A Fragment Of A Bond With The Lord Known As The Heroine

“Now! The Apostasy Taromati who threatened this Lanberg domain is no more! We’ll celebrate this great achievement with all of Gratz!”

“Wah!?”

Holding Jonah in her arms, the Duke of Lanberg proclaimed loudly.

The remnants of the Demon Army that had plagued them for years lost their leader Taromati and became a rabble. Now, it should be easy to sweep them out from the border areas.

“Of course, tonight’s main guest is Jonah.”

“Lord Lanberg, if possible, I’d like you to refrain from that.”

Patricia quickly put a stop to the Duke of Lanberg, who said that while nuzzling.

Originally, fearing that someone might appear who would use or harm Jonah, she had made the meeting the other day a sham.

“But Jonah defeated two of the Demon Army’s commanders, and did it all alone—I think he rivals the heroes of old. I don’t like that not being acknowledged.”

“Even if that causes Jonah to be targeted?”

“…I’m sorry, that was a slip of the tongue.”

The Duke of Lanberg had likely been carried away by her relief that Jonah was safe and by achieving Taromati’s defeat. Patricia’s single line brought her to her senses, and the Duke apologized.

“B-but, I want you to attend tonight’s celebration. As my precious partner.”

“…!?”

At Duke Lanberg’s careless words, Titancia gasped and furrowed her brow.

The Duke meant ‘a presence like a beloved younger brother,’ but unfortunately Titancia did not take it that way.

So.

“That’s not allowed. I will serve as Jonah’s partner.”

“No! Jonah will enjoy the celebration beside me!”

“I absolutely won’t allow it.”

Titancia and the Duke of Lanberg glared at each other.

Although there’s a difference between ‘beloved younger brother’ and ‘beloved one,’ the sentiment is the same: Jonah is most important, and they want to enjoy and share joy together. So how could they give up being Jonah’s companion?

However.

“W-well… I think I’ll be going now.”

Jonah told the two hesitantly with an apologetic expression.

It’s sad to part from the two who care for him and from Patricia, who had been with him since the Karelia Kingdom, but Jonah must set out to seek the next legend.

He had less than nine months left.

“…!? Where are you going!? Um… Jonah, if it’s alright with you, you can stay here forever, you know?”

“…I don’t want Jonah to disappear like that time again.”

The Duke of Lanberg pleaded with desperate eyes, and Titancia wore an expression as if she might cry at any moment.

Having been separated from her brother by death and fearing she might lose Jonah again, Duke Lanberg found it utterly hard to accept.

All the more so for Titancia.

Just when she thought she had defeated Zarichu of Hunger, Jonah was teleported by the Fairy King Oberon to the Kingdom of Karelia.

Titancia, who had been nurturing feelings for Jonah and couldn’t even exchange a proper farewell, naturally did not want to be separated again.

But… even so.

“Your Excellency Lanberg, Titancia, I’m sorry.”

All Jonah could do was bow deeply and apologize.

While he was deeply grateful for the kindness of the two who wanted him so much, he didn’t want to make them suffer any more by staying together.

“…Both of you, this isn’t necessarily a farewell for this life. Besides, Jonah has his own things to do. All we can do is see Jonah off on what comes next.”

Patricia placed her hands on their shoulders and gently admonished them.

To be honest, Patricia felt a tinge of loneliness at being separated from Jonah, but still she would send him off as he pursued the next goal. She couldn’t keep him and cause Jonah pain out of reluctance to part.

Jonah, having grasped Patricia’s feelings, showed a smile mixed with some loneliness and sadness.

For him too, she was the woman who had been with him the longest during his travels.

“Um… th-thank you very much! I was so happy to have met you all!”

“Jonah…”
“Jonah…”

Duke Lanberg furrowed her brow and bit her lip, and Titancia let tears fall from her fresh green eyes.

Patricia… simply smiled.

“Well then, see you again!”

“…! U-uh, y-yes!”

“Mm! Absolutely, it’s a promise!”

“Heh… see you.”

Seen off by the three, Jonah drew the magic circle and teleported.

There was… the town of Zwerg where Marguerite lives.

‘Well, Jonah, so you’ve come to see Marguerite, have you? Leaving those three beauties behind, you’re a naughty one, aren’t you?’

“Ugh… I-It’s fine, isn’t it…”

Taunted by that woman’s voice he suddenly heard, Jonah pouted.

However, Jonah had by no means abandoned the three.

As proof, he certainly said, ‘Well then, see you.’

This was Jonah’s promise to reunite with the women.

A change in Jonah’s heart: despite being fated to die and having said farewell to avoid sadness, he had changed.

It was a small, tiny light of hope that a little boy had held for the first time.

Surely that light would become an important signpost for the course of his fate.

And then.

“Jonah!”

“Ah… Ma-Marie!”

The one who spotted Jonah before anyone else and ran to him was Marguerite.

The small, small girl who lit a light of hope in Jonah’s heart.

With her there, Jonah would surely be alright.

He believed she could make this fate—which awaits nothing but despair—shine.

The city of Gratz, located far, far from Zwerg.

――The small, small ‘fragment of a bond’ woven with the stern, strong, and kind lord blessed the fate of Jonah and Marguerite.