I Tried To Be Her Loyal Sword

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245th Chapter

“Is everyone’s opinion gathered then?”

Wilhelm looked down at the map with a drained expression. Similarly, I let out a sigh and brushed my bangs aside.

Everyone was exhausted after a lengthy five-hour meeting.

“It seems we’ve reached a decision.”

Leo, looking freshly washed, stood up.

Grasping his sword, he pointed the tip at a portion of the map spread wide on the table.

“The reinforcements will head to the Pavlov region’s border.”

After a long meeting, the decision made was about the movement of the reinforcements.

In the last meeting, it seemed we were leaning towards either Yutis or Titanos, but since I raised the possibility today that the northern troops might come to Pavlov, we ended up discussing it.

‘Can I trust the information Zigmund provided?’

I had my doubts until the meeting began, but ultimately, I made my decision.

I began pushing for the Pavlov region.

Setting aside that it came from Zigmund, objectively speaking, the idea of moving towards Pavlov made sense. So it’s only natural that those fighting over Yutis and Titanos would consider it too.

‘Remember this. No one will be swayed by an opinion you yourself aren’t sure about. It’s the leader’s role to choose the most likely option from countless uncertainties and make it a reality. The reason leaders receive respect is that they must take responsibility for that choice.’

Before coming to Atara, Caesar gave me some short but impactful advice on how to lead. As he advised, I gained confidence.

‘The northern troops will indeed come to Pavlov.’

I moved my chess piece. It was a checkmate for Nate.

I snapped out of my thoughts and surveyed the meeting room. The atmosphere was starting to wrap up.

“The reinforcements will depart for the Pavlov region in three days.”

With Leo’s conclusion, the meeting came to an end.

As the king, he was the first to stand and leave the meeting room. I followed suit, paying my respects to him, then left in tandem with my aide, Jonathan.

“Will you head straight to your quarters?”

“No, I think I’ll take a short walk first. You may go ahead.”

“Don’t you need a guard?”

“Me?”

I stared at him, puzzled. Even when I lived as a Young Lady in the Empire’s capital, I didn’t carry personal guards with me.

Jonathan glanced at the sword at my waist once, nodding in complete understanding.

“I’ll head in first then.”

He bowed neatly and made his way to his quarters. After confirming that he had completely disappeared, I began to wander aimlessly around the royal palace.

The sky, once blue when we started the meeting, was gradually turning red. It was a fantastic color, as if someone was painting it.

While gazing at the sky, I spoke up.

“If you have something to say, just say it. What are you doing, acting so big?”

I felt a presence behind me flinch. Imagining a bear-like figure shrinking back made me snicker softly. I turned my head.

“Wilhelm, Count of Osteen. I believe we’ve discussed quite enough in the meeting, but do you have more to say?”

His thick, curly orange hair shimmered in the setting sun, his deep brown eyes resembling gnarled old trees fixed on me.

“You young ones really lack manners.”

“Couldn’t you spare us that? I don’t assume you want me to call you an old fogey, do you?”

I responded unfazed to Wilhelm’s irritated remark.

He let out a cynical snort and glared at me, which, in light of his inherently wild appearance, made him look like a wild bear.

“What do you think of the Pavlov region?”

Slightly at a loss, I closed my lips tight.

‘I can’t exactly say the leader over there told me directly.’

I rolled my eyes and opened my mouth.

“I studied the Atara area before coming.”

It was a little like stealing Zigmund’s credit, but I felt no guilt. That guy deserved it.

Wilhelm, who had been observing me with skeptical eyes, let out a short breath. Perhaps it was the sunset, but his face somehow appeared warmer.

“It looks like the rookie has put in some effort.”

“Didn’t you want the reinforcements to head to Yutis?”

Surprised by his unexpectedly gentle reaction, I tilted my head.

Wilhelm had strongly advocated for the reinforcements to go to Yutis for the safety of his territory, and I thought he would be furious that they were directed otherwise. But, surprisingly, he wasn’t.

“Hmph. I’m not so lowly as to reject a reasonable decision made through discussions by the majority. What do you take me for?”

“It seems you do not acknowledge me, the map reader who decided after considerable deliberation on behalf of the Solarit Empire.”

“Ugh, that’s…!”

With a face full of words left unspoken, Wilhelm clenched his fist. I glanced at him as if to say ‘If you have something to say, go on’ and he averted his gaze slightly.

“Hasn’t it only been a short time since your identity as a Mir was revealed? There’s hardly any achievement to speak of. I thought you were just a rookie who landed a big role riding on the coattails of that name. Back then, I felt emotional thinking the Empire was looking down on us.”

An honest and blunt admission.

Indeed, I had no knightly experience; my first role as a commander of reinforcements was something of a parachute job.

I knew better than anyone how untrustworthy I must appear without the name Mir.

“But… seeing that you haven’t messed up, it seems you’re managing fine.”

Wilhelm muttered quietly. While it seemed he was inviting confrontation, I could guess it was the best praise he could offer.

Did I let out a chuckle? He continued talking.

“I realize now that insisting on Yutis was a mistake. As a leader, I should have maintained an open mind, but my concern for my territory took precedence. It was foolish of me.”

It must not be easy to acknowledge one’s mistakes and apologize to someone at least three times younger than oneself, yet Wilhelm’s expression was resolute without a hint of shame. He fixed his gaze on me.

“I still do not acknowledge you.”

“Your recognition or lack thereof doesn’t change anything.”

“You’ve a sharp tongue. Sure. It doesn’t change anything, but I won’t acknowledge you any further.”

He was stubborn on this point. I was used to enmity, so I merely shrugged, and he brightly gleamed his deep brown eyes.

“Age doesn’t dictate everything, but it indeed plays a significant role. There’s a difference between merely reaching adulthood and becoming a true adult. While you may be wise and strong at your age, bearing the weight of life is something that can only be accomplished after many trials and errors. This thought remains unaltered.”

I had thought he would exclude me merely due to my youth, but his reasoning was far deeper than I expected.

Wilhelm, who glanced at me briefly, swiftly turned around.

“But I’ll show you respect, Commander. Please prove that my thinking was incorrect.”

This unexpected acknowledgment pierced right through my heart. A strange feeling stirred within me.

At that moment, when Wilhelm was about to stride away,

“Wait. Stop.”

The big fellow froze and turned back to me. I tilted my head.

“Who leaves without properly greeting their commander?”

“…Must you really?”

I grinned mischievously at Wilhelm, who was glaring at me.

It wasn’t such a bad feeling.

Time flew by quickly; tomorrow was already the day we’d depart for the Pavlov region. Unable to sleep despite the late hour, I ultimately got out of bed and stood by the window.

The night scenery of Atara was beautiful. We had streetlights made from magic stones light up like stars, glimmering with brilliance worthy of a mighty engineering nation. As I stared blankly out the window, my brows suddenly furrowed.

“Ugh, eek…”

The sound was so faint I initially thought I had misheard it, but this time it was clearly audible. I straightened my nerves, which I had softened for sleep.

“Le, Leo…”

The owner of the cracked voice in pain was undoubtedly Leo.

‘Leo’s Room is right upstairs.’

I rushed to open the window, unsure of what might have happened to Leo.

Climbing up the wall with spider-like speed, I slipped a hand into the space between the walls.

‘Damn, a barrier.’

Arriving at the upstairs window, I bit my lip tightly. Leo’s room had a barrier cast on it.

I could break in, but it was a terribly solid barrier, and I’d need to pull out a spell to dismantle it. That would undoubtedly create a great noise, and upon closer inspection, it seemed to be set up to trigger an alarm the moment the barrier was broken.

If I broke in, only to find nothing amiss, I’d be treated like a madman.

‘Could he have just rolled out of bed?’

While flustered and unsure, peering curiously at the window, I heard a crack.

With the sound of something crumbling, the barrier disappeared.

‘…I didn’t do anything!?’

I stared at the vanishing barrier in surprise.

After a brief moment of panic, I struggled to recall the principles of the magic formulas I had learned slightly from Aria while tearing apart the magic circle, discovering something.

‘This has a function to recognize people.’

It was a setting to recognize and grant entry to familiar individuals. From this deduction, the barrier likely recognized me and opened up, which seemed the most plausible hypothesis.

‘When did this kid register my information?’

Click.

Letting out a chuckle, I opened the window and slipped inside.

The room was very spacious, but unlike a royal room, it lacked extravagance and was simply furnished with only the essentials. Lightly surveying the place filled with traces of Leo, I hurried over to the bed.

“Ugh… Ha…”

Despite it being a cold winter night, Leo’s forehead was drenched in cold sweat. With three buttons of his white shirt undone, his irregularly moving thorax was visible beneath his collarbone. His tightly shut eyelids twitched. His face was a mess of tear streaks.

“Ray, sha, please…”

It seemed Leo was having a nightmare.

I brushed his bangs aside. I was relieved that this wasn’t an intrusion, but that didn’t mean the situation was favorable.

I had heard he suffered from nightmares, but seeing it in person really struck me hard.

“Leo.”

I softly whispered his name, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead with my sleeve.

I couldn’t imagine how long he had struggled through this nightmare.

“It’s okay.”

Nothing was okay, but still, I whispered that. I hoped Leo would stop crying.

Slowly.

As if he heard my whisper, his eyelids began to flutter open.

Shh, shhh.

Tears glimmered in his clear eyes that held a hint of light green.

“Z*、A ” I r I r-

“Yes.”

I gently stroked the hair of his head, sitting on the bed beside him.

He called for my name repeatedly, holding tight to the hem of my clothes.

“Hold me…”

It was a whine I thought I’d never hear again since that drunken night. However, it sounded too desperate for a mere whine.

For a moment, I looked down at him, before finally opening my arms to pull Leo into a hug. Clinging to me, he grasped me as if fighting for his life. The arms wrapping around me were tight as chains trying to ensnare me.

“Don’t die, please.”

“ Ugh”

“Don’t leave me alone again…”

His desperately murmured words sounded like a supplicant praying to his God. Although he didn’t show it, he seemed worried about my departure to the battlefield.

“I won’t die. I’ve shown you just how strong my friends are until now.”

I brushed the pale cheek that had turned ghostly white. Tomorrow, I was set to leave, but distance in the physical realm wouldn’t translate to distance in the heart.

“I will come back alive. Wait for me.”

Indeed, I felt I would miss him a lot.