As I looked at Presha-san's memories, I understood something - her mind had already been healed to some extent before she met me.

　Why was she still tormented by nightmares? There was one reason.

　Even after meeting Raquel, who was like a sister to her, and meeting a lord who shared her aspirations, she couldn't erase the guilt inside her.

　If only she hadn't left the village that day. If only she had been able to protect her mother--.　

　If there is a way somewhere in this world to bring back the life that was lost, I don't know. I've never heard of a spirit that can do that.

　Then what can I do? I'm just sitting on the sidelines, entering people's dreams, and I haven't been able to do anything doctor-like yet.

(...... Summoner-sama, Sister Presha, you keep repeating the same dream all the time. (I'm sure that's because if you remember the painful things, you have to remember the happy things, too, or your heart will break.)

　Presha-san's dream and Lune, who is connecting me to my consciousness, speaks to me.

　If Lune is right, how sad it is.

　I still don't know what the answer is. What can I do to free my mind from being trapped in the past?

　Presha-san's memories are flowing away. Joining His Highness Astina's ranger, she enters the Aldrone Gorge - only three knights ahead of her, attempting to break through, conquering the men who try to accompany her, saying they will die in vain.

　The canyon road is covered with a horse-proof fence to prevent cavalry. For the Grenica Urban Alliance, this place was supposed to be an impregnable keystone - if it was against 'normal cavalry'.

''--Haah!

　Raquel-san wielded her javelin and proceeded to reap the horse-proof fence - the scene was like a tornado passing by.

　On the battlefield, the sound of bells echoes - the falling arrows cause Raquel-san's horse to half-raise up with a loud whine.

''What are you doing ...... following, archer horsemen ......?''
"--Racquel, please switch spears!　The enemy is quicker to notice ...... this is .......

　His Highness Astina blocked the falling arrows with her slender sword - the girls, who were supposed to break through with three horsemen at this point, had to stop their horses when they realized what was happening.

''Why are the enemy archers lying down, even inside the ...... borders ...... preshach!
Huh!

　With a flash of her spear, Presha-san knocked down an arrow that flew from behind. That's right, behind her - the enemy archers shot at her from the top of the cliffs across the ravine, as the girls passed by.

　Then they turned around and were astonished at the scene they saw. There was no sign of the troops that were supposed to follow them and cover them from the rear -- the three horsemen were followed by a long-bow unit to check the enemy archers, and the archers were supposed to follow, but instead of entering the ravine, they were stationed in a position that blocked their retreat.

　--Dadram's uncle is leading the rear troops. Dadram, who was standing by his side, did not try to do their part, letting only His Highness Astina's direct subordinates come forward.

'Despicable ...... you people are so vile, even at a time like this ......!
'Raquel, Presha, please attract the enemy's attack ......, the other cavalrymen can't block the arrows!　But if it's us, we can go to ......

　If it gets out that they left His Highness to die, Dadram and the others will be accused of a crime - and yet the fact that they went to this kind of folly is probably the result of their self-protection for their own life cuteness.

　Or was Cassandra the Second Queen already interfering? Either way, His Highness Astina and the others who were forced to form an isolated form in enemy territory seemed to find it difficult to even leave the valley and survive - but.

''--Preshach!

　Presha-san, who had been continuously beating away the falling arrows, made her horse run - neither His Highness Astina nor Raquel-san was in a position to follow her.

　The horse-proof fence zone that Raquel-san had destroyed no longer served as a deterrent against the cavalry. The cavalrymen who came out of the enemy's fort would still have stepped out of the enemy's stronghold, but they would have stepped that no one would be able to reach them - until Ms. Presha came running through the falling arrows.

'Why can't the arrows hit ......, they won't die ......!
'--Yeah!

　Blood and wind blew. Long spears were sent out to split the sky, and without letting the enemy's cavalry respond to a single match, they took out one by one.

''--Presha, come back!　Don't stick out on your own, you're too close to the enemy's stronghold. ......!

　Mr. Raquel is shouting - Presha's voice has reached him.

'I'm ...... already ......'

　She was bathed in the return blood of several cavalrymen and took an inevitable arrow to her shoulder, and still she tried to move forward.

'...... This is ...... the end of the .......'
'--Oooh!

　The knight, enraged at the sight of his companion's death, abandons himself and marches forward furiously - Presha-san's movements slow as he is hit by an arrow, and he barely tries to handle it, but his grip weakens for a moment and his long spear leaves his hand.

　The enemy's cavalrymen scream out a yell. Even at that moment, Presha-san did not feel fear.

　--But it was just an attempt to lose her mind and accept the pain and everything.

''--Please back off, Presha!

　There was a voice that wasn't supposed to be heard.

　Presha-san's body reacts. The moment she narrowly dodges the spear of the enemy soldier that was unleashed, an arrow thrusts into the enemy soldier's shoulder.

''Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ......!

　Mr. Presha took the spear from the enemy horseman and threw it off his horse - and he did it with his left hand only, not with his right hand, which was not strong enough to do it.

　The arrows of support were not the only ones fired by Ms. Deite - Deite's men, lined up on the cliffs on the south side of the ravine, poured arrows down on the enemy army.

'Captain Astina, Raquel-dono!　The fifty or so under Dite, the rightful knight, have belatedly arrived!　I will now take command!

　Deete-san had taken the enemy archers who were lying face down on the cliffs on the south side by surprise or were annihilated - the archers on the north side were checked by the longbows flying in from the opposite side and slowed down their attack on the valley.

　Presha-san and Raquel-san aren't the only ones - Dite-san is also a 'fierce general' who can't be lined up as an archer cavalryman.

　His Royal Highness Astina, who has received support, orders the hundred-plus horsemen of the troops to break through. Even so, the unmoving Dadram and the others no longer seemed to be confused by the fate of having destroyed themselves in self-defense.

　If their lordships survived, their treachery would be exposed. In all, it should have been a thousand troops, but less than two hundred were following His Highness' command - but there shouldn't have been so many troops on the enemy's side that relied on the terrain.

''Presha, get a grip!　We'll take care of your wounds right away. ...... You'll have to endure a little more, just a little more. ......!

　Raquel-san catches up with him, and Presha-san follows him, pulling the reins with one hand and letting his horse run with the other. Her Highness Astina and the other horsemen catch up with her, and they exit the ravine safely - and.

　The enemy nation's fort, which was supposed to keep an eye on the ravine and hold the key border point, was assaulted by Raquel-san's jousting spear, which broke through even the stone walls, allowing the Raseneian army to enter.

　The fort, which was not expected to be invaded, was fragile, and a second after breaking through the ravine, the flag of the Raseneian Kingdom was raised in the fort - the first battle with His Highness Astina and the three knights together ended in the form of a victory.

　　　◆ ◇◆

　The occupation of the fort in the Aldrone Valley by Raiseneire dealt a heavy blow to the League of Cities of Grunica.

　The League of Cities, exhausted from repeated attempts to retake the fort, could no longer suppress the dissatisfaction of its citizens and asked for and received a ceasefire on terms favorable to the Läzenäire.

　With the truce condition of the League of Cities' military reduction, the Eastern Army was also reduced, and although it was renamed the "Eastern Guard," the soldiers returned to the center or went to other battlefields - which led to a surprise attack by the hard-liners of the League of Cities. But at that time, His Highness Astina had already been transferred to the Western Front because of the medals he had earned on the Eastern Front and was appointed as the guardian of the Isle Rose Fortress.

　The female only Knights of the Isle Rose. That meant that the knights and soldiers who wanted to be under His Highness Astina were all women.

　The male knights couldn't accept a 'female commander'. However, His Highness Astina's appearance of taking up the sword and fighting on the front line, despite being a princess, was enthusiastically supported by the female knights and soldiers.

　After becoming a regular knight, Plesha-san was appointed as the captain of the attack force and continued to play a lion's share of the role in suppressing the riots in the territory and in the face of the Zirconia Empire's invasion.

　Her respect for His Highness Astina and her admiration for Raquel-san. Her friendship with Deite - and her interactions with the soldiers in the fortress who admired Plesha's strength - all contributed to Plesha's success.

　All of this was comfortable for Presha-san.

　But at night. She sleeps with her mother's doll in her arms, has nightmares and can't help but reject anyone who comes near.

　The depths of darkness. It's always in places like this that Ms. Presha continues to be tormented with guilt - to be able to see her mother as I see her in front of me.

'What's wrong with that?　This child is mine. It's only natural that you should care for your own daughter.'

　The spirit that dwelt in the sickbed of guilt and consumed Presha-san - it was no longer nothing more than the same quality as the underworld spirit.

　The reason why she was still unaware of the underworld spirit inhabiting Noin, even after seeing it, was because Presha-san was trying to take it all in stride. She couldn't deny what she saw in her mother's form.

　I respect Plesha-san's heart from the bottom of my heart - I want to save her from everything that takes advantage of her suffering.

'Then you'll give it back to me?　The time I was supposed to be with my daughter.

"...... It can't be done,

　The underworld spirit, in the form of Mr. Presha's mother, laughs. She is mocking my helplessness.

'I will not give you this child. My little Presha ...... will remain forever young and go to the same place as me.'

(Summoner ......, the one that's giving Presha nightmares, comes ......!

"Huh. ......!

　An underworld spirit changes its form - its human likeness is changing as you look at it.

　A black snake. It was not similar to the one that had been consuming Noin, and it was not similar to the one that had been consuming Noin, but Presha-san, who was still in the form of a child - entangled in her very spirit and biting at its neck.

'Kuu...... ugh...... Momma...... sorry I couldn't save you. ......

'This is how ...... lurks and torments ...... people's minds for years ......!

　There was no reason why she should suffer so much. She has fought as a knight and defended this country - with a bloody effort to gain the strength to fight.

'You, too, will sleep with her ...... here, forever.'

(-- Summoner, run away! ......!)

　The black snake that was tying Prisha-san to the ground bared its fangs at me.

　I knew it would worry Rune, but I dared to take it in my arms. Even in the dream, the pain of the piercing fangs remains the same, but in fact it is more intense than in reality.



'...... stupid child. If you had just left this human being and ran away, you wouldn't have to suffer. Why do humans always do things for nothing?'

　The voice of the underworld spirit that had stopped imitating Presha's mother was terribly grating - it sounded multiple layers of sound, and it didn't sound like it was coming from a person's throat.

(If you want to bully Summoner-sama ...... Summoner-sama, I'll be the one to deal with you. ......)

'It's okay ...... this kind of pain is nothing. It's no big deal. ......'

　Even if it is a nightmare, the blood shed is directly related to death. The spilling of blood by the spirit is synonymous with the loss of magical power.

"There's no such thing as an understanding of pain now ...... just a part of it. I don't know a single piece of the pain that Mr. Presha has experienced ......

　If you draw a 'hit' spirit, you become a military mage. I've always taken it for granted - and was once disappointed that it didn't happen.

　Even the moment when I thought I was unhappy that I drew an 'outlier' spirit, is now just a past I should be ashamed of.

　I was able to learn in the safety of the academy, without fear of warfare. Presha-san couldn't even give me what I took for granted.

'I'm an idiot ...... a big idiot. Even when Mr. Presha called me a teacher, I accepted it like it was natural. I'm ...... I didn't deserve to be called a teacher by her, but ......, just because I used magic to get results ...... that's all that matters, great! Just pretend you are .......

　He thought he could fight as well as she did. That even if I couldn't use a sword or a spear, I could still be useful with magic.

　I was content with that, that she recognized me. I felt uncomfortable, but I didn't make sure of it - even while she was suffering like this.

'...... oka ......sa ...... no ...... me, only...' ...that, people are ......

　A voice that sounds interrupted. Even though she is in so much pain, she does not ask for help.

　More than pain, more than suffering, there is something she should enjoy.

　For that - the poisoning by the fangs of the underworld spirit, to be cleansed.

'What are you trying to ......?　Trying to rip me away from this girl is not going to work. My fangs are deeply sunk in. As it is, sooner or later, this child is going to die. ...... Can you get out of my way?'

　A poison that eats away at the human mind. There is no such thing as a specific remedy for it under normal medical practice. It is said that this is the only way to continue healing over a long period of time.

　But if it's brought about by a type of spirit, it's a different story. I'm a 'spirit doctor' - if it's a pathology brought about by a spirit, I should be able to heal it.

'You might have thought you could drive your fangs into me too and that would be the end of it. It makes sense for a doctor to let a snake bite him: ...... Lune!　Extract the poisonous antibodies that have formed inside me!

(eh ...... antibodies ...... Master's power to fight the poison. ...... Ray wants you to come too, and you two will help him!

'I've been waiting. I thought I'd see what I could do.

　Drawn into a dream by Arlaune, Ray appears - the magical ginseng mandrake, which swallows all the miasma and turns it into its own power. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to get my hands on it.

It was dangerous if the poison went around before ...... creating the antibodies. Summoner-sama is too reckless.

　Ray, in the form of a young girl, gives me a quick, glare. But I apologize for worrying her, after I've put an end to everything.

You can't erase me from this child's mind by creating poisonous antibodies ...... such things. We'll be together ...... forever, and I have to watch over him until Presha destroys everything.''

　Will she continue to play to the end - or is this a wish of Ms. Presha's? Did her wish for her mother to be alive in any form give rise to this illness?

　I feel precious about such kindness from Ms. Presha. But it has to end now - I don't think Presha's mother is trying to make her daughter suffer, even if she says it's an ideal and just a judgment, I don't think she's trying to make her daughter suffer.

'Don't insult the people who are gone any more,' she said. Ms. Presha's mother would never say that ......!'
"...... spoiled ...... my mom is going to die. ...... I'm already ......
It's not a bad thing!　It's never too late for anything!'

　With Ray's power, the poison that binds my movements disappears. In the next moment, my arms shine - the divine tree connected through His Highness, the 'priestess', responded to my summons.

　--It's not just a matter of time before you'll be able to get your hands on it. It's not just a matter of time before you'll be able to get your hands on it.

　The sign of the contract with the divine tree appears on my arm. The black serpent that had bound Presha-san, attacking me like a storm - I have nothing to fear, and thrust out my right hand - the mistletoe ivy that arose from my entire arm, inhibiting the black serpent's movement, entangling , sucking up the power and withering it away.

''--aahhhh ...... ah ...... disappear ...... disappear, disappear, disappear. ......
"No, don't delete ......, don't delete ...... from me, your mother. ......
"-- Look ahead, Presha Hortensia!　What you got with your own hands is worthless if you don't recognize it yourself!

　Did my words reach you, or was it the power of the Mistortin?

　Presha-san's spirit body in its infant form is freed from the bondage of the underworld spirit. But the separated underworld spirit still flits around her, trying to possess Presha-san again.

It's a good thing that you're not the only one who has the ability to make a good impression. Presha-san has to win the game herself ......!

　Rune caused his own alter ego, the flower, to arise from the ground and try to protect Presha-san - but just as Rune said, the underworld spirit did not weaken, but rather increased in power again.

　With her current young form, it seemed impossible to ask her to win against Presha-san.

''But then, ...... I'll help you. It's my job to help my patients get better, ...... mistlutin!'

　It was her last bet. Before Presha-san was possessed once again, she herself had to defeat the underworld spirit - and to do so, she would lend Mistortin's power.

'...... a ......'　

　Mistletoe ivy with a pale glow tangles around the arms of Presha, who has been squatting.

　Mistortin follows Presha-san's heart. 'I want to live'.

　A black snake bared its fangs and attacked Presha-san. She - opened her hands and received it herself.

''Presha-san......!
'...... It's okay. Summoner, you can go to ...... and your sister Presha can go to .......'

　Alraune had a better understanding of what had happened. Embracing the underworld spirit that had been sinking its poisonous fangs into her own heart, Presha-san whispered to the mistletoe she wore on her right arm.

''I'm ...... sorry, mother. I'm ......''

　The Mistortin increases in brilliance. The tremendous cleansing power of the Divine Tree's family members is poured into the underworld spirit that was about to disappear.

''--Aaaaahhhh......!

　The scream changed to the sound of something inhuman and then disappeared.

　The grass created by Arraune catches Plesha's body as she collapses, exhausted. You'll be able to find out more about the fact that you'll be able to get the most out of this article.

...... I didn't want my ...... teacher to see ...... the ugliest part of me. '

　I don't think of it as ugly in the slightest. But I can't get the words out of my mouth right away.

　Right now, I can only do my duty as a doctor. Because the sight of Presha-san's mind, worn to tatters and with a large fang mark on her neck, looked too fragile.

'...... This serum will eliminate the poison. Mr. Presha-san ...... please, can you accept it?''

　Presha-san nods. Lune then sprouts a flower from the plant that hugged her body - the dew that was born on the petals, and I carry it to Presha-san's mouth.

　It's hard to believe that the drops are produced from poison, but they are so transparent - the antibodies erase the poison that has been ravaging Presha-san's mind.

''Thank you ......, doctor .......''

　I hear voices. My consciousness is rapidly leaving Mr. Presha's dream.

　The last voice I heard was my own, sometime ago.

　-Presha-san is not a monster.

　I don't know now what she thought of those words. I just wish now that she had gotten the message that there was no lie there.

　　　◆ ◆.

　The moonlight was shining through. The window in the rundown room should have been closed, but now it was opened by someone else.

　--Leslie. She had come into the room, though she was wearing a hood and dressed as a man.

'...... Ray says he's worried about my brother Glass. When I bring him in, he'll quiet down after a bit and ...... when he comes in.

　Leslie seems to be having a hard time saying the rest of the story. I don't think she can be blamed for coming into the room if she was worried about me - but I don't think she can be blamed for coming into the room.

'...... soooo ......'

(eh ......!!!!)

　I can hear the sound of sleep close by - I'm sitting on the bed before I know it, and Mr. Presha is huddled in my lap.

'Yes, what the hell is this ...... that, you know, selfless, unconscious behavior for the sake of the cure, ......'
'I can understand that, but ...... Raquel and the others said that you shouldn't go near Mr. Presha when he's having a nightmare. But it seems to be all right now.

　Leslie smiled and walked over to us. She picked up the doll that had fallen on the floor and gently stroked it to dust it off.

''I have to clean up my precious ...... things properly. You'll have to forgive me if I don't, but I can't.
'Yes. If Mr. Presha wants to, he can fix it for you.

　I can't even touch Mr. Presha, who's on my lap. Lune is looking at him happily, and Ray is looking a little greedy - as if he wants me to do the same.

'I think Presha-san needed her brother Glass' treatment today. He always seemed to be in a hurry to live, and I was worried about him when I saw ....... He's a strong man, so maybe it's weird for me to worry about him.
'I don't think so. We're close in age, and hopefully we'll be able to talk more in the future.
...... Yeah. I'd like to talk to you too, if that's okay with you, Presha. After things settle down with Zirconia.

　Perhaps it's because we started our conversation, but there's a knock on the door and it opens slowly. I was still awake with worry, but Raquel and Deethe came into the room and breathed in when they saw Presha asleep.

...... Even though I've known her for a long time, I've never seen Presha so distracted by people. Glass, how in the world ...... no, it's not even a wild thing to ask.
'I'm a little jealous ...... no. That's a pretty good solution to insomnia. Presha, you look so happy in your sleep .......
"...... Summoner, when you get back to your room, oh, um, um, .......
"No, no, ...... we're spirits, we're not to be selfish. ......

　It's not that nothing is wrong. It's what I shouted in my dreams, but the implications now are so much more peaceful.

　Lune, and Ray, too. And all of the Knights - to live a peaceful life away from the days of battle. I will continue to do everything I can to help.

''You both did your best, so don't hold back. It's a natural thing for a spirit user to listen to a spirit's request.
Wow. ......
...... really ...... I'm in danger, but ......

　Does Mandrake care about the fact that the plant is dangerous depending on how it's handled? As for me, who's been rescued so many times, I don't need to worry about that.

...... sense ......

　The first immediate problem is when Presha-san will wake up - we may have to wait until dawn. At that time, it can't be just the two of us alone, so I'll have to ask Rune and Ray to watch her.

　Tomorrow's military meeting will determine the future course of action. Raquel and Deethe must be well rested - and Leslie and Noin.

　And there is one thing I want to make sure of. The feeling I had when I lent the Mistortin to Presha-san - that seemed to suggest a new possibility for my magic.