“So, all this started because you guys did a mission, huh?” Claud looked at her, a sword-like glint in his eyes, and Dia shifted uncomfortably. Slashes like these were impossible to avoid; they tended to be executed by acquaintances and were conveyed through words. It also didn’t help that she couldn’t come up with an equally biting riposte to rebut his words…

“Meep.” Crown, who was perched on Lily’s head, expressed its agreement in a sagacious manner, and Dia felt like she was talking to her father all over again. Thankfully, Lily didn’t cut in with a sentence of her own, thereby protecting her sanity.

She looked at the two meeping fellows who were cloistered up in the small house Claud and Lily had built for them, and felt her ears twitch. Did they think that she couldn’t hear what they were saying?

“It’s not something we could refuse easily,” Dia replied, after thinking for a while. The whole mess with Count Daybreak and the random, pointless assassinations that had set the whole thing off had been long erased from her mind after the mess with the Red God and whatnot. Like a dull blade, that memory had hung in the armoury of her mind forgotten.

“Really now?”

Dia let out another sigh. “Anyway, it is what it is. Still…”

She couldn’t tell the lovebirds the full story, though. The things about Limbo, about enemies from beyond this universe…all that had to be suppressed for their own wellbeing. Therefore, her recount had ended with the execution of the Red God’s Bearer of Destiny at the hands of the Moons, an event she had slipped over.

“What’s wrong?” Lily asked.

“It’s more of the fact that the Red God’s familiar spirit happened to show up near you,” Dia replied. “Do you know what the Red God governs?”

“The God of Precision, Shuddh, right?” Lily replied. “Like, uh…you know, skilful cuts or something? A stab to kill an enemy?”

“Nope.” Dia paused. “It’s actually far more powerful. It’s…well, in terms of a novel, you get things that just happen to the protagonist, right? Things fall in place just for the protagonist to get stronger, or to overhear the things they need to know, yeah? It’s that, but on a divine scale. Things just happen to have the perfect timing for maximum effect. That’s the Red God’s authority.”

“That sounds more like coincidence, rather than precision,” Claud muttered, recalling Lesser Half’s words.

“Does it? But if everything was a grand plan, would it really be a coincidence?” Dia asked. “Don’t look at me like that; those words were what Nero himself said, not me. But it’s…perfect timing.”

“So, like the villain boasting about all his bad deeds about abducting and killing people for a massive ritual exercise just when Emperor Grandis happens to enter the hall?” Lily asked.

“Or a dying noble with lots of lifestones just happening to be in the protagonist’s path, and his pockets happen to be full of keys and everything?” Claud asked.

“Uh, yeah, but those are awfully specific examples…” Dia tilted her head once. The couple’s words were quite ridiculous, and if someone were to actually incorporate them in a written work, she would curse the writer…probably. Personally, though, she would like it if a manual for some esoteric sword art just happened to fall from the sky, but…

She indulged in her fantasies for a moment, and then said, “Yeah, so that’s about it. Here’s the thing, though. Why did the Red God’s familiar spirit happen to crash land in front of you two?”

“Why? Probably because we’re related to you guys, right?” Lily replied.

“Yeah. Maybe the perp was hoping that we would say something inadvertently in our shock,” Claud added. “Or that maybe we would let slip something.”

Dia frowned. It didn’t seem like that to her, though. In fact, given their movements right before the two of them left the Istrel Sovereignty, Dia had a hunch that the Red God’s familiar spirit had landed near them because they were acquainted with the Thief of Time. In fact, this hypothesis would also explain why they knew that the Thief of Time wasn’t responsible for Holy Son Mendas’ death.

“Something wrong?” Lily asked.

Dia debated with herself on whether she should play this hand, but after a while, decided to not upend everything yet. While she didn’t quite know why the two of them weren’t revealing this, Dia was certain that the lovebirds had no intention of harming the Seekers of Life. In fact, knowing Claud, this was probably a countermeasure and a trump card of sorts; it was possible that he would call out his Thief of Time buddy when the situation really called for it.

And besides, they were in Moon territory now. To talk about the Thief of Time this openly was simply asking for it.

Smiling, Dia said, “Nothing. I’m just…happy to see you guys back safe and sound. Right, I didn’t say this, but you look really good, Lily.”

Lily took a moment to think about her words for a moment, and then said, “Yes. More importantly, I couldn’t help but think that using your mistress’ appearance while in a relationship was…odd. I can’t quite place a finger on it, but you get the idea, right? After all, we used to all look similar. This would help avoid any weird mistakes.”

Claud nodded. “Would be a problem if I took someone else’s hand, really.”

Dia laughed. “Yes, true. And it would be very weird to see my mistress’ lookalike behaving so intimately with someone else.”

Now that she thought about it, the idea of her lookalike flirting with Claud wasn’t what she’d call great, especially when she would probably be seeing the variations of the same thing over a long period of time.

“Right?”

The three of them chatted for a while, before Dia got a bit curious about their progress as a mana-user. “Right, have you guys done anything about your soul-bound weapon yet?”

The two of them blinked, glanced at each other, and then let out some nervous laughs.

“Well,” said Claud, “it’s been a busy year, see? Shadows prowling about and everything. We kinda forgot about soul-binding a weapon or something.”

Lily nodded. “Besides, we wanted to do some research on what soul-bound weapons could be, see? Claud was thinking about lots and lots of needles, for instance. We wanted our soul-bound weapons to be very practical.”

“I can understand that, yes.” Dia bobbed her head. “Anyway, I’m nearly a tetra-folder now! All I need to do is to begin my Second Tutorial, and we’ll all be set! You guys shouldn’t lag behind too, okay? Being on a honeymoon is no excuse to actually slack off.”

“Uh—”

“Yes, I know, I know. But being strong is very important,” Dia continued, looking at the two of them. “I have lots of mid and high-ranked lifestones. If you want them—”

“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Claud cut in. He had an odd expression on his face, but that swiftly vanished as he squeezed Lily’s hand.

“Ahaha.” Dia felt like an intruder in this two-person world. “Anyway, I’m going back out now. Are you guys going out for dinner? Or will you two be busy making babies or something?”

“Sexual harassment from our Dia,” Claud muttered. “How shocking!”

“I’m shaken…”

“I’m just kidding,” Dia replied. “I doubt you two would do that here anyway, right? After all…”

Her gaze lingered on Claud. “You wouldn’t want to piss off the Moons. Anyway, today’s going to be a feast to celebrate your return, so come down and stuff your faces until they pop or something. Do the three little fellows eat too?”

“No,” Claud replied. “But they’re with us.”

“Like children, I see. Incidentally, Holy Daughter Clarissa actually compiled a book on child-raising,” Dia added. “She seems to like that topic a lot. If you two want to start a family, do ask her for advice.”

“Thanks, Dia!” Lily beamed. “We’ll definitely do that once we’re all done and ready.”

“Yeah, you do that.” Dia got up. “See you guys for dinner later.”

Opening the door, she glanced back once, just to see the two of them cuddling sweetly. For a moment, it felt like she was presented with a vast array of cakes, chocolates and other sweet deserts, and she couldn’t help but shiver.

Too sweet.

Shaking her head, she ambled back into the living room and made her way to Schwarz, before holding out a hand. “I need a drink.”

The bartender, who was experimenting on a new drink with Nero as his assistant, paused. “That’s rare. What are you trying to drown?”

“Overwhelming sweetness from watching two lovebirds,” Dia replied.

“…Ah.” Schwarz chuckled. “Give me a moment, Nero. I’ll get Dia the drink she needs.”

“Sure, sure, go ahead.” Nero grinned. “Get me one too. I’m too young to be watching two people hold hands and everything. I’m going to die of jealousy. Isn’t there some nice Holy Daughter my age?”

“That’ll be hard,” Dia replied. “Just lower your requirements. That’ll be fine.”

Nero paused for a moment. “Of course! One of Supreme Saran’s many daughters! That should do, right? Heh.”

“Why not talk about the plausibility of meeting her first?” Dia replied, rolling her eyes.

“Heh. That’s indeed a good point.” Schwarz came back, a bottle in hand. “Here, your drink.”

“Thanks!”