clearly been designed to put nature's beauty front and center. The fragrance of the flowers also seemed to have a sterilizing effect. Their aroma was sweet, but it had a sting to it as well. Hina was sitting atop a wicker chair at his side. On his other side, he was flanked by a goatperson wearing gloves and a sanitary cloth mask. Then he noticed the thick bandages wrapped around his shoulder. The beastman healer gave a slight nod. "The wound had sealed almost completely before I even began treatment. Very impressive. But your skin was thin in places, so I applied herbs to help speed along your recovery. You passed out due to a mana deficiency and some mild fatigue. You should be all better now. Feel free to get up and move around as you please." "Oh, Master Kaito, thank goodness! Thank goodness!" Hina cast her arms wide and squeezed Kaito in a tight embrace. Bewildered, he glanced at the healer. The goatperson, who was more than likely a goatwoman given the size and shape of her horns, offered a nurturing smile. "I told her there was nothing to worry about, you know. But even so, your wife waited by your side on the verge of tears, not leaving you alone for a moment. Do you have anything you'd like to say to her?" "Sorry, Hina. I guess I really gave you a scare there, huh?" Kaito gently returned her hug, repeatedly stroking his wife's back. As she gradually calmed down, Kaito rummaged through his memories. So, uh... I definitely remember getting on that teleportation circle Lute and the others drew... After he had, they'd traveled to a gorgeous building artisanally crafted out of wood and colored stone. According to Lute and the others, it was one of the royal family's secondary residences. Then they'd led him to the infirmary that had been set up in one of the rooms. Upon obeying the healer's instruction and lying down on a bed, he'd immediately passed out. "Wait a minute, a secondary residence of the royal family?" Kaito opened his eyes wide. This wasn't just some hospital they'd been brought to. Flustered, he made to get down off the bed. But he found himself unable to move. At some point, Hina had anchored her slender arms firmly around him. "Um, uh... Hina dearest?" "Why yes, Master Kaito? I believe I did tell you that I intended to get quite upset at you later." It seemed her frustration wasn't just talk. Kaito's face went stiff. But then Hina loosened her arms. After taking a step back, she fixed him with a pointed stare. Then she made her pained appeal. "Haven't I told you? When you go off on your own and do such dangerous things, my love... Do you have any idea how much that determination of yours makes me want to kill my powerless self?" Hina's face contorted, just like it had back when the two of them had had their fight back at the castle. Immeasurable grief was welling up within her jeweled eyes. Her expression made it clear how much her concern for her bridegroom had been eating away at her heart. Struck by realization, Kaito reached his own arms out. He hugged Hina tight. It was the best option we had. That was something he still wholeheartedly believed. He wasn't the same man he'd once been. If he needed Hina's help, he had no problems asking for it. And this time, he hadn't. That was all there had been to it. But he also realized why Hina didn't find that answer satisfactory. They were a couple. They'd promised to become a family. There was no excuse for hurting her the way he had. "Hina, I'm really, really sorryâ€”huh? Is it just me, or are you squeezing me again?" "Hee-hee-hee, it seems you still need some scolding. But, um, Ms. Healer? Is Master Kaito stable enough to hold long conversations?" "Oh, very much so. And for patients prone to recklessness, being scolded by a family member is often the best medicine. Please, don't mind me. Go ahead and be as hard on him as you want." "What kind of doctor are you?" He'd been ambushed from a wholly unexpected direction. Hina brought her lips close to Kaito's ear, then blew gently on his earlobe. A shiver ran down his body, and Hina began seductively whispering harsh words. "Are you listening to me, Master Kaito? Battles constantly bring about unexpected developments. But even when time is of the essence, I forbid you from acting on your own. Even with the prowess you've attained in magic, you still have next to no combat experience. I am your sword and your shield, and you should make use of me whenever possible." Hina earnestly laid out her arguments. Their contents were sound, and more than reasonable at that. Kaito also felt a little like he was getting brainwashed. By the end, all he found he could say was, "I'm sorry. I won't do it again." Then the wooden door opened. A wolfman warrior stuck his nose in the gap and sniffed. "Sir Kaito, how are you feeling? I'd heard you'd wokenâ€”oh, my apologies, I seem to be intruding." "No, no, you aren't intruding! Come save me, Lute!" "I beg your pardon. Do you find yourself in the need of assistance?" Kaito gave a frantic shout. Lute stepped into the infirmary, his head tilted to the side in confusion. Hina reluctantly drew away from Kaito. Then, after clearing her throat, she picked up the fruit that had been left by Kaito's bedside. Slipping a knife out of her cuff, she began peeling it. After listening to what the two of them had to say, Lute burst into laughter. "Ah-ha-ha-ha! Well, if that isn't mutual love for you. What a relief that your wounds didn't amount to anything too serious! It seems your wife already scolded you for your recklessness, so I suppose there isn't much reason for me to say anything more on that front." "Oh yeah. She gave me a good earful." "You really only have yourself to blame. Whenever I get hurt, my lovely wife here gets just as upset." "Wait, this is your wife?!" Kaito let out a hysteric shout in spite of himself. Her mouth still hidden beneath cloth, the goatwoman healer waved at him. The gesture was playful, but her expression was as stoic as ever. Apparently, Lute's wife was a much more levelheaded person than Kaito had imagined she'd be. After grinning widely and returning her wave, Lute turned back toward Kaito. "Ahem. Now then, Sir Kaito, if you have no objections, there's someone I'd like to bring you to meet." "'Someone'?" Kaito parroted the word Lute had said, confused. It was then that he remembered the mind-boggling fact that they were currently in one of the royal family's secondary residences. He reflexively corrected his posture. As he did, Hina lifted a chunk of fruit to his mouth. "Say 'aah,' Master Kaito." Unable to refuse, he munched on the white flesh. Although the situation had taken a turn for the comical, Kaito could still clearly make out Lute's following words. "Lady Vyade Ula Forstlast. My master, and the second imperial princess of the Forest King." The beastfolk had three kings. They were the progenitors of all beastfolk: the Forest King, an ancient wolf; the Water King, a white deer; and the Wind King, a colossal hawk. When the world had been remade, the Saint had prayed to God and created three intersex beasts. Their children were just as diverse as the rest of the beasts, and they worked to increase the beastman population and protect the land they'd been given. Ever since then, the three of them had kept on living. Their existence was one of the primary reasons why faith in the Saint hadn't found much popularity among the beastfolkâ€”they lived under the protection of beings of legend to this very day. Because of that, it was only natural that they didn't revere the Saint to the degree humans did. At present, the three kings lived and ate together, herbivore and carnivores alike, in order to prevent inter-beastman conflict, act as symbols of unity, and preserve the peace. But while they still contributed to society, the three of them had ceded power. They had reigned since time immemorial. But they no longer governed. Instead, they'd chosen several members from each tribe and appointed them as royalty, granting them authority and leaving matters of national politics to them. And one such member of this nobility was Vyade Ula Forstlast, the second imperial princess of the Forest King. The power she wielded was less than that of the first imperial prince or the first imperial princess. However, she had a private army in order to deal with matters of public security, and the way she'd used her own funds to maintain the towns under her supervision and manage the systems preventing the rivers from flooding had earned her the moniker of the Wise Wolf. In fact, the zealous support she received from the populace surpassed that of even the first imperial prince. And at present, she was sitting directly in front of Kaito. How the heck did things even get to this point? Faced with her majestic visage, Kaito's mind was awhirl. The lighting throughout the entire audience chamber was dim. Furthermore, the room's delicately embroidered curtains cast whimsical shadows atop the stairs leading up to the throne. Their large floral design was gorgeous, yet at the same time, possessed the same solemnity a large, aging beast would. Concealed behind them, though, lurked a number of dangerous presences. A number of soldiers were standing at attention, weapons held at the ready. Their nervousness was palpable. You can't blame 'em, given that their master is meeting face-to-face with a demon's contractor. On high alert yet seemingly defenseless at first glance, Vyade sat atop the throne and smiled. She was a wolfwoman, and one with fur as white as the driven snow. The insides of her triangular ears were a lovely shade of pink, and a flower crown was perched between them. Her elbows were sitting atop beautifully arranged floral armrests. Just like the curtains, the layers of cloth she was wearing were delicately embroidered as well. As Kaito knelt in front of her, she called out gently to him. "A pleasure to meet you, Sir Kaito Sena, our visitor from another world. I wish to extend my gratitude for your earlier efforts." "Yes, uh, ma'am. It's a...great honor?" "There's no need to be so stiff. We would never dream of forcing our etiquette on a visitor of another race, much less one from another world. Please, be at ease." Vyade's words were kind. Even after being told that, though, Kaito stumbled over his response. Due to his experiences in his past life, Kaito held a certain amount of distrust and antipathy toward public authority. But the nervousness this woman was sparking in him was of another type altogether. It was the first time Kaito had ever found himself wondering if it was really all right for someone like him to be talking to a person of her status. I guess there really are places where you can find people who've been aristocrats their whole lives. "Or could it be that you're unaccustomed to beastfolk? If that's the problem, then, here." A hard, clicking noise rang out. The air in front of Kaito began gently shifting. A gentle fragrance floated up, and the soldiers' stress became even more pronounced. Whether he wanted to or not, Kaito immediately sensed what had happened. Vyade had come down from the throne and was currently stooping in front of him. As he panicked over what best to do, he quickly found that his hand had been taken. A wolfish handâ€”one that, much like a human's, had five long fingersâ€”was wrapped around his. It was