Inside the Randol Mansion, the engagement ceremony had drawn to a close. In a rare quiet moment, Jin and Reinhard sat together at a table.
"Man, I'm exhausted."
It wasn't a physical weariness; Jin was simply mentally drained from the day's formalities.
"Still, that speech of yours was quite a surprise, Jin," Reinhard said, his tone teasing as he sipped his wine.
"Don't remind me..."
Jin felt his face grow hot. Even to his own ears, his words had sounded somewhat fumbled and incoherent.
＊ ＊ ＊
"Elsa, you look so happy."
"I am, Mother."
Elsa sat across from her foster mother, Marlene, as the two shared a private conversation.
"Is Jin-san being kind to you?"
"Very."
"I see. That’s all that matters... You’ve been waiting for this day ever since you restored House Randol, haven't you?"
Since Elsa, the current head of house, would eventually be moving away, a Successor was needed. Elsa intended to recommend her elder brother, Moritz, for the position.
Now that her engagement was official, an application to the state would undoubtedly be accepted. This would finally return House Randol—which had been dissolved following the scandal caused by Elsa’s father, Georg—to its proper status.
"...By the way, how is Father?"
Marlene had been devotedly caring for Georg, who still suffered from the lingering effects of a brain infarction.
"He’s much better lately. His speech is still a bit labored, but he can stand up on his own now if he has something to lean on. I’m sure he’ll be delighted when we tell him about your engagement."
"...I wonder."
The memory was still vivid in Elsa's mind. Back when her father had been manipulated by Marcus Grinbalt—who was himself a puppet of the demon race Marcosius—Georg had snarled cruel words at her. “You are a political tool for my advancement, to be married off to a high-ranking noble! Otherwise, there was no point in acknowledging you, born of that woman!”
In that moment, something inside Elsa had shattered. Perhaps it was the absolute trust a child has for a parent, or perhaps it was the very bond of blood itself. Regardless, the trauma concerning her biological father ran deep.
Though Georg had become a gentle, calm man after his recovery, the fear of being rejected by him remained etched in the depths of her heart.
＊ ＊ ＊
"Father, how are you feeling?"
Meanwhile, Fritz was visiting his father alone in a spacious room that served as both a bedroom and a living area.
Georg was currently being attended to by Lala, the automata Elsa had provided. With her platinum blonde bob and light blue eyes, she was the same model as the one gifted to Marquis Theoderic. Elsa had sent her in February to replace Edgar, who had been assisting until then.
"Frit... z. You’ve grown... strong....Looks like you’ve... tanned quite a bit."
"Yeah, I just got back from the Celuroa Kingdom. The weather was clear for most of the trip. You’re looking much better yourself, Father."
Georg's expression was peaceful; he seemed to take genuine pleasure in hearing from his son, who had followed in his footsteps as a soldier.
"Oh, right. Elsa brought her fiancé over today."
"Fi... ancé?"
At that word, Georg’s face winced for a fleeting second before his expression smoothed over.
"Is it... that man... Jin Nidou?"
"Oh, you remember him? Yeah, that’s the one. Jin Nidou."
"I see..."
Georg closed his eyes as if searching his memories. Fritz remained silent, simply watching his father's face.
"...Does she... look happy?" Georg finally whispered.
"Yeah. More than anyone I've ever seen."
"Then... that is good."
"...Just so you know, Jin-dono is now the 'Lord of Kunlun,' and nations everywhere rely on him. He has Her Majesty's absolute trust. Besides—"
"...Say no more. I know....As long as that child is happy, that... is enough."
"Father."
"I did things to her... that make me... ashamed to even look at her."
Having learned that he, too, had been a victim of Seduce-type magic, Fritz understood his father’s guilt all too well.
"Still, you should meet him at least once. You’re her father, after all."
Leaving those words behind, Fritz stepped out of the room.
He made his way to the guest wing, where Jin and Reinhard were staying in a two-room suite. He knocked, waited for an answer, and opened the door.
"Sorry to drop in so late."
"Come on in."
Jin and Reinhard welcomed him.
"I just came from seeing my father."
Reinhard set out a new glass, and Jin poured the wine.
"Thanks." Fritz took a sip and began to speak. "My old man is doing a lot better. He can hold a conversation now, and he’s able to feed himself."
Apparently, with a little assistance for things like bathing and dressing, he was managing to regain some semblance of a normal life.
"That's good to hear," Reinhard said with a nod.
"So, look." Fritz set his wine glass down and turned a serious gaze toward Jin. "I want you to meet him. With Elsa."
"Eh?"
Jin was caught off guard by the sudden request.
"He won’t say it out loud, but I know he’s reflecting on everything....Honestly, I think he wants to apologize."
"..."
Reinhard remained silent. Having been there when Elsa’s father first spiraled out of control, he could guess the man's state of mind. He waited to see how Jin would respond.
"Sure. I should try to visit him tomorrow morning," Jin replied. His tone was casual, devoid of any lingering resentment. "He is Elsa's father, after all."
"That’s just like you, Jin." Reinhard felt a wave of relief at Jin's easygoing nature.
"Great! I'll go with you tomorrow, then," Fritz said, looking pleased. "Well, Brother-in-law, I'll see you in the morning."
Calling out to Jin with a grin, Fritz drained his wine and stood up.
"Right. See you then, Brother-in-law," Jin replied in kind.
"Do you think I should talk to Elsa about this tonight?" Jin asked Reinhard once Fritz had left.
"Hmm, I don't know. Maybe it's better to let her be for this evening?"
"Yeah, you're probably right."
Mothers and daughters always had plenty to catch up on, Reinhard noted.
"Understood. Then we'll do as Fritz-dono suggested and wait until tomorrow."
With that, the heavy topics were settled. However, Reinhard wasn't finished.
"Jin, now that that's out of the way, tell me more about those golems you recovered from the ruins under the Elrad Mine!"
"Haha, sure."
Smiling at Reinhard’s typical enthusiasm, Jin began to explain.
"The most striking feature was that the control core was located in the head. In terms of mimicking the human form, I suppose it makes sense...."
"I see! That is fascinating."
"The material was interesting too. It’s a metal called orichalcum, a copper alloy..."
The discussion between the two engineering enthusiasts continued late into the night, eventually requiring Reiko to step in and put an end to it.