Sera smiled wryly, looking at Brunhild, who was sobbing in the corner of the cave due to the embarrassment.
"You sent her?" Selena asked while furrowing her eyebrows.
"Yeah." Sera nodded. "Well, I have to be responsible as her summoner. You're not going to be jealous, right?"
Selena shook her head. "If it's a familiar, it's not much of a problem. Although I won't say they're not a love rival, they won't be able to conceive a child. So, it won't be a problem if she joins as well.
"Of course, the number is a problem, but I don't restrict any familiars as much. In the end, it's fine for them to have a feeling. And…"
Selena paused for a moment.
"And…?" Sera tilted her head.
"Well, I have Risa. So, if I end up getting knocked up, Risa can do it in my stead," explained Selena.
"Knocked up…" Sera looked confused.
Selena smiled wryly and whispered right in her ear. "I'm talking about being pregnant."
"!!!" Sera froze, not expecting this topic. "Ehm…"
"Well, I'm just saying." Selena shrugged. "I don't really mind, but I guess I have to make sure the number doesn't exceed two per summoner. The problem is the number of summoners."
"The number of summoners? Now that I think about it, there are already five of us, right?"
"Five? Are you sure?" Selena shook her head helplessly.
"Eh? There are more?" Sera widened her eyes in shock.
Selena scratched the back of his head. "At least, I know two more."
"Two more? Don't tell me. One of them was the woman that helped us in that hot spring village?" Sera asked.
"Yeah. Although I'm still unaware of their identities yet, I'm sure that woman isn't the only person there. There is one more person. Nathan hasn't disclosed their information, but it's clear that he is interested in them. So, seven for now… or at least, what I'm aware of." Selena nodded, remembering when Nathan didn't deny her speculation a few months ago.
Sera smiled wryly. "He doesn't really hold back, huh?"
"Well, it can't be helped."
"Judging from that woman's appearance, it truly can't be helped. That's the first time I saw a woman that beautiful." She nodded in agreement.
Selena nodded. "It's not that concerning for now, but I will probably stop him when it's about to reach double digits."
"Isn't that too much? Double-digit… I mean, we can ignore the familiars to a certain extent, but for humans…"
"Yeah. That's what I'm saying." She shrugged.
"Anyway, just do our best for now. Having more people sure is fun and prevents the family from becoming quiet, but too much will cause internal problems. That's why I will follow his decision, but at the same time prevent him when it's too much." Selena shrugged. "We can respect his decision, but he should also respect our decision. At least Nathan should be aware of that."
Sera nodded. "Well, I'm going to take—"
"Is Brunhild here?" Nathan's voice suddenly echoed from the cave entrance.
"!!!" Selena and Sera turned around and hurriedly shut their mouths. Sera pointed to the corner of the cave.
Selena and Sera exchanged glances and started walking away. Sera patted Nathan's shoulder and winked playfully. "Treat her well, will you?"
"I know." Nathan nodded. After they left, Nathan slowly approached Brunhild. "I guess I teased you a little too much. Sorry."
Brunhild carefully lifted up her head, still feeling embarrassed. "I…"
Nathan smiled and bent his knees to match her eye level. He said, "I'm grateful. I've learned about your story. After being betrayed like that, I feel… happy that you are actually willing to move on from your past because of me."
Brunhild's lips were shaking. She looked down, muttering, "You… don't have to. I'm just a bad woman. If I were a bit more proactive instead of focusing solely on my martial arts… I…"
Brunhild couldn't finish her words.
Nathan smiled, assuring her it was alright. "I should be the one apologizing. Even though you have moved on from your past, I probably can't do what you want, especially for a woman as beautiful as you. I already have several women by my side."
Brunhild shook her head. "No. What I want is no such thing. I just… don't want to regret my decision anymore."
Brunhild had lost the person she served because she lacked power. She also lost the person she loved because of her pursuit of power.
It was probably her way of moving on, but she combined both of them together. And that solution was Nathan.
Nathan was her new lord, someone she could serve with her body and soul. Just like a woman in love, she would dedicate everything she had to Nathan. This way, she could pursue both power and relationships. It might not be the ideal she wanted, but it was probably something she wouldn't regret.
That was why Brunhild asked, "Please allow me to serve you as your servant. I promise I will become strong enough to be your spear.
"I will be more grateful if you have a small place somewhere in the corner of your heart.
"That's why…" Brunhild looked down again.
Nathan gently held her hand. "In that case, I promise you I will help you pursue your dream. If you wish for strength, I will become strong enough that I can help you surpass your past self.
"As long as you don't hate me, feel free to stay in my heart for as long as you like." Nathan smiled.
Brunhild's body shook. The last phrase might look like a playful promise, but it gave her the choice of whether she wanted to stay or not. After all, Nathan had promised that she always had a place in his heart.
It was the combination of Nathan's usual playfulness and his commitment.
"My lord…" Brunhild raised her head before correcting her words, feeling that there was one more word that made it more suitable for Nathan. "Master…"
Nathan's smile became bigger as his grip on her hand tightened, showing that he wouldn't let go of her.
Brunhild held his hand even tighter as both of their lips came closer.