"Why don't you sit here for a moment?"

I tapped the spot beside me, gently inviting her. After a brief hesitation, Regia took a few awkward steps and then crouched down beside me, quietly settling in.

She said nothing, just sitting in silence. Her usually transparent green eyes held an unmistakable sadness. I wondered if something was troubling her.

I chose not to say anything. She’d seemed lost in thought all day, and I hoped this quiet moment would bring her some peace. So, I waited patiently.

A soft breeze blew past, tousling my bangs. As I brushed them aside, the vast desert night sky caught my attention. Countless stars sparkled against the dark canvas, as though they might spill down at any moment. It was beautiful, even awe-inspiring, a sight that could humble even the most hardened soul.

I couldn’t help but feel a similar wonder.

Just then, a voice broke the silence.

“My lord.”

The pink-haired girl called out to me, her gaze fixed on the ground. She seemed withdrawn, her lips trembling as if unsure whether to speak.

After a few hesitant pauses, she finally mumbled softly.

“…I’m sorry.”

The unexpected apology caught me off guard.

“What are you sorry for?” I asked, my tone gentle.

“It’s just… I feel like I’m useless.”

“Useless?”

“Yes… All I ever do is hide behind you, trembling. I’m always afraid.”

“It bothers you, doesn’t it?”

She nodded, her wavering gaze filled with self-reproach.

“I know I’m a mess.”

“Regia…”

“I’ve been chosen by a summon that others would envy, but… when it counts, I can’t even control my abilities.”

“…”

“I always end up powerless in crucial moments.”

She paused, reflecting on the midterm trials. If she’d had full control over her power, she could have easily overpowered that monster. But her fear kept her from awakening, pushing her to the brink of death—not only hers but also the lives of her teammates.

“It feels like I ruin everything.”

Her voice, though steady, carried the weight of her suffering.

“Each time, I’m terrified… that one day, something truly irreversible will happen.”

Tears welled up in her eyes.

She hadn’t always been this way. Once, she’d been lively and courageous. But the cruelty she’d witnessed as a child broke her. She’d grown up in a harsh environment, where cruelty was her constant companion.

*She had learned sorrow far too young.*

Her mother hurled both insults and fists at her daily, while her father was absent entirely. She’d been a child raised in adversity, her light dimmed by neglect and abuse.

After her mother’s passing in an accident, she’d tried to start anew, embarking on a journey to live a better life. But it was too late. She was no longer a child. Her innocent self had vanished, leaving only a timid soul behind. She became an outcast, lost and alone.

*The scars she bore had left deep wounds.*

Her abilities faltered because of them. Those old wounds still haunted her, keeping her focus and power off-kilter. She hadn’t yet conquered them.

“I want to be better… but it’s not as easy as I’d hoped.”

The protagonist, bearing her pain in silence.

Perhaps…

“Regia.”

…that’s why I felt so attached to her.

She reminded me so much of my own past life, so much that I couldn’t help but want to protect her. A kinship of shared scars.

“Self-blame is never healthy, Regia.”

And perhaps, even admiration.

While I hadn’t been able to overcome my own wounds, she was destined to break free. She was my hope.

“You’re already giving it your all.”

“But…”

“You think of yourself as a coward, but I don’t see it that way.”

“...What?”

Regia had never once run away.

Even when her abilities failed her and fear made her mind go blank, she always took a step forward.

“When you faced that monster in the lab, you could have escaped alone, but you chose to stay with the lady.”

“…”

“You have no idea how much courage that takes.”

Her gaze finally met mine.

I smiled softly.

“I have faith in you.”

One day, I knew she’d blossom into a beautiful star.

“I believe you’ll do amazing things. You’ll become someone who shines brighter than anyone.”

It was only a matter of time.

I gently held her hand, warming her cold fingers with my own.

“Everything will be alright.”

“…”

She stared at me, silent, unsure how to respond.

Eventually, her lips moved.

“…You always have such kind words, my lord.”

“That’s because you deserve them, Regia.”

“It’s… the first time I’ve heard anyone say such things to me…”

“There will be many more to come.”

The protagonist always earned the love of many.

Friends, allies, mentors… she would flourish, weaving countless beautiful connections.

I murmured quietly,

“Until then, I’ll be by your side.”

So that you won’t be alone.

Even if only for a while, I wanted to be there with her.

“When you’re afraid, take my hand. I’ll never let go, no matter what.”

I squeezed her hand gently, passing on warmth.

She wiped away her tears and nodded awkwardly, her cheeks flushed.

“…Thank you.”

“Heh, it’s nothing.”

A gentle breeze flowed between us.

Under the starlit sky, we shared this unspoken promise, keeping the warmth of our joined hands in our memories.

---

Meanwhile, though no one noticed, a small spark had ignited in her heart.

A flame that hinted at awakening.

---

*Crackle.*

It was faint, but the light was there.

The girl, who had been confined within her shell until now, was slowly beginning to break through.

The delicate cracks in that shell had started to show.

---

What the future held for her…

No one could predict.

---

*Except for one person.*

---

The next day.

We resumed our trek through the desert.

The peacefulness of the previous night felt like a distant memory as the morning was filled with the cries of monsters.

A fresh wave of scorpions assaulted us, their attacks becoming more varied as we advanced. Larger numbers swarmed at once, some creatures twice the usual size appeared, and at times, sandstorms clouded our vision.

The challenges were getting tougher.

---

“Hm.”

---

But it was still manageable.

Regia was slowly adapting to this field, and the old man’s shooting skills were reliable.

We were beginning to move in sync as a team.

---

“Hoo.”

---

After one of the battles, we took a moment to catch our breath.

As we recovered, the old man approached.

“Young man, are you alright?”

“I’m unhurt. And yourself, sir?”

“Ah, this old man’s fine, as fine as ever.”

He chuckled, adjusting the bolts on his crossbow.

“Though this old body could give out at any moment.”

“That’s a grim thought, sir.”

“It’s simply the truth.”

“Let’s hope you stay with us until we reach our destination.”

“And beyond that, it doesn’t matter?”

“Ah, don’t twist my words like that, sir.”

We exchanged light banter as he brushed the dust off his bolts.

During our short break, Regia, who had been hovering nearby, spoke up.

“Sir.”

“Hm?”

“You mentioned yesterday… that someone is waiting for you at the end of the desert.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“You’re going to see them, aren’t you?”

“You could say that.”

“May I ask who they are? To cross a desert alone, they must be… family?”

He stroked his beard thoughtfully.

After a moment, he responded in a soft tone.

“There was someone with whom I shared a precious promise.”

“A precious promise…?”

“It’s an old story, but would you like to hear it? It’ll make for a good way to pass the time as we travel.”

We nodded, prepared to listen to his story.

---

Once upon a time, in a small village...

There was a boy and a girl.

Their names were Josh and Rosalyn.

They had been friends since childhood, so close that no one in the village could imagine one without the other.

They went everywhere together.

---

<Rosalyn! Let’s go play outside!>

<No… Let’s read a book in the house this time. Please, Josh?>

---

Josh was a mischievous boy, while Rosalyn was more reserved.

Their opposite personalities complemented each other.

Rosalyn kept Josh from going astray, and Josh protected Rosalyn from being bullied by the other children.

They were inseparable.

---

<Josh and Rosalyn always play by themselves!>

<Just marry each other already!>

<Ugh, so boring. Just live together forever, why don’t you…!>

---

Despite the teasing, the two only thought of each other.

Sometimes, lying under the night sky, they’d whisper promises into each other’s ears.

---

<What if we ever get separated… what would we do?>

<Are you silly? We just won’t separate!>

<But… just in case.>

<Alright, let’s decide a place to meet if we ever do get separated!>

<Where will it be?>

---

They thought their bond would last forever.

But that, too, came to an end.

The year Josh turned fifteen, his family moved to a distant country.

On the day of their parting...

---

<Go away and never come back!>

<I’m sick of you, too! I never want to see you again!>

---

They quarreled.

He couldn’t even remember why.

A small argument had escalated, tearing them apart in the worst

 way possible.

Their goodbye came without a chance for reconciliation.

---

It wasn’t until much later that Josh regretted it.

He’d left the person he cherished most in the world behind.

He tried to send letters, but that became impossible soon after.

---

<War!>

---

A war broke out between their countries.

The boy and girl could not reunite.

---

Time passed.

Fifty years slipped by.

The war ended, and peace returned.

With peace came the return of quiet life, and finally, Josh set off on a journey to fulfill the promise he’d made long ago.

---

<I’m coming to see you, Rosalyn.>

---

The boy crossed the desert.

Taking each step toward the one he knew was waiting for him.

---

“So… you’re going to meet that special person,” Regia said softly.

“That’s right.”

The old man finished his tale with a gentle smile, his eyes lost in the past.

We were crossing a sandy hill as he wrapped up his story.

---

“So, when I was young— *cough, cough!*”

The old man suddenly started coughing.

At first, it seemed like a minor issue, but soon we realized it was more serious.

A pained expression crossed his face as blood dripped from his mouth.

---

“S-sir…?!”

Regia hurried to check on him.

But he waved her off, wiping the blood from his lips as though accustomed to it.

“Nothing to worry about. It’s just an old illness.”

“But… there’s so much blood…”

“Ah, young lady, you worry too much. I’m fine; just focus on crossing the desert. Time isn’t exactly on my side.”

Regia wouldn’t understand then.

What lay hidden behind his strained breaths.