The war was over.
Since there was still a mountain of administrative cleanup to handle, the regular soldiers were sent home. Most of them received their rewards on the spot. As Gaia-san had mentioned, the commendations for major feats of merit would take place later at a formal ceremony.
I was worried about Iricobert-san, so I stopped by his tent. I found him already bellowing curses at the Dragon King at the top of his lungs. He was as energetic as ever. Amazing, really.
After finishing my greetings, I prepared to head back to Secondary for a while. Gaia-san promised to send word once things were settled.
At this point, I didn't care much about appearances, so I simply summoned an Emblem Horse and made the journey back in a single day. I had used my powers so freely during the war that there was no point in holding back now.
The town finally came into view. In front of the main gate, I saw people pacing back and forth, looking restlessly in every direction. I wondered how long they had been standing there... and how much longer they would wait.
Seeing them reminded me once again that I absolutely had to come back alive.
Because of that...
"—I’m home, Mother."
"Leo!! You're back!"
I hugged her as tightly as I could.
Surely, there were many others waiting for their loved ones just like this. And... there were also the people I had cut down.
When that thought crossed my mind, my heart felt leaden. What was I fighting for? Perhaps I was still lost. Even so, seeing her smile made me think that, for now, I was just glad I had survived.
Mother went all out, preparing an incredible feast. She even made a cake. We sat around the dining table together just like we always did. Eventually, she spoke quietly.
"How was it? The war."
"I was just... desperate. But I killed people. I cut down so many... just to win."
"I see."
Mother reached out and squeezed my hand firmly.
"I cut down many people in my time, too. It was a heavy burden. That is what it means to fight... I'm glad you're a child who can feel that weight, Leo."
"...Yeah. I wonder if that's a good thing?"
"Mama... no, no one really has the answer to that. Everyone has to find their own truth within themselves. So think about it carefully. You have to decide your own answer, Leo. About what you'll do from here on."
"From here on?"
"That's right. You could even choose to run away. There are ways for the two of us to live a quiet life together."
She pulled me into a tight hug, just like she always used to.
"Just remember, Mama is always on your side."
"............Yeah."
I ate. I bathed. It was late, so I crawled into bed.
As I lay there, I replayed the events of the war in my mind. What left the deepest impression on me was the duel between Iricobert-san and the man called Gregori. That single fight had decided the fate of the battle.
Of course, a lot had happened to lead up to that point, but the fact remained that the duel had brought the conclusion.
"............"
I hate war. It’s not that I hate fighting itself—I hate that so many people die. If possible, I don’t want anyone to die, whether they're enemies or allies.
That’s how I felt. Because in the homes of the men I killed, there were families waiting and weeping. I wouldn’t go so far as to say I’ll never kill again, but I certainly didn’t want to.
"............I see."
In that moment, Iricobert-san’s words came back to me.
War, you see... there’s nothing better than ending it quickly.
Those words meant that striking down the enemy general was the fastest way to end the slaughter.
"If the enemy general is slain, the war ends. If the power of the emblem is neutralized, the knights fueled by that power will be spared... and the war will be over."
Something inside me began to clear. War has no objective "correct" answer. But I felt like I was finally finding my own answer to this suffocating question. It might not be the "right" answer. It might not even be an answer at all. But I felt like I could finally hold onto my own sense of justice.
A few days later.
The wound on my thigh was almost completely healed. I suppose I had the power of the emblem to thank for that. I could run and fight normally again. I resumed my training on the plains outside the town of Secondary.
I doubled my usual basic routine, moving until I felt like I was going to vomit. What I had done before wasn't enough. I had to get much, much stronger.
When the nausea became too much and I felt like I couldn't go on, I closed my eyes. From there, I transitioned to image training. Clearer, deeper. I ran through countless mock battles in my mind.
"Iricobert-san, Gregori... and Valzak Dragonia."
Unless I became stronger than that Dragon King, my "justice" would be nothing more than a fairy tale. I dove deeper... and deeper. I fought hundreds of battles in my head. I traced their movements perfectly, then surpassed them.
It felt good. More... I needed more.
Eventually, after finishing hundreds of simulations, I opened my eyes.
"Munya munya..."
"I wonder what she's doing here."
A red-haired girl was napping right beside me. It was Flare. I’d sensed someone nearby, but since she wasn’t doing anything, I’d just ignored her. I hadn't expected her to actually fall asleep next to me.
She was wearing what looked like a school uniform. Her skirt had ridden up, exposing her bare legs. I felt awkward leaving her like that, so I took off my jacket and draped it over her. I doubted she’d want people staring.
I went back to swinging my sword, half-naked. By the time I noticed, it was already evening.
"A-Ah? Did I... fall asleep?"
"Good morning."
"Did you... put your coat on me?"
Flare rubbed her eyes as she sat up. She’d been out for about three hours. She stretched her arms over her head and gave me a bright smile.
"You know, you could’ve looked a little... but I guess that’s chivalry for you."
She gave me a mischievous, wicked little grin. But a moment later, she gave me that sun-like smile again—the one that reminded me so much of my mother.
"Thanks!"
After that, Flare followed me back to the house I shared with my mother in Secondary.
"Oh my! Oh my goodness! Leo, is she your girlfriend?! What a gorgeous girl!"
"No, she's not."
"We were actually in the same Squad. We fought back-to-back on the battlefield... right, Leo?"
"Is that so?! My, my! So Flare-chan is a knight too? Auntie used to be a knight as well, you know! How wonderful! A romance born on the battlefield!"
"Wow, really?! No wonder Leo is so strong!"
And so, for some reason, Flare ended up at our table, happily munching on my mother's cooking. Our little house in Secondary felt quite cramped with three people inside.
More importantly, I still didn't know why she was here.
"Auntie, your cooking is amazing! You have to teach me how to make this sometime!"
"Oh, stop it! I'll teach you how to make all of Leo's favorites. If you make him cake, he'll do anything you say."
"I will not."
"I'd love to learn!!"
"...So, Flare, why are you actually here?"
Flare had her mouth full of food. She looked like a hamster.
"Munch, munch... gulp. Right. There's a Meritorious Star Decoration Ceremony in five days, and I came to get you."
"Hmm. Gaia-san mentioned that, but is it mandatory? It sounds like a pain."
"You have to go. You’re being awarded First Class Merit, so your name will be called during the ceremony, and you'll receive it directly from the royal family."
In my previous life, I had been awarded many times, but it was such a hassle that I always had Ryu accept them for me. I’ve never been fond of those kinds of events.
I looked at Mother. She was completely frozen, looking shocked.
"F-F-First Class Merit? L-Leo did...? Flare-chan, what on earth...?"
"Yes! It's the highest honor from this battle! He's probably going to get a huge promotion!"
A promotion... Gaia-san had mentioned that, too. Mother's knees gave out, and she sank to the floor.
The next day.
"Alright, let's head for the Royal Capital! Let's go!"
"Can't you summon your own Emblem Horse, Flare?"
"I could, but it uses up Crest Power and controlling them is a pain. So, plee-ease? ♡"
"Well... I guess it's fine since we're going to the same place."
Flare looked up at me with watery, pleading eyes. Whenever I saw that look, I felt my guard go up. It was the exact same look I used four years ago when I was pretending to be a helpless child to kill enemies.
Flare hopped onto the back of my horse.
"Bye-bye, Auntie! We're off!"
"Goodbye... Though, the Royal Capital Arcana, huh... I'd love to visit again someday."
"Want to come along?"
"Fufu, I won't spoil your date. Maybe next time. Flare-chan, please give my regards to Lord Gaia."
"I will!!"
"A date? ...Whatever."
Flare and I set off for the Royal Capital Arcana. It was a three-day journey by Emblem Horse—quite a distance.
We rode for the entire day. Flare kept one hand on my waist while she snacked on something.
"Do you want one, Leo? An orange sweet?"
"Sweets?"
"Here, ah—! Hey! You almost ate my finger!"
"The horse is jolting, what do you expect?"
Flare popped the sweet directly into my mouth. Hmm. It was actually pretty good. Ever since that day, cake had been my favorite food. In fact, I’d developed a massive sweet tooth. My two main interests now were training and eating sweets.
As night began to fall, we decided to stop at a town along the way. Mother had given me some money; it seemed the going rate for an inn was about one silver coin per night. The currency in this world consisted of gold, silver, and copper. In my head, a gold coin felt like a million yen, silver like ten thousand, and copper like a hundred. I currently had five silver coins.
Considering that, ten thousand yen a night felt fairly standard.
"Leo! Leo! Let's go in there! I'm starving!"
Flare pulled me toward a shop. I’d noticed this before, but she was very forceful. I generally didn’t care where we went, so I let her lead.
We entered a rather expensive-looking restaurant. Flare ordered an absurd amount of food. She had a huge appetite, just like when she was at my house. Flare drooled slightly as she looked at the spread on the table, then started digging in.
"So good! Leo, try this! And this! And this too!"
She looked genuinely happy while she was eating, her smile bright and carefree. Just watching her made me feel a bit better.
"You're very energetic, Flare."
"You think so? I think you're just too quiet, Leo. You'll never make friends like that."
"............That's true. I don't have any."
Friends... I really didn't have any. Was Old Man Beard a friend? I wasn't sure. I didn't have any friends my own age, at least. There hadn't been anyone my age in the village to begin with.
I had hoped I might have changed, but maybe I hadn't at all. Perhaps nothing had changed since my previous life.
"............Sigh."
I let out a small, dejected sigh. It looked like I wouldn't be making friends in this life either. Ryu wasn't here. I was alone again.
That was when Flare suddenly grabbed my hand.
"Then, am I the first?"
"Eh?"
"Leo’s friend! Am I your first one?"
"You mean... you'll be my friend?"
"Ahaha! We're already friends! What are you talking about? Was I the only one who thought so? I've considered you a friend for a while now."
Flare gave me a sun-drenched smile. A friend... Flare was my friend.
"What's with that look? Are you that happy?"
"............Yeah."
"—!?"
I squeezed her hand back. I tried to answer with the best smile I could muster.
"I'm happy, Flare."
"............Leo, you shouldn't show that face to just any girl. You're already good-looking, and you're a top-class swordsman. If you do that... girls are going to fall for you dangerously hard."
"Hard? Was my face weird? Smiling is difficult."
"...Fufu, it was weird. You're really strange, Leo. But I like you quite a bit."
After we finished eating, it was time for the bill.
"Allow me to handle this. Hehe, I am the daughter of a Five Star Sword, after all. I've got plenty of cash... or rather, Papa does."
She gave a slightly suspicious laugh as she opened her wallet. Her expression shifted instantly.
"T-Tehe! I forgot to put money in it."
Apparently, she was broke. She was surprisingly airheaded. The meal cost four silver coins—forty thousand yen. She really had overeaten.
"T-Thanks for the treat!"
"Yeah... Oh."
I remembered something important. The inn.
"With only one silver coin left, we can only afford one room."
"U-Um... I can sleep in the hallway! I'm a knight, after all!"
"No, I'll sleep in the hallway. You're a girl, Flare."
I wasn't trying to argue gender roles, but if I let a girl sleep in the hallway, my mother would never let me hear the end of it. Besides, my own sense of chivalry—or just common ethics—told me that was out of the question.
As a result...
"I-It's a bit cramped, isn't it?"
"Yeah. It's pretty run-down."
We ended up sharing a room. The innkeeper had been grinning ear-to-ear when he showed us the way, but the room was tiny and only had one bed. No sofa. I’d have to take the floor.
"Do you want to use the shower first?"
"—!?"
For some reason, she hugged herself and looked at me with wary, suspicious eyes.
"T-Then... I'll go first."
"Yeah."
"Bathing" for commoners just meant pouring a bucket of warm water over yourself. I didn't mind, but I imagined Gaia-san’s mansion had much nicer facilities. They probably even had actual showers and shampoo.
I took my turn after Flare. I felt refreshed when I returned to the room. Flare had changed into her sleepwear and was sitting in formal seiza on the bed, looking embarrassed.
"I-I am in your care! Please treat me well!"
"I'm not going to 'treat you' in any particular way. Why are you acting so weird?"
"Eh?! A-Ahaha... I felt like if I didn't joke around, things would get awkward."
"...I don't really get it. Just take the bed, Flare. I'll be fine on the floor."
I started to lie down on the floorboards, but Flare grabbed my arm and dragged me onto the bed.
"I-I'm putting my faith in your chivalry, Leo."
"What are you even talking about?"