Personally, I thought anyone who would look down on someone for something so small was in the wrong, but some people were just like that, and trying to change their minds would be a waste of time. That was why we’d decided that I’d talk like this out in public. It might’ve caused some strife between us later if I suddenly acted so casual, but since we had clearly communicated about this, I was probably okay here.
“Yes, I’ve heard,” Nia said. “You all fought bravely. Just what I had expected from the men who volunteered to rise up and protect their homeland. You are all heroes.”
After slowly looking at the militia members that I’d gestured at, Nia gave them a soft smile, one that I would swear was exactly how a saintess was supposed to smile. The militia soldiers all froze when they saw it, as if they’d just been struck by lightning. The Special Battalion knights actually did too. I couldn’t fault them for it: Not even the knights would’ve had someone as beautiful as Nia smile at them before, let alone praise them directly.
“I am so very proud of the way you all fought, and more than anything, of your hearts.”
“M-Madam... No, Lady Saintess...”
When Nia said even more, the militia members barely squeaked out responses, absolutely touched. Some of them dropped to their knees in tears, gripping their hands in front of their chests as if they were praying.
Go Nia. With that, their loyalty to her was cemented, and they’d probably work themselves to the bone for her from now on. It admittedly felt a little wrong to think about them in that way, but I probably had to get used to that sort of thing.
“It’s just as she says, everyone. You’ve done incredible! I am proud of you as well!” I added in.
“C-Commander...”
When I praised them too, the militia all looked over to me. It’d probably be a good idea for me to say something to capture their hearts on my end too. Not really my kinda thing, but...
“Attention!”
My order was sudden, but everyone went quiet. Their reactions really had gotten better. I was proud of them for that too.
“Repeat after me! We won!”
“W-We won!” they said back.
“Again! We won!”
“We won!”
Their first repetition was a bit hesitant, but it looked like their hype won out in the end, because the second time was smooth. This was good. I’d use this to my advantage.
“We won! We protected everyone!” I continued.
“We won! We protected everyone!”
They got even more heated. Was it because saying it again made it feel more real, or had repeating it as a group got them worked up? Maybe it was actually a bit of both. But the one thing I was sure of was that they were pumped, and it was good.
“We did it, dammit!” I shouted.
“We did it, dammit!”
I made the language a bit rougher, but I hope you’ll ignore that. At times like this, swearing made people even more excited. It was just a man thing. Probably.
“We’re the best!”
“We’re the best!”
I got even louder for the last round, and their repetition was completely in sync. Our sense of unity was at an apex. And that felt damn good.
“For our best men, we’ve prepared the best banquet! A banquet to celebrate our triumph! Eat and drink all you want!”
“Whoaaaaaa! Go Commander!”
The volunteer militia, and even the knights with them, got even more hyped, chanting “Commander! Commander!” I was pretty sure that meant I’d grabbed their hearts in a different way from Nia.
“You really did an amazing job, Lord Ark,” Nia praised, giving me an appreciative smile as I watched my men head off to the banquet. And that smile was all for me. Just for me. The fact that something as simple as that was enough to give me a sense of superiority probably meant I was a pretty simple guy. But I was happy with that, so whatever.
“Thank you, Nia. Good work on keeping the town settled and getting the banquet ready. Really, thanks.”
“Hee hee, don’t mention it. It’s nothing to thank me for,” Nia said with a shy smile. Then, she got a little mumbly, and continued. “Of course I would support you from behind. I’m your wife, after all.”
The way she said that so bashfully was so good. I really thought my heart was gonna stop.
But that was true. Nia was my wife. I couldn’t get used to that, no matter how many times I heard it, but it made me happy to hear every single time I did. I was a lucky guy.
“No, please, let me thank you. It’s because you’re here that I can go to the front lines without worries. I’m a lucky beggar.”
“Lord Ark...”
The words just fell out of my mouth. It was a little bit embarrassing, but it was the truth. Nia must have felt that, because her smile became more gentle, more happy.
“If you’re a lucky beggar, so am I. You’re saying everything I always wished someone would say to me.”
I realized something when she said that to me. The citizens of the towns and villages Nia had visited up until now had probably thanked her. But she had never heard such words from the people she really wanted to hear it from. Worse, they never acknowledged that she’d done anything at all. That was why they didn’t know how much she was worth and tried to marry her off as a hostage.
I might’ve been a happier man for it, but I couldn’t be too happy.
“Then I’ll say it a lot more from now on. So much that you’ll be sick of hearing it.”
“Hee hee, I wonder,” Nia said, pinching my sleeve. She didn’t grab it or grip it, just pinched it with the very tips of her fingers. So cute. But the moment I thought that, she hit me with a follow-up shot. “If you’re the one saying it, Lord Ark, I won’t ever get sick of it.”
I thought my heart was really going to stop. How many times had I thought that so far today? Why did now feel even worse for my heart than being on a battlefield? My heart was thumping loudly, and I could feel the blood rising to my cheeks. This was bad.
“Lord Ark?”
Nia seemed to have noticed that I wasn’t saying anything—well, that I couldn’t say anything—and looked up at me as she tilted her head to the side. Cute. Oh no, she was too cute!
At this rate, I’ll never be able to talk again! Spit something out, Ark!
“N-No, nothing. Um, I’m just happy you think that way.”
The only thing I managed to get out of my mouth was something safe and simple like that. But the fact that I’d only managed that was awful! This was bad. I was getting even more worked up.
“Oh my. If it makes you that happy, then I’ll have to say it more and more!”
Nia got another innocent, merciless shot in. Why was she being so forward?! Wait, she probably didn’t even realize!
I was at the height of my panic when I got an unexpected helping hand.
“Commander Ark! His Highness is calling for you! He would like for the viscountess to come as well!”
His Highness was requesting my report. I mean, it wasn’t actually unexpected, or much of a helping hand. But even if I might’ve thought that way, we couldn’t ignore it. And more importantly, his summons had fully popped the little bubble Nia and I were in instantly. Made me a little sad, to be honest.
“A-All right. We’ll be heading there directly!” I responded before turning back to Nia. “I’m sorry, Nia. We need to go speak to His Highness and discuss our next steps.”
“Yes, I understand. There’s also something that only I can do.”
Her demeanor changed in an instant as she schooled her features again. She was really good at that.
But yes, Nia needed to come with me, even though I felt bad about it.
As I swallowed those emotions, the two of us headed for the brigade’s garrison, where His Highness was staying.