The operation that took place at dawn was my decision. Though my promise with Jennifer technically no longer existed after the ti reset, I still rembered it. For any other promise, it might not have mattered, but I didn’t want to break a promise to characters I cared about.
Because of this, by the ti I returned yesterday, the morning had already passed.
“...If you want compensation, I’ll give you whatever you desire. Winterfield doesn’t forget a debt.”
Jennifer said that to on our way back in the car.
“I was only repaying an existing debt.”
That was my response.
Saying that filled with a small sense of pride.
Sure, I had experienced the stench of blood and gunpowder that morning. The mories of that battlefield would likely stay with for so ti. I’d heard stories about things like PTSD, so I knew those mories could have a significant impact on .
Still, thinking that it was sothing I had to do made feel better.
After all, that’s what war is. If we don’t fight, our people are the ones who’ll die. Besides, those rcenaries had committed countless atrocities that bordered on war cris. Perhaps so among them were of sound mind, but… in a place where lives are on the line, there’s no room for sympathy.
They pointed their guns at , too. If I had been shot and left disabled without the ability to reset ti, I would have suffered at the hands of that undisciplined rcenary band.
And this wasn’t my first ti killing soone.
I had optimized my approach to that battle through multiple resets. Although there was a difference of a day, the outco remained more or less the sa.
“A debt?”
Naturally, Jennifer questioned , but I chose not to elaborate.
“...”
Seeing my lack of response, Jennifer didn’t press further. Instead, she seed deep in thought and drove in silence the entire way back to Winterfield Castle. This allowed to quietly gaze out the window.
The distant mountains were beautiful.
Sowhere out there, the Sword Saint still resided.
*
Upon arriving at Winterfield Castle, Alice rushed out to et in the lobby, hugging tightly with a look of worry.
It seed she had caught a whiff of gunpowder on , for she imdiately glared at Jennifer.
"..."
Jennifer didn’t seem to have a response.
Currently, Jennifer didn’t know that I could reset ti. Thus, she must have been shocked in her own way, seeing fight like that on the battlefield, without any ti to ntally prepare.
“Did… Father…”
Alice quickly asked ,
“Did Father order you to do this?”
Hm.
I thought about it seriously.
Technically… it wasn’t sothing the Emperor directly ordered. It was more like sothing he intended to order.
So, would it be alright to let her think so?
It was, after all, sothing I had chosen to do.
“…”
I decided to let her assu as much. Explaining would be a hassle, and hiding my abilities while explaining often left gaps that raised unnecessary suspicion.
On the other hand, lying could lead to questions later if my abilities were discovered.
So, I opted for a “believable silence.”
Alice seed to take my silence as confirmation, her lips tightening as she looked at .
“I told you, you don’t have to follow everything Father says.”
"..."
Alice took a step back, gently holding my hand.
“...Well, considering it’s you, refusing wouldn’t be easy.”
Although I hadn’t received any orders.
...I just hope she doesn’t go running to the Emperor.
Feeling a bit uneasy, I decided to change the subject.
“Did you complete the task?”
“The task? Ah.”
Alice glanced at the other children who had been waiting behind her, then looked back at .
“Yes. Thanks to you.”
I turned my gaze to find Mia Crowfield. It seed they had only recently returned as their clothes’ hems were slightly damp, and their coats were stained here and there. Likely from snow lting into mud.
The blue Marmaros staff in Mia Crowfield’s hand glistened.
I had left it on my desk before I left, with a note instructing that it be given to Mia.
The kids seed to have followed through with it.
“The Marmaros made the hunt go much smoother,” Charlotte said, stepping forward. Her expression was as complex as Alice’s. It seed she was uncertain whether to feel grateful for my help or wary of after witnessing return from the battlefield.
“Th-thank you,” Mia Crowfield stamred nervously.
“Sis… are you alright?”
Claire, who had been watching from a short distance, approached and asked.
“I’m fine.”
In truth, I was doing much better than I had expected. Having seen similar situations repeatedly, I’d grown accustod to it and could prepare myself ntally. Plus, I had my reasons.
Looking around, I noticed Leo and Jake standing a bit farther away. Leo… oddly enough, didn’t look pale or frightened. For a mont, I wondered if he had reached a state of calm through sheer terror, but on closer inspection, he looked as though he were lost in thought.
Had his opinion of changed?
Jake’s reaction was similar. The usual roguish deanor was gone, and he was observing with an unusually serious expression. When our eyes t, he flashed a crooked smile and walked over.
“Alright, alright. Let’s stop standing around and get so food. I’m starving here.”
“You…”
Alice shot Jake a glare, but then, as if reading sothing in my expression, she let out a faint chuckle.
“Yes, well, that sounds about right. We’ve all been working hard all morning. We’re bound to get hungry.”
...Seriously, how does she read my expressions so easily?
*
“Are you sure you’re alright? You could rest for the afternoon.”
In the afternoon, as I prepared to arm myself for another task, Alice asked, her tone filled with concern.
“I’m alright.”
I was glad I’d learned ditation. Just as Claire had ntioned, even without much sleep, ditation helped feel centered and able to keep going.
Of course, it didn’t erase all my fatigue, but after lunch, I’d returned to my room, cleaned up, and sat cross-legged on the bed to ditate, feeling as though I’d taken an energy drink to push back the weariness.
“Are you sure?”
Claire asked the sa question, and I nodded again.
“I still need to complete my tasks. They count toward my evaluation—”
“No.”
Before I could finish, Jennifer, who had approached, cut off.
“I will grant you full marks for your performance. While it wasn’t an official task, you accomplished what no soldier could.”
"..."
Jennifer’s face looked troubled as she said this.
She had worn a similar uneasy expression when I’d declared my intent to take down the enemy commander. It was different from the clear, confident look she had when she’d assigned tasks back at the Sword Saint’s cabin. Had she truly not expected to carry it out?
Likely so. She was an instructor who taught not to seek honor on the battlefield.
“So, you may rest this afternoon… or even tomorrow. I’ll explain everything to the Academy.”
I figured Abraham would understand.
“In that case, I’m doing this because I want to.”
My words brought a sudden silence to the already quiet space around .
“Sylvia?”
Alice looked at with wide eyes.
“...Sis?”
The word finally slipped from Claire’s mouth.
“...I see.”
Jennifer closed her eyes briefly, took a deep breath, and then exhaled softly.
“If that’s what you wish, I can’t stand in your way. Just… thank you. This is gratitude not only from but from the soldiers as well.”
Jennifer bowed her head.
“...I see.”
Unsure how to respond, I settled on a simple acknowledgnt.
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