After spending time with Rumi that day, I went to Serafina''s room at night.


    When I first met Serafina, she must have been fifteen or sixteen. Many years have passed since then, but her appearance has hardly changed.


    Thanks to the profession of Oda Nobunaga. All my wives remain beautiful. I really have to thank Oda Nobunaga for this.


    "Oh, am I right?　Wouldn''t it be better to spend the night with the regular chamberlain?"


    Serafina giggles as she sits in her chair. Her smug attitude has never changed.


    But I''m sure Seraphina knows most of the reasons why I''m here.


    "Seraphina, I''m going to fight to unify the nation. I''m sure you understand that too.


    "Isn''t it obvious?　I told you when I married that I wanted to marry a man who would be king."


    Serafina leans toward me. Her eyes are still the same provocative, testing look she used to give me.


    "Would you be willing to destroy your house and your family for it?"


    I pulled myself away from her a little and said, "I''m sorry, but I can''t help it.


    "There is a chance that your father, Ailes Kartis, will turn against me. If he does, I will do everything in my power to stop him. If the province of Brantall betrays us at any moment, our future plans will be in jeopardy. And if my father-in-law betrays me, the others may also turn against me.


    Serafina''s expression hardened a little.


    No words came out right away. I waited patiently. And no matter what the answer was, I knew what I was going to do.


    A few tears welled up in Serafina''s eyes.


    "It''s strange. I used to be willing to sacrifice anything if you would be king, but when the time comes, I am so afraid. I wondered if everyone I knew would die. ......"


    I silently held Seraphina in my arms.


    I knew it was the best I could do.


    Unfortunately, no matter how much Serafina grieved, it was impossible to loosen the treatment in the case of a traitor. So I had no choice but to say nothing.


    For a while, I think, Serafina was crying as she leaned on me. I know she has a slender body, but she is still light. Like a sugar candy, I feel like I''m going to melt away.


    "That''s just when my father-in-law turned on me. I swear to you that I will never do anything that would make him suspect me of treason and kill me.


    If I do that, even the people who follow me will lose faith in me. It''s hell after that. No one will follow me.


    It''s better to have the assurance that I will protect those who follow me.


    "No. No. I am sure that my family will attack you. I''m not flexible enough to accept the new world you''re creating."


    Serafina left me and went to a locked box in her room.


    From there she produced not a make-up kit but an out-of-place letter.


    "You, read this."


    I quickly read through the letter that was handed to me.


    "It says you want to give me a home and hospitality. So Serafina should come back then."


    "Hospitality is the secret language of the house of Kartis, and it means to destroy. It''s a trick to reduce the risk of being discovered."


    Most likely, they were mixed in with the apparently innocuous communication from the family home. If they were included with other mundane items, they would not be discovered.


    "I''ve also been getting a lot of requests to send me information. I''m sure they really want to do it."


    "Thank you for telling me. After all, you are the one who understands me best.


    He kissed Serafina''s lips.


    Then, a little more decisively, Serafina sat down in her chair.


    "Look, I know you know the answer anyway, but I''m just going to say it."


    "Yeah, whatever you want. You have that right."


    I thought he was asking me not to attack his parents'' house or to save his family''s life.


    But I was wrong. I had forgotten that Serafina was a more passionate person.


    "Kill me on the inside."


    Smiling, Serafina said.


    "Then the master will be able to attack the house of Kartis without any worries. My presence might cloud your judgment.


    Serafina seemed to have come up with such a method to settle her contradictory feelings.


    I sighed and laughed. I can''t even get angry.


    "What is your profession?"


    "A saint, but ......"


    The ability to increase the fortune of those who are near you by thirty percent--that is the vocation of a saint.


    "That''s what I mean. You''re a saint to me. A man would be a fool to kill the saint who protects him. I''m not gonna live that stupidly. You only live once."


    "You don''t even detach and turn them away ......?"


    "I''m not stupid enough to leave someone as attractive as you are. I want to keep you mine."


    I wondered why he was making a serious move on his wife, but he was not lying about his desire not to lose Serafina.


    "If I were your only wife, you would be more persuasive."


    "Seraphina is the one who brought the other side chambers for the sake of alliance," he said. Thank you for finding Fleur for me.


    The tension in the air was loosened enough for me to make this kind of light talk. Serafina''s words gave me an idea.


    "Serafina, I''m sorry, but I''d like to add another wife to my family.


    Yes, yes. Who the hell are you?


    "The daughter of Solstice Nistonia, who has a navy, should be about the right age."


    One more ground to cover before the big military operation.