Outside the castle walls, all of us—Heroes and knights alike—stood ready. These knights were not the usual kind; their armor was distinct, and their gazes were cold and stern. They were knights under the Divine Knights, sent by Radakel to either protect us or lead the attack.
“Is everyone gathered and ready?” Radakel asked, his eyes sweeping over the assembled group.
I glanced around. Most of us were indeed present, except for those who were still too scared to fight. Nancy was notably absent.
There was no need to guess what Nancy planned to do while we were away, especially since Amelia, who usually kept an eye on her, wouldn’t be around. Nancy would likely enjoy herself with the Emperor, getting even closer to him. I just hoped she was doing it to secure her position and not for any other nefarious reason.
“Listen, everyone,” Amelia called out, gathering all her students. “Even though Lord Radakel spoke about demon killing, I want you to understand something. They may be Demons, but they are still humanoid figures with intelligence like us. They could have families and lives much like our own.
If these Demons try to kill you, then defend yourselves and kill them if your life is in danger, but I don’t want you to go on a killing spree. These knights are here for that. You are not murderers. Keep that in mind.”
As expected of Amelia, she always knew how to address the tough realities we faced. She wanted us to understand the gravity of taking a life, even that of a Demon, and to think carefully before acting.
Jason smiled broadly. “Heard the teacher, everyone! Don’t kill recklessly! We are here to defend the Empire and defeat the Demon King, who has caused countless sufferings! Let’s stay focused so we can all go back home!”
“YEAAAAAHHHH!!!” The crowd erupted in cheers, energized by Jason’s charisma. Despite everything, his popularity only seemed to grow.
However, not everyone was pleased. Aiden stood apart, clicking his tongue in annoyance at the speech. His eagerness to kill Demons was evident, a stark contrast to Amelia’s measured advice.
I expected Aiden to be displeased with Amelia’s speech, but the direction he was heading was beginning to worry me. It wasn’t his well-being that concerned me, but rather the potential havoc he could wreak if he continued to obsess over his newfound strength.
Fortunately, he wasn’t the strongest in the class—Jason and Sienna held that distinction—and this fact kept his arrogance somewhat in check.
Noticing someone on my right listening to Radakel, I approached her. “Cecilia?”
“Oh? Hero Nathan?” Cecilia turned and smiled at me.
“Are you perhaps a little upset that Radakel has taken over your job of taking care of us?” I asked directly.
“W… what? Not at all…” Cecilia shook her head, but when she saw my piercing gaze, she sighed. “Is it that obvious on my face?”
“A little, yes. Also, I knew how invested and serious you’ve been about taking care of us since Oscar’s death,” I said.
“Yet you’ve skipped a lot of my morning trainings?”
“I was watching you from the windows while reading, so I know,” I laughed.
After Oscar’s death, Cecilia had taken it upon herself to look after us. For the last two weeks, she had been our support, cheering us up and doing her best to make us stronger. She seemed to genuinely enjoy training us and spending time with the other girls, as it appeared she didn’t have many close friends among them before.
But her role was cut short as her superior, Radakel, arrived to take over. This didn’t mean she wouldn’t be part of our training anymore, but her involvement would be less prominent than it had been when she was in charge alongside Oscar.
“R… Really?” Cecilia blushed a little when I mentioned watching her training sessions from the windows. It was true; I had observed her diligently working with the others.
I had to admit, I had grown to genuinely like her. Her dedication and warmth were hard to miss, and I appreciated the effort she put into looking after us.
“Thank you, Nathan. That means a lot to me,” she said softly, her embarrassment turning into a warm smile.
“Of course. We all appreciate what you’ve done for us. And don’t worry about Radakel—he may be in charge now, but we still need you,” I reassured her.
“Thank you,” she replied, surprised by my kind words as she left.
Well, I didn’t need her assistance personally, but those were just parting words to ensure she would look after the people I cared about when I wouldn’t be around anymore.
I might sound arrogant, considering I hadn’t been the guardian of the class since the beginning, but with Khione’s guidance, I had been vigilant, ensuring no schemes were plotted against Amelia and the others.
Cecilia was the only one I could trust implicitly. Despite her loyalty to the Divine Knights, I knew she wouldn’t hesitate to protect us and uncover the true truth if it came to that.
I should also speak with Helena and Adelia, just in case.
Speaking of Adelia, I spotted her nearby, her reluctance evident from her expression.
“Hero Jason…” She forced a smile as usual, offering parting words to Jason, but this time something was clearly off. Her tone, voice, and expression seemed strained, like they were plastered onto her face.
This was because Khione had clearly told her that she was supposed to become mine. It was a Goddess’s order and wish, and Adelia took it very seriously. However, she couldn’t outright reject Jason, as the Divine Knights had plans for her to bear Jason’s child. But Khione’s order took priority, and she was also instructed to keep it secret.
It must have been incredibly confusing and difficult for her, but she was handling it remarkably well.
“Adelia, I’m going to take down the Demons who dared to attack the Empire,” Jason said, flashing a handsome smile that would make any maiden blush.
Adelia maintained her usual polite smile without much reaction. “I wish you a good trip and take care of yourself, Hero Jason.”
You could bet she wasn’t reacting much to his charms. His good looks and smile no longer affected Adelia after she had seen my true face and grown accustomed to our secret conversations.
Jason sensed something was off, but being the fool he was, he dismissed his unease when faced with Adelia’s beautiful smile and left, shaking his head.
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