Trundle soldiers and adventurers were fundamentally not interested in enemies weaker than themselves. If someone offered their weapons up in surrender to a Trundle soldier, they would simply be told never to oppose Trundle again and be left alone. The soldier would then run off in search of an opponent stronger than them.
As we stormed the military bases, the enemy soldiers felt the fear of Trundle and told us, “We were only on Prince Schneider’s side to fight Prince Gardner. We have no intention of making an enemy of Trundle...” then they ran away. They were such a hodgepodge group, I almost felt bad for Schneider.
Apparently, the queen requested a visit despite the state of affairs. I had Orcus write something like “We’re in a war! Don’t act so nonchalant!” in a polite way and send it to her. It was the royal family’s failure to raise the princes with a good brotherly relationship that led to the birth of that vengeful demon in the first place, which ticked me off even more.
No, I have to stay cool and serious, like grandmother taught me.
We had to have a group led by Matt infiltrate Schneider’s palace as retaliation for burning the Trundle mansion. We’d finally made it to the starting line. As we were considering contingencies and discussing routes and methods at the guild, someone set a hot cup of tea on the table in front of me.
“Thank you very mu—Alma!”
“Serephi!”
It was Alma! Her hair was now down to her shoulders, and she’d gained a good amount of muscle since I’d last seen her, but she still looked slender, maybe thanks to her bone structure. I was feeling antsy after seeing her again after all this time, so the other guild members were considerate enough to take a break. We nervously went over to the table we had always sat at.
“How’s Lady Erza?”
“She’s fine! She’s getting better quickly, and I’m protecting her! Don’t worry!”
“That’s great to hear... Are you okay, Serephi?”
“Huh?”
“I mean, you were all alone overseas, weren’t you...? I would have cried if it were me.” Alma looked genuinely near tears. Seeing her like that...it felt like I had permission not to hold back.
“Yeah, I did cry. I was lonely, and I missed you, and I wanted to go back to school.”
“Serephi...”
Alma and I hugged and comforted each other.
“I cried too. I was safe and sound at school, but I was so, so lonely without you.”
Even at sixteen, Alma’s heart was still that of a pure girl. We cried a bit...then giggled and perked back up.
“The guild decided that we, as students, are not allowed to fight. Since Trundle’s shorthanded now, I’ve just been doing as many of the usual commissions as I can. I want to think that’s helping Trundle. But I’m still so weak... I want you to train me, please! So I can join the forces as soon as I graduate and not be a dead weight! Oh, and I heard you can use magic! I was so surprised!”
“Oh... I’m sorry for keeping it from you. I just really, really wanted to go to knight school.”
“That makes sense... And we wouldn’t have met if you hadn’t hidden it, right? So I’m glad you did! Teach me some magic when this is all over! I want something to kick Cecil’s butt with!”
She didn’t blame me for keeping a secret from the school... Thank you, Alma.
“Alma, I want to ask you about something too!”
“Oh! What is it?”
“How has Nick been for the past two years?”
“You’re asking now?! Ahhh, he’s coming in soon! What do I say...?” Alma went as red as a boiled octopus. I see you two have something going on...!
The door opened, and a breeze blew through.
“Whew, I’m back! I burned all the crops damaged by the hail! I’m beat! Wait—”
A man smelling of gunpowder came in through the front door of the guild. He had the same bright orange hair that had always given me hope. He was the person who had never looked down on me or put me on a pedestal, but accepted me as an equal from the beginning—my best friend.
“Nick! Welcome back!”
“Serephi...”
Nick had reached 190 centimeters and looked like the other men of Trundle now. His usual sword, looking beat-up again, fell from his hand and clattered onto the floor. Tears suddenly welled up in his dark brown eyes.
I pushed my chair back and ran to the tearful Nick, then clung to him. I reached up and wiped his warm tears away with a finger. Even I couldn’t help but cry, seeing Nick like this...
Nick looked at me from above and wiped my own tears away with the rough thumb of a hardworking man.
“Serephi... I’m so sorry! I wasn’t able to be any use to you...” His teardrops fell onto my forehead. “I’m sorry... I wasn’t able to help you as a friend...when you got kidnapped... I’m so sorry...”
Nick didn’t get it at all. He was the first person to befriend me. He’d been my friend all this time. He still called me a friend even now. He was too stupid to understand how much that in itself had helped me and supported me.
“Nick... I’m strong, you know!”
“Yeah, I know! But what does that have to do with this?”
Nick became my friend without knowing my background, just by fighting me. He called me—a noble lady, the master of the Trundle family, and a future empress—his friend, and even more, he was crying that he wasn’t able to help me. He was just a kind friend, without any strings attached, who treated me as just Serephione.
“You’re my best friend...the first I’d ever made...” he sobbed.
That’s why I can count on you!
“You’re right!” I cried. “Nick, make really sure you save me next time!”
I took my treasure out of my pocket and pressed it into Nick’s hand. His face contorted when he saw the silver-flecked glass.
“Yeah... Yeah, I’ll do what I can! I’m gonna...get stronger...” he sniffled.
Alma wrapped her arms around both me and Nick from behind and quietly cried. Just then...
“Hey, let me in too, you idiots!”
Mr. Kodak, who had come out of the back, spread his arms and tenderly embraced his three pupils.