[POV Liselotte]

  As I left the library, my ears still rang with the professor’s words. “Peace existed before the Demon King.” That sentence hammered relentlessly in my mind, dismantling the narrative of hatred that upheld the world. As I walked through the marble corridors, trying to process the idea that war was not a biological inevitability but a political—or divine—construction, I nearly collided head-on with the group of heroes.

  Julian, Arthur, Yvonne, and Cedric were gathered near the exit, but someone essential was missing. I gnced around, feeling a sharp twinge of unease when I didn’t see the blond hair I instinctively searched for.

  “Mizuki,” I said, stopping in front of them. “Where is Leah? I thought you’d be with her.”

  Mizuki, who looked far more recovered than the day before, gave me a small smile. “The princess went to her room to rest, Liselotte. She said the meetings with the generals had left her exhausted and that she needed some time alone. We’re on our way to the training courtyard—we want to practice a few maneuvers before nightfall. We don’t want to be a burden when the time comes to depart.”

  “I understand. That’s a good initiative,” I replied, nodding to the others. “I wish you the best with your practice. King William values discipline.”

  I made to continue on my way, eager either to find Leah or to keep brooding over the secrets of the library, but Mizuki’s voice stopped me before I could take a third step.

  “Liselotte! Wait…” Mizuki stepped forward, looking at me with a mix of urgency and shyness. “Could we… could we talk for a moment? Alone, if you don’t mind.”

  Julian and Arthur exchanged a gnce but said nothing. Cedric merely shrugged, dispying that distinctly European apathy of his.

  “Guys, go on ahead. I’ll catch up in a moment,” Mizuki told them. The other heroes nodded and continued toward the training grounds, leaving us alone in the corridor lit by the setting sun.

  “All right, let’s talk,” I said, softening my tone. “There’s a small balcony near the academy’s secondary entrance. It’s quiet there—no one will interrupt us.”

  We started walking toward the spot. To break the ice and push aside my own dark thoughts about the war, I decided to ask her about her life here.

  “Tell me, Mizuki… how does it feel to live here, in Whirikal? Compared to Orestia, or… any other pce you remember,” I asked, watching her profile as we walked.

  Mizuki sighed, gazing out through the tall windows toward the lower city. “I’m starting to like living here, Liselotte. Sometimes, if I close my eyes, I can almost pretend this is just a foreign boarding school and that all of this is normal. But then… then I remember I’ll be back on the battlefield in less than a month.”

  Her voice trembled slightly.

  “I’m scared, Lotte. I’m terrified of blood. The first time I had to kill someone… it was because of the Church. They sent me on a ‘purification mission’ to a vilge that supposedly aided demons. They weren’t warriors—they were farmers. The Church forced me to use my power, saying it was Gaia’s will. I feel… I feel terrible about it. Like my soul is stained.”

  She stopped, perhaps waiting for a word of comfort, a “everything will be fine,” or an absolution I could not give. I stared at her. Edward would have cried with her, taken her hand, and told her it wasn’t her fault. But Edward was dead.

  “Life taught me that in this world there are only two options: kill or die,” I said with pragmatic coldness. “Remorse is a luxury reserved for those who are safe behind walls. If you go to war carrying the guilt of every life you take, the demons will kill you before you can beg forgiveness. You have to decide what weighs more—your conscience or your survival.”

  Mizuki shuddered at my harshness, but she didn’t step away. We reached the small balcony—a stone structure jutting out toward the forest surrounding the academy. We stepped inside, I closed the heavy wooden door behind us, and leaned against the railing, staring out at the cobalt horizon.

  “All right, Mizuki. We’re alone. What is it you really wanted to tell me?”

  Mizuki stood in the center of the balcony, wringing her hands.

  “I’ve been watching you these past few days… and I’ve been watching Princess Leah,” she began, her voice hesitant. “I saw you in the carriage, and I saw you in the throne room. I’ve seen the way you look at each other when you think no one is paying attention. The way she reaches for your hand, or how you tense when someone gets too close to her. Liselotte… I know you’re her guardian, but… this isn’t a normal best-friends retionship, is it?”

  I remained silent, letting the sound of the wind fill the space between us. I felt no panic, no need to lie. At this point in my life, with war knocking at the door, hiding who I was from someone who shared my past—though she didn’t know it—felt unnecessary.

  “You’re right, Mizuki. We’re not just friends,” I replied, turning to face her. “Leah is far more than the princess I protect. She’s the person I live for in this world. She’s my partner. We love each other.”

  Mizuki’s eyes widened as she let out a soft gasp of surprise. It wasn’t disgust or rejection—it was deep understanding.

  “I see… now everything makes sense,” she murmured. “The way she takes care of you… and how you seem to be her anchor. It’s… it’s beautiful. But it also makes me feel a pang of envy. Having something like that in such a chaotic world…”

  “Envy?” I asked, arching an eyebrow.

  “Yes. Because I had someone like that once… someone who cared for me and loved me in that pure way, and I threw it away out of fear,” she said, a sadness piercing my soul. “Watching you reminds me that happiness is possible if you have the courage to take it. I didn’t have that courage back then.”

  She stepped closer to the railing, standing beside me. “Tell me, Lotte… how did it happen? How did you end up like this? A guardian and a princess… it must have been difficult.”

  I allowed myself a small smile, remembering the forest, the long night watches, and the growth we shared.

  “It wasn’t pnned. It started with duty—with the need to survive together in a world that wanted us dead. Leah saw me when I was nothing, when I was just an adventurer fighting to return home. She became my purpose, and I gave her my loyalty. But over time, that loyalty became something deeper. She accepted my shadows, accepted my past… accepted everything I am, even the parts I hated myself.”

  I looked at Mizuki. “She saved me from loneliness, Mizuki. That’s why, if I have to burn this entire world to keep her safe, I will. That’s who we are. Two souls who found each other in the middle of the fire and decided they would never be cold again.”

  Mizuki nodded, tears glistening in her eyes. “Thank you for telling me, Liselotte. It makes me happy to know you found someone like that. It gives me a little hope… even if it’s only for the future of others.”

  We stayed there a while longer, watching as the first stars began to dot the sky over Whirikal. Mizuki seemed to have found a small measure of peace in my confession.

  “We should head back,” I finally said. “It’s getting te.”

  “You’re right. Thank you for listening, Lotte,” Mizuki replied.

  We left the balcony and walked back toward the heart of the academy. I walked one step ahead, my thoughts fixed on Leah’s room and the warmth waiting for me there. The war was accelerating, the Demon King had awakened, and the secrets of history were on the verge of exploding—but as long as I could hold Leah’s hand in mine, I was ready to face any fate.