Wolf wiped the sweat from his brow.
His hemp sack was stuffed with medicinal herbs.
They were called "Rigan Grass"—a wild plant whose green leaves could be applied to wounds to stop swelling, or boiled and drunk as a stomach remedy. It also blended well with other medicinal ingredients, making it popular among alchemists.
The herb grew widely across Straval, but the best patch nearby was in the hills behind the village.
It only grew during spring, so now was peak harvest season.
"For now, this should be enough for today."
He usually didn't fill the sack to the brim.
Even if it was just wild grass, a full sack weighed quite a bit.
And he had no desire to hike down the mountain carrying that much weight.
But right now, he needed money.
He wanted to scrape together the funds to pay the Peddler back as soon as possible.
Since the man had given him the steel sword, Wolf wanted to start using it sooner rather than later.
He made his way down the mountain carefully.
By the time he reached the bottom, the sky was a deep red.
"Hm...?"
The village was in an uproar.
Someone had arrived.
For a moment, he thought it might be the Peddler, but the atmosphere felt different.
He spotted three horses, each with a rider.
One was the Mage he'd met before. The other two were strangers.
One was a woman—a breathtaking beauty.
Reginia was a lovely girl, but this woman had a different kind of appeal.
The Mage spotted Wolf, pointed, and the three of them spurred their horses toward him.
Wolf had a bad feeling about this, but he didn't reach for his copper sword yet.
The Mage didn't seem like he was here for revenge.
"You are Wolf Midres, are you not?"
The voice from above carried a firm, steady core.
The beautiful woman asked the question, reins in hand as she guided her horse.
Up close, she was even more stunning.
Her blonde hair was parted perfectly down the middle.
Her skin was pale white, almost inhumanly so.
Which made sense—she was an elf, though probably not a pureblood.
Her ears were smaller than a full elf's and didn't stick out as much. Likely a half-breed with human blood.
Her frame was slender, but her muscles were taut and well-defined.
She swung a sword regularly. The way she gripped the horse with her legs showed strength in her thighs and hips.
But Wolf's gaze kept drifting to her chest.
They were massive—like ripe southern melons, full and heavy.
To make matters worse, she was lightly dressed with minimal armor and minimal clothing.
Her breasts pressed together, creating a deep valley between them, and her thighs were thick and plush.
"Guh..."
He couldn't help but gasp.
Anri tilted her head, a hint of confusion crossing her elegant features. "What's wrong? Answer me."
Wolf stammered, his face flushing. "S-sorry. I was just distracted by your—"
"By my what?" Anri pressed, her voice carrying a note of genuine curiosity.
"Wh-wh-wh-what?! Nothing! Nothing at all!" Wolf waved his hands frantically.
Even if he was past his prime, Wolf was still a man.
He calmed himself down and introduced himself. "Indeed. I am Wolf Midres."
Anri nodded graciously. "I see."
The beautiful woman dismounted. The Mage and the other knight followed suit.
She tightened her expression, approached Wolf, and bowed her head. "My subordinate caused you trouble. I apologize, truly."
The other two bowed their heads as well.
This was clearly a noble combination bowing to a former D-class adventurer—a nobody.
Wolf's eyes widened in panic. "W-w-wait, hold on. That incident is already over. Thanks to the Mage here, the barrier's been fixed too."
Anri remained bowed, her voice firm. "No. This falls under my supervisory responsibility. Please allow me to apologize."
If he said nothing, he had a feeling she'd offer to die in atonement.
Wolf sighed and relented. "Fine. I accept your apology. So please, raise your head."
Finally, the woman looked up, and Wolf let out a breath of relief.
"So? What's your name?"
Anri straightened. "Forgive my rudeness. I am Anri Rogue Rifalas, captain of the Blue Brigade."
Wolf's brow furrowed. "Rifalas...? Wait, are you related to the Rifalas Grand Duke?"
Anri nodded. "Indeed I am."
The third person—the knight—stepped forward. He had thin, pale green hair in tight curls and narrow, fox-like eyes. Young, but clearly capable. His light iron armor, which protected only the vital spots, bore no scratches at all.
Lymat explained, "Anri-sama is the eldest child of Hairyl-sama, the older brother of His Majesty King Murad of Lexenil."
Wolf's jaw dropped. "So that means she's a princess, then—uh, I mean, royalty?"
Flustered, Wolf dropped to one knee. He hadn't known, but to think he'd made the Grand Duke's daughter bow to him! If he misstepped, he could be the one facing punishment.
More than that, it was puzzling. Why was the Grand Duke's daughter in a backwater like this, dressed for battle, no less?
Anri gestured for him to rise. "Please, there's no need to be so formal. ...More importantly, I find myself curious. The name Midres sounds familiar. Lymat, does it ring any bells?"
Lymat answered, hand on his chin. "I believe... the researcher who just received the title of Great Hero was a Midres. If I recall correctly, he was from this village."
Hearing this, Anri's eyes lit up. "Then, you must be the Hero's father!"
Wolf nodded, a touch of pride in his voice. "Yes. Reginia Midres is my—I mean, she's my daughter."
Anri smiled wider. "I see. The Hero's father. No wonder Dallas couldn't best you."
She looked back at the Mage. Apparently, his name was Dallas. Wolf was learning this for the first time.
Then Anri took Wolf's hand—the hand of the man still kneeling before her. Her eyes sparkled. "Please, I must ask for a bout!"
How did it end up like this...?
Wolf gripped the wooden training sword in his hand. It was made of cypress—one of the practice weapons they always carried.
The Blue Brigade, led by Anri, was apparently a frontier militia. There were villages scattered around Nikaras. Like this one, most of the men were away working as migrant laborers, leaving behind only the elderly, women, and children. It was hard for such people to travel all the way to the cities and request quests from the Guild. So Anri had established her own militia, patrolling the region and hunting the monsters that threatened them. The Beywulf had been one such beast.
Anri's voice rang out, "Don't hold back, Wolf-dono. Strike me as if you truly mean to defeat me."
(She says "defeat" like it's that simple...)
Even if she was a militia captain, she was still a princess. Going all out felt wrong.
(I'll just go easy on her and let her get a hit in.)
He sighed.
Dallas stepped in as the referee. Anri reminded him to judge fairly, which made his ears twitch in agitation. He looked just as uncomfortable with this arrangement.
Dallas called out, "Begin!"
They circled each other slowly, searching for openings. He'd expected her to be a reckless berserker, but she was surprisingly cautious.
(Guess I'll have to make the first move.)
He tightened his grip on the practice sword. She caught his intent.
Anri closed the distance. Fast. In an instant, she'd seized control of his left flank.
She swung horizontally.
CLANG!
The impact rang out. He blocked the first blow, but his hand was tingling from the shock.
Speed. Power. Flawless. This wasn't play. This was a true knight's assault.
Anri didn't stop, pressing her attack relentlessly. She drove forward, not giving him time to recover his stance. Wolf was on the defensive against her fierce onslaught.
(This girl... she's STRONG!!)
Lymat offered a belated warning, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. "Wolf-dono, I should mention—the Princess is a B-rank adventurer. Underestimate her because she's a woman, and you'll regret it."
Wolf wanted to protest that he should have said so sooner, but there was no time. He'd already figured out she was above his class after just a few exchanges.
If anything, the realization brought clarity. The former D-class adventurer hadn't been idle either. He caught his breath while reading hers.
There. He spotted an opening between her strikes.
He aimed for her wrist, but the princess knight pulled her hand toward her chest.
She dodged.
(A trap...!?)
She hadn't been swinging wildly. The flurry was a setup to create an opening in his defense. She'd been waiting for him to attack.
Anri thrust at his flank. He had time to recover his stance.
Anri's voice rang out, "Prepare yourself—!"
It was over. That was what Anri and Dallas both thought in that instant.
A long time ago, back when Reginia was still small, she'd asked Wolf to teach her swordsmanship, and he'd obliged. The quick-witted Reginia absorbed his moves one after another. There'd been a few times where she'd nearly gotten the better of him. And every time, Reginia would say the same thing:
Reginia pouted. "Papa, you held back, didn't you?"
Wolf chuckled softly. "I didn't hold back. That was all you, Reginia."
Reginia stamped her foot. "No! Papa can't lose to anyone!"
Wolf sighed. "Even if you say that..."
But he understood that his daughter was completely serious.
Reginia's voice grew earnest. "Listen, Papa. You're my hero. You can't lose to anybody, okay?"
Then, for some reason, Reginia would start crying. Wolf would stroke her red hair, gently and tenderly, and without fail, Reginia would ask to be held.
She was much heavier now than when she was a baby, but she was still such a crybaby.
Wolf's voice was soft. "Alright. Papa won't lose."
Reginia sniffled. "Mm. Do your best, Papa."
Through tear-blurred eyes, the young Great Hero smiled.
KIIING!
A sound like the clash of hardened metal rang out. Wolf had caught Anri's practice sword over his shoulder, his back turned to her. His stance was far from stable. He was blocking with only wrist strength.
Everyone was stunned. The only one who wasn't surprised was Wolf.
"OOOOOOOOHHH!"
He let out a battle cry and deflected the sword with brute force. A sudden gust of wind seemed to blow, and the princess knight's blonde hair whipped upward.
The cypress sword spun through the air and embedded itself in the ground behind Anri.
Dallas's voice cut through the silence. "Th-that's enough!"
Anri could have turned and retrieved the sword to continue the fight, but faced with Wolf's strength and unpredictable movements, she couldn't help but cry out.
Anri was stunned—not so much at losing, but at the opponent's sheer ability.
Wolf let out a deep breath and drove the cypress sword into the ground. "Are you hurt, Princess Anri?"
Wolf called out, but received no reply. She seemed more shocked than he'd anticipated.
He was about to offer some words of comfort when Anri looked up. Her voice trembled, her aristocratic composure cracking. "Wolf-dono... no, Wolf-sama—"
Wolf blinked. "Wh-what is it...?"
Anri took a breath, her voice quivering. "With me, please—"
Marry me.
Summary:
Wolf returns from herb gathering to find three riders in the village, led by the elven beauty Anri, who reveals herself as a princess and captain of the Blue Brigade. After exchanging apologies over the previous incident with the Mage, Anri discovers Wolf is the father of the Great Hero Reminia and eagerly requests a sparring match. During the intense training bout, Anri's superior skill pushes Wolf to his limits until he finally turns the tables, and she responds with an unexpected marriage proposal.
Trivia:
Rigan Grass grows widely in Straval but only in spring, and the best patch is behind the village hills.
Rigan Grass has multiple uses—applied fresh to wounds to prevent inflammation, or boiled as a stomach remedy.
The "Blue Brigade" is a frontier militia founded by Anri to protect villages whose men are away as migrant laborers.
Beywulf was one of the monsters the Blue Brigade previously defeated in the region.
Wolf was originally a D-class adventurer before retiring.
Anri is a B-rank adventurer despite being a princess.
Dallas is the Mage Wolf previously encountered—his name is revealed in this chapter.
Reminia is known as the "Great Hero (Legend)" and has recently received the title.
Hairyl is King Murad's older brother, making Anri the king's niece.
Reminia's full name is Reminia Midres, matching her father's surname.
The research on the title "Great Hero" mentioned Anri's familiarity with the name Midres.
Wolf's flashback shows he trained Reminia in swordsmanship when she was young.
Lymat is a capable young knight with fox-like eyes and unscratched armor.
Wolf's internal monologues often use parentheses to convey his unfiltered thoughts and humor.
Notes:
• Wolf - A 42-year-old former D-rank adventurer turned Nicalas Village farmer and craftsman. Following his wife's death to a Beywulf, this humble, soot-stained, curly-haired father shed his old bulk to raise his daughter, Reminia, alone. He balances his [Smithing] Level 2 and daily training with deep, quiet devotion, serving as a hardworking role model who teaches his daughter through his own actions.
• Mage - Job: Mage; Relationship: Previously encountered by Wolf; Note: Unnamed in dialogue, later identified as Darras.
• Anri - ob: Captain of the Blue Brigade, Princess Knight, Frontier vigilante and knight; Relationship: Daughter of Lord Hairyl, Father: Heiril; Appearance: Beautiful elf half-breed, blonde hair parted down middle, pale skin, smaller ears than full elves, slender but muscular frame, large chest, lightly dressed; Item/Magic: Light armor, practice sword, Sword; Note: B-rank adventurer, aristocratic bearing, Has a habit of falling for men stronger than herself; admires Straval's legendary hero.
• Rifalas - Job: Grand Duke title holder; Relationship: Henri's family; Note: Noble house.
• Hairyl - Job: Lord, older brother of King Murad, Grand Duke of Rifalas territory and mine operator; Relationship: Father of Henri and Anri; Note: Royal family connection, and extremely busy businessman who rules 15% of Lexenil Kingdom..
• Lymat - Job: Knight in Blue Brigade, Young knight and attendant to Anri; Relationship: Subordinate to Henri; Appearance: Thin pale green hair in tight curls, narrow fox-like eyes, young, capable; Note: Provides exposition about Henri's status, and Suspicious of Wolf's knowledge about dragons.
• Murad - Job: King of Lexenil Kingdom; Relationship: Brother-in-law to Hairyl; Note: Ruling monarch.
• Dallas - Job: Mage and attendant to Anri; Relationship: Servant to Anri and Associated with Blue Brigade; Appearance: Black robes; Item/Magic: Magic (unspecified); Note: Participates in the lie about Anri's kidnapping. reviously encountered by Wolf, referee for training bout.
• Beywulf - Job: Warrior; Relationship: Fought Wolf; Note: Secretly observed by Reminia; part of her learning through observation.
• Reminia - Fifteen-year-old Great Hero of Straval and researcher of her late mother’s Double World Theory. With striking red hair, amethyst eyes, and a slender, youthful build, she balances a playful, tomboyish exterior with immense power, wielding mythic-tier magic alongside a wooden sword. Fiercely protective and deeply devoted to her father, Wolf, she maintains a strong emotional bond with him.