When you live hectically, there are many memories you have forgotten.
No, rather than having forgotten them, it would be more correct to say you had set them aside.
Things you turned away from because you did not want to recall them.
Memories you did not look back on because your heart grew heavy.
They were things that would surge in like a tide given even the slightest trigger.
Even the great Sword Saint, Vitalianus, was no exception. Even if he was a superhuman of the eighth tier, was his foundation not still human?
He, too, had memories he had set aside.
Only his attitude and heart in accepting them were different.
The being called Ataolph was such a memory to Vitalianus.
"Being like this reminds me of old times, Ataolph."
Kwaang—!
The repeated clashes between Ataolph and Vitalianus.
From the outside, it would appear an endlessly fierce sight, but the two involved were quite at ease.
"Cut the nonsense."
Because they knew that neither was serious.
Nor was it a probe. To them, who knew each other better than anyone, probing had no meaning.
This was Ataolph's one-sided restraint.
A trap to drain the Sword Saint's strength and draw him deep into the mist, while simultaneously a strategy to slow the army's overall speed and increase their fatigue.
Knowing this, Vitalianus did not face him with all his might.
So naturally, they exchanged such conversation.
"In the past, I used to cross swords with you every day."
"Do you want to play at reminiscing, Vitalianus?"
"That was already decades ago."
Vitalianus roughly deflected the surging black mist and spoke composedly.
Ataolph looked at such a Vitalianus and let out a growl with a voice like nails on a chalkboard.
"You look pleased, Vitalianus. I see you haven't grasped the situation."
Ataolph was not in good condition either, but since the Imperial army had entered the mist forest to capture him, the same would surely hold true for them.
Was that expression he wore despite knowing this confidence?
Or a bluff disguised as confidence?
"It can't be helped."
To that, Vitalianus even showed a faint smile and nodded.
"Because you are the mistake of my past."
An answer that could sound arrogant depending on how one heard it.
Ataolph's expression hardened further, and power gradually filled the black mist.
"...Yes. Your arrogance knows no end and has only grown."
Nevertheless, Vitalianus did not bend his opinion.
"I tried my best to correct my mistake. Whenever I heard the name Heuk'a, I dropped everything and ran. But I failed every time."
The force of the clashes gradually grew stronger.
"So how could I not be pleased? This is the chance to finally correct that mistake."
Vitalianus widened the smile at the corners of his mouth, as if truly in good spirits.
In contrast, Ataolph's face twisted severely.
"Your arrogance has crossed the line in ways I've never seen."
"If correcting my own mistake is arrogance, then you are right."
Ataolph, who had come to shake the Sword Saint, was instead shaken by those words and drew out more power than planned.
"...Fine. Vitalianus."
But he soon collected himself and straightened his twisted expression. He regained his composure.
Only then did he realize.
That the sound of thunder could no longer be heard from some point.
That Airaits's plan to kidnap Hio Pavlenko had succeeded.
"Let's see how far your arrogance goes."
So he withdrew his strength and retreated, turning into black mist.
The Sword Saint facing him also seemed to realize something had gone wrong only then and looked around urgently, but was it not already too late?
"...The mage... cannot be seen. Was this your doing?"
While Ataolph burst into a guttural laugh, Vitalianus's expression began to twist.
And Ataolph's bizarre voice spread widely through the mist.
"If you wish to save him... yes. Come to the center of the forest as soon as possible. Though I can't guarantee he'll be safe until then."
With those words, Ataolph disappeared into the depths of the forest together with the mist.
Vitalianus belatedly poured more aura into his sword and swung, but it did not reach Ataolph, who had already resolved to retreat.
Nor could he chase him into it.
Because this place was already his domain.
"Sir Mahel!"
Several knights shouted toward Vitalianus, who stood vacantly.
"The enemies are retreating!"
The moment Ataolph withdrew, all the troops fighting them and those with Heuk'a turned their backs together.
Those bastards fled, turning their backs as if they didn't care whether swords were swung at them from behind.
Vitalianus commanded decisively without a moment's hesitation.
"Do not pursue."
For enemies to show their backs and flee in the middle of war was the worst choice from their standpoint and the best situation for one's allies.
Moreover, enemies suddenly turning to flee in such a chaotic melee were all too easy prey. It was obvious that if they pursued now, they could achieve a great victory.
Even now, there were those swept up in the excitement of battle who had unknowingly tried to chase after the enemies.
"Everyone, hold your positions!"
But surely that was exactly what Ataolph was aiming for.
In Baal Forest, what one must be most wary of was not the victory before one's eyes, but the mist always at one's side.
"But Lord Mahel. Truly... the Guardian Knight is nowhere to be seen."
A knight spoke seriously, looking around.
To that, Vitalianus nodded.
"This is serious."
Contrary to his words, his expression was full of composure.
Because the mage's kidnapping was not an accident, but an operation.
Vitalianus was placing his faith.
"It really is a big deal."
In the symbol of new hope who would succeed him.
The feeling of one's body not obeying one's will. Having one's mind dominated was truly a disgusting feeling.
Of course, while being dominated, one does not feel bad at all.
Only euphoria existed.
Nevertheless, Hio could think that it felt disgusting.
Thanks to the trait, "Can't Live Without Dignity!", he was maintaining at least a minimum of reason.
But precisely because of that, he had to keep fighting.
He had to keep enduring that temptation that kept creeping in.
Which meant:
[Hidden Trait: No Violence! (Endurance: 301 / 1000)]
It meant he was enduring without rest.
Going deeper toward the center of Baal Forest, a gray castle suddenly appeared.
A small castle, not very large.
The lake beside it combined with the quiet atmosphere to create quite a decent sight, but it was a place where overly thick mist ruined such an ambiance.
Holding Hio's hand and entering the castle, Airaits smiled brightly.
"Welcome. This is our newlywed home."
A gloomy atmosphere for a newlywed house.
Thick mist and silence everywhere. A gloomy gray castle.
But as if such things didn't matter, Airaits's expression was nothing but bright. She took Hio's hand and began looking around here and there.
"This is the lobby, that way is the kitchen, and if you go up the stairs, our newlywed room!"
She introduced various places inside the castle, but the kitchen was actually on the opposite side, and she seemed flustered, unable to find the stairs leading up.
"Actually, it's my first time coming here too. If it weren't for this situation, it's a place Ataolph would never have allowed, right?"
Those with dirty secrets always hide their positions. Not to mention, it's the worst criminal organization on the continent.
That Airaits could come and go to the castle in Baal Forest meant one of two things.
Either he highly evaluated Airaits's abilities and trusted her more than expected.
Or he judged the current situation to be enough of a crisis to ignore such things.
Whatever the case, it was undoubtedly a favorable development.
Because this was not a place one could originally enter so easily.
"Anyway, the place we need to go is the newlywed room!"
Led by Airaits, Hio naturally entered the empty room.
"...It's about time... release the skill, Airaits."
Deliberately maintaining a minimum of reason while feigning being charmed was by no means easy.
He was boiling with the desire to just comfortably succumb to the charm and become Airaits's slave right away.
"I can't. Hio."
But Airaits shook her head, smiling.
"Ataolph will be here soon."
The hand that stuck close to Hio and caressed his cheek was soft.
So much so that he wanted to let go of his reason immediately.
"You have to act like you're completely charmed, right? Until Ataolph leaves, you'll have to constantly tell me you love me."
"Now, shall we practice? I love you!"
Fox-like smiling eyes before him. A sweet scent tickling the tip of his nose.
[Hidden Trait: No Violence! (Endurance: 312 / 1000)]
He barely endured nonetheless.
It wasn't as if he came here to play house.
But since he had agreed to act charmed, Hio followed Airaits's words.
"...I love you too."
Airaits slowly closed her eyes at those words.
Smiling pleasantly for a while as if savoring the word, Airaits opened her eyes again and embraced Hio.
"This time, say it with my name. Say 'I love you, Airaits'."
"Stop it. Ataolph isn't even here yet..."
Just then, black mist rushed in suddenly.
The identity of that mist filling the castle was obvious without even having to say it.
"I love you, Airaits...!"
Hio tightly hugged Airaits, who was in his arms.
The black mist gradually took on a human form.
Regardless, Airaits smiled happily and burrowed deeper into his embrace.
"Yes! I love you too!"
...He had prepared himself to some extent, but he had a premonition that this would be more difficult than expected.
[Hidden Trait: No Violence! (Endurance: 318 / 1000)]
"Don't do anything foolish in my house, Airaits."
Ataolph's bizarre voice resounded throughout the small gray castle.
An ordinary person would have shrunk back from that voice alone and felt instinctive rejection... but the person he was dealing with was Airaits.
In crude terms, she was a crazy bitch.
"Foolishness? Do I look like I'm doing something foolish in your eyes?"
"Then what is it, if not foolishness?"
"It's a noble process of confirming our love for each other."
"Which is exactly why it's foolishness."
Only then did Airaits remove her hands from Hio and slowly turn around.
The smile that had filled the corners of her mouth had already turned ice-cold.
"My condition was only Hio Pavlenko; if you can't even tolerate this, then you leave, Ataolph. Or shall I leave? Taking all the guys outside with me?"
The criminal organization under Airaits comprised more than half of Baal Forest's forces.
They were all charmed and under perfect control, so if she left, a huge gap would form in the troops.
Knowing this, Ataolph glared at Airaits for a while, then.
"Tch."
He clicked his tongue and turned away.
"The charm has surely taken effect, I presume."
"Of course. Shall I show you?"
"Forget it. Because I can't stand to watch."
Ataolph walked away like that.
Without watching him leave to the end, Airaits burrowed back into Hio's embrace.
"He was a strange person!"
To that, Hio also nodded and hugged Airaits.
"He really is a strange person."
Ataolph, walking away, seemed to stop his steps for a moment and suppress his anger, but what could be done?
He was currently Airaits's sole condition.
Borrowing her words, he was a very lovely fiancé.
"I love you!"
"...Yeah. I love you too."
Thus began the bizarre newlywed life with Ataolph and Airaits.