“I didn’t think you were you so dedicated. I’ve gone abroad for work quite a bit, but that’s much different than studying abroad,” said Arata, the noble son of a trading company. “Did you know about this, Commander Kudou?”
“Yeah. He snapped at me right after he got back.”
“Gaaah! Commaaaaander, I told you before to forget about all that, didn’t I?!” Godou shouted.
“I don’t care.”
That took him back. Yet at the same time, it made his chest throb with pain.
Back then, Godou had been so on edge, it had seemed like he’d cut down anyone with the slightest touch. He’d condemned Kiyoka and had planned to get his revenge. To make Kiyoka feel the pain he’d felt. In those days, that had been his sole motivation in honing his own skills.
Godou was a completely different man today. Still, none of what he’d learned had ended up going to waste, and he was a far stronger now than he had been in the past, so everything had worked out.
Regardless, Godou himself appeared to consider everything that had happened back then an embarrassing memory.
“Wow, snapping at Kudou? Aren’t you bold?”
“Forget it! Forget he said anything!”
Godou shouted at Kazushi’s smirk. Unfortunately for him, it was already too late.
“Still, that’s another surprise. Right now, you come across as Commander Kudou’s loyal dog…ahem, loyal subordinate.”
“Hold on, did you just call me his loyal dog?!”
Arata’s doubt was understandable.
Back when Kiyoka was still young and hadn’t taken over as commander yet, Godou had come back from abroad with experience and knowledge far outstripping those of the other recruits. After training nonstop until bloodied, Godou had challenged Kiyoka, using his confidence, his desire for revenge, and his hatred of the man as motivation.
Given the circumstances, Kiyoka didn’t take it personally and brushed Godou off, and their relationship ultimately developed into what it was now. It was nothing short of a marvel.
“…Weeeell, all that was me being young and foolish. I was cocky, so I figured the Gift-users throwing their weight around in the Empire were just big fish in a small pond to the outside world. Acting all important even when they didn’t have the skills to back it up. I was blind to what was around me.”
Godou evasively added that there were also some personal circumstances at play. Kiyoka agreed that it certainly wasn’t something to bring up over drinks like this.
The story of the sin Kiyoka could never fully atone for.
“Young and foolish, hmmm?”
“C’mon, that’s enough about me, right? It’s your turn to talk about something, Tatsuishi.”
“I don’t really have much to say, though… Ah! How about we talk about our preferences in women?”
Kiyoka sighed at the next hackneyed topic. Wasn’t this supposed to be a team-building get-together? It was just devolving into who could say the silliest nonsense next.
As they chatted, they each ordered more drinks and food.
They all had drunk a fair amount of alcohol by this point, and the initial atmosphere was gone, the conversation growing surprisingly heated.
“Y’know, Commander, it’s just not fair!”
“What isn’t?”
“I wanna get married, too! I want a cute wife of my own!”
“I still prefer being alone, I think.”
“Well, I’ve definitely considered it before.”
Arata peeked over at Kiyoka.
…All of them, just saying whatever they damn please.
Glaring sidelong at Arata’s belligerent smile, Kiyoka quickly returned his sake cup to the table.
Kiyoka had never thought marriage was that great to begin with.
He needed to get married to produce an heir—he understood that much. But if a husband and wife weren’t very compatible, the results would be disastrous. Ultimately, it would turn into a truly obligatory relationship.
According to what he had heard, there were apparently services that would introduce marriage partners to one another. It sounded like a lot of men went to these places. They would tack on a never-ending stream of requirements for their partner, insisting she be young, good-looking, tactful, previously unmarried, good at cooking…
It was absolute foolishness.
Hang on.
As these thoughts ran through Kiyoka’s mind, he suddenly thought of his own fiancée, likely waiting back home for his return.
“You’re engaged to Miyo, right, Kudou? I’ve known her for a long time, and I always thought she’d be a real beauty in the future,” Arata said.
Kiyoka couldn’t have agreed more.
She was still far too scrawny, so some people may have thought she looked weak and poor, but as far as he was concerned, Miyo was gorgeous.
“She’s my cousin, so it’s only natural, really. Miyo’s best point has to be her personality, though. She’s kind and considerate…but when push comes to shove, she works up the courage to do what she needs to do. Truly wonderful, wouldn’t you say?”
Kiyoka was in complete agreement on this point, too.
Due to the environment in which she had been raised, Miyo was bad at bringing her own thoughts and feelings to the surface. On top of that, her thoughts tended to go in the worst possible direction.
However, it was safe to say that if she could get past that, she would have everything going for her; she was smart, kind, and gentle, and she calmed Kiyoka just by being at his side.
She’s a hard worker, too.
So much so, she occasionally pushed herself too hard and made him worry.
In response to Arata’s incomprehensible boasting and overly proud smirk, Godou exaggeratedly raised his hand.
“Okay, my turn!”
His gesture sent some of the drinks spilling on the table.
“The best thing about Miyo is how good she is at cooking!”
Kiyoka didn’t particularly enjoy hearing other men talk about his fiancée like this, but he couldn’t disagree with what Godou had said.
He silently nodded in agreement.
Miyo’s homemade cooking was very tasty. She had always been skilled, but she was rapidly improving because she had been learning from Yurie lately, increasing the number of dishes in her repertoire even further.
The soy sauce-simmered tsukudani and sesame sauce salad in his lunch that day had been delicious.
While he may have simply been viewing his fiancée in a favorable light, he even felt that Miyo’s simmered side dishes tasted better than the pub’s food he had just eaten.
“Maaan, you’re so lucky, Commander. A fiancée who’s young, beautiful, kind, and a good cook…”
Godou was absolutely right, and Kiyoka wouldn’t deny it.