Hornless ogres excel as combatants thanks to their massive frames. While their colonies often revolve around hunting as a livelihood, they switch roles entirely when interacting with other races, leveraging their strength as construction laborers.

Dwarves, similarly relying on power, specialize in smithing and intricate craftsmanship; urban occupational segregation has settled into blacksmiths for dwarves and builders for ogres. Farming, fishing, and herding remain the domain of humans and elves.

While their aptitude as laborers is high, construction technology cannot be advanced without collective accumulation and cooperation.

Consequently, it's standard practice to have several building unions for ogres in each city.

Given that these are inherently warlike races, gathering such a large number together gives their organization a muscular character; to put it bluntly, there's a mafia-like element to them.

Ideally, an organization that channels this overflowing energy effectively through work, events, and ideology is one thing, but depending on the charisma of their leaders and operational conditions, they can sometimes negatively impact local governance. This is a tricky aspect of the Celestan Trading Nation's principle of "tolerance for races, rigidity for profits," making them difficult to control as a blanket rule.

Fortunately, in the oasis city of Tark, well-controlled organizations are available.

In particular, there are two particularly powerful building unions:

"Trident," led by united Tri-corne ogres, and

"Tower Emblem," composed mostly of mono-corne ogres.

Both dabble quite comfortably in finance, brewing, and retail, holding positions among the top ten in power within Tark's Chamber of Commerce.

Given that their headquarters are mirror-image across Central Avenue, along with competing in various businesses in a cat-and-mouse dynamic, the two are often brawling at street corners, with low-level members fighting each other. In a sense, they've become a Tarkian specialty.

It was well-known among the citizens of Tark that the head of "Trident" was a woman in her prime.

"Shouldn't we send a young scout out to find him?"

"You don't know Sieg Becker, do you?"

The subordinate ogre nodded solemnly at his female boss.

"I'm no expert on the soldiers' world. I've heard rumors that things are turning into hero ballads or something," he said.

The female head of house shook her head with a relaxed demeanor and snapped a lightweight sunshade cloak over herself.

"He's too swift, too whimsical, too cunning and deceitful. Sending people to search will only let him escape and waste more time. It's better if I go alone."

"However, the young recruits under Tower Emblem are lax in their discipline. If you found that 'little boss' walking alone on a back alley, then..."

"Enough. I've waited ten years... Don't follow me. That man is sharp."

Rose Alderia, the female head of Triden, dismissed her worried subordinate with a wave and strode out of the mansion briskly.

Her disposition—unwilling to listen once she speaks, unstoppable once an idea takes root—is excellent for managing rowdy ogre women, though it comes with its own fair share of peril.

The junior head gripped his temples and prayed that nothing bad would happen.

"However... swift, whimsical, cunning, and deceitful... It sounds like he's just some small fry," he muttered to himself.

"Now then. That many people should be interesting."
Sieg stood before a growing cluster of one-horned ogres that had gathered around him without warning. Perhaps there were about twenty of them.
From their uniformly shabby work clothes and occasional gold hammers hanging from their waists, they appeared to be young laborers from the construction union.
While it's not uncommon for construction unions to act as lenders and collect debts in spare time, having two or three is manageable; but twenty people make it troublesome. Above all, being outnumbered where there are others to defend is hardly a wise strategy.

"Alright, alright, customers."

Ariel tugged on Sieg's sleeve, her face tense, whispering urgently.

"They won't take your life. You're just their livelihood source. It'll be fine... but the seats will be filled up."

"Hah, they certainly look like they've been seated. Guess blowing them away suddenly was a mistake?"

"So hurry and run. I don't know where you came from, but if you're alone, you can escape. And get out of the southern region as soon as possible."

Sieg laughed.

"I'm not ready to leave until you're willing to stick with me."

"Once the heat dies down, come back to the shop. I'll do any hobby you fancy for 2 hours and 40 coins."

"Tch, damn professional ethics."

Having cheered up, Sieg pressed on.

"Forget the 2 hours for 40 coins; I want joint management of all my assets."

"…………"

Ariel sighed in exasperation.

"You're old enough that a single encounter with an exotic foreigner leaves you flustered? Don't you think that's kinda pathetic?"

"Just a little bit. But hey, I'm still a Captain of a Hundred and making quite the decent living."

"I can't believe people choose such tacky inns right after noon to check in. There's no way what they're saying holds water."

"Well, nothing more than a minor streak of bad luck. But hey, meeting a good girl like you makes it feel like I hit the jackpot too."

"I don't get it."

Sighing deeply, Ariel pushed Sieg back into the shadowy recesses of the alleyway.

As if anticipating her movement, Sieg gave her ear a quick peck.

"Hyaan!?"

"I used to be under the command of a dark elf once... I figure I know my way around an elven blush by now. You're blushing right about now, aren't you?"

"T-that's enough! Humans, stop trying to get ahead of yourselves!"

Caught red-handed, Ariel scowled with clear resentment.

She actually had confidence in her ability to read a woman's face.

Sieg gently embraced her, then let go and pulled her into his side carry.

"N-what the hell are you doing!?"

"Given my line of work, we burn twice as hot together than alone."

"What kind of line of work is that!?"

"Rescuing captive princesses."

"...Sieg Beck... w-wait, are you saying... YOU'RE...!"

"That's right. I'm the Sieg Beck they're talking about."

With a sudden leap, Sieg was airborne.

Carrying a single woman wasn't a problem, nor was scaling a one-story roof—he could clear it with ease.

Of course, he couldn't just vanish into thin air even if he sprinted at full speed, but he had plenty of confidence that an Ogre's wide stride wouldn't be able to catch him for long.

"Let's go!!"

Sieg Beck.

His name appeared in several epic ballads sung by bards, becoming a popular hit multiple times over.

The third surge in popularity came from his grand adventure across the Rapal Islands.

The second was the dramatic rescue of a noble lady captured by thieves.

And the very first hit? A tragic tale of forbidden love with an enemy spy.

Dejected and drunk in Kuika's tavern, Sieg force-fed himself alcohol he'd never been able to handle before spilling out his terrible heartbreak story—so bad that a bard standing nearby turned it straight into poetry.

As a result, Celesta became famous as a legendary spy.

Well, even if they sing narrative epics about him, it doesn't mean he'll get his face plastered all over the place anyway. Plus, since he always used aliases back then, it wasn't really a big deal.

That bard still occasionally hears about Sieg's exploits in Kuika and writes new ballads, but for the sake of dramatic tension, they often mix in some tall tales along the way.

Ah yes—the noble lady captured by thieves? Nope, that was actually the eldest daughter of an Ogre clan leader.

The farewell scene wasn't like what's sung in the ballad either: there were no lingering kisses beneath a tree or vanishing away like a daydream.

Since she turned out cuter than expected, after leaving things "properly" he ended up making a move just to see her face light up with that delightfully awkward expression of her first love—and boy did it bring back some painful memories. He ended up stripping her halfway down before hurling his loincloth at her face and vanishing into the clouds, which was honestly the most disgraceful goodbye imaginable.

He thinks best not to tell Ariel any of that part.

"Wait! Damn you!!!--!!"
Ogres chase after Sieg as he runs across the rooftops, while others sprint frantically through the streets below in pursuit.

But running around was exactly Sieg's cup of tea.

"I'm gonna find you—AAAAAHHH!!!"

The ogre got caught dead center in a simple pit trap with just a single thin plank covering the drain grate.

"Keeping popping up on the roofs one after another... I can't take it anymore, dammit!?"

The ogre hopped onto a house roof that was utterly unprepared for an ogre's weight and got its lower half stuck fast.

Blindly looking only upward, the ogre stumbled over a rope stretched taut between palm fronds and fell flat on its face, only to get kicked squarely in the backside by a beehive and suffer a rough time.

In short order, the number of pursuers dwindled.

"...Wow, I can't believe you managed to lure only ogres into pranks like that."

"Well, it'd be easy if I had an instant-death trap at my disposal, but even though they're just lowlifes, setting something like that off on civilians is kinda..."

"..."Instant-death trap?"

"Gunpowder, blades, vital points, poisons... If I get them distracted by any of those and then drop a bomb on 'em, it's super efficient."

"T-they do scary stuff, huh."

"Sometimes you gotta carry out missions like that."

Suddenly changing direction to flee, Sieg finally let the last few remaining ogres slip away completely.

Then, in an inconspicuous back alley, he gently set Ariel down and fixed her with a serious gaze before pouring his heart out.

"Anyway... I want to go out with you. Look, uh, I'm kinda mistrustful of people these days. But earlier you kinda saved me. I probably think pretty simple-mindedly about things like this... but damn, I suddenly really wanted to spend more time with you."

Of course, that wasn't all. There was also the fact that she possessed a strong will in her eyes—something reminiscent of Diane, whom Sieg had once regarded as his goddess of the heart.

There was also the simple, materialistic issue of how damn good she felt to hug.

But ultimately, for someone like Sieg who'd been wallowing in self-loathing right on the edge of it all, her smile and the way she lived her life were absolutely worth falling madly in love with at first sight.

"Lies. ...There's no human being out there who can fall in love that easily. You're not just saying this to get something for free, are you?"

But Ariel was also mistrustful of people.

More specifically... she was mistrustful of men.

She'd fallen for someone, gotten cheated on by them, and ended up working as a prostitute as a result.

So when some guy like this—who happened to be an idiotic, easygoing client who suddenly started confessing his love while visiting her—came on to her, she couldn't possibly have been genuinely moved or anything.

"Of course I want it for free."

"Sure you do."

"I wanna go on a date with you for free. I wanna live in my house at Kueika's place for free. And if possible... I wanna make your baby, too."

"...Aaaahh!"

However, Ariel found herself trembling in fear under Sieg's relentless assault.

At their core, dark elves weren't built to handle loneliness. And Ariel was ultimately just a naive good-hearted girl who'd fallen hard for a scumbag man and ended up owing him money.

"I wanna get kissed by you for free! I wanna have my feet rested on your lap for free! I wanna be topless in an apron with you for free! I wanna bathe together naked and all lovey-dovey for free, damn it! You think that's bad?! Even if I was gonna turn into an old geezer just like this, I still wanted to get super clingy with a girl! I wanna be able to dote on each other and act all lovesick! And preferably... with a daughter like you, who fits my type perfectly!"

"...U-uuhh..."

Ariel's ears drooped down limply as she looked up at Sieg.

It was an unkempt middle-aged human guy with a scruffy beard, desperately confessing his painfully embarrassing and raw inner thoughts.

But... damn it.

There was something so powerful about him that even knowing he was lying himself made her feel how despicable that deception truly was.

In truth, from her side of things as well, the kind, reliable, tall, and above all else—someone who would seek out everything within her—Sieg was exactly the type she liked.

For Ariel, who had been crushed by debt to the point where she'd had to cut ties with her family and for whom the man she loved had fled, leaving her alone and lonely... that warmth was incredibly alluring.

"...Uuuhhh..."

Caught in indecision—whether to resist this overwhelming pressure or simply give in—

Behind Siegfried's arms, which were pressed against the walls on either side of his face, three horn-like protrusions resembled a crown.
Ogres, he flinched for an instant, but their height was low. Even so, they were taller than Ariel—nearly 170 cm. For a woman, that made them quite short; among ogres, it was nothing to boast about.

"Finally found you!"

"……Wha—!?"

Siegfried, startled, looked up and saw an ogre standing beside him.
The petite female ogre had tossed aside her cloak and dashed forward. Before Siegfried could scramble into a retreat, she leaped straight at his chest.
If it were a knife, this was the killing distance.
For a moment, they locked eyes.

"This fucking guy!!!"

Her uppercut launched Siegfried skyward.

"……Damn it… I thought she'd cracked my jaw."

"Not breaking is more of a miracle there. Even if I punched that bratty kid right now, I wouldn't lose to her in pure power."

After floating briefly above the rooftops, Siegfried landed safely on an alleyway. There, Rose—the tricorn ogre woman—stared at him with narrowed eyes and cheeks flushed red.
"…S-so who are you…? Uh-AAAAAAAH!?"

Only then did Siegfried properly identify Rose. From his seated position, he began backing away as if crawling like an insect, zakazakaza. Extremely uncool.

"I see you still remember me, cowardly man."

"O-o-you…? R-Rose!!!"

"Siegfried Becker. I will never forget that humiliation from back then."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"

Siegfried went down on his knees in full despair. Really uncool.

Ariel looked utterly stunned.

"W-was there…?"

"…Look, it's awkward to ask, but don't press me. Rose, let's just say you're free to beat me up with all your might, but please don't touch her."

"How generous of you. But after pretending to kiss me and throwing a waist sash around my neck while flirting seriously with this woman…" Her expression turned deeply unfavorable toward her.

"MAGI I'M SO SORRY MAGI I'M SO SORRY MAGI!"

Siegfried groveled on his knees, grinding the dirt beneath him.

"Shall we deal with you?"

Rose grabbed Siegfried by his chest cavity, pulled him up, and grinned brightly, her forehead veined with rage.

"That's what predators look like when they've got their prey," Siegfried thought.

"Oh— hey. Leon Davis, we found ya!"

"!!!"

Instantly, Siegfried shoved Rose's hand away and leaned back alongside Ariel to protect himself.
At the entrance of the alleyway stood a duo: a lion-beastman man and a human male, with another one-horned ogre trailing behind them.
"Chasers?"

Siegfried muttered the word in a voice too large to ignore, and the human male tilted his head sideways with a smirk.

"Younglings under the Tower Emblem are causing trouble. We're just here to assist as escorts... And who do we see but Special Lieutenant Siegfried Becker?"

"…I've seen that face before. Might Galen?"

"Do you remember my name, then?"

"If short-term memory's an issue, it won't suit your job."

Siegfried clicked his tongue sharply.

The human man is Mait Gahren. The lion beastkin is Lion Rex. The one-horned one... Davis Dugout.

He dredges their names from the military intel piled up in his brain.

"Plus, there's even the boss of Trident."

Mait tilts his head sharply to the other side and flashes a grin. The long staff slung over his shoulder slips past his shoulder and falls, revealing a long blade without a guard beneath it.

"What kind of scum is this? Tower people... new riffraff...?"

Sieg halts Rose just as she raises her fist.

"Pull back as far as you can with Ariel."

"Becker...?"

"They're all Ace Knights."

Carlos's residence.

The lunch break where they advance, excluding Sieg. Andi is frantically stuffing his face with a mountain of leafy greens.

Diane watches him, troubled yet smiling softly. Aurora suddenly speaks up.

"Lady Diane... could you answer me just a bit?"

"Hm?"

"Just how powerful is Special Lieutenant Colonel Becker?"

"You're an Ace Knight yourself. Have a casual spar and figure it out."

"No. I just don't have a clue about that person's power."

Aurora grips her hands, spreads them wide as she says,

"As a swordsman, he lacks offense; one wouldn't call him gifted in raw attacking power. But when he enters defense or discards his blade... that's when I sense the unfathomable depth of that man. The lack of wasted evasion, the efficiency of movement... aspects that far surpass even my older brother, who is a Master Knight. And sometimes, there's something unsettling about where his killing intent seems to come from. Always thinking... if this man were to take any means whatsoever, not just with the sword..."

"Well, I suppose that guy's truly unpredictable. But at least, defending him when he's serious would be tough even for a Master Knight."

"Is it that bad?"

"A few years ago, Overnight said: 'You can stop dragon fire, but you can't stop Sieg Becker.'"

"...Overnight?! Which one?"

"The Iron one. Lightning agreed too."

"..."

"What the hell?"

Diane mutters, though there's no need to discuss this at mealtime.

"He's probably a guy who could do what he asked—a thousand different ways of killing. You might stop his fire by examining magic runes and materials, but there's no way to seal up Becker's kills. If he ends up on the enemy side, he could be even more terrifying than a Master Knight."

"Now then..."

Sieg straightens his spine suddenly, wiping the smile from his mouth.

The scent of smoke, the aura of a battlefield begins to radiate around him.

Mait tilts his head sharply in reverse, chuckles darkly, and draws his sword.

"Special Lieutenant Colonel Becker. Since I was in the army, I've always wanted to try killing you."

"So? I'd rather not. I don't want dead bodies, if possible."

The lion beastkin, Leon, opens his mouth.

"What a proud fool."

"No, no, no. Because if we kill each other, we die!"

The one-horned man, Davis, mutters aloud too.

"One guy dying here and there wouldn't hurt..."

"About one guy?"

Sieg gazes at the three of them with an expression full of pity.

"Because it's you lot who're gonna die?"

The three fell instantly silent.

"Well, what about it?"

"I don't know."

"Three-on-one. If we win, you're the Master Knight, right...?"

Sieg drew his knife without a word. It was but a measly 15 centimeters long, an utterly pathetic blade wielded like a joke.

Then, he crouched low.

As the three Ace Knights tensed and lunged forward... in that very instant, Mitto at the front tipped over.

"What!?"

"Hold on!?"

Leon followed, stumbling as oil pooled beneath his feet.

Davis leaped past both of them, but a needle drove straight into the bridge of his nose.

"!"

Davis slammed belly-first to the ground and went motionless.

"If poison and oil count as valid moves in battle, then I'd definitely be a Master Knight too."

With crisp snap-hiss sounds, he drove needles into each fallen Ace Knight.

"H-how... un-sportsmanlike..."

"Give me even a fleeting moment's opening and I could kill you seven times over."

He spoke in a chilling tone, then snatched Mitto's sword from his hand and smashed it flat on the ground.

"And besides, it's just who I am—I can't let go until I've secured an advantage for myself first... it's something I learned from life."

Truly, all in an instant.

Before Ariel and Rose could comprehend what had transpired, he'd already dispatched all three Ace Knights.

"...Just like anesthesia. I value the lives of my people above all."

With a fluttering hand gesture, Sieg recovered his wheezing laughter, and rose and Ariel both smiled with palpable relief.

"...Well, it's just Siegfried Becker you're dealing with. I wasn't too worried in the first place."

"Mr. Siegfried..."

Changing venues, Sieg turned back toward the two of them once more.

Then, Rose suddenly pressed a wrapped bundle into Sieg's hands.

"I made myself wait for this opportunity for quite some time... it's a gift."

"...What?"

"Go on and open it. Let me be clear beforehand—it isn't a favor nor an obligation."

"H-uh?"

As soon as Sieg unwrapped it, a jewel knife lay within.

"These past years, I've been desperate to possess a treasure that matches yours, and after much trouble, I finally managed to obtain one. You simply cannot carry on without it."

"...A-aah..."

Sieg's eyes welled up, tears welling forth.

"Thank you, Roseeeee—!!! Though I don't quite understand why, but I love you too, dammit! -!!!!"

"S-such is life. Then that's fine."

He sniffled through his tears, rubbed the jewel knife affectionately against his scruffy cheek, and then suddenly resolved to something.

Handing it over directly to Ariel without hesitation.

"…Huh?"

"That'll fetch a huge price if you sell it… You're in debt, right? Just use this to clear your head—then, uh, you could go out with me…"

"……"

"Sieg Becker…"

Rose shook her head frantically.

Ariel hesitated, uncertain whether to take it or not… and eventually, she accepted it.

Sieg wept bloody tears inside his heart. It was fine. I'll get a girl like this one too, he thought.

"…Yes. I understand."

Ariel's cheeks flushed suddenly.

"I-I'm useless, but please take care of me…!"

(…Wait.)
Something felt like it had been skipped.

Then Rose erupted.

"…Did you not realize that you're proposing to someone else with a gift meant as a proposal from another person?! You absolute trash—!!"

"…A-Ah, ah??!"

In this colony, the unconditional transfer of blades carries a special meaning.

(To be continued)

Ogres are exceptionally effective combatants due to their massive frames. Colony-based Ogre societies often build their livelihoods around hunting, but when interacting with other races, they pivot entirely to leveraging their strength as civil engineering laborers.

Likewise favoring raw power, Dwarves specialize in smelting and intricate craftsmanship. In the city’s occupational landscape, a clear division exists: Dwarves work as blacksmiths, while Ogres serve as builders. Agriculture, fishing, and livestock farming are domains reserved for Humans and Elves.

Now, while Ogres possess high aptitude for manual labor, construction technology cannot be refined without collective accumulation of knowledge and cooperation.

Consequently, it is standard practice for every city to host multiple civil engineering unions composed of Ogres.

Given that Ogres are inherently a belligerent race, these organizations possess a distinctly muscular character—putting it bluntly, they carry mafia-like tendencies.

If an organization can channel its members’ overflowing energy through work, events, and ideological pursuits, all well and good; however, depending on the leader’s charisma or operational management, such groups can negatively impact local self-governance. This presents a difficult challenge for Celesta, a mercantile state that is tolerant of racial diversity but strict about profit, making these factions hard to control universally.

Fortunately, the oasis town of Tarq boasts a lineup of organizations capable of maintaining reasonable order.

Two civil engineering unions hold particular sway here.

There is “Trident,” united by three-horned Tricorn Ogres.

And “Tower Emblem,” predominantly composed of single-horned Monocorn Ogres.

Both have made a fair dent into finance, brewing, and retail industries, granting them influence that ranks among the top ten in Tarq’s Chamber of Commerce, despite the crowded field of various trades.

With their headquarters located in mirror-symmetric positions across Central Avenue, and given that they compete in several ventures—constantly trading blows for the lead—the two factions have a habit of having their low-level members brawl on street corners daily. In a sense, these fights have become one of Tarq’s local landmarks.

It was well known among the citizens of Tark that the boss of "Trident" was a woman in her prime.

"Boss, wouldn't it be better to have the younger guys look for him?"

"You don't know who this Siegfried Becker is, do you?"

The acting boss, an Orca of considerable stature, nodded gravely at the female patriarch.

"The world of soldiers is beyond my comprehension. I've heard that various heroic epics are being sung about him, but..."

The female boss nodded with aristocratic grace and swept on a thin sun-protective cape.

"Swift, capricious, vicious, and cunning. Searching by numbers would only allow him to slip away, wasting even more time. It's best if I look for him alone."

"But the Tower Emblem youth are becoming undisciplined. If they see you wandering off alone in an alley, then..."

"Leave it be. I've waited ten years for this... Don't follow me. That man is sharp."

Rose Aldelia, the female boss of Trident, brushed aside her concerned acting boss and strode out of the mansion with unbridled coolness.

Her quality of being stubborn once she set her mind to something was a fine asset for keeping the rowdy Orca crew in line, despite her gender, but it also made her incredibly reckless.

The acting boss covered his head and prayed to heaven that nothing would come of this.

"But... swift, capricious, vicious and cunning... hearing that description makes him sound like nothing but a small fry."

"Well, well. That's quite a party they're sending. I do enjoy the spectacle."

Before Sieg lay a horde of one-horned orcs, swarming into existence at a rate that defied question. Roughly twenty, give or take.

Dressed uniformly in shabby workwear, with a few sporting sledgehammers hanging from their belts, they looked every bit like young thugs from the Construction Workers' Union.

It wasn't unusual for the union to act as loan sharks or to dabble in debt collection on the side, so this was within expectations. But while two or three might have been manageable, twenty was a hassle. And more importantly, fighting a losing battle against superior numbers while protecting someone else was hardly a wise move.
"Leave it now, customer."

Sieg, lost in such calculations, felt Ariel tug on his sleeve. Her face was tight with tension as she whispered.

"They won't go after my life. I'm their source of income after all, so I'm safe... But you're going to get buried."

"Oh? They certainly have the look of men who dig holes. Did charging in like that just now backfire?"

"That's why you need to run. I don't know where they came from, but if it's just one person, they can surely escape. And get out of the southern district quickly." Sieg laughed.

"I'm not in the mood to start a journey until you've finished keeping me company."

"Once things calm down, come back to the shop, and for two hours and forty coins, I'll accompany you in whatever hobby you like." "Ah. What an admirable professional spirit."

Having let go of his anger, Sieg pressed his advantage relentlessly.

"Don't just say two hours for forty coins; I want you to co-manage my entire assets." "…………" Ariel gave him a deadpan look.

"At your age, hitting on an inter-racial business woman with one line? Don't you think that's ugly?"

"Easy now. But I'm a hundred-man squad leader here, so I make a pretty decent wage."

"I can't take anyone who walks into such a rundown inn in the morning at their word."

"It was a bit of bad luck, that's all. But then again, maybe it's lucky I met someone as nice as you." "I don't know what you mean."

Ariel sighed and tried to push Sieg down the back alley.

Zeuk gently tapped Ariel's ear. "Hyaaan!?"

"I used to have a Dark Elf subordinate. ...I think I'm pretty good at reading ear expressions. You were just flustered, weren't you?"

"D-don't be so loud! And keep your ego in check, human!"

Struck by the truth, Ariel wore a resentful expression.

He was quite confident in his abilities when it came to reading women's moods.

Zeuk lightly pulled Ariel into an embrace, then released him and switched to a horizontal hold. "W-what are you doing?!"

"As a matter of professional ethics, two make for a hotter scene than one."
"What kind of business is that!?"
"Kidnapped Princess Rescue Services."

"...Zeig, Becker... wait, could you be!?"
"That very same Zeig Becker."
Zeig leaped.

Carrying a single woman was no issue, and navigating the roof of a single-story building was a piece of cake.

He couldn't exactly vanish from sight while sprinting at full speed in front of people, but he was confident enough to shake off tracking efforts made with Ogre's wide strides.
"Let's go!!"
Zeig Becker.

Bardic hero epics about him had hit the popular charts a few times over.

His third wave of popularity stemmed from his grand adventure in the Rapal Archipelago.

The second was an epic rescue drama where he saved a noble princess captured by bandits.

And the first? A tragic romance with an enemy spy.

After being dumped, he had gone on a bender at Quica's tavern—downing wine he wasn't even old enough to drink—and let loose about the heartbreak. One of the bards present turned that tale into a poem.

Thanks to that, he ended up becoming Celesta's most famous spy.

Sure, having an epic sung about him didn't quite get his real name out there, and since he always used aliases, it wasn't much of a problem, but...

That particular bard had occasionally picked up rumors of Zeig's exploits in Quica afterward and woven them into verse, though for the sake of mood and dramatic flair, he liked to spice things up with a bit of exaggeration.

Ah, the one kidnapped by the bandits wasn't a noble princess but the only daughter of an Ogre gang boss.

That parting was nothing like those poems describe—no lingering kiss in the shade of a tree, no vanishing into a daydream as if waking up.

She'd turned out cuter than expected, so at our somewhat permanent parting, I reached out to touch her. But seeing that oddly pleased look in her eyes stirred up all my bad memories from my first love. In the end, I left her half-undressed while throwing my loincloth at her face and vanished like smoke—the absolute lowest of lowways to say goodbye.

I figured I'd better keep that detail from Ariel. "Hold it, you asshole—!"

The Ogres chased Sieg across the rooftops, tearing through the streets below.

But all that running around was exactly what Sieg wanted. "Found y... uh-oh!?"

One Ogre fell right into a simple pitfall trap—just a thin plank laid over the drainage ditch.

"Always lurking on the rooftops... I'm done being pa- whoa?!"

Another Ogre jumped onto a house roof not built to support their weight, and his lower half went right through the slats.

One Ogre tripped over a rope strung taut between two palms because he was only looking up, while another got hit by a beehive that Sieg kicked at him. In no time at all, the number of pursuers had thinned out.

"...Whoa, I'd never catch just one Ogre with that much mischief in store."

"Well, if we could use instant-kill traps, it'd be a breeze. But you can't exactly spring those on the general public, even if they're just street thugs." "...Instant-kill traps?"

「Explosives, blades, vital points, poison. It’s highly efficient to catch them off guard while they’re distracted by those sorts of things.”
“T-that sounds scary.”

“But there are missions where you have no choice but to do just that.”

He suddenly changed his fleeing direction and completely shook off the few remaining orcs.

And then, in a quiet alleyway out of sight, he gently let Ariel down, looked into her eyes, and made his confession in earnest.

“Anyway... I want you to be my partner. Um, well, I have some trust issues with humans. But you just saved me a moment ago. I know it sounds simple-minded from where I stand, but... I just want to spend more time with you.”

Of course, that wasn’t the only reason. There was also the fact that she was a Dark Elf whose eyes held a strength of will reminiscent of Diene, the goddess he had once idolized in his heart.

There was also the simple, materialistic issue that she felt good to hold.

However, for Siegfried, who was on the verge of drowning in self-loathing, her smile and the way she lived were indeed worth falling in love with at first sight.

“Lies... No human can fall for someone that easily. You’re just after it on the house, aren’t you?”

But Ariel was also plagued by distrust of people. Or rather, it was a distrust of men specifically.

She had fallen in love with someone, been deceived, and ended up being sold into prostitution.

After all that, how could she possibly be sincerely moved by an abrupt confession from a man who showed up as a mere customer only to start talking about romance so casually? “Yeah, I’m just after it on the house.” “I knew it.”

"I'd like you to go on dates with me for free, move into my house in Queenica, and preferably have my kids too." "…Eh?"

But Ariel shrank under the sheer ferocity of Zieg’s relentless offensive.

Inherently, dark elves are not strong in solitude. And Ariel was, after all, just a gullible girl who had easily fallen for a bad boy and ended up drowning in debt.

"I want free kisses too! I want you to let me put your head on my lap for free! I want you to wear a bare apron for me for free! I want to bathe together and get all gooey for free! Dammit, what’s wrong with that?! I don’t want to just grow old alone either! I want to be super clingy with a girl! I want us to be totally in love and spoil each other! And preferably with a girl of my exact type—like you!" "…N-no…"

Ariel let her ears droop limply and looked up at Zieg.

Here was a forty-something human man with scruffy stubble, looking incredibly pitiable as he desperately confessed his raw, honest feelings. Just... so much.

He possessed such a force that lying to him made her feel like she was being a cheater.

The truth was, Ariel had always been attracted to Zieg—strong, dependable, tall, and above all else, the only one who demanded everything of her.

For Ariel, who was crushed by debt, forced to cut ties with her family, and left alone after the man she liked ran away, that warmth was incredibly seductive. "Uu..."

She was torn between trying to resist his pressure or just giving in.

Past Zieg’s arms, which were pinned against the walls on either side of her face, she caught a glimpse of three horn-like spikes resembling a crown.

Ogre, she thought for a split second with a jolt, but he was short. Short, though taller than Ariel. Standing close to 170 cm, he was considered quite small-statured, even for a female Ogre. "I finally found you." "…Woah!?"

Zeig started and shot up, his eyes landing on the Ogre that had materialized beside him.

The petite female Ogre flung her cloak aside and launched a sprint. Before Zeig could even get into a defensive posture to flee, she was already diving straight at his chest. A knife would have found its killing ground there. For a split second, they locked eyes.

"This... this goddamn bastard of a mannnn!!!!"

With one Uppercut from her, Zeig was sent flying into the sky.

"...Ow ow... I thought my jaw cracked."

"It’s actually a miracle it didn’t break under that kind of blow. For all that, don’t think I’d lose to some street kid in punching power these days."

After hovering briefly over the rooftops, Zeig landed safely in an alleyway. Rose, a female Ogre with tricorn horns, regarded him with what looked like a sidelong glare... though her cheeks were slightly flushed as she stared.

"...So, who are you...? Wait—WHAT THE—!?"

Once Zeig properly registered Rose's presence, he sank to his butt in the dirt and began backing away on all fours with a scurrying, insect-like scritch-scratch-scritch. It was quite the undignified sight.

"So you do remember me, you spineless man."

"...Y-You... Rose...!!"

"Zeig Becker. I have not forgotten that humiliation from back then."

"Sorry, sorry, I'm so sorry!"

She threw herself into a full-on dogeza. She really was looking pathetic. Ariel stood there, dazed. "W-what's...?"

"It's just... it's hard to say, so please don't ask. And look, Rose, go ahead and beat the crap out of me if you want, but just promise you won't lay a finger on her."

"Noble sentiments. But after faking a kiss with me just to throw a hip toss, only to find out you were actually trying to seriously pick up this woman? That does absolutely nothing for my image of you."

"I'm serious, I'm so sorry, I'm really, really sorry." Zieg rubbed his forehead against the ground in apology. "What am I going to do with you?"

Seizing Zieg by the collar and yanking him up, Rose's face was a perfect smile as blue veins bulged on her forehead.

Zieg thought that must be what a beast looks like when it spots its prey.

"Oh, wait. Lyon, Davis, I've got them." "!!"

In an instant, Zieg shook off Rose's hand and shielded Ariel from behind with his back.

At the entrance to the alley stood a pair: a lion-beastman and a human man. Behind them emerged a single-horned ogre. "The pursuers."

Zieg muttered in a voice that was neither big nor small, and the human man tilted his head to the side with a click, grinning widely.

"The young masters from Tower Emblem have caused quite a ruckus. We are bodyguards on their support mission. ...And look who it is. Special Agent Captain Zieg Becker."

"...I've seen you before, haven't I. Mait Gullen."
"Good that you remember me."

"I'd be useless if I had a bad memory for faces." Zieg flicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth in a sharp click.

The human man was Mait Gullen. The lion beastman was Lyon Lex. And the one-horned creature was... Davis Dogout.

He dredged their names up from the military intelligence stored in his memory.

"What's more, that includes the head of the Trident."

Crack. He tilted his neck sharply to the opposite side as Mait's smile widened. The tip of the long pole he carried slipped over his shoulder and dropped from view, revealing a long sword with no guard nestled within.

"What are these guys? Those Tower types have been scouting out new Bachelors..."

Zieg raised a hand to stop Rose before she could clench her fists in a fighting stance.

"Fall back as far as you can with Ariel." "Becker...?"

"They're all Ace Knights."
At the Carlos mansion.

Lunch proceeded without Zieg. Andy was struggling through massive piles of leafy green vegetables, chewing them down with a grimace.

Deanne watched him with a face full of concern, though still smiling tenderly, when Aurora suddenly spoke up to her.

“Lady Dianne. ...May I ask you something?” “Hmm?”

“Special Agent Captain Becker... just how powerful is he?”

“You’re an Ace Knight yourself. Just spar a few times and figure it out for yourselves.”

“No, that’s not it. I simply cannot fathom the extent of his strength.”

Aurora said this, her hands clasping and unclasping together as she spoke.

“As a swordsman, he doesn’t rely on many attack styles, and it’s hard to say he excels in raw offensive power. However, when he goes on the defensive or relinquishes his sword... that is when I feel the unfathomable nature of his ability. His evasive movements are devoid of waste, and his mobility efficiency far surpasses that of his brother, the Master Knight. And occasionally, I’m troubled by the inexplicable source of his killing intent. It always makes me wonder: if he were to abandon the sword and employ any means necessary...”

“Yeah, he’s certainly a puzzle. ...But at least, stopping him in earnest is probably difficult even for a Master Knight.” “Really?”

“A few years ago, an Overnight said it: ‘You might be able to block a dragon’s fire, but you won’t be able to guard against Zek Becker.’”

“...An Overnight!? Which one... Iron or Thunder?”

“Iron. The Thunder side agreed as well.” “...What do you mean?”

Dianne muttered, This isn’t a subject for over dinner, but continued listening.

“If he were told to find a different way to kill a thousand people, he’s the kind of man who could probably pull it off. If it were just fire, we might be able to counter it by deliberating on magic, engravings, and materials, but there is no means to seal Becker’s lethality... He might be more terrifying as an enemy than even a Master Knight.” “Well now.”

Jiik straightened his back with a smooth motion and wiped the smile from his face.

The stench of burning, the aura of a battlefield, began to hang around him.

Might tilted his head sharply to one side, grinning ear to ear as he raised his sword into a stance.

"Becker, you special ops Centurion. Ever since I was in the army, I've wanted to see how you and I stack up in a kill contest."

"Oh? I'd rather not. I try to avoid unnecessary casualties," spoke Leon, the lion beastman. "How arrogant of you."

"No, no, no. If we had a kill contest, one of us would die, wouldn't we?"

Davis, with his single horn, chimed in on a mumble.

"Let at least one of us die... 'At least one?'"

Jiik looked at the three of them with a pitiable gaze.

"The ones who die are you guys, right?" The three fell silent in an instant. "Who knows." "No idea."

"Three against one. If we win, that makes you a Master Knight... or not?"

In silence, Jiik drew his knife. A blade only fifteen centimeters long, a ridiculously small weapon. And then, he crouched low.

The three Ace Knights surged forward, radiating murderous intent... but in that same instant, Mait, who was in the lead, collapsed to the ground.
"Wh—!?"
"Heh—!?"

Leon followed suit, crashing down. Oil had been pooling beneath his feet.

Davis vaulted over the two of them. A needle drove itself into his face.
"!?"

Davis stumbled to the ground, thrashing about before finally going still.

"Poison and oil are fair game in a match, so yeah, I definitely count as a Master Knight."

He drove needles into the fallen Ace Knights with a series of clicks.
"C-ch... that's low..."

"If you showed even a second of hesitation, I could've killed you seven times over."

Speaking in a cold voice, he picked up Mait's sword and snapped it in half.

"Also, I have to be the one to set the terms in my favor first. It just doesn't sit right with me otherwise... Consider it life's lesson." Truly, in an instant.

Before Ariel and Rose could even process what had happened, the three Ace Knights were down.

"...It's anesthetic, you know. I take my people seriously."

Waving his hand dismissively as he reclaimed that goofy grin, Zieg gave a relieved, smiling look to both Rose and Ariel.

"…What a pain. Well, since it's Siegfried Becker, I wasn't worried." "Siegfried-san…"

Changing locations, Siegfried turned back to face the two of them.

Just then, Rose shoved a cloth bundle right into Siegfried's face.

"You've made me wait a long time for this chance. ……It's a present." "…What?"

"Open it. ……Let me say this up front: this is neither thanks nor an obligation." "H-huh?"

When Siegfried opened it, a jewel knife was inside.

"Ever since then, I've wanted to have a treasure matching yours, so I worked hard to get one too. It wouldn't be right if you didn't have it." "…Ah, th-thanks…" Siegfried burst into tears.

"Thank you, Rose—!! I don't really understand why, but I love you, damn it all!!"

"Oh… well, that's good to hear."

Then, while sobbing, Siegfried rubbed his unshaven cheek against the jewel knife, then suddenly remembered something.

He just passed it straight to Ariel. "…Huh?"

"That thing would sell for a lot of money… You have debts, don't you? Sell it and take care of those first… After that, will you be my girlfriend… or something like that?" "…………" "Siegfried Becker…"

Rose shook her head frantically.

Ariel hesitated, unsure whether she should take it, before eventually accepting it.

Zieg shed imaginary blood tears in his heart. But it was fine. He decided he would become a guy with a girlfriend too. "……Yes. Understood." Ariel blushed brightly.

"I'm unworthy, but please take care of me...!" (Wait a minute?) She felt like she had skipped a step. And then Rose erupted in fury.

"……Don't you realize you're proposing to someone else using the proposal gift from another person? You absolute scumbag—" "Oh! Oh my!?"

In this colony, the unconditional transfer of blades carries a special meaning. (To be continued)

The Ogre tribe is excellent as combatants due to their large bodies, and they tend to live in colonies with hunting often serving as the foundation of their livelihood. However, when interacting with other races, they are employed as construction workers.

Similarly, the Dwarf race, which excels at power, specializes in blacksmithing and craftsmanship. In cities, this leads to a division where Dwarves handle metalwork while Ogres take on building projects. Agriculture, fishing, and livestock farming fall under the domain of humans and Elves.

While they are highly suitable as construction workers, their architectural skills can only be improved through collective accumulation and cooperation.

Therefore, in each city, there are several construction unions made up of Ogres.

Given that these unions involve organizing a large number of inherently warlike Ogre tribes, their organizational nature tends to be muscular, or one might even say mafia-like.

If an organization is adept at channeling the overflowing energy through work, events, and shared ideals, it can function well. However, depending on the charisma of its leaders and management practices, such organizations could also have a negative impact on local governance. This presents a challenge for Celesta's mercantile state, which prides itself on tolerance towards races but strictness in matters of profit; these unions are not easy to control.

Fortunately, in Oasis City Tark, there are several well-controlled construction unions.

The two most powerful ones are:

"Trident," composed mainly of three-horned Tricorno Ogres;

and "Tower Emblem," mostly consisting of one-horned Monocorno Ogres.

Each of them had their fingers in finance, sake brewing, and retail to some extent, giving them enough clout to be among the top ten in Tark's Chamber of Commerce.

Their headquarters were on opposite sides of Central Street, symmetrically positioned, and since they competed in several businesses, they often fought over dominance. This rivalry had become something like a local attraction in Tark, with their underlings frequently brawling at street corners.

The fact that the boss of the "Trident" side was a middle-aged woman was well-known among Tark's citizens.

“Boss, wouldn’t it be better to send some young guys out?”

“You don’t know about Sieg Becker, do you?”

The second-in-command, Ogre, nodded in agreement with the female boss.
“I’m not familiar with the world of soldiers. I’ve heard that he’s become something of a hero.”

She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly and put on a thin sun-shielding cloak.
“Swift, unpredictable, cunning and deceitful. If I sent out people to search for him, they’d just get caught in his tricks and waste time. It would be better if I went alone.”

“But the young men of the Tower Emblem are rather reckless. If one of them were to find you wandering around the back alleys…”

"Goodbye. I’ve waited ten years for this… Don’t follow me. That man is sharp."

The female foreman of the trident, Rose Alderia, brushed aside her worried second-in-command and left the estate with a brisk stride.

Her character—once she sets her mind on something, nothing can stop her—was an excellent trait to manage the rough orcs, but it also made her dangerously reckless. The second-in-command held his head in his hands and prayed that everything would be all right.

"Still… lightning-fast, unpredictable, sneaky, and cunning… those traits make him seem like a petty person."

"Well then. That’s quite an interesting number of them."

Before Sieg stood a growing crowd of one-horned orcs, numbering around twenty. They were dressed in shabby work clothes, some with hammers slung at their waists—clearly young members of the construction guild.

It wasn’t unusual for construction guilds to lend money and even more common for them to handle debt collection on the side. So it was within expectations, but still, while two or three might be manageable, twenty was a different matter altogether. Especially since he had someone to protect; outnumbering him would not be wise.

"Enough now, sir."

Ariel tugged at Sieg’s sleeve with a tense face and whispered, "They won’t take my life. I’m their money cow, so it’ll be fine… but the customers will have to be replaced." “Yeah, you look like you’re ready to replace them.” “So hurry up and run away. I don’t know where you came from, but if you’re alone, you should be able to get away. And leave the south as soon as possible.” Sieg laughed. "I’m not in a hurry to leave until you agree to spend some time with me." "When things cool down, come back to my shop and I’ll give you two hours for forty coins, whatever your fancy is." “Ah, that’s quite professional of you.” Sieg pressed on, “Forget about the forty coins for two hours; I want you to manage all my money.”

“…”

Ariel rolled her eyes. “You’re a hundred years old and you get hot for a prostitute from another race? Don’t you think that’s embarrassing?”

“I admit it’s just a little bit, but I’m a centurion so I make pretty good money.”

“You can’t trust someone who picks such a cheap inn in the morning. ”

“Just a bit unlucky, though to meet someone as nice as you is lucky enough.”

“I don’t get what you’re saying.”

Ariel sighed and tried to push Sieg into an alley.

Sieg poked Ariel’s ear.

“Eek!?”

“Back in the day, I was a Dark Elf’s subordinate. …I know all about ear expressions. You just got excited, didn’t you?”

“You’re so annoying! Stop acting like you know everything!”

Ariel’s expression hit the nail on the head; she looked resentful.

She had quite a bit of confidence in her ability to read women’s expressions.

Sieg lightly hugged Ariel and then let go before picking her up in his arms.

“What are you doing?!”

“By trade, it burns more when I’m with someone than if I were alone.”

“What kind of job is that?!”

“A princess rescue business.”

“…Sieg Becker… wait, could it be?”

"That's Sieg Becker."
Sieg jumped.
He could easily carry a girl and climb onto the roof of a single-story house. While he couldn't completely vanish from sight even if he ran at full speed, he was confident that he could shake off an ogre’s wide strides.

"Let's go!!"

Sieg Becker.
His heroic ballad sung by wandering minstrels had become popular several times.
The third time it became a hit was during his great adventure in the Lapar Islands.
The second time was when he saved the noble princess who’d been kidnapped by bandits.
And the first time, it was due to his tragic love story with an enemy spy.

Depressed, I had drunkenly blabbed about a terrible breakup at Quica’s tavern, and the bard there turned it into a poem. Thanks to that, Celesta became famous as an intelligence agent. Well, even if they wrote a ballad about me, my face isn’t going to get broken or anything; besides, I always use a pseudonym so it’s not really a big deal.

That bard still occasionally hears stories of my exploits at Quica and turns them into poems. He adds tall tales now and then for dramatic effect. For example, the girl who was kidnapped by bandits wasn’t actually a noblewoman but an ogre boss’ daughter. And that parting didn’t happen like in the poem, where I left her under a tree with a lingering kiss as if it were a dream. It turned out she was cuter than expected, and after almost getting intimate—she looked strangely happy about it—I remembered my first love’s bad memories and ended up throwing my waistcloth at her face while half-naked before running away.

I think I’ll keep that part from Ariel.

“Wait, you bastard!”
The ogres were chasing me through the streets as I ran across the rooftops.

But running around was exactly what Sieg had in mind.

“Found you… uooh!!”

An Ogre fell into a simple pit trap made with a thin board over the sewer drain.

“Running around on top of roofs… I can’t take it anymore, dohwaah!?”

Another Ogre tried to jump onto a roof that couldn't support its weight and got stuck halfway down.

Because they were only looking up, an Ogre ran into a rope stretched between two palm trees and fell over, kicking a beehive in the process and getting stung badly.

The pursuers were quickly dwindling.

“…Wow, you managed to trap all of them with such pranks.”

“If I could use instant-death traps it would’ve been easy. But even though they’re just gangsters, setting up traps for citizens isn’t right.”

“…Instant-death traps?”

"Explosives, blades, vital points, poison. Those things are very effective when you take your opponent off guard and strike them down."

"That's scary."

"There are missions that require such actions."

I changed direction to shake off the remaining few orcs completely.

Then I gently put Ariel down in a secluded alleyway and looked into her eyes as I confessed earnestly.

"Well, anyway. I want to be with you... You see, I have some trust issues. But you just now made me feel better somehow. Even though it might seem simple... I want to spend more time with you."

Of course, there were other reasons too. Her willpower reminded him of Diane, the goddess of his heart, and she was a dark elf.

There was also the fact that she felt good in his arms.

But for Sieg, who was sinking into self-loathing, her smile and way of living were worth falling in love with at first sight.

"Liar. There's no one who can fall in love so easily. You just want something from me, don't you?"

But Ariel was also distrustful of people.

More accurately, she distrusted men.

She had fallen in love with someone who deceived her and made her a prostitute.

So it wasn't surprising that she couldn’t be moved by such an easy confession from a man who came to her as a customer and started talking about love.

“Of course I want you for free.”

“I see.”

“And I want you to go on a date with me for free, live in my Quicksand house, and if possible, have my child.”

“...Ah.”

But she was intimidated by Sieg’s relentless assault. Fundamentally, dark elves were not good at being alone. And Ariel ended up falling easily for a bad man who got her into debt, proving that she was still an innocent girl.

"I want a free kiss, I want you to hold me in your lap for free, and I want you to wear an apron for free. And I want us to bathe together and cuddle like this! Is that so wrong? I’d rather be a lovesick old man than just let my life go by without ever getting close to girls! I want to dote on each other in love, dammit! Preferably with someone as cute as you!"

"...U-Ugh..."

Ariel drooped her ears and looked up at Sieg. The scruffy forty-something man was desperately confessing his incredibly uncool and naked desires.

But he was just so...
She felt like a liar for thinking it, but there was something about him that made her feel cowardly.
In truth, even Ariel thought that strong, dependable Sieg who wanted everything from her was someone she liked. And to Ariel, who had been driven away by her family due to debt and lost the man she loved, his warmth was incredibly attractive.

"Ugh..."

She was torn between resisting this pressure or giving in when...

The three-horned crown-like shape was visible beyond the wall on both sides of Sieg’s face, where his arms were pinned.
For a moment, he flinched at the sight of an ogre, but it was shorter than he expected. Though short for an ogre, it towered over Ariel at nearly 170 centimeters—still quite small compared to others of its kind.
“Finally found you.”
“…Ugh!?”
Sieg jumped in surprise and looked up to see the ogre beside him.
The petite female ogre tossed her cloak aside and dashed forward, diving into Sieg’s chest before he could react. At that distance, a knife would be deadly.
For an instant, they locked eyes.

“You bastard!!!”

Her uppercut sent Sieg flying through the air.

“...Ow, ow... I thought my jaw was broken.”

“That it didn’t break is a miracle. Even though I’m not one to lose in strength to any young man.”

After floating above the houses for an instant, Sieg landed safely in the alleyway. Rose, the female Tri-Headed Ogre, stared at him with narrowed eyes... or so it seemed, her face slightly flushed as she did so.

“...So you remember me... Wait, ughhhhhh!?”

Once he finally got a good look at Rose, Sieg retreated backwards in a way that was reminiscent of an insect, still sitting on his butt. It was quite uncool.

“You seem to have remembered me, spineless man.”

“...Y-You... Rose!!”

“Sieg Becker, I won’t forget the humiliation you caused me back then.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

He bowed down in full force, looking truly uncool.

Ariel was stunned.

“W-What...?”

“…Well, it’s something I’d rather not talk about. Anyway, Rose, could you please just let me beat her up and not touch her yourself?”

“You have good intentions, but kissing me to get my attention only to throw the sash at me while seriously trying to seduce this girl is really pissing me off.”

“Sorry, sorry, I’m really sorry!”

Sieg knelt down in a groveling apology.

“What should I do with you?”

Rose grabbed Sieg’s collar and her face was contorted with veins popping out. She had an absolutely beautiful smile on her face.

Sieg thought that this must be what a predator looked like when it saw its prey.

“O-Oh, Leon, Davis, I found them.”

“!!”

Sieg immediately brushed off Rose’s hand and shielded Ariel with his back.

At the entrance of the alley, there were two people—a lion-human hybrid and a human man—followed by an ogre with one horn.

“They’re after us,” Sieg muttered in a low voice that couldn’t be heard from far away.

The human man’s head snapped to the side, and he grinned.

“The Tower Emblem youngsters are causing a ruckus, so we guardsmen came to support them… If I had known it was you, Sieg Becker, Lieutenant of Special Troops.”

“I’ve seen you before. Might Gehrlein?”

“Do you remember me?”

“If I didn’t have a good memory, I wouldn’t be able to do my job,” Sieg replied with a click of his tongue.

The human man is Mait Gehrren. The lion beastman is Leon Rex. And the one-horned individual... Davis Dougout.

I pull their names from my mental database of military information.

“And there’s even the master craftsman of Trident.”

Mait tilts his head to the side and grins more widely, causing the long pole he's carrying to slip off his shoulder, revealing a sword without a crossguard inside it.

“Who are these guys? Are they new vagrants from the Tower...?”

As Rose prepares to throw a punch, Sieg stops her with his hand.

“Ariel, stay as far back as you can.”

“Becker...?”

“These men are all ace knights.”

Carlos Manor.

The lunch proceeded without Sieg. Andy was eating a large amount of green vegetables with great difficulty.

Diane looked at him with a worried expression, yet still smiled warmly. Aurora suddenly spoke to her.

“Lady Diane… may I ask you something?”

“Hmm?”

“What is Becker’s true strength? The special duty captain…”

“You’re an ace knight too. Just spar with him and get a feel for it.”

“No, but I don’t really know his true strength.”

Aurora clenched her hand into a fist then opened it again.

“He doesn’t have many offensive moves as a swordsman, so I doubt he’s particularly strong in that regard. But when he defends or lets go of the sword… it’s at those moments that I feel how deep and incomprehensible his abilities are. His evasion is efficient with no wasted movements, and even my brother, the Master Knight, would be hard-pressed to match him in terms of mobility. And sometimes, the source of his killing intent is perplexing as well. It makes me wonder… if he were to use any means necessary, not just swords…”

“Well, yeah, I don’t really get that guy either… but even a Master Knight would have trouble stopping him when he’s serious.”

"Is that so?"

"A few years ago, Overnite said this. 'You can defend against a dragon's flames, but you cannot defend against Sieg Becker.'"

"...Overnite!? Wh-which one?"

"The iron one. The lightning one agreed as well."

"......What do you mean?"

Diane muttered under her breath that it wasn't the kind of thing to talk about during mealtime.

"He’s a man who could probably come up with a thousand different ways to kill someone if he was asked to. You might be able to defend against flames by carefully considering magic, engravings, and materials, but there is no way to stop Becker's killing methods. ...If you become his enemy, it may be worse than facing a Master Knight."

Sieg straightened up suddenly, wiping the smile off his face.

The smell of burning began to permeate the air, signaling the start of battle.

Might tilted his head backward and grinned as he drew his sword.

“Special Agent Captain Becker. Ever since I was in the army, I’ve wanted to fight you to the death.”

“Oh? Well, I don’t want that. I try not to kill people if I can help it.”

Leon, the lion-human, spoke up.

“You’re arrogant.”

“No no no. Because when we fight, someone’s gonna die, right?”

Davis, with his single horn, muttered,

“Even one death is acceptable… ”

“One death? Is that all you care about?”

Sieg looked at them three with a pitying expression.

“After all, you’re the ones who’ll die.”

The three fell silent for a moment.

“I don’t know…”

“We can’t tell…”

“It’s three against one. If we win, you become Master Knight…right?”

Sieg silently drew his knife. The blade was only fifteen centimeters long, an absurdly small weapon.

Then he crouched down.

The three Ace Knights charged forward with murderous intent... but at that moment, the lead knight, Mait, stumbled and fell.

“What!?”

“Hey!?

Leon fell next, tripping on oil that had pooled at his feet.

Davis leaped over the two of them. A needle pierced his nose.

“!?”

Davis convulsed on the ground and lay still.

“If poison and oil are allowed in a match, then I’m definitely a Master Knight too.”

He stabbed needles into the fallen Ace Knights with quick motions.

“Y-you…that’s cheap…”

“I could kill you seven times if you give me even an instant of opportunity.”

Saying that coldly, he picked up Mait’s sword and snapped it in half.

“And I’m the type who won’t feel satisfied unless I make things work to my advantage from the start. …It’s a lesson I learned in life.”

Really, it was in the blink of an eye.

Before Ariel and Rose even realized what had happened, he had already defeated three Ace Knights.

“…Anesthesia. I care about my people.”

With a wave of his hand, Sieg returned to his smug grin.

Rose and Ariel let out relieved smiles at him.

“…Indeed. Well, it’s Sieg Becker after all; I wasn’t worried.”

“Sieg-san…”

Changing the location, Sieg turned back to them.

Then Rose pressed something wrapped in cloth into Sieg’s hands.

“I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. …It’s a present.”

“What?”

“Open it. …I’ll say this first, I’m not doing this out of gratitude or obligation.”

“Huh?”

When Sieg opened the package, he found a jewel knife inside.

“I wanted to have something matching yours after that, so I went through great lengths to get one too. It wouldn’t make sense if you didn’t have it.”

“…Th-thanks…”

Sieg’s eyes welled up with tears.

“Thanks, Rose! I don’t really understand why but I love you, damnit!!”

“I-I see. That’s good then.”

And while he was crying, Sieg wiped his cheek on the jewel knife before suddenly remembering something and handed it to Ariel.

“...Huh?”

“You could get a lot of money for that... You have debts, right? If you sell it and use the money to pay them off... Then maybe I’ll go out with you...?”

“......”

“Sieg Becker...”

Rose shook her head.

Ariel hesitated uncertainly whether she should take it or not, but eventually accepted it.

Sieg wept blood internally. But that was okay. He would make her his woman.

“Yes. Understood.”

Ariel’s cheeks flushed red.

“I-I’m a simple girl, but please...take care of me.”

(...Huh?)

Something feels like it was skipped over.

Then, Rose erupted.

"...Don't you realize that proposing to someone with a gift meant for another person is the lowest thing a guy can do--!!"

"Ah...!?"

In this colony, giving away knives free of charge has special significance.

(to be continued)

Due to their massive physiques, Ogres excel as combatants. While their colonies tend to base their lifestyles on hunting, they undergo a complete transformation when interacting with other races, utilizing their strength as construction workers.

Dwarves, who also possess great power as a defining trait, excel in iron forging and craftsmanship; thus, the division of labor in towns typically sees Dwarves handling smithing and Ogres handling architecture. Agriculture, fishing, and livestock are the domains of Humans and Elves.

However, no matter how high one's aptitude for labor may be, architectural technology cannot be advanced without the accumulation of knowledge and the cooperation of a collective.

Consequently, it is common for each city to host several Ogre construction unions.

Given that Ogres are inherently a bellicose race, these organizations possess a decidedly "muscular" character—to put it bluntly, they have a mafia-like quality.

An organization that can effectively channel its overflowing energy through work, events, and shared philosophies is one thing; however, depending on the charisma of the leaders or the state of management, they can sometimes have a negative impact on local governance. This is one of the difficult aspects of the Celestia Merchant Nation—a nation that is "tolerant of races, but strict with profit"—and it is an element that is difficult to control uniformly.

Fortunately, the oasis town of Talc is home to organizations with a reasonable level of control.

There are two particularly powerful construction unions:

The "Trident," formed by a union of three-horned Tricorne Ogres.

The "Tower Emblem," composed mostly of single-horned Monocorne Ogres.

Both have significant interests in finance, brewing, and retail, possessing enough influence to rank within the top ten of the many industries represented by the Talc Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Furthermore, because their headquarters are positioned symmetrically across the main street, and because they compete in several businesses in a constant back-and-forth struggle, the two groups have become a sort of local attraction in Talc, characterized by their subordinates frequently brawling on street corners.

It was well known among the citizens of Talc that the leader of the "Trident" side was a woman of mature years.

"Mistress, wouldn't it be better to have the youngsters search for him?"

"You clearly don't know that Sieg Becker."

The Ogre second-in-command nodded toward the female leader.

"I do not understand the world of soldiers. I have heard that his exploits are being turned into epic poems and such, but..."

The female leader nodded grandly and threw a light sunshade cloak over her shoulders.

"Godspeed, whimsical, underhanded, and cunning. If we search by numbers, he will only evade us, wasting even more time. It is better if I search alone."

"But the youngsters of the Tower Emblem are undisciplined. If they happen to find you wandering an alleyway alone, then..."

"I know. I have waited ten years. ...Do not follow me. That man is sharp."

Rose Alderia, the leader of the Trident, brushed off her worried subordinate and strode out of the manor.

Her temperament—unyielding once she had made up her mind and unstoppable once she set out—was an excellent quality for a woman leading a group of rowdy Ogres, but it also made her twice as reckless.

The second-in-command clasped his head, praying to the heavens that nothing would happen.

"Still... godspeed, whimsical, underhanded, and cunning... honestly, that sounds like nothing more than a small-fry."

"Well, well. That is quite a crowd, even for me."

Before Sieg, a herd of single-horned Ogres was steadily increasing, though it was unclear how he had summoned them. There were perhaps just under twenty of them.

Judging by their uniform, crude work clothes and the occasional hammer hanging from their waists, he surmised they were youngsters from a construction union.

It was not particularly rare for construction unions to act as moneylenders, and it was not uncommon for them to handle debt collection as a side business. So, while it was within his expectations, dealing with twenty people was quite different from dealing with two or three. Above all, when one has someone to protect, being outnumbered was not a sound strategy.

"That's enough, customer."

Ariel tugged on Sieg's sleeve, whispering with a strained expression.

"They won't take my life. You're a source of income, so it's fine... But they could bury you."

"Yeah, you have exactly that look in your eyes. Was blowing them away so suddenly a mistake?"

"So just run, quickly. I don't know where they came from, but you can surely escape if you're alone. And get out of the southern district, fast."

Sieg laughed.

"I'm not quite ready to set off until I can take you with me."

"If you come back to the shop once the heat has died down, I'll indulge any of your whims for 40 coins per two hours."

"Ah. That's some impressive professionalism."

Having made his decision, Sieg pressed on.

"Forget 40 coins for two hours; I want you to manage my entire fortune for me."

"......"

Ariel wore a look of exasperation.

"You're old enough to know better, yet you fall for a demi-human merchant at first sight? Don't you think that's pathetic?"

"Just a little. But for what it's worth, I'm a Centurion, so I make decent money."

"I can't trust the words of someone who chooses to stay in a cheap inn like that first thing in the morning."

"It was just a stroke of bad luck. But, well, I suppose I should call it good luck, since I got to meet a good girl like you."

"You's making no sense."

Ariel let out a sigh and tried to push Sieg deeper into the back alley.

Sieg reached out and gave her ear a little poke.

"Hyah!?"

"I used to have Dark Elf subordinates, you see... I consider myself an expert in reading ear expressions. You just felt a little flutter of excitement, didn't you?"

"S-shut up! Don't get cocky just because you're human!"

Hit right where it hurt, Ariel glared at him resentfully.

He had a fair amount of confidence when it came to reading a woman's expression.

Sieg gave Ariel a light embrace, then let go only to scoop her up into a bridal carry.

"W-what do you think you're doing!?"

"In my line of work, things are more exciting with two people than running alone."

"What kind of line of work is that!?"

"Rescuing captive princesses."

"...Sieg... Becker... Wait, could it be you!?"

"The one and only Sieg Becker."

Sieg leaped.

Carrying a single woman was easy; scaling the roof of a single-story building was a breeze.

While he couldn't exactly vanish into thin air even at full sprint, he was confident he could shake off a pursuit by something with the long strides of an ogre.

"Here we go!!"

---

Sieg Becker.

His name had appeared several times in the heroic ballads of traveling bards.

The third time he became a trend was during his great adventure in the Lapal Islands.

The second time was the tale of his rescue of a noble princess captured by bandits.

And the very first time was the tragic tale of his star-crossed love with an enemy spy.

While moping in the Kuika Tavern, he had poured his heart out about a terrible heartbreak—forcing himself to swallow booze he couldn't even handle yet—and a bard present at the time had turned it into poetry.

Thanks to that, he had become the most famous spy in Celesta.

Well, being the subject of an epic poem didn't exactly out his face, and since he always used an alias, it wasn't a huge problem.

That same bard continued to occasionally hear of Sieg's exploits in Kuika and turn them into verse, though he occasionally wove in lies for the sake of drama and flair.

Ah, the one captured by bandits wasn't a noble princess, but the daughter of an ogre chieftain.

And their parting wasn't quite like the poem described—vanishing like a daydream after leaving a kiss in the shade of a tree.

Since she was cuter than expected, he had tried to make a move during a parting that was meant to be permanent; she had looked at him with such strangely happy eyes that it stirred up his unpleasant memories of his first love, resulting in the absolute worst kind of breakup: he had half-undressed her, thrown his waistcloth over her face, and fled into the clouds.

I think I'll keep that part to myself from Ariel.

"Wait! Get back here, you bastard—!!"
The ogres were racing through the streets, chasing after Sieg as he sprinted across the rooftops.

However, running around was exactly what Sieg had intended.

"I found yo—Waaah!!"

An ogre fell straight into a simple pitfall trap—a single thin plank stretched over a drainage ditch.

"Always scurrying around on the rooftops... I've had enough, guh—!?"

An ogre leapt onto a rooftop that was never meant to support its weight, and its lower half promptly got stuck.

Because it was looking only upward, the ogre tripped over a rope stretched taut between two palm trees, only to be met with the sting of a kicked beehive.

Before long, the number of pursuers had dwindled.

"...I can't believe you managed to trip that many ogres with just that much mischief."

"Well, it would be easy if I could use instant-death traps. But even for a thug, setting those on civilians is a bit much."

"...Instant-death traps?"

"Gunpowder, blades, vital points, poison—if you can get them distracted by something like that, it's incredibly efficient to just stab them while they're preoccupied."

"That's... terrifying."

"Sometimes, you're on missions that require it."

With a sudden shift in direction, Sieg successfully shook off the last few remaining ogres. Then, in an inconspicuous back alley, he gently set Ariel down, looked into her eyes, and made his full confession.

"Anyway, setting that aside... I want you to go out with me. It's just... I struggle with trusting people. But you saved me a little bit just now. I know I probably sound simple, but... I found myself wanting to be with you more."

Of course, that wasn't the only reason. There was also the fact that she was a dark elf with a strength of will in her eyes that reminded him of Diane, the woman he had regarded as the goddess of his heart. And then there was the simple, purely physical matter that she was wonderful to hold.

But more than anything, for Sieg, who had been sinking into an abyss of self-loathing, the smile and the way of life she had shown him were enough to make him fall in love at first sight.

"Liar. ...No one can fall for someone that easily. Don't you just want me for nothing?"

But Ariel, too, struggled with trusting people. Or rather, trusting men. She had fallen in love with someone, been deceived, and ended up working as a prostitute. There was no way she could be moved to pure admiration by a man who made such a cliché confession—a man who had come to her as a mere customer.

"Of course I want you for nothing."

"I knew it."

"I want you to go on dates with me for free, I want you to live in my house in Quica, and if possible, I want you to bear my children."

"...Ugh."

However, she falpered under Sieg's relentless onslaught. Fundamentally, dark elves do not fare well with loneliness. And in the end, Ariel was a good-natured girl who had easily fallen for a bad man and ended up in debt.

"I want to kiss you for free, I want you to let me use your lap for free, I want you to wear nothing but an apron for free, I want us to bathe together and flirt for free—damn it, is that so wrong?! Rather than growing old alone, I want to be all over a girl! I want to be lovey-dovey and cling to each other! And if possible, with a girl exactly my type like you!"

"...Ugh... hnn..."

Ariel’s ears drooped as she looked up at Sieg.

A scruffy human man in his late thirties, desperately confessing his incredibly uncool and nakedly honest inner thoughts. Yet, there was an intensity to him. It was so powerful that it made her feel cowardly for even considering lying to him.

In truth, even from Ariel's perspective, Sieg was her type: strong, dependable, tall, and above all, someone who wanted everything about her. For Ariel, who had been tormented by debt, forced to sever ties with her family, and left all alone after the man she loved ran away, that warmth was incredibly alluring.

"Ugh... hnn..."

As she wavered, torn between resisting that pressure and surrendering to it...

Beyond Siegfried’s arms, which were pressed against the walls on either side of his face, he saw three horns like a crown.

An ogre... He flinched for a moment, but the figure was short. Short, but still taller than Ariel. Even though it stood nearly 170 cm, it was quite small, even for a female ogre.

"I've finally found you."

"...Whoa!?"

Startled, Siegfried looked up to see the ogre that had appeared beside him.

The small female ogre tossed aside her cloak and charged. Before Siegfried could even shift into a defensive posture, she had lunged straight into his chest.

At knife range, it was a lethal distance.

In that instant, their eyes met.

"You... YOU ABSOLUTE SCUMMMMMM!!!"

Siegfried went airborne from the force of her uppercut.

---

"...Ow... I thought my jaw had shattered."

"It’s a miracle it didn't. Even though my punching power is superior to most youngsters around here."

Rose, the tricorn ogre woman, stared down at Siegfried with eyes that looked—well, almost—disdainful, though her face was slightly flushed. Siegfried had landed safely in the alleyway after briefly hovering completely above the rooftops.

"...So, who are you... Whoa, AAAAAAH!?"

Having finally taken a proper look at Rose, Siegfried, still stuck on his backside, began to scuttle backward like an insect. It was incredibly uncool.

"It seems you do remember me, you coward."

"...Y-you... Rose...!!"

"Siegfried Becker. I will never forget the humiliation of that day."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

He went into a full kowtow. Truly pathetic.

Ariel stood there, stunned.

"Wh... What is happening...?"

"...Look, it's hard to explain, so please don't ask. More importantly, Rose, you can beat the hell out of me all you want, but please don't lay a finger on her."

"That is a noble sentiment. However, considering you pretended to kiss me only to throw a waist-wrap throw at me, while simultaneously trying to seriously woo this woman, my impression of you remains terrible."

"I am seriously sorry, seriously sorry, seriously sorry!"

Siegfried continued to grind his forehead into the ground in apology.

"And how do you intend to make amends?"

Rose wore a truly lovely smile as she grabbed Siegfried by the collar, her veins bulging with rage.

A beast facing its prey looks exactly like this, Siegfried thought.

"Whoops. Leon, Davis, I found them."

"!!"

In an instant, Siegfried shook off Rose's hand and shielded Ariel behind his back.

At the entrance of the alleyway, a duo consisting of a lion beastman and a human man had appeared, followed by a single-horned ogre.

"Pursuers?"

As Siegfried muttered in a voice too low to be heard by others, the human man tilted his head and grinned.

"The youngsters of the Tower Emblem are making quite a stir. We bodyguards are just here to support them. ...Well, look who it is. Special Centurion Siegfried Becker, I presume?"

"...I recognize you. Might Galen?"

"So, you do remember me."

"I can't do my job if I'm bad at remembering faces."

Siegfried clicked his tongue in annoyance.

The human man was Might Galen. The lion beastman was Leon Rex. The monoceros was... Davis Dugout.
I dragged their names from the military information accumulated within my mind.

"And what's more, we've even got the leader of the Trident here."
With a sudden tilt of his head to the side, Might's grin deepened. The long staff he carried shifted over his shoulder and slid down, revealing a guardless longsword.

"What are these guys? Has the Tower sent some new mercenaries...?"

As Rose prepared to raise her fists, Sieg held her back with a hand.

"Fall back as far as you can with Ariel."

"Becker...?"

"Every single one of them is an Ace Knight."

---

The Carlos Estate.

Lunch continued without Sieg. Andy was painfully munching through a large amount of green vegetables.

Aurora, watching Diane gaze at him with a troubled yet fond expression, spoke up.

"Lady Diane... May I ask you something?"

"Hmm?"

"Special Centurion Becker... just how much strength does he truly possess?"

"You're an Ace Knight yourself. Just spar with him and get the gist of it."

"No. I cannot truly grasp his level of skill."

Aurora spoke while clasping and releasing her hands.

"As a swordsman, his offensive repertoire is not vast, and I cannot say he excels in raw attacking power. However, when he goes on the defensive, or when he lets go of his sword... that is when I feel his unfathomable depth. His lack of wasted movement and his efficiency of motion both possess elements that far surpass even my brother, who is a Master Knight. And sometimes, the inexplicable origin of his killing intent worries me. I often wonder... what would happen if this man were to use every means at his disposal, not limited to the sword..."

"Well, it's true he's hard to read. ...But even for a Master Knight, it would be difficult to stop him when he's serious."

"Is it that much?"

"A few years ago, Overnight said, 'You might be able to block the dragon's flames, but you won't be able to block Sieg Becker.'"

"...Overnight?! Which one?"

"The Iron one. The Thunder one agreed as well."

"......What do you mean by that?"

Diane muttered, "This isn't exactly the time for such talk, but..."

"If you told him to find a thousand different ways to kill, he could probably do it. You might be able to block fire through magic, sigils, and specific materials, but there is no way to block a killing blow from Becker. ...If he becomes your enemy, he might be more terrifying than a Master Knight."

---

"Well then."

Sieg straightened his spine, his smile vanishing.

He began to radiate the scorched, heavy atmosphere of a battlefield.

Might tilted his head sharply to the side and took a combat stance with a smirking grin.

"Special Centurion Becker. Ever since I was in the military, I've wanted to try killing you."

"Is that so? I'm not keen on it. I'd prefer to avoid unnecessary deaths."

Leon, the lion beastman, spoke up.

"How arrogant."

"No, no, no. I mean, if we kill each other, someone's gonna die."

Davis, the monoceros, muttered in a low voice.

"It's not like it matters if one person dies..."

"Just one person?"

Sieg looked at the three of them with eyes full of pity.

"Because you're the ones who are going to die, aren't you?"

The three of them fell silent instantly.

"I wonder."

"Who can say?"

"Three against one. If you win, you're a Master Knight... you know?"

Without a word, Sieg drew his knife. With a blade only fifteen centimeters long, it was a flimsy weapon that looked almost like a joke.

Then, he crouched low.

The three Ace Knights surged forward, filled with bloodlust—but in that very instant, Might, who was leading the charge, tripped.

"What!?"

"Hey!?"

Leon followed, collapsing. Oil had pooled at his feet.

Davis leapt over the two of them, only for a needle to pierce him right in the face.

"!?"

Davis tumbled to the ground just like that and stopped moving.

"If poison and oil are allowed in a match, then I suppose I really am a Master Knight."

Stab, stab. He drove needles into the fallen Ace Knights one after another.

"T-That's... dirty..."

"If you show an opening for even a second, I could kill you seven times over."

He spoke in a cold voice, then snatched Might's sword and snapped it in half.

"Besides, I'm the type who can't rest until I've secured an advantage for myself. ...It's a life lesson."

It truly happened in an instant.
Before Ariel and Rose could even comprehend what had transpired, he had defeated all three Ace Knights.

"...It's just anesthetic. I care about my citizens, after all."

As Sieg waved them off, his silly grin returning, Rose and Ariel let out sighs of relief.

"...Honestly. Well, you are Sieg Becker, I suppose. I shouldn't have expected anything else."

"Sieg..."

Moving to a different spot, Sieg faced the two of them once more.
At that moment, Rose firmly pressed a cloth-wrapped bundle into Sieg's hands.

"You've kept me waiting a long time for this opportunity. ...It's a present."

"...What?"

"Open it. ...And let me tell you something upfront: this isn't out of gratitude or obligation."

"O-Oh?"

When Sieg opened it, a Jewel Knife lay inside.

"Ever since then, I wanted a treasure that matched yours. I went to great lengths to obtain it. It wouldn't be right if you didn't have one too."

"...I... I see..."

Sieg burst into tears.

"Thank you, Roseeeee!! I don't really understand what's happening, but I love you, dammit!!"

"I... I see. I'm glad."

After wailing and rubbing his stubbled cheek against the Jewel Knife, a sudden thought struck him.
He handed it, just as it was, to Ariel.

"...Eh?"

"That... if you sell that, you'll get a huge price for it. You're in debt, aren't you? If you use that to somehow fix things... then, um, if you'll stay with me... right?"

"............"

"Sieg Becker..."

Rose shook her head vigorously.
Ariel hesitated, wavering on whether or not to accept... but ultimately, he accepted.
Sieg wept tears of blood in his heart. But it's okay, he thought. I'm finally going to have a girlfriend.

"...Yes. I understand."

A flush crept into Ariel's cheeks.
"I-I'm inexperienced, but... please, look after me...!"

(...Wait?)

He felt like he had skipped something.
At that moment, Rose erupted.

"Don't you realize you're proposing to someone else using a gift meant for a proposal from another person, you absolute scum--!!"

"...Ah, auugh!?"

In this colony, the free transfer of a blade carries a special meaning.

(To be continued)

Ogres, due to their massive stature, excel as combatants. While many colonies tend to base their livelihood on hunting, they often utilize their strength in civil engineering when interacting with other races.

Similarly, the Dwarves, who also pride themselves on their power, are skilled in blacksmithing and craftsmanship. As a result, the division of labor in towns typically falls along these lines: Dwarves as smiths, Ogres as builders. Agriculture, fishing, and livestock raising remain the domain of Humans and Elves.

However, even with a natural aptitude for manual labor, building techniques can only be refined through collective accumulation and cooperation. Thus, it’s common to find several Ogre construction unions in each city.

Given that Ogres are inherently bellicose, these organizations tend to be quite… muscular in their nature—let’s just say they have a mafia-like edge. While some groups manage to channel their overflowing energy through work, events, and shared ideals, others, depending on the charisma of their leaders or their operational state, can negatively impact local governance. This is one of the trickier aspects of Celesta’s Merchant Kingdom, which preaches "tolerance for races, strictness for profit"—a balance that’s difficult to control outright.

Fortunately, Oasis City Taruk has a relatively stable lineup of organizations with some degree of control.

The two most powerful construction unions are:

• Trident, led by the three-horned Tri-Cone Ogres.
• Tower Emblem, dominated by the one-horned Mono-Cone Ogres.

Both have diversified into finance, brewing, and retail, making them among the top ten most influential factions in Taruk’s Chamber of Commerce.

Their headquarters are positioned symmetrically across Central Avenue from each other, and they compete fiercely in several ventures—resulting in a constant back-and-forth. This rivalry has led to a rather infamous local tradition: underlings from both sides routinely brawl in the streets.

It was common knowledge among Taruk’s citizens that the leader of Trident was a strikingly beautiful woman.

"Boss, shouldn't we have the young ones search?"

"You don’t know Zeek Becker, do you?"

The underboss Ogre nodded solemnly to his female boss.
"I can’t fathom the world of soldiers. I’ve heard tales of him being something of a hero, though."

The woman boss nodded regally before draping her thin sunshade over her shoulder.

"Swift, capricious, cunning, and devious. If we search by numbers, he’ll only slip away, wasting more time. I’ll find him myself."

"But the young ones from Tower Emblem have loose reins. If they spot you alone in an alley…"

"Enough. I’ve waited ten years for this… Don’t chase him. The man’s sharp."

Trident’s female boss, Rose Alderia, brushed off her worried underboss and strode out of the mansion with purpose.

Her impulsive nature—once she set her mind to something, there was no stopping her—made her a good leader for these rough Ogres, but it also made her recklessly brave.

The underboss buried his face in his hands and prayed to the heavens for nothing bad to happen.
"But… swift, capricious, cunning, and devious… He sounds like a small fry."

"Now that’s interesting."

Before Zeek stood a growing horde of one-horned Ogres—how they’d gathered, he wasn’t sure—but there were easily twenty of them.

All wore tattered work clothes, some with hammers slung around their waists. Judging by their attire, they were likely young members of construction unions.

It wasn’t unusual for construction unions to dabble in money lending, and many even handled debt collection on the side. So it was within expectations—but two or three? Twenty was a problem. More importantly, fighting a crowd while protecting someone wasn’t wise.

"Enough, customer."

Ariel tugged at Zeek’s sleeve, her face stiff with concern.

"They won’t take my life. They’re my bread and butter. …But you’ll get buried."

"Yeah, you’ve got that ‘buried’ look. Maybe scattering them all at once was a mistake."

"That’s why you need to run. I don’t know where they came from, but you can outrun them alone. And get out of the South quickly."

Zeek laughed.

"I wouldn't mind hitting the road, but not until I've had you as my companion."

"Once the heat dies down, come back to my shop. I'll entertain any hobby of yours for two hours and forty sheets."

"Ah. Good professional spirit."

Zieg, now completely unfazed, pushed forward relentlessly.

"Not just two hours and forty sheets—I want you to manage all my assets jointly."

"............"

Ariel wore an exasperated expression.

"You're old enough to know better, getting hot for a half-elf businesswoman in one go? Don't you think that's kinda pathetic?"

"Just a little. But I'm still earning pretty well as a hundred-man leader, you know."

"I can't trust someone who picks a cheap inn like that so early in the morning."

"Bad luck, just bad luck. Though, hey, maybe it's lucky I met a good girl like you."

"No idea what you're talking about."

Ariel sighed and tried to shove Zieg deeper into the back alley.

Zieg nipped at her ear.

"Eep!?"

"I used to be a dark elf underboss, you see… I know all about reading expressions in ears. You're kinda blushing, aren't you?"

"Ugh, shut up! Don't get too cocky, human!"

Cornered, Ariel glared at him with resentment.

He was pretty confident about reading women's expressions, after all.

Zieg lightly embraced her, then released her and swung her into a fireman’s carry.

"W-what are you doing?!"

"Business is business—better to have two burning than one."

"What kind of business?!"

"Rescuing princesses in distress."

"...Zieg Becker... wait, are you...?"

"That's right, I'm Zieg Becker."

Zieg jumped.

Carrying a single woman was easy, and leaping onto a house roof was a piece of cake.

He couldn't exactly vanish from sight while running at full speed, but he was confident he could shake off an ogre’s wide strides.

"Let's go!!"

Zieg Becker.

His name had become a popular ballad among wandering bards.

The third surge in popularity came during his great adventure in the Rapal Islands.

The second came from rescuing a noble princess held captive by bandits.

And the first? A tragic love story with an enemy spy.

He was sulking at the Quieca Tavern, forcing down liquor he wasn’t even old enough to drink while ranting about his terrible breakup. A wandering bard who happened to be there turned it all into a poem on the spot.

Thanks to that, he became one of Celesta’s most famous spies. Well, even if they sang an epic about him, it wouldn’t exactly ruin his face—he always used a fake name anyway, so it wasn’t much of a problem.

That bard still occasionally catches wind of Sieg’s exploits at Quieca and turns them into poems, though he sometimes weaves in some embellishments for dramatic effect.

Ah, the noble princess kidnapped by bandits? Nah, it was actually one of the Ogre chieftain’s only daughters.

And that tearful farewell where they kissed in the shade before vanishing like a daydream? Not exactly. She was cuter than he expected, and when he tried to get handsy during what he thought was a farewell that wouldn’t lead to heartbreak, she gave him this weirdly happy look—and suddenly, all his bad first-love memories came flooding back. So, half-dressed, he chucked his loincloth at her face and vanished into the clouds. The absolute worst possible way to end things.

He figured he’d keep that part from Ariel.

"Hey! Stop—!"

The ogres were tearing through the streets chasing Sieg across the rooftops. But running was exactly what Sieg had in mind.

"Gotcha… whoa!!"

An ogre falls right into a shallow ditch covered by a single thin plank—a simple pitfall trap.

"Always lurking on the roofs… my patience is wearing thin, duh-wah!?"

Another ogre leaps onto a roof not built to support an ogre’s weight and gets his lower half stuck.

Too focused on looking up, another ogre grabs a rope strung between two palm trees and faceplants—kicking over a beehive in the process.

The pursuers were dwindling fast.

"…Huh, how did they only get caught in so much mischief?"

"Well, it’d be easy if we could use instant-kill traps. But laying those for civilians—even thugs—is out of the question."

"…Instant-kill traps?"

"Gunpowder, blades, pressure points, poison. It’s way more efficient to distract them with that before finishing them off."

"Y-you do scary things."

"Some missions require it."

He casually changed direction and completely lost the last few ogres. Then, in a back alley where they wouldn’t be noticed, he quietly set Ariel down and locked eyes with her before making his full confession.

"Well, that’s beside the point. I want to go out with you. …I’ve got a bit of trust issues with people. But when you helped me just now, it felt… good. I know it sounds simple, but… I want to spend more time with you."

Of course, there was more to it than that. There was also the fact that she had a similar strength of will to Diane—the woman he’d always seen as his heart’s goddess—and that she was a dark elf.

And then there was the simple, physical fact that she felt good in his arms.

But for Sieg, who was on the verge of drowning in self-loathing, her smile and the way she lived were more than enough to make him fall head over heels.

"Liar. …No one falls for someone that easily. You just want something for free, right?"

But Ariel had trust issues too.

More specifically, she distrusted men.

She’d fallen in love once, been betrayed, and ended up as a prostitute.

So when some guy who came to her place as a customer suddenly confessed his love, she couldn’t possibly be genuinely touched.

"Of course I want something for free."

"Seriously."

"I want you to go on dates with me for free, live in my Quieca house, and if possible, even make me some kids."

"…Ugh."

But she flinches at Sieg’s relentless assault.

Essentially, dark elves aren’t strong against loneliness. And Ariel, in the end, was just a soft-hearted girl who easily fell for bad men and got herself into debt.

"I want to kiss you for free, I want you to give me a knee pillow for free, I want you to wear a naked apron for free, I want to bathe together and cuddle for free, you damn bitch! I wanna get super clingy with a girl instead of turning into some old geezer! I wanna be all lovey-dovey and spooning! And if possible, with someone as cute as you!"

"…U-ugh."

Ariel drooped her ears and looked up at Sieg.
A middle-aged man with scruffy stubble desperately confessing his embarrassingly raw inner thoughts.
But still…
There was such an overwhelming presence that it made her feel like a coward for lying.
In truth, Ariel actually liked Sieg—strong, reliable, tall, and above all, someone who wanted everything about her.
Struggling with debt, forced to cut ties with her family, and abandoned by the man she loved, leaving Ariel alone… for her, his warmth was incredibly appealing.
"Uuuu…"

Torn between resisting that pressure or giving in…
She noticed the three horns like a crown poking out from behind Sieg’s arm against the wall.
An Ogre. She flinched for a moment, but it was short. Short, but still taller than Ariel. Almost 170cm, but even for an Ogre, it was quite small.

"I've finally found you."

"…Whoa!?"

Sieg also looked up in surprise and saw the Ogre next to him.
The petite Ogre woman threw off her cloak and dashed forward. Before Sieg could even get into a defensive position, she dove onto his chest.
Knife range.
They locked eyes in an instant.

"YOU, THE WORST MANNNN!!!"

She delivered an uppercut that sent Sieg flying.

"…Ow, ow… thought my jaw was broken."

"It’s a miracle you didn’t crack. I’m not outmatched by the younger guys when it comes to punching power, even if I am just a tricorn Ogre."

After floating completely above the rooftops for a moment, Sieg landed safely in the alleyway, only to be met with Rose’s glare… or so it seemed—her face was slightly flushed.
"…So, who are you…? Whoaah!?"

Finally properly noticing Rose, Sieg retreated backward from his crouching position in a frantic, scuttling motion. It was incredibly uncool.

"So, you remember me after all, you gutless wonder."

"…Y-you… Rose…!!"

"Sieg Becker. I won’t forget that humiliation."

"I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!"

A full-force prostration. Utterly pathetic.

Ariel stared blankly.

"W-what…?"

"…Uh, this is kinda hard to explain, so don’t ask. Or rather, Rose, I’ll take care of her with everything I’ve got, so you just stay out of it."

"That’s a good attitude. But pretending to kiss me while throwing your loincloth at me, then seriously hitting on this woman… that really doesn’t sit well with me."

"Seriously, sorry, seriously, sorry, seriously, sorry!"

Zig groveled with a deep bow.

"What am I gonna do with you?"

Rose grabbed Zig by the collar, her face twisted into a genuinely delightful smile as she glared at him, veins popping in her neck.

Like a beast eyeing its prey, Zig thought.

"O-oh! Lion, Davis, I found them!"

"!!"

Instantly, Zig shook off Rose’s hand and turned to shield Ariel with his back.

At the entrance of the alley stood two figures—a lionkin and a human man—followed by a one-horned ogre.

"Reinforcements."

Zig muttered in a voice that carried an indeterminate size, and the human man tilted his head slightly, then grinned.

"The Tower Emblem’s young bucks were making a fuss. We’re bodyguards sent to back them up… Who would’ve thought it was Sieg Becker, Special Captain?"

"…I think I’ve seen you before. Might Gahlen?"

"You remember me?"

"Can’t do the job if I have a bad memory."

Zig clicked his tongue.

The human man was Might Gahlen. The lionkin was Lion Rex. And the one-horned… Davis Dagout.

He dredged their names from the military intelligence stored in his mind.

"And to top it off, even Trident’s foreman is here."

Might tilted his head the other way, his smile widening. The long pole he carried shifted, revealing a tassel-less longsword at its end.

"What are these guys? The Tower’s crew… new vagrants?"

Rose tensed to strike, but Zig stopped her with a hand.

"Get down with Ariel as much as you can."

"Becker…?"

"They’re all Ace Knights."

Carlos Estate.

Lunch proceeded without Zig. Andy munched on a mountain of green vegetables with a strained expression.

Diane watched him with a troubled yet endearing look when Aurora suddenly spoke.

"Diane-sama… may I ask something?"

"Hm?"

"Special Captain Becker… how strong is he, exactly?"

"You're the Ace Knight, aren't you? Just spar a bit and figure it out."

"No. I do not truly understand His capabilities."

Aurora clasped her hands together, spreading them slightly as she spoke.
"As a swordsman, his offensive techniques are limited, and I would hesitate to say he excels in raw attack power. However, when he adopts a defensive stance or lets go of his sword… it is then that one feels the unfathomable depth of him. His efficiency in evasion, his mobility—both surpass even my brother, the Master Knight. And sometimes, the source of his killing intent is inexplicable. I often wonder—if he were to employ methods beyond the sword… what then?"

"Well, yeah, that guy's a mystery. …But even the Master Knight would have trouble stopping him when he’s serious."

"That much?"

"A few years back, the Over Knight said, 'One may deflect the Dragon's flame, but not Sieg Becker.'"

"…Over Knight!? Wh-which one?"

"The Iron one. The Thunder one agreed as well."

"…What does that even mean?"

Diâne muttered, not something you bring up during dinner, and continued.
"If you told him to kill a thousand people in a thousand different ways, he’d probably manage it. You might be able to block his flames with magic, runes, and the right materials, but there’s no way to stop Becker’s killing. …If you make him your enemy, he might be scarier than the Master Knight."

"Alright then."

Sieg straightened his back, erasing the smile from his lips.

A burnt, battlefield scent began to emanate from him.

Mait staggered backward, grinning as he drew his sword.

"Becker, Special Centurion. Ever since I was in the army, I’ve wanted to kill you."

"Oh? I’d rather not. I prefer to avoid casualties."

The Lionman, Leon, spoke.

"How arrogant."

"No, no, no. Because if we kill each other, one of us dies, right?"

The Horned One, Davis, added in a low voice.

"Let one person die… what’s the harm?"

"One person?"

Sieg looked at the three with pitying eyes.

"Because you’re the ones who’d die, aren’t you?"

The three fell silent instantly.

"How about it?"

"I don’t know."

"Three against one. If you win, you’re Master Knight… right?"

Sieg silently drew a knife. A pathetic thing, only fifteen centimeters long.

Then, he crouched down.

The three Ace Knights tensed with killing intent and lunged forward… but the moment they did, Mait stumbled and fell.

"What!?"

"Hey!?"

Leon went down next. Oil had pooled at his feet.

Davis leaped over the two of them—and a needle pierced his nose.
"!?!"

Davis crumpled to the ground, motionless.
"If poison and oil are allowed in the match, then yeah, I guess I am Master Knight."

Sak, sak, he drove needles into the fallen Ace Knights.

"C-cowardly…"

"If you even blink, I can kill you seven more times."

His voice was cold as he snatched Maito’s sword and snapped it in two.
"And, I’m the type who needs to get an advantage first… It’s a lesson for life."

Truly, in an instant.

Before Ariel and Rose could even figure out what was happening, three Ace Knights had fallen.
"…Anesthesia, too. I value my citizens."

He waved his hands around, his grin back in full force, and Rose and Ariel breathed sighs of relief.

"…Honestly. Well, it’s Sieg Becker, so I wasn’t too worried."

"Sieg…"

Changing the subject, Sieg turned to them again.

Then, Rose suddenly shoved a wrapped package into his hands.

"You made me wait a long time for this opportunity… It’s a present."

"…What is it?"

"Open it… First, let me say, this isn’t gratitude or obligation."

"O-okay?"

Sieg unwrapped it to find a Jewel Knife inside.

"Ever since then, I wanted one just like yours, and I worked hard to get it. It’s no good if you don’t have one too."

"…A-alright…"

Wuh-wuh, Sieg burst into tears.

"Thank you, Roseeee!! I don’t know what’s going on, but I love you, dammit!!"

"I-is that so? Good."

Then, still crying, he rubbed his stubble against the Jewel Knife before suddenly—

He handed it to Ariel.

"…Huh?"

"That thing sells for a crazy amount of money… You have debts, right? If you use that to pay them off… then, um, maybe you’d go out with me?"

"…………"

"Sieg Becker…"

Rose shook her head back and forth.

Ariel hesitantly considered whether to accept it or not… but ultimately, she did.

Sieg shed blood-tears in his heart. But it was fine. He’d become someone’s boyfriend too. Or so he told himself.

"…Yes. I understand."

Ariel’s cheeks flushed slightly.

"F-For such an unworthy person as myself, please treat me well…"

(…Huh?)

He felt like he’d missed something.

That’s when Rose erupted.

"…How can you not realize you’re using a proposal gift from one person to propose to another? You’re the worst—"

"…A, ah!?!"

In this colony, the free transfer of blades carries a special meaning.

(To be continued)

The Ogres, owing to their immense stature, excel as combatants. While they typically base their colony-level livelihoods on hunting, when interacting with other races, they readily shift roles and leverage their strength as construction laborers.

Similarly, the Dwarves, who also draw power as their hallmark, specialize in forging iron and intricate craftsmanship. Urban occupational segregation has thus evolved into a clear division: Dwarves dominate blacksmithing, while Ogres claim the field of architecture. Agriculture, fishing, and livestock herding remain the domain of humans and elves.

Though highly suited for manual labor, construction techniques cannot be refined without collective accumulation and collaboration.

Consequently, it is common for each city to host several Ogre-led construction unions.

Given that Ogres are inherently warlike, organizing them in large numbers inevitably imbues these groups with a muscular, mafia-like character.

Ideally, an organization capable of channeling their boundless energy through shared work, events, and guiding principles would thrive. Yet depending on the charisma of their leaders or the stability of their operations, they can sometimes exert detrimental influence on local governance. This remains one of the more challenging aspects for Celesta Mercantile Nation, which prides itself on "tolerance toward races but strictness regarding profit," making such groups difficult to control outright.

Fortunately, the oasis city of Tark possesses organizations with considerable capacity for management.

Notably, two construction unions hold particularly strong sway:
The "Trident," formed by three-horned Ogres united in purpose;
And the "Tower Emblem," dominated largely by single-horned Ogres.

Both have expanded into finance, brewing, and retail sectors, wielding influence among Tark's top ten merchant guilds.

With headquarters positioned symmetrically across Central Street, and locked in a perpetual cycle of rivalry over shared business interests, these two factions have become something of a local spectacle—street-corner brawls between their foot soldiers are now considered a hallmark of Tark itself.

It is well known among Tark's citizens that the Trident's leader is a woman of prime age.

"Perhaps we should send the younger recruits to search?"

"You know nothing of that Siegfried Becker, do you?"

The Ogre second-in-command nodded respectfully at the female leader.

"The world of soldiers escapes my understanding. I've heard rumors of him becoming something akin to a hero in ballads, but..."

The woman smiled broadly, draped a sheer sunshade mantle over her shoulders with a sharp motion.

"Too swift, too capricious, too cunning and deceitful. Sending more men would only prolong the chase. Better for me to go alone."

"But the younger recruits of Tower Emblem are loose-lashed. If they spot you wandering alone on an alleyway—"

"Enough. I've waited ten years already... Do not pursue him. That man is sharp."

The Trident's female leader, Rose Alderia, brushed aside her concerned second-in-command and strode decisively toward the estate gates.

Her nature—impulsive, relentless, unyielding once set in motion—is well-suited to leading unruly Ogre men, yet it carries risks far greater than most.
The second-in-command clutched his head, silently praying that nothing untoward had occurred.
"Still... 'too swift, too capricious, too cunning and deceitful'... Sounds like the kind of talk one uses about petty scoundrels."

"Well, well. Quite a crowd for such a man."
Before Siegfried stood a growing throng of single-horned Ogres—roughly twenty strong, judging by their rough work clothes, some with hammers slung at their waists. They were clearly young members of a construction union.

Construction unions often engage in lending and debt collection; it's not uncommon for them to handle collections alongside their primary duties. So while this development was within expectations, having two or three individuals would be manageable—but twenty? That posed a serious problem. Moreover, being outnumbered where others needed protection was hardly a wise strategy.

"Enough already, sir."

Ariel tugged Siegfried's sleeve, her face tense as she whispered urgently.

"They won't take your life. They're after your earnings. You'll be fine... but you might get buried alive."

"Ah, I see that look of impending burial. Perhaps blowing them away too hastily was a mistake?"

"So hurry and escape. I don't know where they came from, but if you're alone, you can outrun them. And leave the southern district as soon as possible."

Siegfried smiled.

"I don't really want to set off until you'll stick around with me."

"Once the heat dies down, come back to my shop. Two hours for forty coins, and I'll go along with whatever hobby you've got."

"Aaaah. What a professional attitude."

Zieg, having shaken it off, pressed forward.

"Forget two hours and forty coins—I want joint management of all my assets."

"…………"

Ariel made a face of disbelief.

"At your age, getting hot over a cross-species sex worker in one shot? Don't you think that's uncool?"

"Just a little. But I'm still a Captain of a Hundred Men, so I make quite a bit."

"I can't trust anyone who picks such a cheap inn and checks in from morning."

"Nothing but a bit of bad luck. Still, meeting someone nice like you makes it lucky, I suppose."

"I don't get it."

Ariel sighed and tried to push Zieg deeper into the back alley.

Zieg gave her ear a gentle tap.

"Hyaan!?"

"I used to be under a dark elf once... so I know quite a bit about how ears express emotion. You're blushing a little, aren't you?"

"Eeek! Shut up! Humans, don't get cocky!"

Caught red-handed, Ariel glared with a resentful look.

She was fairly confident in her ability to read women's expressions.

Zieg lightly embraced such an Ariel, then let go and held her sideways.

"W-what are you doing!?"

"Since I'm in the business, two people burn hotter than one trying to run away alone."

"What kind of business is that!?"

"Rescuing captive princesses."

"...Zieg Becker... wait, could you possibly be...!?"

"That's right, Zieg Becker."

Zieg leaped.
He could easily carry a single woman or scale a one-story roof with ease.
Of course, he couldn't vanish completely from sight even if he ran at full speed, but he was confident he could shake off an ogre's wide-strided pursuit.
"Let's go!!"

Zieg Becker.
His name appeared in bards' heroic ballads and occasionally became a popular tune.
The third surge of popularity came from his great adventure on the Rapal Islands.
The second was the drama of rescuing a noble lady imprisoned by thieves.
And the first? A tragic love story with an enemy spy.

In the tavern of Queika, a bard turned my terrible breakup into a poem while I was awkwardly trying to drink a beverage I wasn't even allowed to consume yet.
Thanks to that, Celesta became one of the most famous spies in the realm.
Well, having an epic sung about me won't split my face open, and since I always use a pseudonym anyway, it's not much of a problem.
That bard still occasionally hears tales of Sieg's exploits at Queika and turns them into poems, but he sometimes weaves exaggerations in for dramatic effect and pacing.
Ah, the thief who was captured wasn't a noble princess, but the only daughter of an ogre guildmaster.
Their parting wasn't like what's sung in the ballads—leaving a kiss beneath the trees before vanishing like a daydream.
She turned out cuter than I expected, so halfway through their farewell, I made a move, and seeing her strangely happy eyes brought back unpleasant memories of my first love; half-naked as she was, I threw my loincloth at her face and vanished in a cloud of smoke—a truly despicable ending.
I'll leave that part unspoken to Ariel.

"Hold it right there—!!"

The ogres chased Sieg across rooftops, sprinting through the streets.

But running around was exactly what Sieg wanted.

"I've got you... Ugh!!"

An ogre fell straight into a simple pitfall covered by a single thin plank over a water drain.

"Just skittering on the roofs... I can't take it anymore! Doo-uh?!"

Another ogre leaped onto a roof not built to support their weight and got stuck halfway up with its lower body trapped.

Because it kept looking only upward, it tripped over a taut rope strung between palm trees, stumbled, kicked over a beehive, and ended up in a terrible mess.

In no time, the pursuers were dwindling.

"...Wow, only ogres fell for such elaborate pranks."

"Well, if I could use instant-death traps, it'd be easy. But even though they're thugs, setting them off on civilians is just wrong."

"...Instant-death trap?"

"Gunpowder, blades, vital points, poison—stuff like that. If you distract them with something like that and then strike when they're caught off guard, it's super efficient."

"That sounds scary..."

"We have missions where we have to do things like that."

He suddenly changed direction, scattering the remaining few ogres completely.

Then, in an inconspicuous alleyway, he gently lowered Ariel down and locked eyes with her before confessing seriously.

"Anyway... I'd like to date you. ...Look, I'm a bit distrustful of people. But just now, you saved me a little. It might seem simple on my part, but... I've started wanting to spend more time with you."

Of course, that wasn't all. There was also the fact that she possessed a willpower reminiscent of Diane, whom he once regarded as his goddess of the heart—a dark elf whose strength shone in her eyes.

There was also the simple, material issue that she felt good to hold.

But for Sieg, who had been drowning in self-loathing, her smile and way of living were enough to make him fall in love at first sight.

"Lies... No one falls in love that easily. You're not just saying this because you want something free, right?"

Yet Ariel was also distrustful of people.

Or rather, distrustful of men.

She had fallen for someone, been deceived by them, and ended up working as a prostitute.

So when such an impulsive man—one who came as a customer and suddenly confessed his love—did so to her, she couldn't possibly be genuinely moved.

"Of course, I just want something free."

"Of course."

"I want you to date me for free, have Queeka live in my house, and if possible, bear my child."

"...Aaah!"

However, Sieghard trembles under Ariel's relentless assault.
Fundamentally, dark elves are not strong against loneliness. And Ariel was, in the end, a kind-hearted girl who easily fell for a bad man and ended up drowning in debt.

"I want to kiss you for free, have you rest your head on my knee for free, see me naked in an apron for free, bathe with you for free, and cuddle with you for free! Damn it, isn't that bad?! I'd rather be a pervert with a girl than grow old like this! I want to dote on each other lovingly! And if possible, with a girl as lovely as you!"

"...Uu, uu..."

Ariel droops her ears and looks up at Sieghard.
It's an incredibly awkward, brutally honest confession from a scruffy forty-something man with a lazy beard, desperately exposing his innermost thoughts.
But... strangely...
There's such compelling force that it makes me feel ashamed of lying to myself.

In truth, Sieghard—who is strong, reliable, tall, and above all, seeks everything in her—is exactly the type Ariel finds appealing.
For Ariel, who was forced to cut ties with her family due to overwhelming debt and had her beloved man flee, leaving her alone, that warmth was undeniably charming.

"Uu...!"
As she hesitates between resisting his pressure or submitting to it...
She notices three horn-like protrusions resembling a crown visible beyond Sieghard's arms pressed against the walls on either side of her face.

An ogre. She flinches for a moment, but he's short. Even so, he's taller than her—nearly 170 cm. For a female ogre, that's quite petite.

"I finally found you!"

"...Whoa!?"

Sieghard also jumps, looking up to see the ogre who has suddenly appeared beside him.
The petite ogre woman tosses aside her cloak and dashes forward. Before Sieghard can get into a fleeing stance, she leaps straight at his chest.

If it were a knife, this would be killing distance.
In an instant, their eyes meet.

"Damn you, lowest scum man!!!"

Her uppercut sends Sieghard flying through the air.

"...Ouch... I thought my jaw was broken."

"That's actually more of a miracle that it wasn't. Even with this, I don't lose to any random youngling in terms of punching power."

After hovering completely above the rooftops for a moment, she lands safely in an alleyway. Trihorn ogre woman Rose stares at Sieghard with narrowed eyes... and a slightly flushed face.

"...So, who are you... uh, waaaaah!?"

Only after finally confirming Rose's identity does Sieghard, still sitting on his rear, begin retreating backward like an insect—zakazakaza. It's quite undignified.

"I seem to have been remembered by you, cowardly man."

"...O, oh... You... Rose...!!"

"Sieghard Becker. I will never forget the humiliation from that day."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

He performs a full-body prostration. Truly undignified.

Ariel stood stunned.

"N-n-nothing... what?"

"...Well, it's awkward to ask, but please don't press me on that. Look, Rose, just let me take care of them with everything I've got—I won't lay a hand on her."

"What a noble sentiment. But after pretending to kiss you and throwing your sash around my waist, only to seriously pursue this woman... it leaves quite a bad impression on me."

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!"

Zieg knelt down with a heavy thud.

"What can I do?"

Rose grabbed Zieg by the chest and lifted him up, her face twisted with veins bulging, yet wearing an utterly radiant smile.

"That's the look of a beast facing its prey," Zieg thought.

"Oh, uh... Lion, Davis, we've got them!"

"!!"

In an instant, Zieg shook off Rose's grip and moved to shield Ariel's back alongside her.

At the entrance of the alleyway stood two figures: a lion-beastman and a human man. Behind them emerged a one-horned ogre.

"Pursuers?"

Zieg muttered in a voice too deep to be called anything else, and the human man tilted his head sideways with a sharp kakun sound, breaking into a grin.

"The Tower Emblem's young ones are causing quite a ruckus. We're here as their bodyguards... and since I recognize you, it must be Special Lieutenant Zieg Becker?"

"...I've seen you before. Might Garen?"

"Did I make an impression?"

"You'd better not have a bad memory if you want to keep your job."

Zieg clicked his tongue sharply.

The human was Might Garen; the lion-beastman, Lion Rex; and the one-horned ogre... Davis Dagout.

He pulled their names from the military intelligence stored in his mind.

"And there's even the head of the Trident," he added.

With another kakun, Mait tilted his head to the opposite side, his smile deepening. The long staff he carried slipped slightly over his shoulder and fell away, revealing a longsword without a guard beneath it.

"What kind of fools are these? You Tower brats sending out some new delinquents...?"

Rose began to raise her fist, but Zieg held her back with his hand.

"Stay behind me as far as possible, along with Ariel."

"Becker...?"

"They're all Ace Knights."

At the Carlos residence.

The midday meal continued without Zieg. Andy was struggling to eat a massive pile of green vegetables, looking utterly miserable.

Diane watched him with a worried expression, yet still smiling warmly. Aurora suddenly spoke up.

"Lord Diane... may I ask you something?"

"Hm?"

"How powerful is Special Lieutenant Becker... really?"

"You're an Ace Knight yourself. Just play a match casually and figure it out somehow."

"No, I don't truly understand that person's strength."

Aurora said, gripping her hands together and then spreading them wide.
"As a swordsman, they lack many offensive techniques; their attack power seems questionable. Yet when they enter a defensive stance or release their sword... it is in those moments that I feel the unfathomable depth of their capability. Their evasion leaves no room for waste, and their movement efficiency surpasses even my brother, who is a Master Knight. Moreover, sometimes I find it perplexing where their killing intent originates. I often think: if this person were to employ any means whatsoever, not limited to swords..."

"Well, certainly, that guy is hard to read... but at least keeping a serious version of him in check would be difficult even for a Master Knight."

"Is it really that bad?"

"A few years ago, Overnight said, 'You can block the dragon's fire, but you cannot stop Siegfried Becker.'"

"...Overnight!? W-which one?"

"The iron one. The lightning one agreed as well."

"............What does that mean?"

Diane muttered to herself, though it wasn't a topic for mealtime conversation.
"That man—if told to kill in a thousand different ways, he'd probably be able to do it. While fire might be blocked by examining magic, runes, and materials, there's no way to seal Becker's killing methods... If he becomes an enemy, he could be more terrifying than a Master Knight."

"Well then."

Siegfried straightened his spine sharply, wiping the smile from his lips.

A burnt scent began to drift around him—the aura of a battlefield.

Maito tilted his head backward with a crack, grinned widely, and drew his sword.

"Special Forces Captain Becker. Since I joined the army, I've wanted to kill you."

"So? I'd rather not. I don't want unnecessary deaths."

Leon, the lion-beastman, opened his mouth.

"You're arrogant."

"No, no, no. Because if we fight to the death, one of us will die!"

Even Davis, the single-horned warrior, muttered softly.

"One or two deaths wouldn't matter..."

"One or two?"

Siegfried looked at the three of them with an expression full of pity.

"Because you're the ones who'll die."

The three fell silent instantly.

"How about it?"

"I don't know."

"It's three against one. If we win, you become a Master Knight...?"

Without a word, Siegfried drew his knife—a mere 15 centimeters long, a laughably small weapon.

Then he crouched low.

As the three Ace Knights bristled with killing intent and lunged forward... at that very moment, Maito, leading the charge, stumbled and fell.

"Wha—!?"

"Hold on!?"

Leon followed, taking a fall. Oil had pooled at his feet.

Davis leaped over the two of them, only for a needle to pierce his face.

"!?"

Davis immediately somersaulted onto the ground and went still.

"If poisons and oil are allowed in matches, then I truly am a Master Knight."

He drove needles into the fallen Ace Knights with a snap, snap.

"H-humbug... that's cheap..."

"If you show me even a momentary opening, I could kill you seven times over."

In a cold voice, he snatched Maito's sword and smashed it.

"Besides, I'm the type who can't rest until I've gained the upper hand from the start... it's a lesson life taught me."

Truly, in an instant.

Before Ariel and Rose could grasp what had happened, three Ace Knights lay defeated.

"...It was anesthesia. I value the people of this nation."

Rose and Ariel exchanged relieved smiles as Sieg waved his hands with a goofy grin.

"...Well, it's Sieg Becker. I wasn't worried in the first place."

"Sieg-san..."

The scene shifted, and Sieg turned his attention back to the two of them.

Just then, Rose suddenly pressed a wrapped bundle into Sieg's hands.

"I've been waiting for this opportunity for a long time... it's a present."

"...What is it?"

"Open it. Let me be clear: this isn't out of gratitude or obligation."

"H-huh?"

When Sieg unwrapped it, inside lay a Jewel Knife.

"Ever since then, I've wanted to own a treasure that matches yours. After much effort, I finally got my hands on one. It wouldn't do for you not to have it."

"...Ah, I see..."

Sieg began to weep softly.

"Thank you, Rose—!! Though I don't quite understand why, I love you too, damn it!!"

"S-so... that's good to hear."

Then, while still crying, he gently stroked the Jewel Knife against his scruffy beard before suddenly deciding on something.

He handed it directly to Ariel.

"...Huh?"

"If I sold this, it'd fetch a huge price... you're in debt, right? If you could pay off your debts with it... then, maybe you'd consider being with me...?"

"............"

"Sieg Becker..."

Rose shook her head, trembling.

Ariel hesitantly considered whether to accept it... and ultimately, she did.
Zieg felt tears of blood well up in his heart. That's fine, he thought. I'll get a girlfriend too.

"…Yes. Understood."

A blush suddenly colored Ariel's cheeks.

"F-forgive my inadequacy, but please take care of me…"

(...Wait?)

It felt like something had been skipped over.

Then Rose erupted.

"...You didn't realize that this gift, meant as a proposal from one person, was being used to propose to someone else? You absolute bastard—!!"

"...Ah, ah-ah!?"

In this colony, the free transfer of blades holds special meaning.

(TBC)

The Orks are known for their exceptional fighting prowess due to their massive size, and while they often rely on hunting as a foundation for their colony-based lifestyle, when interacting with other races, they instead leverage their strength as construction workers.

Similarly, the Dwarves, who also excel in power, are skilled in forging and craftsmanship. In terms of occupational segregation within cities, Dwarves specialize in blacksmithing while Orks focus on construction. Agriculture, fishing, and livestock farming are primarily the domain of Humans and Elves.

While Orks are naturally suited for manual labor, their building skills cannot be elevated without collective accumulation and cooperation.

For this reason, it is common for each city to have multiple Ork construction unions.

Given that Orks are inherently a warlike race, the organizations they form are inherently muscular—dare I say mafia-like in nature.

Organizations that can effectively channel their overflowing energy through work, events, or shared ideals are one thing, but depending on the charisma of their leaders and how well they’re managed, they can also pose a threat to local governance. This is the tricky part of the Celestian Merchant Kingdom’s policy of “tolerance for races but strictness in profits,” making it difficult to fully control.

Fortunately, Oasis Town Tark has a number of organizations with relatively good control abilities.

Among them, two construction unions are particularly powerful.

The "Trident," led by Tri-Corn Orks.

And the "Tower Emblem," led by Mono-Corn Orks.

Both have their hands in finance, brewing, and retail, and within Tark’s bustling business community, they rank among the top ten in influence.

Moreover, given that their headquarters are mirror-symmetric across Central Avenue, and that they often compete and jostle for position in various ventures, the two are known to routinely fight each other on street corners—making them, in a sense, a staple of Tark.

It was well-known among the citizens of Tark that the "Triton" leader was a young woman.

"Boss, perhaps it would be better to have the younger ones handle this?"

"You don’t know that man Sigmund Becker, do you?"

The young Ogre, who held the position of underboss, nodded solemnly at the female leader.

"I’m not familiar with the world of soldiers. I’ve heard it’s full of heroic tales and whatnot."

The female leader nodded grandly, then flung a thin sunshade cloak over her shoulders.

"Swift, fickle, cunning, and devious. Searching by numbers will only make him escape and waste more time. I’d be better off going alone."

"But the younger ones from the Tower Emblem are too lax with their guard. If they were to find you out in the backstreets..."

"Enough. I’ve waited ten years for this... Don’t chase him. That man is sharp."

The female leader of Triton, Rose Aldeira, brushed off the worried underboss and strode boldly out of the mansion.

Once she made up her mind, she was impossible to stop. Despite being a woman, her temperament was well-suited for leading the rough-and-tumble Ogres, but it also made her all the more dangerous.

The underboss held his head in his hands and prayed nothing would go wrong.

However... speed, whimsicality, sneakiness, cunning... it all sounds like a petty person to me.

"Anyway. That many people? That’s bound to be interesting."

In front of Sieg, a group of one-horned ogres was gathering, seemingly summoned by someone. There were probably around 20 of them.

Their uniformly shabby work clothes and occasional tools hanging from their waists suggested they were likely young guys from a construction union.

It’s not unusual for construction unions to lend money, and many also handle collections as a sideline. So it’s within the expected range, but 20 people would be troublesome. And most of all, being outnumbered is not a good idea when there’s someone to protect.

"Aren’t you done yet? Customer."

Ariel tugged at Sieg’s sleeve and whispered with a tense expression.

"They won’t take your life. They need you for their profits, so it’s fine... But you’ll be buried."

"Yeah, they look like they’d love to bury me. Was it a bad idea to just take off?"

"Then hurry and run. I don’t know where they came from, but you can escape alone. And get out of the southern area as quickly as possible."

Sieg laughed.

"I’d rather not travel without your company."

"You can come back to the shop once things have cooled down, and I’ll spend 240 minutes with you for any hobby you want."

"Ah. That’s a good work ethic, but..."

Sieg, now fully recovered, pressed on relentlessly.

"Don’t just say 240 minutes—let’s manage my entire fortune together."

"…………"

Ariel made a face of exasperation.

"At your age, getting infatuated with a businesswoman from another race in one go? Don’t you think that’s uncool?"

"Just a little. But I’m a centurion, so I earn pretty well."

"You picked an inn this morning and came in? I can’t trust someone like that."

"Pure bad luck, but hey, meeting someone as nice as you is kind of lucky, I guess."

"I don’t get it."

Ariel sighed and tried to push Sie further into the back alley.

Sieg pokes Ariel’s ear with a light tap.

“Hyahn!?”

“I used to be a subordinate of the Dark Elves, you know. …I’m pretty familiar with the expressions on ears. You just got flustered, didn’t you?”

“Sh-shut up! Don’t get carried away, human!”

Caught off guard, Ariel’s face twisted in resentment.

He was quite confident when it came to reading women’s moods.

Sieg lightly hugged Ariel and then released her once to cradle her in his arms.

“What are you doing!?”

“From my line of work, it’s more exciting with two than just one trying to escape.”

“What kind of line of work is that!?”

“The business of rescuing captive princesses.”

“…Sieg Becker… Wait, could it be…!?”

"Is that Sieg Becker?"

Sieg leaped.

Carrying a woman or two wouldn’t be a problem, and scaling a flat roof would be easy.

Even at full speed, it’s not like I could suddenly disappear from someone’s sight, but I’m confident I can outrun an Ogre’s wide strides.

"Let’s go!!"

Sieg Becker.

He was a hero in the epic poems of bards, and his story had become a popular theme a few times.

The third time it became popular was during his grand adventure on the Lapar Islands.

The second time was the rescue of a noble princess captured by bandits.

And the first time was the tragic love story with an enemy spy.

In a depressed state, at a Quikka tavern, I forced myself to drink something I couldn’t even handle while spouting my terrible heartbreak. A bard who happened to be there turned it into a poem.

Because of that, he became one of Celesta’s most famous spies.

Well, even if I sang a heroic poem, it wouldn’t split my face, and since I always use aliases, it’s not much of a problem.

That minstrel would occasionally hear about Sieg’s exploits in Quica and turn them into poems, sometimes mixing in horror stories for the mood or the narrative.

Ah, it wasn’t a noble princess who was captured by bandits, but the only daughter of an ogre chieftain.

That parting wasn’t like something out of a poem, with a kiss under a tree and then fading away like a daytime dream.

She was cuter than I expected, so when it came time to part, I almost touched her, and she looked at me with such a strange, happy expression that it reminded me of the unpleasant memories of my first love, so I threw my loincloth at her face while still half-dressed and ran away into the clouds—absolutely the worst parting ever.

I think I’ll keep that to myself from Ariel.

“Wait a second, you idiot!!”

The ogres were chasing Sieg across the rooftops, running through the streets.

But running around was exactly what Sieg wanted.

“Found him… Whoa!!”

The ogre fell right into a simple pit trap—a thin sheet of metal laid over a water channel.

“Just running around on the rooftops… I can’t take it anymore, ughhh!!”

The Ogre jumped onto the roof of a house that wasn’t designed to support its weight, only to get stuck halfway down.

The Ogre, staring upward, tripped over a taut rope stretched between two palm trees and knocked over a beehive, suffering a nasty fall.

In no time, the pursuers had thinned out.

“…W-well, to think you could pull off that much mischief just on Ogres.”

“Well, if I could use instant-death traps, it’d be easy. But even for a lowlife like me, setting up traps for citizens is a bit much.”

“…Instant-death traps?”

“Things like gunpowder, blades, vital points, or poison. If you distract them with those and then finish them off in one go, it’s incredibly efficient.”

“You’re so scary.”

“There are missions where you have to do things like that.”

He suddenly changed his escape route, completely losing the few remaining Ogres.

Then, in a quiet back alley, he gently set Ariel down and looked into her eyes as he began his proper confession.

“Anyway, forget about that. I want you to go out with me. …Well, I’m a bit distrustful of humans, but after what happened earlier… I think it’s kind of obvious, but… I really want to spend more time with you.”

Of course, it’s not just that. There’s also the fact that she’s a dark elf with a strong will, much like Dianne, who was once the goddess of his heart.

There’s also the simple, practical issue of how comfortable she felt in his arms.

But for Sieg, who was on the verge of drowning in self-loathing, her smile and the way she lived her life were enough to make him fall head over heels in love at first sight.

“Liar… There’s no way someone can fall for someone so easily. You’re just trying to take advantage of me, aren’t you?”

However, Ariel also harbored distrust of people.

Or rather, men.

She had fallen in love with someone, only to be deceived and ended up as a courtesan.

So how could she possibly feel genuinely touched by this man who showed up as a customer and suddenly confessed his love?

“Of course I want it for free.”

“I knew it.”

“I want you to go on dates with me for free, live in my house in Quica, and if possible, even have my children.”

“Auu…”

However, Ariel was intimidated by Sieg’s relentless onslaught.

Essentially, dark elves are not strong against loneliness. And in the end, Ariel was just a kind-hearted girl who easily fell for a bad man and ended up getting into debt.

“I want to kiss you for free, I want to lay my head on your lap for free, I want you to wear an apron with nothing on for free, and I want us to bathe together and get all lovey-dovey for free. Is that so wrong? I’d rather be all sticky with a girl than just turn into some old man! I want to be all sweet and clingy with someone! And if possible, someone as cute as you!”

“Ugh… uhh…”

Ariel drooped her ears and looked up at Sieg.

It was a middle-aged human man with stubble desperately confessing his utterly embarrassing and shameless inner thoughts.

But, it was just…

He had such intensity that Ariel couldn’t help but feel guilty for lying to herself.

In truth, from Ariel’s perspective, Sieg was strong, dependable, tall, and above all, someone who sought out her entire being.

Having been burdened by debt and forced to cut ties with her family, she had lost the man she loved, leaving her alone. For her, his warmth was incredibly appealing.

“Ugh… uhh…”

As she hesitated, unsure whether to resist or give in,

Through the arms of Sieg, pressed against the walls on either side of his face, I could see three-pronged horns like a crown.

I flinched for a moment at the sight of an ogre, but it was short. Shorter than Ariel, though not by much. It was still over 170 cm tall, but even so, it was quite small for an ogre, especially a female one.

"Finally found you."

"...Whoa!?"

Startled, Sieg looked up and saw the ogre woman who had appeared beside him.

The petite ogre woman threw off her cloak and dashed forward. Before Sieg could even get into a fighting stance, she leapt onto his chest.

At knife-throwing distance.

In an instant, we locked eyes.

"You... you piece of crap!!"

Her uppercut sent Sieg flying through the air.

"...Ouch... I thought my jaw was going to shatter."

"That’s a miracle it didn’t. I’m not one to lose out in punch power even against younglings these days."

After floating completely above the houses for a moment, Sieg landed safely in an alleyway. Rose, the Tricorne Ogre, looked at him with half-lidded eyes—or rather, her face flushed slightly as she stared.

"...So, who are you...? Wait, whaaaaa!?"

Finally managing to fully register Rose, Sieg, still sitting on his butt, began to scuttle backward like some kind of insect. It was incredibly uncool.

"I remember you, coward."

"...Y-you... Rose...!!"

"Sieg Becker. I won’t forget the humiliation from that time."

"I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!"

He prostrated himself in full apology. It was truly uncool.

Ariel was dumbfounded.

"What...?"

"...It’s something hard to explain, so don’t ask. Actually, Rose, I’ll beat you up with all my strength, so don’t lay a finger on her."

"Good attitude. But the fact that you kissed me while throwing my skirt at me and then seriously tried to flirt with this girl really leaves a bad impression on me."

"Sorry, I’m really sorry, I’m really sorry!"

Zieg was prostrating himself on the ground, groveling.

"How should I make it up to you?"

Grabbing Zieg by the collar, Rose had a genuinely good smile as she bared her veins with anger.

Zieg thought this must be the face of an animal facing its prey.

"Oh, there. Lion, Davis, I found them."

"!!"

In an instant, Zieg shook off Rose’s hand and shielded himself and Ariel with his back.

At the entrance of the alleyway, a pair of lion beastmen and a human man appeared, along with one horned ogre behind them.

"Are they pursuers?"

Zieg muttered in a voice that was hard to place, and the human man tilted his head slightly and grinned.

"Looks like the young folks from the Tower Emblem are causing trouble. We’re here as bodyguards. …Oh, if I look closer, it’s Captain Zieg Becker of Special Forces, isn’t it?"

"...I’ve seen him before. Is that... Mite Gerin?"

"Did you remember me?"

"It’s not like I have a good memory for faces."

Sieg clicked his tongue in annoyance.

The human man was Mite Gerin. The lion beastman was Lion Rex. The one with the single horn... Davis Dagout.

From the military information stored in his mind, he pulled their names to the surface.

"And look, even the leader of Trident is here."

Sieg tilted his head sharply to the side and grinned. Mite laughed loudly, his long staff slipping from his shoulder and falling, revealing a bladeless longsword inside.

"What are these guys? The tower folks, they’re bringing in new vagrants...?"

Sieg stopped Rose as she tried to ready her fist.

"Back up as far as you can with Ariel."

"Becker...?"

"Everyone here is an Ace Knight."

Carlos' mansion.

Lunch without Sieg. Andy was eating a large amount of green vegetables, looking uncomfortable but still munching happily.

Diane, with a troubled expression but still watching him with amusement, was suddenly called out to by Aurora.

"Diane-sama... May I ask you something?"

"Hmm?"

"What about Captain Becker's strength...? How strong is he?"

"You're an Ace Knight too. Just fight him and you'll get a sense of it."

"No. I don’t really understand his strength."

As Aurora spoke, she clenched her fist and then spread it open.

"As a swordsman, he doesn’t have many moves, and I wouldn’t say he’s particularly strong in attack. But when he goes into defense or drops his sword... that’s when I feel his true depth. His evasion is flawless, his movement efficient—both far surpass even my Master Night brother. And sometimes, the source of his killing intent feels inexplicable. I always wonder... what if he used not just his sword, but any means possible..."

"Well, it’s true that guy is hard to figure out... But at least blocking him when he’s serious would be tough even for a Master Knight."

"That much?"

"A few years ago, Overnite said it. 'You can block a dragon's flames, but you can't block Sieg Becker.'"

"...Overnite!? Wh-which one?"

"The iron one. The lightning one agreed too."

"............What does that even mean?"

Diaene muttered, "This isn’t exactly the kind of conversation you want to have at mealtime."

"That guy could probably kill a thousand people in a hundred different ways. You might be able to block flames with magic, runes, and materials, but there’s no way to stop Becker. ...If he turned against us, he’d probably be even scarier than the Master Knight."

"Now then."

Sieg straightened his back and wiped the smile from his lips.

The acrid smell of battle began to cling to him.

Might tilted his head backward, grinning widely as he raised his sword.

"Sergeant Becker. I’ve been wanting to fight you since I was in the military."

"So? I don’t like it. I’d rather not have any dead bodies."

Lion beastman Leon opened his mouth.

"You’re so full of yourself."

"No, no, no. But if we kill each other, we’ll die, right?"

One-horned Davis muttered in a low voice.

"It’s fine if one person dies…"

"Is it?"

Sieg looked at the three of them with a pitying gaze.

"You’re the ones who’ll die, after all."

The three of them fell silent in an instant.

"I wonder…"

"I don’t know."

"Three against one. If you win, you’re the Master Knight, huh…?"

Sig drew his knife silently. The blade was only 15 centimeters long—a ridiculously flimsy weapon.

Then, he crouched down.

The three Ace Knights grew tense, lunged forward… and in that instant, the one at the front tripped and fell.

"What!?"

"Hey!?"

Leon followed, falling too. Oil had pooled at their feet.

Davis leaped over the two of them. A needle struck him right in the nose.

"!?"

Davis hit the ground hard and stopped moving.

"If poison and oil are allowed in matches, then yeah, I guess I’m the Master Knight after all."

He stabbed the fallen Ace Knights with needles too, sak, sak.

"Y-you're cowardly...!"

"If you show even the slightest opening, I can take you down seven times."

With a cold voice, he snatched Mito's sword and shattered it with a single strike.

"And, well, I just can't help but get ahead in the beginning. ...It's a life lesson for me."

In an instant.

Before Ariel and Rose could even understand what was happening, he had taken down three Acesnights.

"...Anesthetic, you see. I care about the people."

Waving his hand lightly, Sieg regained his playful grin, and Rose and Ariel let out relieved smiles.

"...Honestly. Well, it's Sieg Becker, so I wasn’t too worried."

"Sieg-san..."

Moving to a different location, Sieg turned back to face the two of them.

Then, Rose suddenly thrust a wrapped bundle at Sieg.

"I’ve been waiting a long time for this moment. …It’s a gift."

"...What?"

"Open it. …Let me make one thing clear: this isn’t out of obligation or gratitude."

"Yeah, yeah?"

When Sieg opened it, inside was a jewel knife.

"After that, I wanted to have a matching treasure with you. So I worked hard and got my own too. It wouldn’t mean anything if you didn’t have it."

"...Th-thank you…"

Tears welled up in Sieg’s eyes.

"Thank you, Roseeeee!! …I don’t really get it, but I love you damn it!!"

"Yeah, yeah. That’s good."

Then, wiping his unshaven cheek against the jewel knife as he cried softly, he suddenly had an idea.

He handed it to Ariel right there and then.

"...Huh?"

"That, if sold, would fetch a lot of money... You owe someone money, right? If you could use that to... then, um, maybe we could... date, or something like that...?"

"........"

"Sieg Becker..."

Rose shook her head vigorously.

Ariel hesitated, unsure whether to accept it or not... but in the end, she did.

Sieg’s heart bled tears of joy. But it was fine. I’d become someone’s boyfriend now too.

"...Yes. I understand."

Ariel’s cheeks flushed slightly.

"Y-You’re probably not used to this, but... please take care of me..."

(...Huh?)

I feel like I skipped over something important.

So, Rose erupted.

"...You’re the worst guy ever—didn’t you realize you were proposing to someone else with a proposal meant for someone else!?"

"...Ah, ahh!?"

In this colony, the free transfer of a blade holds special meaning.

(To be continued.)