On the Way
The sound of birds singing draws my attention. I look out the window, seeing that a new dawn is approaching. The sun begins to rise, transforming the dark sky into a golden one, full of power.
I feel the warmth entering my body, bathing me with energy and calm.
I look at my notes; I step closer, grab a candle, and burn them completely.
"The plans are done and memorized." I smile, grab the necklace, and bring it to my lips, giving it a big kiss. "Good morning, my Betty."
I start walking to the bathroom. However, I notice that the doors to both Rem and Otto's rooms are open. I open the door to Ram's room, seeing that she's still in the same state.
'Her mana seems to have recovered a bit more.' Ram's mana is pink, and it's a bit strange for it to have color, but I guess it's a similar situation to Garfield; there's great power inside her.
But I'm glad to see she's recovering.
"Good morning, Ram."
…
I close my eyes and head to the bathroom.
I'll be alone now since everyone will slowly drift away. Only Luan, Crusch, Emilia, and I remain. I'm not sure what they'll decide, but I doubt staying is an option for Crusch or Luan.
But there's nothing to regret.
Everything keeps moving; I must accept the changes and be grateful for a new day.
As I leave, I notice someone waiting. Luan looks at me with her crimson eyes, a smile on her face, and her snow-white hair slightly tousled.
"Good morning, General," she greets formally, as expected of her.
"Good morning. Enjoy your bath."
I worry about Luan's mental health. During the fight against Roswaal, there were moments when she showed immense power; it was Luan who caused the most damage. The fire she can unleash when she's furious, that fire charged with mana I'd never felt before...
The mystery surrounding the origin of her power only continues to grow, but more than her power, Luan is still just a girl who was forced to mature.
'It's almost as if she's a protagonist who must discover her origin to become a hero.' I haven't read much about those types of stories, but they're pretty common.
I worry about her mind, but honestly, there's nothing I can do about it now.
After getting ready, I meet Emilia. We both enjoy breakfast while chatting a bit.
"Do you want to go to the Brotherhood guild headquarters?" I ask, and she nods with a smile.
"I want to know a bit about their current situation since they haven't been able to come because of the trial." Her gaze shifts to her little bowl of soup. "I know it's not the best time, but..."
I shake my head.
"No, it's a good idea." My words make Emilia's eyes shine, and with that, I smile.
The plan to win the trial is already underway. Each one must follow a role, as from now on, we're in a play. We all must act, and I, as both the director and an actor, have to ensure they perform their parts perfectly.
"Emilia, what do you think is more honest: physical strength or words?"
Emilia looks at me, surprised by my question, and her gaze drifts off into the horizon as she thinks.
"Words?" she answers, and I nod.
Certainly, while physical strength can clearly convey one's feelings about something, it's not always that simple. Just like words, it depends on the point of view and how each person defines it.
Words can be more honest.
"And what can be more dishonest?"
Her gaze drops.
"Words." She finishes her dish, and I look out the window.
"Words encompass all nuances, including both extremes." I smile, realizing that to overcome this situation, we need to make use of words. "Being dishonest within honesty, just as being honest within dishonesty. If we want to get through this, we have to lie for everyone's sake, you understand?"
Emilia is a very honest person; to her, words are valued by their honesty, whether they're good or bad. In a ruler, that's not necessarily a good trait, because the role of a ruler is to keep the people alive and satisfied.
That's why a ruler must know how to act since, in the face of adversity, they must solve everything without anyone noticing the problem.
The problem is that the little one in front of me is terrible at lying.
"Emilia, do you remember the first time you tried to speak? When your words wouldn't come out, and you were nervous." She nods, so I point at her. "I need you to express yourself the same way, as if you didn't fully understand the situation."
"Huh?" Emilia's look makes me smile. Normally, we'd consider showing confidence to win the trial, presenting our points, and making it clear we won't bend to anything.
In politics, which doesn't always work; it depends on the power each person holds.
"This is part of your training as a ruler; I don't want you to lie, I just want you to act insecure and fearful."
She pouts a little, twirling her hair around her finger while looking at me with puppy eyes. I know she doesn't trust her acting skills, and honestly, she has every right not to; she's terrible at it.
It's partly my fault she feels this way.
"Don't worry, I'll explain the plan to you on our way to the capital."
Emilia is very honest, but a little dishonesty in her honesty will make her a better ruler.
"As I said, you just need to be dishonest in your honesty; you won't lie, because everyone will interpret you as they wish." I smile, and she nods slightly.
With that, I've completed the first part. Now, the next step is to ensure the person who'll have the most dangerous job of all. I wait for a moment at the entrance of the mansion, and my gaze settles on him.
His blond hair starts to glow in the sunlight as he approaches, his angry and downcast expression making it clear he still hasn't gotten over it. He's just a kid, a little boy who bears the burden of becoming the strongest.
To achieve that, I need to guide him.
"What d'ya want?" He scratches his head a bit, spitting on the ground and looking elsewhere.
He almost died trying to save Ram and was also brutally defeated by Roswaal when we combined forces. Right now, he's not only down because he lost but also because of Ram's condition.
"We're going to the capital. As the General, I have your first assignment." I smile, and he grimaces in disgust.
He spits on the ground again, stepping closer and glaring at me with annoyance. "Do you really think I'll just leave her alone?" he asks, and I nod immediately.
Garfield is incredibly sensitive; his emotions are as explosive as Luan's. It's one of his strengths, as long as he uses it to his advantage.
"Are you going to keep running away?" My question catches him off guard.
"You!" He grabs my suit, staring directly into my eyes with a look of irritation.
It's hard to push him when I know he needs to rest, but there's no other choice. Garfield has to do this, especially since no one knows him yet.
"Don't you want to be the strongest in the world?" I ask, gently removing his hands. "You've been defeated twice. There's a monster in the capital that could take you down without even taking a step."
"The Sword Saint?" he asks, and I nod right away.
"You don't stand a chance. Not even Roswaal could beat him." Reinhard is an impenetrable wall.
But strength means nothing if you can't wield it properly.
"Garfield, you want to be the strongest, and I promised I'd help you with that." I look at him seriously, extending my fist. "I'll make sure you face challenges that test your strength. Sometimes you'll lose, other times you'll win."
He isn't the strongest now, but he will be.
"There's no point in just believing you're the strongest. That's impurity for fighters like us." My heart clenches as I remember the fight against Flynn. "When I fought against a very strong opponent, I thought I was stronger. No... I was. I was stronger; I had everything going for me. But my arrogance was what made me lose."
I clench my fists, holding Garfield's gaze.
"And because of that, many lives were affected." I clutch my collar.
Garfield's eyes widen, and for a moment, he looks down at the ground. His hands tighten, the veins in his arms nearly popping.
"But I didn't give up. And that's why I'll be stronger now." I bump my fist against his chest, offering a smile. "You're weak, and because you're weak, you have to fight with your head and your fists. The strength of the weak can surpass the strength of the strong. The best steel is forged using impurities, and only when they're removed can you truly appreciate its potential."
His mouth opens slightly, his sharp teeth revealing a smile. Garfield is who he is because he believed he was stronger than everyone else. The problem is, that same belief prevents him from becoming even stronger.
'I'll give him the push he needs.'
He closes his eyes, thinking deeply.
"Are you going to let me beat you again?" My question makes him grimace in annoyance, staring at me with arrogance.
"I was the one who won. My amazing self will keep getting stronger until I leave you behind..." His smile tells me he's ready to act, ready to move forward. "General."
We bump fists, determined to move forward no matter what. There's no room to stop because the world won't wait for us.
'Another preparation complete.'
I quickly head to the town with Garfield. We reach the military base, where the squad is repairing the carriages. Alsten is still organizing everything; it looks like they're ready to leave.
"This is awesome!" Garfield exclaims, looking around the base with bright eyes. He stares at the squad in their military uniforms with excitement, even though they're just organizing things. "Did you bring me here to see this?"
I'd like to say yes, but I shake my head, grinning from ear to ear.
"I brought you here for something else." We both walk to a more secluded area of the military base. We reach the shooting range, which extends for nearly a hundred meters.
This is the first field that was built, but it works perfectly. Straw sacks shaped like humans, small hanging targets, steel circles for shooting—there are all kinds of targets for training.
"You're going to face strong enemies, enemies that will test your strength." I see him smile at the thought, so I walk to the table and take a small box in my hands.
I open it in front of him, revealing a shiny Desert Eagle, engraved in steel. His eyes widen as he looks at me, silently asking for permission to take it.
"I know you're strong, but remember, the strength of the weak lies in being prepared." I stare at him seriously, and, ignoring me completely, he grabs the gun and looks at it with excitement.
Garfield seems more thrilled than I expected. I knew he liked guns when he played with mine, but not to this extent.
"Now, let me explain something." I take two magazines, one made of black iron and the other of steel. "These two magazines are different and have different uses. The first one is normal. You'll have a few extra of these."
I then look at him seriously.
"The second one is for the Witch Cult," he states confidently.
I smile, seeing that he did pay attention when I explained how to fight against the cult.
"The Yang bullets made by our group of mages are special for clearing miasma and inflicting severe wounds on cultists."
Their cost is much higher than the others, which is why they aren't as abundant.
"The steel coating is to protect the user from the bullets' activation." For now, we can't prevent the chain reaction that occurs when they're used.
The Yang bullets have a significant flaw: when the user activates them with mana, they all react, heating up immensely and radiating energy in all directions.
Steel minimizes these effects, containing the energy inside, but it still tends to get quite hot. The way to counteract this is by using an opposing magic to counter the heat.
I haven't found a way to prevent these effects yet, but I'm sure I'll improve them in the future.
"Now, let me teach you how to aim properly." I strap a holster around Garfield, positioning him. "The point is to make sure it doesn't fall off. It won't break when you transform, but it will definitely fall off when you remove your transformation."
I wasn't prepared for this, so this is the best I could request. It's just an expandable zipper. When his transformation ends, it'll fall off, meaning he won't have it at hand if he needs it.
For an hour, I taught him the basic things I hadn't explained before. Garfield's ability to learn made everything easier.
"The art of drawing a gun is the same as drawing a sword. If you want an advantage, you shouldn't pull the gun out of its holster." I place my hand on the gun, crouching slightly but not moving my arms from their position. The moment the gun leaves, I aim at a target and shoot. "The art of drawing lies in removing the holster from the gun."
The body's synchronized movement guides us. The quickest preparation to draw comes from the body's acceleration as it descends.
After teaching him how to reload, I step back, leaving him to practice before we head out.
Now, there's just one last person to visit to finalize the preparations. I head to my office, and as I open the door, I'm greeted with a smile. But before I can even speak, I see crystal flying toward me.
"Take that."
"This?" I say, noticing that it's the same glintstone Otto had, the one Beatrice had been hiding earlier. "Should I take it?"
Echidna nods, and I slip it into my pocket. I doubt she'd mention it if it wasn't important, but she doesn't seem inclined to explain either. This must be part of the future, she knows, the connections she made during Emilia's trial.
'A future that might happen.'
"Before you say anything, I have a warning for you." Echidna's expression changes, her gaze darkening to the point that it makes me swallow hard. "The Sloth Gene. I advise you not to use it."
"Huh?" I look at her, confused. She didn't mention this yesterday.
"Judging by how your gate is recovering, I don't think it can manage the burden of using the gene, especially now that you've attached it to your body." Echidna stands up, handing me what I came to retrieve. "If you use it, I can't guarantee your body or mind will withstand it. It's not a power that an ordinary human can endure."
"Even if I'm a sage?" Cold sweat runs down my forehead as I check that everything is in place.
Her hand touches my chest, and with that, a blue light starts to spread throughout the room. After a few seconds, she lets out a long sigh, as if silently telling me I have no hope.
"I thought the sage's body would be more efficient." She crosses her arms, smiling at me. "At this rate, it'll take you weeks to recover. I don't recommend using magic or genes, even if you have mana in your body. Your gate might seem sturdy on the outside, but it's chaos on the inside. Any interaction could destroy it and kill you."
Emilia said everything was fine; she checked me out yesterday too.
"Your recovery rate is lower than expected, which is why I couldn't tell you this yesterday." Echidna extends her hand toward me with a smile. "I was hoping to see how you'd progress, Master."
With her magic, she creates a hologram. It's more like she's projecting a video, an animation of my gate right in front of me. I stare in awe, but what I see isn't good.
'It's about to shatter.' Like a crystal on the brink of destruction. It looks completely solid, but any moment now, it'll explode, and everything inside will hit me.
"You used too many spells, and you overused your gene. Your body held up thanks to your mana control and the miasma itself, but your gate took a huge hit."
Her smile catches my eye, and then the spell vanishes. I grab the leather pouch with my things and turn around.
"You'll be nothing more than human. As your servant, I don't want my master to die, so you must take care of yourself. Your knowledge is still in your head, after all."
I give her a smile, appreciating her advice.
"Well, then, I'll take care of myself." I close my eyes for a few seconds, then turn my head to glance at her. "To overcome this, I won't need my power."
I leave the room, feeling prepared. The soldiers are escorting Erick to his mobile prison. At first, he's scared, but soon, his eyes burn with contained rage. The soldiers are ready, but there's something off about one of them.
Someone with a look of absolute disgust.
"Colonel Alsten, are you alright?" I ask, concerned, but he simply gives me a military salute.
His eyes are dark, and the bags under them tell me he hasn't slept. I'd say there's a problem, but it's actually quite normal. One of the reasons I can sleep is because Emilia helps me with her magic.
Without her, I'd definitely have nightmares.
Nightmares born from my regrets.
"I'm in perfect condition, General!" Alsten looks me straight in the eyes, but all I see is pure rage, a burning fire seeking revenge. "With your permission, General, I'll be taking my leave!"
Alsten stomps his foot and finishes organizing everything to board.
Right then, someone tugs on the back of my uniform.
"Luan, what are you doing here?" I ask. She looks at me, exhausted.
In a hoarse voice, as if she barely has the energy to speak, Luan responds, "I came to wish you a safe journey." She stares at the ground, clenching her hands.
'Sometimes, I forget she's just a kid.' Sure, she's an adult in her own right, but it wasn't until recently that she left her home, losing everything. That kind of pain doesn't just go away.
As someone who also lost everything once, I understand.
"Thank you. Your words give me strength." I place my hand on her head, gently stroking her hair.
The tips of her hair turn red; embers start to flicker, and the chilly air warms up in an instant. She closes her eyes and presses her lips together, making me regret having touched her.
'Damn it, I have no way to defend myself against that!' I try to pull away, but she grabs my arm.
"That's not what I meant." She looks at me intently, her crimson eyes glowing. "Miss Emilia said you're an idiot when it matters most."
"What?"
Her flustered, angry expression makes me realize immediately. My experience with sibling interactions did me no favors.
'Ugh… being called dense is not something I was expecting.'
Before, she would have gotten mad, but I guess now that she knows about my past, we're more connected. We both lost everything and are starting over. Luan has an unknown power, just like she must discover it along with her family's past.
"Ahem!" I cough lightly, clearing my throat. "Doesn't matter. At least I got to see you a bit better before leaving."
I smile, and she opens her eyes. Tears threaten to fall, but she holds them back. I hug her with one arm, giving her warmth her power can't provide.
"You've got it rough, but remember, there are many people who love you." She hugs me tightly, and we stay like that for a few seconds. "I know it won't be easy to overcome, but even if it's hard, you'll make it. You're the second strongest person I know, and I feel lucky to know you."
In her, I find a different kind of comfort, as if we've known each other for a long time.
As if our situation had woven a white thread that connects us.
"Thank you. I didn't want to bother you earlier when you were feeling down. Crusch and Emilia insisted I come, but I wasn't sure since you were really busy."
'She's considerate. I bet she has many admirers in the army.'
I grit my teeth, feeling a warm aura emanating from me. A contained rage inside me, the idea that someone might take her away drives me mad.
'They'll have to walk over my corpse, then over my soul before they even think about looking at her.'
"What are you thinking?" Luan looks at me with a doubtful expression, seeing my angry face.
I grind back, staring at her.
"I imagined something I shouldn't have, sorry."
She pulls away, bowing slightly and heading toward the soldiers who are already leaving.
"You owe me some ice cream when we meet." Luan looks at me with a smile, and I nod in response.
I didn't expect this.
I look at my hands, clenching them tightly, forcing my resolve to grow.
Once everything is ready, Emilia and I board the balloon.
A squadron in a carriage; Crusch driving it, ready to attack at any moment. Another carriage with ropes follows behind, its steel layers painted with mud and leaves to appear less conspicuous.
The mobile prison is the safest part of this operation, but in this world where magic can make the impossible possible...
"Anything could happen." The wind stirs my hair, and Emilia looks around with excitement.
She had only ridden the balloon because of Irlam, so this is an incredible experience for her.
"Look, Marco!" She pulls me excitedly, her smile blooming and glowing in the sunlight. Her pointed ears twitch with excitement, her eyes shimmering with joy. "It looks so close!"
Emilia reaches out, trying to grab one of the leaves from the Flugel tree.
From this height, it might be possible, but we're still several meters away. While to my right, I can see all of Lugunica and beyond, to my left, all I see are green leaves, with various birds living within them.
"You're going to fall." I hold her firmly, smiling as I watch her excitement.
"If you hold me tighter, I'd never fall." Emilia looks at me, and in those puppy-like eyes, I can see she's just imagined something completely reckless.
She grabs my shoulders. "Look, before we leave—"
My attention is caught by a golden glimmer coming from deep within the leaves. A powerful, sharp mana that feels like it's cutting my cheeks. I squint, trying to see what it is.
"Emilia, before you tell me how to kill yourself, can you look at the tree?" She turns, looking annoyed. "Can you see that shine?"
Emilia stares intently, but then she quickly shrugs.
"There's nothing there. Were you just trying to change the subject?" Emilia pouts, and at that moment, we leave the Flugel tree behind. "Ah! You wanted me to miss my chance!"
'I need to investigate, that shine wasn't normal.'
Emilia taps my chest lightly, pouting like a child. For a moment, I think of Betty, but I quickly grab Emilia's wrists.
I smile slightly, looking at her a bit amazed.
"Hmph!" She turns her head, looking up at the sky. "I'm doing my job."
She stretches out her hand, and that's when I notice.
She just did a mana sweep.
From this height? I watch in horror as she wastes her mana, but I'm even more stunned by the type of spell she's casting.
"Ice Art, Mist Radar," she says proudly, puffing out her chest and looking at me as if I'm a rookie with less than a year's experience in magic.
"I didn't know how to explain it yet, which is why I hadn't tried it until now." She looks seriously down. "I sensed it once while healing."
Then she starts explaining:
It was when she was on guard after healing many people. She was exhausted, but that's when her mana lost a bit of control. The cold spread through the room, and her companions got scared, saying they felt her presence right next to them for a second.
"In the same way I can heal by extending my hands, I tried to gradually extend that reach." We're hundreds of meters in the air, but when she stretches out her hand, I can feel it, I can see her reach.
It perfectly covers a kilometer radius. Even for her, this is amazing.
'When did she improve so much?' As I look at her face, I can tell it was a surprise, but even so, this isn't just any ordinary thing.
"I can heal from almost a meter away, but this is different." She places her hands on the balloon's basket, looking at the carriages. "Healing magic can locate sources of life the same way it identifies the target to heal. The only problem is that I have to concentrate a lot, and there have to be as few obstacles as possible."
It makes sense, actually, a lot of sense. The problem is that even if you think about doing it, I don't think it's that simple. Only someone with a monstrous mana reserve could do it this way.
"You're incredible." I smile, looking at Emilia, feeling incredible admiration. The fact that she discovered this fills me with longing.
"It's like a frequency signal; you just have to send it out in pulses." I look at her, feeling a burning warmth inside me. She looks at me, and I slowly approach her. "Like you... taught me, I used a bit of... Marco?"
I'm right in front of her, watching her.
"Were you always this smart?" I take her cheek, unable to look away. "You seem like a pro already."
She doesn't seem to understand what's happening, but quickly, she smiles at me.
"I am, actually." Our eyes don't look away, and I notice how her gaze softens a little. "That's why I can tell when you're nervous."
I smile slightly, knowing that it's something I understand very well.
"This nervousness that I never accepted before is what I need. I need to be prepared for everything, which is why I need to be nervous." I watch as the capital begins to look beautiful, so I point it out to get her to follow along. "Before, I thought I had to be perfect, like a robot. Now I'll embrace my emotions and use them to my advantage."
Emilia takes my hand, intertwining it with hers.
"Just promise me you won't put yourself in danger."
I shake my head because that's something I can't promise.
"We're already in danger, so I can't promise you that." I tighten my grip, filling myself with strength. "Everything will turn out fine! We'll all get through this together."
Even though I can say these words, even though I can believe them, deep down...
I'm afraid, afraid of my second-to-last chance.
In her arms, I must find the strength to move forward. While I hold her, while I warm myself with her heat, as we draw closer and closer.
"We'll overcome everything."
I fear our enemies because their strength is something we don't have.
But it's something we must overcome.