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From Inglis’ back, she could hear Rafinha and the other girls start whispering to each other.

「Glis is unbelievable! She’s bringing us to the north to fight a Prisma just because her enemy exploded before she could fight him!」
「……And even if we didn’t find the Prisma, causing a political upheaval means we will most likely have to fight Alucardian Knights!」
「And worst comes to worst, we will be directed to jump at Alucardian army from behind!」
「Bottom line is we’re going to see a battle anyway!」
「B-, but… Having all of you with us when we return is reassuring. I don’t think just Lahti and I can do anything even if we get back home…」
「……That’s correct too. Not to mention, if Ymir’s Chivalric Order is going north, that means I will indirectly help my Father too……Glis really is good at falsifying good ideas!」
「No, rather than false, she really does make up a sound idea, you know?」
「Indeed. If this mission goes well, both us and the Alucard Kingdom will suffer minimal damage from this whole ordeal.」
「Her underlying motive is the biggest problem here, though! She herself just wants to have some fights, you know……」

Ahem! Inglis cleared her throat loudly, silencing Rafinha and her whispering accomplices behind her. She then knelt before King Charleas and directed a straight and sincere gaze at his eyes.

「I beg you, Your Majesty! As someone who comes from Ymir, seeing that my lord, Marquis Wilford, has raised his flag for the country, let me do what I can to help too!」
「However, regardless of whether this mission succeeds or fails, all credits will fall to the hand of Alucard’s rebellion force. Your achievements will never come to light. Will you still do it?」
「Yes, that is all I ever ask for.」

As far as Inglis was concerned, being able to fight strong enemies whilst the credit for that was forever hidden from the public’s eye was something she could have ever asked. Therefore, she expressed her honest feelings. How anyone took it was not her problem.

「I see… You’re always so refined, Inglis. I cannot commend you enough.」
「You’re not just beautiful outside, but you’re beautiful inside too!」

King Charleas and Redas seemed to be deeply impressed. They misunderstood her, but if that made them look at her in a good light, she didn’t mind. There was one more thing she would like to ask of the King, so being favored like this would make it easier to pass.

「I accept your request. We will be on the defensive and wait for the news of your success, so make it through without fail. I entrust this mission to you, Inglis!」
「By your order. In which case, I would like to implore a Special Assignment Permit to go through with the Knight Academy. We will not be able to attend classes during our mission, and I would hate it to interfere with our grades.」
「Hm. I see, you have a point. Then, you have my permit.」
「Also, I was hoping you could provide us with the funds to carry out the mission, securing provision for the troops is important, after all.」

This was the important part. If she left the Academy, she naturally would lose the all-you-can-eat deal in the cafeteria too. She wanted to go to Alucard, but she didn’t want to be on a hunger strike all the while.

That was why it was so important to secure war funds for her food expenses. To be honest, if all she wanted to do was lend a hand to Lahti and fly to Alucard, she could have just gone there without saying a single word. But she went to the trouble to ask for a permit from King Charleas, and that was for a reason stated above.

「Right! That’s very important, Your Highness!」

Rafinha spoke up soon after. It seems that she caught what Inglis meant. Inglis could almost hear her sparkling eyes saying, 「What kind of delicious treats are waiting for me in Alucard?」

「But of course. I will send a messenger to the Knight Academy later. Principal Miliera, please give them your full support.」

King Charleas then turned the focus to Principal Miliera.

「Y-, yes! Following this unfortunate situation, the Knight Academy will do everything we can to help!」
「I entrust it to you. Now, I’ve made you wait long enough. Let us go, Redas, Sir Wilford.」
「「Yes sir!」」

Redas and Marquis Wilford followed after King Charleas, but the Marquis stopped once and looked back at Inglis and Rafinha.

「Rafinha, Inglis!」
「Yes, Father.」
「Yes, Marquis.」
「I was surprised you could hold your ground speaking directly to His Majesty, but……Even more than that, things have escalated into a national crisis, and I can’t possibly oppose such a dangerous mission just because of my love for my daughter……Still, I won’t ask for the impossible, just make sure you come back alive!!」
「「Yes!」」

Inglis and Rafinha nodded their heads at the same time.

「Good. Then, Irina, Selena. The rest is yours.」
「S-, sure……darling!」
「Yes!」

Her mother Selena and her aunt Irina looked pretty worried. They couldn’t conceal their concern about their daughters going on such a dangerous mission, after all. Some pangs of guilt attacked Inglis’ heart.

She had proposed the plan right here, riding on the conversation’s momentum, but perhaps it would have been better if she had done it in a place where her mother didn’t see. Thinking so, Inglis gently held Selena’s hand.

「There’s nothing to worry about, Mother. We will definitely come back.」
「O-, of course you will……my little Inglis.」

Perhaps he saw such an exchange happening, King Charleas stopped in his tracks and turned.

「I see, so you are Inglis’ Mother… How young.」
「……! Y-, yesh!」

She seemed to be very surprised to be spoken to, her voice slurred. That was understandable. For someone in Selena’s position, she would’ve thought she wouldn’t have the chance to speak directly to the King himself.

「Mother, don’t be nervous. His Majesty is a kind personage.」
「Y-, you are right……Forgive me, your mom is embarrassing you!」
「That’s not true at all.」

The King gently put his hand on her back.

「You have raised a good daughter, and now I’m asking her, whom you’ve brought up endearingly, to the service of our Kingdom.」
「Th-, thank you very much! I believe my daughter will return safely.」
「Umu. Farewell, then.」

This time, King Charleas finally returned to the Royal Castle. After seeing him off, Inglis asked her mother Selena with a smile.

「Mother, I will get you a souvenir from Alucard. What would you like?」
「Glis, come on, we’re not going there for a trip, you know?」

Interjected Rafinha.

「But we are going to return here safely anyway. This is just a promise that we’ll be back in one piece.」

That was the best way to express that they would return safe and in good health.

「Well, you have a point… then, then, Mother. What do you want for a souvenir?」

Rafinha also asked her own Mother.

「Fufu, let me see……just having you return safely is enough of a gift.」
「That’s right, both of us, you see, we want——」
「「Anything edible, as long as there’s a lot of it.」」
「「Yes!」」

The two mothers spoke up together and the two daughters nodded in affirmation.

「Ahaha… What a good bond they share……Like mothers like daughters, they say…」

Principal Miliera’s lips cracked into a strained smile. Not so far from there, Leone muttered.

「But having such caring mothers really is enviable…」
「Indeed. And look how beautiful they are… Makes me think of my own mother.……」
「Yeah……You’re right. Anyway, we will definitely return in one piece. We don’t want to sadden these mothers too!」
「Dear me. You are already in the mood, Leone.」
「I am. Are you not going too, Liselotte?」
「Of course I am. It is for the sake of my Kingdom as well as my dear friends. Right, Miss Pullum?」
「Thank you so much! I’m sure Lahti will be glad too! He’s still asleep, though……」
「K-, kind of pitiable to see now, isn’t he…」
「Y-, you’re right… Perhaps it’s about time to wake him up.」

The three decided to wake Lahti up.

「Come to think of it, where is Senior Yua?」
「Ah! She’s gone!」

Before anyone noticed it, Ian had already been taken away somewhere by Yua.