Volume 4 Chapter 18 Reunion (False)
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Wow, so she’s Sir Klock’s ex-girlfriend? A reunion after ten years—that’s amazing.”
Why? How did it come to this?
The word ex-girlfriend, casually spoken by the cat Beastkin girl, struck Hermine like a slap. The implications made her shoulders shrink as if recoiling from a blow.
Was such a thing even possible? The situation felt so absurd, she wanted to bury her face in her hands.
”I have someone with me… but it seems they haven’t returned yet,” Klock said, apologetic. “Sorry, I can’t offer anything.”
Guided by the earthy scent characteristic of Beastkin architecture—aged wood, oils, dried herbs—the three of them entered the room in single file.
It was an old inn, run by a cat Beastkin known as Nyanhōtei. Its rustic, vaguely dilapidated charm didn’t resemble a proper inn at all. Rather, it matched the lived-in, disorganized warmth common in Beastkin settlements.
This room, apparently, had been rented by Klock. According to prior reports, three people had come here—likely referring to Saint Cynthia and the demon. The demon was currently sealed, and Cynthia was said to be far away. No one should have been here now, and judging from Klock’s subtle frustration, it seemed he’d expected them to have regrouped by now.
Klock dropped onto the floor heavily, exhaling like he meant it. He appeared restless, probably due to the girls’ absence—but Hermine was the one truly struggling to keep herself composed.
”…Well, whatever,” Klock said, breaking the silence. “More importantly, it’s been a long time, hasn’t it? What’ve you been up to since then? Did you become a detective, like you used to talk about?”
”Uh… Um… I’m doing my best as a magical detective in the Empire…” Hermine replied, smiling awkwardly.
Internally, she was panicking.
How did this happen?
Dragged along with little room to object, she’d followed Klock into the inn on the pretense of it being “nearby.” Before she knew it, they were sitting together—alone—in a room he had rented.
Her thoughts were in turmoil. How did I even speak around him back then? Did I say this? Did I use that tone?
Every word felt like a minefield. She needed to retreat before she made a mistake—but her body wouldn’t move. She had fallen into a scenario that far exceeded her expectations.
This is too much. This feels like a real undercover mission. Hermine gritted her teeth internally. Alright. Get it together. You’re not bad at acting. You can pull this off.
But the problem wasn’t her skills—it was who the man in front of her had once dated.
Klock was Federina’s ex. Federina!
Earlier, when she spotted him, Hermine had instinctively activated her Unique Skill to avoid detection. The form she’d taken was none other than Federina—a magical investigator often mentioned when Hermine boasted about internal affairs work.
Their relationship could be described in one word: friends.
Federina was a legend in investigative circles—boasting a 100% case resolution rate. Her Unique Skill, which allowed her to see the past, made her an essential partner to the Saint. That skill, combined with her friendly personality and tireless work ethic, had earned her fame across the Empire.
Hermine had initially taken interest in her due to her reputation, but their friendship had grown naturally over time. Despite their age difference, the two often had tea together, shared gossip, and confided in one another.
One day, Federina had confessed her Unique Skill to Hermine—and casually permitted her to use her likeness.
”You can use me if you ever need to,” she’d said with a smile.
And so, on rare occasions—especially for quick infiltration missions—Hermine would transform into Federina. It had always been effective.
Until now.
She’d used the transformation on someone who had personally known Federina. Worse—someone who had loved her.
This is impossible. No—this is a disaster.
I don’t even know the details of their relationship! What if they start reminiscing? I’ll be exposed in seconds!
”Is that so? Good for you,” Klock said, nodding approvingly. “Well, I figured someone would take you in with those eyes of yours. Still, I worried a little, y’know?”
”Uh… Um… I’m sorry…”
That gentle tone threw her off. Klock had always given her the impression of being rough, crass, maybe even dangerous. But now… he was surprisingly warm.
Is this fake? It doesn’t match the man I know—the one who assaulted Elna so cruelly.
And yet… he also seemed to know about Federina’s Unique Skill. There was an ease in his voice, a familiarity.
”Hey, you used to date, right?” Mina, the cat Beastkin girl, asked innocently. “Why’d you break up?”
How should I know?! Hermine panicked. She looked toward Klock, silently pleading for him to respond.
”I told her to go,” he said simply. “Told her not to bother with someone like me.”
Mina tilted her head. Hermine averted her eyes, feigning understanding—but she didn’t get it either.
What is he talking about?
”Ah, right,” Klock muttered, scratching his chin. “Originally, Federina was my comrade. We went through hell together—her and one other guy. You ever heard of the Ghost Panic?”
Hermine’s breath caught.
Yes, she had heard of it. Who hadn’t? It was one of the most famous supernatural disasters in the Kingdom of Crotopone.
Ten years ago, in the capital Roketta, a massive ghost outbreak plunged the city into chaos. A giant ghost appeared—an entity so vast it eclipsed the skyline. Panic spread like wildfire. The disaster was eventually quelled by the now-Archbishop Sara, who had been visiting the capital at the time.
Oriana had mentioned the incident once, long before she received her oracle.
”At the time, I lost that other guy—our third,” Klock continued. “He died during the incident. I completely broke down after that. Days turned into weeks… I didn’t care about anything anymore. But Federina stayed by my side. She looked after me, even when I said horrible things. Eventually, I started to fall for her. I told her I didn’t want just a comrade—I wanted her. And… we started dating.”
He paused, his eyes distant, voice tinged with nostalgia.
”But she was too good for me. I couldn’t let someone like her rot in the grave I was digging for myself. So I sent her away. Told her to go to the Empire. Told her to become the detective she dreamed of being. I forced her to leave.”
The room fell silent.
He… really cared for her, Hermine thought. She could picture it. Federina seeing someone so broken and refusing to walk away. Federina—ever gentle, ever strong—helping him piece himself back together. It was exactly the kind of thing she would do.
”We were together for maybe half a year,” Klock said softly. “But I could tell—she would regret it if she stayed. So I kicked her. Not pushed—kicked.”
”You kicked her?” Mina blinked. “Not just nudged?”
”Yeah,” Klock confirmed. “She didn’t want to leave. She was ready to die with me. That’s how serious she was. But I couldn’t let her waste her future. So I told her to go, even if I had to force her.”
”…Huh. Oh—yeah. I’m fine,” Hermine murmured.
And strangely, she meant it.
She was starting to believe that Federina had truly loved this man. Maybe it had been mutual. Maybe something in him had changed. Perhaps the trauma, the survival, the bond forged in death—all of it had transformed how she saw him.
But still… something didn’t sit right.
This is the same man who hurt Elna. Who ravaged Tiet. Who led Anna to her death in her past life. He walks with demons. He’s a criminal wanted for abducting a saint. If captured, he would be executed on the spot.
And yet… there were parts of him that didn’t align with such evil.
He hadn’t killed Tiet. He hadn’t killed Elna. Why?
Tiet had spoken with certainty of being sent to the execution platform, but in truth, his resistance had amounted only to fleeing and an attempted r*pe—he had never laid a hand on Anna beyond that. This incongruity became a point of doubt in his mind regarding Anna’s account. Meanwhile, Elna had been rampaging through the museum with such destructive force that her sister’s screams echoed through the halls. From the outside, it might have seemed like she was trying to capture him, but in reality, her murderous intent was unmistakable.
Despite their appearances, the sisters were combative—typical of cat Beastkin. Yet, for all the violence, no one had been killed. They’d simply been repelled.
There were other aspects of Anna’s story that didn’t sit well—especially the claim that he had killed her in her past life. But that could not be properly judged given the current circumstances.
As for the accusation of murdering the legitimate son of the Amadei Empire, that incident clearly had mitigating factors. The evidence from Amadei’s own testimony confirmed that the man had come alone, on a mission to negotiate for his sister. It was also undeniably true that she had been treated cruelly.
”By the way, Federina. Why were you in a place like that?”
The question came as he studied the landscape outside the window. Her presence earlier still puzzled him.
Why had Federina been there?
There was no apparent reason. But accepting her presence as a given, the only plausible explanations were travel or work.
”Um… actually, I’m working. I can’t say more—it’s classified.”
She was a public servant, after all. It was true that the nature of her work was a state secret. Remaining silent about the details was perfectly natural under such circumstances.
”No, not that. I mean—why were you peeking on us in the alley?”
So much for the perfect excuse.
Just as he relaxed, a verbal counterstrike hit him with enough force to shatter the heavens. His body tensed in a wave of sudden panic.
”Well, you’ve always been such a prude, Federina. Every night, we had s*x, and if we didn’t, you’d come the next day with that pouty face like you were going to cry, asking if I was bored. At first, you were all shy, but after a month, you started taking my d*ck in your mouth without even saying anything—”
”Wait, wait, WAIT! Stop! Forget all of that!!”
Her face went crimson as the vivid memories spilled from someone she thought she knew—intimately, perhaps too intimately. He could hardly believe how boldly she’d acted with this man.
The cheerful and gentle Federina he remembered had apparently been quite assertive in bed.
”Well, I didn’t mind. I was the one enjoying it too. But still—maybe you should get away from that kind of thing. What? No boyfriend since you went to the Empire? Married?”
”N-no… It’s not like that. I don’t have one…”
Should she have said she was married? But this was Federina’s life. Could she really lie about something like that?
No, she shouldn’t have had a partner. She recalled asking once before if she’d ever been in a relationship, and she’d brushed it off with a gentle smile.
”Hey. You’re the same age as me, right? Still not married? That’s not good. Keep this up and you’ll end up all alone. Is that really okay with you?”
Their eyes met as he turned toward her. There was no teasing in his tone—only quiet seriousness.
She could tell. He genuinely cared for Federina.
He’s really kind to her, huh. Well, if what he says is true, he is her benefactor. It makes sense that she’d treat him with special regard.
Still… If Federina had romantic experience, then why did she avoid forming new relationships?
Could it be… she still hasn’t let go of him?
That couldn’t possibly be it.
”…It’s just that I’ve been busy with work. I haven’t had time to think about men.”
She chose her words carefully, crafting the safest, most diplomatic answer she could give. She couldn’t just say she had no intention of marrying—not when she didn’t know the full truth.
”Nope. That’s not going to cut it.”
A perfectly logical retort. She had no counterargument.
In their society, marriage was expected in the teenage years. By one’s twenties, people started to raise eyebrows. After thirty, unless it was a second marriage, finding a partner became nearly impossible.
But still—wasn’t he the one who ended things with her?
…Could it be that she didn’t want to break up?
Looking back, it was hard to believe that her lack of a new partner had nothing to do with this man. Based on what she’d just heard, it seemed possible that Federina had once wanted to choose a future with him over the path she eventually walked.
If that’s true… then this man had come to a very cruel conclusion.
”…So. What if she said, ‘I want to get back together with you’? What would you do?”
The question slipped out—partly curiosity, partly concern. Maybe Federina hadn’t wanted to let go. Maybe she was still hoping, even now, that he’d come back for her.
Federina always struck her as the kind of person who would wait faithfully, no matter how impossible the odds.
What did he think about that?
”…You don’t still—”
”Ah—no, never mind! Forget it!”
The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them. Of course it sounded like she was asking to rekindle the relationship.
If it were Federina saying it, that would be fine. But this—this was just her using Federina’s face, putting those feelings into words she had no right to speak.
”That’s not what I meant! I just wanted to know what you’d think if that were the case—it’s not like that!”
She scrambled to fix it, flailing slightly as she tried to communicate with gestures. But Klock turned away, his expression uncomfortable.
In that moment, she understood his answer.
The warmth rising in her cooled instantly.
He wasn’t interested. That much was obvious.
Ten years had passed. Any feelings they’d shared were long gone. It made sense.
But why, then? Why did she feel like she couldn’t breathe?
”…I’m sorry. It’s nothing, really.”
Even though it was someone else’s life, it felt like she had been the one rejected.
That was the danger of becoming too immersed in another person’s story. Words spoken through borrowed lips didn’t come with borrowed emotions. She had acted too impulsively—too personally.
”Federina,” Klock said quietly. “I have a woman.”
Of course. In hindsight, it was obvious. But who? It couldn’t be Saint Cynthia… Could it be that demon?
”So I can’t make that kind of decision on my own. I’m sorry.”
He met her eyes, his expression grave.
If he already had a woman, then his refusal made sense. No matter what Federina felt—or thought she owed him—some lines simply couldn’t be crossed.
She should’ve apologized. That question hadn’t been hers to ask in the first place.
”──Huh? What do you mean, ‘on your own’?” she asked, frowning.
He replied without hesitation. “Ah. My woman says she’s fine with up to two wives. As long as I take proper care of both.”
His tone was casual—almost light—but the words hit like a thunderclap.
”So… if the only reason you’re holding back is me… then—well, you know. Come to me. I’ll convince her.”
Just when she thought he was turning her down, he said something outrageous.
Two wives? Federina’s thoughts spiraled. I think I understand what polygamy is, but… is there really a woman who could say something like that? And for a mere thief?
Without warning, Klock rose to his feet.
She looked up, startled, drawn in despite herself. His expression was serious—solemn, even—as he stepped closer. Then, without a word, he sat beside her.
A man just sat in a princess’s personal space. My heart—stop that.
”Uh… um…”
”So, what’s the deal?” he asked, quietly. “Is it really my fault?”
Instinctively, she angled her body away, creating a small distance—not enough to be rude, just enough to feel safe. She was proud she hadn’t bolted.
When she dared glance back at him, his face remained unreadable. Not mocking, not cruel. Just… focused. Like he genuinely cared.
”I… I don’t know,” she murmured, caught off guard by her own voice. Her tone slipped into something unfiltered—hers, not Federina’s.
It startled her. But Klock didn’t react sharply. His expression shifted into something difficult to describe.
I don’t know Federina’s real feelings. I can’t just say something that isn’t mine to say. This man… he’s Elna’s enemy. But he’s also Federina’s ex. If she’s thinking of getting back together with him──
”Heh. You haven’t changed a bit,” he said with a soft chuckle. “Still indecisive.”
He smiled, faint amusement flickering across his features. There was even a trace of warmth—almost paternal—in his gaze. The air between them shifted. Like a man trying to gently coax a woman forward, not push her.
He reached toward her.
”Remember this, Federina. Your body, at the very least, was never interested in women.”
”Eh—ngh?!”
His hand landed on her shoulder. And before she could think—before she could retreat—he pulled her close.
Something warm pressed against her lips. Soft. Foreign. Electric.
In that instant, Princess Hermine—known to few as Federina—lost her first kiss.
Notes:
• Hermine – Daughter of the Emperor of the Second Empire of Dusselhelm. A companion and friend of Anna. The mage. She is pragmatic and encourages Anna to focus on her duties as a hero rather than her personal revenge.
• Federina – Hermine’s chosen disguise, a magical detective and close friend whom Hermine hopes will deter Klock’s suspicions. Federina’s presence of mind helps her improvise when confronted.
• Elna – Female. A young apprentice mage. Her appearance is that of a child with white hair reaching her shoulders. She wears a black hooded mantle with strange patterns. Her relationship is as an apprentice to Hermine, the Great Mage. Her power involves advanced magic, including spatial teleportation. Her combat style is magical, and she is described as childish and easily provoked.
• Mina – She is a golden-haired catgirl employee of the beastman (Larana the cat woman) Inn, appeared performing fellatio, desperate and tear-streaked, with an inexperienced yet earnest approach to her work.
• Sara – Priestess, bishop’s daughter. Beautiful, defiant, careless. Intoxicated, carried by Klock. Status complicates her relationship with him.
• Oriana – A Princess. A companion who assists in explaining the situation to the kingdom. She is supportive and helps Anna navigate her responsibilities. Her appearance is slender, with dark hair and sharp features.
• Anna – The legendary Hero, chosen to defeat the Demon Lord. Her past life is Sylvia Croce. She is described as a heavenly being with overwhelming skill and a merciless attitude.
• Tiet – A companion and friend of Anna. A holy knight from the royal capital. She wears light armor and carries a shield adorned with a dragon holding a sword, indicating her affiliation with the National Military Police. She is concerned about Anna’s well-being and tries to support her emotionally.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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