Junior's room.
Seeing Hecate in such a bad state, Junior invited her to her room, and Hecate didn't refuse. She didn't have the mental energy to refuse.
"..."
Standing at the entrance of the wizard's room, filled with the smell of ancient books, Hecate blankly looked around. The room was packed with books, not just spellbooks but...
'...History books?'
There were also piles of old history books.
Then, Junior approached and handed her a robe.
"Do you, for now, want to... put this on?"
After a moment, Hecate, wrapped in the robe, sat opposite Junior at a small table. Junior, flustered, picked up a bottle of drink.
"Would you like to drink something? It's just a health drink, but..."
Hecate didn't refuse. Junior poured the only beverage in the room - a health juice blended with tomato and spinach - into a cup and handed it to her.
"I don't have much to offer, but please, enjoy...?"
"...Thank you."
Despite the drink likely tasting awful, Hecate drank it down smoothly. Even though Junior was the one who offered the drink, internally she thought, 'This person has a good stomach.'
"Thank you."
After an awkward silence, Hecate spoke up. Junior, a beat too late, responded with a huh?
"Thank you for caring."
"Ah... no, it's... not a big deal..."
"You don't have to be so kind to someone like me."
"There's no need to put yourself down like that. Hecate, you're a remarkable person..."
"..."
Hecate, intending to say something, then held back and looked out the window.
"Does Crossroad often have festivals?"
"Uh, no. The most excitement is about twice a year. The Autumn Festival and the New Year's event."
"I see..."
"In New Terra... festivals are frequent, right?"
"Yes. They happen often. Though I, being a native of New Terra, didn't go much."
Junior tilted her head, puzzled.
"Why?"
Hecate hesitated before answering.
"...My parents passed away when I was very young. So, there was no one to take me to the festivals. As a child, I always just watched from afar."
"I'm, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..."
"No, I'm sorry. It was insensitive of me to bring it up..."
Once again, an awkward silence settled between them.
Not knowing what to do, Junior's eyes darted back and forth until Hecate broke the silence first.
"My parents were soldiers, caught in an accident."
"That's terrible..."
"I was left an orphan with no relatives... and then the Emperor took me in."
Junior blinked.
Hecate poured out her thoughts in a daze.
"There's a foster home operated by the Imperial Family for children of veterans. I grew up there."
As Hecate mentioned the Emperor, her face lit up a bit.
"The Emperor would visit regularly to encourage us, saying, 'Your parents gave me their lives, so I will take responsibility for yours,' and he would gently pat each of us on the head."
Hecate closed her eyes, recalling that day.
"To me, who can't even remember my parents' faces, his gentle touch was truly a salvation."
"..."
"How could I not respect, not love, a monarch who personally took care of even the smallest and youngest among us? To me, just like Jupiter was a mother to Junior."
To Hecate, the Emperor who took her in... was like a father.
Hecate's red eyes moved to the contents of the mug in her hand.
"Since childhood, I decided to dedicate my life to Everblack, and with a talent for the sword, I was able to enter the Royal Academy on a scholarship. Joining the Glory Knights to protect the Emperor was my dream, and it came true."
"..."
"I stood on the battlefield alongside the Emperor. He trusted us. Despite becoming like this and enduring terrible pain, despite the diagnosis that I wouldn't last much longer, I was still proud."
Hecate's hand, wrapped in bandages, gripped the mug tightly.
"But the front lines I fought to protect have now signed a peace treaty."
"..."
"I know. A weapon shouldn't harbor doubts. But it's disconcerting. I fought off the gods of other races for the empire, dying over and over. But now, those races are considered allies."
Junior quietly looked into Hecate's eyes.
"What meaning then does my battle, my life dedicated to this, have?"
Hecate's eyes were filled with confusion.
"I came here to see old friends before my life ends. They were all shocked to see my condition... but I was more shocked."
"..."
"The royal guards I've been wary of, all the enemies from the borders... they were all united here as one army. All the lords from that list who I might have been dispatched to execute were nonchalantly enjoying the festival and laughing together."
Hecate shook her head.
"That's when I realized. The one who is wrong in this world is me. It's I, the demon of the empire, who is out of step with the times."
"..."
"Having willingly taken on curses and become a monster for the empire, all that effort was in vain... and the world is moving in the opposite direction."
Junior quietly listened to her monologue.
"With this monstrous body, I can't even approach my old friends anymore. With this demonic mindset, I can't fully enjoy the festival."
Hecate sadly lowered her head.
"Both as a knight and as an individual, my life has lost all meaning. It's all torn to shreds. Like my body underneath these bandages."
"..."
"In the end, was there... any meaning to my life?"
Junior found it hard to answer.
Hecate bowed her head.
"I'm sorry. Suddenly getting overwhelmed and spewing all this out."
"No, no, it's okay. Really! So, um, I kind of understand..."
The silence settled like dust, and the laughter from the festival sounded emptily in the distance...
Knock, knock.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
Junior, startled, made a whooshing sound as she sprang up. Then, a familiar voice came from outside the door.
"Miss Junior. Are you there? It's Lucas."
"Ca, Captain Lucas?! What brings you here...?"
"I came looking for Hecate, but she wasn't in her room. I wondered if you might have seen where she went..."
"Ah! If it's Hecate you're looking for, she's right here..."
Junior, smiling as she spoke, turned around only to see Hecate shaking her head with a pale face. Junior stuttered to finish her sentence.
"...She's not here."
"I see she is there."
Why is it that his intuition works so well at times like this! This selectively perceptive knight!
Internally repeating this, Junior ruffled her hair. It was herself who lacked intuition. She should have hidden this lady, what was she thinking!
"Please tell her I would like to speak with her, could you?"
"..."
After letting out a long sigh, Hecate slowly stood up.
Hastily getting up as well, Junior flailed her arms and legs.
"Oh, oh, clothes! I'll lend you some clothes! Just a moment?!"
As Junior flung open the wardrobe, all she found were wizard robes that all looked exactly the same. Junior exclaimed in despair.
"Ah! There's nothing suitable, damn it! What's wrong with my fashion sense!"
"...It's okay."
Hecate, giving a bitter smile, headed towards the door.
"After everyone's seen what's inside, dressing up won't make any difference."
"He, Hecate!"
"Thank you for lending me the robe. I'll wash it well and return it to you later."
With those formal words, Hecate opened the door.
"..."
"..."
As she met Lucas's waiting gaze, the two knights quietly walked down the hallway as if on cue.
"..."
Watching the two knights' retreating figures through the window,
"Ah, I don't know anymore!"
Junior hurriedly followed after them.
***
The late afternoon sun mixed gradually with shades of red.
Heading towards the end of the street market in the central square, Lucas and Hecate walked side by side.
And behind them,
"Tip-toe, tip-toe..."
Evangeline and I were silently following them.
Evangeline was making "tip-toe, tip-toe" sound effects out loud as she followed closely behind, and I was following her.
Being somewhat celebrities in this city, the merchants and citizens who recognized us were all puzzled and bewildered, but we didn't have time to pay attention to their stares.
‘Lucas is! Walking in the festival streets! Alone with someone he used to like!’
What could be more important than a direct observation of this!
That's when Junior, who was diligently following quietly behind us, ran up with a startled expression.
"What are you two doing here?!"
"Shh! What about you?"
"I, I am... that is, well..."
"Ah Junior! Keep your voice down! Follow my lead, tip-toe, tip-toe!"
"Ti, tip-toe...?"
Eventually, Junior joined in. The three of us stealthily followed the two knights.
Then we spotted Damian buying food at a stall, possibly for a temple feast, his arms full of food. Damian, too, spotted us and widened his eyes in surprise.
"Your Highness? And everyone else? What are you doing?"
"Shh-!"
"Damian, tip-toe, tip-toe!"
"Come here. Quick!"
Eventually, Damian, who was clueless, was dragged along. The four of us followed Lucas's date(?) from behind, keeping an eye on them.
The two knights walked in silence for a long time. It was Hecate who spoke first.
"It's been a while since we've met so leisurely, Lucas. Or, now that I think about it, is this the first time we've met alone?"
"That's right. We were always the Three Musketeers. Our lord led both you and me."
Then, Lucas squinted at Hecate.
"But I've been wondering, why have you been speaking so formally lately?"
"Now that we're adults, it's proper to show respect."
Hecate gave an awkward smile.
"Since I've graduated. I'm not a child anymore. We're adults now."
"...Then I shall speak formally too."
"Ah. I'd rather you didn’t..."
"Then you should speak informally too."
"..."
After a long silence, Hecate finally said.
"...Alright, I will. Lucas."
She switched to informal speech.
Only then did the atmosphere between them soften. The strange tension hovering over Lucas's face relaxed.
As they walked silently for a while, the two knights stopped in front of a stall. The sign read 'New Terra-style Baked Goods'.
Without a word, Lucas bought two pieces of the snack and handed one to Hecate.
"Here. You used to like this."
"...I did."
Accepting the nostalgic snack, Hecate swallowed hard.
"Did you know? I never went to a festival when I was young. But during our school days, whenever there was even a small festival in the Imperial Capital... His Highness would drag us out."
"We really struggled back then. Both you and I."
The two knights stood silently for a moment, holding their snacks.
Perhaps they were reminiscing about their school days and Ash, who had been between them at that time.
"...Sorry. Truth is, I can't taste it anymore. My taste buds are ruined."
Hecate, unable to finish her snack, smiled bitterly.
"I can't fully remember either. It all seems muddled. I remember the scenes, but I can't recall the emotions. I remember that I liked you, but..."
"..."
"I can't quite remember what that felt like."
"Hecate."
Lucas spoke indifferently.
"People change after they graduate, it's natural."
Hecate's eyes widened. Lucas sighed lightly.
"School memories fade. We were young and immature back then. I don't even understand why I lived like a fool."
"..."
"It doesn't matter what you've become now, or how much you've changed. To me, you are... always the same."
Lucas looked at Hecate with a steady gaze.
"The unbeaten swordsman I never managed to defeat, from the day of our entrance ceremony to our graduation."
"..."
"Then and now, you remain the same to me. So-"
Lucas smiled.
A hero-like, clueless, and upright smile.
"Let's have a match. In this upcoming martial arts tournament, properly."
--TL Notes--
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at patreon.com/MattReading