Edesa Kura was always like that. It discriminated against humans and demi-humans to justify their faith. They claimed demi-humans should be subjugated and that everyone who believed in any gods but their god were infidels who deserved the worst punishment imaginable. It was hard to believe they were human like us.
“By the way…how old are you now?” Marcus abruptly asked.
“Why do you wanna know?” I shot back.
“I was just thinking…you don’t seem to age at all.”
He means my…looks? I didn’t know how to feel about that question. But he’s drunk! He’s not that curious, surely…
“Well, I’m thirty-three years old! You gotta problem with that, buddy?!”
“O-Oh…uh, n-no, never said anything’s wrong with that.”
Now I was starting to get angry. When you get to my age, everyone starts mentioning marriage. Is Marcus going to do that, too?
Why do women get pestered with that question all the time when men don’t? Is it because women can’t have children after a certain age? That must be it…
Can’t they make it so men get pregnant too? Doesn’t it make sense since that means more chances of childbirth? Why won’t evolution make it so?! Maybe I should have Tinaris make a potion that makes men get pregnant too? It’ll be more efficient all around!!!
“…What are you gonna do next?” Marcus asked. “Stay with the knights?”
“Hmmm… Well, lemme think… I could have Jiel replhace me as cap’n and go back to jhust being a…reshearcher…”
I was starting to slur my words. Huh…didn’t think I’d had that much to drink….
So he’s asking about work, not marriage. Huh… Well, I guess we’re both at an age where that’s important.
I felt like now was a good time to start over. Knights out on the frontlines needed to be at peak physical condition. In other words, in their twenties.
Old soldiers had no place there. An old soldier was lacking in stamina. Such unreliability impacted the survival rate of other soldiers. The only place they had on the frontlines was as the rear guard, where they’d throw away their lives to protect the rest of the unit in case something happened. In my case, I just wanted to retire and pass on my duties to someone else…
“Old Elysis is getting along in years, too…” I continued. “So, as a De Marl state alchemist, I think I should focus on my research. I’m sho busy, though! I’ve plenty of research to catch up on. But firsht, we need to finishh this war with Edesa Kura… I don’t want to have to deal with them jerksh ever again…”
“Agreed.”
How long must we fight this damned country?! I spent my entire twenties fighting them! I had to ask myself what would have happened with my life if that earlier war had never been triggered. Would I have stayed married to Rondered? But the more I thought about that, the more I realized he’d only ever married me to advance his career. If that war hadn’t happened, he likely never would’ve even married me to begin with. And even if he had, he would have still cheated on me.
…And I wouldn’t have met Marcus and Dirbleu, either.
I would have probably just married some noble’s son and never become a knight… Well, I’d have probably still pursued alchemy.
“Mmm… What are you gonna do, though?” I asked Marcus.
“Hm?”
“Are you gonna keep talkin’ to politiciansh the rest of your life? That shounds terrible, having to deal with them!” I cackled.
Despite being an unsociable oaf like me, Marcus was traveling all over the world to spread the faith of the Holy Woman and inform the different countries about the Sugula in an attempt to minimize the Camilla’s spread. I was surprised he could do it at all. This was the same man who climbed up to the position of vice-captain of De Marl’s Azure Knights. While vice-captains had enough authority to get involved in De Marl’s politics, Marcus had never been good at diplomacy.
One couldn’t survive in the world of scheming and lies the nobles and politicians occupied unless they’d been educated in it since childhood. It was harrowing; one wrong move in politics was akin to throwing a lantern into a room full of oil.
“Yeah, that’s right. So, if you’re gonna quit the knights anyway… Lico, help me out,” he said, looking straight at me. “S-Shtay by my side and shupport me for as long as I live.”
“Huh?”
Whaaaat?
What did he just say?!
My hand went limp. The glass I was holding fell onto the table, where it shattered.
It sounded like he…
“Eh, ah, M-Marcus… What did you just…?”
“Ah… Er… No, I just…” he stammered.
My face went red as I became flustered.
Did…did he just propose to me?!
Everyone in the dining hall stared at us curiously.
Marcus suddenly scratched his head roughly, hopped to his feet, and exclaimed, “I-It means…exachtly what it shounds like! You can give me your answer whenever, so just…just think about it, all right?! Good night!”
He left and I sat there, speechless.
Exactly what it sounds like… Does this mean…that Marcus…he…?
“Ah, I knew he was into you,” Lysteinn said, joining me at the table with another cup of ale.
“Y-You what?!” I cried.
“You really didn’t notice, did you? Well, it was hard to tell, what with Marcus’ attitude.”
“Wait, since when did you know this?!”
“He’s been acting that way since I first met him,” Lysteinn said, scoffing at my naivete. “I think he’s had a thing for you ever since you were active knights.”
“He what?!”
That’s absurd! It can’t be! We were both married back then!!!
…But what if he felt this way long before that? Before we got married. After all, he became a knight before I graduated school. Then I got engaged to Rondered as soon as I graduated, and we married a year later…
What if Marcus has held this torch since back then… No! That’s not possible! It can’t be…
“Huh. I guess you don’t mind that kind of attention, Lico,” Lysteinn smirked.
“What?!”
“You’re red as a beet. So…you’ll accept? I think that’s a good idea. Marcus’ name is renowned among the knights even now. And I’m sure Uncle won’t object! After all, the alchemist that restored your face is his adopted daughter…”