When I returned to the mansion, a servant told me Grandfather was waiting in his study, so I hurried over.

  It was already getting dark outside. He was probably worried because I’d been out so late.

  I knocked on the study door and heard “Enter.”

  “I see. So you went out in disguise. That’s fine. The matter I mentioned this morning—starting today, you’re to stay at Lunaflare’s mansion. The reason is exactly what I told you earlier. I said not to leave your room, but… well, in that form it should be all right.”

  “Has Aunt returned?”

  “Yes, just a little while ago. Aculeos is back too. Those two actually resigned and came home. They didn’t have to quit, you know.”

  Grandfather looked strangely pleased as he said it.

  He noticed the wooden box and bundle I was carrying and frowned.

  “What are you lugging around? You could have left it somewhere.”

  “I thought about it, but I was told these belonged to you, Grandfather, so I wanted to report it at least…”

  “Mine?”

  “Yes. I met Legolis at the forge today, and he gave me your swords.”

  “Ah… those. Legolis handed them to you? Personally?”

  “Yes. I cut the straw target, so he said I could take them.”

  “I see… so you were the one…”

  Grandfather fell silent for a moment, thinking.

  “Well, that’s fine. Use them if you want.”

  “Thank you.”

  “So what are you planning to do with swords?”

  “I’m going to catch the people who killed me.”

  “Huh?”

  Grandfather shot up from his desk so fast the chair scraped loudly.

  “Absolutely not. It’s far too dangerous.”

  “But hiding like this forever feels like a waste. I’ll have Aunt accompany me, so it should be safe, right?”

  “Well… if she’s with you, I suppose it’s all right. Having you here is nothing but trouble anyway. The military has already sent letters demanding I send you back and report your whereabouts. Honestly, it’d be easier if you just disappeared.”

  So I was basically being kicked out at the perfect time.

  “Understood. I have permission to go out. Just… keep in touch.”

  “Yes, sir. Then I’ll head to Aunt’s mansion now.”

  Aunt Lunaflare’s residence was a short distance from the main mansion, tucked away in the rear gardens.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  It used to be for guests, but every time she came home she brought a huge entourage, so they’d repurposed it for her.

  Among that entourage was a notorious criminal who had blown up an entire laboratory at the Royal Academy, so she couldn’t stay in the main house.

  That particular person—Julia—was actually a beautiful woman with a lovely face, but she had an insane obsession with dangerous chemicals and unstable compounds. She’d lost half her face to burns and her right eye in an explosion, yet she still kept researching. Because of that, even at Lunaflare’s mansion she was banished to the detached building.

  Carrying the two swords and the wooden box, Denaris headed to his aunt’s residence.

  Panetta was already there; my luggage had been moved over as well.

  The moment I went to greet Aunt, she rushed over and pulled me into a tight hug.

  “I’m so glad you’re alive.”

  I couldn’t bring myself to tell her the truth—that I had died and someone else was now inside this body.

  She was wearing her usual grape-colored chiton.

  Aunt loved chitons and halter-neck dresses. She preferred light clothing because she constantly used magic to adjust the temperature around herself.

  Maintaining magic like that 24/7… she was probably the only person in the world who could pull it off.

  “What are you carrying? It’s poking me.”

  “Swords.”

  “Oh? I’m surprised those were still around.”

  “You know about them?”

  “Of course. They still exist in my homeland.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. And there are clothes that go with them, too. My sister gave them to me, but I’ve never worn them. Want to try?”

  “Yes please!”

  She sent a servant to fetch them right away.

  “Still, you have peculiar tastes.”

  “Uncle’s sword is too heavy for me to swing properly.”

  “That thing is basically a blunt weapon with an edge. But why do you need swords anyway?”

  “To hunt down the attackers.”

  “I see… That’s actually why I came back too. I refuse to let you rot away as an undead.”

  Denaris nodded.

  Lunaflare gestured to the couch.

  “By the way, you’re disguised as a man now. You must have picked a name, right?”

  “Yes. I can’t use my old name or position, and I can’t investigate like this.”

  “True. Any leads?”

  “None yet. But whoever it was managed a long-range shot straight through the chest, so the name probably carries weight. I’ll start digging little by little.”

  The servant returned with the clothes.

  Just from the way they were folded, I could tell.

  These were kimono-style garments.

  “Want to try them on?”

  I nodded.

  Lunaflare told me to undress, and my face burned as I stripped.

  “What are you blushing for?”

  It’s embarrassing, obviously!

  “These should hide your figure nicely.”

  She helped me put them on.

  The hakama were short, stopping below the knee and tapered like Iga-style pants. Because of that, the top was also cut shorter.

  The sleeves were tube-shaped with no hanging cuffs.

  There were several color options—indigo, red, and natural beige.

  Thick hemp fabric with a subtle sheen.

  I attached the fittings to the wakizashi Legolis had given me and slid both swords through the obi.

  “If you’re going to wear swords, you need a proper belt.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Do you know the origin of these clothes?”

  “No.”

  “This outfit comes from the Haran tribe—the people who spread iron smelting across the world. My homeland has had ties with them since ancient times; we’re practically assimilated. They’re the ones who made those swords too. That’s why they feel so right.”

  “I see. Are people still wearing them?”

  “Almost never these days, but they haven’t disappeared completely. You’ll still see quite a few around Trisha in the south. That city grew huge on iron trade. Long ago, iron forged in this region was shipped out from Trisha. The ocean tribes and Haran people intermarried and became the royal family there. So at the root, we’re connected.”

  Iron smelting was said to have begun in the southern reaches of Alias territory.

  According to Haran legend, they dug up iron sand, collapsed a mountain, and cleared forests for charcoal. One day the mountain god grew angry and buried their city in a landslide.

  The moon goddess took pity and planted trees on the mountain, calming the god. Ever since, they have worshipped the moon and earth gods.

  There are actual records from about a thousand years ago of a town in this area being destroyed by a landslide.

  After that, the Haran scattered and began smelting iron in many places.

  It wouldn’t be strange if some of them had migrated to Aunt’s homeland.

  “Most people around here carry Haran blood without even knowing it,” she said. “These clothes are the last trace of that. They just don’t realize it.”

  That explained why Legolis had been wearing something like a samue.

  Only then did I realize how little I actually knew about the region my own family ruled.

  Once I got my life back… I decided I would look into it.

  Thank you so much for reading! ??

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