Anima's Return, and...
"I'm back, Yuuri."
"Anima!"
Anima Ingram had returned to the Asius Army.
Yuuri rose from the throne and came forward to greet her, beaming with unmistakable delight. It was hard to shake the impression that this looked less like a sovereign receiving a vassal and more like a puppy welcoming its master home — but in the Asius Army, it was probably easiest to accept that Yuuri and the five founding heroes of the realm all shared roughly that kind of bond. Zinor, standing at Yuuri's side, showed no particular surprise either.
"Welcome back, Anima. Have you been well? I couldn't see you last time I went…"
"I've been fine. I'm sorry about that. I just didn't want anyone interrupting me."
"No, it's okay. Of course I understand. Everyone has moments like that."
Judging by the conversation alone, calling this a lord-and-vassal relationship of the age would have been absurd. The absolute faith that neither would ever betray the other was hardly a bad thing in itself, but…
Never mind.
I had been about to dwell on it further, but after hearing Anima speak, I understood. The peculiar solidarity born of their shared history, and the special relationship that grew from it, was not something an outsider could simply try to reshape. Even a man of Zinor's renown — a former imperial official — had been unable to change it. What chance did I have?
That unique sense of unity could become a strength no other nation possessed. But if it ultimately shackled them and led them to forsake the greater cause… well, what of it? I was always meant to return to Luna's side someday. All I could hope for was that nothing too disastrous would erupt while I was still here.
After lingering a long while in their reunion, Yuuri finally noticed me and came over to offer her thanks.
"Swen. Thank you for bringing Anima back safely. You really worked hard."
"Not at all. I'm simply glad I could carry out your orders."
"Mm. Don't worry about work today — rest as much as you like."
"Thank you for your consideration."
With that, I left the royal castle at an unhurried pace.
Yuuri had said I was free to rest… but there was still far too much of the day left. Going to the Nighthart family estate felt awkward as well.
Hmm…
Irene would still be away on her assignment. A light breeze brushed past, and I noticed how considerably colder the weather had grown. In that case, today might be exactly the right time.
Something had occurred to me. I set off at once for the shopping district of Valharat Castle.
In the royal castle after Swen's departure, Anima put a question to Yuuri.
"I heard you're giving me the lordship of Lacline Castle."
"Yes! Anima, I figured there was no one else who could take on a post this important—"
"Yuuri. You don't have to build me up like that. I don't think you're looking down on me."
"Ah — th-that's…"
Yuuri shrank like a startled rabbit.
"I-I'm sorry… It's just… I replaced you as State Tactician, and I thought you might still be bothered by that…"
Anima watched her with a faint smile.
"That's fine now, Yuuri. I was the one who acted emotionally."
"R-right…"
"More importantly — the man you sent to fetch me."
"Swen?"
"Yes. What kind of person is he?"
Yuuri gave Anima a concise account of Swen and Irene, and of everything that had happened so far — including the miracle at the northern fortress and the circumstances Irene had endured.
Anima fell into thought.
He betrayed Lin Brans because he didn't see her as the material of a unifying sovereign… is that it?
She couldn't shake the sense that something else was at work. Their meeting had been brief — a fleeting encounter — and yet the man had left a distinctly unusual impression. Hearing Yuuri describe how he had "worked a miracle at the northern fortress" only deepened that conviction. His ambition might well run deeper than any of them imagined.
If he became the vanguard carrying the banner of Asius, he would be an ally beyond compare. But if there was any chance he might one day become their enemy…
…No.
Anima shook her head firmly. This was no time to be doubting an ally. As lord of Lacline Castle, she would have countless things to do for the Asius Army — more than enough to occupy her thoughts.
Nothing has changed. It's the same as it was then.
Ever since the day she had lost an arm and resolved to live for the name of Asius, Anima had effectively had only one goal.
"That will be all for today's training. Well done, everyone."
"Yes, ma'am! Thank you for your hard work!!"
Hearing the soldiers' robust reply, Irene gave a cool nod, then stepped into the private quarters prepared inside the training grounds and changed out of her gear. Once she had cast off the heavy armor, she stood there soaked in sweat.
…I reek of sweat.
A bath the moment she got home. Turning the day over in her mind, she wondered whether she might have pushed too hard.
Once she took on a task, she meant to give it everything she had. From early morning through the evening, she had repeated physical conditioning drills with only the barest minimum of rest. Fortunately, the soldiers had kept up well. Unlike other officers who simply ordered drills without sharing any real know-how, Irene checked each soldier's form and corrected their stance. In the end, it meant the soldiers worked twice as hard — but she had grown thoroughly fond of this recent way of life.
A knight's life of answering the need of a lord who truly required her. For someone whose default existence had been one in which no amount of self-proof ever earned so much as a glance, there had never been a period so fulfilling as this.
Most generals — especially those renowned for martial prowess — tended to shun the duty of training soldiers. In an age of chaos, they wanted to swing their blades on the battlefield; few cared to pour attention into the troops who followed at their backs. Not every general was that type, of course, but the stronger they were, the more pronounced the tendency became. Even Emma and Ernandof of the Asius Army were not the sort to fuss over their soldiers.
But Irene had sensed it instinctively from the moment she first took up a sword and stepped onto a battlefield. Every person, being human, had only one life. And when you staked that life in battle, the ones at your back were your soldiers.
In her Brans Army days, she had been sneered at for it — If you're going to act like that, why not just enlist as a common soldier? — but her conviction had never changed. Thinking of it that way, the worry that she might have overdone things vanished like smoke.
War is ultimately fought by soldiers. Every bit of this experience will become the nation's strength.
Even if she left this country someday, raising excellent soldiers for Yuuri — who had taken her in after she fled the Brans Army — was her own way of repaying that kindness. Of course, the surrender had brought her troops over with her, and she had earned merit in the recent defensive battle, so it wasn't as though Asius had simply bestowed charity upon her. Still, doing this put her mind at ease.
She left the barracks and started home. Passing through the commercial district, a stall selling dessert pastries caught her eye.
…Come to think of it, Swen brought me cake once, too.
Lately, whenever she saw something to eat, Swen's face rose unbidden in her mind. It wasn't only food. Beautiful scenery she wanted to hold in her eyes, children laughing with pure happiness — every time, his face surfaced of its own accord. She wanted to share good things with him. She wanted to offer him delicious food first. When she saw happy people, she imagined him wearing that same happy smile.
Maybe I should buy some.
Pastries in hand, she arrived home — and the moment she stepped inside:
"Ah, you're back."
"Swen…?"
The room was hung with all manner of decorations. On the desk, several extravagantly prepared dishes had been laid out. At the center of the table sat a small potted plant, a star-shaped ornament fixed to the very top of its little tree. Every decoration was of a form Irene had never seen before.
"What is all this…?"
"Work finished a bit early today. With the extra time, I wanted to repay you for something from before."
"Something from before?"
"Yes. Don't you remember? Not long after we met, when I still hadn't adjusted, you grilled meat for me as a welcome."
"…Ah."
At those words, the days at Anel Castle flickered through her mind. At first, having a male officer stay in her home — and by her lord's direct order, no less — had been awkward in any number of ways. But the one truly put in the most difficult position had been this man, caught up in nothing more than Lin's power struggle against her. That thought had made her want to at least put something delicious on the table, so she had gone out and bought meat…
"You didn't forget that?"
"How could I possibly forget? Come on — sit down."
"B-but I need to bathe first…"
"You can do that after we eat."
"Even so, today's training was a bit intense, so… that is…"
Swen looked at Irene, whose face had gone red with embarrassment, seemed to grasp what she was trying to say, and nodded. Then he smiled.
"It's fine. It's proof you worked hard, isn't it? I like that side of you too, Lady Irene."
"Wha—!!"
Irene couldn't manage a single word. Her ears flushed scarlet as she stammered, then she lowered her head and spoke in a voice that barely crawled out.
"…Swen… you really… say such things so freely…"
"Thank you for the compliment. Oh — is that pastry in your hand?"
"Hm? This?"
Irene set it on the table.
"I bought it because I wanted to share it with you. Lately I've only been receiving things from you… and it looks like I'll be on the receiving end again today."
"Most of it was bought with money you earned, so what does it matter? We can have the pastry with tea after the meal."
"Mm."
She answered and sat at the table, and a strange feeling settled over her. Swen's back as he carried the dishes, the table spread before her eyes — simply taking in that scene filled the deepest part of her heart with a warm glow. In her Brans Army days, no matter what she did, a hollow emptiness had never been filled. Now that emptiness was brimming with gentle warmth.
"All right! You worked hard today, so let's have some meat. There's plenty."
"Mm."
This warmth she had found for the first time in her life. This, above all, was what she wanted to protect no matter what.
"By the way, Swen. There's something I'm curious about."
"What is it?"
"This potted plant… what is the star-shaped ornament on top?"
"Ah. Right — I meant to tell you about that."
Swen nodded and explained.
"In my hometown, around this time of year when the weather turns cold, there was a custom of gathering with people close to you, sharing good food, and decorating a tree. Today isn't the exact date, of course… but the weather's cold, and if not today we might not get the chance, so I went ahead and set the mood."
"Is that so? What a curious custom. Come to think of it, Swen, I don't believe I've ever heard you speak of your hometown before."
"Well, it's nothing particularly interesting."
"Is that so?"
Irene didn't press. Whatever the story, hearing only as much as Swen wished to share was enough. Still, learning even a little more about him left her feeling glad. If it was a custom from his homeland… she wanted to honor it as well.
"Anyway, on that day everyone spent joyful time with the people precious to them… and whenever people met, they exchanged a particular greeting."
"A particular greeting?"
"Yes. 'Merry Christmas.'"
Swen looked steadily into Irene's violet eyes as he spoke.
"In that spirit — Merry Christmas, Lady Irene."
Irene looked back at him. A faint flush colored her cheeks as she answered with a sincere smile she had never shown anyone else.
"…Mm. Merry Christmas."
The date may not have been the Christmas of his hometown — but the fact that this evening meal was a sacred time for both of them remained unchanged.