Leaving Demon Island behind, Claira, Ursula, Kagari, and I continued through the night on the Empire’s Highway, making our way out of the Adoastera Empire.

Even after entering the territory of the Canaria Kingdom, we spared little time for rest, aiming for Ishka. We arrived at our home early in the morning, before dawn had even broken.

The reason for our haste was simple: the sooner we returned, the sooner we could begin addressing the relocation issue.

Additionally, I was concerned about the possibility of any incidents befalling those who had been guarding the home during my two-month absence in Ishka.

Fortunately, my concerns were unfounded. Ciel, Suzume, Priestess Sarah, and the three little ones were all in good health.

Two days prior, Miroslav and Lunamaria, along with Wisteria, had headed to Titis Forest to dedicate themselves to subduing magical beasts.

Hearing this, I decided it was a good opportunity to take Kagari with me to visit them. Titis Forest was the prime candidate for the Kijin’s relocation. I needed Kagari to see the place for himself and judge whether the forest was suitable for the Kijin’s new home.

If Kagari approved, we would begin negotiations with the Canaria Kingdom. If he disapproved, we would have to search for a new relocation site.

Honestly, we had no alternative location in mind, so I was hoping for Kagari’s approval. Despite the dangers of Titis Forest, I believed it to be far safer than the demon realm.

With these thoughts in mind, I began preparing for a morning bath. I wanted to freshen up before heading to Titis Forest.

I intended to let the two female warriors bathe first, but both insisted that it was unthinkable for them to precede “Lord Sora” in taking the first bath. So, I resigned myself to being the first to bathe, with Kagari joining me. The prince from the central mountains showed great interest in the cypress bath, a novelty to him.

“Is a large wooden tub filled with water considered a common luxury here?” Kagari asked, using the scrubbing cloth I had handed him to wash himself.

As I scrubbed my own body with the same cloth, I replied, “It’s considered a luxury even here. This bath exists simply because it’s a personal preference of mine.”

“A personal preference, huh? Azuma and Dooga would probably like this kind of thing,” Kagari mentioned, referring to his brothers not present with us, as he picked up the bath bucket to scoop some water from the bath.

Then, with a shout of joy, he poured the water over his head.

“Ah! This could definitely become a habit! I’d make one in the western capital—no, that’s impossible. If we used water like this in the demon realm, Hakuro would probably split my head open for wasting such precious water,” he said, laughing and enjoying the bath.

Kagari laughed heartily at his own words.

After soaking in the bath before me, Kagari continued to express his amazement and laughed like a child for a while.

Then, as if remembering something, he looked at me and asked,

“By the way, about Suzume, who is a fellow clan member, what is your relationship with her?”

“Relationship?”

I was puzzled by the sudden question. Before entering the bath, I had encountered Suzume, and like Ciel, she had greeted me with “Welcome back,” then blushed and avoided eye contact with me.

Reflecting on my action of patting Ciel’s head and deciding not to repeat such behavior with Suzume, it seemed my efforts were in vain.

Kagari and Suzume had been introduced to each other but had barely spoken, only exchanging names.

Wondering why Kagari was interested in my relationship with Suzume, I answered his question, trying to keep it as clear as possible given his unfamiliarity with the term “clan.”

“She’s a member of the organization—a clan—that I founded.”

Understanding that “clan” might not convey the full meaning, I explained it in simpler terms. Kagari nodded thoughtfully and followed up with another question.

“Is that all? You’re not romantically involved?”

“No, there’s nothing like that.”

Suzume is undeniably a cute girl, and I’m sure she’ll grow up to be a beautiful woman. She’s earnest and kind-hearted, and I definitely have a fondness for her.

However, I’ve never whispered words of love or romance to Suzume, nor has she expressed such feelings to me.

The majority of my feelings towards Suzume are protective. She lost her father at three, her mother at six, and has since survived the harsh conditions of Titis Forest. I want nothing more than for her to find happiness.

If Suzume were to fall in love with someone, I would wholeheartedly support her love—though, I would demand certain standards for her partner! At the very least, the person must be strong enough to defeat me, as I would not entrust Suzume to anyone less capable.

Reflecting on this, I suddenly considered a possibility and looked at Kagari.

“Could it be, Kagari, that you’ve fallen for Suzume at first sight?”

If Kagari were the one interested, I wouldn’t exactly oppose it. After all, it’s not my place to interfere with Suzume’s choices, regardless of my protective feelings towards her. Yet, the thought unexpectedly stirred a vague sense of unease within me.

As I wrestled with these feelings internally, Kagari looked at me with a somewhat exasperated expression.

“What are you talking about? Sure, she’s cute, but I wouldn’t entertain thoughts about someone who clearly shows and says she likes you.”

“Huh? Was it that obvious?”

“Absolutely. It’s clear as day. You know, Sora, you might want to get a bit more clued into matters of love and affection.”

“…Yeah.”

Feeling genuinely disheartened to be lectured by Kagari, who seemed more interested in food than romance, he didn’t seem to sympathize but swiftly moved the conversation forward.

“The reason I asked about your relationship with Suzume was to find out if you planned to marry a Kijin. There are still those among the central mountains who doubt you. Marrying across nations and species is a classic strategy for alliance.”

I nodded, understanding his point. It was essentially about political marriage. As the head of the Mitsurugi family, marrying a Kijin would serve as proof that I was different from my predecessors and would help Kagari and others unify our people.

Ideally, marrying a princess from the central mountains would be preferred, but there appears to be no such princess at present. So, Kagari was wondering if Suzume might fulfill such a role.

While I felt somewhat injured by the turn of the conversation, it served as a good opportunity to reflect on my relationships with Ciel and Suzume.

Though I had regained confidence in my swordsmanship by defeating my father, gaining confidence in matters of love proved more challenging. I was aware of Ciel and Suzume’s affections for me, but I couldn’t help questioning, “Why would such wonderful girls be interested in someone like me?”

Especially considering my past, where I had been intimate with several women under the guise of becoming stronger, including Ciel, whom I had been intimately involved with on many nights.

Facing direct affection from Ciel made me feel especially conflicted.

However, I knew I had to take responsibility for my actions and perhaps it was time to make a decision.

With a sigh, I filled a bath bucket with water, emulating Kagari, and then poured it over my head with force, trying to clear my thoughts.