What on earth did she mean by wanting to get my offspring?
For the time being, I decided to take a rest under the shade of a tree
along the road leading to the neighboring town in order to ask her
the details.
Of course, I didn't need to rest because my stamina was
inexhaustible, but as expected, it wasn't the kind of conversation
you'd have while walking, was it…
"...So, what do you mean by that?" I asked with half-closed eyes.
Arcadia tilted her head with her usual cool face. "'That' what?"
"No, I mean, earlier you said you want… my offspring, didn't you?"
"Ahh, that. I mean literally what I said. I want to bear your child.
That's all."
"I-I see… wait, nononono!? The heck is 'that's all'!? Do you really
understand what you're saying!?"
Seeing me becoming flustered, Arcadia made a puzzled look. "Of
course. Is there a problem? You beat me, a saintess. You defeated
me who had never even taste a defeat before head-on. I'll have to be
your wife then, no?"
"What's with that absurd theory!? Your parents are gonna cry if they
hear it!?"
"Fufu, no need to worry about that. My father also got my mother
with brute force after a life and death battle, after all."
"Ehh…" What kind of family was that…
I felt I was gonna have a headache but, it appeared that wasn't the
only reason.
Arcadia said, "And, you know," with a slight blush – unusual for her
who always maintained cool expression.
My heart secretly skipped a beat.
"You said you've imitated all of me, right?"
"What? Well…"
"Which means — 'you have stripped me naked'."
...Eh?
"So you have to take responsibility. Take responsibility for making me
an unvirtuous girl, that is." Arcadia said, embracing her own
shoulders shyly.
Eh, what do you mean!?
"H-hold on a sec!? I-I only imitated your skill and techniques; I never
stripped you naked or anything like that!?"
"What are you saying? You imitated them by observing and
analyzing the moves of every part of my body as I made my attack,
didn't you? Then, wasn't that no different from you having seen
every inch of me?"
"N-no, but…"
"Surely, you're not telling me you don't want to take responsibility
after defiling the body of a once pure and unwed girl? I never
expected that you're such a cruel man."
"Uh, gh…" It's cowardly to attack your opponent conscience…
"Well, no need to worry. A child born between you and me will surely
be a heroic figure whose name will spread to every corner of the
world. Besides, while I don't look like it, I'm actually a homemaker. I
don't know how to cook, but I can roast meat well, I'd say. As for
laundry, I can soak it in water and air it in the sun, then it will dry on
its own. See, I'm perfect, don't you think?"
"Just what part of that is homemaker…" I felt like my consciousness
about to fly away looking at Arcadia puffing up her full breasts with
'what do you think' face.
◇ ◇
Anyways, I proposed us to start with becoming friends for the time
being since immediately getting married was kinda a bit too hasty, so
she put up with being a 'wife (temp)'.
Isn't that same difference? I'd asked, but she'd turned away cutely,
saying, "I won't compromise further than this," so I had no choice but
to accept it.
Still, as was the case with Elma, but why were saintesses all selfwilled girls?
No, maybe it was because they were self-willed that they could be
the balancer of the world without giving up.
"By the way, I'd like to apologize about something." Arcadia started
speaking out of nowhere.
"Un? What?" I tilted my head.
Arcadia then apologized with a sorry face. "Umm, I apologize for
what I did back in the final… If you hadn't stop it, I was going to
disperse my attack before it lands, but that would have involved the
audience still. It was my blunder for lacking in self-control."
"About that, huh. Certainly, I wondered what were you thinking back
then, but if you reflect on it properly, then I won't criticize you. That's
why, well, put your mind at ease."
"Thank you for saying that. I swear right here that I will never repeat
it."
"Ou, got it." I nodded with a smile, and Arcadia smiled broadly, too.
Then, as the reservation between us came undone, Arcadia said,
"So, where are we heading now?"
"Ahh, about that, it looks like I do like seeing people smile, you see.
So, I'm thinking of doing something similar to what you've been
doing so far."
"Hmm, I see. In other words, you're intending to sweep all sorts of
martial arts competitions, don't you?"
Eh, you'd been doing something like that!?
How about your role as a saintess!?
I tried hard to hold myself from retorting and said calmly, "No, that's
not what I mean… What I mean is, I want to be the strength of
people in need, I want to help those who are afraid and suffering
because of monsters."
"Ahh, so that's what you mean."
Rather, were there any other absurd things you had done…?
"I see, I understand. It's a wife's duty to support her husband's
dream, after all. Feel free to use my saintess power to your heart's
content."
"A-ahh. Thanks, Arcadia."
But honestly, stop with the husband and wife thingy in public, okay?
After all, you are still just a friend and a wife (temp) for the time
being.
As I thought so inwardly, Arcadia said, "By the way," while squirming
her body, "Umm, regarding my name…"
"Huh? Could it be Arcadia isn't your real name?"
"No, my name is really Arcadia. Just that, I think you calling me by
that feels a little too distant."
"I-is that so?" Rather, it was unusual of me to drop honorifics before I
knew it, so if I had to say, it felt like we were rather close, though…
"Yes. I want you to, call me with a more intimate name."
"E-err, then how about… Arca?"
At that moment, Arcadia's face became brighter. "Yes, that's
good!Call me 'Arca' from now on! Of course, I'll never let anyone
else call me that other than you. It's a special name that just you,
and only you can call me by."
"O-ou, got it. Then, let's get along from now on, Arca."
"Ahh. I, too, will be in your care for many years to come, Exa. I'm
your wife, after all."
"No, no, it's (temp), isn't it?" I reminded her.
Still, Arca, who was in a good mood, paid it no mind.