Chapter 1

Part 1

It's been several months since the conclusion of the battle of the Biheiril Kingdom.

Since then, Hitogami has stayed silent, and the days went by without any enemy presence.

That said, what I have to do hasn't changed.

To prepare for Laplace's revival in 80 years, I've been silently moving around, making various arrangements.

But lately, I've been home a lot.

Because both Eris and Roxy got pregnant at the same time.

It has to be because I let loose after Gisu was defeated.

And my disorderly daily life was the result.

Of course, the result itself is something joyous.

But during pregnancy, their fates are weakened and they are easier targets for Hitogami.

I would also like to spend as much time as possible with my wives during their pregnancy.

And so, for the first time in a while, family time has continued.

By organising the information gathered by the Mercenary Groups established in various places, regular meetings were held where Orsted went through the information to determine our future course of action.

On one of those days...

On that day, together with Orsted, we were going over the information on the next country that I would be visiting.

The next king of that country was still young but he was already a remarkable figure, and I was supposed to approach him with the intention of taking advantage of him.

Orsted didn't say what would cause the next king to fall, he kept silent.

He probably has some reason. Is the person that would cause that King's fall not in the current loop?

Originally, we were supposed to meet him later on, at this point, is there any surefire way to topple him?

And so, how should I move?

Orsted said he'd look at his memo relating to him and think of a method.

And that was when it happened.

"Let Norn Greyrat get married."

"Wha.....?"

Sudden.

Orsted suddenly broke the silence by saying something insane.

I, who am normally very careful about my words around Orsted, almost unintentionally leaked out the line: "The h.e.l.l you saying all of a sudden?"

Right now, we were thinking about how we would cause this remarkable figure to fall.

There was no logical link at all.

Is what I thought.

But no, maybe there wasn’t absolutely no link.

There was one possible answer.

"...A political marriage?"

Going by the flow of the conversation, to cause the remarkable figure to fall... that's what we would do.

"Not as a political maneuver, I was thinking about the future."

Nevertheless, it is a painful topic.

Orsted had decided that I would move towards this man with the intention of having him win her heart.

Well that’s fine for now.

It's not as if I don't have confidence in this person.

I just don't believe that this remarkable man of lineage could win her heart.

The man is a womanizer on the level of Paul, if we can't find a woman to allot to him, I would have to consent to Orsted's suggestion.

That said.

Norn is out of the question.

Norn will eventually get married.

But, Paul was a peerless womanizer, handing Norn over to the same kind of man is no good.

Norn's partner would need to be someone more sincere.

And somebody that I can accept.

I won't hand Norn over to some useless n.o.body.

I wouldn't be able to face Paul.

No matter how n.o.ble their objective, I will not forgive those who use and discard their family.

"Not like that."

"Then what did you mean?"

"I am indebted to Norn Greyrat's child."

"Debt...? So it's not Norn that you are interested in, but her child, whom you have business with?"

"It's not business. In this loop, it's not all that important."

It was not a very pertinent conversation.

Not being able to read Orsted's true intentions was not a new thing.

But up until now, I've at least been able to determine what he was trying to do.

Groundwork for the future.

Norn's child isn't important, but because in a previous loop he/she was useful, he would like to set the groundwork.

“I understand.”

I stood up.

He looked up at me while sitting.

He’s not currently wearing his helmet. His face is scary as always but, but I‘m sure right now it’s even more frightening.

“If it must be so by all means, would it be permissible to meet at noon in the forest to the north of here in three days time?”

Norn, rest easy.

I will protect your chast.i.ty,

Even if the opponent is Orsted, I will not pull back a single step.

So Paul… lend me your strength.

I ask you for the power to overcome this mighty enemy and return home alive.

“Wait. You are misunderstanding something.”

“Misunderstanding?”

“During the countless 200 years I have repeated, I have become attached to certain persons’ existences.

Norn Greyrat’s child is one such existence.

She has helped me on countless occasions, I am indebted to her.

Therefore, if it is possible, I would like to meet her in this lifetime.

Because as it is, it will not happen.”

It’s true that there’s no male presence around Norn.

That didn’t change even after her graduation.

She has her family, but she isn’t jobless.

On the recommendation of the school, she entered the Magic Guild and is now working at the main office.

She is what you would call an “Office Lady.”.

There are a considerable number of men in the Magic Guild.

But there is no male presence around Norn.

She doesn’t go out on her days off and spends all her time at home helping out by looking after the kids or doing housework.

Even during her schooldays, she had no one special that she a.s.sociated with.

I thought Norn would eventually but, honestly, if it goes on this way, it seems like she might spend her whole life without getting married.

“…”

In this world, for those of certain positions, arranged marriages are a common practice.

It may be half-hearted, but I am technically a man of notable position with both influence and connections.

With that being the case, this development isn’t all that odd.

“…No, a child isn’t something you can make on your own.

The same person couldn’t be born no matter who the partner is.”

The King of a country would have a high enough standing.

But I do not intend to acknowledge it.

Until I see it with my own eyes, and confirm what kind of person they are.

“That aside, was this remarkable figure originally Norn’s partner?”

While I was thinking that, Orsted scrunched his face up in confusion and raised his eyebrows.

As always his face is scary.

But I remember this face, it’s the “The h.e.l.l you saying all of a sudden” face.

He opened his mouth and his suppressed eyebrows moved.

“No… Sorry. That has nothing to do with this.”

“Huh?”

“This is a different story.”

A different story…

Then it’s that.

“It’s not about conquering the next kingdom? You were simply saying to let Norn get married at the time of her choosing?”

“That’s how it is.”

Right.

I get it now, that makes sense.

“Orsted-sama.”

“Yes?”

“When you are changing the subject of the conversation, please say something along the lines of “I’m changing the subject of the conversation.” or “That aside,”, it would be good for you to preface such conversations like this.”

“Right. I’ll be more careful next time.”

After putting everything back in place, I sat back down.

Part 2

After I pulled myself together, the conversation continued.

"So, just who was Norn's partner?

Norn married this person each and every time, didn't she?"

"Yes, as far as I know, Norn's partner is predetermined."

Norn's fated partner.

What a lucky guy.

Simply by existing, to have the good fortune of being able to marry Norn.

If he spends his days lazing around, I'll kidnap him and fix it.

Spartan training.

From dawn till dusk, I'll force it into him.

Until his body can say nothing but, 'Yes', 'Absolutely' and "Thank you very much, cheating will not be tolerated.

The condition will be, let’s see... If he would like to become Norn's partner, he would at least have to be able to stay conscious after taking a punch from Eris.

"It's Ruijerd Supardia."

My thoughts stopped.

Inside my head, I remembered the face of a bald warrior who had lived for over 500 years.

No, he's not bald anymore.

He is a respectable man with a with splendid green hair.

"Their child is the last warrior of the supard race.

Continuing the will of Ruijerd after he had fallen to the plague, reclaiming the Supard's honour by joining the humans side in the fight against Laplace and delivering the final blow.

It was a huge burden that anybody would recognize...

But this time around, the Supard race remains in large numbers.

That child will most likely not have to be burdened with this duty."

While I was still arranging my thoughts, Orsted finished his explanation.

He was probably remembering that child's whole life.

If she defeated Laplace, that means that she most likely co-operated with Orsted.

Which means, right, for Orsted to make this kind of proposal, I do understand it.

"..."

But, well.

This time is different

I'm here, there was also the Teleport Incident.

I don't know how Ruijerd and Norn got to know each other in the other loops,

But there is no mistake that this is a love story that Orsted is well aware of.

If I were to suddenly approach Norn with talks of marriage she would most likely just turn me down.

After all, he's 500 years old.

Ruijerd would probably be bewildered too.

Having Ruijerd as a relative definately wouldn't be a bad thing.

But this definitely isn't something for me to decide.

Umu.

"...I think that Norn's feeling are the most important."

"That's right. There's no need to rush."

Orsted said that and nodded in agreement.

Part 3

After that, I had Orsted tell me Norn’s story from the previous loops.

In a world without me, it seems Norn became an adventurer.

She sang songs and wrote stories while adventuring; a singing, dancing, fighting, minstrel. She formed a party with those of similar interests, and journeyed towards the northern continent.

Although neither her swordsmans.h.i.+p nor her magic were, by any means, outstanding.

By adventurer standers she was at best a B grade.

And so, during a certain request, her party was annihilated by a demonic creature.

Norn was also on the verge of death.

What appeared then was our Ruijerd.

He beat down the approaching demonic creature and freed Norn from her predicament.

And to Norn, Ruijerd was love at first sight.

And from then on, she accompanied Ruijerd on his journey to find the Supard race, and slowly began her attack.

Apparently Ruijerd ignored her advances at first, but after he discovered that the Supard race had been wiped out by a plague, he fell into despair.

Norn devoted herself to comforting the anguished Ruijerd, he was moved by her affection, and the two got married.

The two of them began their life together in a corner of the Biheilil kingdom.

And during that time, while Norn was pregnant with their child, Ruijerd fell sick with the same illness that struck the Supard race and died.

Norn, now alone, took upon herself, the responsibility of raising the child, and eventually her life came to an end.

I thought it sounded like a lonely end, but according to Orsted, Norn looked satisfied on her deathbed.

It was an unexpected and unlikely love story, but with the two of them, nothing would be strange.

That said, I wonder how Norn and Ruijerd would get together without such a chain of events.

Would Norn be happy, being paired with somebody she didn’t love?

Would Ruijerd accept?

“…”

Well, there’s no point to me toiling over it alone.

What’s important are Norn’s feelings.

There may be no male presence around Norn, but she is at that age.

She’s got to have a man or two she likes, having been in a relations.h.i.+p or two wouldn’t be odd.

No, it may just be that I don’t know, she may already have herself a man.

And one day, all of a sudden, she might bring a man to the house and he would ask me “Father-in-law, please give your daughter to me”.

And then I would reply “Who’s this ‘Father-in-law”.

And then: “I am ‘brother-in-law’”…

I got sidetracked.

Anyhow, I must first hear Norn’s feelings.

At these times, I get the feeling that this isn’t something I should hear.

I also don’t think it’s something that Norn would tell me.

A woman would be better.

But Aisha is no good.

I feel like if Aisha hears this it’ll turn into something bad.

Which means, it would have to be Sylphy or maybe Roxy.

Norn seems to respect Roxy in particular, Roxy would be good.

On the subject of admiration, Eris would also be good.

Eris had been teaching Norn the sword for quite a while.

Ever since Norn graduated, she’s been going jogging and doing practice swings with Eris every morning.

It’s clear to see that Norn looks up to her.

But with Eris’s commando personality, telling her to “Ask indirectly” would be impossible.

It would have to be Roxy.

No wait, Someone with a high skill level at “Asking indirectly” would be Sylphy.

She looks up to Sylphy in a slightly different sense than admiration, but at the very least, she does recognise that she’s the most important member of the household.

No, I should probably discuss it with all three present.

Four with me included, and we can decide who would be most suited.

It would be good to hear Sylphy and Roxy’s opinions.

Wait, wait, not just the three of them, would it be better to bring Lillia and Zenith in on it too?

“…”

I was sitting on the living room sofa, thinking about it by myself when…

Into my field of vision jumped a single woman.

“Ah.”

It’s Norn.

Norn walked into the Living room.

“Nii-san, I’m home.”

“…Welcome back.”

When you take a good look, all said, Norn is actually quite the beauty.

She looks a lot like Zenith when she was young.

Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s are large and she’s got silky blonde hair.

Even at school she was popular.

“…What is it?”

“No… Ah, Norn, you want some tea?”

“I’ll have some.”

I took a cup from the table and poured out some black tea and handed it to her.

Norn took the cup and looked puzzled.

“…It’s cold now.”

“Eeh!”

Even though I just had Lillia brew it?

I thought that and touched the teapot, and it was indeed cold.

The cup in my hand was also cold.

I wonder what happened.

Are we under some kind of attack!?

“…Huh? Norn, that reminds me, don’t you have work today?”

“I just got home from there now.”

I took a look out the window and it was already evening.

After I returned from my meeting with Orsted and had Lillia brew me some tea, it was early afternoon, which means that around two hours have pa.s.sed.

“Ah, sorry, it seems I s.p.a.ced out.”

“Please save the s.p.a.cing out for when you’re older… I’ll go make some fresh tea. You wait here.”

“…Huh? Is no one else here?”

Until a little while ago, Sylphy and Eris were still here.

And Roxy should also be home around this time.

“I walked past Sylphy-Neesan and Eris-Neesan on my way home, they were taking the kids for a walk. Lillia-san was shopping.”

“…Aisha?”

“I don’t know. Wouldn’t she probably still be with the mercenary group?”

As she said that, Norn walked into the kitchen with the Teapot.

But is that right, n.o.body else is here.

It’s just Norn and I…

Couldn’t this be called some kind of perfect situation.

Hm.

Avoid a roundabout wordy conversation and tell her to her face.

And if that should fail, I’ll try something else.

That would be the option most faithful to Norn.

Hmm. Hmm.

Talking to her only after I had removed all the obstacles, Norn wouldn’t like that.

After all, it’s her that’s getting married.

I’ll hear it from Norn first.

“Here you go.”

“Thanks.”

As I thought that, Norn had returned and placed a teacup in front of me.

I sat right in front of Norn and drank from the cup.

“You’ve gotten quite good at making tea.”

“I learnt it in school after all.”

“Not from Lillia-san?”

“Lillia-san… probably wouldn’t teach me.”

Rather than not teaching you, she’d most likely tell you to ‘Let me do it’.

“If you asked, I think she’d still teach you.”

“Probably, but they had a cla.s.s at school, so I thought I might as well learn it there. Also, there aren’t many opportunities to make tea at home, but there are plenty at school.”

“That’s true.”

Like at the student council and in her dorm room.

Maybe even at work.

Well, it’s just something Norn decided herself.

“…”

We’re having a casual conversation to warm up to the topic, but I would like to cut right to it.

What should I say.

What do I talk about.

“Ah-… Ahem….”

“…”

I cleared my throat and Norn gave me a puzzled look.

“…Is there something missing?”

“No, not that, hmm. The tea is good.”

I said that and took another sip of the steaming tea.

It wasn’t particularly great, but at the same time it’s not bad enough to spit out.

It’s very Norn-like, mediocre tea.

Good, but not skilled, that kind of feeling.

In other words, it’s good.

That aside…

“Lately, Norn, recently… How’s it been?”

“How what been?”

“Hmm, for instance, how about work?”

“Everything’s normal. While being taught by my senpai, I’ve been doing the jobs I’m capable of. But, I’m sure if it was Aisha, she’d be far better than me.”

“Stop comparing yourself to Aisha.”

I said that and Norn nodded.

Aisha does a different kind of work.

You shouldn’t compare yourself to someone doing a different job.

“And, your senpai… are they that? Are they cool?”

“They’re super pretty. You’ve talked to them once before as well Nii-san. When I was the student council president, they was the vice-president.”

“…That tough beast race one?”

“Not him, the girl.”

Right, the woman.

I get it.

I don’t remember her name, but there was definitely someone like that.

Now that I think about it, when she was looking for a job, I remember having a conversation like that.

Like that they had entered the same department.

“Right, a girl… I wonder if there are any male senpai?”

“There are.”

“Those male senpai… Are there any good looking ones?”

“There are some good looking ones, and some who aren’t as well.”

There seems to be someone cool.

That’s important.

“Nii-san, what have you been wanting to say?”

“Calm down Norn. Don’t jump to any conclusions.”

“It looks like you’re the one that need to calm down.”

I am calm.

I’m always, Cool, Clever and Clean.

Rudeus of the three C’s.

Never Crazy, that word is not in there.

“So, Norn… Ahem, Say, if, um, do you think, this cool person, is, uh, cool?”

“You’re wondering if I like him?”

“Do you like him?”

Ahh, dammit.

I suddenly jumped straight to the point.

“I don’t particularly like him.”

Hey, mama yo!

“Then do you have somebody you like?”

“……There is.”

There is!

She answered, now, in the flow of the conversation!

She answered me honestly.

She gave me an answer.

“Yes, right! There is, well you’re at that age. So there is someone, there’s nothing odd about that. Yes.”

“But you were most definitely odd just then.”

“What are you saying.”

There’s nothing odd about me.

What’s odd is this world.

This world is wrong. Don’t you agree.

“So, what kind of person are they? The person you like.”

“…He’s older.”

“Hmm.”

“And reliable.”

“MmmHmm.”

“And he’s always looking out for me.”

He fulfils all three conditions.

“Could it be me?”

“Are you half-asleep?”

I’m sorry.

I got ahead of myself.

“He’s far older than you, Nii-san, and even is this situation he would be calm; he is a composed man of presence.”

“You know, your brother, recently, hasn’t been getting fl.u.s.tered at all.”

“Please remember your manner from a few minutes ago.”

Grrr…

But, hmm, far older than me, a man of presence. Dammit.

“Far older… Is that more than 10 years?”

“Even more.”

“…I didn’t expect you to be into old men.”

“To say I’m ‘into old men’… Well I will admit that I like men older than me.”

Even more would be more than 20 years older than me.

Meaning 40 or 50 years old.

And on top of that, having a presence, he might be rather plump.

A lower centre of gravity would cause a sense of stability and presence.

“…”

The corrupt head of some trading company or some sly greasy old man, was the image that floated into my mind.

I don’t intend to criticise because of an age difference, but I can only see this man as some kind of sugar daddy.

I won’t acknowledge it, I definitely won't acknowledge something like that.

But if this greasy old man turns out to be surprisingly sincere… Then the age difference is of no concern.

You can’t judge a book by its cover.

“But I understand that it’s a love that is not meant to be.”

“Not meant to be… Is he married?”

“No… His wife is already gone…”

She’s already dead.

Or perhaps divorced.

It’s possible that he simply had a letter of divorce thrust before him.

Wait, I seem to have gotten forcefully sidetracked, what if…

“But apparently, I’m quite similar to his dead wife.”

Aah, then I’m definitely wrong.

I would have to be wrong.

That man wouldn’t say such a thing.

“That’s a pretty cliche pick-up line.”

To get a hold of someone much younger than you, saying that ‘you’re similar to my wife’, of course it’s a cliche pick-up line.

It brings in the possibility of marriage.

No, wait, now that I think about it, it doesn’t sound like a pick-up line.

You’re completely different to my wife, this is the first time I’ve met someone like you, something like that sounds much closer to a pick-up line.

“Eeh… I’m being picked up?”

Norn’s brought her hands to her cheeks they became somewhat red.

She’s happy about being picked up.

Right, it’s not the other party, Norn is the one that likes him.

But there’s still the possibility that Norn is being tricked.

But I’m sure that if I said that to Norn right now it’d start a fight, so I wont.

“Anyway, why did you ask something like that so suddenly?”

“Eh? No, umm.”

“You must have some kind of reason.”

Norn began to scowl at me.

She’s talked with me honestly until now, so I should also answer honestly, is the kind of face she’s giving me right now.

I didn’t think you’d talk with me honestly to this point.

But I just wanted to confirm if she had someone that she likes.

“…It might be awkward to say this after the conversation we just had.”

“Yes.”

Norn, who had been leant forward until now, sat back slightly.

“The truth is Norn, talk about your engagement has come up.”

After hearing that, Norn froze for several seconds.

Eye’s wide open and mouth turned down at the corners.

She carefully examined me.

“A marriage proposal… I understand. I’ll accept it.”

“No, I get it. Don’t say any more, let’s pretend this conversation never happened.”

“No, like I said, I’ll accept.”

I looked at Norn.

She looked quite suspicious of me if I do say so myself.

“…Don’t you have someone you like?”

“That’s fine. It’s a love that can’t be after all.

I’m not a n.o.ble, but since Nii-san is in some kind of position of n.o.bility, I thought this kind of conversation would happen eventually, I’ve heard it from people I know as well.

From when I heard that you were making connections with other countries, I a.s.sumed I would be used this way.”

“Don’t say things like being used. I have no intention of using my family like tools.”

In response to my rather strong tone, Norn was taken aback and apologised.

“Right… I’m sorry.”

She’s an honest girl.

“Norn, if you say you don’t like it, we can forget this conversation happened.”

“No… I’m not particularly against it. The fact that you’d even bring the conversation to me means that they’re definitely not someone I’d hate, right?.”

“Well, yeah.”

I don’t think he’s someone you’d hate…

After the battle at the Biheilil Kingdom the two seemed to get along.

No matter where he is, Ruijerd is an sincere man.

Well, I still haven’t gotten Ruijerd’s acknowledgement yet.

But he probably wouldn’t object.

“But… Hmm. It’s not as if I absolutely want to get married, but it’s not as if I don’t either.

If you say that it’s ok then I would like to take you up on your offer of ignoring this talk.

But if you insist, I wouldn’t mind continuing the conversation.”

Norn said that and averted her eyes.

Like I thought, she doesn’t particularly want to get married.

It’s only that she’d do what I say.

That may be something good for me, but for Norn, it’s not.

“No, I haven’t even talked to the other party. So It’s alright.”

“Is that right… Thank you very much.”

If Norn says that, Orsted probably won’t be too happy about it.

“…Ahh, by the way, what kind of person were they? The king of some country? Some Asuran n.o.ble?”

“They aren’t Royalty or n.o.bility… It’s somebody you know.”

“Somebody I know…? Aah, Was it Zan.o.ba-senpai by any chance?”

“I don’t think that guy would be interested in marriage.”

Zan.o.ba is something else.

He exuberates such a lovey dovey atmosphere around Juli but he doesn’t seem to be getting any closer to Ginger.

He probably intends to remain married to his dolls for life.

“It’s Ruijerd.”

I told her the name of the partner.

“…”

By the time I had realised, Norn had placed her hands on the table and bent forward.

She had a serious face.

Her face was red and she seemed angry.

I wonder if I hurt her feelings.

Norn looks up to Ruijerd with respect, but as I thought, it’s not like that.

Yeah. Sorry, Nii-san was mistaken.

“We-well, of course it’s a no. Putting aside the difference in race, the age gap is just too big, even you—”

“Nii-san! Please proceed with that engagement!”

Norn cut off my words, without concealing the excitement and joy from her voice.

Part 4

After all that.

Or should I say, as expected.

It seems the person Norn liked was Ruijerd.

She had looked up to him ever since she was little.

That admiration from childhood eventually grew into love, and the incident in the Biheilil Kingdom re-awoke it.

I like this person.

But after hearing about his past, she was convinced that she couldn’t be with him, and decided to hide her feelings.

“I understand leave it to your Onii-chan.”

After hearing all that, I hit my chest.

Author Q&A

Q: Before you said it would be 1-2 chapter in a month and now it’s 2 in one day!

You always exceed expectations. Magonote-san salute!

A: Although for now, the first three chapters are just Norn’s story.

After that’s over it’ll be around another month.

I return you’re salute.

Q: Returning to the「In a Sense」

I have waited.

A: Rather than a return, I would like you to think of it as an end-game event.

Q: Guehehe… Marraige?

Onii-chan will always support you!

Becoming a bride is unthinkable!

Is what I had thought…_(┐「ε:)_

A: To begin with, Rudeus is also a married person.

Q: Is such an older brother alright?

I have a bad feeling lol

A feeling of fruitless effort…!

It’s a problem, Rudeus doesn’t at all feel reliable.

Very unreliable.

A: Is this what you take away from 2,800,000 characters!

Q: Norn-chan’s wedding… This is… Teren-san reads this… wouldn’t it turn into something bad?

A: Let those who will sing, sing.

Translator Notes and References

Pielord: I wish people would realise I exist...