Chapter 34

"Magic Arrow..."

"Kaboom!"

The Magic Arrow I fired blew away a lizardman.

When I shifted my gaze, I saw the knights battling the lizardmen. They were surrounding the lizardmen and swinging their swords.

The knights never fought the lizardmen one-on-one. That was the ironclad rule the captain had repeatedly drilled into us before we reached the battlefield.

"...I thought it would be a broken record on the first day..."

A low-ranking soldier muttered.

Indeed, watching them, the lizardmen were abnormally strong. ...It was my first time seeing the real thing, but are they really that strong?

They were unnaturally fast and powerful.

A knight—fully armored—was sent flying several meters by a single blow from a lizardman. The shock was so great that he couldn't get up immediately and was swaying.

Filbus answered my unspoken question.

"Did you forget? Carail said there's a crest mage behind them, and the lizardmen with tattoos are enhanced individuals."

...That's right. That's what he said.

Looking at the lizardmen, I could see various patterns tattooed on their bodies.

"Even the kingdom's knights can't handle them in a fair fight."

"Is that so?"

I caught sight of a new lizardman at the edge of my vision.

"Magic Arrow..."

A white arrow pierced the lizardman's chest, killing it instantly.

"...It doesn't seem to matter to you..."

Filbus said with a weary look.

Indeed, it seemed that my slightly more powerful Magic Arrow would kill them in one hit regardless.

However, I felt a sense of unease.

Somehow... compared to my usual Magic Arrow, it felt like the initial release was off. I was also missing my targets more often.

Was it just my imagination?

We scattered the lizardmen in the area, and our squad began to advance again.

At that moment, I heard a knight muttering.

"...Aren't they stronger than the previous ones?"

"I thought so too. It feels like we're not advancing as much as before."

"Something about the number of tattoos seems to be more than the previous group, doesn't it?"

...What does that mean?

After walking for a while, the captain's loud voice echoed.

"We'll take a lunch break here! Eat while you can! And the soldiers on duty, don't neglect the perimeter!"

It seemed we were taking a break.

"I'll rest over there."

I told Filbus and moved to a less crowded spot.

I wanted to be alone.

Since the night I reunited with Arranja, my heart had been restless. I hadn't fully processed the emotions from that moment.

My mind was out of balance.

I didn't feel like smiling and chatting with anyone.

But then—

Shuffling footsteps.

I moved my gaze slightly while nibbling on the rationed bread.

"Um, Albert... would you like to eat together...?"

There stood Rora.

"..."

I couldn't answer immediately.

I wanted to be alone.

But I hesitated to say that to Rora.

Rora continued hesitantly.

"Um, I know it might be a bother... I can tell you want to be alone, Albert..."

Rora's tone rose.

"But! That's why! I want to listen! If you're troubled, I want you to talk! As a friend, I'm worried!"

Rora looked so earnest.

Seeing that face, I—

"Haha, hahaha!"

Laughed.

Rora's serious concern for me was amusing.

For me.

For someone like me.

Someone with no value.

Even when I put up walls, she still crossed them, saying she was worried about me—

Such a person was by my side.

There was nothing more pleasant or happy than that.

I couldn't be alone.

But I wasn't alone.

"Hahahaha!"

"Hey! What's so funny, Albert!"

"Sorry, sorry. You looked so serious, it was funny."

"Because! I'm really worried! Albert doesn't seem to be in good spirits!"

So, you were worried.

You were worried about me...

"Rora"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for worrying about me."

I gestured to the spot next to me.

"Let's eat together."

"Yes!"

Rora nodded with a happy, wrinkled face.

After that, we chatted about trivial things. There was no particular significant content. College, magic, the usual topics we discussed in the cafeteria.

It was Rora's consideration.

She must have been curious about what was troubling me.

But she didn't pry.

She engaged in trivial conversation just to distract me.

That's why I thought.

I wanted to talk to Rora.

If I talked to someone—maybe the weight in my chest would lighten a bit.

I also thought it was the right time.

Rora had told me about her origins, but I had kept mine a secret. This unfairness needed to be addressed.

"Rora"

"Yes?"

At my serious call, Rora tilted her head in confusion.

"...I want you to listen. To my story."

With just those words, the clever Rora understood everything.

"Yes! Of course!"

A moment of silence.

Rora waited. For me to speak.

I waited for the words to rise from the depths of my stomach. The words I should tell Rora. The past I had sealed away for so long.

Eventually, they slowly spilled out of my mouth, as if pushing open a heavy door.

"...Rora... I was a student at the academy ten years ago... and I ran away out of fear of failing."