A Knight's Recognition
Serena was taken aback by Ian's sudden apology.
"W-what do you mean by that...?"
"You've been going through all this hardship because of me. No matter how many times I apologize, it wouldn't be enough."
His attitude was far more polite than she'd expected. It wasn't the way one spoke to a mere maid at all.
'...Is he from a noble family? No, he's too gentle for that.'
The higher the noble's status, the more they tended to treat those beneath them with contempt. Since Serena didn't know Ian's exact identity, she vaguely assumed he must be the First Princess's secret lover.
Whatever the case, Serena waved her hands dismissively and said to him,
"N-no, not at all... It was my fault. How could Master possibly be at fault?"
Lumiela's suggestion had eaten away at her mind far more than anyone could imagine. Could the man standing before her truly understand all that pain and suffering?
Despite her words, Serena glared at Ian with a hint of irritation in her eyes.
Ian noticed that gaze, but he didn't let it show. Instead, he smiled gently in front of her.
"If it's really too difficult, I can ask Lumiela noona to help lift the suggestion. I don't know about anything else, but I think her way of speaking and acting is way too harsh from the start."
"...Really? You mean it...?"
Serena was genuinely shocked by Ian's kindness.
'What's going on...? Is he lying to toy with me?'
Could all of this be part of Ian's scheme to push her into the abyss of despair? The better he treated her, the more suspicious she became.
Logically speaking, why would someone treat the person who had tried to kill them so well?
But Ian had a clear reason. A very, very simple one.
"In return, could you do me a favor?"
'...I knew it was a trick.'
Serena's eyes turned ice-cold for a moment. Even though she was a maid now, she had originally been a knight. She had no intention of doing whatever Ian wanted...
"Could you teach me the sword?"
"......Pardon?"
At the word 'sword', life sparked back into Serena's dead eyes. Anyone could see she was intrigued.
Ian smiled slyly to himself and explained his request to her. The more she listened, the more peculiar her expression became.
'T-this is...'
It was an incredibly generous demand. Every single condition was something that would benefit her.
'...He's not an idiot, is he?'
Serena found herself thinking her master was far too soft-hearted. It was almost blasphemous to think so.
What Ian had asked of her was nothing extravagant. He simply wanted consistent sparring sessions and swordsmanship lessons.
'He even set a specific timeframe. What is this?'
Usually, such requests were left vague without a clear deadline, but Ian had set a firm one-month period. He promised that if she taught him for just one month, he would ask Lumiela to lift the suggestion. And if circumstances allowed, he would even free her from her maid duties.
Naturally, Serena was so flustered that she couldn't help but ask about his true intentions.
"W-why are you being so kind to me...?"
'Do I look that... pitiful?'
Was this out of pity? Out of sympathy?
Serena felt a wave of misery wash over her without realizing it. She knew how enormous the "grace" Ian was showing her truly was, yet why did part of her heart feel so empty?
Her strength drained away, and she hung her head.
Unaware of her shrinking posture, Ian answered her question as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Because I felt your effort as a knight."
"...Pardon?"
At the word 'effort,' Serena unconsciously lifted her head.
"When our swords crossed, I could tell. How difficult the path you've walked must have been. How much anguish you endured. Knowing that, I can't help but feel respect. Let's call it reverence for your dedication."
'Reverence for my effort...?'
It felt like she'd been struck by lightning. A current surged through her entire body.
Until now, no one had ever properly recognized Serena's efforts. Among ordinary talents, she was ostracized as a genius. Among geniuses, her path was mocked as foolish.
This was the first time. The first person to truly see her hard work for what it was.
How could she even describe this feeling? It was like receiving all the rewards for her years of effort in one overwhelming rush. So sweet it bordered on obscene pleasure.
"Master...!"
This time, Serena showed him genuine, overflowing goodwill.
Ian was flustered.
"Y-yes? Um, when noona isn't around, you can speak casually to me."
As long as Lumiela wasn't watching, it was fine to be comfortable when they were alone.
"No, it's okay... Hehe..."
'What is this...?'
Ian found it hard to adjust to her sudden warmth.
The Empire's strongest spear. The Guardian of the East. Duke Raphael von Daiheron asked with a cold expression,
"What do you mean by that?"
The noble across from him smiled slyly and replied,
"The World Tree has burned. Shouldn't we clearly establish who is responsible?"
The grand conference hall of the imperial palace. Countless nobles were voicing their opinions there.
Normally, imperial meetings didn't proceed with such a lack of decorum, but the unprecedented event of the World Tree burning meant no one cared about saving face anymore.
Amid the chaotic uproar, a heavy voice rang out.
"Enough."
Everyone froze. At Emperor Caesar von Lebeus's command, all the nobles fell silent.
The Emperor, who had instantly dominated the entire hall, turned to look at his children standing behind him.
"Princes and princesses, do you have anything to add regarding this matter?"
His tone was indifferent. For someone who had seized control of the atmosphere, it was a surprisingly simple question.
The Emperor held no real expectations for his children. He was simply asking out of political courtesy.
A monster of reason who far surpassed ordinary humans. That was the true nature of the Emperor, known as the Suspended Army.
At the Emperor's question, Evangeline stepped forward first. She stood confidently, though she seemed slightly uncomfortable as she favored one leg.
"Your Majesty. Rather than proposing solutions for the current situation, I believe we should first focus on understanding what has happened. Since the World Tree was clearly set on fire, we must investigate the cause first."
A cautious suggestion to wait and observe. It wasn't bad, but it felt somewhat lacking.
"Oh, I see. Next?"
Though disappointed inside, the Emperor didn't dwell on it and looked toward Alex, who stood apart.
"I-I agree with Evangeline's opinion..."
"......"
For a moment, the Emperor was at a loss for words.
'In a public setting, not only does he ignore proper titles, but he doesn't even offer his own opinion.'
Alex's answer displeased him on every level. The Emperor lightly dismissed him and turned away.
Next, his gaze fell on Olivia. She pondered for a moment before speaking.
"I also believe we should determine the cause first."
"Hmm."
The same opinion as Evangeline's earlier.
'A bit disappointing.'
But Olivia wasn't finished.
"While I don't know the exact cause, I think we should first secure the safety of the 'High Elves,' who are called the direct lineage of the World Tree. If anyone knows the cause, it would be those who protected it from the closest position."
"The direction is good, but the feasibility is nearly impossible."
Still, it was the first actually useful opinion. The Emperor showed interest and asked Olivia,
"If the World Tree burned to that extent, isn't it possible that all the High Elves are dead?"
A rather harsh, probing question. Yet Olivia answered without hesitation.
"They are definitely alive. And there's a high chance that even the World Tree itself has not completely died yet."
"......!"
Her statement caused the entire conference hall to stir.
"Everyone knows that the World Tree supports the continent."
A pillar holding up the continent. The World Tree itself boasted tremendous durability and defensive power. To completely burn such a thing?
"If the World Tree had truly burned away completely, wouldn't it be strange that the continent is still 'fine'? We all thought the Divine Demons would descend at any moment."
She was right. After the World Tree burned, everyone had expected the continent to face destruction. Yet several days had passed, and the continent remained peaceful.
It was something one could realize with just a little deep thought, but the overwhelming name of the World Tree had caused everyone to overlook it.
Listening to her, the Emperor gave a faint smile.
"A good opinion."
It was the first time the word 'good' had been used. While not brilliant, it was an opinion with solid fundamentals.
'But it's still complacent.'
Even without an immediate crisis, the name World Tree was never something to take lightly. There might be hidden threats, so measures had to be taken. Olivia's reasoning was good, but it lacked concrete evidence. The only useful part was securing the High Elves.
And finally...
The Emperor looked at her with a rare gleam of expectation in his eyes. The child he considered most similar to himself. The one everyone in this room revered.
Lumiela.
What opinion would she offer?
Everyone in the hall watched her with eyes full of both fear and anticipation.
'Now, Lumiela. What will you say?'
She seemed to be thinking deeply, eyes closed, concentrating on something.
'She's thinking incredibly hard. What grand scheme is she plotting this time?'
Whatever it was, it was surely an extraordinary plan.
"......"
After remaining lost in thought for a long time, Lumiela finally opened her eyes.
"...Ah, I'm sorry. What did you say?"
"......?"
"Aela."
"What."
Her tone was incredibly unpleasant. Even among her comrades, Aela was notorious for her foul personality. A vein bulged on Serena's forehead.
"You damn racist bitch...!"
"Hah, it's a fact that humans are inferior, isn't it?"
To the High Elf Aela, racial contempt was simply part of her nature.
"Fine. Then let's settle this today. I'll kill you, you human."
Serena immediately drew her sword. Aela had already nocked an arrow on her bow.
Just as their strange tension reached its peak—
Step—
"What are you two doing?"
A man stepped between them.
"Ian oppa. This bitch keeps provoking me..."
Before Serena could finish speaking, Aela's eyes lit up at the sight of the man. She ran toward him with delight.
"Iaaaan! When did you get here? Are you hurt anywhere...? Are you okay?"
"...I'm fine."
"Reeeally? Then... we can do lots of fun things together today, right...?"
She rubbed her chest against his arm seductively. Aela let out a heated moan and dragged Ian toward the room.
"......"
Serena stood behind them, overwhelmed by emotions she couldn't even begin to describe.