Mine was very unhappy that her boyfriend was late and hadn't come to the kitchen to help her. After all, he was the one who suggested today's gathering. But when she saw the somewhat strange atmosphere in the hall and Lancer sitting in the corner, she looked a little awkward. She hadn't expected there to be a 'stranger' in the shop.
"Sayo, help me set the table."
As she spoke, she blushed and pulled Tatsumi into the kitchen.
"Tatsumi, what's with that uncle? Is he from your village? Why didn't I see him when I went back with you last time?"
Faced with the machine-gun-like questions from his girlfriend, what else could Tatsumi do but force a smile? Someone from the village? He didn't even dare to speak the other party's name, as the person was nominally 'dead'.
Seeing her boyfriend in a predicament, the clever Mine immediately guessed that Lancer situation was likely special, so she stopped pressing for answers.
Although she was a bit tsundere sometimes, Mine was essentially still a girl full of wife-like qualities at this moment.
Sitting on the sofa, Lancer fell silent as he watched 'acquaintances' continuously appear in the shop.
Mine in the kitchen, Sheele helping with cooking, the sisters Akame and Kurome who came together, Bols with his wife and daughter, and even three little girls who looked familiar but whose names he couldn't recall...
Bulat, sitting next to Lancer, keenly noticed that the man beside him was emotionally unstable, but he didn't speak. After all, he didn't even know why the other party had become like this.
Until ——————
"Sorry, everyone, I'm late~"
The cross-dressing beauty in a suit pushed open the shop door very boldly. She first greeted everyone in the shop, and then also looked at Lancer in the corner with some curiosity.
"Bulat, you arrived quite early today~ This..."
"Uh, that..."
Faced with Najenda, who hoped for an introduction, Bulat was at a loss for words for a moment. But Lancer didn't make things difficult for Bulat and extended his left hand.
'Don't normal people shake hands with their right hand?'
Before her mind could process the thought, she saw the face hidden beneath the hood. She froze completely. She was about to say something but forced it back down.
"Long time no see..."
Although Najenda tried hard to control her voice, the surprise was completely undisguised. Lancer just smiled and shook her hand in response.
"Long time no see."
——————
Tonight's gathering was clearly divided into two parts. First, everyone ate together. When they were almost done, the four 'acquaintances' — Bulat, Bols, Najenda, and Lancer — took their wine glasses and went aside.
Of course, the four did not leave their seats without reason. The given excuse was that drinking was not suitable for children to see, but in reality, this reason was clearly unreliable. After all, when did they ever avoid others when drinking?
The curious crowd kept asking Tatsumi, but unfortunately, the answer they got was always —————— I don't know either.
Everyone knew he was pretending to be foolish, but they also knew that if the 'good-natured' Tatsumi was pretending, there must be a special reason. Unfortunately, no matter how much they asked, they couldn't get an answer, and finally had to give up, but their curious eyes never left the four people gathered together.
The four were not so much chatting as the others were responsible for speaking, and Lancer was there listening. Basically, Najenda did most of the talking, with Bols and Bulat providing supplementary details.
It could be said that most of the situation was similar to what Lancer had guessed. The 'Great Purge' back then was just a beginning. It took several years, and even now, the Emperor's action to purge or suppress the other nobles has not completely ended. But the only difference from back then was that the nobles at this time had basically resigned themselves to their fate, and the power of the nobility was further compressed.
"What about the foreign tribes?"
"Although the foreign tribes have not declared complete surrender, according to intelligence, their base has migrated again. Now, the foreign tribes are rarely seen near the border..."
"Is... that so..."
Lancer expression at this moment was very strange.
Nostalgia?
Excitement?
Surprise?
Perhaps even Lancer himself couldn't clearly articulate what he was thinking at this moment, but the only thing he knew was that his efforts back then were not in vain.
At the same time, his gaze unconsciously shifted towards the dining table.
Kurome eating cookies like a hamster, Akame with her small stature but holding a large piece of roasted meat and eating heartily, Tatsumi sitting together and smiling foolishly, and Mine 'scolding' him, Sheele staring blankly at the cake in front of her, Bols's daughter flirting with her mother...
No one noticed the involuntary smile rising at the corner of Lancer mouth.
What was he seeking back then?
Wasn't it precisely to change that insane future?
It seems now that he succeeded...
Yes, he succeeded.
His efforts were not wasted.
Even if no one knew, his efforts succeeded.
This... is enough.
Lancer wasn't sure if it was his illusion, but he seemed to see a girl with beast ears sitting in the middle of the crowd...
Although Lancer was sitting right in their midst, Najenda and the others felt as if Lancer was in another world.
——————
After dinner, Lancer left with Bulat very decisively, leaving the confused crowd inside the house.
The two seemed to be wandering aimlessly, but they eventually arrived at the square in front of the Imperial Palace. At this time, there weren't many people in the square, but people unconsciously gravitated toward a tall statue. Lancer was naturally no exception; he stood in the distance, silently looking at the tall statue without a word.
The man on the statue, though young, gave an impression of unparalleled seriousness. He held his head high, gazing at the battlefield of the past.
Engraved beneath the statue were a few words: "Great General of the Nation Protector —————— Lancer."
Lancer looked at it and actually burst into laughter.
Great General of the Nation Protector?
He only wanted to change the future, and he never expected to have a day when people would look up to him.
"Bulat, take me to Captain Liver."
Since arriving at this square, Bulat had remained silent, as this place was too special. But now, hearing Lancer words, he felt a little strange.
"General, aren't you going over to take a look?"
"What is there to see? It's just a statue."
After speaking, he took the lead and turned to leave, but ————————
"Cough cough~ General, General Liver's residence is in the opposite direction..."
Lancer, who had intended to be cool, turned around with a straight face upon hearing Bulat words.
"Let's go."
Looking at the expressionless Lancer, Bulat suddenly felt that perhaps the other party hadn't changed much in these four years?