"...What in the world."

After viewing the entirety of the Vice Commander's dream, I was at a loss for words.

I knew that the Snowy Mountain Expedition had been a tragic disaster.

However, I had no idea how it had begun, nor how the events had unfolded.

Through the Vice Commander’s dream, I was able to learn the full story.

In the end, the knights who embarked on that journey never returned, and to this day, they are recorded as missing.

Seventy missing people.

For a knightly order belonging to a mere estate, not a nation, to suffer such a large number of missing persons was nothing short of a crisis for the entire estate.

And these weren’t just any knights; it was a team composed of high-ranking officers.

Did the Knight Commander act without thinking?

I didn't know much about the Knight Commander's true nature.

Perhaps she was just impulsive, and this disaster was nothing more than a result of her lack of awareness of the dangers.

But why...?

I didn’t think that was the reason for her actions.

The Knight Commander herself knew she wouldn’t die.

Which meant that, if she were to be the only one to survive while everyone else perished, that would be a burden of guilt she’d have to carry for the rest of her life.

It was likely a decision she agonized over for quite some time.

As I contemplated all of this, I came to a certain conclusion.

And if it was indeed that thought driving her actions, then all of it made sense.

"...It’s impressive that she hasn’t mentally collapsed under the weight of such a burden."

Nutriche also offered a grim reflection after viewing the Vice Commander's dream.

The dream continued to show the Vice Commander sitting alone in her office at the knight headquarters.

She lay face down on the desk, making no sound.

She wasn’t crying.

Nor did she show any anger.

But something firm had taken root in her mind.

The people who hadn’t listened to her died as a result.

If she had been more forceful in stopping them, they would have lived.

And so, she resolved to be strict and unyielding toward her knights from that point forward.

Even if they came to dislike her, that was better than losing her precious subordinates.

She decided to abandon those who repeatedly ignored her warnings.

And for those whose actions endangered the other knights, she chose to quietly remove them.

All of this, so that a disaster like the Snowy Mountain Expedition would never happen again.

"...How could I possibly lighten such a burden?"

My own past wasn’t exactly smooth sailing either.

Because of that, I could understand the Vice Commander’s feelings better than anyone.

This wasn’t the kind of wound that could heal just because someone offered help.

"Hmm. Is that so? To me, it seems like 'you' could be the one to help."

Nutriche’s view differed from mine.

"What do you mean, 'I'?"

"Didn’t you rescue that so-called Knight Commander and bring her back?"

Hearing her words, I understood what she was getting at.

"You mean that, because I rescued the Knight Commander and currently have the Vice Commander's support, I might be able to relieve some of her burden?"

"You catch on quickly."

In theory, she wasn’t wrong.

The pain of loss could be eased by finding new support.

But it wasn’t that simple.

Approaching someone with the attitude of, ‘Tell me your pain. I’ll listen,’ was arrogant.

It would also be disrespectful to the person involved.

Ultimately, opening the Vice Commander’s heart was what mattered.

As I continued to ponder, a brilliant idea struck me.

If this plan went perfectly, it might not only open the Vice Commander's heart but also help her rise up once more.

However, I couldn’t do it alone.

I definitely needed someone’s help.

"Nutriche."

"What is it? You seem to have come up with an interesting idea."

"Yes, I have. A very interesting idea that could turn this situation around."

I clasped both of Nutriche’s hands.

She looked flustered, her face turning red in embarrassment.

"W-what are you doing? Why all of a sudden...?"

"I need your help, Nutriche. I can’t do this alone. Will you lend me your hand?"

Requests should always be made sincerely.

That’s why I locked eyes with her and asked earnestly.

Nutriche’s eyes widened in surprise, and she let out a chuckle, shaking her head.

"...You really need to think about personal boundaries sometimes."

"Hmm?"

"It’s fine. I came here to help you, after all. So, what do you need me to do?"

"...Thank you."

I began to explain to Nutriche the steps we would take, and after hearing my plan, she burst into laughter.

"That’s a fun idea! Let’s do it right away."

Let’s begin.

The operation to rescue the Vice Commander, who had been devoured by her subconscious.

Darkness spread all around.

A man in despair.

Marenne lay collapsed on the ground, unable to stand.

She couldn’t move.

The weight of her emotions was too heavy, leaving her pinned to the floor.

‘Or perhaps…’

Perhaps it was simply that she didn’t want to stand.

"It’s all the Vice Commander’s fault."

At that moment, Mu-shin’s voice rang out.

"If the Vice Commander had stopped me, I wouldn’t have died in such a pointless way, and I could have lived with my daughter. Look at her now. Because of my death, she’s been forced to throw herself into this perilous knighthood. This is not what I wanted for her."

‘Yes, it’s all my fault.’

Even if it was just a dream, Mu-shin’s words were true.

It was her fault for standing by and letting this happen.

If she had fought harder to stop the Knight Commander…

Even if she couldn’t have convinced the Knight Commander, she could have at least persuaded the other knights, forcing the Knight Commander to descend the mountain.

"Vice Commander."

It was the Knight Commander's voice.

"Why didn’t you stop me then? Why didn’t you stop me and let me end up in such a wretched state? Like some demented, memory-lost fool!"

The Knight Commander’s rebuke struck the Vice Commander’s ears like a powerful blow, sending her flying through the air and crashing into an unseen wall.

It hurt.

It stung.

It was sad.

...It was lonely.

"Having lost everything, how could I not be in pain?"

Then a voice spoke up.

Ah, that voice.

"Tanton?"

"You’re tormenting yourself to understand the selfish actions of others, Vice Commander."

Raydan Tanton.

Marenne knew she owed him as well.

She hadn’t wanted to bring in someone who would add to her suffering by making rash decisions.

So she had thrown him to the foreign agents, masking her pain, writing him off as a prisoner awaiting execution.

But Tanton, despite the injustice, had repaid cruelty with grace, fighting for his life against the agents.

"Are you planning to carry the burden of someone else’s reckless actions and disappear into the abyss beyond the unconscious?"

"...This isn’t about carrying someone else’s burden. This is my fault. If only I had stopped her more forcefully back then…!"

Ah, what a kind person.

The person she expected to come and condemn her, Tanton, was instead trying to understand her and empathize with her.

No.

She didn’t deserve such treatment.

Not when she thought about the Knight Commander, lost in her memory-lapsed state, behaving erratically.

"Tanton, thank you. But I’m beyond saving. When I helped you with this mission, I realized again that all I can do is clean up after others. Me, leading the knight order? That’s a joke."

Marenne forced a smile in the direction of Tanton’s voice.

"Tanton, thank you for everything. Since you’re here, I assume you’ve solved the situation. I’ll pass on the role of Vice Commander to you. Ah, I won’t be able to formally hand it over since I’m about to meet my end. I’ll be troubling the princess once more, it seems."

Her most fitting conclusion.

Marenne thought this as she closed her eyes and surrendered herself to the abyss that enveloped her.

"Marenne Burstein."

Until Tanton called her full name.

His voice, normally gentle and warm, was now deep and solemn, causing Marenne to instinctively look up.

And what she saw defied belief.

"You’re mistaken."

What was happening before her eyes was simply unbelievable.

"When you keep your heart locked away and refuse to look around, you’ll see nothing at all."

"Ah."

Marenne let out a breath of awe.

Not because of Tanton’s voice.

"Vice Commander."

But because the person speaking didn’t seem real.

The figure she saw was not from reality.

And yet, even so, she was so overjoyed that tears streamed down her face.

"It’s me. I’ve kept you waiting, haven’t I?"

It was the Knight Commander, the very one she had longed to see, standing before her with a sorrowful smile.

Marenne, overwhelmed with emotion, let out a sigh of awe.