Vera was wavering.
Meliya’s calm expression made her thoughts, which she once believed would never change, waver for the very first time.
He couldn’t possibly abandon his wife and his companions and just disappear on his own… Because he was Lian En, wasn’t he?
Though he was once a good-for-nothing, an idiot, and a bastard, after overcoming countless trials and tribulations, he achieved things no one ever had before, establishing unparalleled accomplishments and becoming a true hero.
And Vera considered herself the person most familiar with him in this world. Because she had always been by his side—watching him from a distance closer than anyone else.
My bastard disciple, my irritating rival. My terrible drinking buddy, my thoroughly unlikable fiancé.
But even if he was someone I hated so much, he would never, ever be a liar.
“Is it really impossible?”
Amidst a chill that seemed to freeze even her heart, a voice asked her this. It was neither Iyue nor Meliya’s voice, and certainly not that child’s—
Then whose was it?
No one answered her question.
…
……
…………
The third year after Lian En disappeared.
On a warm spring day, Iyue came to bid farewell to Vera and Meliya.
She wore a cloak, a large pack slung over her back, looking every bit the weather-beaten traveler ready to set off.
“Are you really leaving? You know you can stay as long as you want…”
Meliya tried to persuade her to stay. But Iyue seemed determined to go.
Just then, the little girl she was holding gently slipped free from her mother’s hand, ran forward with a pitter-patter, and hugged Iyue’s leg.
“Iyue sis, don’t go.”
“Mmnn…! My cutest little Milin… sweetie… Sister really can’t bear to leave you either!”
Iyue’s dashing traveler image crumbled completely. She squatted on the ground like a wreck and enthusiastically rubbed her face against Milin’s soft cheek.
“I’m rubbing, rubbing, rubbing, rubbing, rubbing…!!!”
“Pointy ears… poke…! Iyue sis… you’re the worst…!”
“Hahaha… The more you resist, the more excited I get! I’ve had enough of your left cheek, now I want the right—”
“I’ve been wanting to say this for a while now… you actually have her call you sister?”
Vera rolled her eyes at her. This woman, who had her friend’s child call her “sister,” was actually an over three-hundred-year-old high elf—and still single, never even having been in love.
“So what! Sister, sister, sister, sister, sister! Don’t look at me with that ‘I just can’t deal with this old single woman who’s never been in love’ expression!”
“Don’t go interpreting my expressions on your own…”
“Ah, I get it. It’s because Milin calls me sister and calls you auntie, so you’re jealous, right? Tch tch tch—”
“You old aunt—!”
“Alright, alright.” The one to stop the two adults from their shameless bickering was Meliya standing to the side. “Iyue… you’re really leaving, aren’t you?”
“Yeah. So I’m sorry, little Milin. I’ll definitely come back to see you from time to time.”
Meliya’s serious tone made Iyue return to her usual composure. She patted Milin’s little head with deep affection. Seeing this, Vera decided to voice her doubts:
“You said you’re going to look for ‘Relics.’ But haven’t those things already been safely stored away?”
“That’s right. It’s already an era of Peace… So we’ve sealed away your ‘Azure Ice’ and Lian En’s ‘Crimson Flame.’ The few used by the demons during the war have also been properly preserved by the Royal Family of each country.”
“Then why do you still—”
“Because there are more ‘Relics’ than just the few we’ve seen… Sephy already told us that, didn’t she? And although we defeated the Demon King, the Demon Realm and the demons are still around.”
“…You’re right.”
Vera understood she wasn’t just worrying needlessly. Even when the Demon King was alive, the Demon Realm at the continent’s far north was far from united.
After the Demon King’s death, the seven remaining Magus and their heirs would surely fight a bloody battle for supremacy…
And there was no guarantee the victor wouldn’t be like that mad Demon King, collecting ‘Relics’ to invade the human world.
“We know better than anyone what kind of power those things hold. Now, with Laide and Kui Yin doing their best to stabilize the Demon Realm’s forces… I can’t just sit around doing nothing. To let this hard-won Peace continue, I need to do what I can.”
“To keep this hard-won Peace going… Then I—”
“Don’t dwell on it.” Seeing Vera’s hesitant expression, Iyue walked over and patted her shoulder. “You’re not like us. You’re the Royal Princess of the Empire and a Commander; you have your duty to your country first. Leave these messes for us to clean up.”
After she said this, she gave Vera a deep hug. Vera raised her arms and hugged this eternal companion and friend in return.
“And besides… I want to look for that guy, too. I don’t believe it—I’ll find him if I go myself.”
Whispering this in her ear, Iyue left Meliya’s farm, looking back with every few steps—mainly to see Milin.
“Shall we go home?”
After watching her figure disappear at the edge of the fields, Meliya spoke.
Home… This is my home too.
Vera realized that Meliya’s words were addressed to both her and Milin.
…
……
…………
Time passed.
On the fifth year after Lian En’s disappearance, the Council of Nobles in the Empire impeached Vera for defying imperial orders and moving the army without permission.
As a result, she lost nearly all her command over the capital’s forces… but that was just as well, since it gave her ample reason to stay in the Northland and protect Meliya.
There was still no news of him.
…
……
…………
On the eighth year after Lian En’s disappearance, Vera had only a handful of subordinates left… but perhaps they and her forces were no longer needed.
With Sephy’s help, Meliya slowly revived the war-scorched Northland.
More and more people joined the great undertaking of the Resurrection of the North, and more nobles who once resisted her now begged for permission to submit.
Vera watched from the side, thinking this was for the best. She was genuinely happy for her.
Still, no word from him.
…
……
…………
On the eleventh year after Lian En’s disappearance.
Meliya decided to build a grand palace. After looking over the construction plans, Vera suspected something was wrong with her mental state.
You’ve already turned Seles City from a tiny rural village into a city that rivals even the Imperial Capital… and now you want to build such a huge palace? Do you know how wasteful that is?
This is to commemorate him… to commemorate all of you. Is it not worth it? And I believe the Northland can fully bear this project now.
Commemoration… Do you really think he’s never coming back?
In the end, Vera couldn’t bring herself to say this to her.
“Then who is it that still thinks he’ll return?”
She heard someone ask her this again. Still, there was no news from him.
…
……
…………
On the fourteenth year after Lian En’s disappearance.
A palace named for that person—Honglian Palace—was completed. It was a magnificent palace complex that even her own White Sea Imperial City couldn’t compare to…
No, perhaps there wasn’t another architectural wonder on the whole continent that could rival it.
Standing on the tall tower in the palace, overlooking the city, Vera couldn’t help but think so.
“Teacher Vera… Can we not practice swordsmanship today? Let’s have another kind of lesson…”
That child no longer tugged at her sleeve and called her aunt—much to her relief.
She didn’t want to be called old, but she wasn’t as obsessed as Iyue with being called sister, either.
“No. Sword practice requires perseverance.”
She didn’t grant the request of the girl who had now blossomed into a graceful young lady.
Looking at her, whose features seemed carved from the same mold as her mother’s in youth, Vera gently shook her head and walked back inside.
He will not return.
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Irony is a deadly weapon.