Ch.138Chapter 138: Tranquility (2)

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After greeting my sister, the journey to take Shizu to the infirmary was… well, smooth.

Though she wasn’t wearing her helmet.

I was concerned that the distinctive appearance of the Red Dragon Armor she wore might attract attention and cause interruptions as I escorted her to the infirmary.

As if responding to my thoughts.

Shaaaa…

A subtle sound grazed my ears, and then.

A gentle flash of light enveloped her armored body.

The Red Dragon Armor, which had been so helpful in escaping the space dominated by twisted divinity, vanished without a trace along with that flash of light.

Thanks to that, my concern about drawing too much attention from others was alleviated.

After the armor disappeared, I paused to check her condition.

As expected, thanks to the armor’s protection, there was no trace of the fierce battle on her clothing or any part of her body.

Though it probably hadn’t exerted its full power, I felt gratitude toward the armor that had allowed her to face a demon god head-on without sustaining a single wound.

“…Armor that disappears according to one’s will, that’s impressive.”

As I marveled at its convenience in responding to will, I recalled a similar artifact-worthy armor I had seen before my regression.

The armor called Blanc Lily, infused with divinity and forged from ultra-metal, which had protected Shizu no less effectively than a holy sword when she confronted beings from the demon realm in the time before my regression.

Around the time Desire began full-scale activities and the great war intensified.

That armor, which those who look down upon us from on high had completed and bestowed upon Shizu rather than providing just the raw materials, was truly remarkable.

It could be equipped or removed freely according to the wearer’s will at any time.

That armor played a crucial role in bringing her back without a scratch even after confronting powerful figures like Desire and other formidable opponents from the Obsidian Palace.

As I recalled that armor, which could only be described as astonishing, my thoughts expanded further.

Would such a miracle happen to her in this timeline?

My thoughts were deepening, and my emotions were about to follow suit, but.

“Haaah…”

After organizing my emotions with a single sigh.

“There’s no point worrying about things that haven’t happened yet.”

I said this while lightly shaking my head and resuming my steps that had momentarily paused.

“What does it matter if she doesn’t have such armor? I can become her armor.”

I embraced the thought that with this body that could survive even a pierced heart, I should serve as her armor.

I encountered quite a few knights and soldiers along the way, but.

Thanks to not wearing armor, they didn’t show much interest in me as I walked with Shizu held in my arms.

Even when I appeared suddenly among soldiers and knights shouting with joy for surviving the annual war against demon realm beings.

“WOOOOOOH!!”

“Hey! Join us in shouting!”

“Leave him be! He looks busy! Can’t you see he’s carrying an injured person to the infirmary?”

“Oh! My blood rushed to my head so I couldn’t see such a simple fact! Sorry about that!”

The soldiers, intoxicated with the joy of victory, didn’t pay much attention to me carrying Shizu, being too absorbed in their victory celebration.

…Well, it was indeed a victory.

The battle inside the fortress would have involved elite knights led by Lord Nighthart being deployed in waves to pressure and drive out Sanguin, who had unleashed shadows.

Though Sanguin might have been superior in skill, he would have been absolutely outnumbered.

Is there any reason for soldiers who couldn’t fight and only watched the duel between superhumans to be this excited…

No, that’s not right.

Thinking about it, their blood must be boiling after witnessing up close a superhuman who could split the sky and overturn the earth with a single sword.

“In this dull land, there’s no entertainment more enjoyable than watching heroes battle.”

Muttering to myself and quickly understanding the situation.

I nodded quietly and continued walking until.

“…It’s almost good to see this place again.”

I finally reached my destination.

Before my regression, when I was a barely competent mercenary, I frequently sought treatment here for my injuries.

The infirmary of Night Haven, which housed the Empire’s finest medical facilities despite being built on a wasteland fortress.

Wanting to make Shizu, who had fainted in my arms, comfortable as quickly as possible.

I carefully reached out to open the door of the infirmary without waking her.

“…Sigh.” / “…”

I was greeted by Dan and Rufus, whose expressions conveyed indescribable dissatisfaction.

“…What are you two doing here?”

When I asked what they were doing here, having not seen them during the emergency situation.

From the pouting lips of Dan and Rufus came:

“Lord Nighthart ordered us to wait here.”

Dan, who despite being displeased with the order to wait in the infirmary, had obeyed without complaint, and.

“I was rushing toward the collapsed outer wall when Lord Nighthart hit me once and dragged me here.”

True to his nature as Kessler’s successor from the North.

He had eagerly headed toward the frontline as soon as the situation arose.

Only to be restrained by Lord Nighthart and end up with a decent bump on his head, as Rufus explained with a dejected voice.

“…I saw Excel running toward the outer wall at an incredible speed and tried to follow, but if nothing else, I realized his speed was beyond my capabilities.”

“…Wasn’t there already a fierce battle going on inside the fortress by the time you started running?”

“That’s why I thought it would be easier to head toward the outer wall…”

“…And?”

“While Lord Nighthart was fighting those mysterious shadows, he grabbed me with one hand as I tried to sneak past and threw me into a safe zone unrelated to the situation.”

“…”

“He said there’s nothing more shameful than recklessly throwing an inexperienced youngster into battle and getting them killed.”

Is Lord Nighthart impressive for having the leisure to restrain Rufus’s impulsive action while fighting?

Or was Sanguin so weak, having not recovered his strength, that Lord Nighthart could afford such leisure?

These questions flashed through my mind, but I couldn’t draw conclusions from our brief exchange.

To properly resolve these questions, I’d need to hear testimony from someone who witnessed the confrontation between Lord Nighthart and Sanguin up close.

But I didn’t have the luxury of wasting time on such inquiries right now.

“How’s your head?”

“Honestly, I just got a bump, but it doesn’t hurt at all. The situation seems to be over, so I was thinking of heading out with Dan.”

“Everyone’s excited about the victory, so you two should join the celebration. I need to put this one to bed and take care of her.”

“I’d be bored staying here anyway. I should go check out the outer wall that needs repair work.”

I was pleased to hear Dan and Rufus say they were leaving on their own, preparing to devote the rest of the day entirely to Shizu, but.

“You should take care of yourself more than Lilian Shizu.”

“…But I’m not injured.”

“You look so exhausted that a slight breeze could blow you away.”

“…Really?”

“Get some rest.”

I could only stare blankly as Rufus, who had advised me to take better care of myself, left the infirmary with Dan.

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After hearing Rufus’s parting words.

“…Sleep well.”

I carefully laid Shizu on the infirmary bed, observed her peaceful sleeping face, and then.

Out of curiosity, I stood before a mirror to check my appearance.

“…Are these dark circles for real?”

I couldn’t help but exclaim in amazement and dismay at the sight of the deep dark circles under my eyes.

After seeing Adorator and the main forces of the Obsidian Palace retreat from the fortress.

I felt relief at successfully completing the first major event since my regression.

I realized my body was tired when I found myself yawning uncontrollably.

But even searching through memories from before my regression.

I had never had such dark circles under my eyes.

Why was this happening?

As I scratched the back of my head lightly with my right hand, now free after carrying Shizu in my arms, I contemplated the cause.

The conclusion came surprisingly quickly.

“…The demon god was the problem.”

Spending time confronting Renium, the demon god of time, in that mysterious place dominated by twisted divinity had put more strain on my body than I’d thought.

And the result was now clearly visible on my face.

How could I be so certain of the cause for fatigue I’d never experienced before?

Well…

Though the degree was different.

“My body was also extremely exhausted when I faced that damned Desire.”

I could be certain because I had experience with another twisted divine being, one whose mere presence felt like torture even when I was designated as a demon god’s agent.

The pressure I felt when facing the demon god of time, who confidently stated he couldn’t physically restrain me, was beyond imagination.

The subtle pressure he exuded in front of me was even greater than the intimidation emanated by Desire, who toyed with me but also treated me with a certain familiarity before my regression.

“Well, it ended well, so that’s fine.”

But what’s the point of dwelling on the demon god who put pressure on me when the situation has passed smoothly without any problems?

As I calmly organized the thoughts that came to mind while facing my disheveled appearance.

The conclusion that naturally formed in my mind and came out through my lips was:

“…I should get some rest.”

Simply put, I needed rest.

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Rest is simple, really.

I could make my way through the fortress exterior, intoxicated with victory, to my quarters.

Draw the light-blocking curtains and close my eyes.

Or I could borrow an infirmary bed and rest my eyes here until my fatigue dissipates.

The locations differ, but.

What I’d be doing isn’t much different between these two options, so I pondered which to choose.

It didn’t take long to reach a conclusion.

“Since I need to make sure Shizu is resting comfortably, I should get some rest here.”

The reason for this conclusion came simultaneously with the decision itself.

It’s pointless to elaborate further.

Shizu, who struggled the most until the final moment of this subjugation festival by confronting Sanguin and Adorator.

I need to stay by her side to ensure she recovers well from the fatigue accumulated while healing the wounds sustained during the fierce battle.

…This has absolutely nothing to do with my selfish desire to quietly watch over her as she sleeps defenseless.

Nothing at all.