Side Manalease
“Excuse me. His Majesty Folias has finished his speech and will be returning after a brief period of mingling.”
I had been listening to Souya Tomari, a guest from Mount Wilness – or rather, to what he was saying about Mount Wilness – and quite a bit of time had passed, when Cloth arrived to call me.
“That’s right, he did say he was leaving soon. Considering his reason for coming here, it’s understandable.”
“I hadn’t expected the Dragonewt who would become Queen to be Gaia-sama’s daughter, and Athena’s sister.”
The reason King Dragon Folias came to Mount Wilness was to welcome Gaia-sama’s daughter as his Queen, but I certainly hadn’t expected that child to be Athena’s twin sister.
While it wasn’t a combat contract like a Dragon Knight, it was solely as Queen. However, there were still various things to decide, and it felt like no amount of time would be enough.
Athena and Iris are 84 years old, but they can only marry at 85, so by both Dragonewt and human standards, it’s really soon.
“But if he’s going to mingle, that means he’ll be staying in this Crystal Palace for a while longer?”
“That is correct. And Freyas-sama had also made an appointment to meet with Nadia-san after your talk, so I don’t think he will be returning immediately.”
As Rica and Meena said, Nadia, who is here, looks only six years old, but she is indeed Lidia and Ludia’s older sister and is 27 years old, older than us.
Dragonewts have a slow growth rate, which means they have few opportunities to meet their parents, especially their fathers.
Long-distance travel in the Helios Orb, where monsters reside, is life-threatening and takes many days, so if parents live in a city other than Dragunia, opportunities to meet their fathers are virtually nonexistent.
Even if one’s wife is a Dragonewt, unless she has evolved into a Hydragonian, dragonization consumes all her magic power, making it difficult to meet even her mother, who is a Dragonewt.
“In that case, once His Majesty Folias has retired to a separate room, let us at least offer our greetings. They will likely return during our audience, so I believe we should say at least a word.”
“I agree. It’s not just an excuse, but it might be a good opportunity to meet Athena’s sister.”
I agree with Yuri and Prim’s opinions.
“We should have enough time for that, so it’s probably best to do so.”
Yamato seems to agree as well.
Since Ed and Raus are of the same opinion, we should act right away.
Asking Eos, we were guided to the reception room where His Majesty Folias had been taken.
It seemed a little time had passed since we were seated, and everyone, including the escorting Dragon Knights, was drinking tea and chatting, which left an impression.
“Father!”
“Oh, Nadia. Have you gotten a bit heavier?”
“We just met the other day, I haven’t gotten any heavier!”
His Highness Freyas, whom Nadia rushed to hug, said something rude, and his daughter is pouting at him.
Even though the other party is his daughter and still a child, those are words that should not be spoken.
“Princess Manalease, is something wrong?”
“I have brought Miss Nadia here. Also, Your Majesty will likely return to Dragunia during our audience, so I came to offer my greetings.”
“Thank you for going to such trouble. We thought it would end sooner than expected, so we were planning to take our time a bit longer.”
To His Majesty’s right sat Queen Heldina, a Dragonewt, and to his left sat a Dragonewt with light blue hair styled in twin tails, looking exactly like Athena. This must be Iris.
“Ah, allow me to introduce her. This is Iris. She is Athena’s twin sister and a daughter of Gaia-sama.”
“H-Hello, I am Iris Wilness Iceblade.”
Iceblade?
Athenahad called herself Earthlight, so did her twin sisters have different family names?
“Your Majesty, her family name seems to be different from Athena’s, but are they twins?”
Yamato seemed to be bothered too and interjected his opinion, but I was also very curious.
“Ah, about that. This signifies the ‘Iceblade Dragonewt of Mount Wilness,’ so it is not a family name. If she were to state her full family name, it would be Iris Wilness Iceblade Tomari, but there is no need to state it here, and she is not used to it, so she likely omitted it.”
So that’s how it is.
Iris, like Athena, will become a Light Dragon, but ‘Iceblade Dragonewt’ refers to a Dragonewt with dual aptitudes for light and ice. This means that Athena, the ‘Earthlight Dragonewt,’ has dual aptitudes for light and earth.
Dragonewts with dual aptitudes are apparently only Light Dragons, and Gaia-sama also taught me that.
“Excuse me. Lord Yamato, Lady Wing Crest, and everyone else, Gaia-sama’s preparations are complete.”
At that moment, Cloth entered the room and informed us that Gaia-sama’s preparations were complete.
Time’s up.
“Then, Your Majesty, please travel safely.”
“Thank you. Princess Manalease and the others as well.”
We could only offer a brief greeting, but it’s good that we were able to say at least a word.
Guided by Cloth, we were led to a particularly large and luxurious room within the Crystal Palace.
The furnishings were impeccable, and it was on par with the Audience Chamber of Amister.
However, unlike the Audience Chamber, there was no throne, but instead, a large table and chairs were arranged in its place, suggesting it might also serve as a ballroom.
“Welcome to the Crystal Palace. We have been expecting you.”
And then, a Dragonewt woman, who appeared to be in her late twenties and was seated in the chair at the back, greeted us with a gentle smile.
This must be the Holy Mother Dragon, Gaia-sama.
“I am Gaia Wilness Crystal Tomari. Please to meet you.”
“It is an honor to meet you. I am Princess Yuriana Reina Amister of the Kingdom of Amister.”
I also need to introduce myself, but in situations like this, it is customary for those of higher status to go first, so it will be Yuri’s turn.
Since I am married to Yamato and have also renounced my succession rights, my turn would normally come after Yamato and Prim. However, Yuri is still my fiancé, and she retains her succession rights, making her the highest-ranking person here.
“I am Yamato Hydrangea Mikami. I am an M-rank Hunter, and I have also been appointed as an O-Rank Order by Amister.”
When Yamato introduced himself, Gaia-sama’s face showed a hint of surprise, but she quickly regained her gentle smile.
It felt as though she were looking at her son who had returned home.
After everyone had introduced themselves and taken their seats, Eos brought us drinks.
Athena was also sitting next to Gaia-sama, and since she was also summoned, it’s not surprising for a Dragonewt princess.
“Thank you, Eos. Please take a seat as well.”
“Understood.”
As I thought that, Eos also took a seat.
Next to Athena, but why was Eos also sitting?
“Lord Yamato, ever since you came to the Helios Orb, I have been waiting for this moment.”
Gaia-sama got straight to the point, but at first, I couldn’t understand what she meant.
Yamato’s arrival at the Helios Orb was about three months ago, so what did she mean by waiting for him?
“This is something that only the Grand Hunter’s Master would likely know in the Helios Orb. I possess a simple, though limited, precognitive ability. My precognition only manifests through dreams, and I am unable to see them for several years after experiencing one.”
Precognitive ability… could it be that Gaia-sama can see the future?
“I can only understand things very vaguely. However, for the past few decades, it has consistently been you appearing in my precognitive dreams.”
Gaia-sama looked at Yamato as she said this, and Yamato looked very bewildered.
“Me?”
“Yes. I have seen most of the people present here in my precognitive dreams as well. What was particularly striking was when you and Lady Primrose there defeated the Demise Species known as the Orc Emperor and Orc Empress.”
Gaia-sama described the scene in detail. It was more thorough than the report from Lord Rex, the Order’s Master of Feel, and what’s more, Yamato and Prim confirmed it to be true, so we had no choice but to believe in Gaia-sama’s precognitive abilities.
“There are a few other things, but I believe it would be acceptable to speak of Lady Raus, Lord Edward’s wives.”
The bodies of the three men stiffened.
Yamato, in particular, was sweating profusely.
“Lord Edward, in addition to Lady Marina and Lady Fiana, you will have three more wives. Lord Raus, besides Lady Rebecca and Lady Carol, will have three to four more.”
Ed’s wives will increase by three more.
I can understand that, but why is Raus’s number uncertain, ranging from three to four?
“Um, Gaia-sama, why… why is it so vague for me?”
“I apologize, but in my precognitive dream, they seemed to be in the midst of discussions regarding the sixth wife, so I do not know what the outcome was.”
Ah, so that’s how it is.
Indeed, if that’s the case, it’s understandable that such an ambiguous answer would be given.
“And Lord Yamato, you will take twelve wives. It appears you currently have four wives and four fiancées, so you will have four more.”
Yamato fell from his chair with great force.
It was quite rude, but I could understand how he felt.
“Four more. Oh? Excuse me, Gaia-sama, may I be excused?”
“Yes, what is it?”
Rica seemed to have noticed something, but what could it be?
“Regarding that precognitive dream, approximately how many years into the future does it take place? Since you stated ‘wives,’ it means that Lady Yuri will also be married. Therefore, it is at least three years in the future. If that’s the case, my situation becomes unclear.”
Ah, right.
Rica, the head of the Marquis house of Amister, is also Yamato’s fiancée.
However, marriage is decided after the birth of a child and the succession of the family headship, so it is about twenty years in the future.
But if Gaia-sama’s story is to be believed, Rica will also be married, so it must be nearly twenty years in the future?
“About that. Please rest assured, it is not that far in the future. It was during the wedding ceremony of His Highness Yuriana and another woman, and it was said to be the final ceremony.”
Rica’s eyes widened in surprise, and I was also surprised.
Judging from the story, it’s a precognitive dream of Yuri’s wedding ceremony in a few years, but another person is marrying at the same time, and if that’s the end, it means Yamato will have ten wives by then, including Rica.
I think it’s possible if Yamato masters the Long-distance Teleportation Magic called Traveling, but that’s probably not what she meant. Why?
“This will probably be related to the content I am about to discuss. The reason we invited you here today is not only to convey the future I saw in my precognitive dreams, but there is one more reason.”
Just the precognitive dream from Gaia-sama was worth the trip, but there’s more?
“This is the main topic, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Even in my precognitive dreams, this is something I must convey.”
The precognitive dream Gaia-sama spoke of was a surprise to us as well.
The war with Retisencia was almost a foregone conclusion, so that’s fine.
However, when many An and even units composed of demonized humans like Lux were released, it seems that even the Order’s Guild would have difficulty responding.
Lux, a High Hunter who betrayed Amister and a member of the Trial Hearts, was executed by Yamato’s hand, and his head was displayed in front of the Hunter’s Guild.
The remaining corpse was examined, and to our surprise, its race had changed to Demon Race, and a Magic Stone was discovered near the heart.
Although the level had not changed, considering the Magic Power comparable to Ancient Class that it emitted, if it were to be controlled, the situation would be dire.
According to Gaia-sama’s precognitive dream, Yamato faced that troop of demonized humans alone, but they were too numerous, and it was indeed difficult to deal with Demon Races equivalent to Ancient Class.
So, he was gradually cornered, but then two Humans appeared, defeated the troop of demonized humans in an instant, and saved Yamato.
“I could not determine who those Humans were.”
Gaia-sama finished her story there, but she added that those two Humans could very well have been gods rather than humans.
Gods exist, and divine pronouncements are occasionally made, but gods have never been involved in the Helios Orb.
Yet, why would gods…
“Demon Race, huh.”
“What do you mean, Yamato?”
Yamato seemed to have noticed something, but what did he mean?
“The Demon Race species does not exist in the Helios Orb, does it?”
“Yes. I’ve never heard of it.”
Prim answered, but I felt the same.
After all, the races in the Helios Orb are only Human Race, Beast Race, Dragon Race, and Yokai Race.
The Winged Tribe are not strictly a race, so we can exclude them for now.
“Given what happened with Lux, I think it’s safe to assume that humans who use Demon Crystals transform into Demon Race. Those Elf Crystals are from Abaricia, so Abaricia might be called a country of Demon Race.”
I could feel my blood draining.
Indeed, Abaricia created Demon Crystals, and we heard that they provided prototypes to Retisencia.
Therefore, naturally, Abaricia itself possesses Demon Crystals.
If they were to use them, the soldiers of Abaricia would transform into Demon Race, which would lead to an incredible increase in their fighting strength.
From past wars, it has been revealed that Abaricia only has Humans. However, if they perfect the Demon Crystals by using Retisencia, Abaricia could indeed become a country of Demon Race, as Yamato suggests.
Furthermore, these Demon Races can corner even Yamato, which means that ordinary High Orders and High Hunters would be helpless…
“Gaia-sama, why was Yamato facing that alone? I am of the same Ancient Class as Yamato, so at least I can fight by his side. I will not let Yamato fight alone.”
Prim raised her voice, and indeed, it was true.
Prim is an Ancient Foxy, and her abilities are comparable to Yamato’s.
Yet, Prim was not present in the precognitive dream mentioned earlier. This is truly an inconceivable situation.
“It is not that difficult a matter. Lady Primrose, you, Lady Frederica, and Lady Flam will be pregnant at that time.”
Ah, so that’s how it is.
Wait a minute!
Not only Prim, but Rica and Flam are also pregnant!?
Oh, Yamato’s eyes are wide with surprise too.
“I… I am too!?”
“Yes. Furthermore, I must add that His Highness Manalease appears to have just given birth to her first child.”
I’m giving birth!?
Well, I do want to bear Yamato’s child, so while it’s a surprise, it’s also a joy.
I also want to continue being a Hunter, so I haven’t used Plasgneicing or Contracepting, but I am the one to get pregnant first?
I couldn’t help but exchange glances with Yamato, but it’s quite embarrassing…
“Beyond this point, my precognitive dreams do not provide any further information. However, it is clear that this will occur before His Highness Yuriana’s wedding.”
So, it will happen within a few years.
I need to inform my older brother about this immediately.
Of course, we need to improve the proficiency of the Orders, and the High Orders need to raise their levels as much as possible, and the same applies to the High Hunters.
We should have Father bestow weapons, even if it’s under a plausible excuse.
According to Gaia-sama’s precognitive dream, the Demon Races were defeated by mysterious Humans, but this is not a problem that can be ignored, and the hordes of An are the same.
They will probably range from S-rank to I-rank monsters, but considering the Holy Grave, it should be possible for a few people to defeat them, so we need to investigate the monsters that Retisencia is likely to use.
