Chapter 203 : Chapter 203

Chapter 203 : Eyes Opened (1)

Thus, ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Rain was firmly caught in Khan’s full-fledged rehabilitation program…… Or rather, his livestock-rearing program, and decided to refrain from going outside for the time being.

Of ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍course, since he also had to exercise as much as he ate, he would go out late in the day to loosen up.

Even ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍so, there was one unavoidable obligation for the boy with the gloomy impression.

“Now ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that I have returned to Archenia Academy, I must pay my respects to Her Highness the Princess.”

That ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍obligation was to call upon Regina, the First Princess of the Abellon Empire.

As ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍she was both his patron and, in a sense, his partner, etiquette required him to show his face at least once. He also needed to report on everything Rain had experienced so far.

“Hmm.”

A matter concerning the Princess.

“Certainly, that cannot be helped.”

This was not something even Khan, who insisted that Rain should prioritize his health and wait until he had recovered before becoming active again, could oppose.

‘Well, I do not know for certain, but Her Highness does not seem like the kind of person who would worry herself sick over Mr. Rain’s appearance…….’

His personal assessment of Regina had also contributed to that decision.

‘It will probably be fine.’

That was why he had thought so.

However,

“……Huh.”

“Why is that?”

The instant Khan thought, It will probably be fine, his wild intuition flashed as though warning him.

Could the very thought that it would probably be fine be an omen that something was about to happen?

“It is nothing…….”

Of course, even so, there was no way for him to dissuade Rain.

‘This is a bad feeling…….’

Only an uneasy sensation lingered in his mind.

I prided myself on living a life so busy that I barely had a moment to breathe, but that was nothing to boast about before First Princess Regina.

The world of war she walked through was another kind of battlefield, and above all, she was the head of a faction and a contender for the imperial throne.

Setting physical fatigue aside, her mental exhaustion would not be inferior to mine.

When I considered that…… I could only marvel at her, excelling in both her public duties and her studies.

‘The pressure of knowing that neither can be half-hearted must be immense.’

In order not to be obscured by the shadow of her elder brother and rival, Claudio, who was said to be nearly superhuman in every respect, how much bone-grinding effort must she have put in?

She was no ordinary person herself, but that did not make it easy.

I could respect her way of life and even say that I admired it.

I meant that sincerely. Quite apart from her wicked disposition.

In any case, for that reason, I did not want meeting me to become a burden on her.

So, when I informed Aisa, the Princess’s Guard Knight, of my return to Archenia Academy and discussed an audience with the Princess.

“I know that Her Highness is busy with public and private affairs, so please tell her to summon me whenever it is convenient for her.”

That was what I said.

Well. It was only natural to prioritize her side when one considered her position as a Princess, but personal feelings were involved as well.

However, Aisa’s response to that was.

“You will probably be able to have an audience today, Young Master.”

It was a statement spoken almost with certainty, as though she were saying something obvious.

“……Do you think so?”

“Yes. Has it not always been that way?”

“That is true, but I thought her schedule might have become tighter lately.”

“That is true as well…… But even taking that into account.”

Seeing that I was still clearly puzzled, Aisa quietly added one more remark.

“You do not seem to know it, but Young Master is quite a high priority to Her Highness.”

“……I am honored to hear that.”

It could not help but seem like an unexpected statement.

The Aisa I had observed for nearly two years was absolutely not the sort of person to say such things lightly.

‘Is she that certain?’

Well, it was true that I had risen to a position where I could dare to call myself Regina’s most important force and partner.

We also shared the Crown Prince’s secret, one that no one else could know, and there were the results we had achieved so far.

Besides that,

‘Could personal rapport be another reason?’

Having spent time together and gone through several incidents, perhaps a sense of camaraderie had taken root between us as well.

When I considered what kind of person Regina was, thinking that way might itself have been her intention.

Well. What did it matter?

In any case, just as Aisa had said, I was able to have an audience with the Princess that very night.

Whenever I met Regina at Archenia Academy to talk, tea time accompanied it.

The place and time were always behind Aurora Hall at night, in the garden (flower garden) where white flowers bloomed in the moonlight.

Considering how she always insisted on this place and time, it was probably her preference.

-STEP.

I slowly crossed the path running through the center of the garden.

Toward the pure white hair that shone the same color as the garden’s white flowers, and the violet eyes that burned quietly beneath it.

-STEP.

And after standing before the Princess.

“It has been some time, Your Highness.”

I offered a light greeting, far removed from any warm rapport.

And Regina, too.

“Hehe, indeed. It has been so long, Young Master.”

She responded with that familiar smile of hers, carrying her characteristic ease.

……Or so I thought, but there was one somewhat puzzling point.

“How many months has it been-.”

At the end of that remark, the moment our eyes met.

“…….”

Regina suddenly opened her eyes wide and stared at me in silence.

“Your Highness?”

As though something had surprised her.

“……Ah, I was just counting. Has it been nearly six months?”

She quickly composed her disrupted expression and returned to her usual self.

“……That is right.”

Even so, she could not fool my eyes.

We had not talked for an especially long time, but we had still shared many conversations.

My understanding of her had also deepened because of Arche.

‘She was definitely surprised.’

And what other reason could there be for her to be surprised after seeing my face?

‘It must mean I look awful.’

Did I look that unwell, just as Khan had said?

I wondered whether I might fall out of her favor. Well, Regina was not someone who judged people by their appearance.

Usefulness alone was her criterion, so I could at least rest easy about that.

At the very least, I would not fall out of her favor for an irrational reason.

“……I apologize for showing you such an unsightly appearance. I am not in the best condition.”

“Not at all? You are simply handsome, that is all.”

I merely passed over that matter with light conversation.

“Then that is a relief.”

“Perhaps even more than usual…….”

“Pardon?”

“It is nothing~”

I thought I had heard something strange.

It was not something I needed to pay much attention to, though.

In any case, the conversation naturally continued afterward.

“Anyway…… Hehe, Young Master. I missed you, you know? I am not joking when I say each day felt like a thousand years.”

The first thing to come was a joke accompanied by her characteristic, seemingly artless smile.

“It is fortunate no one else can hear you.”

Regina occasionally made jokes like that. She seemed to enjoy seeing my stiff response.

“You are not taking me seriously. Do you wish to pay the price for dishonoring the Princess’s heart?”

“Please show mercy on that count…….”

Any noble who valued bloodline and origin would have been horrified to hear that, but Regina was not someone who cared about such things.

“Well- all right. Then you may atone for that grave sin by telling me tales of your exploits. Since it is a reunion after so long, I imagine we have much to discuss.”

“They will not be cheerful stories, but if you wish, I can tell you as much as you like.”

“Hehe, good. I feel happy because tonight seems as though it will be long.”

Regina rested her chin on her hand, gave me her characteristic smiling eyes, and brought the exchange to a close.

“Tonight will be a romantic night, Young Master.”

A romantic night.

The thing we would do on that romantic night was discuss matters connected to a cold reality, without even a handful of sentiment…… Yet she was still the sort to phrase it this way.

Her characteristic, perversely ironic manner.

Seeing it again after so long, I could only find it rather welcome.

What followed was my report on the movements of 『Ad Astra』 that I had learned of while traveling through battlefields over the previous several months.

“Overall, their actions are becoming blatantly more violent. I have personally witnessed eight instances of activity by splinter Cultist groups, as well as the artificial stimulation of Monsters…….”

Yes. Their threats were shockingly blatant.

They aggravated the wounds beneath society to provoke war, brought about disasters, unleashed powerful Monsters, and so on.

‘It is not as though they do not know that the more they do this, the easier it will be to catch them by the tail.’

At least as far as I knew, 『Ad Astra』 was not foolish. Nor was it a group composed of mere nobodies.

The cunning represented by Claudio, a man without equal in the field of schemes, would not have grown dull.

‘But for what purpose?’

I could only make a rough guess about that.

Grændal and Gabriel were dead. Salvatio could no longer recover.

With their strength greatly weakened, were they planning to respond by causing even greater chaos?

“Well, it is not bad for us. We could say that the evidence to accuse our noble elder brother is steadily increasing, could we not?”

As Regina said, it was not a bad development for us, so we would have to watch and see.

My encounter with Robelia also needed to be addressed as an important matter.

“A sudden growth in Mana, and a mental attack……?”

“Yes. It was growth beyond the bounds of common sense.”

“Hm…….”

She was not only a daughter of the Duchy of Enlight, a leading house of the Crown Prince’s Faction. Above all, she was Claudio Renart Abellon’s fiancée.

Information such as the means by which she had obtained that power and what her intention was remained veiled for now…… Which made her someone we had to watch even more closely.

“We will need to find information on when the growth in her Mana began.”

“Please do.”

Naturally, I did not tell Regina about what had happened between Robelia and the Original Rain Enlight.

‘It is a problem I need to solve myself, and there is no need to reveal my weakness.’

Regina would not try to know more deeply, either. If I said that I needed something, she would provide it.

That was our way, and another form of trust.

Well, that was about all I had to report. It sounded brief when summarized, but I had also given detailed accounts of what I had experienced, so it must have taken quite some time.

It had been a long time since I had spoken with Regina like this, but nothing felt awkward or uncomfortable.

Even as we discussed bleak matters, she made her characteristic grim jokes as though she were enjoying herself, and I either played along or rebuked her.

It was exactly like the memories I could recall from the time we had often spent together not so long ago.

However…….

‘There is one thing bothering me.’

And that bothersome point was Regina’s gaze.

Normally, if one considered that she was listening to such stories and that I looked awful, one might assume that she was avoiding looking at me too much.

The problem was the opposite.

‘……Her gaze is too persistent.’

We were in the middle of a conversation, but it felt as though she was staring at me more intently than the Regina I remembered…….

……Was it my imagination?

Then again, there was no reason for her gaze to become so firmly fixed on me.

Rather, my current appearance should have been something that made people look away.

It was probably excessive self-consciousness.

After dismissing those stray thoughts, I looked at Regina. She had turned her head toward the attendant pouring tea into her empty cup.

‘It must be my imagination.’

Yes. That was what I thought, but then…… I noticed it.

Through the narrow gap between her eyes, which drew a thin arc as she smiled, her violet irises were looking at me from the corner of her eyes.

“…….”

It did not seem to have been my imagination.

I had no idea why, though…….