As he entered the hall, he was, as expected, met with a thud and cheers.


'So this is the lucky man who won Miss Julia's heart?


　I think I can hear those impressions and looks from the men.
　On the other hand, I can't help but feel a disappointed look from the women.

　No, it's blatantly.
You're a regular guy.
　And then there are the noblewomen who shower him with unrelenting criticism.

　Having heard that he was the man who won the heart of Julia Octave, I wonder if they imagined him to be a man of immense beauty.

　Unfortunately, I have only a middle-of-the-road look in this world.
　I was a very ordinary person with black hair and dark eyes.

　Perhaps sensing this, Yulia whispers in my ear.

''There's no need to be bothered. To me, Ike-sama is the most beautiful man in the world.

　He said with a stain on his cheeks.

''Well you are the most beautiful man in the world.

　I blurt that out so Yulia can't hear me.

　They say that love makes people blind, but when they say that much, I want to doubt her aesthetic sense.

　As I'm thinking this, the people I was just gossiping about start talking to me one after another.

　From what I've heard, the star of the party doesn't have time to work on the food prepared at the venue.

　The main reason for this is that they can't get their food down their throats due to the tension of being the star of the party, and they are bombarded with questions from those who are trying to expand their network.

　Sure enough, we are bombarded with questions from strangers, nobles and merchants.


How did you get to know Miss Julia?

'Lord Ike, I hear you are from an Ithmouth, a merchant family?　Or do you come from an aristocratic family?

'I understand that today is your engagement announcement, have you set a date for your wedding?


　By the way, I haven't revealed my identity to Hans and Julia.

　I've told them that Ryke is a pseudonym and that Ike is my real name, but I wouldn't connect them to the brigade commander of the Demon King's Army with that.

　The name "Ike" is all over the place, regardless of whether you are a demon or human.
　Hence, he lies openly.

''I am Ike, the magician of Ismus. I am from the noble family of Ismus, but I am the youngest member of the knightly class, who is not even allowed to climb up to the royal court. Henceforth, please get acquainted.

　Perhaps there are some Ismus nobles in this guest house, but no freaks would know all the nobles.

　You can lie openly here.
　As my grandfather used to say.

"The bigger the lie, the harder it is to be discovered.

　And --.

　Now, as we are spending such idle time, the band appears and begins to play music.

　The young men and women who showed up with an eye on their future spouses are all ahead of me, inviting the opposite s*x they want to dance with, but it's Yulia, of course, who calls out to me.

　I couldn't help but look at Sati, but she too was being approached by some nobleman's son.

　The fact that she was a little miffed was probably due to her sense of protection.

　However, if I think about it calmly, if a beautiful woman like her is a wallflower, it might be natural for her to be approached.

　Even if I were in the same position, I would call out to her.
　However, Satie seems to be in trouble.

　It is true that the girl is feeble-minded, and if she was to continue, she was going to be forcibly taken out to the dance floor, so I was about to turn to Sati to help her out, but her legs stopped.

　When I looked, Sati bowed her head too politely and came over to me, plucking at the hem of her dress.

　Unusual for her to be so feeble-minded, I thought, but I soon found out why she had come.

'Master, just now, a messenger came from Cephiro-sama.

From the Lord Commander?

　A mukudori, Cephiro's errand boy, is perched on Satie's right shoulder.

　Are you wondering if the negotiations were successful?

"He's impatient, you know. I'm sure he's been living for hundreds of years, but he's never been able to settle down.

　With that in mind, I unfolded the letter that was bundled with the messenger.
　The letters written on it were simple and uncharacteristically brief, just like that man.


I am surrounded by enemy forces. I am surrounded by enemy forces.


　That's all that was written in the letter.

　I sensed the seriousness of the situation in that sentence, so I turned to Yuria and bowed deeply.

''I'm sorry. Miss Julia, it's painful that I can't dance with you, but I've got some business to attend to.

　Julia puffed out her cheeks and thought she was going to be angry, but surprisingly, she forgave me with an open mind.

'It is said that it is a shame for a Zenobian woman to interfere with her husband's work. I hope you will go and perform your duties without a care in the world.

　I smiled.
　Before I knew it, she had come close, and her mother agreed.

'Looks like you have an urgent business to attend to,' she said. We've already 'engaged'. The only thing left to do is to get married, but that can be done after the war is over.

　Hearing those words, Julia bends her navel for the first time.

'Mother, do you have to wait that long to get married?

Hey, why don't you make a bridal gown for her while you're at it? We'll take our time and make it the best it can be.

Then my bridal gown will be the best in Xenovia. No, it will be the most gorgeous thing in the world.

What makes you think that?

Because people say that the war between the Demon King's army and the humans is likely to be protracted. Many noblemen have been talking about it for a while now.

　Hearing those words, Eltria looks at me with a sarcastic expression on her face.

''No, I don't think she will.

　She pauses for a breath as she says this.

''It seems that the Demon King's army has the most powerful magician, known as the Demon King's pocketbook. If he's there, the war won't last so long.

　What a bold statement, well, it's a bold statement, but Yuria and others seem to be a bit afraid of it.

''But what will happen to us if the Demon King's army conquers the world?　What will happen to this Zenobia?

What do you think about that?　Coincidentally, your son-in-law has the same name as that Demon King's army magician.

　I know you're teasing me, but I can only reply

'I'm sure the world will be a better place to live in than it is now. Don't worry. Miss Julia.

I hope so.

　I don't know if that reassured Yulia, but as I said goodbye to the girls, I asked Eltria if I could use the transition room in Zenobia.

'Sure, no problem. I wish you good fortune.

　I didn't tell him what happened, but I guess he could tell by my attitude.
　I headed to the transition room to meet the girls' expectations.