SBTMK Chapter 31

"With that level of ability, you'd probably have guessed the cause yourself."

Neyra seemed to think it over for a moment, then shrugged, smiling brightly.

"Well, mages aren't omniscient. If I hadn't read it in a book myself, I wouldn't have known either."

"……."

"So, is there anything else you're curious about?"

"There is one more thing, actually……"

"Go ahead."

Flora, hesitating over whether she might be making a nuisance of herself, gathered her courage once more.

"That sealing of the mana. If that's my case. Is there a way to undo it?"

"Hmm. I'm not entirely sure about that either. It should be recorded somewhere in the books, so I'll look into it."

Flora stared at Neyra, momentarily blank, then nodded.

"Does that settle your curiosity, then?"

At Neyra's tilted-head question, Flora nodded.

Simen dipped his head along with her.

"Well done, Neyra."

"Then I'd better hurry off before Sophie scolds me. Your Majesty, you really must dine with me again sometime. May endless glory and blessing rest upon you."

She exchanged a farewell with Flora as well, then left first.

Flora watched until Neyra had disappeared, then turned her gaze to Simen.

"Can you see that I have mana too, Simen?"

Simen nodded.

'Then people without mana can't see it. So why—Laviu, Ayden, they both said I had mana.'

It was, admittedly, a suspicious point. Flora's brow furrowed slightly.

"I wonder if I did something unnecessary. I kept thinking—what if you could use magic before you officially reported to the knight corps."

"Not at all. I was curious about my own mana too. It was a useful use of time."

"I didn't expect you to even know your own mana existed. Since you can't seem to see anyone else's mana at all, I thought you might not know. Weren't you curious about the power you carry?"

"At first, when I heard I had mana, I tried every way I could think of to figure out how to use it. But after failing every time, my interest just naturally faded."

"……."

"By the way, Simen. You said before there was someone you wanted to introduce me to. Was that Neyra?"

"No. That's someone else."

"……Who is it?"

"Someone. A person who abandons what they ought to do and lives like a wanderer."

A shadow crossed Simen's face as he finished answering.

He seemed like someone fairly important to him, but somehow she couldn't press further.

"Word came that they'll be visiting the empire soon, so I'll introduce you then."

Flora nodded.

"Shall we get up too? I'd like to stay a little longer, but there's a tedious meeting coming up soon."

"You sounded a little like an emperor just now."

"I am one."

Tok. Simen tapped her forehead lightly.

"It's just that this is the first time I've seen you working."

Simen laughed, kuk-kuk.

"That's right. Usually at this hour I'm off having fun somewhere, or enjoying a nap. Even this meeting today, I've been putting off for ages."

"……."

"Minus the knives, being stuck with bastards weighing whether to roast me or boil me—that's no small torture, let me tell you."

His voice sounded strangely resigned. Flora's brow furrowed slightly.

'It's no use blaming me for being complacent. I'm living under the constant threat of death every single day regardless. Not everyone in this castle has sworn loyalty to me.'

Why did his words from before suddenly surface now?

Simen looked a little forlorn.

Time flowed relentlessly onward, and the day came for her to enter the White Knights headquarters.

Flora had been up and moving diligently since early morning. She hadn't been able to sleep the night before, too keyed up.

She'd already been told the location of headquarters by the people who came to fetch her, but hearing it described wasn't enough to give her the confidence to find her own way there.

She was about to ask a temple knight standing in the corridor for directions again when Eden appeared.

Thankfully, thanks to him walking her all the way to headquarters, she avoided getting lost.

"I'm always in your debt, Eden."

"Debt? Don't say such a thing. Just think of it as me rooting for the road ahead of you, Lady."

How could Eden speak so beautifully, and be so warm-hearted?

Entering the knight corps headquarters wouldn't mean never seeing Eden again, but she probably wouldn't be able to see him as often as she did now.

So Flora wanted to say something warm to him too.

She'd been feeling grateful, but it seemed she'd never properly put that feeling into words.

Wondering what she should say, Flora opened her mouth.

"I've learned a lot from watching you all this time, Eden. How to express what's in your heart, how to give to others—things like that."

"……."

"Thank you for always treating me so warmly. And for the encouragement too. I won't be able to see you as often as I do now, but I'll come by the temple whenever I have time."

Eden watched Flora deliver her feelings slowly, and smiled faintly. It was plain to see she was carefully weighing her words to convey her sincerity.

'Honestly, she's just—cute.'

Eden, without meaning to, reached his hand toward her—then stopped himself, and let out a short sigh.

That was as far as he was allowed to go.

"We're friends now, aren't we?"

"Only if that's all right with you, Eden."

"It's my honor, Lady."

'So, we're friends now.'

Flora smiled, open and unguarded. Eden looked at her too, wearing a smile that was faintly bittersweet.

Hearing the word "friend" from someone she'd wanted to grow close to from the very first time she'd seen him made her chest fill to overflowing.

"Flora."

She stepped into the White Knights headquarters with a face set in determination, as though charging into enemy lines.

Someone called out to her from behind.

Familiar green eyes met hers.

"Ah……! Good day to you."

It was the knight who'd escorted her to the training grounds on the day of the exam. Recognizing him at once, Flora's face lit up.

"I was truly grateful for your help on the day of the exam."

She'd remembered leaving before she'd had the chance to thank him properly, so she offered her gratitude now; Sarthe merely gave a short nod.

"I heard you decided on our corps. I look forward to working with you. My name is Sarthe Alpenne. Feel free to just call me by name. Though I'm not sure how often we'll cross paths going forward."

"Yes. Sir Sarthe."

"Let's go in, then. I'll show you to the commander's office."

Flora thought herself fortunate to have run into Sarthe, and followed behind him.

The commander's office was located at the end of the right-hand corridor on the first floor.

The new recruit guarding the door outside the commander's office knocked and announced Flora's arrival.

The door soon opened.

Flora stepped inside. Sarthe, as though his sole purpose had been to deliver her there, didn't follow her in, and vanished off somewhere like a passing breeze.

The commander's office was spacious. One wall was filled entirely with books, the other with documents. Behind where Kasin sat was a wide window, letting in bright light.

The curtain on that window was drawn back on only one side, and it bore the emblem of the White Knights.

Looking at the elaborate crest bearing the lion emblem, something in her chest swelled.

It was a clean, tidy space with nothing unnecessary in it. Taking in the atmosphere of the office, Flora thought it suited Kasin exactly.

"White Knights new recruit Flora, reporting to Commander Kasin."

Flora straightened her back before Kasin. Standing with her feet shoulder-width apart and her hands folded behind her, Kasin gave a faint smile.

"Come in, Flora. Did you have any trouble finding your way?"

"No. Someone escorted me, so I got here without any difficulty."

"I see."

Besides Kasin, there were two other knights in the office.

One appeared to be guarding the door, the other his adjutant. Flora made an effort not to let her attention linger on them and kept her gaze fixed solely on Kasin.

"Have you eaten breakfast?"

"……Yes. I have."

"Good. Make sure you don't skip meals going forward. Training will be demanding."

"Thank you for your concern."

"I'll show you to your quarters. There should be a uniform in the room; change into it and send word once you have, then come back down."

"Understood."

The knight who'd been standing outside the door was assigned to guide her.

Without further comment, he escorted Flora to her lodgings as instructed.

The lodgings were located behind the headquarters building, and Flora's room was on the third floor.

The structure was similar to the Holy Knights' lodgings. All the necessary furniture was already provided, so there was nothing to worry about.

The moment the knight who'd guided her left, Flora immediately changed into the uniform laid neatly on the desk.

The snow-white uniform fit her perfectly and, contrary to how it looked, was surprisingly easy to move in.

Once she'd put on the gloves and boots and finally buckled on the longsword Simen had given her at her waist, it truly sank in that she had set foot in the White Knights.

She'd only put on clothes, and yet somehow a weighty sense of responsibility seemed to settle onto her.

Up until now, she'd sometimes thought she had become neither one thing nor another in this land of Haenkan.

That was because she'd always needed Simen's help to do anything, and most days had simply slipped by with her doing nothing at all.

Now, at last, a hope had risen in her that she too could do something useful for this empire.

The feeling was a new one.

She would become a knight who protected the weak, upheld justice, and served the imperial house with loyalty.

She looked once more at her own reflection in the mirror, and hardened her resolve.