Bonus: DW DXD Future Chapter ??? Part 4 (Patreon)

Morning

It had been three days since the public criminal trials were held in the town square. In that short span of time, the ruined town had begun to change and was impossible to miss.

Where scorched ruins and collapsed beams once dominated the streets, there was now order taking shape. New frames rose where homes had burned, roofs were being repaired, and windows were being re-fitted. The streets, once littered with ash and splinters, were steadily being cleared.

Half of the captured Yellow Turbans had been put to work. Under guard, the condemned laborers hauled stone, carried timber, cleared rubble, dug trenches for drainage, and repaired what they had tried to erase. The sight of them sweating and bleeding for the town didn’t heal anyone’s grief… but it did something important.

It caused hope to begin to spread. And as if that small spark of stability had carried farther than anyone expected, new migrants began arriving, families and wanderers from nearby villages, drawn by word that this place had fought back and survived. Some came with carpentry tools. Others with farming knowledge. A few were skilled craftsmen with hands that had built more than they’d broken.

They came cautiously at first. Then, once they saw the outlines of order forming… they came in greater numbers.

At the heart of the town stood its largest remaining inn, the same building where everyone had once huddled together in fear when the Yellow Turbans first attacked. Now it served as a temporary center of operations, and at one of its sturdier tables sat Issei eating and enjoying breakfast.

It wasn’t anything extravagant as the food was simple, warm broth, a bit of rice, pickled vegetables, and a modest portion of grilled fish. Compared to the meals prepared by Tamamo, Miya, or Mirajane, it was humble. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t good.

Seated across from him were Aisha and Rinrin, both giving their morning report. With a small cough Aisha gave her report first, voice clear and professional.

“The town’s restoration is progressing well, My Lord. The labor force is stable. There have been no major conflicts between the townspeople and the Yellow Turbans assigned to work. The G}guards rotate shifts properly but report no attempts at sabotage or escape.”

Rinrin nodded along enthusiastically. “Yep! And our little army’s starting to look like a real one now! They can actually march in straight lines!”

Issei happily nodded along while chewing, clearly pleased and happy at the good news.

Aisha continued, tone steady. “In addition, there has been a noticeable increase in migrants entering the town. Many bring useful skills. Several have offered services voluntarily, believing the town is safer than others in the region.”

Issei hummed thoughtfully, bringing his chopstick up for another bite. “Any idea why so many are coming all of a sudden?”

Rinrin immediately jumped in, grinning like she’d been waiting for that exact moment. “It’s because we beat up one of the many Yellow Turban armies! People must be thinking, ‘Woah! That place has the Red Dragon Emperor! That’s way safer than anywhere else!’”

Issei nearly choked on his food. “H-Hey—don’t say it like that…” He muttered, cheeks warming as he scratched the back of his head.

Rinrin laughed. “It’s true! And people are talking about how nice you are too! Like, super benevolent! You helped rebuild houses! You helped plow fields! You ate with farmers! Not to mention how you judge fairly, and how you’re super strong but gentle!” She continued with her praises.

Issei’s embarrassment intensified. “It’s… not that big a deal…”

To Aisha and Rinrin, it absolutely was.

Aisha, who had quietly learned to accept nearly everything about her master without visibly short-circuiting, allowed herself a small nod of approval, as if confirming a fact rather than praising him. Then her expression turned troubled and grew more serious “My Lord,” She said, and Issei immediately sensed the shift, “the migrants also brought news. Other groups have begun taking control of nearby areas.”

Issei blinked. “That sounds… good, right? Less chaos?”

“It could be,” Aisha replied carefully. “But we do not know their intentions. Some may truly wish to restore order. Others may intend to conquer the province. And if they are close enough… they may eventually bring trouble here.”

Issei’s brow furrowed as he listened, the weight of leadership sinking deeper into his shoulders as these people are his responsibility for now.

Aisha continued, voice calm but firm. “Our repairs are progressing, but our defenses are still weak. Soon, we will need to begin planning for a wall.”

“A wall?” Issei repeated, staring at her like she’d just suggested building a second sky. “Do we… really need a giant wall around the town?” ‘If things get bad, I can just protect the town myself. I mean… I’m literally right here.’

Aisha answered as if she’d already anticipated that thought. “Yes, My Lord. Our army is small, and the town has no fortifications. A wall will provide significant advantages. It slows invaders, strengthens defense during sieges, and creates choke points. It prevents raiders from simply rushing in and vanishing before we can respond.” She met his eyes directly, tone respectful but unyielding. “And while I fully acknowledge your power… you are still one man. You cannot be everywhere at once.”

Issei opened his mouth, then closed it. He really couldn’t argue with that.

Aisha’s gaze softened slightly. “Also… it is beneath you to constantly step onto the battlefield yourself.”

Issei visibly twitched at that. ‘Beneath me? I’m literally the guy that was farming yesterday.’

“We will not build it immediately,” Aisha added. “As the town is still growing. Migrants continue to arrive, and if this continues… this may become large enough to be a city.”

Issei let out a long, suffering sigh.

““A city, huh… That’s a lot of responsibility and so much work…” he mumbled, though he nodded. “But… yeah. You’re right. We can’t just rely on me punching our problems away.”

“And we must increase military effort,” Aisha said. “Even if only to establish a proper peacekeeping force.”

Issei swallowed another bite and nodded again—then Aisha casually dropped the next piece of information like it wasn’t a spiritual flashbang.

Then she added, almost casually, “Which is why I sent a message to my family, requesting they relocate here.”

Issei froze and paused mid-chew. “You… did what?”

Aisha straightened, somehow even more dignified. “I requested that my family relocate here.”

Issei’s chopsticks froze. “Why?!” He asked immediately, loud enough that a few nearby townsfolk glanced over.

Aisha blinked, as if the answer were obvious. “I come from a military family,” she explained. “My mother is the current head of the family after my father’s passing. I requested that they come and serve my new master.”

Issei nearly dropped his bowl. “No, no, Aisha, that’s not necessary!” He said quickly, shaking his hands in distress. “I’m not important enough for your family to uproot their entire life and move here!”

Aisha shook her head with quiet certainty. “My Lord, as my master, what is mine belongs to you. As the next head of my family, my family will also serve you. Furthermore, they bring value as having them here will bring attendants, officers, and civil servants. Skilled and loyal people that you and this town will benefit greatly.”

Issei stared, completely defeated by the sheer seriousness of her logic. ‘Why does she believe in me like I’m some legendary ruler? I’m just… me.’

Rinrin burst into laughter. “Ohohoho! Auntie is going to be furious!”

Aisha instantly stiffened. “H-Hush, Rinrin,” She said, but her voice betrayed her, there was genuine fear there.

Issei looked between them. “Why would she be furious?”

Rinrin grinned, gleeful. “Because Auntie didn’t approve of Aisha leaving! Aneja and I ran away behind her back to search for the Heavenly Messenger! Now she’s gonna have to move with all the uncles and everything. She’s totally going to scold us!”

Aisha let out a slow, haunted sigh, like a soldier preparing for a war she couldn’t win. But after a moment, she steadied herself, shoulders rising back into place, eyes regaining their calm confidence. “…She will understand,” Aisha declared quietly. “The moment she sees you, My Lord, I know she will.”

Issei’s face twisted in helpless disbelief. ‘Where does she get this faith…?’

In the end Issei decided to just accept the situation and move on. “…Alright,” He said, setting his bowl down. “For now, you two just keep doing what you’ve been doing. Training, organizing, keeping order.”

Both girls nodded immediately.

“And…” Issei hesitated, then scratched his cheek. “Now that things are a little calmer… I think it’s about time I tell you two more about myself.”

Aisha’s eyes widened slightly. Rinrin leaned forward like a cat that heard a bag open.

“My Lord,” Aisha said quickly, almost flustered, “it is not necessary. You do not have to explain anything to us. We are loyal.”

“Yeah!” Rinrin chirped. “We don’t need reasons! We’re already on Team Onii-chan!”

Issei smiled, softer this time. “I know,” he said. “But… you two are my closest friends here. You’re important to me. I should at least tell you about my circumstances and just who I am.” That simple statement hit them harder than any speech he’d given during war.

Rinrin practically glowed and Aisha’s expression softened in a way that looked like relief, like she’d been waiting to hear him say that for days.

“But that will have to be later at night after we gain some privacy.” Issei then stood up, ready to head out and help the town again… but before he could leave, something else came to mind. “Oh—before I go,” He said, pointing out the inn’s open window toward the center of town. “What’s with that new building being constructed? The huge one?”

Aisha and Rinrin both reacted just a fraction too slowly.

Issei narrowed his eyes. “It’s big. Like… really big. They even tore down a few older structures to make room for it. And when I went to help, they chased me off.” He then frowned. “That’s suspicious, right?”

Aisha immediately smoothed her expression and Rinrin laughed a little too brightly.

“Don’t worry about it, Onii-chan!” Rinrin said quickly. “It’s just something the townsfolk want to build with their own strength!”

“Yes,” Aisha agreed, nodding once. “They wish to do it without burdening you.”

Their tone was… polite. A little too polite as if they knew.

Issei stared at them for a moment and they simply stared back.

And somehow, despite all his instincts, he didn’t catch the obvious hiding of information.

“…Alright,” He said at last, shrugging. “If it’s important, I’ll find out eventually.”

Both girls visibly relaxed.

Issei waved casually. “See you two later.”

He stepped out of the inn and back into the town’s busy streets, already scanning for where he was needed next, completely unaware that whatever was being built in the center of town was almost certainly meant for him.

Behind him, Rinrin leaned closer to Aisha and whispered with a giggle. “…He still doesn’t know.”

Aisha sighed, but her lips curved upward. “Not yet.”

And as the town continued to grow around them, the Red Dragon Emperor’s little “temporary stay” was beginning to look less temporary with every passing day.

—------------------------------------

A mountainous prairie stretched wide beneath a blue sky, wind rolling through tall grass in long, whispering waves. A thin trail cut across the open land, dusty, uneven, and worn down by countless desperate feet.

Along it moved a caravan of migrants.

Men and women in patched clothes. Old farmers with sun-darkened hands. Mothers with tired eyes. Teenagers carrying bundles bigger than their torsos. Oxen and donkeys trudged forward with creaking carts, while others carried their lives on their backs in homemade packs tied with rope and cloth.

All of them were people moving toward a new home. As all heard rumor of a place where a kind lord had appeared, one strong enough to defend the land and its people. That hope alone pulled them forward.

And within that moving line of worn-down travelers was someone who didn’t fit the scene of a farmer. A short girl walked calmly near the center of the caravan, her steps small but steady. Her light-blonde hair was cut into a neat bob, gentle bangs framing a face. A teal ribbon decorated the side of her head, paired with a small brown beret that gave her a quaint, almost storybook charm. Her large and expressive eyes were an intense pinkish-violet. Her outfit was even stranger out here. A small brown jacket with gold trim and delicate decorative details, worn over a white frilled dress with layered fabric. White thigh-high stockings with lace and little pink bows, and simple black shoes that seemed more suited for a clean town road than rocky prairie soil.

She looked completely out of place as she had to rough it out and yet… she didn’t complain.

If anything, she looked quietly curious, watching the horizon as if she wondered what will happen once she met the rumored lord and hoped he was as kind as the rumors said.

Around her, the migrants murmured to each other as they walked.

“They say he’s strong enough to carry wooden beams like they were branches…”

 “They say he came from the heavens themselves."

 “A lord like that… if it’s true… maybe we can finally breathe.”

The girl’s eyes flicked toward the speakers briefly, listening and absorbing everything they said but she said nothing.

The caravan moved on at an easy pace.

Until the wind shifted and someone in the back screamed.

“B-behind us!”

The line staggered. Heads snapped around. Carts creaked to a halt. Mothers yanked children close. Men gripped tools like they were weapons.

Far behind them, cresting a low rise in the prairie, was a large group of riders.

Men in yellow-toned uniforms, moving like wolves that had caught the scent of blood. Their formation wasn’t disciplined enough to be an army, but it didn’t need to be. Bandits didn’t win with formation. They won with fear.

A quiet wave of panic spread through the caravan like fire through dry grass.

“Bandits!” 

“Yellow uniforms! Are they Yellow Turban Remnants?!” 

“We got to move! Hurry!”

The entire group surged forward, trying to speed up with bodies that were already exhausted. Oxen groaned as people hit the carts and shouted at animals to move faster. Some migrants threw sacks off the carts to lighten the load.

Others clutched their belongings tighter, like holding them would keep the world from stealing everything again.

The bandits were still far.

But they were closing.

Not fast enough to strike immediately but close enough that everyone understood the simple truth. It was only a matter of time before they were able to catch up to them.

The blonde girl turned and looked over her shoulder, her vivid eyes widened and her body started to tremble in fear. But still she watched the distant riders and began to measure the distance, speed and intent.

A man near her, older, sweat running down his temples gasped, “We can’t outrun horses…”

Someone else whimpered, “We’re going to die…”

The panic thickened.

Then a young rider in the caravan suddenly kicked his horse forward. “I’ll get help!” he shouted, voice breaking with fear but forcing itself into courage. “The town! If the rumors are true, they’ll help us!” He didn’t wait for permission.

He dug his heels in and broke off from the group, the horse leaping ahead and tearing down the trail at full speed. Dust sprayed behind him as he vanished into the prairie wind, riding as quickly as possible for his life and everyone else depended on it.

The caravan kept moving, faster and desperate now and behind them, the yellow-clad bandits continued to approach, slow, confident and certain of what they thought would be an easy harvest.

—-----------------------------------

Training Grounds

The training fields sat just beyond the town’s barracks, packed earth stamped flat by boots, bordered by rough wooden fences and a few stubborn trees that had survived the chaos. The air smelled of sweat, dust, and sun-warmed grass. Shouts and the clack of wood against wood echoed in steady rhythm as recruits practiced forms and sparred under watchful eyes.

Issei was leaning against a tree at the edge of the field, arms folded behind his head. In a rare moment of quiet, Issei found himself with nothing urgent to do. While he usually didn’t find looking at sweaty guys to be the most exciting thing to do, he was asked by Aisha to come with her to visit and supervise the recruits. Seeing that he didn’t have anything better to do, he didn’t see the harm.

But as he glanced toward the sparring ring, he was left amazed.

“Wow…” Issei muttered, eyes fixed on the sparring ring ahead.

In the center, Rinrin was currently manhandling a man who had to be twice her size. The recruit had a full head of height on her and had shoulders like a work ox, yet he was the one stumbling, panicking, and trying desperately to regain footing.

Rinrin danced around him like a cheerful little hurricane. She ducked under his swing, planted her foot, and with a sharp twist of her hips, she flipped him over her.

The big man hit the ground with a grunt, dust puffing up around him. Before he even fully processed what happened, Rinrin had stepped on his weapon, pinned it down, and placed the tip of her wooden spear at his throat with a bright smile.

“Point!” She chirped with a smile.

The surrounding soldiers erupted into stunned laughter and groans.

“No way…”

“That was the third time!”

“How is she doing that?!”

Issei was left staring as if reality had personally betrayed him. “To think a little girl can do that…” He muttered, half awed and half baffled.

Aisha, who stood beside him with her arms folded, watching the spar with sharp, unblinking focus. Unlike the soldiers, she didn’t look surprised in the slightest, only an attentive gaze, as if evaluating Rinrin’s technique rather than her strength.

Issei glanced at her. “You’re not even surprised.”

Aisha didn’t look away. “Rinrin is Rinrin. I expect as much from her.”

Inside Issei’s head, two familiar voices chimed in.

(Partner… I sense no magic. None of the usual external reinforcement either.) Ddraig sounded genuinely puzzled.

“Agreed,” Sherri added smoothly, her tone analytical. “Her physical output exceeds normal human limits, yet her energy signature remains internal. Fascinating.”

Issei blinked. “Wait. If it’s not magic, then—” He turned fully to Aisha.  “Aisha, is it normal in this world for little girls to be that strong?”

Aisha let out a rare, soft laugh. “No, My Lord. That is usually not the case. Most girls or boys could not do half of what Rinrin is capable of.”

“Then how is she doing that?” Issei asked, still staring as Rinrin cheerfully helped the big recruit back up like she hadn’t just folded him like laundry.

Aisha finally shifted her gaze to Issei, her tone turning instructive. “She is using her internal energy. Her Chi.”

Issei’s brow rose. “Chi…?”

“Yes,” Aisha nodded. “By using her internal energy, it allows the body to exceed its physical limits. Strength, speed, endurance, all of it is enhanced through proper control. With Chi, one can push beyond what flesh alone should permit.”

Issei’s expression sharpened with interest.

Aisha continued, calm and proud. “Rinrin’s family developed a method for it. Their martial lineage is called the Tiger Path. In this world, there are families and schools who cultivate different ‘paths’ or techniques meant to surpass the limits of the human body. Great warriors have done impossible things and carved their names into legend through these methods.”

Issei whistled under his breath. “So it’s like… superhuman martial arts.”

(Interesting.) Ddraig rumbled. (A technique lineage. Like a bloodline art—without being one.)

Issei scratched his cheek, thinking. “That’s… kind of wild.” Then he paused. “…But also, uh—kinda relatable.”

Aisha tilted her head slightly. “Relatable?”

Issei coughed awkwardly. “I mean… I use ki too. Sort of.”

Aisha’s eyes narrowed in curiosity. “You… use Chi?”

“Something like it,” Issei admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “Most of what I learned comes from manga… and trial and error.”

Aisha blinked once. Then twice. “…I do not know what manga is,” She said carefully, as if this might be some sacred technique name.

Issei gave her a pained smile. “Yeah, don’t worry about it.”

Aisha shook her head once, then continued, as if deciding not to question that particular mystery today. “What Rinrin and I can do… is still considered minor in the grand scheme. There are others far beyond us, beyond the mortal world.”

Issei’s attention snapped back. “Beyond the mortal world?”

Aisha’s voice lowered slightly, not from fear—but from respect. “There are people the common folk call immortals.”

Issei’s eyes widened. “Immortals?”

Aisha then continued. “However, among those who understand the truth, they are known as Cultivators”

Issei leaned forward a little. “Okay, now you have my full attention.”

Aisha explained steadily, like reciting something she’d been taught to respect but never fully understood. “They are masters of Chi. They are capable of increasing their internal energy by absorbing the world’s energy into their bodies. Through constant cultivation, they refine themselves, body and spirit.”

She then began listing what she had heard, what legends whispered, and what warriors had sworn they’d seen before their eyes. Cultivators who could leap across rooftops like stepping stones. Those who could strike with force that cracked stone. Those who could harden their skin. Those who could heal faster than normal men. Those who could live far longer than they should.

“They are a secretive bunch,” Aisha added. “Most mortals will never meet one in their lifetime. But most who do either never speak of it… or are not believed.”

Issei listened, nodding slowly. Then, after a moment, he frowned. “…That just sounds like magic.”

Aisha paused. “…Magic?” She repeated, clearly unfamiliar with the concept as Issei meant it.

“…Uh,” Issei hesitated, suddenly realizing he had no idea how to explain that concept properly. “How do I even explain—” He looked a little embarrassed, then decided to stop trying to define it and just show her. He pulled his sleeve back, exposing his forearm and hand. ”I’ll just… show you.”

Aisha’s eyes followed, expecting… what, exactly, she wasn’t sure.

Issei took a breath and with a simple, practiced motion, flame bloomed over his hand. The flames curled and danced around his fingers as if they belonged there, casting warm light across his skin.

“This,” Issei said, “is magic.”

Aisha froze. Her eyes went wide as she stared at the flame like it was a divine miracle. “It… doesn’t burn you,” she whispered.

“Nope,” Issei said lightly, wiggling his fingers as the fire flickered obediently. “It’s… mine.”

For a few heartbeats, the training field went silent.

Rinrin stopped mid-step. The recruits stopped mid-spar. Some even dropped their swords. Then the murmurs began.

“Did you see that…?”

“The lord, he’s controlling flames…”

“The rumors were true…”

“The lord is a dragon among men!”

Rinrin came sprinting over, eyes wide with alarm. “Onii-chan! Are you okay?! Your hand’s on fire!!”

Issei burst out laughing, startled more by her reaction than anything else. “I’m fine! I’m fine! It’s not burning me!” With a thought, the flames left, extinguishing them instantly like he’d never cast them at all.

Rinrin blinked hard, then leaned in close, inspecting his hand anyway like a worried little sister. “Really really?”

“Really really,” Issei promised.

Aisha’s astonishment gradually settled into something more controlled, but the disbelief remained in her eyes, like her understanding of the world had just been forced to expand.

Before she could ask a single question, a guard came running across the field, breathless.

“My Lord!” he called urgently.

Instantly, the mood shifted.

Issei straightened. Aisha’s expression sharpened. Rinrin stepped back, alert.

“What is it?” Aisha demanded.

“A messenger arrived,” the guard said quickly. “He bears urgent news. A caravan of migrants is in danger.”

Issei’s smile vanished completely.

Aisha’s eyes narrowed. “Where is the messenger now?”

“At the inn, Lady Kan’u.” the guard replied.

Aisha nodded once, crisp and decisive. “Rinrin,” She said, voice turning sharp with command, “prepare the soldiers.”

Rinrin snapped into action instantly, the playful girl gone, replaced by a fierce little commander with fire in her eyes. “Yes!” she barked, spinning toward the recruits. “You heard that! Get ready! Get your weapons! Form up at the entrance of the town! Move move move!”

The soldiers scrambled to obey, grabbing spears and swords, fastening straps, tightening armor.

Meanwhile, Aisha turned to Issei, her voice lowered but urgent. “My Lord. Let us hear the message. Then we move.”

Issei nodded, already stepping forward.

And with that, the moment of peace ended, replaced by the sound of boots, steel, and a town readying itself once more for what lay beyond its borders.

—------------------------------

Headquarters Inn

The moment Issei and Aisha stepped inside the inn, which was repurposed as their personal rooms and the town’s makeshift office, the tension in the room was unmistakable.

A young man stood near the center, bent slightly forward, hands on his knees as he struggled to catch his breath. His clothes were dust-stained, his boots worn nearly to ruin, and sweat clung to his dark hair and brow. Several townsfolk hovered around him, urgently offering cups of water and pieces of bread.

“Easy now, drink slowly.” An older woman urged.

“You ran hard, didn’t you?” Came the words from a carpenter.

“Sit, sit—don’t fall over!”

The young man took a shaky sip—then froze as the entire room suddenly moved. Then, almost instinctively, they turned and bowed deeply.

“Lord Issei!”

 “My Lord!”

Issei visibly flinched. “H-Hey! You really don’t need to—” he started, waving his hands in protest. Of course, no one listened.

The young man blinked in confusion, lifting his head just enough to see the scene unfolding around him. He looked between the bowing townsfolk and the awkward young man trying and failing to stop them.

“Who…?” He began, voice hoarse.

“That is our lord,” someone whispered urgently.

“The Dragon Emperor.”

“And Lady Kan’u, his retainer.”

Issei physically cringed. “You really don’t have to introduce me like that to every newcomer…” He muttered, rubbing his face. “It’s not necessary…”

Unfortunately this was too late.

The young man’s eyes widened like he’d just been told the sun was coming down to personally help his crops grow. “T-The Dragon Emperor…?”  

The lord everyone had whispered about. The reason his entire village had dared to believe the road might lead somewhere safe.

He quickly slid to his knees and then, in a sudden rush of desperation, prostrated himself fully on the inn floor. “My Lord, please!” he cried. “Please save my family, my friends, everyone, they're going to die!”

Issei’s heart jumped straight into his throat. “Whoa—no, no, don’t do that!” he said quickly, dropping down to the young man’s level. He gently but firmly guided him upright. “You don’t need to kneel. Just breathe. I’m listening. Just tell me everything!”

The young man looked stunned by the lord in front of him, but the urgency in his eyes returned quickly. “We’re… we’re just farmers,” he explained shakily. “We heard stories about you—about how you defeated the Yellow Turbans and how this place is safe. People said it was becoming prosperous, that you were kind…”

Issei groaned inwardly. ‘How do these rumors keep spreading? And why do they keep getting… weirder?!’

“So we decided to come here,” the young man continued. “Men, women, children… even the elderly. But on the way,” His hands clenched. “A huge group of bandits in yellow uniforms appeared behind us. They started chasing us.”

The inn went quiet.

Even the townsfolk who weren’t directly involved leaned in, listening with tense faces.

The young man continued. “We tried to move faster, but the caravan is full of women, children, and elders. We can’t outrun horses. We can barely even keep the carts moving. It’s only a matter of time before they catch up.”.

Issei’s fist tightened unconsciously, his expression no longer awkward or embarrassed, only focused.

Aisha stepped forward, voice calm but edged with urgency. “How large was the enemy force?”

The young man shook his head. “I couldn’t count them exactly. But… more than a thousand. Easily.”

Aisha inhaled sharply, then turned to Issei. “My Lord.”

Issei nodded once, already thinking. “How many soldiers do we have ready?”

“Five hundred,” Aisha replied immediately. “Of those, only about three hundred have horses.”

Issei exhaled slowly. ‘Outnumbered. Outpaced. And civilians involved.’

“…Alright,” he said firmly. “We’re leaving.”

The young man’s eyes widened. “I—I’ll go with you,” he said suddenly. “I know the route. I can guide you to them.”

Issei frowned as concern flickering across his face. “You’re exhausted. You ran all the way here. You should rest.”

“I have to!” The young man insisted, voice cracking with emotion. “They’re my people! I know the route. I can guide you!”

Issei hesitated, torn between sympathy and practicality.

Aisha watched the young man closely, his clenched jaw, his shaking hands, the stubborn fire behind his fear. Then she turned slightly toward Issei. “My Lord… his determination is genuine. And his guidance will save precious time.”

The young man straightened despite his fatigue, his resolve burning in his eyes. “Please my Lord, let me help.”

Issei studied him for a moment, then sighed. “…Alright,” he said. “But don’t push yourself. If you pass out on the road, you’re not helping anyone, got it?”

The young man nodded vigorously. “Yes, My Lord!”

Issei turned toward the door. “Let’s move.”

As they exited the inn, the sound of hurried footsteps and shouted orders echoed from outside.

—---------------------------------

At the town’s entrance, banners snapped sharply in the wind, their cloth catching the afternoon light.

Waiting there, just as Issei had hoped, was Rinrin. She was already mounted atop her horse, spear secured at her side, her usual cheer replaced by a fierce, focused calm. Behind her, rows of soldiers assembled, armor tightened, weapons checked, expressions grim and resolute. These were no longer frightened villagers with borrowed blades.

The moment Issei and Aisha arrived, the soldiers straightened instinctively.

Issei slowed, taking in the sight and then the weight of what he was about to do settled in. “…Is it really okay to leave the town like this?” He asked quietly, glancing back toward the gates. “What if something happens while we’re gone?”

Aisha didn’t hesitate. “It would be foolish to take everyone,” She replied calmly. “Two hundred of our soldiers will remain behind. They will guard the town, protect the people, and maintain order until we return.”

She turned and issued the order crisply, voice carrying authority without strain. The designated soldiers stepped back at once. 

Only then did Aisha turn back, satisfied. “We will not leave our home unguarded,” She said. “Nor will we weaken ourselves by indecision.”

Issei nodded slowly. “…Right.”

Aisha swung up onto her horse with practiced ease. She glanced back at Issei expectantly and gave her hand. “My Lord, let me help you up.”

Rinrin snorted from her saddle. “It’s really funny that you can’t ride a horse, Onii-chan.”

“Hey, I just never learned.” Issei defended himself as he climbed up behind Aisha, carefully settling onto the saddle. After a brief, awkward pause, he hesitantly wrapped his arms around her waist to steady himself, his hands resting lightly against her stomach.

Aisha blushed and stiffened for half a second but then relaxed. “…Hold on properly,” She said quietly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Nearby, the exhausted young messenger was gently helped onto a horse beside another soldier, who took the reins and nodded reassuringly. The boy looked pale but determined, eyes fixed ahead.

Rinrin raised her spear.

“Formation!” she called sharply.

Horses stamped. Armor clinked. The line tightened.

Aisha straightened in the saddle, her voice clear and commanding. “Advance.”

Rinrin answered instantly. “March!”

The gates opened.

The cavalry surged forward first, hooves pounding against the packed earth as banners streamed behind them. The remaining mounted soldiers followed in disciplined waves, weapons glinting in the sun.

From the walls, townsfolk watched in silence—some fearful, some hopeful, all united by one thought: They’re going to save them.

As the army rode out, dust rising behind them like a banner of its own, Issei looked ahead toward the open road, the prairie stretching wide and uncertain with the town faded behind them.

Done. Tell me what you think and if I made any mistakes.