Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? - Volume 8.5 - Chapter 2

An Oath and an Insignia

Charl’s golden hair swayed as she ran. The sunlight rained down from above, vividly reflecting off of her tresses. It looked like golden stalks of wheat blowing in the wind.

“Blue Knight! Where are you?! Show yourself!” she shouted out as she ran through the confused crowd.

Compared to the people around her, she was extremely short, so she couldn’t see ahead. All she could do was shout as she continued to search.

She was at the fort near the town of Raustor. It had previously been a coup d’etat army base, but it was now under the control of the Reborn Forthorthian Army. They had successfully driven the rebel forces out just yesterday.

And with the Reborn Forthorthian Army newly in control, the fort was plenty crowded. When thinking of a fort, one might imagine lots of knights and soldiers, but that wasn’t quite the case. When a military force was on the move, they needed almost as many men to carry supplies as they did soldiers. Since trucks and aircrafts didn’t exist in this time period, that much was inevitable. They mostly had to manage with manpower, and thusly there were a lot of civilian volunteers helping to support the army, including traders who provided the actual supplies. Between them and the actual army, the fort was quite full.

But despite the crowding, everyone was cheerful and morale was high. They were all excited to retake their home country. Even putting the matter of Alaia and the royal family aside, that much would still be true.

The coup d’etat had begun with the assassination of the emperor and empress, and from there the country’s economic situation and public order began deteriorating. The citizens’ lives took a turn for the worse over the course of just a few months. However, thanks to victories of the Reborn Forthorthian Army, the citizens felt like the winds were starting to change. As a result, the people began rallying to the Reborn Forthorthian Army and decided to solve the national crisis before them by joining hands. They banded together around their beacon of hope: a single young knight.

On the battlefield he was peerless, but he was always humble. He showed mercy, even to his enemies. He was a model knight and a loyal subject devoted to protecting Princess Alaia. When people called his name, they did so with great reverence. They called him “Forthorthe’s Blue Knight, Layous Fatra Veltlion.”

Princess Charl was currently looking for exactly that knight.

“Your Highness, if you’re looking for Layous-sama, I saw him at the training grounds.”

“Oh, of course! The Blue Knight is always hiding over there!”

“Heehee, I don’t think he’s hiding, Your Highness. It looks like he’s training with the new recruits.”

“Good work, Mary! You have my praise!”

“I’m honored, Your Highness.”

After hearing of his whereabouts from Mary the maid, Charl ran towards the training grounds by the ramparts. The people made way for her and watched fondly as she ran through the crowd. The sight of such a sunny child had the power to warm hearts even in the midst of war.

“Blue Knight!”

Charl shouted out for him again and again as she approached, but her voice didn’t seem to reach him. He didn’t even notice she was there. He was currently sparring with Flair, a female knight Charl knew very well.

“Veltlion, your sword handling is too proper. I think your moves would be harder to read if you drop your shoulders a little.”

“My teacher was very strict about my posture, so it’s quite hard to break the habit.”

Since Flair was from the Pardomshiha family, famous for creating splendid knights across countless generations, she was an expert when it came to the sword. In order to make up for her feminine physique, she used a thin blade and quick strikes to target her enemy’s weak points. Speed and precision were her specialties.

However, her attacks yielded little result against the knight in blue armor. He was wearing heavy full plate armor and using a large, traditional knight’s sword while she was wearing light armor and using a thin sword. Despite her superior mobility, the knight in blue armor evaded each of her attacks at the last moment. On top of that, they had been at it for several minutes already. It was clear that the knight in blue armor must have an absurd amount of stamina as well as great skill with the sword. Of course, the same could be said for Flair. She hadn’t taken a single attack yet either.

“Blue Knight!”

Calling out to him again, Charl finally got his attention.

“Your Highness?”

When he realized he was in the presence of the young princess, he instinctively turned towards her.

“You’re wide open!”

Flair then made her move on him. However, her sword stopped just before reaching his throat. Any further and it would have pierced right through.

“That’s why I keep telling you that you’re too honest, Veltlion...”

“Well done, Lady Flairan.”

Flair smiled wryly as she returned her sword to its sheath. As she did, the soldiers who had been watching the two erupted. Some rejoiced in Flair’s victory while others were bitter the Blue Knight had lost, and some were just excited to have witnessed a good fight. Seeing their commanders’ skills up close was a thrill for all of them.

“B-Blue Knight! Ah, oooh! Hey!”

Charl forced her way through the enthusiastic soldiers and appeared on the training grounds. She had momentarily lost her balance pushing her way through the crowd, but she quickly collected herself and cheerfully began running once more as she spotted the knight in blue armor.

“I’ve found you at last, Blue Knight! You certainly made that difficult on me!”

Having finally found the person she was looking for after searching all over the fort, Charl’s smile was so bright that it genuinely appeared to shine.

As Koutarou squatted down and looked her way, Charl dashed forward like a bullet.

“Blue Knight!”

“Your Highness?!”

Just in front of Koutarou, she kicked off the ground with all of her strength in a mighty leap. It was her signature affectionate greeting. Koutarou gently caught her tiny body mid-air. Since Charl frequently jumped at him even though he was wearing his armor, he had to catch her like that in order to keep her from hurting herself. Between his armor calculating her trajectory and the spirit sight he’d gotten from Sanae, he always managed to catch her the right way, but it was a nerve-racking experience every time.

“Your Highness... I keep telling you that you should come over more slowly or you may get hurt.”

“Are you saying you don’t want to catch me anymore?”

After being admonished, Charl looked up at Koutarou with a rather crestfallen expression. Seeing her puppy-dog eyes up close, Koutarou felt like he was the one who’d done something wrong.

“That’s not it, but―”

“Then isn’t it all right? I will jump and you will catch me. Where is the problem in that?”

“That’s not quite it...”

This wasn’t the first time they’d had this conversation, but it always ended the same way: with Koutarou backing down. In the end, he was always unable to reject Charl’s frank and earnest feelings.

“More importantly...”

And this time was no different. Charl casually dismissed the entire discussion and moved on to the next topic. She jumped out of his arms, then pulled out something and handed it to Koutarou with both hands.

“Blue Knight, I present you with this.”

Inside her hands was a small ornament. It was a piece of rectangular wood with a belt of wool around it.

“My, Your Highness, what is this?”

Flair, who peeked into Charl’s hands alongside Koutarou, asked Charl about it with a smile on her face. In response, Charl proudly puffed out her chest.

“This is a rank insignia that Alaia and I made.”

“A rank insignia, you say?”

Having been told what the ornament was, Koutarou stared at the wooden object. On it was something written in ink.

Since Koutarou couldn’t read Forthorthian, he tilted his head to the side as his armor began translating the characters on the wooden ornament for him: “Insignia of Forthorthe’s Blue Knight, the Super Important Bodyguard of Charl and Alaia.”

It was obvious at first glance it had been written by a child, but Koutarou could tell that it had been written with great care. A colorful knitted wool ribbon decorated the wooden ornament. While it too was simple and crafted with care, Koutarou was certain that Alaia had made it.

“We present you with this as thanks for your contributions to us and the royal family.”

Charl had asked to make an insignia for him, and she and Alaia had worked together to make it. After staring at it for a long moment and letting everything that it meant soak in, Koutarou smiled at her.

“Thank you very much, Princess Charl. Please give Princess Alaia my thanks as well.”

“You can do that yourself later, Blue Knight.”

Seeing Koutarou’s smile, Charl’s proud expression turned into a cheerful smile too. She then reached her hand up towards Koutarou’s chest and pinned the insignia in its proper place.

“There. Take pride in this for a long time, Blue Knight.”

“I will make it a family heirloom, Your Highness.”

“Good!”

Charl was an innocent girl, but by no means stupid. She knew that there was no guarantee that Koutarou would be pleased with the insignia, yet she hadn’t been able to come up with another way to show her gratitude. She was anxious as she gave it to him, but fortunately Koutarou liked the handmade insignia. That pleased Charl to no end.

“All right, then let’s go.”

Satisfied, Charl climbed up onto Koutarou’s back while he was still squatting down. After getting into position, she lightly tapped on Koutarou’s shoulder twice.

“You may stand.”

“Yes, Your Highness. But where to now?”

Koutarou got a firm grip on Charl and stood up. Charl pointed to the building in the center of the fort. It was a large, solid building made out of bricks. It was a vital part of the fort, serving as both the headquarters and the barracks.

“Like I said, you can thank Alaia yourself.”

“So to Princess Alaia?”

“Yes, she needs you. And because I had some business with you too, I came to find you myself,” Charl said as she wrapped her arms around Koutarou’s neck and held on tight.

“I see.”

Koutarou now got the bigger picture. Apart from giving him the insignia, Charl had come to find Koutarou because Alaia needed to talk to him.

“Indeed. So as you can see, Flair, I will be borrowing the Blue Knight.”

“Okay. Veltlion, take care of Her Highness.”

“Understood.”

“Enough already! Let’s go.”

“Y-Yes, right away.”

Koutarou was rushed by Charl off the training grounds, leaving Flair and Mary, who had come chasing after Charl, behind.

“Come on, hurry! Sister is waiting for you!”

“I understand, so please stay still! Ah, look out!”

Koutarou ran towards the center of the fort with Charl on his back. Flair and Mary watched them go as they continued their lively discussion. After they ducked into the building, Flair smiled wryly.

“And to think such a man is a peerless knight on the battlefield... The world is full of mysteries,” she mumbled.

Seeing Koutarou with Charl, it was easy to forget how much of a powerhouse he was in battle. If Flair didn’t know any better, she never would have even guessed he was a knight, much less one experienced in battle. He simply didn’t have that kind of presence about him. Especially not while he was with Charl. But despite what it may or may not have seemed like, he was indeed an impressive knight, and that perplexed Flair somewhat. Mary, however, saw it differently. After Koutarou and Charl vanished, she looked over at Flair and smiled.

“But isn’t that why we’re winning?”

“What do you mean?”

Flair looked back at Mary, somewhat stumped. She was having trouble understanding what Mary was saying.

“If Layous-sama just went around slaughtering his enemies, we wouldn’t have this many allies and there’s no guarantee we would have gotten this far.”

Koutarou didn’t kill people—not even his enemies. It was possible that his way of doing things risked his safety and the safety of those around him, but he hadn’t taken a single life. He had shown restraint and mercy, and everyone praised Koutarou as an exemplary knight. The Reborn Forthorthian Army also tried to follow his lead and refrain from any unnecessary killing.

And since they didn’t kill people without good reason, there was no ill will among the people for the Reborn Forthorthian Army. In fact, they always had plenty of recruits coming in and there were even Imperial Army soldiers defecting to join them. Regardless of people’s political beliefs, no one wanted to be on the side that would slaughter their families in cold blood. The coup d’etat army soldiers were mostly locals, after all.

And the result was profound. As such a peculiar knight in this age, Koutarou’s very existence led the Reborn Forthorthian Army from victory to victory.

“That might be true. No matter how strong you are on your own, the war isn’t about any single soldier. It’s about all of us together as an army.”

Flair slowly nodded. Mary might be onto something. If Koutarou did the opposite of what he was doing now and simply killed all of his enemies, the Reborn Forthorthian Army might have been suppressed by now. Even if he could kill hundreds on his own, he couldn’t beat the coup d’etat army alone. And without the cooperation of the people, he wouldn’t be able to protect Alaia and Charl. He would just become an object of fear and would eventually die alone, peerless but without allies.

In the short term, it might be effective to use as much force as necessary to kill as many enemies as possible, but that kind of abuse of power often came back to bite those who used it so. Earth’s history was full of such examples. Like the Roman Empire, nations that used overwhelming force to slaughter their enemies and expand their reach eventually perished. Though they were only able to appreciate it after the fact, Alaia and the others would consider themselves lucky that Koutarou hadn’t gone down that path.

The inside of the building was much warmer than it was outside. The solid brick walls helped keep the warmth in while blocking out the cold wind.

“Blue Knight, Alaia is waiting in her room.”

“Understood.”

After closing the door to the building behind him, Koutarou headed towards Alaia’s private room with Charl still on his back. Koutarou’s armored boots clacked with every step he took. The sound rang out through the wide entrance hall, the long stairs leading up to the third floor, and the winding passage that followed before it went silent.

In front of Koutarou was a large door. The room behind it was originally used as a headquarters by the commander of the fort. The Reborn Forthorthian Army was using it much the same way. It was currently occupied by their commander in chief, Alaia. Koutarou was already familiar with the room as he’d visited it several times over the last day. Before he could knock on the door this time, however, it opened from the inside and several government officials carrying a mass of documents practically leaped out.

“Your Excellency! How very nice to meet you!”

“Lord Veltlion! We are in a hurry, so please excuse us!”

When they saw Koutarou, they hurriedly straightened their postures and greeted him politely before scampering off.

“They seem awfully busy.”

“Yes. My sister has been working nonstop too.”

Looking back from the government officials as they left, Koutarou peered through the gap that had been left in the open door. He could see Alaia at a desk at the far end of the room, surrounded by heaps of documents.

“Don’t just stand there and stare. Go in. I told you that she needs you.”

“As you wish, my princess.”

Koutarou smiled at Charl and knocked on the door a couple of times. Although the door was already open, he felt it was only polite to announce his presence.

“Jeez, you’re so formal, Blue Knight.”

“We didn’t come here to play.”

“We did.”

“You jester.”

“Yes, who is― Layous-sama?!”

When Alaia looked up from her papers, she saw Koutarou and Charl at the door and her eyes opened wide in surprise.

“Princess Alaia, I am here to respond to your summons.”

“Oh? But I don’t recall calling you, Layous-sama...”

Alaia blinked repeatedly with a confused look on her face. That response confused Koutarou in turn.

“But... Princess Charl came looking for me and said that you’d asked for me.”

“Charl did?”

Koutarou and Alaia both looked to Charl, who was still on Koutarou’s back. As they did, Charl shut the door behind her and Koutarou with a smile.

“I never said that she was calling for you.”

“But...”

“I merely said that she needed you. This misunderstanding is on you.”

In short, Charl had tricked Koutarou into coming to see Alaia. The big, satisfied grin on her face said it all.

“Charl, Layous-sama is very busy, you know.”

“That’s why, sister!”

Despite being admonished by Alaia, Charl showed no sign of remorse for what she had done. In fact, she smiled proudly.

“All you and the Blue Knight ever do is work. You were more relaxed when we were running away from the army! If you don’t rest a little, you’re going to get sick again!”

Though her bringing the two of them together seemed like innocent mischief at first, her appeal was quite serious. Charl clenched her hands into fists and stared at Koutarou and Alaia.

“Charl...”

Alaia had been planning on lightly scolding Charl more, but once she understood the meaning behind her actions, her expression softened. She couldn’t bring herself to reprimand Charl for thinking of her and Koutarou.

So that’s what’s going on... Now that I think about it, she did say something about coming here to play.

Like Alaia, Koutarou wasn’t displeased to learn Charl’s true intentions, yet at the same time, he couldn’t help thinking that her consideration was rather childlike. Imagining himself as a child, he might have done something similar for his parents.

“Come on, don’t just stand there! Go to her.”

“As you wish, my princess.”

Koutarou repositioned Charl and approached Alaia. He wanted to respect the young, gentle girl’s innocent feelings. And it did indeed look like Alaia was fatigued. Koutarou believed she could use a break.

“Layous-sama... would that be all right?”

However, Alaia didn’t feel the same way. She had an apologetic expression on her face, clearly worried that her little sister was distracting Koutarou from something important and taking up his precious time.

“I don’t mind. This is part of a bodyguard’s duty as well.”

As Koutarou said that, he pointed to his chest. From his breastplate hung a wooden insignia. “Insignia of Forthorthe’s Blue Knight, the Super Important Bodyguard of Charl and Alaia.” Alaia knew exactly what it was because Charl had pestered her to help make it.

“Layous-sama...”

Seeing Koutarou wearing it, a warmth filled Alaia’s heart. An insignia made from wood and wool was just a child’s handiwork in the end. Although it might have been a gift from royalty, not many knights would so graciously accept being given such a childish thing. But Alaia was happy that Koutarou was one of them.

“Then let’s take a little break.”

Alaia didn’t resist the warm feeling coming over her. She wanted to treasure this moment and the time she spent together with Koutarou and Charl.

“Like Charl said, things might be more tiring now than when we were escaping from our pursuers.”

“See, Blue Knight?! It’s just like I said!”

“Very impressive insight, Princess Charl.”

“Heh, you may praise me more, my knight!”

“We don’t stand a chance against Charl. Heehee...”

If she had noticed the insignia when she was alone with Koutarou, she probably would have blurted out something unbelievable. That’s what Alaia thought to herself as she prepared tea while happily watching Koutarou and Charl.

During their tea break, Charl did most of the talking.

“And then Mary stopped me, saying that it would be dangerous to ride such a large horse. Then I said, ‘What horse should I ride then?’ Turns out there weren’t any smaller horses. Isn’t that rude?”

Charl chatted on and on about all kinds of things. Funny stories, sad one, recent events, what she was going to do later on, and everything in between. She prattled on while gesturing wildly.

“Charl, you’re still too young to ride a horse by yourself.”

“Your Highness, please settle for a pony.”

“Are you insulting me, Blue Knight?”

“I would never dare to insult you, Your Highness.”

“Then let me ride a horse next time. If you do, I’ll forgive you.”

“As you wish, my princess.”

“Very good.”

“Heehee...”

Koutarou and Alaia listened to all of Charl’s stories, smiling and commenting from time to time. While she spoke of nothing of real importance, it gave Koutarou and Alaia a chance to unwind. This continued for about an hour or so before Charl talked herself out. She nodded off in Koutarou’s lap with a satisfied grin on her face. She sat there, innocent and vulnerable, completely trusting herself to Koutarou.

“It looks like she fell asleep.”

Koutarou stood up and carried Charl to a sofa in the corner of the room. After he laid her down to rest, Alaia covered her with a blanket.

“Thank you so very much, Layous-sama.”

After tucking Charl’s wayward arm under the blanket, Alaia stood up and turned to Koutarou. She looked at him fondly, as if they were family. Her eyes were filled with deep trust and love.

“No, this is nothing.”

Koutarou was almost sucked in by those eyes, but it was remembering his duties that called him back to reality. After glancing towards the door, he whispered to Alaia so as not to wake up Charl.

“Well then, Your Highness, now would be a good time for me to take my leave.”

They had rested long enough. It was time for them to return to their jobs. Both Koutarou and Alaia had plenty to take care of. Alaia knew that as well as he did, but she chose to do the opposite.

“Layous-sama, might I have some more of your time?”

“I don’t mind, but...”

“Please, come this way.”

“Okay.”

Following Alaia’s lead, Koutarou returned to the table with the tea set on it. The two of them sat down facing each other. Since they were a bit away from the sofa now, they could speak normally without having to worry about waking Charl. After glancing towards Charl one more time, Koutarou turned to Alaia.

“She sure is fast asleep. I’m glad we didn’t wake her up.”

“Charl is only able to sleep like that when you are by her side, Layous-sama.”

Alaia glanced at Charl too, but she had a sad expression on her face when she turned back to Koutarou.

“I’m sure... that you remind her of our father, Layous-sama. She’s depending on you just like she did on him. Although she would never say so, I’m sure she’s feeling lonely too.”

Of course she’s lonely too...

Koutarou realized what Alaia was saying without putting it into words. She was also mourning the loss of her parents.

I’m powerless. I really can’t do anything for them...

Koutarou had no power of his own. At first glance it looked like Koutarou might be helping Alaia and the others, but in reality, the only reason he was useful was because of the powers he’d borrowed from others. On top of that, he couldn’t even console Alaia and Charl as they grieved. Having lived such a peaceful life, Koutarou couldn’t find any words to console these girls whose parents had been murdered. He felt useless. He couldn’t be of help to Alaia or Charl, and that frustrated and saddened him.

“So, Layous-sama...”

Alaia’s words brought Koutarou out of deep thought.

“After this war is over, I want you to continue to help us.”

Alaia had stopped Koutarou from leaving to tell him that specifically. It was something she couldn’t say to him unless they were alone.

“Your Highness...”

Koutarou was puzzled by Alaia’s request. He knew better than anyone how powerless he was. Moreover, there was somewhere he needed to be. Somewhere he needed to get back to.

“I won’t be of much help. I’m sure you’re already aware of that, Your Highness.”

Koutarou was convinced that somewhere along their journey, surely this intelligent girl had realized that he didn’t have any power.

“Layous-sama...”

And that was the truth. Having seen the way Koutarou fought and the weapons Clan used, she had a faint understanding of the way things really were. And the fact that Alaia didn’t argue with him conveyed to Koutarou that he was right.

“I’m not strong. It’s only thanks to the power of others that I can fight. But even that power has its limits. Eventually I will lose these powers and return to being a weak human. Once that happens, I will only be in your way, Your Highness.”

The ability to manipulate spiritual energy that Sanae had given him was gradually growing weaker. She had forged spiritual circuity in Koutarou’s body in order for him to use that power, but being separated from her and without any way to maintain it himself, that was slowly breaking down.

And it wasn’t like Theia’s armor would last for all eternity either. There was nowhere in this age for him to get parts to repair it. Clan was doing her best with what she had aboard the Cradle, but eventually she would use up all of what she had on hand and they would no longer be able to service the armor.

The same was true for Kiriha’s gauntlet and Yurika’s magic. There was a definite point in the future that Koutarou would exhaust all of his power. He wouldn’t be able to maintain his current strength but for so long. That’s why Koutarou believed he would eventually have to part with Alaia and the others, just like the real Blue Knight. The very premise of his power was dangerous, and he didn’t want it to become a seed of conflict. Since he himself wasn’t strong, he wouldn’t have any other option than to bow out of their lives altogether.

“Layous-sama, it doesn’t matter if you are strong or not to Charl. She adores you because of who you are.”

And knowing all of that, Alaia responded without hesitation. Charl wasn’t so attached to Koutarou because of his strength. She simply loved him. That’s why she’d given him the insignia.

“That insignia is proof of how she feels, and the fact that you’re wearing it validates how she feels.”

Dangling from Koutarou’s breastplate was the handmade insignia. Charl adored Koutarou because he was willing to humor her in such a way. He understood her feelings and honored them.

“The same is true for me too. If I hadn’t met you, I probably wouldn’t be able to share my feelings with someone and smile like this.”

Alaia felt similarly. Koutarou’s moral support was worth far more to her than his strength. Alaia had lost heart many times along the way, but every time that had happened, Koutarou was there to encourage her. A knight that was simply strong wouldn’t have been able to protect Alaia the way he had. Koutarou’s true strength was something much greater.

“Please be more confident in yourself, Layous-sama. If you uphold your oath even as a normal human, then you are a knight we can put our trust in for all eternity.”

A knight’s sword was his soul. However, the sword was only meant to be a symbol for the oath sworn upon it. And to Alaia, Koutarou—a man who kept all his promises—was without a doubt the strongest knight in Forthorthe.

“Your Highness... I am not worthy.”

Learning how Alaia truly felt, Koutarou was so happy he could cry. What Alaia and Charl needed wasn’t strength; it was simply Koutarou. He was overjoyed at the sentiment and could now look past his own lack of power.

“But I will forever take pride in those words.”

“Then―”

Alaia’s expression brightened and she gracefully stood up. To her, whether or not Koutarou would always be by her side was a very important question.

“No, Your Highness. I can’t do that.”

However, Koutarou simply shook his head. That was the best he could answer.

“L-Layous-sama...?”

Wide-eyed, Alaia fell back down into the chair. Her moist eyes looked imploringly at Koutarou.

“There is somewhere I must return. There’s a promise I have to keep... No, an oath I must uphold.”

“An oath...”

The strongest knight, the knight Alaia and Charl yearned for, was a knight that always did his best to keep his word. If he had sworn to return, then return he must.

But the truth was that it wasn’t just one oath. He had told himself he’d help Theia in her trial. He had promised Kiriha that they would look for her first love together. He was planning on graduating from high school together with Yurika. He had no intention of making Sanae wait for her parents alone. And most of all, he had sworn to the invading girls, Harumi, and the drama club that they would make the play a success together.

Koutarou would have to make it home from Forthorthe if he were to keep any of those promises. If Alaia and Charl yearned for Koutarou because he was honest and upheld his duties as a knight, and if Koutarou was to stay true that image, he had to return to the invaders.

“I... see...”

Strength left Alaia’s body as she leaned back in her chair. Her disappointment shook her. However, Alaia understood the meaning of what Koutarou was saying. Koutarou—quite true to the way he’d always been—had to be himself. That’s why Alaia loved him. And the part of him she loved the most was exactly the reason he had to leave. There was nothing she could do to stop him.

“I am sorry, Princess Alaia.”

“It’s okay. That’s just who you are, Layous-sama...”

Alaia desperately struggled to keep herself from crying as she smiled at Koutarou. She didn’t want to become a burden for him. She felt her tears would only look like weakness now, and that was the last thing she wanted.

“In... In exchange, please tell me something.”

Alaia tried to hold back her sadness and her love for Koutarou, but the feelings she was unable to suppress left her mouth in the form of a question.

“Anything you ask.”

Koutarou was planning on truthfully answering anything she asked of him. He didn’t want to lie to Alaia. In a way, it was a demonstration of his loyalty to her.

“Please forgive me for repeating something I’ve asked before.”

Alaia stared straight at Koutarou as she spoke. Her question was straightforward and sincere.

“That royal crest engraved on your breastplate. Your appearance, your way of moving, and your pride. You are without a doubt a true knight of Forthorthe.”

“Princess Alaia...”

Alaia was asking him what she had when they first met. It had been several months since that day, but Koutarou could clearly remember her words like she had asked him just yesterday. It was something that had left a very deep impression on him.

“But... I have no recollection of that crest engraved into your sword. Just where have you come from?”

Alaia wanted to know where Koutarou was from—where it was that he’d be returning. If he wouldn’t stay by her side, then she at least wanted to know where he was going instead.

“I...”

Koutarou faltered, but it wasn’t because he was hesitant about telling her the truth. It was because he was trying to think of a way he could tell her without inviting misunderstanding. And after pondering that for a moment, he looked out of the window.

“I came from the other side of that sky... from the world of stars...”

Through the window, he could see the first star shining in the crimson evening sky. It wasn’t Earth, but Koutarou and Alaia’s gazes were still symbolically drawn to it.

“The world... of stars?”

Koutarou’s answer was about what Alaia had suspected. She’d noticed that every time Koutarou looked up into the sky, he looked wistfully nostalgic. But even though she’d known an answer like that was a possibility, she was still quite surprised to hear it.

“And...”

Koutarou removed his sword in its sheath from his waist and showed the crest on the handle to Alaia. It was a detailed engraving of a golden flower.

“This sword was given to me by Princess Theiamillis Gre Mastir Sagurada von Forthorthe. The crest on the handle isn’t a family crest, but Princess Theiamillis’s personal crest.”

“Mastir...?”

Alaia’s expression changed. Part of the name Koutarou uttered stumped her.

“That’s not... There is no one by the name of Theiamillis in the Mastir family.”

Currently, there were only two surviving members of the Mastir family: Alaia and Charl. And since this was before the royal families had branched off, Alaia and Charl were the only two of royal blood. A seventh royal princess from the Mastir family shouldn’t exist.

“But there is. Just two thousand years from now...”

“Two... thousand years?”

More unexpected words left Koutarou’s mouth and Alaia was shocked once more. If she accepted that a royal princess named Theiamillis existed two thousand years in the future and that she had given Koutarou his sword, then that could only mean one thing. To Alaia, it seemed unthinkable.

“That’s right, Princess Alaia. I’m also from two thousand years in the future.”

However, though it seemed impossible to Alaia, every word Koutarou said was the truth.

Koutarou then explained everything to Alaia, concealing nothing and sparing no detail. He believed that Alaia, who said earnestly said that she needed him, deserved that sincerity.

He told her how he met Theia and how, after fighting, they began to live together and cooperate. He told her how his fight with Clan had led to them both accidentally being thrown out of their own universe. He told her how he had gotten in the way of her meeting with the real Blue Knight and how he was merely acting as a replacement while working together with Clan.

Koutarou tried his hardest to convey his story to Alaia. He himself had a hard time piecing everything together, and Alaia had next to no knowledge of science. Because of all that, by the time he finished explaining everything, night had long since fallen.

“That’s why... I’m not even a real knight. I’m just a normal student without any special powers. I’m not even a noble. Just a commoner.”

To wrap up his story, Koutarou revealed his true identity. He was a normal teenage boy who had only borrowed the powers of the remarkable people around him on Earth. That was a harsh reality for him to face in the moment, but he had to confess it to the person he respected most. And with that confession came a sense of relief. Now he no longer had to lie to Alaia.

“You’re wrong.”

However, Alaia saw the whole thing differently. With a wry smile on her lips, she shook her head. She had the expression of a sister scolding her poor little brother.

“You are without a doubt a real knight. Theiamillis’s feelings behind that sword and armor are real too. As a princess myself, I can tell.”

Alaia was confident. She hadn’t met this Theiamillis, but since they were both princesses, she understood the significance of her gifts. She trusted Koutarou as much as Alaia did, and possibly loved him just as much. Alaia believed that her personal crest on the handle of his sword and the title of “Theiamillis’s Blue Knight” engraved into his breastplate proved that much.

“Just what kind of princess would lend the sword forged to commemorate her birth to someone that didn’t matter? If you were truly so unimportant, she would have just given you any old sword.”

“But―”

“And even if that wasn’t the case...”

Alaia held her hands to her chest and smiled at Koutarou. It was a smile so beautiful that Koutarou forgot what he was about to say.

“Charl and I appointed you to serve the royal family,” Alaia said as she pointed to the insignia on Koutarou’s chest. “That makes you Forthorthe’s Blue Knight.”

The insignia on Koutarou’s chest had been handmade by Charl and Alaia, and though it looked like a toy, it had an important inscription: “Insignia of Forthorthe’s Blue Knight, the Super Important Bodyguard of Charl and Alaia.” As long as that remained on his chest, even if he was born a commoner, Koutarou was a knight of Forthorthe.

“Please take pride in that. You are a true knight, acknowledged by four of Forthorthe’s princesses.”

Alaia, Charl, Theia, and Clan. In total, four princesses acknowledged Koutarou as a knight. Even in Forthorthe’s long history, it was an unusual prestige.

“I wonder about Clan...”

Koutarou smiled as he gave in. If he was declared a knight by Alaia, a princess of Forthorthe, he had no choice but to accept it. After all, he was wearing an insignia she had helped make. The only princess he was uncertain of was Clan.

“Clan-sama acknowledges you as well. I can tell.”

Alaia recalled when Koutarou and Clan were fighting the steel giant. Back then, Clan had issued him a royal command.

“As a knight of Forthorthe, do what you must!”

Alaia was far enough away that she’d had trouble hearing most of what they talked about, but she was certain she heard those words and she remembered them quite clearly. It was something Clan never would have said if she didn’t acknowledge Koutarou as a knight.

“Your Highness...”

Koutarou truly felt happy that someone of Alaia’s caliber would place such deep trust in him. The only thing that bothered him was that he was still just a substitute for the real Blue Knight, otherwise he might have burst into a little dance.

“But... it’s true that if you’ve sworn an oath to return to the people of your homeland, then you must return.”

Alaia was also happy. She felt like Koutarou had revealed everything to her because he acknowledged her as his true lord. She wouldn’t be able to keep Koutarou by her side forever, but that much made her happy.

“You really believe such an extraordinary story, Your Highness?”

Koutarou couldn’t help asking. He knew how outrageous it all must sound, and he had his doubts that anyone would truly believe that he had come to Forthorthe through the stars and through time.

“A princess who doesn’t have faith in the knight she appointed herself is hardly fit to rule a country.”

However, Alaia had absolute faith in Koutarou. If it wasn’t for him, she might not have gotten this far. She would believe anything that Koutarou, who had been a pillar of support to her, said, even if he claimed the sun would suddenly vanish tomorrow.

“Your Highness... I truly am not worthy.”

If she put this much trust in him, there was nothing else he could do. Regardless of whether or not he was the real thing or a stand-in, he resolved himself again to protect Alaia from Maxfern.

“Please just tell me one last thing, Layous―”

Alaia was about to ask Koutarou something, but then she remembered that there was something else she wanted to know more. Alaia smiled and decided to pose that question first.

“Before that, Sir Knight, please do me the kindness of giving me your name.”

Again, Alaia beseeched him the same way she had when they first met. Koutarou had told Alaia that he wasn’t the real Blue Knight, and she believed him. But that made her realize she didn’t know Koutarou’s real name.

“This was most rude of me. My name is...”

In response, Koutarou began to answer her the same way he had that day. Except this time, he gave her the answer he had held back then.

“My name is Koutarou. Satomi Koutarou. And I swear on this sword that I will protect you.”

Koutarou swore on his sword to defend Alaia just as he had before, but this time he did so with his real name. He was no longer swearing an oath to Alaia as the Blue Knight’s substitute, but as himself—Satomi Koutarou. It was a far more emotional experience for both of them than it had been the first time.

“Koutarou-sama... So you are called Koutarou-sama...”

It was an outlandish name in Forthorthe. Unaccustomed to the sound of it, Alaia repeated it several times.

“I am truly sorry for using a fake name up until now.”

“There was a time I called myself Signa, so you could just say we’re even now.”

“Hahaha, that did happen, didn’t it?”

Alaia was talking about at the harvest festival dance. It was just a few months ago, but so much had happened since then that it felt like years. Still, it was a precious memory that neither of them would ever forget.

“So, Your Highness, what was your last question?”

Koutarou and Alaia were both smiling. It was similar to the smile they had shared during the dance that night. Ever since then, their feelings had intertwined.

“That’s...”

Alaia smiled and held her hands to her chest. She then whispered to Koutarou in a very gentle voice.

“If I had met you first... If... I had asked you to help me first... what would you have done, Koutarou-sama?”

Alaia knew that what she was asking hadn’t happened. That it never would. But... what if? What if she had met Koutarou before anyone else? Would Koutarou then be willing to stay with her? She knew that it was a foolish thing to ask, but she couldn’t help herself. That was simply how much she loved him.

“If that had happened... I probably would have served you my entire life.”

That was what Koutarou truly believed. He wouldn’t mind devoting himself to Alaia. She was such a splendid princess that he couldn’t help feeling that way. They’d been through so much together that Koutarou felt for Alaia the same way he did the invaders.

“Koutarou-sama, please come meet me first next time...”

Alaia was satisfied. She had learned that Koutarou was only leaving her because he had a prior duty to uphold. It wasn’t that he was rejecting her feelings.

“As you wish, my princess.”

“Oh, Koutarou-sama...”

But even though she was happy, it didn’t stop her tears from falling.