Though the Land of Rain seemed closed off, it was not entirely inaccessible. Like the Rain Clan, the Mirror Clan dwelling in Orkney, northern Britannia, maintained contact with them—rarely, but regularly.
Even so, the appearance of envoys composed of members from various mainland clans still stirred the Rain Clan for a time. During this period, Shiomi gradually learned why such envoys had come.
Under the guidance of the Sage, the Land of Rain's resources had begun to flourish. The fairies of the Rain Clan whispered and prophesied among themselves that this autumn would bring a plentiful harvest. Since the entire clan had not been ordered to keep this secret, the news was bound to spread and eventually reach the ears of other clans.
What struck Shiomi as strange was that clans who had long ignored this place would now send envoys.
"When you're poor in the bustling city, no one cares. When you're rich deep in the mountains, distant relatives appear."
When Shiomi shared his thoughts with Aesc, she laughed brightly.
"Is that so… Humans can be cruel at times."
She had listened to countless myths, legends, and heroic epics from Shiomi. To her, this unfamiliar history of another world was so vast and stirring that it set her very heart surging.
"Humans aren't made of pure good or pure evil. As they grow, they learn to tell the difference and choose. You can't simply divide people into good or evil—most are just ordinary. But when crisis comes, villains will cause chaos, and heroes will draw their swords," Shiomi explained with a hint of helplessness. "So long as it doesn't hinder self-interest or opportunism, it exists everywhere. People will criticize it but can never erase it, because it's part of human nature."
"Then… what kind of person is Tenkei?"
Aesc leaned back lazily on the cushioned bench, stretching her legs out across Shiomi's lap. His hand rested on her feet, absentmindedly stroking them, while his other hand held a book, just like hers.
Lately Aesc had rarely gone out, so he kept her company instead. They spent whole days together in the library—reading, conversing, and discussing all sorts of topics. Sometimes it was Magecraft, sometimes future plans, sometimes current affairs. No matter what the subject, Aesc always spoke with enthusiasm, and she treasured those hours deeply.
Compared to the nights spent holding each other as they slept, these moments carried a sweetness of their own.
"I don't know." Shiomi paused to think before answering.
A good person? As a Sealing Designation Enforcer, he had carried out countless dangerous missions, his hands stained with the blood of magi who were not entirely evil. He had killed enemy Masters without hesitation during the Holy Grail War.
A bad person? As a magus, as a Master of Chaldea, he had fought with everything he had to restore human history.
He had done both good and evil. The only thing he could truly claim with a clear conscience was the sincerity of his feelings toward those close to him.
"If even Tenkei can't answer clearly, then it must really be complicated."
Aesc laughed joyfully, her bare feet swinging lightly, brushing against his hand.
"We've gone far off topic," Shiomi arched an eyebrow. "We were talking about why the other clans suddenly sent envoys. How did that turn into a debate about my nature?"
At that, Aesc snapped her book shut, drew back her legs, and rose to kneel on the bench, leaning close to him.
"Because more than the affairs of other clans, I want to know more about Tenkei… no, about my husband."
She had been trying to change her wording lately, and she found that calling him "my husband" carried a special weight.
After all, how one defined 'belonging' was no simple matter. Only when she called him that did she feel the depth of what she had gained.
"Then, as your husband, may I ask something?" Shiomi set down his book and looked into her eyes. "When do you plan to tell the Queen about this? After all, if you don't inform your parents..."
"What happens if I don't?" asked Aesc.
Shiomi thought for a moment before deciding to give an example from Proper Human History. "In our world, unless the relationship between parents and children is terrible, people generally hope for their parents' blessing in marriage. That makes it feel more complete. At least in my view, Aesc, you would want the blessing of the King, the Queen, and Vivian as well. After all, they're the family who raised you."
"I actually want to say it too." Aesc ran her fingers through her hair. "But Mother had a fairy maid deliver a message, telling me not to show myself until the envoys have left the Land of Rain."
Shiomi's heart stirred slightly. "Why?"
"Mother explained it to me during a similar time," Aesc said after thinking. "She told me that not all fairies can accept the existence of Paradise Fairies. Under Father and Mother's guidance, the Rain Clan accepted me, though I wasn't of their kin. But to neighboring clans like the Mirror Clan, or other mainland clans, I'm something to be feared."
Shiomi didn't ask what fairies would do once fear took hold. He could already infer the most likely outcome from what he had seen in the Rain Clan.
—It would escalate into war.
Fairies who supported the Paradise Fairy and those who opposed her would inevitably clash in a battle without retreat. For fairies, reasons as simple as "I like the Paradise Fairy" or "I hate the Paradise Fairy" were more than enough. No further logic was needed.
The Queen of the Rain Clan must have feared that Aesc would be caught up in such a war and perish. That was why she worked so hard to protect her and seal away her true identity.
"Then we'll just have to follow the Queen's arrangements," Shiomi said, gently stroking the hair that fell over her chest. "Though in my eyes, the will of the ones involved matters far more than anyone else's blessing."
"Hehe~"
Aesc broke into a dreamy smile, looking nothing like the sharp, capable little witch she usually was.
"But if I remember correctly, the envoys should be leaving today," Shiomi mused. "The Queen might wait until they're gone before calling you over."
And as if to confirm his guess, a knock came at the library door.
Aesc quickly straightened her loose clothing, smoothed her hair, and slipped her feet into her shoes.
By the time Shiomi opened the door and Vivian appeared with the message, Aesc was already sitting with a book in hand, pretending to read.
...
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