Well, here's to making it out alive for now.

Cheers.

Cheers.

　There is a restaurant in Gran, the capital of the Kingdom of Naglas.
　As Eleanor speaks, Kirill and Rai lightly clink glasses filled with fruit water and chant.

　The three of them sat around the round table, smiling modestly and rejoicing in each other's safety.
　Seven days had passed since the battle with the Empire, and the three of them, feeling that they had finally made it back alive, set up a small banquet.

　It's a party for the three of them, and more importantly, they don't want to make too much noise while the entire city is being destroyed by the Royal Army.
　Above all, Kirill and his classmates have suffered quite a few casualties as well.
　Even though the majority of them had never had a conversation with each other, I couldn't be wrong in feeling cheerful.

　And speaking of the entire Kingdom Army, out of the eight thousand men in the entire army, sixty percent, or five thousand, had not yet returned, and of the remaining three thousand, if you exclude the wounded, less than one thousand five hundred people could respond immediately.
　Even with those 1,500 men, the majority of the army was made up of Marquis de Trier's territorial army, and now that they had returned to their domain, there were less than 500 men defending the royal capital. If the Empire attacked, there would be no hope for them.

But for some reason, the empire does not seem to be attacking us with any troops.

　Rae murmured curiously as she stabbed a thick slice of grilled meat into her fork.

'What does it all mean?　That's great that King's Landing isn't caught in the middle of a war, but it's weird that we don't know why.

Maybe they have their own reasons for being there, but it's definitely weird.

　The current kingdom, if we were to compare it to a human being, is on the verge of death.
　They were hurt to the point where they could not even move, and it was as if a knife was pointed at their throats.
　A mere student cannot understand the intentions of the empire, which had retreated despite the fact that it could easily win the game with a little push.

　Surely the upper echelons of the Kingdom's military must be inclined to do the same.
　At the same time, they are probably doing their best to understand the situation.

　I was thinking about this while picking up a slice of garlic-flavored, mouth-watering fried potato when Kirill spoke to me.

'You don't know anything about it?　I'm sure that dark-haired man would know something about it.

By dark hair, you mean Mr. Aldis?

Yeah, the monster.

　Kirill, instead of Aldis, who is not here, shows a hint of dissatisfaction to his expression.

　It is true that Ardis' power is worthy of being called a monster.
　But to Kirill, he is a benefactor and a teacher, so to speak.
　It is not a good idea to have a good idea of what to say about someone you owe a great debt of gratitude to, although Kirill understands that Rai's words do not contain the slightest bit of malice, but that does not mean that you should talk about someone you owe a great debt of gratitude to in that way.

'Hey Rae. I know you don't mean any harm, but you wouldn't use that kind of language towards someone who saved your life.

　Instead, the accusations come from the opposite direction.

'No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it.

Okay. I know that, too.

　When he said that to an awkward-looking Rai, Kirill gave an answer to his earlier question that was contrary to his expectations.

''But Aldis-san is just a mercenary, and I don't think he knows what's going on in that area.

''No, no, you. You have so much power, but it's a lie to say 'just a mercenary'. I don't know, I don't think we were talking about the level of strength or anything like that.

''I completely agree with you on that. If she can be put in the category of 'just a mercenary', then the other mercenaries and sorcerers in the army have no place to stand.

'Oh, I didn't mean it like that: ......'

　At a loss for words, Kirill took a bite of the fish that had just been brought to him.
　The white meat steamed with herbs, along with the mouth-watering steam, irritated Kirill's nostrils.

Hey Kirill. Who the hell is that kid?　I knew that the 'Three Powerful Demon Defeaters' is a fame that comes with competence, but he's that strong even though he's almost the same age as us. Even though I've seen it with my own eyes, I still can't get rid of the feeling of disbelief.

'Hmm. Just so you know there's a bit of a misunderstanding, I don't think Mr. Aldis is the same age as us.

What do you mean?

　Eleanor's hair swayed softly as she tilted her head back.

''I first met Aldis-san four years ago, where do you think the place is?''

You mean it's not King's Landing?

The Caussus Woods. It's deep.

"Huh?

　The unexpected place spoken of by Kirill's mouth, a voice unbecoming of a noblewoman leaks out.

You're not going to be able to find a place for it?　I mean, you were there too, right?

　Curious, Rae interrupted from the side.

'Well, let's not get into why I was in the Caucasus Forest. I was twelve years old at the time, but from my point of view, Aldis-san looked about three or four years older than me.

'Wait a minute, Kirill. Does that mean that the boy at the time - no, if he was fifteen or sixteen at the time, he's nineteen or twenty now?

　It doesn't look like it, but Eleanor is half in doubt.

I'm sure he's grown up compared to four years ago. I don't think you can rely too much on the appearance of age in Aldis-san's case.

　Kirill muttered to himself inwardly, "I feel like I'm growing too slowly for that.

Hey Kirill. I heard that you met him four years ago in the Caucasus forest.

　Despite Eleanor's confusion, Rai spoke up with a question.

''Has that black haired man always been that strong?''

He was strong. Strong enough to treat the demons of the forest like children.

Yeah.

　Rae frowned as hard as she could when Kirill answered immediately.

'We were surrounded by ambushed wildlings on the way back out of the forest, though.

　Kirill, on the other hand, continues to talk about those days in a matter-of-fact manner.

'It seems we had enough time to experiment with the effects of the cursed weapon against nearly a dozen wild thieves.

"Hey Kirill. I'm not sure I understand what you're talking about.

　Eleanor, who had almost recovered from her confusion, started to hold her head up at Kirill's words again.

'Hmmm, there are too many things I want to ramble on about: ......

'Though at the time I only understood a little of Aldis' strength. Maybe after I joined the academy?　It's only now that I'm finally beginning to understand how amazing that man is.

　Kirill started to poke at the cooled mushrooms in olive oil with his fork, and Eleanor, finally overwhelmed by her confusion, said to Rae.

Anyway, he definitely saved your life. It's a good thing that you're not going to be able to say anything rude like you did before, even if you have to meet him.

I know. I'm grateful to that dark-haired man myself, and I have a lot of respect for his strength. I told you.　He doesn't mean any harm.

'I'm saying that even if you don't have an altruistic intent, if it's not reflected in the words that come out of your mouth, it doesn't mean anything.

　Totally," said a dumbfounded Eleanor, turning to Kirill with a new expression.

''Of course I'm going to thank the person in question again, but I should also thank Kirill, right?

'What?　Why me?

'Because it was because of Kirill that he came to that place, wasn't it?

'Really?　...... No, you're right.

　If you ask me, you may be right.

　In the first place, there was no need for Ardis to participate in the war.
　Now that I think about it, Aldis's participation in this battle may have been out of concern for Kirill's safety.

　At the same time as he was happy, a feeling of apology and shame at his own incompetence seeped out of Kirill.

　Rai, who would have no idea of Kirill's inner thoughts, bit into the bone-in meat and then changed the subject as he poured it down with fruit water.

'But well, that magic was impressive.

Which one is that magic?

　Quickly, Eleanor asks the question.

　For her, everything from the multiple simultaneous releases of the "Purgatory Flame" and "Purgatory Flame", to the endless earthen wall that was deployed to protect them, to the rainbow-colored bow that fired more than a hundred arrows, everything was substandard magic.

　Kirill felt the same way about that.
　None of them seemed to be something that could be reproduced by an ordinary magician.

''No, it's that sword magic. The rumor was that he was able to control two swords with his magic ......, but after all, rumors are not to be relied upon. The order of magnitude is too different. The fame of 'The Three Greatest Demon Defeaters' is nothing to write home about.

'That's not all. Apparently they've got two new names these days.

Two new names?

Yes, "The Magician of a Thousand Swords". It's a strange thing to say. It's certainly not unreasonable to look at that scene.

'Heh, heh ....... I see.

　Kirill felt almost convinced that Ardis would probably have an indescribably subtle expression on her face when she heard this story.

''As I recall, that's what someone was mumbling about back then, right?

Yes. But who do you think is responsible for spreading the nickname?

　Do we know each other? Kirill and Rai look at each other.

'Apparently he's the soldier from the message that happened to be saved at that time.

　Perhaps she wasn't originally expecting an answer, but Eleanor spoke up quickly to continue.

''That messenger soldier seems to have a surprisingly wide face. I've heard that his - Aldis-san's false true saga has spread here and there, along with his nickname. Some people frown at the inappropriateness of it, but there's nothing else to cheer about. I guess they just want to have a bit of a lightbulb to talk about.

Like a lie, really?

　What does this mean, Rai asks for an explanation of the expression.

He said, 'He single-handedly defended a thousand cavalrymen'.

It's true.

　Rai, who heard Eleanor's explanation, immediately recognized it as fact.
　In fact, the one who was fighting the enemy's cavalry unit was in fact Aldis alone.

''According to the saying, 'I released the magic of thirty sorcerers at once.

It's true.

　Indeed, if they wanted to release that much advanced magic at the same time, they would need about thirty top-tier magicians.

''According to the saying, 'I used to control a thousand swords to defeat the enemy general.'

It's true.

　Although I have not counted them, it is not difficult to imagine that Ardis was in control of a thousand swords - a thousand weapons, including spears and axes, to be exact - given the circumstances.
　It is an undeniable reality that Ardis killed the enemy general.

I see. It's true that these are all stories that would raise eyebrows in anyone but us. The fact is, even we who witnessed it still feel like we were dreaming about it.

　No one who has only heard the story would understand that it is all true without lies and exaggeration.
　Many might take it as a fictionalized story.

The fact is, it's a fact, so what's the problem?　You don't have any trouble with it either, do you, Mr. Black Hair?

'Yeah, right. You're a ...... mercenary, so I guess there's nothing wrong with selling your name.

　Somewhat puzzled, Kirill was at a loss for a reply.
　Kirill couldn't help but imagine the face of Aldis, who was happy to have his name sold.

　For the next few moments, Kirill and his friends enjoyed their food and conversation.
　Several dishes were brought to the table, and at the same time fruit water was filled into the empty glasses.
　But as the meal progressed, Kirill and Rai began to talk more and more, while Eleanor, in contrast, was talking less and less.

　Eventually, the food was finished, and the mille-feuille cake, the after-dinner dessert, was served to the three of them.
　In contrast to Rae, who had finished eating it quickly by hand, Eleanor, who was reluctant to touch it, traced the surface of the cake with the tip of her fork and murmured to herself, "What will happen to this country from now on?

'I wonder what's going to happen to this country from now on.

　That was a common sentiment among the three of them.
　Although they were celebrating the fact that they were able to return home alive, the reality of the kingdom's situation was not encouraging.

Will you two return to your home country?

　Kirill is from the city-state of Leitin.
　He now resides in the royal capital to attend school, and he also went to fight in response to the draft of the school's student soldiers as part of the school's duty.
　But I have no reason to have a heart-to-heart with the Kingdom of Naglas.

''I doubt it. I've fulfilled my responsibility to the academy once I went into battle. I don't think anyone will complain if I go back to my country like this. ......

　Rai was also from the city-state union.
　The city-state he belonged to was different from Kirill, but they were the same in that they had a place to go back outside the country.

''What about that kind of Eleanor?''

　Eleanor speaks somewhat depressedly to Kirill, who returns the question.

''I'm from this country. And since I was born into a noble family, I can't just throw away my duty ......

　Kirill, who had been able to open up to Eleanor in the past few months and understand her personality, smirked at the answer as expected.

　It's hard to understand why the Empire is not attacking, but perhaps a re-invasion is being launched at this very moment.
　There are not enough troops left in the kingdom to intercept them, and even the soldiers that remain in the royal capital are probably only a few hundred who can fight a decent battle.

　It didn't seem like a very wise choice to remain in King's Landing under these circumstances.
　In fact, it was not at all uncommon for residents to flee with their household goods to the Union of City States or the Tholian territory.
　What Kirill heard was only a rumor, but it was said that even some of the nobles and royalty were sneaking out of the royal capital.

''I don't think you, who are neither the head of the family nor the heir, need to carry that much on your shoulders. ......

I know. When it's finally in danger, I'll think about it then. But right now, ......, it's not time to run away yet.

　He was very responsible, or should I say strict with himself?

　To Kirill, Eleanor's words sounded very precious.
　It's probably because she doesn't have so much resignation to people and the world that she dismisses her resolve as a pale idealism.

'Well, if you need anything, I can help you. My uncle told me that I should value my friends more than money and fame, and that's what he said.

　The words came out of Rae's mouth, and a puzzled Eleanor asked back to make sure.

'...... friend?'

　Eleanor gives me a look that says she's heard something she never thought she would.

'I did?'

'Oh come on, what are you talking about now? If we're not friends, what the hell are we?　More importantly, you've been through the same deadly battle, haven't you?

　Rai's words, returned in a dumbfounded tone, were natural.
　It was exactly the same as Kirill's true intentions.

That's right. I also consider you two to be dear friends. You can't help them like Aldis-san, but if there's anything I can do, I'll help you in my own way. I believe that Eleanor is not shallow enough to take on a reckless fight, and if you want to leave the country, I can help you. After all, I used to work for a merchant family. I still have quite a few contacts here and there.

When you're in trouble, we'll help you. Of course there are limits to what we can do, but at least you have two people on your side.

　Rae's voice was powerful as she took over Kirill's words.

'Yes, my friend ....... A friend, a true friend ......'

　When she repeated the words as if she were chewing on them, Eleanor looked at them with a big smile on her face.

'Lai, Kirill. Thank you. I don't know what it is, it makes me so happy.

　With words of thanks, a pretty flower bloomed on Eleanor's face.
　Eleanor is often seen as having a harsh personality with a face that tends to be glazed over, but for once Kirill wanted to deny that reputation at every turn.

　Unlike her usual dignified, natural smile, which is full of gaps.

''Eh, ah, yeah .......''

　Kirill, who is at a loss for words, can only reply in that way.
　With Kirill's dismay on the side, Rae said, "Well then," and changed the atmosphere of the place, "Let's have another toast.

Let's drink to it again. I'd like to make another toast to getting back alive and pledging our friendship to the three of us.

Yeah.

Yes.

　The three men raised their glasses of fruit water again and toasted.
　There was a high-pitched sound of glasses clashing against each other that made the serving man raise one eyebrow.