Chapter 193 : Chapter 193

Chapter 193 : Worn Down, Then Refilled

What ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍followed after that was trivial, private conversation.

How ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍were the people I could call my friends at the Academy doing? What had they been up to lately?

Those ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍were the topics Pleta brought up. Since I had been away from the Academy for so long, I had no real way of learning their news.

First, ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍as for Serene.

“Junior ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Serene received a knighthood while still enrolled at the Academy. Calling it unusual would be an understatement. It is a case so rare that it would be difficult to find any precedent.”

“With ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the political situation in turmoil, it is likely meant to give people the sense that a new hope for this era has appeared.”

The Empire had the makings of a peerless hero. Therefore, its present hardships would be temporary.

That was likely the atmosphere they intended to create.

“Well, is that not right? Of course, Junior Serene already overwhelmingly surpasses active-duty knights in both mentality and skill, so it is not wrong.”

“It is certainly an appropriate measure.”

Separate from that, though, I was not pleased by the possibility that Serene might now be sent to the battlefield.

‘He is someone who could afford to enjoy a more peaceful life.’

That was what I thought.

“Aside from that……Junior Serene has been so busy that I have not had the chance to speak with him properly. Something about family business? It is unfortunate.”

“That side must be having a difficult time as well.”

Next,

“Junior Khan went home after the semester ended. It seems he stopped rampaging Spirits and saved people there. He even received a medal for it.”

“……I see.”

Khan appeared to be faithfully following the original flow of .

He would subdue the spirits Akmandar had driven into a rampage, then use that to announce his presence to the world. It was exactly the flow I knew.

‘As for Akmandar……should I avoid interfering unnecessarily and leave him to Khan?’

With that, I moved Akmandar further down the list of people who needed to be dealt with.

Khan was not the sort likely to go off track, thanks to his distinctive steadfastness, and Akmandar tended to stay out of the public eye.

As long as I prevented the tracks themselves from being twisted, Khan should be able to stop him with ease. That was my judgment.

Next,

“Junior Elwin—yes, there has not been a major turning point, but he seems to be doing well. However……”

“However?”

“Whenever I talk to him, he seems dissatisfied with the pace of his own growth.”

“…….”

Was he greedy, or simply sharp? I swallowed that murmur down.

‘From an ordinary perspective, his growth is fast enough to make talk of stagnation embarrassing……but from an outside perspective, perhaps he is not wrong.’

In truth, Elwin’s growth might have been somewhat delayed compared with the original flow of .

In a story, a character’s growth was generally forged through clashes with an opposing figure arranged for that character.

But Elwin had barely had any opportunities to face Grændal, the ‘Knight Executioner’ set up as his archenemy in the original work. At most, they had crossed blades briefly when the Academy was attacked during the first semester.

And now that I had cut off Grændal’s breath with my own hands, there would be no further chance for them to clash.

‘Well, I have already prepared a solution.’

A way to deal with Grændal early without delaying Elwin’s growth—perhaps even doubling its speed.

That possibility had already been within my calculations, so it was not a great concern.

There was something else that surprised me.

“Hmm, to be honest……I think he compares himself to you and feels as though he is falling behind.”

Pleta’s account that Elwin felt he was lagging behind me was precisely that surprise.

“……Behind me?”

“I wondered whether the gap had truly grown that wide, but after testing a blow against you just now, I suppose it is only natural.”

It was an unfamiliar feeling in many ways. What kind of character was Elwin, the ‘Sword Saint’ of ? Even among the seven protagonists, he was the quintessential powerful protagonist who followed the royal road.

And he felt a sense of crisis because he believed he was falling behind me.

Me, who had been no more than a failure desperately flailing until only a year ago.

“That is something……”

I drew out the end of my words. It was an odd feeling that was difficult to express otherwise.

“Yuna is doing well. She has made more friends, and it seems there are no longer any cadets constantly picking fights with her.”

The last update I heard was about Yuna.

Considering Pleta dropped the honorific she used for the others only in Yuna’s case, they must have grown rather close.

‘That is a good development.’

Pleta herself was a thoughtful, good-hearted person, and she could become a good mentor for Yuna, who was still mentally immature. It was certainly positive news.

“I hear her grades are steadily improving too. There was never any doubt about Yuna’s practical ability, of course.”

Pleta smiled broadly as she continued. Why did she remind me of an eldest sister proudly boasting about a much younger sibling?

“She did well in the written tests too, which used to be her weakness, so her class ranking rose. Apparently, she was bouncing around with excitement. Is she not cute?”

That sly addition was characteristic of Pleta as well.

Why was she so openly emphasizing Yuna’s ‘cuteness’ today?

“……I am not sure about the latter question, but I am surprised her written-test score rose even without my supervision.”

Even putting that aside, that part was unexpected.

Until the second semester of her first year at the Academy, she had studied so little for written tests that I had to assign her homework and keep her on a tight leash just to get her up to an average level. Had she changed her mind about studying?

“You are trying to let that slide so smoothly……in any case, it seems your influence was significant.”

“My influence?”

“Yes. Apparently, whenever she tried to slack off during exam season, she would start hearing hallucinations of you pressuring and scolding her. Studying became more comfortable than that.”

That was……quite good news.

“It seems my relentlessly pressuring her—no, motivating her—was not in vain.”

“You are a frightening person, Junior?”

“Hmm. I misspoke. In any case, I am glad to hear she is improving.”

“Well, yes. Although she suffered once again because of that cute absentmindedness of hers.”

“……Suffered?”

When I asked what she had done this time—

“Hehe. It happened during a written exam. Apparently, the questions were going well that day, so she was feeling good as she finished up.”

“Then something else happened.”

“Yes. Only near the end of the test did she realize she had shifted all her answers by one line. She was so startled that she even screamed during the exam.”

“……Oh dear.”

My empathy cells, which had seemed dead, felt as though they were coming back to life upon hearing that story.

And for some reason, I could vividly hear the scream that must have echoed through the room that day.

-“Nooooooo!!!!!”

As a bonus, I could even clearly picture her jumping to her feet while clutching her head with both hands.

-“Cadet Yuna. If you cause another disturbance, you will be removed from the examination room.”

-“I am sorry…….”

After that, she had probably shriveled up after receiving a warning.

“That does sound like Yuna.”

I added that with a faint upward curve to my lips. It was likely an almost unconscious expression of emotion.

The story Pleta told was so vivid that it formed clearly in my mind, but the greater reason was probably the strange sense of relief I felt.

In this era where everything was changing, perhaps Yuna had still retained her own easygoing nature and warmth, even while being hurt and chipped away at.

“Oh, you smiled~”

“Yes, well…….”

Pleta’s reaction to seeing me smile was……how should I put it? It felt as though she had caught me in the act. Or perhaps as though she had seen something good.

“Hm, hmm~”

The only thing certain was that she was grinning excitedly over something.

“……What is it?”

That was a rather strange laugh.

“No, I was just thinking that you have finally begun to honestly admit how cute our Yuna is~”

“What are you, a doting parent……?”

“Is there anyone who dislikes a cute child? If you are human, that is a natural reaction!”

“Ah, yes.”

“Look at you. Even if you deny it, I have already figured you out.”

And the woman before me was still brimming with life.

‘This must be what is so remarkable about Pleta.’

As I had seen in , and as I had seen throughout the past year, Pleta was still deeply human and had not lost her smile.

As one of the Knight Order’s foremost powerhouses and a Master Knight who was effectively among its highest-ranking knights, she must have crossed many battlefields and faced countless hardships and adversities.

‘That mental strength is Pleta’s true worth.’

The attitude of not allowing pain to fester inside, but facing it and healing from it. And her resilience.

Before that uprightness and mental strength, I shamefully found myself feeling a sense of inferiority.

The conversation continued like that—sometimes serious, sometimes touched with laughter.

Hearing updates about people I could call friends was a happy thing for me, but there was one regret: I could not properly hear about two of them.

“Arien Ortega……ah, the Magic Tower heir who danced with you at the Exchange Meeting?”

“……Yes, I suppose so.”

Of all things, that was what she remembered?

“For such a sinful man, you are easily embarrassed.”

“I have not committed any crimes…….”

“Yes, yes. Of course you have not.”

……Had I done something wrong? For some reason, Pleta’s gaze felt particularly piercing at that point.

Well, it was not serious, more of a joke, so I could let it pass. In any case, the conversation moved on.

“Since she is your friend too, I thought I might talk to her once……but I did not see her when I went to the Academy this time. I heard she temporarily returned to the Magic Tower, though I do not know why.”

“I see…….”

That was all I could learn about Arien.

‘It is not something I am especially worried about.’

I trusted Arien herself, and the Magic Tower Lord, who was like a father to her, could not yet be considered dangerous.

‘I hope she is doing well.’

That was all I thought. I knew that she was lonelier than she appeared.

The other person I could not hear about was Princess Regina, who was currently on our side as an ally.

“Her Highness the Princess? Hmm, she seemed busy, so I did not speak with her. More than anything, the very act of me approaching Her Highness at the Academy could be interpreted politically, so I had to refrain.”

That made sense. Rather than Pleta, who was at the Academy, I was likely the one who had more contact with Regina out here on the battlefield.

We communicated periodically to give reports.

‘Using that rare orb engraved with communication magic.’

In a fantasy world only just beginning to enter the modern age, it was an orb engraved with magic that allowed us to exchange voices and images in real time.

Its price must have been enormous, so being able to use it was fortunate in its own way.

‘Though I wonder whether reports really need that much.’

Would letters not have been enough? I had thought that as well, but still.

She must have her reasons. Regina was not someone who wasted things pointlessly.

In any case, I could not deny that this time had been quite enjoyable for me.

The warmth I felt through conversation, the welcome news of dear people, even the laughter I had let out for the first time in a while.

It felt as though I were restoring the self I had lost on that dreadful battlefield, which I could only endure by wearing myself down.

‘It is……not bad.’

It was a feeling I had long forgotten, one that filled the hollow space in my chest.

“Thank you for coming. I enjoyed myself.”

The words I offered Pleta, who had to leave again, were sincere. I could not help my stiff manner of speaking.

I was happy that she had taken time out of her busy schedule to come talk to me, and I had enjoyed myself because we were able to speak.

Perhaps it had also been a long time since I had truthfully said exactly what I thought.

“Yeah, Junior. I enjoyed it too. Let us meet again while we are both healthy!”

That was her farewell, as energetic as ever.

“……Haha.”

Thus, even after I was left alone in the silence, this time I was able to smile brightly and with a clear heart.

I had filled something into my chest, which had been worn hollow, and gained the conviction that I could endure the life that would continue from here.

Yes, I would endure.

Even if, in the mission immediately afterward, I faced an incident that would throw my mind into unprecedented turmoil.