Translator: Ranzan

  Editor: ryunakama

  「Why?」


  「Because…」


  She clasped her lips together, and remained quiet.

  「I see, then we’ll do this…」


  「What?」


  「Do you want to call me that, or not?」


  「I told you, I just can’t call you…」


  「That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m just asking you what you want, that’s all.」


  「Well…」


  She held her tongue again, but she looked a bit different than before.

  Now that he had given her conditions that could only be answered with a yes or no, her appearance seemed to change a bit.

  That appearance, and the fact that he had thought it wasn’t necessary to ask for the reason for everything that had happened up until now led Taiyou to simply wait for her answer.

  One minute passed, and Taiyou still waited.

  Three minutes passed, and Youran was still silent.

  Five minutes passed, and it all began to be entertaining in a way.

  Finally, after a long silence and both having lost track of how long they waited,

  「I…want to…」


  She had finally given him her answer.

  「I see.」


  「But, I can’t call you that. I mean…it’s strange for someone like me to call you that.」


  「I know.」


  He kind of knew why, and so he nodded.

  One couldn’t think of a girl like Youran, whether she was in her twintail mode or her Shingetsu mode, calling someone like Taiyou…dear master.

  However,

  「On the other hand, I think it’s better that you did.」


  「What?」


  「I don’t really care either way, even if it is strange. But it won’t get you in trouble, so why not?」


  「But…I have to think of my role…」


  「You’re my wife, what other role is there?」


  「…」


  Her eyes popped open wide.

  「What’s with that look?」


  「Why do you have to say it that strongly?! Of all the nerve!」


  「Why? I thought I was always like this.」


  「…」


  Youran cocked her head in thought, but didn’t shake it in denial, she just continued to stare at Taiyou, wide-eyed.

  「You want to call me like that, right?」


  「…」


  「Then do it. Don’t just get blown around like a leaf.」


  「Blown around?」


  「Yeah, the fact that you want to call me master. Do you want to call me it as my maid, or as my slave?」


  「…」


  「You said you want Leticia to end up as my slave, so I was thinking that, but I may be wrong.」


  「If I say it, will you treat me like that?」


  「I’ve already decided.」


  「What?」


  Hearing this made her eyes open wide again.

  「I’ve decided to fulfill your wishes up until you say stop or to leave it alone. Even with something difficult. Even if you want to act the maid or the slave, you’ll still be mine, so nothing changes.」


  「Nothing?」


  「Nothing.」


  He answered quickly and nodded.

  Nothing changes, yes, he had said that.

  Nothing…strangely enough…would change with him.

  「Really?」


  「Really.」


  「You won’t dislike it?」


  「I might for a bit.」


  「!!」


  「Don’t pout about it!」


  He took her hand.

  「Even so, I’ll do it, because it is my wife’s request.」


  「Don’t dislike it then.」


  「No guarantees.」


  「Then I won’t say it.」


  「Then I will guarantee it.」


  He quickly responded it her.

  「WHICH ONE?!」


  「Ways and means. If I can put your mind at ease, then I’ll do anything. I might have to change my principles a bit, even if I have to lie…」


  「You’re making no sense!」


  「That’s how it goes. You’re one dirty girl.」


  「! You know WHAT? Don’t make…」


  She stamped her feet several times to make the point.

  「FUN OF ME!」


  「You don’t change at all. Even with everything you get saddled with, you won’t say a thing about it. That’s why you get so pissed off when people joke with you.」


  「That’s not true.」


  「I mean, it’s cute, but if you run away every time it happens, it begins to make me worry.」


  「…」


  「I wonder if you can promise me that you won’t run away. You can kick or punch me, shoot me or even blow me away with a rocket launcher instead.」


  「…but those don’t affect you.」


  「In exchange, promise me you won’t run.」


  「…」


  She went silent again, but this time she opened her mouth again quicker,

  「Then…」


  「!!」


  As soon as she opened her mouth, he moved right beside her with a stomp.

  Under the Hirose bridge, on the river’s banks.

  A strange group of men, 10 in total, suddenly appeared.

  They were all holding weapons and cracking their knuckles, and it looked like they weren’t friendly.

  「Who the hell are you?」


  They had no answer. But they were hostile.

  「You looked so cute too.」


  「You really have some nerve!」


  Youran said, changing from her fidgeting, girlish ways back to a more stately princess.

  She knew that she needed to relax, now that she was in front of an enemy.

  「Well, compared to Shirokiyami.」


  「You’re right.」


  「You know who these guys are?」


  「You?」


  「Nope.」


  「I’ve got so many enemies, I can never tell.」


  「Right.」


  He nodded, understanding.

  「So…」


  「Yeah?」


  「What I was just saying, don’t run away anymore. If you run into something like this, even if you run from the frying pan you’re going to end up in the fire.」


  「…」


  「Please?」


  「…okay.」


  She said silently. He smiled at her, and then let go of her hand.

  「Hera.」


  「Ta dah dah! Oh, what have we here?」


  「Search around here and make sure no one’s going to ambush us.」


  「Yes, desu! There are…in fact, you’re surrounded, desu.」


  「How many?」


  「About 50 in total, desu.」


  「I see, seems they’ve prepared.」


  He said with a smile.

  「Well, they won’t last long.」