The news Glen brought threw Sharn Castle into an uproar.
It was that shocking.
“…Is it true? A Dark Mage was controlling the Red Hood?”
“I do not know the exact nature of their relationship, but the bandits appeared to be following his orders.”
Count Northshine’s eyes widened.
Dark Mages—especially Necromancers—were rejected everywhere on the continent.
They were also every bit as terrifying as their reputation suggested.
“To think we came so close to disaster…. I cannot express how fortunate we are that you dealt with him, Young Master.”
“To be precise, it was not I but Dame Erdin who dealt the finishing blow.”
At Glen’s praise, Erdin’s expression brightened as she stood beside him.
“Ha ha, indeed. Erdin, you have done us a great service. I am truly grateful.”
“…I merely did what was expected of me for the sake of our house. Furthermore, I only delivered the final blow. Young Master Glen was the one who truly resolved the situation.”
“That is also true. Ha ha. Young Master, I will make certain to send His Grace a separate letter expressing my gratitude for this matter.”
“I would be grateful if you did.”
There was no harm in earning favor with his father.
He would have many reasons to rely upon him in the future.
“I would like to hold a Banquet in your honor… but are you planning to leave soon?”
“Yes. I appreciate the offer, but let us save the Banquet for another occasion. I have a rather important matter to attend to.”
“I heard that you are heading toward the Kingdom of Arian. When do you intend to depart?”
“We will rest for a day and leave tomorrow.”
Glen had come to Sharn Castle with two primary objectives.
The first was to recruit Erdin.
The second was to eliminate the Red Hood and pursue the City Guard members who had fled.
In that sense, he had already accomplished his objectives.
He had encountered an entirely unexpected complication, but it had somehow been resolved, and he had even obtained a Mandrake.
Judging by the results alone, the operation could hardly have gone better.
“That is truly unfortunate.”
“There will be another opportunity in the future. Ah, Dame Erdin is already aware of this, but the bandits have probably not been completely wiped out. According to the information we obtained during the interrogations, they have hideouts scattered throughout the region.”
“You need not concern yourself with that. Our house will finish dealing with them. More importantly, are the injured men all right?”
“Fortunately, none of their injuries are particularly severe.”
Most of the escort force had suffered injuries of varying degrees during the operation.
Most of those injuries had occurred during the battle inside the Abandoned Mine, probably because the situation had been completely unexpected.
Nedain had been displeased, claiming that the knights lacked the ability to adapt to unforeseen circumstances.
“Ah, I also heard that you were injured, Young Master…?”
“It is nothing serious. Please do not worry.”
Glen had also been injured.
Strictly speaking, he had probably suffered the worst injuries among them.
However, he dismissed everyone’s concerns by insisting that he would recover after a day’s rest.
The most seriously wounded man was the knight who had been drenched by the acid spell.
Fortunately, he would recover, but he was in no condition to accompany them to the Kingdom of Arian.
They decided to send him back to Repen City with Brunel.
Brunel had also suffered a puncture wound through his forearm inside the Abandoned Mine, but it was not particularly serious.
After seeing Brunel insist upon following them all the way into the Abandoned Mine, Glen had decided how he would be treated from now on.
“Brunel, return to Repen City as soon as you recover.”
“Understood.”
“And deliver this to His Grace.”
Glen handed him a letter.
“What is this?”
“A report on your conduct and how you are to be handled.”
Brunel swallowed dryly without realizing it.
“…What will happen to me?”
He could not help feeling nervous.
Strictly speaking, he was still a criminal.
Depending upon what Glen had written in the letter, Brunel might be sent back to prison.
“You will probably undergo Soldier Training for the time being. I cannot keep a group of common thugs as my subordinates. Once you finish your training, you will manage the businesses previously controlled by the Black Hand. Naturally, you are not to involve yourself with Narcotics or anything of that sort.”
In effect, Glen had accepted him.
Brunel released a quiet sigh and expressed his gratitude.
“…Thank you.”
“Consider it compensation for your hard work.”
Brunel’s eyes reddened slightly now that he had finally earned Glen’s recognition.
The following day, he immediately departed the castle with his subordinates.
By noon, Glen had also completed his preparations to leave.
***
Erdin had been in a strange mood since morning.
The problem was that even she did not know why she felt that way.
They had successfully completed the operation, and she had earned more than enough merit.
Those were both good things.
Then why did she feel like this?
“My lady, why have you been making that face since this morning?”
Tilen approached as Erdin walked through the corridor.
Erdin considered correcting her for calling her “my lady,” but decided to let it pass.
“What face?”
“Did you know that your lips stick out whenever something displeases you?”
Erdin hurriedly corrected her expression.
“…It is nothing. More importantly, are you feeling better, Tilen?”
Tilen appeared to have been deeply shaken by what had happened inside the Abandoned Mine.
Then again, the place remained horrifying even in retrospect.
It was a sight no one would ever wish to see twice.
“Well… I am feeling somewhat better. Sleeping helped. Ah, are you acting like this because of what happened there too?”
“Hm? Not particularly.”
Erdin had also found the place so horrific that she did not even wish to think about it.
However, that was all.
She was no longer there.
Tilen’s expression suddenly became playful at Erdin’s answer.
“Ah, is it because the Young Master is leaving?”
“…What in the world are you talking about?”
Erdin naturally frowned.
“Why? The two of you seemed rather close. Once he leaves today, who knows when you will see him again?”
“Tilen, why are you speaking like some adolescent girl?”
“Oh? Then you truly do not care?”
Erdin’s steps faltered briefly at the question.
…Do I not care?
She was not certain.
“…It is not as though I will never see him again.”
“Oh, I see. So that is what you think. Hee hee.”
Tilen smirked in an irritating manner.
For some reason, it annoyed Erdin.
“That expression is unpleasant. Stop it.”
“…How cruel.”
***
When they reached the castle gate, the Lion Knights were busily preparing to depart.
There appeared to be around twenty of them.
Brunel and several others had returned to Repen City, so their ranks looked somewhat emptier than before.
Among them, Glen was tending to his horse.
“Ah, Dame Erdin. Good morning.”
When Erdin approached, he greeted her with a slight smile.
“Good morning, Young Master.”
Is it truly a good morning?
The thought crossed her mind, but she answered regardless.
“Fortunately, the weather is fair. It is a good day for a long journey.”
“…You know about such things as well?”
For some reason, she felt inclined to be contrary.
Despite her curt response, Glen grinned.
“Hmm. It is merely something people say. Ah, have you considered what I mentioned before?”
“You mean joining the Lion Knights?”
Glen nodded.
“…I am still considering it.”
“If you decide to join the Lion Knights, show them this. It is my letter of recommendation.”
“Do you still wish for me to go there?”
“That is an odd question. Whether I wish for it? Should that not be what you want?”
The Lion Knights were certainly an object of admiration for Erdin.
However, admiration alone was not enough to make the decision to leave her family easy.
…Why do I want to become stronger in the first place?
“I… still do not know.”
“It seems something is troubling you.”
“I simply… began wondering why I wanted to grow stronger as a knight.”
“Your reason for wanting to become stronger, hm? It may sound somewhat childish, but it is a necessary question.”
At times, this man spoke as though he were far older than she was.
Erdin disliked that about him.
“You speak like an old man who has lived far too long.”
“Rather than that, perhaps you are simply immature for your age.”
“…Are you aware that I am one year older than you?”
“And?”
Glen chuckled.
“…Tsk.”
Erdin pouted.
Glen considered the matter for a moment before speaking.
“My reason for wanting to become stronger is simple. It is to protect.”
“To protect what?”
“Various things. As you live, things worth protecting begin to appear.”
“…That hardly sounds like something a person your age would say.”
“In any case, consider it carefully. As I said before, you possess more than enough talent. Whatever choice you make, I am certain you will be fine.”
“That is… reassuring. Thank you.”
“Of course, you still lost to me.”
When Glen spoke teasingly, Erdin frowned.
“Must you say that on the very day we are parting?”
“If you resent it, you should have won.”
She bit her lip.
What an infuriating man.
“I still won our wager.”
“That is the first I have heard of it.”
“Sir Nedain told me. You killed fourteen.”
What a loose-tongued knight.
Glen muttered under his breath and frowned.
“If we count those I defeated inside the Abandoned Mine….”
“I was also the one who ultimately killed the Necromancer.”
“….”
When Glen fell silent with nothing to say, Erdin felt immensely satisfied.
“Do you admit it?”
“…Haa. Very well. I admit that you won.”
“You should apply yourself more diligently.”
“Heh heh. Indeed. I suppose I shall have to learn how to slaughter pigs.”
Erdin hesitated briefly before continuing.
“…You are heading to the Kingdom of Arian?”
“It is quite a long journey.”
“What will you do if I become stronger while you are away?”
“That would please me. Perhaps then you might manage to defeat me once.”
He was infuriating until the very end.
Erdin bit her lip slightly.
“…I will never lose to you again.”
“Very well. I wish you good fortune. I should be going now.”
Once their preparations were complete, the members of the Lion Knights began mounting their horses one after another.
Glen also climbed onto his horse.
“Farewell, Young Master Glen.”
“…I hope we meet again, Dame Erdin.”
Glen paused briefly at the exchange, which resembled one they had shared long ago.
He had heard the exact same words at a similar moment and had given the same answer.
However, this farewell was undeniably different from the one in his Previous Life.
This time, he was certain that they would meet again.
With that thought, Glen rode through the castle gates.
There was no snow that day.
For once, the sky was clear.
***
Erdin watched the Lion Knights depart for a long while before speaking.
“Tilen, do you think Young Master Glen will become even stronger than he is now?”
“…Why are you asking something so suddenly?”
“Answer me.”
“I believe he will. How should I describe it…? He seemed as though something were chasing him.”
“So I was not the only one who felt that.”
He seemed like someone preparing for a colossal storm.
She did not know precisely what he was looking toward, but it was clear that his gaze was fixed somewhere far in the distance.
“But why are you suddenly asking me that?”
“…I have to defeat him next time. To do that… I will have to give it everything I have as well.”
“You have been saying strange things all morning. Are you hungry? Come to think of it, I would like some warm bread too.”
Erdin fixed Tilen, who looked utterly bewildered, with an intense gaze.
“…What is it?”
“You should come with me.”
“Where? To the kitchen?”
“To the Lion Knights.”
Tilen’s eyes widened at the entirely unexpected answer.
“…What? Why would I go there?”
“Because I am going.”
“No, you received a letter of recommendation from the Young Master, but I did not. It is not as though the Lion Knights accept just anyone—”
“He gave me one for you as well.”
“What…? Why would he recommend me?”
“Sir Nedain personally recommended you.”
Tilen’s eyes widened further.
“He did? Why in the world would he⋯?”
“How should I know? So, are you coming or not?”
“…Well….”
“Do not tell me you intend to refuse after both of them went to the trouble of writing letters of recommendation for us.”
“….”
One week later.
Two female knights departed from Sharn Castle.
Their destination was Repen City, home of the Lion Knights.