“Our country’s Spring summoned us together to rescue Autumn after her kidnapping. We made no contract. It was all out of goodwill.”
It was the Agent of Winter, Rosei Kantsubaki.
Naturally, Kikka and the rest were taken aback. Rosei hadn’t spoken a word of Centrish on their way there. His retainer Itecho took over whenever any response in Centrish was needed.
They all assumed Rosei was not good at the language.
Considering how he had spoken just now, not only did he have no trouble with casual conversation, but he could even communicate on a business level. As he received everyone’s gazes, he turned to his Guard next to him.
“Did I say that right, Itecho?”
“Perfectly. Mr. Kikka, if there’s anything else to add, please do so. This isn’t idle conversation.”
Rindo was equally surprised.
So the translation gadget was just for reviewing the language?
Neither lord nor retainer of Winter used Centrish in their daily lives, and language was a skill that got rusty without regular use. Rosei had only gotten the device to refresh his studies.
It was common for learners of foreign languages to carry flash cards or language apps with them.
“Wh-why didn’t you speak Centrish up to now?!” Ruri asked the question on everyone’s minds.
Raicho and Nadeshiko nodded together.
“Shut up, Little Hazakura.”
“B-but! Why?! Whyyy?!”
“My retainer can take care of it,” Rosei said. “I’m only letting him do his job. I just felt I needed to speak this time. Winter is the forefather of the Four Seasons, and it’s Winter’s job to take the lead in diplomatic matters. They made me learn it when I was a kid. And my Guard obviously had to as well, since he was my teacher. That’s all.”
“…But I can’t speak it.”
“Don’t worry. I know enough for the both of us.” Rosei said this out of kindness. Ruri shrugged awkwardly.
Winter was the forefather of the seasons, which meant they had the largest budget. Hence, they were the face of the Four Seasons whenever they needed representation. These privileges entailed additional responsibilities.
This was why Rosei and Itecho told Autumn that this was supposed to be their job in the first place.
They also assured Autumn they were glad they had let Winter offer their assistance.
“Lord Liam, Mr. Jude, if you have any other questions, allow me to answer them.”
Yamato’s Winter was not all talk.
Nadeshiko was taken aback, but Rindo sent her a glance that let her know Rosei should take the lead.
“We hear you are under the full supervision of your Four Seasons Agency and Towns of the Four Seasons. Liam wants to know if you suffered any backlash from the powers that be for acting on your own accord.”
Jude had no reservations with Rosei’s offer.
“There was, but I shut them down.”
“What do you mean?”
“I visited all four Towns and got permission from their Townchiefs. I made them each sign a document, which I have brought in this case.”
“That must have been a lot of work…”
“It was, but it was faster than I would’ve expected once I told them I’d kill them if they said no.”
“…”
Jude had no reply to that.
He wasn’t sure if Yamato’s Winter was exaggerating, but Rosei simply stated the facts.
Ten years after the kidnapping of Yamato’s Agent of Spring, in Reimei 20, Spring returned, and then Autumn was kidnapped. Spring called for help rescuing Autumn. The specific sequence of events moved hearts, but the Townchiefs should have cooperated from the beginning if they had any shred of humanity.
They lost to Rosei’s pressure, that was for sure.
Anybody would capitulate when an aggressive man nicknamed the Insurgent Hunter barged in to negotiate and dropped the temperature in the room.
It was obvious to everyone that he was no longer the young Agent of Winter who could be controlled.
The young man before them had been raised in hatred; his icy fangs were always ready to snap at the adults who did not help him that day.
All the Yamatoans present, save for Itecho, looked at Rosei with surprise.
“You…really threatened the higher-ups?”
While Yamato’s surprise was accompanied by sighs, Kyokoku’s was accompanied by fear.
The expression on Liam’s face changed. He leaned forward to listen with interest.
“Yes. I was perfectly obedient before then, but I’ve found my resolve. When I was a boy, I thought the Townchiefs were almighty…”
Rosei paused for a second before continuing with a smile of self-deprecation.
“But now I know they’re really not.”
Little Rosei Kantsubaki had had much to say to the adults, but they never listened, even after years had passed.
The tenth year without Spring came, and when his first love and friend reappeared out of nowhere, Rosei lost it.
“Once I faced them, I realized how wrong I was. The higher-ups are just human, too. You have to be wary of their authority, yes, but they’re just as fragile as any other living being.”
He would do anything, no matter what it took, to regain the girls’ trust.
The boy became a man. The deep scars he’d received as the God of Winter had given him power in equal measure.
Rosei held out his hand. A whirlwind of snowflakes blew on the palm of his hand and took on the shape of ice.
“And I’m a powerful living god.”
He set down a sheathed sword.
A beautiful ice blade—a dangerous item to place on the dining table.
What did this mean, though?
The man who created flowers for the Goddess of Spring was creating a sword here.
An unsheathed blade could have been taken as a show of animosity toward Kyokoku, but that was not the case.
“If Autumn wants to speak their mind, they should display their might as a god, too.”
Rosei meant to say they were this sword.
It could harm another, or protect them. That depended on who was using it.
Then Rosei moved his gaze from Jude to Liam.
“It seems your Autumn doesn’t want to speak, so should we wrap things up? I still don’t know why you called Nadeshiko here, but I don’t want her to keep going through such a long dinner.”
Rosei’s tone was as cold as ever, and he seemed to be testing them.
“…”
Liam pursed his lips and remained quiet.
Jude gave him an encouraging pat on the back, and the boy made up his mind and opened his mouth.
Liam’s young voice echoed through the room.
“I want to talk about why we invited you.”
Everyone waited with bated breath for him to continue.
“Lady Autumn of Yamato.”
His next words hit Nadeshiko like a bullet.
“May I court you with the intention of marriage?”
All present who understood Centrish felt their jaws drop to the floor, while those who didn’t cocked their heads.
“The hell?”
Yamato’s Guard of Spring cursed.