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Hm... Kenta once told me that he's a bad person. This was when I was broken by Lvo, who showed me my real, selfish self. I have watched Kenta since then and I have put some thought into past actions, trying to unravel what is right and what I want to be right.

How Ara treated the mercenaries is one of the many times I find myself wondering what exactly is wrong... no, wrong isn't the right word... maybe odd? In times like this, I like to ask Ara for the right word, but somehow she's the source of the problem. Asking Kyou maybe? She always has great insight into situations.

Kyou is cooking dinner though, as we make our camp. Ara is away fetching water, while I unpack the chests with the ropes, wedges, and ground nails so that Kenta can build the tents. He has that skill that allows him to be much quicker at it, or rather: It's like he instinctively knows the best way to arrange everything and each of his movements is fluent.

Two tents, one tarp that connects them and acts as a common room. One tent for Kyou and Kenta, one for me, while Ara sleeps by the fire whenever Kenta does nightwatch, as she can just rest everywhere.

Everything stands now and Kenta and I put the furs for our bedding ready. “Rine-chan, would you help, please?” Kyou asks me while holding a crisp yellow gaspier. “We need to eat them fast.”

“Sure.” I pick up a fruit knife and start peeling them. I'm getting better at it! “...” I think for a second about how to start the conservation, but then come to the conclusion that I should just do it as always and say directly what is occupying me: “I'm still feeling bad about Gunsar Flamebane.”

“Why?” Kyou-san has the wonderful ability to ask things dear to me without questioning it, if this description makes sense. It's something about the way she asks that makes it so easy to delve into it.

“...it feels unresolved and more like we... how did mother called it... ah, escalated things.” Mother was always the one who has taught me about diplomacy and negotiations, and I start to regret skipping her classes to do some more sword-training.

“Escalate?”

“Mother told me, that you can either keep the tension, escalate it, or deescalate it. While all of them are valid sometimes, it's important to know when to do what...”

“Hm... so you're not hung up about what Arako did anymore?”

“I dislike it, but you made clear that I'm the only one who does. I'd rather put an end to it by a duel or such.”

“It sounds easy... one fight, then there is a pecking order, everything is clear. But would have that deescalated this? By the way, I like that word,” she adds while quickly removing the seeds of the gaspier.

“Hm... I don't know. Somehow, Gunsar Flamebane felt like a...”

“Like a huge jerk?”

“Ha...hahaha...” I can't help but laugh dryly at this description, that is everything I want to call him, even though it sounds very rude. “He's not a good person.”

“Should he?”

“Everyone should. He's a mercenary, so someone who has power, and those who have power should use it for the good of people. For justice, against monsters.”

“We don't do that either, right?”

“We helped people in the past! Like the alfar, when the demons attacked. Or... or against Lvo! Also, the Crusaders have misused their power as well, chasing Kenta for--- for... for... being a sinner...” I still feel very uncomfortable with that, I'm a bit afraid. Sinners are bad people, because they could have chosen to not break the Divine Laws, but Kenta was cursed, and I still feel happy about him being my husband... “Kenta said that things aren't either right and wrong... but I feel like it should be that way?”

“What way?”

“If there is something wrong, someone has to make it right. Maybe there are several kinds of wrong, some more urgent than others, but... Yes, we did wrong with Gunsar Flamebane. It was a mistake. It's fine to make mistakes, I do them all the time. Even back at the bar.” I accidentally broke a man's arm. He was so close to me, I suddenly had the feeling of danger. I grabbed the hand that was closing on to me and then I twisted it before I realized what I was doing, and went overboard.

“I have my own idea about that, Rine-chan, but I can't prove it. If I'm right, you have nothing to feel guilty about.” The pile of peeled and deseeded gaspiers is already bigger than the bowl. “We need to bake them now. Put them onto skewers.”

I do as she asks while pondering about what I just said. There may be three states, after all: Right, wrong, and mistake. You can make a mistake right by making amends or learning from it, but how can you make a wrong right?

I pierce another piece of gaspier on a skewer... force. That's how all kingdoms work, right? If someone does wrong and doesn't want to make amends or learn from it, then they send their forces. Soldiers, officers, militia, all other kinds of law enforcers. They have power, they can force people to submit...

Might makes right? Does it come down to it? I don't want to believe it, but currently, most of my beliefs have been questioned and I don't have the strength to defend my values as vehemently anymore.

Is kindness something you can only show after becoming strong enough? Is justice something that only the powerful decide?

...no. Founder Hagen said he wanted to live in a kingdom of justice, in which the needs of a simple farmer are as important as that of a lord. A nation where the nobles are the servants, in a sense. ...but Founder Hagen was incredibly strong. So even his justice could only be upheld by force?

...have I've been enforcing my will because I'm stronger than Kenta, Kyou, and Ara, and just called it justice?

Au.

I keep thinking in circles and before I know it, dinner has already ended and it's time to do some magic training. Ara gives her best, always coming with new ideas about what to do. The problem is that it seems like I have little affinity for any element aside from fire and that's an element she lacks affinity for herself.

“Today we’ll try to make an attack spell. Release your magic from your palm, hit the heat in the air with it.”

I point my palm where Ara points to, make sure to use the magic that's stored within my spleen, trying to imagine it moving through my hand. At this point I can make a small flame, but I wanted to shoot the flame like a dragon would spit fire. “How can I make it shoot?”

“Put more magic into it.”

I do what she says, but only the size of the flame increases, not its heat or power. “It's not working.”

“Hm... maybe you need to create a path for the flame, using the minute disturbances the mana causes and make the fire jump from one to another.” Mana is the power of the planet that seeps out. When it touches people, it becomes magic, but it touches everything and creates small ripples. [Elemental Magic] uses this phenomenon for its spells.

“I have no idea how to start?”

“Then let's go with the version that makes me go back some steps, as it may blow up in your face. Try to build up magic in your hand and push all of it out at once.”

“I will!” Yes, inside my hand is power. A powerful flame that needs to be tamed, a fire that can burn everything in its path. A flame that will enforce its will onto others. Heed to it or burn... my flame suddenly vanishes. “...sorry...”

“...” Ara's ears are waving a little, then her left one twitches once before it puts itself on her head. “I'm sure that there is something going on with your emotions and I have no idea why. Do you want to share?”

“...no.” For starters, it's somewhat Ara's fault that I'm reconsidering my stance about justice and power in the first place. I also don't feel like sharing my thoughts right now.

“Then I will look at how Momo is faring with her [Empower], while you can either take a break or try some [Arcana]-training yourself.”

Ara can teach me two things a wizard knows: [Arcana], the ability that alters magic itself, and [Elemental Magic]. While I make good progress with the latter, even with Ara often guessing how to proceed with fire magic, I hate the former. It's just so boring!

I think it's super useful, but it's certainly not for me. It's for smarter people like Ara and Kyou.

“I DID IT!” Speaking of her, she's laughing and hugs Ara. “You see! It's there!”

“...would you mind keeping your blubber from my face?” Ara says while being squeezed into Kyou's bosom.

“RINE-CHAN!” Kyou lets go of Ara and jumps into my arms. “I've learned it! Now I can [Empower]! With this, I may be able to mend even broken arms! Would you mind breaking Ken's for a trial?”

What? “EY!” Comes from Kenta, who has somewhat glossy skin, most likely a result of being healed by Kyou over and over again for her practice.

“Just a joke,” Kyou chuckles. “I only need to wait and it will happen soon enough.”

“...I hate how right that sounds. Phew... I guess I need to take a tank-class, after all.” Kenta often laments how we lack the so-called tank, someone who is able to attract enemies and take their hits easily, so that the rest can concentrate on killing important enemies.

I don't really understand that, as evading hits is the better strategy in my opinion and that just killing every enemy one at the time is fast enough. I'm sure Kenta can get to this point if he trains enough.

Uh, somehow this seems to tie in with my own worries. Evade and kill what can harm you... is this all I'm good for?

I look at Kyou, who is excited about her accomplishment and even Kenta and Ara look like they're happy for her... in their own way, at least.

I can use [Divine Magic] as well...

Is all I can do just make a swift entrance and kill everything? No, I can do more. I can heal. I...

If I become a [Wizard], then... why do I want to become a [Wizard] again? Because I wanted to be smarter, because I wanted to understand Kenta... wait, Kenta is smart... so has he deemed me as useless aside from my swordfighting?

...what is there to me... No, we're friends! No, we're cursed. He's my husband! Because he has to...

...where have the colors gone? Why is everything so pale? I... what is wrong? Am I wrong?

I'm Princess Katarine von Stolzherz, crown-princess of Feuerberg... who has left her country.

I'm Rine, the wife of Katsuragi Kenta... whose marriage is based on a curse, based on a sin.

I'm part of the Lion's Squad, a mercenary band that never worked as mercenaries. It's a farce.

“Rine?” I hear Kenta's voice close to me. Did he come to me? No, I was standing over there a moment ago, so... did I wander to him?

Oh, I've grabbed his sleeve. It's crimson. It has color.

Kyou has her violet clothes, and her red scarf around her neck.

Ara's dress is green.

Colors. I need to grab them. “Whoah!” “Rine-chan!?” “...” I'm sorry, but I need that, I'm about to cry.

I know nothing, but I know that you're the best. You're my friends, maybe even more. I need you. Please, help me get through this difficult time.

I want to stay with you. Forever.

―○●○―

“Alright, Meldorn,” Gottfried says after listening to the report of the huntsman. “That Katsuragi-brat seems to be cautious. It may be unrealistic to ambush them and they won't let themselves be lured into a trap. Seems like the best we can do is quickly catch up and deal with them.”

“You make it sound easy,” answers August von Rotfeld, a young man with a lot of potential, but little experience.

“It will be. Now that we have found them, the rest will become rather boring. The only thing we need to be aware of is Katsuragi's mind-control, and for that we have that.” He points at the pontiff, or rather an item at his hip: A lantern. In the end, the pontiff was the best person to carry that special object.

“I could use my magic from afar, weakening them.”

“And take away the last shred of fun I may have?”

“Correct me if I'm wrong, but our mission is to retrieve the princess, to retrieve the hero Momokawa Kyou if possible, and maybe even capture the hero Katsuragi Kenta, right?”

“Right.”

“Therefore, your fun doesn't matter Go-, Sir Gottfried, right?”

“You know, brat-magician, I'm getting old. I have retired, my back hurts every day, I'm out of breath after just two hours of running, my daily life is boring, and it's been a while since I was really challenged. Then comes Heinrich and gives a bounty for my stupid disciple #1. How much?”

“500,000 Newgold. Double if unharmed.”

“Exactly, double unharmed. Means, that Heinrich actually thinks it'll be that hard to bring her back to him unharmed.”

“Don't tell me...”

“Leave Kati to me, and don't do anything that may harm her. At least not with anything that will leave a mark. I think I should beat her up once or twice for good old times.”

“Beat her--- she's the princess!”

“After you've pummeled several nobles of all ranks from different countries, titles stop being special.” This shows in how he even calls the king by his first name.

“Sir Gottfried,” Pontiff Reiner Kassus interrupts carefully: “We should still talk it out first. Give them a chance to surrender.”

“What if one of us gets mind-controlled? This is an actual concern.”

“What is your plan, Sire? Striking them down from afar? Asking me to use that lantern?”

“Something along the line. Overwhelming them before they can even think of resisting.”

“It'd be wiser to not rush it. Especially in case the mind-control is used on you. None of us could stop you. Let me talk to them first. Give them a chance to peacefully surrender. They're young.”

“Pontiff, you're not a soldier, not even a fighter. You won't be able to defend yourself or flee. I can't allow you to do that.”

“...let me do it,” Meldorn offers. “I can defend myself, I can retreat if necessary.”

“No. Too risky to have you do it.”

“What about me?” Rotfeld asks.

“You're still a brat.”

“Me, a brat? What about them!? They're what? Eighteen?”

“Kati is fifteen, the others around her age.”

“So way younger than me. I'll do it.”

“Gifting them a wizard? No. None of you will go to them early. I guess, I can understand that you're keen to fight though.” Gottfried caresses the hilt of his sword while saying it. “I can separate them easily. Then we each pick an opponent and we're done.”

The pontiff shows his disapproval: “That's not the point.”

“I know, none of you have ever been part of the military. That's why I'm lenient about the insubordination this time. Yet I want to remind you, that none of you ever actually fought for real, save Meldorn. Don't get cocky. We may not have the surprise, but we still can decide when to engage. Don't risk yourselves for something stupid like being nice and formal. From what we know, Katsuragi Kenta will try to obtain you and is also willing to kill if necessary. My confidence comes from years of experience on different battle-fields, facing things I never believed possible before. It's fine if you leave everything to me, though I would really appreciate it if you use the lantern, Pontiff. Heinrich gave it to us for a reason. Rotfeld, if you want to prove yourself on the battlefield, stay back, watch and seize a good opportunity, but always heed my orders. Do you understand that?”

“Yes...” Rotfeld says grudgingly. This is enough for Gottfried.

Meldorn, on the other hand...