"Was it really fine to let your long-awaited reunion end with just that?"
As they made their way toward the Aerial Fortress's power section as Harold had directed, Vincent tossed those words her way.
It was rather surprising to hear him crack a joke at a time like this, when they needed to remain vigilant of their surroundings. Erika had assumed he was far more straight-laced.
"...This is hardly a situation where I can prioritize my personal feelings."
Certainly, had they reunited in calmer circumstances, she could not deny the possibility that she might have gone beyond merely touching his chest and leaped straight into Harold's arms.
For Erika, that would have been an exceedingly bold action, yet she knew she had been elated enough to do just that. Relief, joy, and above all, an overwhelming fondness had felt ready to burst forth.
"Personal feelings, is it? But surely, you came all the way here knowing full well the danger, precisely because of those feelings?"
"Well... I suppose so, but..."
To begin with, the very act of coming to search for Harold was driven largely by Erika's personal feelings. Naturally, everyone was worried about him, and while Vincent had his own objectives—such as assessing the situation and extracting information regarding Justus—he, too, harbored genuine concern for Harold's well-being.
However, if asked whether there was any obligation or responsibility for Erika herself to split off from their allies to search for him, no such duty existed. She could have simply dispatched personnel from the Sumeragi household.
Even so, she stood here now because she had wanted to confirm Harold's safety with her own eyes.
"I was able to see that he was unharmed. For now, that is enough."
"...You are wise. Intelligent, and capable of seeing the bigger picture."
"Th-Thank you...?"
Puzzled by the sudden praise, Erika offered her gratitude nonetheless.
However, the words that followed were entirely unexpected.
"So take this as nothing more than unwanted meddling from an elder."
"What might it be?"
"Those virtues of yours can sometimes work against you in matters of the heart. Especially when your counterpart is a man like Harold, who charges ahead entirely on his own."
"Wh-What are you saying all of a sudden...?!"
"I did say it was just meddling, didn't I?"
Vincent gave a slight shrug with a teasing air.
"I have heard that your engagement was broken off. If you still hold affection for him despite that, I believe it would do you no harm to act a bit more selfishly."
Just as he had prefaced, his words were purely unsolicited advice.
Yet, what crossed Erika's mind was not displeasure in the slightest, but a warm kindness and the straightforward smile of Lifa.
"A friend told me something similar. She said I 'should be more self-centered' when it comes to Lord Harold."
"I see. I am glad to hear you are blessed with good companions."
"Yes, truly. She is my greatest confidante... perhaps even my closest friend."
At least, that was how Erika felt.
Throughout this journey, Erika had come to realize to her very core just how immense a blessing it was to have someone face her earnestly and care for her deeply.
"Though it does not seem to go very smoothly. I believed I had resolved to face Lord Harold directly, yet..."
If even Vincent, whom she had only just met, could point this out, it meant Erika's demeanor still appeared as though she were holding herself back.
Furthermore, because her feelings toward Harold were so glaringly obvious, it likely stood out all the more. Well, she had no intention of hiding them at this point anyway, so it hardly mattered.
"Changing oneself is sometimes far more difficult than changing others. So do not rush; just keep moving forward with purpose, and eventually, a path will open."
"I shall engrave those words upon my heart... Even so, I did not expect you to speak of such things. Forgive me for saying so, but it is somewhat unexpected."
"Ah, well... I am not particularly good at idle chatter or making light jokes to ease the tension, you see."
"Then why did you?"
Faced with that question, Vincent wore a slightly bashful expression for the first time.
"It is much the same as your situation. A close friend—Cody—once told me, 'You're way too stiff. You've gotta soften up that unapproachable aura of yours a biiit more'... or something along those lines."
Vincent murmured with nostalgia, slightly mimicking Cody's cadence.
"I am aware of that flaw in myself, and to be honest, I admire his sociability and free-spirited nature. That is why I, too, am struggling to change."
Through those words, Erika could clearly tell how precious Cody was to Vincent. At the same time, she felt a strange sense of solidarity budding between them.
"Once we escape from here, the Sumeragi household will also help search for Lord Cody's whereabouts."
"That is... No, thank you. I will count on your aid."
Saying so, Vincent readied his greatsword. Erika, too, took her bow in hand and focused her mind, fixing her gaze straight ahead.
Though they had been conversing amicably, both had maintained constant vigilance over their surroundings. Sensing a sudden stillness settle over the air, they assumed their battle stances.
Before them stood a semicircular door. Beyond it, someone was undoubtedly lurking.
Considering this was near the approximate location of the fortress's power section that Harold had described, the crystal they were searching for was highly likely to be inside.
"It seems that to accomplish our goals, we must first deal with whatever lies ahead."
"I will act as the shield. Depending on who it is, it would be best if we can restrain them without killing them."
Erika gave a firm nod in response.
The battle for everyone to return safely had begun.
◇
Confronted with such an overwhelming series of events, Rainer had needed some time to process the situation. Even so, driven by his inherent optimism, he decided to just take action for now and search for a way out of this facility.
Truth be told, thinking deeply was not his strong suit, and it was hard to say he truly grasped everything that was going on right now.
However, he had Erika, a dependable ally, and Vincent, the Knight Order Commander he had long admired, right there with him. He would leave what he couldn't do to the two of them, and focus on doing what he could.
That was one of the lessons Rainer had learned throughout his journey so far.
‘If you can't manage on your own, flock together. That is the fate of the weak.’
The words Harold had spoken to him that day were etched indelibly into Rainer's mind. Initially, being called weak had stung, but throughout the journey, he had keenly felt his own powerlessness and shortcomings in various situations.
Harold had used the phrase "flock together," but looking back, Rainer now believed he had meant "make companions."
Yet, on the other hand, Rainer had remained hungry to grow stronger and continue developing.
‘However, never neglect striving to be strong. All the more so if you think of yourself as weak.’
Those, too, were Harold's words. Of course, that hadn't been his sole reason for working hard, but the words of Harold—a rival, a goal, and above all, someone he considered a friend—had served as a guiding light for Rainer.
And precisely because Harold was such a person to him, Rainer wanted to believe in him. To do that, he felt he needed to speak with him directly, which was why he had joined the search party.
Did you really have to hurt my parents? What was your purpose in stealing that sword? Were you just using me all along? What in the world is your goal, Harold?
Listing them out like this, he had a mountain of questions. Yet, when they finally came face-to-face, he had somehow found himself at a loss for words.
To make matters worse, Harold was currently sprinting ahead of him at an absurd speed. Rainer didn't even have the luxury of thinking about anything other than desperately keeping up to avoid losing sight of him.
Even so, driven by a determination that bordered on obsession—refusing to be left behind—he kept putting one foot in front of the other. After continuing like that for over ten minutes, Harold's pace finally began to slow, coming to a complete stop at last.
Rainer was confident that his physical strength and stamina had grown considerably throughout this journey, but even he was left coughing with his hands on his knees after such an excruciating sprint. Beside him, Harold stood with an unbothered expression, his slightly ragged breathing already returning to normal.
"How long do you plan to remain collapsed like that?"
On top of that, he threw out those merciless words. He really never says anything considerate, does he? Rainer thought, feeling a faint sense of nostalgia as he recalled the Fighting Tournament.
"Haa... haa... I told you, I'm fine already!"
It was obviously a bluff by any measure, but he forced himself upright and stood beside Harold anyway.
Looking ahead, he saw a door before them.
"Then let's move forward already."
Without hesitation, Harold threw open the door.
The chamber beyond resembled the area where they had fought the Clust Orb. It was neither as vast nor as brilliantly white as that hall, but its style was distinctly different from the rest of the Aerial Fortress's interior up to this point.
"Is this the power section? There's nothing here, though."
"It's further ahead. Though it doesn't look like they intend to let us reach it easily."
Spitting the words out in annoyance, Harold gripped his sword. His gaze was fixed on the four gates at the far end of the chamber.
It was then that Rainer noticed it too. Something was lurking beyond those gates.
"Wh-What's in there?"
"Likely troublesome monsters under Justus's control. Even with that brain of yours, you should remember them."
Just the other day, in the town of Travis, an invasion had occurred by a massive swarm of monsters. Rainer had fought desperately alongside his companions to stop them as best he could.
During that battle, the beasts had exhibited coordinated movements that were distinctly unnatural for wild monsters. Even after the fight, Lifa and Francis had cast suspicious eyes on the event, suspecting the monster invasion had been intentional.
With the Sumeragi Territory, Travis, and now here happening in succession, even the slow-witted Rainer could put the pieces together.
"Don't tell me... these are the monsters controlled by Dr. Justus, like the ones we fought in the Sumeragi Territory and Travis?"
"Precisely. Considering we didn't spot a single one on the way here, assume more than half the monsters in the fortress have gathered here."
"Haha... Well, that certainly sounds rough."
While they exchanged those words, monsters began to pour out of the respective gates one after another.
Controlled monsters posed a difficult challenge; they displayed teamwork impossible in the wild and refused to fall for feints. Even so, the reason they had managed to triumph over such overwhelming numbers of enhanced beasts was because he had had his companions at his side.
Yet now, Rainer had no companions beside him. Although they hadn't been traveling together, he had thought of Harold as an ally and a friend, but there was also the possibility that he had merely been used.
Rainer drew his sword from its scabbard. While their numbers might not be as vast as the battles in Sumeragi or Travis, this was definitely going to be an uphill struggle.
"...Hey, Harold."
"What?"
"I want to believe in you. I came all the way here to talk to you so I could believe in you."
"...What an eccentric fellow. Your stupidity knows no bounds."
"Maybe so. But even so, I want to believe in you, Harold."
Harold offered no response. Beneath that familiar, sullen expression, was he exasperated, or was he sneering at his shallowness?
Either was fine. Rainer simply wanted to hear Harold speak, to hear his true feelings.
"So first, we win this. We'll win, and then I'm gonna talk to you properly."
"...Idiot."
Rainer didn't know what meaning was laced into that insult. Even so, at the exact same moment as Harold, he leaped forward toward the monsters.