In my remaining time, I had a deep conversation with Helia. I remembered hearing somewhere that the most important thing in education is to have conversations while facing the child.
Even if it was just knowledge I had picked up, I thought it was better than not practicing at all. In fact, Helia had improved to a point where it was embarrassing compared to before.
Back at the cafeteria, she would have tried to charge at me with a sword right away. Compared to that time, I truly believed she had become a real person. Recently, Helia had started reading. I asked her why.
“Did you have a book you wanted to read?”
“Don’t you read a lot of books, Teacher?”
“There’s something I need to check.”
“I’ve also started reading to be helpful.”
She still showed symptoms of being dependent on me, but over time, it would surely fade. Even now, Helia was spending her time hanging out with Clara and Ruby.
I felt a mix of refreshing yet slightly bittersweet feelings. This must be the natural growth of a child. I just hoped in the end, she wouldn’t end up obsessing over power like in the original story.
I closed the book I was reading. Currently, I was in the Royal Knights’ library researching dimensional travel. Naturally, there wouldn’t be many books on such a topic available.
So for now, I was slowly diving into magic. Just like the saying, the longer the journey, the more one should take the scenic route. If I take it step by step, someday I might reach a hint.
“It’s about time the guests arrive.”
“I’ll prepare right away.”
“Prepare? You?”
“I can at least bring the tea.”
“Well, that’s true…”
Helia smiled brightly and quickly exited the office. Left alone suddenly, I couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease. No, it was definitely a good thing…but why did I feel so uneasy about it? I had a moment of such thoughts, but I corrected myself. After all, I was grateful that the child was growing properly.
So, I decided to focus on my work. I paid attention to my appearance through the mirror prepared in the office. The helmet that Helia had put on me was broken during the fight with Comprachico.
Thanks to that, Helia had glared at me fiercely for a moment. However, she didn’t do anything beyond that. Moreover, the other members didn’t respond as much as I had anticipated.
[Oh, you’ve taken off the commander’s helmet, huh?]
[When did you take it off?]
[I-I’ve been without it since the day I brought Yuren, the commander.]
[I swear you were already helmetless when we met. Were you initially wearing one?]
[Commander, do you need a new helmet?]
Setting those aside, Clara and Ruby looked greatly disappointed that they just now realized I had taken off my helmet. After all, I was technically your commander. Shouldn’t you care a bit more?
No, forget it. Forget it.
After all, I was someone who would leave someday. If we got too close, it would only be more painful later. Maybe a little distance like this is just right. Then, a thud was heard.
I was no longer surprised. Looking out the window, I saw Yuren land gracefully in the courtyard, but she wasn’t alone. There was something hanging heavily from her back.
Upon closer inspection, I saw a girl with gray hair and round beast ears, and behind her, Beastmen warriors were tied up like fish. What on earth is that??
As soon as I saw that, I felt a twitch in my neck. I was sure I had instructed them to bring her politely. Could it be that ‘politely’ means something entirely different to a Dragon?
No, no, this isn’t the time to think about that. I needed to sort out this mess somehow. Making a quick judgment, I turned my head and ran. Helia followed me.
“You’ve really made a mess this time.”
“……”
As Helia said, when I got closer to examine the situation, it was a sight to behold. All the Beastmen were foaming at the mouth. There was no way they could still be conscious.
“Has the commander arrived?”
“Yeah! Commander! I followed the orders!”
“……”
How could someone who caused such a disaster say that so proudly? My blood pressure spiked, but I swallowed my anger. What good would it do to get angry?
In a head-on confrontation, I obviously wouldn’t stand a chance. But what if I got angry and it caused a rift between us? In the end, I had no choice but to bow my head to them.
After all, the water is already spilled. I can scold them later. Right now, my priority was to manage the situation. I quickly ordered them to move the Beastmen to the infirmary.
Cluna and Yuren executed my orders without complaint. That made me more puzzled. What’s this? They don’t look like they’re resisting at all. Then why on earth did they do this?
“Cluna, didn’t I ask you to bring them politely?”
“Yes, Commander. I carried out that order.”
“Good. Impressive that you could hold off so many.”
“Too much flattery.”
“……??”
At first, I didn’t quite understand what was going on, but as I listened closely, it turned out that the Beastmen’s envoy had some hidden agenda, and Cluna had sensed it and acted on it.
“But it was a bit dangerous. They were persistently targeting my weakness.”
“You didn’t use a lethal method? Is there a reason?”
“It was a promise to an old friend.”
“I see, then there’s nothing that can be done.”
“I shuddered to think what might have happened if Yuren hadn’t arrived just in time.”
“I didn’t do anything. I just obeyed the commander’s orders.”
The story turned out to be more complicated than I thought, giving me a headache. Let’s put this aside for now. The most important thing was for the Beastmen envoy to regain consciousness. Yes, that was what mattered most.
However, since they came with ill intentions, I probably need to prepare in some way. Fortunately, the Royal Knights would be returning soon.
Until then, I should be as careful as possible in our conversations.
*
The power to see the future.
To put it simply, precognition is not invincible. Though I realized it a bit late. For example, in the war with the Elves 200 years ago. The reason we recklessly went to war back then.
It was because she had relied too much on the precognition she saw. Driving the Elves away and occupying that forest in the future. Thus, I gathered all our forces without thinking of the consequences.
Because, after all, we were going to win.
That was the future she saw.
However, that shattered.
The Guardians of the Forest. Those hateful Elven guardians formed a separate unit and ambushed us. If it flowed inside, how could it not flow outside? They were bewildered.
In the end, they couldn’t even put up a proper resistance and retreated. Just when the Elves began to counterattack, Yuyoung was forced to swallow her humiliation and was left with no choice but to sign a peace treaty with the Elves.
The humiliation of that time still stuck with Yuyoung. How could she ever forget it? Less than 20 Elves had defeated a thousand men. That day was marked by exceptionally heavy rain.
The rainwater turned to mud and soaked her knees. She glared at the enemy directly in front of her while kneeling. That enemy was none other than an Elf.
[Cluna, wouldn’t it be better to kill them here?]
[I agree. It’s right to cut off the sprouts.]
[…Just bind them for now.]
[Is our pathetic Cluna trying to keep another empty promise?]
The blade that nearly touched her neck was withdrawn, yet the sensation from that moment still lingered. It felt as if it could strike her neck any moment. But what she couldn’t endure more was the humiliation she had felt back then.
“Ugh.”
Yuyoung opened her eyes, which she had kept shut. She was greeted by a plain ceiling and the sour smell of herbs. Yuyoung silently lifted her upper body. This was an unfamiliar place.
There was a bed with a white blanket and cloth. She and the warriors following her were all lying in bed. It seemed to be a treatment room. If so, this was Lionheart Fortress.
Not difficult at all, Yuyoung quickly deduced that she was in the aftermath of previous events. The unexpected appearance of the former commander, Yuren. They panicked and got overrun.
She couldn’t blame them. The Beastmen had stronger beast blood flowing through them. Naturally, they would instinctively feel fear toward a predator. But they hadn’t lost yet.
The round mouse ears above her head twitched and moved. She could hear footsteps approaching. As expected, the door opened, and someone appeared.
“You’re awake.”
He had black hair and wore iron armor. To the standards of Beastmen, his appearance was quite ordinary. It probably wouldn’t have been much different from a human’s view.
But I couldn’t let my guard down.
He was someone who had Dragons and Guardians of the Forest under his command.
“It’s nice to meet you, Sir Hans. I am Yuyoung, the leader of the Rat Clan.”
Inside him, thousands of snakes must be writhing.
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