“...Can you let me put this on hold for now?”

“………………”

No, I get it… Whether I accept or reject the proposal, I know that a man who can't give a clear answer here is the worst kind of man!

But I just can't decide something this important in an instant. At the very least, I need time to think!

“…As for me, if my usually mature daughter loves someone so much that she loses her composure, I believe I can allow the marriage. I have already seen Masayoshi-dono’s character, and if he is the hero who saved our country, then no one will have any objections… No, I won’t allow anyone to object. Please keep that in mind.”

It seems that the king, who is also Sara-san’s father, is willing to approve my marriage with her.

“I’m so happy! The fact that you’re not rejecting me outright means that I still have a chance, doesn’t it? Masayoshi-sama, I will wait for you forever!”

“………………”

She’s too cute!!

Sara-san’s smile is so cute that I almost blurted out an immediate “yes”!

Ahh~ damn it, why does this have to be another world! Getting a marriage proposal from such a beautiful and kind woman is something that might never happen again!

“I’m exhausted…”

“Hoo!”

“Fūsuke, you’re tired too, huh?”

“Hoo!”

After that, the Edwards Kingdom’s forces, along with the defeated Bardon Kingdom’s royal family and the officials who had come from another country to oversee the duel, all returned to the royal capital.

As for me, after regaining some of my magic power over time, I used teleportation magic to return to the Grand Mage’s house with Fūsuke. Since I had been away from home for quite a while, I needed to return to my original world at least once.

Whether Ande will follow my instructions is uncertain, but I left a message at the door connecting my house and the Grand Mage’s house, telling him not to enter until I come back. I can travel back and forth, but I don’t even know if people from this world can pass through that black vortex.

I stepped through the door and returned to my original world. It was already evening here. After confirming that my mother wasn’t home yet, I left my room. Honestly, I was too drained to cook dinner, so I just settled for instant ramen.

I had already left a message for my mother, so I decided to go straight to bed. This eventful summer break was almost over…

“Yaaawn… I’m so tired…”

“Hey, Masayoshi. Wake up.”

“Ugh… Mmm…”

“…Seriously, to think I lost to someone so defenseless.”

“Hoo! Hoo!”

“Hmm, Masayoshi’s summoned beast? You can relax. I have no intention of harming him at this point. Now, hurry up and wake up!”

“Oww!? …Wait, why the hell is Ande in my house!?”

“Obviously, I came through that door.”

“Wait, you ignored my message!?”

“No, I read it. But after testing it by putting my fingers through first, and finding no issues, I went ahead.”

“That’s insane!?”

I never expected him to just throw himself into that shady black vortex without fully understanding the situation or running any tests! I mean, yeah, I went through it too, but back then, I was feeling pretty reckless.

Oh crap! If we make too much noise, my mom will—… No, wait, it’s already past noon. She should have gone to work by now. Looks like I was more exhausted than I thought and ended up sleeping in.

“Still, to think that door actually connects to another world… My master was as reckless as ever.”

“No, you’re just as crazy! And isn’t this way too fast? It’s only been about half a day since the duel ended!”

The Ruinous Forest is home to incredibly powerful monsters. Sure, Ande could probably handle them easily, but that forest is ridiculously vast. There’s no way he could have found the Grand Mage’s house in just half a day.

“Yeah, I was fighting off monsters while searching for my master’s house. But then, suddenly, I sensed Masayoshi’s presence. So, I headed in that direction and searched the surrounding area.”

“………………”

Oh right, this guy has ridiculous abilities. He must have tracked the faint presence I left when I returned to the Grand Mage’s house and found it from there…

“…Looking at this room and the world outside, I can clearly see that this place is different from my world. Now, explain everything to me in detail.”

“………………”

Oh yeah, I did say I’d explain after the duel ended.

“Alright. But first, let’s return to my original world.”

“Fine.”

If Ande finds out that I inherited the Grand Mage’s power, there’s a chance he might go berserk. In the worst case, I’d rather he does that at the Grand Mage’s house. There’s no way I’m letting my room turn into a battlefield!

We passed through the black vortex and arrived in the other world. It looks like Ande can freely pass through the vortex and travel between the two worlds just like I can. First, we headed to the Grand Mage’s grave, which was located behind his house.

“So this is Master’s grave.”

“Yeah. When I arrived in this world, I found him sitting in that chair, already deceased. I was the one who buried him.”

“…I see. You have my gratitude.”

Ande stood in silence before the Grand Mage’s grave. I also pressed my hands together in prayer.

“…What is that gesture?”

“Ah, this is called ‘gasshō.’ In my world, it’s a way of mourning the dead. It’s a sign of respect and a prayer for their peaceful rest. Also, the way this grave is built is based on my world’s traditions.”

The Grand Mage’s grave was a Japanese-style tomb that I had crafted from stone. The tombstone had “Hardy=Urnus” inscribed on it.

“…I see.”

Ande followed my lead and pressed his hands together before the grave.