Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? - Volume 25 - Chapter 1

The Truth Behind Signaltin

Saturday, December 4th

The Reborn Forthorthian Army’s next goal was to get a lead on DKI and Darkness Rainbow. It would be a necessary step to preventing Vandarion’s side from launching surprise attacks using magic, which would be critical to ensuring their continued success and safety. Defending an entire army from such ambushes was far too much for just Yurika, Maki, and Nana.

But in order to proceed, it meant that Koutarou and the others would need to leave the planet. They didn’t think Elexis and his allies would show their faces on Alaia again. And so finding them or more information on them would mean going elsewhere in the Forthorthian solar system—likely to Planet Forthorthe, home to DKI headquarters. But before the army could get back into space, they needed to seize the military bases around the spaceport and gain control of the airspace and orbits above it. Koutarou and the others were currently in the middle of putting the final touches on that.

“Hey, Koutarou.”

A hologram of Theia’s face appeared before Koutarou. She looked rather unhappy, so Koutarou put down the luggage he was carrying. Something told him Theia was more important than transporting supplies right now.

“What?”

The supplies Koutarou was carrying were materials for the construction of an outpost. He had been tasked with going out and building a temporary one as part of a larger operation.

“How long do you expect me to do this?”

“I know how you feel, but the enemy is less likely to attack with you waving that flag around.”

The area around the spaceport was almost fully under the control of the Reborn Forthorthian Army now. However, in the regions where they had yet to establish control, there was still the danger of the Imperial Army scrambling fighters or firing missiles, so the Reborn Forthorthian Army was constructing simple outposts near enemy bases to keep an eye on their movements. From there, they would be able to survey for sortied fighters or shoot down incoming projectiles. And since the Imperial Army knew there was no meaning in launching an attack that would be quashed immediately, observation outposts like these were even useful as a preventative measure in that they decreased the odds of an attack in the first place.

While the outposts were an important asset to the Reborn Forthorthian Army, the charge of their construction fell to those who couldn’t contribute much to the preparations for the journey into space. Namely Koutarou and Theia.

“Grrr... Then hurry it up!”

“As you wish, my princess.”

The division of labor was simple. Theia’s forces would provide defense from the sky while Koutarou’s forces actually constructed the outpost. However, even though Theia and her troops were on guard, the enemy wasn’t actually attacking. And with no real threat afoot, she had too much time on her hands. Koutarou smiled wryly at the increasingly anxious Theia while contemplating how strange it was that the Imperial Army hadn’t tried to interfere yet. And with that thought, he turned to his staff officer, Maki, who had come along with them.

“Don’t get me wrong, Aika-san. It’s a good thing that Theia’s got nothing to do, but... why isn’t the Imperial Army attacking? These are just simple outposts, but they shouldn’t be just letting us do as we please, right?”

“Well... I can think of three reasons for it,” Maki answered with a giggle. Having come from a pseudo-military organization like Darkness Rainbow, she had a certain insight into these matters. “The first is that they had no plans to attack to begin with. This is on the very edge of the airspace under their control.”

“I see. If that’s the case, there’s a high chance that the base commander is a local and would like to avoid fighting if possible.”

“Yes. For that or any number of other reasons, they may have never had any intention to attack. That’s one possible explanation as to why Theia-san has nothing to do.”

“That sounds plausible.”

The chances of the Imperial Army bases launching attacks on the planet’s spaceport was low. That was why the Reborn Forthorthian Army—or rather, Kiriha—had decided to construct temporary outposts in favor of attacking themselves. If the Imperial Army wasn’t willing to go after bigger targets like the spaceport, why would they even bother with small outposts? It would feel like a waste. Koutarou could understand that much.

“Then what about the other possibilities?” he asked.

“The second is something that Kiriha-san predicted, but there’s a chance that Vandarion’s side is pulling back.”

“What do you mean?”

“As our forces grow larger, it becomes harder and harder to protect each base.”

“I see. Because we all come in at the same time.”

Whereas the attacking forces only had to be focused and on their game while they were making a move, a typical disadvantage of being on the defensive was that it required constant vigilance. Moreover, the Imperial Army had a lot of bases to protect. Elfaria’s Reborn Forthorthian Army could choose any one of them and attack when it suited them. So while Vandarion might have superior numbers in his forces overall, the Reborn Forthorthian Army had them outnumbered when they moved on individual bases. It was ultimately an effect of public opinion shifting in Elfaria’s favor. The Reborn Forthorthian Army was growing by the day.

“That’s right. So they’re going to give up on protecting the entirety of Alaia and focus their forces elsewhere. They have the numbers, so they’ll want to find an opening and defeat Elfaria-san and Theia-san in a major, decisive battle.”

“So because protecting a big area is disadvantageous, they’re willingly giving it up so they can focus their forces on other things, huh?”

“At this rate, they’re fighting a losing battle here. It’s bad for reputation and morale.”

“Which means... that the base here only has a skeleton crew. They probably wouldn’t even have enough troops to attack if they wanted to.”

“Yes, that could very well be the case.”

It was possible Vandarion was cutting his losses on Alaia and moving most of his troops to new locations. It would leave the bases there undermanned, meaning that the Reborn Forthorthian Army would likely take most of them. But when that happened, it would put the onus of defending the bases on them, in turn making it easier for the Imperial Army to attack. As the Reborn Forthorthian Army was stretched thinner and thinner, it would only weaken their defenses, and that would include at the base where Elfaria and Theia stayed. In that state, the Imperial Army might be planning on finishing them off in one reckless but fell swoop. That could be the second reason they weren’t attacking just yet.

“Hmm, you might be right there. Then what about the third possibility?”

“Hehehe...”

As Koutarou asked about the last potential reason, Maki only answered with a laugh. Realizing Koutarou clearly didn’t understand what was so amusing to her, Maki tilted her head and put her hand on his chest.

“That would be you, Satomi-kun.”

“Me?”

“Yes. They’re afraid of you. If the Golden Princess is flying around above, surely the knight in blue armor is on the ground below. Could they possibly defeat the knight that took down a mechanical dragon? They probably wouldn’t dare attack. Especially not if they’re moving their forces too.”

Koutarou himself was the third reason. While the belief that the Blue Knight had returned won the hearts of the public, it struck fear into the hearts of the Imperial Army soldiers. Koutarou’s reputation preceded him at this point. He’d done more than enough to prove his strength. And the Imperial Army knew that. They weren’t foolish enough to pick a fight they couldn’t possibly win.

“If so, they’re overestimating me. I’m not all that impressive.”

“But your weakness is a secret only we know.”

“What a pathetic secret, really...”

The image of Harumi unconscious in the ICU popped into Koutarou’s mind. If he had been a little stronger, she might not have ended up like that. Having the Imperial Army fear him felt like a cruel irony.

“Even so, Satomi-kun... We’re all in this for you. No one else would do.”

Maki understood what was going on in Koutarou’s head. As she specialized in mind manipulation magic, she was especially sensitive to the moods of others. But that wasn’t the only reason. Her relationship with Koutarou was deep. She knew him well, and it was clear that Koutarou was upset about Harumi. That’s why Maki did her best to express her feelings and cheer him up.

“You all have bad taste. There are plenty of better men out there.”

“Those people won’t need us. We need you, who needs us, Satomi-kun.”

Koutarou had a big goal, and in order to accomplish that, he needed the help of Maki and the others. That made Maki happy. While she couldn’t exactly say it in the middle of a war and while Harumi was in the ICU, Maki wouldn’t trade the feeling of being needed by her beloved in his time of need for anything in the world.

On the flip side, Maki and the others needed Koutarou too. He understood those needs and provided for each of them. In Maki’s case, that was simply the warmth of others. And because he had given her that, she would choose him over any other man, no matter the circumstances. That was the essence of how she really felt.

“...That makes me feel a little better.”

“I’m happy to be of help. Hehehe...”

Koutarou sighed and a small smile appeared on his lips. Maki was trying to tell him that he wasn’t in a one-sided relationship. Things like needing each other were just part of the deal. Maki’s earnest words lifted a great weight from Koutarou’s shoulders. Sensing his relief, a smile returned to Maki’s face too. She was happy to know she was being useful.

“Sorry to interrupt when you’re having fun.”

That was when Theia’s hologram suddenly cut between Koutarou and Maki. It was enough to startle them both.

“Kyah!”

“Wh-What now?!”

“Could I trouble you to get back to building the outpost? How long do you expect me to fly around up here?”

Theia gave the two of them a dirty look. While keeping watch from the skies was draining, she also didn’t want to be left out.

“I’m sorry, Theia-san.”

“Yeah, sorry. So stop making that face. You’re wasting your good looks.”

“I won’t be fooled by flattery!”

Krsht!

Communications were abruptly cut. Theia then made a wide turn in the air and passed directly over Koutarou and Maki.

“Looks like she’s really angry now...”

“Hehehe! Oh Theia-san...”

Maki had realized something that Koutarou hadn’t. Theia’s last words were merely her way of hiding her embarrassment. In fact, Maki was probably the only one that could tell that rather than a sign of aggression, Theia’s aerial performance was a sign she was in a fantastic mood.

With construction of the outpost complete, Koutarou and company returned to base. They had only been in charge of the site deemed to have the highest risk of being attacked. And with their job done, the soldiers in charge of operating the temporary outpost had already gotten to work. Having returned in their stead, they would probably be given a new mission before too long.

“So how is Sakuraba-senpai?”

Once they returned, Koutarou and the others headed straight for the ICU where Harumi was. They met up with Clan on the way, who explained what was going on. Since she was the one in charge of treating Harumi, she had the best handle on the situation.

“She’s still unconscious, but her condition has stabilized.”

“She’s not going to stay asleep forever, is she?”

“I believe she’ll be fine. Sanae said that there was nothing abnormal with her brain waves, so we can be sure of that much,” explained Clan.

“Well, that’s a relief...” said Koutarou.

“Jeez,” Theia sighed.

“That’s great news,” Maki said with a faint smile.

While the three of them were visibly relieved, Clan still had a stern expression. She hadn’t told them everything yet.

“What is it, Clan?” Koutarou asked.

He’d realized she was acting strangely. As he looked at her and waited for an answer, she seemed to make up her mind about something, and then looked back at Koutarou with a serious look in her eyes.

“Actually, Veltlion, when I was examining Harumi, I came across a major problem.”

“A problem? What do you mean? Is Sakuraba-senpai in trouble?”

“That’s not what I mean. Like I said before, her condition is stable. But I’ve discovered how Harumi ended up like this, and it’s pretty complicated...”

“Tell me everything!”

Koutarou couldn’t stay quiet or sit idly by when it came to Harumi’s health. She’d always been an upperclassmen he respected, but in this situation, he knew he was the one that had put such strain on her. Because of that, the tone in his voice was more serious than usual.

“I was going to, of course, but I’d like to tell you when everyone’s together. It’s a problem that will affect us all going ahead.”

“Then let’s hurry.”

Koutarou anxiously rushed to the ICU. Everyone else should be waiting for them there, and they were most likely feeling the same way he did.

The ICU was in the back of the medical office. When he entered the facility, Koutarou could see Harumi lying on a bed through the glass window to the room where she was resting. She had an oxygen mask over her face and appeared to be in a deep slumber.

“Sakuraba-senpai!”

Seeing Harumi looking so frail, Koutarou instinctively called to her.

“Calm down, Satomi-kun. Sakuraba-senpai will wake up,” said Shizuka.

“S-Sorry...”

Shizuka’s words returned Koutarou to his senses. He was so focused on Harumi that he hadn’t even seen the other girls in the room. Shizuka had been the first to say anything to Koutarou, but everyone else was there too. Kiriha seemed to be deep in thought, Ruth was gently watching over Harumi, Yurika was helplessly in tears, and Sanae was by Harumi’s side, apparently sending her spiritual energy. In the corner of the room was Nana working away on a computer, accompanied by Elfaria, who had a rarely seen serious expression on her face. Each of them was worried for Harumi in their own way.

“It looks like everyone is here now,” said Clan, the last one to enter the room after Koutarou, Theia, and Maki.

Clack.

For some reason, Clan locked the sliding door behind her and then started doing something with the computer in the room.

“What are you doing, Clan?” Koutarou asked.

“What I’m about to share with you is confidential, so I’m taking the necessary precautions.”

Clan was serious. She’d shut the door so no one could overhear and was double checking the computer to make sure no one was recording anything in order to make sure their conversation wouldn’t leave the room.

“Is it that problematic?”

“Yes. It’s a serious problem. And a rather delicate one. That’s why I want to keep it between just us for the time being.”

After finishing up on the computer, Clan returned to the center of the room. Her expression was quite severe. She wasn’t happy about what she was about to tell everyone, but she knew that she needed to. Not as a scientist, but as Harumi’s friend.

“So keep that in mind. Please make sure this conversation doesn’t get outside of the people in this room right now.”

Clan turned to the group. She was about to tell them the truth. The truth behind the girl known as Sakuraba Harumi. The truth about the wish that had made it all possible.

“I’ll get right to the point.”

Clan looked at each and every one of their faces as she spoke, all ten of them apart from herself and Harumi. There were twenty eyes all staring at her anxiously awaiting what she was about to say.

“More than half of Harumi’s life is within Signaltin itself. And because of that, her body is growing weaker. This time, because she used too much power, the deficit is being drained from her.”

And with those words, many of the twenty eyes shot open wide in surprise. There was a collective gasp. Of course, the most surprised of all was Signaltin’s owner, Koutarou.

“What do you mean?! Explain everything!”

“There are some assumptions mixed in. Do you still want to hear it even then?”

Right now it was hard for Clan to say that she had a solid backing for her claim. She had only just reached this hypothesis after analyzing the vast data gained from her own examinations, the haniwas’ spiritual energy sensors, Sanae’s intuition, and the magicians’ spells.

“That’s fine! Just tell me!”

“Then... you’re aware that Signaltin is different from other magical weapons, right?”

“Yeah. It’s clearly different from a magical staff or Nana-san’s guns.”

The staff that Koutarou had brought with him from the past, Encyclopedia. The guns that Nana used, Over the Rainbow. They were powerful magical weapons, but they were no match for Signaltin.

“The reason for that difference is something unique to the way Signaltin works. By incorporating a portion of the life force of the person that awakened it, it seems to amplify the mana within.”

Signaltin would be powerful even as an ordinary magical sword, but it used the life force of the person who had awakened it to dramatically increase those powers. That’s why Signaltin was on a completely different level from the magical weapons and tools Koutarou and the others had encountered before. And up until now, they were unaware that the overwhelming power of the sword carried with it great risk.

“Then you’re saying that Her Majesty Alaia gave half of her life for my sake?!”

“All the data seems to lead to that conclusion, yes.”

“While we can’t directly observe the life force within the sword, we estimate that roughly 70 percent of a normal adult’s life force is inside the sword based on its aura, ho! It seems like Alaia-chan had an abundance of life force, ho!”

“Comparing that aura to Harumi’s, the sword is at 110 percent, ho! So from that we can assume that over half of her life is inside of it, ho!”

“Your Majesty, you would go that far for my sake... No, wait, that doesn’t make sense!”

Learning that Alaia had sacrificed half of her life to awaken Signaltin came as a great shock to Koutarou. That was how far she was willing to go to protect him. That alone would be enough to leave him extremely shaken if the circumstances were different, but right now Harumi’s life was on the line. So for the time being, he put his thoughts of Alaia aside and focused on the matter at hand. And that was what seemed to be a great flaw in Clan’s theory.

“Her Majesty Alaia was the one who gave half her life to the sword, right?! So why is Sakuraba-senpai’s in it?!”

Alaia was the one who had revived the sword and given it half of her life. That’s why the sword had been crowned with Alaia’s name. And while the sword was still Signaltin, Harumi’s life was supposedly the one in it now. It simply didn’t add up.

“That’s...” Clan hesitated.

What she was about to say was hard to admit as a scientist. But even so, it still needed to be said. She was Harumi’s friend first and foremost right now, and so she steeled herself.

“That’s because Harumi is Alaia. She was most likely brought to your side because of her life force within Signaltin.”

Thanks to the magicians, Sanae, and the haniwas, Clan was able to determine that it was Harumi’s spiritual energy within the sword. Despite that, the sword was still Signaltin. It hadn’t been crowned with Harumi’s name, yet the contract connecting the sword and Harumi was functioning without any problems. In other words, it wasn’t that Harumi had inherited Alaia’s contract. Rather, the sword was acknowledging Harumi as Alaia. That’s why Clan believed that Harumi and Alaia were one and the same.

“How could that be?!”

Koutarou turned to look at Harumi still lying in bed. There had certainly been occasions where Harumi acted like Alaia, but Koutarou believed that was because Harumi had inherited Alaia’s duties and a portion of her memories. He had never imagined that she was Alaia herself. That’s why he couldn’t readily accept what Clan was saying.

“I don’t believe it! How could something that convenient be possible?”

“I-I almost don’t believe it either! But considering the circumstances, it’s the only possibility!”

“Look over things again more carefully! This is—”

“Calm down, Satomi Koutarou.”

Kiriha’s slender hand grabbed his shoulder. Sensing that the excited Koutarou was too much for Clan, Kiriha got in between them. As the wisest one in the room, she understood what Clan was saying. In fact, she understood the meaning of it even better than Clan did.

“I understand that it’s hard to believe, but don’t take it out on Clan-dono. You’re overlooking something.”

“I am?”

“That’s right. Think about it calmly. If Harumi is not the reincarnation of Princess Alaia, that would mean she ended up by your side by complete chance. Could a random girl really have the disposition required to control Signaltin? Does that make any more sense to you?”

“That’s...”

A girl with a soul so close to Alaia’s that Signaltin acknowledged her as Alaia just happened to be by Koutarou’s side. Either that, or Alaia was brought over through Signaltin. When Kiriha put it that way, even Koutarou realized that the latter scenario was far more realistic. It was far too special to have all happened by chance.

“...Sorry, Clan.”

“It’s fine. What you’re feeling is only natural given the subject.”

Koutarou lowered his head to Clan, but she wasn’t angry. That was partially because Koutarou had honestly apologized, but also because she understood that this was a particularly touchy issue for him. As a scientist, she wanted to reject such an incredible claim herself.

“Besides, I’d hate you if you didn’t worry about your friends.”

“Thank you, Clan.”

After making sure things had calmed down between the two of them, Kiriha spoke up again. From this point on, she was the one with the best understanding of the situation.

“If we assume that Harumi is the reincarnation of Princess Alaia, it would explain several mysterious,” she said.

“Mysteries?” Koutarou asked.

“Signaltin was originally a sword belonging to the royal family. There’s no mistake about that, right, Koutarou?”

“Yeah. Over there they called it the sword of royalty and a treasured sword gifted by the divine. That’s why Maxfern was after it. They say whoever holds the sword will hold Forthorthe.”

Koutarou could remember Maxfern’s abnormal obsession with Signaltin because possessing it was considered proof of the ruler of Forthorthe. He even tried to corner Alaia in an attempt to get his hands on it.

“In other words, Alaia herself should have been the one using that sword. That way she could use its power to continually recover, limiting the effect of her life force being taken from her. In simple terms, the user and sword are meant to share the life force between them.”

The life force poured into Signaltin amplified the mana within it. By using that amplified mana, the user could magically stimulate their body and make up for the loss of life force. That process was halted in combat, but since the user would die if they fell at the hands of their enemy anyway, it was of negligible risk comparatively. In short, Signaltin had a symbiotic relationship with its user over the life force within it.

“However, Princess Alaia didn’t do that. She rewrote the contract and revived it as a sword to protect you. That’s where things broke down. That’s how both Princess Alaia and her reincarnation, Harumi, ended up with weak constitutions.”

Signaltin circulated life force and mana between the sword and its user. But because Alaia had given the sword to Koutarou, she was unable to access the mana that was intended for her recovery. That left her—and Harumi—weakened and sickly.

“However, that breakdown was what allowed Princess Alaia’s wish to come true.”

Alaia’s wish was to protect Koutarou and her citizens. She put her life and emotions in the sword to be with him. That was all she wanted. To Alaia, it was the perfect solution. And Kiriha saw yet another one if its benefits.

“According to the legends of Forthorthe, the treasured sword gifted by the divine has the power of immortality. Most likely, as long the sword is not sealed, the user will be reincarnated and be brought to the sword. If you consider that immortality, everything makes sense.”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t you get it? As long as you have that sword, Princess Alaia will be reincarnated and come to your side.”

“You don’t mean...!”

Hearing Kiriha’s words, a thought flashed through Koutarou’s mind. If the sword’s guardian died, they would be reborn by the side of the sword. That’s why the sword’s guardian, Alaia, was reincarnated as Harumi under Signaltin’s guidance. It was so that she could stand with Koutarou whenever he wielded the sword.

“In point, yes. Even if you were separated by endless time and immeasurable distance...”

Yet it wasn’t something that Alaia had intentionally strived to do. She had only awakened the sword and entrusted it to Koutarou because she treasured both him and the citizens of Forthorthe. It was her pure, earnest desires that brought forth a miracle. One that fulfilled her heart’s deepest desire—living by Koutarou’s side as a normal girl despite the obstacles of time and distance.

“‘These feelings will always be with you,’ huh?” said Theia with a wry grin. “She parted with everything, giving up her memories and even forsaking her body so her feelings could chase after Koutarou. No wonder her acting was so good, jeez...”

As it turned out, there was a good reason that Harumi was always so good at playing the part of Alaia. It was also why she could only act with Koutarou. In truth, it wasn’t acting at all.

“That said, I have no intentions of surrendering him to you, Harumi...”

If Theia’s treasured sword Saguratin had the same function and she was in the same position as Alaia, Theia would most likely do the same thing. She would pour just as much of her life force into it. So while Theia sympathized with Harumi, she wasn’t going to hold back. Those feelings were shared by all of the girls gathered in the medical office.

“Aaaaaaaahh!” Clan suddenly shrieked.

It shattered the quiet, tranquil atmosphere in the room and startled everyone thoroughly. Yurika was so surprised she even fell out of her chair.

“So that’s how it was, Veltlion!”

Clan grabbed Koutarou in a panic and shouted at him. It was the opposite of what had happened just before. Granted, being the smaller of the two meant her shaking him was far less forceful, but her panicked state was even worse than Koutarou’s had been.

“C-Calm down! What are you talking about?”

“If the original bearer of the sword was Alaia, then the original legend wasn’t about Layous the Blue Knight, but Alaia the Sword Princess! No wonder we couldn’t find him no matter how much we searched! The Blue Knight never existed to begin with!”

Clan was in such a panic because she had realized the truth behind the legend of the Blue Knight. After desperately searching for him for fear that she may have ended up killing him, this was a big deal for her.

“Wait a minute, Clan. That doesn’t make sense,” interjected Theia.

However, Clan’s claim was full of holes. Theia, who knew the legend better than anyone, had no trouble spotting them.

“You said so yourself that you two were indispensable in the legend of the Blue Knight. What of Maxfern’s virus?” Theia continued.

“That’s...”

Clan was unable to answer. She’d exclaimed her theory in her excitement and hadn’t yet given it that kind of thorough consideration. But in her stead, Kiriha was happy to answer.

“If she hadn’t met with Koutarou, Princess Alaia might have undone the seal on Signaltin earlier. Surviving somehow, it most likely would have been right after the cliff where she would have met Koutarou. Then Maxfern wouldn’t have had a reason to use the virus.”

In a scenario where Alaia and her party hadn’t met Koutarou, they would have been fundamentally lacking in combat potential. That would have led Alaia to awaken the sword much sooner, but without that knowledge, Maxfern wouldn’t have needed to resort to his virus. He’d only used it to try and corner her.

“Alternatively, he did unleash it and awakening Signaltin might have been necessary in order to survive the virus.”

“...So in the end, we were just dancing around the legend when we didn’t need to.”

Even if Koutarou had done nothing, Alaia would have come out victorious through her own strength. However, knowing of the legend of the Blue Knight, Koutarou and Clan had felt compelled to make it a reality. It felt like some cruel joke now, and Koutarou couldn’t keep a bitter smile from forming on his lips.

“No, we can’t be sure about that, Koutarou.”

“Huh?”

“At the very least, without you, there must have been some major tragedy other than the assassination attempt when you were seriously injured. A tragedy serious enough for the wise and disciplined Alaia to decide to undo the seal.”

Kiriha didn’t see it the same way Koutarou did. She didn’t believe what he and Clan had done had been pointless. Alaia’s wish to protect the citizens of Forthorthe and her desire to protect the seriously injured Koutarou had served as the trigger that caused her to undo the seal on Signaltin. In the reality where Koutarou and Clan weren’t there, there had to have been some other crisis that caused her to make that decision. And it could be said that by being there, they had prevented it.

“Besides, Layous-sama, even if Alaia-sama had won against Maxfern on her own, there’s no guarantee that Forthorthe would be as prosperous as it is now. Without you and Clan-san, our strategies and tactics would be far less sophisticated. Casualties in warfare would most likely be much higher as a result, both then and now. Moreover, Signaltin would have remained in the nation.”

Elfaria was of the same opinion as Kiriha. Increased casualties could have been devastating to Forthorthe’s history. For example, without some of the key players in the restoration of Forthorthe after the chaos settled down, its recuperation from the war would have been very different. And that was just the beginning. Generations of people would vanish from history if their ancestors had been wiped out before they were ever born. On top of that, Signaltin would have only complicated things further. If the sword of royalty, the treasured sword gifted by the divine, Signaltin, had remained in Forthorthe, there would have been many vying for it and the control of the nation. With a past that unstable, there was no guarantee that Forthorthe would have been as prosperous as it was now. In fact, Elfaria believed Forthorthe wouldn’t have even made it to the present day under such circumstances.

“It’s just as Her Majesty Elfaria says,” affirmed Kiriha. “There’s no need for you to think of what you did as unnecessary.”

And although she stopped there, Kiriha had a much more in depth conjecture on the matter.

The truth is that Koutarou’s actions weren’t meaningless. After all, the legend of the Sword Princess doesn’t exist in this world. Only the legend of the Blue Knight. In other words, this isn’t the original world so to speak. But it’s not some parallel world that existed from the start either. History has already been altered through countless, repeated time slips. In those infinitely created parallel worlds, Koutarou has probably struggled with the same things over and over, coming to a similar resolution each time—the result of that being history stabilizing in this form. All quite possibly because of Koutarou’s will...

But Kiriha knew that her thoughts were far too complex to be appropriate for the current conversation, so she chose to stay silent.

“Sounds like you guys want me to stay as a hero no matter what,” sighed Koutarou.

“You are a hero, Satomi Koutarou. On your way back from Forthorthe in the past, you saved me and Elfaria-dono. That is without a doubt your own accomplishment. Princess Alaia had nothing to do with it,” said Kiriha.

“You’ve saved me several times over in the present. That alone is enough to call you a hero,” said Theia.

“Me too! Me too!” shouted Sanae.

“And regardless, you’re currently saving Forthorthe now, Master,” said Ruth.

“You’ve also saved me and Maki-chan,” added Yurika.

“This body of mine was only made possible because you brought everyone together, Satomi-san,” said Nana.

“So why don’t you give in already, Satomi-kun? I’ve been saved ever since Uncle came to me,” said Shizuka.

“Thinking about it, I’m the only one you haven’t saved. Though you have defeated me...” added Clan with a frown.

“What are you getting all pouty for? You’re the hero’s sidekick.”

“If you’re aware of that, then why not act like it?”

Koutarou had been on the verge of falling into depression over the meaningless of what he’d done in the past, but the people closest to him had pulled him back.

At the very least, I’m their hero... In that case, I’ll have to protect them no matter what!

And that only strengthened Koutarou’s resolve further. He would win this battle and safely return these girls to their original lives. That clear sense of purpose kindled an optimistic hope within him.

“Let’s get back on topic. I get that Sakuraba-senpai might be Her Majesty Alaia, but what I want to know now is how can we get her better.”

That of course included Harumi, who was still recovering in the ICU. There was no way Koutarou was going to let her lose her life over this battle.

“How about we let Harumi hold on to Signaltin? Based on what Clan said before, it sounds like that should resolve the problem.”

If Signaltin was originally Alaia’s—was originally Harumi’s—then letting her hold on to it should activate the recovery magic. It was a very simple, Theia-like idea. However, their magic expert, Nana, shook her head at the suggestion.

“Signaltin was revived as Satomi-san’s sword, so the recovery magic is probably linked to him. Just letting Sakuraba-san hold on to it probably won’t help.”

“Signaltin was unable to cut down Veltlion after all, so that’s very likely,” said Clan.

She was in agreement with Nana. While Signaltin was draining Harumi’s life to function, its owner now was Koutarou. The problem was it having been awakened like that.

“If Sakuraba-san always stays by Satomi-san’s side and continually uses Signaltin’s recovery magic, then she might get better, but—”

“No. I can’t ask Sakuraba-senpai to live like that.”

With the crest on her forehead, Harumi was able to use Signaltin’s mana, but she could only do it when Koutarou and Signaltin were near. Nana’s plan would mean Harumi having to live by Koutarou’s side out of necessity, and Koutarou didn’t want Harumi to be dependent on him like that.

“In that case, I guess the only thing we can do is wait for Sakuraba-san to wake up and annul the contract with Signaltin. Although, that would mean Signaltin would become a normal sword,” Nana explained.

“Even if that’s the case, Sakuraba-senpai’s health is more important. Let’s go with that.”

In terms of combat potential, losing Signaltin was a painful blow. It would mean losing both the sword and Harumi’s magic. But even so, it was a small price to pay for Harumi’s well-being. If they continued fighting like this, there was a chance that Harumi would never wake up... or worse. And with that being the alternative, Koutarou gladly agreed to have Harumi annul the contract with Signaltin as Nana suggested.