Shura and Arietta.
The next day, I woke up in a thatched hut in the mountains. As I slowly opened my eyes, the emptiness at my side made me bolt upright, fumbling with the stained blanket. Arietta was nowhere to be seen in the house.
Just as an uneasy feeling crept in, I heard footsteps outside. From the sound, it was Arietta.
"Can I come in?"
"Mm. Sure."
With my permission, Arietta opened the door and entered, carrying a large tray piled high with food. It looked like she'd been up since dawn preparing breakfast.
"Dear husband, come eat."
The odd phrasing made me scratch my nose. It felt a bit cumbersome, but not entirely unpleasant.
Arietta neatly arranged the dishes on the table beside the bed. It was hearty, and the aroma was inviting. A far cry from my calorie-only slop.
I sat at the table, spooned some soup, and my eyes widened. For food made with mountain village ingredients, it had a surprisingly deep flavor.
"Mm. This is almost on par with old man Zenbe's cooking."
"Pardon? Who's that?"
"Some orc who runs a food cart."
Arietta's ears drooped. Orc males were infamous for ignoring housework. No wonder they couldn't cook.
"I'll try harder."
"No, it's a compliment. That guy's unusually skilled for an orc. I'll introduce you later—his food's killer."
"Ah, Zenbe, right? Got it."
Arietta mulled over the name a few times. She was clearly planning to seek him out for recipes.
Anyway, it was a relief to have another good cook around me. Great Desert cuisine was too exotic and spicy, easy to tire of, but now with Arietta, I could enjoy continental dishes anytime. Shura and Armida sis could make them too, but barely edible—not something to savor.
Especially Armida sis's cooking—even I steered clear. She followed poison potion recipes for meals.
As I ate, I glanced at Arietta's fingertips. There was dirt under her nails.
I let out a long sigh.
"Arietta?"
"Yes?"
"Let's do it together later."
Arietta bowed her head.
"Yes."
"And."
"Yes?"
"You don't cook with dirty hands."
"Ah, right."
After eating, I started burying Arietta's subordinates' bodies scattered around the village. Part of me wanted to leave them for the crows, but what could I do?
Since Arietta wanted it, I buried the grudge for their would-be crimes here.
Man, I'm doing all sorts of crap since coming here.
I sweated buckets digging. A Master swordsman doing manual labor—talk about inefficiency.
But the bigger issue was the sheer number of bodies. Damn assassins. If you're gonna kill them, clean up after.
Felt like karma. I'd never bothered with cleanup myself. Finished another deep grave and dragged the bodies in.
As I covered them with dirt, Arietta erected a wooden tombstone she'd carved. It had names and prayers etched in, but I wasn't interested and kept to my work.
Once the mound was done, Arietta offered a brief prayer.
"May you reach heaven..."
I approached the gloomy Arietta for a break.
"Got any snacks?"
"One moment."
She hurriedly finished praying and brought a basket of food: a small wine jug, sausages, bread, crispy bacon.
I chugged the wine straight from the jug and munched sausages.
"Arietta, what're your plans now?"
She knelt beside me, knees together.
"I have to avenge my subordinates."
"How?"
Her eyes darkened. Even as a Great Saintess, revenge on Nemisona was near impossible.
"Well, first gather allies who share my cause."
"Think they'll come? Who'd pick a fight with sky city Chronos?"
"Someone must be out there."
I casually draped an arm over her shoulder.
"Just follow me. I wasn't planning to let Nemisona off easy anyway."
Arietta gazed at me.
"You, Grand Prince?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"Got grudges, big and small. Plus, leave her be, she'll keep pulling the same shit. Sway some devout soul, build another group like yours."
Arietta bit her lip.
"I won't stand by idly."
"That's why come to me. I can move Kara Kingdom, influence the world. Help your revenge. And you'll help me. Deal?"
"Yes. I'll follow you, Grand Prince."
She agreed too easily. No real options anyway—starting over wasn't simple.
Sure, as Great Saintess, followers would flock, but they'd be worthless. Faith-bound, they'd never defy Nemisona, top dog of faith heads.
I patted her shoulder.
"Smart choice."
"No, thank you. I was lost alone."
"Alone? You've got me. And in Kara, friends: two Great Saintesses, one Valkyrie sis."
Arietta frowned. Valkyries were enemies who'd gotten her subordinates killed.
"Valkyrie?"
"Armida sis. Opposite faction from Nemisona. You know Prosia?"
"Yes."
"Her side. Dark Valkyrie."
Arietta brightened. Anyone not Nemisona's side was fine.
"And keep my identity secret from her. Not a big deal if it slips, but hassle. You know my past?"
"Yes."
I stood, dusting off.
"Alright, back to it. Gotta finish by sunset."
Her eyes widened.
"All by sunset?"
"Yeah. I'm good at grave-digging."
"Even so, over 400 bodies?"
I rolled my eyes.
"400?"
"Yes. All my dead subordinates in these mountains."
"Ah..."
I rubbed my chin, stumped. A month's digging. Even for me, 400 was too much.
But luck struck: villagers who'd fled assassins' threats returned en masse. I paid them handsomely to gather bodies and dig graves.
Once all graves were done, Arietta sanctified the village as holy ground. To honor her fallen protectors.
These guys die early and get promoted. In my past life, they were humanity's enemies.
A few days later, Arietta and I returned to Kara. Entering the intel office with her, I took a deep breath.
Time to introduce my new lover to Shura. Couldn't help worrying about her reaction.
Padilla's case, Shura had pushed us together. But they were friends then; Arietta was from the light faction that killed Shura's mom. No guarantee of welcome.
"Yo, back. No trouble?"
"Little bro! Where've you been?!"
Armida sis yelled at the sight of me, eyes fierce. Clearly pissed about my disappearance.
But spotting Arietta behind, her face softened to curiosity. She instantly recognized the Aslan bow.
"Bro, that elf's bow—isn't it Aslan?"
"Yeah."
"So she's that missing Arietta from before?"
"Yep. Introduce: Armida sis, Arietta."
Arietta bowed politely.
"Hello. I've heard much about you from dear husband."
Armida sis looked flustered.
"Uh. Dear husband?"
"Yes. I'm Baekmyeon's wife."
I facepalmed. Should've warned her against that.
Armida sis bolted to the outdoor training ground.
"Shura! Bro got married! To last year's missing Wind Great Saintess Arietta!"
Soon, Shura rushed in from training, dalrahan in hand.
She trembled like a leaf. I'd rejected her marriage pleas before. Now bringing home a wife? No wonder she was mad.
"Master? Married?"
Arietta linked arms with me, leaning in.
"Hello. I'm Arietta, Baekmyeon's wife."
Shura eyed us sharply, hawk-like. I swallowed dryly. This wasn't the usual Shura.
"Master. Really married? Without telling me?"
I glanced at the razor-sharp dalrahan and waved it off.
"No. Circumstances here."
"What circumstances?"
"Pretty one-sided. Arietta married me without me knowing."
"Right? Master wouldn't marry before me and Padilla."
Arietta slipped in a jab.
"But a heavenly being approved. Know what that means?"
Shura's face crumpled. Heavenly approval meant marriage, regardless of ceremony or will.
"Really?"
"Yes."
Shura glared at Armida sis.
"Not your doing, Master?"
Armida sis denied vehemently.
"No way. If it was me, I'd tip you off first."
"Then who?"
Armida sis looked awkward at Shura's tone.
"Dunno. We Valkyries aren't few. Over 200 in Chronos. One per heavenly god."
"I see."
"Yeah."
"Any way to cancel?"
Armida sis eyed us.
"Not none."
"How?"
"Another heavenly being objects. Marriage on hold till they agree."
"Oh~ So you could null it, Master?"
It sounded like an order.
Armida sis shot me glares. What'd you do out there?
Arietta jumped in.
"Hey, Yin-Yang Great Saintess. Why cancel someone else's marriage on your whim?"
"Is marrying without consent proper?"
"By church law, yes. As a Great Saintess, follow faith's ways."
Shura pouted.
"Doesn't matter. I won't allow it."
"By what right?"
"I'm Master's first woman."
Arietta looked shocked.
In elf society, light or dark, the first woman's say was huge. No new lovers or concubines without her okay.
"What makes you Master's first?"
"Haven't you heard? I was his lover before becoming Great Saintess."
"Sorry, missed that rumor."
Tension crackled between Shura and Arietta.
Shura turned to me.
"Master? I'm first, right?"
I rolled my eyes. Strictly, no. I'd had others before.
"Well, can't say there were none before."
"Exclude Sierra Princess! That's over!"
Shura was losing it, spilling secrets. Armida sis didn't need to know about Sierra.
Armida sis stared incredulously.
"Bro? You even hit on Sierra?"
Arietta perked up. If Sierra was first, Shura's claim was moot.
"Baekmyeon. Sierra, not Shura?"
I waved firmly.
"No! Never even held that woman's hand."
Armida sis eyed me skeptically.
"Doubt it. You two bicker every meeting—like something happened."
Shura snapped at her.
"Master! Whose side are you on?!"
"Not that... just a hunch."
"Stay out if you don't know!"
"Okay, sorry."
Armida sis wilted under Shura's sharpness.
Shura pressed.
"Master, cancel it?"
"Well, if you ask..."
"And?"
Armida sis mumbled.
"Why not all marry now? No fighting then, right?"
"Sis! Why go there?!"
I yelled.
But ignoring me, Shura and Arietta exchanged looks, smiled satisfied, and shook hands amicably.
Shura sheathed her dalrahan.
"Good idea. What say you, Wind Great Saintess?"
"Yes. I'm for it."
I gaped at the two Great Saintesses. No eternal enemies or allies—former foes allied instantly over shared interests.
"I oppose this marriage!"
Shura and Arietta. End