Kays Translations

Chapter 130: Talking with Agnis

“If you’re not inclined, it’s perfectly fine to refuse. Um—”

Agnis said this while looking straight at me.

“T-this was Father’s proposal, not something Agnis brought up… N-no, it’s not that I’m opposed or unwilling. I just want to make clear who proposed it… Otherwise, it’ll cause confusion later…”

“Calm down, Agnis.”

I let Agnis into the room and had her sit in a chair.

I offered some tea and waited for her to settle down.

“…Suu. Haa.”

Agnis took several deep breaths, looking nervous.

Then, as if gathering her courage, she raised her face.

“I’ll convey a proposal from Flame General Raisenga Freizad.”

Agnis looked straight at me—

“‘Thor-sama, will you take my daughter, Agnis Freizad, as your fiancée? I, Raisenga, make this proposal out of loyalty to Her Majesty the Demon Lord and the Demon Lord’s Domain, with absolutely no personal ambition or selfish desire!’”

“…Those were Father’s words.”

—That was what she declared.

“The General wants me to make Agnis my fiancée?”

That was all I could say.

It was so sudden I didn’t know how to react.

Agnis clenched her fists on her lap and trembled.

Looking at Mabel… yeah, she seemed calm.

Maybe Mabel had heard the conversation before. During the engagement announcement, Mabel and Agnis exchanged glances.

“Hey, Agnis.”

“Y-yes.”

“Did the General say anything else? Since it’s ‘for the Demon Lord’s Domain,’ there must be some political reason, right?”

“…Yes. I’ll explain.”

Agnis took a sip of tea and breathed deeply again.

Then, she began speaking slowly.

“His Excellency the Chancellor told us that Mabel may be descended from the lost House of Marquis Misra. Father’s proposal is based on that.”

“Yeah. Her Majesty the Demon Lord said she would inform both the General and Agnis.”

The General was a key figure in the Demon Lord’s Domain, and Agnis was Mabel’s close friend.

They needed to be informed about Mabel’s secret lineage.

“The Chancellor explained this to Father and Agnis: ‘The engagement between Thor-sama and Mabel is to protect Mabel and to prevent Thor-sama from being taken by the Empire.’”

Agnis continued.

“After hearing this, Father told Agnis that this alone wasn’t enough.”

“Not enough?”

“Yes. Since Thor Canaan-sama and Mabel both have ties to the Empire, Father thought the Empire might find some reason to abduct them both at the same time.”

Agnis looked worried.

It was as if she truly believed that Mabel and I might suddenly be taken away somewhere.

“That’s why Agnis, daughter of Flame General Raisenga, should also become engaged to Thor Canaan-sama. Father insists this is entirely out of loyalty to Her Majesty the Demon Lord, with no personal ambition. He said he wouldn’t make a spectacle of swearing to it, but that it was wholly for the Demon Lord’s Domain.”

“The General said that…”

“Father also said, ‘Thor Canaan-sama is vital to the Demon Lord’s Domain and must never be lost. It’s natural to protect him, and equally natural to protect his fiancée, Mabel. Every possible measure must therefore be taken.’”

“…I see.”

“‘There’s no personal gain. Absolutely none.’ …that’s what he repeated.”

“You don’t have to repeat that.”

…Amazing.

The General had thought so much about us.

Moreover, the General’s proposal made sense.

My engagement to Mabel—although also born from my desire to remain with her—had the political purpose of protecting us both.

Having a fiancée in the Demon Lord’s Domain is a reason for me not to return to the Empire.

Mabel’s engagement to an alchemist serving the Demon Lord directly meant that no one could touch her.

General Raisenga’s proposal strengthened that protection.

If Agnis and I married, I would become like a son to the General, while Mabel would become like Agnis’s sister.

We would all become part of the General’s family.

The General’s territory lay closest to the Empire.

If Mabel or I were kidnapped, the Empire would have to consider the possibility that the enraged General might mobilize his forces.

Flame General Raisenga was known as a fierce general in the Empire.

“—Is that what the General is thinking?”

“Yes. Father’s explanation was a bit hard to understand, but it was roughly like that.”

“I understand the General’s reasoning. Honestly, I’m really glad.”

General Raisenga knew my situation.

He had witnessed the negotiations with Margrave Garua before the battle against Magical Beast Gargarossa, when I was nearly sacrificed in a secret bargain.

He was the one who firmly rejected the marquis’s proposal.

Such a person was saying that he would become like a father to me…

Honestly… I’m ridiculously happy.

I was glad I had come to the Demon Lord’s Domain. But…

“Agnis, are you okay with this? You’d become engaged to me.”

“I have decided to serve Thor Canaan-sama.”

Agnis said firmly.

Then slowly, as if choosing each word—

“I’ve always… looked at the world from inside armor. Because of my ignition ability, I couldn’t take off the armor, and I watched everyone through the gap in my helmet.”

Saying that, Agnis took another deep breath.

“Thor Canaan-sama freed me from that life. You made the Health-Boosting Pendant for me and gently led me, as though beckoning, into the wider world. But… the world outside still seems too vast for me—”

Sometimes she felt uncertain about what she wanted to do

and how she wished to move forward.

That was what Agnis meant.

“But one thing I have decided is that I’ll serve Thor Canaan-sama. I want to be together. That’s a decision I made myself. So… I—”

“I understand, Agnis. Let’s be together.”

“…Thor Canaan-sama.”

Agnis’s red eyes were moist.

With those eyes, Agnis had been looking at the world through the gaps in her helmet all this time.

Because of her overwhelming fire magic and spontaneous ignition, she had been unable to remove her armor.

Thanks to the “Health-Boosting Pendant,” she was now able to remove her armor, but Agnis had only just gained her freedom. It was no wonder she felt confused.

I was the one who brought Agnis outside the armor.

As long as Agnis wished it, I would remain by her side and support her.

That’s my responsibility as an alchemist… and besides, I care about Agnis.

“I’ll continue providing user support to Agnis from right beside her.”

I said.

“Just as the General and Agnis are trying to protect us, I’ll protect Agnis too. I’ll support her properly so that she can do whatever she wishes in the wider world—whether as a fiancée or in any other role.”

“Y-Yes. Agnis also wants Thor Canaan-sama to provide user support… I look forward to your continued support!”

Agnis said this with a tearful smile. Then—

“In return, Agnis will protect Thor Canaan-sama and Mabel. If the Empire dares lay a hand on either of you, Agnis will punish it with all her strength!”

Then, Agnis stretched out her slender hand and held mine.

She closed her eyes as though in prayer.

“Agnis swears by the name of the Primordial Flame to serve Thor Canaan-sama. For one who bears the blood of the Flame Giant, swearing by the Primordial Flame means…”

“Yeah. Swearing means…?”

“…roughly speaking, it means ‘to live by the side of someone important.’”

“Yeah. Can you explain more?”

“…Once things settle down a bit, I’ll explain properly.”

“…I see.”

Anyway, I understood Agnis and General Raisenga’s thoughts.

If they had thought so far ahead, I would accept the proposal.

In return, I would continue to support Agnis.

I would keep making items so that she could do whatever she wished in the wider world.

“…That’s good.”

After Agnis and I finished talking, Mabel muttered softly.

She looked very happy and nodded repeatedly. She seemed to have no objections.

Well, it was something I already understood.

“Then let us speak with Rukie-sama and Kelve. We’ll need permission for an audience.”

“Perhaps not today. Father should be speaking with Her Majesty the Demon Lord and His Excellency the Chancellor even now.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Father said he would convey his thoughts to Her Majesty.”

Agnis looked toward the throne room.

“I think he’s telling Her Majesty, ‘This is solely for Your Majesty and the Demon Lord’s Domain, without the slightest selfish motive. I’ve already told my subordinates that Agnis will marry Thor Canaan-sama. If the proposal is rejected now, Agnis may never be able to marry anyone.’”

“Has he not cut off every possible retreat!?”

“Father is a soldier too. Surely, he’s thought this strategy through very carefully.”

…I see.

It can’t be helped. I’ll explain it to Rukie later as well.

I hope she won’t be angry…

“I apologize, Thor-sama.”

Before I noticed, Mabel was looking into my face.

“Actually, I knew about the General’s proposal before the engagement announcement.”

“I know. I saw Mabel and Agnis nodding to each other in the throne room.”

“I heard just before, so I couldn’t tell Thor-sama. Also, Agnis said she wanted to speak directly to Thor-sama herself.”

“I’m sorry. So…”

Mabel and Agnis bowed their heads side by side.

“I’m not angry. To be honest… I’m happy to have more family.”

In the Empire, there had been no one I wanted to call family.

But in the Demon Lord’s Domain, everyone said they wanted to become my family.

Rukie, Mabel, Agnis, and General Raisenga too.

That made me truly happy… I felt blessed.

Having two fiancées was a little bewildering, though.

I had lived as a commoner in the imperial capital, so I didn’t really understand the rules of the nobility.

Duke Regus had never allowed his wives to meet me because I was a “disgrace to the family.”

From then on, I would slowly learn how such things worked in the Demon Lord’s Domain.

I had no idea how to handle having two fiancées.

“For now, let’s not rush and go at our own pace.”

“Y-yes, that’s right.”

“Agnis thinks so too.”

Saying that, the three of us sat down for tea.

Nibbling on baked sweets, we slowly began talking about what lay ahead.

My house in Raisenga Territory was scheduled to be expanded.

Once it was complete, Agnis would probably live with me.

Because the General would be lonely if she stayed away all the time, Agnis might travel back and forth between my house and the mansion.

Agnis also had many things to study as the General’s heir.

I also wanted to travel between the Demon Lord’s Castle and Raisenga Territory while making whatever magic items were needed.

I hoped to grow closer to the people of the Demon Lord’s Domain and hear their requests.

The finished items would then be brought to the Demon Lord’s Castle for Rukie to inspect.

She would identify flaws, I would refine the items, and then we would distribute them throughout the Demon Lord’s Domain.

I hoped to live such a relaxed life as an alchemist—

But first, I had to speak with Rukie about my engagement to Agnis.

I needed to explain everything properly and obtain her permission.

Rukie was important family to me. I had to handle this properly. Yes.

—And so, as the three of us discussed the future, time passed.

When it grew late, we decided to part for the night.

“Well then, see you tomorrow. Good night, both of you.”

“Good night.”

Agnis and I exchanged greetings.

I was about to do the same with Mabel but—

“…Please wait, Thor-sama.”

Mabel suddenly raised her hand.

She placed a hand on her chin and seemed to think deeply.

“I’ve become Thor-sama’s fiancée, and Agnis-sama will become one as well. In that case… would it not be all right for us to remain together a little later into the night?”

“That may be true, but…”

I opened the door and looked down the hallway.

The maids quickly averted their gazes.

That day, we had just announced my engagement to Mabel.

Everyone seemed to be paying attention to us.

“Since we’re inside the castle, wouldn’t it be better to call it a night as is?”

“That’s where I have a proposal.”

Mabel clapped her hands lightly.

“How about using the Improved Body Pillows again?”

“The Improved Body Pillows?”

“Thor-sama and I are engaged, and Thor-sama and Agnis-sama will be engaged too. I think we should at least practice sleeping in the same bed while holding hands.”

“M-Mabel!?”

“That kind of practice is necessary too, Agnis-sama, for when we become family.”

“…Y-yeah, maybe Mabel is right.”

Agnis nodded eagerly, breathing heavily.

“Especially since Agnis isn’t used to sleeping next to someone… it might be necessary to practice.”

“So I would like us to use the Improved Body Pillows.”

Mabel concluded her talk.

Her reasoning was persuasive.

…If that was the case, it couldn’t be helped.

“Alright. Then, use these.”

I took the Improved Body Pillows from the Miniature Simple Storage.

They were life-sized pillows that transformed to resemble the person whose magic was infused into their covers.

Thanks to the Pseudo-Life Grasp enchantment, they could even reproduce a pulse and body temperature.

“This one is for Mabel, and this one is for Agnis.”

“Thank you very much, Thor-sama.”

Mabel accepted an Improved Body Pillow.

Then suddenly, Agnis looked toward Mabel and said,

“Um… Mabel, would you sleep with me tonight? I want to talk about various things.”

“…Eh?”

“And… being alone with Thor Canaan-sama’s Improved Body Pillow makes me nervous, so I would feel better if you stayed with me…”

“Understood. If that’s the case…”

“We don’t need both Improved Body Pillows—”

“—so Thor-sama should use the other one.”

Mabel said this with a heavily blushing but resolute face.

“Thor-sama also needs to become accustomed to spending time with Mabel and Agnis.”

“M-Mabel!?”

“It’s alright. We’re only holding hands while we sleep. Right, Thor-sama?”

“Y-yeah.”

At her words, I couldn’t help but nod.

“U-understood.”

Then, Agnis nodded in agreement as if satisfied.

“It would be unfair if only Agnis and Mabel slept with Thor Canaan-sama’s Improved Body Pillow. Thor Canaan-sama should sleep with the pillows resembling Agnis and Mabel too!”

“As expected of Agnis-sama. You’re quick to get to the point.”

“Then, Mabel, let us decide with a contest whose magic will be infused into the Improved Body Pillow cover.”

“Understood. Let’s settle it with a coin toss.”

“T-The winner gets to infuse the magic?”

“That’s decided!”

“Got it!”

Then, Mabel and Agnis started the coin toss.

The result—

“P-please… Thor Canaan-sama.”

Agnis handed me the Improved Body Pillow cover infused with her magic.

Her face was about 30% redder than usual.

Her slender hand was trembling slightly.

In return, I gave her the cover infused with my magic.

Agnis held it carefully while Mabel hugged the Improved Body Pillow itself.

“Well then, let’s promise to hold hands and sleep tonight.”

“W-we promised…”

After saying “good night” once again, we parted ways.

“…Somehow, my family seems to have grown all at once.”

A lot had happened that day.

I had announced my engagement to Mabel in front of everyone;

everyone in the Demon Lord’s Domain had offered us their wholehearted blessings;

Agnis had then come to visit and told me about General Raisenga’s proposal;

and as a result, I had agreed to become engaged to Agnis too.

I had just received a message from Rukie saying, “Tomorrow, we’ll have a proper, thorough talk.”

The discussions with Kelve and the General had apparently ended.

I needed to decide what I would say as well.

“I had better get some sleep to prepare for tomorrow.”

I didn’t feel like doing any alchemy work that day.

In any case, the next thing I would make was a Security Buzzer and Hair Dryer for Mabel.

Because they would be built into a pendant cover, I needed to listen carefully to Mabel’s opinions. The material would be the Rainbow-Colored Magic Stone.

I couldn’t afford to fail. I had to proceed carefully.

“…Well, I have permission, so now for the Improved Body Pillow…”

Before me lay the Improved Body Pillow cover infused with Agnis’s magic and the plain white pillow itself.

Once combined, the pillow would transform into Agnis’s form.

I didn’t know why, but I was extremely nervous.

I slipped the cover over the Improved Body Pillow and placed it beneath the blanket.

That should make it transform into Agnis.

Afterward, as promised, I would hold hands with it and sleep.

I wondered whether Mabel and Agnis were sleeping beside my Improved Body Pillow at that moment.

The pillow transformed into me should have been wearing my usual pajamas.

Even when working overnight… no, even when working short hours, I wear pajamas, so that should be the main look.

“Speaking of which, what kind of pajamas does Agnis usually wear?”

…Huh? Agnis’s pajamas?

Come to think of it, Agnis had only recently become able to remove her armor and wear ordinary clothes.

Before that, because of her fire ability, Agnis couldn’t wear normal clothes.

If that was true even while she was awake, there was no way Agnis could wear clothes while sleeping.

Then what form would Agnis’s Improved Body Pillow take?

When I turned around, the Improved Body Pillow had transformed into Agnis.

It had its back to me and looked like it was sleeping.

I could see long hair, the nape of the neck, and a bare back.

And then—

Dadadadadadadada!

Knock knock!

Knock knock knock!!

“Thor-sama! Have you already gone to bed!?”

“I realized something terrible! Please, I beg you, open the door!!”

—As I thought.

Mabel and Agnis seemed to have realized this too.

After that—

Mabel and Agnis hurriedly retrieved the Agnis-type Improved Body Pillow.

They must have been really flustered because both Mabel and Agnis were in pajamas. They matched.

Agnis’s pajamas didn’t fit properly, so she was probably wearing a spare pair of Mabel’s.

I see.

So Agnis truly didn’t own pajamas…

And so, the night passed at the Demon Lord’s Castle, and the next day—

“…I understand. General Raisenga’s proposal is reasonable. I approve Thor’s engagement to Agnis.”

In the throne room, Demon Lord Rukie gave permission regarding the engagement.

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