Published at 18th of January 2020 11:27 pm

Volume 6, Chapter 2: The Platinum-haired Maiden Says “I’m Home”

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

Dale and Latina’s return to Kreuz came on a sunny morning, not long after Latina had made up her mind after talking to Dale and Chrysos.

If a group of formal delegates from Laband were to visit Vassilios and confirm Dale’s presence there, it could cause issues. After all, it couldn’t be allowed to become part of official records that the hero of the nation had been driven by blind passion to strike down the ruler of a friendly country, even if he hadn’t actually carried it out.

Without Latina noticing, the seasons had shifted, and even the hot climate of Vassilios had changed to that of a relatively comfortable spring. Chrysos squinted her eyes against the sunlight of the vast, gentle light blue sky while she saw them off. The gray-furred mythical beast that had become a black silhouette in that light flapped his heavy wings and headed off towards Kreuz. That was Hagel, running through the sky with Latina and Dale astride his back.

Hagel felt less of a load now than he did when carrying just Dale, thanks to Latina’s skilled magical support. Concerned about the burden continuously casting weight reduction magic was placing on Latina, Dale called out in a worried voice, “You still haven’t fully recovered yet, right? Don’t push yourself.”

“You don’t need to worry so much. I’ve been sleeping so much that I may have even formed a habit of drifting off,” Latina said with a smile, held in Dale’s arms.

The flashy platinum armor Hagel wore was made for the sake of appearance, but it also had a functional aspect to it, being equipped with a saddle for when Dale rode on his back. It had plenty of room for Dale alone, but it was a little cramped when he was riding along with Latina. That said, when Dale realized it just gave him a reason to hold Latina more closely, it stifled any complaints he might have had.

When Latina tried to lean out in curiosity during this trip through the sky, the feeling of trepidation in that moment was Dale’s, rather than hers...

Accordingly, he made a point of holding her tightly from then on.

Vint took the lead in a flighty manner, shifting whimsically from Hagel’s front to his side, and then diagonally in front of him. It was a pattern of flight that clearly expressed the pup’s youthful lack of inhibitions.

Vint dropped his speed and came up alongside Hagel. “Woof,” he said, then lowered his speed further. He clearly had some kind of goal in mind.

“Vint?”

“What’s up?”

The pair atop Hagel’s back tilted their heads in response to Vint’s actions.

Latina then looked up at Dale, who was seated behind her.

“Is there something over that way?” Unfortunately, nothing came to Dale’s mind in response to Latina’s question.

On the way to Vassilios, Dale had completely lost his cool, and he was full of dark emotions that he could never let her know about. He was in no state to casually take in his surroundings at the time.

“Want to go check it out?”

“Do you mind if we do that?” Latina asked Hagel, whose back she was riding on, only for a response to come back so quickly that Dale didn’t even have a chance to interrupt. “Very well.”

To outsiders Hagel was perceived as Dale’s mount, but in actuality he prioritized Latina’s wishes above all else.

Right, well... I guess it makes sense for things to go that way. Dale thought with a strained expression on his face, but he shifted his attention to making sure Latina didn’t fall off as their position on Hagel became less stable while they landed.

As they approached the ground, they were able to determine what was going on down there. A good number of people could be seen, but it wasn’t a town. There were a number of large tents erected, and guards keeping watch over the surroundings. It seemed to be some kind of base.

Upon seeing it, Dale realized this was the base set up between Kreuz and Vassilios that he had heard about from Sylvia.

“That’s...”

In that case, this could be a precious opportunity to rest in a safe location on their long journey back to Kreuz. He would be fine, but there would definitely be a need to let Latina rest. As always, Latina was at the center of Dale’s thoughts.

When those keeping watch on the ground saw that it was two mythical beasts descending from the sky, one of them Vint, who they were familiar with, they relaxed their guard and went to greet them.

Dale was a little surprised at the familiar faces he saw.

“Gregor.”

“It seems you’re completely back to your normal self.”

“What does that mean?” Dale asked, astounded that Gregor would say such a thing the moment their eyes met.

“I mean exactly what I said.”

“It’s been some time, Sir Gregor.”

“I don’t believe I’m in any position to be referred to so respectfully by Her Highness, the sister of the ruler of Vassilios...”

“Please cut that out, Sir Gregor...!”

Gregor’s expression remained perfectly straight, making it impossible to tell just how much he was joking. Latina’s cheeks, meanwhile, were flushed bright red and she wore a flustered expression on her face.

Dale nimbly descended from the saddle, and then offered Latina a hand, helping her down from Hagel’s back. He then gave Hagel, who shook his body a bit, a sympathetic pat on the neck.

“So have the Laband forces arrived...?” Dale asked to confirm, figuring Gregor’s presence here meant that was the case. According to what he’d heard in Vassilios, adventurers from Kreuz had established this base and were guarding it. But looking at the state of it now, it seemed the army had successfully finished withdrawing from the battlefield after the war with the Seventh Demon Lord was over.

They were told that once diplomatic relations were officially opened between Laband and Vassilios, this would become a key relay point on the highway that would be built between the nations, and would later develop into a town.

“Yeah. Just the magical beast habitats alone are enough to cause all sorts of problems in terms of security. But even so, things are apparently progressing smoother than expected.”

“I’d heard adventurers from Kreuz had set this place up and were guarding it, but...” Dale’s gaze turned from Gregor to the surrounding area, and he spotted many adventurers he recognized looking back at a distance. Without even thinking about it, he instinctively hugged Latina tight. Latina tilted her head in confusion.

However, Dale’s actions gave that crowd confidence that it was indeed the girl they’d been fighting for who was standing there.

The very earth itself trembled. That’s how the soldiers of Laband accompanying Gregor would later recount it.

“It’s the fairy princess!!” “Ohhhhhh!!”

“Woohoo!!”

They didn’t give a damn about Dale, but their reaction was almost refreshingly clear. The news that the fairy princess had been found spread around the base even quicker and more precisely than it would have if they were a well-regulated army.

Even the fact that Latina let out a “Wah?!” in surprise was immediately communicated.

“We’ve confirmed a ‘Wah!’”

“That ‘Wah!’ was the same as always!”

“Those guys...” Dale groaned, a look of exasperation on his face.

Latina then looked up at Dale and nervously asked, “Do I say it that often?” Apparently that was what was concerning her. That phrase of

Latina’s that she’d used since she was young gave off a childish impression, and despite her own intentions, she’d apparently had no success in correcting it.

Dale averted his gaze just a bit and said, “...It’s cute, so what’s the problem with it?”

“That’s... You’re always saying stuff like that, Dale...!” Latina said with a look of shock, but unfortunately for the girl, Dale wasn’t generous enough to deny that fact at this point. He didn’t want to say something she would know was a lie, after all.

“Woof!”

Dale’s averted gaze fell on Vint, who was gnawing away at a large bone. A little later on, Dale would learn that Vint was given a magical beast bone as a snack whenever he visited this base.

Latina left Dale’s side and headed towards some adventurers she recognized. It wasn’t just a group made up of old veterans, as there were a good number of young adventurers too. Regardless of age or experience as adventurers, they were all regulars of the Dancing Ocelot.

“Um... I’m sorry for worrying you...” “It’s fine, it’s fine!”

“Don’t worry about it!” “Um, but...!”

“Just seeing you safe and sound is enough to give us peace of mind.” “Stuff like this is our job, too. So pay it no mind.”

Latina had tried to apologize, but was drowned out by the joyous voices of those grim looking fellows. When she undoubtedly raised her voice again, it was again drowned out by the middle-aged men’s hearty laughter.

Seeing this, Dale broke out in a smile without even realizing it. It was deeply moving for him, being able to see clearly just how much she was beloved by the people around her.

But he also thought things like But you, who took advantage of the confusion to touch her, and the guy who’s acting overly familiar and holding her hand. And you over there, getting closer than you need to... You’ve gotten a taste of heaven, so it stands to reason that you’ve got to get a glimpse of hell, too. Prepare yourselves. He was completely back to his old self.

The soldiers were dumbfounded at first by the commotion from the adventurers, but then a stir started to spread amongst them, as if they’d realized something. Just as Dale started to wonder what was going on, Gregor clapped his hands together.

“By the way, Dale.” “What is it?”

“I’m glad you were able to reunite with her, but...” “But?”

“Did you tell her about that?”

“That?”

While Dale was wondering what Gregor meant, his ears picked up the whispers of the nearby young soldiers.

“...The Fairy Princess? The real one?”

What does “real one”... huh? Ahhh!

Latina had been given the nickname of “Fairy Princess” back when she was a child. “Cute” didn’t even begin to cover it when it came to her, nor did the customers of the Ocelot find “adorable waitress” enough to properly capture things. Dale had been in agreement with all that. And so, when the “Fairy Princess” nickname for Latina popped up, he accepted that as only natural.

He only just now realized that that nickname had gained a different meaning.

“Ah...”

Dale broke out in a cold sweat and looked away, and Gregor gave a sigh.

“So you didn’t tell her?”

“...I didn’t,” Dale affirmed, only for cheers from the soldiers to be added to those of the adventurers coming from behind him.

“H-Huh?” Latina’s eyes darted about in confusion, not grasping what was going on.

The regulars amongst the adventurers (the members of the “Young Girl’s Bodyguards”) immediately understood the circumstances. They hurriedly finished preparations and promptly deployed a formation to protect Latina.

While casting a sideways glance at that commotion, Gregor said to Dale, “Because you made that design with her as the model, her face is now known by the forces of nations the world over.”

“...I suppose that’s true.”

“Seeing her by your side along with those mythical beasts, and hearing her called the Fairy Princess, such a reaction is only natural.”

“Ugh...”

While Dale made a sour face, Gregor pointed out the present circumstances, more talkative than usual.

Dale had been driven into a corner and left in a worrying state, but that had all been completely wiped away. While he was left relieved, Gregor needed to complete one more job before he could meet up with Rose, so he’d also spoken up out of annoyance over that.

Gregor didn’t even try to calm down the sudden chaos caused by the appearance of the rumored Fairy Princess, instead letting slip a slight chuckle.

Dale thought on how he could dodge the issue, but apparently Latina had heard the rough details of the reason behind the situation from the nearby regulars. Even from a distance, it was obvious that she was now flustered and in a bit of a panic.

Realizing that tales of her had spread throughout the world, exaggerated to such a degree that it was less a fish story and more akin to one about catching the legendary Leviathan itself, all Latina could think was... Maybe... I should go back to Chrysos... Latina gazed off into the distance, wondering if shutting herself away from the world may have been the correct decision after all.

Though they had fallen into such a chaotic state, the soldiers entrusted to the son of Duke Eldstedt fell back in line with a single shout from the thundering voice of their commander, Gregor. Meanwhile, the adventurers (who would normally be considered a synonym for “ruffians”) kept themselves even more disciplined than the armed forces, with the “Bodyguards” at their center. Standing by Gregor’s side, Dale was immediately impressed. He’d heard tell that there were iron-clad rules amongst them, but he had no idea what they were, and mentally sighed in astonishment.

“I’d like to let Latina rest, is there a tent or anything we can borrow?”

Dale asked.

“In terms of numbers, we do have a surplus of tents. However, the only one suitable for Her Majesty, sister of the queen, is the one meant for myself, the commander,” Gregor responded, looking a little troubled.

“I see. Well, it’ll be fine.”

Gregor’s concern was only natural. He could hardly let the sister of the queen of Vassilios sleep in a tent in a huddle with the normal soldiers. But that girl felt more in tune with the common masses, and would surely not be in any state to sleep soundly if she drove Gregor out of his own tent.

However, Dale just waved him off with a strained smile, saying, “Latina’s able to sleep pretty much anywhere. If you lend us some bedding, and... just the corner of a storage tent or something, that’d be good enough.”

“That... won’t become a problem later on?”

“It’s not an issue if nobody finds out, right? Besides, Latina and I are only here unofficially, anyways,” Dale bluntly responded.

As soon as the conversation was finished, he then touched Hagel’s armor. With the hindrance of the armor out of the way, Hagel gave a hearty stretch, and the soldiers around him instinctively prepared to flee.

“You’re free until tomorrow morning, Hagel, but what are you thinking of doing?”

“I think that perhaps a walk would be good, to stretch our legs, so I shall take my child along with me.”

“Woof?” Hearing his name called, Vint trotted over to his father’s side. “I feel like saying ‘take care’... I don’t think you need it, but still...”

Taking Vint along with him, Hagel headed off into the forest. This base was constructed past the forest to the south of Kreuz, a magical beast territory where people didn’t enter.

“Latina,” Dale called out to the girl who had been escorted by a group of adventurers up until now, easily carrying Hagel’s armor as he walked along.

“What is it?”

“We’re going to borrow a corner of that tent there. What do you want to do? Do you want to turn in?”

“You don’t need to worry about me so much. I’ve been sitting all this time, so I need to move around properly at least a little,” Latina said with a strained smile in response to Dale’s overprotective nature. After thinking a bit, she turned to face the grizzled old regulars of the Ocelot.

“And I want to repay you all, for all the worry I caused.”

“Hey, hey!” the regulars responded with a laugh, but even so, Latina pressed further. “There’s not much I can do, but... can I least help out? Like with preparing dinner, for example...”

The second Latina said that, the expressions of the regulars shifted. They exchanged glances, looking somehow restless.

It was common knowledge amongst the regulars of the Ocelot that Latina was a skilled chef. She had studied under Kenneth, the owner, ever since she was young, and had thoroughly polished her cooking skills.

Latina was in charge of part of the cooking at the Ocelot. However, there wasn’t a specific menu of her home-cooking, so to speak. The only exception was the meals she made for Dale, a mix of his personal favorites and dishes from his home village.

That wasn’t prepared for the customers, though. No matter how much they wanted it, they weren’t able to eat the specially prepared home-cooking of that beloved, adorable waitress.

“O-Oh yeah...?”

“If you’re going to say all that, little lady, then...” “I guess it’s fine if she helps out, right?”

“I’m going to go help out, Dale, alright?” Latina said with a smile while looking at Dale from up close, clearly relieved to have something to do. There was no way that Dale could refuse when faced with that smile.

However, it was then that Dale suddenly realized something. “Hey, the food for the adventurers here is provided by support from Kreuz, right?”

“Yeah. The supplies are sent here from Kreuz.”

“The portions for the Laband forces fall under the management of the national expenses. They share their tents and supplies, though.”

That was an utterly obvious reply from the geezers, but Dale made a strained expression in response.

“What is it?”

“Hey, won’t it be a problem... if the adventurers end up monopolizing Latina’s home cooking?” The regulars fell silent in response to Dale’s words.

Latina was currently an idol on a global scale, so to speak. From their reaction just moments ago, it seemed clear that she had a great number of fans within the Laband forces. Unlike the regulars of the Ocelot, their feelings of admiration were born from hearsay about the heroine of an epic saga, the Fairy Princess, so they didn’t know how to handle her.

The girl herself, meanwhile, was already entirely focused on the idea of taking on her first work in a while, almost skipping towards the large tent that served as the base’s kitchen.

Dale and the regulars watched Latina happily head off. There wasn’t any great difference between Dale and those geezers, as neither were able say anything when she looked so joyful.

“...I’ll go talk things through with Gregor...”

“That may be for the best...”

The two groups would need to keep working alongside each other, so it would be an issue if relations between them became strained. Thinking the same thing, the men came to the same conclusion.

Gregor heard Dale’s concerns, and so it was decided that for dinner that night, they would put aside ranks and the common folks and officers alike would eat together. And so, Latina ended up mincing up a mountain of vegetables. The occasionally uneven rhythm of her knife’s chopping was somehow incredibly like her. As she steadily worked away, she was watched over by the Bodyguards. Perhaps as a result of their nervousness, they shared the opinion that it was the right way to go about things.

I suppose... that’s the right sort of job for them, as “Bodyguards”...

Of course, Dale would never leave Latina’s side, so he also sat down near her. A heap of onion skins piled up as he devoted his attention to peeling them.

“It seems like you’re having fun,” Dale muttered to himself, hearing how much she was enjoying herself through the constant rhythm of her knife.

“Yeah, I am!” Dale hadn’t said that expecting a response, but she immediately replied with a wide smile.

There was just too much food to be prepared, making it difficult for Latina to manage on her own, so the people who were originally supposed to be in charge of tonight’s dinner also worked nearby.

Even so, Dale remained calm and composed, watching as Latina was in “work mode.”

Normally Latina was so aloof that Dale couldn’t help but worry about her, but when it came to her work, she took things incredibly seriously. Dale was well aware of how thoroughly Kenneth had trained her, so he accepted letting those other bastards watch her too, just for now.

If they grew too captivated by her and neglected their own work, then

Latina’s evaluation of them would drop. Rather, it would flat out plummet, or so Dale thought.

Naturally, touching her was still strictly prohibited. With a smile still on his face, he mused that if anyone proved insolent enough to do so, they

wouldn’t live to see tomorrow.

Latina apparently didn’t realize what was going on in his head, but she still had a slightly troubled look on her face as she came over to take the peeled onions from him.

“I didn’t think it would be such a huge undertaking... and the work should have been all divvied up... Did I just cause more trouble, by saying something so selfish?”

“I can’t imagine anyone would find it a bother. When it comes to being on duty for cooking for a group of adventurers, there are some who specialize in that, but there are probably a lot more who’d prefer to take it easy. And above all else, it’s quite an event for a place so starved for entertainment. I’d imagine most of them will be grateful.”

“Really...? But I don’t want to cause Sir Gregor any problems...”

“That group makes their own meals when they’re camping instead of on the march... They ought to appreciate a meal made by a professional.”

Gregor was of high-ranking noble pedigree, but he had polished his swordsmanship abroad, and had personal experience walking the path of an adventurer, so his personality belied his station.

“Go ahead and make it as tasty as possible.”

Perhaps because of those words, Latina’s energy showed no sign of waning while preparing the food. She didn’t slow even for a moment. Apparently she had been overly restrained back in Vassilios.

The kitchen for this base was set up far from town and was still in the process of being outfitted, the ingredients available were limited, and the equipment available was the bare minimum. Even so, Latina worked joyfully away, seemingly having no concern whatsoever over the matter.

Looking at her now, it seemed that perhaps her quick recovery had been thanks to the way they’d forced her to rest up out of concern. It was busy now, but she seemed perfectly at home with that.

“Woof!”

“Hmm?”

Dale went out to check on the voice he’d heard from outside the tent, and found Vint and Hagel standing there holding their prey in their mouths. It was a large magical beast that would require the mainstays of the adventurer group to team up and properly equip themselves to take down. Dale wished they’d stop making a face like they just hunted it down because they had a little free time.

Following along after Dale, Latina also peeked her head out of the tent and pointed a carefree smile at the pups.

“That’s amazing! Can I take it off your hands?” “Woof!”

“Thanks. I’ll be sure to put something together for you two, too.”

Dale thought that if Latina was enjoying herself, then there was nothing else to it, and stood up while rolling up his sleeves.

“You can’t prepare something like this, right, Latina?”

“Yeah. I’d like to be able to someday, though,” Latina immediately replied. Dale couldn’t help but wonder just how far she intended to proceed down the path of becoming a culinary professional.

“I’ll handle the prep work.” “Thanks!”

Dale’s home village of Tislow was in a land that prospered in terms of hunting. Ever since he was a child, seeing the spoils of such hunts being prepared was a sight he found only natural. In that village, it was assumed that any adult male could manage that much.

As a result of those particular circumstances, by the time Dale had finished skinning it to his satisfaction, he seemed to be enjoying himself a bit. He hadn’t been able to handle such a massive beast very often. It was a rather tricky endeavor, and before he knew it he was wholly absorbed in the task.

He didn’t really have any room to talk when it came to Latina.

The fruits of the pups’ hunt was transformed by Latina’s hand into an exquisite meat dish. This locally sourced ingredient was massive enough that there were no concerns about depleting their food reserves. She’d managed to use it to make a meal that would be more than enough to let everyone present eat their fill. As the roast was prepared over the campfire’s residual heat, it became a light pink and remained tender. With the scent of herbs added, it made for a first-rate dish, the sort that wouldn’t feel at all out of place in a restaurant. The parts unsuited for a roast were used in a stew, which also proved enough to fill everyone’s bowls.

They were in magical beast territory, so normally they’d always have several guards on duty, but for now, everyone was gathered to enjoy the meal. Vint and Hagel were also in the midst of a “meal” of their own. They possessed a far better ability to detect those around them than any of the races, and intercepted anything approaching from the surroundings.

Anything unfortunate enough to do so would become their meal.

Seeing so many people eating the food she made with smiles on their faces, Latina grinned as well.

“Dale.” “What is it?”

“I really am happy,” Latina said, then rested her head on Dale’s shoulder. He couldn’t see her expression anymore as a result, but the warm weight he felt on his shoulder made him break out in a gentle smile.

“...I see.”

“Thank you, Dale.” “Hmm?”

“For not giving up on me... and for bringing me back to such a warm,

gentle place.” “...Right.” “Thanks.”

Looking at the people around, it was starting to look more like a banquet complete with alcohol. Seeing that sight which overlapped with her memories of how the Ocelot always looked, Latina’s heart overflowed with warmth.

Latina closed her eyes while wearing a happy expression, the friendly voices so lively she couldn’t even hear the crackling of the fire. She nodded off contentedly. Apparently she really had pushed herself too hard.

Dale broke out in a strained smile (though he felt so at peace that perhaps “strained” wasn’t quite the right word), and wrapped her up completely in his arms. Reminiscent of a kitten, Latina unconsciously shifted about to find the most comfortable position. In no time at all, she started snoozing away slightly out of tune, just like she’d done when she was a child.

Someone’s presence then appeared behind Dale, as if they had been waiting for that moment.

Dale sensed who that was without even needing to turn around, and the voice he had expected then called out to him. “...Dale.”

“What is it?”

Gregor handed one of the two cups he held in each hand to Dale. It gave off the slight scent of alcohol. However, just like Dale, Gregor had no intention of getting dead drunk on the battlefield, so he would never offer too strong a drink. Dale accepted it earnestly, trusting Gregor’s judgment enough not to bother questioning. “Are you heading back to Kreuz?” “That’s the plan.”

“You’ll have it rough from here on out.”

“Right back at you...”

Dale had just had unwanted fame thrust upon him, but Gregor would have his work tied to his ducal household increase. The scale of how “rough” they’d have it was completely different.

“Father dangled a ‘reward’ in front of me as well. He apparently wanted me to work quite hard.”

Contrary to Dale’s expectations, Gregor broke out in a smile, his expression not strained in the least.

“A ‘reward’?”

“It was just a brief comment, but he gave his word. ‘It would not be good for authority to gather with our household,’ he said. It would seem that even if I succeed my father, there is no need to enter into a strategic marriage with the daughter of a prestigious family.”

Such a statement was more than enough to motivate Gregor. Dale knew that as well, so he couldn’t hold back a small chuckle.

Naturally, Gregor’s father was also well aware that Gregor had feelings for a girl who would normally not be considered to be of a suitable status for one of a ducal household.

“I was sent to Vassilios in part by my father’s intentions as well. Our family effectively holds no authority in that nation, which will become an important neighbor in the future. Making inroads there would be of great value.”

“Latina is awful fond of Rose, after all...”

That queen, who doted on her sister, had also opened up to Rose a fair bit. Chrysos was earnest in her role as ruler of the nation, and would never do anything that worked against its interests. Even still, it could be said that she had earned a great deal more trust than the lords of Laband who would later come crawling, seeking whatever they could gain through the diplomatic relations opened with Vassilios.

“Well, give it your all.” “Yeah, that’s my intention.”

They gave a slight clink of their glasses, then drank them dry.

After seeing off his friend, who left after that short exchange, Dale stood up too, Latina still in his arms.

It was far from a quiet environment, but she seemed to sleep happier in the midst of such liveliness. While looking at her with a gentle gaze, Dale walked towards the tent that would serve as their temporary lodging for the night.

It actually made for a more relaxing place to rest, being in this storage tent without any strangers’ gazes. Though it was the cozy spring season, the cold crept in at night. However, there was also the heat of the two wolves sleeping near the entrance, so it didn’t bother them much.

Latina had a habit of squirming about restlessly before she awoke, so when Dale heard that familiar sound, his eyes shot open. Just as expected,

Latina opened her eyes shortly after, as Dale watched over her. It wasn’t as if she had trouble getting up, but shortly after awakening, she looked lethargic and defenseless. Dale couldn’t help but smile upon seeing the adorable sight that he had all to himself.

“Dale?”

Still under the blanket, Latina noticed Dale watching her and tilted her head.

“Hey. Morning,” Dale said, giving a nonchalant morning greeting. “Good morning, Dale,” Latina responded with a smile.

Despite the inconvenient circumstances, Latina did her best to get herself dressed properly before leaving the tent with Dale. She headed to the kitchen and made sandwiches from the leftover meat from the night before, and soup from the bone stock she had prepared. She pulled a large chunk of meat out of the soup and offered it to Vint and Hagel without bothering to season it. She made the sandwiches a little on the large side and then wrapped them up to save for lunch.

Latina had grown accustomed to this everyday atmosphere, in which everyone was busy attending their own responsibilities. As Dale and Latina ate their breakfast, they ended up staring at the people working around them.

“Considering Hagel’s speed, we’ll probably be able to make it to Kreuz tomorrow. I think we’ll just keep on flying rather than camping for the night, but we’ll take a break along the way.”

“I’ll be fine, but will you be alright, Hagel? And what about Vint? That wouldn’t be pushing you too hard, would it?”

“Before I suffer fatigue, this fellow will use his magic.”

The healing magic of the Earth element, which was Dale’s specialty, excelled at recovering stamina. And to start with, Hagel’s stamina as a grown mythical beast would vastly eclipse that of a human.

“Will sleep if tired, so alright,” Vint replied, looking at Latina will engrossed in chowing down on the tender cooked meat. Ever since their time back in Kreuz, Vint had always been a pup who was good at going with the flow.

“Are we heading out soon?”

“I was thinking we’d wait a bit longer. I wanted to take the opportunity to gather a bit more information here...”

“Then I guess I’ll brush Vint and Hagel... They’re going to keep on working hard for us, so they deserve a bit of a reward, right?”

With those words, the two wolves’ tails started wagging vigorously back and forth. And after receiving her supreme brushing techniques, the fur of the two soaring wolves had grown smooth and fluffy. The severe change in their fur was enough that it would make for a striking before and after picture. They were clearly ready and raring to go, and it would be reasonable to say they were in the best possible condition.

When the time came for them to head out, Gregor was the only one who came to see them off. This seemed to have been done out of consideration for the fact that it would likely be impossible to get a large crowd under control if it came rushing towards them.

“Sorry for all the trouble, Sir Gregor.”

All the commotion had been because her fame had risen so greatly without her knowing about it, so this was really something of an “accident.” But seeing how Latina felt responsible despite this, Gregor broke out in a faintly strained smile.

“When things calm down, feel free to come visit us in the capital. Rose will surely be there as well by then.”

“Right!”

While watching that friendly farewell out of the corner of his eye, Dale put on Hagel’s saddle and then nimbly climbed atop it. As he had grown accustomed to doing, he also checked to make sure their luggage was tightly secured for the flight.

Realizing that even though they hadn’t come to see them off in person, the adventurers were watching from a distance, Latina smiled and waved farewell. Knowing from her personality that she would keep doing that forever if he didn’t move things along, Dale beckoned her over and helped her up into the saddle.

“We’re counting on you, Hagel.”

“Woof,” Hagel responded, jokingly mimicking Vint. Before any groans could be voiced, Hagel spread his wings and took off into the sky with a thunderous flap. Thanks to the natural capabilities of his race to soar through the heavens, now strengthened with magic, his massive frame was lifted up into the sky far more easily than one would expect. With a few flaps he reached a great height, and just a moment later, Vint joined him.

Latina leaned out so she could see the people below them, now resembling ants, and Dale held onto her tightly so that she wouldn’t fall. He seemed to have a firm grasp on her, but he still couldn’t help but worry that she might slip loose somehow.

The mythical beasts known as soaring wolves flew by “running” through the sky, but Dale got the impression that the flight had grown much smoother with Latina along. He thought to himself that perhaps Hagel had been worried about her, too.

Afterwards, they made a swift journey back to Kreuz through the day and night without needing to stop and camp, just as planned. There were hardly any obstacles to worry about in the sky, and they were equipped with a “radar” in the form of their ability to pick up scents, so they were able to keep moving even at night. That was a big difference between them and flying dragons, which didn’t possess night vision.

In addition to when they descended for a rest, Latina also occasionally nodded off atop Hagel’s back. Again showing off how good he was at improvising, Vint also occasionally took a rest between the saddle where they were sitting and Hagel’s head.

Even from up in the air, they were able to easily locate their destination.

The walls surrounding the town took the shape of a cross, which was the origin of its name. When she saw the brilliant rows of red rooftops making up the townscape, a joyful look crossed Latina’s face, looking almost like it was sparkling.

When the guard corps that protected Kreuz realized the identity of that shape high in the sky, they shifted from a defensive posture to a different one. After all, every guard in this town was plenty familiar with the mythical beast that looked like a gray-furred wolf with wings.

In a way, one could say that they had resumed preparations for battle, as they were well aware of the commotion that would soon occur.

Latina felt joy welling up from being able to walk through this beloved town with her own two feet. More than anything else, she felt glad that she hadn’t ended up losing it. Seeing it unchanged made her feel happier above all else. Without any hesitation, she headed straight towards the shop that was her destination. At the entrance, there was an ironwork sign with a strange ocelot shape to it, and a green flag with the design of a flying horse standing on the ground. It was the shop known as the Dancing Ocelot, which served as both a bar and an inn.

Dale and Latina passed through the door side-by-side. The two were overwhelmed by emotions, and in choked voices—

Before they could say “we’re home,” they both ended up getting chewed out.

Bringing a full-grown mythical beast like Hagel into town was no good, sure enough.

As an aside, it was normally the job of the gatekeepers of Kreuz to make sure no dangerous animals made it into town. Accordingly, that meant that the southern gatekeeper had abandoned his duty by letting a large carnivorous mythical beast pass right on by, but...

“Faced with the insane force of two mythical beasts and that former doting idiot, the most frightening hero in the world, what was I supposed to do?” the man himself asserted, and no one could really blame him.

Dale and Latina were forced to sit penitently on the floor of the Ocelot, while Rita stood before them with her beautiful eyebrows raised in displeasure, her hands on her hips, and her chest thrust forward.

“Really, just how much of a mess are you?” she said, her tone as exasperated and disparaging as always.

Since the Dancing Ocelot was the place where information had gathered, Rita was naturally aware that Latina was the sister of the ruler of Vassilios, and that Dale had been made into a national hero. Even so, the way she dealt with them hadn’t changed in the least. It showed that, rather than the sort of people worthy of such grand titles, she intended to treat them as just Dale and Latina.

When Dale had left this place behind, Rita had told him, “Come on back. We’ll be waiting for you.” Dale thought that she was the only one who could say those words.

And so, the words came forth from Dale so readily that he even surprised himself.

“Rita.” “What is it?” “I’m sorry.”

It was exceptionally rare for Dale to earnestly say such a thing to Rita. After Rita got over being so dumbfounded, she made a face like she was more embarrassed for having to hear it.

“Thanks... We’re home.”

“You... made it back, so it’s fine... Welcome home.”

Dale said nothing about how Rita’s words came out so broken up, instead simply smiling. It wasn’t out of ill-will or embarrassment, instead coming from the earnest feelings in the depths of his heart.

“And Latina, I’m always telling you not to go disappearing off on your own, right?” Rita said to Latina, like how she scolded the girl back when she was a child.

She didn’t speak a word of how rough it had been, and spoke as if that long span of absence had never even happened. Rita continued, as if it was only completely natural, “When you’re heading out, you need to tell us where you’re going. You promised, right? We worry when you don’t, you know...”

“Right... I’m sorry, Rita.”

Unlike Dale, Latina couldn’t bring herself to smile. The tears streamed from her eyes, and her shoulders trembled. Even so, she pointed her tear- stained faced at Rita, and somehow managed to force a smile.

“I’m back. I’m sorry, for being gone so long.” “Welcome home, Latina.”

It was precisely because there was someone here to say “welcome home” that she had been able to say “I’m back.”

The two of them had finally returned to the place where they belonged.

“Sis!” Theo yelled out and ran up to Latina, Kenneth having held him back until Rita’s scolding was finished. He openly didn’t even so much as look at Dale, but it actually felt rather refreshing.

When Latina saw how much bigger Theo had grown and realized all the time she had missed out on spending together with him, the tears flew even more heavily.

“You’re a real crybaby, aren’t you Sis?” Theo said with a laugh and a troubled-looking expression while Latina hugged him tight. He then happily buried his face into Latina’s soft, nice-smelling chest, which Dale was always complimenting.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Theo...!”

“That’s not what you should be saying, right?” “...I’m back, Theo.”

“Welcome home, Sis.”

Being told such a thing by her “little brother,” there was no way that Latina could stop the tears from flowing. Almost clinging to Theo, Latina started all-out sobbing. Theo’s little hand stroked Latina’s head as if to comfort her, and there was no hint of despair about her weeping.

Caught up in all of that emotion, Rita started crying too, and at some point Kenneth showed up at her side. So that the strong-willed Rita wouldn’t have to let the people around her see her sobbing, Kenneth lent her his chest.

Their tiny toddler at Kenneth’s feet looked at her crying mother and

Latina with a bewildered look on her face.

“...Having kids around really makes it stand out, how much time has passed,” Dale said.

“That’s for sure,” Kenneth replied with a peaceful smile, scooping up his tottering daughter with one hand. That girl with the same colored hair as her father had just been a baby who could hardly speak when Dale departed on his journey.

“Well, you got it done, so it’s fine, right?” said Kenneth, at least giving his “little bro” a passing mark.

“...I’m back,” Dale replied, his mouth shifting into a smile.

“Right. Glad to have you back safely.”

Latina looked up, noticing the voices of the two men. Seeing Kenneth there, she desperately wrung out in a still tearful voice, “I’m back.”

“Yeah. The work has been piling up, so I can still count on you to help out, right? ...Welcome home, Latina.”

Watching her father do similarly, the young Emma tried to mimic her parents and brother, saying, “Welkom hoom?” “I’m back, Emma.”

Latina’s heart was full of joy that she had finally returned to this warm, precious place, glad that she had managed to make it back without losing anyone here.

Without needing to make it public, the news that Latina and Dale had returned spread where it needed to throughout Kreuz. It was thanks to a certain organization in town that such things became more precise in an emergency situation, a civilian non-profit one that was growing at an ominous rate. If they had just disseminated the information, then a group who wanted to catch a glance of the savior of the nation, the Platinum Hero, would gather around. However, not a single such onlooker appeared. It would seem that the information was spread while intentionally avoiding use of the term “Platinum Hero.” At any rate, Dale’s usual trademark was his black magical beast leather coat. His own hair was black with a mix of light brown, and his eyes were also black, making for a rather plain color about him. From the look of him, nothing fit a dazzling word like “platinum.”

For those who knew the truth, however, the name “Platinum Hero” gave a different impression than it did to society at large. It was known all throughout this town that this wasn’t a nickname that came from the platinum armor he wore, but rather came from the way that he only worked for the sake of that girl with her platinum hair, making it rather unfortunate.

And though it was not as significant of a matter, but currently in the backyard of the Ocelot, the number of pups Theo was playing with had grown to two. Those were assuredly simply dogs, not mythical beasts. In fact, the “dog” himself said, “If it is customary that I be treated as a ‘dog,’ then I suppose there is no helping the matter,” so that was what he was.

It was a ridiculous enough idea as to make all the adults avert their eyes, but in the face of the assertion “no matter what anyone says, I am a dog,” they were forced to accept it.

The first one to come running to the Ocelot, before even any of the regulars, was Chloe. She must have abandoned her work in the middle of it, as there were still numerous marking pins stuck in the hem of the everyday dress she wore. For some reason, the now out of breath Chloe was holding a large cushion.

“Chloe...”

“...You...!” Chloe started, swinging the cushion she was holding as soon as she saw Latina, who had moved to greet her best friend. “...big dummy, Latina!” The cushion came down on Latina’s head with a thwack.

“Gah!”

A stream of blows from the cushion rained down upon her with a thwack, thwack. Apparently Chloe had brought along the cushion to serve as a “weapon.”

“You really, really are a dummy! You kept all your worries to yourself again, and then went running off!” “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry, Chloe!”

“I told you so many times, that you need to think about the people who worry about you, too!”

The time between cushion blows lessened, turning from a thwack, thwack into a thwackthwackthwack.

“You dummy! There’s no point in reflecting on what you’ve done if you’re just going to do it again! You really are a dummy!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

Even so, Latina didn’t try to flee from Chloe’s assault. She simply kept taking her friend’s blows while covering her head. “Dummy!”

“Gyah!” Latina couldn’t help but yell out in surprise, as Chloe put all of her strength into that final blow from the cushion. But immediately afterwards, she found herself being hugged tight by the girl.

She couldn’t see her face, but even so, Latina could see her friend’s shoulders trembling, though her vision had once more grown blurry with tears.

“Latina, you dummy...” “I’m sorry, Chloe...”

There were people who worried about her. If she said how happy that made her, though, her friend would just get angry at her again, telling her she didn’t need to say anything so obvious. And so, Latina instead said nothing, and kept on hugging her best friend.

They stayed that way, until Chloe finally stopped crying.

“I’m back, Chloe.”

“...Welcome home. You really were late in coming back, you dummy...!” she said in a hoarse voice. Though her words were disparaging, they had a ring of kindness to them.

So many customers descended upon the Dancing Ocelot that day that calling it a “full house” wouldn’t even begin to cover it. It was the return of that adorable waitress they’d all been waiting for, after all, and none of them were selfless enough to say they’d be satisfied with just catching a glimpse of her. Seeing her so happy precisely because she was busy working brought them joy. And so, it was only obvious that things would turn out like this.

“It won’t be possible to manage the bills and orders with things like this.” “It’s fine. We’ll be having Dale cover everything for today, after all.”

“I see. Then I guess it’ll be alright.”

“You guys are as cruel to me as always, I see.”

Through that conversation between the owners of the Ocelot, Dale was briefly and rather informally determined to be sponsoring everything for the day, causing him to look back at them in exasperation.

“You’re sure to get two or three rewards from the country at least, right?”

“Still, for you guys to decide that without even asking me...” Dale started to complain.

“Kenneth, Rita, I’ll pay for everyone today, to repay everyone for all the worry I caused.”

“There’s no reason for you to be paying, Latina!” Dale said, quickly withdrawing his complaint after Latina interjected.

Dale wasn’t actually annoyed by having to do it. Dale’s funds, which he had earned by toiling away and being unable to be all lovey-dovey with

Latina, wouldn’t take much of a hit by reserving a bar in the rougher part of town for the night.

It seemed like it would get quite busy, so Latina rolled up her sleeves and started briskly working away as the kitchen got into full swing. She put up her hair so it wouldn’t get in the way, and she put an apron on over her dress, changing into her “battle gear.” The day’s menu was made of dishes that could be prepared in large quantities without needing much preparation.

Kenneth handed off finished dishes one after another to Latina, who diligently carried them out with both hands. It was difficult to move about inside the shop, now that it was packed with customers. Even so, Latina displayed no concern as she carried plates with large stacks of food with perfect balance and laid them out on an empty table.

“Little lady, we need some snacks over here too!”

“Right! Just a minute!” she replied in a bright voice, casually grabbing and piling up some empty plates that she saw out of the corner of her eye. When Latina turned around to return to the kitchen, the customers around her made way.

“Latina!” “Little lady.”

Voices called out to her from all around. Every time she heard her name she smiled with joy from the depths of her heart, and turned to give a lively response of, “Right! I’ll be right there!”

Of course it wasn’t as of they didn’t want to ask about her long absence.

But even so, for now, they instead just reflected on the fact that this girl with her brilliant smile had returned.

“Latina, the next round of snacks are done!” Kenneth called out from the kitchen, a ring of enjoyment in his voice, too.

“Right!”

Latina hurried back to the kitchen with light footsteps, left the now empty plates in the sink, and grabbed the freshly completed food. Seeing Latina like that, Kenneth reflexively averted his gaze.

This was the first time since the shop opened that it had been this busy. However, it wasn’t at all distressing. And furthermore, he couldn’t let that girl who was so happily working away see him, the owner, looking so pathetic. It had been quite some time since he’d been filled with such sentiments.

At the storefront counter, Rita was focused entirely on pouring alcohol.

They had brought out several casks for people to drink from as they pleased, but that apparently that alone wasn’t enough to satisfy such heavy drinkers. While tallying up their inventory and the cost in her head, she went to get some more from the back.

“Latina! Sorry, but could you help me bring out a fresh cask?!” “Right, got it!”

They had a replacement cask out before any of the drunkards could even think to complain. It was too heavy for Rita to move, but Latina was able to use magic to make it a trivial task to bring it into the shop.

“Thanks, Latina.”

“No problem!” Latina replied with a dazzling smile. A gentle grin crossed Rita’s face too in response.

Dale saw this exchange. Everyone wore kind expressions and smiled, with Latina at the center of it all. Just as he had found to be the case for him in the past, just by being around, she had the power to cause those around her to break out in comforted smiles.

And Latina looked happy at the center of them all, too.

Well, that’s all I could ask for, Dale thought to himself, then drank down the rest of the contents of his mug.

“Dale!” Latina called out, running to Dale when she was open for just a moment.

“Are you alright? Don’t push yourself.”

“I’m fine. I’m busy, but I’m having a lot of fun.”

When Latina brushed her hair back, the bracelet commemorating their engagement that she wore on her wrist gave off a gleam.

Dale gave a smile and delivered a kiss upon the cheek of that girl he loved more than anyone else in the world. He would not have been able to stop himself if he hadn’t settled for just her cheek, so he restrained himself for now.

“Hmm?” What is it?”

The reason Dale tilted his head then was because a troubadour had pulled out his tool of the trade, despite that normally being taboo in this shop. The people around simply watched, rather than reproaching him.

What he soon started playing was the newest of the epic sagas.

“That’s in bad taste...”

In contrast to Dale’s thoroughly wrinkled brows, Latina looked like she didn’t quite understand. It was the sort of epic that could occur anywhere, with a hero striking down the countless obstacles in his way, including the wicked demon lords themselves, in order to get back the fairy princess, his lover who had been stolen away. It was the sort of thing that it was fine to just ignore, not thinking on it deeply.

While struggling against the urge to flip over the tables around him, Dale somehow managed to hide what he was thinking inside.

“Still, I guess it’s alright.” “Hmm?”

Latina tilted her head, only for Dale to embrace her in a hug and smile.

“Tales like this generally end in ‘and they lived happily ever after’.” “It’s nice when a story has a happy ending, isn’t it?” Latina responded with a smile, even though she didn’t understand all that well. “Yeah.”

The epic saga approached its climax, and the hero reunited with his beloved princess. If a continuation to this song was made one day, it’d surely be a happy story.

“And we have to make sure we really are happy after that ‘happily ever after’...” Dale whispered.

“I’m always happy when I’m with you, Dale,” Latina replied, looking just a little embarrassed.

“Well then, we’ll just have to stay together forever.” “Yeah.”

“And then, the kind-hearted fairy princess lived happily together with her beloved hero.”

When the epic saga ended on that note, the pair shared joyous smiles, and locked their lips together as if sealing a vow.

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