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I immediately left the Imperial Palace after parting ways with Noel.

I had stayed in the palace longer than I had anticipated, but more than that, I was troubled by the events that had unfolded. While Altair hadn’t specifically harmed me, in a way, I had effectively rejected her offer.

It was clear she was aligned with the good, but that doesn’t necessarily speak to her character.

How was I to know whether she might retaliate for my refusal?

After all, I voiced my reluctance to become the Hero. If it hurt her pride, well, that was just tough luck.

I didn’t know the full implications of what being a Hero entailed, but considering that no one had used that title thus far, it certainly carried some serious weight.

This was the first time I had offended a divine being, so I moved with a sense of considerable tension; fortunately, there weren’t any disturbances until I left the palace.

Whether that was due to the time being up for Altair to intervene or simply because she was feeling magnanimous, I couldn’t be sure.

Just moments ago, the place had felt comfortable enough to take a nap, but it transformed into something uncomfortable in an instant.

After all, as long as I was in Ruden, I was essentially at her mercy. It was better to put some distance between myself and the strong influence Altair held in the palace.

Though the divine power still felt warm, my heart was troubled, making the palace, filled with that divine aura, feel like I was walking through a forest of swords and knives. It might seem like a trivial detail, but just the fact that I had stepped out of the space called the palace was enough to ease my heart.

More than anything, I had met her again.

“Damian.”

“….Were you waiting for me?”

As I exited the palace, it was Elena who awaited me.

How she knew precisely when I’d show up in this vast palace was a mystery, but at that moment, I didn’t care much. What was important was that meeting Elena brought me peace, and her hair glimmering in the moonlight was beautiful, as always.

Elena stood beside me, linking her arm through mine, not leaning her weight toward me but rather supporting herself toward my side.

I wondered if she had failed to manage her expression.

It seemed Elena was aware that I was tired. Perhaps it was thanks to the necklace. She had certainly been involved in the events back then, so she likely sensed that my strength was running low.

Whatever the reason, I was indifferent to it…

Elena quietly stayed by my side like someone awaiting punishment. The mood was not right for conversation, so I also kept my mouth shut.

The necklace she had given me revealed her power unreservedly before me today. While it hadn’t specifically marked it as belonging to her, it was obvious she knew I felt that way.

It wasn’t a big deal that her power was embedded in something she had created. However, the significant issue was that this power was unlike anything else. I, who had experienced it directly, knew what it resembled.

Thus, Elena was probably waiting for the questions I would ask.

What kind of power was it, and how did she come into possession of it? Given the situation I had been through, I had plenty of curiosity.

Regardless, the fact that she had not spoken to me about it until now indicated that it was a secret Elena had kept to herself.

Even now, I could see her anxiety about discussing it.

After glancing at Elena for a moment, my thoughts reached a conclusion.

It was natural to feel anxious about bringing up a secret one hadn’t shared with others without proper preparations. I had no idea why this power made her so reluctant and anxious to discuss it. However, it seemed Elena had no intention of dodging the topic with me.

If I asked her, she would tell me the truth.

“…..”

Therefore, I chose not to ask her.

That was enough.

“Can I expect a little?”

“Yes…”

After seeking her permission, I leaned my head against her and slowly relaxed my body.

Even if she had initially pulled me close, it wasn’t like I could just let go of all my strength immediately; but now, I truly had no energy left, so I had no choice but to lean on Elena.

While she looked delicate on the outside, Elena was also superhuman. She was able to comfortably bear the weight of one man and stay close to support me as I walked.

She might have been overdoing it in her care for me. Was it because of guilt? I hadn’t done anything wrong, so she didn’t have to be like that. From everything that had happened, even though I had received assistance, it had never harmed me.

Elena, who had been acting as though she had committed a crime, prompted me to lightly shake my head and knock our heads together a few times, starting to recount the day’s events.

“I saw Orcus at the training grounds today.”

“Oh…”

I casually continued chatting about something unrelated to Altair, just what had happened with my friends today.

From the moment I opened my mouth, it was clear how tense Elena had been. Her expression was baffled as I mentioned Orcus.

“You must have been really frustrated losing to him. Well, it wasn’t a magic loss but rather a physical one, so I understand how that might hit a man’s pride. Seems like he’s also been training separately with Noel lately. When we meet during the Sacred Festival, I might have to be on guard this time.”

We exchanged common, everyday conversations.

What had happened today, that approval had been granted for Elteman’s research, and how Orcus seemed to have something up his sleeve with that. I continued the casual dialogue I usually had with Elena.

One might argue that it could be a form of avoidance.

This could have been a chance to uncover the truth behind the discomfort I’d felt toward her until now; I might be hesitant to confront that truth. As I continued to think, I came to realize something.

Did I really need to know the truth?

It wouldn’t harm me, nor would it particularly cause discomfort.

While knowing might offer some clarity, wasn’t it Elena who seemed to struggle with recounting it? Thus, maybe I should just choose to wait for when she could comfortably share it.

The mere fact that I had confirmed she would someday talk to me was sufficient already.

And after all, time was something needed for both Elena and me.

Understanding a truth takes time for the listener, too. Since I had several thoughts on the unique aspects of Elena compared to the original, I needed time to organize those as well.

Thus, as we walked for a few minutes, Elena and I continued our conversation.

After a bit of back-and-forth, Elena turned to me with a question.

“…Is it really okay to brush it off like this?”

Elena’s question was directed at me but also seemed to be one she directed at herself. Seeing her so worried about it, the weight of the secret must have been heavier than I thought. I could see what was troubling her, so I decided to reassure her.

“If you’d like to talk now, you can go ahead. Speak when you want to. But these discussions typically require the speaker to be ready, so if you jump into that without being prepared, you might make a mistake. So, there’s no need to rush. Is there something really urgent that you haven’t shared with me?”

“No! It’s not like that… I just feel sorry for Damian.”

“What’s there to be sorry about? Being in a relationship doesn’t mean you have to know everything about each other’s lives. I have secrets I haven’t shared with Elena, so why feel guilty about it?”

“Damian’s… secrets?”

Wait, the atmosphere seemed to be turning in a strange direction…

Anyway, it looked like Elena’s guilt had eased a bit, so instead of continuing to speak, I opted to just pull her closer to me. Despite her turning her gaze on me somewhat blankly, I noticed a slight smile appearing on her lips.

People indeed look better when they smile.

*

We promised to speak again about this topic another time, but that didn’t mean Elena had remained silent regarding everything.

First, she shared with me that the necklace was made from Sacred Relics. How an ordinary Sacred Relic could manifest the power of Altair, the primary deity, within her temple, was a mystery, yet I suppose that was Elena’s secret.

Knowing it was indeed a Sacred Relic assured me that what I had felt back then was not a mere misconception. It also confirmed the familiar sensation I had experienced from that divine source.

‘No matter how you think about it, that energy belongs to Elena.’

I wasn’t sure whose sacred relic this was, but it was clear Elena had it completely under her control. She hadn’t merely gained the right to use it; it was fully her own.

Let’s take a moment to reflect on the original owner of the Sacred Relic.

To be honest, Elena’s genius had long surpassed common sense, so now I simply accepted this too.

For someone like Elena, even a deity could be as trivial as dessert after a meal.

What mattered was Altair… Since that day, there hadn’t been any attempts by her to contact me. Noel and Orcus were behaving as usual, and the Imperial Family hadn’t sent anyone my way. It was as if they were utterly unaware of the matter.

As for the Emperor, who was closest to a god, there might be something different about that; yet, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Altair would have informed him about me. I didn’t understand why I thought that, but the conviction was far too strong to ignore.

Though I wasn’t the type to handle things purely on instinct, there was nothing I could manage to do at this point, so I had no choice but to follow my gut.

That’s why I unexpectedly found it easy to let my worries about Altair wane.

Perhaps it was because many other incidents had erupted, causing time to whirl by as I busily dealt with the aftermath. By the time the plans for the research facility I had promised Elteman had taken some clearer shape, the day for the Sacred Festival was fast approaching.

The Sacred Festival could be regarded as Ruden’s festival, but the highlight of it, the students’ mock battles, fell to the students of the Academy, which had been buzzing fervently in anticipation for quite some time. Moreover, for this year, even first-year students were allowed to participate, ramping up the excitement even more.

Basically, the kids attending the Academy had a strong desire to be recognized.

Nobles for their own reasons and commoners for theirs.

They had all come to the Academy to prove themselves and grow, especially the first years, as the Sacred Festival represented an early opportunity for them. Even though they may not have been as prepared as the older grades, their enthusiasm for the event was just that much higher.

Representatively, Reinhardt and Orcus were prime examples. Orcus sought revenge for his loss in the last mock battle, while Reinhardt… he probably looked forward to the experiences he could gain by competing against various others.

As for me, as long as no incidents occurred, that would be good enough.

Considering that I would participate in this year’s Sacred Festival, I also received news from home. My father and Alphonse would be coming to Ruden; it was a rare letter indicating that my father would be making a trip outside the southern region.

Even though things had been chaotic lately, reflecting on my previous tracks, I had been a rather quiet child. I hadn’t sought to prove anything to anyone outside my family and merely aimed to meet minimum expectations above average.

Knowing that kind of boy was now saying he was going to knock others down at the Sacred Festival, there was no way my father could let that slip by unnoticed.

I wasn’t the only one with family coming; other kids no doubt had similar news, and it seemed Reinhardt also received a letter from his home. It would be an exception for Maximilian, the Sword Saint, who served as the department head, but it appeared Reinhardt’s household would be sending his younger sister along with the head of the Cromel family as well.

“….”

“Wow! Damian! Reinhardt is smiling!!”

The expression on Noel’s face was one of amazement as she spoke to me.

After reading the letter, Reinhardt was rarely seen smiling so broadly throughout that day; it was evident he was in a good mood. Since he typically didn’t wear his feelings on his face, it wasn’t surprising that Noel was taken aback.

Unlike Noel, I wasn’t overly shocked, having already known the reason behind his joy.

After all, the kid was a sis-con.

 

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