Get away from Tina.
At the sight of Yelle-san trying to swing her sword down at Tina, I kick the ground as hard as I can and approach her.
I pull out the sword I was holding and swing it forcefully into a horizontal cleave without killing the momentum of my approach to make her retreat from Tina''s place.
Yele-san just barely put her sword between us and guarded it, but it was blown away by my momentum.
''''Kook -- you''re still strong........''''
Mr. Yelle was blown up a few meters and landed on his feet.
He tried to blow up more and let his body hit the tree, but he was successfully killed by the impact and landed on the ground.
Is the name of the Knight Commander of the Begonia Kingdom not so sweet?
''''Tina, are you alright!
I check in with Tina, who had collapsed and was dumbfounded, to see if she''s okay.
''''Uh, yeah I''m fine, but...''''
Then he raises his upper body and tells me that nothing is hurt.
''Well, that''s good...! Wait, now I''ll take down Mr. Yele and........
''Wait! No, Eric!
When I heard that Tina was okay, I tried to fight Yele-san right away... but Tina was desperate to stop me.
''I was competing! With Mr. Yelle!
''What...? The game...?
When I was confused after being suddenly told that, Yele-san put away her sword and walked slowly towards me.
''''She........Tina-san asked me to do it. ''''Please let me join the Magical Order........''''
Hearing those words, I''m even more confused.
Tina is a magic knight........? Why...?
Tina explains to me that she knows I feel that way.
''Well Eric, you''re going to join the Order, aren''t you?
What...?
How did Tina know about that...?
I overheard Mr. Yelle and Eric talking at home.
'' So, it was....
Was Tina listening at that time?
Was she in the backyard or something? I didn''t notice it at all.
''When Eric went out, I decided I was already going to join the Order so I came to the forest alone because I was lonely.
.........You didn''t think that she could tell just by looking at my face that I had decided to join the Order?
As expected, we were just together for a long time, so you can tell that part of the story.
I came to the forest and saw Yere and the others who were talking with Eric earlier, and I was hiding and listening to them and I heard the word "magical knights". So I decided that the only way to keep Eric and I apart was to join it!
Then he turns to me and speaks with tears in his eyes.
''I don''t want to leave Eric! I want to be with Eric all the time! I want to stand next to you and be more dependent on you...!
Tina said as she shouted at me.
''Tina....''
Hey Eric can I come with you to King''s Landing?
He asks me that, but I have no answer.
Even if I answered irresponsibly now, Tina has parents too.
My parents allowed me to go to King''s Landing, but if Tina''s parents didn''t allow me to go, Tina wouldn''t be able to come.
So even if I answer here........!
I couldn''t say anything with that thought, but Tina asks me again, as if she saw it in perspective.
''I want to hear what Eric thinks! Would it bother you if I was with you...?
No way!
I reflexively answer Tina''s question.
I don''t want to leave Tina either.
We''ve spent all our lives in this village together.
Although we are not related by blood, I feel like she''s my real sister.
And that''s as true in this life as it is in the last.
In my past life, I wasn''t strong enough to say goodbye to her for the rest of my life, but in this life, I was able to save her.
And yet, I knew it would be hard to be separated from her so soon in this life as well.
''I don''t want to leave Tina, either. I want to be with her!
I''m glad...! Thanks, Eric!
Tina hugs me with a smile, tears spilling out of her eyes.
I accept her embrace and hug her tightly to confirm Tina''s warmth.
This warmth........was something I lost in my previous life.
So I don''t want to lose it again in this life.
That''s why I don''t want to leave Tina, I want to be with her.
''I''m glad we''ve come to an agreement.
As me and Tina are hugging each other, an emotionless voice comes from the side.
When I turned my head in that direction, Yele-san was looking at me with a blank expression.
''''........Yele-san, isn''t it often said that you don''t read the air?''''
''Indeed, the deputy commander has often told me... how did you know?
I suppose ... we''re hugging each other so much and sharing our emotions, and he interrupted us flatly and unconcernedly.
''I''m so glad I was there for the birth of the couple too,''
''Oh, no, no... Yele, you''re not a couple...''
No, me and Tina aren''t a couple.
I saw Tina blushing and cooing next to me, but I ignored it for now and corrected Yele''s misunderstanding.
''Me and Tina are childhood friends, we''re like family. We''re not lovers.''''
''Is that so? I''m sorry I made a mistake.
No, I''m fine.
I had my head down, but it wasn''t that much of an apology.
I thought so, but Tina was puffing up next to me.
''''Hmm? What''s the matter, Tina, why are you so angry?
Mmmm...!
''You didn''t like being mistaken for someone so much?
''Not so! Eric''s an idiot!
Huh?
Tina said and turned away.
Why are you mad at me?
Have you often been told, Master Eric, that you are insensitive?
Yelle-san suddenly asks me that.
''''I''ve been told several times.......how did you know?''''
You''ve never been told that in this life, have you?
No, I''m just curious.
Yele-san said that without making eye contact with me for some reason.
''''........Commander, is it time for you to be released from your restraints?''''
Oh, I forgot. Sorry.
I was strapped into a weird position and my hips...!
Oh, by the way, I completely forgot that my men were lying on the ground in restraints.