Vol 5 Chapter 53 – By the Way, My Daughter Is of Marriageable Age, But She’s Quite a Tomboy【Vol 5 – What Happened After】

After being dragged away by those two, I was teased relentlessly about the arm-linking situation, taking turns between them.

Every time someone looked like they might trade places with me, I’d helpfully inform them: “Want to switch? By the way, both of them are gripping my arm with enough force to pulverize a brown bear’s arm bones, you know?” That made everyone turn pale and shake their heads frantically. Come on, someone please take my place.

Aside from the sacrifice of my arm joints, the banquet proceeded smoothly.

Since Shion was a princess and Yuna-san was the First Knight Order Commander and the guests of honor at this feast, nobles took turns greeting them both, and incidentally spoke to me in the center as well.

Many seemed to mistake me—sandwiched between the two—for some unknown VIP, so incredibly important people like Count So-and-so or Marquis What’s-his-name introduced themselves with extreme politeness, making me deeply uncomfortable.

I had no fancy titles whatsoever, so I kept responding with things like “I’m just their master, just an ordinary person,” but each time, the two beside me would add unnecessary comments like “My master is the one who made me this strong! And just the other day, he saved my life!” or “Master may not look it, but he’s far stronger than Senior Disciple or me. His teaching ability is genius-level, and he’s the very architect behind the Succubus Knight Order’s upset victory in the recent Imperial Tournament.”

That really confused the nobles—they had no idea how to react.

Still, some nobles would say things like “How promising indeed! By the way, my daughter is of marriageable age, but she’s quite a tomboy, so I was thinking of finding her a strong gentleman for a husband…” Those people were, without exception, glared at with terrifying intensity by Shion and Yuna-san, and they slunk away in defeat.

What if they’re ruining my marriage prospects?

Eventually, the banquet reached its final stages.

By that point, I’d finally been freed from the hellish arm-linking, and I was rubbing my aching arms while sipping at the alcohol Shion and Yuna-san kept offering me.

Incidentally, the two of them had consumed quite a bit of wine, but showed no signs of intoxication so far.

Just when I let my guard down thinking things would end peacefully, an absolutely massive bombshell arrived at the very end.

The king and the prime minister bowed deeply right in front of me.

The last time they’d bowed to me, there was a reason—stealing credit for sealing the evil god. But this time, I couldn’t think of any such reason.

“Wh-wh-what’s going on!?”

“Allow us to express our gratitude. As your daughter’s master, you have saved her life not once, but twice. As a father, I thank you from the bottom of my heart!”

“Ah, well, I mean…”

“Likewise. Princess Shion is the Demonbane Princess Knight and a national treasure of our kingdom. We thank you for raising Princess Shion to such excellence, and for exposing the vile conspiracy of the Sebas Empire and saving Princess Shion’s life. As prime minister, I thank you on behalf of our nation!”

“Um, well…!?”

I tried to say “Of course I would, I’m her master,” but when I looked up, I froze.

There, not only the king and prime minister stood, but Shion, Yuna-san, and everyone else present except me were giving me the deepest, most respectful bow.

Vol 5 Chapter 54 – In Other Words, It’s What They Call a Honeymoon【Vol 5 – What Happened After】

“W-wait a minute, everyone!? Please raise your heads!?”

When I shouted in panic, Shion slowly raised her face and smiled.

“Hehe. Master, didn’t you think it was strange? Even though this was an expedition by the First Knight Order representing our nation, why would a mere knight order’s appreciation party be held in the most prestigious great hall in the royal castle? And why would only the cream of the crop nobility in this country participate, even though they’re outsiders? Right, Yuna-san?”

“Eh?”

“As Senior Disciple says. We originally planned to rent out a tavern in the capital, but somehow the king and prime minister caught wind of it and stuck their noses in. They begged Senior Disciple, saying they absolutely had to participate and to make it happen somehow.”

“Wh-why!?”

“Let me be clear, Master—I refused at first. But when Father said ‘I want to use this opportunity to thank you for all your achievements so far,’ I couldn’t refuse as his daughter. Of course, if they’d tried to settle things with half-hearted honors or money, I would’ve punched them out and maybe started a coup while I was at it. Right, Yuna-san?”

“Wait, hold on…”

“As Senior Disciple says. However, as far as I’ve confirmed, the royal family and noble council have unanimously agreed to promise Master a suitable position and reward.”

“…Um, this is a joke, right…?”

I turned to the king with a pleading look, but he solemnly shook his head.

“It’s no joke. From what I’ve heard about you from Shion, I think it would be best for you to work as Minister of Military Affairs, my right hand, but the prime minister and General Yuna opposed it…”

“Speaking from the prime minister’s position, rather than Minister of Military Affairs with its strong ties to the king, it would be best if you assumed the position of Integrated Knight Operations Council Chairman and oversaw all our nation’s military affairs.”

“As First Knight Order Commander, if Master became Knight Headquarters Director General and trained this country’s knights, our military would definitely become the strongest.”

“…”

When I looked at Shion with a glimmer of hope, she returned it with a beaming smile.

“By the way, those three positions are the highest military positions in our country, and they’re all currently vacant, so Master can take any of them.”

What’s “okay” about that? I want to interrogate her for a solid hour.

“Honestly, I think Master should just hold all three positions simultaneously. Right, Yuna-san?”

“Now, now, Senior Disciple. Then when Master achieves great things next time, there won’t be any positions left to reward him with.”

“In that case, there’s no choice. You know, that thing—since ancient times, the reward for traveling heroes has always been marrying the princess—”

“What are you trying to say, Shion!?”

Wait just a moment.

This was bad. Really bad.

If things continued like this, I’d be placed at the top of this country’s military as a reward.

Sure, in terms of proper merit and reward, that might be correct, but it would be extremely inconvenient for me.

Because I was planning to leave the capital and go on a training journey with Koshion.

If I was given such a grand title, I wouldn’t be able to leave!

“Um, please listen!”

So I had no choice but to confess my future plans right then and there.

Originally, I’d planned to inform everyone more slowly and leave peacefully, but there was no helping it.

If I didn’t declare it here, I’d never get another chance.

“What is it, Master? Don’t tell me… an engagement announcement with me…!”

“Setting aside my disciple’s nonsense, I’m planning to leave this country soon!”

“In other words, it’s what they call a honeymoon!”

“Of course not!?”

After silencing my foolish disciple, I appealed to the king and nobles present.

The threat from the Sebas Empire was gone, and everyone in the Succubus Knight Order I’d been advising had grown splendidly.

My work in this country had reached a stopping point.

So I planned to resign from the Succubus Knight Order at this timing and freely train my disciples in a remote frontier far from civilization.

“So I’m taking my disciple on a training journey, which means I don’t need any position or honor.”

“B-but! That’s far too—”

“Father.”

Shion turned cold eyes on the flustered king.

“Don’t misunderstand. We’re in a position to ask Master, and his wishes are our top priority.”

“Th-that’s true, but…”

“Besides, ten years ago, our country committed a terrible breach of etiquette regarding honors without consulting Master’s wishes.”

“…”

“And if you’re now going to ignore Master’s wishes after hearing them and commit yet another breach of etiquette… I will never forgive this country for all eternity.”

The terrible breach of etiquette Shion mentioned was probably crediting her with defeating the evil god without my permission.

I didn’t mind at all, though.

But since that was top-secret information, only Shion, the king, the prime minister, and I should have understood Shion’s words accurately.

Yet no one objected to Shion’s dignified voice.

“…A-all right…!”

Eventually, the king squeezed out his voice in anguish.

And so, I was set to depart from the capital three days later at dawn.

I’d thought Shion and Yuna-san might object, but there was nothing of the sort.

Not only those two, but everyone in the Succubus Knight Order and First Knight Order was in a celebratory mood, unanimously supporting and welcoming my decision.

While I was secretly relieved, I felt a tiny bit lonely thinking they could’ve tried to keep me around a little…

Looking back later, that was an incredibly stupid misunderstanding.

But at the time, I genuinely thought that.