I led the hesitant Reika to stand before Serpina.
"A-Ah, u-uhm... H-Hello...!"
Now that she was facing Serpina directly, Reika was sweating profusely, visibly flustered. In a different situation, her behavior could have been considered improper, but—
Serpina, unbothered by such things, simply asked in a calm tone.
"...It has been a while. Have you been well?"
"A-Ah... Y-You... rember ...!"
"Of course. You leave quite a lasting impression."
It was true—her rare pink hair alone made her difficult to forget. The striking contrast made her stand out in anyone’s mory.
"I-I see... I’m sorry... Sorry for being born...."
"No, Reika. Calm down."
I steadied her before she could blurt out anything more nonsensical in her panic.
"So, why did you co here?"
"That’s... um... I heard that Lady Serpina was badly injured...."
"...Yes."
"Sir Airen told that Lady Serpina got hurt while trying to protect him...."
"..."
At the ntion of Airen’s na, Serpina’s expression wavered, and she averted her gaze.
"So? What about it?" I asked, keeping the conversation on track.
"So, um... I thought that maybe... I might be able to help...!"
"...?"
"S-Sir Swen, do you rember? When I told you that I had sothing to show you?"
Now that she ntioned it, she had said sothing like that before.
"I was thinking... Maybe now is the ti to show you...!"
"...???"
Wait a minute.
If Reika had sothing she wanted to demonstrate—could it be...?
"Did you... learn sothing new?"
Nod, nod.
Of course. As a mage, the only thing she would be eager to show her teacher was a new spell.
But—
"Right now, my lord needs to rest," I said, trying to subtly divert the conversation.
Serpina still wasn’t aware that Reika was a mage. She had her suspicions, but she had never actually seen it with her own eyes.
I had no idea what kind of magic Reika had learned, but now wasn’t the ti to indulge her.
Given how perceptive she was, I expected her to understand my aning imdiately.
But then—
"I already know...!"
"...?"
"I can show it because Lady Serpina is injured...!"
"...???"
"This... might be able to heal her! No, I’m sure it can!"
I looked at Reika’s sparkling eyes and processed her words.
A new spell.
Sothing she could only demonstrate now that Serpina was wounded.
Sothing that could heal?
"...Healing?"
That ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) was the first thought that ca to mind.
But was there even healing magic in this ga?
No, wait.
Even my green rapier, the mana amplifier I always carried at my waist, had been nothing more than a decorative artifact as far as I knew.
I had spent 10,000 hours playing this ga, and yet—there were still things I didn’t know.
If that was the case...
I turned to Serpina.
Her injuries weren’t life-threatening, but they would leave her unable to properly handle affairs of state for weeks.
Her survival wasn’t in question, but the sooner she returned to the throne, the better it would be for everyone.
And regardless of our intentions, the fact that Airen and I were once again involved in this incident would certainly stir rumors.
Now is not the ti to keep secrets.
I slowly nodded.
"Alright."
As soon as she heard my answer, Reika nodded eagerly.
Like a small, obedient animal.
Then, I turned back to Serpina.
"My lord. There is sothing I would like to show you. May I have your permission?"
She could have asked what it was.
But instead of questioning , Serpina simply nodded slowly and—
"I trust you, Swen."
She returned the very words I had spoken to her earlier.
*
"Alright... I’ll begin."
Reika muttered under her breath a few tis before closing her eyes.
"Haaah...!"
And as she always did, she began gathering energy at her fingertips.
Only this ti, the aura surrounding her hands was unlike anything I had seen before.
It was pure white.
"...!!!"
Serpina’s eyes widened in shock.
She had harbored her suspicions about Reika being a mage, but this was the first ti she was seeing actual proof.
A lesser person might have flinched in fear and pushed Reika away on instinct.
But she didn’t.
She simply sat still, exactly as I had instructed.
She trusts .
"Haaaah...!"
The glowing sphere of light in Reika’s hands slowly enveloped Serpina’s body.
A white radiance surrounded Serpina’s pale skin, almost like an aura.
Minutes passed.
Then—
"...Ah..."
With a soft sigh, Reika slumped forward.
"Reika!" I rushed toward her as she collapsed onto the bed.
"Are you alright?"
She was panting, clearly exhausted.
But thankfully, she didn’t seem to be in any real danger.
It had been a long ti since she last overexerted herself like this, but I had seen it before—when she was still training, she had collapsed from exhaustion more tis than I could count.
"S-Swen... d-did it... work...?"
At her question, I turned to Serpina.
She was sitting upright now, running her fingers over the bandages on her body.
"...Impossible."
She touched the area around her wounds a few tis, then, in a trembling voice of disbelief—
"My wounds... have faded."
"...I’m... glad...."
Reika barely managed to squeeze those words out before losing consciousness.
It seed that, being a newly developed spell, it had yet to be optimized for efficient mana consumption.
But more importantly... the fact that a spell akin to Heal actually existed...
I had no idea by what chanism she had learned such magic, but it was undeniable—Reika was far more extraordinary than I had initially believed.
I used all my strength to lift the exhausted Reika and carefully laid her on the empty bed beside us before turning back to Serpina.
"Huff... Huff... My lord, how do you feel?"
"It’s... astonishing. My body feels so much better. The pain is almost completely gone, and the wounds have nearly healed. I can hardly believe it..."
Even after hearing that I had called down a teor.
Even after seeing undeniable proof.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
Even after witnessing a castle wall collapse before her very eyes—
Nothing could compare to the certainty that ca from experiencing it herself.
"Mages... truly exist."
"...They do. Though I am not one."
"..."
She had a bewildered expression.
It was difficult to believe at first glance.
No matter how sharp or intelligent she was, standing before such an overwhelming, surreal power was an experience that no re human could simply accept without hesitation.
But...
It seed that what truly shocked her was not the existence of mages itself.
"...Why?"
"Pardon?"
"Why did you reveal this to ?"
Serpina’s voice trembled as she stared at .
Her golden eyes wavered as much as her voice.
"...Swen. Can I speak honestly?"
"Please do."
"If I were you, I would have hidden it. I would have concealed the fact that Reika was a mage until the very end..."
Her voice grew even softer.
"After all, you intend to leave eventually. Given that, it would only be wise not to disclose such a significant secret to a ruler you would serve only briefly. I know you well enough to be certain that you wouldn’t overlook such a thing."
She said since you intend to leave eventually—
And I could not bring myself to refute her.
I remained frozen, listening in silence.
"And yet, you revealed her identity to . That fact... confuses deeply. Truly. Swen, you are the one who confuses the most."
"My lord. That’s—"
Before I could offer any excuse, she reached out with her pale hand and grasped my wrist once more.
"No. It’s alright. I wasn’t asking for an answer. So please... say nothing."
And as she gently stroked my wrist—
"Even if it’s only the faintest sliver of hope, it’s enough. Swen... I cannot give up on you. Just allow to try. Until the very last mont."
"..."
False hope was cruel.
It would have been wiser to put an end to this here and now.
But...
Her eyes looked unbearably sad.
They were the sa sorrowful eyes I had once seen in Lady Airen—the ones I had wanted so desperately to protect.
I could not bring myself to pull my hand away.
No—I would not pull away.
Serpina finally released my hand and slowly sat up in bed.
Her sheer white negligee clung to her, accentuating the overwhelming curves of her body.
I quickly turned my head away, flustered.
"Regardless, I will never forget this debt, Swen."
"...And neither will I forget that you protected Lady Airen."
That was the truth.
She had risked her life not out of duty, but out of a desire to shield from pain—to avoid being hated by .
I had no intention of abandoning a lonely sovereign who had gone that far.
Even if the ti ca for to leave, I would make certain to repay this debt.
"I have recovered far sooner than expected. Now, there is sothing I must do."
"And that would be...?"
Serpina’s lips curled into a smirk.
It was the sa familiar, downward-looking smile.
The kind of smile only an absolute ruler could wear.
"I must remind those who dare oppose House Eingart exactly what happens to them."
I found myself oddly relieved.
She had regained her strength.
One way or another... I owed her far too much.
I closed my eyes.
The choice I would one day have to make.
If the ti ever ca for to choose Serpina—
I would do so of my own will.
And I would bear the consequences.
Even if the world pointed its finger at in condemnation, I would repay the price of Lady Airen’s life.
I made that vow.
Yes.
I would not deny it any longer.
At this mont, for the first ti—
I considered the possibility that I might not imdiately return to Lunarian’s Army.
***
Eingart Royal Castle
Following the events of that night, the rumors quickly spread.
Under normal circumstances, the one responsible for managing the aftermath in Serpina’s absence should have been Jenna, the royal strategist.
However, she was currently away, inspecting various regions of the continent.
Thus, the one temporarily in charge of handling the situation was Airen.
She was, after all, the one who knew the most about what had transpired.
And Serpina had entrusted her with full authority during her recovery.
Fortunately, Airen had gained considerable favor among the castle’s commanders.
"General. Leni has been safely imprisoned."
"You have done well. What is his current condition?"
"He is still alive, but his injuries are severe. He may not survive much longer... Are you certain this is alright?"
"Hmm..."
His life was not in imdiate danger, but he would require complete rest for at least a few weeks.
If Leni were to die during that ti, they would lose the chance to uncover who was behind his actions.
Should I act independently and extract information from him...?
Or should I seek counsel from my lord, despite her need for rest?
I hesitated.
But at that mont—
"What has you so troubled?"
A voice rang out—bold, commanding.
A voice Airen had grown familiar with.
She turned toward the source of the voice.
And there—
"My lord...?"
Serpina, who had been gravely wounded re hours ago—
Was now walking toward the throne as if nothing had happened.
"Well done, Airen. I will take it from here."
With those words, she signaled the inevitable—
The return of bloodshed.
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