Sigrid

Inside the carriage, Sigrid had curled herself into a ball.

It would have been better to be tense knowing she was going to meet him, rather than this sudden encounter. She never thought she’d meet him so unexpectedly.

‘Did his face look a bit younger? His voice was the same, and he seemed healthy.’

Sigrid exhaled softly. Her mind was in turmoil.

When the carriage stopped and the door opened, Sigrid stumbled out after a long moment. Opening the door to the mansion, she stared blankly at her home.

Had it changed?

Would it have changed?

Had my life changed?

“Siri?”

At the sound of the voice, Sigrid turned her head slowly. Arkana stood in the middle of the garden with a worried expression. Sigrid took one step towards him.

One step—

Two steps—

The next moment turned into a sprint.

“Siri—?!”

Sigrid barreled into him like a bull, and both Arkana and she tumbled onto the garden lawn.

‘What’s this?’

Arkana felt pain in his backside and back. His head barely avoided impact. Ignoring his surprise, Sigrid burrowed into his arms.

“Sigrid?”

He called her name softly again.

“Ah, Ark, uh—”

Startled by the small sound that escaped, Arkana grabbed her, but Sigrid refused to show her face. She kept pressing her face into his chest, so Arkana finally gave up trying to get up and instead began stroking her head.

The garden was quiet. The lace-like shadows created by sunlight filtering through the green leaves swayed with each breeze. The fresh scent of grass rising from the lawn and the warmth of sunlight on her back gradually soothed Sigrid’s heart.

Arkana took out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Sigrid. She wiped her tears and blew her nose forcefully.

“Sorry.”

Arkana shook his head at Sigrid’s soft murmur. As Sigrid tried to sit up, Arkana held her down and laid her on the ground.

“Arkana?”

“Lie down and look at the sky.”

Sigrid turned over and gazed at the sky. The clear summer sky peeked through the leaves. She turned her head. Through the rose bushes, she could see her house. A house that didn’t feel like her own.

After staring blankly at everything, Sigrid blurted out:

“I think I don’t want to die anymore.”

Instead of answering, Arkana turned his head to look at her. Sigrid stretched her hand towards the sky, then lowered it as she spoke:

“I used to think it was okay to die. I thought that way until just now. But I guess not. I’ve grown fond of life, it seems.”

“That’s good.”

“Is it?”

Sigrid turned to look at Arkana. His green eyes smiled.

“Yes, it’s a good thing.”

“I see.”

Sigrid smiled back. Arkana didn’t ask why she was like this. Was it because he knew without asking? Or was it consideration?

“Arkana.”

“Yes?”

“Are you leaving in half a year?”

“I need to go back and receive my magician’s appointment first. Once I do, I’ll come back.”

“Come back?”

“Yes.”

Sigrid smiled.

“That’s a relief.”

“And I’ll be your magician.”

“My magician?”

“Yes.”

At Arkana’s words, Sigrid laughed as if he had made a joke.

“By then, you probably won’t even see me. You’ll surely be surrounded by wonderful people…”

“I told you before. I won’t meet anyone unless you introduce them.”

“But I know so few people… I’m not sure if I can introduce you to a proper job.”

Arkana laughed at Sigrid’s grumbling.

“We’ll think about that when the time comes.”

Sigrid reached out towards the rose bushes and said:

“But to me, Arkana already seems like a magician.”

“Really?”

“Yes, because my garden has changed so much. I could only manage to pull weeds. Seeing Arkana do all this seems truly amazing. You’re already my magician.”

“That’s an honor. A magical gardener.”

Arkana crossed his arms and nodded. Then he reached out and gently stroked Sigrid’s tear-stained cheek.

“Ouch?”

Sigrid was startled when Arkana suddenly pinched her cheek. Arkana said seriously:

“Don’t casually say it’s okay to die. It’s disrespectful to those who care about you.”

“Oh… okay.”

Sigrid nodded. She looked back at the sky and said:

“I met the person who killed me.”

Normally, someone might ask, “What are you talking about?” but Arkana understood her words.

“No, should I say the person who was going to kill me? I should, right? But you know, I could have died for that person anytime they asked. I would have died gladly. But not like that…”

Not in a way that would lose all honor.

“He said he was lonely. That I was the only one he could trust. So I was overjoyed. I was happy that such a great person relied on someone like me. When he praised me, it felt like I had the whole world, and I could do anything for him.”

Sigrid clutched her chest.

Though a commoner, she was happy to be by the side of the highest person, as his confidant and most trusted first knight. She was happy to be treated kindly, to be spoken to gently.

When he was troubled and said, “Everyone is an enemy. Lady Ankertna, I only have you. You’re all I have,” she could have turned the whole world into an enemy for him.

Until he threw her into that quagmire.

Sigrid squeezed her eyes shut.

Should she hate and despise him?

But more than that, she was curious.

Why did he discard me like that?

Why was I nothing but a throwaway card to him?

Were all those words of trust he spoke to me lies?

“What did I fail to see?”

At Sigrid’s murmur, Arkana said:

“When a person focuses too much on one thing, their vision narrows.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, when you only see that one thing, you can’t see what’s around you. This applies to vision too. Do you know about peripheral vision?”

“No.”

At Sigrid’s answer, Arkana said:

“Look at the very edge of your vision. No, don’t turn your eyes, just be aware of it.”

“Okay.”

“Can you see it?”

“Yes.”

“But even though you can see it, when you focus on one thing, it feels like you can’t see the rest. You’re not processing the information.”

“Hmm… Ah, I think I understand. It’s like a blind spot.”

Arkana blinked and said:

“I don’t know much about that since I don’t handle swords.”

Sigrid grinned and nodded.

“Yes, but I understand what you mean. I certainly only looked at one place. I didn’t see anything else, and I didn’t try to see anything else.”

A breeze blew by, rustling her hair with the fresh scent of grass.

“Oof!”

Sigrid made an odd sound as she sat up. Arkana marveled at how she sprang up like a cat with one smooth motion.

There’s no way he could do that.

Sigrid extended her hand to help Arkana up and said:

“Thank you.”

“Anytime. Isn’t this what friends do, offering advice for such worries?”

At those words, Sigrid grinned.

“And Siri.”

“Yes?”

“You’re my knight too.”

“…Huh?”

Sigrid asked, dumbfounded. Arkana smiled and said:

“You saved Seria. If it weren’t for you, Seria would have died. If Seria had died, I wouldn’t have been able to bear it.”

Arkana’s green eyes darkened for a moment, then brightened again as he looked at Sigrid.

“So thank you, my knight.”

Arkana patted Sigrid’s shoulder and said:

“Go inside and wash up. I’ll finish tidying up here and come in.”

“Oh, okay.”

Sigrid answered and started walking, then turned back to look at Arkana.

‘My knight.’

Her heart felt warm and tingly.

‘Being acknowledged really does feel good.’

Sigrid turned back and started walking again, thinking:

‘I… I thought I needed to be acknowledged by high-ranking people in the Imperial family… but is that not it?’

Arkana’s acknowledgment was enough to make her happy. She was so joyful at becoming a knight that it felt rewarding. Sigrid squeezed her eyes shut. The corners of her mouth and her cheekbones lifted involuntarily. Trying to suppress her smile, Sigrid quickly entered the house. After confirming that Sigrid had gone inside, Arkana groaned and rubbed his back.

‘It hurts…’

His backside and back were both sore. As he massaged the areas that had hit the ground hard, Arkana had a sad thought.

‘It seems I’ll need more stamina to deal with Sigrid…’

Arkana found himself thinking about exercise, something he had never considered while studying magic.

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Alkerto retreated, dodging Sigrid’s swift sword thrust. The light sound of exchanging blows echoed through the training ground.

As it was the first time anyone had seen Sigrid sparring with someone, a few members of the 2nd Knight Order were watching their exchange.

Morris was watching with great interest, while Lowengrin observed their match with a tilted head. Marie-Chez wore an expression of endurance, as if sitting through a boring performance, with an attitude of watching only because they were acquaintances.

Bang—!

With a crisp sound, Sigrid’s sword thrust in explosively, and Alkerto finally gave up his stance. As her sword tip touched just under his chin, Alkerto raised his hand with a frustrated expression.

“I yield.”

Sigrid lowered her sword with a satisfied face and said:

“It was a good match.”

“It was a good match.”

Saying this, Alkerto plopped down on the ground. Sweat poured like rain. Compared to his panting, Sigrid’s breath hadn’t even faltered, which was almost annoying.

“Alkerto.”

“What?”

The response came out gruff automatically, probably because he felt like a novice.

“Are you having trouble controlling your breathing?”

“…I know.”

“And you’re always a beat late when you step forward with your right leg. Why is that? You should come in boldly when attacking.”

“I do?”

“Yes.”

Alkerto tried to recall the match, thinking, ‘Did I?’ Morris approached and said:

“May I switch in?”

“Oh, I gladly yield this position to you.”

Alkerto said, groaning as he got up and slumped onto a nearby bench. Morris asked:

“Sigrid, are you okay? You’re continuing without a break.”

Sigrid swung her sword a few times and nodded.

“Yes, I’m still fine.”

“Then I’ll be in your care.”

“I’ll be in your care as well.”

Sigrid returned the greeting. Morris drew his sword, and they both raised their swords to their faces, nodding slightly in greeting. This served as the signal to start the match. Morris instantly thrust straight forward.

Marie-Chez’s eyes widened in surprise.

But Sigrid dodged that attack swiftly, swinging her sword. The two continued to clash swords, barely maintaining any distance as they moved in a circle. Marie-Chez said, “Oh.”

“Are they evenly matched?”

“Well…”

Lowengrin gave an ambiguous answer, and Alkerto, after drinking water from a canteen, replied:

“No. Sigrid is stronger.”

“They look similar to me.”

Marie-Chez said, narrowing her eyes as she watched their exchange. Alkerto frowned and said:

“No, look at their footwork.”

“Ah—”

Marie-Chez noticed that Sigrid was taking far fewer steps. Alkerto’s prediction(?) came true, and as Sigrid’s offensive became stronger, Morris eventually conceded the match. Looking at Sigrid’s sword aimed at his chest, Morris sighed and said:

“I’ve lost.”

“It was a good match.”

At Sigrid’s words, Morris sighed again. Sigrid turned towards the bench and said:

“Lowengrin or Marie-Chez? Don’t you want to try?”

Marie-Chez made a strange sound, “Ugh—”. Lowengrin patted her shoulder and said:

“You always make Sigrid wear dresses. It should be fair, right? You should do something Sigrid likes too.”

At those words, Marie-Chez went to the training ground with a face like a child with a mouthful of spinach. She drew her sword, greeted, and as soon as the first exchange began—

Clang—

The sword flew out of Marie-Chez’s hand. Sigrid was taken aback, and Marie-Chez was also embarrassed. Sigrid cleared her throat and said:

“Um, did you grip the sword wrong? Try holding it again.”

“Huh? Oh, okay.”