「Hmm? Oh? There’s a typo here. This part is miscalculated… The name on this document is unfamiliar, so it must be a newcomer. Life is about repeating mistakes and suffering the consequences. Therefore, rewrite it.」
Humming casually, my boss tossed the document into the 『Return Box』 without hesitation.
Krea, Pal, and Mil watched him from behind their desks, which they had pushed against the wall, peeking out with only their faces visible.
When Krea arrived at work that morning, she saw Argusta already working and was terrified by his demeanor, so she called the twins.
The man who had looked like he was surely going to die until yesterday was in an unusually good mood after just one night. Honestly, it was scary to watch.
「Is Noie-sama safely at work today?」
「Pal. I think that question is disrespectful.」
「No. I mean, what was the result of that little thing leading to this and then that?」
「Don’t answer a question with another question.」
The twins were exchanging unsettling remarks, but Krea, who had seen the Dragonslayer walking through the city with incredibly light steps that morning, was confident that this wasn’t some dramatic twist from a story about a recent murder case.
So why was her boss, Argusta, in such a good mood?
「…Could it be that the annulment with Noie-sama has been decided?」
The twins’ eyes widened at Krea’s words, which were even more disrespectful than their own.
But instead of denying it, they somehow found themselves agreeing. His mood was that good.
「If Argusta-sama were to annul his marriage with Noie-sama, what would happen?」
Pal asked her 『sister』 Mil in a panic.
「Um… If those two annulled their marriage, people from other countries targeting Noie-sama would probably all come at once?」
Mil, dressed like a young knight, spoke, and her older sister added to her words.
「Even if they didn’t do something so blatant… the disappointment of the citizens would be immeasurable.」
Either way, it would be a huge problem. If things went wrong, the citizens might even riot.
The stubborn nobles despised Noie, the Dragonslayer, but her popularity among the citizens was immeasurable. It might even be higher than that of the current King.
That was precisely why she had married a prince.
「What are you three idiots playing at?」
Thwack, thwack, thwack. They were hit on the head with a rolled-up paper tube, and the three girls hurriedly emerged from behind their desks.
They had been so engrossed in their conversation that they hadn’t noticed his approach at all.
Argusta looked at the girls with an exasperated expression, tapping his shoulder with the paper tube.
「Didn’t you know? I can’t divorce Noie until I die.」
「Is that so?」
「Yes. And I have no intention of separating, either.」
「……」
The girls gave him truly ambiguous looks, so Argusta raised the tube in his hand.
Instead of hitting them with the tube, he rained down words on the girls, who quickly covered their heads.
「The problem isn’t solved yet, but for now, the fight is over. That’s all.」
「…Is that true?」
Since she was a direct subordinate, it had become Krea’s role to respond.
Although the main reason was that the twins, who had slipped behind her, were cooperating to make her the sacrificial lamb.
「It’s true. Well, from now on, I have to think about how to deal with the reason for that fight… or whatever you want to call it.」
Unable to stop the sighs overflowing from him, he continued to exhale them as he returned to his seat, looking exhausted.
「So… you two over there. I’ll report to our idiot aniki that you were slacking off here.」
「「No way～! 」」
「And Krea, who said something terrible to her superior, will have no cake breaks for ten days as punishment.」
「Just tell me to die!」
Chuckling, Argusta turned his gaze to the three of them.
「It’s bad to pry into other people’s misfortunes.」
Knock, knock.
「Argusta-sama. I bought the cakes you asked for… What’s wrong, Krea? Why are you looking at me with such scary eyes?」
「Shut up and be quiet, you idiot!」
Inel, shouted at without understanding why, stood flustered while holding the cakes.
-0-
「It won’t stop, will it?」
「No, it won’t.」
Lutte watched Noie through her blessing, while Frea watched her through the rising dust… each using their own method.
The Captain, who had arrived with incredibly light steps in the morning, had caught the little Vice-Captain, who was snacking and trying to escape… and simply spun her around overhead before throwing her far away.
When asked why, since that was surely too harsh, she gave the terrifying answer, 『Because I wanted to.』.
And once she started moving, she didn’t stop.
She would appear before the dragons who were active during the cool hours and exterminate them all.
Sensing the danger from her menacing aura, the dragons would try to flee, but she would catch up, overtake them, and drive them away.
After a lunch break, the same thing happened in the afternoon.
If she found a dragon resting in the shade, she would attack… She was so relentless today that one almost felt sorry for them, creatures that posed a threat to humans.
「What do you think is happening?」
「…Either the fight has reached a point of no return, or…」
Frea smiled softly as she answered.
Unlike her past self, she was now with someone kind who had resolved to face any hardship.
That was why she somehow understood.
「Something good must have happened, right?」
「Something good?」
Frea lightly tapped Lutte’s chest in response to her question and began walking toward the building.
The unit that had gone to retrieve Mische had… mistakenly returned carrying a large catfish instead of their luggage.
If they cooked it, the smell would probably bring that idiot back.
「Since we have it, shall we grill it whole?」
Chuckling, Frea let out a sigh in her heart.
Wondering if she too could have been happy… if she had been as strong as Noie.
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