R1. Dialogue
Let us rewind time by about half an hour.
Just after finishing her affairs with the territory, Reinhild was suddenly overcome by a sense of despair.
This unfamiliar emotion made the young girl freeze for a moment, then she realized—it was the Divine Protection of Empathy transmitting the emotions of a distant friend.
Calming herself, Reinhild quickly used the Divine Protection to sense Ferris's location.
—To the north. That distance! So far! It must be somewhere near the territory of Mathers.
Reinhild was extremely shocked.
Since there was no blood relationship, the Divine Protection's effect between them was far weaker than a genuine one.
For such emotional resonance to be triggered from such a long distance, it meant something serious was happening.
Realizing the friend's condition, Reinhild didn't even inform anyone and left her own territory.
—Could it be that Lady Crusch is in trouble?
As she advanced, Reinhild suddenly recalled the last time Ferris had panicked.
That time, Ferris's parents had used Ferris as bait to kidnap Crusch.
—No, even then Ferris didn't feel this level of despair. Could it be...!
The worst-case scenario flashed through her mind, and Reinhild couldn't help but feel a bit of regret.
She had indeed noticed the strange behavior of Crusch and the others, but because she believed in Crusch's strength and character, she didn't look into their actions deeply.
Pain from her arm nearly caused the rushing Reinhild to lose balance, but right after came a sense of relief.
Reinhild knew the limits of Ferris's emotional endurance.
Since Ferris was able to send the agreed-upon distress signal, it meant things hadn't yet reached the worst point.
Dashing through the air, Reinhild finally saw from afar the massive body of the White Whale soaring in the sky. At first, she couldn't believe it.
Even with a dragon carriage, the journey from the capital to here would take at least ten hours, and on the battlefield, there were cannons that would obviously slow down progress.
Thinking this through, the message of the White Whale's appearance must have reached the capital over ten hours ago. And yet, she hadn't received any notice of the White Whale subjugation.
—Lady Crusch sealed the news to claim the glory of defeating the White Whale?
That thought popped into her mind for an instant, but she quickly denied it.
With Crusch's abilities, she couldn't have interfered with Captain Marcos's judgment.
Captain Marcos would not skip using the communication mirrors to inform her just for a mere royal selection candidate.
Who could interfere with Captain Marcos?
Reinhild's expression darkened.
Given the current situation, the only one capable of stopping Marcos from informing her could only be the former captain of the Royal Guard, Marcos's father's best friend, her grandfather—
Wilhelm.
—Grandfather doesn't want me involved in his revenge battle.
The moment that conclusion formed, Reinhild instinctively concealed her presence and stopped.
Luckily, the White Whale's dive and the intense battlefield had drawn everyone's attention. No one noticed the girl who had abruptly halted mid-air in the distant sky.
Reinhild began observing the battlefield.
Warriors on both sides were using their lives to stall the other two White Whales.
The fully beastified tiger was delaying the White Whale pursuing Subaru.
Crusch and the others were preparing at the Great Tree of Flugel.
—I see.
Understanding Subaru's plan, Reinhild hesitated for a moment and then slowly released the Dragon Sword.
(To offer loyalty to this country on behalf of the family)
Her father's voice echoed in her mind for the first time in a long while.
But as she looked at the boy using his life as bait, and the warriors using their lives as shields—
"If I step in now, the world will only remember that the Sword Saint defeated the White Whale. These brave warriors will lose their glory."
As if persuading someone, Reinhild whispered softly.
Then, for the first time, she did not make the "correct" decision.
Of course, not doing the "correct" thing didn't mean doing nothing. She quietly joined the battlefield, keeping an eye on Subaru while secretly saving warriors on the verge of death.
As expected, the White Whale was crushed beneath the tree.
Unnoticed, Reinhild moved away from the crowd.
She stood silently behind her family member, watching. Watching the gravely injured old man use exquisite swordsmanship to strike down the demonic beast trapped under the Great Tree. Watching the beast that had destroyed her family lose its life.
"It's over, Theresia. Finally..."
Standing on the thoroughly dead White Whale's head, the old man looked up to the sky with tears streaming down his face.
Even though his bones were broken and he'd been swallowed, he never let go of his treasured sword, which finally fell to the ground.
Covering his face with empty hands, the Sword Demon who had finally completed his revenge found the courage to face the final question posed before the Sword Saint's departure 14 years ago. With a trembling voice, he shouted:
"Theresia, I..."
In that hoarse voice was the undiminished love of 14 long years.
"I love you—!!"
It was a declaration of love he never spoke even on the day he lost the woman he cherished. Words he had been too embarrassed to say every time his beloved wife asked.
Emotions that had never turned into words over decades finally poured out in this moment.
On the White Whale's corpse, the Sword Demon who had let go of his sword wept, expressing his love for his deceased wife.
When the old man finished crying and finally stood up, the girl and the old man locked eyes for the first time.
Then, the two fell into a deathly silence.
Despite the surrounding crowd celebrating victory, both of them felt an overwhelming heaviness in the air.
Reinhild didn't know if she had the right to celebrate with the old man.
The old man didn't know if he had the right to speak to the girl.
They simply stared at each other.
The old man, who lost everything and became a Sword Demon of revenge because of the girl.
The girl, who lost everything and became the proper Sword Saint because of the old man. Everything that happened 14 years ago had become an invisible and unbreakable wall between them.
Wilhelm finally moved his feet.
Step by step, he walked forward. After a brief hesitation, he passed by the speechless Reinhild.
Even though she had accepted everything, even though she had accepted the fact that she had killed her grandmother, the girl didn't know why her heart still hurt so much.
It hurt so much that simply standing still consumed all her strength.
Grandmother could never come back.
Home was gone.
None of these things could be solved by merely slaying a White Whale.
Just from grandfather's belated confession—though 14 years late, filled with undiminished love—shouldn't she already understand?
What was she still hoping for?
"Her Highness still needs your help... come."
A voice came from behind—her grandfather's.
Reinhild turned around in surprise.
The old man was still not far away. The words he had just said were spoken with his back to her as he paused his steps.
"...I understand."
One person's action might be considered a provocation among nobles. The other was so nervous she almost bit her tongue.
This was the first conversation between the two in fourteen years.
Read ahead (60 chapters) by supporting me on buymeacoffee / VarieTL