Chapter 291

Translation: Godtl

A week had passed since the war ended.

I was pondering.

It was a torment comparable to—no, perhaps even greater than—when I had devised strategies for the war against Manggot.

'......What should I do about Selena?'

Yes. My dilemma concerned Selena's future.

Since I had bid her farewell, our employment relationship had been terminated. Selena had accepted that as well.

Though Selena had made a request to "save her" just before we parted, that was merely a request—it didn't define our relationship in any particular way.

Of course, I intended to keep my promise to Selena. I would find her family, the Barniers, and take her back to them. Now that Manggot had fallen, I could finally begin that task.

But—no, precisely because of that—perhaps parting ways with Selena at that time had been the right decision.

Wouldn't it be more fitting for Selena to live as Selena de Barnier, as a noblewoman, from now on?

Selena was both strikingly beautiful and wise. Moreover, she was a master of close combat, capable of becoming either a pro or a knight. If she could just hide her habit of assassination, she would excel at anything she chose. If she wished, she could now live a life completely detached from fighting.

......It would be a waste to keep her as my guard. Above all, would Selena even want that?

"Even as I say all this, I ended up coming here anyway."

I stopped in the empty lot behind the mansion and let out a sigh.

This was where Selena and I used to meet and talk. It was also the very place where we had last parted.

I still needed Selena. My experience in close combat was woefully lacking, and I couldn't anticipate every possible situation.

When an unexpected raid occurred, having Selena by my side was an immense comfort. Now that this world had entered an era I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠didn't know, that was even more true.

But Selena no longer needed me. She no longer had to play the role of a double agent, and naturally, there was no need for her to learn the ancient language either.

In the deserted space, I quietly opened my mouth.

"......What should I do with you, Sele—"

Swish—

"You called for me?"

"......"

She appeared before I could even finish saying her name. Of course, it was Selena.

I stared blankly at her as she emerged from behind me.

Selena was wearing one of the outfits I had gifted her.

"......Selena."

"Yes."

"When did you reconnect with my shadow?"

"......"

Her eyes subtly darted to the side.

"Was it... during the final battle, perhaps?"

"......That's correct."

During the fight with Belphegor, the combination of my workshop and Osprey's spatial magic had created a phenomenon. Through the workshop's door, many students ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠from Constelle—including Selena—had been transported from the Empire to Manggot.

I had been too preoccupied fighting Belphegor to notice, but that was likely the moment Selena had been closest to me.

So it was the perfect opportunity to reconnect with my shadow, and I wasn't displeased that Selena had reestablished that link.

......But.

"......Selena, it's been a week since that war ended."

"Yes, that's true."

"If you reconnected with my shadow, why didn't you come sooner?"

Exactly. If I had known she had already reconnected with my shadow, my dilemma wouldn't have been so agonizing. It wouldn't have taken me a week, either.

This dilemma wasn't just about my feelings—Selena's intentions were equally crucial.

If she truly didn't want to be found, tracking her down would have been extremely difficult. The Empire was vast, after all, as long as she didn't return to Constelle.

But Selena raised her head, tilted it slightly as if to ask what I was talking about, and looked at me.

"What do you mean?"

It wasn't just a rhetorical question—she was genuinely asking.

"Since you didn't call for me, Lord Frondier, I naturally didn't reveal myself."

"......Huh?"

"We've always been like this, haven't we?"

I stared quietly at Selena.

For a long while, I gazed at that face that seemed utterly shameless, as if she had nothing to be ashamed of under the heavens.

'......This brazen woman.'

Selena wasn't just acting as if she was considering whether to resume her guard duties—she was behaving as if she had always been my guard from the beginning.

As if we had never parted ways.

Moreover, whether her acting had improved or not, the way she looked at me with such feigned innocence made me wonder if she had genuinely forgotten everything.

"......Then why didn't you show yourself at the mansion?"

"I returned after completing my dispatch at Manggot."

......Dispatch. What an absurd setup.

'Well. If that's what Selena wants.'

It's a welcome development for me. If she's willing to act as if nothing happened, I have no reason not to accept it.

"Selena, let me ask you one thing."

"Yes."

"Were you hurt at Manggot?"

"......."

"It might be unnecessary meddling, but the outfit you're wearing now—I had prepared a countermeasure in advance......."

I had inserted a needle laced with Slab's Poison. Selena would have noticed it.

If it helped her, I would have felt somewhat proud, but when I looked at her again—

"......Ah."

Selena's eyes instantly welled up, and tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Ah, uh."

As if realizing she was crying only afterward, Selena lowered her head and hastily wiped her eyes, seemingly flustered.

Of course, I was flustered too.

Could this also be an act? I've given up on deciphering Selena's acting, so moments like this only confuse me more.

Sniffling, Selena muttered.

"......I tried my best."

"Tried your best?"

"I was trying my hardest to forget, you know."

To forget?

Was my arrangement that disappointing? I thought it was a decent setup.

I don't know how Selena fought inside Manggot, but it seems the needle I gave her had no effect.

......Judging by her reaction, it might have even been a hindrance.

'Come to think of it, I only knew about the mechanism for loading and firing the needles. I didn't consider what issues might arise if only one needle was loaded.'

Since the needles were always loaded in multiples of four, maybe having just one caused problems? My consideration was lacking.

"......Ahem. Anyway, it's good timing. I have something to tell you."

Pushing aside my slightly wounded pride, I changed the subject.

"What is it?"

"You're on leave for a while. You've made significant contributions in this war, so consider this part of your reward. You can go somewhere for ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fun, stay at the mansion, or attend Constelle when classes resume. Personally, I'd recommend the latter. Everyone missed seeing you."

"What's going on? If you're going somewhere, I'll follow."

"It's true I'm going somewhere, but I don't want to show it to you."

I let out a sigh.

If Selena's treatment had been my concern, this matter is my own ordeal.

"You don't want to show me? Where exactly are you going? Is it that dangerous?"

"Yes. It's an extremely dangerous place. I never told you. You were at Manggot, after all."

To minimize the damage from the war with Manggot, I had to meet several conditions.

And to fulfill those conditions, I made a few promises.

Now, it's time to keep those promises.

"......Where are you going? What are you planning to do? I've told you countless times—I'll follow you to the ends of hell to protect you, Lord Frondier."

Selena's expression hardened. In an instant, her eyes gleamed with resolve.

Swept up by her intensity, I blurted out without thinking.

"......I'm going to sell my soul to the Devil."

"Excuse me?!"

"Sorry, that was a metaphor. Not literally."

I said it to reassure Selena.

But as I spoke, something felt oddly unsettling.

'......The metaphor might be accurate after all.'

"Excuse me?!"

I'd gone and said that completely unnecessary extra line.

After the war, the Empire became extremely busy.

Though the damages suffered were far lighter than anticipated, that was only because their initial projections had assumed near-total annihilation.

In reality, many people had died, and even the restored Barrier wasn't without its scars.

Most importantly, at this point where the path to Manggot had partially opened—

The Empire had embarked on its first territorial expansion since the Monster War.

They hadn't pushed back the monsters of the Outside, nor slain any Abyssal Monsters, yet the path had undeniably opened.

The monsters that had been battering the Barrier on all sides had retreated, and now was precisely when the number of monsters between the Empire and Manggot was at its lowest.

The Empire announced plans to secure the route to Manggot, and it was no surprise that its citizens were buoyed with excitement.

......Thus, while the Empire prioritized disseminating easily digestible good news to the public, they convened yet another meeting to address issues that couldn't be immediately resolved.

"......Retirement, you say?"

At Empress Philly's repeated question for confirmation, Medart nodded.

"Yes. This war made it abundantly clear to me. This aged body of mine is no longer fit for the seat of a Zodiac."

Medart de Tyburn.

The eldest among the Zodiacs, he had paired with Sybil to hold the Barrier during the war against Manggot.

And after suffering a near-fatal wound from one of Manggot's Shepherds, he had barely escaped with his life.

In truth, Medart's defeat had been one of the unforeseen events that even Frondier hadn't anticipated—something that had greatly surprised him when he later heard of it.

While he had believed Sybil would change, even Frondier hadn't known what form that change would ultimately take.

"......The Imperial Palace does not oppose your retirement from the Zodiac. You have more than fulfilled your role, Lord Medart, and you are certainly at an age where retirement is hardly unexpected."

Philly began with words that seemed to carry an unspoken 'however,' her expression dark.

"However, if possible—could you postpone it just a little longer?"

"Postpone......? For what reason?"

As Medart asked, the other Zodiac beside him, Liri, shook her head.

"Ah, right. You were unconscious, so you wouldn't know the current mood of the Empire."

"What do you mean by that?"

"If you retire now, Medart—"

Liri raised a finger, her face playful.

"Frondier de Roah might just end up becoming a Zodiac overnight."

"......!"

Medart's eyes widened. Disbelieving, he glanced around the meeting room.

But he was the only one shocked—everyone else seemed to agree with Liri's words, some even nodding.

"......Frondier? That young boy?"

"Yep. He pulled off something staggering. Plus, the Empire's citizens got a firsthand look at his strength."

Of course, what the citizens had witnessed was only a brief glimpse, but it had undeniably proven Frondier's overwhelming destructive power.

"......Good heavens, astonishing. Even so, at his age......"

"Mm, and that's exactly the problem."

As Liri nodded, someone with folded arms tilted their head in puzzlement.

"Is that truly the issue?"

It was Zodiac Ludovic.

"If Frondier possesses the qualifications of a Zodiac, then ascending to the seat would be the natural course of action. His youth should hardly be a concern."

"......How unexpected. I thought you disliked Frondier, Ludovic."

"Me? Hardly. I first met Frondier during the Devil incident, and I hold his composure and judgment in high regard. Back then, suspicion was simply unavoidable given the circumstances."

Ludovic muttered while shaking his head, 'Hmm, but to think he possessed that level of power...'

A long sigh from Empress Philly followed his words.

"His young age is an enormous problem, I tell you. Frondier hasn't even graduated from Constelle yet. He lacks experience as either a pro or a knight, and he hasn't achieved any feats worthy of becoming a Zodiac."

"But didn't he accomplish a feat just a week ago?"

"...Well, that's... true, but..."

For once, Philly found herself at a loss for words.

Of course, it was only natural that Philly wasn't entirely pleased with Frondier. Precisely because she deeply trusted him, she needed to be cautious about this matter.

Making Frondier a Zodiac now?

The Empire's citizens would undoubtedly go wild. It had only been a week since his dazzling display was witnessed on those massive screens.

Soon enough, people would learn that what he defeated wasn't just any foe—it was the leader of Manggot. That's not something you can simply hide.

But Frondier is young. So young that both his elder brother and father were once Zodiac candidates.

His father, Angper, declined the position himself, and even his eldest brother, Aitze, hesitated due to Angper's refusal and his own young age. And now we're skipping over both father and eldest brother to make Frondier a Zodiac?

At this rate, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the Roah family isn't leaning on the Imperial Palace for support—it's more like the Imperial Palace is crawling at the Roah family's feet.

'I can't push that boy into this wretched political arena.'

In the end, it all comes down to politics.

The Zodiacs ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠may be symbols of power, but once you reach that position, staying uninvolved in politics is nearly impossible. If that weren't the case, Angper wouldn't have refused the position so adamantly.

Put another way, even Angper couldn't avoid politics if he became a Zodiac—which is precisely why he chose not to.

Because she understood this all too well, Philly didn't want to make Frondier a Zodiac.

She wanted him to enjoy his time at Constelle for now. Like everyone else, she hoped he could live his life trying out whatever path he chose—whether becoming a pro or a knight.

Though it had become an increasingly difficult wish to fulfill, it wasn't impossible yet.

Yes, just like Aten.

"Exactly. Frondier as a Zodiac? That's absurd."

Fortunately, Philly had a few allies on her side.

One of them, Zodiac Monty.

He shook his head solemnly with a grave expression.

"Frondier is slated to become my direct disciple. We've made a blood oath. Both Frondier and I have agreed—this is already decided."

Ludovic looked startled at this.

"What, really?"

"...I don't know about a blood oath, but I did hear something like that," Zodiac Ludwig interjected with a sigh, his peculiar dialect slipping through as he'd been quietly observing.

At that, Liri slammed the table and raised her head.

"What nonsense! Before that, Frondier promised to become my knight! We made a soul oath!"

"What, really?"

"...I don't know about a soul oath, but I did hear about that too," Monty said, shaking his head.

"Liri. As I told you before, that was only for one month. Once that period ends, naturally—"

"Fufufu, Monty. Do you really think Frondier will come to you after that one month?"

"......"

Liri's smug smile.

Logically, Frondier had made promises to both Liri and Monty.

To Liri, he promised to be her knight for a month. To Monty, he promised to become his disciple.

So once that month was over, Frondier would naturally go to Monty. That was the agreement.

That was only common sense, and yet...

"Hey, Ludwig. Is that true? That Frondier is becoming Liri's knight? Did Frondier really agree to that?"

Ludovic, now wearing a grave expression, turned to Ludwig again.

"Agree? Frondier was the one who proposed it in the first place."

"...Good heavens."

Ludovic's face twisted as if witnessing the end of the world, biting his lip.

"Frondier, what have you done...?"

"Hey! I can hear you!"

The conference room fell into a somber silence, with everyone except Liri wearing expressions of deep dismay.