I confronted Elena-san.


    As a spy on the demon side, with Elena Millwood as an assassin.


    The Elena-san at that time was not the Elena-san that me and Yurina-san knew.


    She didn''t have a smile on her face, and she attacked me with a blank, expressionless face.


    It wasn''t the seriousness of the training, but it was definitely hostile.


    Now that I recall it, maybe he didn''t mean to kill me.


    I don''t know if it was mercy or if Elena-san still really thinks that we are friends, I don''t know.


    Elena-san as a kind-hearted person or Elena Millwood as an assassin.


    Which is the real thing or a fake?


    I don''t know that now.


    But just before I was about to faint, Elena-san said to me.


    "....or was it a lie? I don''t know. I''d be lying if I said I hadn''t forgotten about my mission as a spy. I can''t tell you that everything we laughed about together was a lie.''''


    Elena, who had been speaking emotionlessly all that time, responded sadly, as if she couldn''t bear it.


    I couldn''t believe her words at that time were a lie.


    I couldn''t see that Elena-san''s actions until now were a lie, but....


    I don''t think the words I said at that time, the feelings that poured out of me, were a lie.


    No, maybe I just don''t want to think about it.


    ''Gina?　Are you there?


    As I was thinking about this, the door to the hospital room opened again and a man peeked out.


    ''Oh, Dad!''


    The girl who was hugging Yulina''s leg, called Gina, ran up to the man.


    The father was surprised to see Ms. Yulina sitting on the bed as he held Gina as she ran up to him.


    ''You''re awake!　Gina has told me about you, thank you for helping my daughter!


    Gina''s father said and bowed deeply.


    He probably came to visit her in this hospital room with Gina several times.


    ''''No, no, I was just doing what a soldier should do,''''


    Yulina-san replied, a little woozy at the sudden thank you.


    ''I wasn''t home on business at the time of that attack. If I had lost both of them, I wouldn''t have been able to live with myself anymore.''


    ''　Your wife couldn''t help but be sorry--


    Don''t apologize!


    Just as Yulina was about to stand up and bow her head, her father stopped her from doing so with a loud voice.


    ''I''m sorry about my wife, but you have nothing to apologize for saving my daughter. Really, thank you very much.


    Yes.


    Yulina''s face is still twisted in frustration when she is told that.


    And when her father and Gina were about to leave the hospital room.


    Gina your girl.


    Yulina stopped Gina from calling her in an unfamiliar way.


    ''What?''


    Do you want to see your sister, Elena?


    ''Yes!　I just want to see you and thank you!


    He nodded with a smile at Gina''s cheerful reply.


    ''''I''ll bring you in, okay?


    Really?


    Yeah, I don''t know when, but can you wait for me?


    ''Yes!　I promise!


    Of course.


    The two of them have done it before, or maybe they''ve done it together, and twirl their pinkies out as if they''ve combined.


    I''m sorry for cutting your finger off. If you lie, I''ll cut off a thousand needles. I cut off my finger.


    We both sang that out in unison as we waggled our fingers.


    ''Bye, Yuri sis!


    "Oh, I''ll see you later, Gina.


    Gina waved her hand as her father left the hospital room, bailing.


    ''Eric, it''s like I just said,''


    He spoke to me after the sound of their footsteps stopped coming from the hallway.


    ''You''re bringing Elena, are you bringing her in?


    Yeah, I''ll bring him back if I have to punch him. No, if I see Elena, I''ll hit her at least once.


    Yulina-san speaks with a smile.


    As I thought, Yulina-san seems to be ready for it already.


    Elena-san said that Yulina-san has grown up after this attack.


    I think I understand that somehow now.


    ''''Elena-san came here as a spy, as I recall, didn''t she?


    ''Yes, that''s what he said,''


    That man said he was sent to the Begonia Kingdom as a spy.


    And that period of time is three years.


    Even if you become an apprentice knight''s apprentice from scratch and try to avoid suspicion, that''s a long time.


    ''''I''ve been in the Begonia Kingdom for three years. If you''re Elena, as I believe you are, you must have had someone close to you among the soldiers and in the city.


    That''s for sure.


    Elena was very cheerful and had a personality that was liked by many people.


    I have seen with my own eyes that the people of the city liked her even when we went to visit together.


    ''So he would have hesitated to let this country raid him. But I did it. That means that Elena-san may have some weaknesses in her hands.


    A weakness?


    ''Yeah, I hated being a spy and an assassin, and because of that weakness I had no choice but to help with the attack.


    That being said, it seems to make sense.


    But it''s all just a prediction.


    ''Of course, this is my convenient interpretation. Maybe it''s just that everything about Elena-san is a lie and it was just an act of getting along from the beginning.


    Yulina knows that, too.


    She smiles to herself, but her eyes really believe it.


    ''You can laugh at me if you want. But I''ve decided to believe in Elena-san. I''m going to be a fool to bring Elena-san to you.


    I said so strongly.


    I understand that it''s a stupid idea, but I believe it.


    After all, Yulina-san is getting stronger.


    Not her sword skills or anything else, but her heart.


    That belief will not be able to be shaken by anyone anymore.


    Even if it''s Elena-san.