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“Happy times are short, but their aftertaste lingers on forever.”

The relationship that continued until dawn persisted until the moment Francesca collapsed from exhaustion.

Only when the rain had gradually subsided without any warning, and the brilliant sunlight poured over the moisture-drenched path in the late morning, was I finally able to lift my heavy eyelids and rise.

The traces of the previous night, which passed like a storm, remained throughout the bedroom.

There were towels dropped on the floor, damp blankets and sheets, and the vivid handprints left on her pure white skin.

Francesca looked at me with half-open eyes, her cheek resting against her shoulder, blinking her violet eyes with a weary expression.

“Have you woken up?”

“…Yes.”

A dry whisper slipped through her cracked lips. Francesca’s throat was hoarse and barely awake.

Well, after all that yelling yesterday, it was no surprise her voice was gone. I poured some water from a nearby bottle to soothe her throat.

Perhaps feeling the pain subside, Francesca slowly closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep. Her gentle breathing tickled my chest, and as I watched her, I pulled the disheveled blanket up to cover her body.

It was a rare vacation; surely, a few days of rest would be acceptable for both her and me.

Feeling the silky touch of the fabric against my skin, I embraced Francesca and promptly closed my eyes, falling into slumber.

It was a sunny day that shone brightly.

**Episode 13 – There Is No Kingdom for Magicians**

The calm morning has completely passed. The sun had already risen high in the sky, illuminating the world.

The aftermath of the intense night had not faded, even though I tried to take a long nap.

As soon as I woke up, I had to frown at the tingling pain coursing through my thighs and waist.

“Ugh….”

It felt as if my whole body had been beaten.

With not a single place on my body left unharmed, the bitter agony protested, questioning what on earth I had done last night.

But there was someone in a much worse condition than me, so instead of taking care of myself, I had to tend to her.

“Are you okay, Francesca?”

“Please don’t worry about me….”

Contrary to her words, Francesca’s condition looked very serious at a glance.

She stumbled forward, her legs shaking, like a creature that had just been born and was utterly unsteady on its feet.

In such a state, which was 180 degrees different from usual, I had to help Francesca while dragging my own aching body.

She barely got out of bed, yet she acted like a critical patient.

I quietly watched her and couldn’t help but smirk.

“Looks like even potions won’t help with a rough night, huh?”

“…Please be quiet, Colonel.”

Determined not to lose a single word to me, she glared, but her disheveled body had no power over her fierce attitude.

In the end, Francesca had to lie in bed all day, trembling with a feeble body.

With no one else in the villa besides the owner, caring for her naturally fell to me. I didn’t mind losing a precious day of vacation; what mattered to me was Francesca regaining her strength.

However, from the moment the dawn of the next day broke, I sensed something was off.

“Step your right foot forward and place your left foot in line with your right heel.”

My ankles twisted, and the angles aligned. My foot, now perfectly at 90 degrees, found stability, but I lost my balance.

“March.”

I stepped forward with my right foot. My left foot moved in accordance, closing the gap.

“Pass.”

Now, I moved my left foot ahead.

Like a phantom stealthily approaching my target, my foot fell from the heel first. My right foot stepped forward to meet the ground, adjusting the angle with my left foot slightly turning.

“Now, move sideways. To the left, then to the right.”

I moved my feet following Francesca’s signals. First left, then right.

“Hmm.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Your posture is a complete mess.”

Francesca stood in the field behind the villa, wearing a highly displeased expression as she assessed me.

“The gap between your feet is either too narrow or too wide, and your center of gravity is off, making your upper body unstable. When your upper body wobbles, your lower body will do the same, ultimately destroying your balance.”

Her strangely sharp criticism was laced with emotion.

Continuing in a tone of disdain, Francesca decided to show me how to correct my posture first and grabbed her sword.

The blade of her saber gleamed brightly in the sunlight as it formed a graceful arc. The bent tip contrasted with the straight edge, cutting through the air.

“The most important thing in handling a cavalry sword is footwork. To master the art of the sword, you must first learn good footwork.”

Watch and learn.

Holding her cavalry sword lightly, Francesca demonstrated the movements: advancing, sidestepping, retreating, evading, and various stances. Her footwork was impeccable and textbook-perfect.

Next, she taught me several stances and techniques for offense and defense.

“Block.”

Francesca swung her cavalry sword down at me from above. I raised my sword to block her attack.

My defensive stance was spot on, but there was no praise.

As I raised my sword again to fend off another downward strike, Francesca twisted her wrist to change direction.

With a snap, her sword pulled back and then swung horizontally, using the momentum of her blade.

In the blink of an eye, the retracted blade was suddenly before my upper body, poised to slice.

If it had been a real battle, her cavalry sword would have effortlessly sliced through my unguarded chest, but it returned to its position without even leaving a scratch.

“When your stance is readable, this is what happens. It’s true that defense has an advantage over offense, but you must stay alert to counter unexpected attacks.”

“Ah, right.”

“Let’s do it again.”

On the coastline of Patalia in the sunny weather, with the backdrop of the picturesque cliffs and the Red Roofs, Francesca and I practiced swordsmanship.

The cavalry sword training I was currently undergoing was initiated by Francesca’s proposal. When she arrived at dawn in a fencing uniform that resembled sparring gear, she unexpectedly requested to train me in swordsmanship.

And this was the result.

“…Ugh!”

A sudden dull pain struck my wrist, snapping me to attention.

Having successfully blocked her incoming strike and attempting to retaliate, I ended up being hit by Francesca’s cavalry sword.

Francesca, somewhat concerned, called out to me with worry.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes… I’m fine.”

“Any injuries?”

“Don’t worry. This did a good job of blocking.”

I tapped my thick wrist guards lightly as I spoke.

Though I thought I was used to physical endeavors, sparring with Francesca was undeniably no easy feat.

Every time I managed to block an attack, she would change her movement and aim for my unprotected areas, and while I was leisurely defending, she would expertly find openings and counterattack. Even though I had protective gear on, my wrist and neck had been painfully bruised.

After more than half a day of sparring, Francesca, drenched in sweat, finally threw down her guards and declared a break.

“Let’s call it a day.”

Having finally completed the sword training, I internally cheered and plopped down into a chair.

Francesca recommended learning swordsmanship for self-defense and training, but her approach was a bit unclear.

Should I say there was no consideration for newbies? She carefully taught me the techniques, but I couldn’t even manage to touch her heels with my skills.

Certainly, the internal evaluation by the National Security Agency was accurate. Even if she had been born a knight instead of a magician, she would have thrived.

I fanned my sweat-soaked face and gulped down some water.

“Ah, I’m dying….”

“Quit the dramatics. Here’s a potion.”

“Thank you.”

In the backyard, two chairs were set. As she handed me the potion across the table, Francesca stood with her cavalry sword propped up, letting out a faint sigh in the heat.

The stamina-recovery potion she had crafted was incredibly effective.

With aging pumpkins and precious ingredients poured liberally into an alchemical solution, combined with expensive alchemical gems, the potion’s potency was undeniable.

“Hmm… this one tastes like grapes. Did you burn something?”

“I made it according to the usual recipe.”

Francesca answered in a calm tone while gulping down what she had made.

The cool breeze was refreshing against the intense heat. The beads of sweat trailing down her neck added a touch of highlight to her porcelain skin.

As I stared at her glistening, smooth neck, I turned my gaze elsewhere and spoke up.

“For a first-time sword lesson, this is surprisingly fun.”

“You’ve never trained in swordsmanship before?”

“Well, the military limits training to specific individuals. There are… you know, those who have ambiguous qualifications and can only enhance their bodies with magic.”

Finally understanding, an exclamation slipped from Francesca’s lips.

“Oh.”

Though this world had magic, the military was still an organization bound by efficiency. Even while funneling massive budgets to maintain weapons and troops of unclear utility, their productivity was barely a tiny fraction.

Thus, whether on Earth or here, the Ministry of Finance, which manages the country’s finances, despised the Ministry of Defense.

It’s a universal sentiment for a government agency approving budgets to admonish the military to spend their money with some restraint…

As it is somewhat similar, whether it be Abas or Patalia, all ministries of defense had no choice but to consider cost-effectiveness for the efficient execution of their budgets.

Magic was no exception to this.

In this town, people who could wield magic were broadly classified into two categories.

One was those who possessed exceptional talent, capable of resonating with the power of nature and transforming external magic into magical effects within their bodies. These are the magicians we commonly refer to.

On the other hand, there were those born with ambiguous talents.

People who either could not accept magic into their bodies or lacked the efficiency to utilize magic. Instead of magic, they could enhance their frail bodies with magical power.

People referred to those with such ambiguous talents as knights.

Francesca, who had been quietly listening, wiped her sweat with a handkerchief and spoke up.

“It’s been decades since knights became obsolete. Yet people still use the term.”

“That’s the most recognized term, after all.”

With the advent of firearms, cold weapons retired from the front lines, and most knights became unemployed.

Once known as ‘warriors blessed by the gods’ who dominated the battlefield, knights could not withstand the tides of time and were left behind, with many utilizing their abilities to become adventurers or hired help, or teaching swordsmanship to noble families or wealthy patrons.

Of course, government agencies like the military and police still employed a small number of knights.

“There’s no reason to educate people who can only enhance their bodies with magic, whether innate or acquired. However, we can’t dismiss highly skilled personnel just because they lack talent.”

Though they were considered mere wannabe magicians incapable of using magic, the Ministry of Defense was not fond of allowing such marginal existences.

Thanks to this, knights who were hired in the military or police were able to leverage their superior physiques and thrive in special forces or SWAT teams.

Noticing this, Francesca nodded calmly in agreement.

“My brother was like that too.”

Setting her handkerchief on the table, Francesca gazed up at the sky. When her head slowly lowered, her gaze fell on a cavalry sword leaned against the table.

“Though born into the Ranieri family, my brother had no talent for magic. Mother always comforted him, saying it was alright, but because the eldest son lacked magical talent, there was much talk among the family elders.”

“Were they disappointed?”

“A little.”

Francesca’s brother, the eldest son of the Ranieri family, grew up under the weight of expectations from the elders.

However, when it became evident he had no talent for magic during the magical aptitude test, the family elders visibly expressed their disappointment as they looked at the young heir.

“Father was greatly disappointed too. He firmly believed that his first son would revive the family, yet my brother lacked the talent for magic. Because of that, he was not well treated within the family. He lived as though he was a cast-off child.”

As she spoke, Francesca caressed the hilt of the cavalry sword.

There was a sense of loneliness in her touch as she stroked the sword.

“So he left the family as soon as he became an adult and joined the military, but it seems that didn’t improve his circumstances.”

Francesca’s brother, the eldest son of the Ranieri family, threw himself into the river to end his life.

The specific details were unknown, but I could roughly deduce the circumstances surrounding it.

“No matter how well an identity check is passed, once you’re marked internally, you won’t be treated favorably. If the higher-ups have you in their sights, even a perfectly fine person will have their promotion blocked and be pushed into a lowly position.”

“That’s just how the public sector is.”

Though her tone was calm, her expression was completely different.

With glistening eyes filled with deep sadness, Francesca gazed into the distance.

Excluding the villa where only the two of us remained, there was not a single person living nearby. There were no neighbors, nor passersby.

As a result, the sudden hush settled around us like an unusual, heavy silence.

Francesca, maintaining her silence, seemed not to wish to continue speaking on the same topic any longer.

Whether it was longing for the deceased or an ache in her heart, I could tell that the silence that enveloped us was pressing heavily upon her spirit.

I decided to shift the conversation for Francesca’s sake.

“Let’s take a walk.”

I guided her towards the cliffs by the sea.

The path from the forest to the villa was one of the most scenic spots, encompassing the coastal cliffs, the lush fields, and the striking red roof of the villa. With the sound of crashing waves tickling our ears, we strolled slowly along that path, chatting.

The first to break the silence was none other than myself.

“The vacation will soon come to an end.”

“…….”

“What will you do now?”

“Well, that’s a good question.”

Francesca, giving a vague response, gradually narrowed her stride and crossed her arms.

Her once watery eyes now sparkled with determination. Returning to her position as an elite in the Secretariat, she exuded a sophisticated aura and rhythmically tapped her fingers.

“I’ll need to prepare to enter the northern regions as soon as I return to work. The aftermath of the battle will still linger across the north, so normalizing the infrastructure there will be my first priority.”

“And?”

“I’ll have to deal with the delegation issue too. I need to find out why Sir Martinez hasn’t submitted his report and what Miss Schneider and Sir Marbo have done in the past. I also have to enlarge the scope and re-evaluate the Secretariat staff from the Mauritania Continent that Colonel assigned me to investigate.”

“What about our relationship then?”

At my casual remark, Francesca’s jaw closed tightly.

She gazed into the distance, lost in thought, almost forgetting to tap her fingers. And just as the wind began to cool her flushed skin, she opened her mouth.

“Well, I’ll have to think about it.”

Francesca said.

“I’ll maintain our fake relationship. It’s something necessary for both you and me. However, how long it will last…”

“…….”

“Honestly, I’m not sure.”

It was a vague answer.

Unlike her usual self who clearly drawn lines in public and private matters, Francesca seemed unable to reach a simple decision this time. Like someone contemplating whether to jaywalk at a red light during the early hours when no one else was around, she flickered her lips.

Yet, having impulsively crossed the line once, the answer was practically set.

Francesca spoke.

“But we can’t cross that line any further. So—”

Turning back to face me, she took a step forward.

“Let’s keep what happened last night as a secret between us. An eternal secret just for me and you.”

Francesca spoke with a firm voice, her back to the cliffs. I silently gazed at her, illuminated by the vast horizon and the blazing sun. Whether she had made up her mind or not, Francesca offered her proposal with a resolute expression.

I nodded and responded.

“Let’s do that. If that’s what you want.”

It’s too early to mix our bodies and share our hearts. Meeting as professional colleagues, we hesitated to let our relationship evolve into something personal.

Francesca defined the events of the previous night as a fleeting flame and turned her steps back towards the villa. The image of her walking down the long path along the cliff was undeniably colder than when she whispered love while wrapping her arms around my neck.

And it was the same for me.

I had decided to bury the memories of the previous night deep in my heart, despite having declared my love for Francesca numerous times.

Amidst the roar of the crashing waves, I closed my eyes, lost in thought and reflection.

“You never know.”

Francesca, walking towards the villa, turned to look back.

Her eyes curled gently at the corners, and as she turned her head, a soft smile spread across her face.

“In that moment, I might have truly loved you.”

With that one remark, she turned away again and disappeared towards the villa.

*

The time of happiness vanished like a mirage, leaving behind an intense aftertaste that lingered cruelly long.

The soil, soaked by rain that came without warning, became even more solid under the sunlight. Just like my heart, which had fiercely burned, now reduced to mere embers.

The terrace overlooking the coastal cliffs, the cozy bed, the shaded backyard, the path leading to the villa.

Having buried the memories of the previous night in a corner of my heart, I took one last look around all the places I had visited with her before departing the villa.

I handed my passport to the immigration officer. After verifying the stamp on my passport, the officer checked a few documents and completed the exit inspection.

“Have a good journey.”

As I gathered my passport, the officer spoke.

Turning my head, I spotted the large warp gate. Beyond the gate, where countless people lined up to pass, lay my destination.

A civil servant standing in front of me brushed his hat and inquired about my destination.

“Where are you headed?”

“To the Kingdom of Abas.”

Thus marked the end of my short and intense vacation.

 

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