Sedina parted her lips.
She wanted to say something, but no words would come out.
To call a painful, agonizing past merely something that had “passed”... It wasn’t something she could easily understand.
Her past had always gnawed at her.
Even when she tried to console herself, insisting she was fine, the moment the memories of that day resurfaced, her chest tightened with pain.
It was a severe trauma.
The happier she became now, the darker the shadow of her past grew.
The harder she struggled to run from it, the more it felt like sinking into a swamp.
The more she told herself not to think of something, the more blatantly it rose to the surface.
Still, instead of denying his words outright, Sedina chose to think on them again.
Because the one who said them was none other than Ludger Cherish.
Ludger never handed answers directly.
He was an exceptional educator, and one of his philosophies was to make the student realize the answer themselves.
His method was to provide just enough clues to move toward the answer.
And because Sedina had watched him closely for so long, she quickly found the clue he had offered.
It’s something that has passed. It’s just the past.
Accepting that wholeheartedly was difficult.
Sedina sometimes imagined what her life would have been like if she had lived smoothly without any suffering.
If her mother had not died.
If her relationship with her father had remained warm.
If she had stayed on good terms with Julia.
If she hadn’t joined the Black Dawn.
‘Would I... have met the teacher?’
When her thoughts reached that far, Sedina finally understood why Ludger had said those words.
What if her life had been smooth, without any twists?
She would not have met Ludger.
Even if she had somehow met him at Seorn, she wouldn’t have grown close to him.
She would have lived as an ordinary student, with a calm, uneventful life.
And she wouldn’t have been prepared for the dangers that would come later.
Even if Ella Plante had been alive, she would have made her own preparations.
But would they have been perfect?
Ventmin would still have been alive, and he would have targeted Sedina one way or another.
But none of that mattered most.
To Sedina, the greatest impact was the realization that she would not have formed this relationship—this bond—of facing Ludger here and now.
Only then did she understand the meaning behind his words.
“An unhappy past... doesn’t always bring only bad results, does it.”
“The unfortunate things you went through were indeed tragic. But you managed to rise above them.”
People learn from failure.
True lessons come from pain that reaches the marrow of one’s bones.
Ludger had never once wavered from that belief.
One must never inflict pain forcibly for the sake of growth—but naturally occurring pain has the potential to become a driving force.
If one can overcome suffering, and even make that pain and its process fully their own...
Ludger firmly believed such a person was closest to the ideal of a perfect “superhuman.”
“I didn’t get up on my own. You helped me stand.”
But most people are weak.
They suffer deeply even from small pains and cannot easily rise once they’ve fallen.
Sedina was the same.
If Ludger hadn’t been there, she would’ve just collapsed in place, lamenting everything.
“I won’t deny that I helped mend your injured wings. But afterward—whether you choose to fly or not is your decision. Sedina, did you settle down instead of moving forward?”
From Ludger’s perspective, she never had.
Sedina had always lived earnestly, doing her best with the life she was given.
Her current place as the rightful queen of the elves was proof enough.
“If your painful past still torments you, then tell it this—clearly and boldly. ‘Thank you. Because of you, I was able to come all the way here.’”
Ludger had regrets too.
He had suffered, and there were times when he wanted to give up.
But in the end, he overcame.
Sedina felt his words seep into the deepest wound in her heart.
The scar that had always throbbed painfully now felt endlessly smaller.
It hadn’t vanished completely, but she no longer felt the suffocating pain.
“I wanted to comfort you... but I ended up receiving all the comfort instead.”
“Just being able to meet and talk like this is enough for me.”
At that moment, Ella Plante chimed in from the side:
“I tried to lighten the mood, but we ended up talking seriously again. Anyway, do you have any plans? Since you came all this way, you could stay for a day.”
“If I stay, I doubt the other elves will react favorably. Is that alright?”
“What’s not alright? Ever since we allied with the Empire, the atmosphere toward humans has gotten pretty friendly. Don’t worry. After coming this far, it’d be sad to just say hello and leave, wouldn’t it?”
Ella wasn’t wrong—leaving immediately would feel anticlimactic.
Ludger glanced at Sedina.
Ella had made the suggestion, yet somehow he found himself looking at Sedina’s expression instead—he did not understand why.
But seeing Sedina waiting anxiously for his answer...
It reminded him sharply of her assistant days, and Ludger couldn’t help a small laugh.
“Yes. If it’s only for a day, that’s fine.”
At his answer, Sedina’s expression blossomed brightly.
She clearly tried to hide it, but it was obvious.
Ella nudged Sedina’s arm with a mischievous grin.
“Our daughter looks very happy, doesn’t she?”
“I—I don’t know what you mean.”
“I’ve helped as much as a mother can. The rest is up to you.”
Sedina tried to protest, but Ella yelped “Hot!” and immediately fled into the World Tree.
Left with the space where her mother had been, Sedina could only stand blankly like a dog staring after a fleeing chicken.
Ludger watched her and cleared his throat lightly.
Startled, Sedina looked back with anxious eyes—she must have realized she had shown quite the spectacle in front of a guest.
As an adult, Ludger decided it was best to offer her an escape.
“I’d like to look around the inside of the castle. Would that be alright?”
“Y-Yes! Of course! I’ll guide you myself!”
It was an obvious subject change, but she welcomed it like a gift.
She looked just like a puppy delighted by a treat.
Ludger then toured the castle under Sedina’s guidance.
As expected of an elven castle with ancient history, even its architecture and the treasures inside were of a different class entirely.
What he had seen earlier while walking with Ambella had been impressive—yet that was only a tiny fraction.
At times he wondered whether he was allowed to see so much.
But with the elven queen herself guiding him, who would dare object?
Even when other elven attendants offered to help, Sedina stubbornly insisted on guiding Ludger alone—going so far as to warn them not to interfere.
Naturally, the attendants’ disgruntled looks were directed at Ludger.
‘This is... the most luxurious tour imaginable, yet somehow completely uncomfortable.’
As a guest, he felt more pressure than joy.
Still, Ludger was not the type to let such discomfort show, so he quietly followed her lead.
And honestly... he enjoyed the time more than he expected.
Night fell, and Ludger enjoyed the evening banquet.
This time Sedina was not alone.
Ella Plante was present, as was Ambella Burke.
Even Vierno Dentis had arrived after hearing the news.
“It’s been a while,” Vierno greeted with a calm nod.
Unlike others, he didn’t fuss or make a scene—he acted as if they had met just yesterday.
Ludger preferred that.
Vierno looked exactly the same as he had three years ago, and that familiarity was oddly comforting.
In a world where everything constantly changed, someone who preserved their old self brought reassurance.
Change was good—but that didn’t make the old ways bad.
Keeping one’s identity in a changing world was also precious.
“How have you been, Teacher Vierno?”
“I’ve been busy in my own way. The Dentis family couldn’t be absent from rebuilding the kingdom. Of course, most of the actual work was done by our family members—I only lent a hand here and there.”
He sipped the tea he had brewed himself.
“Hah. Still pretending to be humble. Without the Dentis family, rebuilding the kingdom would’ve taken much longer.”
“It’s thanks to the capable members of my household.”
“You’re the one who moved them and brought them together.”
“Can Lady Ambella say that with a straight face? Besides, I was often absent due to my teaching duties at Seorn.”
Ludger asked:
“You are still teaching at Seorn?”
“Yes. Teaching new students is always fulfilling. I’m no longer the head of the Dentis family, so it’s one of the simple joys I have left.”
“I see. And how is Seorn now?”
“Peaceful. Actually, I think it’s better than before. The rift between noble and commoner students has diminished, and the incoming students each year are lively.”
From Vierno’s words, Seorn seemed to be changing for the better every year.
When Ludger had been there, the tension between noble and commoner factions had been severe, but that balance had collapsed long ago.
And Ludger himself had played a major role in that collapse.
“Thanks to you serving as Planning Director, a lot has changed—especially the reduced influence of the noble faction.”
Of course, Ludger hadn’t changed everything by himself.
He had merely fired the starting shot.
The one who held full authority afterward was Principal Elisha.
“After the Holy War, the principal’s fame skyrocketed. ‘War Hero’ hardly does her justice.”
She wasn’t the only one.
Many teachers who participated in the Holy War received medals from the Empire—
And most of them were commoners.
Once they gained fame, the delicate balance broke instantly.
“Well, it’s not like the principal crushed the noble faction one-sidedly.”
“She even strengthened them occasionally, worried the commoner faction might get too strong.”
Sedina added.
“Oh? That’s surprising.”
“She even gave the position of Planning Director to Teacher Hugo Burteg for that reason.”
Hugo Burteg—one of the people who had vehemently opposed Ludger becoming Planning Director.
Of course, all his protests were meaningless—it was impossible for him to win against Ludger.
And yet Hugo ended up in that very seat.
“Did he do well?”
“You know what’s funny? He wanted the title so badly, but once he got it, he struggled terribly.”
Just recalling it made Sedina giggle.
Hugo had always wanted a high, respected position, but he wasn’t strong enough to endure the responsibility and pressure that came with it.
Still, he didn’t give up immediately—he tried hard.
So hard that he reduced his sleeping time and buried himself in piles of paperwork in the Planning Office.
“But due to the overwork, his hair fell out, and he aged rapidly in a short time. He used to be so annoying, but now I kind of pity him.”
The formerly fat and greedy Hugo had become skinny and gaunt.
In the end, unable to endure, he stepped down as Planning Director—
signaling the decisive downfall of the noble faction.
“Well, things are balanced now. With the Empire supporting us too, Seorn is enjoying an unprecedented golden age.”
Vierno set down his cup and looked at Ludger.
“Do you have any thoughts about returning?”
“Is that a request from Principal Elisha?”
At Ludger’s playful question, Vierno chuckled.
“She mentioned it, yes, but this question is mine alone.”
“Please consider the possibility open for now. ...At least, for the time being.”
“For the time being. I understand.”
Vierno nodded in satisfaction—this ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) answer alone was enough.
He didn’t press further.
It was the relaxed grace of someone older, someone who had lived long.
That was Vierno’s greatest strength.
“Hey. It’s a bit unfair that you’re having all the fun talking without me when we all gathered together.”
Ambella, the only one left out of the conversation, protested with a pout.
“What would you like to talk about, Elder?”
“Hmm. How about... the Holy War?”
Her uncharacteristically cute response made everyone at the table burst out laughing.