“I’d be more than happy to,” said Gene. “You’ve found yourself a real gem, Prince Osvalt. How delightful.”
“I know. I’m honored to be able to call her my wife. That might sound sappy, but I can say it loud and proud.”
“Er, Sir Osvalt? I’d really rather you didn’t say it too loudly. You’re embarrassing me.”
“Oops, sorry.”
I looked at the ground, my cheeks burning, as Sir Osvalt let out a hearty chuckle.
It was lovely that he expressed his affection so openly, but I still wasn’t used to him declaring our love in front of other people. If only I could respond in a more endearing way…
“I’m sorry, Philia. I just want to brag about having a wife as wonderful as you.”
“Sir Osvalt…”
Ah, well. I’d just have to get used to it. Sir Osvalt wasn’t going to change, so it was up to me to adapt.
“Okay, enough of that!” Lena threw her arms in the air. “I’m dying to hear about what His Highness was like as a kid, too!”
Had she noticed how embarrassed I was and thrown me a lifeline?
Sir Osvalt looked at her, exasperated. “You just want to be entertained, don’t you?”
“Is that a crime? It’s not like I got to see the ruins. At least let me enjoy this!”
Lena certainly didn’t beat around the bush. I admired her free-spirited nature. If only I could be more like her.
“All right. If this young lady wants to hear my stories, I’d best get started. His Highness first visited my dojo when he was five years old. At that time, Sir Leonardo was still in active service, having made a name for himself as a knight.”
“I wouldn’t say I’d made much of a name for myself, but yes, I had been knighted by then.”
“After witnessing Sir Leonardo’s skills, His Highness begged to come to my dojo to train his own strength.”
“Really? I didn’t know that.”
I had no idea that Leonardo had inspired Sir Osvalt to learn spearmanship. It was clear from the way Leonardo carried himself that he had been a more than capable knight, but even so, this was surprising.
“Well, I didn’t mean to keep it a secret—but it is a little embarrassing to admit.”
“That’s the first I’ve heard of this, too,” said Leonardo. “It’s perfectly understandable that you weren’t aware of it, Lady Philia.”
So this was news to Leonardo, too. As lovely as it was, this anecdote appeared to embarrass Sir Osvalt. I felt like I was seeing a new side to my husband already.
“At first, I was hesitant. I’d been entrusted with one of the kingdom’s princes, after all. If anything were to happen to him, I would shoulder the responsibility. Our dojo is known for its tough training, but when it came to Prince Osvalt, we had no choice but to go easy on him.”
“You went easy on him?”
“Definitely—but it didn’t take long for him to see through our plan. One day, His Highness looked me square in the face and said, ‘I’ll never get strong at this rate.’ I remember it as if it were yesterday.”
It was just like Sir Osvalt to speak so frankly. When his instincts told him he was being mollycoddled, he confronted the situation head-on. It sounded like he’d always been a realistic, sensible person.
“I was stumped. I never expected a five-year-old boy to yell at me like that. But it sparked a new sense of responsibility in me—the responsibility to ensure he never lost that noble spirit.”
“What are you talking about? I regret how disrespectful I was back then. Plus, the treatment I received after that was pretty vicious. I wished I’d never said anything.”
Sir Osvalt smiled awkwardly. He’d mentioned how tough his training had been before. Gene must have been determined to whip him into shape.
“Lady Philia, are you sure these anecdotes are interesting enough for you?”
“Oh, absolutely! I’m enjoying this very much. I’d love to hear more stories about Sir Osvalt.”
“Uh, Philia? Do you really have to say that with such an earnest look on your face?”
My expression made Sir Osvalt self-consciously avert his gaze. He had a habit of doing that when he was embarrassed, as I’d realized recently. I still didn’t understand why he got flustered when I expressed joy in hearing about him.
“Argh, I’m starting to get jealous!” Lena cried. “I bet Leonardo and Himari have lots of fond memories from this place, too.”
“Not especially. This was simply where I trained as a knight—nothing more, nothing less. I don’t have anything particularly interesting to share.”
“Likewise. I do have some fond memories, as I stayed here before moving to the palace.”
Judging by the way Himari spoke, she must have spent a considerable amount of time here.
“Excuse me, but I heard that Gene helped you out when you fled your country, Himari. If it’s not too much trouble, could you tell me what happened?”
The words slipped out of my mouth. Once more, curiosity had gotten the better of me.
Until recently, I thought it was inappropriate to pry into people’s personal matters—but now I couldn’t resist trying to learn more about my friends. I wanted to trace the journeys of those who’d become part of my life.
“What? Y-you wish for me to share my memories?” Himari looked taken aback. “I shall willingly comply, but did you not come here to learn about Prince Osvalt?”
She was right, but even so—
“I want to learn about you, too, Himari. Of course, I won’t force anything out of you…”
“No, you honor me.” A proud smile played across Himari’s face. “Personal attention from one’s master is an attendant’s highest honor.”
What a relief. I was glad I’d mustered the courage to ask.
“After being driven from Murasame, Some other refugees and I escaped on a boat by the skin of our teeth. We landed in Alectron, in the south of this continent, but the government deported us, fearing that granting us asylum would jeopardize its relations with Murasame.”
“And that’s how you ended up in Parnacorta?”
“Precisely.”
I’d heard that Alectron was one of the most conservative nations on the continent. Its people valued lineage above all else and were especially hostile toward outsiders. It was no surprise that Himari and her people found a cold welcome there.
“We managed to cross the border and flee to the remote mountain region, but there, I collapsed from exhaustion. That was when Sir Gene rescued me.”
Himari glanced toward Gene.
She easily could have died in the mountains. Before I developed the Great Purification Circle, such uninhabited areas lacked protective barriers, making them a haven for monsters.
“When I first spotted Himari, I could hardly believe my eyes.” Gene looked reflective. “How had this tiny young woman sailed the strait, crossed the border, and made it all the way to our country on her own?”
Himari was still quite young. When she was expelled from her homeland, she must have been no more than a child. The thought of her fleeing in fear for her life broke my heart.
“She had collapsed from her injuries and hunger. I couldn’t just leave her there, so I treated her wounds and gave her something to eat. That’s all. I did nothing special.” Gene spoke of the past with a faraway look in his eyes.
The humility in his words didn’t feel fake or forced. He was being completely honest about how he felt.
“You speak too kindly, Sir Gene. You gave me a safe place to stay when I fled my country and even spoke on my behalf to Prince Osvalt. Trust that I have not forgotten the debt I owe you.”
“Oh, yes, I suppose I did mention you to Osvalt. It just so happened that His Highness was visiting at the time, so you came up in conversation. If you’re going to show gratitude to anyone, it should be him. He was so keen to lend an ear.”
So that was how Himari had come to work for the royal family. Thanks to Gene, she was free of persecution. No wonder she felt indebted to him.
Sir Osvalt grew serious. “That was the first favor you ever asked of me, Gene. You bowed and asked if I could help. I couldn’t reject your plea. Frankly, I was surprised to see you act that way.”
Though Sir Osvalt said he was surprised, I knew he must have empathized with the situation and done everything he could to help.
“I have to admit, I did have a soft spot for Himari,” said Gene. “She was a refugee from Murasame, after all. Her situation was much like my grandfather’s.”
“Your grandfather came from the Murasame Kingdom?”
“Indeed he did. The name ‘Delon’ was bestowed upon our family when my father became an instructor for the Parnacortan royal family. It had previously been used by a baronial family which no longer had an heir.”
“How fascinating…”
On reflection, the architectural style of the dojo had struck me as foreign. Given the age of the building, it was likely that Gene’s grandfather had built it in the style of his homeland.
“My grandfather always used to say that the people of Murasame cherish their personal relationships. I must have inherited that from him, for I simply couldn’t cast Himari aside.”
“I lost four siblings when I was driven out of my homeland.” Himari bowed her head in gratitude. “I will never forget the kindness Sir Gene showed me by giving me a new home.”
Gene sighed. “Ah, but no home can ever replace the loss of your beloved family.”
“No. As great as that loss was, I have now found a master I can love and respect. For a Murasame ninja, this is an incomparable stroke of fortune.”
Himari looked at me and smiled. Her bright eyes had a calming effect on me.
“Himari…”
“Please continue to show me the kindness you have so far.”
From Sir Osvalt’s childhood anecdote to Himari’s saga, I had learned a lot. I was so glad I had come to the dojo. It felt as if our bonds had grown deeper than ever.