Chapter 12

Mission 12 (: 12) is the twelfth chapter of the SPY x FAMILY manga, written and illustrated by Tatsuya Endo. It was released on August 26, 2019.

Summary
The television plays footage of the leaders of Ostania and Westalis talking over normalizing relationships between their two countries as Loid Forger thinks to himself that, even if what he creates under the Westalian Intelligence is a flimsy peace, it is still one that shouldn't be broken. He steps forward to greet Yuri Briar as he enters the Forger household, shaking his hand as he wonders if Yuri will be a threat to his fake family or not at the same time Yuri wonders if Loid is truly worthy of being his sister's husband. Loid offers to take Yuri's coat and briefcase, but the SSS member tells him that it's fine, Loid then says he will go and make dinner while Yuri and Yor catch up. Yuri thinks to himself that he wouldn't want to eat something Loid made as Yor remarks that his face is scary, commenting that he must be nervous. Yuri worries to himself that he accidentally let his hostility show since he hasn't calmed down since the interrogation, pledging to act as a diligent civil servant in front of Yor as Yor pledges to act as a loving wife in front of Yuri.

Yor arranges the flowers Yuri brought in a vase as he sits down in the living room, thanking him which prompts Yuri to then say that this doesn't mean he approves of Yor's marriage, telling his sister that it's just too sudden and asking her why she kept it a secret from him for a whole year anyway. Loid, watching from the kitchen, thinks to himself that that's a natural question as he replays his and his wife's earlier conversation in his head.

The flashback begins with Loid telling Yor that it's not good to be caught up in a web of lies, asking her if it would be okay just to tell Yuri the truth: that she married to avoid the stigma of being single at her age. Yor says that it wouldn't work since Yuri is a little eccentric and wouldn't approve of her living with someone she doesn't even love. She knows she's making things difficult for Loid but says that she will be able to think of a good excuse to tell Yuri.

Back to the present, Loid is putting his trust in Yor as she knows Yuri the best. Yuri asks his sister why she hasn't answered him, and Yor looks him straight in the eyes and says to her brother that she just forgot to tell him. Loid wears a look of regret and Yuri, confused, stammers a little before asking Yor about the phone call the other day during which a partner was mentioned, wondering aloud why she didn't just tell him then. Yor says that she forgot that she forgot to tell him. Loid continues to wear the same look, but Yuri just says that that explains it, losing all reason when dealing with his sister, who then laughs and apologizes when Yuri says that she can be such a klutz sometimes. Loid is shocked that Yuri is satisfied with that answer, thinking to himself that there's something wrong with the Briar family.

Loid apologizes for the wait as he brings the food over, Yuri thinking angrily that he shouldn't butt in on his and his sister's conversation, then catching himself as he realizes that he has to be nice to Loid or Yor might hate him. He takes a bite and Yor comments on how good Loid's cooking is, Yuri aggressively thinking that he can't win him over just with his food as he produces a bottle of wine that he brought, deciding to loosen Loid's lips in order to expose him. Loid whispers to Yor that she shouldn't drink if they don't want a repeat of last time.

Yuri asks the two how they first met, and they explain their first meeting at the boutique. Yor bluntly says that Loid was staring at her, with him explaining that he could not help but look. Loid starts to think that this topic is dangerous territory, and he needs to change it fast. They tell Yuri that after a series of dinners together, they eventually hit it off. Yuri then starts asking specific questions, like what food they ate, when and where, how many times, the restaurant names, when did they start committing to a relationship, and their reason for marrying; Loid starts to feel that this has turned into an interrogation. Yuri asks Loid what he calls Yor, and he simply replies with just "Yor". Thinking that calling his sister by that name is their thing, a panicked Yuri asks Yor what she calls her husband, suggesting nicknames like "Loidy" or "Loi-Loi". Yor is too embarrassed to speak, and Yuri assumes it is true, picking up the wine as he starts to drink, saying he must drink the pain away. Yor vehemently denies this, saying she just calls him "Loid".

Loid asks Yuri if he's okay and brings him water. Yuri growls at him while wondering what his sister sees in him. He thinks to himself that Loid is a good cook, tall and handsome, seems considerate, and is even a doctor. Realizing that he just brought up Loid's good points he drinks away in anger, Yor telling him to slow down, and Loid starts wondering if all Briars are bad drunks. Loid changes the topic, asking Yuri about his career and telling him how much Yor boasts about him. Yor tells her brother that she heard from Dominic that he went to Hugaria. Yuri explains that it was for work and tells her about his trip to the country, mentioning a café said to be the Empress's favorite back in the day. This catches Loid's attention, and he asks Yuri if the café was in the capital city of Obda, saying he went there when he was a medical student. They talk about a restaurant called Kalpatia which is run by an old man, and Loid asks if the wine was also from Hugaria. Yuri tells him that he found it on a shop on Hedger Street. Loid hopes that it wasn't too expensive, and Yuri says that it cost around 200 dalc.

Loid, who had recognized and predicted Yuri's replies, reveals that the responses are from a manual used by Ostanian intelligence agents. He explains that they are a template used to fabricate details of non-existent travels abroad, meaning that Yuri's trip was a lie. He also reveals that the old man running Kalpatia retired four months ago due to back pain, leaving his son in charge, and because of a recent grape shortage, the wine Yuri brought costs 300 dalc now. Loid says that a more experienced agent would have verified the details first and that he will not be fooled by Yuri's deception. He has been wary of Yuri ever since he heard that he worked at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, saying that foreign service is one step away from espionage. Asking Franky to investigate his records, Loid discovered that he was working at the Ministry until about a year ago, which he predicts is when Yuri was recruited by an intelligence agency. Using other information he received, he deduced that the agency is involved in domestic counter-intelligence, and is none other than the SSS, WISE's greatest enemy.

Loid tells Yuri that he'll have to treat him for the wine another time and believes that there are benefits in being on friendly terms with an SSS agent, as long as he isn't suspected as Twilight and can keep outmaneuvering Yuri, he could serve as a valuable intel source about enemy movements. He also notes that Yuri is hiding his real job from Yor and considers it as leverage against him. Yor asks Yuri if he is happy to have such a nice man as a brother-in-law. Yuri is silent, then slams on the table, reiterating that he still doesn't recognize both the marriage and Loid as his brother-in-law. Yor tells her brother that he is being rude, while Yuri focuses his attention on Loid. He tells him that the reason he has an important job and can buy expensive bottles of wine is all because of Yor.

Yuri flashes back to his past when he and Yor were orphaned and living poor. Yuri is waiting for his sister to come home, noting that she is late. Yor, soaked in blood, announces her arrival and shocks Yuri as he asks what happened. Yor brushes it aside as the blood on her is not hers and reveals that she got the encyclopedia that he wanted, saying that her payday was big at work, so she bought it for him. Yor continues to come home covered in blood and bringing Yuri things he wanted, leading him to think that she was working herself bloody for him, unaware of her assassin job. Yuri then resolved to become a successful man so that he could protect his only blood relative forever. He asks Loid if he can understand how it feels to have the most important person in your world taken away by some stranger. Yor is touched as her brother goes on to tell her that he always wanted her to meet and marry someone that could make her happy, as long as it was someone more capable of protecting her than him, asking "Loi-Loi" if he can be that man.

Loid remembers Yor's words of wanting to put her brother's mind at ease and tells him that he loves her as much as Yuri does, catching Yor by surprise. Loid continues, saying that Anya loves her as well and that Yor is already an important member of his family. He lies in an utterly shameless fashion, declaring that whether it's from knives, bullets, or a nuke from the sky, he will stop at nothing to shield Yor from harm. Yuri is stunned to hear this, drunkenly thinking that he could save Yor from knives and bullets, but not a nuke, and wonders if Loid is really that capable. He starts to call Loid a liar that will say anything, saying he can tell because he has a "stupid liar face". As he does this, he spills the wine on the table. Yor comments on Yuri's clumsiness as she starts to wipe the table and Loid says he'll take care of it. The two brush hands and pull back in an awkward fashion. Yuri sees this and asks if that really is their reaction after living together for a year.

The couple scrambles to correct this by showing Yuri photoshopped pictures of them together. Yuri senses that something is wrong and demands that the two prove their love. Loid offers to show their marriage certificate but Yuri interrupts him and orders the two to kiss right now, surprising them. Yor is not sure about kissing in front of her brother, but Yuri tells them to do it just once and he will give them his blessing, or he will petition to have their marriage annulled. Loid thinks about how the situation has escalated, but in 0.1 seconds, reminds himself that he is Twilight, Westalis's greatest spy, who has faked relationships with dozens of women before, so a kiss or two is nothing for the sake of the mission. Loid agrees to Yuri's demands and tells Yor that they will just do what they always do. On the other hand, Yor is unprepared for her first kiss, blushing furiously as Loid moves in closer.

Trivia

 * The first page of this chapter features a TV news report of Westalian Foreign Minister Brantz and Ostanian Foreign Minister Windsor meeting for six days of talks. Both of these characters are named after, and bear a physical resemblance to, two real-life politicians.
 * Minister Brantz of Westalis is based on West German politician Willy Brandt. Brandt was the Minister of Foreign Affairs of West Germany from 1966 to 1969. He was famous for attempting to normalize relations between East and West (Ostpolitik) and was later elected Chancellor.
 * Minister Windsor of Ostania is based on East German politician Otto Winzer. Winzer was the Minister of Foreign Affairs of East Germany from 1965 to 1975.
 * Curiously, the first name of the real-life politician corresponds to the fictional country their counterparts belong to. Willy = Westalis, Otto = Ostania.