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The training grounds, covered in pure white snow, resembled a blank canvas with nothing drawn upon it.

The snow that had fallen overnight dressed the entire world in white and erased its traces. The particularly cold morning air today was likely due to that. I chuckled at the white breath escaping my lips.

While I thought I would have adapted by now, the thought of how Sarham would be fully in spring and free of winter, unlike this snow-covered Merohim, made me smile involuntarily.

Just picturing the warm air of the south and the colorful streets made me yearn to return home. It’s not that I disliked the pristine, white scenery here, but living in Winter Castle felt like experiencing an unending winter, just as the name suggested.

After all, isn’t warm spring better than cold winter?

Though the world shimmering with whiteness looked beautiful, it was a colorless world devoid of any other hues. While that has its own charm, it still seems that Sarham’s vibrant colors suit my eye better. Of course, I didn’t just want to go home for that reason alone.

I sighed while gazing at the distant Pellioros Mountain.

Imagining someone looking down at this place from its soaring peaks made me uncomfortable deep down.

Is it because I’m Damian? Somehow, my body doesn’t seem to fit well with this region of Merohim.

It felt like ever since I arrived here, events have piled up on me before I had even started the story. With just the Twilight Tower Master and Richard alone, that would have been enough. But then there was also that encounter with Teia from a few years ahead; the significance of those meetings was too heavy to simply brush off.

Especially Teia. Her meeting with Elena couldn’t have occurred like this, no matter how early it came.

Teia was the only one in the story who taught Elena something.

Just the teachings she shared about the Word Spirit would elevate Elena to a different status compared to other great sorcerers, and now the situation had become quite ambiguous due to me.

It’s true that the bond between Elena and Teia was established through a promise, but her imparting wisdom to Elena is a separate matter. Well, dragons are notoriously fickle, so with proper guidance, it might still work out, but what I needed right now was certainty that it would happen without fail.

If you were to ask me to name the center of this world, whose name would I call?

Should I name the Emperor of the Empire that rules the continent? A transcendent being beyond the realm of humanity? Or perhaps the gods that truly exist in the heavens above?

But in response to such a question, without any hesitation, I would call out Elena’s name.

If this truly is the world of the story I know, then it’s only natural that she, the protagonist of the tale, becomes the center of it all. And naturally, events always occur around the protagonist, even if I’m determined to twist the narrative.

Perhaps because of me, Elena might become embroiled in a far greater incident than I know.

That’s why it was crucial for her not to miss even a single opportunity presented to her, yet with my choices, one of those opportunities might be at risk of disappearing. So, naturally, I felt uneasy.

As I pondered this, I began to think that perhaps my presence beside Elena might negatively impact her growth.

With my thoughts swirling in my head, I glanced up at the sky. Unlike the cloudy thoughts in my mind, the sky was high and blue. I took a deep breath, forcing the icy air, as cold as a prayer, into my lungs.

The chilly sensation that pierced my insides seemed to jolt my mind awake. Remembering the mindset I had maintained since coming to this place, I looked at the sword in my hand and smiled faintly.

Elena had once said this to me.

“Family.”

Although it was said shortly after we met, she had indeed said that to me.

At the time, Elena may have spoken those words to alleviate my guilt, but the meaning behind her words was not hollow either. I had tried not to dwell on those words then, yet now they solidify the motive of my life.

When I decided to inhabit this body and become Damian, I vowed to bring happiness to my family, unlike the fictional Damian. So this is an extension of that vow.

I take responsibility for what I set in motion.

Choosing to be by her side was my decision, and it’s only natural that I bear responsibility for the consequences that ensue.

With those thoughts organized, I noticed the deep black aura, resembling the night sky, had formed around the sword I held.

Aura is not simply a blade created by condensing magical power.

It’s the realization of a martial artist’s lifelong understanding of martial arts and their spirit manifested in reality.

Since I possessed this body, my black aura has yet to show any light. Before inhabiting Damian, there was at least a beautiful golden hue, but maybe the process of becoming Damian contaminated me, causing my aura to lose its previous color.

Aura should pertain to the spirit and mind, not the body. Well, it’s not entirely unfathomable. Just yesterday, because of that madness, had I not lost my reason? That must be related.

Anyway, even though I have not regained my previous color, it was certain that something had changed in the aura that had merely resembled sword energy since last night. A peculiar sensation I had never felt before traveled up the sword and enveloped my entire body.

I struck a pose, picturing the countless motions I had swung in my mind.

Even though I had repeated those movements countless times, everything now felt brand new, as if I were learning from scratch.

As I stepped forward, the crunch of snow beneath my feet felt as vivid as walking on bare ground, each sensation clearly traveling through my nerves. At the same time, I drew the sword along the line before me.

The completed motion aligned perfectly with the image I had painted in my head. Feeling the electrifying unity spread through my body, I stepped forward again, moving fluidly. My body flowed like water effortlessly.

The flow generated by my movement did not break, continuously extending ahead. The training ground, once a blank canvas, became marked by my footsteps and sword strokes.

The repetition of the past was entirely over. Yet, it felt like my body still guided me to move in this manner. The rhythmic beating of my heart, the contraction and relaxation of muscle fibers. The heightened sensitivity of my senses melded together to form a singular rhythm.

Not halting my sword swings, I advanced cautiously, and each step began to feel as if I was approaching something. If I just moved a bit further, I felt like I could grasp the power that would bring my desires to fruition.

But that feeling was short-lived, as my senses began to enter a different realm.

The moment I recognized the massive flow created by something I had never sensed before, it overwhelmed me. The flow I had been creating was absorbed and disappeared, and the path I had been walking began to collapse as it lost its flow.

The self was shattered.

As I regained consciousness, I found myself on the opposite side of where I had first drawn my sword.

Feeling a deep sense of emptiness as the pure white world came back into view.

It felt like I could touch it, but what went wrong? The moment I faced it, I instinctively realized. If I could have grasped it, if I had taken just one step more, I would have reached the plateau called Master in martial arts.

“Wow… ah… ha ha…”

With the emptiness came feelings of unfairness, and I let out a laugh mixed with sighs.

I think I finally understand what transcendence means.

That feeling of being tossed into a raging wave. To truly establish oneself, one must learn to stand firm after overcoming the insurmountable wall created by that flow.

But right now, I couldn’t surpass that wall.

The mere sensation of impossibility I felt from something made me face a wall I could never surmount; that feeling was not pleasant.

But still, I won’t despair.

Rather, it seems I have clearly defined the path I must take, and the sense of elation I had felt suddenly plummeted, bringing my mind back to calm.

I immediately turned around and traced my sword to the ground.

With a light sweep, all the traces drawn in the training ground disappeared. After a slight flurry of snow, a figure stood where I had just been.

With white hair and several scars on his face, the commander of the Edelweiss White Wolf Knights, Wilhelm Hartmann, stood there with fierce, piercing eyes gazing at me.

“Sir Wilhelm. What brings you here? You seem to have come out a bit early today.”

“Early? What are you saying? It’s only on time; you’ve misjudged the timing, my lord. Herbert and Gilliard couldn’t make it due to some issues in the outer territories.”

Ah, is that it?

Honestly, my senses felt slightly off right now. I was overly sensitive, feeling a slight dissonance. In any case, something was definitely not normal. Even now, I could hear Wilhelm’s faint breathing from afar as if he were right next to me.

Even the sound of him drawing his sword.

I planted my sword in the ground and focused my mind to regain control of my senses, then asked him, “What are you doing?”

“It’s just a spar. You’ve fought with those two kids often, haven’t you? I thought since you’d soon be leaving Winter Castle, it might be good to mix things up a bit before you go.”

Now of all times?

I feel like I’m going to die.

My hand gripping the sword trembled, feeling like if I struck with even one cut, my hand would fly off.

But why is that?

Despite wanting to collapse immediately, I stood firm with the sword still in my grip.

With my shaking hand, I pulled the sword from the ground and said to him, “A spar sounds good. Come on in.”

As soon as my words ended, a fierce wind rushed at me with the ferocity of a wolf.

*

As soon as I opened my eyes, I instinctively clenched my left hand, feeling a warmth that seemed to vanish.

However, contrary to my expectations, there was no familiar hand holding mine in my left grip like before.

“He’s gone…”

Even having just risen from bed, my mind felt refreshingly clear, as if washed in cold stream water. Therefore, I still recalled vividly what had transpired the night before. Even hours later, the warm touch of his hand, which had patted my head, lingered.

“I wonder if… he’s still asleep now…”

Before I could close my eyes again, he had not left my side.

He had held my hand and patted my head without a word, allowing me to fall back asleep without nightmare. Perhaps I had never had such a comfortable sleep throughout my life. One thing for sure, I felt as if I were flying in the sky with joy.

Upon waking, I found myself wanting to see his face again.

But since he had to stay awake all night because of me, he might be sleeping soundly by now. Regardless of how trained a body might be to withstand sleeplessness, staying up all night isn’t exactly pleasant.

“If that’s the case… then I…”

Suddenly struck by a thought, my face flushed with heat.

Just as he entered my room, could I not also enter his room? Of course, given that yesterday’s events were unavoidable, but we are now fiancés, so it shouldn’t be so strange for me to enter his room.

Though there was a bit of an unexpected event in the early morning, it was different now. He should be deep asleep, unlike the previous early hours. I need not worry about waking him.

Having already half rationalized it, I couldn’t stop letting my happy imagination run wild. Until I heard that familiar voice piercing through the air.

“Miss, what’s so funny that you’re smiling?”

I turned to the source of the voice, and Hailey was looking at me with her eyes half-closed and a mischievous smile. Startled by her sudden appearance, I hurriedly covered my smiling mouth.

“…H-Hailey? What are you doing here so suddenly?!”

“I’ve been standing here for a while, Miss. That aside, what on earth were you doing in Sir Damian’s room at such a late hour? I mean, you’re engaged, but you haven’t had the ceremony yet…”

“Stop it!!! Nothing! Nothing happened!!”

Unable to hold back at Hailey’s words, I shouted, my face turning bright red. Hearing her unnecessary comments inevitably made certain scenes flash across my mind. My face felt as if it would burst, but Hailey simply replied with a knowing smile as if she already knew everything.

“Hehe. Just joking. Sir Damian was still patting your head when I arrived in the room. But on another note, Miss, your feelings for Sir Damian…”

“Hailey!!!!”

“Eek! I-I was just joking!!!”

Blushing furiously, I hastily rose from my seat and pinched Hailey’s cheeks. Though she let out a sound indicating pain, her smile still didn’t fade.

As I released her cheeks, she rubbed her reddened face and spoke to me again.

“That hurt… Miss…”

“You’re just too much of a tormentor!”

“I can’t argue with that…”

But what can I do? Your reaction is just too entertaining… Hailey muttered softly, and I contemplated pinching her cheeks once more. But noticing her covering her cheeks with her palm, I withdrew my hand.

Instead, Hailey leaned down and whispered to me that she had something to tell.

“Miss. If you want to see Sir Damian, you need to go to the training grounds, not his room. He left for there right after he stepped out of his room.”

“…Huh? W-What are you talking about?! Hailey! I-I never said I was going to his room…”

Caught off guard by Hailey’s sudden statement, I stumbled over my words in denial. Had I ever spoken of going to his room? Even after contemplating, I couldn’t recall saying such a thing… When I looked at her with questioning eyes, she just smiled, leaving no words.

“Anyway, Miss, you can’t meet Sir Damian looking like that. I’ll fix your hair up for you right now.”

“O-Okay…”

Hailey efficiently tidied my messy hair in an instant.

I still couldn’t shake the feeling that I was somehow being toyed with in Hailey’s hands, but what was important now was meeting him, so I let her make quick adjustments to my hair and threw on a light coat before stepping out of the room.

If it had been any other day, I might have had some restraint, but today, it strangely felt impossible to control my emotions. I felt like I had to face him right away to calm my racing heart.

As I arrived near the training grounds, where he was said to be training, I could hear the ringing of metal echoing throughout the space. It sounded too intense to be just a spar, sending me into an anxious hurry.

As I approached the source, the rippling waves of mana became visibly apparent in the air. At the center of those waves stood an old knight and a young boy wielding swords, moving seamlessly across the white snow.

They weren’t utilizing aura; they were merely vibrating mana with their own skills.

Every time their blades clashed, the clear sound resonated, and mana would naturally flow toward them. Had other knights seen this, they would be struck with awe.

But what truly captured my focus was the way he moved in response to Wilhelm.

His current form was remarkably similar to when he had reached Master’s peak before his regression.

The aura surrounding him and the vigor he possessed indicated that he had not yet experienced transcendence, but regardless of that, his technique was approaching the edge of the sword I remembered. It was at a speed even faster than before.

It was beautiful.

A sentiment that seems unfit for a sword, but his movements were so fluid and delicate that it elicited an involuntary “beautiful” from my lips. Watching him deflect the ferocious attacks from the veteran knight Wilhelm was nothing short of miraculous.

“Miss!!! You’ll fall if you run like that!!!”

Lost in thought, captivated by his swordplay, I had completely forgotten that I needed to call out to him until Hailey’s voice broke through the haze.

“Ugh… I’m out of breath… Miss. But why are you standing here…”

It seemed Hailey was struggling to breathe from inhaling the cold air and lowered her head. She glanced back up and found me staring vacantly at the training grounds, looking puzzled.

But soon, she began to hear the sound of metal clashing and turned her gaze toward the training ground.

“No… what on earth is happening right now…”

Once she glanced at the training area, her face twisted with disbelief. It was then that I regained my senses and remembered who exactly was sharing swords over there.

“Grandpa!!!!!!”

Wilhelm Hartmann, the commander of the Edelweiss White Wolf Knights, was none other than Hailey’s grandfather.

The sound of metal clashing was quickly drowned out by Hailey’s enormous scream reverberating through the training ground. I chuckled seeing Wilhelm’s astonished expression as he looked at Hailey. It seemed she believed Wilhelm was attacking Damian.

It looked like the spar would come to an end here. I approached Wilhelm, who was looking at Hailey with the same expression I had.

“Damian.”

I called him out in a voice smaller than Hailey’s, but he immediately turned to me. Seeing that, I responded with a bright smile, and he too wore a small smile before suddenly collapsing…?

“Uh?”

“Damian!!!”

 

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