Side: Derieu

Umu. Traveling through the sky isn't so bad after all.

Right now, I—Derieu—was sincerely thinking that from the bottom of my heart.

The wind blowing against me was certainly cold and without proper winter clothing, it would be quite painful.

However, cold is of no consequence—the world stretching out before my eyes is utterly breathtaking.

The sky and earth stretched endlessly into the distance.

Right in the space between, we ride atop Wy-chan, soaring through the heavens.

"How long are you going to stay out there? You'll catch a cold, you know, Derieu."

While I was thoroughly enjoying this aerial journey, the person calling out to me was my husband, Yuki.

When I turn around, Yuki is leisurely sitting around the kotatsu with the other wives, eating mandarin oranges.

Regarding this Wyvern-kun's method of transport—and how we're being carried—he has a large cage hanging from his neck, carrying it. Naturally, this was a collaborative idea between Yuki, Narjia, and Filia. The section where the kotatsu is placed has been completely turned into a windless zone through enchantments.

My current spot is the sightseeing area, where you can intentionally feel the wind and experience temperatures that fluctuate with the outdoors. As for its size, it spans a four-meter square, providing ample room for six people to lie down comfortably.

Wy-chan himself is about five meters long, with a wingspan reaching around ten meters. With those numbers, you can easily grasp just how huge he is. In terms of appearance, it looks like a small cage placed inside a larger one, but each cage is equipped with double-layered multi-barriers.

As you can imagine, even if we were ambushed by those Holy Sword Wielders from before, no damage would penetrate this cage.

Of course, there is no fall damage either. Even against magic-nullifying skills, Yuki and the others mentioned that they incorporated something modeled after an "airbag"—a single-use release system capable of protecting the passengers inside.

If that is the case, any attacker's remaining option would be to shoot down Wy-chan himself. However, Wy-chan was personally trained by Steve, making him strong enough to completely overpower not just average wyverns, but even high-tier fire dragons. Furthermore, Wy-chan himself is outfitted with enchanted gear, boosting his capabilities even higher.

To be completely honest, if Wy-chan flew at full speed, we would reach the royal capital of August not in a day, but in half a day.

So why are we taking three whole days?

To keep Wy-chan's true capabilities hidden.

If word got out about his actual performance, there might be people who would ignore the protection of our backers and scheme to somehow get their hands on Dragon Knight Amanda. So, to camouflage his true abilities, we've been spreading false information—that while Wy-chan has high combat ability, his flying range is short and he needs frequent rest.

Besides, on the off chance that some fool decides to pick a fight with us, it works to our advantage if they misjudge Wy-chan's actual fighting power... Even Dragon Knight Amanda herself doesn't know Wy-chan's true capabilities.

"Can you hear me—?"

Seeing me merely turn around without replying, Yuki assumes I didn't hear him and calls out again.

Oops, I forgot to answer.

"I hear you—! There is no need to worry. A mild chill like this won't cause me to catch a cold—"

Just as I try to answer, Yuki cuts in right over my words.

"—If by any chance you do catch a cold, you're banned from touching the kids for at least a week."

"What!?"

What kind of death sentence is that to hand down to a mother of young children!?

I doubt I would ever catch a cold, but I must avoid even the slightest possibility of being barred from my children for a week...

Thus, I instantly scramble back inside the cage where the kotatsu is set up.

Stepping inside, the wind dies down completely, and I am met with a gently comfortable temperature.

The kotatsu is massive, built to accommodate about twelve people at once. Unsurprisingly, the spots right next to Yuki are already taken. Rurua and Eris have secured both of his sides, while Aslin is sitting comfortably in his lap.

Having no other choice, I slip into the kotatsu across from Yuki, right next to Samantha.

The sensation of warmth gradually spreading from my toes to my waist is a relief.

We first enjoyed this last winter, and yes, what a magnificent creation it is... I shall install one in my room this year as well.

"Here you go, Derieu-shishou. Some tea."

"Oh, thank you, Amanda."

"You're welcome. I don't have anything else to do anyway."

"In that case, shall we squeeze in some training?"

"Ah, no, that's a bit... We have Wai-chan to consider, too."

"Fair point. Make sure you train properly before we rest for the day."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Umu.

Amanda seems to have become much more serious about training since getting together with Eoid.

It's only been a day or two, but I can already see a noticeable increase in her motivation.

If that enthusiasm leads to actual results, I'll be more than happy.

"Oh, by the way. Why can I not meet the children if I catch a cold?"

Right, that was the most important point.

"Well, do you really want to pass a cold to the kids? It'd be one thing if they were older, but they aren't even a year old yet. When they're in pain, they can't tell us what hurts or how, so we'd have to rely entirely on our own guesswork just to figure out if they even have a fever. I'm not taking that kind of risk.

"...That is entirely correct."

If my precious children were to suffer because of me, I feel as though I would die of guilt.

What an irresponsible mother I am... Yuyu, please forgive Mommy.

"Um, excuse me... Derieu-shishou, what do you mean by 'children'?"

Having overheard our conversation, Amanda asks with an intrigued look on her face.

"Hm? Oh, I suppose I haven't mentioned it to you, Amanda. I am a mother. Naturally, they are Yuki's children as well."

"Eeeehhhh!? C-Children!? You gave birth!? So that story was actually true!?"

"What? You didn't believe me? They are my adorable daughters. Eris, Rurua, and Ratz over there have given birth as well."

"Eeeehhhh!? R-Really!?"

Since this trip is likely to involve various negotiations with high-ranking officials at the royal capital, we brought along Ratz—who had been researching things in Enaria—to act as our trade representative.

"E-Eris-shishou too? And Rurua-san and Ratz-san as well?"

"Yes, it's true. Naturally, they're Yuki-san's children."

"Indeed. They are the precious fruits of our love with Danna-sama. Ah, Yuki-sama is the father, of course."

"Nahaha, same here. There's no way it could be anyone other than Onii-san, after all."

The three answer Amanda's questions rather casually.

There's nothing embarrassing about it, after all.

If anything, it is something to be proud of.

"Ah, but judging from what Yuki-san said earlier, did you bring the children with you to the academy?"

"Ah, no, that's not it. Dunge—"

"—Derieu-san, these mandarins are quite delicious, you know."

Just as I am about to answer, Samantha hurriedly stuffs a mandarin into my mouth, silencing me.

Yuki immediately takes over.

"As Amanda heard, we have a lot of children. So, at our base, both men and women—including me, their husband—take care of the children. We do have nannies, but whenever we're home, we make sure to look after them ourselves."

"I see~! That sounds really lovely. Doesn't it, Eoid?"

"Yeah. Though I don't think I could bring myself to leave a child behind to go on a journey."

"Ah~ I don't think I could either."

"Well, because of all that, if we visit the kids while sick, they might catch the illness. To prevent that as much as possible, if any of us catch a cold, we wait a while even after feeling better—just to confirm we've fully recovered before seeing the children again. You know how relapses happen, right?"

"Ah, that makes sense."

"I see. That's very educational."

While that conversation unfolds right in front of me, I chew the mandarin that was forced into my mouth and swallow it down.

"My apologies. Thank you for the save."

Realizing that I had almost let something slip, I calmly express my gratitude to Samantha for stepping in so quickly.

"Not at all. Though I must admit, I didn't expect you to make a slip-up like that, Derieu-san."

"Umu. I find it strange myself. Perhaps because Amanda is my apprentice, I have lowered my guard around her."

"I suppose so. I've never taken on an apprentice myself, but it must be difficult to keep secrets from someone you regard as family."

"That may very well be true."

Exchanging quiet whispers, I make eye contact with everyone to silently apologize.

They all send back reassuring glances, telling me not to worry about it.

Hmm... perhaps I have softened up a bit since giving birth? I shall apologize to everyone proper once we return home today.

"U-Um, Derieu-shishou. Do you happen to have any videos or pictures of your child?"

"Hm?"

Before I realize it, Amanda is leaning toward me with expectant, shining eyes.

"Derieu, you brought photos of your child, didn't you?" (Eris)

"My bad. Eris and I left without taking any photos or videos of our children~" (Ratz)

"I showed her mine, but it seems Amanda-san would really like to see your child as well, Derieu-san." (Rurua)

Ah, right, We can't show her Eris and Ratz's daughters... They're demi-humans, after all.

Naturally, saying that we don't have any pictures would be a lie. All of us carry pictures of our children with us, as well as pictures of ourselves together with Yuki, carefully kept inside locket pendants.

It seems Rurua didn't show the photo inside her locket, but instead pulled a separate picture out of her item box. That was probably to prevent Amanda from wondering about the lockets belonging to Eris and Ratz, which also contain pictures of their children.

Following Rurua's lead, I reach into my garments while secretly accessing my item box to pull out a photograph.

"Here. This is Yuyu, the crystallization of Yuki's and my love."

"Woow... she's adorable! Her name is Yuyu-chan?"

"Umu. She is a girl."

"Hey, Eoid. I really think our first child should be a girl!"

"Wait, even if you say that to me..."

"Personally, I was hoping for a boy."

"Eh? Derieu-shishou? Why?"

"My fighting style is hand-to-hand combat, after all. It's easy for my body to get scarred. For a man, scars are badges of honor. But for a woman..."

"Ah, I see what you mean."

Even though I became immortal and my regenerative abilities skyrocketed—meaning no new scars have formed since then—the marks left from my training before reaching immortality still remain. Fortunately, there were none on my face or chest.

Even so, it took quite a bit of courage when showing my bare body to Yuki for the first time... Well, Yuki didn't mind it at all; if anything, he loved me including those marks.

Whether I will teach this martial art to Yuyu depends on her own wishes. Hand-to-hand combat is hardly something a woman needs to force herself to learn. Seraria's swordsmanship, Ratz's spear technique, Eris's archery, or Rurua's magic—I believe any of those would be far safer options.

"Now, calm down a bit, Amanda-san. Before thinking about children, shouldn't you decide on your new home first?"

"Oh, right. Eoid, as soon as this mission is over, we're going house hunting!"

"Eh!? W-We don't have that kind of luxury yet!?"

"Ugh, that's true... Then first, we need to earn some money. I guess we'll have to stay at my parents' house for a while. But then we won't be able to flirt or get intimate there..."

"Even if you say that..."

Nahaha, ordinary folk must worry about these sorts of things.

Our husband, on the other hand, possesses more than enough capability in that department.

Hmm? But regarding their new house and funds, didn't Poppuri and Lara say something about providing support?

"Say, Eris. Didn't Headmaster Poppuri mention offering some assistance regarding their new home and finances?"

"Yes. Principal Poppuri does plan to support them."

"Is that true!?"

"Yes. However, Amanda, that is merely support. You cannot rely on it forever. It is important to earn money properly and become capable of protecting your family on your own."

"Yes!! I'll do my absolute best together with Eoid!!"

"That's right. You're a married couple now, so support each other and aim to become a couple like us."

"Say, Cleana. Is that the village we're stopping at today?"

I ask Cleana, who is acting as our guide for this trip.

"Nn. Exactly. That's Rarai Village. It's a village located along the travel route from the academy to the August Royal Capital. Amanda, we sent word ahead, but we don't want to frighten the villagers. Let's land a bit far off and head there on foot."

"Understood. Wy-chan, can you land on that grassy area near the road?"

* * *

Side: Yuki

'Gyaaaas!'

Wy-chan lets out a cry and begins a gradual descent toward the ground.

Back at the beginning, he used to dive down abruptly, earning himself a stern scolding from Kuro-chan and the others.

They told him to be far more mindful of Princess Aslin and the rest. Sure, a rapid descent might be necessary in certain situations, but he's carrying passengers here.

"Everyone, scan the landing area."

"""Understood!"""

At my command, everyone readies their weapons and begins monitoring the grassy plain below.

It's a well-known fact back in our world, but moments like landing, taking off, or disembarking are when people are most off-guard—making them prime targets for devastating ambushes.

Well, whether the carelessness of the landing operations in that World War II should be called carelessness is questionable, but one should say the defending forces that got through that rain of artillery and support bombing and stood on defense were abnormal.

That famous landing operation was successful if you look only at the outcome. But when you examine the details, there are arguments that make it difficult to simply call it a success... Though it's a bloody chapter of my homeland's history, it serves as invaluable knowledge for our own safety. For that much, I'm grateful.

Looking far ahead, I can see a crowd of people gathered at the village entrance, staring in our direction.

If we hadn't sent advance notice, they probably would have scattered and run for their lives immediately.

While my mind wanders through these thoughts, the ground is already getting close.

"Landing formation. We'll deploy immediately."

"""Understood!"""

Thud!

With a heavy sound, the cage settles onto the ground.

Instantly, the doors swing open, and everyone rushes out.

This is also meant to prevent us from being wiped out by concentrated fire by putting distance between ourselves and the vehicle as quickly as possible.

I don't think anything could penetrate Wy-chan's or the cage's armor, but there's no harm in being overly cautious.

"Rabbit here—clear."

"Forest—clear."

"White—clear."

I hear those reports from my wives.

By the way, Rabbit, Forest, and White are code names.

They correspond to Ratz, Eris, and Derieu, in that order—though the origins should be self-explanatory.

You might wonder if using code names is pointless when anyone could immediately guess who is who, but that only applies to us.

To an enemy, hearing code names instead of real names thrown around out of nowhere leaves them clueless about who is taking action, and it might even make them suspect the presence of a secondary hidden unit. Steve and his crew use numbers, but for my wives, cute code names are definitely the way to go.

Ah, as for weaponry, everyone is equipped with firearms in situations like this. Eoid and Amanda tilted their heads in confusion when they first saw these firearms, but they bought it instantly when we told them they were "magical staves." Yep, magic is such a convenient word.

Naturally, the wives have undergone firearm training too. Eris and Ratz possess skills high enough to fit right into Steve's special forces unit. Tori, Riel, and Kaya—who aren't here right now—can also handle firearms exceptionally well thanks to their keen beastfolk senses.

Ordinarily, they stick to swords and bows to blend in with this continent's civilization, but in high-risk situations like ambushes, they pull firearms out of their item boxes to use.

In the end, a confident "It's magic" settles any questions.

Seraria seems to have a liking for that stylish gun-and-sword combo style, but since it's not really practical for actual combat, I'd prefer she refrain from it.

Now, if you're wondering who had the highest natural aptitude for firearms, it's Eris. Known as a person of the forest, she grew up hunting in the woods using a bow as her primary weapon, making her exceptionally skilled with a sniper rifle. Her marksmanship is beautiful enough to evoke memories of legendary snipers.

During the attack on Enaria, she relied entirely on her bow and arrows from start to finish, but if she had been holding a firearm back then, every single enemy in her line of sight would likely have fallen in the blink of an eye.

Of course, standard bullets are designed for human targets and aren't as effective against the monsters of this world. That's easily fixed by using magic to enhance their power or explosive radius, effortlessly boosting a single round's firepower to match that of a grenade.

"Blue here. A single rider is approaching from the village."

Rurua's voice comes through, and everyone shifts their focus toward the direction she indicated.

There, looking entirely out of place for a simple village, a man clad in magnificent armor approaches us on a equally splendid horse.

"Cleana, is that...?"

"Nn. An August soldier. Judging by his attire, I'd say he's a Royal Guard."

"I see. Switch back to normal weapons. He's probably here to escort us or something. But don't lower your guard yet."

"""Understood."""

The wives instantly switch back to their standard weapons—swords, spears, and staves.

Before long, the knight-like man approaches us and dismounts from his horse.

"We harbor no hostility! By royal decree, I have been tasked with guiding your party. I am Vixen, Vice-Captain of the August Royal Guard! May I confirm if you are the party of Dragon Knight Amanda-sama from the Lancer Magic Academy!?"

Though he wasn't exactly handsome, he had an impressive physique and a strong, clear voice. He looked to be a little over thirty, giving him the air of a mature, distinguished gentleman.

However, silence follows.

"...Amanda. You're the one he addressed, so you need to answer him."

"Hue!? Ah, y-yes! That's correct!"

Eris, who had been standing nearby as Amanda's escort, gently prompts her, and Amanda hurriedly responds.

Watching her reaction, Vixen-san looks over in our direction with a puzzled expression.

I give him a slight bow.

I offer a light nod, and catching my intent, he nods back right away.

"Amanda-sama, would it be all right if I approached?"

"Yes!! Dat's perfectly fine!!

She's stumbling over her words.

Well, this is probably the first time Amanda has had to speak with someone of such high standing.

After receiving permission, Vixen-san approaches Amanda while keeping an eye on Wy-chan.

It must be nerve-wracking for him.

After all, he has no idea if the beast might suddenly snap at him.

"Allow me to introduce myself once more. My name is Vixen, Vice-Captain of the August Royal Guard."

"Y-Yes! I am Amanda!"

"Apologies. Amanda was born a commoner and is unaccustomed to formal settings like this. Please forgive any lack of etiquette on her part."

Eris steps in from the side to assist her.

Eoid, standing on her other side, is frozen stiff right alongside Amanda.

"Ah, as I suspected. Amanda-sama, please do not worry. You have accomplished the grand feat of taming a dragon, yet you show no arrogance and treat even someone like me with utmost respect and courtesy. No one could possibly accuse you of being impolite or ignorant of social graces. Should anyone dare to make such claims, I shall personally remove them."

"T-Thank you very much!"

"Not at all. It is only natural. And these individuals behind you... are they the mercenary group coming as your escorts?"

Finishing his greetings with Amanda, Vixen-san turns his attention toward us.

"Ah, yes. While they are a mercenary group, they also represent Jilva, Enaria, and Rhodei, so... um, please refrain from treating them carelessly..."

"I am well aware. It is a pleasure to meet you. Would you happen to be the rumored Yuki-dono?"

Rumors, huh? Well, given the major incident at Enaria, anyone gathering intelligence would naturally have heard about it.

"Yes. I am Yuki, the one leading this mercenary group. So, what rumors have you heard?"

"I heard that during the raid on Enaria, you commanded a group of exceptionally beautiful mercenaries and brilliantly saved the people."

...Exceptionally beautiful?

Ah. He's talking about my wives.

"We just happened to be there at the time, that's all."

"No, simply happening to be present would not drive someone to save others without even knowing the enemy's strength."

He has a point there.

Normally, if the enemy's numbers and strength are unknown, standard protocol is to fortify your own position and assess the situation.

...Is he suspicious of us?

"We mercenaries rely on the people to make a living, after all. Food, weapons, lodging—and besides, we were acting as bodyguards for the Princess of Jilva at the time, so it was only natural."

"I deeply respect your sense of duty. Both as a knight and as a fellow inhabitant of this land."

While I need to keep in mind that he might have ulterior motives, Vixen-san himself seems to be a genuine, honorable knight.

"Ah, my apologies. This isn't the place for a lengthy conversation. I've already spoken with the village chief and secured a place for you to stay. I'll show you the way, so please follow me. I'm afraid we'll have to ask Amanda-sama to leave her dragon at the village entrance."

"Yes, I understand."

With that settled, we begin walking toward the village.

"Jessica, Cleana, Samantha. Have any of you heard of this Vixen guy before?"

When I ask, Cleana shakes her head—while Jessica and Samantha nod and speak up.

"Like myself, he should be an aide to General Sula of August, who is also a magic sword wielder."

"I've heard the same. But it's hardly surprising that Cleana-san doesn't know him. His name only began to spread about seven or eight years ago, and by that time, Cleana-san was already a complete bookworm."

"...Nn. It is frustrating that I cannot deny it."

"Ah, you two shouldn't tease Cleana-chan like that."

"Ria-neesan, those two are picking on meee."

Ria and Cleana cling to each other like that.

These two have been like sisters since their first meeting.

Well, putting that aside.

"A famous figure like that acting as the Vice-Captain of the Royal Guard and coming to greet us personally, huh... I hope nothing troublesome happens."

"There's no harm in staying cautious."

"Agreed."

"Indeed. It's rather unusual for such an important figure to be acting as our guide."

As I discuss this with Jessica and Samantha, I keep my eyes on Vixen-san walking ahead of us.

Meanwhile, Amanda, walking beside Vixen-san, still hasn't managed to relax, and Eris continues stepping in to support her.

...That's going to be a problem too.

I'm starting to feel we should consult with Vixen-san later and have her get a little used to things before reaching the royal capital.