiling.

　'Anyway,' said Tilia, straightening her residence.

'I'm all about the little things.
'Then I'll tell the little boy that his wife will be nitpicking about the details.
Do what you want.
Then, whenever you want, say after cleaning or eating.
It's an impression!

　Tyria raised her voice.
　If she did that after cleaning and eating, people would think she was harassing the servants.
　They'll think you're a shady woman.

'Since you told me to do what I wanted,'
I didn't say you had to go that far.
'Ma'am, those who stand above you are careful of their words. There aren't always those who try to trap you with their words.
God, how dare you!

　Tilia grunted.
　The people who would catch the words and try to trap her are right in front of her.

'Gugnu, remember,'
He's never had a good memory these days.

　Then Myra held her temples.

'If you want to get even, do it sooner rather than later. It's hard to be accused of something you don't remember.'

　Kuh, Tilia grunted again.
　I'm not going to win with my mouth.
　I'm not sure I can win the battle either.
　I mean, there's no way to beat it.
　He picked up the cup and gulped it down.
　Myra let out a small breath as she set the cup down on the table to slam it down.

'What now?'
No, it's not that big of a deal.
I'm curious.
'I'm relieved that the shaking in her hands seemed to have stopped.

　Gulp, he moaned again.
　Myra had noticed that Tilia's hands were trembling.
　Perhaps the reason for that too--.

'All this on purpose or something?'
Well, I'm not sure.

　Myra closed her eyes and tilted her head slightly.

'Utterly troublesome woman.'
That's quite a lovely way to put it.

　Myra opened her eyes and giggled.

'Is she pretty?'
Yes, very much.

　I asked, and Myra gave a small smile.
　She's still as kind as ever.
　So why does it feel like she's laughing at me with her nose?
　It's obvious.
　It's because of the earlier exchange.

'You could have softened the mood without raising your horns.
You're kidding.
I'm serious.
I didn't mean to put a corner on it, sir.
Oh, yeah. You don't think--
'I'm not a natural, I'm a convicted criminal. I teased your wife based on my beliefs.
What beliefs do you have?

　I ask without thinking.
　It's on the condition that you win this battle, but Tilia is the next empress.
　You must have a great deal of conviction since you're making fun of yourself like that.

''It's...''
What's that?
You know, I think you need to keep your relationships sharp.
It's not a belief. It's a character thing.
"My nature is twisted.
It's rather distorted, isn't it?
'I've had a hard time because of your wife's parents.
It was decades ago.
Of course.

　Myra threw out her chest.
　As he said, it's only natural.
　It's so imposing that I'm almost convinced of it.

'What's natural?'
"I'm the boy's teacher, too.
You're too stubborn for your own good.
No, that's just the nature of the boy.
You're not making any sense.
A good teacher and student are an influence on each other.
Only positive influence on each other.

　Tilia poked her cheekbones and scowled.

'Looks like you're getting back on track.
You did.

　Hmmm, he sniffs.
　It's annoying to be dancing around, but it makes me feel a lot better.

'The commander should be in peace.
'I would if I could, but it's a matter of life and death,'

　A small exhale.
　It was Tyria who decided to attack the supply team and thought up the plan.
　People die in their own operations.
　If it's the enemy, that's okay.
　My men will die too.
　That's just as it should be.
　This is because it is difficult to reduce the number of casualties to zero, even in a victorious battle.
　If our strategy was successful and some people died, that's still bearable.
　It's a despicable idea, but I can console myself.
　But what if it didn't work?
　I couldn't sleep because of the anxiety.
　I hate it.

"Preparedness is....

　Tyria muttered, and Myra tilted her head in wonder.

'I did, but not enough, apparently.
Isn't that obvious?

　Tilia's eyes widened lightly.
　She hadn't expected to be affirmed.
　Did she feel upset?
　Myra looked at me with a sideways glance.

''As for the period of civil war........''

　Mmm, Tilia nodded and straightened her residence.
　It seemed like it would be better if she did.

'There was a time when I thought your husband was a demon,'
Well, they called me a slaughterer.
It's been a long time coming, sir.

　Myra chuckled.

'Not now?'
'Yes, we've known each other a long time. Your husband is.....

　So Myra cut off the words.

'He was surprisingly normal.
But he's a hero for saving the Empire.

　Tilia countered.

'I thought being normal and being a hero went hand in hand.
I don't think I'm going to have it both ways but...

　They are called heroes because of their accomplishments.
　I even think it's the opposite of ordinary.

'If there's anything extraordinary about the Master, it's that he is extraordinary...'
And if there is?
You used to laugh at that a lot.
Is that it?
'Yes, it's important. Because I had a feeling that even in a desperate situation, when your husband was laughing, he could manage.
That's the way it is.
That's just the way it is.

　Myra nodded with a divine look on her face.
　If you take it to the extreme, it must mean that mood is important.
　Mood - what an unreliable word.
　I even wonder if we can rely on such things.
　However, our predecessors survived a critical situation with their moods.
　I feel like I'm the one who got through the crisis, and I want to follow their example.

At one point I thought I could handle it, but when I look back on it...
Stop!　I don't want to hear it!

　Tyria interrupted Myra's words and covered her ears.
　She's trying to follow in the footsteps of her predecessors.
　So why do I interrupt him?
　Suddenly, Myra looked at the door.

''It seems that ... Gaul-sama and Kane-sama are here.
Okay.

　Thank God, he pats his chest and corrects his residence.
　Myra looks satisfied.
　As I said, she's a tricky one.
　But you can count on it.
　How many more debts will I owe you before the battle is over?
　No, he shakes his head in a small way.
　What's the use of thinking that far ahead?
　What we should do now - yes, we should laugh.
　Right after Tilia smiled, the door opened.



　Johnny moves his hand near the Imperial camp - the Imperial Army's encampment - and he moves his hand near it.
　He digs in the ground with a wooden stick with the tip cut at an angle.
　Digging, digging, digging, digging, digging incessantly.
　He doesn't think about anything else.
　Something extra--.
　superfluous.
　And then I remembered the waterwheel.
　Waterwheels are wonderful.
　Of course, I am not a craftsman, so I don't know the details of the structure of the waterwheel.
　The waterwheel is turned by the flow of the river, and the millstone moves by this and that.
　I only have a vague understanding of such things.
　I should have studied more.
　I began to feel that way when I started helping my master with his work.
　If it was just me, I'm sure I wouldn't have felt anything.
　But there were other people to help, besides myself.
　Looking at those people, you realize how inferior you are.
　It's hard to realize how inferior I am.
　It's painful to not be useful.
　Even more painful is the fact that my mentor, who is always so strict with me, doesn't have anything to say to me.
　I really feel that I am a bad guy.
　I was a vigilante in a crooked way.
　I had the opportunity to learn about organizational management and whatnot.
　Miss - aside from Kanan, Squire Robert has military experience.
　If I asked him to teach me, he would have taught me a lot of things.
　Even the structure of a waterwheel had an opportunity to be studied.
　This would be easier than running a watermill.
　All you have to do is study the structure in the waterwheel house.
　It's the same with fighting.
　I was in an environment where I could learn.
　And yet I didn't do anything about it.
　Lazy.
　Water wheels are great.
　She's a hard worker, unlike herself.
　And they don't think outside the box.
　They don't go off the rails.
　He does his job without complaining.
　Suddenly, my vision blurred.
　It was the tears.
　Johnny wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

''Well when I'm reborn I want to be a waterwheel.''
What are you talking about?
"-Oh!

　I turned around in surprise to see John looking at me.
　He has a look on his face as if he's seen something painful.

'What is it?'
It's time for dinner.
Dinner?

　John said somewhat annoyed, and Johnny looked around.
　Before he knew it, the sun had gone down.
　It seemed as if the crew working on it had changed.
　He was also terribly hungry.

"I'm hungry--
Ow, ow, ow.
Water. I need water.
Ha, you need a quick fix.
I mean, godd*mn it, how could you let this happen...

　Johnny's words were interrupted by a voice tinted with pain.
　He looked behind John.
　Then a mercenary on a stretcher passed by.
　It took something like ten seconds for it to pass by.
　I'm not a doctor, so I don't know what condition he's in.

''........Looks bad.

　Huh?　John raised his voice and looked behind him.
　No one was there, but he nodded a few times, as if he'd guessed.

'Well, you won't make it,'
Unless you have some kind of divine ability.
I can't let a divine master heal me, even if he's there.

　John scowled.
　He was right.
　Using the Divine Majesty Technique, he could save even the dying.
　But there is a risk.
　Overuse it, and the magician is in danger.
　It should be used to reverse the war situation.
　There is no way it can be used for mercenaries gathered with money - vagrants.
　However, that was no different for John, a common soldier.
　The reason he frowned must have been partly out of frustration at his situation.

I'm not going to be able to say a word about it. Let's have dinner.
Okay.

　Johnny nodded and got out of the moat.

'You're being honest today,'
I'm hungry.
Oh, yeah.

　John scratched his head awkwardly.

'What's going on?'
See for yourself.

　John starts to walk away and Johnny hurriedly follows him.
　He looked around as he followed.
　The Imperial encampment was in a terrible state.
　There were wounded everywhere, as if it had become a battlefield.
　There were some who were quietly looking up at the sky--.

''Ouch!　Ouch!
'Mom!　Mom!
Oh, my arm, my arm, my arm...
What is the matter with you?

　Some are screaming in extreme pain, others continue to mumble and mutter like they are broken.
　In terms of ratio, there are more people who are screaming than those who are screaming.
　It's not unreasonable.
　They are amateurs - it's natural for this to happen.
　John enters the same tent as yesterday.
　He stops in front of an empty seat.

'Wait here,'
Okay.

　As Johnny took his seat, John turned on his heel and walked out of the tent.
　I look around.
　There are several people in the group, just like yesterday.
　The faces - I have a feeling that there are glimpses of familiar faces.
　However, I'm not sure if I really recognize them just because I feel like it.
　Anyway, it's easier than yesterday, mentally.
　It is because I know that I am not alienated.
　In a daze--

"Hey, I'm sorry to keep you waiting.
I'm not waiting that long.

　John put the tray down in front of Johnny and took a seat facing him.

'Food, meh--!

　Johnny picked up the spoon and gasped.
　The soup was the same salt soup as yesterday.
　The bread is the same as yesterday.
　He scooped up the soup with the spoon, hoping for a sliver of hope.
　There were pieces of what looked like vegetables.

What's this all about?
You see?
That's not enough to know!
Quiet, you idiot.
Okay....

　John said in a low voice, and Johnny took the salt soup to his mouth.
　Salty.
　It must taste like tears.

'What's going on?'
I heard the supply convoy was attacked by the enemy and 40 percent of the supplies were burned to the ground.
No, no, no, no.

　Johnny hung a paragraph and remembered that he was supposed to attack the supply team there.
　Or rather, he was the one who had passed on the information.
　In other words, this was self-inflicted.
　It was still painful.
　Why do I have to go through this?
　It's not good," he said, shaking his head a little.
　I'm going to have to blame myself no matter how I do.
　I'm going in circles.
　Johnny looked up and put down his spoon.
　He pulls out his dagger and smashes the bread with the handle head and puts it in the soup.

'How did this happen?'
There are a few possibilities, but what's certain is that the enemy is behind us, too.

　John drew his dagger and slapped the bread with the gun.
　He put the crushed bread into the soup and sheathed the dagger.

'Behind you?'
What the hell are they doing upstairs?

　John said as he spat.
　I know how you feel.
　We're working well ourselves.
　Nevertheless, things are getting worse.
　It's natural to want to complain a bit or two.
　But he reminds me of my days as a vigilante and makes me feel bad.
　I was even dumber then than I am now.
　I was looking outside for the source of my sense of entrapment.
　Maybe if it wasn't for the Imperial Army, I would have directed my anger at the Roux or the Lords.
　Even though the lords had been preparing for a bad harvest since peacetime and were searching for the state of the imperial capital.
　Even the Roux tribe - well, they weren't a bad bunch if you went along with them.
　It was awful when they were training, Johnny licked his spoon.
　'But still,' said John, leaning forward.

'How are you doing?
What?
It stinks. It stinks. Some people are losing their appetite over this smell.
Do you smell that?

　Johnny looked up and twitched his nose.
　If you ask me, I can smell a faint stench.
　This smell--'

'It smells like offal.'
Don't say it, it's disgusting.

　John's voice trailed off slightly.
　Immediately after, I hear an ugh.
　He looked around.
　Then there was a soldier holding his mouth.
　How delicate.
　Johnny brings a spoonful of softened bread to his mouth.

'Surprisingly, you're going under the shura?
My parents are farmers. So, yeah, well, I guess...

　Johnny minced no words.
　In fact, he was a farmer, and he was used to dismantling livestock.
　Besides, in the Areos Mountains, he had to dismantle the beasts he hunted himself.
　He couldn't say that the smell of the offal was disgusting.
　If he didn't dismantle them, he wouldn't be able to eat them, and the Roux would take them away from him.
　In hindsight, I feel like that taught me a lot about boldness and knowledge of living things.
　I thought he was harassing me, but he's a master.
　There is no waste in what he does.
　Aside from myself, I won't deny the subtlety of the pestering soldier.
　Death is something to be feared, and life is precious.
　If you don't take that for granted, you won't be able to escape death.

Is that so?

　John exhaled as if to say he was relieved.

'Would it matter if I had gone under the shura?'
It's not cool to have a guy who has more experience in the trenches than I do, you know?
Is that enough?
That's about it.

　With that, John brought the soup to his mouth.

'Speaking of which, it's quiet today, isn't it?
Yeah, I heard something about a truce until tomorrow evening.
Why?
"Sir Roy has negotiated with you.
I'm glad you agreed to the deal.

　My brother - I feel like Crono has no advantage.
　Thinking about that, I realize something.

''Ah, they're trying to deplete our supplies over here, aren't they?
Of course you do.

　Oh, no, no, no, John stirred the soup with his spoon.

'The top brass can't be relied upon, and the rebel commander is a smart guy.
I'm going to be asked.
Like I said, I don't mind.
Do you have any good news for me?

　Johnny brought the softened bread to his mouth.
　It was salty, but delicious.
　I wonder if his body craves salt.
　But if possible, I'd like to drink a filling soup.
　'I should have brought some dried meat for this.

'I have.'
Do you have one?
You're being too loud!
So, what's the story?

　Johnny leaned forward.

'The mercenaries have been wiped out.
...Are you sure?

　He asked back.
　I should have gotten 10,000, but I was wiped out while I was digging myself out of the ground.
　It's tempting to ask back.

"What's the good news about that?
Less food to be fought and less military cavalry to be fought.
Is that it?

　Johnny scooped up a spoonful of soup.

'That's spicy to say,'
What do you got for me?

　He drinks the soup and lets out a sigh.

''Oh, and I also heard something about Baron Bowties being a prisoner of war, or something about him commandeering supplies in the imperial capital.
Where did you hear that?
That's because I know the soldiers and the survivors of the supply convoy.
Yeah?

　It would be better to report this as well.

''I don't care about Baron Bowties, but are you commandeering him in the imperial capital?
I know how you feel. d*mn, those rebels must be eating good food.

　John said enviously.