Chapter 6

"Prince Todd, this reinforced armor is amazing. With it, you can take down even the common soldiers of Reinfield with a single touch. It not only enhances combat ability but also survival skills."

"Are you Mr. Hato Iijima? I was told by my superior, who handled the arrangements before I came here, that this was an impractical and useless weapon, but seeing it in person... hmm."

(He's trying to get in my way again... It's often said that an incompetent ally is more of a hindrance than a competent enemy.)

Hato, while thinking about pulling out the little hair he had left the next time he met him, returned his attention to Todd, who was intently examining Renge.

"The magic circuits are incredibly intricate. Did you make all of this?"

"Yes, I developed it. And this girl, Renge, made the adjustments and engraved the patterns."

"Is the material from a monster? Can I touch it a little?"

"Uh, well..."

"Of course, please feel free."

A moment of eye contact.

Renge clearly looked displeased, but Hato, with a strong will, glared at her, knowing this was a critical moment.

As a prince of a neighboring country, he couldn't afford to resist.

Renge seemed to suspect that Todd was trying to do something under the guise of examining the armor.

However, Hato didn't allow any refusal and wasn't worried.

From the way Todd's eyes sparkled and his focus was on the armor rather than Renge, Hato deduced that the prince was likely a kindred spirit.

Nobles often avoid touching monsters, believing that touching them or their remains would defile them.

Despite this, Todd was eager to touch it.

While unusual for a royal, it was a welcome behavior for Hato.

Instead of aversion or rejection, Todd showed interest.

Todd hesitated for a moment before touching the wrist part of the armor.

He stroked it, pinched it, and pulled it, checking its texture and elasticity.

"What material is this?"

"It's the skin of a Thunder Sea Cucumber, which can conduct lightning. The magic transmission rate of this material is very high..."

"Actually, I've tried making similar wearable weapons myself. I experimented with materials from Ogres, which you might call Oni here, but it didn't work out well..."

"You shouldn't use Oni materials. They are monsters that fight by enhancing their inner muscles with magic. To make armor from muscles, you need a large quantity, which means using multiple bodies. But that results in different magic waves..."

"No, I was trying to develop a larger, armor-type weapon. I thought combining metal with monster materials would work, but it didn't go well..."

"Which magic stones did you use..."

"The cost of this armor..."

Renge, who had been fearing another harassment, was relieved to see Todd turn back to Hato.

It seemed his interest had shifted, and now he was engaged in a technical discussion with Hato.

(Ah, he's the same type as Hato.)

Someone so focused that they lose sight of their surroundings... in a good way, a straightforward person who delves deeply into what interests them.

Renge felt a gaze and looked up, realizing it came from the guard behind Todd and Hato.

He looked very apologetic, suggesting that his job of protecting Todd was quite challenging.

'Our prince is sorry.'

Without words, his face and posture spoke volumes.

Renge, in turn, lightly bowed and apologized, 'Our Hato is sorry,' then sighed in exasperation at the two who were so engrossed in their discussion.

Prince Todd was still okay.

After all, he was only a ten-year-old boy, at an age where he couldn't help but be curious about everything.

(But Hato, you're over thirty, an adult, right?)

And yet, he was chatting happily with a boy nearly two decades younger.

He really was no different from a child.

(Really... a hopeless person.)

Seeing the two getting along so well, Renge couldn't help but smile.

Unaware of her, Todd and Hato were completely absorbed in their own world.

This would likely secure Hato a patron.

Prince Todd would become the king in the future.

He was the perfect patron.

The prince could easily offer favorable conditions to move Hato and his mother to Reinsugaya.

If that happened, Hato would undoubtedly leave the research lab without hesitation and move to the neighboring country as light as a feather.

Throb...

A pain hit her chest, and Renge's eyes widened in surprise.

She realized she was sad about him leaving.

She could work with him because she could use magic and was a subordinate who followed orders.

Their relationship was just that of a superior and a subordinate.

And nothing more.

Reflecting on the past two years, it had been tough but also fulfilling.

She felt a sense of loneliness at the thought of those days coming to an end—

Feeling desolate, Renge noticed Hato silently looking at her.

The conversation had stopped, and Prince Todd was standing a bit away, silent.

(What's going on here?)

Before she could process the situation, Hato closed the distance.

"Um, s... if you don't mind, could you—"

He spoke hesitantly, his gaze wandering.

Nervous or anxious, he kept clenching and unclenching his fists.

He looked like a child about to be scolded by his mother, still lacking the composure of his age.

"Would you come with me?"

The hand he extended was finer and whiter than any of the men around Renge.

His cheeks were pink, and his ears were red, perhaps from embarrassment.

Renge had always thought Hato was uninterested in anything outside of research.

But that wasn't true.

Hato was just awkward and couldn't express his feelings straightforwardly.

That was all.

Renge held her breath and trembled slightly.

Then, she slowly extended her right hand and took Hato's.

She wiped away the tears from her left eye and said in a barely audible voice,

"It's an honor to work with you."

Thus, Hato Iijima and Renge Kujou left the Special Anti-Youkai Armed Research Lab and moved to the Kingdom of Reinsugaya.

Unaware that they would be the key figures in saving the kingdom from the great disaster, the Yamata no Orochi's revival, the researchers were happy to no longer have to pay them and sent them off with smiles.

What Todd didn't realize until later was that on this day, ten years after his reincarnation, he had directly involved himself in someone's life and death for the first time.

Originally, Renge was supposed to die in the battle against Yamata no Orochi.

Seeing her death, Hato would have become obsessed with his research, determined to create a weapon that could defeat any monster.

He would have succeeded in developing a more heavily armored mobile suit.

Renge's death was the trigger that drove him to madness.

However, by taking both Renge and Hato, her fate changed.

The near-declaration of affection led to them becoming a couple.

Instead of a mad scientist who lost his love, Hato began to walk hand in hand with the one he loved.

While creating some differences, Todd gained new companions and returned to Reinsugaya.

The stalled development of the reinforced armor advanced significantly with Hato's addition—

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