little strange. They were rather far away from the place where they lived. This wouldn't normally be a situation that called for the phrase I'm home. But for the two of them, it was wholly fitting. Gazing solely at Kaito, the silver-haired bride went on. "At long last, I've returned to my rightful place by your side." Kaito snapped his fingers, saying nothing. His blade flew in from the sky and cleaved at the torso of the King, who had drawn near. After swinging his sword and repelling the blow, the King fell back. Not sparing the interloper a single glance, Kaito spread his arms as wide as they would go. Mustering all his power, the bridegroom smiled wide and responded to his wife with words yet unbefitting the battlefield. "Welcome home, Hina! Come to me!" "Master Kaitoooooooooooooooooooo!" Instantly tossing aside her halberd, Hina took off at a sprint. And so at the center of the battlefield, the two lovers locked themselves in a passionate embrace. Hina was notably taller than Kaito. Leaning in toward his face, she drew him into her bosom. Kaito buried his face in her chest. In the past, he would likely have gone beet red, but now he calmly returned Hina's embrace. Nuzzling Kaito's head over and over again, Hina inhaled deeply. "Ah... Master Kaito's scent... Master Kaito's warmth... Master Kaito, Master Kaito, Master Kaito. My master, my husband, my eternal lover, my heart...my everything. Please let your heart sing, for I have finally returned to you. I'm finally back where I belong." "Hina, I can't tell you how happy I am to see you again. I'm so, so glad. You'll always be there to protect me, won't you?" "Without a doubt. I am your blade and yours alone!" "W-wait. But what are you doing here?" "Madam Elisabeeeeeeeeeeeeth! Mr. Dim-Witted Servaaaaaant! Are you two saaaaaaaaafe?" As if to answer his question, a voice came down from the skies. After hurriedly looking up, Kaito goggled. A steel-blue dragon was hovering in the gray sky. Bearing a fiendish face, it leisurely flapped its gigantic wings. As the Kaiser gazed up at its majestic form, he spoke in a low voice that was somewhere between admiration and exasperation. "A steel dragon? The dragons were supposed to have all fled from the lands humans, demi-humans, and beastfolk inhabit. Where in the world did he find it?" "Oh my, oh my. And it even bears a saddle. How ingenious." Vlad chimed in as well, seemingly amused. Just as he'd said, the steel dragon had a saddle fastened to its back. And of all things, the Butcher was mounted atop it. Furthermore, the hard, metallic scales covering the dragon's back even had a hunk of meat on the boneâ€”perhaps intended to be a stand-in for a shop's insigniaâ€”drawn on them. The Butcher called out as he deftly manipulated the reins. "Ms. Lovely Maid completed her recovery, so I brought her here atop my beloved third dragon!" "Nooooooot that I'm not thankful, Butcher, but just who the hell are youuuuuuuuuu?" "Mm, the mysteries just deepen and deepen." As Kaito shouted back, Elisabeth stroked her chin. It was unclear if he was able to hear them or not, but the Butcher flashed them a thumbs-up. It hardly made for much of an answer. Then he gave them a big wave. "And with that, I take my leeeeeeeeeave! I look forward to your continued patronaaaaaaage!" "You're just gonna leave after all that? Maaaaaan, you're something else!" "...Now then, you two. I understand your burning desire to flirt and make eyes at each other, but do try to save it for later." "Ah, sorry. My bad. I couldn't help myself!" "Ah, oh yes, you're quite right; my deepest apologies! Oh my, how could I?! I will return to the fight at once!" Kaito and Hina had been hugging for the entirety of the previous exchange. With an exasperated look on her face, Elisabeth used a torture device to pry the two away from each other. Hearing her request, Hina hurriedly tried to separate from Kaito. "And at that, Master Kaito, pardon me... Squeeze!" Before she did, she hugged Kaito tight one more time. After deeply breathing in his scent, she released him from her arms and balled up her fists. "All right, I've sufficiently replenished my Master Kaito energy! Here I go!" As she spoke, Hina's skirt flapped mightily as she kicked her halberd off the ground. The hefty weapon spun through the air like it weighed nothing at all. Hina grabbed its handle out of the air, then turned to face her foes. She gave her halberd a decisive swing, and its tip came to a sharp stop. It seemed that one swing was enough for the King's replicant to sense her prowess. He waved his arm, gesturing for the replicant with the wolf headdress to fall back. Then the King's replicant lowered his posture. Facing the fully armored combatant, Hina whispered to Kaito and Elisabeth. "Back when we landed in the town, we were fortunate enough to receive information from the kind paladins and discern that the situation has developed into a state of emergency. While it worries me to leave you alone, Master Kaito, I believe in my dear Lady Elisabeth! Please, you two, go on ahead! I can handle things here." "Hina, what are you talking about? Elisabeth and I can stay with you andâ€”" "As always, how kind you are! But fighting those two will be a breeze. My power stems from the mechanisms within me. Because it has nothing to do with demons, Sacrifice will have no effect on me. I may not be a match for true demons, but no underling will be able to best me! Please leave this to me and press on!" Elisabeth and Kaito looked at each other. It was true that Hina was under no risk of losing her powers. And it might even be better for her to fight the underlings alone, rather than alongside someone who she'd have to worry about protecting from Sacrifice. But Hina had only just woken up. "You need not worry! I urge you, conserve your mana!" Seeing their hesitation, Hina doubled down. As she did, the armored man, the King's replicant, took off at a dash. He loudly swung his sword. Hina easily blocked his heavy attack with the back of her halberd. Then she shifted to go on the offensive. Twice, three times they clashed, and each time, Hina would do a somersault off the ground and kick the armored man in the helmet. He staggered. Pressing the assault, Hina made use of her weapon's reach by putting some space between herself and the King's replicant. Adjusting her grip on the halberd, Hina spoke passionately. "I can't make children the way a human woman can! But even so, I swore to become part of your family, Master Kaito! Even if it kills me, I refuse to do anything that would renege onâ€”" "Mm, well... To avoid misunderstanding, I should make one thing clear." "What might that be, Lady Elisabeth?" "You two can have children." Hina abruptly ground to a halt. An unbelievably eerie, heavy silence filled the air. "...Hi-Hina?" "Hina, are...are you okay?" Even with Elisabeth and Kaito calling out to her, Hina remained motionless, as though she was frozen. Thinking he'd found an opening, the King's replicant charged. But Hina, moving only her arm, leveled a precise slash at him. The wolf-headed copy, now defying the King's replicant's orders, rushed at her from the left, but Hina silently slipped a knife out of her sleeve and hurled it at him as well. He let out a scream. Still staring straight ahead, Hina spoke in a terrifyingly quiet voice. "............Lady Elisabeth, what did you just say?" "Erm, well, you know. You two can...have children. Mm... 'Tis the truth, I swear!" "Ifâ€”ifâ€”ifâ€”ifâ€”if I might be bold enough to ask, h-h-h-h-how, precisely, would we go about that?" "Hina, you're way too wound up. I'm interested, too, but I'm begging you, you gotta settle down a bit." Hina had begun forcefully trembling. Worried, Kaito frantically tried to pacify her. The whole situation had been thrown into complete chaos. Even so, Hina's halberd movements were precise and accurate. The way she was near automatically managing her offense and defense to keep the replicants from drawing even a step closer was amazing in a way. Swinging her halberd wide to keep her two foes at a distance, Hina's eyes opened wide. "Quickly! Lady Elisabeth! How?! Promptly! Without delay! Please tell me!" "Iâ€”I get it! I shall tell you! I'll tell you!" Faced with Hina's bloodcurdling intensity, Elisabeth leaped up. Breaking out into a cold sweat, she spoke in an oddly bashful manner. "You know if we're speaking accurately, it isn't quite the same as a child... 'Tis more like a humanoid homunculus formed from a mixture of each of your physical data, then cultivated in a device within Hina's abdomen. Then, um, well..." "What then, Lady Elisabeth? What theeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnn?" "M-mm! Then...well, um...don't make me say it! 'Tis embarrassing! You do the deed! Then you insert Kaito's fluids into... Wait, why must I be the one to explain such a thiiiiing?!" "Elisabeth, Miss Elisabeth, settle down! And quit hitting me!" "Lady Elisabeth! Keep going! Quickly, quickly! You can do anything you set your mind to, Lady Elisabeth!" Rapidly spinning her halberd, Hina loudly urged Elisabeth on. Punching Kaito all the while, Elisabeth continued in a desperate tone. "Hyah! Then! With you-know-what as a base, you nurture the homunculus within Hina's womb! Kaito uses his mana to aid it along, and once it emerges, erm, your 'child' will be complete!" Elisabeth puffed up her chest with pride, having gotten through her explanation all in one go. However, she received no response. Hina simply stood silently, continuing to spin her halberd. A despondent look crossed Elisabeth's face. "...Was there something wrong with my explanation?" "Man, I'm surprised by how quickly you got dejected." In front of them, Hina's white shoulders began violently trembling. "Hee-hee-hee......hee-hee-hee-hee..." "H-Hina?" "Dear Hina?" *** Her voice exploded out, and the gears inside her body began rattling as they rapidly turned. The psssssht sound of surging steam even rang out. White smoke billowed from her ears. Frantically grabbing her slender shoulders, Kaito began pleading with Hina in his confusion. "H-Hina! Are you okay?! Don't you go dying on me now!" Strangely, Hina didn't reply to him. The next moment, she dashed off with explosive force. Leaving afterimages in her wake, she swung her halberd. Blood spurted from the wolf headdressâ€“wearing replicant as he went flying into the air. He whizzed through the sky, then came crashing back down into the ground. His body was bent at a sharp, brutal angle. The King's replicant was visibly shaken as well. Warily, he adjusted his grip on his sword. With astoundingly smooth movements, Hina charged toward him. Her emerald eyes were wide in wonderment, and her voice was oozing with delight. "Oh, how wondrous! What a paradise this world of ours is! We can raise all the children to be just as charming as Master Kaito! We can have a dozen of them and live together in eternal bliss! I haven't any time to waste here! Drop dead and be quick about it!" Hina attacked fiercely, and dents sprang up all over the man's armor. Dumbfounded, Kaito and Elisabeth simply watched over the chain of events. "........................................................................Your wife is incredible." "........................................................................My wife is incredible." Eventually, the two of them let out those feeble murmurs. At times, resolution, urges, and strong emotionsâ€”whether they were positive or negativeâ€”could grant people abnormal bursts of power. But upon witnessing that effect to such a degree, Kaito and Elisabeth found themselves at something of a loss for words. One of Hina's heavy blows sent the King's replicant flying. He staggered uneasily but was still able to move. As she faced him, Hina looked over her shoulder and smiled.