Tatiana shook her head as if breaking through the ice that had surrounded her. She instinctively realized that this was the last moment for her to make her choice. Her mind cleared in the cold rain. Even in the freezing wind and rain, her cheeks burned hot.
The rainwater pooled at her chin fell heavily.
The movement of pressing and stroking upward with her elbow the spot where her mother’s hand had touched was so resolute that it bordered on reverence.
“I have a lot to lose and a lot to protect, and my mother must be frightening too.”
“Hiccup.”
“I was too complacent. I should have avoided such things from the beginning.”
Ha. Tatiana lifted her head with a bitter smile on her lips. Anne, who had been about to go fetch the carriage, was horrified by the sharply shining purple eyes.
“Where are you going again! The people who sent cards to my Lady, they all—”
“No. There’s still one person left, isn’t there?”
With a ruthless gesture, she dumped all the meaningless cards from her handbag. The eye-dazzling decorations on the cards became unrecognizably smeared in the black rainwater.
“…It’s not among these.”
△▲△▲△
The vast training ground was filled with knights pointing their swords at each other. Even the downpour of rain pouring like a torrent couldn’t compare to the sharpness of the blades aimed at their chests. They shouted battle cries in unison with the Commander’s orders, clashing fiercely as if it were actual combat.
Ching, ching!
The clashing swords splashed raindrops and bounced away together. Those defeated in strength and skill quickly rolled across the muddy ground, while the victors sought out their next opponents. The refined swordsmanship of knights was unnecessary. After all, real battle was the truth of survivors clinging to each other like packs of dogs, slashing and slashing again.
“Good! Come at me!”
Owen, wielding swords in both hands, cut down two knights charging at him in an instant. There was no mercy even for those rolling in the muddy water with a crash. He fiercely stomped on the silver armor and, as he turned, immediately slashed another’s throat.
“Ugh!”
“Hey. Anyone would think you’re really cutting them down.”
As his opponent screamed at the slick sensation of the blade drawing a round line across his neck, Owen shrugged indifferently. For him, accustomed to real combat, mock training using the flat of the blade wasn’t satisfying. Owen, who had been sweeping away everyone in sight, finally reached a massive wall.
“Yah!”
The sword gripped tightly now carried a furious resolve unlike before. Charging sincerely at a superior, anyone would call it insubordination, but it was the only way to even face this man. Owen faced the man in gray armor who, just like him, had swept away the knights charging at him in one go.
“Uh…”
As expected. He’s no ordinary war god.
The moment he met Kainel’s raised gaze, Owen was overwhelmed and let out a groan like he was in pain. Even though it had been over ten years, he still couldn’t get used to it no matter how many times he saw it.
‘Especially the Commander with a sword in hand.’
If he dragged it out, he might tire himself out, so Owen steeled his resolve and hurriedly raised his sword.
“Th-this, you have to forgive me! This is just the training the Commander ordered… Ah, what!”
“Get out of the way! You ill-mannered bastard!”
Ching!
Before he could even properly attack, he was knocked away by Major Gerald’s sword. He had been at the outpost moments ago—who knew when he’d gotten here. Even as Owen let out a cry mixed with complaint at having his rare chance stolen, Major Gerald sheathed his sword and knelt on one knee before the gray armor.
“Commander, a telegram has arrived.”
Major Gerald’s voice, cutting through the rain, trembled slightly. As he held up the letter toward Kainel, even Owen, who had been about to vent his complaints recklessly, hesitated. If the major, strict on discipline and order, had to relay it in the middle of training, the content was obvious.
“What is it? Has war broken out or something?”
“Shut your mouth.”
“No, come on. How long has it been since you got back, and now this again? That’s too much, really.”
Major Gerald glared sharply, but Owen pouted as if he’d expected it. But perhaps because his body had rolled through battlefields for years, spreading his shoulders wide seemed more like a welcoming expression. Owen glanced at Kainel while waiting for the mobilization order.
“Commander, where to this time…”
Rustle. The letter crumpled in Kainel’s grip. It was a telegram, so it shouldn’t be long, but staring down at it for a while didn’t bode well.
“…When did it arrive?”
“J-just a moment ago, Commander.”
The Major, still bowed, stammered and avoided Kainel’s eyes. Kainel, who had been silent, suddenly removed his helmet.
“Hoo.”
At the red eyes illuminating the dark night, those surrounding them instinctively took defensive stances for a moment. The Commander’s eyes, unmoved even by deaths before him, were boiling in an unusually strange way.
“Com, Commander.”
“……”
“You don’t need to worry about it. I just thought you should check it yourself, whether it’s real or not… Or I can go first and verify its authenticity… Commander!”
As Major Gerald muttered apologetically, Kainel brushed past him swiftly. The chilling cold emanating from his large body spread between the cold raindrops. The moment Owen, who had been dazedly watching, instinctively raised his sword, Kainel cleaved through the night sky. Without sparing a glance at the opponent blocking his path, as if he didn’t need both arms, holding his helmet in one hand.
“Uh, ugh! Ah, no!”
What is this?
Owen, suddenly slammed into the muddy ground, lifted his head and blinked. It was good that he’d achieved his wish to cross swords with the Commander today, but it seemed still too much for him. No, seeing his whole body throbbing from a single blow, it might be impossible for life.
Argh. Owen spat out the dirt in his mouth and grumbled. The Commander was already out of sight.
“…It’s war, alright, or something.”
△▲△▲△
| Urgent private meeting request, Lady Cartien. |
The telegram, so brief it was almost disappointingly succinct, was torn to shreds without a trace even before it could reach the outpost. Kainel didn’t even pretend to notice as his squire, who had hurried over, offered him a towel. His jaw was noticeably clenched. Major Gerald, who had followed him, soon dismissed the attendants.
“I’m sorry, Commander. I was so surprised that I couldn’t explain properly and just…”
“Who sent it?”
“Th-the butler sent it. He’s a bit sly, but he’s not the type to lie.”
After preparing the residence on the Crown Prince’s orders, they had hastily selected a butler to manage the household without a mistress, so they hadn’t investigated in detail, but he was quite perceptive. At the very least, he knew enough to value his own life.
“He said he used to belong to a noble family, so he wouldn’t mistake the Cartien family for anyone else.”
“…In this country, is there anyone who would mistake that woman?”
At Kainel’s quiet murmur, the Major flinched. He hadn’t specified exactly who, but it seemed the Vice-Commander was certain it was ‘that woman.’
Well, in the Cartien family, there weren’t many ‘that woman.’
“What’s the reason?”
“Pardon?”
“What’s the reason for coming to find me at this hour?”
From the moment he received the telegram, his eyes had been directed elsewhere, but now they turned to the Major for the first time. A look of extreme displeasure and an inexplicable anxiety alternately flashed across his red eyes.
“…Why on earth.”
“I’ll go first. It’s in the middle of training, and with this rain, it seems like it will pour all night, so you stay here, Commander—”
“Move.”
Before Major Gerald could finish speaking, Kainel stepped toward the stable. The Major, panicking, hurriedly followed, but the black horse already had the reins in Kainel’s hand and was neighing loudly. Having traveled through harsh places in the world for years together, it was sensitive to even the slightest sign from its master and was ready to run.
“Let’s go.”
At Kainel’s light tap on the back of its neck, the black horse reared up on its front legs as if it had been waiting. The Major’s shouts were drowned out by the fierce sound of rain and the pounding of the horse’s hooves as it galloped off. Perhaps that’s why he liked the rain.
Because of that coldness that erased all the world’s clamor.
“Is this your first deployment?”
It was the only voice that the rain couldn’t hide. Even without approaching right up to him, he knew every step she took toward the barracks. It was a clear, resonant sound that made him feel a sense of self-loathing for how distinctly it picked up even the smallest presence of someone.
With just a faint smile and a light nod of the head, it burrowed into someone else’s mind so arbitrarily that it lingered for days, weighing down the afterimage. He knew he shouldn’t trust a single thing from that world, but his time had stopped on that day.
…Damn it.
Kainel, chewing on a curse, gripped the reins tightly. Some memories fade with time, but that day only grew clearer, grating on his nerves. As he leaped over a puddle, Kainel shook his head as if trying to shake off the thought.
Yes. It’s in the past.
He didn’t want to dwell on such things anymore. That’s how he had lived. It was his own foolishness to attach meaning to the words and actions of a young woman who had just come of age, so he had to forget it. However, no matter how much time passed, that sharp laughter never faded.
“You’ve come to meet my daughter?”
“…Yes.”
“Oh dear.”
As expected, it was a rainy night. He met her mother in front of the splendid mansion’s gate, so dazzling it hurt the eyes. Even he, who had endured all the world’s contempt and malice to overflowing, was unfamiliar with that smile. Of course, they didn’t give him time to get used to it either.
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