第１３７７堀：戸惑う心 (Part1)
Chapter 1377: A Troubled Heart
Side: Mikos
*Sigh.*
I suppose it was inevitable, or perhaps just how things were bound to turn out. That’s the only way I can put it.
As I sat in the room I’d been assigned, waiting for the formal escort to arrive, Jessica and Kaya walked in.
"Mikos? You don't look like yourself. Is something wrong?"
"Yeah. You seem a bit down, don't you?"
It might seem like an unlikely pairing, but in reality, it isn't. Jessica and Kaya both hail from the If Continent, and for Jessica, Kaya is a legendary wielder of the Holy Sword. They often train together and exchange opinions on the political climate of their home continent. Well, that’s true for all the Holy Sword wielders, of course. Naturally, former military personnel like Agil and Stasia are often involved in those discussions as well.
As for me... I’ve been helping out with the fashion features for *Monthly Weed*. I mean, Mikos-chan and the others are beautiful, but the Holy Sword wielders possess a different, striking kind of beauty.
"Hey, Mikos?"
"What is it? Are you genuinely feeling ill?"
I had been staring at Kaya while lost in those thoughts, and when I didn't answer, she leaned in close, looking even more worried.
*Oops.* I’ve made them fret.
"Ah, sorry. I was just thinking about the magazine content."
I blurted out a plausible lie.
"That was a bit blatant, wasn't it?"
"Indeed. Do you really think such an obvious lie would work on us at this point?"
"Wait, you saw through it?"
"If you were really thinking about the magazine, you’d have a notebook or a laptop in your hands, wouldn't you?"
"Exactly. You’re always glued to a screen or a sketchbook."
"Ahaha, you’ve got me there."
"So, what is it that’s troubling you?"
"That’s right. Keeping things bottled up inside is dangerous. It makes it hard for us to back you up."
"I suppose so. We are heading into a war, after all."
"I didn't necessarily mean we were going to—ah, I see."
"Hmm. So that’s how it is."
Oh dear. It seemed they had figured it out from just those few words. I waited for them to confirm my suspicion.
"Mikos, you have experienced war, but you aren't accustomed to it."
"Which is only natural, I suppose."
"Is it that obvious?"
"The look on your face when you said we were going to war was quite something."
"Well, the only people who enjoy going to war are mercenaries or career soldiers. Or perhaps farmers who gather voluntarily to earn their keep. Everyone else is just forcibly conscripted, wondering if they’re going to die. Your first time in battle was a conscription, wasn't it, Mikos?"
"Yeah."
That’s right. It happened back when I went to Bide for a field study from the Heiden Academy of Magic. Findar had launched an assault, and we were forced to fight on the spot.
Man, I really thought that was the end for us. Thanks to the command of Kagura and the Princess, we managed to keep our composure, but the regular Bide army had been too eager and was lured into a trap, resulting in their total annihilation. We were the few left behind, and the only thing we could rely on was us—the students of the Magic Academy. It was a miserable situation. I was truly terrified.
After that, Yuki-sensei took an interest in the academy’s rumors and ghost stories, and I ended up getting involved in all sorts of incidents. While there were times things escalated, we never really stood on the front lines of a war. Yuki-sensei wouldn't allow it.
But this time is different. As a representative of the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance, I might have to negotiate with someone who commands an army. And Yuki-sensei isn't here. That fact seems to be what’s unsettling me. Even though I know my anxiety is worrying those around me, I can't seem to help it.
Just as I was thinking that...
"There is nothing wrong with that. As Kaya said, only a tiny fraction of people enjoy this. There are very few who actually find pleasure in the exchange of lives."
"But won't I just be a burden to everyone?"
"Ah, that might be true, but isn't that what comrades are for? To cover for each other? More importantly..."
Kaya glanced behind me. I turned around, wondering what she was looking at.
"I wondered why you looked so down, and it was that, wasn't it?"
"Mikos, you’re surprisingly delicate, aren't you? And to think you’ve even come to save me before."
"It cannot be helped. Moving to save someone and engaging in war are two different objectives, after all."
Standing there were Kagura, Enola, and Deryu-san.
"Wait? I thought you all went to look around the area?"
"We did. Since we never know when we might be attacked, we checked it out, even though we already had the data."
"The result? We determined there’s no problem. We can blast through anything, and the dungeon’s functions are fully operational."
"Indeed. Even you, Mikos, could handle it unarmed."
Hearing Deryu-san say that while slapping her fist into her palm was reassuring. I had assumed this castle didn't have much in the way of defensive capabilities anyway.
"So, don't worry. We’ll cover for whatever you can't do, Mikos."
"In the worst-case scenario, I’ll just carry you on my back and run."
"Haha, of course, I wouldn't mind throwing you to safety either."
" " "No, no." " "
Everyone, including Jessica and Kaya, rejected Deryu-san’s suggestion in unison. She’s as powerful as ever. But her next words made me—no, my entire being—freeze.
"Well, that was a joke. If you are truly concerned about Mikos’s safety, shouldn't she return to Weed? If you explain the situation to Yuki, he would accept it without issue."
"Eh?"
It was an option I hadn't even considered. No, if you think about it normally, it’s the obvious choice. You don't keep someone useless on the front lines. Besides, Yuki-sensei is kind; he would especially hate sending his wife into danger. This whole thing was an irregularity, and he only sent us because he thought there was no chance of actual combat. The ones who would be fighting are Steve and his group. After all, it was Steve and the others who suppressed the Great Stampede.
"Being afraid of war is not a bad thing. In the end, it is nothing more than two sides trying to force their will upon the other through brute strength. Calling it barbaric and terrifying is not wrong. Besides, if we need a Heiden representative, we have Kagura, don't we?"