Disclaimer: Neither High School DXD nor Elder Scrolls belongs to me, all rights to their respective owners.

Chapter 75

— "Every battle you fight will leave an indelible mark on your memory, son. Years may pass, but you'll always remember the horrors and consequences of war." —

This reflection is what Eitar tells Roland, hoping to dissuade his son from joining the Imperial Legion during the First Great War in 4E 174.

The sun was setting, painting the sky with a beautiful hue that enveloped the city of Kuoh and its surroundings. From the position of the sun, it was evident that it would soon disappear completely, giving way to the night. Thanks to the pleasant weather, many people were out of their homes, strolling alone, with partners, or as families. Seated on one of the benches in the same park where Raynare had once killed Issei, Edzard sat lost in thought.

The son of Akatosh was reflecting on the conversation he'd had with his wife the day before.

Flashback

"Ed, we need to talk about Rossweisse and Ingvild."

As his wife mentioned those names, Edzard felt a chill run down his spine. He sensed that this conversation might not be to his liking. Nevertheless, he nodded, indicating his willingness to discuss it.

"What's going on with them?" Edzard asked, feigning curiosity, although he already intuited the direction this conversation would take.

Asia's blank stare in response to Edzard's question lasted a few seconds before she let out a long sigh.

"Do you really want to play dumb, Ed?"

Hearing his wife's question, he could only manage an uncomfortable smile. Rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly with one hand, he hesitated before finally responding verbally. "No, I don't want to."

Asia smiled faintly at his answer. Placing a hand over her heart, she took a deep breath to steady herself.

"Ed, tell me… Are you aware that both love you?" Asia asked, clasping her hands together and squeezing them gently.

Edzard tensed momentarily at her directness. He hadn't expected his wife to be so straightforward. Still, knowing that conversations like these needed to come from the heart, he spoke truthfully.

"The truth is, yes… I've known for a little while now…" Edzard admitted, blushing slightly. It wasn't easy to share such feelings with his wife when they were alone. "Why are you asking this? Wait… don't tell me…"

"No, they haven't." Asia quickly reassured him, realizing what he was about to ask. "Neither of them has asked me if they can join our family."

This revelation surprised Edzard, leaving him unsure how to react. Yet, he began to piece together the reason behind it all. Still, he preferred that she confirm it.

"Asia, my dear… You're not planning to…?" Edzard's eyes filled with sadness as he looked at his wife. He was starting to understand her motivations.

"Yes… I plan to give them a free pass." Asia finally admitted, her gaze drifting upward as she finished speaking.

Her response confirmed Edzard's suspicions. Gently, he cupped her face, making her look at him. When their eyes met, he saw the internal struggle she was facing.

"Asia…" Edzard began, searching for words to comfort her. "You shouldn't do this… You set the rules yourself… Don't abandon them just because…"

Asia's eyes widened as she realized that her husband understood why she was doing this. Slowly, tears welled up, streaming down her cheeks.

"I-I know…" Asia said between sobs, feeling pathetic. "I know this shouldn't affect me so much, but… but when I close my eyes, I can still see what I did. I know they've forgiven me, but I can't move forward, not until I've made it right. I know what I'm doing is horrible, and by doing it, I'm hurting the rest of the girls, even though when I mentioned it to them, they said they didn't mind. Still, I understand that this is like spitting in their faces after the effort they made to join this family, but… I… I don't know what else to do…"

After uttering those words, Asia threw herself into her husband's arms, sobbing into his shoulder. Seeing her in this state, Edzard embraced her and began to console her. It took more than fifteen minutes to calm her down, and when she was a bit more composed, the first thing he did was look into her eyes.

"It's okay… calm down. If they've accepted, then there's no problem." Edzard whispered, putting on a smile to encourage his wife. Although he felt his support was insignificant, for some reason, she began to calm down until she stopped crying.

When Asia finally stopped crying, Edzard asked her to tell him everything she had discussed with the girls regarding Ingvild and Rossweisse. He listened attentively to how the entire conversation had unfolded among her and the other girls. He was surprised when they all accepted the idea, but he shuddered when he heard the reason behind their agreement.

'Like spitting in their faces, my ass… They're okay with putting me in a stressful situation they know… Oh, right… they don't know…' Edzard thought, realizing that they weren't aware of what went through his mind from time to time. It made him realize he needed to be more open with them about it.

"So, Ed… do you accept?" Asia asked, looking into her husband's eyes.

When he heard his wife's question, he looked at her. Seeing her eyes red from her previous tears, he was tempted to say no. But realizing she expected him to take that step… After thinking for a few seconds, he accepted.

End of Flashback

Edzard let out a long sigh as he finished recalling the conversation he'd had with his wife. It had been revealing yet alarming, at least for him. An ironic smile appeared on his face as he realized something. He hadn't been the one to initiate his various romantic relationships.

"Heh, heh, heh…" Edzard began to laugh, but it was a hollow, humorless laugh, directed at himself… a reminder of how cowardly he was in certain aspects. "I can throw myself into fighting a god without fear, but I can't express my feelings to a woman… I wonder if I'm pathetic or just a coward…"

After those words, Edzard sighed again and looked up at the sky. His mind began to revisit the reason he was there. It was simple: he wanted to find a place to think, to figure out how to express his feelings to both Rossweisse and Ingvild. A smile appeared as he thought about them. Both were beautiful, but that wasn't the only thing, because for him, they, like each of his lovers, were unique in their own way... And as he pondered, he realized that each of them seemed to reflect a certain part of himself…

As he reflected, his mind increasingly focused on the faces of all his lovers, but now it began to include the faces of Ingvild and Rossweisse. The smile on his face grew wider with each passing second… at least, until he heard something…

«Are you seeking happiness after what you've done to us? »

«Do you think you can escape from your actions so easily? »

«How can you pursue happiness when you've left so many orphans and widows in your wake? »

«Can you truly be happy knowing what you've done to us? »

«Do you honestly believe you deserve happiness after everything you've wrought? »

Edzard's eyes snapped open when those voices, the ones that always haunted him, began to resonate in his mind. Slowly and steadily, his heart rate increased, echoing in the ears of the young dragon. His breathing became erratic, causing him to gasp for air. His body produced more sweat than usual, soaking his clothes completely. Gradually, the sound of the voices multiplied, shifting from a few individuals to what felt like thousands speaking in unison.

Edzard clenched his teeth as those voices persisted, pulling his mind away from thoughts of his family and back into the battles he had fought. Gradually, the sounds of birds, people conversing, and children laughing in the park were replaced by screams of agony and pain, the clash of swords, magical spells exploding, and the whistling of arrows through the air. Even the smells changed, Edzard ceased to perceive the normal Earth city aromas and instead caught the nauseating scent of a battlefield. It was a mixture of iron-tinged blood, the excrement released by the dying, and decomposing flesh…

Before that thought consumed him, he quickly bit his lip, drawing blood. The pain was intense enough to drown out the voices.

"Haaaahhhh…" Edzard's first sigh after that ordeal escaped him. However, before his mind could fully calm down, he suffered another assault, this time with different words and voices.

«Our children cry in the night, searching for the parents taken by this war. »

«The laughter that once filled our streets has been replaced by the silence your Imperial Legion left behind.»

«You look at our faces, what do you see? Can you perceive the pain your Imperial Legion has inflicted upon us?»

«Our families are shattered, our lives torn apart. Can you feel the suffering caused by that damned rebellion?»

«Our hearts are filled with memories of those we lost due to the war your Imperial Legion brought.»

«Every day is a struggle, a battle to move forward after the civil war your people caused. Can you sense our desperation?»

These new voices belonged to children, the elderly, and women. Each one carried pain and sadness, but also anger and hatred. Slowly, Edzard's mind conjured images of the shattered families he had witnessed at the war's end. Yet, before this could affect him further, he swiftly summoned a bound dagger and, in a single motion, drove it into his right leg.

"Gkr…" Edzard grunted in pain as he self-inflicted the wound. It wasn't something he enjoyed doing, but it served its purpose: as the pain surged through his body, the voices began to fade, leaving the young dragon alone… at least for now.

When the voices faded away, Edzard slumped onto the bench and covered his face with both hands. With his face hidden, he recalled why he rarely expressed his emotions well, or rather, why he hesitated to take the first step in his romantic relationships. Every time he even attempted it, those voices would emerge, reminding him of everything he had done. He was a warrior, and while he had made peace with his actions during the civil war in Skyrim and the Second Great War, it didn't mean that guilt didn't gnaw at him. Periodically, those voices, the victims of his sword in the past, returned to torment him and remind him of his deeds.

"Damn it…" Edzard muttered with difficulty, still not fully recovered from the recent lack of air. Moving a hand, he ran it through his hair, attempting to calm his restless mind and think more clearly. Slowly, his heart returned to a normal rhythm, prompting Edzard to release a sigh. Afterward, he began to reflect on himself and how this was affecting him more and more, causing recurrent nightmares, even more than when Hermaeus Mora tormented him during his time in Nirm and possession of the Black Books.

"I need to do something… No, I can't continue like this…" Edzard told himself as he started to sit up properly. Once seated, he remembered the conversation he'd had with his father-in-law a few days ago. It dawned on him that his words had been true. He had kept this burden for far too long… Yes, his lovers knew he often had nightmares related to the war, but he had never revealed the intensity of those nightmares. "That's going to change soon… but first, I must talk to Rossweisse and Ingvild. I can't leave this hanging any longer… I love them, just as I love Asia, Aika, Mittelt, Valerie, and Lint…"

With those thoughts, Edzard made up his mind: he would speak to Rossweisse first, then Ingvild. Shaking his head, he attempted to stand, but the pain from the self-inflicted wound made him sit back down. This reminded him of his injury, so he discreetly began to heal himself. Once his leg was mended, he stood up. However, before he could start walking, the phone he had purchased to blend in among humans and communicate with others rang. Raising an eyebrow out of curiosity, he checked the caller ID and was somewhat surprised. Feeling that this was important, he answered the call.

"Hello, Azazel? What's going on?"

The lights of Kuoh City were already on, allowing residents to walk about in peace. The city bustled with activity, people leaving work for their homes, while others headed to bars to spend time with friends.

In one of the city's many streets stood a mid-tier bar. Inside, beyond the typical common area, were private sections. One of these rooms resembled a traditional Japanese tatami room, with straw mats on the floor and several windows overlooking the street.

At a long table sat some of the Kuoh Academy teachers, ranging from young to older faculty members. Among them, two figures stood out: Azazel and Rossweisse. Both "professors" had arrived for an emergency meeting, scheduled unexpectedly. The meeting's importance was such that Rossweisse, still on medical leave, had to attend. After the meeting, which primarily discussed upcoming events until the end of the school year, some teachers suggested going for drinks, which brought them here.

Azazel amused himself watching his "colleagues" enjoy themselves, drinking alcohol and sampling various snacks at the large central wooden table.

"So, Azazel-san, any plans for next month?" asked a teacher seated next to the Grigori leader.

Upon hearing the question, Azazel smiled and, raising his whiskey glass, replied, "Same old routine, supervising the students and keeping them in check to prevent any disasters at the academy."

Azazel's response painted him as a caring teacher concerned about his students, projecting the image of a responsible educator. However, the Fallen leader's mind had other ideas.

'Supervising their growth while we begin to turn this city into the primary supernatural hub, at least on this side of the Pacific.' Azazel thought as he took a sip of his drink. A slight grimace crossed his face as the cheap liquor went down his throat. 'Ahhh… I really prefer my own private liquor collection… These drinks are expensive for what they truly are, cheap whiskey diluted with water and spiced slightly to give it an 'exotic' touch."

Pushing those thoughts aside, Azazel lowered his glass and began to recall recent events.

Flashback

"Are you sure about this?!" Azazel shouted at his friend, Baraqiel.

"Yes, Azazel." Baraqiel responded, his expression unusually serious. "We were attacked by a fire-breathing dragon's breath, obviously belonging to a dragon of at least King Dragon rank."

His friend's answer caused Azazel to slump into his comfortable chair. They were in Azazel's safehouse in Kuoh City. The Cadre had appeared out of nowhere after transporting all the hybrids to the Grigori facilities, an action ordered by Azazel himself. He didn't want to miss the opportunity to examine these artificial hybrids and understand what set them apart from normal humans and supernatural beings in their world.

"Damn it." Azazel grumbled, bringing a hand to his temple. "This shouldn't be possible. No King Dragon would attack people opposing the Khaos Brigade so recklessly. As far as we know, all King Dragons are beyond the control of that terrorist group… That leaves only… the evil dragons."

"Evil dragons?!" Baraqiel exclaimed, genuine concern etched on his face. "That's impossible! No one is supposed to know the whereabouts of that dragon!"

"It's true, but think about it, Baraqiel. A dragon with that minimal power should be on par with a King Dragon, but Crom Cruach is stronger than Tiamat, the mightiest of the Dragon Kings."

"Then…"

"Yes, the brat is fighting the most powerful evil dragon." Azazel said with some concern. He knew that despite having defeated Loki, Edzard had yet to face a dragon of Crom Cruach's power level.

"Do you think he'll be okay?"

Hearing his friend's question, Azazel smiled, reassuring both Baraqiel and him. "Yes, the brat is hard to kill."

End of Flashback

'In the end, I was right, the bastard who attacked that Nilrem base was Crom Cruach… that son of a bitch. How does he possess such unnatural resistance to dragon-slaying weapons?' Azazel thought, subtly gripping the glass containing his drink.

Crash!

The unmistakable sound of shattering glass filled the air, drawing everyone's attention.

"Azazel-san!" shouted the teacher who had been talking with the Fallen leader.

Hearing his name, Azazel glanced at his hand and realized he had crushed his glass, spilling whiskey all over his pants. Recognizing this, the Grigori leader sighed, he had ruined a perfectly good pair of trousers.

"Are you okay, Azazel-san?" asked another teacher, approaching the Grigori leader.

"Yes, I just spilled some liquor on my clothes." Azazel replied, averting his gaze and observing the younger teachers nearby.

'It seems she's fine… at least as long as she doesn't drink any more alcohol.'

Among the young teachers, Rossweisse sat with some of her colleagues. The young Valkyrie remained completely sober, having managed to avoid even a single drop of alcohol. How did she achieve this? Well, she employed several tactics, like pouring herself a glass of beer and then discreetly emptying it when no one was looking. She also used magic to eliminate the beer, all to avoid making a mess.

'As long as I don't drink alcohol, everything will be fine… No one should see me in that state; it's not good for me, as a teacher, to appear incapable of controlling my emotions.' Rossweisse thought as she looked at the glass of water in her hand. She was currently drinking water because, according to her words, the heat in the room was affecting her.

'Ahhhhh… it's hot in here…' Rossweisse fanned herself with her hand, trying to alleviate the heat. The warm atmosphere had led her to remove her blazer, leaving her in just her blouse.

The young Valkyrie hadn't engaged in much conversation with her colleagues for one reason: the male gazes. They, after having drunk for a long time, gave her perverted looks. Rossweisse felt as if they were undressing her with their eyes, and if it weren't for the fact that they were her colleagues and surrounded by other teachers, she would have given them a stern lecture about their behavior.

Setting those thoughts aside, Rossweisse took a sip of her cold water, which slid down her throat, refreshing her a bit and allowing her to release a contented sigh. However, she was forced out of her reverie when she heard a voice that made her look toward its source.

"Rossweisse-san." said the voice of one of her colleagues, a young woman in her twenties with long brown hair and green eyes. Her name was Hina, and she taught the English course at the academy.

"Ah… Hello, Hina-san." Rossweisse responded with a smile upon seeing her coworker. "Is something the matter?"

"The truth is, yes." Hina said, her tone conveying concern. "It seems you're not enjoying yourself. Is there something you dislike about the meeting?"

Hina's question caught Rossweisse off guard a bit. She knew it was impolite to criticize a social outing with her seniors in this country. Blinking rapidly, she tried to think of a good excuse. Unfortunately, she couldn't find one, but another colleague came to her rescue.

"Hina-san, I think Rossweisse-san is lost in thought." said Ryouko, another coworker. Ryouko was a twenty-six-year-old with short red hair and a voluptuous figure. Her green eyes held a mischievous glint.

Ryouko's comment caused Rossweisse to blush slightly; she hadn't expected them to see so easily what was going through her mind.

"I see… Is that why you've been avoiding drinking?" Hina asked, resting her chin on her hand.

"No, no, it's not that." Rossweisse quickly replied, shaking her head.

"So, what is it? I don't think it has to do with the planned activities until the end of the school year, does it?" Ryouko asked suspiciously, observing Rossweisse more closely. As she watched, Ryouko noticed something peculiar: the young woman moved her hands in a way she had seen some of her students do when they were… Realizing what it was, Ryouko smiled in a somewhat sinister manner. "I think I know what's going on."

Ryouko's words made both Rossweisse and Hina look at her. The first was concerned and amazed that she had been found out; the second was curious.

"Really? What is it, then?" Hina asked, anticipation in her voice.

"Heart troubles… isn't that right, Rossweisse-san~?" Ryouko asked with a hint of mischief, leaning her face closer to Rossweisse's.

Rossweisse's face blushed the moment she heard Ryouko say that still, she didn't want to say anything, but unfortunately, her expression gave away that her colleague was right.

"Well, it seems I hit the mark~." Ryouko said, smiling playfully, observing Rossweisse as if she were a fish out of water.

Ryouko's words made Hina look at her coworker, completely astonished. The reason for her surprise was simple: Rossweisse's reputation. The young teacher was known for being exceptionally responsible, almost fanatically so. However, there had been no news of her dating anyone. In fact, there was a rumor circulating among some students who had visited Kyoto, claiming that the teacher had gotten drunk and confessed to never having had a boyfriend.

This rumor caused great confusion among the young teachers because they couldn't fathom how anyone wouldn't fall for the young teacher. Although she was stricter than expected, she was also responsible and hardworking, qualities that should attract someone. However, it seemed that if the rumor was true, that was about to change. So, sitting next to Rossweisse, both Hina and Ryouko leaned in to interrogate her.

"So… who's the lucky guy?" Ryouko asked with a smile.

"Yes, is it someone we know? Someone from the academy?" Hina inquired, taking a small sip from her beer glass.

The questions from her two colleagues made Rossweisse feel uncomfortable, not only because it was personal, but also because she wasn't close enough to them to share something so intimate. However, a small part of her wanted advice from others. Knowing she couldn't discuss this with anyone else in her circle, since they all knew Edzard, she decided to open a little.

"It's someone I met in Iceland." Rossweisse replied, staring intently at her glass of water, recalling how she had met Edzard that night.

"So, he's a foreigner… if I recall correctly, you're from there too, right?"

"Yes, I'm from there too." Rossweisse quickly responded, remembering her cover as a teacher.

"Ummm… and what's his name?" Hina asked, curious about who the young man might be.

"His name is E-Edzard Rolandson."

Rossweisse's answer was accompanied by a slight stutter and a noticeable blush, which didn't go unnoticed by her colleagues. Realizing this, they began to suspect that it wasn't just a simple crush. So, they exchanged glances and, wanting to know more, decided to ask Rossweisse further questions. Some were about her past since they didn't know much about her.

Although Rossweisse was initially uncomfortable sharing very personal things, she slowly began to open. With each word that left her mouth, her colleagues realized that the rumor about her lack of boyfriends was true. While surprising, the reason behind it seemed both silly and incredible: silly because they learned she had forsaken all social interaction to study and prove her worth, but incredible because they discovered she had skipped several grades and graduated from university at a very young age.

"Incredible… you truly are remarkable, Rossweisse-san." Hina commented, looking at the young Valkyrie with astonishment.

"Yes, you skipped several grades. You must have been very smart and disciplined." Ryouko added, her eyes shining with respect and a touch of admiration.

Upon hearing her colleagues' compliments, Rossweisse blushed with embarrassment. She didn't consider those achievements worthy of praise because despite her academic excellence, socially she was awkward, and… she harbored her greatest failure: being unable to use her clan's magic. This had led her to make certain decisions in her youth.

Rossweisse's expression turned somber, which Hina and Ryouko noticed. Both realized that Rossweisse felt somber due to what she had sacrificed to achieve her goals. This empathy prompted them to place their hands on the Valkyrie's shoulders.

"Take it easy, Rossweisse-san." Hina said kindly. "Don't worry about the boyfriend issue… I'm sure Edzard-san will fall head over heels for you, won't he, Ryouko-san?"

"Of course! Not only are you smart, but you're also beautiful and have an enviable figure." Ryouko replied with a flirtatious smile, playfully winking at her. "I'm sure that when the time comes, you two will break the bed."

Those words intensified Rossweisse's blush. The flush was so intense that smoke might as well have been coming out of her ears. In her mind, increasingly vivid images of doing naughty things with Edzard began to surface. Even though she didn't show it, deep down, she desired to be intimate with her future boyfriend. In this case, the image of that future boyfriend was Edzard, who in her thoughts did all the things she used to do with her lovers.

Rossweisse's heart began to race, and to calm herself, she looked for something to drink. However, in her haste, she grabbed the wrong glass, one that didn't contain water but vodka.

Her eyes widened as the taste of that liquid descended her throat, it burned like hell, causing her to cough forcefully.

COUGH! COUGH! COUGH! COUGH! COUGH! COUGH! COUGH! COUGH! COUGH! COUGH!

Rossweisse's coughing caught everyone's attention, especially her two colleagues sitting beside her.

"Rossweisse-san!" Hina exclaimed with concern, attempting to offer her a glass of water. With a quick motion, the English teacher handed the glass to the Valkyrie, who downed it in one gulp. However, her coughing persisted.

Rossweisse began to feel light-headed, very light-headed, and an unnatural warmth spread throughout her body. She realized she was drunk, but before she could say or do anything, she felt a sharp pain in her stomach. The pain escalated into nausea, threatening to make her vomit right there.

"Rossweisse-san, are you okay?" Ryouko asked, noticing her paleness, which greatly worried her.

"N-no… I need to go to the bathroom." Rossweisse said with difficulty, abruptly standing up and hurrying as fast as she could toward the restroom.

Azazel walked down the bar's hallway, drying his hands. He had gone to wash them to rid himself of the sticky feeling from the cheap whiskey and to clean his pants a bit.

"Ahhhh… I really hate cheap liquor." he sighed as he finished drying his hands.

Looking up, the leader of the Grigori was astonished to see Rossweisse hurrying toward him. A hint of curiosity took hold of him as he watched her run, but before he could say anything, he had to step aside as she passed by.

'That was odd…' Azazel thought, until he realized something. As Rossweisse went past him, he noticed that her face was red, not from embarrassment, but a shade he had seen on her when they were in Kyoto some time ago. Realizing she was drunk, Azazel sighed; he knew it wouldn't be good for her to be in that state in front of the other teachers.

So, reaching for his phone, he prepared to call, but before he dialed, he glanced in the direction Rossweisse had run and realized she hadn't headed for the restroom; instead, she had taken the route toward the exit.

"Ahhhh… seems like she took the wrong path… Well, I hope he finds her way." Azazel said as he dialed a number, waiting for a response. When it finally came, he spoke with a smile.

"Brat, where are you?"

The light from the streetlamps didn't fully illuminate the alley next to the bar where Rossweisse had been earlier. The young Valkyrie leaned against one of the walls, staring at the ground. Her mouth held the characteristic bitter taste of bile, while at her feet lay a puddle formed by the remnants of her last meal, mixed with bile and gastric juices.

Her breathing was erratic, vomiting so much had taken its toll. Nevertheless, she felt slightly better than before, although she was still not free from the effects of alcohol. Her head felt light, and her limbs didn't respond as she expected.

"Wow… Guys, look what we've found." said a male voice behind her.

"Phew… check out that ass, buddy." said another male voice, whistling.

The voices made Rossweisse turn her head, observing the owners of those voices: two Japanese young men in their twenties, dressed like typical juvenile delinquents. Although only two spokes, there was a group of fifteen people.

Despite hearing their lascivious comments about her, Rossweisse didn't respond. Not because she didn't want to, as she was perfectly capable of giving them a beating, but because the alcohol's discomfort in her system was stronger.

"Well, it seems you're in a mess… How about we make things even messier, but in a more entertaining way?" asked the one who seemed to be the gang leader.

"Yeah, yeah… come on, babe, this will be fun." said another gang member, licking his lips as he imagined certain scenes with Rossweisse.

"I-I'm sorry, but I'm n-not interested…" replied the Valkyrie, bringing a hand to her mouth to prevent herself from vomiting again.

Rossweisse's response did not please the gang members, who clicked their tongues in annoyance at it.

"Please don't be like that, onee-san~… Let's have fun." said the gang leader approaching Rossweisse.

The young Valkyrie watched the gang member approach and was tempted to cast a spell in his face, but she didn't do it no matter how much she wanted to. Not only was it wrong, but it could also endanger the secret of supernatural beings.

The gang member reached Rossweisse and grabbed her wrist, slowly beginning to pull her. The moment Rossweisse felt her being touched, she unconsciously moved her other hand, trying to punch the gang member in the face, but due to the alcohol, she missed the blow.

"Fucking bitch!" the gang member shouted as he saw how Rossweisse nearly hit him. His face became distorted with anger. Raising his hand, he almost slapped Rossweisse to "show she, her place." However, before he could move his hand, he heard a scream that chilled him.

Turning his head, the gang member watched as one of his subordinates fell forward, completely unconscious, his eyes unfocused before falling face-first to the ground. The cause of this manifested itself behind the fallen gang member's back. He was a young man of about seventeen or eighteen years old, although his eyes looked like those of an older person. He was wearing a white shirt, black pants and dress shoes.

"Who the hell are you, bastard!?" the gang leader shouted when he saw the young man arrive.

"Ed?" Rossweisse whispered as she saw her love interest there.

The Valkyrie's voice was low but audible to the gang member. Realizing that those two seemed to know each other, a grotesque smile appeared on his face.

"Wow, so you know each other… Perfect! Listen, idiot! Stay still unless you want unpleasant things to happen to this onee-san!" the gang member shouted, moving his body in such a way that he was behind Rossweisse's back, twisting her arm a little. Although it did not cause pain to the Valkyrie, since the gang member did not have the strength for it.

Hearing their leader's threat, the rest of their gang surrounded the newcomer.

"You got lucky with our friend, you little punk." one of the gang members growled as he cracked his knuckles.

"Yes, idiot… you'll end up beaten to a pulp for meddling where you haven't been called." said another gang member, assuming a basic karate combat stance.

The rest of the gang members agreed and began insulting the newcomer. However, to their surprise, he paid them no attention; instead, he was looking at Rossweisse.

"Hey, idiot, pay attention!" shouted one of the gang members, raising his fist to strike him in the back of the head.

Seeing Edzard about to take a blow, Rossweisse moved and cried, "Edzard!"

The Valkyrie's cry reached Edzard's ears, and he merely smiled coldly. Before everyone's eyes, Edzard evaded the punch by stepping forward and swiftly turning to the left, maneuvering behind the troublemaker. The gang couldn't even scream before receiving a powerful kick to the back of the neck, rendering him unconscious with a single move.

Edzard's action astonished and terrified the other gang members, causing them to step back in fear.

"I'll say it once… Release my girlfriend, or I'll give you the beating of your miserable existence." Edzard declared in a voice so icy that it sent shivers down the spines of all the gang members.

However, those words had a different effect on Rossweisse. She didn't shiver; instead, her heart began to beat faster. Blood rushed through her veins, flushing her face.

"You damn bastard! Kill him!" shouted the gang member who had Rossweisse in his grip.

Upon hearing that, Rossweisse remembered that they had "trapped" her. So, blinking, she decided to get out of that situation. Moving her right leg, she launched a heel strike straight at the gang member's jewelry.

Crunch!

The disgusting sound of something being crushed was present when Rossweisse's heel impacted the gang member's balls, crushing his testicles.

"AAHHHH!" the gang member shouted before letting go of Rossweisse and falling to his knees, putting his hands to his bleeding crotch.

It turns out that due to her drunken state, Rossweisse had not controlled her strength, which caused her to end up opening the gang member's scrotum. This stained his pants with blood as he sobbed in pain. The pain was so great that he ended up losing consciousness.

The rest of the gang members were shocked to see how they had injured their leader, becoming easy prey for Edzard. The young man moved at high speed, delivering accurate and strong blows to each of the gang members, leaving them out of combat in a matter of fifteen seconds.

When all the gang members were unconscious, Edzard began walking towards Rossweisse. When he was in front of her, he moved his arms to catch her, as the young Valkyrie wanted to walk towards her friend, but due to the alcohol, she ended up stumbling.

"Are you okay, Rose?" Edzard asked with concern as he held Rossweisse in his arms.

The young Valkyrie did not respond immediately; she just buried her face in Edzard's chest. A few seconds later, she shook her head.

Seeing her in this state, Akatosh's son felt that she felt bad about what had just happened. Without a second thought, he moved his right arm and, in one swift motion, lifted her up behind her knees.

"KYAAAA!" was the little scream that Rossweisse let out when she felt how Edzard was carrying her like a princess.

"Are you more comfortable now?" Edzard asked with a smile as he saw Rossweisse's face blush even more.

The Valkyrie only nodded, because it was true. She felt more comfortable than she had before, so comfortable that she was tempted to sleep a little so that she would get over the drunkenness.

After this, Edzard began to walk, leaving that alley. While he was walking, Akatosh's son was not careful at all, ending up stepping on a gang member, who, to his surprise, let out a kind of moan.

Hearing that moan, Edzard felt very bad and, stopping, he looked at the gang member with a mixture of disgust and surprise. Shaking his head, he decided not to pay them any more attention and left there.

When they finally exited the alley, a gentle breeze blew. The cold air caused Rossweisse's body to shiver slightly since, without her jacket, she felt a bit chilly.

"Do you feel cold?" Edzard asked, concerned for the Valkyrie's well-being. He was aware that temperature changes could affect those who had been drinking. This was something he himself had experienced whenever he left the taverns in Skyrim; on more than one occasion, he'd ended up feeling more intoxicated from the cold than from all the alcohol he'd consumed.

"A little…" Rossweisse replied in a soft voice, still hiding her face from Edzard. She didn't want him to see how flushed she was.

"Hmm… I understand. In that case, let's return to the palace to get you to-"

"No!" Rossweisse exclaimed, clinging tighter to Edzard.

Her reaction surprised Edzard greatly; he had no idea what was going on. To understand why his friend was acting this way, he asked her what was happening.

"I… I don't want to go back yet." Rossweisse replied, lifting her face and looking into Edzard's eyes. "Do you think we could go somewhere else to talk?"

Rossweisse's request caught Edzard off guard, leaving him momentarily speechless. However, after overcoming his surprise, he looked at the Valkyrie and nodded. He did so because he knew there were things they needed to discuss.

Having accepted his friend's request, Edzard began walking, carrying her toward a specific location.

The moon was already high in the sky when Edzard arrived at the place where he wanted to take Rossweisse. The walk from the bar had been silent, something Edzard appreciated because his mind was consumed by many thoughts.

For now, the main thought was that he would visit Azazel to bring him some Stros M'kai rum. The reason was simple: the call he had received earlier from the leader of the Grigori informed him that Rossweisse was drunk and had left the bar where all the teachers were gathered. This meant that something bad could happen to her if she encountered the wrong people.

This news made Edzard worry that Rossweisse was in danger. Without hesitation, he ran out of the park and headed toward the bar. However, there was one problem: he didn't know which bar they were in. With each passing moment, he grew more anxious about not reaching Rossweisse in time. It reminded him of how he couldn't arrive in time to protect Kodlak from the Silver Hand's attack, an experience that haunted him. Unlike with Kodlak, he knew that this time something might truly happen if he didn't reach Rossweisse in time.

Fortunately, he remembered that she always carried the coin he had given to all the members of his group. Using his keen sense of smell, he quickly located her. Without wasting any time, he traveled there, even employing what humans called parkour to move faster. When he finally arrived and realized Rossweisse was with other people, he didn't hesitate to attack the first of those idiots.

'Damn street thugs… If only I didn't hold back from killing civilians, they wouldn't still be in this world…' Edzard thought with anger, imagining what those bastards might have done. His rage was so intense that for a moment, he considered going back to finish the job. However, he stopped himself when he recalled something he had said in the heat of the moment. 'Ahhh! I'm an idiot! What possessed me to say that Rose is my girlfriend? Ahhhh! I'm such a fool…! I don't know how Rose will react, but I need to talk to her about this right now… Thankfully, she requested a conversation. We can't afford to be tense and unresolved.'

With those thoughts, Edzard finally arrived at the place where he wanted to take Rossweisse.

"We're here." Edzard said, catching Rossweisse's attention. She had closed her eyes to rest a bit and allow her body to process some of the alcohol.

Upon hearing Edzard's voice, the Valkyrie opened her eyes and surveyed the location. She wasn't very surprised; she recognized this park. It was where the current Sekiryuutei had been killed by his "first girlfriend". They weren't at the central fountain of the park but rather in one of the tree-lined areas.

Walking among those trees, Edzard found the perfect spot to talk with Rossweisse. Taking the final steps, he reached a tree and gently lowered her against the trunk. Then he sat down, leaning against the same tree, positioning himself less than a meter away from her.

Both young individuals fell into silence, gazing at the sky as they reflected on recent events. The silence was comfortable yet disquieting, it did little to calm the emotions and thoughts swirling within them. While outwardly they might have appeared composed, the reality was quite different. Rossweisse felt her heart threatening to burst from her chest, while Edzard pondered how to navigate this situation. Thankfully, the silence was broken by one of them.

"Hey, Ed." Rossweisse said softly but with enough volume for her friend to hear without relying on his sensitive hearing.

"Yes." Edzard responded, shifting his gaze from the sky to Rossweisse.

"Why did you say you were my boyfriend?" Rossweisse's question was accompanied by a pronounced blush on her face.

Upon hearing her question, Edzard looked at her, noticing the hope and anticipation in her eyes. He realized she expected him to say it was because he loved her. However, when he attempted to respond, his body froze. Slowly, the same inner voices returned, preventing him from uttering a word.

Rossweisse interpreted the resulting silence as a rejection. She lowered her head, allowing her hair to cover her eyes. Her eyes began to fill with tears as her mind began to think about some things...

"Heh, heh… I suspected as much. How could someone like you fall in love with a useless person like me? Someone who couldn't inherit her family's crest due to being incompatible with the ancestral magic of her clan… someone who couldn't excel in her role as a Valkyrie…"

These were the thoughts racing through the young Valkyrie's mind. Lost in her sadness and still affected by the lingering alcohol, she didn't realize she was speaking aloud.

While she continued criticizing herself, she didn't realize that Edzard had bitten his lip to calm those voices for at least a second. However, no matter how much he wanted to silence them, they were still there, whispering more faintly, but present.

Despite still hearing those voices, he also heard Rossweisse's self-criticism, and it weighed heavily on him. Yet, he couldn't speak. Every time he heard Rossweisse, he felt as if a sword was stabbed directly into his heart. However, witnessing her suffering, he decided to act. Yes, he might be unable to speak, but there were other ways to express affection, and one specific gesture could convey his feelings to Rossweisse.

Moving faster than he anticipated, Edzard took Rossweisse's arms abruptly. She lifted her head, looking at him with tear-filled eyes.

The moment Edzard saw Rossweisse's eyes full of tears, he felt even more conviction and, without wasting a single second, he captured the Valkyrie's lips in a deep kiss.

The Valkyrie's eyes widened as Edzard kissed her. Her mind seemed to short-circuit at that moment, so it took her a while to understand what was happening, but when she did, the first thing she tried was to separate herself from Edzard, because she was still hurt by the silence. However, when she tried, Edzard held her tighter, preventing her from breaking free of him.

Although she was still hurt, she began to enjoy the kiss, so closing her eyes, she decided that she would enjoy this, at least until it was over. So, she decided to reciprocate, letting herself go.

That kiss, Rossweisse's first, lasted a few more seconds, because the young Valkyrie could not bear to be without oxygen for much longer.

When they separated, Rossweisse was about to say something to Edzard, but he preempted her by pressing his forehead against hers.

"Listen to me, Rose." Edzard said firmly but kindly. The young dragon spoke in a way that kept his mind focused solely on what he wanted to convey, ignoring the voices that were beginning to scream again. But this time, he wouldn't let them win, no, this time those bastards wouldn't have control. "Never, never say that you're useless, that you can't do a job well… To me, you're someone strong, responsible, and independent, capable of achieving anything you set your mind to. And to answer the other question you asked… I hope that kiss was enough to tell you that I love you too… Yes, Rossweisse, I said I was your boyfriend because that's what I want to be from now on: your boyfriend, your lover… I want you to be mine, and I want to be yours. I want us to spend eternity together, until the world ends, together, you, me, and the rest of my family."

Tears welled up in the Valkyrie's eyes, now tears of happiness. Slowly, she began to smile, and then she shouted.

"Yes, yes I want to be your girlfriend!" Rossweisse shouted with absolute happiness. The young woman did not waste time, and, without hesitation, she threw herself into the arms of her now boyfriend. This movement caused them both to fall onto the soft grass of the park.

The two ended up in a compromising position, with Rossweisse on top of Edzard, while their legs were somewhat tangled. Still, this made them both smile as they looked into each other's eyes before kissing again.

The new kiss they shared was soft and tender, conveying all the happiness and love they felt being together. When they parted, they gazed at each other in comfortable silence. Unfortunately, this silence didn't last long, as Rossweisse realized something.

Realizing what was happening, the young Valkyrie raised her head quickly and somewhat abruptly, drawing Edzard's attention.

"Rose?" Edzard asked his lover, his voice heavy with concern. He didn't expect her to sit up so suddenly. "What's going on?"

"This… this isn't right, Ed." Rossweisse said, her worry evident. She was aware she had skipped an important step, and this thought tormented her, making her feel as if she were cheating. Without hesitation, she explained to Edzard, "I didn't ask Asia for permission to be with you. If she finds out you kissed me, we don't know how she'll react, especially now that she's so sensitive."

Rossweisse's voice held fear and sadness, but before she could say more, Edzard intertwined their hands. This action surprised her, but not as much as what she was about to hear.

"Heh, heh… calm down." Edzard said with a smile.

Hearing Edzard's laughter, Rossweisse was tempted to scold him for joking at such a serious moment. But before she could speak, the son of Akatosh interrupted her.

"Rose, you shouldn't worry about that."

"Why not?" Rossweisse asked, curiosity and confusion filling her.

"Haaahhh…" Edzard sighed deeply, unsure how Rossweisse would take what he was about to say. Nevertheless, he continued. "Rose, you see, Asia has given you and Ingvild a free pass to be with me."

Surprise registered on Rossweisse's face upon hearing this; she couldn't believe it. Initially confused, she soon felt happiness. It was as if Asia knew she was in love with Edzard. Slowly, she looked at her lover and asked, "Ed… did A-A-Asia know that I…?"

"That you were in love with me?" Edzard completed the question Rossweisse hesitated to finish.

She nodded, eager for the truth.

"Yes, she knew, and she wasn't the only one." Edzard said with an awkward smile. "The truth is, I knew too."

The revelation that Edzard was aware of her feelings left Rossweisse feeling dizzy and embarrassed. Her mind wondered how they had figured it out; she believed she had been discreet in hiding her emotions.

"You're wondering how I knew you loved me even though you didn't drop any hints, right?" Edzard asked, earning a clumsy nod from Rossweisse. Seeing this, he decided to explain. "Well, that's simple. You see, how could I not notice? Every time I picked you up from the academy or we went out, you dressed better than usual, abandoning your bargain-bin clothes. Plus, you always stuttered and blushed whenever I complimented you. If that's not behaving like a girl in love, then I don't know what is."

Edzard's straightforward response intensified Rossweisse's embarrassment. She felt her ears might start emitting smoke. To avoid this, she buried her face in her boyfriend's chest. While there, she recalled everything she had overheard, feeling a mix of happiness, euphoria, defeat, and unhappiness… as if this outcome wasn't what she expected.

These thoughts confused the young Valkyrie; she couldn't understand why she felt this way… until she finally arrived at the horrible conclusion that it was due to Asia's gift. She had mentally prepared herself for this, to take the step of talking to her friend and becoming part of their peculiar family, but that opportunity had been snatched away. It left her feeling disheartened and defeated, as if this were some kind of compensation.

'This, this isn't right… it's not supposed to be like this.' Rossweisse thought with concern. This realization led her to decide that she needed to confront Asia about it and ask for permission personally. She knew Edzard loved her and that she had the pass, but she decided to go anyway not to waste the courage she had gathered over days.

With her decision made, Rossweisse lifted her face and looked at her lover.

"Ed… I want to talk to Asia right now." Rossweisse said, her gaze fixed on him.

Her words, filled with conviction, surprised Edzard for a moment. He didn't understand why she wanted to speak with Asia at this particular moment.

"Why do you want to talk to Asia right now?" Edzard asked, curious.

"I want to tell her what I should have said before this happened." Rossweisse replied seriously.

The way his lover responded made Edzard feel that whatever Rossweisse was planning, it wasn't anything bad rather, it was something she needed to do. Sighing, the son of Akatosh nodded, eliciting a smile from Rossweisse.

"Alright, I'll call for Asia." Edzard said, conjuring the artifact he used to communicate with others. When he activated it, the first person to appear was Samira, one of his maids.

"Hello, Edzard-sama." Samira said with a smile and a bow. "Is there something you'd like me to convey to someone?"

"Yes, Samira. Please tell my wife to come to my study. Let her know I'll join her shortly." Edzard replied, receiving an affirmative nod from Samira.

After that brief exchange, the magical projection disappeared, leaving Edzard and Rossweisse alone.

"Alright, Asia will be waiting for us in my study. She'll probably first tuck in Marie or prepare her for dinner." Edzard said as he watched Rossweisse nod.

Upon hearing her boyfriend's response, Rossweisse stood up, but stumbled, ending up sitting astride Edzard. She slowly attempted to rise, but before she could do so, Edzard moved quickly and embraced her, causing her to startle slightly.

"Ed? What-?"

Everything Rossweisse was about to say was interrupted when Edzard kissed her on the lips. The young Valkyrie was slightly surprised, but after a moment, she began to respond to the kiss.

The couple continued kissing for a few more seconds until they finally separated. When they did, Rossweisse had a smile on her face.

"And why was that?" the young Valkyrie asked, her voice filled with happiness.

"Nothing, I just wanted to." Edzard replied with a smile, moving his arms to embrace Rossweisse around the waist, pulling her closer to him.

Their bodies were so close together that they could feel each other's heat, something that comforted them, but also began to make both of their blood run hotter. This worried them, as they felt lust beginning to surface in both of them, but before they could continue, a voice stopped them.

"Rossweisse-sensei? Ed?"

Upon hearing the female voice calling them, Edzard and Rossweisse looked in that direction and saw Ingvild, her eyes wide open in complete shock.

Author's Note:

To those who have made it this far, thank you for reading. To be honest, my English writing skills are not strong, and I'm relying on Google Translate and the dictionaries that come with Office 2019.

Well, Chapter 75 is finally ready! XD.

Getting straight to the most important point, I've included something I've always kept in mind for the Dovahkiin's character: their mental struggles. Since I conceived the idea for Edzard's character, as well as his family, including his father and grandfather, I've consistently considered the impact of war wounds. I've tried to depict their actions in large-scale battles not only from a strategic perspective but also considering the weight of guilt.

Regarding romance, as I mentioned before (I can't recall which chapter), I'll have several events and actions unfold in the background to allow me to advance certain plotlines more quickly. So, I hope that some of the romantic moments won't feel forced.

Also, because this fic is spiraling out of control, seriously, I have so many ideas swirling in my head about future arcs, I fear I could easily end up writing 100 more chapters with all that I want to add. Therefore, I'll let some events happen offstage, but I'll make specific references to them to maintain coherence as best as possible.

I apologize for any spelling errors. Please don't forget to leave a review if you enjoyed the chapter, or if there's something that needs improvement, or if you have any questions about the story. Any constructive advice is welcome. With nothing more to say, see you in the next chapter.