“Um… sister-in-law?”

“Stop it, Captain Yuvil. You shouldn’t say that while your lips are trembling like that.”

“Yes, understood.”

“…Please speak comfortably like before.”

Watching Yuvil stiffen awkwardly, Siloe clicked her tongue.

“How truly foolish of a Republican to naturally cower before the lady’s dignity.”

“…Siloe.”

Aira pressed her brow firmly.

The vassals from The Sardinia she’d sent back to Lüet apparently returned to the Arctic, accepting damage to the ship to rescue her.

There they met Jens’s party whose aircraft had run out of fuel, and when the vassals pressed urgently about Aira’s whereabouts, Jens simply said he’d wait.

Afterward, Fletcher and Shudi returned to the Empire first to handle the aftermath, while Siloe and Beilan came to the Will estate on Armeria Island with Jens. Since the whole world was in turmoil, the asylum—no, immigration—procedures went smoothly.

Beilan, who’d been Aira’s attending physician, boasted she’d joined the medical team for Jens’s recovery and shown off the Empire’s knowledge with great success. She surely played a part in saving Jens’s leg.

Siloe seemed to have hit it off well with Laura, helping with the estate and Will family affairs.

And as soon as Aira returned, Siloe, who’d cried her eyes out for ages, grabbed one of her arms and declared:

‘I’m switching jobs to be Lady Aira’s personal maid!’

‘That’s my position in this household! I really can’t trust Imperials! Master, please say something!’

Laura trembled with betrayal and clung to Aira’s other arm.

Truly peaceful days indeed.

Except for the aircraft crew who’d witnessed everything, people believed she’d been badly injured in battle with the Emperor and recuperated.

During that time without Aira, Jens had quietly processed all the paperwork, believing she’d return. Thanks to that, Aira’s nationality naturally became Il Seang Republic again.

And in response to contacts sent here and there, her academy classmates sent letters saying they’d visit during leave, mixed with tearful reproaches.

[Just try changing your name one more time!]

[We’re coming to visit. If you think about how much we worried, you better treat us properly!]

Before them, Aira met Schaefer and Yuvil first.

At Siloe’s words seeming to hold a grudge against Republicans, Schaefer drew a cold line.

“Don’t lump me together with that bastard by nationality.”

“Oops. I’ll correct it to ’befitting a foolish Republican man.’”

Rather than Yuvil, Jens’s shoulders trembled.

Aira tilted her head. Something seemed to have happened between Jens and Siloe while she was gone. Jens couldn’t even make eye contact with Siloe properly.

…Almost like a mouse before a cat.

Anyway, Armeria Island required crossing the northwest continent from east to west if departing from Oculer, so it wasn’t an easy distance.

Yet Schaefer and Yuvil had come when it wasn’t even leave season.

Sipping the prepared tea, Schaefer looked at Aira sideways. Precisely at the ring on her left hand.

“Looks like you received the keepsake well.”

“Keepsake?”

Aira blinked, then turned to Jens. Jens startled and avoided her gaze.

“Anticipating all situations is my way…”

Aira’s eyes narrowed.

“In other words, you threw yourself into danger, then showed off leaving a will to your subordinates?”

“Exactly that.”

Schaefer chimed in while cutting and eating cake. Aira glared at Jens and said coldly.

“If watching and listening up close made everyone fight well, why would training and combat experience exist?”

“Right. Amateurs think they’re superheroes.”

“Shouldn’t you maintain an attitude befitting your position? How could you commit such irresponsible acts?”

“I, I was wrong.”

“Good. Do more.”

Watching the former superior get chewed out by his petite former subordinate, Schaefer sent encouragement.

After a while, Schaefer brought up the reason for visiting to the mentally tattered Jens.

“The military’s in an uproar. Not just the neutral Admiral Chaite faction, but Admiral Dau of the airships, and even Admiral Sol are making noise.”

The entire military was in chaos trying to get Jens, who’d left the navy, to return.

So they’d given his two confidants special leave and sent them here. To persuade the Admiral.

Having recovered from the attack by Aira, Jens clicked his tongue.

“That Admiral Sol still hasn’t abandoned his ambitions. He’s thinking of getting me to return so he can receive aircraft for military supply.”

“He keeps tempting me to create an air force and become a founding member.”

Jens had already anticipated this.

He’d shown off the aircraft spectacularly before the military to force the Republic to accept the Empire’s technology, like with wireless communication technology. He’d drawn a blueprint to gradually thin the wall between the two countries.

He’d planned that aircraft’s debut at the Catatumbo Naval Battle to transport wounded regardless of whether they were Republicans or Archipelago people.

In other words, he’d tried to stab the military—who’d obviously want to use it for combat—by spreading awareness of it as something that saves people, but… like fate, it helped Jens survive, who’d planned all this.

Incidentally, the crew of The Paul Nor who’d been listed as missing, like Röjo and Weibe, were settled as having held out on some remote northern island until now. And they either returned to the navy or retired and got jobs with the Will family.

Though the military wasn’t unaware they’d hidden to build the aircraft, they covered up all the truth to look good to Jens, wanting the aircraft.

While exploiting just that, Jens had not even a speck of intention to supply aircraft for military use for the time being. It would probably only be available to the military after politicians belonging to the ‘airship’ faction organized laws.

He shrugged while picking up his teacup.

“Oh dear. You two work together and overcome it well.”

At those words, Schaefer glared at Jens.

“I told you not to link me with this bastard.”

“Please save me, Admiral.”

“Still not over it?”

Schaefer had tormented Yuvil to death over sending Jens alone before the Archipelago’s king. Yuvil appealed with moistened eyes.

“Please return and save me. You’re holding tight to flight-related patents. Plus, the airship faction has many in key military positions now. They won’t bother you, Admiral.”

“Look at my leg. Isn’t it too much to tell a disabled veteran to return to the military?”

Jens smiled and showed his leg with the assistance device. Yuvil shook his head.

“We all know you’d be fine with automata prosthetic surgery. It’s also known you’re making good money in that business using that pirate—no, councilman—from Merelson as a model. I don’t understand why you’re being stubborn when there’s an easier path.”

If he cut off the right leg that didn’t move properly and attached an automata, he could return to daily life after adaptation training.

What he’d recovered so far was already miraculous, but doctors believed anything beyond limping was difficult. Not just Yuvil recommended automata.

Jens pointed to Aira, who was watching their conversation.

“If even part of my body disappears, our lady of the house will be sad, right? Well, it’s walkable enough.”

In other words, he’d devote himself to rehabilitation.

Actually, there was still much controversy about automata prosthetic arms and legs. Some even wanted to cut off perfectly fine limbs and attach them because they’d be faster and stronger.

But Jens didn’t rashly try to attach automata.

According to him, while development was important, technology’s rampage happened in an instant. So he, being at the forefront, had to set an example as a restraining stone.

Schaefer and Yuvil looked at each other with sour faces, then said.

“Then return as you are. You stayed in the military despite not being able to shoot. Whether an incompetent who can’t fight has legs or not.”

“Schaefer, that’s harsh.”

“What’s wanted from the Admiral is brains, so below the waist is useless anyway.”

“Yuvil, you bastard…”

“Why is it useless!”

Aira’s shout overlapped with Jens’s words and echoed in the drawing room.

“……”

After the reverberation ceased, tremendous silence filled the spacious room.

Only then realizing how her words must have sounded, Aira stood up abruptly with a bright red face.

Sending her gaze around not knowing what to do, Aira ran to the nearby window to escape.

But after placing her foot on the windowsill like she’d jump out, she backed away with a flustered face. It was a window directly connected to a cliff for an open view.

While Schaefer and Yuvil watched with absurd looks, Aira muttered for them to continue talking and rushed out the drawing room door.

Jens, who’d been silently looking at empty space with a reddened face, gripped his cane and stood up.

“I, who am useful in many ways, am going to soothe our lady. You guys enjoy your leave. There are lots of places to see here.”

After Jens also went outside, Yuvil unconsciously muttered defensively.

“Well… they’re kind of like newlyweds anyway…”

“Don’t talk to me.”

Schaefer replied coldly and gulped down tea.

Not long after the two left, Laura, Siloe, and Beilan joined the drawing room. And they spent a harmonious time asking and answering about the couple’s old military life.