“Ren, I’ll... I’ll tell you everything...”

Temar’s fading voice, the way he had clung to Ren so desperately, came back to him. Those trembling eyes, too. And the way he had soon squeezed them shut.

Had Giselle eavesdropped even on their conversation in that corridor? Or was he only guessing?

“...”

Ren could not answer.

His breathing kept trying to quicken.

Get a hold of yourself. Don’t get dragged in. He’s definitely saying that to pressure me.

But... he was not wrong.

Frightened.

That was how Temar had looked right before he left.

But Ren did not want to be looked down on for it. He had to be the only one who had seen his brother like that. There was no way anyone would have dared spy on him, a Hero. This man was only saying that on purpose, trying to look down on Temar too because Ren looked easy to mock.

Ren wet his pale, cracked lips and smiled cynically.

His eyelids trembled faintly.

“Who says anyone was frightened?”

His voice rang out, the end of it rising high. Both hands, hidden beneath the table, curled into fists.

“Were you not frightened?”

Giselle drew up the corner of his mouth and smiled. His tone sounded teasing. It seemed as though, no matter what Ren said, he would think whatever he pleased.

That leisurely air, as if he stood on top of another person’s head...

Ren wanted to say no, that he had not been frightened, but the words would not come easily. He glared at him, pretending to be calm. His expression said he had no desire to answer at all.

Giselle did not seem inclined to let him off. He looked as though he intended to say nothing until Ren answered.

Caw. Caaaw. Caw.

“...?”

It happened then. Somewhere, a crow cried. But even when he turned his head toward the sound, no bird was visible. All he could see were the greenhouse garden’s fresh green plants and flowers. When he had been here with Riperoman, they had looked only beautiful and warm. Now they felt terribly unfamiliar and frightening.

Caaaw. Caaaw.

“Ah...”

Startled by the crow’s cry when it came again, Ren tore his gaze away from the flower he had been staring at and lifted his head.

A black shadow was wheeling high across the greenhouse garden ceiling. So that was where the sound had been coming from. A crow was crying outside the greenhouse garden. Judging by the shadow, it seemed very large. Its outstretched wings were terribly long as well.

The sunlight pouring over the glittering glass ceiling, and the shadow of the crow...

For some reason, the crow’s cry, ringing out at regular intervals, settled his restless heart.

Ren turned his head again and looked at Giselle. He did not seem to care about the crow’s cry at all.

It was about time to answer him.

“I suppose there’s something you need to frighten me for?”

Ren forced a mocking expression onto his face.

Whatever Giselle’s goal was, Ren would not simply submit.

Looking at Ren’s eyes, burning with fighting spirit, Giselle tilted his head at an angle. His long hair shimmered and spilled forward over his shoulder.

“Did Temar not teach you that twisting words is a bad habit?” 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

“Why don’t you say what you mean, then? Stop circling around it. You must have a reason for calling me here and doing this.”

What was wrong with this man? He had gone out of his way to call someone here, and all he said were things meant to scrape at Ren’s nerves. He did not say anything important, only veered this way and that without warning, making the atmosphere frightening.

“If you have nothing to say, I’m leaving.”

“Sit down.”

“...!”

The servant, who had somehow approached Ren’s side as he kicked his chair back and stood, blocked him from leaving. A sword hung at his waist. Though his hand did not reach for the sheath, the look in his eyes and the attitude of those standing in Ren’s way made their intent more than clear. If Ren refused Giselle’s order, Giselle would have him harmed.

Startled, Ren went rigid.

Beyond the glass greenhouse ceiling, the crow’s cry kept ringing out.

What do you want from me?

Ren could not understand Giselle, who was going this far to pressure him. Status, rank, age—Giselle stood above Ren in every way. Was there any reason for him to go to all this trouble?

While Ren observed Giselle, Giselle was likewise observing Ren. Those green eyes watching him, the way he kept his back straight despite the repeated pressure, like a young beast trying to hide its weakness. And more than anything...

He looked accustomed to hostility.

Giselle nodded.

“There is something you must do as a Hero’s younger brother.”

“What is it?”

“You will know when you go.”

Giselle rose from his seat. As he walked ahead, the servants seized Ren by both arms.

***

Media, the borderlands of the Setoran Kingdom.

As if spring had failed to reach this place, a bleak wind was blowing.

Torches burned red, cutting through the night. Tents had been raised on the land of Media, and soldiers stood guard in ordered lines.

In the central tent among them, an argument was taking place.

“I’m telling you, let’s just sweep them away.”

It was a light voice, out of place amid the grim atmosphere. Some of those in armor stiffened, while others looked slightly relieved.

Because they knew the skill of the man who could say something so reckless with such confidence.

The King’s Third Star. A man whose white-burned platinum hair was said to be dyed red with enemy blood on the battlefield. Despite his beautiful appearance, he had no mercy.

“We cannot do that.”

“Verdi came back half-dead. Do we need another reason?”

“It may have been the work of another group.”

But unlike Luman’s argument, Geloman was firm. That personality of his, which ran on simple brute force in human relationships, seemed to turn remarkably sharp on the battlefield.

“Hey. Temar. Why don’t you say something too?”

Luman tapped Temar’s shoulder as he sat with his mouth shut. Dark brown eyes stared at Luman, then turned toward Geloman.

“I agree with Geloman. We can’t act blindly.”

“There isn’t a single light in their encampment. And you want us to wait until daybreak? What if they attack us during the night? Are we going to offer up the lives of these precious young men?”

His cynical voice held a sneer. What was there to consider after coming all the way here? Luman only wanted to end the war quickly and return to the castle.

Just as he had promised Ren.

“Luman. War is not a sparring match in a training yard.”

Geloman spoke solemnly. Luman snorted.

“Sparring is something ordinary soldiers do. I have no need for anything like sparring.”

“You...”

Geloman narrowed his eyes. His bright blue eyes burned like candle flames. It was a warning stare, but Luman ignored it easily.

The knight commanders looked uncomfortable. The mood felt as though a fight might break out, and the commander of the First Knight Order was just opening his mouth to stop them when—

“War is a form of politics. You’re smart enough to know that.”

“Who says I’m smart?”

“Luman.”

“Why? What compliment are you going to give me this time?”

Geloman strode up to him and whispered in his ear.

At that moment, Luman’s expression hardened, and soon he closed his mouth. After glancing at Luman to confirm it, Geloman announced the end of the meeting. The knight commanders, who had been unable to say a single word during the meeting under their ominous momentum, filed out of the tent. Their heavy armor clashed with a weighty sound.

“What happened?”

The vice commanders, who had been waiting at the edge of the tent, asked. The knight commander glanced at them, then spoke with a heavy face.

“...Keep the men below you under strict control.”

“Did the Heroes just talk among themselves again? Did Lord Geloman not say any—”

The vice commander began rambling, then swallowed his words when the knight commander glared at him.

“This is not yet the time to discuss minor tactics.”

“Why did Lord Giselle not come with them? I would have felt reassured if he had. For some reason, I feel uneasy.”

“Your mind has grown weak. Vice Commander, shall we have a sparring match?”

“No, sir!”

The commander of the First Knight Order left first, and the vice commanders exchanged glances before beginning to walk away from the tent.

“Honestly, don’t you think this is the sort of place where they could have just sent the Heroes?”

Someone, watching the others’ reactions, casually threw out the topic. Between the heavy silence, only the sound of footsteps rang out. Just as the embarrassed man coughed and tried to leave, someone else took up his words.

“I think it is a waste of manpower.”

“Exactly, right? Haa. It’s not as though war ends in a day or two. I wonder whether there’s any need to mobilize such valuable talent like this. Those great Heroes can sweep this place away with a single use of their power, can’t they? They never die, but people like us only have one life. It makes me sick with dread. They never hold proper meetings and always rush out on their own like wild colts, using humans however they please—what kind of heroes are those? When I think back to seven years ago, my legs still go weak. They were just like murderers crazed for blood...”

In the dark night, between the torches, something seemed to flash.

The next instant, the vice commander felt a blade slice across his chest.