Vol 3 Chapter 57 – A Man’s Mistake 1—Sophia’s Nursing【Empire War Arc】

~A Man’s Past~

I was a knight. It had been my childhood dream, but I took the entrance exam normally, attended knight training school normally, and graduated normally.

Joining was one thing, but there was a priority order for what to protect, and nobles and executives were positioned at the top—everything else was ultimately “protect them if you happen to notice them” level.

As a result, even the dream I’d achieved gradually wore away, and my desire to protect the people faded.

No, it only faded—it still remained deep in my heart. (If I’m going to accomplish it, I have to climb higher…) I thought that and tried entering the Imperial Combat Festival.

The participation conditions were being a lower-class knight or having a noble’s recommendation—one of those two. The winner would receive the Holy Lance Longinus, supposedly used in “the Last Great War.”

Lower-class knights would be immediately promoted, and those with noble recommendations would bring honor to their masters. In that battle, I lost to a certain girl. Her silver hair swayed in the wind, and she wore a white dress with slits—unusual for this Empire where it’s the Season of Blue year-round.

The girl walked away as if I, prostrate on the ground, didn’t exist. That girl called Sophia had no surname, and I learned she was a recommendation from a noble named Ignia.

In the end, Sophia won most of her matches straight and dedicated Longinus to the honor of Ignia. Her fighting style was beautiful, but she must have been lucky too.

Because for young lower-class knights, this Imperial Combat Festival was the best opportunity.

Before the festival began, urgent news arrived that demons had attacked near the Tower of Ulas within Imperial territory. Naturally, since they were dealing with high-ranking demons, upper-class knights and their lower-class knight attendants had gone to subjugate them, which resulted in easier advancement in the Imperial Combat Festival.

Of course, that didn’t mean Sophia was weak. Her defensive spear technique—skillfully manipulating her waist and arms to mislead about her spear’s reach—was “skill,” not “ability,” and it was innovative enough to revolutionize today’s battles that rely too much on skills.

After the Imperial Combat Festival ended and I returned to mundane daily life, I harbored a wish.

(I want to see Sophia again.)

But having gained honor, she would accumulate much fame from now on, and a lower-class knight like me had no way to be involved—that’s what I thought at the time.

☆☆☆

~At the Ignia Estate~

After breakfast, Roy was bedridden and receiving nursing care from Sophia.

“I’m sorry, Roy. I didn’t know you hated tomatoes this much.”

Sophia, nearly in tears, replaced the towel on Roy’s forehead.

“No, I’ve been thinking I should overcome it eventually. I’ll try my best to eat it little by little starting with this opportunity.”

“I-is that so? I’ll help too. How about making it into a drink instead of solid food?”

“Oh, that’s a good idea!”

Roy clapped his hands in agreement at Sophia’s suggestion.

“But the flavor…”

“I’ll reduce the amount and devise ways to make the taste less noticeable.”

“I see, that might work then.”

“Right? Leave it to me!”

The two laughed together as if they’d returned to the past.

Feeling suddenly nostalgic, Roy talked about when Sophia came to the Shadow village through to when she was taken in by Eiden. Since their reunion, they hadn’t had a single chance to talk leisurely until now, which probably made it feel even more nostalgic.

“Hey, I came when I was ten, and Eiden took me in when I was thirteen… we were only together for three years, but it felt like we’d been together since childhood.”

“Yeah… and you didn’t talk in that weird way back then either.”

“Wha—! I heard this way of speaking is popular with gentlemen! …I made all kinds of efforts during those five years before meeting you… you could at least praise me a little—”

When they reunited, Sophia was stronger than Roy. She’d become strong enough to block a strike from Black Knight Kairo, famed as the Kingdom’s strongest. And through the battles so far, Roy himself, fighting beside her, understood that well.

“…I see, Sophia worked hard.”

Roy said that and patted her head. Rather than taking her usual defiant attitude, Sophia placed her head on the bedridden Roy’s lap—a so-called lap pillow.

From Roy’s viewpoint, he could see Sophia’s beautiful S-curve, and he could tell she’d grown into an attractive woman over five years.

However, this relaxed space between them would collapse due to a sudden intruder.

Clang!

“Boss! Why am I on a separate mission next time?!”

Manabu said that without even knocking. Seeing this scene—Sophia with her head on Roy’s lap being petted—Manabu received a shock and fell silent. Meanwhile, Sophia jumped back, her face rapidly reddening, and grabbed Longinus, assuming her stance.

“Ma~na~bu~!”

“Wait, Sophia-san! You wouldn’t know, right? There’s no way to understand this situation, right?”

“Don’t you have a habit of knocking? Well, whatever. You’re about to lose your memory anyway, fufufufufu…”

Manabu retreated and fled while screaming.