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When her cousin announced plans to march troops toward Dolnar Citadel, Elga felt a wave of dizziness. Just as the country was beginning to stabilize, she wanted to go beyond the map?

Aira, wrapped in a silk robe, took a small sip from a hot teacup she’d brought from somewhere and remarked. 

“Elga, you’re not yourself lately. You, who loves nothing more than thriving on the battlefield, opposing a march?”

“You make me sound like a battle-crazed warmonger or something.”

“Am I wrong?”

“… Not entirely.”

That was the old Elga.

The Elga who used to live like a flickering candle, driven by a meaningless craving for excitement, would have eagerly welcomed this campaign. But now, she had things she wanted to protect.

She didn’t want to throw the country that would foster new growth and the future generation into turmoil.

From Elga’s perspective, Aira was like a child carelessly tossing stones into a calm lake or recklessly poking a stick at a beehive.

But Aira was firm.

“We’re not calling off the march. Elga, you’ve heard too, haven’t you? The attacks beyond the wall have quieted down. The main armies of the Dark Force have retreated to Gargata Citadel in the north.”

“That’s what the scouts reported.”

“Then isn’t now the perfect time for us to strike?”

Aira seemed to have thought this through.

But Elga felt uneasy.

She had heard that the main armies of the Dark Force had withdrawn to the far north.

However.

To Elga, it didn’t feel like a retreat but more like an archer drawing back a bowstring—or the strong wind up of a fist. 

Such things were bound to be released forward soon. Like a crouched frog jumping incredibly high. But Aira dismissed it lightly.

“Elga, I know what you’re worried about. But this is a decision I’ve made after much deliberation. We can’t keep hiding behind the wall forever, turning away like cowards.

“Hm….”

“And don’t worry, I won’t ask you to join the battle. My dear cousin, you need to take care of yourself for now, don’t you?”

Flinch-.

Elga was startled by her cousin Aira’s sudden remark. Sometimes, her words would pierce through Elga’s defenses sharply.

‘Could she possibly know there’s a child in my belly?’

No, that couldn’t be…

As Elga was sweating nervously inside, Aira added a few more words.

“To wield the Lioness family’s holy relic, the Crusher, it’s crucial to take care of yourself. Once you get through this period, it’ll be a great asset for Angmar.”

“Well, that’s true.”

Talking to her really wasn’t good for prenatal care…

With that thought, Elga was about to leave the room. But just before reaching the door, something crossed her mind. 

“So, are you really going to go through with that martial festival? You don’t really want to get married, do you? Even if there’s a winner, could they even defeat you? I heard you entered the 8th Rank recently.”

It was half sarcasm.

Elga had recently witnessed Aira crushing coal into diamonds with telekinesis. Was there anyone who could actually challenge her?

Aira merely blinked her dark eyes.

“Well, who knows~?”

She shouldn’t have asked.

Just as Elga turned to leave—.

Flash-. 

With a beast’s instinct, Elga could sense that Aira’s eyes gleamed like glass reflecting light. And that those eyes were reading something in the air. 

* * *

“Aah-! Comrade! Over here! Aah-! Even Yingying has come!”

As we arrived at Sandora city, Marmar was waving from the city gate entrance. Yingying, who had been perched on my head, quickly darted over to Marmar.

━Yingyingyaing.

This little guy… I fed them for days and even bathed them, but they immediately switched sides after seeing Marmar. 

Of course, if I were Yingying, I would’ve done the same…

“Aah-! Our honorable comrade Theonoi has returned-! Everyone, let us welcome him with the Imp’s Dance-!”

“Let’s dance-!”

“Garrr, garrr-!”

Soon, several imps circled around me.

It was supposed to be a welcome, but why did I feel like a kid being bullied in the playground…

I turned my head away from the bustling imps. Suddenly, someone rushed at me over the large wall.

“Sir Theo, are you unharmed!?”

It was Mirna, with her eyes wet like rain. She threw herself into my arms in front of everyone. Normally, she would’ve said something like, “How shameless!”

So, I felt a bit embarrassed.

“I’m fine. But Lady Mirna, everyone is watching.”

“Ehem.”

Only then did Mirna seem to notice the eyes around us and took a step back from me. Stella, seeing this, let out a satisfied chuckle.

“Oh the youth. But, Theo-kun, how could you let your clothes get so messy? Really, there’s so much I need to take care of.”

Stella reached over, adjusting my disheveled outfit and brushing dust off my forehead with her hand.

The problem was, Mirna was watching all of this with narrowed eyes from the side.

“… Aren’t you two a bit too close?” 

“Ah, really? I just did it out of habit.” 

Stella backed away, but Mirna’s gaze only grew sharper, like the edge of an axe.

These past few days, Stella and I had been through a lot together, so it was obvious that the distance between us had lessened a bit.

Recently, she’d been looking after me like a caring older sister or even a mother.

“Sir Theo, I know you’re busy and tired, but I would really love to hear about what happened out there.” 

Edit by: faker