I looked at the blonde female knight who was lost in her thoughts. Her bobbed hair, which almost touched her shoulders, swayed every time she moved her head.

"...Huhu."

...This one was definitely not normal either.

I asked her.

"Do you regret it?"

Rutie shook her head.

"No. How can I regret it when she has become such a strong knight? Now, in Blake, there will be no opponents for her except for the Royal Knights. Don't you think she became that strong thanks to my torment?"

"That could be."

The most beautiful flower is the one on a cliff. Because it blooms after overcoming harsh rain and wind.

"Or maybe not."

The flowers in a garden, having grown with the gardener's abundant love, are the most splendid. Anyway, it means there's no point in thinking about it now.

Rutie suddenly looked straight at me. I was about to say, "What are you looking at?" but I held back. Unlike before, her eyes were quite serious and sunken.

"Before the match, you gave Ashley some advice, didn't you?"

I scratched my head.

"...I think I did."

There was the advice the Heavenly Demon had given me. What was it? Was it that the flash is the only child of the explosion? I still don't know what it means. Because I am the messenger, not the advisor.

Whether I said that or not, Rutie bowed her head deeply.

"Thank you. Thanks to you, Ashley has shed a layer and is soaring high."

I tried my best to say nonchalantly.

"Accepting advice is also a skill. I didn't do anything. It's Sir Ashley who is amazing for understanding it perfectly even though I said it like crap."

It was my honest feeling, and it was the truth. Because I also didn't properly understand the Heavenly Demon's advice. I am just a messenger who delivered the Heavenly Demon's words.

At that, Rutie covered her mouth with both hands.

"So humble... Oh my, how could you...!"

Rutie's blue eyes sparkled. Why did that feel ominous? I should wrap this up and send her away. Perhaps because I had been talking for a long time, I was starting to feel sleepy again.

I said, with the intention of ending the conversation.

"Then all we have to worry about from now on is winter. I'll give Sir Ashley a hint to be careful before I leave."

Rutie tilted her head from side to side and said, "No. There's no need for that."

"Why?"

Rutie grinned, "Because I killed them all."

"...."

"They probably won't be coming down for a while."

Rutie spoke innocently as if it were no big deal, but that, on the contrary, served to further highlight her ruthless side. In many ways, she was someone I didn't want to meet as an enemy.

[They're similar.]

I didn't know who she was similar to, but sleepiness kept creeping up on me, so I asked her with the intention of sending her away now.

"So, did you apologize to Sir Ashley?"

Rutie's eyes widened.

"Apologize?"

"Didn't you agree to apologize if you lost? And if you won, Sir Ashley would return to the family."

Rutie's mouth dropped open.

"...You heard that? From that far away?"

I vaguely mumbled.

"I have good hearing."

"It's not just good..."

"Wouldn't it be nice to apologize while you're at it? You can't just be hated like that forever. Do you want to live as enemies for the rest of your life?"

Rutie hung her head sullenly.

"But... it's already too late. I was so mean to Ashley. She even ran away from the family."

I put on a serious face.

"The only time it's too late is when you're dead. Do something before it's really too late. Don't regret it when it's really too late."

"...."

Rutie stared at me blankly, then nodded.

"Yes, I will. Thank you for the advice, Ashuban."

I nodded.

"You may go now."

Rutie stood up from her seat, but didn't leave right away and stared at me blankly. The sparkle in her eyes seemed to have become even more vivid.

...Is it just my imagination? If you get on the wrong side of a madman, there's no solution. I was a little worried.

The Heavenly Demon laughed.

[Look who's calling who a madman.]

'What do you know, Master? This girl's eyes are strange.'

Her strangely twisted blue eyes reminded me of the dark deep sea.

The Heavenly Demon snorted.

[Compared to you, she's cute.]

Fortunately, Sir Rutie just looked at me for a moment, then turned her body and walked to the door. The moment I let out a small sigh without realizing it, Rutie called me.

"Ashuban."

I was startled, but I pretended not to be and looked at her.

"What is it?"

"Are you really not in a relationship with Ashley?"

...I wondered what she was going to say.

"I said I'm not."

"You don't have any feelings for her at all?"

"None."

"Then what about me?"

"...What?"

She smiled bashfully.

"I'm just kidding. You don't have to be so serious."

"...."

"I'm leaving. Take care of yourself."

Rutie walked to the door, her golden bobbed hair swaying. She grabbed the doorknob, glanced back, waved her hand cheerfully, and then disappeared beyond it.

"Hoo..."

A long sigh escaped me. Was it a sigh of relief? Or a sigh of frustration? In any case, it was clear that I had averted a crisis. In many ways, she was someone I couldn't let my guard down around. It was more comfortable dealing with Frost.

The Heavenly Demon muttered as if disappointed.

[They look good together.]

"Master, you say everything looks good together."

I was curious if she would really apologize to Sir Ashley, so I focused my internal energy on my ears. Then, as if Sir Ashley had been waiting outside the door, I immediately heard their conversation.

"Ashley. Come with your sister for a moment."

Sir Ashley's stiff voice, full of suspicion, followed.

"...What is it?"

"I said, just follow me."

"Whatever it is, let's talk here."

"Oh my. It's a personal matter related to the family. Are you sure that's okay?"

"...."

"Or... why, are you scared? You can't even talk to me alone?"

"...Lead the way."

The sound of the provoked Sir Ashley and the chuckling Sir Rutie striding away somewhere grew distant. Listening to it, a sigh escaped me automatically.

"Is that a disease too?"

Standing in front of her younger sister, Rutie had habitually gone back into her villain act. Nothing can be solved all at once. Little by little. Slowly. Everything takes time.

At that moment, the door opened slightly, and a small head peeked in. It was bright, grass-green hair.

"Devil. Is it over? Is it over? Can I come in now?"

I gave her a nod.

"It's over. Tell everyone to come in."

"Heehee."

Linda, who had been peeking her head through the door, threw the door wide open and then rushed towards me without delay. A body slam.

Thwack!

"Keok!"

And then the girl clung to my shoulder.

"Aish. Get off me."

"Eeeh... I don't want to."

I pushed Linda's grass-green head away, but it was no use. She was clinging to me like a cicada.

"Hey, Shushruta. Get her off me."

"...."

Shushruta, who had come in after her, watched the scene silently, then turned around and left.

"...What's with her now?"

***

Time flew by quickly. It was bound to feel that way, as I spent almost two-thirds of each day sleeping. I really slept until I was sick of it. Because sleepiness poured out endlessly.

Meanwhile, I focused on recovery. Because the faster I recovered, the faster I could return to Maia. I fell asleep while doing energy circulation, and I did energy circulation even while sleeping. The dantian, which had been as dry as a desert, gradually filled with internal energy. The rapidly filling pond was now becoming a lake.

As my internal energy gathered, my physical condition improved even more quickly. It was only natural. The body is the vessel of ki.

And so, after about ten days, I was able to get out of bed and move my body relatively freely. Even so, it was only to the extent of walking around lightly here and there, and even that tired me out easily, and a throbbing pain still dominated my whole body... but it wasn't bad.

I moved to the window to get some sunlight. Of course, for a faster recovery. Until then, Sir Ashley's and Sir Walpole's beds had been on either side of me. It felt like they were protecting me even while receiving treatment. The sick protecting the sick.

They followed me and moved their positions. To my side and in front of me.

When I was awake, I would often chat with them. Sir Ashley, after talking with Sir Rutie last time, reported to me with wide eyes. She said Sir Rutie had suggested she take the Royal Knight exam. Sir Ashley asked me for advice, and I pushed her back, telling her to think about it positively. To be honest, with her skills, she was more than qualified to become a Royal Knight. She was the one who had been told by the active Royal Knight, Sir Rutie, that she would find no opponents in Blake except for the Royal Knights. She had already received the official recognition of a Royal Knight.

I also had a strong desire to cheer her on, as Sir Rutie was also taking a step forward, albeit clumsily, in her own way. If they spent time together, whether they liked it or not, by belonging to the same knight order, wouldn't their relationship improve? And then, gradually, they could clear up their misunderstandings.

Sir Ashley's physical condition hadn't fully recovered yet, so she had plenty of time to think. As if thinking about it, she would often fall into deep thought with a serious face.

My main conversation partner was Sir Walpole.

"It is my greatest regret that I could not see Lord Ashuban's fight. They say it was a fight of a different class. The rumors are incredible. Even though some time has passed, everyone is still talking about it."

"Who told you to be unconscious?"

"Pardon?"

"Is losing an arm a big deal? You should have gotten up with sheer spirit."

"No..."

I mostly spent my time teasing Sir Walpole. As I was chuckling and teasing Sir Walpole... I glanced at Shushruta. She was sitting silently by the window, dangling her feet. She was expressionless, but for some reason, her face looked gloomy.

"...."

Shushruta had become quiet. She had been like that since the day she asked if I was really going back. Even when I tried to joke with her, her reaction was lackluster.

Linda was in a better state. Linda, who had been clinging to me like a piece of gum since I woke up, had brought a desk from somewhere a few days ago, struggling with it, and was now playing with poisons next to me.

"Devil, want a taste?"

She would sometimes offer it to me, but since I was a patient in the middle of recovery, I politely refused.

"Get lost. You drink it."

"Okay. As expected, the Devil is kind."

Linda, having been refused, gulped down the poison she had offered me.

Thud!

And fainted, hitting her head on the desk.

At first, Walpole had been terrified, thinking she was dead, but now he had naturally started making bets.

"Ah, she fainted again. How long do you think she'll be out this time?"

"I'll bet 10 minutes."

"Hmm. I'll go with 30 minutes. Care to make a bet?"

"Sure."

In the end, Linda woke up grinning after about 15 minutes, and Walpole grumbled and gave me the bread that had come out for dessert. The loser loses everything, and the winner takes it.

‘How sweet. So sweet.’

As I was munching on the bread I had won in a bet, Sir Walpole, as if he had forgotten, delivered some unexpected news.

"Ah, come to think of it. We received a message from Mr. Hans a while ago."

"From Uncle Hans?"

"Yes. He said he would bring a gift before Lord Ashuban returns, so to look forward to it."

"A gift? What kind of gift?"

"I don't know. That's all I was told."

"Hmm. I don't have anything to give him."

At that moment, Linda, who had gotten tired of making poisons, came over and pulled on my arm.

"Devil, Devil. Get well soon and let's go to the festival."

It seemed she remembered the promise I had made to take her to the festival after the decisive battle was over.

Shushruta, who had been staring blankly out the window, chided her.

"The festival ended a long time ago. You idiot."

"No. It's not over yet."

"I said it's over."

"I said it's not over!"

"...."

Still, I thought it was a relief that Shushruta at least reacted when Linda was talking nonsense.

Sir Ashley, who had been lost in thought, suddenly raised her head.

"Ah, I almost forgot. His Majesty asked me to let him know when Lord Ashuban has recovered enough to move around freely."

"Why?"

"He said he would hold the festival again to match that time."

"A festival?"

That guy isn't that considerate.

"I don't know the details, but he said there was a need to refresh the atmosphere..."

"Ah."

The Black Prince, as he had publicly declared, was killing off rotten nobles day after day. Even if he was killing trash, since he was killing a lot of people, the public sentiment was becoming unsettled. It seemed he thought it was necessary to hold a festival to appease them. And at the same time, it was an indirect appeal to me. That he was being this considerate, so I should think positively about becoming his knight.

He was a guy who used even a single festival for various purposes.

"Then can you pass on a message?"

"What should I tell him?"

It's not a complete recovery, but I've recovered enough to walk around leisurely, so there's no problem.

"Tell him to hold it now."

I need to start preparing to leave too.

(End of Chapter)