There's a saying that goes, "One cup is drinking with people, two cups is drinking the alcohol itself, three cups is drinking with the people in the alcohol." But no matter how they put it, alcohol has a way of driving people crazy. In fact, sometimes it feels like we're drinking it just to make ourselves go crazy. Even though we'll wake up with a pounding headache and lament the black history we've created, we end up drinking anyway. Humans are indeed whimsical creatures.
Surely, those who are still partying and making a ruckus at this moment will taste the bitterness of their own folly when morning comes.
Anyway, Kanami left early with Lisha, and Hinata, who had nearly pushed me to my limits, suddenly said, "I'm done; I'm going to bed," and disappeared. So, I made my escape as well, barely conscious.
"Phew~..."
After escaping from that drinking battlefield, I naturally headed for the hot springs.
The ryokan inn chosen for this training camp had an open-air bath, a strong request from the student council president. Soaking in the hot water under the twinkling stars made it feel like I had come to an incredibly distant place.
The sensation of the alcohol that had soaked into my body gradually dissolving in the hot water.
Since it was the middle of the night, there was no one else around, and I could stretch out without worrying about prying eyes.
Come to think of it, I haven't had a chance to relax like this in a while. In the midst of intensifying battles, it's important to have a good rest.
I exhaled the pent-up heat, and the water reached my shoulders.
That's when I heard a voice from the neighboring bath.
"...Yuusuke-sama, is it?"
A woman's voice that might have been easily missed.
The voice came from beyond the partition that separated the men's and women's baths.
"Kanami?"
"Yes, it is Yuusuke-sama, after all. I sensed your presence."
It seemed Kanami had also come to the open-air bath just like me.
I thought she had already gone to sleep.
"Is Lisha with you?"
"No, Lisha has already gone to bed. She got tired from being so excited."
"She did seem to be having a lot of fun."
A train trip, an inn, a place different from the city—this must have been a series of surprises for Lisha. If she enjoyed it, then it was worth bringing her.
"How about you, Kanami? I kind of dragged you here against your will."
"Well... I had fun."
Uncharacteristically quick in her response, there was a brief pause before she answered. It wasn't the hesitation of not knowing how to respond; I could imagine that Kanami, too, had been captivated by the magic of the hot springs.
"I've experienced visits to other countries and expeditions for war in the past, but coming on a trip just for relaxation like this is also quite enjoyable."
"War, huh..."
I swallowed the question that almost slipped out.
What happened to Asteris after I left? What became of the Centraris Kingdom? I had been wondering about that for a while. Lisha wouldn't know about the political situation in other countries, but Kanami, with her knowledge, should have some insights.
However, I intentionally avoided asking that question. There was no point in knowing now.
"Is something wrong, Yuusuke-sama?"
"No, it's nothing."
I scooped some hot water and splashed it on my face.
I joined this God-Demon War to protect Lisha. I can't afford to be distracted by unnecessary concerns.
Let's change the topic.
"Tomorrow, Kanami, you'll be going to the beach too, right? Have you ever swum in the sea?"
"I've had training in swimming in rivers before. I've never swum in the sea, but I think I'll be fine."
"I see. Since I'll be watching over Lisha and you're usually so serious, feel free to relax tomorrow."
As I said that, there was silence for a while before I heard a small chuckle.
Did I say something strange?
"Kanami?"
"I'm sorry, I was just reminded of something from the past. Yes, I'll take a break tomorrow as well."
"Uh, okay."
"Then, if you'll excuse me. Yuusuke-sama, please get some rest early too."
"Understood. Goodnight."
I heard the sound of Kanami getting up and the feeling of her presence receding on the other side.
Remembering past laughter... Has she ever been told something like that before? I thought it was just a regular conversation. I'll go to bed in a little while. Everyone will be heading to the beach early tomorrow.
* * *
For Kanami, soaking in a large bathtub wasn't anything out of the ordinary. The Imperial Palace had enormous bathing facilities that far surpassed those of ordinary inns. There, the attendants were always prepared and waiting. While there were times she couldn't bathe during expeditions and training, she generally used the baths there every day.
Compared to that, this was nothing particularly surprising.
However,
"..."
She scooped up some water, and it trickled through her fingers. The softly glowing lanterns and the light of the stars were reflected faintly in the water.
"This is nice too."
Even Kanami, who was usually unflappable, had never experienced taking an outdoor bath before. No matter how spacious the indoor bath was, the feeling of openness out here was on a different level.
She had intentionally come at a different time from the others, so Kanami had the open-air bath all to herself.
In fact, Kanami had already visited the hot springs once before with the other women and Lisha. However, at that time, she had been too busy protecting Lisha from the advances of the other women to enjoy herself. So, she had come to soak in the hot springs again. She certainly hadn't expected Yuusuke to be in the men's bath.
And the conversation with Yuusuke had been aimless. Yuusuke had wanted to bring Lisha on this training camp for a reason she could roughly guess: it was because he wanted not only Lisha but also Kanami to have a good time. He was more than just strong; he was a kind person.
"I see. Since he'll be watching over Lisha, and I'm usually so serious, feel free to relax tomorrow."
Yuusuke said to her at that time. She guess he wanted her to enjoy the party as well as Lisha.
"..."
At that moment, a nostalgic memory flashed in her mind. Memories she had kept in the depths of her heart's treasure chest were now bursting out into the open. She couldn't help but let out a laugh from the corner of her mouth.
"Kanami?"
Yuusuke's puzzled words had a hint of amusement. It was embarrassing to be found out, so Kanami abruptly cut off the conversation with Yuusuke.
Her cheeks were warm, probably from staying in the hot spring for too long.
After getting out of the bath, Kanami took a final shower to wash away all the sweat from her body. Countless droplets of water flowed down her enchanting body, a sight that didn't make her look like a sixteen-year-old at all. She could tell herself that she had grown a lot since that time. Both her body and her heart.
So, it wasn't surprising that Yuusuke didn't notice or remember. The Battle of Rantenas Fortress, in fact, was when Kanami and Yuusuke had met. Not just once, but twice.
* * *
The first time was on the night when Yuusuke had not reached an agreement with the Galeo (Catasthrope), and both their armies retreated significantly.
Hero's party, along with Eris Philin Centraris, came to greet Kanami, the supreme commander of Rantenas Fortress. The talks involved general of Fortress Rantenas as well.
And Yuusuke and Kanami talked last.
At that time, Yuusuke said this to Kanami, who had congratulated him for defeating the Galeo (Catasthrope).
'I've come here to end this battle. Leave the rest to us, and please take a good rest, Princess.'
Those words silenced everyone.
It was an exceedingly arrogant and insolent remark toward the royal family. It could be interpreted as if they were no longer needed, or that their use had come to an end.
However, the silence wasn't because of anger or astonishment. Yuusuke's words gave everyone in the room a tremendous sense of reassurance and trust. Rumors had spread that Yuusuke had once been defeated by the Galeo (Catasthrope), so there were many in the palace who doubted his abilities. But that was far from the truth.
Anyone who questioned his abilities at this point, in the face of his overwhelming presence, his magic power that enveloped him like armor, was a complete fool or someone who couldn't admit their own mistakes.
What truly captured Kanami's heart, though, was the sincerity in Yuusuke's words. His expression couldn't be read from beneath the silver helmet. However, from those words, it was clear that he genuinely cared about Kanami's well-being.
She could entrust this man. In that moment, the tension in Kanami snapped, and she lost consciousness. The audience with Yuusuke ended in the warm darkness.
The second time they met was an accidental result of Kanami's whim.
She monitored the battlefield in real-time with 'Shayka Eyes,' occasionally showing herself to the soldiers to boost their morale.
As the days passed, Kanami developed a desire to see the true faces of the soldiers up close. It was an emotion she couldn't quite put into words, a mix of responsibility, curiosity, and something else. She wanted to imprint the faces and words of those who would go to their deaths under their orders, the last things they'd see and say, even if it meant walking a thorny path of inner conflict in the future.
That's why she sometimes disguised herself by covering her distinctive violet hair with a hood and dressed as a serving girl to blend in with the soldiers during distribution.
The day after Hero arrived, Kanami's condition had improved enough for her to slip through with her maidservant and guards using 'Shayka Eyes' and join the distribution.
In the room, there was an oppressive heat, and the scent of food mixed with the smells of blood and sweat. The soldiers gathered in the dining hall had bandages and cloth wrapped around various parts of their bodies, and dried blood clung where it couldn't be wiped away.
There wasn't a single person without injuries. Some even had limbs missing or eyes lost but had returned to duty after using magic to stop the bleeding.
Yet, all their faces were bright. It was a stark contrast to the silence that seemed to be filled with the footsteps of the Grim Reaper just a short while ago.
The reason for this was all too clear.
Hero's radiance reached even this place.
Kanami wondered what kind of person could be inside that silver armor. If she had the chance, she wanted to express her gratitude to the real Hero. She thought of these things while collecting dishes.
"Hey, did you see today's battle? Isn't that the Princess of the Centraris Kingdom?"
"It was incredible, that magic. The enemies were scattered in an instant; I thought I'd lose my legs."
"And, you know, I happened to see her up close, and she's incredibly beautiful."
"No matter how beautiful she is, that face and her magic definitely mean she's got a tough personality."
"Well, you're right about that. By the way, when did you join this unit?"
"That's not important! Anyway, drink up."
She overheard the casual chatter. Looking there was purely coincidental.
At the same time, 'Shayka Eyes' activated. It was something that shouldn't have happened. Whether or not magic tools were activated was supposed to be decided by the spellcaster. Despite that, at that moment, her eyes moved against Kanami's will.
However, this shocking phenomenon was quickly overshadowed by what she saw next.
Among the robust men, there was a small boy. He was clearly not from the Fador Empire, as his physique was slender, his features not yet fully formed. Even in this army, which included young soldiers, he stood out as different.
But that wasn't a significant issue.
'Shayka Eyes' captured the essence of that magic power. It emitted a divine, vivid emerald light that shone even more brilliantly when hidden.
"Yuu...!?"
Kanami was startled and almost dropped the plate she was holding. She hurriedly regained her composure.
There was no mistaking it. She couldn't be wrong.
This magic power was the same as the one she had seen during the audience with the Hero. In other words, the person drinking with the soldiers in front of her was none other than the Hero himself, the one who had clashed swords with the Galeo today.
The thought of how he ended up here, in such a place, quickly faded away.
He must have felt the same way as Kanami. Sharing meals with comrades fighting on the frontlines. There was nothing strange about it.
It was such a sudden encounter. There should have been so much to say, but now, they were just a maidservant and a foot soldier. Countless words Kanami had thought to say as a princess had burst like bubbles and were lost in the waves of her thoughts.
Amidst this, it was Yuusuke who first initiated a conversation.
"Hmm? What's wrong, little one?"
"Uh, n-nothing."
Seeing his face directly, Kanami was surprised. He was even younger than she had imagined. She had thought he would be a battle-hardened middle-aged man, but he appeared to be just around the age of adulthood.
To Kanami's apparent confusion, Yuusuke playfully laughed.
"Hey, come on, compared to the others around here, I'm not that scary, am I?"
"It's not that you're scary..."
"Oh, I see."
With that, Yuusuke slowly reached out and patted the worn-out hood that Kanami was wearing. On her head, which hadn't been properly touched by even her father, Yuusuke lightly patted it.
"Don't make such an anxious face. We'll drive those guys away soon. From tomorrow, you can take it easy."
"..."
Ah, I see. That's what he meant.
At that moment, Kanami realized it.
Surely, to Hero, both the royal her and the servant her were just little girls. She had never been seen in that way. As one born into the revered lineage of royalty, the responsibility was indeed the weight of the nation. No matter how tough or painful it was, that was my natural duty. Why? Because that's how she was born. Those who protect the people must not show weakness. Must not complain. Must not let others worry about them. That's what she had been taught.
But his words, regardless of whether she appeared as a princess or a servant, shook her heart equally.
Kanami bit her lower lip to hold back tears.
"Oh, hey!"
The battle wasn't over yet; she couldn't afford to cry. At her limit, unable to say the words she wanted to say, Kanami left the place as if she were running away.
In the end, there was no resolution with the Galeo during the battle at Rantenas Fortress. The demon army withdrew, and Hero's group left without even properly saying goodbye, following after them.
It was shortly after that, that she picked up a gun.
Some things never change.
Yuusuke was still here, exactly as she had admired that day.
Her heart raced, and her heartbeat thudded like a rapid bell. This exhilaration wasn't because she had soaked in the hot spring too long.
"Hero-sama... is quite insensitive to everything but fighting."
Yuusuke probably wouldn't realize. That more than the journey, more than the hot springs, being able to have this conversation right now was the greatest happiness for her.
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