I Can’t Disappoint You Again…

Several tens of minutes after the Research Director’s speech ended.

“Hmm…”

Rina hummed while braiding her brilliant white hair.

While sitting on the soft bed.

Although not as good as the dormitory, the newly assigned quarters also boasted quite good living conditions, isn’t the mattress so soft?

‘Something’s strange.’

But this comfortable sensation couldn’t erase the uneasiness in her heart.

Is it because she’ll soon face monsters?

Is her mind complex because she has to undergo survival training with team members she’s on awkward terms with?

No.

Although the content of the upcoming training was quite shocking, she wasn’t too worried as she had confidence that she would do well.

“Helena.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The woman bowing her head right in front of her──

The head maid was the cause of the worry filling her mind.

“Is the investigation on Yena finished?”

“…Not yet. I’ll try to complete it as soon as possible.”

How could she not feel uncomfortable when Helena avoids her eyes and answers like this whenever she asks a question?

It was completely different from the Helena she had known so far.

She seemed to be struggling, the past image of her immediately bringing materials whenever asked was nowhere to be seen.

A week.

No, even after more than 2 weeks have passed,

“Then can you give me the materials you’ve investigated so far? As group training is about to start, I think I should know in advance.”

“I’m sorry, please wait a little longer.”

She hasn’t disclosed any information.

“About how long do you think it will take?”

“I can’t give you a definite answer, but I’ll do my best.”

“So you don’t know…”

Helena’s hopeless answer──

Rina lowered her head with a sigh mixed with lamentation.

Her hair covering her shoulders flowed down following that movement, casting a shadow on her face.

‘Am I misunderstanding something?’

At this point, she had doubts.

Is Helena’s investigation on Yena really progressing…

Or was her perception of Yena wrong from the beginning?

She couldn’t help but have negative thoughts, as she had never seen the head maid struggling so much before.

“I will definitely uncover everything and report to you.”

Seeing Rina’s expression, Helena affirmed again.

That she would never disappoint her.

She absolutely couldn’t say that all plans had fallen through after being caught tailing Yena, and that she could no longer investigate her.

Even the information she had managed to find out,

That there was a huge power behind her.

If she said she hadn’t found out anything, Lady Rina would be disheartened, and if she revealed that Yena had a backing force, she was certain there would be harm.

Yena,

Because she had made a promise with that girl.

Yena’s words that she would expose to the principal that she was being monitored if even one piece of information about her was spread──

Because of this absolute warning, she couldn’t open her mouth carelessly.

‘How pathetic…’

Helena bit her lower lip in self-reproach.

She hated her weak self that couldn’t respond at all.

She hated herself so much for being careless enough to be caught by Yena.

After the head of the family was deposed in the past and left Lady Rina alone, she had vowed never to bring unhappiness again, but now she had broken that promise.

‘She must have been very lonely.’

Even now, recalling that time made her chest tight.

Guilt pervaded her whole body.

The memory of leaving Lady Rina in the Empire while helping His Majesty’s exile to the Kingdom of Holland was still vivid.

The memory of fleeing, leaving her alone without any guardian.

Helena blamed herself.

While all members of the imperial family left due to the angry public sentiment, only Lady Rina couldn’t leave the Empire.

Because she was the family’s only awakened one.

She had to leave her behind with His Majesty’s order to remain here, become a magic officer, and plan for the future.

‘No, that’s just shallow justification.’

She should have stayed together.

She should have remained in the Empire to serve Lady Rina.

It was just an excuse──

Saying she had no choice but to leave Lady Rina behind, saying she could only come to see her after several years, were all just excuses.

‘How hard must it have been for her?’

She suddenly became all alone.

All she had was probably just a house and a little money left by His Majesty.

Until she re-entered the Empire and met Lady Rina after a long time, when public sentiment had somewhat stabilized…

She couldn’t even imagine the hardships she must have gone through.

That’s probably why her personality changed.

In the past, Lady Rina was always bright and cheerful.

But she changed.

Colder and more aloof than anyone.

The image of the girl who always greeted her with a smiling face, happily envisioning the future and being kind to others, was now gone.

She must have adapted.

To the fierce and cold wild society.

‘I can’t make her suffer anymore.’

Grip─!

Helena clutched the hem of her maid’s skirt.

Tightly, as if representing her state of mind.

Wasn’t this enough retribution?

That’s why she was trying her best to meet Lady Rina’s expectations, and why she was making efforts not to cause harm even while making unreasonable deals with Yena.

She had already committed many sins.

From the day she resumed her role as head maid, shouldn’t she fulfill Lady Rina’s wishes…

“You may go now.”

Finally, Rina gestured──

Helena bowed to her as she lay down on the bed.

“Then, take care.”

And she stepped out of the room.

Creak─!

To solve all of this, she first had to complete the investigation on Wolf,

And by handing over all that material to Yena, to overcome all problems related to Lady Rina.

---

“The lower abdomen is its weak point.”

“O-Okay!”

In the dusky evening as twilight settled.

Even as curfew time approached, Erika and I didn’t leave the building.

“Grrrr, grrr──!”

“W-Waaah!”

To be precise, the monster combat training ground.

Bang, crash!

I observed Erika fighting chaotically with a big-horned wolf while leaning against the wall.

It was already a mess.

The floor was splattered with monster blood and ice chunks, and Erika’s body had been covered in sticky bloodstains for a while.

“Not bad…”

But the more I watched this messy scene, the more exclamations came out.

Erika’s movements were quite impressive.

The cadet who looked naive as if everything was her first time was no longer visible.

Her skills had become excellent.

“Hyah!”

Crack!

“Gr-Grrrk…”

Isn’t she able to take down a monster without any problem?

She showed performance that could be said to be in the upper ranks of the class. It was a moment when all the teaching so far shone.

I’m proud.

I smiled with my eyes while folding my arms.

Isn’t it beautiful?

The girl who always seemed to be lacking something now showed outstanding capabilities, and that was due to my help.

Is this how an instructor feels?

Seeing Erika grow made a corner of my heart warm.

“Huff, huff. I finished it all, Yena!”

“Well done.”

I handed her a towel as soon as she came.

Erika immediately took it and wiped off the bloodstains smeared on her face.

“But how did you know about a place like this, Yena? Even the instructor didn’t tell us, and none of the cadets knew…”

“I heard the researchers talking about it yesterday.”

“Ah, I see.”

I smiled gently at Erika, who tilted her head with round eyes.

It became a fact that only I knew by chance.

Not a single cadet knew that they could use the monster training ground personally.

It was quite understandable.

The facility was so deep underground.

To use this place, you had to talk to the Research Director separately, but it seemed no one did that.

It was an unintended gain.

Of course, after tomorrow’s training, everyone will know that they can use this facility, so it won’t mean much, but

“So how was it facing monsters?”

“Their appearance is scary, but it seems doable!”

“I see.”

“Y-Yes, Yena helped too! After just fighting randomly and then hearing about the weak points, I could win more easily when I fought again.”

Isn’t the difference stark between those who have faced monsters beforehand and those who haven’t?

Right in the middle of the monster elimination training that will start tomorrow, the instructors will be giving evaluation scores…

The difference in skills between a cadet who knows the monsters’ vital points and has already fought with them once, and a cadet who hasn’t, would be clear.

Of course, the scores could also differ greatly.

“Anyway, thank you, Yena! For teaching me again today.”

“It’s nothing, we’re comrades.”

“I’ve been feeling this lately, but somehow your lessons seem more helpful than the instructor’s!”

“I see.”

Of course, it should be.

How many years have I rolled on the frontlines?

Pat, pat─

“Anyway, you did well today too.”

“Hehe…”

I gently smiled while patting Erika’s now clean head a couple of times.

Hoping she would continue to follow me like this in the future.

With a few years left before the outbreak of the Great War, I intended to make Erika stronger and more superior than anyone else.

Because she was my first comrade.

Isn’t that why I brought her to this training ground, teaching only Erika while setting aside everyone else?

“Um, but Yena. Aren’t you worried about tomorrow’s training?”

“Why?”

“You have to train with Wolf, who you’re on really bad terms with… and Rina, who has a really cold personality. I think something might happen…”

“It’s okay, don’t worry. We’ve managed well so far, haven’t we?”

“I-I guess so?”

And you’re here as a safeguard…

I swallowed the last words while patting Erika’s shoulder.

But those inner thoughts were sincere.

If any troublesome incident were to occur, I fully intended to use this child.

Isn’t that what comrades are for?

Erika’s talent wasn’t bad either.

Rather, it was excellent.

She was of the same grade as Wolf.

Moreover, due to my education so far, her combat skills were outstanding as well.

There was no reason not to use her.

To be honest, that was the purpose for which I became friends with Erika.

If Wolf or Rina were to pick a fight?

When it’s awkward for me to step in or I think it’s not the right time, I’ll counter them through Erika.

Though that’s unlikely to happen.

I didn’t think at all that things would escalate to such an extreme situation.

I considered the possibility very low.

What brainless idiot would do such a thing during the joint training period where teamwork between team members is primarily evaluated?

Unless they’re completely ignorant, it absolutely wouldn’t happen.

Still, I wasn’t careless.

There was always a possibility.

That’s why I trained and honed my abilities every day without fail, isn’t it?

As a result,

Crunch─!

I doubled the time I could sustain magic.

…It really increased a lot.

The amount of mana flowing through my body was different from the entrance ceremony.

It was incomparable.

That’s good.

“Then we’ll be going now.”

I spoke towards the communication device located above my head while smiling slightly.

Now we had to return to our quarters.

The curfew time was approaching.

I had successfully taught Erika up to the point I had planned. There was no reason to stay here any longer.

─Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow. Good work.

A deep voice was heard from the loudspeaker.

When I raised my gaze…

I saw Serty waving his hand enthusiastically.

Bow─

I gave him a light bow and then turned around.

“Erika, did you pack all your clothes?”

“Yes!”

“Then let’s go.”

And I moved my steps.

Click─! Click─!

Now, if we just sleep, tomorrow will come──

Looking forward to what various things will happen in the monster elimination training.