"And after that...?"
"We fled far away, to the safest place possible. We kept running and running until we finally raised our flag near this Balhart territory. That was the beginning of the Aishers Army."
Anima explained the tragic events in an incredibly calm tone, describing the horrific incident with remarkable composure.
"Having lost my arm and no longer able to wield a sword, from that day on I obtained and mastered every military strategy book in existence. I thought our army lacked a strategist. Fortunately, I seemed to have a decent talent for it, as studying wasn't particularly difficult for me."
"...I see."
After hearing her explanation, I finally understood why this country functioned the way it did.
The extraordinary camaraderie among the founding members of the Aishers Army stemmed from the bond formed by surviving tragedy together.
For five people to establish a nation of this size, and to have recently conquered even Raclaine Castle—
In some ways, they could be considered quite successful lords.
The true circumstances behind their deep camaraderie couldn't be explained by a simple line like "they have strong bonds with their comrades."
Their tight-knit fellowship would certainly shine as a valuable asset in these chaotic times where deception was the norm.
But conversely, would this same camaraderie eventually become the Aishers Army's downfall?
Just then.
Anima looked at me and suddenly spoke.
"Ginor Nighthart."
"Yes?"
"He was the last Chancellor of the United Empire. A man who served the Aingart family."
In that moment.
Anima's eyes flashed briefly.
I could faintly detect something resembling anger that she had kept tightly concealed.
"Someone in such a position couldn't possibly have been unaware of what happened in the Empire. If he was unaware, that would be problematic in itself. I acknowledge his exceptional abilities. However... if I had been more capable, we wouldn't have needed to entrust the role of national strategist to a former Imperial official. It's all due to my inadequacy."
"..."
"When I think that if I had been more helpful, we wouldn't have needed to rely on his power... I still feel something indescribable rising in my throat. I can only apologize to everyone. To Epinel. To Emma and Erinandorf. And to Yuuri as well..."
I see.
Only then did I begin to understand the reason for Anima's insubordination.
Though Ginor hadn't done anything wrong, she seemed to have an adverse reaction to him having been a "high-ranking person" in the Empire.
It was certainly Imperial soldiers who had attacked the Fiviola Academy where she and Yuuri had studied.
And the only ones who could have commanded those soldiers would have been members of the Aingart family.
Though not only she but others including Yuuri had experienced that incident, the fact that she alone couldn't accept it seemed to weigh heavily on her.
Come to think of it.
Luna was like that, and so was Anima.
They both seemed to have lost something precious due to the internal conflicts of the Aingart family.
Though I didn't know the exact reason...
It felt somewhat contrived.
Wasn't everything too focused on the Aingart family as the cause?
It was as if all the world's resentment was directed at Serphina von Aingart, reportedly the only surviving legitimate heir of the Empire.
Almost unnaturally so.
Of course, Serphina was a tyrant who would capture and kill me in another dimension—
But I couldn't shake off this strange sense of discomfort.
Is it right for everything to be resolved by simply labeling her as the villain?
"...That's enough for now."
Anyway, that was a secondary issue.
Right now, it was time to return this young lady to Yuuri.
So, let me touch on something that might interest her.
"Lady Anima. There's something I haven't mentioned yet."
"What is it?"
"Do you remember when I told you earlier about recapturing Raclaine Castle?"
"Yes, I do."
"My Lord expressed a desire to appoint you as the castle lord."
"...!"
Anima's eyes momentarily went wide with shock.
Let me scratch that itch a little more.
"As you know, becoming a castle lord grants you certain authorities. These are unique powers that even the national strategist cannot interfere with."
Then.
Looking straight into her eyes, I spoke like a salesman.
"What do you think? Isn't this the perfect opportunity to demonstrate your abilities once again?"
After hearing my words, Anima remained silent for a while before finally answering in a somewhat subdued voice.
"...The position of castle lord, you say."
"Yes. I'll say it again—you'll be able to exercise authority that even the national strategist cannot interfere with."
I deliberately repeated twice that the national strategist couldn't interfere.
Anima seemed to understand my intention and gave me a meaningful look.
"Swen, was it?"
"Yes."
"It seems an interesting person has joined our country."
"Thank you for the compliment."
My response of "thank you for the compliment" seemed to amuse her, as Anima smiled and said:
"...Very well. I'll follow you down the mountain."
"You've made a wise decision."
My words were 100% sincere.
I didn't want to struggle up here again.
Anima muttered something quietly, then looked at my face.
"Would you mind waiting outside for a moment? I have some things to organize. It won't take long."
* * *
Swen nodded at Anima's request.
"I don't mind if it takes a while. Take your time."
"Thank you."
After Swen left the house.
Anima rested her chin on her hand, deep in thought.
"If they've taken Raclaine Castle... that means the Brands Army has fallen."
Wasn't the Brands Army the greatest threat to the Aishers Army?
In Anima's assessment, there was no way to defeat the Brands Army through their own strength.
The only option had seemed to be to somehow endure while hoping for something to happen.
Since coming to the mountain, she had spent her time mastering various strategy books and rewriting them as a form of review.
News from the outside world had been completely cut off, whether she wanted it or not.
She had turned away everyone from the Aishers Army who came looking for her. After leaving for spiritual training, she wanted to show meaningful results.
But.
If the situation had changed dramatically, that was different.
Had something happened internally within the Brands Army?
Or had Ginor made some kind of contribution?
"...I can think about it after I return."
She had done a lot of thinking while secluded in the mountains.
She no longer intended to stubbornly object by bringing up Imperial origins.
Nevertheless, if an opportunity came to prove herself—then she would gladly demonstrate her abilities.
"..."
Anima recalled the white-haired young man who had confidently asked her if "this wasn't the time to show her abilities once more."
That look in his eyes. Anima had seen such a gaze before.
It was the kind of look she had only seen in Yuuri back when they were still at the academy.
That clear, confident gaze that only someone who believed everything would go according to their will could possess.
Though it was too early to judge him in many ways, she felt he wasn't just an ordinary person you could find anywhere.
A time when talent was gathering.
The fallen Brands Army.
"Perhaps... an opportunity has come for the Aishers Army."
Honestly, even more than obtaining the position of castle lord—
This feeling that "an opportunity had arrived" was what motivated her.
She had lived her entire life thinking only of the Aishers Army's unification of the continent. Wouldn't it be a shame to miss an opportunity when it presented itself?
Having organized her thoughts, Anima rose from her seat, packed the minimum necessities, and left the room.
* * *
In the Nighthart family mansion.
Reika was rolling around on her bed, hugging a doll in her room where she had shut herself in.
"He didn't come today..."
She had been eagerly waiting to go out with Swen.
But it seemed that due to a summons from the ruler Yuuri, Swen couldn't come here today.
"I wanted to show something to Lord Swen..."
Last night.
Reika had finally managed to create not just a fireball but something like an ice spear in her hand.
For someone who had never thought she could use any magic other than fire and had assumed that creating these fireballs was the extent of magic, being able to create something other than a fireball was incredibly shocking in itself.
Feeling much more mana in the mountains and during meditation—she distinctly felt something "opening up" inside her.
From that moment, somehow, when she closed her eyes and gathered mana, she felt she could create something other than fire.
She had tried to create the "ice spear" Swen had mentioned, and it had succeeded beautifully.
"He really is amazing..."
By this point, she found it impossible to believe he wasn't a mage.
How could someone who wasn't a mage educate her so excellently?
Thinking about this—
She suddenly remembered what her adoptive father had said.
"What do you think of him as a husband?"
"..."
Naturally, her arms tightened around the doll she was holding.
Reika blushed as she mouthed the word "husband." A husband—a life partner who would be with her forever.
Reika closed her eyes and imagined life as Swen's wife.
Making bread or cakes for him, preparing his meals.
Taking care of the household while he worked hard, raising about three children.
Although she had the intuition that she was destined to go to the battlefield as a mage someday—that didn't mean she hadn't thought about having a happy family life with a man.
She had heard that Swen was also a warrior who fought on the battlefield. Perhaps her magic could help him.
That certainly wouldn't be a bad life.
Reika herself didn't dislike the idea of building such a future with Swen.
But.
"Is this... really okay like this?"
There was a clear difference between "not disliking something" and "liking something."
At present, she couldn't be certain about her feelings.
She still didn't know what kind of person Swen really was.
Of course, these were things she would learn after marrying and living together... but there was also the possibility that he might be different from what she imagined.
Perhaps he had some strange fetish that she could never satisfy with her abilities.
She felt somewhat pathetic for having such thoughts at this timing, but when people got married, wouldn't they naturally do what couples do?
She wasn't too young to understand such things.
"What do I... want to do?"
Her father had said that if she really disliked it, she should say so.
Of course, she had no intention of refusing. She wanted to repay the kindness of the father who had taken her in.
Decisively, it seemed that no official marriage proposal had been made to Swen yet, so it wasn't something she needed to think deeply about.
Nevertheless—for Reika, who had lived a life detached from such matters until now, it was impossible not to think about it.
Becoming Swen's wife.
If that happened... could she do well?
And so Reika spent a long time thinking about her white-haired mentor.
In this moment, Reika was not the first mage in the continent to awaken to mana.
She was just an ordinary twenty-year-old girl spending the night thinking about a man who might become her husband.
* * *
"It's been a while."
At the gates of Balhart Castle.
Anima stood there, staring for a long time at the red flag fluttering atop the tower.
I could naturally sense countless emotions surging like a tidal wave in her eyes as she gazed at the flag.
I said nothing and waited beside her during this brief reunion.
"...Thank you for waiting."
"Not at all."
I nodded lightly, then followed Anima as she entered the castle.