305 Inheritor (2/2)
However, Reyne's plans weren't so simple as merely strengthening herself.
”If you need them, just tell me. Otherwise, if there's not anything, I'm going to take the Silver Cross Squadron with me, as well as the Aurora Knights. It's too much of a waste to have them standing around here in the Cloud Tower acting as employees of Thorn Garden. I've already set aside five thousand Hero Armlets for their use. Just treat it as the appropriation of governmental property.”
This was obviously well-planned by her before she notified me. She was intending to go into battle. Not only would this help train herself, she would also train the soldiers and knights under her as well. They would obtain Justice Points and grow stronger together with her.
This was Reyne's choice. She chose to lead her own people and knights to grow stronger together to deal with the future challenges and difficulties.
A bright spring sun shone in through the window as the smiling Reyne waved goodbye to me. I felt like this all happened too quickly and mysteriously without me even realizing it.
Her silver armor flashed with solid metallic plating, and traces of fear and hesitation had long since disappeared from her beautiful face. Her smile wasn't forced at all, and the silver Roland Sacred Sword was glowing with a resolute light. When I finally woke up, I discovered that time had flown by and that this girl had imperceptibly become a warrior who was a leader in her own right.
”Right, I also brought that flag with me. You don't mind if I use it, right?”
This famous dragon-slaying princess of the Northlands was still using that tattered flag of the Mist. At this moment, I paused in surprise, before I finally figured everything out.
Obviously, Reyne had already planned all this out. She wasn't escaping from her responsibilities as the leader of a country—in fact, it was the opposite. She believed that since calamities were destined to endlessly come in the future, merely guarding what one had wasn't enough. After all, that was a passive way of defending. Only by obtaining enough strength would one be able to overcome the upcoming difficulties. And now was the best time to obtain greater power and reputation.
In this world, even something as intangible as reputation could transform into solid, actual fighting strength. When faced with calamity and danger, a well-known hero's summoning for assistance would be able to attract numerous people who trusted in them as allies.
Reyne made her choice. She chose to take her knights with her to experience the battlefield and to avoid the safety of my protection. She chose to obtain the power to protect herself and her people through life-and-death experiences, both to help herself gain a reputation as well as to inject new history and fame into the flag of the Mist. The entire land of Eich would witness once again what it was to be a descendant of the Mist.
She knew that mentioning such ideas of hers in East Mist itself would be impossible. Since Reyne was the only royalty left, Kelly and all the other long-time retainers would definitely refuse, which was why she used the excuse of supporting me to come here. Then, she would go to the frontlines as planned before finally informing Kelly and the others afterwards.
Right now, although the girl before me still looked the same as before, that formerly hesitant ”flower-vase princess” had completely vanished. This princess knight was now someone who smiled while facing future calamities and was bearing the burden of a country and her citizens' trust.
I really didn't know what to say even after thinking for a long while. Even though she was asking me about it on the surface, she probably never even considered the possibility that I would reject her.
Would I reject her? Of course I wouldn't. Since the young bird had now matured into a soaring eagle that was ready to spread her wings and leave the nest, there was no way I would force her back into the nest and fold her wings. That would only make a talented individual waste away into an idiot.
”You're really going to make me suffer with this. You want Kelly to lecture me to death that badly?”
”…Hehe, even Brother Roland has something you're afraid of? I apologize for that; I'll write a letter to her. So, this means you'll allow me to go?”
”Even if I don't allow you, you'll probably sneak off on your own. Honestly, there's nobody at all around me that doesn't make me worry.”
I laughed as I shook my head. I was both feeling relief as well as regret.
”I love you the most, Brother Roland.”
When she discovered that her request had been approved, the mature female knight instantly became a defrosting ice mountain that transformed into a shy young girl who was smiling as prettily as a flower… and then she jumped on me, knocking over both me and my chair.
*Kiss!*
I felt a light peck on my cheek, and when I finally came to my senses, there was nothing before me anymore other than a faint smell of orange-scented perfume and Reyne's figure escaping in the distance.
I rubbed my cheek where I could still feel a lingering soft sensation, as if her red lips were still brushing against my cheek. I had no idea what to say anymore, and it took quite a long while before I finally managed to make a comment.
”…Heh heh, that little girl is such a passionate one.”
”Sometimes, intentionally acting dumb when dealing with something awkward can be considered gentlemanly. Sometimes, even though you clearly know what's going on, you still intentionally act dumb, which is something ridiculously overboard. Little Roland, which type do you think you are?”
”Shut up, Harloys. Otherwise, I'll feed you to Beifeng.”
”…”
My best weapon against her was far too threatening so the silly cat fell silent. However, a while later, I couldn't help but ask.
”Was I really being overboard?”
”…Scumbag, demon, pervert, bastard, gentleman, Roland, Beifeng!”
Alright then, it appeared as if my and Beifeng's names had the potential to turn into adjectives. Since my level of wickedness in her mind was only one level off from Beifeng's, it seemed that I really needed to start self-reflecting.
After Reyne escaped at top speed as if she was fleeing the scene of a traffic accident, my emotions that were already in a mess, due to the issue of Cher's identity, became even messier. Not to mention, the silly cat continued adding to my burden.
”…Oni Chichi, Beifeng, Roland, Oni Chichi, Beifeng, Roland…”
When I began seriously considering if I should try tasting some cat meat for the first time in my life—and started taking action as well—only then did she snicker at me and disappeared into a shadow.
After thinking about things for another two minutes, I decided to focus on something else, instead.
”Reyne, you're becoming more and more like him.”
Mysteriously, in my mind, my impression of Reyne was beginning to overlap with Karwenz, the idiot who sought strength above everything, to an incredible degree. From another standpoint, Reyne's determination to go train herself in battle gave me a warning as well.
”Since I've already made all the plans I can, it's about time I started focusing on my own cultivation. In the end, power levels are more important than anything else. Even Reyne understands this much, so how can I possibly fall behind her? When I finish all these things here at the Cloud Tower, I should go find a place to cultivate as well, along with earning some Justice Points.”
As long as I could steady the situation here before the Undead Emperors descended, this would be the final period of peace for the mortal plane. Karwenz's overwhelming power was a thousand-kilogram boulder weighing in my mind. Not only that, ten years from now—no—perhaps only seven or eight years from now, all the Undead Emperors would be able to descend to the mortal plane at full power, which was the biggest threat before me right now.
I had already solidified my foundations and discovered my own future path. The rest would be to persist down my own path and furiously train myself through actual combat and earn both Fate Points and Justice Points to improve at an almost rule-breaking level of speed.
”Right. If I want to enter the Legend rank, I need to restore three more Soul Imprints. I still don't have any methods for Holy Light and Law right now, but I'm currently in the Mage Country. My undead magic has long since reached a bottleneck, and I bet I can find some relevant knowledge here to make a breakthrough. Also, I need lots of top-quality elemental materials to improve my Frigidwinter Earth. It seems that it's time to rob my old friends—er—have some discussions with them.”