The swords collided with the sound of creaking wood filling the air.
It was hard to believe what had just happened as the wooden sword clattered to the ground.
I lowered my own blade, looking at Tavian. He seemed just as confused, staring down at his empty hands in disbelief.
"Did I—?"
"The Young Lord won?" Aifa gasped from the sidelines. Beside her, Ashar and Blake shared the same stunned expression.
"Young lord," Tavian spoke in a quieter tone now, "that was excellent swordsmanship. You have improved greatly."
"Ah… thank you," I replied awkwardly. "It was probably a coincidence. You might just be having an off day."
My eyes flicked to the fallen sword, then back to Tavian. He didn't look well at all—dark circles underlined his eyes, and his complexion was getting more and more pale everyday.
Tavian shook his head while walking over to retrieve the wooden sword.
"No. There is no fluke here. In truth, the Young Lord has become far better in just a few months' time. Your growth is undeniable."
I didn't answer him. I couldn't, especially while looking at the fragile state of his… mind.
We decided to take a break, sitting together on the worn stone of the arena while we talked about the usual day-to-day things.
"By the way," I said while glancing around at the knights, "who's the strongest in your unit?"
"It has to be Ashar and Captain," Aifa answered immediately from the step below me, her tone matter-of-fact.
"Yeah," I nodded while looking toward Ashar. "You pulled out that giant flaming warrior before. That looked really cool."
Ashar laughed awkwardly and scratched the back of his head.
"You think so? Sorry to disappoint you, Young Lord, but Captain is stronger. He defeated me many times before, even when I went all out with the fire giant."
"Really?"
My eyes moved toward Tavian, who sat slightly away from the rest of the group, his posture slightly slumped.
"No," he said, shaking his head slowly from left to right. "It is probably Ashar now. He has improved greatly."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"I doubt I can defeat him anymore."
…That doesn't sound like humility.
It sounds like he genuinely believes it.
The other knights went quiet, the usual banter dying out as the weight of his words settled over the arena. Tavian stared out at the training grounds with a distant look, his mind clearly somewhere far away from the strength he used to possess.
I quietly moved a little closer to Ashar before lowering my voice.
"What's with him? He looks really depressed these days."
Ashar glanced toward Tavian for a moment before giving a small smile.
"Captain is… going through some things."
"So he's having some kind of midlife crisis?"
"He is not that old, but I suppose that is a nice way to put it," Ashar replied, his chuckle lacking its usual heartiness.
"Hm." I rested my chin on my hand thoughtfully. "Did some girl reject him or something? Why don't you give him advice?"
Ashar looked at me with amusement.
"Does Young Lord think I'm good with women?" He asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Oh please," I scoffed. "With a face like that, I'm sure girls threw themselves at you. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if someone tried stabbing you out of jealousy."
Ashar burst into laughter at that.
"Haha… Young Lord is surprisingly intuitive."
Huh?
That sounded less like a joke and more like…
"Wait," I said, staring at him in surprise. "That actually happened?"
Ashar let out an awkward laugh before slightly pulling aside his tunic.
A scar rested near his side.
"She came out of nowhere and stabbed me with all the mana she could muster," he admitted. "Luckily, I managed to push her away in time."
"Sadly, I wasn't enrolled in the academy back then," Aifa said from below with a laugh. "It must have been an incredible sight to witness." Her eyes dancing with mischief.
"Please feel a little sympathy for me," Ashar complained. "I almost bled to death."
"Whatever you say," Aifa replied immediately. "You deserved it."
"You deserved it?" I repeated while looking toward Ashar.
He scratched the back of his head with visible hesitation.
"Uh… it's related to my less-than-great past. I was young and foolish."
"Oh please," Aifa snorted. "That's what happens when you go around courting girls then abandoning them afterward. It was bound to happen eventually."
…So he was a playboy.
My eyes slowly drifted toward Ashar again.
If he could navigate the complex hearts of capital noblewomen and survive, he must have some silver-tongued secrets hidden away.
Maybe I should ask him for advice someday.
"But scars…" Ashar said quietly while brushing his fingers against the mark on his side. "hey are a permanent mark of your mistakes."
"I get that. I also have two... no, three," I said, the weight of those memories pulling at me. I reached down and pulled my tunic up, revealing the angry, discolored mark where the Unending Demon had stabbed me.
"That didn't heal?" Aifa suddenly sat upright, turning toward me with surprise clear on her face.
From the corner of my eye, I noticed Tavian shift uncomfortably in his seat, his eyes fixed on the ground as if the sight of my injury was a weight he couldn't support.
"No," I answered. "Everywhere the demon stabbed me left a permanent mark. No matter how much healing magic was poured into them, they refused to fade."
"That bastard demon," she hissed, her voice dripping with a rare, sharp anger.
Then, before I could react, her hand reached out. Her fingers were surprisingly soft as they began slowly tracing the jagged edges of the scar. A tingle shot through my entire body, making my breath hitch. I quickly pulled my shirt down as heat crept to my cheeks.
"Hm?" She looked at me in confusion.
Meanwhile, Ashar had turned away completely, shoulders shaking while trying desperately not to laugh.
This guy…
"I-I was wondering what he's reading," I said quickly, trying to change the topic as I looked toward Blake sitting beside Ashar with a newspaper in hand.
On hearing me, Blake lifted his eyes from the paper and looked at me with his usual stoic expression. "...Sword Saint Tournament," he answered before folding the newspaper and holding it out toward me.
I took it and looked over the pages filled with names, titles, and pictures.
"Ah, it is already that time of the year," Ashar said, leaning in over my shoulder to catch a glimpse of the headlines.
"Is it held every year?" I asked, scanning the impressive titles. "Does the winner actually become a Sword Saint?"
"No," Ashar shook his head. "Every participant there is already a Sword Saint. The tournament is mainly preparation for a larger international one."
He rested his arms on his knees.
"In simple terms, it is a chance for all the Sword Saints in the empire to test their growth and check their skills against one another."
Is that so? A gathering of the most dangerous people in the land just to see who has sharpened their blade the most.
I focused on the text. A Sword Saint was the stage beyond a Swordmaster, a level of power I had heard was nearly impossible for ordinary people to reach in their lifetime.
"So these are all officially recognized Sword Saints?" I asked while counting the names. "There's only eight?"
"There is the Emperor as well, of course, but there is no way he would be participating in something like this," Ashar added with a faint grin.
"Emperor, huh."
One of the Six Thrones... the pinnacle of power in this world.
My eyes continued moving across the newspaper before stopping on one particular image.
The man looked somewhere in his forties, maybe older, possessing a sharp, commanding look.
But what caught my attention were the piercing red eyes and dark black hair.
Then my gaze lowered toward the name beneath the picture.
"Count Ravenscar?"
I turned my head toward Blake, "Is this your father?" I asked, pointing directly at the image on the page.
Blake offered a small, stiff nod of confirmation. "...He is."
So he really is a high-ranking noble. Not just any aristocrat, but the son of a Count and a recognized Sword Saint.
"No wonder you're so good with the sword," I said honestly. "You must have been trained by him."
At those words, Blake's gaze shifted away.
"…No," he answered quietly. "Others taught me."
I felt the air in our small circle grow heavy. Did I just stumble into a sensitive topic?
Then an old memory resurfaced.
Right.
That Count Mustache said Blake killed his instructor… and did something to his brother too.
Looking at Blake's distant, guarded expression, those stories didn't feel like mere gossip anymore.
Then suddenly, warm air brushed against my ear.
A shiver ran straight through my body.
"GAH!"
I jumped to my feet instantly while covering my ear.
Soft giggling followed from beside me.
"What are you doing here?" I asked while glaring at her.
"Hi! Did you miss me, Sieg?" Perpetua asked, her eyes sparkling with mischief. She leaned forward slightly, both hands behind her back, completely unbothered.
"No!" I said firmly, trying to ignore the heat rising to my face. "And how exactly did you get in here?"
"Mr. Guard was kind enough to guide me here," she said, pointing a slender finger toward the main entrance of the arena.
The guard there gave a respectful bow before leaving.
Don't just let random people in, idiot.
"Is she the young lady you were talking about, Aifa?" Ashar's whisper came from right behind me, his voice thick with curiosity.
Aifa nodded, her expression softening as she looked at the orange-haired girl. "How have you been, Per?"
"All sunshine and good! It looks like Aifa is also doing quite well today," Perpetua answered, her joy radiating through the air like physical warmth forcefully sticking to me.
"Young lord, won't you introduce us to your friend?" Ashar asked while looking at me with an amused smile that only fueled my irritation.
"She is not my friend," I answered immediately before stepping forward and grabbing her arm. "And she is leaving."
I turned toward her.
"I can't play with you toda…"
Before I could finish, she slipped right out of my grasp that left my hand clutching at empty air and walked past me.
Huh?
How did she do that?
"It is an honor to meet the brave knights of the Fors. My name is Perpetua, but please feel free to refer to me as Per," she said, offering a slight, elegant bow that looked far too practiced for a girl her age.
"The honor is all mine, Lady Perpetua," Ashar replied, his voice shifting into that smooth, gallant tone he used for nobility. He took a step back, his head bowing low as he swept a hand across his chest in a formal salute. "Come on, you too," he nudged Blake.
Blake offered a slight, almost imperceptible bow from his position on the stone. "...I am Blake," he murmured.
Somewhere during all this, Tavian had quietly disappeared.
Coward.
My eyes shifted back toward Perpetua as she casually started talking with Ashar and Aifa like they had known each other for years.
I seriously don't understand this girl.
For the entire last week, I have kept running into her, or more accurately, she keeps finding me no matter where I go. I haven't been able to get any real training or research done every single encounter turned into getting dragged around while talking to her.
That's exactly why I stayed inside today.
After wasting my whole day, she would simply disappear with a wave of her hand. Once, I tried following her to see where she went or who was waiting for her, but she escaped my surveillance. However, the weirdest thing is...
Even with all my senses I can't see her coming.
How does she even do that, I can't feel any mana from her, so she shouldn't be awakened. Some physical trait? Ugh, I don't have time to waste here.
"I am leaving," I said, turning on my heel and walking away from the group.
The moment I stepped past the entrance, footsteps followed behind me.
"Where are we going now?" Perpetua asked from just a few paces back, her voice bright and expectant.
I let out a long sigh, not even trying to hide my frustration anymore.
"Can you please stop finding me?" I asked, turning around to face her. "I am sorry to be blunt, but you are getting in the way of my training. I have goals to reach and very little time to waste."
She didn't look offended. Instead, she slowly shook her head.
"I cannot do that."
"What? Why?"
"Because I feel that if I am not with you, you will be all alone," she said softly, her eyes searching mine. "You will just stay sad and keep fighting until you completely wear yourself out."
My brows furrowed.
How does she…
No.
"You are wrong," I snapped, the defensiveness rising in my throat. "I don't know why you would think something so ridiculous, but I have my family and plenty of friends. I am not alone."
"Woah."
She covered her mouth dramatically with both hands, eyes widening with exaggerated surprise."You actually have friends?"
"What is with that reaction?" I barked, feeling the heat rush to my cheeks. "Yes! Of course I have friends!"
"Oh?" She tapped a finger against her cheek thoughtfully. "Then why don't you prove it?"
She tilted her head with a playful smile.
…This girl.
"You," I pointed at her, "just you wait."
I was already mentally scrolling through a list of people I could produce to shut her up. I couldn't let her keep thinking she had me figured out, and I certainly couldn't let her think I was some lonely boy who needed her to follow him around like a stray dog.
Thirty minutes later, we stood in the center of the town park, the sunlight filtering through the trees and dappling the grass around us.
"These are my friends," I said while folding my arms confidently. "Go ahead. Introduce yourselves."
"H-hello, my name is James Borg," James said, his voice quiet and shy as he shuffled his feet.
"Nice to meet you! I am Erina," Erina answered enthusiastically, her energy almost rivaling the orange-haired girl standing before us.
I leaned closer toward Nidrik and whispered quietly.
"Just like we practiced."
"I… Nidrik," he managed to say.
"It is wonderful to meet everyone! I am Perpetua, but please just call me Per," she replied, her voice ringing out with that same effortless charm she used on everyone.
The moment she finished speaking, Erina hurried forward with sparkling eyes.
"You are so pretty. Just like a doll."
"You are also very cute, especially your shiny little horns. They are quite lovely," Pepetuar said, her smile widening as she reached out a hand toward Erina.
"Really? You think so?"
Perpetua nodded with such sincerity that Erina couldn't help but burst into a fit of happy giggles.
…Well, that's nice.
"Now that everyone is here," Perpetua said, her gaze moving slowly across each of us as if she were inspecting a group of recruits.
"Let's play!" she shouted, punching her fist into the air with a sudden burst of energy.
"Yay!" Erina followed suit immediately, her own hand shooting up to match the other girl.
"What? Wait a minute, I never agreed to this!" I interjected, looking between the two of them.
I brought them here to prove a point, not to spend the afternoon running around the park like a toddler.
"It's Sieg's turn to find everyone!" Perpetua declared, her voice ringing out with a authority that I hadn't granted her.
Without waiting for my protest, she turned and bolted toward the thicket of trees at the edge of the park. Erina didn't hesitate for a second, grabbing a bewildered James by the arm and dragging him along into the brush.
"S-Sieg? Wait!" James stammered as he was hauled away, his feet barely keeping up with Erina's excitement.
Nidrik looked at me for a second before quietly following the others.
"I am not doing this!" I shouted toward their retreating backs, my hands balled into fists at my sides.
"Lord Sieg, don't forget to count till twenty!" Erina shouted over her shoulder.
Silence remained behind.
"…."
"Eighteen. Nineteen... Just what am I doing?" I muttered, leaning my forehead against the rough bark of the tree.
I should be training.
Or helping with the hunt.
Instead I am stuck here doing… this.
Pushing off from the tree, I stood up straight and looked around the seemingly empty park. The wind rustled through the leaves, the only sound accompanying my solitude.
I guess, if I look at it a certain way, this can also count as a form of training. Finding hidden targets is a skill, after all.
Closing my eyes, I let my breath steady and expanded my perception outward. The physical world faded into a void of darkness, replaced by the brilliant balls of light that represented the life force of those around me. I focused, filtering out the distant signatures of townspeople until only the three familiar pulses remained.
"There's really not many places to hide here," I whispered to the air.
I walked with slow steps toward a solitary stone bench near the flowerbeds. "Erina, come out," I said without even bothering to look underneath.
"How?!" she protested while crawling out. She brushed the dirt off her clothes, pouting up at me. "Why am I firs…"
Suddenly her voice stopped.
Her eyes widened while staring behind me.
I turned around quickly, but there was nothing there.
"Did you see something?" I asked, my senses sharpening as I scanned the area for any hidden presence.
Erina immediately shook her head happily.
"It's nothing."
Hmm.
I kept my gaze fixed on the empty space for a moment longer before turning back.
"... Let's continue."
We walked toward a small cluster of trees near the park's edge. I moved closer to a thick trunk, my eyes narrowing at a patch of fabric peeking out from the side. "James, come out. Your shoulder is clearly visible."
Just from the shift in his presence alone, I could tell he panicked.
A moment later, he slowly stepped out from behind the tree with an embarrassed look.
"Nidrik, come down," I called while looking upward.
He was casually sitting on one of the branches.
"How did you even get up there?"
The moment I spoke, he jumped down.
"Wait!"
I moved forward to catch him, my heart jumping into my throat. But he landed firmly on his feet with a soft thud, looking at me with a confused expression as if jumping from such a height was the most natural thing in the world.
…Wow.
He is seriously strong.
"It is only Miss Perpetua remaining," James said, his voice trailing off as he glanced over my shoulder with that same wide-eyed look Erina had earlier.
Again?
I turned around instantly, the air whistling as I pivoted, but there was nothing there.
"James, what did you see?" I asked, my voice forceful and demanding.
"N-nothing," he stammered, quickly retreating to hide behind Nidrik's back.
"Hmph."
This is ridiculous. It is just her remaining, but even with my perception wide open, I can't feel a single trace of her presence. It's as if she vanished from the face of the earth the moment the game started. Where could she be hiding?
I walked around the park, checking every bush, every hollow log, and every shadow beneath the stone walls. I pushed my senses to their limit, searching for even the faintest flicker of her mana, but I found nothing. Before I knew it, an hour had slipped away, and the sun was at its peak.
"Where is she?!" I shouted in frustration. "Did she just run away? Is the game even still happening?"
I noticed Erina was giggling behind her hands, while James was desperately stifling a laugh, his shoulders shaking with the effort. Even Nidrik had a strange, knowing glint in his eyes.
"What is it? What is so funny?" I demanded, looking between them.
"Does Lord Sieg want to give up?" Erina asked between laughs.
"What? No way," I snapped, turning my back on them to continue my search. I marched toward a row of hedges, scanning the shadows with a desperate intensity.
I would have given up ages ago if this were anybody else. But with her... I can already imagine that smug, playful laugh of hers if I stop. I never thought I would meet someone more annoying than Zayn in this life, but she is certainly giving him a run for his money.
I searched for several more minutes, checking behind the same trees for the third time, but I couldn't find a single trace of her. Not a footprint, not a rustle of leaves, and certainly not a feel of her presence.
It's exhausting. My head is starting to throb from keeping my perception flared for so long. This is turning into a war of attrition.
I looked back at the other three. They were watching me with expectant looks, clearly waiting for the moment I would finally swallow my pride and accept defeat. The silence of the park felt like it was mocking me.
Ugh…
Seeing no other way out of this endless loop, I lowered my head and let out a long breath.
"I… give up," I admitted slowly.
How humiliating.
Then something tapped against my right shoulder.
I turned instantly, but there was nothing there.
As I looked forward again, a finger poked my left cheek.
"Got you~"
My instincts reacted before my thoughts did.
I jumped several meters back in a single bound, a mana blade forming in my hand. My heart hammered against my ribs as my gaze darted from startled trio to the girl who had suddenly materialized out of thin air.
"H-how? Where did you even come from?" I demanded, my voice tight and strained.
"I wonder~"
She tilted sideways, looking at me with an entertained expression that made my skin crawl.
"Stop playing games." I pointed the blade toward her. "Answer the question."
She straightened up, though the look never left her face.
"I was behind you the whole time."
"Huh? That doesn't…"
Then Erina's earlier reaction flashed through my mind.
And James too.
I looked at James for confirmation, and he hurriedly moved his head up and down.
How can that even be possible? She was standing right behind me the entire hour? I didn't hear a single footstep, no sound of breathing, not even the faint rustle of clothing or the tension of muscle movement. More importantly, I didn't feel a shred of her presence. That should be physically impossible.
"Because Lord Sieg couldn't find everyone, it's his turn again!" Erina shouted, jumping in between us and breaking the tension with her oblivious cheer.
"Huh? Wait, hold on!"
"Alright, everyone! Back to hiding!" Perpetua declared once again, spinning on her heel and bolting away.
I was left standing there alone, my mana blade slowly flickering out as I stared at the spot where she had been.
I won't lose this time.
I made the declaration internally and prepared myself seriously.
After that, we played game after game.
And not once, not even once, was I able to find her.
I spent the next three hours hunting them down one by one, exhausting my mental energy until my head began to throb with a dull, persistent ache.
But I was not the only one struggling.
I noticed a certain someone else also reaching their limit
"Alright, that is enough for today. It is time for everyone to go home," I announced, my voice sounding more tired than I cared to admit.
"Eeeehhh! So soon? The sun is still bright and up!" Erina complained while pointing at the sky.
"I'm tired and can't play anymore. Go play yourselves if you want."
I walked over to a nearby bench and sat down heavily.
"It's no fun without Lord Sieg," Erina pouted, her shoulders slumping in disappointment.
"Then let's just end it for today," James added while wiping sweat from his forehead.
He looked completely drained.
That's what happens when you spend all day in libraries instead of moving around.
"You two drop Erina home," I said while looking at James and Nidrik.
"What about you, Sieg?" James asked, wiping his brow with his sleeve.
"I will handle this one," I replied, pointing toward the orange-haired troublemaker standing next to me, who still looked as if she had just woken up from a refreshing nap.
Everyone shared their goodbyes, the group slowly dispersing.
"Let's meet tomorrow!" Perpetua waved cheerfully toward the departing trio.
I let out a long, weary sigh. "Don't you have anything better to do with your life?"
She turned toward me, her energy seemingly boundless as she looked me in the eye.
"Hmm... not anything I can think of," she said, her voice light and musical. She walked closer, her presence filling the space beside me. "Other than taking in the scenery, talking to people, and playing around. It is a very busy schedule, you know."
If only I could be that carefree.
As the others completely disappeared from my sight, I turned my attention back to Perpetua.
"You don't need to keep acting tough anymore," I said slowly.
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
She looked at me, her expression still seemingly unbothered and bright.
I didn't let her deflect this time. I looked past her smiling facade, searching her eyes for the truth I knew was hidden there. As if finally understanding that I had seen through her, her mouth opened to speak but then pressed into a thin line. A sudden tremor ran through her small frame, and her knees buckled slightly.
I moved immediately and caught her before she could fall.
"You…"
I guided her carefully toward the bench and helped her sit down.
"Seriously, why did you insist on playing when you aren't feeling well?" I asked while frowning and checking her condition.
Her skin felt far too cool to the touch.
"I could not just disappoint everyone," she whispered, a small, tired smile moving across her lips.
"What's the point if your condition gets so bad you can't even leave bed?"
I searched through my pouch irritably for a revitalization potion.
"It's just…"
A faint painful, bittersweet smile appeared on her face.
"Playing like this is rare for me."
My hand stopped midway through pulling out the bottle.
I looked at her quietly.
"Like I thought. You have some kind of serious illness and you are a runaway noble girl, aren't you?"
"That is not true," she said, shaking her head weakly. "I go back home every day like a good girl." She tried to puff out her chest with a bit of her usual bravado, but a string of harsh coughs followed the movement.
I let out a sigh and uncorked the bottle before holding it toward her.
"Drink this. It's a revi—"
"Revitalization potion, correct?" she interrupted, looking at the glowing liquid with a strange, nostalgic gaze, as if she were greeting an old friend.
"Great. So you have alchemy knowledge too," I said, finally sitting down next to her as the tension began to drain from my legs. "My granny would love you far more if she knew you were a scholar on top of everything else."
"That would make me really happy," she answered softly.
"Of course it would." A scoff escaped me as I leaned back against the bench, watching the girl slowly sip the potion.
She's a complete mystery. One moment she is a phantom I can't even sense, and the next, she's so fragile she might break in a light breeze. I want to be annoyed, but looking at her now, I can only feel a strange, nagging sense of responsibility.
After a few minutes of peaceful silence, I finally gathered the words to speak.
"Hey."
Her attention shifted toward me immediately.
"You said you follow me because without you, I would be lonely." I looked at her seriously. "Why would you go this far for me? Especially in your condition?"
At that, she gently swung her legs while looking up at the sun.
"If I have to say, it is simply my wish."
Wish?
"We barely even know each other," I pointed out calmly, trying to make sense of the logic behind her actions.
"Still, a wish is a wish," she replied, tilting her head to look at me with a soft, knowing expression.
I stayed quiet.
Because through my senses, even if I could not feel her presence directly, I could still somewhat understand emotions through intent, tone, and words.
And every single thing she said came from the heart.
"What exactly is this wish?" I asked while staring ahead for some reason I couldn't look in her earnest eyes.
She suddenly hopped off the bench.
"Hey, take it easy," I called out, reaching a hand toward her.
"My wish…" she repeated while taking a few steps forward. "You could call it a declaration instead."
"Declaration?"
She turned toward me just as a breeze swept through the park, making her orange hair dance under the sunlight.
"We will live our lives with happiness so radiant that even the world itself will feel its warmth."
Her eyes met mine.
"You want that too, don't you?"
She stood there, smiling at me with a confidence so absolute it felt like an undeniable truth.
That did it. It's impossible for me to understand her. How could she make such a proclamation with that fragile body of hers? To me, it doesn't make sense at all.
Happiness… It sounded so simple, yet to me, it felt like a distant dream.
When I first opened my eyes in this world, all I wanted was freedom.
A peaceful life.
To live without chains, without fear, without carrying the weight of anything.
But then the kidnapping happened. Then Zayn forced my hand, making me kill for the first time.
That day taught me once again just how fragile life truly was.
One mistake.
One moment.
And everything could disappear.
That was why I decided I needed strength.
Strength to protect myself.
But somewhere along the way, that reason changed.
The burns... those horrific marks Granny got from the salamanders are healed now, but the memory of her injured body still makes my heart clench with a sickening tightness.
I hated it.
That helpless feeling.
I did not just want strength for myself anymore.
I wanted enough power so no one around me would ever have to suffer like that again.
Then there was the Time Dungeon.
The Unending Demon.
The Sky Titans.
The Darkkins.
Monsters and existences that should not even exist in this era.
People had not seen an Unending Demon in over twelve hundred years.
Sky Titans were beings that supposedly never even stepped foot in this world.
Yet they still appeared before us.
Life could throw horrors no one expected.
Things even the strongest people could fail against.
My eyes slowly lowered toward my trembling hands.
Mother's face appeared in my mind.
Her strength.
Her back.
The way everyone relied on her.
So I need to go beyond strong.
Beyond the strongest.
I won't let anything happen to Granny, Grandpa, Mother… or anyone around me.
Even if I have to burn my entire life–
"Sieg!"
Perpetua's voice rang out loudly.
The loudest I had ever heard her.
I looked up to find her standing right in front of me.
"You were having bad thoughts, weren't you?" she asked while leaning closer, her eyes staring directly into mine.
"I wasn't," I answered quickly, looking away, embarrassed at how easily she read me.
"There's no need to hide it. I can tell. You were making a super serious face." She narrowed her eyes and pulled at the corners in a ridiculous mimicry of my expression. "Your eyes looked like this."
"Stop making things up," I muttered, trying to regain my composure.
Damn it.
Why are my hands shaking so much?
Am I really that scared?
Then suddenly, small soft hands wrapped around mine.
I looked at her in surprise.
"What are you...?"
"I understand. You want to become strong so you can protect everyone," she said slowly. She held my hands securely, her thumbs gently caressing my skin as she looked down at them with a tender sort of reverence. "But in my eyes, it looks like you are focusing only on the bad things. Tell me, Sieg, can you truly say that in this life, nothing good has ever happened to you?"
Good...
"Our Sieg has the Golden Hand of Alchemy."
"My cute little Sieg."
"Where's my Sieg?"
"I live just to torment you."
"H-hello... I am James."
"Fua."
Memories surfaced one after another.
The warmth of my family.
The peace they brought into a soul that had once grown cold and tired.
But not just them.
I saw Ashar's easy grin, Tavian's fierce loyalty, Aifa's smile, Blake's quiet strength and the silent bond I shared with Silvyr and Ridge.
I could still hear the thunderous cheers from the people of the town and feel the weight of their genuine happiness when they heard about my awakening during harvest festival.
There have been many good and happy moments. I know that. But it is specifically to protect those moments that I feel I need to—.
"We can't live while only thinking about all the terrible things that might happen," Perpetua said softly.
"If you do that, life itself starts becoming difficult to enjoy."
Her hands still held mine gently.
"So don't become strong just to fight the bad things that may come."
She smiled.
"Become strong so you can protect everything you find beautiful in this world."
"Beautiful?" I repeated the word, the concept feeling foreign on my tongue.
"Yes. Like me," she said, pulling her hands away to point at herself with a look of pride.
"Pfft."
A laugh escaped before I could stop it.
"Seriously, who says that?" I asked, shaking my head.
What a weird girl.
"That is the first time you have smiled in the whole day," she noted, her eyes crinkling as she beamed at me.
I looked at her, truly looked at her, as she stood there smiling more brightly than the sun. The shadows of the future were still there, but they felt a little less imposing now. I leaned back against the bench and let out a long, slow breath, feeling the last of the tremors leave my hands.
"It's your win, Perpetua."