Chapter 63

"──Stepfather. Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Sitting at a custom-sized desk that matched his large frame, Dandalug, wearing silver-rimmed glasses, was working when a person quietly entered the room.

At the sound of the person's voice, Dandalug looked up from the documents he was reading and turned around.

"Hmm, oh, Ines. What's up, at this hour?"

"…Is Roro's training going well?

I feel bad for leaving it all to you. I just thought I should at least check on the situation now."

"Roro, huh?

Yeah… that kid is working surprisingly hard.

When you first brought that timid, weak child, I wondered what to do… but now, all of the Six Saints are motivated. I'm even enjoying teaching them. There's nothing to worry about."

"…I see. I'm relieved to hear that.

I could have asked her directly, but… she's always working hard until late at night, and I didn't want to disturb her."

"Maybe you're overthinking it a bit?

Still… I was surprised, Ines.

When you said you'd take care of that kid, I was surprised… I never thought you'd be so enthusiastic about it."

"…Is that so?

In the end, I just brought her to the Six Saints. …I feel like I haven't done anything since then. At most, I carried her to bed when she was exhausted."

"No, I think that's a big improvement from before. You hardly showed interest in others, right? Well, maybe you didn't need to."

"…Maybe."

But it's not that she didn't have interest in others. She just didn't know how to measure the appropriate distance, and ended up not saying anything, Ines thought.

She felt she had gotten used to talking to people since starting her work, but when it came to personal matters, she still didn't know what to say.

Ines considered this a flaw of hers.

"By the way, how about you?

I heard you're training with Lady Rineburg now. Oken almost fainted, saying it's getting intense."

"Yeah, I'm serving as her training partner.

…Lady Rineburg is amazing.

It seems she grasped something during the recent battle with the 'Gray Phantom' and has grown significantly in just a few days.

Her maximum simultaneous incantations have increased to 'seven,' and she has mastered 'Fusion Magic'… At this rate, I might be left behind soon."

Ines spoke about the princess's growth with a smile, but Dandalug's expression was slightly troubled.

"Hey, Ines. Are you okay after that incident?"

"…After which incident?"

"When you quickly cleared out the fortress at the border with the empire."

"…Was it really that bad?"

Ines closed her mouth and looked down.

"No, no, I'm not blaming you.

It was a good thing for both countries. Of course, as a knight of the kingdom, you deserve praise. Personally, I felt relieved too."

"…I see."

"But…

Maybe it wasn't good for you.

I'm not trying to lecture you just because I'm your guardian.

…It's just, I'm a bit worried."

Dandalug hunched his large body and scratched his head.

"…Worried?"

"Yeah. Normally, I shouldn't be worried about anything… After all, even if all of us Six Saints team up, we can't match you. I, the weakest of the Six Saints, can't even compare."

"No, that's not true.

You're my role model, and I'm still far from you…"

"Haha, I appreciate that, but you should admit it. You're already far stronger than us. If you wanted to, you could destroy a country with one swing.

…You know that, right?"

Ines looked at Dandalug with a hint of confusion in her expression.

"…And I'm not wrong about being weak.

Most of the time, I only have the title 'Undead' because of Sein. That guy… even when I'm on the brink of death, he immediately heals me and sends me back to the front line without mercy… whether I lose an arm or have a hole in my stomach, it doesn't matter. He just fixes me and says, 'Get back to work.' He's scarier than a demon. Sig and Mianne treat me like a wall…

I survived and became great only because of those abnormal guys around me. In the end, the king gave me the title 'Shield Saint,' even though I've never held a shield.

When I told the king that, he said, 'You are the shield.' Isn't that a bit harsh? It's unfair."

Dandalug laughed, and his large body shook.

"But… you're different.

Yours is genuine… real 'power.'

You have an incredible amount of power that everyone envies from the start.

No matter what enemy comes, you won't lose in a normal battle.

To put it bluntly, you're invincible.

But what I'm worried about is something else."

"…Something else?"

"You are indeed strong.

But just because you're strong, it doesn't mean your heart is the same.

…You're a bit too kind.

You injured a few people in that incident, and you seemed to be troubled by it."

"That's…"

Ines hesitated.

When she destroyed the fortress, she swung the 'Sword of Light' in anger.

She thought it was necessary to secure a safe return.

But as a result, several soldiers of the imperial army were caught in the collapse and were on the brink of death.

Even though they were enemy soldiers during the war, she couldn't help but feel something about it.

"No, it's fine. Basically.

If you stop feeling anything, that's when we're done. Ironically, because you're the kind of person you are, we can trust you with our work.

Mostly, the fact that you caused so much chaos but only resulted in injuries is a bit strange. The way you cut through the fortress while avoiding places where people might be, riding a dragon at an incredible speed… well, Sig might be able to do it, but no one else could. You did what you could, and there's no need to worry."

"…Is that so?"

Ines lowered her eyes, deep in thought.

Maybe she could have done better. When she thought about it, she didn't feel like she had done everything she could.

"Still…

You have that kind of personality, and maybe you shouldn't use the 'sword' too much. The reason we all decided to raise you as a 'shield' after seeing the power of your blessing is that we thought excessive destructive power would make you unhappy. It's too much for one person to bear."

Dandalug turned to Ines and leaned in close.

"…So, don't try to bear all your power alone.

Don't think about causing trouble or anything. If you have no one else to rely on, don't hesitate to rely on us.

We all think of you like our own daughter."

"…Daughter…?"

"Well, actually, except for Mianne, none of us have children.

And by the way, you don't need to ask for permission every time you use your power. You serve the country, but you're not a weapon.

We didn't take on the role of your mentors to raise you like that, and I'm sure the king doesn't think so either.

We just wanted you to learn how to use the power you suddenly gained. And you've learned to use it properly."

"…Is that so? I don't really feel that way."

Dandalug laughed, looking at Ines's still anxious attitude.

"That's the thing. When you said you'd take care of Roro, I was surprised at first… but after watching Roro for a while, I understood. You two are surprisingly similar."

"…Similar?"

"Yeah.

You have incredible power, but you don't acknowledge it at all. It's frustrating to watch."

Indeed, that child might be very similar to herself.

Not in appearance.

A being who had nowhere to belong, who was not accepted, and who had been drifting between people.

That's why she might have brought the child to a place where she felt accepted.

– Reflecting on it, they are very similar.

When she was brought to the orphanage without proper meals from the house where she was placed, she remembered reacting similarly when she was served food for the first time.

Recalling that moment, she saw the child and her past self overlapping, and couldn't help but smile wryly.

Why was she doing this?

Even if she took the child in, she couldn't give her anything.

"But it seems that child believes in her own potential.

It's not the same as having confidence… but she firmly believes she can do something. People like that are strong. …In that sense, you're the opposite of her now."

"…I see. That might be true."

"Yeah, it really is.

Listen, Ines.

It's time you acknowledged yourself.

You don't need to get any stronger. I can say this with confidence, having been beaten up by all the strong people in the world as the weakest of the Six Saints.

– My pride and joy, my daughter, is the strongest on earth.

If you acknowledge that, it will be true."

Dandalug said this and placed his large hand on Ines's head.

"Well, that's all I wanted to say.

Go to Mithra with your head held high.

You represent us, the Six Saints.

If necessary, use your 'sword' or 'shield' without hesitation. We'll take responsibility for whatever happens.

…Honestly, I'd feel refreshed if you slapped that woman's face. Of course, it would likely lead to diplomatic issues, but I'd be happy to lose my head for it. I don't think you'd do something that stupid, though."

Dandalug laughed heartily as usual.

"…Hey, stepfather.

Can I talk to you for a bit more?

I actually came to ask you something.

…If you have the time, that is."

"Huh? What's this, all formal. I said you don't need to be."

"…I want to know about a person named Noll. If you could, could you tell me about his childhood?"

Dandalug looked a bit surprised at the name Ines mentioned.

"Wow, that's rare.

For you to be interested in someone else, and especially him."

"…Is that strange?"

"No, I didn't say that. I think it's a good thing. …But why?"

"…I lost. I felt I couldn't win against that man, Noll."

"Haha, I see, against him.

That's a shame.

Well, he's… a bit of a strange one.

Trying to measure him with normal standards will just confuse you. I don't think you need to feel like you lost."

"…No, I measured myself with my own standards and felt I lost.

But I think it was for the better.

It felt like an unnecessary burden was lifted, and I could see myself more clearly."

Dandalug was impressed. It was very rare for Ines to care about others to this extent.

"…Well, that's good.

…Gilbert would be surprised if he heard this."

"Why is his name coming up now…?"

"No, it's my story. Don't worry about it… but you really haven't noticed, have you?"

"…?"

"So, what do you want to know? I don't know much, only about three months. But I can tell you that he was quite extraordinary. If you want to hear about that time, I can tell you. Well, let me think…"

Dandalug, pleased with Ines's change, leaned back in his large custom chair, rested his cheek on his hand, and began to recall his memories.