✦ ✦ ✦
“Really.”
“The ship is officially part of the royal guard, which makes you part of the royal guard as well.”
Since the new Blue Knight had been made a part of the royal guard, it meant that Koutarou, who was aboard it, was a royal guard as well. It was a perfect fit for the title of Guardian of the Empire. Koutarou’s role had been made clearer so that he would normally be protecting royalty while acting as supreme commander in emergencies.
“So I’m a bodyguard again...” Koutarou muttered and looked at his chest. On it was a small piece of wood decorated with wool with the text “Insignia of Forthorthe’s Blue Knight, Super Important Bodyguard for Charl and Alaia.” It had been handmade by the people in his memories. Until now, it had been the only thing that had shown Koutarou’s standing. He’d once joked with Elfaria about becoming a guard, and now it was official.
“Do you not like being called a royal guard?” Clan cautiously asked after seeing Koutarou’s reaction. She couldn’t tell if there were positive or negative emotions behind it.
“No. Fighting for you guys isn’t bad. I was just feeling a little nostalgic,” he answered. He didn’t hate being called a guard. A royal guard in particular had the job of protecting the royalty. They also had more work than that, as they could be given missions directly from royalty. In other words, he felt like nothing much would change.
“This is the first time that you’ve been officially appointed a royal guard,” Clan said with a gentle expression, feeling somewhat relieved.
Two years ago, I would have punched this face...but I can’t do that now...
Two years ago, he and Clan had gone missing while fighting. Back then they had been outright enemies. That was why Koutarou could have punched her back then. But everything had changed over the last two years. Such a thought would never come to his mind now. Clan had changed so much, and he found it impossible to direct any hostility toward her when her expression looked the way it did now.
“Then are you going to return to being a servant for the first time in two years too?” Koutarou asked. Half of the reason for his words was to hide his embarrassment, with the remaining half driven by nostalgia.
“If that is what you seriously wish of me,” Clan answered.
Koutarou’s words could have been interpreted as him teasing her, but Clan was unusually unperturbed by it. That, or she might have been feeling something similar to Koutarou. Going on a journey with him as she had back then didn’t sound all that bad.
“If I...make you my servant, you might just go around saying that the real Blue Knight is dead.” If anything, it was Koutarou who was perturbed. He was shaken up because he didn’t think it was that bad of a future either. Even so, he was stubborn, so he squeezed out what gripes he could.
“That’s why...I will have the real Blue Knight die this time,” Clan said, smiling happily at him.
“What?!”
“I will have you die in my arms...although I don’t know how many decades from now that will be,” Clan explained.
Koutarou wouldn’t die until far in the future, because Clan would protect him. He would grow old and die peacefully, surrounded by his family, and Clan would be at his side so that she could witness the last moments of the man who’d once been her nemesis. She wouldn’t fail again, staying by his side and witnessing the death of the Blue Knight.
✦ ✦ ✦
