Heidi, who had just been exposed by Eze’s words, felt a bit flustered, but on the surface, she still pretended to be perfectly calm, maintaining her smile as she shook her head.
“It’s nothing, everything’s fine.”
She didn’t want Aize to know that Lia was up to her usual nonsense—at least, not now.
Otherwise, wouldn’t it look like she couldn’t do without him?
Wouldn’t that make it seem like she was begging him to come back?
How could she let that happen?
Wouldn’t he end up walking all over her in the future!?
“I’m just worried about you, that’s all. I used the chance to deliver the news of our victory to come check on you. By the way, your injury… How’s your injury?”
This reaction made it clear she had only just remembered he was hurt.
Aize secretly sighed and then shook his head.
“It’s nothing. It looks like my Blessing wasn’t completely damaged. I was just too badly injured and needed time to recover, but now I’m basically fully healed.”
Aize’s feelings toward his former teammates were complicated.
Toward Lia, the captain who pulled him up during his hardest times but also gave him the most torment, he felt anger and confusion.
But with Heidi, it was mostly helplessness.
Helplessness at her self-proclaimed cleverness.
He couldn’t say he disliked her—after all, she was one of the few in the team who didn’t make things harder for him, and she always followed his instructions during battles.
So, if Heidi really was having some trouble and admitted it honestly, Aize wouldn’t go back, but he wouldn’t mind helping her think of a solution.
Unfortunately.
Heidi, completely unaware of Eze’s thoughts, continued her act:
“Your injury’s really healed? That’s great! I was so worried I couldn’t sleep at night. I was even thinking about how to rescue you after we got back to the Saint Capital! I’m so glad you’re alright!”
Heidi tried her best to look overjoyed, even tearing up a little, and when no one was looking, she leaned in close to Aize:
“Since you’re fine now, let’s go back together tomorrow. It’s not safe for you to stay here.”
“No, I’m not going back.”
“…Eh?”
Aize’s firm reply made Heidi’s eyes go wide as she took a few steps back, staring at her fiancé as if he were some kind of monster, shaking her head in disbelief:
“But, your injury is already…”
“My leaving the team has nothing to do with my injury. I just used it as an excuse because it was easier to talk that way.”
“You… you really want to leave the team? Leave… me?”
“I do.”
“Are you serious?”
“I’m serious.”
She’d thought Aize was just running away because he was badly hurt and couldn’t stand Lia’s nonsense anymore—no different from a kid storming out after a fight at home.
Once he calmed down, as long as she, his fiancée and object of admiration, showed up and pulled a little, wouldn’t he come running back, tail wagging?
But now, he actually seemed serious!?
How could he be serious!?
How dare he be serious!?
Heidi really started to panic, even losing her ability to speak coherently:
“No, really, you can’t be serious, I… it’s not… is it because of Lia? Or Rosaline? I… don’t worry, I’ll talk to them for you, I won’t let them treat you like before, okay!?”
Heidi didn’t want to make enemies out of her other teammates, but if it really came down to choosing sides, she knew which was more important.
Compared to those two idiots whose brains were full of who-knows-what, of course Aize was more important.
But to Aize, those words just left a bad taste in his mouth.
He didn’t resent Heidi for not speaking up for him—even Aize himself had always just closed his eyes and taken the hits, so what right did he have to blame others?
But now, after he’d already left, hearing her say this only felt ironic.
He shook his head seriously.
“No, at this point, it has nothing to do with them anymore. I just need to reevaluate myself, reevaluate what it means to be a Hero, and reevaluate this world.”
For two years, Aize had thought and done so much for the sake of being a Hero and for this world.
But the one thing he hadn’t done was think about the Hero and the world themselves.
He just shut his eyes and worked, hoping to finish as soon as possible so he could go home.
But now, things had changed. He needed to really think about what he wanted to do, what he could do, and what he should do.
Heidi was completely stunned.
Before, Eze liked her, listened to her every word, and did everything for her without her even needing to ask.
Now, even when she, the princess, had clearly said she was on his side, he still rejected her.
Why!?
How could he!?
As someone who had never seriously considered this possibility, her mind went blank, unable to come up with a single word.
After a long moment, she finally wiped her eyes and spoke in a tearful voice:
“But… I’m your fiancée! I can’t just leave you out here alone, it’s too dangerous! What if… what if something happens to you? I’d never forgive myself for the rest of my life!”
From an acting standpoint, her performance was flawless, worthy of a little golden statuette.
Unfortunately, it was completely useless on Aize.
He was just about to say something when a third voice interrupted—the old butler who had greeted Aize earlier.
“Lord Ain, my master has something to discuss with you. Would you mind stepping aside for a moment?”
“No problem.”
Aize wasn’t eager to continue this conversation anyway, so he took the opportunity to look at Heidi, put on a standard businesslike smile, and bowed respectfully:
“Your Highness, please allow this humble servant to excuse himself. I wish you a wonderful evening~”
With that, he followed the butler out of the hall, leaving the princess standing there, frozen like a statue.
She had never imagined she’d be rejected so decisively. All her plans for what to do after Aize came back instantly vanished like bubbles.
Heidi was still dazed, only snapping out of it after a while, and hurried to chase after him.
She knew all too well how strong Aize was. Even if he left the team, people would be lining up to recruit him—he’d always have somewhere to go, and probably do very well.
If he really got in with the local lord, not only would it be even harder to bring him back, there was even a chance Aize might end up on the other side.
So, no matter what that Viscount wanted with him, she had to ruin it!
But before she could take a step, a figure blocked her path.
“Where do you think you’re going, Your Highness?”
It was that imperial noblewoman who’d taken Aize away—Vivian, that wretched…
“This has nothing to do with you, get out of my way!”
At this point, Heidi couldn’t care less about her image as a princess. She threw out the words and tried to leave, but the other woman quickly blocked her again.
“Don’t say that, Your Highness. Isn’t this a good chance to talk? As Eze’s official fiancée, you wouldn’t refuse, would you?”
As she spoke, Viviane’s lips curled into a mocking smile.
This was a blatant challenge.
“You—hmm…”
Heidi, angered, actually calmed down instead. She stopped and started sizing up the woman in front of her.
Then, she let out a cold laugh.
She really had let her anger get the better of her.
How could she have forgotten about this one?
Aize, who used to obey her every word, never saying “no,” had changed completely in just two days.
Why? It couldn’t possibly be her own fault, could it?
No! Absolutely impossible!
Even just now, she’d behaved perfectly in front of Aize!
Besides, nothing had gone wrong for two years—why would things suddenly fall apart in the past two days?
It had to be this woman stabbing her in the back, badmouthing her behind her back.
Even knowing she was Eze’s fiancée, she was still meddling—what kind of noble was that? There had to be a limit to shamelessness.
So, if she wanted to bring Aize back, she had to deal with this unstable element first.
Besides, the woman was already in her face—how could she, as a princess, a Hero, and his fiancée, back down now?
Giving up on chasing after Eze, Heidi straightened her clothes, regained her usual fake smile, and replied:
“Fine, let’s talk.”