In Malonei, in Delfina Merchant Company.
I looked at the courtyard through the window while relaxing in the room.
Selene is wholeheartedly swinging her sword there.
Unlike when she had just started, her form turned into a decent one.
No, it’s not just limited to that.
Although she’s too faithful to her forms, her swordsmanship is quite sharp.
If it’s just individual strength, she’s equal to platoon captains of my slave soldiersーーshe should be equal against Nikki or Neora.
To think that she had this much talent with the sword.
『She had talent with this huh. Although they say that she’s completely useless with politics or strategy and tactics』
「It’s enough with just that」
『And then? What are you going to do?』
「With what?」
『That girl, she looks like she’s about to tell you something soon』
It’s just like Eleanor had said.
After we returned from that forest, Selene had a determined face.
Resolute, but also looks like she’s carefully looking at me.
When she sees me, she would take a deep breath or place a hand on her chest, as if she has something to say.
And that slowly got stronger and stronger. She should exceed her limits like “Eiiyaa!” tonight and tell me.
I haven’t predicted what she would tell me.
I’m only planning on hearing her out and grant it to her adequately.
It’s to embrace Selene later on.
Actually, I realized it a while ago, but it might be my first time.
The first time I would make love to a woman I liked after making her a “good woman”.
All of the women I had in my harem up until now, they were all good women from the start, and became a better woman after I made love to them.
“After raising a bad girl to a good woman”ーーit might be the first time with Selene.
I got excited about that.
I got excited in a way I haven’t for a while.
『As a result, there’s no difference with them being a good woman』
「That might be true, or that might not be true」
『Well of course』
「That’s why, I’m excited」
『What a hobby.』
Eleanor talked like that, but she’s also looking forward to it.
I could feel those emotions from her.
The sun has set and my room was knocked.
「Shou……are you there?」
The name that only she uses to call me.
As expected, Selene came.
When I answered “I’m here”, the door was slowly opened, and Selene timidly entered the room.
「I have something to tell you……is it okay?」
「Yeah」
「Uhm……」
Selene came in front of me and started to fidget.
It’s as if she wants to say it, but don’t know where to start.
She looked like she’s unable to take the final step forward.
That’s why, I decided to push her back.
「Lend courage to Selene」
【Courage will be lent to Selene Mi Aegina. Time Remaining: 59 minutes 59 seconds】
The first prize from the lottery, lends abilities for an hour.
It was not like I changed something with Selene, I only lent it to her to push her back.
She looked confused for an instant with the activation notification, but her expressions immediately changed.
It changed to a dignified face, unique to those resolute people.
「Shou」
「Un?」
「I’m, too useless. I’m too useless other than my swordsmanship」
「I see」
「But, I can’t stay like that. If I continued to be useless, I wouldn’t be able to improve Father’s kingdom, Aegina. Shou, what do you think should I do?」
Selene whose courage was amplified, talked all at once, telling me her thoughts.
She asked for advice on top of admitting her own weakness.
Those words that were unimaginable if it was Selene in the past, if it was the spoiled princess, made me surprised.
「You want to restore Aegina Kingdom?」
「U〜un, it’s not that, I need to make it much better」
「Make it better?」
「Un. I need to make it better」
「That’s quite greedy. I investigated about many things. Although it was in a mess because of Kimon, the current king’s just rule made Aegina reach its greatest period of prosperity. You don’t only want to restore that, but make it much better?」
「Un」
Selene nodded clearly.
She had no hesitations with that.
「I’m Father’s daughter. Children, they must exceed their parents. Parents give birth to their children, and if the children don’t surpass their parents, there wouldn’t be growth as a living thing. That’s why, I need to succeed Father, and make Father’s kingdom much better!」
I was surprised. That really surprised me.
「……did someone tell you that?」
「Father did. Father was actually like that. That’s why, I need to do that too. For Father’s sake, I thought of becoming Prime Minister Princess to surpass Father, but……」
Selene looked down crestfallen.
I know what happened next to that.
She’s spoiled, one-sidedly made tantrums, and in the end, the Three Lords Regency. She essentially invited revolt.
But to think that within that, there existed such feelings.
『Kukuku, unexpected things often happen』
Indeed.
It looks like I failed to grant her wish.
I thought that I would experience raising a bad girl to a good woman, but it looks like Selene was a good woman from the beginning.
She was only unable to see reality, with her abilities unable to catch up to her ideals, but she always has the potential for being a good woman.
I wanted to take her right now immediately.
『Don’t mess it all up』
「You didn’t need to tell me that.」
「Eh? W-Was it bad to say that?」
It looks like I’m the one who can’t stay calm.
Having a good woman right in front of me, I mistakenly spoke out my exchange with Eleanor.
「No, it’s not that. That one wasn’t meant for you. I said it to this」
「Demon Sword……?」
「Just don’t mind it. And on top of that. About the advise that you want」
「U-Un!」
Selene approached and stared at me with eyes full of expectations.
She stared at me, waiting impatiently for my answer.
「I think that you’re fine as you are」
「Eh? But」
「Eleanor, tell me someone who can be an example」
『Umu. How about Paulos Aegina?』
「You should follow Paulos Aegina’s example」
I told Selene the name that Eleanor spoke of.
Selene was surprised.
「The Founder Paulos?! No way, I can’t become such a splendid person」
『Kukuku, history is written by the victor after all』
Eleanor pleasantly laughed.
At the same time, many things flowed into my head.
The lifetime of the man called Paulos Aegina.
Eleanor knows it, the truth about that man.
「I see. That’s why the “the child must surpass their parent” way of thinking was passed down in the royal family」
『It stands to reason』
「W-What do you mean?」
「Eleanor said. That man called Paulos, he was useless towards everything, a man that the people around him couldn’t leave alone so they helped him」
「Ehhhhhh?! That’s a lie!」
「Fumu, I’ll show it to you」
I released an aura.
I could probably do it. Eleanor also gave her guarantee.
I enveloped Selene with the aura.
And, she fell down as if a puppet whose strings were cut.
I showed her a dream.
The truth of the Founder, the First King of Aegina, Paulos Aegina.
The story of a man, who, although even more useless than Selene, was able to become a king with the help of the people around him.
While I showed that to her, I stared at Selene.
Selene’s face, who was actually always a good woman.
『Don’t mess it all up』
「I know」
I endured the urge to embrace her immediately.