Georg's word "half" was still spinning in Yuri's head the next morning. After that, Yuri had spent the night lying on his bunk, thinking it over endlessly. If half was a joke, what was the other half? A talk about friendship, or something else entirely? Georg didn't usually make that kind of expression. Eyes that were smiling but not smiling at all. (Well, whatever. I'll probably die in training today anyway.) With that conclusion, Yuri wolfed down his mutton stew at breakfast. The light streaming through the dining hall windows was still weak, and the northern sky hung heavy with clouds. Winter mornings at Granveld Fortress always looked like this. And then, in the middle of that gray atmosphere, the incident happened just after noon. ── The sound—a heavy *thud*—echoed from the south side of the fortress just as Yuri was completing his one hundred and fiftieth practice swing in the central training grounds. The sound was too loud. Not the sound of a door swaying in the wind. Something had collided. Something had struck the ground hard. Every soldier in the training grounds looked up at once. Footsteps thundered from the direction of the south gate. The first thing to appear was a shadow. A massive shadow. A large figure, caked in dust and mud from head to toe, stood solidly in the training grounds entrance. He was at least 185 centimeters tall. His short hair was a dark, soot-stained brown, left unkempt as it was. A thin scar ran along his right jaw. Heavy, sunken gray eyes slowly swept across the training grounds. Dried mud clung to his armor's surface, and the exhaustion of a long journey seemed to cling to his entire body. The soldiers stirred. "It's the vice-captain." "Vaik's back." "A month, wasn't it?" That man—Vaik Mora—paid no attention to the murmuring around him and trudged into the training grounds. A guard soldier came running and saluted. "Welcome back, Vice-Captain! You're safe and——" "[serious]Is there food?" That was his first words after a month away. The guard soldier froze for a moment. Yuri froze too. All the surrounding soldiers, still in their salutes, froze as one. "Ah, um, the dining hall is——" "[serious]Where" "Second floor of the south wing, sir!" "Got it." Vaik said just that and started walking again. The sound of his armor rang out, his heavy footsteps cutting across the training grounds. Partway through, his eyes met Yuri's directly. Vaik stopped. His gray eyes slowly looked Yuri up and down, taking a full three seconds. Top to bottom. Bottom to top. That was all. "[sarcastic]You're scrawny. You'd blow away in the wind." He started walking again. Toward the dining hall. He didn't look back. Yuri stood frozen, practice sword still in hand. Before he could even figure out what to say, Vaik's back had disappeared beyond the south wing's door. "……Dude, I've never seen anyone get told they'd 'blow away' by the vice-captain on their first meeting. That's a first for me." A voice came from behind. Georg stood there with his arms crossed, grinning carelessly. When had he gotten there? "[surprised]Who was that guy?" "[sarcastic]Vice-Captain Vaik Mora. He's our squad's vice-captain and Captain Lilica's right hand. He just got back from an expedition. Well, his first words being about food is... kind of like him, I guess." The dining hall door opened again, and Vaik's face appeared. "[serious]You're a trainee. Come tomorrow." That was all he said before disappearing again. That was the entirety of Yuri's welcome. ── The training Vaik started the next morning was completely different from Lilica's. Lilica would point out things precisely: "Your elbow is raised." "Your center of gravity is off." She would put the sensation of *matsumagic* into words and teach him where he was going wrong. Vaik said nothing. He simply picked up a practice sword. The moment Yuri took his stance, Vaik came at him with no warning whatsoever. He was fast. By the time Yuri tried to react, the practice sword was already hitting his arm. Vaik's strike was obviously held back, but the impact still made the sword slip from his grip. It rolled across the stone pavement with a scraping sound. "[serious]……Pick it up." Yuri picked it up. He took his stance again. Vaik came at him again. This time Yuri noticed a bit sooner. He tried to block. But in that moment—his consciousness, trying to use *matsumagic*, snapped with fear. The sensation of flowing magic into his sword terrified him, and it retreated deep into his body. The sword was knocked flying. Third time. Fourth time. Fifth time. When Yuri put his hand down on the ground the seventh time, Vaik spoke for the first time. "[serious]You stop when you're afraid. That's your biggest weakness." He said it with an expressionless face. Not an analysis, not a criticism. Just a statement of fact. Yuri got up. Vaik came at him again. This continued all morning. Yuri was knocked down seven times. All seven times, he got back up on his own. Vaik said nothing each time. His expression didn't change. He just repeated it, methodically. But—in a place Yuri couldn't see, something flickered deep in Vaik's eyes. Something wordless, in response to this repetition of being knocked down and getting back up. Yuri couldn't see it yet. ── The problem came during the midday break. Yuri was sitting on the stone steps at the edge of the training grounds, drinking water, when he heard Vaik call out to Lilica. Or rather—it felt more like Lilica had come to him. Lilica stood beside Vaik in the shade at the edge of the training grounds. When the two stood together, the height difference was obvious. Lilica was 175 centimeters, but Vaik was a full head taller. "[cold]How was the northeast ridge during this expedition?" "[serious]Rocks collapsed and created a new detour route. The map needs updating." Lilica unfolded a map she'd been holding. Vaik held down one edge. The two bent over the map together. Lilica pointed to a spot with her finger. "[cold]Here?" "[serious]A bit further east. The ridge before the gorge." Lilica pointed something out. Vaik gave a short "yeah." Lilica's expression softened, just slightly. "[gentle]That helps." Yuri froze on the stone steps. It wasn't the words "that helps." It was the softness in her voice. A warmth he'd never heard during training. Lilica hadn't smiled. Her expression had only relaxed a little. But—that "little" struck Yuri in a strange way. His grip on the practice sword tightened with unnecessary force. (It's... it's nothing.) The coldness of the stone steps bothered him, just a little. ── Dinner was on the second floor of the dining hall. Today's specialty: Moona the cook's mutton stew. The rock salt flavor soaked into the bone—the most welcome thing for a tired body. A while after Yuri sat down, Georg took the seat next to him. He stirred his stew with a wooden spoon, his face carefree. "[sarcastic]Seven times today, huh? I gave up after five." "[surprised]You were doing the vice-captain's training too?" "[sarcastic]A bit. From the second day, I got mixed into the vice-captain's training. My arm stopped working after the fifth time, so I retreated." He said it like nothing had happened. But that meant Georg had gone through the same ordeal, and Yuri felt a strange sense of camaraderie. There was a pause. Georg took a spoonful of stew. "[sarcastic]Hey, you had a jealous look on your face this afternoon." "[surprised]……What are you talking about?" "[sarcastic]When the captain and vice-captain were looking at the map. Your face." Yuri's spoon almost stopped. Don't stop, he thought, and brought it to his mouth anyway. "[serious]It was nothing. They were just talking, weren't they?" "[sarcastic]Long-time war buddies, I guess? Those two get along pretty well." He said it probing. Yuri kept his gaze on his plate as he answered. "[serious]Probably. It's got nothing to do with me." "[sarcastic]Huh." Another pause. Georg moved his spoon slowly. "[sarcastic]So, can I confess to the captain?" Yuri's head snapped up. "[surprised]Wait—that's——" Something caught in his throat. The word "confess" echoed in his head. Georg confessing to Lilica. That silver-haired captain. Why would— "[laughing]See, you do like her." He laughed. A real laugh. Clear enough that someone at the far end of the dining hall turned to look. But his eyes weren't laughing at all. Yuri felt his face heat up. "[angry]That's not—it's just—" That was when it happened. A *gong* sound rang out across the entire fortress. The alarm bell. The warning bell on the north wall watchtower—the one that announced the approach of demons—was ringing. Everyone in the dining hall stood up. The sound of spoons hitting plates, chairs being pulled back, armor being grabbed—all at once. A messenger came running into the dining hall. "[scared]Demon beasts approaching from the north! Over thirty confirmed, with lower-tier demons guiding them!" Vaik was already heading for the dining hall exit. Lilica's voice came from the corridor. "[serious]Third Squad, prepare for sortie. Yuri, come." Yuri set down his dish. He stood up. His feet seemed to stick to the floor for just a moment. "[serious]Let's go." He said it while fastening his sword belt. That one word got Yuri's feet moving. ── When they passed through the north gate of the fortress, the night of Garg Wasteland was there. Torchlight cut into the darkness ahead. Rock and dead grass lay submerged in the night. The wind was strong. It howled past his ears. His breath came out white. And then—a growl echoed. Low. The kind of sound that crawled up from the depths of the earth. Not a human voice. Not even a beast's voice. The roar of demon beasts, layered and pressing in from the darkness. Yuri drew his sword. He focused on the first stage of *matsumagic*. Flowing magic into his sword. The sensation of water flowing through a channel. A sensation he'd practiced hundreds of times. The torchlight illuminated the edge of the darkness. Shadows appeared. Large shadows, multiple, moving toward them. When the outlines became clear, every part of Yuri's body stopped. Demon beasts. Huge. Bigger than bears. Their entire bodies were covered in dark brown fur, their claws reflecting the torchlight. Their eyes glowed. Multiple eyes, all directed at him. Something in his head was screaming, but his body wouldn't obey. *Matsumagic* wouldn't activate. He tried to flow magic into his sword, but fear was blocking the passage deep in his body. He tried to push through, but it wouldn't go. The sword was—just a bar of iron. Beside him, Georg was clashing with a demon beast. His sword, glowing with *matsumagic*, deflected the beast's claws. Ahead, Vaik was facing two at once. Each strike had weight behind it; the beasts staggered. Only Yuri couldn't move. He stood in the middle of the battlefield like a statue. Sword in hand. *Matsumagic* wouldn't come out. One of the beasts saw the opening. It turned toward him, raising its claws. Yuri couldn't move. He didn't know how. His body wouldn't listen. Something flew in from the side. A *crack*—a dull, heavy sound. It was Lilica. She'd flown in from the side, positioning herself in front of Yuri. The demon beast's claws tore deep into her left arm. Blood scattered into the night air. Red. In the torchlight, red traced an arc. Lilica made no sound. Her expression didn't change. But—her knees buckled. Quietly, onto the stone pavement. It all seemed to move in slow motion. Her silver hair swayed, slowly. Her golden eyes met Yuri's for a moment. "Lilica!!" Vaik's roar shook the night. He turned and cut down the demon beast he'd been facing in a single strike. Its death cry rang out. Vaik dropped to his knees beside Lilica, checking the condition of her left arm. Then he slipped his hand under her arm and lifted her, cradling her as he stood. "[a