Gwen lowered her head, looking all uneasy and hesitant as she walked through the main gate.
She wasn't paying attention and accidentally bumped into something soft.
Startled, Gwen looked up.
"Si… Sister!?"
"Long time no see, Gwen~"
The smiling woman in front of her was her elder sister, Kefra Delin.
She was a beauty with a completely different style from Gwen, long pale-purple hair, delicate features, red lips, white teeth, and eyes that shimmered with charm. Every movement of hers exuded elegance and noble grace.
She looked as refined and noble as a violet in bloom.
Gwen's impression of her elder sister still stayed in the past.
Back then, Kefra's hair had been the same silvery white as hers.
'Did she dye it?'
Gwen was a little curious.
But there was no denying that among all the people in the family, she and her elder sister had always shared the closest bond.
Even after so long apart, Gwen couldn't hide her joy.
Her face was bright with a happy smile, her whole aura completely different from how it had been moments ago.
"Seeing your sister again, aren't you going to give me a hug?"
Kefra stretched out her arms and said with a smile.
She was like the bright moon at night, whoever looked at her couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth and affection.
Blushing, Gwen nodded and threw herself into her sister's arms for a big hug.
Then, still smiling, Kefra asked, "I just heard from the servants that you came back riding someone else's carriage. Who was it?"
"Si… Sister!"
Gwen stomped her foot in embarrassment, looking like she was pouting in frustration.
Seeing that, Kefra nodded knowingly, as if she already understood everything.
"Mhm, no need to tell me. That was Victor just now, wasn't it?"
Gwen kept her head down and said nothing.
Her mind was a mess, she had only just begun to understand Victor's feelings, and now her long-lost sister suddenly appeared to tease her about it.
'What's with today!?'
"Come to think of it, I haven't seen Victor in a long time either. I wonder if he's still as full of himself as before."
"Maybe I should find some time to go visit him?"
Hearing her muttering to herself, Gwen tilted her head curiously and asked, "Sister, why did you come to the capital?"
"Oh? Of course, I came because I missed my cute little sister~"
Kefra pulled Gwen into her arms again and rubbed her head affectionately. Gwen, a bit annoyed, pushed her away.
"You know I can tell when someone's lying."
"Alright, alright, looks like I still can't fool you."
"To use your ability on your own family, my... Gwen, you've gotten mean."
Kefra stuck out her tongue playfully, then turned serious.
"Though I had already planned to come to the capital, I heard from a friend that something big happened here recently, so I hurried over."
"You weren't affected, were you?"
Gwen shook her head. "The ones most affected were Duke Dway and Victor."
Kefra tilted her head, a puzzled look flashing in her eyes.
"Hm? Why would Victor be involved with Duke Dway?"
Gwen chose her words carefully and began explaining everything that had happened lately.
———
"What!? The volcano almost erupted? And there was a volcano god sealed beneath it? And Victor actually defeated a monster like that!?"
"Ugh, if not for family matters, I totally would've wanted to join in something that exciting!"
"Next time, you have to call me!"
As Gwen spoke, Kefra's eyes lit up.
She bit her lip, clearly frustrated that she had missed such a thrilling adventure.
Gwen sighed helplessly.
"Sister, that kind of thing isn't likely to happen again."
"And even if it did, I wouldn't want to go through it a second time."
Kefra used her usual lecturing tone and said seriously, "You don't get it, Gwen. That was a once-in-a-lifetime adventure."
"Sure, the risks are high, but with risk comes opportunity."
Hearing that, Gwen froze slightly, suddenly recalling Victor's powerful display in the palace earlier that day.
"…Opportunity?"
"Yes, opportunity," Kefra said, folding her arms and nodding solemnly. "If you want to get stronger, just relying on plain training isn't enough. It's not impossible, but it's slow, and that discourages most people."
"I'm not worried you'll give up, but still…"
Kefra continued talking, but Gwen had already drifted into thought.
Could Victor's sudden surge in strength also be the result of some incredible opportunity?
While she was lost in thought, Kefra's voice cut back in.
"So, the duke stopped the war spell for the sake of his daughter… then maybe I should thank him."
Gwen frowned slightly. From the empire's perspective, if the volcano had erupted, the damage would have been unimaginable.
Even though the duke had been stopped by Victor, wasn't it still considered a failure? Shouldn't her sister be thinking about the family's and the capital's interests first?
Kefra noticed Gwen's expression, sighed, and knocked her lightly on the head.
"Ow!" Gwen yelped, clutching her head as a few stubborn tears welled up.
"Sister, do you even know your own strength!?"
"Sorry, sorry, I just couldn't help it."
Kefra smiled softly, rubbing Gwen's head affectionately to comfort her.
"But think about it, if you were still on that mountain and the duke had unleashed that war spell…"
"Then what would your sister have done, standing before your grave?"
Gwen froze. She had never thought about that.
At that time, not only had Erica been on the mountaintop, she herself had gone there chasing after her.
Just like Kefra said, it was a good thing the magic formation had been controlled by the duke, and that he stopped it.
If he hadn't, she wouldn't have survived either.
Now she remembered Victor's words, how he fought the volcano god for her sake, without her even realizing it.
'Victor… really did save me…'
Gwen's thoughts grew more and more tangled. She couldn't tell what she was feeling anymore, and her expression turned increasingly complicated.
"What's wrong? Lost in thought?"
Kefra smiled and looked at her, glancing over Gwen's head to make sure she hadn't hit too hard.
Hmm… she probably hadn't used too much force. Shouldn't be injured.
Gwen shook her head. Since she'd accepted someone's kindness, she had to return it somehow.
Once she understood that, she didn't feel quite so conflicted anymore.
Kefra smiled and nodded. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she said, "Ah! Since you're still in armor, how about we spar for a bit? It's been years since we've crossed swords!"
Gwen looked at her in surprise, a mix of doubt and reluctance.
"Sister? You?"
Before she could say anything else, Kefra grabbed her hand and started dragging her toward the training yard.
"Come on, come on! Let's go!"
"Don't we need armor?"
"No need, no need!"
———
"Huff… huff…"
Gwen knelt on one knee, using her sword to barely keep herself from collapsing.
She was drenched in sweat, nearly exhausted to the point of collapse.
Kefra, on the other hand, was holding an ordinary knight's sword, wearing no armor at all, and she looked perfectly fine, not even out of breath.
Stretching with a yawn, she sheathed her sword and hung it back on the wall.
"Mmm~ ha! That was satisfying! I haven't had such a good workout in ages!"
Gwen forced herself to stand and suddenly asked, "Sister, why did you choose to give up the path of a knight?"
"Hm?"
Kefra turned, resting her chin on one hand, pretending to think.
"I suppose… it was out of necessity."
"After all, the family needed my talents."
Gwen's heart sank a little.
Her elder sister, Kefra Delin, as the eldest daughter of the Delin family, she had been gifted and powerful. Even ten years ago, she'd already reached the strength of a royal knight commander.
Yet she gave up the sword.
She turned instead to politics, honing her administrative skills and navigating the imperial court.
It was out of helplessness.
As a family with great military influence, the Delins needed someone in politics to secure their standing and prevent crises.
Even though their father had countless disciples and connections, there were still plenty of rivals who saw the Delins as a thorn in their side.
And Kefra, with her cheerful personality, high emotional intelligence, and natural charm, was the perfect candidate, beloved by all.
She was the complete opposite of Victor.
So, Kefra Delin laid down her beloved weapon and sacrificed her own dream for the family.
Behind her bright smile, there might have been pain that no one could see.
"But this isn't good, Gwen."
Her sister's voice pulled Gwen back from her thoughts.
Gwen blinked in confusion.
Kefra looked at her with a troubled face.
"To be honest, part of why I came to the capital this time was to see how strong you've gotten."
"But… it looks like you haven't improved at all."
Gwen tightened her grip on her sword.
It was true, she couldn't beat her sister, even though Kefra had left the knight's path years ago.
But to say she hadn't improved at all? That stung her pride.
Kefra suddenly said, "This won't do, Gwen. At this rate, Father might call you back home for extra training. What should we do about that?"
Pretending to look troubled, Kefra's eyes darted playfully, watching Gwen's reaction.
"I've got it!"
Gwen lifted her head. "Huh?"
Kefra smiled triumphantly, as if she'd thought of the perfect solution.
"Why don't you just pick a good day and marry Victor already?"
"That way, Father will definitely let you stay here!"
Gwen blinked blankly.
"Huh??"
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