Chapter 37 A Girl of no Concern

Rein pushed open doors of the military wing barracks, the muffled buzz of voices and clanking armor greeting him. He barely got three steps inside before he heard—

“There he is!” Mari’s voice boomed through the hall like a firecracker.

Before he could react, the short-statured mage darted up to him, planting her hands on her hips. She leaned in, squinting dramatically, then took a quick sniff of his armor.

“...Aha! Perfume!” Mari jabbed a finger at him, "You’ve been with another woman, haven’t you? How dare you to sneak off and fool around with other woman when you’ve got three perfectly good girls right here already!?”

Selene sighted, dragging a palm over her face.

 “Mari. Do you even hear yourself? He went out for air, not a date.”

“But the smell doesn’t lie! C’mon, Hero-kun. Confess! Who’s the lucky lady?”

Kaia fumbled with her sleeves, cheeks pink.

 “M-Mari, don’t tease him like that… I-I’m sure Rein had his reasons.”

He exhaled through his nose, tired from the day and not in the mood to dance around it.

“You’re half right. I was with someone. Liora. We’re getting married, by king's decision. That’s it. End of story.”

Mari blinked, grin freezing, then sputtered, “...Wait—WHAT? Married? You—Liora—what?!”

Selene’s brows shot up despite her usually serious face.

 “That’s… not a joke, is it?”

Kaia’s lips parted slightly, but she didn’t say anything right away, just stared at him with wide eyes.

“So yeah, it's not some joke, that's the news. Now stop sniffing my clothes, Mari. I’ve had enough questions for one night. Now if you excuse me, I really need to take a nap, this day was probably the longest in my life.”

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving the three girls frozen in the hall. Mari was the first to explode.

 “WHAT the hell was that?! He just says, ‘Oh yeah, I’m marrying Liora, end of story,’ then walks off?!”

Selene leaned against the wall, arms crossed. 

“That’s Rein for you. Drops a mountain on your head, then acts like it’s a pebble. Still… marrying Liora? That complicates things.”

Mari puffed her cheeks, pacing.

 “Complicates? It’s insane! Since when was she even on the table?! I mean, I like Liora, she's the greatest mage in the kingdom, don’t get me wrong. She is my idol! Even I would love to marry her, but seriously—Rein marrying her because the King says so?!”

 “He… didn’t look happy about it,” Kaia said softly, “He only said it because he doesn’t want her to be in trouble with the King, right? That’s what it sounded like…”

 “Yeah, well, I don’t care why. He should’ve said no! This is Rein we’re talking about! He’s supposed to swing that big sword of his at tyrants, not say, ‘Sure, I’ll marry whoever you shove in front of me.’”

“Careful, Mari. You’re talking about the King.”

“Yes, yes, I know Selene, all mighty King. Okay, I'll change the topic. How about this: picture this—Rein. Married.” 

She made a mock serious face, puffing her chest out, and imitated him in a low, gruff voice.

 “Good morning, honey. I’m off to casually split another mountain in half. Don’t wait up, dinner might get delayed by the apocalypse.”

Selene let out a sight, rubbing her temple.

 “Oh Mari…”

But Mari was just warming up. She clasped her hands together and fluttered her eyelashes.

 “And Liora! Can you imagine her waiting at home? ‘Oh, Rein, darling, welcome back. You’ve tracked mud onto my carpet again, I’ll just teleport the entire castle to a clean spot instead.’” 

Kaia tried to hide it, but a small giggle escaped.

 “See? Kaia gets it! This whole thing is so ridiculous, it’s basically comedy. Rein, married? Please. The man can barely finish a meal without spacing out!”

 “You’re impossible.”

“Correction,” Mari said, leaning forward with a grin, “I’m hilarious. And don’t act like you’re not already imagining Liora trying to kiss him while he’s still polishing that sword of his. He’d probably say, ‘Wait, sorry, let me finish sharpening this edge first.’”

Kaia covered her mouth, shoulders trembling with suppressed laughter.

Selene sighed.

 “…You’re going to get us all killed if Rein ever hears you.”

“Then it’s a good thing I’ll hide behind Kaia. Rein would never smite the healer. He needs her.”

Kaia groaned softly, face red now.

Selene let out a long breath. 

“Alright. That’s enough. You're just making a scene. Rein probably exhausted. We will be too if we don’t rest. Enough jokes for tonight.”

 “Pfff! You’re no fun.”

“I’m the reason you’re alive half the time.”

Kaia finally set her hands down, still smiling faintly.

 “Let’s rest. We’ll figure it out in the morning.”

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The days slipped by in quiet repetition. With the Demon Plains sealed under teleportation wards, Rein had little to do but wait. Training at the barracks, sparring with his companions, enduring strategy meetings that circled the same maps — it all blurred together.

And yet, each evening, he found his steps leading back to the inn Mira was working in.

She was always there, bustling between tables, greeting him with her gentle smile. The hours passed in easy stretches of small talk and shared silences. Sometimes he would catch himself listening to the sound of her laughter instead of her words, or noticing the way she leaned against the counter after the crowd thinned.

They never spoke of heavy things — no war, no Demon Lord, no King. Only the present, only what was in front of them. 

By the end of the week, it felt natural, almost necessary, that he would see her again.

One evening Rein lingered longer than usual. When Mira moved to clear the table, he stopped her with a word. He wanted to show her a special place. 

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The week had dragged like stone against Liora’s chest, every day without news of Kael sharpening her anxiety.

She stepped forward, the echo of her boots carrying across the polished floor. Stopping at the base of the throne, she bowed her head low, her hands clasped neatly in front of her.

“Your Majesty, it has been seven days since Commander Kael departed. May I inquire as to his mission’s progress? Has there been word from his escort?”

Arthur leaned back against his throne, fingers tapping idly against the armrest. 

“Ah, my dear Liora, you worry too much. Kael is a seasoned commander — he can handle this simple mission. He’ll return in due time.”

 “Forgive me, but it is unusual for a mission of this scale to take so long without word. Without a report back to me. If you would permit it, I could—”

He raised a hand, cutting her off.

“No... no. You don't have to bother yourself. There is no need for you to involve yourself in such trivial matters. Focus on your duties here. The kingdom’s stability depends on you as much as it does on him. Leave Kael to his task.”

“…As you command, Your Majesty.”

“Oh… that reminds me,” he said, as if the thought had only just occurred to him. 

“I’ve been hearing whispers. A little rumor. Something about a… common girl lingering near Rein. I wonder, Liora… do you know anything about that?”

“Yes. Her name is Mira. A commoner, yes — but nothing more than a passing friend. Rein spends time with her only to distract himself from the weight of war. There is no deeper bond.”

She lowered her head in a polite bow, her tone respectful.

“And I would remind you, Your Majesty, that Rein has already accepted the path you set before us. He agreed to the marriage, as you desired. There will be no obstacles, no interference. This girl is not a concern.”

“Alright, Liora. If you say it is nothing, then I will trust your judgment,” He gave a small wave of his hand, “That will be all. You may leave.”