“I’m tired somewhere. We understood that at the time.”

Because those words sounded that way.

“Everyone’s expressions were clumsy, but their hearts were not lacking at all.”

Katarina swallowed her breath silently.

The area within the Emperor’s reach was taken care of by himself.

For four days, he blocked disturbances around the palace, continued the fierce battle with monsters,

took care of those injured by monsters and earthquakes,

and I know how much effort he put into it.

Shalof, who held his breath, asked,

“…Where are you now?”

“Now would be the time to be in the training ground. I’ll send someone to let them know.”

A while later, the Royal Guard scout reported that the reconnaissance of the training ground had just ended.

The inside of the training ground was filled with dust, so instead, Shalof was led to the Emperor’s palace office.

“Please come inside.”

Roskella cleared the way to the side.

“I’ll leave the side empty.”

Shalof nodded slightly.

As the fight with monsters prolonged, the palace was rearranged for that hunt. If the interior is messy, the ones who die the most are ordinary soldiers.

Staff officers hurriedly passed by the entrance of the office. Their view was also obstructed by the documents piled high on their chests. Since the staff officers were busy with affairs in the vicinity of Pofuta for several days, I guessed the reason.

The office door opened.

“Ah.”

Benjamin was taking off his sweaty shirt. The hand unbuttoning the shirt stopped.

“Close the door and come in. Bring some tea for the rest and clear the side.”

“…Should I stay outside?”

“Just stay. Because of the training, the shirt got wet. If I change into this one, it’s enough. It feels sticky with flipped mud.”

He took off his shirt with his back. The burned scars on that flesh had increased.

The arm extended long, and the broad shoulders balanced the body.

The spine stood straight, and the muscles on the back were divided sideways.

“It would be more strange for a knight to have no scars on his body. Once the body gets used to rest, it starts to deteriorate. Muscles tear and recover in a small way, and in that process, the skin becomes tougher. Hiding behind others doesn’t suit my temperament.”

He reached out his arm.

“Your expression looks uncomfortable. Are you okay?”

He stared at Shalof with a stern face.

“Call the Royal Guard outside…!”

“Several have already gone.”

Shalof groped his body as if retracing his scars. There was not a single blemish on his well-balanced body.

When he turned his neck, the purple veins stood out.

The pulse surged as if scraping the blood vessels, and a wave occurred in the neck.

The collarbone swelled, and the blood vessels swelled.

Afterward, Benjamin’s arm stopped at the body temperature touching his back.

“The mud was flipped over, so it looks messy.”

“The body temperature is low.”

“Did the sweat cool down?”

“Even though the weather has cleared, it seems so.”

Following his touch, Benjamin turned his body. He straightened his waist.
“That day, I hope we had talked a little more about the work.”

“Weren’t you avoiding me?”

“I was in the middle of figuring out what to say.”

Shalof recited the events of the past.

After calming his breath, he recalled the incident from four days ago.

That day, the monster trap was triggered, his feet got entangled, and a battle with monsters followed.

“You’ve been through such an incident.”

“The Royal Guard worked hard.”

“I’ve heard about the incidents from the Royal Guard too.”

“I only remember the unfamiliarity.”

The hand holding the sword cut through the trap set by those guys.

“Like that, they get involved with us.”

“Were you scared?”

“No. It wasn’t that. My body was powerless. It was as if my feet were sinking, and my ankles felt tight. Whenever I got entangled with them, it was always like that. Even at the moment of holding the sword, it seemed like my body was saying it would be better if it wasn’t on this path.”

“The former Pope talked about it.”

Benjamin took Shalof’s hand. His rough hand, hardened with calluses, swept across the delicate skin inside.

“Hyponea is one of the denial reactions that refuses to fully cope with the immediate reality in front of you. It says that you whittle away your emotions because you don’t have the capacity to fully handle what happened in front of you. You whittle away your emotions and make yourself numb to that event, just like you are now.”

“…”

“You were the one who wished for your path to be the most peaceful.”

Benjamin took Shalof’s wrist.

“Unlike you who wanted that, I was scared.”

He narrowed his eyes. His complex emotions were revealed between his narrowed eyebrows.

“The ones holding the daggers have sharp edges. If you get tangled up in those sharp edges, you might lose yourself. At those sharp edges, I let you take care of it alone.”

“…”

“Now I’m scared.”

“The Royal Guard always protects you.”

“Even if the Royal Guard protects me, you know that you will be alone. Keep your distance as if saying you will be alone after everything is over.”