“All of it, I’ll protect… Not just your little sister, but everyone.”
“……Really? Without abandoning anything?”
I grit my teeth once more.
It wasn’t a resolve light enough to utter so casually. I, too, had agonized countless times, suffered in torment, and it was a path I had already grown utterly exhausted from and given up on.
Nevertheless.
“Even if it’s impossible?”
A question I had never heard before pierced into my chest, and I ended up dropping my head.
All sorts of memories mingled like fireworks in my mind.
The day I received the first letter and sparred with Seria.
Seria followed me around persistently, Celine bickered with Seria, then I met Senior Elsie, met Senior Delphine, fought magical beasts, defeated Senior Delphine.
I saved Emma, went to the orphanage, met Mr. Gilford, and learned refraction.
I fought, saved the saintess, saved the orphans, and what did I say in response to the question of why?
Immanuel.
Cien, Mitram, my hometown, the corpse giant, Ria’s secret, the north was cold.