I was no stranger to the capital.

Having once been chased around the city by that old priest for more than three months, I'd gone to all the places I needed to go and been to all the places I needed to be; there wasn't a thing left for me to be curious about.

I was anxious to find Kacchan, but since I didn't want him to know I was so attached to him, I didn't dare to look for him in the open. It hadn't been long since he was recommended to be an official. As it was still the beginning, he must be having a hard time with little fame to speak of.

I took to the streets to ask around, but no one had any information to offer. There were times when I thought to go to the palace to find him, but the imperial family was surrounded by such resplendent royal air that it suffocated me, and so I could only give up the idea in the end.

After debating back and forth, I decided that during the day I would wait for luck to smile on me, and then at night, go to high-ranking officials' homes to search for Katsuki's whereabouts. I had thought at first that looking for Kacchan in person would yield better odds than trying to wait around for luck, but my luck ended up surprising me with its remarkable felicity.

That day, the capital was filled with sunshine. I was idly walking down the streets as I rhythmically tapped a bookmark onto my romance novel. Suddenly, I heard a commotion ahead where groups of people were beginning to amass. In a moment of curiosity, I stuffed the bookmark into my place, stowed the book in my pocket, and walked over to catch the show.

This show turned out to be a rather interesting one. It was very dramatic: a boy rejecting a girl's public confession story was unfolding before my very eyes.

In this case the boy was precisely my husband Katsuki, and the girl, if I wasn't wrong, should be the general's beloved daughter, Ochako Uraraka.

How did I know? Well, mainly because her accessories weren't too shabby. I'd been making and selling a lot of jewelry to pass the time these days, and hers fetched in the most money.

Ochako was sprawled dejectedly on the ground. Her ankle seemed to be injured. She was looking up at Kacchan with a pair of pleading eyes streaming in tears, but Katsuki's gaze just indifferently swept past her before he turned away.

Then, Ochako lurched forward to grab his clothes. Unfortunately, Katsuki avoided her as quick as a flash, leaving her to flop back down on the ground and causing her beautiful face to be smeared in dirt.

The crowd of onlookers gasped in surprise at Ochako who lay sprawling on the ground in embarrassment, stubbornly biting her lips with reddened eyes. She looked so pitiful that it made me feel sorry for her. Yet Katsuki remained emotionless. Without giving her one single glance out of the corner of his eyes, he walked away.

Hmm. I rubbed my chin, thinking. Kacchan had never given me such a rude attitude since the day I fostered him when he was nine. I hadn't thought he'd be such a cruel-hearted man away from home. But the young lady was very stubborn. After Katsuki left, the others tried to help her but she would not let them, instead choosing to stand up by herself.

Thinking that she who liked Katsuki must certainly be a good-hearted girl who knew right from wrong, I conjured a healing spell and treated her injured ankle. Paying little attention to the surprise on her face, I turned around and chased after my Kacchan.

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Katsuki was entering a small tavern. I stopped under a weeping willow next to the building, unable to take another step further, for the tavern had become different today. It was exuding the same intense royal air as did the imperial palace. I stared up to the second floor where a man dressed in blue was leaning against the window and drinking by himself.

The emperor.

The ruler of this particular country was a fairly wise man. Peace and prosperity reigned the land in this good era. Unfortunately, his general wielded so much power that the young emperor was having sleepless nights, and was now thinking of ways to strip the general of his military control.

It hadn't been long since Katsuki arrived in the capital yet he could already meet the emperor in person. It seemed he must've thought of an excellent way to help the monarch eliminate his major concern.

While I was appreciating how smart Kacchan was, a man dressed in familiar-looking robes suddenly emerged from the alley next to the tavern.

All Might. This was the most powerful priest in the world, and I instantly recognized him. In the past, the old priest who hunted me down had also enlisted this man to help him catch me. Apparently they had a mentor and disciple relationship.

I could already foresee another struggle seeing that I was running into him again. As I was lamenting how unfortunate life was, he shot me a look, then unexpectedly turned around and left. While I was left in puzzlement at his attitude, I suddenly heard a gruff voice speaking from the second floor of the tavern: "Deku!"

It was Katsuki who saw me from the window.

Having nowhere to hide, I smiled at him in answer. "I've come because I miss you every second of the day and the nights are far too long without you. Let's haste our wedding along, Kacchan."

As soon as I finished, the streets went dead silent for a long stretch of time. Katsuki's face blazed into his usual embarrassed shade of ruddiness at this long silence.

"Hahaha!" Behind him came the emperor's hearty laughter. "What a bold beauty. Katsuki, you have quite the luck! Why don't you go see to her?"

Katsuki bowed to the emperor and made a rush downstairs. I continued to beam at him. He walked over, looking as though he was doing everything he could to rein back his joy. Then he knitted his brow and asked, "Deku, what are you doing here? I had thought I'd have to wait another six months. Since you came all alone, did you have a hard journey? Did you encounter any trouble on the way? Are you hungry? Do you want to rest?"

I just looked at him with a smile. Kacchan gave me a good long look and said, "Looks like I was worried for nothing. Deku would never let herself suffer. How did you find me?"

"I saw you on the street just now." I explained cheerfully.

Katsuki's smiling face slightly stiffened. He hurried to explain: "Deku, that's—"

"I know, the girl who likes you."

He carefully observed my face. I continued indifferently, "Her looks aren't bad, but she's a bit plain, so she's not the one for you."

"But of course-" Katsuki laughed at my words. "Deku's the only one for me!"

I patted his shoulder, feeling pleased at his words. "I'm glad you know."

"I'll go say farewell to His Majesty, and then I'll take you back to rest."

"Alright."

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It turned out Katsuki did not live in the court, nor did he lodge at some minister's home. Instead, he bought a quiet cabin, the layout of which was very similar to the plum compound he and I had lived in.

After supper, I pulled Kacchan out for a walk in the small garden. I began carefully, "The capital is very different from the small town we used to live in. Was it hard living here on your own?"

"There's not much I had to get used to," He admitted, "But there were mornings when I got up and didn't see the bread you laid out for me, or the evenings when I came home and didn't see the candle light you left on for me. When I thought of you being all alone at home, I wasn't sure how you'd be able to take care of yourself, and it had made me feel a little homesick."

I giggled as my heart burst in joy. I held his hand and gazed at the stars over our heads, swinging our entwined arms leisurely as we walked. "Kacchan."

"Mm."

"Kacchan."

"Yes?"

"Katsuki."

"What is it?"

"I just want to say your name," I hummed. "Every time I call your name, I get to hear your answer. I suddenly feel that this sort of happiness isn't very easy to have."

Katsuki smiled lightly. I continued, "It must be hard to come to the capital and be an official?"

He was silent for a while before answering, "Being able to use my power to help people in need, being able to rely on my own hands to fulfill my ambition so that there'd be people who would become appreciative as a result of my actions. Even if court intrigues are rather troublesome, if these powers I achieve can be used for the people... Deku, do you understand this sort of satisfaction?"

I could not help but shiver as I looked up at him. In his eyes was unmistakably a gleam I had never seen before. At this moment, I seemed to see once more the Heavenly God of War who had come to the underworld accompanied by the radiance of light.

This was the true Katsuki.

All of a sudden, I recalled the words Iida had said to me many moons ago: "Lord Katsuki is the God of War from Heaven. Although nothing is impossible in this world, he only cares for the world's welfare. If his heart is occupied by the common people, will there be any space for love?"

I had thought little of these words at first, but when I saw the expression in Katsuki's eyes today, I came to realize Iida was actually a rather perceptive prophet. Katsuki truly had a heart for the common people, no matter what form he took...

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The next day, Katsuki went to the court; and as usual, I stayed home and read my books. I hadn't yet turned to the second page when I suddenly heard light, steady footsteps from the courtyard. Soldiers?

Ever since I gained spiritual cognizance, I had always been a well-behaving spirit—

...Alright, so I'd been held captive by a ghost, scolded by Aizawa, hunted by a monk, and attacked by a priest, but I had yet to be apprehended by the hooligan authorities. Since this was to be my first experience, I was feeling tingly with excitement and anticipation.

I was really looking forward to seeing them suddenly rushing in and accosting me, wanting to see what sort of offensive they were organizing. But after waiting for so long, there only came a orderly series of knocks rapping at the door. I was quite disappointed. It was never like this in novels. I had no choice but to answer the door as was required by proper etiquette.

The soldiers were probably in hiding somewhere, for only a cute girl stood by the doorway. I looked at her for a long time before some recognition came over me. Why, wasn't this the girl Katsuki had tossed away on the street just yesterday – Lady Ochako?!

When the brunette saw me open the door, she suddenly looked as if she was struck by lightning. "There really is a woman," she muttered to herself. "He had really brought a woman home."

Liking a man was one thing, but making a ruckus in someone's home was another. Thinking to myself that I couldn't let this girl's feelings get ahead of themselves, I crossed my arms in front of my chest, leaned against the door and said, "That's right, I am his woman. I've shared a bed with him among other things since we were children. Is there something you would like to say?"

The young ignorant girl was shocked by my words. She stumbled two steps backward and almost fell to the ground. I raised an eyebrow at her, feeling slightly cruel, but at the same time, vindicated.

At this point, a middle-aged woman suddenly jumped out from the side, pointed at me, and began her condemnation, "Don't you dare harass our young lady! Don't let your obscenities soil her ears!"

I was utterly innocent, shrugging helplessly: "I answered because she asked. Every word I said is true. Why would any of it be obscene?"

Ochako's face went even whiter. The woman continued to yell at me, "Brazen harlot! How dare you be insolent to our young lady! Men, take her away!"

I rubbed my ears in frustration. She was clearly the vexatious one. As I was about to try and reason with her, a group of blue-uniformed soldiers suddenly sprang out. My eyes lit up as I gasped in excitement, "Oh!"

Finally, things were getting exciting!

The woman shouted, "She's about to release her hidden weapons! Protect the young lady!"

Hearing the sharp sounds of swords leaving their sheaths raised the hair on my arms.

I opened my mouth, but I hadn't even had a moment to try for a peace talk when a large blade suddenly swung straight down at my head. Through the tempering of the human world, my patience was now much more restrained compared to when I first came here.

Nevertheless, I couldn't let those people bully me like this. My expression at once darkened as I fiercely glared at the first soldiers to rush toward me.

Mortals who had never practiced spells would immediately become petrified by one icy stare of mine. They would plop to their knees in a desperate reverence. But the people in the back did not learn their lesson, persistently flying at me like a swarm.

I recited an incantation, gently waved my arm, and the soldiers who came to siege me all flew into the air. I sighed helplessly, "If we're going to live as humans, then let's learn to observe and assess the situation at hand, shall we?"

Ochako and the other woman were both swept off their feet by the forces of darkness and fell to the floor. They looked at me in stupefaction. I stepped forward and offered my hand to pull the woman up, but she screamed 'monster' and scrambled away. I had no choice but to turn and help Ochako.

By contrast, she docilely let me help her up. I wiped the dust from her face for her and said, "No matter how much you like someone, you should still have some self-respect. Don't come to others' homes and make a ruckus anymore. Not only will it belittle your status, it is also of little use."

I smirked and added cheerfully, "Oh, and Kacchan's three lifetimes have also been destined for me. If you really want to seduce him, then come back in another three lifetimes."

Everything I said was the truth; I didn't think her ears would actually process it to be something different. Her eyes were red as she turned and ran in tears.

I gave the house a good sweep, then tranquilly returned to my book again. I remembered I had left off at the couple's first meeting where the girl gave the hero a kiss. In my opinion, the scene could bear to be a bit more tasteful.