Three days after the late-night audience with the kings, Amilia and I finished our usual training and sparring session and were heading back to our room.
「Uuu… Still couldn’t break three minutes today either…」
Amilia walked beside me with drooping shoulders.
Even so, compared to just two days ago when she’d collapse into sleep right after training, this was tremendous progress.
「You’re improving steadily, so don’t look so down. Look, you’re even walking next to me now without collapsing.」
「Mmm～… I guess that’s true…」
She pouted, lips pursed in a cute little sulk.
When she rides on my back like that, though… her soft chest presses right against me…
Thanks to 【Latent Enhancement】, Amilia’s body had filled out just a little, healthier, more toned.
Not plump, exactly; more like the firm, athletic curves of a serious sportswoman.
「Hey～ Yuuki～ Piggyback～」
Exhausted and suddenly clingy, she latched onto my arm, dangling from it with big pleading eyes.
「Saintess-sama! Holy Knight-sama!!」
A frantic voice called from behind.
We turned to see one of the royal guards sprinting toward us, face pale.
「!?」
「What’s wrong?」
Amilia snapped straight up, instantly switching to her dignified “public” expression.
I stepped slightly in front of her to shield her as she composed herself.
「General Varicius has returned! But… there’s a serious problem!」
「The General? And what problem exactly?」
Amilia peeked out from behind me, posture perfect.
「According to General Varicius, the forward fortress has fallen. The garrison suffered catastrophic losses and was forced to retreat. Moreover… his adjutant and the general’s personal guard unit were completely wiped out…」
「Tch!?」
「I see… How badly is the General injured?」
The guard hesitated, lips pressing into a thin line.
From his expression alone, it was clearly very bad.
「Understood. Take us to the General immediately. Also, gather everyone from his unit.」
「Yes, sir! The General is waiting in the audience chamber! I’ll head to the infirmary to confirm the situation!」
「Thanks. Sorry to make you run errands, but I’m counting on you.」
The guard’s face brightened at the words of trust.
He saluted sharply, then dashed off again.
「Alright, Amilia, let’s go… Huh?」
「Yuuki! Hurry up!!」
When I turned around, Amilia was already far ahead, looking back over her shoulder and waving me forward.
When did she get that far…?
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
Upon entering the audience chamber, we found a demon man lying there, barely breathing, missing one arm and one leg.
「Ah… Saintess-sama, Holy Knight-sama!」
「We heard the General had returned.」
「Yes… but…」
The queen looked toward the general, her face clouded with sorrow at his pitiful state.
「So you two are the Saintess-sama and the Holy Knight-dono… Forgive me for showing myself in such a disgraceful condition…」
The general gazed up at us with an apologetic expression.
The cloth used to staunch his wounds had darkened horribly, most likely from cauterizing the stumps himself.
「It’s alright. Excuse me for a moment.」
「Wha!?」
「「Eh?」」
I drew a blade from my Item Box and swiftly severed the ragged, infected edges of his wounds.
At the same instant, I poured healing magic over the fresh cuts.
The room fell completely silent as everyone watched, stunned.
「Fuu… There. Both arms and legs, and all the wounds are healed now.」
「N-no… what…?」
「Yes… I think the nerves should be reconnected. Can you move your hands and feet?」
「Ah… ahh… They move! They’re moving!!」
Tears welled up in the general’s eyes as he slowly pushed himself to his feet.
「Holy Knight-sama… just who are you…」
「Such a thing… to heal a person’s body so perfectly…」
「As expected of Yuuki♪」
「R-right! There are several of my subordinates in the infirmary who suffered similar injuries…」
「Then I’ll head to the medical ward first and take care of everyone.」
「Ah… yes…」
「Please… we beg you…」
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
After treating the soldiers in the infirmary, we returned to the audience chamber.
A full war council was already underway, with the kingdom’s highest officials and the Minister of Military Affairs gathered around the table.
「So… the front line has truly fallen…」
「Yes… Romure stayed behind to buy me time to escape… Forgive me, Minister of Military Affairs.」
「I see… But if you were saved, then my nephew will have no regrets…」
The minister’s face was etched with deep sorrow.
「What is the current battle situation?」
「The second fortress is half-destroyed. We are concentrating all remaining forces, including the retreating troops, at the third fortress.」
「Understood. Forgive us, Saintess-sama… Your first campaign being thrust into such a chaotic, barely-prepared defensive line…」
「No, it’s fine! Yuuki is here, after all!」
「W-well… Even if the Holy Knight is exceptional, the enemy commands an enormous army. There are limits to what one person can do…」
「It’s okay! Yuuki is here!」
「I wonder what that strange, unshakable faith Saintess-sama occasionally shows toward the Holy Knight-dono is all about…」
「Anyway, Yuuki! We’re going to buy some time!」
「Yeah… I’m not sure I follow everything, but basically we just need to push the enemy army back once, right? How much time do you need?」
「Hmm… If we have about one week, we should be able to muster reinforcements from the distant territories…」
「Got it. Then we’ll hold them off for about two weeks. Please use that time to prepare.」
「「「「「T-Two weeks!?」」」」」
Everyone in the room froze with identical expressions of disbelief.
Even Amilia looked stunned, as though she hadn’t expected quite that much.
「Um… Anyway, we’ll head out right now. Which direction is it?」
The general hurriedly spread out a map and pointed.
「Holy Knight-sama, here is the map to the front lines. The castle is currently facing this way, this mountain is here… so the fortress should be in that direction.」
「Understood. Could you open the window for me?」
「「「「「The window?」」」」」
Even Amilia tilted her head curiously.
Come to think of it, I never showed her this one.
「Yeah. 『——Magic Armament, Horus』」
Wings of pure magic power unfurled from my back with a soft golden shimmer.
The room erupted into gasps and murmurs.
「Alright, Amilia. I’ll go on ahead and wait for you.」
「Ehh!? I’ll follow right behind you!」
「Here, take this.」
I slipped the ring Rie had once given me onto Amilia’s right ring finger.
「Eh? W-wait, Yuuki!?」
「The proper one comes later, okay? This is a marker that lets me teleport straight to wherever you are, so keep it on. And this…」
I fastened a choker-like necklace around her slender neck.
「If something happens, it’ll automatically cast a defensive spell, so don’t forget to wear it.」
I pulled her into a gentle, lingering hug, feeling her heart flutter against mine, then slowly let go.
「Got it. Be careful out there.」
「Yeah.」
「Holy Knight-sama! Is this window sufficient?」
The grand windows had been thrown wide open.
I stepped to the edge, spread my wings fully, and leaped into the open sky.
A powerful tailwind swirled behind me, propelled by wind magic.
I shot forward like an arrow, the castle shrinking rapidly beneath me as I raced toward the distant front lines.
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