Because It Was You
After my shocking declaration, Arleah and I returned to the inn where we had originally been staying. Regardless of the story I had told, with so few contaminants left, it only made sense to relocate quickly.
Back at the inn, Arleah sank heavily onto the prepared sofa. She had thought she had experienced quite a lot already, but the events that had just unfolded far surpassed her imagination. The omen of an Outer God’s descent, a legion of contaminants, the emergency summons of superhumans to oppose them, and even my sword cutting down the ghosts. Every single one was an incident that refused to be ignored. The tension she had been holding simply melted away, leaving her utterly drained.
“Haa…”
Yet Arleah quickly pulled herself together again. It wasn’t because of the Outer God’s power that had once lodged inside her. The ghosts had been decisively sliced apart and eradicated by me. The scepter containing the Outer God’s power had been carefully secured and taken away by a woman named Carla from the Empire’s Special Forces. The contaminants drawn by the scepter and the ghosts would all be crushed by the gathered superhumans.
Even so, Arleah could not let go of her tension. What was about to happen carried just as much weight.
“What do you think about placing Arleah de Raziel in the Special Forces?”
Those were the words I had spoken to Carla before we returned here—using the recommendation privilege granted only to members of the Special Forces to nominate her for the Empire’s elite unit. Honestly, it was a bewildering proposal. And from the look on Carla’s face when she heard it, I wasn’t the only one who thought so. She had let out a deep sigh, said it wasn’t something she could decide on the spot, and suggested we move locations first before continuing the discussion.
Now that we were back at the inn, Arleah sat on the sofa and turned my proposal over in her mind. Whether it would ultimately be accepted or not could wait. Objectively speaking, joining the Empire’s Special Forces was an extremely attractive option for her in her current situation.
What was the Empire’s Special Forces, after all? Wasn’t it the place where the greatest superhumans on the continent gathered of their own free will? The Imperial family offered them considerable benefits, but the one Arleah needed most was the honorary citizenship that came naturally with membership. She had once been a princess of the Raziel Kingdom, but the kingdom’s destruction had stripped her of any citizenship. She was essentially a refugee now. For the sake of convenience in future activities, securing citizenship was advisable—and obtaining the Empire’s citizenship would be ideal.
In that sense, the Imperial Special Forces was an excellent choice if she could take it.
“He must have thought of this ahead of time.”
From the beginning, her master had always seemed to know the optimal path she could walk and guided her toward it. This was probably the same.
Thinking that way, there was no reason to refuse.
However.
Knock, knock.
“Arleah, may I come in?”
With this second life she had gained, she wanted to live according to her own desires. Princess Arleah de Raziel recalled the final wish of the craftsman who had forged the Divine Archer and slowly opened the door.
“Please, come in.”
Hearing her words, I gently opened the door. There she was, sitting on the sofa with her legs neatly together. Unlike when she had been stained by the Outer God’s power, the sight of her fully manifesting her own mana made me feel, for the first time in a while, that this was the princess I remembered.
I studied her for a moment before speaking.
“How’s your physical condition?”
“The aftereffects of the binding still linger, but I believe they will fade quickly. Other than that, there should be no issues with daily life.”
“I see…”
Falling under an Outer God’s influence and then being freed from it happened more often than people realized. Most cases involved civilians accidentally entering contaminated zones. Those directly entangled with an Outer God’s power, like Arleah, usually couldn’t endure it and died.
The fact that she was still alive was probably thanks to her high ring level and the unique nature of her body.
“That’s a relief.”
In any case, it was good that everything had been resolved without serious injury. Especially considering the sheer scale of what had occurred.
“Then, what are your thoughts on what I said earlier?”
My suggestion to recommend her as a member of the Imperial Special Forces. This was information known only to those already inside the unit—a privilege granted solely to the commander and his adjutant. After all, the Special Forces gathered only the finest of the finest, so they were constantly short on manpower. Superhumans capable of joining often saw no reason to endure the unit’s complicated procedures and annoyances. To counter that, the Emperor had created the recommendation privilege.
Working in the Special Forces naturally meant encountering many superhumans. Among them were those who showed clear potential or whom one wanted to recruit and put to work immediately. The privilege existed to bring such people in without restrictions. Though it was difficult to find suitable candidates, making the privilege rarely used, it had still occasionally helped discover worthy talents.
“A recommendation letter…”
“Yes. They won’t have any reason to refuse you.”
Beyond pure skill, even politically there was no reason to turn her down. Late-stage 5-Ring. Someone who could reach 6-Ring at any moment given the right opportunity. A superhuman who had built her power with the bow—an uncommon weapon. On top of that, the people of the Empire still remembered the image of the Divine Archer who had single-handedly defended the walls of the Raziel Kingdom and led its final stand. Welcoming such a figure would only improve the Imperial family’s image.
The Imperial Intelligence Bureau would likely tie even this incident to the Special Forces in their announcement. The public perception would only improve.
“If I joined, they would probably grant me citizenship and various benefits as well.”
“Exactly.”
It was a proposal that benefited the Empire in many ways, and the same held true for Arleah. At the very least, the current Emperor did not betray those who brought him gains. The problem was that he never forgot those who caused him harm.
“The Special Forces…”
Arleah frowned, unable to answer easily. No matter how good the conditions, it wasn’t a decision one could make lightly. Even though the Raziel Kingdom had fallen, joining the Empire’s Special Forces meant more than exile—it meant voluntarily enlisting in another nation’s military. Whether in perception or instinct, something about it would inevitably feel off.
Understanding her dilemma, I spoke slowly.
“If you’re conflicted, take your time to think it over. In any case, someone like you will definitely be accepted. While we travel to the capital, you can consider it until—”
“What makes you say that with such certainty?”
“……?”
I tilted my head at her sudden question. I couldn’t immediately grasp what she meant.
“From the very beginning, you’ve spoken about me with strange certainty and knowledge. The moment you saw me, you noticed the condition of my body and told me I could overcome it despite everything.”
“……”
“And now you’re certain I can grow stronger and even join the Special Forces.”
I listened to every word. Yes, those were all things I had said. At the time, Arleah’s self-esteem had been shattered by the royal family’s atrocities. To help her recover, she had needed words that would restore her confidence. Of course, it wasn’t just empty encouragement—I truly believed she could reach the top.
“Last time I asked, you brushed it off with that absurd story about seeing the future. But this time I need a real answer. Why do you hold such certainty about me?”
…She was right.
I looked at her in silence. Her expression was more serious than I had ever seen. Repeating the same answer now would clearly get me nowhere.
I can see the future. I entered the game I once played. Among its characters, you were there—as an archer with tremendous potential.
Even if I told her all of that, she wouldn’t believe me. She would only find it strange.
And above all—
That expression.
It was the same look she had worn when we first met. A face completely stripped of self-worth, desperately craving someone’s faith. That expression alone forced the words from my mouth.
“People don’t need a reason to believe in one another.”
It was a principled answer. Did people truly need a reason to trust someone? If the other party was human, I believed no reason was required.
However—
“That’s idealistic.”
To most people, those words sounded like empty idealism. Trust without compensation or evidence usually provoked rejection instead. For someone with low self-esteem like Arleah, it was even worse. Why is he helping me? That can’t be true. There must be another motive. Thoughts like these built thick walls around their hearts. Tearing those walls down was never easy.
Like a wounded cat, they rejected everyone except themselves.
In such cases, there was only one thing to do.
“I believed because it was you.”
“…Pardon?”
“The idea that people don’t need reasons to believe in others is idealistic. I needed a reason too. And that reason was you.”
The direct approach. No matter how fiercely the wounded cat slashed with its claws, you simply embrace the wound and keep stroking gently.
“Not anyone else. Arleah de Raziel. It was because it was you that I could place that much faith in you.”
“Wh-what do you…”
“Shall I say it again?”
Watching her stammer, I continued.
“Because I knew you would reach it. Because I believed you would go even further. Because I trusted that you would prove worthy of the faith I placed in you.”
I said nothing more. I simply continued to stroke and embrace her heart in silence. Even if she refused to eat, I would keep offering food. I would keep showing my face. I would keep proving I meant no harm, until she believed it was safe to lower her guard.
If I did that, naturally her heart would soften and accept my touch.
The reason was simple.
“Does that answer your question?”
Because whether animal or person, everyone desperately longs for someone’s warmth.
I nodded quietly as I watched Arleah shed silent tears, and I truly meant every word.