Ch.81Chapter 81: Second Day at the Fortress (3)

Hmm.

I had my doubts.

After deliberately making stomach growling sounds to ease Shizu’s embarrassment.

It seems like responding appropriately to her small, quiet voice was a good decision after all.

Even though I couldn’t see her face clearly as she kept her head down.

“Hehe…”

I could easily tell from the way she giggled softly, gripped my hand tightly as if afraid to let go, and pressed her body close to mine.

She looked extremely happy.

Is she really that pleased?

If I were to convey everything I felt during our moments together, I’d need to stand here and talk for hours.

But seeing Shizu so delighted by just a few words expressing how much I enjoyed our time made my heart flutter too.

Despite the cold air being mostly blocked by the precisely designed internal environment stabilization magic circle.

The warmth I felt inside me was far too intense to be diminished by any chill that managed to seep through.

If I had known a few simple words would make her this happy.

I should have said more in the past… This thought came with a tinge of regret and apology.

I understand intellectually that dwelling on the past is pointless.

But the bitter memories from the timeline only I remember were too painful for my heart to accept, so who could I blame?

“Haaah…”

I let out the faintest sigh to release the regret building in my chest.

“What should we do after breakfast?”

When I brought up our plans for today to Shizu.

“…Want to spar?”

An unexpected answer came from her lips.

“Spar?”

“Yes. When our options are limited, I think we should at least diligently work on improving our skills.”

She’s diligent. Truly diligent.

Even though she was born with talent for swordsmanship, she could have been discouraged by her lack of awakening.

Yet the industriousness she developed from continuing to wield her sword despite that setback still envelops her entire being like a garment.

Seeing such enthusiasm, I felt I shouldn’t fall behind.

“Let’s do it.”

I agreed to her request with a brief but warm voice.

“Thank you.”

As she immediately brightened up with joy.

“It’s nothing. I was thinking of doing that anyway, and if we’re going to do it, it’s better to do it together.”

With modest composure, we continued walking together toward the dining hall for breakfast.

Since my regression, many things have happened.

When I first came back, I fell into despair, wondering what I could possibly do.

But as long as you’re here, smiling brightly and delighting in even my smallest words.

I can find the courage to no longer view this miracle of traveling back in time as a curse.

I can live each day dreaming of a better future.

#

Breakfast was ordinary.

Of course, considering where we were, it was an impressively well-prepared meal.

A bowl of soup that warmed our bodies chilled by the cold air.

Bread that was a bit hard but perfectly fine when eaten with the soup.

And dried side dishes including jerky that, while not as good as last night’s dinner, were more than adequate for a meal.

It was a perfect breakfast to gently settle my stomach, which felt heavy from all the alcohol I drank yesterday.

Thinking about how even at the northernmost fortress outpost, considered the weakest administrative region in the Empire’s vast territory, this level of food was provided to all personnel including the lowest-ranking soldiers.

I couldn’t help but feel renewed respect for the enormity of an empire that ruled almost an entire continent, and the skillfulness of the officials who managed it without major issues.

Lost in these thoughts while eating, I soon realized I had finished everything on my plate.

“Thank you for the meal.”

I expressed my gratitude to everyone who made it possible for me to start the day with such a satisfying breakfast.

“Thank you for the meal.”

Shortly after, Shizu’s cheerful voice echoed mine as she too cleaned her plate completely.

She was already standing up, neatly gathering her dishes to return them to the serving area.

It seemed my concern that the fairly well-prepared meal might not suit the palate of someone raised in a noble family didn’t apply to her at all.

“Let’s go spar now!”

After finishing her cleanup, she quickly approached me, eager to start our morning activity.

“Let’s go.”

Seeing her bright face, I had no reason to delay, so I quickly got up and returned my dishes to the serving area as well.

As soon as my hands were free from the trays and plates.

Before I could even wonder how she moved so quickly, Shizu was pressed against my side.

She took the classic arm-holding position, wrapping both her arms around my right arm and pressing her body close to mine.

She had done this yesterday too.

It was a posture she naturally took whenever we walked together these past few days.

As I felt her feminine curves against my right arm.

*Gulp*

I couldn’t help but swallow hard.

Though I was much more composed now than the first time she took this position.

*Thump thump*

My heart was still racing at a rate that made me wonder if I had an arrhythmia.

It seems we should head to the training grounds in the barracks quickly to spar.

Then she’ll have to move away from me and this pounding might subside.

No, wait, facing her directly might make my heart race even more?

…The events from this morning seem to replay more vividly in my mind as time passes.

#

The morning at the fortress city of Night Haven begins with the fervor of knights who hone their skills daily for its defense.

This happens at the training grounds located in the barracks district, where even the core personnel—the knights—without exception, gather alongside the rank-and-file soldiers who make up the defensive forces.

Knights of all ranks invariably visit the training grounds every morning.

And they each draw their weapons to refine their martial arts, each with their own purpose in mind.

Some wield their weapons hoping to survive their service period in this harsh fortress environment.

Others swing their weapons with ambition, hoping to use the skills honed here as a foundation for future success.

Though the intentions and passions of those at the training grounds are as diverse as their numbers, there is one common desire they all share.

The modest wish that no major incidents occur at the fortress during their period of service.

In that sense, today was a day when their modest wish had not been fulfilled.

The expressions of the knights entering the training grounds were gravely serious.

Because as soon as they woke up, they had heard about the situation that had been communicated from headquarters.

Three knights known for their exceptional skills among their peers had been attacked without a chance to defend themselves.

One escaped with minor injuries, but the other two suffered serious wounds that would require a year of rehabilitation—this shocking news elicited the same reaction from all the knights.

Every knight’s face showed grief for their fallen comrades.

And to varying degrees, they also showed fear that they might suffer the same fate.

They seemed to be desperately trying to shake off this fear by practicing their martial arts at the training grounds.

Of course, among the many, there were exceptions.

“Hmmmm…”

A large man who let out a peculiar groan mixing regret and discomfort was one exception to the singular psychological state permeating the space.

Sitting on a bench in the corner of the training grounds with his upper body hunched, his imposing physique was no less impressive than the knights practicing with dignified postures.

While his expression remained calm, unlike the knights who revealed their inner turmoil through their sword tips, the man exuded only solemnity.

“Ugh…”

The only flaw was that this solemnity culminated in sighs that were almost like soft groans.

But these groans were not mixed with fear.

“I should have caught him when he turned his back, no matter what it took.”

They were primarily filled with regret about letting the attacker from yesterday evening escape.

“I didn’t think leaving him to deal with Odessa would be a problem.”

The man’s mouth continuously released sighs and repetitions filled with regret.

Not fear, but regret that he, who could have most appropriately ended the situation, couldn’t do so for some reason.

“Haaah… What’s done is done.”

After his sigh of regret, Nighthart shook his head lightly and rose from the bench.

His large frame, which even while sitting was hardly different from the standing knights, created a spectacular sight as he stood up, towering over most knights by the height of two heads.

“If someone’s entered once, they won’t come just once. Next time they show up, I’ll crush them.”

After reciting this content with a calm tone but quite murderous intent.

Nighthart was about to loosen his body, stiff from spending the night in his private space at the corner of the training grounds.

If not for the sharp creaking sound of hinges being forcefully opened.

“Hmm…?”

Feeling suspicious, Nighthart turned his head.

At this hour when most knights were already busy training their bodies in the training grounds, it was unusual for the entrance door to open.

Who could it be?

A rookie knight who overslept?

If so, they would need to be disciplined appropriately.

Because they were revealing their laziness while having the duty to perform military service without the slightest lapse.

Of course, it might not be a rookie knight but a low-ranking soldier who was jolted awake by last night’s incident and wanted to practice martial arts.

In that case, he could leave them be.

He had no right to criticize a low-ranking soldier with limited martial arts skills for trying to take care of themselves.

Anyway, wondering who would be knocking on the training ground door at what he considered a rather late hour, Nighthart turned his head toward the entrance.

And what entered his eyes was a pair, a man and a woman, who didn’t fit either of the two categories he had imagined.

“Hmm…”

Nighthart’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the two.

His narrowed eyes showed rising interest.

“Are those the kids from yesterday…?”

Though unfamiliar, these weren’t faces he was seeing for the first time.

Yesterday, during the introduction of the personnel participating in the subjugation ceremony that Deputy Commander Iriana had personally brought from the Cradle, he had seen these faces.

The woman with blonde hair and a pure impression was the successor of Proxian and had been selected as a holy sword user for the first time in hundreds of years.

The man with sharp features but a firm expression was introduced as the Deputy Commander’s younger brother, which came to his mind.

Despite inheriting the blood of the prestigious Lanos family, renowned for their swordsmanship, he had red hair instead of silver hair like the Deputy Commander.

But his features resembled his sister’s quite well, making his face difficult to forget even at a glance, Nighthart thought.

Of course, their appearance and background weren’t what caught Nighthart’s attention.

“They’ve got guts to come here despite what happened last night.”

His praise of their courage applied to both of them.

Among the new stars he had only briefly glimpsed due to the undead legion’s invasion, these two particularly stood out to Nighthart.

It wasn’t because one was a holy sword owner and the other was a member of the martial family considered a pillar of the Empire.

All the personnel selected and brought by the Deputy Commander this time, though few in number, showed extraordinary potential even at a brief encounter.

The heirs of Lanos and Proxian, the two mountains of swordsmanship, as well as those from equally prestigious families like Burnstein.

The son of Kessler who frequently visited the fortress for support, and the man known as a genius even within the Cradle—all had qualities that satisfied his demanding eyes.

But what made Nighthart particularly notice these two was just one thing.

As mentioned earlier.

“They don’t show the slightest sign of nervousness.”

Despite the training grounds being filled with knights of impressive careers, they entered without showing any tension.

Opening the entrance door, bowing in greeting to the surrounding knights, and finding an appropriate spot—their behavior showed such familiarity that it was as if they were entering their own living room.

Watching this, Nighthart, who knew that even he wasn’t this brazen when he first received his knighthood and stepped into this place, couldn’t help but pay attention to these two people’s actions.

“Well…”

Nighthart, who was about to go to his private training area, stopped his steps and fixed his gaze on the two who were finding their spots to begin their individual training.

After all, he could loosen his stiff body anytime.

Now he just wanted to see if these two people who had caught his attention possessed qualities that would impress him even more.

“This should be interesting…”

With that, Nighthart slowly sat back down on the bench, crossed one leg, rested his elbow on it, and propped his chin with his hand, taking an observer’s posture.