Father and Daughter, and the Guest
A search party had been assembled to investigate the sudden disappearance of the Empire's ability users.
When Neferti volunteered to join them, the duke stared at his daughter for a moment before speaking.
"I won't allow it."
"I see."
It was the answer she'd fully expected. Of course he'd say that.
So Neferti didn't falter. She pressed on with her next response.
"As you know, I'm a student at the Cradle, the student council president, and a member of the Dispatch Unit."
"...True enough."
"In emergencies, I can act on my own judgment. Of course, I'd bear the responsibility—but if the situation is dire, I can step in. Father. Or should I say, Duke Chester Maenheim."
There was no flaw in her logic. She wasn't the type to lie about something like this anyway.
Duke Chester knew that all too well. He had no grounds to stop her.
If it had just been a daughter's plea to her father, he might have refused outright.
But this was a request from a Cradle student and Dispatch Unit member to the duke.
And it came with perfectly reasonable justification.
"Fine. It's not heading to a Gate, and there won't be any combat with monsters. If it's strictly for reconnaissance, I see no reason to deny you."
"... "
The duke's permission. But Neferti's expression darkened.
That phrasing. No heading to a Gate. No monster combat.
Put inversely, it meant the search party would retreat immediately if either situation arose.
She was a Cradle student, as she'd said. A Dispatch Unit member.
But that was the limit. She wasn't an imperial ability user obligated to suppress Gates or monsters.
So there was no issue in keeping her from anything beyond basic scouting.
"Why the silence? If you've changed your mind, speak up now."
"...No, Your Grace. I'll join the search party."
"Very well. Go, then. Neferti."
"I'll be back."
After a curt farewell, she vanished from the room.
The duke gazed at the empty space she'd left behind.
A bitter taste lingered in his mouth. He'd finished his drink earlier, yet he found himself tilting the empty glass again.
"Your Grace."
He turned to see a family servant watching him cautiously.
Behind the servant stood Deus, who had just been shown to his room.
"You've come as well."
"Yes. Things seemed unusually hectic compared to before."
"Further south from the ducal territory lies an area outside the Seal Stone's range. A Gate appeared there, and contact with the imperial ability users sent to investigate has been lost."
"That's troubling."
"I hope it doesn't worsen. Ideally, it was just a communication glitch."
The duke paused, tapping the table lightly before letting out a sigh.
His gestures brimmed with frustration at the situation.
"I saw the council president leaving the study earlier."
"You saw correctly. The Ability Agency requested aid from our territory, so we've formed a search party. She came straight to me upon hearing, asking for a spot on it."
"You approved?"
Deus's question drew a hollow laugh from the duke.
What more could I do? he began.
"It's just reconnaissance, so I couldn't refuse outright. My youngest likely knew that, leveraging her Cradle student and Dispatch Unit status to insist on joining."
"... "
"It's probably her silent protest to this father of hers—a sign to finally give up."
No parent can win against their child. The ancient sages were right, after all.
The duke rubbed his forehead with a light sigh, turning toward Deus just then.
"...You. What are you doing?"
"Didn't you ask me to help the council president earlier?"
"I did say that, but... hold on. Weren't you drinking quite a bit with me until moments ago?"
—Thud.
Deus shrugged off his outer coat, folding it neatly.
His muscles rippled as if ready to warp space-time itself.
"I can recover from that much with my stamina."
For a split second, the duke nearly blurted, Recover alcohol with stamina? How?
He held it back purely on warrior's instinct.
That primal sense whispering it was best to stay quiet before the hulking beast.
"I'll join the search party too, Your Grace."
*
The most experienced knights and soldiers from the ducal territory were mustered.
At the Ability Agency's request, they would search for the missing ability users.
"Hm?"
Then they spotted a new arrival and visibly faltered.
"Lady Neferti?"
"It's been a while, everyone. I hope you've been well."
"We're always the same... but why are you here so suddenly?"
"I've joined the search party. Oh, don't worry—Father gave his permission."
The knights, about to protest, fell silent in unison.
If Duke Chester had decided it, they had no right to argue.
"We may not get proper sleep and could be on the move constantly. Are you sure?"
"I barely slept at the Cradle not long ago, standing by on alert."
Neferti flashed a grin, brushing off their concerns.
The knights nodded and resumed preparations—
"Pardon the intrusion. Is this the group heading out for reconnaissance?"
A massive figure emerged from the darkness, speaking human words.
"Eek!"
"Junior?"
Correction: it was the towering youth, Deus.
The knights still recoiled in shock.
"What's going on here all of a sudden?"
"I've joined the search party too. I asked His Grace for the favor."
"Why would you... no, more importantly."
Neferti sniffed the air, her face twisting in suspicion.
"Junior. Have you been drinking?"
"Yes. I shared a few drinks with His Grace."
"Then you shouldn't be standing around—you need to rest!"
"I can recover from this much with my stamina."
"What kind of nonsense is that?!"
No matter how strong the knight, skilled the mage, or capable the ability user.
Before the deadly poison called alcohol, they all staggered helplessly.
Yet stamina recovery? What utter—
"It makes sense. To me."
"... "
And it was Deus saying it. The man who'd punched a demon to death barehanded.
The knights might doubt. The soldiers might scoff. But Neferti had no choice but to believe.
"W-well... ahem. Perfect timing, then. They're planning to split the search party into two teams, so you and I can each lead one. It'll be good to have an ability user in each."
"Agreed."
After a quick discussion, Deus turned to the knights and soldiers.
"I've joined rather abruptly. My apologies first. I'm just a freshman, but I'm still a Cradle student, so I should be of some help. Looking forward to working with you."
Just a freshman? You punched a demon to death barehanded.
Still a Cradle student? You're the Cradle's hero.
"Likewise. Looking forward to it."
Neferti didn't need to remind the ducal knights and soldiers of that.
They were already bowing repeatedly in deference.
That's... him, right? Yeah. Definitely.
In their minds, titles like "ducal knight" or "soldier" had long evaporated.
Who could stand tall before such a monstrous man offering greetings?
"Then we'll depart immediately."
The search party left the manor at a steady pace—not too fast, not too slow.
In case of emergencies, exhausted horses would spell disaster.
For the record, Deus rode not a horse but a patient transport wagon.
Sadly, no horse in the duchy could bear his bulk alone.
Perhaps none in the entire Empire.
"Junior."
Neferti guided her horse skillfully alongside the wagon.
"Why did you suddenly join the search party?"
"His Grace asked me to assist you, like with the demon at the Cradle not long ago."
"Father's worrying over nothing. I already promised not to do anything reckless."
Nothing to worry about. Nothing at all.
"President, if I may overstep... No matter what a child does—easy or hard, dangerous or not—parents just worry. Isn't that how it is?"
"... "
Neferti sighed.
She knew. She understood completely. How could she not? Her father had already lost a child.
Sometimes she considered just doing as he wished.
After losing his wife first, then sending off his second son in tears.
Losing the youngest too might break him for good.
"Even if not now, it might be worth thinking deeply about someday."
"...Got it. Thanks, junior."
*
The ducal search party split into two teams.
The Ability Agency had taken two of the four likely paths for the imperial ability users.
Two remained, so they divided accordingly.
"Take care, junior."
"You too."
Parting from Deus, Neferti urged her team onward.
Two hours passed without notable findings.
Night had deepened, making visual scouting difficult.
"Lady Neferti. It'd be best to move again at early dawn."
"Agreed. There's a village nearby, and if not, spots to camp... "
Neferti trailed off, staring intently ahead.
The knights, initially puzzled, soon sensed it too and looked forward.
"...! ...!"
"... ... "
Faint voices drifted over. That was normal enough.
The problem? It was no time for peaceful wanderers.
Moments later, two figures entered Neferti's view.
"Huh? What the—"
A man and woman, radiating intensely ominous auras.