Marenne once heard from a knight about a certain incident.

The knight had lived, consumed by guilt, thinking he had lost his family to foreign forces. He had spent his life in despair, convinced that nothing mattered anymore and unsure of what his purpose was.

However, it turned out that he had merely taken a different path from his family. When he finally learned they were still alive and reunited with them…

Despite how overwhelming his joy and happiness were, he couldn’t stop the tears from flowing.

"Ah."

"Vice Commander."

At the time, Marenne hadn’t fully understood those words, but now, in this moment, she could relate more than anyone else.

As she looked at the Knight Commander standing before her with an affectionate smile, her hands holding her face, tears began to pour down without her control.

"What kind of state is this? Have the knights been disobeying you?"

"Commander..."

"Haha, well. This is the second time I’ve seen the Vice Commander in tears. Was my return really that moving?"

This has to be an illusion.

Yes, an illusion.

Even though Marenne knew it, her body was reacting on its own.

The cold, distant voice of the Knight Commander she had heard earlier was no longer present, making this encounter feel even more vivid.

"Is this really you, Commander?"

"For there to be two of me in this world, it would be a disaster for our foreign adversaries," the Knight Commander joked with a mischievous smile.

Such a sense of humor could only belong to her.

"Com... Commander... sniff."

"...Vice Commander, you’ve endured so much."

The Knight Commander spread her arms wide and embraced Marenne.

As she gently patted Marenne's back, Marenne’s body trembled uncontrollably with every touch.

Through this, the Knight Commander could feel how deeply Marenne had suffered because of her absence.

"Don’t cry in such an undignified manner. You’re the strongest knight I recognize."

"...Commander, I’m sorry... I’m so sorry, Commander..."

The Knight Commander quietly listened to Marenne’s words, offering a sorrowful smile.

How much had she suffered in her absence?

How many sacrifices had she made, how much had she endured?

And how much hardship had Marenne faced, for someone as strong as her to crumble like this?

"...I’m the one who should be apologizing, Vice Commander."

"No. If only I had spoken more logically, if only I had persuaded you more forcefully, Commander..."

"Why twist things like that? In the end, it was my decision to go to the Snowy Mountains."

The Knight Commander's words caused the memories of that time to flood back with even more clarity, leaving Marenne feeling dizzy, unable even to cry anymore.

After all, this was just a dream, wasn’t it?

If she justified herself like this...

Then...

"Marenne, you are beating yourself up without even considering the Knight Commander’s thoughts."

"...Considering?"

"Do you think the Knight Commander left you with such responsibilities because she wanted you to feel this kind of burden?"

Tanton’s voice pierced Marenne's ears.

The Knight Commander's feelings for her?

"...Of course..."

"No, you still don’t understand, Marenne. You haven’t even grasped Mu-shin’s feelings."

Marenne felt a sense of bewilderment at Tanton's words that followed.

"They must have known they were going to die."

Marenne couldn’t hold back any longer.

"That’s nonsense! If they knew they were going to die, why would they do something so reckless?"

"...Because they wanted their actions to serve as an example, so others wouldn’t fear taking on challenges."

Marenne found herself at a loss for words in the face of Tanton's statement.

"Through their sacrifice, they wanted the knights to believe it was possible to face foreign threats head-on, rather than fleeing. They wanted them to take one step forward, despite the odds."

I don’t know the true thoughts of the Knight Commander.

Perhaps this was simply extremism at its peak.

But when I imagined that they might have thought this way...

Even as they set out on the expedition to the Snowy Mountains, there was a trace of sadness in the Knight Commander's smile as she pressed forward.

And Mu-shin, who laughed so boisterously that it almost seemed overdone.

They believed, with all their hearts, that through their sacrifice, the knights would be able to take that one step forward.

Every great endeavor begins with difficulty.

Their bold step would ignite the courage in the hearts of knights.

"You are disregarding the will of the Knight Commander, Marenne. If you fall apart now..."

Marenne’s eyes widened in realization.

"Mu-shin! The Knight Commander! And the 68 other knights!"

A realization dawned in her eyes.

"You would be reducing their sacrifice to nothing but meaningless deaths!"

Tanton’s words shot through Marenne’s mind like an arrow, sharp and precise.

Only then did Marenne realize what she had been about to do.

"...How selfish have I been..."

She couldn’t forgive herself.

Despite the Knight Commander entrusting her with everything for the future.

Rather than building on that, she had been turning the order’s legacy into a dark chapter in its history.

"Ah... Commander... What have I done..."

"It’s alright, Vice Commander!"

At that moment, a man’s voice reached Marenne, making her feel as though she could hardly breathe.

She turned toward the voice coming from behind her and found it hard to believe what she saw.

"Isn’t it enough that you’ve realized it now? I can’t forgive you if your chivalry crumbles for such a pitiful reason!"

"...Mu-shin."

"Hahaha, what’s with that pitiful look? That’s not the Vice Commander I know! Straighten your back."

As Mu-shin finished speaking, the sound of numerous footsteps echoed in unison behind him.

When the footsteps stopped, countless knights, the ones who had perished, stood behind Mu-shin.

"Vice Commander! Stay strong!"

"To be honest, I think you’re more capable than the Commander..."

"What the heck, Michael! That’s not how you encourage someone!"

"Haha, look at these guys! For us to come here to cheer up someone as strong as the Vice Commander, now that’s the real joke!"

The knights exchanged banter among themselves, bursting into laughter.

Surely, it must have been agonizing for them, dying in the cold, isolated from everyone, scared and in pain.

And yet, here they were, laughing as brightly as ever.

The Knight Commander, resting her head on Marenne’s shoulder, approached and gently placed a hand on her.

When Marenne froze in place, the Knight Commander chuckled softly.

"It was my fault for not explaining things properly. I must have been scared too. Maybe I acted that way because I wanted you to see me as a heartless person."

Marenne was surprised by the trembling in the Knight Commander’s faint voice.

There was no mistaking it—it was the sound of a voice choked with tears.

"I feared that if I framed it as my sacrifice, I would burden you with the responsibility of carrying the future. I thought that if you felt betrayed by me, it might ease that burden a little. That’s why I acted the way I did, out of my own foolishness."

What an incredibly magnanimous woman.

She fought so fiercely, yet she could be so delicate in matters like these.

Marenne bit her lip and shook her head.

"Vice Commander, as you said, Mu-shin and the other senior knights may never return. However—"

At that moment, someone stepped forward.

It was Tanton.

"But I managed to bring back the Commander, didn’t I? Not all hope is lost. She may recover one day and give you the biggest embrace you’ve ever known. You’ve already begun your journey. You just need to find the way forward."

"...You’re right, Tanton."

Tanton’s long speech had finally reached Marenne’s heart.

Yes, there was still so much to do.

The knight who had appeared like a comet, Tanton, hadn’t yet been elevated to a higher position.

Rondan still hadn’t been saved.

And...

The Knight Commander hadn’t yet been fully restored.

The White Mask had loathed the idea of the Knight Commander’s return, deeming her actions, which had led to the deaths of so many, unforgivable.

Of course, this was just a dream, so who knew what the Knight Commander had really thought.

But I will make sure to find out.

I will learn what was going through her mind when she made those choices.

And I will resent her.

For abandoning me.

And...

I will meet her again.

The woman who, for the first time, made my heart tremble.

"Commander, please wait for me."

Marenne knelt before the Knight Commander, who smiled down at her.

To show her loyalty.

"I will restore you completely. And I will make you as happy as the sacrifice you made. So please."

Marenne looked at the Knight Commander with determined eyes.

"Just wait a little longer."

The Knight Commander slowly nodded in response, her expression filled with both sadness and joy.

Marenne rose to her feet.

The pitiful Marenne from before was gone.

Now, there was only a shining knight who had regained her clear mind, determined to bring back the woman she cherished and accomplish her mission.

"This isn’t the time to be sitting around. There’s a mountain of work to do."

With those last words, Marenne’s mind began to shine brightly.

"Hmmm."

Marenne opened her eyes.

She immediately surveyed her surroundings and realized she was in her room at the knight headquarters.

She looked to one side.

"Hm?"

There she saw the Knight Commander, just as in her dream, though with a simple and unassuming gaze, devoid of the charisma and determination she once held.

Before, this sight would have driven her into despair.

But now...

Pfft.

What did it matter?

Whatever happened, she was still the Knight Commander of Rondan.

That much hadn’t changed.

"Commander."

"Oh, are we going to eat now?"

At the Knight Commander’s words, the Vice Commander smiled softly.

"Yes, Commander. Are you going for a meal?"

"I feel like having some meat this time."

"I know a good place nearby."

Marenne, the Vice Commander, walked side by side with the Knight Commander as they headed out together.