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42. Marge-sama

「Oh, it’s light! The wood is light!」

「It’s [Physical Strengthening]. You can use it for 10 days, so please take on the heavy lifting work in the village.」

「Understood, Marge-sama!」

Today was the third day since Marge became king. Marge was looking around the village with Shizuku’s guidance. Everywhere he went, he listened to the problems and concerns of the villagers and lent his appropriate skills to help them solve the issues.

Although there was a bit of a breakout incident early in the morning. The village was full of vitality as it prepared to start a new day.

「Marge, let’s go to the weaving shed over there next. It’s where we make the clothes worn in the village.」

「Yeah, lead the way.」

「…….」

Shizuku’s father, Asagi, was watching the two of them as they worked to create a new era.

And that night. Asagi stopped his daughter after dinner.

「Shizuku, please stay for a while.」

「What is it, father?」

「It’s about Marge-dono.」

Asagi spoke with a serious tone to the girl sitting in front of him. Behind him, the sword stand which housed the treasured sword until just yesterday stood silently without its owner.

「About Marge? D-Don’t tell me, you are serious about your plan to make me his concubine…?」

「That’s something to think about in the future.」

Asagi crossed his arms without responding to Shizuku murmuring “Oh, you are thinking about it”.

「What are you doing calling Marge-dono away? He is our king, our lord.」

「…Well, at first I thought he was an enemy, but then we were business partners, so I kept calling him that way.」

「Hmm? I heard that Marge-dono saved you, but I haven’t heard the details yet. This is a good opportunity. Tell me what happened.」

「Well, after coming down from the mountain, I first thought about finding a job for traveling expenses, but…」

Shizuku told him about her life in town. About how she found work quickly, how her wages were withheld, how she lacked enough food that day, and how she was afraid to return back to the village in fear of being followed.

And that Marge lent her his strength. Asagi nodded at each point and prompted her to proceed.

「We noticed black smoke on the way to the village, and you know the rest, father.」

Asagi nodded one last time and expressed his thoughts.

「My daughter, Shizuku.」

「Yes, father?」

「Isn’t he your benefactor? A great benefactor even! Even if he’s not your king, he’s not a person you should just call with no respect, you idiot!」

「Idiot!? S-So, what should I call him…?」

「Marge-sama, of course. Goodness, it would be lese majeste according to the old law.」

The old law is the ancient rules of the werewolves. The spirit of that law is still considered the norm for werewolves.

「If it is lese majeste, what is the punishment?」

「Decapitation.」

Decapitation. In other words, a beheading. Shizuku stared in mute amazement.

「Not seppuku…!?」

「Umu.」

「If it’s suicide, it’s fine, but beheading…」

For a werewolf warrior, the highest honor is death in battle, and on the other hand, beheading, where one’s head is cut off without resistance, is considered the greatest shame.

「Yours is such a serious crime.」

「I’ll start calling him Marge-sama from tomorrow onwards.」

The next morning. The tour of the small village was completed in one day, so today they have agreed to tour the surrounding mountains.

When Marge came to the well where they were meeting, Shizuku, who had been waiting earlier, bowed respectfully.

「Good morning, Marge-sama.」

「[Seraph’s Grace], activate.」

And then it was night again.

「He mistook me for having caught a bad disease and sent me home after casting healing skills.」

「Uh, umm… I see…」

Asagi was worried about what Marge thought about his daughter, but he couldn’t say anything in front of Shizuku who was depressed.

「Why don’t you talk to Koe-sama?」

「Mother?」

Shizuku’s mother, Kasumi, who has the same flaxen hair and tail and is rumored to be Shizuku’s future appearance, poured out bamboo tea. She sipped the tea, which had a faintly sweet scent, and took a deep breath.

「Haa, I can’t get enough of this drink at night.」

「Hmm, Koe-dono probably knows Marge-dono very well. Try asking tomorrow. And don’t be rude.」

「Understood.」

Early next morning, Shizuku visited Koe’s private room before meeting Marge.

When she tried to address Koe in honorific terms, she was almost mistaken for being sick again. Koe-san asked the werewolf girl to speak in her usual tone and provided her counsel.

「What to call him? I don’t think master will mind such things.」

「That is not allowed… I guess I should call him Master too.」

「I call him master because he and I have a special relationship, so I do not think it would be suitable for you, Shizuku-san.」

「I-I see… So Koe-san also has possessiveness.」

「…?」

Additionally, Shizuku does not know the details of how Koe was born.

「Anyway, if I don’t do something, I might lose my head…」

「What?」

「Isn’t there something else that I can use? Something other than “master” which is also respectful and something Marge can accept.」

「In that case, there is one thing that seems appropriate.」

「Really!?」

After receiving the advice from Koe, Shizuku ran to the meeting place. She ran up to Marge, who eventually arrived, calling out to him in a loud voice as she had been taught to do.

「Go-Goshuujin-tama〜〜〜〜!」

「…………………………I’m going to talk to Koe-san about something important, so please wait.」

Afterwards, a discussion was held involving her father, Asagi, and it was decided that she would be allowed to interact with Marge as usual as a special case.