The Sage that the Sword Saint is Obsessed With

10 – 3. To the Battlefield (3)

1.

Order of the Star Knights.

Led by Leven, the captain of the guard, it was a vigilance unit guarding three villages around the Starflower Forest.

There was no initial intention to form such a group.

To protect the village, Leven taught the villagers how to wield a sword, patrolled the forest for reconnaissance, and ended up gathering people around him. Before he knew it, the order of knights had been formed.

Even the name was chosen by the members themselves.

There was no order to disband.

It was more efficient to guard together than alone.

“Excuse me.”

The deputy commander, Karen, entered a small house, knocking on the door.

It was Leven’s house, her superior.

“Karen!”

Leven’s younger sister, Lana, who was playing and drawing in the house, greeted Karen with a big smile upon seeing her. Making a short sound with her tongue brought a pleased smile to her face.

Lana hugged Karen’s leg.

Karen took off her gloves and gently stroked Lana’s head.

“It’s been a while. How have you been?”

“Good!”

While Karen was stroking Lana’s head, Leia, who had been reading a book in the room, heard the commotion outside and came out to see.

“Oh? The deputy commander is here?”

Lea looked at Karen and then turned her gaze to Lana, who was clinging to Karen’s legs and rubbing her cheek against them.

“Lana! You shouldn’t trouble the captain!”

Lea tried to detach Lana from Karen.

“Oh no, it’s fine.”

Karen smiled and gently reassured Lea.

Lea, who at the age of twelve already had a broken look that didn’t suit her age. Was it because she couldn’t goof around with her parents when she should have?

She had a tendency to force her own maturity onto her younger sister.

“Should I pat your head, Lea?”

Lea hesitated.

She also wanted to act childish from time to time. She didn’t become an adult to become one early. It was because she felt sorry for her older sister, who had to take care of them alone after their parents passed away.

“Well, I’m past that age.”

Lea closed her eyes tightly and swiftly turned her head.

Karen gave a bitter smile at her appearance.

“But why are you here?”

Lea tilted her head.

Captain Karen is a busy person. She has to manage her subordinates and handle administrative tasks. She can’t easily leave her post.

So it’s rare for her to leave her post and come here.

She only does it to protect the village from attacks by monsters or to celebrate her siblings’ birthdays.

But today is no one’s birthday.

And there hasn’t been any recent attacks by monsters.

“The captain?”

She purposely came a little later in the afternoon because she knew he would be in the forest in the morning. He usually stays at home in the afternoon.

Especially in the spring.

“If it’s my sister, she hasn’t returned yet.”

“Oh, I see.”

“Well, I think I know where it might be.”

There are a few places that come to mind.

It’s been over five years since Karen met Leven.

They crossed paths five years ago when she came from the neighboring village to this one seeking refuge.

Fate had connected them when she helped him, alone with bandages on his arms, after defeating a wild horse. The bond has endured ever since.

“Thank you.”

Karen gently separated herself from Lana, who was clinging to her like a puppy.

“I’ll come back for dinner in a bit.”

“Okay.”

Karen petted Lana’s head, gave a reassuring pat to Lea, and left the house.

She headed straight for where Leven might be.

If he hadn’t returned from the forest yet, he would likely be in the flower field at the center of the woods.

Entering the forest filled with towering pine trees, she walked for about an hour until the thick pine curtains parted, revealing the flower field.

A sea of white starflowers was in full bloom.

Amidst the white flowers, there was a single black flower.

Karen approached the black flower and spoke.

“Captain.”

Leven, with a doll-like expression, raised his head to look at Karen.

A face filled with sadness.

For five years, she couldn’t fathom the reason.

Even though he always wore a sad expression, it seemed to deepen in spring.

She had asked about the reason out of curiosity, but never received an answer.

“Karen…”

Leven checked the face of the person who spoke and began to drift back into his reverie.

“I’m sorry for disturbing you.”

Leven nodded, his voice locked in a subdued tone.

“It’s okay.”

A voice that seemed to have cried just moments ago.

“…What’s going on?”

“Someone from the knight order has come to deliver a message.”

“…Do as we always do.”

“Well, this time it’s a guest who came to meet the commander. It seems you should go see them in person.”

Leuen’s eyes widened.

“Me?”

Leuen looked at Karen again.

There was a strange sense of anticipation in her golden eyes.

“Who is it?”

Leuen’s eyes sparkled as if someone he had been waiting for had arrived.

Even his lower lip trembled slightly.

Who could he be waiting for?

Karen’s question had remained unanswered for five years.

“They’re from the Drager family.”

“Ah…”

Leuen’s face darkened with disappointment in an instant.

“…Is that so?”

As if uninterested even after hearing the family name, Leuen turned his head again. The members were surprised when someone from the Drager Duchy unexpectedly visited.

“…I don’t know what it’s about, but they said they’re busy.”

“The eldest son of the Drager family came personally. It seems a bit inappropriate to send them away like this.”

“…What’s the matter?”

“I didn’t hear the details, but he said he really wants to meet the commander. By the way, the second son of the Yegutri family was with him. According to him, they came to repay the favor from a few days ago.”

Leuen recalled the events from a few days ago.

It was when he helped the Yegutri family, who were attacked by a demon in the forest.

After a moment of contemplation on what to do, Leuen stood up, brushing off his buttocks.

“Ha…”

Taking a deep breath, he pushed aside his long hair.

“…Alright.”

“I told them you won’t be able to meet them today, so go with me tomorrow morning.”

“…Okay.”

Leven walked as if drained of strength.

Suddenly, Karen glanced at Leven’s fingers. A delicate finger had a small starflower entwined like a ring.

Upon seeing it, Karen formed a content smile.

“Even the captain has such a girlish hobby?”

“……Huh?”

Seemingly not understanding the words, Leven tilted his head with a smirk.

Karen pointed at Leven’s finger.

Left ring finger.

Despite appearing disinterested in marriage, does he harbor romance for it?

“Ah….”

Leven took off the flower ring.

“…Just bored.”

Leven’s face became even more clouded with sadness.

Karen looked around, wondering if she had made a mistake.

The words meant to lighten the mood ended up making it worse.

2.

The next day.

Leven headed towards the knights’ headquarters following Karen’s words.

The Star Knights’ headquarters was located a bit away from the Starflower Forest, on a field.

“Captain!”

“Long time no see, Captain!”

Members saluted upon seeing Leven.

Everyone respected Leven.

Thanks to her, they became soldiers capable of protecting the village from monsters.

“……Yeah.”

Leven nodded in acknowledgment, returning the salute, and headed to where the guest was waiting.

At that moment, a soldier ran from a distance.

“Captain!”

Leven slightly turned her head.

A soldier with black hair and a golden emblem was running towards her with a smiling face.

This year marks the nineteenth birthday of Leven’s younger brother, Raven.

The moment Leven saw Raven, she wore a certain expression.

“…Why didn’t you come home yesterday?”

It was an immediate nagging as soon as they met.

“Yesterday, Uncle Chris invited me for a drink…”

“You should have said something before leaving.”

“Sorry, I’ll make sure to next time.”

“You said the same thing last time.”

“This time, I really mean it. And besides, I’m not a kid anymore…”

“So what? You’re not going to tell your sister?”

Leven glared at Raven.

“Sorry, I’ll definitely tell you next time.”

Nineteen is considered an adult.

It’s also an age when one can live independently.

Nevertheless, Leven’s overprotectiveness has various reasons.

He is her only younger brother, she had taken care of her siblings like her parents, and most importantly, she returned to her hometown to take care of her siblings.

If something goes wrong, she could lose a reason to live.

So, overprotecting was inevitable.

“…Okay.”

Leven resumed her way.

The guests were waiting in her room.

She usually didn’t use it, but when guests came, she treated it like a reception room.

“Hello. Do you remember me?”

As soon as they entered the room, the gazes of the two people focused on Leven, and Heyd Yeager greeted her with a familiar face.

“…Yes.”

Leven took a seat across from him.

“So, what’s the matter?”

He straightforwardly asked.

There was no need for a long conversation, and she didn’t want to chat for long.

She wanted to return quickly.

Leuen glanced at the eldest son of the Drager family.

The real person I need to talk to is probably that man. Heid Yegertree might have a reason to come, but that man has none.

The man who noticed Leuen’s gaze spoke.

“I’m Alfred Drager. Nice to meet you.”

Alfred reached out his hand to Leuen.

Leuen shook hands lightly.

“I can see you’re eager to get straight to the point, so let’s do just that.”

“…Yes.”

“Let me be blunt. Aren’t you considering joining the Imperial Knights?”

“…No, I’m not joining.”

There was no hesitation.

This is where Leuen should be.

Only by being here can he justify his foolish choices.

Alfred, surprised as if he didn’t expect an immediate answer, asked, “Is that the end of the discussion?”

Leuen stood up.

“Wait! Please, hear me out!”

As Leuen tried to leave, Heid stopped him.

“Right now, the Empire needs talents like you. There are signs that the Demon King is starting to move actively. The war hasn’t broken out yet, but the frontline battles are intensifying.”

Leuen smirked.

“…And?”

Alfred responded to that question.

“So, I want to recommend you to the Imperial Knights. I’ve heard about your skills from Heid. Word has it that you single-handedly took down ten of the Demon King’s forces?”

“…Anyone could do that.”

“No way. Among the knights at the front lines, there’s a dense crowd who couldn’t even defeat one of the Demon King’s forces alone. Even I find it hard to take on ten at once. That’s why you’re remarkable.”

Regardless of what was being said, Leuen hardly gave it a thought.

“To be frank, I could issue a conscription order and forcibly bring you into the Knights, but I’m offering you time to prepare.”

Alfred, a high-ranking officer in the Imperial Knights and a person of the Drager Ducal House, could easily issue a conscription order to Leuen. Moreover, he had the power to enforce penalties for disobedience to orders.

In reality, it was more like coercion disguised as an offer for Leuen.

It seemed like there was a choice, but in reality, there was none.

“I must protect my knight order. And we must also protect our families.”

“Considering that, I’ll arrange for your knight order to be incorporated into the imperial knight order. And our family will support your order with our family soldiers. You’ve done well so far, but our family soldiers can also protect well.”

Alfred looked at Leven with serious eyes.

“Think about it. Building achievements on the battlefield, gaining recognition. With your skills, it’s entirely possible.”

“…”

“You might become a hero of war.”

Alfred encouraged Leven.

“…”

However, Leven remained indifferent.

A hero…

He had no desire for such grandiosity, not even a speck.

If he had a dream, it was a simple wish to live happily with the person he loved.

A sad wish.

It’s impossible now.

Meet new people?

He couldn’t.

How could he meet a man like Evan?

Unless Evan was in this world.