“Is this guy her fiancé? Don’t be ridiculous, he doesn’t even have the aura of an adventurer.”
“That is true, looking at him like that, I doubt he could defeat a goblin.”
These comments were not loud, but they reached Haruhime’s ears clearly.
The little fox girl’s ears trembled, her face filled with anger.
How could those people say that about Lord Mizuki?
Lord Mizuki was the kindest person in the world, and he would never lie.
Clenching her tiny fists, she blurted out, “Lord Mizuki is not a liar!”
Mizuki turned around and saw Haruhime blushing, glaring stubbornly at the gossiping crowd.
He raised a hand and patted her head, “Alright, there is no need to argue with them. What is true cannot be made false, and what is false cannot become true.”
After comforting Haruhime, Mizuki looked at Hashana Dorlia again, his gaze steady.
“I am not joking.”
Hashana fell silent, his mind grinding to a halt.
Today, an ordinary looking boy brought a young fox girl before him and claimed that Gojouno Kaguya of the Astraea Familia was his fiancée.
It sounded utterly absurd.
He could hardly believe it.
Still, having developed a favorable impression of Mizuki, Hashana did not mock him and patiently pointed the way.
“Follow this street until you reach Babel. Take the turn toward the first district, and you will see it.”
“Thank you.”
Mizuki expressed his gratitude, took Haruhime’s hand, and walked toward the center of the city following Hashana’s directions.
The pedestrians on the street hurried along, most of them carrying a distinct air of wariness between their brows.
Haruhime’s small hand unconsciously tightened its grip on Mizuki’s sleeve, her furry fox ears drooping anxiously.
She lowered her head and stayed close to him with every step, not daring to look at any passerby.
Those casual, appraising glances made her skin prickle, reminding her of the days when she had been locked in a cage, waiting to be evaluated like merchandise.
Mizuki sensed the faint trembling of her body and slowed his pace.
“Don’t be afraid. Orario may be unstable right now, but it remains safe during the day.”
Mizuki had already deduced the current timeline from the anime.
It was during the era of Astrea Record, set before the tragedy.
He did not know the exact number of days remaining.
Right now in Orario, the evilus faction was plotting in the shadows, making the city streets as dangerous as the dungeon itself.
Hearing his reassurance, Haruhime felt much more at ease.
She gave a quiet nod, her steps growing firmer.
After crossing several intersections, an imposing estate appeared at the end of the street.
This was the base of the Astraea Familia.
The fact that they dared to leave their gates open during such dark times spoke volumes of their devotion to justice, and no one dared to cause trouble here.
Looking at the dignified building before them, Haruhime glanced down at her plain clothes, then looked up at Mizuki.
Lord Mizuki had come all this way to find his fiancée.
That person had to be noble and beautiful.
As for herself, she was merely a bought fox girl.
A heavy wave of inadequacy washed over her heart, and Haruhime instinctively tried to pull her hand away.
Mizuki felt her withdraw, but he chose not to say anything more.
Her deep-seated insecurities could not be healed by mere words.
Once she lived a peaceful life for a while and experienced genuine warmth, she would slowly move past it.
Holding Haruhime close, Mizuki walked through the open gate without hesitation.
The front courtyard of the residence was vast and neatly maintained.
As they drew near, lively voices belonging to young women drifted out from the window of the main hall.
“Ryu! You clumsy elf! Why did you write this down incorrectly again?”
“You failed to explain it clearly in the first place, Kaguya.”
Mizuki paused for a second.
Kaguya and Ryu?
Kaguya’s voice was crisp and assertive, immediately painting the image of a spirited warrior maiden.
Collecting his thoughts, Mizuki raised his knuckles and tapped gently on the front door.
A moment later, the door creaked open a crack.
A pink-haired pallum girl, standing only as high as Mizuki’s waist, poked her head out.
She held a half-eaten piece of bread in one hand, breadcrumbs stuck to the corner of her lips, while her wide, curious eyes studied the two unexpected visitors.
“Who might you be?”
Mizuki recognized her at once.
In the anime, she was also an elite member of the Astraea Familia, the pallum known as Lyra.
Mizuki leaned down slightly, bringing his gaze to her eye level, a warm smile gracing his face.
“Hello, my name is Mizuki.”
“I am here to see my fiancée, Gojouno Kaguya.”
Kaguya?
A fiancé?
Lyra froze on the spot.
She instinctively relied on her sharp intuition, a gift honed to read through deceit.
Yet the young man before her possessed eyes as calm and steady as a deep lake, without a single ripple of falsehood.
He was telling the truth.
The realization made Lyra’s thoughts freeze completely.
The half-eaten piece of bread slipped from her fingers, dropping onto the stone steps below.
Lyra stared blankly at Mizuki, then shifted her gaze to the timid girl hiding behind him, who only revealed a pair of nervous fox ears.
After a few seconds, she snapped back to reality, hastily bending down to scoop up the bread.
Without even checking if it was dirty, she shoved it straight into her pocket.
Without asking further questions, she stepped aside, pulled the door open wide, and gestured for them to come inside.
Mizuki held Haruhime’s hand and walked into the Astraea Familia residence.
The interior was bright and spacious, bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun filtering through expansive floor-to-ceiling windows.
A gentle fragrance drifted through the air, bringing an unexpected sense of comfort.
Inside the wide living area, three low tables were arranged, with members gathered around each of them.
A young woman with sleek black hair, carrying the elegance of a classic beauty, stood with furrowed brows, tracing a finger across an Orario city map laid out on the table.
It was Kaguya.
Beside her stood a blonde elf girl, pointing at a mark on the parchment with a stern expression, apparently debating their next move.
Ryu Lion.
“The culprit is taking erratic routes, Kaguya. We cannot rely solely on witness testimony.”
“I am aware, Ryu, but this is our only lead for now.”
On a couch nearby, a red-haired girl lounged without a care for posture, laughing openly and boisterously.
“Ahahaha! Did you see the look on that thief’s face? That was priceless!”
Alise Lovell.
The captain of the Astraea Familia.
Seeing how relaxed everyone appeared helped Haruhime loosen the tension in her shoulders.
However, the cheerful atmosphere came to a sudden halt as Lyra guided Mizuki and Haruhime into the room.
“Lyra?” Alise was the first to speak, sitting up straight on the sofa as she looked at the newcomers, “Who are our guests?”
The others turned their eyes toward Lyra as well.
Lyra pointed at Mizuki, opening her mouth to speak, but words failed her.
Mizuki took a step forward and spoke up on his own accord.
“Pardon the intrusion.”
“My name is Mizuki.”
“I have come to meet my fiancée, Gojouno Kaguya.”
Every gaze in the room shifted toward Kaguya.
Kaguya herself stood completely stunned, her dark eyes widening as her hand gripped the edge of the map tightly.
A soft chuckle broke the stunned silence, quickly turning into unrestrained laughter.
“Ahahahahaha!”
Alise could not hold back any longer.
She darted over to Kaguya’s side in a few swift strides, gave her shoulder a hearty slap, and laughed until she nearly lost her breath.
“Kaguya! Since when did you hide a handsome fiancé out there?”
“To think you kept this secret from us all along!”
Alise’s laughter acted like a spark, prompting the other girls to gather around with playful grins, chiming in to tease her.
“Is this real, Kaguya? Is he really your beloved?”
“He does look quite charming.”
“No wonder you always turned down every suitor who approached you. Your heart was already spoken for.”
Ryu set her quill down, offered Mizuki a brief glance, and turned toward Kaguya with a rare faint smile.
“I understand now. That explains why you spent so much time staring toward the Far East recently.”
“You foolish elf! Even you are joining in…”
Surrounded by her teasing companions, a deep crimson crept across Kaguya’s face, spreading all the way to her ears and down her neck.
Embarrassed and flustered, she gently shoved Alise aside, “Stop talking nonsense!”
She walked up to Mizuki, her tone turning chilly, “Who are you? I know nothing of having a fiancé.”
Mizuki was not surprised in the slightest, having already anticipated her reaction.
He had even prepared himself for the possibility of her drawing a blade in anger.
Seeing her current reaction, she was far calmer than expected, which meant things would not escalate into a fight.
“Your grandfather gave me a token of proof.”
Mizuki calmly retrieved an object wrapped in soft cloth from his robes and offered it forward.
Kaguya frowned, reached out to take it, and unwrapped the fabric.
Inside rested an exquisite dagger of traditional craftsmanship, engraved with the intricate crest of the Gojo clan.
Her lips parted slightly as her fingertips brushed over the familiar engravings.
Seeing her reaction, Alise leaned in and asked with wide eyes, “Kaguya, is this the real deal?”
“It is indeed an heirloom of my clan,” Kaguya admitted with a quiet nod.
A chorus of excited cheers erupted throughout the entire hall.