<b>? Departure For War (1) ?</b>


    In an effort to break the ice, Renee buried her head in Vera’s arms.


    In response, Vera rested his head on top of Renee’s, hoping to calm his body somehow that couldn’t stay still.


    Their temperatures and scents mingled.


    The smell of pond water and the smell of grass around them, along with other scents, such as the scent of forest on the wind, could note between the two of them. At least, not for this moment.


    “…Vera is warm.”


    Vera replied to Renee’s low whisper.


    “The Saint as well…”


    Immediately afterward, his words trailed off as he focused on the things that were being transmitted once more.


    Vera realized that the things that could only be shared by embracing each other were so precious that he should savor them while he could.


    It was indeed a mirage.


    Her heartbeat was so faint, and the scent of her body disappeared at the slightest movement of his head.


    The same went for her temperature.


    Even the warmth transmitted through the skin would be washed away by the cold if he were to let his guard down, so he would have to cover her for a longer period of time before it became a mark on her body.


    Only then would he be able to remember her in the emptiness that would suddenlye over him.


    “You know…”


    “Please speak.”


    “Mmm….”


    Renee’s fingertips twitched.


    Hesitantly, she tickled Vera’s waist.


    Suddenly, she remembered something Vera had said a moment ago to her.


    “Vera, you’ve done it a lot, right…?”


    It was a question without a subject, but the meaning and intent of the question were clear.


    Renee’s face turned red.


    It was indeed an awkward question to ask, but she didn’t think there was anything wrong with it regardless.


    Why not?


    ‘I-I’m an adult now…’


    She was now an officially recognized adult on this continent.


    It wasn’t strange at all to have this conversation between adults, especially between lovers.


    Renee, an inexperienced person who was enjoying her immature first love, was unaware of the mutual unwritten rule that ‘a lover’s past should be buried,’ which she had never heard of.


    And then she dropped the bomb.


    “…You know that lies won’t work, right?”


    She asked because she sensed a certain kind of experience in how he provoked her.


    In a way, he was.


    Vera had grown up in a neighborhood where morals were nowhere to be found.


    And he had the power he had back then.


    Given his behavior at the time, it would be strange for him to have no experience with the opposite sex.


    Vera shivered as the question cut through the ominous silence, striking him unexpectedly.


    His action in itself was an answer through his body.


    Renee pouted her lips and pinched Vera’s back.


    “…You’re shameless.”


    “That’s…”


    Vera had no words to answer.


    He himself thought that he was shameless.


    Saying that you’re the only one ‘now’ in this situation seemed like the sort of trashy statement that would be uttered by a womanizer.


    A bead of cold sweat rolled down Vera’s cheek.


    No exnation would do.


    Vera had to settle for hugging Renee a little tighter.


    <b><i> What a tactless man.</i></b>


    Renee casually assessed him and, feeling somewhat irritated, said.


    “What a mutt…”


    Her face reddened.


    “His Holiness was right. You’re a mutt, Vera.”


    At least she would have closed her eyes and moved on if he had uttered a lie.


    This tactless person had always been genuine even in moments like this, and it was both sweet and frustrating.


    Renee hugged Vera tighter.


    Even though it was in the past and not in this life, she couldn’t help but be upset.


    Renee was possessive by nature.


    The mere thought of someone else taking what belonged to her made her blood boil.


    Renee was like that, and she also had the immature love of someone who had juste of age.


    And so, she spoke.


    “…You’ll regret it, Vera.”


    “Regret what…?”


    “That you lived like that.”


    <b><i> I’m already regretting it.</i></b>


    Vera could tell that the timing wasn’t right to say that.


    Thus, Vera waited for Renee to continue.


    Renee said, making a face so red that he wondered how she could possibly get any redder.


    “You’ll regret hanging out with all those trashy sluts, because I’ll be so much better.”


    Vera sighed.


    He also felt himself bing dazed.


    He had a guess that came to him with certainty.


    Renee was probably drunk in the mood and didn’t realize what she was saying.


    She was probably patting herself on the back and telling herself, ‘This conversation is nothing now that I’m an adult,’ but Vera, who had been there before, knew better.


    He knew that these words wouldy low for a long time, and that they woulde back to haunt her as a dark history on the day when she was truly mature.


    And that day, as always, she would tear the bedding to shreds.


    As he pictured the scene, Vera suddenly felt a smile tug at the corners of his mouth.


    ‘At that time, too…’


    If they were together, he thought, he might have to move busily in the morning to take care of the quilt that Renee had ripped to shreds.


    Renee opened her mouth again.


    She had no idea of what Vera was thinking, but she knew that what she was saying was quite provocative.


    “You’re scared already, aren’t you?”


    Vera held back theughter that threatened to burst out and nodded.


    “…Yes, I’m regretting it already.”


    “You won’t be able to sleep properly for a few days, then. Just think that you’re being punished and endure it.”


    The way Renee’s corners of lips quirked up was quite lovely.


    Seeing that, Vera lifted a hand and stroked Renee’s cheek.


    “Yes, I will endure it.”


    How lovely that reddish color was on her white skin.


    Vera smiled and stroked that red tint, then continued.


    “However, may I dare to ask?”


    “Say it.”


    “If I’m so shaken with regret, would you forgive me if you thought I had reflected enough?”


    “We’ll see then.”


    <i> Poke.</i>


    Renee pressed her index finger to Vera’s waist.


    “Treat me well. You know that you can’t find someone like me anywhere else, right?”


    She looked a little smug.


    Vera readily nodded his head.


    It was quite fun imagining what kind of reaction Renee would show someday.


    “I know it better than anyone else in this world.”


    Vera swept Renee’s bangs back and kissed the exposed forehead.


    The sun was setting, bathing the forest with a reddish hue.


    As with the reddenedndscape, Renee’s face also turned shades darker.


    Vera hugged Renee tightly, thinking to himself that the scarlet color of the water’s reflection and Renee’s red face looked pretty good together.


    ***


    The memorable birthday came and went.


    Life was back to normal.


    It was on a day when Vera was busy dealing with a demanding workload, and Renee was busy rejoicing over being able to get closer to him.


    “Gorgan has moved.”


    The foreseen disaster had made its move.


    In the great conference hall of Elia.


    Vera spoke with all the Apostles assembled there, and Vargo’s face crumbled.


    “Which way?”


    “The straits at the westernmost tip. Starting from there to the southwest…”


    Vera delivered the content of one of the reports he had heard this morning.


    “…He’s immediately moving to the Great Woonds.”


    The atmosphere sunk down.


    Although it was expected to happen eventually, facing the situation was indeed gloomy, and this mood naturally permeated the room.


    Vera bit his lip for a moment, then soon continued with a moreposed face.


    “The Federation’s Second Kingdom has fallen.”


    The Federation’s Second Kingdom.


    It was destroyed for being on Gorgan’s route, between the western straits and the Great Woonds.


    “What about the other kingdoms?”


    “The evacuation process is underway. The First and Fourth Kingdom are moving toward Oben, while the Third and Fifth Kingdom are moving toward the capital.”


    “How far has Gorgan moved?”


    “Based on thest report, Gorgan has justnded on the Federation’snd, and must have reached the border by now.”


    It was a week’s journey by horse from the Federation’s border to the Great Woonds.


    It meant that they didn’t have much time.


    Vargo let out a long sigh and spoke.


    “…So we have to move.”


    “The other nations said they’ll also organize their troops.”


    “When will they arrive?”


    “If we were to leave now, they would arrive around the same time.”


    It was the rampage of an ancient species, not another.


    As much as it would have been preferable to have all the Apostles on the move, the current situation did not allow for even that just in case.


    It was for no other reason.


    ysia.


    They had to take into ount the possibility that she would target Elia once again.


    Everyone in this room knew that they needed to distribute their forces.


    Vera nced around the room and made an estimate.


    ‘Trevor has to stay.’


    Aside from the fact that he was the only one who could control the Evil-Sealing Circle, as long as his original body was here, it was impossible for him to move to another ce.


    Needless to say, there was a need to select some people to protect Trevor.


    “Lady Theresa and the twins, and also Jenny, have to stay.”


    It was only natural to leave the four, who were better at defending than attacking, and Jenny, who could not yet be expected to fight.


    Next, Vera looked at Vargo and spoke.


    “…And you too, Your Holiness.”


    Considering ysia, it was no surprise.


    In the worst-case scenario, Vargo was the only one who could keep her tied down until Gorgan’s subjugation wasplete.


    Vargo nodded.


    “Alright. Then, there are four who will leave. The Saint, you, as well as Rohan and Marie.”


    Four of the Apostles.


    It was a powerful force that couldn’t be ignored, but it would be a lie if it wasn’t regrettable nheless.


    A look of worry crossed Theresa’s face.


    “Will it be okay? Shouldn’t I also…”


    “No, it’s fine. It’s not just the four of us. There’s also the continent’s entire army, so don’t worry too much about it.”


    The words came from Vera.


    Theresa seemed to want to say something about it, but instead sighed and nodded.


    “…Okay.”


    Her worry was a different story.


    In fact, considering ysia’s appearance, it was the right decision to have more people in Elia.


    In the middle of the room, where the tension and anxiety was palpable, Vargo said.


    “Alright, get ready right away.”


    There was no time to waste.


    It would be more constructive to head to battle sooner than to continue worrying for no reason.


    ***


    At Elia’s gate in front of the carriage, ready with as much manpower as possible.


    Friede spoke to the three people who approached.


    “Let’s go, then.”


    Friede made a small smile but seemed more down than usual.


    Renee climbed into the carriage.


    Behind her, Rohan followed, and just as Vera was about to climb in…


    “…Next time, I’ll go too.”


    Aisha, who came to see them off, said to Vera.


    Vera’s gaze turned to Aisha.


    The girl at the end of his sight had her eyes narrowed as if she was upset.


    “I’ll get stronger while you’re gone, so you can’t tell me to stay next time because it’s too dangerous.”


    Aisha had been excluded from this battle due to safety concerns.


    It was no wonder.


    She was the owner of a great soul, but she was still a fourteen-year-old girl.


    Also, she was an inexperienced swordswoman with less than a year of wielding the sword under her belt.


    It was a rational decision, but this certainly left a deep wound on Aisha’s pride.


    Vera watched Aisha ring at him and then turned around from the carriage and approached her.


    He ced a hand on the top of her head.


    “I’ll look forward to it.”


    It wasn’t empty words; it was uttered with sincerity.


    “I know you can do it.”


    Vera, who knew how persevering this girl was, believed that Aisha would make her promisee true.


    Aisha’s shoulders shook faintly.


    Her head snapped up.


    The corners of her mouth twitched.


    And her fists were clenched tightly.


    Aisha, who stared at Vera in silence for a while, soon lowered her head.


    “Don’t be so cocky…”


    It was a greeting in her own way.


    Knowing that now, Vera smirked and headed for the carriage.


    As he did, he left another word.


    “I’ll be back.”


    They were words he said to Aisha, to Elia, and to himself.


    It would not go unfulfilled.


    For the one who spoke those words was none other than the representative of the heavens, who governed all promises.