"This tournament was unfair!"

"I see, and what's the reason?"

"It's because I won...!!"

"...You do realize that sounds strange even when you're the one saying it, right, Hero Candidate Finn?"

Kraaaagh-!

Hero Candidate Finn screamed while looking up at the sky.

I walked past Finn, who was floundering in the inescapable swamp of victory. No matter how much he complained to the receptionist, the result wouldn't change. The media play was already in motion.

I intended to firmly establish an unshakeable name value while I had the chance. Just like this.

"Hey, hey, I heard that Hero Candidate has amazing skills?"

"Yeah, he even blew people away with his lion's roar during the tournament!"

"And even with an invisible sword..."

"Who are you people and why do you keep following me around spreading rumors?!"

Hehehe.

You should have just submitted to fate, Hero Candidate. If you had stayed quiet, I would have made a comfortable position for you.

The more you resist, the more positive stories and rumors I'll add. Checkmate, Hero Candidate.

To think you'd try to scheme to get eliminated and make me the winner, not a chance...

Of course, even though I'm playing these pranks, I plan to clean up properly afterward. Strictly speaking, I did push someone else down to save myself, so once the situation settles, I'll pull him back up, give him money, a house, and so on.

Just bear with it a little longer.

Now that the first tournament is over, three more tournaments remain. There are six Hero Candidate slots left. I need to fill as many of those remaining positions with our faction as possible.

I used the card of Sissel Urensto, the Imperial Knight, to block the first round, so roughly sketching out the future plan:

One with the cooperation of the Northern Grand Duke.

One with my pure strength.

And one by pitting the Red Flavor and the Cardinal Faction against each other.

I think it would be best if I could cleanly block the remaining tournaments like this. And to do that, I first need cooperation with the North.

With the North, I've only said, "I have your daughter, so let's meet next time," and left it at that. Now I need to move forward with them.

Before the next tournament begins, I planned to persuade the Northern Grand Duke and recruit him to our team.

I also needed to establish countermeasures against Red Flavor.

From my experience, the synergy between Duke Red Flavor and his body-controlling puppeteer was terrifyingly strong. They meshed like gears, complementing each other's flaws almost perfectly.

It wasn't even limited in versatility, and it was safe too. That combination would eventually win by releasing endless puppets while hiding their main base.

Moreover, the ability's owner is none other than a Duke.

It's easy for him to procure materials to make puppets, he has many followers at his command, and his political influence is too strong to simply charge in and cut his head off.

Even considered separately, each is a troublesome Ascension. Fate manipulation area effect and organic material manipulation—isn't that dirty and underhanded? While others are honestly and diligently swinging swords.

"What an insane, crazy, cheating ability..."

"Are you really the one saying that?"

"No, I don't have an Ascension."

Yuri Frostlover, fresh from the bath and still warm, passed by with a comment. She was wearing only a large shirt, carrying her changed clothes in her hand.

If I focused my gaze on Yuri's body, a great war would break out in my head, so I deliberately concentrated on her clothes. Black, white, pink. The bundle of colorful underwear and clothes looked almost like flowers or a bouquet at a glance.

After the incident with Yuna, I developed a condition where anything colorful reminds me of wedding items.

Come to think of it, couldn't Yuri's bare shirt also be seen as... a wedding dress? It's white and elegant.

She must have read my gaze. Yuri casually said:

"If you're curious about this underwear, I could show you while wearing it... maybe."

"...Please don't hesitate in the middle of your sentence. Say it with confidence in one go!"

"If I could do that, I would have done it already. I'm gathering my courage to say these things, and if you scold me for it, I feel a bit sad. Oh, are you embarrassed too?"

"Move along. Hurry up and go. Come back properly dressed."

I chased away the walking obscenity.

I planned to slowly pressure and resolve the issue with Duke Red Flavor, who wields that overpowered ability. Originally, I was going to jump in and dance with my blade... but for the sake of marriage, I need to know when to be patient.

If I recklessly charge in thinking "I can handle this" and get hurt again, I truly wouldn't be able to face Yuna.

In decisive and important situations, it can't be helped. I've drawn a clear line there. But at the very least, shouldn't I make an effort to stay safe and unharmed?

I've chosen the safe option among numerous choices.

Thump, a weight settled on my shoulder as I sat on the sofa. The faint scent of rose body wash wafted over. Yuri hugged me from behind, resting her chin on my shoulder.

Looking down at my planning notes, she said:

"You've changed, MadMa."

"Yuna changed me. I'm trying to take care of myself."

"Then what about me? Have I changed you even a little?"

"Thanks to you, I don't use lust suppression anymore."

Suppressing the lust suppression magic.

Since I decided to face even small emotions head-on. It's been quite a while since I stopped using my trusty ally, the lust suppression spell, and because of that, every day has been thrilling and exciting.

Emotions are like wildfire, actively interacting with other emotions, aren't they?

Lust is the desire to reproduce, and the desire to reproduce is the desire for life, and while they may not be completely identical, it is certainly part of love.

After deactivating the lust suppression spell and various modules, I've become more active in my imagination. Things like marriage. Proposing, giving a ring.

Marriage. And having children...?

Me, building a happy family and living a harmonious, happy life?

I can't imagine it. I dare not even try to imagine it. I even doubt whether such a future truly exists. Because it seems too happy.

But not now. It's probably quite far in the future. Shouldn't I finish what I've started? I gently grabbed Yuri's chin and pushed it away.

"Yuri, stop looking at my crotch and move aside."

"How did you know I was looking there?"

"I could feel it."

"Don't feel it alone, let me feel something too... How was that? Not bad this time, right?"

"......"

Seeing Yuri trying so hard to make risqué jokes despite her shyness, I quickly executed an evasive maneuver. Meaning I bolted outside.

How does Benett handle this kind of thing?

After a brief jog, I arrived at the mansion where the Northern Grand Duke was said to be staying. I heard he had paid a large sum to drive out the original owner, a priest, and then started terraforming it.

It had indeed been completely remodeled in the Northern style. There was even a wild-looking stuffed bear head mounted at the main entrance.

Good.

If I'm given just 10 minutes, I can make the Northern Grand Duke an ally. I know him thoroughly and exactly how to build rapport with him.

I politely requested an audience with the Northern Grand Duke and...

"Get lost."

"Excuse me?"

"I said get lost."

"......"

I was turned away at the door.

It might have been different if it was just the subordinates acting on their own, but judging by the atmosphere, it seemed the Northern Grand Duke himself had issued the order to expel me. So this probably means... since our side withdrew from the "Courage" tournament, he won't deal with us again unless we pay the usage fee.

Is that his stance?

Alright, then a token payment along with a thank-you...

"Get lost."

Then a declaration of intent to actively cooperate in the next tournament...

"Get lost."

Then the benefits I begged Irid to give me...

"Get. Lost."

"......"

Do these guys just hate me?

I circled around gathering information. Extracting data from a distance, eavesdropping on conversations, and so on. The content was:

The Northern side had also seen how the "Courage" tournament played out and concluded that "the Mad Magician is dangerous." It seems they decided from the beginning to avoid getting involved at all.

Tsk.

Why am I getting upset over this? I've known Northern Grand Duke "Daisy" for so long, and if we just exchanged a few words, we could become good friends again.

This time too, I thought we could rely on our old friendship, shake hands in a win-win situation, and part on good terms. Knowing the Northern circumstances, I was even planning to quietly push some decent benefits their way.

They don't appreciate my pure goodwill?

"『Hologram: Heart』."

Then I'll make them understand.

===============================================================

Irid flipped through documents with a steaming cup of coffee beside him. In front of the 2nd Prince stood Sissel Urensto, head bowed with an apologetic expression.

"You're temporarily quitting the 'Blue Wind Knights'... is that right?"

"...Yes, I feel nothing but regret toward the 1st Princess."

"It doesn't seem to be because you became a Hero Candidate. That's still uncertain at this stage. I understand you mean to leave the knights regardless of this."

"That's exactly right. I'll return all the salary I've received so far..."

This is a loss of personnel.

Irid furrowed his brow. Though the Eastern Front has been quiet lately, losing one of the Empire's finest human resources is a loss in itself.

Getting angry, reminding her of what the Empire has given her, binding her family and situation to make her serve a few more years... Irid quietly suppressed such thoughts.

Sissel Urensto is his sister's knight, so it's right that she follows his sister's wishes.

Irid finally found the document he was looking for. It was a resignation letter, already signed by Elaine. In other words, a blank resignation.

Sissel's eyes widened at the sight of the document.

"My sister was concerned about you dying meaninglessly. If by chance everything goes well and you ask to leave... she said to let you go without argument."

"......"

"You were never bound, as my sister is now as free as the wind. However, if any chivalry remains in your heart... go find my sister and tell her about your retirement request directly."

"...Sob."

"...Are you crying?"

The sensitivity flowing through the Urensto bloodline launched a merciless attack on her tear ducts after confirming the infinite tolerance and benevolence of the master she served.

Irid looked down at Sissel, who had started sobbing uncontrollably, then decided it wasn't his job to comfort her and stood up. And fled.

It was a nimble judgment worthy of an imperial descendant.

He just needed to kill some time until her emotions settled.

Nothing passes time like processing documents. But having just lost his office to a crying knight, he needed another diversion.

"I'll have some dessert."

The reason Irid, who enjoyed bitter coffee, suddenly craved dessert was because of Agent C. After C preached that "sweets are essential for brain function," Irid eventually developed a taste for sweetness.

Centra also liked desserts. When passing by displays of appetizing desserts, she would gaze at them longingly.

But she wouldn't buy them because Centra was saving money for resistance activities. Preparing "Beer and Song" required quite a bit of money.

One of Centra's countless charms was how she suppressed her own desires for the greater cause.

When Irid said he would multiply money through mysterious document processing and buy her anything, she pondered deeply before finally heading to a rather modest-looking bakery.

Saying she preferred this to fancy desserts, awkwardly hiding her desires.

"......"

How wonderful it would have been to walk through this era with her. Irid is an imperial descendant. With such vast wealth, Centra wouldn't have to think about "saving" anything.

He would do anything she desired.

Following the scent of freshly baked bread around a corner, he came upon a small but neat-looking bakery. Yes, the shop Centra had chosen had exactly this feeling.

And buying bread closer to a meal than a dessert. Like this.

"If you chew well, you can taste the sweetness, right? So there's no need for luxuries like desserts. There are more important things in the world, mountains of them."

"Indeed."

"...Centra?"

Am I seeing things? Irid blinked.

A woman who looked remarkably like Centra. The lively expression, midnight-black hair, and overall features... reminded him of her.

And sitting across from her was a man resembling a winter wolf. Northern Grand Duke Elbilion Yulius.

What's going on here?

Before reason could judge, emotion leaped forward. The scandal between the Northern Grand Duke and Heart, the tension with him, and their quarrel. Emotion is faster than thought.

The torrent of emotion becomes impulse. Irid couldn't control his body and inserted himself between the two.

Crash-!

"...2nd Prince? What are you doing?"

"What have you done to Centra, Elbilion Yulius...!"

"Mind your manners. Even if imperial blood flows in you, I am also a Grand Duke of the Empire. Royal blood doesn't make you immortal. I warn you, don't interrupt my precious time with Love."

"I asked what you've done to her. Why is she here?!"

Sparks fly.

The Northern Grand Duke expressed his displeasure plainly, and Irid fiercely raised his aura. And between the two men's battle of nerves...

A cheerful voice cut in.

"...I'm not Centra. And I'm not Heart either. Stop getting my name wrong, okay? Not Heart, but Love."

"...You're not Centra?"

"My apologies. Please consider it my personal nickname."

"That doesn't make me that person. It feels bad when you keep overlapping someone else with me. For this, you'll have to buy another bread as a penalty."

The woman calling herself Love pouted cutely.

What... is this about?

She's... a different person?

Irid's reason finally arrived late. And hurriedly caught up on the backlog.

A woman who greatly resembles Centra. But not Centra.

=> Naturally, if not Centra who lost her memories through time travel, she must be a distant ancestor. With a 100-year difference, perhaps Centra's great-grandmother.

He had tried to find Centra's lineage and origin, her family and the founder of the resistance, but couldn't.

=> Initially, he thought Centra's father was from the Defense Department, but there was only a Defense Department agent among the core members... it might have been someone else. Then, hypothetically.

Could the roots of the future resistance have been born somewhere far beyond Irid's reach? For example... the North.

Then.

The result of the connection between Northern Grand Duke Elbilion Yulius and this woman called Love might, perhaps, in the distant future, give birth to Centra...

Then. The Northern Grand Duke might be the father of the father of Centra's father.

If so. The Northern Grand Duke is.

In other words.

"—Father-in-law?"

"...2nd Prince, if you're under an illusion spell right now, please say so. I think you definitely are. You should get treatment promptly."

The Northern Grand Duke looked pitifully at the deranged 2nd Prince.