LHAHS Chapter 540
Velkia was on her way back to Luna's house after having dinner at Kyle's place that day as well.
Whooosh—
As the sudden gust of wind blew, Velkia closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, she found a beautiful woman standing before her.
"…?" She gaped in surprise. "Lady Lysinas?"
"Hello, Velkia." Lysinas smiled warmly as she approached Velkia.
Seeing Lysinas, Velkia didn't know how to react.
The Wise Queen Lysinas. The great dragon hailed as the world's last hope.
Even though she was the disciple of Kyle, Luna, and Aaron, Lysinas's presence was still overwhelming.
Seeing Velkia hesitate, Lysinas said, "Are you coming from Kyle's house?"
"Yes, but… how did you know I was there?"
"I heard that you've been visiting Kyle's place often lately."
Velkia blinked her large eyes several times and looked up at Lysinas.
"Velkia, what is Kyle's house to you?" Lysinas asked.
Velkia fell into deep thought.
Lysinas was slightly surprised to see Velkia contemplating so seriously. There was a depth to her thinking that was uncharacteristic of a child.
It must be because she was born in the Age of Calamity and went through so much hardship.
Lysinas felt a pang of bitterness. An entire generation born into misfortune. Knowing that made her mouth taste sour.
After a moment, Velkia, with her usual expressionless face, answered, "A restaurant."
"……"
"Wait, no. A famous eatery?"
"I see."
… She really is Luna and Kyle's disciple.
Lysinas smiled gently at the unexpected and absurd answer. Of course, Velkia was also Aaron's disciple, but Lysinas didn't want to place Aaron on the same level as those two.
Aaron is kind and pure. And most of all, he's a perfectly normal person.
Among a scheming lizard, a lunatic, and a pervert, he was the only normal one. A little timid and fearful, but was that really a flaw?
If Aaron knew what she was thinking, he would surely wave his hands in protest and try to defend his companions.
As for the others?
"What's that swindling lizard babbling about?"
"A dragon as black-hearted as she looks!"
"There's nothing that scheming friend of ours won't say."
Just remembering the jeers from her companions made her head throb.
Letting out a quiet sigh, Lysinas bent her knees slightly to meet Velkia's gaze. "Velkia."
"Yes?"
"How long do you plan on having your meals at Kyle's house?"
"Forever."
"What if Luna's cooking improves?"
"Hmm…" Velkia tilted her head and asked, "By how much?"
"Enough to be delicious."
"I don't think that's possible." A hint of doubt appeared in Velkia's eyes. "Master Kyle said Lady Lysinas and Master Luna's cooking is at a cursed level."
That bastard…! Lysinas's eye twitched as she forced a smile. "Still, if Luna's cooking becomes as good as Kyle's, what will you do?"
"I'll eat with Master Luna," Velkia answered without hesitation.
Luna always took care of her. For Velkia, choosing Luna was the obvious decision.
"I don't think Master Kyle would mind, anyway," Velkia grumbled slightly.
Currently, Kyle half-treated Velkia, who frequently showed up at his house, as a freeloader.
"I don't even need to see that bastard to know how he'd react."
Lysinas let out a small sigh. "But even if Luna's cooking becomes as good as Kyle's, can't you keep eating at his house?"
"Why?"
"…Because that way, Kyle will be a little less lonely."
Velkia tilted her head. "He doesn't seem lonely at all, though."
Lysinas gave a bitter smile. "Yeah, Kyle wouldn't be lonely. A person without attachments is always like that." She straightened and gazed in the direction of Kyle's house. "But still, I think it's better if you stay with him."
Velkia pondered for a moment before replying, "Then wouldn't it be better for him to get married?"
"What?"
"That way, he'd be less lonely."
Lysinas looked slightly taken aback before smiling awkwardly. "That would be nice, but that's something for after everything is over…"
"Master Luna and Master Kyle getting married would be perfect, then."
Lysinas's face turned serious. "What are you talking about?"
Unfortunately, Velkia, unaware of the shift, innocently continued, "I don't particularly like it, but they suit each other."
"……"
This child… She seems oddly dangerous.
Thinking that, Lysinas said, "Isn't Luna too good for him?"
"That's true. You really are the Wise Queen." Velkia nodded in admiration, then seriously contemplated something.
Lysinas smiled softly. Maybe I shouldn't have done this.
Regret always came too late.
Even after that day, Velkia continued visiting Kyle's house.
Luna worked tirelessly to improve her cooking skills. She was eccentric, but she was naturally talented at almost everything, so the moment she put in effort, her cooking skills improved rapidly.
Lysinas practiced alongside her, but for some reason, as if cursed, her cooking skills showed no signs of improvement.
Regardless, even as Luna's cooking got better, Velkia continued going to Kyle's house. Luna was disappointed, but Velkia, following Lysinas's request, didn't stop eating at Kyle's place.
Then, after a few more months had passed, half a year since Velkia had become Kyle's disciple, the Great Heroes once again headed to the battlefield against Tartaros.
"When will Master Luna and Master Aaron return?"
Velkia hummed a tune. After the Great Heroes left for their expedition, she had finally managed to complete the task Kyle had assigned. Now, she could learn magic and swordsmanship from Luna and Aaron again.
That thought made Velkia happy.
Now I won't have to learn from Master Kyle anymore.
It had been an exhausting training. She never wanted to do it again, yet, for some reason, Velkia felt an inexplicable sense of regret.
As she thought of Kyle, Velkia shook her head furiously. The joy of being able to learn from Luna and Aaron again outweighed everything else.
I want to grow stronger as soon as possible and stand alongside my masters on the battlefield.
Velkia knew that stepping onto the battlefield meant risking her life. She was afraid, but more than that, she wanted to help her masters.
To Velkia, they weren't just masters, they were her saviors.
Whenever I say things like this, Master Luna and Master Aaron don't like it.
Velkia pouted her lips. Clutching the spellbook Luna had left for her, she walked through the central castle of Godthrone.
I hope they come back soon.
At that moment, the castle halls grew noisy.
They're back!
Velkia hurried toward the source of the commotion.
As she ran through the corridors leading to the warp gate, she heard loud voices from around the corner.
"Masters! Welcome ba…!"
She rounded the corner with a bright smile, but what she saw horrified her.
"Healers! Get the healers, quickly!"
"Sir Dweno is severely injured!"
"I'm fine! Treat Aaron and the critical cases first!"
"Understood!"
"Luna! Kyle's injuries are severe! Use healing magic…!"
"Wait! Lysinas! This guy is in more urgent condition! Aaron, stay with me!"
"Lysinas, I'm fine. Treat Aaron first."
"But…"
"Go to that idiot! I can make it to the infirmary on my own!"
"O-Okay! Just don't push yourself!"
"You fool! That's not courage, that's recklessness!"
Pale-faced people rushed around, focusing all their efforts on treating the wounded heroes returning from battle, while countless healers crowded around those with grievous injuries.
Aaron's wounds were especially horrific.
Velkia's face turned white. Clutching the spellbook in her arms, she shrank back behind the corridor's corner.
More healers rushed through the halls.
"Sir Kyle! We need to treat you immediately…!"
"I'm fine. See to the others first. I'll get myself to the infirmary." Kyle, speaking in his usual detached manner, stepped out of the warp gate.
Compared to Aaron and the others, his condition seemed better. After all, he had only jumped into the front lines to rescue Aaron when the situation had turned dire, but still, the sound of blood-soaked footsteps echoed as he walked.
Squish, squelch… Thud!
"Ugh, damn it." Kyle staggered to one knee, cursing under his breath. His hands trembled violently, but then, as if sensing something, he looked up.
"M-Master Kyle…"
"Velkia?" Kyle looked at her with a faintly bitter expression. His gaze landed on the thick spellbook Velkia was clutching tightly and then, he smiled. "You finished the task?"
"Yes…"
"…That was fast. Well done."
Velkia's eyes widened. Kyle had never praised her before.
It was a brief, simple compliment, but it was the first time.
Kyle tried to stand, only to stumble. "M-Master! Let me help you!"
Velkia threw aside her spellbook and rushed to support Kyle, and he didn't refuse. He was in too much pain to protest.
"H-Healer! Someone get a healer! Master Kyle's condition is…!" Velkia, her face pale as a sheet, frantically searched for a healer.
"Velkia," Kyle called her in a low voice.
Velkia lifted her head and met Kyle's gray eyes. Unlike their usual desolate look, there was something different in them.
There was sorrow, a hint of regret… and…
"Hurry and grow stronger. Strong enough… to stand on the battlefield with us."
Kyle understood Velkia's desire to share her masters' burdens on the battlefield and yet, there was hatred in his eyes. Hatred toward himself for telling such a thing to a student who was still just a child.
Luna, Aaron and Kyle. They were different.
Luna and Aaron wished, above all else, for their student to live in a peaceful world. They taught Velkia in hopes that she would have the strength to protect herself, not because they wanted her to be a comrade in war.
However, Kyle was different.
The fate of a student born into an age of war was sorrowful and regrettable. In this era… Velkia would inevitably have to stand on the battlefield.
At the same time, he understood why she wanted to follow in her masters' footsteps and fight.
He had been merciless to Velkia for that very reason.
She cannot afford to be weak enough to rely on others.
Because he didn't know when he might die. Because if he disappeared, his student, who would have no choice but to live a life of struggle, needed to become independent as soon as possible.
Only now did she understand. Only now did she grasp the reason behind Kyle's strictness, his refusal to indulge even a moment of her weakness.
Velkia looked at Kyle with terrified eyes. She was afraid. Afraid that Kyle would disappear at any moment.
"Help me get to the infirmary," Kyle commanded, his eyes already returned to their usual emotionless state.
Velkia clenched her teeth. "…Yes."
Without another word, she supported Kyle as they headed to the infirmary.
Even as he leaned on her, gravely injured, there was strength in Kyle. So much strength that it made her want to rely on him, but she buried that thought.
…Is this what having a father would feel like?
With that thought, Velkia continued walking.
Gwoooooooom…!
Leo gazed at Velkia, her head hanging low. The young girl from that time no longer existed.
Now, only a student remained. A student who had endured countless battlefields. A student who had saved, led… and ultimately despaired at the world.
Swish—
Velkia straightened her stance. There was nothing left in her movements but the instincts of a revenant who burned with hatred for the living.
All I could teach you, who had no choice but to survive that era, was how to endure alone.
Step, step—
Leo advanced toward Velkia, but times had changed. There was no longer a need to bear everything alone.
We ended that era. So you don't need to live the way we did.
He should have taught her how to live differently, but he hadn't, so…
"Now, I'll teach you how to rely on others."
Leo glanced at the spectating girls behind him. "You kids, watch closely and learn. This is…"
He faced forward and bent his knees.
"…A fight between those who had no choice but to live through that era."
Boom…!
Leo kicked off the ground and charged toward Velkia.