Death is a fleeting thing.

On a battlefield where countless lives are extinguished, even more so.

The comrade with whom you shared a meal just a few hours ago is now lying lifeless, eyes still open.

The superior who constantly picked apart every little thing you did, now breathes their last with a gurgle of blood.

Be it a husband newly married or a filial son caring for his elderly mother alone.

No one could escape the cruel blade of war.

“If you come back with all your limbs intact, it's a miracle. If you return with just a small wound, you're incredibly lucky. Even if you've lost a part of your body, as long as you come back alive, you're fortunate.”

If such a saying exists, it's no surprise.

No matter the tragic story behind it, surviving a battlefield where lives are cut down unnoticed was an act of luck.

“Yes, luck.”

The man thought that the most crucial thing for surviving the battlefield was luck.

Strength alone wasn’t enough.

Even in the battles he survived, many comrades stronger than him perished. In the end, only he and a few companions remained.

They survived because, in that moment, they were simply luckier than the others.

If he hadn't turned his body at the right time.

If the incoming sword slash had veered just a bit more to the side.

“…Another close call.”

And, if the demon that had mercilessly slaughtered their allies hadn’t lost interest and left.

That day, the man didn’t lose his life—only his left arm.

The demon, after massacring most of the soldiers with just a few slashes, left, and the surviving soldiers barely escaped.

There was no need to describe the morale of those who fled.

But the man was different.

After losing an arm and fleeing the battlefield, returning to his hometown, he thought as he was embraced by his sobbing mother.

Could that kind of power really come from a girl who looked younger than his own daughter?

The man realized something.

Strength in moderation was meaningless, but if one possessed overwhelming strength...

If one had the strength to overcome even the worst of luck...

Survival might depend on luck, but what separates fortune from misfortune is strength.

That’s why the man took up his sword with his one remaining arm.

He longed for the day his sword would reach that demon.

 

Several days had passed since the long Kanglim Festival ended, and we left the Holy Nation, setting off on our journey.

In the monotonous routine of eating, riding, eating again, and riding some more, there were two things Da-eun and I never skipped.

Sword training and language study.

“…Do you always train like this?” Celine asked, her face puzzled.

I was learning Arkish but was still clumsy with it, while Celine didn’t know Granic at all.

So, the only way we could communicate was through Da-eun, who was fluent in both languages, acting as our interpreter.

Or Celine would resort to using the most basic words I could understand.

Though even then, communication wasn’t very smooth.

And now, Da-eun, our translator, was…

“….”

“Ugh….”

No response. She seemed like a corpse.

I poked at her side a few times, but there was no reaction.

What a pity, gone so young…

May she rest in peace.

Rustle.

I gathered a small amount of dirt and sprinkled it over her lifeless body.

“…I’m not dead yet, sis….”

“Oh, she lives.”

Da-eun slowly rose with a groan, her movements resembling an undead creature crawling out from beneath the earth.

Should I exorcise her?

I instinctively reached for my sword, but my eyes met Celine’s.

She, too, wore an uncomfortable expression, likely thinking the same thing.

“Celine, could you help her?”

“Oh, of course.”

Golden mana flowed from Celine’s hands, seeping into Da-eun’s body. The scrapes on her skin vanished, and color returned to her pale face.

Though her clothes were still filthy, and her expression looked like she was on the verge of collapse, at least she no longer resembled an undead.

Da-eun stood, using her sword as a cane, and let out a heavy sigh.

“Really, I owe Celine my life. Without her, I’d already be dead.”

“Surely, Kana wouldn’t let it get that bad…”

“…But Celine can’t guarantee that, right?”

“No, no, that’s not it…”

“Come on, just admit it. Kana can’t understand anyway.”

“I could never badmouth someone as a nun!”

“Badmouth? Oh, heavens, no! I wouldn’t badmouth Kana either. I just want to hear your honest opinion.”

“Honest…opinion?”

“Yes, don’t overthink it. Just tell me how tough you find the training.”

“Well…to be honest…”

“To be honest…?”

“It is quite tough.”

“See?!”

After a few words exchanged with Celine, Da-eun seemed to regain her energy completely. Her transformation was dramatic, considering she had looked like a corpse moments ago.

“Sometimes I think you train harder than some paladins… But that’s just about the direction of the training.”

“Still, isn’t it tough? Kana’s gonna kill me….”

….

Hearing my name being mentioned intermittently, I had a feeling they were talking about me.

The fact that I couldn’t understand the conversation was frustrating. I had thought about buying a translation artifact, but...

‘The price…’

Once I learned the cost, I quickly gave up on that idea.

No, to be honest, the idea was abandoned for me.

No matter how much I’ve saved, spending that much on one item seems excessive.

Maybe I should’ve asked Edel for advice.

Considering how Earthlings speak Arkish so fluently, Edel must’ve done something about it.

But the first time I spoke with Edel, I was too emotional to think about it, and during our second conversation, there was too much to talk about.

Earth, dimensional beasts, the demon continent… How could I think of a translation device during such grand discussions?

And before I could even ask about it, Edel disappeared after we finished discussing the demons.

I guess I’ll just keep studying, and if it doesn’t work out, maybe I’ll reconsider buying one.

Money can always be earned again.

“You seem fine now. How about a little more practice?”

“…Please, spare me.”

“…Didn’t I just spare you?”

“When I said ‘spare me,’ I didn’t mean just let me live….”

Da-eun gave me a pitiful look.

“Da…hmm….”

As I looked into her eyes, I paused mid-sentence.

Although she had given me her real name, she had asked me to call her Journey because that’s what she was used to.

She added that if she ever wanted to be called by her real name, she would let me know.

…But isn’t she being a bit too obvious?

Of course, she doesn’t know that I’m aware of this.

I thought her excuse was flimsy, but I played along with her little act.

“You did ask me to teach you, Journey.”

If this method didn’t work, I wouldn’t have had much to say.

“You’ve improved a lot.”

This wasn’t just empty praise to make her feel better.

Her basic stance, as well as her combat skills, had improved significantly.

She had also overcome her tendency to panic at her own swings, and she was now able to respond more calmly to incoming attacks.

“Heh… really?”

She smiled bashfully, as if to say, Kana complimenting me?

Thinking back, I don’t think I’ve ever complimented her while training.

There simply hadn’t been anything worth praising, but seeing how happy she was made me realize that a compliment now and then wouldn’t hurt.

It’s good for effective teaching.

…Yes, purely for efficiency’s sake.

Seeing her smile eased my discomfort a little.

“So, how about a little more practice?”

“If you think I’ll fall for that, you’re wrong! No way!”

Watching her scamper off before I could grab her, I clicked my tongue.

Darn, didn’t work.

 

Taptap.

I gazed absentmindedly at the flickering campfire.

I had heard somewhere that fire played a major role in human development.

Maybe that’s why watching the flames quietly brought me such peace.

‘How long has it been since I last felt this at ease?’

Thinking back…

It must’ve been since I became the commander.

Ever since my father passed away.

The royal family and nobles were constantly infuriating, we were at war with the empire, and monsters could attack at any moment….

Even after the fall of Grasis and shedding the burdensome title of commander of the Crimson Flame Knights, not much had changed.

I always had to maintain a certain level of vigilance, not knowing where the next threat would come from.

So, the fact that I was feeling this relaxed now was quite unusual.

Thanks to Celine’s holy power, I didn’t need to worry about physical threats, and as for mental burdens…

Well, it would be a lie to say I had none, but for some reason, I felt confident everything would turn out fine.

When had I become so optimistic?

It was so amusing, I almost chuckled.

“…It’s done!”

Suddenly, Da-eun’s excited shout echoed.

It seemed that whatever she had been doing near the campfire for the past few nights was finally finished.

I had been curious about her work, but every time I asked…

‘It’s a surprise, so no peeking.’

She’d say that, so I couldn’t find out what it was.

I could have figured it out if I wanted to, but since she insisted on a surprise, I let it be.

But isn’t it no longer a surprise if you tell someone it’s a surprise?

I tilted my head, confused.

By the time I thought about it, Da-eun had already tidied up and approached me.

“Ta-da! Surprise!”

“Uh, uh-huh… What a surprise. I never would’ve guessed you were preparing this.”

“Hehe, what was that? Were you acting? It didn’t suit you at all!”

….

And here I was, trying to play along.

Puffing out my cheeks in mock annoyance, Da-eun grabbed them playfully.

“Aww, so cute~”

…Fhm meh.

She finally let go after seeing my eyes narrow into slits.

I rubbed my warm cheeks and asked,

“So, what is this?”

Da-eun flipped through a bundle of papers.

As she did, I caught glimpses of words written on them.

“They’re vocabulary cards. I thought these would make studying easier, and it would help with talking to Celine.”

“?”

Hearing her name, Celine pricked her ears and came over to see what was in my hands.

She gave a small gasp of admiration.

“Oh my, it’s finished. You worked so hard.”

“Well, I did put in some effort!”

The cards had words written in both Granic and Arkish.

To help understanding, there were also simple drawings for each word.

While Da-eun basked in her pride, Celine and I examined the cards.

“W…a…ter… fish?”

“Yes, that’s the word for ‘fish.’”

“…And this one?”

“That’s the word for ‘doll.’”

“Ah, I see.”

Even though it was written in Granic, I had thought it was a monster based on the drawing, but it turned out to be a doll.

Da-eun’s drawing skills weren’t exactly great.

Still, her intention was clear.

“…Thanks.”

Smiling, I thanked her, and she returned the smile warmly.