--Eric was so kind that I thought he would be upset when he fought me. That''s why I was able to take him down so easily.


    I got down on my knees and the person in front of me said that.


    Ugh...!


    --Because I''ve never been able to live as straight as I am. I''ve been living bent, twisted, and rotten.


    The person who had been expressionless before, only then could I see the emotions swinging in his eyes.


    I''ve been living, rotten...?


    --I could have attacked you for ''purpose''. Maybe your priority was your friend, but for me, ''purpose'' came first.


    And in the midst of those turbulent emotions, I felt a solid purpose.


    What do you mean by ''purpose''...!


    --It''s been fun. Let''s see if we can get together again. Then, though, we''ll be enemies.


    I thought I saw a sad smile on his face at the end as he lost his strength and collapsed.


    You really had a good time...!　And that''s not even a lie!


    Elena, Mr....!


    I force open my very heavy eyelids as I unconsciously say this.


    My eyelids are heavy, but my head is even heavier and hurts worse.


    I manage to sit up, even though it feels like someone is hitting me directly in the head.


    ''Eric!　Are you okay?!


    I heard that voice from next to me.


    It''s a voice that must be worried about me, but it''s so loud it makes my head hurt even more.


    ''Yulina, Ms........''


    I could hear it in his voice, but I saw the face next to me and uttered that.


    ''Yeah, it''s me. Hang on, I''ll get you some water.


    Yulina said and then moved away from me.


    I looked around and tried my best to assess the situation with my mind, which still couldn''t think much.


    The first thing I was laying on was a hard bed.


    Looking around, it looks like this is a hospital room.


    I remember it was explained to me before that there is a very large hospital by the palace.


    But why am I in this hospital room...?


    My head hurts so much I can''t seem to remember.


    It''s a slightly smaller hospital room, with only about three beds.


    There''s one bed next to me, and it''s empty right now.


    It''s probably Yulina''s bed.


    And in front of me, there is another bed.


    When I look into my still hazy eyes, I see that Tina is still sleeping on that bed.


    ''''Tina........!


    It was here that I finally remembered everything that had happened.


    That I came back with Viviana-san when I found out that this royal capital was under attack.


    Things were going well until the middle of the day, but the sudden explosion that happened suddenly reversed the situation in one fell swoop.


    And then........Elena-san.


    Oh yeah, what happened after I was defeated by Elena-san?


    Tina must have been behind me when I fell.


    Could it be that Tina, who appears to be sleeping in front of me right now, was killed by Elena-san--!


    I tried to force my heavy body to move closer to Tina, but


    ''Eric!　Don''t push yourself!


    Yulina came back and stopped me.


    She gently restrains my body as I try to get up.


    I can only feel a little strength from Yulina-san, but my body doesn''t move enough to push it back.


    ''''Tina is...!


    He''s asleep. He''s not dead. Don''t worry.


    I guess he sensed my concern and answered that.


    Thank God, really.....


    Perhaps it''s because I''m relieved, but I resist the urge to lose my strength and lie down on the bed again.


    ''The three of us seem to have been awake for a long time, although our wounds aren''t deep. They say we''ve been asleep for a whole day or so.


    A day...


    You''ve been sleeping so much since then.


    ''I was poisoned by someone. Perhaps that''s why I''ve slept so much.


    With those words, I remembered what Elena-san had said.


    As I recall, Yelena-san too........


    ''''Eric........you were beaten by Elena-san?


    Yes, sir.


    ''Well then, so is Tina.


    ''Probably so.


    I don''t know what happened after he fell, but it would be easy enough to hurt Tina, who was unconscious behind me.


    When she confirms that to me, Elena-san looks down, her face contorted.


    ''Who is Elena-san?　Just before I was about to fall down, that person had mentioned that he was on the side of the demon race. Is that person a traitor?


    Yulina is bitterly letting out what she''s been thinking in her mind for a long time.


    I don''t understand that either.


    What kind of feeling has Elena been having and how has she been spending her time with us?


    Was that carefree smile all a lie?


    Does Eric know anything about it?


    I''ve had a little chat with Elena.


    What did he say?


    I told Yulina-san what I had heard at that time.


    That Elena-san is a demon, and that she came to this country as a spy.


    That she spent three years as an apprentice in the Order of the Knights to avoid being suspected, and that she joined the Order after three years.


    That it was Elena-san who passed on the information for this raid.


    And that she said that the next time we meet, we''ll already be enemies.


    ''''I see........''''


    Yulina-san listened to the end of my explanation with a twisted face.


    ''''You weren''t betrayed, you weren''t on our side from the beginning...''''


    I can''t find any words to say to Yulina-san, whose tears are about to spill out at any moment.


    Probably the one who was the closest to Elena-san was Yulina-san.


    She had been a good friend of mine since I was an apprentice, and she was probably one of the few seniors that I could respect.


    Elena-san was also good friends with many people, but she seemed to be having a lot of fun with Yulina-san, and she seemed to be the closest to her.


    ''''You seem to be having fun, you seem to be the closest of friends.''''


    I can''t believe how painful it is not to assure you.


    ''I have an older brother and a younger brother, but there were no other women in my family besides my mother. Maybe that''s why I feel like I thought of Elena-san as my sister without permission and adored her. Hmph, she''s a man, but she''s a woman. I thought it was rude, but........


    Yulina-san slightly relaxed her mouth and said that, but tears were spilling out of her eyes as if she couldn''t bear it.


    ''''It was a lie, wasn''t it........!　All the kindness that was directed at me, all the smiles...!


    The words I spat out as if I was squeezing them out echoed hollowly in the hospital room where me, Yulina-san, and Tina were still sleeping.