"…Then, I will gladly accompany you in this battle," Lena said, bowing her head slightly.
Her deanor seed as if she were trying to hide her expression. There was no need for to force her to reveal it.
"Thank you," I replied courteously to Lena, then turned my attention to Sophia.
The mont our eyes t, Sophia's pupils trembled.
"Sophia, I need you—"
"Your Highness," Lena interrupted before I could finish.
"May I state my opinion first?"
"...Go ahead."
I nodded, sowhat anticipating what she might say. If both Lena and Sophia were to accompany , it was crucial to address any misunderstandings—or more accurately, the tension—between them. Resolving potential conflicts early would be essential. Trust among allies was non-negotiable, especially when my life might depend on them in critical monts.
What I sought was not a tragic tale of a party unraveling due to mistrust but a path where we all survived and saw the story's conclusion together.
If anyone thought, Wouldn't it be better to go alone than risk party discord? they might not understand the situation. In the original ga, heroines who were separated from the protagonist sotis t untily deaths. The ga allowed a maximum of four party mbers, with two additional support characters rotating in combat.
Characters outside the party were relegated to "offscreen triggers." A heroine might be absent during critical monts, only to return as a bloodied corpse later. The protagonist could only witness their final breaths, unable to prevent their deaths.
While the deaths were partially determined by fixed triggers, conditions could change based on who was excluded. For instance, leaving Lottie and Jake out of the final party would result in Jake's death as he tried to protect Lottie. Similarly, ntors like Jennifer or Carolyn would sacrifice themselves for their students under certain circumstances.
If this world mirrored the ga in any way, the safest option would be to gather all major characters near the protagonist, "Leo."
In the ga, such tactics were impossible due to system limitations, but here, those restrictions didn't exist.
"Sophia Bianchi may very well be connected to the church we faced last night," Lena declared.
A reasonable conclusion. Anyone who rembered the cardinal's words to Sophia would think the sa.
"Which ans, if we are to face the Theocracy, she cannot be fully trusted," Lena said firmly.
It was essentially a declaration of distrust. Lena and Sophia's earlier squabble seed to stem from this very suspicion, as Sophia had been tailing .
If Lena wasn't also following , what was she doing? Searching for , perhaps? On the other hand, Sophia's actions might have been more overtly suspicious.
"..."
Sophia had no rebuttal to Lena's claim; even she must have found her behavior questionable.
So, I decided to speak up in Sophia's favor.
"I'm already aware of that."
Lena turned her gaze toward , her expression a mixture of surprise and expectation.
Before I could elaborate, Sophia spoke first.
"Yes, that's correct. Her Highness has been aware of my true nature for so ti. In fact, my orders to monitor her beca aningless as soon as she realized."
Whether Sophia had been observing or not, I'd carried on as usual. Even if she reported my actions, how could anyone make sense of them? My movents, my uncanny foresight of the underground facility, and my preemptive counterasures to the Theocracy's sches would have left any observer at a loss.
"In that case—"
"But," Sophia cut Lena off before she could continue, her tone sharpening.
"I do have my own thoughts, you know?"
Whether out of irritation or a desire to assert herself, Sophia's voice took on a defiant edge. It was reminiscent of the Sophia from the original ga, though hearing it now felt oddly refreshing.
In the original ga, her voice might have been grating, but here, it was endearing to see Sophia finally stand her ground.
"From where I stand, it's clear that the emperor must be stopped—whether it's the Theocracy, the Empire, or anything else at stake. Her Highness has declared her intent to confront him. Even if I were aligned with the Theocracy, siding with Her Highness is the most rational choice right now."
She wasn't wrong. At this point, I was indeed the only one openly opposing the emperor.
"Even so—"
"Fine, then."
Before Lena could voice another objection, Sophia reached for her pendant with a sharp tug.
The teardrop-shaped silver ornant bore the profile of a woman. Though stylized and uncolored like a stained glass design, the etched lines suggested flowing hair and a serene beauty.
It was the symbol of the Goddess—a sacred emblem of the faith.
"I swear by the Goddess," Sophia declared. "Until this mission is complete, I will not act against Her Highness or those who follow her. I will not betray anyone. You understand the gravity of a vow sworn before the Goddess, don't you?"
"But what happens right after the mission ends—"
"Ugh, seriously!" Sophia groaned, exasperated.
She clutched the pendant tightly, raising it for all to see.
"I'll extend my vow! Even for several days after the mission, I swear not to act against Her Highness or her allies, whether for personal, religious, or any other reason. And!" she added, glaring at Lena, "I'll extend that to anyone deed equal to Her Highness. I will not betray those I fight alongside. I swear this before the Goddess!"
As Sophia finished her outburst, a faint blue glow emanated from her clenched fist. For a mont, an intricate, translucent pattern appeared on the back of her hand.
It was the mark of the cathedral knights' vow.
False oaths were not uncommon, even among devout followers. But for the Theocracy's cathedral knights, sacred vows were binding, enforced by divine magic. Sophia's glowing mark was a testant to the authenticity of her promise.
"...Understood," Lena finally conceded.
Sophia smirked slightly, then sat back and grabbed her now-cold cup of tea, downing it in one go.
I had intended to bring her along regardless, but her solemn vow settled the matter.
Just as I was about to speak—
Knock, knock.
A knock echoed from the door.
"Co in," I called out.
The door opened hesitantly, revealing a maid I didn't recognize. Judging by her attire, she was part of the Lutetia Palace staff.
"Your Highness, His Majesty the King requests an audience with you."
The words were light, but their implications were heavy.
Had news finally co regarding the Theocracy's movents?
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