Torn Asunder by War, A Sword Saint for Tomorrow X The Knight Wizards!! – Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Izana, It Requires Permission from the Three Musketeers…
  Anyway, about two weeks had passed since the envoy Nina Valer had sent returned. On the night before their imminent departure, I took a bath, washing away the grime from my training with the squires.
  
  “Ahh~, this is reviving… I’m grateful to the Third Knight King.”
  
  I offered praise to the founder of the current royal family, a Rare Human from another world’s Japan, who had built a large bath within the castle. I sank into the bathtub up to my shoulders and stretched out my limbs.
  
  I let out a sigh of relief, “phew~,” and started thinking about how to handle Izana when I returned to the bedroom later.
  
  （They say a man who doesn’t eat when the food is set before him is a fool, but our current marriage is merely something she chose out of consideration for her people.）
  
  I don’t actually know what she’s thinking. But even if she subtly made advances, it would feel like I’m taking advantage of her vulnerability, and that’s something I can’t accept.
  
  “I don’t live solely on ideals… but does it go against my own principles?”
  
  In the first place, sustaining life requires devouring （taking away） other lives. While I don’t intend to become a shameless hypocrite who pretends they can’t even k*ll a bug while ignoring that fact, I do have a bad habit of wanting to stick to my ideals within acceptable limits.
  
  （Gramps used to call me a hypocrite, yeah… But, didn’t he also say that if you throw that away, you’re no different from a beast?）
  
  I also recall the saying, “Even hypocrisy stems from good intentions.”
  
  Perhaps because of the constant sword-swinging days since I came to this world, the gruff, monster-like old man who trained me keeps coming to mind more than my own parents.
  
  “This is unexpectedly unpleasant…”
  
  The moment I muttered and frowned, the frosted glass door of the bathroom opened slightly, the creak of metal echoing within, followed by Izana’s melodious voice.
  
  “…Claude, may I join you?”
  “Hold on, I’ll have to decline.”
  
  “No, I must insist tonight.”
  
  Along with her determined voice, the door swung open. Sadly, my male instincts took over, and I ended up staring at her exposed form.
  
  “Wait, you’re wearing a swimsuit… In that case, I don’t mind.”
  “Fufu, I’ve got your word♪”
  
  Izana, wearing a white, two-piece swimsuit that complemented her glossy black hair, flashed a mischievous smile.
  
  I realized that in this world, where people from other worlds are common, swimsuits must be widespread. I averted my gaze from her as she nonchalantly washed her body in the water.
  
  （Now, how do I get through this…?）
  
  Lost in my thoughts, going around in circles, I suddenly noticed someone’s presence beside me.
  
  “Then, excuse me.”
  “…There should be plenty of space, shouldn’t there?”
  
  “No, this is where I want to be.”
  
  Replying casually, Izana sat down next to me despite the spaciousness of the bathtub, and slowly leaned her body against mine.
  
  “…Mind over matter.”
  “If you can control your mind, even fire feels cool. That’s a proverb from your world, isn’t it?”
  
  She smiled faintly in the slightly tense atmosphere, relaxed her body, and exhaled deeply.
  
  “It seems it’s not that I lack charm after all.”
  “That’s the problem, you know.”
  
  “I apologize for doing this so suddenly… But my worries have vanished.”
  
  I, too, slowly relaxed my body, which had been tense without me realizing it.
  
  “Judging by your reaction, is the reason you’re ignoring my invitations a matter of mutual understanding?”
  
  “Pathetic as it is, that might be the case.”
  
  Although I’d been making excuses, the main reason I couldn’t make up my mind was that I didn’t understand her feelings.
  
  Now that I realized it, considering our positions, we should create opportunities to get to know each other… but I was supposed to leave for Zephyrus Domain tomorrow.
  
  “After I return from my trip, I’d like to spend more time with you.”
  “Mm, I have a suggestion…”
  
  Seizing the opportunity, Izana proposed that we go out on the town together, leaving me momentarily speechless.
  
  At the very least, I knew that if I didn’t get permission from the senior vassals I secretly nicknamed the “Three Musketeers,” I’d be in for a scolding later.
  
  （In the end, we won’t really be alone since I’m sure they’ll assign secret guards…）
  
  I agreed with her as she waited for my answer with her small fists clenched. I decided to start by winning over Raizes, who seemed the most formidable among them, during our journey. As I was strategizing in the bath, I started to feel lightheaded.
  
  I grabbed the towel I had placed on the edge of the bath, wrapped it around my waist while still in the water, and stood up.
  
  “I’m getting out first.”
  “Yes, I’ll stay in a little longer.”
  
  Leaving Izana, who replied as such, behind, I headed for the changing room, quickly got dressed, and hurried to the bedroom. But I couldn’t forget that she would be returning to the same place.
  
  We went to bed, both more tense than usual, and the next day, I ended up sleep-deprived and being cared for by Revia as I boarded Clawsolas Unit 4.
  
  “Ugh, the vibrations are echoing in my head.”
  “Mmm~, Izana seemed a bit sleep-deprived too… Ah, did you have fun last night?”
  
  The red-haired girl’s misunderstanding in a strange direction deepened my headache. I moved the knight’s legs via the artificial muscles connected to my body and lined up with Lloyd and Eleia’s knights, who had already joined the cavalry unit.
  
  『Your complexion was a bit pale this morning… Are you alright, Claude?』
  『It’s probably nothing serious, but don’t let your guard down, okay?』
  
  『Yeah, thanks for your concern, both of you.』
  『Well, from the feeling of being connected while riding together, it doesn’t seem like there’s any serious problem.』
  
  As I was exchanging words with the two who had spoken to me, a transmission came in from Dino’s Unit 5 through the installed telepathy device.
  
  『Claude, it seems we’re ready to depart.』
  『Understood, but… could you drop the honorifics at least on the secure channel? It’s too formal.』
  
  『Absolutely not. It’s about drawing a line.』
  『He says that, but don’t mind him too much.』
  
  Lise, the mage, added her words, seemingly exasperated by her partner’s stiff attitude, creating a softer atmosphere. Judging by their usual interactions, if the blue-haired mage, who was skilled at handling the knight, said so, it was probably fine.
  
  I hoped that one day they would be able to interact with me casually like the Lunavadis siblings. I nodded the head of my giant knight in agreement to Raizes, who had approached Unit 4’s feet to confirm our departure…