After having dinner with his siblings, Heinrich was returning to the Temple garrison.
Night had fallen.
On his way back, Heinrich was mulling over the words he had heard from his elder sister.
Although she had invited him for a meal, they ended up discussing more than just food.
"I don't agree with Alphonse's belief that the Empire is only pushing you into dangerous missions, but it's true they are overworking you."
"Considering the circumstances, there's not much we can do. However, you are a royal of Kernstadt. You are an important talent for the royal family and one of the cornerstones responsible for our future. It's quite uncomfortable that the Empire is treating you this way."
"That's why I'm thinking of incorporating you into the Kernstadt command structure. This doesn't mean it'll continue indefinitely. If necessary, you'll have to cooperate with the Temple forces, including Ellen Artorious and the general headquarters."
"But before being a student of the Temple, you are a royal of Kernstadt and our sibling."
"Therefore, I believe we should have authority over matters concerning your safety."
"Youngest brother, do you agree?"
Cornerstone.
Royalty.
Sibling.
Future.
The words spoken by his sister were tickling Heinrich's heart.
How much he had longed to hear those words.
Could a few simple words make one's heart race like this?
Despite how much Heinrich wanted to hear those words and how much he treasured them, he felt strangely alienated, as if he had really returned to his family.
Heinrich was walking through the garrison, now shrouded in night.
Yes.
With this much power, he couldn't help but be recognized.
The moment this thought crossed his mind, Heinrich stopped in his tracks.
He stopped as if putting a brake on the rising arrogance in his head.
Standing still, he looked up at the night sky.
That's all it was.
He had merely been that lonely.
It was indeed strange for his heart to race at just a few words.
He had been abandoned at such a young age, turning him into a strange person.
Thinking about it, Heinrich had little memory of living like royalty, even though he was a royal.
So, he didn't know what sibling love was like among royals.
That's why he realized the odd fact that he was yearning for something he didn't even know.
There is no such thing as baseless kindness.
This would be the same for siblings, especially those who carry the title of royalty.
He was accepted as a sibling again because he had power and influence.
It wasn't him that was needed, but his power and influence.
Louise's words about taking control of his safety from the general headquarters.
On the surface, it seemed logical that he should be protected because he was a Kernstadt royal and an important person who needed to contribute to the nation's reconstruction before being a Temple student and an imperial citizen. However, the truth hidden behind it was different.
Louise wanted to make sure Heinrich couldn't be manipulated without her permission.
That meant strengthening Kernstadt's military influence over the allied forces.
He had become useful, so Louise wanted to control him.
Sibling love.
Not even knowing it, and never having tasted it before, the truth was that he couldn't get drunk on the sweetness of such an unfamiliar emotion. Once the veil of false emotions was lifted, the truth was revealed.
What if he thought about it from Ellen's perspective?
Ellen Artorious was very important to the allied forces. She had both symbolic and actual military significance.
The allied forces' general headquarters could decide which operations to deploy Ellen in.
They could order Ellen to aid the operations of the Kernstadt army, the operations of the Holy Knight Order, or be mobilized in the operations of other allied nations.
All members of the allied forces would want Ellen to fight alongside them.
If the decision-making authority was not with Ellen but with the supreme command, everyone would have no choice but to silently follow the orders and directives of the supreme command.
Emotional decisions should not be made, but ultimately, the allied forces are a group of humans.
If those who are not in the supreme command's favor do not receive proper support, many casualties will occur.
Ellen is even capable of single-handedly resolving the battlefield.
Since Ellen's body is just one, if two operations occur simultaneously, one side cannot be helped.
The influence the supreme command possesses by holding the decision-making authority should not be underestimated.
Heinrich's case would be no different.
Ellen, who showed almost the strongest form in close combat, gained a wide range of attack abilities by awakening the Sun God's Divine Relic.
Before Ellen gained such power, Heinrich had even more destructive power.
Heinrich's destructive ability shines when facing a large group of enemies.
Therefore, Louise does not want to be swayed by the supreme command's influence as she is now, but rather, she seeks to have authority over Heinrich's well-being as an important strategic weapon to gain influence. From the moment Heinrich is incorporated into the Kernstadt army, that influence will come into effect.
It is not because they are siblings but because of the usefulness of the weapon.
What should be done then?
Is it right to follow the words of an elder sister who merely tries to use him under the pretense of family?
She wouldn't even think of him as a sibling, would she?
What good ending would there be for a brother with the sole purpose of being used by his sibling?
Is it not a grand army marching for the sake of saving the world and rebuilding humanity?
Is it right for such conflicts to arise within the army, merely over trivial leadership?
Isn't it foolish?
Very much so.
Isn't this a foolish matter?
There is not enough time to focus on a single goal; why should such conflicts of interest arise?
Heinrich walks, looking at the night sky with a lonely expression.
"…Hoo."
Heinrich knows nothing of brotherly love. He was separated from his siblings too early.
He knows even less about politics. He was removed from politics at a very young age.
Both were difficult issues for Heinrich.
Whether or not to follow Louise's words.
Heinrich could not know.
Returning to the Temple base, Heinrich felt a slight commotion within the base.
It was because Ranian Sesor was playing the guitar in the very center of the base.
The base's management soldiers, the passing knights, and even the Temple students were gathered around Ranian, quietly listening to his performance.
Ranian Sesor, who leads the military band, plays music and sings as he travels to each base.
The talent of music.
Ranian Sesor was not only capable of playing almost all instruments, but he also had aptitude in composing, conducting, and singing.
If it were peacetime and Ranian Sesor could graduate from the Temple normally, he would undoubtedly have become a famous performer, composer, and conductor across the continent.
However, at the onset of humanity's last march, Ranian Sesor plays music and sings for the soldiers who have lost or left their hometowns.
Music is a talent utterly unrelated to battle.
However, Heinrich knew that the role entrusted to Ranian Sesor was of great importance.
Heinrich often felt the value of music, which breathed life into the depressed and soothed the heart with gentle melodies, whenever he listened to Ranian's performances after the Gate incident.
Though it was a talent unrelated to combat, Heinrich thought Ranian's gift might be what people needed most.
Ranian played the guitar with a serene melody, and sang to the people in a low voice.
The song carried a message that peace would someday come.
Most of the people at the temple garrison were listening to Ranian's song.
Ranian Sesor had composed quite a few songs since the Gate incident.
In fact, there were quite a few popular songs about Ellen defeating the Demon King Valier.
After seeing Ellen's face turn pale and her retching when she heard the song about herself, Ranian decided not to create any more songs with her as the subject.
Though songs about heroes were the most popular, Ranian had neither created nor sung any songs about Ellen since then.
Whether it was due to the pressure or something else, Ranian knew that Ellen was terrified of such songs.
Heinrich saw Ellen, sitting on a wooden box in a secluded corner, concentrating on the song.
Ellen, burdened with too much weight, was pitiable to watch. Heinrich could not tell what had changed, but he saw a necklace around Ellen's neck that he had never seen before.
And she held onto that necklace with one hand as if it were something precious.
Had the fatigue finally been resolved?
Heinrich, too, was entrusted with a heavy duty, but he knew the burden Ellen carried was of a different magnitude.
It was a weight that one person could not bear.
"…Huh?"
However, Heinrich couldn't help but notice something slightly different than usual.
People were focusing on Ranian's music, but they kept glancing at Ellen.
There was something on Ellen's lap.
"A cat?"
A black cat sat on Ellen's lap, and she continued to stroke its back.
"You're here."
Turning his head at the sound of his name, he saw Kono Lint, who always had a playful expression on his face.
"Uh… What's that? A cat?"
At Heinrich's question, Kono Lint shrugged his shoulders.
"Oh, you came late, so you don't know. It was quite a commotion today because of that cat. It suddenly came and was left behind."
"…Really?"
"Ever since Ellen returned, the cat has only clung to her. I don't know if it knows something or not… But I'm glad Ellen seems to like it."
Kono Lint looked at Ellen with a sympathetic expression.
Everyone in the Royal Class knew the real danger and pressure Ellen faced.
While she was admired and worshipped elsewhere and had expectations placed on her, in the Royal Class, Ellen was perceived as the most unfortunate and vulnerable person in the world.
Except for a few.
Ellen absentmindedly continued to stroke the cat's back, and the cat entrusted its body to her touch while looking at the garrison.
The cat.
An unexpected presence, but there was no law that it shouldn't be there.
"I don't know if someone is secretly raising the cat or if it escaped from someone who was raising it. But since people like it, I think it's fine."
"......Is that so?"
"Yes, more importantly, it seems like Ellen enjoys it too. Maybe she'll end up taking care of the cat? But does Ellen even have time for that?"
"Well, someone else can take care of it."
"......True."
These days, Ellen seemed extremely exhausted, but she now had something to focus on. Whether it was a source of comfort or not, she was paying attention to something.
Maybe that's all that mattered.
The sight of Ellen stroking the cat was quite unusual to Heinrich.
He also felt something strange.
He had the feeling that the cat was staring directly at him.
It was a penetrating gaze.
An animal's gaze, but for some reason, it felt like something was being analyzed, a very eerie sensation.
He felt that the creature was looking right at him.
'There's no way.'
Heinrich laughed softly, thinking he was being oversensitive because of the events of the day.
The performance continued, and although Heinrich was fascinated by the cat's presence, he didn't want to distract Ellen, who seemed to be focused on something.
-Meow
As the cat let out a low meow, Ellen blankly nodded and tickled the cat's chin. Just as the cat seemed to like Ellen, it was unclear, but it appeared that Ellen liked the cat too.
No matter what it was, if it could breathe life into this gloomy garrison, Heinrich thought it would be a good thing.
It could be the music of Ranian Sesor or the unexpected kitten that appeared.
Kono Lint patted Heinrich's shoulder.
"Anyway, a letter came today. The kids and I are going to open it together. What do you think?"
"Sounds good."
Heinrich nodded at those words.
It was a quiet night filled with the sound of a cat's meow, instruments, and singing.
