It was the middle of the night. I was in my office, crying, as I finished the cleaning……..

I couldn’t have finished it so fast if I were alone.

“Your Excellency, we haven’t seen anything. Your Excellency, as well, hasn’t seen anything.”

The one who said that was a member of the intelligence unit, who had his nether region wet as well……As I thought, that thing was really scary…….

I remained silent, as I nodded to him and continued the cleaning.

“How comes you’re so noisy in the middle on the night, son-in-law-dono?”

My master came right after I finished with the cleaning. He had great timing.

Once he saw the thing on my desk, his expression altered and he offered his help.

I was thankful to him…….He really is a doting father. When it comes to Bea, he is always reliable.

For the time being, I’ll leave it to my master.

If I don’t know the circumstances, I can’t think of a solution.

I was definitely not in the right mental condition to be able to fall asleep, but, nonetheless, I went to bed and forcibly closed my eyes.

After a few dubious hours passed, time in which I didn’t know whether I fell asleep or not, light could be seen from the other side of the window.

Maybe I did sleep a little……

As I got up, I realized that a maid was waiting for me with a silver tray in her hands.

Her face was ghastly pale as she held the tray with a letter on it. I took the letter.

………….This was my master’s writing.

I opened it with trembling fingers.

‘Impossible, impossible……..This is impossible.’

“Ah! Call Albert!!”

Led by the maid, Albert came in an instant.

“Albert, this is a very important mission.”

“Yes sir! I’ll do anything, just give me your orders!”

………..Hm? He just said he’ll do anything, right?

“Take with you the most powerful soldiers among the black knights and maids unit to meet Bea and escort her here! You will use the scout unit for communicating me all the details, without omissions!”

“………Yes sir! I will do everything in my power to complete this mission!”

Grinning, he saluted me and left the room.

He probably thought that I was doting on Bea and sent him to escort her because I was worried.

…………….I will never forget your sacrifice though.

The day slowly passed; it was a day in which not even food managed to pass though my throat.

I wasn’t even able to concentrate on work.

The maids unit was extremely noisy, constantly saying that I acted like that because I missed my wife.

But the problem wasn’t this simple.

I forced myself to eat some soup for dinner then returned to my office, trembling, when a messenger arrived.

“Ur…..urgent message! Forgive my rudeness!”

“I don’t mind. Speak!”

The messenger tumbled.

There was no need for courtesy in these situations.

“Beatrice-sama will soon arrive! Furthermore, we cannot get close to her carriage. I pray for your Excellency’s good fortune………That’s all……”

And then the messenger collapsed.

“………You did well………….He can take all the time he needs to rest. When Bea gets here, show her to my private room……..”

I gave these orders to a maid then stood up slowly and walked away from my office……..

I had to make preparations……..

I was waiting inside my private room.

I used an eye bandage to cover my eyes and asked an intelligence unit member to tie my both hands, then knelt down on the floor in a seiza position.

……I treated myself like a sinner.

I didn’t know why she was so mad about, but I had a general idea.

I left my new wife alone for an entire year, so there was no way she was in a good mood.

If I were to try to persuade her that this only happened because of my work, things would’ve gotten unnecessarily complicated.

This was something I learned from a customer at the time I worked for my Japanese company.

The door opened and someone entered my room.

It had to be Bea, since they didn’t knock.

…………I prepared myself for the worst.

“…….Zest-sama? What are you doing?”

(Dad, what kind of game are you playing? Toto wants to play too!)

…………….Hmm?

For some reason, her voice was kind.

“Zest-sama, it’s been a long time. I really missed you.”

(It’s been a while, Dad!)

Smiling, Bea untied the rope and the eye bandage.

Toto, as well, had a huge smile on her face as she squeezed my head.

“Well now, don’t sit on the floor. Let’s go to the sofa instead.”

(You see, Dad, I have a souvenir for you!)

……………She’s not mad at all…

What happened? I don’t understand anything anymore.

My mind was in a state of chaos, as they helped me to get to the sofa. When we reached it, Bea and Toto hugged me closely.

“Zest-sama…….I was so lonely……..”

(Yeah….I missed Dad’s scent!)

I was dumbfounded, but as I brushed both their heads, I started to think about this whole situation.

What’s going on?……..Wasn’t she mad at me?

Then what about that letter? What about master’s letter?

What about Albert’s messenger?

My head was spinning.

There was no way I could predict this, nor understand it.

Bea was about to drink the tea the maid prepared for us, when I asked her.

I couldn’t live without knowing this.

“Bea…….Weren’t you mad at me?”

“Mad at you? Why do you think so?”

“Despite being newly weds, we were separated for an entire year……I was certain you were mad at me because of this……”

“Well, I am also a noble, and I am proud of my husband, who went to battle for the sake of the empire, so I won’t get angry at you for something like this.”

She was in a great mood when she answered me, her face covered in smiles……These were her true feelings.

Toto was smiling happily too, as she sat on my shoulder and ate some cookies.

…………….Then…

“………In this case, why were you angry?”

In that moment, the entire world froze.

She began to overflow with such a profoundly dark magical power that could only be described as pitch-black.

Toto, as well, let loose of her overwhelming magical power, which was mixed with rage and killing intent.

……………….Ah! I ended up wetting myself a little.

“Princess Tsubaki gladly accepted a marriage proposal that came from the prince of the country of elves………….”

(Tsubaki betrayed my Dad…….I want to drown her in darkness!)

………………………………

I employed the entirety of my magical power in order to protect my body, as I watched attentively the way the stone walls and pavement in my private room started to crack.

‘Thanks god it wasn’t me!’

I honestly thought that………

Princess Tsubaki…….might die……