"I see. So they turned down an arranged marriage and ran away together."
"And did you come here to take your sister back, Sion-san?"
Sally and Giebeck both spoke up, though their questions were aimed at entirely different points.
"No, I didn't come to force her back. I was just worried about her, so I came to find her."
"Sion..."
"Though Jin found her in no time at all."
"I see..."
At that, Sion turned to face Netros, who had remained silent throughout the exchange.
"I never realized you felt that way about my sister, Netros. But now that things have come to this, you'll make her happy, won't you?"
Netros looked up with a start.
"Yes, Sion-sama."
"Good. Then it's fine....Take good care of her, okay?"
Sion spoke to him with a hint of loneliness, yet her voice remained resolute.
"However, the question is what to do now," Jin muttered, folding his arms in thought.
Sally was the one to offer a suggestion.
"Jin-kun, you're acquainted with their parents, aren't you? It might be best if you went and spoke with them yourself. That would be the smoothest way to settle things without causing too much friction."
"...I suppose you're right."
Sally nodded firmly.
"I believe so."
With her advice, Jin made up his mind.
"All right." He stood up and addressed Sion, Istalis, and Netros. "For now, all of you should come with me."
＊ ＊ ＊
Fifteen minutes later, Jin, Sion, Istalis, and Netros were gathered at Jin Castle. Reiko brought out tea for the four of them.
Once they had all calmed down over their hot tea—Jin’s portion having been cooled slightly to his preference—Jin opened the discussion.
"Now then, I'm heading to the demon territory on Konron 3 soon. I want all three of you to come with me."
"I don't mind, but... my sister and Netros too?" Sion asked, looking a bit uneasy.
"For the time being, I'll have the two of them stay aboard Konron 3 until we've properly settled the matter."
"In that case, I'm fine with it."
Jin took a breath and continued.
"Now, let me ask you, Istalis. Where did this marriage proposal originate?"
"Um, Grandfather said he had made the arrangements with Maximus-sama..."
Istalis's grandfather was Baldius, the Clan Chief of the All-Creation Clan. Maximus likely referred to the leader of the Puppet Clan, Maximus.
"A discussion between Clan Chiefs, then..."
"Yes....I accepted it as something inevitable, or rather..."
"My sister was quite obedient about it at first, saying it was for the sake of the All-Creation Clan," Sion explained in place of the hesitating Istalis. "Watching her back when the engagement was announced, I never would have guessed she secretly harbored any dislike for it."
She must have been suppressing her own feelings to that extent, Jin thought with sympathy.
After all, his own wife Elsa had a past of her own, having fled from an arranged marriage her parents had forced upon her.
When Jin mentioned this, Sion immediately perked up.
"No way! I wouldn't have expected that from someone as refined and gentle as Elsa-san!"
"Now, Sion. Elsa-sama is Jin-sama's madam now."
"Oh, right....Sorry about that, Jin."
Jin simply laughed and forgave her.
"Well, anyway, I want to respect the wishes of the people actually involved. I intend to tell the Clan Chief exactly that."
"Jin, I'm counting on you!"
"Goodness, Sion, settle down."
"By the way, how was Belialus taking it?"
Sion answered that one.
"Hmm, like he was just going along with it, I think?"
She explained that it was hard to tell for sure because he maintained a perfect poker face. However, given that he had helped Istalis escape, his romantic interest in her was likely non-existent.
"How did you feel about it, Istalis?"
"Yes, well... I felt as though Belialus-sama was suppressing his own emotions as well. I suspected he might have someone else he truly loves."
"I see."
There was a distinct possibility that Belialus was also hiding his true intentions.
"Come to think of it, I don't recall seeing Belialus when we visited the Puppet Clan territory last time."
At any rate, Jin felt that nothing could truly begin until they arrived in the demon territory.
＊ ＊ ＊
And so, despite having only just returned from his previous trip, Jin headed back to the demon territory on Konron 3 early the next morning.
Elsa and Reiko accompanied him, along with Sion, Istalis, and Netros. Edgar served as the pilot.
They arrived in the demon territory at 9:00 AM local time.
"Let's head to the All-Creation Clan first..."
Konron 3 landed on the outskirts of the All-Creation Clan territory. Members of the clan gathered almost immediately.
"Jin-sama, welcome. What brings you—Sion!? Why are you here?"
Baldius, the Clan Chief of the All-Creation Clan and Sion's grandfather, came out to greet Jin, only for his eyes to bulge when he spotted Sion with him.
"I'll explain everything," Jin said.
Faced with Jin's calm demeanor, Baldius couldn't press the issue any further and instead invited the group into his home.
"To start with, the reason I'm here is because Sion came to me after Istalis disappeared."
Inside the Clan Chief's house, Jin got straight to the point.
"I heard from Sion that the marriage between Istalis and Belialus was an arrangement decided between the Clan Chiefs."
"...Yes."
Making no attempt to hide anything from Jin, Baldius admitted the truth at once.
"However, Istalis seemed happy about it, and Belialus agreed immediately, so I believed there were no issues."
"I see."
At that point, Elsa spoke up.
"Istalis-san is someone who cares deeply for her family and her clan. She likely felt she couldn't go against a marriage intended for the clan's benefit—especially one decided by the Clan Chiefs."
These were the words of a woman who had once been unable to accept a marriage her father had decided on his own.
"..."
"Istalis-san was probably deceiving herself, trying to believe it was for the sake of the clan. I think something finally snapped, and that's why she fled."
In response to her words, Baldius looked thoughtful.
"Now that you mention it, the day before she vanished, she met with Belialus and they talked for a very long time. I assumed they were discussing their future together..."
"I see... In that case, Belialus might have been in on it after all."
"C-Could such a thing be possible?"
"In any case, I think we should head over to the Puppet Clan next."
Jin stood up.
"J-Jin-sama, please take me with you!"
As Baldius pleaded, Jin gave a nod of consent.
"All right....Sion, you come too."
"Sure!"
Thus, with Baldius added to the party, Jin and his companions headed for the Puppet Clan territory.