Sevens

『Remember this, I was a domineering husband who didn’t give a damn for his family. 』

A pale-faced first Generation Head said as he cleared his throat. I kneeled in the round table room as I listened to such a talk.

When the flustered ancestors returned to their senses, they began giving me excuses.

“So um, your wife, or rather, my ancestor was a person who fit the Walt Family Precepts, right?”

『… That’s right.』

The Walt Family Precepts.

They were treated as the precepts for selecting a wife. As the Walt House had historically never seen a man marry in to be head, the six entries were naturally treated solely as a criterion for wives.

The women who passed them would have to be beautiful with healthy body and good intellect… however, from the reactions from the heads of history, it felt a little unnatural for them.

They looked to be exceedingly fearful.

They would usually chide me, rile others, and act without shame, but when it came to their wives, this attitude…

Something was definitely up.

“What sort of people were they? I’m curious~.”

The First’s expression curved doubtfully.

It seems the other surrounding the First were interested as well. But when it came to his son, the Second, he simply touched a hand to his chin in intrigue.

『She was definitely an amazing person. Fit the precepts spot on. I mean, on the day she married in, she dueled this idiot’s sword with her glaive and fought him to a draw.』

The First’s slumped shoulders twitched.

Perhaps recalling it, he shut his mouth and turned away.

There, the Third sounded rather amused.

『She was a kind granny to me. She was a little sullen, but she was generally kind. I heard she came from a place quite far north, and her seasonings were fundamentally thick.』

The Walt House territory was located in the southern region of Bahnseim.

The southwest, to be more specific, boasting a relatively warm climate.

In the north…

『Do you mean Cartaffs? On top of all the skirmishes we have with them, I’m sure we’ve had a number of major battles with them as well, right?』

As the Fifth spoke from memory, the Second gave a big nod.

『When she made the trek all the way down, low in status as she was, as a noble and as a knight, the first thing she sought from her husband was naturally strength. She was the sort of person who couldn’t recognize her husband unless he was strong, apparently.』

Apparently… does that mean from the Second’s eyes, the First’s wife looked different?

Well, perhaps she recognized the First because he managed a draw.

“Huh? And wait… First, you got a draw with your wife? Did you hold ba–”

『– Hell no.』

The downcast First quietly muttered.

Everyone looked at the First in surprise. This person fought seriously with a woman and ended up with a draw? But it couldn’t be that the First was weak.

I mean despite everything, he was the famed dragon killer.

He was strong… he was supposed to be.

『At the time, with the shock from my heartbreak, and my neglectful lifestyle, I had a lot going wrong in life. I really was down in the dumps… that’s why I made a ruckus over those precept things over my drink. Normally, you know, I never thought they’d actually find someone.』

The First held his head, but we were the ones who really wanted to hold ours. Because of the First, those Walt House precepts were carefully passed down.

The Fourth let his glasses catch the light, condemning the First in a low voice.

『You’re the worst. In that case, you could’ve just said those precepts were a lie and revoked them.』

The First shut his mouth.

There, the Second looked at the First’s door of memories.

『… Hey. If everyone’ interested, why don’t we have a look?』

The First suddenly stood and tried to resist.

『Can it! And wait, why are you here!』

The runaway Sixth had returned before I realized it, teaming up with the Third and Seventh to pin the First’s arms.

『Don’t sweat the small stuff. Now let’s all go have a look at the mother of the provincial Walt House.』

The Fifth looked at the Sixth with a conflicted expression and muttered.

『That guy gets up on his high horse whenever he spots someone’s weakness.』

Sixth… you’re the worst.

While the First resisted, we entered the First’s room of memories one after the next.

『Stop it right there! Don’t screw with me, dammitt!!』

While the First desperately cried out, his efforts were in vain as he was apprehended and led off to the other side.

『Don’t look. You’d better not look!!』

–

–

–

A scene of a tranquil farming village spread out.

The Walt House in its pioneering era. Having only just been set up as feudal nobles, it could be said the Walt House started from there.

Yet despite the peaceful scenery, both sides of the country road were lined with muscular men. While there were men who looked like barbarians, there were also those who looked to be the normal villagers who lived in the village.

And down the farm road walked a single woman.

Her long brown hair in a ponytail, a woman of splendid build walked. Behind her, two female attendants followed along, and even further back, a man carrying a heavy-looking glaive made himself scarce.

The lines of men lowered their heads all at once.

『Good work, boss!』

Their voices in unison. Those movements without a strand of disjointment.

While they looked like a coordinated group, the wounds on the men’s faces stood out.

The Second was taken aback.

『Eh? What’s this picture?』

It seemed to be a scene the Second didn’t know either, and having now stopped his resistance, the First sat where he was and hid his face.

『She fought with me on the first day, and duked it out with anyone who had complaints the next. I thought it was a laid-back village on the outskirts, but it’s got some splendid spunk! She told me. And then no one was against it… goddammit.』

After a glance at the men, the woman gave a small nod.

『You’re all spirited so early in the morning. Now get back to work already!』

The men indeed returned to their own work.

The Third looked at the threatening First’s wife… 【Amanda】, his mouth opened in surprise.

『Granny’s scary!』

The First looked at the Third and cried out.

『You guys have it easy! You only knew her after she mellowed out. When she was young, that girl was really–』

At that moment, Amanda-san arrived at a manor in the village. After taking a deep breath, she took the Glaive her follower was holding- it would be more accurate to call a lump of iron with a blade attacked- in hand, slamming the portion opposite to the point into the ground and wringing out her voice.

『How long do you plan to cry like a girl, Basil!? Get your ass out here already! If you don’t get out, I’ll destroy the door and drag you out!』

The First covered his face with both hands. He was red to his ears.

There, the First of memories… Basil unsteadily and drunkenly teetered his way out.

『Shyat it ‘ya wench! I’ve got me heart set on a splendid girl called alice-san~』

Approaching a Basil who couldn’t articulate over his drink, Amanda-san grasped his lapels and lifted the large man up.

What’s more, with one hand.

『Give it a rest already! I already finished preparing to marry in. Just shut up and make me your wife.』

『I don’t want thaaaat!!』

The  First broke into tears. It did seem he still had thoughts for Aria’s ancestor Alice-san.

The Seventh muttered.

『What a terrible sight.』

… Sure enough, the sight of a large man crying from heartbreak was definitely pitiful. What’s more, a considerable amount of time was supposed to have passed from said heartbreak.

Amanda breathed out a sigh, looking down at Basil. As he similarly sat on the spot, Basil definitely did bear resemblance to the First Generation Head after all.

Seeing Basil’s unshaven face, and his body that definitely didn’t seem in the best of health, Amanda-san shouted orders to the attendants behind her.

『Now go in the manor and clean the place up. Good grief, when I’ve searched far and wide and finally found someone who can lock blades with me, to think he’d be this girly. Get a grip on yourself! You’re going to be my husband, you know.』

Basil wept.

『I’d prefer someone more graceful and kind…』

『What was that!? I’m plenty graceful and kind. Or do you want to fight me seriously for once?』

Basil looked up at Amanda-san.

『… Damn, where did I go wrong.』

As he said that, he was lifted up again and shaken back and forth. The result: beaten down by her persistence, the First let Amanda-san into the mansion.

Looking down at her slumpen groom to be, Amanda-san declared.

『Just leave the house to me. I’ll make it so the man of the house can rampage to his heart’s content. Do anything stupid, and you won’t forget it!』

『… Yes ma’am.』

After looking at Basil, I turned my eyes to the first.

“Domineering husband.”

When I softly muttered, the First narrowed his shoulders to make himself smaller.

Looking at that heroine… Amanda-san, the ancestors had formed a circle to discuss.

『Oy, don’t tell me the reason this house’s women are so strong is…』
『Yeah, it just might be… granny’s fault.』
『The possibility exists. In the sense she formed the atmosphere of the Walt House, there’s no doubt that…』
『The wives were all normal before they married in after all. I just saw the moment a terrible custom was formed.』
『When they all used to be so kind, so this is why they all changed when they married into the Walt House.』
『Sixth, that’s something else. I can’t stick up for you on that.』

It seems the other Walt wives of history had their share of problems as well.

(… Is the Walt House going to be alright?)

~Past~

Lyle ( ゜∀゜): “Domineering Husband lolol”

First Generation Head (#゜Д゜): “Bastard! Fine… let’s take this outside!”

~Present~

Lyle ( ´；ω；): “… Someone save me. My wives are scary. My stomach hurts.”

Lyle (´；ω；｀): “…”