Three months later.

Nona and Vera were easier to take care of than Daisy. It seemed as though the elven children were able to communicate better with Lucia through mana. Nier wasn't able to communicate with Daisy. In saying that, Nier seemed to be able to understand what every cry from Daisy meant. Daisy was very clingy toward Nier. Her gaze was always chasing after Nier. Daisy didn't seem to be too fond of me… She pushed me away every time I went to hug her… I was her father…

It seemed that elven infants developed faster than human infants, which I presume was due to mana. Vera developed a bit faster than Nona. Vera appeared to understand that I was her father and Lucia was her mother in just three months. However, the scariest part was that she seemed to be more affirmative that Nier was a threat to her.

The girls' vigilance didn't seem to be due to mana, but Lucia's thoughts transferring to them. It wasn't Lucia's intention, but the two girls confirmed that Nier was a threat. They couldn't show their vigilance, yet, but I was sure that their relations.h.i.+p with Nier in the future, mm, wouldn't be too good. That said, Nier didn't look as though she planned to become friendly with them. She wasn't even willing to spare them a look after Daisy was born.

I didn't perceive that to be a very good situation. Lucia and Nier should've been taking care of the kids together, since Vera and Nona would have to call Nier "mom", and Daisy would have to call Lucia "mom," as well. Otherwise…, how could I be called their father?

Nier has disappeared now, though. Yes, disappeared. Never would I have imagined that Nier would leave me. Could you imagine that? After dismounting me that night, she slept with me, but I never saw her again the next morning when I woke up. She left Daisy to Mommy Elizabeth and left. She didn't leave a letter or message of any sort behind. Her Valkyrie uniform, a set of light armour, her sword and a horse vanished together with her. I had no clue what happened after. I had no clue where Nier went or why she left.

"Nier won't run away, Son. Don't worry. Remember that she was once a Valkyrie. She will never leave you once she has chosen you. I wouldn't consider this running away from home. I guess she has something she wants to do. Weren't you always hoping for her to have something to do?"

Mommy Elizabeth didn't seemed concerned in the slightest. She sat next to me with Daisy in her arms. It appeared that Daisy needed to be breastfed, as well. Fortunately, we had somebody prepared in the palace. I anxiously paced back and forth inside the building. I sent all of my guards out to search for Nier. It was the first time the Imperial City was under martial law. n.o.body was allowed to enter or leave.

I was ready to send the military out to search for her. I wasn't trying to capture and haul her back. I was just worried she meet with trouble. The North hadn't yet completely settled down. What was I going to do if she ran into trouble? There was no doubt she was very skilled with a sword, but she hadn't used one in almost a year!

"I'm very worried about Nier! I don't mind where she goes or what she does, since that's her business. I'm just worried about her safety! Her safety is what I need to worry about most!!"

Mommy Elizabeth smiled when she saw how anxious I was. She said, "You don't have to worry. Think about it, Son. A Valkyrie, who's just given birth, began to train with no restraints for three months. Then, picked up her sword and armour and left without telling her dearest husband a word. Do you feel that she'd be in danger? No, no, no. Son, she's not running into danger; she's going to put others into danger."

"Who? Nier doesn't have any enemies, does she?"

I grabbed my hair and sat down to the side. Daisy nervously looked at me, and then curled up in Mommy Elizabeth's arms. I suppose Daisy really liked her grandmother.

"I wouldn't be so sure. Nier considers Lucia her enemy. Son, bear in mind that Nier was originally a Valkyrie without anything. You are her everything, but Lucia wants to have you. If you didn't protect Lucia with your life and persist on your love for her, Nier never would've spared her."

"But… Lucia is here… Wait…"

As soon as I went to say that Lucia was here I suddenly remembered there was one other person apart from Lucia… I was wrong the entire time. Nier wasn't completely obedient. She may love me and obey me, but there were things she couldn't put down, and she wouldn't let me know about it. And that was that she wouldn't allow there to be other women around me. She knew that I would never allow her to kill that woman in front of me, because I would protect her as I did with Lucia. Nier wasn't stupid; she wouldn't say anything in my presence. She went off to do what she considered to be correct behind my back. She went off to kill the woman she wanted to kill.

"Son, did you go on a date with her with fox fur on you?"

Current time at Ling Yue's residence.

"Miss Ling Yue, what does this letter mean?"

"My guess is that somebody is coming for me." Ling Yue placed the letter in her hand down. She looked at the fragment of a blade on the table and chuckled. She added, "Previously, he told me that there was no need to worry about Nier, but by the looks of things, the one who won't accept me and would kill me isn't Lucia, but this crazy woman. Is the maid all right?"

"She is all right. She was just grazed by the blade. Do you want to write a letter, and have it urgently delivered to His Majesty? His Majesty is at fault, as well. How could he let that woman come here? Is this not the same as letting her kill you?"

"There's no way he would've known," answered Ling Yue, wagging her tail. She looked at her belly that had yet to bulge to its full size: "Nier is a Princess. The guards at our residence are men he left behind. Nier is their Princess. There's no chance they wouldn't allow her entry. Therefore, it's too late for us to send a letter. By the time he arrives to stop the maniac, we'd probably all be dead. My house is going to be washed with blood again?"

"What are we going to do, then?"

"Receive our guest."

Ling Yue looked outside the window. An individual in white approached from the end of the verdant lawn at a fast speed. Her black hair danced in the winds, and her overflowing murderous intent could be seen in her gaze despite the big gap between them.

Ling Yue pressed her hand on the gla.s.s and softly said, "The reason I'm unwilling to use magic, isn't because I can't use it - our tribe does know how to utilise attack magic - it's just that I would look very bad, and it would ruin my clothing. However, I'm willing to do anything for my child."

Ling Yue stood up and patted herself. She went to the main door and without looking back added, "She came to me to kill me, so don't get yourselves involved. This is between the two of us. It's not good for us to hurt the innocent."

"Miss Ling Yue!! You are pregnant!! Why do you still want to fight with that woman…?"

"Some things have to be resolved sooner or later. I also want to end this. She was full of hostility for me the first time we met. This is our showdown. If they didn't know of my existence, wouldn't that make me a real mistress? I'm not willing to be a mistress! Let her come. Not only am I going to fight her, but I'm also going to beat her or maybe, kill her!"

A new series t.i.tled “Young Girls. Their Guns and Commander” from the same author has been added. It's a short series just over 30 chapters. It centres around an elite human (male) soldier, humanoids and a conspiracy. If a fast-paced Sci-fi (to a degree), flying bullets, conspiracy topped with a romance sub-plot is your kind of thing, give it a go.

 l