Nadav was not a man of many words.
He had never particularly considered that a shortcoming, but in this moment, for the first time, he felt frustrated by his own clumsy speech.
If it were Tristan or Soana, they would have been able to explain this feeling far more eloquently.
What he was worried about, what he was glad for.
Nadav, who had been moving his lips, let out a low sigh. Then, he carefully stroked the back of Zigore's head, which was trembling with suppressed sobs.
"Zigore, don't cry. Do you intend to greet the Captain in such a wretched state?"
At his words, Zigore bit his lip hard.
Zigore couldn't possibly not know that forcing things wouldn't work. Pouting his lips and struggling to hold back his tears, Zigore finally spoke in a voice that had calmed somewhat.
"I don't want to die either. This time, I want to stay by the Captain's side until the very end."
Naturally, they did not desire death through Repose.
No, to be honest, while Zigore might not know, Nadav had never deeply considered the specific meaning of Repose.
Because he had always thought that once they reached Repose, Anelli would decide the appropriate end for them herself.
But now, he understood. Repose was not something Anelli decided for them.
It was a request for what one desired from Anelli.
"The Captain hasn't yet seen how well I fight on the front lines."
"That's right, I haven't seen it yet."
"That's why I need to stay by the Captain's side."
The knights of the Round Table had followed the Captain's will from the closest position, and had maintained their loyalty for a long time, so they had every right to demand their due.
Though the realization was late, it was fortunate he realized it now. Nadav glanced at Zigore, who had regained some composure.
Zigore was a quick learner. His skills were good enough for Nadav to keep him close and teach him personally.
"The Repose the Captain grants me will not be death. Because I do not desire that."
At Zigore's words, Anelli's gaze wavered greatly. Her face still looked weary.
Yet, her divine power was gradually shining with a more brilliant light.
Sensing the time had come, Nadav shifted his gaze. He saw Mori, peeking out from the pouch at Anelli's waist.
"Mori."
[Brother...]
Somehow, Mori had ended up being the last one.
As his older brother, it would be a lie to say he wasn't worried about his soft-hearted younger brother, but Nadav deliberately put on a stern expression.
"Be composed."
Mori was his brother, but he was also a knight of the Round Table.
"You are the Captain's knight."
There was no answer from Mori. But Nadav believed Mori had understood his words well.
Mori always seemed frightened and withdrawn, but it was only because he thought a lot and acted more cautiously than others.
Finally, Nadav's gaze reached Samuel.
「You will regret this.」
The conversation from that day came to mind. The rough, hate-filled words he had spat at Samuel, covered in blood.
At the time, the sense of betrayal was as great as the trust he had placed in him. Samuel was Nadav's most intimate friend. Once, Nadav had even thought he wanted to resemble him a little.
He had agonized dozens of times a day over whether it was right for him, not Samuel, to stand as commander.
Nevertheless, Nadav became the commander because he concluded that the strongest, Samuel, should become the Captain's personal guard.
「No, I will not regret it.」
To Nadav, who was weeping tears of blood, Samuel had answered thus. Nadav saw Zigore, pierced by a sword, fall before Samuel as he spoke those words.
At that time, Nadav seemed to have prayed fervently. That the traitor would receive his just deserts, that his Repose would be forever denied.
"You still wouldn't regret it, would you."
At Nadav's words, Samuel's pupils stared straight at him. Gazing intently at his face, from which almost no emotion showed, Nadav formed a faint smile.
"But you are envious."
Seeing the slight furrow in his brow, Nadav felt a little relieved.
His prayer had been answered. The traitor had lost everything he desired, so he would also lose the Repose he so desperately wanted to obtain.
"Having tried to monopolize everything and lost it all, it's a natural feeling."
"...Sir Nadav."
"I am not curious how you obtained the goddess's mercy. Whatever you do at this end, we will not be grateful for it."
Samuel, who had been moving his lips, soon fell silent.
To the former comrade, the traitor who had once held everyone's trust, Nadav spat out his final words.
"The first sword of the Round Table is broken, so let us not see each other again."
By severing even resentment, he completely parted ways with his old comrade.
* * *
The two knights, having regained their composure, drew their swords and held them to their chests.
It was the solemn salute of an oath. The most reverent courtesy a knight of the Round Table could offer their Captain.
Samuel could not bear to watch their salute to the end and turned his gaze away.
That was something he, too, had done hundreds of times. Raising the sword, bringing it close to his chest with the blade pointing down, the heartbeat would transmit through the sword, making it feel as if the sword itself was humming.
He had been proud of that. The heartbeat that made the sword hum, and the Captain's smile that seemed to know all about it.
"Zigore, Nadav."
Anelli, who had been standing dazedly, strode briskly towards the two. In the way she greedily pulled them into her arms as they stood motionless, there was a sense of favoritism that had not been visible in the old days.
The very favoritism that Samuel had once so desperately craved.
"I will grant you the Repose you desire."
Samuel recalled the time he first met Anelli. The resurrected her distrusted everything in the world and was unwilling to give her heart to anything.
It was completely different from the past. There was no trace of the noble proxy of the goddess who had said she must save everything.
Though she was doing the same things as in the past, Anelli was not moving now with a philanthropic heart intent on saving all creation.
Samuel, who had witnessed her journey from the beginning, knew that all too well.
'Favoritism.'
She acts only for the few she loves. Everything else, she likely has no interest in, no matter what happens.
It was exactly the form of her that Samuel had once desired.
By betraying her, he had created the her he desired, but at the same time, he could never advance into the relationship he desired.
「Having tried to monopolize everything and lost it all, it's a natural feeling.」
Just as Nadav had mocked. He had tried to monopolize everything and lost it all.
"We will meet again."
Samuel glanced up. The expressions of Zigore and Nadav, embraced by Anelli, looked peaceful and also happy.
The expressions of all the knights who obtained Repose were like that. Perhaps the one remaining knight would also reach Repose with such a happy face.
At the end of this journey, there would be only one person unable to smile, and Samuel knew all too well who that was.
'But...'
Nevertheless, if he were to return to the past, he would do the same thing again.
Desperate to obtain a Captain who would love only him, he would have done anything.
Confirming that the green light was growing increasingly dazzling, Samuel turned his body. It would be better for them if he did not watch.
* * *
'This feels like a familiar moment...'
That was the thought that came as soon as consciousness returned. While my head throbbed, I wondered what on earth this situation was and searched my memory, but nothing appropriate came to mind.
To be precise, I had no memory of what happened after granting Repose to Nadav and Zigore simultaneously.
'Don't tell me, again...?'
Since my resurrection, my body had become incredibly sturdy. To the point of recovering overnight even if I fell from a horse.
But to collapse like this, weak and frail, just because I used divine power...
'No, this body was resurrected precisely for that purpose.'
Perhaps it's because its usefulness is running out.
Thinking that sent a slight chill down my spine. It felt exactly as if someone had revived me just to use me.
No, such thoughts wouldn't help now. I slowly raised my body.
Seeing that it was daylight, it seemed I hadn't been unconscious for too long.
The place I was lying was the hall where I had sent off Zigore and Nadav. Beside me, hastily spread-out bedding for rough sleeping was scattered about.
Even a cursory glance showed no sign of Xenon or Samuel.
[C-Captain!]
I turned my eyes towards the voice as I unconsciously tried to sit up. I hadn't noticed it right after waking, but it seemed Mori had been guarding my bedside.
"Where is everyone?"
[Th-the traitor went to check the upper floor, and the mage went to get drinking water.]
"Drinking water?"
Given how the situation had been changing constantly, Xenon always kept ample supplies of foodstuffs. Drinking water was the same.
Since water created by magic wasn't for consumption, he always made sure to carry drinking water along with food supplies...
Glancing briefly towards the stairs Samuel had likely gone up, I decided to go find Xenon first. Samuel would return on his own.
"Stay here for a moment, Mori."
[Huh? Yes!]
Leaving the hall, I retraced the path we had taken. Perhaps because it was a path we had taken once, I was able to get outside without it taking too long.
Xenon was in front of the main tower entrance. To be precise, he was crouched beside the entrance, lost in thought, so engrossed that he didn't even notice I had come out.
Only when I tapped his shoulder did he startle and stand up.
"You're up early?"
"Did I collapse again?"
"Yes. You collapsed right after those two Dullahans disappeared."
Xenon answered in a gloomy voice and pressed the back of his hand to my forehead.
"You had a fever earlier too. Should you be up already? You should lie down a bit more."
"It's fine."
"You said you don't have much left. There's no need to rush, is there?"
"I want to finish it quickly."
At my words, Xenon hesitated. Moving his lips, he ultimately couldn't find anything to say and quietly turned his gaze away.
"I'll be in shortly. You go ahead."
Instead of answering, I quietly stared at him, and Xenon gave an awkward smile.
"Just a moment is all I need."
"Are you afraid of dying?"
The smile that had been feebly present faded vaguely away. Xenon, who had blinked and remained silent, looked at me again.
"Yes."